Chapter 55
Chapter 55
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: 11. Teacher and Child
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No way could two siblings both end up as teachers. Inha and I laid out yesterday's shocking story bit by bit in front of everyone. Comparing them now, they resembled each other more than I'd thought. I couldn't understand why I hadn't immediately thought of Teacher Jeong Junhwi when I saw her face.
Not just their faces—even excluding their speech patterns, their personalities matched. The calm, sharp gaze, the quiet demeanor... Of course, Teacher Junhwi's eyes were brown, while hers were a deep crimson.
On top of that, their tastes were similar. Sure, they weren't identical, but the similarities stood out first. Both loved sweets. And when I heard they enjoyed pairing them with black tea... Wow, so elegant. Both of them.
Our friends were stunned by the tale. It was the second biggest shock after hearing about Teacher Min's situation from Hyunho.
"But in the end, isn't this good news?"
Minhee clapped her hands in front of the dazed group. As usual, she spoke energetically.
"Either way, it means we get to see Teacher Junhwi and Teacher Min more often!"
"Well..."
"Yeah..."
Everyone's faces brightened. Minhee said once more.
"From what I heard, Teacher Min is that sister? She visits your house a lot, right?"
"So you'll get to see both of them regularly too, Eunha. By the way, where does Teacher Junhwi even live?"
"Urgh... I've never heard, so no clue."
"Either way, we get to see both often. Nice."
Hansu spoke, but Hyunho shook his head with a puzzled look. Finally, Minhee wrapped it up. We all nodded happily in agreement with her words.
From then on, we dove into full-on one-on-one magic training with our personal instructors right in front of us.
That day—when Teacher Jeong Junhwi and Teacher Jeong Mina's relationship came out—we'd been warned to brace ourselves, so we were somewhat prepared. But the training that began was tougher than imagined. During sessions, I lost count of how many times I got knocked down and rolled around. Most happened in the virtual system, so no injuries stuck.
She—Teacher Jeong Mina—stuck to her word, focusing my training on sparring and close combat. I'd never had interest or talent in martial arts, but my adaptability helped. Once I mastered a technique, I could apply it decently. Clumsily, sure, but paired with magic, it reached a passable level. Considering I was an elementary kid, anyway.
We did direct combat drills in the simulation virtual space too. I mainly used barrier magic, rune magic, and illusion magic to protect myself, then struck with attribute magic, spell magic, or illusions when an opening appeared. Teacher said nothing about my style.
In the first real-combat simulation, I barely dodged and defended—didn't land a thing. My barriers held firm, keeping me unharmed. Panicked at first, I froze under attacks until realizing they protected me. Then, using detection, I tracked and downed her with magic.
After that, I realized combat training hugely boosted magic learning. Practice is just practice. I'm quick in real fights, and combat is real.
I stopped avoiding combat drills. Real battles still scared me, but virtual ones were "fake," so manageable. I treated them like illusions sometimes, experimenting freely.
Combat training wasn't bad. Painful and exhausting, but fun at times. I learned tons about using my magic.
After each session, I pondered how to apply my magic in fights. It fueled my growth alongside real-combat drills.
'Good call making a body-enveloping barrier. Always use it in combat. It'll minimize injuries.'
'For runes, instead of fingers, make a dedicated illusion pen with effective options.'
'And draw runes with illusions... or mana... For speed, light. Practiced before—should work in fights too.'
'Word spells...'
I paused at word spells, stopping my writing and looking up.
'What about voice?'
We did individual magic training too. But sparring-style real combat clearly advanced my three innate magics. Plus, Inha and I did basic evasion and attack drills at home.
This must be why Inha loved combat training. Watching my magic grow was thrilling.
Then I decided to evolve my magic once more.
"Using rune magic with your voice?"
"Yes."
I'd mostly drawn runes by hand. Too slow in emergencies. Mana or light sped it up, but I needed faster options. Hence, "voice."
My rune magic basics resembled word spells. And word spells relied on voice. Worth a shot.
"Not bad... But it'll take lots of practice."
"Yes!"
After that, I diligently practiced voicing runes. My illusion magic improved hugely too. Brain-influence success neared fifty percent. Now I could enter total strangers' dreams, not just friends'.
I could reach dream crossroads too... Hard to explain. A path where everyone's dreams and memories converged? Countless scenes lined it. Houses and doors everywhere—each a dream or subconscious. Some doors locked, some not. Knocking worked sometimes; doorbells failed others. Bizarre feeling.
But it was chaotic. A mere breeze could disorient me—I got lost easily in dreams. My own dream always pulled me back, though, so low risk.
