Chapter 199 : Chapter 199
Chapter 199. Professor of Enhancement Magic (1)
“Anyway, now that we are up, it’s nice.”
“Indeed, the view is great.”
Pasion and Anesha, having eaten the iced coffee and sandwiches Radel shared, soon recovered their energy.
After taking a rest, they seemed to have the leeway to look around, as the two were admiring the scenery unfolding below the mountain.
Just in time, a cool breeze blew and cooled the sweat on their foreheads.
The three sat in the shade and enjoyed a peaceful rest.
“It is hard when climbing the mountain, but once up, it feels rewarding.”
“Right. Senior Shartea should be here at a time like this, where did she go?”
To think Senior Shartea, who actually decided the mountain as the place for this Grade Representative meeting, wasn’t here.
At Pasion’s words, Radel stood up from his seat.
“I will go find the Senior. Please wait for a moment.”
Leaving Anesha and Pasion to rest in the shade, Radel set out to find Shartea.
It wasn’t that difficult since he just had to follow the flow of mana.
“Senior Shartea, you were here.”
Shartea was not far away.
“There were annoying fellows when I came earlier, so I checked. I just scared them away.”
Scared them away?
Hearing those words and looking at the ground, he saw footprints that indeed seemed to belong to a magical beast.
Looking at the size, it was at least medium-sized or larger.
Like a Cryptozoology major, Radel quickly guessed the name of the magical beast.
“It is a Black Grizzly Bear.”
“You recognize it well.”
To chase away a magical beast of this level with just aura without even drawing a sword.
As expected of Senior Shartea.
They said the best swordsman subdues the opponent with just well-honed aura.
Truly the state of Heart Sword.
The person with the most outstanding swordsmanship among the people Radel had seen here was Shartea.
She was also the teacher who personally taught Radel Imperial Swordsmanship.
Shartea looked at Radel and asked.
“How is your achievement in Imperial Swordsmanship these days?”
At the sudden question, Radel was speechless.
In fact, recently he hadn’t been able to advance the Imperial Swordsmanship.
Through morning training and actual combat experienced in Combat Magic major classes, he went up to C-rank easily, but he couldn’t go beyond that.
As Radel thought about Imperial Swordsmanship, the status window came to mind.
DING.
[Imperial Swordsmanship (C)]
Swordsmanship created for the imperial family of the Empire.
Those who wish to wear the crown, bear its weight.
There is no way to avoid the overwhelming weight in front of this swordsmanship.
Block (50,000/50,000)
Slash (50,000/50,000)
Thrust (50,000/50,000)
Facing the Sword (0/1)
What was blocking the advancement of Imperial Swordsmanship was the last item.
Facing the Sword.
Radel couldn’t understand what it meant to face the sword.
He tried staring at the sword alone with it stuck in the ground, and tried training Imperial Swordsmanship again from the beginning.
However, since Imperial Swordsmanship had already been embodied in his body for a long time, nothing improved just by training more.
Then there was no choice but to ask his teacher.
Radel spoke vaguely for Senior Shartea’s understanding, who didn’t know about skills.
“I definitely thought I had embodied all of Imperial Swordsmanship…… but I feel blocked by an invisible wall.”
“Invisible wall?”
Shartea’s eyes gleamed.
Seeing Radel already hitting a limit not long after teaching him Imperial Swordsmanship, she could know he had trained diligently in the meantime.
Shartea felt proud of Radel, who was sincere about swordsmanship.
“Yes, somehow it is vague, but I get the thought that I must face the sword. But I don’t know how to do it.”
“Is that so.”
Shartea turned her eyes away from Radel and looked at the sky.
There was a time when she also hit that wall.
Although it was a story from more than 10 years ago…….
A childhood where things around her broke as soon as she manifested her ability.
Where everything shattered just by touching.
When she crushed even her older brother’s hand, Shartea couldn’t bear it and ran away.
‘Look, Thea. Older brother is okay.’
‘……That is a lie.’
‘Really. Older brother doesn’t care even if Thea becomes incredibly strong. It is better than you getting hurt.’
What her older brother held out to her, who was hiding and sobbing, was a sword.
‘I got it with difficulty from a Dungeon. They say it is made of metal that absolutely never breaks, so you will be able to wield it.’
That was the first sword Shartea held.
And one year later, the Imperial Knight Commander swore loyalty to her.
Shartea smiled while recalling the events of that time.
The sword, which she started to control her power somehow at first, led her here.
It was no different from her older brother opening that beginning.
‘Although older brother seems to have completely forgotten.’
After organizing her memories, she looked at her half-brother whom she taught directly.
“Right. You have already reached there.”
Radel’s golden eyes were seeking an answer.
But that answer wasn’t with Shartea.
“What do you think a sword is?”
At Shartea’s question, Radel was flustered.
It was natural, but he had never thought about what a sword was.
As if expecting such a reaction from Radel, Shartea added.
“You will have to find that first.”
It was advice whose meaning he couldn’t understand yet.
* * *
“Radel! Senior Shartea!”
A voice looking for the two was heard from afar.
It seemed Anesha and Pasion came out to look for them since Radel, who said he would bring Senior Shartea, didn’t return even after time passed.
“Let’s go back quickly.”
“Yes, Senior.”
