[He looks like he's having a tough time.]
The wind blew by. The natural wind that flew through the forest was always pleasant, but the wind that tickled Yennekar's cheek was not one from nature.
It was the high-ranking wind spirit, Merilda.
Her greyish-brown fur, which pleasantly fluttered in the wind, appeared to be lighter than it actually was due to her size.
Merilda whispered to Yennekar, who was leaning against the guardian tree.
[Yennekar, as you already know the academy's curriculum isn't all that easy, right? Even for a top student like you, you're still so busy. But since he's also been taking care of the camp, he must have reached his limit.]
"So you also think the same, Merilda."
She definitely had a different attitude then when she dealt with Takan.
Holding her knees in her arms and swallowing her saliva, she listened carefully to her close friend's words.
[But this is still a chance, Yennekar. Even that firefox won't be able to come to the camp, as she is extremely busy with negotiations and the like. You need to take advantage of this time.]
"Yeah, yeah."
[Humans fall for one another easier when they are pushed to their limits. Don't feel guilty. Take advantage of this crisis as much as you can. It's okay to act a little bit sly or greedy since you need to make him fall for you immediately. You are going to need to control the situation.]
"Can you explain it more thoroughly?"
[Hm…]
Unlike her appearance, Merilda's voice and behavior were quite delicate and modest. Though, there was no way her thoughts could be considered the same.
[Whether you like it or not, you must act somewhat like a fox to snatch him up, Yennekar. In that respect, that firefox is a bit smart. You need to learn what you can from her.]
Merilda sat with her feet folded and her head raised. She then cleared her throat.
[For example, your outfit.]
Yennekar was completely shocked at the fact that Merilda's love advice was so valuable.
Since she thought of trying to cook some dishes at the campfire, she had been secretly taking a bunch of ingredients from the academy's cafeteria. Usually, that wouldn't be allowed. Luckily Bell, who understood the situation, turned a blind eye to it.
Since she was planning to cook, her outfit was rather simple. She rolled up the sleeves of her blouse, which she had washed several times over. She also wore a shawl around her waist, cinched tightly over her navy-blue skirt. It was something that she had often worn back on the farm in her hometown.
She remembered Lortel's glamorous and beautiful frill dress from before. She had let her reddish-brown hair—usually tied to one side—flow down, and she wore a headband with a large blue rose and an amber accessory with it… She was so beautiful that one couldn't help but stare in awe.
Then comparing that to her current self… Yennekar's appearance was closer to a vibrant village woman, rather than an attractive one. There was quite a big gap between her current appearance and her usual neat and cute school uniform.
[100 points, Yennekar. You have become a fox.]
"Hm?"
The one who calls herself a so-called genius of love advice (No practical dating experience) gave out a favorable comment.
"Don't I look pretty ugly right now?"
[Yennekar, you're also quite sly. You have your own charm. That current overwhelming vitality of yours, which is unlike your usual cheerful and energetic self, that gap… Men are obsessed with that. That appearance of yours, pretending that you're not sly, that appeal is great.]
"R-Really…?"
[Let's try rolling up your sleeves and tying your hair up. Try to give off the picture of a wife that stays by her husband's side, even through a difficult moment. That's great.]
"Oh, yeah! That's right! I have to be at least this sly!"
Seeing Yennekar rolling up her sleeves, acting as if that was her plan from the start, Merilda let out a sigh inside. Yennekar seemed to think that she had been acting perfectly sly.
It would have been great if Lortel had pushed some more so she would act a bit greedier, but at least she was finally smiling again. She really was like a sheet of clean white paper.
How would she end up dating someone at that rate?
She was going to get tossed aside with a broken heart after following the advice from a third-rate romance novel.
Merilda was very interested in the various cultures that the humans had created.
Sometimes, she would try to evaluate artwork that humans tilted their heads towards. Other times, she would use inexperienced transformation magic to turn into a human and borrow books from the library.
Merilda remembered the third-rate romance novels that she had occasionally read. Yennekar seemed to have the same characteristics of the girl who got a broken heart in the book.
A young girl, who gripped down on her handkerchief as she called out the name of her lover, who was no longer with her. With that scene and classic direction constantly coming to mind, Merilda couldn't help but worry about Yennekar.
She didn't want her to copy an outdated method like that merchant girl, who was playing hard to get.
Though, if she wanted to seduce him, she at least needed to know how to make him long for her.
[Anyway, you're planning to go see him later today, right? If you throw away this golden opportunity, even if the gods forgive you, I won't. Go make some type of progress today. Alright?]
"Wh-What? Progress…?"
[Never mind. Just tell me now. What were you going to do at the camp today while helping him out? How were you going to try to narrow the distance between you two?]
"Uh… That…"
Yennekar lowered her head, avoiding eye contact, and spoke as if she were embarrassed.
"I-I wasn't. I wasn't planning to do that."
[Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahk!]
Nearly bursting into flames, Merilda began to thoroughly question Yennekar.
[Does that make sense?! With an opportunity like this! Do you think there'll be another time someone like him suffers to this extent?! Look at the way he's growing! It's at a ridiculous pace! An opportunity like this doesn't come easy! There's no better way to win than to spend time with someone in a crisis! You need to act as the person who will support him during this tough time! Even if it's a little greedy of you! Or a bit manipulative!]
"W-Well that's true. So… I wasn't planning to do anything…"
[Huh?! Just what the heck does that mean?!]
"No, I mean… It's just… It's… It's just what I think…"
After hearing Yennekar's following explanation, Merilda was left completely speechless from shock.
Afterwards, taking a moment to think… She started to think that it was just like Yennekar.
Merilda nodded her head as she thought. Perhaps that could also act as a means of attack.
[Fine. It's very much like you, Yennekar.]
At that remark, Yennekar buried her head in embarrassment.
***
"Your nickname as the 'Golden Daughter' will soon be a thing of the past once Elte's dismissal becomes official."
Lortel had no idea that Krepin Rothstaylor would personally travel all the way to the sitting room at the company's Silvenia branch.
His actions were so unexpected to Lortel that she was forced to prepare for his arrival as quickly as possible.
"To travel directly to the residence of a lowly merchant, who only knows of greed and how to count coins, I feel both honored and a bit worried at the same time. Perhaps my staff's attitude was disrespectful towards you in some way?"
"It wasn't much."
Krepin sat across the table as he brought the cup of tea to his mouth.
Though the store prepared the best product they had, it was probably nothing more than plain water for someone like Krepin.
Lortel slowly lowered her gaze as she sat opposite of him.
She was counting every breath she took, doing her best to keep from choking on her own spit.
Krepin Rothstaylor was someone that you couldn't relax in front of.
However, as his intentions were somewhat predictable, there was no reason for her to be overly nervous.
"I'll buy the Sage's Seal from the Elte Company."
The tone of his voice sounded as if it was already decided that the Elte Company would sell the seal.
"If you just tell me the amount that you were thinking of, I'll give you even more. In the first place, isn't that what you planned?"
The reason that the Elte Company had raised the price when buying the Sage's Seal was because they were confident that Krepin Rothstaylor would buy it in the first place.
That fact… It felt as if Krepin already knew it.
"But… It's strange."
Krepin lowered his head as he spoke in a low voice.
"Did you know beforehand that I was going to spend so much to get my hands on the Sage's Seal? As far as I know, the Elte Company wouldn't normally make such a risky investment like this."
"Perhaps."
"It's as if you've heard about my true intentions and feelings from someone else."
Lortel didn't make the mistake of changing the pace of her breathing or stuttering over her words.
However, Krepin's statements themselves were cutting straight to the point.
"Do you have an informant that knows about what's going on within my family?"
"Yes. Something like that."
Making up a ridiculous lie would only raise new suspicions.
If she starts to act complacent here, Ed Rothstaylor would end up getting hurt.
There's nothing strange about a businessman using an informant to make a profit. As Krepin's own actions led him to making a mistake, he wouldn't be hostile towards the Elte Company. However, he would never let the inside traitor get away freely.
No matter how benevolent Duke Krepin might be, he would still harm Ed, who has been selling away the family affairs after being excommunicated.
"However, as they are located far away, it's a bit difficult to communicate with them. Also, as they are someone with a rather higher status, the amount of money they have asked for is rather large. So now, I will need to get back as much as I have invested… That is the essence of business."
Lies are more effective at deceiving an opponent when mixed with a bit of the truth.
Rather than thoughtlessly and constantly denying the fact, or claiming to not know, it was more efficient to skillfully guide the opponent in a direction that is different from the truth.
It was easy to judge whether another person's words were true or false. However, the act of clearly dividing the line between truth and lie… No matter how much intuition you might be born with, it was not an easy task.
Lortel was a negotiator who knew how to use that fact effectively.
"So, how much will you charge?"
"12000 gold coins."
"Good. Once you receive the seal from the academy, I'll buy it immediately."
There was no reason to bicker over negotiations any further. On the surface, it was a very straightforward deal.
