In the Hanseong Pharmaceuticals conference room, a discussion about sponsoring the Mage Academy was underway.
Team Leader Kim from the PR team, who had attended the match in person, was sharing a detailed account of the 2nd-year captaincy exam.
Yoo Ara, who achieved the MVP of the exam.
Kim Sunwoo, the unexpected figure who held his ground almost equally in a one-on-one against Lee Seo-jun.
And even Lee Seo-jun himself, who shocked everyone in a 1 vs 13 situation.
“The student who is drawing the most attention from the public right now, aside from Lee Seo-jun, is Kim Sunwoo.”
Everyone in the conference room checked the documents.
His overall rank was a vague 20th place, but compared to the first semester, his improvement was remarkable.
“There’s overwhelming consensus that he performed the key role of ‘captain’ excellently in the captain match. Many are even calling him the hidden MVP.”
Han Se-yeon adjusted her posture and read the document more closely.
Kim Sunwoo.
It was this student again.
She had initially tried to ignore him, believing he wasn’t related to Kim Jinwoo, but he had reappeared with incredible performance in the midterm exam.
As she reviewed the document, Han Se-yeon felt a strange emotion stir in a corner of her mind.
“Are there any issues regarding his character?”
Han Se-yeon asked. When indirectly promoting a student to the public, character was an important factor.
“No, none at all. In fact, the teachers collectively praise his good character.”
Even his personality is good…
The story fits nicely.
From the bottom of the entire school to the top through sheer effort. And with a good personality, too.
On top of that, he’s said to consistently score perfect marks in theory exams, so his diligence will definitely appeal to the public.
“There’s more than enough justification for support. In fact, not supporting him would feel foolish.”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“I think this student is a solid choice. What do you think, Director?”
At Han Se-yeon’s question, Director Jung hurriedly looked over the documents and nodded.
“Well, I’ll go with Director Han’s opinion. Haha.”
Director Jung replied with a laugh.
Though his position was technically higher than Han Se-yeon’s, the real power at Hanseong Pharmaceuticals was Han Se-yeon.
She was bound to rise to the top of the company eventually, so unless it was a critical matter, there was no reason to go against her opinion.
At his words, Han Se-yeon put down the documents in her hand.
“Then let’s add him to the list. Inform the school next week and schedule the meeting for the day of the Taehwi Festival.”
The next day, Friday at noon.
The 2nd-year exams had ended, so they were resting, but 1st and 3rd years still had exams today.
Because of that, the area outside the dorms was noisy again. Journalists, scouts, and even regular spectators had gathered.
It felt like a festival was happening.
The actual school festival, the Taehwi Festival, was still two weeks away.
I let out a big yawn and got up from bed.
The excitement of yesterday’s exam had lingered late into the night, making it hard to sleep.
As a result, I ended up sleeping straight through until noon. Honestly, I wanted to sleep more, but I forced myself up so my daily rhythm wouldn’t break.
Besides, I had a personal appointment today.
I checked the outsider’s benefit messages that had arrived while I was asleep.
[Many people have become your fans.]
[You have received 5,000 points as a reward.]
[A character you have yet to encounter is taking an interest in you.]
[You have received 500 points as a reward.]
I earned an additional 5,500 reputation points.
One thing that bothered me was how frequently messages regarding “unmet characters” had been popping up lately.
It’d be nice if I could tell who they were, but since I couldn’t, it was quite nerve-wracking.
“Hmm!”
I checked my current point total.
[Current Points: 98,500]
Ninety-eight thousand five hundred points. It was kind of an awkward number.
Of course, I hadn’t collected all the points I’d earn from the midterm exam yet.
The results of yesterday’s test hadn’t fully spread yet, and achievements like rank climbing were still pending.
I’d have to postpone buying a new trait until I’d received all the points.
After a quick shower, I checked my smart student notebook.
Over 100 messages had arrived.
Many were congratulations on the victory, but there were also quite a few recruitment messages from major guild scouts.
[Hello, this is Sung Minhae, recruitment team leader from the Maehwa Guild. We were very impressed by your performance, Kim Sunwoo. Our guild would like to…]
I got tired of reading halfway through and set it aside. More important were the messages from key people.
As I skimmed through ones from Choi Seo-yoon, Yoon Hayoung, and Shin Young-joon, one from Yoo Ara caught my eye—it had arrived 40 minutes ago.
[There’s a celebration dinner for the winning team today. You’re coming, right?]
A celebration dinner for the winning team.
It was scheduled for 6 PM today. With exams over and a three-day break ahead, the idea was to enjoy the time properly.
Of course, this wasn’t Yoo Ara’s idea, but one suggested by the other students.
[I’m coming.]
They’d been making a fuss, telling me I had to show up.
After replying, I approached Gretel. She was lying sprawled out on the floor, snoring in her sleep.
The sight made me laugh quietly, and I looked at the branch on her head.
The fruit was nearly ripe.
