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


 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.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    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 monasteries 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.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    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: NoneThis story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    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, the Fianc茅.

    A lone rider traveled on horseback¡ªa young man dressed in quality riding attire, a sword at his hip. He maintained a steady trot that didn¡¯t overly tire the horse, and he himself seemed to be in good shape.


    He arrived early at the mansion owned by the Counts of Esaton in Hosca, introducing himself to the gate guard as Marco Lacor, heir to Baron Lacor and Bianca Esaton¡¯s fianc¨¦. His purpose was to see her and inform her that he intended to break their engagement.


    Strictly speaking, there was no need to talk to her, but out of courtesy, he wanted to explain his reasons before making it official with her father, the count.


    When Marco was a child, their parents had arranged the marriage. As the heir, he would gain the prestige of marrying a count¡¯s daughter, along with a generous dowry. Meanwhile, Bianca would secure the title of baroness, since the countship would go to her older brother.


    However, Marco had trained and studied hard throughout his childhood and adolescence. By the time he turned eighteen, he chose not to take the academy entrance exam. Instead, he shouldered part of the family business responsibilities.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Their barony¡¯s lands were primarily agricultural and through his studies, Marco realized they could increase their yields and improve the soil¡¯s quality by diversifying crops and negotiating with the neighboring barony to draw more irrigation water from their swamp.


    Thanks to these changes, the barony was flourishing, and Marco no longer needed Bianca¡¯s dowry. Since she was rather dull and lacking in personality¡ªalways fawning over whoever she thought she needed to impress¡ªit was actually a relief to be able to end the engagement.


    Of course, Marco planned to marry in the future, but only to someone with whom each day wouldn¡¯t feel like a chore.


    However, the guard informed him that the young lady had left at dawn. He didn¡¯t know where she had gone.


    Faced with the choice of waiting inside or going to look for her, Marco chose the latter. He had no desire to waste too much time.


    Thinking she might have gone to the nearby village, he headed there on horseback. After asking around and realizing no one had seen her, Marco decided to search the surrounding fields and then the forest.


    His frustration grew with every passing moment. 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 has 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."


    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.Stolen novel; please report.


    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, then approach the chest and open it. Like in the video game, it''s not locked or trapped. Inside, there are a few copper coins. I pocket them and return to the fork in the path.


    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.


    Major 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."A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    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.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    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.


    <hr>


    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 as if it were one, I take advantage of wearing leather gloves to grip the blade, allowing me to strike with the pommel or guard. 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 strike him on the head with the guard, 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.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    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. I use the pommel and the guard as a mace again and fight. 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 Major 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 pommel 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. Luckily, I have a spare one. 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.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    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 water skin 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 her 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.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    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 stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    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 nod. 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...This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    "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.


    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.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    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 six 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."


    "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.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


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


    "In the exam, you''ll show us the spell you possess from each basic elemental 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."


    If this were back on Earth, it would feel like doing unpaid overtime¡ªsomething I despised. Let¡¯s ask.


    ¡°Is there payment?¡±


    ¡°It should be an honor for you to be allowed to serve the crown and the kingdom,¡± the colonel replies sharply.


    It seems he didn¡¯t appreciate my question.


    ¡°I understand, sir,¡± I respond.


    ¡°Yes, there is payment,¡± the rector interjects, his tone measured and professional. ¡°A copy of the contract will be sent to your family, specifying the various payments based on the difficulty of the mission. You will never be obligated to accept any mission¡ªit is entirely voluntary. Additionally, as an added benefit, you will receive guided training from this academic institution, a privilege very few students are granted. To help you adjust, this training will begin in the second trimester.¡±


    Honestly, it sounds good. And if I remember correctly, in the otome, these kinds of contracts were typical for the most promising students.


    ¡°Alright. My parents will decide if they want to sign it.¡±


    ¡°No family has ever refused,¡± the colonel interjects, his lips pressed into a displeased grimace.


    ¡°Moreover, you will need to sign a confidentiality agreement, ensuring you do not disclose anything you see during these missions,¡± the rector adds, handing me two documents. ¡°The first is a copy of the contract that will be sent to your family for their approval. The second is the confidentiality agreement.¡±


    Since the whole ¡°seed of darkness¡± ordeal, just hearing the word contract puts me on edge. Oh well... I take a look. Thankfully, these documents are much simpler than the one for the seed of darkness.


    The first, the one meant for my parents, outlines payments, assets, and other non-monetary compensations. The second is brief: it states that I have only one obligation¡ªto maintain confidentiality. If I break it, any non-monetary compensation provided to my family will be revoked, and I will also face trial for treason.


    I understand that the things I might see on these missions could be sensitive, and it¡¯s reasonable for the crown to demand confidentiality. Normally, I¡¯d think long and hard before signing something like this. However, I¡¯m not obligated to accept any mission. If I don¡¯t go on any, there¡¯s nothing for me to disclose. (Not that I would anyway¡ªI¡¯m not stupid enough to go around spilling state secrets.)


    Besides, the guided training would be incredibly beneficial. I remember from the otome that, starting in the first year, students were desperate to secure one of the few professors willing to provide personal tutoring. Finally, if, as I suspect, this is a standard agreement for outstanding students, noble families are already familiar with it and likely expect their children to be chosen.


    With that in mind, I sign. Now it¡¯s up to Bianca¡¯s parents to decide whether or not to accept the contract. I haven¡¯t interacted with them much, but I have a feeling Count L''Crom will approve¡ªit¡¯s his ticket to more land and greater influence at court.


    ¡°Perfect,¡± the rector says after collecting and storing the signed contract.


    ¡°My family will also receive a copy of the confidentiality agreement, correct?¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course. Don¡¯t worry. Now, please follow me; we¡¯re going to proceed with 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?The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    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.


    My parents sent me a letter congratulating me on catching the rector¡¯s attention with my abilities, telling me how proud they were of me and that they had already signed the contract. They couldn¡¯t stop writing about how surprised and excited they were, placing all their hopes in me and eagerly anticipating the end-of-term ball so they could see me in person. My mother promised me plenty of hugs.


    Still, reading this only made me feel homesick for my real parents back on Earth.


    I kept studying.


    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.


    <hr>


    "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 early twenties 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.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    "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."


    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 protection 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.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    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.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    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 no matter what 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.Stolen story; please report.


    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.The story has been stolen; if detected 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.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    "Do you understand me?"


    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 being 20% completed 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 no matter what, 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 Velbrun ¡ª 17 points


    Vincent Draycott ¡ª 16 points


    Alistair Astor ¡ª 15 points


    Theodore Dravenholt ¡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.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    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.


    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.Stolen story; please report.


    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. After practicing with fire for a while, she tells me she finds it strange that I can only channel that element. She persists and makes me try them all, even earth. At that moment I have two choices: pretend to try and fail, or act as if I''m testing it for the first time and be surprised. Honestly, hiding the contract with the seed of evil makes sense. Concealing the channeling, not so much. If I try it now and it works, Catrina can give me advice. If not, she won''t. I think I have more to lose by pretending to fail. So I start with air.


    "I knew it!" exclaims the professor, delighted.


    When it comes to earth, I tell her I don''t think this element will work, that earth is more for protecting myself, that all it will do is increase the weapon''s durability. However, she insists. So I try it and, to my surprise¡ªthis time genuine¡ªit not only increases the sword''s durability but also its weight. When I ran out of mana, she gave me one of those expensive potions to restore it. After the hour-and-a-half session, where we also practiced with the sword without channeling, I''ve depleted it again and felt 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 tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    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: 100 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 hundred 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 sixty. 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, +40% memorization speed.


    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 = animator''s Int. Cost: 1 MP for every 2 skeletons.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    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.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    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.


    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. Moreover, the letter from my parents¡­ said they would see me there. When I read it, I was so busy studying that I didn¡¯t give it much thought and had forgotten about it. 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.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    "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.


    "Sol Vassilea. I didn''t expect that from you," he rebukes her, disappointment painted in the green of his irises.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    "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."


    "Don''t worry, we''re going to settle in the area, we''re not interested in the game running out."This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    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.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please 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."If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please 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?"


    "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."A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    "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 earth wall. Minor stone bullets. Minor fire arrow. Minor breath control. Minor splash. Minor healing. Minor channeling with earth, water and air. Low 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.


    "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?"Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "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>


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    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.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    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 two-story apartment building wrapped itself in dark fur, with huge white teeth that seem larger than my fists and claws¡ªclaws 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 four 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.)If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    "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...?"


    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.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    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.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    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 she 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.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    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 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."Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    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: 100 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 100 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.

 Aetherblade. Part 1.

    That night we sleep in the cave, as planned. Ronan doesn''t know I have missions¡ªit''s an unknown concept in this world where the system doesn''t talk to them like it does to me. But I did tell him I wanted to help the goblins settle, hence staying overnight. The goblins lend us some bedrolls and furs to cover ourselves. For now, we''re all sleeping in the main cavern, which has warmed up from the fire. In the coming days, the goblins will distribute themselves and the bears among the other caves. Once I''m in my bedroll, I turn toward the nearby wall and pretend to sleep. Minutes pass. Endless minutes. Because ever since I saw that specialization notice, I''ve been dying to know what they''ve given me or if I can choose between various options. If I haven''t snuck away before, it''s because we went to bed shortly after dinner and I think I can be undisturbed here. So, I wait until everything is relatively quiet, broken only by breathing and the occasional snore. Good. This is the moment of solitude I''ve been looking for. I open those notifications I swatted away without looking at them.


    I cross my fingers. Let''s see what I leveled up during battle.


    Congratulations. Your level of channeling with the earth element has increased. Earth element channeling advances from minor to low.


    Great! After fire, it''s the one I''ve used the most, so I was eager to improve it.


    Congratulations. Your creative use of earth element channeling applied to terrain has generated a new utility option.


    Curious, I tap on the window to see what it means:


    Earth element channeling costs two mana points and lasts 2 minutes. The area to which it can be applied increases to one of the following options:


    <ul>


    <li>the user''s entire body</li>


    <li>two weapons, two armor pieces, or two small objects</li>


    <li>a terrain area equal to what the user can control with her earth control spell. Essential requirement: simultaneously using the earth control spell.</li>


    </ul>


    Then I realize. In the heat of battle, I instinctively applied earth channeling to something that wasn''t a weapon, shield, or parts of my body. I hadn''t tried it before. I didn''t even notice it might not work¡ªI just tried to further harden those stone spikes I already had a connection with through my basic control spell.


    Magic is simply amazing. And it can be created and improved. Here, lying with my eyes open and trying not to move much, I suddenly feel overwhelmed with gratitude. I love this world. Being able to do magic, even redesign it, is more than I could have ever dreamed. Right now, if someone told me to go back to Earth, I''d say no. It''s not that I don''t love my parents or my friends, but here I feel alive and useful like I never have before. The wolf pup, the goblins, even Ronan... I don''t know what would become of them if I left. And yes, I include the necromancer in that list, because he''s a sweetheart but I think without support, because of all the damage done to him, he could change and become a monster.


    He has the potential.


    And so does the seed.


    I focus back on the spell. It''s two minutes. Fire channeling went up to three. I guess that''s because earth has increased in range.


    I continue looking at the notifications.


    The survivors of the great bear''s family wish to live under your protection and become your vassals. Do you accept?


    I roll my eyes. I press yes and continue reading, this time the notification that just opened.


    I also hear a couple of roars and a bellow that resound through the cave, deep and victorious. Uh... they''re going to wake everyone up. I better stay very still.


    Congratulations, future Dark Lord, you have just gained your third vassals.


    +20 influence points.


    I move my hand the minimum necessary (in case someone has woken up) and check the last unread notification.


    Congratulations, future dark lord, you have just gained your second vassals.


    +46 influence points.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    You will have access to the village control interface once it is established.


    What?


    I tap on interface to see what else it tells me. And no, please, System, I don''t want to get into a city builder. Just let me level up and that''s it, I''m asking for so little.


    The village control interface allows you to select village buildings and spells.


    Well okay, I tap on established.


    A village is established when it has at least fifty inhabitants, all with beds, as well as a town hall.


    Town hall?


    Building or room where the physical pedestal of the control interface is placed.


    And the system doesn''t show me anything else about the pedestal no matter how much I try. I guess I''ll have to ask the goblins. Since they''re not even thirty right now, I file it away in the mental tab labeled "annoying tasks that multiply like mushrooms to worry about another day."


    Something else that intrigues me is the influence points. For Ronan they gave me 10. Tapping on the system interface, I can see where the 45 goblin points come from: 3 are for the totem. 1 for each child or non-combatant goblin. 2 for each warrior. So it counts 14 goblins as warriors and the rest up to 28, not counting the totem, as non-combatants. I think it counts Gump, who''s injured, as a combatant, and some women who have fought are included as non-combatants because it''s not their primary role. Interesting.


    I don''t think they prevent their females from taking up a spear and fighting if that''s what they want, it''s just that based on how the tribe is organized, they focus more on skinning and other tasks. I think a female, who can be more agile, would make a good scout or archer. Hm... I''ll probably bring this up with the totem and them later.


    And now, finally, to the best part: my level up. To start with, I see that I barely made it, I''m practically missing the almost eleven hundred I need for level 8. I was getting 15% of the shadow wolf''s experience. This is very strange. A divine beast should get experience from killing bears, right? I start investigating and end up finding that the wolf is at maximum level¡ªwhich I already knew¡ªbut that it''s weakened and recovers its power as the pup levels up. Also, I got a ridiculous amount of experience because that 15% is based on a double standard: humans barely get any experience from non-dungeon creatures. That''s why I gained almost no experience from the fight between the wolf and the mountain king. Later I''ll ask the pup to show me his character sheet and the shadow wolf''s. Now, first things first: I look to see what specializations they''re offering me. From the otome, I already know that a specialization is equivalent to a profession.


    Mage. Specializes in the use and control of magic, channeling magical energy to cast spells that can be destructive, defensive, healing, or supportive. Main stats: Intelligence and wisdom. Bonus: +1 Int, +1 Wis, +1 Con.


    Fighter. Specializes in physical combat, using strength, endurance, and martial skill to face enemies on the battle front or at range. Main stats: Strength, agility, and constitution. Bonus: +1 Str, +1 Agi, +1 Con.


    Aetherblade. Specializes in the union of body and soul. Capable of imbuing the spirit element into their body, equipment, and spells. Main stats: Strength, agility, constitution, intelligence, and wisdom. Bonus: +1 Str, +1 Agi, +1 Con, +1 Int, +1 Wis.


    Oh my god!


    Aetherblade? There was nothing like this in the game. I mean, what they''re offering here at level 7 is just the basics. A mage is the basic magic class, which later transforms into healer, elementalist, sorcerer, necromancer and other possibilities. Similarly, the fighter can evolve into archer, warrior, tank, assassin... But this is the first time I''ve read about the aetherblade, and I suspect, since there are no records in this world of someone with the spirit element, that I might be the first. Because I''m going to choose it, I''m not stupid. I don''t care that it relies on all 5 stats and that it''ll be more complicated to level up. Besides, aren''t I already fighting with my sword imbued with fire? I stretch out my fingers and select the option. I don''t even want to look at what spells and abilities I''d get if I chose one of the other two classes.


    Congratulations. You are an Aetherblade, a specialization that should have been common but disappeared at the dawn of history, when the creator god split. Within you lies the power to recover what was lost, to return unity to creation. These are your available abilities and spells.


    Before tapping to see what they''re offering, I try everything possible to get more information by tapping on creator god. In the otome they didn''t talk about the gods, it was taboo. In this world, even more so. All that''s said is that after the defeat of the last demon king there were countries that didn''t accept the peace imposed by the gods and their armies were destroyed by divine fury. Temples as places of worship were forbidden, most being destroyed. Some monasteries remained, converted into sanctuaries for educating children with light magic.


    That''s why having the system show me something about a creator god is most intriguing. However, there''s no more information no matter how much I search.


    Recover what was lost, return unity to creation... it seems related to what my specialization is: a union of body and spirit; that is, of body and soul.


    I continue reading:


    Available abilities (choose one):


    Minor Meditation: Through the perfect union of body and spirit, accelerates the recovery of health and mana. Recovers 1HP and 1MP for every 20 minutes of meditation.


    Minor Magic Resistance. Passive. +1 point of magic resistance.


    Balance: Maintaining the spirit is cultivating the balance of elements. Accelerates the learning of elemental magics that you have less developed, acceleration that slows as you approach the level of your most developed elemental magic. To accelerate learning, obviously, you must use that magic.


    Oh, what do I choose now?

 Aetherblade, Part 2.

    Obviously, I want them all.


    Hmm... if I choose meditation and ask Ronan if he could curse me with poison that takes away one health point every twenty minutes, then I could meditate and learn magical resistance on my own. Because meditation accelerates mana regeneration and also regenerates health. It seems like an ability I definitely need.


    But balance... To begin with, it appears to be specially designed for my specialization. It has no level, which means I can''t raise it, it''s a unique level. My most advanced elemental magic is fire. If I understand correctly what balance means, I''ll need less practice with air or water to raise their level from minor to low. And if, for example, I want to improve my minor splash, it will be easier for me too.


    I really can''t decide between the two.


    It''s not that I think magic resistance wouldn''t be good for me, especially when lower-level spells normally deal one point of damage (except for mages with high magic affinity or a lot of intelligence). The problem is, the other two options are just too irresistible.


    Moving on to the spells:


    Available spells (choose one):


    <ul>


    <li> Minor Versatile (spirit spell): One-point increase in a chosen attribute. Target: single, caster. Duration: 30 minutes. Cost: 1 MP.</li>


    <li> Minor Flash (spirit spell): Instant movement to a location within the caster''s visual range. Target: single, caster. Range: 3 meters. Cost: 2 MP.</li>


    <li> Minor alchemy (spirit spell): Transmutation of elements into known minor potions. Cost: x MP, with x being the number of elements (earth, water, fire, air) involved in the potion. Known potions so far: minor mana potion. Cost: 4 MP.</li>


    </ul>


    Honestly, alchemy it''s very tempting, considering how expensive potions are. I spend four points¡ªI imagine mana then uses the four basic elements¡ªand if it''s like the potions the teachers have given me, I recover six. What a bargain: I improve the spell, raise my spirit magic, and on top of that, I can make good money selling the extra ones.


    I feel like crying, I think to myself.


    Because I want alchemy, but I''m a pioneer in this branch of spirit magic, which means no one can teach me a spell. So, if I pass up on flash or versatile, I run the risk of never being able to learn them. Spells aren''t like masteries, I can''t just start training to learn them. And if my fighting style really involves strengthening my body and weapons, I need flash. It can make me dodge an attack that would otherwise kill me.


    I choose flash.


    Then, I mull over the mastery again. I''m about to not choose because I can''t decide when I realize it. Meditation will improve as I level up. If at some point it reaches one MP per minute, I could summon the shadow wolf and keep it in that form while I''m meditating.


    That''s a game-changer.


    Maybe if I start meditating on my own every day, they''ll give it to me, but I''d rather have it now.


    I reach out my fingers and select minor level meditation.


    Good, very good. Now let''s see if this little wolf, who takes 5% of the experience I earn, has leveled up. 5% of 100 is 5, plus the ridiculous amount it may have gotten from the bears and the hunting days. The last time I checked, it was at 85%.


    "Let me see your statistics window and the wolf''s, please," I ask in a whisper.


    The little one, without leaving the skin we''re covering ourselves with, does so. Well, would you look at that! It just leveled up too. It''s level 2 and its progress bar is at 0%.


    Since it''s a divine beast, I couldn''t help but wonder if it might require significantly more experience to level up compared to creatures like deer, boars, bears, or even myself. It''s definitely something I should look into further or bring up with a teacher, leaving out the whole "divine beast" detail, of course. I''m curious to find out if different animal species have varying XP requirements for leveling up.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    What I do know is that a human, with 5 experience points in total, is level 2. That confirms to me that the divine beast needs more.


    Seed of darkness. Level 2.


    Progress towards level 3: 0%


    Constitution: 5


    Strength: 3


    Intelligence: 3


    Agility: 2


    Wisdom: 2


    Health Points: 5


    Mana Points: 2


    Skills:


    Not available


    Spells:


    Healing Lick initiated level: restores half of the future Dark Lord''s maximum 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


    It has gained at least one point per attribute, and no less than three in constitution. It must have been arduous, but leveling up is much more profitable for it than for me.


    And now it can use Healing Lick twice? I have to take advantage of this to level up my magic.


    Shadow Wolf. Level 30.


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


    Constitution: 35


    Strength: 33


    Intelligence: 33


    Agility: 32


    Wisdom: 32


    Health Points: 35


    Mana Points: 32


    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.


    Interesting. I see how the wolf''s attributes have increased as a result of the seed''s level up. What I''m sure of is that I have to make the puppy, now that it has a little more health, go off on its own to hunt rabbits or boars or whatever. And the wolf¡­ it doesn''t have too many hit points. Sure, it has great resistances that make it quite immune, especially to the enemies we''ve encountered so far. But something tells me this won''t always be the case.


    Oh my, what a to-do list... Learn archery, try to apply channeling to the bow or quiver, level up the puppy, Mary''s dress, tomorrow''s dungeon, do something about Sol who''s been looking at me with too much resentment this week... Not to mention the goblin village, keep training, tomorrow''s dungeon without my new friends seeing that I can do strange magic...


    Alright then, time for bed.


    Although that''s not going to happen, I remain sleepless until almost time to get up. And to think stress was only a 21st century thing on Earth¡­


    For example, my head keeps spinning about this whole accepting vassals thing. The bears were easy, they''re like pets. The goblins, not so much. Of course, the ring I''m wearing, the ring of resistance, still has its abilities blocked. I''ll need to fulfill its requirements for it to be of any help. However, if I were to be able to use it, I don''t know if I would. I mean, it''s easy to say that I accept the goblins because the contract forces me to and thus rid myself of all responsibility. But I always have a choice, I could have said no and rid the world of the seed of darkness. Honestly, even if I hadn''t been bound by contract, I think I would have accepted them anyway. These goblins don''t seem bad. They have their honor and want to protect their families. They don''t seem like monsters that only think about killing and exterminating humans. Besides, for now the only darkness here is that of the seed and Ronan, and they don''t seem like bad people either. I mean, the shadow wolf didn''t help us in the fight against the bear in the pit, but the truth is that the goblins gained a lot of experience from that. Not me, animals hardly give me anything. Getting five times more than a level one bear is still ridiculous if this bear gives me next to nothing. However, I did improve my magic.


    I think the wolf did it for that reason, to help us grow.


    There comes a point where the little wolf that snuggles against my stomach makes a sound that seems like a hoarse purr. I pet it. I focus on the silkiness of its fur and finally end up falling asleep. Too bad Ronan wakes me up right away because we have to go to the dungeon.

 Dungeon Bound.

    I can attest that waking up early without having slept much does not put me in a good mood. Ronan and I have a quick breakfast, say goodbye to the goblins, and leave.


    "My lady," he says to me at some point on our journey through the forest, "does the divine beast not eat enough?"


    "What?" I ask, completely caught off guard.


    Because first, we weren''t talking. Second, I''m still sleepy. Third, where did that come from?


    The pup, who has decided to grow a bit and now reaches my knees, is scampering alongside us. When Ronan mentions him, it''s as if he understands and hurries to give a bark.


    "He eats a ton," I clarify somewhat dryly, remembering a few minutes ago when he ate twice as much as me for breakfast.


    "Forgive me if my question has in any way caused you offense. It is simply that I had heard of the divine beast of darkness, but it was not until I beheld it in all its splendor that I truly comprehended its immense size. He had told me about it, but hearing of such a creature and having the honor of witnessing it are two entirely different matters."


    I look at the pup. He''s scampering normally. Not strutting. Well, that''s good, because if he understands us, the last thing we need is for his ego to swell with the veneration Ronan is imbuing his words with.


    I sigh and try not to sound so abrupt, as the poor guy is not to blame for me still being sleepy.


    "Sorry, Ronan, you misunderstood me. I''m not offended. And, looking at it that way, you''re right. He eats a lot but not as much as a wolf of that size would eat. But come on, don''t encourage him, he''s already quite a glutton. Tell me... who is this ''he'' you sometimes talk about?"


    But what am I doing? Am I stupid or what? I wasn''t supposed to ask him about that, I really don''t want to know.


    "There is only one ''he'', our dark lord."


    "A demon king?"


    He looks at me as if I were pulling his leg.


    "I am referring to our god."


    Oh! But that''s forbidden... I look up, to see if a lightning bolt or something strikes us.


    "Don''t mention him again. You know it''s not allowed."


    I find it quite shocking that it has to be a woman from another world reminding him.


    "Certainly, I beg your forgiveness."


    We fall silent. I should clarify that I don''t serve any god, much less the dark one, but considering my contract with the seed, I''ll pass on telling him. I wouldn''t be surprised at all if he replied with something implying that''s what I think or that''s what we want others to believe. And I don''t want to ask more either. The gods are supposed to be gone, you can be punished if you name them. And here''s Ronan, calmly saying he talks to one of them, the one who lost the war to boot. If he didn''t have high affinity, I''d think he''s making it up or is crazy and thinks he hears voices.


    No...


    I better drop the subject and park it in some forgotten corner of my head too. I don''t serve any god and I don''t plan on becoming the next dark queen. That stuff about the future dark lord... I''m not going to fulfill it.


    <hr>


    When we arrive at the village, I¡¯ve already forgotten about it and am mostly focused on whether I can shower quickly, or the prince and his friends will have to wait for me. We greet the guards at the gate, stop by the furrier''s cabin for a moment to sell the pelts, and then head to the teleporter.


    When we enter my room, Judith is awake.


    "Hello," I greet her.


    She''s making her bed, already dressed in her academy uniform.


    She turns around. Ronan appears beside me. She screams.


    Damn.


    "Don''t scream, it''s okay," I tell her as I approach her, hoping she''ll stop shrieking like I would if a bunch of spiders suddenly fell on me.


    I really didn''t think to mention that Ronan would be accompanying me on some days. I didn''t think she''d take it like this. It''s a good thing we didn''t find her coming out of the shower wrapped in a towel...This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    "I''m sorry, everything is fine. Forgive me, I should have warned you."


    "Bianca, he''s a boy!"


    "Yes," I nod.


    Ronan is super embarrassed, not seeming to know where to look, so he''s turned his back and hasn''t taken his eyes off the floor. He hasn''t even dared to step out of the stone circle.


    "And this is my room. You can''t bring anyone to my room without warning, much less a boy and much less a violent one like him," she ends up raising her voice hysterically.


    "What? Ronan is not violent."


    "Well, that''s not what they say."


    "Okay, I''m going to talk to the professor, to see if I can make the portal somewhere else. This won''t happen again. Since you''re always studying and doing your own thing, I didn''t think you''d mind."


    Judith leans on the bed and calms down a bit from the scare I gave her. Ronan doesn''t say anything, so as not to make it worse.


    "Yes, please do," my roommate asks me.


    "I''m sorry," I mutter again and take Ronan out into the hallway.