The Elte Company had officially won the bid for the Seal from the academy, so once the transfer of possession was complete, they would have the right to resell it. Until then, all they could do was wait.
"Ah, there was one more thing I wanted to say. I'll get a headache if things get any more complicated, so I'll let you know in advance."
"Oh my. What is it?"
"It's about your father, Elte Kehelland. As he has already been demoted, he's none of my concern any longer. However, if it starts to get in the way of my business, it'll only be my loss. That's why I will tell you this in advance."
Krepin lowered the cup of tea as he continued to speak in a low voice.
"After his dismissal was certain at the head office, he gathered some of his personal assets and a mercenary group. I received a document the day before yesterday that reported he was crossing through my territory on the way to Silvenia."
"What?"
Lortel had already known that Elte's actions were suspicious, but she didn't think that he had already started taking action.
"Well, I'm sure he's not going to try to do anything crazy at Silvenia Academy, as it receives the empire's protection… At the very least, he seems to have something in mind. I hope that I won't have to get caught up in this situation, which will only delay my business."
With that, Krepin gathered his servants as he left the sitting room.
Lortel saw Krepin out before she sat alone in the room, drinking the remaining tea. She needed some time to organize her thoughts.
In any case, the reselling of the Sage's Seal seemed to have been set.
In the first place, Ed had only asked her to buy the 'Sage's Seal'… which she did without violating his request.
Ed also knew that she was going to resell the Sage's Seal in the first place. All she did was follow through with Ed's request.
Thus, as soon as the purchase of the seal is complete, she would be able to ask Ed to do 'anything' she wanted.
What a sweet sound. It wouldn't be much longer until she could have it.
Even with just that one simple word, 'anything', Lortel's girlish imagination began to spread its wings.
Really… If I can… Then I'll do this… And this…
While flowers began to bloom… Suddenly thinking of something else, she was able to calm herself down.
She had received a piece of information that she couldn't ignore.
Elte Kehelland was coming.
To be honest, it wasn't all that scary. It was just a last-ditch effort before he fell into the abyss.
It was a big miscalculation to think that he could use force against Lortel after hiring a few mercenaries.
In the first place, there was no way that many mercenaries would be allowed to enter Silvenia Academy. Plus, Lortel's own strength wasn't weak.
"If he has another plan, then… is it taking a hostage?"
Now that she thought of it, there was something in mind.
"Do you think I'll treat you special just because you're loyal to that girl? Were you perhaps bewitched by that child's beautiful appearance?"
Elte seemed to be under the misunderstanding that Ed had taken a major liking to Lortel.
The reality was quite the opposite, but either way, they had both shown support for each other through a crisis. It was enough proof to be considered a trustworthy relationship.
If it wasn't about Lortel, who was always protected by her own store's escorts and whose strength wasn't weak… but instead Ed, then the story was different.
If he was seriously thinking about kidnapping Ed and using him as a bargaining chip…
"That's crossing the line."
In the corner of the room, sitting silently in the darkness, Lortel covered herself with her robe.
***
"Ta-Da! Isn't it good?"
I laid down for the entire day.
I tried to do something, but I kept getting dizzy, so I thought that I needed to rest for a few more days.
What I was most thankful for was that Yennekar had been helping me out a lot.
It had been two days since I had started to recover from my exhaustion. Yennekar, who had been getting a bunch of ingredients from somewhere, had been making a lot of dishes with her proficient cooking skills.
It was already quite late into the night. Maybe because it was the day before the weekend, Yennekar didn't seem to be heading back to the dormitory anytime soon, even though it was so late.
The light of the campfire was chasing away the cozy darkness.
The sound of the bugs, which usually buzzed excitedly at night, had died down to some extent as it fell. It was replaced with the sound of owls crying and the leaves rustling in the wind.
The stew that Yennekar made was really delicious when compared to the one that Ziggs had made before.
I started thinking that I really needed to learn more regarding my cooking skills, but I needed to focus on my recovery rather than my growth. With that in mind, I decided to put off on my training for now.
"I used to cook stew every day back in my hometown. Did you know, Ed? When I was young, I used to raise cows all the time…"
I slowly closed my eyes as I quietly watched Yennekar sit beside the campfire, smiling as she spoke. My body was slowly starting to recover, but I hadn't regained all my energy.
"You look tired, Ed."
"It seems so."
"You should get some rest. Hm."
"I'm sorry that all I can do is show you this exhausted appearance, despite you helping out so much with everything, Yennekar."
"Hm? No, not at all. I didn't really do anything special."
Things like cooking and cleaning didn't seem like difficult tasks for Yennekar.
She seemed to be very skilled when it came to helping sick people and taking care of them. She had said that her father, who worked on the farm, often got hurt. She would help a lot.
I started to feel my fever rising again, so I put my hand up to my head. It was quite hot. My headache and low-grade fever seemed to be coming back again as I let out a sigh.
After entering the cabin, I laid down on the bed as Yennekar, for some reason, followed. She sat down in the corner of the cabin, smiling and giggling.
"…What are you going to do?"
"I'm not going to do anything, though?"
"You're not going to do anything?"
"I'm just going to stay next to you."
As I looked at her in disbelief, she responded.
"Ed, I know you're having a tough time. It's the same for anyone when their body and heart becomes tired. I know that you have been working hard and living through a more difficult lifestyle than anyone else. That's why you don't have to pretend that you're not having a tough time."
Clearing her throat with a smile on her face, she puffed up her chest—as if she was telling me to compliment her.
"What does that have to do with you sitting here doing nothing?"
"You don't know how much strength I'm giving you just by being by your side, not doing anything? It must be because you haven't experienced it!"
Then she looked down as she began to speak in a softer voice.
"There have been lots of challenging times for me, too. I received a lot of consolation, and there were also many people who helped me, but… the thing that gave me the most strength was when someone didn't try to hastily comfort me. They just stood by me without saying a word. As it helped me, I'm sure that it's going to help you, Ed. Just try dealing with it!"
After saying that, Yennekar came up near the bed I was lying in… she leaned back against the bed frame as she calmly sat down. I was worried that the floor might be cold, but as it wasn't quite winter yet, it didn't seem to be all that cold.
To me, it didn't look all that great. I was lying down in the bed while she sat on the floor, but Yennekar didn't seem to mind at all.
"You've been through a lot, hm? You did an excellent job."
However, with her eyes closed she kept on smiling.
"No… You don't have to do that…"
"Hmpf!"
Seeing her get angry, she looked cute rather than aggressive, so it wouldn't have been weird at all if I had let out a laugh.
"It was difficult! You have to admit it so you can finally get some decent rest! Admit it! Ed, you've had a tough time!"
Sitting up and leaning back, I slowly lowered my voice.
It might have been because I couldn't admit it easily, but I turned my eyes away.
"Yeah… It's been hard."
I'd lived the entirety of my previous semester, and another half, by dividing up the hours. I couldn't even remember a day that I wasn't tired.
"It was really hard for me. Really."
I felt as if I could finally get a good night's sleep as I slowly let my body be overtaken by drowsiness.
***
After falling asleep for ten hours, I woke up to my body being completely back to normal.
It was the first time in a long time that I felt completely recovered, even emotionally.
Shortly after waking up, Yennekar came into view, bobbing her head by my knees.
I couldn't help but let out a laugh seeing her drooling and sleeping, completely passed out.
It was an unexpected surprise.
***
'The decision to sell the Sage's Seal had been made. The person in charge of Trix Hall needs to get ready to transfer the 'resonance ownership' over, as well as submit their report.'
Professor Glast was responsible for the transfer of the resonance ownership of the magic book the academy used to own.
In reality, most of the work was left to the library staff, all while he simply held an empty title.
However, for a transfer of that scale, the person in charge had to personally step in and take care of certain matters themselves.
"Professor Glast! The staff member in charge is looking for the seal!"
Assistant Professor Cleoh burst through the door of Professor Glast's' office.
What she saw was Professor Glast sitting still in the faculty seat, staring out the large window.
Professor Glast's desk was already piled high with various reports regarding the sale of the seal.
"What, you've already received the reports? Then I'll go ahead and process the paperwork and report it to the academy…"
Cleoh, who had noticed that Professor Glast was not responding, tried calling out his name once more.
Professor Glast continued to sit still, staring out the window.
-x-X-x-
[ Name: Ed Rothstaylor
Gender: Male
Age: 17
Academy Year: 2nd
Species: Human
Achievements: None
Vitality: 12
Intelligence: 10
Dexterity: 13
Willpower: 10
Luck: 8
Combat Skills Details ➢
Magic Skills Details ➢
Life Skills Details ➢
Alchemy Skills Details ➢ ]
It was the start of another day's work as the sun slowly rose and the early morning air calmly breezed through the forest.
If it were a weekday, I would normally have woken up quickly, jumping out of bed and putting on my exercise clothing before I began my run towards the education district.
