Chapter 99
Minarin of Mado Village.
Lee Myeong, the small griffin of Mado Village.
In the game, she was a character who divided players due to her blunt, fussy, and meticulous personality.
Some found it charming that despite looking formidable, she was treated as the weakest link in the party.
Some just found her annoying.
However, regardless of the opinions, no one denied that she was an indispensable character in the party.
‘Because she was the most outstanding among the magic characters.’
Just like someone who had enemies in Mado Village.
Minarin boasted exceptional performance as a wizard responsible for the party’s firepower.
Her performance was unmatched by other wizard characters.
Moreover, she quickly acquired skills belonging to the magic system, broadening her spectrum not only within the magic system but also into dark and white magic.
Compared to characters specializing in dark and white magic, her performance was inferior.
Still, it was better than nothing.
Of course, with such exceptional performance, there was a flaw in her personality.
‘She had disgustingly low stamina.’
Remaining faithful to the setting of exploring various magic books and practicing magic from a young age.
Minarin was almost entirely lacking in skills outside of magic.
Especially, her physical abilities were dismal.
Her Hp gauge was significantly lower than her Mp gauge, her recovery speed was slow, and she showed vulnerability in defense.
As a result, she often unleashed heavy firepower only to fall back afterward.
Players who acquired her had to focus on increasing her stamina early on.
That’s why I said before.
Everything depends on stamina, and that’s no different for wizards.
“Half of the Heaven’s banquet isn’t over yet, so let’s wait at the restaurant first. It’s better to secure a table.”
“Do as you wish. Where are we going?”
“To the Fate Hall overlooking the Spring Light Lake. They say the view there is beautiful.”
“It’s quite far from here. My legs will hurt…”
“Consider it a walk.”
The reason I emphasized Yeonhaneul’s stamina for five years was also for that.
As a result, she excelled not only in magic but also in martial arts.
She possessed such stamina that carrying a heavy iron hammer in the form of a device did not pose a challenge.
She was the sorceress I had longed for in my past life, unlike the weak and delicate Minarin.
I stared blankly at her walking beside me, matching her stride.
“…”
“What, what is it? Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Some walk on foot, some ride a staff and fly. I was curious if it bothers your conscience.”
“Ugh… It’s none of your business! How I get there doesn’t concern you!”
“It doesn’t. That’s why I asked if it bothers your conscience.”
“It doesn’t. Not at all? If I get tired, you can do some magic or something, and that should be fine, right?”
“It’s a habit that weakens the body by relying on mana. It’s not an urgent situation, and it’s not far, so it’s better to walk.”
“Hmph, you’re quite independent.”
“But it seems different even among sorcerers. Haneul exercises when the distance isn’t far.”
“…”
“So, is she the senior?”
“Ugh… Fine! I’ll walk just for you!”
With a hint of competition in her tone, Minarin let go of the staff she had been riding and came down.
She swiftly swept her red hair that had fallen over her shoulders to the back.
“Who said I can’t walk… Let’s go! Are you going to stay there?”
“Yes, yes.”
Minarin marched ahead.
I followed her, urging her on with each step.
She was subtly simple in nature.
“I should make her exercise like this.”
Just like when playing games.
I had thought of improving Minarin’s poor stamina to nurture her.
Of course, there wouldn’t be a significant change just from this walk, but with small changes accumulating, she would gradually transform.
Meanwhile, by considering Haneul as a childhood friend, her value had decreased compared to my past life.
Haneul was entirely superior to Minarin in talent and skills.
It was as if she had become an irreplaceable substitute for Minarin in the game.
“If a player who dislikes Minarin were in this situation, they would just focus on Haneul. Why bother raising Minarin as well?”
I could fully understand that.
However, this world was reality.
Unlike in games, there was no limit to the number of characters one could deploy in combat.
The more, the better.
Two were better than one.
That was why I wanted to recruit Minarin as a comrade.
Above all.
[Personal Information]
Name: Mina Lin (Female·17 years old)
Alias: Little Griffin of Mado Min Clan
Affiliation: Geumgang Academy
[Gifts Possessed]
Eyes of the Sage
[Physical Abilities]
Endurance: 43
Strength: 41
Resilience: 47
Agility: 45
Magic Power: 78
Luck: 36
Remaining Points: 0
Displayed in Mina Lin’s status window is her gift, Eyes of the Sage.
Her gift excelled in analyzing phenomena made of mana.
It possessed distinctiveness and sophistication.
There was no reason to give up on her.