    " My lady, I beg your pardon for placing you in such a difficult situation," he begins to say to me.


    "It''s not your fault," I cut him off. "It''s mine for not thinking better about what would happen if Judith found out. I''m going to have to talk to Catrina. At first, I didn''t want to ask for permission in case she didn''t let us go together and then, when I got scolded, I didn''t think to ask her for a safe place to put the stones. Besides, we''re late. Go get ready. Oh, and that about them saying you''re violent... tell me about it later."


    I go back into the room and close the door behind me before he heads off to his own dorm to get ready. I''m in a hurry, I have to shower because I''m sure I smell terrible, as well as change clothes.


    "Who says Ronan is violent?" I can''t help but ask Judith as I look for my towel.


    The girl adjusts her glasses and answers me.


    "Everyone. Apparently, he threatened his roommate with a knife to the neck."


    Oh, damn. Yes, I do have to talk to Ronan.


    <hr>


    No matter how much I hurry, I''m the last to arrive.


    I had to quickly stop by the kitchen to pick up today''s food to go. I''m carrying it in my backpack. The pup too, in the usual side pocket. There''s leather and cloth between him and the sandwiches, so I hope he doesn''t try to eat them. I''m rushing to the agreed meeting spot, the entrance of the academy. When I arrive, they''re all already there: Vincent, Alistair, Theodore, Darius, Mary, Ronan, and three hooded guys. Unless Lily changed physique, she''s not any of them.


    "Good morning, sorry," I greet them.


    "Don''t worry, you''re just in time," Mary smiles at me.


    She''s very close to Theodore and the prince. Right on the opposite side of Ronan and those three strangers.


    "Ready to kill a few giant scorpions?" Darius provokes me.


    "Sure, especially if it''s more than you kill," I tease him.


    I can''t help it. First, it''s easy, and second, I have a competitive streak in my blood, which is why I played LOL.


    "I accept the challenge," he replies very seriously.


    "Me too," joins the other redhead.


    Theodore looks at us with resignation. Vincent smiles and Mary still seems uncomfortable.


    "Are you okay, Mary?" I ask her.


    "Of course, I can''t discriminate against Ronan''s friends because they''re dead."


    What?


    "They''re Joe, Tom and Bob," Ronan intervenes, very seriously. "Guys, say hello."


    The three hooded figures raise their gloved hand as a greeting, not emitting any sound or word.


    I approach one and pull back his hood. Underneath there is a leather helmet and a skull with black flames glowing in the empty sockets of its eyes. I quickly pull the hood back up to leave his face in the shadows.


    "What''s this?" I turn and ask Ronan.


    "They want to come; they were tired of being in the closet. Besides, this way I go to the dungeon with all my mana."


    This is surreal. I understand going with mana recovered after a night of restful sleep (lucky him who slept like a log). I understand that if they are raised undead and necromancy is so broken in this world that they don''t decay, he had them raised from before. I could even understand him hiding them in the closet. But naming them? Does he not know how macabre that is?


    I open my mouth to say something, annoyed, and close it again.


    Bianca, this boy has been alone and locked up all his life, he must have even named the skeleton rats he played with so as not to go crazy, I think.


    "Please don''t talk as if they were people."


    "But they were."


    He tells me that so calmly, gazing at me with those huge, round eyes of his.


    "Do they talk to you? Do they still have consciousness or a soul?"


    "Well, no, but I''m convinced they understand me and have feelings."


    "Let it go, Bianca," Mary intervenes. "It''s okay, they''ll be useful in the dungeon."


    This girl is a sweetheart. Despite how much it shows that it''s hard for her to be close to the undead, she supports Ronan. A real gem. No doubt high affinity for light.


    "Thank you, Mary. But Ronan," I look at him, "has to learn not to talk to the dead when people are around. Not everyone is as kind as you and at this rate he''s going to get a bad reputation."


    Mary seems to hesitate about whether to say something, but Vincent holds her by the arm and pulls her.


    "Let''s go," he tells us as he starts moving. "We have to get going, I''d like to be back in time for dinner today."


    "Of course," Darius agrees.


    We follow him. He leads us to the wing of the academy building where the teachers reside, study and research. Specifically, to a room where I have never been and which contains a portal. It is similar to the one in the village, in that it is a circular platform of white marble, only more spacious. Furthermore, the geometric figure on whose vertices the stones are placed is not a heptagon but a regular enneagon.


    "It takes us to the capital, to the travel station. There we will take the portal to the desert," Vincent informs those of us who don''t know, which is everyone except his two childhood friends.


    The guardian in this room greets the prince and grants us free passage.


    Perfect. Since the interior space of the enneagon is substantial, we all fit together. We stand inside and the guardian activates the teleportation by saying the corresponding words. We appear in a similar room, only much larger and full of more circular white marble platforms with different geometric figures, some regular and some irregular. Several royal guards and employees are stationed at the portals, keeping watch and activating them as needed. The prince identifies himself and states our destination. The fortress of Krab. The advanced outpost in the Krab desert that guards and periodically clears the intermediate level dungeon we''re heading to.


    Here we go!

 Into the Deserts Heart.

    The teleporter gleams as our party materializes in the courtyard of Krab Fortress. Surrounding them are high stone walls, weathered by years of desert storms. At the center of the courtyard stands the teleporter¡ªa white marble platform with the same geometric design as the one in the capital. Soldiers patrol the area, their armor gleaming under the unrelenting sun.


    The captain of the guard approaches, offering a respectful salute to Prince Vincent.


    "Your Highness, we''ve been expecting you," he says, his tone formal but warm. "The noble in charge has been informed of your arrival. In the meantime, here are your identifications."


    He hands small, rune-etched tokens to each member of our party. When he realizes that he is missing three, he turns to the prince, confused:


    "Your Highness, we were told there would be seven of you."


    "Those three don''t need authorization, they''re skeletons."


    The captain stands still for a few moments, as if processing the information. For a moment, I tense up. I hope they won''t be a problem.


    "Can they lower their hoods?"


    "Ronan," Vincent prompts.


    "Uncover yourselves," Ronan orders.


    Immediately, the three undead reveal their cadaverous faces.


    "Everything is in order, Your Highness. As for the identifications, you''ll need them to trade any goods obtained from the dungeon. Without them, merchants won''t deal with you, and you''d risk being reported as smugglers."


    As I look puzzled upon hearing this, Mary approaches me and whispers:


    "Apparently, the dungeon is located in the heart of the desert, so there are no actual walls surrounding it, and anyone can enter. This is a way to ensure, in addition to the patrols, that unauthorized mercenaries don''t come to loot it."


    I nod and thank her.


    Nearby, some horses and a sturdy cart are waiting for us. The captain gestures toward them.


    "These will be at your disposal for the journey."


    The prince approaches to inspect them and, moments later, a nobleman strides into the courtyard, bowing deeply to Vincent.


    It''s curious, the prince has much more status and I''ve never seen him dressed in such ostentatious clothing as this noble. I guess in every world, there are those who want to appear more than they really are.


    "Your Highness," he begins, "welcome to Krab Fortress. It is an honor to host you. I''ve prepared a meal in your honor¡ª"


    "Thank you," Vincent interrupts, his tone polite but firm. "However, we must decline. Time is of the essence. We need to return to the academy by dinner."


    The noble''s expression briefly falters before he composes himself.


    "As you wish," he says, calling two guides. "They will escort you to the dungeon and watch over your mounts while you''re inside."


    After a quick summary of the creatures we might encounter and some brief goodbyes, Vincent, Alistair, and Theodore mount their horses, while the rest of us climb onto the cart and we set off. The landscape quickly shifts to barren flats, dotted with sparse, scraggly trees. The sun beats down mercilessly, and I am grateful for the hooded cloaks we all wear.


    The journey to the dungeon takes over an hour, eventually leading us into a landscape of sand dunes. The path ends at a camp¡ªa modest collection of tents, a small inn, and a handful of soldiers stationed as lookouts. The guides pause briefly to speak with the soldiers stationed there, exchanging brief updates. When one of the guides returns, he addresses our group.


    "The last cleanup of the area was three days ago, so there won''t be much hunting. However, this will be good experience for when you return next time."You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    Our party continues our journey without dismounting, guiding the horses and cart across the shifting sands of the desert. The cart, with its robust and thick wheels, holds up well, but the uneven terrain forces them to maintain a slower pace.


    It isn''t long before one of the guides raises a hand, signaling for silence.


    "Lizard sighted. Two of them," he whispers.


    My attention snaps forward. Two massive lizards¡ªeach over three meters long¡ªare barreling toward us. Their low bodies move with surprising speed, their scales glinting like polished obsidian.


    Darius grins. "Finally, some action."


    Mary chuckles softly and Theodore looks at him with disapproval.


    The guide adds a warning. "Be cautious. Their bites are venomous, and their tails can strike like a whip."


    "Noted," Darius says, leaping from the cart and unsheathing his sword. Vincent dismounts as well, drawing his weapon. "A good warm-up," he remarks. Alistair and Theodore join him, positioning themselves defensively near the prince.


    Darius raises a hand to the others. "The four of us can handle this. No need for backup."


    I didn''t think of the redhead as someone so selfish. This is going to make it more difficult for me to beat him, I think to myself. Anyway, I take it back: I don''t believe he''s doing it with bad intentions; rather, he just wants a fair fight against the creatures.


    Ronan remains seated, observing the creatures intently.


    "Watch their tails," he advises. His voice is calm, almost detached.


    Alistair and Theodore ignore him, focusing instead on the charging lizards. Both Darius and Vincent ready their shields as the creatures lunge.


    The first lizard slams into Vincent, its jaws snapping against his shield as he braces himself, falling back slightly under its weight. The second lunges at Darius, who sidesteps and slides to the ground, narrowly avoiding its fangs. As the creature twists to strike with its tail, Darius intercepts it with his shield, then counters with a swift strike, severing the tail entirely. The lizard screeches, writhing in pain before turning to face him again.


    Nearby, Alistair brings his heavy mace down on the lizard attacking Vincent, landing a solid blow to its head. The creature collapses to the side, momentarily stunned but still gripping Vincent''s shield in its jaws. Theodore rushes to help Vincent to his feet while Alistair strikes again, his mace smashing into the lizard''s flank. The beast roars, twisting to retaliate.


    Darius, meanwhile, presses his advantage. As his lizard lunges, he lifts his shield with a burst of strength, forcing the creature upward. With a powerful thrust, he drives his blade into its underbelly. The lizard thrashes, but Darius is relentless, slashing along its side until it crumples to the ground. He circles around and delivers a final, precise cut to its neck, ending its life.


    The second lizard, though wounded, isn''t finished. It strikes Theodore with its tail, sending him sprawling.


    Someone explain to me why a mage would want to get into melee. Oh... wait, I usually do the same.


    Mary and I rush from the cart to assist him, while Vincent drives his sword into the creature''s side. Alistair blocks the lizard''s snapping jaws with his mace, giving Vincent an opening to strike again. Darius joins the fray, severing the creature''s tail before delivering the finishing blow alongside the prince.


    The guides remain mounted, glancing briefly at Theodore, who is being helped to his feet by Mary. Though bruised and clearly in pain, Theodore manages a weak smile as he addresses us, his voice strained but polite. "I apologize for the inconvenience, but I believe my arm may be broken."


    "You should let me heal you," Mary offers, already preparing her magic.


    Theodore nods gratefully, his voice soft. "I would greatly appreciate that, Mary. Thank you for your kindness."


    Ronan watches the exchange with a small smile, and I can''t help but wonder about his connection to Mary. Despite their seemingly limited interactions, her genuine warmth and caring nature seem to have made a lasting impact on him, cementing her place as one of the few people he truly cherishes. I make a mental note to ask him later if he trusts Mary, curious about the depth of their relationship.


    The guides observe the scene quietly, their expressions neutral. Mary focuses her energy, casting the healing spell with practiced ease. A soft glow envelops Theodore''s arm, mending the fracture and easing his pain. "There," she says gently, "how does that feel?"


    Theodore flexes his arm tentatively, then smiles broadly. "Much better. You have my sincerest gratitude, Mary."


    Darius cleans his blade on a cloth, then claps Theodore on the shoulder. "Glad to see you''re alright, my friend. Mary''s healing is truly a gift. Try not to underestimate the enemies next time."


    The one addressed nods solemnly, and Mary ducks her head modestly.


    "I''m just happy I could help. We should keep moving, though. The dungeon awaits."


    Vincent thanks Mary and also urges our group to press on. As we resume our journey, the desert seems to stretch endlessly, the sun casting long shadows across the dunes. I spot coyotes and swift, long-legged birds darting through the sands, but none approach. However, we don''t see any giant scorpions. The soldiers must have done their job of cleaning the area too well.


    Finally, the ruins come into view. Massive stone columns, some still standing, mark the remnants of an ancient civilization. At the center of the ruins looms a colossal pyramid, its weathered surface carved with strange, unreadable symbols. The entrance¡ªa dark, gaping maw¡ªdominates what had once been the city''s plaza. The stones are the color of sunbaked clay, eroded yet retaining the majestic angularity of their original design. Some walls are etched with faded murals depicting rituals under a blazing sun, while fragments of statues hint at long-forgotten deities.


    The guides halt. "This is as far as we go. From here, it''s all on you."


    The party remains mounted, their gazes fixed on the pyramid. Vincent dismounts and steps forward, his expression resolute.


    "Let''s move."

 Into the Serpents Lair.

    The rest of us dismount or get off the cart and follow Vincent, under the gaze of the two guides who tie the horses to a post near the entrance.


    That dark entrance is the mouth of a central corridor that leads into the pyramid. As soon as we enter, I observe how the torches placed on both sides, on the limestone walls, light up all at once. As we advance, I notice how the temperature drops. The desert heat was overwhelming, but inside the pyramid, despite having moved only a few meters, a pleasant coolness is already noticeable.


    As for who goes in front, it''s simple. During the journey here, the guides warned us about the usual creatures we would encounter. That''s why we almost unanimously decided that Ronan''s skeletons would go first. Ronan wasn''t too happy about it, something about using Joe, Tom, and Bob as cannon fodder, but he agreed.


    Tom, the skeleton with the shield, opens the way, on guard inspecting the ground with his gaze. He is followed by Bob, the one carrying a spear, guiding Tom forward with a hand on his shoulder. Behind them is Joe, the archer, watching the walls and ceiling.


    A few meters behind, Darius and Alistair follow, whispering excitedly to each other. It seems they''re struggling with how slowly we''re advancing. They are two of a kind, two strong warriors, fire affinity, and redheads. Behind them are Vincent and Ronan, who occasionally glances back to check on me. As if I would do something stupid or impulsive... Or didn''t know how to protect myself.


    Mary and I follow them closely. The girl is delighted looking at the hieroglyphs on the walls; she must be interested in the subject. I, for my part, also look at them at first. They remind me of the ones in the pyramids on Earth. But then I focus more on Ronan, raising an eyebrow every time I catch him looking at me, while also trying to listen in on the conversation of the two redheads. I feel like joining them, but as a mage, I''ve been placed in the rearguard. If they really think I''m not going to join the fray when there''s a fight, they''re in for a surprise.


    I casually rest my hands on the straps of my backpack, where the little wolf is sleeping comfortably in his usual pocket. He''s there instead of in my jacket pocket because neither I nor anyone in the group is wearing the academy uniform, but rather clothes more suitable for combat. And I love that he''s sleeping, I consider it a good sign. This dungeon is earth and fire, nothing to do with darkness. The seed of evil won''t be able to mess with me again.


    Finally, closing the march, walks Theodore, who at first looked with some distrust at the dungeon entrance that is being left behind.


    The corridor, much wider than I would expect from a pyramid and well-lit by the large number of torches, stretches into the distance. This pyramid is truly gigantic. We reach a large white stone slab that is placed from the ceiling to the floor on the right wall. The hieroglyphs are then interrupted, with the change of material in the passage. Undoubtedly, this catches my attention because it doesn''t seem like that slab is part of the corridor as such.


    Suddenly, about fifty meters from the entrance, the attack begins. A swarm of scorpions drops onto the first two skeletons, relentlessly stinging them with their tails. They aren¡¯t giant but rather small, the typical size of a scorpion on Earth. The skeletons halt their advance, standing motionless while still monitoring their assigned areas. Ronan''s undead are composed entirely of bone. Although the scorpions relentlessly sting them, their efforts only result in venom staining the skeletons'' clothing. The archer skeleton calmly draws a dagger and begins dispatching the scorpions one by one, while Darius laughs and tells Vincent it was a brilliant idea. Ronan, however, appears concerned. Sensing this, Vincent places a reassuring hand on his shoulder and thanks him for bringing the skeletons.


    Once all the scorpions are dead, we start hearing a clacking sound that makes us all focus our gazes down the corridor. We see several skeleton warriors running towards us. Joe starts shooting arrows at them, but Ronan tells him it''s useless, that they won''t be very effective. Darius stands next to Tom, along with Vincent, blocking the width of the corridor with their shields ready.


    "We will hold them back, finish them off," the prince tells us.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    If we can, I think to myself, because there''s no way I can reach with my sword.


    Bob, who is right behind, attacks the heads of the enemies with his spear, over the shields. Joe starts pushing Tom so he doesn''t back down from the onslaught of the enemies. Alistair, with his two-handed mace, can''t reach the skeletons. It''s the same for me.


    "I''m saving my magic for healing as I was told, right?" Mary asks me hesitantly.


    "What else do you have?"


    "Heals and some blessings."


    A couple of months ago, this girl had no less than 10 in intelligence and 9 in wisdom while being level 1. I hope she''s at least level 2 by now, but come on, she must have 9 or 10 mana points at most.


    "Better wait, your mana could be vital to save the lives of the wounded."


    I don''t think Mary carries mana potions, but the prince and his two noble friends surely do. If things get ugly, she should cast some blessings.


    For now, we just watch. I imagine Theodore is in the same situation as me: a fire arrow, the equivalent of water in his case, will do little damage and only to a single target. Better to save our mana for area spells when our allies are not in the middle. Time passes and more and more skeletons keep coming. At first, they could hold them back without problems, but now with each minute, it becomes more difficult. The number of skeletons is very high. The prince and Darius must be feeling overwhelmed.


    I imagine so, because suddenly Vincent shouts:


    "Theodore, on the count of three, we drop to the ground, and you finish them off!"


    You can tell they¡¯re friends and are used to exploring dungeons together.


    Darius and Vincent look at each other as they gather courage, and the countdown begins. Theodore moves ahead of Mary and me. Alistair steps aside.


    "One!"


    The skeletons are starting to drag them back, their heels sliding across the ground centimeter by centimeter.


    "Two!"


    They hold tightly to their shields.


    "Three!"


    Before Vincent finishes pronouncing the word, Darius, Tom, Joe, and Bob crouch abruptly, dropping to the ground along with the prince.


    Wow. The skeletons too. These are not summoned, but reanimated from their corpses. Aren''t they supposed to be mere puppets? Did Ronan clearly order them to obey the prince? A shiver runs down my spine. Or is it something more?


    The moment they fall and the horde begins to advance on them, a huge high-pressure jet of water destroys all the skeletons that were in the corridor. It''s a jet that only lasts a few seconds but has an overwhelming force, enough to tear off and split the bones of the skeletons, even bending some of their shields.


    Darius starts laughing as he gets up.


    "Well done, friend," Vincent congratulates the mage.


    Meanwhile, the three skeletons get up and recover their initial positions. Both Mary and I join in congratulating Theodore.


    "It was nothing," he tells us, but you can see on his face that he feels satisfied.


    I imagine that spell must be the one you get when you fully master the splash or the basic water spell you start with. Skeletons don''t have many hit points, so the spell didn''t have to do too much damage to defeat them all.


    As a side effect of the flood of water, the corridor that opens before us is now dark; it''s only slightly illuminated by the torches we have behind us. However, we can make out that in the distance, quite far away, there is light. It possibly comes from more torches, those that the water has not reached.


    Ronan tries to grab one of the nearest torches from the wall unsuccessfully.


    "Should I use a light spell?" Mary asks.


    "Yes, please," Vincent replies.


    One thing that had me worried was that Ronan, as he did with the goblins, would try to take the lead. I saw him so set in his role in the forest that I already cataloged him as a natural leader. However, here he limits himself to staying in the background. He doesn''t realize it, but I look at him and mentally thank him.


    After a few seconds, during which Mary extends her staff forward and murmurs some words, the tip of the staff begins to glow brightly, emitting a powerful light that dispels much of the gloom in the corridor.


    We continue advancing without further problems until we reach the entrance of a large room. During the journey, we have passed more of those strange white slabs, on one or both sides of the walls.


    From where we stand, we can see that inside there are two rows of large, tall columns that divide the chamber into three connected sections, forming a central hallway that leads to the raised part of the room. This is a podium, accessed by three wide steps. There waits a naga warrior with a sword in each hand.


    Half-man, half-snake, we can appreciate that his human part, uncovered, is very muscular. He would put the most doped bodybuilders on Earth to shame. And that¡¯s not all: at a glance, he stands about two and a half to three meters tall. If we include the tail, which is green and covered in scales, it could reach up to six or eight meters long. His humanoid head reminds me of a cobra, with golden eyes that have vertical pupils, a forked tongue, and crests that start where his ears should be, running down both sides of his muscular neck.


    Evidently, we stop when we see him.

 Of Traps, Fangs, and Steel.

    "Didn''t they clean this dungeon three days ago?" Theodore mutters, incredulous.


    "Hey, I''m glad they missed this one. More XP for us," Darius whispers.


    He clearly wants to raise his voice¡ªthat¡¯s his usual state. But when faced with a creature they¡¯ve never seen or fought before... I think it''s impressive that he''s able to hold back and avoid drawing the naga''s attention.


    Although, thinking about it, if it¡¯s a boss, it won¡¯t do anything as long as we stay outside the room, even if we''re watching from the entrance.


    Vincent is on guard. So is Alistair. Mary has taken a step back, looking nervous. Ronan... Oh my gosh! Ronan''s staring at the creature, eyes gleaming like he''s just unwrapped the best present ever.


    Up until now, the necromancer had only shown interest in the lizards we encountered at the beginning. He even leaned over the edge of the cart to get a better look, but after a quick glance, he settled back without much thought.


    Darius notices Ronan''s excitement too, giving him a curious look.


    "Alright, let''s get into formation," the prince starts.


    "My lady," Ronan interrupts, speaking only to me. "Watch out for the dead that hide. I¡¯ve felt them since we entered the dungeon, but in this room, they are much closer."


    The naga, calm and waiting until now, lifts its head at that moment. It hisses, locking its vertical pupils onto Ronan. Another hiss, then it glances at the rest of us, raising its swords into an attack stance.


    "Thanks, Ronan," Vincent says, ignoring the fact that the information wasn''t meant for him. Somehow, ever since the skeletons started obeying him, he''s been accepting our new teammate''s peculiar ways.


    He''s a prince¡ªnot the firstborn heir, but he¡¯s still been educated in leadership and diplomacy. Maybe that''s why he doesn¡¯t mind Ronan''s odd behavior as long as the necromancer and his undead follow his orders.


    Honestly, I¡¯m glad his pride isn''t so fragile that he¡¯d be upset over being interrupted.


    ¡°So,¡± Vincent continues, gesturing to us, ¡°we¡¯ll hold our ground in the corridor, since that room could wipe us out."


    "Understood," Alistair nods.


    The naga hisses mockingly and waves us forward, taunting.


    "Joe," Ronan commands.


    Immediately, the skeleton archer nocks an arrow, pulls back the bowstring, and fires. The naga keeps taunting, but the arrow strikes it square in the chest. The creature dips its chin to examine the wound, then lifts its head again, flaring its crests and hissing louder.


    Theodore reacts, launching a frost spike at it. The naga swiftly crosses its swords, intercepting the spell mid-air and shattering it, leaving behind a long shard of ice and many small splinters. The ice splinters scatter in every direction as the main body of the frost spike rebounds heavily.


    Joe fires again. This time, the arrow strikes its abdomen.


    The naga glares at us, furious, and swiftly coils around one of the columns, slithering up with surprising agility. Within moments, it vanishes from view.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°Bob, it¡¯s your turn. Be careful,¡± Ronan says.


    Curiously, his words aren¡¯t devoid of emotion¡ªthey sound worried.


    The skeleton nods and steps into the room, slow and cautious, examining the walls, ceiling, and columns before taking each step. We watch him intently. I can feel my heart pounding, afraid he might shatter into pieces at any moment.


    After a few meters, multiple traps are triggered¡ªor perhaps the naga activates them. First, a clicking sound is heard, and Bob stops, raising his shield. Immediately, large stone slabs shift away from the floor and walls. On the ground, the slabs land on neighboring stones, and sharp metal spikes shoot up from the gaps, propelled by springs. Bob steps back just in time¡ªone of the slabs he was about to step on is among those with spikes.


    As for the stone slabs that fell from the walls, they crash to the ground, some shattering into pieces while others remain intact. From the cavities in the walls, human-sized mummies emerge, dressed in light cloth garments and wielding swords in their right hands.


    They begin charging at us.


    Bob, zigzagging to avoid the squares with spikes, tries to return to his position in the formation ¡ªbut fails. The naga descends from one of the nearby columns and intercepts him halfway. With agility far superior to the skeleton¡¯s, it pierces him between the ribs with both swords.


    Ronan shouts as he watches.


    The skeleton drops its spear and grabs hold of the swords, confusing the naga greatly.


    I admit I¡¯m a bit baffled myself. Why did the naga try to pierce him as if he were an enemy with flesh and organs? Has it never fought a skeleton before?


    Meanwhile, Alistair runs toward them, positioning himself so Bob¡¯s body and tattered clothing obscure him as much as possible from the creature¡¯s line of sight. I think he succeeds because the naga continues staring at the blades in its bony fingers.


    The redhead leaps and strikes the naga¡¯s tail with his heavy mace while casting an explosion spell right where the weapon hits. The mace crushes the naga¡¯s tail, and the fire spell severs it in two. The blast sends flames surging outward, setting Bob¡¯s cloak on fire.


    The creature screams in pain, releasing the swords. Without its main structural support, it falls face-first to the ground. The mummies are now closing in on them, attacking Alistair and Bob¡ªsome directly with their swords, while others try to encircle them, cutting off their retreat to us.


    It¡¯s my turn.


    The earth wall I¡¯ve been preparing for the last few seconds surrounds our two allies, encasing them in a hardened dome of earth.


    The mummies¡¯ swords clang against my spell. For now, they fail to break it. They begin pounding it from every angle.


    However, not all the undead are distracted by my wall; more than half advance ferociously toward us. As they approach, Vincent sheaths his sword and unleashes a flurry of wind blades¡ªslices of magic that cleave many of the mummies in two. With their numbers reduced, the battle starts turning in our favor. We gain ground and push into the chamber.


    The naga is nowhere to be seen. The last I knew, it fell when its tail was severed, and my wall left it on the other side of our allies.


