LIGHTNOVELSTORY Chapter 37:
Preparation (2)
After completing the preparations to rescue Lucy, I returned to the dormitory.
Oh, I wonder if Liliana is surviving alright. Is she starving or something? I’m a bit worried.
*Ding*
Tapping my smartwatch to enter the room, I heard no sounds coming from inside.
“Is she sleeping?”
Well, after the little incident outside, it’s not like she’s going to run away…
“Argh, this damn jungler! Why the hell isn’t he coming?! The enemies’ champions and minions keep pushing our top lane!”
A cute voice filled with curses echoed from inside the room. Sneaking a quick peek through the slightly open door, I caught Liliana doing some gaming livestream. She didn’t even realize when I came in.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake! These idiots are so bad! I’m quitting this shitty game!”“…”
“Oh, thanks for the 10,000 won donation from the Magic Research Club. Appreciate it.”
“You don’t like my reaction? Get the fuck out if you can’t stand it.”
Liliana was wearing a succubus cosplay outfit, swaying her tail, and doing her thing on the livestream.
I guess succubi are creatures that easily blend into their new environments.
I got curious about what Liliana’s broadcast was about, so I logged in to check if it was on EveryDay. As soon as the page loaded, I saw a post at the top.
[Doesn’t this look like our dorm?]
The post had a screenshot from Liliana’s broadcast, and the person explained, with various reasons, that the room’s structure was identical to Victoria Academy’s dormitory.
The post even mentioned the broadcast’s title, so I decided to check it out and clicked on it.
The broadcast’s title was ‘Sexy Succubus.’
I mean, seriously? She’s nowhere near being a succubus, yet she calls herself a sexy succubus?
[Sis, please curse me more!]
[I’m a student at Victoria Academy, and this is definitely the dorm! Legendary!]
[Wow, a student from Victoria Academy is doing a cam show!]
[How much do you need to insult me?]
“Um… They’re definitely lost it.”
So many degenerates in this world, huh?
Still, seeing her working diligently from the first day, I felt somewhat amused. The misunderstandings I intended are falling into place. Good.
Once I’m done training at the training ground, her stream should be over, and I can talk to her then.
I changed into my student uniform and headed to the training ground. It being Monday, the public training area had a fair number of people.
The public training area is where two or three people gather to train, unlike those private rooms. In other words, it’s a hangout for the extroverts.
Ignoring the gazes directed at me, I went to the corner with the hologram monitor.
[Welcome to the Victoria Academy Class Management System. How may I assist you?]
“Show me today’s materials from Professor Im Sol’s class for Class A of the first year and the barrier materials.”
*Whoosh*
The AI responded and displayed the prints that Professor Im Sol had handed out during today’s class on the hologram monitor. It also listed all the barrier magic circles that Victoria Academy had released for students so far.
“Ugh, there are too many. Show me advanced and above.”
Eight magic circles popped up in front of me. Among them, five were barrier magic circles that used double spirals to defend against the opponent’s attacks.
The other three were lightweight magic circles for urgent situations. Of course, I wanted the former.
“Leave out the lightweight magic circles.”
*Swish*
Now, let’s analyze these magic circles.
First of all, the common feature among these magic circles is that they use double spirals to bind the mana and increase the strength.
Beyond that, any other differences would just be about their effectiveness in blocking certain types of magic or physical attacks. In other words, the big picture remains the same. But there were slight differences in the details.
“Oh, placing the mana from the center in this pattern improves the effectiveness against fire magic.”
“This magic circle’s finishing touch is lacking. Distributing a little more mana in the end would have made it more efficient.”
I found some points for improvement as I analyzed the barriers.
Frankly, it’s ridiculous for a mere student to discover improvements in barrier magic circles, but with my Mana Sensitivity, it’s possible.
“Heyeon, what are you doing?”
Oh, whoa, you startled me!
Without me realizing, Lumi had come up beside me.
“Hey, you should say something when you approach like that. What if I got a heart attack?”
“Hehe… sorry.”
If this were the first time, she’d probably be all shy and run away, but she has grown quite a bit. But can I talk to her? If Lucy finds out, she’ll be furious.
“Is it okay for you to be here? I mean, if Lucy sees us, she’ll be mad.”
“It’s fine. Once Lucy falls asleep, she wouldn’t even know if someone took her away. She said she was tired earlier and went to bed first. So, um, were you practicing barriers?”
“Yeah, the lessons I had this time were quite interesting, so I was practicing alone.”
“Then! Would you like to train with me? Doing a fun barrier training with me!”
Lumi’s eyes were sparkling.
———————-
[Subquest received]
[Train in the training ground with Lumi!]
[Lumi dreams of training with her friends!]
[Try out the delightful barrier training with Lumi!]
[Reward: Mana stat +1]
———————-
It’s been a while since a quest came up. There’s no reason to decline.
“Well, I don’t mind. But even if you do it with me, you won’t get any benefits.”
“That’s not true. Telling each other our weaknesses, that’s what friends… do, right?”
Heh, it’s quite cute the way she hesitates when talking about friends and looks at me.
“Yeah, you’re right. We are friends.”
“Yes, yes!”
How adorable. I wonder why she’s so happy. Lumi is a character with talent in defense magic. Yet she’s willing to train with me, and it makes me feel a bit guilty.
“You were practicing barrier magic, right? Let me show you a demonstration.”
“Sure.”
I still vividly remember her magic from the last class, but there’s no need to refuse.
Lumi looked at me as if to signal it’s okay, and then slowly began to create a barrier. The double spiral pattern of mana intersected and overlapped, forming a solid defense.
“Wow, you’re really good at this!”
Even if someone said she had reached the highest level that a student could achieve, it wouldn’t be an overstatement. Especially, the defensive attributes imbued in the mana were remarkable. Lumi’s warm determination was evident in it.
