Book 2 Chapter 6
Episode 30
Runes are the language of <The Comers> (온 것들), who drove out the Abyss (深淵) from this land, meaning the gods. Each character is imbued with mysterious power.
According to the Six Categories of Chinese Characters (六書; pictographs, ideograms, compound ideograms, phono-semantic compounds, derivative cognates, phonetic loans), which are the principles of rune formation, most things in the universe have corresponding runes.
To ascend to the rank of a sage, one must not only master all those principles but also be able to combine new runes.
It doesn't end with simply creating runes; one must also find mathematical equations to define them. That is why the difference between a 5-star and a 6-star is called the difference between heaven and earth.
‘Alright, then….’
Rain lined up several runes on the parchment on his desk, then twirled his pen.
‘Yuryang Sejon does not teach new knowledge. He only fills in the gaps in the knowledge I already possess.’
The path ahead would be a bit difficult, but he welcomed it. He wasn't the type to just be spoon-fed without putting in any effort.
‘Then, for now, let’s combine them indiscriminately. No, not indiscriminately, but I’ll try to create them with meanings that fit….’
I'll record it in my notebook.
The deficiencies would be corrected by Yuryang Sejon later. He nodded contentedly, then stood up and stretched.
“Shall I go train my physical strength before curfew?”
Exercise is also important as it is the driving force behind magical growth. After all, he couldn't acquire a lord (or lordly resources) every time he wanted to use Yuryang Sejon.
* * *
Since most mages neglect physical fitness, the training room provided for students at <Delighten> was quiet.
The users were almost always the same: members of the Slade family, who represented Wing-type mages, or students from the Chaihak faction.
However, disciples of the Eight Great Factions, who understood the importance of physical strength, would visit the room three to four times a week to train.
“One million twenty-one….”
Of course, the standout among them was Logan, a junior disciple of the Chaihak faction. His burly body was regularly lifting a barbell weighing a staggering 150 kilograms.
The muscular male student assisting him, Ilin, opened his mouth.
“Hey, Logan.”
“One million twenty-two… Hmm?”
“Why are you hanging out with that Genius (天災) Young Master these days?”
Logan's movements, as he lifted the barbell with biceps and pectorals swollen like balloons, paused for a moment.
“Why ask that suddenly?”
Ilin glanced at the disciples of other factions, then lowered his voice.
“Damn it, those guys from other factions are making fun of us.”
“?!”
“They're saying you, Logan, got completely beaten by that Genius Young Master and now you're just running errands for him. And that the Chaihak faction is finished or something. That's not true, is it?”
“Of course not, you idiot!”
“Isn't that true?”
Just then, a seductive voice suddenly interjected into their conversation.
Her sweat-soaked body was curvaceous with feminine charm, and her chestnut curly hair, plastered to her playful face with sweat, was chestnut.
She approached, then crouched beside Logan's head, resting her chin in her hands, and smiled faintly.
“I thought our Logan had signed a contract to wipe Ludwig's butt for him♪”
Her voice was like singing. Though it was filled with a charm that would captivate most men, Ilin glared at her with a highly wary expression.
“Nora…!”
No one among their peers didn't know her name. For she was Nora, a junior disciple of the Meleve Faction, one of the Eight Great Factions.
The Meleve Faction possessed arcane magic specialized in slaughter, making it a faction many mages avoided.
“Isn't that right? Anyone can see that Logan succumbed to power and pitifully became a subordinate.”
But Logan calmly continued lifting the barbell and snorted.
“You fool, you think I'm just running errands for Rain Ludwig? Your Meleve faction is beneath our Chaihak faction because your thinking is so simple.”
“Oh my.”
“This is an order from the faction. They told me to get close to Rain Ludwig, extract information, and seize an opportunity to stab him in the back.”
At that, Ilin, seemingly genuinely moved, shed tears and clapped.
“Oh, ohhh! As expected of Logan! I knew it, damn it, damn it!”
The mages of Chaihak were truly simple-minded. Logan shrugged.
“I'm just following orders. What would you dimwits know?”
According to Logan's explanation, that was the case.
Rain Ludwig was hiding his power, unconcerned by the derogatory nickname 'Genius Young Master.' The Ludwig family was clearly hiding something.
He said his goal was to find out why they were hiding it, and how strong his real power was.
“That's strange~♪ Our Logan wasn't usually the type to use his head so much.”
Nora looked at the empty air with a puzzled expression, tapping her cheek with her finger, then nodded as if she understood.
“It bothers me too. Why has he never taken a rank exam, despite having the power to blow Logan away?★”
In fact, that was now a mystery to the entire school. And now, apart from the Eight Great Factions, few students dared to call Rain the 'Genius Young Master.' He was called the 'Personality Young Master' instead.
“If that's the case, Logan wouldn't care much if I crushed that Genius Young Master in the midterm exam, would he?”
Just as Nora flashed a chilling smile, the training room door opened, and a handsome black-haired boy entered, stretching.
The boy looked around the training room with his red eyes, then turned to face them and waved cheerfully.
“Logan, I'm here.”
