NOVEL WEB Chapter 738
Spell: Ventus Cocleia
Kiiiiiiiiiiing-!
A sharp wind whipped through, as if it would tear my skin apart.
It was both a small hurricane and the rifling of a barrel.
“Now that’s more like it.”
As I smiled, Ellie rolled her eyes.
She responded with actions instead of words.
Bwoooom-
Kain Eli lifted the spear lightly, twisting her wrist.
I aimed at the massive lance that resembled a drill.
The magic circle rotated, painting the air with a blue aura.
At the same time, her foot pushed off the ground, propelling her forward.
Kigigigigiki-!
The wind sliced through the air, making my eardrums feel like they were going to burst.
A narrowed distance.
Gazes locked in confrontation.
[Imperial Palace Swordsmanship 297th Form – Arrow Slash]
I swung my sword, unleashing an aura-filled strike that followed a circular trajectory.
Boom-!
The two magics collided, exploding the air around us.
The wind bursting from Ellie’s spear swept past in front of me.
It was a situation where the force of the wind made it hard to even keep my eyes open.
SDVIMVFoanVzY1YwSVhjamMzUkt1WDZPSUtBTW0zbU51Q1RWWTNUUnNtMU1EM2NoOU9ZalVsSGZMWmhHbmcrZQ
‘There’s a second round.’
Mana rushed out like the retreating tide.
I immediately leaned back, dodging the spear slashing horizontally.
Shwaaaaaak-!
My hair flew wildly.
The spear barely grazed the bangs of my hair.
“…!”
I twisted my body and braced both hands on the ground.
Pushing off the earth, I swiftly slid underneath her spear.
The moment I saw Ellie’s knee bend slightly to create distance between us.
Tak-!
I slapped her chin with my palm,
[Imperial Palace Swordsmanship 475th Form – Cutting the Roots]
With a swift sword, I aimed to slice through her torso.
Instinct propelled the movement in a split second.
[Adella – 10 Connections]
[Break]
Kwaaaaang-!
“Guahh!”
Ellie let out a cute sound as she flew helplessly through the air.
[Time: 15:00]
I sheathed Bbangsil and clapped my hands.
“Was that just now, Ellie?”
“Ugh, so close…! I could have landed a critical hit with just a bit more.”
“No way. It definitely didn’t hit.”
“It did!”
“Nope!”
“It did!”
“Then let’s replay it.”
“Uh, we should hurry and wash up, Na-me. There’s not much time left until the exchange tournament…!”
She stamped her feet anxiously while packing her things.
Ellie sure knows how to change the subject at times like this.
Even if we were late, we’d get there; was there really a need to rush?
“Wizard, we’ll tidy up the training arena ourselves.”
Ellie’s coaching staff stepped in to help us.
“Thanks a lot.”
“Na-me, let’s go!”
The changing room was quiet.
On the day of the exchange tournament party, we were the only ones still practicing.
Ellie tossed her clothes aside carelessly.
As I tried to take off my training outfit, the back clung tightly and wouldn’t budge.
“Need help taking that off?”
Ellie bent over.
“Huh? Aah, you startled me…!”
“Hehe, why are you so surprised? Done!”
Two large lumps shot by my eyes.
The gray sports bra didn’t seem to adequately cover Ellie’s ample chest.
‘Seems like she’s still in her growth phase… Kids these days really grow fast.’
Ellie’s glamorous figure stood out compared to the average height.
We were only five years apart, yet why was my growth so slow?
“Hehe, I’m going in first!”
Ellie said as she headed to the shower.
Swooshhh—
The shower was filled with steamy mist and a faint scent of shampoo.
While shampooing her hair, Ellie suddenly spoke up.
“I didn’t see the remaining barrier at the end, do you remember what percent it was?”
“15%.”
“Wow, really? Then I fought you in the second half.”
“Don’t get too excited about that. You should be able to beat me in practice sparring first, you know?”
“Heh, I’m Kain Eli; I’m twice as strong in real battles. So in reality, I beat Na-me.”
“I’m four times as strong in real battles.”
“Wow, Na-me, you’re so childish… completely like a baby…”
“Who’s suddenly backing down? You should accept that I’m eight times better.”
“Hahaha!”
I turned off the faucet and lathered my hair with a hefty amount of shampoo.
This is the part that actually takes quite a while.
I just finished training, so my arms felt like they might fall off.
To get out in time, I needed to hurry and move my hands.
Patapatapa-
“I said my family would be coming today.”
“Yeah. They should be arriving around dinner.”
“Wow, even that cat too?”
“Cheon Saetbyeol? Yeah, she’ll be coming too.”
“Yay! Make sure to tell her I’m a fan. The silver hair suits her so well.”
