text:
Akashic Records of the Bastard Magic Instructor – Volume 1, Chapter 3

Translator: yuNS
Editors: Hocchibi, Miyuchi

Chapter 3: Just a Little Bit of Motivation

The next day, before the lecture bell rung—

Ignoring Lumia who enthusiastically reviewed the class materials, Sistina blankly stared out the window towards the ‘Sky Castle Melgarius’ that floated above Fejiti.

Despite it being the iconic symbol of the town of Fejiti, no one understood why it was there, or when it had come to existence. During the brief amount of free time before class, she would always look at the floating castle in wonder. For Sistina, looking at the mysterious visage in the sky had already become a habit.

[Look, my cute Sistina. That is the ‘Sky Castle Melgarius’ you see?]

Was it because that lousy instructor had insulted her esteemed grandfather?

Sistina’s mind was filled with these nostalgic memories.

[How is it? Isn’t it beautiful? That castle has been floating in the sky since a time beyond which we can comprehend. Yes, several hundred years… several thousand years… perhaps since forever and ever…]

Sistina remembered clearly. Whenever she mentioned the sky castle, her grandfather’s eyes would light up in excitement.

[Hahaha, though everyone calls me a great an accomplished magician… the reality is not quite so. The reason I began to research magic… Yes, it was all for the sake of entering that castle, even if it was only a single step. At one point, I want to see all of its magnificent glory. At another, I want to unlock the unknown mysteries that have been left untouched for thousands of years. That is my only reason for pursuing the path of magic.]

Even though his appearance had eroded through the years. , his current expression made him seem like a young, dreaming boy—

[Some say that the castle is the remnant of a foregone advanced magic civilization. Others say that the castle is the throne of the gods that created this earth. According to certain legends, inside that castle lies the key to understanding everything in this world. If that was true, then who created that castle? And for what reason does it exist in the distance… The greatest mystery of the world floats above my very head. Even if I think about it, I can feel the romance of it all flowing through me… As a magician, how could I not challenge this mystery?]

Sistina loved to hear her grandfather talk about his observations, theories, and research.

However… during his later years, his legs and hip became weak, and his body refused to move the way he wanted to. When Sistina heard him speak during those times, she couldn’t help but get the feeling that he was truly miserable.

“I want to set foot on it”. “I want to see it once”; all these dreams came to be spoken in past tense.

The substance-less castle, which you could do nothing but look up to.

Even the hope of borrowing the power of magic to one day fly to that distant castle, disappeared as if awaking from a dream.

Since it was always in sight, what he awoke to was nothing but a cruel reality.

Her grandfather in his later years had realized this—

There was no way that he would be able to step foot in that castle.

—Has grandfather given up?

Sistina couldn’t resist the urge to ask her grandfather that. Thinking back, it was a very cruel question.

[…It is regretful. There are many things that we are unable to do in one lifetime you know? …My father, my grandfather, my great grandfather, they all… were unable to find a way to that castle…ah-]

However, her grandfather had gently rubbed her head.

[It was truly…a shame…]

He said.

With a nostalgic gaze, he looked at the floating castle in the sky as if looking at the sun.

The clear blue sky. The radiant and blinding sun. All of them gathered together to make the half-transparent castle clearly visible.

In that moment, the magnificent castle – and the visage of her grandfather looking upon it – captured Sistina’s very soul.

Her grandfather’s back felt so distant and his gaze looked so painful—. At the same time, the phantasmal castle in the sky looked so radiant and beautiful—. That was why, on that day, in that moment, her grandfather’s dream became her dream.

—If that’s the case, I will be the one to do it—

—I will become a great magician that can stand above my grandfather—

—In place of my grandfather, I will unlock the mysteries of the ‘Sky Castle Melgarius’—

“Oi, white cat.”

Suddenly, an indifferent voice descended from above her head.

Sistina jumped upright in her seat in surprise, and her consciousness returned back to the present world. However, she understood without needing to turn her head to look. The man standing beside her was that detestable temporary instructor.

“Oi, can you hear me white cat? Give me a response.”

“W-, White cat? By white cat do you mean me…? W-, What is that supposed to mean!?”

Sistina slammed the desk and stood up from her seat. She glared at Glen and said:

“Don’t treat people like animals! I have the name Sistina—”

“Shush, just listen to what I have to say. I have something to say to you about what happened yesterday.”

“W-, What about it!? You’re gonna continue!?”

Sistina straightened her body. Her hostility could be felt in her gaze.

“Do you want to argue with me that badly!? Do you want to call magic something useless again!? If that’s the case, I—”

In terms of speaking and reasoning ability, he has the upper hand. If we entered a debate I wouldn’t be able to win, but even so, I can’t back down. I’m carrying my grandfather’s dreams after all.

As Sistina resolved to resist whatever Glen intended to say, regardless of the evident result—

“…About what happened yesterday, sorry about that.”

Then, hearing something completely unexpected, Sistina froze in place.

“Well, uh, how should I say this… I guess people have things that are important to them… right? I really hate magic, but… uhm, about what I said to you, it wasn’t really logical of me to do that. I mean, what I said was a bit too much, and like, it was kinda childish of me. Well, erm, in the end, I guess it would be that… Sorry about everything.”

Glen showed an unwilling expression, and turned his eyes away. Saying those apologetic words, he bowed his head slightly.

Could he be trying to apologize?

Ignoring Sistina, who was still in a daze, Glen walked back to the instructor’s podium as though he had just completed some troublesome task.

Anyway, what is he trying to do now? It’s not even time for class, and he arrived to the classroom on time… Something is weird about this.

“What just…? Did something happen…?”

“Wha, huh? What’s come over him?”

“How should I know…”

The students in class who witnessed the scene couldn’t help but feel anxious. After all, Glen of all people had showed up to class on time.

Just what are you planning?

Sistina’s hostility towards Glen was obvious to everyone in the classroom. However, the person in question merely leaned towards the blackboard, closed his eyes, and massaged his shoulders. He completely ignored the doubtful gazes that were being cast upon him.

The bell rung after a short while. In a manner that made people suspect that he would sleep whilst standing, Glen walked up to the instructor’s podium.

However, what he said next was unbelievable.

“Alright, let’s start the class.”

The classroom erupted into a state of commotion. The students of the class all exchanged glances with one another.

“Now then… this is the textbook for spell chant studies… right?”

Glen opened the textbook and flipped through the pages. The sufferable expression on his face increased proportionally to the number of pages flipped. Finally, Glen closed the book, and sighed loudly.

In front of the confused class, Glen drifted to the classroom’s window, opened it, and…

Threw the textbook out the window.

‘Ah, as I thought, it’s the usual Glen.’ Having become used to Glen’s mysterious antics, the students of the class sighed in disappointment, and resigned themselves to their textbook of choice. It would appear that this class was going to be self-study again.

“Now then, before we start, let me say one thing to you guys.”

Glen returned to the podium, and took a deep breath—

“You guys are really are idiots, aren’t you?”

And promptly spat out such condescending words.

“After witnessing your attitudes during class for the past eleven days, I finally understood. You guys don’t know ja-ck about magic. If you really understood magic, you wouldn’t have asked me to ‘teach me the modern translation of this’ and other stupid questions like that. Nor would you have copied the magic formulas word-for-word from the book.”

The students, who were about to copy from the textbook – quill pens in hand – froze in place.

“I don’t want to be told that by a third rate magician who can’t even do the one-stage chant for a low-level spell like [Shock · Bolt].”

It was unknown who spouted such a thing, but the classroom went silent.

Then, the students in the classroom began to chuckle and laugh.

“Well, to be honest, I don’t want to admit it, but it’s true.”

In a disgruntled manner, Glen turned his head away, and picked at his ear with a finger.

<TL Note: The phrase for ‘begrudging acceptance’ is 耳が痛い (my ear hurts), stands for ear.>

“It’s regrettable, but despite being a male, my ability to control magic and my sense for simplifying magic is lacking. I suffered a lot as a student because of this you know? But huh… I don’t know who said that, but whoever called [Shock · Bolt] ‘low-level’, listen closely.  It’s a shame that you are actually an idiot. I mean, you’ve just proved it yourself didn’t you?”

Hearing what Glen said, the class seemed to be enveloped by an irritated atmosphere.

“Well, whatever. Since you said that, why don’t we talk about the chant for [Shock · Bolt]? It’s a good start for someone of your level after all.”

In reaction to Glen’s contemptful words, the class entered a boisterous state.

“At this point, even if I try to explain an elementary chant like [Shock · Bolt]…”

“My my, we’ve learned everything there is to know about [Shock · Bolt] you know?”

“Here here, this is the chant for the black magic [Shock · Bolt]~, please take a look. This writing here kind of reminds you of the embarrassing poems you wrote during puberty right? Along with that, these digits and symbols here are all written tightly in runic language. They all come together to become what you call a magical formula!”

Glen ignored the provocations and complaints, hoisted the book, and began to talk.

“Since you guys can do the one stage chant, I’m gonna assume you all have the basics like magic control, annunciation technique, breathing control, mana biorhythm adjustment, mental control, and memory technique completely down alright? And by that, I’m also gonna assume you have the magic power and mental capacity of a standard magician. Alright, so based on those skills, you are able to perfectly recite the formula for the magic. Then, once you chant the preset phrases for it – Ah! How mysterious, the magic activated just like that didn’t it? This should be what you call ‘that’, you know ‘learning the spell’ or something like that.”

Then, Glen pointed his left finger towards the wall, and chanted the spell.

<Oh thunder spirits · With a shockwave of lightning · Strike it down>

A bolt of lightning emitted from his finger, and struck the wall.

The students looked at Glen disdainfully, as he once again performed a three-stage chant. Ignoring them, Glen wrote the incantation that he used on the blackboard in runic language.

“Now then, this is the basic incantation for [Shock · Bolt]. People with decent control and sense can shorten this long phrase to <Oh the thunder spirit’s lightning>… Well, you know this already. Then, here is the problem.”

As he wrote on the blackboard, Glen cut up stages of the incantation.

<Oh thunder spirits · With a shockwave · Of lightning · Strike it down>

“Now then, if you use this chant, what will happen? Try to tell me.”

The class entered a solemn silence.

More so than ‘not knowing’, the class became anxiously silent because they didn’t know why Glen would pose such a question.

“As for the conditions of chanting… right. A speed of twenty-four, a sound-level of three and a half, a tension of fifty, and with the mana biorhythm at a starting state… I’ll give you guys a break, and give you these basic conditions. Now, anyone want to answer?”

The class continued to stay silent. Not a single person could answer his problem.

Even the honor student Sistina remained silent. A drop of sweat trickled down her forehead, and she showed a vexed expression.

