37
Becoming a disciple of Noah Maxwell is an immense privilege.
Apart from growing stronger through training, just carrying the name of Noah on one’s back brings unwarranted favors from those around. Being a disciple is considered an ‘achievement’ in itself, allowing one to receive incredible benefits even from superhuman associations or public institutions.
To what extent are these benefits? Well, in all exams related to superhumans, one gets additional points just for being associated with Noah. Moreover, one can freely withdraw money from banks or other financial institutions without any guarantee or collateral.
Being Noah’s disciple in England even grants one the level of receiving royal treatment.
One might say it involves blatant corruption, but that’s how Eternity is structured.
On the Korean Peninsula, North Korea has long become a paradise, and on the other side of the Earth, news flows like Monday morning breakfast about people being devoured by monsters in real-time.
In this world, where even if Noah or I were to die at the hands of monsters today, no one would find it strange, the position of the strong is absolute and inevitably irrational.
It’s not that there are just a few people striving to become top-tier disciples of superhumans.
Hence, logically speaking, becoming Noah’s disciple was not a choice but a necessity.
One has to board the irrationality to enjoy a game-like life of eating well and living well.
But this is the very absurd ‘trap card.’ Noah, a being far from benefits, was the epitome of ‘human labor’ in the extreme world of ‘Indomitable.’
He was an artisan of hard work who embodied the saying that he could turn dust into gold, a proverb that no ordinary person would easily accept.
While others obtained magical weapons and skills to elevate themselves, he tirelessly swung his sword ten thousand times alone, and cast spells millions of times to reach a higher realm.
Beyond efforts, emphasizing ‘labor power,’ he was a simple, repetitive, and hardworking figure in the realm of relentless labor. That was the true essence of Noah Maxwell.
It was said that he not only escaped death but also completed the ‘Night of Immolation,’ a famous tale among superhumans even after half a century.
“Well, so far so good.”
It’s fine if he wants to suffer alone; there’s no need for interference from others.
“The problem is trying to force that hard work onto his disciple.”
Attending Noah’s classes here?
It was like turning a scenario game into a simple, repetitive, laborious game.
The word was that one would have to endure dreadful days of constant training, rushing out to battle whenever a monster appeared, then returning to training the next day.
Noah’s half-century of seclusion at the academy was all about getting lost in that laborious training, not realizing how time flew by.
Just look at Cheon Woo-jin standing next to Noah.
A few days ago, he was fresh and lively, but now his skin had half peeled off as if struck by the arrow of time. Anyone would think he had contracted some disease.
To live such a miserable life?
“Even if my conscience rots, there’s no way I’ll follow such an absurd suggestion…”
I wondered if my sincere feelings reached him.
Noah blinked his eyes widely and nodded.
“I understand what you mean.”
“Well then, I’ll take my leave.”
Relieved that my words were accepted, I briskly turned away without looking back.
“Is it because of Cheon Woo-jin?”
“Yes?”
“You don’t want to attend classes with Cha Seok-ha, right?”
“No, it’s not that. I just don’t feel like doing it.”
“You want to improve your skills by yourself without anyone’s help.”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
So please, just leave.
“Alright for now.”
“Thank you for understanding.”
“I’ll make Cheon Woo-jin the top student until the midterms. Think about my offer again then.”
······Understand my foot.
Cheon Woo-jin’s face turned pale after hearing Noah’s story.
No, if even he’s working hard, what did they do to make him so sick of it?
“Wasn’t it just a few days since the special classes started?”
I firmly shook my head.
“Even if you say that, I have no intention of doing it.”
“Well, thoughts can change. Come find me anytime.”
Noah, expressing regret that the path of hard work is always open, immediately drags Cheon Woo-jin away to start training.
─Woo-jin, let’s go for the class.
─Excuse me? The class for today just ended······
─Where is it? It starts now.
As the evening sun sets,
Cheon Woo-jin being pulled like a slaughterhouse cow was truly··· horrific.
“Stay strong, Cheon Woo-jin.”
Including my share.
Training is like a package deal for a protagonist like you, with plenty of time and talent. Isn’t that right?
Work hard, level up diligently.
Modern-day, incompetent players who are slaves to time, will end up sucking up rewards.
***
Meanwhile, Elaine was walking out of the forest with light footsteps.
“Now, it’s all over.”
In Eternity, in Dias.
There will no longer be a human named Elaine Dias.
Her talent was cursed and not welcomed anywhere.
It was understandable, as she was not a pure human but a ‘mutant’ born through the curse law.
Dias, who pursued curses, had secretly conducted experiments to enhance human abilities by casting the ‘curse law’ on newly born babies in the past.
The sacrificial lamb of that curse law was none other than Elaine.
A mutant created by the desires of Dias who sought magic.
Ultimately, Elaine was a ‘failure.’
While she had a high affinity for magic, she did not meet the expectations set by the law and was born with physical defects.
