《I Woke Up as the Villainess's Friend. I Don’t Want to Be the Next Demon King》


 From office worker and gamer to side character in an otome game

    My name is, or perhaps I should say was, Elisa. I was a normal girl who had finished her university studies a couple of years ago. I had little to no social life because I had moved to a bigger city where I had found work, and I spent my leisure time between books and video games. My thing was LOL and MMORPGs, games where I could be fiercely competitive. Definitely not an otome game. So, if yesterday someone had told me that I would wake up inside a video game, I would never, ever have believed it would be in that schoolgirl romance game that I was playing because my best friend had recommended it. I had taken a look at it and, honestly, it hadn''t caught my attention; but since my friend was more than two hundred kilometers away, well, at least we would share some laughs together. So, I had created an account and made some progress in the game, not too much, just what a couple of afternoons had allowed.


    Last night I went to bed late, as I had been playing that freaking game, and today... today I woke up in a strange room. To make a long story short, I''ve been trapped in Bianca''s body, one of the otome characters, for enough hours to realize that I''m not dreaming, and if I''ve been drugged, it shows no signs of wearing off. To push me even deeper, Bianca isn''t the heroine, nor a warrior, nor a powerful mage. I wish she were. She''s more of a villain. But not a classy one, the kind you watch open-mouthed while she dazzles you with her beauty and cold heart capable of devising impossible plans and carrying them out without messing up her hair. No... Rather one of those mindless personalities who laugh at the jokes of that villain''s sister.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    Every time I think about it... it drives me crazy!


    "Miss, are you alright?" I hear someone calling at my bedroom door.


    It''s one of the maids of the house, palace, or whatever they call the mansions of the rich and noble here. She must have heard me scream.


    "Yes, yes, I thought I saw a bug, it''s nothing."


    "A bug?" she asks, puzzled, without opening the door.


    I''ll have to watch my vocabulary; I doubt a noble, the daughter of a count, speaks like this.


    "I need to rest, leave me alone, I have a headache."


    "As you wish, miss."


    I hear her footsteps moving away and let out the air I didn''t realize I was holding. I want to keep screaming, yell at the top of my lungs until I''m hoarse or wake up in my own body. It''s no use. I must think about what to do. The worst part is that I didn''t finish the game, so I don''t even know if this personality-less brown-noser, who was just a yes-woman to Faith''s sister, dies or gets imprisoned in the plot.


    Without a doubt, I''m screwed.

 Stats, I need stats.

    They knock on my door again.


    "Miss, lunch is ready. Your mother asked if you''ll be coming down or if you''re feeling too unwell and would like us to bring some broth to your room."


    "I''ll come down now."


    What can I do? I don''t think it''s a good idea to pretend to be sick and stay locked up all the time. At least, getting dressed isn''t necessary, one of the maids already came in this morning to help me with the laces of the dress I''m wearing, besides doing my hair. That''s another thing that bothers me, this isn''t my body.


    I sigh and approach the mirror. It shows me the reflection of a brunette girl, who could pass for pretty without being remarkable. She has beautiful curves, more than I''m used to, and doesn''t seem to exercise. Ah, and more important than my new appearance: there''s no character status. Believe me, I''ve tried saying statistics, character sheet, inventory... all the words I could think of, but nothing. In the game, the MC was a commoner with quite powerful light magic affinity and with good intelligence stats. About this bland secondary character, no idea. What I''m clear about is that, in a world with magic, I''m going to study and practice until I''m really good at it.


    I leave the room and walk down a wide hallway. The floor is made of ceramic tiles in gray tones, and the walls are white; they''re decorated with the occasional vase and portrait. The decoration follows the video game''s theme, a medieval world with magic. Without a doubt, everything I see fits a noble''s mansion; although I expected more luxury. Once in the dining room, which is spacious, I take a seat in the only free spot left. I''m thankful for that, I''ll have enough trouble pretending to know how Bianca relates to her family without having to worry about sitting in the wrong place.


    "Are you alright, darling?" asks the middle-aged lady who must be my mother.


    Long brown hair tied in a bun, eyes the same bluish tone as those that greeted me from the mirror, similar nose... I don''t think I''m wrong.


    "My head hurts and feels a bit foggy, I''m sorry if I''m acting a bit strange."


    "I''ll ask Layla to bring you some herbal tea later."


    "Thanks."


    I don''t call her either mother or countess, as I don''t know how Bianca usually addresses her.


    "Well, ready for the final push before your academy exam?" asks the one who must be the count.


    "Uhh..."


    I guess he''s referring to the academy entrance exam. The video game starts with Mary, the protagonist, failing all the written part but passing because she has a high affinity for light magic.


    Light magic isn''t that rare. Ten percent of mages have it, or had it at some point in their naive childhood. The problem with magic is that it depends on your personality, which means you have to be so good that you''re foolish to possess light magic. In the otome, it''s explained that most of its users end up so tired of being taken advantage of and even scammed and robbed, that their personality changes and, with it, the magic they use. That''s why, when a noble family has an offspring with light affinity, they usually take them to temples where they are educated and protected, to keep them good and pure. Light magic heals and removes curses. It''s vital for a society where medicine hasn''t developed beyond apothecaries with natural remedies. And Mary being a commoner? That''s unusual, because in this world there were great wars and, when humanity won, all powerful magic users were given noble titles. The higher title for the greater magical power. Since then, commoners possess little magic since it''s hereditary. However, sometimes an indigo appears, a baby who has been gifted with great power without inheriting it. Mary could be that or, simply, the illegitimate daughter of some prince or king, because her intelligence and wisdom stats are very high.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    If you''ve played as Mary, it seems like getting into the academy is super easy. However, from what I''m hearing during this dinner, it''s not like that at all. The exams, both theoretical and practical, are quite complicated, and Bianca''s family is pressuring her to study hard.


    "You have to pass, little sister," a young man a few years older than me with the same brown hair tone is telling me. "If you don''t get into the academy, you won''t be able to participate in the games, and we need you to do that."


    "It''s your fault for failing the exams," blurts out the last diner, a boy who doesn''t look more than eight years old. "Instead of working so much with father, you should have prepared better."


    "Elias," our mother scolds him, "you know managing the county is laborious. Your brother has done very well in prioritizing learning it and helping your father."


    Now that I notice, the count seems quite a bit older than his wife. His hair and beard are covered in gray.


    "We trust you, Bianca," my supposed father tells me affectionately. "You''ve been studying for a long time and you know what''s at stake, you''ll do well."


    No, I don''t know. I didn''t get very far in the otome; I didn''t reach the games. My friend did, I remember she told me that nobles took it very seriously because their victory or a good ranking position meant prestige for the families and that they were often granted new lands or economic benefits based on it. I didn''t really understand well, to be honest. What I am clear about is that my new parents don''t seem to be in a very thriving position if they so desperately need me to enter the academy.


    Then I realize. Bianca passes because she had spent years studying, but I just arrived like a blank slate, without her memories, and I have no idea what they''re going to ask me. I have a problem. What will happen if I fail?


    Well, how optimistic... let¡äs say rather when I fail.


    "Are you alright? You suddenly look pale," my mother worries.


    If she only knew...


    "My head," I pretend it hurts. "I''m going to finish this plate and retire."


    "Of course, daughter. Remember that tomorrow you leave early for the country house. There, you¡¯ll be able to study more peacefully than here, give that last review, and as soon as summer is over, I''ll take you to the academy."


    "Yes. By the way..." I don''t really know how to ask this. "I''d like to see my statistics."


    "Your what?" my older brother asks.


    "My intelligence values, my magic..."


    "Your chart? You''re really strange today, Bianca," the little one pipes up.


    "Yes, please."


    I try to hide my racing heartbeat. I want, need, to know if this body has power. My gamer side hasn''t thought about anything else since I woke up here.


    "Daughter, I''m going to ask Layla for a double tea. The chart, you''ve had it on your desk since we took you to the capital square as a child to touch the stone slab. They copied everything onto a parchment and you treasure it. Come on, you should go to bed for a while. You can''t get sick now with the exam in a month and three days." She dramatically brings a hand to her forehead.


    "Don''t worry, mom, I''ll be fine soon."


    "Mom? You haven''t called me that since Elias was born."


    She gets up and approaches me worried.


    Okay, I''m going to pretend to faint or something, because they''re going to catch me here and there''s no way I''m explaining that I have no idea where their beloved daughter is or that I''ve stolen her body without meaning to.


    Now that I think about it, what if Bianca is in mine back on Earth?


    The idea that someone is occupying and using my body makes me dizzy. Look, it''s even easy to pretend to faint. I let them take me to my room. That month away, at the country house, will be a blessing to try and find out more about Bianca.

 Good for nothing

    Bianca L''Crom


    Race: Human


    Age: 5


    Level: 1


    Constitution: 6


    Strength: 2


    Intelligence: 3


    Agility: 2


    Wisdom: 6


    HP: 6


    MP: 6


    Magic Affinity: Earth


    Skills: NoneStolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    Spells: Earth Control - Beginner Level


    Can manipulate up to 10 cubic centimeters of earth: move, loosen, compact and reshape. Range: 1 meter.


    First thing I do in my room is check my status sheet. And wow, these stats are as mediocre as it gets for level 1. The female lead (FL) had maxed out intelligence at ten, plus a whopping nine in wisdom. And before you ask: no, three is actually the average in this world, not five. So I guess Bianca isn''t completely hopeless; she''s got decent constitution and wisdom at six each, which means she''s pretty healthy with a solid mana pool. Still... can''t help feeling let down. And earth magic? Really? Back in my gaming days, I was all about raining fire and unleashing ice storms. My only hope is that since my soul''s in this body now, things might be different. Fat chance I can sneak away to the capital to touch the status slab, but they''ll check our stats before the practical magic exam anyway.


    I spend the rest of my day fake-napping, courtesy of Layla''s endless tea supply. Come morning, I''m off to the country house by carriage with my little escort¡ªa maid and two guards, plus the coachman. It''s almost sunset by the time we get there. During the trip, I strike up a conversation with Berta ¡ªapparently she''s been my maid for years¡ª trying to learn everything I can about Bianca. When she mentions our destination, Hosca, something clicks. It hits me as I''m stepping down from the carriage: this is where they find that newbie dungeon later in the game. First party to clear it got some sweet loot, too.


    A smile crosses my face.


    I think I just figured out how to pass this exam. I''ll crush the practical to make up for failing the written part. Exactly the opposite of what I bet Bianca did.

 Marco

    A lone rider traveled on horseback. A young man in fine riding clothes with a sword at his hip. He maintained an easy trot that wouldn''t tire his horse, and he himself seemed to be in good shape. He arrived early at the Esaton counts'' mansion in Hosca. He introduced himself to the guard at the entrance as Marco Lacor, heir to Baron Lacor and Bianca Esaton''s fianc¨¦. His intention was to see her and inform her that he was breaking off their engagement. Truth was, he didn''t need to talk to her about it, but out of courtesy, he wanted to explain his reasons before making it official with her father, the count. When he was a child, both their parents arranged the marriage. He, as heir, would gain the prestige of marrying a count''s daughter, and she would also bring a generous dowry. For her part, Bianca would become a baroness since the county title would go to her elder brother. However, Marco had trained and studied hard during his childhood and teenage years. When he turned eighteen, he chose not to take the academy entrance exam, preferring to shoulder part of the family business responsibilities instead. Their lands were farmland, and with his studies, he realized they could increase harvests and soil quality by changing some crops and negotiating with the neighboring barony for more irrigation water from their reservoir. With this, the barony''s prosperity was growing, and he no longer needed Bianca''s dowry. Since the girl was rather dull and lacking personality, always laughing at whoever''s jokes she thought she should, it was actually a relief to break off the engagement. Of course, he''d consider marriage in the future, but with someone whose company wouldn''t make every day feel like torture.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    However, the guard told him the young lady had left at dawn. He didn''t know where to. Given the choice between going in to wait or searching for her, he chose the latter. He didn''t feel like wasting too much time. He figured she''d headed to the nearby village and directed his horse there. When he asked around and realized no one had seen her, he decided to search the fields and then the forest.


    He felt increasingly frustrated. What was that airhead doing wasting time when she was supposed to be studying?

 Dungeon crawling time!

    Finally!


    Over an hour stumbling through the tall undergrowth, but I''ve found it at last. Dungeons aren''t exactly living beings, but if this world follows the game''s rules, they''re born. A small core forms upon absorbing mana. Following a massacre, a skeleton dungeon might pop up pretty quickly. In other cases, like this one, they form after centuries of slow absorption. I''m right on the mountainside, in a rugged, rocky area that cuts through the forest. No clue how long this dungeon''s been here, but they will discover it in a couple of years, so I was hoping it''d already formed. When I finally find its entrance and confirm it has, the relief and joy hit me hard.


    Because I need to level up. Not just to pass that exam anymore, but to stop being some useless yes-woman to the villainess''s sister. I''ve already decided I''m not going to act like Bianca. I''m going to be me. Got some excuses ready, like hitting my head yesterday. Whatever¡ªthe dark hole in the rock opens before me, and the longer I stare at it, the more nervous I get. Because I don''t know what happens if I die. Will I actually die, or return to my body? I definitely don''t want to find out, but my gamer side refuses to be in a magic world just to sit around sewing like some bored noble lady.


    Magic, power.


    Can''t deny my excitement just thinking about becoming a spellcaster. So here we go.


    I''ve got a backpack with food and water. Plus several torches, a rope, and a short sword I snagged from the country house guards'' storage. No idea how to use it. Honestly, hope I won''t need to. This dungeon''s full of slimes, and slimes are weak to fire. I light a torch and I''m about to head in when something catches my eye. I look right, at the rock wall I''ve partly cleared of brush. Seems to be another hole, just as dark as the one in front of me. I frown. There weren''t any other caves here¡ªI''d reached this event in the game and cleared the dungeon with two of the school''s eligible guys. I clear away the rest of the brush and bring the torch closer. It''s a dungeon. If it were just a cave, the light would illuminate part of it. I edge a bit closer and yelp in surprise when text appears before me, like a video game popup window.


    Congratulations, you have found the entrance to a dungeon accessible only to travelers from other worlds. Would you like to enter?


    "No," slips out before I realize this might lock me out forever.


    But no way am I going in with my level who-knows-what (seriously doubt bookworm Bianca''s been grinding) and zero combat or magic skills.


    Anyway, my heart''s racing. I just saw a message from the system that governs the world. In the game you could see them but none of the NPCs could. Which means maybe, just maybe, I can access my stats without touching one of those status slabs. Or better yet, I might be able to level up more efficiently than the natives.


    Can''t wait any longer. I turn toward the slime dungeon and enter. No messages or popup windows, but when I cross the darkness, I know I''m inside because my torch starts lighting up the rough stone walls. It''s a tunnel that starts narrow and quickly widens, enough for a party of five adventurers to walk side by side. Water trickles down the walls onto the floor. Green moss, non-luminous, partly covers the stone. Nothing to hear but my quick breathing, the torch''s crackling, and occasional drips. Just like the game. I look ahead, knowing that when I reach the tunnel''s bend, two slimes will drop from the ceiling where they''re lurking. I''m ready. I throw the copper cup I brought for drinking water ahead of me. Two "plops" follow, and the creatures, two jelly-like masses about the size of my head, fall onto the cup. I bring my torch closer and burn them. They try to jump away, but the fire''s spread through their bodies and moves with them. I eye the cup without touching it. They were only on it for a couple seconds, but their corrosive goo''s already half-melted it. As for the creatures, they burn completely.


    A message appears before my eyes.


    My heart stops for a moment.


    Yes!


    Thank the gods of this world and mine.


    I have notifications, I have a system!


    Congratulations, you have killed two Level 1 Earth Slimes. You have leveled up. You are now Level 2. Would you like to assign your free stat point?


    "Yes."If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    My status sheet appears before me. I don''t even care that useless Bianca was still Level 1. Maybe it''s even better¡ªI can build my stats how I want. I''m beyond excited. My life is now a game, and even if it''s an otome, I''m going to ignore that part and focus on becoming the most powerful mage.


    Why?


    Because in games I only care about two things: winning if it''s like LoL, or maxing out if it''s an MMORPG.


    Bianca L''Crom


    Race: Human


    Age: 17


    Level: 2


    Constitution: 6


    Strength: 2


    Intelligence: 3


    Agility: 2


    Wisdom: 6


    HP: 6


    MP: 6


    Magic Affinity: Earth


    Skills: None


    Spells: Earth Control - Beginner Level


    Since I''m not sure where to put the free point, I save it for now. Well, at least I have one spell, even if it''s just the most basic earth magic. In the game, you cast spells from the number keys of your keyboard where you had them selected. Then, your character said the name out loud, so I try.


    "Earth Control," I whisper, since I don''t want to shout in the middle of a dungeon.


    A screen appears asking me to select where I''m taking earth from, what shape to give it, and where to move it. After burning through half my mana in attempts, I discover that while I do have to speak the spell''s name, I can do everything else silently if I concentrate, if that is my intention when I cast it. If it weren''t for my good memory and remembering where the creatures are in this dungeon, I could use it to roll an earth ball in front of me. My range is only one meter, but if I move along with the ball, it''ll stay in range. It''s a basic technique any earth mage uses in the otome. As for the dungeon, I walk down another long corridor with one lurking slime and a fork with three paths. One ends in a pit trap. I avoid it. Another leads to a small chest guarded by four slimes. Thanks to the torch and knowing where they are, they''re not too hard to take down. I come out mostly unscathed, though when two jump at me at once, I can''t dodge one and it lands on my stomach. I quickly burn it and the creature leaps left while consumed in flames. The few moments it was on me were enough to hole my dress and burn my skin. After beating the other two, I pull the water flask from my backpack and pour a generous amount on my belly. If their acid is like Earth''s, it keeps corroding until you neutralize it. I improvise a bandage with a simple white undershirt I brought exactly for this and return to the fork. That''s five slimes since hitting Level 2, and my level progress hasn''t even reached a quarter of the required experience. Looking at it that way, no wonder a sheltered noble hadn''t managed to level up in almost 18 years of life.


    The last path is the most dangerous. I stop for a while before heading down it, taking the chance to eat some of the bread and meat I brought. There''s a boss, a small one since this is a newbie dungeon, but a boss nonetheless. It''s with three more slimes in a chamber. It''s got a boss door, meaning once you enter, you can''t leave until you''ve killed it. That''s why I can''t use the earth ball to lure its minions into the corridor and kill them one by one. No matter how much I think about it, I can''t figure out a way to make this easier and minimize the risk, so I finally steel myself, light a second torch, and go for it. Once inside, I avoid the spots where I know the three slimes are lurking on the ceiling and go for the boss. It''s bigger, mastiff-sized, and while fire hurts it, it doesn''t catch flame. Its minions end up dropping down and coming at me from behind. I run to a wall without losing sight of the boss, wielding my torches for protection. Once my back''s covered, I keep fighting. When the small ones jump at me, I just have to catch them with fire and they burn and die shortly after. The boss is tougher, but it falls eventually. I slide down the wall until I''m sitting on the floor. My clothes are a mess, full of holes. I pour what''s left of my water over myself. I have burns in several places. One on my leg is worse, but thankfully it hurts like hell, so it''s not third-degree. I go to the chest, hoping it stays like in the game and there aren''t any traps. I open it. It''s identical. Contains two minor healing potions and a minor corrosion resistance bracelet. I frown. This is the typical loot, where''s the bonus?


    Congratulations, you have conquered the Hosca dungeon for the first time. You receive an iron treasure chest.


    Congratulations. You have leveled up. You are now Level 3, you have one free stat point to use.


    "Yes!" I smile with relief as another chest appears before me, small and made of the metal it¡¯s named after. I rush to open it, excited for what I hope is inside. So excited that I get a bit clumsy and drop the loot from the other chest. The bracelet is fine, but the two valuable potions shatter before my eyes.


    ¡°Nooo!¡± I shout in frustration. But it¡¯s too late. Thankfully, I¡¯m able to drink the drops left on the largest shards of glass and at least heal my burns. Oh well, might as well go all in. I open the iron chest and carefully pick up the necklace inside. It''s beautiful, a silver-colored metal chain with a red gem pendant.


    Greater Protection Necklace. When damage would reduce your HP to zero, it protects you and maintains you at five HP while the damage source continues. Cooldown: 1 week.


    I lift my hair and put it on. With this, leveling up will be less risky. I grab my backpack, which I''d left on the ground, and start heading back.

 Marco

    The baron''s firstborn had been searching for her for more than two hours since leaving the village. Once in the forest, he noticed recent tracks where someone had left the main path. He followed them and ended up in some bushes where the trees met the mountain. After pushing them aside, he found what looked like a dungeon entrance. No dungeons were known in this area, but that darkness behind the hole in the rock couldn''t be anything else. He wasn''t about to go in there unprepared, not knowing what monsters might be waiting. At first, he thought about doing it to help who he hoped would soon stop being his fianc¨¦e. But... was she really that reckless? Even a young lady who only knew libraries and ballrooms had to know what a dungeon was. Something strange was going on there, and he decided it was best to wait for her to come out. He hid in the undergrowth and armed himself with patience. When Bianca finally emerged, her clothes were covered in dust and destroyed in front, with several huge holes. Her feminine parts, at least, were covered. The young woman walked with confidence and determination, nothing like the timid, coquettish walk he remembered. He watched her leave. Was it really her? In any case, he had something to do.


    He waited a few minutes and left his hiding spot, hurrying to the forest''s main path, where he waited for her to arrive. Bianca, upon seeing him, slowed her pace and brought her hand to the hilt of the sword hanging from a belt at her hip.


    Could she actually use it?


    If so, how deceived he''d been.


    "Lady Bianca, it''s me, Marco Lacor."The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    She looked at him with distrust and stopped, allowing him to approach.


    "What do you want?" she asked somewhat harshly, not relaxing her grip on the hilt.


    "Don''t you recognize me?"


    "Uh..."


    "I''m your fianc¨¦. Are you alright? Do you have some head injury affecting your memory?"


    To his astonishment, the girl rolled her eyes, released the sword hilt, and put her hands on her hips.


    "Fianc¨¦?" she snorted. A tone unbefitting an educated noble. "Just what I needed. Well, look, yeah, a knock right to the head. I''ve got memory gaps and right now''s not a good time. As you can see, I just cleared a dungeon and all I want is a bath and sleep. Well, and food, because this works up more of an appetite than swimming. So get out of the way, come back another day."


    She reached out and pushed him aside.


    Marco was so surprised he let himself be moved. He didn''t say anything. Just watched her. Was this really Bianca, the girl with boring conversation and zero personality? He observed as she walked away down the path, moving with the confidence of a queen while dressed like a beggar and talking almost like a dock worker. He should have told her the engagement was off but he wasn''t so sure anymore. There was something about this girl, about her change, about her claim of having defeated a dungeon alone, that intrigued him. He retraced his steps and entered the dungeon. What she claimed was true¡ªnot a monster remained, and the boss room stood with its door open and chest looted.


    He couldn''t get the image out of his head of Bianca leaving the dungeon, disheveled, face and clothes covered in dust, and a wild gleam in her eyes as if she''d just done something truly exciting.


    Had she been pretending during their walks in the count''s gardens? Or perhaps someone else had been possessing or controlling her through magic and spells?

 I Dont Want Earth Magic

    I wake up the next morning not feeling very rested. On one hand, physical exhaustion helped me fall asleep early but, on the other, I''ve had nightmares about that Marco guy saying he''s my fianc¨¦. I didn''t play much, but I have a good memory: In the otome, Bianca wasn''t engaged to anyone. Which means that engagement gets broken before my academy entrance exam in just over a month.


    Great.


    When I get back home, I''ll sound out the counts, see if they can annul it. It''s not that the guy was ugly, but this body is barely eighteen, come on! I wasn''t engaged in my twenties, I''m not planning to be at eighteen. I bet if I get married I''ll end up doing boring noble tasks like managing house servants. I refuse. I want to level up and learn magic.


    Speaking of magic...


    I open my status sheet, which hasn''t changed at all despite leveling up twice. Makes sense, the otome was stingy, it seemed like character progression was behind its romantic interests. Thinking about it makes me laugh, remembering Marco''s face when I talked to him like I couldn''t care less about him, with brutal lack of delicacy. Maybe he''ll even run to the county to cancel the engagement. That would be wonderful. Back to what matters, I only have two points to raise and I don''t see anywhere the possibility of learning more spells. In the game, at the academy you''d ask the magic professor to teach you the one you wanted and you had to study and practice it. Maybe that''s it. I manipulate the translucent window in front of me, trying to access new areas, but there''s nothing. It''s a copy of what the status slab shows children when they put their hand on it.


    Disappointed, I choose not to raise my two free points yet, since it would be stupid to put them in INT without knowing if I''ll be able to learn an offensive spell. Same goes for spending them on STR or AGI, because while I wouldn''t mind learning to use a sword properly, it would suck if I later needed them to make my magic do more damage.


    To achieve my goal, I should enter the other dungeon but common sense from too many hours dying in games for being greedy holds me back. I don''t know its difficulty and I''m so bad that if it weren''t because the newbie one was full of slimes that are easily beaten with a torch, I wouldn''t have been able to clear it. Best thing is to take advantage of the fact that no one knows it exists and clear it several more times. I just hope Marco doesn''t know where it is. I let my tongue slip and said too much. A dungeon isn''t owned by the noble who owns those lands, but by the king, who usually delegates its management to army treasurers. This way, the soldiers themselves train in dungeons and if anyone else wants to use them, they have to pay an entrance fee. The only exception is for whoever discovers it, as they''re given a monetary reward that depends on the dungeon''s level and they''re allowed to enter without paying. Well, I don''t think they need to find out if I take a few days to make my discovery official.


    I call my maid to help me dress and do my hair, no choice, and I prepare to leave again after breakfast. I won''t be able to gain much more experience with level 1 and 2 creatures and a level 2 boss. In fact, it takes three more times, three days, to reach level 4 and on the fourth day I realize that not even the slime boss gives me experience anymore. Then, I play innocent, like I stumbled upon it by chance, and report it. I don''t hide that I''ve cleared it, so they know the first-time bonus has already been claimed. My father''s steward at the country house is stunned hearing me. I hear a noise behind me and see that my maid has nearly fainted from shock. Well, it is what it is. Let them notify and come manage it. I have one more point to raise and I''m saving it. I think the game''s NPCs couldn''t choose where to put those points, they were distributed based on what they''d used most to gain that level. Good thing that''s not my case.


    _______


    Of course, my plans for today are to go to the other dungeon. I know it''s risky, but the newbie one doesn''t give me experience anymore. The sensible thing would be to wait for the academy and learn some spells there; but precisely to get in I need to be able to pass the practical with good grades and I''m not going to achieve that by sitting cross-armed in the library pretending to study. I''m finishing packing a backpack with food, ropes, torches and a sheet I''ve cut into strips to make improvised bandages, when my maid knocks on the door.


    "Miss, your friend Caroline Marrow has come to see you. She''s waiting in the sitting room."


    "Tell her I''ll be right down."


    I quickly check myself in my bedroom mirror: I look presentable. A blue dress with neither too much flow nor too much cleavage and braided hair. This morning, the maid complained about me wanting to wear my simplest clothes and such an unelaborate hairstyle. I didn''t tell her I was planning to go dungeon diving, rather that for studying I preferred to be comfortable. She frowned and I could almost see what she was thinking, that I had changed, that before I must have been something like "better dead than simple." I didn''t care. I preferred them thinking that hit to the head had made me half crazy than trying to pretend to be Bianca. And now that a supposed friend was coming to see me, well... what I was wearing would have to do.


    I leave my room and go downstairs. The sitting room is a first-floor room with sofas and several tables suitable for receiving guests over tea and cookies. I''m more of a coffee person, but in this world they don''t seem to know what that is. A young woman, sitting in one of the armchairs, stands when she sees me. She''s definitely dressed up, wearing a dress more suited for a gala ball but anyway...


    "Bianca, how are you, dear?" she comes toward me and gives me a hug.


    They must have been close, she''s another of the game''s three yes-women. If nothing else, I have a really good memory and remember her name.


    "Fine, fine, and you?"


    "Same as always, studying and helping mother run the house. I heard you weren''t feeling well," she tells me as we sit and the maid enters with a tray of, sure enough, tea and cookies. "I''m worried."


    "How kind. It''s nothing, I''m fine."


    "Are you sure?" She looks dubiously at my clothes and hairstyle.


    "Never been better," I affirm while taking a sip of tea.


    "Then wait for us to get to the academy. It''s going to be amazing! My father managed to get us placed in the same dorm room like we wanted, so now all that''s left is the easy part: passing."


    Easy to pass? Maybe for her, who must have been studying her whole life like Bianca.


    "Sure." I nod trying to appear confident.


    "Hey, did your fianc¨¦ come to see you? My brother ran into him a few days ago and told me he was heading this way."


    "Marco? Yeah, he came."


    "He''s so handsome!" she sighs. "You''re so lucky. My parents could have arranged a marriage like that for me too."


    "Handsome?" slips out.


    Because I didn''t even think of him that way, rather saw him as an annoyance since I didn''t know Bianca was engaged.


    "Yes. Did he come to set the wedding date?"


    "Actually, I don''t know why he came. He left quickly. I guess just a courtesy visit." I shrug.


    Caroline looks at me with some envy and I quickly change the subject. We move on to talk about nonsense like the designs of the latest dressmaker who''s become famous in the capital, where the queen resides. After an hour that feels endless, she leaves claiming she can''t take more time away from her studies. She hugs me again and says we''ll see each other at the academy. I watch the blonde girl as she leaves the room. She lacks the elegance proper to a villainess. Maybe that''s why she''s one of the three anonymous nobles who at the academy laugh at Sol''s jokes. Sol is Faith''s sister. Both are daughters of the kingdom''s most powerful duke and villainesses of the otome game. They''re brunettes, green eyes, pure elegance. They have something, a kind of high school cheerleader queen spirit that, along with their intricate knowledge of court intrigue and their position as daughters of the highest-ranking nobility, makes them stand out and shine. No wonder Bianca and Caroline idolized them.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    Well, I eat the cookies left on the plate and return to my room, to complete making the bandages and get my backpack. I''m wearing riding boots instead of court shoes, but it''s not noticeable thanks to the dress''s skirts. I finish getting ready and leave. It''s still before lunchtime, though later than I intended. I''m deep in the forest, almost at the dungeon, when I hear it. They''re growls, they sound like dog growls. Well, considering my Earth experience, all growls are going to sound like either dog or lion to me, and the latter only because of the scare one gave me at the zoo. I carefully step off the path and find myself in a small clearing where three wolves with white or light gray fur are about to attack a puppy. It''s a wolf pup, but black as the darkest night. They haven''t seen me; I could go back the way I came. In fact, it would be the wise thing to do. But that poor puppy can''t be even a month old and looks fearfully at the other wolves. It looks so helpless...


    Honestly, sometimes I could punch myself. Like now, when I draw my sword, the one I don''t know how to use, and place myself between the little one and its attackers.


    I could have at least slashed one from behind before they saw me...


    The three wolves bare their fangs at me and growl more viciously. I know they''re about to attack.


    Common sense finally floods in and I crouch down, grab the pup and start running toward the dungeon. In my right hand I''m still gripping the sword''s hilt. I immediately hear the wolves start running after me. I speed up with all my might, anticipating those claws that will dig into my back at any moment, throw me to the ground and be nothing compared to the teeth at my throat. And I''ll die, with the puppy in my arms which I won''t save.


    Damn it!


    How can I be so stupid and impulsive? Killing slimes has gone to my head, I don''t have a single freaking combat skill.


    That said, I can run well, with all my adrenaline pumping full blast, and miraculously I reach the dungeon entrance. I dive in, no hesitation. The wolves stay on the other side of what to them is just a stone wall, not understanding where their prey went.


    Then two things happen, or rather two popup windows appear.


    Congratulations, you have saved the seed of darkness.


    Congratulations, you have entered a dungeon for travelers from other worlds. Your skills and spells have been unlocked.


    Bianca L''Crom


    Race: Human


    Age: 17


    Level: 4


    Constitution: 6


    Strength: 2


    Intelligence: 3


    Agility: 2


    Wisdom: 6


    HP: 6


    MP: 6


    Magic Affinities: Reevaluation needed after demonstrating personality change through actions.


    Skills: None. Available to learn.


    Spells: Earth Control - Beginner Level. Available to learn.


    I let out a little shriek that I try to contain to not attract every living creature in the dungeon, while doing some excited jumps. I don''t think this is very fitting with a noble''s image but... my magic affinities are being reevaluated! That means I can have more interesting schools than earth. Which okay, it''s not that it''s bad (defensive walls, spiked pits at enemies'' feet, golems...) but I''m more into other magics. So that''s the first thing I point my finger at in that translucent window.


    Reevaluating. Reevaluating. Reevaluating.


    It stays like that for over a minute, which feels eternal. When the screen finally changes my mouth goes dry and my heart seems to stop.


    Elemental Affinities: Air, Fire, Water, Earth. Non-elemental Affinity: Light. Four elemental affinities requirement unlocked. Recalculating. Elemental Affinities: Air, Fire, Water, Earth, Spirit. Non-elemental Affinity: Light.


    I have affinity for all 4 elements plus one I''ve never heard about in the game? This is without doubt the most insane and powerful thing I could have imagined. My heart''s racing and I''m on cloud nine, trying to process it. Elemental affinities are typical, 80% of the nobles have at least one. For light and darkness, a noble child reading the slab has a 10% chance of getting them. Having four... even the most broken characters in the game didn''t have more than two, three was already legendary stuff. And spirit...


    I smile broadly.


    Looks like passing the exam is going to be easier than I thought. Whoever brought me here hasn''t left me defenseless, quite the opposite.


    I select my available spells. Apparently, I get one per affinity. For earth, since I already know Earth Control, they don''t give me any extra.


    These are my options: Light: Minor Light Orb, Minor Healing. Air: Minor Breath Control, Minor Light Feet. Fire: Minor Fire Bolt, Minor Heat Resistance. Water: Minor Splash, Minor Water Breathing. Spirit: Minor Channeling.


    I read through the information for each option. The light orb is exactly what its name suggests, a light that follows you and illuminates in darkness. It neither blinds nor damages enemies, at least not at this level. Minor healing is one HP. Minor splash and fire bolt are offensive spells that do 0-2 points of damage, depending on whether the target is vulnerable or resistant to the element. Base damage is one point. Light feet gives a small speed boost for sixty seconds, minor breath control doubles the time you can hold your breath and remains active for three minutes. Water breathing is just as its name suggests, for three minutes too. Minor fire resistance helps you a bit not to burn for thirty seconds. I guess all this will improve as I level up. MP cost is one point per spell. Healing, however, has the drawback that it can''t be used more than once every 24 hours. It doesn''t resurrect and doesn''t regenerate lost limbs.


    Channeling costs no less than two MP points and lets me imbue an element into a part of my body or a weapon I''m touching. If it''s earth, it increases the weapon''s durability or that body part''s defense. If it''s any of the other three, it applies elemental damage. This is something none of the otome''s warriors could do, I guess because they didn''t have spirit affinity. Duration is sixty seconds. This spell, like all others except healing, has no cooldown.


    Obviously, I learn it. As for the other four, I go with healing, fire bolt (I want offensive fire magic, the more powerful the better), minor breath control and minor splash. With six mana points, I can use channeling and four more. Seems balanced to have two offensive ones, one for healing, and another that could be very useful, since there are underwater dungeons in the game. Both the spell that doubles my lung capacity and the one for underwater breathing are very similar, but I choose the first one because I wouldn¡¯t want to come out of the water with my lungs full of liquid, have the effect wear off, and start coughing to avoid choking.


    With five new spells, I feel capable of clearing this dungeon, of facing anything.


    Well, let''s not get too carried away, I don''t even know if it''s for newbies or higher level. I check out the skills.


    Available Skills: Staff Mastery. Runner. Scholar.


    The skills offered are based on your combat experience and main daily occupations.


    Scholar... like I said, Bianca was good for nothing. I take a look at it, gives memorization speed and raises wisdom by one. Hm... not bad actually, that would increase my mana. In the game, wisdom determines your mana points and also its regeneration which, if you don''t reach wisdom 10, happens every twenty-four hours and requires you to sleep at least eight hours. You wake up with full mana. I browse through the sheet and confirm it''s the same, nothing''s changed.


    The other two skills, well... here I am with a sword hoping to learn sword mastery and since I''ve cleared a dungeon several times by torch-whacking... yep, staff mastery. Raises attack and technique, also gives one point to strength. The running one I guess is from fleeing with the black puppy. Raises agility by one point and lets you run a bit faster than normal.


    I hesitate.


    Truth is all three are useful but the one that raises wisdom is scholar. However, I don''t want to study, I did enough of that on Earth to get my university degree. In the game, it''s every many levels when they let you learn a new skill, and always after training with a master like those at the academy. It''s wonderful to be able to do it without that requirement, but nothing indicates I''ll have more skills available than others so I''m not choosing any for now. Channeling seems quite interesting for unarmed combat or with a weapon of your choice, and swords do more damage than staves. I''ll wait until I have the option of either unarmed combat mastery or sword mastery. If it doesn''t show up throughout the dungeon, simple enough to ask a professor at the academy.


    I nod to myself and head deeper into the dungeon corridor. Or that''s my intention, because to check my stats I had left the puppy on the ground and now it''s whimpering and clinging to my leg.


    Poor thing, if I leave it abandoned here I don''t think it''ll survive. But if I take it out of the dungeon those wolves that I''d bet are waiting for us outside will eat it.


    "Look, I''m going to clear this dungeon and come back for you, okay?" I ask it.


    It''s adorable, a cutie, it looks at me with its big eyes and whimpers. I don''t have the heart...


    "But if I take you with me maybe I won''t be able to protect you and they''ll kill you, you''ll be better here."


    No use, it''s going to follow me and I know it. I can''t bring myself to yell at it to stay alone. It''s so small... I pick it up and carefully place it in an outer pocket of my backpack. Not inside, I think, that face looks capable of eating my food without remorse. I sigh. A seed of darkness. I''m not going to adopt it, I''ll leave it in the forest when we get out and it''s safe. I don''t even want to imagine what mess I''ve gotten myself into.

 Insanity Difficulty Level

    With the pup hidden in my backpack, I advance down the dungeon corridor. I haven''t taken ten steps when one of those popup windows appears before me.


    Analyzing subject... Analyzing... Calibrating power levels...


    I stop, puzzled. The wolf pup, poking its head out from the top of the backpack¡¯s pocket, barks.


    "Shhh," I scold it.


    Last thing I need is to attract every living monster in the area.


    Since it barks again, I take it in my arms, that calms it down.


    The screen keeps flashing with the same phrase, calibrating power levels, for almost a minute.


    Traveler from another world, select difficulty level.


    Available levels: hardworking, hard, insanity.


    Difficulty level determines reward level: generous, abundant, brutal.


    "Great," I whisper ironically instead of thinking to myself, since my voice seems to calm the pup, which has stopped barking. "No easy level or tutorial. Well, obviously the lowest difficulty, I''m not crazy. I''m not going to die here."


    I stretch out my hand to select hardworking and hesitate at the last moment. Because... do I really have to select something? If I don''t maybe I can just turn around and leave the way I came in. The other dungeon was for newbies and I''m little more than a newbie in terms of my level, another thing is the magic I possess. If this one has much higher difficulty, I don''t think I can do it even on hardworking level. On the other hand, that thing about calibrating, could it be that it analyzed me and hardworking would present a challenge for me? That is, could it be one of those dungeons that adapts to the player''s level. Hmm... I don''t know what to do. If this were a game I would''ve already picked hardworking, but if I die nothing guarantees I''ll return to my body on Earth, it could be the end. It wouldn''t be so terrible to fail the academy exam, right? A quiet noble life and that''s it. I could look for other dungeons, ones whose level I knew, and keep leveling up at my own pace. Maybe they''d let me take the exam another year. Yeah... the idea of not choosing is becoming more tempting. I start moving my hand to withdraw it when the wolf pup squirms in my other arm and launches itself at my forearm, making that hand that''s near the popup window give a swat, right to the right, touching where it says insanity.


    Insanity level selected.


    What? Damn seed of evil pup, what have you done?


    I let out a couple of curses to vent. My heart''s racing and I feel afraid. Terrified.


    "We''re dead," I state the obvious out loud while looking at the little creature that with an innocent face climbs onto my shoulder and gets into the backpack pocket I''m wearing.


    "Dead."


    The dungeon rules are simple. Survive its three levels to obtain the reward. The dungeon can only be abandoned with a special return stone for this dungeon. Good luck.


    "Luck?" I snort.


    Not even with luck can I clear an insanity level.


    Angry, I take off my backpack and hold it with my hands near my face, to glare at the black wolf pup''s head.


    "You pull something like this again and we''re done."


    For all response, it sticks out its tongue and licks my cheek.


    Well no.


