Chapter 90

“Hiding under the car and staring, I don’t know what you’re trying to do.”

“Probably out of caution. Try thinking about it from a cat’s perspective.”

Laplace gave an odd piece of advice.

“I’m not a cat, so it’s none of my business. I get annoyed when I spot one during my commute and walk.”

“What’s wrong with cats?”

“It looks similar to Schrödinger.”

“It’s a cat.”

“That’s what I meant.”

Laplace blinked.

“So, did you originally dislike cats?”

“I didn’t dislike them before. I started disliking them because Schrödinger comes to mind. Research indicates humans unconsciously connect memories and emotions to what they see in front of them and logically rationalize it. Like seeing a bereaved family at a funeral home and feeling irritable because they remind you of your own filial misconduct and so you end up cursing them. Rationalizing that their crying is loud and annoying. But this feeling of displeasure clearly comes because of that noise.”

“Seems like that research exists to tell us not to be swayed by our subconscious.”

“Evolutionary results can have adverse effects in a modern society where survival is ensured, but they’re still sometimes necessary.”

“Though what you’re saying doesn’t sound like you want all cats to be disliked because of that one. But since the Young Lady is incredibly smart, I suppose she’s right.”

As Laplace said that, he winked, but his dead eyes weren’t very charming. He probably thinks he’s cute.

Doyugeon came back with coffee and drinks after a bit of time had passed.

“The Young Lady gets a cinnamon-free cappuccino, Laplace gets peach-lemon blended.”

“Ooh, I wanted that! How did you know?”

“Remembered when you mentioned it a few days ago. What do you think?”

“The taste of peach and lemon.”

Of course, it would be.

“It doesn’t taste as expected. Just an ordinary flavor.”

“If you’re so dissatisfied, why don’t you buy one yourself?”

After I said that, Laplace stared while holding the straw in his mouth.

“I didn’t ask you to bring it.”

Unfortunately, that’s true.

“…You’ve got some explaining to do. What are you going to do about my secondary-class quest not being completed because of you?”

The secondary-class quest involves clearing 20 rifts, and I had requested you to guide me for 20 rift clearances. If only Laplace in front of me hadn’t given an unclear explanation about the wriggling larva-infested rift, I would’ve cleared it and finished the advancement by now. By now, I could’ve eaten and gone home to relax.

Laplace fiddled with his phone a few times before messaging someone, then informed me he would guide me to a new rift.

“I hope this one is properly guided.”

“I’ll try.”

We began to move, with Laplace’s answer lacking trust. A fleeting thought struck me, and I looked behind at the rift we left. But is it really okay to just leave it as it is? Even though monsters don’t leap out of the rift, it’s still unsettling.

With the development of rift exploration, rifts have been quickly cleared whenever they appear, but I worry if the government’s response isn’t too indecisive. Though the magical girl organization is a group of minors, politically it’s problematic to have clashes.

The next rift was smoothly cleared. An extremely large bear appeared, but it was only a big cuddly bear. Doyugeon stood there watching while talking about the injustices of being a knight, but his lack of magical talent was his own problem.

[Secondary-Class Quest – Completed Regular Wizard. Shout the skill window and confirm your job skills.]

I won’t shout it.

“Skill Window!”

Doyugeon, who shouted for no apparent reason while transitioning from a novice knight to just a knight. Though he’s completing the quest late compared to the secondary-class update, he likely already knows what his job skills are. Judging from this shout, he just wanted to say it. Evidence of this is how his cheeks became slightly flushed. When will this guy mature? After tasting the bitterness of life?

The job skills of a secondary-class knight are Body Enhancement and Midair Jump. Both are passive, and personally, evaluating it: Isn’t midair jump almost like cheating?

The guy started jumping, executed a mid-jump double leap, and performed a backward somersault. How did he do that? It wasn’t magic at all, and I don’t understand the principle. Can’t the rules of the world be unified by science or magic? Why does this “other stuff” even come into play?

“Mastery of mid-air evasion!”

Doyugeon raised his arms in triumph. Then, getting himself excited, he did things like horizontal jumps in the air. Woah, that’s doable. Come to think of it, could jumping off incoming arrows be something he could have done before?

“What’s your skill, Young Lady?”

Laplace approached, still clutching his ice cream tub.

“Don’t know since I haven’t checked.”

“You’re unique with your job; check it fast.”

“Don’t impose your curiosity on others.”

Although I said that, I was indeed curious. After lingering momentarily, I opened the skill window.

[Skill Window]

Basic Skills

◇ Magic Perception – OFF

◇ Sense Presence – OFF

Job Skills

1. Apprentice Mage

◇ Apprentice Mage’s Magic Perception – OFF

◇ Magic Recording

The passive skill for novice mages, the Magic Dictionary, regressed into a talking cat, and so the Magic Perception skill took its place. It feels weird using someone else’s senses, and it’s better to turn it off anyway.

