Chapter 223. Why Only Me (3)
"Will you be okay? It's hard to follow."
In the training ground inside Rebecca's hideout, we stood facing each other.
She held a staff topped with a purple crystal—no idea where she got it—but it didn't look like a useful artifact.
"Is that staff just decoration?"
"Ah, yeah. You noticed? It makes me look a little scarier."
She really did look like a proper witch now.
"Hmm, maybe we should stop now—"
"Why?"
Rebecca had been repeating that question for a while.
Was it really that hard to teach me the Rune Barrier?
She wanted to revive the Rune Clan, so it's not like she didn't want to teach it.
"...The Rune Barrier isn't simple."
"Let's just try it."
It felt strange to be back in a training ground after so long.
I hadn't visited the one at the academy in a while either.
"This isn't something talent alone can cover… It's a teaching passed down through the Rune Clan…"
Why is she so worried?
Just give it a shot.
"I said it's fine, Rebecca. Let's just try it."
I spoke a little more firmly.
"...Hmph. Fine. Just listen carefully. Don't get hurt when it doesn't work."
Ah, she's worried I'll be hurt emotionally.
No need for that.
Srrrk—
Soon, Rebecca's mana began to fill the training ground.
The familiar Rune Barrier.
I observed the expanding mana sphere, but it didn't seem different from my magic circle.
"Rune Clansmen must completely master the Rune Barrier."
Rebecca muttered calmly.
A completely different demeanor from before.
Thump—
The air around me suddenly grew heavy.
Immense pressure weighed down on my shoulders, and my Combat Sense activated.
"Try casting your Rune Barrier."
"..."
I furrowed my brow, enduring the pressure, and began constructing the Rune Barrier.
I enveloped myself to resist the crushing pressure.
- Crackle
But the barrier collapsed the moment it formed.
It couldn't withstand the pressure from Rebecca's Rune Barrier.
"That's not how the Rune Barrier works."
Rebecca approached with a faint smile and dispelled her Rune Barrier.
The collapsing form halted mid-dissolution.
"Wow..."
The magic was both active and not active at the same time.
"How is this even possible?"
I'd never seen or heard of anything like this.
If Im Sol saw this, she'd probably fall over in shock.
"A Rune Clansman learns only one type of magic in their lifetime. That's why the space inside the barrier becomes their own."
Rebecca extended her hand, and I could see her mana connected to the barrier.
"This isn't being maintained… It's like it's connected from the start."
"Exactly. My mana has the same structure as the Rune Barrier. …But I haven't even visualized it yet. How did you see that?"
"That's even possible?"
Rebecca looked puzzled, while I stared wide-eyed in disbelief.
How could magic and a person share the same mana structure?
"That's what it means to be of the Rune Clan. Honestly, this is why I didn't want to show you. I thought it'd discourage you."
Actually, I wasn't discouraged.
If anything, I was even more motivated.
There was a whole new concept of magic I'd never known.
"It's… okay."
Rebecca must've misunderstood my eager gaze and began to say something.
I let her words pass in one ear as I kept observing her barrier.
Fusion of mana and the human body.
'Can I do that too?'
No. Absolutely not.
That kind of phenomenon requires years during a body's developmental stage.
I'm too old now. Even if I could, I need more than just the Rune Barrier.
So I need a different approach…
"You've got the talent… If we just have a gifted child, I can raise them from an early age…"
"Ah."
Rebecca was saying something, but I wasn't listening.
Because something had awakened inside my mind.
When I encounter a new concept I didn't even know with my [Mana Sensitivity], my talent forces my body to evolve as soon as I understand it.
This was an awakening.
Like when I first felt mana.
Like when I first used Combat Sense.
Like when I first created a new skill.
Like when I awakened while having sex with Liliana.
Maybe even more than that—some kind of evolution was occurring.
I couldn't completely reshape my mana circuits like Rebecca.
Her entire body is built for the Rune Barrier.
Her mana's properties are identical to the Rune Barrier.
That's why, every time she deploys it, it connects to her body.
Unlike controlling it manually, her barrier is part of her, making it even stronger.
It's different from normal magic.
Something that shouldn't or can't be imitated.
But—
This body can do it.
'If I can't connect with it, I'll grab onto it.'
If it won't work naturally, I'll force it. Add my own method to it.
"...Rune Barrier."
I cast the Rune Barrier again.
