10. Magic Class

* * *

The world had ended.

After the Great Cataclysm, countless surviving nations saw human civilization finally exhaust its strength and collapse.

What could I alone do to fix this already ruined world by pounding on it?

When I saw you again after turning back, I was so happy. Without thinking, I went to greet you.

But some law of causality must have affected you – your personality was different, your hair white, unlike the girl I knew.

[Perhaps this is the cause of your regression. Going against time is ultimately going against fate. Everything could have been affected.]

The Divine Sword said that. No, to be precise, it was the Constellation residing in the Divine Sword.

Unlike the timid you I knew, this version of you seemed annoyed by the world. And wanted nothing to do with anyone.

I desperately wanted to get closer to you. At the very least, your death in my life was a series of regrets.

The day you died, I synchronized with the Divine Sword through sheer rage.

After that, I helped your brother wipe out the villains. You probably never knew.

After returning, I tried hard to get close not just to Reina but to you too.

Though I had no interest in romance, seeing how Reina doesn’t seem to like me now is probably the regression’s influence.

Still, the most interesting thing is that you awakened.

[You might have had it before regression too. We just didn’t know because you never showed it properly then.]

That makes sense. But the ability similar to Yoo Jin-seok’s is perfect for you now.
That day. If you’d known how to use that ability, you could have avoided the monster’s attack. No, even if implanted with that worst monster’s core, you could have survived as a monster yourself.
Of course, it’s a hard-won opportunity. I won’t let that happen.
But one thing puzzles me about you now.
Illusion magic that the old you would have brushed off without issue.
“KYAAAH! HAAAK! HUUUK! AAAAAH!”
Why is the current, stronger you so helpless against illusion magic?
I pretended to be affected by the Divine Sword at first too, but honestly it just brings up terrible memories.
No matter how I think about it, this world is getting stranger.
[Personality and abilities changed due to awakening. Hmm, maybe experiences changed too? Unless Jin-seok tormented his sister differently, that shouldn’t happen.]
“But memories could have changed, right?”
[Right. If she had other traumatic experiences leading to this awakened ability, that would make sense.]
After the mental shock, she unilaterally texted she’d skip school for a few days.
Can’t be helped. I want to visit, but with that personality, I might end my life if I push wrongly. Especially with Han Suji watching – if I seem too concerned, I’d have to seriously fight that flaming spear before even facing monsters.
That woman becomes strong enough to potentially kill one of the Seven Deadly Sins with just stabbing skills. She used to annoy me targeting me, but now she’s following you around.
Honestly thought she liked me, but she probably just admires strength.
Surely not a lesbian? The Han Suji I knew never showed much interest in women.
But Rebecca got caught too.
Even before regression, Rebecca remained an ally to the end, using illusion magic to nearly annihilate the Black God Cult.
For someone like her to break out in cold sweat – what visions did you see?
“Professor Rebecca. What exactly happened? Please tell me.”
“It was visions of Yoo Eun-ha dying.”
“Eun-ha died?”
Persistently questioning Rebecca revealed visions of Eun-ha dying.
“Not just once but hundreds of times.”
Hundreds of times.
“Didn’t you just mess up the illusion magic on Eun-ha? Making it repeat?”
“The hundreds of deaths were all different methods. Like possibilities. Like Schr√∂dinger’s cat. Like parallel world Eun-has dying different ways from monster core implantation.”
[Eun-ha might have regressed too. Given her white hair now, we can’t ignore the core’s influence.]
The possibility she regressed but doesn’t remember. Is that the answer?
Hearing Rebecca’s explanation, I returned to class with a grave expression.
This is no ordinary matter. This time I’ll definitely protect you.
* * *
I’m really starting to like this dream world.
