Chapter 17 (1/2)
The following day.
Carrying a magic book, I made my way to a mountain behind the mansion’s lot. I had already mastered [Basic Psychokinesis], and my [Vision] skill level had reached 100%. I could now manipulate seven throwing knives as if they were my limbs, but any more than that would make even the production of magic a problem.
Hence, I had to attempt familiarizing myself with [Beginner Psychokinesis] in the middle of the mountain’s vegetation, which had cleaner air and better mana quality. I tried sitting in a lotus position, but I couldn’t bring myself to sit on the bare ground because of my unbearable mysophobia. Eventually, I found myself dragging along a chair from the mansion.
Amid the grass and trees now sat an antique chair. They didn’t mesh well together, but I leaned back onto its backrest and opened my magic book anyway.
—— [Beginner Psychokinesis] ——
: Now that you’ve learned Basic Psychokinesis, you may now advance to Beginner Psychokinesis. Compared to Basic Psychokinesis, Beginner Psychokinesis uses eighteen more lines and one more circle. The movement of the circuit has now become more complicated…
—————
I activated my [Understanding]. [Beginner Psychokinesis] appeared like a vision before my eyes as it filled my mind.
“…”
Two lines overlapped like computer figures, clearly highlighting the difference between the two magics. I then imbued the data into my body. [Beginner Psychokinesis] lines were more detailed engraved on top of their weaker counterpart, [Basic Psychokinesis]. Heavy lines and circles were added to my previous feather-like technique.
The [Basic Psychokinesis]’s gaps and simplicity were now, for the first time, filled with a medium in the form of a magic circle.
“Haaaa…”
Naturally, I tasted death once more. Whenever a new circuit was formed, I would feel a fever surging up inside me so violently that it felt like daggers were carving through my bones…
Swish—!
The spell invading my muscles nibbled at my nerves. I could still bear the sharp, deep pain coursing through my veins, but the duration I had to wait for it to dissipate was quite long. Throughout that time, the magic taking root all over my body tormented me rigorously.
It didn’t stop until I had exhausted most of my powers. Within that ambiguous feeling was a sense of listlessness and languish, however. I remembered what happened last night.
…Yeriel. I didn’t agonize over it, but I would be lying if I weren’t hoping our secret would remain obscured. I shut down those idle thoughts and opened my eyes. What was left of my power was less than 10%, but that was more than enough for me to train.
I went back to the training ground, which was somewhat strange compared to modern fitness centers. For starters, its pull-up bar was too high, and the barbell and dumbbell plates were heavier than normal weights. I took off my clothes and folded them. My body, which I had been developing nonstop, pleased me.
“…”
I put my hand on the steel bar. In that state, I brought in a metal band using my telekinetic power. A total of 100kg of restraints were fitted onto my waist, ankles, and wrists. I did ten chin-ups on the first bar and then did the same number of repetitions on the next bar and then the next. I repeated that process until I reached the roof, from which I jumped down.
Boom—!
A tremendous shock spread throughout my body, but my stance didn’t even waver. Now that I was done with that set, I immediately moved onto the next one. I climbed the rope attached to the roof. After reaching the top, I jumped again.
The training I was undergoing was an ignorant method that normal human beings wouldn’t even dare try. It was no different from openly abusing my joints, ligaments, knees, and muscle tissues. However, for as long as [Character] was in effect, my bones would never break, and my ligaments would never tear regardless of what I did.
Of course, I could still feel pain. However, through Deculein’s [Competitiveness] and [Strong Willpower], I still managed to focus solely on improving my body.
“Whooo…”
As a result of my arrogant training…
Before I knew it, my power had recovered to 40%. But then again, I was immersed in magic. With this routine, the estimated required time for me to master [Beginner Psychokinesis] was three weeks at most. On the other hand, my physical abilities, including my endurance, agility, reflexes, and flexibility, might have surpassed a gorillas’ since I developed them through [Sage].
Of course, I still had a long way to go compared to the infamous named villains’ combat abilities.
******
On my way to work at the tower, I suddenly sat down and stared blankly in the air.
[Lv. 1 System Store]
System stores allowed characters to be strengthened by using the store currency they acquired. In the game’s second half, not only players but also named characters could be strengthened that way. However, access to the store was highly limited. It could only be used around six times in the latter half of the game. Reinforced items ranged in cost from 5 to 10 won in the [Lv. 1 Store], 10 to 20 won in the [Lv. 2 Store], 20 to 40 won in the [Lv. 3 Store], and so on. Its goods’ prices doubled, and it could only be used once per level.
I knew which reinforcements were the best, however.
——[Lv. 1 System Store]——
• 1. Blacksmith’s Luck
…
…
…
• 5. Mana Quality Enhancement (Stage 1)
: Character’s original power is enhanced qualitatively.
: Mild increase in power output and efficiency.
: 10 KRW
—————————————
Mana Quality Enhancement. I didn’t even have to pause for a moment to consider anything else. The rest was good for concept play, but that was the sole item that passed my standards. I needed to save up four more won for it.
Knock, knock——
The door opened, and Allen hesitantly entered.
“Allen.”
“I heard you called for me.
Standing still, he stared quietly at me. Asking why I requested his presence should’ve been his next response, but he was a meek individual. Gently, I spoke with a faint smile.
“Do you have any thoughts about choosing your assistant wizard?”
“…What?”
Allen tilted his head. I sent him an official document last week through psychokinesis.
“Assistant Professor Evaluation.”
If there were a wizard one wanted to recommend as an assistant professor, they’d be able to indicate it in the document.
“…!”
Just realizing what I was trying to tell him, Allen’s eyes slowly grew wider.
“Yes, yes, YES?!”
“That’s right. I would like to recommend you as assistant—”
“Yes—?!”
“…professor.”
Allen was already about to cry before I could even finish my sentence. With tears rolling down from his eyes, Allen replied.
“B-but…Professor, I-I don’t have any talent….”
That was true. Allen did lack talent. Even when perceived through the [Man of Great Wealth], much less [The Villain’s Fate], he was colorless and odorless. Those two skills weren’t omnipotent, but even so, he certainly had a deficiency when it came to natural talent. That might’ve been the reason why he hadn’t left yet. No one wanted him, and he had nowhere to run to.
“No one else but you, and your sincerity, passed all the tests I conducted.”
Deculein was authoritative and disliked praising others, but this much was bearable since those traits had low ranks among his [Personality]. The hardest ones to overcome were [Mysophobia] and [Honorable Etiquette]. I despised dirt and bacteria with my very being.
“W-what do you mean?!”
“Stop asking questions and just take it.”
I gave Allen a gift. It wasn’t anything huge, considering it was just a bracelet. I ordered it from a jewelry store nearby and instructed them to engrave the Yukline pattern on it.
“Keep working hard.”
I didn’t want him to give up. After all, from his trivial work like document organizations to his quick wits, Allen’s tasks and traits were useful.
“Then…have I officially become your pupil now?”
“…”
I didn’t think that far ahead, so I quickly came up with an answer.
“Not yet. There are two more levels to pass, so keep working hard.”
Allen intensely bowed three times in a row.
“N-noted! I understand!”
“Now that you’re an assistant professor, you should come to observe my class in two days.”
“O-observe?! Class observation?! What?!”