Corvus was late for class.

Was it because she wanted her disciple and the Saintess to have some time together?

Of course, that wasn’t entirely untrue, but the main reason was preparation for the lesson.

The students who had chosen her as their first instructor were far too skilled for her to approach teaching lightly.

One was a magician personally brought to the Academy by Preah Khan, while another ranked among the top admissions.

Despite wondering, Why me, of all people?, Corvus diligently prepared for the lesson.

Once she had accepted all the first-choice students, it was her duty to teach them properly. As the disciple of the Seeker at the Crossroads, they deserved to learn something meaningful.

Still, a part of her hoped—just maybe—that these talented students had chosen her because they recognized her worth beyond her race.

But as soon as she opened the door to the southern rest area, the designated lesson location, Corvus immediately understood why they had truly chosen her.

"…You’re a bit late."

Yeomyeong greeted her with an awkward smile, standing in front of three girls.

On the table lay the unconscious Saintess, while the blonde girl nervously waving at her was likely Sae-mi-ri.

And the girl lowering her head with a cold expression was undoubtedly Hong Seti.

Though both girls’ gazes were directed at Corvus, her sharp beastfolk senses didn’t miss the subtle way their attention shifted to Yeomyeong.

One man, three women.

Corvus clicked her beak—a sound akin to a human clearing their throat.

Saintess… as if unrequited love wasn’t painful enough, must she also face rivals?

Past Saintesses had similar fates. Why must the Saintess’ destiny always involve such trials?

Corvus felt a tear well up at the thought of the Saintess’ future. But then, her attention was drawn sharply to Yeomyeong.

"Disciple, what exactly have you done in the meantime?"

The moment she examined Yeomyeong’s body more closely, every other thought fled her mind.

"…What now? Is there a problem?"

"Problem? Of course, there’s a problem. Your mana—your mana is acting strangely!"

"I don’t understand what you’re talking about…"

Corvus abandoned the materials she had meticulously prepared for the lesson, hastily fluttering toward Yeomyeong.

"Just look at your state! You’re leaking mana like a novice magician!"

"…"

Though Yeomyeong looked utterly bewildered, Corvus circled him with quick, birdlike steps, inspecting his body.

"How… how did this happen in such a short time?"

"…"

"Did you unknowingly consume some kind of elixir?"

At the mention of an elixir, Seti flinched subtly, her body momentarily stiffening.

It was a small reaction, noticeable only to Sae-mi-ri, who sat beside her.

"Corvus, enough. Could you please just explain what’s going on?"

Only after Yeomyeong spoke firmly did Corvus stop her flurry of motion. She fixed her sharp black eyes on him and replied, "You still don’t realize it?"

Everyone except for the unconscious Saintess turned their attention to the crow-like beastfolk.

With a voice brimming with conviction, Corvus declared:

"Congratulations. You’ve reached the crossroads."

+++++

 

What is magic?

The magicians beyond the dimensional gate defined it as the noble power to transform the world with one’s spirit.

Perhaps because of this belief, magicians from beyond the gate never hesitated to elevate themselves as an elite class.

Born with noble spirits, they claimed, they deserved noble treatment.

In contrast, Earth’s magicians—many of whom prided themselves on being scholars—classified magic as the study of manipulating mana.

For them, magic was simply a branch of science, no different from physics or mathematics, except that its medium was mana.

This difference in perspective sparked political and academic disputes between Earth’s magicians and their counterparts beyond the gate…

But Yeomyeong couldn’t have cared less.

He wasn’t interested in the historical conflicts involving the Tower of Magic or scholarly societies. What mattered to him was how useful magic could be.

Through battles with enemies like Kahal Magdun and Orse Tabul, Yeomyeong had learned one crucial lesson:

The combination of overwhelming physical power and magic was devastating.

The moment Corvus confirmed his aptitude for magic, Yeomyeong was convinced he could emulate the combat techniques of dragons.

It might have seemed arrogant, but Yeomyeong had no doubts. He lacked neither talent nor experience.

Corvus, too, shared similar thoughts. If Yeomyeong could instantly grasp the essence of Heuk-ik-ryu, then mastering magic should pose no issue.

At least, that was what she thought.

But when they began the magic lesson, an unexpected hurdle arose.

"…You don’t know a single spell? What do you mean by that?"

"…"

Corvus’ bewildered question left Yeomyeong at a loss for words. He remained silent as Seti cautiously tried to wake the Saintess.