“Uh…? Sure, I’ll pass it along.”
“I’m all washed up, why are you still shampooing, Na-me? Come here, I’ll help you.”
“Huh? No, wait, I can manage…!”
Swooshhh—
Water sprayed from behind.
“Ugh!”
Soap suds surged down over my face, making it impossible to open my eyes.
As I staggered and fumbled around, Ellie’s soft hands brushed through my hair.
“Did you wash your body?”
“I’ll wash my body myself!”
“Hehe, got it. I’ll head out first!”
I covered my chest and groin with my arms.
Thinking it over, there didn’t seem to be much to cover, so I slowly lowered my arms.
‘Ugh, I’m feeling dizzy.’
Maybe I had stayed too long in the steaming shower.
* * *
Kain Eli. The daughter of the owner of a massage shop chain.
“But Ellie, have you tried any other spells besides Ventus Cocleia?”
“Uhmm…”
“I’ll keep it a secret. I won’t blab.”
“No, it’s not that. Na-me, I trust you. I’ve tried it a little, but I feel like my proficiency is a bit iffy. I still have some time left to try as much as I can.”
She usually wore shabby gym clothes and often had her hair in a messy bun.
“What a pity. If only I had more time, I would’ve practiced with Adella.”
“Haha. Our coaches were super excited about this too. How do they come up with such ideas? Honestly, tell me. You must have subtly shared something with Giselle Fischer, right?”
“I really didn’t. It’s just that she’s such an intense person that it became obvious.”
“Is that so? I’m also pretty intense.”
“Not enough.”
“Hmph.”
But now that we had reached the party room.
Click click-!
As soon as Ellie stepped out of the car all dressed up, the flashes from the reporters went off like fireworks.
“Go ahead. I need to get a solo shot.”
“Ugh, I’m so embarrassed by this… I’ll wait inside!”
Ellie carefully carried a dress that looked like something out of a U.S. teen movie as she climbed the stairs.
Meanwhile, I counted to 100 in the car before opening the back door.
“”Gyaaah!””
“”Nonameee!!!””
When we entered Paris, it had been quieter than it was now.
In the U.S., they rolled out the red carpet like it was a film festival.
“Noname! I’ve heard rumors that you haven’t been feeling well lately. How’s your condition?”
“3 wins, 0 losses.”
[Engraving: Coordinate Synchronization]
Holding a pen and magic circle, I signed autographs for fans remotely.
“What’s your relationship with Kain Eli, who you rode with?”
“Fellow village friends? We just sparred together until a moment ago.”
The excitement outside was off the charts.
I wondered how many people gathered just to catch a glimpse of us entering the exchange tournament.
“Spar? Did you just say spar, Na-me?”
“Can you tell us the sparring score?”
“A lot of people are curious about the wand you’ll be using this time!”
“Enjoy the exchange tournament, bye bye.”
I gave autographs to about 50 people before we entered the hotel.
“Whoa…”
“Quite a crowd, huh?”
“Let’s go inside.”
“Yes.”
We entered the party room together, where Ellie had been waiting by the front entrance.
Massive marble temple pillars stretched up to the ceiling.
The golden chandelier cast a soft light that elegantly illuminated the marble patterns on the floor.
“Feels similar to last year.”
“Wow! So beautiful! *sniff*.”
“Is it that touching?”
“Yeah. It’s just so emotional… Oh right, photos!”
For most magic duel contestants, this is an experience they only get once in their lifetime.
Perhaps because of that, Ellie’s flushed face reflected a mix of tension, excitement, and a longing to savor the unforgettable moment.
“Eh?”
I grabbed a piece of sea urchin and popped it into Ellie’s mouth.
“There are no chairs here.”
“True?”
“So we’ve got to move around and eat as much variety as possible.”
“Oh, Na-me has experience.”
I knew that at least one chef from each participating country had been invited.
In a space mixed with diverse cuisines, the Korean representatives approached first.
“Wizard Noname!”
“Hello. We meet again.”
“I’ve been looking for you since earlier. I heard you just finished sparring?”
“Yep, hehe. I’m completely addicted to training. I promised myself today would be the last day.”
“Haha, I totally get that feeling. Now, even if I want to exercise, I have to rest, but how will I survive for a month?”
“What are you saying? You’ll be doing group activities, right?”
“Yeah, my record is 14 wins, 10 losses.”
“Ugh, so childish.”
“Are you both from the same academy?”
“Yes, Aspen. We’ve been seeing each other for 10 years, so I’m quite bored by now.”
So that’s why Kim Chaeyoon and Seo Yu-geon appeared to be particularly close; they were alumni.
Meanwhile, I exchanged introductions with Kain Eli.
