I Got a Fake Job at the Academy

Chapter 792 - Side Story 65: A New Method (2)

"Curse, sorcerer?"

Robert asked as if he had heard something he shouldn't have.

"That's right. Considering your disposition and talent, that's the most correct path." 

"Is, is that possible?"

It wasn't that there were no mages who primarily dealt with curses. However, they had a poor reputation and were never mainstream even among mages.

Most mages ultimately used elemental systems, emission, or telekinesis. The curse and hex side was minor among minors. If anything, they were even behind alchemy or golemancy.

"I'm saying it because it's possible." 

"But curse sorcerers are..." 

"The perception isn't good. More accurately, it would be correct to say there aren't any famous mages like that. But that's only when looking with a narrow perspective. You know that most mages have basically learned hex magic, right?"

Astrology, charm, hallucination, etc. Curse and hex-type magic also had quite diverse types and a wide range.

As a result, most magic in this field consisted of techniques that most mages learned as a secondary skill.

In terms of classes, they were treated as liberal arts classes rather than a major.

But that didn't mean there was a law against majoring in curses.

"A sufficiently prepared curse can neutralize the opponent even before a battle begins. This is precisely why mages learn hexes."

It's just not mainstream, but there were quite a few mages who had reached mastery in this area. For example, shamans and medicine men who were indigenous peoples from the southern jungle. They too were close to curse sorcerers.

There was a good reason why Rudger recommended it to Robert.

"Curses are a means to effectively subdue without directly fighting the opponent. This is also the most suitable field for you, Robert, as you are now."

Robert certainly felt bewildered by those words, but at the same time felt attracted.

It couldn't be helped, as wasn't it a method that could easily subdue without the need to struggle fighting the opponent?

Robert disliked combat and preferred theory, but due to his family's characteristics, he couldn't avoid fighting itself.

In that sense, curses were optimal for Robert.

"Certainly. At least if it's to the extent of subduing the opponent, it wouldn't be bad."

Muttering thus, Robert suddenly felt puzzled.

"But if curses are that effective, why don't War Mages use curses when subduing opponents?"

The famous aspect of War Mages was in their flashy elemental magic. They used magic while moving, and if the situation allowed, they didn't mind close combat either.

If curses were that effective, wouldn't it be better to just cast a curse and be done with it rather than running around with difficulty?

"Even though curses seem this excellent in words, when you enter actual combat, they become the most difficult and complex magic."

Rudger pointed to a small flower between the bushes.

"If you had to neutralize that flower by some method, what method do you think you would use?" 

"You should just smash it right away!"

Carlo, who had been listening from the side, interrupted.

"Carlo. I wasn't asking you. Robert, what do you think?" 

"Hmm. Well, I'd attack with magic, right?" 

"Right. And that magic would naturally start with basic mana emission, and if you go a bit stronger, it would become elemental magic. The answer itself was crude, but Carlo's words are close to the correct answer."

Carlo crossed his arms with a proud and triumphant smile. Rudger ignored Carlo and explained to Robert.

"Because applying such external physical shock is the easiest and fastest method. Subduing this single flower with a curse takes time and consumes considerable mental power."

It's not efficient. This was precisely why curses couldn't rise to the mainstream.

Moreover, all living beings possess a certain resistance to mana. Plants were no exception to this.

While such resistance couldn't exert effectiveness against physical strikes by manifested magic, it exerted great effectiveness toward curses that flowed mana to shake the opponent's mind.

Even neutralizing a single laboratory rat with a curse took dozens of times more mana and effort than subduing it with attribute elemental magic.

"Naturally, if the opponent is a mage, the difficulty rises exponentially."

Mages were naturally born with vast mana in their bodies, so their resistance to external mana was stronger.

For such people, learning hexes basically was nothing more than the level of preparation like packing a chocolate bar when going on a picnic.

Because even having just such basics allows them to respond.

"But I saw possibility in your magic."

Rudger recognized Robert's talent. Curses that other mages found arduous to deploy, Robert would be able to accomplish easily.

Beyond that, he might newly write the system of curse magic that had been abandoned until now.

"So the lesson I'll start with you today is to dig into the theoretical parts of this curse magic and revise it." 

"Is that possible?" 

"It's possible. If I teach and you learn."

Such confident words that he had never heard even once. Robert's lips trembled.

People who held expectations just believing in his talent were always disappointed.

How unfortunate. What a waste of talent. How disappointing.

Robert hated those words so much. They expected on their own and were disappointed on their own, even though he never asked them to.

Those expectations were imbued with such selfishness that wanted this side to do something for them, rather than them doing something for him.

Why? I never asked you to. Why do you expect on your own, get disappointed on your own, and rebuke me?

It would be a lie to say he didn't have such feelings of injustice.

But Rudger was different. He said his talent was innate. Robert knew that too, because everyone around him said so.

But Rudger was different from other people. He said that he would lead him.

Not expecting arbitrarily. He said he would teach.

"It's okay if you make mistakes. The process itself will be valuable. So decide whether you'll do it or not. This is a choice not anyone else, but you must make." 

"I..."

Robert moved his lips, then spoke in a voice filled with emotion.

"I'll do it."

Robert, who had always timidly kept his head down, looked straight at Rudger for the first time. He realized that he had lived for this very moment, and answered for the first time in a voice that didn't tremble.

"Please let me do it."

Rudger asked Robert with a satisfied smile.

"Robert." 

"Yes, teacher." 

"Are you by any chance interested in Dream Walk?"

"Uh, this is..."

Robert broke out in a cold sweat looking at the building standing tall before his eyes. He couldn't help it. Robert had heard enough rumors to know what kind of place this was.