“Terrible. Is this what you call a wipe?”

“Even if you say that, an incantation that is divided like that doesn’t exist!”

The twin-tailed girl named Wendy slammed the desk and stood up from her seat.

“Gya—HAHAHAHha—!? Stop right there, are you kidding me!? HAHAHAHAHhaahha—!”

She was met with crude and mocking laughter.

“The spell won’t successfully activate using that chant. It will certainly fail in some way.”

The male student, who had the best grades after Sistina – Gabel  – stood up. He pushed his glasses upward, and confronted Glen.

“Did you just say, ‘It will certainly fail in some way’!? PUhGy      AHAHAHAHA-!”

“You know, it’s obvious that it will fail if you take the completed form of a chant and mess with it! What I’m asking is, in what form does that failure appear?”

Gabel looked down in shock.

“There is no way to tell what would happen! The result is completely random!”

Wendy, unwilling to back down, shouted.

“Ra—n—do—m!? Y-, You guys, I gave you such a simple formula to work with, and I even go through the trouble of giving you specific conditions, and you tell me it’s random!? Didn’t you guys say that you’ve completely researched this spell? Do you guys want me die lauHAHAHAHAHAH-! Stop, I can’t take anymore! Save me mama!”

Glen continued to laugh mockingly.

At this moment, the irritation in the classroom reached its peak.

“Well that’s enough. The correct answer is that it curves to the right.”

After falling to his hands and knees due to laughter, Glen said this and stood up. Then, he chanted the four stage incantation. As he had declared earlier, the originally straight bolt, curved to right in a massive arc, and struck the wall.

“After that is…”

<Oh thunder · spirits · With a shockwave · Of lightning · Strike it down>

He added a stage to the incantation written on the blackboard.

“If you use this, the range of the spell should be about one-third of what it was.”

And it turned out to be just as he said.

“And then, if you do this…”

<Oh thunder spirits · With                               lightning · Strike it down>

He returned the incantation to the original amount of stages, and erased a part of it.

“The power will decrease significantly.”

Saying this, Glen struck one of the students with the spell.

However, the student didn’t seem to feel anything. Rather, it cause the student’s eyes to widen in surprise.

“Well, if you’ve ‘completely researched’ this, you should know at least this much.”

Glen showed a triumphant expression as he twirled the chalk around his finger.

Though the students couldn’t stand Glen’s attitude, none of them said anything. After all, it was clear that this ‘third rate magician’ named Glen had a better understanding of formulas and incantations than they themselves did.

“Anyway, do you guys understand why this mysterious phenomenon occurs when you memorize the formulas in the book and say a couple of strange phrases? No matter how you look at it, isn’t that a bit weird?”

“T-, That’s because the magical formulas interfere with the rules of the world and

Towards Gabel’s makeshift answer, Glen immediately rebutted.

“That’s what’s normally said right? I get it. Well then, what are ‘magical formulas’? These ‘formulas’ are some sequence of words or number or symbols that are made and understood by humans you know? Let’s assume that magic does in fact interfere with the rules of the world. So then, why are magic formulas able to interfere with the world? Furthermore, why do we need to memorize it in order to use it? Finally, why does an incantation that doesn’t seem to have anything to do with the formula activate the magic? Haven’t you thought that this is a bit strange? Well, you probably haven’t anyway. After all, to you guys, the world is ‘something that’s already obvious’.”

What Glen pointed out, was something that all the students – including Sistina – had turned a blind eye on for the sake of their own convenience. After all, as long as one continued to desperately memorize formulas and incantations, one’s breadth of magic would limitlessly increase. All the questions that arose when studying were only limited to those regarding practicality. Overall, the basic principles of magic were secondary to its practical use.

Thus, learning new spells made them feel happy and fueled their pride. For that reason, ‘learning magic’ had become a competition of who could learn the most amount of spells. Since the number of spells learned was proof of one’s prestige, none of them had ever stopped to consider something like ‘why it worked’.

“That’s why, for today, I will be using the incantation for [Shock · Bolt] to teach you the easy-peasy basics of magic formulation and incantation. Well, feel free to go to sleep if you’re not interested.”

However, none of the students in the classroom felt even a trace of drowsiness.

And so, Glen began to review one of two great principles of magic ‘The law of equivalent interaction’.

It was a classical magic theory that described the equivalent interactions between the large universe – the earth; and the small universe – the people. In essence, it was a theory that said that ‘an effect on the earth will be accompanied by an effect on the people’.

“Astrology is a direct representation of equivalent interaction. By observing the movements of the stars, we can determine the destiny of people. Basically, it is a technique that allows us to read what their effect on the earth has on a person. Magic is the complete opposite of that.”

So then, what are magical formulas?

Magic formulas don’t affect the world, they affect the people. By changing the human consciousness at a deeper level, they allow us to intervene with the conclusion of the respective laws of the world. That is the true form of magic.

“Simply put, magical formulas are a super-high level autosuggestion. That’s why, about the cool sounding phrase that ‘Magic is the way we search for the truth of the world’ that you guys like to say so much — it’s wrong. Magic is the study of the cogitation of man.”

In essence, the runic language is the most efficient method – with standard results – that allows people to influence their deeper consciousness through autosuggestion. It is a language used specially for autosuggestion that has been developed through the long history of mankind.

“Hm? Does someone not believe that simple words can influence one’s deeper consciousness? …Man, you guys are troublesome bunch… Oi, white cat over there.”

“Like I said, I’m not a white cat! I have the name Sistina—”

“…I love you. To be honest, I fell for you at first sight.”

“Huh? …Wh…Wh, Whwhwhwh, you, what did you say—!?”

“Alright, pay attention everyone. White cat’s face turned red right? A mere phrase completely affected her entire consciousness didn’t it? Comparatively, the external expressions are easy to control, yet they have been affected to this extent. Then, for our deeper consciousness that is unaffected by reason— KUwAH!? Hey, you idiot! Don’t throw your textbooks!”

“You’re the idiot! You stupid stupid stupid idiot—!”

After a short fuss, Glen, whose face was red in bruises, continued his lecture about formulation and incantations.

“The most important part lies in the formulation and speed. It is the primary method through which you can change your deeper consciousness in the way you want.”

Then, Glen explained that incantations were merely keywords for recalling the related magical formula. Through the keyword, the formula can change one’s deeper consciousness.

“Well, basically, it’s an association game. For example, if you hear ‘White cat girl’, then you will immediately think about her head full of white hair. The same applies to the incantation and the formula. By consolidating the relationship using a chant in runic—Ow!? Hey, I’m begging you, stop throwing those textbooks already-!”

Glen’s face was filled with book inflicted marks.

“Basically, the laws of magic related to incantation and formulation… They are the way through which we understand the syntax, and the way through which we create our formulas. Thus, they are the most important things to know as a magician. Yet, you guys completely ignored this part, and completely set yourselves on translating everything and doing whatever you call learning magic. Heck, even the textbook emphasizes that ‘you don’t need to care about the details, just memorize this’.”

This time, the students could not find a single word to rebut his statement.

“Basically it’s this. Translating incantations and formulas in a manner that is easier to memorize is what you have called ‘an easy to understand lecture’, and desperately copying and memorizing this is what you call ‘learning’, right? Well I guess that’s kinda stupid.”

Glen shrugged his shoulders, and breathed out loudly through his nose.

“Now, back to the problem of magical syntax and formulation… To be honest, to completely understand everything about it, your lifespans aren’t quite enough… Wait, don’t get angry yet. This point is true. No, for real.”

Glen, who had been in a commanding position until now, was suddenly at the receiving end of many condemning gazes.

“Like—I—said, I’ll teach you the easy-peasy basics right? If you don’t understand this, you wouldn’t be able to understand the essentials for higher-level magical formulas. Well, if you guys can understand what I’m about to explain…Hmm”

For a short while, Glen pressed his temple in thought.

<Well · Just · Paralyze>

And then, he slowly chanted this strange incantation.

However, the most surprising thing was that the spell [Shock · Bolt] activated. The student’s eyes were all wide in surprise.

“Huh? It’s a bit weaker than I thought… Well whatever, does anyone want to learn how to do something even with an improvised and changed incantation like this? Well, your precision will decrease so I wouldn’t really recommend it.”

The way the students saw Glen in their eyes changed immediately.

“Then after this I will explain basics of syntax and formulation. Well, anyone who’s not interested can go to sleep. To be honest, this is a really pointless topic.

However, as expected, none of the students in the room felt a single tinge of drowsiness.

At the same time, somewhere in Fejiti.

“Is the plan going well?”

“Mm, it’s going well.”

In pitch-black darkness, where not a single strand of light seeped through, a man with a gentle smile on his face replied through half of a gemstone that was pressed against his ear.

“And? What about that professor… Huey Reysen? Where is he right now?”

“Haha, you’re talking about ‘him’? Of course he ‘disappeared’”

“Fu, hahaha, I see, so he ‘disappeared’ huh”

“…Yes. However, the problem is the person that succeeded ‘him’.”

“Are you talking about Glen Ryders? It was within my expectations for them to find a replacement professor, but I never thought they would do so this quickly. I heard it was that witch’s idea.”

“Haha, I suppose things don’t always go according to plan.”

The man shrugged his shoulders and chuckled.

“However, if it’s a magician that was brought in personally by that professor Alfornea… Will everything be okay?”

“As for whether or not Glen will be an obstacle, I believe that he wouldn’t be a problem.”

“Is that so?”

“Ah. About this man Glen. I was wary of him at first since he was someone that was brought in by that witch but after a bit of investigation… there was nothing to write home about. He’s just a third-rank, third-rate magician. He is not a threat to me .”

“If that’s the case, let us…”

“Ah. Let us proceed with our current plan. As we had decided, we shall execute the plan on the day of the magic assembly that was mentioned earlier. On that day, the academy’s main force of magicians, consisting of their lecturers and professors, will all be away. And then, on that day, only the students of ‘that’ class will be coming to the academy. It is truly a wonderful day to strike.”

“…And if for some reason the target is not at the academy on that day?

“Then abort the operation. For our organization, this plan and our worth only go to such an extent.”

“Haha, I suppose we pledged our allegiance to a difficult organization, haven’t we?”

“That doesn’t matter. That organization gave me everything I wanted”

“By that, you mean that you are on the same boat?”

“Fufu, then let us pray for the success of our plan. Let us find glory in the wisdom of the heavens—”

Time passed by in the blink of an eye. Glen’s lectures were not like those of supposed ‘genius lecturers’ — His strange character and unique speaking ability had enraptured the hearts of the students. Furthermore, he did not adhere himself to the student’s expectations, nor did he purposely accommodate to the desires of any particular student. All that could be said, was that his lectures were genuine; He fully understood what he was teaching, and was able to simplify and explain it in a clear and concise fashion.

