Chapter 772: The Third Thesis (6)

The moment Lennok, holding a tablet, stepped forward to continue his explanation.

Someone sitting in the audience, watching the presentation, forcefully knocked on an armrest.

Knock, knock.

Even with such a light, knocking gesture, the sound instantly reverberated through the main hall.

It was a powerful vibration, strong enough to make even Lennok pause and look in that direction.

The source of the disturbance was a stout middle-aged man seated in one of the front rows.

With the hand that had knocked on the armrest still resting there, the man lifted his tablet with his other hand and spoke.

“It’s heavy.”

“……”

“The screen’s tactile feel is terrible, and the signal transmission rate is absurdly low.”

The man stared intently at Lennok and said,

“Your dedication to producing this sample is commendable, but I don’t think there’s a need to hear more. This tablet cannot be commercialized.”

“Hey, you haven’t even heard the presentation to the end, what are you talking about…”

“It’s not too late to judge after hearing all the theoretical explanations.”

Those who were relatively favorable to Lennok began to point out the rudeness, but the man paid no heed.

Instead, he rose, holding the tablet, and slowly walked to the front of the podium.

Davi, hidden inside Lennok’s research robe, immediately whispered.

“[Jonahf Mackenzie, chief researcher of Aldriff Magic Tower. He’s an authority in manufacturing navigation systems for driving and flying.]”

“……”

An expert in manufacturing magic engineering equipment that uses touch panels.

Given that he manufactures navigators used for driving and flying, he must be one of those indirectly or directly affected by the anti-gravity engine Lennok developed.

However, the Magic Tower wasn’t going to stand idly by Jonahf’s sudden actions.

“I’m not sure if that’s a valid reason for you to commit such a discourtesy in our Magic Tower.”

Thwack!!

Tatiana, gripping Jonahf’s shoulder tightly, swept back her distinctive red hair.

“The statement you just made, Wizard. Can you take full responsibility for it here and now?”

“Th-the Witch of Saturation…”

“So the rumor that Adamant Thunder is at the Magic Tower was true?”

Magic Tower officials who recognized Tatiana’s face gasped and hurriedly averted their gazion, but the wizard from Blaiver Tower pretended not to know and bowed his head.

Perhaps it was because the Blaiver Tower Lord’s condition wasn’t good enough to openly express hostility.

It was even possible he had heard about the war of nerves between Adamant Thunder and the Tower Lord.

As others were flustered by the unexpected situation, Jonahf quickly opened his mouth.

“I know I am being rude. I will take full responsibility for it once this is over.”

Jonahf ignored Lennok and slowly continued to speak.

“However, if you’re going to set up a presentation under the guise of a thesis, and then present such a shoddy sample, shouldn’t we be informed beforehand?”

“Wizard Mackenzie.”

Given Tatiana’s temperament, it wouldn’t have been surprising if she had incinerated this arrogant wizard already.

Yet, she was holding back her anger because this presentation was being broadcast live across all of Vulcan.

Jonahf, too, must have been banking on this, which is why he boldly interrupted Lennok’s presentation to focus on his own point.

He didn’t care how his own impression or public image would be damaged, or what consequences he would face after this was over.

Even by breaking established procedures, he was trying to forcefully inject doubt about Lennok’s thesis into this venue.

In front of hundreds of thousands of people watching, he pointed out fundamental flaws existing between the thesis and the sample.

“Too large to carry, yet too small to use in one place – an ambiguous size. A dull weight unsuited for its dimensions. An exoskeleton made of cheap plywood.”

Jonahf snapped his gaze towards Lennok.

“Every single component is crude, fitting for an undergraduate level presentation. Even someone like me could rent a nearby factory and churn out hundreds of these in three days.”

“……”

No longer able to endure it, Tatiana and Jenny simultaneously moved as if to intervene.

They knew that if they just stood by and listened, problems would surely arise.

But instead of letting them, Lennok raised his hand to stop them himself.

“[……!!]”

He shook his head at Jenny, who was shouting something from afar, and calmed Tatiana.

Unlike the two, who looked bewildered, Jonahf’s words weren’t entirely wrong.

‘It’s true, this sample was indeed produced in an undergraduate workshop, taking about three days.’

As expected of an expert in navigator manufacturing, his eye for assessment was extraordinary.

The problem was that he was using that keen eye to attack Lennok’s thesis.

