Chapter 19
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: The Eccentric Enchanter
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Jake slowly ran his index finger across the damp sensation from his nose and examined what it had picked up.
“...Blood.”
When was the last time he'd seen blood while fighting someone his own age?
There weren't many situations intense enough to demand that level of combat, and he'd never left himself open enough to take a wound like this.
'He struck with pinpoint precision.'
Telling himself he wouldn't have let his guard down was pointless. Lee Se-hun had clearly factored that in when he attacked.
Instead of making excuses, Jake recalled the final blow that had made him bleed.
'That technique. No way...'
It had been too sudden to analyze fully, but he had a sense of the 'principle' behind it.
How could a Forging Department student pull off a move like that? Eyes gleaming, Jake looked at Lee Se-hun.
“Um...”
“You.”
Ma Gwang-su cut him off, pointing calmly.
“You're out.”
“...Pardon?”
“You got hit first. I said I'd teach you if you won.”
“Ah, no, that's...”
As Jake fumbled, recalling his predicament, Lee Se-hun, who had been watching, spoke up.
“Shouldn't you teach him precisely because he got hit by me?”
“...What?”
Ma Gwang-su shot him a sharp glare, as if to say who asked you? But Lee Se-hun didn't flinch.
“Aqar Quf's department top getting punched by a Borsippa cadet? Doesn't that sound serious just hearing it?”
“Ah.”
“Hmm.”
Jake's face went blank at Lee Se-hun's words, while Ma Gwang-su looked intrigued.
Aqar Quf's department head was the strongest of their year—exaggerating a bit, the face of the class.
And that face had taken a hit from a Borsippa student in a spar, nose bleeding?
Any Aqar Quf student, professor, or alum—proud as they were—would foam at the mouth over that.
“Y-you won't tell, right? Please?”
Jake pleaded desperately. Lee Se-hun had no intention of spreading it around; it'd just be a hassle.
“Who knows?”
Amused by Jake's fidgeting, he flashed a meaningful smile.
“Ah... Ahh...”
Jake paled, panicking—
“...You're right, though.”
Ma Gwang-su spoke, eyeing them both.
“Leave a halfwit like him as is, and he'll cause more trouble. Might as well shape him up enough to earn his keep.”
“Then...”
“Pick a time and show up.”
“Th-thank you!!”
Ma Gwang-su eyed the bowing Jake with clear distaste, then glanced at Lee Se-hun.
“...Get lost. I need to talk to this one alone.”
“Ah, yes! Got it!”
Jake gave Lee Se-hun a quick nod and bolted from the classroom, leaving just the two of them.
Ma Gwang-su glowered down; Lee Se-hun sat calmly, looking up. The tense standoff lingered until impatience won out.
“That technique just now. Learned it or made it?”
“Made it.”
It was one of the self-defense arts Ma Gwang-su had taught him before regression, but he'd traded it for deferred tuition interest—copyright his.
Ma Gwang-su's expression turned peculiar at Lee Se-hun's confident reply.
'How does a kid like this invent something like that?'
The move Lee Se-hun had used on Jake wasn't all that original.
Take the shock from Jake's sword swing, redirect it via deflection to the opposite left arm, then clash it with his own mana.
Accelerate the strike using the rebound—a common type among seasoned heroes.
'For those with experience, anyway...'
Simple in theory, but botch the force distribution even slightly, and the clashing limb shatters.
Only veterans dared it—and here was a Borsippa freshman, first-year enrollee, pulling it off flawlessly?
Tell anyone who knew, and they'd call him senile. Absurd.
'No kid's got that experience... so he must've calculated it perfectly instead.'
Now he got what Ricardos's letter meant by 'hoarding ability.'
Gauging him roughly, Ma Gwang-su frowned at Lee Se-hun, then strode to grab two training swords.
“Show me that sword you used on Ricardos too.”
“Got it.”
As Lee Se-hun took stance, Ma Gwang-su lunged lightly. Their blades crossed at an odd angle.
Clang!
One clash sent Lee Se-hun's sword flying far off.
An embarrassingly lopsided result. Lee Se-hun rubbed his tingling right hand, glaring.
'At least hold back, you damn geezer...'
As he inwardly cursed, Ma Gwang-su, deep in thought, spoke.
“Sloppy.”
“...Is it?”
“Good idea, but completion's garbage. Sure, it's specialized for first strikes, but you think a sword art that weakens on repeats is okay?”
“...”
“Lucky you only used it solo. Teach that crap to anyone, they'd break your limbs.”
Lee Se-hun eyed the harsh critic oddly.
