Major Characters
Ray White Age: 15. A first-year student. Appearance: He had short black hair. Although he stood at a tall 180 centimeters, he appeared slender overall. However, he was surprisingly well-built beneath his clothes. Whenever he reverted to his form as the Ice Sword Sorcerer, his hair transformed into a bluish-white hue. Profile: He was the current Ice Sword Sorcerer. Originally from a small village in the east of the continent, he became a war orphan after being caught up in the Far East Campaign. After a series of twists and turns, he was taken in by Lydia Ainsworth. During the Far East Campaign, he suffered a Magic Area Overheat; he currently used his own magic to suppress and fix that state. The essence of the Ice Sword Sorcerer consisted of three principles: Deceleration, Lock, and Restoration. While he had a dead-earnest personality, he occasionally lacked common sense. He was currently struggling to find his place at the academy. Incidentally, he held a Gold Rank Hunter License, which he had been forced to obtain by his master.
Amelia Rose Age: 15. A first-year student. Appearance: She had crimson hair and Burning Eyes. Her height was just under 170 centimeters. Her proportions were slightly above average, giving her an overall toned impression. Profile: She was the eldest daughter of House Rose, the head of the Three Great Noble Families. In truth, she loathes the elitist nature of noble bloodlines and struggled with various personal doubts. Her encounter with Ray served as a turning point for her to reconsider her path as a sorcerer. She possessed considerable talent and had consistently put in the effort, placing her at the top of the first-year students in both name and reality.
Elisa Griffith Age: 15. A first-year student. Appearance: She had semi-long hair with a slight greenish tint. She stood 155 centimeters tall, but she possessed the most ample bust of anyone in the story—a fact she was surprisingly self-conscious about. Profile: She was a half-elf with slightly pointed ears. She used to be self-conscious about her heritage, but her encounter with Ray caused a shift in her mindset. Since she aspired to be a researcher, she possessed a deep knowledge of Code Theory. She was also excellent in other academic areas. While she struggled with practical application, she was quite well-informed.
Evi Armstrong Age: 15. A first-year student. Appearance: He had brown hair cut short. He stood 190 centimeters tall and was heavily muscled. Unlike Ray, his physique was apparent even through his clothes. Profile: He was a man who loved muscles and was loved by them in return. He was Ray’s roommate in the dormitory, and their shared passion for training led to a deep friendship. Lately, he had been concerned about the definition of his pectorals, so he focused mainly on upper body training. His favorite exercise was the deadlift. He wanted to become a Hunter in the future but remained undecided.
Albert Alium Age: 15. A first-year student. Appearance: He had short, deep blue hair and stood 175 centimeters tall. His body was somewhat trained, giving him a bit of physical presence. Profile: He was the eldest son of the high-ranking noble House Alium. He was raised believing that bloodline elitism was everything. Consequently, he tended to look down on those who were not nobles, and even on lower-ranking nobles. However, after his battle with Ray and witnessing his true identity as the Ice Sword Sorcerer, he seemed to be having second thoughts.
Rebecca Bradley Age: 17. A third-year student. Appearance: She had long, black hair with a texture as beautiful as silk. She had a beauty mark under her right eye and stood 165 centimeters tall. Her proportions were outstanding, though her bust was slightly larger than the rest of her body. Profile: She was the eldest daughter of House Bradley, one of the Three Great Noble Families. She had a gentle personality and a calm way of speaking. Possessing extraordinary talent, she was already a Platinum Rank sorcerer. Contrary to her gentle demeanor, her combat abilities were extremely high; she was the champion of the previous Magics Chevalier main tournament. Furthermore, she served as the Student Council President and the President of the Gardening Club. Those around her regarded her as a perfect individual overflowing with charisma.
Club President Age: 18. A fourth-year student. Appearance: He had black hair in a buzz cut. He stood 195 centimeters tall and was heavily muscled. His physique was among the best in the academy. Profile: He was the President of the Environmental Research Club and held a Gold Rank Hunter License. He recognized Ray’s potential as a Hunter and accepted him due to his impressive physical bulk. His family ran a farm, and he had recently become obsessed with growing corn.
Dina Sera Age: 17. A third-year student. Appearance: She had short brown hair and stood 160 centimeters tall. She had a slender build and was actually self-conscious about her flat chest. Profile: She was the Vice-president of the Gardening Club. She idolized Rebecca and was the practical leader of the Gardening Club, also known as The Flower Garden. She initially loathed Ray for entering the club, but she eventually recognized that his passion for gardening was genuine. She had come to like him as a good junior, even going shopping with him.
