“Now, most factions in Cyril do not often make the distinction between mage and witch, merely considering them two sides of the same coin, but anyone who has spent any amount of time within the Lunar Sanctum will be able to tell you that is not the case,” Eire began. On the blackboard, the stereotypical image of a witch, with a hat and a broom, scooted a little further away from the robed mage.

  “A witch’s magic can take multiple directions, depending on her interests and talents, from potions to astronomy or even curses, but it is all based on a specific principle. They want more.”

  A beat of silence followed the proclamation, and Orion tilted his head, trying to reconcile that with the image projected by the Sanctum.

  “Some of you might be wondering how that fits into the doctrine, and the reason is very simple. Every witch will one day try to experience what the world has to offer. Most will leave for a few months, while some stay away for more than a year, but over ninety percent return. And that’s because no other place can provide them with the depth of passion and understanding that can be developed within a coven. And the Sanctum is the greatest of them all.” Her eyes shone with inner light, and a smile tilted her lips up. Truly, no one could deny that Eire loved the Sanctum.

  “We do not follow the Moon-Mother because we are told to. We do so because it is through her worship, through the study of her tales, that we can further our crafts. No matter what kind of witch you are, you will always gravitate toward the Sanctum for that reason alone.”

  Orion hummed while jotting down parts of her speech. It was clear that she believed in it, but he had to wonder if she was confusing cause and effect. She claimed that witches followed the Sanctum because it best suited their passions. Yet, wouldn’t it make more sense to argue that the Sanctum acted specifically so that witches could only live here, all to uphold its dominance?

  Clearly, witches put a lot of importance on belief. Orion could be certain of this, given the sheer requirements of Light mana.

  “The second archetype, the mage, is also a magical class dedicated to researching and understanding spellcasting rather than a specific area. While many individuals pledge themselves to a single branch of magic or affinity, this commitment comes with consequences that limit their range. Overall, most mages are known for their great control over spells, yet they tend to be arrogant and conceited, primarily focused on advancing their craft for its own sake rather than achieving any particular goal.” Eire continued, and the more she spoke, the more Orion realized this archetype chart was less about unique methods of casting, as it should have been, and more about political distinctions.

  “Fighters represent the second largest category, which is often lumped together but can be more effectively divided into three distinct types: Knights, Monks, and Archers. Each of these classes utilizes mana to enhance their martial abilities, albeit in very different ways. Knights focus on melee combat, aiming to perfect their weapon skills to the highest level. Monks usually refrain from using weapons and instead develop their physical prowess. Archers, as you can imagine, employ long-range weapons.”

  Everyone nodded. They were quite self-explanatory, and even the carefully curated lessons of the Sanctum made that clear.

  “That doesn’t mean there don’t exist knights capable of using their bodies, or that Archers and Monks cannot use melee weapons. It is just a general categorization. As always, classes that straddle the archetypes exist, and thus you should not treat a man in armor as a simple knight, but rather expect possible surprises.”

  Once more, the categorization made sense, but given what Orion knew of the internal factions of the Cyril Magocracy, he couldn't help but wonder about the origins of it all.

  It was a chicken-and-egg situation, where people from similar classes banded together to face threats, reinforcing the stereotypes.

  The Radiant Vigil, for instance, was the largest known Knight Order, although it was not the only one. It was headquartered in the northern coastal town of Lordsport and was said to attract martial-minded youths from across the Magocracy, being one of the few factions that completely eschewed pure magic and preferred to develop their physical and weapon skills.

  Orion strongly suspected that martial skills were merely spells repackaged to fit specific needs, but that was just one of those topics he wasn’t supposed to ask about if he didn’t want to make waves.

  “The third category is somewhat more controversial: Rogues. Divided into Scouts, Rangers, and Thieves, it’s easy to see why people do not necessarily view them as a proper class. Scouts and Rangers are very vocal in asserting that they are not the same as Thieves, although it is commonly accepted that they develop in exceptionally similar ways.”

  Yes, Orion could see how someone might resent being compared to a thief for no fault of their own, and how an entire group of people could feel the same way.

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  But then again, was the Thief class really as it seemed? As far as he knew, most people didn’t exactly get to choose theirs, so to be branded as a criminal forever…

  Then again, I doubt there are many people whose class is simply “Thief.” Even if it were, they’d just need to reach the next tier to get a nicer title.

  “Lastly, there are the priestly classes. Those focused on healing, magic, faith, and crowd control.” Here, Eire’s voice changed from a lecturing tone to something close to contempt, dipping lower.

  Evidently, she didn’t like this specific category, though Orion couldn’t see why. Maybe it’s a competitiveness thing? Witches also operate based on belief and faith, so perhaps some people group them together.

