Training Addict Magician in a Growth-Focused Story

Chapter 21

“It's a cursed sword.”

Kito, who had quietly approached Leon and was observing the wooden sword with him, spoke in a low voice.

“A cursed sword?”

“I can’t be entirely sure, but the strange flow of mana surrounding that sword... it could only be a cursed sword.”

Leon’s expression stiffened upon hearing that. From his understanding, weapons labeled as cursed swords typically had negative effects on their wielders.

They could drive a person to madness or force them into soul-binding contracts, among other things.

While Leon furrowed his brows and stared at the wooden sword, a small piece of the light brown surface, already cracked, fell off.

And what was revealed beneath... was a darker brown wooden sword.

“....”

Leon tilted his head to the side, staring blankly.

Was this feeling one of disappointment or relief?

As he looked at Kito with a peculiar sense of emptiness, Kito averted his gaze and spoke.

“It is a cursed sword.”

“....”

“It just hasn’t fully revealed itself yet. Pick it up.”

Leon cautiously reached out to grab the wooden sword but hesitated, opting instead to move it with basic telekinesis just in case.

“Huh?”

It was only an experimental attempt because he was reluctant to touch it, but the wooden sword, which had previously been immovable, now floated in the air at Leon's will.

‘Something must have changed.’

Leon placed the wooden sword back on the ground and cast an appraisal spell.

However, there was nothing he could discern through the appraisal spell.

‘It’s not that it has no abilities... the appraisal spell doesn’t seem to work on it?’

That seemed like a reasonable conclusion.

“...It’s definitely a cursed sword.”

Leon looked at Kito with sudden certainty, and Kito shook his head covered in gray feathers.

“How can you be so sure?”

“When you... stuck the sword into the ground just now. I felt a strange wave of mana.”

“A wave?”

“It was a very unpleasant sensation... I couldn’t determine the exact ability since it was buried in the ground...”

Kito mumbled, his expression serious as if trying to gauge something.

Leon, who had been quietly listening, picked up the wooden sword again and floated it in the air. He then slowly brought it closer to Kito.

“...What are you trying to do?”

“You said you weren’t sure.”

“So you’re going to experiment on me?”

“I don’t have any other way. If I place it against your body, maybe we’ll find out. It’s just a wooden sword, so it should be fine, right?”

Kito stared silently at Leon.

Seeing that look, Leon decided to drop the idea.

“If you think it’s dangerous, I won’t do it.”

He’d just have to figure it out through use.

He might not know how to use it in a critical moment when he faced an enemy, but there was no other choice.

“Fine. I was getting frustrated with your lack of boldness anyway. If I tell you to pick it up, you should just do it. Why are you always so suspicious...”@@@@

“Was that really bothering you? You hold grudges for too long.”

“You’re one to talk.”

Although Kito’s expression didn’t change much, he seemed as if he would have clicked his tongue in disapproval if he were human.

Leon stared at Kito’s healthy-looking face for a moment.

“You said it was an unpleasant sensation, but it’s not enough to harm you, right? So it should be okay to touch it briefly.”

Leon, observing Kito’s slightly smug expression, didn’t hesitate to tap Kito’s body with the wooden sword.

“Guh...”

“We lost...”

Bervford sighed quietly.

“It would be strange if we won.”

Arpina spoke indifferently, her tone ambiguous as if she was speaking to him or to herself.

Since Arpina settled here 20 years ago, the Widia School had always fluctuated between 4th and 5th place among the eight schools.

This was because Rydra was entirely absorbed in his own training.

None of the tower masters of the eight schools were overwhelmingly superior in skill. They were all at a similar level of insight.

However, while the other tower masters had resigned themselves to focusing on their duties, Rydra had yet to give up his obsession.

It was only natural that people were drawn to a magic tower where an insightful magic master constantly revised magic books and researched the latest spells.

Bervford, who agreed with this approach, was not without responsibility.

“Hmph... it’s only the first day, so there’s no need to be disheartened...”

Ignoring Arpina’s words, Bervford muttered as he watched the arena where several duels were taking place, still holding onto some hope.

It might have seemed strange for a Mystic-level mage to be so concerned over an apprentice’s duel, but no one around him found it odd.

The benefits of achieving first place were that significant.

‘The priority in ruins exploration is certainly appealing.’

However, Arpina had already given up.

Seeing the other disciples, except for Rowen and Leah, suffer defeat after defeat, she could already predict the outcome of the remaining duels.

‘If it were a continuous duel where the winner kept fighting, things might have been different.’

According to the rules, each disciple of the school could only participate in one duel, and they could only fight again if the opposing school changed.

After each school had dueled with all the others once, the rankings would be determined.

While thinking fondly of Leah's overwhelming talent, who hadn’t lost a single duel so far, Arpina naturally thought of Leah’s childhood friend.

‘If he had been here, we might have won a few more times.’

She heard that he had been holed up in the training room.

Arpina shook her head.

‘He’ll come when he’s ready.’

It wasn’t easy to stay focused on training, even with the talent of a Tri-Elemental Constitution. Even if there was some hidden method.

‘I should find his dedication admirable.’

Arpina wasn’t one to dismiss such diligence.

Yet, she couldn’t shake off the feeling of annoyance.

Why did she feel this way?

Arpina recalled Leon’s eyes, filled with a strange confidence. The kind of eyes one has when they’re certain of their path.

‘He has...’

“Arpina.”

A female mage sitting quietly beside her interrupted Arpina’s thoughts.

“What is it?”

“Are you prepared for the conference?”

“That’s Bervford’s responsibility.”

“I heard he had stopped his training, so I guess he’s fully committed now.”

“He’s had enough time to enjoy his self-satisfaction, so it’s about time he put in some effort.”

“Still, don’t you have something you’d like to say? Like about the Black Tower causing a stir lately...”

Arpina pondered for a moment before replying.

“Our Rydra already stirred things up once, so there’s not much to add...”

“Is that so.”

The woman murmured as if she understood, but there was still some lingering doubt on her face.

Noticing this, Arpina asked.

“Is something bothering you?”

“Hmm, it’s nothing. I just received information that Black Mages from Tenelon have established a base near Widia. But since you said Rydra took care of it, it must have been delayed news.”

Hearing this, Arpina frowned slightly, feeling an inexplicable unease.

‘Did anyone mention dealing with the Tenelon people...?’