Since it was a holiday, I could be a bit more relaxed.
My body felt refreshed. From the moment I got out of bed, I noticed that my body was back in perfect condition.
Health really was so strange, as you didn't even feel the weight of its importance until you were already sick. I really needed to start taking good care of my body and stop pushing myself. I couldn't get sick like that again.
I picked up the passed out Yennekar and I laid her on top of the bed. Then I went out to the stream to wash my face with cool water. While I was there, I decided to check my stats and found that, compared to Taylee's early-mid core stats, mine were also keeping pace.
Simply put, it would become harder to keep up with Taylee as his growth rapidly changed in the second half… But at least I was able to raise my core stats as much as I could.
That was just how much my stats' growth had plateaued. Whether it was skill proficiency or core stats, I knew that my growth would slow down once I passed level 10. Though, I did still feel a bit frustrated seeing the way the growth rate declined.
From that point on, each time I raised my stats I would definitely feel the effect.
Rather than blindly training without any results, I needed to come up with more of a systematic plan.
"Come to think of it… I've barely done any research on the magically engineered items."
[ Life Skills Details
Grade: Intermediate Craftsman
Specialized Fields: Woodworking
Handicraft Lvl 14
Design Lvl 10
Collecting Skills Lvl 13
Woodworking Lvl 13
Stonemason Lvl 6
Hunting Lvl 10
Fishing Lvl 7
Cooking Lvl 6
Repairing Lvl 5
Technical Proficiency: 2
Power Amplification: 3
Infusion Success Rate: 91
Fire-related Spiritual Proficiency: 4
Wind-related Spiritual Proficiency: 2
Contracted Spirit: Low-Ranking Fire Spirit Mugg
Spiritual Resonance Level: 12
Spiritual Understanding Level: 12
Innate Skills: Blessing of Fire Fortune, Explosion
Technical Proficiency: 2
Magic Engineering Understanding: 3
Fast Production: 3
Collected Production Formulas:
Weak Wind Generator: Lvl 1
Loud Noise Generator: Lvl 1
Automatic Resonance Magic Power Chessboard: Lvl 1
??? ????? (Analyzing)
?? ??? (Analyzing) ]
Advanced Production Techniques had a major impact on core stats, and were also very versatile, so it couldn't simply be compared to a regular skill.
However, as useful as it was, training it was difficult.
It would have been nice if I could just use spiritual injection like a factory, constantly pumping them out. However, for each spirit that used spiritual injection, there was a certain recovery period that was needed before you could do the next one. It was like a cooldown timer.
Magic Engineering, on the other hand, could be trained freely—as long as you have the conditions for it. Preparing the right conditions was quite difficult.
Just by researching the already completed magically engineered items, I was able to gain some proficiency in the skill. If I was lucky, I could also resemble the items. That would teach me the production method, as well.
However, it was standard that, for most magically engineered items, you actually needed to acquire the production method itself. The efficiency of doing so was also better.
The problem was that production formulas for magically engineered items mostly came as rewards in the main storyline quests. That meant it would be difficult for me to get my hands on them.
"Should I ask Taylee…? There's no way he'll give them to me… No, he can't in the first place."
I sat on a flat rock by the stream as I got lost in my thoughts. The production formulas for the magically engineered items were 'knowledge', rather than physical objects.
Since Taylee didn't have any particular intention or reason to train his Magic Engineering, it seemed like a waste.
If that was the case, then… As the main storyline progressed, wouldn't it be fine for me to take care of the scroll-type production formulas that dropped?
Taylee wasn't going to train in Magic Engineering anyway, so the magic engineering production formulas wouldn't be anything more than pieces of paper to him. There was also a high chance that he just wouldn't even take them.
Techniques were like goldmines to me. Once I graduated from Silvenia and started living on my own, it would be immensely helpful in making a living if I was able to train a reliable skill like Magic Engineering to its limit.
In fact, I was even well-informed of where and what ways the important production formulas were dropped or hidden. If I could catch and get a hold of them, it would greatly help my skill proficiency.
Teaching myself by repeatedly disassembling, analyzing, and then reassembling the products Lortel managed to supply me with clearly had a limit in terms of my growth.
I was starting to feel the importance of securing efficient, useful, and expensive magic engineering production formulas.
"Hmm… Come to think of it, it's almost the end of Act 2. I've been training out of my mind, not to mention the fact that I was unconscious for ten days, so it's gone by in an instant."
In the middle of the tranquil forest, right at daybreak, I gazed up at the sky.
It was a peaceful sight to look at. But when I closed my eyes, I could imagine the scene of the tower of magic power. It engulfed the entire sky over the academy, and Glast had imbued it with Celestial Magic.
Using high-ranking time-related magic, creating and using all kinds of golems and experimented monsters, and even using his own disciples and other academic staff members as shields… He was a madman scholar that had finally gained resonance with the Sage's Seal.
The final chapter of Act 2, The Glast Subjugation.
Thinking that far, the memory of his research room flashed across my mind.
"The Soul Library…!"
I clenched my fist and nodded my head.
There were four stages of battle in the final chapter.
A detour to the education district, the underground waterways, Glast's secret research room, and the top of the tower of magic power.
Among them, Glast's secret research room was notorious for being long and difficult, but it also had the Soul Library—which had a collection of all sorts of valuable magic books, references, and priceless magic documents.
It was a stage where you had to run around and catch the librarian, who would fly through the plentiful bookshelves and magic books. The stage's boss, the librarian of the Soul Library Raina, was hard to defeat without the use of the Swordmaster's Skill.
Well, even though things were like that, Taylee's present specs should have been high enough to defeat her. I'd already asked around for information, so I was sure he was fine. My interests were in a different area—the contents of the Soul Library.
It was full of valuable Magic Engineering production formulas. As far as I could remember, the number of them was in double digits. Plus, there were two in particular that could produce legendary grade magically engineered items.
If it was a magically engineered item of a legendary grade, as long as you can get the materials to make it, it could be a lethal weapon close to the level of the Swordmaster's Skill.
It might not be able to keep up with the uniqueness of the Swordmaster's Skill, which was effective when fighting against particular storyline bosses, but the sheer firepower of a weapon at that level couldn't be easily ignored.
I searched through my memory carefully.
'Glockt's Eyes' temporarily amplified your innate amount of magic power and all resonance-related skills' proficiency.
'Dell Heim's Sandglass' reverted all physical conditions back a few seconds.
'Glockt's Eyes'… If I could use that, I'd be able to temporarily amplify my Spiritual Resonance. That would allow me to make a contract with a high-ranking spirit, which I normally wouldn't be able to do at my level.
'Dell Heim's Sandglass'… There was a high possibility that it would be the key to saving my life at least once in a desperate situation.
Those… I couldn't just ignore them.
"I can't let this golden opportunity slip through my fingers…"
The advanced production techniques for magic engineering had a uniquely designed balance to them.
As for grant-type skills such as Spiritual Infusion and Enchant… you could only be granted those advanced skills once your body raised its proficiency and mana resonance to a high enough level.
However, for production-type skills like Magic Engineering… it was balanced by 'the rareness of materials.'
In other words, no matter what type of advanced production formula I got my hands on, if I couldn't get the materials for it I wouldn't be able to utilize the power of an advanced magically engineered item.
No matter how early you obtained a legendary type production skill, it wouldn't mean much if you could only obtain the items in the latter half of the storyline.
That meant that the system was designed to prevent players from making excessively strong magically engineered items at the current point in the storyline…
Luckily for me, though, I had a friend that could give me a 'chance.'
She was a main character in the storyline, one who I'd been trying not to get close to as much as possible. However, she could get any material she wanted, even if it was on the other side of the map.
I didn't know what she would ask for in return, but the fact that I had a source in the first place was the important part. If all went well, I'd be able to work with a level of magically engineered items that shouldn't even exist in the current ongoing storyline.
"Just what are you thinking so hard about?"
As I turned around, trembling, I saw a girl with reddish-brown hair sitting on a fallen tree.
I thought she had said that braiding her hair over one shoulder was more comfortable, but I'd been seeing her with her hair unbound or neatly combed recently. I thought her hair was always braided when she was working.
"I wasn't sure, but you showed up right away."
"Oh my, have you been thinking about me this early in the morning? I'm embarrassed."
Seeing her smile, she looked more like a girl her age than a merchant. But that quiet voice of hers and insidious smile made me rethink that.
"Don't you know? Many a little makes a mickle. Something that starts off small will build up into something bigger. If you want to get rid of me, you will have to try harder~"
"…I didn't even realize you were nearby. When did you get here?"
"That's a secret. It's been quite a while."
Lortel jumped off the fallen tree, trying to catch her balance.
"I've been so busy that I haven't been able to see you lately. At that rate, I thought I might have forgotten what you look like. It would have been great if you had the sense to visit my store."
"You already knew about my situation. Well… Thanks for the furniture."
"Yeah."