“Isn't that because I tailored it to myself?”
“That's what talentless hacks say. They specialize 'cause they can't make proper ones.”
“...I see.”
How easy it'd be to spit in his face right now.
Suppressing a twitching lip, he watched Ma Gwang-su cross his arms smugly.
“Watch. I'll flesh out that skeleton into something real.”
Posing grandly, he got a calm nod from Lee Se-hun.
“Understood. So the class is on, right?”
“Eh? Well, yeah...”
“Then I'll head out.”
Bowing curtly, Lee Se-hun walked off the arena. Ma Gwang-su narrowed his eyes at his back.
Shouldn't he be thrilled someone like him was offering personal guidance?
'Ungrateful brat...'
Irked but tempted to brush it off—then he recalled the bracelet on Lee Se-hun's left arm.
'That technique earlier... clashed with the mana in the bracelet?'
Mana had leaked from it pre-move. Expression more intrigued now.
Tricky even with personal mana—using gear's? Near impossible without treating it like your own body.
“...Tch. Fine, I'll deal.”
Nothing better to do; just entertainment.
Gazing at his sword, he pondered Lee Se-hun's techniques briefly.
“Strutting like that when he's just an AS...”
Lee Se-hun grumbled, recalling Ma Gwang-su's smug face.
He hadn't expected much from a technique whipped up in minutes, but not this sloppy.
'We'll see about that.'
If he didn't deliver, he'd snap that sword he'd failed to break pre-regression.
As he ground his teeth inwardly, someone outside the classroom waved.
“Ah! Here, here!”
Jake waving eagerly, lest he miss. Lee Se-hun approached, puzzled by the energy.
“What's up?”
“Nothing big. Just something to give you.”
He pulled a familiar square envelope from his pocket. Lee Se-hun's eyes widened at the design.
“This...”
“Invite to the upcoming 'Noblesse.' Ah, don't know it?”
“First time hearing.”
Vaguely recalled overhearing, but details fuzzy. Jake pondered briefly.
“Eh, think of it as a gathering for cadets from rich families.”
“Ah, got it.”
Now he knew what those envelopes he'd shredded were. Odd expression.
'Erika was gonna give it to me?'
But she'd practically begged him to rip them. No bond formed, so probably extras.
“Bit snooty crowd, not great... but could be good for you. Date TBD, so think it over.”
“Not sure I should take this.”
Jake grinned at his reply.
“Thanks to you, I got a lesson. Least I can do. No pressure.”
“...Generous guy.”
Nicer than expected, but no bond alert despite the friendliness.
'Strict standards, huh.'
Both department tops had annoyingly high bars. Pocketing the invite, he thought.
“Alright. See you.”
“Spar again when free.”
Waving goodbye, Lee Se-hun smirked at the gaze prickling his neck.
'Stronger competitive streak than I thought.'
Smiling him off, but that itch said he was sore about the loss.
To bond, he'd need to pinpoint that emotion.
'Department tops are a pain...'
To others, Lee Se-hun was the tough one—but parties never see it.
Filing Jake's info, he reviewed his status.
'Minors applied: Barrier Composition, Body Control. Bonds: Kim In-cheol, Ryu Eun-ha. Prospects: Erika, Jake.'
Top target: Mad Dog Yeom Seong-ha of the Three Dogs. Third-year, tricky, but Tower check said weekend shot.
Review done, most nagging thought surfaced.
'Two minors enough?'
Could apply per semester, no rush—but felt light.
Decided quick.
'Check Borsippa options too.'
Pre-regression, he'd devoured anything useful—knew tons, but sloppy from rushing.
Refine old or learn new; more minors wise.
'Curse... alchemy... enchant... oh, spirits not bad...'
Mulling next minor, he walked—
Thud.
Shoulder bumped someone ahead.
Realizing his distraction, he reflexively bowed.
“Sorry...”
Grab!
Left hand seized mid-apology.
Caught off-guard, he looked at his gripper.
“...”
Thick brown braids past shoulders, hairpins everywhere. Green eyes dull, off somehow.
White coat over shirt instead of jacket—weirdo before beauty.
“Hmm...”
The mystery girl stared piercingly at his left arm—the Ink Spider Ring. Lee Se-hun looked awkward.
'What's this now?'
Too intent for mere protest. Sensing oddity, he watched—
“This.”
She finally spoke.
“You make it?”
Straight to business, no intros.
Rude, but the weird fervor in her hazy eyes intrigued him.
“And if I did?”
She grinned back.
A bond has been established with target ‘Lea Clodel’.
“Want me to enchant it?”
A quirky bond formed.