After completing my usual training routine in the morning, I went straight ahead into a nice bath to refresh myself.
The steam filled the bathroom, enveloping me in a soothing warmth that eased my tired muscles.
As usual, my stats greatly reflected the strength that I had now.
If before I couldn’t even make a dent in the training equipment, now I have to consciously hold myself back in order not to break any of the stuff inside my private training room. It was a surreal feeling, knowing that my capabilities had advanced so significantly. Every strike, every movement had to be carefully controlled to avoid unnecessary damage. Though most of the stuff and equipment placed there were sponsored by the school, there were no insurances for any of them.
If you do break one, you have to pay large fees in order to get it replaced. Fees that I can’t afford to willingly spend right now.
As much as I want to test the full power of my strength, that can come at a later time when another practical test happens or when the grand festival arrives.
The grand festival was an event that brought the entire academy together, showcasing talents, skills, and the results of rigorous training.
It was the perfect opportunity to demonstrate my progress without the risk of incurring costly damages.
My duel with Lucas is guaranteed now after I said yes to him, so evaluating him then would also be good.
Lucas was a formidable opponent, not just because he was the main character but rather for his skill and innate battle sense.
His battle IQ is probably higher than mine so who knows what type of unpredictable things he’ll do, in order to try and best me…
I may know him like a book, but there were no guarantees in the face of that unpredictable mind of his.
Our duel would be more than just a test of strength; it would be a battle of wits and tactics.
I needed to be at my best, both physically and mentally, to stand a chance against him. And although I’m rather reluctant at the thought of going all out against Lucas, the thought of the upcoming duel filled me with a mix of excitement and determination.
‘This duel wasn’t just a chance to properly evaluate him…. It was for myself as well’
It was a chance to prove myself, to see how far I had come and how much further I could go. As I sank deeper into the warm water, I let my mind wander to the strategies I could employ.
Lucas was known for his speed and agility, so matching him blow for blow might not be the best approach.
Instead, I would need to anticipate his moves, stay one step ahead, and use my newfound strength to create openings.
The grand festival was still a few months away, giving me enough time to refine my techniques and build on my strengths.
[Riley Hell]
[Race: Human]
[Level: 77]
[Status:]
[Strength: B [0/80]
[Agility: D [0/50]
[Endurance: C[0/60]
[Luck: o [?????]
[Power: C [0/60]
[Available Status Points: 29]
Overall, with my current stats, I’m climbing up the ladder among all the top students within my year.
Most of my peers, except for those in S class, have an average of C rank in their stats.
So having one B rank already puts me above the average.
Compared to top tiers like Lucas, Seo, Rose, and Snow, my stats aren’t exactly what one would call strong, but they’re pretty solid especially this early on in the story.
‘I should probably increase my Agility stat next…’
I’ve been focusing too much on my strength stat this whole time, but there will come a time when agility will play a major factor in my upcoming battles.
All this time, I’ve been relying on the Tear of Chronos’s skill and my natural instincts to block
and dodge attacks, but I know this won’t always be enough.
Once I run out of mana, I’ll surely be at a severe disadvantage.
Enhancing my agility would give me a better chance to evade attacks and counter quickly, which could be crucial in tight situations.
With that in mind, I mentally mapped out my next training regimen. I needed to work on my speed and reflexes,
As my luck stat can’t be upgraded, I’ll just have to make do and avoid any luck-based events in the future.
I don’t really need to increase my mana right now, so leaving out my power stat as it is, is the best option for now.
It’s too bad that I can’t abuse my special bond skills like Golden Lightning and Raging Storms as often as I’d like. But I’ll just have to summon Raijin whenever I need to make use of those skills properly, so it isn’t such a bad option to leave my power stat as it is for the time being. At the rate I was growing, reaching level 80 shouldn’t be that far off the sketch. Visiting a few dungeons and hitting a few monsters’ hot spots here and there should allow me to level up by then.
Since Seo accepted my request for her to teach me a few swordsmanship techniques a few days ago, my overall swordplay should get stronger then.
Her guidance would be invaluable, considering her expertise and experience.
Training under her would not only refine my skills but also provide new insights into different combat strategies and techniques.
‘I just hope she goes easy on me though… since she’s quite the klutz… I hope I won’t end up accidently dying.’
After finishing my bath, I dried off and dressed in my uniform. Hurriedly, I took one last glance at my room to see if everything was in check before nodding to myself.
‘Yui probably won’t mind cleaning the bed after me, so I better leave now before she
arrives.’
‘Rose should be waiting for me outside the dorm…’
Opening the door, I was about to quickly make my way there, but before I could do so, I
suddenly bumped into someone.
“Ah-ah…”
Right in front of me, a woman was about to fall, so instinctively, my hands and body moved to
catch her before she could completely trip. Her golden eyes locked onto mine with shock…
“Rose…? What are you doing here?”
“I was about to knock?” she said, still slightly disoriented from our sudden bump.
‘Did I hit her a little too hard?’ I wondered, feeling a pang of guilt.
‘Well, I did hurriedly get out of my room. ‘
Bumping into someone may not seem like such a big deal, but in this world the stronger you
are the denser your body becomes….
Especially people with refined mana like knights….. So, her bumping into me must have felt
like bumping into a brick wall or a solid metal pole.
“Sorry.”
