Chapter 12

I returned to my room with the needle. I intended to prick my finger with the needle, repeatedly logging in and out to observe the arrangement of magic power in the healing magic at work.

“Login.”

I moved into the preparation room. I glanced around, momentarily thinking Do-yugeon might be there, but unsurprisingly, he wasn’t. We hadn’t made any plans to meet after all.

I grabbed the needle in one hand and prepared to prick my other hand’s fingertip, going along with the plan. All it would take now was a light poke. I glanced at the needle; it was sharp. Of course, being a needle, it should be, but it was almost excessively so.

Wasn’t there some tool that would be less sharp? One that could cause a wound but wouldn’t hurt. I thought about it for a moment but couldn’t think of anything else. If there wasn’t, then there wasn’t.

I pricked the tip of my finger with the needle. Ow. A bead of blood rolled down the needle. Maybe because I was tense, I had pricked it too deeply, much deeper than I should have.

“Logout.”

I returned to my room and the system’s healing magic began to take effect. Around the injured finger, the magic power moved in a set pattern. This was the important part. Though the pain annoyed me, I focused and observed.

The system first drew out a shape with the magic power and then started continuously changing it into dozens or maybe hundreds of different arrangements.

At first, I could follow, but as it went on, the magic power’s movements became too subtle and intricate for me to observe properly. This was beyond the current sensitivity of my senses.

Still, I kept observing the general changes. The magic power, which had started with two-dimensional complexity, reached a tipping point and transformed into a three-dimensional shape. After dozens more changes, it evolved further, creating a rotating, four-dimensional movement.

Eh…

After that, many more changes occurred, but finding the process too complex and absurd, I decided to stop observing.

I looked at my finger; the blood remained, but the wound had healed perfectly. Wow, truly, it was incredible. So amazing that words failed me.

Even though I had pricked it rather deeply, it was the kind of injury that would heal fine on its own. Perhaps it might leave a small scar, so it would have been worth visiting the hospital, but still, the complexity of the healing magic used to heal such a small wound seemed excessive.

My original plan was to practice the system’s healing magic and copy its effects, but this was clearly beyond the capability to simply practice and follow.

Various thoughts filled my mind. I’d first wash my hands and think about it. At the sink, I cleaned my hands and the needle, carefully sorting through my thoughts.

Apparently, my plan needed to be revised. Of course, plans often encounter setbacks during execution.

First, I should experiment to establish the connection between magic power arrangements and healing magic. The goal would be to determine whether a single arrangement of magic power could produce healing effects. Since replicating the system’s healing magic was impossible, I could only hope that even a single arrangement might have some therapeutic effect.

There was one thing I needed to think about before beginning the experiments. Why did I initially plan to copy the system’s healing magic?

Comparing it to modern medicine, it’s a questionable decision. Would any ordinary person in modern times, with no medical knowledge, confidently believe they could observe a doctor’s surgery and replicate it?

Still, until just now, I had thought I could copy the system’s healing magic. Perhaps it’s a bit too easy to think like that in a fantasy world. Even if I failed while trying to copy the magic circles, did I not approach it too casually?

Considering the complexity of the healing magic, I should have anticipated that copying it wouldn’t be possible. Why didn’t I?

Reflecting carefully, I suspect I subconsciously overestimated my own talent. To put it kindly, it was overconfidence; objectively, it bordered on arrogance or hubris.

Given all the low-level magic circulating on the internet and the highest-talented wizard I’ve found so far, whose magic sense skill only extends 20 meters, I suppose I had become overconfident. And Do-yugeon constantly praising me as a genius probably didn’t help either.

Getting caught up in internet hype is laughable. It makes me wonder: did I secretly hope to be a genius? A genius indeed. But what led me to believe I was? Internet information is always unreliable, and there’s more than enough useless data. So between all that, what made me so sure I was talented?

I suppose the flood of fantasy phenomena has been confusing. Maybe encountering things in this life I didn’t see before made me feel uneasy. Could that be why I hoped to find a talent?

This kind of defense mechanism might be useful for mental health, but being swayed by instinct is an unpleasant experience. Especially now, it’s clouding my objective judgment.

Psychological therapy might be needed. For calming my anxiety, that is. There are plenty of methods—for example, reading.

“Isn’t the conclusion odd?”

Do-yugeon, after luring a slime with a rock, said this.

“Not at all. Would you catch it?”

“I’ll catch it this time.”

The boy charged at the slime. The 150cm-tall slime leaped vertically, spreading out as it came down to engulf him. Seizing the brief moment when the slime core was exposed, Do-yugeon swiftly and accurately stabbed it with his sword. Just before the slime engulfed him, it transformed into experience points.

It was always thrilling, yet perfectly executed. Truly brilliant.

With a flourish, Do-yugeon sheathed his sword as the experience points swirled around him. He always struck a dramatic pose. I wanted to tell him that trying too hard to look cool can actually make it less so, but I decided not to mention it—though I worry he’ll regret it later. Still, it feels a little…

“Continuing from before—I’ll increase my reading time.”

“Sounds good.”

Here’s the main point.

“How do I increase the time, I thought. Reducing adventure time would be the best idea.”

“Eh? What do you mean?”

“Adventure time. You know, the time I spend adventuring.”

“…By how much?”

“That has to be decided now. How much of a reduction would be good?”

He moved to sit on a nearby rock.

“I’ve decided to aim for level 100.”

“We’re not stopping the adventures, just slowing down the leveling process.”

He thought for a moment.

“I’m not sure about time, but let’s aim for two level-ups per month.”

