Episode 7. First Training With Monika

The news that there was no ice cream hit her like a wave of emotion she hadn't expected.

This frail little body was clearly ill-suited to withstanding hormones.

"Wuu, wuaah…. Hnngh…."

Tears were rolling down her cheeks when Monika cried out.

"I'm sorry!! I'm not saying you can't have ice cream! I—I'll give it to you right after training!!!"

"Then you ought to have said we'd train first and have ice cream after, is all."

"Sorry, most seven-year-olds throw a fit when you tell them to train."

Monika chuckled and said:

"Right, well. It's a relief you actually like training."

She tossed her outer jacket onto the floor and began stretching.

"Hey, squirt. Why do you want to become a mage?"

"Well, that's…."

The first thing that surfaced was a hunger for the hunt.

She swallowed those words back down her throat and said something else instead.

"Because I want to punish Abyssal Entities and bad people?"

"Hmm…. The people from that unofficial tower who were after you?"

"That is correct… yes."

Monika thought for a moment, then started her stretches.

"Squirt. This country has never once produced an Olympia champion."

"What is Olympia, pray tell."

At that, Monika shrugged.

"It's a kind of Olympics where mages fight each other."

"……."

"Winning there is considered both a national glory and a benchmark of magical achievement."

"I have no particular interest in that."

"Sure, fair enough. Anyway, Korea is a country that's spent decades trying to produce a champion."

"Hmm…."

"And so! Plenty of aspiring mages throw themselves at it for the sake of that trophy."

"Does no one concern themselves with the Abyss, then."

"Right, and that's the problem."

Monika looked at her and grinned.

"That's why I like your goal. Korea always feels like Abyss management is an afterthought."

Monika swept her gaze across the vast space and continued.

"Well then, shall we begin training?"

Eun-ha stared blankly at the interior of the enormous training hall.

The space called to mind a massive warehouse, with a ceiling that looked to be several meters high at least.

"But—how much does it cost to fill a space this size with Ether, exactly?"

"Hmm? About a hundred million won per hour."

"*Cough! Cough!*"

It was a figure that nearly brought her morning rolled omelette back up.

"That is expensive."

While Eun-ha was marveling at the training hall, a mass of water had already materialized in Monika's right hand before she'd even noticed.

And at the same moment, Monika's left eye began to glow red.

Monika spun the water orb in lazy circles and smiled.

"Today, before I take you into the Abyss, I'm going to test your survival instincts."

"Understood."

"The pace is on a completely different level from a standard curriculum. Think you can keep up?"

With those words—

*SPLASH—*

The water orb came flying straight at her face.

"……."

In an instant, she was soaked head to toe, like a puppy that had fallen into a river.

She wrung out her dripping hair and scowled.

"Is this what passes for magic training."

"Ahaha. Sorry~ I thought you'd dodge it, but you just took it? Weren't you trained as an assassin?"

"That is because I said I lost my memories—!"

She dodged another spell that came flying at her face.

"See, you can dodge!"

The casting speed was far too fast for ordinary magic.

And there was no incantation.

"Wait?! Incantation-free magic?!"

"Hehehe. You finally noticed? Well, it's not perfect silent casting like the hero Lee Han, but—"

A water orb came flying from behind Monika.

"This is less magic and more like deflecting something mid-way through the casting process."

She launched the water orb with casual confidence.

"Now, try to counter!"

"I noticed a little of this last time, too!"

Eun-ha held out her hand toward the incoming orb.