Chapter 24
Chapter 24
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: How to Steal the Protagonist's Woman
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"You... you bastard...."
"Louis, hold on."
"P-Please wait!"
Louis, fuming with rage, shot to his feet and started toward me, but Sonya and Luna blocked his path.
For the first time, I'd ripped off the mask of hypocrisy he'd worn around me all this time.
'Heh heh, what a moron.'
Though my apology was utterly insincere, I packaged it as extravagantly as a premium Hanwoo set.
"I'm sorry. I don't have any lightning affinity talent at all, so it never even occurred to me that the spell would activate."
"That doesn't make any sen...."
Louis wanted to call it nonsense, but he couldn't say it.
Because I'd said it myself.
I have no talent.
Just moments ago, when I'd drawn the lightning-affinity formal magic circle, it had been pure white.
Besides, you can't just hide an attribute's color on a completed magic circle even if you want to.
A lightning-affinity magic circle should naturally turn golden based on its attribute.
And mine had definitely been white.
"Student Suho is right. He didn't do it on purpose. He couldn't have."
"...Yeah, Louis, hold it together."
Sonya was doing her best to calm Louis down.
But Luna shot me a glance with an unsettling look in her eyes.
'Oh no, she didn't catch on again, did she?'
'Good, that's a relief. Man, this is the real deal—drawing magic circles with just my thoughts.'
While the three of them ignored me completely, I erased the white magic circle and instantly conjured an identical-looking lightning-affinity one.
Since it was a simple shape, it wasn't hard at all.
The punk finally calmed down, glanced at the two women, and sat back down.
"...Be more careful next time."
"Haha, sorry. Who knew you'd blow up like that?"
"... "
We barely managed to smooth things over quietly and resume the activity.
Though Louis couldn't focus because of the burn on his forehead.
In that hour, all we did was practice simple lightning-affinity spells.
The club was all about experimenting with small-scale spells to see how they could be applied.
We started with emitting tiny currents, then levitated objects with magnetism—it felt just like a middle school science lab.
As soon as the activity ended, Louis and Luna stood up first.
"Luna, got time today?"
"Sorry, I have somewhere to be."
"Can't I come with?"
"Sorry."
"Alright... I get it."
Luna glanced at me before leaving the club room.
Louis ignored me completely, as if I didn't exist, and only said goodbye to Sonya.
"Then I'll see you tomorrow, Professor."
"Yes, take care."
After simple farewells, Louis left too.
'Things are getting way easier now. That punk won't bother talking to me anymore.'
'He only has himself to blame for pestering me when I just wanted to stay invisible.'
Sonya saw the two off, then approached me.
"Sorry if I made things tiring for you today."
"It's fine. It was more fun than I expected."
It had been a while since I'd felt like I was in a kids' science class, and it was enjoyable.
Though it'd probably only last a day or two....
Once it gets boring, maybe I can enjoy some biology lessons with you....
Sonya smiled at me.
"Thanks for saying that."
"I'll come tomorrow too."
"Thank you. But...."
"?"
Sonya cautiously leaned her face toward my shoulder and sniffed.
"...You really don't wear perfume?"
"No, I've never used any."
"That's amazing...."
The other women hadn't reacted at all yet, but Sonya was unusually sensitive to it.
'Weird. Is her sense of smell just that sharp?'
'Huh?'
I hadn't noticed at all.
I'd skimmed Sonya's traits once and just thought, 'Hot-blooded professor,' then moved on.
I hadn't checked properly since neither she nor Armonia were mission-related.
'Whoa... She doesn't seem like the type at all.'
I knew you can't judge people by appearances, but someone who looked that pure having unfulfilled desires?
'Doesn't she get it on with her husband often?'
'Wow, since I didn't say anything, she's just keeping at it?'
Unlike in the lecture hall earlier, she kept sniffing, completely entranced by the scent.
A hungry person is more sensitive to smells, after all.
That was probably it.
