– ExtremeEfficiencyFreak) Is this really your video?

ExtremeEfficiencyFreak commented first, posting before the 11-minute video could’ve fully played. Guess efficiency freaks watch on fast-forward. More gallery comments flooded in.

– Orgasm) G-G-G-GOD! What the hell is this?! – Saw the video before the post, and now I’m like, what is this guy lol. – Lmao, it’s unreal, but hearing he ignored the professor to keep going made me lose it. – CantEvenDoThis) What is this guy lol? Is this video legit? No edits? Answer quick. – StabIfPissed) (Stabbing emoticon) This guy needs a real blade. Carving like that with wind? Imagine him with a sword. – The sword’s not the issue here lol.

What’s with this? Hard to follow their comments. These guys always talk like it’s an inside joke.

– Kim Muggle) 11-minute video’s real, I was too focused to hear the professor. Stop geeking out and explain. What’s wrong? Did I do that bad? – Bad? Is this guy a genius or an idiot? – Definitely Kim Muggle. – He’s not a muggle, srsly. Even a genius shouldn’t pull this off. – MagicIsntHard) See? Not hard, right? – Lol, first time seeing this guy flustered. – Didn’t think he’d actually do it lol. – ExtremeEfficiencyFreak) Seriously, you did this? Explain how.

– Kim Muggle) F*ck, what? You said to imagine the rose-to-stone process in reverse. I did that, carved it back. Focusing, I felt the stone’s mana was different from natural mana. Pictured ‘unveiling the rose,’ and somehow finished. Not as good as the professor’s, though.

– What is this guy? – EcoActivist) Your mana affinity’s high, no doubt. But still… – FlutterFlutter) Hmm. – Your talent’s legit. But why so good at precision? Is he secretly a girl? Even with high affinity, a guy nailing precision like that first try is weird. – Breaking news: Kim Muggle’s a girl (not).

– Kim Muggle) F*ck, I’m a guy, you jerks. Stop the nonsense and explain clearly. – Lol, no harsh words. – Okay, we’ll evaluate properly. Not me, someone else will. – Lol, who’s evaluating this?

F*ck, should I just nuke the gallery? Their dodging was pissing me off. As I picked a nuke meme, a new post appeared from Penthouse88, who’d promised an evaluation.

[Title: Kim Muggle, Read This] Author: Penthouse88

The comment section’s a mess, so I’ll evaluate in a new post. Assume this evaluation is based on your video being unedited and authentic. Precision favors female factors. For a male first-time carver, your precision is absurdly high. Beyond that, carving a complex rose shape is impossible without practice. Yet you did it. It’s rough, not fluid, but the point is you did it. Without practice, you pulled it off with pure ‘instinct’ and ‘talent.’ Magical achievement comes from rigorous effort and study—that’s truth, that’s history. But you did this complex carving on instinct alone, so it’s no wonder gallers struggle to evaluate.

– Tower Lord nails it. How do you even describe this insanity? – ExtremeEfficiencyFreak) Well summed up. A rose’s complexity needs tons of practice, but you did it with no formula, just ‘instinct.’ There’s no evaluation beyond disbelief. – Not a muggle… no, even mages can’t do this. If you half-ass it and get that, what are we supposed to say? – MachineMage) If mana’s a prosthetic arm, you’re like someone who lost an arm, got a prosthetic, and used it perfectly first try. – EcoActivist) First time seeing this, it’s infuriating. Can’t describe it. – CantEvenDoThis) So frustrating. Can’t comprehend how you did it—feels like something’s stuck in my throat. How’d you do it? – Seriously, how? Not edited, right? – Tell the truth—you’re not Kim Muggle, you’re the gallery’s ghost. – Kim Muggle) Even if you say that…

The evaluation came, but it wasn’t clear about my skill. Basically, this was beyond talent—I did something impossible. Carving a rose requires repetitive practice, but I managed with instinct. I get it—mastering mana takes effort. But isn’t it possible with good focus and imagination? Everyone insists it’s 100% impossible, which confuses me. When great wizards all agree, it feels like I did something crazy.

– CantEvenDoThis) Like always, master the basics. Good results don’t mean you skip them. – MeditationKing) Stick to basics. Meditate when shaken. – Penthouse88) Correct. Build from the ground up. No foundation, no tower. – Kim Muggle) Got it, was gonna do that anyway.

Hmm, basics again. Basics matter, got it. Still felt uneasy, like I didn’t get a real evaluation. But if great wizards say this, there’s nothing more to dig into. Gotta focus on basics.

By then, the test ended. Professor Jewelry gave a few notes on the next class, and it was over. Lunchtime already. Even academy mages can’t skip meals—everyone rushed out.

