Eunbyeol's Story
Eunbyeol's parents were the type who idolized mages.
"Byeol has a positive ether synchronization rate, so she can become a mage~"
"That'd be wonderful, Byeol. Become a great mage, okay?"
But despite all that admiration, it seemed they didn't truly understand a mage's life.
They didn't know that a positive ether sync rate was just the starting line.
The prestigious academy she entered at age seven was filled with kids far more talented than her.
Eunbyeol's own talent was barely enough to line up at the starting gate—utterly insignificant.
"It's okay, Eunbyeol. You can raise your sync rate with effort."
But after three years at the academy, Eunbyeol knew the truth.
With her meager talent, she could never become a pro.
Her only hope was that her mental core was useful enough to qualify her as a supporter.
But even that had shattered into pieces recently.
What she'd seen in her foundation was a tiny courtyard blanketed in fluffy white snowflakes.
Frail. Useless.
Just like her.
"White snowflakes as my mental image..."
Far from useful—it left her clueless about what kind of magic to even develop.
"They say prodigy Isara has something immense like a supernova."
Compared to that, she was just plain white snowflakes.
"But I can't give up."
Her parents had sacrificed so much for her.
The tuition at this elite academy was astronomically expensive, and they shouldered it all.
So she had no choice but to run until her body broke.
Running away wasn't even an option for this seven-year-old girl.
Today, too, she was just practicing meaningless magic like always.
Splash—
A 1-level spell, Water Splash, from Myeonghyuk's hand—the class bully.
As it hit her, she thought:
"If only I could use magic like that..."
Maybe if she got drenched like this every day, her mental image would change?
Melt away those cozy snowflakes and replace them with the moments of her torment?
"They say mental images never change, but that's not absolute, right?"
As she pondered that, the kid she'd once given candy to jumped in.
"Hey, you worthless brat."
The sudden intruder boldly picked a fight, then knocked down Myeonghyuk—the strongest ten-year-old around.
Crack—
"Whoa, is she some athlete?"
"Shouldn't we stop her?"
"Nah, let her hit him a bit—he kinda deserved it."
"Yeah, fair."
The other kids mistook her for some athlete.
But Eunbyeol could tell—gentle ether waves rippled around the girl.
"That's the Casting Hold the teacher mentioned..."
Thud—
"Stop! Waaah! Teacher!"
The girl didn't stop even as Myeonghyuk wailed.
Finally, the protective barrier shattered, and her fist met his face.
Smack—
The boy went from sobbing to wetting his pants.
"Oh my god..."
Eunbyeol's eyes caught it: ether waves spreading calmly, like they'd frozen in place.
Far more beautiful than the teacher's example.
Crack—
A crisp sound, followed by the brat's lecture.
"Greenhorn, in this harsh world, beware women and children, verily."
"Waaah!"
"And if she's a woman and a brat, she's a monster—mark my words. This is advice for thy sake."
The brat struck the boy's cheek with her fist, using that odd speech.
Crack—
"Waaah!"
"A boy with a pecker, bawling like that! The barrier spell kept it from hurting anyway!"
"You broke it!"
"Oh, did I? What a frail barrier—unexpectedly so."
"It was a 5-level spell!"
The boy's face, forcibly lifted by the brat's hand, was swollen black-and-blue.
No way it didn't hurt.
"Tch! No broken bones, no torn muscles—why wail so pathetically? At thy age, spit heals it all. I went easy, and still thou criest."
As the brat kept on, the supervising mage teacher rushed in.
"What in the world happened?!"
The kids explained, and the teacher named Yejeong scolded the brat.
"You brat! Where are your parents?!"
"Not here, milady."
That made Yejeong snap.
"What nonsense is that?! Hand over your phone, kid!"
"I carry no such thing, milady."
"And what's with that rude mouth to an adult?!"
"Urk, well! She spoke casually first!"
"You look like an apprentice mage—are you an academy student?"
Eunbyeol rubbed her stinging eyes and approached the teacher, having overheard.
"She's the friend I met on the stairs earlier. She was wandering around."
"Indeed. I was merely strolling when these brats kidnapped me and dragged me here! What manner of supervision is this?!"
Flustered, Yejeong scratched her head.
"Uh, how old are you, miss? Do you have the same constitution as President Lee Haryeong...?"
The brat held up seven fingers.
"S-Seventy?!"
"Seven years! Yu Eunha of no affiliation, milady."
Yejeong's face flushed at Eunha's words.
"No way! This brat is the real—"
Just then, a voice from the training ground entrance.
"Ahem! Little one!"
A person with sharp teeth, huge glasses, and a flapping shark tail...?
Eunbyeol stared blankly at the fascinating figure.
"Sorry, sorry~ Our little one caused trouble for Karmic Fire Mage Kang Yejeong~"
"Yuri?!"
"Whoa~ Sorry~ She said she was going for a walk and never came back."
"Hmph, merely disciplining an ill-mannered brat."
"Yu Eunha, you'll get an earful later."
"......"
The girl called Yu Eunha pouted and glanced at Eunbyeol.
Her eyes crinkled with a strange amusement.
*
She's a talent too good to let slip away.
Low ether sync meant limits on the amount she could handle, but her control was innate genius.
With polish, she could learn spell theft, Reverse Flow...
I wanted to see her once more, at least.
I approached the still-sobbing boy and bowed my head.
"Forgive my loss of temper, young one."