    The prince has drawn his sword again, engaging in close combat alongside Darius, Tom, and me. It¡¯s hard not to channel an element into my blade, but I can¡¯t risk anyone noticing. Earth tempts me most¡ªit would make my weapon heavier and more durable. It¡¯s the most discreet element. Still, there¡¯s a faint glow on the blade, and in this world, no one can infuse their weapon with magic.


    Theodore stays close to Mary, ready to protect her. Joe is firing arrows from the rear alongside them.


    With the odds increasingly in our favor, we start spreading out to better combat the remaining mummies.


    The ones trapped by my wall are still hammering away at it. I feel the connection with the earth I shaped¡ªit¡¯s holding for now, but I can sense weak spots forming. A few more strikes, and it¡¯ll give way. Fortunately, we¡¯ve dealt with the mummies charging at us, so we move to assist Alistair and Bob.


    Seconds tick by, consumed by the chaos of battle.


    Suddenly, I see the naga again.


    It¡¯s perched on one of the pillars. The missing part of its tail has made climbing harder, but not impossible. Its claws and powerful arms make up for it, so it¡¯s no surprise it managed to get up there. Its reptilian eyes are fixed on Darius, staring intently.


    "Darius, above!" I shout to warn him.


    The warrior has just dispatched a mummy and is searching for his next target. Hearing me, he looks up and freezes under the naga¡¯s gaze.


    The creature leaps toward Darius, arms outstretched, aiming its long claws at him. Fear grips me. Those muscular arms could easily tear my friend in half.


    He¡¯s not moving, not dodging. Time seems to slow for him too, paralyzed by fear.


    It¡¯s going to kill him! I think, panicking, unable to act.


    Then Joe, who must have seen it from behind, throws himself at Darius, pushing him to the ground. The impact snaps the redhead out of his stupor. But now Joe is in the exact spot where the naga lands. The creature strikes, crushing his skull with a bite and ripping off his arms¡ªone in each hand¡ªits muscles straining with raw power.


    I hear Ronan scream in anguish.


    "No!"

 Dark Hands on the Threshold of Death.

    A mummy lunges at me. I fend it off without looking away, my heart pounding in my chest. Tom and Vincent, standing beside me, drive their swords through the naga¡¯s chest. One of them destroys the heart with a critical hit. The creature exhales its last breath.


    Darius, still on the ground, struggles to process what just happened. Only four mummies remain, and they fall quickly. I release Alistair and the skeleton from the cracked dome that had been protecting them.


    Congratulations. Your Minor Earth Wall spell has leveled up. It is now Low Earth Wall.


    I swipe the notification away without a second thought. I¡¯m not in the mood for this right now.


    I glance at Ronan, feeling sorry for him. The boy¡¯s eyes are teary, but he¡¯s holding himself together, scanning for new threats.


    "My lady, be careful. I still sense many undead nearby," he warns us, his voice slightly trembling.


    Poor kid¡­ I feel someone¡¯s hand lightly grip my arm. I turn to my right and see Mary, tears streaming down her face.


    "He was truly his friend," she whispers, more to herself than to me.


    I¡¯m about to say something to downplay the situation, maybe a casual "Don¡¯t worry, he has more skeletons". But I bite my lip and stay quiet.


    I feel sad for him too. And for Joe, who has done nothing but help us from the start and just sacrificed himself for Darius.


    Did you order him to do it, Ronan? Did you give him those instructions, or was it something spontaneous, something born from the personality Joe had when he was alive? Or perhaps from the one he may have developed while by your side? I wonder silently but dare not voice it.


    One thing is clear to me: that skeleton¡ªif it¡¯s as old as the one with the shield and sword¡ªhas been with Ronan for days, if not weeks.


    "They ended up being more than useful," Theodore mutters, without malice.


    Ronan glares at him, furious. For a moment, I fear he¡¯s about to do something he¡¯ll regret, but Theodore meets his gaze, puzzled, and Ronan seems to realize he didn¡¯t mean anything bad.


    Ronan looks away and approaches Joe¡¯s body. He kneels down, staring into the empty, flame-less eye sockets. Mary steps away from me and places a comforting hand on Ronan¡¯s back, trying to encourage him.


    What¡¯s curious is that, this time, I don¡¯t see her flinch or show the slightest discomfort being near someone with high dark affinity. I guess her pain and kindness have far outweighed her natural aversion to the opposing element.


    Darius gets to his feet and stands beside Ronan.


    "I¡¯m sorry, and thank you. I owe my life to Bob. I owe you my life."


    "That was Joe. This is Bob." Ronan gestures toward the skeleton. "But thanks."


    We all stand in silence for a few minutes, unsure of what to say or do.


    Finally, Ronan picks up Joe¡¯s skull and places it in his backpack.


    Alistair remains quiet, likely trying to make sense of what just happened. Darius helps Ronan to his feet, and we all begin to examine the room carefully, wary of more undead creatures lurking nearby.


    We find a chest. It¡¯s not trapped and contains several health and mana potions. We decide Mary should hold onto them. Darius picks up the naga¡¯s swords, testing their weight. He keeps them, saying they seem better than his current one. Vincent glances at the weapons but declines, finding them too heavy¡ªhand-and-a-half swords. He doesn¡¯t have the strength to wield them properly like Darius. Meanwhile, the rest of us, somewhat more relaxed now that no additional undead seem to be in the room, search for anything of value.


    After staring at the naga for a while, Ronan decides to resurrect it. He raises his hands and begins chanting the spell. Curious, I watch as the process takes significantly longer than with the level 1 bears, and it¡¯s certainly nothing like my own magic, which is much more immediate. If I focus, I think I can see his dark aura flowing out of him, like tendrils of mist wrapping around the naga. They seem to pierce its dead flesh.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    I hear a soft gasp and look to my right.


    It¡¯s Mary. She¡¯s staring at Ronan with wide eyes, her body trembling. I approach her and, this time, I''m the one who places a hand on her arm.


    "Are you okay?" I whisper.


    Vincent looks at us, but the necromancer is entirely absorbed in his spell.


    "They¡¯re hands¡­ dark hands that won¡¯t let the naga rest¡­"


    "It¡¯s okay," I reassure her.


    I understand; for her, necromantic magic must feel like an abomination against natural laws.


    We keep watching, and after a few seconds, Ronan raises his voice slightly.


    "Come to me."


    The naga stands¡ªor tries to, at least. Like the original, it¡¯s missing a significant portion of its snake-like tail. Because of this, it struggles to rise but ultimately fails.


    Ronan kneels to greet it, bringing himself to its level.


    Mary shudders as the creature comes back to life, and I gently rub her back, as if comforting a scared child.


    "It¡¯s just like the skeletons."


    "Yes, but I¡¯ve never seen them being reanimated."


    "It won¡¯t stay this way forever. It will return to nature and the earth. Don¡¯t worry."


    Mary nods.


    "Look, it shocked me the first time too. But I don¡¯t see it as something evil¡ªrather, something honorable. He¡¯s like a lord gathering a new servant, forming a bond where they protect each other. And with the care he¡¯s taking now¡­ it¡¯s clear he wanted this to go well, to take care of the naga. To me, it shows nobility."


    "Thank you," she replies.


    She¡¯s still nervous and affected by the dark magic, but she¡¯s calmer now.


    The others, who had been searching the cavern for loot, also turn their attention to Ronan and his new ally. Darius, in particular, has been watching with a mix of joy and slight greed. Knowing him, he¡¯s probably pleased that Ronan can replace the skeleton that saved his life, gaining a new friend, and, of course, he¡¯s likely imagining how many monsters we can defeat with the naga on our side.


    One thing I¡¯m certain of is that the redhead is still at level 6. If he had leveled up, he would have shouted it to the heavens by now.


    After inspecting the entire room, we gather everything we¡¯ve looted. Darius, not entirely convinced, puts down the swords.


    Specifically, we have:


    <ul>


    <li>Two hand-and-a-half naga swords.</li>


    <li>A necklace of air affinity: allows the use of the Minor Wind Blade spell once a day, consuming its mana cost.</li>


    <li>Two tunics of fire affinity: +1 fire resistance.</li>


    <li>A cloak of earth affinity: allows the use of the Minor Stone Bullets spell once a day, consuming its mana cost.</li>


    <li>A dagger with dark affinity: +1 dark damage added to weapon damage.</li>


    <li>Four health potions.</li>


    <li>Four mana potions.</li>


    <li>Two antidote potions.</li>


    <li>A ring of water affinity: allows the use of the Minor Water Breathing spell once a day, consuming its mana cost.</li>


    <li>Seven gems without affinities.</li>


    <li>Forty khopesh.</li>


    </ul>


    These last ones are the curved swords, resembling sickles, that the mummies carried.


    "How do you know the properties of magical items?" I ask.


    It makes sense for me to see their stats when I pick them up, thanks to my system. But what about them?


    "My affinity is with air," Vincent explains. "I have the Identify spell."


    Of course. From the otome, I already knew that was his element. It makes sense he would have been taught such a useful spell.


    "What¡¯s this about items with elemental affinity?" I ask. "Do they increase your elemental affinity, or do they give it to you if you don¡¯t already have it?"


    In the little time I spent playing, I didn¡¯t manage to acquire any items with affinity.


    Vincent gives me a strange look. Okay, I just asked something really obvious.


    "If an item could do that, it wouldn¡¯t be in a dungeon of this level. If you could gain magical affinities with items, it wouldn¡¯t matter if you were born with magic or weak magic. It would be interesting, no doubt."


    "Sorry, sometimes I speak without thinking."


    "You sure do, Bianca," Darius chimes in. "You wouldn¡¯t even be here with just medium earth magic affinity. Your parents would have bought you an upgrade to high or maybe even a couple more affinities. And me too¡ªcan you imagine me as one of those legendary warriors with three elemental affinities?" He laughs.


    "My lady hit her head; sometimes she forgets things," Ronan defends me.


    Well, this is new. Ronan defending me.


    "Why do you keep calling her ¡®my lady¡¯ all the time?¡± Darius asks. ¡°You¡¯re not her servant."


    "My lady deserves no lesser treatment."


    "Well," I quickly interject, eager to change the subject, "how are we splitting the loot? I wouldn¡¯t mind a health potion or some money."


    "For now, we¡¯ll leave it here. We¡¯ll split it after resting and eating something. Mary should keep the health potions for now. She can hand them out as needed. The money is easy; we¡¯ll divide it after we sell what we don¡¯t want to keep. Come on, let¡¯s eat, and then we¡¯ll sort it out."


    I nod, and we move to a slightly secluded spot in the room to eat.


    Ronan leaves Bob, Tom, and the naga to keep watch at the room¡¯s entrance. The naga slides along the floor with the combined effort of what¡¯s left of its tail and its arms. Knowing Ronan better now, I can tell he¡¯s still uneasy, as if he feels this isn¡¯t over yet. So, I ask him what¡¯s wrong.


    "My lady, I still sense undead nearby¡ªmany more than we¡¯ve encountered so far."


    We all fall silent, staring at him.


    Vincent breaks the tension with something as effective as starting to offer us the extra food he brought along. We all have our own, but the prince has some incredibly tempting desserts. In the face of sugar, the fear that was gripping us quickly fades away.


    We eat leisurely, and once we''re done, Vincent says it''s time to distribute the loot.

 Training the Dark Queen.

    "The rules are simple," he says to the newcomers. "I¡¯ll name each item one by one. If there¡¯s something you want to keep, you can take it, and later, when we¡¯ve sold the rest, its value will be deducted from your share. If someone wants too many items or something very expensive, they¡¯ll need to have money to pay the others in case the sale doesn¡¯t cover it. If two people want the same item, we usually sort it out by talking. If not, by drawing lots."


    "Or by fighting." Darius laughs.


    Theodore and Alistair nod, chuckling. That must be how they¡¯ve always handled things. The rest of us agree.


    Darius takes one of the naga swords, and Alistair takes the other. When I ask him, he tells me he has a good level of mastery with swords. He¡¯s been using the mace recently because he gained mastery with it not long ago and wants to improve it.


    None of us are interested in the other items, so they¡¯re set aside to sell. For me, given that I need money for the goblin village, it¡¯s the best option. I imagine it¡¯s the same for Mary, since she¡¯s a commoner and doesn¡¯t have wealthy parents to cover her expenses.


    Carefully, so as not to mess up again, I ask about the magical items.


    "I have a question about the earth affinity cloak," I say casually to the group.


    "Go ahead," Theodore replies.


    "I have the Stone Bullets spell. Its damage depends on my intelligence, earth affinity, and the spell¡¯s level."


    "That¡¯s true for all spells," he says, shrugging.


    "Yes, but if someone without earth affinity spends a mana point to use the ring, how is the damage calculated?"


    "Ah, good question." He nods thoughtfully. "Essentially, it¡¯s one point if the target has no magical resistance to earth, zero if it does, and two if it¡¯s vulnerable to earth. That¡¯s the minimum damage a minor damage spell can do. The only variable that can increase that damage is intelligence. Given that it¡¯s a minor-level spell and that the affinity is considered low, you¡¯d need ten points of intelligence to double that damage."


    "Do you know the textbook tables by heart?" I blurt out.


    "Don¡¯t you?" he retorts, raising an eyebrow.


    Uh¡­ the Bianca from this world, the studious one, probably does. But I don¡¯t.


    "I try to, but my memory hasn¡¯t been the same since the hit," I say.


    "Wait, is that true?" Darius asks.


    "Of course. I wouldn¡¯t lie about something so important," Ronan mutters.


    "Oh, you poor dear," Mary says. "My spells aren¡¯t very high level yet, but when they improve, I can try to heal you of any injuries left by the blow."


    "Thank you, that¡¯s very kind," I reply with a smile.


    How am I supposed to refuse her offer or pretend it worked when she comes to me to "heal" me?


    "Didn¡¯t your parents take you to a healer?" Theodore asks, puzzled.


    "It happened right before I entered the academy. It¡¯s nothing serious; I didn¡¯t think it was worth making a fuss over."


    "You should get it checked," Vincent affirms.


    "Back to the items," I say, steering the conversation back on track. "I take it these spells aren¡¯t very useful unless you¡¯re a mage with a different affinity. I mean, a warrior isn¡¯t going to reach intelligence levels high enough to deal more than negligible damage with the item."


    "And they can only be used once a day, remember," Theodore adds. "I, with my high water affinity, already know the Water Breathing spell. If I didn¡¯t, I might be interested in the ring, but I wouldn¡¯t pay much for it since a teacher could help me learn the spell, and it wouldn¡¯t have the time limitation. And the Wind Blade necklace¡ªwhat for? To have a spell from another branch that does little damage, even if my intelligence is high? I already have better water attack spells that will improve as I train them and deal more damage over time. No, Bianca, these items aren¡¯t very appealing to mages of other affinities either. They¡¯re usually sold to wealthy commoners. They let them use magic even if they weren¡¯t born with it. They fetch a decent price."Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    "I see. Thank you."


    The conversation shifts to other topics. The most interesting one is the level-up. Vincent, who delivered the final blow to the naga, has leveled up. He¡¯s now level 6.


    "You¡¯ve caught up to me. Don¡¯t get used to it," Darius quips.


    I¡¯m surprised to learn that Darius had a higher level than the prince, but when I think about it, it makes sense. He¡¯s only been friends with them since the academy. That means he might have gone to more dungeons, or perhaps less controlled ones, compared to the ones the prince and his two friends have been clearing.


    "I have leveled up too. And from what I¡¯ve felt, I¡¯d wager it happened more than once," Theodore says with a smile.


    His smile carries the characteristic sweetness that¡¯s typical of him, but there¡¯s also a hint of pride.


    "What are you saying? You were level four!" Darius exclaims, surprised.


    In no time, I can appreciate on his very expressive face that he¡¯s starting to view Theodore as a rival. He¡¯s likely wondering if Theodore has now surpassed his own level.


    "It¡¯s from all the mummies I defeated in the hallway¡ªthere were a lot of them."


    "I should¡¯ve been a mage¡­" Darius mutters.


    Alistair throws an arm around his neck and rubs his hair with his other fist.


    "But you¡¯re just as much of a brute as I am! Breaking bones is where the fun¡¯s at," he jokes. "Magic requires studying instead of swinging a sword."


    Darius shrugs him off, laughing. I notice Ronan watching them with what looks like longing.


    "Well, I didn¡¯t level up. I¡¯m still just level 1," Mary says sadly.


    "It¡¯s because you didn¡¯t contribute to any of the kills. Experience is shared among those who participate, with the largest share going to whoever lands the final blow. If you¡¯d been healing, you would¡¯ve gotten some," Vincent explains thoughtfully. "Sorry, Mary, I didn¡¯t realize. I¡¯m not used to grinding experience with a healer in the party."


    Ronan is now looking at Mary thoughtfully. After a moment, he smiles, as though an idea has struck him.


    "Did you level up, Ronan?" I ask, since he contributed to the boss fight and took down a few mummies.


    "Yes, I¡¯ve felt it happen three times," he replies.


    Alistair grumbles, as he didn¡¯t level up either.


    We continue chatting, and after resting for a while, we resume examining the room. We focus on the holes where the mummies emerged. We find nothing¡ªno passageways or secret traps leading deeper into the pyramid. Well, we were told this was the boss¡¯s chamber. In fact, we didn¡¯t even expect to find it since it was supposedly cleared recently. Maybe some creatures, but not the naga. Disappointed, especially Darius and Alistair, we decide to leave and return.


    Now that I think about it, it''s very likely that they gave the prince permission for this dungeon because they have it under control and know there was no danger.


    I take the wolf pup out of my backpack, where it¡¯s been squirming in the pocket. Normally, it stays still when I carry it. It probably wants to stretch its little legs. Sure enough, it happily trots down the hallway by my side.


    When we¡¯re about thirty meters from the entrance, I feel a strange sensation, and for some reason, bad memories flood my mind. Specifically, of a certain dungeon where a particular seed of evil set the difficulty to madness. I turn around. I scan the area for the pup.


    It¡¯s lagged a bit behind and is staring intently at a hieroglyph. It must sense me watching because it tilts its head and fixes its adorable puppy eyes on mine.


    "No!" I call out firmly, drawing the others¡¯ attention. "Come here."


    The pup, still looking at me, makes a strange motion with its jaw as if it¡¯s smiling. I see a spark of mischief in its eyes.


    "Whatever it is, no," I repeat.


    The pup looks back at the hieroglyph, and, before I can crouch to pick it up, it touches the marking with its paw. Panicked, I grab it, fearing what it might have done, but nothing happens.


    "Bianca, is something wrong?" Vincent asks.


    "No, just the pup not listening to me. Better if I carry it again so it doesn¡¯t get hurt."


    "Good idea," he replies.


    Ronan is watching me. I can¡¯t read his expression, but it doesn¡¯t bode well.


    I take a deep breath to calm myself. Nothing happened. No system notification of madness-level difficulty, no undead attack like the ones Ronan was sensing¡­ nothing. It¡¯s strange, but the pup is just a little one, after all. It could have simply been playing.


    Though it disobeyed me.


    And there¡¯s something I remember very well:


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


    A shiver runs through me.


    Did it not take it as an order, or did it not find it reasonable or coherent with what it believes a future Dark Lord should do?


    Since everyone else has kept walking and I¡¯ve fallen behind, I jog to catch up. When I do, carrying the pup in my arms, I hear noises coming from behind the walls. At the same time, fine sand begins to fall from the ceiling. A few seconds later, there¡¯s a sound like something being dragged rapidly above us. We all sprint toward the entrance, but we¡¯re too late. One of the massive white slabs spaced along the hallway falls, blocking the exit.


    I¡¯m going to kill it.


    <hr>

 Havoc-Mode.

    As I rage at the damn seed of evil, my heart races. We¡¯re trapped. Panic starts to take hold, but I force myself to stay calm. I look around, assessing the situation and my companions¡¯ expressions.


    Vincent appears to be analyzing our options, his face serious but determined. Darius and Alistair exchange worried glances, but I can see resolve in their eyes. They¡¯re ready to face whatever comes.


    Ronan remains silent, his focus on the pup in my arms. I¡¯m certain he suspects something about the little wolf¡¯s unusual behavior.


    Mary moves closer to me, offering a comforting smile despite the tension in the air.


    Theodore, on the other hand, looks on the verge of panic. His face is pale, and his hands tremble slightly. I realize he might not handle these situations as well as the rest of us.


    I take a deep breath and, since the prince isn¡¯t stepping up, I address the group, striving to keep my voice steady:


    "All right, let¡¯s not give in to fear. We¡¯ve overcome challenges before, and we¡¯ll do it again. Let¡¯s work together to find a way out of here. Vincent, any ideas?"


    Vincent nods, his expression thoughtful.


    "Let¡¯s examine the slab blocking the entrance," he says. "Maybe we can find a mechanism to lift it. And keep your eyes open for any other exits or clues we might have missed."


    "Good idea," I agree. I turn to my left. "Ronan, do you still sense the presence of more undead nearby? Any information could help."


    He nods grimly.


    "Yes, I still feel them. We must be ready for more encounters."


    With a plan in mind, we cautiously approach the slab, searching for any sign of a hidden mechanism or weakness in its structure. At the same time, we stay alert for any dangers lurking in the shadows.


    The air is heavy with tension as we work, the silence broken only by the faint scraping of fingers feeling along the stone and the occasional rustle of fabric as we move. Every shadow seems to hide a threat, every distant sound a promise of imminent danger.


    But we don¡¯t give up. With determination and meticulous care, we continue searching for a way out, refusing to succumb to the despair whispering in my mind that, if we don¡¯t find an escape, we¡¯ll have to face whatever the seed has deemed worthy of training a dark lord.


    Because now it¡¯s crystal clear to me: when the pup touched the hieroglyph, that seemingly innocent gesture somehow triggered our current predicament. But I refuse to let guilt and doubt consume me. My focus must remain on finding a way to escape and keeping my group safe.


    With renewed resolve, I throw myself into the task at hand, determined not to let this setback be our end. We will get out of here, no matter what it takes.


    Suddenly, a metallic echo, like the sound of mechanisms, reverberates behind us¡ªa loud, deep noise that forces me to turn immediately.


    It¡¯s the other white slabs, scattered throughout the corridor, sometimes on one side and sometimes on both. Ronan is already watching them. The slabs have begun to slowly slide downward, leaving gaps that start at the top of the wall and grow larger as they descend. The movement is heavy, as if something invisible is pushing from the other side.


    "They¡¯re moving," Ronan says calmly, but his tone puts me on edge.


    The white slabs sink into the floor. Through the openings, a breeze flows out, carrying with it a cold, eerie air.


    I shiver.


    Narrow, dark passageways are opening, and considering this is the work of the seed, I really don¡¯t want to know what¡¯s inside.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    "Why is this happening? Is it normal for something like this to occur? Something the guides don¡¯t know about, something that¡¯s never happened before?" Mary asks. This is only her second dungeon, with the one from the aquatic exam being her first.


    "No, it¡¯s not," Vincent replies, his tone calm as he keeps a cool head. "Stay back, Mary. Everyone else, get in formation. "


    He doesn¡¯t need to repeat himself. Mary presses herself against the slab blocking our exit. Theodore and Ronan stand beside her. The three shield-bearing warriors move to the front. I stay in an intermediate position, ready to use my sword if needed and support with magic otherwise.


    The sound of stone scraping against stone grows louder, so deep I can feel it under my feet. We all stare silently ahead, trying to process what this means. My heart pounds, but I try to stay calm.


    "What now?" I ask, looking at Ronan and the others, hoping someone has a better plan before anything comes out of those tunnels.


    "They¡¯re coming. A lot of them," Ronan warns, his voice low but tense.


    His gaze is fixed on the passageways, now fully open. The noise has stopped. My stomach churns at his words.


    "Can you send the naga ahead to scout?" Vincent asks quickly, without taking his eyes off the dark passageways.


    Before Ronan can answer, the prince turns to Theodore.


    "Get ready. The plan is clear: let the naga lure them into the corridor, and once they¡¯re bunched up, you¡¯ll eliminate them all at once."


    Ronan nods. Without a word, he raises his hand in a brief gesture, and the resurrected naga begins to move forward. The remnants of its severed tail drag along the ground with a soft but steady sound, and its imposing figure disappears into the shadows.


    Theodore has stepped forward to stand beside Darius, Vincent, and the skeletal warrior. He looks scared but seems to have managed to pull himself together somewhat. Darius holds his shield defensively, his sword ready in his right hand, prepared to react to whatever comes. I can see a glint of excitement in his eyes¡ªhe¡¯s eager to fight.


    "Tom, Bob, stay here with us," Ronan orders.


    Tom already has his shield ready, positioned to protect us from whatever comes, alongside Darius and the prince. Bob, with stiff but alert movements, takes position beside the necromancer. We¡¯re all on edge, waiting.


    Suddenly, Mary breaks the silence.


    "I hear something from the entrance!" she says, looking nervously at the slab blocking our way out.


    We all turn to her, and the muffled sound of pounding becomes clear. Someone¡ªor something¡ªis on the other side.


    "Let me try something," Alistair says to Vincent as he approaches, gripping his mace tightly with both hands. "We¡¯ve examined it, and finesse isn¡¯t going to get us out. Strength is our best bet. Brawn over brain!"


    He plants himself in front of the slab, raises his mace high above his shoulders, and brings it down with brutal force against the stone. A sharp crack echoes through the corridor, and small shards of the slab scatter to the floor, leaving a faint mark on the surface. We all hold our breath, waiting for some sign of progress.


    "Do you think you can get us through?" Vincent asks, watching Alistair as he runs his hand over the slab¡¯s surface after the initial strike.


    "This is tougher than it looks," Alistair replies, surprised by the stone¡¯s resistance. "I could keep trying, but it¡¯ll take too long. Far longer than we have before this gets worse."


    "Don¡¯t wear yourself out," Vincent says calmly, though his gaze remains fixed on the slab. "They know we¡¯re trapped. They¡¯ll alert the military post, so it¡¯s only a matter of time before they get us out. Save your strength; we don¡¯t know what¡¯s ahead yet."


    The sound of pounding and scraping interrupts their conversation. We all turn simultaneously, alert to the echoes coming from the open corridor. The resurrected naga is fighting in the area where the torches were extinguished by water. Its imposing figure moves with strength and precision against a horde of mummies advancing through the passage.


    Despite the number of enemies, the naga manages to hold them back thanks to its size and reach. Though it can¡¯t fully stand, it arches its torso and strikes effectively. With every swipe of its claws, bodies collapse to the ground, torn apart.


    One mummy tries to seize an opportunity after dodging one of the naga¡¯s attacks. The naga, having stumbled over the pile of corpses, leaves an opening in its defenses. But before the mummy can close in and reach its target, the remains of the naga¡¯s tail crush it in a single motion, making it clear it won¡¯t give up ground so easily.


    For a moment, it seems like the advantage is ours. The mummies, slowed by the heap of bodies, struggle to advance, and the naga strikes them down one by one with precise attacks. But that doesn¡¯t last¡ªthe tide turns.


    The undead horde keeps coming. The mummies begin to move with greater coordination, climbing over the corpses of their fallen allies and forcing the naga to retreat. Ronan watches with a furrowed brow and finally speaks.