At that, Logan racked the barbell, then sprang up and strode over to Rain. His face was full of smiles.
“You're a bit late today, sir?”
“Sorry, I was doing something. You don't have to wait for me if you have other things to do.”
“Haha, are you nervous? Today's the day to wrap up the week, so it's going to be tough.”
“That's what I want. Let's go.”
Nora, who had been staring at Logan's grinning face as he guided Rain with a bewildered expression, burst into laughter the next moment.
“If that's truly an act, Logan should be a jester, not a mage!”
* * *
The weekly meeting at <Delighten> was originally just an occasion on Monday, the start of the week, for first and second-year homeroom professors to report on routine academic schedules and special matters.
But this time, something was different.
One could tell just by seeing the veteran professors responsible for the third-year graduating class arrayed on either side of Chancellor Madelia Paige's seat of honor, from Head Professor Marhena to Associate Professor Kyle.
“So, all the graduation class schedules have been temporarily concluded, I presume.”
In response to Madelia's question, Professor Kyle's sharp eyes gleamed.
“Yes. With the field practicals dispatched, we can focus on the first-years for a week. As we always have.”
Then, the other second and third-year professors each opened their mouths and conversed.
“They say this year's first-years are incredible?”
“I'm looking forward to it.”
“I don't have high expectations, but it does seem interesting. Just look at that Genius Young Master who was supposedly hiding his talent.”
Professor Ivan, who had made that slip of the tongue, detected an ominous magical power and instantly clamped his mouth shut.
For Elin Ludwig, who had her arms crossed, was staring at him from the other side with an incredibly haughty gaze.
Elin Ludwig, too, was a professor who guided <Delighten>'s second-year students, based on her excellent and outstanding magical talent.
“Now, now, I'm sure he didn't mean anything bad by it.”
As Professor Caroline stepped in to mediate with a bright smile, Elin Ludwig snorted.
“Oh, so you're full of confidence, are you? You'd better be ready too, you rascal. The teacher of the century's genius girl mage? That title is going to be completely shattered this time.”
“Heh heh, I'm looking forward to it.”
The first midterm exam for the Golden Generation, huh… Madelia, who had been tapping the desk with her fingers, frowned for a moment and gazed into the distant air.
‘If things were as they should be, Kasena, that child, would also be around by now….’
As the student representative of <Delighten> (the heir of the Paige family traditionally takes on the role of representative, as they are destined to become chancellor later), she might have been in the first-year Golden Generation…
Madelia, who had been groping through impossible fantasies in her mind, nodded with a deep sigh.
“Then notify the students and assemble them immediately. We will begin the midterm exams today.”
* * *
The Monday sun rose. Seeing the heat and humidity increasing in the spring sunlight, it seemed this spring would end quickly.
“Huuuuh….”
He dragged his aching body, sore from muscle pain, toward the classroom.
With Logan's help, his physical growth progressed rapidly. He didn't even need to check the numbers with the Ludien to know. His previously flabby body was gaining muscle and becoming firmer.
He trudged along like that until he finally opened the classroom door, only to find a strangely tense commotion erupting.
“Is that true?”
“It's true! Get ready right now and come to the auditorium!”
“This is ridiculous, crazy.”
The contents were incomprehensible. Even his classmates were packing their belongings and leaving the classroom one by one.
He passed by them with a puzzled expression and came to his seat, where Krista was also tidying her clothes and packing a light bag.
“Hey, what's going on?”
“They said to gather in the auditorium for a midterm exam briefing.”
“Midterm exam? Isn't that next week?”
As he tilted his head and asked, Krista let out a huff and gave an arrogant smile.
“<Delighten>'s exam schedule is originally arbitrary. The chancellor and professors change the schedule whenever they please.”
“Why?”
“Why do you think? It's probably to prevent students from cramming or doing other sneaky tricks.”
Gertrude Fenton, who had finished packing Krista's writing instruments for her, interjected with a resigned chuckle.
“They say two years ago, they announced the midterm exam schedule and started the exam the very next day. Hehehe…”
The very next day?
At that, Rain's eyes sparkled as if amused.
“Wow, all the professors here are pranksters. I like it.”
“You like it? This kind of perverted behavior?”
“An exam is supposed to assess one's achievements so far, right? Shouldn't one get the same score no matter when it's taken, if it's truly about real ability?”
Krista nodded contentedly, as if to say, 'He truly is my rival.'
“Hahahaha! That's true~!”
Gertrude also laughed in agreement, but inwardly, she had furrowed her brow a hundred times over.
It was true. It was true, but why was he so irritating? He must be that confident, huh? This is why, besides our young lady, the offspring of powerful families have absolutely no charm.
Meanwhile, Krista, who had finished tidying her attire while looking in the mirror, turned around, elegantly fluttering the hem of her uniform cloak.
“What are you doing? Let's go quickly. We don't know what kind of trouble we'll run into if we're even a little late.”
Amidst everyone's tension, Krista's words and actions were overflowing with confidence. One might say it was confidence born from her conviction in her skills and her experience.
From <Delighten>'s elementary division to its middle school division, she had never once failed to be at the top of her class.
That record was now about to be broken.