Ariel is right.
Putting my talent aside, isn’t Ariel right next to me?
She’s the one who designed and created that unique magic from scratch.
What could be overwhelming about having someone like her right there, interpreting and explaining everything for me?
All I have to do is stack the explanations in my brain and digest them slowly.
From the next day on, with Ariel’s support recharging my motivation, I dove headfirst into studying the unique magic.
“This time, it’s the 23rd level 2 magic formula. It follows the previous one…”
[Ugh…]
My willpower was virtual, but mastering it in one shot wasn’t going to happen.
Even with a big interpretation document laid out on the desk and listening attentively to Ariel’s explanation, I struggled to grasp it fully.
I felt like something awful was being forcefully crammed into my head, chewing on my lips while spinning the pen in my hand for no reason.
‘So hard… Before anything, it’s tough to even understand the problem in the first place.’
I needed at least a basic level of knowledge to learn the unique magic.
Ariel’s earlier words finally made sense.
Just like she said.
To understand the problem, I needed to know the language and grammar beforehand.
How could I solve a problem I didn’t even understand?
So far, my studies were aimed at raising my awareness of unique magic to a minimum level.
Even that raw magic formula on the desk wasn’t just bare; it was a friendly interpretation neatly organized to make it easy to understand.
Moreover, Ariel was right there, adding explanations like a feeding bottle to a baby.
She wasn’t explaining everything at once but breaking it down into thirds and explaining that too.
Even considering all that, if I still couldn’t understand it… trying to cram the magic formula into my head was possible, but comprehending and manifesting it in practical terms seemed nearly impossible.
[Uhm…]
Nevertheless, at least it was recognizable.
It wasn’t entirely impossible in theory, and the creator beside me confirmed that too.
So there was no reason to give up.
‘More…’
I frowned and decided to memorize the entire formula.
Also, I would memorize the whispered voices from above…
Thanks to the overload of information from the power of observation, my memory recorded it all without missing a beat.
Then I would gather and pursue understanding later.
Day by day, I continued piling up information.
I compared and based my understandings on that.
Gradually, my understanding transformed into the principles of magic, and that enlightened understanding led to my growth in the realm of magic.
[Ariel, can I take a quick walk?]
“Yes, you don’t need my permission for that.”
[Thank you.]
Even while concentrating on unique magic, I didn’t neglect other training.
I slipped out of the cozy, plush area, shedding tears, and rented a training room to work on my body.
Of course, I had to allocate a lot of time for studying magic, so I worked out rigorously in a short amount of time.
Although I reduced the emphasis a bit, I also reached out to other magical fields and necessary knowledge.
The Tower of Knowledge was continuously filled with all kinds of books in real-time.
Unfortunately, it was difficult to just skim and memorize everything with the power of observation.
So I mostly looked at the titles on the covers, bringing in those that seemed necessary to memorize.
Since I didn’t have the luxury to delve into specifics right now, I thought of going outside and studying separately.
One of the prime areas was alchemy.
Since it’s closely related to magic, there were tons of books about it.
Alchemists are classified as precious human resources.
In this world, alchemy isn’t just about turning other metals into gold.
It’s a discipline that processes various materials to change their properties and create the necessary substances.
Therefore, its potential is boundless.
It processes magical stones used as a primary energy source in this world and deals with the properties of materials used for artificial elixirs.
When there’s a need for special materials for armament performance, the touch of an alchemist is essential.
Among the representative armaments, the Beacon Sword is one that must go through an alchemist’s hands.
Its main materials are high-quality gems filled with magic power beyond limits and magic stones from monsters ranked above the third tier.
Neither the magic stones nor the gems should be used as they are.
They must go through processes involving techniques like alchemy and undergo a long toil with artisans before they can be made.
‘……’
I knocked my head with an awkward expression.
The design of the Beacon Sword was already lodged in my brain.
Last time… back during the winter break, when I participated in the Gop-hwa Clan’s regular banquet.
When I held the Beacon Sword of the clan’s founder and infused my magic into it,
the transparent blade of the Beacon Sword greedily consumed my Gop-hwa magic and spat out information about the sword.
The blueprint came along then, and it still resided in my head.
‘Hmm…’
The Beacon Sword was a symbol held by the head of the Gop-hwa Clan.
The current head already wields the Beacon Sword, while Hong Yeon-hwa, the next heir, has not yet done so.
The current head is still active, so Yeon-hwa’s Beacon Sword is likely still in the conceptual stage.
‘…….’
Putting that thought aside, I set off to find the books I needed.
I didn’t find them myself; they were the shelves Ariel insisted I check out.
She probably wanted to maximize the information she could get to me while circumventing restrictions.
‘Oh.’
So while wandering through the forest of books on the first floor, I flinched at a book title that caught my sight on the edge of observation.
After blinking a few times, I magically leaped toward it, soaring lightly.
I dodged numerous bridges placed to cross to the other bookshelf, ascending higher.
I reached a cluster of books on a high shelf, right at the edge.
