Chapter 382: Mage-Style Date (2)

Although it was a somewhat impromptu museum date started to match Cha Yuri’s mood, the magic expo itself surprisingly had many elements that piqued my interest as well.

From the methods of using magic with old-fashioned spellbooks before the foundation of current magic was established, to the development process of magic staffs that make magic easier to handle, and even demonstrations of enchantments used in crafting magic.

Seeing the rather interesting setup in various aspects, it was definitely a proper expo targeted not just at magicians but also at the general public.

Of course, the one I found more interesting than the magic expo itself was Cha Yuri, who was excitedly chattering away beside me.

“The first magician apparently didn’t even know they were an Awakened. It was 1500 years ago, so the concept of magic itself didn’t exist back then. That’s why, until then, people with red inner energy were no different from ordinary people, but one day, the first magician discovered flames suddenly erupting from something they wrote….”

“Ah, I see.”

“See the third staff from the end here? This one uses sandalwood material, the same material as my staff. Actually, most magicians these days only use staffs made from new materials, so wooden staffs have mostly fallen out of use, but I really like staffs with this classic feel.”

“I understand. It kind of feels more like a magician when you’re holding a wooden staff.”

“…W-Sungchul, over there! Over there! Let’s stop watching the enchantments and go there first! Quickly!”

As I was watching the enchantment demonstration magic, I followed Cha Yuri, who was urgently pulling my arm and running, with slightly faster steps and said,

“Alright, but please don’t run inside the museum. What if you trip and fall or something?”

It’s like I thought earlier, Cha Yuri really becomes a completely different person whenever anything related to magic is involved.

Whether it was when she explained magic improvements or now, seeing her become such a chatterbox and ramble on, her passion for magic was certainly more intense than anyone else’s.

I don’t know what made her so obsessed with magic, though.

…Come to think of it, I think there was an item called ‘affection deficiency’ among the things I checked with the Lustful Eye earlier.

It seemed like it would be good to check it leisurely at the hotel after the date ends. Maybe I could find a clue as to why Cha Yuri became this way.

As I was thinking that, I followed where Cha Yuri was pulling me, and discovered a hall themed entirely around wind magic.

Looking at the signboard placed at the entrance, I could fully guess why Cha Yuri was so excited.

「Karin Rayner Special Exhibition Hall」

If I recall correctly from what I learned in textbooks, she was a wind mage Hunter who was active about 150 years ago.

It wasn’t just because she was good at handling wind magic, of course; the reason her name made it into textbooks was thanks to the various innovative developments she created using wind magic.

The most representative example is the wind turbine generator using wind magic.

Although its efficiency didn’t match that of thermal power generators using conventional flame magic, it was much more environmentally friendly, and the initial cost of building the power generation facilities was significantly lower compared to thermal power generators, making it one of the power generation facilities still in use today.

Besides that, she was also the first person to create the original concept for flight magic using wind magic.

Although airplanes aren’t used as a means of transportation in this world, flight magic using wind magic has endless applications in combat within dungeons.

She was the one who created most of the early flight magic, starting from the method of levitating the body into the air to chanting magic while airborne.

With many other achievements made through various magic developments, it’s only natural that she’s featured in textbooks.

Of course, during my student days when I was actively learning, it was normal to memorize it once or twice during exam periods and forget it within a few years.

…The reason I can explain knowledge about a historical figure, which I should have just glossed over like usual, so well is…

That’s naturally because the wind mage beside me, who’s been rambling on for ages, is the main cause.

“Karin Rayner’s flight magic is still like the most basic course for wind mage Hunters. There are two methods of flight: levitating the body using lift, and riding the wind….”

Since entering the Karin Rayner Special Exhibition Hall, thanks to Cha Yuri, who hasn’t gotten tired of talking non-stop for almost 20 minutes, knowledge about Karin Rayner was being forcibly injected into my mind as well.

I continued touring the expo, half listening and half letting go of Cha Yuri’s words.

Karin Rayner’s early wind turbine generator blueprints, and journals detailing the process of creating various other wind magics.

…And even the wooden staff and outfit she used during her lifetime.

