I have no particular complaints about Professor Atra’s training methods.

The training is certainly rugged. Compared to other places, it’s a rigorous approach. It’s not your typical method.

It feels like it’s based on the premise of possessing talent. And not just any talent, but exceptional talent at that.

Basics? The sort of “learn as you fight” feel.

It seems that was actually Professor Atra’s intention as well.

Didn’t Professor Atra from the very first lecture say, ‘Given you’re a special admissions student, the expectations from the public are set’?

In other words, the training operates under the assumption that as a special admissions student, one must possess a corresponding level of talent.

It’s hard. There’s no disagreement there. Honestly, if there hadn’t been a compelling reason to do it, I would have run away long ago.

Regrettably, I have reasons that I absolutely cannot run away from. There are compelling reasons why I must endure this intensive training.

If I ran away now, I would fall dead within at most 10 years. Until then, I’d have to live blind, unable to taste delicious food or smell fragrant scents.

Not being able to speak is manageable with some inconvenience… but the other reasons, I can’t just let them slide. I didn’t want to live like that.

To break the curse, I needed power. The known methods of dispelling the curse existed within dungeons, and power was needed to conquer those dungeons.

That’s why I endured Professor Atra’s lectures. They were painful and tough! But still, I bore with it.

Professor Atra’s training was definitely efficient. It bore results. The extent of my growth was felt through sparring. I’ve managed to catch up to the heel of a cadet who would have trained for a good dozen years or more.

If I continue to grow like this, I can reach the dungeon that contains the method for dispelling the curse sooner than expected.

When the goal I thought would take a long time suddenly drew closer, all the more I couldn’t run away.

“Here are the related books. Since you said you can read with your detection ability, take them and read them all, and if they’re too much to carry, scan them with your smartwatch and keep them.”

“……”

“Make sure you memorize them before the dungeon expedition begins. If it’s too much to carry and read them, make use of your smartwatch, and if it’s right now difficult to read, then I will read them to you.”

I had disclosed some of the capabilities of my Spatial Awareness to Professor Atra. To make training efficient, it was necessary to let her know what I could see and sense.

“Check and confirm if you can read them properly.”

In front of me lay dozens of books. Exactly 23 volumes. They are rather thick. I apprehensively received the books.

“Environmental Distribution in Dungeons,” “Monster Cooking Dictionary,” “Survival Strategy inside Dungeons (Upper),” “Survival Strategy inside Dungeons (Lower),” “Practical Herb Collection & Consumption”…

They covered everything. There were books I had glanced over a few times when I visited the library.

Monster Cooking Dictionary? It is true that monsters can be cooked and eaten within dungeons. In cases where someone is stranded in a dungeon and runs out of food, they would need to gather plants or hunt monsters for sustenance.

I skimmed through the book with my Spatial Awareness. I could sense all the letters.

[I can read them.]

“Good. Then read them whenever you have time.”

As I was absently flipping through the books, Professor Atra began to unpack the bundle beside her. A clattering sound emerged from the package.

“These are magical tools that will aid in dungeon exploration. The plan is to handle them directly over the next two days to become acquainted with how to use them.”

With those words, Professor Atra began to take out magical tools, one by one, from the full package and lay them on the ground of the training ground. There were variously shaped magical tools in a row, including the exploratory ones often carried in the original story.

As I stood there dumbfounded, Professor Atra turned her head towards me. The magical lamp in her hand shimmered.

“Have something to say?”

[Nothing at all.]

I quickly regained my composure and shook my head. Professor Atra flicked an eyebrow and without further talk, began the lecture… not about training but about dungeons.

The lecture was surprisingly informative. She picked out only the necessary parts from the books she had brought meticulously and explained them in an easily comprehensible way, drawing on her own experiences.

It was an education focused not just on theory but on how to actually behave.

Not just which monster is of what hierarchy and how strong it is.

But, if encountered, how to deal with it, under what conditions you should run, whether it can be consumed if caught. The likelihood of what other entities exist around that monster, and so on…

The level of education was such that even I, who have holes in my knowledge, could fully understand. This still held true, considering it was a one-on-one education.

I heard that Professor Atra was a top-notch hero, and she seemed to have a profound knowledge of dungeons that would make any decent hunter pale in comparison.

“This is a heating magical tool. It contains a small plate, but if you’ve exhausted all mana, you can directly charge it with your mana. Remember that most magical tools can be self-charged.”

