Races: Online

Han was groping with Ellynn.

That was to say, that the man was groping with questions to ask the Half Elf and perhaps she was also doing the same? He had no idea, but with the plate of food in front of them and enough time to converse during lunch… he happened to have no idea what to talk about. All of their conversations before happened during a dangerous time, the Test Trial, the Colossal Wyvern and then the Spectre in the library.

There were talks during the class lessons, but nothing too major.

And so Han was trying to think of what to say. He had the potion bottle she had given him atop of the table as they ate, and perhaps it might be a good topic. "So uh, you must be some kind of Potion Maker huh?"

"Alchemist? No. I'm not." She took a careful bite of her food. "It's a lesson we're taking in Potions Class, but your friend Timothy knows the recipe too, if you're curious about it." And she didn't add anything else to it. 

When she didn't need anything from him, she was almost like a stone wall, wasn't she? Han coughed and sipped his drink. He really wasn't the best at small talk and he didn't want to force himself to an energy-driven, chirpy Han right now. And so Han sipped his juice and then placed it down, "I was pretty surprised when I saw you and Timothy together."

She stared at him. 

At least he could tell that much from the way her green eyes seemed to glow from underneath her cloak. She really had her father's eyes, but as for the personality—not a one bit as chatty as the Wood Elf. Whether it was out of his own silence, the Half Elf averted her gaze.

Han realized that he might have said something accusing, so he waved a hand. "What I mean by that, is uh, I tried looking for Timothy but I didn't realize that you were there too." That was a complete lie. He had looked for Ellynn because her father noticed that she was in danger, him learning about Timothy was actually just a bonus thing.

"I wanted to thank you for the incident...outside of the city," She explained. "And your friend said I can do something difficult in your stead, so I took it. I did not expect it to be that."

Han could recall that he did indeed bring her back to the dormitory after the Colossal Wyvern thing, but… "It really wasn't that big of a deal—" 

Ellynn looked up and there was a flash in her eyes—she disagreed with him.

"But, yeah, uh...the library was dangerous too huh?" Han finished his statement with a cough. "I didn't know how you guys got involved there, but at least we got out safe."

She carefully picked up a napkin and dabbed her mouth, "Indeed we did, it was a fortunate thing. I… I don't think I would have been able to deal with it, it was non-physical?"

"I cut it." Han still felt bad for leaving the Enchanted Toolstick. How much did a thing like that cost? He should have asked Theodore earlier, but the guy might think that Han was going to replace the one they lost.

The Half Elf considered his words before shrugging, "Ah, but I think it still held a lot of undead components to it. Even if it had a physical shape that it used to interact with us, it's still more Spectre I believe."

"I see, well as long as we don't experience—uh, you know?" Han Jing wasn't going to jinx it by saying that he didn't want to see it again. That was somewhat common sense in movies and shows right?

"Mhmm." She nodded and resumed eating.

It was official, Han Jing was bad at conversation whether it was in this world or back on Earth. But it didn't mean that he had no chance to improve at all, right? Or was it actually best to let her just eat? Han decided to continue eating his lunch, which was actually quite good. And he also glanced at the other tables. They were in a strategic spot, being in the corner of the dining hall meant that they had a complete vision of everyone else—but he was looking at two specific tables.

Sir Leon de Harrington's and those Top Three Students.

It made him want to compulsively check his own rank—but it was probably good that he didn't do that. At least until he didn't master magic at all. Wait, he had Ellynn right in front of him. Han coughed, "Uh… Ellynn?"

"Yes?"

"I know you don't owe me now or anything." Timothy took the opportunity to ask her for a favor—he didn't know that was possible. "But uh, can I get a few pointers on how you do magic? I'm... "

"Failing hard."

She didn't mince with her words right now huh? Han nodded, "Yeah. You know Professor Carnus, and I… I don't actually have the Mage Class at all."

"Most Students who come here are supposed to be at least Level 10."

