Academy's Gumiho is a Magic Genius – Chapter 2
I took an objective look at what I'd done.
The junior TA had come to the first lab on an errand, only to plop down in the professor's chair without permission and scribble on some papers. Not even official workit was just personal inspiration.
Hmm, yeah, this is scold-worthy.
And it wasn't even on A4 paper.
Papers scattered around the lab. I'd used them without authorization.
Of course, some might've been fine for scrap paper, but that also meant there was a good chance important documents were mixed in.
'I'm screwed...'
I was screwed. Totally screwed.
As I berated myself, Professor Nam Hwa-yeon crooked her finger.
A soft blue glow leaked from her fingertip. Mana flowed out, neatly organizing the scattered papers and desk.
Nam Hwa-yeon perched on the now spotless desk and looked at me.
Her mouth smiled, but her eyes didn'ta jarring disconnect that had cold sweat beading on my skin before I knew it.
"Uh, I... um..."
"I know. You're the new hire, right? Baek Seung-woo?"
"...Yes."
She already knew who I was.
Of course, professors pick their TAs, so that made sense. But in a situation like this, it felt pretty intimidating that she knew my name.
I almost wished she didn't.
Even as I stared at her warily, Nam Hwa-yeon watched me with eyes sparkling like she was having the time of her life.
Right then, she spoke up.
"By the way, I've got a questionow!"
Nam Hwa-yeon hopped down from the desk.
She stepped over to me and picked up the paper I'd just scribbled on.
"What were you thinking when you wrote this?"
An unexpected question.
I'd figured she'd chew me out for barging into her lab or grill me for using her papers without permission.
My confusion didn't last. I answered her.
"...One of the old papers caught my eye, so I extrapolated the back side."
"Old paper? Oh, you mean the lecture script I was going to use today."
The lecture script crammed with strange symbols, equations, and diagrams.
Reading it had sparked ideas in my head that I couldn't ignore. It was instinctive, but yeah, I'd messed up.
As I bowed my head in self-reproach, Nam Hwa-yeon lifted my chin.
"Hey? Why hang your head? When inspiration strikes a mage, jotting it down is just common sense."
She patted my back like it wasn't a big deal at all.
Affirming my actions, she continued.
"But what's this symbol mean? And what's with the helix shape?"
"...Well, it's what I inferred for the blank back side of the script."
"...Huh? What'd you say?"
She asked again like she'd misheard. I repeated myself.
"The end of the script felt off, so I filled in the back based on my inspiration."
"No way that's possible..."
Her face twisted like she'd heard something absurd. I showed her the script's back. She looked enlightened for a second, then frowned again.
Was something wrong?
"Something's off. True, I skipped the end while tidying up the script, but it should've had the magic circle incantation there originally."
"Pardon...?"
Now it was my turn to look baffled.
Of course it was. Based on the front part I'd read, the next step was naturally 'mana array.'
A magic circle incantation? Come on.
Our views clashed.
Realizing something was weird, Nam Hwa-yeon pointed at my scribbles.
"Explain what you wrote here. What does it mean?"
"...Yes, I can explain, sure."
It was the professor asking, so I had no choice. Honestly, though, I wasn't confident.
I hadn't formally studied magic. I'd just jotted down inspiration. How was I supposed to explain? Reading my mind, she added,
"Explain it well, and I'll overlook what you did here today."
"Got it."
My immediate reply came without hesitation.
So what if I hadn't learned much magic? Better to expose my gaps than get chewed out by my boss.
I stood and headed to the blackboard on one wall of the lab.
Chalk in one hand, my paper in the other, I cleared my throat. Nam Hwa-yeon watched from my vacated chair.
Our seats had swapped somehow, but that wasn't important now.
I copied my scribbles onto the blackboard exactly as they were and began.
"The script's long, but it all leads to one conclusion."
Tak-tak!
Chalk dotted the board. Then I connected them into bundles of lines.
The lines formed constellations.
Sagittarius, Taurus, the Summer Triangle. More besides, all etched on the board.
The script's goal was astrology.
"It's formalized now, but ancient astrology built on personal interpretations. I dug into that, but it skipped the core. So I inferred the end from what's thereand this is it."
The script cut off abruptly at the highlight.
I was sure that spot called for this. With conviction, I'd drawn the massive diagram on the board.
Nam Hwa-yeon tilted her head at it and murmured,
"...DNA?"
We'd gone from constellations and astrology to DNA out of nowhere, but yes.
What I'd drawn was DNA's double helix form.
That was my conclusion.
"Reading through, it felt like a mana array should come next, but in my head, this was all that fit at the end."
This was the limit of what I could explain.
Beyond that, my magic knowledge was zilch. The scribbles were just momentary inspiration anyway.
No way to logic it out. Explaining this far was my best shot.
Luckily, it worked. She pondered seriously, then spoke slowly.
"Hmm... How do I even put this."
Nam Hwa-yeon sounded deeply perplexed.
"Your approach is totally different from mine."
"Pardon?"
Different approach?
What did that even mean?
If it's right, it's right. Wrong, it's wrong. What was this about approaches?
"As you saw, my lecture intro goes from astrology concepts to celestial magic. The main part too. Isn't it weird that you got this instead?"
"B-but in my head, it wasn't wrong...!"
"It's not wrong. That's why I said the approach is different."
My flash of inspiration wasn't off.
Hard to articulate, but I knew it was right.
Nam Hwa-yeon nodded agreement and clapped.
Clap!
The sound rippled out as an invisible wave.
It erased the board and drew anew: a tiny human figure and a vast cosmos.
Labels: Macrocosm and Microcosm.
"Macrocosm and Microcosm. You know these?"
"Yes."
