There’s a term called “Easter Egg.” It refers to fun or surprising elements hidden by creators within their work.
While there are many differences, discovering this place felt akin to finding an Easter Egg. Given the vast expanse of the academy, it wasn’t surprising to find a hidden gem, but I never expected to stumble upon a refreshing forest atmosphere here. The fact that I missed this spot during my first visit only heightened the novelty.
The scent of fragrant trees and fertile fields cleared my mind. Lately, my thoughts had been muddled due to restless nights, but the fresh aroma brought a small surge of energy. It was a much-needed break to ensure I could function properly.
Beside me lay a neatly spread square cloth, topped with an assortment of delicious-looking cookies. Hanbyeol had brought them, mentioning they were snacks for the instructors. They seemed too luxurious to be mere treats.
Given the clan’s financial strain after the failed expedition, spending money on such trivialities seemed odd. But as a recipient, I had no complaints and reached for a cookie. The sweet aroma was enticing, enough to make Vivian go wild.
“You seem different,” a calm voice remarked from behind as I brushed crumbs off my clothes. Turning around, I saw Kim Hanbyeol, a female mage, looking at me with her usual expressionless face.
I met her gaze with a nonchalant look. Our conversations had mostly revolved around instructor duties, rarely straying into personal territory. This was the first time she broached a topic that could lead to a more personal discussion.
After dusting off the last of the crumbs, I asked in a tone that might have sounded indifferent, “What do you mean?”
“Well, you used to always be on the move, doing something.”
“Alright, I get it. You could just tell me to stop resting and get back to work instead of beating around the bush.”
”…That’s not what I meant.”
Of course, I was joking. Hanbyeol gave me a slight glare before falling silent. I extended my right hand to her, while my left hand offered her the bag of cookies. She hesitated for a moment, then placed the clipboard she was holding under her arm into my right hand and accepted the cookies.
“Don’t you like them?”
“No, they’re fine. By the way, I’ve finished all the morning tasks. Is there anything left for the afternoon? Oh, and you should try some.”
“I’m fine…”
“Let’s see.”
I casually flipped through the clipboard, scanning the elegant handwriting. As I read, I stumbled upon something odd. Just as I was about to ask about it, I looked up.
“Pfft.”
Hanbyeol was nibbling on a cookie, and when she noticed me watching, she let out a small, embarrassed puff of air. The cookie she had been holding fell to the ground.
“What’s this about supporting the afternoon training?”
“It’s a request from Instructor Na Seunghye for assistance with the magic talent demonstration. The class size is too large, so she asked for help with control.”
Hanbyeol’s response was quick. I tilted my head, puzzled.
“That doesn’t make sense. Why would they need a control instructor for a magic talent class?”
“It’s still a demonstration, not specialized training. It’s open to all users.”
“Ah, I see. But it still seems odd. If it’s for everyone, aren’t there enough control instructors available?”
”…After the training, they suggested having dinner together. It’s a message from the Han Clan Lord.”
Only after Hanbyeol’s additional explanation did the situation make sense. Seong Hyunmin and Na Seunghye belonged to different leading clans in the eastern towns, so it was likely a request from Han. I expected some movement after three weeks, but I didn’t anticipate action within just a week.
I sighed and closed the clipboard. Regardless, Seong Hyunmin was someone worth building a rapport with. I couldn’t shake the feeling that he’d been persistently courting me since the summons, but I hoped it wouldn’t veer off in the wrong direction, like a coming-out.
“Guess it’s time to head out.”
With a deep breath, I pushed aside my idle thoughts. It had been about an hour since lunch, so the trainees would be gathering soon.
As I walked, I heard faint shouts in the distance, and I sensed Hanbyeol’s quiet footsteps following me. What was this strange sense of déjà vu?
When users teach other users, the methods can vary greatly. Broadly, it can be divided into theory-based and practice-based approaches, but the nuances are as complex as the various interpretations of pure literature.
As the training becomes more advanced, differences in efficiency based on methods do emerge. However, the basics are generally similar, making it pointless to debate skill levels at the foundational stage.
Magic, being a common attribute across all classes, was considered the most crucial skill. At the User Academy, training began with defining magic and teaching basic theory. The demonstration phase then built on the first week’s theory, teaching how to harness and control magic.
The issue arose from a user’s question. In essence, they asked, “There’s a difference between what we learned in theory and how we’re actually doing it now.” If Instructor Na Seunghye had been a bit more accommodating, the matter could have been resolved. Acknowledging slight differences due to personal interpretation and sticking to established methods would have sufficed.
But Na Seunghye didn’t do that. She had the questioning user stand and recount the theory lessons, then openly mocked them.
“I didn’t expect you all to be taught in such a low-level, inefficient manner. Frankly, it’s better to forget everything you’ve learned about magic theory so far.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yes. It’s crucial to set the right path from the start. I can’t fathom who taught you this, but it seems like they were intent on lowering the standards for new recruits.”
There were other control instructors from different clans present, and the instructor who had taught the first week was also there, making it a significant issue. The new recruits’ attention turned to the previous instructor, who, with a flushed face, left the training area.
The demonstration concluded somehow, but the matter didn’t end there. After the session, instructors from the Dalbam and Geumeumdal Clans gathered, led by Na Seunghye and the previous instructor, Jo Eunyoung. A quick check with my third eye revealed that Jo Eunyoung had decent skills, though admittedly not as impressive as Na Seunghye’s.
“How can you just change the instructor like that after teaching them so poorly? We have to start all over again.”
“What did you say? Unbelievable.”
“I tried to overlook it, but it was unbearable. Do you think magic training is the same as physical training?”