“…Well, That’s about all there is to [Shock · Bolt]. Any questions?”

Glen pressed the chalk against the blackboard, which was filled with neatly organized words, sectional markers, and figures.

There was not a single person with a question. Whilst they felt pressured by Glen’s presence, the real reason was that there was nothing left to ask about.

“If you guys understood what I was talking about today, then you should kinda understand how dangerous it is to cut three-stage chants to one stage. Sure, if you had good magic control and sense it isn’t something that’s hard to do, but you guys absolutely need to understand that, due to the chant, the likelihood of an accident occurring increases. Don’t take this lightly, otherwise, you might die in some deadly accident someday.”

Then, Glen looked at the students with a serious expression that they have never seen before.

“Finally, the most important thing… As I explained, the efficiency of magic power of the three-stage chant will always win over that of the one-stage chant. So from the perspective of not using magic wastefully, the three-stage chant is clearly the best. That’s why I strongly recommend that you guys use the three-stage chant for magic. I’m not saying this cause I’m frustrated that I can’t use the one-stage chant ok? For real. Like I said, for real ok?”

So he is frustrated about it…

In that moment, all the students understood this fact.

“Anyway, as of now, you guys are nothing but ‘Magic-users’ that can simply use magic. If you guys still want to be ‘Magicians’ someday, then go and take some time to think about what you’re really lacking. Well, I don’t really recommend doing that. It’s kind of boring and a waste of your lifetime, and surely there’s something more meaningful you can do with your life… now then—”

Glen took his watch out of his pocket and checked the time.

“Woah, I went past the time huh… My my, can I get my overtime pay if I apply for it? Well, whatever. That’s it for today. C-ya.”

Glen left the classroom grumbling to himself.

The students absentmindedly saw him off. When the door closed with a bang – as if it was some kind of signal – they all began copying notes from the blackboard. It seemed as though they were possessed by something.

“What was that… I’ve been had.”

Clutching her face in her hands, Sistina sighed deeply.

“To think that that guy could teach…”

“Mhm. I was a bit surprised as well.”

Lumia’s eyes were wide in amazement.

“It’s frustrating… and I don’t want to admit it… despite that guy being the worst person I could possibly imagine, he’s an amazing magic instructor… though he’s the worst person I could possibly imagine.”

“Ah, Ahaha, there’s no need to say it twice…”

“But… why did that guy suddenly take his classes seriously? I mean, he was acting like that yesterday, so… Hm?”

Sistina who turned to face Lumia, noticed—

“Lumia… what are you so happy about? Your smile is spilling all over the place you know?”

“Fufu, is that so?”

“Yes it is. I’ve never seen you this happy before. Did something happen?”

“Ehehe, nothing happened—”

“Liar. Giving that expression, there’s no way nothing happened.”

No matter how many times she asked, her close friend would dodge the question with a smile on face. All Sistina could do was tilt her head in thought.

The useless instructor Glen, awakens.

The news shook the entire campus. As the rumor spread like wildfire, students of other classes began to attend Glen’s lectures in their free periods, and all of them, without exception, were amazed at the quality of his lectures.

Till now, the instructors at this academy were judged by their rank as a magician. Their qualifications, their authority, and the support of the students were all based on their rank. However, the seemingly eternal conception of ‘authority as justice’ that presided in this academy was crushed with the passing of a single night. For the instructors, this was like a living nightmare.

“Serika-kun, the man you brought in is amazing!”

The excited voice of the academy’s headmaster, Rick, resounded through the room. It was obvious to anyone that he was in a brilliantly good mood.

“I was worried about his reputation during the first eleven days, but I suppose all’s well that ends well.”

Harry groaned in frustration. Ever since Glen had begun to seriously teach, the attendance of his classes dwindled little by little. In other words, there were students that would ditch his classes for Glen’s.

“Fufufu… As a matter of fact, Glen is one of my disciples that I have taught from scratch.”

Taking advantage of the moment, Serika raised her chest high in pride, and announced.

“What! Serika-kun, you, of all people, have a disciple!? Weren’t you against the idea of disciples?”

“He’s the only exception. Though in any case, his grades were quite poor.”

“Oho~ I would’ve never thought. However, why did you hide this until now?”

“Hm? Isn’t that obvious? If Glen is truly useless as an instructor, then won’t I – as his master – be on the receiving end of the shame? That’s why I stayed silent about it.”

“Like Master, like disciple, you—!”

Harry’s attempt at a retort was in vain.

“Don’t say that Harry. Even if you praise me like that, you will get nothing out of it.”

“Shut up! I wasn’t praising you, you stupid idiot of a master!”

“Oh my, from a magical talent standpoint, Glen’s situation is truly regrettable. However, he’s a hardworking fellow you see? Since he was a kid, I’ve told him countless times that ‘magic isn’t suitable for you, go do something else’, but he didn’t listen to me at all, rather, he told me that he wants to become an amazing magician like myself you see? Even though he’s still a third-rate magician, his abilities are at least at the level of an ordinary magician right? That’s when I realized you know, that he’s a kid who could do it if he wanted to. Ah, yes yes, now I remember. When I first started to teach him magic, he did something like—”

And so, she went on and on.

Serika – whose attitude was generally brazen and audacious – showed an unbelievably gentle expression as she began to boast about her disciple.

As for Harry; he did not want to hear, nor did he want to know about the top-secret information that was being leaked through the room. His shoulders were visibly trembling, and the veins on his forehead could be seen.

(Damn you… Glen Ryders…-!)

As Harry trembled in frustration, he suddenly remembered the incident that happened a few days ago—

“Oi, Glen Ryders! Oi, are you listening Glen Ryders! Respond to me!”

That day—

Harry – as a senior instructor and professor of the academy – planned to ‘have a word’ with Glen, who had become infamous throughout the academy for his attitude and activities. Harry shouted coercively towards Glen, who lazily walked down the hallway.

Then, Glen suddenly turned his head to around him, and glanced sideways at Harry for a brief moment. He tilted his head in puzzlement, promptly ignored Harry’s presence, and continued walking.

“Hey, oi!? What is that ‘Who the heck are you talking to’ attitude supposed to mean!? You’re Glen Ryders right!? It can’t be anyone else but you right!?”

“You’re wrong. You have the wrong person.”

“As if! No one but Glen Ryders would have a stupid face like you! Also, I was the one who performed your employment interview!”

“Ah, and here I was thinking who you were! So it’s you, my senpai instructor, Harem! Hey what’s up!”

“It’s Harry! Harry! Are you messing with me you little brat!?”

“No no, not at all, erm, Ha— something senpai.”

“You bastard, do you not want to remember my name that badly? My name is…”

Though Harry was seething with rage, he continued onto the main topic.

“Listen well, Glen Ryders. I’ve heard that your attitude has been unbecoming of an instructor, yes?”

“Are you trying to play dumb? You should realize that your current unprecedented position is a result of neither your talent nor your prowess! Rather, it’s the result of what that witch… what Serika Alfornea did for her own self-gratification! Know your place! Even if you have Serika Alfornea—“

“Don’t you get tired of saying her full name each and every time?”

“Shut up! Don’t try to butt in while I’m still talking! Even if you have Serika Alfornea – who has reached the seventh-rank and the domain of gods – backing you, don’t kid yourself by thinking that you can keep up this peremptory farce on forever!”

“Exactly-! Don’t you also think that Serika’s been getting carried away recently!? If she keeps this up, she’ll one hundred percent receive divine punishment some—”

“Why are you treating this like someone else’s problem!? Anyway, despite the contract period being one month, don’t fool yourself into believing that you’ll stay here for the entirety of it! I’ll do everything I can to get you kicked out of this academy! So prepare yourself…huh?”

Before Harry realized it, Glen was bowing towards him. It was a magnificently deep and well-postured bow.

“Thank you very much! I will be in your gracious care! I have super great expectations for you, so give it your best shot! Erm, Ha—…? Ah, Yuri-senpai!”

“Y-, Y-, You bastarddddd—!?”

Until now, was I being played around like a fool?

That stupid fool of a man is a better instructor than I am!? I can’t accept that! I won’t accept that!

“And then you see—, that guy, after working so desperately, was finally able to successfully cast that magic you see—, and he was like ‘Serika thank you very much!’ while crying you see—. My—, he was so cute back then wasn’t he—. Anyway, I got a better opinion of him after that. Do you think so too? Hm?”

Without a care for Harry’s seething rage, Serika continued to boast about her disciple.

This pair of master and disciple is nothing but irritating.

Gununu… Damn you, Glen Ryders! I will absolutely drive you out of this academy someday…! Mark my words…!

Harry – his face red with anger – swore that he would one day overthrow Glen…

Sistina and the rest of year two, class two – who were assigned to Glen – quickly became the subject of envy for all the students of the academy. The open seats in the classroom were reduced day by day, and after ten or so days, there were even people standing in the classroom to listen to his lectures.

As Glen’s reputation amongst the students rose, some of the academy’s professors began to reevaluate their teaching ideology of ‘Memorizing as much magic as possible in order to increase rank’. There were even some passionate and young professors that attended Glen’s lectures, hoping to learn his magic theories and teaching style.

However, the person in question failed to realize the attention that was being gathered towards him, and continued to conduct himself in a somewhat unmotivated manner. Today too, he taught his lectures in a way that made it apparent that he thought this was a toilsome.

“…So, magic is divided into two types, ‘general magic’ and ‘original magic’. You guys usually mock general magic as ‘magic that anyone could use’. However, after today’s analysis and breakdown of the magical formulas, I think that you guys should now understand that general magic is far more detailed, precise, and complete when compared to original magic.”

Glen pressed the chalk in his hand against the one-stage magic that was written on the board.

“That’s only natural. Even an elementary magic like [Shock · Bolt], is the result of the modifications and refinements made by hundreds of magicians, whom are hundreds of times more talented than you guys, over the course of hundreds of years. You guys always say stuff like ‘this isn’t original’ or ‘this is past its time’ to the great formula-sama… Geez, are you guys stupid or what?”

The students whom thought that original magic was the greatest at the beginning of class, were now dropping their shoulders in shame.

“You guys tend to look at a magician’s unique original magic as something holy, but to be honest, creating an original magic is nothing special. Even a third-rate magician like myself had easily made one. Now then, if we talk about the difficulties when it comes to original magic, it would be trying to overcome the difference between a general magic, the perfected fruit of the efforts of hundreds of magicians that are hundreds of times more talented; and original magic, a formula that you have pieced together on your own. Well, at the very least, an original magic must go beyond what general magic can do, otherwise it would be totally meaningless.”

