The Return of The Mythical Archmage [EN]: Chapter 391

After that, using the Dream Stones, we created a total of three training areas. We made private training areas so that Adela, Soonchan, and I could train separately.

“See you later.”

“You both have a hard time~ We’ll go ahead first.”

Adela and Elena moved to the training area first, creating a heartwarming atmosphere. It was quite a sight to see them holding hands, laughing, and chatting as they headed to the portal. It was like a mother and daughter going grocery shopping together.

“We’ll go ahead too then.”

Asran said indifferently, with his arms crossed.

“Let’s go.”

Behind Asran, Soonchan stood with a blank expression—an expression as if his soul had left his body. If I were to describe that expression in two words, it would be ‘despair’.

“Don’t be such a drama queen, you dullard,” Asran frowned. “I’m going to reform your weak mentality.” He glared at Soonchan fiercely, as if saying that.

“Follow me. I’ll instill some tension into your lazy mind.”

“Uwaaaaaa.”

Asran grabbed Soonchan by the scruff of his neck and dragged him away.

“Noooo. I don’t wanna goooo! Ughhhh.”

It was like watching livestock being sold off to the slaughterhouse.

‘Seriously… what a contrast.’ A pair like a mother and daughter going on an outing, and a pair like a torturer from hell and a prisoner. Two pairs as contrasting as black and white.

“Noooo. Save me…” Soonchan couldn’t even finish his last words and was dragged into the training area.

“Your friends. They’re much more interesting than I heard.”

After the four of them disappeared, only Tei and I were left in this place.

“The shield friend has funny reactions…” There was a strange glint in Tei’s eyes.

“The cool beauty friend is just… all fun. Everything about her. Everything.” Eyes full of desire. He looked like a researcher who had discovered the ultimate research material.

“Why didn’t you tell me you had such a friend beforehand?”

“…I think I did mention it.”

I definitely did say it. That among my friends, there was one with exceptional talent. I said that he would probably be surprised if he saw her.

“You just said she was talented. You didn’t say she was a monster.”

Tei licked his lips with a brighter expression than I had ever seen.

“How is her body structured? She’s not a successor of the Byteiner style [a specific magic style], but her mana structure is so similar.”

Joy. Delight. His expression was filled with such emotions.

“Will I be able to find out if I talk to her next time?”

“…”

I looked at Tei and thought to myself, ‘Elena was right.’ Before, Elena had said this: ‘If Tei finds out about Adela, he’ll definitely do something.’ Elena was right. Tei’s extreme reaction. If I leave him like this, he might do something to Adela, like how he made Mimir have nightmares in the distant past of the Empire, just to satisfy his curiosity. He might do something bad to Adela too.

‘I need to keep an eye on him.’ I need to keep an eye on Tei so that he doesn’t do anything unnecessary to Adela. I should also tell Elena. Then, nothing bad will happen.

“Then, let’s go too.”

I finished my thoughts and turned towards the training area I was assigned to. And just as I was about to take a step.

“Wait a minute.”

Tei grabbed my shoulder, stopping me in my tracks.

“Let’s watch for a bit before we go.”

It seems his interest in Adela is quite high.

“You’re curious too, aren’t you?”

“…Well.”

It would be a lie to say I wasn’t curious. I’m also curious about how much Adela and Soonchan have grown. ‘Especially Adela.’ Just like the senses that have grown by another dimension in a week, her magic must have improved dramatically. How far has Adela reached now? I’m very curious.

“…Then, shall we watch for a bit?”

I know it’s not good to get distracted at such an important time, but curiosity is curiosity. ‘Seeing how much they’ve grown will be another motivation for me.’ I justified myself and agreed with Tei’s suggestion.

“I knew you’d say that.”

Tei licked his lips again, a very pleased expression.

“Then, I’ll display the internal videos of the shield friend and the cool beauty friend’s training areas.”

Tei gathered the green mana swirling around him and formed it into the shape of a screen. Two screens were created. On each screen, the figures of Adela and Soonchan appeared.

“Perfect timing. It’s a highlight as soon as it’s turned on.”

“…”

The atmosphere around Adela and Elena is unusual. A tense atmosphere is flowing, as if they are about to fight. On the other hand, the atmosphere around Soonchan and Asran is very calm. It seems they are trying to proceed with basic training before sparring. They are just facing each other and exchanging opinions.

“The situation is unfolding in the opposite way than I expected.”

I thought the two would be in opposite situations. I never imagined that Adela’s side would have a fierce atmosphere, and Soonchan’s side would have a calm atmosphere.

“Elena has a bit of a reckless side. On the other hand, Asran is cautious.”

Tei took a seat directly in front of the screen showing Adela.

“Now, shall we watch?”

At the same time, Adela on the screen began to move. As if responding to Adela, Elena also moved.

“How that monster will defeat the monster.”

The battle between the two began.

* * *

The first training space. Elena was looking at Adela in front of her with a pleased smile.

“Excellent control. Now you can handle the forest’s mana without my assistance.”