This might work out better than expected.
But not right now.
"Um... Professor?"
"Eek! S-Sorry! I was just curious... wondering where you get it... Th-That is...."
Sonya snapped out of it at my words and started babbling in panic.
"Professor, it's okay."
"S-Sorry."
"And you don't need to keep apologizing."
"Huh?"
"I really mean it when I say I'm enjoying my time with you. If you keep saying sorry, I'll feel uncomfortable...."
"Ah! R-Ri... No, thank you...."
Honestly, I was frustrated for her sake....
After calming Sonya down, we wrapped up the club activity for the day.
Three days passed after that.
Today's last class was a unique subject.
A new professor I'd never seen before stood at the podium.
He was a kindly-looking man in his fifties.
"I'll be your instructor for Special Magic Studies starting today. Nice to meet you."
Clap clap clap.
It was time to learn unique spells outside of elemental magic.
"For our first lesson, we'll cover mana drain."
The professor began the class in a gentle tone directed at the students.
"The history of mana drain dates back to the Continental War. Back then, mages were used as weapons of war."
Support mages in the rear were like human tanks or fighter jets in modern terms.
The problem was mana.
Unlike today, war required massive, continuous mana expenditure, and mana drain was a breakthrough spell that emerged then.
"But there are almost no records of mana drain being used effectively. The issue was mana pressure."
According to the explanation, mana pressure was similar to air or water pressure.
When someone with high mana tried to suck mana from someone with low mana, the pressure often backfired, draining the caster instead.
"Mana pressure always exists in nature, so the first mana drain research ultimately failed. The second approach was different: casting spells simultaneously."
Can't absorb because of pressure? Then absorb while expending!
That was the second attempt.
But that failed too.
"It failed. Does anyone know why?"
"Yes."
The confident voice belonged to Louis as he stood up.
"Oh ho, go ahead."
"It's impossible to draw two magic circles at the same time."
"Correct. Most people don't know that. What's your name?"
"Louis Brandt Rup."
"Five bonus points."
"Thank you."
As Louis sat with a smile of gratitude, the professor called him back.
"Student."
"Yes?"
"Why do you have a scab on your forehead?"
Pfft...
Laughter erupted here and there.
Mostly from the guys.
There was a black scab on his forehead from the spark I'd zapped him with earlier—it had formed as the burn healed.
"I-It... I got hurt...."
"Ah, sorry. I thought it was food stuck there from lunch."
"Ha... ha...."
Louis forced a stiff smile.
More laughter spread around.
Unable to snap at the professor, Louis kept his rigid smile and sat down.
"As the student with the scab—er, Student Louis said."
Everyone stifled their laughs, afraid of penalties, and listened to the lecture.
Louis's ears practically shook with rage from the back of his head.
'Keke, must be so embarrassing—his ears are red from here.'
'Eh, so what if I laugh a little.'
I ignored Luna staring at me and focused back on the lecture.
"Is there anyone here who can draw two magic circles at once?"
No one answered.
'Me~ I could probably do about six~'
'Still, two would be the max.'
Plus, those circles had to be precise.
Mess up even one, and the whole simultaneous draw is wasted.
"Drawing two magic circles at once is commonsensically impossible. But it happened."
Ludwig Rippenstein, war hero of the past, current great mage and dean of Schutra Magic School.
He had wielded two magic circles simultaneously in battle.
"But even that was only effective in a few battlefields, with no significant results. Mana drain requires the caster to generate the magic circle directly on the target's body. If the target moves even slightly, it ends up draining empty air due to the fixed coordinates."
Even the dean gave up because the efficiency was too low.
But everyone started murmuring.
(Hey, wasn't the Continental War over 300 years ago?)
(He's really been alive that long?)
(Crazy... I thought it was a myth.)
The classroom buzzed with talk of the dean.
His age was unknown.
But during speeches, he appeared to be in his early thirties.
Though his aura didn't feel 30s at all....
