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Chapter 194

After finishing the role of a punching bag disguised as a sparring session with Noel, the next thing on the agenda was class time. However, this wasn’t Yuri’s lesson.

Yuri’s teaching strategy focused on correcting what was lacking and wrong, not on detailing the ins and outs. Much like how she pointed out the reaction time in sparring.

So recently, what I’d been learning in Yuri’s class could be better described as methods of fighting rather than swordsmanship.

In that sense, Noel was a slightly more suitable teacher for beginners than Yuri, who left things up to student autonomy. After all, Noel would explain things before diving into practice.

“Alright, want to try managing your aura?”

At those words, Yeon-woo pulled up the aura that had been slumbering in their mana core. The method of usage was something the body already knew. It was somewhat familiar, akin to smoking a cigarette.

Unlike the aura that usually circulated through the body via blood vessels, the aura that had taken on an attribute was uniquely managed as if breathing through the lungs. The moment Yeon-woo became aware of the attribute, they naturally grasped how to use it.

Despite the weather turning warmer, Yeon-woo began to exhale a breath that wasn’t merely steam.

No, it couldn’t be called steam at all.

This breath had color, a pitch-black hue that might belong to the abyss of the world, with brilliant silver glimmers sparkling like jewels within that dark shade. Yeon-woo felt they knew what to call it.

“Starry night… indeed, it’s starlight.”

The words were spoken by Noel. Mixed among her straightforward remark was an unmistakable admiration.

Yeon-woo felt somewhat embarrassed. This was something they could hardly dream of, having once been deemed unsuitable.

Let alone if the subject was the hero, there was nothing to say. What a success, Choi Yeon-woo…

“Well then, I’ll show you mine too.”

Noel mumbled casually, closing her eyes. Slowly, I felt her presence swell in the sensory world. Like filling a balloon with water, Noel’s very existence was expanding.

Eventually, a ‘glow’ enveloped her body. Like an angel or a great saint from a distant past. However, Yeon-woo soon realized that this glow was the manifestation of the aura blade possessed by the girl bearing the hero’s name.

“Ooh…”

That’s amazing. That’s so cool. Is that the dignity of a hero? As Yeon-woo marveled at the overwhelming aura, Noel looked at them with a puzzled expression, seemingly unsure of why they were so impressed.

“What’s all this admiration for? You just did it too, manifested.”

“…Huh? Me?”

When Yeon-woo unintentionally pointed at themselves in confusion, Noel nodded. At those words, Yeon-woo looked down at the starlight breath flowing from their mouth.

“No matter how you slice it, that color can only be called manifestation. More than that, the mechanisms are different.”

“That’s true…”

While the conceptual realm is clearly distinguishable by appearance, it is said that the ideological realm is often perceived through color.

For Yeon-woo, this was a perplexing aspect. They had seen the color of magical energy from the start. However, the explanation about the different mechanisms was certainly easy to understand.

“I’ve never heard of elemental mana flowing from someone’s mouth.”

“It looks a bit bad. Did you drink before coming?”

“Are you saying you’d spray starlight vomit like some cartoonish direction?”

“Gasp, doesn’t everyone vomit like that when they drink!?”

Have you never even tried drinking…? Yeon-woo was fifteen after all. Let’s do well. Got it, big brother.

After an internal dialogue with themselves, Yeon-woo turned their gaze away from the surprised Noel. In that direction, Dawn and Shar were seated, adorning each other with flower crowns.

Now that’s the kind of scene that’s truly cartoonish, Yeon-woo thought with a smile while leaving them to it, as Shar gave Dawn a sulky glance.

“Why’d you spoil it.”

“What do you mean I spoiled anything?”

“I wanted to be the first to share about Dad awakening his elemental mana!”

“How could I have known that…. I’m sorry, I didn’t know.”

“I’ll explain it to you.”

“Understood. I’ll be playing with Tae-oh, so please do.”

While it wasn’t exactly a dramatic resolution, Dawn’s expression showed a hint of relief, glad to get a moment to relax. But surely, Shar must have felt some sign of awakening their own elemental mana. They wouldn’t say something like that without reason…

‘But how did it awaken?’

[To be honest, I’m not sure how to explain that… One thing I can say is that elemental mana is akin to a summary of one’s life. Excluding theoretical explanations, Dad has lived a life that has been deemed sufficient to harbor an attribute… right?]

Yeon-woo stroked their chin at Shar’s explanation. Having such a secret conversation meant that they still hadn’t explained the reincarnation fact to either Noel or Yuri.

While it would be better to tell Yuri, she had been sticking with Noel lately, leaving no opportunity for it.

But what have I done to awaken an attribute? After all, the case of someone awakening an attribute postnatally was practically unique to Yeon-woo at this point.

Even Shar, a legendary dragon knight from an alternate dimension and a senior of Yeon-woo, only suspected that their ability might be absorbed, but couldn’t find a case of someone independently awakening an attribute.

