Chapter 74
Chapter 74
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 74
Chapter Title: 15. School's Star
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A few days later, I was actually summoned by the chairman. It was my first one-on-one meeting, so I was a bit nervous, but nothing out of the ordinary happened. The chairman simply said that as long as I didn't go overboard with anything, I could do as I pleased. To live freely. He said it with a warm, affectionate hue in his emotions. Then he bowed his head toward me, saying thank you. I think I was a little surprised by that.
But regardless, the noisy days continued afterward. It was a sudden upheaval that had invaded my quiet daily life. Maybe because they were kids from the magic world, they looked at me with sparkling eyes that were annoying, embarrassing, and overwhelmingly burdensome.
However, even that everyday life, which I thought I'd never get used to, started to become familiar little by little, very gradually. As I dealt with the swarming kids and my friends helped fend them off, it grew familiar bit by bit.
"By the way, did you hear? Eunha, you got a fan club!"
……No, scratch that. I'll never get used to it. I asked Minhee in bewilderment.
"Huh……?"
The other friends turned to Minhee with shocked expressions too.
"What?!"
"For real?"
I wondered if this was a dream or reality. Minhee was the most sociable among us and the one most in tune with school rumors. So there was some credibility to her words……or was there? Argh, whatever, I don't know!
Next to my flustered self, Hyunho clapped his hands and said.
"Wow. I knew you were super popular lately, Eunha."
"Yeah, totally. Eunha's fan club! It's blowing up in the elementary division~"
"Really?"
"Yeah. I overheard them talking among themselves. Some kids are memorizing your favorite books. They discuss what you did, or even took sneaky photos…… Oh! I made them delete the photos. Told them never to do it again, so don't worry. And they talked about us too. Hansu and Inha are popular too, right? So kids who like them join Eunha's fan club or whatever~."
"……Wait, wait! Hold on!"
I grew even more flustered at her words. Lately, bewildering things kept happening, but this was outright absurd. In my previous life, when a fan cafe popped up under my pen name, I'd just been thrilled. Who would've thought I'd hear about having fans and not be happy?
"Um……."
Of course, I knew fan clubs were a big thing in this world. And that they formed more for people famous for magic than idols or singers. So……I was well aware that the higher your rank and magical achievements, the more fans you got.
But my head was spinning. I had talent, sure, but I was just an ordinary elementary student. Not even an adult, let alone ranked as a mage. No way I'd make the rankings. A fan club for someone like me? This wasn't a comic book—what kind of ridiculous nonsense was this? Even comics didn't have stories this extreme.
Flustered, I asked Minhee.
"F-Fan club? What the heck is that? And what do you mean by all that?"
It's true! How do they know my favorite books! ……No, they could figure that out. But why dig into my actions! Sneaky photos……
Minhee looked a bit flustered herself as she replied, apparently catching my panic.
"Uh, well……some girls from our grade banded together. You know how after that day, stories about you spread through the whole elementary division, and everyone in our grade admires you? They were saying how cool it was that you saved them with magic. Anyway, kids kept coming to you and causing a fuss lately."
"……."
"So it grew from there…and a few days ago, about a hundred kids formed your fan club. Oh! Right, the real shocker is this! Even I was floored!"
……Minhee was shocked? I swallowed hard, looking at her fearfully. Minhee's eyes widened as she said.
"Your fan club president is Kang Yesl! And the vice presidents are Siha and Yun Si!"
"What?!"
"For real?!!"
"……."
And I fell silent. What……? The president and vice presidents are who……? I went completely blank. The others looked shocked too. So……so……I couldn't process Minhee's words for a while and fell into a panic.
"Wow, Siha of all people……."
"I never thought Siha would……."
"Come to think of it, last time she was blushing like crazy, gave you a gift, and asked about you, right? Hey, Inha, you saw that too?"
"Yeah. Now that you mention it……."
"Hmm……."
I listened dazedly to the kids' chatter, then finally hung my head. Wow……my heart feels like it's turning to ash. Like ash that could scatter and fly away. Into that blue sky……
Yeah. Time to let go. That's the answer. I nodded firmly, resolved.
To put it simply, I'd become the kids' 'object of admiration.'