“No, it’s okay,” she shook her head, regaining her composure. “It was my fault for suddenly
showing up anyway,” she said with a slight chuckle.
I released my grip, and she steadied herself, smoothing out her uniform.
“Good morning, Riley,” she said with a smile.
“Yes, good morning…” I responded, trying to mask my confusion. ‘Why is she here?’ I
wondered. Didn’t we decide to meet up outside?
How did she even know where my room was in the first place?
Even though we’re both situated in the same hall, the girls’ and boys’ dorm sections are
separated by a few hundred meters.
‘I’m pretty sure I never mentioned or gave her the exact number of my dorm room.’
“You look very handsome, Riley.”
“Thank you…?”
She had a curious look on her face as if she wanted me to say something to her as well but later
turned her attention to the uniform I’m wearing.
“Looks like you’ve dressed quite formally for the occasion. You could’ve just worn any
clothes, you know? It’s the weekend after all,” she said, eyeing my uniform and gently
combed hair.
Since it’s my first-time meeting President Dorothy, I wanted to be respectful.”
“I see. Well, President Dorothy is a bit more casual and open-minded than you might think,
so just dress casually next time. Shall we go?”
“Yes…” I agreed, still processing the unexpected turn of events.
As we walked together down the corridor, I couldn’t help but feel a mixture of curiosity and
anxiety.
The morning light streamed through the large windows, casting a warm glow on the stone
walls.
Rose seemed unusually cheerful, humming a soft tune as we made our way to the student
council office. “So, how did you know where my room was?” I asked, trying to sound casual.
Rose glanced at me, her smile widening. “Oh, since you have a very peculiar mana, finding you
wasn’t that hard~”
“Is that so…?” I replied, my curiosity piqued by her cryptic answer.
‘She knows it’s illegal to mana locate a person right?’
I thought the dorm rooms had protection against such magic…. is she just that strong?
Before I could press further, we arrived at the student council office.
This is it, huh… I thought, staring at the door.
In the game, these very doors were the backdrop for the opening fight against President
Dorothy when she became the mini-boss for Act 2.
Now, I was about to enter the very room hidden behind this door, not as an enemy but rather a
visitor and potential ally.
The whole story had really gone haywire.
Rose took out the student council brooch from her pocket dimension and looked at me.
“Riley, do you have the brooch I gave you?”
“Yes,” I replied, reaching into my pocket.
“Can you take it out, please? It’ll make things easier.”
I nodded and retrieved the brooch.
“Now, press your mana into it.”
Igniting the mana deep within me, I gathered it up and gently guided it toward my right hand.
The brooch glowed with a bluish-purple hue before the gem at the center shone for a few
seconds.
[Note: Brooch of the Student Council]
[Skill effects applied] [Authority applied]
[Note: You are now permitted to enter student council exclusive halls and facilities]
[Note: Authority pass will only last until the current president’s time of service]
‘This brooch has special effects?’ I thought, slightly surprised.
In the game, there was no detail about these brooches having effects aside from symbolizing
authority in the academy.
But then again, the student council arc mostly focused on defeating the president rather than the intricacies behind the council itself, so I guess it’s only natural for me not to know. “Surprised?” Rose said with a slight smile and a blush. It seemed she found my reaction cute.
“This brooch isn’t just a symbol, you see. It also serves as the student council’s very own magic artifact and personal key. Only members of the student council who pour their mana into the brooch can have access to student council facilities, and that includes this office.”
“I see,” I replied, still processing the new information.
The significance of the brooch became clearer.
This was more than just an accessory; it was a key to the inner workings of the academy. It
granted access to areas and resources that were otherwise restricted, signifying trust and responsibility.
‘What would happen if I lost such an item….?’
Rose, noticing my contemplative expression, added, “The brooch also links us, in a way. It ensures that only those who are truly part of the student council can wield its authority.” “Kind of like a safeguard? Anyways you don’t need to worry about losing the brooch since it will automatically come back to you after 24 hours if it somehow gets lost”
Well, that answer’s my worries… for now I should keep this thing tucked inside a safe space
until I use it again. “Knock…! Knock…!” Rose knocked on the door twice, and a silvery pattern illuminated on the door for half a second. Is that the effect of the brooch?
“Please come in…” a soft voice came from inside the door.
Rose nodded before opening the doors softly. As we entered the room, I felt a transparent
barrier scanning me like a weird bubble before granting me full access to the room.
‘I guess if I want to come here next time, I really have to bring this brooch with me,’
I’ve seen many elegant rooms ever since coming to this world, but this place felt the most surreal for some reason.
It felt like a minimalistic office back in my previous world, quite the contrast to the medieval-
like fantasy setting this world had.
The furniture and the overall vibe of the place felt clean and smooth.
“So, you’re the famous Riley Hell” A beautiful, soft voice grabbed my attention.
Her flaxen-colored hair shone brightly as the curly tips swayed smoothly upon her shoulders,
with caramel eyes that completely complemented her already beautiful looks. She was a girl that Rivals the heroine’s beauty despite only being a side character.
Sitting in front of a large chair while handling some papers on the table, one of the game’s
most powerful mini-bosses.
[Dorothy Gale]
She had a curious yet beautiful smile etched across her face as she scanned me from head to
toe.
“It’s nice to finally meet you, Mr. Hell~”