"Math is useful for magic weapons design," says Ashras. "I'm already trying out a more efficient stun wand. Might be able to make the next one hollow. As for the fall of Rome, that's pure entertainment."

Leap makes a face, though only half of it's visible. "You need calculus to use your power?"

"Hey, I'm not asking you to do calculus."

"I know but still. Bleagh. Glad that's not mine, I'd end up just not being a cape."

"I mean, I don't have to use calculus. It just makes my life easier if I do."

"How?" he wonders.

"Magic weapon design is a kind of engineering. Magic weapon design with and without math is... sort of like the difference between a slingshot and a rifle. They both throw objects, but the one with more refined construction does a much better job of it."

"Huh. Okay, if you say so. And I'm kinda jealous you get to test out."

"I am deeply grateful not to have to sink hours of every day into the time-wasting institution called high school."

"Mom says it's good for me or something," he snorts.

"Sounds implausible."

"You guys don't have school at all there where you're from?"

"We sort of do. I was going to start at - I guess you'd say 'military school' - this year. But I never went to a formal school before that. Did all my learning on my own. As you can see, I've gotten pretty good at it."

"Damn, I'm jealous."

"Well, if I wasn't the sort of person who likes spending fourteen hours a day doing research, I'd probably be more worried about testing out of my educational requirements."

"...fourteen?"

He laughs.

"Do you just study all day every day? Don't you, like, go out to relax or something?" he wonders.

"Sometimes instead of studying I test weapons!" he says cheerfully.

Leap stares, then shakes his head.

"With what?"

"Things about this planet that people who were born here would already know!"

"You've been here for a while and studied all the time, there can't be that much."

"You'd be surprised."