Pass
The door creaked open with a deafening thud, and a mountain of books crashed onto the desk with a resounding bang. "Chak!" Yurika dropped the pile of textbooks onto the table and said, "Study this, Young Master." "What is this?" I let out a dry chuckle as I stared at the thick hardcover volumes piled before me. The scent of ancient tomes, unreadable and musty, wafted through the air. "Attribute compatibility charts. The compatibility between attributes and races of summons is crucial. Fire is weak to water, grass is strong against it, and so on. Basic stuff." She explained it kindly, as if teaching a kindergarten student. "Ha..." I sighed and picked up one book. As soon as I flipped the cover, dense foreign characters filled my vision. Squiggly worm-like letters danced across the page. "I have to memorize all of this? Without even being able to read it?" "What? You can't read?" Yurika asked with wide eyes, her expression a perfect mix of pure surprise and playful mischief. "No. I can read it." I replied hotly. "Then can you read the characters I wrote? Hangul. The most scientific and excellent writing in the world." "Hmm... Maybe? I only know the imperial common tongue." She avoided my gaze, glancing out the window. That beaming smile of hers was irritating. "Fine. I'll read it to you from the side. Since you specifically asked me, I have to do it." Yurika pulled up a chair and plopped down beside me. "Ha... Okay. Please read it." I opened the book with a resigned sigh. "That's why summons are so troublesome. That's why I majored in summoner training at the academy. If they can't understand words, they have to be taught through body language. That's why I'm glad Taesan-nim can actually talk." She clicked her tongue. "Y-yes, that's right, Trainer." I answered absentmindedly and turned the page. "Summons come in two main types. Do they have a physical form, or are they of some unusual type?" The page featured pictures of wolves, bears, and flame-shaped spirits. "The common summons are the beast type, like Taesan-nim's animal shape, and the golem type. Everything else is classified as special summons." "What makes a special summon special?" I asked, staring intensely at the pictures. "Well... spirits, or monsters born from the void." Yurika suddenly bent her hands into claws and brought them right in front of my nose. "Aaaah!" "......" I stared at her expressionlessly. "You're not even surprised." She pouted like a spoiled child and lowered her hands. "So special summons are better than regular ones? They look like they even have names." "The species of summons doesn't matter. It doesn't measure strength at all." Yurika tilted her head. "The important thing is compatibility. No matter how powerful a fire spirit is, it can't use its power against a water-slime." Of course, if Taesan-nim is going to punch it senseless, that's another story." She glanced at my arm with a smug smile. "Is that a compliment?" "Of course! It doesn't take much brainpower. Just 'thud!' and it's done." She mimed slapping her palm with a fist. "But Taesan-nim lacks mana, so you have to be extra careful with special summons that use magic attacks. Illusions, curses..." She turned the page and pointed at one illustration. A shadowy monster with red eyes emerged from the smoke. "For example, dream monsters like this can slip into your mind before you even land a punch." She made a scary face. "But since we're dealing with the highest-rank summons, it'll be fine, right?" "Well... you never know until you try." I smiled bitterly. Mental attacks... It was almost like a bad comment section troll. "Okay, next page. This is attribute-specific compatibility charts. Fire is weak to water, water is weak to electricity..." She said, "This is basic stuff, so you have to memorize it." "Ha..." I felt my vision blurring as she pointed at the charts, forcing me to remember them. I grabbed a pen and scribbled hangul in the margins next to the charts. Yurika's eyes widened at the sight, and she leaned over my shoulder to peek. "Wow! What is that?" Her pupils sparkled with curiosity. "Hangul. The writing I always use." "Oh my gosh, it's real letters? It looks like pictures..." She poked my note with her finger. "Pictures? It's the most scientific characters in the world. Do you know how systematic the combination of consonants and vowels is?" "Hmm... It just looks like code to me." Yurika grinned mischievously and tilted her head. "Maybe you put swear words in it? Like 'Yurika is an