Became a Medieval Fantasy Wizard

TL/Editor: raei

Status: 5/week mon-fri

Illustrations: none

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Anger rising to his head, Inglan shouted without caring who heard:

"You math nerds! Get out of the way!"

"???"

The math students moved aside with blank expressions.

'Well, he's not wrong...'

Ian, deeply absorbed in his lecture, had no idea what commotion was happening.

'Ah. So this is happiness-'

Ian was simply happy.

Yes. This was the isekai life Ian had wanted.

When you think of isekai wizards, performing rapid magical calculations is absolutely fundamental!

High-speed spell calculations!

Multiple circuit operations!

Just hearing those terms made him smell the rich STEM vibes of formulas and equations being poured out by the bucketful!

But in this weird fantasy world, wizards didn't do spell calculations at all...

'That damn Maronius language!'

These wizards calmly learned and taught the insane practice of memorizing words one by one to make sentences!

How was that any different from Joseon-era nobles composing classical poems!

Finally immersed in familiar academic knowledge, Ian felt his body and mind growing peaceful.

Ah... if only he could spend his whole life just doing math...

That's when it happened.

"Ian! What are you doing there!"

"Ah. Inglan. Did you come to hear the math lecture?"

Ian greeted Inglan with a gentle smile.

In this moment, Ian was enlightened enough to compete with Buddha in virtue points.

Ah, here comes a soul thirsting for mathematics.

Haha. I shall gladly open the ark of knowledge and save you all...

"What? Why would I listen to such useless classes?"

"...!"

Ian's eyes suddenly went wide.

Did he just... call math useless?!

This is blasphemy!!!

"No, Inglan! Don't you know how useful mathematics is?"

"Nope. Don't know. Isn't math just noble lords' entertainment? It's useless. Completely useless."

"But if you go into applied mathematics, there must be jobs..."

"They'll hire you just because you studied math? Must be some generous noble!"

"..."

Ian's jaw dropped in disbelief.

He wanted to refute Inglan's words but... amazingly, Inglan's claims were facts!

This medieval fantasy world didn't have industries precise enough to require complex mathematical calculations...

"Math is fine as long as you can count money."

"Inglan! That's just arithmetic!"

"What's the difference between arithmetic and math?"

Ugh!

Ian collapsed, grabbing his neck.

You crafty old man! How dare you hit the math department's trigger point so shamelessly...!

"You're... right... but we don't study math just to count money?!"

"Good grief. Ian. I don't understand why you're so obsessed with math. Isn't math just the perfect subject for starving to death?"

"..."

As Inglan's razor-sharp facts stormed through, the innocent math students trembled.

"Ugh... math... useless after studying..."

"Even the craftsmen's guild won't hire us..."

"Math is just... fun... ugh..."

"? I'm studying with my dad's money, so I don't care about getting hired."

Except for the rich kid in expensive clothes, the other math students' situations were similar.

They hadn't enrolled hoping to get jobs...

They just liked math itself.

"If you want a useful subject, magic is the way!"

Inglan shouted in the math department's lecture hall.

Ian found Inglan's shamelessness almost awe-inspiring.

Seriously, saying that in someone else's department hall. What an absolutely wizard-like person!

"Your head must be dizzy from all that adding and subtracting, let me clear it up for you!"

"..."

If you'd just turn around and leave, my head would clear up just fine.

Ian thought this while staring at Inglan.

Inglan, the scholastic terrorist who had illegally occupied someone else's lecture hall, began reciting ancient language in a clear voice.

"When spring's fragrance shakes heaven and earth, why do you, oh sun, not show your face!"

In front of the math students...

Inglan started reciting ancient poetry...

"Wh-What's he saying?!"

"Sounds like ancient language? Like what priests use in temples!"

"Hmph. You commoners. That's ancient poetry from the Golden Empire era."

Watching the wizard proudly reciting poetry on stage.

The math students couldn't even lift their heads.

Not because they were embarrassed by Inglan...

But because their field of mathematics suddenly felt so pathetic.

"Ugh! Such fluent ancient language skills!"

"As expected of a wizard...!"

"I should've studied ancient language instead of wasting time on math!"

Eredith too crossed her arms and appreciated Inglan's verses.

"As expected professor. Your intonation control is excellent."

"..."

"Hearing such moving poetry, even the sun's mystery won't be able to stay hidden!"

Eredith's explanation was somewhat true.

The poem Inglan recited was used for summoning the sun.

