Chapter 92 – The Masked Man (3)
“Ahem, so, you’re talking about teleportation, right?”
Clearing her throat, Hwangdo snapped her fingers with her right hand, and soon after, presented a can of beverage floating in the air.
“The principle of teleportation is quite simple. Whoosh, whizz! Voilà! You just need to get a general grasp of this sensation. It’s challenging at first, but once you try it, you’ll understand the feeling.”
Teleportation is a form of spatial magic. However, it is said to be nearly impossible to even study spatial magic unless you’re somewhat of a genius.
“And when you reach the pinnacle of that sensation…”
As Hwangdo continued her explanation, she snapped her fingers once more. Her voice vanished as if being sucked into a black hole, only to be heard moments later, accompanied by a gentle breeze from behind.
“You’ll be able to do something like this.”
Blink.
“Compression, transition, process… At the moment, the only thing the statue can do is utilize a crude, pre-made magical formula. Correct?”
“Yes.”
“Since the statue isn’t sensory, it will likely need to learn like I did. Is it alright if it takes some time?”
I nodded repeatedly since the magic concerning space was something that couldn’t be learned just anywhere.
With a smirk, Zodiac sat on the bed and gestured for me to come closer.
Just in case, I embraced Shiba and sat next to her, and a file folder materialized in her hand.
“Space.”
It spreads out in every direction, above and below.
“It is a realm where matter exists and various phenomena occur, and it is independent of everything else. However, precisely because of this, it is impenetrable.”
I had heard of it before, but I must say that when it comes to magic, Zodiac is quite serious. Contrary to her usually playful demeanor, she was knowledgeable and sophisticated in this matter.
“Intuition is crucial when the unknown is involved. The magic that merely approximates coordinate reception by borrowing artifacts from the past and imitating them… It’s essentially ineffective.”
My magic has been developed to the point of utilizing the accumulated experiences of numerous academy students.
Occasionally during training sessions and when instructors demonstrate their magic.
My magical abilities have thus far been based on glimpsing the spells and conjuring them myself.
Even the high-level spells I used in the dungeon were not completely destructive in their effect.
It wasn’t solely due to my own efforts; I owe much to the assistance of the acorn. Of course, none of this would have been possible without talent.
“Perhaps the statue will receive teachings that no one else in this world can hear. You mentioned it last time, didn’t you? Who your sister is?”
Zodiac, who energetically lifted her shoulders, stretched the corners of her mouth.
Archmage Zodiac, the master of spatial magic.
“Only my master and I know this. Ah, is this a secret? If I’m discovered, I’ll be in big trouble.”
Hwangdo, having strewn various documents beneath her palms, grinned impishly.
“Isn’t it impressive?”
Her nose was as high as Mount Everest. It was hard to say anything against her, given her accomplishments. Besides, she was so endearing that I decided to let her be. I picked one of the papers and skimmed through it.
“Wow.”
“I told you. Impressive, right?”
An exclamation of admiration involuntarily escaped my lips. It was becoming clear why Hwangdo was praised as a genius, a master of spatial magic, and someone who even surpassed Heaven in certain aspects.
“But I don’t understand any of it.”
“…Huh.”
It appeared that learning this would take some time.
* * * * *
Read it first! Memorize it! Good grief! Do it like this here! Got it?
-Statue! That’s not how rituals are performed there!
The following day, after dropping Shiba off at daycare and arriving at the academy, my eyes felt heavy and my ears seemed inflamed.
I never expected to experience the sensation of poring over research papers all night again. It struck me that there was no real difference between being a student in this world and any other.
All I had managed to learn were a few formulaic passages and some magical theory.
It was a subject area that remained difficult to grasp, even when applying the advanced knowledge taught at the academy. Although it wasn’t entirely unenjoyable, I had to learn from scratch, which meant memorizing a considerable amount of material, leading to much frustration.
‘Still… thanks to that, the problems are being solved.’
I yawned as I tackled the unfinished assignments I’d been neglecting for some time that morning.
Perhaps it was due to my diligent studying, but I found myself solving problems with ease. If I could just memorize enough, maybe I’d even have a shot at ranking highly?
After quite some time, I opened the status window and checked the tasks assigned to me.
▶ The number of assignments allocated to you is [2].
– Ranked within the top 20 in Korea.
– 1st place in writing
The reward is a top-grade potion. In a sense, they are akin to having an extra life.
As it is bestowed by the World Tree, it may not contain the essence of a man or a woman.
‘Then, it’s practically indispensable.’
If it’s a top-grade potion, it’s scarce in the market, so selling it could yield a considerable sum of money.
The value of money in a capitalist world is immense. Even if I don’t run a business, I need to extend my reach into it.
Furthermore, I could craft equipment even if it wasn’t a business venture.
I must have been lost in my thoughts for quite a while.
– Tuk-tuk.
Suddenly, someone tapped me on the shoulder.
As I turned my head, an open palm was thrust before my nose.
“Hey! You’re rumored to be quite remarkable.”
Gu-seul grinned as she sat down.
“Did you wear a mask beneath a mask?”
As he set his bag down on the desk, the words he spat out seemed to contain so much.
‘At this point, it’s like asking me to just understand you, but should I just bluntly ask you what you are?’
…No, there’s no way he would reveal the truth.
If it were just that, there’s no reason for them to have pretended to be friends up until now.
“Isn’t that too direct of a question?”
As I gave a moderate response, Gu-seul flashed a sly smile.
It was fascinating.
The laughter that spread across her enigmatic face had an uncanny ability to ease my heart.
But because of that, I was even more able to accurately pinpoint what she was.
“Hehehe.”
An enigmatic girl, indeed.
