Chapter 99
Chapter 99
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: Tracking
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Attribute magic was progressing steadily, bit by bit. Sealing and purification magic were still too difficult, so I could only dabble in them sporadically, but with attribute fusion...
Since I'd already mastered basic attribute magic, it was coming along. Not perfectly, but the more I practiced, the clearer the progress became.
That's why lately, I'd been paying special attention to observing the mana around me. Just as the moon had its lunar mana, stones had their earthen mana, plants had their verdant mana, and the sky had its celestial mana. I'd recently learned there was even a rare attribute called sky magic among the special attributes—apparently a high-tier spell.
I looked around, gazing at the moon, the sun, the stars, feeling their mana.
Separately from attribute fusion training, I'd also been steadily trying to replicate the sensations of nature exactly as I felt them using mana. I was keeping it a slight secret from my teacher and Auntie Seona, though. Recently, I'd finally managed to recreate the moon's mana close to what I imagined.
'Maybe I should ask for a space trip during winter break?'
Feeling the vast mana of the universe would undoubtedly help me a lot. I closed my eyes, then opened them. Suddenly, I whipped around.
"What's up, Eunha?"
"Nothing..."
I'd made sensing surrounding mana a daily habit, so I could detect any mana entering a certain range. Trees, stones, earth, wind—everything. If I could even pick up on emotions, that meant I was sensing pretty finely.
That included the mana of people in the area. And sometimes, that let me feel their emotions too, startling me whenever negative ones cropped up.
And there were cases like this.
"There's someone behind us."
"So?"
"...They kinda feel like they're following us?"
Hansu reacted immediately, scowling. The others looked annoyed too. He asked,
"Male or female?"
"Male."
I answered right away. Male and female mana felt slightly different. The follower was male. So, that meant...
"They're after Inha, huh?"
"Yeah, it feels like they only tail us when she comes into view..."
I tilted my head, eyes tracking the direction of the person as Hyunho whispered in my ear. Minhee muttered with a frown.
"Staring all sneaky like that is creepy."
"But Inha's so pretty, honestly it'd be weirder if guys didn't turn around."
"That's true, but..."
Minhee sighed in frustration. I glanced sideways, and Inha herself looked uncomfortable.
This happened sometimes lately. Inha was getting prettier by the day. Plus, she'd grown tall enough to match adult women. Even if she still looked young, it wasn't odd for guys to glance back.
"Next time, should we bring my brother? No guys would approach if he's with us."
"Je-hyeon oppa's busy. I'm fine."
Inha muttered indifferently and kept walking. Minhee stuck to her side and nodded.
"Yeah, oppa doesn't like sweets anyway."
Hearing that made me gag too. I covered my mouth, looking queasy as I mumbled,
"Guess I really can't skip... I can handle cake in small doses, but anything too sweet..."
"Hey now. What're you saying?"
Minhee immediately shot me down, grabbing my arm like a clamp.
"There's this place famous for desserts. You agreed to come."
"I didn't wanna, but you nagged..."
"You said you'd go. Gotta keep your word."
With Minhee's words, Inha nodded and grabbed my other arm. Dragged along by them, I made a defeated face.
I mean, I could eat sweets—just not a ton. I liked chocolate and ice cream fine.
But cake... The whipped cream was too rich, the bread too sugary... Fruit cake with its tangy sweetness helped cleanse the palate a bit, or coffee cake with its bitterness. Chocolate was my favorite sweet, but even that turned too sweet in cake form. Cake was that challenging for me.
Sadly, I was the only one who hated sweets here. Even Hansu ate them well. I got dragged along without resistance.
Ding-a-ling. The bell on the door jingled as we entered. Stepping inside the pink-lace-trimmed door, the sweet scent hit like a wave. The cozy atmosphere was nice. But the overpowering sugary smell paled my face.
"Come on, Eunha, you can eat sweets just fine."
"But basically, I don't like them."
I found the window seat at the table and sat. As my friends settled in, the menu screen popped up.
[Welcome to Dessert Heaven Étoile. What would you like to order?]
The calm, polite voice confirmed it was a popular cafe. While I dazedly thought that, the kids excitedly decided.
"Strawberry shortcake! Heard it's amazing here!"
"Waffles and chocolate croissant..."
"Cheesecake and chocolate, and..."
Just the names made me queasy. I picked only after they'd ordered.
"Chocolate vanilla ice cream, extra choux cream."
I hit complete last. The screen changed with another mechanical voice.
[Thank you for your order. Your desserts will arrive in about 5 minutes.]
Meanwhile, I tuned out the noisy chatter, closing my eyes and focusing my mind on the surrounding mana flow. Concentrating made all sounds fade. In a crowded place, the mana waves felt quick but steady.
Seventy percent of the population were mages, so most people on the street were mages. Same in the cafe. Then, I sensed incredibly strong mana and snapped my eyes open.
'Whoa. That's intense. Je-hyeon oppa level?'
