I Will Carry as an Academy Veteran

10

Selenium Saga is a game.

The more effort you put in, the higher your stats rise.

The more effort you put in, the more items you can obtain.

So, among the promotional phrases of Selenium Saga was, ‘Enjoy infinitely, and you can become infinitely stronger.’ Really. It was a slogan created to ride the trend at the time. There must have been many newbies who fell for that.

No matter how crappy a character is, they get stronger with effort. What a romantic game it is!

However, let’s get to the point.

There was no such thing as a ‘god-tier game where you become infinitely stronger with effort’ in this world.

For all characters in Selenium Saga, there exists a ‘natural limit.’

As you develop your character, there comes a point where stats no longer increase through normal grinding, that’s the natural limit.

Moreover, this natural limit hits characters with lower initial abilities much sooner.

Therefore, to make use of a character who has reached this natural limit, you have to pull them up to the maximum by pulling them with potions or full equipment, putting in maximum effort, and this is called stat grinding.

Words like “stats” were simply determined by equipment options, it was essentially a game of luck and gambling.

However, surprisingly, there was a character who became a ray of hope for newbies as this “stats” was quite easy.

That character was Kalen Snow White.

For our knight with an intelligence stat in the single digits, acquiring a roughly legendary-grade armor, adding some water and defense coefficients, then equipping the exclusive weapon “Will of the White Snow” and a full-strength shield would turn them into a tank of an untouchable tier 1 that no one could match.

“Are you really watching properly?”

“I’m watching well.”

“I believe you. I’ll show you a demonstration.”

Behind the dormitory of the second-year students.

Clang—

A longsword was drawn from Kalen’s waist, dressed in a school uniform.

After painstaking efforts, the refined sword-drawing motion reached its peak, with only Kalen’s light blue hair trembling.

“If you’re going to learn the sword, this is the most basic.”

Murmuring so, Kalen gripped the hilt tightly.

As she infused magic into the sword, a white frost began to emanate from the blade, and transparent frost started to form.

Even without trying to impress, I know.

Kalen Snow White’s elemental affinity is ice.

“This is it.”

The most basic skill learned right after entering the Knight Department.

Whooong—

Kalen’s sword resonated with the ice element, emitting a sound.

The ice pieces that emerged on the blade trembled fiercely.

The chilling frost condensed like a faint flame, gently wrapping around the blade.

Kalen slowly raised the sword.

“【Elemental Sword: Piercing】!”

She slashed diagonally.

The faint frost itself turned into a refined sword energy and shot out.

The scarecrow in the path of the sword instantly froze, then crumbled into pieces.

Only ice fragments remained on the severed torso of the scarecrow.

“Did you see that?”

“Mm.”

The name of this skill is 【Elemental Sword: Piercing】.

It’s an active skill that enhances regular attacks with elemental damage, based on strengthening slashing attacks with elemental properties.

By the way, the higher skill is 【Frost Sword: Annihilation】, which adds area-of-effect elemental damage.

“Excellent.”

“…No, it’s not. Uh, thank you.”

Kalen scratched her cheek and smiled coyly.

Right now, it’s just cutting down a scarecrow, but when she uses her ultimate move, 【Frozen Blade: Destruction】, a crevasse will form on the ground and a gigantic iceberg will emerge.

Well then.

I slowly raised the sapling-studded stick in my hand.

“Adrian, isn’t that the stick from the room?”

“Yes.”

An unidentified branch found at the bottom of the trunk.

The Elemental Sword skill cannot be manifested with such a branch.

Since the sword’s magic cannot be supported by wood, if the skill is forcibly used, it will be destroyed, leaving a message, “Oops! The equipment has been damaged!”

From the Iron Sword to the Elemental Sword, a Strength stat of at least 6 was required to wield it.

In other words, as a weakling with a Strength of 3, I couldn’t even hold a sword made of iron.

But that doesn’t mean there was no solution.

Naturally, there was a way.

While cleaning up yesterday, I found something quite intriguing.

“No matter what, with such a thin branch…”

“Just watch for now.”

Ignoring the mumbled words of Intelligence 9, I peered closely at the stick.

A white wooden stick with a sprout budding at the end.

Initially, I thought it was just a branch, but a few days ago, I finally realized its true nature.

In this world, alongside fairies, there exist beings called ‘spirits.’

