Heroic Spirit: I, Shinji, have tried my best.

"…Hmm? What is that?"

Shinji woke up in a daze, and saw a university classroom in front of him. The not-so-bright yellow lights shone on him, and the teacher's unromantic speech made him fall into a dormant state without realizing it.

But this is not an ordinary university. After all, no university would teach the principles of magic in class... This is a classroom lecture in the Clock Tower.

"Hey! Shinji...don't sleep anymore, the teacher is watching you!"

Shinji tilted his head and saw a boy who looked angry and winked at him. It seemed that this guy was the one who disturbed his sleep just now...

He looked up at the podium in front of him again, and saw a man with a blond slicked-back hair staring at him unfriendlyly, looking very dissatisfied with him. He then turned his eyes and saw his "accomplice" next to him who was beaming with joy.

The sound of the lecture gradually faded away, and the lecturer took out a paper manuscript and seemed to be planning to comment on it...

“…Speaking of which, a classmate recently submitted a paper to me titled “What is the Path of Magic in the New Century?”…”

Upon hearing this, the person who had just reported to Shinji was stunned for a moment and turned to look at the man who was speaking.

"This paper says that as long as one has a sufficient understanding of the techniques and can use magic more skillfully, one can transcend the differences brought by bloodline and even become a first-class magician..."

As soon as he finished speaking, there was a burst of laughter all around. Shinji looked at Waver, who looked proud but embarrassed, and laughed in his heart.

You ignorant boy, do you really think this is a compliment to you?

The next moment, Kenneth, who was explaining the story, threw the manuscript on the table with a "bang", saying something merciless...

"In short, what is said here is simply wishful thinking... It has always been a common belief that a magus's ability is determined by his bloodline..."

Before he finished speaking, Weber slammed the table in disbelief. Suddenly, everyone looked at this classmate who had mediocre magic talent but always had brilliant ideas. Kenneth also looked at him with disdain.

“… Waver Velvet, I never thought that there would be such a delusion among my students. How pathetic!”

"But teacher! I was just questioning the Magic Church's conservative traditions. I..."

"Mr. Weber... I remember that your family's magic has only been passed down for three generations, right? This is as immature as a baby in the history of magicians. You should learn to speak before questioning your parents."

The vivid metaphor instantly caused everyone around to burst into laughter, while the person involved lowered his head with a grim look on his face.

Shinji was lying on the table watching the atmosphere reach this point, and the boy who seemed about to say "Don't bully the poor young man" was also very interested.

"Hey, hey... Shinji, I remember you got along well with that guy, right? It's better not to associate with him in the future, otherwise you will become stupid!"

A blonde girl next to Shinji quietly pulled Shinji to say bad things about Waver, but her voice was a little loud...

Waver suddenly looked at Shinji, his eyes full of disbelief that his favorite friend had actually betrayed him. But thinking about it again, it made sense. After all, Shinji was also a great magic family with hundreds of years of tradition, but they were just more low-key. How could he compare to them...

Shinji looked at Waver who was about to cry, and signaled the girl next to him to stop talking, even though what she said was not wrong.

Ever since Shinji came to the Clock Tower to study half a year ago, there have always been people around him who want to establish a relationship with him.

After all, although the Matou family is not well-known, they are not as obsessed with seeking roots as the Tōsaka family. On the contrary, because of the rental of sacred land, many people with no background want to curry favor with them.

If they really had a connection, even if his family didn't have a strong background in magic, he would definitely be a rich guy. Plus, he was handsome and had a lot of knowledge about magic. If he didn't have a weird personality, he could have been the school hunk at the Clock Tower...

As for Shinji, he neither rejected nor agreed with the people who came up to him, and he was naturally happy to accept little girls like the one next to him who approached him with impure intentions.

After all, compared to that tsundere who gets angry when touched, he still prefers this kind of well-behaved little kitten who won't resist no matter how you touch him.

after class

Waver was the first to pick up his books and rush out of the classroom. Kenneth glanced at him and ignored him. Shinji also let go of the woman who was trying to lean on him and went after Waver.

What a joke, women are not as important as brothers. I, Shinji, don't like women!

I opened the door and saw Weber walking in the corridor, crying and making a scene...

"I'm so angry... That guy is obviously jealous of my talent. And the same goes for that bastard Shinji. I really misjudged him..."

"…It's not good to say bad things about me behind my back, Waver-san."

"Wow!"

Waver, who was talking to himself, was instantly frightened and flew up. When he turned around and saw that it was Shinji, he was surprised for a moment, but immediately pretended to be unconvinced...

"You still remember to come to me...Are you not going to make out with your female classmates?"

Shinji looked at the bullied boy and became arrogant again, so he didn't indulge him. He stretched and said:

"…Last night, Reina invited me to her room to play poker. I didn't get much sleep last night. Thanks to you for reminding me today!"

After saying that, he yawned loudly.

"..."

"... Ugh... You bastard..."

No wonder the good student Reina who never missed class was sleepy in class today. She looked sleep deprived. It turned out to be you...

Weber felt as if he had received 10,000 critical hits and ran away crying again.

Shinji had no choice but to chase after her again, and it took him a lot of effort to coax this little sissy. You know, he had never coaxed even Sakura like this!

"You were too reckless in this matter..."

Shinji tried to comfort Waver earnestly.

"How am I reckless? He scolded me in front of everyone. Can't I defend myself?"

"Not really... maybe you just didn't find the right method. For example... you could try wearing a little skirt and act coquettishly towards Kenneth. That guy seems to like girls..."

"Shinji! You teased me again!"

Seeing Waver gradually come to his senses after his plan for a man-girl was rejected, Shinji said that he was really worried. He had thought so from the beginning, and it was definitely not because he wanted to see the Princess of Southern Liang...

"…In the magic world, the theory of bloodline is a common opinion. This idea is controlled by the major magic families and is the foundation for maintaining their power… And your idea is tantamount to planning to lead the lower-level magicians in rebellion…"

"… Judging from the results, if Kenneth hadn't publicly refuted your paper, you would have been interviewed by the higher-ups in a few days, and expulsion would have been a piece of cake by then."

"… Even if that's the case, you don't have to say it so decisively…"

"That's true from your perspective, but this is the tradition of magi, or the tradition of the world - the survival of the fittest... In the end, you're just too weak."

The two men were so focused on their conversation that they walked straight down the corridor, causing Weber to accidentally bump into a courier.

Looking at the package that fell on the ground, Shinji smiled in an incomprehensible way...

[Is it finally starting?]