A Veteran Teaches Very Well

part 21

Perhaps thinking that continuing this topic would yield no benefit, he quickly changed the subject.

“Ahem, I’ve rambled on. Let’s get to the point. I’ve heard there was a small dispute between Professor Cha and my students?”

“It was necessary.”

“Sure, a professor might be a bit rough when teaching students.”

Among professors, it was not uncommon for conflicts to arise when one carelessly touched another’s prized student.

However, despite claiming to care for my students, Jeon Tae-jin showed no affection for the third-years.

The third-years were merely tools for him to attack me.

“Senior, you can also be a bit rough in educating your juniors.”

“Did you say education?”

“Yes. There’s fundamentally no problem with freshmen entering the central tower.”

As Jeon Tae-jin said this, he looked around before continuing.

“But you see, human relationships don’t operate solely on principles. Professor Cha should have upheld the authority of the senior instead of belittling him in front of the juniors.”

The third-years nodded vigorously.

—

Jeon Tae-jin pointed at me and shouted.

“There’s no rule that says a freshman can’t enter the Magic Tower. But that’s a custom. A custom! I can’t just overlook the fact that the new professor completely disregarded Florian’s customs. You’ve disrespected Florian. Do you understand?”

“It’s not a custom; it’s a bad practice.”

“Ha!”

Jeon Tae-jin’s face twisted with anger.

Yet, despite his outward fury, he was likely reveling in it inside.

There was no way Jeon Tae-jin cared about the matters between students.

Custom? That was just an excuse.

What he truly wanted was to use Seo Da-yoon to harm me.

Even if he took a step back, Jeon Tae-jin would constantly provoke me, so it wouldn’t be a bad idea to settle this here.

“You said it was a custom. Combat magic and Seo Da-yoon!”

“Yes, yes….”

When her name was called, Seo Da-yoon flinched.

She hid behind me.

She looked like a frightened little animal, perhaps scared of Jeon Tae-jin.

Jeon Tae-jin spoke in an intimidating voice.

“Are you daring to disrespect the authority of your seniors?”

“No, I….”

“Get out! This is no place for freshmen!”

Seo Da-yoon stammered, on the verge of tears.

I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and said,

“Let’s stop this. You don’t have the right to expel her from the Magic Tower, Professor.”

“Right? Did you say right!”

“Yes.”

As Jeon Tae-jin shouted in an exaggerated tone, I felt a tremor in Seo Da-yoon’s shoulder.

What a despicable method.

At this rate, Seo Da-yoon might be traumatized and become afraid to even enter the Central Magic Tower.

As I pondered what to do, the professors of the Magic Tower approached us.

“Excuse me for interrupting your conversation.”

Familiar faces.

They are the young professors who usually oversee my training.

Inside, I cheered at the arrival of reinforcements.

“Who are you?”

“We are the faculty of Combat Magic.”

A look of dismay crossed Jeon Tae-jin’s face.

He was, after all, a person deeply involved in the study of magic.

In the research lab, Jeon Tae-jin was king, but the Magic Tower belonged to the realm of Combat Magic.

No matter how great a professor Jeon Tae-jin was, the influence of the Combat Magic faculty would inevitably be stronger in matters that arose within the Magic Tower.

“Professor Cha, may I ask what’s going on?”

“I hear there’s a custom that first-year students shouldn’t use the Central Tower. So, Professor Jeon is trying to expel my student.”

“Well, this is…”

Jeon Tae-jin’s expression hardened, perhaps unaware of the relationship between me and them.

Serves him right, that damned snake.

There’s an old saying that the arm bends inward.

Moreover, the relationship between the Combat Magic and the Magic Research departments could hardly be described as friendly, even in jest. Rather, they regarded each other as having a bitter rivalry.

Thus, Jeon Tae-jin only drew more resistance from my friends.

Since when have we been friends? From now on.

“The Magic Tower is a place open to all academy students.”

“Exactly. Who made up this custom?”

“It seems there are others who should be leaving.”

As the professors’ reactions grew hostile, Jeon Tae-jin seemed to sense the crisis.

He dropped his high-handed attitude and spoke.

“Listen, that’s not what I meant! What’s wrong with creating an academy where juniors respect their seniors?”

“What kind of respect is that?”

“Right.”

“It’s just that the upperclassmen have been throwing their weight around.”

“Hey, Professor Cha! What’s wrong with the custom of juniors respecting their seniors?”

As Jeon Tae-jin flailed, I drove the point home.

“What kind of senior can’t earn the respect of their juniors without such outdated customs? Among those who will become heroes, age and experience mean nothing. Respect comes solely from ability.”

“Is that so?”

Siiik.

Jeon Tae-jin wore a sly smile.

In that moment, I realized I had made a mistake.

The atmosphere shifted.

Jeon Tae-jin laughed heartily, as if to say he had never been cowardly.

“Professor Cha has awakened me. That’s right. Respect comes from skill! So let’s see what skills we have!”

“By skill, you mean?”

“Exactly. One of my students will duel with one of Professor Cha’s students, and the loser will be expelled. How does that sound to you?”