When magic accumulates in a place, a spirit begins to reside there, and one of the trees present will fuse with the spirit, becoming a ‘spirit wood’ with a certain probability.

This ‘spirit wood branch’ is so ‘light’ that even a Strength of 3 can wield it, possessing a strength similar to steel and a high affinity for magic, easily resonating with elements.

By now, you probably have a rough idea of what’s going on.

I used emotions on the stick I was holding.

＜Branch of the Spirit Wood＞/ Growth Type (★)

A very rare branch of the spirit wood that grows in magic-infused forests.

The small sprout at the end contains the essence of spirit wood.

It is very sturdy and does not break easily.

I detached the branch with the consent of the spirits.

Each option is preserved in a permanent state without damage.

-Can be used as a primary weapon for physical and magical purposes.

-After wearing it for a long time, it can permanently draw out the faint power of elements. (Wearing it will rapidly increase elemental affinity and magical proficiency.)

-The magic resonance of ‘Adrian Rothschild de Repelheight’ adjusts to the magic resonance of the spirit wood. It belongs to the owner.

Emotional Attachment: This item cannot be emotionally attached.

Surprisingly, this stick is a Growth Type and is even an Adrian exclusive item.

Although the effects are not significant yet due to my novice status, it will undoubtedly be helpful as I progress further.

Since all conditions are met, there’s nothing more to reconsider.

Let’s start right away.

The only thing that concerns me is my complete lack of proficiency in the Elemental Sword skill, resulting in constant ‘Failures,’ but in reality, this is not a significant worry.

In the Salenium Saga, unlike regular games, there are no restrictions on acquiring skills.

As long as you have the ability, even a mage can wield an Elemental Sword, and a knight can swing a staff to summon meteors, and that place is the Salenium Saga.

Yes, you can learn.

You can learn, but it will take some time, no, a lot of time.

To learn a skill, you must first go through the essential process called ‘Understanding,’ which is like a skill acquisition gamble based on luck. It’s like a bad game.

If a skill doesn’t match a character’s nature, it takes longer.

For instance, teaching magic to a knight like Ebnis and using it as a wizard was a typical case.

Highly inefficient. It was a meta only weird perverts engaged in.

At this point, just before Act 1 starts, relying solely on luck takes too long.

“But for the experienced, there’s always an answer.”

【War God Supreme Emperor – Descendants of the Beginning (Unique)】

“Really, Bil······ a good, ugh, name.”

I looked at the skill window with a grimace.

Using one of my skills, 【War God Supreme Emperor】.

No matter the attack, my 【War God Supreme Emperor】 guarantees a single success, ignoring all conditions, failure rates, and skill proficiency, turning everything into a certainty.

With a ‘success’ judgment, one can skip the arduous process of acquiring skills and immediately learn them.

For Ebnis, this skill wasn’t called ‘War God Supreme Emperor’ but simply 【Descendants of the Beginning】, limited to 5 uses without any strange power boost effects.

I remember how useful it was when Ebnis was practicing his Glorious Sword proficiency.

Since he could do it, so could I.

“Hah.”

Designating the opponent as a scarecrow, I activated the skill, gathering all my strength to imbue the staff with magical power.

Like a swirling wind wrapping around the round wooden staff, the magical power gathered swiftly. I felt the magic energy flowing out in an instant.

“Watch closely.”

Even trash characters have their uses when played right.

“【Attribute Sword: True】.”

─Boom!

The staff, charged with fierce winds, struck the scarecrow.

Dust and dirt rose, revealing the dismantled scarecrow due to the force.

Hmm, truly excellent.

Soon, a message popped up.

[Acquired the skill, 【Attribute Sword: True】.]

[From now on, by performing the corresponding action and thinking of the skill in your mind, you can use it.]

[Acquired skills can be checked in the ‘Character Information’ under the skill details.]

[Caution! The skill proficiency is very low! The failure rate is very high!]

[The count of the skill 【War God Supreme Emperor······】 has reached 0. It will reset at midnight tomorrow!]

Done.

Obtained Wind Blade and now Attribute Sword.

The preparations for Act 1 are practically complete.

“······Ah, Adrian. Are you okay?”

What are you asking? Of course, I’m fine.

A bit.

Just a bit.

The world.

The world is spinning just a bit.

“Kalenn, are you okay? You seem to be spinning around.”