She smiled at the gray and green mana swirling around Adela’s body.

“It’s still very clumsy.”

“It’s not clumsy. It’s just not fully completed yet.”

Adela says it’s clumsy herself, but Adela’s control now is by no means clumsy. Adela is reproducing everything she has learned so far at 100%. Adela’s control now is perfect.

“…Isn’t something that’s not completed, clumsy?”

“It’s completely different.”

The reason why Adela feels that her own achievements are clumsy is because she is looking at a much further future. For example, it’s like a mage who has just reached the 5th Circle [a level of magic mastery] looking at the magic of a 9th Circle mage and saying that they are clumsy, even though they are using perfect 5th Circle magic that matches their own achievements.

“Adela, you’re only looking too far ahead.”

“…Is it bad to look at the future?”

“Yes. It’s bad.”

Dreaming of the future, thinking about the future. Normally, it’s not a bad thing at all.

“At least for you, it couldn’t be worse.”

But that doesn’t apply to Adela.

“You only look too far into the future. You need to face reality and know how to stand still. But you’re only trying to move forward constantly.”

Adela is only looking too far into the future—not even the near future, but only obsessively chasing the far future.

“You shouldn’t do that.”

It’s like constantly blowing air into a balloon. Just like a balloon will burst if you keep blowing air into it, Adela will also explode someday if she continues like this.

“You need to learn how to be content with the present.”

Being progressive and being hasty are only a hair’s breadth apart. Currently, Adela is hiding her haste under the name of growth. It’s definitely not a good state.

“But if I’m content with the present, then…”

Of course, I understand Adela’s feelings. With the battle against Veil Stole coming up in two months, it’s inevitable that she’s feeling impatient.

“I’m not saying you should be content with the present for the entire two months. I mean that you need to let go of everything and rest for a few hours a day.”

Asran said that the most important thing for training is ‘mental strength’. Elena doesn’t like Asran’s educational theory very much, but she agrees with that statement to some extent. Mental strength is the foundation and pillar of training.

“Simply put, you don’t know how to rest.”

But she only agrees to some extent. She doesn’t agree 100%.

“The most important thing in training is quality rest. You’re not getting proper rest right now.”

Mental strength is important, but it’s not the ‘most’ important thing. The most important thing in training is rest. Strong mental strength is the pillar of training, but rest is the foundation that supports that strong mental strength.

“But, with your personality, you won’t rest properly even if I tell you to.”

“…”

Adela was silent. It was too true to say anything back.

“So, I thought, what could be a way to make you rest properly?”

Green mana flowed out of Elena’s body.

“There were two answers.”

The vast green, befitting her title of ‘Forest Mage’, filled the surroundings.

“One, by instilling confidence in you, so that you can’t have anxious thoughts during rest.”

The reason why Adela is not resting properly now is because of ‘anxiety’. If she keeps resting like this, she feels like she will regret it greatly in the future. She needs to try a little harder now to prepare for the future catastrophe. She needs to be able to help Shin Hayul even a little bit. These anxious thoughts are preventing Adela from resting.

“So, I’m going to instill confidence in you.”

If this anxiety is resolved, this problem will be resolved to some extent.

“Through today’s sparring, I’ll let you know how amazing the magic you’re learning is. Then, your anxiety will disappear a little.”

The magic Elena uses is the magic that Adela will use in the future. The more amazing Elena’s magic is, the less impatient Adela will be.

“And furthermore, I’m going to let you know how ridiculously talented you are. You’ll naturally realize it after you beat me.”

While fighting, she will naturally realize it—how ridiculously talented she is. Once she realizes that, her anxiety will surely disappear in an instant.

“Of course, I’m not going to let you win on purpose, so it will be difficult at first.”

No matter how talented Adela is, it won’t be easy to beat Elena, who has regained her prime body. It will take at least a few weeks to restore Adela’s confidence.

“So, until you reach the level to beat me…”

The atmosphere of the forest reversed. From a calm mountain-like atmosphere to a rugged wilderness-like atmosphere teeming with beasts. The green mana emitted a force that seemed to tear everything around it apart.

“So that you can’t have any other thoughts during rest…”

Goosebumps ran all over Adela’s body. It was like seeing a monster in the form of a forest opening its jaws in front of her.

“I’ll force you to sleep.”

This is the second method Elena thought of: forcing her to rest. If she faints, her random thoughts will naturally disappear. If she cares for the fallen Adela with ‘Forest Magic’ and stabilizes her mind, she can force her to have quality rest.

“Watch closely. This is…”

The green mana instantly formed the shape of a forest. The thorn bush lanterns that Adela had previously handled, and many tree spirits that she had only seen in books, were also visible.

“My magic, and your future.”

Thus, the training area became a forest.

“9th Circle Forest Magic.”

An ancient forest filled with all sorts of rare plants that no longer exist in this world.

“The Primordial Green.”

In her prime. The best magic that made Elena Ro Greenwood who she was, the Primordial Green. That magic, after 10,000 years, began to fill this era once again.