episode_0040

Entry into the Tower of Growth was on the Monday of the fourth week.

The day he was seen off by Baek Arin and entered was the Tuesday night of the third week.

That dawn, he struggled through the night with magic books in hand.

Though his tired body yearned to surrender to sleep, the desire to grow as much as possible before entering the Tower of Growth prevailed.

In the end, he couldn’t even sigh and spent the entire night awake. It was almost two nights in a row since the dungeon.

The next day.

Dragging his exhausted body, he arrived at the early morning Entrance Hall, which seemed quite bustling.

Even though not everyone had arrived for school yet.

If one listened closely, half of the conversations were about the dungeon. Complaints about sore shoulders from sleeping in the dungeon, the difficulty of tracking monsters, and so on…

Many were boasting about their struggles and achievements over the past two days to their friends.

“…Hayul.”

And his cheek was grabbed by Hong Yeonhwa’s face, contorted in concern rather than collapsing in despair.

“Ugh…”

His cheeks stretched sideways. Resembling kneading freshly made rice cakes. A slight pain was transmitted.

“Did something happen last night…? Huh…? Why do you look even more dead than yesterday…?”

The gazes of the residents of the Entrance Hall were drawn to them. But it wasn’t a gaze of curiosity. It was more like watching a common scene now.

Initially, everyone was shocked beyond belief, but with such actions becoming more frequent lately, they seemed to have adapted.

“Uh…”

It was impossible to say anything. He wanted to refute that it couldn’t be helped even if it was a hologram… but he couldn’t do that to Hong Yeonhwa, who worried about him with such sadness.

It felt somewhat perverse, but even as his cheek was pulled, it didn’t feel unpleasant. In fact, there was something good about it.

He felt indescribable soft emotions. It was a feeling of warmth slowly spreading in his chest.

After expressing apologies for his complex emotions for 5 minutes, he could finally release himself. Cooling down the burning cheeks with his hands.

“Come here.”

Whether out of pity or something else, Hong Yeonhwa reached out and stroked his cheek.

The touch carried a hint of guilt but was quite gentle. It almost felt like his cheek was sinking in as she touched it.

It was the start of an ordinary morning.

“Huh?”

An unfamiliar voice interrupted the ordinary morning. Hong Yeonhwa turned her head.

Standing with arms crossed, looking incredulous, was a woman in student attire… Baek Arin. Her ponytail swayed behind her head as she stared.

“Arin?”

“Yes, I’m Baek, who has been abandoned by Miss Hong for a few days.”

“What the heck, e-e-excuse me… Uh, weird noises.”

“Just cursing, aren’t you?”

“Cursing? What curse? Why are you saying weird things? When did I ever do that?”

Baek Arin raised her eyebrows in disbelief. After capturing her expression, she smiled brightly in this direction.

“Good morning, Hayul.”

“Yes, good morning.”

She replied to the greeting while managing her expression.

It was an ordinary morning greeting. A conversation that could be commonly exchanged. Although they hadn’t built a strong friendship with Baek Arin, it was still the kind of conversation suitable for acquaintances meeting for the first time.

While Hong Yeonhwa was puzzled by her behavior, it was still a conversation that wouldn’t seem strange.

Amidst these thoughts, a playful smile formed on Baek Arin’s lips.

“Did you sleep well last night?”

“…What?”

“I escorted you to the dormitory entrance, just in case.”

The atmosphere became strange due to her following words. There was something different in the nuance. As a result, the emotions reflected in the surrounding gazes also changed.

Interpreted straightforwardly, there was nothing unusual, but adding different emotions made the interpretation peculiar. Baek Arin’s peculiar tone amplified this effect.

Hong Yeonhwa tilted her head. She blinked her eyes several times as if doubting whether she heard correctly. Soon, her expression stiffened like stone.

The sound of Hong Yeon-hwa’s neck snapping back echoed.

Her gaze met Baek Ah-rin’s puzzled expression once, then turned to me. She scrutinized my visibly exhausted face intently.

Rustle. I sensed a surge of fear within her.

I desperately shook my head.

“Hng. It hurts.”

“People misunderstand and say such cold things.”

A faint bump rose on Baek Ah-rin’s tear-streaked head.

Baek Ah-rin cautiously stroked her head. Thanks to the magic contained in her hand, she quickly concealed the bump.

“Who said such things?”

“What did I say? You’re the one who misunderstood. What were you thinking to provoke this kind of reaction? Seriously…”

“Shh…! Be quiet.”

Baek Ah-rin covered her mouth with both hands, muttering “seriously,” as Hong Yeon-hwa glared at her mockingly.

Hong Yeon-hwa and Baek Ah-rin were accustomed to bantering with each other.

The issue was that their banter attracted even more attention.

I sat at the very back by the window. Hong Yeon-hwa was next to me, and now Baek Ah-rin had joined as well.

Hong Yeon-hwa would provoke, and Baek Ah-rin, feigning innocence, would subtly retaliate. This pattern continued until the lecture began.

Days passed.

As always, it was a busy daily routine without a moment to spare.

Against the backdrop of Baek Ah-rin and Hong Yeon-hwa’s whispered conversations, we welcomed the morning in the lecture hall.

In the morning, we attended theory classes and received one-on-one lectures from Professor Atra in the afternoon.

“To cast a spell, you need to construct a formula using magical energy as ingredients. Depending on the complexity of the formula, it is divided into six grades.”

Friday, Basic Magic Theory (Ⅰ) class.

An impressive middle-aged professor in a long robe and a prominent mustache was engrossed in his lecture at the lectern.

