Chapter 12: The Reincarnated One Does It All

As he emerged from the bus stop, Lee Sehoon headed toward the main building of the Department of Sorcery, and someone followed closely behind him.

The footsteps were not trying to hide, maintaining a distance of about three steps. Lee Sehoon stopped and turned around at the sound of the footsteps, which showed no sign of stopping.

“……”

Erica, who had been following, stopped as well and looked up at him.

With a look that seemed to say, "Why aren't you going faster?" Lee Sehoon asked with a bewildered expression.

“Are you going to keep following me?”

“Yeah.”

“But I said I don’t want you to.”

“I know. I have something to do too.”

“What do you have to do?”

After a moment of hesitation, Erica answered Lee Sehoon’s question.

“Follow you.”

“……”

Lee Sehoon’s expression became strange at Erica’s shameless answer.

‘Why is she doing this?’

If there had been some incident, it would be understandable, but apart from a brief eye contact during the opening ceremony, nothing had happened.

Lee Sehoon stared at Erica, who was showing an unusually high level of interest in him.

“Have we met before?”

“It was the first time at the opening ceremony.”

“Then why are you so interested in me?”

In response to Lee Sehoon’s question, Erica looked at him with a puzzled expression and countered.

“Can’t I be interested in someone I just met?”

“Well……”

Lee Sehoon was about to say, "Of course not," but then he paused to think about himself objectively.

If it had been before his reincarnation, he would have been a nobody, and it would have been strange for someone as famous as Erica to show interest in him.

But now, as the top student in the Department of Borsipa, he was a promising figure recognized both inside and outside Babel.

‘Why should it be strange?’

It’s natural for people to gather around capable individuals, not just in Babel but anywhere. Lee Sehoon reluctantly accepted this and looked at Erica with a dubious expression.

“Is it not allowed?”

Erica asked, as if genuinely wondering if it was not allowed.

Seeing no malice in her, Lee Sehoon hesitated for a moment before answering awkwardly.

“Well, it’s not that it’s not allowed.”

“Then it’s a relief.”

Erica nodded in satisfaction. Her casual attitude made Lee Sehoon feel a bit uncomfortable, and he turned to continue walking.

“What specific minor subject are you looking for?”

Thinking she had his consent, Erica closed the gap and walked beside him, and Lee Sehoon answered straightforwardly.

“A minor subject related to buffs.”

Initially, he had only planned to find someone or something that could provide buffs, but upon reflection, he thought it might not be bad to learn it himself this time.

Learning it himself would make it easier to adjust and would be useful in the future.

‘I was too focused on the old way of doing things.’

He had been thinking of a similar growth pattern as before, but now that the situation had changed, he needed to broaden his horizons.

And the first step would be to learn the buffs this time.

“What kind of buffs?”

“Something that enhances specifically. It shouldn’t interfere with refining.”

“Refining……”

After a moment of thought, Erica asked.

“Then how about boundary magic?”

“Boundary magic? Isn’t that for defense?”

“It can vary depending on how it’s used. For example.”

Erica took out a square envelope with an elegant pattern and gently traced its surface with her right hand.

Silver mana followed, forming a sorcery pattern that naturally settled on the envelope.

“Go ahead, tear it.”

Lee Sehoon, who had taken the square envelope from Erica, grabbed it with both hands and tore it apart without hesitation.

Crack.

However, the envelope remained as stiff as steel, and Lee Sehoon’s eyes narrowed at the result.

‘Did she increase its strength? No, it’s more like……’

Realizing something was different, Lee Sehoon opened the envelope’s entrance instead of tearing it.

The envelope, which had been stiff a moment ago, now opened smoothly. Lee Sehoon’s expression became interested.

‘Indeed. It can be used this way.’

It becomes as hard as steel when a certain amount of force is applied but maintains its original properties otherwise.

The enhanced value that adapts actively to the situation is a skill that fits well with the delicate adjustments needed in refining.

