Chapter 122
Chapter 122
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 122
Chapter Title: First Special Elective of the Second Semester
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1. Mana Theory in Nature
2. Classical Magic History Lecture
3. Myth and Mystery Discussion
The first special elective activity of the second semester.
According to the original story, nothing major happens during the first special elective of the second semester.
There aren't any situations that could be considered crises for Lee Seojun until the demons' second school raid anyway.
Even so, it still seemed best to follow the main characters. You never know.
That was when a message arrived.
［Seonwoo-ya. Where are you going for this elective? (Curious bunny emoticon)］
It was from Yun Hayoung.
I typed in a reply.
［Haven't decided yet］
［Oh? I'm thinking of going to Classical Magic History, just in case］
Classical Magic History. It sounded incredibly boring, but she was actually choosing to go to that?
I figured I'd probably pick number 3, Myth and Mystery Discussion.
That was what Lee Seojun chose in the original story too.
Another message arrived.
［But we just cleared a dungeon recently, right? So does that mean no special training for a while?］
Special training?
"Hmm."
I'd forgotten about it for a moment. Since Yun Hayoung had the power of Demon Slayer, considering the story's progression, we'd need to keep it up.
But demon-related incidents were going to ramp up more than dungeon stuff for the time being anyway.
What to do about this.
［Probably can't for a while. No suitable training spot underwater.］
［Hmm. Okay? Kinda disappointing. Should I look for a dungeon?］
［Nah. Next chance we get, let's scout one together.］
［Okay! Hehe］
That wrapped up my chat with Yun Hayoung. I stared at the options for a bit, then selected 3, Myth and Mystery Discussion.
Meanwhile, Choi Seoyun stared blankly down at the smart student planner on her desk, lost in thought.
The elective experience activity coming up this Thursday.
She was悩ing over where to go.
"......First off, not 2."
The Classical Magic History Lecture had a notorious reputation for being insanely dull.
If she was going to sit through a class anyway, better to pick something even a little interesting.
"Hmm. Tough choice."
Come to think of it, these classes were done in groups. Maybe she should ask around for opinions.
Prioritizing people she wanted to go with.
People she wanted to go with......
Choi Seoyun pondered alone, then suddenly a certain someone's face popped into her mind first. She flinched in surprise and shook her head.
"......What's wrong with me, seriously."
Better to ask her best friend Song Seunga first.
She opened her smart student planner, and messages from her wanting to do the special elective together popped up everywhere.
Ignoring them, she typed a message.
［Seunga-ya. Where you going for the elective?］
A reply came almost immediately.
［Hmm, 1 or 3 maybe?］
"Ah."
Same as her preferences.
She rested her chin on her hand, thinking, when another message arrived.
［Oh right. Seoyun-ah, heard Senior Kim Seonwoo went absolutely nuts in team training today?］
Senior Kim Seonwoo?
What did he do this time?
Well, he showed off amazing stuff so often now that it didn't even surprise her anymore.
［What kind of crazy?］
［Fought 1v7 solo and won. Turned a losing situation around because of it—super impressive, right??］
"Wow."
1v7? It sounded like something out of a movie or comic.
She wouldn't have believed it if it was anyone but Senior Lee Seojun level, but hearing it was Kim Seonwoo made it somehow believable.
［And check this out. This is the real bombshell. Sending link~］
Choi Seoyun clicked the link Song Seunga sent. It took her to someone's SNS.
A profile pic she'd seen online a lot caught her eye.
Flashy blonde hair and a confident smile.
［Lilly Rose(@Lilly_l_)］
［Photo］
［Fire emoji］
Comments:
cvetql: Is that really Kim Seonwoo?
ttwq451: What the heck is this?
"Lilly Rose?"
Song Seunga's message arrived again.
［Hehehehehehehe］
[You have achieved the 'Hot Topic' accomplishment.]
[Reward: 4,000 points acquired.]
Early morning, I woke up to the expected message about earning points.
4,000 points.
Even though I'd put on a pretty big show yesterday, it was less than I'd hoped.
Maybe because I'd been drawing student attention way too much since the second semester started.
Fame fades fast, huh. Proof that people were getting used to me.
A bit disappointing, but I'd racked up a ton of points lately, so I'd have to be satisfied.
I left the dorm and walked the long hallway toward school.
Being so early, no other students were around.
That's when I spotted a familiar face at the end of the hall.
Long black hair and sharp eyes.
It was Yoo Ara.
"Hi."
As expected from the polite Yoo Ara, she greeted me first. I returned it.
"Oh, hi."
"Heading to class?"
"Yeah."
"Then let's go together."
Somehow, I ended up walking to school with Yoo Ara.
No real conversation followed after that. We just silently walked the long hallway. But it wasn't awkward or uncomfortable.
If anything, it was relaxing.
Yoo Ara spoke up first.
"How's school life these days?"
More like, how's it feel with everyone paying attention to you?
I shrugged.
"A pain."
She let out a small "Pfft" at my curt reply.
"You're practically a celebrity now. They won't leave you alone."
"Celebrity my ass. They're just fishing for something to gain."
"Why so negative?"
"You're one to talk."
"......What?"
We'd reached the door to 2nd Year Class A.
I flung it open, and every student's gaze turned to me.
"Seonwoo-ya. Morning."
"You came with Yoo Ara."
"Hey hey, Kim Seonwoo! What's with Lilly Rose yesterday? You the one who really beat her in finals?"