    Its adorable tricks aren''t going to soften me up this time. I tell it seriously. And that''s assuming a miracle happens and we survive. I put the backpack back on and, carefully trying not to make too much noise, sword in hand, advance down the corridor.


    _______


    As I walk slowly, I start hearing a sound, a tapping, ahead. It gets louder and louder. I stop. I identify metallic sounds, like metal hitting metal and something hard. I look ahead of me. I only see the walls which are made of stone. Not polished slabs but irregular and rough blocks as if they''d been excavated from rock with a pickaxe. There are torches distributed every so often, casting light. When whatever''s approaching enters one of the lit areas, I see it''s a skeleton, bones held together by bluish magic instead of cartilage and tendons. I guess it''s magic, as it''s a glow of that color what seems to sustain the creature, allowing it to stand and move instead of being a pile of whitish bones. In its eye sockets burn two spheres of more intense blue, like flames that move but don''t crackle. It''s wearing pieces of metal armor that clank as it walks, hitting each other or the bones. In one hand it carries a rusted sword and in the other a small shield, a buckler, that it uses for cover. It approaches quite slowly. I have plenty of time to analyze it while it comes and, to my surprise, as I scrutinize it, I see letters appear above its head:


    Skeleton Warrior, Level 3.


    Looks like now I can see what my enemies are, like in video games. I wonder if it''s something about the dungeon or a new passive skill I have now. In any case, I''d love to have a mace. Against skeletons that''s best. Determined to use my sword to hit with the flat of the blade instead of trying to cut with the edge, I take a deep breath and run toward the creature. It fixes those malicious blue orbs from its eye sockets on me and opens its jaw in a silent scream. It tries to cover my blow to its head with the buckler but it''s slow, very slow, so slow that it''s no trouble to change trajectory and go for its rib cage instead of its skull. There''s a dry sound of my steel against its ribs, which shatter into splinters. Like a proper undead, it ignores its missing bones and keeps fighting. I quickly withdraw to avoid the thrust it launches at my side. I take advantage of it just lowering its guard to give it one to the head, with the flat part of the blade, which while this time doesn''t break bone does seem to hurt it, as it stays like stunned. I don''t even think about it, it doesn''t cross my mind that it could be a trick to catch me by surprise. I start hitting it savagely until I burst its skull. Then yes, the blue flames of its magic go out and like a broken doll its parts collapse to the ground. I crouch and pick up its shield. I don''t know how to use it but maybe it''ll be useful, so I grab it with my left hand.


    "That wasn''t so bad," I mutter.


    Instantly regret my words. I hear the same sound the skeleton had made when approaching, only much louder.


    I prepare myself.


    When they approach one of the torches, I see there are four.


    I let out a not-very-nice curse and go for them. I don''t want to use magic; I have few spells and prefer to save them for when I have no choice. So with my sword and shield I get into a fight too close for my taste. They''re slow, very slow, and that''s the only advantage I have over them. I go quickly for one, hit it and run back. I can''t let them trap me between several. My strategy works until fatigue and pain in my arms start taking their toll.


    I''ve managed to eliminate two of the skeletons and decide to stop sprinting and jumping to dodge because I''ve been out of breath for a few minutes now. I stop and wait for them. Let them come. I block the sword strike from the one on my left with the buckler and with my sword deflect the blow from the one on the right. Madness. My shoulders and arms hurt and I don''t know how to fight. I''m going on instinct more than anything else, I''m sure if I could see myself from outside I''d raise an eyebrow at how uncoordinated my movements must be. However, they''re slow and that saves me. I manage to defeat them, not without ending up with a cut on my side. It''s not very deep and in my backpack I have an alcoholic bottle that smells similar to Earth''s cognac. I brought it for this, to use as disinfectant. I wrinkle my brow and hold back the urge to scream, because it hurts. Then I bandage it. I check my sheet. I''ve lost one health point. I''m going to save my healing spell as long as I can.


    The pup licks my face, taking advantage of me leaving the backpack on the ground and being crouched down. I sigh and resign myself. This dungeon is clearly not an easy one with slimes. If this is just the beginning, I''m more and more certain that either I find the exit stone or I''m dead.


    "And it''s all your fault," I whisper to the little wolf.


    I stand up, put the backpack on, ignore the pain in my side when walking and continue. I haven''t taken three steps when I stop again.


    "You''re an idiot," I mutter, berating myself.


    I can''t just advance like this. What''s next? Eight skeletons? Sixteen? I couldn''t even handle four.


    I review my spells: minor fire bolt, minor splash, minor channeling. Minor breath control which isn''t very useful right now and earth control, which with such a small volume doesn''t help much. Well, and minor healing.


    The fire bolt lacks magical penetration, so it will only damage a single target. I¡¯d rather save it for a more powerful enemy, like the dungeon boss. The splash can hit multiple targets, but since it has a very short range, I¡¯d better discard it. Channeling sounds great, to give more defense to my body or more damage to the sword. The problem is it doesn''t last more than a minute.


    Something occurs to me, it''s crazy but it might work. I open my sheet and, regretfully, choose the runner skill. It''s the one I''m least interested in but it raises my agility by one point and I''ll run faster. Also, with great pain I raise those three free attribute points I was saving, spending them on agility. Then, I wait until I hear the skeleton footsteps again. This time there are seven. When they''re close, I run toward them with the buckler in front. I dodge those in the front line, slipping between them while thanking the corridor''s width. The ones in the middle don''t react and I also slip between two. However, I have one of the back ones in front of me, blocking my path. I push it with the shield and manage not to fall. I run leaving them all behind. Don''t even turn to see how they turn around and come after me. I advance, slowing down, and see there are some kind of small balconies in the stone walls ahead. I speed up. Good thing I did, several arrows pass close to me. Skeleton Archers, also level 3. Worst of all, I''m approaching the next group of skeleton warriors. My tactic doesn''t change, dodge them. I just hope I don''t take an arrow while doing it. Somehow, I still don''t know how, I get into the warrior group and zigzag between them. The archers, once I mix with their allies, stop shooting. With my heart beating a thousand times per minute and forgetting fatigue thanks to adrenaline doping, I come out successful. I don''t know how many there are, but definitely more than before. I accelerate. I don''t run straight, or I''ll eat an arrow. I keep running. After a hundred meters there are no more archer skeletons. After two hundred the path is cut off by a wall.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    I stop, exhausted. I hit it with my sword''s pommel. Though I don''t know how to tell when a wall is solid or hollow. I close my eyes for a moment, I don''t have time for this. It''s two waves of skeletons coming after me; hopefully the archers are still in their balconies. The first wave is close. I haven''t achieved my goal of reaching the dungeon''s next level and leaving the enemies behind. Well, what''s called rushing a dungeon. My other option, grouping them all and then using channeling, doesn''t seem feasible either because it would mean going back through this group and getting hit by all of them halfway, and there are archers there.


    I check my experience bar. Still need more to level up. Maybe I''ll get it with the first wave, but I''ve already experienced that I don''t recover strength or mana when I do. I don''t heal either.


    I catch my breath as much as I can while they approach and, before they arrive, I throw a fire bolt at one. The creature, slow to react, doesn''t manage to dodge it. A quick small arrow flies from my fingers toward its forehead bone. It sticks there and the creature bursts into magical flames. After a few seconds it dies. Yes! They''re vulnerable to fire magic, like in the otome. I activate channeling. Spend two mana points, three left. I enhance my sword with fire and wait for them to finish arriving. Back against the wall, I make arcs with my weapon that keep them at bay and, whoever gets too close, I hit with the edge. It''s not blunt damage, I don''t cut the bone, but I do apply magical fire damage and it devours them. It takes longer than when the bolt hit, I guess because of the direct damage the arrow did, but they all end up falling before me. I barely get a small break before the other group arrives. Better. Because my channeling doesn''t have much time left. I manage to defeat them. The magical fire goes out when there are still three left. I''m missing two more health points, from hits they''ve landed. Back to using the flat of my blade as a mace and fighting. I''m tired, feeling the pain more and more, but I''m not going to let myself be killed. Then, while I finish one off by destabilizing it with a kick that sweeps its only remaining leg and crushing its skull with my boot, I feel a sharp pain in my back and neck.


    The damage received would have lowered your life below one point. The Greater Protection Necklace activates. You are at 5 health points.


    I swat away the window while regaining my back-against-wall position that I lost without realizing. Two, I have two enemies left. If not for the item, I''d be dead already. A blind rage invades me and I finish them off pulling energy from places I didn''t know I had stored. It ends. Everything ends. I close my eyes for an instant. I realize I no longer hear the metallic and bone clanking of their steps. Besides having defeated both waves.


    Exhausted, the adrenaline leaves me and I let my back slide down the wall until I end up sitting on the floor.


    A couple of minutes pass. I hear a whimper. I frown and take off my backpack. The pup looks at me complainingly. I think I hurt it somehow during those times I crushed my back against the wall. I pet it and examine it, seems to be fine. Then I check my sheet, I''ve leveled up. However, although I just got a notification of said level up, there''s none about being able to go to the dungeon''s second floor. No door or access has opened either. I guess I have to deal with the archers.


    Bianca L''Crom


    Race: Human


    Age: 17


    Level: 5


    Constitution: 6


    Strength: 2


    Intelligence: 3


    Agility: 5 + 1


    Wisdom: 6


    HP: 5


    MP: 3


    Magic Affinities: Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Spirit, Light


    Skills: Runner


    Spells: Earth Control - Beginner Level. Minor Fire Bolt. Minor Breath Control. Minor splash. Minor Healing. Minor Channeling.


    The pup is quiet. It can clearly smell how pissed off I am. If not for it, I would have tried to leave the dungeon and, if that hadn''t been possible, would have selected the lowest difficulty level. Like this... A fucking insanity.


    I look at my sheet. I have one free attribute point to place. Saving it is not an option. Dying seems certain, so I have to burn all my cartridges. The plan is this: finish off those skeletons and then rest, eat something and sleep in this level before moving to the next one, to recover my mana that way. Right now I have three points. One is clearly for a healing spell, since the necklace that saved my life is on cooldown. The other two are for fighting.


    If earth magic moved more volume, I could try crushing those skeletons inside their balconies, but that''s not the case. Channeling is again my best option. With fire I''d kill them quickly, with earth I''d raise my defense and maybe could survive the arrow shots to the back that I''ll undoubtedly take when I try to kill any of those skeletons with my sword. I didn''t see them very well, was too busy running for my life. Couldn''t say how many there were; without doubt, many. Well, I''m going to tie the buckler to my back, to cover neck and head, with how small it is it won''t do for more. I take a rope from my backpack and get to it. The pup stays quiet. Next, I look at my sheet again. The problem won''t be killing the archers, it''ll be surviving the arrows from the others while I do it. Those balconies are separated by several meters on both sides of the wide corridor. If for example I start with the closest one on the right, I''ll get shot by the next one on the right and two on the left. The others I don''t think have range. I have five of six health points. I need to raise my defense, which I''ll do with spirit channeling using earth element, and my health. I move my finger toward constitution and hesitate. If I raise wisdom it will increase my mana and if I raise intelligence the damage or, in this case, what channeling protects me. I''m going to assume this works like in the game, since everything I''ve been able to see so far is that way. So, I can raise my health by one point, raise my mana by one point or increase what that channeling does, as it simulates a stone skin spell that protects me. If I manage to take one point off the damage those arrows do me, it''ll be easier to survive. Especially if, as I think, right now an arrow only takes one point unless they crit; at least that''s what it took before.


    I decide.


    I choose intelligence.


    "You''re going to stay here, I can''t protect you," I tell the little wolf while taking it out of the backpack and leaving it in a corner.


    It stays quiet, looks at the ground, stays still.


    "Good."


    I put the backpack on again, since it will protect me somewhat, and approach slowly. As soon as I see the two closest archers, one from each wall, place an arrow and start drawing their bows, I take a step back. Their arrows don''t reach me, I''m barely out of range. I spend two of my three mana points and activate the spell. It is not able to cover my entire body, so I apply it to my back and the back and sides of my legs. I feel like a warm energy runs through me and see a brownish glow on my skin. Perfect. 60 seconds. I run toward the archer on the left.


    At the last moment, I jump to the side to dodge the point-blank arrow he just shot at me. I think I got lucky and dodged a couple more with the movement. I go for him, sword in hand. In close combat he''s as slow as the skeleton warriors and much easier to kill, since he only has his bow to block the hits from the flat of my sword. Three impacts push me forward, throwing me against him. Three arrows that hit the buckler, the backpack and my kidneys. None takes health points from me. As for my hit, it lands on his skull, cracking it. The next one splits it into several pieces while bone shards fly. Then I grab his bow to break it in two. I might have taken his head off but I don''t trust he won''t keep shooting if I go for his companion across, since the bones of his body haven''t collapsed yet. Despite being wood and looking somewhat flimsy, I don''t have the strength to break it. Several more arrows hit me. One of them, from the one peeking from the balcony on this same wall, gets me in the side of my leg. It''s critical, takes one health point from me. If it had hit me in the face... I realize that kind of arrow shot could kill me instantly, with or without stone skin. I raise my sword and destroy one of the skeleton''s arms. That way it can''t shoot. I run to the one across, I''ll finish it off later if it''s still alive.


    Like this, one by one, carefully getting well inside each balcony so the skeleton next door doesn''t have a side shot at my head, I keep finishing them all off. I thank the buckler, which stops hits that otherwise would have executed me. There are fourteen. I finish eleven during that minute and the remaining three without the extra protection from channeling, but I manage it.


    I''m bleeding, with an injured leg and an arm disabled¡ªnot the sword one¡ªand exhausted. I ignore the popup window that appears, remove the arrow I have stuck above my elbow, in the triceps muscle, and also the ones from my back and my leg. Immediately cast healing. My wounds close, the bleeding stops. I can move my arm again. Then yes, I look at the message:


    You have just completed the dungeon''s first level. The stairs to the second floor have just opened.


    That''s it? No loot, no treasure, nothing?


    Because none of the skeletons dropped any items. I look at the balconies. The archers are like piles of bones stacked without trace of that blue energy that held them together and animated them. There are no chests or any hint of a secret room full of my reward. This difficulty level was supposed to have the best loot. But it''s insanity level. If they gave me equipment and health potions now, wouldn''t that make it easier?


    Because the other times I cleaned the newbie dungeon, they only gave me small jewels like rings, no magical equipment or potions.


    "Damn seed of evil," I mutter between my teeth.


    I return to where the mentioned one is, in the corner where I left it, only it''s not a corner anymore because where there was a wall before there are now spiral stairs descending. They have torches. I peek over, several meters below I can see floor.


    Perfect.


    I''m not going down until I eat, sleep and recover my mana, which right now is zero.


    As for my level, I haven''t leveled up again. In the otome you needed many experience points for that. Maximum level is twenty. I had to clear a newbie dungeon several times to reach four. The experience needed to level up increases exponentially, more than doubling. That''s why, I know they must have given me tons of experience from the skeleton warriors to be able to reach level four. I guess that, with insanity difficulty, they also give you more points. These archers have only filled my experience bar thirty percent. Well, I shouldn''t say only, it''s a lot for fourteen enemies.


    I sit on the floor, look at my arrow-riddled backpack that, thanks to my tough skin, didn''t get me injured. I remove them. My water skin is punctured, I drink what little remains before it spills. The food, bread, cheese and some kind of raw bacon strips, is edible. A bit beaten up and full of holes, but edible. I take a big bite and plan my next steps while chewing. With my six mana points recovered, I should be able to clear enough of the second level to level up again. At level seven they offer specialization and new skills and spells. My goal is to find the return stone. If I can secure a place to rest and recover mana again, even better. I''m in no hurry, I prefer to face a scolding from the steward for being gone several days without notice than end up dead. The pup is looking at me, puts one of its tiny paws on my leg. It''s clear what it''s asking for.


    "Here, but don''t get used to it because I''m still mad at you," I give it some of the bacon.


    It eagerly takes it from my hand.


    We finish eating, not much since I don''t know how long we''ll be trapped in the dungeon, and I pack everything away. Then I look for a place to lie down to sleep. I''m getting comfortable with the backpack under my head when another notification appears.


    Warning. The dungeon''s first floor is going to close. Proceed down the stairs if you don''t want to end up crushed. Time remaining: 10 seconds.


    "What?"


    The pup barks at noticing my startled jump.


    9.


    The ground starts shaking.


    8.


    "Fucking hell, I curse my luck for finding this wolf!"


    I grab the backpack and run toward the nearby stairs.


    7.


    6.


    5.


    I start hearing collapse noises.


    But there are still seconds left!


    I throw myself down. The pup has grabbed onto my leg and comes along as a stowaway.


    2.


    I keep going down.


    1.


    A deafening crash sounds above my head. The entire upper floor is collapsing. I speed up so much that I trip on the last steps and end up falling face-first on the floor. It hurts, but doesn''t lower my health. I look up scared, anticipating all the earth and debris that''s going to fall on me. But it''s not like that. There''s like an invisible barrier that prevents the rubble from entering through the stairwell. I pick up the pup, which has its teeth clamped on my right boot, and hug it. I thought we weren''t going to make it. Carefully and just in case, I move away from the stairwell. Instantly, it disappears, replaced by a stone wall.


    "Well, welcome to the second level of hell," I mutter to myself.


    The seed raises its head from between my arms and licks my face.


    Screwed, I''m screwed. Zero mana points and I highly doubt they''ll let me sleep here. This, without doubt, is the fucking end.

 Second Level of Hell. How Funny, the Seed of Evil

    With the pup''s warmth in my arms as my only comfort, I turn and look around.


    About the little wolf, I have mixed feelings. On one hand, it''s the son of a she-wolf that got me into this situation; on the other, it''s just a baby that doesn''t know what it''s doing and is totally adorable. That''s why I feel some warmth in my chest while hugging it.


    And as for my surroundings... behind me is the stone wall occupying what was once the opening of a now nonexistent spiral staircase. As I turn, I see I''ve arrived at a quite large cave. The chamber doesn''t seem to have any exits. Unlike the corridor from the dungeon''s previous level, it''s not empty. I''m at one end of what reminds me of a Roman circus, one where gladiators fought to the death. I''m standing on what would be the circus arena, in this case a reddish packed earth floor, which contrasts with the dark brown of the walls and stone ceiling of the cavern. I don''t move. Several dozen meters in front of me is the cavea. The stands are C-shaped, covering more than half of the arena''s circle. With steps high enough to be stone seats and some boxes decorated with fabrics in the upper central part, I feel like I''ve stepped into an ancient Rome movie. Fortunately, they''re empty. I advance carefully, don''t hear any noises or see any changes. At the foot of the stands, which rise a couple meters above the arena, I see three thick iron gates. Heavy bolts I don''t know how to open keep them closed. Nothing can be seen on the other side. Three levers, one beside each door, catch my attention. I avoid touching them. Somewhat calmer suspecting that while I don''t pull them no monster will come for me, I let my curiosity win and carefully climb up to the stands. Once there, I see two wooden doors also closed. One seems to be the access for common folk spectators and the other, behind the boxes, for nobles and rich people. There are no levers or any kind of switches here.


    Perfect. I look for a place to get comfortable and go to sleep.


    Warning. You have one minute to activate a lever. Otherwise, one will be activated at random.


    The popup message before my eyes makes me jump. Seems like no, they won''t let me sleep. I run down to the arena and try to think which lever is better to activate. I can''t decide. The counter before my eyes is about to reach zero. I grab the central one, the one near me, and pull it down. It''s hard, not because it''s stuck, but because it seems to be activating something heavy.


    As soon as I''ve changed the lever''s position, the countdown, which was already at four, disappears. Several metallic sounds indicate that the iron gate in front of me isn''t the only thing opening. I step back to center myself in the arena. I can see skeleton mages with staves making their way into the stands and an improved version of these creatures entering the boxes. These last ones are only three, carrying wizard staves decorated with gems and their body bones hidden by much more elaborate robes ornate with golden threads. I sharpen my vision and read in the labels above their heads that they are three level 5 Skeleton Archmages. The others are level 5 Skeleton Mages.


    Seriously?, I think. Too much.


    The strength and will to fight for survival abandon me suddenly.


    I have no mana. If I had to give it my all... all... for several level 3 skeleton warriors and archers and barely survived... now I''m dead. Let them fry me with their spells, I don''t even feel like moving to try to dodge them anymore. What''s the point?


    However, despite me only lacking throwing myself to the ground to finish demonstrating my total defeat, they''re silent, watching me with the blue embers they have for eyes. I hear footsteps approaching, strong and heavy, like some animal. I look below the stands, at the stone tunnel that''s no longer blocked by the metal gate. Something''s coming. A small flame of hope shakes me. Is it possible I don''t have to fight against the mages?


    The pup barks. A huge bear appears and lunges at me.


    Zombie Bear, level 5.


    Unlike the skeletons, this one smells bad. Really bad. A stench of decomposing flesh, caused by what covers its bones and muscles and is patched with brownish fur. By instinct, I jump aside before one of its claws sweeps through the air right where my head was. The next swipe, so fast I barely manage to react, I block it with my sword. The hit is so strong it throws me backward, slamming my skull against the ground and making me lose a health point. Luckily, not consciousness. The pup, which had been in one of my arms, must have fallen to the ground when I grabbed the sword. It''s in front of me, between me and the bear, barking furiously.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    For some reason, maybe because it''s the end, time seems to dilate. I see the zombie about to lunge at me, with saliva dripping from its rotting jaws. The little wolf tries to drive it away and will probably get run over. The warm feeling towards it intensifies. It''s so cute, trying to defend me as if it could do anything.


    "Run," I try to tell it, but the words don''t leave my mouth. Maybe because actually only tenths of a second are passing.


    I should close my eyes, to not see my end approaching, maybe that way it''ll hurt less; but I''m not capable of that either.


    Then time returns to normal speed and the little wolf is glowing like a dark star about to explode. The bear stops, seems to be reevaluating its enemies. I see confusion in its dead, whitish eyes. My heart starts beating faster.


    "Little pup?" this time I manage to whisper.


    I don''t know if it hears me. Maybe better, because it''s getting bigger. I pass the back of my left hand over my eyes. I''m seeing right. The pup that fit in my two hands is glowing and growing at great speed before my astonished eyes. In the video game I never saw anything like this. I don''t know if alchemists made gigantism potions but, certainly, no creature did this.


    The seed of darkness is evolving into a shadow wolf.


    What?


    Before me is the back of a beast more than two meters tall, three if you count the head. It''s even bigger than the bear. Without giving the zombie time to react, it launches forward. I hear sounds of bites, many and very fast; the creature''s decomposing flesh falls to the ground, the putrid smell increases. The wolf is so fast I can''t follow its movements, just see a dark blur attacking the bear from all sides and punishing its enemy while effortlessly dodging what in comparison seem clumsy and slow attacks. In a few seconds, the battle is over. What remains of the bear lies lifeless on the arena and the wolf looks at the stands with its fur bristling. I stand up. I get beside it. It has long, sharp teeth. Their pristine white is stained with brownish dirty fluids. I shudder. I hear sound in front of me and raise my gaze. The skeletons have stood up and are chanting. Are they going to flood the arena with fireballs?


    Before panic can flood my head, the shadow wolf swiftly lunges at the stands'' occupants. It doesn''t give them time to finish their spells. It crushes skulls with its paws, rips heads off with its teeth and throws them with enough force that they shatter like pi?atas when hitting the stone seats. The last ones are the three archmages at the back, whose spells, more powerful, possibly required more casting time. Several magical shields protect them from the wolf''s first attacks, which it breaks with its claws. The archmages go next, interrupted without being able to finish their spell chants. The blue lights in their eye sockets go out and their bones fall lifeless.


    I shudder.


    The sight of the seed of evil fighting has been glorious. I would never have been able to finish them off. Maybe one or two mage skeletons from the hundreds in the stands before the others'' spells hit me. I don''t even want to imagine what they would be. But I do: fireballs charring me, darkness balls, chasms that bury you and crush your bones before you can die suffocated, curses that weaken your body and poison your spirit and leave you ready to be sacrificed on some dark altar... The wolf''s howl pulls me from my thoughts. It heads toward me, enormous, powerful, bearing a dark and majestic aura. It looks down at me.


    "Thank you," I first whisper and then repeat louder in case it didn''t hear me.


    The shadow wolf nods its head and starts glowing again emitting a dark light that seems to absorb that of the numerous torches illuminating the arena. Then it starts getting smaller, until returning to being the puppy, which spits out a piece of zombie that occupied almost its entire mouth now that it fits back in my arms.


    It jumps into them and I catch it.


    "Ugh, you stink," I laugh when it sticks out its tongue and tries to lick my face.


    It may have saved me, but I don''t let it.


    "Let''s first give you some water from the backpack."


    It squirms protesting. It''s adorable, but at the same time I can''t forget the terrifying creature it transformed into.


    This world''s game system called it seed of darkness. If it can transform into such a powerful creature, maybe I shouldn''t have saved it. Darkness usually means demons and evil.


    I shake my head at the thought. It was a pup that adult wolves wanted to kill. The cruel thing would have been to let them.


    I give it water from my canteen to drink and wash its mouth and then yes, I let it give me licks. I look at the levers, two remain. As if reading my thoughts, a popup window appears.


    You have twenty minutes to activate a lever or one will be activated at random.


    Okay. I imagined something like this. I lift the wolf a bit so its little head is at my height and ask it:


    "Can you do that again?"


    For all response I receive a lick and a bark.


    Better be able to.


    Another window appears.


    The seed of darkness wishes to bind with you.

 Future Dark Lord? Help!

    The seed of darkness was able to evolve because it has chosen the future Dark Lord.


    The seed of darkness wishes to bind with the future Dark Lord. Do you accept? Yes/No.


    Advantages and obligations of the binding contract with the seed of darkness.


    Well, that.


    To say I''m dumbfounded is an understatement. Like, four of my twenty minutes have passed while I try to process that the pup says I''m going to be the Dark Lord.


    But let''s see... this otome was about fights between students from academies of different countries. Sure, dark lords were in the lore, but they were eradicated centuries ago and never returned. It''s a world without threat of evil. And now I''m going to be the next Dark Lord?


    I refuse. If I didn''t play games where you were the bad guy, I''m not going to do it in this world that for now is the only real one for me and will stay that way if I don''t figure out how to return to Earth.


    But if I don''t do it a lever will activate in about fifteen minutes and both the seed of evil and I will be annihilated by a zombie bear or something worse. And yes, maybe part of me thinks that might be better, but another only sees a puppy and my own life that I refuse to throw away. One thing is being overwhelmed by enemies and having absolutely no chance of escape. Like before. But turns out I had it and I have it. So, I extend my arm and touch the words where it says "Advantages and obligations of the binding contract".


    Advantages:


    1- The seed of darkness will help and follow the future Dark Lord''s orders if it sees them reasonable and coherent with their role as future Dark Lord.


    2- The seed of darkness can evolve into a shadow wolf.


    Cost: 1 mana point from the future Dark Lord per minute


    Cooldown: 24 hours.


    3- In case of danger, the seed of darkness will put preserving the future Dark Lord''s life above its own.


    4- The seed of darkness will hide its dark aura and pass as a puppy dog when the future Dark Lord needs to be in human settlements or interact with other intelligent beings without revealing she is bound to a divine-level magical beast.


    5- The seed of darkness will share its skills and statistics window, both in base and evolved form, with the future Dark Lord when requested. Likewise, it will listen to suggestions when leveling up in its base form. Such suggestions will be considered but don''t have to be followed.


    Obligations:


    1- The future Dark Lord will be responsible for feeding and basic care of the seed of darkness.


    2- If the seed of darkness dies defending the future Dark Lord''s life, she is obligated to undertake a quest to resurrect it.


    3- The future Dark Lord is obligated to obtain resources. Resources include building materials, food, medicine and any others that are needed.


    4- The future Dark Lord is obligated to transport resources where specified as necessary, as well as organize all inherent logistics.


    5- The future Dark Lord is obligated to perform personnel hiring and management tasks.


    6- The future Dark Lord is obligated to perform leadership and organization tasks.


    7- The future Dark Lord is obligated to perform construction tasks.


    8- The future Dark Lord is obligated to care for and protect the seed of darkness.


    9- The future Dark Lord will not harm the seed of darkness.


    10- The future Dark Lord is obligated to accept vassalage from all those who wish to swear it and whose intentions are honest.


    11- The future Dark Lord is obligated to perform diplomatic tasks if required.


    12- The future Dark Lord is obligated to command their armies when necessary.


    13- The future Dark Lord is obligated to keep in mind at all times the prosperity of their subjects and lands.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    14- The future Dark Lord is obligated to become the Dark Lord when the necessary requirements are met and so requested. Any advantage or obligation present in this contract with the future Dark Lord will apply equally to the Dark Lord.


    Warning:


    This contract is binding for both parties. Disobeying it implies breaking the bond, death of the seed of darkness and return to level one with zero experience points for the no-longer future Dark Lord.


    Eyes wide open. Just to describe somehow how I''m left after reading this. Many questions crowd my mind. Too many. But time keeps passing, so I can''t stop to think about them now. Just one thing... I have no mana left to make the wolf evolve. The pup barks noticing I''m not doing anything. I sigh. Let''s go step by step: first, accept.


    And no, I don''t want to be a dark lord and become evil. I have light magic, that means I''m a good person or they wouldn''t give it to you in the otome. Maybe I should just die and that''s it, not risk becoming a being that conquers and rules the world. But I don''t want to die either.


    "I''m sorry," I whisper, not to the pup but to myself, for what I might be doing to my soul.


    I touch "accept".


    Immediately I feel a prick in my thumb and see a drop of blood come out, which flies toward the translucent window where the contract is. Another crimson drop comes from the pup''s claw. It''s as if it also has to accept, which makes sense since my advantages are its obligations. When both drops touch the text, they stain it red and the text glows brightly. Then, it disappears, leaving new words, in black, before my eyes.


    You have just signed a contract with the seed of darkness. From now on, you are the future Dark Lord.


    I tense my muscles unconsciously while reading it. As if I were expecting horns or demonic wings to sprout. But nothing happens. I exhale and try to relax. By the way, if I break the contract the pup dies... I don''t see myself capable of doing something like that. I suspect whoever (a god? a demon?) made this knows it.


    I look at the counter, just over five minutes left.


    "Let me see your skills windows, please," I tell the puppy.


    It barks and shares them with me somehow, as two popup windows appear.


    Seed of Darkness. Level 1.


    Progress to level 2: 20%


    Constitution 2


    Strength 2


    Intelligence 2


    Agility 1


    Wisdom 1


    HP 2


    MP 1


    Skills:


    Not available


    Spells:


    Healing Lick beginner level: restores half of the future Dark Lord''s HP and MP. Not applicable to itself or other targets that aren''t the future Dark Lord or the Dark Lord. Cost: 1 MP.


    Not available


    Not available


    Shadow Wolf. Level 30.


    As a divine creature, it can exceed the level 20 restriction imposed on mundane creatures.


    Constitution 32


    Strength 32


    Intelligence 32


    Agility 31


    Wisdom 31


    HP 32


    MP 31


    Skills:


    Shadow Jump grandmaster level. Active. Teleport to a shadow within vision range. Instant. No cooldown. No mana cost.


    Regeneration grandmaster level. Passive. Heals 6HP per minute. Regenerates lost limbs.


    Hard Skin grandmaster level. Passive. +10 points physical resistance.


    Magic Resistance grandmaster level. Passive. +10 points magic resistance.


    Spells:


    Shadow Howl grandmaster level. Paralyzes for 10 seconds all creatures that hear it and don''t have the magic resistance skill. If the creature has magic resistance skill at a level lower than grandmaster, will be paralyzed several seconds depending on their mastery in magic resistance. Cost: 2 MP.


    Shadow Aura grandmaster level. Decreases enemies'' defense and attack by 10x%, both physical and magical. Range: 300 meter radius circular area. Cost: x MP.


    Darkness Ball grandmaster level. Ball made of dark mana that explodes in a 30m2 area. Range: 300 meter radius circular area. Cost: x MP. Damage: 2.5x damage points to the target on direct hit. 2x damage points to targets within explosion area.


    Shadow Claws grandmaster level. Layer of darkness that covers the wolf''s front claws with dark mana making claws ignore targets'' armor. Physical armor is completely ignored. If target has magical armor or shields, they''re also ignored if their value is less than x. Cost: x MP. Duration: 10x minutes. Damage: 5x damage points.


    The pup isn''t stupid. It can''t evolve without a future Dark Lord, so it couldn''t defend itself from the other wolves. Me stopping to help it was like winning the lottery: a human it could bind with. Obviously, I don''t want to be the next Demon King; but now isn''t the time for regrets.


    "Give me a healing lick, I need mana for you to evolve."


    Without hesitation, before I even finish speaking, I have its tongue on my cheek. All drool. And it still smells bad. However, the moment that tongue touches me I stop caring about its bad breath, because I suddenly feel better, like I just woke up from a deep and restful sleep. I don''t even bother checking if half my mana has regenerated, I run towards the nearest lever while casting the evolution spell. The knowledge of how to do it is inside me from the moment I signed the contract. It''s very simple, I just have to raise my hand in front of me and say "awaken."


    A power that isn''t mine floods me. An affinity that isn''t mine either makes me tremble. The word comes out strong and powerful from my lips and the pup jumps to the floor. While it''s falling, its body changes. I blink. I see it land already transformed into the terrifying and gigantic shadow wolf. Its teeth gleam white and its eyes red.


    "You have three minutes," I whisper and activate the second lever.

 I Dont Have the Level to Beat That Lich Boss

    The lever goes down. I hear the mechanism''s click and then the metal grate opens. The time until the creature appears, a zombie bear identical to the previous one, feels eternal. I can see the stands have filled again with skeleton mages. The wolf doesn''t waste time. Three minutes is all that''s going to last the three mana points its lick restored to me. I assume they won''t let us rest between this level and the dungeon''s last one, so three minutes is all that separates us from victory or defeat. And he knows it. He immediately teleports to the bear''s shadow and tears it apart with two quick slashes from behind. His claws have a sinister dark glow, I guess he''s activated shadow claws. It''s as if neither the putrid flesh nor the zombie''s bones offer more resistance than butter to a knife. Without losing a split second, with a third slash he separates the bear''s head from its body and lunges at the mages. He doesn''t waste mana on his shadow howl, directly goes from shadow to shadow reaping enemies at great speed. Like before, none of the normal mages can finish their casting, those in the stands either. I force myself to close my mouth, I''d only need to be drooling at the huge wolf''s incredible elegance, at how precise and lethal his strikes are, executed at a speed that escapes me. I run toward the third metal gate and pull the lever moments before the wolf finishes his work. He gives me a quick glance and teleports to my side, ready to finish the next threat when it arrives. And not even seven seconds have passed. I hurry to move away from the open door to get to safety. The third creature is also a zombie bear, only bigger than the previous two. Doesn''t matter to him, the seed of evil finishes it with the same two slashes from behind, using the third to separate its head from the already lifeless corpse. This time there are many more archmages and, along with the skeleton mages in the stands, there are also archers. As soon as I see them, I duck into the nearest bear tunnel, dodging a couple shots by a hair. Sheltered, I wait for the fighting noise to stop, which sounds much more intense and lasts a bit longer than the previous times. When a few seconds pass, I see yellow flames on the arena floor, I guess this time the archmages must have been able to cast their spells. No problem, they extinguish as soon as the wolf finishes them off. Then he teleports in front of me; he''s enormous, barely fits in a passage the bear passed through without problems. He moves his muzzle to point outside.


    "Yes, let''s go," I tell him.


    Instantly, he''s no longer in front of me. I run toward the arena, swatting away the popup windows appearing before me. As soon as I exit the tunnel, I stop for a second to look around. The flames have left their mark where they burned: both on the arena and on the stone of the stands, there are completely blackened patches. A soft growl reminds me we need to hurry.


    "Which way?" I ask him.


    I glance at the counter I have in the right corner of my vision, with the spell''s remaining time. 2 minutes and 17 seconds.


    For all response he jumps up to the stands. I follow as fast as I can, which unfortunately isn''t much. Almost a minute later I''m in the box, whose back door is open and leads to another spiral staircase descending. Before I can start going down the wolf snorts and grabs me by the back, holding my backpack between his teeth. Immediately he descends at full speed down the stairs. I scream, startled by how sudden it is. As soon as we''re down he releases me. The access closes and a window notifies me we''re in the dungeon''s third level and the boss room.


    47 seconds left. No wonder the seed of evil got impatient. If only he''d done it earlier and helped me up the stands too¡­


    I haven''t even recovered from the sudden trip when my ally is already in the other corner of the huge cavern we find ourselves in, fighting with a creature that was hidden in the shadows.


    Lich, level 5.


    I read, straining my eyes.


    All I can see is a tall, skeletal creature, covered by a hooded robe whose dark tone matches that of the chamber''s stone walls. Its hands, with long bone fingers, protrude from the sleeves. One of them grips a mage''s staff much more decorated and ostentatious than those of the box''s archmages. It has a huge stone that emits a milky light and is held by several skeletal hands carved into the handle''s wood. There''s also something, a sinister aura surrounding it, that chokes my heart and leaves me staring at it scared. The wolf has put me down on the floor and I, just seeing the creature, feel unable to move, barely even breathe. Its presence exerts a sinister, terrifying pressure that makes me want to run in the opposite direction, or start digging in the ground with my bare fingers, anything to get away from its sight. And yet, I can''t move.


    Thank goodness the wolf is immune and doesn''t waste time. In that second that for me goes beyond panic, he has such magic resistance that he hasn''t even noticed the enemy aura''s effect and lunges at it. The lich strikes its staff''s wood against the ground and long bones, curved like elephant tusks but much larger, quickly surge from below, interposing between him and the wolf. My ally has to dodge with a jump to avoid being impaled by the bones, which keep sprouting from the ground trying to wound him. At great speed, so much that I can barely follow it, the wolf circles the lich looking for an opening and the bones end up covering a circular crown that completely surrounds the creature.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    43 seconds.


    Part of me expects the shadow wolf to teleport to the boss''s shadow, inside its defensive circle. However, I realize there isn''t enough space as the enemy is practically in contact with the bones. I''m still scared and unable to move or take my eyes off the scene. The wolf uses his own shadow aura to lower the boss''s defense and attack, I don''t know if he succeeds. Meanwhile, it chants something and hits the ground with its staff again. Throughout the cave, the human bones carpeting it begin to animate with dark energy, which makes them take shape at dizzying speed. Necromancy. A branch of dark magic. In the game used by villains with the most corrupt and despicable souls. Raising the dead is a spell with more than five minutes casting time. That boss, surely its staff is magical and allows it to store some spells, ready to be unleashed at will.


    The wolf, who has covered his claws with magic and is destroying a path through the bones, notices the new enemies. Before they can attack him, he opens its jaws and casts shadow howl, leaving them all paralyzed. I''m still under the lich''s terrifying aura effect, unable to feel relief. If not, I certainly would feel it, because if those skeleton warriors changed target and came for me, I''d die in seconds.


    Speaking of seconds... the counter shows 37.


    The wolf has a dark energy ball, an area attack. But his mana is limited. I see the sinister glow on his sharp nails and confirm he''s bet on empowering his claws. The bones shatter before his attacks, breaking easily where the shadow wolf lands his slashes, to fall to the ground afterward, their weight claimed by gravity. My ally, however, goes so fast that the first bone fragments haven''t even touched the ground when he''s already cutting the last ones separating him from his enemy. The latter seems to hesitate for an instant, one in which even its aura weakens and I feel momentary relief from the fist of terror gripping me, I can almost move. It passes quickly, too quickly, and I see the creature has summoned a bone shield that shatters before the wolf''s charges.


    34 seconds.


    It''s too fast. The boss emanates some kind of dark light that detaches from it like a nova. It does nothing to my ally, but it frees the skeletons and causes their empty eye sockets to burn with a dark red flame. While the creatures head toward the wolf, the lich regenerates its shield again and again and each time the wolf breaks it easily. The boss is retreating, the curved bones at its back moving to let it pass. Many skeletons have reached the wolf''s position and are striking him with swords. His skin, tough, doesn''t show even the slightest scratch. Some grab his hind legs with their bone hands, but the seed of darkness is very strong in this form, so he ignores them, keeps advancing as if nothing was trying to restrict his movement.


    Several seconds pass. The boss finally reaches the cave''s corner, which was nearby, running out of places to retreat to. Without wasting an instant, the wolf breaks its last shield and lunges with open jaws at the lich''s neck vertebrae. With his enormous strength, amid a crack, he breaks them. Before the skull can fall to the ground, he''s destroyed it with a couple of attacks from his claws. The bluish lights in its eye sockets go out. The skeletons, which were still determined to finish off the wolf, collapse to the ground in multiple piles of bones. When silence falls, I hear only my agitated breathing. The shadow wolf still has 26 seconds left; but they''re no longer necessary. My god, if time had run out and that creature had still been alive, even dying, I couldn''t have done anything. I feel totally out of my league. This contract, the shadow wolf, seems like a gift fallen from heaven to give me an overwhelming advantage, but I''m very aware it has a price I neither asked for nor want.


