After taking another healing potion and leaving the infirmary, I still felt sick and sore all over, as if truly ill, which was not surprising given Harunen's condition.
"I won't last long."
Kang Sihyun, spitting blood into his handkerchief and pondering his future, laughed bitterly. The success of his spirit contract, though forced, suggested a talent for abilities, but his body couldn't keep up. He might have lived longer if not for the divine power sealed within him due to being Adam's reincarnation. The Empire would lose a talent, and Harunen would lose his life. It was a regrettable situation.
Replacing his blood-soaked handkerchief, Sihyun entered the classroom. In the past two days, during which he could do nothing but drown in water, theoretical lessons had been added to the spirit magic class. Thanks to this, students of the Blue Spirit dormitory no longer had to endure the torment of drowning throughout class. Now, they only needed to struggle in water for half of the two-hour class.
As the children screamed and plunged into the water, Sihyun played with the spirits alongside Harris. Since he had successfully contracted with a spirit, there was nothing to gain from further submersion. This freed up an hour of class time. The privilege vividly demonstrated the worth of his arduous contract, and the benefits Sihyun reaped were not limited to this.
The children no longer openly ignored Sihyun, who had become the leader alongside Harris. To scorn him as inferior or inadequate was now akin to spitting in their own faces, especially since he, the lowly and lacking, had succeeded in contracting a spirit before other noble heirs.
For the time being, there was peace.
They would torment him again only after contracting with spirits themselves. By then, they would say,
"Harunen only contracted with a spirit first because he's foolish and lucky. He charged in so recklessly that he must have earned the spirit's pity."
The future was clearly foreseeable.
Nevertheless, Sihyun decided to focus on the present. He would act thoroughly according to his status as a student, blending in with Harris and his group to relieve stress in this peaceful reality.
***
The magic school taught only house-specific classes during the first month after enrollment, and from the second month, it began teaching magic seriously. Basic magic, basic swordsmanship, basic black magic, basic spirit magic, and basic crafting were the daily mandatory subjects, while students could freely choose three additional classes during the other times. As students progressed, the basic subjects would evolve to intermediate, advanced, and specialized levels, so the teachers advised choosing detailed classes wisely to keep up with the coursework.
Accordingly, while other children chose classes directly related to magic, such as spells or magic circles, Sihyun chose differently. Knowing he wouldn't live long, he opted for 'Traditions and History of the Empire' without hesitation to deepen his understanding of this world. The children looked at him oddly, but Sihyun didn't care and filled one of the other two slots with 'Understanding Ancient Religions,' hoping to find a clue to return to Earth.
The last class was chosen by Harris—'Economics for Merchants.'
Apparently, Harris dreamt of becoming a merchant.
"A money-grubbing Kang Haewoon," Sihyun thought.
It made sense; he had once sold pictures of himself and Baek Geonu for money. Thinking back, his merchant nature had been apparent since then.
"Are you planning to become a magic merchant after graduation?"
During a meal in their third month of school, Sihyun finally asked the question that had long been on his mind, causing Harris's eyes to widen, as if hearing something totally unrelated.
"No? I'm going to be a royal magician."
"What? Then why are you learning economics for merchants?"
"Before becoming a royal magician, during the apprentice phase, the palace doesn't pay a salary. Some people find it so hard to endure the poverty that they run away. I'm learning about economics in advance!"
Perhaps starting a business in his senior years would make financial worries a thing of the past.
Haewoon added jokingly. Though he spoke with a smile, the sincerity of his intention to do business was palpable, and Sihyun was impressed. It was an ambitious goal for a young student, but upon reflection, it was quite typical of Harris. Of course, Kang Haewoon wouldn't lead an ordinary life.
Sihyun promised to support him. Then, suddenly curious about which family Harris belonged to, he asked about his family. The question was directed at Haewoon, but Rodin and Sion stopped eating.
"You mean to tell me you didn't know which family we belong to?"
"Yeah."
"Why?"
"You never told me."
"Should we have told you?"
You should have told me. Sihyun, unlike them, knew nothing about the nobility here. At
best, he knew that the Lawrence family was a ducal family whose reputation had recently been tarnished by the birth of an illegitimate child. Since they were the only friends he had made at the magic school, he had no one else to ask.
Rodin sighed heavily.
"I knew you weren't interested in us..."
"That's so like you."
"Right! That's so Harunen!"
As Rodin began to speak, Sion and Harris stepped up, packaging Sihyun's blunt demeanor in a more favorable light. The sharp gaze of the angry boy turned towards the two.
Sihyun bit his lip, wondering if he had been too indifferent to them. If he had known they would be upset over such a small thing, he might have inquired sooner.
Lee Hamin was petty, whether as Rodin or Hamin.
"So, which family is it?"
"Umm."
Harris seemed reluctant to tell, letting out a long sigh before finally breaking into a smile.
"Yeah, well! It's better to hear it from us than from others!"
"That's true."
"Yeah."
Surprisingly, the three boys agreed. Sihyun was taken aback by their willingness to reveal their prestigious families.
They certainly looked regal, but the three were really heavyweights.
First, Harris was the son of the Empire's prime minister, Rodin was the son of the royal guard captain, and Sion was the eldest of a family that had produced heroes for generations. It was a setup not even typical of characters in a novel.
It made sense that they attracted attention wherever they went. Until now, Sihyun had thought the looks were because he was an illegitimate child, but that might not have been the case. Perhaps the crowd was simply fascinated by this group.
Remembering the students of the magic school who scowled whenever their eyes met, Harris laughed awkwardly.
"Why are you so surprised? You're not insignificant either."
"Really. I thought you were so calm in front of us because you trusted the Lawrence family. But you just didn't know."
Rodin was still shocked by Sihyun's ignorance. Harris patted the back of the boy with the grudge, trying to smooth things over. Feeling somewhat guilty, Sihyun promised to pay more attention from now on and met Sion's intense gaze.
"Why?"
"I wondered if it might be a burden."
"What is?"
Your faces?
He had gotten used to them after a few years, but honestly, it was sometimes a burden. Sihyun wondered whether to tell the truth or offer a white lie. At that moment, Sion spoke.
"Just us."
Kids sometimes felt burdened once they knew about the families.
Sion's voice, heavy as a rock and calm as a lake, settled gently over the table. Sihyun chuckled inwardly, noting that Rodin and Harris were still focused on the conversation.
They really were timid in unusual ways.
"Not really. Is it okay for you to hang out with an illegitimate child?"
"......"
Sion blinked, surprised that Sihyun had casually dismissed his question.
That look was a burden.
Sihyun quietly finished his meal.
"I'm fine with it."
"Me too!"
"We knew you were an illegitimate child from the start, so why would we care now?"
The children responded positively, albeit a beat late. It was the answer Sihyun had expected.
Yes, neither he nor they had ever cared about each other's families. They had gotten along not because of their families but because they genuinely liked each other.
That would not change in the future.
"Then that's settled."
That was all that needed to be said.
With a simple conclusion, the children exchanged glances and burst into laughter.
Oh.
Sihyun took in the scene of Gunwoo, Hamin, and Haewoon all smiling broadly, realizing how precious this moment was in Kang Sihyun's world.
Gradually, the corners of his own mouth relaxed into a smile.
It was three months and two days after he had entered Deluan Academy.
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