To the people of Dias, Elaine’s existence was a ‘mutant’ and a stain on the family.
Despite having talent in magic, the perception of being a mutant born through the curse law was strong.
Therefore, even if Elaine were to be expelled from the academy, she had no intention of returning to the family. A ‘mutant’ who could not prove her worth had no place anywhere.
Still, there were likely many places in the superhuman society that needed her.
“···Phew.”
Strangely, as she thought it was all over, her heart felt oddly relieved.
Elaine, who walked out of the forest with light steps, looked around.
Even though she had escaped, none of the students seemed to care.
They were all heatedly debating her unconventional performance.
From Noble mtl dot com
After all, even Elaine had no idea how Isol had managed to dispel the curse magic.
“You did well.”
Nikolai approached her and patted her on the shoulder.
“When you graduate from the academy, come to the association. Your father will make room for you no matter what.”
“Yeah, thank you.”
Elaine, smiling faintly, looked around for Isol.
Then, she spotted Isol standing alone in one corner and approached him.
She had lost the match, so she had to hand over the Blue Marble, the entrance ticket to the black market. And she had to apologize as well.
Elaine, pretending composure, hesitated in approaching to apologize.
Isol seemed absent-minded, touching his forehead, showing signs of dizziness. Could it be…
A belated realization widened her eyes.
“He went through curse magic without showing any signs?”
If not, there was no way to explain Isol’s current reaction.
From Nikolai’s vitality potion to Elaine’s Blue Marble, even Kim Joo-hyuk’s superior magic stone.
Isol, who had collected his victory rewards handsomely, had every reason to be happy, with no reason to feel dizzy.
Finally, everything made sense to her.
As she had seen, Isol had accepted all the curse magic without stopping it, and now, after the match was over, he was enduring the pain without complaint.
The curse magic she had used on Isol amounted to a total of 13. To think he had taken them all without any hesitation… Elaine unknowingly gulped nervously.
***
“Why is he like this again?”
Elaine, touching her forehead due to Noah’s issue, looked surprised.
When she glanced at him in confusion, Elaine suddenly bowed deeply.
“Sorry for suspecting you.”
Then, she began to confess abruptly.
“My grades in other subjects were so bad that I was worried. This subject was my last hope. But when Hosol came with you and Amelia, carrying way more magic stones than I expected, I just couldn’t understand it. And then I remembered how you had received a magic potion from Professor Kim Joo-hyuk before… I misunderstood and impulsively made a mistake. I shouldn’t have done that.”
“So, you suspected me because Professor Kim Joo-hyuk was too kind to me?”
“Yeah.”
“…”
Was Kim Joo-hyuk the issue again?
After all, Elaine must have been shocked to see a professor who gave out magic potions just for getting one rune right.
Moreover, since he said he would give you all the magic stones you brought, I impulsively assumed he had them all, which led me to act impulsively due to my worries about grades.
“Here, it’s the Blue Marble.”
Elaine handed me a blue bead with a name that reminded me of a capitalist game.
Blue Marble.
The world’s best implication stone. It was the ticket to enter the black market.
“Thank you.”
“Thank you, but isn’t this supposed to be given if you win?”
Elaine seemed to have already decided that her withdrawal from school was a done deal, showing indifference to everything.
“Elaine. Go see Professor Kim Ju-hyuk.”
“Professor Kim Ju-hyuk? What’s this about?”
“You’ll find out when you go.”
A surprise extra credit awaits.
Honestly, Elaine was too valuable a character to leave from here. Being specialized in the curse category wasn’t common, and expelling a talented student like Joo Yeon would be a serious waste of resources.
“At the very least, give her a chance.”
Of course, as just a mere student, how could I give Elaine a chance, but with Kim Ju-hyuk, it was a different story.
As someone of professorial status, there were various ways he could give extra credit to a student in need, whether through a petition to the school or a recommendation letter.
So, I casually mentioned it, and as expected, Kim Ju-hyuk took the bait right away.
“How nice would it be to show favor to a student in danger of expulsion? Especially to a student of Diaz. You might benefit from it later, right?”
“Hmm, not a bad idea.”
…like that.
Being from a prestigious family and showing favor to a student showing potential with curse magic? Kim Ju-hyuk couldn’t help but be intrigued.
Me, just watching from the sidelines.
Regardless of the method, I could receive Kim Ju-hyuk’s help.
Elaine, who didn’t know the first thing about strategy, couldn’t imagine avoiding expulsion like this.
Anyway.
“Sweet.”
With the vitality potion exchanged by Nikolai, Blue Marble, and even high-grade mana stones accompanying it.
My heart swelled with the list of rewards coming in like sausages.
This is the taste of living.
Noah’s disciple?
That’s just insane.
Holding Blue Marble in my arms, I pondered what to do next.
“Future pharmaceutical tycoon, Han Se-wool.”
It was time to catch that future pharmaceutical tycoon who would probably be selling potions in a corner of the black market by now.