ocean-life Chapter 2: I Became a Rogue Fox [2]
Chapter 2: I Became a Rogue Fox [2]
I objectively assessed what I had just done.
The youngest teaching assistant had come to the first research lab on an errand, but without permission, he sat in the professor's chair and scribbled on some documents. Not for official work, but for personal inspiration.
Hmm, this is definitely something to get scolded for.
And it wasn't even written on A4 paper.
The scattered documents in the research lab—I had used them without permission.
Of course, some of them might have been okay to use as scrap paper, but there was also a high chance that some were important documents.
'I'm doomed...'
I'm doomed. Absolutely doomed.
While I was busy berating myself, Professor Nam Hwa-yeon twitched her finger.
A faint blue light seeped from her fingertip. As magical energy was released, the scattered documents and desk were neatly organized.
Nam Hwa-yeon sat on the now-clean desk and looked at me.
Her mouth was smiling, but her eyes weren't. The dissonance made me break out in a cold sweat.
"Uh, I was just..."
"I know, you're the new recruit, right? Baek Seung-woo?"
"...Yes."
She already knew who I was.
Well, of course, since teaching assistants are chosen by professors, but in a situation like this, it was quite burdensome that she knew my name.
I wish she hadn't known.
While I was feeling the pressure, Nam Hwa-yeon looked at me with an expression of pure delight.
Right at that moment, she spoke.
"By the way, I'm curious about something. Hey!"
Nam Hwa-yeon, who had been sitting on the desk, hopped down.
She walked over to me and picked up the papers I had just scribbled on.
"What were you thinking when you wrote this?"
An unexpected question.
I had expected her to scold me for entering the professor's research lab without permission or to interrogate me about the crime of using documents without authorization.
But my confusion was short-lived as I answered her question.
"...The outdated documents caught my eye, so I tried to infer the rest."
"Outdated documents? Ah, you mean the lecture script for today."
The lecture script was filled with unfamiliar symbols, equations, and diagrams.
While reading it, I couldn't help but jot down the ideas and inspirations that flashed through my mind. It was an instinctive action, but it was clearly a mistake.
As I bowed my head in self-reproach, Nam Hwa-yeon lifted my chin.
"Huh? Why are you bowing your head? It's only natural for a mage to record their inspirations when they strike."
She patted my back as if it wasn't a big deal.
She affirmed my actions and continued.
"But what do these symbols mean? And what's this spiral shape?"
"...Well, I wrote that while inferring the missing parts of the document."
"...Huh? What did you say?"
As if she couldn't believe what she had just heard, she asked me again.
"The last part of the script was unclear, so I filled in the blanks based on my inspiration."
"That can't be..."
She looked at me as if I had said something absurd, but when I showed her the back of the script, she seemed to understand. However, she soon frowned.
Was there something wrong?
"Something's off. It's true that the back of the script is missing because I was reorganizing it, but originally, there should have been a magical formula written here."
"Huh...?"
This time, it was my turn to look confused.
Of course, I was confused. Based on what I had read earlier, it was only natural that the next part would be about the arrangement of magical energy.
But a magical formula?
Our opinions were at odds.
Realizing that something was off, Nam Hwa-yeon pointed to the documents I had written and said, @@@@
"Can you explain what you wrote here?"
"...Yes, I can explain."
Since it was the professor's request, I had no choice but to comply, but honestly, I wasn't confident.
I hadn't formally studied magic; I had just scribbled down my inspirations. How was I supposed to explain that? As if reading my mind, Nam Hwa-yeon added,
"If you explain it well, I'll overlook what you did here today."
"Yes, I understand."
I answered immediately.
So what if I hadn't studied magic? It was better to reveal my lack of knowledge than to get scolded by my superior, the professor.
I stood up and moved to the chalkboard on one side of the research lab.
With a piece of chalk in one hand and the papers I had written in the other, I cleared my throat. Nam Hwa-yeon watched me from the chair I had been sitting in.
It felt like our positions had reversed, but that wasn't important right now.
I copied what I had written onto the chalkboard and said,
"The script was quite long, but in the end, it all led to one conclusion."
Tap tap—!
Using the chalk, I drew dots on the board. Soon, I connected the dots to form several lines.
The lines represented constellations.
Sagittarius, Taurus, the Summer Triangle. Among others, I drew several constellations on the board.
The conclusion demanded by the script was astrology.
"While it's clearly defined now, ancient astrology was built on personal interpretations. I wanted to delve into that part, but there was no core explanation. So, based on what was written, I inferred the rest, and this is it."
The script had abruptly ended at the climax.
I inferred that this was what was written there and was confident about it. With that in mind, I drew a large diagram on the board.
Seeing the diagram, Nam Hwa-yeon tilted her head and muttered,
"...DNA?"
It was almost colourless.
If I had to name a colour, it would be a very faint sky blue. But even that was extremely faint.