    "The naga warrior is nearly down. Be ready to fight the horde."


    <hr>

 Exploring the Secret Level of the Pyramid.

    I glance at Vincent, who observes the scene with tense calm. We¡¯re all impressed by the naga warrior¡¯s resilience, fully aware of how lucky we were to defeat it so easily before. Theodore, looking nervous, can¡¯t stop darting looks at the prince, waiting for his command.


    ¡°As soon as it falls, cast your spell,¡± Vincent orders, his eyes fixed on the corridor.


    The naga warrior retreats a little further, still fiercely attacking its enemies, but it¡¯s not enough. The mummies, using the pile of corpses as a platform, begin leaping onto him. His body is covered in deep wounds, and with one last effort, he tries to defend himself. But there are too many. The coordinated attacks of the horde bring him down. It doesn¡¯t take long before they finish him off, mercilessly slashing and stabbing him with their weapons, tearing at him with their claws.


    ¡°Now!¡± Vincent shouts.


    With a quick motion, Theodore raises his staff and repeats the spell he¡¯d used earlier in the corridor. A massive jet of high-pressure water surges forth with overwhelming force, obliterating the mummies clustered in the hallway. The parapet of corpses offers little resistance, breaking apart under the relentless power of the water.


    This time, the spell lasts longer. The current sweeps away the mummies that were trying to advance from behind the parapet, tearing them apart and slamming their remains against the corridor walls. The air fills with the sound of snapping bones and dead, fragile, embalmed flesh hitting the walls and tearing apart. I¡¯m not sure, maybe it¡¯s just self-suggestion, but I think I can smell old dust, dirt, and mold.


    The water continues to surge forward with devastating force. Even the shields some of the mummies attempt to raise are wrenched from their bandaged hands, utterly useless against the intensity of the attack.


    I glance at Theodore. The high-pressure stream bursts from the tip of his staff as though it were connected to a firefighter¡¯s hose, showing no signs of slowing down. I know he has a high affinity for water, but what level must he have in this spell? I feel a surge of admiration¡ªand excitement¡ªbecause it means my own magic could improve significantly as I level up my spells.


    When Theodore finally lowers his staff, the corridor is cleared. He staggers slightly, and Vincent steps in to steady him, helping him retrieve a mana potion from his backpack.


    I look ahead. The remains of the mummies are scattered across the floor, mixed with pieces of the naga. My gosh... A heavy silence fills the corridor, broken only by the sound of water dripping onto the ground and Theodore drinking his potion.


    The only light comes from Mary¡¯s spell. Her orb glows faintly, illuminating the immediate area and revealing shadows stretching down the corridor in front of us. Farther ahead, the torchlight from the boss room still flickers, but the rest of the hallway is shrouded in darkness.


    It doesn¡¯t take long for the shadows to start moving. We hear hurried footsteps echoing down the corridor, quickly approaching.


    ¡°Again,¡± Vincent commands, his voice firm.


    Without hesitation, Theodore raises his staff and casts the water jet spell once more. The sheer force of the spell sweeps through everything in its path. The noises stop immediately, but the effort takes its toll. Theodore collapses to the ground, exhausted, letting his staff fall from his hands in defeat.


    Mary rushes to help him, quickly pulling a mana potion from her bag and offering it to him with concern.


    ¡°Thanks, but I think you¡¯ll need it too,¡± Theodore responds with a tired smile.


    Before Mary can insist, he takes another potion from his own bag and drinks it quickly.


    I wonder if these potions are like the ones my professors used to give me. Those restored six mana points. I can¡¯t help but wonder how much mana a spell like that must consume to maintain such immense power for so long.


    Meanwhile, Darius, Vincent, and Tom remain in a defensive position in front of us, alert for any sound or movement that might signal another threat. Tension hangs thick in the air, but no one says a word.


    Ronan doesn¡¯t seem particularly upset. I imagine the naga wasn¡¯t like Joe¡ªhe had only just summoned it.


    Mary conjures another light orb, this one brighter, and moves it forward, gradually illuminating the corridor. The light reveals the mangled bodies of mummies scattered across the floor. Some, surprisingly, are still trying to crawl toward us.


    ¡°Well done,¡± Vincent says, acknowledging Mary¡¯s spell.


    His calm tone helps ease some of the tension.


    Darius surveys the scene and suggests checking one of the openings the mummies had emerged from.


    ¡°We could search one of those passageways. Maybe we¡¯ll find something useful¡ªor at least a safe spot.¡±This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    We hesitate. No one wants to move forward without knowing what might be waiting for us¡ªor worse, risk the white stone slab resetting and trapping us even deeper inside the pyramid.


    Then, without warning, Bob moves past Vincent, Darius, and Tom. He places his spear on his back and picks up a curved sword and shield one of the mummies had dropped. Walking along the wall, he efficiently dispatches any crawling mummies in his path.


    "Bob, wait! Bring them here alive, drag them to us," Ronan orders.


    I watch in disbelief as Bob grabs a mummy, missing an arm and part of its torso, by the ankle. Then, without hesitation, he begins dragging it across the ground. The mummy writhes and tries to bite him, but the skeleton doesn''t stop until Ronan commands him to halt, just a meter away from us.


    "Mary, hit it on the head with your staff and finish it off."


    "What?" Mary exclaims, horrified.


    "The experience. Finish it," Ronan clarifies as he steps toward the creature and presses his foot firmly against its neck to keep it from snapping at Mary.


    The healer hesitates, but with visible fear and revulsion, she raises her staff and complies. A sharp crack echoes as the mummy¡¯s skull shatters.


    Mary''s face lights up immediately, awe-struck.


    "I¡­ I feel different. Better. Did I level up? Is this what it feels like?"


    "Feels good, huh?" Darius chuckles.


    "Bob, good work. Bring another," Ronan says.


    Vincent looks at the necromancer with newfound respect in his eyes. I imagine he¡¯s rethinking his opinion of him¡ªmaybe even realizing that, as the group''s leader, he should have been the one ensuring Mary got the experience points.


    As for Bob, he repeats the process with purposeful steps a few more times, and my friend levels up again.


    When Bob finally approaches the first opening in the wall, we all hold our breath. No one takes their eyes off him.


    "Mary, move the light," Vincent whispers.


    Mary guides the orb closer to the opening, illuminating it just enough for Bob to get a clearer view inside. Bob hesitates for a moment before stepping in cautiously. No one says a word. Only the sound of his footsteps echoes in the corridor.


    After what feels like an eternity, Bob emerges from the passageway as if nothing happened. He raises both hands, looks at the group, and shakes his head, indicating there¡¯s no immediate danger. Then he takes up a defensive position in the corridor, facing forward.


    ¡°It¡¯s safe to move up to there,¡± Vincent says, though his tone remains cautious.


    We start moving slowly, staying in formation behind the warriors advancing with their shields raised. The silence is broken only by the occasional heavy breath, the sound of our footsteps, and the dripping water still falling from the walls. No one dares to speak, but the tension is palpable. Everyone¡¯s eyes are fixed on the shadows still surrounding us.


    As we approach the opening, Tom moves to stand beside Bob, positioning himself to guard the corridor against any remaining mummies still crawling toward us. Darius and Vincent shift toward the passageway where the stone slab had once been, standing in front of it.


    ¡°Mary,¡± the prince whispers.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The orb of light floats into the passageway, revealing what looks like a spacious, abandoned dormitory. Rows of bunk beds line the walls, each with a small, worn chest at its foot. Amid the dust and rubble, broken bowls and large clay jars are scattered across the floor, most of them shattered.


    Alistair is the first to move. From the doorway, he crouches down and peers under the bunks, carefully inspecting every corner. Finding nothing, he lifts his gaze toward Vincent, who nods briefly. Standing up with steady confidence, Alistair steps inside, his mace at the ready for anything unexpected. One by one, the rest of us follow, cautiously searching the room.


    Darius and Vincent quickly sweep the bunks and surrounding area, confirming that there are no creatures hiding within. Vincent motions to us with a whispered command:


    ¡°Quickly, and keep quiet.¡±


    The two of them move back toward the entrance, joining Bob and Tom to secure the corridor while the rest of us continue to investigate the room. Dust covers every surface, and most of what we find is worthless¡ªold, tattered clothing that¡¯s completely unusable. Mary returns with empty hands.


    ¡°Just trash and junk,¡± she says, brushing the dust from her fingers.


    Meanwhile, Alistair examines the large clay jars. With a surprising display of strength, he picks up one that seems mostly intact and shakes it gently. A faint sound from within catches his attention. Without a word, he carries the jar over to Vincent. Ronan, on the other hand, remains focused on inspecting the walls. His calm demeanor doesn¡¯t mask the furrowed brow that signals he¡¯s still uneasy. It¡¯s clear from his expression that whatever is going on here isn¡¯t over yet.


    When we regroup, I approach Alistair, curious about his discovery.


    ¡°What¡¯s in the jar?¡± I ask.


    He grins, a contagious sort of smile that¡¯s rare given the circumstances, and replies, ¡°Oil.¡±


    While Alistair shows the jar to Vincent, the prince, distracted, gives Bob a light pat on the back¡ªas if he were just another member of the team. For a moment, we all forget that Bob, dressed like one of us and cloaked in fabric, is actually a skeleton.


    ¡°Advance to the next passageway,¡± Vincent says.


    Bob obeys after a brief pause, moving cautiously along the wall with his sword and shield at the ready. The openings in this section of the corridor are directly across from each other, so before stepping into one, he glances quickly at the one opposite. Seeing nothing, he proceeds into the closer entrance, the light orb floating just behind him.


    A few moments later, Bob emerges from the first room without a word and crosses to the opposite opening. He enters slowly, staying alert, and after thoroughly inspecting the area, he backs out, still facing the room as if guarding against an unseen threat. Stopping in the doorway, he takes up a defensive stance, clearly signaling that he¡¯s found something.


    Vincent motions for us to move. We advance carefully, ready for anything. Before we reach him, Vincent gives clear instructions:


    ¡°We¡¯re splitting up.¡±


    Darius and Tom move to join Bob, backing him in his defensive stance against whatever might come from that passageway. Meanwhile, Alistair places the jar of oil on the ground near them. The rest of us enter the other room, only to find the same thing: decrepit bunk beds and absolutely nothing of value.


    With obvious curiosity, Vincent steps up to Bob. ¡°What did you see?¡± he asks, expecting an answer.


    The silence that follows, strangely enough, is almost reassuring. We all share small, relieved smiles, the tension that¡¯s been building finally breaking, if only for a moment. Even Alistair lets out a stifled laugh, drawing a puzzled glance from Vincent. But the prince¡¯s expression changes quickly when his eyes widen, realization dawning on him.


    Ronan breaks the silence with a faint smile, his gaze steady, as if appreciating Vincent¡¯s instinct to treat Bob like any other teammate.


    ¡°He sensed something¡­ a threat, likely from the other undead. There are fewer of them now, but we must remain cautious. The power I¡¯m detecting is very strong.¡±

 No, Mary! Don鈥檛 Purify Bob and Tom.

    I hear strange clicking noises coming from the passage that Darius and the two skeletons are guarding. Instantly, I tense up. I notice the others do too. We remain there in silence for a few seconds that seem to pass in unbearably slow motion. Then Vincent, in a firm voice, breaks the silence:


    "Are you ready, Theodore?"


    "Yes," he replies, trying to sound confident.


    I can see that, despite the potions, he¡¯s still exhausted. From my own experience of running out of mana, it¡¯s a mental fatigue that doesn¡¯t go away until you¡¯ve rested properly.


    Still, he can use magic. So, he¡¯ll fight.


    Ah¡­ this is when a part of me screams. I want to fight too. I didn¡¯t choose the Aetherblade specialization to just stand around doing nothing. I want to draw my sword, to imbue it with fire. My hands were itching earlier to charge into the horde of mummies with the naga and help it take them down.


    I feel like I¡¯m the only one who hasn¡¯t leveled up. Not because I need a lot of experience, but because I¡¯m hardly earning any. What have I done? Raised a dome that didn¡¯t harm a single creature and fought a few mummies with my steel, without channeling the spirit.


    I have no idea how many points a mummy gives. Let¡¯s say 4 or 5. Maybe 6... I don¡¯t know. But at those points per mummy, the nearly full bar I need for level 8¡ªwhich I found out is 1097 experience¡ªfeels impossibly far away.


    I hear the prince giving instructions, and I force myself to stop wallowing in self-pity and focus on what he¡¯s saying. What lies beyond this opening in the wall isn¡¯t a room but a passageway. Tom and Bob will take the lead again, while the rest of us follow in formation. From what Vincent explains, the traps are his biggest concern.


    We enter, and as soon as we notice the floor covered in sand, I completely understand the worry about traps.


    At first, the sand is sparse, but as we advance, it accumulates in greater quantities. Tom, with his sword and shield held high, moves forward, followed by Bob, keeping a one-meter distance, both on high alert.


    The corridor isn¡¯t long. It¡¯s narrow at first but gradually widens. It ends at a corner, forcing us to turn right, where an intense light is visible. Tom peeks around carefully, his movements slow and calculated, and gestures for us to approach. Once we¡¯re near, he positions himself on one side of the wall while Bob takes the opposite side. Pressed against the walls, they advance together toward the light.


    In front of them, a large, illuminated chamber opens up.


    Suddenly, the clicking intensifies and echoes, reverberating through the space. Whatever¡¯s causing it is getting closer.


    We¡¯ve stopped in the hallway, just at the corner, from where we can observe the chamber. Through the rectangular opening of its doorless entrance, I can see that the sand completely covers the floor. There are columns¡ªonly a few, but they¡¯re enormous and scattered throughout the massive chamber. And by massive, I mean the size of a football stadium on Earth, though I won¡¯t be able to confirm until I step inside.


    The majesty of the place momentarily stuns us, but the sensation doesn¡¯t last long.


    The clicking turns into loud, resonating thuds that put us all on high alert. We see Tom and Bob crouch down, hiding as best they can behind their shields. We remain silent. I feel my muscles tense and my heart racing. Suddenly, a series of quick, forceful bangs shoots adrenaline through me.


    A massive claw emerges from one side of the doorless threshold of that enormous chamber. It strikes the wall where Tom stood just a second ago, leaving a deep mark in the stone. Tom has jumped back just in time, and Bob follows suit. Both quickly return to our side, joining the shield formation that Darius and Vincent have just made to protect the rest of us.


    I can¡¯t help but think that either Ronan is communicating telepathically with them¡ªhighly likely, since he previously relayed to Vincent what Bob had seen¡ªor the two skeletons have developed or remembered their personalities. Or both.


    In any case, Ronan approaches Bob and takes the spear his friend carries on his back. The necromancer gestures toward the opening that connects the chamber with the hallway. There, barely visible through the sand being kicked up, we make out enormous legs pressed against the entrance, followed by the body of a giant scorpion trying to push its way in. Its size prevents it from entering the hallway, but that doesn¡¯t stop it. With its claws and tail, it furiously strikes the space where Tom and Bob had been standing, even reaching the ceiling, causing debris to fall.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    My goodness¡­ how high is the ceiling in that chamber if all I can see of the scorpion is the lowest part of its body, where the legs connect? It¡¯s definitely far higher than the ceilings in any of the rooms we¡¯ve seen so far.


    Frustrated by its inability to reach us, the scorpion retreats a few meters. That¡¯s when the mummies begin moving toward us, passing the giant creature as they head out of the chamber.


    "Hold the formation!" Vincent shouts.


    Theodore readies himself to unleash his signature attack on the mummy horde, awaiting Vincent¡¯s command.


    Without wasting time, Vincent raises his sword and casts a wind spell. A powerful slash emanates from his weapon, cutting through the first line of mummies and significantly weakening most of the second. The force of the attack breaks through the enemy''s defenses, creating an opportunity that Darius seizes immediately. With a shield bash, he knocks a mummy to the ground, while the rest of us maintain the formation, expertly halting the enemy¡¯s advance.


    That spell... it came from his sword just as it could have come from a mage¡¯s staff or bare hands. It¡¯s not channeling; it has nothing to do with what I do with the spirit.


    The battle becomes fierce. Though fewer in number than before, the mummies seem more resilient. The fact that the hallway isn''t too wide works to our advantage, allowing us to block their attacks and counter with coordinated strikes. Swords slash above and below, while Ronan uses the spear to keep enemies at bay.


    I join in too, wielding my sword without channeling. The width of the hallway gives me space to fight. As for my weapon, it¡¯s not very effective; despite my swordsmanship mastery, my lack of strength reduces the impact of my strikes. And Ronan... if he starts racking up kills or assists, he might even earn spear mastery as a gift.


    Alistair, meanwhile, runs back through the passage. For a moment, it looks like he¡¯s fleeing, but we all know that¡¯s not the case. When he returns, he¡¯s carrying the oil jar he found earlier.


    "No need!" Vincent shouts upon seeing him. "The mummies won¡¯t be a problem."


    Despite this, the mummies manage to inflict minor cuts on some of our legs. The shield wall is what protects the rest of our bodies. Noticing this, Mary begins preparing an area healing spell. Ronan observes the situation carefully and gives clear instructions to his skeletons:


    "Tom, Bob, hold as long as you can and fall back as soon as Mary casts the spell."


    Curious... is he saying it out loud for the rest of us to hear?


    Alistair, somewhat frustrated, sets the jar down carefully and readies his mace, prepared to strike as soon as Tom and Bob clear their position.


    When Mary completes the spell, a brilliant light envelops the width and much of the length of the hallway. We all feel our strength return, and the minor cuts begin to close. Tom and Bob take the opportunity to retreat behind the formation, covered in white flames emitting black smoke that quickly dissipates. The mummies, incapable of feeling pain, continue their assault, but Alistair stops them with a devastating mace blow, smashing several in one strike.


    The fight doesn¡¯t last much longer. Mary¡¯s area healing spell has significantly weakened the mummies, leaving them with little chance. When the last enemy falls, we remain in formation, observing the hallway. Vincent counts at least two giant scorpions, though we can¡¯t currently see them from our position.


    "The black smoke..." I address Ronan. "Did the healing hurt Bob and Tom?"


    "Do not worry, my lady. They are recovering. They exited the area quickly enough."


    An area healing spell that remained active for about a minute. I look at Mary.


    The girl is covering her mouth with one hand, horrified that she may have harmed Ronan¡¯s two friends.


    I want to know something else, because when I played a bit with her as the protagonist, she didn¡¯t have those levels of magic until at least halfway through the second year.


    "Your healing spell, how is it so powerful?"


    She looks at me, somewhat confused.


    "I don¡¯t know. It wasn¡¯t. But it¡¯s gotten stronger, and I think, when I leveled up, I learned something new too. I haven¡¯t tried casting it yet, but I feel like I could."


    It must be terrible not having a system and discovering new spells by listening to your guts. In any case, at least they have the stone slabs and will be able to check everything once we return to the academy.


    "That¡¯s great, Mary," the prince praises her.


    I can¡¯t help but smile to myself. We¡¯re in the middle of a secret dungeon zone, and here I am, getting emotional over how well everyone treats Mary, the commoner with light magic who¡¯s special because of her kindness. But in the world I come from, good people often suffered, as others saw them as easy prey to exploit. Well, in this world too; but the prince¡¯s group are good people who know how to appreciate a wonderful and innocent young woman like Mary.


    She, by the way, blushes at the praise. Then she approaches Ronan, places her hand on his arm, and apologizes for not knowing her spell would harm the undead. Ronan gets flustered and assures her it¡¯s fine. The prince takes the lead, asking us for input on what to do next.

 The Battle Begins.

    As we all remain deep in thought and no one says anything, Mary finally speaks, hesitantly, as if unsure whether her idea is valid or just plain foolish.


    ¡°What if we retreat to try breaking the rock that¡¯s blocking our way out of the pyramid? Or hold out from there? Those scorpions are too big; they won¡¯t be able to reach us.¡±


    Ronan shakes his head.


    ¡°This is only the beginning,¡± he says. ¡°There will be more waves of mummies, not only stronger but possibly bringing even worse creatures. If we don¡¯t stop whatever¡¯s generating them, we¡¯re finished.¡±


    Whatever¡¯s generating them? What, they weren¡¯t just lying around in their beds or something?


    Oh, crap, mummies are undead. Could a certain little wolf be enhancing them somehow?


    ¡°Ronan¡­¡± I hesitate, trying to find a way to phrase it without revealing too much to the others. ¡°This dungeon, does it have any darkness?¡±


    ¡°You already asked that,¡± the prince interjects, looking slightly puzzled. ¡°It¡¯s earth and fire.¡±


    ¡°Ronan?¡±


    ¡°No, my lady. I do not sense any darkness in this pyramid.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ aren¡¯t the mummies undead?¡±


    ¡°Not all undead belong to darkness. These are animated by the desert sun scorching the sand, the earth desperately trying to reclaim their bodies, and the stones of the pyramid that have imprisoned them for eternity.¡±


    I think about what mummies are on Earth. Oh¡­ they used to remove their organs. Were those broken jars in the sleeping quarters¡¯ rooms what held them? I must have made a face of disgust because Ronan asks:


    ¡°Are you alright, my lady?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sorry. Thank you for the clarification.


    The pup, who¡¯s back in my backpack after causing chaos earlier, lets out a sound that¡¯s somewhere between a bark and a dry laugh. The little rascal¡­ It seems like he¡¯s having fun at my expense. I bet if I take him out, he¡¯ll give me those puppy eyes and try to lick my face. And the worst part is, I¡¯d probably end up apologizing to him for even thinking that this adorable creature could be enhancing the mummies.


    Anyway, with what Ronan has told us, it¡¯s clear we¡¯ll have to face the scorpions.


    Vincent suggests splitting into two groups. Alistair, Bob, Tom, and I will take on one, while Darius, Vincent, Theodore, Ronan, and Mary handle the other.


    I¡¯m stunned. The other group has two human warriors, two powerful mages, and a healer whose magic weakens the undead. My group has two skeleton warriors¡ªno offense to Ronan, but they obviously can¡¯t match Darius and Alistair¡ªa human warrior, and me, an earth mage who neither has Theodore¡¯s affinity for his element nor spells as advanced as his undoubtedly are. Someone explain to me why the prince has divided us so unevenly. Maybe Alistair is more capable than he seems? Because I certainly am, though only Ronan knows that.


    And since I can¡¯t show it, I might as well just be an earth mage¡­


    If Vincent thinks I can control stone, I should probably tell him no. From the textbooks I studied thoroughly during my first two months at the academy, I know that when your earth control reaches high level¡ªone above my intermediate level¡ªyou can manipulate stone: shaping, softening and compacting it. For now, I¡¯m just grateful I can harden soil enough to turn it into stone. But that¡¯s it. I can¡¯t collapse the stone slabs from the ceiling above us¡ªI don¡¯t have that level of control.


    Anyway, my chance to question the seemingly unbalanced distribution passes, and the others have already decided on the plan: eliminate one scorpion first while distracting the other. Trying to take down both at the same time would be suicidal.


    Ah, so that¡¯s why¡ªbecause my group is the distraction. I have decent agility. Ugh, that''s disappointing. For a moment, I thought my earth magic, at its current level, might be capable of more than I realized.


    Regardless, we position ourselves at the edge of the hallway, cautiously observing the chamber. The scorpions¡¯ pincers clicking in the air put everyone on edge. Ronan turns to me.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    ¡°Do you want me to call it?¡±


    At first, I¡¯m confused, but when I realize what he means, my eyes widen, and I can¡¯t help but murmur:


    ¡°The bear¡­¡±


    My comment draws everyone¡¯s attention. Ronan nods with a smile and adds:


    ¡°Whatever you command, my lady.¡±


    Thankfully, the others are already used to him addressing me this way and don¡¯t think it¡¯s strange anymore¡ªjust another one of Ronan¡¯s peculiarities.


    ¡°Uh¡­ more like whatever you think,¡± I reply. ¡°You¡¯re a better strategist than I am.¡±


    Which, as much as I hate to admit it, is the absolute truth. I never would have thought of the strategy he used to hunt the bears.


    The guy stares at me for a moment, then tilts his head slightly and responds:


    ¡°You are too innocent,¡± he says calmly, glancing at Mary. ¡°Like all light users. That is why you must be protected, to preserve that purity.¡±


    Is he calling me naive? I think so. And not because of my intelligence stat of 6, but because of my light affinity. Don¡¯t mess with me, Ronan¡ªI¡¯m nothing like Mary. She¡¯s pure goodness, while I just manage to survive.


    Bianca L''Crom


    Race: Human


    Age: 18


    Level: 7


    Stats:


    Constitution: 7


    Strength: 4


    Intelligence: 6


    Agility: 7


    Wisdom: 8


    HP: 7


    MP: 8


    Magic Affinities:


    Elemental: Earth, medium level. Water, medium level. Fire, medium level. Air, medium level. Spirit, high level.


    Non-elemental: Light, medium level.


    Skills:


    Minor runner: Passive. +1 Agi. Run 10% faster.


    Minor sword mastery: Passive. +1 Stre. Wielding a sword feels natural.


    Minor scholar: Passive. +1 Wis, +10% memorization speed.


    Spells: Intermediate earth control. Low earth wall. Minor stone bullets. Minor fire arrow. Minor breath control. Minor splash. Minor healing. Minor channeling with water and air. Low channeling with fire and earth. Minor flash. Minor meditation.


    Mary watches us, utterly confused, while Vincent, Darius, and Alistair approach Ronan, curious.


    ¡°What¡¯s this about a bear?¡± Darius asks bluntly.


    ¡°You¡¯ll see soon enough,¡± Ronan says, adjusting his cloak. ¡°Just give me a second.¡±


    At that moment, one of the scorpions moves to the other side of the chamber. Through the entrance gap, we see its legs, the underside of its body, and its tail pass by. Vincent smiles as he observes it.


    ¡°It¡¯s time.¡±


    Tom moves to the edge of the chamber and signals us to advance. We move out in formation, running toward our targets. Ronan stops at the chamber¡¯s edge and begins his ritual. The words he murmurs are incomprehensible, but the air around him thickens with dark, dense energy, shifting like black flames until it concentrates in his hand.


    Meanwhile, the scorpions react to our entry. The one on the left charges at our group. Bob and Tom do their best to block its attacks, dodging skillfully until Tom decides to stop one of its pincers with his shield. The tough chitin collides with the metal. The sharp, loud sound cuts through the general noise of the battle. The impact sends the skeleton flying backward, shattering the shield instantly. Alistair seizes the moment to strike one of the scorpion¡¯s legs with a direct blow from his mace, but he only manages to inflict a minor wound. I also attacked, but my unchanneled sword didn¡¯t even leave a scratch. So, I retreat a few steps. I¡¯ll either use my earth magic or find a more effective way to hurt it.


    On the other side, the second scorpion charges at Vincent and Darius. Its speed is astonishing. Darius leaps to dodge the attack, but Vincent, weighed down by his heavier armor, is caught off guard. Just as the pincer is about to close around him, a high-pressure stream of water strikes the scorpion in its eyes and jaws, forcing it to shield itself with a pincer, preventing any damage. Theodore holds his position, ready for another attack.