Party luck can be dangerous, but one dungeon run earned me a full million won.
Apparently A-rank cores vary wildly in price based on condition.
Purified A-rank cores go for 50 million. S-rank starts at 500 million, SS-rank is priceless.
“Come to think of it, the core implanted in Eun-ha was SS-rank.”
Then was that insane monster who implanted it an idiot?
Why implant a priceless core in Eun-ha?
The gates that appeared after the rampage were sealed by the Divine Sword anyway.
Thinking back, Eun-ha’s death was the first meeting between the first Divine Sword Yoo Jin-seok and Choi Si-woo. Thus master and disciple.
So should I die?
It’s just a dream, so it’s fine?
No. Even in dreams, I don’t want to die.
“What do you think?”
I quietly asked the suit-wearing man by the door, but got no reply.
What is he, stalking me?
Now I can’t tell if he’s a ghost or a Constellation.
One thing’s certain – he’s staying in my room without permission.
What’s so great about this white room?
Well, living with a beauty like Eun-ha, even in a cave would be satisfying.
“Maybe I should go to the academy.”
Or play games. This dream world has games too.
If I keep skipping school, that fire bat might come for me.
Ah, no thanks. Scary.
Thinking about it, the monster attack event at the academy is around first year midterms.
So original Eun-ha died pretty early.
*Ding*
A message arrived.
Fire Bat: Aren’t you coming to the academy?
Eun-ha: My head hurts too much.
Fire Bat: Go to the hospital then. If you don’t come soon, I’ll kill you.
Eun-ha: Ah, period cramps.
Fire Bat: Do you have periods for two weeks straight?
Maybe that’s overdoing it?
Well, I’d need to have had periods first. This body is fully grown as a woman but no magical days yet.
Maybe it’s just late, but honestly seems overdue.
This body doesn’t even need to eat or sleep. Periods?
That’s how you know it’s a dream. Where in the real world is there a perfect body like this?
Eun-ha: Eun-ha is a baby. Need to be pampered.
Fire Bat: If you’re not here by today, you’re expelled.
Eun-ha: Wow, just what I wanted!
Now that I’m connected with Bbeopmi, I have no fear left.
Fire Bat: Yoo Eun-ha!
Eun-ha: Realistically, am I so incompetent that I need to waste time at the academy?
The fire bat had no response to this.
Well, whatever. Plenty of guilds would take me if I unblocked them.
But why is she so quiet? Normally she’d be spewing all kinds of curses by now.
Feeling something ominous, I glanced at the window to see a woman with a grotesquely distorted face hanging spider-like.
“You damn bitch. You’re dead today.”
“Whoa.”
In one hand was a fire bat.
No wonder Jin-seok disliked her.
* * *
Ultimately dragged back to the academy.
Hell-Joseon is an academic society no matter what world, I feel it in my bones.
That fire bat bitch. Without her bat, she’s nothing but gave me the humiliation of spanking my butt with it.
Before I knew it, magic class began.
The professor was Rebecca who sent me to hell.
“Today we’ll learn about magic. Those of you using swords or spears might ask why learn magic when you don’t use it. Know thy enemy. Some enemies use magic, some are villains. Your enemies aren’t just monsters.”
Villains matter. Not that it matters since Divine Sword Choi Si-woo will handle them.
“Everyone has an elemental affinity regardless of magic talent. Naturally, elemental strengths and weaknesses exist. Those utterly untalented in magic are ‘non-elemental’. That’s not bad since you don’t need to worry about affinities. Magic swordsmen, magic spearmen, magic archers exist. Even Reina’s spirit arrows broadly fall under magic arrows.”
“Then is the Divine Sword a magic sword?”
A cadet raised his hand.
“The Divine Sword is a type of holy sword. Moreover, the Divine Sword is synchronized with a Constellation – the ultimate among weapons. Don’t casually call it a magic sword.”
Was his name Kim Seung-jun?
The guy with an inferiority complex toward protagonist Choi Si-woo at the academy.
He obsessively believed he should have been the Divine Sword wielder. His backstory was ridiculous – obsessed with the Divine Sword because he idolized heroes since childhood and thought only the Divine Sword made one a hero.
So when not chosen, he became twisted.
He’s the one who deals with villainous monsters to become a monster himself, attacking the academy first.
