12
“Adrian! Come to think of it, today is the perfect opportunity…”
“Come to think of it, there is a class in the afternoon. Reyna. Well then, get up first.”
Any decent student should attend afternoon classes without fail.
The place I arrived at after escaping from Reyna, who was trying to take me to the self-study room, was a small training ground attached to the Magic Department’s third lecture hall.
“So, there is no paradise in the place you run to.”
The afternoon class I had to attend was Introduction to Basic Martial Arts.
I wondered what kind of class this guy with a stamina of 5 would take, but if I don’t do this, I’ll never escape the swamp of stamina 5.
The unique advantage of the Salenium Saga is that there is no free lunch.
If you strive for results, you will definitely be rewarded accordingly.
To survive dozens of hardcore infernos that lie ahead, improving stamina was a must.
Sigh─.
There were a few students standing inside the training ground.
The size of the training ground seemed insignificant, as if it were for spellcasters waving wands.
“…Is this the end for the students?”
On the other side of the training ground.
With muscles bulging, tanned skin, and sunglasses, a man with a sword on his shoulder walked towards us.
He placed the sword on the ground and glanced around the training ground before expressing his displeasure.
“…I am Professor Bedel of Introduction to Basic Martial Arts. But it seems like there are only feeble students here.”
Isn’t that obvious?
A magician isn’t someone who just trains their physical strength.
Most of the students in the Department of Magic sit quietly, writing magic theories on parchment with quills.
Professor Bedel seemed quite displeased with that.
“Introduction to Basic Swordsmanship.”
An elective course available from the second year.
First-year students in the Department of Magic have no concept of elective courses.
However, as they finish the hellish first year and move up to the second year, they gradually start to have some breathing room.
Just like I chose “General Imperial History” and “Herbology” as my electives besides swordsmanship, it’s about broadening the scope of learning.
Since from the second year onwards, they gradually begin to step into intermediate magic.
Having firmly grasped the basics, they slowly delve deeper.
“Of course, not me.”
Our buddy Adrian is barely managing to learn and apply even one beginner spell.
“Why did you want to learn swordsmanship? If you’re a magician, isn’t it unnecessary to learn swordsmanship?” Professor Bedel asked as he looked at us.
There are only six students taking the Introduction to Basic Swordsmanship course in the Department of Magic.
Yes, six.
“Hmm….”
Four of them are strangers to me.
One is me.
And as I pondered the remaining one, a female student raised her hand and answered.
“I think it’s better to learn than not to learn.”
“Why is that?”
“If others don’t learn, and I don’t learn either, then it’s meaningless.”
With long, light green hair that seemed to capture a fresh melody and slightly pointed ears.
“Alright, good. That’s a good answer. Remember, what’s your name?”
Upon hearing the name that followed, I lightly pressed my temples.
“I’m a second-year student in the Department of Magic, Relvrian.”
No….
Why is a member of our glorious Bibimbap Solid Party in such a humble place?
Elf descendant Relvrian.
A member of the Bibimbap Solid Party, a character with a wind element affinity, classified as a “Magic Swordsman.”
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Not a magician, but a Magic Swordsman.
An essential utility extreme supporter who wields three swords, uses wind magic, and incorporates swordsmanship, indispensable to the party, unlike the traditional mage who just wields a staff.
Naturally, being a member of the Bibimbap Solid Party, everything is prepared, including a heroine route for her.
“I see.”
Professor Bedel seemed quite moved by her response.
“Right. That’s it. Truly the right thing to say! If others don’t learn, and I don’t learn either, that’s the epitome of stagnation!”
Nodding approvingly, Professor Bedel looked around at the other students.
“Anything else? Anyone with an opinion?”
Silence.
“Should I…?”
For a moment, there was a conflict, but I quickly hardened my resolve.
Professor Bedel, despite his appearance, was quite a prominent character in the “Selenium Saga” along with Professor Walnut from the Department of Magic.
I didn’t change my schedule just for no reason to attend his lecture.
Bedel.
A character you meet when progressing through the basic swordsmanship course in the Department of Magic route.
There’s a secret that if you complete the subquest he offers, your stamina increases rapidly.
Stamina.
It must be increased, without fail.
“Well, then. There’s another one… the name is…”
“Adrian, Professor.”
“Alright, go ahead.”
Adrian.
At his words, the students’ attention was drawn to him.
I caught a glimpse of the elven dark mage watching me as well.
“Do I really have to do this?”
But a man should keep his word.
I closed my eyes tightly and shouted the “line” that had come out of the game.
“Muscles.”
“W-what.”
Professor Bedel seemed taken aback.
“First of all, it’s muscles. You have to work out for muscles.”
Silence filled the training hall.
…This sounds like nonsense, but…
When I talked to Professor Bedel in the Department of Magic route, this was the option that came up at the bottom.
If Professor Walnut is a fan of romance novels, Bedel is an extreme muscle enthusiast character.
A legend in the fitness community for chugging supplements like water.
Bedel’s forehead twitched, then he exclaimed.
“…Muscles?”
“Yes, muscles.”
Professor Bedel approached me.
As he took off his sunglasses, a rugged impression was revealed.
His hand slowly rose and… rested on my shoulder.
Incredible strength.
Just that made me feel like my shoulder blade would break.
“Amazing! hahahahaha! Working out for muscles by building muscles! That’s it! That’s the answer I wanted!”
He revealed this while laughing, then promptly delivered a strong blow to the back of my neck.
“Cough.”
“Why is this friend so weak?”
