“Professor Cheon!”
“Hmm?”
It was a delayed response.
Looking at the graduation album and comparing it to Professor Cheon now, I really feel how old he has become.
Sure, he might have been called youthful somewhere, but compared to his teenage years, the passage of time is just disheartening.
“I’m sorry for saying hurtful things. The part about seeing you only once a year… well, I don’t really want to bring it up now, but that wasn’t my true feeling…”
I really regretted just that one line, more than anything else.
Especially since I thought I had been given so much affection during the past seven months since Professor Cheon adopted me.
Honestly, if a kid several decades younger had spoken so rudely, I would have been furious if I were in his shoes.
“Na-me.”
“Yes?”
“Thank you. And I’m truly sorry.”
“Huh? You don’t need to apologize to me, Professor Cheon.”
“I’ve thought a lot about you, Na-me. I know you’re not the type to make such videos thoughtlessly. You just didn’t want bystanders to be hurt because of you, right?”
“Yes…”
“I’m really sorry for not understanding your circumstances well.”
The biggest victim of this terror incident was Yoon-seul.
It inflicted such a severe trauma on the girl, who was already living on anxiety medication.
I visit her daily and try to comfort her with Aura treatment, but shocking events are just hard to forget.
“Professor Cheon, I’m not weak. I’ll be the strongest in the world in a few years.”
“But you know, even if Na-me becomes the strongest person in the world, I’ll still worry about you just the same.”
“Is it because of Ham Cho-rong?”
“…!”
Professor Cheon’s eyes slightly trembled.
As expected.
Principal Gu On-yu was right.
The reason Ham Cho-rong, an exceptionally strong individual, got involved in that airplane bombing was because she was always in a position of power and acted solely on rationality.
The terrorists disguised themselves as common criminals merely trying to extort money from Ham Cho-rong and lured her onto the aircraft.
No matter how many attackers there were, Ham Cho-rong would never have lost in a face-to-face encounter.
Eventually, Ham Cho-rong, unable to detect the cunning hidden within human immaturity, met a miserable end at 10,000 meters in the air.
Even if she had carried a mana stone filled with sufficient source mana or a wand, there was an analysis that said hundreds of layers of thorns had covered the aircraft, obstructing her final struggle.
The reason the exception for non-disclosure of hidden magic was established must also be because of this incident.
If magic was hidden, it meant one could conceal a magic circle in a non-visible state, which is why the state had indirectly prohibited it.
“Professor Cheon, you must have had a really hard time during this period.”
The sorrow of losing a loved one to an accident must be beyond comprehension.
All I could do was offer a little comfort by being by his side like this.
I wondered if one day, my presence would occupy a larger place in his life compared to Ham Cho-rong.
“I was a bit happy because I thought you cared for me as much as you did for her.”
“Principal Gu On-yu is saying unnecessary things.”
“What’s that supposed to mean? I saw your childhood photos and thought you looked great.”
“Hmm?”
“It’s from the academy graduation album. You were really cute.”
“I guess you two were scheming behind my back.”
“Haha. Well, you should have set a good example first. It’s karma, karma.”
“Don’t tease adults, Na-me.”
Professor Cheon playfully thumped my head.
The impact was soft, but I pretended my head hurt as I rubbed it.
“As you said, I deleted the video. Wasn’t that good?”
“Not deleted but censored. Now you’re lying… Looks like I need to scold you again, huh?”
“Oh, you’re quick to catch on. I thought you wouldn’t know since you don’t use V-tube or social media much. Can you please just look the other way this once?”
In the end, neither of us could concede our positions.
But just being able to sit here, facing each other and smiling comfortably, made my heart feel at ease.
After all, Professor Cheon had taken my side, and I had come to understand the endless affection and attention he poured into me.
On the other hand, Yuna had an expression of disbelief regarding the fact that I had a heated argument with Professor Cheon.
“Na-me got mad?”
“Have I only shown you guys a kind side until now?”
“Isn’t that true? Na-me is not kind?”
“Well? What do you think?”