"Are you joking? Do you really not know a single spell? Not even one?"

"I’m not joking. I’m being honest."

"…Hmm. I suppose you had quite the turbulent life before coming to the Academy?"

Corvus’ tone was a mix of misunderstanding and sympathy, causing Yeomyeong to let out a bitter smile.

Her assumption was understandable.

In modern society, most aspiring superhumans received basic education on the three paths—magic, martial arts, and spiritual arts.

From "The Basics of Magic" to "Introduction to Karelin Martial Arts," these foundational courses were part of the curriculum.

Particularly with magic, even those who couldn’t do more than sense mana were often trained as scholars, making it the most widely taught discipline.

And yet Yeomyeong didn’t know a single spell.

To Corvus, this must have sounded like a high school graduate who couldn’t do basic arithmetic.

…But what can I do if it’s the truth?

Having never attended even a regular high school, let alone a superhuman training academy, Yeomyeong now found this lack of formal education catching up to him.

Scratching his nose awkwardly, he said, "Corvus, I think there’s some misunderstanding. Before transferring to Lord Howe, I never received any superhuman training."

"…So you taught yourself everything?"

"Yes. While I did have a few mentors who taught me bits and pieces, most of what I know I learned on my own."

"…"

Was it hard to believe? Corvus clicked her beak shut, her expression clearly asking Seti and Sae-mi-ri for confirmation.

But the response came not from them, but from another source.

"…It’s hard to believe, isn’t it? But there’s no need to doubt him. Yeomyeong wouldn’t lie about something like this."

The Saintess, now awake, rubbed her neck as she spoke.

"Saintess, how do you know that…?"

"Corvus, have you forgotten who my mother is?"

"…"

Her excuse was flimsy, but Corvus didn’t refute it. After all, it was a flawless cover.

Yeomyeong cleared his throat while Corvus fell into contemplation.

After a short silence, just as the Saintess started gesturing toward Sae-mi-ri and asking Seti something, Corvus spoke up.

"…It seems our disciple’s talent surpasses even his own imagination. If you don’t know any spells, there are still ways forward."

"…Ways?"

"There are two, actually. The first is the traditional method—learning and practicing spells step by step."

"…"

"The second… is much faster but much more painful. And I suspect you’ll choose the latter. But before that, I must ask you this."

"What is it?"

"…What do you want to gain from magic?"

A sudden but deeply serious question. Without hesitation, Yeomyeong replied:

"Power."

"…Power?"

"Specifically, I want to learn the kind of powerful combat magic I saw from the dragons I fought in Manchuria or the techniques you demonstrated."

Was Yeomyeong’s answer what Corvus had expected? The crow-like instructor burst into laughter.

"Ha! I knew you’d say that!"

"Why don’t you ask why I want power?"

"When a man desires power, the reasons are obvious. Instinct, authority, and… women."

Corvus whispered the word "women" as though it were a secret, her voice barely audible.

Yeomyeong stifled a laugh.

"That’s not my reason, but…"

"Oh, come now. To win over the Saintess, you’ll need to aim that high."

"…Corvus."

Only when Yeomyeong’s expression turned serious did Corvus finally stop laughing.

"Anyway, let’s try the second method—right now!"

Corvus spread her wings wide and shouted, scattering black feathers in all directions.

As the girls’ gazes shifted between Yeomyeong and Corvus, their eyes gleamed, each harboring their own intent.

+++++

 

The second method Corvus had mentioned was far removed from the traditional approach of mastering spells through practice and meditation.

It relied on trusting Yeomyeong’s innate sensitivity to mana and his talent, demonstrating magic directly in front of him.

At first glance, the method sounded simple—but in reality, it was far more intense.

Whoosh!

An ice spike materialized in midair, summoned by Corvus. It shot through the air inside the rest area.

"Uh… are we just going to let that happen?"

The Saintess barely finished her sentence before the ice spike embedded itself into Yeomyeong’s shoulder.

Thwack! Blood spurted, and Yeomyeong’s face contorted in pain.

Though he didn’t scream, his expression revealed the agony he was enduring.

"Um… Seti? Are you just going to watch this?"

Only after the Saintess called her name did Seti respond.

"…It’s his choice. What am I supposed to do?"

"Still…"

"Just think of it as training. Other magicians often learn magic by directly experiencing it, right?"

That’s only for basic spells, like warming charms! Who in their right mind uses offensive magic for this?!