‘And this sorcery pattern…… It feels familiar.’

Was there something similar in the materials he had referenced before his reincarnation?

While Lee Sehoon was staring at the square envelope, Erica added confidently from the side.

“Creating a complex application like this is not easy, but if you only need it for specific situations, you can work with a professor to create a suitable boundary magic.”

“Hmm……”

“Since I have a good relationship with the professor of Boundary Composition, I can introduce you if you want. But in exchange……”

“Ah, this is it.”

Rip!

The square envelope in Lee Sehoon’s hand was torn in half. Erica’s eyes widened in surprise.

Even though it was reinforced with the family’s boundary magic, it was torn apart by a hand that didn’t even properly channel mana?

“……”

There are only two possibilities for this to happen.

Either he possesses a skill specialized in breaking boundaries, or he ‘understood’ and broke it in that short time.

Either way, it was a formidable ability. As Erica watched with a tense expression, Lee Sehoon disassembled the remaining sorcery pattern by tearing the envelope into pieces.

‘This structure is definitely useful.’

It might be difficult to use in combat, but for refining, a little learning would be enough.

Lee Sehoon, satisfied, looked at Erica.

“Boundary magic is definitely good. Thanks for the advice.”

“……Yeah.”

“I’m going to apply for classes, so you should go eat with the guys following you. I’ll throw this away.”

Waving his hand, Lee Sehoon headed toward the main building of the Department of Sorcery without waiting for a response. The subordinates who had been silently following him rushed to Erica as if they had been waiting.

“Are you okay, Miss?!”

“Did that guy do something strange……”

The subordinates, making a fuss, checked Erica’s body.

But Erica, without even glancing at them, looked at Lee Sehoon heading to the main building, specifically at the crumpled square envelope in his hand that he threw into the trash.

“……Invitation.”

The invitation to the ‘Nobles’ exchange event, which only elite students from the upper class could attend, was torn to pieces by Lee Sehoon’s hands.

“Since I gave it……”

Erica muttered with a dejected expression.

* * *

“……”

Sunlight filtering through the blinds and a dim ceiling.

Lee Sehoon, who had woken up, lay in bed, slowly breathing and recalling the events of the previous day.

‘After finishing the minor subject application, I trained at the training center.’

Finding no ambiguity or awkwardness in his memories, Lee Sehoon continued to feel his body and the surrounding objects to confirm their texture.

After about 30 minutes of checking, Lee Sehoon, lying back on the bed, sighed and muttered.

“It’s really true.”

The daily confirmation routine after reincarnating to the past.

To check if he wasn’t dreaming while dying or if the remnants of the Ten Thousand Demons hadn’t placed his brain in a jar and stimulated it with mana.

To confirm such hypothetical possibilities.

‘Even though I know it’s not true, it feels uncomfortable if I don’t check……’

Although he found his behavior a bit frustrating, he knew only time could resolve it.

Feeling both annoyed and refreshed, Lee Sehoon got out of bed and went to the living room.

The living room, equipped with basic furniture like a sofa, table, and TV, was a very spacious house for one person, all provided because he was the top student.

‘It seems even better than the house I lived in before reincarnation.’

Looking down at the view of Borsipa, Lee Sehoon took a light shower, changed into his student uniform, and went outside.

‘I only need to visit the Department of Sorcery in the morning.’

He was told there would be a simple test for the minor subject ‘Boundary Composition’ he applied for yesterday, so he needed to stop by the Department of Sorcery briefly.

After that, he planned to spend the morning at the training center, pushing his body to its limits.

As Lee Sehoon, who had organized his morning schedule, stepped out of the elevator.

“What? Why are you here?”

A strange murmur was heard at the entrance of the dormitory.

“I don’t know. Are they here to see that guy?”

“Now that I think about it, last time at the exhibition…… Hey, he’s here.”

The students gathered at the entrance, whispering, all turned their gazes to Lee Sehoon as if on cue.

