I’ll Retire After Saving the World - Chapter 38

[ Chapter 38: Shadows and Light (1) ]

Category. Or attribute.

Simply put, it refers to the magic that resonates best with one’s own mana.

Hunters do not completely disregard the attributes of their mana, but it’s not as crucial for them as it is for magicians.

The categories of magicians are innumerable when subdivided. However, they can broadly be divided into the four great elements: air, water, fire, and earth. Even Kim Chae-min, classified under the druid category, is essentially under the earth element.

There are many categories that do not fall under these. The light of Park No-kyung or the shadow of Park Seo-hyun are such examples.

Even if there is no magic inherited from one’s family, understanding one’s own category is important for magicians. This is because the magic one can and cannot use is distinctly divided based on their category.

It significantly reduces the time wasted on magic that one cannot even use.

“Park Seo-hyun. Do you understand why I am telling you this?”

Even though magic research was not as active as it would be twenty years later, the distinction between magic attributes was still reasonably established.

If Park Seo-hyun could not use any of her grandfather’s magic, she would not have been entirely ignorant of it.

Or she might have known and still ignored it.

“Do you still want to give up despite this?”

“Give up? What do you mean by that?”

Choi Jin-woo looked at Park Seo-hyun in surprise.

Park Seo-hyun kept her mouth tightly shut. But unlike before, she did not avoid my gaze. Her exposed eyes were looking straight at me.

I liked it very much. Especially when I thought of the witch whose bare face no one had ever seen because it was always covered by her hair.

“Grandfather said….”

Park Seo-hyun slowly opened her mouth while looking straight into my eyes.

“He said I resemble my father.”

Even if she said that, what could I possibly know?

I quietly listened to what Park Seo-hyun had to say.

“I awakened at the same age as my father, and the first magic I used was the same as the first magic my father used.”

It seemed Park No-kyung was not a lenient grandfather to his granddaughter either.

“And my father also resembled my grandfather a lot. He awakened at the same age as my grandfather, and the first magic my father tried was the same magic my grandfather first learned.”

Did Park No-kyung want to make his granddaughter a replica of himself just like he did with his son?

Considering he was already dead and I had never met him, it was hard to say more. Although others might have seen him as problematic, he could have been a strict yet good grandfather to Park Seo-hyun. It was a time without methods for attribute testing, so Park No-kyung might have taught his granddaughter with her best interest in mind….

It was meaningless. Defending a dead person was pointless. Criticizing someone I did not know was equally pointless. It was something for Park Seo-hyun to think about herself.

Sensing the tense atmosphere, Choi Jin-woo quietly observed.

“So… I also think… I resemble my grandfather.”

“Even now?”

“…Don’t I?”

“Say it with your own mouth.”

“That, but…. I am not entirely incapable of using my grandfather’s magic….”

What kind of nonsense was this?

“…Not entirely incapable? What do you mean by that?”

“Really? The firefly magic I used during the rune test is also a light magic… It was a magic I practiced often because Grandfather said it was good for practicing mana manipulation….”

“…….”

Come to think of it… That was true, wasn’t it?

No, just because the category is different doesn’t mean one can’t use magic from other categories. Just as it’s hard to categorize people’s personalities, the same goes for magic. Sometimes mixing various categories of magic increases their power, so some deliberately practice magic from other categories.

However, this generally applies to similar categories. While the four elemental categories may overlap somewhat, light and shadow are clearly opposites. Their very concepts are contradictory. Even future witch Park Seo-hyun adamantly said she could never use light magic…!

“…….”

Park Seo-hyun was a genius.

She had this kind of talent yet claimed she wasn’t qualified to be a magician.

How could someone be so foolish?

This was absurd. What was all that about me understanding her?

Well, talent and mental strength are separate realms. There are many geniuses who collapsed mentally and failed miserably. Not everyone could become a superhuman like Hong Seok-young.

But.

“I’ve never been more thankful that I’m not a magician.”

…If I were a magician, I would have knelt before that dazzling talent. And I would have given up on magic.

As someone who wasn’t a magician, I looked at Choi Jin-woo, who was.

He knew very little about magic. Kim Chae-min had been filling in his knowledge, but how much could he absorb in such a short time? Considering he was adept at following basic and common magic, he didn’t seem entirely without potential….

If he fully understood Park Seo-hyun’s talent, would he be able to endure it?

One could say it’s a teacher’s role to support and ensure he could, but…. No matter how much I cared, if he decided to give up, there’s nothing I could do. Let’s hope Choi Jin-woo’s mental fortitude approaches that of Hong Seok-young.

“If I am of a different category from Grandfather, then what has all my effort been for? A waste of time?”

And she was still too extreme.

I sighed.

“The formulas you understood will serve as the foundation for your magic.”

“…….”

“Think positively. You can show off how much effort you made to use Grandfather’s magic in front of him.”

After all, Park Seo-hyun wasn’t the only one bound by a deceased person.

I had to understand at least this much.

I returned to the main point.

“So today’s lesson topic is: Know yourself.”

“Teacher, I like you, but sometimes you jump between topics too much. Can’t you explain a bit more? What were you talking about with Seo-hyun?”

“You don’t need to know. Did you say you like me?”