‘Would it even be appropriate to suggest other dragons try and contract with a misfit just because I’m curious?’

As these thoughts crossed their mind, Shar seemed to have completed the flower crown, walking over to the two with light yet dignified steps, her footsteps adorably soft.

Before beginning the explanation, Shar cleared her throat and puffed out her chest like someone proud to display her knowledge.

Seeing that, Noel clasped her hands over her jaw, her eyes turning into hearts as she couldn’t help but bounce her feet with excitement.

“From my analysis, the attribute imbued in Dad’s mana is courage. It has that unique complexity typical of the ideological realm!”

“Indeed, that does seem to fit. It’s a name that makes it hard to gauge its capabilities.”

Noel nodded along with the confident proclamation from Shar, and Yeon-woo agreed as well.

In fact, to say this attribute was difficult to pinpoint would be accurate for all unique elemental mana. If one were to think of Claire’s perfection, for instance…

“By the way, what’s yours, Noel? Something like the sun? Is that it?”

“It’s a bit embarrassing to say myself…”

“Think of it as giving advice to a priest and please tell us.”

“…Well, um… hope.”

Covering her face with both hands and bowing her head, Noel revealed it in a tiny voice. The embarrassed demeanor made Yeon-woo’s face stiffen. Right now, it felt like they could be a model for a still life composition.

‘This is awkward to talk about.’

Honestly, it was painful to witness. What kind of life had this fifteen-year-old lived that felt “hope” could sum it up? While it was indeed easy to comprehend how an attribute like hope could manifest, the hardship must have been vivid in her past.

That attribute of hope and the fact she reached the advanced stage of aura expert at such a young age spoke volumes.

The remaining hope in Pandora’s box is certainly not something interpreted positively.

“I see. Please continue your explanation, Teacher Shar.”

“Why does the reaction seem strange…?”

Ignoring Noel’s puzzled mutter, Yeon-woo looked to Shar to allow her to continue the conversation.

Shar, seeming to read the meaning in their gaze, nodded once and cleared her throat to speak up.

“When Dad’s attribute of courage first manifested, it bestowed a force to escape danger when he was injured.”

“The way you say ‘first’ implies it’s different now?”

Hearing Shar’s explanation, Yeon-woo cupped their chin as they pondered aloud. Shar nodded in affirmation.

“However, with Dawn’s involvement, that nature has changed. The core remains similar, but…”

“The nature has changed, huh? I recall something about the hero having ingredients to mix with—could it be that?”

“Most likely. In a sense, it’s an attribute that resonates well with divine favor.”

“Why start with such a burdensome introduction?”

Shar hesitated for a moment before starting to speak again. What on earth could it be that prompted that? Even Noel seemed to have started swallowing nervously.

“While enhancing its performance, it has started to summon trials.”

“…Huh?”

At that, Noel took a deep breath. Yeon-woo placed a finger on their forehead, calmly thinking it over. While it was somewhat distant from their own experiences, they felt they understood the concept.

“…Could it be in the mythical sense?”

“That’s about right. The one who intertwined the blessing is also the god of the world.”

As Shar spoke, she shot a glance at Dawn. Even with such a gaze, Dawn looked entirely unbothered, wearing a perfectly normal expression. Honestly, Yeon-woo didn’t feel inclined to blame Dawn.

“It was okay because without it, it would have been exhausting. I figure Dawn wouldn’t have pulled such a stunt intentionally to make things difficult for me.”

Looking at Dawn, she appeared to be avoiding eye contact as if lost in her thoughts.

…It’s definitely not intentional, right?

*

A hero is, after all, someone who faces trials. Just as Hercules from Greece overcame twelve labors, or Siegfried, the dragon slayer of Norse mythology.

But let’s think about it the other way around. If there had been no trials before the hero, would they really have become heroes? Wouldn’t they just have lived ordinary lives?

In that perspective, one might say that heroes are not the ones who encounter trials, but rather those who summon them. It is through divine love that a human becomes a hero.

With great power comes great responsibility. It’s a phrase made famous by a comic featuring a radioactive spider bite, but it couldn’t better encapsulate the life of a hero.

‘Thinking that I’ll experience that phrase isn’t exactly a pleasant thought.’

Still, well, complaining about something that has already happened isn’t going to undo it.

If Dawn hadn’t shown up, I would have had to endure a tough fight, but simply being able to blow away that guy named Kurun was enough for Yeon-woo to feel satisfied.

‘Helping without the intention of forcing my hand does make it awkward, though.’

While it wasn’t quite pleasant knowing it would cause concern for my family, the motivation to grow stronger wasn’t a bad one. Honestly, with the kinds of foes I’d faced thus far, merely being at the mid-tier of expert doesn’t feel quite sufficient.

The unique elemental mana that summons trials and grants the power to overcome them. Mastering its use should be the top priority.

With the breath of starlight wafting around me, I faced the radiant sword approaching me. If I couldn’t surpass it, grabbing the future I desired would be impossible.

(To be continued in the next chapter)

 

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