  “As you might have noticed, that is not the whole twenty archetypes, but only the most common ones to reach the higher tiers. There will be time for you to study the mundane archetypes, but for now, we shall focus on that which you will encounter most often, and what those categories mean for you and your path going forward.”

  The issue currently stumping Orion felt somewhat underwhelming, and he felt almost embarrassed to admit it to himself.

  He was stuck.

  Pacing around his laboratory, he tried to decide on what to focus on next.

  He already knew he would experience a significant boost in capabilities after receiving his tier one class. Therefore, he had initially planned to review each of his spells to see just what difference it made.

  It still felt like a good idea, but after his success the other day with inverting gravity, he was eager to try his hand at more advanced concepts.

  “I need to make a plan. An actual plan. No more buzzing like a bee between whatever flower grabs my attention,” he murmured, sinking heavily into his chair.

  “What is my goal? To find the Truth. Not just as a nebulous concept. I want to understand how everything works—the mechanisms behind the System, the truth of mana, and how my reincarnation was even possible. All those are things I will one day find out, but how can I get there from here?”

  Thinking about the question for a while didn’t seem to provide him with any clarity. So, Orion did what any good scientist had to do when faced with such a problem: go back to the basics.

  “My model of the Mana Field Theory is workable; that is true, but it is evidently missing some things. My progress with Light mana has advanced it by leaps and bounds, yet I’m still nowhere near a complete understanding. So, what is it that I already know?” he asked himself, taking a fresh sheet of paper.

  “Mana behaves as both a stable particle and a wave. That much is proven by the possibility of its extraction from the atmosphere,” he wrote down, nodding to himself. Liquid mana was well known throughout the Cyril Magocracy and was employed by everyone from blacksmiths to the witches of the coven.

  There was apparently a very profitable business in extracting mana from the atmosphere and selling it, which contributed significantly to the Sanctum’s income.

  “So the very basics are covered. What comes next?”

  The answer was clear: the interaction between the Mana Field and people.

  Energy on Earth wasn’t something that mere thoughts could control, but they evidently played a role here, so Orion proposed that Intent was the spark the System needed to make the “magic” part happen. There were several other factors, of course, but that was the gist of it.

  “So after the mechanics, come the applications.” And this was the more complicated part.

  Oh, Orion still had a lot to learn about the first two issues, but he was gradually making progress. However, when it came to applications, he was overwhelmed by the sheer variety available.

  Each faction had its own distinct casting methods, magical disciplines, and variations of even the simplest spells. It was maddening to know that so much existed out there, yet not knowing what could actually help him move forward.

  “I could continue focusing on Light magic. It is the school I am most familiar with, and it has been fruitful so far. However, I don’t have access to any text about advanced practices, and if I’m honest, it’s not something that truly excites me.”

  The library’s first floor was carefully curated to keep arrogant children from reaching too far, after all. And if he was honest with himself, Orion didn’t feel a need to keep pushing that specific branch.

  The Sanctum was the foremost institution specializing in Light magic. They would teach him everything he needed to know. No, he’d just be wasting his time if he attempted to get ahead of the curriculum there.

  Fortunately, he still had something that sparked his curiosity. His new class, after all, not only granted him increased mana manipulation but also introduced a new trait.

  [Verification Principle] might serve as the tool he had longed for.

  “Yes, yes. I got too into my own head. I already have the tools I need,” Orion smiled, and if it was a little deranged, well, there was no one to notice.

  Closing his eyes, he activated his System interface, once again reviewing the details of the trait.

  Traits: Verification Principle [C-rank] The ability to actively deconstruct phenomena and reach their very core.

  To deconstruct phenomena… That could be either very good or simply useful. Either way, he could only know by trying his hand at it.

  “First, let’s start with what I know to be flawed. My current levitation spell would benefit immensely from my success with antigravity. F = κ?ω2?R”

  At his command, his entire desk slowly lifted off the ground, creaking slightly as the force was applied evenly to its various parts.

  Without even needing his prompt, Orion felt something activate. It was as if his sheer curiosity had taken form.

  Data flooded his mind as he suddenly saw the variables that made his spell function. Everything from its simplistic structure, acting as a mere application of force in relation to an object and its gravity, to how the wood warped slightly under it.

  He already knew that his levitation spell was flawed. Compared to the enchantments on a broom, it allowed for much less movement and speed.

  But it was only now that he realized it for what it truly was: a crude, simplistic application of basic principles, akin to a child trying to build a house while focusing only on the exterior, unaware that the essence of a house lied within its contents.

  The spell unraveled without his prompt. Orion simply didn’t believe in it any longer, and that was enough for the magic to fail.

  And yet, he didn’t complain. Because finally, he had a clear understanding of what, exactly, he was doing.

  It was time to stop relying only on principles and guesses, and finally incorporate data into the equation.

  Now, I can see.

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