Chapter 77

“Doing that twice would really kill someone.”

I felt like this was what it meant for one’s mouth to go bone-dry.

I was so exhausted that I desperately wanted to avoid people, but thankfully, I didn’t run into anyone while walking.

I had a strong urge to go straight to the dormitory, lie down in bed, and fall asleep, but I managed to drag my heavy feet towards the infirmary.

It would be much more reassuring to rest after checking on Lucian’s condition.

I barely managed to move my gradually heavy steps.

“Professor Artemia.”

When I opened the door to the infirmary and went inside, Professor Artemia had just finished her treatment, put down her staff, and was untying the hair tie that had held her hair up high.

“Are you hurt somewhere too—”

“I’m not hurt.”

To be honest, I felt like I was about to die, but I swallowed the truth that was on the tip of my tongue.

Anyway, the problem was simple mana depletion.

Since there were no particular external or internal injuries, healing magic would clearly not be very effective.

Not only did I wring out my mana to its limit, but I also scraped the bottom of the barrel to cast the final spell, so it was a natural course of action for my body to be battered.

I myself wondered how on earth I had managed to do it.

“Is Lucian doing okay?”

I cautiously moved to Artemia’s side and checked Lucian’s complexion.

To my relief, Lucian’s complexion was not much different from usual.

Except for a clean bandage wrapped around his head.

“He just fainted for a moment due to the impact to his head when he was pushed back by the magic, the injury isn’t serious. After a good night’s sleep, he’ll wake up and shake it all off.”

“That’s a relief.”

I was genuinely worried that I might have inflicted a serious injury on the protagonist that could leave lasting aftereffects.

It might have been different with a relaxed opponent, but it was difficult to gauge with Lucian.

I finally let out a sigh of relief, pulled over a chair, and sat down in front of Lucian.

He’s really not hurt anywhere, right? I turned my head left and right, checking Lucian’s peaceful face several times, when a distinct healing power gathered in Artemia’s hand.

“I’m fine.”

I blinked as the healing magic was directed towards me.

“Even if it’s not very effective for mana depletion, it’s better than nothing.”

Well, if the professor says so, then it must be true.

I slowly nodded and leaned back against the chair.

The speed at which I blinked gradually slowed, until my eyes were on the verge of closing completely.

“Is it okay if I ask a few things?”

“Sseup. Of course.”

Having dozed off for a moment, I pinched my thigh slightly to wake myself up and straightened my posture.

“What on earth was that magic you used?”

Unlike last time, I was able to answer Artemia’s question right away.

Having almost been in trouble with the lightning magic, I had prepared an answer of my own.

“While preparing for this competition, I read in a book that if you mix the four major elements together, the weight increases in a peculiar way.”

Magic can only be called magic when it moves perfectly according to the mage’s intent.

Without being swayed by the power of magic.

The mage must be able to control the phenomenon of magic themselves, and thus, in the absence of any external interference, it must flow perfectly according to the mage’s intent.

Therefore, ‘it’ was more of a phenomenon than magic.

A phenomenon that even the mage who wrote the book had discovered by chance but had failed to reproduce because the conditions were too difficult.

“But the story is a little different for me, isn’t it?”

During this Flowering Festival, I had handled large-scale basic element magic several times.

Thanks to that, when it came to basic element magic, I could handle magic as if it were my own fingertips.

This meant that through extreme control, I had succeeded in perfectly reproducing that phenomenon.

“It’s not that I haven’t seen that record either, but…”

Artemia frowned slightly.

“No matter how proficient you are in element magic, mixing and maintaining the four major elements and condensing them into a single point would require immense mental strength.

How on earth did you do it?”

Artemia asked, trying to hide her astonishment.

At her question, I could only swallow my answer.

‘Well, with the experience of grinding an event for 72 hours without sleep?’

* * *

I started working part-time as soon as I became an adult.

My family’s financial situation wasn’t well-off enough to support a child who had entered university, and above all, it was after I had already realized one of the most important principles in gaming.

‘It’s not the character you skip, it’s the meals!’

The beginning was humble, but the end was the grand path of a whale.

Lapidemy was a famous gacha trash game, and at the time, I was a student with a lot of time but no money.

But then, they were holding an event where you could get a ton of gacha currency just by grinding time? Then I had to go all in.

And so, I drank energy drinks and caffeine like water and ran the 72-hour event with the recklessness of youth.

Originally, I was so tired that I was going to sleep for a few hours and then grind the event again, but I was so sad that I couldn’t get more because the game company, who had grasped the situation late, had hastily closed the event.

“I just somehow managed to do it. Anyway, I succeeded in implementing and controlling it, didn’t I?”

Since I couldn’t explain these circumstances, it was more comfortable to just gloss over it like this.

Fortunately, Professor Artemia didn’t seem to want to press further on this point and nodded her head.

“If what you say is true, then that will clearly fall into the category of magic from now on.”

“But I’m the only one who can use it?”

You need a combination of three factors: the madness to be able to burn 72 hours for a game, extremely delicate control, and perfect mastery of basic element magic. Can you even call something like this magic?

