episode_0018

I finally succeeded in awakening my magic stat.

How much suffering did it take to get here?

From dealing with goblins and bandits with a pathetic body of Stat 1, surviving against Cinerea, and marching to the academy.

Thinking about the process so far, tears almost came to my eyes. With an excited heart, I opened the status window-

[Yukal – Lv.10]

Strength: 7(-6) Agility: 9(-8)

Stamina: 10(-9) Magic: 1

Remaining Points: 35

Traits: Adaptability, Hyper-sensitivity

Skills: Meditation Lv.5, Swordsmanship Lv.3, Pyromancy Lv.1

Unique Abilities: Balance, Sword Mastery

The magic stat was properly raised to 1.

Now that I have magic, as long as I distribute the stats properly and balanced, it should be fine.

With a trembling heart, I raised the stats one by one, and the moment all stats reached 15, an explosive momentum emanated from my body.

It felt like the limit had been released from my body momentarily. It’s like carrying a heavy sandbag or chunk of iron around and feeling this way when you finally put it down.

Especially with magic, I was worried about handling it now that it has become real, but apart from feeling slightly warm as it increased rapidly from 1 and filled my body, it seems like I can use it right away. Could this also be due to the Adaptability trait?

Thinking that if I grow like this, I might be able to protect everyone and achieve a happy ending, I was satisfied when an ominous alert sounded.

【A man who leaves remaining points discovered!】

【Unique ability ‘Balance’ is being adjusted…】

【Penalties are being applied again.】

【Unfair methods are bad~☆】

Feeling a sense of powerlessness in my body again, I hurriedly checked the status window, only to see that the stats had been drastically reduced.

[Yukal – Lv.10]

Strength: 15(-14) Agility: 15(-14)

Stamina: 15(-14) Magic: 15(-14)

Remaining Points: 2

Traits: Adaptability, Hyper-sensitivity

Skills: Meditation Lv.5, Swordsmanship Lv.3, Pyromancy Lv.1

Unique Abilities: Balance, Sword Mastery

“Why is this happening to me…”

Since yesterday, I had a feeling that it wouldn’t be resolved simply by distributing stats, but being blocked like this was absurd.

In this case, I might have to steal something from the academy… I entered the situation I had considered the worst-case scenario.

As I sighed inwardly, Professor Seigan, who was answering students’ questions, felt like he was coming towards me.

“Student Yukal. Come with me to the office.”

Not really in the mood to respond, I followed him silently. Leaving Claire with a message this time not to wait for me but to go and rest.

There was no particular conversation as we moved to Professor Seigan’s office.

Most likely, the reason he called me is because a student who had no magic until just before class suddenly awakened magic and increased significantly.

Arriving at the office, hanging up my coat and casually lighting a pipe, the professor spoke.

“The protagonist of the rumor that caused a stir throughout the Armenian Empire this year is attending my class. What an honor.”

“That’s too much praise. I think there’s still a lot I lack and many areas I need to work on.”

This is the truth. I have to resolve the penalties to follow the academy curriculum properly and clear the main scenario, so it’s a natural course of action.

Upon hearing my response, Professor Seigan sat down, lit his pipe, and continued speaking.

“I heard about your entrance exam. They said you cut through the protective barrier with a wooden sword without even using a real blade. I’m not an expert in swordsmanship, but even I think your talent is exceptional. The professors in the swordsmanship department agree to the extent of calling you the next Imperial Swordmaster. With such talent, don’t you think it’s a waste to stay in the magic department by applying for a transfer? I wonder if you have any thoughts of transferring to the swordsmanship department.”

“I’m sorry, but I want to continue in the magic department and attend the Ardent Academy. However, I had a chance to discuss this with the headmaster yesterday, and I believe it would be fine to stay in the magic department and still take swordsmanship classes. I have no intention of giving up the sword.”

“That’s fortunate. The professors in the swordsmanship department were relentless in trying to convince you to transfer. Perhaps the other magic department professors weren’t much different, but I will make sure to convey to them that you will also be taking swordsmanship classes.”

“Thank you.”

The professor, who had been gazing out the window while puffing on his pipe, soon turned to me and spoke.

“Have you ever studied magic separately or encountered anything related to it?”

“So this was the main topic after all.”

If it were Professor Seigan, he must have felt the magical energy fluctuating within me when the temporary penalty of ‘Balance’ was released in the classroom earlier.

“I grew up in a rural village and never had the opportunity to learn magic or anything special.”

“Did your parents possess any special talents?”

“I am an orphan, so I’m not sure about that.”

Given Yuukal’s story, where talent emerged with the sword and nothing else besides being an orphan, it’s natural not to have information about parents.

“I spoke thoughtlessly. It must be a painful past for you. Will you accept my apology?”

“It’s really okay.”

The professor, who had paused for a moment without finishing his pipe, extinguished it before approaching me.

“Could you extend your hand this way for a moment? Don’t misunderstand; I don’t have a hobby of holding men’s hands either.”

As I held Professor Seigan’s hand, I could feel a cold magical energy entering my body and circulating throughout.

Although it felt strange, thankfully there was no significant pain. Seigan was delicately manipulating the magic to ensure my well-being.

He was clearly scanning my magical energy. Since I no longer felt the magical energy as I did in the classroom earlier, he was confirming it thoroughly.

After examining my body for a while, the professor opened his eyes and spoke to me.

“If you have any questions regarding magic or magical energy, feel free to come to me anytime. I’ll help as much as I can within my knowledge. You may leave now.”

I bid farewell to Professor Seigan and left the office.

Realizing that there was almost no magical energy in my body, it’s highly likely that what happened was a momentary miracle.

In the future, I will likely be judged as unable to meet his expectations in the Introductory Magic class, leading me to make that decision.

I focused on overcoming the penalty and planning ahead, pushing aside the meeting with Professor Seigan and concentrating on overcoming the penalty.

*

“Surely I didn’t sense any magical energy before the class.”

How could a student who had no magical energy suddenly exhibit such explosive power after receiving a brief lecture on their magical abilities?

While receiving questions from students, I was about to rush to the classroom feeling shocked by the magical energy I sensed, which seemed to hit my body directly without filtering through the ambient magical energy, but I stopped at Yukal’s calm face.

The magic had subsided soon, but the momentary sensation of magic felt well assimilated into his body. It was comparable to the warriors he had seen and called strong.

The student who hadn’t even awakened his magic listened to his abstract magic lecture and handled refined magic higher than most students in the Department of Magic. It was temporary, though.

He shivered at the fact that there was almost no magic felt when he scanned his hand.

It might sound absurd, but by just hearing the keyword “refining magic,” he succeeded in manipulating magic, refining a substantial amount in a short time compared to many students in the Department of Magic, and perfectly controlling and dispersing that magic.

Perhaps he didn’t know how to accumulate magic because there was almost no magic in his body.

The student who would become the Empire’s top swordsman actually had tremendous talent that could potentially make him a great mage as well.

Professor Seigan, who habitually touched his chin while pondering, soon reached a conclusion.

“Wouldn’t it be too wasteful to transfer this talent to the Swordsmanship Department?”

From the teaching perspective, he wished for his disciple to become a great mage rather than the Empire’s top swordsman. It seemed like he had the talent for it.

If he taught the greatness of magic and guided carefully, he could let go of his attachment to the sword and walk the path of magic.

Seigan, who firmly believed that Yukal had talent as a mage, had completely misunderstood.