“Oops! Lord Adrian! Pull yourself together!”

◈

At the Salenium Academy, the fourth year is the graduation year.

From the fourth year onwards, students prioritize their own career paths over the curriculum.

For the Knight Department, in the second semester, students go on a half-semester internship at a noble’s estate or with a knight order.

Of course, this internship applies to the Magic Department as well.

“······.”

Melwood Elion tore open the letters that arrived in front of him at the dormitory.

The carefully wrapped letters, sealed with a stamp, were filled with sweet words.

Promising a position as the court magician in a border kingdom, proposing to become the exclusive magician for a noble family on the empire’s border······.

An ordinary magician might have eagerly accepted such offers.

But not Melwood.

He is the top student in the Magic Department at the Salenium Academy.

Such positions are beneath him.

Melwood carefully folded the letters, burned them with a fireball spell, and they vanished.

“Gone.”

Although Melwood had always been the top student in the Magic Department since enrollment, he never received an offer from the Imperial Magician Order.

“······.”

Why?

Alberto, who was supposed to arrive two days ago, hasn’t shown up yet.

Could there have been an accident causing his delay?

“If they don’t come from that side, I’ll have to go from this side.”

Unlike the Knight Department, the Magic Department requires a written application.

If there’s no offer from the Imperial Magician Order, submitting an application on his own is the solution.

Melwood took out a piece of paper from the dormitory desk drawer.

With a fountain pen in hand, he cautiously began to write.

Imperial Magician Order.

His dream from the past and still the goal he pursues.

For the family eagerly awaiting news from their remote rural village.

For the siblings he must support.

Melwood had to enter the Imperial Magician Order no matter what.

Surely, they will contact him soon.

There’s no way they wouldn’t recruit the top student of the Salenium Academy’s Magic Department.

Melwood set down the fountain pen and stretched.

Outside the window, the view of Salenium spread out.

Somehow, he felt like things were going to work out well from now on.

◈

“Reyna.”

“What’s wrong, Adrian?”

It’s already been three days since the start of the new semester.

By this point, he had somewhat adapted to having her by his side.

The lectures they attended were similar enough to be noteworthy, yet he couldn’t deliberately ignore them.

As long as he didn’t push too hard, things seemed like they would be fine, so he just let it be.

“Was there ever a commoner among the past Chief Sorcerers?”

“Suddenly?”

It wasn’t particularly sudden.

Ever since his meeting with Melwood, he had been continuously pondering about it.

Act 1 Boss Melwood Elion.

Since the backstory about him wasn’t even in the guidebook.

“Um, hold on a moment.”

Even to my sudden question, Reyna pondered deeply and sincerely provided an answer.

“No, there wasn’t. Among the past Chief Sorcerers, there has never been a commoner.”

“Can you say that with certainty?”

“Yes, from the start, this is the first time a commoner has held the position of Vice Chief of the Department of Magic. There was no Chief Sorcerer at all.”

“…I see.”

“Yes, but why do you ask that? Are you perhaps interested in the position of Chief Sorcerer, Adrian? In that case, you’ll be competing with me!”

As if that would ever happen.

Am I crazy?

“Reyna. Could I ask one thing then?”

“If it’s Adrian’s request, I understand. However! I will definitely expect a clear compensation.”

That’s fine.

Even if it’s money as precious as my own blood, I’m willing to pay.

Still.

“Is there a friend discount or something similar?”

“Oh my, what are you talking about?”

Hmm.

She’s quite composed about money matters. Indeed, she’s from the Wolfgang family.

“A few days later, won’t the internship locations for the 4th years be decided?”

“That’s right.”

“I need information on the internship locations for the 4th-year Chief and Vice Chief. It would be great if you could bring the relevant documents.”

If the contents of the documents here match what I know, everything falls into place.

Reyna nodded without hesitation.

“We’ll quickly get that for you. Just leave it to us.”

“Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it. Well then, I have a lecture to attend, so I’ll go ahead.”

Sending Reyna off like that and heading alone towards the student cafeteria.

*Creak.*

Something chilling emerged from the dark alley of the regular dormitory building and slowly touched my back.

“Don’t move. Don’t make a sound.”

A familiar voice echoed from somewhere.

“······.”

“Come this way.”

Hmm.

Our Evnis has grown a lot.

Even our sky-like brother knows how to threaten.