Lortel strode up to me with a coy expression, grabbing my shoulder and lightly pushing me. She made me sit back down on the rock. Then, after looking me up and down with a sour expression, she let out a deep sigh.
"I'm relieved to see that your condition has returned to normal. I was so surprised by it all."
"It's also a relief to see that you look healthy."
"Do I look healthy? I'm already suffering from chronic fatigue. My hair has become all frizzy, and I've gone through so much to stop my face from getting puffy. There are so many things I need to deal with, and I also have to head back and take care of my schoolwork."
"Even though you're so busy, you came all the way to the northern forest?"
"Well, I need to rest when I can. Also, I have something I need to tell you."
After saying that, Lortel pushed on my waist. She was trying to tell me to make some room, since the rock was so small. Moving my butt over, I made some room for her to sit. Sitting down gently, she looked at me with a satisfied smile.
"It's about what Ziggs told me. How if I bought the Sage's Seal and showed it to you, you would do anything I ask."
I took a deep breath.
It was an urgent situation. Even though I needed to keep Krepin in check immediately, since I had overworked myself by passing out, I had no choice but to take care of it in any way possible. And this was the result.
"Once my father's dismissal is completed and the transfer of power from the head seat is finished, the Elte Company is planning to change its name. Wouldn't it be sort of weird to call it the Elte Company when Elte has been dismissed?"
"So?"
"We are planning on completely reorganizing the company's structure. Until then, I'm thinking that we will get rid of the name 'Elte Company' and use a simple name like 'Top Class' instead. There's going to be many personnel changes, and in the process my authority and influence will definitely become stronger."
From just that much, I could get a rough idea of what Lortel was trying to say.
It was a specific type of kidnapping called 'Scouting'.
"Once the business branch's restructuring is complete, we will need a lot of new hands-on staff. It will be a pretty high up position, too. From employee management, asset management, sales flow, and even external affairs, you will oversee nearly everything… You will practically be one of the few people at the top with major authority."
"..."
"Imagine that. When we wake up in the morning and go to work in the company's building, there will only be a single wall between us. How great of a deal is that? As I was one of the people with authority back when it was the Elte Company, I'll still have a decent share of personal assets that I will share with you. We will be just like a married couple… Oh my, why do I keep running my mouth and saying such nonsense? Hahahaha."
By the middle of her speech, I could feel Lortel getting carried away in her excitement. She was usually so calm and collected, but she was so excited that she was talking rather quickly.
Seeing her smile, it didn't match that insidious smile that I had seen earlier… I was confused as to what rhythm she wanted me to dance at.
"We will occasionally see each other at work, and we will exchange glances and greet each other. When we go to the front together, we might have challenging times, and even be suspicious of each other, but… They say that the ground will harden even after it rains, right? As long as we have each other's back as we develop the company, eventually the sun will rise again… As we slowly age, we will also become much more skilled in managing the company. So even though we made a lot of enemies on the way, at least we will be strong allies to each other… Ed, I've seen you be quick-witted, intuitive, and you also seem to have good sense when it comes to bookkeeping and personal management. You will definitely be an amazing merchant…"
"Lortel."
She was going to give me a key corporate position at her company, share some of her private assets with me, and even my living conditions would improve greatly.
It was a mouthwatering offer. But there were many reasons why I would have to swallow my spit.
Needless to say, the events that would take place in Silveria would ultimately also affect the world.
I couldn't rely on the temporary emotions and skill set of a successful merchant like Lortel, or invest my entire life in such a risky job.
Above all else, Lortel's behavior was completely irrational, unlike her usual self.
"Going this far just for me… It's too strange."
"..."
Calmly bringing up the reality of it all, as if she realized it herself, Lortel got rid of her disgraceful appearance.
"You really don't know anything."
"What?"
"I know how you are feeling, Ed. 'Just what is wrong with that girl?' You can't agree to such a major deal based on a little girl's momentary feelings. That must be what you're thinking. I'm sure that you just want to keep a business relationship with me, up until the very end."
"I didn't say that."
"That's how people usually feel. But there is something that you don't know."
Lortel lowered her shoulders as she continued to speak in a dispirited voice.
"Do you know what you start craving the most in the world of business? Do you know what the most important thing is when living in a world where every little gesture, or every slight breath you take, changes the entire flow of hundreds of gold coins? One where, if you don't stab someone else in the back first, you will be the victim?"
"..."
"A person that will never betray you. Even if everyone else in the world turns their back on you, a person that will always stay by your side. A person that, if you wake up one day and all the money you've saved up vanishes, will stand by you."
To some, it might be their family. To others, perhaps a lover. Or maybe it was an ally that had been by their side for decades.
Even though her life had been short thus far, Lortel must have witnessed the rise and fall of some of the greatest merchants of all time.
As was often the case for those who lived a life blinded by greed, she must have always been alone and miserable.
The fact that she might one day be the one that falls… That fear would always live deep inside the hearts of those who stood on top.
There was no way for her to know if the people around her were looking at her for who she was, or if they were looking at the tower of gold coins under her feet.
That was why, if you needed that sort of relationship, you would have no choice but to make it yourself.
"There's only one way to get such a person. Looking past their interests, all you can do is share each other's feelings and help one another."
It was nothing special and nothing all that great.
It might be in line with buying a meal for a friend who didn't look like they were in a great spot.
It was common in a person's social life for someone that helped you when you were having a tough time to later develop into a better and closer companion.
People who trusted each other in hardships would never betray each other. Maybe her story was something like that.
However, Lortel's actions showed a different type of urgency.
Lortel, who lifted both her hands to hold my right hand in between hers, spoke with a weakened face.
"Nothing more and nothing less. Can't you please just stay by my side?"
"Lortel…"
Then, I eventually said it.
"…First, stop laughing. Then you can try asking me again."
"Ahh! You didn't fall for it!"
Lortel burst into laughter as she put down her clasped hands, leaning back.
Seeing her come back to her usual self, she was like a fox wagging her tail.
"That's too bad! I almost had you!"
"Your voice was getting too excited in the middle of your speech, you little—!"
"I'm only human, so I couldn't help but get a little excited. How was it, though? Did it trigger your protective instinct at all? Usually, by showing someone my vulnerable side like that, their heart would begin to tremble."
"Well, it did wake me up."
"Ehhh, what a shame. Though, still…"
Lortel lowered her head as she added on something else.
"Not everything I said was a lie."
There was a long moment of silence. For a while, I stayed completely still, listening to the rustling of the leaves and the flowing stream.
Surprised by the sudden silence, I turned my head to try and look at Lortel. For some reason, she had lowered her head even further, hiding her expression underneath her hood.
I couldn't guess the reason at all; whether she was embarrassed, regretful, happy, or sad.
"I'm planning on graduating from Silveria. Until then, I don't have any intention of leaving the academy."
I could list many reasons.
There were all the disasters that would take place at Silveria. That was the most important reason.
It was also the only place that I could use my future knowledge. That means that, at least until I graduated, there was no better place than the academy for me to efficiently develop my growth.
Other than that… It was to lay the groundwork for surviving alone in the world, without having to rely on anyone else. Plus, I didn't want the time and money I spent already to go to waste.
"As for what I'm going to do after graduating… I haven't decided that yet."
"Well, I guess you could just wait until graduation. But Ed. Did you know? You don't have a choice in the first place."
Lortel smiled as she took out a piece rolled up parchment from her pocket, then she pressed it against my chest.
Accepting it, I unrolled it to see… The certificate of sale for the Sage's Seal.
When I looked up, Lortel had moved far away before I had even realized it. I couldn't see her expression well because of the robe, but hearing the tone of her voice, she must have had a wide smile on her face.
"It was nice to see you again after such a long time. I'll come back with my free pass soon."
Unfortunately, it was my victory.
Completely certain about the turn of events, Lortel trotted off and disappeared into the woods. Only then did that appearance of the rare, one-of-a-kind female merchant finally return.
I sat by the stream, scratching my chin a few times.
Thinking about what was going to happen later… I felt like I had done a really terrible thing to Lortel.
From Lortel's point of view, I didn't think she would have figured it out yet, but…
But still… I felt like it left a debt on my heart…
***
That was dangerous…!
Lortel was already out of her mind, fighting back the smile that threatened to cross her face.
After suffering through a heavy workload, she came to see Ed's face for healing.
However, halfway through she had to put all her concentration and thought into maintaining her facial expressions.
Originally, she had planned to approach him calmly and show him the certificate of sale. She planned to declare 'you're mine, now', and end it there. But when she saw Ed contemplating in the early morning sun, her plan was disrupted.
Either way, she ended up speaking nonsense, and went completely off track from her original plan, but… It was a relief that her foxlike merchant persona seemed to be well maintained. If she had left even a bit later, surely her true expression would have been exposed.
I couldn't even give him his change…!
Most of the money Ed had was in gold coins.
