Chapter 177
Chapter 177
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 177
Chapter Title: Generous Gretel
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I've accumulated quite a few points.
Just this past weekend alone, I gained over ten thousand points.
And if I add up all the points I've gathered recently, it's more than enough to buy an S-grade trait or skill.
"Traits, huh."
I'd love to buy one right now if I could...
But first, there's something I need to check.
I pulled out my smart student notebook and looked at the schedule.
Excluding daily routines like training and special class, the biggest event coming up was, as expected, the final exams three weeks from now.
This final exam was truly crucial.
It was the last exam that would decide whether I could place in the top five—the minimum requirement for next year's grandest world magic school event, the Seongmu Festival.
"...Looks like I need to buy abilities tailored to this."
The final exam event was Captain's Battle.
That meant I needed combat-related abilities.
Combat-related ones.
I'd already thought of a few that would be especially efficient for Captain's Battle.
But there were still three weeks until the exam.
Wouldn't it be better to save up even just a bit more points over those three weeks and get something superior instead of buying now?
Yeah. Let's hustle to gather points over the remaining time and snag the priciest ability I can afford.
With my plan set, I lay there quietly—only for Gretel to pop up in front of me and thrust some chicken my way.
This was a first, so I panicked a little. Why was she offering me food?
"Why? Not tasty?"
Gretel shook her head. Good, at least it wasn't that it tasted bad.
"Then, full?"
Gretel shook her head again.
Well, I'd never seen her turn down food because she was full anyway.
Then what the heck?
Suddenly, an idea flashed in my mind. On a whim, I asked her.
"...No way. Is it so good you're sharing because you want to eat together?"
Gretel nodded.
"Ung-ae!"
"Gretel..."
My eyes welled up at the same time.
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 178
Chapter Title: Third in the Poll
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Monday afternoon marked the start of a fresh new week.
Regular classes wrapped up, and elective time arrived.
My chosen elective was Herbalism.
I headed to the large lecture hall on the third floor of the main building.
Slide.
Opening the door revealed students scattered sparsely in their seats.
Quite a few unfamiliar faces among them. Actually, most of them were.
"Hey, isn't that Kim Seon-woo sunbae?"
"Looks like it?"
As I stepped inside, I caught whispers and sidelong glances aimed my way.
All those stares belonged to first-years.
Elective classes occasionally mixed different years and sections due to instructor schedules.
I took an empty seat, and the first-years eyed me with wonder.
What was so fascinating?
Felt like a zoo exhibit.
"Hmm..."
Boredom settled in as I sat there.
Would've been nice to have at least one buddy. Kinda lonely.
Heard Yoo A-ra and Yoon Ha-young headed to Classical Magic History.
Lee Seo-jun and Shin Young-jun were supposedly off to Mana Engineering.
Mana Engineering was brutally dull—how they endured it was beyond me.
Sorting my thoughts, I logged into the point shop to kill time.
With points banked, I figured I'd window-shop ahead.
"Huh..."
Browsing the shop, my owned points jumped out.
One hundred thousand points.
I'd felt this before—if I hadn't splurged on consumables like concealment potions or the mine detection compass, I'd have way more. Regrettable.
The points blown on those could've snagged an S-grade trait alone.
Tsk. Can't be helped.
For safety's sake. Mana concealment potions were too damn good not to use.
Murmurs...
A commotion stirred behind me as I shopped.
Turning, I spotted Choi Seo-yoon mobbed by students.
"Huh?"
Her gaze locked onto me that instant.
"Sunbae-nim?"
She called out.
"Kids, I'm heading out!"
"Huh? Where to?"
She brushed off the crowd and approached me.
Plopped down beside me with a smile. The kids behind shot us odd looks.
"Sunbae-nim picked Herbalism?"
"...Yeah. Didn't know you were in it."
"Yup. It's a subject I'm into."
She beamed, clearly delighted.
"Ah, right. Sunbae-nim, you hear?"
"Hear what?"
"Today's Captain's Battle team reveal."
"Ah."
The Captain's Battle team announcement.
Meaning the All-Year Joint Captain's Battle for finals.
Three teams total, balanced by year and grades.
"Tonight at 9 PM, right?"
"Yeah. Message notification."
"Wonder how teams shake out..."
To crack top five, first place was mandatory.
Plus, for victory, needed stellar teammates. And more experienced third-years beat first- or second-years.