Seeing the depressed moods of the students, Glen showed a sour smile.

“Al-right, do your heads hurt? As you saw just now, the general magic that you guys have mocked is actually magic that has been perfected to the point where there is nothing to change for the better. Well usually, original magic is nothing more than a worse replica of general magic you know? I tried playing around with it in the past, but I never ended up with anything useful. In the end I gave up after realizing how much of an idiot I was. Haha… I wasted a lot of time back then didn’t I?”

At this, half the students began to chuckle, and the other half raised an eyebrow. Whilst all of them had to admit that Glen was a good teacher, there were many who felt repulsed by his disrespectful attitude towards magic.

“Well, if you ever reach this stage, then it’s a problem of your magic sense and talent. However, there is still meaning in learning the general magic that your predecessors have crafted. It doesn’t matter whether it’s to improve your own ability to structure formulas or whether it’s to hide your secrets. In the future, if you plan to create your own original magic, this is all the more important. Well, in either case, I think you guys are wasting your time for something that’s only for your self-satisfaction. There are more meaningful ways to live your life you know… Now then…”

Glen took his watch out of his pocket, and checked the time.

“…It’s time. Well, that’s all for today. Ah-, I’m so done…”

As soon as Glen announced the end of the lecture period, a relaxed atmosphere permeated the classroom.

Glen picked up the eraser, and began to erase the formulas and explanations that were written on the blackboard.

“Ah, wait sensei! Please don’t erase it yet. I haven’t finished copying it into my notes!”

Sistina raised her hand.

Then, Glen showed a crude smirk. His hand – as if creating clones of itself – moved swiftly across the blackboard. Cries could be heard throughout the classroom.

“FUHAHAHAHAHAHAH—! Half of it is already erased you know!? Serves you right!”

“Are you a kid!? You-!”

Sistina wordlessly slouched her head over the desk.

“Ahaha, I copied it from the board already, so I’ll show it to you later today ok? Sisti.”

“Thanks… Well, I guess that he’s a good lecturer, but there’s no changing that twisted personality of his is there?”

Sistina looked towards the blackboard. Glen – as he was erasing the text on the blackboard – appeared to have scratched his nails across it by accident. In pain, he pressed his hands to cover his ears. It was a pitiful sight to behold.

“Is that so? I think sensei is fine this way.”

“Lumia… are you serious?”

“Mhm, I think he’s cute when he acts like a child.”

“I’ll never be able to understand your preferences…”

“…Ah, sensei!”

Lumia suddenly stood up from her seat, and ran to Glen as if she was a little pup.

“Uhm, would you like some help moving that?”

One could see that Glen was currently carrying about ten thick books, and was about to leave the classroom.

“Hm? So it was you, Lumia. You’ll help me a bunch by… but these are quite heavy alright? Can you handle this?”

“Yes, I’ll be fine.”

“I see… Then help me carry these. Thanks.”

Glen passed two books to Lumia, and as he did so, he showed an uncharacteristically warm expression towards her. Lumia, who received the books, show an ecstatic smile. Observing the scene, it felt like the two were a pair of close siblings. However, Sistina who saw this scene unfold, seemed to be fairly disinterested.

“P, Please wait up!”

However, despite her reluctant expression, she still walked up to Glen.

“Hm? You are… Erm, Sis…tilinna? Right?”

“It’s Sistina! Sistina! You’re not doing this on purpose are you!?”

“Alright alright alrrright, so what does Sisomething-san need from me?”

“I-, I’ll help you out as well… I can’t just let Lumia help you alone…”

“…Oh? Then here, carry these.”

Glen’s lips curved into a dastardly smirk as he offloaded all the textbooks into Sistina’s hands.

“Kyaa!? Wha, this is really heavy!?”

Sistina staggered and almost fell, but managed to recover her posture.

“My, ahaha, it sure is nice to be hands-free!”

Ignoring Sistina, Glen began to walk off.

“W-, What’s this supposed to mean? Is it just me, or is there a huge difference in how you treat Lumia and I!?”

“Lumia is cute. You are cheeky. Based on that—”

“This stupid instructor… I, I’ll remember this ok—!?”

Despite being on the receiving end of the shouts coming from behind, Glen’s lips curved into a smile.

Afterschool. The students had already left—

Glen – alone on the rooftop of the academy – leaned himself against the metal railing, and looked off into the distance. The streets of Fejiti that were illuminated by the setting sun, and the phantasmal castle that was dyed in its colors hadn’t changed at all from back then. The only one that had changed was himself.

Glen thought back to the day that he had become a temporary instructor at this academy. Needless to say, those who had left a strong impression on him on that day were those two girls that he had become deeply involved with.

The girl that for some reason, had become attached to him like a cute pup – Lumia.

The girl that for some reason, had conflicted with him like a cheeky little kitten – Sistina.

I really don’t get what they’re thinking, to think that they would proactively approach someone like me… And despite all that’s happened, is it alright for me to feel pleasant when I associate with them?

There is also something I want to see. I want to see how they’ll grow up, and what kind of path they’ll take in the future.

Lumia may make new possibilities for a useless thing like magic.

And Sistina, who still carries the passion for magic that I lost a long time ago, will continue to pursue it without losing her way.

The two of them are young and immature as they are now, but what will they grow up to become in the future? If I said I didn’t want to help them… that would be a lie.

“Well, how should I say this…”

I still hate magic. I want throw up at the mere mention of it. It is something that should disappear from this world. This belief of mine probably won’t change in the future, right? However, these peaceful days—

“Aren’t too bad… Huh-”

Glen hadn’t noticed that he was smiling.

“Oh, oh, so now you’re here to enjoy the view of the sunset. My, that’s youth I suppose.”

Suddenly, a playful voice came from behind Glen, and he turned his head to glance behind him.

“Since when were you here? Serika.”

Serika silently stood there in a ladylike manner. One might call it ‘a beautiful lady being illuminated by the sunset’. Her pretty hair – whose colors reminded one of a field of wheat under the setting sun – swayed freely in the gentle wind.

“Since when was I here I wonder? Consider this as a problem from a teacher to a po~or student. Why don’t you take a guess?”

“Are you an idiot? Since there were no magical waves, it means the rules of the world hadn’t been changed. If that’s the case, that means you simply snuck up here.”

“Oh, that’s correct. Ahaha, unexpectedly, no one seems to be able solve such a simple question. In particular those that think that all the mysterious phenomena of the world can be explained by magic don’t seem to have a single clue.”

Hearing Glen’s prompt answer, Serika showed a satisfied smile.

“So what did you come here for? Aren’t you busy preparing for tomorrow’s assembly?”

“Oi oi, is it wrong for a mother to want to see her child?”

“What child. We weren’t even related to begin with.”

“But I was the one who took care of you when you were still th~is small. Isn’t that enough justification for me to call myself your mother?”

“Think about the age difference between us you witch. Rather than mother and child, it’s more like grandmother and grandchild.”

Serika appeared to be a lady who was about 20 years old.

However, Glen thoroughly understood that her appearance did not befit her age. After all, Serika’s appearance had not changed since the time Glen had first met her.

Why didn’t Serika grow any older? How old is she really? Although Serika never so much as uttered about herself… according to a certain historical record, her age was in the hundreds.

“My-My, even though you were such a cute little boy when you were young. To think that you would become such a sophisticated man…Ah, the passing of time is truly cruel.”

“…None of your business.”

In a sulky manner, Glen turned his head away from Serika.

“You seem a bit more energetic than before… I’m glad.”

Hearing what Serika unexpectedly muttered, Glen shouted out in surprise.

“Have you not noticed? You’ve become much livelier recently you know? Your eyes are like a fish that’s only been dead for a day.”

“Before, your eyes were more like a fish that’s been dead for a month”

Hearing that, Glen sighed and shook his head.

“…Sorry for making you worry ok.”

“No it’s fine. It was my fault after all.”

Serika turned her eyes to the floor. In a soft voice that was uncharacteristic of her usual haughty self, she said:

“Surely, this is what you call being an idiot parent. I used to think of you as my pride. So—”

“That’s enough already. How many times have I told you that it’s not your fault? That was just me being an idiot and not realizing the truth behind it all.”

“But you still loathe magic.”

Glen was finally able to understand Serika’s intentions.

“…So it was like that. You wanted me to enjoy magic, even if it was only a little bit, so you made me a magic instructor?”

Thinking back, almost all of his happy memories had occurred when he was learning or testing magic with Serika.

“Geez, how old are you now? You’re still unexpectedly childish. Magic is not the only way in which we’re connected you know? Sure, I hate magic now, but that doesn’t mean I hate you.”

“I see. Mhm, you’re right… I’m glad.”

Hearing what Glen said, Serika showed a warm smile. To him, it was a very comforting smile.

“Ah-, damnit, so that’s what it was. Then hm… if I had just said that to you from the start, you wouldn’t have forced me to become a temporary instructor right?

“Stupid you, this and that are different. Just give it up already, your living costs will be earned by you and only you.”

“Ahhhh-, Ahh-, I didn’t hear any~thhing.”

“This useless….”

Serika lowered her shoulders in amusement, and continued:

“Well, fine. In any case, your successful return to society is a great step forward. At this rate, that sickness of yours might even be cured you know.”

“Sickness? Huh, what are you talking about. I’m totally healthy—”

“You think that you don’t have the right to have any deep associations with others, and you don’t want anyone to become close to yourself. In order to achieve that, you purposely get on people’s nerves and to get people angry, or you purposely try to treat them as coldly as possible — That’s the ‘sickness’ I’m talking about”

As Serika pointed that out, a large bead of sweat trickled from Glen’s forehead down his cheek.

Then, Serika showed a devious smirk, and shrugged her shoulders.

“Hey Glen. Even though you have a past like that, that ‘sickness’ of yours is quite common in children you know? And to think that at your age, your sickness has gotten even worse… Well, since you’re returning to society already, can you just hurry up and get it cured—”

“S-, Shush you’re being annoying! It’s none of your business ok!?”

Shouted Glen, his face flushed with embarrassment.

“Anyhow, it’s not my fault that I’m not interested in anyone you know!? If I’m so used to living with someone as beautiful as yourself, how am I supposed to be interested in other girls!?

“Oho? By that, you mean that you crave for your mother? Oh you big pervert.”

Serika showed a sadistic and flirtatious smile and approached Glen from behind. She pressed her body against his back, and locked her arms around his neck.

“Like I would! Also, stop trying to act like my mom! Hey, get off of me! Stop pressing your chest against me, and stop blowing into my ear! It’s disgusting!”

“Fufu, what a boring man. Isn’t this just skinship between parent and child?”

Seeing Glen’s reaction, Serika showed a satisfied smile and let go. Turning to leave, she said:

“Now then, I need to prepare for the magic assembly tomorrow, so it’s about time for me to go.

