Sound Binding III (Chapters 22 and 23)

“Enough chit-chat.”

A flat, emotionless voice silenced the room.

It wasn’t just a figure of speech.

The rustling wind outside the windows, the sound of pens being readied, and even the slight scraping of chairs—all noise ceased as if cut away by scissors.

"......?"

"......!"

It was an eerie, almost mystical experience, as if someone had surgically removed their sense of hearing.

In that absolute silence, only one voice resonated clearly in their ears.

“Nice to meet you.”

A man ascended the platform, his steps calm and unhurried.

“I’ll be your lecturer for Reinterpreting Basic Magic.”

He scanned the room with a brief glance before finishing his introduction.

“I’m Oscar Crucian.”

(Chapter 23)

In the stunned silence of the lecture hall, bound by the spell, the students' minds raced as fast as their wide-open eyes.

‘A spell that blocks all sound in the area? Could it be 『Silence』?’

‘If it’s another spell, then... does that mean a mere Level 2 mage created a similar spell?!’

‘...Unbelievable. It's more plausible that he just cast 『Silence』.’

The man standing at the podium made them feel the weight of his presence anew, his overwhelming skill undeniable despite his supposedly lower level.

Oscar Crucian.