    Before I can give it much more thought, several popup windows appear before me. I''m too surprised by what just happened to read them immediately. Instead I keep staring at the wolf, who returns to my side like nothing happened and lies down, resting his huge head between his paws at the level of my fingers. Is he actually expecting me to scratch between his ears?


    Congratulations. You have just completed the dungeon at insanity level.


    Calibrating reward.


    Congratulations. You have leveled up. You are now level 6 and have one free attribute point to spend.


    The remaining seconds must have passed because the shadow wolf, whose head I''ve hesitantly petted, transforms into the puppy that immediately jumps into my arms and licks my face.


    "That breath..." I protest.


    I do scratch behind the little one''s ears while still trying to process what just happened. Did we really win? Well, that "we"...


    Calibrating reward.


    Searching for what your heart desires most.


    Calibrating reward.


    Reward calibrated.


    You have obtained the Ring of Resistance.


    Before my eyes, the popup window disappears and in its place is something that shines so brightly it forces me to narrow my eyelids. Gradually the light loses intensity and I can see it''s something small, a ring. I hesitantly stretch out my hand and, when it stops glowing and begins to fall to the ground, I hurry to put my palm underneath and catch it. It''s a metal ring, by the shape it seems meant for a man and has a seal engraved on the square part on top.


    Ring of Resistance. Legendary item. Offers the possibility to resist an unwanted destiny.


    "But, how does it work?" I mutter while trying to figure it out.


    Ability 1. Locked.


    Ability 2. Locked.


    Ability 3. Locked.


    The user does not possess sufficient level or power to unlock them.

 The Magic Academy

    The days remaining until my academy entrance pass very slowly, too slowly. Bianca''s friend, Caroline, visits me again. That, along with the disappointment of not being able to return to the dungeon, is all that breaks my new and boring routine of sitting my butt down to study. Yes, study. It''s not that I think I can pass the written exam, not at all, it''s just that I want to know more about this world, not be so ignorant. As for the dungeon, when I gathered enough courage I went back with provisions to clear it again, though at minimum difficulty, to continue leveling up and, by the way, see if I could do it alone without the shadow wolf''s help. However, when I got there, I found it had disappeared: there wasn''t a trace of it, as if it had never existed. Maybe these special dungeons only let you enter once or until you cleared them. Or maybe it was still there but I no longer met the requirements to see it.


    Anyway, I raised the point I had in intelligence to make my magic more powerful. It was a difficult decision, because wisdom would have given me one more mana point. Since the seed of darkness could give me its lick once a day, I ended up choosing the former. With this, I trust I can pass the practical test with good grades.


    Finally, the day arrived and my mother came to get me. I''m with her in the family''s official carriage, with my father the count''s seal as decoration on the sides, sitting inside while my maid and the coachman are on the front bench. A couple of county guards escort us on horseback.


    We must not be far from arriving. In fact, when I notice the pace slowing, I move the curtain covering the right window and peek out a bit to look. There''s a carriage ahead, it bears one of the dukes'' seals and is larger than the one I''m using. Its exterior appearance is also more luxurious. We''re approaching the entrance to the gate surrounding the academy''s extensive grounds and, when they stop, we do so behind them.


    I can hear how the gate guard greets them and asks their reason for being there. They request the student and her maid to get down from the carriage to enter on foot. I remember this from the otome, they don''t allow vehicles through except in very rare cases.


    "We are two maids," says one of them, the one carrying the dialogue with the guard.


    "No, only one is allowed."


    At that moment I hear a disdainful and irritated snort. One of the servants hurries to open the carriage door and a young woman gets down. Long, straight, dark hair. Deep green eyes. Tall and curvy. On Earth they might call her plump, but I think not an ounce is extra on her. The creature stepping down from the carriage possesses such confidence and beauty that no one would dare say her figure isn''t simply perfect. The dress she wears, undoubtedly made by the queen''s own dressmaker, enhances her waist and generous low neckline. For a moment the image of Faith, the quintessential villainess of the video game, stands out in my mind. But it''s not her, rather her younger sister. They''re so alike and so close in age that it''s easy to confuse them. In any case, I''m like hypnotized watching her. Her movements are elegant and refined, overflowing with the ego of knowing herself a duke''s daughter and having always been treated as such. She is, without doubt, a villainess worthy of her name. Powerful, intelligent, beautiful... capable of saying whatever she wants to whoever she wants without hesitation.


    It''s not that my heart is resonating with this body''s, sighing to someday be like her and accepting my place as her dull friend who says yes to everything. No... it''s just that when I played, Mary seemed very plain and Sol and Faith were the goddesses of the place. Destined to burn for being evil, sure, but they shined with style, consuming their lives in a whirlwind of balls and intrigues until then. I don''t realize it, but a sigh escapes me and my mother notices. As for Sol, determined, she has addressed the guard.


    "I am Sol, the second daughter of the Duke of Vassilea. My sister is a graduate of this academy and during her stay here had two maids. I expect no less than the same treatment and don''t understand why a gate guard presumes to deny me something I''m entitled to."


    I''m far away, I don''t know if the addressed one pales, but I do hear his voice trembling. He hurries to look at a list and soon apologizes and allows them to pass. Maybe he''s a rookie, because the rule of maximum one servant per student doesn''t apply to the children of the kingdom''s most important nobles. Without doubt her father, who isn''t just a duke but also the minister of war, belongs to that select group. In any case, they unload the luggage and several academy porters hurry to collect it and guide Sol and her maids inside. Before entering she turns and looks at my carriage. She seems to recognize it. She sees me peeking out the window and greets me with a gesture of her face. She''s beautiful, very beautiful. With those green eyes and such white skin, she''s the living image of an otome game villainess, rich, intelligent and malicious. Without doubt, she''s much more interesting than the four protagonists. I incline my head to return her greeting. She looks at me with a slightly furrowed brow and turns around. I''m left thinking, perhaps a count''s daughter shouldn''t be sticking her head out the window...


    "You should become friends with Sol," I hear my mother comment in a soft voice. "She''s from one of the most influential houses at court."


    "Of course," I answer because I don''t want to argue.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    I have no intention of sucking up to the villainess. My mother seems about to say something, not very convinced by my response''s sincerity, but our carriage resumes its advance and she keeps quiet. Soon we arrive at the academy gate.


    "Name and house," the guard tells the coachman.


    I''m just a count''s daughter. My entrance isn''t even half as glamorous as Sol''s. My maid and I get down and follow the academy porter who has taken my luggage and guides us to my room. Here, unless you''re high nobility, double rooms are normal. Your servant resides in another building along with academy staff. But Caroline had told me she''d gotten a triple room for us, her, Ashe and me. Puzzled, I enter.


    My new room is quite bright and spacious. It has two beds, two wardrobes and matching study desks. From what I can see by the books scattered on one of them, my roommate has arrived before me and chosen her side. Since I don''t actually know anything about Caroline, not having Bianca''s memories, I don''t know if those are her things. I shrug and tell the porter to put my suitcases inside the wardrobe. I leave my maid unpacking them and go to the common area whose location I already know from the video game. I leave her taking care of the puppy, who has fallen asleep and whom I settle on my bed. Honestly, I''d prefer to be the one arranging my clothes, but I would rather not draw attention by doing tasks unsuitable for my rank. Here there were four protagonists and you chose one; the rest were either filler characters or villains. These last ones could make my life impossible if I start behaving like an Earth girl would.


    So, I go down the stairs I came up a few minutes ago and head to the first floor, where there are large rooms with upholstered seats and small tables, a place designed for students to gather and socialize. As soon as I enter, two girls having tea with cookies greet and call me over.


    "Bianca! Hello. Come sit with us."


    I easily recognize one of them, it''s Caroline. The other, without doubt, must be Ashe. The two were, in the otome, Bianca''s best friends and along with her formed the trio of Sol''s followers and flatterers. I wrinkle my brow remembering again that I''m supposed to be the follower of a villainess trying to follow the trail her older sister left at the academy. Luckily, they don''t seem to notice my gesture and greet me effusively.


    "Oh, Bianca, I''m so sorry," Caroline apologizes taking both my hands. "My father assured me they could put the three of us together, but in the end there weren''t any triple rooms left."


    "And I''m with her, they must have done it by lottery since the three of us asked to be together. I feel bad. Do you want to switch?" Ashe tells me, worried.


    "No, no, it''s fine, don''t worry," I answer feeling very relieved.


    Yes! I won''t have to live in the same room as them. From the two times Caroline came to see me at the country house, her conversation is exhausting. And Ashe also seems a little overwhelming.


    "You''re so good, Bianca. Do you know who they put you with?" they ask.


    I''m about to shake my head but then I remember. In the game, if you started with Judith as protagonist, a shy and studious girl, also a count''s daughter, you ended up sick of all the gratuitous harassment from your roommate Bianca and her two inseparable friends.


    "Judith Ill¨¦n."


    "That dull girl?" Ashe snorts. "Look, let''s go right now to complain and get them to give us a triple room."


    "No." I tell her while grabbing her wrist, as she was already starting to stand up. "Sit down, there''s no need. Really, I''ll just ignore her and that''s it."


    "And your reputation? If you mix with someone so boring people might think you''re like her."


    "I''m not going to mix with her, I''ll be with you and Sol."


    "Sol? You think she''ll let us hang out with her? Her father is a duke and very powerful," Caroline doubts.


    Oops... I think I''ve put my foot in it. Maybe they weren''t so close before the academy.


    "I''m sure she will," I answer confidently. "You''ll see."


    Bianca''s friends start chatting faster and faster, clearly excited by the idea. My head is starting to hurt. I''ll have to do something because I won''t last even a week here if I have to listen to them all the time. Then Sol enters the room, looking for a place to sit, and Ashe, who seems to have gained confidence, goes to her and starts flattering her. Soon both come to our table. We stand to greet her. Caroline doesn''t hold back either in confessing to Sol the great opinion she has of her. I just look at her. I''m not going to suck up to her. No matter how beautiful and elegant she is. If only I could have reincarnated into her...


    "What?" Sol looks at me confused.


    I think I might have just said that out loud.


    "That you''re so elegant any girl from a good family would kill to be in your shoes," I smile.


    It''s not my intention to join the flattery game, but it''s the first thing that comes to mind. I''m not going to tell anyone I come from another world.


    "Thank you. Sometimes you express yourself a bit oddly. Anyway, being one of only two duke''s daughters in this year could be a bit lonely, so you can keep me company."


    "Oh, you''re so kind and generous," Caroline dissolves in gratitude.


    "Who''s the other high-born girl?" I ask.


    "There are two of high birth. One of the princesses and Katrina."


    Katrina. Another of the protagonists. A girl so obsessed with fire magic that she neglected her noble manners and sometimes dressed like a boy, something Sol criticized whenever she had the chance. I understand why she wouldn''t want to associate with her. As for the princess... another protagonist and incompatible by character with someone like Sol.


    I listen bored as my two supposed best friends trash-talk Katrina, who curiously was the protagonist I was most comfortable with. I think more and more about getting up and leaving, but I don''t since it''s something the Bianca from the otome would never do.


    My patience, I don''t know how long it will last. I sigh with relief when dinner time finally arrives.

 I Dont Want to Go to Jail and Two Guys Are Giving Me Bad Looks

    Dinner, actually, is more of the same: sitting again with Caroline, Ashe, and Sol. Plus, I''m supposed to feel honored to share a table with the latter. Charming, right? Except what I really feel is the urge to scream. The only interesting part of the evening is the speech given by the academy''s headmaster during dessert. He welcomes us, greets the newcomers, and explains how tomorrow''s two exams work. Basically, cheating is forbidden in the theory exam, which lasts two hours and will be held in the auditorium, a room large enough to accommodate this year''s more than three hundred applicants. As for the practical, first they''ll check our stats with the stone slab and, if we pass the minimum requirements for level and physical attribute points, we''ll move on to the exam. This will consist of one test and you can choose whether to be examined in magic, weapons, or both. In the case of someone good in both subjects, their grades are added, divided by two and multiplied by 1.4, which can give them up to fourteen points. I''m only going to choose magic, so my maximum score will be ten. And I need that ten, because I see myself getting a zero in theory. For the final exam grade, theory and practical are averaged, with passing being possible from 4.7. They do it this way to avoid eliminating very promising people in the academic field or future contenders in the games.


    After dinner ends, I say goodbye to my three companions and head to my room. When I enter, I see a girl reading at her desk.


    "Judith, right? I''m Bianca," I greet her.


    "Yes," she answers while standing up. "Nice to meet you."


    "Same here."


    So this timid-looking young woman is the bookworm you can choose as protagonist in the video game and who I''m supposedly going to make life impossible for, outraged at having to share a room with her.


    No way. First, I''m not like that, and second: what a waste of time, right?


    "I''m a bit tired and tomorrow''s the exam," I comment while heading to the bathroom we share.


    I notice her staring at the puppy who started barking and running around my feet as soon as I entered the room. I don''t say anything to her. I''m not going to be rude, but her being quiet works great for me. I don''t like talking much either, and since I arrived, my head''s been spinning from all my supposed friends'' chatter. Yes, I''m lucky to be rooming with a quiet girl.


    And that''s how my first day ends.


    The second...


    The second is much better.


    Well, let''s see, better, better... The written exam is a total disaster. More than four pages of short questions that I leave blank except for some little things I remember from reading in the country house library. Then, a half-hour break and the practical exam.


    Before that practical test, we all had to pass by the stone slab, in the middle of the academy''s main courtyard. The slab is placed on a pedestal and when someone places their hand there, cuneiform characters with that student''s character sheet will magically engrave themselves.


    Two professors are there to record our starting levels and magics. The line is quite long. We¡¯re ordered by our theory exam scores which, while not yet posted, um... I am at the very end. Only a muscular redheaded boy and another dark-haired one, as thin as if eating isn¡¯t his thing, are waiting behind me. Caroline and Ashe, of course, as soon as they see I¡¯m not with them among the top ten positions, look at me strangely. When they finally call me to get in line, practically last of all, they cover their mouths with their hands to hide little gasps of surprise and indignation. I can imagine why: like them, I¡¯ve spent my whole life studying for this exam and, besides, I¡¯m supposed to be their friend and a friend doesn¡¯t do that: deliberately fail. Remembering their basic otome psychology, they might even think I¡¯ve done it to make them look bad.


    Anyway... I focus on my own business, avoid looking at them and ignore them, helped by the long single-file line separating us. When it is their turn to put their hand on the slab, they look like clones of what Bianca was a few weeks ago: level 1, best score in wisdom and an elemental magic with medium or low affinity. Obviously, they are disqualified from the practical exam for not meeting the minimum requirements, which gives them an automatic zero. When it is the protagonist''s turn, everybody can see that, despite being level 1 she has extraordinary values of 10 and 9 in intelligence and wisdom, as well as a very high affinity for light magic. The students burst into whispers.


    Yes, I know, I know, she''s freaking promising. A 9 and a 10 without training, being just level 1 when the average is 3. And that light affinity showing her heart''s goodness. Yes, surprising. I felt like patting the guy in front of me on the head to make him stop praising Mary. Yes, she''s fabulous; but I already knew that since she''s the FL of the otome after all. She''ll sweep through the eligible guys'' hearts and get top scores in the games, making the king name her noble and grant her a duchy. The pup, which I''m carrying in my school uniform jacket pocket, barks softly.


    "Shhh," I tell it while bringing a finger close to pet it. "We''ve already talked about this, you have to stay quiet and not ruin my tests."


    I thought about leaving it in the room or with the maid. The first option, better not. Yesterday, when it was left alone during dinner time, it dedicated itself to tearing up part of my clothes and Judith''s. (No comments about how I had to dissolve into apologies to her.) The second... if the damn thing had misbehaved on purpose, which was very likely, then better not. Who knows what it might think up to do to my maid. Please! I''ve been naive to trust it after the mess it got me into in the dungeon... Seed of darkness and it has dark magic. In this world, you have to be a bad person to have that type of magical affinity. The puppy, looking so cute and innocent, is a divine beast of the dark god. And who is this god? No idea, there weren''t any gods in the game.


    They weren''t mentioned beyond it being a war between them that almost ended the world when the last Demon King tried to conquer it. Since then, people destroyed all churches and altars. Some light monasteries remained that were converted to peace sanctuaries to teach children with that magical affinity. And that''s it. Mentioning the gods is frowned upon, doesn''t matter if they''re of light, darkness, or fire, and people don''t even remember why, they just know their grandparents told them about the great war that not even they lived through. There must surely be some government institution making sure no one tries to have faith or restore a divine altar again, otherwise I can''t explain why nobody talks about the gods. I mean, come on, this is a world with magic. It makes no sense that nobody tries to become a priest.


    As for attribute points, after hearing one of the professors read so many charts aloud while the other notes them down, I''m reaffirmed in the impression I got from the otome. Here talent matters, and a lot. I mean, if you''re born with all stats at 3 and can only raise one point each time you level up, you''re screwed. Someone like Mary, who if gods were worshipped would be the typical saint, is going to outpace you whatever you do. Plus, nobles usually have higher values, I guess because they formed their highborn society out of those who stood out in the battle against the Demon King, meaning the best ones. That translates not only to magic usually being a noble thing, but also good stats. Mary the commoner is like the strange exception that proves the rule.


    Obviously, if leveling up were the only way to raise your attributes, the game would have been boring, especially since the maximum level is 20. Well, I''m not one to talk, in the two afternoons I played if it weren''t because I was in voice chat with my friend, it would have seemed like a dull game to me. Mainly because it focused on dating instead of leveling up to win the games. However, there were mechanisms to raise stats beyond your level: items and skills. The first were rare, but appeared in the game. The second explained how a boy born with 6 strength and level 3 wasn''t as strong as a soldier born with 4 strength also at level 3 but who spent years training with the sword. Skills, as I had already verified with the three offered to me, raised one point in a stat at their initial level. As you advanced along the skill path, developing it to the maximum of grandmaster, those points increased.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    A very simple mechanic, too simple for my taste, but it worked in the otome and, from what I''m seeing, in this world too. In the stats the professor is reading aloud, there are cases with a number in parentheses next to, for example, their strength value. Then he keeps reading and we see they have mastery with some weapon. Since they''re kids my age, whoever has it has it at beginner level, so that number in parentheses is a one. Just like my agility bonus from Runner. These days at the country house I''ve been researching in the library. They keep records of great mages and warriors who reached level 20 and you can count them on both hands. The experience difference between levels grows exponentially, that''s why the gap between 19 and 20 is abysmal.


    Who knows how many demons and monsters those heroes had to kill in the wars to achieve it. Today, in this kingdom it''s the military leader of the armies who has the highest level: 17. And he''s already an elderly man who''s spent his whole life training in dungeons. There''s also an academic who has made several botanical discoveries who''s rumored to be close to catching up to him. For me to be level 6 now, the insane amount of experience they must have given me when the shadow wolf cleared the dungeon. The thing is...


    "Next. Next."


    The professor''s voice sounds louder and pulls me from my thoughts along with a not-so-gentle tap on my back, courtesy of the redhead behind me.


    I blush a little seeing everyone looking at me, I''ve never liked drawing attention.


    "Sorry," I say and hurry to approach the professors.


    One is sitting in front of a wooden desk, with a long parchment on which, with a quill, he keeps record of the applicants and their statistics. The other is right next to the stone slab, a block of white marble half a palm thick and completely smooth on the face that''s in front of me. I''ve just approached and stay hesitant, without bringing my hand forward.


    "Name," the instructor asks me.


    "Bianca L''Crom."


    "Go ahead, what are you waiting for?"


    If I could tell you... I think. For starters I''m not happy about revealing that I have affinity for all four elements, much less a contract with a divine beast of darkness. The only thing missing would be ending up imprisoned.


    I see he''s looking at me with increasing impatience, so I steel myself and touch the stone. Immediately, words start carving themselves on its polished surface, the same ones from my character sheet in the system.


    What the shit?


    They''re going to catch me... My heart races, I feel fear and the roar of adrenaline screaming at me to run and leave before it''s too late. But what am I supposed to do? Flee to the mountains and hide? Search for evil creatures and force them to serve me as vassals? No... I don''t want that life. If this is the end, if they want to imprison or execute me for the contract, I...


    Hell no! I refuse to let myself be killed. I need to get out of here right now.


    What the hell was I thinking coming to the academy?


    Ah, right, because it''s what I''m supposed to do... Just like in my life on Earth, where instead of living it, I studied and did what my mother told me to.


    I look around. Everyone is looking at me and whispering, but more with what seems like envy than fear. The professor is reading my stats. These murmurs are definitely about the level 6. In fact, the redhead following me in line is muttering something that sounds like "can''t be, I don''t believe it." The professor reads normally, he hasn''t reached my affinities yet. Oh god, he''s about to get there... He stops for a few seconds on the previous line, the one about my three mana points. His face, which was already whitish typical of a scholar who avoids the sun, pales even more. I know what he must be thinking, according to this I''m some inexplicable prodigy. A few seconds pass where all the students look at us and whisper, not understanding what''s happening.


    Then the professor looks at me, furrows his brow and seems to make a gesture I can''t quite understand. He clears his throat forcefully, as if he had something in it, and continues reading.


    "Earth elemental affinity, medium level affinity."


    Seriously? He didn''t expose me? But he must have read it for sure. Maybe he wants to discuss it with the headmaster before making it public. I slide my eyes over the slab. My magical affinities are there, the four elements and light at medium level and spirit at very high. Then come the skills, spells, and right below the contract. I need to get out of here. Wait a minute... the slab has already engraved all the characters, it''s faster than the professor reading. However, the ones relating to my bond with the puppy seem to be written in black ink instead of carved into the magical rock. I should leave, but something tells me to wait. The doubt, not being able to decide, ends up being my choice as my classmates are amazed by my runner skill¡ªit''s something a noble would never choose as it''s the typical skill army messengers aspire to, a low rank and totally inappropriate for a duke''s daughter. In fact, Caroline and Ashe are muttering, deeply offended, and looking at me as if they don''t recognize me. Then it ends. The professor doesn''t read anything else. Nothing. No bound creature, nothing more. This time, the professor doesn''t pause; he behaves with absolute normality. I think he can''t read it, that he hasn''t seen those words written in ink. The relief that floods me is overwhelming. Oh my god, I''m saved.


    I hear a choked cry behind me.


    Oh crap, I think while turning my head. The same movement everyone else is making, except the professor who, since he''s already looking that way, just slightly furrows his brow.


    A boy, the skinny one with the starving look from the end of the line, covers his mouth with his hand and doesn''t take his eyes off the slab. I don''t like this; I don''t like this at all.


    "Well, step aside, Miss L''Crom," the professor repeats after ignoring the student who just interrupted. "Next."


    As I move aside, I look at the redhead approaching. I catch him watching me with rage, he seems angry. Behind him is just one boy left, the one who interrupted. He''s staring at me wide-eyed and I''d swear there''s something that looks like worship in those huge brown irises of his.


    Worship? Ugh, I mentally scold myself for thinking something like that. That boy isn''t part of the protagonist''s romantic interests, and I doubt he could be with how ugly he is. I don''t know what he''s looking at but I look away disturbed. It really does look like worship and it''s given me a very bad feeling. I almost find myself wishing he fails just so I don''t have to run into him in class...


    When I have that thought that I don''t like at all, I hear a guttural sound coming from my pocket and if it weren''t because what''s in there is a wolf, I''d swear the puppy is purring.


    I roll my eyes and focus on the redhead. His level is 5, one less than mine. He has no less than sword mastery at apprentice level, which gives him two points of strength. Okay, I understand. This guy must have trained a lot in dungeons to get it, I imagine he can''t explain how it''s possible that I''m a higher level than him.


    Somehow, he notices I''m watching him and turns his head. Our eyes meet. The professor dismisses him and calls the next one. A malicious gleam shines in the student''s eyes and he approaches me.


    "Bianca L''Crom, I know your brother. I don''t believe you''re level six," he tells me while positioning himself to my right.


    The professor is asking the dark-haired boy to put his hand on the stone slab.


    "If I''m honest with you, neither do I." I shrug.


    Immediately, he reaches out and grabs my forearm. His grip is firm, squeezing and hurting me.


    "Hey, this isn''t a testosterone competition," I say annoyed. "Let go."


    "Not until you tell me how you did it. I saw your brother a few months ago and he told me about you, the little bookworm."


    This muscle-head is making me angry but I don''t know what to tell him. The truth is out, that''s the only thing I''m clear about. Then I realize that those around us are whispering again. For a moment, I think it''s because of the way the redhead is holding my arm. I look around and relax: it''s not that. It''s rather about the skinny, ugly boy. He''s level 1, has average attributes, but his magic is darkness with a very high affinity.


    "That boy..." escapes me.


    Because dark affinities are quite common, but not at that level.


    The redhead loosens his grip and I take advantage to shake my arm free. Then, I completely ignore the redhead who I think is trying to tell me something again. The dark-haired boy has a high affinity for darkness and earlier he choked back a cry and looked at me very strangely. Please, someone tell me he couldn''t have read that part on my slab.


    "Very well, you may proceed to take your exams. Miss L''Crom, you come with me."


    I open my mouth to protest or ask about my practical exam but close it again. This surely has to do with my affinity for spirit and the four elements. Under the angry and surprised looks of both my supposed friends and the redhead, I take a couple steps toward the professor. This is about to get interesting.

 Exceptional Student

    I follow the professor to the headmaster''s office. Right next to his closed door is his secretary''s workspace¡ªa mage around fifty years old who gestures for me to take a seat and wait. I want to argue with her, tell her I have to take my practical exam, that I''d prefer to come back another time, especially if they''re making me wait. However, the woman simply readjusts her glasses and ignores me. I end up swallowing my impatience and sitting in one of the waiting room chairs.


    After about twenty minutes, a man wearing a royal army uniform approaches and the secretary lets him in. Five minutes later, she receives a magical notification from her boss, stands up and signals for me to follow. I, still trying to calculate how many students are left to be examined, to see if I can still make it in time, hurry to obey her. The mage knocks on the office door, opens it and introduces me:


    "Headmaster, the student Bianca L''Crom."


    "Thank you, Estella."


    I enter and hear the secretary closing the door behind me. In the office there are only three people: the headmaster, the uniformed man who entered earlier, and what appears to be a professor. The headmaster, with gray hair and a short beard, is behind his desk. In front of him are three chairs. Two already occupied and the third seems to be mine.


    I greet them feeling a bit self-conscious.


    "Come in and sit down, Bianca," the headmaster indicates with a kind voice.


    "Thank you."


    I do so and wait for them to say something. This is so awkward that I even forget I''m about to miss my practical exam entirely.


    "Bianca L''Crom," the headmaster continues, "your results on the stone slab were exceptional. Have you read them?"


    I feel the army man''s gaze fixed on me. I avoid looking at him, but he''s making me nervous.


    "Yes," I answer.


    "Please tell us what you read."


    "Medium elemental affinity for the basic elements earth, air, fire and water. Medium affinity for light. Very high affinity for spirit."


    I hear a snap, look toward the uniformed man and see he''s just broken the pencil he''s holding in his hand from excessive pressure.


    "And you believe her?" he says to the headmaster.


    "My examiner read it. If I didn''t believe it, I wouldn''t have called you here. Professor Swaina, here present, specializes in elemental affinities. She has confirmed that never in history has any mage managed to have all four, not even before the last great war."


    "And yet," she interjects with a voice that seems more childlike and musical than what I would associate with her thirty-something face, "in the ancient religions it was believed that someone favored could achieve them and that it would give him even greater power."


    The military man slams his fist on the table when he hears her.


    "You''re treading dangerous waters, miss."


    "Excuse me, I don''t mean to talk about religion. I''m just amazed that the synergy of the four basic elements has given rise to a fifth never seen before: spirit."The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    "Colonel, you are the highest-ranking government official in the area. You''ll understand why we summoned you so you can both inform His Majesty and speak on his behalf," the headmaster explains him.


    "I understand."


    "Bianca, I request that you take the practical exam before the three of us, once your classmates have completed theirs."


    Hearing this, I relax. I really didn''t want to go home for being late to the exam. It''s not just about maintaining my family''s expectations anymore, but rather that the best way to improve in magic and combat is to attend the academy.


    "As you say, headmaster," I answer him.


    "In the exam, you''ll show us the spell you possess from each magic. Just for that alone, your grade will already be a ten."


    "Thank you."


    "There is no need to thank me. Exceptional students always have a place in this institution but, in exchange, the government expects to be able to use their services when necessary."


    That doesn''t please me as much. Working for free stopped being my thing the moment they pulled me out of my body on Earth.


    "For you, it should be an honor to be allowed to serve the crown and kingdom," the colonel points out.


    Seems he didn''t take well to the look of displeasure I must have made hearing the previous comment.


    "I understand, sir," I answer him.


    "You''ll need to sign a confidentiality agreement, that you won''t tell anything about what you see in said missions." The headmaster hands me a contract.


    I really don''t know how I manage to hold back from rolling my eyes. Seriously, another contract? Well... I take a look at it and sign. Truth is, it''s much simpler than the seed of darkness one. I only have one obligation, confidentiality. If I break it, they''ll take away my parents'' title and lands. Normally, I wouldn''t sign something like this in a million years, but I guess it''s a standard agreement to be able to force me to work for them. You know, what they do with all students who excel. I think Count L''Crom would approve, as this is his key to more lands and more influence at court. After all, this is a medieval world with a feudal system. The king rules.


    "Perfect," the headmaster tells me after collecting and storing the contract.


    Then, he asks us to follow him for the exam. Not even an hour has passed since I left, but the area is deserted. The other students must have finished their tests.


    It''s a large pavilion covered by a magical dome to prevent accidents. There I show them my control over a ridiculously small stone ball, my fire bolt that hits the target, though not in the center, same with the splash. They''ve also brought what looks like a typical Earth fishbowl, circular, for me to put my head in and show them how long I can hold my breath with and without the spell. While I dry my face with a towel, I hear them muttering. I understand them. Just one of these abilities at medium affinity is normal. Two would be exceptional. Three the stuff of legends. Four... four they didn''t believe until they saw it, at least not the colonel. The professor is super excited, looking at me like she wants to experiment on me.


    "Now the channeling, explain to us what it does."


    For a moment I''m puzzled. Don''t they know? No, of course not, how would they know if I''m possibly the first being on this planet with spirit magic. I quickly consider whether I should only tell them part of it, as I understand it''s a very broken ability that could revolutionize everything. Warriors might feel threatened by me who, without martial training, can do things they can''t: enhance a weapon or part of my body with magic from one of the four basic elements.


    If this gets out of here, or if the king or any of the high-ranking officials let it slip¡­ other kingdoms might even try to kidnap me.


    While I ask if I can take one of the practice swords, I decide quickly. Fire. I''m going to show them only the fire element.


    I grab the weapon they hand me and head toward one of the wooden training dummies. I spend two mana points and the blade ignites in flames. Although it''s wooden, it doesn''t burn. The dummy''s arms, however, do. I hear amazed exclamations but prefer not to turn around. Instead, I hold the flaming sword high until it goes out. Then, I leave it in the basket they took it from and ask if we''re done.


    I hope so, because I don''t have any mana left for healing. Though light doesn''t seem to interest them since it''s not part of the four basic elements.


    "Yes, yes. Your grade and your worth are more than clear, Miss L''Crom. You may leave," the headmaster confirms.


    Good, I''m uncomfortable with so much attention. I''m going to my room.

 Ronan. The Frustrated Villain.

    Ronan was a frustrated villain. His affinity for dark magic gave him all sorts of ideas to get rich without working, or to finish off those parents who had kept him chained up, locked away and half-starved for as long as he could remember. The blame, of course, lay with the stone slab. He, a son of an unimportant baron, had dared to have a high magical affinity. Up to that point, everything was perfect. The problem: dark magic. At first, there was nothing wrong with possessing dark magic, 10% of nobles were born that way and another 8% ended up developing it after learning that the good actions of light magic usually led to being deceived and taken advantage of again and again. No wonder there were monasteries to protect that other 2%.


    Ronan''s parents, as it happened, both had dark magic. The problem was the affinity. A very high affinity was something exceptional. The barons both had it at low level. The fact that he showed a very high affinity when they took him, at age 3, to touch the slab, meant two things for his parents. First, greed. Someone like that could go far in the games. Second, fear. Because, if their son had stronger evil impulses than them, maybe they''d end up murdered by their own offspring. Hence, they kept him chained until he was eighteen, the time to take the tests. With no company but his parents and occasional magic and study tutors, and no light except the dim candlelight. For Ronan, just having left that basement and being able to feel the warmth and blinding clarity of the Sun was wonderful. Even more so when he began to find himself surrounded by the academy''s bustle, by the other applicants. However, the novelty also made him feel an urge to crouch down and hide. Were they going to hit him? He flinched with a jump. Some student looked at him strangely and began to open his mouth to mock him but something, something in the lanky boy''s presence screamed danger and darkness, so he simply moved away. Ronan stayed there for a few minutes, curled up in the middle of the hallway. Others avoided him. Avoiding him seemed visceral, ignoring him too. More calm, Ronan stood up again and continued his way to his dormitory.


    Oh yes. The outside world was something worthy of all his admiration and wonder. He spent that first day looking everywhere with a dazed face. But nothing compared to the most sublime moment of all, when his lady, the Demon Queen, touched the slab.


    There, before his eyes, black dark lines shone testifying to her pact with the seed of darkness, the sacred beast of a forgotten god. Ronan was clear about it. His other lord, the one who spoke to him during the long dark nights in that basement, had given him a mission: to serve this girl.


    His lady was like a goddess made flesh, vibrant magical power that, while not as strong as what emanated from Ronan, was much richer in nuances and colors. Ronan''s was only deep black. He had to talk to her. Say something to her. But what? What could he say to make his lady accept him as a lackey and, thus, help his other lord reincarnate in the world?This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Then she turned and looked at him.


    Oh, only god! It was as if those stars he had seen last night for the first time suddenly filled the sky again, filling his soul with pure and absolute devotion.


    He had to say something to her.


    But he couldn''t, she made a weird face and turned away.


    Loneliness and sadness settled back into Ronan''s heart. Had his angel rejected him?


    It didn''t matter, he wasn''t going to give up. That''s why, when the professor took her away, he decided he would wait. He followed the others to the practical tests.


    When his turn came, he passed without problems thanks to the fact that throughout his life all he had done was feel fear, feel loneliness, feel pain, feel rage, study dark magic and practice dark magic. And not necessarily in that order. His last professor told him those feelings had made his mastery of magic increase. In any case, he got a 9.9, which averaged with the zero from the theory test was enough to enter the academy. He could have gotten a better grade in the theory, but he had tried to fail to get revenge on his parents. His next step would have been to run far away and start a life from scratch. A purpose that was truncated the moment he saw his angel.


    Since he was the last to be examined, he had to hurry: he hid in the shadows of a corner taking advantage of the fact that no one was looking at him. It wasn''t a good hiding place, but people seemed to ignore him, just like his parents had, except when they threw him a sack of food for the week or whipped him. It worked. The professors and aspiring students left the pavilion and no one realized a student remained. He kept waiting. His patience was rewarded in about ten minutes. An emotion overwhelmed him when he saw her approaching following three adults. A feeling that expanded in his chest as she kept doing magic and that, when she wrapped that wooden sword in flames of fire, became a mystical experience. Spirit. The fifth basic element. He did know what that was: it was the sign that his lord would soon return to the world.


    A little wolf poked its small head out of his angel''s uniform jacket pocket. He was wearing the same uniform; they had given it to all applicants. That wolf was small, but the darkness emanating from it was monstrous. Of course, to see it, one had to have the highest affinity with the element, something that wasn''t a problem for Ronan. Mystical experience? No... a fucking catharsis. That''s what Ronan experienced there while a thread of drool trickled from his open mouth. The seed of darkness was part of his god''s essence incarnated. And it was... it was perfect.

 Trial in the Flooded Catacombs

    Lunch was tense, to put it mildly. My intention was to sit with Caroline, Ashe, and Sol; however, as I approached their table, I saw the first two glaring at me with disapproval while the villainess completely ignored me.


    "Hey," I greeted, moving to place my lunch tray on the table.


    "What are you doing?" Caroline snapped, blocking the only free spot with her arm.


    "Caroline?" I asked, taken aback.


    Sure, they took my terrible score on the theory exam to heart, but they were supposed to be my childhood friends, especially Caroline whose county bordered my family''s.


    "Tomorrow morning, when the grades come out, you''re out of here. We don''t associate with losers."


    "But..." I began to protest.


    Then Sol deigned to look at me, with such disgust that I felt like Mary must when she was the focus of her contempt.


    Girl, chill, I''m not trying to steal the prince from you, I thought.


    For a moment, I let their rejection stun me. But it was fleeting because, let''s be real¡ªI don''t want to eat with them. I was just going along with what Bianca''s life at the academy was supposed to be.


    Without another word or glance, I turned around and sat at one of the few empty tables. I think there were whispers among the other diners as they stared at me. I didn''t care. I wanted to become a powerful mage, not make friends. Besides, the villainess and those two suck-ups? I''m sure there are way better people to spend my time with.


    I ate dinner lost in thought and went to bed early. Judith was already in the room, seemingly studying. Well, I wasn''t going to touch a book until a professor told me to. I fell asleep almost as soon as I slipped between the sheets. The next morning, I checked the board with the grades. Not to see if I passed, the headmaster already confirmed that, but because the list assigned your class.


    I think I passed by those two girls, who couldn''t comprehend how I managed to pass the exam. I ignored them. The redhead and the sickly-looking brunet seemed to want to tell me something. I avoided them by taking a different hallway. There were two first-year classes, A and B. I was in A, which had a slightly higher level since that''s where they put the best students. Out of the initial three hundred applicants, forty of us remained. I had breakfast and focused on ignoring everyone while learning as much as I could in class. That was my routine for two months: breakfast, classes, lunch, more classes, study, train, and sleep. The seed of evil was strangely still, behaving itself in my pocket without drawing attention. Who knows what it was plotting. I barely passed my first exams, especially the theoretical ones. Then it was time for the magic and combat exam in a dungeon, and everything suddenly got complicated.


    "As you already know," the magic professor is explaining, "this test will evaluate you on both subjects. You have to retrieve one of the jars we''ve hidden in the dungeon. Last week you had the freedom to sign up in groups of one, two, or three participants. The jars are ceramic, so they can break, and there''s exactly one per group. To reach them, you have to solve challenges that require magic and also fight. If someone doesn''t find their jar, or it''s broken, they fail the exam. No one will be expelled from the academy for getting a zero, but remember, if you don''t achieve a passing average across all subjects by the end of the year, then you will return home."


    We are gathered at a lake several kilometers from the academy, standing in a circle around the magic and combat professors. The first is Ailus. Like the headmaster, he seems old enough to be retired, although that concept doesn''t really exist in this world. The second is Catrina, a warrior in her thirties who acts tough and shows a total bias against Sol: she can''t stand her. Look, just for that, I almost like her.


    In any case, we had traveled here by carriage because this is the home of a beginner''s dungeon with aquatic parts. Hearing the professor mention going back home, I can''t help but think they are much harsher than on Earth, where they let you repeat at least one year. I am going solo and, of course, I don''t contemplate the possibility of failing. They say success starts in the mind, so I''m aiming for a good grade.


    When they mentioned the groups in class, the skinny boy looked at me again with those eyes that made my skin crawl, like he was about to ask me out any second. I shudder just remembering it. I''ve been dodging him for two whole months. Every day he seemed to seek me out, and I always left him with his words hanging. I don''t care what he wanted to tell me. So, that day in class, I quickly raised my hand and informed the professor that I was going alone.


    "You will enter every fifteen minutes," he continues. "It is forbidden to directly attack students from other groups. The creatures in this dungeon shouldn''t pose any problem for you, but if someone is in trouble, just use the exit stone we provided. Remember that your score depends on how long it takes you to return with the jar. These points add up and, in your third and final year, determine who competes in the games representing our school and kingdom. Check that you have everything and line up."If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Perfect. I wait my turn, somewhere in the middle. Darius, the redhead, is one of the first to go in. When the groups were formed, he tried to be in the prince''s. Yes, in the otome game there was a prince at the academy, of course. He wasn''t the heir, but the king''s second son. To be clear, the romantic interests in the game were Prince Vincent and his two childhood friends: Alistair and Theodore. Both were heirs to a marquessate, with the former being a warrior with fire affinity and the latter a mage proud of his high affinity for water. From day one, Darius has been trying to join them and become part of their friend group. Since he started eating and spending free time with them, I''d say he succeeded. However, four can''t go into this dungeon. So, as much as he insisted on taking Alistair''s spot, who is also a redhead and seems just as airheaded, he didn''t manage it. Instead, I watch him vanish into the darkness with a boy I don''t know and Princess Lily, Vincent''s little sister. The two royal siblings are in the same year, both in first, although she was born eleven months later in November (the months and seasons are the same as on Earth). Next, Sol enters with Caroline and Ashe. Mary and the remaining protagonist girls, despite interacting separately with the prince''s group these days, curiously go in together. I mean Mary, Judith, and a red-haired fire mage named Karina. Along with the princess, they were the possible protagonists to choose from. Obviously, if you picked Lily as the protagonist in the game, the romantic route with her brother was closed off. And while a few more groups pass before my turn, no one I recognize from the otome or previously took note of.