His actions are pathetically petty.
When that fails, the monster behind him attacks the academy. That monster had an SS-rank core.
That event seems to be approaching.
Not that it concerns me if I stay quietly at home.
“Now, close your eyes and feel the mana within you. I can’t describe how it feels. You must feel your own mana yourselves.”
“Oh damn. This is sick.”
A cadet muttered meaningfully to himself.
“You’re not feeling anything, so stop pretending to feel mana.”
A cadet pretending to feel mana got smacked by Rebecca.
Right. Mana. Maybe that gloomy suit guy frequently turning his head at the blackboard is some form of magic too.
Anyway, should play along with the dream.
I closed my eyes and felt the mana in my chest.
It felt intensely hot and powerful.
As I felt it, something seemed to spill out uncontrollably.
Like overturning a bowl filled to the brim with water.
“HYAAK!”
“Oh, Eun-ha. Overflowing with mana. Seems non-elemental. As a side note, non-elemental is great for body enhancement. Combined with your , it’ll be very effective.”
Using with sounds insane.
Next was Choi Si-woo.
“As expected of a Divine Sword wielder, you handle light. That light could purify the darkness in the abyss.”
“Yes.”
“Reina. You have composite elements. As expected of spirit power. Being from another world, you have elf blood too?”
Elves have long ears, pale skin, and exceptional magic as forest people.
Humans from other worlds supposedly have elf ancestors.
“Yes.”
“Tch. Bloodlines.”
Reina’s cheating too. Composite elements? Beloved by spirits?
Meanwhile Eun-ha feels like a junk item warehouse.
So-called acceleration puts huge strain on the body. Unless you surpass humanity.
But all this is basic knowledge for any hunter-connected body.
Now I see why the protagonist’s party are elites.
“Now, let’s see your mana control. Try forming a sphere in your palm by drawing out your inner mana.”
Pulling mana up from within. Slowly moving it through the arm to the hand, then out through the palm. Slowly. Very slowly.
Thus I created a magnificent white dragon on my palm.
Why a dragon?
“Good, Cadet Eun-ha. Very well made. Asked for a sphere but made a dragon to show off. Truly Jin-seok’s sister.”
Is that praise or sarcasm?
“Grr. Just wait, Eun-ha. I’ll make a tiger.”
“Great, then I’ll make an eagle!”
“I’ll make a red dragon then.”
The protagonist and heroines started making animals instead of spheres.
Naturally, Rebecca’s assigned “sphere creation” was completely forgotten as cadets competed to make anything but spheres.
Is there anyone to save these idiots?
“Sigh.”
Is it just me or do Taeyang and Bbeopmi-jjang seem normal compared to them?
And why has Choi Si-woo become an idiot?
I can understand Reina or Flame Spear Han Suji being competitive about my actions. But him?
I’m starting to wonder. He wasn’t like this.
“Eun-ha.”
“Yes, professor.”
“Look at what you’ve accomplished.”
Rebecca quietly placed a hand on my shoulder.
“Huh?”
“By changing the goal from spheres to something else, they’re now making detailed creations beyond spheres. Their mana control has refined remarkably.”
Rebecca is a magic master. If she says so, it must be true.
“Just luck. Or maybe this batch is exceptional.”
“So you’ll teach the class from now on.”
“Have you lost your mind?”
I sharply cut off Rebecca trying to make me work unpaid.
But this time is definitely different. Maybe because it’s a dream. Unlike the original.
Reina made a rainbow tiger, Si-woo a diamond eagle, Flame Spear a burning dragon.
Is it just me or do they all look like snot-nosed idiots?
Is this really Hanseong Academy?
“Kim Seung-jun, yours is the worst.”
“Grr. Professor! I just made a globe!”
“Pangaea, you mean? Where do you see America? Looks like a dick to me.”
Seung-jun apparently made a globe.
This is messed up too. Original Seung-jun would give up on spheres and go *crack!* smashing them. Now he’s making globes beyond spheres.
If that bastard becomes a villain, he’ll be stronger. Should I kill him now?
Dream Si-woo seems lacking in brains, maybe I should subtly hire a hitman.
“Grr. Just wait, Eun-ha!”
Why is he yelling at me again? Did he hear me plotting murder?
That bastard should be targeting Si-woo, not me.