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Reyna von Wolfgang.
In her opinion, her life was extremely linear.
As a noble, she had to embody exemplary conduct and mindset, handle tasks, collect and classify information, and carry out the words and actions required as a ‘proxy’ of Wolfgang.
A monotonous and endless life where she had to weigh every word lightly spoken by others, understanding the hidden meanings and implications.
And like most noble daughters, she too had been betrothed since birth.
Her betrothed’s name was Adrian Rothschild de Repelheit.
The eldest son and heir of the Repelheit family, the lord of the western region to which Wolfgang belonged.
They first met when she was five, lost and crying in the Repelheit family mansion, he took her hand and guided her back.
They met at the betrothal ceremony and the coming-of-age ceremony.
After that, they never met in person. Just exchanged letters.
She thought it would continue like that, with nothing changing, just a repetitive routine. Graduate, get married, and somehow move on.
Even after a year at Salenium, her mindset remained the same.
But.
Change came suddenly.
In the second year of school, when she met her betrothed Adrian.
After saying incomprehensible things about breaking off their engagement, he disappeared after getting off the carriage.
Then news spread that he had lost his position as heir to his younger sister and was driven out.
Naturally, letters from the family started arriving, accepting the annulment of the engagement.
Whether it was her father’s ambition to send her to a better family or pressure from above, she hadn’t figured out yet.
Annulment.
If she were the same foolish girl from the past.
She might have thought it was the right thing.
However.
Reyna, who had never once rebelled against her father’s words, was not the same Reyna who had declared to walk alongside him and become his successor after confirming his intentions.
But on the evening when she received a mysterious bracelet from Adrian that could “transfer magic,” she returned to her dorm room and burned all the letters piled up.
For the first time in her life, she deviated from the “path.”
And the second time is right now.
“…….”
“…….”
There is no conversation happening.
Or rather, it is a situation where conversation cannot even occur.
The ground is burning, smoke still billowing, and pits dug deep here and there.
Those surrounding her remain silent, not uttering a word.
Reyna, without a word, slowly grasped the ‘ore sword’ that had come right up to her chest and looked at the person in front of her.
No voice is heard, vision may be blurred, but it can be clearly understood.
Daisy von Schkross.
Her once neatly arranged purple hair now completely disheveled.
Embarrassing, but perhaps her own hair is in a similar state now.
The red necklace around her neck appears completely shattered.
It’s just a piece that has come off, nothing more.
“Ahahahaha….”
Seeing the expression of the other person changing rapidly, Reyna let out a light laugh.
It must be incomprehensible.
No, she probably doesn’t even want to understand.
She knows that feeling better than anyone else.
Having experienced it tirelessly.
Slowly, her finger rose up.
“I w…on.”
She won.
Truly, how hard she had worked.
From being second best since enrollment, striving so hard to surpass the top student, she never easily gave up her position.
In sports competitions, it was a judgment loss.
One-on-one was a draw.
But now… here, she has achieved it.
“I w…on.”
As she said that, her vision suddenly went blank.
Did Adrian see it too?
It would be nice if he did.
Thinking that, at the moment she was about to collapse sideways.
Thud, with a sound, she felt someone catching her.
Familiar thickness of arms, shoulders, and warmth of a hand.
Now, in the blurred focus where nothing was clearly visible, there was a figure with golden hair and blue eyes looking down this way.
Ahahahaha.
Did you see, Adrian?
I did it.
There are many things I want to say.
But I guess it’s okay to say them when I wake up.
He’ll wait for that too.
– Well done.
With a faint voice echoing, she buried her consciousness in the weight that supported her.
* * *
She’s back.
The final exams ended in our victory, and all participants returned to Salenium.
Upon her return, Reyna was hospitalized for magical exhaustion.
Her opponent, Daisy von Schkross, was relatively unscathed, with only her necklace broken.
“I hope I never see this traitor again next time!”
“You’ll see her soon enough regarding the Northern Affairs. Don’t worry.”
