I Will Carry as an Academy Veteran

23

The meeting proceeded smoothly.

Reyna explained at the front and led the meeting.

‘Hmm…….’

That was Reyna’s way of conducting the meeting.

This is a story that wasn’t in the original.

Originally, it was Eran who led the meetings in the game.

The righteous Eran lad, based on the information he investigated and gathered, would stand before the people who trusted him, saying ‘Therefore, the culprit is Jiza!’ and go to apprehend Melwood.

But now, Eran is aware that Reyna is the source of the information he collected.

And everyone gathered here, except for Lumen and Ebnis, knows that Reyna gathered the information.

In other words, everyone knows that Reyna was the first to realize that Melwood is the culprit behind all these incidents.

So, it’s only natural that Reyna leads the meeting.

The protagonist, Eran lad, unlike the original, was sitting there, nodding his head several times in concentration at Reyna’s words with eyes that were unmatched in purity and a face that seemed to overflow with hope.

“The information I gathered is unusual. So, I’ll decide on the formation now.”

“I will stand in the front lines.”

When Reyna stared at Lumen, I spoke up instead.

“Right. Lumen senpai should be in the front lines now to block any more attacks.”

Originally, Lumen Reibns is closer to a warrior-type melee main dealer than a tanker.

Though Kalen is a tanker, at this point, where Act 1 hasn’t ended yet, the only one who can properly fulfill the tank role is Lumen.

“Then, I will take charge of the front lines.”

“I’ll be in the front lines too!”

Kalen raised his hand alongside Erhan and spoke.

“Erhan junior, wouldn’t it be better for juniors to stay behind?”

“Our seniors are fighting at the front. Juniors cannot just stand by at the back. Let me fight too!”

Erhan’s innocent gaze.

But I won’t yield.

“No, you can’t.”

“Oh, Adrian senior?”

“Erhan, you cannot stand in the front line.”

Despair colored his expression at my declaration.

“But, Adrian senior… I, I want to fight too!”

“Foolish, who said not to fight?”

“Y-yes…?”

Erhan blankly stared at me.

“I will entrust you with the most important task.”

“T-the most important task?”

He tensed up.

“Position yourself in the center, under our protection, and assess dangerous areas, shortcomings independently. Can you do it? If not, I will assign this role to someone else.”

“N-no, I can do it. I will definitely, definitely show you I can!”

Erhan clenched his fist tightly and nodded.

In a way, this is the most crucial role.

From hidden routes to the ‘system’ aiding me, and even ‘stats.’

It seems like all of this is visible only to ‘me.’

In the original work, the final scene of this boss battle is done through a cutscene.

When Lume brings the boss’s health down with the Light Sword, Erhan rushes in and strikes the boss’s back with a sword, ending the boss battle.

If this world follows the original, even if the middle part may vary, it seems Erhan will end this battle by striking the boss’s back.

“Reyna, you are in the rear guard. Rellvrian… Milije, standby alongside me, and when one side collapses, move in. Mage, you will be responsible for all support in the rear guard.”

“That child’s name is Kelly. Adrian.”

Ah, right. Kelly. I remembered.

A character who entered with Reyna, specialized in healing and support with water elemental magic.

No exclusive endings or routes, just a character you can recruit.

It’s like a 2-star basic character given after the tutorial in a mobile game.

“Um, I apologize. I will make the adjustment…”

Wait, come to think of it, when did I start commanding this?

Glancing at Reyna, she was looking at me with an intrigued expression.

As if urging me to continue speaking.

‘Come to think of it, Reyna never asked me how I knew Melwood was the culprit.’

As I paused for a moment, Reyna looked at me.

“It’s okay to keep talking, Adrian. I’m curious about your opinion?”

A voice filled with curiosity and expectation.

It seems like she thinks I’m hiding something.

It can’t be helped.

I have to meet expectations.

At that moment, a familiar voice chimed in.

“What should I do?”

“…Ah, I forgot about one person.”

“Are you… doing this on purpose right now?”

There was a grinding sound of teeth, but I ignored it.

No, I really did forget.

“Ebvnis. You will be in the front line, standing further forward with Senior Lumen to take responsibility for defense and counterattacks. It’s a crucial role. Can you handle it?”

“It seems like I can’t do that?”

“It did seem that way.”

“I’ll kill it.”

