Chapter 1328. First Life Ha-Yan (11)

Just planting the idea that ordinary elderly mages couldn’t possibly handle me was enough. I had no doubt that they’d bicker among themselves. This was simply about making them feel that the situation was already beyond their reach.

Of course, once it came down to actually demonstrating or implementing spells, that would be more difficult for me, but when it came to solving problems, formulas, or theory, it wasn’t hard to make them feel as though they had nothing left to teach me.

‘Primitive, isn’t it?’

Magic engineering and alchemy weren't the only schools of magic that hadn't been able to make any progress. Since these schools of magic had developed in a strange way, the rest ended up stagnating, stuck in what would barely pass if they were in the middle of the continent's second phase.

In some fields, the state of things was downright pitiful. The fact that only a handful of people could even understand a paper that Jung Ha-Yan had written at a grade-school level said it all.

The elderly mage Giena could be one of the few who could follow it, but even she surely hadn’t grasped everything. That was why her astonishment toward Little Ki-Young only grew deeper.

Faces full of disbelief and eyes that wondered if they were looking at reality filled the hall.

‘Who... dares to teach Little Ki-Young?’

“H-How in the world did you...” Giena muttered.

‘How am I supposed to answer that? I’ll just say it how it is.’

“

Huh?

I-I just... Did I make a mistake?” I asked.

“No, not at all. You didn’t make a mistake... It seems I startled you. Shall we try another formula and see?” Giena suggested.

“Okay!” I answered.

Even the problems they brought just in case were solved in a matter of minutes. They were solvable from the start, after all. Especially in the field of magic circles, my mastery was so overwhelming that as soon as the problem sheet landed in front of me, I instantly wrote down the answers.

During the first test, I left one answer wrong for the sake of appearing human, but this time was different. I placed down my pen with a complete air of naturalness, looking calm as though what I had shown was only to be expected.

“I-I’m done, Miss Giena,” I told her.

“...”

‘That’s the look of someone who’s already had enough.’

What I’d feared from the very first interview had finally come true.

Giena, staring at me with eyes that still couldn’t quite believe what she had just witnessed, said, “Joo-Hwa.”

“Y-Yes, Master?” Joo-Hwa answered.

“Could you bring some of the other elder mages here?” Giena requested.

“

Ah

... sure,” Joo-Hwa said.

At times like this, it was practically a rule for me to just glance around confused, as if I had no idea what was going on. Still, faced with the lab filling up with people and Grandma Giena’s gaze upon me, I had to show the timid look of someone shrinking back.

“It’s all right. I’m not here to scold or punish you. It’s the opposite, so you can relax,” Grandma Giena reassured me.

“

Ah...

okay.”

“Would you mind working through a few more problems?” Grandma Giena asked.

“Yes! O-Of course,” I answered energetically.

This time, the other elder mages were watching me closely as well.

‘Just one glance is enough for them to tell that my level is high.’

I had already gone beyond what apprentice mages, or rather, fully-fledged mages, could handle. I easily tackled the formulas that these elders with prestigious positions in the tower struggled to solve. To make matters even more surreal, I was even humming a little tune as if it were fun.

I was sure I reminded them of Jung Ha-Yan’s first day in the tower.

If Jung Ha-Yan's existence alone was magic's blessing on this wonderful continent, then I operated within a realm that these mages could still partially comprehend. This wasn't exactly the most accurate example, but humans were more terrified of what they could understand than what they could not, and that was exactly what I was right now.

‘I’m just a damn genius.’

The murmurs of the elder mages echoed.

“

Huh...

I expected him to be talented, but... this is...”

“Didn’t I tell you? I said a second Jung Ha-Yan might appear soon. That’s why the Blue Guild is sponsoring that kid.”

“You expected him to be talented, right? So what’s the problem...”

“Do you really think we don’t know that he’s a genius? Let’s be honest here. Who among us can actually handle that apprentice?”

‘Exactly. That’s the story I want.’

“Do you really think Giena called us here for nothing? The formulas that even elder mages need ages to study, he solved them without blinking as if he were playing a child’s game. Who could possibly teach that kid?”

“...”

“...”

“Elder Calitus. Will you do it?”

“I-I’ve been rather busy recently... As you know, my research...

Ahem... mhm...

”

“Then... Elder Berriem. Will you do it?”

“I also...”

“How can we explain this to the Blue Guild? Even the tower’s elder mages can’t handle him. Should we say we’re returning the sponsorship money because this kid is beyond our control?”

“...”

“...”

“The tower’s reputation will be ruined. Once a pattern like this exists, who would ever want to entrust a mage to the tower again?’

"Do we really need to take this matter

that

seriously? No matter how gifted he is... his mana is still—”

“Age aside, his mana will increase quickly. Right now, he’s compensating for his lacking mana with magic circles. I wouldn't be surprised if in a few years...”

“Would it really happen that fast?”

“That’s uncertain. It might even have happened faster than we can predict.”

“

Huh...

”

“What do you think, Elder Giena? We’ve already agreed to him as a disciple, so...”

Giena’s expression was unusually solemn. Her face showed deep thought, as if she were thinking about many things.

‘Still, I’ve grown attached to her.’

She mourned Jung Ha-Yan’s death... and her gentle smile was truly endearing. Of course, right now, she looked extremely solemn as she swept her gaze across everyone.