    Mary, who seems to be watching the same way I am, conjures a sphere of light and positions it directly in front of the scorpion¡¯s face, momentarily blinding it. I notice this gives Vincent and Darius an opening to attack its tail, though I doubt they¡¯ll succeed¡ªthe carapace is far too tough. I see Darius approaching the creature and¡­


    And that¡¯s as much as I manage to see of their group because I¡äm under attack too.


    ¡°Bianca!¡± Alistair shouts.


    If we were on Earth, I¡¯d probably give him a kiss for that. How careless of me¡ªto feel safe and forget, even for a second, about the massive arachnid in front of us that¡¯s coming straight for me.


    I see Bob and Alistair holding it back as it tries to grab (or maybe crush) me with one of its pincers. Not happening.


    ¡°Control,¡± I say.


    Not even the full name of the spell. I don¡¯t need it. I¡¯ve mastered it so well that just the start of the word focuses my mind, letting me call upon the energy of the earth, sense it, and manipulate it.


    Immediately, the sand covering the ground¡ªand the creature itself¡ªgathers around the joints of its pincer and hardens, locking it firmly in place. I compress the sand so much it turns into stone. That pincer isn¡¯t going anywhere.


    I see the scorpion raise its jaws¡ªthose disgusting mandibles I loathe¡ªand emit a sound of protest.


    Alistair doesn¡¯t hesitate. Seizing the creature¡¯s distraction, he delivers a powerful blow with his mace, breaking the already damaged leg with a loud crack and further limiting the scorpion¡¯s movements. The skeletons, wasting no time, target the joint of the trapped pincer, striking it with force and precision in an attempt to sever it, though so far without success.


    I sense something¡ªa dark magic I¡¯m now familiar with. As I step back to distance myself from the scorpion, I quickly glance around.

 Bless the Bear!

    I see Mary pale and trembling, staring at the intense concentration of dark energy radiating from Ronan. The young girl has turned her head toward him, watching him with a mix of awe and fear.


    Ronan murmurs words I don¡¯t understand. His voice is low but brimming with power, as if he¡¯s summoning something from the deepest depths of the afterlife, from some realm of the dead. The darkness surrounding his body grows denser, shifting like a heavy mist until it concentrates in his hand. And that¡¯s just what I perceive¡ªwho knows what Mary might be seeing.


    Finally, the necromancer casts that energy onto the ground, where it spreads into a black pool that seems to burn with shadowy flames.


    And there it is.


    From the pool, a colossal creature begins to emerge. First, massive paws appear, covered in thick, dark fur. Then, its entire body follows until it stands upright, imposing: a giant bear, well over three meters tall on its hind legs and about two meters wide. It¡¯s the first of the two "papa bears" we fought before, the smaller one. Only now it¡¯s even more terrifying, reinforced by death magic. Fortunately, I can¡¯t smell anything. Either my nose and mouth are clogged with sand particles from the fight, or being a summoned zombie, it hasn¡¯t started to rot yet. In any case, its presence is so overwhelmingly intimidating that the air around it feels heavier.


    I keep an eye on my scorpion, even if only from the corner of my vision, and for now, it seems under control. So, I remain wide-eyed at the fact that Ronan has summoned that bear¡ªthe one he once raised as a zombie from its skinned corpse, missing a leg and large chunks of flesh.


    Now here it is, whole, in all its glory.


    The bear turns its head slowly, as if assessing its surroundings. For a moment, its eyes lock onto Mary, and she instinctively steps back. Even I can feel it: the zombie¡¯s gaze pierces through her, as though it¡¯s trying to drill into her soul.


    I shudder. Mary probably does even more. That creature radiates an aura of pure ferocity, as if everything in its path is utterly insignificant.


    Ronan, with a firm voice, gives the order:


    ¡°Finish the scorpions.¡±


    The scorpion from the other group is retreating, blinded by Mary¡¯s sphere of light. As I saw earlier, Darius had taken advantage of the opportunity to get closer.


    What I didn¡¯t see, and what I¡¯m told later, is that the disoriented creature tried to swat away the sphere of light with its pincers, even striking it with its stinger to destroy it. But the sphere was made of light; evidently, it didn¡¯t work. That massive curved stinger pierced through the sphere and came out the other side, leaving it intact. When it swung back down, the tail struck the ground.


    Vincent, who was paying attention to Darius¡¯s movements, positioned himself beside him.


    ¡°Now!¡± Vincent shouted, shoving Darius forward at just the right moment.


    Darius leaped and clung to the base of the scorpion¡¯s tail. He wrapped his arms and legs around the appendage, ensuring he wouldn¡¯t be thrown off as the creature thrashed violently, slamming into walls and columns in its desperation.


    And now I see him, riding the creature.


    With the stinger raised and the scorpion focused on its pain, Darius uses the opportunity to search for weaknesses between the plates of its armor.


    Sword in hand, he places the tip against one of the visible joints. With all his strength, he begins hammering the hilt, driving the blade centimeter by centimeter into the scorpion¡¯s structure. A guttural screech echoes through the chamber as the sword finally sinks deep. The creature tries to reach Darius with its pincers, but it can¡¯t because of his elevated position. Darius, sweat dripping from his forehead, clings even tighter to the tail as the creature bucks and charges across the chamber, desperately trying to shake him off.


    On the other side of the room, the giant bear locks its gaze onto my scorpion¡ªthe one still struggling against my earth magic. Without hesitation, it charges directly at its prey. The scorpion, with one pincer immobilized, turns its body to react, but it doesn¡¯t have enough time. The bear slams into it with a brutal tackle, the impact reverberating throughout the chamber.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    With a thunderous roar, the bear bites down on the base of the scorpion¡¯s tail, tearing it off with a horrifying sound of splintering armor. The creature thrashes violently, screeching in pain, but the bear gives it no respite. It drops the tail to the ground and turns its attention to the remaining pincer. With a ferocious bite, it rips it off at the joint, tossing it aside like a mere toy.


    Now defenseless, the scorpion tries to retreat, but the bear continues its assault. Its massive claws tear through the carapace as we all watch in stunned silence. The creature, which had once seemed an insurmountable foe, is being reduced to nothing more than a shattered husk. Finally, the scorpion lies motionless, reduced to a heap of mangled remains.


    A notification pops up.


    Your Earth Control spell cannot level up due to the limitations of your Aetherblade specialization. To maintain balance, you must first improve your basic air and water spells before advancing Earth Control to a higher level.


    What a distraction.


    I barely glance at it before swiping it away, making a mental note to figure out how to disable notifications during combat.


    Pfft...


    By the way, there¡¯s noise coming from the left, from the wall, but for now, I ignore it. First, let¡¯s deal with the scorpion that¡¯s still standing.


    This one is still thrashing wildly across the chamber, smashing into walls and columns as it tries to shake off Darius, who remains latched onto its tail. Each blow sends pieces of the wall crumbling and raises even more dust into the air.


    During one of its frantic movements, Darius¡¯s sword slips from his grasp and falls to the ground, leaving him with no option but to hold on with all his might.


    Darius, his face taut with effort, wraps his arms tighter around the joint, trying to immobilize it, though he doesn¡¯t have enough strength to crush it as he seems to wish. His only choice is to endure, holding on to avoid being flung off.


    ¡°What the hell is that now?¡± Alistair asks dryly, his gaze fixed on the left wall, where those steady, muffled thuds have been coming from for the past few seconds.


    His comment, tinged with frustration, makes a few of us turn toward the source of the noise.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound good,¡± Theodore remarks, his brow furrowed as he continues watching the wall. ¡°It¡¯s not undead, I can tell you that much.¡±


    ¡°Now what, a dragon?¡± Alistair adds sarcastically, attempting to lighten the mood with humor as he raises his two-handed mace, ready for anything.


    The pounding intensifies, shaking the ground beneath our feet. Cracks begin to spread across the left wall, and an intense red light seeps through them, casting ominous streaks across the chamber. We all back away. With one final, explosive strike, an enormous hole bursts open in the wall, revealing what lies on the other side.


    ¡°It¡¯s a golem...¡± Vincent says, his voice low but steady.


    The figure looming on the other side of the hole is massive, a stone colossus standing at least five or six meters tall. The red light comes from a crystal embedded in its chest, glowing with a constant intensity that threatens to blind me if I stare at it for too long.


    The golem begins to move on the other side of the newly formed opening. From our position, we can clearly see its hulking humanoid form and the ominous crystal in its chest that seems to power its existence. However, the hole isn¡¯t yet large enough for it to enter the chamber. The colossus continues to pound against the wall, steadily widening the gap with each strike. Stones crash heavily to the ground, and the echo of its blows reverberates like a grim warning.


    ¡°It can¡¯t get through yet, but it¡¯s only a matter of time!¡± Alistair shouts, retreating toward the group while adjusting his grip on his mace.


    ¡°Let¡¯s finish this scorpion first,¡± Vincent says, his eyes fixed on the still-active creature, which thrashes chaotically around the chamber with Darius clinging to its tail.


    We regroup quickly, reorganizing ourselves to surround the scorpion, which is entirely focused on ridding itself of Darius. We move cautiously, taking advantage of the scorpion¡¯s erratic movements as it slams into walls and columns in its desperate attempt to shake him off.


    I begin to consider how I can use my earth magic to help him¡ªperhaps creating stakes inside the creature¡¯s joints?¡ªwhile my hands itch with the desire to channel fire and charge into the fight with my sword.


    Also, where¡¯s the bear?


    No, I¡¯m not distracted. It¡¯s just that with the golem¡¯s sudden appearance, I stopped paying attention to it. Now I realize I probably should have, since it should have finished off Darius¡¯s scorpion by now. I step away from the group, distancing myself from the area where the creature is smashing walls in its attempts to dislodge its unwanted rider, and scan the rest of the massive chamber. Yes, now that I¡¯m inside, I can confirm¡ªit¡¯s much larger than a football stadium.


    Oh my gosh, the bear...


    It¡¯s fighting another giant scorpion, and at its feet lie the dismembered remains of yet another one (besides mine).


    Were there more enemies?


    Bless Ronan, bless the bear!


    Without them, we wouldn¡¯t have survived unless I had summoned the wolf.


    I watch as the zombie beast quickly dispatches the other giant scorpion, tearing it apart, and then turns its attention to the only one left¡ªthe one with Darius.


    With a deep roar, it begins charging toward the scorpion, its massive figure shaking the ground with every step. But before it can reach its target, another scorpion suddenly drops from the ceiling, landing squarely on its back with an impact that halts the bear in its tracks.


    Oh... so that¡¯s where these extra arachnids are coming from.

 The Lich is not the Final Boss either.

    The new scorpion tries to grab the bear with its pincers, sinking them deep into its side. The creature also thrusts its stinger toward the bear¡¯s back, but being undead, the bear is completely unaffected by the venom. And, apparently, it doesn¡¯t feel pain either.


    Despite this, the attack seems to enrage it even more. With a roar that makes the air around it vibrate, the bear twists violently and strikes one of the pincers with its massive claws, breaking the grip and forcing the scorpion to retreat.


    The creature lowers its front into a defensive stance, spreading its pincers wide and slowly moving its tail, ready to strike at any moment. The bear, in turn, rises onto its hind legs, its colossal figure casting a menacing shadow across the chamber. Its hollow eyes fix on the scorpion, and another deep roar echoes, a warning to its opponent. Both creatures seem to size each other up, waiting for the right moment to strike.


    With one final, devastating blow, the golem finally breaks through the wall and steps into the chamber. Its colossal figure, over five meters tall, moves slowly, but each step causes the ground to tremble and leaves deep imprints in the sand. The red light from its crystal shines even brighter, casting shifting shadows that seem to move with a life of their own. Without hesitation, the golem advances directly toward us, ignoring the remains of the wall it just destroyed. Luckily, it moves slowly.


    And what¡¯s happened with the rest of my group in the meantime?


    Well, as they told me later, the scorpion Darius was riding remained in a threatening stance, surrounded by the rest of my group¡ªexcept for me, since I had stepped away. Its pincers snapped open and shut rapidly, and its stinger moved with precision, making it impossible for anyone to get close. However, since the creature had to defend itself, its movements and attempts to dislodge Darius had become less erratic. Darius, without hesitation, seized the opportunity.


    Still clinging to its tail, he placed a hand over the wound he had inflicted earlier with his sword. With a shout of effort, he generated a fireball directly inside the joint. The explosion, though small, intensified due to the internal pressure, causing the tail to break. Although it wasn¡¯t completely severed, it hung uselessly, limp. The scorpion, injured and enraged, thrashed violently, finally shaking Darius loose and sending him crashing to the ground.


    ¡°Now!¡± Vincent shouted, leading the attack, moments after the golem broke through.


    Damn.


    This battle is pure chaos.


    I react quickly, following my instincts¡ªyes, the same ones that usually get me into trouble for being too impulsive.


    My group, so focused on the scorpion that they seemed to ignore the golem¡¯s pounding and the minor detail that it had just entered the other side of the chamber, also acts quickly in response to the prince¡¯s command. Vincent, who also possesses water magic, uses it to freeze all the legs on one side of the scorpion, creating a thin layer of ice that immobilizes them completely. Alistair, with his mace raised high, begins smashing them one by one with powerful blows, while the rest of the group targets the remaining legs. I join in, sprinting to arrive in time and, in the process, putting some distance between myself and the golem. And the bear with its scorpion? No idea¡ªI¡¯m not even glancing in that direction. I strike at one of the legs. My sword doesn¡¯t leave a mark, but at least I¡¯ll earn some XP for the assist.


    The creature, by the way, is entirely focused on Bob and doesn¡¯t react in time to our attacks. Alistair takes advantage of this, methodically destroying its legs.


    I think Mary has gone over to Darius to heal the bump on his head from the fall. The floor is made of sand, so it probably wasn¡¯t too serious.


    Bob... good old Bob. With quick and precise movements, he positions himself in front of the scorpion, repeatedly striking its face while dodging its pincers and keeping all its aggro on him.


    The scorpion, believing Bob to be its greatest threat, doesn¡¯t anticipate our coordinated assault. When all its legs are completely destroyed, it loses balance and collapses onto its side. Alistair, with a determined gesture, summons a wall of fire directly beneath the creature. Flames engulf it quickly, consuming it from below. The intense heat and the crackling of its carapace as it burns fill the air while the creature thrashes in its final desperate movements, completely immobilized and surrounded by fire.Stolen story; please report.


    And since it has no legs, it can¡¯t escape. Clever move by the redhead, right?


    For a moment, we¡¯re all elated by the victory. Even I briefly forget about the minor detail of the golem. But it only lasts a moment. The elation quickly fades from the others, and the memory of the golem hits me with a gut-wrenching sense of dread when a massive shadow passes over us.


    ¡°The golem!¡± I shout.


    But it¡¯s not the golem¡ªit¡¯s the bear.


    The bear, flung through the air along with the scorpion it was fighting, crashes into a nearby column with an impact that shakes the entire chamber. Thankfully, it doesn¡¯t break. I wouldn¡¯t want the pyramid collapsing on my head. The scorpion lands further away from the bear, crashing into the sand.


    The dull thud of the crash and the partial collapse of the column make us all turn toward the golem.


    Because it was the golem.


    All eyes focus on the gigantic humanoid creature as it slowly advances toward us. At its feet, the shattered bodies of three other giant scorpions make it clear that it had eliminated those creatures with overwhelming ease. The red glow of the crystal in its chest flickers intensely.


    ¡°What do we do now?¡± Alistair asks, his voice a mix of worry and frustration.


    Vincent briefly considers retreating to the main passage but quickly dismisses the idea. I imagine he knows that with the golem chasing us, it would only be a matter of time before it caught up. Either that, or it would demolish the entire pyramid in its frenzy, trying to carve a path through the passage it couldn''t fit through to attack us.


    The golem, seemingly aware of our defensive formation, raises one of its massive arms in our direction. Its movement is slow but deliberate. The arm moving makes no sound, but it is undoubtedly imposing and threatening.


    ¡°Take cover!¡± Vincent shouts, pointing toward the columns and any other place that could offer shelter.


    The group scatters quickly, seeking refuge behind the columns and nearby debris as the golem keeps its arm extended, aiming at us with unnerving precision. Before we can react, the crystal in its chest glows brightly, and hundreds of stone spikes shoot toward us. The impact of the spikes against the columns and walls fills the air with dust and shards of rock, reducing visibility as we struggle to stay safe.


    I dash toward a pile of nearby debris and leap behind it just in time to avoid a spike that crashes to the ground a few meters away. My breathing is ragged, and as I adjust my position for better cover, I glance upward for a moment. And then I see it.


    High above, clinging to the ceiling like part of the structure itself, a colossal scorpion stares at me with its many eyes gleaming in the dim light. It¡¯s larger than anything we¡¯ve faced so far, and on its back, several more giant scorpions seem to be waiting for their turn to descend. My heart stops for an instant. I¡¯m frozen with panic, barely able to move as I watch it, its legs firmly anchored to the ceiling and its pincers moving slowly, as if calculating the perfect moment to strike.


    Mary, who is nearby, screams loudly:


    ¡°Something¡¯s coming!¡±


    Her voice alerts all of us. Darius, hiding behind a fragment of a column, curses under his breath:


    ¡°What the hell else can go wrong today?¡±


    Vincent, crouching behind another piece of cover, scans the area quickly, looking for whatever Mary is warning us about. His face hardens when he sees one of the creatures on the giant scorpion¡¯s back starting to detach, falling with a heavy thud onto the chamber floor. The beast immediately rises, moving its pincers rapidly, and fixes its gaze on us.


    As we shelter behind columns and debris, a movement on the right side of the chamber catches my attention. From an opening to another room, a dark cloud begins to expand rapidly, as though consuming everything in its path. My gaze shifts back to the golem, which halts its barrage of stone spikes and resumes its slow but heavy advance toward us.


    I decide to take a risk. With a determined gesture, I use my earth magic to try and shatter one of its legs into countless fragments. However, a system notification appears in front of me:


    Magical Resistance to attack: Insufficient skill level.


    Frustrated, I watch as the golem continues its relentless advance. I would try again, just in case, if it weren¡¯t for the fact that I have really spent the mana point.


    Then, from the doorway shrouded in the dark cloud, a sinister figure emerges. It''s as if the will that wanted us dead suddenly condensed and began to enter the room.


    It¡¯s a lich¡ªa skeletal mage cloaked in tattered black robes, its skull crowned with eerie blue flames that flicker ominously.


    The lich doesn¡¯t hesitate. As soon as it sees us, it begins channeling its magic. Its stance and movements remind me of Ronan, but the energy emanating from it is entirely different¡ªdarker, more malevolent. I bet this is the one responsible for sending those mummies after us.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let it summon anything!¡± Mary shouts, raising her staff.

 Special Announcement.

    Hello!


    As I mentioned in today¡¯s chapter, after reading the theme for Royal Road¡¯s magazine, I felt inspired and I¡¯m writing a side story.


    The first chapter of my story for the magazine (it''ll be around 10,000 words) is already published. Ronan¡¯s in it, Mary¡¯s in it, and the protagonist is a dead man. I¡¯m leaving the link here, but I advise you not to read it until Bianca and her friends have left the current dungeon¡ªotherwise, you might run into an unwanted spoiler ;)


    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Link: https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/102572/dead-men-tell-the-best-tales</a>

 I Need Magic Penetration.

    Mary, driven by desperation and instinct, starts casting a new spell, one she has only recently learned upon leveling up.


    Her blonde hair and face are illuminated by the white light now glowing at the tip of her staff, where she concentrates her mana. A gentle breeze stirs her golden locks, pulling them free from the hood that was covering them.


    Meanwhile, the air thickens as a dense black mist seeps from the doorway, slowly creeping across the nearby floor. Within the mist, the atmosphere shifts, and something dark begins to take form. Small viscous puddles, resembling thick crude oil, appear on the ground, absorbing the magic channeled by the lich. The shadows in the air seem to move toward these puddles, feeding them until deformed figures start to emerge.


    The lich, at the center of this macabre scene, raises its staff, intensifying its spellcasting. The blue flames on its skull flare brighter, illuminating the eerie ritual. The pools grow larger, and more nagas begin to emerge.


    Zombie nagas? I think skeptically. I wasn¡¯t expecting it to summon such a powerful enemy.


    First come elongated heads with empty, glowing eyes and razor-sharp teeth glinting with a sinister light. Then torsos rise, followed by slithering bodies that seem to pour out of the black pools like animated tar. These are undead nagas¡ªhorrifying, serpentine creatures covered in a viscous, black substance that drips from their limbs as they claw their way free of the pools.


    Suddenly, an intense light appears above the lich and the nagas that were beginning to emerge. It¡¯s the same light that moments ago glowed at the tip of Mary¡¯s staff, now magnified and directed at its target. The light has formed into a massive circular rune, hovering above the enemy and pulsing ominously. In an instant, hundreds of blinding white spears erupt from the rune, streaking down violently to pierce the many dark bodies below. The spears, elegant and radiant, finish their trajectory by embedding themselves in the ground.


    The dark mist scatters, as if fleeing the brutal illumination that now dominates the area. The tar-like puddles hiss and shrink in size.


    Some of the spears, however, fail to reach their target. The lich, upon realizing its summons were under attack, had reacted by frantically raising its staff. A dark barrier began to form around it, absorbing part of the impact from the light spears aimed at it. Now, the blue flames in its skull flicker as the barrier struggles to hold. Each impact causes it to vibrate, as though it were thick, cracking glass.


    Mary¡¯s spears, still pouring from the circular rune, finally manage to break through the barrier in a blinding flash. They strike the lich directly, forcing it to stagger backward. Its channeling ceases immediately, and its staff lets out a sharp crack, as though the magical strain had been too much for it to bear. The nagas, which had been emerging, are repeatedly struck by the spears, collapsing back into the black puddles they had come from.


    Puddles that are now rapidly shrinking.


    ¡°Well done, Mary!¡± the prince praises her, astonished.


    I imagine he¡¯s as surprised as I am at what the girl has just learned¡ªand not only learned, but used with such efficiency and power. I suppose it¡¯s because it¡¯s light magic, and light and darkness are inherently vulnerable to each other.


    Mary advances, accompanied by Darius, who mutters under his breath as he searches for an opening to strike.


    The lich has retreated to the room it came from.


    ¡°We have to stop him from summoning more,¡± Mary says with determination.


    Meanwhile, Theodore launches a high-pressure stream of water directly at the golem¡¯s crystal. The impact hits it squarely, but the colossus doesn¡¯t even flinch. In response, it points its arm at Theodore and fires another volley of stone stakes. Theodore manages to shield himself but barely holds his position.


    Taking advantage of the distraction, I analyze the situation. I try again to fragment one of the golem¡¯s legs, but the same notification appears:


    Magic resistance to attack: Insufficient skill level.


    Frustrated, knowing I¡¯ve already wasted mana, I switch tactics. I focus my magic to create stone stakes behind the crystal in its chest, aiming to pierce it. This had better work¡ªI¡¯m down to my last three mana points.


    This time, I feel the connection to the earth, hardening it and channeling earth magic to reinforce the stakes further. Yes, I know¡ªit¡¯s a gamble. But considering that they¡¯re inside the golem and the dust cloud filling the room from all the sand stirred up every time we run or fight, or when the golem takes one of its heavy steps, I doubt anyone will notice the stakes faintly glowing. Using my control, I suddenly force the stakes to grow, and they strike the creature¡¯s core with power. However, instead of piercing through it, the crystal is ejected from the golem¡¯s chest, crashing to the ground with a loud thud.


    I feel a sudden wave of dizziness¡ªI¡¯ve completely drained myself.


    The golem staggers, briefly dropping to its knees in the sand, but it quickly rises again and begins moving toward the fallen core, as if recovering it were its only priority.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    I imagine that if we destroy it, the golem will die.


    ¡°We have to stop it from retrieving the gem!¡± Vincent shouts, seeing the crystal lying relatively close to him.


    Wasting no time, he charges toward it, his muscles straining as he lifts it with both hands and raises it over his head. Determined, he runs toward the door Mary and Darius entered earlier, the one leading to the lich¡¯s chamber, making it clear he intends to put it out of the golem¡¯s reach.


    ¡°Everyone, head there!¡± he orders as he makes his way to the entrance.


    Ronan runs alongside me as I hurry after the group. He manages to say:


    ¡°This is your chance. I¡¯ll block the entrance so no one can see.¡±


    He doesn¡¯t need to explain further. He must be referring to the colossal scorpion that seems to be part of the ceiling itself.


    Grateful, I push past my physical and mental exhaustion and pull the pup from my backpack without slowing down much. I bring it close to my face, and it licks me with a gesture of trust.


    Immediately, I feel better, at least physically. The healing lick restores 4 of my 8 depleted mana points.


    As for the little one, I¡¯d set him on the ground, but with the golem so close behind, I¡¯m not keen on becoming a pancake.


    ¡°Awaken,¡± I whisper, a moment before turning and tossing it into the air.


    And I keep running. Ronan follows close behind. The others have already crossed, and we¡¯re just a few steps behind.


    Just as we cross, the dying bear reappears, charging toward the entrance. It overtakes the golem and throws itself against the doorway, blocking it with its body. From inside, we hear its growls as it holds back whatever is coming after it.


    I understand now¡ªRonan sent it there so none of our allies could see what¡¯s about to happen in the scorpion¡¯s chamber.


    As for the seed, I¡¯ll give it all the time it needs, as long as I have mana to maintain the channeling.


    At the start of the dungeon, I was holding back a lot to conserve mana¡ªjust spending 2 on the earthen wall. Against the scorpion, I used 1 point on earth control to immobilize its pincer. Shortly after, I started wasting mana: 2 points on two control spells that failed, 1 more on earth control, and 2 on channeling. I was left with nothing.


    I know I could ask Mary for potions, but that¡¯s not something I can do while in the heat of battle, fighting for my life. That¡¯s why I¡¯m so thankful for the lick.


    With the four points I¡¯ve regained¡ªor rather, three, counting the one I just spent to wake him up¡ªthat gives the shadow wolf a maximum of four minutes of playtime.


    Considering how powerful it is, that will undoubtedly be more than enough.


    If I¡¯d had to fight that colossal scorpion mother myself, with just my flaming sword, neither my agility nor my runner¡¯s skills would¡¯ve saved me from being crushed or devoured.


    Blessed wolf.


    <hr>


    The new room is utter chaos.


    The lich is successfully summoning its creatures.


    Darius is behind a zombie naga, gripping it by the neck, when the creature suddenly rears up several meters into the air, lifting the warrior high above the ground on the end of its tail.


    Theodore, nearly out of mana, fires a brief jet of water that strikes the naga¡¯s body directly, severely damaging it.


    Vincent has dropped the golem¡¯s core to block attacks from another naga, while Alistair conjures a wall of fire around the lich. The flames begin to consume it, while Mary casts her light-based attack again, dealing heavy damage to the enemy, lich included.