With friends' permission, I tested mental illusions on them directly. Still unfamiliar, it guzzled mana. But it worked. Showed desired scenes, entered their mental worlds.
Growth wasn't just mine. Inha handled magic far more skillfully—hiding light within light, not just shining it. Hyunho progressed in sub-magic theory.
"I have tons I wanna do."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. I play with water magic like toys. Thought toy magic'd be fun—summon and control toys. But I'd love if they talked? Toys fall short... Also wanna fling water with wind. Or explode it... Anyway, tons I wanna do. Teacher suggested word spell magic."
"Word spells?"
I blinked. Word spells—for Hyunho.
"Yeah. Needs lots of magic creation or learning, but at my age, making too many turns most to support spells. Mine are sub-spells now. Yeah, word spells handle control and such. Reminded me of you, Eunha. Felt right. Plus, question!"
"What?"
"Can rune magic make wind?"
"Sure."
"Explosions?"
"Yep."
"Dolls?"
"Yeah... Making dolls?"
"Uh-huh."
"Word spells alone won't cut it—at my level. I'd illusion a doll, embed a mana stone core, control with runes."
"Hmm... I see..."
Hyunho pondered, not quite connecting. I patted his shoulder.
"Sub-magic won't be simple. Think more."
"Yeah... True."
Anyway, he had a lead. Hansu poured effort into his sub-magic. Minhee...
Minhee created one. Not strictly sub, but what she needed most: "perception magic."
Like my detection turned magic. Sniper-main Minhee needed surroundings intel. Hence perception magic.
Senses surroundings, feeds info straight to brain. Normal heads overload; Minhee didn't, thanks to memory talent.
But despite creating it, she looked troubled. Creation isn't pure brainwork.
"Sniper magic... Good... Fits me... Love weapons... Made it for that... Magic bullets do so much... But why do they feel lacking...?"
She'd mutter like that sometimes.
Everyone hits growth walls. Smash through, climb new stairs—clearer growth. Worry, hurt, think, clash, grow. Multiple times per person. This was our first as true mages.
Getting masters was great for us. That's when I settled on calling Teacher Mina "Master" inwardly. I adore titles. Felt perfect. She was my first true master.
Master and teacher differed in my mind. Probably from manga and novels.
'Master'—such a dream.
While kids developed sub-magics, I evolved mine. Barriers and illusions evolved endlessly; runes hit limits faster from "drawing" premise. Now voice outpaced hands. Combining both? Another path.
Evolving innate magic: thought, imagination, effort, practice, action. I voiced runes like casting.
Words written, sentences shouted—easiest?
Started light. Imagined spell form, shouted.
"Darkness!"
"Light!"
"Rise!"
"Move!"
Writing? Natural. Speaking? Awkward. But words' power? I knew. Chains binding me, word spells, clashing emotions between people.
Took three days? to voice-activate first. Words etched as runes, magic fired. Indescribable thrill.
"Succeeded voicing runes? You'll master it quick. First steps hardest. Feel different from writing?"
"Hmm... Voiced feels like stronger 'will.'"
Master smiled faintly.
"Words and writing similar yet different. That's the gap."
I nodded quietly.
Like us pondering magic, classmates started too. Their task till elementary graduation: craft main magic. Middle school mana surge eases innate after one main. We pioneered rough shortcuts ahead.
Attribute-sensing practice shifted to basic mana control for attribute magic; theory focused innate development. Our grade all knew innate crafting now.
"Got it? Support magic's fine. But first magic often locks as main—strongest desire. Be cautious creating. Plan: one, name; two, usage. Fill a notebook page on usage. Main's crucial—think deep. Mana too low? Can't anyway."
Teacher said that, but kids had enough mana. Mine was way less first time.
Lunchtimes, we gathered in library nook's secret room. Piled snacks, chatted.
"Kid me was like 'this magic!' No real pondering."
"Same. Water fun, wanted to play—poof, made."
"Loved plants, wanted my own—made it?"
I smiled quietly. So them. Hansu seemed unpeaceful but was.
Inha chuckled. Hansu scowled instantly.
"What! Why laugh?"
"Just."
They bickered habitually. Hansu, not malicious. I waved hands to stop. Hyunho asked Inha.
"You, Inha? How'd you make yours?"
"Well... Best affinity. And... Eunha said light suits me."
Inha blushed. Wow. Years ago? She remembered. Hansu snorted knowingly.
"You would."
"Problem?"
"Nope~? Too obvious."
"Hmph."