Developing multiple unique spells—something kids our age couldn't do—and blocking an adult mage's attack with solid magic. What kids in this world admired was 'strong mages.' Even if they were known villains. Kids unconditionally admired strong mages.
In the end, it wasn't just me they admired, but me and my friends—our whole 'group.'
Sometimes kids used honorifics with Inha and Hansu too, and some gushed to Minhee about how she was Joo Je-hyeon's little sister. That made me worry Hyunho might feel left out, but he seemed proud of it. No change in the increasingly vivid emotional colors either.
Oh, right—lately, emotional colors were becoming clearer and clearer. If mana colors were like flames, emotional colors were like sprayed mist or paint. They floated around people like vague clouds.
Last year, I could only detect faint flickers, but now they were as clear as mana colors. The emotional hues in my vision were countless, each expressing different feelings. And the sensation from the colors told me exactly what emotion the person felt—like it hit my heart directly. Touching the color made it even sharper. It was truly wondrous.
My familiar daily life shifted subtly. The noisy kids, the voices crowding around me, the eyes sparkling with admiration—they were burdensome, but when they spoke to me, I'd respond with some sincerity. Except about magic—I always stayed silent on that. Gradually, the kids started respecting my feelings.
School life calmed down about a month later. After Inha's birthday, with summer break approaching, we regained some peaceful school days.
Maybe because I'd grown accustomed to the kids' new behaviors, unlike before. I'd adapted to what I thought I'd never accept.
At school, I'd collect gifts from my locker or desk. If edible, I'd check ingredients before eating. Honestly, I figured kids wouldn't tamper with food and almost ate them anyway, but friends stopped me. So now I always scanned them. For the record, not once had tampered food arrived.
I'd accept the admiring glances or greetings. Ignore the sneaky stares. Or respond appropriately. That was it.
And now, savoring the newfound peace in our hearts, we were back to chatting about magic.
"Check this out. I can make anti-tank beam cannons now?"
"You firing that by hand?"
"No way. I don't have the strength to handle the recoil yet. I can augment with mana, but……so I'm thinking of developing another spell. Physical enhancement. I like guns, but I wanna try throwing weapons too."
"Cool."
Minhee and Inha's talks always revolved around combat prowess. I half-listened, then turned to Hansu and widened my eyes.
"Huh? Hansu, is that……made with your magic?"
"Yeah. Wood's great for crafting stuff."
"But if you make a flowerpot, won't a tree grow from it?"
"Probably. And as it grows, maybe a pot-like hollow forms in the trunk? Thought it'd be fun to add soil, fertilizer, and grow flowers, so I tried."
I smiled at Hansu, who explained his magic with a joyful expression. Despite his prickly exterior, he was truly kind inside~. He loved growing flowers and trees; his rough speech aside, he was delicate in personality and thoughtfulness. Sometimes I felt like Hansu and I clicked best.
Plus, I loved growing things. But plants—except trees—always died on me weirdly. Even watering right, they'd wilt, roots rot……so I stopped. Clay cracked when I touched it. Totally made sense why plant and earth affinities didn't suit me. My only success was cat grass……
"Can I copy the process for that?"
"Go ahead."
Friends generously let me copy their unique magics. Well, no killer moves yet, so maybe they didn't mind. Thanks to them, my arsenal grew: wood magic, homing shot magic, water magic, incantation magic.
Hansu's wood magic I could manage, but flower magic……total mismatch, barely worked. Had to combine with runes if I insisted. Sad. Minhee's weapon manifestation needed precise structure, so better as illusions—not using or able to.
I focused and cast. Slowly, a pot-shaped wood formed over my hand. I beamed at it. But Hansu, watching, suddenly looked puzzled.
"Huh?"
"What?"
"No……your eyes just changed color?"
"What? Really?"
Flustered, I touched around my eyes. Mages' eyes changing with mana color during spells was common. Rare from childhood, though……
"Yeah. Kinda blue? Sky blue, I think."
I tilted my head. First time hearing about my eyes changing.
"Hmm……maybe my mana's stronger?"
I shrugged it off.
My copying talent grew steadily too. Started with compatible spell or true magics, then anything. Tried using copied spells my way, but since I knew their methods, ended up similar.
Actually, secretly copied classmates' magics too. Kept it from everyone. Felt guilty, but curiosity won—I kept observing and copying.