Je-hyeon oppa was, of course, super strong. A B-rank mage was a world-renowned powerhouse—maybe one in a hundred thousand. Korea's population was around 80 million, with 70 million mages. B-ranks numbered about 800—a small fraction, but high compared to other countries. We ranked top ten globally in mage power.
Point was, someone with oppa-level mana was rare. Curious, I turned to look.
Scanning, I saw a man at the counter making a parfait. It looked so pretty, I almost regretted not ordering one. Staring blankly as he worked, he noticed and turned to me.
He smiled brightly.
"...!"
I jolted, whipping my head away. Heart pounding from surprise, I calmed it. Right, duh. A mage that strong would notice a glance.
Hope I didn't offend by staring curiously. I avoided looking, sensing only his mana. It was calm and refined. Dark attribute? Super unique among any I'd felt. But... not a good vibe.
'Bad compatibility with me?'
I stopped sensing. Around then, desserts teleported to the table. The kids beamed.
"Oh, here it comes!"
"Looks delicious~."
I eyed the colorful treats, then pulled my chocolate vanilla choux ice cream forward. Scooping with the tiny spoon, it was pretty good! My face brightened. Ice cream and choux were among the few sweets I could handle, and this was tasty.
Seeing me eat, my friends grinned and chatted.
"Eunha, try some of this cake!"
Hyunho cut a piece and offered it on his fork. But I swatted it away.
"Ew, no. Don't bring cheesecake near me. I hate cheese period—except pizza cheese."
"Why can't you eat something so good?!"
"Leave her be. Tastes differ."
Hyunho looked disappointed, but I ignored him, savoring only the ice cream. If it ran out and sweet smells filled my nose, I'd suffocate...
The choux ice cream vanished fast. But theirs lingered. I usually ate quick and prided myself on it, but today I cursed my speed. Who knew it'd trap me like this.
I sat pale-faced, enduring till they finished. Avoiding the sweet-looking stuff, I scanned the interior, then sensed mana again. Ice mana from ice cream, plant and fire from cake. It improved my mood.
"All done. So good."
They finished quick, satisfied. Minhee and Hyunho looked a bit bummed.
"Yeah, but Eunha wouldn't try any cake..."
I recoiled again.
"The chocolate croissant was okay-ish, but strawberry shortcake and cheesecake? My worst."
"You're not even girly."
Minhee grumbled at my firm stance.
"Oh? Says you? You and Inha know my tastes are plenty feminine."
I teased Minhee with a grin.
Hating sweets didn't make me unladylike. I had girly tastes.
I wore pants for comfort, but loved flowy dresses and skirts. Collecting earrings and accessories was a hobby; cute things made me impulse-buy. I enjoyed crafting—cross-stitch, beads, jewelry. Ribbons and lace too.
Not always pink, but well-matched colors. I had a good eye for it.
"Tch."
Minhee pouted at my dramatics. I chuckled.
We chattered out of the cafe. Right before leaving, my eyes met the strong mage guy's. He smirked at me; I awkwardly looked away. Up close, his mana felt worse. Not my type at all.
"Wanna hit another spot since we're downtown? Shopping?"
"Can't. Gotta pick with Mom."
"No more allowance!"
"Boo, party poopers."
We strolled chatting. Minhee suggested shopping, but Inha and Hyunho shot it down. Minhee pouted again.
Then.
BOOM!!!
An explosion rocked the air.
"...?!"
"What the?!"
We whipped around, stunned. A building side blew out, debris raining down. Flames erupted from the blast site. Magic?! As we panicked, something flew our way.
'...A person?'
No time to check around—I threw up a barrier. The flying person slammed into it and slid down. I'd angled it that way on purpose.
Onlookers gasped and murmured.
"What?!"
"Fight? In civilian zone?"
"Who's the jerk? Better evac."
WEE-OO-WEE-OO!!!!
Spotting the injured person, I froze in shock—then alarms blared.
[Alert to all citizens. Combat has broken out in Cheomseong-ro Cafe Street, Seoul civilian zone. Sealing the combat area now. Multiple shields activating to contain magic spillover. Citizens nearby, please evacuate beyond the barrier line.]
BOOM! Another blast—loud and close. Shadows flickered near it. We stared blankly as building rubble crashed.
"What the..."
We froze in shock. Then runners shouted, pulling us along.
"Kids! Run!"
"Stay there and you're toast!"
"This way!"
We finally bolted after them. Glancing back in panic, the fallen person from earlier was gone.
Warnings blared nonstop. People fled orderly. I kept looking back while running. New arrivals—mages via teleport—formed lines blocking paths. Cops and guards.
[Warning to perpetrators! This is a civilian residential zone—no magic combat allowed. Withdraw immediately! We will use force if you don't.]
[Activating first barrier.]
Light flashed ahead. Lines rose, forming a hemispherical shield over the area.
