Chapter 9

Chapter 009

It wasn't just wizards who could handle mana.

A swordsman who had practiced with a sword all his life could condense mana and overlay it on the sword.

This was the realm of Aura!

Because it was so cool and spectacular, many of the noble children decided to learn swordsmanship after seeing it.

This was no different even in families of wizards.

So when Yi Han first said he wanted to learn swordsmanship, Alarlong thought:

'Oh, you want to learn Aura. You'll be disappointed when you find out the truth.'

Alarlong was a strict knight.

He didn't bother to tell the truth first, thinking Yi Han would eventually give up on his own.

But Yi Han held up better than expected, and a satisfied Alarlong decided to tell him the truth first.

...But he was quite taken aback when Yi Han showed little interest in Aura.

- "I think just training myself and protecting my body is enough."

- "...!"

Alarlong couldn't help but be impressed by Yi Han's words.

It was a mature attitude that a child couldn't show.

He was learning swordsmanship with such a serious mindset.

- "Actually, Mr. Yi Han, you can use Aura too. Someday."

- "No... I just want to be a wizard..."

- "Aura isn't something you can realize by swinging a sword for a year or two. But if you keep practicing and training as I taught you, you might realize it someday."

- "I just need to protect myself. Sir, I want to live in the office."

In any case, Yi Han consistently did what Alarlong told him to do.

He wasn't particularly trying to realize Aura and become a Swordmaster; he just thought it wouldn't hurt to train.

* * *

...And the results were showing now.

'The feel of the strike is... better than expected?'

Yi Han was surprised by himself.

It wasn't surprising that he accurately struck the pig with his staff, having its movements pinned down and waiting for the right moment.

He had learned this technique from being hit by Alarlong many times.

The staff provided by the magic school was very sturdy and could be used as a club without any problem.

But when he hit the pig, he felt something like mana from the surroundings gathering on the staff.

A sensation he had never felt while practicing with the sword!

'Is this because I started learning magic?'

He thought this might be what Alarlong meant by "you might realize it someday."

The natural feeling of gathering mana into a weapon.

Of course, it was still at a level far from being called Aura.

After all, mana needs to be condensed to form Aura.

But even this was enough.

An attack with mana was much more destructive than a simple swing.

- "Grrr..."

Indeed, the pig, which had been growling fiercely, staggered and fell to the side with one hit.

Nellia, who had been watching, looked at Yi Han in disbelief.

'Could I have missed something? Did he use magic?'

The world of magic was vast, and there were certainly spells to enhance strength or agility.

But those were too difficult for a freshman who had just entered the school.

"Did you kill it!?"

"It seems so."

Yi Han lowered his staff and checked the mutant pig's breathing. It was definitely dead.

Yoner, supported by someone, stood up and said in disbelief:

"Is this class really allowed?"

"I've been thinking that since I met the principal."

No matter how deep the secrets of alchemy were, it was strange to have such monsters wandering around where untrained freshmen were walking.

The pigs looked like pigs, but their power could easily crush a thick tree.

'Should I skip alchemy?'

Yi Han seriously considered it.

Assuming all the professors in this magic school were a bit crazy, if he calculated the probability of death...

Wouldn't the risk of taking classes outside the lecture hall be higher than inside?

He thought it might be a bit of a free-for-all class, but seeing the monsters, it could get even tougher in the future.

"We might have to go deeper into the forest to collect troll saliva."

"Ugh..."

Yoner frowned, slightly troubled by Yi Han's words.

He wanted to open an alchemy workshop, but he didn't want to die.

"Wait. You're not planning to skip, are you?"

Nellia said urgently.

She already had a weak social circle.

These two were her only friends. If they didn't attend the alchemy class, Nellia would have to listen to it alone again.

"You're not planning to skip, right!? You two... you're both part of the Blue Dragon Tower, aren't you? Don't you have some pride?"

"I don't."

"I think practicality is more important than honor..."

"......"

Nellia was completely annoyed by the two nobles' words.

"Fine, do as you please!"

"Why are you getting annoyed?"

"It's not like we've decided to skip."

"Really?"

Just as Nellia turned her head to ask, a familiar cry erupted from the other side.

-■■■!

"Looks like it's back."

"Maybe we should just skip..."

"......"

* * *

The three who ran over found the mutant pig they had just faced.

Realizing that there were not one but at least two such creatures in this area, Yi Han quickly made a decision.

"We should stop attending."

"Hey...!"

"It doesn't seem like the right time to argue about that..."

Yoner pointed down.

The pig wasn't alone; it was threatening some unfortunate students.

'Six of them.'

There were six in total, including the princess, Adenart.

A much better situation than Yi Han's group.

"Maybe they can handle it on their own."

"Huh?"

Yoner looked at Yi Han once, then back down, and then at Yi Han again.

"Really?"

"Let them handle it on their own."

Nellia grumbled.

She didn't think much of the group of followers who trailed after Adenart.

They seemed like a haughty and arrogant princess and her sycophants!

"I'll take care of it!"

"!"

One of the six stepped forward. Yi Han recognized the noble from the dormitory.

"Who is he?"

