Episode 130
by CristaeEpisode 130
“One by one, come forward.”
As the test began, Professor Garcia called the students to the front one at a time.
Then she cast a spell.
“The soft veil of the stars shrouds your vision.”
In an instant, magic intricately wove through the air, intertwining like warp and weft. The transformation was so complex and fast that the freshmen could hardly follow it with their eyes.
As the veil spread, the students sitting in their seats could not see Professor Garcia, no matter how hard they tried.
They knew she was right there, but it felt as if their brains were refusing that information.
“Can everyone see?”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“?”
Students who answered, thinking naturally no one could see, hesitated when someone answered the opposite.
And Lee Han, who had answered the opposite, also hesitated. He thought everyone could still see.
“…You don’t see?”
His friends were flustered by Lee Han’s question.
“I can’t see.”
“Maybe only smart people can see?”
“Then why can’t I see it?”
“Gainan. Don’t talk nonsense.”
Above the voices of the Blue Dragon Tower students, Professor Garcia’s calm voice was heard.
“Ah, that’s Lee Han?”
“Yes.”
Lee Han didn’t do anything wrong in particular, but he somehow felt as if he had.
‘Is it because of my magic power?’
When a problem arose at the magic school, it was almost always correct to suspect Lee Han’s magic power as the cause.
And in fact, it was true.
“Thanks to your magic power, you resisted the .”
The stronger one’s magic power, the greater one’s natural ability to resist other magic.
Of course, that’s just a saying. A slight increase in magic power doesn’t dramatically improve resistance. The difference is hardly noticeable.
But there are always exceptions.
The boy standing in front of Professor Garcia was exactly such an exception.
“In that case, what should you do?”
“Turn around and don’t look this way.”
“Th-that’s right.”
Relieved at the surprisingly simple solution, Lee Han let out a sigh.
He had thought Professor Garcia might cast a curse to weaken his resistance or make him drink a potion.
“I thought the professor would cast a curse.”
“Do you think the professor is like the principal or something?”
Hearing his friends from Blue Dragon Tower murmuring, Lee Han realized he wasn’t the only one who had thought that.
- * *
The students who were called forward used magic as Professor Garcia instructed.
“Oh, burn brightly like my soul!”
“Even if it’s the same magic, relying on such long chants to form your image isn’t a good habit. Increase your concentration so you can summon it in any situation. Otherwise, it’ll be hard when you learn high-level magic.”
“Burn!”
“Even if you can usually do it well, there are times when, in a tense situation like this, the magic just won’t come. Try to relax as much as possible and make it second nature through lots of practice.”
Lee Han’s turn came.
To help Lee Han relax, Professor Garcia smiled kindly as she spoke.
“Lee Han, don’t use the fire element. Now, show me the water element.”
Lee Han created a mass of water.
The speed was incomparable to the other students, but Professor Garcia wasn’t surprised at all.
“Form shaping?”
Lee Han compressed the water mass into the shape of a bead.
“Shape change?”
The compressed bead transformed into a shield.
“Controlled manipulation.”
The shield began to rotate around Lee Han at a steady pace, in a stable orbit.
Professor Garcia nodded.
What could one say to a student already mastering magic at the next year’s level?
“Perfect. Full marks.”
“Thank you.”
“Lee Han. I understand your talent, but… don’t try to rush ahead too much. You understand what I’m trying to say, right?”
“Of course.”
Lee Han wanted to explain himself.
He really had no intention of getting ahead.
It’s just that the magic school kept pushing him forward!
“I have absolutely no intention of pushing myself ahead, Professor.”
Looking intently at Lee Han’s resolute face, Professor Garcia sighed.
“Well, for now you say that, but as soon as you see an opportunity, you’re the type to move ahead without hesitation. Maybe that’s the sorrow of natural talent…”
“…?!”
Lee Han felt wrongly accused.
‘Why does she misunderstand me like that?’
“Why do you think so?”
“Professor Ingelder said you attempted multiple water orb control.”
“……”
Lee Han was at a loss for words at the unexpected answer.
‘Professor Ingelder…!’
Did he go around spreading that story?
Of course, objectively, Professor Ingelder hadn’t really done anything wrong.
His student fought against the White Oak Knights and even won.
Most teachers would have to talk about such a thing. Not talking would be odd.
But that didn’t matter to Lee Han. He grumbled inwardly.
“There were unavoidable circumstances…”
“Right. Even if you want to stay still, if you meet an unavoidable reason, maybe moving forward is the fate of a talented wizard…”
“……”
Lee Han wondered if they were speaking different languages.
Why did the conversation feel so out of sync, even face-to-face?
“Still, don’t push yourself too hard.”
Professor Garcia finished.
Of course, she knew that even saying so, geniuses full of talent would rush out whenever opportunity arose.
But even when words have no effect, a teacher’s duty is to keep repeating them.
“Of course, Professor.”
Lee Han returned to his seat, seriously pondering how he could answer so that Professor Garcia would believe his true feelings.
“Now. Then, black magic… Lee Han.”
“……”
As he stood again immediately after sitting, Lee Han thought to himself.