    When it''s my turn and I hear my name, I step forward and enter the dark mouth opening at the base of the lake¡ªa tunnel delving into the earth below. I''m glad to have the breath control spell, as I''ll undoubtedly need it soon.


    As soon as I cross the magical darkness of the entrance, I find myself in a passage with floor, ceiling and walls lined with stone slabs. Every so often, torches on the walls provide ample illumination. This level of light in a dungeon strikes me as odd, but it was like this in the game too. When you crossed the entrance, you never knew what you''d find. Sometimes it could even be an underground city. For now, I hear no sound other than my breathing and footsteps. The groups ahead are far enough away that I can''t hear them. After a few minutes, I reach a fork. Two passages, with identical designs, open to the left and right. Curious, I look to see if there are any markings, like the typical scratches made with a dagger on the wall slabs to know where you came from. To my surprise, there are a bunch of different marks, from lines to crosses, even including a little heart. Anyway... too many for the students preceding me, and some are so worn they''re barely visible. I add my own mark, a B for Bianca, and take the right path. A few meters in, I see remains of spiders on the floor.


    I scream.


    Okay, not very mature for an Earth girl over twenty like me, but... giant spiders! I never remember if they''re insects or not, but they disgust me terribly, and these bodies dripping with dark ichor are the size of a basketball. Just the body¡ªthe legs are longer than mine, although much thinner.


    "No, don''t bark," I whisper to the little wolf to calm him down, as he started growling menacingly when he heard me scream. "If there are more and we make noise, they''ll come."


    I''m carrying him in my backpack pocket again. Two months have passed and he''s a glutton who has eaten a lot; however, he remains just as small.


    By the way, I''m well aware that I haven''t named him. I should, but I don''t want to get too attached to an adorable little thing that I suspect has a soul corrupted by evil.


    The seed of darkness whimpers once and falls silent. I keep moving forward. Now there are three passages branching out in front of me. I make a mark and choose the middle one. In games, I had guild mates who always went right to avoid getting lost. I, however, prefer to follow my instincts, even if they''re usually wrong. About three hundred meters in, I see the passage is interrupted by a flooded area. That is, where there are slabs and floor beneath my feet, a little ahead there''s water, as if someone took a huge, long pool and fitted it into the tunnel floor. In the distance, I see where the water ends and the floor resumes. This must be one of the magic tests. I can think of three basic options: swimming or diving, the first. Flying, the second. Managing to climb the wall or ceiling, the third. Honestly, if I had a high affinity for wind and the right spell, I could try flying. With my earth control, I could make small holes in the wall to support myself, but only if the destination were closer. Swimming is the simplest, but since you don''t need magic to swim, I''m a little apprehensive about just getting in the water. I reach into the inner pocket of my school uniform shirt to make sure the return stone is there, close at hand, and I make my decision. Time is of the essence. I close my eyes and jump into the water.


    I close my eyes?


    Oh, please! I hasten to open them before hitting the liquid. Okay, I''ve been doing it all my life on Earth, but this isn''t a pool. Here, there are bound to be monsters.


    Or traps...


    But look, it''s too late to try throwing a rope or something into the water instead of getting in myself, and all at once¡ªI muse to myself.


    Cold and darkness greet me as I submerge. I swim to the surface to see the torchlight again. There doesn''t seem to be anything strange. However, these waters seem dead, giving me no good feeling. I hurry to swim to the other shore. I haven''t even reached halfway when something slimy grabs my ankle, above the sock, and drags me down. I quickly cast my breath control spell and reach for my right thigh, where I have a dagger strapped under my miniskirt.


    Giant octopus, level 2.


    I discern its label by straining my eyes to see it. I''m amazed at myself for keeping control and letting that tentacle drag me down, towards the creature''s body.


    It''s only level two and this is a novice dungeon, I tell myself. Even you at the first level of the skeleton dungeon could handle more.


    As soon as it''s within my reach, I twist and stab it near its open beak. Killing it takes a few slashes and the creature tries to push me away using more tentacles; but the level difference is large and the water fills with its blue bodily fluids as we fight. I defeat it without further ado. Its body begins to sink beside me and I quickly leave, lest more creatures be attracted by the carnage.


    Too late.


    Several are coming from behind and others are blocking my way ahead.

 Who Tampered with the Exam?

    I dive as fast as my agility allows towards the octopuses ahead. My intention is to pass between them, avoiding fighting as much as possible. However, there are three of them, and with their tentacles nearly a meter long, they cover the entire width of the tunnel. Since it worked well before, I lunge at one of them with the idea of killing it and thus making a gap for myself. Mistake. There are too many tentacles and the creatures behind are getting closer and closer. I can barely keep up with slashing to prevent them from grabbing me. Since I¡¯ve never been one to hold my breath for very long, I try to surface. I manage to get my head out and take a good gulp of air. I start swimming towards my destination, which is at a distance of about one and a half Olympic pool lengths. However, I haven''t even taken a stroke when two of the tentacles grab my legs and pull me down, submerging me.


    I pronounce the words that activate the channeling with the water element in my sword. For a moment, I get scared. What if it doesn''t work because I''m in a medium that distorts sound, making it unintelligible? It does work. I bring the dagger to the tentacles pushing me down and cut them with two slashes. I can''t see much, but my weapon must be enhanced by the water since it pierces my enemies much more easily.


    I slice the approaching tentacles while rising back up. I take a couple of deep breaths and dive again. I swim as fast as the tentacles allow me. I have to reach the other side before the channeling runs out. I''m already fighting against all the octopuses, and I have no idea where so many came from; maybe there''s a nest, or this pool connects to the lake? Anyway, I end up a bit on the edge, especially when more than one tentacle manages to grab me, but I make it. My unarmed hand collides with a wall lined with the same stone slabs as the rest of the dungeon. I swim up, grab the edge, and climb out of the water. I cut the last tentacle pulling me back and move away from the shore. A couple of the monsters stick part of their bodies out of the water. I stare at them. They''re big. Seen like this, they''re scary; but the academy professors are worse for preparing such a tough exam for us. I look down at the weapon I''m holding. Its steel is coated with a bright blue film. I prepare to defend myself, but there''s no need. They submerge again, and soon no tentacle stirs the once again calm surface.


    "You''re stupid," I mutter to myself. "This is designed for those who fly. You should have turned back."


    Oh, what if there''s a jar hidden at the submerged bottom?


    I shake my head at the thought. I''m not going to take another dip for years.


    "Little wolf, are you okay?" I say worriedly as I look for him in the backpack.


    I''ve completely forgotten about him.


    He''s wet and looks at me with pitiful eyes. I take him out and pet him.


    "I''m sorry... Thank goodness you were able to hold your breath."


    The puppy whimpers. I''ve just made a fool of myself. Making decisions and fighting is much easier in a video game. I sit down and keep the little wolf on my lap as I realize how close I came to having to return with the stone, all because I failed to think before acting at the moment of truth. How bad... I had a better image of myself. I know I have two advantages: the major protective necklace and the shadow wolf. However, I took too many risks. I decide that from now on, I''ll be more careful, no matter if I get fewer points for taking longer. Once I''m calmer, I return the puppy to his place and resume the journey.


    After a few minutes, I reach another fork. I choose the route on the left. As I advance, I start to see cobwebs on the torches that are becoming more frequent. In addition, the whitish threads also begin to hang from the ceiling. I frown. I look closely but don''t spot any creature. I continue more slowly and reach a pit, a trap with spikes more than three meters long that covers the entire width of the tunnel. Jumping, I don''t reach it even with a running start. With the small volume I can move with my earth control, which has increased in these weeks of classes, I can''t make a walkway either. I turn around, and just then, something heavy lands on my back, pushing me forward. I feel a sharp pain in the back of my neck.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    Spider bite, critical, -4HP.


    Driven by instinct, I bring my hands behind my head and grab something hard with fine hairs that makes me scream in disgust. I don''t have much strength, but it''s enough to get it off me and throw it away. I use minor healing to recover one health point. I''m at 2 mana points. It hurts a lot, but I can move. It hasn''t damaged my spine.


    My attacker, a spider slightly smaller than the ones I saw killed in the other hallway, is climbing the wall. Too bad I didn''t throw it into the pit. Wounded as I am, I can''t afford the luxury of saving mana points, so I activate the channeling, leaving me at zero. Crimson flames envelop the metal of my dagger, and when the creature leaps at me from above, I move my arm to intercept it. The edge sinks into its flesh and gets stuck there. The creature emits a sharp screech and moves its legs. It''s burning¡ªI can smell it. I keep it well away from me until it goes still, and I get the notification that I''ve defeated it. Only then do I lean down to rest it on the ground and use my boot to pry it off.


    How disgusting! I''m sure I''ll have nightmares tonight. I get out of there quickly, passing many more that are coming. I return to the fork and, before taking the only other possible path, use the seed of darkness''s lick to recover health and mana. As I said, no more unnecessary risks.


    This isn''t League of Legends where you save your heal summoner spell for the last moment to trick your enemy into trying to kill you, I think.


    I hope the tunnel has an exit. Otherwise, I see myself summoning the shadow wolf just to jump the pit riding on its back.


    The path connects to more branches, some of them submerged. Needless to say, I avoid them. I advance through the dry ones and mark my B on the walls, so I don''t get lost. I''ve been going for a while without encountering any creature, but there are remains of spiders. Someone must have passed through here. I keep going. I reach another fork, and through one of the passages, I think I hear something. I focus. I think... yes, they''re voices, whispers rather. I make the mark and go that way. I start to distinguish the words, and then they fall silent. They must have heard me. Ahead of me, there''s a turn of more than ninety degrees in the tunnel that prevents me from seeing what''s in front.


    Please, I think, don''t let them be humanoid creatures.


    "Don''t worry, I''m another student," I say.


    They don''t answer me.


    "Hello?" I ask without taking a single step while unsheathing the sword I carry at my belt.


    My equipment, since I don''t have much cash, consists of only two medium-quality steel weapons, a rope, water, and food. The dagger and sword were quite expensive. I couldn''t even buy a mana or health potion, even though I sold the jewelry rings I got from the novice dungeon. It''s noticeable that my parents aren''t exactly flush with money and expect me to practically fend for myself with school expenses other than tuition, annual fees, and books.


    "Hello, are you Bianca?" I hear a girl reply, and I relax. A monster capable of speaking wouldn''t know my name.


    "Yes."


    I lower the sword without sheathing it and approach. Past the curve, I see that the hallway opens into a large room, and there are three students near one of the walls, as well as several lifeless spider bodies and a destroyed spider nest. One of the boys is sitting, his body leaning against the wall slabs, his eyes closed, and his clothes stained with blood. The redhead, standing and also with a sword in his hand, snorts when he sees me. The princess is beside him.


    "Bianca, it had to be you," he starts to say as he puts away his sword and approaches me.


    Then he sees that I''m at half health and, in two strides, plants himself at my side, grabs me by the shoulders, and starts shaking me.


    "Bianca, you''re reckless! How could you go alone..."


    "Let go of me, Darius."


    I''m not in the mood for this.


    Suddenly, I see the boy''s face change in shock as someone rushes past me from behind and falls on top of him, striking him.


    Oh my god, I''m not in the mood for this either.

 Ronan

    His lady went out to the test thirty minutes before him. He had to hurry.


    Ronan formed the only other one-student group in the exam. If he couldn''t go with his angel, he would go alone. His purpose was clear: to find her, follow her, help her, and support her. That''s why he had been running through the dungeon the whole time, slowing down to catch his breath and running again. Those weeks at the academy, with light and food, had given his body some of the flesh he hadn''t had since his earliest childhood. It seemed strange to him that his bones weren''t showing through his skin, and he was certainly delighted that walking more than ten steps in a row was no longer a brutal effort.


    In the dungeon, he hadn''t encountered any creatures, only remains of spiders. Several of the passages were submerged or ended in pools of water. He had memorized his lady''s chart when the professor read it. He would have liked to read it directly from the stone slab too, but at the distance he was, he could only make out the letters written in black ink. Bianca''s only spell was earth control. It made no sense for someone as wise as her¡ªwisdom was one of her best stats¡ªto have decided to swim, so he avoided those paths. Time passed, more than an hour already, and he couldn''t find her. He had long since stopped running sporadically and, therefore, was advancing more slowly. He was also getting increasingly worried because he might not know much about the world outside his basement, but those spider bodies he was finding didn''t seem typical of a novice dungeon controlled by the professors for an exam. He had been investigating and, like many others, tried to get information from the second-year students. A girl told him she was going to tell him just so he would leave and let her be, that there was only a zombie at the end of the maze. Ronan looked at her badly. Who was she to think herself worthy of his attention? Because he only pursued his angel. The girl let out a frightened squeal and ran away. He still wasn''t very good at socializing, but he was trying. He imagined it was due to being so thin.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    In the end, he heard screams, a male voice pronouncing Bianca''s name. He ran with all his might and turned a corner. He saw his lady''s back, with her beautiful brown hair matted with blood, as well as her back. Someone he didn''t distinguish, blinded by adrenaline and anger, was holding and hurting her. He would attack him with his magic, but he could harm his lady. So he ran, positioned himself beside her, and leaped onto him, wrapping his legs around his target''s waist. He clung to him and began pummeling the sides of his head with punches. The enemy was strong, as he didn''t fall stunned. Too bad Ronan had so little strength. The enemy grabbed him and threw him to the ground. The lady was no longer between him and his enemy. The dark magic became denser, making his aura feel much stronger. He parted his lips to pronounce the definitive spell.


    "Ronan, what are you doing? Stop!" his lady ordered.


    And he, although he disagreed and it could mean losing both his life and his angel''s, stopped.


    A soldier must always obey his lord''s orders.


    A punch to the face broke his nose and turned everything black.


    "Darius! It''s Ronan. Leave him alone, you brute." That was the last thing he heard.

 Zombies and more zombies.

    The things that happen to me... First, I wake up in another body and world. Then, as if it were nothing, I rescue a seed of darkness that puts me in an impossible difficulty level to coerce me into signing a contract that will turn me evil. And today, without going any further, the stalker who has been pursuing me for weeks has just decided to take the first step.


    "Darius." I repeat angrily as I hold his arm.


    I mean, with my strength stat, I''m not holding anything if he doesn''t let me; but it doesn''t matter, the pressure and my authoritative tone of voice are enough to make him stop.


    "Look how brutish you are. It''s Ronan. He''s a pest, but harmless."


    "Oh my god," Lily mutters as she approaches to look.


    She kneels down and checks the emaciated brunet''s pulse. Now that I notice... emaciated, what you''d call emaciated, he no longer is. Very thin, yes, but he no longer gives as much of the creeps as before when it seemed his bones would escape his body.


    "He has a pulse, he''s just unconscious," the princess clarifies with relief.


    I think she was imagining the worst. I''m not surprised. The redhead here certainly doesn''t lack muscle to kill a weak student with a blow to the head.


    "But he attacked me, I was just defending myself," Darius protests, baffled to see our attention on his assailant.


    "You''re a brute," I cut him off. "Next time, be more careful. And I highly doubt Ronan could have done anything to you."


    "My head hurts..." he mumbles defensively.


    "Well, I can''t imagine how he''ll feel when he wakes up. Lily," I turn to her, "can you heal him?"


    "I already used the health potion I brought. I''m sorry. This dungeon, which at the beginning was super simple, there were only some small harmless octopuses in the water and some little spiders on the wall, suddenly got complicated. To get here, we had to kill a couple of huge spiders, crazy. They even had the nest in this room. If I hadn''t taken the potion, I would have died. I also used up the mana one I brought. Crazy."


    What is she telling me? I try to keep my expression impassive and not show how strange it all seems to me. Is she lying to me, or were those octopuses that attacked me previously of a size similar to the ones my mother sometimes made for me to eat on Earth?


    "Do we return him to the professor with the stone?" Darius asks.


    "Yes, that would be best. Bianca, since you seem to know him, can you look for it?"


    Ah, I should look for it because I know him. The only thing I know about this boy is his obsession with me. I open my mouth to refuse but think better of it: let''s hurry.


    "I''ll go."


    I crouch down and check the pockets of his jacket. I realize the princess is doing the same with the other wounded and unconscious boy. Moreover, she finds it, puts it in his hand, and makes him squeeze it. Well, no matter how much I search, I can''t find Ronan''s. Luckily, before I have to muster up the courage to look in his shirt pocket, Ronan stirs and opens his eyes. Upon seeing me, his brown irises and the white of his sclera seem to widen as his pupils dilate. Oh, crap... I try to move away, but he seems to smell my intentions and rushes to hold me with one of his no longer so skeletal and pale hands.


    "My lady, are you alright?"


    My lady? I give a sharp tug and step back, standing up.


    "You must be in shock. I''m Bianca."


    "And your wounds? He..." he sees Darius and starts whispering something.


    "Stop," I crouch down and cover his mouth.


    It''s a damn spell. And being black magic, surely nothing good.


    Ronan extends his right hand and places it on mine. His eyes look at me with more of that adoration that makes me nervous.


    I let go and back away a couple of steps.


    "Darius is not an enemy. Don''t attack him. And don''t touch me! Don''t take liberties with me."


    "But my lady, it was you who touched my mouth."


    I can''t deal with this, I can''t.


    Darius is looking at us somewhat angrily, and the princess is doing her best not to burst out laughing. Something is heard, a distant sound, but I don''t pay much attention to it.


    "Ronan, you have to use your return stone. You''re hurt."


    I can''t see his stats, and there''s no health bar here, but he has to be missing HP, yes or yes, because his face is bleeding, and his nose looks broken. Apart from the blow he took to the head when he fell on his back on the floor from the punch.


    "I shall not leave you now that I have finally found you, my lady. "


    "Stop treating me formally."


    "My lady deserves no other treatment."


    "Guys, guys, stop, we have company," Lily interrupts us.


    Darius immediately unsheathes his sword. I turn around while reaching for the hilt of mine.


    From one of the three corridors leading into this room, the sound of footsteps can be heard.


    "Hello?" I ask as I position myself next to Darius, in front of the princess and the fallen one.


    Or I try to, because the cocky macho man extends his arm to keep me a couple of steps behind him.


    The puppy starts barking excitedly in my pocket.


    I manage to discern what is approaching, what those figures are. In the dozens of meters separating us, they seem human.


    Zombie, level 4.


    Well, either something strange has happened here, or the professors have gone too far.


    "Well done, my lady," I hear Ronan say, and a soft sound of fabric rubbing against stone, as if he were getting up.


    I don''t turn around. I don''t want to think about what he might be referring to either. Zombie movies and series come to my mind, and I come up with a strategy that in builder-type games was very simple to apply. I spend two mana points and raise a wall of compacted earth right where the corridor opens into the room.


    Yes, these two months I''ve been studying earth magic. No other element, because I''m supposed to have only one affinity. In addition to improving my earth control, I learned earth wall and stone bullets. The first spell costs two mana and the second one. Since the lick restored three points to me, I have one left. I plan to save it to summon the wolf if it''s a matter of life and death; but I hope it won''t be necessary. It''s something I don''t want to reveal to witnesses.


    "What are you doing?" Darius rebukes me without turning around.


    By the time I finish casting the spell, the zombies are about ten meters away from us.


    "Taking precautions. We''re going to try to decapitate them from behind the wall."


    The truth is that my spell turned out perfect: a solid wall of hardened earth more than two palms thick and chest-high to the zombies, more or less. On our side, waist-high. This is possible because the earth I used, I took from the zombies'' corridor side. They have a small downward ramp that ends at the wall. It''s the function of the basic earth control spell, to help you learn to manipulate it. By practicing and improving, I''ve been able to learn earth wall. The ideal thing now would be to have a spear to aim at the eye sockets while they try in vain to keep advancing; since that''s not the case, swords will have to do.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    In the game, I didn''t encounter any zombies, but from how slowly they''re approaching, I don''t think they''ll be able to jump the wall; that''s assuming they have the intelligence for it, which I doubt.


    Darius is caught off guard for a few moments, not quite sure what I mean. I snort and position myself at his side. This time he doesn''t push me away. When the first of the dozen creatures bumps its chest against the wall, before it can stick its arms out to grab me, I''ve already leaped forward, getting closer to the barrier, and slashed its neck. Okay, without channeling an element into my sword, I didn''t cut it off. In fact, I think my steel got stuck in its vertebrae. Darius rushes to react and deals a blow to the other side of its neck, finishing the severing and freeing my sword.


    "Good thinking," he says.


    It doesn''t sound like a compliment, but somehow, coming from the guy who was angry because I''m a level above him, it makes me smile as if it were.


    Three more zombies reach the wall. Darius is already attacking. He''s stronger than me, and it shows: with a single slash, he reaps a head. I hurry to help him. More zombies are coming, pressing against the one that hasn''t fallen yet. Their hands protrude over the wall but are easy to dodge. The redhead and I (well, mostly the redhead) finish off the creatures. The last ones have climbed on the bodies of their companions and tried to get to the other side, but without success. There were only twelve, thank goodness.


    "Uh..." Darius begins to say and suddenly falls silent.


    His face lights up.


    "I feel stronger. I think I''ve leveled up."


    He feels? He thinks? I ponder. Oh, right, NPCs can''t allocate their stats, it happens automatically.


    "Congrats."


    I have notifications of defeating three zombies on my own and sharing a kill with Darius; none for having leveled up. The remaining eight kills are exclusive to the warrior.


    "Bianca, I was wrong about you. I didn''t understand how you could have improved so quickly, but now I see it''s thanks to your combat tactics. I wouldn''t have thought of something like this." He pats me on the back energetically.


    It hurts. As I said, this guy is a brute. And did he really not think of something so typical in any zombie movie? I should have invited him to a party, so I would have gotten XP for all the ones he killed too.


    "I''m glad. I don''t hear any more footsteps. Shall we investigate?" I ask and turn to the others.


    "This is getting very dangerous. Maybe we should go back," Lily comments hesitantly.


    The girl has a sheathed sword at her waist. She didn''t help us. I think I remember from the otome that she liked hand-to-hand combat, not magic. I didn''t get to play with her as the protagonist, but from interacting with the dialogues, she was the typical overprotected and pampered princess.


    "I''m not leaving without the jar," Darius affirms.


    "I''m not going to abandon my lady," Ronan says, who has been watching during the fight.


    If what he says about supporting me is true, he was possibly ready to cast some spell if necessary.


    "I wasn''t going to steal your creatures, my lady," he seems to read my mind. "It''s obvious you planned everything great."


    I confirm: Ronan didn''t attack so as not to kill-steal from me. What''s with him and me?


    I stare at him. This boy is very strange. In the end, I''m going to have to talk to him about what he might have seen on the day of the entrance exam. Also, why do I think that by "planned" he''s referring to something more than the wall? It''s not like I was the one who caused the commotion that attracted the zombies...


    I shake my head.


    "Let''s go."


    I lean on my arms to climb over the wall and jump to the other side. Since it comes up to my waist, crossing it is simple. Getting down is also easy, as the creatures'' corpses act as a ladder. A bit sinister, and I don''t like at all the feeling and sound of my boot sinking into the rotten flesh, but well... a ladder after all. I also observe the stone slabs on the floor, displaced by my spell. Many, I imagine, are under the corpses, and others I see on the earthen ramp. The cement or substance they used to join them is broken into small blocks of different sizes. I crouch down and pick one up. It''s about three centimeters thick. They must have applied it to the floor before placing the slabs.


    "Do you know who makes the dungeons?" I ask the princess, imagining she''s the one who can best answer me.


    "Dungeons are created, everyone knows that," she replies, puzzled.


    Yes, I read that in the library, but this one seems like someone built it.


    "Yes, but these slabs look like someone put them there."


    "Bianca, have you really been studying for the entrance exam? There were precisely questions about dungeons and their creatures."


    "Well... I hit my head and have memory gaps," I tell her the same thing I told my supposed fianc¨¦. "If I got one of the worst grades..."


    The princess looks at me with pity.


    "Oh, poor thing. Don''t worry, I''m sure you''ll recover. Look, dungeons are magical. No one knows very well how it works, but they generate, and when they''re ready, a mouth opens to the surface for us to enter. Although this one belongs to the academy. That means the professors have control over the room where the monsters spawn. That''s why I didn''t expect us to encounter a spider nest without supervision."


    "Okay. Now I really want to investigate. Besides going to look for the jar, I refuse to fail."


    "Well said."


    Darius agrees. This guy... he treats me like we''re buddies now.


    The princess and the dark magic user cross to the other side, and we walk in silence. The puppy, who has been barking during the fight, has calmed down. None of them said anything about the barking. Better. I don''t feel like explaining what I''m doing with such a supposedly small and helpless pet in a dungeon.


    After a while, we start hearing growls similar to the ones the zombies were making before. We arrive at the first door I see in the entire dungeon. It''s wooden and open. The growls are coming from inside, along with the sound of blows. Darius gestures for us to wait and peeks in.


    "There''s another open room behind this one. There are four zombies there pounding on a wooden cabinet," he whispers to us. "I''d burn them, but I used up my mana on the spiders."


    I get it, they''re tough, level 4. They shouldn''t be in this dungeon. I think I can handle one without using the shadow wolf.


    "Can you take three?" I ask him.


    I don''t even bother counting on Lily. Surely she''s out of mana to support us at a distance, and I don''t see her capable of coming to slash at the zombies.


    "No, maybe two."


    "Hmm..." I think for a few seconds. "Ronan?"


    His face lights up when I ask him. He''s got to stop doing that.


    "My lady, allow me to place a curse upon them. I shall reduce their attack speed and diminish their strength, enabling you to vanquish them with ease."


    Can he really do that? An area curse isn''t exactly beginner''s dark magic.


    "Thank you, that''s perfect."


    I watch as Ronan smiles and begins murmuring some words. His spell has a longer casting time than mine. After more than ten seconds, he extends his hand through the door gap, and I don''t see anything. But something must have come out of his fingers because the zombies stop hitting the cabinet and turn in unison towards us. I squint to read their labels.


    Zombie, level 4. Exhausted.


    I think Darius does the same as me because in the midst of a delighted battle cry, he rushes at them. Okay. I follow him, not wanting him to get all the experience. Ronan has a dagger but doesn''t join. Following his twisted logic, although he''s going to get experience for participating in the kill, this way he avoids accidentally taking the largest amount, which is given to the one who deals the finishing blow. Thanks to his curse, finishing off the creatures is simple. Once all four have bid farewell to their undead life, we hear a male voice coming from inside the cabinet.


    "Who''s out there?"


    "Academy students," Darius answers.


    "Have you finished off the zombies?" The voice sounds incredulous.


    "Yes."


    The door swings open. It''s a cabinet full of jars, in which one of the combat professor''s assistants has made room by sitting on the bottom shelf. As he comes out, I see he''s not in good shape: his clothes are torn and stained with blood from scratches and bites.


    "That curse that hit me... is it yours?"


    "Ronan''s," I say and point to him.


    The assistant moves a bit slowly and approaches him.


    "Thank you," he says as he shakes his hand. "If not for your powerful dark magic, I don''t think I would have held out against the reinforcements."


    "What''s going on here?" Lily intervenes.


    I also look around. There are a bunch of empty cages. Some open by their mechanism and others have clearly been broken, with the iron bars deformed and leaving room for their occupants to escape.


    "Honestly? I don''t know," the assistant tells us. "Everything was going well. The first groups of students were arriving, I would leave a jar in the room ahead and a zombie. A level 1 zombie, not level 4. They would defeat it, take their reward, and leave with the return stone. Simple and orderly. But suddenly, the zombies in the cages started getting agitated, hitting the bars, trying to bend them. At that moment, I was holding a zombie by the neck to take it to the room and let it wait there for the next students. It began to struggle. I could see its muscles becoming bulkier and even saw it grow, get taller. I had to kill it. I came back to this room and saw that the creatures were managing to bend the bars, moreover, that several were making a hole through which they could soon pass. I had left my return stone in my backpack on my desk. I couldn''t reach it, two of the creatures escaped and attacked me. They were much stronger than they should be. More zombies started coming out of their cages. I forgot about going for the stone and locked myself in the jar cabinet. That''s all I know."


    We fall into absolute silence, absorbing what he just told us. Well, not everyone: Ronan, upon hearing it, murmurs an approving sound and nods his head as if he knew something I didn''t and everything fit together for him.


    Then a group approaches running. It''s the two professors, followed by a couple more assistants. They enter and stop short, looking at us strangely.


    "Alex, did you manage to stop them? The twelve outside too?"


    "No. It was them." He points to us. "That student with the broken nose is a portent of curses."


    Then the seed of evil pokes its head out of the pocket of my backpack and starts barking happily.


    Lily looks at me as if wanting to say something. The professor is quicker.


    "Bianca L''Crom, what are you doing bringing your pet to a dungeon exam?"


    Okay, I''m drawing a blank. I don''t know what to answer.


    The professor mutters something that I don''t think are exactly praises for me and then tells all of us students to go outside, that the healers have already come from the infirmary. I imagine the boy we sent back unconscious must not be the only one to have returned injured.


    "You will wait outside until I return. I want to hear your version of the events."


    Luckily, in front of my classmates, I haven''t done anything out of the ordinary, like using channeling magic. Before leaving, I approach the cabinet and grab three jars. I give one to Darius and another to Ronan.


    "That''s not necessary, Bianca," the professor says patiently.


    I shrug.


    "Just in case."

 Ew, did I seriously just get picked up?

    I squeeze the return stone and teleport to the shore of the lake, in front of the dungeon entrance. The sudden change of scenery disconcerts and dizzies me a bit, but I quickly recover. Darius, Lily, and Ronan soon appear beside me. I see the prince notice us and approach, followed by his friends.


    "Sister, are you alright?" he addresses her.


    "Yes." She gives him a hug.


    "We got worried when your companion appeared unconscious, even more so because some students have returned from the dungeon saying the spiders were huge."


    She steps back and places her hand on the prince''s arm in a reassuring gesture.


    "Yes, we saw them, and they attacked us. Also some zombies. Don''t worry, Darius, Bianca, and Ronan did great."


    Vincent turns and looks at us.


    I''m not interested in romance, yet I can''t help but feel somewhat flustered under his scrutiny. He''s handsome, very handsome. No wonder his was the main romantic route in the otome. My few seconds of attention end, and the prince focuses on Ronan.


    "You''re the student with a very high affinity for dark magic, right? I have a friend in that class, and he says you''re brilliant," he continues upon seeing Ronan nod. "Thank you, all three of you, for protecting my sister."


    "Lily did very well against the spiders. If not for her, we would have ended up badly," Darius praises her.


    Why is it that I can''t imagine her...


    "Come on, we''ll accompany you to the infirmary. They''ve improvised one." He points to a tent with white tarps protecting the area from the wind and sun.


    We approach, and they bandage our wounds after cleaning them and applying an ointment to accelerate healing. They fix Ronan''s nose with a spell. Afterward, we sit on the lakeshore waiting for the professors along with the rest of the students. It''s curious, suddenly I''m in the privileged little group of the prince and the other boys eligible as romantic interests. Ronan is the only one who doesn''t fit there. The poor guy seems as out of place as me.


    The poor guy? Since when do I think of him in those terms? Hmm... I guess since he helped us against the zombies. I decide that today is the day to have a chat.


    "...Bianca?"


    Lily is looking at me. She must have asked me something, and I, lost in thought, didn''t catch it.


    "Excuse me?"


    "Your puppy. Can I hold it?"


    "Yes, of course."


    We''ve left our backpacks on the ground, and the seed of evil is poking its head and part of its body out of the pocket opening. I help it out and hand it to the princess.


    "Oh, it''s adorable, so tiny," she comments with delight while petting it. "Why did you bring it?"


    Good question, again. Let''s see how I get out of this one.


    "It''s a pest. The other day it tore up my notes and my roommate''s. I can''t leave it alone."


    "And with your maid?"


    "It escapes from her and causes trouble all the same. Better with me."


    Lily laughs.


    "I can understand that. This puppy is adorable."


    Puppy? Of course, the damned thing has the ability to pass as one.


    We continue chatting until the professors return from the dungeon once their investigation is finished. I imagine the assistant has told them what happened in detail. Ailus claps his hands to get our attention and calls us over. We gather around them.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    "As I imagine you already know, an anomalous event of growth and strengthening has occurred for both the undead creatures of the dungeon and the spiders and octopuses that didn''t pose any threat. We haven''t found the reason. We''ll continue with the investigation, so we want to talk to some of you, to have you tell us what you''ve seen. For the calculation of the exam points, the difficulties you''ve faced will be taken into account, and because of that, you can pass without having obtained a jar. The lists will come out later."


    Some relieved comments are heard. I imagine more than one had to return empty-handed.


    "The exam is over," Catrina steps in. "The groups that returned first with the jars, without encountering this anomalous event, you can leave. My assistant is going to read some names. They''re the students we want to talk to. Approach in order."


    Ronan is the first. They go to the infirmary pavilion, where the healers have already finished their work. They set up a table and several chairs. I don''t know what they''ll ask him, but he''s there for a while. The next is Darius, then it''s my turn.


    "Ronan, wait," I say as I walk towards him.


    "My lady?"


    "Don''t call me that... Nevermind," I continue upon seeing he''s going to protest, just like he did before, "I wanted to talk to you."


    "Do not worry, they do not suspect you. They think it was me with my dark magic."


    What?, I think, puzzled. What''s he talking about? I wanted to talk to him about my chart.


    "What do they think you did?"


    "Well, enhancing the dungeon''s darkness. You do not need to feign ignorance with me, my lady."


    I''m not feigning anything. Oh, wait a minute...


    "You have a great affinity for darkness. Tell me, what do you know, and what did you see on my stone chart?"


    "I could read the letters written in dark ink. I know who your pet really is and what it has done to the dungeon. You can count on me, my lady."


    "Stop calling me that!" I burst out.


    I''ve just drawn the attention of the students sitting on the ground awaiting their turn. I have to calm down. This boy doesn''t deserve to be treated like this, not even though he''s an expert at upsetting me, especially now that he''s just accused the seed of darkness of something very serious.


    And why is it that this shiver running down my spine is screaming at me that the little wolf is perfectly capable of having done it?


    "No, sorry, I didn''t mean to yell at you. I don''t know why you haven''t told them about the seed of darkness, but thank you."


    "My lady, I would never divulge your secrets. And do not worry, I understand that you are under a lot of pressure right now."


    "Thank you. Were you looking for me at the academy because of that?"


    I start walking, moving away a bit from the curious groups. He follows me.


    "Yes and no. It is related."


    I''m afraid to ask.


    "What did you want?"


    His face lights up, and then he kneels.


    What?


    He''s raising his right hand and arm towards me. What is he doing? Is he going to confess to me?


    Horrified at the idea, I freeze. I want to open my mouth to stop him, do something, but I can''t. Besides, we haven''t moved that far away. I''m sure everyone is looking at us. I feel my cheeks burning.


    "My lady," he begins to say.


    Bianca, react! Stop him.


    "...for me, it is an honor to formally request..."


    No!


    "...vassalage."


    What? I''m stunned.


    "Vassalage?" I manage to say.


    He''s still kneeling. I don''t need to turn around to see that everyone is staring at us. Oh, please, I''m dying of embarrassment!


    "Please, Ronan, get up."


    "Not until you give me an answer."


    I open my mouth to tell him no way. Is he crazy?


    Warning: You are about to break the contract with the seed of darkness.


    The pop-up window appears before me at the same time I feel a sudden pain in my ankle. The puppy has jumped out of my backpack to give me a warning bite. Of course, I almost killed it without realizing it.


    The contract... I have to accept.


    "I accept, Ronan. You can get up."


    Congratulations, future Dark Lord. You have just obtained your first vassal.


    +10 influence points.


    I swat away the pop-up window, ignoring it. The boy, who is still kneeling with an arm extended, takes the opportunity to grab my hand when I lower it and begins to bring it to his mouth. No way is he giving me a kiss on the back! I pull it away. He looks at me with some disappointment, stands up, and bows to me.


    "My lady, I am at your service."


    "Please, go," I mutter.


    "Bianca, your turn," one of the professors'' assistants approaches me somewhat self-consciously.


    Well, rescued! I ignore Ronan, who seems to want to tell me something, and turn to the assistant. Then, I see everyone staring and whispering.


    Oh, crap, what do they think just happened? It''s a good thing I pulled my hand away, or they might think I just got engaged to someone else. Ops... Marco... This could get even more messed up.


    Blushing furiously, I look at the ground and follow the assistant. The pavilion where Catrina is waiting to interrogate me suddenly seems like the most welcoming place in the world.

 Mastering the Sword

    My interrogation lasts about ten minutes, during which I don''t tell the professor anything about the octopuses. The headmaster himself approved hiding the part of my chart about the four elements and spirit. Officially, I only have earth magic. They could have at least left me with light magic... Catrina, despite her tough reputation, congratulates me on my strategy with the stone wall and my courage in attacking the zombies in hand-to-hand combat with a sword.


    "Do you want me to train you for sword mastery?" she asks me. "On Wednesdays after classes, I supervise a select group of students. Your strength stat is a bit ridiculous. If it were just based on your stats, I see you more as a mage. But you''ve shown courage. Darius told me how you fought side by side against the zombies."


    As I don''t answer her, being somewhat surprised since I didn''t expect it, she explains better:


    "Darius is one of my best students. He''s been training in dungeons before entering the academy and recommended you. Honestly, I prefer a mage with guts over a warrior with good strength stats who''s afraid of breaking a nail." She doesn''t clarify who she''s referring to, but it''s obvious. "If you make an effort, I think you can obtain mastery on your next level up or even before."


    She''s referring to the fact that masteries are offered to you (or assigned in the case of NPCs) by the system when certain requirements have been met. One of them, in this case, would be training or fighting with a sword. If, for example, I train enough on my own, it''s very possible that when I level up, I''ll be offered the mastery. Leveling up is another requirement. Obviously, with a system with a maximum level of 20 and where it''s increasingly difficult to level up, it would be a disaster if that requirement were indispensable. Otherwise, a level 16 swordsman could spend years training and never obtain the developed masteries because he doesn''t have enough experience points to level up. Because in that, at least in the game, the system was inflexible: a shoemaker artisan doesn''t gain experience for making boots. A diplomat doesn''t either for avoiding a war, or a merchant for making a nice profit on a sale. No. XP is only gained in combat. However, there are ways for that artisan to get his needle mastery or that diplomat to get his charisma mastery, without leveling up. One is trying new things and repeating them a lot. It''s the slowest and most tedious way and, from what I''ve read in the library, it doesn''t always work. Another, the most accepted and recommended, is to learn from a master. My case, coming from another world, I don''t know if it''s special. After all, when I leveled up for the first time, I wasn''t offered scholar mastery. It would have made sense for how much of a bookworm this body was. Instead, I was given everything at once when I unlocked it upon entering a dungeon created for travelers from other worlds. I assumed that from now on, my case would work like everyone else''s and, honestly, I hope so. Catrina''s offer is a good way to check it. Besides, I''m drooling just thinking about knowing how to wield a sword properly and being able to enhance it with my channeling spell.


    "Thank you very much, professor. I accept gladly. I''ve always wanted to know how to wield a sword well," I answer her enthusiastically.


    Catrina raises an eyebrow and stares at me. Okay... my real self on Earth, an avid gamer, yeah. She wanted to know how to wield a sword and also a mage staff and create fire armageddons. Bianca, the count''s daughter, I think not.


    Anyway, once I leave the pavilion, the princess, who''s still waiting, greets me. I approach for a moment to say goodbye. Darius is still there too, as well as the prince and the other two boys from his group, all keeping Lily company. I find it curious that she didn''t go first for interrogation, that Catrina didn''t give her special treatment for being royalty. An assistant approaches to call her, and she mutters a "finally", unable to hide her impatience.


    "Do you want to return with us? There''s room in one of the carriages," Vincent asks me.


    "Thank you very much, but I better go now. I''m tired," I answer him.


    That simple? I help save his sister, Darius likes me, and they open the doors of their group to me?


    For a moment, I really think about it. On Earth, in high school, I hung out with a couple of friends, and we kept a pretty low profile, nothing like the football team or the cheerleaders. Sometimes I would have liked to be like them, so popular and good-looking. However, I''m not very social and, honestly, I want to focus on studying and training to improve. If the princess starts inviting me to tea parties with pastries... ugh, no, better not. Although I miss my friends.


    I shake my head to rid myself of the sad thoughts and head towards the vehicles. The driver of one of them calls me. It''s empty. I''m going to have to wait for it to fill up.


    "Don''t worry, there are very few of you left and plenty of carriages. I can take you now," he says, correctly interpreting my expression.


    I smile at him, thank him, and get on.