“What? Why are you staring again?”
“Just because, your eyes are beautiful.”
“…What, what!? What are you saying right now…?”
“We’re here. Let’s go in quickly.”
Taking my eyes off Minarin’s status window,
I led the flustered her into the destiny hall.
Since it was lunchtime, the first-floor dining area was bustling with students.
“What do you want to eat?”
“I don’t like waiting in line, so let’s go for something we can get quickly.”
“Alright, let’s do that.”
At this rate, we might not even find a place to sit.
Nodding at Minarin’s words, I ordered food from a place with a short line.
The food arrived almost immediately after we ordered.
We picked up our trays and searched for a place to sit.
Luckily, there was a nice spot available.
“The view is amazing.”
It was a window seat overlooking the Spring Light Lake.
Outside the window, the shimmering lake and the spring petals floating on the surface caught our eyes.
It was a beautiful lake, so picturesque that students were trying to take pictures.
They say in autumn, red maple leaves float around, which would also be charming.
“Heaven would love this view.”
Thanks to Dosie’s useful information.
I sat inside, content, to admire the view.
But then, at that moment.
“Huh?”
Minarin sat next to me and placed her tray on the table.
I turned to her.
She seemed to be staring intently.
Her face looked somewhat gloomy.
“W-why, what?”
“There’s space in front, why did you choose to sit next to me?”
“I thought you might misunderstand, but there’s no special reason. I just didn’t want to sit uncomfortably next to you when your friends come later.”
“Oh, I see.”
Although it felt empty in front, her words made sense.
Due to Yeonhaneul’s shy nature, she probably wouldn’t want to sit next to a close friend, let alone Minarin whom she met for the first time today.
I had to consider her feelings.
Of course, I also thought about what would happen if she sat next to me.
“It would be better if she sat near the window.”
It would be hard for Minarin to enjoy the view sitting next to me.
I slowly ate lunch, occasionally chatting with Minarin, waiting for her to gaze at the lake in admiration.
And before long, she and Goeunbi finally arrived.
“Oh, Haneul, Eunbi. Over here. Did I pick a good spot? The view is really…”
“Gyeon, woo, ya?”
“Wow! It seems like the talk about it being the prettiest in spring is true, right? So beautiful! But why are you two sitting so close together? It’s intriguing, isn’t it?”
“….”
The sky ominously nods and calls out my name.
Thorns are hidden in Goeunbi’s words.
Have I done something wrong?
I can’t figure it out no matter how hard I think.
In the midst of it all, Minarin unexpectedly greets the two of us.
“Hello? You guys are Gyunwoo’s friends, right? We met yesterday, remember? Nice to see you. I’m in the same class as Gyunwoo, sit next to him in class, and I’m Minarin from Mado Minga, the class representative along with Gyunwoo. Let’s get along well.”
“….”
Gyunwoo, Gyunwoo, Gyunwoo….
Minarin, who used to harshly call me ‘hey’ or ‘you’ until now, now calls my name in a friendly manner.
Could it be that she’s trying to save my face in front of the two of us?
Did Minarin have such delicacy?
But even though I feel sorry for her, hearing it like this… feels a bit burdensome.
“You two seem very close, huh?”
“….”
And even Haneul’s gaze.
***
Gyunwoo decided to introduce a friend he made in the same class.
A female student who was by his side when they met on the way to the faculty room yesterday.
“You two seem very close, huh?”
“….”
Red and long hair that seemed mutated by mana, and yellow eyes.
Though looking somewhat imposing, even in her own opinion, the pretty girl had a solid background.
Mado Minga, known as the leading family in the magical lineage.
Minarin, the small griffin of that family.
A person with a connection to herself.
Whether she was on the good side or the bad side, it was hard to tell.
‘Is she intentionally acting like this right now?’
During the final entrance exam.
Yeonhael was caught off guard by Minarin’s sudden attack to snatch her exam paper.
It was a moment of panic for her, as she almost fell victim to the magic that could have killed her on that dark night when she couldn’t even see the path clearly.
So, she didn’t just stand by quietly and fought back with all her might.
Initially, Minarin was an opponent who couldn’t be easily overpowered with just the right amount of force.
She had to forcefully subdue her, almost to the point where she couldn’t even move a finger.
―I’ll take this. You’ve really gathered a lot.
―Ah….
After rendering her powerless like that,
Yeon Haneul rifled through all the exam tickets that Min Arin possessed.
Even though she begged not to take them, her pleas were ignored.
