Backstab
I was so frustrated.
I just asked about the average pace of learning magic because I didn't know any better. How could they call me a braggart for that?
Dumbfounded, I wrote another post.
[Author: I'mActuallyDirtPoor]
[Title: Seriously, tell me what the average pace is, dammit;]
[Content: I'm new to magic, so I have no idea.]
As soon as I posted it, a comment popped up.
L: DieIllegally: Want me to tell you if you're really clueless?
“Oh.”
He was famous in the forum as a mage.
So I replied immediately.
ㄴ: IAmActuallyDirtPoor: Yeah, tell me.
He frequented the forum, but it was rare for him to leave comments, so I wouldn't have another chance to ask.
Of course, I could ask Silvia, but... wouldn't that be embarrassing?
It's a bit like asking how good I am.
With that thought, I waited for a reply.
And after a while.
ㄴ:DieIllegally: You're a freaking genius.
A comment popped up.
And the moment I saw it, I got a little excited.
Me, a genius?
I was disheartened that I didn't have any talent after coming to this world, but I had a talent for magic?
It felt like I had become someone amazing.
And not just a genius, but a freaking genius.
No, not just a freaking genius, but a goddamn freaking genius.
A genius certified by 'DieIllegally,' the famous mage of the forum.
I couldn't help but feel my pride swell.
But then, a comment popped up.
ㄴ: HiddenExplosion: Go to sleep.
“Gasp.”
She must have been browsing the forum.
There's no way she could have replied so quickly otherwise.
So I went straight to bed.
I had a feeling I would get in trouble if she told me to sleep and found me awake.
With that thought, I closed my eyes.
*
The next day came, and it was time to learn the second volume of Fundamentals of Magic.
To be honest, I didn't feel like studying at all since I had already finished the second volume just by skimming through it in the morning.
But what could I do? I had to do what I was told.
With that thought, I got up, took a shower, and went down to the first floor.
There I saw Silvia, who was already eating.
“Ah, good morning.”
“Hmm.”
Silvia was already finishing her meal, muttering something as she got up.
It must have been honey candy.
I saw her enjoying it the other day.
Silvia seemed to be quite wealthy.
To think she could casually eat candy that costs ten thousand won each.
As I was dipping my bread into the soup, thinking about how different our worlds were, I noticed Silvia staring at me.
“..Is there something you need me to do?”
I felt a little prick of conscience and asked, but Silvia shook her head.
And so began an uncomfortable meal.
As I was stuffing bread into my mouth, not even sure if it was going down my throat or nose, something came to mind.
I decided to ask Silvia this time.
“Um, were you up all night yesterday?”
“...Yes.”
“How did you reply to my post so quickly?”
“The forum has a lot of useful information, so I sometimes browse it.”
Silvia explained the usefulness of the forum without me even asking.
She probably didn't want me to know that she spent a lot of time on the forum.
But I wasn't particularly surprised.
Because I knew that Silvia used to spam the forum with posts about her daily life.
Knowing that made Silvia seem a little cute.
Well, it's not like I could pat her head, so I just smiled.
“Then shall we go up? It seems like you're done eating.”
“Ah, yes.”
I wondered why Silvia wasn't going up, and it seemed like she was waiting for me to go up with her.
I was going to eat and then slack off a bit by browsing the forum in the bathroom, but...
Feeling a little disappointed, I went up to the third-floor lab and started studying.
I had a feeling today's studies would be quite boring.
Fundamentals of Magic II.
Honestly, it wasn't that difficult.
But I couldn't call it easy.
Because if I said it was easy, she might give me something more difficult.
So, I sat next to Silvia and studied the second volume of Fundamentals of Magic.
And
“Hmm, I'm a bit hungry. Is there anything you'd like to eat? I'll go buy it from the village.”
Silvia glanced at her stomach and then looked at me.
“...Then, just some tanghulu.”
“Ah, okay.”
Honestly, I still couldn't understand why there was tanghulu in this world.