The price of the magically engineered items he'd bought from Lortel for cheap were paid for using a single gold coin. Lortel had put the change in her leather bag before coming.
Since she didn't know when she would be able to visit the camp again, she felt uneasy pushing it back any further.
That being said, she didn't have the confidence to see Ed's face again. Instead, she went behind the stream and headed back towards Ed's camp. As long as she threw it somewhere near his cabin, Ed would be able to find it and take care of it.
The distance between the stream and the camp wasn't that far. Lortel was going to stop by quickly and place the leather bag near the campfire in the middle of the camp, where he could clearly find it.
Thud!
At that moment, the door of the cabin opened.
Yennekar walked out holding onto Ed's pillow, yawning with messy hair.
"Yaaawn… Ed… went to the stream."
Yennekar had seen Ed go out towards the stream while she was pretending to be asleep. She hadn't slept because of the exhaustion that was flooding her body and the nervousness from spending a night in the same room as Ed, so she had pretended to sleep without saying anything… But she actually ended up falling asleep like the innocent girl she was.
"Before I head back, I should at least eat something simple…"
Rubbing her eyes as her vision started to come back, she made eye contact with Lortel, who was coming from the stream.
Seeing each other's faces was a disaster in their eyes.
"Why are you coming out of there, Yennekar…?"
"Why are you coming from the stream, Lortel…?"
It was also the beginning of a new disaster for Ed.
***
The article you're reading is PepperoPepe's 'How to attack the Act 2 Boss for beginners, briefly focusing on the main points!
( A summary of basic information and strategies.
Please refer to the original article for detailed strategic information!
2-11; Act 2, Final Chapter
Boss: Inquirer Glast (Seeker of Truth)
■ Phase 1. Chasing Glast
Achievement Condition: Chase after senior professor Glast, who is fleeing from Trix Hall after kidnapping Ayla!
(Conditions for additional achievements.) Have 'The Spear from Nature Ziggs' join you.
(Conditions for additional achievements.) Have 'Romantic Adele' join you.
(Conditions for additional achievements.) Have 'Gloomy Clevius' join you.
(Conditions for additional achievements.) Have 'Nosy Elvira' join you.
Enemies:
Low-Rank Magic Golem* 50
Mid-Rank Magic Golem* 10
Head Researcher Melverick* 1
Student President Verus *1
Lazy Lucy *1
Once you've met the specific conditions, your colleagues will join you in rescuing Ayla partway through.
'Spear from Nature Ziggs': During Act 2, Chapter 7 'Devil of the Underground Waterways', tell him the story about Ayla's pendant.
'Romantic Adele': When asked about Ayla's Magic Power Resonance, you answered honestly.
'Gloomy Clevius': During Act 2, Chapter 3 'The Occupation of Ophelis Hall', Clevius is slapped and reprimanded by Ayla.
'Nosy Elvira': During Act 2, Chapter 5 'Exploring the Alchemy Department's Society', losing the debate with Ayla.
The Magic Golem is barely affected by magic power. It is easier to use physical strength to break through, incompatible magically engineered items, or modified alchemy reagents to neutralize it.
You can skip over the head researcher Melverick, who appears midway through the chase, by taking a detour. If you don't need a particular achievement or skill proficiency related to Magic Engineering, take the detour to save supplies.
The student president Verus' swordsmanship can invalidate nearly all blocking-related skills. If it's difficult to quickly dodge her attacks, it is okay to just use Swordmaster's Skill one time. However, if you have used it once during the battle with Verus, make sure to avoid using it again until right before the boss.
If certain conditions are met, Lazy Lucy will appear as a hostile enemy. Make sure to avoid it as a bad ending is inevitable. The pre-conditions that are necessary are quite complicated, so it's an event that rarely occurs. But if your goal is to complete a certain achievement, please refer to the original article for the detailed conditions!
■ Phase 2. Chasing Glast 2
Achievement Objective: Continue chasing after senior professor Glast, who has now hidden in the underground waterways!
Enemies:
Low-Rank Magic Golem*70
Mid-Rank Magic Golem*30
High-Rank Magic Golem Hayton*1
Third year top alchemy student, Dorothy *1
Assistant Professor Cleoh Elpin *1
The High-Rank Magic Golem Hayton is resistant to most attacks. Use the Swordmaster's Skill to defeat it or buy enough time for the event where the entrance to the underground waterways collapses. Don't waste any of your consumables!)
You can't see the map while in the underground waterways. If it's too difficult to remember the correct path, put your hand against the left wall and keep walking until you reach the entrance to the secret research room.
Through a dialogue choice, you can skip the battle against Dorothy. Each time the option will be different, but if you express the fact that she's being deceived by Professor Glast as much as possible, it will work.
If combat begins, fight her in the same method as you dealt with the Act 1 mid-boss Elvira. You can quickly and easily clear the battle if you are careful about your distance while she is throwing reagents.
There is not much direct combat with Assistant Professor Cleoh Elpin. If you destroy the shield she created with beginner magic, a cut scene will occur and you can move on to the next phase.
■ Phase 3. Searching Through the Secret Research Room
Achievement Objective: Advance to the deepest parts of the secret research room!
Enemies:
Alive and Moving Dolls* 80
Magic books with souls *440
Floating Bookshelves* 30
Soul Library Librarian, Reina* 1
Escaped Subjects* 30
Blue-blooded Kobold* 40
Gremlins with wings cut off* 10
Distorted Vampire Bat* 40
Celestial Researcher Room* 1
Revived Devil of the Underground Waterways* 1
This is a tricky phase. The number of enemies are high, and they are all quite powerful. Gather your senses and handle it properly!
The order follows first the Soul Library – Monster Research Room – the central hallway. If the order is messed up you will need to do it again, so please take notice.
Enemies that appear as Souls barely take any damage from physical attacks. However, if 'Romantic Adele' joins the subjugation team she will be able to cast soul-fixing magic, allowing you to inflict physical damage. It's very convenient to have, so make sure to bring her along.
The Soul-type magic used by the librarian Reina reduces your mental strength and restrains the flow of your magic power. You will also periodically fall victim to hallucinations, so be careful to not accidentally attack a member of the subjugation team. If you are in a state of hallucination, it's better to just focus on avoiding attacks.
Celestial Researcher Room uses beginner level Celestial Magic. He's immune to all forms of attacks and his magic attacking strength is very high, though he doesn't move locations.
If you steadily keep lowering the number of monster subjects that he is summoning, eventually Koom's Celestial magic circle will run wild, causing him to self-destruct. Don't waste any consumables here unnecessarily.
The attack pattern of the revived devil of the underground waterways is nearly identical to the one you faced in Act 2, Chapter 7. However, as its body has become much bigger and the number of arms has increased, it is more difficult. Its range of attack is much larger, and the arm attached to its shoulder is able to cover its weak spot behind on its' back, so you will have to face it with standard tactics.
Try to block as many attacks as you can, then attack it with full strength. If you have failed to acquire the appropriate clear specs, you will get stuck here. Make sure to check the level of your specs.
■ Phase 4. Advancing to the Tower of Magic Power
Achievement Objective: Attack Glast, who is resonating with the Sage's Seal at the top of the tower of magic power.
Enemies:
Wandering Skeletons* 30
Magic Powered Guardian Golems *20
Cyclops* 1
The Golden Daughter, Lortel* 1
You just need to deal with the enemies that appear while taking a straight path up the tower of magic power.
Note that some of the wandering skeletons shoot arrows. Also, deal with the elite monsters wearing armor first.
Due to its massive size, the Cyclops will move very slowly. However, if it hits you even once you will die. If you have brought along "The Spear from Nature Ziggs', he will take the position of vanguard, making it very easy to clear.
The battle against Lortel can be skipped by picking the appropriate option. After the subjugation, if you promise to hand over the ownership of the Sage's Seal to her the battle will not continue. However, if the seal is damaged in a later battle, the Sage's Seal will disappear from the clear rewards.
If you are careful of her intermediate ice magic, it will be much easier than you think to defeat her. So don't unnecessarily sacrifice the reward and continue with the battle.
■ Phase 5. The Glast Subjugation
Achievement Objective: Subjugate Glast!
Appearing Enemies:
Inquirer Glast* 1
He uses lots of tricky Celestial Magic and carries many magically engineered items. Listing the unique things to be wary of:
Miniature Time Reversal: Temporarily recovers all wounds and sends out an attack, fainting the entire battlefield.
Time Prison: At the start of the battle half of the subjugation members will be trapped in a time prison, unable to move. Until Glast's vitality reaches the halfway point, they will remain detained.
Reinforced Claw Fingers: A magically engineered item that pushes back the vanguard of the subjugation team, giving him an advantageous position. It's usually used with elemental magic, so make sure to fix the battle formation quickly.
Shock-Enhanced Wave Ball: If you are hit at close range, you will immediately fall off the tower of magic power. Always make sure to keep your distance from it.
