Training Begins... and Ends
"Whoa, check out that staff she's got."
Seo-yoon's eyes locked onto the enormous staff. The girl seated in the stands was holding a staff taller than she was.
Yuna waggled her finger.
"Tsk tsk, those huge staffs are usually fakes."
"Really?"
"Real combat staffs are lighter and smaller, you know."
"Oh, I see..."
"Seeing something that big means she's probably new to being a mage, right?"
Yuna parroted what she'd heard from her dad like a little parrot.
"Everyone wants to show off when they first start out."
Yuna grinned with utter confidence.
"Me? I've been at it for two years now, so being a mage feels totally normal~"
Listening to Yuna, Seo-yoon peered curiously at the girl.
"But how'd she even get in here? Isn't this our Royal Academy's rental time?"
"Huh? Yeah, you're right. Maybe private lessons?"
As the two fixated on the girl, the hooded figure suddenly started swinging her staff wildly.
"?"
"What's she doing?"
The girl swung it around haphazardly, then gently wiped it down with her clothes.
"What the heck is she up to?"
"I'm curious. Let's go see."
Seo-yoon dashed toward the stands, and a flustered Yuna hurried after her.
*
"Hmm... not this kind of system, huh."
I blew on it to clean it, then shook my head. It didn't seem like a genie or fairy would pop out with a puff.
I picked up my notebook and drew a line through it.
[Threaten Staff – Fail]
[Bless Staff – Fail]
[Soothe Staff – Fail]
[Talk to Staff All Night – Fail]
[Swing Staff 10,000 Times – Fail]
[Magic Lamp Strategy – Fail]
"What's next?"
It looked mechanical, made of metal, so maybe it had a battery inside.
"Should I try some sunlight..."
As I glared at the staff, two faces suddenly popped up beside me.
"Hey, friend, whatcha doing?"
"Sunlight?"
I glanced over to see a twin-tailed brunette kid and a neat bob-cut girl. The hair faded to a lighter brown at the ends—ether decolorization, not dye.
"Ether decolorization, eh?"
The twin-tails smirked and swept her hair back.
"I'm Yuna from Royal Academy. A 1-level mage... soon-to-be."
"I-I'm Seo-yoon. What are you doing here?"
Only then did I realize academy students had entered the training ground.
"Ah, ahh. I was in the midst of an experiment, verily."
"Verily? Hey, that's grandpa talk."
Yuna eyed me oddly and whispered to Seo-yoon.
"She's kinda weird, huh."
"Yeah, teacher said we should introduce ourselves when someone greets us."
"...I can hear everything, verily."
"Eh~ You can hear that? Good ears."
"Yeah, but you still haven't told us your name..."
"......"
I fiddled with my hood, debating whether to give my name, when Yuna pointed at the staff.
"What's your name? And what's with the staff? Did you sneak it from your parents?"
Her childish, high-pitched barrage drained my energy instantly.
"Leave me be and go train..."
"Why? What are you doing here?"
"Yeah, now I'm curious too."
The two girls stared stubbornly at the staff. At least they didn't touch someone else's stuff—well-raised kids.
"I came for an experiment. I got this staff as a gift, but I know not how to use it."
"Don't you just swing a staff?"
"Yeah, hold it and cast magic."
Have they not cast magic yet?
I'd held off in case something happened, but maybe I should try a small spell.
As I pondered, Yuna clapped her hands.
"Oh! Why not ask the teacher?"
"Right! Teacher knows everything!"
"Not everything... but yeah, pretty much."
Their chatter filled my ears.
At this rate, experimenting's impossible.
I should avoid low-age academy classes, I thought, standing up.
"Then I shall take my leave..."
"Good idea! Let's go to the teacher."
"Eh?! I was going home..."
The kids grabbed my hands and dragged me into the arena. I was forcibly delivered inside.
"Teacher!!!"
"She doesn't know how to use her staff!!"
"Is that a real staff?"
"Teacher, do you know?"
"It's fake, right!"
"Could be her mom or dad's."
"Oh yeah!"
I ignored their noisy chatter and eyed the so-called teacher. Thanks to the hood, she didn't recognize me.
Suddenly, Monica's voice echoed in my mind.
'People will only remember your weird hair. Hide it, and they won't know it's you.'