idiot'?" "Does it bother you?" "Oh no, I got caught." Yurika giggled playfully. "Okay, stop fooling around and focus! The Young Master might be coming to take the exam." She put on a pretend stern face and opened the book again. *** "Are you doing well?" Yustia entered the room with a bright smile. Her expression looked much happier. "Did anything bother you during the stay? If you need anything, just tell Yurika right away. I would have taken care of it myself, but things have been so busy lately..." "Yes. Thanks to you, I was fine. I studied too." I pointed to the cluttered notes on the desk, filled with hangul. "Actually, I should be the one memorizing all that knowledge and giving orders, but since Taesan-nim is a smart being who understands conversation, I decided to give it a try. If he knows it himself, he'll be able to handle it more flexibly in real combat." She trailed off with a guilty look. Common summons only follow the owner's commands like puppets, but the fact that she accepted me as a partner made me grateful. "Yeah. It's nice to know your opponent." I nodded. Suddenly, the cage flashed in my mind, mixing the smell of sweat and cheers. The opponent's specialty, habits, weaknesses... A single line of data analyzed all night by the analyst could decide victory or defeat. When the cage door closed, the only thing I could trust was myself and the strategy I had prepared. No matter how much the corner man shouted, the punch would come from me. "Right? Generally, summon battles are a battle of wits between summoners, but your judgment is just as important as how well you issue commands at the right moment." Yustia continued, her eyes sparkling. "That's why I called you for a practice match today, like a real battle. I need to check how well your movements match my commands." An odd mix of tension and excitement laced her voice. "Sounds good. Let's try it." I clenched and unclenched my fists, lightly stretching my body. It had been a while since my muscles tingled. It was the training field, not the cage, but the scent of combat still made my heart race. "Okay, Taesan-nim. Greet your new friend." Yustia placed her hand on the floor, and a magic circle glowed softly. Ziiing-. The air vibrated faintly, and a small figure rose from the center of the circle. "Ta-da! What do you think? Isn't it cute?" On her palm sat a fluffy white owl. But it wasn't like a normal owl. Blue light shimmered at the tips of its feathers, and its eyes sparkled like stars. "Oh?" I widened my eyes as the owl tilted its head and looked back at me. "Cute, but can it fight?" Honestly, it didn't look like it could take a single punch. "Fufu, don't judge by appearances. This kid is a mid-grade summon called Wind Whisper. It excels at controlling wind and scouting." Yustia stroked the owl's head proudly. "Best of all, its mana efficiency is high, so it can maintain itself for a long time without draining my mana much. This semester, it's the friend I'll rely on for mana control in our party. Even though it's mid-grade, it's perfect for a sub summon." She smiled satisfied. 'I guess my mana deficit has been bothering me all along.' I met the owl's gaze. It stared back at me, then flapped its wings and flew to perch on my shoulder. "Oh my, Whisper likes Taesan-nim too!" Yustia clapped happily. "Really?" "Follow me." I was guided to a massive dome-shaped building hidden behind the mansion. Creak-. When the heavy iron door opened, my eyes bulged. "Whoa..." My mouth fell open. Inside the space the size of a gymnasium, a vast practice arena stretched out, lines drawn like an actual field. The floor felt elastic, designed to absorb impact, and magic circles on the walls glowed softly, like defensive wards. "As expected from a prestigious family." Having such facilities inside the house was amazing. If the gym director back on Earth saw it, he would cry with envy. Yustia walked briskly to the opposite end. The owl on her shoulder flapped its wings and flew into the air. "Okay, let's start with a light practice battle against Whisper." She gestured for me to come closer and shouted. "Ready, Taesan-nim?" I lightly clenched and unclenched my fists and nodded. "Whenever you are." "Great. Whisper, harassment fire!" The moment Yustia's command fell, the owl hovering in the air flapped its wings and let out a sharp cry. Whoosh! Sharp wind blades shot toward me instantly. My heart raced for the first time in a while. The electrifying thrill from the cage surged through my veins again.