episode_0074

Like everyone else, I went to the church to receive treatment.

The slow pace of healing compared to the girl I remembered was evident.

Nevertheless, considering my skills, I was a prominent magician in the nearby cities, so I didn’t express any complaints.

It was just that my standards had become too high.

“As long as you don’t overexert yourself, there’s no need to worry. The village has benefited greatly, so I won’t charge you.”

“I just did what was agreed upon in the contract.”

“In a world where even that is not upheld by many, such value shines even brighter, don’t you think?”

When receiving healing magic, they didn’t cast magic until fully recovered.

After treating some wounds, it was more cost-effective to let them heal naturally. And with many injured people now, it was better for me to use my strength for others.

I tightly wrapped the bandages around my wounds and stood up. When I moved slightly, I felt better than before.

The elderly magician who had followed me all the way to bid farewell stopped me as I was about to leave.

“…Please be careful. This world doesn’t have many like you.”

I understood the meaning behind his words.

As I met the healing magic specialist more frequently, what did it mean to encounter him?

It could be seen as an insult to be told to take care of my body to avoid injury.

It could also be seen as doubt and mistrust of his skills.

I couldn’t bring myself to say that to him, so I turned back.

However, from the elderly magician’s perspective, it was born out of genuine concern, so I nodded my head.

After receiving healing, I left my armor and sword in the room provided by the magistrate.

I spent a few days in the sea breeze, scraping off the rust and wiping off the dirt.

There were some dented parts in the armor. The fluorescent sword also showed signs of wear.

I had used them for almost two years without any maintenance.

Considering the rough handling they had endured, it was good that they had lasted this long. If they hadn’t been enchanted, they would have needed to be replaced many times.

With the reputation of a knight, I could still rule the battlefield as its master. However, it wasn’t the same as before.

The armor no longer protected me from all attacks, and the sword couldn’t cut through everything.

It was simply the limit of being a human.

Navigating the battlefield without any injuries was never realistic. If the past me had heard someone say that, they would have dismissed it as a delusion.

It was also because of my late-acquired habits.

Memories engraved in the mind could be replaced with new ones by hearing and reading them repeatedly.

But memories engraved in the body could only be corrected through real-life experience. In the life-and-death battlefield, such mistakes were fatal.

Slowly, I corrected myself as I had learned from my master in the past.

If I continued like this, the chances of getting injured would decrease significantly.

*****

Located in the southeast of the empire, Bologna University was famous as a center of learning.

And when asked to name the most famous thing, the humans who loved to fight finally reached a consensus.

“Of course, it’s the Holy Maiden’s theology class. Isn’t it the best for taking up positions in the church, or relying on the nobles?”

“People come from all over the world just to attend that class, what else could be there?”

Graduating guaranteed a certain social status.

Some immediately entered the priesthood upon graduation, while others who completed their studies at the university went to nobles to make good use of their talents.

Licia found herself in an unexpected position.

No matter which way you looked at it, when she was just the daughter of the village secretary, she never imagined such a thing.

And seizing such an opportunity was not easy, let alone holding onto it.

She knew well that even holding onto it was not easy.

And she also wondered who had given her this opportunity.

So, for the sake of Lavenn, who believed in her, she had to study hard.

Repaying his kindness was not about saving money or earning tuition fees on her own.

Doing her best in the position where Lavenn believed in her was the way to repay him.

As she focused on her classes at the university, time passed faster than she expected.

As summer approached, prices of everything seemed to rise as if by agreement.

Metals of all kinds flowed into weapons, signaling the beginning of a rise in prices. This led to an increase in food prices, followed by a devastating chain reaction of rising rents.

Even though it had only been a short time since the start of the new semester, there were already students packing up to go home.

Externally, they claimed they would return later due to the chaotic situation, but it was clear that the reason was financial.

The civil war was taking place in the north of the Alpen Mountains, but its effects were felt throughout the empire.

People of all ages could clearly feel how chaotic the world had become.

During such times, there was no demand for gloomy stories. People chose to forget this reality for a while and talk about other topics.

Even the students who boasted of their knowledge after reading a few books did the same.

“Have you seen the new students this year?”

“Yeah. There was one particularly young kid. In the saint’s class, you know.”

“Oh, right. I remember now. I wonder if they can keep up with the class here…”

Since there was no fixed age for admission to the university, the range spanned from the mid-teens to the late twenties.

But there was one child who stood out as notably young.

The youngest age for admission to the university had not been updated.

Various financial and political issues led to the existence of students even younger than Licia.

However, the title of the youngest student was valid only for the special lecture on theology by the saint.

Among the talented individuals, it was impossible not to notice her.

There was no evidence of any backdoor dealings, and it was unlikely that the girl was admitted due to any misconduct by the saint.

There were no signs of her receiving separate education either.

It seemed that she was struggling to keep up with the curriculum until spring, so the theology class seemed to be her first.

Nevertheless, she knew how to read, and she was gradually catching up with the class.

Being small in stature and occupying the front row closest to the platform, Licia always approached the class with a determined expression.

After the class started, she never lost the concentration she initially showed.

The cost of books, including the Bible, was burdensome for the students.

It was impossible for everyone to bring a book each.

Instead, Amelie provided the books for students to read freely after class.

Naturally, students participated in the class with only pens and materials for note-taking.

Those who could afford it brought parchment, but some could be seen using bark as paper.

Licia may not have had parchment, but thanks to the money Lavenn left her, she could afford low-quality paper.

Watching Licia stay in the classroom after class, diligently copying notes, the students realized something.

Yes, even a girl like her was studying hard, so why should we fall behind?

“Indeed, we should guide her well, shouldn’t we?”

“With such passion, the saint must have chosen her. Even as classmates, we should set an example as seniors in life.”

Highly disciplined students who had undergone rigorous integrity tests came to a wholesome conclusion.

At the same time, they were clearly distinguished from those who, equipped with impunity shields, raided the grocery store party as the civil war broke out.

And a year later.

When Lycia ranked in the middle in the exam set by the saint, other students simply felt proud.

“To be surpassed by such a young girl, shouldn’t we work harder?”

“This exam was quite difficult….”

In the following year.

Lycia was able to accept a report card that could be considered top-tier.

From here on, it seemed that things were gradually unfolding differently for the students.

Well, she seems smarter than we thought. While there were still some who had such thoughts, they were gradually decreasing.

And in the first exam of the next year.

“Who’s going to be first this time? Will it be the one who maintained their ranking from last year?”

“No, it’s not me….”

The students who checked the names slowly turned their heads.

Their gazes were fixed on the girl who was deeply engrossed in her studies. The students who had found her cute for studying so diligently with her small hands just the day before were speechless.

They thought it had all ended with her being the youngest to enroll.

Was she even the strongest in studying?

In her second year of university life, Lycia succeeded in reaching the pinnacle of her department.

And just like at the church of Volle, she could leap into superstardom.

*****

Raven did keep his promise to visit the university.

He had come to the university almost four times in nearly two years.

It was difficult to say that he came frequently, but as a long-distance business traveler, Raven had done his best.

But that kind of life was soon coming to an end.

After theology class came the magic class.

It was a secret class held at night without the knowledge of other students.

“Do you remember the magic I wrote before?”

“Is it the one where you send a doppelganger to a different place?”

“Yes. It’s progressing faster than I thought, but it seems worth learning.”

Two years of studying magic by staying up all night with the light of magic he created.

Waking up in the morning, blinking once, experiencing time passing by in the blink of an eye whether through time slips or just deep sleep, was not an uncommon occurrence.

Still, the time for that effort to bear fruit had come.

The girl’s eyes sparkled with excitement.