"Huh?"
He looked up mid-wail.
"Supervising mage."
I spoke with utmost courtesy.
"I study under my master, but know not how other children learn magic."
"...Pardon? Uh, what?"
"At times, I wish to observe how peers train and master spells."
"......"
"Might I humbly request permission to observe? If coin is needed, I shall provide."
Yejeong stared blankly at Yuri.
Yuri wagged her tail, chuckling.
"Ehehehe. See? Our little one's one of a kind, right? How does a kid like that even exist?"
"Uh..."
After a moment's thought, Yejeong tilted her head.
"You have a master? Whose disciple are you, then? I haven't heard of any one-on-one mentoring in Korea."
"Er..."
Yuri broke into a cold sweat, glancing at me.
I shook my head vigorously; she looked skyward.
"Uh? What? I dunno~? I'm just temporary babysitting~?"
Yejeong pinched her brow.
"Yuri, people aren't pets. Temporary what?"
"Huh? Oh! Right! Uh, well! I really don't know! Anyway, gotta go!"
Yuri scooped me up and bolted.
Hanging from her side, I murmured quietly.
"Thy eloquence leaves much to be desired, Teacher Yuri. Thou reeked of knowing my master's identity. And thou heard not their reply."
"Shut it! And quit with the old-man talk!"
"Is this better, then?"
"I hate both!"
Yuri flapped her tail toward the underground parking.
*
Hm.
I faced Yejeong awkwardly.
My master Monica and supervising mage Yejeong were close friends.
She'd already promised a visit here.
"I knew not thou wert friends with my master, teacher. I apologize for concealing her."
"Pfft."
Yejeong laughed; Monica blushed.
"Monica, did you really teach her to talk like that?"
"...As if! I wanted a polite, clever disciple!"
"And got an old soul instead?"
"Old soul? Harsh words, that."
"...Is that really how she talks?"
"Yep."
"Sigh..."
"Experiment subject from an unregistered tower's illegal tests, looks like. Had to forge new papers."
Yejeong swallowed hard at Monica's words.
"Get why I asked you to keep it secret?"
Yejeong nodded.
"Didn't think Korea had such ruthless bastards too."
"Right~ Killed her family, starved and beat her if she disobeyed."
"Heavens..."
Lies, but close enough.
Mages dying kin, Mage Hunter days of starvation and beatings like a dog—all true for a mage, anyway.
"Heavens!"
Yejeong teared up, petting my head.
"Poor kid, you've been through hell. No wonder you're... unique."
"I am not strange."
The world's the strange one.
I sighed and got to the point.
"Anyway, I'm curious how kids my age learn magic."
"But the sevens have off today."
"All the better, milady. 'Tis the tens' curriculum that intrigues."
Yejeong and Monica tilted their heads.
*
Prestigious academy's tens, eh?
Third-year apprentices, then.
Yet their skills were underwhelming.
So-called seniors who'd studied three years got pummeled, cried, and rolled on the floor by me—without landing a spell.
"Hmph. Three years my senior, strutting about, yet equal to me."
"S-Spare me!"
"I shall."
I drew a starlight dagger from thin air.
"But per our pact, a leg I claim. One crippled limb makes life harsh ever after."
"Waaah!"
I prodded the cocky boy's knee.
"Chop here—perfect. Limp forever, recalling thy folly."
As I tapped the flat with the blade, Yejeong rushed over.
"Eunha! No scary pranks! You're frightening the big kids!"
I vanished the dagger with a shrug.
"Apprentices who've cleared the Abyss—this frail of heart? Useless, teacher. They need occasional reality vaccines."
"Eunha, first floor's just mental image check and one abyssal—nothing life-risking. Adults train for that later!"
"No guarantee it's always so..."
But meddling in pro training policy is unwise.
"My apologies."
I stepped back; the beaten kids spoke up.
"Right! First floor's easy with the bracelet's protection!"
Emboldened by a girl's words, they rallied.
"Yeah! No need for scary pranks! Just one Ether Shot through the shield!"
"Right! Violent girl!"
"No violence!"
"Beast brat!"
"Fighter!"
"We can't just fight!"
"All fists!"
"Yeah!"
I pouted at their counterattack.
"Power built on fear crumbles swift... Politics demands grand vision."
Yejeong's odd look prompted explanation.
"Fifth Republic game. Played it young."
"Eunha, back to your seat."
"...Very well."
I scanned around with a sigh.
Expected that girl Eunbyeol to show after the ruckus.
But she was nowhere.
After hours of class, I tugged Yejeong's pants.
"Eunha, something wrong? Bathroom?"
"Nay, a curiosity. Knowest where Byeol is?"
Yejeong clapped.
"Ah, looking for Byeol? She's probably at the training gym~ Said she wants to train all day. And it's Byeol unnie to you, Eunha?"
"...Thanks."
I bowed and dashed to the gym.
Yejeong flung open the classroom door, yelling.
"Eunha, no weird stuff!"
"Understood! I'll behave!"
At the massive gym labeled "Training Ground," I heard clatters and burst in.
There stood Eunbyeol, threads of ether unspooling across the floor like skeins.
Silver threads evenly laced with ether, their fineness proving perfect Ether Control.
I grinned wide at the chilling sight.
This talent was more than enough—overflowing.
Aye, mine eyes deceive not.
She was my kind.
She could inherit Reverse Flow.