As if it had been prearranged, the red-haired student stepped forward as the representative.

“I’ll do it. Freshman, if you have any honor, accept the duel!”

Jeon Tae-jin had been aiming for this from the start.

No matter how cunning he was, directly confronting a professor was a significant risk.

He had planned to set the stage wide open and then slip away. If he won, he could humiliate me, and even if he lost, he wouldn’t suffer any real consequences.

In Florian, duels between students were absolute.

Perhaps this was something the combat magic professors could not interfere with, as they took a step back.

Seo Da-yoon looked at me with trembling eyes.

I took her hand and said,

“Decline. It’s a fight that will bring you no benefit.”

“I… I…”

Seo Da-yoon is weak.

No matter how strong she becomes in the future, even if she is a rapidly growing monster, she is weak now.

That is an objective fact.

Her opponent is a third-year student.

Though they are in the Department of Magical Studies, not combat, they are likely strong in practical situations.

But Seo Da-yoon is weak.

She lacks the strength to bridge the gap between upperclassmen and underclassmen.

She was facing an opponent she could never defeat.

Seo Da-yoon asked me,

“Professor… If it were Seria, would she have fought?”

Her voice was small, but I understood.

Resolution.

Within it, there was a firm will that Seoda-yoon had never possessed before.

Damn, why does it have to ignite at a time like this?

I shook my head, trying to remain calm, and said,

“No. If it’s you, Seri, you won’t engage in a losing battle. So stop with the foolish thoughts.”

I tried to act nonchalant, but I couldn’t prevent my voice from trembling slightly.

Seoda-yoon smiled with a glint in her eyes and said,

“I seem to know more about Seri than you, Professor.”

“…….”

“I will accept the duel.”

As Seoda-yoon accepted, the red-haired one wore a look of bewilderment.

It seemed they had never considered that a freshman would accept a duel.

The other professors looked at Seoda-yoon as if they couldn’t comprehend either.

Only Jeon Tae-jin laughed maliciously and said,

“Ahaha! That’s right. Yes. Truly the spirit of a prospective hero. Seoda-yoon, you’re better than your master. I’ll be your witness, so let’s set a time and place.”

Jeon Tae-jin, excited, began to chatter between the two.

A professor watching us from the side asked me,

“Professor Cha, I know that Seoda-yoon is a freshman in our department to some extent, but there’s no way she can defeat a third-year. I understand the feeling of a master overestimating their disciple, but your student isn’t that strong.”

“I know.”

“Then why did you just stand by and watch?”

Yeah.

It was a foolish act. I should have done whatever it took to stop it.

But I couldn’t.

After a moment of choosing my words, I conveyed what I had seen.

“Did you see the look in her eyes just now?”

“No. What about it?”

“They were shining.”

“What?”

I thought I knew Seoda-yoon well up to this point.

I thought I knew all the playable characters in this game well.

I’ve experienced everything within the game.

What each character excels at, what they struggle with.

How to nurture them, what should be avoided.

What pasts they carry, what future stories await them.

I’ve witnessed countless dialogues and the unspoken thoughts of the characters.

So I thought, if it were me, I could be an unparalleled understanding presence for them.

But today’s Seo Da-yoon is—

A Seo Da-yoon I do not know.

“How can a master stop a disciple with such a face?”

“Professor Cha…”

The oldest, Professor Park, spoke to me.

“Will you not regret this?”

“Perhaps I will.”

“Then why did you do it?”

Other professors expressed their doubts about my answer.

“But if I had stopped Da-yoon here, I would have regretted it even more.”

The younger professors reacted with confusion, but the more experienced ones nodded in understanding.

As if the conversation with the kids had come to an end, Jeon Tae-jin spoke up.

“This Sunday at 6 PM. To maintain fairness, only beginner magic can be used. Professor Cha, what do you think?”

“If Da-yoon is okay with it, I have no objections.”

“Ha ha! That sounds refreshing. Then let’s meet then.”

Jeon Tae-jin trudged out with the third years.

Seo Da-yoon hesitated for a moment before coming over to me.

“Professor… are you perhaps angry?”

It seemed she was troubled by my disapproval of her accepting the duel.

I gently placed my hand on Seo Da-yoon’s head and said,

“No, you did well.”

“Hehe.”

Seo Da-yoon smiled brightly. Professor Park chuckled along with her.

“Both of you are lucky. You have a good disciple and a good master.”

“Professor Park, shouldn’t we stop this now?”

“Not at all, those kids have already won.”

As the professors tilted their heads in confusion, Professor Park continued.

“What if they can’t even get into that tower? Those kids have gained something truly important. They’ve won with that.”

* * *

In a battle between wizards, the most crucial factor is the speed of casting.

Even a strong wizard can die if they allow a single hit while unprepared. Most wizards do not possess the robust physique of a warrior.

Thus, when wizards duel, they prepare in advance by completing the casting of four spells and reciting their incantations, ready to unleash them immediately.

Predicting the opponent’s moves and responding advantageously.

This is where the duel begins.

“Magic Missile, Shield, Haste. A little extra on top of that. Isn’t this enough?”

