Since entering the Tower of Knowledge, I’ve been going through a set routine.
I spend roughly half my day with Ariel.
I study meticulously, but Ariel always seems to think my basics are lackluster, so I get some extra help there.
I even get to learn magic that I hadn’t touched before.
Magic that left me banging my head against the wall had me sweating, no other tricks in the bag!
But once Ariel started teaching, it felt like sailing with a perfect tailwind, everything started moving smoothly.
“Now that the basics are solid, it’s easy to build on top of that.”
On the third day, I even got a compliment about how well I understood the foundations.
“You could have relied on your innate affinity and overlooked the basics, yet you’ve laid a great foundation. Well done!”
After getting some basic training in magical power and spells from Professor Riana, I faced temptations to cut corners or wing it due to my lack of time and resources.
But overcoming that temptation and studying everything carefully had definitely paid off.
Thanks to that, I was able to cut down on the time it took to reinforce my foundations.
Since there’s limited time in the Tower of Knowledge, being able to save time brightened my mood immediately.
[Hehe…]
Plus, I loved the feeling of someone petting my head.
After feeling lonely for days, that gentle touch on my head brought me some real joy.
So half my day, about 12 hours, was spent sticking close to Ariel.
We’d sit across from each other at a table on the first floor or side by side studying.
Sometimes I’d show Ariel my magic demonstrations in the practice room and try to gauge her impressions.
As a result, my magic skills were skyrocketing, and “growing exponentially” didn’t even cover it.
Every single day, I felt a smile blooming with the progress I was making.
It only made sense considering who was teaching me.
The master of the Tower of Knowledge herself was dedicating half her day to teach me with all her heart.
If even a fool were to be taught by her directly, they’d surely see results.
So if I wasn’t showing noticeable growth, it only meant I had an attitude problem—time to bang my head on the ground and take a good long look at myself.
The remaining half of my time was dedicated to solo practice.
Ariel spent half of her day quietly sitting at a table on the first floor, eyes shut and deep in thought.
I didn’t know why, but every time she did that, the atmosphere in the tower seemed to change, as if she were handling some important matters.
During that time, Ariel wanted me to take short breaks and review what I’d learned.
So I invested my time in reviewing and prepping.
.
.
.
When the teaching session was over, I would sit quietly beside Ariel and recant what I’d learned that day.
Her teachings were so excellent that they were easy to understand, but I couldn’t say I fully absorbed it all.
So I’d spend an hour or two revisiting that day’s lessons again and again, fitting them into my understanding.
Once I felt satisfied, I’d head upstairs to indulge in various books.
The Tower of Knowledge was packed full of books.
Books made of magical powers were abundant in every genre, but especially numerous were the magic books.
From extremely basic books that hardly needed to be read anymore to advanced texts that would be overwhelming for my current level.
Rare materials that would be hard to find outside were scattered everywhere.
Honestly, even without Ariel’s teachings, I could’ve probably made decent progress if I stayed here for a month.
‘So slow…’
The drawback was that I was going at a snail’s pace.
These weren’t ordinary books; they were chunks of information made of magical power, so I couldn’t just skim and save them easily.
If they were regular books, I’d be zipping through them in no time, saving insights and repeating them.
I’d pull book after book, scanning the pages as they finally started to come into focus, committing them to memory.
Once I’d read each book carefully, I’d channel my magical power into it to absorb the information.
Then it was a game of comparing what I’d read with what I’d absorbed.
I had to sift through differences, checking each against the other.
After repeating that about four or five times, I’d pick out my next book.
This whole process took time.
It was supposed to be normal.
Considering the observation and absorption of information was faster than ever.
But for someone like me, who used to read while sleeping in Shio-ram, it felt maddeningly slow.
Still, I tried to maintain some semblance of a human schedule, so when I read, I would manually turn the pages myself.
But reading at a normal pace made my whole body itch with irritation.
– Even taking growth adjustments into account, the growth is astonishing.
Since entering the Tower of Knowledge, my growth speed was enough to surprise the emotionally-stoic Ariel.
One reason for that is that the path I’m walking closely resembles the one Ariel walked in the past.
The essence of magic is to use magical power to perform a spell and manifest a phenomenon.
How you construct that spell ultimately depends on the individual casting it.
Even though there’s a core formula available in the Magic Association, which could be called the established rule of thumb…
It can get tweaked slightly by individual users or completely revamped by organizations like clans to create their own styles.
Meaning that if you dive deep, magic ultimately carries the unique touch of the individual.
To use myself as an example, I’ve created a form that focuses on the purity of magical power to intuitively enhance output.
In that process, the intuitive results become more complicated.
The burden on the caster doubles, as does the risk of going out of control… but I can manage it, so it’s not a problem.
Thus, it’s intuitive and simple, yet still powerful enough to be used in combat.
