Chapter 119: I'm a Mage. I Told You I'm a Mage! (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 119: I'm a Mage. I Told You I'm a Mage! (4)
[Gunslinger Jeong Yeon-woo Solves a Great Conundrum]
Lee Ru-da stared at the article on the screen with a sour expression, then turned her head to look at me.
She usually looked dissatisfied, but today, she seemed even more so.
However, since I was the one who caused the mess, I had nothing to say for myself.
Even as I sheepishly averted my gaze, Lee Ru-da continued to bore holes into me with her eyes.
I mean, I thought they just wrote those problems down to test my skills; I had no idea they were technologies that hadn't even been developed yet.
They called it a "conundrum," but it wasn't like one of those seven millennium prize problems in mathematics that had frustrated scholars for centuries. In this field, they just label most problems that are currently difficult to research and develop as "conundrums."
If it had been a real mathematical mystery that hundreds of geniuses couldn't solve, the uproar would have been even worse by now, wouldn't it?
Just imagining it is terrifying.
Gaining a bit of fame might be nice, but I really have nothing to do with actual research. It would be awkward if someone suddenly asked me to collaborate on some strange study.
Apparently, the third trial at the Magic Tower was intended to gauge my reasoning skills by watching my problem-solving process.
The five problems were unsolved mysteries chosen at random by the professors. As soon as I saw the wave control technology, I just went bam—skipped the verification process and went straight to creating the magic. Now, I’ve been branded a genius.
They should have told me that beforehand.
I misunderstood and thought they were asking me to demonstrate the control techniques I already used.
Sorry, America of this world. It looks like I’ve officially become the creator of your technology.
As I sat there fidgeting with my hands in silence, Lee Ru-da let out a small sigh and opened her tumbler to take a drink.
"There isn't a single place you go that stays quiet, is there?"
"I'm sorry..."
"There's no need to be sorry. Solving a great conundrum is an honorable thing. Yes, honorable. Very honorable."
Then could you please say that without that look on your face?
Lee Ru-da kept repeating how "honorable" it was, but her eyes were so fierce that I kept looking away.
"You said you wanted to learn magic, so how did you end up teaching them instead?"
"Well... it was just a makeshift spell I came up with to block waves when I was fighting the Madam... I didn't know it was such a big deal."
"Did you tell the professors that?"
"No, of course not."
"Good. If you had said that, they would have thought you were mocking them. I figured you'd have the sense to keep your mouth shut."
She was right.
If I had tried to use that as an excuse, I would have just been cursed out.
I told the Magic Tower that I had researched the skill with Square Garden after being hit by the Madam's skill. Thanks to that, the Magic Tower had to negotiate the royalties for the technology with Square Garden.
"Since it's not a technology we developed, all royalties will be given to you as a performance bonus."
You don't have to go that far. Hehe.
The thought of receiving royalties did make me feel good. The experts at Square Garden would handle the negotiations and get a good price.
The clan would take all the spotlight, and I could just sit back and collect the money.
"Don't look so happy. Where are you going to cause a stir next? Aegis?"
"I'll be on my best behavior."
Seeing her mention Aegis, the hero academy, I promised to stay low and keep quiet.
Ever since I came to Square Garden, I’ve been worried because everything I do seems to draw people's attention.
A hero card being auctioned for 15 billion won, the interest from Survival Hero, and even collaborating with Poltsmith just to make a weapon—I’ve piqued the interest of the whole world.
Being popular is fine, but our Black Unicorn isn't an S-rank party yet; too much of a good thing can be a problem.
Since crazy villains like the New Human Alliance might go on a rampage, I should stay quiet for a while.
"The Magic Tower says they will recognize you as an Honorary Disciple. Since you solved the conundrum, they intend to let you share in that honor."
"What I want is the knowledge of the Magic Tower, so that's good news."
No matter how much honor they hand out, it doesn't mean I get less money.
With this, I can use the Magic Tower's facilities and knowledge to my heart's content. Plus, since I'm technically affiliated with them, I can borrow their strength if things get hairy.
