After Professor Cecilia's lecture, Klyde first visited the library to select the books Professor Ciel had recommended before returning to his quarters.
At this moment, his left hand was pressed against the wooden door of his living quarters, mana gathering at his palm.
From within his sea of consciousness, Klyde drew forth a stream of mana. He visualised the earlier scene: Cecilia's movements, her formation, the arcanite lines, and the symmetrical structure of the trap.
He began to replicate it.
In less than a second, the proximity trap was complete.
A slight smirk tugged at Klyde's lips.
"As expected. The Scholar Constellation is perfect for this type of magic."
His thoughts remained calm.
"With chantless casting, once I understand the logic behind a trap, recreating it becomes trivial."
Arcanite powder served as a stabilising tool, substituting mana to allow even untalented magi to produce functional results. But it was a crutch. Mana, when properly controlled, could take its place.
The only issue was concealment.
Mana, though invisible to mortals, carried traces of presence. Any experienced Magus could sense it. The materials Cecilia had used were not for show; they neutralised these traces completely.
Still, he was satisfied.
Although the trap consumed a significant portion of his mana, around 10%, it had proven his theory. He had found a method to weaponise trap magic through pure spellcasting.
This would transform his combat prospects entirely.
"With this, I won't lag behind other Magi with combative constellations at Tier 1."
Constellations significantly influenced how Magi approached combat. Some specialised in direct confrontations, such as the Hunter or Warrior, relying on enhanced physique, instincts, or power, while others focused on scheming, agility, and stealth like the Assassin or the Thief.
This was why asking other Magi to reveal their constellation could be perceived negatively, as most would do their best to hide it. After all, constellations could serve as a trump card to completely change the flow of a battle.
Knowing your enemy's constellation provided a significant advantage. With such information, one could easily create countermeasures or plans to counter them.
While all Magi can learn magic, constellations differentiate each Magus. A suitable field of magic and a well-paired constellation could make a fearsome Magus.
Naturally, promoting to a higher Tier might also completely change one's fighting style or remove the weaknesses of a constellation.
For instance, the Thief Constellation's weakness was their durability and strength. However, at Tier 2, titled the Shadowmancer Constellation, they not only have an enhanced physique, but their connection with the shadow affinity becomes even stronger.
Similarly, the Scholar Constellation's weakness was its lack of fighting capabilities apart from its innate talent for chantless spell casting. However, at Tier 2, this would change completely.
Klyde had received two other star sequences of the Scholar's subsequent constellations from the goddess.
The Tier 2 constellation was titled Devil. This constellation would enhance his overall physique and grant him an affinity with the darkness element, allowing him to learn and comprehend spells relating to darkness more easily.
Moreover, it would grant a unique vision, allowing him to perceive emotions.
As for the Tier 4 constellation, it was titled Illusionist. Klyde knew only basic information about this constellation, but he understood it would provide abilities that blur the line between false and true, fake and reality.
Both were versatile and powerful constellations that suited Klyde's preferences.
After returning from his lecture with Cecilia, he had secluded himself immediately to experiment with the innate talent of the Scholar.
With the results in front of him, it was a success.
Moreover, after becoming her disciple, Cecilia had given Klyde two beginner-level trap spells as a gift from master to disciple.
They were: Heat Combustion and Puncturing Spike.
The former spell would release scorching energy upon detection, burning his target to smithereens.
The latter created a sharp spike of earth that erupted from the ground.
Both were useful and powerful, but both required numerous materials for proper functionality.
However, Klyde's thoughts had already diverged.
"If I can dismantle the spell structure, then I can reconstruct them using pure mana alone. No materials would be needed to create the trap."
In essence, Klyde wanted to use the technique of High-Tier traps mentioned by Cecilia during her lecture.
However, Trap Magic experts rarely relied on pure mana alone to create their traps.
Magical materials were the foundation of a trap's power. They stabilized the formation, amplified effects, and concealed presence.
Replacing materials with raw mana was possible. But this came at a price.
The trap's power would weaken, the construction time would increase, and the result would be inferior in both strength and efficiency.
Moreover, to compensate for the materials, one would need to pour in far more mana than usual.
However, Klyde already knew this.
But with the Scholar Constellation, Klyde had wanted to maximise the uses of his talents.
If he could remove the main weakness of trap magic which was its preparation, fighting enemies head-on would be possible.
Moreover, with trap magic, the more complex and time consuming it is to make, often than not, would mean it has more powerful effects.
Even if a trap formed with raw mana was weaker than one crafted with materials, its effect would still surpass that of average spells due to its complexity!
In the novel, there was an individual who had gained fame for using talismans as a way of fighting. With it, he could instantly cast powerful spells. Many thought the talismans were artifacts, however, it had actually been trap magic that was inscribed onto the paper!
Klyde had gained inspiration from this and considered the possibility of using this fighting style, only instead, he would also use the benefits of the Scholar Constellation to create traps instantly!
At its root, trap magic was all about the structure of mana.
