Friction (3)
The morning after the entrance ceremony, well before six o'clock. The outdoor training grounds of The Cradle echoed with the sharp blasts of whistles and the groans of new students.
"Huff… haa…! This is… what a mage has to do…?"
"Mom, I hate you… You never told me it would be like this…"
"First day and they're already… trying to whip us into shape… haa…"
The freshmen had already completed dozens of laps around the track. Every single one of them had entered with dreams of joining the Department of Magic. Heavy black rings were clamped around their ankles and wrists. The moment anyone looked like they might fall behind, the instructors' harsh shouts cracked through the air.
"What the hell is this… haa… If you're going to strengthen the body, just use circulation magic… Why do something so primitive… haa…"
A freshman from the Imperial Guo family, Guo Jaeryong, grumbled between ragged breaths.
"Why put these things on our wrists and ankles… This is supposed to be the greatest academy in the Republic, yet they're using such outdated training methods… haa…"
"Haa… Can you just… shut up… Do you think you're the only one suffering… These are restraints to stop sneaky bastards like you from cheating…! Haa…"
Unable to tolerate the noise any longer, Mun Yeoul snapped at Guo Jaeryong. Her face was drenched in sweat and exhaustion. But Jaeryong paid her no mind and kept complaining.
"Haa…! You're such a baby. This is nothing more than a morning stroll. It's refreshing and pleasant."
The large male student running beside him, Choi Woojin, gave Jaeryong a light rebuke.
"Hey, Jaeryong. That's why I told you to work out with me earlier. What is this? The name of the Twenty-Seven Magic Families is crying, seriously…"
Unlike the other two, he showed almost no sign of strain. A few steps ahead of him, the blonde green-eyed girl, Jin Yeseo, ran in silence without a word.
"Shut up! What if someone causes an accident from incomplete awakening! Haa…"
"Tsk tsk, honestly…"
"Haa… Don't be so hard on them… Everyone else is struggling too…"
The kind-looking male student, Ryu Seungheon, smiled as he gently stopped Woojin. Though his face was slightly damp with sweat, he clearly had more composure than the previous two.
While everyone entering The Cradle was fundamentally a mage, not all of them applied to the same department due to differences in innate talent and personal preference. Besides the Department of Magic, The Cradle offered various majors such as Magical Engineering and Monster Resource Studies. Students chose the major that best matched the intersection of their abilities and interests.
However, it had long been common sense that those with exceptional personal ability or from prestigious families would naturally aim for the Department of Magic. The Department of Magic primarily taught practical military magic used on the front lines, and in the current chaotic state of the Republic, the most needed individuals were precisely those who had mastered such magic. Moreover, experience serving on the front lines was essential for rising to high positions later. Thus, the Department of Magic could be seen as the first gateway for students ambitious about their careers.
The prestige of the Department of Magic stood highest among all departments at The Cradle, so it was only natural that all students from the noble Twenty-Seven Magic Families had applied to it.
Yet even for them, The Cradle's training methods felt somewhat overwhelming.
"Tsk tsk, all excuses. Look ahead. Aren't you embarrassed that even that guy is running fine? Huh?"
Even while running, Woojin jerked his chin forward. There, the masked freshman they had seen at yesterday's entrance ceremony—Ki Haengjong—was running. The female student who had stayed by his side the whole time was with him too.
"Hmm?"
As Woojin observed the masked student, he soon noticed something strange. Despite dozens of laps, the boy maintained an incredibly steady breathing rhythm. His posture showed not a single flaw. Only his training uniform was lightly damp with sweat. He looked as comfortable as an old man taking a leisurely neighborhood walk.
"…He must have good stamina. A naturally awakened mage from the borderlands?"
The male student even gently pushed the back of the girl running beside him when she seemed to lag. But why push with just the tip of one finger instead of his palm? Wasn't that terribly inefficient?
A fleeting question crossed his mind, but Woojin didn't dwell on it and turned his gaze away. It wasn't that important anyway.
"Seriously, when does this end…!"
"Just be quiet…!"