Since she was the one who initiated the surprise attack, she didn’t feel sorry.
“Take them, please…”
However, it’s hard to know how the person who had them taken away would feel.
People are rational yet irrational, hence self-centered.
She might have had a reason to despise Yeon Haneul.
In short, their encounter was not beneficial for either of them.
But it was through Do Yeonwoo that they met again.
“I didn’t expect to become friends with Yeonwoo…”
For Yeon Haneul, it was awkward.
Even if it seemed like self-defense, there were issues in forming a relationship by knocking down Yeonwoo’s friend before getting to know each other.
Although she wanted to get along well, things went awry from the start.
Moreover, Min Arin didn’t seem to like her very much.
As evidence,
“See, right? We became quite close pretty quickly. Yeonwoo and I have a lot in common, being on the same team and all.”
“…”
“Are you just going to stand there? Hurry up and sit down. You and Yeonwoo can sit in the front.”
Mischievously, she provocatively occupied Do Yeonwoo’s side and taunted Yeon Haneul.
It was as if she wanted to emphasize their closeness, even going as far as playfully tapping his bicep.
Seeing her actions, Yeon Haneul boiled with anger inside.
But if she showed her anger, she would only be viewed as the odd one out.
From Noble mtl dot com
Above all, she didn’t want things to turn sour with her.
“Haneul, I think she’s doing this on purpose. What should I say to her?”
“No, just sit down, Eunbi.”
Do Yeonwoo introduced her as a “friend.”
From what she observed as his childhood friend, he seemed content with the current relationship and was not actively seeking to expand his social circle by making new friends.
It was beyond strange that shortly after enrolling, he made a new friend he wanted to introduce.
“Haneul, let me introduce her. This is Min Arin…”
“We’ve met before in the entrance exam, right? It’s been a while since then. Hello, I’m Min Arin.”
“…I’m Yeon Haneul.”
There was a reason for something.
Just like when he made friends with Goeunbi, Yongha, and Lisa.
“If Yeonwoo would just tell me the reason, maybe I could help…”
Sadly, Do Yeonwoo wouldn’t disclose it.
He had always been like that for the past five years.
Nonetheless, Yeonhae didn’t try to dig up the secrets he was hiding.
Though she was curious, resentful, and sometimes felt petty, ultimately, she trusted him.
She believed he wouldn’t abandon her.
Moreover, she thought he would eventually reveal his secret.
“Well, I’m sorry about that time. I did my best for the exam anyway…”
“Let’s just forget what happened during the entrance exam.”
“….”
“It was a mutual exchange, right? Past events might just be obstacles to getting to know each other better in the future. I want us to get along well.”
“Wow… Haneul, you’re so mature.”
“…You were tougher than me. Well, okay. That was something I wanted to tell you anyway.”
Yeonhae had no intention of obstructing what Dogyeonwoo wanted to achieve.
Rather, she wanted to help him diligently.
Because what he desired was also what she desired.
Therefore, she had no choice but to move according to his wishes.
Even though she decided to maintain at least a decent relationship with Mina Rin, if not a good one.
Even so.
“…So annoying.”
She wasn’t feeling great.
The presence of Mina Rin was irritating.
The fact that this pretty and sophisticated girl, who was more beautiful and elegant than herself, would spend a year in the same class as Gyunwoo and work together as representatives made her nervous.
Furthermore, she seemed to be completely opposite to herself in every aspect.
Except for the commonality of their backgrounds.
Yeonhae felt a premonition that she would be compared to her for the rest of her life.
Surely, she must have felt it too.
Of course, the world’s judgment meant little to Yeonhae.
What mattered to her was, above all, Dogyeonwoo’s assessment.
As long as she received recognition from him, it was enough.
“A magician would be fine with just me….”
In that sense, she harbored a sense of competition towards Mina Rin, who belonged to the same lineage as her.
She didn’t want to be left behind by Mina Rin.
Lastly.
“Oh, this tastes good?”
“Really? Then let me have some of yours too.”
“What? You don’t have to eat it?”
“I’m full, so I’ll give it to you, ‘Gyunwoo.’ Enjoy it.”
“….”
Yeonha’s behavior of teasing Minarin, conscious of herself, only irritated Doh Gyunwoo.
“Why does she keep calling Gyunwoo, Gyunwoo, Gyunwoo, Gyunwoo since a while ago? How long will she keep calling Gyunwoo’s name?”
Moreover, their elbows were touching each other.
Yeonha felt discomfort watching Minarin offering dessert to Doh Gyunwoo.