“I’ve heard a lot about you. They said you became sparring partners with Na-me.”
“I got hit a lot by Na-me, really!”
“Hahaha!”
After chatting for a while, we moved to another area.
We met D Group contestants and the atmosphere turned competitive as we all wanted to see how ready each person was.
Initially, I wandered around, but eventually, I ended up staying in one spot as the contestants followed me everywhere.
“Thank you! Good luck at the National Exchange Tournament!”
“Yes…!”
My energy was draining from shaking hands with about 60 people.
‘Whoa, this is tough…’
But I couldn’t let on how exhausted I was.
Click click-
While walking around, a photographer snapped commemorative photos.
‘If I keep this up, I might draw the attention of reporters everywhere.’
Thud-
Before I knew it, Ellie had rejoined me, sipping on non-alcoholic champagne.
“You look tired.”
“Yeah. I’m a bit worn out from the sparring.”
“Haha, you look it. You kept your eyes shut for so long earlier.”
“Did it show?”
“Just a little. Want a massage? Massage, massage, massage.”
“Absolutely not!”
I vehemently declined.
If I got a massage here, who knows what kind of mishap might happen.
Ellie wore a devilish grin and kept pretending to look for an opportunity.
“Na-me, want to cheer?”
“Sure.”
“Cheers! Heehee.”
Cling—
The clear sound of glass resonated gently.
I shook the champagne glass and gulped down the liquid in one go.
“So cool! I feel like Na-me will be great at drinking later. One bottle of wine, one shot!”
“Pff!”
“Huh? Why?”
“Oh, it’s nothing.”
I gingerly rubbed my throat and looked up at Ellie.
The drink had no alcohol, but for some reason, she looked a bit tipsy.
“How many school friends does Ellie have?”
“Friends from school… Hmm, do you think there are many or few?”
“Why are you asking that here? I’m sure you have lots.”
“Actually, now that I think about it, I’m not sure. I think I have the usual amount that others do.”
“Oh, I see. Just curious. You look more like an ordinary high school student than a magic duelist, so I wasn’t dissing you or anything.”
“Haha, I know what you mean. There are plenty of elders back home who wouldn’t believe me if I told them I was strong.”
Fortunately, Ellie seemed to catch the nuance.
‘Doesn’t fear death looming right in front of her.’
The magic duel sport is so insane, most players seem to have one screw loose somewhere.
Like Narita Hiroyuki, who gets lost in their own world.
Or Monica Ricci, whose mind is governed by noble thoughts.
Then there’s Giselle Fischer, who constantly pushes herself using her own PTSD as fuel.
In contrast, Kain Eli simply appeared to be a good-natured and playful high school student.
“I actually asked because I was curious about what school life is like. If you ever got bullied… that wouldn’t be a pleasant experience.”
“Bullied? Hahaha! Me? I could make the entire class the outcasts!”
“I’ll retract my call for you to be normal. Now that I think about it, you might be slightly quirky.”
“Na-me was curious about school life. So what do you want to know? Love? Friends’ love stories?”
“That’s also a bit interesting. Do people really tend to date a lot when they go from elementary to middle school?”
“Oh, definitely. Based on my experience, in 7th grade, one in every three of us was a couple.”
“That many?”
“Hey, not that many! Well, listen up, Na-me. First off, definitely avoid being the ‘number one couple’ as soon as you enter middle school…”
Kain Eli shared various stories about middle school life with me.
Boys who fought over childish things every day.
Girls belonging to completely different groups at the beginning and end of the semester.
Love triangles and wars that unfolded in between.
“My friend even attempted suicide.”
“Over just a breakup?”
“Not just! Her boyfriend was everything to her!”
“Mmm…”
“Of course, a month later she was dating someone else. Ridiculous.”
I chatted with Ellie for quite a while.
Memories of being late to school and getting scolded by the teacher.
Friends who received 200 points for dress code violations and became the school service king.
Climbing a wall to stargaze after skipping night study sessions.
The stories that exuberant middle schoolers shared were really trivial yet beautiful.
Perhaps I had been dreaming of such a daily life.
As I closed my eyes, I delicately tucked myself into that spot.
‘It really doesn’t feel right…’
* * *
“Whoa, Dad! It hurts! I’ve got a game next week; what if my brain gets messed up or something?”
“Our Na-me is the smartest in the world; it’s not a big deal if your head gets a bit worse! How much more worry are you going to give me?!”
Professor Cheon pressed on my temples firmly.
Pachin-!
Pachin-!
Pachin-!
Even if I tried to protect myself with my aura, Professor Cheon kept breaking through my barrier with his thumb.
“Then it’s fine if I get a little dumber, just let me be! Kekek, it hurts!”