Even though I didn’t yet know the effect of using an outsider’s privilege on it, it looked like I’d be able to harvest and eat it within a week.
I was excited. What kind of effect would it have?
I gently poked the fruit with my finger.
Soft yet firm—it felt similar to a tomato.
“Ungh.”
At that moment, Gretel rolled over. I felt a bit guilty, thinking I might’ve woken her up.
Luckily, she didn’t wake.
Meanwhile, Lee Seo-jun had returned to his family home.
After losing in the exam, staying at school made him feel uneasy.
As he opened the gate of the grand mansion and stepped inside, an old man with white hair appeared.
“You’re back.”
“Grandpa.”
Lee Seo-jun greeted Kim Jin-cheol warmly.
Kim Jin-cheol stared at Lee Seo-jun for a moment before speaking.
“Have you eaten?”
“Yes, I have. What about you, Grandpa?”
“I’ve eaten too.”
At Kim Jin-cheol’s reply, Lee Seo-jun asked,
“But Grandpa, aren’t you working today?”
“Work, my foot. I’ve been working all week and just got back home today.”
“Ah…….”
“And I heard the story. They say you acted all arrogant as usual during the midterm and lost miserably? Word’s gotten around, you know. Tsk tsk.”
At those words, Lee Seo-jun let out a small laugh.
“Arrogant? Most people said I held out pretty well alone. Are you a member of my anti-fan cafe or something?”
Kim Jin-cheol chuckled at Lee Seo-jun’s words.
“Actually, I already saw the video of your match. That opponent of yours was Kim Sunwoo, right?”
When the name Kim Sunwoo came up, Lee Seo-jun paused for a moment before nodding.
“Yeah. Kim Sunwoo.”
“He’s an interesting kid. His fighting style reminded me exactly of a certain hopeless someone I know. Made it all the more fun to watch.”
That “hopeless someone” Kim Jin-cheol referred to.
Lee Seo-jun had a good guess who it was. But he didn’t say it out loud.
“So, what did you learn from your defeat in the exam? Surely there was something worth taking away from it?”
Lee Seo-jun fell into thought before opening his mouth.
“I realized that I still have a lot to improve. And that I need to become stronger.”
“Tsk. Pathetic fool. You still haven’t come to your senses. Even after getting beaten like that, you don’t get it.”
“…….”
“You idiot. You can’t solve everything with strength. No matter how powerful you are, there’s a clear limit to going it alone.”
Lee Seo-jun kept his mouth shut.
“The reason you lost in this exam wasn’t because you lacked power. It was because of your selfishness—your disregard for your teammates.”
At those words, Lee Seo-jun’s mind went blank for a moment. He wasn’t wrong.
The difference in leadership and strategy.
Yoo Ara had prepared an overall strategy as the team leader. But he hadn’t. That was the critical reason for the loss.
“Teammates are that important. Even those criminal organizations that treat human life like trash still value the lives of their comrades.”
Kim Jin-cheol paused, as if considering something, then spoke again.
“Jin Cheonwoo was the same. The reason he plunged the world into fear wasn’t just because he was strong. It was because he had strong allies.”
Kim Jin-cheol wasn’t wrong.
In this exam, he had only thought about his own role. Yoo Ara and Kim Sunwoo had considered the team.
“You’re not a kid anymore. It’s time you started building your own team. If you look around, there’s definitely someone you need.”
Someone he needed as an ally…
Lee Seo-jun recalled the faces of people around him.
The first to come to mind were Lee Hyun-joo and Shin Young-joon.
And those he wanted to bring in as allies… Yoo Ara, Choi Seoyoon.
……And Kim Sunwoo.
Lee Seo-jun faintly smiled.
“I feel like I’ve had a wake-up call.”
“……That’s good to hear. And if you do get comrades, don’t ever let them down.”
Kim Jin-cheol muttered in a lonely tone. There seemed to be another meaning behind those words.
“Yes.”
Then, a sudden curiosity came to Lee Seo-jun’s mind.
“By the way, that hopeless someone you mentioned earlier… You meant Mage Choi Ilhyeon, right?”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
Choi Ilhyeon.
One of the three disciples Kim Jin-cheol had raised, including Lee Seo-jun.
He famously ignored Kim Jin-cheol’s teachings and learned all four branches of magic, saying he wanted to be like the great mage “Taehwi.”
Another notable trait of his was that he rarely showed himself in public. The world knew him by the nickname “the eccentric.”
“What’s he up to these days? He always travels alone, right?”
“I don’t know. That weirdo’s always been like that. He never listened to a damn thing since he was a kid. Probably off doing research on something pointless again.”
Kim Jin-cheol clicked his tongue. Then he continued.
“I’m telling you to make comrades because I don’t want you to end up like Ilhyeon. That guy has no social skills and is always alone.”
“Got it.”
Time flew by, and it was Monday.
With the exams over and three days of rest behind them, the classroom atmosphere was a bit sluggish.
I sat in the corner of my desk, browsing the internet with my smart student planner.