In addition, he regularly summons golems and monster experiments, as well as using magic common amongst other enemy magicians like elemental magic, spirit-type magic, and spatial magic. Please refer to the original version for information regarding the attacks of each phase.
■ Etc.
At the end of the time limit, Ayla will die, resulting in a bad ending. Make sure to move quickly.
Throughout the storyline, try and sufficiently raise the proficiency of the Swordmaster's Skill up to 4 or 5. It's a skill that is necessary to be proficient in when facing off against the Act 3 and Act 4 bosses.
This is an important act that lays the key foundation for the future storyline. It's better to play through it without skipping as much as possible.
***
I sat alone by the stream, looking towards the slowly rising sun. With this newly refreshed body, I was encouraged to get started on some work.
I slowly stood up and turned around.
I remembered the three letters that I received before I collapsed from overworking.
One was a letter from Lortel, which contained a message to take care of myself, as Elte's movements were suspicious.
Another was a personal letter from Princess Penia, who was trying to summon me for information regarding the Rothstaylor Family, since Krepin's movements were suspicious.
And the last letter had come from the academy. The person who had sent it to me was completely unexpected.
The senior professor in charge of the first years, Glast.
It was a message saying that he wanted to meet with me personally after the academy's scheduled training at the end of the month.
Sadly, as I was still unconscious during that time, I couldn't go see him.
There's no way for me to know why he had called on me, or what he had wanted to discuss.
Act 2 was now coming to its final stage, and his story was reaching its end as well.
-x-X-x-
Lucy always laid down facing the stars.
Laying down on the rooftop of Trix Hall, looking up at the sky, the twinkling starry night high above her and pressing down like a comfortable blanket…
The heat and cold weren't particularly important factors for Lucy, as she wore various protective magics over herself. However, being in the sunlight, having a good view of the open sky, and hearing the occasional rattling of the leaves or the flowing of the stream were more important to her than you would think.
On the other hand, being completely blocked in by walls and ceilings wasn't good.
That's why she didn't like Ophelis Hall, despite the well-lit, sunny rooms, the expensive beds, and the high-class bedding.
Even though the maids were neck-deep in work because of the half-destroyed Ophelis Hall, the maids still didn't slack when it came to keeping tabs on Lucy.
Every day, they made sure Lucy wore her freshly cleaned uniform properly and neatly as they gently combed her white hair, which tended to fly all over the place.
Even then, her behavior was still no different than that of a stray cat on the street.
'There is no end when it comes to learning, Lucy. I'm sure that Mr. Silvenia must have also thought the same thing.'
That old man.
The worn-out wizard hat full of creases—originally worn by the magician Glockt before he gave it to her—held the fragrant scent of rosemary. Sniffing the sleeves of her clothes, she could smell the same scent. While Lucy was sleeping, the maid's continued to do the laundry as they saw fit.
Suddenly, she remembered the day Glockt passed away. A day where the rain poured down heavily.
The memory of the time she sat down in Glockt's cabin, holding onto his hat as she blew away all those who approached him, felt so far off and distant—like the starry sky. She even attacked those who tried to touch the archmage Glockt's corpse as they pleased.
Compared to that time, had she become gentler?
Though, compared to back then she hadn't exactly become any more dependable. Rather, it was more appropriate to say that she had become lazier. Aside from the maids, there was no one left to discipline Lucy.
If you were to ask if her life had gotten boring, she wouldn't think so.
Even on the rather confined Acken Island, there was a surprising number of beautifully scenic views, delicious food to eat, and many crazy events.
Most of the time, Lucy—who was distant because of the hardships she had experienced in her life—found none of it interesting. Either way, it didn't seem as if her life was particularly boring.
"You may have been born with the natural gift of talent and the blessing of the stars, but that's no excuse to stop learning, Lucy. Even if everyone in the land of learning is beneath your talent, there must definitely still be something there for you to learn. That's why you must always be learning. Be humble and use your power for the sake of everyone."
"And… Be careful of the loneliness that will one day slowly creep up on you. With the strength to defeat everyone else, it is bound to be accompanied by a bitter loneliness… Lucy, I am sorry that I am leaving you first."
The form that loneliness takes differs from one person to another. The cold blade of loneliness would eventually find everyone, in some way or another.
But Lucy was still too young to understand that fact. Even now, that fact still hadn't touched her heart.
That tingling feeling inside of her was closer to longing than loneliness.
He was like an old man that would nag her all day long. Whenever she was asleep out on the outskirts of the magic forest, he would lift her up and throw her aside, always getting angry while scolding her. Though, now that he was gone there was a strange feeling of emptiness left in his place.
They would probably never see each other again.
There was a time where a part of her heart suffered from that fact, but as time passed the pain of that wound slowly began to fade away.
Now, the satisfaction of just having a bag of jerky in her arms was enough to hold off that feeling of longing.
"That's very much like you—"
It was funny, thinking of what Glockt's' expression might be if he saw what she was up to now.
Though what was lost, was lost. She has had enough experience to know that trying to get it back would just be a waste of energy.
All she had to do now was stare up at the starry sky and be lucky enough to enjoy her time.
There wasn't much else to do, either. The lessons in class were too easy. She could memorize the contents of a book just by quickly skimming through it. Practical class also required no more than a flick of her finger. The Glockt Scholarship Foundation was fully taking care of her tuition. And the professors didn't particularly bother her.
One day, she remembered his wrinkly old hands that used to pat Lucy on top of her head.
At some point in time, the feeling of missing Glockt had become as natural as the first time she had felt comfortable with him.
For Lucy, the feeling of leaning on someone and beginning to miss them had come so naturally.
Even though it was annoying and frustrating, she was someone who would one day feel suddenly empty, realizing that there was no one around her.
After realizing what longing truly was, she didn't want to make any more relationships of that type.
It was a feeling that the young genius magician never wanted to experience again.
Thus, she had become detached from the world, and by the time she came back to her senses she had already become extremely lazy. In a way, she was living quite a ridiculous life.
She knew well that, when the day came that her fate caught up to her, she would still have to get up even if it was annoying.
However, it wasn't yet that time.
Lucy swung her feet off the dangerous handrails on the roof of Trix Hall. Just in case her hat flew away, she held it down with one hand, biting a piece of her jerky and looking up at the autumn night sky… It was quite vast and pleasant.
For the time being, it seemed as if the autumn skies would stay sunny and clear. At least it wouldn't be pouring down rain.
Feeling good about that fact, Lucy started to hum—unusual for her.
***
Act 2's final chapter was starting.
As for the other events that took place, I didn't have a choice but to hear about them from Ziggs, Yennekar, and Lortel.
I didn't want to get unnecessarily close to everything, but I didn't have that type of freedom. Also, there wasn't really a good excuse or reason for me to get involved with what was going on between the main characters in the first year.
As long as I could confirm the fact that the story was progressing smoothly towards the end, without any major issues, there wasn't a problem.
However, the situation had changed a bit as it neared the final chapter. That was because a reason for me to get involved had appeared.
If there was a magically engineered item production formula that was going to be wasted anyway, I definitely wanted to get my hands on it. That was because there was no better option when it came to creating a solid foundation for my growth. If I got lucky, maybe I'd become stronger at an explosive rate.
[Good work, young master Ed! Now there's no longer any issues regarding the camp's food reserve level!]
"It's still a bit lacking if it's going to last me through the winter."
It didn't take long to collect food, stocking up the camp's food reserve for now. In the first place, I was already somewhat used to hunting, and after raising my specs it had become a lot easier than I thought to catch wild animals.
[But you can't overwork yourself! If you want to get six hours of sleep on schedule, you should slowly finish up your studies for the day. Also, you didn't eat enough meat or vegetables today, young master Ed! You need to make sure to make up for it at dinner! Also, you haven't been drinking enough water!]
"Yeah, yeah."
Mugg began to report on each aspect of my daily life, one by one. By that point, it felt like I had a personal secretary instead of a spirit that would enter the battlefield at my side.
[If you end up fainting again, I will really die!
Please make sure to live a long, healthy life for me!
I really want to maintain our contract relationship for a very long time, young master Ed!]
After fainting that one time, Takan seemed to have scolded Mugg heavily on what he was doing, since he was always next to my side. However, it was the same regardless of where you went—the ones at the bottom were always left to take blame.
I'm really sorry about that, Mugg!
***
"After all, people that are too nice aren't all that great. Right, Ed?"
"What are you talking about all of a sudden?"
"Today, my friends fought amongst themselves, and I couldn't say a thing to them."
After finishing up my daily schedule at the academy, I returned to camp with Yennekar.
It started to become normal for Yennekar to return to the camp with me instead of going to Dex Hall. It was at the point where it didn't feel strange in the slightest. I started to wonder if she was even really sleeping back at Dex Hall.
Thinking over how Yennekar must have felt uncomfortable at Dex Hall, it was something that I could understand. After all, I was the one who told her that she could come visit my camp whenever she wanted in the first place.
