The new chirping is a sound.
Yuric opened his eyes and felt the touch of the soft blanket gently enveloping his body. It was as comfortable and cozy as being in his brother’s arms, making him want to fall back asleep with just one more sigh.
However, he forced himself to raise his upper body and stepped onto the floor with bare feet. The sensation of the cold stone floor from the night reminded him of the warm and distant memories, pulling him back to reality.
He went out to the terrace and took in the cool morning air deeply. Two nameless birds that had been chirping on the poplar tree flew away when they sensed his presence.
The handsome mage gazed intently at the mountain standing tall in the distance. However, his gaze was not on the mountain but further back, delving into the past.
In the battle against the demon, Yuric learned many things.
The demon was powerful and knew how to fight. If it had been a one-on-one situation, he would have lost to the demon. Thanks to the Index Finger magic, he managed to push the demon back, and might have even killed it if… Ultimately, there was no decisive move.
‘There is also harm in relying too much on visual cues. In a magical battle, continuously tracking mana is very important…’
Great Witch Yelni’s teachings were not lacking. She had certainly taught him to constantly track mana. But after using magic consecutively and becoming exhausted, he momentarily neglected his mana detection. And the demon seized that moment… If not for the quick response from the Index Finger, he likely would have died.
Certainly, the demon was strong. Strong enough that his current skills were not enough to even consider catching it.
Huff.
Yuric rubbed his face with both palms and slapped his cheek loudly.
This is where reflection ends.
Clinging to the past and lamenting endlessly is not the right action for a mage. The proper action is to research how to move forward based on those experiences!
‘Fortunately, I can clearly see what needs to be done.’
After his morning contemplation, Yuric washed up thoroughly in his room and studied magic books until mealtime. He focused particularly on reading books related to circuitry.
Even though he was a genius in circuitry, such groundbreaking and original ideas did not come without a solid foundation. His skills came from continuous study and research.
Once learning stops, so does a mage’s lifespan. A mage must continue learning until death.
While engrossed in his studies, he was informed by a servant about the preparations for the meal.
Senior Shilson was already in the dining room. He gave Yuric, who arrived later, a peculiar look. Then, as usual, he started reminiscing about the old days, saying, “Back in my day…” Suddenly, Yuric recalled memories of his past military life.
Soon after, Violetta appeared, and Shilson rushed over to greet her in a slightly flattering tone. Junior apprentice Yuric also bowed respectfully.
The three sat in their designated seats and began eating. Shilson was busy critiquing every dish, asking about their taste. Violetta, accustomed to this, paid no attention and quietly ate her own meal.
During the meal, the Grand Mage looked towards Yuric.
“What have you thought about doing?”
Ah—Yuric carefully put down his utensils and quickly chewed and swallowed the food in his mouth before answering.
“Yes, I plan to focus on circuitry and practice spells.”
“Understood. For now, concentrate on what you want to do. If you can’t find your way, I’ll step in.”
“Understood. Thank you, Master.”
Violetta’s guidance turned out to be more reasonable and flexible than expected.
“Shilson specializes in transformation spells. If you’re curious about that, ask him.”
Of course, Shilson had already rambled on about this to Yuric before Violetta mentioned it.
Transformation magic is a technique that creates material from mana. However, the material created is not permanent.
Therefore, Shilson’s goal was to create specific permanent materials using transformation spells.
“I tell you, transformation magic is top-notch anywhere on the continent!”
Feeling proud, Shilson patted his chest and boasted. Yuric agreed, “You are truly remarkable.”
After the meal, Shilson took Yuric along to the city. While walking around, he talked about what Master Violetta likes, what she does, and what to pay attention to. In fact, he had always wanted to take a successor like this. Now, he wouldn’t have to run errands alone anymore!
As they toured the city, Yuric greeted people kindly, asked about items, and sometimes picked up things from the ground, placing them on shelves. The women would just say, “What a handsome young man,” and give him the items for free, or offer a taste of food. Next to him, Shilson thought, “These people here are surprisingly kind.”
After circling the city, the two sat down at a fountain in the square. Although the square was bustling with people, Yuric felt a rare sense of peace and ease.
“So, let me hear about your life so far.”
“…My story?”
Yuric, who had never shared his story with others, wondered where to start. He decided to begin with his brother, who was essential to his life, and recounted his life in the countryside.
Initially listening calmly, Shilson’s eyes began to redden, and by the time Yuric described the moment he left the village and reunited with his brother, tears started streaming down his face.
“Everything turned out well. My brother got a shop, and I met Master and Senior…”
“How fortunate! …Cough. Why are there so many people here? There’s dust in my eye…”
Shilson rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand and stood up, saying it was time to go.
Before noon, Yuric returned to the mansion and went to the basement. Shilson had said this place would be good for undisturbed research.
Unlike the luxurious rooms of the mansion, the dim and gloomy basement smelled of mouse urine. He sat at a table with only a single magical artifact and resumed studying circuitry books.
‘I am currently lacking in mana quantity.’
While this was a problem that time would solve, the delay was a drawback.
In a time when demons could appear, waiting 30 or 40 years was not an option.
Yuric felt the need to thoroughly improve the circuits implanted in his body once again.
But it wasn’t just a lack of mana.
The handsome mage realized he needed to accumulate more combat experience.
Simply mastering combat spells was not enough. Fighting a demon required comprehensive magical thinking.
‘Being injured on the left side of my upper body significantly affected the battle. Without that, I couldn’t have prolonged it as long.’
Yuric finally understood why Great Witch Yelni had treated him so harshly.
Just casting spells blindly was second-rate. To use magic more effectively, unpredictable movements were necessary. That was first-rate.
From this perspective, the Index Finger spell had value beyond just magic. Its extremely hard structure made it a lethal weapon in itself.
‘However, approaching the enemy means defense spells become crucial.’
It wasn’t just about deploying a protective shield. From the moment he intended to approach the enemy, he needed to constantly surround his skin with mana. Otherwise, even lightly spraying mana could result in a fatal injury. Yuric had experienced this once.
Moreover, surrounding oneself with mana required incredible skill, which could not be achieved with mere control.
‘And there’s another thing.’
A defensive spell capable of properly blocking a demon’s attack magic was also necessary.
Basic mana protection barriers were too broad and consumed too much mana. Since attacking or enhancing spells already consumed a lot of mana, excessive consumption for defensive spells would make defeating the demon difficult.
‘I need to know how to create only the necessary amount of defensive magic at the exact point where the attack magic hits.’
Even wandering mages can quickly cast defensive spells with enough practice.
With high proficiency, such techniques would be within reach.
Of course, saying it was easy, but training until skilled was far from simple.
‘There are too many mountains to climb.’
Each difficulty seemed insurmountable.
To stack mana more densely, to train enhancement spells to the extreme, to surround his body with mana, and to efficiently block attack spells—
However, only then could he face a demon alone.
Otherwise, like Violetta, he would need to hone combat spells for hundreds of years to overwhelm with superior skill.
