NOVPUBSeojun remained silent for a moment, his gaze fixed on Skywing. Ignoring Minseok's excitement, he asked calmly, "What else do you know about her?"
Minseok blinked, caught off guard by the question. He scratched the back of his head, thinking deeply. "Uhm... not much, Master," he admitted, his voice dropping.
"I... I tried taming another familiar before. It was another bird species, but... our bond was terrible. I even almost hurt Elshienne during training." His expression turned guilty. "I broke the taming contract after that and decided to just focus on Skywing," he finished, lowering his head.
Seojun studied him for a moment, then straightened up walking out of the room.
Minseok hurried to follow, confusion written all over his face. "Where are we going, Master?" he asked, almost stumbling as he tried to keep up.
Seojun didn't look back. "To the training field," he replied plainly.
A few minutes later, they stood in the training grounds. The field was wide and empty, with tall fences surrounding it. The wind rustled gently, and the sun shone brightly above. Seojun crossed his arms and nodded toward Skywing. "Try giving her some orders," he said firmly.
Minseok swallowed nervously but stepped forward, holding out his hand. "Skywing! Fly high and circle the field!" he commanded.
Skywing tilted her head, looking at him for a moment before flapping her wings and taking off. She soared into the sky, her blue feathers shimmering in the sunlight. She made a wide circle around the field, following Minseok's order perfectly.
Minseok's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Good girl! Now, dive and land smoothly!" he called out.
Skywing responded, folding her wings slightly and diving gracefully, landing right in front of Minseok. He beamed with pride, looking back at Seojun. "See? She listens well," he said, confidence returning to his voice.
But Seojun just stood there, arms still crossed, his eyes sharp. "Orders are one thing... but true command is another," he replied. "Tell her to attack me."
Minseok's eyes went wide. "W-What?! Master, I can't do that!" he stammered.
Seojun raised an eyebrow. "You said you wanted to get stronger, didn't you? Show me what Skywing can do," he challenged,
Minseok hesitated, glancing nervously at Skywing before finally nodding. "Skywing... attack!"
But Skywing just stood there, tilting her head curiously. She blinked once, then ruffled her feathers, clearly not understanding—or maybe just unwilling to follow the command.
Minseok's face turned red with embarrassment. He looked back at Seojun, who remained still, arms crossed and eyes sharp. "I-I don't understand, Master... she always listens to me. Why isn't she attacking?" Minseok stammered.
Seojun stepped forward, his eyes never leaving Skywing. "It's not that she doesn't listen," he said, his voice steady. "It's that she doesn't understand your intent."
Minseok blinked in confusion. "My intent?"
Seojun nodded. "Skywing follows simple commands—fly, circle, land. But when it comes to something more instinctual, like attacking, she hesitates. That's because your bond is shallow. She doesn't trust your judgment fully... and you don't trust her strength," Seojun explained.
Minseok looked down at his familiar, his eyes filled with doubt. "But... I've been training with her for a few months now."
"Training isn't the same as bonding," Seojun replied simply. He raised his hand, and Skywing immediately tensed, taking a step back. Seojun's eyes narrowed. "See? She feels threatened by me, but she won't act without your genuine intent."
Minseok looked back at Skywing, realization dawning on him. "Then... what should I do?"
Seojun's expression softened just a bit. "First, you need to understand her. Not just her strengths but also her instincts. Spend time with her, communicate... and test her limits. Only then can you command her in battle."
Minseok watched as Skywing gracefully perched on his shoulder, her feathers ruffling slightly as she settled in. He reached up, gently stroking her head. "Communicate?" he murmured, almost to himself. "How... how can I communicate with her?"
Skywing tilted her head, chirping softly in response. Minseok sighed, glancing back at Seojun, who was observing him quietly. "Master... how do I talk to her? She doesn't understand my words," Minseok asked, his voice full of uncertainty.
Seojun stepped forward, his hands tucked into his pockets. "It's not about words," he explained calmly. "Familiar communication goes beyond that. It's about intent... emotions... trust."
Minseok frowned. "Intent? But I always give her commands clearly."
Seojun shook his head. "Think of it like this," he began. "When you feel fear, she senses it. When you doubt, she hesitates. But when you believe in her strength, she becomes stronger." He pointed at Skywing. "Right now, she only listens to basic commands because you haven't shown her what you truly want. You need to share your emotions... your goals."
Seojun watched Minseok's determined expression, then spoke firmly, "We will continue once you truly understand your familiar. Spend time with Skywing, learn about her—everything you can. When you think you know her well enough, report back to me."
Minseok opened his mouth to ask more questions, his mind swirling with confusion and curiosity. He wanted to know what Seojun meant by "understanding" his familiar. Was it just commands? Emotions? Could Skywing do more than he realized?
But before he could speak, a cheerful voice interrupted. "Minseok! Professor Jihoon!"
Both of them turned to see Nayoung jogging toward them, waving her hand enthusiastically. "There you are! I've been looking everywhere for you! you were just here!" she said, stopping right in front of them.
Minseok scratched his head. "Uh, for me?"
"Of course!" Nayoung said with a grin. She then turned to Seojun and bowed slightly. "Good morning again, Professor!"
Seojun nodded in return. "Good morning, Nayoung."
Nayoung turned back to Minseok, excitement written all over her face. "Did you hear? There's going to be a mock battle this afternoon! Everyone's talking about it!"
Minseok blinked. "A mock battle? Already?"
Nayoung nodded eagerly. "Yup! And I heard the top students are joining. It's gonna be awesome!" She then glanced at Skywing, perched calmly on Minseok's shoulder. "Oh! Your familiar's out! Are you training?"
Minseok smiled nervously. "Y-yeah... sort of."
Seojun watched the two interact and took a step back. "Minseok," he called out, making Minseok turn his head. "Remember what I said. Learn about her... and report back."
Minseok straightened up and nodded firmly. "I will, Master!"