    Ronan moves away from me and, with Bob¡¯s help, lifts a large rock that must have fallen from the ceiling¡ªno surprise, given how the golem has been shaking the pyramid¡¯s structure with its wall-destroying frenzy earlier. Together, they carry the rock toward where the golem¡¯s core lies on the ground.


    There¡¯s sand here, though not as much as in the other room. Maybe some of it spilled over from there.


    ¡°Bianca, get ready!¡± Ronan shouts.


    Not fully understanding what he means, I help them position the rock above the core, lifting it over our heads.


    ¡°I can¡¯t. I don¡¯t have ma¡­¡± I begin to say when I realize what he intends.


    He wants me to channel my earth element, increasing the weight of the rock before we drop it. It¡¯s not just about others seeing me¡ªI only have three mana points left, and if I spend two, I''ll be cutting the shadow wolf¡¯s time short by two minutes.


    But I stop mid-sentence as it hits me: we have potions.


    ¡°Give me a moment!¡± I ask him.


    I spend two points channeling earth into the rock, giving it all the weight I can muster. Ronan must feel the difference in his hands as he holds it, and he gives the signal:


    ¡°Now.¡±


    I release it, he releases it, and so does Bob.


    The heavy stone crashes downward, slamming into the crystal with immense force, creating a visible crack in its surface. Energy bursts forth from the fracture, radiating outwards. At the same time, the rock we dropped shatters into pieces. Instinctively, I leap backward to avoid getting hit. The crystal¡¯s energy shoots upward, striking the ceiling and causing it to tremble. Fragments fall. I¡¯m no longer underneath, and Ronan and Bob have also moved away. I¡¯m unsure if any of the rock shards that hit them caused injuries.


    A naga, still alive after Mary¡¯s earlier attack, charges at Alistair, knocking him to the ground and sending his mace flying out of reach. Ronan and Bob pounce on the creature, grabbing its arms to immobilize it. They don¡¯t appear hurt.


    The golem must have reached the wall by now and is trying to demolish it to get in and reclaim its core, as the heavy, rhythmic pounding begins again, shaking everything.


    Alistair quickly recovers, launching a fireball that strikes the naga¡¯s head, finishing it off.


    ¡°Mary, I need a mana potion,¡± I tell her as I rush over.


    They¡¯ll deduct it from my share of the loot later. If we want to survive, I need it now.


    Without hesitation, the healer hands me one, and I down it in one gulp. I¡¯m back to 7 mana. The golem¡¯s pounding grows louder, shaking the entire structure more violently. At this rate, it¡¯ll bring the pyramid down on us...


    I toss the empty potion bottle aside and rush toward Alistair¡¯s mace. Goodness, it¡¯s heavy! I lift it as best I can and channel my magic to further increase its weight, losing two mana points in the process. Another point from my mana pool abandons me and goes straight to the shadow wolf, as it¡¯s now been a minute.


    If anyone sees the faint glow from the mace, I no longer care. Survival is the priority.


    With all my strength, I hold up the increasingly heavy weapon, and when I can¡¯t manage anymore, I let it fall on the core.


    It splits in two with a deafening crack.


    For an instant, time seems to stop.

 Loot, Sweet Loot.

    A burst of brilliant energy erupts from the shattered crystal, expanding rapidly in all directions. I leap back, but there''s no avoiding the shockwave. No one can. We¡¯re all flung backward as the room floods with blinding light, sending shadows dancing frantically along the walls. When the shockwave hits the walls and ceiling, they shudder, releasing dust and small fragments.


    I land on the ground, hard, on my rear. The air around us is suddenly filled with a suffocating heat. The torchlights flicker and waver. I notice everyone else, the lich included, has either stumbled or been thrown to the ground.


    Taking advantage of the situation, Darius charges toward the lich, who is struggling to stand, and tackles it, delivering a flurry of bare-handed blows to prevent it from casting any spells. Mary hurries to help, and with a precise swing of her staff, she shatters the lich''s skull, finally putting an end to it.


    In that moment, I don¡¯t react because a system notification pops up in my view¡ªit¡¯s a level-up notification. That, along with the fact that the pounding against the wall has ceased, confirms my suspicion: the golem has stopped functioning now that I¡¯ve destroyed its core.


    And I¡¯m the one who dealt the final blow. This must have earned me a ton of experience.


    As the dust begins to settle, roars and pounding sounds coming from the other room pull us back to reality. I glance over. The zombie bear is still there, blocking our view. Perfect¡ªthat way, my companions can keep thinking it¡¯s the bear making all the noise. After a few moments, during which Mary has already started asking what¡¯s going on and no one has an answer for her, the wall shakes violently.


    Moments later, everything falls silent. We exchange tired, tense glances.


    Ronan approaches me and places a hand on my shoulder.


    ¡°It¡¯ll all be fine,¡± he says in a calm voice.


    I understand what he means. I take a deep breath and cut off the mana flow to the shadow wolf¡¯s spell.


    That won¡¯t dismiss it outright, but once the last seconds of the spell¡¯s remaining time run out, it will revert back to its pup form on its own.


    Ronan keeps his eyes on me as the others chatter, trying to figure out what just happened.


    ¡°I think you can remove your bear now¡ªit should be safe to leave this room,¡± Vincent says to Ronan, misinterpreting why the bear was placed there. ¡°The golem is gone, and I think the bear took care of the last scorpion that tried to get in.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Ronan replies, still watching me.


    I don¡¯t know how to tell him to wait, but he seems to understand me anyway. He doesn¡¯t release the bear until I¡¯ve visibly relaxed, knowing the timer has reached zero.


    It¡¯s curious. Since it¡¯s a summoned creature, its body begins to dissipate into the air, turning into black smoke, as if its existence is slowly fading away.


    I hear a choked gasp of anguish, which must have come from Mary. I don¡¯t turn to look at her. I know she cried out because watching the bear that saved us vanish like that has to be hard for someone with her high affinity for light. I silently bid the bear farewell as it disappears, thanking it for the invaluable service it provided. I know it can¡¯t hear me, but I do it anyway.


    When it¡¯s gone, I avert my gaze. I notice that Ronan is still staring at the spot where his bear had been, deep in thought. I think he thanked it, too¡ªand unlike me, it probably heard him.


    ¡°Man, you¡¯ve got to tell me how the hell you managed to summon a beast like that,¡± Darius says, walking up to Ronan and clapping him on the shoulder.


    The guy¡¯s a brute. I see Ronan flinch. With how fragile he is, that must have hurt¡ªbut he doesn¡¯t complain. Instead, he offers a faint smile.


    I think he¡¯s happy to have friends who are other human guys.


    As for the scorpion room, I step forward first; I want to make sure everything¡¯s okay. Vincent tells me to be careful.


    I peek into the room, and the others follow, still recovering from the earlier chaos. The scene that greets me is utterly hellish.


    Numerous columns have collapsed, scattering debris across the entire room. The remains of several giant scorpions are strewn across the floor, their carapaces shattered and their limbs scattered. The golem lies motionless near the wall it had been trying to break down, its massive stone body covered in viscous fragments and scorpion parts.


    Near the entrance, there¡¯s a chitinous pincer that immediately grabs our attention. Its size is colossal, even larger than the carriage that brought us here.


    Instantly, Darius and the others go on alert. That confirms none of them noticed what had been lurking on the ceiling.


    More remains, which I silently refer to as belonging to the "mother scorpion," are scattered across the ground.


    Vincent takes command again, and they proceed cautiously, shields raised and swords at the ready.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    The rest of us linger at the entrance. I¡¯m searching for the little pup, who must be hiding, waiting to sneak back into my backpack unseen.


    When no threats are discovered, the prince relaxes and tells us we can enter.


    As I move forward, I take in the scale of the destruction. I know the others are doing the same, trying to piece together what exactly happened during the battle. Every step reminds them of how close we came to disaster. No one speaks; the silence is heavy with awe and caution.


    Ronan and I exchange a glance. Only the two of us know that a certain divine beast saved us all.


    At that moment, Bob approaches me. He¡¯s carrying something tucked into a pocket of his cloak, which is half-destroyed from the battle. It¡¯s the little pup, who looks up at me with wide eyes, utterly silent. Discreetly, I take him and tuck him away.


    How could I break the contract?


    It¡¯s not even about going back to level 1¡ªnow that I¡¯m at the academy and have a team, leveling up is much easier¡ªor about killing a pup. I couldn¡¯t do it while he continues to be good to me. It¡¯s that, if I had broken the contract, we¡¯d all be dead right now.


    Well, no, because we wouldn¡¯t have discovered the secret level, but then I wouldn¡¯t be level 8 either¡­


    What I mean is that if my life is in danger, besides the greater protective collar, I have the shadow wolf as a trump card.


    Right now, even if I didn¡¯t care about the pup¡¯s life, I wouldn¡¯t break the contract because of the immense security it gives me.


    And if at some point the contract forces me to accept a truly evil monster, I¡¯ll make it clear to the wolf: it¡¯s him or the evil monster. He¡¯ll have, what, a couple of seconds? More? Before my hand moves to reject the vassalage. But for some reason, I feel that won¡¯t happen.


    I absentmindedly stroke the pup with two fingers over the exposed top of my pocket while holding the backpack tightly against my chest.


    The others are talking, deciding what to do next. I put the backpack back on my shoulders and join the discussion. They want to return to the room where we fought the lich to ensure there¡¯s nothing left that could attack us later.


    We do. The atmosphere in the room feels different, heavier, as if the magic that once filled it still clings to the walls. While we examine the surroundings, something catches our attention: a chest adorned with intricate carvings, located beneath a mural that appears to depict the history of the pyramid.


    We approach the chest cautiously, analyzing every detail for potential traps. Vincent and Alistair take the lead, ready to act if anything goes wrong, while Ronan observes in silence, his gaze fixed on the chest. Carefully, we lift the lid. Inside, we find a treasure worthy of a king''s vault, with golden coins and abundant mana potions surrounding a skull.


    I can¡¯t help but feel excited. Could it be magical? Is there something in there that seems tailor-made for me?


    We add the robe and gem we looted from the lich¡¯s corpse. As for its staff, which is broken, we discard it. After identifying it, Vincent tells us that it¡¯s not even worth salvaging for components. The gem can be used for crafting magical items or set directly into gear.


    <ul>


    <li>1 Minor Soul Blue Gem: Crafting component or socketable gem. +1 mana.</li>


    <li>1 Lich Robe: Minor resistance to mental status effects. +2 mana. Visual effect: emits a faint black mist from below when equipped.</li>


    <li>Lich Skull: Crafting component. Can be used to craft potions that grant resistance to mental status effects.</li>


    <li>10 Mana Potions.</li>


    <li>20 Gold Coins.</li>


    </ul>


    Well, not for me personally, but the cloak and the gem don''t look half bad.


    ¡°What exactly do you mean by mental status effects?¡± Mary asks the prince once he finishes identifying the items with his air spell.


    ¡°They¡¯re usually effects that target the mind, like stun, fear, panic, or confusion.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Items that give mana,¡± Theodore says, almost drooling as he eyes the gem and robe.


    And speaking of drooling¡­ Ronan can¡¯t take his eyes off the robe.


    ¡°I want it,¡± he says.


    ¡°We¡¯ll store everything and finish clearing the dungeon,¡± Vincent replies. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. With that sinister mist effect it supposedly emits, I doubt anyone else will want it. Let¡¯s look for more chests, get out of here, and then divide everything once we¡¯re back at the academy.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so sure about that,¡± Theodore interjects. ¡°I¡¯m not as concerned with my appearance as you are.¡±


    ¡°Well, we¡¯ll settle it later,¡± Mary says, trying to mediate, which makes Ronan nod and drop the subject.


    Honestly, I want the robe too. Two extra mana points... but I wouldn¡¯t take it from my vassal. I think he¡¯d look much better in it. Besides, if Ronan ends up being super powerful, since he swore vassalage to me, wouldn¡¯t that be like keeping it for myself indirectly?


    ¡°I vote for Ronan,¡± I blurt out, raising my hand.


    Theodore and Vincent glare at me. The latter is probably annoyed that I¡¯ve reopened a discussion that had already been settled.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± I mumble.


    As we pack up the chest¡¯s contents, Theodore turns his attention to the mural surrounding it. The carvings depict scenes of what appears to be an ancient civilization, with a pyramid prominently featured in the center. Ever-curious, Theodore moves closer, carefully examining the etched figures.


    ¡°This seems¡­¡± he begins, running his fingers over the grooves in the carvings, ¡°pressable, I think.¡±


    All eyes shift to him, hanging on his words. Theodore points to the central figure in the mural: the carved pyramid. With some hesitation, he gently presses on it.


    Oh no. Should I have stopped him? I can¡¯t summon the wolf again¡­


    A mechanical sound shatters the room¡¯s silence, followed by a rush of fresh air flowing through an opening that wasn¡¯t there moments ago. There¡¯s another distant sound coming from the area where we entered the pyramid.


    ¡°What the hell¡­?¡± I whisper, unable to look away from the newly revealed opening.


    ¡°Could it be more monsters?¡± Mary asks, echoing the very thought running through my mind.


    Because, honestly, the last thing I want right now is another hidden level.


    I glance at her, she looks back at me, and then we both look at the others. I think we¡¯ve just triggered something significant, though we don¡¯t know what exactly. Personally, I¡¯m crossing my fingers it¡¯s more treasure and not another boss.


    The fresh air coming through the opening feels different from the stifling, oppressive atmosphere of the pyramid, almost as if it¡¯s beckoning us to move forward.


    Could it be possible? Could it be the way out? Maybe the other sound was the white slab that trapped us receding.


    Even Vincent doesn¡¯t order us to advance right away. It seems the uncertainty weighs as heavily on him as the exhaustion does on our bodies.


    ¡°Let¡¯s make sure this room is completely cleared of creatures and traps, gather the loot, and then do the same with the golem¡¯s chamber,¡± Vincent finally says after a couple of minutes of deliberation. ¡°Then we¡¯ll check out this new path. Hopefully, it¡¯s an exit.¡±


    Without further ado, we got to work.

 Goodbye, Dungeon. Or Rather, See You Later.

    However, to reach the room where the golem originated, we first have to pass through the gigantic chamber where the mother scorpion was hiding in the ceiling.


    Yes, the one I suspect was the final boss and wouldn¡¯t descend until we had dealt with both the golem and the lich.


    As soon as we step into the chamber, we proceed with extreme caution, keeping an eye on the floor, the walls, and the ceiling. Every step is accompanied by constant vigilance, mindful of the traps that could have been triggered by the recent battles.


    The first thing that greets us is the massive statue of the golem, frozen in place with one arm raised to strike the wall. This was the exact moment it turned inert because I destroyed its core.


    As we move further into the chamber, the destruction caused by the golem becomes increasingly evident. Its marks are everywhere: shattered columns, cracked walls, and the enormous hole it created to enter this room. Of course, I can¡¯t overlook the remains of the scorpions, most of which were courtesy of the zombie bear and the seed of darkness.


    Vincent doesn¡¯t ask us to search this chamber¡ªperhaps because of its enormous size or the enemy remains scattered throughout. Or, perhaps, because he¡¯s unaware of the mother scorpion, he assumes there wasn¡¯t a boss here and therefore doesn¡¯t expect a treasure chest.


    I, for one, don¡¯t correct him. I think the two skeletons have scouted the area a bit, likely searching for the puppy. If they had found anything, Ronan would have told us.


    Finally, we arrive at the enormous hole in the wall where the golem emerged, and we use it to enter the new room. It¡¯s spacious, though far smaller than the scorpion¡¯s chamber. It¡¯s quite cluttered, with piles of rubble scattered everywhere. What catches my attention the most are the human-sized statues distributed throughout the room. They stand completely still, like forgotten guardians of this place.


    Alistair, ever cautious, approaches one of the statues and, without hesitation, strikes its base with his mace. The statue shatters, scattering fragments of stone across the floor. We all step back slightly, anticipating a reaction, but nothing happens. They seem to be mere inert figures, though their presence remains unsettling.


    Carefully, we continue exploring the room. The golem¡¯s destruction is apparent: in the area near the wall it breached, almost everything is reduced to rubble. However, among the debris, we find another chest. Though less ornate than the previous one, it appears intact. We approach it cautiously, alert for any potential danger.


    While Vincent and Ronan inspect the chest, the rest of us keep watch over the room, ensuring there are no hidden surprises. When Vincent finishes identifying the contents, he shares his findings with us. He explains that the golem¡¯s core can be split into up to ten minor heart stone gems, each granting +2 HP.


    <ul>


    <li>Fragmented golem core: Non-socketable crafting component.</li>


    <li>4 health potions.</li>


    <li>Key to the dungeon¡¯s second level.</li>


    <li>3 stone tablets with summoning glyphs. Single use. No cost. Summons 7 mummy warriors.</li>


    <li>Rock-Crusher Mace: x2 damage against golems.</li>


    <li>30 gold coins.</li>


    </ul>


    ¡°Did I hear that right?¡± Alistair asks. ¡°A key to the second level? There¡¯s a second level?¡±


    ¡°That would be amazing!¡± Darius exclaims.


    ¡°Guys, we¡¯re not high enough level for this,¡± Theodore interjects as the voice of reason, likely because, like me, he can already imagine the two redheads hyping each other up to plan an expedition next weekend. Or worse, to go in right now if we let them.


    ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re not idiots,¡± Alistair replies.


    Theodore raises an eyebrow but says nothing.


    ¡°We¡¯ll save it for when we¡¯re stronger,¡± the prince says, quickly pocketing the key. Just in case.


    Then something occurs to me: the special loot for being the first to clear a dungeon. Sure, many people have come to this one, but not to the secret level. However, if there are more levels, I imagine that special reward is reserved for the first group to clear the entire dungeon.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Of course, when we divide the loot, we need to make it clear that we will all use that key together. I, of course, want to go.


    ¡°Those tablets,¡± Mary asks thoughtfully, ¡°do you need any particular affinity to use them or enhance the summons?¡±


    ¡°No, they¡¯re single-use and will summon the same mummies regardless of whether a mage with high intelligence or a warrior with low intelligence uses them. They don¡¯t teach you the summoning spell; they simply perform the summoning,¡± Vincent explains.


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    I¡¯m glad she asked because it helps me understand the differences compared to the elemental affinity items from the previous chest.


    ¡°The life gems¡­ one for each of us, right?¡± Darius asks.


    ¡°Of course, if you want them. But later. Come on, let¡¯s grab everything and move on,¡± Vincent orders.


    We get to work and, after a couple of minutes, voices echo from the hallway. They call out to us, insistent but friendly. We exchange glances, still on guard, before hurrying toward the source of the voices. Upon reaching the main hallway, we see a group of soldiers clad in the armor of the outpost near the dungeon. As soon as they spot Vincent, they greet him respectfully, bowing their heads slightly.


    ¡°Prince Vincent!¡± says one of the soldiers, a middle-aged man with a scar on his cheek. ¡°We¡¯ve come to assist you. We were attempting to break through the rock blocking the entrance when, suddenly, it opened on its own. We decided to come in and look for you.¡±


    Some soldiers, curious, move past us and venture into the chamber where we fought the scorpions. Their exclamations of astonishment and confusion fill the air.


    ¡°By all the elements!¡± one of them exclaims, looking at the scattered remains. ¡°I¡¯ve explored this dungeon dozens of times, and I¡¯ve never seen anything like this!¡±


    ¡°Or this chamber,¡± another adds, observing the size of the fallen columns and rubble. ¡°This wasn¡¯t here before. What the hell happened?¡±


    As the soldiers murmur among themselves, Ronan approaches one of the scorpion corpses. With calm movements, he places a hand on its shattered carapace and begins channeling his magic. Dark energy emanates from him, enveloping the scorpion¡¯s body. Suddenly, the creature partially rises, its legs moving awkwardly and unnaturally. The display causes several soldiers to instinctively step back.


    ¡°Relax,¡± Ronan says, releasing the scorpion immediately. The creature collapses again, lifeless.


    Mary, still startled, approaches him.


    ¡°Why did you do that?¡± she asks with genuine curiosity.


    Ronan looks at her with a small smile.


    ¡°I need to awaken it so that if I ever need its help, I can call it.¡±


    Mary studies him intently. I watch them; it seems as though she¡¯s once again seeing beyond Ronan¡¯s dark magic and understanding something she¡¯d previously ignored.


    I discreetly step closer and place a hand on her arm. Ronan has already moved away, and Mary turns to me.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ve been very unfair, you know?¡±


    I don¡¯t respond, simply looking at her kindly and offering my support.


    ¡°I had so many prejudices against him, fueled by rumors and my own insecurities. I¡­ I realize they were unfounded. This boy has repeatedly shown that the only darkness he carries is the pain of his past. In different circumstances, who knows? Maybe he would have been a light mage, like me.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± I tell her. ¡°Ronan knows how brave you are to see him objectively and let go of those prejudices and fears. But Mary¡­ I think you¡¯re wrong about one thing. There was darkness in Ronan as a child, or he wouldn¡¯t have shown such a high affinity.¡±


    As she opens her mouth to protest and defend him, I give her arm a reassuring pat and continue explaining.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mean he was bad as a child, but that he had the potential for darkness. However, people who suffer the most are often the most empathetic and the ones who help others the most. I believe that confinement in a basement, in darkness, paradoxically gave him light. That he¡¯s developed in a way that, even with dark magic, he doesn¡¯t seek to harm anyone who doesn¡¯t deserve it.¡±


    ¡°Then we have to protect him so no one else hurts him,¡± she replies decisively, with such fire in her eyes that I burst out laughing.


    Ronan has found himself a great defender.


    ¡°Count me in,¡± I assure her, and we both fall silent, lost in our thoughts.


    I¡¯m still not entirely sure she doesn¡¯t believe Ronan should have been born with light magic...


    Ronan approaches us. He gives me a small nod and, noticing Mary¡¯s introspection, smiles gently at her.


    ¡°They¡¯re waiting for us,¡± he says, gesturing toward the rest of the group.


    We return to the others. Darius watches us impatiently.


    ¡°Come on, hurry up! I want to get out of this dungeon as soon as possible,¡± he says, crossing his arms and glancing toward the exit.


    One of the soldiers, the one with the scar, addresses us in a firm voice:


    ¡°The materials collected will be secured and your payment will be sent accordingly. Don¡¯t worry; everything is under control.¡±


    Well, that eases my worries about leaving a chest behind in the scorpion chamber. If they find it, they¡¯ll bring it to us.


    Vincent nods, grateful for the soldiers¡¯ efficiency.


    ¡°And the guides?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re outside, waiting for you. We¡¯ll escort you to the fortress,¡± one of the soldiers responds, pointing toward the hallway leading to the exit.


    With one last glance at the chamber, we begin to move, leaving behind the dungeon that has tested us in so many ways.

 Ronan is Scary.

    Upon exiting the dungeon, the sight that greets us is unexpected.


    Outside, the number of soldiers is much greater than we anticipated. A small cavalry unit is stationed near the entrance, with several horses ready and carts prepared to transport materials and people. The afternoon is edging toward dusk, and the fresh air outside contrasts sharply with the stifling atmosphere of the dungeon.


    Vincent steps forward to speak with the commanding officer, a tall man in ornate armor that signifies his rank. The officer bows slightly to Vincent, showing respect.


    ¡°Prince Vincent, we have prepared everything necessary for your return and for transporting the collected materials,¡± the officer reports firmly. ¡°I¡¯ve also arranged for a couple of carts to be at your disposal for a more comfortable journey.¡±


    Vincent nods slightly, acknowledging the gesture.


    ¡°We appreciate your support. It has been a difficult mission, and my companions need rest.¡±


    The officer gives the necessary orders, and soon a couple of carts are prepared for us. They are simple vehicles but spacious enough to accommodate us comfortably. The guides, who had been waiting patiently, take their positions at the front of the carts to lead the way back.


    With everything ready, we begin our journey back to the fort.


    The prince and his two childhood friends ride in the smaller cart, while the rest of us take the other one. Bob and Tom sit with Ronan on one of the two cushioned benches inside our vehicle. I sit between Mary and Darius. As the puppy starts barking¡ªpretending to be an ordinary dog, as always when people are around¡ªI take him out of my backpack and place him on my lap.


    ¡°Ronan, there¡¯s something I¡¯d like to ask you,¡± I say after a while. Fatigue is beginning to set in, and I¡¯m almost drifting into a sweet slumber.


    ¡°My lady, whatever you wish to know.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you do more? You barely acted in the dungeon, and we all know you have an incredible exhaust spell, for instance.¡±


    ¡°True,¡± Darius chimes in, his expression changing as if recalling the zombies in the aquatic dungeon during the exam.


    Ronan, with his characteristic calm and confidence, reaches for his backpack and begins to open it. Darius, Mary, and I exchange puzzled glances. Ronan pulls out a skull.


    Wait¡­ no¡­ is it? Yes, it¡¯s Joe¡¯s skull. He must have kept it after Joe¡¯s sacrifice.


    Ronan lifts the skull with both hands, almost cradling it, gazing into its empty eye sockets as he continues speaking:


    ¡°The bear consumes a lot of mana; it¡¯s a very powerful summoning. That¡¯s why I did nothing else¡ªI wanted to save mana in case something happened to you.¡±


    ¡°Happened to us?¡± Mary asks, not understanding. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m here for¡ªI¡¯m the healer.¡±


    ¡°Something more definitive,¡± Ronan replies without breaking his gaze from Joe¡¯s skull.


    Something like¡­ what happened to Joe?


    Oh my god. I¡¯m horrified.


    ¡°You mean because Mary can¡¯t resurrect us?¡± Darius realizes.


    At first, his face lights up, as if he¡¯s gotten the right answer to a difficult question in class. Then it dawns on him.


    Oh, yes. I can see it in how his expression shifts.


    First, an Ugh!


    Then a Well, but you would resurrect me, right?


    Then another Ugh! I¡¯d be a zombie.


    And finally a Well, at least I wouldn¡¯t be completely dead.


    His face is a poem. I imagine mine isn¡¯t much better. As for Mary, I can¡¯t tell because she¡¯s covered her face with both hands and is emitting several horrified groans.


    So there¡¯s that.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    ¡°And why do you keep Joe¡¯s skull?¡± Darius eventually breaks the awkward silence after a few minutes.


    ¡°Even if I¡¯m missing bones, he and I are friends. I can raise him with this,¡± Ronan explains, nodding toward the skull he¡¯s still holding before slowly tucking it back into his backpack.


    ¡°You can?¡± Darius perks up. ¡°That¡¯s awesome! I like him a lot. He saved my life.¡±


    At this moment, I¡¯m grateful for Darius. A bit of a simpleton, but without malice. I love it. Even Mary dares to lower her fingers slightly and glance at Ronan. It¡¯s as if the earlier mix of unease, revulsion, and strange relief dissolves in the face of Darius¡¯ delight that Joe is still alive.


    Or undead.


    Or whatever he is.


