episode_0026

The day after the admission ceremony. Early morning, before 6 o’clock.

Loud whistles and complaints from freshmen rang out throughout the outdoor training grounds of the cradle.

“Heo Eok… omg… ! Something like this… Wizard… ?”

“I hate you mom… You didn’t tell me it would be like this… ”

“From the first day… Do you have any discipline? Huh… ”

The freshmen had already run dozens of laps around the track at the outdoor training center. They were all people who wanted to go to the Department of Magic.

Both ankles and wrists had heavy-looking black rings on them. If it looked like they were falling behind even just a little bit, the instructors would immediately yell at them.

“What is this… Huh… Just strengthen it with circulatory system magic… Why do you do this… Phew… ”

Jae-Ryong Guk, a freshman from the Hwangseong Guk clan, took a deep breath and expressed his dissatisfaction.

“On the wrists and ankles… Why on earth is something like this cold? At a place that is said to be the most prestigious academy, these old-fashioned educational methods… Huh… ”

“Hehe… a little… Quiet… Are you the only one having a hard time? They say it’s a restraint to prevent kids like you from secretly doing something like that… ! Phew… ”

“Then all you have to do is block the magic… Why does it even have weight? ! Huh… !”

Moon Yeo-ul, who could no longer bear the noise, gave Guk Jae-ryong a reprimand. Her face was also covered with sweat and fatigue. However, Guk Jae-ryong paid no heed to that and continued to pour out his complaints.

“Phew… ! It’s very difficult. This is just a morning walk. It’s just refreshing and good.”

Choi Woo-jin, a large male student running next to him, gave Jae-ryong a light scolding.

“Hey, Jaeryong. That’s why I told you a long time ago that we should exercise together. What is that? The name of the Demonic Twenty-Seven Clan cries, really… ”

Unlike the previous two students, he did not show the slightest sign of difficulty. A couple of steps in front of him, Jin Ye-seo, a blond-haired, green-eyed girl, was running silently without saying a word.

“Noisy! What if an accident occurs due to incomplete flowering? Huh… ”

“Tsutsu, anyway… ”

“Phew… Don’t be like that… All the other kids are similar, but… ”

Ryu Seung-heon, a good-looking male student, smiled and stopped Woo-jin. Although their faces were slightly sweaty, they were definitely more relaxed than the previous two people.

Basically, all of those who entered the cradle were wizards, but due to differences in their natural talents and tastes, not all of them chose the same department.

In addition to the Department of Magic, the Cradle offered several majors such as the Department of Magical Engineering and the Department of Magical Water Resources, and students chose an appropriate major based on the intersection of their talents and tastes.

However, it has long been common sense that freshmen with outstanding abilities or from prestigious families should naturally apply to the Department of Magic.

The Department of Magic was a department that mainly studied military magic that was useful on the front lines, and in the current situation of great chaos inside and outside the country, the people most needed were those who had specialized in such magic.

In addition, since frontline service experience was essential in order to ascend to a high-ranking position in the future, the Department of Magic could be seen as the first gateway for students with a desire for success.

The status of the Department of Magic was the highest among all departments in the cradle, and naturally, all of them, who were from the prestigious Mage Twenty-Seven Tribe, entered the Department of Magic.

However, even for them, the cradle’s education method was a bit burdensome.

“Tsk tsk, it’s all an excuse, an excuse. Look ahead. Even a guy like that runs, don’t you feel embarrassed? Huh?”

Even while running, Woojin pointed forward. There, I saw the new student wearing the mask I saw at the entrance ceremony yesterday and the traveling bell running around. The girl who was next to him the whole time was also there.

“Hmm?”

Suddenly, Woojin, who was observing the masked student, was able to notice something strange. Even though he was spinning dozens of times, he was maintaining very stable breathing. The posture was also not disturbed one bit.

Only the sportswear on my body was slightly wet with light sweat. He looked comfortable, like an old man who had just casually walked out of the neighborhood.

“… Looks like you have good physical strength. Is he a magician from the outskirts who naturally bloomed?”

The male student even gave a slight push to the female student running next to her when she seemed to be falling behind.

