🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 3
His vision blurred for a moment as light refracted.
An Aqua Ball—a sphere of water created by one of the boys—hit him square in the face.
At the same time, exaggerated laughter and clapping filled the air.
“Pfft, look at him blinking!”
“You really thought hiding here would keep us from finding you?”
“No dignity at all for a mage.”
As the water cleared from his eyes, he saw them—
Three male students and one female.
From what they were saying, they seemed to be part of the same group as the boy who stole his wallet. But the thief himself wasn’t here.
‘Those troublemakers from earlier, I see.’
[You have memorized ‘Aqua Ball’.]
Spraying water at someone’s face while they were asleep—
That went beyond a harmless prank.
If not for his constantly active biological barrier, he could have been injured.
They needed at least a little discipline.
[You have memorized ‘Aqua Spin Ball’.]
[You have memorized ‘Moisture Cooling’.]
‘Well… this is useful for now.’
Water magic was just as convenient as fire magic.
He had been wondering how he’d manage a full day without drinking water anyway.
And this was also a good chance to increase the number of basic spells he could use.
So he decided to observe them a bit longer.
‘…What is this?’
The bullying continued.
But the boy leading it looked confused.
Something had been off from the start.
He expected the Aqua Ball to snap Bell’s head back with force—
But Bell hadn’t moved at all.
Even when he used a stronger spinning version, nothing changed.
No swelling. No nosebleed.
Bell’s calm face, surrounded by splashing droplets, almost looked… radiant.
“Stop it; you’ll kill him.”
“We’re just helping him wake up.”
“Hehe, such a sleepyhead. Let’s wash him properly.”
“……”
The boy couldn’t laugh like the others.
As the one casting the magic, the discomfort felt even stronger.
He definitely hit him directly.
Even a human should be pushed back at least slightly.
Then how—
How could this guy not move even one millimeter?
“…!”
Suddenly, all the laughter stopped.
The boy looked down at his hand.
A cone-shaped stream of water was spinning violently.
In his confusion, he had unconsciously used a forbidden spell.
“Babin… you’ve gone too far.”
“Are you seriously trying to show off now?”
It was Aqua Arrow—
A lethal spell.
That was when Bell spoke for the first time.
“You’ve gone too far.”
[You have memorized ‘Aqua Arrow’.]
Even adults could be seriously injured by it.
A child could die.
Using such magic on a person went against both this era’s common sense and Bell’s own rules.
He had time to spare.
Teaching them a lesson wouldn’t hurt.
“Are you really going to fire that?”
“……”
Babin swallowed.
He wasn’t even thinking about bullying anymore.
Why was his hand shaking?
Why did it feel like someone was watching him?
[Babin Darkrain]
- Second son of the Darkrain family
- Student of Rudrak Basic Magic School
- Specializes in water magic…
The cause of his unease—
Bell’s AI magic, Eye of the Absolute, analyzes everything.
But Babin had no way of knowing.
“…What’s wrong with me…?”
His chest tightened.
His breathing became unstable.
“Babin? Are you okay?”
“Did you eat something weird?”
His magic destabilized.
The Aqua Arrow began spinning faster and faster.
If it fired, it could cause serious damage inside the train.
But—
Right before release—
It exploded.
“Whoa!”
“Ahh!”
Splash—!
Water burst everywhere.
Only Bell, protected by his barrier, calmly observed.
The one who destroyed the Aqua Arrow—
Was a girl.
‘…Her fist?’
She had smashed the blade-like spell with her bare hand.
Same height as Bell.
Same academy uniform.
Black hair brushing her shoulders, slightly wet.
‘Body enhancement.’
Bell’s eyes sharpened.
That kind of power could only come from strengthening the body.
But it wasn’t a magic he could learn now.
It required physical training from early childhood.
“Hmm… bullying one girl together?”
“N-no, it’s not like that…”
The group froze.
They knew instantly—
Even all four of them together couldn’t beat her.
“Well… we’re done here. Let’s go.”
Babin quickly backed off.
The group disappeared into another train car.
“…Wait, you’re not a girl?”
The girl blinked at Bell.
She had mistaken him because of his appearance.
“Oh… well… you don’t fight back, so you get bullied…”
Awkwardly, she turned away.
“Don’t give up just because you’re weak. Grit your teeth and try something.”
And she left.
Bell stood alone in the shaking train.
He picked up a cup from the table.
‘Aqua Ball.’
Water filled it.
Then—
Using Hellfire, he heated it slightly.
Steam rose.
He took a sip.
Exhaled slowly.
But his thoughts wouldn’t settle.
Not the thief.
Not the bullies.
But the girl’s words—
‘In a million years… I’ve tried everything.’
Even if it was a misunderstanding—
He couldn’t ignore it.
‘Maybe… just once…’
‘I want to live like others do.’
He leaned against the cold window.
March air felt strangely warm.
* * *
“The train will soon arrive at Revia Academy Station…”
He opened his eyes.
The sun was rising.
The 24-hour journey had already passed.
‘A young body really is nice.’
He got off the train, feeling refreshed.
‘No breakfast for now.’
Without his wallet, he couldn’t eat.
First priority—
Find the thief.
‘There it is.’
In the distance stood the Tower of Learning.
The academy’s symbol.
‘Let’s kill some time.’
He entered the academy—
Then I wandered into the central library.
‘It’s been… 1,026 years.’
A world of books.
The place where every life began.
‘I might as well pick up a spell.’
He found the theory section.
With the Eye of the Absolute, he skimmed books rapidly.
Already unnecessary.
He had Hellfire and Aqua Ball.
Also unnecessary.
What he wanted was—
The most powerful and elegant magic.
Gravity.
The foundation of black holes.
‘Where is it?’
But he couldn’t find it.
Book locations changed every regression.
‘…I should ask.’
He returned to the entrance.
A blonde woman sat there, reading.
An upper academy student.
A researcher-type mage.
“May I ask something?”
“Yes?”
“Do you have a book on gravity magic?”
