The Woman Found the Will I Wrote

3 – Favor 2

Even I found it unexpectedly easy to utilize mana.

Whether it’s because this is my inherent ability, or some other force at work, I couldn’t tell.

It was as simple as breathing in and out to freely use mana.

‘… Is this even possible?’

In the novel, those with the talent to use mana are few.

And those who can actually use mana properly are an extreme minority.

‘But the way I use mana as if it’s only natural…’

I had a hunch that the talent I possessed was far from ordinary.

Elated by this, I continually made mana emerge in my hand, reveling in it.

Suddenly, a system message floated into my view.

*-*

[You have obtained Magic Mastery Skill.]

[Magic Mastery Lv:1]

-As level increases, both understanding and proficiency in magic increase.

*-*

Judging by the words ‘understanding’ and ‘proficiency’,

It seems that boosting them would not only improve my magic use but also advance theoretical aspects.

Attempting to grasp whether I’ve acquired magical knowledge,

I couldn’t think of anything at once.

‘Nothing springs to mind.’

I’m not sure if it’s because it’s level 1, but I could not think of anything right away.

I decided to check back on this matter in the future and moved my gaze.

‘I have about a week left until the exam. All I can do during this time is to train.’

Compared to when I used to work all day without going home for a month on a combined salary system at the company, I think it won’t be hard, so I brought forth the mana.

*

Repetition and again, repetition.

Whether it’s because of resentment towards every irrationality I had to endure for not having been diligent in my school days,

Or due to the resilience built from working at a crappy company, I can’t tell.

However, the fact that my magic training was evolving in real-time was quite enjoyable, and I didn’t notice the time fly as I repeated my practice.

Looking at the ‘Magic Mastery Skill’ floating beside me, I felt a significant sense of achievement.

Suddenly, my head turns blank as vomit surges up.

“……”

Judging by how the energy drained from my body, I seem to have exhausted my mana.

Having already faced this situation countless times before, I skillfully gulped down the mana potion beside me.

‘I’m really at my limit.’

Despite getting used to it, the overwhelming sense of lethargy, nausea, and headache would not let me adapt.

Resting my throbbing head, I paused for a moment before slowly getting up.

‘…I would have preferred to drink a potion before running out of mana, and repeat the process, but.’

I intentionally exhausted my mana due to what I read in the novel.

[It’s simple to increase the total amount of mana by consuming it.

However, to collect purified mana that is not ordinary, I must exhaust all the mana in my body and repeat the recovery process.]

This was content that emerged when the heroine, Lumi, received her first lesson from the Archmage.

This type of training is more effective and permits a stronger mana training, but the problem is…

‘It’s the supply of mana potions.’

To put it precisely, it was the cost of getting them supplied.

‘Even if it is a low-grade mana potion, it runs into several hundred thousand won in Korean currency. It’s a reality that most people cannot afford.’

If it were a question of drinking one or two bottles, it would be different.

Even the mana potions I have consumed so far exceed a fever.

By the time I finish training, I can’t even get a sense of how many bottles I will need to drink.

I drained every last mana potion, figuring there’s nothing more cost-ineffective than this training.

‘Since it’s not my money, let’s suck it dry as much as we can.’

Even the landlord told me to grow up by doing anything, so I don’t have much to say.

I think my stomach is more bloated because I keep drinking mana potions, and I manifested mana.

[Magic Mastery Level has increased!]

[Magic Mastery Lv: 6]

Skill level is rising smoother than expected.

I still don’t quite get the change in theoretical knowledge, but I’m satisfied as I feel more adept than when I first used it.

Rubbing my belly that feels like it’s about to burst, I slowly looked around from where I was.

‘Well, I guess I have increased the amount of mana…’

Now the most important thing is to acquire magic and practice using it in real-life scenarios.

I smiled bitterly while looking at the pile of books near the training ground.

In order to learn magic, I had to study its structure and principles, so I needed to examine this.

I opened a book thinking, ‘I haven’t even opened a book since my school days, but I’m opening one here,’

Fortunately, the language of the mainland is automatically translated and enters my eyes.

‘It’s just reading since I have been able to communicate from the beginning.’

Thinking that it’s fortunate, I calmly continued reading.

… To put it like results, it wasn’t difficult. In fact, it was easy.

From the components of the magic contained in the book to manifestation.

It took less than three minutes for me to understand and implement all this.

‘I don’t know why.’

It was absurdly simple.

So simple that I could hardly understand why this was even written in a book.

I was becoming increasingly aware of my peculiar magical talent.

Because there was nothing to compare with, except the description in the novel, I decided to just observe for now.

‘I should probably skim through all the books here.’

Since it wouldn’t take long anyway, I decided to do it and opened the book piled on top.

* * * * *

“You must be destined to unhappiness.”

That nearly cursed word was the first thing she heard from her adoptive parents who had taken her in as Rumi turned six.

“You cannot be happy or joyous, we truly only wish for you to be sad.”

As a young girl, she didn’t understand what they meant.

But she had fond memories of their kind smiles, the first time in her life, so she smiled along with them.

Unaware that it might be her last laughter of her childhood.

“Rumi, we’ve told you. Everything is the will of God. The fact that a worthless and meaningless child like you is alive is also by the grace of God.”

“I’m sorry… I won’t do it again. Reading books, looking out the window…”

“Rumi, you’re misunderstanding something. We don’t want you to regret. We simply want you to be unhappy.”

“…Yes, yes.”

“So focus on your unhappiness. That will make you chosen by God.”

“…”

“Now, let’s say it again today. Apologize for being alive.”

“I… apologize for being alive.”

“Good. Keep repeating that. That’s all you have to do today.”

Since she was adopted, she had been constantly interfered with and restricted.

They consistently wanted her to be unhappy.

The minute she was happy, they became furious and repeated punishments that were too gruesome to even imagine.

‘After it repeated for several years.’

At some point, it became a rule in her head that ‘you can’t let them see what you like’.

As soon as they found out, no matter what it was, it would be taken away and destroyed.

Therefore, no matter how interested she became or how much she liked something, she tried hard to pretend to dislike it and stay as far away as possible.

– Do not forgive it.

For the first time in her life, she became curious about a man who apologized… no, accused himself as the villain.

‘To be precise, it was not affection, but curiosity.’

Right, what could make her like a man who kidnapped her while brandishing violence?

So she couldn’t feel even a hint of affection from him.

But he was the first to apologize to her in her life.

And whether it was a recovery potion or not, she couldn’t help but be interested because she received her first gift.

‘And more than anything, I am not someone who deserves an apology.’

So I felt sorry for him, who apologized… No, that is a useless thought.

Wrapping his head, he didn’t even understand what he was saying.

The sounds of his foster parents entering the house were heard.

“If it weren’t for the Archbishop’s words, we wouldn’t have sent you to the academy… It’s truly a shame.”

“Exactly, if only there had been a little more time, you could have been completely ensnared in despair.”

The stories that kept coming after he entered the academy.

He had heard it so many times that it wasn’t surprising anymore, but he couldn’t help but be affected.

Upon hearing such stories, he held his breath and closed his eyes pretending he didn’t hear it.

– Don’t forgive me.

His voice echoed again.

What on earth did he mean by not forgiving him?

The more he thought about it, the more complicated his mind became, absently scratching the scars on his wrist with his nails before finally sighing and bowing his head.

‘Don’t pay attention.’

The moment he paid attention, whatever it was, it would break.

He decided to stop here and forget about it, shaking off the thought.

* * * * *