“…Ah. So you need to go to the capital Orlando in the north?”

Glen replied in a discontent manner. Serika’s mischievous acts weren’t anything new, so it was best to act like nothing had happened.

“Yes. The representatives of the academy are scheduled to use the academy’s teleportation circle to move to the capital.”

“The distance covered by the fastest horse in three or four days is covered in a single instant huh… My my, magic sure is great.”

“Well, work hard on tomorrow’s lessons ok?”

“…Huh? Isn’t tomorrow the beginning of a five-day break?”

Glen, hearing the unexpected, suddenly became restless.

“I’m only a temporary instructor so I won’t be participating, but won’t all the instructors and professors be at the magic assembly? Isn’t that why there are no classes?”

“Ah, about that, the class you’re in charge of is an exception. What about it? Did no one tell you?”

“The one that preceded you – Huey – suddenly went missing one day without so much as a word. Due to that, your classes are behind schedule. So in order to catch up, your class will continue during the break period.”

“Wha… I didn’t hear about this at all!”

“Aside from the security personnel, anyone affiliated with the academy will be off-campus ok? Try not to do anything weird while I’m gone ok?”

“Like I would! …No, wait a sec-”

Glen was uncomfortable about something Serika mentioned.

“You said that my predecessor… went missing? Hey wait, what’s that supposed to mean?”

“Even if you ask me that… It’s exactly what it means. The professor that preceded you, Huey Raysen, suddenly went missing one day. As of now, no traces of him have been found. His whereabouts are completely unknown.”

“Oi, this isn’t what you told me before. Didn’t you say that that Huey person resigned for personal reasons…”

“That’s just an explanation we give to the students. Either way, if he had officially resigned, the academy would’ve never been in a situation where the replacement instructor may be deemed ‘unusable’ after one month.”

Glen showed a bitter expression, and wordlessly thought about the situation.

“In any case, this feels a bit suspicious…”

“Well, there have been a lot of disturbances around here recently. If we’re talking about you then there’s nothing to worry about, but try to be cautious while I’m not here.”

Whilst the incident regarding the missing person was somewhat offputting, it didn’t really affect Glen directly. There was no doubt about that. However, Glen couldn’t help but feel a bit uneasy about this.

It was then—

“Ah, so you were here! Sensei!”

The door to the rooftop balcony was opened, and a familiar two-person group appeared. One showed a wide smile, and the other showed a sour expression.

“Eh? Professor Alfornea, could it be that we’re disturbing the two of you?”

“No, I was about to leave. What are you here for? Do you need Glen for something?”

With a flowery smile, Lumia ran towards Glen.

Seemingly in a bad mood, Sistina reluctantly followed.

“Didn’t you guys go home already?”

“Ah, we were in the library copying each other’s notes and reviewing today’s lectures, but there is something that we just had to ask you about… At least Sisti does.”

“Hey, stop!? Didn’t you promise to me that you weren’t going to tell him!? You traitor!”

Her face now flushed red, Sistina rose her voice to protest, but it was already too late.

“Oho? And what is that supposed to mean, Sistichi-kun? Oh my, oh my, could it be that you wanted to ask the extraordinary instructor, the great Glen Ryders-sensei-sama a question? Hm-?”

Glen put up this refreshing display without any hesitation. His downcast gaze and exasperating smile made one want to punch him square in the face.

“This is why I didn’t want to ask you! Also, I’m called Sistina alright!? Can’t you just remember it already!?”

“I can’t help but feel that your name is hard to remember. I think it’ll be fine to leave it as White Cat.”

“Ah, you—!”

Sistina seemed like she was on the verge of tears.

“Sensei, could I borrow some of your time? Actually, about this part, I realized that I didn’t fully understand it when I was reviewing…”

“Ah, sorry about that, Lumia. I also felt that my explanation about this wasn’t quite enough. Well, it should that right? Let me see-”

“L-, Like I said before, what is this difference in treatment between Lumia and I…-!?”

“Lumia is cute. You are cheeky. That is all.”

“Is that supposed some kind of joke—!”

Serika watched the three with a gentle smile. Then, she left the rooftop, feeling reassured.

After forcing herself to lower her head in humiliation to ask for Glen’s help, Sistina did not so much as try to hide her frustration and anger. Together with Lumia, she headed home.

“…Geez, what’s wrong with him!”

Contrary to Sistina’s mood, the streets of Feijiti were calm and tranquil. Yet, in the midst of this quiet evening, she roughly raised her voice, and exerted her frustrations everywhere around her. The pinkish colors of the dusk merged together with the calm atmosphere of the town to create a nice and soothing scene. If anything, she seemed like an idiot for throwing a tantrum in spite of this.

“Lumia, you too, what’s so good about that guy? I can’t help but feel that you’re strangely interested in him!”

“Eh? I mean, Isn’t sensei a really nice person?”

“Yeah, right! He only acts nice to you! O n l y   t o   y o u-!”

In a fit of irritated rage, Sistina clenched her trembling fists tightly.

“Normally speaking, would anyone show such obvious favoritism! The bottom line is, shouldn’t he look me in the eye or at least show me some decency!? But that guy-!”

Lumia smiled wryly, as if she was saying ‘well well’.

“There is absolutely something wrong about this! Right! Surely, that guy is misunderstanding your kindheartedness, and definitely has some ulterior motive! There is no doubt about it! Yea, this is right! It has to be! Ok, Lumia, when that guy is around, never leave my side ok!? That guy… if he lays his hands on you, I really won’t hold back anymore…-!”

Lumia began to laugh. It seemed that there was some deeper meaning to it.

“…What happened? Lumia.”

“Mm, uhm, Sisti, I think it’s weird that you worry about me so much.”

“Isn’t it a given that I should be worried about you? We’re family after all!”

Towards Sistina who seemed rather angry towards what she had said, Lumia uttered:

“Do you still remember about what happened three years ago?”

“Three years ago… that should be when you first came to my house, right? What about it?”

‘Why would she suddenly talk about that?’ Sistina couldn’t understand Lumia’s intentions.

However, Lumia showed a nostalgic smile, and continued:

“Back then, we kept fighting with each other didn’t we?”

“T-, That’s because… you acted so abjectly, and you were always crying and being selfish… Erm, to be honest, I didn’t understand your feelings after you were abandoned by your parents, so I was also wrong to-…”

Sistina scratched her cheek in an uneasy manner.

“Then one day – mistaking me for you – some bad people came and kidnapped me.”

“…Now that you say it, that happened didn’t it?”

“After somehow getting home safely, you quickly gave me a hug.”

“For the entire night, you hugged me and cried together with me. You kept saying ‘sorry’ and ‘I’m glad you’re safe’ didn’t you?”

“……-, T, That was…Um….”

Feeling embarrassed by what Lumia said, Sistina face turned the same color as the sunset.”

“Thinking back, that was when you and I started getting along.”

Lumia showed a warm smile towards Sistina.

However, despite hearing it through to the end, Sistina couldn’t understand why Lumia suddenly brought that up.

“…What’s happened all of a sudden?”

“Recently, I keep thinking back to what happened in the past.”

Then, Lumia showed a pained smile towards Sistina.

“…I wonder why?”

Lumia asked Sistina such a question, but there was no way that she would know the answer. As for what had caused Lumia to suddenly think about what happened three years ago, she had no idea either. However, she at least understands that for Lumia, what happened three years ago was an amalgamation of unfortunate incidents, and that they were painful memories for her.

That’s why—

“We’re family ok?”

She spoke her heart.

“Even though I don’t understand why you suddenly began to think of painful things like what happened three years ago, but remember that I’ll always be at your side, Lumia. That’s why, uhm…”

Towards Sistina, who embarrassedly said such things—

“…Thank you, Sisti”

Lumia showed a gentle smile like a spring breeze.

In the townscape of Fejiti, which was illuminated by the sunset

Two snuggling shadows could be seen stretching off into the distance—

Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

A Not-So Intricate Analysis: Lumia the middleman

In chapter 2 of the light novel, Akashic Records of the Bastard Magic Instructor, Lumia Tinzel briefly recalls a moment in her past, where she describes herself as having been subjected to the threat of ‘evil magicians’. Through analysis of Lumia’s use of specific diction, Lumia’s beliefs towards magic is revealed.

Whilst Glen and Sistina’s perspectives towards magic are shown directly in a debate during chapter 2, Lumia’s beliefs are revealed through juxtaposition with Glen and Sistina’s perspective of magicians. Glen depicts all magicians as ‘bad’, and never uses a positive nor negative adjective to describe the. The same applies to Sistina, whom sees all magicians as ‘good’. In contrast Lumia specifically uses the word ‘evil’ to describe magicians that had harmed her, and through it, shows that she believes that there is a the dualism to their existence – having both ‘good and bad’ sides.

Overall Lumia’s beliefs are symbolic of how her personality and behavior acts as an intermediary between those of Glen and Sistina’s throughout the story.

Thanks for reading!

0 thoughts on “Akashic Records of the Bastard Magic Instructor – Volume 1, Chapter 3

  1. Kuuuuuuh….

    xD XD xD XD 😀 😀 xD 😀 :3

    I love you for releasing a new chapter! 😀 😀

    I absolutely fell in love with this series and completely look forward to learning about Glen :3 ever since the manga’s first chapters came out I was so sad to find out that no one was translating the novels, but lo and behold, your update appeared on NU and kyaaaa!! xD (girly squeal)

    xD haha

    thankee very much for the hard work and the chapter!! 😀 😀

  2. goddam that chant explanation is sure a headache to grasp and understand. this is one of thing what keep me from reading Mahouka lol, long descriptive and technique/skill explanation is my weakness.
    thankfully the manga version already cover this chapter so its easier to read this part. also I think how glen teach them how chant work is really cool man, way cooler than the future fight and battle that i’ve read on this raw Manga version.
    I cant wait for the TL to reach Glen and Serika Story its after Vol5, her chara design is so good and people who read the raw LN say that their Story is very well written by the author.
    The Anime lookslike released same time with Konosuba S2(just my guess)
    Anyway thanks for the translation man, and hope you always have a good Health.

  3. .　　　几
    . 　／⌒⌒＼
    .　｜ ▽..▽｜/―-、
    . 　＼＿ｗｗ /￣丶｜Thanks!
    . 　/(゜Д゜)/　　 |/　　&
    .／/ フつＯ　　Trick or Treats!
    .Ｖ／　 /〉　　　　Nepu!!