“Always keep in mind the unexpected. Even when you have a short-term schedule, inside a dungeon, anything can happen. When preparing food supplies, make sure you have at least three times more than the original schedule.”

“This is an app that’s particularly useful in dungeons. Save it in your smartwatch in advance.”

Saying this, Professor Atra extended her hand toward me. On it was a magical tool the size of a human face, shaped like an egg.

It was the heating magical tool she had just explained.

“Try using it.”

I carefully received it and examined the tool in detail with Spatial Awareness.

Spatial Awareness, empowered by Mana Affinity, was dissecting the engraved magical formulas. The formulas seemed relatively simple and clear in my mind.

“‘Heat Generation’… that’s expected, ‘Minor Protection,’ and ‘Durability Increase’… nicely overlaid. There’s no conflict.”

Magic is something I’ve only glanced over in basic texts. I haven’t attempted to cast it yet, but reading such straightforward formulas was within my capability.

As I was examining the magical tool, Professor Atra reached out and took hold of my hand that was holding the tool.

‘?’

“If it’s charged, just press the button, but if there’s no charged mana left, then blow mana into it through here. Now, try it yourself.”

Professor Atra said this and moved my hand. I gathered mana into my palm in response. Ooong… the egg-shaped magical tool, having received a faint supply of mana, emitted a soft orange glow.

The warmth transmitted through my palm felt quite comforting.

But the body temperature I felt on my hands made it all feel a bit unreal.

Nodding that this was how to use it, Professor Atra stepped back.

“The other magical tools follow a similar format. I’ll inform you of other usages shortly. Next is…”

Even as I focused on Professor Atra’s non-stop lesson, I internally tilted my head.

I felt a disconnect.

… Was she always this passionate in teaching? I couldn’t shake off a sense of wariness to the change in Professor Atra’s demeanor, something different from before.

She wasn’t someone who took a lax approach to education. She was always punctual and taught all that needed to be taught.

What’s the term for this? FM? A stickler for principles? That was exactly her attitude, but now something was different… it was an actively engaging teaching that stood out compared to before.

“Listen closely. When the lecture ends, we’ll have a brief test.”

‘Eek.’

For hours, various dungeon knowledge was crammed into me.

And at the end, an actual test was given. Fortunately, I didn’t have any wrong answers.

For two days during the major subject times, I received intense special lectures on dungeon expedition from Professor Atra. It was teaching filled with various know-hows and tips.

With a head full of dungeon theory in the mornings and the afternoons brimming with similar knowledge, my mind was bursting with information.

I diligently studied since I agreed it was knowledge that would be vital someday.

One weekend day, I was educated about magic by Professor Velus. Since it was all entry-level magic, it didn’t demand profound enlightenment and was easier to absorb than I thought.

Nothing special happened. The most noteworthy event was simply falling asleep for three hours while attempting to sleep train for only one, and that I was covered with Professor Velus’s coat.

One day was spent in the library, pondering over magic books and trying to cram the knowledge I had memorized into my head. As I was bumbling my way around magic, it felt like I hadn’t properly even entered the doorway yet.

And so time swiftly moved on, and it became Monday morning.

An email arrived on my smartwatch. It was the notification regarding the team assignments for the dungeon expedition.

I took a deep breath and opened the file. A hologram of the team assignments materialized.

[Ipchun Class 1st Team]
– Hong Yeon-hwa
– Carnel Ardellia
…
▲ 4th Grade Dungeon: 7-212 Cave Dungeon
▲ Type: Regular Monster Subjugation

[Ipchun Class 4th Team]
– Baek Ahrin
– Shin Seo-yul
…
▲ 4th Grade Dungeon: 2-64 Prairie Dungeon
▲ Type: Regular Monster Subjugation

[Ipchun Class 6th Team]
– Katsuki Yusei
– Christopher Hayes
…
▲ 4th Grade Dungeon: 7-23 Cave Dungeon
▲ Type: Regular Monster Subjugation

[Ipchun Class 11th Team]
– Lee Hayul
– Elia Slade
– Atila Blerro
– Nam Yeon-jung
– Aidan Reynolds
▲ 4th Grade Dungeon: 3-23 Forest Dungeon
▲ Type: Regular Monster Subjugation

‘Umm…’

There were two names I recognized.

Elia Slade. Someone whom I have a friendly rapport with, pleasing to see.

And then Aidan Reynolds… a name that was rather awkward to encounter.

It was both a welcomed and awkward assignment.