Chapter 18: The Annoying History of Ancient Magic (II)

What kind of script was that?
Different from the square characters used throughout the empire, I had never seen such script before…
It was simple, yet it contained…
I couldn’t describe it—the strange feeling…
But one thing was certain: it must be a very ancient script!
Ancient?
But there were no records of it in the history of ancient magic…
Could it really be just as that child said—a script used in some remote countryside?
Why didn’t Rex have any records of this script?
And where did that child learn it?
It’s really strange…
“Huh? Dia, what’s wrong with you today? You didn’t take any notes? That’s not like you!”
“Ah?” Dia, with her sea-blue hair, snapped out of her thoughts and smiled at her roommate. “I was thinking about something, that’s why I got distracted. Himi, can I borrow your notes for a moment?”
“Sure,” said the girl named Himi, shrugging with a teasing expression. “Are you really thinking about something? Or… thinking about someone in particular?”
“Who else could I be thinking about?” Dia smiled slightly as she took the notes from her friend.
“Well…” Himi was stunned. After all, in her eyes, her roommate was quiet and well-behaved, a top student recognized by all the professors. She only went between the dormitory, classroom, and library, hardly participating in any social activities. She had repeatedly rejected invitations from boys in her grade coldly. How could someone like her be thinking about “someone in particular”?
“Are you thinking about that magic master assessment the professor mentioned? No way! If you’re not confident, then I really have no hope left.”
“Assessment?” Dia was stunned, a knowing smile appearing on her face.
“Well… I’m not good at memorizing things… And there’s an assessment on the history of ancient magic in a week… So…”
I wonder how that child did on the exam. Did they pass the first-year assessment on ancient magic?
“Himi…”
“Mm?”
“Has the first-year assessment on ancient magic already ended?”
“First year? Ancient magic? Mm… I think it was yesterday. Is there anyone you know in first year? Why do you ask?”
“Nothing, just asking casually!” With a smile, Dia stood up and started packing up her notes.
“By the way, Dia, the professor approved of that party the boys mentioned. But it can’t be too late… It seems to be tonight. Want to go together?”

“I’m sorry, Himi, I…”
“I know, I know,” Himi said helplessly. “I was just asked to ask casually. I know you’ve never been very interested in such things. So… are you going to the library now?”
“Mm, right!” Dia smiled.
“Huh… then I’ll go by myself!”
“Mm!” Dia nodded, adjusted her magic robe, and headed toward the library.
Would that child named Thos appear in the library today? Dia wondered.
Since that day, Dia hadn’t seen the child with dark golden hair for a week. She remembered his name was Thos. Like her, he wasn’t talkative either, always busy copying materials on ancient magic history… a very interesting child.
Would he appear in the library today? Would he be there, holding a pile of materials to copy, just like that day?
Thinking about it, Dia felt a bit amused. Did that child really plan to use those notes during the exam, right under the professor’s nose?
Such a thing had never happened since Riox Academy was founded…
Hehe!
Arriving at the library in the light drizzle, Dia glanced inside.
The child was nowhere to be seen, which disappointed her slightly. But when she borrowed a copy of “Theory of Elements” and was about to find a spot, a smile appeared on her face: wasn’t the apprentice mage with dark golden hair sitting in the corner that child?
She walked over quietly and saw the child sitting in the corner, sighing as he held a book. Somehow, she felt amused.
“Hi!” It was the first time Dia had greeted someone on her own initiative.
The one with the unique dark golden hair was undoubtedly Jiang Zhe. Hearing the greeting, he turned his head in confusion and replied listlessly, “Hi…”
“Are you having trouble?” Dia asked with a smile as she sat down across from him.
“Trouble? Yeah, big trouble…” Jiang Zhe said weakly, one hand supporting his head while the other flipped through the pages.
“Um… did you pass that exam on ancient magic history…?”
“Don’t even mention it,” Jiang Zhe said, looking up at the girl across from him. He weakly took out a piece of paper from his pocket and slapped it on the table. “Total failure!”
Glancing at the word “make-up exam” on the paper, Dia couldn’t help but giggle. Realizing what she’d done, she quickly said, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I…”
“Laugh if you want to,” Jiang Zhe said indifferently, yawning as he flipped through the pages.