    Well, going alone is perfect, because my roommate could be in my room. I leave the backpack next to me on the seat, wait for the vehicle to start moving, and take the little one out of the pocket. He still fits on my two cupped hands together. He hasn''t grown at all when he should be much bigger. I raise my palms to have him in front of my face. Let''s begin.


    "Do you understand me?"If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    For an answer, he just stares at me and tries to lick my face. I push him away a bit so he doesn''t reach.


    "I know you''re a divine beast, so you''re magical. Can you increase your size as a puppy?"


    He barks once.


    "I''m going to put you on the floor. If you can, make yourself bigger."


    The little wolf just runs around between my feet. Well... we''re doing well. I pick him up again and bring him close to me.


    "Did you cause that in the dungeon?"


    Three barks.


    "One bark yes and two no?"


    Four barks.


    "Take this seriously. You bit me before, you didn''t wound me, but you bit me. That means you were following my conversation with Ronan and realized I was going to reject him."


    One bark.


    "Great. Will you answer me now?"


    Two barks.


    "Do you serve your god?"


    Five barks.


    I no longer know if the little troll is playing with me or he just doesn''t understand me.


    "You don''t have permission to answer me?"


    Three barks.


    I bring him a little closer.


    "You wouldn''t hurt me, would you?"


    The puppy whines remorsefully and gives me puppy eyes while slowly stretching to give me a lick on the cheek.


    I''m lost. I really don''t see any malice in him. I know he has dark magic. Many people have it. And on Earth, many would have had it too if it existed; for starters, all those who climbed the corporate ladder by attributing to themselves merits that weren''t theirs, all those who committed petty thefts or said nasty words on purpose just to hurt others. That fits perfectly with a low or medium level of affinity for darkness. But this little creature must have it high by necessity because he''s the seed of darkness and a divine beast. And Ronan... I really don''t know what to think of Ronan. He doesn''t seem like a bad guy to me and, hey, I''m glad he didn''t ask me out. I prefer a thousand times for him to be obsessed with being my minion rather than trying to hook up with me. No, I don''t want to have minions. But the boy hasn''t turned me in and hasn''t done anything wrong. I come from Earth, there your friends are the ones who treat you well and support you with their actions. You don''t discriminate based on the color of magic.


    The little wolf sees me confused and a bit sad and keeps licking me. His tongue is a little sticky. I bring him closer and feel the softness of his dark fur on my cheek.


    "You''re a sweetheart," I whisper to him. "I don''t believe you''re evil. Please don''t disappoint me."


    I stay like that for a few minutes and then put him down on my lap, where I pet him.


    "Look, we have to talk to Ronan. I want him to tell me everything he knows about darkness and divine beasts and to explain clearly why he thinks it was you."


    Since there''s still time before we arrive, I ask him to let me see his character status and he does. As for understanding me, he clearly does. It''s another thing if he doesn''t want to or can''t communicate with barks. Anyway, I realize I haven''t asked for it since that day in the dungeon. I haven''t had any notification that the seed has leveled up either. I read his card and see that everything remains the same. It''s just changed what he''s missing to reach level 2. It''s gone from 20% to 85%. That makes me wonder if the shadow wolf''s dungeon kills granted experience to the wolf or the seed. I ask him to let me see his evolution chart, and it''s still the same, at level 30 and without any indicator of how much experience he''s missing for the next one. Touching with my finger where his level is, I manage to open a window that explains to me that he''s at the maximum level possible for a divine creature. Hmm... then one of two things: either the little wolf doesn''t get experience when it''s the shadow wolf that fights, or the little wolf needs a brutal amount of experience to level up. Please, from 1 to 2 is easy. Because with the zombies and the octopuses and the spider, he had to get XP, yes or yes, being in wolf form and being my pet. Or not? I open my character status and start navigating the system to figure out how the pet thing works. It takes me a few minutes, but I end up finding it.


    Pets, when near their owner, get 5% of the experience gained.


    Okay, it''s like a little parasite that takes 5% of my experience. I don''t know if this also applies when he''s in shadow wolf form. I try to access the system message history, to search for any notification related to it. There are none that tell me the experience the creatures gave me, but, for example, in the fight with the lich, I can see that... oh, this is different. It says that I, who did nothing, got 15% of the experience the shadow wolf would have obtained from the kills. Well, this also answers my question: The little wolf only gains XP when he''s in puppy form. I''m not able to do calculations to see if he needs more than me, because I went up to level 2 after killing two level 1 slimes, but I didn''t pay attention to how much my progress bar was missing. Afterwards, I needed 8 more slimes and a boss to go up to level 3. Okay, the zombies gave more experience being level 4, but the seed only gets 5%...


    Ugh, not really. I would need paper and pen and more data. If my system history gave me the total XP values per creature, it would be super easy. I think it''s better to stop trying to do math in my head. It will be simpler to pay more attention to how much the puppy''s progression goes up from now on, so I''ll get an idea of whether he needs more experience than a human to level up. I could also look for someone with a pet and ask them, but something tells me that the case of the seed of evil is special.


    Since I''m at it, I try to find out what those influence points are. The only thing I get out of the system is this:


    Influence points are part of the leadership and management system of a kingdom or empire. They are necessary both to unlock construction options and to buy kingdom spells, grant abilities and improvements to vassals, or manipulate the delicate balance of diplomacy.


    So, that''s it. No, I don''t want to be the Demon Lord and conquer the world. I''ll pass. I decide to ignore those ten points as if they didn''t exist, I recline more comfortably in the padded seat, and close my eyes until we arrive.


    The rest of the day is very quiet. The following morning, before class, I see almost all the students crowded in front of the bulletin board.


    My heart skips a beat. It must be the exam grades and the first list of points for the contest.

 Second in the ranking.

    I squeeze through without elbowing anyone¡ªtricky¡ªand stand on tiptoes to look over the heads of those in front of me.


    Bianca L''Crom ¡ª 7 ¡ª 19


    Since I don''t know what those numbers are, I quickly read the table header: 7 is my practical exam grade, and 19 my points for the competition. The exam grading criteria are written at the end. Basically, they consider your time and if you got the jar. But from the moment the dungeon''s difficulty increased, having a high time like mine penalizes less, and you can pass without having obtained the jar. Well, seems reasonable to me. I know a math teacher at my old high school who would have failed all of us except those who did it perfectly. For example, the prince''s group has a 10. Normal, they left first and returned very quickly, without encountering anything strange. Those behind me in line, except for Ronan, got very bad grades or barely passed. As for the points... there''s another paper on the board, one that ranks us by points. My eyes widen as I read it:


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 98.3498%">


    <u>Current ranking of the first-year classes</u>


    Darius Veylore ¡ª 20 points


    Bianca L''Crom ¡ª 19 points


    Ronan Ashenveil ¡ª 17 points


    Vincent Draycott ¡ª 16 points


    Alistair Astor ¡ª 15 points


    Theodore Brightmore ¡ª 15 points


    ...


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    The list continues, mixing students from both classes, and some have no points at all. Princess Lily Draycott only has 7. At the very end, there''s a text clarifying that 20 was the maximum number of points that could be obtained in this test.


    And I''m second.


    I wasn''t expecting that. I mean, yes, I have a magical creature that could probably destroy an entire city with guards included; but I haven''t used it. And, as far as I know, they don''t know about the octopuses and the spider. Well, the L''Crom counts are going to be very happy.


    I discreetly withdraw from the circle of students trying to read the grades and head to class. I don''t run into anyone I know, except for Sol and her two shadows: Caroline and Ashe. The latter ignore me, and Sol stares at me as if re-evaluating me. Fine, I walk past. They don''t greet me; I don''t greet them. I enter the classroom and sit down. The professor hasn''t arrived yet, but Darius has. He gets up and approaches me.


    "Well done, Bianca." He pats me on the back as hard as yesterday. "Nineteen points, very good. By the way," he says with a crooked smile, "I beat you by one."


    "I''m not trying to compete with you."


    "What, you''re not? Everyone wants to be in the top positions to compete in the tournament. Besides, Miss Level 6, if you don''t want to compete, you''re doing a poor job of it."


    He winks at me and returns to his assigned seat. I can''t help it, a laugh escapes me. I realize that Vincent and the other two eligible boys are looking at me. They wave at me. I return the greeting and go to my seat, which luckily is far away. The girls who have already arrived in class are glaring at me while whispering. I know, I know... you think I''m trying to steal the good catch that the prince and his friends are. I open my book, titled "Fundamentals of Magic and Elemental Affinities", and pretend to read.


    A few minutes later, Professor Swaina enters and stands in front of the blackboard.


    "Good morning," she greets us. "I imagine you''ve all seen both your grades from yesterday''s practical exam and the first points ranking."


    Several affirmative murmurs answer her.


    "I''m not going to talk to you about the exam," she continues, "as it wasn''t from my subject. However, I do want to give you my opinion on the ranking. The list you''ve seen is the first one this year. It''s going to vary as we do more tests. Before the end of the course, the top four will be able to choose the members of their own group. Those groups can be maintained in the second or third year, or changed. They will be of five members, as the third-year teams that compete in the annual tournament are of five members." She gets serious. "I know that many of you have a lot of pressure from your families'' expectations, that at the very least your family name''s prestige depends on whether you manage to be one of the few students who will participate in the third-year games. I know." She takes her time before continuing to speak, looking each of us in the eye. "But your life is also at stake. This practical exam, this dungeon, was supposed to be totally controlled by the academy, and we almost had casualties. Three students teleported with very serious injuries. And this has happened in the first test, the easy one, the one that in theory was just finishing off a low-level zombie. If you ask me, I''ll tell you that we still don''t know what happened, although we do know that the rapid growth of the dungeon with its creatures and local fauna is due to a sudden increase in the dungeon''s affinity for darkness. So that everyone understands me clearly: a dungeon core has an elemental affinity value that gives us its difficulty. This one''s was very low, which made it a suitable dungeon for the exam and very easy for the academy to control. Dungeons, over the years and decades, can increase the value of their core and change their difficulty level, especially if they are left unattended. What just happened, going from a novice dungeon to a low level one, is something we have no written records of having occurred before. That''s why I want you to be careful. No matter how simple or safe a practical test seems, from the moment you''re in a dungeon, the unexpected can happen. I know many of you put your house before your life, but I highly doubt your parents want you dead. So yes, be careful, and if something strange happens again, do me the favor of using the return stone instead of staying to get the damn points," she raises her voice.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    She seems angry.


    I hear students apologizing, and I see some nodding their heads. Ronan, behind me, asks her a question.


    "Excuse me, professor. You said there are no written records. What about oral ones?"


    Swaina''s face darkens even more.


    "There are some, from before the last war, when darkness with its paladin the Demon King almost destroyed the world. But that, Ronan, you all already know. Those are the horror stories your grandparents whisper to you to keep you on the straight path. And you, with your affinity, should be more careful than anyone."


    "Professor, you don''t believe there could be another war again, do you?" a girl asks, frightened.


    "Centuries have passed since the last one, so many that we don''t even remember it. The balance between light and darkness has been maintained. Let''s not be doomsayers. It''s one thing for me to worry about you and scold you because some of those who aren''t in class today but recovering from their injuries should have used the return stone much earlier... and another thing is for us to make up fantasies about the future. Millennia ago, wars were frequent. In the last one, they were settled forever, don''t worry. Just don''t be reckless and expose yourselves to unnecessary risks in the tests."


    I can''t take it anymore. I turn around and look at Ronan. He''s looking at the professor with those huge rounded eyes of his that gave me the creeps when he was so malnourished. Now they still give me chills, especially if they seem to be glowing excitedly, as if expecting something. I turn my gaze back to the front. I have to try to talk to him after classes.


    The professor leaves the topic of points and begins her theory class.


    When the hour ends, I get up to leave, but the professor indicates for me to wait a moment. In private, she tells me to follow her to the headmaster''s office.


    "Good morning, Bianca, take a seat," he greets me with the same friendly voice as last time.


    Unlike then, it''s just the three of us. There''s no representative from the king.


    I sit in the chair facing his desk and wait for him to explain why I''m here.


    "I''ve called for you because professor Catrina told me she''s going to train you in swordsmanship in her private afternoon group. I''ve informed her of your affinity with spirit, so she can give you some private lessons where you use channeling."


    "Thank you."


    "That''s not all. Yesterday''s event in the dungeon had us meeting until late at night. I don''t want to worry you, but we believe someone or something caused it to try and  kill you."


    What?


    Swaina, who is sitting in a chair next to me, takes my hand and squeezes it, as if giving me encouragement.


    "You are like a miracle, a prodigy student with the four elements and a new one never seen before. Your light magic clearly places you on the good side of the balance. We believe that, to maintain the delicate equilibrium between good and evil, it''s possible that a nemesis has emerged, a champion of darkness."


    Okay, I definitely didn''t see that coming. Am I really supposed to be on the side of light, with my pet the seed of darkness here? The professor misinterprets my astonishment for fear and pats me on the back of my hand.


    "Don''t worry, your professors are here to help you," the headmaster continues. "In addition to your training with Catrina, you''re going to start taking magic classes for the other three elements. We wanted to give you time to adapt to the academy before starting the tutoring, but we prefer to accelerate it due to the dungeon incident. I know you''re going to have a very tight schedule and you won''t have time for a social life. We''re sorry, but it''s necessary. The safety of this kingdom and the entire world may depend on it."


    Oh dear... I think they believe Ronan may have had something to do with the dungeon thing and that I''m something like Joan of Arc.


    The thought of confessing, telling them about the contract with the seed of evil and breaking it passes through my head. That way they wouldn''t suspect Ronan, and if there really is a threat against the integrity of the world, we can avoid it. In fact, I even open my mouth, but I can''t, the words don''t come out. The puppy hasn''t done anything to me. Well, yes, it put me in an insane difficulty level, but the shadow wolf could get me out of there with its eyes closed. And I don''t feel evil, I''m still myself. I think that as long as I don''t change, as long as my affinity for light magic remains medium, we''re not in danger. I... I prefer to think more about this before doing something as drastic as telling everything.


    Swaina intervenes to assure me that she''s going to keep a close eye on me, that I can go visit her whenever I need to, no matter the hour. They both encourage me and dismiss me.


    And I walk back to the classroom, half zombie. Someone pokes his little head out of my pocket and barks softly. I bring a hand over and pet him.


    "What a mess we''ve gotten into, little one."


    What a mess.

 Infernal schedule.

    They were right about the zero social life. Obviously, I''m not complaining. In fact, during lunch, Darius invites me to sit with them, and that break is the only "free" period I have all day. Mary is the sole girl at their table, who for weeks has been acting super sweet, super nice, and super innocent and enthusiastic friend to everyone she comes across. If this world weren''t the way it is, if having a high affinity for light didn''t make her authentic and genuine, I would really think she''s a social climber who''s just trying to marry the prince.


    "Come on, sit down, Bianca. Lily told me how you helped them. I''m looking forward to getting to know you," Mary says with a huge smile when she sees I''m considering joining them.


    What the heck, why not?


    I return her smile, although mine is smaller and somewhat shy, and take a seat.


    I immediately feel super integrated. Both Darius and Mary include me in the conversation and joke with me. The prince and his friends don''t talk as much, but they seem nice. Mary asks me about my puppy. I tell them I left him in the room, though I''m afraid he might break something. My goodness... Mary is special. Any other girl would have snubbed me rather than asking me to join them. It''s as if she doesn''t mind bringing potential romantic rivals into her friend group. I mean, I¡¯m not. But judging by the murderous glares I¡¯m getting from the other girls at their tables¡ªespecially Sol¡ªthere are definitely some who think otherwise.


    When lunch ends, they invite me to go shopping with them in the city this afternoon. I have to decline, and I genuinely mean it. I enjoyed their company so much that I would have gone if I could. But at the end of the last morning class, an administrative secretary approached me with a personalized schedule. Not a single free slot. I''ll have to study every evening after dinner. It''s insane. Since I can''t share that, I gloss over my refusal by claiming I''m slightly behind in my studies and want to excel, not just pass. Darius regards me with a competitive, challenging glint in his eye. Clearly, he accepts the gauntlet I haven''t even thrown down. This guy... I bid them farewell with a sincere smile and leave to see if I can catch Ronan before the final two classes. Well, final for him, because my schedule is jam-packed afterward.


    He''s not in the dining hall, so I search the academy hallways and gardens. No luck. With minutes to spare before the next class, I head to the classroom. He hasn''t shown up yet. In fact, he slips in just before the professor, giving me no chance to talk. And when the two classes wrap up, I have to rush off to Catrina''s private group session, since it''s Wednesday. I want to tell him to wait for me after dinner so we can talk, but Darius is faster. Knowing I''m headed to training (logical, since he recommended me), he approaches so I can walk with them. Yes, them¡ªboth the prince and Alistair are part of that select group of students. Well, Ronan will have to wait.


    We are a small group of seven students. We all wield swords except Alistair and another boy who favor small maces. The two-hour training session is intense and grueling. As it''s my first day, they have me drilling basic sword techniques. By the end, the muscles in my right arm are on fire, shoulder included. I say goodbye to the three boys, who I presume are off to shower and hit the town, leaving me alone with Catrina.


    "Follow me," she commands.


    Without checking if I comply, she spins on her heel and strides purposefully away. She has spent the last two hours sparring with the other six students in one-on-one practice duels. Her energy amazes me. She must have impressive agility and constitution stats. She leads me to her office. Once inside, she locks the door, retrieves a cloth bag from her desk drawer, and instructs me to step back. Reaching into the bag, she extracts a stone resembling a river pebble, smooth and flat on both sides, slightly larger than her palm. In the open area of the small room, she arranges this stone on the floor, followed by the remaining six from the bag, forming what appears to be a regular heptagon (though I can''t be certain). From inside the figure, she extends her hand, beckoning me to stand beside her.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    I do so. The professor''s grip is firm, her palm rough and calloused, befitting a warrior.


    "Don''t move and commit these words to memory: Teleport to active location," she enunciates loudly.


    Instantly, it''s just like with the dungeon''s exit stone. I''m whisked away from the professor''s office, materializing elsewhere. As the disorientation fades, I realize we''re standing atop a circular white marble platform engraved with a heptagon, a stone like the professor''s at each vertex. Surrounding us are small, plain, single-story wooden houses. This seems to be some village square.


    "Let''s go," Catrina says, stepping out of the circle. She pulls me along, not releasing my hand until we''re standing on the dirt ground of the plaza. "You need a place to secretly hone your affinities. This is Clearhaven, a remote village in the kingdom with a sparse population and a small army detachment consisting of an officer and fifteen soldiers. They''re all loyal to the crown and won''t breathe a word about what they witness."


    As I exit the circle, my foot accidentally nudges one of the stones. It doesn''t budge, fixed in place. I hurry after the professor, who is striding rapidly down one of the two streets branching off from the square. We soon reach the village outskirts, encircled by a palisade of pointed wooden logs over two meters high. We begin walking parallel to it.


    "I''ll be training you, as will the air magic professor. Local masters here will assist you with fire, water, and light. The last is the army healer, and the other two are coming specifically for your lessons, just as you''ll be traveling here. In fact, here, don''t let me forget." She slows her pace slightly and hands me a bag identical to the one she used earlier, pulling it from inside her jacket. I accept it.


    "Keep it safe," she remarks with a hint of impatience, seeing I''m not making any move to stow it away.


    Fair enough. I stop, slip off my backpack, and tuck the bag inside. Catrina arches an eyebrow but says nothing.


    "Come on, we''re nearly there."


    She resumes walking. After a few dozen meters, we arrive at a stone structure built into the wall¡ªthe guard barracks, according to her.


    She greets the soldier standing watch at the door and enters. She guides me to a spacious open-air courtyard where the officer in charge awaits us. There, she directs me to draw my sword and activate the channeling. The lesson lasts an hour and a half. She has me experiment with all the elements, even earth. I point out that earth element is for self-defense, but she insists. To my surprise, it not only increases the sword¡¯s durability but also its weight. After one hour, she hands me a costly mana potion to replenish my depleted reserves. By the end, I''m utterly spent. This exhaustion stems not just from my aching muscles, but also from bottoming out my mana points for second time in quick succession.


    "Well, let''s head back," Catrina says.


    Is this woman always so taciturn?


    She doesn''t utter another word until we''ve returned to her office, save to instruct me to memorize "teleport to initial location" for the return trip. Before I take my leave, she imparts some final directions.


    "Tomorrow, be at our training spot at six o''clock sharp. You won''t see me again until next Wednesday. It''s all laid out in the schedule they provided." Right, Mondays are for light magic, Tuesdays fire, Thursdays water, and Fridays air. Saturdays, I have a two-hour block in the morning designated for personal free training.


    "Do I go there for my Saturday training as well?" I inquire.


    "Yes. And if you want to continue practicing independently on any of the other days, simply request permission from the relevant professor. Any other questions?"


    "No."


    "Good. You''re dismissed. I expect you to return next Wednesday having mastered the fundamental attack and defense stances with the sword."


    "Yes, professor."


    Her commanding tone makes me want to snap to attention. Heaven knows how many repetitions I''ll have to do on my own to meet that benchmark.


    I close the door behind me as I exit, leaning against it for a moment. Will it be like this every week? I''m drained, and I still need to study and complete assignments for my regular classes. It''s nearly dinnertime; if I don''t hurry, I won''t even have a chance to shower. My inner complainer wants to cry, unaccustomed to dashing helter-skelter. But the gamer in me is thrilled at the prospect of learning new spells and gaining sword mastery. My weary body gives in and hastens to my room.


    As for Ronan, he''s nowhere to be seen at dinner. If he''s not in class tomorrow, I''ll start to worry. After a long study session, the instant my head hits the pillow, I''m out like a light.

 Goblin Lady?

    "Ronan, thank goodness!" I grab his arm.


    Yes, I confess, I arrived at the first class 10 minutes early just to talk to him and I''m waiting at the door. It''s almost time when I see him hurrying over. Without a second thought, I grab him and pull him towards the lockers in the hallway, away from the classroom. We''re going to be late, but I don''t care.


    "My lady, are you alright? You have dark circles," he says with what seems like concern and something more.


    Uh, I don''t like that something more. Only I would think to ambush him like a stalker. Who knows what he might be thinking? I drop his arm like it''s on fire.


    "Yes, I''ve been wanting to talk to you since yesterday, but I haven''t seen you at meals, not even at breakfast today."


    "That''s because I took it with me while training."


    "Okay." I''m not going to ask. I just saw the professor enter the classroom. I lower my voice to a whisper. "Why do you say the seed caused the dungeon incident? What do you know that I don''t?"


    "My lady," he begins.


    "Shh... keep your voice down."


    "My lady," he corrects in a whisper, "it''s a divine beast of darkness. Among its properties is enhancing dungeons attuned to the element."


    "Properties? You mean it didn''t do it on purpose?"


    "No."


    I feel relieved for my little pup. As I don''t say anything, he continues:


    "My lady, did you really not know that?"


    "What I don''t understand is how you know," I reply, suddenly somewhat frustrated. It''s evident in my tone.


    "Well, I have spent my whole life locked up studying and reading books."


    "Okay, sorry. You have a knack for putting me on the defensive. Tell me, is there anything else you think I should know?"


    "Nothing I am allowed to tell you, my lady. But don''t worry, I''m here to help and serve you. I would never do anything to harm or betray you."


    And he says it with that adoring look in his huge eyes. I can''t handle this.


    "One thing. You have to be careful. The headmaster doesn''t know about my pet, but he does know I have some additional magic that wasn''t mentioned when my chart was read."


    "Really?" His face lights up. "It could not be any other way. My lady has to be powerful to have been chosen."


    "Yes, but you have to keep my secret. Suffice it to say I have the four elements and light." And something else, but that''s enough loose talk. "The thing is, they believe I''m some kind of avatar of light and that you could be my nemesis and have caused the dungeon incident."


    He bursts out laughing. In my face. Just like that, all of a sudden. He has to bring his hands to his still scrawny stomach because of the laughter spasms. Good thing there''s no one in the hallway, or they would look at us very strangely. I highly doubt Ronan has ever laughed at this school, no, in his life.


    "This is serious, okay?" I get annoyed. "I was about to confess so they wouldn''t blame you."


    He stops laughing, wipes the tears from his eyes, and reaches out one of those damp-fingered hands to take mine.


    "Seriously?" he says.


    I pull away. It''s instinctive.


    "Forgive me, my lady. I am moved that you care about me. It must be because of that light magic affinity you mentioned, which makes you think of others before yourself. You are very innocent. The thing is, you cannot tell them. If you do, they will lock you up and torture you. And then execute you."


    What? I go pale.


    Well, I hadn''t thought about that... And it''s pretty obvious. I feel stupid.


    In any case, Ronan knows more than I thought. That black ink on the stone chart spoke of my bond with the seed of darkness; it said nothing about becoming the next dark lord.


    "I haven''t told you the type of contract I signed with the little wolf."


    "No need, he told me that one day he would find you. I know who you are."


    The wolf? The seed talks?


    I''m not going to ask who he thinks I am. Much less who he is, because if it''s not the wolf, I don''t want to know. If I put two and two together, I can imagine, and I really can''t handle it. This is getting too complicated.


    I breathe.


    I still can''t deal with this, and it''s late.


    "Okay, thanks," I opt for the easy way out. "Let''s get to class before they punish us for being late."


    The rest of the day and the next one pass without anything relevant. Just a few calculating and malicious looks from Sol and my two former friends. Plus, my meals are less lonely now that I sit with Vincent''s group. There''s also no sign of Ronan except in classes. And, above all, there''s a lot of studying and a lot of training. I ask one of the soldiers for details about the village. It''s called Clearhaven and is more than two hours by horse from the nearest town. At the academy, I snoop around the library. On a map of the kingdom, I see that it is indeed near one of its borders, in this case adjacent to a neighboring kingdom. The border is a rugged mountain range that is usually snow-covered most of the year. The village is on the edge of a forest that abuts the base of the peaks. Due to the scarcity and narrowness of the mountain passes, there is practically no contact with the neighboring kingdom. I agree with the headmaster, as I assume it is he who has decided to send me there: it is a good place for secret training.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    I''ve planned to go out on my own on Friday after dinner to see if I can find any wolves in the forest and do something to avoid getting stuck at level 6. In the game, you didn''t go around killing animals, but I''ve asked and you can get experience from them, although it''s very little compared to what dungeon creatures give. Since there are no nearby dungeons in the Clearhaven area, wolves are better than nothing. Plus, this way I keep practicing with the sword.


    When the time comes, I teleport. It''s night. The moon and the lights coming from the windows of the houses dimly illuminate the square. I see some villagers on the street, not many. I head to the village exit, a wooden gate in the palisade next to the barracks.


    "Who goes there?" asks one of the two soldiers on guard, controlling access.


    "It''s Bianca, the academy student."


    I step a little closer to be under the torchlight, so they can easily see my face.


    "Yes, I''ve seen you training. What do you want to go out at this hour for?"


    "I want to test what I''ve learned with the sword against some wolves," I tell him honestly, "to put it into practice in real combat."


    "What enthusiasm you young people have!" his companion exclaims. "There are a few wolves in the forest. I don''t think they''ll give you any trouble. Be careful not to get close to the mountains, bears have been sighted there."


    "Yes, thank you very much."


    They open the gate for me and I continue on my way. Soon the village and the torchlight on its palisade are left behind. My eyes readjust to the gloom as I enter the forest. I have only two mana points, as I have spent the rest this afternoon in air magic training. Enough for one channeling. The puppy is, as other times, in the side pocket of my backpack. If I need more mana I''ll use his lick. I walk for a good while and don''t manage to find any wolves. Maybe I should have brought a pot and a ladle to make noise and attract them. I''m already thinking of turning back, disappointed, when I hear sounds that seem to be from a fight. I approach and begin to distinguish growls and cries of pain. I slow down and walk carefully so as not to make noise, in addition to covering myself behind the trees and undergrowth. I arrive in time to see the end: a goblin and a wolf kill each other. They''re not the only ones there. It''s a small forest clearing. There are a total of five wolf corpses and three goblins. The latter are shorter than me and have green skin. They''re dressed in leather and fur armor and were armed with short swords and shields. I squint to search for their levels.


    Wolf, level 3.


    Goblin, level 4.


    I recognize the goblins'' toughness in defeating the five wolves. Too bad I didn''t arrive sooner to finish them off and gain the experience. Goblins, as creatures, grant the same XP as in a dungeon, far more than animals. I wasn''t expecting to find them here, and I imagine the guards weren''t either, or they would have already sent a patrol to exterminate them. Creatures usually spawn in dungeons and sometimes venture out, severing their link. But with no nearby dungeons, the goblins'' origins are a mystery.


    I approach closer to see if I can loot any items from the goblins. Not from the wolves. I have no desire to take out my dagger and start skinning them to later sell the hides or fangs. I don''t know their worth and I don''t care because I''ve no idea how to skin animals. Nor is it a mastery I''m interested in acquiring. If it were a game, fine; but this is now the real world for me and the mere thought of handling the corpses disgusts me. Blood, guts... ugh, I''d rather not.


    The goblins'' swords seem to be of poor quality and inventories don''t exist here, so I have to carry them back to the village. I don''t think they''ll give me much for them, but I collect them anyway and into the backpack. The shields are too bulky, so I leave them behind. I''m searching the last creature when I realize it''s breathing. I jump back, startled, and place my hand on the hilt of my sword. It seems I''m going to get some experience after all. The creature opens its eyes and looks at me. It''s the look of someone without hope, until it notices a little head sticking out of certain pocket. Then it brightens a little.


    "Heeelp," it pleads.


    What do you mean by help? He''s a monster and if there were guilds in this world, I would be an aspiring adventurer. (There are mercenaries, which is similar, but not guilds).


    The puppy jumps out of my pocket and stands next to the creature, sniffing it.


    Damn it, what do I do?


    I raise my sword; but the thing is, the creature is looking at me and apart from being ugly and having green skin, well... it looks human. It has expressions, it shows fear and hope.


    I let my arm drop limply and the weapon ends up pointing towards the ground. I can''t, I really can''t. It''s one thing to kill a dehumanized monster that wants to murder me, but this... I''m not a butcher. If I have light magic, it''s for a reason, right?


    I know I''m going to regret it, more than anything because it goes against all logic: I use minor healing on him. I would do it twice, but the spell has a 24-hour cooldown. It only restores one health point but it seems to stabilize him, he''s even able to sit up. I return his sword to him, it doesn¡¯t feel right to take it.


    "Thank you. Please, save my people!" he asks hopefully.


    "Hey, you''re a goblin and I''m human."


    "Save them like you saved me."


    But I only did it out of pity!


    Mission. Difficulty F. Save the goblin settlement.


    Reward: 500 XP.


    I stand there like an idiot staring at the pop-up screen for almost a minute, still and with my mouth half open.


    A mission? There were missions in the game but this is the first time I''ve seen one here. NPCs certainly don''t have them. I still need a lot of experience for the next level, more than three thousand points, and I don''t know the exact experience I gained from the octopuses, the spider and the zombies, but the bar went up so little that it didn''t reach five hundred. I''m tempted.


    "Please."


    He looks at me the way a desperate person who has just been saved by the legendary heroine would. Someone should explain to him that he''s a monster, that if someone saves him it shouldn''t be me but... Oh. Okay. Shit. The seed of darkness. Maybe he recognized it somehow.


    "Can you walk?"


    "I think so."


    He tries to get up, I help him.


    "What''s wrong with your people?"


    "We were more than two hundred. We lived on the other side of the mountains but we had to flee when the human soldiers discovered us. Less than thirty of us are left. We''re in a cave. We need a place to form a new home, as well as food and resources."


    They don''t seem to be asking for anything outrageous, they just want to survive. I raise my hand and touch the letters that only I see, where it says "accept."


    I crouch down to pick up the puppy, who has clung to my boots, and then let the goblin lean on me. We start walking towards his cave. This wasn''t my idea for tonight''s training. What I wanted was to hunt. Wait a minute, didn''t the guard say there were bears in the mountains? Maybe we''ll even run into one. The idea cheers me up.

 Ronan.

    Ronan''s angel asked very strange questions.


    It made no sense that his angel, who was linked to the only divine beast that had managed to survive more than three days in the last few centuries, didn''t know what a divine beast was.


    None.


    "Ouch," he muttered in pain as he felt the blunt edge of the skeleton''s wooden sword against his arm.


    He had been distracted thinking about his lady.


    His lady... for her he had to be stronger. He redoubled his attacks with the mace, intending to grind his adversary with a dozen quick and furious blows.


    The skeleton merely parried almost all of them with its wooden shield and dodged the rest.


    "It''s a simple wooden shield. You, with a metal mace, are hitting with all your strength and you''re not even able to break it. How bad," he muttered to himself.


    Because yes: Ronan talked to himself. Normal, he had spent almost his entire life locked in a basement without company. Moreover, his invisible friend, the one who began whispering things to him after a few years, turned out to be real.


    The skeleton counterattacked and hit Ronan in the stomach; he had tried in vain to deflect the sword with the mace. He didn''t even touch it.


    "Break!" he requested while doubling over in pain.


    Okay, he had given the undead a training sword without the slightest edge, but still the impact hurt.


    The skeleton, for its part, stood still, looking at the mage who had summoned it with the black flames burning in the empty sockets of its eyes.


    "Ronan, you are too weak."


    Of course, a lifetime locked up and chained. Okay, the chain was a couple of meters long, allowing him to move around the basement, but still. When they read his chart to his parents on that fateful day in childhood when the light ended, he already showed promise in intelligence and wisdom. His strength and constitution were more or less average, he was neither sickly nor frail.


    Ronan Velbrun


    Race: human


    Age: 3 years


    Level: 1


    Constitution: 4


    Strength: 3


    Intelligence: 6


    Agility: 2


    Wisdom: 6


    Health points: 4


    Mana points: 6


    Magical affinities: darkness (high affinity).


    Skills: None.


    Spells: None.


    But the years of confinement wreaked havoc on his body. When he placed his hand on the stone slab at the academy, he was able to confirm that he had earned a state of weakness. (And he also read the hidden acolyte skill, something the professor was unable to see).


    Ronan Velbrun


    Race: human


    Age: 17 years


    Level: 2


    Constitution: 4-2


    Strength: 3


    Intelligence: 11


    Agility: 2


    Wisdom: 10


    Health points: 2


    Mana points: 10


    Magical affinities: darkness (high affinity).


    States:


    Bonuses: None.


    Weaknesses:


    Acute malnutrition. -50% constitution points.


    Skills:


    Low-level poison resistance. Passive. +2 points poison resistance.


    High-level iron will. Passive. +3 Int, +1 Wis.


    Initiated-level acolyte (hidden skill). Passive. The dark god speaks to you. +1 tier to dark curse spells.


    High-level scholar. Passive. +3 Wis, +1 Int.


    Spells:


    Medium-level exhaust. Decreases the target''s attack speed and strength for 5 minutes. This effect depends on the target''s magical resistance. Without magical resistance, the reduction is 30%. Range: in a circular area with a 20-meter radius, a single target. Due to the effect of the Acolyte skill, Exhaust becomes high-level. 40% decrease for 5 minutes. Range: in a circular area with a 30-meter radius, to all targets within a second circular area with a one-meter radius. Cost: Medium-level: 2 MP. High-level: 3 MP.


    High-level animate skeletons. Requirement for necromancy spells: high affinity for darkness. Summons up to a maximum of x skeletons of a creature whose bones or corpse are present and within an 80-meter radius of the animator. x = summoner''s Int. Cost: 1 MP for every 2 skeletons.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Low-level summon skeletons (evolution of the animate skeletons spell). Requirement for necromancy spells: high affinity for darkness. Summons a skeleton of any creature the summoner has previously animated within a 10-meter radius of the summoner. The skeleton''s level will depend on the summoned creature, the summoner''s intelligence points, and the summoner''s level. The skeleton''s level can never exceed the summoner''s. Cost: 3 MP.


    High-level life suction. Sucks 1 HP from the target in contact for every 1 MP spent.


    High-level life drain (evolution of the life suction spell). Drains 1 HP from the targets within a 10-meter range for each target and MP spent. The total mana cost will depend on the number of targets selected by the user within the range area.


    Low-level dark flare. Generates a cone of flames that deals 2 points of damage to the targets it reaches. The cone''s reach distance can be regulated, being inversely proportional to the cone''s angle. For a 90o angle cone, the distance is 60 cm. The damage is amplified or reduced based on the target''s vulnerability to the darkness element and/or its magical resistance.


    Initiated-level void. Creates a tiny black hole that sucks in all nearby matter. Range: a circular area with a 5-meter radius. Cost: 10 mana points and meeting the requirements. Requirements: 1- Serve the dark god. 2- Blocked.


    The truth is that confirming what he already suspected, in terms of his skills and spells, was very satisfying. You have to understand him: in his world you only felt things, but without going to read your chart on a stone slab, you weren''t able to know if they were real. So, he had felt weak and starving, with less and less strength. He had also been advancing in his magic studies and learning new spells. That iron will skill was his own determination not to give up, not to break. Along with the life drain spell, it was what had kept him alive. When he was very young, he felt his life energy slipping away, that hunger and cold were too much. A rat hiding in a corner, seeing him like that, approached to tear off a piece of his flesh. But he didn''t want to die, so desperation, hunger and his high affinity for dark magic caused the rat, when it sank its sharp teeth into his leg, to stay stuck there, unable to move, while it was its life energy that Ronan was sucking out. It didn''t quench his hunger, as those first years his parents seemed to want to kill him since many days they forgot to throw him his crust of dry bread, but it helped him to stay there. And there were more rats. After years of using that spell... of course he leveled it up. It may have even evolved because there came a point when he didn''t have to be in contact with the rats. In any case, it was shortly after surviving thanks to that rat when he first heard his invisible friend. What he thought he heard was a surprised whisper, something his friend was saying to himself, not quite understanding that it was a small child who had been able to reach him and get his attention. Later, that voice increased in decibels and praised him for his desire to stay alive. It also delighted in his suffering, anger and despair; but Ronan didn''t know that.


    Ronan had evolved a lot during those two months at the academy. For starters, he had postponed his plan to fill his parents'' house with undead in order to take care of his lady. It was a plan he had cherished during long periods when he didn''t know if it was day or night, when they would stare at him and comment on how it was possible that he hadn''t died yet. When they wondered if they should go in to try to cover that trickle of water dripping down a wall. When they scolded him for staring at them and ended up leaving him a bowl with some crust and a bit of meat that was supposed to last him for days.


    However, how was he going to take care of his angel if an insolent and conceited student like that Darius had almost killed him with a punch?


    He had to get some mastery that would increase his strength and constitution. So there he was, in the gym, training with a skeleton he had summoned.


    The truth is that the first day he did it, it caused a bit of a stir. There were other students using the gym and, upon seeing him, they ran scared to call a professor. The professor came, stared and waited for Ronan to order his skeleton to stand still. He asked him what he was doing.


    "Training to improve my body."


    "You could learn defensive spells."


    "Those spells will serve me better if I strengthen my body."


    The professor said nothing more, just nodded thoughtfully and left. Word spread that during mealtimes and in the afternoons, Ronan occupied one of the gym''s courts and no student tried to tell him there was a sign-up sheet to reserve it. No, not to Ronan, whose affinity for darkness was so intense that a dark aura could almost be seen surrounding him. Not to Ronan, who if you told him you had reserved that court, he might curse you or plot some evil against you. Undoubtedly, with that affinity, he was capable of the most merciless, mean-spirited and imaginative revenges.


    So the students fought over the other courts while leaving Ronan alone.


    And Ronan, at that moment, had sat on the floor, taken a sip of water and kept turning over in his mind the matter of his lady. Could it be... Could it be that she was testing him, to see if he knew that one of the passive properties of divine beasts was precisely to enliven the element of related dungeons?


    Maybe.


    He wasn''t going to draw conclusions without having more data.


    And training was very hard, because he had no idea how to fight hand-to-hand. The combat professor had flatly refused to give him private lessons or invite him to her select group on Wednesday afternoons. Even though he, when he had asked her, had told her that he needed to become stronger. Not the reason, but that it was of vital importance.


    Catrina had been very rude, she had all but kicked him out unceremoniously, saying that he neither had the stats for it nor the courage to fight hand-to-hand. If she said that because of the exam in the dungeon, that was unfair. He didn''t do more so as not to take the kills and experience that rightfully belonged to his lady. The thing is, faced with the professor''s blunt refusal, he had to leave and start training on his own.


    He was filled with rage remembering it. His joy at having left the basement, at mingling with other human beings, at seeing the Sun, the world and even butterflies flying through the gardens, had not dissipated. No one seemed to treat him well: the students avoided him, even she did. The birds and butterflies shunned him. But he was outdoors, he felt the warmth of midday, he could sit on a bench or on the grass. And look, if all the little animals shunned him, so did the insects. He was at peace. Besides, if he felt lonely, he could always summon one of the skeleton rats he had learned to play with as a child to not feel loneliness so acutely. The rage at the professor''s unfair treatment dissipated with the memory of the first time his tutor¡ªthe one his parents sometimes sent him, when they saw that he was still alive, to study¡ªsaw him talking to a skeleton rat. Ronan would give them names and treat them as if they understood him and had their own personality. The tutor rubbed his eyes twice, as if he couldn''t believe what he was seeing. He asked him where he had learned that spell, the boy told him that his invisible friend had taught it to him. The tutor left and didn''t return for days. When he did, he brought him a gift of a bunch of magic books and told him to never tell anyone about that friend.


