Academy’S Gumiho Is A Magical Genius [EN]: Chapter 148

Academy Gumiho is a Magic Genius – Episode 148

Academy Gumiho is a Magic Genius 148

Winter of the North (3)

The woman’s clear voice was devoid of emotion.

Not because we weren’t face to face.

But because it sounded like a machine, completely devoid of feelings from the start.

[Do you have no intention of using your own voice?]

[Well. Ahem, I don’t even know if I *have* a voice myself.]

“Then you probably do have a voice.”

[Yes? What makes you say that?]

“Well, why would that be?”

I returned her question with a question.

In fact, I had a reason to believe so.

If she were using that mechanical tone because she didn’t have a voice to begin with, it wouldn’t have been so awkward and clumsy that I could imitate it.

‘More than anything, there’s no reason to clear her throat in the middle. I guess it might be a technology closer to voice modulation than voice synthesis.’

And perhaps.

All of this could be a deception.

Don’t think of the other person as inferior or equal to you.

Right now, I’m below the system.

Consider him a constant.

As always, doubt and doubt again.

[I don’t feel the need to continue this lukewarm conversation. Let’s get to the point quickly.]

“Why? I want to talk more.”

[Don’t you have no time?]

“No, I have plenty.”

[Can’t you see the people around you dying?]

“I don’t dwell on those who are already dead anyway.”

After exchanging a word each, we could see each other’s attitude towards the conversation. We don’t have swords in our hands, but our tongues have grown blades.

The war of words had begun.

“I have many things I want to ask you. What is your gender, how old are you, what are your tastes, hobbies, abilities, weaknesses, etc.”

[You don’t even hide it.]

“There’s no point in hiding it. If so, it’s my preference to reveal everything.”

[A very unique taste. But it’s not a bad taste to take the lead in the game.]

“What are your tastes?”

[I do not have any personal preferences that could be called tastes.]

No personal preferences.

This implies a lot.

“Not being attached to the world and taking detachment from shackles as a virtue is part of the Middle Way to Nirvana [a Buddhist concept of balance and detachment]. Using the words ‘no preferences’ seems like an answer that deviates from morality.”

[I have never told a lie.]

“Then let’s make a contract. Then it will become clear.”

[…That was your purpose from the beginning.]

“Oh, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

With a nonchalant face and a slight smile, a voice with an absurd tone was planted in my head.

Even in the midst of that, there was still no emotion.

A feeling of using a tone *with* emotions by exquisitely adjusting the pitch.

If it were a normal person, I might have been able to deceive them, but not me.

And the other person was likely aware of that fact.

[…Okay. Then let’s proceed with the contract. Are you going to be the subject of the contract?]

“No, can’t you do it?”

[…You, who are so suspicious, are going to borrow my hand?]

“Yeah, I’m terrible at this kind of magic.”

As I answered, I felt a suspicious gaze from somewhere.

It seemed that this system had been observing my every move. A contract that distinguishes lies is merely a lower version of the contract I made with Tamamo.

So, I can make a contract as much as I want.

But the other person shouldn’t know that fact.

It’s normal not to know.

‘It seems I’ve been caught by a voyeuristic stalker.’

I expected it, but I didn’t think someone was really watching.

[All you need is lie detection, right? Here, it’s done.]

“……”

[Why don’t you answer?]

“Ah… It was done faster than I thought.”

No matter how simple the contract is, the magic I have learned requires more than 1 minute. It seems that this system’s contract is much faster than that.

I’m glad I asked you to do it.

‘I need to learn it by reverse engineering.’

A contract with a fast activation speed can become a strong shackle just by its existence, regardless of its content.

If I apply it well, I might be able to create interesting magic.

[Is that all? Then let’s talk quickly.]

“Yes, it was about the unfair contract.”

[Unfair contract?]

I wanted to savor this magic slowly.

But the other party was urging the conversation.

I can’t help it.

