Dr. Elias Namgoong, a man of panache, stood behind the podium dressed in a distinctive manner. He was in a black overcoat and a vest, and the silk top hat he had worn when he'd walked into the classroom, placed on the podium. If one saw him from a distance, they would almost be forced to think that he was an iconoclast rebelling against modern fashion and advocating for the return of that of the Victorian era.
Perhaps he actually was, Merlin couldn't say. It was not like he knew him. He, however, wondered why he had not noticed the man on the day of the orientation. Perhaps he had been dressed a bit more casually then.
On the other hand, Merlin was finding it hard to focus on the words coming out of Dr. Elias's mouth, more bothered by Professor Jung having requested his presence in her office.
He couldn't think of any reason why. Well, besides the whole return of the Cataclysm that he had discussed with the headmaster. But what would she need to tell him about it that the headmaster hadn't already? Was she planning on helping him with his training?
It was eating into him so much. But he knew he had to concentrate, so he forced himself to push those thoughts aside.
"Yes, Sofia," Dr. Elias said, pointing at a girl with bright tousled blonde hair who had had her hand raised. She was the one who had been glancing at Lee Jaehyun's way, along with her friends, blushing.
Sofia stood up, cleared her throat and said, "Mana is the force of life that flows through all Enkindled."
Her answer was simple. Merlin, though, felt like it was incorrect. He could not think of anything better, not being able to recall how exactly it had been described in Singularity Mage, so he kept his mouth shut and just stared.
Dr. Elias made known his dissatisfaction with Sofia's answer then.
"Is that all, Sofia?" he asked, a blank expression on his face, and a brass cane, complementing his attire, in his hands. "Do you have anything else to add?"
Sofia looked disturbed due to that question. She glanced at her two friends seated beside her, unsure of what to say next. But one thing was definitely certain to her; she had not gotten the answer to the question: 'What is Mana?'
"No, Dr," she replied, shaking her head weakly after giving it some thought.
Dr. Elias sighed. "That's fine. You may sit." She sat. "Does anyone else want to try?"
The classroom was silent. Most of them had probably not touched a single book since after gaining their admission, just like Merlin. But there were still a few who most likely had; Oh Jihye, for one, had her hand raised.
"Yes. You may speak," said Dr. Elias.
Oh Jihye rose to her feet in a rather uppity manner.
"Mana, I believe, is a symbiotic virus that latches onto humans in order to survive."
It almost felt like she had more to say, but regardless of her not carrying on, loud gasps still reverberated through the classroom, Merlin's brows fell, and Dr. Elias smiled.
"Correct," he said with a rather pleasant tone. "You may sit." He'd really wanted a student to know the answer, hadn't he?
Oh Jihye's posture became even more pompous as a self-conscious smile danced on the edges of her lips before she fell back down onto the bench.
Merlin wouldn't lie, he was utterly confused. Oh Jihye's answer sounded like nonsense. In fact, Sofia's answer seemed like the correct one in hindsight. After all, what did she mean by mana being a virus? Wouldn't that mean that all Mages were sick? Even worse was that Dr. Elias agreed with her. Were they all really sick?
The bulk of the rest of the students had different reactions. Jealousy danced upon the faces of most of the girls in the classroom, while the boys gaped at Oh Jihye like they had just come to notice her beauty. Merlin was interested in neither; he just wanted to figure out how in Santa's toes was mana a virus.
"I get it, you're all confused," Dr. Elias continued. "You're right to be. It's not like you should know this without being taught." Exactly. "Which is why I strongly advocate researching before attending classes. It helps a considerable amount, so you don't feel lost."
He turned to the markerboard, picked up a marker, and drew a bunch of convoluted lines intertwining with each other, and arrows that depicted a flow around them.
"Mana was not something that existed before the Cataclysm came to Earth. Research is still underway on what exactly it is, but it has shown certain similar characteristics with a virus known as bacteriophage. And this is why it has been identified as a Virus, until further notice. Yes, it has brought us unimaginable powers, but that only makes it a symbiote, not unharmful."
He drew a messy sketch of a Grimoire on the board.
"And this is why we need a Grimoire. This is something that should be taught in spell casting class, but I'll just say a bit since I'm the one who'll be taking you that as well. Recall that after your evaluation, you were warned not to try casting spells without the presence of a trained Mage or your Grimoire. Why? Because mana is not your friend. It will go out of control if you try to use it, either killing you or turning you into a monster." The students held their breaths. "Grimoires are what brings it under control. As for the details as to how they do that, they will also be taught in the spell casting class. Now, we've gone off track enough."
Dr. Elias cleared his throat.
"Like Miss…" He glanced at Oh Jihye. She called her name for him, and he nodded. "Like Miss Oh Jihye said, mana is a symbiotic virus that latches onto humans in order to survive. But that is hardly all of it. In that regard, the definition I want you all to have at the back of your minds is this…"
He twirled on his feet, turning to the markerboard, and began to write as he dictated,
"Mana is the name given to a race of chaotic, symbiotic, sentient viruses that latch onto humans and burrow deep into every cell in their body, as a means to ensure their survival in a completely alien environment."