As expected, once inside, questions about Lilly Rose came pouring in.
Why'd she even post that crap on SNS and make my life harder?
"Ah~ No idea."
I brushed off the attention and trudged to my seat.
My consistent ignoring made the students back off bit by bit.
I sat down and stared blankly out the window when I felt a prickly stare. I turned to see Park Inhwan glaring at me with eyes full of resentment.
Still hung up on yesterday's exam, apparently.
Whatever.
When I didn't look away, Park Inhwan averted his gaze first.
Then, with an irritated expression, he smacked his follower's head for no reason.
Smack!
"Ow! Hey! Why'd you hit me?"
"Shut up."
"Come on, at least tell me why..."
"I said shut it?"
Park Inhwan glared murderously, and the follower, who'd been hit out of nowhere, just shut up and looked down.
Thursday.
The day of the special elective activity.
The lecture I was attending was Myth and Mystery Discussion.
As always, electives were done in groups.
"Everyone in our group here?"
Lee Seojun looked around. All members nodded.
Our group this time: Me, Lee Seojun, Shin Youngjun, Lee Hyunju, Choi Seoyun, Song Seunga.
Somehow, it ended up the same as the demon safety education group from first semester. A solid, balanced combo of main characters.
"Ah~ This'll be fun."
"Fun? Shin Youngjun, you'll sleep through the whole lecture anyway."
"How'd you know?"
But I had questions about this setup.
In the original story, the group was just Lee Seojun, Shin Youngjun, and Lee Hyunju—that was it.
Choi Seoyun and Song Seunga were supposed to pick different lectures.
I whipped around to Choi Seoyun. She met my eyes and flinched like she'd been caught.
"Why?"
"Why are you here?"
"......I just followed Seunga. Can't I be here?"
"No, that's not it."
I turned to Song Seunga. She smiled brightly at me.
"Felt like this side would be way more fun in all sorts of ways."
Her words carried some deeper meaning.
Especially "all sorts of ways"—like there were implications I wasn't privy to.
"......I see."
As we chatted, the supervising teacher's voice boomed from afar.
"Alright! Students, please board the buses!"
Time passed, and we arrived at our destination.
This was the 'Hall of Mysteries' at the Wizards' Association in Seoul.
Like most Association buildings, it resembled a massive palace.
Students gawked curiously at the surrounding park and statues.
It felt like a school trip all over again.
Just as the mood started getting rowdy, an Association staffer appeared.
"Hello. Students of the Wizard Academy. I'm Yun Min-su, the wizard leading this Hall of Mysteries tour."
"Woo!"
The students cheered happily. The staffer smiled, finding them cute.
"Alright, let's move. Line up behind me and follow."
The roughly 150 students eagerly stepped into the Hall of Mysteries.
The staffer explained the decorations inside, myths, and mystery-related artifacts as he guided them.
Everyone watched the exhibits with sparkling eyes and excited faces.
After about 40 minutes of touring, the main event began.
"Now, we'll head to the 4th-floor auditorium for the mystery lecture."
They moved to the 4th-floor auditorium per his guidance.
Students' faces darkened a bit at the end of the fun tour, but this field trip was for the lecture to begin with.
Entering the auditorium revealed a massive space that could easily hold 300.
Since groups had to sit together, we found a spot with plenty of empty seats and sat.
As I yawned in my seat, someone poked my side. I turned to see Choi Seoyun staring at me.
"Doesn't this remind you of first semester?"
Her random comment made me pause, then I caught on.
"Oh~ Demon safety lecture?"
"Yeah. We sat together like this and listened back then too."
"But do you even remember it?"
She tilted her head questioningly at my words.
"You slept the whole time."
"Ah. No, why do you still remember that? Forget it already!"
Choi Seoyun squinted and replied.
"How could I forget? When I woke you, your hair was all stuck to your mouth—I thought you were a ghost."
Her ears turned red instantly.
"Ah, seriously. I'm not a ghost."
She playfully punched my arm a few times.
"Heh."
Then came an unpleasant snicker. Song Seunga, sitting next to Choi Seoyun, was smirking (?) at me.
......What?
Time passed, and the lecture began.
The instructor introduced himself as Yang Jinhyeok, a mystery researcher.
Unlike the demon safety lecture, plenty of students paid attention since myths and mysteries piqued wizards' curiosity.
"The true nature of the world's hidden 'mysteries' remains unknown. No science or magic theory can explain them."
Students focused intently with interested eyes.
Even Choi Seoyun next to me wasn't dozing off like last time—she was locked in.
Mysteries had that pull on every wizard.
"Since ancient times, mysteries have been a major research subject for wizards. Especially the 'sacred relics,' known as their crystallization—they're still coveted by all wizards today. Some mystery researchers claim the power within mysteries can even grant humans immortality."
Yang Jinhyeok pointed to the massive screen in the auditorium's center.
The screen changed to show a round, blue-glowing image.
A 'mystery' as depicted by ancient wizards.
"Wizards are instinctively drawn to mysteries. Why? Because they can work miracles? Surpass human limits?"
Yang Jinhyeok scanned the students, then spoke again.
"We can't know for sure, but many mystery researchers assert that the mana within mysteries holds a special power that captivates humans."
The screen changed again.
Black hair, pale skin.
A handsome man appeared.
Everyone's faces showed shock in that instant. Especially Lee Seojun, who'd been quietly listening.