A Genius Boy Who Was Exiled From His Family Home for “Not Being Able To Use Magic” Becomes a Witch’s Apprentice and Masters All Magic in the Right Way. This Is How You Use Your Magic, You Know?

Chapter 112.1. Sudden Turn

Several days had passed since the attack on three Class A students and the beginning of Clyde’s investigation.

One day after school, Hermes walked down the academy’s hallway, lost in thought.

After a while, his face lit up with realization.

“…Yeah, there’s no doubt.”

The investigation of the past few days, and the events that took place during that time,

combined with his own deductions about magic, had led Hermes to the truth about the magic Clyde was using.

…I see, he thought.

Indeed, this was a blind spot. If used correctly, this magic could cause such phenomena without any human intervention.

And at the same time, he felt the need to act quickly.

Because if Clyde was using that magic consciously and intentionally, the damage would likely extend far beyond a few or even dozens of people.

Therefore, he needed to confront Clyde immediately, unravel the truth, and corner him.

But before that.

The place he was headed wasn’t where Clyde was. He had been summoned by someone and couldn’t ignore it.

Thus, Hermes arrived at Class B, where he usually attended.

Time had passed since the end of classes, and the classroom was deserted. But there she was.

“…Hey. Sorry for calling you at a time like this, El-kun.”

Bathed in the soft red light of the setting sun, a beautiful girl with silver hair smiled and waved at him.

Nina von Flodite greeted him with her usual friendly smile.

“I don’t mind, but… what’s this about? Is it about Clyde-sama?”

“Geez. After school, a girl calls you to an empty classroom for just the two of you. I wish you’d be a bit more excited.”

Nina pouted slightly at Hermes’ straightforward question.

But then she quickly returned to her usual serious expression.

“Well, yes, something like that. …You’ve already figured out Clyde’s Bloodline Magic, right?”

“Yes. I was planning to confront him today, but… it seems he didn’t come to school.”

Perhaps Clyde had realized that he was discovered, or maybe something else had come up.

In any case… they couldn’t let him get away.

“I’ll be joining Katia-sama and Sara-sama to head to Clyde-sama’s family home. We will question him, or his family if he’s not there. We already have permission from the Duke.”

“I see. Well, that’s how it is. …Then, let me give you a warning.”

Nina nodded at Hermes’ plan and then looked at him directly again.

“This situation… it’s probably worse than you think. Much worse. Dealing with Clyde won’t be as easy as you imagine.”

“!?”

Hermes, grasping the meaning behind Nina’s words, asked calmly.

“…Nina-sama, do you know something?”

“Yeah, kind of. There are things I’ve kept hidden. …But if you’re going to confront him, I can’t keep it a secret anymore. I want you to judge based on that. That’s one of the reasons I called you.”

Hermes understood.

It was likely something related to Clyde, which explained why she was bringing it up now.

Nina began to speak.

“…My family was originally a knightly lineage.”

“?!”

But it was her own story that she began to tell.

Hermes tilted his head in confusion for a moment, but he could tell this was no idle chatter.

This must be important. With that in mind, Hermes continued to listen intently.

“A knight who could defend Bloodline Magicians with the common weakness of ‘incantation’. My original family produced excellent knights who fulfilled that role.”

──Original, meaning.

“And so, I was trained from childhood. I didn’t dislike the training. I enjoyed wielding a sword, and it suited me.

And apparently, I had a lot of talent. I was often told, ‘It would have been better if you were a boy’…

In fact, I was raised as a boy for a while, which is why I talk like this.”

Casually revealing the origin of her unique speech pattern, she continued.

“But still, this is the Kingdom of Eustia. A place where tragedies happen.”

…Her expression now carried a hint of sorrow.

“My Bloodline Magic was too much, far too much.”

“!”

“No matter how noble a knight’s family, magic is important in this kingdom. …But my magic was problematic in many ways.

In the end, I couldn’t stay with my family and was taken in by the Flodite Viscount family.”

“Such a thing…”

In a way, she was also a victim of being deprived of her rightful magic, just like Hermes.

“It was a shock, to say the least.

Even so, I couldn’t give up the sword training that had become my identity… but I lost all motivation for everything else.

If everything was determined by something you were born with, then what’s the point of trying?”

“…Katia-sama once struggled with the same issue.”

“Yeah. That’s why I felt a connection with you from the start.”

Her story progressed to when Hermes transferred to the academy.

“A person who, like me, was cast out because of magic. Worse off than me, stripped of his noble status… yet still returned.

I wondered what you, who must have felt the same way I did, would do at this academy.”

And the result of her reaching out to him was──

“──You’re amazing, Herm-kun.”

Her current expression spoke volumes.

“To think someone could be so straightforward in a country like this.

Thanks to you, everyone in Class B has gotten so much better. The academy is changing.

And even I──haven’t felt this passionate in a long time.”

She closed her eyes, placing a hand on her chest as if recalling that passion.

When she opened her eyes again, Nina gave Hermes a soft smile.

“So, once again, thank you, El-kun.”

“──”

Her gentle smile, illuminated by the setting sun, was so fantastical, beautiful, and endearing.

For a moment, Hermes forgot about time and was captivated.

…But he quickly regained his composure.

Because everything up until now was a prelude. The main thing he needed to hear was coming next.

“Sorry for the long story. …So, here’s the real reason.”

Understanding this, Nina’s expression turned serious as she took a deep breath and began to speak.

“My──”

It was at that moment.

“Bloodline Magic──[Goetia].”

Out of nowhere.

A voice echoed, and suddenly, the classroom was engulfed in darkness.

“What the──”

No, not just the classroom.

Looking out the window, Hermes’ eyes widened in shock.

Outside the classroom, beyond the courtyard, right along the academy’s perimeter fence,

a jet-black dome-like ‘something’ had appeared, separating the academy from the outside world.

Hermes knew exactly what this meant.

“Tsk──”

They were trapped.

That was a problem, of course, but what gripped Hermes’ heart was one burning question.

“…Whose magic is that?”

He didn’t know.

Hermes was familiar with the magic used by everyone in his grade. Given recent events, he even knew about the more notable magic outside his grade.

But this magic──its effect and the quality of the magic power didn’t match anything Hermes knew.

Yes.

Even the magic Clyde had been discovered using wasn’t this.

In other words──this was an unknown third party’s magical interference.

“…”

Just as Nina had said, it was a situation far worse than imagined.

Sensing the gravity of the situation, Hermes glared at the eerie scene surrounding the academy.

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