I Will Carry as an Academy Veteran

6

The time left until the start of school, one more day.

When I woke up, Kalen was already gone. It seemed like she left early for training.

Being alone, I leisurely showered and changed into my school uniform.

Even though I had casual clothes, the reason for choosing the school uniform was simple.

It’s comfortable.

The jacket is a bit stiff, but I have to get used to it.

While looking in the mirror, I adjusted my tie.

I straightened the sleeves and smoothed out my clothes, looking presentable enough.

No, if you look closely, it’s all about the face.

“Character Information.”

Looking at it after a long time, something new had emerged.

＜Adrian Rothschild de Repelheight＞

Former work of Repelheight, the late writer.

18 years old.

Currently a second-year student at Hwanglip Selenium Academy.

Due to the numerous misdeeds committed under the authority of Repelheight’s late work, his reputation within the academy is extremely poor.

With two academic warnings accumulated, expulsion is highly likely.

▶️ Abilities

【Strength: 3】

【Magic: 4】

【Stamina: 5】

【Intelligence: 13】

【Willpower: 6】

▶️ Possessed Skills

【Dignity of Lineage】

– An offspring of aristocratic upbringing. ‘Irreproachable dignity’ is imbued in all words and actions.

【Mushinpaehwang (武神覇皇) – Descendant of Primordial (Unique)】

– The body cannot withstand the lineage. All abilities drastically decrease, and a unique name is attached before the skill.

During attacks with a weapon in hand, only once. It can ensure success by ignoring ‘all conditions.’

Can be used ‘once’ a day. The power increases significantly when used. (*The count resets based on midnight.)

【????(???)】

– ???, can see and observe everything.

▶Magic Details

Elemental Affinity: 【Wind】

– Receives the protection of the wind. The casting time of intermediate or higher level magic is slightly reduced, the consumption of mana is decreased by a small amount when wind elemental magic is manifested, and its power increases slightly.

▶Acquired Magic

– Lesser Elemental Magic

【Wind Blade】LV 1

– Consumes some mana to sharpen the wind around oneself.

A new category of magic details has appeared.

“…Wind, huh.”

Initially, it was a lesser magic or whatever, but since it wasn’t learned in the first place, it seems that the affinity wasn’t even revealed.

Anyway, wind element.

In the Salenium Saga, wind elemental magic focuses more on utility than high damage dealing and stability.

In short, characters with wind elemental affinity focus on quick casting, and the higher the intelligence stat, the stronger the synergy with magic.

So, to put it nicely, they are versatile and utility-oriented characters in various aspects.

To put it bluntly, they are just ambiguous characters that are neither here nor there.

There are elemental affinities specialized in dealing damage like fire, ice, lightning, etc.

For tanking, there are earth elements, and for supporting, there are water elements, so the characteristics of characters vary depending on their elemental affinities.

Salenium Saga’s gameplay involved skillfully organizing raid parties with these diverse combinations.

“It doesn’t matter.”

Even if we head to Moro, we just need to get to Seoul first, right?

Although in the game, I’m in a tough spot as a wind elemental character.

“Actually, it’s not bad.”

If there were a choice, I would have chosen the wind affinity as well.

I’m not going to be at the forefront of battles anyway, and it’s best to be ambiguous enough to just protect myself adequately.

Being an ambiguous character means, in other words, being decent at dealing damage, tanking, or supporting, whatever.

So, no matter where you stand, it means you can handle your part at least.

Not being fixed in a position is a huge advantage when organizing a party.

Yes, being moderate is the most excellent.

Living moderately is what life is all about.

Of course, if I live too moderately, I’ll end up like a flatfish, so I have to go train again today.

…That was truly my intention.

Eating since morning.

But then, a nuisance appeared.

“Adrian!”

How did she know I was eating again? Raina came to the Merin Hall cafeteria with her arms full of books, wearing the same Salenium uniform as me, her black hair flowing, and her deeply sparkling turquoise eyes fixed on me to the point of being burdensome.

From appearance to status, wherever she goes, she’s a person who attracts attention.

Thanks to her, even I, who was slicing meat alone in a corner of the restaurant, ended up attracting attention.

“Why are you here again.”

In response to my words, Raina plopped the stack of books down in front of the plate.

“Adrian, today is the day we go to the self-study room together.”

After a light sigh, I carefully chose my words for a polite refusal.

“Reyna von Wolfgang, you know me better than anyone else, don’t you?”

I never study, after all.

Laziness is my top skill, a good-for-nothing layabout.

She must be well aware of all these nicknames.

Reyna listened to me and chuckled lightly.

“I know well, Adrian. I can confidently say I know better than anyone else.”

Then, she nodded lightly and spoke.

“…That’s why I noticed the biggest change first. I can’t miss this opportunity. I always failed in my first year, but today, I will go to the self-study room with you.”

Always failed in the first year.

So, even knowing she would most likely be rejected, did she still approach Adrian?

I felt a bit guilty, but it was not possible to go together.

She should not be intertwined with the person I am now.

In a way, I am a character who has deviated from the story timeline.