Since the other party is my superior, I have no choice but to comply here.

“You gave me a trait and then took it away because it was dangerous. Don’t we call that an unfair contract?”

[That’s ridiculous. I only replaced 「Conditional Sword Saint」 with something else as a price for your misdeeds.]

“Really? It’s not like you gave me that trait in the first place. I wouldn’t mind if you took it back. But arbitrarily replacing it seems very misleading, doesn’t it?”

[!!!!!]

Trait, 「Conditional Sword Saint」.

The system has never said that it gave it to me.

If I wanted it back, I should have emphasized that part.

If I infer why you didn’t bother to mention it.

“Why, are you jealous that Eve gave it to me? Or do you hate seeing me get stronger?”

[Ah, no. I’m just… !]

“Or are you anxious?”

The reaction is interesting.

Then the mechanical sound began to tangle little by little, and the presence that looked down on me from above began to fade.

The connection is gradually being terminated.

The timing is amazing.

I have to hurry, even if I don’t want to.

“Oh, I want to talk a little more. It seems that the other party doesn’t want to talk anymore. I have no choice but to get to the point.”

[……]

“Shouldn’t there be something coming if there’s something going in the world?”

There is no objection that the trait, 「Simgeomjido」, is definitely a good trait.

However, the story is slightly different if the comparison target is 「Conditional Sword Saint」.

“「Conditional Sword Saint」 is the strongest card that can be chosen by burning one’s life depending on the situation. I’m using it moderately now, but if I burn this trait to the limit, I can kill a 2nd class and defeat a 1st class.”

It’s an absurd leap.

Among the monsters from 1st to 10th class, the higher the class in the front, the greater the gap.

If the 4th class has the power to destroy city administration.

The 3rd class has the power to destroy a city and cause devastating damage to a country.

The 2nd class destroys a country and causes destruction equivalent to devastation to neighboring countries.

The 1st class threatens the very survival of mankind.

But now this little human was acting as if his power was comparable to the entire human race.

“But if someone takes that power away, what should I get in return?”

[…So.]

For the first time, in a light and refreshing tone.

I felt emotion.

The name of that emotion is displeasure.

[What do you want?]

Isn’t that obvious?

“Compensation in equal proportion.”

For reference, whether it is equal or not.

“Of course, I will judge the equal value myself.”

Smirk.

I smiled maliciously at the sky.

Even that smile was nothing more than decadent beauty as long as it was on Seungwoo’s lips.

How would it look to ‘that’ watching from beyond this sky?

[…I understand.]

“…It’s funny even when I say it, but isn’t it too hasty a decision? You don’t even know how I’m going to set the standard for equal ‘value’.”

[As long as it is ‘equal’, there is no need to focus on value. Take care of the rest.]

With those words, the mechanical sound that was cut off from my ears and the huge presence that looked down on me faded.

“What the hell are you trying to do?”

I thought the conversation was established with difficulty.

Rather, my head became more complicated.

There were so many things to think about.

‘I confirmed through conversation that the system has self-awareness. And it is highly likely that Eve gave me 「Conditional Sword Saint」, and the system places meaning on being equal rather than value.’

Damn it.

Why is it so complicated?

And what does it mean to take care of it?

While my head was complicated by the vague words.

“Um, what is this again?”

Why do only incomprehensible things happen like this?

As I swept my face with my hand with that thought, I realized that my left hand inside the glove was sparkling.

I took off my glove.

Then, I could clearly feel the magic engraved on the back of my hand.

‘Remnants of the contract.’

The contract that the system made to distinguish lies just now.

That fragment has transformed into this form.

“Are you telling me to say the conditions here?”

I see another strange guy.

Why are you solving things in this way when you can just say it?

It was funny to see him acting like someone being chased by something.

“Before the contract is finalized, there is still a grace period left. I’ll do it after that.”

I decided to continue thinking about the system later.

It’s not like it’s going to be solved by thinking about it now anyway.