Whether it's the New Human Alliance or whoever, if Square Garden and the Magic Tower get pissed off, everyone dies. I hope they have the sense not to touch me.
"You have so little greed."
No, I have plenty.
Strangely, Lee Ru-da seemed to have a high opinion of me as she told me I could leave.
She really is an amazing person.
If it were Break Line, they would have snatched the royalties for themselves, calling it easy money, but she’s putting it all into my account.
Since the Magic Tower will develop and commercialize the counteracting technology I provided, I can just sit back and watch my bank balance grow.
Poltsmith also seemed to want a long-term relationship with me, as they offered to share the profits from the JP-12.
At this rate, won't I be earning more than an A-rank hero?
I’ve already saved up enough to live comfortably even if I quit being a hero right now, but come to think of it, I have a lot of expenses.
The cost of upgrading Astra alone is back-breaking, and I have to invest in Park Su-jin's company.
And then there's...
There are so many places for money to go. In the end, I have to keep raising my rank and making endless amounts of money.
"Leader, aren't you coming to the clan for training anymore?"
"No, when we're not clearing dungeons, I'll only stop by the Magic Tower in the mornings. The rest of my schedule is the same."
I patted Anna's head as she looked up at me with her wide blue eyes.
Relieved by my words, Anna happily asked me to teach her how to shoot.
The JP-12 hasn't even been released to the public yet, but the shooting range is busy with heroes practicing their marksmanship.
It's said that not just Square Garden, but other clans' shooting ranges are also overflowing with heroes.
Poltsmith is currently refining the gun based on the feedback I gave during the field tests. It's supposed to come out next month, and many people are practicing, seemingly planning to buy it as soon as it drops.
Thanks to that, the Tactical Support Team, which used to be a hero-free zone, seems busy being mobilized for the heroes' target practice.
Please use a lot of our Poltsmith products.
That way, my bank account stays full.
When I visited the Magic Tower the next day, Eom Soo-hyun guided me.
Whoa—it's a laboratory.
Most of it was modern facilities, so there wasn't much to be amazed by. If anything, seeing fantasy-like items sitting right in the middle of the lab made it look even stranger.
The sight of materials harvested from monsters being processed in mysterious machines felt awkward and out of place.
Still, this was pretty cool.
They called it an "Error Tree," and it was connected to cables, communicating with them.
The mixture of modern civilization and the fantasy setting of "Errors" created a freshness that was hard to put into words.
The Magic Tower was divided into research and education wings, and passing professors recognized me and struck up conversations.
Seeing them excitedly asking various questions and subtly suggesting I join their research made it clear they were looking for a graduate student slave.
After struggling to decline, another professor would grab me, and once I escaped them, I’d be caught again.
After finally breaking free, we headed to the library... or should I call it a library?
"There aren't many places that store information in paper books these days."
Eom Soo-hyun chuckled as she noticed my bewildered look.
That's true, but it lacks romance.
The library was made up of individual private rooms for viewing materials.
How should I put it... if the booths were all separated but the ceiling was connected, it was exactly like a coin karaoke room.
Inside the booth, there was a large screen and a keyboard.
They said you could view audiovisual materials, and the soundproofing was so good that if there were a microphone instead of a keyboard, it really would be a karaoke room.
Instead of a table, there was a comfortable-looking single-person sofa, but the chairs connected to the walls made it impossible not to think of a karaoke room, no matter how hard I tried to think of something else.
"Looks like a karaoke room, doesn't it?"
"Yes, to be honest."
"Some people actually call it that, so you don't have to be careful. I heard some people even bring their own microphones, connect them to the devices, and sing."
Eom Soo-hyun laughed as she sat me down in the chair and stepped forward to operate the machine.
"The downside is that there's no internet access due to security. So you have to bring your own laptop separately."
She was busy explaining, but I was preoccupied with leaning down to look under her skirt.
The room, which had almost no lighting except for the glow of the screen, created a strange atmosphere.