The important part is beneath that.

2. Regular Mage

◇ Regular Mage’s Magic Resistance – OFF

◇ Magic Implementation

One passive and one active. It’s easy to guess what the passive is: probably damage reduction against weak magic or something. Wait, isn’t that too game-like? Hmm… I don’t know.

I turned Magic Resistance ON, but I didn’t feel any noticeable change. Since there’s no artificial manipulation of sensation, I assume it activates when targeted by magic. It’s not inconvenient otherwise, so might as well keep it on.

“What’s your skill?”

Laplace asked, but I didn’t answer.

The active skill’s name is Magic Implementation, but I don’t know which magic it will implement. It might be dangerous, so I tried using it toward a wall where there’s no one.

No magic fired, but instead the primary skill Magic Recording was used. The patterns and flows of magic that I’ve seen were neatly listed out.

“Are you embarrassed to shout the skill name aloud and are instead muttering it to the wall?”

I think I understand. You choose from this list to use, right? So the concept is choosing from the recorded magic in your primary skill with your new secondary skill.

“Is that how it works?”

“Go ahead and eat your ice cream.”

I moved to a corner to avoid Laplace’s interference. Laplace took an interest-less spot and ate his ice cream. To eat the ice cream bought with someone else’s money all alone is quite lacking in conscience.

I scanned through the recorded magics. Since Magic Implementation would perform the magic itself, I can only regretfully state that I already know how to perform all the recorded magics. Once I see it, using it is the proper course of action, isn’t it?

No… Not all of them.

A magic suddenly came to mind, so I quickly skimmed through the old records. There was a clearly different, massive-scale magic compared to the others. It was due to Schrödinger briefly lending me a B-Rank item that I managed to use it once. If I recall correctly, the item was called “Sage Rambus’ Sunshade.”

If these skills could cast magic of this scale, it would be helpful, but I don’t know if it’s possible or not.

As I mused on the matter, I suddenly realized my senses were being artificially controlled.

Huh?

Wait.

Magic power surged, testing my limits.

Past the edges of my sight, over the horizon.

From the earth to the sky.

Dozens of threads of mana aligned, drawing lines simultaneously, creating a single magic spell.

I had never seen such a scale, and my consciousness flickered.

With the feeling of being wrung out, my soul collapsed as the magic circle flashed.

Black clouds covered the entire sky.

Rain poured down.

It was heavy enough to turn Seoul into the sea.

I’ve caused a major incident…

*

Though it was a major incident, it hasn’t gone unresolved.

Because the magic was used recklessly, the user immediately lost consciousness, so the magic was unable to maintain. The rain only lasted a short while, enough to flood the Seoul and Gyeonggi area up to ankle height.

The security team leader informed me that because the magic circle used in the magic was too large, everyone knew it was caused by someone’s spell, but because of its scale, it was tentatively concluded as terrorism using a C-Rank top-tier or B-Rank item.

This incident happened during the rainy season, causing only damage comparable to a heavy rain, so the political sphere was more focused on criticizing and self-congratulating rather than investigating.

The opposition criticized saying that this event happened because the major institutions were moved to new towns, effectively abandoning Seoul.

In contrast, the ruling party praised their foresight in anticipating and preparing against terrorism by moving the critical facilities.

This relocation actually happened due to a secretive agreement that was fast-tracked by both ruling and opposition parties in the absence of the public but seemed to have evaded attention.

Though the investigation is expected to occur, the political parties are more focused on criticizing and self-congratulating, so it is said that the group will handle the aftermath, allowing it to drag on. By dragging the investigation for several years until public interest fades, they would quietly close the case.

In a private hospital room under the foundation,

My mother was seated next to the bed, peeling an apple. She hummed occasionally.

Because I have committed sins, I have nothing to say…

After collapsing, I was moved to the hospital, went through a check-up, but no major abnormalities were found. Though this is also the limit of science, which can’t yet observe magic, personally, I don’t feel any issue with my body. Since I’m young, I get better after sleeping, which is nice.

Even so, I’ve been hospitalized for a few days for observation.

My mother didn’t mention the major accident, only peeled the apple and talked about trivial daily matters, asking roughly how manageable her daughter’s life is since moving out.

This kind of talk is ridiculous in front of her daughter.

My mother, probably sensing this, brought up the matter gently.

“Nonetheless, it’s disappointing that our daughter doesn’t often contact me.”

“That’s not true; you hardly contact me either.”

“That’s different. I’m busy, and you’re just sleeping at home. You can’t compare us like that.”

She certainly looks busy.

Even now, she’s in her business attire.

She probably feels she made a mistake by mentioning this and tried to quickly change the subject. She might be concerned that the daughter would feel bad.

I often think that our family doesn’t know how to raise children.

But the apple was delicious.

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