    Yes, it was a good memory, one of the few happy ones he had. He stood up. He remembered that his angel had been waiting for him at the entrance to class and had taken his arm. His heart raced, even more so remembering that she had almost confessed to protect him. His lady cared about him. He mattered to his lady.


    "Continue," he ordered the creature with renewed energy.


    Immediately, it advanced towards Ronan, shield and sword ready.


    While he continued to take hits and tried in vain to strike the skeleton, Ronan recalled the scene with the headmaster and the crown''s representative. They had also called him in. First, a few days after the entrance exam, to recruit him. Ronan of course refused. He didn''t want to help his parents at all. Well, the idea of signing the agreement to break it and have their lands taken away tempted him; but he preferred to take revenge in a more direct way. Something like having the king do it wouldn''t satisfy his long years of cherishing ways to make them scream. The second time was recently, precisely to ask him if he had had anything to do with what happened during the practical exam. He answered that he would like to have that power. They made him put his hand on the stone slab again, to check if he had any spell or skill related to the darkness of dungeons.


    He didn''t have it.


    Reluctantly, they let him go, but not before cautioning that they''d be watching him closely. The crown''s representative, since he had turned down the job, looked at him with disdain.


    Ronan didn''t care. He was happy when his angel sought him out or approached him. He loved being free, feeling the warmth of the Sun, having a whole library of books at his disposal.


    He kept fighting with all his might. Surely he would soon feel healthier and stronger.


    Ronan Velbrun


    Race: human


    Age: 17 years


    Level: 2


    Constitution: 4-1


    Strength: 3


    Intelligence: 11


    Agility: 2


    Wisdom: 10


    Health points: 2


    Mana points: 10


    Magical affinities: darkness (high affinity).


    States:


    Bonuses: None.


    Weaknesses:


    Moderate malnutrition. -20% constitution points.

 Evil bears that give hardly any XP.

    Bianca helped the goblin reach the cave. They walked for quite a while making noise, but to the young woman''s disappointment, they didn''t attract any animals, neither wolves nor bears.


    The cave was a hole in the steep rocky mountainside. Unlike dungeon entrances, where approaching revealed nothing but total darkness, here one could make out the tunnel extending into the stone, partially illuminated by moonlight seeping inside.


    "Is this it? You don''t have anyone keeping watch?" I found it strange.


    Gump, as the goblin who had given me puppy dog eyes was called, shakes his head.


    "They''re on the other side of the passage, in the cavern."


    Since the entrance is narrow, we have to go single file. He goes first, using the tunnel walls for the physical support I''m no longer providing. I follow. After a few dozen meters, he stops and greets someone I can''t see. I do notice light in the gaps of the tunnel his body doesn''t block. I wait while he summarizes to his interlocutor what happened and moves aside, allowing me to enter the cave.


    It''s spacious. There are more than twenty goblins, many of them women and children, and they''re not crowded together. Two warriors frown at me as my eyes adjust to the torchlight illuminating everything.


    "She is my savior," Gump repeats.


    An older-looking goblin approaches us. He is wearing a sort of tunic made of skins and sporting a feathered headdress along with a wooden staff that seems magical.


    It''s the good thing about them all being in one room, there''s no need for anyone to go fetch the chief and spend time explaining what a human is doing in their settlement.


    "Human, greet the totem," one of the guards tells me.


    The chief has stopped in front of me. I don''t know the proper protocol for these cases. I incline my head.


    "My respects, leader of the goblins."


    The soldier who spoke to me furrows his brow more and seems about to say something, but a look from his chief stops him.


    "I thank you for saving our hunter, as well as accepting his request for aid."


    He speaks to me in the same common tongue as Gump and the guard. In the otome they didn''t complicate things. If you encountered an intelligent creature capable of speech in a dungeon, it spoke the same language used by the kingdoms. If the monsters had their own individuality and language, they didn''t use it with humans.


    "You are not many. Your exodus through the mountains must have been hard."


    The totem stares at me, as if gauging what his hunter may have told me. His eyes drift to my backpack.


    "It was. Even here we have to be careful, as there''s a giant bear''s lair not too far away."


    My face lights up hearing that. That''s where I want to go.


    "Could you help us bring the bodies of those wolves? We''re short on food."


    "Sure," I nod.


    "Gump, tell your brother how to get there. Galp, take seven warriors and head over."


    A few minutes later, I leave the cavern with Galp and his goblins. The way back is also quite peaceful. Galp advances in front and, as we approach the clearing, raises his arm to indicate we should stop. He gestures at me and I approach silently. From behind a tree, I observe how three bears are eating our wolves.


    Bear, level 1.


    I can''t see their stats, but they''re level 1. The beasts don''t seem too large, nothing like the giant bear I''ve wheedled information about from Galp as we walked.


    I indicate through signs that I want to talk; we carefully retreat to where the other goblins have stayed.


    "Can you handle two?" I whisper to him.


    "With one yes, with two we would suffer casualties."


    Hmm... I look at their levels. Galp is 4, one higher than his brother. The others are level 2 or 3. The only thing I can think of is for me to quickly finish off my bear so I can help them.


    "Let me think," I request.


    Fire channeling to my sword, definitely. I want to see if they give me the mastery after real combat. Since right now I only have one mana left, I''ll have to use the seed''s lick. It restores half of my maximum health and mana points. I''m at full health. The mana will stay at four. I''ll have two points left, of which I''d like to save at least one in case my life is in danger and I need the shadow wolf.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    Well, about the best strategy, I can''t think of much, attack them from behind all at once and hope that, since they''re eating, we can deal a surprise first hit that critically damages them. I tell the goblin and he nods. While he gives orders to his people, I take out my pup to give me his lick and thus recover half my mana. I notice they look at it with a mixture of reverence and fear, but neither ask nor say anything. We approach silently, circling the clearing a bit to better reach our targets unseen. Galp gives the signal by raising his sword and his goblins start running toward two of the bears, wielding their spears. I do the same. The bear whose rear end is in front of me is eating one of the wolves and doesn''t seem to realize something is happening until my sword sinks into what I trust are its kidneys in an attack movement I''ve been practicing for three days.


    I have to admit, I look much better than against the skeletons and, moreover, the channeling is simply brutal. It makes what should be a tough hide serving as armor for the creature become something I''m able to pierce through despite my low strength value. Plus, it also deals fire damage. The only downside I see is that it cauterizes the wound, so it won''t bleed out.


    My nostrils are flooded with the smell of burning fur and flesh and the bear lashes out while emitting a menacing growl.


    I leap back and dodge a swipe by a hair. I have no combat notification indicating how much damage I''ve done or if it was critical. I do see that its movements are slower than they should be and that its fur, near where I stabbed it with the sword, is burning in flames. If I concentrate, its life bar is also missing more than a third. Great. Now I just have to finish it off without it ripping my head off. I put into practice the movements the professor has tried to engrave in me. When I''m about to deflect its next claw with my sword, I sever it until hitting the bone, where it gets stuck. Nothing like the octopuses, which you can cut as if they were made of butter.


    The bear pulls its claw back and almost rips the sword from my hands. I manage to keep hold of it and take a step back. My enemy is furious, growling non-stop and standing upright on its two hind legs. It''s more than a head taller than me. Before I can realize it''s going to pounce on me, it''s already doing it. I raise my sword more by instinct than anything else, aiming at the creature throwing itself at me with the intention of knocking me to the ground with its own weight and sinking its sharp claws and teeth into my body. It''s an instant in which I don''t know if I shouldn''t pronounce the word that summons the shadow wolf. The moment passes and before I know it, I''m on the ground lying on my back, with the bear''s weight on me and quite unscathed. My sword has cleanly pierced its heart. The beast has fallen on me and is dead. I release the hilt of my sword and push the bear to get it off me. It''s hard. It''s heavy. I roll it face up, retrieve my weapon that''s still glowing with flames, and hasten to help the goblins.


    Of the two remaining bears, one has less than half its life left and is being harried by Galp and three of his warriors. The other, however, has its bar above 80% and one of the goblins is down on the ground, I don''t know if dead.


    The beast is so focused on them that it''s simple for me to get behind it and deal a good diagonal slash. I have to attack with all my strength, but I pierce skin and flesh and my weapon stops when hitting the spine. Already imagining this was going to happen, I reverse the movement to recover my weapon. More smell of burnt fur and flesh. The bear growls in pain and turns toward me, its back ablaze with flames. I retreat with a couple of leaps and the remaining three goblins poke it in the back with their spears. The creature''s life bar is now almost at half. I counterattack after the swipes I just dodged with my leaps and we continue like this a bit more, until the combined attack of the four of us easily finishes off the animal. I''m tired and the channeling has ended at some point during the fight. I look toward the remaining enemy. It seems Galp has it under control. One of the three spearmen, the least injured, is going to help him. Great. I approach the fallen goblin. He''s still alive albeit heavily wounded judging by the scant red fill of his life bar. I¡¯d love to spend a mana point to heal him, but I¡¯m still on cooldown. I hope they can help him in the cave.


    When the last bear is dead, Galp raises his sword triumphantly and emits a victory cry that his warriors echo. Curious, I observe them closely and see that some have leveled up; Galp hasn''t. I look at my own progress and it''s barely moved. Animals, at least for NPCs and otome game players, give them hardly any experience. The goblins seem to have better luck. As for the wolves, not much meat remains on their carcasses. These goblins are going to have to eat bear.


    Galp says that, to take them, they''ll have to make several trips. To start, they''re going to haul the wolf remains and one of the bears. A couple of them carry hatchets they use to cut thick branches from the trees and improvise stretchers with ropes. Four goblins, two on each side, carry the bear. Another loads his unconscious companion. The other two, the most injured, carry the remains of the wolves which mustn''t weigh much.


    I accompany them to their cave. They leave the prey outside¡ªthe bear doesn''t even come close to fitting through the passage¡ªthank me, and offer me the skins that several of their women are already skinning from the bloody remains of the wolves. Ugh, no thanks.


    They''re going to return for the rest of the bears but I say goodbye once in the clearing. I have exactly one mana left, which would allow me to summon the shadow wolf, but it''s already very late. I return to the human village. With so much coming and going through the forest, I don''t think it''s long before dawn. I''ve told them I''ll come back another day to continue helping them (and kill the giant bear), when I can.


    When I arrive at the gate in the palisade, the same two guards as before greet me. They see me stained with blood. It''s not mine, I think it''s Gump''s; but they don''t know that.


    "Are you okay?"


    "Yes, yes. This blood is from a wolf I killed."


    "Do you have the pelt? The village furrier will gladly buy it from you."


    The pelts... maybe I should have taken them when they offered. Or not, as they would have filled my backpack with blood.


    I bid them farewell and go to the stone circle to teleport to my room.


    I''m a bit disappointed that I wasn''t given sword mastery. I have to train more, I''ve only been at it for three days... I tell myself as consolation.


    Anyway, I''m off to the shower and then to bed. Thank goodness it''s Saturday and I don''t have to get up early.

 Villain vs Commoner. Oh no, I know whos going to win. Part 1.

    I slept so late that I missed breakfast. I have to run to make it to my two hours of free training in the barracks courtyard. In the short time I have until lunch, I stay thinking in my room. Judith isn''t here, but with how quiet she is, her presence wouldn''t bother me anyway. Well, getting to the point. The first thing, since I took a map of the Clearhaven area from the library, is to roughly locate where that cave is. Around there I don''t see any nearby threats except the village itself with its army detachment. I''ll have to warn the goblins not to get close and be careful not to run into a patrol in the forest. As much as I look at the map, I can''t think of any safe place where a goblin village could settle. In fact, that cavern they''re in is quite large. They could use it as a base for now and maybe expand it in the future. We just have to eliminate the nearby threat, that is, the giant bear and any others that may be around there. Honestly, now that I''ve seen the ridiculous amount of experience animals give, farming the bear is no longer a priority for me. Anyway, I''ll help them or go alone with the shadow wolf. Once we eliminate that threat, the goblins can start building some structures inside the huge cavern. I imagine they''ll need tools. I doubt they were able to flee with more than the basics. And that could be a problem because what is money, precisely I don''t have. I could go to the city, see if I can exchange those two low-quality swords for some tools. I''ll also have to hunt, wolves or bears, and accept the skins. Hmm... the bear ones won''t fit in my backpack and I don''t want to stain it with blood either. Better I wrap the skins inside the biggest one and take some ropes to tie them rolled up and secure them on my back.


    It''s decided. I''ll visit the city this very afternoon and then continue with my sword training. On Sunday I''ll return to the forest to hunt.


    I put away the map and head to lunch. When I arrive, many students are already eating the first course. I curiously observe that there''s a little group of girls around Sol''s table. She''s telling them something and they seem excited. I continue my way to the area where the waitresses serve you what you ask for on a tray and then, as Mary greets me and calls me over, I sit at her table.


    When the girl finds out that I want to go to the city this afternoon, she offers to accompany me.


    "I have to go exchange a ribbon I bought the other day but that doesn''t suit me," she tells me. "It''s perfect, let''s go together."


    Faced with her sincere enthusiasm, it would seem very rude to say no, so I agree.


    "Well, how are you doing with the ball preparations? Is your fianc¨¦ going to take you?" Vincent brings up the subject while resting his fork on his salad. He''s looking at me with interest.


    Ball?


    "Sorry, I''m afraid I''m a bit lost."


    "A girl who doesn''t care about balls because she spends all day training with the sword? Marry me!" Darius jokes.


    The prince and the other two boys look at him annoyed.


    "No, seriously," I clarify. "I didn''t know there was a dance."


    Mary hastens to bring me up to speed.


    "It''s in seventeen days. It''s held right here, at the academy. It''s the end-of-term ball."


    I''m going to ask but then I remember. In the otome I''ve gotten to play the events of this ball. And yes, there''s one every term. The end-of-year one is the most elegant. And I, so focused on learning and leveling up, didn''t even remember the biggest social event of the term... Oh. It''s one thing to skip tea parties where intrigues are cooked up in the female faction, but quite another not to attend the dance.


    I hope I have a suitable dress among those my maid packed for me and I have in the room''s closet. Ignored, actually, because I only wear the uniform.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    "You''re right, how silly of me, Darius might be right after all with that about me thinking about training all day." I wink at him.


    "Hey!" the aforementioned snaps. "As if that were a bad thing. Besides, if you intend to get close to my sword mastery, you''re going to work much harder, Miss Weakling."


    I throw a bread crumb at him. I like him. He''s totally predictable and sees me as a mix of a colleague and a sister. Not like the three romantic interests I have in front of me, who are looking at me and I''m unable to decipher their expressions.


    For example, when the prince asked me if I was going with my fianc¨¦, did he do it out of politeness or to find out if I''m free?


    Sure, Mary is doing well with the romantic route, but Judith isn''t interacting much with them and neither is Karina. Lily does seem to flirt with Alistair and Theodore, without deciding on one yet. Sol, for her part, is seething seeing that any approach she wants to make with Vincent is thwarted because he spends almost all his time with Mary. Not as a couple. The three of them seem to like her and have welcomed her into their select group of friends.


    "Well, the truth is that Marco hasn''t said anything to me. I imagine I''ll receive a letter from him about it."


    Theodore stares at me thoughtfully with his deep green eyes and says, getting ahead of his friends:


    "If you don''t have anyone to go with, let me know. I''m not going to let you attend a ball alone. You either, Mary. If they don''t ask you soon, just tell me."


    The prince looks at him with a furrowed brow.


    In the otome, if you chose Mary as the protagonist, the three boys asked you to the dance as soon as you advanced a little in their romantic routes. I imagine the three of them (I say three because Darius wasn''t one of the eligible boys and, honestly, he doesn''t seem very interested) must be thinking of going with her. Since Vincent is the prince, Theodore and Alistair must be waiting for him to decide.


    "Thanks," Mary blushes.


    Okay, I have to answer him too.


    "Thank you very much," I smile at him.


    The truth is that, even if I''m not interested in starting a romantic relationship, Theodore is a sweetheart of a guy.


    Lunch ends and time passes slowly. Nothing more relevant happens until Mary and I arrive in the city. First, we go to the blacksmith shop. I manage to exchange the swords for an ax, a pick, and a hammer. All three of low quality. Then, one of the events of the otome takes place on the most central and commercial street, in front of a store selling ribbons, hats, and other feminine accessories. This is a key event in Alistair''s romantic route if you choose Mary as the protagonist.


    "Well, if it isn''t the commoner," Sol announces to the four winds in the middle of the street, thus stopping Mary who was about to open the store door. "I pity you," she says, though from her expression it''s more like disgust, "with your light magic you think you''re special, so special as to compare yourself to the prince and believe yourself his equal."


    Caroline and Ashe follow closely, supporting her with their presence.


    "And now you''re going to enter a store that only the nobility frequents. Where did you get the money? Did they give it to you because you go around playing the victim of an oppressive system?"


    She''s right about the store. This is one of the richest streets in the city, frequented mainly by the nobility. There are some passersby from the upper bourgeoisie and, judging by how they stop to listen to Sol and by the hatred in their gaze as they look at Mary, it''s as if they believe she''s guilty of throwing overboard all their efforts to thrive economically and be respected by high society.


    I remember this. It ends badly.


    The nobles walking down the street certainly aren''t going to defend Mary. The bourgeois who have already stopped will join the public humiliation and even throw some object at the girl, as if stoning her. Because they see her as a social climber, the commoner princess who is protected for being beautiful and gifted in light magic, the girl who is given what they have to earn through hard work in their jobs and businesses.


    Sol, enjoying the attention, approaches and takes the ribbon from Mary''s hands.


    "Where did you get the money? Who have you fooled with your sweet words?"


    So far, it''s like in the otome. It''s going to get bad before Theodore arrives to save her. What I should do is wait, let Caroline and Ashe join in the insults and let the passers-by rebuke her. That way, when he finally appears and rescues her, the green-eyed water mage will establish a bond with her, one that will allow them to get to know each other better. But honestly, I can''t stand this shit. I don''t like watching them harass her; even less so when it''s Mary whose affinity attests that she''s not fake, that everything she does and says is from the heart.


    "Give it back to her," the word comes out firm from my lips.


    I take a step and place myself between Mary and the villain.

 Villain vs Commoner. Part 2. Marco.

    "What are you doing, Bianca? Are you going to defend this fake who only wants to seduce the prince?" Sol says to me disdainfully.


    I hear Mary''s horrified gasp behind me. I don''t need to turn around to know that she has shrunk from such a cruel and terrible accusation to her honor.


    Although of course, in Sol''s view and in the opinion of this body''s original Bianca, commoners have no honor.


    "She''s neither fake nor trying to sweet-talk anyone. The only one I see here with designs on Vincent is you."


    "Of course, because I''m the daughter of the Duke of Vassilea."


    "Give me the ribbon and go away."


    "You can''t speak to Sol like that," Caroline intervenes. "Besides, you''re choosing the wrong side, you should be with us."


    I ignore her. That she wouldn''t have left me by the wayside when I failed the theory exam.


    "Sol..."


    Because yes, I can talk to her like that. What does she want? For me to address her as "Your Illustriousness"? Right now I''m not before a duke''s daughter but before a bully.


    My hand is outstretched. The villain angrily clutches the ornament, wrinkling its delicate fabric and risking breaking the beads that decorate it.


    "Don''t you dare speak to me like that. Your position and your power are inferior to mine."


    Seriously? I curve my lips into a smile. She has no idea. I could destroy her parents'' entire castle if I set my mind to it. I just have to awaken the wolf. The idea almost seems appealing to me. I realize that''s not right and stop entertaining it.


    I also gave up the other idea, of unsheathing the dagger I carry under my uniform miniskirt and teaching her a lesson. (I don''t bring my sword when going shopping, but I never take off the dagger. I feel safer with a weapon at hand).


    "My position may be. For now," I qualify, letting a certain pleasure slide honeyed through my words. I want her to think I''m after a rise in social status. "My power far exceeds yours. What level did you say you were?"


    "You only have earth magic."


    "And none other than Catrina is training me with the sword in her select group."


    "You''re not going to participate in the games. I will, just as my sister participated for my house when she studied at the academy. My team will be the one selected."


    "Really? I rather see there a team formed by the prince, his three friends, and Mary."


    "And you?" she wonders. Then she opens her eyes wide. "Oh, that''s why you''re getting close to the weirdo of darkness."


    I burst out laughing. Me getting close to Ronan? But if the boy hasn''t left me alone since he read my chart¡­


    With a quick movement I capture her wrist between my fingers.


    "Give it to me."


    I don''t squeeze. I don''t know if I''m stronger than her either. We stay for a few moments, which feel eternal to me, looking into each other''s eyes, challenging each other. She is the gorgeous and ruthless villain. I was supposed to be her lapdog.


    "Are you okay? Is something wrong?"


    Theodore has just arrived. He was walking down the street and, seeing the crowd of people, approached. Mary is hunched behind me; I''m holding Sol''s hand and trying to get her to let go of a ribbon she grips in her fist... Yes, it was definitely a worrying sight. Let''s let the knight in shining armor finish fixing the situation.


    "Sol took Mary''s ribbon from her. She refuses to give it back," I inform him before the aforementioned can share her side of the story.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    "Sol Vassilea. I didn''t expect that from you," he rebukes her, disappointment painted in the green of his irises.


    "It''s just a silly girl argument. Keep it."


    She opens her hand and the ribbon begins to fall. Alert, I release her wrist to catch it, but Theodore is faster. He snatches it in mid-air, smooths out the wrinkles with his fingers, and hands it to Mary.


    "Tha... thanks," she takes it, blushing at the gentlemanly gesture with which he just offered it to her.


    "My pleasure."


    And while the two of them look at each other, I raise an eyebrow and smile at Sol with irony.


    "What? Making friends the prince''s inner circle?"


    In response, she snorts. Yes, the perfect villain snorts in public. She must be very angry.


    "This isn''t over, Bianca, you just ruined your social life," she whispers so low that Theodore, who is focused on Mary, doesn''t hear it. "I''ll make sure your family follows."


    Threats, threats, threats. Please, she''s not even the duke''s eldest daughter. I''m not worried. No court intrigue can match the privileges given to whoever wins the tournament, and with my five elements, I don''t intend to lose. Besides, as long as I have that contract signed with the crown, my family is untouchable. They''re interested in having me work for them.


    Sol and her two followers leave, the crowd disperses.


    "I won''t be able to exchange it now," Mary laments, referring to the damaged ribbon.


    "Don''t worry, let me buy you the one you want," Theodore offers.


    Discreetly, I step aside. Let them continue on their romantic route. The pup pokes his head out of the pocket and I stroke him absentmindedly. I''m supposed to have an affinity for light, so why did I enjoy confronting Sol so much?


    <hr>


    Marco.


    Marco was riding through his family''s lands, overseeing the crops. In the distance, on a hill, could be seen the stately manor where they lived.


    It was a sunny morning. He directed his horse through the fields towards the path that led to the hill, to refresh himself at the well. Seeing that someone was already walking there, he slowed his mount and matched their pace. It was two women, one taller than the other. Even from behind, he recognized his little neighbor. He smiled and greeted them.


    "Good day, Genevieve and Tilda. What brings you here?"


    The two women turned and stepped aside. Marco brought his horse to a complete stop.


    "Hello, Marco," answered the younger one, the daughter of the neighboring baron. "I''ve come to bring you the invitation to my birthday party."


    Marco was about to ask her if it was fourteen because, frankly, he didn''t remember. Tilda, the maid, saved him.


    "You don''t turn fifteen every day. The lords would like you to attend, along with your parents."


    "I''m sure my mother will be delighted. But there was no need for you to come in person to deliver it, Genevieve."


    "Oh, but I wanted to, so I could see you," she replies and suddenly turns red, as if the last part was something that had slipped out.


    Marco looks at her from atop the horse. Fifteen years old, his little neighbor had indeed grown. They were five years apart and, as he had known her since she was a baby, she had been a playmate to take care of in his childhood.


    "Mother is at home, give her the invitation," he tells them.


    "Will you come? I know it''s just two days after the ball at your fianc¨¦e''s academy, which may be a bit rushed for you, but I''d love for you to do it."


    "Ball?" he muttered more to himself than to his friend.


    Because he had forgotten. He was so busy overseeing and improving the productivity of the barony that it had completely slipped his mind that his fianc¨¦e would be expecting him to invite her to go as his partner.


    Bianca...


    If he had broken off the engagement that day, now he wouldn''t have to attend a ball for which he had no time. However, he wanted to go. The change in his fianc¨¦e had made him very curious.


    "Yes, the ball," Genevieve was saying. "By the way, not that I want to be the bearer of bad news but..." she hesitates. "Have you heard the rumors?"


    "What rumors?"


    "They say that a boy, a prodigy student of dark magic, has proposed to her. That he knelt before her in front of everyone."


    "And what did she do?"


    "She pulled her hand away when he wanted to take it."


    Marco felt strange. To begin with, he hadn''t liked hearing that someone was courting his fianc¨¦e. Not that he was going to challenge him to a duel, but he felt like it. To continue, he was on edge until his friend clarified that Bianca rejected him, and then he felt relief and satisfaction. That was odd. Their future marriage was an arranged one. It made no sense to feel those emotions.


    Then he remembered Bianca coming out of the dungeon, so self-assured and, despite the dirt, so radiant and beautiful. (Not that she hadn''t been before, only that her lack of personality had made her features bland).


    His heart raced at the memory. It seemed that the girl had impressed him more than he thought.


    Maybe he had a problem. Or not. He saw nothing wrong with liking the little he had seen of that change in his fianc¨¦e.


    "So, will you come to my party?" the young neighbor was saying as she looked at him hopefully.


    "Of course, I wouldn''t miss it for the world," he reached out and ruffled her hair, as he used to do.


    She frowned, as if she no longer liked such a familiar gesture.


    Marco withdrew his hand.


    "Well, I''ll leave you. Thank you very much for the invitation and the visit."


    He spurred the horse and rode away, slowly at first and then faster and faster. He didn''t hear his friend''s sigh, nor how the maid assured her that she didn''t understand it either, that from the way Marco used to talk about his fianc¨¦e, she also believed that by now they would have broken up.

 Hunting isnt as easy as I thought.

    Sunday morning. Time to hunt. I throw the three tools in my backpack, which stick out and don''t let me close it properly. As there''s no training of any kind today, I have my six mana points intact.


    In the forest, as far as I know, there are wolves, rabbits, foxes, wild boars, deer, and elk. In addition to various birds. On the map, I''ve seen a stream that crosses it and I''ve memorized where it was. When I manage to find it, I crouch down and see some deer drinking. I don''t have nor know how to use a bow, but I hope the minor fire arrow will work wonders. I choose one of the adult deer and cast the spell. From my outstretched fingers, the fiery arrow shoots out and quickly covers the space separating it from the animal''s side. I could have aimed at its head, but it seemed more likely to miss. After all, the arrow isn''t directed at the target. As the deer keeps drinking, unaware, the magic projectile hits it squarely. I see how the level 2 deer''s life bar drops only 20%. If I''ve taken away the base of one health point, it must have 5. The deer reacts, writhes, and bellows. Its companions raise their heads from the water. They''re going to flee. My mistake, I thought a couple of fire arrows would kill it. I spend two mana points and begin to create a wall of compacted earth that surrounds most of the animals. Only a couple manage to jump over that terrain that is rising before their frightened eyes. In a few seconds, I have the rest locked in.


    Good for my earth element professor. Those two months practicing the earth control spell, leveling it up, gave me an understanding of how to make the earth obey my will. That''s why I was able to learn the wall spell and I can cast it in different ways. In this case, a kind of circular fence that reaches just below their heads, and not too thick to try to enclose them all.


    I hope they don''t start ramming it or hitting it with their hooves. Well, a couple do. The wall holds for now. I don''t approach. I arm myself with patience and wait. The deer end up calming down, going from fear to a kind of return to normalcy. A "nothing''s happening here, let''s keep drinking."


    Now I could approach with my sword and see how many I kill. The only danger would be getting gored or having them break the wall. That''s why I prefer ranged attacks; however, I''ve been too optimistic and I''m not prepared for it. How useful a bow would be right now, if I knew how to use it, of course. I have the stone bullet spell at a low level, it also only does one point of damage. If I had more strength, I could attack them simply by throwing stones. I sigh. With my means, I calculate that I can kill one, two if I''m lucky, before they escape. Because I know that if I attack them, they''ll panic again and try to break the wall. I sigh again, this time resigned. I need help. I''m going for the goblins.


    Just over an hour later¡ªthe stream is much closer to their cave than to the human village¡ªI return with company. The deer are still inside. Thank goodness, I was afraid some wolf or other predator had feasted. Galp has told me they have darts poisoned with narcotics. They can use them for hunting, since first it''s only a narcotic and, second, they drain the blood from the prey. Well, and third, they''re goblins: they surely have much more resistance to poisons than I do. So the goblins surround them with all the stealth they can muster, shoot the deer in the head, and when they fall asleep, I say:


    "Don''t touch the young, let them grow. The females either."This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    "Don''t worry, we''re going to settle in the area, we''re not interested in the game running out."


    I nod, more at ease, and spend two mana to undo the wall, returning the earth to the ground. Next, we slit their throats. Me too, with my dagger. They''ll give a ridiculously low amount of experience but something is better than nothing.


    As for the wall, I preferred to spend the mana instead of taking the pickaxe out of my backpack and knocking down a part to give us access. The reason is simple: I don''t feel good leaving that enclosure on the bank of a stream, also taking part of the running water area, which I had stagnated. That forest is wild and beautiful in its natural state. It doesn''t need human constructions. Besides, it''s four adult deer that the goblins take to the cave. Between this and Friday night, they have food for many days. I''m not going to hunt anymore for now, so it''s okay that I''ve been left with one mana point.


    "I brought you this," I tell the totem once in the cavern and take out the three tools. "I know it''s not much, but the ax is bigger than your hatchets. You have to cut down trees and build some furniture or structure that makes life easier for you in here. Maybe even try to enlarge the cave. This time I do want the skins; I''m going to sell them and use that money to bring you nails or whatever you ask for."


    The chief thanks me and tells me that, before I leave, he''ll give me a list of what they would need most urgently. I, in my initial enthusiasm, wanted to go exploring, investigating where the giant bear lives and what level it is. However, after my fire arrow did so little to the deer, there''s no way I''m going alone to the lair of a beast that has to be much more dangerous than the one I killed the other night. And only because I caught it by surprise and managed to inflict critical damage. On Earth, if I died I would respawn and that''s it. In some games there was very little penalty in experience for death and, either you didn''t lose the items in your backpack when you died, or you had time to go back for them. I admit it, that sometimes made me play a little crazy. I can''t do that here. If I die, it''s possible that it''s final. The idea that if I die I return to my body at home, as if waking from a dream, is more a hope than a theory.


    I stay chatting with Gump, who is already much better but still in bed, until the women have finished skinning the deer. They help me roll up the skins and tie them with the ropes I carry, a knot at each of the two ends. I secure it to my back and return to the barracks. When I''m alone in the forest, the pup jumps from my pocket to the ground and starts scampering about.


    "Do you want to walk?" I ask him, amused to see how funny he is. "Your legs are very short, you''re not going to keep up with me."


    The little wolf barks and begins to glow with a dark light. Before my eyes, he grows in size until his head reaches my knees.


    "So you have grown... I was wondering where you put everything you eat."


    He barks happily in response.


    He walks beside me as I walk, and when we approach the village, he shrinks back down and climbs onto my boot for me to lift him into the pocket.


    Maybe I should tell him to keep the size. That way he could pass for a rat-catching dog, but the truth is that it''s very convenient to carry him hidden in my pocket. So far, only Lily has asked me why the puppy isn''t growing and I''ve made up something about it being a rare dwarf breed from another country. I don''t know if she bought it, maybe she did because she''s even more naive than me.


    When I greet the guards, the one from the other day is there and I ask him about the furrier. He indicates the way to her cabin. The furrier, a woman of about forty with gray in her brown hair, offers me 4 silver coins and fifteen copper for the four skins. The exchange is fifty copper for one silver. I don''t know if it''s a fair price, but since it''s very convenient for me to sell them to her instead of taking them to the city, I accept. For next time, I''ll investigate to see if I can get a better price.

 A Noble Cause?

    Okay, Sunday afternoon. Time to think about who to ask for help. Darius is a possibility, as he''s strong and sure to be up for it. However, if he finds out that Catrina has taken me to a special place in a remote village to train... oof. I don''t think he''d take it very well since he, who far surpasses me in sword combat, hasn''t been offered the same. He''s going to be miffed and maybe even angry because, as he doesn''t know about my other elements, he won''t be able to understand the reason. That''s not counting that he''ll go straight to the professor to demand that they also allow him to train and he won''t understand when they deny him permission.


    A pity. Darius, whether alone or with the prince and the other two boys and Mary, would have been a great help. What if I ask Mary? I don''t attend light magic classes, but everyone says she''s very good, plus in the otome it didn''t take her too many months to raise her healing spells to a high level. The more I think about it, the more I like the idea.


    But no... It can''t be. Even if she wants to keep the secret for me, they''ll easily coax it out of her. She has no malice, she''d have a hard time if they asked her directly because I can''t imagine her lying.


    I rule out the guard soldiers too, as they can''t discover there are goblins in the woods or they''d exterminate them.


    Well, I don''t have many options left... The pup barks inside the pocket of my jacket.


    "Yes, I know," I whisper to him as if he understands me, which isn''t true. "It has to be Ronan."


    And I really don''t want to. It''s going to end up seeming like I''m the one harassing him. Let''s be clear, the boy has finally left me alone. Maybe that''s all he wanted, to swear loyalty to me. Who knows, maybe having such a high dark affinity was something he felt he had to do, like an urge that wouldn''t leave him alone until he achieved it. And now I, in bully mode, am going to ask him to help me and since he''s my servant... well, he won''t be able to say no.


    Seriously, I feel bad, poor guy!


    I have to make it very clear to him that it''s not an order, that it''s okay if he tells me no.


    "Woof."


    "You keep quiet, cutie, or I''m going to start thinking you''re in tune with my emotions."


    Talking to Ronan is easier said than done. I look for him in the gardens, the hallways, and the library. Nothing. With no more idea of where he might be, I even knock on the door of his room. His roommate opens it, another first-year boy with an affinity for darkness, albeit average.


    I know this because I heard some students comment on it. It seems that the professors had a hard time finding Ronan a roommate, because everyone they sent ended up asking for a change. Some even begged, they were so desperate. I imagine there''s a lot of exaggeration in the latter.


    "Hello," he greets me through the half-open door, letting me see only his head and part of his body.


    "Hello, is Ronan here?"


    "Who''s looking for him?"


    His expression changes, he looks at me with a malicious interest, as if he could take advantage of that information, which I don''t like at all.


    "Is he here or not?" I repeat, annoyed.


    "Tell me who you are and I''ll tell you where he is."


    "Bianca L''Crom."


    He smiles at me as if he just won a prize. I shudder.


    Do I really react like this to a boy with an average affinity for darkness? And why then am I not running away disgusted from Ronan?


    "The one from the marriage proposal... He''s in the gym."


    I give him a dry thanks, pivot on my heels, and get out of there. What bad vibes his roommate gives me... He seems like a creep ready to take advantage of anything he can. I shake my head as if that''s going to get rid of the feeling and stride to the gym. There, on one of the courts, is the boy fighting a skeleton hand-to-hand.


    And to say fighting is an understatement, because all he''s doing is taking hits.


    If he''s trying to raise his constitution, I''d say he''s a bit of a masochist by the choice of method.


    "Ronan, what are you doing?" I say worriedly.


    Too abrupt, too much shouting.


    The entire gym goes silent and Ronan, bewildered, takes a hit from the skeleton on a shoulder that must have hurt for sure.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    "Stop," he tells the creature.


    Then, while dropping the sword to massage his shoulder, he walks towards me.


    "My lady, to what do I owe the honor of your visit?"


    Damn, here we go again. And this place is full of students from the other courts, who are watching most attentively.


    "I''d like to talk to you. But not here, somewhere quieter."


    I almost say "discreet". Thank goodness I rectified in time or all those people would be thinking I want to hook up with him or something. If they don''t already think so...


    "Of course, my lady."


    I look at his life bar. He''s missing a third.


    "Wait a minute."


    I approach, place my hand on his shoulder. I don''t know if the life he''s missing is from that hit or from another one he may have taken previously. It doesn''t matter, if I touch him and apply my healing spell, it will go to the corresponding area.


    "Minor healing," I say.


    A faint white light comes out of my palm and penetrates his skin through his clothes. The life bar fills up completely. He must have 3 HP in total. Oh my gosh... he''s very fragile, I''m not sure if it''s such a good idea to ask for his help, I don''t want him to die on me...


    He thanks me and I take him out of there. The respectful way he addresses me... he doesn''t do it with others. Since the other day, I''m sure we''re the gossip of the week. I don''t want to fuel it any more.


    I tell him to follow me and I take him to a secluded area of the gardens, hopefully safe from curious ears. Too bad I don''t have any magic that prevents eavesdropping.


    "Do you have any spell that can prevent this conversation from reaching prying ears?" I ask him.


    "No, my lady. The silence barrier is from the air school."


    Well, it doesn''t hurt to ask. I don''t know the spells each school has, who knows if there''s one in the darkness school.


    "Alright, let''s get to the point," I lower my voice to a whisper, so soft that he has to bring his head closer to hear me. "I need you to keep secret what I''m about to tell you."


    "Of course, my l-"


    "And you don''t have to accept my request," I cut him off. "I''d like you to help me but I''m asking you as a friend, not as a lady. Is that clear?"


    "Your wishes are my commands, whether you are my lady or I have the great honor of being able to call you my friend."


    I give him a bad look. Can''t he speak any other way?


    "My wishes are not your commands. But it is true that I need help." I get serious. He''s listening to me attentively. "Let''s say I''m receiving special treatment from the academy for those other elements I have. Let''s say I go to a remote village to train and while looking for something to hunt in the forest I came across a goblin. Let''s say..." I pause. Here comes the hard part, I hope I haven''t misjudged him. "Let''s say I felt sorry for it and saved it and then it asked me to help its people and took me to its village." So far, he hasn''t been scandalized, he hasn''t moralized against me, nor has he backed away to denounce me. I relax a little. "I want to help them. They''re the remnants of a people that had to flee from the neighboring kingdom and there are very few left, among which there are many women and children. They''re in a cave, in the territory of a large bear. I''ve told them I''ll help them defeat it. Moreover, I was going to go alone before to do a reconnaissance of the terrain and locate its lair bu-"


    "My lady, you can''t do that," he interrupts me somewhat agitated. "Do you know how dangerous one of those bears is? Okay, the divine beast protects you, but it can only do it once and that creature is easily surrounded by other bears."


    "That''s why I didn''t go. Don''t worry, I have no desire to take risks. That''s why I''m asking for your help."


    Ronan remains thoughtful for a while before answering me. I can''t stop thinking about how he knows that the shadow wolf, due to its cooldown time, only protects me once; maybe this is something that is part of the properties of a divine beast.


    And by the way, I don''t know anything about Ronan from the otome. There was no one at the academy with his affinity for darkness. A student like that would have stood out. So, either he didn''t take the exam or he didn''t pass it. In the second case, it only occurs to me that he would have failed it on purpose.


    "My lady, I think I understand what you intend. You have my full support for such a noble cause."


    I don''t know what he''s talking about. I don''t think killing a bear or helping some goblins survive is noble.


    "Thank you."


    "Could I ask how do you get to that remote village?"


    "I have some teleportation stones in my room."


    "I understand it''s not a military village, that there are citizens."


    "Yes. Also a military barracks."


    "Is the teleportation platform in the barracks?"


    "No, in the square."


    "Good, then I can go with you. Travelers come and go freely to a civilian village; it does not have the control and security of a military fort. Take me to the goblin cave, my lady. Allow us to gather some of their warriors and see if we can provoke the bear, luring it to the human barracks. Let the soldiers handle the task."


    "No way!" I give him a bad look. "I''m not going to risk the lives of the people in the village."


    "Does it not have defenses?"


    "A palisade and the soldiers. But I refuse, I wouldn''t forgive myself if something happened to someone."


    Okay, if I don''t involve them there may be goblin casualties, but the goblins are already in the problem. The humans in the village are not.


    Ronan stares at me disappointed, as if I had just taken away a toy.


    "Very well, we shall devise a trap. We can depart at your earliest convenience, even immediately if you so desire. My plan is to speak with the goblins and have them begin excavating."