Now is the time to continue dancing with the sword.

* * *

The land of the northern part of the empire, famous for its mountainous terrain.

In the center of the land where the northern wind and snow raged, there was a flat land and a light pink barrier covering it like a lid.

The barrier was a type of great magic to fix the city built on the flat land to the level of spring weather.

Anyway, next to that flat land, there was a wide hill in a slightly higher place.

And what was built on it was the viscount’s mansion.

It was also called a castle in the vicinity.

The tallest and largest building in the north is a place that receives praise from all citizens.

Therefore, it was natural for the knights who guarded the place to feel pride in that fact.

Except for today.

“Run away!!! The viscount’s guest is crazy… Ack!”

“The guys at the main gate are all dead! Knights who can fight, hurry up and block the path!! Never let him reach the place where that person is!!”

“Vice Commander! I’ve brought all 80% of the knights that can be operated right now.”

“Good! You stand in line too. We’ll stop him here!!”

The pride of the North was hurt.

A fountain of blood splattered everywhere, and in the center was a man clutching a cursed katana [a Japanese sword often associated with dark or supernatural powers].

“…If you had run away, you wouldn’t have died right away.”

“We are the knights of the North. We never run away!!”

“The guys who don’t run away turn a blind eye to the danger of the citizens. To think there are such foolish rabble in the world.”

“Th, that’s…”

“Shut up!! We are the viscount’s sword. Being loyal to his words is directly related to the future of the North!!!”

“You fanatic. That’s why a moron like Termia is born.”

The man, who no longer felt the value of mixing words, swung the katana roughly. Nothing special was felt.

「刈(Beguile)」[Likely a sword technique name, meaning “reap” or “mow down”]

A very basic.

Very simple sword movement.

But there was no one who could respond to that movement.

At least not among the knights guarding the mansion.

Whoosh!

A simple sword path that did not cut through the wind or was surrounded by a powerful sword aura.

At the end of it were countless faceless faces.

I might have killed at least 100 people.

I was surprised because the number was smaller than I thought.

The knights seemed surprised in a different sense.

“You children who are weaker than scarecrows. If you surrender now and go down to the civilian houses, I will spare your lives.”

“!!!!!”

“Re, really…?”

“Don’t be fooled! It’s the words of a demon who has brutally killed hundreds of colleagues while coming here!! The one who opened spring in this cold land did not allow the entry of that person. Hurry up and draw your sword and swing it!!!”

Ugh!!!

The shouts of the men are heard.

As if trying to drive away fear and fill it with courage.

The armored knights who shouted were only seen as weak people who admitted that they were afraid.

“It’s a pity.”

「貫(Penetrate)」[Likely a sword technique name, meaning “pierce”]

I will send away those who do not come close.

I, who have no mercy to bestow on those who rush at me with a sword to protect the inside of the mansion, pierced the abdomen of those who came running.

There is no trivial mystery or enlightenment.

Only death dwells in the sword.

The gap between them and me is wider than my broken body, so the cursed sword pierces through shields and armor.

Eventually, it pierced through the ribs and lungs, and even the wall of the mansion located behind him.

Extreme penetration.

That is the sword style of 「Penetrate」.

‘And depending on how you use it.’

Bang! Bang─!! Bang──!!!

The thin and long sword pierced the wall of the mansion several times.

Oak trees containing the cold of the North.

Rocks on the snow mountain that have been in place for hundreds of years.

When all the core pillars that held the center of the mansion, no matter what it was made of, were penetrated, the mansion.

Tilted.

Began to collapse.

That way, the corpses began to be buried naturally.

‘It’s my first time trying it, but I’m glad it worked out well.’

─Young master! You seemed familiar with it for something like that?

‘Ah, I’ve done it a few times with people’s spines and lumbar vertebrae. Fortunately, it was a similar feeling, so I was able to do it easily.’

─…I’ll listen to you from now on, young master.

‘Really? Do as you please.