Genius Wizard Conceals His Origins

T/N: Edited 10/28/24.

The next day, we found out the reason the soldiers came.

News spread that an arrest warrant had been issued throughout Leman.

At first, I was doubtful. Even though I used magic as discreetly as possible, did someone see me?

Or did Remy’s gang, who had been forced to live in hiding after falling out of favor with the military, betray me again?

It was neither.

“Pressure came from above.”

I heard the inside story from Dorothy.

It seemed that the military camp in Leman, whose performance had already been declining for three years, was now beginning to receive direct pressure.

Overseas deployment in itself requires considerable capital.

Still, for the past few years, the military was essential due to the work of curbing the brutality of the former Empire and placing it under the rule of the Federation.

Now, it was different.

Eight years.

Now, eight years after the end of the war, the soldiers stationed in Leman, not even the Imperial capital, were having their usefulness questioned.

The ban on magic was now in full swing, so the high-ranking people on the mainland began to sincerely think about why they should employ you at a high cost.

Therefore, the officers at the Leman military camp felt threatened.

Soldiers are soldiers wherever they go, but the officers sensed that both their position and salary would fall the moment they returned to the mainland.

Measures were needed.

If it were a typical interest group, they would have wracked their brains to create their own usefulness.

The officers did not do that.

The military group had already been utilizing a more efficient method for a long time – concealment and manipulation.

If there are no results, you can create them.

As the first step, they thoroughly investigated past records and discovered my name.

“As long as you’re here, you’ll be safe.”

Benjamin said.

It was just as he said.

Just look at yesterday. Think about it. A low-ranking soldier knocked on the door, and a lieutenant (promoted) popped out from inside.

Even though she hasn’t been promoted, Dorothy is a talent who receives the treatment of a lieutenant or higher.

The five soldiers retreated without even looking back.

Safe, he said.

I generally agreed with that opinion.

However.

Will the Federation bastards really be satisfied with just digging up past records like catching a mouse?

I don’t think so.

And my prediction hit the mark.

Before just two weeks had passed, rumors circulated that the Federal Army had detained an innocent civilian.

After two months, that number increased to five.

According to rumors, three of them were gray-haired youths.

#July 15th. Rain.

Two months have passed since I stopped leaving the house.

It was a unanimous decision that if I carelessly went outside in this situation, I might suffer some mishap.

I thought it would only last one or two weeks at most, but I didn’t expect it to continue for two months.

On the other hand, there was a good side to it.

Thud.

A heavy sound rang out.

The sound of closing a book cover. The sound signals that even the exceedingly thick calculus book has finally been finished.

It was the result of studying hard for the past two months.

Benjamin was next to the desk. He smiled contentedly.

“Good work.”

I neither affirmed nor denied it.

Instead, I picked up the grimoire.

Because it was faster to show achievement with the eyes.

“[Move].”

I recited the activation word.

The object to be moved was the pen I was holding in my hand. I imagined the trajectory it would move along.

However, this time, I did not rely on intuition.

‘.’  *1

The equation represents the trajectory the object will trace. By assigning this equation, the necessity arises.

This pen now had to move ‘like this.’

Whoosh—

The pen floats in the air.

Until now, the things that could be done with [Move] were very simple. The entire process of lifting and moving objects was at a constant speed and also stiff. Not anymore.

Flick, I flicked my finger, and the pen took off.

It rises upward, drawing an elegant curve.

Benjamin widened his eyes and followed the trail of the pen.

A spiral trajectory! *1

It was exactly what I couldn’t even imagine before opening the book.

That’s not all.

Flick, I flicked my finger once more, and the pen began to accelerate. This time, in the opposite direction.

Swish—!

The pen flew fiercely.

If I had taught such maneuvers to the me from three years ago, I would have stabbed someone with the pen and still had some left over.

But the destination of the pen that kept accelerating was precisely within my grasp.

It comes back to where it started with a swish.

It was proof that my magic was now on par with Benjamin’s in terms of precision.

“How was it?”

I asked.

Benjamin showed his usual smile.

“Excellent.”

“Oh. I think this is the first time I’ve been acknowledged so clearly. Am I a magic scholar now, too?”

“You still have a long way to go.”

“That’s a shame.”

I meant it.

Because after today, I would no longer receive Benjamin’s teachings.

“……”

Five Imperials have been arrested.

Maybe even more.

The fact that three gray-haired youths were included among them clearly showed that the Federal Army was abusing its power under the pretext of the search for ‘Eugene.’

The Federation troops stationed at the military camp in Leman will continue to arrest new ‘Eugenes’ to protect their livelihood.

It’s terrible news from the perspective of Imperials. Because the proportion of gray-haired people among Imperials exceeds 3 out of 10.

Everyone will have to live in hiding, unable to come out on the streets.

However.

What if the real Eugene appeared?

While personally proving that they had detained innocent people.

And spreading rumors all over the neighborhood to the extent that the higher-ups couldn’t conceal that fact.

I won’t be able to live in Leman anymore, but the officer in charge of enforcing the magic ban at the Leman military camp will be accused of both incompetence and fabricating achievements simultaneously.

Undoing what has been done.

Since I caused this, I should be the one to end it.

At the same time, this was a very suitable justification for me to leave this land.

July 16th.

Tomorrow, I will leave Leman. 

Therefore, today was the last time I received Benjamin’s teachings.

There are some things to be careful about.

Half of the reason for leaving is my personal desire, but the other half is for the Oslo family.