Shartea and Radel headed to where Anesha and Pasion were.
“Oh right, I heard you went to the Esven Marquisate after receiving an invitation.”
“You heard. I went a few days ago.”
“Right. How was it?”
For Senior Shartea to ask such a thing.
Radel answered diligently while thinking it was unexpected.
“It was fun. There were many fascinating things too.”
“……It is the first time that guy interacted with another royal.”
Shartea’s eyes narrowed as if gauging something.
Then she asked this.
“In your view, does that guy seem to have the qualifications to become Emperor?”
Although Radel was inwardly surprised, he didn’t show it and opened his mouth calmly.
“I think the reasons for him to become one are sufficient.”
It was the first time having such a conversation between royals.
Especially Radel, who didn’t even think Senior Shartea would bring up a topic related to the throne first.
Having heard Radel’s answer, Shartea turned her head to a distant place and said.
“Every royal probably has their own reasons to become Emperor. Not wanting to become Emperor is what’s strange.”
At that moment, the image of Senior Shartea telling the 2nd Prince she didn’t want to become Emperor came to Radel’s mind.
It was a story he unintentionally overheard while moving through secret passages in the 8th Prince’s Palace.
Thanks to that, Radel could guess her heart.
“I don’t think so. Just because one is a royal doesn’t mean they necessarily have to become Emperor. Even just for me, living comfortably is the goal.”
Shartea smirked hearing Radel’s answer.
“The Emperor’s position isn’t comfortable. I wish Older Brother would think even half as much as you.”
DING.
[The target’s affinity breaks through 10.]
[The target’s affinity has become 30.]
At the same time, Senior Shartea’s affinity went up at once.
Then she even threw a joke at Radel first.
“Somehow, if it’s you, it seems you would figure out a way to live comfortably even if you became Emperor.”
“Is that so.”
Radel smiled.
It was certain that Senior Shartea’s atmosphere had changed more comfortably than before.
“Senior! Radel!”
Pasion and Anesha’s voices were getting closer.
The moment Radel was about to answer towards the seniors, Shartea said.
“If you want to deal with Estina, it would be better to learn Enhancement Magic quickly.”
Radel instinctively felt she was trying to give him important advice and shut his mouth.
“However, it won’t be easy. When dealing with the Enhancement Magic professor, think that you are dealing with a magical beast, not a person.”
* * *
Enhancement Magic time.
Students who came to take Enhancement Magic were gathered in a clearing deep inside the Academy forest.
There were almost no first-years, and mainly upperclassmen were many.
Due to the characteristic of the Academy where majors are decided from the second semester of the first year, students usually took subjects related to their major in the beginning.
Magic that enhances physical ability wasn’t such a popular subject except for Combat Magic majors or Cryptozoology majors who had to deal with magical beasts directly.
Among those few first-years, Radel was also included.
Gusto was also with Radel.
“Enhancement Magic……. I look forward to what kind of magic it will be.”
As an apprentice holy knight, Gusto had a lot of interest in magic that increased physical ability.
“I saw Leon use it before. He enhanced his legs and produced tremendous speed.”
“Prince Leon must have learned Enhancement Magic too. I didn’t know he would be interested even in this kind of magic.”
At Gusto’s words, Radel recalled the image of Leon chasing after him at tremendous speed on the 20th floor.
Since he was a guy who realized magic on his own just by looking at books, learning it wouldn’t have been difficult.
“Isn’t it because using magic is much easier for that guy than training his body?”
“Oh my. He is someone who doesn’t know how noble steady training is.”
Seeing him praise the power and beauty of muscles given by the Supreme Deity, he thought Gusto was indeed a member of the apprentice holy knights.
While Radel was talking briefly with Gusto, the sound of seniors chatting was heard from the side.
“Can we learn Enhancement Magic this time? We failed last semester.”
“I couldn’t even go near the professor at all.”
“Listening to kids who succeeded, they said you just have to not give up.”
What does this mean?
Radel listened carefully to the seniors’ words that they couldn’t even go near the professor.
“Honestly, how do you beat the professor?”
“Right. Didn’t even Combat Magic majors give up saying it’s hard.”
“Still, it would be nice if we could just learn it.”
Beat the professor……?
It seemed it could be a method of teaching through sparring.
‘Perhaps his whole body might be muscles like Professor Donton Murr.’
Radel nodded naturally imagining a professor with huge muscles.
However, what appeared in front of them was a professor with a small physique.
On top of that, the professor was wearing a helmet so large that he couldn’t see ahead.
“I am Beven Hardium who teaches Enhancement Magic. As you can see, I am a dwarf.”
A gruff voice rang from inside the helmet.
‘Dwarf?’
Radel examined the Enhancement Magic professor who introduced himself as a dwarf.
However, since his face was hidden by the helmet and not visible, he couldn’t gauge if he was really a dwarf or simply had a small body.
“Just because you take the lecture doesn’t mean I teach Enhancement Magic to every student. There are tons of guys who go back without learning Enhancement Magic until the end.”
Professor Beven added curtly.
“If you want to learn Enhancement Magic, you just have to succeed in catching me. The method doesn’t matter. I will use Enhancement Magic, and the difference would be that you guys can’t use it.”
It was an abrupt remark, but Radel understood quickly.
So he means let’s play tag right now.