Chapter 7
Chapter 7
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: How to Be Loved by Your Master
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In the empire's Crimson Magic Tower lived a genius beauty.
Her name was Elienora Bashrait.
The eldest daughter of the prestigious Bashrait Ducal House.
A rising star who had revived the crumbling Phlogiston School.
The war-ender who concluded a long-standing war with just two spells.
And now, this great archmage was holed up at the top of the tower, buried under her blankets, just scrolling through the gallery.
She had never taken a disciple before, but now she had unofficially accepted one.
He was a human man named Yi Hyun-woo from a planet called Earth.
Not a noble, not the heir to some overflowing merchant guild—just an ordinary human.
If anything, he was closer to a beggar, and his situation looked worse than an orphan in the imperial slums.
Surviving all alone in a world frozen solid.
Her eyes reddened involuntarily.
Yi Hyun-woo was remarkably intelligent and sharp for a human from a magic-less world.
Nothing like slum orphans or rural farmers.
The more Elienora talked with him, the more she sensed his brilliant intellect and noble demeanor.
Respectful and considerate toward others, with firm convictions.
Yes, Elienora Bashrait had fallen hard for the Earthling Yi Hyun-woo.
She had never seen Yi Hyun-woo's face.
He hadn't revealed it himself.
But she had seen his large, scarred hands and heard his sturdy, masculine voice through videos.
That was enough.
To fuel Elienora's imagination.
'What kind of man is he? Barbaric yet... sometimes gentle, tough yet warm. Hng. I miss my disciple.'
She bit her lip.
Elienora had zero experience with men.
For starters, she despised noblemen.
She might tolerate them as conversation partners, but she had no intention of dating weak noble boys.
She wanted a barbaric, rough, tough man.
But those types always lacked intellect—no real conversation possible.
So Elienora sought a barbarian with brains.
In the end, unable to find an ideal husband, she avoided all men.
Rumors spread that the tower lord had no intention of marrying.
Even wild rumors that suitors who proposed to her all burned to death, so no one even showed up for arranged meetings anymore.
Somehow, she became a confirmed bachelorette.
She knew nothing of romance.
So she expressed affection by sharing her vast knowledge.
By placing Yi Hyun-woo in the disciple spot she'd never offered anyone before.
By lavishing him with teachings unstintingly.
Of course, he was oblivious.
And that was exactly what Elienora liked.
One-sided favor.
No burden on him, full satisfaction for her.
"He gets it right away. My disciple is so smart... Hoo..."
"Um, Tower Lord?"
"Eh!? W-what?! What's up? Why barge in without knocking?!"
"I've been knocking for a while... but no answer..."
The tower lord's secretary looked troubled.
Lately, the tower lord's behavior had been off.
Sometimes, entering her study, he'd find her cheeks flushed, talking to herself.
Or staring into space with her mouth slightly agape, smiling.
Her reactions were just like a girl in love.
She was at that age, after all.
Elienora was 18 this year.
Old enough to have a fiancé, date, and dream of marriage.
"Tch... So? Why are you up here?"
"Isn't the Third Imperial Prince visiting the tower today? You should get out of those blankets and prepare..."
"Oh, right. Sigh... I really don't want to see him. Annoying. Why do they keep dragging me into their power struggles? Let them kill each other for all I care."
Elienora sighed deeply and threw off the blankets.
The Crimson Tower Lord was more curious about Yi Hyun-woo's face, scarred by a harsh life, than the Third Prince's delicately handsome one.
The four days since returning from the underground mall had been utterly peaceful.
Thanks to the onyx pad from Cosmic Dust, practicing and studying magic was easier, and with edible rations stocked, there was no need to go out.
I'd remodeled the house into my hideout my way, and no signs of people or undead approaching nearby.
This neighborhood had been stripped bare from the start, just building skeletons left, so hardly anyone came.
"Looks done."
Today, I was brewing potions as Potion Addict instructed.
She taught me how to make magic herb growth solution, I copied it to the onyx pad, followed it step-by-step, and the results were satisfying.
Mixing ghoul eyeballs and beast oil turned it into a thick green liquid—success.
Now just lower the heat and let it cool to room temp.
I filled a glass bottle, cleaned with melted snow water, to the brim with the green liquid.
One bottle accelerates magic herb growth tremendously, she said.
The issue: I have zero magic herbs worth growing.
Two days after hitting 1st Circle, I reached 2nd.
The Ice Age was perfect for fire manipulation.
No matter how heated your head, you couldn't beat the cold.
"Got it!"
Now I could fire three Fireballs at once.
I also learned Flame Whip.
A spell to swing flames in any direction I wanted.
Proof my mana control had skyrocketed.
2nd Circle achieved.
4th Circle mages shine on battlefields, she said.
7th Circle enters expert territory beyond adept.
I tested spells in the front yard.
Fired Fireballs in succession at a snowman target.
Finished with a Flame Whip to smash it utterly.
Solid enough.
At this rate, 3rd Circle is no issue.
But I felt it wasn't enough yet.
'To hit 4th Circle, I need to apply the basics I've learned.'
4th Circle is application territory.
So far: mana emission and precise control.
Shape-shifting comes next, rounding out 3rd Circle.
Master those at will for 4th Circle.
For example, like this.
'What if I compress mana as tiny as possible?'
Mana grows stronger the more condensed to a point.
So make a Fireball bullet-sized.
Pack max mana inside...
Bang-!
Snow pile exploded.
Drained all mana in one shot, but not bad.
This destructive power rivals a real bullet.
From now on, call it Fire Bullet, not just Fireball.
Superior penetration and power.
What if I could rapid-fire Fire Bullets?
Sweep undead easy.
Yeah, meditate first.
Need more mana to spam mana bullets.
Blast past 3rd Circle.
Reach adept 4th Circle.
Two days practicing Fire Bullets.
Non-stop meditation let me fire three in a row.
Effects of meditating like mad outside eating/sleeping.
I wanted feedback on Fire Bullet performance, so I shot a short video and posted to the gallery.
Ice Age vibe—everyone's brutal.
Does cold kill humanity?
Even a new anon dragon evaluated my Fire Bullet.
No Phlogiston flashiness or grandeur, but practical for real combat, everyone agreed.
Especially liking it as a hunter's technique.
Perfect for silent ambushes.
Good. New spell learned—time to head out.
"Ugh, cold. Really don't wanna go."
But I must.
Only two days' food left.
Find something Cosmic Dust likes before rations run dry.
'Wish I could just chill and learn magic.'
To get food, keep scouting.
This area's picked clean—need to go beyond underground mall, farther out.
Let's go.
Destination: nearby electronics mall.
Packed steel pipe and goggles again.
Ditched all excess baggage.
Heavy load slows you down.
Stamina drain makes hunger worse.
'Clear so far.'
Snow falling even during day.
Visibility worse than usual.
But enemies harder to spot me too.
'Around here.'
Honestly, no idea if electronics mall has anything useful.
But gotta check.
Food won't appear by sitting.
"Completely stripped."
Nothing left at all.
Zero salvage.
No wonder everyone turns raider.
Scavenge all you want, no supplies.
Easier to raid hoarders.
"Hah. Freezing."
What now?
Deadline looming.
Send that magazine I picked up last time?
Nah, just nude girls—probably not.
Anyway, call it here today.
Back to hideout before dark.
Sundown means undead on streets.
Still time before tribute due.
Tomorrow, definitely score something.
"Freeze."
"...?"
Hoping for better haul tomorrow, exiting electronics mall.
Then a voice stops me from behind.
I glance back.
A masked raider.
Aiming a bow at me.
Unexpected windfall, in an unexpected way.