“Is it because Heyeon is watching? It worked out well. Heyeon, do you want to try it too?”
“Alright. I’m a bit nervous though. Hmm…”
“Don’t worry. Nobody starts off being great from the beginning. I’ll point out any shortcomings you have.”
Seeing her perform so well, it made me feel a bit pressured for no reason. In my mind, the magic circles I had seen so far played like a panorama.
I firmly engraved the magical attribute of the barrier Lumi had just cast into my head.
My talent gathered the strengths of various magic circles and allowed me to incorporate the magical attributes I had learned from Lumi.
*Vwoom*
The mana twisted into double spirals and intersected.
Stronger. It needs to be even stronger. This level is just not enough!
Hoo. After taking a deep breath, I started again.
“Vision Enhancement.”
*Zing*
I observed the gap in the barrier I had created.
A bit stronger. To fill in the smallest gaps, the shape of the mana had to be made even more solid. The double spiral form couldn’t fill in those tiny spaces.
In a flash, an idea popped into my head.
“If the double spirals are the problem, I just need to make it denser.”
A single stroke was added to the double spirals that were rotating.
The mana now rotated in triple spirals, erasing the smallest gaps and beautifully intersecting. I incorporated the magical attributes I had learned from Lumi. The determination to defend against everything was imprinted in the magic circle.
Although not as strong-willed as Lumi, my shortcomings were complemented by my Mana Sensitivity.
Gradually, a wall was created in front of me. A barrier in a completely different form from Lumi’s or Professor Im Sol’s.
However, both Lumi and I could feel it. Beyond beauty, it was an artistic masterpiece, too precious to be used as a mere barrier.
If Professor Im Sol had been here, she might have screamed and took my pants off to study a magic like this.
In front of me was a barrier so stunningly beautiful, elegant, and flawless.
“….”
“….”
Lumi, who had shown the demonstration first, blushed at the overwhelmingly beautiful sight.
[Cotton Guard]
▶ Unique Skill
▶ A magic imbued with a complete understanding of barriers and a strong will.
Could be used in a lightweight form according to the user’s will.
─────────────
Cotton Guard.
It was even registered as a unique skill.
Lumi’s face gradually flushed as she beheld its stunning form.
“Ah, um…. Wow, Hoyeon, you’re amazing. Um, can you, maybe, teach me a bit too….”
“Uh, sure. Of course. Telling each other our weaknesses, that’s what friends do, right?”
“….Yes, you’re right.”
She seemed a bit embarrassed about having promised to help me with my shortcomings.
Lumi, you really don’t need to be so shy about it.
***
After finishing the training with Lumi, I returned to the dormitory. We decided to meet regularly for training. Initially, it was me receiving help, but that’s okay. I didn’t mind getting closer to a heroine.
I’m sure there are research results somewhere that show training efficiency improves just by training with pretty girls.
As I entered the dormitory, I saw Lilliana munching on chicken at the dining table, as if the stream had ended.
“Hey, it’s over?”
“Huh? Oh, Contractor. If you’re talking about the stream, yeah, it’s done. I made a ton of cash today, so I treated myself to some chicken. That okay?”
“Yeah, sure, but… you don’t know my name, do you?”
Come to think of it, I know her name, but I don’t recall ever telling her mine.
“Huh!? Um, well… you didn’t tell me, so why the hell would I know?”
Oh, she’s putting the blame on me now?
“You should’ve asked. I just assumed you already knew.”
“Whatever. You’re so picky. So, what’s your name?”
“It’s Lee Heyeon.”
“And you think telling me your name is something to be proud of?”
“What?”
“Never mind. By the way, you curious about how much I raked in today?”
This little… Teasing me like there’s no tomorrow. How I miss the Lilliana from the other day, begging and crying like a baby…
“So, how much did you make?”
“Ta-da! It’s 800,000 won.”
“What did you say?”
“Did you get hit in the ears? I said 800,000 won. Impressive, right? It’s like the cost of five chickens.”
I heard her loud and clear. It’s not just impressive; it’s freakin’ insane. I wish I could switch to a female character and make cash like that.
That damn god!
“Anyway, enough about that. But, there’s a big problem.”
Then, Lilliana looked playful and whispered to me.
“A problem? What now?”
There are way too many things that bother me. Please tell me she didn’t reveal her existence to anyone. I specifically told her to use the “leave it outside the door” option for deliveries!
“I’m bored.”
“What?”
“I said I’m bored!”
“When do you even have time to be bored? You’re supposed to be streaming and making money!”
Who would’ve thought she’d refuse to work?
“I can’t do streams during class time! You said I’m a regular student, but at night, I transform into a perverted succubus cosplayer!”
…Wait, she’s unexpectedly smart, isn’t she?
“How about watching other streams or practicing games?”
“I’m already good at games, so I don’t feel like playing. And with watching other streams, if I chat, people will figure out who I am. No point in watching streams if I can’t chat!”
This brat is asking for the moon. She just has to sit quietly and watch. Why does she need so much?
As I listened, it felt like she was demanding something. I didn’t have the patience for mind games, so I asked directly, “So, what do you want then? Just tell me.”
“I want to go with you.”
Huh? Did I hear wrong?
“I want to travel around and see the world.”
“And how are you gonna do that? Got a plan?”
Lilliana clearly looks like a succubus with her swaying heart-tipped tail and those horns. Sure, if she dresses properly and hides the horns, she could pass as somewhat human, but who knows if a random priest will sense the aura of hell and whack her with a cross.
Just kidding.
If she goes off on her own and gets into trouble, I’d have to take responsibility. No way am I letting her out of my sight.
“Listen, there’s actually a way.”
*Poof*
With a playful sound, smoke spread around Lilliana.
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