[Double Helix]
[Grade: C]
[Description: A new magical energy arrangement method that did not exist before. Based on the structure of the genome, it amplifies magical energy by resonating spiral-shaped energy. As a byproduct of embodying the Microcosm, it is most effective when circulating magical energy internally.]
Magical Energy Amplification.
Two spirals intersect, resonating magical energy and doubling its amplification. The amplified magical energy affects skills and traits.
My concern about the status window's colour was short-lived, as what was more important now was the 'Double Helix' I had acquired.
Reading the description, I immediately understood what kind of skill it was.
It was a magical energy arrangement method that enhanced the efficiency and power of magical energy manipulation, magic, and skills. But did magical energy arrangement methods usually exist as skills like this?
I didn't think they did originally.
As I moved my eyes to read the description, I noticed Nam Hwa-yeon staring into space, rolling her eyes.
"Did you just acquire a skill?"
"Huh? Ah, yes. I just got one."
I answered absentmindedly while reading the skill details.
From a professor's perspective, a teaching assistant answering like that could be infuriating, but Nam Hwa-yeon looked at me with interest instead.
There are three main ways to acquire skills.
Using skill books or similar items to learn a skill. Acquiring a skill through training in a standardized technique. And creating a skill through new concepts or methods.
Most people acquire skills through training or skill books; creating something out of nothing is rare. But Baek Seung-woo had done it.
Nam Hwa-yeon looked at the new teaching assistant who had created a skill right before her eyes and thought.
'What's written on the paper is nothing more than childish scribbles without any standardized formulas. But the system recognized it as a skill.'
Judging by the completeness of what was written, it's clearly not a high-grade skill.
However, the important point here is that he created a skill entirely on his own.
"Can you tell me what kind of skill it is?"
"Yes, it's a skill called 'Double Helix,' a magical energy arrangement method that amplifies magical energy by resonating spiral-shaped energy."
"A simple and efficient skill."
Nam Hwa-yeon muttered softly after hearing the skill's description. I nodded in agreement.
The description of being simple and efficient fits perfectly.
As a C-grade skill, its effects were straightforward.
But its simplicity made it efficient.
By the way, I'll think about how to use 'Double Helix' later. Right now, I have another question for her.
"Um, Professor. Do you know what 'points' mean?"
"Points? You mean grades?"
"No. I got a message saying I gained 2 points when I acquired 'Double Helix.'"
I had been so surprised by acquiring the skill that I had forgotten, but along with the status window message about acquiring the skill, there was also a message about gaining points.
It was a concept I couldn't recall from the original work. I thought maybe the professor would know, so I asked.
"No? Are you sure you didn't misread it because you were so surprised about creating a skill?"
"...I guess that must be it."
"Right, don't work too hard just because you're the youngest teaching assistant. It's good to let out your inspirations like this sometimes. Or maybe you should just become my exclusive—"
—Thud!
The door opened abruptly, interrupting Nam Hwa-yeon.
A man with thick muscles that didn't match his neat suit appeared. It was the man who had grabbed my shoulder earlier and handed me the documents.
"Professor, you have a lecture at 3. It's time to start preparing."
His voice was completely different from when he had been irritable with me. It was the tone of a dignified gentleman.
But when he saw me standing in front of the chalkboard, his voice returned to the one I knew.
"You, why are you here?"
As if he had completely forgotten that Nam Hwa-yeon was here, he spoke to me in a scolding tone. No, it was closer to hysteria than scolding.
The man, whose name tag read 'Bang Seok-hoon,' grabbed me by the collar while growling.
"Didn't I say I'd kill you if you messed around? What are you doing in the professor's research lab?"
Bang Seok-hoon, holding my collar, dragged me along.
As he reached the door, he opened it and tried to pull me out.
I didn't know why Bang Seok-hoon was acting so aggressively, but I couldn't just stand still.
—Thud!
"..."
I planned to let go of my collar and resolve things through conversation.
But...
'I'm doomed...'
Why did I push Bang Seok-hoon back?
Caught off guard by the unexpected force, Bang Seok-hoon fell backwards. He must have never imagined that a new teaching assistant would lay hands on him, as he stared at me in shock.
Seeing that, I instinctively realized something.
The trait, 'Bluffing.'
Like an empty cart making the most noise, it was a trait that made one act tough without any substance. It had just been activated.
"...This is insane."
He quickly regained his composure and stood up. Bang Seok-hoon grabbed the back of my neck and lifted me up.
Then, he whispered softly into my ear.
"You're dead today."
"..."
Just as I thought I was in big trouble.
Bang Seok-hoon was about to kick open the research lab door while holding me up.
Right at that moment.
"That's enough."
Nam Hwa-yeon, who had been quietly observing, stepped between us.
At her words, Bang Seok-hoon's body shook violently.