Leave a Reply to zaidk Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


Content-Type: application/http; msgtype=response

WARC-Identified-Payload-Type: text/html

WARC-Type: response

text:
Instruments of Pain: Conflict and Famine
Instruments of Pain: Conflict and Famine
Internally displaced Somalis carry their belongings as they flee from drought stricken regions in Lower Shabelle before entering makeshift camps in Somalia's capital Mogadishu, on 17 March 2017. REUTERS/Feisal Omar
Briefing 125 / Africa

Instruments of Pain (III): Conflict and Famine in Somalia

Chronic conflict is preventing effective response to Somalia’s prolonged drought and humanitarian crisis. This special briefing, the third in a series of four examining the famine threats there and in Yemen, South Sudan and Nigeria, urges Somalia to improve governance and promote countrywide clan reconciliation to end the war.

I. Overview

History is at risk of tragically repeating itself. Once again, conflict-wracked Somalia is faced with mass hunger, just six years after a man-made famine took the lives of 250,000 people, mostly children, and 25 years after another killed 300,000, triggering a U.S. and UN intervention without which many more would have perished. An estimated 6.2 million people – half the country’s population – are in dire need; over three million are in a “crisis” or “emergency” situation, faced with death due to hunger and disease. While governmental and international responses have been relatively swift and relief efforts better coordinated (in part, because of lessons learned from the 2011 famine), many former limitations and challenges remain. Today, Somalis are starving because funding is insufficient and because access denial and insecurity impede delivery; most of all, they are starving because chronic conflict has destroyed their savings and ability to cope with periodic drought. The government and its international partners must tackle these immediate impediments and do more to stabilise the country lest yet another famine loom in the not-too-distant future.

Somalis are starving [...] because chronic conflict has destroyed their savings and ability to cope with periodic drought.

As in 2011, the epicentre of the current humanitarian crisis is south-central Somalia where Al-Shabaab, a violent Islamist insurgency, and localised clan conflicts have compounded the drought’s impact, undermined subsistence farming and cereal production, and led to crippling inflation and skyrocketing food prices, as well as mass displacement. Pockets in northern Puntland and Somaliland have also been badly hit, though the situation is far less grim than in the south.

Greater international assistance is urgently needed but will not be enough. A central cause of the crisis is access restrictions, provoked all at once by Al-Shabaab-orchestrated violence and insecurity, increased numbers of checkpoints on major aid supply routes, bureaucratic impediments and hefty illicit fees that both limit reach and increase delivery costs. Muslim community leaders and clerics should seek to persuade Al-Shabaab to allow access to areas under its control. But access restrictions are also the work of clan militias and disgruntled government and federal state forces engaging in predatory behaviour and routinely erecting barriers on major highways to extort money. The federal government and federal member states need, therefore, to pressure them too: through negotiations with clan militias if feasible, by considering military options to dismantle the checkpoints and provide armed escorts to relief convoys if necessary. And the federal government and federal member states should ease official impediments and red tape, which further constrain access. With a massive number of vulnerable people on the move in remote areas, the federal government and federal member states will need to do more to assist them and, in particular, curb rampant sexual violence in displaced peoples’ camps. These are all important steps, but to get beyond palliatives and find a more sustainable solution, the government will need to tackle the conflict itself, which remains the principal trigger and contributor to this unfolding humanitarian catastrophe: by improving governance; taking steps to address the division of power and resources among the central government and member states in a permanent constitution; and promoting countrywide clan reconciliation.

II. Conflict, Drought, Displacement, Access Denial and Hunger

A. An Acute Humanitarian Crisis

Since the central state’s collapse in 1991, Somalia has been wracked by acute humanitarian crises of varying intensity and experienced two major famines – in 1992-1993 and 2011-2012. A combination of protracted armed conflict and climatic as well as environmental stresses has made the country highly vulnerable to periodic large-scale famine.[fn]Crisis Group has been writing about Somalia since 2002. See for example, Crisis Group Africa Reports N°170, Somalia: The Transitional Government on Life Support, 21 February 2011; N°147, Somalia: To Move Beyond the Failed State, 23 December 2008; N°116, Can the Somali Crisis Be Contained?, 10 August 2006; Crisis Group Africa Briefings N°99, Somalia: Al-Shabaab – It Will Be a Long War, 26 June 2014; N°87, Somalia: An Opportunity that Should Not Be Missed, 22 February 2012; Commentaries, “Somalia’s Al-Shabaab Down but Far from Out”, 27 June 2016; “Somalia: Why is Al-Shabaab Still A Potent Threat?”, 11 February 2016.Hide Footnote

The immediate cause of the current crisis is extensive and prolonged drought provoked by two consecutive years of failed Deyr (October-December) and Gu (April-June) rains. This triggered a humanitarian catastrophe on a scale unprecedented since 2011. Subsistence farming in the Shabelle and Juba river valleys has all but collapsed;[fn]“Somalia Drought Response: Situational Report No.5”, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), 23 April 2017.Hide Footnote prices of staple grains and legumes (maize, sorghum and beans) have doubled;[fn]“Somalia Drought Response: Situational Report No.5”, ibid.Hide Footnote  and millions of livestock have perished. Deforestation (partly fuelled by the charcoal trade), soil erosion, coupled with diminishing volumes of water in the three major rivers – Shabelle, Janale and Juba – in turn have severely undermined subsistence farming in the fertile riverine belts. Somalis also blame insufficient local production of traditional coarse grains on land grabbing by businessmen connected to powerful clans and the switch to cash crops, such as lemons and sesame seed, especially in Lower Shabelle.[fn]Crisis Group telephone interview, agronomist based in Kismayo, April 2017. For background, see Catherine Besteman and Lee Casanelli, The Struggle for Land in Southern Somalia: The War Behind the War (London, 2003).Hide Footnote

In many urban centres in south-central Somalia food is increasingly scarce and available only at prices internally displaced persons (IDPs) and the very poor simply cannot afford. In an effort not to further undermine the regional market (with free relief food that disincentives farmers from planting more crops), and because it is more efficient, a number of aid agencies, among them USAID, UKAid and ACF (Action Contre la Faim) are sending small sums of money directly to needy families via mobile phones.[fn]In addition to avoiding market distortion via massive amounts of free, imported food, aid agencies have learned that small cash transfers are cheaper than trucking in large quantities of supplies and – under the right conditions – produce less diversion (or theft) of assistance. Crisis Group telephone interview, former U.S. government official, 2 May 2017. For more, see “Final Evaluation of the Unconditional Cash and Voucher Response to the 2011–12 Crisis in Southern and Central Somalia”, UNICEF and Humanitarian Outcomes, 2013.Hide Footnote

The drought situation is not about to improve. Despite the onset of Gu rains in April in some parts of Somalia, experts predict the prolonged dry spell will persist.[fn]The Famine Early Warning System Network (FEWS NET) noted in its latest global weather forecast update that Somalia experienced generally low, erratic and below average rainfall, adding that the situation was unlikely to improve. “Global Weather Hazards Summary”, Fews Net, 14-20 April 2017.Hide Footnote  Some 6.2 million people are in dire need of assistance and nearly 600,000 have been displaced since November 2016.[fn]UNOCHA estimates that 2.9 million are in dire “emergency” and “crisis” situations; 3.3 million in “stressed food security and livelihood situations”; and 363,000 children in a state of “acute malnutrition”. “Operational Plan for Prevention of Famine in Somalia”, UNOCHA, February 2017; “Somalia Drought Response: Situational Report No.5”, op. cit.Hide Footnote  The bulk live in makeshift camps in Baidoa and Mogadishu and are increasingly desperate. Overcrowding and poor sanitation incubates infectious diseases like cholera and measles. In some of the camps, “gatekeepers” masquerading as “camp elders” are beginning to obstruct aid deliveries and extort bribes. Hundreds of thousands of victims of previous displacements also live precariously in cities and bigger towns.

What stands in the way of a more effective and sustainable response to this humanitarian emergency are not acts of God or of nature. It is the intractable conflict that Somalia has experienced since the early 1990s. True, aid agencies are now able to reach close to two million vulnerable people. But they continue to face enormous challenges in meeting their target of reaching 5.5 million, because many areas are inaccessible and insecure.

B. Al-Shabaab Checkpoints and Access Denial

Al-Shabaab maintains an active military presence in much of the south’s drought-stricken countryside, and its violence and other destabilising activities constitute the greatest impediment to the delivery of relief to drought victims. The group routinely launches deadly assaults on troops of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), Somalia Federal Government (SFG) and federal member states; runs “security checkpoints” on major routes;[fn]According to the UN, the most affected roads are Mogadishu-Baidoa-Dollow, Mogadishu-Afgooye-Marka-Barawe-Kismayo and Mogadishu-Balcad-Jowhar-Belet Weyne-Galkacyo. Al-Shabaab is not the only armed group to erect roadblocks in order to extort money from drivers. Clan militias and government soldiers also routinely engage in this behaviour. “Somalia Drought Response: Situational Report No.5”, op. cit. “WFP probes bomb attack on its convoy in Somalia”, Xinhua, 17 April 2017; “Aid worker kidnaps and roadblocks soar in famine-threatened Somalia”, Thomson Reuters Foundation, 4 May 2017.Hide Footnote  and uses a variety of coercive tactics to prevent people from leaving and block access to aid agencies.[fn]Crisis Group Africa Briefings N°99, Somalia: Al-Shabaab – It Will Be a Long War, 26 June 2014; N°74, Somalia’s Divided Islamists, 18 May 2010; Africa Reports N°100, Somalia’s Islamists, 12 December 2005; N°95, Counter-Terrorism in Somalia: Losing Hearts and Minds?, 11 July 2005; N°45, Somalia: Countering Terrorism in a Failed State, 23 May 2002.Hide Footnote

Al-Shabaab’s complex and fraught relationship with humanitarian agencies operating in south-central Somalia was not always hostile. Prior to the 2011 famine, a few of its top commanders, notably Mukhtar Robow, cultivated cordial ties with relief agencies, granted them limited access after payment of “fees” and used their influence to secure release of abducted aid workers.[fn]“Somalia’s hardline Islamists invite aid groups”, Agence France-Presse, 29 March 2009.Hide Footnote

But the 2011 famine coincided with two significant setbacks for Al-Shabaab: first, a major AMISOM offensive as a result of which the movement lost key urban strongholds in rapid succession; second, increased U.S. attacks using drones and special operations forces targeting its top leadership. An increasingly paranoid Al-Shabaab severed links to relief agencies and banned foreign aid agencies and their local partners from its territory, accusing them of espionage.[fn]This coincided with revelations that the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency had sought to use a polio vaccination campaign in Pakistan to identify the location of Osama bin Laden’s hideout. “CIA organised fake vaccination drive to get Osama bin Laden’s family DNA”, The Guardian, 11 July 2011.Hide Footnote

In February and March 2017, large numbers of drought-stricken families began spontaneously leaving areas Al-Shabaab controlled in Bay and Bakool, as well as the Shabelle and Juba river valleys in search of relief assistance in federal and state government-controlled territory. This raised speculation that the militant group might be softening its uncompromising attitude toward foreign aid, perhaps because of the gravity of the situation and criticism it endured when it blocked Western food aid during the 2011 famine. These assumptions proved misplaced. Al-Shabaab blocked the exodus through coercion and by providing its own relief to hungry communities, arguably because of its heightened sense of insecurity and vulnerability – a realisation that mass depopulation might expose it to aerial and ground attacks.[fn]Crisis Group interview, prominent Somali politician, Nairobi, 29 March 2017.Hide Footnote

Al-Shabaab continues to hold drought victims hostage by blocking international organisations, the Somalia Federal Government and local NGOs from delivering aid.