He underlined the words: chaotic, symbiotic, and sentient. Merlin took note of that as he wrote the definition down in his note. Not like he was understanding anything, but it didn't hurt to note things down.
Dr. Elias turned to face the classroom again.
"You already know why they are chaotic, as I've stated. As for why they are tagged symbiotic, it's rather obvious, isn't it? They grant us powers as payment for living within our bodies." He paused and scoffed. "I wish it was as simple as that, but that is a topic for later. As for sentient; yes, it's as you heard. Mana are sentient beings. They possess knowledge. And that knowledge is what brings us to Construction and Creation."
Merlin was trying his best to follow, but it was really, really hard. He unconsciously sighed in exasperation.
"Is there anything you don't understand, Mister Merlin?"
Those words jolted Merlin out of his thoughts. And, worse, they had not come from the two to his side. No. They had come from the man of panache who was their professor.
Merlin glanced around the classroom for a second. "No, si–Dr. I'm alright."
Dr. Elias smiled. "Good. So… What do you think Construction and Creation are?"
Merlin could feel all the blood in his body drained out of him. The question was for him, he knew, but he couldn't help but hope that Dr. Elias had asked Oh Jihye instead. Perhaps that was why he remained still and silent, like he had not heard the man say anything.
Of course, he could not so easily escape in that manner.
"Well? Don't you have anything to say?" Dr. Elias added. Merlin could feel the gazes of Oh Jihye, Lee Jaehyun, and the rest of his classmates pierce into his skin.
He could only purse his lips and rise to his feet. What did it matter if he gave a wrong answer, anyway? It was not like he would be beaten for it. And he was also not deluded to think that he would end up becoming an academic prospect in the Academy. There was really no reason to think about it too much. He would just give the wrong answer like he always did.
And he was about to do just that when he recalled a variance in spell casting during the battle with the Troll on his way to the Academy.
Nora and Kim Yiseo's spells differed in a rather weird manner, he remembered. While Nora had controlled air in itself, Kim Yiseo had done something with webs instead. Merlin compared the difference between the two spells with those of the battles Kieran had engaged in in Singularity Mage, as well as the battles he'd watched on the internet.
Mages who produced their spells directly from their body—for example, their mouths—existed.
Is that the difference between Construction and Creation? There's no harm in giving it a try.
"Uhm…" he started. "Construction is a method of spell casting in which the Mage controls already existing elements, such as air. While Creation is a method which involves the Mage producing the spells directly from their body…" He paused. "I think?"
The classroom was silent, and Dr. Elias just stared at him like he had uttered some sort of crap that even a fool wouldn't have said. Merlin had never wanted to shrink into himself more than at this moment. But before the pressure of the gazes could get to him, Dr. Elias chuckled.
"You're on the right track," he said. "Good job. You may sit."
"Thank you—Wait, what?!" Merlin couldn't hide his shock. Had he heard correctly? "I'm right?"
Dr. Elias's lips shifted slightly to the side. "I said you're on the right track. Now, sit."
Merlin obliged amidst the murmurs of the rest of his mates.
"How did you know what it was?" Oh Jihye asked as soon as his height dropped to her level.
Merlin shrugged. "I just…guessed."
She narrowed her eyes at him, looking like she did not believe him. Lee Jaehyun, on the other hand, seemed like he too wanted to say something, but their distance apart prevented that. He just smiled instead.
Dr. Elias went on, "I'm not keen on doing the work of the other professors, so I'll only tell you what you need to know to realize the differences between a Construction Mage and a Creation Mage, and which of the two you are."
He cleared his throat, looked at the markerboard, then probably decided that writing or drawing on it was not necessary. Maybe he finally recalled that he could just send them the materials for the course at the end of his lecture.
"A Creation Mage, like Mister Merlin Tyrrell said, is one who directly produces their spells from within their body. Why can they do this? That's Professor Jung's question to answer. As for a Construction Mage, their ability to cast spells relies on them modifying the existing molecules present in the atmosphere or earth crust. Of course, Mages are not omniscient. Our abilities are limited to the knowledge the mana in our body possesses.
"Recall, mana are sentient beings. Each one comes bearing the knowledge of only a single ability, and can only serve as a link between a Mage and that particular ability. Which is why a Mage cannot cast spells of varying abilities. For example, a Fire Mage cannot cast the spells of a Water Mage, no matter what. Their mana only serves as a link between them and fire, not water. Even if they learn all about modifying the molecules of water in the atmosphere, they will never be able to cast water spells."
Merlin was lost, but he put on his best poker face.
"Construction 101 is a course for Professor Dmitri, so I'll stop there. It's not like my pay's going to increase if I do more than I'm supposed to do." Dr. Elias blinked after those words, then forced a smile. "Oops."
The class burst into laughter.
"Alright, alright. Let's get on with the main thing for today's class…" He pressed his hands down on his cane, leaning his weight on it. "Which one of you guys are Construction Mages or Creation Mages?" He glanced around. "Mister Choi Sangook, come up."