‘I guess my words aren’t too convincing.’
- * *
Black Magic.
-Okay. I’ll summon an undead, so try firing a curse at it.
-Yes.
-Fire the curse and avoid the curse. Well done. We’ll need a skeletal hand. Go ahead and summon.
-Yes. Appear, skeletal hand!
-Perfect. By the way, Lee Han. That was a command at the undead I summoned, not you.
-……
Summoning Magic.
-This time you only summoned one quill properly. Was it because last time you were showing off and summoned a bunch for your friends? No? Then why? It was a mistake? Why would you make such a beginner’s mistake?
-Professor. I’m a first year.
-…Oh. My apologies.
Illusion Magic.
-Now. Use illusion magic.
-Heat, distort the air!
-Lee Han. That’s not a spell covered in class. In fact, it’s a 2nd circle spell.
-…Vanish, illusion!
-Should I give you full marks twice?
-No, thank you…
After finishing all the tests, Lee Han returned to his seat with a sigh.
He got full marks in everything, but couldn’t clear up Professor Garcia’s misunderstanding, so he felt heavy-hearted.
Seeing this, Gainan looked at Lee Han with a hopeful expression.
The best comfort when you failed an exam was a friend who also failed.
“You failed too, right?!”
“I got full marks.”
“……”
Gainan looked at Lee Han with a face full of betrayal.
Then why did you sigh?!
- * *
After the storm of pop quizzes ended and the golden Saturday arrived, the students’ faces seemed especially radiant.
Lee Han also slept in for the first time in a while.
In fact, he wanted to sleep even more, but had no choice but to wake as Sharkan licked his face awake.
Sharkan pulled at Lee Han as if wanting to go for a walk.
Lee Han had to go out in the morning anyway, so it was fine…
‘…But do leopards normally need regular walks like this?’
As he stepped out of the dorm tower with Sharkan, Lee Han suddenly wondered.
Of course, Lee Han didn’t have any professional knowledge about how to care for Sharkan, but shouldn’t a monster with a title like ‘King of Leopards’ be a bit more noble and dignified…?
-Woof! Grrrrrr!
-Pfffhihihing!
As he led out the white horse from the stable, Sharkan barked noisily. The white horse neighed in response, not to be outdone.
Lee Han nodded with enlightened resignation.
“Yeah. Go on and hate each other as much as you want on the walk. Now, stay apart. Don’t touch each other.”
But Sharkan wouldn’t give up, rolling around and growling as he pointed at the white horse with his front paw.
Lee Han spoke firmly.
“No. Sharkan. That’s not your food.”
At his words, Sharkan rolled even more, as if he couldn’t stand not being understood.
“I said no, so no. Sharkan. Don’t throw a fit and stand up.”
-……
After struggling a bit more, Sharkan finally seemed to give up and stood. Lee Han nodded in approval.
“Good. Sharkan. I’ll give you something to eat when we get back.”
-Grrrrrr…
-Pfhhuhng.
As Sharkan growled low, the white horse nodded as well.
It looked as if they each understood the other’s troubles.
‘Animals are really hard to understand.’
Lee Han thought to himself, looking at the two creatures.
No matter how much he learned, he just didn’t get them.
“Professor, good morning.”
Spotting Professor Lightfoot from afar, Lee Han bowed his head.
Wearing a leather jacket, Professor Lightfoot looked at Lee Han, who was tending animals early in the morning, as if finding it admirable.
Then he looked at Sharkan.
Then back at Lee Han.
“…For an undead hunting dog, it looks way too fierce? What is it?”
“Ah. You know the monster named Sharkan I asked about last time.”
“That’s right.”
Professor Lightfoot nodded.
He’d kindly answered Lee Han’s questions.
Taming a monster is tough, and the more violent and powerful the monster, the tougher it is.
Controlling such a monster as an undead is even riskier — you never know when it might go for the necromancer’s throat.
“That is the monster.”
“…Are you rebelling against me or something?? Did I treat you so harshly?”
Professor Lightfoot asked in shock.
If you wanted to die at the magic school, there were easier ways. There really was no reason to keep such a monster as your undead summon except outright defiance.
“No. Professor Mortum gave it to me, so I accepted.”
“Oh…”
“It seems fine, doesn’t it?”
“No. I actually thought you were crazy.”
“…Still, Professor Mortum must have magically processed it or something, because it’s never attacked me. It’s gentle and loyal.”
Without realizing, Lee Han found himself defending Professor Mortum.
Professor Lightfoot walked closer to Sharkan. Sharkan let out a low, menacing growl and watched him warily.
“Hm…”
Professor Lightfoot narrowed his eyes, inspecting Sharkan.
If Professor Mortum had cast additional spells to control its temperament when he made it an undead summon, there should be traces.
“No, that’s not it.”
“Sorry?”
“There’s no magic on it to make it especially gentle or loyal.”
“……”
Without realizing, Lee Han took a step back, widening the distance between himself and Sharkan.
Sharkan barked with a wounded expression.
“Th-then is it like Ponlig, biding its time for a chance?”
This time, the white horse protested with a loud neigh.
Accusing its loyalty?!