While Klyde had created the proximity trap instantly, he knew it wouldn't be as easy with true spells that are wielded by Magi.
After all, if ranked from Tier 1 to Tier 9, the proximity trap barely registered. Tier 0 at best. Even ordinary mortals with enough patience and resources could imitate it.
The spells Cecilia had imparted, on the other hand, were of a higher grade. To master them, he needed to comprehend their incantations, understand the principles behind each material, and grasp how their interactions produced the desired effect.
Although he could cast spells without chants, doing so still required a certain level of comprehension and understanding of the spell's structure.
This was why certain constellations granted affinity with specific elements, enhancing a Magus's ability to perceive, comprehend, and master spells aligned with their attuned attribute.
Thus, attempting chantless spell casting for higher-tier trap spells based solely on observation was beyond Klyde's current capabilities. He lacked the necessary understanding and foundational knowledge.
He would have to conduct his own research.
Still, the path had been illuminated.
Klyde's gaze remained calm.
This was merely the beginning.
…
In Professor Ciel's lecture.
Klyde's footsteps echoed softly as he entered.
"Seventeen," he mumbled, counting the number of apprentices. "It really is an unpopular field due to its difficulty..."
He chose a seat near the back.
A moment later, the door soon creaked open.
Professor Ciel entered. He wore pale violet robes. His eyes swept across the apprentices with indifference.
"Today's lecture will cover the foundational theory behind potioneering," he began.
After a brief pause, he then said, "All matter contains essence."
"Whether it be beasts, plants, or even minerals, they each have a unique signature. This is the fundamental concept of potioneering."
With those words, he began sketching some diagrams whilst explaining to the apprentices how various materials reacted with one another.
The lecture wasn't long, but it was dense. He outlined how even mundane items — feathers, leaves, or the soil beneath their feet — carried properties that could be awakened under the right conditions.
What mattered was alignment: the relationship between the potion's desired effect and the essence of the materials.
…
Time swiftly passed as Klyde absorbed all the knowledge.
"That's all for today. You may all leave," Ciel said, dismissing all the apprentices.
Remembering Professor Ciel's words that he'd get his disciple to help him after the lecture, Klyde stayed behind.
And as expected, another figure could also be seen lingering as well.
"You two, come here." Professor Ciel gestured at Klyde and a young girl.
Klyde nodded and walked to the front.
"This is Ophis, my disciple," Ciel said to Klyde.
The girl had golden hair and bright sky-blue eyes, exuding an amiable and kind-hearted demeanour.
Ophis gave a soft smile. "Nice to meet you! Teacher told me about you. It's rare for apprentices to choose potioneering!"
Klyde smiled and also introduced himself briefly.
After that, being instructed by Professor Ciel to guide Klyde as a senior apprentice, she first handed Klyde a piece of paper.
Klyde looked at it. It was densely annotated with titles, references, and personal notes similar to what Profesor Ciel had given him.
"These are books I've curated. They'll help you grasp the theory and practical side of potioneering. If you can learn everything from them, even attempting to concoct a potion wouldn't be impossible."
Klyde nodded and thanked her.
After that, she gave a smile and said, "Let's walk. I'll show you around the academy."
Klyde nodded.
As they stepped into the corridor, Ophis began pointing out various areas of the Academy.
"That over there is the Twilight Garden. Most apprentices buy or sell ingredients there. From common herbs, rare animal parts, magical waters, you can find most things for Alchemists in that place. Otherwise, you can go to places like the Auction House or the various shops built in the academy."
She then pointed.
"Over there is the Trading District," she said. "Disciples can sell potions, spells, and magical artifacts. If you have spare resources, it's a good place to trade."
She led him down another path.
"Here's the Mission Board. The Academy, as well as fellow apprentices, post tasks here. Most pay in magic crystals. Completing missions is the most common method of obtaining magic crystals for apprentices."
"I usually pick out the low-risk ones or tasks that are related to potioneering," Ophis chuckled.
After walking with Ophis with her pointing out a few more other areas in the academy, they eventually stopped.
"That should be everything! If there's anything you don't understand, feel free to ask me or teacher Ciel. While he might be a little hard to approach, he is a very reliable person!"
Klyde nodded.
"Thank you for your help."
"It's no problem!" she replied brightly.
After that, Ophis excused herself.
Klyde watched Ophis disappear around the corner.
He stood there for a moment, his gaze slightly distant, buried in thought.
'Ophis,' Klyde muttered inwardly with a slight smirk. 'The novel really downplayed her beauty and friendliness.'
In the novel, she had become a powerful and influential figure as a genius Alchemist. Just one of her potions would be able to cause an entire kingdom to go bankrupt.
'During a mission, the protagonist had received her favour by saving her.'
Klyde considered doing the same thing. Creating connections with such a person would be an effortless way to gain resources.
Of course, Klyde knew that this plot wouldn't be happening any time soon as all new apprentices would still lack spells and sufficient training.
After contemplating, Klyde turned and walked the other way.