“Ugggh.”
“If there’s anything next time, please call me. I’ll be loyal.”
“It’s a burden. Donald, go do your job now.”
After exchanging farewells with the attack team, including Princess Vladir and Donald, she had spent the last two days with, she returned to her dorm and collapsed without even washing up, falling asleep.
After sleeping through a whole day, the next afternoon.
“Ah.”
The moment she woke up, she realized.
[A reward is given!]
The bright system message in front of her eyes.
Come to think of it, she hadn’t checked the reward.
Well, after smashing the crown, she went out immediately to see Reyna and Daisy’s duel results, then fell asleep on her bed upon returning, so she didn’t have time to check her reward.
“Isn’t this the most anticipated moment?”
As she touched the system, a flurry of messages popped up with a loud bang.
[Conditional Quest, ‘Final Exams,’ completed!]
[Victory in the final exams!]
[As the ‘Advisor’ of the attack team, you have successfully led the team to victory! With less than 30 casualties, cleared on the 2nd day, achieved rank ‘S’ for contribution due to directly destroying the crown! Additional rewards are given!]
[There is a change in favorability! The favorability of students who were part of the attack team increases by one level. ‘Hostility’ changes to ‘Neutral,’ ‘Neutral’ changes to ‘Friendly’!]
Hmm.
These are all good contents. Now, those who were part of the ‘attack team’ no longer see me as an enemy.
Starting as a third-rate villain, I’ve always been threatened with my life. It’s a significant gain to have people in this world who can maintain ‘Neutral’ with me.
But what I was truly waiting for is this.
[Conditional Quest reward is granted!]
[One slot of ‘Fellow of Fate’ is expanded.]
[Unlocking ‘Fateful Companion LV.2’!]
“At last.”
He clenched his fist.
Fateful Companion, the new function.
The system message shone brightly, and something appeared at the edge of his vision.
A translucent window, divided into two sections, with an icon resembling Kalen’s face at the top, green for health on one side, and blue for mana below.
Yes.
From ‘Fateful Companion LV.2’ onwards, one could instantly check the companion’s health, mana, and status abnormalities in real-time.
It was a useful companion to have for upcoming stories and boss battles.
While Kalen was fine, Reyna in the second slot had yet to fully recover.
Looking at the icon, it seemed to be awakening. I should check on this.
He got up, washed up, and this time, wore a school uniform instead of gym clothes.
Standing in front of the mirror, adjusting his tie, tidying his hair, he was about to leave when it happened.
[You have unclaimed rewards!]
[Additional rewards for achieving S-rank Contribution!]
Ah, right.
There was this fellow too.
Even if it was an S-rank contribution, considering we’re between Acts 2 and 3, they might give out simple skill selection vouchers or low-tier equipment selection vouchers.
Thinking so, he received the rewards…
[Rewards are given!]
[Additional experience points are awarded!]
“Experience points?”
And.
The branch of Spirit Tree he had placed on the desk began to glow white.
[The Spirit Tree branch has formed a strong bond with its owner!]
[The Spirit Tree branch is ‘growing’!]
“Hmm.”
The characteristic of a growth-type martial art like the Spirit Tree branch is building a bond with the owner through experience.
Accumulating experience, it grows alongside the owner.
That’s what a growth-type martial art is all about.
I thought an event like this would happen after crossing at least Act 3 at the current pace, but it seems the contribution reward has given this fellow additional experience points.
And.
“…A growth-type martial art gradually grows in accordance with its ‘owner’.”
How will this fellow change?
The Spirit Tree branch, glowing white, soon shone brightly before elongating and straightening out.
If its initial form was merely a branch with a sprout, the current one felt like a slender and long wooden staff.
It even had a handle at the end for a good grip.
He quickly tried it out and used ‘Sensory.’
〈Spirit Tree Staff〉/ Growth-type (★★)
A rare Spirit Tree branch that grows in magical forests has grown with the owner into a staff.
