Now that the Court Mage Maitis had established her barriers, the reclamation of the Subnock Plain had reached a significant turning point.
Monsters were rapidly clearing out of the region—the unmistakable result of her Monster Repulsion barrier. Of course, they hadn't simply crumbled into dust and vanished; they had merely fled the plain. While there was a risk of them causing trouble in the surrounding areas, preemptive measures had already been taken.
Monster traps had been laid from the heart of the plain all the way to its edges, leading to the successful culling of a great number of beasts. Although some managed to slip through the perimeter, the nearby villages and towns had been placed on high alert, and no significant damage had been reported.
At this stage, the Magical Wilds were practically indistinguishable from ordinary land. All that remained was to recruit settlers and build the foundations of towns and villages. Since the soil was fertile, immigrants were already gathering at a steady pace. From here on out, the region would likely flourish even without direct supervision.
"Listen up, you brats! You’re too slow with those magic circles! Get moving!"
"Yes, ma'am!"
While the development work continued, a temporary magic lesson was being held in one of the buildings at the pioneer base. A large group of young mages sat at rows of tables, focusing intently on refining their mana.
"The foundation of Barrier Arts must be burned into your brain! If you try to cast with a fuzzy memory, you’re guaranteed to fail. First, transcribe the formula onto paper. Do it again and again until you’ve memorized every line!"
The instructor leading the class was none other than the master of Barrier Arts herself, Jarana Maitis. As one of the most senior Court Mages, she rarely left the Royal Palace, making the opportunity to study under her incredibly rare.
For some reason, Rest had caught Maitis's eye and was receiving personal instruction on barriers. Naturally, other young men and women had flocked to join.
"Please, let us learn too!" "We’re in your care, Guru Maitis!"
Those bowing their heads were the students assisting with the development project. As members of the Magic Department, they were desperate to seize this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
"Hmph! I don't have time to waste on those without talent!" Maitis barked, striking the floor with her staff. "So you'd better keep up if you don't want to be labeled incompetent! This old lady's training is brutal, so steel yourselves, you runts!"
Despite her harsh tongue, Maitis was surprisingly caring. Even as she grumbled about not teaching the talentless, she gave every student who asked the chance to prove themselves.
"Ugh, this is so hard... I can’t get it at all." "Barrier Arts really do test your intuition, don't they?"
Viola and Primula were among the participants. Both were groaning as they tried to trace complex geometric shapes with their mana.
"You two seem to be doing alright. I’m completely hopeless," Yuri said, tilting her head in confusion.
Yuri had also joined the class for some reason, but her mana control was insufficient, and the techniques weren't sticking at all.
"Hmph... Albert’s girls are doing well enough. Especially you, Primula. You have a good feel for this," Maitis said, snorting as she approached the Rosemary sisters. "You’re good at delicate work like sewing or knitting, aren't you? This discipline suits that kind of person. Keep practicing."
"Thank you very much, Guru Maitis."
"As for the Catleya girl... you seriously have no talent for this. Give it up. You’d be better off going for a run outside."
"Ugh... I knew it..."
While Primula offered a proud smile, Yuri’s shoulders slumped in defeat.
"And as for you, boy... you can stop now, too."
Maitis turned her attention to Rest, who was sitting at the same table.
"I have nothing left to teach you. You’ve achieved Full Mastery."
"Thank you, Guru," Rest replied, idly manipulating the magic circle floating between his palms.
It had been only a week since Maitis began her lessons, but Rest had already mastered every barrier technique she had introduced. Normally, learning even a single barrier could take a month or even years, but Rest had memorized them with a single glance.
"...What terrifying talent. Honestly, you're an uncute brat. You’re enough to make an old woman jealous."
"You're too kind. It's only because your instruction is so clear, Guru."
"Flattery. I suspect you have a talent for seducing women, not just magic. If we’d met a hundred years earlier, I would’ve pinned you down myself."
Rest’s expression nearly faltered at Maitis's wicked chuckle. He managed to keep a straight face only because showing his discomfort would have been rude.
"I’ve drilled all the basic barrier arts into you. What remains are the Secret Arts... techniques that no one is even allowed to research without special permission. If you want to learn those, you’ll have to become a Court Mage first."
Just like the Crime Prevention barrier, there were magics whose very existence was classified. Unless one held a special license like a Court Mage, even attempting to learn them was a crime.
"Thank you. This has been incredibly helpful."
"Hmph. Keep your thanks. Just keep refining your craft until you’re a grand enough mage to let this old lady retire in peace."
Leaving him with that parting shot, Maitis walked off to check on the other students.
"That was incredible... As expected of you, Rest." "Truly amazing. You never cease to impress, Lord Rest."
Viola and Primula praised him in unison.
"No, it wasn't that big a deal."
"Oh, it certainly was," Yuri chimed in, circling her fingers near her temples. "Just looking at those shapes makes my head spin."
Despite her "muscle-brain" reputation, Yuri wasn't entirely averse to study—she had scored well enough on her entrance exams—but abstract theory clearly wasn't her forte.
"I've always been good at memorizing shapes and formulas," Rest admitted.
Even in his previous life, mathematics had been his strongest subject. Compared to complex calculus, the formulas for Barrier Arts almost felt straightforward.
"Well, I’ll head outside so I’m not in the way. Don’t overwork yourselves, you two."
"I’m coming too," Yuri added. "I’ll take the Guru’s advice and go for a run."
"Alright. See you later." "Until then."
Rest and Yuri stepped out of the building, leaving the temporary classroom behind.