“Lower-grade spells are often underestimated and considered less effective compared to higher-grade spells. However, there is a saying.”

The professor made eye contact with his attentive students and continued, “Every wizard is a preparer. The most powerful and dangerous wizard in the world is the ‘prepared wizard.’”

Holograms displaying intricate formulas covered the wall near the lectern. It wasn’t just one formula but multiple formulas interlocking organically.

“Delaying the activation of the constructed formula. The simplest example is the magical barrier. By creating your own space through your formula, you can establish your own territory as a wizard. In this territory, even lower-grade spells can show decent efficiency.”

This is commonly referred to as a wizard’s stronghold.

Establishing dominance over an area by spreading one’s uniquely imbued magic, pouring out pre-prepared formulas.

In essence, it’s about shaping one’s environment through magic.

In the original work, the protagonist used magic primarily in the fifth chapter.

Moreover, being a non-traditionalist, they didn’t utilize strongholds or serious construction techniques properly.

I engaged in more destructive plays than constructing strongholds. Therefore, I knew how absurdly ineffective a wizard’s stronghold prepared and set up could be.

“Sigh…”

Magic theory class. While not casually listening as it was a different field, I paid even more attention due to my recent concerns about magic.

The professor’s explanations were complex but not overly difficult.

The professor teaching this course wasn’t a high-ranking hero during his active years but became a scholar after retirement, dedicating himself to theory and education.

Thanks to the explanation, the instructor was a knowledgeable figure, and for beginners like me, it was a class where there was plenty to gain as long as one stayed focused.

“─Today’s lecture ends here. Please prepare well for the next lecture during your spare time.”

The lecture lasted about two hours. As I absentmindedly tapped my desk with a pen, I overheard the students bidding farewell to the departing professor.

Today is Friday of the third week.

After completing dungeon practice on Tuesday, theory classes resumed on Wednesday, focusing mainly on lectures about towers and magic.

It was a welcome change, especially concerning magic.

It was undoubtedly beneficial. There was no reason to deny that. The professor explained in detail but relatively easy to understand the classification of magic grades I had roughly skimmed over before, as well as the uses of various low-grade and mid-grade spells.

However, I still hadn’t figured out the reason for my magic output. A deep sigh escaped me involuntarily.

As the lecture ended, the surroundings became bustling. Some students calmly prepared for the next lecture, while others engaged in conversations with friends.

The topic of conversation was somewhat similar.

The Tower of Growth.

There are only a few days left now. Moreover, today is the last day of school before entering the tower. I will probably meet the students right before entering.

‘Ugh…’

The issue of magic output. I wanted to address it before entering the tower, but things didn’t go as planned.

I participated attentively every moment during the lecture, and even after the theory class ended, I spent any spare time flipping through books.

Occasionally, I sought advice from Professor Liana when time allowed, but this phenomenon was something even Professor Liana wasn’t familiar with.

My head was throbbing. Perhaps I hadn’t been sleeping properly these past few days, making it worse.

To alleviate the headache slightly, I pressed my temple firmly with my hand.

“Heyul.”

The bustling surroundings, the throbbing headache.

Despite the situation, strangely, Hong Yeonhwa’s voice sounded very clear.

When I turned around, Hong Yeonhwa, who had been glancing at me, extended her hand. In her palm was an elegantly wrapped candy.

[Thank you]

It was her usual kindness. I unwrapped the candy to reveal its smooth surface.

Initially, the price came to mind, making it almost too luxurious to put in my mouth. However, after receiving one almost every day for a few days, I no longer felt hesitant. It was a sense that shattered economic principles.

As I rolled the candy on my tongue, the round candy swirled in my mouth.

The usual tastelessness. It contrasted with the sweetness of the past, making one feel unpleasant.

But right now, I didn’t feel particularly bad.

Is it greedy to want to solve this problem quickly?

Absently sucking on the tasteless candy, I suddenly had that thought.

Maybe it’s impossible for me to quickly find a solution to a problem that even Professor Liana doesn’t know. Perhaps I’m being too impatient to find the cause.

Could it be that I’m rushing too much for the entrance to the Tower of Growth? If I were to stumble in the Tower of Growth, my growth curve could plummet.

Lately, I’ve had a lot on my mind. Various issues have filled my head.

‘…Being too hasty won’t do any good.’

The entrance to the Tower of Growth is truly imminent now. If I push my body and mind too far beyond this point, I might end up in a worse condition when entering the tower.

If I receive unfavorable results because of that… It would be quite a ridiculous story.

“Hmm.”

While contemplating such matters, Hong Yeonhwa, who had been watching me roll the candy, suddenly coughed.

“Heyul, do you have time after today’s major lecture?”

[Time?]

Now down to the last bit of the candy, I chewed and swallowed it, then grinned.

Time? I probably do.

Professor Atla is the type to strictly adhere to lecture times, so she didn’t touch upon anything afterward.

“Then… would you be able to spare some time today?”

After a moment of contemplation, I nodded. The tense expression on Hong Yeonhwa’s face instantly brightened.

“Thank you! I’ll send you the meeting location via text.”

[Can I ask why we’re meeting?]

“Oh. I should have mentioned this earlier.”

With a sigh, Hong Yeonhwa let out a charming smile. Running her hand through her hair was an added bonus.

“Just… I have a gift for you…? Something like that.”

‘A gift?’

I already received plenty of candies earlier, didn’t I? I subtly hinted that she should have informed me beforehand, but Hong Yeonhwa skillfully avoided giving a direct answer.

For some reason, filled with both worry and anticipation.