In the backlight, I could see her tight thighs and a glimpse of her cute panties under her dark skirt.
"Huh? Why won't it turn on? Usually, the search program should pop up when I press this."
Every time she moved her body while fiddling with the machine, her butt swayed, and her panties would peek out before disappearing back under her skirt.
Flump—
When I pulled her cute backside toward me, she sat down on top of me without resistance.
"Wait, don't play around... Ugh... Really...?"
She looked back at me, flustered, and lowered her head.
As I hugged her from behind and felt her small breasts, she squirmed and leaned her body against mine.
"You really are a pervert..."
"Should I stop?"
"I didn't say stop..."
I slid my hand under her skirt as she averted her eyes.
As my fingers touched the mound swelling over her underwear, Eom Soo-hyun's breathing grew heavy, and she turned her head to kiss me.
Trembling at every light caress, she reached her hand back and felt my cock.
"Haah... If you make it grow this big, I won't be able to face my Master. Hngh..."
"Noona, you're so turned on right now that it'll be hard for you to face her too."
"Haaa... You're right... I think we need to calm this down."
Eom Soo-hyun lifted her hips, pulled my dick out of my pants, stroked it, and then took off her panties.
The sight of her leaning her back against me and pushing her crotch toward the screen as she struggled to take off her panties was a huge turn-on.
As soon as she managed to pull one leg out, I pulled her close and lined my cock up with her entrance.
"Oh my, you can't even wait for—ahhh! Haaah..."
Eom Soo-hyun couldn't finish her sentence and clamped her mouth shut as my cock slid deep inside her.
With her back arched and her head thrown back, she sat on top of me, shivering.
She had her hands gathered in front of her crotch, bracing herself against my thighs, but as I thrust my hips upward, she bounced helplessly before falling back down.
Her narrow vagina, which was gradually adjusting to my dick, would stay tightly closed until my cock forced its way in, at which point it welcomed me, opening all the way to her cervix.
"Haah, ahh... This is a place for gaining knowledge... heeeyaaa..."
"Sexual knowledge is still knowledge."
I spread her legs into an M-shape and thrust my hips in rhythm with her as she sat on me and ground her ass.
Below her small buttocks, my long, protruding dick was repeatedly swallowed by the pussy peeking out from between her cheeks.
Breathing heavily, I reached into her top as she continued her "squats" and felt her small breasts.
There wasn't much to grab, but teasing her firm nipples between my fingers was incredibly erotic.
If I pulled even slightly hard, Eom Soo-hyun would get intensely aroused, letting out moans and leaning forward as if she were about to collapse.
Forced into a squatting position, she continued to bounce her small, shy butt obscenely.
Her short skirt fluttered in the air, repeatedly hiding and revealing her backside.
"Hraaaah, haah! Ah, hngh... I... I'm going to come... Nngh, ah, ugh."
If she was going to come, I wanted her to do it quickly, so I grabbed her hips and thrust rapidly.
In a position that was almost a bridge, I kept her on top and hammered my cock into her.
Eom Soo-hyun reached back and grabbed my chest to keep from falling, shaking her body wildly like she was riding a rodeo to maintain her balance.
Since Seol Ga-yeon was waiting for me, I didn't hold back either, pumping my pistons hard and fully enjoying the stimulation surging from the base of my spine.
"Aaah! It got even bigger! Nngh! No, nooooo!"
Splurt! Squirt! Squelch!
At the same moment she reached her climax, a torrent of semen erupted from my cock, filling her pussy.
With every timed spurt of cum, she twitched her hips and trembled before collapsing weakly against my back.
"Haaaah... Honestly... Hngh, ugh.... You're such a horn-dog..."
Completely spent, she turned around and gave me a wet kiss.
I accepted her gentle kiss as if we were sharing a moment of love, and after a while of her nibbling my lips and sucking my tongue, she cautiously stood up.
"You came so much."
She looked cute grumbling at me while wiping away the leaking cum, so I ended up going for one more round. In the end, I was late and got scolded by Seol Ga-yeon.