Yennekar came back to my camp, automatically taking out her own mug and making some herbal tea on the table with mine.
At first, it was uncomfortable to see her using the spirits to help maintain my camp sometimes or seeing her roll up her uniform sleeves to do my laundry. That was because, from my point of view, I had nothing to repay her with.
She even took the time to teach me about spirit-type magic. When I asked her how I could repay her, since I didn't have anything, she had quickly waved her arms and said that it was okay. I even started to have bad thoughts, wondering if that was how a pimp felt.
…Alright. Let's stop thinking such bad thoughts.
"Clara and Anise had a fight today. You know them, right? The two friends that I am always hanging out with."
"Yeah, I know them."
"It wasn't a big deal. We were all just chatting while walking to monster ecology from elemental studies, when they suddenly started bickering over something minor, which then turned into a fight. But… Since I was in between them, they ended up feeling sorry for me."
"That must have been confusing for you."
"That's true, but… I started to feel weird when I thought about how considerate they were of me before they started fighting."
Yennekar grabbed her mug as she looked down at the campfire sadly.
"Come to think of it, it's always been like that. Everyone is always so nice, kind, and considerate towards me… Even though they don't have to do it. It's like some obsession that they all have."
I wouldn't deny the fact that Yennekar was well known for being a fairy in this world.
But it was interesting seeing that others' consideration towards her was only making her tired.
No, that wasn't it. Thinking of it as a Yennekar-type of reaction, it all started to look natural and make sense.
"But if I bring it up, they will start to think I'm someone who gets annoyed easily, so I can't say it. I'm afraid they'll end up saying something like, 'Why do you feel uncomfortable when we're only being considerate towards you?'"
"That's true to some extent. You can't really be mad at them if they're just being nice and considerate towards you."
"Ugh, Ed, your words are always so blunt. But I can't deny what you're saying, since it is the truth."
Looking at Yennekar playing around with her feet with a stupid grin on her face, it definitely seemed that her feelings had changed recently.
"You know what, I'm going to be bad. I know I tried it several times already, but this time I'm going to do it for real."
Saying that, she started going into a peculiar stance. She put both of her hands on her waist as she started to act a bit sassy, like she was saying 'I'm bad!'. Honestly speaking, I had no idea what she was trying to do.
"Come to think of it, I had a favor to ask you."
"Okay! What is it?! Is it urgent?! You can tell me!"
After Yennekar spoke, she held her breath and put her mug down. Thinking about what she should say next, or how to say it, she suddenly began to speak slowly.
"If it's a request… Then maybe I will be able to help, or maybe not… But how about you try saying it first…?"
"But I feel really bad having to ask you for help for free. It might be very troublesome, or even dangerous. Though, I think it will all be okay somehow."
As I lowered my voice and spoke carefully, the moment Yennekar realized I was serious she changed expressions.
"There are some items that I have lost, and other ones that I want to find, so there is somewhere I want to go… Though, it's somewhere that's a bit dangerous to go alone."
"Where is it?"
"The underground waterways. There's a big entrance on the outskirts of the education district that you can enter from."
"Really? Is that place really that dangerous? I don't really know, as I haven't been there before… But since you said it was, it must really be dangerous."
I had created a plan, to a certain extent.
The final chapter of Act 2 began at Trix Hall, then proceeded into the underground waterways, the secret laboratory inside of it, and finally the tower of magic power.
While the protagonist Taylee began to make his move, I was thinking of grabbing all the production formulas and magic tools in the Soul Library located in the secret laboratory, then heading back out.
But it would be inefficient to try and get past the secret laboratory's strict security system and all the guards. Plus, it might affect the timeline, and I wasn't even sure whether it would be possible. Even if it was possible, I didn't want to take on such a difficult job personally.
So, the key to the operation had to be changed to 'following Taylee'.
The plan was, while Taylee cleared all the obstacles on his way to the final battle, I would carefully follow behind him and grab only what I needed before running away.
'The Badge of Honor' was dropped by the student president Verus in Phase 1. That accessory greatly increased magical resistance to all elemental magics… Well, it was going to be quite useful getting through future storylines, so I'd let Taylee take care of that one.
There wasn't much reason to take any of the magically engineered items dropped by Assistant Professor Cleoh during Phase 2. While they might be beneficial in progressing the storyline immediately, in the long run they would just become headaches to deal with.
The main focus was during Phase 3, at the secret laboratory. All the replica high-end magic books and the various production formulas were located in the Soul Library. I would also have to collect as many magically engineered items as I could while I was there.
Taylee's Swordmaster's Skill seemed to have already improved up to its fifth skill, and I'd heard that he was considered at least within Class B in order to be at the top in terms of swordsmanship. Since Taylee's specs didn't seem to be lacking, I could rest easy for a bit.
In the first place, the final chapter of Act 2 was a bit complicated and had some unnecessary instances where you would end up with a bad ending. Though, if your specs kept up the fights were pretty simple. Most of the conditions that led to a bad ending were extremely unique, so there weren't any major issues with that. Though, naturally I shouldn't let my guard down. I would need to make sure to check on that, as well.
Since I decided to follow him, I also might end up facing a situation that puts me in a crisis… That was why it would be perfect if I was accompanied by a colleague who could lend me their fighting power.
As for a person who was both kind towards me and willing to lend me their fighting power to support me… In my small group of acquaintances, that person was obvious.
"While I was walking around over there, I ended up dropping one of my belongings into the underground waterways. That's why I need to go down there and find it."
"That sounds like it might be a bit difficult, but I'll help you, Ed!"
"Thanks, Yennekar. The underground waterways are very dark and damp. Plus, there are a few spaces that are quite narrow… It'll be better if you wear clothes that can get dirty. Thanks. I'll make sure to make it up to you."
"Yeah, of course, Ed! But… You said it's dark and narrow…?"
The hand that was holding Yennekar's mug began to shake as she cleared her throat. The mid-ranking spirits that I couldn't see must have been whispering something in her ear, as she was waving her arms in the air like she was trying to get rid of them.
"W-Well, there's nothing we can do about that! Yeah! I'll just have to stick right next to you to make sure I don't get lost!"
"Alright, thanks."
"..."
Suddenly, after saying that, Yennekar began to clear her throat again as she gripped her hair.
It seemed like she was organizing her thoughts.
"As expected, I'm too easy…!"
"…I-Is that so?"
"But… If I don't come along, you're going to go by yourself, right? You would just run around in that dark place, trying to find it all by yourself, right?"
"I… I can't deny that."
"Then, that's not right…!"
I couldn't figure out why she was worrying about such useless thoughts, but either way, Yennekar seemed to be contemplating something.
She was a girl that lived her entire life like a princess from a fairy tale. Her entire life had always revolved around accepting large amounts of kindness from others and repaying it back with her own love.
You couldn't really call that a bad thing or blame her for being a person without a sense of reality.
Yennekar's nature wasn't inherently a terrible thing, and it also wasn't like she was a person that lived while disconnected from reality. Rather, Lucy seemed to stand out more in that regard.
All she was doing was happily living her life in a flower garden filled with goodwill.
There was no one who could blame her for that.
However, if Yennekar was the one who said that she wants to escape that fairytale life and enter reality, she would have a lot of responsibilities to take on.
Sometimes, there would be moments where she would have to turn down someone's favor, or the inevitable moments where she would have to shake her head and decline someone's sincere request.
If someone who was as good natured as Yennekar wanted to achieve that inner growth, a reasonable opportunity needed to present itself.
No matter how nice a person might be, if their life became too difficult, there would come many instances where they would accept others' honest goodwill with suspicion and an ill heart.
For an innocent girl, who had come straight out of a fairy tale, to become a full-grown adult… She would need to go through a difficult and desperate moment.
But it didn't seem like that moment was going to happen… All I could tell her was to cheer up.
"Well, let's go together when the academy's schedule is a little more relaxed… Maybe we will get some free time while the academy is busy with something else… Maybe it would be perfect if we went during the Seal's Resonance Transferal."
The news about the Sage's Seal was being publicized to some extent. Of course, it wasn't something that the academy was proud of, so the rumor only circulated lightly inside the academy.
Although it was rumored to be more of a mortgage-type transaction than a full-on sale, there was actually no doubt that it was the sale of the academy's heart for money.
Either way, Yennekar knew enough about the general situation for me to say that.
"Sure, Ed. I'll be at the entrance of the underground waterways then. Oh wow, it's already gotten this late."
After classes ended for the day and we returned to the camp together, I finished making some bricks down by the stream and prepared some firewood while Yennekar was cleaning the inside of the cabin and preparing dinner.
Before we knew it, the sky had turned dark, and one or two stars began to appear.
"Today is the student meeting back at Dex Hall, so I should hurry and head out. I hope you have a good night, Ed!"
"Alright, Yennekar. Take care of yourself and watch your step as it gets darker."