[Time limit to complete next barrier: 10 minutes. Citizens, evacuate beyond the line within that time.]
Running revealed the line soon: a thick green mark on the ground. The barrier rose slowly along it, leisurely completing over 10 minutes.
I instinctively knew its type: it blocked internal attacks from leaking out and external entry. Outside meant safety.
Plenty outside waved frantically at us, worried. Most had evacuated. A few stragglers from buildings behind, but we were the only kids.
──Or so we thought.
Until that voice.
"Waaah!"
We halted at a child's sudden wail. Just ten steps from the barrier.
Not just us—outsiders searched frantically too. We turned to the source and gasped.
"Oh god...!"
"Look! Kids...!"
Not far. Two young children, separated from parents in the chaos, bawling in the combat center. A cop clicked his tongue.
"Damn! Anyone who can reach them?!"
"No! That mage is high C-rank... Everyone here is D-rank!"
"Shit...!"
"Call C-rank backup!"
"Takes time!"
Magic cavalry, golems, spells toppled buildings, whipping up storms. Kids trapped amid it panicked everyone. Outsiders shouted.
"Any C-ranks here?"
"Barrier's B-rank! Can't enter!"
"Oh god, what now!"
Lost amid the chaos, adults outside called us.
"Kids! Get out, quick! It's dangerous!"
"Yeah, hurry!"
We glanced between safe adults and the kids—magic flaring nearby, about to hit them.
I stepped back instinctively. Counted seconds internally. Just a split second...
'Dangerous. But C-rank magic. My barrier can block it...'
Then someone dashed forward. We gaped.
"Huh...?"
"Minhee?!"
Minhee charged fearlessly into the magic storm toward the kids. Onlookers screamed as we watched anxiously.
Minhee could teleport but needed coordinates, so she ran.
She drew gun and sword. Bang! Her D-rank magic bullet hit an incoming electron beam. Screams or cheers echoed. I relaxed briefly—then saw a mech soldier targeting her. No time to think—I moved.
"Be right back!"
"Hey!"
"Eunha!"
No hesitation. I teleported ahead of Minhee and the kids, erecting a barrier. I wrapped it in wind and metal shards, vibrating it. The mech's fist ground against metal, crumbling.
"E-Eunha!"
Holding the barrier, I tried teleporting out—but I'd fused attributes raw with mana. Plus, blocking the mech drained a ton. Dizzy from sudden expenditure, I curled as the second attack hit.
BOOM!
"Ugh...!"
"Eek!"
Fighting were several C-rank mages. Flying spells were no joke; collisions spawned deadly fragments. Their D-rank-plus mechs targeted us. Relentless attacks pinned me—I lost escape chances.
I endured full force. Kid wailing behind, magic everywhere—hard to focus. I scraped by with rune magic. C-rank barrages overwhelmed.
Then crisis: mech sprayed liquid. Barrier hissed, melting.
"Liquid, 'Melt Defense'?"
Still melting. What was that stuff? I bit my lip, spamming spells. Magic enhancement? Reinforce barrier? Nope. Then...
Sizzle.
Eyes wide, a figure blocked us, arm raised protectively. Faintly purple-brown hair fluttered before me. Familiar color. Ah... The cafe's strong mage. My jaw dropped.
"You punks... Get outta the civilian zone!"
Something purple shot from his hand. Chills hit me. It splashed, instantly melting mechs and mages' bodies.
Sizzle.
"Aaagh!"
Acid rain. My melting barrier stabilized. I checked—no residue—then layered a new one underneath, guarding against splash.
His spell was deadly, screams proved it.
But no drops hit my barrier. I squeezed eyes shut at burning cries, turning away. Couldn't watch.
As I clenched, his voice came.
"Kid, you okay? Can you teleport?"
I slowly opened eyes. The city lay ravaged. Fight over instantly. I nodded, teleporting us back with barrier. Inha, Hansu, Hyunho waited outside, unmoved.
"Eunha! Minhee!"
"You good?!"
Friends rushed. Hansu smacked Minhee's head on approach.
"You idiot! Don't charge in like that!"
"But~!"
"No buts!"
"Hng..."
Minhee knew she was wrong, just sniffled holding her head. Anyway, I waved them on.
"Outta the barrier, quick."
"Yeah, good call."
I grabbed Minhee's hand and one kid's. The other clung to Minhee. Hansu, Inha, Hyunho followed out. We were the last civilians inside.
"Haa..."
Past the line into safety, I sighed in relief.
But soon, awkwardness hit. Onlookers murmured at our group. Burden heavy, I gripped the kid's hand tighter. Amid noise, kids wailed again.
"Sob... Waaah! M-Mommy... Mommy!"
No time for stares. Amid flustered friends, I soothed them routinely—patting heads, giving snacks, promising to find parents. They whimpered up at me. As I turned awkwardly to search, cops approached from the barrier—along with the cafe guy who'd saved Minhee and me.