Genius Wizard Hides His Sword Skills [EN]: Chapter 18

18. Welcome. Is this your first time at the Magic Tower? (2)

Noah Grentel. It was her again.

“Oh! Senior?”

Drew smiled happily.

“Are you out for dinner?”

“Yes! It’s my first day, and I thought I’d look around.”

“Good idea. The food at the restaurant is much better than the cafeteria.”

Drew’s eyes widened at those words.

“The Magic Tower cafeteria was delicious too! How much better is the restaurant?”

“Ias is famous for its fresh ingredients. As a port city, there are plenty of ingredients coming in by ship.”

“Wow! Then can you recommend just one restaurant? Oh, no. If you haven’t had dinner, would you like to join us?”

Drew’s expectant eyes were directed at Noah.

“Sure. I have something to do, but I need to eat anyway.”

Noah nodded.

‘Ah, this is uncomfortable.’

I couldn’t help but feel uneasy. The fact that she was a descendant of the Pentagram [a powerful and influential magical lineage] was uncomfortably lodged in my mind.

[Well, what could happen?]

I sighed softly and moved my feet. Noah and Drew were already far ahead.

“Hurry up! Ian!”

Following them, we walked a little further into the market, and the smell of the sea became stronger.

“Young masters! Eat here! We’ll treat you well!”

“It’s the same no matter where you go!”

“Our place is the best. Come this way!”

The women waved at us. Drew’s head turned busily at their calls. It was his first time experiencing this, so he didn’t know what to do.

But this small confusion felt like vitality to me.

‘Yeah. This is the taste of life.’

It was a vibrancy I couldn’t feel in the boring life of a prestigious family. Just as I was enjoying that feeling.

“Here it is.”

Noah’s hand pointed to a store.

“It just looks ordinary?”

Drew tilted his head at the shabby exterior. Noah grabbed our wrists and led us in.

“This is the oldest and best restaurant. If you wait a little longer, there won’t be any seats left.”

“Oh! Then let’s go in quickly!”

As soon as we opened the restaurant door, the smell of various foods stimulated our noses.

‘Oh, smells good.’

The delicious smell made me smile. It was more than enough to satisfy Oberon.

[Wow, the atmosphere here is amazing.]

‘I know. It’s totally old-school.’

The interior, which looked like something from a thousand years ago, caught my eye.

“These days, this old-fashioned feel is popular. Let’s sit down quickly.”

Only two tables were left. We took a seat at one of them.

“What can I get for you?”

The owner unfolded the menu with a friendly smile.

“Give me this, this, and this.”

Noah finished ordering for us, who were here for the first time.

“If you eat it later, you’ll think you made the right choice to come here.”

“Yes! Senior!”

Drew’s eyes were sparkling.

“You don’t have to call me senior. Call me ‘nuna’ [an affectionate Korean term for older sister].”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I’m seventeen. Are you fifteen? Sixteen?”

“I’m fifteen years old!”

“Amazing. To enter the Magic Tower at fifteen. Well, Delema might be able to, but there aren’t many fifteen-year-olds from other families.”

Drew’s face turned red at Noah’s compliment.

“Thank you, Senior! Ah, I mean, Nuna!”

Of course, my help was hidden in the background of fifteen-year-old Drew’s admission.

“What are your names?”

“Ah, I’m Drew Gibson.”

Drew winked at me.

“I’m Ian Delema. Senior.”

“I told you, you don’t have to call me senior?”

“Ah, I’m more comfortable with this.”

Noah shrugged. It wasn’t because she was a descendant of the Pentagram and didn’t want to get close, or because she was concerned about the hierarchy.

There can be younger seniors, but there can’t be younger ‘nuna’s.

‘Sigh. If I were married, I’d have a daughter like you.’

I had lived a combined 50 years in my past and present lives.

‘I can’t call you ‘nuna’.’

[That’s right.]

Only Oberon chuckled. Fortunately, the awkward atmosphere quickly disappeared.

“Here you go. Enjoy your meal!”

It was thanks to the food the owner brought out.

“Wow, this place is really the best!”

Drew shouted, drooling. Steamed fish and grilled shellfish. And even seafood stew.

