Chapter 78
Chapter 78
Academy’s Gumiho is a Magic Genius – Chapter 78
I sat at the desk and skimmed through every ancient document in the room.
The books were so worn they looked ready to crumble at any second, but I read every last one somehow.
Some were actually damaged just from the slightest touch.
Yet even in these incredibly old tomes, there wasn't a single record of anyone named 'Tamamo'. Accounts of people from her era were detailed down to the finest points.
Only the name Tamamo was nowhere to be found.
I turned to face Tamamo behind me and spoke up.
"What name did you use back in that era?"
What are you talking about?
"Tamamo, Tamamo-no-Mae. The name people use for you now doesn't appear anywhere in these ancient texts."
Is that so? Then just look through books from other eras.
"You think I haven't? I even dug through records on Wakamo, Izuna, Fossa, Daji, Lady Huayang, and even Wu Zetianthe Emperor Wu you claim to be."
And? What's the conclusion?
What kind of question is that?
She knows the answer better than anyone.
"Nothing."
Nothing?
"Nope."
Oh, but there was?
"No, there wasn't."
A feast of non-sequiturs.
A headache bloomed from her words, and I clutched my head.
Ah, my head's killing me.
Conversations with her just don't go anywhere.
I knew her personality was willful, but I'd never imagined exchanges like this. Actually, this wasn't even about her personality.
'She just doesn't want to answer.'
When you talk and connect with all sorts of people in life, you pick up on things instinctivelythrough expressions, tones, and such.
Tamamo might be capricious, but she's not lacking in comprehension or tact.
If anything, the image I'd pieced together of her was the exact opposite.
"You just don't want to answer?"
I have no idea what you're talking about. What exactly am I supposed to be hiding?
"Fine, don't answer if you don't want to. No records in these ancient docs anyway, so verifying facts or cross-checking about you is impossible."
.
My blunt words must've caught her off guard, because Tamamo pursed her lips in a sulky expression.
I wanted to know so much about this companion I'd be spending a long time with, but this approach wasn't going to reveal anything.
No helping it.
I'd just have to learn about Tamamo gradually.
"Anyway, sunrise is coming up soon. I'm starving and thinking of grabbing something to eat. You good?"
I'm fine. What meaning does food hold for a dead spirit like me, right?
"Alright, then I'll eat alone."
I pulled a cup ramen from my bag.
The 'subspace bag' I'd gotten from that old man in seat 3 at the auction house.
Right now, it held fragments and powder from the life-draining stone, various auction items, cup ramen and a big water jug recommended by the students during our convenience store run a few hours ago, and some wooden chopsticks.
No pots or kettles in this room, but I had enough water to fill the ramen cup and magic on my side.
I snapped my fingers.
Snap
The moment I did, mana activated the preset spell formula.
Whoosh, flames rose steadily in midair like a gas stove burner.
I poured water from the convenience store jug over it.
The water flowed from top to bottom along the rim.
Following gravity.
But the flowing water soon defied gravity, bubbling upward. A blob of water floating over the flame.
All of this from a single spell.
My original magic, born from repeated modifications and refinements: Pyrokinesis.
This spell still had room for improvement, but I separated the core 'fire magic' and 'telekinesis' components. By setting it to react to a mere finger snap, I made this feat possible.
In other words
"Ramen Water-Boiling Magic. What do you think of the name?"
Quite the bizarre title.
"You think? The name's weird, but once it's practical, it'd be a hit."
Simplify the water, ramen, and formula, make it so you just infuse manacould make some money.
Outdoors where electricity or fire's hard to come by.
Especially useful at sea or in the mountains.
Should I really patent it?
I just can't wrap my head around it. Using such advanced spellwork just to boil water for instant noodles. Abe no, that little brat, would've been shocked seeing you now.
"Isn't that exactly why we should use advanced spells like this?"
Advanced spells and shamanism are the domain of shamans who've reached lofty realms. So, naturally, every act of performing them should carry elegance, don't you think?
Tamamo, who lived in an age of shamanism, curses, royal authority, and honor, couldn't understand her contractor's words. She might overlook childish pranks with crude spells.
But wasting intricate, interwoven complexes of advanced formulasclearly a cut above ordinary oneson such undignified acts?
The shamans of her era.
Especially the famed one who slew her, Abe no Yasunari, might've frothed at the mouth in horror.
"Yeah, looks like there's not just a time gap there, but a difference in perspective too."
What? Are you saying I'm old right now?
Tamamo had died about a thousand years ago.
If the records on Daji and Fossa were accurate, she'd been active even in BC times. The time gap between us spanned centuries where mountains and rivers had shifted hundreds of timesit was undeniable.
But that didn't mean she couldn't understand at all.
The old winds of valuing honor and class weren't so different from the military life I'd known my whole life. A soldier's actions and life were honor itself, their ranks rivaling kings.
So, Tamamo and I weren't clashing over eras so much as viewpoints.
She prized honor and dignity; I valued convenience for people.
"I get where you're coming from with the honor and dignity. I've lived like that too."
Hmm. Can you, raised in such luxury, really understand me?
"Are you sulking over the age thing?"
Oh, come on. As if. I'm an adult who's lived through enough eras to have a generation gap with you. Hehe I can forgive you with the magnanimity of the sea.
She's sulking. Totally sulking.
Who knew she'd be so sensitive about age.
A crafty fox who's lived millennia, but a woman's a woman, I guess.
Guess I lacked consideration.
Judging that more talk wouldn't soothe her anger, I poured the boiled water into the cup ramen.
Steamed egg udon cup ramen, blowing up on SNS and among students lately.
I don't trust SNS hype, so it wasn't the most reliable rec. But the students pushed so hard I bought it.