Lydia Ainsworth Age: 29. Appearance: She had blonde hair and blue eyes, standing 173 centimeters tall. Currently, she wore her hair in a semi-long style that reached her shoulders. Ray described her appearance as being easily mistaken for an angel. Profile: A former member of the Arnold Kingdom Army's Real Combat Maneuver Unit, she retired with the rank of Major. She was the previous Ice Sword Sorcerer. However, unlike Ray, she had only discovered the Anti-Material Code and could not actually use it. Therefore, during the Far East Campaign, she played an active role using Deceleration and Lock magic as her mainstay. Due to injuries sustained in the final battle, she was forced to use a wheelchair, but she didn't mind much as the life of a researcher suited her. Although she was strict with her disciple, she was actually very soft on him and cherished Ray deeply.
Carla Hale Age: 32. Appearance: A slender woman with long black hair, standing 157 centimeters tall. Profile: The maid who looked after Lydia. She was taciturn and didn't talk much, but she was surprisingly talkative when alone with Lydia. She liked Ray and went all out to serve him sweets and home-cooked meals whenever he visited. She genuinely enjoyed taking care of Lydia and was glad she had become a maid.
Abby Garnet Age: 29. Appearance: She had long orange hair tied in a ponytail. She stood 172 centimeters tall. While her eyes were somewhat sharp, she was undoubtedly a beauty. Profile: A former member of the Arnold Kingdom Army's Real Combat Maneuver Unit, she retired with the rank of Colonel. One of the Seven Grand Sorcerers, she was known by the alias "Sorcerer of Scorching Heat." As the name suggested, she excelled in fire-attribute magic, but her essence was Acceleration. She was a sorcerer who stood in direct contrast to Ray. Currently, she served as the Principal of Arnold Magic Academy.
Helena Grady Age: 27. Appearance: She had short black hair and usually wore casual clothing. She stood 164 centimeters tall. Profile: She began teaching at Arnold Magic Academy three years ago and was evaluated as a teacher who looked out for her students. In reality, she was a researcher belonging to Eugenics. She had been kidnapping students and dissecting their brains. She intended to do the same this time, but she was defeated by Ray and was currently undergoing interrogation.
Elliot Arclight Age: 32. Appearance: He had brown hair that was long for a man and stood 177 centimeters tall. His body was trained to the point where it was clearly visible even through his clothes. Profile: A teacher who taught swordsmanship at the academy. His combat capabilities were high; he was a former soldier and a quite excellent magic swordsman. Recently, he had been amazed by Ray's skills and had come to recognize that he was no ordinary student.
The Worldview (Mainly the Arnold Kingdom)
In this world, magic was completely integrated into daily life. It was prevalent not only in food, clothing, and shelter but also in infrastructure. The Arnold Kingdom was considered the birthplace of magic; thus, the idea that one should go there to study magic had become established. Currently, three magic academies existed within the Kingdom, with Arnold Magic Academy regarded as the pinnacle.
The continent was divided into the West, Central, and East continents. The Arnold Kingdom was located in the northernmost part of the West Continent.
Despite its name, the Arnold Kingdom did not employ a complete absolute monarchy. The political system was a constitutional monarchy, meaning the monarch's authority was restricted by law. In practice, the royal family members were icons. While the royal lineage brought the country to its current prosperity, the administration was entrusted to the Prime Minister and the Cabinet. However, the royal family remained deeply popular, and public interest in them was extremely high.
The northern side of the kingdom consisted mostly of forests and mountains, which was where the academy was located. The east and west were residential areas, and the south contained most of the farmland. The North District thrived as a student town, while the West District served as a trade base due to its port. The Central District was the most developed area, housing the downtown district and the royal castle. When people said they were "going out to the city," they usually meant the Central District.
Magic was not the only field where the Arnold Kingdom sat at the cutting edge. Formal science, natural science, social science, humanities, and applied science were also among the best in the world. Magic was classified as a natural science. For this reason, natural sciences tended to be particularly developed within the country.
