Chapter 85
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 85
Chapter Title: You Come to Seolga Too
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After the Multi-Gate incident, time flew by, and before they knew it, the day before the end-of-term ceremony had arrived.
The atmosphere at the academy afterward, especially among the first-years, could absolutely not be called good.
Even if it was only twenty people, to some, those had been friends they were chatting with, taking classes with, and eating meals with just yesterday—only to vanish overnight.
Fortunately—or perhaps unfortunately—the Ice Castle Guild and Seol Yu-bin faced no particular punishment from the association or public backlash.
The reason was simple.
Before they proceeded with the guild experience, there were records showing they had inspected the gate more thoroughly than required,
and above all, the surviving students who had been in the dungeon with them all testified unanimously.
That Seol Yu-bin and the Ice Castle Guild members had fought the undead swarming them to the end without retreating, even after sustaining injuries to protect them.
Some even testified that Seol Yu-bin had erected an ice fortress to keep the students safe, allowing them to survive.
'Well... that doesn't change the fact that their dead friends are still pitiful. More importantly, I need to clear some time.'
Problems that needed immediate resolution were piling up like a mountain.
He had to figure out how to act during summer break to avoid arousing Seol Yu-bin's family head suspicions, and he also had to keep his promise to give Yoo Ji-an the Empathic Constitution as payment for the Tidal Binding.
A couple of days ago, he'd gotten a call.
Yoo Tae-min had finished all preparations to extract the trait, so all he needed to do was show up.
It would take at most two hours, so he was told to stop by the Yoo family home right after the end-of-term ceremony began.
So, slightly deviating from the original plan, he'd borrow Seol Yu-bin's car to visit the Yoo family, extract the trait,
then browse briefly to see if there were any useful skills or traits before heading to Seolga.
"...Have you heard everything I said, Hyun-sol?"
"Uh, ah. Sorry. What did you say?"
Chae Yeon-hwa, spotting him lost in thought for a moment, flashed her usual seductive smile.
"I'm making time every time for these extra lessons at your request, so if you don't concentrate, I feel a bit hurt?"
"I'm really sorry. I'll concentrate."
"Good. Then let's continue the explanation."
Accepting his apology, she expanded a portion of Rose Field she'd shown in the lab before, deploying 30% of the completed version.
She continued her explanation as he focused on the barrier.
"Rose Field is..."
Professor Chae Yeon-hwa flicked her fingertip lightly, channeling mana into the barrier's core.
In an instant, Rose Field's structure unfolded before his eyes, layer by layer.
It looked like a transparent veil, but upon closer inspection, patterns of order and chaos rotated endlessly within.
A unique structure where multiple phases overlapped and were maintained simultaneously within a single barrier.
Up to here, it didn't seem greatly changed.
As if reading his thoughts, Professor Chae Yeon-hwa smiled again and slowly opened her palm.
"If you think this looks the same as before, it means our Hyun-sol still has a long way to go in understanding Rose Field."
"I-is that so?"
"Yes. So don't make that face—gaze at the barrier with the resolve to absorb everything about me."
Wooong—!
At her words, the barrier's mid-layers trembled lightly, transforming into translucent petal shapes.
"This barrier is a bit different from the last one, which stacked phases to maintain multiple barriers that could break easily yet persist.
This one features instant transformation based on whatever variables the user faces in combat."
The petal form twisted like wind, shifting into a near-circular ring.
"In defense mode, it's a double-rotating 'defense petals'; for tracking or environmental sensing, a 'circular resonator'; for binding and suppression, a 'thorn structure.' All rearrange automatically within one barrier?"
As she lowered her hand slightly, the barrier ceased moving and quietly contracted.
"In the end, the core is just one thing."
Chae Yeon-hwa's expression turned slightly serious.
"Reading the flow. It's not about how much mana you use, but how precisely you position it."
"I see. It's esoteric, but somehow it makes sense."
He nodded.
For those without overflowing mana capacity like Seol Yu-bin, Yoon Seo-rin, or Sophia, precision was key.
That's why he was putting extra effort into learning Rose Field.
"Good. That wraps up today's lesson."
She withdrew the barrier and spoke softly.
While tidying the desk, she brought it up in a very natural, businesslike tone.
"Oh, by the way... Hyun-sol. What are your summer break plans?"
"Pardon? Why do you ask...?"
"It's something professors need to check. For students without plans, we sometimes create personal training schedules for the break."
Her tone was completely natural.
He pondered briefly before answering honestly.