The Saintess wanted to yell this out but stopped when she noticed Seti’s tightly clenched fists hidden beneath her folded arms.

Before she could say anything else, another ice spike lodged itself into Yeomyeong—this time in his calf.

Losing his balance, Yeomyeong fell to the floor with a loud crash.

The Saintess, startled, began to rise from her seat but sat back down after noticing that both Seti and Sae-mi-ri remained seated without flinching.

Why am I the only one panicking? And why is Sae-mi-ri so calm?

While she wrestled with her thoughts, Corvus opened his beak to speak.

"Well? Do you understand it now?"

"…Yes, I understand to some extent," Yeomyeong replied, pulling the ice spike from his shoulder.

"Then what are you waiting for? Try it yourself."

As soon as Corvus finished speaking, Yeomyeong began to channel his mana.

Unlike the flow of martial mana he used in combat techniques, this mana moved differently, preparing for magic.

The mana followed his thoughts, flowing outward from his body, pooling in the air, and intertwining with stray mana around it.

Like weaving threads, he manipulated the strands of mana to create a spell.

Whoosh…

After the complex process, a small ice spike materialized in the air.

It was less than half the size of Corvus’s but just as sharp.

Since the size of the spell depended on the amount of mana used, successfully forming its shape meant Yeomyeong had essentially mastered the ice spike spell.

Yeomyeong stared blankly at the ice spike he had created, while Corvus burst out laughing.

"Ha! You did it! It only took five hits to create a perfect ice spike!"

"…It was much easier than I expected."

"Don’t say that out loud. Most magicians take at least two weeks to properly learn this spell."

"…"

"At this rate, you’ll be able to learn over ten spells this week alone! Now, now, don’t stop—let’s move on to the next spell…"

Corvus was so excited he kept rambling, but Sae-mi-ri interrupted.

"Um, Teacher Corvus?"

Yeomyeong turned his head to see Sae-mi-ri smiling subtly, her face slightly flushed—a departure from her usual demeanor.

"What is it, Miss Sae-mi-ri?"

"I was just wondering if we’re supposed to just sit here and watch."

Corvus scratched the back of his head with his wing.

"My apologies. I got so excited that I neglected my duties as a teacher."

"It’s fine. You’re not the only one who gets excited watching Yeomyeong."

…What?

Her teasing remark left everyone in the room blinking in confusion before she continued.

"Since we’re all here because of Yeomyeong anyway, why don’t we contribute instead of just watching?"

"Contribute? How?"

"By sparring with him. Not a full-on duel, but Yeomyeong uses only magic, and we go all out. What do you think?"

"…Hmm."

"Doesn’t it sound good? We’d learn something from fighting him, and Yeomyeong learns better through practical experience than training anyway."

How would you know that? You’ve never fought me.

The Saintess grumbled quietly, while Corvus narrowed his eyes and considered Sae-mi-ri’s suggestion.

Yeomyeong shook his head slightly as he watched the two, wondering why they were discussing this as though he weren’t there.

"…I just learned ice spikes. How can I spar like this?"

"You’ve been hit with plenty of other spells, haven’t you?"

"…What?"

"You’ve been on the receiving end of all sorts of magic. Why not use those?"

How does she know about that?!

Swallowing the words rising to his throat, Yeomyeong stared at Sae-mi-ri. Corvus then chimed in.

"Disciple, I must admit that Miss Sae-mi-ri’s idea has merit."

"…"

"Learning through pain and sparring—what better way to grow?"

And maybe some bonds will form as well. Corvus muttered the last part so quietly that only Yeomyeong, standing closest to him, could hear.

Suppressing the urge to strangle the crow, Yeomyeong prepared to reject the idea but was interrupted by Seti raising her hand.

"…I’m in favor."

"Seti, you too?"

Yeomyeong felt like Caesar looking at Brutus as Seti pulled a warhammer from her bag and replied.

"Sae-mi-ri’s not wrong. Sparring is better than sitting around and watching."

Perhaps it was the dried blood of Secret Society operatives still clinging to her hammer, but her voice carried a strange authority.

"…Fine, do what you want."

Realizing the majority had already decided, Yeomyeong raised his hands in exaggerated surrender.

"Since Yeomyeong has agreed, shall we start right away?" Sae-mi-ri suggested, standing up.

Before anyone could respond, the Saintess rose from her seat first.

"…I’ll go first."

Without waiting for objections, she pulled a revolver from the pocket of her skirt.