Academy’S Gumiho Is A Magical Genius [EN]: Chapter 167

Academy Gumiho is a Magic Genius – Episode 167

Academy Gumiho is a Magic Genius 167

A Small Aftermath (2)

My old friend, Eve.

As I looked at her, her flowing white hair blurred my vision.

The snow-white hair, like that of an old man, was mine.

More precisely, it was the color of my hair before I possessed this body.

That wasn’t the only strange thing.

The biggest sense of incongruity remained.

‘My left arm is fine.’

Even my body is healthy.

The number of scars etched all over my body is similar, but the vitality I felt couldn’t compare to before.

This transcendent body is definitely the Sword Saint’s.

If so—

“—Did this space embody my original body? The clothes too, but somehow my Holy Sword is missing.”

“Because that’s not an item that can be realized even with my will?”

“Well, I guess so. The cost invested in that one sword alone was equal to the defense budget of the entire world. Moreover, all the artisans who participated in its creation are dead, so it’s a sword with a value beyond money.”

“Even the Sword Saint’s cherished sword? A concept that can’t be converted into money, something that can’t be easily projected into my mind’s eye, you say?”

The Holy Sword is a mystery that cannot be realized even in the mind’s eye.

No matter how much it is Eve, it was difficult to freely realize it in her mind’s eye.

But, you know.

“Your tone is more annoying than I thought.”

“My tone? Hmm, is something strange?”

“……”

A sentence that has been ending with a question mark since a while ago.

Unless Eve is trying to tease me, there must be a reason.

‘……Nothing comes to mind right now.’

What reason could there be to end every sentence with a question mark?

No matter how much I thought about it, nothing came to mind.

As I openly fell into thought, Eve covered her mouth with her hand and laughed.

Then, my consciousness, which had been focusing all its attention on thinking, turned to her.

‘She’s still pretty.’

Eyes sparkling like amethyst.

Snow-white hair like the first snow falling from the sky.

The small and delicate features were enough to make people admire that there was no doll in the world as beautiful as her.

‘But it’s none of my business.’

Eve is pretty.

But that’s not a reason to fall for her or treat her kindly.

My students are pretty enough.

My gaze at their beauty is like looking at a work of art. This feeling will not turn into a bittersweet emotion like love.

My heart is still full of my teacher to love someone.

There is no room to accept others.

“Why are you staring at my face like that? Even if it’s me, I’m embarrassed when you stare at me so seriously, you know?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. I know you’re flirting……”

……Or so I thought?

The moment I was about to answer that, I felt a very intense killing intent.

The owner of that killing intent was Eve.

‘Why are you showing such blatant killing intent…… Are you perhaps going to give me a hard time?’

Why are you suddenly giving me a hard time when we were just talking fine?

If there is anything special about the sentence I was about to say, it’s that it ends with a question mark because it’s a question.

No, that might be it.

“What kind of guy emits killing intent at a friend for asking a question?”

“Oh, you realized it quickly?”

“If you give such obvious hints, I can’t help but notice it soon.”

She’s emitting killing intent to prevent me from asking questions.

The fact that I always end my sentences with a question mark was clearly the reward I had obtained before, ‘Author’s Reply’ was certain.

“I was clearly expecting to do some kind of textual Zen dialogue [a philosophical exchange using paradoxical anecdotes or questions].”

“Why? Are you uncomfortable meeting me in person?”

“Rather than uncomfortable, I’m dumbfounded. Judging from your reaction, the reply is clearly one-time, but it’s possible for you to ask questions.”

“What can I do if that’s the clause? I couldn’t do anything about the parts related to the clause to arrange a meeting with you?”

“……No way.”

There’s such a flimsy condition?

At that moment of surprise.

I had a feeling that this might be a trap.

‘The condition is too flimsy. Gaps that can be easily derived with a little thought are usually loopholes.’

The opponent is clearly a guy called ‘System.’

If so, what does the opponent want?

To openly reveal information from our side?

Perhaps the system is likely spying on this conversation right now.

Maybe it really wanted me and Eve to use tricks to have a comfortable conversation…… There’s no possibility, right?

‘Whatever you want, you’ve twisted it well.’

Even if the opponent had no intention.

From the moment they created a situation where I would have these concerns, I could infer that the opponent was not an easy one.

When my head gets complicated, I become cautious in my conversations.

I might end up leaving this place without having the conversation I want with Eve.

“Is there a need to think so deeply?”

“…….”

“Wouldn’t it be a foolish choice that wouldn’t benefit either of us if you and I didn’t have a conversation here?”

“…….”

“I think it’s the same even if you and I leave out only the important conversations?”

“……Excluding important conversations is nothing more than socializing. Conversely, it becomes a situation where we are telling the opponent what content is important to us.”

Of course, by using this psychology in reverse.

It is also possible to confuse the opponent by lowering the value of the content we consider important and raising the value of the information we consider insignificant.

However, it became a worthless choice at a time when it was uncertain whether this trick would work on the opponent.