The research building that imprisoned university students. Officially it had that name, but among students it was called by other names.

Twisted Underworld's Torture Chamber. Zombie Breeding Ground. Eternal Wild Hunt.

Infamous names with tremendous force just from hearing them. However, even if one hadn't heard such rumors, the research building was gloomy enough to frighten first-time visitors.

Even though it was bright daytime with intense sunlight, the brightness around that building was excessively low. Despite the warm weather as fresh spring arrived, the area around the research building felt as chilly as early winter.

"Te, teacher. Why did we come here? This is a dangerous place..." 

"You're saying the same thing Hermoa said. You don't need to worry. There's a student I taught here, so I came to meet that child." 

"A student?"

Robert's question couldn't continue long. Because the door of the research building opened by itself with a sound.

The inside was dark because light didn't reach well. He could see something grayish passing by. Robert's complexion became so pale that he was almost on the verge of fainting.

"Go in." 

"Me, me too?" 

"That's why we came in the first place."

As Rudger led the way, Robert had no choice but to follow behind him reluctantly because he instinctively realized that he could survive only by sticking close to Rudger.

As soon as they entered inside, the door closed by itself with a bang. Even the locking device moved and activated on its own, as if to say that once you entered here, you could no longer escape.

No. It wasn't an illusion. Having entered the entrance, there was a phrase written on the 2nd floor wall of the lobby.

[Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.]

My goodness. In the end, I've entered hell. While Robert was aghast like that, Rudger walked through the research building corridor as if it were nothing.

"Te, teacher. Can't we just leave? This place is really scary!" 

"It's all a place where people live, so what's scary?"

Groooan.

At that moment, along with a low groan, a group of gaunt and pale figures appeared in the corridor, staggering.

"Eek! Zombies! They're zombies!" 

"Don't worry. They're graduate students."

Soon after, with a swooshing sound, a pure white form appeared floating in the air.

"Ghosts! A ghost appeared!" 

"You don't need to worry. That's also a graduate student." 

"Bu, but it has no body?!" 

"The mind was separated with dream magic. That body is getting sufficient rest in the sleeping room right now. It's one of the excellent welfare benefits of the research building. How is it? Isn't it attractive?"

That ghostly state of wandering around vacantly is excellent welfare? Even though Robert was ignorant about this side, he could clearly know that this place was seriously strange.

-Groooan. 

-Graduation, please let me graduate. 

-Please, anything but thesis rejection. I beg you.

The murmuring of graduate students like the resentful sounds of the dead echoed in his ears like an echo.

Then with a thud, the sound of a door opening somewhere was heard. At the same time, the grayish ghosts screamed.

-Hieeeeek! 

-She's coming! She's coming! 

-Everyone run away!

The sight of ghosts that looked creepy just from seeing them actually fleeing in terror was unbelievable even seeing it with his own eyes.

"My, my goodness."

Robert now realized that someone whom even ghosts feared was approaching. That fanned his fear even more. Even the crawling zombies, having heard that commotion, disappeared with lurching steps.

In an instant, the corridor was dyed in silence. And what broke such silence was the sound of footsteps heading this way.

It's coming. Something is coming. Robert felt all the hair on his body standing on end. He hurriedly hid behind Rudger's back.

"Te, teacher! Something's coming! Something scarier than ghosts, a demon from hell seems to be coming!" 

"You don't need to worry. It's someone I know."

Someone? To anyone's eyes, it seems like the lord of hell whom even ghosts fear is coming.

Robert wanted to ask that, but his mouth froze in fear and words wouldn't come out properly.

Meanwhile, the footsteps gradually drew closer.

From beyond the corner of the corridor, a woman revealed herself.

An overwhelming atmosphere that naturally emanated. White hair that fluttered clearly visible even in the darkness. Eyes bloodshot as if bearing a grudge from this world.

Ah. She finally appeared. The ghost queen rose from hell, whom even the spirits of the underworld and resurrected zombies fear!

The ghost queen, who had been glaring at Rudger with bloodshot eyes, opened her mouth.

"What brings you here in broad daylight, without even contacting me?" 

"It seems you stayed up. Did you read all the materials I sent you?" 

"That's exactly why my head feels like it's going to explode right now. Where on earth did you get such materials? I stayed up all night reading that." 

"So that's why your eyes are red."

"More importantly, who's that kid behind you?"

Julia belatedly discovered Robert hiding behind Rudger. She was late in discovering him because she had no particular interest. What was important to her now were the thesis materials related to the systematization of Dream Walk that Rudger had sent.

"I brought him because I thought he'd be helpful to you." 

"Helpful to me?"

That naive kid who can't even make proper eye contact with me? Moreover, looking at the uniform he's wearing, isn't he a freshman who just enrolled?

When she was already tired to death from not sleeping, what kind of joke-like thing is this?

"..."

However, Julia soon changed her mind.

It wasn't just anyone, but a student that Rudger personally brought. Knowing that Rudger didn't move carelessly, Julia decided to think differently.

There was a high possibility that he truly possessed the skills and talent that Rudger would recommend.

"He'll be a great help in systematizing your Dream Walk and establishing it as theory." 

"...Can I trust that?" 

"I guarantee it."

That was enough. Julia approached Robert with a grin.

It was her version of a charming smile to win favor, to seduce the opposite sex as much as possible. But she completely failed to consider that her eyes were bloodshot from not sleeping properly, and her hair was disheveled in a mess.

"Hello?"

Julia greeted Robert, slightly leaning her head forward.

"Grrgle."

Robert foamed at the mouth and fainted right then and there.

"...Ah." 

"Hmm."