As someone who didn’t know much about her, it was naturally the first time I should have been seeing the staff and outfit, but upon seeing them with my own eyes, they were inexplicably familiar.

A sandalwood staff with a red gem embedded in the center, and a somewhat old-fashioned hat and cloak.

That outfit looked exactly like someone’s Hunter uniform that I had become far too familiar with, so it couldn’t help but feel familiar.

“…And the Screw Tornado that Karin Rayner used most often when dealing with high-level monsters wasn’t a typical 5th-circle magic….”

I could fully feel Cha Yuri’s sense of admiration for her, so it was quite an enjoyable time for me too.

Even though we clearly visited the Karin Rayner special exhibition, for some reason, I felt like I got to know Cha Yuri better.

⁎ ⁎ ⁎

“Hah… Heh heh…”

Cha Yuri emerged from the museum, holding an armful of various books and souvenirs.

An undeniable joy radiated from her expression, reaching even me.

“I couldn’t even find Karin Rayner’s early magic textbook online, so I never imagined I’d be able to get a copy here. Plus, if you press the button on the back of this figurine, it activates wind magic….”

“Were you that happy?”

“…Yeah.”

Cha Yuri, who had been talking enthusiastically by herself, suddenly glanced at me, avoiding my gaze.

It seemed like she was belatedly realizing her behavior just moments ago.

Well, after suggesting a date, she got so absorbed that she left the guy she came with and showed off her excitement everywhere, so it’s natural she’d think that.

Of course, from my perspective, I had liked that side of her from the beginning, so I didn’t think of it as pathetic now, but for someone with strong pride like Cha Yuri, there was a possibility she might think so.

It was entirely plausible for her to blush like this, belatedly checking my reaction.

“…I-I’m sorry.”

“Hm?”

“…I got too excited all by myself. Especially after suggesting we date.”

“It wasn’t really like that. I had fun too.”

As proof, I’m holding a manual on how to handle flight magic myself.

Since it’s useless in practice without the ability to use wind magic, it’s practically just a souvenir from the Karin Rayner special exhibition for now.

Still, if I keep getting stronger step by step like I have been, the day will surely come when I can properly utilize this manual.

The fastest way… would be to raise Cha Yuri’s favorability to the highest level and obtain wind magic from the system as a reward, but…

Well, I didn’t plan on thinking too carefully about that part. Making someone like another person isn’t that easy.

Even though the number of women I’ve been intimate with is nearing ten, only two people have reached the highest level of favorability so far.

Hye-eun, my childhood friend whom I’ve known for a very long time since we were young, and Sihee, who nearly lost her life at a resort in Indonesia.

In fact, reaching the highest level of favorability was impossible without that level of deep affection.

It wasn’t like me to deliberately create a crisis just to raise favorability, nor to intentionally enter dangerous dungeons that were out of scope.

Besides, treating the woman in front of me differently just to gain skills for my Awakened ability was impossible for me in the first place.

The moment I started caring about Cha Yuri’s favorability, I wouldn’t be able to tease and play with her like I do now, so how could I possibly endure that?

“I never knew you had someone you respected that much, Cha Yuri-ssi. All I knew before was what was in the textbooks.”

“…It’s just that I was interested because she’s a fellow wind mage. She’s practically a revolutionary among wind mage Hunters.”

“Someone like that would wear matching outfits with Karin Rayner and carry a sandalwood staff as their own?”

“……”

Cha Yuri, perhaps finding it absurd herself, lowered her head again and avoided my gaze.

She might have thought she made a mistake on this museum date today, but that wasn’t the case for me at all.

There hasn’t been a day where I learned so much new knowledge about Cha Yuri like today.

“…Come to think of it, Cha Yuri-ssi.”

“Yeah.”

“If you like Karin Rayner so much, why didn’t you know about the museum exhibition today?”

“…I knew.”

“…What?”

“I was originally planning to go tomorrow. I knew it opened at the end of last year, but I didn’t have time, and today, my date with you was more important.”

“Ah, I see.”

“And I’m still going tomorrow as planned. Tomorrow, I’ll take my time and focus on the video exhibits.”

…Right, it doesn’t make sense that she didn’t know, considering how much she likes it.