Chapter 281: Only Through Effort...
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 281: Only Through Effort...
"Kid, it’s time for you to start learning magic."
After the reconstruction was complete, Teacher Mela changed out of her "soulless" bare-legs-and-lab-coat look. She spoke to Muen, who was lying on the freezing operating table, as motionless as a "salted fish" that would be a zombie’s dream meal.
"Magic...?"
It took a long time before Muen blankly lifted his head, his face masked with the numbness of someone who had long since given up on life.
But gradually, as if a switch had been flipped, a light flickered back into his eyes.
"Magic?"
Muen bolted upright with a start, only to immediately roll onto the floor in agony. Even so, he forced his head up, looking at Teacher Mela with excitement.
"I can finally learn magic?"
He hadn't forgotten that his original purpose for coming to this academy and studying so desperately was to learn powerful magic!
Although the goal of splitting the Withered King's power was gone, what red-blooded man could refuse powerful and dazzling magic?
What is art?
Art is an explosion!
And only magic can bring about the ultimate explosion!
"Well... to be precise, you’re going to learn the precise manipulation of mana."
Teacher Mela continued, "I told you before, a basic understanding of magic is essential. When you have more than one alchemy core, the input and output paths for mana become many times more complex. Add to that those intricate magic patterns, and if your mana control isn't precise, you’ll easily lose control of yourself. A few slips and you’ll... 'leak' everything all at once."
"Why do I feel like you’re making another double entendre?"
Muen’s lips twitched, but his expression immediately turned tense and serious. "So, what about the powerful, badass, cool magic I want to learn?"
"...Well, about that... I heard about the current state of the Campbell family from that kid Prang. I didn't believe it at first, so I took the liberty of checking your talent earlier..."
Teacher Mela’s gaze drifted. "You can learn it, but..."
"But?"
"But... I suggest you treat learning powerful magic as nothing more than a hobby."
"A hobby?"
Muen froze.
He froze again.
And again.
What did she mean by "hobby"?
Did she mean... don't expect any results?
In other words...
"Are the Campbell genes really so terrifying that even you can't do anything about them, Teacher Mela?" Muen realized the truth, covering his face as tears began to flow.
"I wouldn't put it that way. If I really wanted to, I could easily turn you into a Truth-Tier Grand Magister. However..."
Teacher Mela stared into Muen’s eyes and said seriously, "Are you truly willing to give up everything you’ve worked so hard for now just to throw yourself entirely into the path of magic?"
"..."
Muen was stunned.
Was he willing?
Of course not.
After all, he had already come so far on his current path. How could he just change lanes and drive into the unknown?
For magic, he felt only a sense of longing—nothing more.
"I admit that the 'my fate is mine to command, not the heavens' sentiment some people always spout does exist, but in my opinion, blindly defying destiny is stupid. Very stupid."
"The people who say those things usually have wider paths and more options than ordinary people to begin with. That’s why they look down on the retreats and compromises of the common man."
Teacher Mela patted Muen on the shoulder, offering a bit of comfort. "But don't be too sad. What the Campbell family lacks in magical genes, they make up for with extraordinary physical talent. Otherwise, after being rav—trained by me for so long, you would have broken ages ago."
"...Fine, alright."
Muen gave a bitter smile and quickly accepted reality.
Actually, he didn't have much to be dissatisfied with. He was no longer like his past self—lost, without a clear goal, charging around like a headless fly just to stay alive.
Since he had stepped onto this path, he would give it his all until the very end.
For that, he was always grateful to Teacher Mela.
"Furthermore, don't look down on basic mana manipulation. For you, this will still require a massive amount of time and effort to master," Mela added.
"Then..." Muen looked at her expectantly.
"Don't look at me," Teacher Mela refused heartlessly. "Go learn the basics they teach in class by yourself. I don't have the spare time to personally teach you every little thing."
"Oh."
Muen gave a small response and obediently lay back down in the flower sea.
A breeze blew from nowhere, carrying a pleasant floral scent into his mind.
Today, the flowers in the sea seemed to be of a different variety, uniquely refreshing.
Muen stared blankly at the artificial blue sky, lost in thought.
Magic or no magic was a small matter. Right now, the most important thing was...
"The Holy City..."
In the end, he was still being pulled into the vortex of fate against his will.
Leaving the academy, leaving Belland, leaving Teacher Mela’s protection, and heading to the Holy City—a place where even his status as a Duke’s son would be utterly useless.
This was a path that should never have appeared in his plans, a direction completely contrary to the future he desired.
And yet...