Her guess was spot-on. As I marveled, the teacher tilted her head.
"Oh my, the ether waves say it's a real staff... but who are you?"
"Ah, well..."
I looked up to explain and met her eyes. Her gaze shook violently upon seeing my face.
She definitely knew who I was. She whispered urgently.
"Mage Yu Eunha...?"
"I-I heard using a staff makes magic easier, so I came to practice..."
I averted my eyes with awkward speech. The teacher nodded awkwardly too.
"Y-Yes, of course! Should we step aside?"
"N-No need..."
As we whispered awkwardly, Seo-yoon butted in.
"Why whisper without us?"
"It's fine, anyone can not know staff basics."
"Teacher! Do you know her?"
Seo-yoon's words made Yuna narrow her eyes at me.
"Never seen her at our academy."
"Maybe she's your sister?"
Flustered, Yuna stepped back.
"Th-Then she should've said her age first! ...Right!"
I shrugged.
"I am indeed seven, verily."
"Ah, whatever! You scared me!"
As Yuna puffed up again, I gripped the staff and looked at them.
"It seems you're practicing Ether Shot. You must seize the ether flow more strongly, verily."
I offered advice, and Yuna raised her chin.
"Hmph! I already know how."
I grinned at her.
"Dost thou? There may be flaws—watch closely."
I gathered ether at the staff tip and cast a simple Ether Shot. Just a tiny amount, like Monica's head-sized portion.
But the moment I did...
"Huh."
Suddenly, all surrounding ether rushed in.
"Wha...?"
The influx whipped up a gale, blowing off my hood and scattering my hair.
"Whoa?! Whoooaaa!"
Yuna's shrill voice rang out.
"It's Yu Eunha! Whoa, Yu Eunha!"
I tried to disperse the ether, but the cast finished faster than I could react. Holding the completed spell back was impossible.
Sensing disaster, I yelled.
"Teacher! Take the children outside!"
1-Level Projection
Ether Shot
A massive, heavy-machinery-sized ether orb shot toward the ceiling, smashing into it with a deafening explosion.
KABOOOOM!
The spell was so powerful that the ether waves alone made my body twitch.
And, as if answering my magic...
Crack—
A familiar sound echoed, just like in Iolde Underground City.
"Ah..."
"Kids, everyone out!"
The academy students fled in confusion at the teacher's command. Left alone, I bowed my head.
The training ground's 300 million won worth of ether had vanished completely.
And then.
Crack, craaaack—
The massive dome ceiling split and collapsed.
"Aaaaaah! My training ground!!!"
One shot cost 300 million in ether, and now the place was wrecked. A multi-billion-won Ether Shot.
"Whoa, the training ground's collapsing!"
"Classic Yu Eunha."
"Who's Yu Eunha?"
"You don't know? The strongest mage!"
"Mom says Isara's the strongest."
Amid the kids' chatter, the supposed 10-billion-won Bundang Training Ground crumbled.
"Aaaah... my training ground..."
Unlike my despair, a boy's clear voice rang out innocently.
"Whoa, awesome! Teacher, if I practice Ether Shot hard, can I do that too?"
"......"
No answer from the teacher.
Thus, on the first Tuesday morning since its free opening week, Bundang Training Ground collapsed again.
*
I set down the staff with heavy sighs.
"Sigh... that's how Bundang Training Ground collapsed again, verily..."
"What the..."
After hearing my full explanation, Monica reached for the staff but pulled back, creeped out.
"So this staff insanely boosts ether synchronization?"
"Aye, verily. Suddenly, all that ether moved as one with me."
Shasha snickered.
"A multi-billion-won fireworks show."
"......"
I glared, and she looked away.
"Well, people were guessing you wrecked it on purpose 'cause of the money."
"......"
I rubbed my dry face.
"I know not how to use this staff properly, verily."
Was I the idiot, or was the staff a pain? It should adjust perfectly when gripped, right?
At least give a manual! Or have a fairy inside saying, "I am the hero's sword!" or something.
Monica clapped.
"How about commissioning Novatech?"
"Novatech?"
"They're experts in ether processing and magic engineering. They appraise and craft artifacts too. With their artifact research, they might know how to use it."
I nodded vigorously.