"After the ceremony... I'm planning to go to Seolga. I'll probably stay there the whole break."
It was at that moment.
Chae Yeon-hwa's pupils twitched ever so slightly.
Exactly 0.5 seconds, perhaps.
It was extremely brief, but he definitely felt it.
"......Ah."
A hint of fluster spread across her face.
He could sense her expression stiffen.
But she instantly regained her smile.
"...Come to think of it, I heard a rumor that our Hyun-sol is quite close with that Seol Yu-bin herself. Seems it's true?"
"Y-yeah...?"
"I see. Since you have full plans, no need for me to help."
Chae Yeon-hwa swiftly returned to her usual elegant, composed professor demeanor.
He found it a bit odd but soon shook his head to himself.
'...Was it my imagination?'
It was a perfectly natural reaction, no reason to overthink.
Besides, her staying at the academy up to now already meant she was completely different from the Chae Yeon-hwa he originally knew.
"Then I'll head out first. Thanks again today."
"Sure. Take care."
He greeted her and opened the classroom door.
Just before it closed, he heard her faint mutter and glanced back for a moment,
but soon continued on as if nothing happened.
That evening, after finishing his usual research on formation magic circles and having one last tea with Sophia in the Archive before break,
she set down the bizarrely named Shadow Bird's Feather Forest Tea she was drinking and spoke.
"So... how do you plan to compensate for coldly rejecting my requests twice and hurting me?"
"Hmm... sounds a bit exaggerated?"
"What did you say?"
Seeing Sophia's chillingly bright, slightly unfocused gaze, he hurriedly waved both hands.
"No, no! My bad, I definitely messed up a lot, so I have to pay for it."
"Right? I figured our Hyun-sol would say that, so after agonizing all yesterday, I came up with the perfect request."
"W-what is it?"
"Hmm..."
She tapped the table a few times with her finger, then flashed the world's prettiest smile and looked at him.
"Let's go to the pool this summer break!"
"...This summer break?"
"Yeah! And obviously, just the two of us!"
"Hmm."
He was doomed.
He'd planned to stay at Seolga until the semester started.
Why had this trial suddenly befallen him?
And this time, he couldn't refuse.
He had karma built up.
He'd have to come up with an excuse she'd accept to postpone or just go.
"Hmm, ahem."
He furrowed his brow slightly and tapped the table.
'Telling her straight-up I'm going to Seolga to train magic with Seol Yu-bin noona to get stronger won't fly, right?'
He considered it as a plausible excuse, but it didn't feel like it'd end well.
Sparing one day midway? Not bad.
But ideally, he wanted to immerse fully in training during break, forgetting rest.
One day might seem excessive, but receiving guidance from a powerhouse like Seol Yu-bin—
even 30 minutes was a precious opportunity, not just a day.
So the only option was to postpone...
He glanced up at Sophia's face.
She wore an expression convinced he'd eagerly accept the trip.
'Feels like high-circle magic will fly the moment I speak.'
Second option: pass.
Too risky.
Then, accept and take off one day.
As he deeply pondered and resolved to just play for a day,
a brilliant counteroffer flashed in his mind like lightning—something Sophia wouldn't mind,
no, would even be thrilled by.
He downed his remaining iced Americano and carefully opened his mouth.
"Hey, Sophia, want to do something even better than just the two of us at the pool?"
"...Even better? What's that?"
"Actually, I've arranged to train magic with Seol Yu-bin noona the whole summer break. You know such a chance to learn from a grand mage doesn't come easily, right?"
"Well... yeah?"
As expected, her name brought Sophia's signature displeased squint,
but he ignored it and calmly continued.
"Want to stop by Seolga after visiting the Litwell family? With your talent, noona would love it. Learning ice magic's essence from its master would benefit us both... what do you think?"
"......"
Hearing him out, Sophia made an enigmatic, profoundly contemplative expression.
After about a minute, she slowly spoke.
"...Feels like I'm losing out, but it's just a feeling, right? No, definitely not a loss. As you said, it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity I can't refuse."
"R-right?"
"Yeah, even if it feels like I'm getting tricked, I'll take it. That settles one favor."
Sophia finished her Shadow Bird's Feather Forest Tea and slowly stood.
Looking at his still salesman-like smile, she said irritably,
"Your face is pissing me off a bit."
"Must be your imagination!"
"...Hmph."
She snorted once, grabbed her things, and left the cafe first.
He watched her back until she vanished completely,
then clenched his fists and shouted inwardly.
'Survived again today!!'