“You intend to teach magic to undergraduates with an object like this? Would any of you be convinced if you were told to learn magic using this as a textbook?”

Jonahf’s confident declaration and Lennok’s reaction of watching without intervening.

Seeing this, the other audience members also began to chime in.

“Hmm… So it’s turning into a defense, then?”

“In that sense, it’s true that this sample doesn’t live up to expectations.”

“We’ll have to look at the theory more closely, but there’s more than one questionable part.”

It wasn’t unusual for a researcher’s thesis, especially a degree thesis, to undergo a defense immediately after presentation.

If Evan Vylun’s thesis was for an integrated master’s and doctoral program, then following the established procedure was a natural process.

Jonahf’s remarks were rude and out of order, but such intense debates were relatively common among wizards.

The officials gathered here considered this, and realized that if Evan silently permitted it, there was no need to point out the rudeness.

“The hardware, for sure, is hard to praise even with flattery. It doesn’t meet any of the objectives you described for a learning device.”

“As Jonahf said, the tactile feel isn’t uniform. The parts you hold are slippery, but the screen itself is stiff.”

“The battery is very crude. And the seams, too; it clearly looks like it was hastily put together. Is there a reason it was prepared in such a rush?”

Following Jonahf, experts from various fields began to point out flaws in the tablet’s design and structure itself.

“You mentioned that the learnable magic is fixed. Wouldn’t that make it too lacking in versatility?”

“If it’s a device only compatible with specific systems or spell formulas, it might not warrant a thesis presentation…”

“Furthermore, if the statistics were gathered from Rebatenon undergraduates, the numbers wouldn’t be significant. Aren’t they exceptionally talented children?”

“No matter how I think about it, it doesn’t seem to have the same impact as the second thesis. I’m starting to wonder if it was just luck.”

Amidst this, even the advisory committee and scholars carefully listened to Lennok’s theoretical explanation and pointed out their questions.

All those doubts, echoing and amplifying, were being recorded live on the screen next to him.

The item was prepared to make Evan’s presentation smoother, but it seemed to only highlight the flaws in the thesis.

Seeing Jenny bustling behind the podium, Lennok gazed silently at the camera filming him.

Lennok had not yet uttered a single word in response to all the criticisms and questions accumulating in real-time.

The noisy atmosphere around the podium gradually subsided, and silence returned.

But from now on, the gazes directed at Lennok were no longer filled with expectation, but with suspicion and bewilderment.

Depending on how he began and concluded his remarks here, everything Evan Vylun had built would be re-evaluated.

“You’re right. You’ve observed accurately.”

But Lennok, fully aware of this, nodded without hesitation.

“I tried to make it as light and portable as possible, but there were limitations. With the budget allocated to the elemental magic department, mass production was the best I could achieve.”

“Listen, if you just admit that here and now—”

“The criticisms regarding the theory are also not wrong. The atmosphere was a bit chaotic, but many of you have asked excellent questions.”

Lennok took the microphone and began to walk slowly away from the podium.

“As you said, the number of learnable spells on this learning device is not large. There are only a few spells currently embedded in that tablet.”

“[……]”

“And the learnable spells are not particularly outstanding in terms of performance or efficiency either.”

This time, the Magic Tower’s main hall fell into a profound silence.

Beyond simply admitting the defects of the learning device, his attitude was one of openly confessing its shortcomings first.

It was a confession utterly unsuited for a researcher presenting a thesis, so honest it felt foolish.

In a seminar broadcast to hundreds of cameras and hundreds of thousands of people, Lennok unhesitatingly opened his mouth and accepted all criticisms.

“There’s no fixed system, type, or purpose. I focused on implementation, sacrificing performance, simply to prove that learning is possible.”

“So, you think that’s a valid excuse?”

Jonahf clicked his tongue, asking as if looking at someone pitiful.

All the nervousness he had felt when first facing Lennok was gone; instead, he seemed to be dealing with someone utterly lacking.

Just as Lennok opened his mouth to say something to Jonahf—

“Assistant Professor Vylun.”

One of the senators, who had been silent until now, spoke.

All eyes focused on the elderly woman with a cane, seated in the very front row.

The arrival of a powerful figure holding the greatest authority in this vast city.

Ignoring all other reactions, she gazed intently at Lennok and spoke.

“I hear you have a personal acquaintance with Adamant Thunder.”