[2nd-Year Student of Korean Mage Academy, ‘Kim Sunwoo’, Selected as Rising Star of the Month]
[‘Kim Sunwoo’ Rises to 26th in STAR50’s Rising Star Rankings]
“Sunwoo!”
I was blankly reading through the online responses when Yoon Hayoung approached with a cheerful tone. I turned off the planner and looked at her.
“What were you doing?”
“Just checking the internet.”
At my reply, Yoon Hayoung made a cute, suspicious face.
“Hmm. You searched your own name, didn’t you? Right?”
She smiled as she spoke. I was a little flustered—she hit the nail on the head. Did she secretly learn telepathy?
“What the heck. How’d you know?”
“It’s obvious. I know everything about you, Sunwoo~”
What even is “sun-well-knower” now?
“Oh, right. Sunwoo, did you pick your practical training teacher yet?”
“Practical training teacher? ……Ah.”
Practical guidance.
It’s a newly added one-on-one subject that starts after the first midterms of the second semester in second year.
It allows students to train directly under professional, active mages in a one-on-one setting, which is a huge help in developing practical skills.
And the personal teacher doesn’t have to be from inside the school.
For this subject, the academy scouts active mages from outside, so students can learn from external instructors as well.
However, for those external instructors, the student must apply and the teacher has to accept.
“Well… I haven’t thought about it yet. I’ll probably choose Teacher Lee Hee-young.”
There’s no real need to get outside help.
Lee Hee-young, a manifestation-type mage, is more than qualified as a teacher.
“Really? I’m still deciding. I heard a rumor that Mage Elena is coming as an external instructor this time.”
Elena Green.
One of the world’s top ice-element manifestation-type mages.
And since I know the original story, I also know that Elena will indeed be coming as a guest teacher this time.
“That rumor’s true. You should definitely apply to her. You’re the same ice element—it’ll help a lot.”
“Really? But… do you think she’ll accept me…?”
“She will. Don’t worry.”
Even in the original story, where her growth was much slower than now, she was accepted.
At my words, Yoon Hayoung smiled brightly.
“Okay. You always give me courage, Sunwoo.”
Just then, the front door opened and Jang Ancheol entered the classroom.
All the students turned their attention to him and returned to their seats.
“So, everyone had a good weekend?”
“Yes!”
The students’ energetic reply made Jang Ancheol smile.
“Great. I know you all want to rest after the midterms, but we have a busy schedule ahead. You know that, right?”
Busy schedule ahead.
He was talking about the upcoming Taehwi Festival in two weeks and the interviews for practical guidance.
“As you all know from last year, each class must decide what activity they’ll do for the Taehwi Festival. There’s not much time, so decide quickly.”
The Taehwi Festival includes activities in culture, arts, sports, and more. It’s not much different from a typical school festival.
There are things like running races, quiz contests too.
Especially in next year’s 3rd-year Taehwi Festival, we’ll have to do something crazy like a play, and Lee Seo-jun’s notoriously awful acting becomes a black mark that people tease him about even after he goes pro.
“Well, I trust you’ll all prepare well… Also, the midterm results are out.”
“Huh? Already?”
“It ended just three days ago though?”
As murmurs broke out among the students, Jang Ancheol tapped the desk.
“The results are up on the integrated information system, so check them with your smart planner. That’s all for today’s homeroom.”
Jang Ancheol left the classroom again. As soon as he did, students hurried to turn on their smart planners and check their scores.
━━
[2nd-Year Midterm Evaluation Results]
[Kim Sunwoo] [Class 2-A]
[Practical – 2nd Place]
[Theory – 1st Place]
[Final Combined – 13th Place]
━━
[You have achieved the ‘Top 15 Final Score’ accomplishment.]
[Reward: 10,000 points awarded.]
[You have achieved the ‘2nd in Practical’ accomplishment.]
[Reward: 5,000 points awarded.]
2nd place in practical.
And 13th overall.
A satisfying result.
On top of that, I gained 15,000 points. As expected, the better the grades, the more points I can earn.
I turned my gaze toward Yoo Ara and Lee Seo-jun.
The expressions on their faces, as they checked their grades, were completely different from before.
Yoo Ara looked dazed, while Lee Seo-jun had an unusually stiff expression.
Given the outcome of the team match, Yoo Ara must’ve taken 1st in practical.
Even so, the overall 1st place should still be Lee Seo-jun.
Because of all the points he’s accumulated so far.
At that moment, my eyes met Yoo Ara’s.
She looked at me and gave a bright, happy smile.
TL : I get that evaluation place is based on the past and current achievements mixed, but tell me why hasn’t Sunwoo gotten near top 10 in 100 chapters? Since his 2nd year, he was the top scorer in theory back to back to back in 1st semester, which is considered impossible and he ranked within top 5 of every other practical activities they held except the 1st one in which he still showed compressed mana skill which is like professional level skill even though it failed.
Lame ass school.
Leave a Reply to JRZTT 1246 Cancel reply