I Became the Only Non-mage in the Academy

TL/Editor: looloo

Schedule: 5/Week Wed-Sun

Illustrations: Here

Join the discord! Here

"I need to get it quickly."

I mumbled to myself, eyes fixed on my computer screen.

The Aqua Rose.

It looks like a blue rose, and touching it feels like touching water. Yet, it's not expensive.

The reason is its awful smell.

But the value of this herb skyrockets in the mid to late game - at least by a thousandfold.

There's just one reason.

This flower is a necessary ingredient for crafting B-grade elixirs.

I designated the penthouse as my delivery location and swapped into my gym clothes.

Then, I started thinking about how to make money.

'Start with selling elixirs.'

Sell elixirs made from Aqua Rose. Or, selling undiscovered recipes might not be a bad idea either.

'Now that I think about it, there's an Alchemy Guild.'

I sat down in front of my computer.

I turned on the computer, found a website, and entered it.

The website [Alchemy Guild] appeared on my screen.

I entered my social security number and name, both written on my student card, and a field for a nickname showed up. After briefly considering, I typed in a random nickname, then paused to think again.

Which recipe should I pick?

I chose a recipe that looked impactful. It was a tough choice between the vitality potion and mana recovery potion, but I decided to enter the vitality potion recipe.

A message saying, "Please wait a moment," popped up, followed by "You have successfully registered."

'These folks are really something.'

Normally, joining a guild wouldn't be this simple.

But many alchemists are recluses, locking themselves in a room for days and nights for experiments.

Getting them together is hard, and arranging meetings is a challenge, but they needed a power to defend their rights, so they made it easy to join online.

What's even more surprising is that the site is managed by artificial intelligence. Your rank within the guild depends on the effectiveness of your recipe.

[You've received a Diamond Badge.]

'Diamond.'

I made a slight face. Normally, my recipe would have gotten platinum or gold if I was unlucky.

'Is it because of the real world?'

I'll need to check this out. I skimmed through the recipes that I could see with a Diamond grade. And I reached a conclusion.

'...It's worse than I thought?'

They didn't just hand me a diamond for no reason. I noted down a few more recipes and posted them on the board.

Being generous like this and sharing a few recipes will make getting herbs easier later.

'And I should use this to buy a kit.'

One of the perks of the Alchemy Guild.

Depending on your grade, you can buy high-quality kits at a low price. I purchased a Gold grade Alchemy Kit, known for its cost-effectiveness.

Beep.

After drafting about three recipes, the alarm rang.

Time for exercise.

A wave of annoyance suddenly washed over me.

I let out a deep sigh and headed down to the training ground.

There's a personal training area within the penthouse, but the finest facilities are at the training ground.

'Plus, I need to form connections naturally.'

Teach Kim Ara how to manage power,

Assist Seo Gayeon in awakening her magic and using it,

Offer Hong Yuhwa some guidance.

Ersil doesn't particularly need anything. There's a real transcendent being, not my Sword Spirit, by her side teaching her.

The same applies to Kim Seohyun. With the Thousand Year Martial Pulse and the most powerful magician attached to him, just digesting what he's currently learning must be tough.

As I descended to the training ground, lost in thought, students were already there, training.

"Ah, it's the class leader."

"Did he actually come to exercise? If it's close combat, the class leader should handle it somewhat."

"Hey, stop talking nonsense and focus on your training. They say he beat Park Woonhyuk with his magic and talent sealed."

"Stop spreading false rumors, really."

I winced slightly when the mention of Park Woonhyuk came up. I feel a bit guilty towards Park Woonhyuk. I used the Power Against Heaven while my mana was sealed.

"Look at that. His steps are steady, right?"

"Has he already adapted to controlling his body? Life is so unfair. I was called a genius when I was young."

"Was there anyone here who hasn't been called a genius? This crazy academy gathers the best students globally and only admits a mere thousand."

But the attention was overwhelming. Those who were working out stopped to stare at me.

"Oh, did you come to exercise? Do you want some help?"

Kim Seohyun approached with a kind smile.

"Uh, yeah, help me out. This is my first time exercising, so I'm not sure where to start."

"Really? Then we should begin with a light body check."

Kim Seohyun said, bringing over a dumbbell. But the dumbbell looked strange. There was a weight written on the shiny black iron - 50kg.

"Am I supposed to lift this?"

"......Is it too heavy for you to lift?

I'm not a gorilla like you.

Regardless, Kim Seohyun assisted me with my workout in a personal training kind of way.

"Just one more time. Just one more."

"Ugh."

"Oh, good. Seo-ha, don't arch your back. Lift your hips slightly more. That's it."

"Ugh, is this the end?"

"We still have five more to go."

Personal training, my foot. There was no devil quite like this.

---

Raei Translations

---

After the workout.

My body feels weak. I have zero energy. I dragged my feet all the way home.

I noticed a familiar figure. One girl was being surrounded by three others.

'Is this bullying?'

I was about to walk past and report it to the instructor when I stopped. The girl in the middle was someone I recognized.

Seo Gayeon.

She was trembling like a small animal.

Ah, so it's them. I heard there were some girls subtly bullying Seo Gayeon.

I held the Black Heavenly Demon Sword.

And I quietly asked.

"Can you activate Spirit Break? Exclude the one in the middle."

[Of course.]