Lately, training with only copied magics. Practice them, then real combat drills once decent. Virtual space battles or scenarios. Scenarios: become story protagonist, progress while training—like simplified possession novels or VR games. Mages specialized in scenario writing existed—sounded fun. Tried a game scenario last time; pretty enjoyable.
Win rate in virtual battles improved, but still win-lose cycle. Per master's advice, upping levels gradually, but hard to gauge. Sparring only via her CDs……
Doing okay, but master never assessed my level, and no real spars with people, so tough to judge.
School now had official sparring in class. But couldn't go all-out on kids (I was one too), so half-assed it. Hated attacking anyway, so lost sometimes.
Kids who figured my strength looked frustrated—super obviously. Friends who knew me just laughed.
P.E. often joint classes; today three classes together, so Minhee and Hyunho too.
"Eunha's still bad at attacking~."
"Probably just hates doing it."
Minhee nodded at Hansu and asked.
"Not using unique magic? We started using ours everywhere."
"Kids' stares are too much……just attribute and spell magic."
"Makes sense."
True magics mostly integrated into runes, so skipped. Some spells too, but long chants. Thus, in class spars: spells and attributes mainly.
Restricting unique magic, I didn't lose to kids. But……they're kids? Tried not hurting them, so sometimes lost despite control. School spars didn't boost my growth much.
"It's pretty hot today."
"Yeah. Brutal."
"Eunha's heat-resistant, huh? Lucky."
I tilted my head at them. Looking around, other kids outside for P.E. fanned themselves, complaining of heat. Some red-faced, sweating buckets. Checked phone weather: daytime high……28°C?!!!
'Definitely high. I'd feel it too at this temp.'
Casually checked my arm. Dry, no sweat. Felt it was warm today. But 28°C?
Odd feeling. I'd always been heat-tolerant. But zero sensation at 28°……realized mana hugely influenced my body.
"Teacher! It's hot—can we do P.E. in the gym?!"
"Yeah!"
"Doing P.E. outside in this weather is too much."
"You kids. Gotta get some sun."
"Still~."
"Two hours today—too hot!"
"Eunha-nim! Eunha-nim, it's hot, right?!"
Then someone grabbed my arm. Kang Yesl, sparkling eyes asking.
"Yeah? It's hot!"
All eyes on me. Ee……kids' honorifics to me were kinda normal now. Luckily, only fan club kids or sympathizers……big relief. Same for -nim. Lower graders used it more. Scary.
Burdened by stares, I grabbed Inha's hand. Awkward since I barely felt heat, but went with flow.
"Well……yeah, hot?"
Kids gazed pleadingly at teacher. Wow, clever. Admire me, now using me. Not bad—kinda cute. Teacher sighed.
"Fine, fine."
"Yay!"
"Sweet!!"
Amid cheering kids, I glanced skyward. Blazing sun matched the heat perfectly. Should use parasol. Kids using looked weird, embarrassing though.
Turning, a girl approached shyly, handing something. A parasol—exactly what I'd thought of.
"This is……?"
"Parasol! For you and friends! Only one, but……sun's harsh!"
"Uh, wait……."
Flustered, stared at parasol in hand. Where'd this come from? Why carry it? Student ID? She returned to friends, giggling shyly. I rolled the white lace parasol in my hand.
"What'll you do with it?"
At Hyunho's question, I pondered then said.
"Yeah, might as well……use it?"
"Nah. Not using princess parasols."
"I'll use it? With Eunha?"
"Sure. Suits you—you're pretty and princess-y."
Hansu said to Inha shamelessly. Ooh? I admired. Inha blinked at him blankly. Minhee clapped. What? Hansu frowned puzzled at us. Geez, unintentional flirt, huh.
"Huh? Why you all like that?"
And here's another oblivious one. …No, kids don't mean it consciously. But from usual prickly Hansu, hit hard. He frowned.
"What's up since earlier? What'd I do?"
"……."
Me and Minhee exchanged looks, shrugged silently. Inha ignored. I opened parasol. White lace shaded my head.
"Let's go. Minhee?"
"Nah. Too fiddly."
"Inha then."
"I'll hold. I'm taller."
"Yeah."
I handed parasol to Inha. We two under it, other three beside, headed to gym.