But if you want to push, you push with the palm of your hand, why do you only push with the tip of one finger? Isn’t it too inefficient?

A slight question came to mind for a moment, but Woojin paid no attention and looked away again. It’s not that important.

“Really, when will this end… !”

“Be quiet… Do it… !”

Behind him, the sound of Jae-ryong and Yeo-ul arguing was still loud.

***

The morning training ended with an alarm on the hour. The students immediately sat down here and there on the track and continued to breathe heavily.

Meanwhile, water bottles were distributed on carts everywhere.

“Tsk tsk. To be pitiful.”

Someone stepped in front of the students who were about to collapse and clicked their tongue lightly. There was a woman standing on the outdoor platform watching us the entire time we were running around the track.

“It’s truly pathetic and miserable. I never thought I’d be lying around like this with just a light warm-up. How can I still go around and say I’m a student at a prestigious academy? Huh?”

At first glance, the woman’s age did not seem much different from ours. His hair was cut short, and his cleft muscles stood out clearly all over his body.

The woman who came forward looked around and briefly introduced herself.

“First of all, nice to meet you. My name is Shin Jae-yu and I will be lecturing you on training and magic combat for a year. I have a moment to explain, so please sit down and listen.”

“Hiyak… Hiya… Hyuna… Drink this… ”

“I think it would be better for you to drink first… ?”

“Ugh, it’s okay… Hi… ”

Yena continued to let out soft moans and held out a water bottle.

He must have been dragged out of his sleep and had no time to put on makeup, so his unique freckles looked particularly prominent. Sweat was spread all over his face like water.

Unlike yesterday, when her hair was neatly trimmed, it appears to have been roughly tied with a string.

When I took the water bottle and held it out again, Yena took a deep breath and gulped down the water. You shouldn’t drink it so quickly…

“Puhhe! eww… eww… ”

Jena, who was drinking water, coughed repeatedly as if she were in trouble. As the surrounding attention focused on the commotion, he lowered his head with a red face.

Perhaps it was hard to hear because he was far away, but the professor paid it no heed and continued his explanation.

“From now on, you will repeat today’s routine every morning except holidays. Please note that this is basic training that is conducted separately from this class.”

“I have to do this every morning… ?”

“It’s really ridiculous… !”

“Quiet! There have already been numerous significant research results on the correlation between body activity and gland regeneration speed. Basic training is like essential training for a wizard. In addition, from the moment your physical strength decreases, your judgment, magic formula creation speed, and more… ”

In response to the grumbling coming from all over, the female professor continued her long speech with a sharp scolding.

Yena, who was sitting next to him, looked at him and whispered in a low voice.

“Hiyak… I think I’ll buy it now… But Hyun, you’re not having a hard time… ? I even used that on my face… ”

“I don’t know if it’s particularly difficult… ”

“Really? Amazing… I’m so worried… How can I do this for three years… ?”

Yena exclaimed in exclamation for a moment, but then a tearful expression appeared on her face. But compared to the leader who rolled around in the mud until his stomach juices came out, this seems like a really light walk.

Did you say that my body is not suitable for magic, so I need to preserve its durability in this way?

At the time, I was really gnashing my teeth because of the leader’s unique and obnoxious way of speaking, but now I think I can understand his meaning to some extent…

“Ugh, it’s so hard… !”

“Be quiet… !”

Suddenly I heard a commotion and turned my head. I was soon able to spot familiar faces.

They are a gang from a prestigious family, probably the Mado 27 tribe, that I saw from afar at the entrance ceremony yesterday.

A large male student wiping away sweat with a refreshing expression, a blonde female student with a calm expression, a male student with a good personality, and a female student with the impression of a young lady clinging to him next to him. And even a male student who kept gasping for air with an innocent look on his face.

The students around them were almost one with the floor, but these ones seemed to be fine in their own way.

“It’s okay. I can do it well. I can help too… ”

“Hey, there! Why do you keep whispering like that? Huh?”

Just as I was about to answer Yena’s words, I suddenly felt a loud voice coming towards us. Before we knew it, the female professor who was standing on the podium was walking towards us.

“Now that I think about it, they are the same couple who have been hanging out together since we were on the track earlier. We even have conversations from the first class. I don’t know who I learned it from, but I learned only the worst things, huh?”