    Anyway, we resume the conversation, moving on to more mundane topics. Except, perhaps, when it veers toward light magic and resurrection spells. In the otome game, I never faced the dilemma of losing a party member. But in many MMORPGs, I did, so I¡¯ve been waiting for a way to resurrect people in this world. I didn¡¯t care if it was a sacred scroll (oops, maybe not, since the gods here are self-restricted), a high-level light spell, or a legendary item¡­ something. According to Mary, no light magic can perform resurrections. Apparently, the highest-level healing spells can restore a destroyed body, but they¡¯re useless if the person is already dead. This is because the soul leaves the body. Curiously, what Ronan seems to be doing with the bear and Joe is the opposite: raising a soul into a zombie or skeletal body and keeping it there.


    I think for a moment.


    ¡°Could it be possible¡­? Do you think you could work together to create something new, a spell that truly resurrects?¡±


    The cart¡¯s rattling lulls me. Darius, in fact, is already asleep. Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯m drowsy that I ask without considering how unusual it might be for light and dark magic to collaborate.


    ¡°My lady, I won¡¯t deny that your sharp question has crossed my mind before. Intellectually, it¡¯s a fascinating topic, and in my long days spent in darkness, I¡¯ve pondered it more than once,¡± Ronan replies. I hear Mary exhale sharply. Hmm¡­ I don¡¯t even glance at her; I¡¯m too relaxed, my eyes almost closed. Now that I think about it, I¡¯m not sure if Mary knows about Ronan¡¯s past. Probably not, just the little I¡¯ve told her. ¡°However, as I only possess dark magic, I could do little more than speculate.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Mary begins, her voice filled with emotion, ¡°I¡¯ve never even considered it, the idea that such a thing might be possible. But if it is, we must try. A world where no one has to grieve the untimely death of loved ones would be wonderful.¡±


    ¡°All right. Shall we find someone condemned and kill him to test it?¡±


    Okay, I open my eyes. He¡¯s joking, right?


    ¡°Ronan, don¡¯t say things like that as if you mean them,¡± Mary scolds. ¡°That¡¯s how you get a bad reputation¡­ If we ever have the opportunity, we¡¯ll try. But I hope we don¡¯t. I don¡¯t want anyone to die.¡±


    Ronan, who for a moment seemed deeply interested, nods with¡­ disappointment?


    Whatever.


    Because normally, you¡¯d wait for the executioner to handle it.


    I close my eyes again and refrain from continuing the conversation. The others talk until fatigue overtakes them as well, and we eventually fall asleep in the cart. Bob and Tom don¡¯t sleep¡ªI suppose that¡¯s an advantage of being skeletons.


    The last sounds I hear before drifting into a restorative sleep are the horses¡¯ hooves and the creaking of the wheels on the ground. The carts move slowly toward the fort that welcomed us this morning. The feeling of having survived and overcome the dungeon¡¯s challenges washes over me, along with sheer exhaustion. The little pup breathes softly, asleep on my lap.


    <hr>


    When I wake, several of my companions are speaking in hushed tones. They notice me stirring and point out the window.


    I see the fort¡¯s gates and notice the sky tinged with reddish hues, signaling the day¡¯s end.


    By the way, the puppy is not on my lap but on Mary¡¯s. I raise an eyebrow. What is the seed of evil doing there? And how is Mary so calm, not feeling repulsed or anything? Is the little wolf¡¯s disguise as a dog that convincing?


    Mary is awake, petting him. The rascal has grown slightly, but since no one asks, I don¡¯t explain anything.


    As the carts enter the fort¡¯s grounds, the soldiers salute us respectfully, clearing the way as the guides lead us to a rest area.


    The horses pulling the carts come to a stop, and we disembark. It¡¯s the same spot where we boarded with the guides this morning.


    The nobleman of the fort has been waiting and greets us personally. His expression is a mix of concern and relief upon seeing us return.


    I understand the relief¡ªhe¡¯s probably worried the king wouldn¡¯t react kindly to his son being injured or killed in the dungeon.


    ¡°My sincerest apologies,¡± he says, bowing slightly. ¡°I was under the impression this was a simple dungeon. I had no idea such rooms or creatures of that magnitude existed. I will open an investigation immediately, and once I have answers, I will ensure you are informed. Dinner and beds are ready if you wish to stay.¡±


    Vincent, ever courteous, responds with a slight nod.


    ¡°We greatly appreciate your attention and concern. Rest assured, your words will be valued. However, I must apologize. My companions and I are exhausted, and as I mentioned upon arrival, we must return to the academy in time for dinner. On another occasion, I will accept your hospitality.¡±


    The nobleman nods, understanding the urgency.


    ¡°Of course, Prince Vincent. I completely understand. But I am honored to know you would consider returning. Your presence will always be welcome here.¡±


    Vincent smiles softly and adds:


    ¡°When we return, I will accept your invitation. This time, there will be no excuses.¡±


    The nobleman¡¯s face lights up with joy.


    ¡°It will be an honor to host you. Thank you, Prince Vincent, and to all of you, for what you accomplished today.¡±


    With a final exchange of words, we bid farewell to the nobleman and the soldiers who watch us with respect. Without further delay, we head to the portal that will take us back to the academy.


    I¡¯m not sure we¡¯ll make it in time for dinner.

 Ronan, Youre Under Arrest.

    We made it to dinner, but just barely. However, as we step into the dining hall, I notice one of the professors hurrying toward us with a determined expression.


    I don¡¯t recognize him. He doesn¡¯t teach my classes, and I¡¯ve never seen him in the hallways. He reaches us when we¡¯ve barely taken a few steps, grabs Ronan by the arm, and tells him to come along¡ªhe¡¯s under arrest.


    What?


    I¡¯m about to demand what he thinks he¡¯s doing¡ªMary looks ready to do the same¡ªwhen Vincent beats me to it.


    ¡°Assistant Professor Duskmere?¡± he asks, unfazed, using the authority that comes with being a prince. ¡°Can you explain me what¡¯s going on here?¡±


    "We were informed of the events that transpired in the dungeon before your return. This marks the second occasion on which your life has been endangered, and this student, with his strong affinity for dark magic, was present on both instances," the professor replies, maintaining his hold on Ronan.


    ¡°This student is my friend. He saved my life using his dark magic. He didn¡¯t cause anything and had no involvement in the secret level we discovered. Let him go,¡± Vincent commands.


    ¡°With all due respect, Prince Vincent, your father has entrusted me with the task of ensuring that such incidents do not occur again. I will continue my investigation in accordance with his orders.¡±


    Vincent looks livid. He¡¯s clearly not used to having his direct orders ignored¡ª perhaps it''s because he usually doesn''t contradict the king¡¯s wishes.


    ¡°I will file a formal complaint if he suffers even the slightest harm.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary.¡±


    Without further ado, Duskmere pulls Ronan along and starts walking away.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what this is, but I¡¯ll get you out of it,¡± I say, not bothering to lower my voice.


    ¡°We¡¯ll get you out of it,¡± Vincent assures him.


    ¡°Count me in,¡± Mary adds as Duskmere leads Ronan away.


    Ronan simply follows without much concern on his face.


    ¡°I¡¯m in too,¡± Darius chimes in.


    ¡°That poor boy, hasn¡¯t he spent enough of his life locked up already?¡± Mary laments.


    ¡°Locked up?¡± Darius asks, puzzled, while Alistair and Theodore express their intention to join our little rescue mission as well.


    ¡°Oh, maybe I¡¯ve said too much¡­¡± Mary covers her mouth, realizing her slip.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mary, it¡¯s not exactly a secret,¡± I step in, turning to the others. ¡°When his parents discovered his affinity for dark magic, they locked him in the basement. For years. Until he finally got to leave for the academy.¡±


    ¡°Years?¡± Mary gasps in horror. ¡°I thought¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s sit down and eat,¡± Vincent interrupts, a bit calmer now. ¡°We¡¯re in the middle of the hall, drawing attention.¡±


    And, well, he¡¯s not wrong.


    Honestly, I had completely forgotten we¡¯d just walked into the dining hall. Maybe it¡¯s because of how intense the dungeon experience was, but my focus was entirely on my group.


    Now, though, I glance around. Everyone is staring at us, openly, with no attempt to hide their interest. There¡¯s whispering. Sol, in particular, looks smug and satisfied with herself. Did she have something to do with this? I need to find out.


    I follow my friends, grab a tray for dinner, and once we¡¯re seated, I ask outright:


    ¡°Vincent, who is that professor? I don¡¯t recall ever seeing him before.¡±This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°That makes sense. He¡¯s only been at the academy for a week. He goes by Assistant Professor Duskmere, but in reality, he¡¯s a royal investigator sent here to look into what happened during the aquatic dungeon exam. He¡¯s been questioning various students, starting with Ronan. He hasn¡¯t spoken to you?¡±


    ¡°No. The rector spoke to me, asked what happened there, and whether I was all right.¡±


    Vincent stares at me for a few seconds, his fork frozen above his plate. I might have just revealed too much. Without knowing that I¡¯m supposedly a beacon of hope for this kingdom, what I said doesn¡¯t make much sense. The rector wouldn¡¯t worry about a random student¡ªhe¡¯d be concerned about the prince and princess.


    ¡°Interesting.¡±


    I flash him an innocent smile, trying to feign ignorance, but I think I¡¯ve only made him more suspicious.


    ¡°So, the investigator is here because your father suspects it was an assassination attempt on his two children?¡± I redirect the conversation.


    ¡°Yes. But it might not have been my father directly¡ªany of his advisors could have sent him.¡±


    ¡°And what about the possibility of harm?¡± Mary asks. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t dare torture Ronan, would he?¡±


    ¡°He won¡¯t. First, because Ronan¡¯s parents are nobility¡ªminor nobility, sure, but nobility nonetheless. Second, because I¡¯ve already warned him that I¡¯d file a formal complaint. If he harms an innocent friend of mine, his career as a royal investigator will be over.¡±


    ¡°Thank goodness,¡± Mary breathes a little easier.


    "I don¡¯t get it. There has to be more against him. It makes no sense to arrest him just for being in the dungeon and having a strong dark magic affinity. Something¡¯s off," I muse, glancing toward Sol, who has a glass of wine in hand and still looks smug.


    (And yes, we''re all of legal age here, and except for Mary, we''re all of noble birth. If anyone wants wine to accompany their meal, it''s offered.)


    I notice there¡¯s someone new at her table, besides my two so-called childhood friends, Ashe and Caroline. It¡¯s a guy, and his face is vaguely familiar¡ªbut I can¡¯t place where I¡¯ve seen him (other than in class).


    I let my gaze wander around the hall. Lily, the princess, locks eyes with me and frowns. I think we need to talk to her. On the other hand, Ronan¡¯s roommate¡ªthe one who gave me such a bad vibe the day I went to fetch Ronan¡ªis watching us. The moment I catch him, he looks down at his food, but it¡¯s too late. I¡¯ve seen the satisfaction and malice in his expression.


    ¡°Guys,¡± I interrupt. They¡¯d been talking, but I¡¯ve been lost in thought for the past minute or so. ¡°I think he has something to do with this,¡± I say, nodding in his direction.


    ¡°Damien?¡± Alistair asks.


    I nod.


    ¡°That guy creeps me out,¡± Alistair continues. ¡°He gives off such bad vibes. He¡¯s Ronan¡¯s roommate, isn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I confirm.


    ¡°Well, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he¡¯s involved. A few days ago, he started spreading rumors that Ronan grabbed him by the neck, lifted him into the air, and threatened to kill him. Do you see how little strength Ronan has? Like he could lift someone¡­¡±


    Honestly, I can picture Ronan lifting him¡ªespecially if he had a good reason. When the opportunity arises, I¡¯ll ask him about it.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like Damien weighs much,¡± Theodore points out.


    True, he¡¯s the scrawny type and shorter than Ronan.


    ¡°Hey.¡± I turn to Vincent. ¡°Can you ask your sister to come over when she¡¯s finished eating?¡±


    She and her friends are already on dessert, so they must¡¯ve arrived earlier than us.


    ¡°Sure, why?¡±


    ¡°I think she knows something. I want to ask her.¡±


    I¡¯d like to confront the villainess too, but doing so here would cause a scene. Sol, with her etiquette training, would undoubtedly come out looking better, while I¡ªbeing from Earth¡ªwouldn¡¯t. I¡¯ll corner her in private later.


    Vincent briefly approaches his sister¡¯s table. We continue eating, and a few minutes later, Lily says goodbye to her friends and comes over to greet us.


    ¡°Bianca, are you okay?¡± she asks.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± I reply, confused.


    ¡°Ronan¡¯s roommate and Sol are saying that Ronan tried to force himself on you.¡±


    What?


    ¡°That¡¯s absurd!¡± I raise my voice, forgetting for a moment that I didn¡¯t want to draw attention.


    ¡°It¡¯s a lie,¡± I say firmly, lowering my voice and ignoring anyone outside our table.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that,¡± the princess replies.


    ¡°But they couldn¡¯t have arrested Ronan for that. Duskmere said it was for attempting on my life,¡± Vincent points out.


    He¡¯s right.


    ¡°True,¡± Lily says, frowning. ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t know why they think that, aside from his dark affinity.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like they have any evidence¡­¡± I mutter.


    And then it hits me. I realize where I¡¯ve seen that guy¡¯s face before. He was in Lily¡¯s group when I found them. He was the injured one they sent back.


    What if he testified against Ronan about what happened in the aquatic dungeon?


    Because I know the zombie incident was caused by the seed of evil, not poor Ronan. But I can¡¯t say that, and if someone convinced this boy to lie¡­


    I hear Sol laugh. I look at her. She¡¯s watching me, along with Ashe and Caroline. They seem to find this very entertaining. Sol even winks at me and pretends to blow a kiss mockingly.


    And I remember, I remember that she¡¯s had it out for me ever since I defended Mary. She can¡¯t target me directly, but she can go after my friends. Hit me where it hurts.


    Oh my gosh, Ronan. What trouble have I dragged you into?

 Assigning Stats. Part 1.

    I¡¯m in my room, lying in the dark since it¡¯s already late. My roommate, in fact, has been breathing heavily for a while now, clearly fast asleep. I should be using this time to open the system interface, calmly read through my notifications, and assign my stat point from leveling up. But my mind can¡¯t stop racing, restless.


    There¡¯s Ronan¡¯s situation, of course. Vincent promised us that as soon as dinner was over, he¡¯d go check where they¡¯d locked him up, make sure he was being treated well, and that they¡¯d given him something to eat. I wanted to go with him, and Mary did too, but he insisted it would be simpler if he went alone¡ªor with Theodore.


    I get it. Theodore doesn¡¯t just outrank us as the heir to the marquisate where the academy is located, but he¡¯s also incredibly calm. Like a lake on a windless day. I think his high affinity for water magic suits him perfectly.


    With Theodore, Vincent doesn¡¯t run the risk of his companion losing their temper and yelling at the guards¡ªsomething I might very well do if I got too heated¡ªor turning pale, bursting into tears, or worse, fainting, which I imagine could easily happen to Mary in a moment of crisis.


    Yes, Vincent is a good leader. He has an excellent sense for judging people and knows how to surround himself with the right individuals for every situation. It¡¯s a shame he won¡¯t inherit the kingdom.


    I can rest easy leaving Ronan¡¯s detention in his hands for tonight. I can try to silence that guilty little voice in my head telling me that if I¡¯d been more perceptive, I could have anticipated Sol¡¯s attack on Ronan and prevented all this.


    So, I should sleep and rest, right?


    Wrong. First, because I can¡¯t stop feeling guilty. And second, because as a former citizen of Earth, I¡¯m all too familiar with the silent monster known as stress¡ªan enemy you can¡¯t defeat with a flaming sword. So here I am, tossing and turning in bed, trying to relax while all the pending tasks I have to do clamor for attention in my head:


    Rescue Ronan.


    Talk to Ronan. Did he really grab his roommate by the neck? Honestly, I wouldn¡¯t blame him if he did¡ªthe guy seems like a total jerk.


    Confront Sol and give that viper a piece of my mind.


    Keep resisting the urge to punch Sol with an earth-imbued arm.


    Sort out Mary¡¯s dress for the ball.


    Find a dress for myself, because if my parents are coming, I can¡¯t just hide in my room.


    Figure out how to interact with my supposed parents, who still don¡¯t suspect that their daughter isn¡¯t in this body.


    Decide who to go to the ball with. Nope! Don¡¯t even go there.


    Deal with the goblins¡¯ request list.


    Oh, my gosh, I need to level up the goblin village so I can manage it from its interface¡­


    Level up and turn off my combat notifications! Yes, I¡¯ll do that now.


    Train with the bow, learn how to use it, and try imbuing either the bow or the quiver with fire magic.


    Improve my spells¡ªI want to do something as impressive as Theodore¡¯s water jet. There¡¯s got to be something similar in fire magic, like a torrent of flames I can unleash as long as I have mana to sustain it, like a flamethrower.


    Stop procrastinating and level up my other schools of magic, or my earth and fire magic will stay stuck. Because my earth control already is¡­


    I¡¯m not procrastinating¡ªit¡¯s just that I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d run into these limitations.


    Okay, stop arguing with myself and do something.


    Create new spells? I supposedly have a magic no one¡¯s seen before; I should experiment and invent new spells.


    Figure out what I¡¯m forgetting, because I¡¯m sure there are more important things I need to do, but I can¡¯t remember them right now.


    Study more? Pass exams? Hide the fact that I¡¯m the future Demon King? Build an empire? Help my count father rise in rank and gain more lands? Go back to Earth?


    Help!


    I grab my pillow by the side that isn¡¯t under my head and sandwich my face with it. Breathe. Isn¡¯t stress supposed to be the disease of the 21st century? Well, this is a medieval world with magic. Relax, Bianca. Little by little, day by day. Remember: this is fun. You have magic.


    Those last three words make me smile. That¡¯s right. I have magic. That fixes everything.


    I take the pillow off my face and glance at my roommate. She¡¯s still asleep.


    Perfect: time to stop spiraling and focus on the positives. There were two things I loved about gaming: opening chests and leveling up.


    Let¡¯s do this!


    First, I dig through the system for more than twenty minutes¡ªit¡¯s not exactly user-friendly¡ªbut I eventually find the notification settings and disable them for combat. I should have done this ages ago.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    Great. Now, let¡¯s check the notifications I¡¯ve received:


    Congratulations. Your Minor Earth Wall spell has leveled up. It is now Low Earth Wall.


    Your Earth Control spell cannot level up due to the limitations of your Aetherblade specialization. To maintain balance, you must first improve your basic air and water spells before advancing Earth Control to a higher level.


    Magical resistance to attack: Insufficient skill level.


    Magical resistance to attack: Insufficient skill level.


    Congratulations. You have leveled up. You are now Level 8 and have one free stat point to allocate.


    Congratulations. Your skill Channeling with the Earth Element has leveled up. It has progressed from Low to Intermediate.


    Oh, I leveled up earth channeling? That makes sense since I used it to defeat a strong boss¡ªthe golem. But I don¡¯t remember seeing the notification. It must have appeared alongside the level-up message, the one I dismissed without reading, meaning I probably closed two pop-ups at once.


    Let¡¯s see what it does now:


    Channeling with the Earth Element costs two mana points and lasts three minutes. The applicable area remains unchanged.


    Interesting. The duration for fire channeling increased at the low level. Yet, each element seems to offer different bonuses as you level them up. I¡¯ll have to figure out what I get with the other two.


    Too bad I can¡¯t channel light.


    Because I can¡¯t, right?


    My heart starts racing.


    My character profile doesn¡¯t list light among the channeling elements, so I assumed it wasn¡¯t possible. But what if I try? What if attempting it unlocks it in the profile?


    Excited by the thought, I focus and try to channel light into my right hand.


    Nothing.


    It doesn¡¯t work, and I don¡¯t even get a system notification saying something like "insufficient level."


    I try a couple more times, even with the pillow, but the results are the same.


    What a shame¡ªit would¡¯ve been amazing to have a sword that heals on contact or something like that.


    No matter. Time to assign my stat point.


    Then I realize something. Yesterday, after the bear hunt, I forgot to assign my point from leveling up to seven¡­ Well, I won¡¯t say it¡¯s fine since more mana or magical damage would have been helpful in the dungeon, but I¡¯ll handle it now.


    How careless of me¡­


    What should I increase? Ever since unlocking Aetherblade, I no longer see agility or strength as bad choices. But I need mana to sustain channeling, so one point to wisdom is a must. As for the other, my intelligence is currently at 6.


    I carefully get out of bed, making as little noise as possible, and grab my magic textbook. According to the tables, with my high spirit affinity, minor channeling does two points of damage for intelligence levels 5 to 8. At intermediate level, where my earth channeling now stands, it¡¯s 5 to 7. This means raising my intelligence to 8 would increase the damage to three points.


    Of course, as the professor explained, these damage points are just a generic way to measure spell power. For instance, if I imbue my sword with fire, every strike adds two extra points of fire channeling damage on top of the weapon¡¯s base damage. But it does more than that¡ªlike letting me cut through armor or thick hide that my current strength wouldn¡¯t manage otherwise. Or protecting me if I apply earth channeling to myself. These secondary effects also scale. So if earth channeling currently offers two units of protection (so to speak), it would increase to three with intelligence 8 or if I upgraded the spell to advanced, where even with intelligence 6, the damage becomes three.


    High magical affinity for the element.


    <table width="671">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td width="66">


    Spell level/


    Damage points


    </td>


    <td width="57">


    Minor


    </td>


    <td width="47">


    Low


    </td>


    <td width="94">


    Intermediate


    </td>


    <td width="47">


    High


    </td>


    <td width="76">


    Advanced


    </td>


    <td width="57">


    Master


    </td>


    <td width="94">


    Grandmaster


    </td>


    <td width="76">


    Legendary


    </td>


    <td width="57">


    Mythic


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="66">


    1


    </td>


    <td width="57">


    1-4


    </td>


    <td width="47">


    1-4


    </td>


    <td width="94">


    1-4


    </td>


    <td width="47">


    1-3


    </td>


    <td width="76">


    1-3


    </td>


    <td width="57">


    1-2


    </td>


    <td width="94">


    1


    </td>


    <td width="76">


    1


    </td>


    <td width="57">


    1


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="66">


    2


    </td>


    <td width="57">


    5-8


    </td>


    <td width="47">


    5-8


    </td>


    <td width="94">


    5-7


    </td>


    <td width="47">


    4-6


    </td>


    <td width="76">


    4-5


    </td>


    <td width="57">


    3-4


    </td>


    <td width="94">


    2-3


    </td>


    <td width="76">


    1


    </td>


    <td width="57">


    1


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="66">


    3


    </td>


    <td width="57">


    9-12


    </td>


    <td width="47">


    9-11


    </td>


    <td width="94">


    8-10


    </td>


    <td width="47">


    7-9


    </td>


    <td width="76">


    6-7


    </td>


    <td width="57">


    5-6


    </td>


    <td width="94">


    4-5


    </td>


    <td width="76">


    2


    </td>


    <td width="57">


    1


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="66">


    4


    </td>


    <td width="57">


    13-16


    </td>


    <td width="47">


    12-15


    </td>


    <td width="94">


    11-13


    </td>


    <td width="47">


    10-12


    </td>


    <td width="76">


    8-9


    </td>


    <td width="57">


    7-8


    </td>


    <td width="94">


    6


    </td>


    <td width="76">


    3-4


    </td>


    <td width="57">


    2


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="66">


    5


    </td>


    <td width="57">


    17-20


    </td>


    <td width="47">


    16-17


    </td>


    <td width="94">


    14-16


    </td>


    <td width="47">


    13-15


    </td>


    <td width="76">


    10-11


    </td>


    <td width="57">


    9-10


    </td>


    <td width="94">


    7-8


    </td>


    <td width="76">


    5-6


    </td>


    <td width="57">


    3


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Hmm¡­ Looking at it this way, raising strength or agility might make more sense, considering I intend to fight with a fire-imbued sword.


    But¡­ I don¡¯t see it as a mid-term solution.


    The reason is that the scholar mastery primarily boosts wisdom¡ªand intelligence too, but only at much higher levels of mastery. My routine involves attending classes, training with tutors in the afternoons, doing some self-study, and sleeping. This setup will let me increase strength through sword mastery and agility once I pick up archery. At some point, studying will give me another wisdom point. But there¡¯s no intelligence gain unless I devote myself entirely to studying to max out the scholar mastery.


    The professors say there¡¯s a mastery that grants significant intelligence, related to solving complex logical problems. Not exactly easy to acquire.


    Decision made.


    Intelligence.


    Or maybe not?


    Because in the otome game, and as confirmed by the professors, wisdom 10 reduces the time needed to fully recover mana and health from 24 hours to just 20. Eating and sleeping requirements remain, though. If I put both points into wisdom, I¡¯d hit 10 now.


    I sigh.


    I¡¯m overthinking this. I have meditation, the puppy¡¯s lick, and mana potions handed out during private lessons. Wisdom will increase naturally with the scholar mastery.


    Done. Intelligence it is.


    One point to intelligence and one to wisdom¡ªbecause even if it¡¯s easy to restore mana, the total amount I have is also crucial, especially for maintaining the shadow wolf summon.


    As for intelligence, I¡¯ll aim to boost it again with my next level-up.


    (And yes, I know I didn¡¯t use meditation in the dungeon, but when I needed mana, it wasn¡¯t the time to sit down and meditate¡ªit was time to take a lick from the pup or ask Mary for a potion. Meditation would¡¯ve helped if the monsters in that secret area had given us a break instead of coming all at once.)

 Assigning Stats. Part 2.

    Hmm¡­ speaking of leveling up, let¡¯s see how far I am from the next one:


    Bianca L''Crom


    Race: Human


    Age: 18


    Level: 8


    Constitution: 7


    Strength: 4


    Intelligence: 7


    Agility: 7


    Wisdom: 9


    Health Points: 7


    Mana Points: 3 out of 9


    Magic Affinities:


    Elemental: Earth, medium level. Water, medium level. Fire, medium level. Air, medium level. Spirit, high level.


    Non-elemental: Light, medium level.


    Skills:


    Minor runner: Passive. +1 Agi. Run 10% faster.


    Minor sword mastery: Passive. +1 Stre. Wielding a sword feels natural.


    Minor scholar: Passive. +1 Wis, +10% memorization speed.


    Spells: Intermediate earth control. Low earth wall. Minor stone bullets. Minor fire arrow. Minor breath control. Minor splash. Minor healing. Minor channeling with water and air. Low channeling with fire. Intermediate Channeling with earth. Minor flash. Minor meditation.


    I figure I must be close to leveling up my sword mastery since I fought against quite a few mummies.


    I tap on my current level, and it shows my progress toward level 9 is at 70%. To reach level 9, I need about 3,000 XP¡ª2,981, to be exact. I¡¯ve figured out how to read that on my character sheet. It¡¯s a shame I can only see the percentage for the pup.


    If I calculate it, I earned 3,218 XP in the dungeon. I killed and assisted in the kills of several mummies, immobilized the scorpion¡¯s claw, and, with just Ronan¡¯s minor assist¡ªand his bear¡ªI took down the golem boss. Then there¡¯s everything the shadow wolf slew in that chamber: the giant mother scorpion and the remaining scorpions. That earned me 15% of that XP. Considering the difficulty ranking of the bosses¡ªnaga, lich, golem, and scorpion¡ªI must have gotten a hefty share from the shadow wolf. Still, no matter how hard I try, I can¡¯t find the option on my character sheet to figure out exactly how much. Roughly speaking, the golem probably gave around 2,000 XP, and the scorpion about 8,000, but those are just my estimates.