When he was certain he had to step into it...
He didn't feel as panicked as he had imagined.
"I guess I’ve just gotten used to it."
Muen felt a sudden surge of emotion. He raised a hand, grasping at the void, and then clenched it tight.
"Then, just like before, I’ll do as much as I can to prepare before the tide of fate arrives."
*
The tide continued to approach, but Muen’s life returned to a state of calm once more.
However, once he threw himself entirely into preparation and study, the leisurely life he dreamed of drifted further away.
Mana manipulation methods.
Inscribing alchemy matrices.
Learning techniques.
Becoming stronger.
And the upcoming journey.
Before he knew it, a mountain of pressure had settled onto his shoulders again.
But...
As he had said before.
He was used to it.
He only needed to keep moving forward at his usual pace.
And so, Muen became busy again.
It was as if he had returned to the time when he was sprinting for top grades to complete Teacher Mela’s tasks.
Like a machine, he rotated between the Black Book, the classroom, the cafeteria, the flower sea, and the dormitory.
This time, there was no Senior Sister.
However, amidst the busyness, he found a different kind of recreation.
Liya’s musical performances.
This was one of the few moments in his day when he could truly relax.
*
"Huh? How did you fall asleep?"
In a daze, Liya seemed to hear Muen’s voice.
Then, she felt something pinch her cheek.
Liya snapped awake. Seeing Muen standing there awkwardly with his finger extended, her face flushed instantly.
"You... you rogue! What are you doing?"
"Ah, sorry. You looked so cute that I just couldn't help myself..."
"What do you mean 'cute'? You villain, have you finally shown your true colors?"
Seeing Liya instantly teleport behind a tree, peeking out with only half her head to glare at him warily, Muen wanted to slap himself.
Could he ever fix this habit of needing to touch anything cute?
One day, he was going to die because of his meddling hands.
"So, Liya, were you just..."
Muen shifted the subject, his gaze falling on the spot where Liya had been lying. "Reading? You’re working so hard, even at a time like this..."
"It... it has nothing to do with you!"
Liya returned in a flash, shamefully and irritably stuffing the books into her storage space.
"Alright, alright."
Muen saw the faint trace of exhaustion in the depths of Liya’s eyes but said nothing. He raised his hands in surrender. "Then, may we have today’s performance, Miss Liya?"
"Hmph."
Liya gave a cute little huff and raised her violin.
Beautiful music flowed out, melting the accumulated snow on the branches.
Muen leaned back on the bench, listening quietly.
Since the last "accident," the two had changed their way of meeting. They exchanged Voice Transmission Stone frequencies and used them to agree on a time and place.
The time varied, but the location was usually this Wutong Forest.
It was sparsely populated and secluded.
Especially with the end of the term approaching and the academy’s announcement about selecting students for the Holy City, almost all students had reined in their playfulness and started working hard.
Furthermore, a certain Soaring Phoenix now had money to buy chicken legs and no longer needed to sneak through the back alleys for a few pieces of black bread.
The already remote path saw even fewer people now.
It had become their secret base.
As the number of performances grew, Muen could feel that Liya was no longer as guarded as before.
Though she still occasionally acted startled like she just had, Muen could tell that, for the most part, it was just playful banter.
And the music was no longer as mechanical as before; she had begun to pour her emotions into her playing.
It became increasingly beautiful and moving.
However, during every recent performance, Muen could see something familiar in Liya’s expression and eyes.
It was the look of someone giving their absolute all for a specific goal.
He could see the girl’s exhaustion.
But Muen didn't stop the performances.
Because he realized that only while playing could the girl slightly relax the tightly wound string of her heart.
Unknowingly, these brief performances had become a rare moment of relaxation for the girl, even if that wasn't her original intent.
The Holy Light that drifted out with the music didn't just wash away Muen’s fatigue; it also soothed the girl’s soul.
It seemed that, without them realizing it, the act of playing was no longer just about the money.
Muen didn't break this unspoken understanding.
Agree on a place.
Perform.
Listen.
Pay.
A simple employer and performer relationship.
Liya played seriously.
He listened quietly.
That was all.
"It’s quite nice."
Looking at Liya, who played moving melodies like an elf, Muen smiled slightly.
Time passed.
One month later, at St. Maria Academy.
After nearly a month of swirling snow, Belland finally welcomed a rare day of beautiful weather. The gentle winter sun shone down on the silver-clad earth, making everything in the world look as if it were decorated with sparkling jewels. It felt as if the long winter was finally coming to an end.