‘What?’

Confused by the sudden situation, Lee Sehoon turned his head in the direction the students were looking and saw……

“……”

The back of Erica, standing alone at the entrance.

He wanted to think she was there for some other reason, but considering the gazes of the surrounding students and the events of yesterday, it was clear who she was waiting for.

Sighing inwardly, Lee Sehoon approached Erica.

“Who are you waiting for?”

In response to Lee Sehoon’s question, Erica, who had been looking straight ahead, slowly turned her head to meet his eyes and answered.

“You.”

“……I see.”

Why does it always match when I hope it doesn’t?

Lee Sehoon, with a wry smile, asked Erica, who continued to stare at him.

“What’s up?”

“There’s a Boundary Composition test today. I need to take it too, so I’m going with you.”

“Then you could have waited in front of the Department of Sorcery……”

Why did she come all the way here to cause a commotion? Lee Sehoon, with a bewildered expression, asked, and Erica looked puzzled.

“Can’t I come looking for you?”

“……Yeah, sure.”

At the opening ceremony, she seemed like a promising young person, but now she just seemed to have a strange personality.

Lee Sehoon, deciding it would only cause headaches to worry about it, shook off his thoughts and looked at her.

“Let’s go then.”

“Yeah.”

The two walked side by side toward the Department of Sorcery, and wherever they went, people’s attention was drawn to them.

It was still early, but there were quite a few students out for morning training or meals. Moreover, both were top students, so everyone recognized them.

‘I wonder if this will lead to some strange rumors.’

To others, it might look like Erica had a crush on him, but Lee Sehoon knew it wasn’t true.

If it were, his unique skill, ‘Smith of Fate,’ would have established a connection between him and Erica.

‘Probably, she’s just a bit interested. And if that interest wanes, she can easily forget about it.’

Glancing at Erica, who was walking silently beside him, Lee Sehoon naturally recalled her from before his reincarnation.

An S-rank hero who wielded mythic-grade weapons, commonly known as ‘Ten Thousand Carvings’ for her mastery of numerous sorceries.

‘And she later became a demon known as Greed……’

Demonic beings who had been corrupted by the Swamp of Ten Thousand Demons and transcended humanity.

Among them, the ‘Ten Evils’ were the powerful beings that even S-rank hunters couldn’t kill, and Erica, Greed, was one of them.

Although Lee Sehoon didn’t know how she became such a demon, he knew he needed to be cautious.

‘But I don’t need to worry about it right now.’

Erica became a demon in the distant future, when humanity was on the brink of extinction due to the forces of the Ten Thousand Demons.

It was a long way off, and with the significant variable of his reincarnation, it could change.

While Lee Sehoon was thinking, they arrived at the main building of the Department of Sorcery, and Erica pointed to one side.

“The test is outside, so follow me.”

Erica led the way, and Lee Sehoon, following behind, noticed the gazes becoming more intense.

‘If the gazes in front were out of curiosity…… these are hostile.’

He had heard that there was a culture of exclusion in his department, but it felt particularly strong in the Department of Sorcery.

Considering he hadn’t felt such gazes yesterday, it was likely due to walking with Erica.

‘She’s really popular.’

With a good family and abilities, it was natural for subordinates to gather around her unless she actively pushed them away.

Feeling the hostile gazes, the two entered the back garden of the main building and soon entered a dense forest.

“Hmm.”

The forest, with little sunlight and a strangely eerie atmosphere, had students who seemed to be there for the test, but they all looked strange.

“Damn……”

“Where is it?”

The students, looking around as if searching for something, grumbled. Lee Sehoon, puzzled by their behavior, frowned and continued to follow Erica.

Swish.

A wide open space suddenly appeared before them.

Lee Sehoon, surprised, looked at the open space, and those standing inside also looked surprised.

And in the moment of strange silence,

“The, the test is passed.”

“……What?”

A more incomprehensible answer came.