As I wiped my mouth, blood appeared…
“Alright! Since I’m feeling good, let’s start the class right away! Today, it’s all about muscles! Everyone, get ready to grab your wooden swords!”
Watching him cheerfully shout, I still wiped the blood from my mouth with my sleeve.
* * *
Exactly one hour later.
I staggered, exhausted.
Stamina 5.
Naturally, I didn’t have the stamina to keep up with such a crazy class.
– Your determination is impressive, but your stamina is lacking, huh? Well, well! From my next lesson, I’ll prepare a special training menu for your muscles!
The special menu was what I called a ‘sub-quest.’
Although I got what I wanted, I wasn’t exactly thrilled.
Leaning against the training hall wall, someone handed me a water skin.
It was Elven Dark Mage, Relvrian.
“…What’s this for?”
“It seemed like you had no strength left to fetch water.”
“Thank you.”
I drank the water pouring out of the skin.
As I handed back the leather water skin, careful not to get sweat on it, she looked at me with a faint smile.
“You have manners.”
“This is just basic courtesy, isn’t it?”
Relvrian, a half-elf to be precise, had a touch of obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Normally, unless there was a considerable amount of favor built up, she wouldn’t even hand over her own water skin.
The question was soon answered.
“It’s just… I felt a familiar energy from you.”
Ah.
I understood.
“Is it the energy of an elf?”
My ‘magic wave’ was currently attuned to the spirits due to the branch of the spirit tree.
The ‘owner’ of the spirit tree branch had the option to have a magic wave similar to that of the spirits, which was why.
So, this half-elf, practically an elf, Dark Mage must have taken an interest in me.
…It seems like another important figure has gotten involved.
“I’m sorry, but I know nothing about the Elf Exodus. Being from the West, I’ve never even seen an elf.”
“…I was aware you’d ask that.”
Relvrian looked somewhat disappointed.
The Elf Exodus was a setting in a book that took place around 200 years ago, where the elves migrated to the ‘forest’ outside the Eastern Empire.
Naturally, subsequent humans tried to chase after the elves to meet them in this forest, but they never encountered any elves.
Of course, because the elves’ spirit realm and world tree were separated into a different dimension even within the forest.
Relvrian’s ultimate goal was to meet those elves.
Therefore, the story related to the ‘Great Migration’ is like the main quest to unlock the Elven heroine route in Relvrian.
“Are you looking for the elves?”
“Yeah, I have something to ask the ancestors. It’s my duty.”
After pondering for a moment, I spoke up.
I didn’t plan to get deeply involved, but it wouldn’t hurt to at least know the name.
In the end, each of these connections would matter.
“I’ll let you know if I come across any information.”
“Thanks. You turned out to be a better person than I thought, huh? Rumors really can’t be trusted.”
With a grin, Relvrian left the training ground.
I watched his back for a moment before getting up.
My whole body was aching from the repeated sword strikes and footwork I had been practicing for hours.
“At least… there are no classes now.”
But there was no turning back.
There was still something I had to do.
And so,
I dragged my exhausted body to Melud Elian’s secret hideout and completed my magic training as usual.
[Due to repeated use of magic, the level of Wind Blade has increased to 2!]
[Mana consumption decreases and power slightly increases.]
[There is a slight change in mana due to repeated efforts.]
“Phew… did it.”
After three days of hard work, I finally achieved a significant result.
It was just a level increase of 1, but to me, it was a huge accomplishment.
I could now cast Wind Blade four times!
Moreover, there was a message indicating a slight change in mana stats.
This meant that I could expect an increase in mana soon.
“I should master Wind Blade by the end of this semester and reach at least level 3 in other low-level spells.”
The master level for low-level spells is 5.
If time allows, I should aim to master them all, but reaching level 3 would still yield good efficiency.
So, I need to look for skill books to learn other low-level spells, which fortunately aren’t hard to find.
As for the others, well, since they are low-level spells, they are not difficult to acquire. It just takes a bit of effort.
With mana and stamina at around 7 each, there are quite a few benefits to be gained, including the ‘Weekly Attribute Dungeons.’
Training ahead seems smooth, but… there is one problem.
“…Melud Elian.”
I heard that the Imperial Mage Guild’s practice location results would be announced this afternoon.
It probably has already been announced and is still ongoing.
Act 1, Scene 1, is in two days.
I need to start planning how to deal with it.
With those thoughts in mind, as I walked towards the dormitory, someone called out to me.
“Lord Adrian!”
“Oh, Kalen. Are you heading back now?”
“Yes. Is Adrian going back now?”
“Mm.”
I nodded in response.
Just after finishing training, he was wearing gym clothes and had a sword at his waist.
“Oh, you don’t have to come closer. I sweated a lot.”
“What, it’s just us guys anyway.”
“Oh, right… I see…”
I walked alongside Kalen through the night streets.
It was already dark, with almost no lights on the road.
No.
…Almost no lights?
That was when it happened.
“Oh, Adrian?”
“…”
When I didn’t respond, he shook my arm.
“D-Do you see it?”
“I see it.”
I stared blankly ahead.
Merin Hall.
First-year dormitory building.
There was a crowd gathered there.
No, not gathered, but running away from there.
‘Why…’
Certainly, there should have been two days left until the start of Act 1, Scene 1.
That moment.
─Kwaaah!
Thick smoke rose with a loud noise.
Screams and howls intertwined, and a wolf-like monster emerged from the collapsed building, howling towards the moon.
─Awooo…
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“That… a lycanthrope? Why is a monster in the dormitory…!”
Two days earlier than planned.
The incident of Act 1, Scene 1 of the main story had begun.