‘Wow, this is really amazing.’

I was also drooling.

‘Are you telling me to eat this without a drink?’

It was natural for me, who used to be a heavy drinker, to think of alcohol.

[It can’t be helped. You’re still a child. Hold on until you’re eighteen.]

‘Hoo. It’s hard to wait three more years. Next time, I’ll have to think about how to get alcohol.’

While I was lost in thought looking at the food.

Creak!

The restaurant door opened again.

“Oh, who is it? Isn’t that Ian?”

Our eyes all turned to that side. Two familiar faces, as cliché as the comment, were entering.

“Macduff?”

Drew frowned as he picked up the food.

[Troublemaker?]

But my gaze was fixed on the other person standing next to Macduff.

‘Burey…….’

It was another red-eyed boy.

[That guy was Alphon’s son, right?]

The son of Alphon Delema, the fifth child of the current head of the family. In other words, my cousin was two years older than us.

‘I heard he entered the Magic Tower two years ago.’

I didn’t have particularly good feelings for him. No, there was a time when I wanted to beat him up. He was the one who always bullied me, calling me a cursed child.

‘He’s already met Macduff.’

It was no exaggeration to say that Macduff learned to do bad things from that guy.

“Ian. You entered the Magic Tower, but you didn’t come to greet your older brother?”

Of course, I couldn’t give him a good look.

“Oh? You still glare like that? It’s been a while since you’ve been educated.”

Burey smirked and approached.

“Hyung [Korean term for older brother], punish him properly! He bullied me so much at the academy.”

Macduff was elated, backed by Burey.

‘This guy hasn’t come to his senses yet.’

[That troublemaker is still the same.]

I tried to ignore them first. I didn’t want to argue in a crowded place.

“Just go away.”

“The way you talk, I can’t just go? As an elder of the family, I have to give you some family education.”

I couldn’t help but sigh.

‘Hoo. What am I going to do with this guy.’

It was when Burey finally walked to our table.

“Just leave him alone?”

Noah’s cold gaze was fixed on Burey. It was a fleeting moment, but.

‘What is it?’

Burey’s eyes were definitely shaking.

“No, Noah? Why are you with these guys?”

The guy recognized Noah.

[They must have known each other before.]

‘I guess so. Their age and year of admission are the same.’

Noah, still sitting, snapped at Burey.

“Burey. Without even looking, I bet you’re picking on this kid.”

“……What’s it to you! It’s none of your business. Get out of here!”

“I’m having dinner with them right now. If you don’t want to be embarrassed in front of your younger brothers, you better just leave?”

Mana [magical energy] flickered at Noah’s fingertips.

Whoosh!

A small flame formed.

‘Oh…….’

A darker aura of flame than Macduff’s. But the color was as blue as water.

[Is that Blue Flame?]

The blue flame settled on Noah’s hand. Burey’s face, reflected in the flame, looked particularly pale.

“……Th, this!”

“Are you going to leave? Or do you want to be humiliated again?”

In the end, Burey backed down.

“I, I came here to eat!”

The guy shouted for no reason and headed to the last remaining empty seat.

‘They must have fought before.’

[That guy was as much of a troublemaker as that brat.]

Burey glared at me for no reason and ordered food without saying a word.

“Thank you. Senior.”

“You’re welcome. Let’s eat.”

I thanked her, but Noah picked up the food as if it were nothing.

‘Blue Flame…….’

I couldn’t help but be more conscious of her existence.

Blue Flame.

It was an area that was only allowed to those whose magical talent for fire surpassed genius.

‘Let’s just eat for now.’

It was when I picked up the food in front of me.

Creak.

The door of the store opened once again.

“Welcome…….”

The owner, who was about to greet the customer, turned his head away as if he hadn’t seen him.

‘Is he a beggar?’

Ragged clothes and tangled hair. A face covered in dirt. I wondered if he was about fifteen years old.

“Sir. Please help me with a penny.”

Soon, the boy approached the nearest table and begged.

‘That’s too bad.’

I couldn’t help but feel sorry for him, as I had been like that once.

“Get out of here, you dirty thing.”