“Did the magic flow according to your intent?”

“Well, yes.”

After all, the most important thing in defining magic is control, and since I can perfectly control ‘it’.

“Then it’s magic.”

Professor Artemia gave a very simple and clear answer.

…Is that right? It’s recognized as magic that easily?

“Among the great magics that Evan uses, how many do you think can be used by mages other than Evan?”

“I wouldn’t know…?”

I didn’t even know such a thing existed.

“There are at least ten. And yet, they are strictly magic. Why? Because Evan Lisitoel can control them perfectly.”

“Hmm, I see.”

This too was something I learned for the first time.

“So what are you going to call it?”

Even if you ask me something like that all of a sudden—a word suddenly comes to mind.

“How about Honwon Magic?”

It meant mixing with a circle.

This doesn’t seem too bad.

“That’s good. So the greatsword of ice you made at the beginning wasn’t a move for victory, but just a stepping stone?”

“That’s about right.”

Honwon Magic, with its great weight despite its small size, was perfect for making Lucian let his guard down.

But only once. From the second time, Lucian would be able to respond without difficulty.

Besides, Lucian’s intuition should not be ignored. I’ll completely distract Lucian with the greatsword of ice, and in the meantime, prepare Honwon Magic.

That was the real goal.

“At first, I wondered what on earth Evan was thinking, having a 1st year, and a transfer student at that, take a 3rd year’s class. I thought, ‘is he crazy?'”

Professor Artemia’s gaze turns to me.

For some reason, the gaze of someone looking at something desirable sent a shiver down my spine.

“But now I understand. You will surely become an outstanding mage.”

“Thank you for the compliment.”

I hope it’s a pure compliment.

For some reason, I felt like the door to graduate school had opened a crack.

“You should get some rest too.”

“Ah, yes.”

Just as a light seemed to flash in Professor Artemia’s hand once more, the world instantly went dark.

It wasn’t so bad, so I obediently entrusted my body to the darkness.

* * *

“Theo?”

The voice calling me felt like a dizzying sensation of being doused with cold water.

“Cian, are you okay?”

“I’m perfectly fine, not a single sore spot.”

Cian spread his uninjured hand as if to prove it.

No, not your hand, your head! I hurriedly grabbed his bandaged head and looked it over, checking his condition.

“I’m dizzy.”

“You’re not hurt anywhere, are you?”

“I just fainted from the momentary shock.”

“If that’s the case, then that’s a relief.”

Relieved, I plopped down on the chair and leaned my body back.

“I’m, I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“Just, for various things.”

The glory of being the overall 1st place in the 1st year and perhaps even the glory of the medal.

Originally, it was all glory that Lucian should have had. I had essentially stolen it from him.

“We fought with all our might, didn’t we? Right?”

“That’s true.”

I gave it my all, and Cian gave it his all.

There was no hesitation or second-guessing each other.

“That’s all that matters. No way I’d have regrets.”

Cian smiled.

For me to still feel sorry even after seeing that smile would be an insult to Lucian in its own way.

Only then did a small, no, a rather refreshing smile appear on my face.

“Hey, that was seriously something I couldn’t do twice.”

“There’s still next year?”

“I’ll never win next year.”

I waved my hand.

If anything, I’d rather forfeit next year. It was something I could never do twice.

“Next time, I won’t ask you to let me use the Holy Sword.”

“You won anyway.”

“That’s why I’m saying I can’t do it twice.”

“You’ll probably find your own way to win again next year, for sure.”

I wanted to refute Lucian’s confident tone, but no refutation came easily.

Honestly, even I thought I’d probably grit my teeth and fight to win by any means necessary.

I wonder what kind of mindset it is to somehow manage to do things when the situation arises, even while making a fuss.

Is this why the system makes me do anything and everything?

“A self-inflicted disaster, that’s what this is.”

As I let out a groan, Lucian laughed out loud as if he found it amusing.

If you’re happy, then I’m happy with that.

“Thank you.”

Lucian suddenly expressed his gratitude.

At the sudden thank you, I opened my eyes wide and looked at him.

“You might find it strange, but because we fought with all our might, I feel so refreshed.”

“Zephyros might tease you and call you a loser from now on, you know?”

“Ah, that might be a little annoying.”

Just imagining it didn’t seem very pleasant, as Lucian frowned slightly.

“My punches might be like cotton swabs, but if you hit him, Zephi will feel it too, you know?”

“He might not even tease me in the first place.”

“That guy? As if?”

“Anyway, Zephyros lost to me.”

Lucian said with a refreshing smile.

As soon as I heard that, a burst of laughter erupted.

“That’s true, but—”

It’s not wrong, but isn’t that a bit harsh?

“After you say that about ten times, Zephyros probably won’t even dare to tease you.”

Lucian’s beaming face looked somewhat wicked.

As soon as I saw that, a roar of laughter burst out, and as my laughter echoed in the infirmary, Lucian laughed too.

“Ah.”

This guy is going to change a lot from the Lucian in the Original Storyline.

And that change will surely lead the future not in a bad way, but in a good way.

I could be sure of that, without a single shred of doubt.

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