Perhaps due to some external influence, this year’s winter had arrived faster and more fiercely than usual. A month of continuous snow had nearly dyed the entire city pure white, a rare occurrence in the history of the Empire.
Although the heavy snow hadn't caused much disruption to the prosperous city thanks to certain external maintenance, such good weather naturally made everyone basking in the sun feel joyful.
Even the academy seemed infected by this cheerful atmosphere, with the sounds of students laughing and playing echoing everywhere.
Of course, the students' joy wasn't just because of the sunny day. According to the calendar, they had less than a week before the highly anticipated long break.
As for the dreaded exams, they had concluded three days ago. Those who did well were even more excited for the holidays, while those who didn't had long since decided to just let things be.
However, today was still special.
"Quick, quick, quick! Liya, are you ready?"
In the early morning, Ariel did something unprecedented: she didn't wait for Liya to wake her up. Instead, she rushed into Liya’s room in a frantic hurry.
"Little lazy pig, it’s almost time!"
"Who are you calling a lazy pig?"
Liya, who was already fully dressed and groomed, puffed out her cheeks and gave Ariel a cute glare. "I’ve always woken up earlier than you!"
"Hehe, I was just afraid you’d trip at the finish line, my little filly," Ariel said with a silly grin, scratching her head.
"You’re the filly!"
Liya huffed and gave Ariel a pinch on the soft flesh of her waist.
She didn't use much force, though. Her freshly pressed uniform wasn't suited for roughhousing.
The two girls looked at each other and smiled.
"Nervous?"
"A little."
"Hmph, I’m not nervous at all."
Ariel stood with her hands on her hips, her eyes bursting with intense confidence.
Today was special.
Today was the day the academy would announce the list of students going to the Holy City for the Pay Homage to the Sage Ceremony.
According to the academy’s announcement a month ago, they would finalize the selection based on the students' consistent performance, grades, and overall strength.
The spots were few, and the competition was fierce.
Even at St. Maria Academy, a large portion of the students were believers of Goddess Emiel. Being able to visit the Holy City in person was a supreme honor for them.
Not to mention, this was a major ceremony to determine the future Saintess.
If they could form a connection with the future Saintess...
Therefore, as soon as the news was announced, many students began sharpening their skills.
Fortunately, the academy had restricted the selection to students under twenty years old. This caused many upperclassmen to beat their chests and stomp their feet in regret; otherwise, the competition would have been even more terrifying.
But even with such strict conditions, selecting only seven people from hundreds of eligible students meant a horrifying elimination rate. If a student wasn't at the very top of the academy in every aspect, they didn't even need to dream about it.
Yet, despite the harsh conditions, Ariel was very confident.
Because all her hard work for so long had been for this moment.
Both for herself and for the girl beside her who had been silently helping her.
However...
"Liya, will you be okay?" Ariel looked at Liya with concern.
Even though Liya was one of the protagonists of this ceremony—a Backup Saintess of the Church—she still needed to meet the academy’s standards to go with them.
This was likely why the Church forbade the Saintesses from revealing their identities during the Mortal World Trial. If they didn't even have the ability to qualify for the ceremony on their own, how could they lead countless believers as the future Saintess?
"I’ll be fine."
Liya nodded firmly, pushing all her anxiety to the bottom of her heart to reassure Ariel.
"I can do it."
Although she had always acted very inconspicuously, her grades had consistently been excellent.
Furthermore, she had worked even harder during this period.
So, there was nothing to worry about.
Yes, I can do it.
"That’s good." Seeing Liya finally show some confidence, Ariel reached out to her. "Let’s go."
*
The Auditorium.
When the two entered the auditorium doors, they found the place already in an uproar.
A massive number of students had already found seats, discussing the allocation of the spots in small groups.
Even though the announcement only concerned the lower years, many upperclassmen had come to watch the excitement.
"Damn, we’re late."
Ariel pulled Liya through the noisy crowd, searching for seats.
After a lot of effort, they finally found a few empty adjacent seats in a corner.
Once they sat down, both girls let out a long sigh and waited quietly.
However, before the list could be announced, Ariel saw a familiar figure passing in front of her. He hesitated for a moment before stepping past her and unceremoniously sitting in the empty seat next to Liya.
A loathsome aura wafted toward her.
"Muen Campbell?" Ariel’s eyes widened. "What are you doing sitting here?"
"Well, I didn't have much choice..." Muen spread his hands helplessly at Ariel. "As you can see, I was late too, and I couldn't find any other empty seats."
