"Daisy Della Recca. Her specialty is long-range casting, and every spell she produces is anti-magical in effect. But you already know that. What you don’t know is that her body is slowly losing the ability to produce mana. She can extract some from her environment, similar to those of a pure demonic or angelic heritage, but with each year since discovering her magic, she has been less capable of producing spells without a ready store of mana to extract from. In other words, enchanted tools and other students."
She paused to sip from her cup. "Needless to say, it would be expensive for her to perform magic in the future, and in the worst cases, magic like hers would consume her entire being as she tries to draw enough mana for a spell. So she can never allow herself to run out of mana while casting. While finding a matron would keep her in practice, it would likely be solely for her utility as a weapon. That is no fate I would wish on such a young mage, not when she might wish to be something other than a weapon." Thɪs chapter is updatᴇd by novel✦fire.net
"You know they call her ’The Destroyer’ right?"
"Oh, I am aware. Like most her age, she would rather pick fights and be feared than have everyone know her secret. I’m sure the spells you used in your duel kept her charged for at least a couple of weeks."
"So when she dueled me-"
"It was the equivalent of having a second lunch, but more amusing from what I saw. I have yet to see her challenge a professor, but I’m sure she will if you reveal it. Not that I’m going to allow any dueling now that the regulator construct is gone... I gave five years of my life to the Duat before I found that thing and now it’s in the hands of Heresy. I bet not even gods know what he’s up to with my castle."
Kir didn’t want to bring up his father, so he cleared his throat and changed the subject back. "How do you know about her? Or any of these students."
"How else does someone running a school know anything? I communicate with parents and observe through the teachers. When it comes to- came to the duels, I had the regulatory construct show me duels while I did paperwork. Daisy gets along with Professor Tawre by the way." She took a moment to shuffle to the last set of papers, laying the others together. "Now, these are all the students in good standing. The last one is going to be your biggest headache."
She cleared her throat.
"Your last student is Bailey Black. He’s a local delinquent who had the audacity to try to break into the Academy a few years ago, thinking he could rob the place."
"So you made him a student?"
"I did, and he has contributed greatly to the understanding of his particular ability. He is quite capable when it comes to offensive spells. So much so that he fought at the wall during the siege alongside the professors."
"What’s his ’particular ability’?" Kir asked.
"At first, I thought he was a maven. The truth is that he’s a thanergist, one who naturally draws mana from blood magic. When his body runs out of mana his blood gets consumed to fuel his spells, in the same way that casting mediums would be. Typically, thanergists are hunted down and killed, regardless of whether they are natural born or discover the means. This is because aside from their own blood, they could also use the blood of others. I am not so wasteful. His cooperation with the Academy is what allows him to stay off the streets. Though his notion of good student behavior is practically non-existent, he does produce good grades in the classes he actually attends, mostly combat magics. He’s a third year, by the way."
Kir could easily imagine how such a power would be a terror on the battlefield.
After wrapping up his initial thoughts - and responding to more of Kiryu’s commentary - Kir asked, "What is the criterion for success or failure with these students?"
"Your ’criterion’ is to understand what’s wrong with them and present your findings to me. Curing or mitigating their issues would be the best outcome, but I won’t demand you do the impossible. These students have a lot on the line just being in Amendatory Arcanics, and those that don’t get better often wind up either burning out, dying, or abandoning magic forever. Remember, I will consider it a failure if any student dies or burns out within your capacity to have prevented it."
"And this is the only class I’ll teach?" Kir continued. "I’d still be willing to run my proposed course."
"Three bells a day, except for weekends. That should leave plenty of time for you to research whatever you want, no? Unlike normal courses, Amendatory Arcanics does not have a minimum limit, and it’s often foisted on new professors. So while you’re there, maybe come up with a more exciting name for your course than ’Introduction to Physics, Chemistry, and Science.’"
"I told you it sounded like cramming three courses into one," Kiryu said. "Bet you one of your students dies in the first week."
"Will that be all, Chancellor?" Kir asked, annoyed with Kiryu.
"One last thing. Before you do any experiments, especially when it comes to these students, I expect to be contacted."
"What about if the students experiment?"
"My rule remains the same. Keep them safe, Professor Nasumi. Especially from themselves." Rounding up the papers she straightened them out on her desk before handing them to Kir. "I’ll see you at the staff dinner next Firesday. Wear something nice and for Ayther’s sake, try to act like the adult your glamour makes you seem to be. The future Queen of Gra’ Rhuel will be there, and her guests. If you’re patient and perceptive, you might even notice some people relevant to your ’other hobby.’"