Of course, just seeing someone's face didn't mean he could immediately recognize them. Yi Han knew the imperial noble families but not their children's faces.

"Ashan Dalkard."

"Ah. The Dalkard family."

"...You know the family but not the face...?"

Yoner was puzzled.

The Dalkard family.

While the Wodanaz family had traditionally served as the emperor's advisors, the Dalkard family had traditionally held positions such as the imperial chancellor or treasurer.

A family known for its outstanding and precise work.

"If it's the Dalkard family, he's probably reliable."

"Yeah. Unlike Gaynan, he seems trustworthy."

"?"

Nellia, who had been listening, tilted her head.

Did he just mention the prince?

Ashan was tall and thin, but his stance with the staff was impressive.

Yi Han realized that Ashan had learned swordsmanship well.

Experts can recognize each other.

"That Dalkard has learned swordsmanship."

"Indeed... if that's the case, it should be fine."

Yoner was relieved.

He didn't want the six below to get hurt.

Ashan pointed his staff at the pig.

"I have read your movements 100%."

And one step.

"You cannot escape my prediction. Pig!"

And another step.

The steps were perfectly measured, as if drawn with a ruler. Yi Han was slightly impressed.

'Is he a human metronome?'

The empire's swordsmanship, like magic, had many varieties.

Strong and heavy swordsmanship, fast and light swordsmanship, complex and intricate swordsmanship...

And according to Alarlong, there was a type of swordsmanship that Ashan seemed to be using.

- "A geometric swordsmanship based on complex mathematical calculations, creating shapes centered on the user's position with each step..."

- "Oh, that sounds interesting. Can I learn it?"

- "...What!? You find that interesting!? Doesn't it sound like a crazy swordsmanship?"

Alarlong didn't know that swordsmanship, so he only taught what he knew. But seeing Ashan move with his staff, he remembered it.

Thorough and precise!

-■■■!

As Ashan provoked the pig with his steps, the pig seemed to get angry.

It growled fiercely and charged at Ashan.

Ashan, like a bullfighter, sidestepped and viciously poked the pig's side with his staff.

"Ha!"

-■!

Bang!

And Ashan was sent flying.

The enraged pig had braked suddenly and then launched its body sideways.

"......"

"......"

Though he didn't collide head-on, the impact was significant. Ashan rolled over.

"Ugh. My calculations were wrong..."

"Seems like he just focused on swordsmanship..."

Yi Han muttered.

It seemed he had trained hard in swordsmanship but lacked practical experience.

So his stance was good, but he couldn't predict the charging pig and was sent flying!

"Let's help him."

"!"

Yi Han's words surprised Nellia.

She didn't expect him to offer help in that situation.

'This is the dignity of a noble...'

Unlike other nobles who only talked, he was stepping forward to take the lead in a dangerous situation.

He seemed like a noble from a story. Nellia was a little moved.

"After helping, we can ask for favors in other classes. Exams and assignments. Especially with the princess's connections."

"......"

Nellia's sense of admiration disappeared.

You materialistic jerk...!

* * *

Adenart gestured to the back.

The meaning was clear even without words.

The remaining four students hurriedly hid behind Adenart.

Though hiding wouldn't really hide them...

Adenart suddenly felt a sense of loneliness.

She had told them to move back, but she wasn't happy with the situation.

But this was another task she had to accomplish.

Just like the other tasks she had completed perfectly, Adenart intended to handle this pig perfectly.

'Read the breathing. If it charges... '

Bang!

The pig rolled to the side with a loud noise.

"?!??!"

And Yi Han appeared from behind the pig, sighing in relief.

"Fortunately, it didn't notice me."

"Can you see how important it is to approach from the downwind?"

"Indeed. The wisdom of a hunter is impressive."

"...If you keep attending the alchemy class, you might gain deeper wisdom?"

"No. I don't want to."

"......"

Yi Han had already made up his mind.

I hate alchemy!

'I want to live in the office.'

Adenart stiffened for a moment, then recovered and bowed.

"...Thank you, Wodanaz."

"It's nothing, Princess."

Nellia, who had been listening, whispered in surprise.

- "Why are you using formal language?"

- "I guess I got caught up in the atmosphere. We're all the same age, and the school rules allow informal language regardless of status, but..."

Since the princess spoke that way, she unconsciously used formal language too.

"By the way, if you feel indebted, can I ask for a favor?"

Adenart nodded.

"If you know of any classes that are easy to get good grades in, could you recommend them?"

The princess, with her wider network, would have more knowledge.

Yi Han thought so.

"......"

Of course, from Adenart's perspective, it was a slightly dizzying request.

What is this Wodanaz family wizard talking about?

He can't possibly be asking to skip classes, right? Is there another meaning?

"The class that's easy to get good grades in is alchemy!"

A dwarf's voice, which he had heard somewhere before, came from behind.

Yi Han suddenly felt a chill.

It was like meeting his former graduate school professor...

Thud-

The dwarf professor, Uregal, grabbed Yi Han's collar as he tried to quickly step aside.

And he said in a cheerful voice:

"That's the alchemy class, Wodanaz."

"......"