…Well, aside from that, I had somewhat anticipated the various rumors circulating about the previous incident.
I could tell just by looking at a few of the students who were nosing around.
The attention coming my way was burdensome, but it was expected to increase in the future.
And I needed an event that would serve as a catalyst for that.
“Sansuyu, Lim Jong-hyun, Jeong Si-woo, and Azalea.”
I was well aware of the rumors surrounding those four individuals.
Even if they couldn’t claim victory together, they could still secure some degree of attention. It was clear that the upcoming midterm tournament in a week would be the decisive battle.
This event was an opportunity to improve one’s ranking while also earning the right to participate in the Forest Keeper selection process. To achieve the best possible rank, it was necessary to face top student Jeong Si-woo.
“Can I win?”
As I pondered this question, I leaned back, fully entrusting my weight to the chair.
Jeong Si-woo. Even if I could disregard his impressive status, I wasn’t confident I could defeat him…
“Really?”
At that moment, a voice came from the area where the students had gathered.
“I heard Si-woo was hospitalized?”
“Why on earth would he be hospitalized all of a sudden?”
* * * * *
“Will you be discharged soon?”
“Yes.”
“But that’s a relief. Hehe. Then I’ll be on my way? Make sure to rest well~!”
Siwoo waved his hand a few times towards the departing female student, then touched his wrist with a bitter expression.
An eerie blue scar, resembling a blood vessel, spread across one side of his arm. A wound caused by a long period of uncontrolled magic. It was a common affliction for a Hunter, and he would be able to leave the hospital in just three days. However, for Siwoo, that three-day gap was far too critical.
‘Did I overdo it? I need to reduce the intensity of my training.’
Under normal circumstances, he wouldn’t have exercised so frantically. However, the stakes of this midterm exam were more valuable and precious to him than anything else, so he had no choice but to be serious this time.
The whereabouts of his one and only sister. He would do anything to obtain that hint, even if it meant pushing himself to the limit while training.
-Snickering.
‘There’s no way my body wouldn’t be strained after releasing so much mana in an instant.’
Would I be able to defeat Lim Jong-hyun, that fiery man, like this? He’s probably still grinding his teeth. Though it’s a common ailment, it’s not without aftereffects. The likelihood of recurrence is high, necessitating long-term management.
– Knock, knock, knock.
Three precise knocks.
“Come in.”
The large iron door opened, and a man entered from outside. A masked man carrying a box of vitamin drinks in one hand. Si-woo’s eyes widened at the unexpected figure.
“Si-heon?”
“I came to visit you in the hospital.”
Receiving the vitamin drink handed over as if picked up along the way, Si-woo asked Si-heon with a slightly surprised expression.
“I truly didn’t expect you to come. It’s nice to see you like this… Ah, sit here.”
“I just came by; no need for pleasantries. Can you take the test properly?”
Although Si-heon’s question was incredibly explicit as he sat down, to Si-woo, who was unaware of his circumstances, it merely sounded like concern.
“There won’t be any trouble. In three days, I’ll be discharged from the hospital and then, if I can just calm down…”
Si-heon could tell that Si-woo must have pushed himself too hard by the way he spoke. He glanced at Si-woo’s discolored arm, and with just a look, he could roughly estimate Si-woo’s condition.
‘Why is he pushing himself so much? Was his life also held as collateral?’
If it was about the World Tree, Si-heon could understand why Si-woo would make such an effort. With that thought, he felt a strange sense of kinship.
‘He must have weathered many hardships in his life.’
“…You’ve gone through a lot as well.”
“Uh, huh? Yeah.”
Si-heon genuinely consoled him, feeling sympathy for Si-woo as a person, aside from the World Tree matter.
“So, I guess we need to get some results from this test, right?”
“Yes… We must succeed no matter what.”
“Is it because of the World Tree?”
It was a rather direct way of speaking, but Si-woo still smiled and nodded in agreement.
“Exactly. You know it well.”
“Being a husband candidate, they make us do all sorts of distasteful things. Right?”
“…Still, I consider it an opportunity for growth.”
This was a conversation that could only be had between candidates for the World Tree’s husband. Si-woo may not have known, but Si-heon was well aware.
“Growth is a load of crap.”
He knew just how dark the World Tree’s inner workings were. However, Si-heon only knew one aspect, and there were two others he failed to recognize properly. The treatment of husband candidates differed from person to person, and Jung Si-woo was a man who received far more lenient treatment than anyone else when it came to penalties.
Si-heon spoke with a hint of admiration in his voice.
“Still, it’s impressive, considering it must be incredibly difficult.”
At those words, Si-woo paused for a moment, his breath catching. He pondered something with his mouth open before eventually letting out a wry smile.
Suffering as a candidate for the World Tree’s husband was a first for him to hear.
Certainly, even if the treatment was different, Siwoo’s past efforts did not fade.
– All those bastards are Porok.
– How did I become strong because I was chosen? Ugh, where am I not chosen?
The words he had heard from all around and seen in the community suddenly passed through his head and before his eyes. Only Siheon would know that it was a form of sympathy, but it certainly provided some comfort.
“Ah, I should get going?”
“Thanks. Oh, Siheon. But even if I fail, it’s just training… It’s okay.”
Siwoo forced a bright smile and spoke while scratching the back of his head.
“Huh? Training?”
“Yeah, but really, thanks. I’ll treat you to a meal later. Go on in.”
“…….”
Siheon stared at him for a moment, then left the room with an awkward smile.
‘Training? I didn’t think it was life-threatening, but just training?’
I had anticipated a certain degree of disparity, but never to this extent.
As Si-heon departed the infirmary, his countenance bore a somewhat dazed and bewildered expression.