Embracing Magic - E.M Chapter 9 (Part 2)

‘Impressive.’

A war between such a country and the 13-nation alliance seemed hopeless.

‘War is inevitable.’

After losing most of the hard-won territory, the 13-nation alliance made an armistice agreement with the Ingram Empire.

The 13-nation alliance had exhausted most of its forces in the war. They couldn’t afford to continue the war.

The Ingram Empire, having conscripted civilians instead of elite soldiers, suffered enormous losses and also found it difficult to continue the war.

The mutual interests aligned, leading to a 20-year armistice.

‘The armistice is already over.’

About 25 years ago, the Ingram Empire sent 500,000 troops into the Demon Forest. A year later, the 13-nation alliance launched a surprise invasion, and two more years later, an armistice was signed.

It happened 22 years ago, so the 20-year armistice had already ended.

To prepare for the end of the armistice, the Riyaz Kingdom hastily created this special forces training center.

‘The special forces training center is ultimately a place to train cannon fodder to be used where valuable personnel are hard to send. The name is grand, but it’s not special at all.’

It was a sigh-inducing realization.

Then suddenly, he became curious about one thing.

‘But why hasn’t the war started yet?’

Although he didn’t know the reason, the Ingram Empire and the 13-nation alliance were still in a standoff. Something must have happened within the Ingram Empire.

The 13-nation alliance didn’t want war.

They failed in the war when they invaded the Ingram Empire, which had lost 500,000 troops. It wasn’t likely they could win if they continued the war.

But the Ingram Empire lost about 20% of its territory in the war 20 years ago. That was reason enough to resume the war.

‘Now that I know the reason, the conclusion is clear. I have to get stronger.’

War was inevitable, only a matter of timing.

To survive the war, he had to become stronger.

‘I also have to hide my true abilities.’

If the power is categorized with numbers, and he was as strong as 10, he would be assigned to missions requiring 10 times that power.

If he was as strong as 20, he would be assigned to missions requiring 20 times that power.

To survive, he needed to appear as strong as 10 while actually being as strong as 20. That way, he would be assigned manageable missions and could survive.

‘But it’s interesting.’

Originally, he planned to read some history and then move on to other subjects like math. He was particularly interested in practical knowledge like herbs, medicine, and metal refining. But once he started reading history, he couldn’t stop.

It was interesting and there was a lot to learn.

‘Ah, it’s already time.’

Lunchtime had already passed by a few minutes.

He wasn’t late yet, but his dorm mates had probably already finished eating.

* * *

In the morning, he went to the library; in the afternoon, he attended classes.

After dinner, he holed up in the library again and picked books at random to read.

This routine continued for a month.

Rodin read over 1,000 books in the library. Starting with history, he expanded to herbs, medicine, mathematics, and more. He indiscriminately extended his knowledge.

“Rodin. Are you back?”

The library closes at 9 PM. If he didn’t leave on time, the assistant would come to find him.

Rodin returned to the dormitory just as the library was closing.

“Rodin! Rodin. I’ve been waiting for you.”

“What’s going on? Did something happen?”

“If it’s an incident, it’s definitely one.”

Cory pointed to the dictionary. The thick dictionary had about 10% read from the top.

“What about the dictionary? Did you tear it apart or something?”

“No, it’s not that. We’re not making progress. We’ve only read this much.”

“Ah!”

There was only a month left until the test. Half of the given time had already passed.

“Help us out a bit.”

“Hmm. You need to finish the rest in a month?”

“Yeah. We’re doomed. I must be an idiot.”

Rodin looked at the book’s thickness while Cory was self-pitying.

‘I’m different. I need to think from Cory’s perspective.’

He memorized the dictionary in a day, but that was something only he could do. He couldn’t expect the same ability from others.

“Oh? Where are Hedler and Lant?”

“Hedler is in the next room.”

“Playing?”

“No, spying. He’s checking how many people might pass the test. Lant went to wash up. He’ll be back soon.”

It was good news to hear Lant was washing up.

Cory had at least washed a few times, and Hedler showered once every two days. But Rodin had never seen Lant wash up.

This wasn’t just a problem in their room.

Listening to others, it seemed similar elsewhere.

‘I don’t understand why they hate washing up so much.’

Rodin, who showered twice a day, couldn’t comprehend it.

Click!

Then the door opened, and Hedler and Lant entered.

Hedler’s face was full of mischief, and Lant’s hair was dripping wet.

“Are you back? How was it? How are the other rooms?”

“They’re all the same. I don’t think anyone will pass… or maybe? Rodin, how about you? Do you think you can pass the test in a month?”

“Probably?”

“Then, it’s only you. Everyone else is a mess.”

At Cory’s question, Hedler said all the other rooms would fail too.

It seemed better to face the downfall together.

Lant and Cory visibly brightened.

“I’m not the only one doomed.”

“Me too.”

“Hehehe. Let’s all fail together. We’re all doomed.”

Seeing this, it seemed they were about to give up on studying. As a roommate, Rodin couldn’t just watch this happen.

“Hedler, are you saying the other rooms have hardly studied too?”

“Yes, I checked. None of them have covered even a quarter. All of them.”

“No way.”

Rodin couldn’t understand this situation.

The words were many and difficult. Maybe if it was a completely unknown foreign language, even adults would find it hard to memorize. But many of the words in the dictionary were familiar.

Since they already knew the language but not the script, knowing parts made it easier to memorize.

Seeing familiar words and thinking, ‘Ah, this is how it’s written,’ made it not too difficult to memorize.

“Okay, gather around. Cory, you first.”

“Me?”

“Come here first.”

Rodin pulled Cory towards the dictionary.

Hyung_Otaku2

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