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 104.1. Ripples

The next day, the change became dramatic.

First, the amount of self-study time increased.

The teacher who came to inform us said something about fostering student autonomy, but it was clear from the teacher’s restless behavior and the sweat on their face that this wasn’t the whole truth.

The pushback concerning the recent competition must have intensified.

Since they couldn’t find solid evidence that Class B used any underhanded tactics to win, the anger of the parents turned in two directions.

Either it was the complacency of the Class A students or the negligence of the teachers overseeing them.

Many nobles adore their children, so it’s obvious which side the blame would mostly fall on.

Moreover, it has turned into a clear and pointed condemnation, led by Jurgen.

At this point, there’s no way to resolve things quietly through individual discussions, and their fate seems almost sealed.

To be honest, I no longer wish to get involved in this matter.

The foolish interrogation the other day was more than enough.

Therefore, my attention is now focused not on the teachers, but on the students.

For example──

“──Please tell me! How can I become as strong as you all are!?”

Right now, students from other grades and classes are begging Hermes face-to-face.

The impact of that competition on the academy was immense, as expected.

Children of high-ranking nobles, inheritors of excellent bloodline magic, were supposed to naturally excel and win as a matter of course.

That premise was overturned, shocking and dismaying many noble students.

But──more than that, it brought hope to many students.

Those in Class B from other grades who had been oppressed until now.

And not just them, but also students from Class A in other grades who were dissatisfied with the current situation.

These students kept flocking to us during breaks, or even during self-study time, asking my classmates and especially Hermes, the one responsible for the current state of affairs, for the secret to his success.

Hermes sincerely engages with those who seek to learn and understand the true depths of magic.

He responds carefully to the endless stream of students, who in turn feel satisfied and begin to sprout new awareness as magicians.

The entire academy was undoubtedly starting to change, with Class B at its center.

……Well, that being said.

Even Hermes gets exhausted from being bombarded with questions non-stop.

So, during lunch breaks, he forbids students from visiting──or rather, he’s been ordered to refuse them.

“Hey, Hermes. You were popular again today.”

And so, during the lunch break, when I head to our usual spot in a corner of the courtyard, I’m first greeted by Nina’s usual lighthearted words of encouragement.

I respond with a wry smile and a nod, then take a seat in my usual chair.

“Good job. I told you, didn’t I? If you don’t make time to rest, even forcefully, it’ll be tough.”

“……Yes. Thank you.”

Next, Katia, who had moved her chair a little closer to mine, speaks up.

Yes, it was she who ordered Hermes to turn away visitors during lunch breaks.

She said…

[If you refuse on your own, your position might be weak, so use my name and say that the Duke’s daughter ordered you to refuse. That way, unless they’re extremely foolish, they won’t insist on coming. ……Of course, it’s not entirely out of personal feelings like ‘I refuse to let anyone else intrude on our time together’. But I genuinely care about your well-being, you know.]

Regardless of the latter part, the fact that her consideration saved me is true.

I expressed my sincere gratitude and took a seat.

“Th-thank you for your hard work… Ah, you don’t need to serve. I know you’re busy, Hermes-san…”

Then, the other participant of our usual lunch gathering, Sara, prepares tea for him, perhaps out of concern for his condition, which was originally his responsibility.

Though Katia seems slightly dissatisfied, as she had wanted to do it herself, she is not very skilled at such tasks, having usually left them to her attendants.

Sara, understanding her feelings, takes her seat with a wry smile.

At any rate, the lunch gathering of these four, which had been impossible before the competition, has now become a daily routine.

We enjoy our meal for a while and then delve into the conversation.

And, of course, the topic that comes up is the most important matter for the four of us right now.

“So, Katia-sama… How are things in Class A?”

“They’re polarized. It’s as I said before; nothing has changed.”

“Well, that’s to be expected. I’m actually surprised it hasn’t tilted more to one side.”

Hermes asks, Katia answers, and Nina agrees.

Yes, the actions of the Class A students.

After losing the competition and becoming the focus of the academy,

they were either criticized or mocked.

The students of Class A split into two main groups.

One group, predictably, refused to accept reality and caused a fuss.

They blamed the teachers for their negligence, expressed dissatisfaction with the current situation, and desperately sought some unfair reason why Class B won, or they simply did nothing but complain.

And the other group── This was surprising even to Hermes: students who sought guidance from Class B.

Nearly half of Class A students, an unexpectedly large number, fell into this category, which is why Nina found it surprising.

……They must have finally realized, after such a crushing defeat, the distortions in this country that they had ignored because it benefited them.

Unlike the teachers, they haven’t been exposed to the country’s customs for long, so their thoughts aren’t fully entrenched yet, which made the shift in their thinking easier.

While it was surprising at first, Hermes didn’t find it strange.

For those who value magic, a ‘loss’ is a heavy burden, for better or worse.

Moreover──Hermes knew someone close to him who had undergone a dramatic transformation after a crushing defeat.

So, even though they are Class A students, if they seek his guidance,

he intends to respond sincerely. But──

“……But the other Class B students can’t easily accept them, can they? They’ve been oppressed for much longer than I have.”

“That’s right. But surprisingly, there haven’t been many conflicts.

We owe that to Katia-sama and Sara-chan.”

As Hermes pointed out, Class B students probably found it difficult to accept them emotionally.

Even Hermes could understand their feelings, wanting to say, ‘After all the torment you’ve put us through, how dare you show your face here’.

But it was Katia and Sara who managed to keep that in check.

First, Katia gave a strict command to the Class A students who sought guidance.

[──Before asking to be taught, you must first sincerely apologize to the Class B students. If you can’t do that, you’re not qualified.]

At that point, the students who couldn’t swallow their pride and approached with the attitude of ‘I’ll let you teach me’ fell back into the other faction.

As a result, there were no students with impure intentions seeking guidance, which prevented conflicts on that front.