Regarding Sorcerers
Sorcerers were ranked from Bronze Rank to Silver, Gold, Platinum, and finally Grand Rank. The seven individuals at the peak of the Grand Rank were regarded as the Seven Grand Sorcerers. Among them, the Ice Sword, Scorching Heat, and Illusion were currently the most famous because they were active on the public stage. However, only the identities of the Scorching Heat and the Illusion had been made public. The identities of the other Seven Grand Sorcerers were not disclosed.
Furthermore, sorcerers with high magic aptitude tended to have well-developed bodies. This was why many were tall and physically mature for their age, an effect attributed to their Inside Code. This was merely a tendency, however, and not an absolute rule.
The Three Great Noble Families
The Three Great Noble Families—House Rose, House Bradley, and House Algren—stood at the top of the social hierarchy among sorcerers. House Rose held the most power. While they remained committed to bloodline elitism, few of their members had actually become Seven Grand Sorcerers. They used their authority while ignoring that fact, though they were recognized more as prestigious entities than corrupt ones.
Eugenics
Eugenics was a mysterious organization that advocated eugenics ideology. Rumors existed that they viewed human lives as mere tools for the pursuit of magic, repeatedly conducting inhumane experiments. They were currently trying to expand their influence by recruiting excellent sorcerers and researchers from various countries. They were regarded as an organization completely independent from any nation.
Engram Also known as magic memory. Neural cells that stored magic had been discovered in the brain, and these were called Engrams. Theoretically, through the manipulation of Engrams, it was possible to implant magic into others. While magic was normally something one acquired through talent or effort, the transplantation of Engrams would allow anyone to use magic regardless of those factors—even Grand-tier Magic.
Dark Triad System The Dark Triad referred to the traits of Narcissism, Machiavellianism, and Psychopathy. This was a type of magic that systematized and incorporated these dark sides of a human being. It was thought to be a type of Inside Code, though its full details remained a mystery. Rumors suggested it granted extraordinary abilities.
Magic Area Overheat
In sorcerers, the frontal lobe contained the Magic Area where Code Theory was performed. Normal sorcerers did not experience a runaway of this area, but excessive magic use or emotional surges could cause a Magic Area Overheat. This state allowed for the temporary use of magic on an extraordinary scale, but in the worst cases, it could cause the brain to burn out. No clear treatment had been established.
Regarding Magic
Magic was the technique for reconstructing Prima Materia, the substance that formed the foundation of all things. This process was called Code Theory. The technology originated from registration, which was then systematized into modern magic.
The activation process followed these steps: Prima Materia → Encoding → Decoding → Processing → Embodiment → Material or Phenomenon.
Since simple Encoding contained redundant information, the redundant parts were removed through Decoding before the Processing stage. At the Decoding stage, the Anti-Material Code was kept latent to prevent it from activating.
Magic was classified by difficulty into Lower Rank, Mid Rank, High Rank, and Grand Rank. It further branched into classifications such as: Quick Magic, Remote Magic, Chain Magic, Delay Magic, Material Shift, Extensive Magic, and Extensive Chain Magic.
Magic was also divided into Inside Code (used for Physical Reinforcement or sensory expansion) and Outside Code (used for generating magic in the external world).
The law of conservation of mass always applied to code conversion; the scale of the material or phenomenon produced changed according to the amount of Prima Materia consumed. Materials were classified into four elements: solid, liquid, gas, and plasma.
Basic Attributes The basic attributes of magic were Water, Ice, Fire, and Electricity. These were divided into Material Magic (Water and Ice) and Phenomenon Magic (Fire and Electricity). Phenomenon Magic was more difficult because it required producing materials as a prerequisite.
Extra-Elemental Attributes Beyond the basic attributes, there were Non-Attribute Magic, Mental Interference Magic, and Conceptual Interference Magic. These had so few practitioners that researchers were still struggling to gather sufficient data on them.
Dual-Code Theory Proposed by Lydia Ainsworth, this theory suggested that within the code of all things, there were two opposing codes: Material Codes and Anti-Material Codes. These two maintained Homeostasis. The Material Code embodied Prima Materia, while the Anti-Material Code returned it to its original state. Normally, the Anti-Material Code remained latent. If activated, it would reduce any magic, material, or phenomenon back into Prima Materia.
Qualia A mysterious substance applied during the Processing stage of Code Theory. It was classified into four types currently under research: Formal Qualia (Eidos) Constitutive Qualia (Hyle) Final Qualia (Telos) Subjective Qualia (Arche)