Anyway, Yennekar had a knack for making the people around her have a gentler and calmer attitude. In a way, it's rather ironic that she wasn't proud of it, despite being blessed with that nature.
She laughed as she waved her hand at me, slowly walking away. I sat down alone by the fire, carving my arrows.
***
"Next semester, the number of students in Class A will increase. Two other students will be promoted. In just one year, two more students have gone up. This year's class definitely has a lot of talented individuals."
Gathering students from the magic department, Professor Glast was in charge of the Class A that he had put together.
There was no specific course name. though Professor Glast's special class—which taught all aspects of magic—was only available to a few select students.
Currently, only three first-year students were allowed to attend the class. Ziggs, Lortel, and Lucy.
"Class B's Adele and Class C's Ayla are the most likely. Even joining the class halfway through, it won't affect the class's lessons, so there is no reason to worry."
The special classrooms located in the education district for Class A were spacious.
However, there were only three students that were seated in that large lecture hall.
There was one honest and hardworking boy sitting down and listening to Glast, while another girl was trying to read through Glast's inventions with an underlying smile.
The last girl was in a deep sleep.
There was no need to say who was who.
"Oh my, it's Adele and Ayla. I guess those two didn't actually have poor and uncertain talent when it comes to magic or their combat abilities."
Although Lortel dared to try and provoke the senior professor, Professor Glast showed no particular sign of displeasure.
He would always treat those with talent with a larger amount of generosity and tolerance. You could say that, in that sense, his attitude was rather consistent.
"They were not simply selected because of their amount of magic power or their level of magic power resonance. As long as they are individuals with some type of talent in magic, they will be admitted to Class A."
The academy had complete trust in Professor's Glast's screening process. That meant that he had some level of freedom guaranteed to him when it came to picking students for his class.
In return for that trust, Professor Glast's eyes were always able to accurately distinguish those with talent.
Always playing musical instruments or singing, Adele always had a relaxed smile, making her famous amongst the students as a wandering minstrel or romanticist.
Her strange talent, which let her use magic to play an instrument, was quite interesting even to Lortel.
Ayla was less impressive when it came to her amount of magic power and her weak sense of resonance. However, her knowledge and academic ability were comparable to even the professors. In addition, Lortel had overheard before that she seemed to show an abnormal resonance to a unique magic power, instead of just regular magic power. Though, since it was outside of Lortel's interest, she didn't know many details.
"But wouldn't there be complaints brought up amongst the other students who want to join Class A?"
"That is something that I will need to take care of."
There were lots of students that were full of complaints against Professor Glast's class.
"Hm… I'm sorry to say this, but… There were also a few other students whose magic power and resonance level didn't seem all that bad… So, if those students end up complaining…"
"I don't want to waste any of my time on those with uncertain talents."
Professor Glast responded sharply to Ziggs' comment. However, Ziggs continued to speak with a displeased expression on his face.
"I'm saying this as carefully as possible to avoid being rude, but…"
"There's no need to be careful with your words. Tell me exactly what you are feeling as it is. It won't hurt me in the slightest."
Even though Ziggs' stuttered over his words a bit, he got his message across clearly.
"You mentioned those with uncertain talents, but there are also people who are trying their hardest in a desire to be recognized. You don't know what ways they may or may not be able to improve, but I'm sure their skills won't be low. That's why, when it seems like you are ignoring them because of their lackluster skills, it makes me feel a bit uncomfortable. It seems like you are unfairly demeaning their efforts."
As Ziggs continued to speak, he briefly looked up at Professor Glast's expression.
Sitting down a few seats next to him, Lortel let out a sigh. Staring at Ziggs, she looked like she really couldn't understand him at all.
Ziggs seemed to think the act of directly questioning Professor Glass' policy was disrespectful. He still really hadn't figured out just what type of person Professor Glast was.
Even though it was a situation where it wouldn't be all that strange to get mad, Professor Glast continued to calmly respond in a rather subdued tone.
"Did you think that by demeaning and despising their efforts, I was looking down and ruining those kids lives, Ziggs Eiffelstein?"
"..."
Silence suggested that it was true.
"I apologize for that. I don't particularly think that way. Rather, the surest way to ruin their life would be to hastily instill a sense of confidence in their uncertain talent by pushing them forward."
Lortel stopped listening to what he was saying.
To someone like Lortel, who had gathered information regarding the personal histories of the academic staff, Professor Glast's remarks held a different meaning.
Professor Glast's only daughter Myuri was a former student of the magic department at Silvenia and died after hastily participating in a monster subjugation.
Just like a beetle is a beauty in the eyes of its mother, Professor Glast had expectations of Myuri as she seemed to have a talent for magic.
And because of that sense of overconfidence in that uncertain talent of hers, there was no need to explain the details of what had happened when she jumped into participating in the monster subjugation.
His excessive obsession with proven talents and respect towards the man that brought forth the age of progress.
The reason that he was more passionate than anyone else for the birth of someone extraordinary, someone who could make the majority of those without talent follow behind them, was probably… To ultimately eliminate such unnecessary sacrifice.
To some it might seem like a noble action, while to others it might be seen as extremely pitiful. Lortel didn't want to give any sympathy to him because, in this sense, it was purely self-righteousness.
"I understand."
Ziggs quietly lowered his eyes as he nodded. Digging any deeper than that would just be considered nosy.
"And Lortel Kehelland… Hmm… There's something I need to discuss with you that isn't related to this class. I will call on you later."
It must be because there was something he needed to discuss regarding the Sage's Seal Resonance Transferal.
Lortel was the person who had bought the Sage's Seal, and Professor Glast was the one who was left responsible for the Seal's Resonance Transferal by the academy.
It was a matter that took place aside from their relationship as a teacher and student, so it wasn't something he could currently discuss at the podium.
***
[ Magic Skills Details
Grade: Proficient Magician
Specialized Field: Elements
Common Magic:
Fast Casting Lvl 8
Mana Sense Lvl 8
Fire Element Magic:
Ignite Lvl 14
Wind Element Magic:
Wind Blade Lvl 13
Spirit-type Magic:
Spirit Resonance Lvl 12
Spirit Understanding Lvl 12
Spirit Manifestation Lvl 1
Resonance Level: 2
Spiritual Efficiency: Good
Innate Skills:
Blessing of Fire Fortune (Temporary Immunity to Fire)
Explosion (Low-level Explosion)
Increased Ability of Fire-Type Magic
It was about time to start learning Intermediate Magic.
For students in the magic department, whether or not you could acquire mid-level magic was extremely important.
The level of mid-level magic, also known as intermediate magic, was the boundary between an expert magician and a rudimentary one.
Unless you were originally born with a talent for magic, you would usually start dealing with intermediate magic during the second year's curriculum or at the start of your third year. Even if you were only able to use two or three mid-level spells, it would be enough for you to be treated as a professional magician.
In other words, a magician's ability was judged by how diverse and powerful their mid-level magic was. Only about 10% of Silvenia graduates were able to reach that level or beyond.
Even with the same mid-level magic, the power it had was certainly different depending on the individual level or proficiency. For example, even though Lortel's Ice Spear was mid-level magic, it certainly exceeded the power of the other mid-level magic used by the second years.
As for high-level magic, unless you were at a level higher than the faculty, you would only be able to use it partially. Even among the graduating fourth years, only students that were considered elite held a command over it.
And if you were looking at the highest level of magic… In the first place, within Silvenia—even counting the professors—there were only one or two people who would be able to command it… Except for unusual cases, like Lucy.
Anyway, my specs had risen to the extent that there shouldn't have been any problems with using mid-level magic. Considering where I started, I'd grown so much that I had forgotten how weak I used to be.
By the next elemental studies class, I would be able to partially fulfill my role as a real magician.
Feeling satisfied by my progress, I closed my book where I was sitting in the corner of the classroom. Today's elemental studies class went rather deep, and there were many things for me to learn.
"Ed, you have been called upon. After your next lecture ends, please go down to Professor Glast's laboratory, which is underneath the academy's conference rooms in the education district."
It was when I was gathering my books about to leave the classroom that I heard the voice.
It was the elemental studies teaching assistant, who I was already quite familiar with.
"Hm? Are you saying I've been summoned?"
Come to think of it, I didn't respond to Professor Glast's summons last time. It was because I ended up collapsing after overworking myself.
I had forgotten about it, but because he called on me again, it seemed like it was important business.
As far as I knew, Professor Glast shouldn't have been able to meet with anyone at the moment. The Seal's Resonance Transferal was in a few days, so he should be neck-deep in work. Of course, I was also busy.
I still had to finish the work back at camp, prepare for final exams, and there were a few things I needed to check on regarding the storyline, so I didn't have much time to spare.
I wanted to take care of my business slowly, as I didn't want to end up pushing my body too far. Though, I wondered if I was going to start getting busy again soon.
"Hm…. Alright. Tell him I got his message."
That was what I told the teaching assistant as I finished gathering my books.