“……”

“The agreement with the Magic Tower to host the seminar here. Adamant Thunder’s personal consideration in vacating the premises. It’s true that collusion is suspected from various circumstances.”

The senator’s calm voice descended upon everyone’s ears like a whisper.

“Some even say that the achievements Assistant Professor Vylun has presented so far were not his own, but rather borrowed from the Archmage’s help.”

“……!!”

At this shocking statement, others turned to the senator with surprised expressions.

It was a bold remark, impossible unless she intended to openly rebuke Evan Vylun, rather than just raising questions.

Even if such rumors existed, what did it mean for a Central Council Senator to mention them directly?

Hundreds of thousands of people watching this event would have heard the senator’s words unfiltered.

But the senator, as if unmoved by her own words, spoke again coldly.

“Can you provide a clear explanation for that doubt, here and now?”

“…Senator Amanda, I presume.”

Lennok said, slowly stepping forward to stand before the senator.

“I’ve heard you are an authority who has achieved numerous accomplishments in the field of magic theory, despite being from a sorcerer’s bloodline. It’s an honor to meet you.”

“……”

Her eyebrows twitched at the mention of Amanda’s background, who had made many achievements in magic theory despite not being a wizard, but Lennok ignored it and extended his hand towards Amanda’s seat.

He picked up the tablet lying in front of her, turned it on, and handed it back to her.

“I don’t know how to prove that I didn’t receive Adamant Thunder’s assistance during my research. However—”

“No. You don’t have to prove it. Those words are enough.”

Amanda, with a cold expression, interrupted Lennok, raising the powered-on tablet.

“I’ll just confirm whether this is truly valuable as a learning device, and then I’ll be on my way.”

“……”

The atmosphere turned chilly, as if cold water had been poured over them.

Amanda, who had instantly shattered the seminar’s enthusiasm with a few words, placed her hand on the tablet’s screen.

“Let’s see. Is this how I operate it?”

Whirr…!!

Beyond the tablet screen, a light flickered, and a list of learnable spells unfolded.

Occupying the wide screen were merely three spell names.

Amanda’s brow subtly furrowed as she confirmed the names.

“Luminescence. Variability. Junction? You call this a learning device, but these are the only spells available?”

“We plan to increase the variety of learnable spells through future updates.”

“Even so, they’re probably spells that could be replaced by ordinary tools, aren’t they?”

Amanda scoffed and pressed the spell labeled ‘Luminescence,’ and a magic circle appeared on the screen.

If one placed a hand on the magic circle drawn on the screen and traced it, the system would help complete the magic circle by correcting angles in real-time.

A supportive system, guiding the direction and sequence kindly, like helping a child, and displaying progress.

“Assistant Professor Vylun…”

Amanda, who had been staring at it in exasperation, sighed and said,

“We don’t call this a learning device. It’s a sample without any magic power. Tracing magic circles is something you can practice enough in a sketchbook.”

Amanda raised one hand and mockingly traced the magic circle drawn on the screen with indifference.

“The form and structure of the magic circle are clumsy, and they don’t align at all with the principles of basic spell formations. Did you really intend to submit magic like this as a sample?”

The magic circle was so simple that it could be completed quickly with just a few casual touches on the screen.

A simple task that took no more than a few minutes.

Amanda’s actions were broadcast simultaneously by hundreds of cameras, as well as being seen by the assembled audience.

Amanda seemed aware of this, openly displaying the magic circle on the screen to the cameras.

Amanda, who had easily completed the Luminescence magic circle, proudly thrust it forward toward the cameras.

“See? What kind of learning can be done with just this?”

“……”

“Given that hundreds of samples were made and handed out, your intention must have been for us to try the learning device ourselves, but…”

Amanda shook her head.

“As Assistant Professor Vylun said, what good is such a hollow practical exercise for people like me who aren’t wizards?”

Others looked at Lennok as if seeking an answer, but he merely watched them silently, his expression unreadable.

Even his calm reaction was enough to suggest that he couldn’t properly refute Amanda’s criticisms.

Amanda, seemingly gaining more confidence from Lennok’s reaction, took a step forward and spoke.

“Luminescence magic, you called it? I don’t know what magic system you borrowed from, but if one can learn this magic, right now—”

At that moment, an immense light burst forth from the tablet screen in Amanda’s hand.

Flash!!

It didn’t just emit light; a tangible, intangible force surged forth, pushing back the cameras that were illuminating the screen.