Of course, there must be tanghulu in China, but...
'Is there?'
With that thought, I took some money and headed back to Baruk District 3.
The mansion was nice and all, but it was inconvenient that I had to go back and forth like this every time I wanted to buy something.
As I arrived at the gate of Baruk District 3, I saw the guard with the same expression as always.
I guess I could say hello to him next time if I came here a few more times.
With that thought, I lowered my robe and went through the security check.
Naturally, I had nothing to hide.
“You may pass.”
“Ah, thank you.”
Passing through the gate, I checked the map and headed towards the tanghulu shop.
Tanghulu, made with sugar and fruit, was considered a high-class treat in this world, so it was located in a rather expensive area.
It was to the left of Amelia's general store.
“Here I am again.”
I still remembered the time my hand got swollen because of that iron ball.
'I hope nothing strange happens this time' - with that thought, I entered the tanghulu shop.
It was quite cool inside.
Perhaps because it was a shop that sold high-class food, they were maintaining the coolness with magic.
To prevent the sugar from melting.
As I thought that, I placed my order.
“One Lafchimon tanghulu, please.”
Lafchimon was a fruit found in this world.
It was like a cross between an apple and a pineapple.
It was a very delicious fruit.
“Here you go.”
“Ah, thank you.”
I took the packaged tanghulu and left the shop.
To prevent the tanghulu from melting here, I needed freezing magic.
So I poured mana into the freezing magic formula.
And then-
Whoosh!
The bag containing the tanghulu became incredibly cold.
It felt like it would freeze over any minute, but that was because I had adjusted the formula a bit.
If I hadn't, the tanghulu would have frozen solid.
As I walked out of the village with the tanghulu, I looked around.
Since I had always been in Lukphelton, the scenery of Baruk was quite unfamiliar to me.
It was a good experience.
There were children playing soccer, and people selling fruit, just like always.
Well, the scenery in Lukphelton was similar, but the difference was that there were more people stealing in Baruk.
And at that moment.
Right before my eyes, I saw some kids using the classic tactic of distracting the fruit vendor and stealing his fruit.
The fruit vendor chased after them, leaving his stand unattended, only to have the rest of his fruit stolen as well.
There was a reason why such a classic tactic still existed.
It worked.
I remembered getting caught doing something similar in the past and getting beaten to a pulp by the guards.
It was a memory.
Thinking about it, I approached the fruit vendor who was chasing after the kids who stole his fruit and handed him some money.
“They're pitiful, so please bear with it.”
“...Alright.”
The fruit vendor was quite calm.
Instead of yelling at the kids who stole from him, he calmly pulled out a club from his right hand.
If he hit them with that club, their heads would probably be smashed.
I couldn't just stand by and watch, especially since it reminded me of my past.
The physical difference between a child and an adult was huge.
If I hadn't intervened, their heads would have been crushed.
Feeling proud of myself for doing a good deed, I turned around.
Thwack!
The kids who had stolen the fruit earlier were now running away with my money pouch.
That money pouch, by the way, contained 24 gold.
In other words, those little bastards had stolen 2.4 million won.
The moment I realized that-
I immediately poured mana into the Flame Wind formula.
And a moment later.
Whoosh!
The place where the brats were running and the place where I was standing were both scorched black.
Naturally, the brats who were running away collapsed on the ground, writhing in pain.
They wouldn't die from this.
I had controlled the firepower. But the more I thought about it, the angrier I got.
“Argh, this is so frustrating.”
After all that, trying to do a good deed by giving the fruit vendor some money, they saw that and stole my money pouch?
Feeling annoyed, I approached the collapsed brats and gave each of them a good knock on the head with my strength-enhanced hand.
And then.
I suddenly remembered the tanghulu.
“...Ah, crap.”
The tanghulu had melted into a formless blob.
Join our discord server for the latest release updates and novel discussions.
Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Bonus chapters on reaching milestones.
Happy reading!