Of course, the beggar was treated coldly. He immediately moved to the next table and began to beg.

‘I’ll have to give him some money if he comes here later.’

[Well, whatever.]

The look of pity was only temporary. Finally, I took my first bite.

‘Ha, I should have a drink with this.’

Just as I was desperately thinking about alcohol as the juices of the fish spread out on my tongue.

“You dirty thing!”

In the end, the incident happened at the table where Burey was sitting.

“Oh my! I’m sorry!”

“How dare you come near anyone!”

Was he venting his anger at Noah, or was it because of his nature?

“Sa, save me!”

Burey was kicking the beggar mercilessly.

“That nasty guy…….”

Noah muttered lowly at the sight. Thud. Soon, Noah got up from his seat and walked towards Burey.

“Why don’t you stop there?”

“What’s it to you?”

“You don’t have to hit the powerless!”

Noah pushed Burey away and went to help the beggar up.

“Are you okay?”

Then, Noah rummaged through his pockets and gave him money. Burey could only huff and puff at the sight, but he couldn’t say anything more.

“Take this and get out of here.”

“Th, thank you.”

The beggar limped out. Noah glared at Burey once and returned to the table.

“Don’t worry about guys like that, let’s eat.”

But what stimulated my nerves was a different point.

‘Wasn’t that guy just now a little suspicious?’

[I agree. He doesn’t seem like an ordinary beggar.]

Because of the boy’s movements when Burey kicked him. Every time his foot touched him, he twisted his body to minimize the impact.

‘Burey’s kick was sloppy, but his movements weren’t normal.’

He pretended to be hurt even though he wasn’t hit. He couldn’t fool my eyes.

[Well, maybe he just took the hit on purpose and ended it? There’s no point in getting involved.]

‘I guess so. That’s right. Maybe I’m being too sensitive.’

It must be because of the habits of my past life, when I always had to be on edge. Thinking so, I turned my head.

‘Then let’s taste the food again.’

* * *

“Well, I have somewhere to go, so I’ll go this way. See you later.”

After finishing the meal, Noah headed inside the market.

“Hoo. Thanks to Noah Nuna, I ate well. But that Burey hyung was really scary. I didn’t know if the food was going in my nose or my mouth.”

Drew, with various sauces on his mouth, expressed his fear. He ate so well that it was hard to believe.

“It’s better not to get involved with those kinds of kids. You’ll just get dirty.”

It was when we were getting out of the market alley.

“Hey. Cursed bastard.”

As soon as we got out of the alley, we were greeted by Burey and Macduff.

‘I knew it, they ate quickly and ran out…….’

They must have been waiting for us to separate from Noah on purpose.

“What are you doing coming to the Magic Tower? Do you think you’re good enough?”

Burey came up to me and tapped my shoulder. As expected, he didn’t seem to want to let me go easily.

“Go your way. I’m busy.”

“What? What did you say?”

Burey’s face was contorted as he grabbed my collar.

“Noah isn’t here to help you. Why are you dragging other people into family matters in such a petty way?”

The guy’s flickering eyes weren’t scary at all, but.

‘Ha. He’s really annoying me.’

It definitely made me uncomfortable. But I couldn’t just punish him, so there was something I had to check first.

“Are there any disadvantages to students using violence against each other in the Magic Tower’s regulations?”

Burey laughed at the question. He put more strength into the hand that was holding my collar as if to show off.

“Are you going to report me for grabbing your collar? But what a pity? Once you get out of the Magic Tower, the Magic Tower won’t interfere with anything. Do you know what that means? There’s nothing to protect you in this city. From now on, you’ll taste hell throughout your Magic Tower life.”

One side of my mouth curled up at those words.

‘Oberon.’

[Yeah.]

‘You just said it’s okay to cause an accident, right?’

[Yeah. That’s right.]

‘Then I should teach him a lesson, right?’

[Adonis wouldn’t just stand by and do nothing.]

Burey shouted at my sneer.

“How dare you make that kind of expression? I’m going to educate you today.”

The guy put his arm around my shoulder and pulled me to one side.

“Follow me with a smile.”

Macduff could be seen beyond Burey. He was so excited that his mouth was hanging on his ears.