Year One, Sumr, Entark Second Academy.
Shuna walked through the campus, observing her surroundings.
This was the first ti she had seriously walked around and observed the school since deciding to leave it—apart from occasional visits to the library to borrow books.
However…
Even though Entark Second Academy was a combat-focused institution, her attire—a well-worn adventurer’s outfit, complete with scratches from real battles and a heavily used dagger—made her stand out starkly among the students.
“Isn’t that… a rare hair color?”
“I heard she’s a second-year student. After just a month of classes, she ran off to a dungeon by herself, saying it was more exciting than school. She’s barely been back since.”
“That’s impressive, isn’t it?”
“What’s impressive about skipping classes?”
…
Shuna scratched her head as she overheard the passing comnts.
“Seriously. Isn’t this supposed to be a school that emphasizes practical experience? Going out and working is a form of practice too…”
Though mildly annoyed, she brushed it off.
Having survived the challenges of dungeons, she found such naive remarks from students amusing.
A mature person wouldn’t stoop to arguing with children.
However…
There were things about the school that genuinely frustrated Shuna.
After her final exams, the school official had confronted her with her attendance record and said—
“I’m sorry, but your attendance is too low. Even though you scored full marks on your finals, we have no choice but to hold you back a year.”
“By the way, since you never attended classes, how did you even learn all those difficult topics?”
Shuna vividly rembered the dean’s shocked expression when she pointed at a massive diagram of the Fla Dragon’s anatomy, accurately identifying its weak points…
And the best cuts of at for cooking.
“Honestly, for a school that claims to prioritize practical experience, these old academics are far too out of touch with reality.”
—Shuna was deeply frustrated by this.
The academy’s textbooks contained valuable knowledge, but few teachers had the ability to explain it thoroughly.
The library held so practical dungeon records with real-world value, but the academic elites, lacking field experience, couldn’t extract aningful insights from them.
A school ant to support dungeon adventurers had beco little more than a hollow, parasitic shell.
And so…
Because the official failed to recognize her brilliance…
Shuna, who should have advanced to the second year, was demoted back to the first year—though she had already completed about half of the first-year curriculum.
If the goal of Entark Second Academy was to train students capable of surviving dungeons on their own, Shuna had surpassed graduation standards long ago.
In fact, even before enrolling, when she had casually ventured into a dungeon for fun… she had already t the graduation criteria—though she was promptly dragged back to school afterward.
“Whatever… I ca here to experience school life anyway. A few extra days don’t matter.”
The sumr heat was getting to her, so she unzipped her jacket a bit more.
This ti, she had decided to return to school and finish her studies.
Shuna thought to herself as she looked at the campus signs, searching for the mailroom.
Needing to rely on signs to navigate the school was certainly unbecoming for soone supposedly about to enter the second year—no wonder she was demoted.
If you asked why…
Shuna…
Couldn’t forget the ti she ventured to the sixtieth floor of the Snow Abyss with the “White Castle” adventurer team to obtain Ice Spirit blood.
That expedition had been anything but the effortless triumph people imagined.
In fact, it was one of the most grueling dungeon experiences of her life.
On the sixtieth floor of the Snow Abyss, she had nearly faced total annihilation with her team—if not for a prior conversation with “W,” where they discussed the challenges of breaking through freezing walls in extre cold and the need for additional explosives.
Based on W’s calculations, she had checked the team’s explosive supplies and found a significant shortfall for the boss floor’s extre conditions.
As the team’s nominal “logistics officer,” she had insisted on replenishing the supplies, using “White Castle’s” funds to cover the cost.
Even so, it had been a brutal battle. In the icy wilderness, they barely managed to survive. The spirited female captain of White Castle had even shielded Shuna from several ice arrows, and they had saved each other’s lives more than once.
In the end, the additional supplies she secured had averted total disaster.
This was…
Exactly what W often emphasized in his letters—the critical importance of logistics.
In his words, logistics was an extraordinary, radiant, and all-encompassing role, requiring the team’s strongest mind and body. He repeatedly warned against underestimating logistics or dismissing personnel lightly, as the consequences could be catastrophic!
Honestly, it was strange for soone like him, who had never been part of a real adventurer team, to hold logistics in such high regard.
“Did he know so… uh… incredibly skilled logistics officer? Or was he personally fired by one?”
Logistics was often an overlooked role, akin to doing nial tasks.
This experience, however, had shown Shuna that logistics was indeed as vital as W described.
And that…
Theoretical magic calculations and dungeon knowledge were indispensable—life-saving, even.
That’s why she wanted to imrse herself in her studies and expand her knowledge base, so she could better apply it in dungeons.
The other reason…
“Why is his next letter taking so long?! He used to reply within three days, but it’s already the fifth day!”
Was…
Because W’s letters about his youthful campus life… were so enviable!
Stories of harmonious group als, being scolded by teachers but privately tutored, and returning ho to comforting family…
Thinking about it, Shuna kicked a nearby trash can with her boot.
Though her mysterious background made it hard to pinpoint her real age…
Her current appearance was that of a fifteen-year-old teenage girl!
She wanted to experience campus life too!
Of course, that was definitely a secondary reason… definitely!
As she mused, Shuna arrived at the mailroom of Entark Second Academy.
The volu of mail here far exceeded that of the Adventurer’s Guild, with several overflowing boxes.
“Hello, how can I help you?”
“Do you have any letters addressed to Anonymous S?”
“Hmm… let check… Anonymous might be hard to find…”
“No need. The twentieth letter in the third basket should be mine.”
“Wow, how did you figure that out with so much mail?”
“Uh… he always uses a distinctive envelope… probably custom-made by so family.”
“Is it from a lover? A love letter?”
“What kind of lover writes anonymous letters? Just hand it over. He’s already paid the postage from the Adventurer’s Guild; here’s the transfer fee.”
Shuna took the letter, flipping it over in her hands. Without realizing it, her previously stern expression softened into a genuine smile.
Standing outside the mailroom, under the sumr sun, she gently opened the letter.
Reviews
All reviews (0)