He was like a monster hiding everything about himself.
So why didn't Zodiac reincarnate him and just keep him around?
'Why doesn't that guy use the reincarnation system?'
'Hmph, using Enel there too.'
Last bastion or whatever, nothing's off-limits....
The professor finished explaining why mana drain was abandoned and drew a baseball-sized magic circle at the front of the podium.
"Alright, everyone, practice mana drain on the student next to you."
I glanced sideways, and Luna was already staring at me with a blank expression.
Oh~ jackpot!
With an inner cheer, Luna extended the back of her hand to me.
"...Will you do it?"
"Sure, why not. It's class...."
Putting on a show of reluctance, I pulled my desk next to hers.
I gently took Luna's hand.
'Wow... so soft. Pretty hands too.'
'Gonna have these hands give me a handjob later.'
I carefully drew the magic circle on the back of her hand with my finger, like a thin stick, taking care not to damage her skin.
"...Hngh."
"?"
"...It tickled."
I finished the simple one quickly.
And activated it right away.
"... "
"... "
Wow, I really feel nothing.
The professor at the podium addressed the students practicing mana drain.
"You might think you'll feel your mana flowing, but no. Unless an enormous amount is drained in an instant, there's no big sensation."
In fact, since nothing was actually draining, mana drain caused no discomfort.
"That's what he says. Well then.... Huh?"
"I should try it on you too."
As I tried to return to my seat, she suddenly grabbed my hand.
"Fine, go ahead."
I held out the back of my hand.
Luna carefully drew the magic circle on it and activated it.
As expected, nothing happened.
Done with my part, I reset the desks.
Then Luna's voice came.
"...I'll wait for you today too."
"... "
I didn't reply and focused on the class.
After Special Magic Studies ended, Luna packed up and left the classroom.
Seong Suho was still sitting at his desk, lost in thought as usual.
Luna had noticed something by observing him closely: he had a quirky habit of staring into space with various expressions.
'...He's smiling today too.'
To Luna, Seong Suho was an enigma.
His mana seemed low, and his magic power didn't feel strong.
Yet he always achieved remarkable results in unique ways, which intrigued her.
'...Is he really not coming?'
If he kept not showing up, she planned to seek him out herself.
She absolutely didn't want to give up on his abilities.
"Luna."
"Ah."
As Luna exited the classroom, Louis called from right behind her.
He looked at her with a worried expression.
"You okay today?"
"Huh? With what?"
"That weird practice with him. I was worried it'd upset you."
"...I'm fine. It didn't bother me."
Luna had known Louis for a long time.
Not just casually—they went way back.
As a child, her family had been saddled with massive debt to his house.
Her clan was falsely accused of treason, all executed except her, who barely survived thanks to Louis's family.
He was the only one she could open up to, but even so, she pitied him when his true feelings showed.
'He used to be such a caring kid....'
Not that he was evil now.
But he was different from the Louis she remembered, and that saddened her.
"Ah... Louis."
"Yeah?"
"Can we try mana drain for a sec?"
"Sure."
Louis beamed at her and offered the back of his hand.
'He's so sweet at times like this.'
Luna didn't know his smile was reserved just for her.
She drew the magic circle on his hand and cast it.
"Now cast it on me."
"Got it."
Louis drew the mana drain circle on her hand and cast it.
Nothing happened, as expected.
"...Let's head to the club room."
"Huh? Why'd you suddenly want to practice this?"
"...No reason. Just wanted to review."
"You're so diligent, Luna."
Louis smiled at her.
But she missed it, lost in her own thoughts.
'Why did my heart race when I did drain with him...'
Earlier, during mana drain practice with Seong Suho, her heart had suddenly pounded.
She'd suspected a side effect at first, but it started when he held her hand—an odd symptom.
And now with Louis, no such reaction.
Not a mana drain side effect.
And....
'What perfume does he use...? Gotta ask later.'
Thinking of questions for later, she headed to the club room.