“Excuse me, that’s too harsh. Even if you’re a rare class…”
The decision to change instructors after a week, made by Park Hyunwoo, had led to this mess. But it wasn’t entirely his fault. From my perspective, the scene seemed more like petty bickering or an attempt to undermine rather than a genuine issue.
As I watched from the sidelines, Jo Eunyoung’s sharp voice finally erupted. Her voice trembled with frustration and indignation, even tinged with a hint of tears.
“So what am I supposed to do now? If you weren’t satisfied, you should have said something earlier! You weren’t even there during the first week’s training, so what do you expect me to do now?!”
“Oh, be quiet. Just because you have a loud voice… I don’t expect anything in particular. I can’t risk wasting precious time again. If you’re not skilled, just stay quiet and watch. Don’t meddle unnecessarily.”
Na Seunghye’s biting words were about to push Jo Eunyoung over the edge when members from various clans arrived and quickly intervened.
Their intervention diffused the clash between the two clans, but this incident signaled the resurgence of tensions that had been barely contained by the matriarch’s mediation. It was impossible to predict how much they would compete to promote their clans to the new recruits under the guise of recruitment.
Even as I was trying to calm Na Seung-hye down, Seong Hyun-min approached me, apologizing for having to postpone our dinner plans. I assured him it was fine with a smile and decided to head back to the dorm with Kim Han-byeol.
On the way to the instructors’ quarters, I suddenly sensed an unsettling tension in the air around the academy. It was a stark contrast to the refreshing mood I had enjoyed after lunch. As I pondered the source, one face came to mind.
Park Hwan-hee. He was the user I had noticed in the plaza, the one who had questioned Na Seung-hye. I had seen him during her training sessions, and the unease I felt then resurfaced. His expression wasn’t one of genuine curiosity; it was as if he had an ulterior motive. And it wasn’t just him. Most of the new recruits around Park Hwan-hee wore similar, peculiar expressions.
The tension I sensed seemed to suggest that something troubling was brewing at the user academy.
The surroundings were eerily quiet. It was the kind of silence that precedes an event… like the calm before a storm.
“Shall we call it a day?”
Go Yeon-ju paused, and the six users following her stopped in unison. She spun halfway around and delivered a swift kick to the user behind her.
“Ugh!”
With a thud, Ahn Hyun was knocked to the ground, leaving a trail of reddish liquid—not his blood, but something that had smeared off his equipment. Despite his fall, no one moved to help him. They all held their breath, tense, as if unable to act. Go Yeon-ju looked down at him with a cold gaze and spoke in a chilling voice.
“Do you know why you got hit, rookie?”
“Y-yes.”
“I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve told you. Su-hyun specifically asked me to train you well because you’re talented. Is he wrong, or are you just not listening to me?”
“I’m sorry.”
Ahn Hyun bit his lip and struggled to his feet. Go Yeon-ju watched him with a sharp glare, then shook her head in frustration.
“Unlike the kind-hearted Su-hyun, I get frustrated with those who don’t understand after being told once. I have plenty of other things to do, and if you keep holding me back, even his request won’t make me want to continue.”
“I’ll be careful.”
“Make sure you are. If you show up with a shield again next time, I won’t let it slide.”
With that, Go Yeon-ju turned and walked away. The group, who had been watching in silence, cast sympathetic glances at Ahn Hyun before following her. Ahn Hyun, watching their retreating figures, hurried to catch up, his lips marked with deep teeth imprints from biting down hard.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
Hello, this is Ro Yujin.
The sweltering heat seems relentless these days. Mornings and evenings are bearable, but the afternoons are truly scorching. ㅜ.ㅠ Oh, and happy birthday to Offitlove19! Haha. You asked for a mention in the comments, but since it’s a special day, here’s a shoutout in the author’s note. :D I hope you receive lots of gifts and enjoy delicious food on your birthday. As for me, I’m stuck at the university with afternoon lectures. ^ㅅ^
I’ll update the comments soon. :)
『 Comments 』
Miwolya: Haha, congratulations on being first. Lately, there have been many new faces, but it seems the old guard is making a comeback. :) Enjoy this chapter!
Jasapark: Indeed, it’s scary. I can’t even comment first on midnight releases. I’ve given up. It’s easier that way. Haha. Hahaha. Hahahaha.
Rikuru: Who knows what will happen to Han-byeol? He might be caught by the golden lion, abandoned, taken elsewhere, or even taken by the protagonist! Look forward to the story!
Yauro: Thank you for the coupon. (__) As a reader, I used to anxiously wait when a novel didn’t update. ㅜ.ㅠ
Mukhyang’s Cousin: Oh, Memorize is as sweet and tangy as yogurt? Haha, just kidding. Suddenly, I have a craving for frozen yogurt. Gulp.
User Gandalf: Great magic power = anti-magic power. It was originally set as great magic power, but I changed it to anti-magic power.
Cyruler: Please bear with it. I can’t write while hanging. Letting me run around helps the writing flow. Haha!
Techno: It’s likely that Su-hyun’s luck stat has developed in a different direction. (Whisper whisper.)
Lancelot du Lac: I’m curious. Is it you, or another persona? ?ㅇ?
Lunaluce: Thank you for the coupon. (__) I’ll continue to provide even better and richer content!
Your recommendations and comments are the driving force behind continuous updates. (This is the truth.)
I always read all the comments repeatedly.
Please don’t be too disappointed if you’re not mentioned in the comments.
If you have any pressing questions, feel free to message me, and I’ll respond!
For now, I’ll take my leave.
I hope you always read my work with a relaxed mind.
Recommendations, comments, critiques, and questions are always welcome.