Watching the other person’s expression, Dia held back a smile and asked, “You… you really used it?”
Jiang Zhe naturally understood what the girl meant. Shrugging helplessly, he said, “I didn’t have time!”
“Huh?” Dia looked puzzled.
Seeing the girl’s confused expression, Jiang Zhe let out a long sigh.
Sigh… I really didn’t have time!
So cunning! Professor Hod…
The exam was held in a large classroom, with over 300 first-year students taking it together. There were only two professors supervising—the one being Jiang Zhe’s professor, Professor Hod, and another unknown old magician.
The format of the exam was simple, similar to the written tests Jiang Zhe had taken in his past life.
Jiang Zhe had observed carefully that the old magician sat at the front of the classroom, quietly flipping through what seemed to be an ancient parchment, occasionally yawning—seeming completely harmless.
Meanwhile, Professor Hod walked back and forth in the classroom along a single route, circling around. Jiang Zhe had calculated that it took him one and a half minutes to walk from the back to the front of the classroom. That time was enough for Jiang Zhe to take out his notes from his magic robe and find the answers to the questions—he was already very skilled at this.
Besides, there were no cameras in the classroom, and no students or professors passed by outside the window. All these conditions were favorable for Jiang Zhe’s plan. Even better, it seemed fate was on his side—his seat was placed at the very back of the classroom…
What an advantageous situation!
In his past life’s decade-long exam career, Jiang Zhe had never encountered anything so favorable for him…
To be cautious, Jiang Zhe didn’t act during the time when Professor Hod turned around. Instead, he waited until he reached the center of the classroom before reaching into his magic robe with his left hand. But at that moment, a hand reached over and tapped gently on the table…
Jiang Zhe looked up in surprise to see Professor Hod smiling at him, extending his hand and silently mouthing, “Give it to me!”
That’s so fake!
He was clearly in the middle of the classroom just now…
“Haven’t you heard of the ‘teleport’ spell, Thors?” Professor Hod bent down and said with a smile.
Well…
Jiang Zhe felt his eyelids twitch. He whispered, “Do you have eyes in the back of your head, Professor Hod?”
Professor Hod smiled, tapped Jiang Zhe’s eyelid, then pointed to the back of the classroom. Jiang Zhe turned his head in confusion but saw nothing unusual… Wait!

What exactly are those light blue things that look like pairs of eyes?
“The Eyes of Truth, oh, Thors!” Professor Hodde said with a smile, then waved at Jiang Zhe, his intention clear.
“…” Too despicable, too cunning!
Those “Eyes of Truth” floating throughout the exam room must be even more useful than cameras, right?
“Can’t we make an exception? Pretend we didn’t see them?”
Professor Hodde shook his head with a wry smile.
“I’ve been preparing for this for a long time…”
Professor Hodde rolled his eyes.
Sighing in frustration, Jiang Zhe reluctantly handed in all the notes he had.
Yes, all of them. Who could guarantee there weren’t any other strange spells in this classroom?
Looking at the pile of parchment, Professor Hodde was both amused and exasperated. He muttered a few unknown syllables, and with a soft “whoosh,” Jiang Zhe’s hours of hard work turned into ashes in an instant.
The sound drew the attention of some students in the classroom. Professor Hodde shouted, “What are you looking at? Focus on your exam!”
Then he glanced at Jiang Zhe, who was listlessly slumped over his desk, and walked forward, amused.
When he reached the front of the classroom, the old mage who was flipping through ancient parchment scrolls chuckled, “An interesting little brat!”
“Yes!” Professor Hodde turned around and said with a smile.
※※※
“‘Flash Teleportation’ and ‘Eyes of Truth’?” Dia’s eyes curved into crescents as she pointed to her cheek. “Those are two very advanced spells. I haven’t even learned them yet…”
Jiang Zhe sighed in frustration.
“What happened after that?”
“After that?” Jiang Zhe gave a strange expression, staring at the note on the desk that said retake exam…
Too cunning! Absolutely too cunning!
Looking at the light blue “eyes” floating in the classroom, Jiang Zhe was speechless.
Glancing in Scott’s direction, that guy was concentrating hard on answering the questions. Judging from his writing speed, it was obvious the exam questions weren’t difficult for him.
Unconsciously, Jiang Zhe glanced in Allen’s direction again…
Uh, no way? That guy is actually sleeping?
Well, it seems I’m not alone!
Wait, now isn’t the time to think!
If I fail this assessment, it’s over!
Damn it… I copied for hours…
Question 1: The author and formula composition of “The Extraction of Salt from Water”.
Hmm… the author… Charles? William? Wait… I’ve seen this before!
It’s Wei… Wei what again?

