Chapter 420

The concept of the division began to emerge in the 18th century, when the scale of the military started to grow, but in Name’s previous life, it was already an existing organization.

Two powerful factions: the Human Alliance and the Demon Alliance.

The war structure centered around superhumans with a tactical value of 1 to 100.

Even the Kaizen Empire, with a population of 80 million, formed about 40 divisions, while the Salvamonium Demon Alliance exceeded 100.

In fact, during times when total war reached its peak, even young nobles in their 20s were often appointed as division commanders.

Therefore, in the memories of the emperor’s youngest daughter and the Demon Lord’s only granddaughter, division commanders would likely remain as mere individuals who pour a glass of water, regardless of their race.

“I never really talked to them.”

Name was about to leave the visitation room, leaving Shin Yeon-ho, who was trembling in fear, behind.

Seeing the emptiness of the table, Name whispered a word.

“Water.”

“Huh?”

Name showed an uncomfortable expression towards Uncle Two-Star, who tilted his head in confusion.

“Thinking about it, I feel like I will be thirsty if I only drink cola. Is there any water here in the visitation room?”

“Oh, oh, there’s probably a water purifier on the first floor. I think I saw it while coming up earlier.”

“Yes, it’s on the first floor.”

“Alright, they said it’s on the first floor. If there are no paper cups, ask Major Park here to get some from the storage.”

“Did you hear that? Oppa, I’m leaving now. Have fun. Alright, let me know when So Wol Unnie’s visiting is done.”

Name waved her hand and hurriedly ran down the stairs first.

Shin Yeon-ho shouted at the stars following her with all his might.

The look in the eyes of the battalion’s chief warrant officer watching Shin Yeon-ho was unusual.

That day, the private became a legend in the unit.

He accomplished the incredible trifecta of ‘asking generals to leave the visitation room,’ ‘requesting water from a division commander,’ and ‘asking the battalion commander to bring a paper cup.’

“I didn’t say that!”

To quell the mischievous rumors spread by the chief warrant officer, Shin Yeon-ho had to spend a total of 200,000 won at the store.

* * *

The officers did not hesitate to work on a sweet weekend.

To send them back home again, we had to go outside the unit.

So, to digest the chicken I had earlier, I took a walk with Uncle Murphy.

“How’s your father doing?”

“He’s doing well. He might be taking a nap right now.”

“He must be very happy to have a cute daughter.”

“I don’t know about happy, but he suffers a lot. I have a lot of things going on. How’s your sight?”

“Haha, my eyes? They’re great, I feel like I’ve been reborn. Living without seeing the flow of nature is so painful.”

“Glad to hear that.”

In fact, anyone who has experienced war develops the habit of obsessively reading the flow of mana.

If it gets severe, it can lead to PTSD.

“Does your father not talk about the war?”

“The war? He’s never brought it up.”

“Maybe that’s the right approach. Remember the war, but forget all the feelings from that time.”

“That’s living wisely.”

Suddenly, Murphy clapped his hands together with both arms.

The migratory birds resting were startled and took off.

“The mood is too gloomy. I brought up too heavy a topic! So, you’re not attending school these days?”

“I dropped out.”

“You must feel a bit regretful.”

“If I feel regretful, then yes. But I don’t think I’ll regret it.”

“That’s a tough dilemma. Regretful but not regretting.”

“I don’t think the Academy is the right place for me. As you can see, I’m not exactly normal compared to others.”

“Our friend. School is a place to learn and understand differences. Do you miss your friends? Then go to school. Don’t want to see your friends? Then don’t go. But if you want to see them again? Then you go again.”

“Simple enough.”

“I think school simplifies this complex world. If you don’t experience trial and error when you’re young, then you’ll definitely cause problems when you’re an adult. If you really don’t want to attend a Korean academy, would you want to come to the U.S.?”

“Excuse me?”

“There’s Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts. It’s a high school but offers college-level courses, and various practices take place on a vast campus of 600,000 pyeong. If you enjoy learning, you can have the best experience you can’t get in Korea.”

I searched for the academy on my phone.

As Murphy said, the academy occupied an enormous area all by itself.

For a moment, I was amazed by the scale of the United States.

Seeing my interest, Ulysses Murphy kept talking.

“If you’re well-prepared, you might even be able to enter as a 12th grader right away. For specific subjects, if you get a level 7 on the placement test, they’ll grant you credit right away.”

“Essentially, it’s a school where you can graduate just by taking tests.”

“Well, according to school rules, you do receive a diploma. However, U.S. federal law requires that you complete at least 36 credits a year to be legally recognized in the U.S. It’s a good school, so really many friends keep attending after they graduate.”

“It seems like you graduated from Phillips Academy too, Murphy.”

“Haha, was it too obvious?”

“I’ll think about it. But I don’t want to be abroad for too long.”

Above all, my dad and Saetbyeol are in Korea.

When I think about whether it’s an attractive option to leave my family, it doesn’t seem like it is.

“Still, I don’t want to be someone who couldn’t even graduate elementary school.”

Cecilia graduated from college at the age of 11, two years ago, and I thought she was really living diligently.

Before I knew it, we had completed a lap on the walking trail and returned to the starting point.

“Minister Murphy, I have two last things I’m curious about: one is a light question and the other is a serious question.”

“Of course. I want to hear the light question first.”

“How did you get the title of the world’s strongest battle mage?”

“Hmm?”