Wait, I’m still broke. A-class stipends and scholarships come next week. No choice, gotta lean on Hisena a bit longer.

Tap tap-

“Hik, hieek?”

Hisena jumped when I tapped her shoulder, turning like a rusty robot. What’s with her today?

“Hey, Hisena. Can I bum meals off you this week? A-class funds come next week.”

“Y-Yes, of course. Sh-shall we go eat?”

Her speech was like a broken robot too. Is she sick?

Food’s the priority. Starving after missing meals yesterday. I headed to the cafeteria with Hisena.

Hisena sat stiffly, like a creaky robot. Too aware of Ian, she accidentally ordered something she didn’t like instead of her usual.

‘Is Ian not bothered…?’

Her awkwardness stemmed from the infirmary incident. Unintentional or not, they’d ended up tangled in bed together. As a direct heir of the Ferihill magic duchy, Hisena had little romantic experience. Each of the eight duchies had different views on romance. Ferihill’s was strict—or rather, indifferent. They found more joy in systematizing magic than in relationships. But human instincts don’t vanish.

“You ordered something different today, Hisena?”

“Oh, y-yeah. Just happened…”

Hisena was surprised Ian noticed her menu change. He usually shoveled food down like a machine. Was he secretly observant while eating? They’d eaten together a few times, so it made sense, but her ears itched oddly.

Crunch crunch, slurp slurp.

While Hisena picked at her food, Ian devoured his meat stir-fry and rice like he was drinking it—same as always, as if the infirmary meant nothing. Was it really no big deal to him? Wouldn’t most people freak out finding someone in their bed? His silence was weird.

‘Wait, I should ask about the placement test.’

Hisena recalled why she’d ended up in Ian’s bed. Despite the score error announcement delaying Ian’s placement, seeing him in the infirmary felt awkward. The professor had kept her from approaching Ian, deflecting questions. That’s why she’d snuck in. Suspecting something, she hadn’t told anyone about Ian. Now was the chance to ask about the test, but fearing it might be sensitive, she spoke indirectly.

“Um, Ian. Have you ever been to the infirmary? The academy’s facilities are amazing.”

Like a code.

Ian and Hisena had already met in the infirmary. If it was tied to something secret, Ian would deflect. If not, he’d casually say, “What, Hisena? We met there.”

His response:

“…Yeah, they’re nice. When did you go? Semester just started.”

Closer to the former—something he couldn’t reveal. But stranger was his tone. Not deflecting, but genuinely asking when she went.

“Uh, just… happened. If you ever need help, tell me, Ian.”

Hisena was ready to help. Despite the odd start, they’d grown close. Ian was the first mage’s disciple—competing with him would aid her growth. More than that, she wanted to help. The image of Ian stealing stray cats’ food still made her pity him. Not helping a struggling friend went against Ferihill’s honor.

But Ian’s reply crushed her resolve.

“Nah… I’m fine. No big deal. Even if something’s up, don’t get involved with me.”

“…What?”

“Don’t get involved with me.”

The cold words hit Hisena like a punch to the chest. Not rejection of her kindness, but a sincere refusal of help. It even felt like he was pushing her away.

Why? Hisena wanted to get closer, like feeding a stray cat naturally. Knowing he was in danger but doing nothing felt like watching that cat starve.

“What do you mean, Ian…?”

“Just what I said.”

Ian’s confirmation was brutal. Hisena couldn’t understand his sudden distance. Was it because she only got him one dish? Should she have ordered katsu too?

But something else didn’t add up. In the infirmary bed, she’d felt it harden. At first, she didn’t know, but later recalled her family’s sex ed. She’d learned it only happened for someone you liked. She’d briefly wondered, “Does he like me?” but dismissed it. Still, it didn’t warrant this rejection. His sudden change baffled her.

“Then what was that hardening…? You definitely got hard, right?”

“…Hard? Oh, uh… yeah, it’s still hard. Maybe harder. But it’s not for you, Hisena. We’re friends, right?”

Boom-

That day, Hisena’s world crumbled… or felt like it. Sure, anything before dating was improper, but drawing a friend line and saying it wasn’t for her felt awful. She hadn’t expected much, but his blunt boundary-drawing left her frustrated and anxious. It was confusing.

What’s this? Why’s Ian like this? Why do I feel this way?

Before she could process, Ian did something unexpected, making her feel worse.

“Hey, sorry, Hisena. Gotta go. Need to talk to Cha Yuri.”

He stood up, spotting Cha Yuri, leaving Hisena mid-meal—unusual for someone who cleaned plates like clockwork. It was like Hisena didn’t exist as he chased Yuri. Sure, Yuri was a guy, but seeing Ian’s back as he left stirred an indescribable misery.

“What… why…?”

Hisena sat dazed in the cafeteria for a long time.

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