After receiving confirmation from the Heavenly Demon, I approached Seo Gayeon.

"Seo Gayeon, what's happening?"

"Uh, uh?"

"Don't interfere, Lee, Lee Seoha?"

"Yes, I'm Lee Seoha."

One of the girls... it feels cumbersome even calling her that. Let's label her Girl A. Her words made the other girls' faces pale.

"Uh, uh? You, you, are you, you on speaking terms with Lee, Lee Seoha?"

At Girl B's question, I nodded my head.

"Anything else you want to say?"

"No, no, we, we just wanted to get along."

Girl C stammered. I hadn't even activated Spirit Break yet, so why were they behaving like this?

---

Raei Translations

---

Seo Gayeon stole a glance at the figure beside her.

Lee Seoha, with his slightly sharp gaze, was strolling down the road. He seemed in a worse mood than usual.

Seo Gayeon hesitated for a moment. Then she opened her mouth.

"Um, thank you."

"Huh? Oh, about earlier?"

At Lee Seoha's response, Seo Gayeon nodded.

"But why, why did you help me?"

"…Do you need a reason to help someone?"

"……"

He swallowed the words - Maybe if I assist a talented person, I'll gain something. It seemed too opportunistic even to himself. Lee Seoha glanced at Seo Gayeon for a moment. She appeared as though she might crumble at any second.

"You said something before."

"What?"

"When I was deciding my major, you said magic would suit me better."

"Oh, that?"

"Is, is that true?"

Lee Seoha looked at her. Seo Gayeon looked at Lee Seoha. Perhaps she was hoping for something.

She had barely made it here through luck, and life here was overwhelming.

The relentless competition, ruthless expulsion if you fall behind, and the ceaseless expectations from home.

Despite the harsh conditions, her parents, who would say she could share any problems with them, her proud older sister, and younger siblings who looked up to their elder sister.

So far, everything seemed too burdensome for her.

"Well, I was just being nosy."

"Nosy?"

"Yeah. You have talent, but you don't know how to use it, it just seems wasted."

Lee Seoha looked at her.

"In my opinion, you could at least reach Ersil's level."

"Ersil?"

Seo Gayeon's eyes widened. A mage who ranked third in the entrance exam, who had mastered illusion magic back in England. A master of illusion magic.

She was being compared to that girl? It was absurd. But there was something credible about Lee Seoha's words.

Because his voice held a certain strength.

Maybe all she needed was a support to lean on.

"Yeah, if you need help, get in touch with me. I'll help you with anything I can."

Lee Seoha smoothly extended his hand. Seo Gayeon, with a blank expression, handed over her phone. Lee Seoha swiftly entered his number into her phone, revealing a satisfied smile before he headed towards the dormitory.

"Contact me later."

---

Raei Translations

---

[Seo Gayeon remembers you. You gain 1,000p.]

As expected.

Building relationships with the leads was the correct strategy.

After earning the points, I returned to the dormitory, stretched my body, and practiced as the Heavenly Demon guided me.

"Huff, huff."

"You're catching on quickly. But your breathing is a bit off. Try jogging while panting after each step. It'll get more comfortable."

I wake up for my morning workout.

"Today, the magic students will do basic stamina training, and the warrior students will engage in interpersonal combat!"

From the first class in the morning, I trained my stamina to the brink.

And, I managed to increase my stamina by one point like that.

Then the awaited class time arrived.

"Hello. I am Professor Song Rahee, and I will teach you about the theory of magic destruction."

The professor, who looked like a classic mage with her blue robe and long hair that fell to her waist, spoke.

"There will be times when you, as heroes, will need to collaborate with mages or confront mages on the opposing side. I am here to teach you about the various types of magic in advance for such situations."

Professor Song Rahee scanned the students, then pointed at me.

"You're Lee Seoha, correct?"

"Yes."

"Could you give us a demonstration? I heard that this batch's valedictorian is quite proficient in magic."

That's a baseless rumor.

Well, it doesn't matter. Depending on the player's choices, Professor Song Rahee is a character who may or may not side with the Mines.

'Song Rahee is manageable.'

This is not to say that she is weak.

She excels in interpersonal combat as a mage and possesses formidable firepower as a mage, enough to annihilate tens of students at once.

However, for me, she is a piece of cake.

"Student Lee Seoha. Are you going to attack or defend?"

"I will defend against your magic, professor."

"Good, Lee Seoha. You can prepare to disrupt the magic from there."

"I'm ready."

"...."

I stood on the stage, doing nothing. However, my physique is 'Body Against Heaven'. I could say that I've finished preparing to disrupt the magic by engaging the energy of Body Against Heaven.

However, Song Rahee seemed to perceive my approach as arrogant and showed a somewhat angry expression. She then calmed down again and resumed speaking.

"Well then, I'll trust Lee Seoha's words and demonstrate my magic."

A purple sphere began to glow in Song Rahee's hand. Witch of Pama. The ultimate manifestation of her ability to disrupt magic, her pride.

"It's a simple curse-type magic. However, since my magical property is Pama (magic destruction), it may be difficult to block."

Song Rahee looked at me with a subtle gaze. In response to her questioning glance if I could block it, I nodded my head.

She hurled the magic sphere.

Hsssssss....

"Eh, what?"

It vanished as soon as it touched my body.

---