Behind him, the bickering between Jaeryong and Yeoul continued to ring out noisily.
The alarm signaling the exact hour rang out, and morning training finally ended. The students immediately collapsed onto the ground all around the track, gasping for breath. Water bottles were quickly distributed from carts moving between them.
"Tsk tsk. How pathetic."
Someone stepped forward in front of the students who looked on the verge of collapse and clicked her tongue. It was the woman who had been watching them from the outdoor platform the entire time.
"Truly pathetic and disappointing. To think you'd collapse like this after nothing more than a light warm-up. With that kind of stamina, how could you possibly go around calling yourselves students of this prestigious academy? Hm?"
The woman didn't appear much older than the students. She wore her hair short, and her body was defined with sharply split muscles. Stepping forward, she looked around and briefly introduced herself.
"Nice to meet you all. My name is Shin Jaeyu, and I will be teaching you physical training and magical combat for the next year. I have a few things to explain, so stay seated and listen carefully."
"Hii… hiiik… Hyun-ah… Drink this…"
"Wouldn't it be better if you drank first…?"
"Ugh, I'm fine… hiiik…"
Yena kept letting out soft groans as she held out a water bottle. Having been dragged out of bed without time to put on makeup, her distinctive freckles stood out prominently. Her face was completely drenched in sweat. Unlike yesterday when her hair had been neatly styled, it was now roughly tied back with a string.
When I took the bottle and offered it back to her, Yena gulped it down with heavy breaths. She really shouldn't drink so fast…
"Puhak! Ugh… ugh…"
Yena, who had been drinking, suddenly started coughing as if she had choked. When the surrounding gazes focused on the noise, she turned bright red and hung her head low. Fortunately, she was far enough away that the professor didn't seem to hear clearly and continued her explanation without pause.
"From now on, excluding holidays, you will repeat this morning routine every day. For your information, this is basic training conducted separately from regular classes."
"We have to do this every single morning…?"
"This is ridiculous…!"
"Quiet! There have already been countless meaningful research results on the correlation between physical activity and the regeneration speed of mana springs. Basic training is an essential tempering process for mages. Furthermore, from the moment physical strength declines, judgment, the speed of constructing magic formulas, and many other factors…"
When grumbling arose from various places, the female professor raised her voice sharply and continued her long speech. Yena, sitting beside me, whispered in a small voice as she watched.
"Hiiik… I feel a little more alive now… But Hyun, aren't you tired…? Even with all that on your face…"
"I don't really feel that tired…"
"Really? That's amazing… I'm so worried… How am I supposed to do this for three whole years…?"
Yena, who had briefly expressed admiration, soon wore a face full of distress. But compared to the squad leader who had rolled us through the mud until we vomited, this really was like a light walk. My body wasn't suited for magic, so I had to preserve its durability in this way. At the time, the squad leader's annoying tone had made me grind my teeth, but now I could somewhat understand what she meant…
"Ugh, I'm dying…!"
"Be quiet…!"
Hearing the sudden commotion, I turned my head. I soon spotted familiar faces. They were the group from one of those so-called Twenty-Seven Magic Families that I had seen from afar at yesterday's entrance ceremony. The large male student wiping sweat with a refreshed expression, the blonde girl with a calm face, the good-natured-looking male student, the girl with a ladylike appearance clinging to his side, and the sly-faced male student still panting heavily.
Most of the other students had practically become one with the ground, but this group still looked relatively composed.
"It's okay. You can do it. I'll help you too…"
"Hey, you two over there! What are you whispering about so much? Hm?"
I was about to respond to Yena when a thunderous voice suddenly rang out toward us. The female professor who had been standing on the platform was now walking straight toward us.
"Now that I look, you've been sticking together as a pair since the track run. How bold on the very first class. I don't know who you learned it from, but you've certainly picked up only the bad habits, haven't you?"
The professor looked down at me with a grin. At her intimidating gaze, Yena quickly hid behind me. Was it just my imagination, or did she put unusual emphasis on the word 'who'?