The female professor looked down at me and smiled. Yena hid herself behind me at the burdensome look in her eyes.

Am I mistaken in feeling that the word ‘who’ is particularly emphasized?

“… I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Hehehe, of course you don’t know. Be careful, okay? It’s me, so I’ll let it go like this. It’ll be a bit annoying if I get caught by those little old guys~”

An unpleasant feeling filled me for a moment, and a sharp voice came out without me realizing it. I thought it was a mistake, but surprisingly the professor just waved his hand and returned to the podium and began lecturing as if nothing had happened. I thought I might get scolded.

A person’s personality is not easily changed. My mom, the leader, and my older sisters all pointed out my angry personality, but it’s still like this.

If I keep doing this, I wonder if I’ll have an accident later…

“… ”

“… Why?”

Suddenly I felt eyes on me and turned my head. Yena was glaring at me with a bright red face, her cheeks slightly puffed out.

“… I don’t know. I just felt like I lost.”

***

Classes in various subjects continued thereafter. Cradle education was harsh on both body and mind from day one. I think I finally understand what the leader means when he says we will be tough.

There wasn’t much of a problem on the physical side, but it was quite a challenge to instill various theories and formulas about magic into my head.

Although I learned a little from my older sisters, it was because I knew almost nothing about magic theory in the first place. I’ve spent most of my life in places that have nothing to do with magic…

“… We were driven to the end, but with the advent of wizards, we were able to rebuild civilization. The name of the current capital is also a trace of that confusion. Masada is the name of the last fortress from an old scripture. And from that time on, the 10 republic system continued until now.”

At the lecture hall, an old professor with a long beard was giving a humanities lecture. It was not difficult to find students nodding their heads here and there, as if they were exhausted from the morning’s forced march.

“But we need to look at it from a different perspective at least once. Some say magic is a blessing from God, but I disagree with such optimism. Obviously, humanity has been able to continue living thanks to wizards, but not everything has always worked in a good direction.”

“Cool… ”

“… ”

Yena was sleeping with her cheek pressed against the desk. Fortunately, I can’t see it well because I’m in the back seat.

I thought about it for a while, but instead of waking Jena up, I decided to just cover her body by raising a book.

“Let’s look at an example. In the past, there were aircraft that could carry hundreds of people and fly in the sky. We could also send projectiles across the sky to the moon. We could even put a satellite in the sky and talk to people on the other side of the world through a communication device without any restrictions. But airplanes, rockets, and satellites have long since remained only concepts. Do you know why? It’s because of the Bessel particles that fill the atmosphere.”

Professor Noh continued his explanation.

“Because particles interfere with engine mechanisms and prevent objects exceeding a certain weight from floating, it has now become impossible for objects larger than a bird to float in the sky on Earth. Due to the nature of particles that disrupt radio waves, wireless communication is impossible in places where there are no telephone lines. If we hadn’t figured out how to tame crows, we would never have been able to communicate with people far away.”

Unlike other professors who gave unpleasant orders whenever they could, Professor Noh simply continued his explanation in a calm voice, whether the students were sleeping or not. I don’t know if I’m less passionate or if I’m more considerate…

“Thanks to this, communication with foreign countries has returned to ancient levels. We, who once communicated with people on the other side of the world, now barely maintain relationships with nearby countries. Other than that, maybe we only occasionally interact with the United States over the eastern seas by liner ship? ”

“Cool… ”

Yena’s nasal voice penetrated the professor’s lecture.

“That is the current reality. In addition, there are numerous problems in our society caused by the influx of particles and the birth of wizards. It may be a bit extreme, but some people claim that humanity is now trapped in a small cage called magic. I may not agree with all of those opinions, but at least once you too, try to take a critical look at magic, which you consider to be a natural blessing. That’s your first step as a wizard.”

Suddenly, an alarm announcing 6 p.m. rang throughout the classroom. Professor Noh checked his watch and

I prepared to finish the lecture.

“Hmm, time is already up. That’s it for today. Well, from the next class onwards, let’s get to the actual concepts… ”

“Yena, wake up. Class is over.”

