The Academy Life of a Sick Mafia

Chapter 11

Back at the tent, Sigrin spread out the books she had brought under the light of the camping lamp.

The lamp’s glow attracted pesky gnats, casting frantic shadows across the pages.

‘Ontological Arguments for the Existence of Variant Cores… This is irrelevant since their existence is already proven. Variant Cores Found in Beasts and Animals. This one’s useless too.’

She had grabbed every book with the term “Variant Core” in the title, but few seemed worth keeping.

As she rummaged further, one book caught her eye, emitting a faint glow.

‘The Flower of Variant Cores - The Eye of Ether’

The cover shimmered like fine silk, yet its texture was rough like raw wood—a curious contrast.

Entranced, Sigrin opened the book.

✦ ✦ ✦

The special ability of a shin core is the enhancement and transformation of the shin, while an elbow core’s ability is limited to freely adjusting the angle of the arm joint.

Most Variant Cores discovered thus far are abnormally positioned, rendering them largely useless.

However, among them, the ‘Eye of Ether,’ also known as the ‘Sage’s Core,’ or eye core, can exhibit quite unique abilities.

It was strange.

She didn’t possess an eye core, yet the text was utterly captivating.

Those with an eye core can visually perceive the cores and their surrounding circles in others. Moreover, they can generate a special force called ‘chemforce’ from the core. Chemforce is a power that enables precise ether manipulation and has the unique property of adhering to nearby ether.

A core that could see others’ core abilities.

That’d land you a cushy job in HR. Kind of jealous.

In the presence of an eye core bearer, the strong may become weak, and the weak may become strong. One who sees through essence can twist reality with the power of essence, altering people’s fates.

Though it was one of the better-known Variant Cores, it was still niche, so the book didn’t delve deeply.

Skimming quickly, she soon reached the final pages.

Identifying a latent eye core is quite challenging. With current core identification methods, detecting a latent eye core is nearly impossible.

One could transform bodily ether into wind and analyze the whirlwind’s movement and shape using high-grade Fairy Powder, but converting ether into wind is extremely difficult, making it nearly impossible. Even if successfully transformed and sprinkled with Fairy Powder, the powder’s particles are so fine that observing the subtle whirlwind with the naked eye is exceedingly hard.

This book seemed outdated. The Ether Visualization Device had already been developed, after all.

Thus, I melted a ‘chemforce stone,’ painstakingly acquired for 100,000 aurums at an auction, and coated the cover of this book with it. Did you pick up this book, entranced by its glow? If so, that’s proof you possess a latent eye core.

“…?”

What?

Sigrin hurriedly closed the book and examined it. It still radiated a silky green glow.

The book claimed only those with a latent eye core could see its emitted light—and Sigrin could see it.

‘Could I actually have a latent eye core?’

It felt like a bolt from the blue.

Like rummaging under an old bed for bread money, only to find a gold ingot in hand.

Still reeling, Sigrin flipped back to the first page on ‘Methods to Identify Latent Cores.’

‘Wait a second. Didn’t I forget to return the Ether Visualization Device?’

There was another way to confirm if she had an eye core.

Hastily strapping the visualization device to her wrist, Sigrin pulled out the yellow-and-blue mixed Fairy Powder she had stashed in her inner pocket.

Squinting and waiting, a whirlwind began to form, just as the book described.

In the dim surroundings, the Fairy Powder glowed brighter as it caught the ether’s wind.

A shower of stars.

A meteor shower swirled in circles before her eyes.

The sparkling particles, like stars pouring across a dark sky, were breathtakingly beautiful.

Suppressing the urge to scream, Sigrin’s lips curled into a smirk.

Her heart pounded with this incredible discovery. It was as if she’d finally flung open the windows of a house unventilated for decades.

A refreshing breeze swept away the dampness in her soul.

‘I’ve had an eye core all along!’

She wasn’t a dullard. She simply possessed a rare ability no one else had.

Though unclear what she could do with it, she’d figure it out in time.

A pang.

‘Still… it’s not a combat-oriented ability.’

She’d known since her wheelchair days that she’d never be a great warrior like her siblings. Now, with that fact solidified, a corner of her heart ached.

The joy of discovering a new ability tried to melt the old grievances from childhood, leaving a gritty residue.

With an excited smile, Sigrin slipped into bed, feeling bittersweet.

Sniff.

Tears fell, purely from joy…

Truly, only from joy.

A gratitude that filled her heart carried a faint bitterness.

✦ ✦ ✦

‘Feels like there was an intruder last night.’

Waking up, Luca felt an odd sense of unease as he scanned his surroundings. Vaguely, it seemed someone had taken a stack of books from beside his bed. Yet, the bookshelf remained packed.

He searched for stray hairs or unfamiliar scents but found nothing.

‘Just a bad dream, maybe.’

In his dream, a new student appeared.

A girl named Sigrin, who looked like a haughty princess, clearly from a wealthy noble family.

From the moment he saw her, her looks and aura were so his type that he couldn’t look away.

In that vivid dream, she’d been seducing him to betray him.

Of course, being a nonsensical dream, it ended with absurdities—fingers turning into tailbones, a snail climbing onto Professor Spitu’s head.

Still, her radiant smile lingered, leaving an afterglow.

‘Tch, a good fight might make us friends.’

Luca thought of Sigrin.

Her fancy artifact case, her serene expression with rare shifts, her polite yet subtly condescending gaze.

He considered flirting but figured a lofty princess wouldn’t bother with a “filthy pauper” like him, so he gave up.

Using a peer as a servant said it all—her face and personality screamed princess.

Still, abandoning comfort to live in Lemaos suggested strong confidence in her skills. She’d probably enjoy a fight.

A duel would have better odds than a love letter.

Heading to the morning class, he spotted a new student already there.

She was stunning, even in the morning. Despite dark circles under her eyes, she was breathtaking. Her refined air screamed privilege.

Yawn.

“….”

Even her yawn was delicate and lovely. She seemed tired, perhaps from sleeping in a cold place.

Luca took a seat in front of Sigrin.

✦ ✦ ✦

It felt like she’d poked a beehive.

Sigrin barely stifled another yawn.

Because Luca was sitting right in front of her.

He’d blatantly turned around, resting his chin on his hand, staring at her intensely.

‘Did he catch me? Or is he testing me?’

Trying to ignore his piercing gaze, she finally couldn’t hold back.

“Do you have something to say to me?”

“What, me?”

“Yes.”

“Not really?”

“Then why are you staring like that?”

Luca rolled his eyes and scratched the back of his head.

“Why? Don’t like it?”

“It’s not that I dislike it… It’s just a bit… overwhelming.”

Especially since she felt guilty toward him.

At the word “overwhelming,” Luca clicked his tongue and turned to face the blackboard. But soon, he tousled his hair and turned back to stare at her again.

“I’m Luca Drümuel, in case you didn’t know.”

“I see. I’m Sigrin.”

“I know.”

“….”

“Your accent’s cool. Where in the Aurum Empire are you from? The north?”

Sigrin gave an awkward smile. It felt like an interrogation.

More than that, she was exhausted from not sleeping last night, and yawns kept threatening to escape.

Hic. She barely swallowed a yawn, turning her head to let out a small one.

“Sleepy?”

Noooo.