“Gah!!”

“G-get back?!”

As staff from news agencies and broadcasting stations, who were busy adjusting cameras, shouted and hastily retreated.

Crash! Bang! Slam! Slam!!

Hundreds of cameras, pushed over by the impact, tumbled down like dominoes, their screens and focus scrambled.

Others gasped in surprise at the sudden commotion, and the cameras that remained upright hastily captured the scene.

The wreckage of tangled, fallen cameras, and Amanda standing blankly in front of them, holding the tablet.

There was no need to ask where that dazzling light had originated.

“H-how…”

Amanda’s rigid expression, her body trembling, vividly showed that this was not what she had intended.

But everyone observing the unfolding situation was thinking of something else, not Amanda’s reaction.

A mass-produced sample tablet with no magic power embedded.

And Senator Amanda, originally from a sorcerer’s background, who had never learned magic.

Despite not meeting any conditions, Amanda had undoubtedly used her own magic to knock over the cameras just now.

It wasn’t borrowing the power of an item or tool, but the manifestation of magic, chanted using the innate magic that everyone possesses, albeit in small amounts.

“…No way.”

“That’s impossible. But…”

“Don’t lie. There’s no way that’s possible…!!”

Those who realized what that fact meant hurriedly turned on their learning devices and, as if possessed, began tracing the magic circles.

No one spoke properly, yet a strange atmosphere of shared excitement and fervor filled the air.

In front of the people hunched over, frantically tapping their tablet screens, Lennok finally raised the microphone again.

“I’m still not sure how to prove that Adamant Thunder didn’t help with my research.”

“……”

“However, among all the criticisms you’ve made about the learning device I created, there was one thing that was wrong.”

Lennok said, turning around.

“This learning device is not for Rebatenon undergraduates. Nor is it for teaching new magic to undergraduates.”

Flash!!

At that moment, one by one, those who were touching the tablets shot dazzling lights into the sky from their hands.

Pop! Pop! Pow! Pow! Pow!!

It wasn’t just one person; luminous projectiles surged from tablet screens in various places, illuminating the black ceiling of the Magic Tower hall.

“Oh, ohhh…!!”

Only a faint gasp from someone could express, even slightly, their feelings about what they had just accomplished.

Among those gathered here, some were not wizards, and some were not even magic users to begin with.

There were those without talent for spell formulas, those born into families or bloodlines unable to become wizards.

And those who had not chosen to learn magic themselves or pursue the path of a wizard.

System. Attribute. Origin. Age.

Without regard to any of these categories, everyone was using their own magic to cast the same spell.

Realizing this, people stared blankly at the light they had created, then naturally turned their gaze towards Lennok.

Hundreds of gazes. Hundreds of cameras.

In the Magic Tower’s main hall, broadcast live to hundreds of thousands of screens, only Lennok’s voice resonated clearly.

“New magic, permitted even to those who cannot properly wield magic, or who have not learned magic.”

Lennok slowly raised the tablet and paused.

He knew what impact his next words would have on this city.

The reason he told the Dean that the thesis content was not solely his achievement.

The reason the Pontiff of the Guido Cult had once tried to create the module Lennok was seeking.

It must be because the Pontiff, too, had once attempted in this world what Lennok was now trying to do.

It took a long time, but Lennok had finally earned the right to ask this question.

“This tablet is a learning device created to learn an entirely new magic system, one fundamentally different from existing ones.”

The fundamental question Lennok had carried since the moment he first opened his eyes in this world.

The discrepancy and absence between the knowledge he possessed.

Non-existent knowledge that could never be explained without understanding the world’s secrets in detail.

How long it had taken to translate and explain it again in this third world.

Building new magic from a different foundation than others, finally transcending Hierarchy and reaching the realm of an Archmage.

Until he finally returned to the magic he had first known.

“Magic unconstrained by systems and lineages. Magic not limited by attributes and classifications. A new magic system permitted even to those who are not wizards.”

Innumerable luminous bodies beautifully illuminated the dark Magic Tower hall like the Milky Way, painting a night sky scene.

On the now-quiet podium, Lennok silently looked around at the people and slowly opened his mouth.

“I call this [Common Magic].”

Dexter, the Common Magic system used in WORLD 1.0 and 2.0.

Lennok’s third thesis was precisely the achievement itself, created to directly introduce that Common Magic to the public.