After the battle against Professor Newman, Alia and I explained our mission to Lyra and Freya. We had to, since they were already involved in everything that had happened.
We told them about the mysterious incidents plaguing the academy—students disappearing during the night. We suspected the involvent of demons or perhaps demon worshippers behind all this.
Alia had been personally assigned by the King to oversee the academy, given her Divine Magic. Because of this, the headmaster asked to protect her and assist in uncovering the mastermind behind these events.
Hearing this, Lyra and Freya finally understood why I was often sneaking out at night with Alia. Their expressions visibly relaxed, a sense of relief washing over them.
Then I asked how Alia and Freya had managed to find and Lyra after we teleported. Alia replied nonchalantly that she had placed a magical tracking device on my uniform.
I imdiately checked my uniform and found it—beneath the collar was a small, round device that transmitted signals to Alia’s tracking tool.
The realization sent a chill down my spine. When I asked her when she had planted it, she simply smiled coldly and said, "From the very beginning."
Her cryptic words brought back the mory of her kissing my cheek. It must have been then that she planted it. I froze, imagining just how possessive Alia might be of .
After that, I, Lyra, and Freya excused ourselves to head back to the dorms and rest.
As we walked, I accompanied Lyra and Freya back to their dorm. They still seed a little shaken by everything they’d just experienced. Freya eventually broke the silence, saying, "Naoki-dono, Lyra, I’m sorry I couldn’t do much to help this ti." Her voice was tinged with regret.
"You’ve done more than enough, Freya. Escorting Alia and helping her rescue us was amazing on its own. Thank you," I said, gently patting her head with a smile. Her face turned red in response.
"I worked hard too, Naoki-sama..." Lyra chid in, sounding just a bit jealous.
"You’re right, you did great, Lyra. You protected the students, and you even protect with your magic. I’m sorry for upsetting you before—and thank you." I gently ruffled her hair, and she smiled shyly.
...
After making sure they got back safely, I headed to the boys’ dormitory to rest.
The next day, I discussed our plans with Alia. In the end, we decided to continue our nightly patrols until the next moon cycle.
Two weeks passed as we patrolled the academy grounds at night. During that ti, no further kidnappings occurred. Everything seed normal again. We assud the enemy’s plans had failed. As a result, we decided to temporarily halt the mission. Alia then inford that I should focus on preparing for the upcoming midterm exams.
That caught completely off guard. I’d forgotten midterms were only three days away.
Envi, that blasted system, laughed at in my mind, clearly enjoying my predicant. It had deliberately avoided reminding , probably hoping I’d flunk the exams. Furious, I ntally scolded it.
Taking a deep breath, I cald myself and started devising a strategy. I resolved to study diligently in the remaining days before the exams. I’d been so focused on helping Alia that I hadn’t been paying much attention in class.
Finally, I decided to use the status points I’d earned from leveling up recently. I put them all into INT, hoping it would give the edge I needed to cram effectively.
-----
Na: Naoki von Blackmore
Level: 48
Title: Hero Candidate of the Blackmore Family
Trait: Shadow Conquers
Condition: Normal
HP (Hit Points): 4,000
MP (Mana Points): 6,500
Strength (STR): 65
Vitality (VIT): 40
Agility (AGL): 70
Intelligence (INT): 65
Status Points that can be used: 0
Skills:
1. Swordsmanship Lvl 5:
Blackmore Katana Style:
-Kazekiri
-Inazuma
-Yanagi Uke
-Nisshou Giri
-Kasoseki
-Tenshō Kōsen
2. Resonance Lvl 1:
-Karyuu no Issen
3. Power of Incarnation Lvl 2
-Yami Kiri no Seikatsu
-Yami Gui no Giri
Magic:
Dark Magic Lvl 1
Abyssal Wrath Mode Lvl 1
Goddess Points: 85
------
I figured raising my INT was enough for now. After all, I couldn’t even use all that extra mana because of the side effects of Dark Magic—it could drive insane. So, next, I decided to focus on boosting STR and AGI.
Envi, the annoying system, laughed and said, "What a waste to raise INT. You still have to study, you know. INT only helps you grasp things faster; it doesn’t an you’ll instantly beco a genius. HAHAHAHA! YOU HAVE TO STUDY, LIKE, ALL DAY LONG!"
It was clearly mocking , but unfortunately, it had a point. I had to study.
I already had a solid grasp of so subjects, like magical theory, advanced swordsmanship, and war strategy. But I was still lacking in mana manipulation, spell formulation, and magic swordsmanship.
Actually, it’s okay not to have to master all the subjects, because this academy allows you to choose the subjects you like. If you are a knight who focuses on swordsmanship, then you can focus on taking subjects, only about swordsmanship, as well as magic knights.
However, for the subject of magic theory and war strategy, it is mandatory, because a swordsman can find out the weaknesses of a magician if he knows the theory behind his magic, so that understanding is very much needed. That’s what made Marius, Luna, and Kael also take the subject. Then the subject of war strategy beca mandatory for knights because it beca a provision of knowledge when there was a war in the future.
But I took all the subjects, because I have swordsmanship and magic skills, so I need to study a lot to improve my skills.
I decided to study after class. My plan was to hit the library in the afternoon and squeeze in study sessions every morning too.
After class, just as I was about to head to the library, Marius, Lyra, and Freya stopped . They asked where I was going, and when I ntioned my plan to study, their eyes lit up.
