Volume 7 Chapter 41 A Bit Like A Digest... Probably Exceeds Two Chapters If I Write Everything
The Magical Exchange Meeting, officially titled the Element Capture and Investigation Meeting, was hosted by Randy in the afternoon and wrapped up smoothly before sunset.
Thanks to a switch to smaller group discussions, even the quieter students found their voices. Opinions flowed freely, sparking lively debates. And from those debates emerged something valuable—color and context for the mysterious beings known as Elements.
──Elements, much like ghosts, might be born from magical essence shaped by human thought.
That was the leading theory by the end of the discussion. Randy and his group had once hypothesized that ghosts formed when people's thoughts clung to magical energy. The same could apply to Elements.
Backing this idea was the evidence gathered that day: dark magical essence clinging to the capture tool—an insect net—and the faint presence of a wind-elemental creature now sealed inside a container.
First was the heavy layer of dark magical essence coating the inside of the net. The group quickly concluded it must have come from Randy himself, who had swung the net during the capture.
The higher-level species of Elements, such as the Spirit King, are remnants of powerful beings. It wouldn't be unusual for magical essence touched by such a presence to carry distinct elemental attributes. That idea fit with the common magical knowledge of the world.
"Magical essence is naturally neutral. It's the Element that gives it an attribute."
That's the accepted rule. Magical essence on its own carries no alignment. It's only when touched by something like miasma or an Element that it transforms.
In places like volcanoes or the deep sea, strong elemental influences are naturally present. And in those places, sightings of Elements are more common. That's why many believe that the Elements themselves are shaping the environment's magical essence.
However...
"This isn't just pure dark magical essence. There's a lot of... leftover distortion, like after magic has been used," Noah said.
Leia and Ellie, both accomplished magicians, nodded in agreement. What had stuck to the net wasn't only dark-element magic—it included something else. A twisted residue, left behind after spells are cast.
Given enough time, that magical waste might dissolve. But in the net, it had stayed—dark and tainted, the telltale sign of spent magic. The kind of trace left by dark magic specifically.
This discovery stirred even deeper discussion. If Elements gave attributes to magical essence, why was the essence inside the net already tainted with dark magic? Wasn't that backwards?
In the past, people might have brushed it off: "The Element probably just used dark magic, and that's what's left." But Randy and the others had already suggested that ghosts were born from thoughts, and that stirred doubt in even the most grounded minds.
──Could Elements also be born from thoughts shaping attribute magic?
In other words, when people's thoughts mix with a certain type of magic, does that magic take form as an Element?
The theory caused a buzz. Students leaned forward, scribbled notes, raised questions. Curiosity burned.
"Wait... so which comes first?" someone asked. "The magic, or the attribute?"
A classic chicken-or-egg problem. There was dark magic in the net. Maybe the Spirit King twisted the surrounding energy into dark magic. But if magic needs attributes to become an Element... where does that attribute come from?
That's when two students, Annabelle and Cory, who had quietly supported the event from behind the scenes, spoke up.
"Um... I think it has to do with the environment. And maybe people's thoughts," Annabelle said, softly.
"It's like miasma," Cory added.
They explained that places people fear—graveyards, battlefields, caves, ruins, deep forests—are soaked with negative emotions. Those emotions slowly gather, becoming miasma. And miasma, when it mixes with magical essence, can give birth to ghosts.
"Volcanoes have fire. The sea has water. Where the wind blows strong, there's wind. It's like... the image of the place decides the magic," Cory added.
Randy tilted his head. "So the environment... influences the magic?"
Annabelle gave a nervous nod. "Yes. And people's thoughts might affect it too."
That meant the magic wasn't just influenced after it became an Element—but even before. The thoughts and feelings of people were already nudging it along.
If Elements take form from magical essence infused with elemental traits, then thoughts and the surrounding environment might be shaping that process from the beginning.
Even places like the schoolyard—safe and sunny—could hold a touch of dark magic, depending on what people imagine or feel.
"Of course, this is just a theory," Randy said. "We need experiments. Speaking of which... what's the environment like around the container holding the wind Element?"
All eyes turned to the small glass case now in Leia's arms. She held it tightly, a strange grin spreading across her face.
"What should I do..." she muttered. "Should I try hitting it with an opposite element...? No, that might make it disappear... Maybe reacting it with a magic stone..."
Leia's muttering grew more suspicious by the second. Her expression was far from her usual calm and composed self.