"Hah, I think I heard that before." Han scratched the back of his head. "But I'm not, and neither was Timothy… but wow, Level 10 sounds like a lot?" He didn't have anything to scale except his own Levels. And he doubted that most folks fought Wyverns to get to Level 6 either. He hadn't asked Timothy before and probably a Hero like Old Man Joe was Level 100 or something.

"It depends, but if you're able to work hard and study with a good tutor or take apprenticeship before, it really helps boost your levels." Ellynn explained before she fell silent. "...but that's not going to help you become a Mage, even if I explain it to you. Do you have experience?"

"Experience?"

"With spellcasting??"

Han opened his hands widely, "Not really—wait, I actually kind of do. I just learned the [ Light ] Spell today…" That was enough to place a stopper on his mood now, didn't it? He coughed and performed the Spell without as much adjusting. Pulling the mana around him, he created a small ball of light. "There." He made it glow but then let the light disappear. "But it's still a long way to create something that you can do—you're pretty strong."

"Strong?"

"Those wind cyclones, invisible wind blades—that's op...opposingly wonderful."

He messed that one right now, didn't he?

A soft resigned sigh escaped her lips, "That was Wind Magic… but it's a little different than regular magic that they do here."

"Huh? How?"

"Well, I do spellcasting, but most of the strength behind my Spells are boosted by…" She paused and looked around. "By Sylphs...but mostly by the wind itself."

"Sylphs? Aren't they another Race?" Han could recall meeting a Gnome in the Universal Chat. And that was the Earth Elemental wasn't it?

"Why, yes." Ellynn nodded, "Most are prone… well, uh, Humans and some other Races are prone to believe that they're nothing but figments of the mind, but the Sylphs are like people and the wind together?" She then coughed, "My father, he's quite better than me at explaining these things..."

Han was quick to offer a smile, "Oh, no worries then. You don't have to explain it to me." If her father could start replying then he'd get a chance to ask him about this too, but for now. "Your magic is different and stronger because you're able to ask help from the element itself?"

"Yes. If you're able to commune with them, they'll lend a great help." Ellynn tapped her fingers on the table, "It's quite similar to how Clerics work? But instead of asking help from a god, we instead attune to nature to boost our own Spells."

"I see. That's pretty cool. Kind of like a Summoner too?"

"Ah, I suppose so? But nature is always around us."

Han Jing considered it. Elements of air, water, fire and earth… Did that mean there were beings of light, death and other elements? It was another thing that he could think of that could work when done well. Like the Gambler Class. There must be a reason why they made it illegal… which was still funny since Rogue Class didn't seem to be banned.

"But ah, perhaps I could still try giving you some pointers." She said. "If you're truly able to perform [ Light ] after learning it today, then I think you're quite talented."

"I am?" Han wouldn't use that word for him, even if he invested all his remaining points to Talent. Him? With Talent? Other people around him could do much better than him. He needed to do better or else his opportunity would be thrown away wouldn't it? 

The Half Elf gave a nod, "Some people have more difficulty and some can't learn magic at all, so you are both lucky and talented."

Lucky and talented?

Really?

Maybe Han was looking at it in a wrong way then? When he compared himself to Timothy and to his own peers, like Ellynn who could already spellcast—he didn't take into account the differences of the time spent in learning. Somehow, a burden was lifted off from his chest. "I've been just left behind, haven't I?"

"Hmm?"

Han ran his fingers through his hair, he really hadn't looked at it that way. He thought he was awful, a horrible Leveler but he wasn't? Really? "I mean, you said I'm kinda learning at a good rate now…" And that recognition was almost enough to change his mind, with the word 'almost' being the important thing. He sighed in relief, "But I still need to work harder though if I want to catch up, Ellynn. So thank you."

"I haven't said anything useful though?"

"No, I mean… just pointing it out—I think I'm already happy to hear that." He scratched his cheek. That was embarrassing to say aloud now that he said it.