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“As you may have suspected,” John Wesley began, “the reason I asked to meet you today is in hopes of recruiting you to join the British Magic Association.”

The tables had turned. In the Magic Competition, John Wesley had been a judge, and Min-Hyuk had tried to impress him. Now, John Wesley was trying to impress Min- Hyuk.

“We are very impressed with your research methods. Your theories are unconventional, and most Wizards would not try to broach topics such as Shape Change, Double Casting, or Mana’s memory. We believe that with the right resources, you have the talent to pioneer a new era of Magic. We have a proposal for you.”

Min-Hyuk had received deafening praise since the moment the competition was over. He waited to see what else John Wesley had to say.

“We have drawn up a contract with terms and conditions,” he said, pulling some papers from his bag.

He began to read aloud: “If Min-Hyuk joins the British Magic Association as a researcher, he will receive a yearly salary no less than ten million pounds. He would have free access to all British Association archives and research. We want to position at least five researchers under Min-Hyuk to assist and help advance his work. If the offer is accepted, Min-Hyuk’s status within the Association will be Gold Class. Min-Hyuk will have complete independent authority over his work, except the suggestions of the Association’s president.”

John Wesley looked up from the papers. It was an unconventional contract.

Free access to the British Magic Association’s 100 years of knowledge and archived research alone was an incredible offer. But John Wesley said they would also give Min-Hyuk Gold Class status.

It was unbelievable.

There were only three Wizards who had Gold Class status, and John Wesley was one of them. The British Magic Association fully recognized the potential Min-Hyuk had to change the world. But Min-Hyuk’s reaction was subdued. He was unimpressed by these conditions and did not even bat an eye at the offer’s amazing terms.

John Welsey examined him.

“Min-Hyuk,” he said, this time talking from a personal place and not reading from his papers, “I know you have only started studying Magic. Three months is not a long enough time to have mastered even the basics of First Circle Magic. Maybe it is not my place to say it, but you have more to learn before having the responsibility and expectation of greatness thrust upon you. If you would like, I could teach you the basics of Magic myself.”

Min-Hyuk smiled faintly. John Wesley was a powerful Wizard, and to have him as a teacher would be a great learning experience for anyone.

But no matter how powerful and knowledgeable John Wesley was, Min-Hyuk had access to 2000 years of knowledge from Klinssman’s world that John Wesley simply did not.

Min-Hyuk said calmly, “John Wesley, this is an incredible offer, but I have no intention of being recruited at this time.”

John Wesley’s face fell, “Has someone already recruited you?”

Min-Hyuk said, “No. For the time being, I plan to continue studying in the Department of Magic. As you mentioned, I need to lay some more groundwork, and I don’t think I need to change my learning environment. Your offer from the British Magic Association is excellent, but I don’t need those resources right now. Winning the competition has provided me with more than enough money to fund my own research to stay in the Academy. After all, this is where all of my current research and growth happened.”

John Wesley looked at the young Wizard.

“I feel like there is more you would like to say to me. Min-Hyuk, keep talking.”

Min-Hyuk was quiet for a long moment, then said, “Even though I will not be joining them, I would like to have a good relationship with the British Magic Association. I have heard the Association completes hundreds of research studies a year. I would like you to consider this offer: if there is a study done that cannot be completed with the skills of the British Magic Association, please let me try. Who knows what a fresh pair of eyes might add to a study that has reached a roadblock? Of course, I would have different terms for each study that I would participate in. But this way, we could maintain a positive relationship.”

Min-Hyuk had given this a lot of thought and would be extending similar offers to other organizations as well. He thought building positive relationships and demonstrating skills in conjunction with. Still, separately from, numerous organizations would help build a reputation that would eventually help him find his own recruitments for his Research Tower.

He was already planning for the future.

John Wesley could see no reason not to agree to this plan. He also thought a mutually positive relationship would benefit both Min-Hyuk and the British Magic Association.

“Okay, we have an agreement. But Min-Hyuk, our offer still stands. Whether one year has passed or ten, you will always be welcome to join us. The Association would even be willing to offer more benefits if that would sway you. For now, though, we will accept your offer.”

Min-Hyuk smiled and sipped his tea.

***

Min-Hyuk met with other representatives from other organizations and always said the same thing:

“I will remain in the Department of Magic to study for one year. During that time, I will not accept recruitment offers. Please respect my decision.”

It was a notification of his intentions rather than a conversation.

As time passed, rumors circulated through the Department of Magic.

“Is Min-Hyuk for real?”

“Of course, he is. How can you win the Magic Conference if he’s not? I think he’s a genius.”

“Did he cheat? He’s from the Guardian Gate—they are powerful enough to create any outcome they want anywhere.”

“Yeah, but to them, Min-Hyuk is a failure. He’s the fallen successor. Why would they help him cheat?”