For Ariel, who wandered the chaotic world some time ago, this kind of magic would be second nature.
Because of this, I was able to effectively acquire numerous answers that would have taken many trials and errors to discover on my own, thanks to Ariel’s guidance.
The vast magical knowledge of over a hundred years was on a completely different level compared to my paltry year of magical experience.
I suddenly realized that the person in front of me had a significant role in history.
For some reason, a slight frown crossed Ariel’s face in that moment…
Maybe it’s that she too, once sought a similar path as mine, so some of it applies to her as well.
“I can’t be absolutely certain, but I might be able to hand down my unique spell within the time limit.”
Unique Spell.
Similar to some martial arts that attain uniqueness and transform into special abilities, magic can likewise be recognized for its uniqueness and treated as special skills.
In this context, those with such uniqueness are often referred to as “Magos” instead of mere magicians.
It’s a title praising those who carve out their own unique paths rather than simply following in others’ footsteps…
Regardless, Ariel’s words were more than enough to inspire motivation in me.
That master of the Tower of Knowledge’s unique spell.
Especially after witnessing its demonstration right in front of me, I was eager to master it and take it with me.
So I had to put in the effort.
I couldn’t confidently say if Ariel could master it too.
If it turned out I wasn’t good enough, and my efforts fell short, resulting in some critical misstep later on… I’d absolutely loathe myself.
So I pushed myself as hard as I could… but honestly, I was not satisfied.
It felt like my perfectly healthy limbs were tied down, making it all the more frustrating.
Because of that, I couldn’t help but feel that sleep was a waste of my precious time.
This could be a place where I might not get to return for a long while.
To waste such valuable time on sleep, which I could take or leave was maddening.
So I pushed sleep aside and spent that time reading books instead.
With more free time, my mind felt a little more at ease.
Having no sense of taste, I didn’t need to fuss over meals.
I’d just crunch down a calorie bar I stored in a pocket dimension, finishing my meal in ten seconds flat, and then go back to reading.
By cutting out all the unnecessary stuff, I found myself completely immersed in my training.
“Immersed” might be the right word.
It felt like my consciousness was shrinking and narrowing down my focus.
The real reason I was cutting everything away to focus on training might have been to quell the gnawing loneliness and impatience deep inside.
Why I was already feeling nostalgic after just a bit of time, I couldn’t explain myself.
And seeing Gop-hwa despairing like a soaked puppy at the same time, I couldn’t deny those feelings either.
‘Besides, I feel like I’d have nightmares if I fall asleep.’
Nightmares.
In the past, they used to show up almost daily, but lately, that word hasn’t been something I’d encountered.
The moment I plopped down on a bed on the first day in the Tower of Knowledge, I realized.
Ahh, if I sleep now, I’ll definitely dream of nightmares.
It might just be a hunch, or maybe it’s a fantasy.
But the ominous feeling that washed over me from the soft bed sensation that traveled from my behind to my head was definitely real.
I didn’t want to dream of nightmares.
– Thud.
The infusion of knowledge came to an end.
I closed my eyes to check over what I had just absorbed, then placed the book back in its original spot.
After dabbing the blood that was trickling from my nose, I headed down to the practice room.
.
.
.
Once I felt satisfied with my progress, I’d head down to the practice room and experiment with magic until my magical power was completely drained.
– Crash!
In the practice room, I could summon stray golems scattered around floating islands for my magical experiments.
I’d set them up as targets and try out different spells, which would drain away my magical power.
Since my magical power was vast, it took a bit of time to use it all up.
After unleashing a wave of magic, I let out a huge breath and wiggled my fingers.
The circuit that had been continuously pouring out magic was crying out in fatigue, and I felt a hollowness in the core as it scratched against the ground.
While I could recover my magical power easily with absorption, I held back to build up my recovery capability.
Normally, I’d have tried five rounds of techniques, but… after receiving Ariel’s concern and feedback, I was holding my horses.
Honestly, there was no need to complete it right now.
It would be great to develop my magical manipulation further, and I could tackle it later.
I brushed off the aching arms and sat down on the messy ground to meditate quietly.
While my body didn’t need sleep, my mind was still weak, causing me to feel quite a bit of fatigue.
Still, I didn’t want to resolve that with nightmares creeping in, so I settled for a bit of review and meditation.
– The curses applied to Lee Ha-yul are a total of three. Two were granted by the invaders, and… the other one is a curse Lee Ha-yul was born with.
Normally, meditation is about calming thoughts and seeking inner peace.
Maybe because of my inexperience, numerous thoughts kept popping up from time to time.
Beneath that, a series of thoughts emerged.
I narrowed my eyes to fend off the thoughts that had no business being there.
I wiped my nose and settled my thoughts again.