So, based on the original, I am a character who should have ‘died.’

I, who am perfectly alive, have not even started Chapter 1 yet, so I must keep my distance from the ‘main narrative’ as much as possible.

In the case of Kalen Snowhite, she was quite distant from the main narrative, which is why I could deal with her without hesitation.

Reyna von Wolfgang is the main heroine of the Department of Magic.

Even if the user chooses the Knight Department route instead of the Magic Department, she is the ultimate main character, providing information from behind the scenes.

Perhaps this misunderstanding arose because I visited the lecture hall to examine the building, and she mistakenly thought I had committed to studying.

It doesn’t matter.

I have no intention of clearing up the misunderstanding now, nor of creating another one.

“I see. I have a prior commitment today, so I must work hard.”

“Yes! …What? Adrian? What did you say?”

Reyna’s eyes widened as if she had heard words she couldn’t believe.

It seemed like stumbling on her words was quite shocking.

Is it that shocking that I have a prior commitment?

It hurts, it really does.

“You didn’t hear? I said I have a prior commitment today.”

“I-Is that so? Yes, yes… Well, it can’t be helped. B-But since you answered like this, it means there’s still a chance! We must go together next time!”

Reyna returned to a sullen yet subtly bright expression.

Unfortunately.

I have no promises to make.

Of course, I have no intention of going to the self-study room.

There are piles of things to do besides academics.

* * *

Every time I come here, I feel the same way.

This field is always calm and quiet.

There are so few people here that it could be considered my own personal space.

I don’t know why, but it’s just abandoned except for sometimes when the knights jump around, passing by.

……No one would care even if a convenience store was set up here or a cabin was built.

It seems like the land where characters can tread, so the map in the game seems right, but I’ve never seen it while playing the game.

Wide fields.

The wind rustles.

I quietly took off my robe.

“……”

Even with all sorts of things happening, training comes first.

My magic power is 4.

Considering that the minimum magic power spec for most Magic Department extra characters starts from 13, there’s nothing more to say.

The lower the magic power, the higher the consumption, so nearly 30% is consumed by one Wind Blade, so after shooting it three times, it’s over.

Furthermore, low-grade magic is not affected by elemental affinity, so even if it’s Wind element, there’s no impact on power amplification or magic power reduction.

As you raise the magic skill level, the magic power consumption decreases, but to do that, you have to use a ton of magic spells to raise the level.

So, you have to keep using magic up to the limit, increase your magic power, and consequently raise your skill level.

‘……Huh.’

For someone like me, it can’t be anything but a challenging world.

How the heck did this kid get admitted.

But.

“It’s actually good.”

The more the world casts spells on me, the more an old-timer like me is pleased.

I looked around and reached out my hand.

Closing my eyes, I think about the magic to manifest.

“【Low-level Wind Element Magic: Wind Blade】.”

In an instant, magic is manifested as magic power drains away.

Whoosh─

The wind swirling from my hand forms a blue sphere, tearing the grass around shallowly and condensing into one.

Boom─!

The condensed air bursts out, and a fierce wind like a squall sweeps the surroundings.

Just doing it once made sweat bead on my forehead.

“Hmm.”

Rolling up my sleeves, I was about to do it again when I heard a voice from behind.

“……Excuse me, are you Repelheight’s Heir, Sohof?”

Huh. Was there someone here?

Turning my head to see that face, I couldn’t help but be surprised.

The fact that someone else was here in what I thought was my own space was so shocking that I almost forgot.

“Melwood Elion…?”

“S-Sohof, do you know me?”

“…You must know me if you attend the Academy.”

“hahahaha, is that so. It’s an honor.”

He chuckled, scratching the back of his neck as if nonchalantly, and smiled.

I know who the author is.

If you’ve played ‘Selenium Saga’ even once, you would know.

Wearing glasses, with a neat hair and a warm impression.

As the creator said, Melwood Elion, the 4th-year top student of the Department of Magic, known as the genius magician and the design motive of the ‘neighborhood brother who’s good at games.’

Commonly referred to by users as the ‘Gatekeeper.’

He smiled slyly and walked towards me.

“There are no other humans here… so I come here occasionally when I have some free time. I didn’t expect even the subordinates to find this place. Shall we see each other often from now on?”

I stared at him in silence.

One should not be deceived by that smiling face.

Beneath that warm and friendly face lies a nature tainted with feelings of inferiority and hatred towards nobility.

The events unfolding in Act 1 are, upon closer inspection, all orchestrated by this guy.

Every time Erhan tries to uncover the truth of Act 1, Scene 1, the evidence inexplicably disappears in Act 2.

However, the protagonist does not yield, gathers all the evidence, finds the culprit, captures Melwood, and in Act 3, works with the allies he has gathered to bring down Melwood, including the ‘Knight of Light,’ Lumen.

Melwood, overwhelmed by everyone’s cooperation, willingly confesses his guilt and is expelled.

The boss of Act 1, aptly named the ‘Gatekeeper,’ who lured all the newbies into the abyss of despair with a diverse and challenging game pattern.

That ‘Gatekeeper’ was now standing in front of me.