And she was also angry at Doh Gyunwoo for gladly accepting it.
“Some have no appetite at all….”
Some were eating the dessert.
Doh Gyunwoo was detestable.
Clueless Doh Gyunwoo, fool.
That’s what Yeonha thought at that moment.
“Hey, Haneul, try one too.”
“…Huh?”
When Doh Gyunwoo received dessert from Minarin, Yeonha casually placed it on his plate.
She, who had been glaring at him intently, was taken aback by the unexpected situation.
Her ears perked up.
“It seems like it’ll suit your taste.”
“….”
“Wow, Gyunwoo, so sweet! But Gyunwoo, what about me?”
“Want some potato fries?”
“Aren’t you exaggerating the temperature difference too much?”
“I’ll buy you a drink later.”
“Okay, cool!”
“….”
As Doh Gyunwoo and Goeunbi conversed.
Yeonha looked down at the dessert on her plate.
Panna cotta, a pudding made by boiling cream and sugar, adding gelatin, and chilling, topped with various toppings.
She blinked repeatedly while looking at the pudding with toppings.
“What’s wrong? Not eating?”
“If Haneul doesn’t eat, I will! Thanks, I’ll enjoy it!”
“No, I’ll eat.”
Doh Gyunwoo asked in a gentle tone.
Goeunbi deliberately made an exaggerated gesture to slowly snatch the panna cotta.
Yeonha quickly came to her senses and grabbed the bowl.
She scooped up some panna cotta with a dessert spoon and brought it to her mouth.
“How is it? Delicious, right?”
“Yeah, it’s just my taste. Thanks.”
Doh Gyunwoo chuckled.
A smile spread across Yeonha’s face.
She sat across from him, exchanging glances for a while, basking in the spring sunlight filtering through the lake outside.
Then, she turned her gaze towards Minarin sitting beside him.
“Saw that?”
“Heh…”
With a cheeky smile, Yeonhaneul initiated conversation with that look.
Minarin, understanding the meaning behind the gaze, frowned.
“I wanted to eat too, dammit…”
◈
At that moment,
Lisa had lunch with her classmates to strengthen their bond.
After lunch, she stayed behind to plan the afternoon class schedule.
“I’m supposed to plan the schedule with Gyounwoo and others later… I should text them that I might be a bit late.”
Gyounwoo, Yeonhaneul, Goeunbi, Yonghaerang, and others.
She had set aside class hours with friends she had befriended during the entrance exam.
The remaining credits could be decided upon meeting them in the afternoon.
Having designed the schedule to a certain extent, Lisa, as the class representative, assisted the students in selecting their lectures with Professor Park.
It was then that a strong star, Kang Hanbyeol, caught her eye.
“Hanbyeol, have you finished planning your schedule?”
“Well, for now. There were many interesting classes, so it was hard to choose.”
“Is it okay if I take a look?”
“Sure, here you go.”
“Then should I take a look too? Did you include the classes I recommended?”
The disciple of Tugwi, Kang Hanbyeol.
Living in the mountains and being a newcomer to the world, he boldly declared his special admission from the first day of school, making him someone to watch closely.
Upon a request from the homeroom teacher, Professor Park, and Lisa checked his schedule.
Soon, they were taken aback.
“Hanbyeol… are you really planning to take these classes?”
“Hanbyeol, this is a bit…”
“Why? Is it not okay?”
Kang Hanbyeol’s schedule was all over the place.
There were long breaks between classes, some days with only one class, others heavily packed.
The issue was that besides swordsmanship classes, he had also chosen classes from different disciplines.
Not just one, but several.
“Introduction to Memorization 1, Beginner Shield Technique 1, Introduction to Basic Magic 1, Beginner Spear Technique 1, Beginner Archery 1, Fundamentals of Alchemy 1… Hanbyeol, specializing in a discipline requires depth, spreading yourself thin like this isn’t ideal. We’re first-years, so we should focus on completing our own disciplines first.”
“Yeah, that’s right. Approaching it this way will leave us neither here nor there, and we won’t even get proper breaks throughout the semester. If you plan to take classes from multiple disciplines, do it after adapting to academy life. Let’s prioritize your strongest discipline, swordsmanship, for now.”
It seemed like it would be best to redo the schedule from scratch.
With a sigh, Lisa and Professor Park decided to concentrate on helping Kang Hanbyeol redesign his schedule.
Not knowing the feelings of those two.
“Can’t I do everything well?”
Kang Hanbyeol replied naturally.
◈