Macrocosm and Microcosm.
I vaguely remembered reading about them before.
Microcosm means humans containing the universe; macrocosm encompasses humans, repeating the patterna philosophical idea.
But why bring up philosophy now?
Perplexed by the sudden concept, Nam Hwa-yeon continued.
"Sudden, right? Why macrocosm and microcosm?"
"...Yes."
"Me too."
"Huh?"
"Look, honestly."
She waved, wiping the board clean. Dense text filled it.
At first baffling, but familiar terms and symbols clickedit was the worn lecture script.
Expert jargon and unique symbols made it look like a university paper.
Nam Hwa-yeon pointed at the board.
"My script's toned down for freshmen. Complex symbols, sure, but standardized incantations and formulas."
Looked complicated, but freshman level? My knowledge gaps hit home.
"Your explanation? No standard formulas. Pure personal inspiration and intuition."
Of coursecouldn't parse the symbols and formulas, so I inferred my way.
She emphasized that point.
I scratched my head.
No clue how to respond.
Meanwhile, she kept going.
"This form has flaws, but even accounting for that, it's a huge discovery. If memory serves, no mana array like this exists yet."
So let's name it.
"..."
The talk was getting grandiose.
I stood there, lost in the flow.
Still, she pressed on.
"Array based on celestial bodies fused with microcosm concepts'Microcosm's Celestial Bodies'? 'Microcosm Amid the Stars'? Which sounds good...?"
Hard to keep up, but seemed like she was naming my scribbles.
Hearing her suggestions, I thought,
'What are these? Titles that'd pop up at 3 AM in a fit of feels.'
'Microcosm's Celestial Bodies,' 'Microcosm Amid the Stars'way too fancy.
Couldn't say I hated them, but they were overly elaborate.
I prefer simple and straightforward for this stuff. No flair.
"How about just calling it Double Helix? Nice and intuitive."
Right then.
[You have acquired the skill 'Double Helix.']
[You have created a brand-new skill that didn't exist before!]
[You have acquired +5 points.]
Messages floated in my vision.
Definitely from the Status Window.
But something was off.
'Was it always this color? Kinda purplish now.'
Past windows were translucent.
Nearly colorless.
If any color, a faint sky blue, super hazy.
Double Helix
: C
Description: A brand-new mana array method. Based on genomic structure, it resonates helical mana to amplify it. As a byproduct shaped like the microcosm, it yields maximum effect when circulating mana internally.
* Mana Amplification
The two helices intersect, resonating mana for double amplification. Amplified mana affects skills and traits too.
Pondering the color faded fast. More important: my new 'Double Helix.'
Reading it, I instantly got what the skill did.
A mana array boosting manipulation, spell efficiency, and power. But do mana arrays usually come as skills?
Didn't used to be like this.
As I scrolled with my eyes,
I caught Nam Hwa-yeon staring into space, eyes darting.
"Did you get a skill?"
"Pardon? Oh, yeah. Just now."
Casual reply mid-read.
Most professors would've snapped, but she looked intrigued.
Skills come three ways.
Items like skillbooks. Training standardized techniques. Creating new ones from novel concepts.
Most get them via training or books. Creating from nothing? Rare. But Baek Seung-woo did it.
Nam Hwa-yeon watched her newbie TA craft a skill right in front of her and thought,
'The scribbles were childish doodles without standard formulas. But the system recognized it as a skill.'
Not high-grade by the paper's polish.
Key point: self-made with his own power.
"Mind sharing what the skill does?"
"Sure. 'Double Helix'a mana array that resonates helical mana for amplification."
"Simple and efficient."
Nam Hwa-yeon murmured after hearing it. I nodded too.
Perfect description.
C-grade means basic effects.
But simple equals efficient.
Usage could wait. I had another question for her.
"Professor? Do you know what points are?"
"Points? Like grades?"
"No. Got a message saying +2 points with the Double Helix."
Forgot amid skill shock, but alongside it: points acquired.
Couldn't recall from the original work. Maybe a prof would know.
"Nah? Maybe shock made you misread?"
"...Probably."
"Good. Don't just grind as junior TAvent inspiration like this sometimes. Or better yet, be my exclusive"
Clunk!
Door flew open, cutting her off.
A man in a sharp suit with mismatched bulky muscles stepped in. The guy who'd grabbed my shoulder and dumped papers on me earlier.
"Professor, lecture at 3 soon. Time to prep."
Voice worlds apart from his earlier snippiness. Deep, gentlemanly tone.
But spotting me at the board, he reverted.
"Youwhy're you here?"
Forgot Nam Hwa-yeon entirely? He scolded meno, more like hysterics.
The nametag near his lapel read 'Bang Seok-hun.' Growling, he grabbed my collar.
"Told you you'd regret slacking. What're you doing in the professor's lab?"
Bang Seok-hun dragged me by the collar.
At the door, he yanked it open to haul me out.
No idea why he was so heated, but I couldn't just take it.
Thud!
"..."
Let go and talk it out.
That was the plan.
'Screwed again...'
Why'd I shove Bang Seok-hun?
Caught off-guard, he toppled backward. Never dreamed a newbie TA would push backhe just gawked.
Seeing that, instinct kicked in.
Trait: Bluffing.
Like an empty cart rattling loud all bark, no bite, a chicken-rib trait. It had activated.
"...You're dead."
He snapped to, stood, and grabbed my nape to hoist me upno escape.
Then whispered in my ear,
"You're done today."
"..."
Oh crap, hit me right then.
Bang Seok-hun was already kicking the door open, me in tow.
That instant.
"That's far enough."
Nam Hwa-yeon, who'd watched silently, stepped between us.
Her words shook Bang Seok-hun hard.