In ancient Golden Empire times, when great droughts or floods occurred, wizards would offer beautiful poems to persuade the mysteries.

'See that, Ian!'

Inglan looked at Ian with a triumphant expression.

As if certain his beautiful poetry had completely burned away the math-demon possessing Ian's mind!

'True learning should know how to move people's hearts!'

Seeing Ian's change, Eredith shouted:

"Professor Inglan! Ian's expression!"

"..."

"Ian's expression is rotting!"

For a moment, Inglan seriously wondered if there was something wrong with his poetry.

'Was my skill too crude?'

Actually, that wasn't the issue.

Ian was just pissed that Inglan could occupy someone else's lecture hall and recite poetry without any consequences.

"Ahem. Let's stop here! Ian! Time to go study proper writing!"

"Yes, Ian. I have so much to discuss with you. I found some nice verses during my travels that I'd like to share..."

Suddenly, tears welled up in Ian's eyes and he couldn't lift his head.

No, why...!

Why do I have to recite verses to study magic! Master!

I too, I too...!

Want to do multiple spell calculations...!

I'm ready to solder circuits like a dog if you tell me to lay out magical circuitry...!

"Oh my, Ian. Don't cry!"

"Hoho. Seeing how happy he is, he must be eager to discuss ancient grammar!"

"But first, we should talk about language evolution. Ian was weak on word conjugation."

"Oh? I didn't know that."

Inglan and Eredith grabbed Ian's arms.

Let go! You liberal arts ghosts!!!

Ian wanted to resist but couldn't bring himself to shake off his respected senior wizards' hands.

"Teacher... I want to... do math..."

"Ian. Life is short and learning is long. We don't have time to waste on strange subjects~"

"Sob sob..."

In 1000 years that 'strange' subject might rule the world, but.

Unfortunately this was medieval times, and Ian was a wizard majoring in Maronius language.

"Ah... another math student leaves to face reality."

The math professor watched Ian with sad eyes but couldn't stop him.

He knew too well that in this medieval fantasy world, studying magic was the way to live well...

"I'll remember you. 'Mathematician' Ian."

The math students watched Ian with looks half pitying, half envious.

#

'Where am I?'

Ian blinked and looked around.

It felt like numbers might fly and dance around any moment...

But no numbers or equations appeared anywhere.

"To use formal speech properly..."

"What aspects must we understand to grasp the other party's desires in conversation?"

"What do you think is the crucial difference between 'do it' and 'would you please do it'!"

Words, words, words echoing from all directions...

Ian realized.

'This is the magic department.'

He had stepped into the Imperial University's magic department - headquarters of those dirty isekai liberal arts students!

'I came... to study...'

Ian suddenly remembered why he'd come to the Imperial University.

Clearly, Ian had visited to raise his insufficient magic level.

He planned to share knowledge with other wizards here and supplement his weak areas to increase his magic level.

'...I got too caught up in math.'

Ian calmly collected himself.

If he came to study, he should focus on his purpose.

"Here. Ian. This is your room."

Eredith volunteered to guide Ian.

Ian's room was quite cramped.

Just a chair, desk, bed and wardrobe.

"Pretty small, right? That's because monks built it. The university doesn't have many luxurious buildings."

The university's original buildings were monasteries, not schools.

Originally monks gathered on the mountain to study scripture. That developed into today's Imperial University.

He could find a much fancier room by lodging outside campus, but.

"No. This is enough."

Ian didn't particularly care about having a big room.

Medieval living standards were predictable anyway.

Whatever you expected, you'd get less, so he'd stopped expecting anything.

"Then let's talk about classes."

Eredith said with a smile.

"Last time in Talian, you briefly mentioned the level you'd reached?"

"Ah. Yes..."

He had really just mentioned it briefly.

Ian had roughly said he could handle fire magic, wind magic, dark magic... that sort of thing.

"I really wanted to see your magic but felt awkward asking back then."

"You could've just asked."

"Hehe. I didn't want to pressure you. But during class, won't it be much more comfortable for both of us?"

Eredith's eyes sparkled as she spoke.

"This teacher wants to see her long-lost disciple's magic!"

Ian nodded.

He also had lots of new magic to show Eredith.

"So I registered you for all the magic department classes!"

"?"

"Classes from morning till night, every day!"

"???"

"Ah, you'll have to teach some of them yourself!"

"??????"

Eredith spoke with a bright smile.

...Ian suddenly hated university.

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