Whoa, calm down.

With a strength of 20, she should be able to handle that.

In fact, when there were no suitable tanks in the early stages of training, Ebvnis was used as a tank and showed a flawless performance.

“I’ll take care of it.”

“Hmph, do as you please.”

Ebvnis, who had sharply turned her head at my words, glanced around for a moment before looking back at me.

“…Wait, what about Adrian? He doesn’t seem to have a role?”

“I will focus on understanding the entire situation from the rear and giving you appropriate instructions as needed. Any objections?”

“Your instructions are not to be trusted…”

“Just a moment, Ebvnis.”

Amidst Ebvnis’s angry voice, Reyna gently interjected.

“As the leader who has gathered everyone here, I want to follow Adrian’s opinion.”

“Hmm, why is that, Reyna.”

Looking at Reyna, who calmly surveyed everyone with a calm voice, Relvrian asked with an intriguing tone.

“To be honest, we have gathered here because we trust you. Even if you are Adrian’s fiancée, there is no reason why we shouldn’t trust him.”

I thought Relvrian and I were getting along, but he’s acting like this.

However, Reyna seemed to have anticipated this and spoke.

“Only two people here have realized that Melwood Elian is the culprit. It’s me and Adrian.”

Everyone’s gaze turned to me.

What’s going on?

“Adrian didn’t reveal it outwardly, but he saw through the culprit and passed on important information to me. So one thing is certain. Adrian has an exceptional ability to see through the culprit.”

Reyna smiled slyly and looked at me.

“So, I trust Adrian.”

Silence fell over the room.

Ernan was looking at me with sparkling eyes, Lumen with a pleased expression.

Relvrian was smiling at me as if finding it amusing.

Ebvnis still had a contemplative look on her face, but she seemed to have agreed for now.

Milije… I’m not sure why her face is turning red, but let’s move on.

In the silence, I spoke up.

“Is there any objection?”

There was none.

Thus, the team of 6 and 2 candidates.

The Salenium Saga’s veteran All-Star lineup was complete.

—

【Lumen】

【Ebony】, 【Kalen】

【Eran】, 【Raina】, 【Kelly】

【Adrian】

—

Candidates: 【Milije】, 【Relbrian】

2 tanks, 2 melee DPS, 2 mages.

Even one mage specializing in pure magic, the other focusing on healing as a supporter.

Truly, a perfect golden ratio.

Moreover, two main hero characters, two significant sub-hero characters.

Even a party member carrying a rice bowl in the candidates.

I had never planned such a solid lineup for the first boss battle.

No, such a combination would be impossible in the original.

As the game turned into reality, it was only possible because of me.

“But I should be careful.”

Even if I bring this lineup, I don’t expect the boss battle to be easy.

The future has twisted to the point where a lineup of this All-Star caliber is planned, so I can’t guarantee Melud Elian will be the same as in the original.

“Do you all remember the assembly time?”

Everyone nodded, and I stood up from my seat.

“We will succeed. Now, let’s join hands.”

Seven hands overlapped on top of mine.

I forced one person who wasn’t participating to join in.

Although he grumbled, what does he know.

We can do it.

* * *

Melud Elian was standing in the open field.

It wasn’t for some trivial reason like practicing magic.

He had long left such things behind.

The reason he was here today was for a very simple matter.

“I came because I heard there was a challenge.”

Sitting on a rock, quietly reading a spellbook, Melud’s gaze shifted behind.

Across the field stood the person he had summoned.

“You call me out here, and now you’re leisurely reading a book? Peasant?”

The same school uniform, yet different.

Over there, the uniform is adorned with gold, jewels, and all sorts of decorations within the boundaries of the rules.

However.

Their own uniform, worn and patched up every day for four years, seemed pitiful to them.

Across the field, the aristocrat burst into laughter, pulling out a parchment with the royal crest from their clothes.

“Since we’ve met, I might as well deliver the news. I passed.”

Rustle.

The parchment unfolded, and the noble laughed triumphantly.

Without even approaching, Melwood could read the words.

The words he had hoped to see each time, the words of acceptance.

The author had passed.

Upon graduation, they would join the Royal Mage Corps and live on.

But.

What about themselves?

Why, how come it wasn’t possible?

Though unable to fathom the reason, they felt it wouldn’t be resolved even if they knew.