If it is revealed that the Oslo family was hiding the magic user Eugene, it won’t end with just a loss of authority.

If I wish to continue living in this harmonious duplex house, Benjamin will lose his honor, and in the case of Dorothy, who is a soldier, she may even be sued by a military court for the worst case.

That’s why my plan is a secret from Benjamin and Dorothy.

If I tell them about the situation, they will never agree with this easy and simple solution.

I made it clear that this plan was for my arrogance and self-righteousness.

The 15th. The day I closed the calculus textbook.

We spent a very ordinary evening together with bread and potato salad.

“Good night.”

“Good night.”

I waved my hand.

After seeing Dorothy awkwardly wave back at me, I returned to my room.

Turning the doorknob felt somewhat awkward.

I tried to recall the memory of when I first entered this room, but instead, there was no such thing that came to mind.

In the first place, I was carried in while unconscious and woke up inside this room. If I had to be precise, I should recall the memory of when I first left this room.

Come to think of it…

Back then, I referred to this place as a storage room, but at some point, I started calling it my room.

A change that happened without me realizing it.

Does that mean I have developed a deep affection for this room?

“……”

Creak. 

When I opened the door, a neatly organized desk and bedding came into view.

I had prepared many things in advance.

I checked my luggage one more time during the remaining time.

Things to take with me.

A bag containing clothing and enough food to last about three days. 12 pounds I earned from begging in the past. The grimoire.

Things to leave behind.

Various textbooks and the money Benjamin gave me as ghostwriting fees. A letter about ten pages long.

I planned to leave behind everything except what was absolutely necessary. Because most of what I have was given to me by the two of them.

Ah, there are exceptions.

The long-sleeved shirt that had already become too small and the scarf that is unnecessary in this weather.

Funnily enough, I didn’t need those two things at all, but I took them with me.

“Phew.”

After completing the final check, I wiped the sweat from my forehead with a swipe.

“Preparations complete.”

The preparations were finished.

To be exact, I had finished making the maximum preparations I could.

Leaving Leman is literally just the first step towards going to the Federation.

The transport of Imperials is still prohibited.

Since I don’t have money right now, I’ll have to sneak onto the ship.

I can’t be caught by anyone while traveling by ship. And when I disembarked, I heard that I had to undergo mandatory identity verification.

The last part is the biggest concern, especially because the Federation’s identity verification procedure doesn’t seem to be as sloppy as the Empire’s.

There were more than one or two hurdles.

But my decision was already made.

I still wish to set foot in the Federation. That’s enough for me.

Clatter—

After shouldering my bag, I opened the window and slipped out onto the roof.

It was dawn before the sun had even risen.

“[Levitation].”

I landed gently on the ground.

I looked back.

The duplex house was engulfed in silence.

“Alright.”

I succeeded in sneaking out.

Fortunately. Because it would have been troublesome if I had been caught leaving with my luggage packed.

I fixed my grip on the grimoire and hurried my steps.

Because I was planning to cause a commotion at the military camp from now on.

At that moment, I had a feeling that the grimoire was somehow swollen for some reason.

I’ve been handling this book for a long time. No matter how I look at it, it looks swollen as if a thick bookmark is inserted.

What I couldn’t see in the room was clearly visible under the moonlight.

“What is it? I never put anything in the grimoire.”

I stopped just before leaving the yard and opened the grimoire.

Flip—

I immediately opened the page where the problematic object was tucked.

“…What is this?”

A thick piece of paper the size of a palm.

I’ve seen Benjamin carrying papers of the same size a few times. It’s an item called an identity card or ID card.

What is it?

It’s not mine.

I read the Frauvian text written on the paper with mixed feelings.

Date and meaningless symbols. In the middle of the paper, where small numbers were written in a jumble, a person’s name was written.

[Eugene Oslo / 1880. 3. 14]

“Eugene, Oslo?”

I suddenly looked back.

The duplex house was still shrouded in silence.

However.

In the window where the moonlight was streaming in, it looked as if two figures were standing and waving their hands.

“Ah……”

It was hard to be sure. Because my vision was blurred by something hot welling up in my eyes.

Maybe it’s a ghost or something like that.

I turned my steps without hesitation.

I turned, then stopped.

“Thank you, thank you so much!!!”

I shouted in a voice that came from deep within my heart.

“Father!!!”

The sun is rising.

If I just follow that yellow light source, I will be able to reach the east, that is, the port.

I ran out blindly.

Feeling the heat flowing down my cheeks.

That day.

Because Eugene appeared at the military camp and caused a commotion by flying around and knocking down officers, the higher-ups who heard the news fell into great confusion. Because, on paper, Eugene was already in prison.

The rumor of the gray-haired wizard spread throughout the entire city, so they couldn’t hide it either.

The higher-ups, who realized the false report, gave a final chance. The officer in charge, who got the opportunity, gleefully searched Leman thoroughly to capture the gray-haired wizard but ultimately couldn’t find him.

It was natural.

“The times are changing. Let’s not rest on the glory of eight years ago anymore.”

With the words of a cackling old man, the officer was taken away.

“Ah.”

The old man reached out his hand to the sky.

“The rain has stopped.”

T/N

1. I ended up plotting the graph of the parametrized equation in MATLAB. Sure enough, a spiral pattern emerged, as shown below.

This can be explained by the x and y coordinates representing the points of a unit circle (i.e., a circle with radius 1) and the z-coordinate increasing as t increases. A spiral pattern emerges as a circle is being traced while slowly ascending in height.