Just before the students' presentations, people who had been at other venues also gathered. It seems that there are also faces of those who were at King Grandsands' demonstration sales.
Due to the large-scale customer-attracting activities, I felt like the biggest crowd ever had gathered here. Satisfied with the result, I moved to the edge of the venue.
I couldn't see Kalila and the others, but they're probably watching from an inconspicuous spot.
[Tis]
At first it wasn't so, but before I knew it, the plaza had become surprisingly crowded. Even from a distance, I could tell that there were people who seemed to be royalty and upper-class nobles, but those people were also standing in line at the front of the venue, just like the other spectators.
"...A strange town... no, it is a strange academy. Normally, it would be common sense to prepare seats for the royalty and upper-class nobles, and to have the presentation in front of them..."
I believe that the head of this academy, Headmaster Glenn, held the title of Marquis. He shouldn't be ignorant of the world of nobles, so I wondered if problems would arise.
"...Will common sense as a noble be instilled in them, growing up in this academy?"
In areas other than magic, anxiety had sprouted within me. Perhaps it's because of my original personality, but I end up thinking about everything negatively. Maybe it's because the future of the Stone Baron family was uncertain. After all, it seems that the current head of the family, my husband, would be unable to make the Stone family stand out.
It's pathetic, but my biggest hope is my son, Dean. If he could become a great magician, the Stone family would be secure for a while. To support that, after Dean was able to enter the Fiddiq Academy, we were invited to balls and such from other Baron and Viscount families. They're probably making connections, in preparation for when Dean becomes a court magician.
In the Kingdom of Karvan, titles were not easily raised. However, because they value lineage, the children of Dukes and Marquises become at least Viscounts when they grow up. In other words, if you're a Baron and you take it easy, you don't know when your title wouold be stripped.
Since the kingdom's wealth and land were finite, it couldn't be helped. That's why families below the rank of Viscount were running around desperately trying to achieve great accomplishments. But, the head of the family couldn't produce any results.
In that situation, it was a great stroke of luck that Dean was able to enter Fiddiq Academy. There were countless children entering magic academies in the Kingdom of Karvan, but there weren't many who were able to enter Fiddiq Academy every year.
Not only other nobles, but the Kingdom as well, had high expectations for Dean. In other words, it also meant that the period the Stone family could remain as a Baron has been extended.
After that, if only Dean could develop his abilities as a magician…
As if praying, I followed the figure of Dean, who was preparing in the back of the venue, with my eyes.
Eventually, the students lined up in a row, facing us. From that atmosphere, the slightly noisy plaza became silent.
As if checking that state, a slender male student looked around and opened his mouth.
"...Everyone, thank you for gathering here. My name is Cote Butler. This time, it will be a joint presentation by the students who are taking Aoi-sensei's Introduction to Magic course. I believe it will be an interesting presentation for both magicians and non-magicians alike, so please watch until the end."
As Cote gave the greeting for the presentation, applause slowly began. After giving an elegant bow, Cote stepped back. It's truly a dignified attitude and elegant demeanor that befit a noble. Secretly, I felt the flames of jealousy ignite within my heart.
He was, if I recall correctly, the son of a heavyweight in the Cote Highlands. He must have been raised with an unshakeable position and wealth from birth, and the best possible education.
Unlike my son, he's a true upper-class noble's child. Looking at his confident figure, it made me feel as if we were just rats crawling through the mud on the ground.
While realizing my mood was becoming increasingly dark and gloomy, I continued to watch the venue.
"This is new magic, and it is magic that only Aoi-sensei can use in this academy. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to become the most excellent user of that magic, but I consider it fortunate to have become one of the few. Now then, let us begin."
Finally, Rox, who was the prince of this country, declared the start of the presentation. This, too, was a dignified attitude that didn't seem like that of a student. But, even Rox, who was so full of confidence, wasn't the best? If that's the case, then the best user is probably Cote from earlier.
While thinking about that, a boy who was more than a head shorter came forward.
It's Dean.
I let out a voiceless sound of surprise, and Dean opened his mouth with a serious face that I had never seen before.
"...Everyone, are you familiar with something called electricity? Electricity is contained in various things. However, it is not contained in water refined by water magic. By adding wind magic to this water and intensely rotating it while mixing in dust from the air, we can generate electricity. In my personal opinion, it is that small things collide within this rotating body of water, creating electricity. If you gather this electricity inwards, it becomes lightning that emits thunder... That is lightning magic."
After Dean said that and started chanting magic, everyone began chanting magic at once. And, Dean's chanting was completed first.
"...Thunder Jade, Electric Ball."