“Battle mages are important strategic resources tied to the nation, so they don’t recklessly engage in battles. That’s why national exchange matches are held only under the age of 16.”

“True, that’s right. You know that very accurately?”

“Then how come people call each other the strongest without ever having faced off?”

“Hahahaha! Wow, that’s a question I never expected.”

Murphy burst into laughter.

His answer was surprisingly simple.

“Countries may not face each other, but battle mages do undergo training. They probably do it secretly in Korea as well.”

“Is it a kind of duel?”

“It’s similar yet different. Every state has different rules as well, which change every year, so I find it hard to explain clearly. Do you want the nickname of the strongest, Name?”

“No, well… I wouldn’t say I dislike it.”

“In fact, it’s mostly a memory from nearly 40 years ago, but during my heyday, there was no one in the U.S. who could rival me. Being the strongest in the U.S. was tantamount to being the strongest in the world. How’s that? Does it explain it?”

“That was a cool answer balancing pride and arrogance.”

It’s a statement that can only be made because the U.S. is a superpower.

“What’s the other one?”

“Before I ask the other one, I have another question.”

“Okay. I’m really glad the conversation is flowing at the end. What are you curious about?”

“What’s a way to prove that I’m a superior mage compared to you right now?”

This time, Murphy took some time to ponder.

Defining a superior mage is difficult.

They might know the theory of magic better, create useful unique magic, be excellent at reading mana, or show talent in combat magic.

It seemed Murphy understood my intent.

I was subtly suggesting a little game to him.

Ulysses Murphy, now over 70 years old, must have been incredibly strong given that he still maintains his impressive muscles.

“There’s a level 3 magic called Ventus Papillon. It’s usually not cast as a regular spell, but is often used as a wide-area spell.”

“Ventus Papillon? I’ve never heard of it.”

“It’s magic from the 18th century.”

Ventus controls fluid, particularly air.

Papillon means butterfly in French.

Ulysses Murphy took out his simple magic formation tool and demonstrated.

He gently tapped what looked like a wand on the ground.

[Level 3 Wide-Area Spell: Ventus Papillon]

Immediately, a gigantic magic circle with a diameter of ten meters appeared above our heads.

I stepped back a few steps to memorize the structure, runes, and detailed spells of the magic circle.

“Do you know the term ‘butterfly effect’?”

“Yes.”

“Interestingly enough, there was a Baron Papillon in 18th century France. The magic invented by this Papillon happens to perfectly match the definition of the butterfly effect. Take a look.”

He gathered a bright orange aura around his eyes.

With eyes glowing like a nighttime beast, he strolled beneath the magic circle.

He stopped his steps and lightly tapped one part of the magic circle with his wand.

From that point, the entire massive magic circle was sucked in, and the mana surged upwards like smoke into the sky.

Mana, rising like a dragon, circled around before sluggishly shooting up and finally disappearing from view.

“Is that it?”

“Just wait a moment. Patience. Patience is important. Alright, now!”

There was no sound.

Suddenly, fog began to rise in the sky, expanding in size.

Clouds?

The cloud-like formation gradually took shape.

A three-dimensional heart-shaped cloud was floating in the sky.

“Hahaha. It may seem trivial, but the magic has its shortcomings and requires the caster to read the atmospheric mana very accurately, to create larger and more magnificent shapes, the margin of error has to be minimal.”

In summary, it was an 18th-century cloud firework.

“Where did you find something like this? I feel like I haven’t seen it even in encyclopedias.”

“I found it in the library while looking for old materials. Now it’s your turn, No Name.”

“Okay.”

I set the output of my simple magic formation to maximum.

Designing the magic circle was not difficult.

It was within the level that middle school knowledge would be sufficient.

[Wide Area Spell: Ventus Papillon]

Once again, a gigantic magic circle spun above my head.

However, perhaps because I’m short, Ulysses Murphy’s head peeked through the magic circle.

He moved aside, and I slowly found my position beneath the magic circle.

I concentrated my aura to the limits of my eyesight and began to read the mana flow.

The world was connected by flows, and the flow was continuous without interruption.

Even the act of humans artificially manipulating the flow through magic is a part of the flow created by nature.

There were whirlpools constantly circling in place, trying to rise up, and vast areas where mana seemed to barely touch.

I roughly understood the principles.

When I release the mana, it will diffuse along the flow.

If I let go of mana here, I have to predict exactly where it will reach.

I hesitated to reach out for a moment and then searched for another spot.

As I pondered for about five minutes, the wide-area magic circle began to fade.

No matter how perfectly I tried to find it, I couldn’t.

Was luck trying to show me that it’s also part of a mage’s skill?

I didn’t agree, but still, I couldn’t afford to lose the bet.

With my smallest pinky finger, I poked at the magic circle.

Shwoosh—

The mana ascended into the sky like a boa constrictor, climbing far away.

And exactly where I looked, a cloud seed burst forth.

“A cone? No, this is, ohhhh.”

At first, it was a cone.

The cone was attached to an animal’s head.

A thick neck appeared underneath the head, followed by two front legs.

The shape of an animal racing through the free sky.

“It’s a unicorn.”

Time was limited, so I only manifested the upper half of the unicorn.

Gently rubbing my stiff neck from looking up at the sky, I faintly smiled.

This was the first time I felt lucky.

* * *

“Well, since I’ve won the bet, I’ll answer your questions sincerely. What was your last question?”

“Am I in danger right now?”