Ahah! Wilson!
As for this formula… such a complicated thing, how can one remember it?
Hmm, refining salt by boiling… boiling salt? Using fire on seawater?
Question two: The outstanding contributions of the great archmage Psos to humanity.
Damn! How am I supposed to know what contributions he made?!
Well… Psos was a great archmage, a milestone in the history of magic, who made outstanding and indelible contributions to the advancement of magic!
That’ll do!
Question three: Briefly describe the differences between the elemental ranking list of fire and that of wind.
Damn it! Can I even make something up like that?!
Hmm… just scribble a few symbols, make the handwriting blurry…
Question four: Briefly describe the basic shapes of magic.
I know this! Sphere, arrow, ring, shield… what else?
Damn, I can’t remember… just write “etc.” then!
Question five: Please list any first-level magic spell and gesture, describe the characteristics of that magic, and its related advanced forms.
Damn it!
Weren’t we supposed to be taking an exam on ancient magic history?!
Well… Fireball. It can be advanced to Fireball of Greater Power… The spell is… well, make the handwriting blurry…
Its characteristics are… fire… fire burns, right! It has scorching and flammable effects…
Question six… Good heavens, are there really a hundred of these questions? Damn it!
Even if I could make things up, there’s no way I can fill all of them…
※※※
“It burns… hehe,” Diya couldn’t help but laugh at the child’s explanation. “Fireball of Greater Power… there’s no such thing. Fireball is a first-level magic, while the advanced version is Fireball of Greater Power, which can be further developed into Fire Shield or Violent Fireball. There’s no Fireball of Greater Power, hehe…”
Sighing in frustration, Jiang Zhe asked, “You know so much. Are you majoring in fire magic?”
“No,” Diya shook her head. “I’m majoring in water magic. Also, the professor said that water magic can be used to cast illusions, so I also attended illusion classes. But it requires a very strong mental strength. Unfortunately…” She stuck out her cute tongue.
“That’s great…” Jiang Zhe said, both envious and frustrated, causing Diya to giggle.
“So what do you plan to do? Psos?”
“What can I do?” Jiang Zhe looked up at the parchment on the table and shrugged helplessly. “What else? Memorize! There’s so much… it gives me a headache just looking at it…” Then he remembered something and asked, “Have you guys memorized these before?”
“Yes!” Diya nodded.
“And passed?”

“Mm!” Dia nodded with a smile.
Jiang Zhe’s expression was utterly bewildered. He glanced at the book in his hands, then at the girl before him, clearly shocked.
Seeing his dispirited look, Dia smiled and said, “Actually, it’s quite simple… If a magician has already cast a ‘memory’ spell for you, it’s even easier…”
“Really?” Jiang Zhe widened his eyes.
“That’s right. The purpose of this course, as set by Rexox, is to teach us what’s written here so as to reduce mistakes. Magic below level three is fine, but for magic above level three, a mistake could lead to disaster… You could ask a magician from your family to cast a memory spell for you, and you won’t have to go through all this trouble… Thos?”
“…I’m sorry, but I’m not a noble!” Jiang Zhe shrugged.
Realizing she might have said something wrong, Dia quickly added, “I didn’t mean anything by that. You could also ask one of Rexox’s professors to help you…”
Rexox’s professors? She only seemed to know Professor Hodde. But judging from the agreement they had made, he didn’t seem like the kind to ‘help’ with such things.
“Never mind. I believe I can do it myself!”
What confident eyes…
“If you don’t mind, I can help you… Although my magic power isn’t as strong as the professors’, I do know that spell…”
“You?” Jiang Zhe raised his head in surprise, his expression shifting slightly.
Her direct gaze made Dia feel a bit uneasy. Her eyelashes trembled as she lowered her head and asked, “Is… is there a problem?”
“We’ve never met before, have we?” Jiang Zhe asked, his face full of doubt. “I’m not talking about a week ago—I mean even earlier!”
“No…”
“Strange!” Why did he feel such familiarity? Jiang Zhe shook his head and set the thought aside. He stood up and said, “I need to go back… If I fail the make-up exam, it will be troublesome!”
Dia was stunned and asked, “Don’t you need my help?”
“Thank you, but I don’t!” Jiang Zhe shook his head seriously. “My goal is to become a powerful magician. If I need help just to get started, what about in the future? Besides…” He glanced at Dia and smiled. “I don’t want to owe anyone a favor—you’ve already helped me once!”
“Huh…”
“Well, goodbye!”
“Wait…” Before she could finish speaking, Dia saw the boy turn and leave. She bit her lip, feeling slightly dissatisfied.