“Honestly... there’s nothing I can teach him. No, it’s not that I have nothing to teach. It’s just that I worry my very presence might get in the way of that child. Rigid formulas... might actually hinder his creative thinking and freedom...” Giena answered.

“...”

“It’s not that I

can’t

teach him, but... I’d probably only get in his way. Normally, I could keep the title of master in front of everyone else, but... I don’t have the confidence to handle this child,” Giena added.

“...”

“...”

‘Then the answer is clear, isn’t it?’

Someone muttered, “Let’s send him to Miss Jung Ha-Yan.”

“Are you insane? She has seizures just hearing the word disciple...”

“Who said anything about making him a disciple? Let’s just send the child over to her. Whether as an assistant or something else, at least he’ll be around. She likes talented mages and has an interest in magic... who knows? She might teach the child a few things, and eventually decide to take him as a proper disciple.”

“It’s not a bad idea...”

“Whether research assistant or something else, let’s just send him over without the official title of disciple. That’s the right approach. Jung Ha-Yan has already shown interest in that child mage...”

“Yes. She even guided him through the tower...”

“Then let’s do that. There’s no real alternative, is there?”

“What do you think?”

“We have to. Whether Jung Ha-Yan accepts him or not is another matter... but surely, it’s better than doing nothing. Who knows? He might end up having a positive influence on her...”

‘Decisions are made in an instant.’

The main reason behind their quick decision was that there simply wasn’t another option.

“When should we send him?”

“Strike while the iron’s hot. Wouldn’t now be the best time? She’s in the middle of research anyway.”

“Then let’s do it.”

‘They’re moving fast.’

I felt like they expected Jung Ha-Yan to open her heart to me. Especially Grandma Giena, I could see traces of anticipation on her face. Sure enough, she was dressing me up, clearly trying to make a good impression on Jung Ha-Yan.

It was mostly changing into neat clothes and making me look like a proper mage, but I couldn’t help thinking that a subtle touch was better than going overboard.

Even on the way to Jung Ha-Yan’s room, Grandma Giena kept pointing out little things to watch out for, which suggested that he had a genuine, unspoken fondness for her. In fact, it made me wonder why someone like Giena, who clearly felt both compassion and care for Jung Ha-Yan, hadn’t grown any closer to her.

‘It’s obvious.’

It was all because...

‘She’s a mage, right?’

There was probably the feeling of looking at a granddaughter, but to her, Jung Ha-Yan wasn't her granddaughter at all. If they had met under different circumstances, things could have been different, but Grandma Giena was a scholar devoted to magic.

In other words, it would be hard for her to treat Jung Ha-Yan, who stood at the pinnacle of magic, as an ordinary person. Unbeknownst to her, she was finding it difficult to reject the feelings of awe or respect she had for her.

“Miss Jung Ha-Yan,” Giena called out.

“...”

“Miss Jung Ha-Yan.”

Even just hearing the way she addressed Jung Ha-Yan showed her feelings for the latter.

“M-Miss Giena?” Jung Ha-Yan answered.

“I have something to discuss with her. It’s a little sudden, but...”

Peeking her head out of the door, Jung Ha-Yan saw me standing with Grandma Giena.

Her face darkened, seemingly realizing what was about to happen.

“Miss Jung Ha-Yan, so—”

“I-I’m fine,” Jung Ha-Yan interrupted her.

“Just hear me out—”

“I-I said I’m fine. Please go back,” Jung Ha-Yan interrupted her again.

“He won’t be your disciple...” Grandma Giena hurriedly said.

“I-I said I’m fine,” Jung Ha-Yan stuttered.

‘Everyone has a hard time around her.’

Things wouldn't have come to this point if only Grandma Giena had once scolded Jung Ha-Yan, telling her to go out and live like a human being.

Sometimes, it was necessary to go against etiquette and refuse someone’s wishes. Up until now, Jung Ha-Yan had never really experienced that.

'Just because she finds it comfortable hiding in that little room doesn’t mean she can stay there her entire life. It’s still not working. Is it too early?'

Ignoring Grandma Giena’s face, which made it clear that she reached the same conclusion as me, I stepped forward and said, "H-Hello! I’ve been assigned as your research assistant...”

“I-I said I’m fine. I don’t need one. I...” Jung Ha-Yan trailed off.

Jung Ha-Yan tried to close the door, but I wedged the door open with my foot and tried to force my way into her room.

‘Damn, it’s ugly, but I have no other choice.’

“N-No... I said I don’t need one...” Jung Ha-Yan repeated.

At first, Grandma Giena tried to stop me from being rude, but in the end, she became silent.

“I-I’ll help you!” I offered.

“No... I-I said I’m fine...” Jung Ha-Yan stuttered.

“I... want to help!” I shouted.

Just as Jung Ha-Yan was starting to push me away, I felt a helping hand from behind. Grandma Giena pushed the door with one arm while Jung Ha-Yan was trying her best to close the door.

‘Why does this old lady have so much strength? She’s like a warrior.’

'Do mages these days even train their bodies?'

Eventually, I managed to shove myself into Jung Ha-Yan’s messy room.

It looked like a literal garbage dump, so...

“We should clean up first!” I suggested.

Ignoring Jung Ha-Yan’s stunned face, I revealed a cheeky smile and got moving.

‘I’m such a clueless kid.’

However, I was a necessary character for Ha-Yan's sake.