Embracing Magic - E.M Chapter 24 (Part 1)

Rodin did not do his best when measuring his magic talent. Despite wasting more than half of the allotted time, he received a score of 58. Even with just his pure magic talent, he was above No. 155.

However, magic wasn’t completed with just magical power. There were many necessary elements, even without considering the three components of casting.

Rodin’s true advantage lay in those areas: overwhelming calculation ability, perfectly memorized rune language, and even secret techniques he kept hidden from others.

The gap for No. 155 to catch up was too large. Moreover, this gap could only widen over time.

‘The first circle is firmly established. At this rate, in about six months?’

He estimated when No. 155 would become a second-circle mage. It seemed like it would be around the time the 6th batch of trainees entered next year.

Rodin was already a third-circle mage. If he made it public, he would immediately be treated as a formal mage.

“Hmph! We’ll see.”

“This place is only for spirit contractors. If you show up here again, I’ll call the instructor.”

“Hmph. If you want to tell on me, go ahead. I am the owner of the highest magic talent. Do you think the instructor will really punish me?”

“They would.”

The instructors he had seen would definitely punish him.

The slave mark was not just for show. No matter how full of talent, one could not escape the hands of the instructors.

“Tch.”

Apparently, No. 155 thought so too and quickly left. He even looked around constantly while running away.

“There seem to be a lot of 5th batch trainees.”

Due to the over 100 trainees in the 5th batch, most instructors and assistant instructors were mobilized. The security was quite lax everywhere.

No. 155 had come here through one of the lax routes.

“But how long can I keep hiding it?”

As a third-circle mage, Rodin could hide his circles. He could reveal only one circle, hide two circles, or even hide all circles and pretend not to be a mage.

But such hiding wasn’t perfect. If a mage of a higher circle used a measuring device, the hidden circles would be revealed.

“I can deceive mages of the same level, but to do that, I need to be a fifth-circle mage. Sigh.”

The highest mage at the Special Forces Training Center was Chairman Kreate, a sixth-circle mage. Just below an archmage, his position was recognized wherever he went.

However, Chairman Kreate rarely stayed at the training center. He would only stay for a few days before and after the entrance ceremony for new trainees, and a few days during the period when majors were decided. That was all.

It was unlikely that Chairman Kreate, who stayed for only a few days, would carry a circle measuring device around and check each trainee.

Eventually, the people most likely to carry the measuring device were the fifth-circle mages and instructors belonging to the committee.

“To avoid the eyes of fifth and fourth-circle mages, I have to become a fifth-circle mage as quickly as possible.”

Fortunately, it was rare for someone to carry a circle measuring device. He had never seen Instructor Serion carry one, and Instructor Kruper, who taught mathematics, occasionally carried one.

“Anyway, I don’t meet Instructor Kruper.”

The only time he saw Instructor Kruper carrying a circle measuring device was from a distance. He didn’t take mathematics classes, so he rarely met him directly.

“It doesn’t matter if we meet now.”

Instructor Kruper was a third-circle mage. Rodin had already reached that level. Even if Instructor Kruper used a circle measuring device on him, he wouldn’t be able to find the hidden circle.

“Still, I need to advance quickly.”

He didn’t want to reveal his full abilities. Even if he disclosed his circles, he wanted to delay the timing.

“If there’s no way, I’ll have to make one.”

From that day, Rodin began to improve the magic for hiding circles, ‘Hide Magic Circle’. He re-examined the rune language he had already memorized and thoroughly deconstructed ‘Hide Magic Circle’.

* * *

Over several months, he restructured ‘Hide Magic Circle’. No, saying he restructured it was an understatement. He practically rebuilt it from scratch, setting up the framework and adding details.

“I can’t tell if this is done right.”

He hid one circle with the newly made ‘Hide Magic Circle’. It seemed to be hidden better than before, but there was no way to verify it.

He couldn’t just go to the instructors and say, ‘I’ve hidden my circle, please use the circle measuring device on me.’

“Is this why mages gather at the Magic Tower?”

Even after creating magic, it was frustrating without someone to verify it.

It would be nice to have a trustworthy mage, but without one, he had to agonize alone.

“Ultimately, the answer seems to be in the library.”

Entering the advanced library, his reading speed slowed significantly. The depth of the content was so profound that he couldn’t just memorize and move on as he used to.

There were still many books he hadn’t read. He hoped that by reading one by one, he could resolve his current doubts.

“Has it already gotten this late?”

Apparently, he had stayed too long in the training room. It was dark when he stepped outside.

“I’m going to be late.”

Rodin hurriedly moved to the dining hall. He barely managed to enter before it closed.

“Huh?”

He thought he would be the last one, but there were still about ten more trainees inside, all from the 4th batch.

‘What were they doing to be so late?’

Among the late diners was No. 155, who had picked a fight with him a few months ago.

Ignoring the others, Rodin quickly got his meal.

The soup was almost gone, scraping the bottom with the ladle still yielded an insufficient amount. There was only one piece of bread left.

“Tsk.”

He reluctantly took an extra piece of meat to make up for the lack of food.

He felt a burning sensation on the back of his head. No. 155 was glaring at him, Jito informed him.

‘Is it simple competitiveness or hostility? It’s unclear.’

Competitiveness was fine. He could just ignore it.

But hostility was troublesome. He didn’t like having enemies behind his back.

‘It’s awkward to fight directly.’

With dozens or hundreds of people living together, not everyone could get along. There were always people one found annoying or wanted to hit.

A few months ago, two fellow trainees had a big fight. It started as a fight between two but escalated, eventually involving the entire dormitory in a brawl.

All eight participants were severely beaten by a single instructor. Their limbs were broken, and their faces were unrecognizable.

The beaten ones weren’t even treated by the healers or healing mages and had to stay bedridden for over 30 days.

It was quick recovery thanks to their aura. If they were ordinary people, they would have had to stay in bed for at least half a year.

Since then, even if someone disliked another, it started and ended with backbiting. Nobody said anything directly, and physical altercations disappeared entirely.

Rodin also didn’t want to do anything that would get him punished.

‘There’s no need to use fists. Mages have their own ways.’

Of course, it wasn’t the right time yet. No. 155 hadn’t crossed the line. He just glared whenever he saw Rodin, and that wasn’t enough to warrant action.

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Hyung_Otaku2

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