    He details me his idea. A friend did something similar in survival games to finish off the biggest and strongest enemies. Why didn''t I think of that?


    Along with the enthusiasm of having a plan, I feel something else inside me. A warmth that tells me I''m no longer alone in this mission to help some monsters. Because if the goblins were really that, monsters, they wouldn''t care about their women and children as they do and they would try to use me and then kill me and make me a roast. I know it''s not like that, because I''ve talked to them and I''ve seen their emotions reflected on their faces. I don''t know what magic their totem will have, but in the game, goblins usually had an affinity for earth and water. You know, what amounts to nature. Honestly, Ronan and I, with his dark affinity and my contract with the seed, are scarier than some poor goblins.


    Damien.


    Bianca and Ronan separate. They don''t suspect that someone has been following her. Someone who went to the gym a few minutes after her and who, without being seen, stalked them from a distance to the gardens. The boy with average affinity for darkness couldn''t hear what they were saying, except for a "no way" from Bianca. He could see that they were talking very close together.


    He smiled wickedly. He had just come up with a new idea that improved his plan.

 Boar hunting, anyone?

    That same afternoon we go to talk to the goblins.


    First, I enter my room alone to make sure Judith isn''t there. I previously told her not to touch any teleportation stones she might find on the floor, explaining that they''re for training with Professor Catrina. Honestly, Judith is the perfect roommate: quiet, spends most of her time studying in the library, and never questions me about anything. She simply nodded, agreed, and mentioned the professor had already cautioned her about the stones.


    (If she moved them by accident, it''s not like I couldn''t return. I''d simply have to go talk to the guard captain.)


    Once I confirm the room is empty, I call Ronan. For a moment, I''m puzzled to see him acting stranger than usual, as if he were uncomfortable or self-conscious. Then I realize that, supposedly, I''m a young woman who has just entered the age of majority and has invited a boy to her room. Oh. Who knows what they might think of my behavior in this society. Very embarrassed, I grab the bag of stones and say to him:


    "Don''t you dare think anything weird. This is where I make the circle so that someone doesn''t break it if they find it, for example, if I place it in a corner of the gardens."


    And he should be thankful that my closet is narrow, otherwise the portal would be in there.


    When I speak to him, my voice sounds drier than I intend, and he, strangely, doesn''t even answer me. Moreover, I''d swear those still pale cheeks are turning red.


    I audibly snort and place the stones on the floor. I stay in the center and extend my hand to him, as the professor did with me. Once we''re both inside, I activate the spell with the magic words. Upon appearing in the square, the furrier is walking by and greets me. I return the greeting. When we reach the gate in the palisade, the guards ask me about my companion. I tell them he''s a friend. They let me pass without questioning anything. Advantages of this being a village of civilians, where passage isn''t restricted. And if at some point the issue comes up with one of their superiors and reaches Catrina''s ears, well, I''ll explain to her what I want Ronan for.


    I guide him to the cave. The boy keeps looking everywhere, as if he''d never been in a forest. Okay, he told me his parents have kept him locked up, so I better not ask. Once we reach our destination, I introduce him to the totem. Ronan is interested in knowing if he can enhance the goblin warriors with his magic and how many warriors they have. The answers are yes and thirteen operational warriors plus two injured. Ronan remains thoughtful for a few minutes, as if refining his plan. Afterwards, he asks the totem to gather all the goblins and shares his plan with them. The goblins are going to spend days digging. I myself have as a priority to bring them shovels tomorrow. The fight for the territory against the most dangerous beasts of the forest will take place on Saturday morning. As I listen to the details of Ronan''s plan, I''m glad to have him. In the clearing we fought against the smaller bears¡ªwhich were already a head taller than me when standing on their hind legs¡ªand here the small ones will be our least concern. We only have thirteen goblin warriors, and last time, those of lower level couldn''t handle one even between four of them. The only thing that seems strange to me is that Ronan doesn''t count more on the shadow wolf, which alone is capable of taking out all the bears if we manage to gather them so it can do it within the time limit. I imagine it''s because he doesn''t want to risk any bear escaping and causing casualties.


    "There is still time before dinner, my lady. I saw some wild boars earlier. Would you like us to look for them to train?" Ronan says to me on our way back.


    Wild boars? Yes, now that I think about it, I saw them too, scurrying in the distance between the trees just like I spotted rabbits and some deer. And the wild boar, unlike the other two animals, if I attack it will have the decency to try to bite me, it won''t flee as if its life depended on it.


    "The truth is I haven''t faced any. They''ll be more resistant than wolves and less than bears. One wouldn''t be a bad idea but, don''t they go in herds?"


    "That could be a problem. I can use my exhaust, which is an area spell. I would like to fight against a real enemy instead of against a summoned skeleton."


    I stop dead in my tracks. He does the same so as not to leave me behind.


    "You want to go melee against a wild boar when what I saw of your battle with your skeleton is that it was beating you by far?" With my arms akimbo, I sound more annoyed and aggressive than I intend.


    "Yes, my lady. I really want the sword mastery to increase my strength. If I fight against creatures that are mine, it is harder to achieve. The probabilities are higher in a real fight."A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Yes, Catrina has told me the same thing in the only Wednesday class I''ve attended so far. That''s why I wanted to go hunting. I''ve spent quite a few hours training sword movements, although something tells me not as many as Ronan.


    "Okay. If things get ugly, we always have the pup."


    Ronan guides me to where he remembers seeing the wild boars. We wander around a bit. Either they''ve moved or it''s noticeable that the boy doesn''t orient himself very well. In the end, we see a couple that are poking their snouts into the leaf litter.


    Ronan gives me an affirmative nod and begins to cast his exhaust. Once the dark magic reaches them, we go for them. I hear more grunts and one more appears. It must have been nearby and within the spell''s area, as it''s also weakened. It''s probably the exhaust that caused its aggro. All three go for Ronan, charging to attack at reduced speed. I activate the fire channeling in my sword, imagining that, although their skin won''t be as thick as the bears'', it''s very possible that without the channeling I don''t have enough strength to penetrate it. I position myself a little to the right and a couple of meters in front of my companion. That way, I can deal blows to two of the wild boars going for the wizard. The sword sinks in and slashes the flesh. By how much the life bar of one of them drops, twice as much as the other, I''ve managed a critical hit. Both animals abruptly change their trajectory and come for me. I activate another channeling, of stone this time, on my arms, chest, and belly. With my basic mastery of the spell, it''s not enough for more. It will suffice. I don''t look at Ronan because I can''t, I have to focus on not losing sight of my two enemies. Honestly, I''m afraid of hearing him scream in pain at any moment. The wild boars pounce on me trying to bite me. Thanks to the brutal reduction in speed from the exhaust, as well as that agility that I raised obligatorily, I dodge them without problems and counterattack with a slash at the one that is more wounded. I repeat this pattern a couple of times until one of them, the one I''m not hitting, manages to bite my arm. I brace myself expecting to receive a sharp pain but I don''t feel anything. Between the earth channeling and the damage reduction from the exhaust, it hasn''t hurt me. I hit it on the head with the pommel of my sword, to make it release my left arm. It does. I throw a slash at it that it easily dodges since it was already jumping back before I started the movement. I turn to its companion, fallen on the ground almost without HP, and finish it off. I have one wild boar left, which is practically at full health; but it''s only one. I focus on ending it quickly, before the channeling time ends. I glance at Ronan. Not only is he unharmed but he''s doing great: it''s the wild boar that''s bleeding. Hmm... I don''t know if he hasn''t used some other magic... He finishes his off a little before I do mine. Smiling, he approaches me. A pop-up window has opened, for now I ignore it.


    "I think I got it; I have the mastery. I feel stronger and wielding the sword feels more natural."


    It''s curious to see this boy smile. He doesn''t seem so ugly. I extend my hand to bump fists, before realizing that perhaps they don''t know that gesture in this world. That''s not the case. His palm hits mine.


    "And you?"


    I read the system notification to see if I''ve been lucky.


    Congratulations. Your level of channeling with the fire element has leveled up. The channeling with the fire element goes from minor to low.


    I touch it to see if I can get more information. Minor is for basic spells, medium for intermediate ones. The next range is major, for advanced spells.


    The channeling with the fire element costs two mana points and lasts 3 minutes.


    Well, no, I still don''t have the sword mastery; however, what they''ve given me is not bad at all, really not bad at all.


    "I don''t have it yet, but I must be close."


    "What do we do with the wild boars?"


    I smile.


    "Do you have enough mana to call your skeleton?"


    It''s better than I thought, he can summon more than one. He calls three and each one loads a wild boar. The guards at the gate are amazed when they see us, but well, I''m sure they''ll buy the three wild boars whole here. The problem, with how much attention Ronan''s necromancy draws, is that this will definitely reach the professor''s ears.


    The furrier is delighted to pay me 3 silver coins and 20 coppers for each wild boar, saying that she herself will take care of selling the meat. She even offers us an herbal tea to relax tired muscles, she''s so happy to do business with us. We accept and I snoop around a bit, to find out why she''s so enthusiastic. It turns out that, as in this world there are no adventurers as such (there are mercenaries, but not adventurers), it''s not so easy to obtain meat and skins from bears or wild boars. Normal villagers don''t have much level, few of them are hunters and they usually work with traps for rabbits and other herbivores. They usually buy the animals that the soldiers from the barracks hunt when they go hunting and get extra, but it''s not something that happens very often. They have their pig, chicken, and other domestic animal farms, of course. Because of all this, the furrier knows that she won''t have problems selling the meat, tusks, and tanned hides of the wild boars. I take a look at her level and see that it''s three. Very low for her age. But since experience is given by combat and especially with creatures that originate in dungeons... perhaps the correct question is what is this woman''s past to have managed to level up twice. Either she''s hunted many animals for many years, or she''s come to face creatures like goblins. It could be. After all, this is a remote village. Here people have to be tougher than in the cities.


    When we return, Judith isn''t there but I see a handwritten note on my study table.


    "Mary came by and asked for you. I told her you weren''t here."


    It''s not signed but it''s clear it''s from Judith. I say goodbye to Ronan and go straight to the shower. If I don''t hurry, I''ll be late for dinner.

 Ronan Joins the Table.

    When I arrive at the dining hall, most of the students are already halfway through their dinner or finishing up. I hurry to get my tray and sit at the prince''s table, where it''s now normal for them to save me a spot.


    "Hello, Bianca. How was your afternoon? Training a lot?" Darius greets me.


    "Actually, yes," I answer while filling my glass from the water pitcher on the table.


    "Hey, did you achieve mastery?"


    "Not yet, but I must be close."


    "We should go to a dungeon, to fight against creatures. That way it will be easier for you to get it," Alistair, the other redhead, intervenes. "And it won''t hurt me to get it for my secondary weapon."


    It''s true, I remember seeing him training with a mace on Wednesday afternoon when he usually wears a sword at his belt.


    "Do you think you could get us a pass for some low-level dungeon?" Alistair turns to the prince.


    "Sure, the general gave me a pass years ago to enter any novice-level dungeon, and a few months ago he upgraded it to apprentice."


    "Ugh, me too, but he hasn''t upgraded mine," Lily chimes in. She is dining with us today.


    The princess sometimes eats with her brother''s group and other times with her closest friends at the academy. These do not include Sol or her two puppets.


    "It must be nice to be able to access a dungeon whenever you want," Mary comments, without any envy. "The people in my village wouldn''t even think of it. Everyone knows creatures are dangerous. Even for me, who has been given this incredible opportunity to study and improve my magic, the idea of approaching one is very daunting."


    "We will protect you, Mary. With you and your healing magic by our side, I think I can try asking the general to raise the rank of the dungeons I can access."


    "I really appreciate the protection, but the only dungeon I''ve set foot in is the test one. I don''t feel qualified to go to one that isn''t for novices."


    "By the way, Mary, now that I remember," I interrupt. "Did you come looking for me earlier? I have a note from my roommate."


    "Oh, yes. I wanted to talk to you."


    "Tell me."


    "Well..." she gets a little flustered, "girl stuff. We can take a walk tomorrow and talk about it."


    "I''m in," Lily perks up. "And for the dungeon too. Catrina scolded me for my performance on the trial exam," she adds with a pout.


    "Oh, little sister," Vincent says to her. "You''re such a scaredy-cat. You know what mother says, you don''t need to prove anything. You can return to the palace whenever you want. Not everyone has to level up and be a bloodthirsty warrior." He winks at her.


    "Yeah, but I don''t like people saying I''m spoiled. I also want to show that I''m worthy."


    I remember the day of the exam. She doesn''t seem very motivated. Rather, it seems like an attempt at self-affirmation so weak that at the slightest difficulty I imagine her, as her brother says, back in the palace.


    As Mary keeps looking at me expectantly, I mentally review my Monday schedule. After afternoon classes I have my first private class on the light element. Like the others, it starts at six and lasts until very close to dinner time.


    "So, when are we meeting?" Lily asks, returning to a conversation topic she feels more secure about. "At six and we''ll go for some sweets in the city?"The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    "Sorry, I already mentioned the other day that I''m behind in my studies. My father has hired a private tutor for me and I have study sessions with him every afternoon," I continue with the lie from the other day, making up the tutor thing so it at least resembles reality a bit. "I can''t make it until a quarter past eight and it would be more of a walk through the academy gardens. We can meet at the mermaid fountain."


    "Oh," Lily deflates.


    "Works for me," Mary thanks me. "We can go to dinner together afterwards. Princess?"


    "I preferred going to the city..." she seems a bit sulky. "Let''s do this, you two meet up and promise me that another day you''ll come with me. There''s a pastry shop where you can have tea with the most delicious sweets I''ve ever tasted, second only to the royal chef''s."


    "Sure, Lily. Whenever you want," Mary assures her.


    The princess smiles and eats the last wedge of fruit from her dessert. Although they have all finished eating, they stay with me. I''m still on the main course, and that''s after quickly eating the starter, a vegetable soup.


    "That boy, he looks at you a lot," Vincent tells me.


    I turn around. He''s referring to Ronan. It seems that this time he has taken the time to sit down for dinner, instead of taking it to nibble on while training. Maybe it''s because of the soup.


    I nod to him in acknowledgment. He responds in kind. Darius greets him too.


    "Today we were training together for a while. Me with the sword and him with the mace. He finally got his mastery."


    "He''s the boy who''s getting hit by a skeleton all day in the gym when there are no classes, right?" Alistair asks.


    "Yes."


    "He''s a bit scary. There summoning a skeleton no less and with all that affinity for dark magic. Some guys asked me to tell him there''s a list to sign up for requesting a turn to use the courts, but... I know some call me an airhead, but there''s no way I''m going to say something that displeases someone like him."


    I shake my head.


    "You''re prejudging him. Ronan is a sweetheart of a boy. Honestly, I don''t know what thoughts or impulses he has to justify that high dark affinity; but with me he''s only been kind and polite."


    Vincent is looking at me, I can''t decipher the expression on his face.


    "And where did you train?" Darius asks me, very interested. "Not in the gym. What an uproar that the court was free today." He laughs.


    I can''t tell you, I think. Not that we''ve gone to a forest through a portal.


    "Around there, on the meadow." I shrug, referring to the one that surrounds both the academy and the nearby city.


    "Well, apart from rabbits and some small birds of prey, you couldn''t have hunted much. Or have you been doing practice fights?"


    "No... hunting rabbits."


    Darius looks at me with some suspicion. I think I''m not good at lying. I''d say it''s because of my affinity but I''ve never been good at it, not even on Earth.


    "Well, let''s invite him to join us another day so he''s not always eating alone."


    Vincent and Theodore frown at the same time. I understand them: bringing someone like Ronan to your table can be a brutal drop in popularity.


    "I don''t know if you''d be comfortable with that, Mary," the prince tells her, using her as an excuse. "You have two opposite affinities."


    "Well, you have to be kind to everyone and, as Bianca says, you shouldn''t have prejudices." The girl tries to smile, but she looks pale at the idea.


    However, before the prince can use her reaction as an excuse, Darius settles the matter:


    "Great, decided then! Tomorrow at lunch we invite him."


    I hold back a laugh at the boy''s spontaneity and how little he pays attention to details. I finish what''s left of dessert and we say goodbye. From the look of horror on her face, I''d say Lily is going with her friends tomorrow. And that the prince would too if he could. I leave laughing to myself on my way to my room.


    Once there, I see Judith and greet her.


    "Thanks for the note," I say.


    "Don''t worry about it."


    "By the way, I''m pleased that you''re so quiet and we both let each other study in peace, but... if you ever need my help, just ask."


    I say it because now she also has to be careful not to touch the stones I put in the gap between the beds, closer to mine, of course. I''m creating an inconvenience for her and she''s so shy that it''s possible she wants to tell me something and doesn''t dare.


    "Thank you. I will."


    Well, end of conversation. Time to study some theory and sleep but first... first I sit in my desk chair and open my status sheet. It''s been a long time since I''ve done it. I notice that, since I tried to read what level I had for each affinity, the sheet shows them to me.


    Bianca L''Crom


    Race: human


    Age: 18 years


    Level: 6


    Constitution: 6


    Strength: 2


    Intelligence: 5


    Agility: 5 + 1


    Wisdom: 6


    Health points: 6


    Mana points: 6


    Magical affinities:


    Elemental: Earth, medium level. Water, medium level. Fire, medium level. Air, medium level. Spirit, high level.


    Non-elemental: Light, medium level.


    Skills: Runner.


    Spells: Intermediate earth control. Minor fire arrow. Minor breath control. Minor splash. Minor healing. Minor channeling with earth, water and air. Medium channeling with fire.

 Marys Dilemma

    They pull me out of class. Straight to Catrina''s office and thankfully not the headmaster''s.


    "What were you thinking, taking another student with the teleportation stones I lent you?" she yells at me as soon as her assistant closes the door of the room behind me.


    She doesn''t give me time to even approach, much less greet her or take a seat.


    "I..."


    "You what?" She stands up from the chair, with her palms resting on the polished wood of her desk.


    To say I feel intimidated would be an understatement. I already expected Catrina to get angry, but not this much.


    Since I don''t answer her, she continues scolding me. She''s very tense, the veins on the back of her hands are prominent.


    "Don''t you realize we''ve trusted you? I even voted in favor of lending you that set of stones, defending that you seemed like a sensible girl... and now you do this!"


    She lifts her palms from the desk and pounds it with her fists. The sound shakes the room and I feel myself shrink.


    "I''m sorry, I can explain," I manage to say.


    Which was more or less what I had planned to say when they called me about Ronan, but it''s not as easy to imagine the situation as it is to live it.


    "Well, explain yourself properly, because your stay at this institution is at stake."


    She''s fuming. She doesn''t sit down, she remains standing and leaning against the desk. I take a couple of steps closer, so I don''t have to raise my voice, and begin my story.


    "Even though I''m supposed to have all this great potential, I feel weak. That''s why I wanted to force the mastery by facing real animals, not training against a dummy. I went hunting alone, but the deer got away from me. I decided to seek help but didn''t know who to ask."


    "And you go to your possible nemesis? To be alone with him and make his job easier?"


    So that''s why she''s so pissed off?


    "No, he''s not my nemesis, really. He''s a very nice guy who treats me with a lot of respect and tried to save me in the practical exam when he thought Darius was attacking me."


    "That could have been a ploy to gain your trust."


    "But professor, he only has an affinity for darkness. I have six affinities, do you really think he can be my nemesis?"


    Catrina exhales forcefully and sits back down. She''s still tense, but not as much. It seems my argument must have reinforced something she already thought.


    "The truth is, no, but we can''t think of anyone else who could have caused the dungeon incident. Besides, we''re watching him and so far he''s only training with the mace, absurd behavior for a wizard like him."


    "I''m telling you, he felt weak when Darius knocked him out with a punch. I don''t know why, but he''s set himself up as my protector," I drop. "At first, that gave me the creeps with how bony he was and the weird way he sometimes talks, but now... I confess I''ve taken advantage of him to help me train and he''s sworn not to say anything."


    I look at her, focusing on seeming innocent, remorseful, and even helpless.


    "Drop the act, Bianca. I don''t believe you feel guilty. In fact, you seem delighted to have hunted three wild boars," she snorts. "At least, did you get the mastery?"


    I relax a bit.


    "No, but I must be close."


    She writes something in a notebook on her desk.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    "Fine," she tells me next, "you can go with him, but I want you to be alert for any sign that he might be your nemesis and try to hurt you. Don''t trust him. Are you following me?"


    "Yes, ma''am."


    "Yes, go on, and now you act all formal with me after the mess you just caused... Get out of here before I change my mind. I''ll inform the headmaster and tell him it''s good for your improvement, that I don''t think there''s too much danger."


    "Yes, thank you."


    I turn and head for the door. As she says, quickly before she changes her mind. Once outside, I close it, walk a little, and lean against the wall of the hallway before returning to class. Oh my gosh... I didn''t think she''d get so angry. And now it seems she''s giving me a vote of confidence and even covering for me. I''d better not disappoint Catrina. The image of how she deals with Sol because of her older sister comes to mind and yes, she''s not one to forgive.


    The rest of the day passes uneventfully. I gave the money from the wild boars to Ronan, so he could do me the favor of buying the shovels. Since he''ll give them to me later, if they follow him they''ll think we want them to make some trap for hunting. In the special afternoon training, I meet the professor, an army healer. He''s a middle-aged man dressed in an officer''s uniform and seems quite strong. I wouldn''t say strength has to be a stat to develop in a healer, but since he''s from the army, it doesn''t seem strange to me either.


    As with the other two element professors I''ve already met, we dedicate ourselves to practicing my basic spell to improve it. It''s its understanding, just as it happened with earth magic, that will allow me to learn new spells. When the session ends, I quickly return to the academy and go to the gardens, where Mary is already waiting for me.


    "Bianca!" she calls out, relieved when she sees me. "I''m glad you came."


    Okay. I realize I arrived a couple of minutes late and that maybe she even came much earlier. But she doesn''t have to feel relieved, it wouldn''t occur to me to stand her up.


    "Sorry for the delay."


    "No worries."


    She has gotten up from the bench where she was sitting, one of those next to the mermaid fountain, and takes my hands. She gives me a light squeeze and pulls me to sit down.


    The truth is, this place is empty. I imagine that since the dining hall will open soon, people aren''t in the mood for walks in the gardens.


    "Tell me, what did you want?"


    The girl hesitates but, I guess because she knows we have little time, she gathers her courage and asks me.


    "Come with me to buy a dress for the ball. Theodore has invited me to go with him."


    "Oh, Mary, that''s wonderful. Do you like Theodore?"


    "Yes." She blushes. "We went for ice cream on ribbon day and he asked me."


    "And the prince?"


    She blushes more.


    "Well, the three of them are very kind to me, I owe them a lot."


    "You don''t go to a ball with a boy because you owed him something," I cut her off.


    I''m sorry, I didn''t have boyfriends on Earth and I''m the first to turn red when talking about certain topics, but my 21st-century pragmatism has just taken over. There are things I won''t let slide.


    "No, no... that''s not it. If I..." She wrings her hands. "I like all three of them."


    Oh... okay. Of course, that''s why she''s one of the protagonists with the three romantic routes open.


    I don''t say anything, I let her vent.


    "I thought Vincent was going to ask me, but Theodore was charming on ribbon day, so kind... I think, I think we connected. And he must have felt it too because he asked me. I told him yes. Did I do wrong?"


    Honestly, with the number of tasks occupying my mind, I''m not up for this. But I can''t just leave and leave her like this.


    "Of course not, Mary. Just follow your heart. You''re very kind, I know that whatever you do will be right. If the prince doesn''t like you going with someone else, he''ll try to be faster next time or approach you in another way."


    "Is that possible? To go to the ball with one but not knowing if you like another more?" she asks me with wide eyes.


    Maybe I went too far. No... not at all. It''s not like I told her to see all three in secret, which is undoubtedly what my best friend, who loved this otome, would have advised her.


    "As long as you don''t decide who you give your heart to, as long as you don''t tell any of them that you choose him, of course. Theodore and you, at the ball, are just going to get to know each other better. Dancing a few waltzes and chatting a bit doesn''t imply a marriage contract," I assure her.


    "Thank you, you''re a very good friend, Bianca."


    Oh, Mary''s overwhelming and sincere sincerity. Her smile. Those huge eyes. The weapons of the commoner protagonist. Even I, who have played her, feel myself melt.


    I let her give me a hug. She wants to set a time to meet up and go shopping with me. However, I tell her I''ll let her know when I can, because my schedule is very tight with the tutor. Well, rather with the bear hunt, but I''m not going to tell her that.


    We return to the main building, where the dining hall is. We arrive late for dinner, of course, me passing on bad habits to people.


    After dinner, Ronan gives me the shovels. My idea was to go alone, but he insists on accompanying me and hunting a bit on the way. So we go. Judith hasn''t arrived at the room yet. A few hours later, we''re hunting wild boars. The fire channeling is brutal in the sense that it lasts three times as long. But it doesn''t make it easier for me to penetrate their thick skin and their life bar drops just as fast. We end up with no less than five, one of which was unexhausted and we unintentionally got its aggro while fighting the others.


    And yes, achieved!


    I have my mastery.


    Congratulations. You have just learned Sword Mastery. Now wielding steel feels natural. +1 to strength.


    Though, I''m not repeating this tomorrow. I need to sleep.

 Navigating Social Hurdles and Spell Dynamics

    When we return to my room through the portal, Judith is asleep. Quietly, I accompany Ronan to the door and close it behind him. For a moment, I freeze, thinking about what would have happened if she had been awake, because so far she hasn''t run into Ronan. Or, even worse, if someone from one of the neighboring rooms sees a boy leaving our room at this late hour.


    I think I need to find another place for the portal. Either that or not return through it accompanied at unseemly hours.


    I shake my head and go to sleep, the little I can, until breakfast time.


    <hr>


    The next day passes quite normally. Well, except for lunch, where we are the center of attention of all the stares and whispers when Darius gets up and, without further ado, heads to Ronan''s table.


    He is alone, as always. As the redhead approaches with determined steps, the huge room falls silent.


    "Hey, Ronan," he says while leaning his hands on his table. "We were talking about inviting you to eat with us and I just realized I haven''t apologized for the other day. I didn''t know you thought I was attacking Bianca. Sorry about the punch. If you want, when you have more mastery with that mace, let''s have a match. No hard feelings?" He extends his right hand.


    I can see how the expressions on Ronan''s face change. First it''s rejection, then suspicion, and finally, surprise.


    Darius is there, holding his hand up. He''s brave. Either he doesn''t think, or he doesn''t care, how his social position would look if an outcast rejects him. Because that''s another thing, I think people avoid Ronan even more than before, even look at him worse. I have to investigate it, but honestly, with my schedule being so tight...


    Ronan''s gesture, raising his hand with sudden determination and grasping Darius''s, pulls me out of my musings. Good for him! I think the redhead is squeezing when shaking it and the difference in strength between them is noticeable, but there''s not even a hint of pain on Ronan''s face. As if he were used to it or had suffered worse things.


    "No hard feelings," the necromancer answers him in a firm voice.


    "Perfect! Well, look, we were talking about the dungeon we''re going to this weekend. And Bianca told us about your mastery with the mace. Come eat with us and we''ll tell you about it, I''m sure you''ll be up for the dungeon to train more."


    Before my astonished eyes, and those of a large part of the room, Ronan''s face lights up with a happy smile that seems to chase away the darkness of his presence. But only a little, as that sinister aura surrounding him doesn''t let itself be easily scared off. The boy stands up and follows the redhead, content. And I wonder, if he''s been locked up as he told me, does he know what it''s like to have friends?


    But no, I don''t want to feel sorry for him. First, because I consider that no one deserves that feeling. And second, because he''ll surely take advantage of it if he notices.


    And here he comes, to our table where Lily isn''t. Mary greets him with a smile, although it''s evident it''s hard for her. The prince and his two friends are a bit tense and reluctant throughout the meal. However, they realize that having a necromancer in the party improves our odds of successfully clearing the intermediate-grade dungeon they''ve been granted access to. I make sure it''s not a dungeon with an affinity for darkness and Ronan stares at me as if asking "Why not?" Well, I think it''s clear: I don''t want any more incidents because of the pup.


    As for me, I really enjoy the meal. When it''s time to get up and return to class, I don''t feel like it at all. The day continues with more studying and more routine and, in the afternoon, I meet the fire magic professor. He''s quite young, along with Catrina, he''s one of the youngest professors I know, they must be in their early twenties. When we finish the class, I ask him for a moment. There''s something I want to ask him.


    "You see, it''s about my fire arrow. It does one point of damage."


    "That''s normal."


    "But when I had intelligence 3, it also did 1 point and now I have intelligence 5. Shouldn''t it do more damage?"


    "But what magical fundamentals have they taught you at home?" he asks me, very surprised, and his body language reminds me of a teacher I had on Earth in high school, when in the last year a new boy arrived in class and didn''t know how to multiply.


    He came from another country and I from another world. A pity I can''t use it as an excuse.


    "Ehh..."


    "Unbelievable... Go to the library, ask for the book on magical fundamentals and read the second chapter. There you have the tables. In any case, with your medium affinity for fire magic, until you have seven intelligence or raise the spell to advanced, you won''t do two points of damage. And now, if you''ll excuse me, they''re waiting for me."


    As you can imagine, I also leave, almost running. I want to borrow that book before dinner. I do so but don''t have a chance to read it until I''m back in my room. Once there, I immerse myself in reading. Apparently, the damage of a spell depends on your affinity for that type of magic, your intelligence points and the rank you have in the spell. Not all spells level up the same, as sometimes they give you effects like cooldown reduction or, as in fire spells, burns. The book doesn''t have the tables for all the spells, but it does have a basis for me to get an idea.


    And by the way, from what I''m seeing, a mage normally has the spells they use the most at intermediate or high level. I think the headmaster has one at grandmaster level and some of the older professors at master level. Or at least that''s what the excited students say when they see them.


    One thing I also realize is why Mary is here despite being a commoner: having a high affinity, something unusual, means having a lot of potential to grow quickly. Oh my gosh, the monster Ronan can be as he improves. Or me with my spirit element.


    GENERIC DAMAGE TABLES. The inner values of the table refer to the wizard''s intelligence. A table is shown for each affinity level, these being low, medium and high.


    Low magical affinity for the element.


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 99.9188%; background-color: rgba(194, 224, 244, 1); border-color: rgba(52, 73, 94, 1); border-style: solid" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">Spell level/Damage points</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">Minor</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">Low</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">Intermediate</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">High</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">Advanced</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">Master</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">Grandmaster</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">Legendary</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">Mythic</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">1</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">1-9</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">1-8</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">1-7</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">1-6</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">1-5</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">1-4</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">1-3</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">1-2</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">1</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">2</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">10-18</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">9-16</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">8-14</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">7-12</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">6-10</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">5-8</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">4-6</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">3-4</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">2</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">3</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">19-27</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">17-24</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">15-21</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">13-18</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">11-15</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">9-12</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">7-9</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">5-6</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">3</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">4</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">28-36</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">25-32</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">22-28</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">19-24</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">16-20</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">13-16</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">10-12</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">7-8</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">4</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">5</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">37-45</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">33-40</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">29-35</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">25-30</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">21-25</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">17-20</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">13-15</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">9-10</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0163%; text-align: center">5</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Medium magical affinity for the element.


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 99.9188%; background-color: rgba(194, 224, 244, 1); border-color: rgba(52, 73, 94, 1); border-style: solid" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">Spell level/Damage points</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">Minor</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">Low</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">Intermediate</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">High</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">Advanced</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">Master</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">Grandmaster</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">Legendary</td>


    <td style="width: 9.86145%; text-align: center">Mythic</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">1</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">1-6</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">1-6</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">1-5</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">1-5</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">1-4</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">1-3</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">1-2</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">1</td>


    <td style="width: 9.86145%; text-align: center">1</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">2</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">7-12</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">7-12</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">6-10</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">6-10</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">5-8</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">4-6</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">3-4</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">2-3</td>


    <td style="width: 9.86145%; text-align: center">1</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">3</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">13-18</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">13-17</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">11-15</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">11-14</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">9-12</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">7-9</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">5-6</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">4-5</td>


    <td style="width: 9.86145%; text-align: center">2</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">4</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">19-24</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">18-23</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">16-20</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">15-19</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">13-16</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">10-12</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">7-8</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">6-7</td>


    <td style="width: 9.86145%; text-align: center">3</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">5</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">25-30</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">24-28</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">21-25</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">20-24</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">17-20</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">13-15</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">9-10</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">8-9</td>


    <td style="width: 9.86145%; text-align: center">4</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    High magical affinity for the element.


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 99.9188%; background-color: rgba(194, 224, 244, 1); border-color: rgba(52, 73, 94, 1); border-style: solid" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">Spell level/Damage points</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">Minor</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">Low</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">Intermediate</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">High</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">Advanced</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">Master</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">Grandmaster</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">Legendary</td>


    <td style="width: 9.86145%; text-align: center">Mythic</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">1</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">1-4</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">1-4</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">1-4</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">1-3</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">1-3</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">1-2</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">1</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">1</td>


    <td style="width: 9.86145%; text-align: center">1</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">2</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">5-8</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">5-8</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">5-7</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">4-6</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">4-5</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">3-4</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">2-3</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">1</td>


    <td style="width: 9.86145%; text-align: center">1</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">3</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">9-12</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">9-11</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">8-10</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">7-9</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">6-7</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">5-6</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">4-5</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">2</td>


    <td style="width: 9.86145%; text-align: center">1</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">4</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">13-16</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">12-15</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">11-13</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">10-12</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">8-9</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">8-6</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">6</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">3-4</td>


    <td style="width: 9.86145%; text-align: center">2</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">5</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">17-20</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">16-17</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">14-16</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">13-15</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">10-11</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">9-10</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">7-8</td>


    <td style="width: 10.0244%; text-align: center">5-6</td>


    <td style="width: 9.86145%; text-align: center">3</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    I remain thoughtful for a while. During my fight with the skeletons in the dungeon for travelers from other worlds, I had intelligence 3. With the octopuses and zombies, I already had it at 5. There I went from applying one point of fire damage along with the sword hit to two points. Well, cutting octopuses was like cutting butter but I attributed it to them not having hard bones like the skeletons. And now... well, at low level and with intelligence 5 I''m still applying two. The damage hasn''t increased. That said, it lasts three minutes no less: that damage is applied to all the sword blows I''m able to deal during that time. It''s not two mana points for two fire arrows that do two damage each and that''s it. No... it''s a genuine exaggeration. I think I''m understanding why spirit channeling is so broken.


    And only I possess it.


    <hr>


    As for the rest of the week, it passes too slowly. I imagine it''s because I''m eager for Saturday to arrive. The only relevant thing is that one night, while I''m studying in my room, a notification appears giving me a new mastery:


    Congratulations. You have just learned the Scholar mastery. Your memorization speed increases by 10% and you obtain +1 wisdom point.


    Great! I''m glad I didn''t lose it. Does this mean that if I train with a staff they would give me the mastery?


    Interesting.

 The Giant Bear Hunt. But How Many Bears Are There? Part 1.

    Saturday is finally here! The week felt endless, and I''m eager to go after those bears. As agreed, Ronan knocks on my door early, before sunrise. I open it and motion for him to be quiet since my roommate is still asleep. The poor guy tries not to look at the sheet-covered lump that is Judith and follows me to the stone circle. I say the words and we appear in the village square. And no, I''m not going to my morning training. I''m playing hooky for the first time in my life as a good girl, including all my years of study on Earth. Why?


    Heh.


    I think I rub my hands and smile as I think about it, because Ronan gives me a strange look.


    But really... who wants to train for two hours alone in an arena when they could be hunting a giant bear?


    I''m certainly not waiting until tomorrow, Sunday. Besides, we already made plans for the dungeon. I think Vincent was trying to get his intermediate-level dungeon permit updated.


    " You appear quite delighted, my lady," Ronan says as he tries to keep up with me through the forest.


    "I need to burn off adrenaline, too much studying, too many classes," I speed up.


    "My lady!"


    I turn around and see he''s fallen behind.


    Oops. Well, no, running won''t work; my agility of 6 must be much higher than the boy''s, he can''t keep up no matter how hard he tries. Impatient, I force myself to slow down.


    "Than-"


    "Shh, don''t speak. Don''t waste your breath. You go as fast as you can and I''ll follow."


    I really can''t wait to get there.


    When the goblin cave wall comes into view, I tell him to slow down a bit and give him a moment to catch his breath. He takes the opportunity to mention that he looked up information on bears because when I told him we fought three level 1 bears, it seemed odd to him that so many bears would be together. He found out that, as he believed, bears don''t usually group together; they''re more solitary creatures. If they do, it could be due to an abundance of food in the area or because there are many cubs that haven''t become independent yet. Here, of course, they have food because they''re the biggest predator in the forest and this mountainous area. And if those level 1 bears were cubs... well... I''m starting to feel more respectful about going to see daddy bear.


    Once inside the cave, the first thing Ronan asks is to inspect the pit the goblins have dug. The totem itself accompanies us. Along the way, it tells us that the scouts sent to investigate the bear''s den returned with information on the giant bear''s dimensions; moreover, they spotted at least five or six much smaller ones. We arrive at our destination quickly. It''s in the forest, quite close to the goblin cave.


    "We followed your instructions, in size and depth," it says once we reach the hole.


    There''s an area around the hole that the goblins have removed the trees, creating a clearing in the forest. Ronan approaches and checks that the size is what he asked for; that is, once the giant bear falls in, it won''t be able to get out. Its dimensions are thus larger than the animal standing up. According to the scouts, about three and a half meters. I see it as a huge hole, and that gives me a much more vivid image of the creature than I had before. I shudder. Was I really about to investigate its lair alone?


    Bianca, this isn''t a game. It''s real, I tell myself. I really need to stop being so impulsive. Feeling the immense relief of having asked for help, I watch as Ronan also inspects the surroundings. At the bottom of the hole there are wooden stakes driven in with the sharpened part facing up.


    " My lady, if it pleases you, we may proceed," he says when he finishes.


    "Sure, go ahead. The plan is yours; you give the orders."


    "My lady..." He bows slightly to me and turns to address the goblins.


    As he gives the final instructions, I think about how much it bothers me when he talks to me and treats me as if I were his master. The goblins looked at him with great interest when he bowed. Then they fully focus their attention on me and the puppy I''m carrying hidden in my pocket. I don''t know who they might think I am, but I certainly don''t need Ronan encouraging them.


    As for him, with his skinny build and those low values of his physical stats, he''s not exactly an athlete. Well, he''s a damn necromancer. Ever since I saw his skeletons carrying the wild boars, I imagine him as the typical emaciated wizard, striving to extend his life by becoming a lich, lurking in a shadowy corner while commanding his minions. Oh, poor Ronan. He''s not like that, he''s making an effort to raise his strength. But the fact that he was so emaciated the first day I saw him doesn''t help. I shake my head. I get distracted so easily... The thing is, the boy has devised a strategy where his lack of physical stats is irrelevant. He wants to gradually attract the bears to the pit the goblins have dug. His idea is to catch them one by one, if possible, to make it easier to defeat them.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Some of the goblin females, the four most aggressive ones, have volunteered to participate in the hunt. Considering that the total number of goblins doesn''t reach thirty, Ronan gladly accepts them and positions them in the treetops, carefully camouflaged with leaf litter and tied with ropes to prevent them from falling in case of any shaking. (Yes, shaking¡ªlike a bear crashing into the trunk or causing it to tremble.) He places them at different distances, forming an alarm system to know when the bear will approach.


    And here we go. The goblins are finishing covering the pit. They use branches, leaf litter, and thin logs that can withstand our weight but not the bear''s. The totem uses its magic to enhance the strength and agility of its subjects and returns to the cave. The fastest and most agile goblin, one of the scouts acting as a decoy, stealthily enters the forest. I, staying hidden with the others behind the trees, soon lose sight of it. We''ve moved several dozen meters away from the pit and closer to the goblin cave. Since I''ve heard his instructions, I know what he''s going to do. He has to advance until he spots a bear, possibly one of those Ronan thinks might be cubs. Then he''ll take out his blowgun and shoot it with a dart. Without narcotic. Ronan asked if they had bows, but among the few surviving goblins we have, none are left who know how to use them. Once the decoy has caught its attention, it has to run back to where we are, chased by the bear. The dart may not pierce the animal''s skin. But between its impact and the noise the goblin makes, the bear is most likely to fall for the ruse and follow, angry and ignorant of the ambush that awaits it. Before it can reach our cave, it will encounter plenty of goblins hidden and armed with spears. Basically, all the adults who are capable of fighting, including some youths who are very close to the age of majority and asked to participate. Right now, they''re all ready to pounce on the bear like a pack of hunting dogs. I¡¯m not with them, but hidden behind the thick trunk of a tree. When I start to hear sound, I peek out a bit. The decoy shouts to maintain aggro and a level 1 bear, just like the ones from the other day, runs after it. The goblins come out of hiding, surround the bear, and dispatch it quickly. Very quickly.