Some people admired Min-Hyuk, but others were jealous.

Before, Min-Hyuk was of little interest, but now he felt like everything he did was recorded. All his research, where he came from, even what he ate for lunch that day.

Soon, there was a class offered about Min-Hyuk. Min-Hyuk himself wasn’t taught himself, but it was about his research techniques involving Shape Change and Double Casting. It was taught by none other than Professors Hak-Boem Lee and Phil-Doo Kang. It was taken by first-year students and everybody else who wanted a piece of what was popular.

There was also one change Min-Hyuk found particularly peculiar: girls. They had never seemed to take notice of him before, but now they always seemed to be trying to get his attention.

Disregarding all of the changes and rumors swirling around him, Min-Hyuk attended classes and studied diligently.

One day, while studying, he took a break for a moment. He sat upright in his chair. He stretched his back and rubbed his neck, only now noticing he must have been hunched over his book.

“This chair is so uncomfortable,” he said to himself. He briefly reflected on the Department’s years of poor funding and furniture that had to be years older than the professors. Then it was back to work. He pulled a notebook out of his bag and resumed reading.

The next day, Min-Hyuk walked into a classroom he did not recognize.

“What the—”

All of the desks and chairs had been replaced overnight!

And they were not cheap replacements—each one must have been very expensive.

The Head of the Department entered the classroom.

“Before you begin class, I wanted to check in with you about the new furniture! The German Department of Magic heard that students complained about our outdated and uncomfortable desks and chairs and made a generous donation that you see in front of you now. Min-Hyuk, is this chair satisfactory?”

Min-Hyuk had not realized that this dramatic change had been because of him.

“Is the German Association trying to bribe me?” he asked.

The Head laughed.

“There is no reason to be concerned. It was a gift. They want you to be comfortable while you study. Why waste time and concentration caused by simple discomfort?”

With that, he left.

Min-Hyuk thought about what he said.

Everyone was trying to win his favor. But he had told them all he would study for one year. They knew his terms. Because of this, there was no reason to reject the German Association’s gift.

He settled into a chair and pulled out his notebook.

***

A few days later, Min-Hyuk woke up in Klinssman’s world.

He had been waiting for this day.

‘Where am I?’ he wondered. ‘Is this a classroom?’

It was the same room he found himself in the very first time he had woken up in Klinssman’s body. That time, he focused on how he was feeling and did not have time to look around.

This time, however, the fear and shock of inhabiting another person’s body had passed, and he was able to absorb his surroundings.

There were desks and chairs all around him, but most of them were empty.

‘Maybe they are taking a break.’

Min-Hyuk looked at the book on the desk in front of him. It was called ‘Second Circle Magic’.

It was a spellbook. He flipped over the book and saw a list of topics covered inside that was completely different than anything he had heard of before. In his world, Second Circle Magic was still considered pretty low-level stuff, but this…

Although it looked unfamiliar, Min-Hyuk could tell it was powerful information.

Klinssman’s intention in bringing Min-Hyuk to this class was clear. He wanted Min-Hyuk to read this book and learn the things inside.

Min-Hyuk opened the book and began to read. He was so absorbed in what he learned; he forgot where he was. Other students filled the empty desks, and the professor began to teach, but Min-Hyuk took no notice.

He read and read until he thought he understood.

Suddenly, he remembered where he was!

“Uhh…” he muttered. He looked around, embarrassed, but nobody seemed to notice his inattention—including the professor.

Min-Hyuk’s thoughts began to drift back to what he had read. This new information made what he had learned last time seem trivial. And what he had learned last time had been groundbreaking for his world…

The last time he found himself in Klinssman’s body, he was in a library. The librarian had said that students of the Royal Academy were free to browse the spellbooks. He wondered just what else he might be able to learn…

He looked around again at Klinssman’s classmates. Was the information he had learned from this textbook something they already knew about? Or was this a higher-level Magic Klinssman alone knew about? And if so, how did he find it?

The professor broke his train of thought, saying, “Next class will consist of individual training sessions in the Mana Room.”

Some of the students groaned.

Min-Hyuk did not know what the professor meant.

He leaned over to the boy at the desk next to him.

“The Mana Room? What’s that?”

The boy looked at him like it was the dumbest question he had ever heard.

“The Mana Room? Really? Do you think I’m some dum-dum? Fuck off.”

With that, the boy left.

This was not the answer Min-Hyuk was hoping for.

Min-Hyuk decided to see if the book had any information on it instead. The book said: “The Mana Room is a space composed of Mana. It is used for Magical focus and growth. It was developed by Aleksandr Dovzhenko, the Archmage who revolutionized Magic as we know it.”

‘Magical growth?’ Min-Hyuk wondered.

Klinssman was showing him a way to strengthen himself and start gaining power.