"Ah, right. Sunbae-nim, by chance..."
That was when.
Slide.
The door opened. Lee Seo-jun and Shin Young-jun walked in.
"Huh? Kim Seon-woo, you in Herbalism?"
Lee Seo-jun spotted me, surprised.
His eyes shifted to Choi Seo-yoon beside me.
"Seo-yoon too."
"Ah, hello."
She glanced at me, then bowed politely.
I eyed Lee Seo-jun, puzzled.
Why was he here?
"Weren't you in Mana Engineering?"
"Ah, well..."
Shin Young-jun cut in.
"I botched the registration. It filled up. Heh."
Plausible for him. I bought it.
They slid into seats around me naturally.
Somehow, the school's big names clustered near me.
"Ah, right. Hey, Kim Seon-woo. You see it?"
Shin Young-jun plunked his Herbalism textbook down.
"See what?"
"The Dae Forest poll."
Dae Forest—short for Great Sage's Forest, the Korean Sorcerer Academy's community board.
School staple, used by nearly everyone, posts flew fast.
I barely touched it.
Mostly drivel I couldn't care less about.
Pro sorcerer boards, I checked sporadically for news.
"What poll?"
"Preferred teammates for the all-year Captain's Battle."
I recalled. They ran it pre-regression too.
"Lee Seo-jun first, duh."
Lee Seo-jun, silent till then, cracked an awkward smile.
No denial. Knew his worth. Tsk.
Shin Young-jun snickered.
"First is Lee Seo-jun. Guess second and third?"
"Second's Choi Seo-yoon."
She blinked at me, stunned.
Obvious, though. Talented, cute, sweet.
Dude voters probably mobbed her. Yoo A-ra was similar, but her edge scared folks off.
"Third's Kim Chang-hyun."
"Not Kim Chang-hyun—sunbae-nim. Geez, Kim Seon-woo, manners."
Shin Young-jun wagged his head tsk-tsk.
"Potato, po-tah-to. Age gap's nothing."
"Huh? Then can I drop honorifics with sunbae-nim?"
Choi Seo-yoon jumped in.
I paused, mulling.
Informal? Well...
"You? On my level?"
She mumbled under her breath.
"...Boomer."
Boomer? Me, a...
'Boomer' Achievement
Reward: +1,000 Points
What the—?
Flustered by the random achievement, she piped up again.
"Other than sunbae-nim?"
"Like what?"
"Um... O-oppa...?"
She stammered, blushing. Made me feel weird for no reason.
"...Stick to sunbae-nim."
"Post-grad too?"
"Yeah. Lifetime."
"Won't it look weird to others?"
"Still no."
"Don't wanna."
"...You're pushing informal sneaky-like. Ease up."
"Tch."
She pouted.
Shin Young-jun grinned slyly at us.
"What're you two up to? Adorable."
"Shut it."
"Anyway, second's Choi Seo-yoon, but third's a miss."
I scowled.
Not Kim Chang-hyun?
"Yoo A-ra then?"
He snickered.
Opened his notebook, shoved it my way.
What.
Me third?
Time flew after. Elective done, then physical training, theory—all classes wrapped.
Then after-school 1:1 Practical Instruction hit.
Choi Il-hyeon, long time no see, came back fiercer. Piled missed sparring days, drove me relentlessly to the brink.
Various recovery traits kept me glued together, but post-spar, every muscle quivered like it might rip.
Mana exhaustion too.
"Stamina up a smidge. A~ smidge."
He eyed me, tongue-clicking, arms crossed.
Went all-in, barely grazed him.
Choi Il-hyeon was world-top-tier sorcerer.
My mana, scraping B-to-A, no chance.
Frustrating, inevitable.
"...Huff! Huff!"
Panting, I sprawled starfish on the floor. Heart hammering.
"Training's done for today. Catch you later. Can you even move? Worked you brutal."
"...Fine."
"Nah, I'm worried. Mana exhaustion hit."
"...Hoo!"
Deep breath, up I got.
Legs wobbling, but traits weren't for show.
Stamina bounced back decently quick.
"...See? Moving."
He stared, exasperated.
"Always thought you were hardcore. Impressive."
"What?"
"Mental fortitude jumps out every time. Recovery's sharp too."
He kept going.
"Fast recovery's elite talent. Lets you grind more training."
Not wrong.
"Fine after today means next time, harder."