Disheartened.

Then, what had they been doing all this time?

Was there value in the life they had solely devoted to one thing, effort, time, in their relentless pursuit?

On the day when no rejection letter ever arrived no matter how long they waited.

Lost and wandering aimlessly around the academy, Melwood stumbled upon a peculiar grimoire.

An old, faded, ominous grimoire.

Though filled with a foreboding aura, Melwood, as if entranced, picked up the grimoire and flipped through its pages.

And.

The grimoire showed him things he couldn’t see and made him handle things he couldn’t.

Sometimes, it even spoke to him.

The grimoire always whispered to Melwood.

Is this how it’s going to end so insignificantly? Show them. Your life, unrecognized, shouldn’t end like this.

And so, they thought.

To show them.

To make those nobles, who had assigned value based solely on their high status, regret their choices.

“Fourth-year Magic Department, top student, Alberto.”

The voice that escaped their lips seemed to split into several branches for some reason, yet it left them feeling nothing.

“Are you so base as to address a noble by name!”

Enraged, he drew his wand from his waist and pointed it at them.

Melwood chuckled sardonically.

Nobility, in the end, is all the same.

Thud.

Melwood lightly closed the grimoire they had been holding in their hand.

Raising the corner of the book with his index finger, the magic book hovered around him without falling off.

The eyes, now turned crimson inside the glasses, gazed at the nobleman.

As the nobleman exulted, his body shriveled.

The black robe fluttered.

Advancing lightly towards the nobleman, he chanted a spell in a trembling voice.

“Go, [Advanced Fire Elemental Magic: Flame Bright]!”

A vast magic circle unfolded from the wand.

And from the sky, a massive column of fire descended.

Melwood waved his hand.

The magic book unfolded, and his mouth uttered the spell.

To Melwood, it was a magic of unknown nature, but he simply let his mouth move.

Of course, the spell wouldn’t have reached him.

He wouldn’t understand why he was losing, the situation, nothing.

“[Dark Elemental Magic: Corrosion].”

Poof.

The advanced magic of the Department of Magic evaporated in an instant.

“W-What is this…!”

“Quiet.”

As Melwood waved his hand, a black magical mass in the shape of a hand flew from behind and struck the nobleman.

It was just one strike.

With that one strike, the nobleman fainted and fell, while Melwood watched from a distance.

The magic book.

The magic book kept whispering.

‘Kill him.’

‘Kill that guy.’

‘Kill him as an offering.’

‘Kill. Kill him, the one who took your place. Kill him, quickly kill! Kill him!’

The voices that had been echoing since he picked up the magic book.

Melwood nodded his head.

Yes, he would kill. That’s what he would do.

Thinking so, Melwood waved his hand, gathering a large mass of magic and then bringing it down.

Right after he brought it down.

“[Hero’s Sword: True]!”

With a voice he hadn’t heard before, a huge greatsword suddenly appeared, severing his magic.

Melwood stared blankly at the scene.

A greatsword shining brightly in seven colors.

And the boy holding that greatsword.

As the boy’s white hair turned black again, people gathered behind him.

“….”

As Melwood silently gazed at them, the boy at the front raised the large sword and spoke.

“Surrender now, Melwood Elion. You cannot defeat us.”

A vast field.

On one side, Melwood, engulfed in dark and ominous magic, and on the other side, a boy aiming a sword at him.

And behind that boy, a group of people gathered.

Annoyance crept in.

“Interfering….”

Melwood’s fist clenched tightly.

“Don’t do it!”

Kwaaang!

Waves of magic swept through the surroundings.

Behind him, clusters of dark hand-like magic surged and swirled.

The crimson eyes behind the cracked lenses now gazed down at them.

No visible reaction, but their expressions were grim.

Yes, they were all gripped by fear.

If it continues like this….

At that moment.

“All units, hold your positions.”

At the command, the tense expressions of everyone relaxed.

A radiant blonde, and eyes as blue as sapphire.

A man who calmly walked among them raised a white wooden staff he held, pointing it towards himself.

“Melwood Elion, I advise you to surrender.”

“Ha!”

A dismissive sound.

As Melwood fiercely swung his arms, massive hands of magic soared high above him.

It would all end, all of it.

In his red eyes, the image of the blonde man looking at him expressionlessly was vivid.