Two level-ups? Considering the official start date of the hunting was May 26th, and today’s July 11th, and he’s on level five, the average monthly leveling speed is around 2.5. From what I’ve seen, leveling up doesn’t seem to slow down the higher the level gets, so aiming for two level-ups per month is indeed slower than before.

“Okay, then.”

“Then this month we’d go up to level six?”

“Right.”

—

Reading has many benefits, but it also has a downside: bookshelf space. The cost of book storage is considerable, especially as the length of one’s reading career grows. The more books you read, the more they accumulate, and eventually, your designated book storage will reach capacity. To address this, you’ll either have to create extra space in your home or move to a larger one, both involving additional costs.

In our house, not just myself, but my mom and dad were avid readers, so our study quickly filled up. When I was younger, I assumed we would tidy up the storage room and create a second study, but Mom had different plans. She announced that the study needed cleaning and handed me a piece of paper to write down the books she wanted to discard.

After meticulously reviewing the contents, I painstakingly identified the few books I truly wouldn’t read again. After all, I had already gotten rid of the disappointing ones long ago.

“Is this all you’re throwing out?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Isn’t that too few…? Hmm…”

My mom, chewing her lip in thought, continued.

“Since you have such a good memory, do we really need to keep all the books you’ve read?”

“We do.”

“If you insist, then it’s settled.”

Ultimately, more of Mom’s and Dad’s books were discarded than mine. From that point forward, we reduced the number of books we ordered, and lowered our standards for what we’d discard, but recently, my own collection filled the study to its limit. Mom subtly started pressuring me to throw away more books. Ugh, it was exasperating.

Still, as the saying goes, “when the sky falls, there’s always a way out.” When a house downstairs became available, I immediately jumped at the opportunity and bought it. I then ordered several bookshelves and made the downstairs apartment my personal library. Thank goodness for my savings.

Though I now had my own library, moving books down there is inconvenient, so I usually kept the ones I needed to read in the study and focused on those. However, when the ordered books stacked up to the point that I needed to move them, I’d organize and transport them downstairs.

Before I mastered magic, this was a sweaty task, but now I can easily carry stacks of books using magic, making the process enjoyable. The books are all wonderful, but their weight is their only downside.

As I was putting a few magic-aided books onto the shelves, the sound of the front door opening reached my ears. Could it be Mom? When I went to check, a young girl of about my age was entering.

“Yumina?”

“Hi.”

“We didn’t have plans.”

“Do friends need plans to visit?”

“They do.”

“You’re too fussy. Here, have some peach.”

She offered me a peach she’d speared with a fork, and I accepted it. Given the fruit, she must have stopped by our house before coming down here.

Yumina looked around at the bookshelves.

“More books have piled up since the last time I was here. At this rate, you’ll fill this place up soon, too, right?”

“If I do, I’ll just fill up other rooms. No problem.”

“Hmm. Hey, have more.”

She passed me the plate of peaches. I ate them while she asked about organizing the books by height. I confirmed it was correct, and she helped tidy the shelves. With only a few books, it was done before I could fully enjoy. A pity.

She took an extra fork and speared more peach.

Why did she come, though? There’s something suspicious about this.

“What brings you here?”

She looked at me.

“You sometimes say odd things. Why would a friend visit without a reason?”

“Those aren’t odd things. It’s because a friend, busy with romance on weekends, suddenly visits without notice.”

While speaking, I briefly wondered if she’d been dumped by her boyfriend, but she’s the type to date anyone casually, so that’s unlikely.

“Sounds strange, but this time you’re actually right. Are you free tomorrow?”

“Why tomorrow?”

“Because it’s the last weekend before summer vacation. I thought, why not watch a movie?”

Given who she is, I was suspicious.

Watching her silently for a moment, she resumed speaking.

“A boy will come.”

“I’m not going.”

“Aww.”

“The movie isn’t the main goal, is it? Why should I go?”

She was probably going to invent some excuse to leave midway, leaving just me and this boy. Then, predictably, this boy would suddenly confess to me. I’ve been through this several times.

Yumina is actually a nice person, but this specific behavior is a mess. But she cleans up her messes well, she prevents unnecessary confessions beforehand, and generally, she’s convenient to have around, though…

“This is based on a promise made under the assumption that you would come?”

“You’re being arbitrary.”

I ate some peach.

“But can you really refuse if it’s to help your first love?”

“First love my foot! You just want me to comfort some boy you dumped, don’t you? What happened to your last target?”

“I’ve got a new target now. Is that relevant?”

—

“Such a manipulative person.”

“Hey, I still give people chances! You’re better than those girls who dismiss confessions without consideration. You at least show some mercy.”

“That’s not my fault but the fault of the creeps who confess. It’s ridiculous for someone to confess without even having a conversation beforehand. How disrespectful! What gives them the nerve to confess so recklessly without considering the consequences?”

“Because you never give them an opening! When they approach, you’re obviously giving off bad vibes.”

Yumina waved her fork around.

“It’s clearer because I see through their intentions. Why should I entertain people with bad intentions? They should take responsibility themselves. Plus, if they can’t even handle a little rejection, they shouldn’t be confessing in the first place. Tsk.”

“Wow, you’re harsh.”

We ate the peaches in silence. Just as we were finishing, Yumina spoke up.

“So listen. Will you accept confessions from people you’ve developed friendships with?”

After developing a friendship and then confession — I don’t have many male friends, just Do-yugeon, and imagining him confessing to me brought a sudden thought:

Ah.

I feel uneasy.

“Not a chance.”

“Is it just that you dislike relationships?”

“I prefer reading.”

“Do you not have someone special now?”

I shook my head.

“Anyone you’re even curious about?”

I shook my head again.

“Alright, then.”

Yumina continued.

“In that case, I assume you won’t mind if I pursue Do-yugeon?”

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