Hearing the word “kind” in a confession letter was the first compliment I’d received in this life.
Of course, it felt good…
But thinking back to those times when I used to throw punches at anyone, be they emperor, pope, or demon king, whenever there was a conflict was a bit embarrassing.
They were close to beasts who couldn’t communicate.
And I didn’t consider anyone over the age of 13 a child.
That was because of the legal standards of continental countries in my past life.
So while it was true that I struck Hero Klaus, I had also raised him a bit roughly.
Suddenly, a fun idea popped into my head, and I tugged at Professor Cheon’s sleeve and whispered in his ear.
“Professor Cheon, as a way of apology, I’ll show you something fun during 5th period later.”
*
When I went on a trip abroad with Principal Gu On-yu, she had asked me to educate the kids participating in the academy competition.
The reason she readily accepted my transfer and opposed moving to the United States was because of this.
Since Principal Gu On-yu took office, the Elementary Division had lost to Altair Academy for four consecutive years in the competition.
The Middle School and High School Divisions’ situations weren’t much different, as recent championship records showed they won only once in the Middle School Division three years ago and once in the High School Division four years ago.
If we lost again in this interschool competition, it was clear that this year would be her last year in office.
Thanks to Principal Gu On-yu mediating well between Professor Cheon and me, we were able to resolve the conflict.
I should repay her kindness, right?
It was time for the duel practice, which might feel somewhat unfamiliar to those who aren’t the academy kids.
In the vast auditorium, a white square was drawn in the center, and within it stood 21 kids, myself included, huddled together.
If it was just a ball, we could have played dodgeball right away, but unfortunately, that was not today’s task.
“Phew…”
Aura is the manifestation of will.
The first step in handling Aura was to convert the supernatural mana phenomenon created by neurons and Aura Heart into something comprehensible to individuals.
In that sense, it seemed Ham Cho-rong chose cherry blossoms as a medium since it matched her Aura color.
I wondered if I should go with azaleas for mine.
Reading Teacher Jackie’s signal, I immediately began preparations.
I gathered mana with my hands in a prayer position.
The mana, having gone through an Aura Heart, became docile like a dog caught by the nape of its neck.
By repeating this process, energy could be gathered that could truly be called ‘Aura.’
“Hey… NoName?”
A few kids asked about my actions, but there was no time to respond.
When I slightly pulled my hands apart, the azalea petals floating between them fluttered around.
“First up… let’s go with Yoon Si-hoo. You must stay within this square, okay?”
“What… what?!”
“Focus your core! You can do it!”
They say Ham Cho-rong always infused her Aura with a sense of rotation.
Everything in the world revolves.
The Earth rotates on its axis, orbits around the sun, and the moon orbits the Earth, creating tidal forces.
In the Northern Hemisphere, the rising low-pressure air rotates counterclockwise; thus, she regarded meteorology itself as her philosophy.
In other words, movement and rotation coexist.
I wrapped all the lost petals around my right arm and stepped forward.
With that, I stretched out my palm and struck at Si-hoo’s torso.
A powerful whirlwind erupted in a natural sequence of movements.
Yoon Si-hoo instinctively bent his knees and tried to lower his stance while infusing his legs with Aura, but unfortunately, his judgment was a beat too slow.
“Uwaaaaaah!”
Unable to withstand the strong rotating force, his body bounced away.
Thud!
Si-hoo, with a clumsy scream, crashed onto the mattress with his back.
“That’s an out. Everyone knows the rules, right? In reverse, you need to push me out.”
A murmur arose from the observation seats where the parents were seated.
I slightly turned my head up to Professor Cheon, who was watching me, and made a V with my fingers.
I hope he’s paying close attention.
I’m going to show him clearly during this time that I’m several steps ahead of him.
In order to make sure the kids listen to me going forward, I had to firmly establish my authority from the get-go.
I had heard somewhere that this was the most effective educational method.
What was the program called again?
“There’s No Bad Dog in the World,” wasn’t it?
The dog trainer Kang Hyung-guk said only correct things from start to finish, and I remembered being moved as I watched it.