"Then couldn't you have looked a bit longer? I think you’re doing this on purpose!" Ariel hugged Liya tightly, speaking warily. "Tell me, are you trying to make a move on Liya?"
"..."
Looking at this scene of extreme déjà vu, Muen’s lips twitched.
Why, after three volumes, did this girl still have such strange ideas?
He hadn't made a move all month; would he really do it now, right in front of her?
Did he look like someone who had the guts to steal the Soaring Phoenix protagonist’s girl?
"If you don't want me sitting next to Student Liya, you can always switch places with her," Muen patted the armrest and laughed. "I don't mind sitting next to you."
"You—!" Ariel’s eyes grew even rounder.
Sitting next to this annoying guy? She...
"Alright, now." Liya secretly pinched the soft flesh of Ariel’s waist while in her arms. "There are so many people here; what could Muen Cam—Muen Campbell possibly do to me? Ariel, you’re worrying too much."
"Hmph, my intuition tells me I can't let my guard down around this guy," Ariel muttered, letting go of Liya.
She gave Muen one last fierce glare before turning her head toward the front of the auditorium.
It was starting.
Liya also straightened her back, sitting upright and looking straight ahead, not even glancing at Muen.
On stage, that ridiculous Pink Bear Acting Dean spoke first. He rambled through a bunch of nonsense, announcing his resignation from the post of Acting Dean and lamenting that he wouldn't be able to stay until summer to see the female students' swimming classes, and so on...
Finally, he was kicked off the stage by an unbearable Professor Prang.
Then, they got to the main point.
"Regarding the selection of representatives to go to the Holy City..."
Everyone tensed up.
Ariel held her breath.
"Third year, Fanny Sawyer."
Cheers from a group of girls erupted from somewhere in the auditorium.
That was the first.
"Third year, Vicky Morse."
The cheers were just as intense.
That was the second.
"Third year, Marshall Eddie."
The third.
"Third year, Aaron Mack."
Gulp.
The fourth!
The first four were all third years.
But that was only natural. Even with the age restriction, the third years, who were closest to the limit, undoubtedly had the greatest advantage.
After all, a year was enough time to create a massive gap.
It was entirely possible that all the spots would go to third years!
"Second year, Ariel Bugard."
The fifth...
"I made it!"
Although it was expected, hearing her name still made Ariel jump up in excitement. She pulled Liya into a hug. "Liya, I made it!"
"Mm." Liya also squeezed her hand, saying happily, "Congratulations, Ariel."
"I..." Ariel was about to say something, but she suddenly stopped.
Because she saw the anxiety behind Liya’s smiling face.
She suddenly realized.
That’s right.
She had made it, but there were only two spots left!
There were still so many outstanding students in the second year!
Liya...
"It’s... it’s okay, Liya. Don't worry. Even if you don't make it, I’ll find another way to take you to the Holy City. I promise!" Ariel comforted her seriously. After speaking, she turned back, her hands clenched tight as she stared nervously at the stage.
"Mm." Liya gave a small nod.
That’s right.
There’s nothing to worry about.
Even if a useless person like me fails, as long as Ariel is there, I can...
"You really don't need to worry, Student Liya."
Suddenly, Liya heard a familiar voice in her ear.
"Believe in yourself. You can definitely do it."
"You..." Liya was startled. She stole a glance at Ariel, who was staring intently forward, then bit her lip and turned to Muen, who was whispering beside her. She whispered back, "Wh... why? Why are you so sure?"
"Intuition," Muen smiled.
"Intuition... that’s so unreliable..."
"And... because you’ve worked very hard."
The calm but certain voice rushed into her mind.
Liya was stunned for a moment, looking at the man beside her who didn't seem nervous at all.
His deep blue eyes were clear, without a hint of falsehood.
"Pah."
Liya suddenly snapped out of it, her cheeks flushing slightly as she gave a cute, low scoff.
"Liar."
She had almost been fooled by his sweet talk.
You only have a brief interaction with me during my daily performances; what could you possibly know about me?
Besides, for someone as slow as me, how could simple effort possibly...
"Second year, Liya Angel."
Professor Prang’s solemn voice rang in her ears.
Liya froze.
Her beautiful, watery eyes were like a lake with a stone tossed into it, ripples beginning to form.
In an instant, it felt as if she had returned to the moment right before she began a performance.
Everything went silent.
She stood up blankly, lowered her head blankly, and... blankly looked at the handsome man who was smiling with his chin resting on his hand.
"See?"
Muen said happily, "My experience is never wrong. In this world, effort will never betray you, Student Liya."