“Then there’s only one method left.”

“Let’s take out everything, things we can’t say, things we don’t have to say, important things, and confuse the opponent?”

“I haven’t finished speaking yet.”

“Ah, sorry, did I take the lead first?”

“Sorry my ass. I wouldn’t believe that.”

I scratched my head.

Whatever the apology, now is the time to explore what we will talk about with each other.

First, let’s ask about simple greetings.

I cleared my throat and smiled slyly.

“I don’t know how long it’s been. If my memory is correct, it’s been almost two months, no, three months.”

More than two months have passed in my time.

How’s the time on your side?

“Well, has it been that long since we met? Why does it feel like I met you just yesterday?”

“!!!!”

Like I met you just yesterday?

Does that mean that not much time has passed on your side?

Not even a day?

‘Time is an extremely subjective concept, but I never imagined that there would be such a difference.’

Two months and a day.

The gap is beyond imagination.

That means that 1 year here is less than a week on that side.

“……Yeah, has it been about a day?”

“Yeah, it’s probably about a day. I’m not sure though? Then, this time, can I ask a question from my side?”

Um, what should I ask?

She closed her eyes and pondered, then exclaimed, “Ah!” and asked me with an expression that she had thought of something.

“How’s your magic? Is your studying going well?”

“So-so…… Perhaps it would be too vague to express it that way. Thanks to studying all night every night, I have accumulated enough knowledge.”

“What about your level?”

“Intermediate magic has long been mastered. A few days ago, I had an opportunity to touch the formula of advanced magic, so it won’t be long before I master it as an advanced magician.”

“Your growth rate is faster than I thought. But still slower than me. Anyway, do you know how hard it was for me every time I used magic until now?”

“Yeah, even just digging into one branch of [Flame Magic] of elemental magic day and night was difficult. I was reminded of how amazing you were to be able to handle magic in all fields.”

As I purely praised Eve, her expression showed that she liked it. In the past, I had a tendency to underestimate magic.

In the world we lived in, magic was Eve’s exclusive property.

It was her authority and unique ability.

Because there was no object to compare it to, I didn’t think Eve’s magic was that great, but after learning magic myself, I realized how high her talent and skill were.

Even though I read magic books every day to accumulate knowledge.

Eve didn’t even have a proper book or a negative example.

After learning alone, studying alone, and practicing alone, she won the title of the strongest with me at the age of mid-20s.

It’s admirable.

But if I utter these words out loud, she will surely tease me, so this story was enough.

“There are many things I’m curious about, but let’s unravel them one by one.”

“Oh my, this is not a place to resolve your questions? Only one question. What we are doing now is not a question, but a simple conversation.”

“……Are you telling me not to forget my duty?”

“Do people usually say their inner thoughts so openly?”

“What’s there to hide between us?”

“Well, ‘we’ are, but you know that it’s not just us in this place right now?”

Yeah, there might be someone spying.

It’s a premise that doesn’t have much meaning now that we’ve decided not to hide it.

Then, well, I’ve simply relieved my feelings.

Shall we have a core conversation from now on?

“I have a lot of things I want to ask you.”

“Really?”

“But I can only ask one question. So if there’s anything you want to ask me, ask me quickly.”

I passed the initiative of the question to Eve.

I didn’t pass it on without thinking.

This was to distinguish the agendas she considered important and to understand how well Eve knew about my current situation and position.

It was also to allow her, who can ask questions, to start talking and have a more active conversation.

I’m in a position where I can’t ask questions carelessly.

“You’re passing the initiative of the conversation to me? Are you sick today? You usually hate situations where you don’t have the initiative.”

“Don’t ask questions with a sly smile while knowing my intentions. It’s annoying.”

“Well, it’s fun. Aren’t you?”

“It’s not fun, so let’s start quickly. I don’t have time to waste like this.”

This place is in Eve’s mind.

Even if we talk here for a long time, the time outside won’t flow, but it was true that there was no ‘time to waste.’

I have to survive in this world and see the ending.

She is acting as the Supreme Commander’s proxy in my place.

We both have a lot to do.

“Oh my, you’ve become a boring person, haven’t you? It was fun to tease you when you were a minor.”

“What are you talking about from so long ago? If you have time to say such things, I’ll start from my side this time too.”

“Okay, I’ll ask a question.”

Um…… What question would be good?

Eve, who was resting her chin on her hand and sitting on the floor.

As if to prove that this pure white world is her mind.

Before I knew it, the surroundings had turned into the ink smell of documents and a quiet and calm office.

A place where Eve and I often had discussions and small talks about the rule of the military state.

She took a sip of the coffee on the desk and finally looked at me with an expression that she had come up with something. Soon, the corners of her mouth went up as if she had found an interesting question.

“What do you think about the world you are in now?”

“……I hope that’s a question you asked sincerely, probably.”

“Yeah, I asked it sincerely?”

Goodness.

From the beginning, the subject of the conversation was core.

I decided not to hide anything, but isn’t this too blatant from the start?