Today, Al-Shabaab continues to hold drought victims hostage by blocking international organisations, the Somalia Federal Government and local NGOs from delivering aid, even though territories under Al-Shabaab’s control in south-central Somalia are among the most severely affected. Worse, those found with Western-donated food and items risk arrest.[fn]Most aid organisations label their donated supplies with their logos.Hide Footnote  In one such incident in the town of Waajid (Bay Region), in April, Al-Shabaab detained a group of people transporting relief food on donkey carts, burned the food and issued an edict warning against accepting handouts from “crusaders and apostates” (a reference to foreigners and the Somali government).[fn]“Somalia Drought Response: Situational Report No.5”, op. cit.Hide Footnote  The fate of those who were arrested remains unknown. But this incident, together with an April improvised explosive device (IED) attack on a UN World Food Programme (WFP) convoy in Mogadishu’s KM-3 district, suggests Al-Shabaab may be intent on using violence to disrupt aid operations.[fn]“WFP probes bomb attack on its convoy in Somalia”, Xinhua, 17 April 2017.Hide Footnote

Still, Al-Shabaab has sought to mollify critics and stem the exodus of people fleeing hunger and water shortage in areas it controls. To that end, it recently launched its own parallel relief effort to provide livestock, food, water and even money – collected from compulsory donations imposed on businesses and individuals across all Somali towns – to drought-stricken Somalis.[fn]Among the coercive tactics used by Al-Shabaab, especially in Juba and Lower Shabelle, is collection of the 2.5 per cent zakat annual wealth tax and other levies. This, in the midst of a terrible drought, has triggered public backlash and armed clashes. See “Al-Shabaab seizes Somali herders’ livestock”, Voice of America, 26 December 2016.Hide Footnote  But while its effectiveness is hard to gauge, Al-Shabaab clearly could not single-handedly stave off such large-scale famine and any speculation that the group may be amenable, through negotiations, to open up areas under its control to aid agencies seems at the very least premature. If anything, major military setbacks since 2011 and the relentless U.S. drone campaign targeting its leadership have made the group even more militant and suspicious of Western relief agencies.

Nor have expectations that Al-Shabaab might be more charitable toward Muslim relief agencies been borne out. Its hostility vis-à-vis international aid efforts no longer distinguishes between Western and Muslim NGOs; the group deems Turkish and United Arab Emirates (UAE) personnel and facilities legitimate targets.[fn]In one of the deadliest attacks on Muslim relief workers, a Turkish Red Crescent aid convoy was targeted by Al-Shabaab in April 2013; fifteen Somali aid workers and four Turks were killed. Mehmet Özkan, “Turkey’s Involvement in Somalia: Assessment of a State-Building in Progress”, SETA (Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research), October 2014. In April, Al-Shabaab claimed an IED attack on an Emirates Red Crescent aid convoy in Mogadishu. “Terror attack will not deter UAE’s aid mission to Somalia”, The National (UAE), 19 April 2017.Hide Footnote  As long as there is no dramatic deterioration in the coming months and it can keep a lid on the hunger crisis through its own parallel aid and coercion, and as long as no mass deaths occur under its watch, Al-Shabaab will likely continue to rebuff calls for dialogue to grant access to humanitarian agencies.

C. Clan Conflicts: Insecurity, Checkpoints and Access Denial

Al-Shabaab is not the only non-state armed actor whose actions have a direct impact on the humanitarian crisis. Parts of the country remain trapped in unresolved inter-clan conflicts. These tensions are typically exacerbated in times of drought when massive numbers of people and livestock move across traditional clan “boundaries” in search of water and pasture. Pre-existing clan disputes tend to resurface, sometimes resulting in sporadic, low-level clashes among clan militias. This is particularly true in Sool and Sanaag regions (northern Somalia) as well as Hiiraan, Galgadud, Mudug Lower and Middle Shabelle in south-central Somalia. A series of clashes in the contested town of Galkacyo in north-central Somalia in the last two years triggered a massive displacement, with estimates ranging between 75,000 and 100,000, and a humanitarian crisis.[fn]For more on this conflict see “Galkayo and Somalia’s Dangerous Faultlines”, Crisis Group, 10 December 2015.Hide Footnote

Clan grievances and conflicts often occur in areas marked by contested sub-national boundaries and in territories better endowed with resources such as water and infrastructure (mostly roads, as well as airports and harbours). In the past, traditional elders brokered temporary local truces among warring clans. Some new federal member states have since reduced the elders’ role in a bid to control local reconciliation and peacebuilding efforts (and to attract donor funding for such endeavours), but without replicating the credible or effective mechanisms required to manage conflicts over resources, especially water wells and reservoirs. In many instances, predatory/criminal clan militias as well as rogue security elements belonging to the federal states exploit these localised conflicts, erecting checkpoints on major routes to serve as “toll stations” as a means of extracting money.[fn]See “Aid worker kidnaps and roadblocks soar in famine-threatened Somalia”, Reuters, 4 May 2017. “The majority of the 42 districts in southern and central Somalia continue to experience moderate to high movement restrictions linked to road blockades, active hostilities and extortions at checkpoints”. “Humanitarian Bulletin, April 2017”, UNOCHA, 4 May 2017, p. 5. Some 40 static “illegal taxation” checkpoints have been set up along the Mogadishu-Baidoa-Dollow access road alone. On 13 April, over 60 trucks were stranded between Afgooye and Leego towns for over a week after local authorities demanded large unjustified payments. A similar incident involved over 30 trucks carrying supplies from Bossaso port the previous week. Ibid.Hide Footnote

III. Preying on IDPs and Vulnerable Communities

Many Somali actors prey on IDPs and others who lack protection from powerful clans, in effect profiting from conditions of acute need and helping perpetuate them. These include in particular so-called leaders who claim to represent needy communities as well as criminals. There is also a genuine risk of exploitation by corrupt officials, although to date there has been no credible report of corrupt practices related to the current relief effort. At a minimum, the donor community should intensify its focus on Somali anti-corruption institutions and civil society organisations. If leaders suspected of corruption cannot be held accountable in Somalia, consideration should be given to their being prosecuted by governments of countries in which they hold dual citizenship.[fn]Many Somali elites possess dual citizenship. For example, 124 of Somalia’s 283 MPs and Senators are from the diaspora. President Farmajo is a U.S. citizen and previously worked for the New York State government in Buffalo.Hide Footnote

A. Exploitation of IDPs

Most IDPs, both new and older, live in makeshift camps in major cities and towns. With few if any employment opportunities, they typically survive on remittances from relatives abroad and international assistance.[fn]Remittances constitute a crucial lifeline for many Somalis. The Somali diaspora sends an estimated $1.3 billion back home annually through remittance companies. “Somalia; Overview”, www.worldbank.org.Hide Footnote  In some camps, so-called gatekeepers masquerading as camp elders manipulate aid deliveries and extort bribes.[fn]Ahmed Ibrahim, aka Ahmed Vision, a prominent activist and a founder of the Caawi Walaal relief campaign, recently described the resurgence of “gatekeepers” (a scourge of the 2011 famine) in IDP settlements, explaining how they take a cut of the relief items and hire crowds to pose as famine victims. “The threat of gatekeepers to averting famine from Somalia”, Hiiraan Online, 21 March 2017.Hide Footnote  Likewise, many IDPs face abuse at the hands of government and private actors, who often have links to local authorities, business people and militias. Beatings and rape are reportedly common.[fn]See Laetitia Bader, “In Crisis-Stricken Somalia, No Safe Haven”, Human Rights Watch, 18 April 2017; “Somalia: Forced Evictions of Displaced People”, Human Rights Watch, 20 April 2015; “When Push Comes to Shove: Displaced Somalis Under Threat”, Refugees International, 8 November 2013; “Somalia: Protect Displaced People at Risk New Government Should Tackle Past Injustice, Abuses”, Human Rights Watch, 26 March 2013.Hide Footnote  Awareness of such dynamics would help aid agencies mitigate the power that predatory officials and private gatekeepers exercise over vulnerable communities by investigating allegations of abuse and orienting assistance directly to individuals and their families, notably via cash transfers, rather than to communities.

B. Violence against Women

Somalia ranks as one of the most inhospitable country for women,[fn]See “The world’s most dangerous countries for women”, TrustLaw – Thomson Reuters Foundation, 15 June 2011.Hide Footnote  a situation compounded by hunger, conflict and mass displacement. In the wake of the drought, and while precise data is lacking, reports suggest rape and other forms of sexual violence are widespread.[fn]“In Crisis-Stricken Somalia, No Safe Haven”, op. cit.; “Somalia”, 2016 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, 3 March 2017, www.state.gov; “Somalia”, Amnesty International, Annual Report 2016/2017, 22 February 2017.Hide Footnote  Girls and women in displacement camps and those who have fled hunger-stricken villages on foot in remote areas are particularly at risk. As a result, the government has deployed additional police and special gender protection personnel to the camps. But more is needed. In particular, parliament ought to pass more stringent laws criminalising rape and ending the traditional practice (derived from xeer customs) of settling rape cases though clan negotiations that typically entail providing compensation to the victim, often in the form of a marriage offer.