Threads of mana from my body quickly formed a magic circle, culminating in a core spell structure.
I couldn't grasp the whole thing, so I held only the core.
Then I altered the core spell structure.
'To match my body's mana nature.'
And just like that…
Crack—
A spherical Rune Barrier formed around me, and the pressure vanished.
I had created my own space within Rebecca's barrier.
"Haa… I think it worked? What do you think, Rebecca?"
I looked at her proudly.
The feeling of getting better at magic.
It never got old.
Rebecca stared at me with her mouth slightly open, then quietly spoke.
"...Our baby's daddy really has amazing genes."
*
An article claiming Shin Dongmin, the eldest son of the Shinyoung Guild, had contacted demons.
The public had been on fire at first, but quickly found other gossip.
Even when articles said Shin Dongmin was missing, people soon lost interest.
As public attention faded, it was time for a quiet return—but he never went home.
He knew exactly how he'd be treated.
Locked in a mansion, watched forever, never allowed to leave.
Because he was a demon.
'Keep him under watch, but don't kill him.'
Even if his son's a demon, his father wouldn't abandon him.
That's the kind of man his father is.
He might've even hired hunters to track him down.
Rather than live like that… it'd be better to return the favor.
The reason he became like this.
Lee Hoyeon and Moon Surin.
Squirm—
Veins bulging all over his body.
A distorted, monstrous face with horns.
Fully demonized, Shin Dongmin ran from home and contacted Pandemic.
He'd taken a stash of slush funds when he left and used it to hire Pandemic's demons.
"...The operation?"
"Yes. They've already left for Lee Hoyeon and Moon Surin's dorm."
Clatter—
On the monitor in front of Shin Dongmin, two men in skull masks moved toward their target.
"...You secured the right guys?"
"Yes. Directly recruited S-class demons."
"Most S-classes are psychos. I paid a lot for them. They'd better get it done."
"I agree… but they won't fail."
"...Good."
This was the end.
He'd spent all his stolen funds to get those two S-classes. There was no going back.
"…."
Shin Dongmin watched the demons disappear from the monitor and stood up.
Professor Im Sol's research lab.
"Just like this…"
Swish—
Im Sol poured out her mana, and the lab filled with a magic circle.
"Done."
Thanks to Lee Hoyeon's help, she'd completed it right away.
She controlled the mana in her hand and sat back down.
"Hehehe."
A smirk escaped her lips as she looked at the completed documents.
When the research for a new spell is finished—
The moment you realize your magic skills have advanced another step.
That thrill as a 'magician Im Sol.'
That's why she was obsessed with magic.
"Whew… huh?"
But something felt off.
This research had taken months to finish, but the euphoria wasn't there.
Well, it was good, but…
"...?"
It felt like this level of fulfillment shouldn't have been enough.
It was barely satisfying. No, far less than that.
Something deep inside her still felt empty.
Up to now, it had always been enough, so why now?
Im Sol frowned, trying to find the cause.
But there was no way to figure it out. She'd dedicated her life to magic—it was her everything.
Sip.
Drinking a mix coffee on her desk, Im Sol suddenly realized.
"...Was it always this bland?"
It's okay.
She always kept chocolate cookies too.
Munch.
"…."
Im Sol realized it.
The refreshment she used to feel from coffee, the sweetness from cookies—gone.
"...Tch."
She clicked her tongue.
At least this time, she knew the reason.
Lee Hoyeon.
His cum was delicious.
More than mix coffee, more than chocolate cookies.
Sweeter than magic research.
"Pffft…"
To think she'd be reminded of a guy's cum right after finishing magical research.
She really had changed.
No—maybe it wasn't the cum.
Maybe it was Lee Hoyeon.
She had fun researching magic with him.
Whether discussing magic or receiving a load as a reward—
It was enjoyable.
A kind of fun completely different from research.
A joy she'd never felt before.
"...Such a good student."
One who brings happiness to his teacher.
Heh.
Now that she understood the cause of her frustration, she felt better.
Im Sol added two sugar cubes to her mix coffee and stirred it.
Maybe this would make it sweeter.
Then she thought about the upcoming magic expo next week.
"...Will it be fun?"
Honestly, she wasn't all that interested.
She was just going because her student asked her to.
Like praising a student who got a perfect score.
Lee Hoyeon and Im Sol.
There'd be no higher magic than theirs anyway.
But… if she was with her student, or just being with him… she might look forward to the expo.