Still smiling in a way that sent chills down everyone's spine, Leia whispered, "Ahh, this is so exciting..." Her voice sent a silent wave of concern through the room. When she realized everyone was staring, she tightened her grip on the container and pouted.
"No! You can't have it!"
Randy sighed. "Not this again... Livia, secure the instructor."
"Roger."
In one fluid move, Livia slipped behind Leia and gently restrained her. Randy stepped forward and took the container from her hands.
"Hey! What are you doing to my precious Element!?"
Ignoring Leia's protests, Randy turned to Noah and Ellie. Together, they began to measure the magical balance of the container and the Element inside.
The results were surprising.
Despite being called a wind Element, the container didn't show any strong bias toward the wind attribute. In fact, the Element inside had almost no wind magic left at all.
At first, this seemed to contradict Cory and Annabelle's theory. But one of the more observant students, Cecilia, offered another explanation.
"Maybe... no one feared it."
Unlike the ominous Spirit King Shade, the weakened wind Element felt harmless. No one imagined it having power. If the magic inside a being responds to people's emotions, then maybe that's why the wind magic was nearly gone.
Then Liz added, "Didn't Randy say it was running out of energy? Maybe Elements use up the magic they have to stay in the world. If their internal magic runs out, they fade."
This matched with Randy's earlier observation—the Element was fading. It wasn't gone because of external interference. It was disappearing on its own, drained of its magical core.
And so, with a net full of dark magic residue, a flickering wind Element, and a whirlwind of new ideas, the Magical Exchange Meeting came to a satisfying end.
"Let's hear from our instructor. Leia, if you will."
Leia, now a bit calmer and carefully holding the container again, cleared her throat.
"Ahem... Everyone. I believe today's discussion was incredibly valuable. We are without a doubt at the forefront of Element research."
A cheer rose from the students.
"However, this is still only a hypothesis. I plan to continue researching this topic, and if any of you wish to join me, you're welcome to visit my lab starting next week."
The meeting ended, but the students remained, surrounding Randy with laughter and thanks.
"Senior, that was amazing!"
"Thinking together like this... It's the best part of being in the academy!"
"This is what I always dreamed school would be like!"
Among the voices, one comment stood out.
"Senior, you should totally run for Student Council President!"
That came from Gael. And everyone around him nodded.
Randy stood quietly, surprised by the wave of support. In that moment, he finally understood the meaning behind the words from his instructors, Gardo and Burk.
──Victor, just do it your way.
──The recommendation we gave you is just paper. What matters is who you are.
This was the moment they had foreseen. Not the vote or the title, but the atmosphere—the bond between students—created by someone like Randy.
(They said it was just paper... but being chosen by those two amazing instructors—it still meant a lot.)
Scratching his head awkwardly, Randy smiled.
"Well... if you want me to be president, then cast your vote."
Cheers followed.
And with that, the first and last Magical Exchange Meeting hosted by Randy came to a joyful close.
Leaving behind a new sense of purpose, and a quiet hope for the school life ahead.
Among the students, Gael and Elcia stood silently, their thoughts heavy.
It's not good to betray your family... but lying to yourself is worse.
With quiet determination, they looked toward the future—not the politics of factions, but the joy of being students, free and true to themselves.
Randy watched them with a soft sigh.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, their shadows stretched across the academy's sports field, long and steady.
Notes at the End:
* Ghosts are born from human emotion. Negative feelings become miasma, which fuses with magical essence and creates entities.
* Elements form when human thoughts attach attributes to magical essence. That essence, now colored with fear or awe of nature, becomes a being.
Though their origins differ, the theory says both are born from the same magical root. Thought shapes magic. The unconscious mind brings saints and monsters alike to life.
Long live fantasy.
Notes:
• Noah - The President of the Magic Tool Research Club.
• Leia - An elf instructor specializing in magic theory. She is knowledgeable about magical creatures and will accompany Randy's group as a fieldwork security officer for elemental.
• Shade - Genderless. The Dark Spirit King, a being composed of dark Elements. It appears as a large humanoid draped in a robe, with an obscured face and hollow interior. Its power is darkness, absorbing all light. It is a formidable opponent, capable of using various dark magics, including Dark Bolts, Dark Scythe, and Abyss Gate.
• Gael - A quiet boy with green curly hair, from the Viscount Ernest family. He is a spy for Dario's faction, acting due to his family's precarious position after the fall of the royal family.
• Elcia - A serious girl with long brown hair tied in a bun, from the Baron Laurent family. She is a spy for Edgar's faction, motivated by her family's declining status after political shifts.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!