And now that trust was paying off.
"This egg's legit. Not retort pouch stuffreal deal. And pricey too."
Plump egg slices.
Clearly a league above cheap ones at a glance.
Considering the price, this quality was par for the course.
13,800 won at the convenience store.
Even after dropping billions casually at auction, that price for cup ramen gave me pause.
Convenience store food has that... cheap vibe.
Not sure if my tastes are too refined or if years of military rations ruined my palate. But this seemed pretty good.
Let's take a bite.
As I split the wooden chopsticks and went for the noodles, Tamamo approached.
Contractor.
"Why call me? Oh, want a bite?"
She tugged my shoulder.
I turned, and she was staring right at me.
What's with that intense look? It's awkward.
Still mad about the age comment? Pissed I'm eating udon now?
The smell's so good, I want a bite too.
"For real?"
Yeah, for real. Why would I lie about wanting a bite? The smell's irresistible.
Wait, weren't you sulking over the age thing?
I kept that question buried in my chest.
Today's the day that sets our first impressions. No need to ruin it with careless words.
"Sure, have a bite."
Then I will.
Her hand reached for the cup ramen.
Would it pass right through? But then
Crunch, the air tore open as massive teeth emerged from the ceiling.
A jaw and mouth at the tips, shaped like a giant fox's.
I get it now.
The Fox's Gluttony embedded in the ring.
Wondered what it didturns out it's this.
I figured since she's a ghost, maybe poltergeist stuff.
She's devouring that udon good, though.
"Hey."
Food's meaningless for ghosts, you said.
But shoving her whole face into the cup? And from behind, her human form's politely covering her mouth like a lady.
Guess the fox mouth and hers are linked.
At least she looks happy eating. Nice to watch.
Why call me, contractor? Don't bother someone eating.
"Nah, just take it all."
Really? Smells like something fancy. You sure you wanna give it all to me?
"Yeah. Wasn't even that hungry anyway."
I'm seriously fine.
Meals can wait a day or two, once a day or so.
For martial artists and mages at my level, eating, sleeping, most life maintenance loses importance.
Skip too long without, and yeah, you'd die.
But skipping one meal and pulling an all-nighter? No big deal. Plus, I'm not huge on convenience store food.
Bought it 'cause the students insisted.
Cup ramen's easy to give up, especially if someone like Tamamo enjoys it that much.
Eat up, no worries.
Man, she eats ramen well.
"Hey, wanna try sundae later?"
Sundae? No idea what it is, but if you're offering, I won't say no.
"Cool, definitely next time."
I nodded, hiding my rising smile.
"I'll buy some soon."
I'd figured out how to handle this arrogant, willful roommate.
Easy when you know how.
I smiled inwardly.
* * *
Tamamo, looking drowsy and satisfied after the egg udon, spoke up.
Whew, that was delicious. Never dreamed such a delicacy existed.
"That good, huh?"
Pricey ramen, sure, but worthy of that praise?
Guess first taste of worldly MSG hit hard.
Taking her to a convenience store would cause chaos.
I shook my head, simulating it mentally, when Tamamo, watching me, spoke.
Got to thinking while eating the udon. Our relationship could use some 'purpose', you know?
"You thought of that over udon? You slurped it down to the bottom of the cup, but still managed that?"
Don't change the subject. Focus on what I'm saying.
Tamamo cleared her throat.
Hehe, so here's my idea. How about we trade koans now and then?
Her words muddled my thoughts.
Koans?
Like dialogues to pursue truth for meditation?
Seeing my expression, Tamamo puffed her cheeks.
Lemme guess. You're thinking weird stuff, right? I mean a simple exchange: one side asks a question, the other answers.
"Oh, thought you were converting to Buddhism or something."
Don't make me laugh. My body's dead, but not my soul. Why would I dig my own grave?
From our talk, I got a sense of what she wanted.
"You want current world info, tech, knowledge, stories from me?"
Obviously.
"And what I get from you is."
Shamanism.
Tamamo started confidently, smug as if to say, You'll bite on this.
One question, one spell. I'll teach you.
"No flaws or errors in your spells?"
Of course not.
Her face twisted like I'd asked something offensive.
I'm the progenitor of spells and curses. The pinnacle nine-tailed fox of my kind. Even the author of that book you're holding can't surpass me in shamanism.
"That good?"
What a question. Why else would top shamans and royals call me Emperor Wu in my prime?
This in my hand?
Professor Nam Hwa-yeon's textbook.
I'd been reading it to outline Monday morning's lecture draft. Tamamo glanced once from behind and boldly declared the author inferior.
Limited to shamanism, sure.
But that confidence meant...
"You're that sure?"
Naturally. No brag, but establishing shamanism as a system was my achievement. I won't disappoint you. Worry's more if your talent falls short of my standards.
"Don't worry. I'll handle that."
Tamamo and I had a rather intimate chat.
But don't get the wrong idea.
Our relationship isn't that friendly.
My eyes turned violet.
[Demon Eye analyzes the spirit, 'Tamamo-no-Mae'.]
[A hundred different true names and lives entwine like a net.]
[Cannot specify her true identity!]
[Spirit, 'Tamamo-no-Mae', eyes the observing Demon Eye without displeasure.]
[Demon Eye forcibly closes!]
[Just before closing, Demon Eye partially grasps spirit, 'Tamamo-no-Mae's identity.]
[The spirit in the ring is a type of evil spirit!]
[She is a possessing spirit bound to the ring, and a lurking spirit eyeing your back for the right moment. No matter her identity, stay cautious!]
She's no ally of mine.
Suspect her.
Don't fall for fox-tongue nonsense like 'trust but verify'.
Remember that.
We're bound only by contract and necessity.
Nothing more, nothing less.