There are currently two factions of spellcasters who can convert magic into spellcasting rather than just acting on themselves.
Those like me who are able to successfully deploy magic arrays and graduate from the academy are called the "academics."
Those who failed to pass the general education screening and entered the college but are still studying, as well as those who went out and set up their own schools in remote corners, are regarded as the "wild monks".
The [Mage Mutual Aid Association] and the [Mystic Arts Research Center] are currently the two largest unofficial, or rather, wild mage, mage societies. As their names suggest, the former is a gathering place for many mages, while the latter prides itself on being a research paradise for academic researchers.
Of course, anyone with a little knowledge knows that this is nothing but self-aggrandizement. In reality, once you peel away that seemingly glamorous but useless exterior, what's inside is mostly utter nonsense. Not to mention those wild mages and incompetent little mages, there are even apprentices who can't even pass the entrance exam, as well as simple enthusiasts of mysticism and magic.
Ah, perhaps there were a couple of skilled individuals among them, but most of them were fresh out of school and inexperienced in social interactions, thus being easily deceived. Even after learning the truth, they were bound by the contracts they had been tricked into signing and could not back down, so they had no choice but to take it on reluctantly, and their relationships with the others were mostly lukewarm and distant.
Speaking of which, I vividly remember that the Wild Mage faction, in their attempt to steal the curriculum and content from the Academy, even resorted to blatant slander while secretly deceiving current students, or engaging in typical pyramid scheme-like scams like "recruiting one person and receiving one hundred gold coins for research funding." However, the Academy quickly discovered this and swiftly united to successfully curb this exponential spread. They even conducted special educational lectures and targeted psychological manipulation campaigns to eliminate the pervasive influence. In the end, only the earliest few remained, and the foundation and core of the organization were not significantly damaged.
Well... since they haven't received proper training and are just figuring things out on their own, wild mages are actually more likely to go astray, or rather... in danger, compared to those from academia.
"Can't the principles of spellcasting be taught equally to everyone?"
I remember asking this question when my mentor first mentioned the existence of wild mages.
But the mentor, with an ambiguous smile, expressed his rejection: "That's impossible."
She further explained: "It's like your friend is more focused on the application of magic in combat, while my dear disciple you are more inclined towards in-depth research and study. So I let your friend become a combat mage, and accepted you as my student to strive for the path of a scholar. I cannot simply make you study courses that you clearly have no talent for, because that would not only bury the student's abilities in a different way, but would also inevitably prevent you from enjoying the sweet and delicious fruits."
"For those who clearly lack such talent, forcing them to study magic is like reversing your and your friend's learning direction, forcibly placing them in an unsuitable position, such as making the prime minister of a kingdom lead the army while the commander of ten thousand armies governs the country, forcing them to constantly strive. Perhaps they can do well under pressure for a period of time, but being too tense will also make them very easy to rust and induce depravity."
"One day, when the pressure exerted exceeds his ability to exert himself, the endless tide of despair will break through the fragile and riddled protective barrier, completely engulfing him and leading to two opposite outcomes: quitting is the best option, as only he will be affected; while for most people, the ultimate fate is either self-destruction or dragging everything around them down with them to destruction."
"That would be too cruel."
As she said this, the tutor was turning her head to gaze at the sunset outside the window. The crimson sunset light shone on half of her face, gradually sinking below the blue-purple horizon.
Her tone was gentle, as if she were whispering intimately to someone: "Instead of this, let's be the bad guys and decisively reject him from the very beginning, severing this bitter hope."
"In that case, when he looks back on it in the future, he might only feel a little resentment and a faint longing."
Yes, that's a good idea.
However, humans are emotional beings, and putting this into practice is fraught with difficulties.
As a result, the practice of banning unorthodox monks continued unabated, and eventually, they were left to their own devices.
What else can we do? Most of the time, it doesn't amount to much trouble, so we can only keep a closer eye on it. At least if something goes wrong, someone will rush over to clean up the mess and mitigate the impact to prevent leaks and disruption to the normal lives of most people.
"...The scholar seems a little hesitant. Has any conflict occurred in the past?"
[Frost Sword] keenly sensed my hesitation, but still asked in a calm tone.
"It's like this, my relationship with these two wild...clubs..." I thought for a moment and finally found a somewhat euphemistic adjective, "not pleasant."
The icy-colored woman raised her eyebrows, and Hikari, who was sitting obediently to the side, also brightened up at the sudden news, raising her hand in a gesture that said, "I'm very curious, tell me about it."
But how can you talk about something like this!
I could only bluntly reject her expectations: "This isn't an interesting story, let's talk about it later."
"Hey—Mr. Yumi, how come you've learned to bully people too—"
A pitiful wail, clearly a form of whining, rang in my ears, and she even tugged at the hem of my cloak, swaying back and forth.
What do you mean by bullying! I just didn't want to expose someone's dark past!
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