"Wow, Naoki, you’re so serious about studying! Let’s make it a group study session!" Marius said enthusiastically.
"Naoki-dono, you’re so knowledgeable. I want to learn advanced sword techniques and war strategies from you!" Freya added with excitent.
"Emmm... Naoki-sama, could you teach about magical theory and concepts? I think you understand it better than I do," Lyra said shyly.
"Uh... Fine. Let’s study together." I agreed reluctantly. Honestly, I’d wanted to study alone to stay focused, but I supposed this wouldn’t be so bad.
When we arrived at the library, we were surprised to see Luna, Aisha, and Milly already there. They were browsing the shelves, clearly looking for study material.
"Eh?! big bro Naoki is here?! Wow, this is rare! You usually hate studying and prefer chopping down trees behind the mansion with your sword skills," Milly teased as she greeted .
"Yeah, well, I don’t have a choice. Midterms are just around the corner," I replied lazily.
"H-Hello, Naoki-senpai! What a coincidence eting you here. Are you and your friends planning to study too? Milly and I were just about to start," Aisha said cheerfully.
"Yes, please take care of my idiotic little sister, Aisha. I’m counting on you," I said with a sly grin, mockingly gesturing toward Milly.
"HAH?! Since when did you two get along?! Usually, Aisha runs away in fear whenever she sees you!" Milly exclaid in confusion.
I ignored her completely, and she pouted in annoyance. Aisha quickly stepped in to calm her down.
anwhile, I spotted Luna searching for books.
"Hey, Class President. What are you looking for?" I asked casually. She flinched slightly, startled by my sudden approach.
"Oh, um, I was just looking for books on advanced sword techniques and war strategy... I wanted to brush up before the midterms," she admitted sheepishly, clearly trying to hide the fact that she was struggling.
"I see. Well, why not join us? Marius, Lyra, Freya, and I are planning to study together," I offered with a friendly smile.
"S-Sure. That sounds good," she replied, her voice a little hesitant.
And so, the six of us ford a study group.
We divided the subjects among us: Marius and I handled advanced swordsmanship and war strategy. Magical theory and concepts were covered by Luna and . Lyra and Freya taught mana manipulation, spell formulation, and magic swordsmanship.
It was a perfect arrangent. Everyone got to teach and learn from one another. Marius lightened the mood with his jokes, making us laugh and keeping things lively.
To my surprise, I managed to teach them effectively. Lyra, Freya, Luna, and Marius all seed genuinely happy whenever I helped them solve sothing they couldn’t understand.
Sotis, they’d even praise for being a good teacher, which made a little embarrassed. From the corner of my eye, I noticed Milly and Aisha sneaking glances at us. It seed like they wanted to join, but since they were still on first-year material, they couldn’t.
I also learned a lot from Lyra and Freya, who taught the subjects I was weak in. Overall, I gained so much today.
The atmosphere was cheerful and friendly—a stark contrast to my old life. Back then, I always studied alone in my room or at a quiet café. It was peaceful but lonely. This, however, was different. It was noisy, but I wasn’t alone. For the first ti, I felt truly at ease with these precious friends of mine.
Suddenly, Envi chid in. "Not bad, for a dummy like you, teaching all these people. HAHAHA!"
"I told you, I’m not dumb! Back in the day, I was a top student—until life decided to screw over. I used to love teaching and solving problems for others. I even dread of becoming a professor, but instead, I ended up as a sales marketer and convenience store clerk," I said, chuckling at the irony.
"Well, I’ll admit, teaching does suit you."
"Thanks, but I’ve chosen to be a hero in this world," I replied. Envi fell silent, as if understanding the weight of my responsibilities and the dreams I’d sacrificed.
We studied together until sunset. Deciding to continue the next morning, we returned the books and left the library, parting ways to head to our dorms.
Back in our room, Marius said he was really happy to have studied together. He even ntioned how my presence made the class feel more vibrant.
I laughed at his honesty. "Let’s do our best on the exams," I said. With that, we went to bed.
...
The next morning, Marius and I woke up early and headed to the library. To our surprise, Lyra, Freya, and Luna were already there, eager to study. It seed everyone was just as enthusiastic about this group study.
As we settled in, soone completely unexpected showed up—Kael.
Kael entered with his usual gloomy aura, nervously scanning the shelves for a book. When our eyes t, he froze and looked like he was ready to bolt.
"Hey, Baldy! Where do you think you’re going?!" I called out.
"I-I’m just... heading to get so food!" he stamred, clearly making up an excuse.
Feeling bad for him, I sighed. "Co on. Join us. We’ll help you prepare for the exams," I offered. Actually, I still feel guilty for Envi burning his hair all up, even now his hair hasn’t grown back.
"R-Really? You’d let join?" Kael asked, his eyes wide with hope.
"Yeah, as long as you behave," I replied.
"Just don’t cause any trouble, Kael. If you do, you’re out," Luna warned him firmly.
"Y-Yes! Thank you for letting join!" Kael said, bowing gratefully.
And so, our study group grew even larger.
We studied tirelessly over the next few days, as if preparing for a Ph.D. exam. By the end, I felt confident that we’d all ace the written test.
...
Finally, the day of the midterm exams arrived. The mont we’d all been waiting for was here.
...
...
Reviews
All reviews (0)