The translation of the novel excerpt is as follows:
The staff is so strong that it can even break steel.
– It can be used as a primary weapon for both physical and magical attacks. It has a 5% chance to grant a ‘Wind Attribute’ damage bonus in both physical and magical attacks.
– When worn, it increases elemental affinity and mastery of magic rapidly.
– When worn, it increases the base health regeneration speed.
– The magical wavelength of ‘Adrian Rothschild de Repelheit’ is adjusted to match the magical wavelength of the spirit tree. It is bound to the owner.
I see.
So this is a staff for physical attack with the ability to use magic.
From Noble mtl dot com
It even has bonuses for wind attribute damage and fast health regeneration during normal attacks.
This item has grown along with me, who uses both ‘physical’ and ‘magic’.
It is a great harvest for me right now.
“Well then, let’s go.”
I grabbed the white staff and left the dormitory.
* * *
And.
“……”
“It’s late. Do you know what time it is now? It’s 3 p.m. in the afternoon!”
“I’m sorry, it’s my fault. I tried to wake you up, but you were sleeping too deeply…”
“No, it’s not Kalen’s fault. Reyna and that guy didn’t sleep either, so they overdid it.”
“S-Senior! Are you feeling okay?”
Let’s go to Reyna’s room in the central medical office.
There were guys who acted like it was obvious.
Kalen, Relvrian, Miliz, Souffle, and even Ebenis.
“Why are you guys here?”
“Well, it’s because Volfgang called us. Think about it.”
What is this guy saying?
When I turned my gaze to the guy lying down, Reyna smiled and said.
“Adrian, not only you and I finished the final exams, but everyone passed the test, right? I think the princess is busy, so she couldn’t come.”
So.
Are you going to have a celebration?
“The host is in the sickbed.”
“Magical exhaustion means only the lack of magic. The body is fine.”
Right.
“Hmph, Volfgang and Adrian are becoming more alike day by day.”
“Ebenis, you…”
“I know. I’m your enemy. I shouldn’t be here either, but it’s not like I have nothing to do with these people. We fought together, too.”
He crossed his arms and turned his head with a smirk.
“Is it okay? We probably won’t have a real showdown with Ebenis for a while, and now is now. Adrian.”
Well.
If the host says so, then that’s it.
“Schukross brought fruits over there, right? Let’s all eat together and finish the long final exams.”
[[1]]
“… Yea, Shukros Yeongae?”
“Yes, she admitted defeat and left. She’s an incredibly fast magic recoverer. She said she’ll definitely make a comeback in the second semester. The results will come out in a week anyway, but it’s certain that I’ll be the top student.”
I see.
Since Reyna defeated Daisy von Shukros in the midterms, it’s certain that Reyna will become the top student in the Department of Magic.
That means the groundwork for his first breakthrough is already complete.
Good.
I’m in favor of this peaceful conclusion too.
That was when.
“Se, Senior!”
“Is it Milly?”
“Yes! I, I won too. Do you remember the promise?”
The promise.
The promise…
So…
“Are you suggesting that we both revisit Selenium before the vacation, including soufflé on the second day?”
“Yes, that’s right!”
At that moment, the air in the hospital room became heavy.
“Wait, what? Adrian?”
“You, you’re suggesting revisiting Selenium…?”
“One person on the first day, two on the second day?”
“Wait, a promise? Even with Reyna present? Reyna! We need to talk about this!”
“I heard! I’ll get up right away!”
What’s going on? Why all this sudden commotion in the hospital room?
Swoosh!
As Evniss, leaning against the wall, took a sip of water from the glass and turned his head lightly, Adrian immediately spoke up.
“I really think this is a fitting end for you, Adrian.”
“What kind of end is fitting for me?”
“Well…”
He shrugged and stuck out his tongue.
“Even if you’re torn into dozens of pieces, I’ll find all the fragments for you.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You wouldn’t know.”
What do you mean?
Why suddenly find the fragments?
He needs to upgrade his danger sensor