"…I don't know what you're talking about."
"Khh khh, of course you don't. Just be careful, okay? I'm letting it slide because it's me, but if you get caught by those stubborn old folks, it'll be quite troublesome~"
A surge of displeasure rose within me, and a sharp tone slipped out before I could stop it. I immediately regretted it, but the professor simply waved her hand, returned to the platform, and resumed the lecture as if nothing had happened.
I had thought I might get scolded. People's personalities really don't change easily. Mom, the squad leader, and my sisters had all pointed out my quick temper, yet here I was, still like this. What if I caused an accident later…
"…"
"…What?"
Feeling a gaze on me, I turned my head. Yena was staring at me with a bright red face, her cheeks slightly puffed out.
"…I don't know. I just feel like I lost."
Various classes continued one after another. The Cradle's education pushed both body and mind relentlessly from the very first day. I was finally beginning to understand what the squad leader had meant by saying it would be brutal.
The physical side wasn't too difficult for me, but cramming various magic theories and formulas into my head was quite exhausting. Although I had learned a little from my sisters, I had almost no prior knowledge of magic theory. After all, most of my life had been spent in places completely unrelated to magic…
"…Although it came down to the wire, thanks to the appearance of mages, we were able to rebuild civilization. The name of the current capital also bears the traces of that chaos. Masada is the name of the final fortress from the old scriptures. And from that point onward, the Tenth Republic system has continued to this day."
On the lecture hall podium, an elderly professor with a long beard was conducting a humanities lecture. Perhaps exhausted from the morning's forced march, it was easy to spot students nodding off here and there.
"However, it is necessary to look at it from a different perspective at least once. Some call magic a blessing from the gods, but I do not agree with such optimistic thinking. It is true that humanity was able to continue its existence thanks to mages, but not everything has always worked out for the better."
"Zzz…"
"…"
Yena was completely asleep with her cheek pressed against the desk. It was fortunate she was in the back row where she wouldn't be easily noticed. After a moment of hesitation, instead of waking her, I raised my book high to shield her from view.
"Let me give you an example. In the past, there were airplanes that could carry hundreds of people through the sky. We could also launch projectiles all the way to the moon beyond the heavens. We could even put artificial satellites into orbit and communicate with people on the opposite side of the Earth without any restrictions using communication devices. But airplanes, rockets, and artificial satellites have long since become nothing more than concepts. Do you know why?"
The old professor continued his explanation.
"Because Bessel Particles filling the atmosphere interfere with engine mechanisms and prevent objects exceeding a certain weight from floating. It has become impossible for anything larger than a bird to fly in the sky on Earth today. Due to the particles' ability to disrupt radio waves, wireless communication is also impossible in places without telephone lines. If we hadn't figured out how to tame crows, we would have no way to communicate with people far away."
Unlike the other professors who would bark orders at every opportunity, the old professor simply continued his explanation in a calm voice whether the students were sleeping or not. I wasn't sure if it was because he lacked passion or because he had deep consideration…
"Thanks to that, travel between countries has regressed to ancient levels. We who once conversed with people on the other side of the Earth now barely maintain relations with nearby neighboring countries. Aside from that, we occasionally exchange with the United States beyond the distant eastern seas via regular liners…"
"Zzz…"
Yena's snoring slipped between the professor's words.
"That is the reality of our current era. In addition, countless problems caused by the influx of particles and the birth of mages are scattered throughout our society. Though it may be somewhat extreme, some claim that humanity is now trapped in a small cage called magic. I cannot fully agree with that opinion, but I ask that you all try to look at magic—which you naturally consider a blessing—with a critical eye. That is the first step as a mage."
Suddenly, the alarm signaling six o'clock in the evening filled the lecture hall. The old professor checked his wristwatch and prepared to end the class.
"Hmm, time is already up. That will be all for today. From the next class, we will begin proper concepts…"
"Yena, wake up. Class is over."
"Hiya…?"