The observation recording area.
The five towers are interconnected around the Tower of Harmony.
Especially, the Tower of Knowledge plays a role in storing various information.
Due to the limitations of information, there are no security concerns, so everything is piled here.
Thus, classified information handled by the guild and excess data measured by the observatory are also stored as books here.
In front of me was a collection of information about dungeons.
I pulled out one book and checked the title again.
‘Dungeon NE4-5659… temporary title, Mirror… Mirror明镜? This…’
The guild’s temporary title was Mirror.
It’s the temporary title for the dungeon that has the Treasure of the Sea.
Suddenly, my fingertips trembled as if I’d been plunged into icy water.
I hastily opened the book and injected my magic to absorb the information.
A flood of information crept into my mind.
‘The first observation date was three months ago… relatively recent. The dungeon’s interior appearance… aligns almost exactly with the original description. The rank is Grade 1… here.’
Fortunately, it hadn’t been cleared yet.
It was not a good thing that a party had attempted to clear it and had gone dark, but at least it remained unclaimed.
A Grade 1 dungeon wouldn’t be easy to clear right away.
Even if the information is updated from outside, it would likely still remain unclaimed.
We didn’t know the rewards since it hadn’t been cleared yet, but according to the original… information observed by the master of the Tower of Observation, the reward for this dungeon is the artifact, the Treasure of the Sea.
‘Found it.’
There’s also a location.
It’s not a vague position from the original but listed with exact coordinates.
My heart raced in my chest.
Of course, there are still issues remaining.
The dungeon’s rank is Grade 1.
The monsters lurking there will likely be around Grade 4 in tier, and if an alpha entity appears, I might end up fighting a Grade 3 monster.
Alpha entities aren’t common, but there’s always the risk of engaging in a skirmish with Grade 3 beasts in a dungeon filled with traps.
‘Found it…’
But I found the location.
It’s possible to challenge it as I grow.
Just that alone made my heavy heart feel a bit lighter.
‘Now, if I can just clear it…’
I could obtain the Treasure of the Sea.
And using it would resolve the curse regarding my lifespan…
– Hey, Baek Ha-yul, could you do me a favor?
At that moment, a thought struck me, and my head, once filled with hopeful ideas, froze.
‘……’
I stood there in a daze, pondering for a while.
That worry remained unresolved until Ariel arrived to pick me up.
*
One of Lee Ha-yul’s many talents is imitation.
His magic is pure and can become anything, mimicking properties, characteristics, and uniqueness.
Thanks to being a Jack of All Trades, he can master almost any technique, and his versatility allows him to imitate the uniqueness of those technical branches.
The essence of magic is imitation.
Though exploring uniqueness at that level is similar to creation,
anything that has already been created can be replicated.
He can do it.
It’s not impossible; if he keeps banging his head against the wall, he will make it.
His talent is not lacking, and he has the creator’s certification.
It’s possible.
If he keeps at it, the gloominess will gradually fade away.
Lee Ha-yul approached his training with that mindset.
Everyone is like that.
At first, you can’t see everything.
What’s far away appears out of reach, and what’s shrouded in darkness can only be seen in black.
To clearly see it, most have to move there and get closer.
And…
“You’ve succeeded.”
Ariel, who had momentarily lost herself in thought, glanced around.
The particles of magic swirling in the air gradually settled down.
Once the magic had been released, the white magic forming the formula fell to the floor like winter flurries.
At the center of that magic was Lee Ha-yul, who was sitting on the ground. He let out a long sigh, inhaling the scattered magic around him.
“I intended to lay the groundwork for you to learn externally, but… for you to succeed internally, you truly surpass my expectations.”
Of course, it wasn’t perfect.
He had barely managed to manifest it.
It was not yet like Ariel’s, fully achieved with center and uniqueness.
It was more like he was using a framework.
But even that was an astounding achievement.
He had copied the frame.
That was enough.
The inside could be filled with Ariel’s or would be his own as he grew.
Now filling it was his job. So whatever it is, Lee Ha-yul would certainly be able to fill it and use it.
“…Lee Ha-yul?”
Ariel, wanting to congratulate him on his success, came closer, but Lee Ha-yul’s expression did not appear happy.
In fact, he looked quite glum.
That was not how someone should look upon achieving such a hard-earned magic.
In an instant, Ariel’s heart sank.
Did something happen to the boy?
“What’s wrong? Is your magic flowing back…?”
[No…]
Just as Ariel hurried over, Lee Ha-yul came over and leaned into her embrace, whining.
Although Ariel was flustered, she comforted him, who pressed his face into her chest.
“Is there somewhere that hurts…?”
[No…]
“Then…?”
[Soon…]
“Soon…? Ah…”
While checking Lee Ha-yul’s condition and asking if there was any problem, the confession necklace clicked.
A voice heavy with disappointment made Ariel exclaim in surprise.
Time flew by quickly as they trained unique magic.
So naturally, time was running out.
“……”
Ariel’s expression turned complex.
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