This is symptomatic of a far wider problem. While the short-term focus ought to be on measures aimed at curbing sexual violence in IDP camps and amending rape laws, any sustainable answer will require Somalia Federal Government efforts to promote and institutionalise greater protection for women. Newly elected legislators – of 283, 63 are women – have an historic opportunity to seek change in this area.[fn]“Somalia: Transforming Hope into Stability”, Crisis Group Commentary, 30 April 2017.Hide Footnote

IV. Responses

A. International Response

Donors and humanitarian agencies, including the UN, were better prepared and quicker to respond to warnings of impending famine in early 2017. Since January, the UN estimates that the Somalia humanitarian appeal received “unprecedented levels of funding”, with close to $600 million raised in direct donations or pledges.[fn]“Somalia Drought Response: Situational Report No.5”, op. cit.Hide Footnote  In early March, the UN launched an $825 million appeal.[fn]“Somalia: Transforming Hope into Stability”, op. cit.Hide Footnote  Although precise figures remain unclear, the overall funding gap has substantially narrowed in recent weeks, thanks notably to significant pledges from the UK, Japan and Germany.[fn]On 13 March, the UK announced it would fund a £16 million (nearly $20 million) program to help avert famine. This is part of a wider UKAid drought intervention for Somalia totalling £110 million ($136 million). On 14 March, Japan announced an Emergency Grant Aid of $26 million for relief efforts in the Middle East and Africa through six international organisations and agencies including the World Food Programme. Of this package, $8.5 million has been allocated to Somalia. “UK Government allocates £16 million to critical drought response in Somalia”, Relief Web, 13 April 2017. “Emergency Grant Aid in response to famine disaster in the Middle East and Africa regions”, Press Release, Embassy of Japan, Nairobi, 14 March 2017.Hide Footnote  Turkey and UAE likewise significantly upped their aid operations, typically conducted outside the UN aid system. The #TurkishAirlinesHelpSomalia and #LoveArmyforSomalia social media campaigns garnered the support of many international celebrities, helped draw attention to the food crisis and raised more than $1 million. Turkish Airlines eventually fulfilled its promise and delivered 60 tons of humanitarian aid to Mogadishu.[fn]“Turkish Airlines deliver 60 tons of food aid to drought-stricken Somalia”, Anadolu Agency, 5 April 2017.Hide Footnote  More recently, a campaign by the Emirates Red Crescent Society reportedly raised $45 million for drought relief.[fn]“Awqaf donates Dh1m to Somalia aid campaign”, The Nation (UAE), 16 April 2017.Hide Footnote  Altogether a massive emergency relief operation is underway bringing together many foreign and local NGOs.[fn]“Humanitarian Bulletin, April 2017”, op. cit.Hide Footnote

Improvements in coordination and management of humanitarian operations partly reflect lessons learned from the 2011 famine. The “Access Taskforce”, set up in 2015 by aid agencies operating in Somalia to negotiate better access with the patchwork of different authorities and minimise official red tape, helped create far more favourable aid delivery conditions.[fn]The Access Taskforce is a forum to enable better coordination of humanitarian action. “Somalia: Humanitarian Strategy, 2016-2018”, UNOCHA, 30 May 2016.Hide Footnote  That said, coverage varies regionally, with better results in most of the north east and north west, and more limited ones in the south-central region.[fn]“Humanitarian Bulletin, April 2017”, op. cit.Hide Footnote

B. Domestic Response

So far, President Mohammed Abdullahi “Farmajo” and his government have demonstrated strong leadership in addressing the drought emergency. The president convened a major meeting of all stakeholders in Mogadishu just days after his late February election; he put Prime Minister Hassan Kheyre in charge of government efforts; and the government set up a humanitarian affairs ministry and National Drought Committee to coordinate all relief efforts in Mogadishu and in the federal member states – developments welcomed by donors and relief agencies, even though they recognise that the government currently lacks both capacity and revenue to do much more than coordinate.[fn]“Somalia: Operational plan for famine prevention (Jan-Jun 2017)”, UNOCHA, 17 February 2017.Hide Footnote

Other actors have lent a hand. In a symbolic gesture, the Somali Federal Parliament donated 50 per cent of presidential candidate registration fees totalling $360,000 to the drought committee. Students have also been encouraged to donate a minimum of $10 each. Private Somali citizens are pitching in. Companies and businesspeople likewise have contributed significantly to the relief campaign. The most significant local endeavour has been the Caawi Walaal campaign initiated by local and diaspora Somali activists; it has raised thousands of dollars and its volunteers provide water and food to some of the country’s remotest parts which are inaccessible to traditional relief agencies.

V. What is Needed

With famine looming, donors should urgently provide additional funds. Because the hunger crisis is largely fuelled by high food prices – indeed, many families are starving even as markets brim with imported foodstuff – aid agencies ought to scale up the practice of transferring small sums of money to such families via mobile phones. But while necessary, such steps will serve as little more than a (critical) palliative if others are not taken in parallel to aim at the man-made causes of the crisis. These include:

  • Bringing down roadblocks: The federal government and federal member states, supported by clan elders, should engage clan militias that routinely erect checkpoints on arterial highways critical for the supply of aid to drought victims. Where negotiations fail, legitimate authorities should explore the option of military steps to dismantle checkpoints and provide armed escorts to relief convoys.
  • Easing bureaucratic restrictions: The federal government and federal member states should work with the Access Taskforce (an umbrella body established in November 2015 that brings together aid agencies in Somalia) to ease official restrictions and red tape impeding humanitarian operations.
  • Cracking down on crimes of sexual violence: The federal government and federal member states should curb rampant sexual violence in camps for displaced people by strengthening policing, including deploying more women police officers.
  • Tackling the roots of chronic conflict: Ultimately, only by addressing Somalia’s chronic conflicts can the recurring threat of food insecurity and famine be tackled in a sustainable fashion. As Crisis Group has argued more extensively elsewhere, this will require at a minimum that the federal and state governments, supported by donors, combat large-scale corruption and begin to deliver public services, particularly security, at all levels; finalise constitutional negotiations regarding the allocation of power and authority between the central government and federal member states; and restart the stalled national reconciliation process among Somali clans, focusing from the bottom up.[fn]As Crisis Group wrote: “There is an urgent need for a concerted program of reconciliation at all levels, without which federal states and their clan militias are still as likely to fight one another (and the Somali National Army) as they are to take on Al-Shabaab itself”. “Somalia’s Al-Shabaab Down but Far from Out”, Crisis Group Commentary, 26 June 2016.Hide Footnote

Nairobi/Brussels, 9 May 2017

Appendix A: Map of Somalia

Map of Somalia. International Crisis Group/KO/November 2015. This map is partially based on the UN map No. 3690.
Men unload boxes of nutritional supplements from a helicopter prior to a humanitarian food distribution carried out by the United Nations World Food Programme in Thonyor, Leer county, South Sudan, on 25 February 2017. REUTERS/Siegfried Modola
Statement / Global

Instruments of Pain: Conflict and Famine

For the first time in three decades, four countries, driven by war, verge on famine. Over coming weeks, Crisis Group will publish special briefings on Yemen, South Sudan, Somalia and Nigeria. Each conflict requires tailored response; all need increased aid and efforts to end the violence.

The last time the UN declared a famine was in 2011, in Somalia. The last time it faced more than one major famine simultaneously was more than three decades ago. Today we are on the brink of four – in Yemen, Nigeria, Somalia and South Sudan.

The spectre of famine is primarily the result of war, not natural disaster. According to the UN, more than twenty million people, millions of them children, are at risk of starvation. This is happening in man-made crises and under the Security Council’s watch. In some places, the denial of food and other aid is a weapon of war as much as its consequence. Combatants’ fighting tactics often make the problem worse.

Both sides of Yemen’s conflict, for example, fight with little to no regard for the local population. The Huthis and former President Ali Abdullah Saleh’s forces, on one hand, and their opponents in the Saudi Arabia-led coalition, on the other, have repeatedly strangled the flow of aid and commodities to areas controlled by their rivals. The impending Saudi-led push to recapture the Red Sea coast, including the port of Hodeida – the main entry point for imports on which much of the country depends – and the battle that offensive will provoke risk creating another major chokehold on supplies.

Critical norms, including adherence to International Humanitarian Law, are fast eroding. For the first time in a generation, most indicators suggest the world is becoming more dangerous.

Elsewhere, too, the actions of governments and their opponents exact high humanitarian tolls. In north-east Nigeria, Boko Haram’s attacks on rural communities and the destruction wrought by fighting between its insurgents and the military caused the acute food crisis. The curtailing by Lake Chad basin states of economic activity, aimed at weakening the insurgency, has damaged communities’ livelihoods and increased their vulnerability.

Fighting in South Sudan often involves indiscriminate killing of civilians, sexual violence and pillage by state and non-state armed actors alike. Civilians in Southern Unity state must constantly flee armed groups, rendering them unable to farm or receive assistance and creating conditions for famine. Many resort to hiding in swamps; to seek food is to risk attack.

The risk of famine is thus closely tied to the spike, over recent years, in war and its fallout, particularly mounting human suffering. Critical norms, including adherence to International Humanitarian Law (IHL), are fast eroding. For the first time in a generation, most indicators suggest the world is becoming more dangerous.

The Nigerians, Somalis, South Sudanese and Yemenis over whom famine looms have already suffered intense, in some cases protracted conflict. The impact on those most affected is more than a passing tragedy. The displacement, destruction to livestock and local communities and the threat of a lost generation, without education or socio-economic prospects, hinder prospects for building sustainable peace.

Beginning today with publication of the special briefing Instruments of Pain (I): Conflict and Famine in Yemen, and continuing over the next few weeks with similar special briefings on South Sudan, Nigeria and Somalia, Crisis Group will describe these crises’ roots and the measures necessary to prevent their further deterioration. Each requires a unique response: challenges of access and funding vary, as do ways to quiet and eventually end the wars that have increased risks of famine. Each special briefing will offer detailed prescriptions.

Overall, though, governments of the states affected and their backers should:

  • show far greater respect for IHL, particularly by allowing in aid and protecting those delivering it. They must avoid tactics that contribute to the risk of famine, like the Hodeida offensive, the curtailing of Lake Chad basin trading or predation in Southern Unity state;
  • increase and sustain funds for relief efforts. Shortfalls are not the only financial challenge – in Yemen, for example, the central bank’s failure to pay public sector salaries has left many Yemenis unable to buy food that is available. But humanitarian efforts in all four crises are chronically underfunded; and
  • renew efforts to calm violence and bring those conflicts to a sustainable end. The spike in war over recent years, which has already caused more civilian casualties, mass displacement and terrorism, now threatens to starve millions. Without redoubled efforts to end those conflicts, 2017 promises to be not the low-water mark, but rather a way-station on the descent to something far worse.

warcinfo:
isPartOf: CC-MAIN-2021-04
publisher: Common Crawl
description: Wide crawl of the web for January 2021
operator: Common Crawl Admin (info@commoncrawl.org)
hostname: ip-10-67-67-226.ec2.internal
software: Apache Nutch 1.17 (modified, https://github.com/commoncrawl/nutch/)
robots: checked via crawler-commons 1.2-SNAPSHOT (https://github.com/crawler-commons/crawler-commons)
format: WARC File Format 1.1
conformsTo: http://iipc.github.io/warc-specifications/specifications/warc-format/warc-1.1/