I woke Yena and parted ways with her as I left the lecture hall. Outside, the sun was just beginning to sink below the horizon. As I walked along the campus path, I mulled over the old professor's words. But I couldn't easily reach a conclusion. The very premise he had established needed to be reconsidered first.
Had there ever been a time when magic felt like a natural blessing to me…?
"…Hey, you there!"
Just as I was about to turn onto the path leading to the dormitory, a cheerful voice suddenly called from behind. There was no one else around, so she was probably calling me. When I turned around, I saw a female student waving at me. She had a very refreshing appearance, and the tear mole under her right eye was particularly striking. The badge on her lapel indicated she was a second-year upperclassman. The name tag on her chest read 'Kwon Yuri' in small letters.
"Did you call me?"
"Yes! I called you! Whew, I don't know how long I've been wandering around. Actually, I went to the lecture hall earlier to find you. But class had already ended and the door was closed."
"You were looking for me…?"
"Hehe, you heard correctly! I'm Kwon Yuri, majoring in magic. And you, my little chick?"
"…I'm Yoo Jin-hyun."
"So you're Jin-hyun, my junior! What a nice name!"
The female student nodded vigorously with a bright smile. She didn't react at all to my mask. Perhaps as a second-year, she had grown more accustomed to strange things than the first-years. But why would an upperclassman I had never met before be looking for me? I couldn't guess at all…
"It's nothing special, but my friend is hosting a small get-together and wanted to invite you! So I came to invite you personally like this!"
"Your friend…? Who…?"
"Hehe! That would be no fun if I told you in advance! So, what do you say? If you're not busy, could you spare a little time? It won't take long! It'll be fun too!"
"…"
I thought for a moment, but there was no particular reason to refuse. Although the invitation was rather sudden, I didn't have any plans afterward. It didn't seem like a good idea to leave a bad impression by rejecting an upperclassman's invitation…
"…If it's just for a little while, that should be fine."
"Hehe! I like how decisive you are! Good! Just follow this senior!"
Having received my consent, the female student took the lead and guided me. In the flowerbeds of the campus where the sun was setting darkly, evening primroses were just beginning to bloom. The rustling sounds of large and small moths and insects swarming around the streetlights could be heard everywhere.
After following the female student for quite a while, we arrived at a small salon in one of The Cradle's annex buildings. The door, carved with grapevines and butterflies, felt quite luxurious.
"My little chick. Your life at The Cradle is about to bloom!"
"…?"
The female student standing in front of the door suddenly whispered something incomprehensible. Then she opened the door, stepped aside, and gestured for me to enter.
"Uh…?"
"Eh?"
The moment I stepped into the salon, deflated exclamations escaped from several people here and there. The first thing that caught my eye was the large rectangular table in the center. Various refreshments and teacups had been prepared on it. And from the sofas surrounding the table, I soon recognized familiar faces.
Not a single one was missing from the group of students from the Twenty-Seven Magic Families I had seen that morning. They were all seated in their respective places. Judging by their dumbfounded expressions, the owners of those recent exclamations seemed to be the sly-looking male student and the ladylike female student. There were also quite a few other students I had never seen before, making for a fairly large crowd.
"Hehe, my junior's seat is over there!"
Kwon Yuri pointed to the last empty seat. Pushed along by the momentum, I walked over to the sofa and sat down. I could feel sharp gazes pouring toward me from all around. What exactly was going on? The people who wanted to talk to me didn't seem to be fellow freshmen. Since everyone was wearing puzzled expressions, it seemed the person who had organized the get-together hadn't arrived yet.
"…"
And just as I was beginning to wonder about the one who had invited me, a voice that was far too familiar suddenly came from outside the door.
"Yuri, sorry! I'm a bit late, aren't I? The professor suddenly called for me…!"
"It's fine, it's fine! The juniors just arrived too~"
"Uh…?"
"This voice is…?"
The other students who heard the voice exchanged slightly excited conversations. I soon saw a familiar-looking upperclassman open the door and enter.
"Hello, juniors! It's so nice to meet you all like this…!"
What appeared there was Baek Seoyeon, smiling with a bright, radiant grin.