‘Huh?’
As I tried to center my thoughts, I observed something different from usual.
– Clatter.
Soon, footsteps echoed softly in my ears, gradually getting closer.
Though golems wander around the Tower of Knowledge, they wouldn’t create such light sounds.
[Ariel?]
It was Ariel entering the practice room through the door.
Her pure white eyes were fixated on me.
‘??’
A series of question marks hovered above my head.
Putting aside that it should be time for her to manage the tower,
for some reason, her clothes were a bit disheveled.
The front that should have been neatly tucked away was entirely exposed.
Resulting in quite an embarrassing scene where sensitive areas were unveiled.
Maybe she had rolled around too much?
‘…Perhaps she has been alone for so long that she doesn’t think about these things.’
That thought seemed plausible.
Sensitivities aside, if there’s no one around to even notice, it’s not really a problem.
She hadn’t exactly been mingling much with others, after all.
[Um…]
But I felt it was a little inappropriate, considering I was now in close quarters with her.
Just as I was about to point out her disheveled front…
“Excuse me for a moment.”
Said Ariel, taking a few graceful steps towards me and promptly lifted me up.
[Huh?]
The moment I felt myself being cradled in the air, my mouth gaped open.
In the center of the first floor,
Ariel plopped herself onto the chair she always used, setting me down on her thigh.
[Eek!]
I shuddered at the sudden warmth enveloping my body.
Soft, plump flesh brushed against my face.
[W-Wait a moment!]
I squirmed awkwardly at this unexpected action.
But my flailing was halted by her gentle embrace around my back and her firm hand pressing down on my head.
“I’m aware that everyone has their own methods of resting, but it seems you haven’t been resting at all, Lee Ha-yul.”
With her front now visible, the warm skin valley cradled my face.
I quivered at the sensation of warmth I hadn’t felt in almost ten days.
As my rigid body started to melt into the comforting feeling,
“True training must accompany relaxation. I would never recommend blindly pushing oneself.”
Ariel looked down at me, her gently caressing hand resting on my head and slowly running down.
As she tenderly ruffled my hair, her hand slid down my face.
“…Manifest.”
Then, her slender fingers brushed against my nose.
As Ariel murmured a voice filled with magical power, some mysterious energy awakened within me.
‘What?’
My body suddenly felt warm.
A sensation of emptiness being filled surged through me, lifting my spirits.
– …Sniff sniff?
At that moment, without realizing it, I flared my nostrils.
Various faint fragrances that had been absent were rushing into my nose, making me tremble.
The long-imagined scent of old books and freshly printed pages.
The cool, refreshing aroma of a serene place.
Faint notes of multiple inks and dyes wafting into the air.
And, most prominently, a sweet and nutty fragrance rising right in front of me…
“For this time, please indulge me. Allow me a moment to rest peacefully in my embrace.”
As she stroked my nose, her hand then settled on my head.
“My useless and untrustworthy self, but for now, I dare consider myself a shield. No one will dare threaten you while you are in my embrace.”
Her hand gently applied pressure on my head as if urging me to bury my face deeper into her warmth.
Before I could react, my head dove deeper between her plump chest.
I wrapped my arms around her slim waist, my face being smothered in her ample softness.
“Ugh… Haa, haa…”
As I inhaled deeply, the scent intensified even more, filling my nostrils entirely.
– Sniff sniff…
I wasn’t sure what was happening.
But I felt my heightened awareness being diluted by that rich fragrance.
I found comfort and trust within the soothing tones of her voice ringing in my head.
All the loneliness and pressure that had been weighing on my heart felt smoothed out.
In their place, the sweet scent, warm energy, and gentle touch filled their spots.
Those genuine feelings slowly eased my heart.
‘I feel sleepy…’
My consciousness began to fade.
As it always had been, I didn’t resist the tempting pull today.
Welcoming sleepiness, I burrowed deeper into Ariel’s embrace.
In the cradling warmth and kind gestures, I quietly let my mind fall into tranquility.
I didn’t dream of nightmares.
*
[The “Master of Knowledge” intervenes]
[…@#@$]
[The “Curse of Loneliness” becomes conditionally (Ariel Segnis Ternovia, Olfaction, Temporary) weaker]
…
[Player Adjustment System: Affection Level]
Lee Ha-yul → Ariel Segnis Ternovia
●●●●●○○○○○(51/100)
“Master of Knowledge” “Head of the Magic Association” “Complexity” “Confusion” “Questions” “Doubt” “Gratitude” “Normal?”
▽Change▽
Lee Ha-yul → Ariel Segnis Ternovia
●●●●●●●○○○(51▷70/100)
“Master of Knowledge” “Head of the Magic Association” “Uh? Yu” “Complexity” “Confusion” “Questions” “Reliability” “Gratitude”
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