"Yes, yes."
I wedged between. Adorable.
"So Eunha? How'd you make yours?"
I paused, wording it. Remembered clearly. Raised finger.
"I love manga, novels? So I love making stories."
"Stories?"
"Yeah. More create than consume. Art's meh though."
Laughed. Hands-on creation? Full of flaws.
"Seeing manga, novels, anime—I think, 'Wanna make this.'"
Past life, novelist. Readers loving my books—dream. Share my tales.
"So wanted magic vividly showing stories. Illusions like animation. Runes—love novels, words craft tales. Barriers... Stage for stories. Uh, just wanted barriers. Bad?"
"Nah, makes sense."
Minhee laughed oddly. I smiled faintly. Wanted "just because"? My weakest—barriers. I rationalized magics. So different from kids. Faded smile.
Pondering, bickering—spring flew. Soon my birthday. Promised Inha piercings. Sadly, unfulfilled.
"Huh? Whyyy~?"
"First tantrum ever. Even roping Inha. No. Too young for piercings."
"Not young! Just ears."
"That's kid stuff."
"Classmates have 'em!"
"Few, right?"
"Mooom~."
"No! Middle school earliest."
"Three years??"
Choked. No piercings this year. Mom caved to begging—next year promise. Sighed after. Better than post-graduation. Inha and I disappointed but glad.
Spring passed, events, classes—semester finals neared. 3rd grade 1st sem practicals: three.
One: Succeed 1+ E-rank spell. Or 10 F-rank spells.
Two: True magic. Succeed one basic. Types: ink-direct or magic-ink. First needs memory/smarts; second pure mage skill. Ours: latter.
Three: Mana-shape success. By 2nd grade, mana-only works. Not just move—physical force shapes.
"Finals plan?"
3rd graders matured. Natural study flow.
Written: Minhee aces, occasional slips—lesson-memorizer. Struggles literature—dislikes books, low emotion. Still memorizes answers.
Hansu, Inha fine. Smarter than me. Near Minhee recall; textbook reread—done. Cheats.
Oddly, lit strongest: ex-novelist me, and Hansu. He second book-lover after me, sensitive. Sad films: Minhee/Inha stoic (laugh at tragedy peaks); me quiet tears, Hyunho sobs, Hansu pretends-not-crying.
Finals: All but Hyunho fine—adult me excluded. Hyunho practical ok, written worry.
He's most average sans talent—personality, smarts. Still cheat. Play > study. Studies with us, struggles. Minhee/Inha too smart—can't explain. Unfair world.
Thus, finals: Hyunho whining tutor—me/Hansu. We guide self-solving. My smarts average like his, but 3rd grade doable... minus memorization.
Elementary: non-memo easier. Reverses later.
"Finals? What finals? Study, duh."
Odd look at Minhee. Her: "Not that. Spell test—10 F or 1 E?"
Hiding strength, huh. Hyunho instant.
"10 F? Tedious. 1 E plenty."
"Right?"
All nodded. Hansu/Inha lazy too. Me same.
"10 F... Score varies pick, hide skill—E simpler?"
"Yeah."
"E-users appearing..."
10yo E-rank tough. But talent school: some peers starting. 1-2/class enough. Hidden ones too? Not our level, but.
"Oh, Sihwa? Missing."
Hyunho glanced. Yeah. Odd look. Planned group study. Some need none...
"Her? Friend date. Studies tomorrow?"
"Ok... Study time!"
Weakest Hyunho eagerly opened book. I toughest subject. Lit best; past science > math. Elementary math not brutal...
Society first. Here differed—modern history. Magic-science Earth ≠ 21c mine.
Studied awhile. Me/Hansu alternated Hyunho helps. I read-solve style—comprehensive workbook. Solving memorizes. Great for memorization. Wrongs stick.
Minhee breezed textbook, workbook—gone quick. Hansu/Inha same. Me/Hyunho normals. Despaired. Hyunho yawned.
"Ugh... Boring... Hate studying..."
"Yeah, yeah."
Patted whining Hyunho sighing. Minhee: break?
"Sitting desk sucks~! Rest? Pleeease?"
"Ok?"
"Wanna rest."
Agreed easy. Minhee finished, snacking secretly. TV-cooled, chat drifted.
"Right! Spar?"
Minhee again. Friends yes.
"Fun! Never sparred people!"
"Me neither!"
"True."
"Teachers didn't ban sparring?"
Troubled but agreed. Minhee's house had virtual.
"Virtual system—wounds vanish."
"Good. Do it."
Sparring set. Headed virtual room together.