“…Among your many flaws, there is one thing I don’t like.”

“Many flaws?”

“Your human charm.”

Choi Jin-woo laughed obsequiously.

“Are you saying you don’t like my human charm?”

“Teacher. I’m ready to listen to whatever you say, but sometimes us ignorant swordsmen can’t grasp your profound intentions.”

“Who is bad-mouthing me?”

“No, who would dare do such a thing?”

“I’ll let it slide if you name just one.”

“Seo Han-seong.”

Choi Jin-woo answered immediately.

Seeing that, I understood why the old man enjoyed visiting the academy for special lectures. After dealing with hunters who would react sharply and violently at the slightest provocation, seeing such fresh responses must have been amusing.

I nodded.

“I will inform Seo Han-seong that you ratted him out.”

“Teacher!”

“Now, back to our lesson.”

“Ah, Teacher!!”

Choi Jin-woo, who had been whining, straightened his posture. Park Seo-hyun also lifted her head higher.

“Today, we will confirm your categories.”

“Teacher Chae-min said that we can only sense it ourselves.”

That’s because the only way to confirm categories at present is by clumsily experiencing it firsthand.

Hence, Kim Chae-min was only giving basic magic lectures on mana manipulation and fundamental spells to the kids.

He probably thought it was more practical to teach those than category-specific magic, which takes a long time, and Hong Seok-young expected just that level from Kim Chae-min.

How did the Hunter Academy curriculum go? They, too, seemed to have only drilled mana manipulation, basic, and common magic in their first year. Categories started from the second year.

Well, most magicians knew their category before entering the academy anyway.

“And… it’s not that I dislike you, Teacher. It’s just that you aren’t a magician, right?”

“Right.”

“So… wouldn’t what Teacher Chae-min says be more accurate? Teacher Chae-min is a Grand Mage….”

“Correct.”

Under normal circumstances, that would be entirely accurate.

“A Grand Mage doesn’t know everything about magic. There’s a way.”

Choi Jin-woo looked at me skeptically. Park Seo-hyun’s gaze wavered slightly as well.

“You two should broaden your minds.”

“Excuse me?”

“Your perspective is too narrow.”

Maybe because they were still kids, they didn’t understand unless I explained each point.

“Have you ever wondered how I know so many runes?”

“…….”

“Did you just learn them happily because I taught you? If you were just students, it wouldn’t matter, but if you’re going to live as hunters, you can’t do that. Fix it.”

“Of course, I’ve thought about it!”

Choi Jin-woo retorted angrily. Park Seo-hyun bit her lip and then spoke.

“The Principal… scouted you. So….”

“Is the Principal going to live your lives for you? Will you leave all your decisions to the Principal? Will the Principal follow you into dungeons?”

“…….”

“Question and verify everything. It’s a fundamental skill for a hunter.”

The conversation was derailing again. I sighed lightly and redirected it.

“The runes I teach you were taught to me by a magician I know.”

“A magician you know?”

“You wouldn’t know even if I told you.”

“…A Grand Mage?”

“Yes, a Grand Mage. Don’t ask more.”

I firmly indicated I wouldn’t share any more details. Choi Jin-woo and Park Seo-hyun watched me warily. Seeing their expressions, I chuckled.

They knew each other, the French guy and witch Park Seo-hyun. It wasn’t a lie, not at all.

“Same goes for confirming categories.”

“Confirming categories?”

Park Seo-hyun asked in surprise.

“You just need to say thank you and accept it.”

To honor our generous and kind Grand Mage, I added one of her principles.

“Later, try to save some people. She liked helping people.”

I clapped my hands a few times to refresh the atmosphere.

“Alright, let’s stop the chit-chat and I’ll explain how it’s done.”

* * *

Dwarf gold dust. A single feather from the swan guardian of Urd’s well.

Since Mimir’s well hasn’t spawned a dungeon yet, we substitute it with clean water.

I got the dwarf gold dust from Hong Seok-young and the swan feather from Kim Chae-min. These items are frequently used, so I asked if they had them and luckily, they did. It would have been troublesome if they didn’t. It would have looked bad if I boasted and then delayed because I had to gather materials.

First, mix the gold dust with the water. Since it’s not Mimir’s well, the accuracy is a bit lower. There are ways to improve the accuracy… but there are too many eyes watching to add blood, even for me.

Instead, I used more gold dust than the original ratio. It looked almost half water and half gold dust.

Second, dip the swan feather into the water. Stir with the feather, and when you take it out, the once white feather will be coated with gold dust, shining brightly.

I soaked two feathers thoroughly. After a moment’s hesitation, I saw Kim Chae-min and decided to soak an extra feather. One more exemplary model couldn’t hurt.

“Alright. We’re ready.”

“…Is this really it?”

“Were you not listening when I explained earlier?”

“No, but it’s too simple.”

“Simplicity is best. Extravagance only proves lack of skill.”

I handed a feather to Kim Chae-min. He looked at the feather with a reluctant expression.

“Channel your mana into it.”

“…Into this?”

“Yes.”

Still uncertain, Kim Chae-min obediently took the feather. It seemed to flutter slightly, then—

The feather was instantly covered in blue vines.