“Hi… ?”

After waking Yena up, we parted ways and left the classroom. Outside, the sun was just setting over the horizon.

As I walked along the campus, I pondered Professor Noh’s words. But I couldn’t come to a simple conclusion. This is because we had to look back at the premise that was established in the first place. Was magic ever a natural blessing to me?

“… Hey, there!”

Just as I was about to exit down the path leading to the dormitory, I suddenly heard a cheerful voice coming from behind. Since there’s no one around, I think it’s probably calling me.

As I turned, I saw a female student beckoning to me. He looks very refreshing, and the teardrop dot under his right eye is quite impressive. Looking at the badge attached to the lapel, he is a second year upperclassman. The name tag on his chest had the name ‘Kwon Yuri’ written in small letters.

“Did you call me?”

“Yes! That’s right, I called it! Wow, I don’t know how long I’ve been wandering around. Actually, I went to the classroom earlier to look for you. But the class is already over and the door is closed.”

“You said you were looking for me… ?”

“Hehe, you heard correctly! My name is Kwon Yuri, and I am majoring in magic. What about our chick?”

“… This is Jinhyeon Yoo.”

“Jinhyeon is your junior! What a nice name!”

The female student smiled brightly and nodded her head up and down. The fact that there was no reaction to my mask at all made me think that maybe because I was a second year student, I was more used to strange things than a first year student.

But why did an unknown upperclassman come to see me? I have no idea at all…

“It’s nothing special, my friend is having a small social gathering and he wants to invite you! That’s why I came here to personally invite you!”

“Your friend… ? who… ?”

“Hehe! It’s no fun if you know that in advance! Anyway, what should I do? If you’re not busy, could you give me a moment? It won’t take that long! It will be fun too!”

“… :

I thought about it for a moment, but there was no particular reason to refuse. It was a bit of a sudden invitation, but there was no particular plan afterward.

The option of leaving a bad impression by refusing an upperclassman’s invitation doesn’t seem like a good option…

“… I think it’ll be okay for a little while.”

“Hehe! I like it because it’s refreshing! good! Just follow this senior!”

After hearing my consent, the female student took the lead and guided me. Evening primroses were just beginning to bloom in the flower beds of the campus, where the sun was dimly setting. The crunching sound of large and small moths and flying insects rushing to the street lamps could be heard everywhere.

After walking for a while with the female student, we arrived at a small salon in the cradle annex. The door with grapevines and butterflies carved on it feels very luxurious.

“Our chick. Now I’m living the cradle life!”

“… ?”

The female student standing in front of the door suddenly whispered something incomprehensible. Then he opened the door, stepped aside, and motioned for me to enter.

“Uh… ?”

“Huh?”

The moment I stepped into the salon, I could hear a few people here and there letting out exhaled gasps.

The first thing I saw was a wide square table in the center. Above it, various refreshments and tea cups were prepared.

And on the sofas around the table, I immediately saw a familiar face. All of the students from the Demonic Twenty-Seven tribe that I had seen earlier in the morning were sitting in their respective seats.

Judging from their dumbfounded expressions, it seemed like the people who had just made the exclamation were the boy with the sly look and the girl with the look of a girl.

In addition, there are quite a few students who seem to be meeting each other for the first time.

“Hehe, my junior’s seat is over there!”

Kwon Yuri gestured and pointed to the last empty seat. I was pushed by the force and went to the sofa and sat down.

I can feel the gaze of those around me pouring down on me. What is the situation? I don’t think the people who want to talk to me are freshmen.

Everyone had a puzzled look on their faces, so it seemed like the host of the social gathering had not arrived yet.

“… ”

And I was just about to start questioning who had invited me.

Suddenly, a very familiar voice came from outside the door.

– Yuri, I’m sorry! I’m a little late, right? The professor suddenly came looking for me… !

-It’s okay, it’s okay! The juniors have just arrived~

“Uh… ?”

“This voice… ?”

Other students who heard the voice started talking to each other as if they were a little reminded.

I soon saw a familiar-looking upperclassman coming through the door.

“Hello, juniors! It’s really nice to meet you like this… !”

What appeared there was Yeoni with a bright smile.