    Of course, they caught it by surprise and it''s no longer four against one; more like twenty.


    The goblins, all of whom are unharmed, leave the animal''s carcass in front of the cave for the females who aren''t on lookout duty to skin it and bring it inside. And back to the beginning. They repeat the process with five more bears, but as the roars of the small bears grow louder and the chaos intensifies, it¡¯s impossible to ignore the looming threat. The ground shakes, and then, from the depths of the forest, the unmistakable sound of a deep, thunderous growl echoes through the trees. The papa bear is coming. Enormous, furious, and driven by an overwhelming rage, he emerges from the shadows, a force of nature unstoppable and wild.


    The goblin lookouts sound their horns to raise the alarm. We position ourselves in front of the cave, except for a few who remain hidden in their posts, the same ones from where they ambushed the small bears. The women take shelter in the cave. At the cavern entrance are eleven goblin warriors, Ronan, and me, along with three dead bears still to be skinned and another half-skinned. A sight that, if I were the big bear, would put me in a very bad mood.


    And indeed, as soon as it sees us, it accelerates in a fury and charges at us.


    Oh my gosh. I freeze for an instant: it''s terrifying. One thing is knowing it''s over two meters tall on all fours, another is seeing it. It''s bigger than my father''s van back on Earth. And when it stands on its hind legs... it looks like a second story of an apartment building wrapped itself in dark fur, huge white teeth that seem larger than my fists, and claws, claws that swipe promising vengeance as the king of the mountain bellows and charges at us. Ronan pulls me and I hurry to follow him. In fact, we''re moving away from the cave as if we want to escape. That''s the plan. But I''m truly terrified and trying to get away. How could I not be... The bear, blinded by rage, charges at everything it sees. Despite its size and weight, which are considerable, the animal is very fast and is gaining ground on us.


    Then it happens: the ground it''s stepping on collapses under its paws. The animal falls. The momentum carrying it forward makes it slam its snout hard against the edge of the pit, leaving its imprint in the earth full of thick, sturdy roots. The hole is deep, very deep, but even so, when the bear stands on its hind legs, it almost reaches the edge.


    It looks around, searching for an exit, turning in circles and growling like the damned. Blood stains the fur of its muzzle, matting it. From above, the goblins start peering over and firing darts at it. They''re useless: all of them bounce off the bear''s hide, tough as armor.


    Ronan yells at them to aim for the face, where the skin is thinner. If they''re lucky they might hit it in the eye. Or the tongue or palate if they catch it with jaws open in the middle of one of those angry roars. I, on the other hand, am terrified; a stark contrast to the goblins'' euphoria. They''re excitedly shooting poisoned darts at it, trying to hit it in the face, relishing that such an enormous and dangerous prey has fallen into their trap. The bear roars and drops to all fours on the bottom of the pit with a force that shakes the ground.


    Speaking of which... weren''t there stakes at the bottom? I approach a bit to look, curiosity overcoming fear. Some remain, others are simply shattered. I don''t think the wood or its splinters could penetrate the bear''s skin. It''s not limping or showing blood on its paws.


    The bear rises again and I retreat to a safer position. It doesn''t give up. It starts swiping at the edge of the pit with its claws, causing dirt to fall in. The goblins gather where the bear lunges to keep shooting it in the face. The bear, angry, switches sides every so often to dodge the rain of darts while trying to destroy the pit, knock the dirt from the edges inward, make itself an exit ramp through sheer brute force. It''s a tug-of-war that, honestly, I don''t know how it will end. I, for one, am certain about one thing: I''m going to buy a bow and ask Catrina to teach me how to use it. I don''t like just watching without participating. Sure, I need to conserve my magic since the goblins have everything under control for now, and Ronan is just giving orders... but I hate feeling useless.


    Then I hear the sound of a horn, followed by another and another more. The female goblins perched in the treetops are warning us that more bears are coming. Three small ones, if I interpret the sounds correctly. Also, strange noises are coming from the thicket, from beyond the area the goblins have cleared of trees and brush.

 The Giant Bear Hunt. But How Many Bears Are There? Part 2.

    For now, those last sounds are distant noises. Ronan, without hesitation, reanimates the four dead bears that were left at the cave entrance. With a small group of goblins armed with spears, he goes after the most immediate threat: the bears that have reached the lookouts'' area. I follow along, joining him in the decision to ignore for now whatever¡¯s causing a commotion deeper in the forest. Ronan, upon seeing me sword in hand next to the goblins, looks at me and seems to want to say something. Send me back to a safe area?


    "Don''t you dare," I mutter through clenched teeth.


    Without uttering a word, he turns his gaze forward and continues walking. The three zombie bears he has summoned follow close behind him. The scene, eerie and unsettling, seems straight out of a horror movie: a thin boy with dark hair and a sinister aura, leading undead creatures, rising to kill and gather enough corpses to form an army. I shudder, shake my head, and hurry to keep from falling behind. We enter the trees and soon see them. They are, indeed, three level 1 bears. Compared to the beast in the pit, they''re even small. Come on, so tiny that they''re only a head taller than me on two legs...


    "Channeling fire element!" I exclaim.


    I ignite my sword in flames and join the fight. Each living bear is fighting against one or two reanimated ones and a couple of goblins with spears. Ronan has the mace in his hand and, when he sees me join one of the groups with only one zombie, he does the same with the other. My marvelous spirit magic will last three minutes and allows me to cut through that thick skin that I would be unable to with just my meager physical strength. Moreover, now I know the damage I do: that of the sword plus two fire points, four if I manage a critical hit on a vulnerable spot. The truth is, my bear doesn''t last long. The zombie has drawn all the aggro, which is to be expected given its size and the fact that it represents the greatest threat. The goblins hit it from the relatively safe distance their spears allow and I take more risks, approaching from behind and relying on that agility I didn''t want to raise but fits this fighting style. After a slash to the kidneys, the animal makes a move to turn and attack me. I leap back. The zombie, on two legs and engaged with its opponent, doesn''t let it turn. We finish it off quickly. I look to see if the others need help, but both the group with the two undead and Ronan''s are practically finishing off their bleeding prey.


    I start to hear the sound of horns, growing more nervous and frantic. I don¡¯t remember that cadence meaning anything. The distant noise from before is getting closer, and oh my gosh, I¡¯m starting to realize it¡¯s a macabre symphony of falling trees.


    "Follow me, quickly!" Ronan shouts.


    We sprint back to the pit area, where there''s still a live bear inside. We look towards the other side of the forest, from which treetops can be heard and even seen collapsing. An ominous feeling runs through me. What the hell is there knocking down the oaks? My uncertainty doesn¡¯t last long: an enormous bear appears, running on all fours, and with one swipe, it knocks down the last tree separating it from the clearing the goblins had felled. It¡¯s not taller than the raised tops of the oaks it¡¯s uprooted, but it¡¯s close. It¡¯s just massive. Its head is about three meters off the ground. I really don¡¯t want to see it standing on two legs. It¡¯s much, much bigger than any of the ones we¡¯ve seen so far, including the beast in the pit. Its head, its teeth¡­ If the one from before could split me in two with one bite, I can¡¯t even imagine what this one would do to me.


    "Attack it," I hear Ronan''s curt order to his minions beside me.


    The reanimated bears, mere puppets, obey and pounce on it, surrounding the hole. The king of the mountain, which undoubtedly has to be this one and not the one in the pit, grabs one of the zombies with a bite, without sinking its teeth in too deep, and throws it through the air with a toss of its colossal head. The undead smashes against the nearby trees that are still standing with a resounding crunch. I don''t know if that was its spine or the tree, which collapses with a broken trunk.


    The zombie''s life bar has instantly gone from 70% to zero.


    Ronan, his face contorted in horror, shouts at me:


    "Bianca, now!"


    He doesn''t need to tell me what. My heart in my throat, I take the pup out of my pocket and throw it towards the bear.


    Uh... the hole is in the way... (I realize that detail as if on a secondary level of my mind while the little wolf flies in a parabolic trajectory that will end up against the bear down there.)This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    "Wake up!" I order it in a strangled voice.


    The pup glows in darkness and in an instant grows into the imposing shadow wolf. With a chilling howl that echoes through the forest, the red-eyed creature charges at the enormous bear. It doesn''t fall onto the one in the pit because it immediately leaps to the shadow of its enemy, which is on its back.


    And despite how huge the wolf is, the bear is a bit taller and, above all, larger in its bulky body.


    It doesn''t matter. It may seem that the enemy has more muscle, but I know it can''t surpass the divine beast in stats. Not to mention magic. I have no doubt that it alone can handle that bear and many more. Meanwhile, the rest of us focus on the bear in the pit, which is about to escape.


    Ronan, along with the three zombies he has left, rushes to the pit. The goblins also come to help, and I join them. In the original plan, the seed of darkness was our ace in the hole in case things went wrong, because we didn''t know for sure what we were going to encounter. But now we''ve had no choice but to risk it.


    The bear in the pit already has half its body out when the zombie bears ram it with all their might, knocking it back into the hole. The size difference is large but it''s also three against one. The reanimated bears go at it mercilessly, attacking its limbs so it can''t get out of the hole. I, for my part, would like to use the sword that''s still aflame; but I''m not going to risk falling in there, where claws and bites are being thrown too fast for my liking. My mana... I had seven points, as the scholar mastery gives me a point of wisdom. I''ve spent two. I''ve summoned the wolf, that''s one mana point per minute and I plan to leave it active as long as I have mana. Right now it has spent one. I need the mana for the wolf but the fight in the pit looks bad. The zombies are losing; the beast is much bigger, stronger, and more powerful. I observe how the goblins goad it with their spears, trying to go for the eyes, but they accomplish very little. I have no choice: I concentrate and make stone stakes sprout from the ground, right under the bear. Yes, stone, because my earth control allows me to harden it so much that it''s no longer earth. I reinforce them with my channeling to make them more resistant and thus able to pierce the animal''s tough skin. There go three more mana points: one with the earth control spell and two with the earth element channeling in that area of the pit. What the wooden stakes couldn''t achieve, that hard and sharp rock growing upward following the orders of my will is accomplishing. Thus, thanks to the work of the reanimated bears, which don''t stop harassing the enemy, the stakes manage to penetrate the thick skin and enter its flesh, drawing blood. In less than a minute, that section of the pit¡ªthe ground and the nearby wall¡ªis covered in sharp stone spikes, all embedded in the bear¡¯s body. To finish the job, I compact the earth into a massive rock, about the size of one of the smaller bears, and levitate it above the animal. I no longer have the channeling active, but I do have earth control.


    "Jump," I hear the necromancer order one of his zombies.


    I drop the rock, propelling it downward with all my might. At that very moment, the undead pounces from above onto my enormous projectile, giving it even more falling speed.


    The rock slams into the bear, driving the stakes even deeper into its neck and belly. Those stakes are now only stone, unreinforced, but since they had already pierced the armor of the skin, they deepen into the white areas without problems. With one final agonized growl, the animal exhales its last breath. The zombie bear jumps down from that rock that''s as big as it is.


    I see a notification, I dismiss it with a swat.


    (By the way, this is how my earth spell is now:


    Intermediate level earth control.


    Can move, loosen, compact and shape up to 5 cubic meters of earth. Range: 10 meters.)


    I want to collapse onto the ground, sit there, and just breathe¡ªlet the exhaustion that threatens to overwhelm me take over. Besides, as tough as it was, I''m sure that being an animal, it has given me almost no experience. Then, a sharp pang in my gut reignites the stress. I can¡¯t rest¡ªthe bear! I glance toward the titanic battle, hoping to see my wolf sinking its teeth into the flesh of the gigantic creature. Seriously, Bianca? I chide myself."


    Please.


    The king of the mountain is a corpse. The wolf must have finished it off in a few seconds. Perhaps simply using its shadow claws. Because come on, if it had used its shadow aura or howl, not only the giant bear but all the other enemies in the area would have been weakened in the first case and paralyzed in the second. What a bastard, it sure could have helped us...


    In any case, I''m left gawking at the scene before me. I see the carcass of the gigantic beast that must have destroyed several more trees when it fell, by how the trunks protrude under its inert body. I observe the few small bears that remain alive subdued before the seed of evil, paralyzed with terror, their heads pressed to the ground in a sign of submission. And, of course, the wolf whose fur seems to burn in dark flames calmly sitting on the giant corpse and examining me with jaws half-open in a grimace that seems to be laughing. It contemplates me, the damned thing contemplates me with a mixture of malice and amusement. What a bad person, or wolf, or whatever it is. It''s been watching while I was risking my life. Well, not risking it too much since I was out of the bear''s reach, but whatever.


    I shoot an indignant look at it, and it raises its snout towards the sky and utters a triumphant howl. The living bears tremble. The goblins shout euphorically as they raise their weapons to the sky. The wolf jumps down with an elegant leap, placing itself by my side and with a gesture of its head indicates for me to mount, to follow it.


    Well then, oh mighty OnePunchWolf, that I do.

 The Giant Bear Hunt. But How Many Bears Are There? Part 3.

    The wolf''s running speed is incredible. I''m holding on as best I can, legs tight against its back and fists clenched in what turns out to be surprisingly soft fur. I''ve closed my eyes because of dizziness, focusing on not falling while the wind tries to tear me from my mount. Thankfully, it only lasts a few seconds, and the wolf doesn''t stop abruptly. I whisper my thanks for its consideration - otherwise, I would have gone flying over its head.


    I open my eyes and shiver, remembering how far the ground is and how massive the wolf is. I see we''re in a forest clearing. The ground is covered with animal bones, giving it a gloomy appearance. There are three of the smaller bears and several tiny cubs that would barely reach my knee. I notice they''re level 1 bear cubs, running to hide behind their mothers as soon as they spot us. One of the mothers steps forward and growls, baring her teeth threateningly. She''s quite brave, attempting to defend her cubs against such an overwhelming threat as the divine beast of darkness. Which, by the way, doesn''t have much time left. I''ve used up my seven mana points. Its two-minute awakening has just over thirty seconds remaining. More than enough.


    The mother bear growls again and feints another step forward. In the blink of an eye, she''s trapped under my mount''s enormous paw, completely at its mercy.


    She stops growling. I can see the bitter resignation to the law of the strongest in her eyes. Does she think my wolf is going to slay her?


    Before I can say anything, one of the cubs, in a moment of reckless bravery, launches itself at us. The scene is completely surreal: a tiny bear, barely bigger than a teddy bear and absolutely adorable, trying to bite the paw of a wolf that could swallow it in one gulp. My mount fixes its red eyes on the cub and opens its jaws, as if ready to devour it. Acting on impulse, I climb up its back toward its neck and smack it on the head to get its attention.


    "No!" I shout. "Don''t hurt it! It''s just a baby..."


    The wolf can''t look at me because of the angle. It snorts with a mixture of annoyance and bewilderment, as if saying, "Seriously, Bianca? You''re asking me to spare food? Again?" Or that''s what I imagine. In any case, the wolf closes its mouth and lifts its lips to show its fangs, giving the cub a warning growl that leaves it frozen in fear.


    The remaining two small bears, seeing that the wolf hasn''t eaten their cub, cautiously approach and prostrate themselves at its feet in submission. The other cubs, gathering their courage, also come closer and begin licking its paws, seeking approval. The female bear trapped under the wolf takes advantage when it slightly lifts its paw, loosening the pressure, to slip away. She joins the other bears in their display of allegiance.


    I ask the wolf to let me down, and it lies down briefly to allow me to dismount.


    That''s when Ronan arrives. The boy, riding one of the reanimated bears and accompanied by a handful of goblins, had tried in vain to keep up with the wolf''s gallop through the forest. The others stayed behind at the pit, helping the remaining zombies get out and watching over the subdued bears, who don''t dare raise their heads from the ground out of fear.


    Ronan enters the clearing and stops his mount. He''s alone since his zombie had less weight to carry. The bears glance at him nervously, not daring to move or lift their heads from the ground. Then they fix their eyes on the shadow wolf, as if awaiting instructions. Ronan, puzzled, looks at me and asks:


    "My lady, I see you have spared more bears. What do you intend to do with them?"


    "I feel sorry for them," I confess. "They''re so cute. Look at the little cubs. Couldn''t we...?"You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    Ronan rolls his eyes and brings a hand to his face in disbelief. But he doesn''t say anything. I think it''s because he takes his role as my vassal very seriously. Still, it''s pretty clear he''s thinking something like only I would get attached to such dangerous beasts. Or maybe he''s just confused because he came running in case we needed help, only to find this unexpected situation.


    Nevertheless, he dismounts from the zombie bear and approaches the bears the wolf has subdued. The animals return his gaze, tense, but don''t dare move even an inch.


    "Be careful, my lady," he tells me.


    Then the shadow wolf starts glowing and shrinks back to its tiny puppy form. The three bears and cubs stare at the transformation in absolute bewilderment, not understanding what just happened. The wolf pup, oblivious to everything, jumps into my arms and enthusiastically licks my face, restoring half my mana which, thanks to unfair rounding math, remains at 3. I laugh and stroke its back, delighted.


    "Don''t worry, little one, you''re cuter than the bear cubs."


    Oops, did I just say that to the seed of evil? Well yes, because it''s adorable and listened to me about not killing needlessly.


    The bear cubs, seeing that the wolf is no longer a threat, grow bold and approach to play with me and the puppy. But then one of the adult bears, the one injured by the wolf''s stomp, looks at me and growls distrustfully. Before I can realize what''s happening, Ronan steps between the bear and me, ready to cast an attack spell. He''s beginning to mutter the same words as during the exam with Darius.


    "Ronan, no, stop!" I halt him.


    He closes his lips and keeps them tight, tense. His eyes radiate pure hatred toward the animal, making it clear that if it dares touch a single hair on my head, it''ll pay with its life.


    The bear, wisely, lowers its head and prostrates itself on the ground again, accepting defeat. Ronan hesitates for a moment.


    "My lady, I believe it would be better to eliminate it and then reanimate it. It would serve you better and cause no problems."


    "Don''t be so macabre," I scold him and push his arm aside to let me approach the injured bear.


    I''m so focused on the animal that I don''t even realize I might have hurt him with my words, especially if he took them literally. Thanks to the wolf pup''s lick and because my spell isn''t in cooldown, I can heal it a bit. I place my hand on its head, resting it between its ears. The fur is somewhat coarse, nothing like the velvety softness of the shadow wolf.


    "Minor Healing," I cast.


    A faint white glow emerges from my hand and enters the bear''s body. It''s not much, just one health point, but it''s something.


    The gesture bewilders the bear, who wasn''t expecting any act of compassion from me. The other animals witnessing the scene seem to understand it perfectly. I don''t¡ªI don''t see why they suddenly prostrate themselves before me.


    "Forgive me, my lady," Ronan says. "I didn''t realize you wanted to add these bears to your new empire. With that gesture of kindness, they''ve understood they''ve changed owners."


    From the mountain king to the wolf? No, he''s not exactly referring to the wolf.


    I sigh. It''s not like I want to follow the contract and found an empire. It''s just that I feel sorry for them, they''re so cute and helpless. Well, the babies are¡ªthe mothers are a head taller than me.


    In any case, I''m not getting any new notification so that''s grea...


    Okay, I just got one. I swat it away, I''ll read it later, along with the others.


    Just then, the other two reanimated bears arrive at the clearing, each with a handful of goblins clinging to their fur. The living bears tense up at seeing them but relax a bit when they realize Ronan and I greet them normally. The goblins, for their part, get scared seeing three loose bears and prepare to attack. I stop them.


    "Wait!" I order them. "They''re our new friends."


    The goblins look at me like I''ve gone crazy, but they obey. They start inspecting the surroundings and quickly realize the place''s potential as a new settlement for the tribe. The clearing is large and borders the entrance to a cave much bigger and deeper than their current shelter. Plus, it has a wide entrance that the real papa bear could fit through on all fours. There''s also a river nearby and, most importantly, piles of bones and remains they can use to craft weapons and tools.


    Finally, after some discussion, the goblins decide to split up. One group stays in the clearing, along with the two reanimated bears, to start setting up the cave. The zombies have orders to stand guard and protect the goblins and cubs. The rest return with us to the goblin camp to prepare for the move.


    By the way, I ask Ronan. His zombies or any skeleton he reanimates from a corpse last indefinitely. That is, they don''t decompose. Though they can still suffer an accident or an attack that ends their un-life.

 The Move. Ronan.

    And that''s how Ronan and I end up riding back on a zombie bear, pressed close together. I''m in front, enjoying the ride and totally mind-blown to be sitting on top of an undead beast. Ronan sits behind, his face as red as a ripe tomato, dying of embarrassment and at a loss for where to place his hands to avoid accidentally touching me. It''s the bear''s fault, being one of the smaller ones without much room to spare. Poor Ronan doesn''t have a clue how to act around a girl, especially one who''s technically his lady. I feign obliviousness to his discomfort and focus on savoring the journey, taking in the scenery and relishing the breeze caressing my face.


    After all, now that I know he wasn''t trying to confess his feelings but rather swear fealty, I can relax around him¡ªhe''s harmless.


    When we reach the goblin camp, the totem greets us gratefully. Thanks to the goblins who came back to report to him after the seed took care of the giant bear, he already knows we''ve dealt with the threat. When I tell him about their new and much larger cave, he''s overwhelmed with gratitude.


    "Come on, let''s gather your belongings so you can move," I suggest to him.


    He immediately starts giving orders to his people. Additionally, Ronan instructs them about the bears¡ªthey need to secure leather harnesses around the necks and backs of the two living bears we''d left here. These harnesses will then be tied to the zombie bear, which will act as a guide, leading the living bears along the correct path. And since the zombie is strong and won''t complain... the goblins start packing things onto its back, securing them with ropes. Poor thing looks like a typical dungeon Sherpa, one of those carrying a backpack bigger than themselves, and on top of that, they''re making it walk two bears on leashes.


    Ronan slips away for a while.


    Ronan.


    The bears. The two large bears.


    Obviously, no self-respecting necromancer would waste such specimens.


    As soon as he could, he left Bianca in the cave with the goblins and went to the pit. He arrived in a couple of minutes and approached the giant bear, the one that could knock down trees with a single swipe.


    He stood before it as his hands began to sweat. He wiped them on his uniform and focused on the spell. After summoning so many skeletons to train with the mace, since the day his skeletons took the boars to the village, he felt stronger, as if animating them had become easier. So that very night he went to the stone slab to check. He felt very satisfied seeing that the animate skeletons spell had evolved and even given him a new one. Summon skeletons had improved too. Amazing, because locked in his parents'' basement all he had to practice with were rats and other small animals that snuck in. However, since leaving home he had access to the world and, somehow, his high dark affinity guided him to areas filled with death and corpses. So he began expanding his repertoire of first-time animated animals: dogs, cats, ravens... One night, he found some recently buried corpses not too far from the road to town. It didn''t even cross his mind that this might be wrong. Instead of alerting the authorities, he decided to put the bodies to good use. That''s how he was able to animate human skeletons for the first time, which allowed him to summon low-level human skeletons from then on.


    Advanced Animate Skeletons. Requirement for necromancy spells: high affinity for darkness. Summons up to a maximum of x skeletons of a creature whose bones or corpse are present and within a 120-meter radius of the animator. x = animator''s Int. Cost: 1 MP for every 3 skeletons.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Intermediate Summon Skeletons (evolution of the animate skeletons spell). Requirement for necromancy spells: high affinity for darkness. Summons a skeleton of any creature the summoner has previously animated within a 15-meter radius of the summoner. The skeleton''s level will depend on the summoned creature, the summoner''s intelligence points, and the summoner''s level. The skeleton''s level can never exceed the summoner''s. Equipment available for the summoned skeleton improves compared to the previous spell level. Cost: 3 MP.


    Lesser Animate Zombies (evolution of animate skeletons spell). Requirement for necromancy spells: high affinity for darkness. Summons up to a maximum of x zombies. Each zombie requires a separate corpse present within a 30-meter radius of the animator. x=animator''s Int. Cost: 1 MP per zombie.


    Ronan raised his hands again and began muttering the animation words. Some of his necromancy spells weren''t quick. This one specifically required him to concentrate and amplify his sense of darkness toward the corpse. To anyone watching, it would look as if his dark aura stretched into multiple frayed hands that reached toward the corpse and touched it, entering inside and making the necromancer feel one with the body. It was difficult because the bear was enormous and seemed to want to resist, even in death. With a brutal effort of will, he clenched his fists and spoke the spell''s final word.


    "Join me."


    The syllables seemed to hang in the air for endless seconds. The giant bear''s dead flesh began to reverberate, responding to the dark mana and the cadence of the spell he''d just recited. It wasn''t a chant, but something in the solemnity of the moment made it feel like one. The body suffered a spasm, then another and another one. Its jaws opened and a terrifying roar escaped the zombie''s mouth as it stood up. A breath of decay spread toward Ronan''s face. He didn''t care. He smiled. He was ecstatic. He''d done it. This giant bear was his to command.


    "Come."


    Ronan indicated it should follow him but, before taking a step, the creature suddenly collapsed on its hind legs, falling to the ground like a heavy puppet with cut strings. Ronan felt a brutal weakness and fell too, to his knees, on the earth. A crushing and familiar disappointment overwhelmed him. He hadn''t succeeded. He thought he had but no. It was like his void spell, the one he cast every day of his confinement despite it leaving him unconscious for hours. That kind voice, his lord, grew tired of warning him to stop, that it could kill him. In fact, he still did it occasionally at the academy, preferably on weekends to avoid missing class. Well, this, minus the blackout, was the same. He had seen the bear, raised it for a few seconds, had tasted the sweetness of that power... not a power as immeasurable as the void''s, but great power nonetheless. And all to let it go because he wasn''t capable.


    He was still unworthy of serving his lord, but nothing that effort and hard work couldn''t fix.


    He focused inward to check if he had any mana left. He noticed he did, though less than expected. Then he approached the other bear in the pit. The pieces of broken rock that had been on top of it were pushed aside. The goblins had skinned it without removing it from the pit and had started taking its meat. Ronan concentrated again and repeated the spell. This time, communing with the dead flesh was easier. It was still challenging, of course, since it was a larger and higher-level creature than the small bears, but he raised it. A huge mass of bloodless flesh without organs, also missing large chunks of meat.


    But the power... he felt this creature would be capable of facing tough enemies. When a body rose as a zombie, it was stronger and more resilient than the original living creature.


    "Come, follow me," he commanded.


    He observed the zombie struggling up the same slope it had carved out while alive, its missing leg causing it to drag itself awkwardly. He felt sorry for it. This creature was powerful but shouldn''t be like this.


    Out of respect, he would let it rest in eternal sleep.


    "But first, do me a small favor."


    He guided it to the cave entrance, the future smokehouse, where he ordered it to lie down. And then he dismissed it.


    Solemn and sad, he turned to go back inside. One of the goblin women, who had seen him with the bear, had run through the tunnel and was shouting something. Very noisy. This way, they weren''t going to let the dead rest in peace.


    He heard his lady calling him. She didn''t sound very happy. He wondered if she was also sad about the poor bear.

 Of Bears and Loyalty.

    I''m helping the goblins pack their belongings when I hear the screams. They''re coming from outside. Sword in hand, I approach the cave''s entrance tunnel. A female goblin comes running through it, screaming in terror.


    "A demon, the macabre death, help!"


    I venture outside after her enters, cautiously, since I don''t know what I''ll find. The goblin warriors follow me. From within the tunnel''s entrance, I catch a glimpse of what''s outside and let out a shout¡ªthough I immediately relax.


    "Ronan!"


    The shout is exasperated. I''m relaxing because there''s no danger, not because I''m not a little stressed out.


    This boy, really...


    I finish stepping out of the tunnel. The three bears are on one side¡ªthe two living ones and the zombie that the female goblin must have been tying packages to with ropes. Ronan''s there too, looking at me with a sad and solemn expression, as if someone had died. I shiver for a moment, getting lost in the depth of his eyes. His mood almost becomes contagious. But only almost. I gesture with my head toward the remains of the pit bear lying at the entrance. But not just lying there haphazardly as if someone had dragged them¡ªin which case there would be bloody pieces on the ground and there aren''t¡ªno... lying as if the creature had comfortably reclined to welcome the afterlife.


    "What''s it doing here?" I''m honestly afraid to ask.


    "It wanted to serve, but deserves to rest. I brought it so the goblins would find it easier to use its meat. I hope you''re not displeased that it won''t be part of your army."


    I exhale forcefully. Wanted to serve but deserves to rest. The solemn tone in which he said it makes me feel a bit sad again. Was he able to raise this massive bear? And he dismissed it because, in its current state, it deserves to rest? Poor Ronan, he must have been truly alone as a child. Now I do feel sorry, but for him. And I already told myself that''s not something Ronan deserves.


    "My lady, are you crying? He wouldn''t want that."


    Damn. I wipe away a couple of treacherous tears and focus on not imagining Ronan as a poor child locked up and abandoned in the dark, without friends or his parents'' love... He would call for help, not understanding why they no longer loved him, and no one would answer¡­ Okay, it''s not working. I clear my throat and manage to speak with a voice that isn''t broken.


    "Thank you." I turn toward the goblins, who have come out and are staring in amazement, especially at the bear. "Well, there you have it, now you won''t have to walk to get the meat. Let''s continue packing."


    "The demon?" whispers the goblin woman who had run into the cave in shock.


    "A zombie, not a demon, don''t worry."


    The woman observes Ronan with newfound reverence, and everyone hurries back to their work. I move away from him, not wanting more tears to escape. Out of respect, I owe it to him to see him as the capable and kind-hearted student he is. I truly don''t understand why he has dark magic when even a poor zombie bear makes him sad.


    Sure, I feel sorry for any vulnerable animal or creature too, but then again, I do have an affinity for light magic.


    When everything''s ready, we head toward their new home, carrying all we can. Only three warriors and two females stay behind to handle butchering the dead bears and smoking the meat. The rest of their belongings remain outside the cave because once they light the fires, the interior will fill with smoke.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    Once we reach the bears'' cavern, the goblins untie the two captive animals and begin settling in. They light a large bonfire at the cave entrance to illuminate and warm the atmosphere a bit. Meanwhile, I''m playing with the bear cubs, five little creatures that have greeted me excitedly since I returned and won''t leave my side. The mother bears watch me warily but don''t intervene. They''ve accepted that I''m now part of the pack, if not leading it... The two adult bears keep their distance, observing the situation cautiously. They seem calm but remain alert.


    A couple of goblin children, the smallest ones, come over to check out the bear cubs and, when I suggest it, start playing with us. They''re the exception, as the goblins seem to prefer keeping their distance. They have enough on their plate getting used to the idea of living with bears under the same roof without having to fraternize with them.


    Once the goblins finish arranging their belongings, Ronan meets with the warriors and the tribe''s shaman to discuss next steps. This cave is enormous, so much so that it even has tunnels connecting to other caverns. That''s perfect for them to organize and live in harmony. However, it''s also important to thoroughly explore the cave¡ªthey don''t want any unpleasant surprises in the form of unexpected residents. He also gives them instructions for rationing provisions and organizing guards at the entrance, just in case.


    Yes, I know. I should be the one doing that since I have the goblin mission. But the boy has proven to be a much better strategist than me, and he seems comfortable giving orders. Well, who am I kidding... the mere idea of organizing the move, the guards, distributing the cave chambers, and other administrative tasks just makes me so lazy...


    So, to ease my guilt about leaving all the hassle to Ronan, I decide to help the females prepare the food. Well, "help" is a stretch. First, while I obviously cooked back on Earth, here, as a noble, I¡¯ve never so much as stepped foot in a kitchen. Second¡ªand far more importantly¡ªthere¡¯s the quintet io of bear cubs who refuse to leave my side. They¡¯ve turned it into a game of ¡°Who¡¯s the smartest at stealing my food?¡±


    The worst part? They¡¯re winning. Every time I scold one for eating something they shouldn¡¯t, it lets out the most adorable little whimper. Of course, I can¡¯t resist giving it a hug, and while I¡¯m distracted, the other four take advantage and swipe something. It¡¯s a vicious cycle, and despite all they¡¯ve pilfered, they¡¯re still hungry, their eyes begging for more.


    The wolf pup joins the party too. It jumps from my pocket and starts nibbling on the meat pieces that I do give to it, competing with the bear cubs to see who can eat more. The goblin women watch us with a mixture of resignation and pity, seeing how the pile of boar meat and fruits keeps shrinking. They don''t intervene. If they looked at me with respect before, since the shadow wolf showed itself in all its glory, they treat me almost with devotion. And the bears, from another side of the cave, don''t even flinch. The wolf made it very clear to them who leads the pack.


    We all gather to eat, roasted boar meat because it''ll go bad first, and forest fruits. The bears and goblins relax. It seems they''re accepting each other. I imagine it helped that earlier a couple of goblin children played with me, the bear cubs, and the wolf pup. These goblins... once they realize they can go around using the bears as mounts, I think they''ll abandon any mistrust and become their most fervent allies.


    "My lady, may I ask what you find amusing?" Ronan asks, who''s been watching me eat and caught me laughing silently.


    "Nothing, nothing."


    I''m not telling him. It would only encourage him more with that empire idea. Ah... I need to read the notifications, but I don''t want to... I''m sure there''s one about the bears'' loyalty and I''m just too lazy... That contract was full of obligations. Later, I''ll do it later when I''m alone and no one can interrupt me. Because the first notification, that one''s about combat, and yes, I''m eager to read it.


    After lunch, a group of goblins takes the remaining reanimated bears and returns to the previous camp to continue with the move. The plan is to turn the old cave into a giant smokehouse to preserve all the bear meat we''ve acquired. It would be a waste to let it spoil since it can feed an entire tribe for months. First, they''ll finish putting all the bear meat inside. Then, they''ll light fires inside the cave using old wood, chunks, and splinters. The entrance isn''t a huge opening like in the bears'' lair, but a tunnel that seems narrow to me. Despite this, they partially cover that entrance to concentrate the smoke more. They will be working until sunset, at which point everyone will return to their new home to sleep and take the opportunity to bring the bears with their bundles and any other belongings they haven''t brought yet. If they haven''t finished, they''ll continue tomorrow with both the smokehouse and the move.

 A Tribes New Beginning.

    As for Ronan and me, after eating we dedicate ourselves to exploring the new cave. The bear cubs follow me.


    "Should I take them back to their mothers?" I ask my friend.


    "It''s not necessary, I don''t think there''s any immediate danger since they lived here."


    "Great," I smile.


    I''ve given them names but not to the seed of evil. I think the wolf pup is getting jealous but, come on, it''s the seed of darkness¡ªI''m not going to call it Patch, Brownie, or Glutton like I''ve unconsciously named several of the other cubs. A bit of seriousness, please; the divine beast, though very cute, commands respect.


    As we walk, Ronan stops frequently to inspect every corner with a critical eye, looking for possible dangers or weak points in the defenses.


    "What are you looking for?" I ask after a while. "Super papa bear lived here. If there had been any threat to his females or cubs, he would have eliminated it."


    "Yes and no. Don''t you think that bear was too big? It must have hunted and killed a lot to level up so much."


    Come to think of it... I didn''t get a look at its level. As soon as the pit bear arrived, the one bigger than my father''s van, I was so scared I couldn''t think about anything except fighting. Let alone with the second bear.


    "Do you know what level it was?"


    "How would I know? The identify spell is wind magic, not everyone learns it, and besides, you need to level it up a lot for it to work on anything other than objects," he answers, puzzled.


    Riiiight. This wasn''t like this in the game¡ªyou could see name tags and levels above characters'' heads. If you entered combat or a dungeon, you could also see life bars for both allies and creatures. Going hunting in a forest, I never did that in the otome game and, from what my friend told me, she didn''t either. I guess that identify spell would have existed too, but players didn''t need it to see someone''s or an enemy''s level.


    "My lady?" he asks, seeing that I''ve gotten lost in my thoughts and haven''t answered.


    "Sorry, Ronan. Sometimes it seems like I''m the one who''s been locked up all her life. Well, in a way I was because I studied so much in the library."


    He raises an eyebrow. The way he''s looking at me suggests that my extensive studies aren''t very apparent if I don''t know something this basic.


    "But I hit my head, did I tell you? Man, since then I have like memory gaps and forget things from my past. No, don''t worry," I quickly add seeing his reaction. This boy is quite expressive. "I''m perfectly fine," I assure him.


    And to cut off the conversation, I also start examining the cave wall, bringing my torch closer and acting super interested.


    We don''t find anything¡ªeverything seems safe, except in one of the small caves branching off from the main one. There''s a cave-in on the wall. A pile of large stones mixed with earth covers one corner of the cavern.


    "Perhaps some creature or animal used to enter through here and the bear fought and won, and that gave it a lot of experience," Ronan thinks aloud. "Well, if that was the case, the path is closed now. We just need to keep it in mind. I''ll tell the goblins to make a wooden gate and put it at the entrance, to keep that cave controlled."This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    By the time the goblins return, with some of the meat already smoked and the rest of the tribe''s belongings, the sun is setting. We all gather at the main cave''s entrance for dinner. Ronan and I update the goblins on our findings.


    "The cave is secure," Ronan tells them. "We haven''t found any threats. But still, we shouldn''t lower our guard. From now on, this is our home and we must protect it. There''s an area with a possible tunnel cave-in that I want watched, and no children or cubs should be housed near there. I''ll show you where later," he turns to the totem.


    He and his goblins nod, satisfied. The truth is, they''re delighted with their new refuge, which is much more spacious and welcoming than the previous cave. Plus, the bears'' presence makes them feel safer, even though they''re still getting used to the idea of living with them.


    When we finish dinner, sitting on mats on the ground, the tribe''s shaman stands up and plants himself in front of me with a solemn expression. Before I can react, the elder prostrates himself at my feet and places his ceremonial staff before me in a sign of respect.


    "Thank you for everything you''ve done for the tribe. At first, I didn''t trust humans, even less after they forced us to leave our prosperous village and flee through the mountains. However, you have proven worthy of trust and respect. I, the totem shaman and leader of the Shattered Tooth tribe, from now on, recognize you as our leader and protector."


    Damn... But I''d be lying if I said this catches me by surprise. I just wanted to help them, and complete the mission along the way. But with the contract and after that notification about the bears that I didn''t want to read, this was bound to happen.


    I don''t know what to tell him. The shaman is still prostrated on the ground. Since he''s elderly, it seems wrong to me. So I thank him so he can stand up.


    "Thank you very much, it''s not neces¡ª"


    Right at that moment, a system notification window opens before me. I''m left with "it''s not necessary to recognize me as leader" unfinished in my mouth.


    Congratulations. Mission completed. You have saved the goblin settlement and earned their loyalty.


    Reward: 500 XP.


    Additional reward: loyalty of the Shattered Tooth tribe.


    A few seconds later another appears, covering the first:


    Congratulations. You have leveled up. You are now level 7 and have one free stat point to use. Specialization has been unlocked. You have new skills and spells to choose from.


    What? I leveled up! But before I can happily reread the part about specialization or think through the math¡ªthat if 500 XP was enough to level up, then slimes and skeletons must give tiny amounts of experience¡ªanother notification appears.


    The goblin totem wishes to be your vassal and swear loyalty to you, along with the rest of his village.


    Do you accept?


    Accept? How cute of the system, I think ironically. As if killing the wolf pup was even on the table.


    Obviously, I press yes.


    Look, I like the goblins, but leading them... I glance sideways at Ronan. He''s my vassal and has already been acting as second in command. Maybe he''d even help if I asked. No, Bianca, you can''t take advantage like that, I mentally scold myself.


    Another window appears, probably congratulating me and informing me about influence points. I swat it away, I''ll read it later. Ronan looks at me oddly but says nothing.


    "Please stand up," I ask the totem.


    He picks up his staff, leans on it, and rises to his feet. He''s looking at me, the other goblins too, as if waiting for something.


    Um...


    "Continue leading your people as you have been, totem. For important matters, I''ll give you directions. Finding me might be a bit complicated. Until I figure out a way, I''ll stop by at least once a week. Also, I want to bring you what you asked for on my next visit."


    The truth is, I need to sell more pelts to afford everything. It¡¯s just basic necessities like nails, tools, and a few cooking ingredients. Still, I ended up spending part of the boar money on six shovels, so I really should gather more pelts to sell. This week, however, I¡¯ve been so busy with classes and studies that I haven¡¯t had time to go hunting.


    "I''ll take some of the small bear pelts to sell and complete the purchase."


    It sounds like an order, but I don''t think they''ll mind since they''re keeping the giant bears'' pelts. Those, obviously, I don''t want to take to the village. It would be too complicated to explain how I got them.


    "Of course, my lady. Thank you."


    "Call me Bianca. I''m too young for ''my lady.''"


    The goblin looks at me puzzled. I guess in his culture it would be an honor, but in my Earth culture, not so much. And if he''s thinking that I allow Ronan to do it... Well, I don''t allow it, but what¡¯s the point in repeatedly asking him not to call me that? I suppose I could order him to stop, but I¡¯d rather avoid the sight of those huge, round, sad eyes of his.