How could he do this! But his gaze… it was truly confident!
At that moment, Jiang Zhe was walking out of the library, looking back at the towering spire, thinking to himself, “I must become a powerful magician!”
※※※
A week later, in the dormitory!
“The concept of blue magic!”
“Magic that uses physical strength, relying on spells, gestures, and other methods to create vibrations corresponding to external elements, thereby enabling the casting of magic!”
“Hmm… roughly that’s it!”
With a snap, Scott closed the book in his hand and turned to look at Jiang Zhe, noting his dark circles under his eyes, then said with a smile, “There should be no problem now, Thors!”
“Phew…” Taking a deep breath, Jiang Zhe collapsed weakly on the bed and said, “I definitely don’t want to go through this again!”
“Hehe,” Scott smiled faintly, looking at the star patterns on the ceiling, “I really admire you for daring to do this… Haha, such things have never happened in the history of Riox!”
“I’d rather not have that kind of admiration!” Jiang Zhe said weakly.
Scott was momentarily stunned, pushed his glasses up, and said dismissively, “That’s also a tactic, just like those nobles who use ‘memory techniques.’ It’s just that Riox’s standard is to memorize knowledge rather than pass exams, so you got eliminated… But still, it’s much better than some unambitious idiot!”
“Is that idiot referring to me?” Allen, lying on the bed, asked while pulling back the covers.
“What do you think?” Scott said mockingly.
After living in Riox for half a month, the three of them had become quite familiar with each other, so joking around like this wasn’t a big deal—although Scott’s remark wasn’t a joke.
Strangely enough, Scott, who came from the upper nobility of the empire, got along well with Jiang Zhe, a ‘commoner,’ but he wasn’t as friendly with Allen, who was also a noble. Perhaps he disapproved of that ‘future battle mage’s’ behavior, thinking it was beneath a noble.
Still, although Allen seemed cheerful, he had a very good temper. As usual, he shrugged and said nonchalantly, “Anyway, if I fail this time, the old guy can’t say much either.” With that, he took out a long sword from under the bed and began polishing it.
It was probably the first time Jiang Zhe had seen it, so he pointed at the sword in surprise and said, “Allen, can’t you bring that into Riox?”

“Of course,” Allen shrugged and chuckled, “even the professors at Riox can’t just go through students’ stuff for no reason. Hehe, I’ve got a whole set of armor too—want to see it?”
“No thanks!” Jiang Zhe turned away speechlessly and asked Scott, “What have you guys been doing this week?”
Scott understood what Jiang Zhe meant. Lying on the bed and flipping through a book, he said, “Nothing much, just some basics of magic. It’s pretty boring. The actual magic courses won’t start until after the Ancient Magic History exam… I told you, either pass the exam or leave Riox…”
“But you didn’t mention there would be a make-up exam!” Jiang Zhe pouted, with Allen agreeing beside him.
“Is that so?” Scott pushed up his glasses and smiled. “Then I must have forgotten…”
“…” Wow!
Jiang Zhe rolled his eyes in exasperation.
Great, these two who live with him are such weird guys! One spends his days reading boring magic books that ordinary people can’t understand or care to read; the other keeps talking about ‘future knights’ and ‘future battle mages,’ always mentioning the eight virtues of a knight…
But despite their quirks, they’re actually quite nice…
“Come on, Thos, it’s dinner time. Being late is very rude!”
“Okay!”
“Hey, wait for me, guys!”
※※※
Jiang Zhe eventually passed the Ancient Magic History exam, and Professor Hodde, as agreed, taught him the second-level magic spell ‘Fireball’ ahead of schedule.
Although he passed through a make-up exam, Jiang Zhe was the first student in his entire first-year class to learn magic—Professor Hodde hadn’t deceived him.
And so, Jiang Zhe finally became a true first-year student at Riox, with the door to magic now open to him!
As for Allen… this ‘future battle mage’ didn’t pass until his third make-up exam, just as Scott had said.
‘Either pass or leave Riox—that’s all there is to it!’—Anyone who enters Riox can pass that exam; the only difference is the time it takes.
Of course, graduating is another story!