Seo Da-yoon suggested these three basic spells, the most versatile among attack, defense, and buff spells, which she must have studied diligently.

I understand her confidence, but it’s not the best choice.

“Da-yoon, your opponent is a third-year student. If you’re a freshman, they’ve probably already read your confidence in those three spells.”

“R-Really?”

“What will you do if that kid combines Haste with Wind Cutter?”

If my assumption is correct, the red-haired student will activate Haste right from the start.

The speed of Magic Missile is neither fast nor slow. If the wizard using Haste maintains a suitable distance, they can see it coming and dodge.

That alone can nullify Seo Da-yoon’s Magic Missile.

On the other hand, Wind Cutter is the fastest spell among the basic ones.

Even if Haste is activated, dodging becomes impossible.

If the red-haired student attacks with Wind Cutter, Seo Da-yoon will have to defend with Shield.

Once the red-haired student confirms that the Shield has disappeared, they will strike again with Wind Cutter.

And that will be the end.

Seo Da-yoon’s expression darkened as she seemed to grasp my words.

With a hesitant voice, she said, “Um, what if I close the distance to make it possible to win with Magic Missile?”

“Time is not on your side. The one who can take the initiative has no reason to wait for you.”

“Couldn’t I just offset Wind Cutter with Magic Missile?”

“Come on. Hitting a projectile isn’t an easy task. Hitting a fast spell with a slow one is even harder.”

“Isn’t it impossible?”

“It’s not impossible. But are you willing to gamble on that slim chance?”

I countered every argument that Seo Da-yoon presented.

Seo Da-yoon fell into deep thought, but perhaps unable to find a suitable answer, let out a groan.

In the end, Seo Da-yoon raised the white flag.

“So, you’re saying that Magic Missile, Shield, and Haste won’t work…”

“Right. The chances of winning are just too low.”

“Then what about countering accordingly? Bringing multiple Shields with me.”

How is that a counter?

Even if you block all the Wind Cutters with Shields, you still can’t win with just Magic Missile.

When I looked at Seo Da-yoon with a questioning gaze, she spoke up.

“Well, Haste’s duration won’t run out, right? If it’s a battle of stamina, we can win.”

Seo Da-yoon displayed unfounded confidence.

It wasn’t unusual for someone studying combat magic in the field to have better stamina than those in the theoretical magic research department.

But I had seen Seo Da-yoon languishing in the magic tower for days. She was definitely not in good shape.

As I shot her a skeptical look, Seo Da-yoon boldly declared, “I can do it!”

“Sure. Let’s say you can. But what if your opponent just runs away without doing anything?”

“Wha—? Ah…”

Seo Da-yoon seemed to realize what she had overlooked and let out a sigh.

This isn’t a fight limited to four spells. The red-haired one will prepare the next spell and make a move.

From that point on, it’s a battle of casting speed.

Casting is also a matter of skill.

Unless she has a few spells she’s confident in, engaging in a casting speed battle with the red-haired one would mean certain defeat.

“Then what should I do?”

“It’s simple. Use Wind Cutter instead of Magic Missile.”

“Ah…”

That sigh was more of a lamentation than a moment of realization.

The reason was obvious without needing to be explained.

I’m not confident enough to bring out the Wind Cutter in a real battle.

Seo Da-yoon asked, her voice trembling.

“But, Professor, isn’t there no guarantee that the opponent will only come at us with Haste and Wind Cutter?”

Seo Da-yoon’s question wasn’t from an optimistic perspective, hoping for a magic that would allow us to win by sheer luck.

She was anticipating the worst-case scenario.

I nodded lightly in agreement.

“That’s right. If it were me, I’d bring four shields. Or three shields and Haste.”

It was impossible to penetrate shields and deal damage with a Magic Missile.

Therefore, we needed to bring at least a fire attribute spell, which was the most destructive among the four elements.

But it was uncertain whether Seo Da-yoon could handle fire attribute magic properly in a real battle.

That settled the outcome.

If we stalled for time with shields and prepared other magic, there would be no way to win. The third-year student would undoubtedly be superior in casting speed and the variety of spells compared to Seo Da-yoon.

The essence of this duel was similar to rock-paper-scissors.

Seo Da-yoon could only play scissors and rock, while the red-haired opponent could play all three: scissors, rock, and paper.

Yet, even if it ended in a tie, the red-haired opponent would still win.

It was rock-paper-scissors, but even more unfair than the already unfair game.

Seo Da-yoon spoke in a voice barely above a whisper.

“Then, I’ll practice… so I can use other magic…”

She must have known it was a ridiculous statement, even as she said it.

There was no guarantee that the opponent would play according to our expectations.

They could use any spells, not just the ones I mentioned.

“What magic are you planning to practice?”

“Uh? I mean…”

“Wind Cutter? Fireball? Or maybe all the beginner spells?”

“Uh, um…”

It was clear that with the cards she currently held, she couldn’t win.

The problem was that there wasn’t much time left.

No matter how hard she tried, she could only master at most one spell.

It was time to make a choice.

“Alright, let’s start deciding. What kind of magic do you think the enemy will prepare?”

“I don’t know….”