    What I do find while poking around is that the pup only got 5% of the XP I earned while in his pup form, since I know he doesn¡¯t earn anything in his adult wolf form.


    I freeze.


    A measly 8 XP.


    8 is 5% of 150, rounded up.


    That¡¯s basically the mummies and the scorpion. My big XP haul came from the golem, and at that time, the seed was fighting the mother scorpion as the shadow wolf.


    I¡¯m such a terrible pet owner. Useless. Incompetent. I lash myself.


    And it¡¯s true. The divine beast, when fighting in wolf form, gives me experience but doesn¡¯t get any for himself. Instead of grabbing a rabbit, immobilizing it, and letting the little pup kill it to level up, I¡¯ve completely nerfed him.


    Because, yes, he levels up by hunting animals. He doesn¡¯t have my restriction as a human to mostly earn XP from dungeon creatures.


    I rummage under the sheets, since he''s lying beside me¡ªin his tiniest form, the same size as the day I found him¡ªand I''m not sure if he''s asleep. My fingers brush against his fur, and I whisper:


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I¡¯ve neglected your level. I promise to help you get stronger from now on.¡±


    He must be awake because I feel the wet touch of his tongue on my fingers.


    Honestly, poor pup. I don¡¯t think he could¡¯ve found a more incompetent owner. Well, it¡¯s also true that helping a seed of evil grow stronger is kind of¡­ what¡¯s the word? Stupid? Absurd?


    But to me, he¡¯s my friend. I suspect it wasn¡¯t just those wolves that wanted to kill him. With stats this low, he¡¯s paper-thin right now, as weak as a kitten.


    What if he betrays you? my cowardly side whispers.


    He won¡¯t. According to the contract, he can¡¯t harm me. If I wanted to kill him, I¡¯d just have to break the contract. Even if I were misjudging him and the divine beast wasn¡¯t friendly toward me, he¡¯s completely bound to me. That day in the dungeon, the contract felt exploitative, with so many obligations for me and so few for the seed. Today, it still feels that way¡ªbut exploitative toward the shadow wolf. If I break it, he loses his life, his everything.


    On top of that, I already saw this yesterday, after the goblins and the bears.


    So, what do I do in the dungeon? Instead of letting him finish off a weakened mummy, like Ronan does with Mary, I keep him hidden in my pocket. I scoff at myself.


    Enough, Bianca, I tell myself. Stop beating yourself up. Do it right from now on, no excuses.


    ¡°Share your stats with me, please,¡± I whisper to the wolf cub.


    Seed of darkness. Level 3.


    Progress towards level 4: 5%


    Constitution: 7


    Strength: 5


    Intelligence: 4


    Agility: 3


    Wisdom: 3


    Health Points: 7This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Mana Points: 3


    Skills:


    Not available


    Spells:


    Healing Lick initiated level: restores half of the future Dark Lord''s maximum HP and MP. Not applicable to itself or other targets that aren''t the future Dark Lord or the Dark Lord. Cost: 1 MP. Restriction: Can only be used a maximum of 2 times every 24 hours.


    Not available


    Not available


    Has a restriction been added to the healing lick? Or was it always there, but the system didn¡¯t display it because the seed only had 1 or 2 mana points, making it irrelevant?


    In any case, during the first two months at the academy, I focused on my studies and Earth magic, and I didn¡¯t ask him to use the healing lick at first because I wanted to save it just in case. It seemed wise to keep that resource available to restore my mana if we got discovered and I needed to summon the wolf to flee the academy. Later, I realized that wouldn¡¯t happen and started using it. Since the aquatic dungeon, I haven¡¯t gone to bed without activating it, but apparently, that still isn¡¯t enough to level up the spell.


    Additionally, one of my doubts about the pup¡¯s XP is now clearer. I didn¡¯t know how much experience he needed to level up¡ªwhether it was the same as me, more, or less. With 8 XP, he¡¯s gone from level 2 with 0% progress toward the next level to level 3 with 5% progress. Seven points for level 3, and 1 point is 5% of 20 points. I needed 7 XP for level 3 and 20 for level 4.


    Well, that answers my question. Or at least, it shows that in the early levels, his progression works like that of any non-divine beast or human. I know this because one of the class books says researchers asked tamers to kill goblins and other minor creatures themselves, then let their dogs or other pets finish them off, allowing them to confirm this. In fact, the academy¡¯s professors spend part of their work hours conducting research.


    ¡°Now the wolf¡¯s stats, please,¡± I ask him.


    Shadow Wolf. Level 30.


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


    Constitution: 37


    Strength: 35


    Intelligence: 34


    Agility: 33


    Wisdom: 33


    Health Points: 37


    Mana Points: 33


    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.


    I notice that the wolf¡¯s stats have increased again due to the seed¡¯s level-up. The spell damage values haven¡¯t changed. Since the wolf¡¯s intelligence has only increased from 32 to 34 over these months, I check the textbook tables to see what intelligence is needed for the next damage tier. However, I find that the tables stop at 30. No wonder they don¡¯t consider a mage with higher intelligence¡­ Still, it¡¯s clear that damage increases, even for a grandmaster-level spell with high elemental affinity, require several points of intelligence. I imagine that as the pup levels up, its adult form will enhance spell damage.


    Assuming, of course, that divine beasts don¡¯t follow entirely different rules with unique tables.


    In any case, I¡¯d like to know if, as I suspect, the divine beast is a fraction of what it should be at level 30 and gradually regains its full power as the pup levels up. But no matter how much I tap on the shared stats, I can¡¯t find a way to open any window with new information.


    What if he can? I wonder. Just like I can manipulate my own character sheet.


    ¡°I need you to check if either of your stats sheets has an option to show me how your level-ups affect the shadow wolf,¡± I ask him.


    I feel another wet lick on my fingers and wait. After a while, the pup shares something:


    The divine beast of darkness cannot be reborn into the world at its full strength. It has been reborn many times as a defenseless pup, a seed.


    The seed must seek a master to care for and protect it.


    The seed must level up for the divine beast to regain its power and glory. When the seed reaches level 20, the divine beast shadow wolf will have fully regained its power.


    Creatures of other gods will try to kill it if they recognize it.


    Other gods have divine beasts hidden throughout the world. The seed must be cautious to survive.


    When the seed reaches level 20, it will no longer be able to hide from the eyes of other divine beasts, as its fully restored power will reveal it.


    There can only be one seed of darkness at a time in the world.


    The seed must ask its master for help and may share this text even if it contains references to the gods.


    The future Dark Lord must remember not to worship any god, not even the dark one. The future Dark Lord must also handle this information carefully, especially if he decides to share it.


    The seed of evil must urge the future Dark Lord to become strong enough to survive what is to come. The seed of evil cannot tell them what it is, as it is not permitted at this time.


    The seed of evil can warn him that it is not only nearly omnipotent divine beasts they will face.


    Oh, my goodness. Is it really that bad?


    (And while I¡¯m at it, it¡¯s clear that these texts were written before the pup found me, a girl.)


    I mean, when I found him about to die at the hands of those wolves, it was obvious he wasn¡¯t exactly beloved. But this¡­ Other creatures? Even divine beasts with uncapped power? Nearly omnipotent? And an even greater threat he can¡¯t tell me about? Unless it¡¯s the gods themselves, I can¡¯t think of anything else.


    Am I just a pawn in a chess game between immensely powerful beings, with one of them hoping this pawn will survive long enough to become a queen?


    I bury my head under the blankets and curl up until I¡¯m face-to-face with the pup¡¯s little head.


    ¡°What kind of mess have you gotten me into?¡± I whisper.


    He looks at me with his tiny eyes, which somehow seem huge and filled with unshakable trust.


    Ugh¡­ This is worse than when I found that goblin I thought about turning into XP.


    ¡°Fine, I get it¡ªyou get it. I¡¯ll support you. I must be completely out of my mind. Or maybe your lord¡± I say instead of ¡°god,¡± since the word feels dangerous in this world ¡°chose me intentionally, knowing me so well that he predicted exactly how I¡¯d react. I don¡¯t know, little one, but if I didn¡¯t let those wolves kill you, I¡¯m not going to let any divine beast do it either.¡±


    The tiny pup begins licking my cheeks again. He¡¯s such a sweetheart, and I¡¯m not going to let him down¡ªnot unless he starts destroying human cities.


    I feel emotionally satisfied with my decision, confident that it¡¯s the right thing to do.


    It¡¯s funny¡ªthe smaller problems have been stressing me out all evening, but this? This feels like an enormous challenge in a game or an exciting journey filled with magic and level-ups, and I can¡¯t wait to take it on.


    ¡°That being said,¡± I whisper to him, ¡°we¡¯re definitely asking Ronan for help.¡±


    A muffled bark comes from the mattress. The sound is dampened, and it¡¯s adorable how he¡¯s trying, just like me, not to wake Judith.


    Alright, I climb up to place my head back on the pillow again, and keep drawing conclusions.


    It¡¯s clear that I need to take my own training much more seriously. I can¡¯t let a single day go by without using both of the mana restoration charges from the lick.


    My main goal should be leveling up minor splash and minor breath control, the two basic spells for air and water. And although it wasn¡¯t listed as a restriction for upgrading earth control, I also need to improve minor healing, the basic spell for light. After seeing what Mary can do, it¡¯s obvious I need to get better in the light branch too.


    And now, finally, it¡¯s time to sleep.


    Luckily, my heart is full of warmth from deciding not to let my pet be killed, to help him level up, and to level myself up as well.


    Because pawn or not, I intend to live my life in this new world according to what I believe is right. I refuse to let myself be swayed by labels or abandon a companion just because there¡¯s a contract saying I¡¯m bound to become a dark lady.


    No way.


    I have the ring of resistance, a legendary item.


    Back on Earth, there were decisions I didn¡¯t make, places I didn¡¯t visit, and jobs I didn¡¯t try to get¡ªall out of fear.


    Here, I¡¯ll learn, try to be different, and dare to take the path I want. I¡¯ll blossom.

 Vincent Holds Me Back. Part 1.

    The next morning, I go downstairs early for breakfast. I am the first to arrive at what has effectively become my table, and as soon as Vincent appears, I hurry to ask him:


    "Good morning, Vincent. Do you know anything about Ronan?"


    "I expect him to come down for breakfast shortly," he replies as he takes a seat.


    I let out a little squeal and almost spill my breakfast as I push myself up from the table, one hand landing in my tray.


    "He''s free?"


    Vincent gives me a satisfied smile.


    "Last night, I went to see Duskmere. Well, first, I requested a meeting with the rector, who agreed to see me. I told him everything, but he said he couldn¡¯t overrule a royal investigator. So then I went directly to Duskmere and got him to tell me what evidence he had. It was just the testimony of Kai Greylark, who was in my sister¡¯s group."


    "The one who was injured and unconscious?" I ask.


    Of course, I am thrilled and relieved that Ronan is free, but that doesn¡¯t lessen my desire to confront Sol. I also can¡¯t help thinking how amazing it must be to be able to speak to professors and officials late at night without an appointment¡ªperks of being a prince.


    "Yes. Duskmere questioned all the students about the aquatic dungeon. For some reason, he hasn¡¯t spoken to you yet¡ªor maybe he plans to. Anyway, when it was Kai¡¯s turn, he claimed that at one point, when the group reached a fork in the path, they split up. Kai went one way, while my sister and Darius went another."


    I instinctively glance toward where Darius usually sits, intending to ask him if it is true. But he isn¡¯t there yet. It is just me, the early riser, the prince, and his two childhood friends who have come with him. Honestly, I¡¯ve been so eager to find out if Vincent has managed to do anything that I¡¯ve completely ignored them.


    I glance at them now and smile apologetically.


    Vincent continues:


    "Kai said that while he was alone, he heard a sinister chant. He approached cautiously and saw Ronan performing some kind of ritual spell that transformed several small spiders into those monsters some of you fought."


    "That¡¯s absurd," I protest.


    "I know. That¡¯s why I went straight to Kai. I spoke to him seriously and explained the consequences for him and his family of giving false testimony in a case involving the safety of two royal children. He turned pale and, stammering, admitted that a girl had asked him to lie for her if he wanted her to even consider going to the ball with him."


    What a witch¡­


    "A girl?" Theodore chimes in. "But he was sitting at Sol¡¯s table last night."


    "That¡¯s what I asked him¡ªif he meant Sol. He denied it. Since I didn¡¯t want to waste more time, I took him to Duskmere. The moment he confessed he¡¯d lied, the investigator apologized to me and immediately released Ronan."


    "Wait, slow down. She blackmailed him into lying just to consider going to the ball with him? Is that guy an idiot?" Alistair blurts, exasperated. "Also, isn¡¯t it obvious to everyone that Sol is after you, Vincent?"


    Well, I know that because of the otome game. If you choose the prince¡¯s route in Mary¡¯s storyline, Sol makes your life hell. Actually, she does that regardless of the route because of the whole commoner thing, but if you go after the prince¡­


    Vincent has never been engaged to Sol or encouraged her, but because her sister Faith has managed to secure a marriage proposal from the crown prince, Sol seems determined to do the same. Apparently, Faith and Vincent¡¯s older brother met at this academy three years ago and fell in love.


    "Sol means nothing to me," Vincent is saying. "I¡¯ve barely interacted with her. She seems refined and well-educated, but perhaps excessively superficial."


    I scoff.


    Vincent looks at me, puzzled.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    "Superficial? She¡¯s manipulative. I had to save Mary from her the other day because she despises her for not being a noble¡­"


    "That¡¯s what happened?" Theodore asks, having heard a watered-down version of events.


    "Yes." I shrug. "Her manners are impeccable, sure¡ªbefitting the daughter of a duke¡ªbut she only cares about power."


    "Well, the manners part is true because you, Bianca¡­" Alistair smirks at me.


    He has just as little filter between his brain and his mouth as Darius. Or me, sometimes, if I¡¯m honest.


    "Oh, and you¡¯re one to talk, Lord Son of a Marquis. You ignore etiquette just as much as I do." I winked at him.


    I¡¯m not offended; I know he¡¯s being honest and right. If only he knew I didn¡¯t actually have the upbringing the real Bianca had¡­


    "Let¡¯s stay on topic," Theodore cuts in. "This is about Sol. She needs to be stopped."


    "She needs to be taught a lesson," I add, my eagerness evident in my voice.


    "Bianca," Vincent says seriously, "you can¡¯t do anything reckless. Her family¡¯s status is above yours. I know you¡¯re close to Ronan, but leave this to me, okay?"


    I don¡¯t answer. My plan is already to confront her as soon as she leaves breakfast, before class. For the record, she hasn¡¯t arrived at the dining hall yet.


    "Bianca¡­"


    "No."


    "Bianca?"


    I exhale sharply.


    "Fine," I say reluctantly.


    Because I have no intention of listening to him.


    Vincent gives me a skeptical look. At that moment, Ronan and Mary enter the hall together. Mary is holding his arm, looking absolutely delighted.


    Isn''t someone with high light affinity supposed to be repelled by someone like Ronan? Why is she touching him so casually?


    "Ronan!" I call as he approaches. "I¡¯m so sorry about what happened to you. I think it¡¯s my fault."


    Theodore, Vincent, and Alistair all stare at Mary¡¯s hands gripping Ronan¡¯s left arm.


    Ronan, noticing their attention, gently removes Mary¡¯s hands and replies:


    "My lady, I am sorry to have worried you. I do not believe it was your fault, but if it were, it was an honor to bear it."


    "Don¡¯t say such nonsense," I snap.


    Honestly, his way of speaking doesn¡¯t bother me anymore¡ªI¡¯m used to it. Besides, I can¡¯t be mad at him; I¡¯m too happy to see him free.


    Everyone else misinterprets my words, and combined with Mary clinging to his arm, it creates a somewhat awkward silence.


    Mary eventually breaks it, her innocence intact, unaware of the tension.


    "We ran into each other on the way here. Isn¡¯t it wonderful that he¡¯s free?" she says brightly, smiling at the questioning looks from the three romantic interests.


    "But holding his arm?"


    "Oh, that." She suddenly seems to realize and blushes. "I¡­ I was just so happy he didn¡¯t have to spend the night alone and locked up again. I didn¡¯t want him overwhelmed by terrible memories."


    "Mary, it¡¯s fine. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not claustrophobic," Ronan says calmly.


    The three guys relax, realizing there is no deeper meaning behind her actions.


    There aren¡¯t many people in the dining hall yet, but I am sure rumors will spread. Then I see her enter, followed by Ashe and Caroline, walking with her usual elegance. It''s just that now I feel like punching her.


    Vincent must notice because I feel him grab my hand and squeeze it slightly.


    "Alright, I get it," I say, trying to calm myself.


    I keep looking into the prince''s eyes. Fine, this way I won''t get upset staring at that villain. Did I really admire her?


    Get a grip, Bianca, I tell myself. You can¡¯t admire a villain, no matter how beautiful, well-dressed, or high-status she is. By definition, she¡¯s a bad person.


    What I feel for her now is resentment and disdain.


    "Are you completely free then?" Alistair asks Ronan.


    He and Mary have taken a seat to talk with us, but they''ll have to go get their trays with breakfast.


    ¡°Yes, Vincent came with Duskmere to release me. I¡¯m completely free now. The one who gave the testimony confessed that it was false, that he acted in a moment of impulsive irrationality.¡±


    ¡°The real question is, why is Sol still here?¡± I say aloud, though I don¡¯t actually expect anyone to answer. After all, I already know the reason.


    ¡°Because Kai didn¡¯t expose her,¡± Vincent replies. ¡°He apologized to me in private for causing trouble for my friend but assured me he couldn¡¯t speak ill of her or reveal her identity. When I asked if it was Sol, he denied it so vehemently that I¡¯m convinced it¡¯s her. But I have no proof¡ªnot even Kai¡¯s testimony. However, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if Duskmere managed to extract her name in private. And once he rules out any motive she might have had to divert the investigation regarding a supposed attack on my life or my sister¡¯s, he¡¯ll likely pass the matter to the headmaster. And I highly doubt the headmaster, considering that she¡¯s the daughter of the duke who donated a new wing to the library, will punish her in any meaningful way. It will probably amount to a simple reprimand or some symbolic punishment.¡±


    I open my mouth to protest, but Vincent raises a hand to stop me and continues:


    ¡°Look, Bianca, I do understand the boy. He¡¯s the son of a minor noble and wants to protect the woman he¡¯s courting. As long as he takes responsibility for what he¡¯s done, I don¡¯t find it entirely unforgivable.¡±


    Mary stares at him, a bit starstruck, as if what he just said were romantic.


    I barely manage to stop myself from rolling my eyes.


    ¡°But you¡¯ll make sure she doesn¡¯t get off scot-free, right?¡± I remind him.


    It would be the height of injustice if she hid behind her family¡¯s title and influence and faced no consequences.


    ¡°Yes, don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s just not going to be as quick as you¡¯d like.¡±


    Am I that transparent?


    Yes¡­ I probably am.


    I sigh. ¡°Fine.¡±

 Vincent Holds Me Back, Part 2.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to grab breakfast; we¡¯ll be back soon,¡± Mary says to us. ¡°Come on, Ronan.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve become good friends,¡± the prince murmurs once they¡¯re out of earshot.


    ¡°It¡¯s because he gave her free XP in the dungeon,¡± Alistair says. ¡°If a woman did that for me, I¡¯d kneel and propose on the spot.¡±


    ¡°Propose to whom?¡± Darius asks as he arrives with his tray.


    I hadn¡¯t even seen him walk in.


    ¡°To Ronan,¡± Vincent says.


    ¡°To a woman who immobilized monsters so you could level up. Wouldn¡¯t that be amazing?¡± Alistair replies almost at the same time.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯d rather convince Ronan to let me ride his bear,¡± Darius laughs.


    Alistair¡¯s eyes widen.


    ¡°Okay, that would be even more amazing. But dangerous. Wasn¡¯t the scorpion¡¯s tail enough for you?¡±


    Darius bursts into laughter, dragging the prince and Alistair along with him.


    Oh my gosh. Knowing Ronan, he¡¯d probably let him ride the bear. Or the scorpion.


    ¡°By the way,¡± I interject, ¡°is Kai in custody now?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Vincent replies. ¡°I¡¯ve spoken on his behalf with Duskmere. I think that once he¡¯s convinced it wasn¡¯t an attempt to divert the investigation from the real culprits, he¡¯ll release Kai with only a minor reprimand for him and his family. Maybe a small fine or something like that.¡±


    I nod.


    Mary and Ronan return with their breakfast and sit down.


    ¡°Good thing Ronan told me he was treated well, locked in a decent room and given dinner,¡± Mary says while flashing the prince a broad smile. ¡°Thank you so much for freeing him, Vincent. Ever since I arrived at the academy and you welcomed me into your group of friends, I¡¯ve owed you so much. You¡¯re a great leader and would make an excellent king because you genuinely care about others¡¯ well-being.¡±


    Vincent is momentarily taken aback by the compliment, even blushing a little. I think he likes Mary.


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± he replies.


    I can¡¯t help but let out a silly laugh. Theodore gives me a sharp look. For someone who¡¯s usually so expressionless, he makes the effort to glare at me. I think he¡¯s fully understood the reason for my laugh.


    Ah, romantic rivalry¡ªit¡¯s so amusing to watch from the sidelines. I wonder if popcorn exists in this world.


    And by the way, about Mary saying Vincent would make a better king than his brother¡­ Ronan is now staring pensively at the prince. I nudge him under the table, and when he looks at me, I shake my head.


    Whatever he¡¯s thinking, he better not. We don¡¯t kill princes.


    We¡¯re all so engrossed in chatting that I finish my breakfast without even realizing it. I barely notice when Sol gets up to leave. Automatically, I start to stand. A hand grabs my arm. Vincent again.


    ¡°Bianca¡­¡± he murmurs in a warning tone.


    Damn. I¡¯ll have to do this when he¡¯s not around.


    ¡°Fine,¡± I say as I sit back down.


    Well, in that case, I¡¯ll use the time before class starts to talk to Ronan. I turn to him as he¡¯s still eating.


    However, I don¡¯t get a chance to say anything because I see my companions across the table staring straight ahead. Darius, in particular, has a frown on his face. The dining hall falls into sudden silence, and I hear the click of heels.


    Yes, we wear uniforms here, but the uniform only specifies black shoes. Those high heels¡­Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    I feel a chill that bodes no good and turn around.


    Sol, accompanied by her two personality-less followers, is approaching me. I stand up. Whatever that harpy wants to say to me, she won¡¯t do it from a position of superiority.


    I sense Vincent move beside me. I imagine he had the urge to grab me again, but realizing how counterproductive it would be for me to stay seated, he restrains himself.


    So, I face her, standing tall, forcing myself to relax¡ªor at least try to. She saw Vincent stop me less than a minute ago, and like a jackal smelling blood, she¡¯s here to gloat and inflict damage.


    The villain stops half a meter from me.


    She stares at me. Says nothing. Neither do I. Her lackeys hang a little behind her. The rest of the dining hall watches in silence, full of curiosity and morbid interest.


    Of course, by ¡°the rest,¡± I don¡¯t mean my table. They range from horrified (like Mary) to wary (like Vincent), to a completely disinterested Ronan, who simply continues eating breakfast.


    ¡°Do you want something, Sol?¡± I finally ask. ¡°Or are you just hanging around me to see if you can absorb some common sense?¡±


    My words are clear: Get lost. Because the gods¡ªwho are no longer here¡ªknow how badly I want to punch her.


    ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re as egotistical as the rumors say. You stood up and confronted me when I wasn¡¯t even walking toward you.¡±


    ¡°Then what are you waiting for? Continue your pleasant stroll.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ Ashe,¡± she turns to one of her lackeys. ¡°I understand how embarrassed you must feel seeing what your childhood friend has become. Look at her; she¡¯s like a coarse, ill-mannered commoner.¡±


    The mentioned girl giggles and starts to respond. I step forward, and she falls silent.


    ¡°Coarse and ill-mannered? Because the only one insulting anyone here isn¡¯t me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re mistaken. I came to speak with the prince, and you rudely got in my way. Then you called me foolish.¡± She smiles maliciously. ¡°Isn¡¯t that insulting and ill-mannered?¡± She makes a slightly dramatic gesture and raises her voice so the entire hall can hear. ¡°And then you accuse me. By the way, I don¡¯t understand how you have the audacity to sit at the same table as the man who was seen entering your room at night.¡±


    What?


    More rumors? But this one might have some truth¡­


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, Sol,¡± the prince stands. ¡°Say what you want and leave. You¡¯re not welcome at this table.¡±


    Darius and Alistair laugh. Ronan, who was ignoring her, suddenly seems interested.


    ¡°Your Highness, how can you say that to me¡­¡± Sol switches to a softer, purring voice. ¡°My house has always supported the crown. I came to tell you that, for now, I¡¯m rejecting everyone asking me to the ball.¡±


    ¡°And does Kai know?¡± Darius cuts in before the prince can respond.


    For a moment, Sol loses all composure. Her face pales, and she starts to clench her fists before quickly releasing them.


    Her two friends gasp, horrified.


    And Alistair bursts into laughter.


    ¡°Leave her alone, Vincent,¡± I say, seizing the opportunity. ¡°I thought she was here to pay for the ribbon she tore from Mary, but for all her boasting about family and money, it seems her memory fails her.¡±


    ¡°You tore a ribbon from Mary?¡± Vincent asks, angry.


    The prince¡¯s anger isn¡¯t obvious, but I can tell by his colder tone and the way he stiffens.


    Oh yes, Mary is his weak spot, and he¡¯s just found out the villain bullied her.


    Since none of my friends can see my face, I wink at Sol while smiling. Then I turn away.


    ¡°I see not,¡± I add as I sit back down, turning my back to her. She should be grateful I didn¡¯t return the mocking kiss she blew me last night.


    ¡°Your Highness, I assure you this is the first I¡¯ve heard about the ribbon,¡± I hear Sol insist.


    ¡°Well, I was a witness,¡± Theodore interjects, having been the one to buy Mary a new ribbon.


    ¡°As I was saying, Sol, you¡¯re not welcome at this table. Now even less so. Leave my friends alone.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯m sorry you don¡¯t believe me and are getting the wrong impression,¡± Sol says, feigning sadness with Oscar-worthy acting, as she bows and leaves the dining hall with Caroline and Ashe trailing behind her.


    The door closes behind them, and the entire dining hall erupts in laughter and chatter, commenting on what just happened.


    Alistair claps Vincent on the back.


    ¡°That was amazing, Vincent. You really put her in her place,¡± he says.


    ¡°I hope for your sake that your father doesn¡¯t plan to marry you to her,¡± Theodore remarks, clearly weighing the consequences.


    ¡°She¡¯d make your life hell,¡± Darius agrees.


    They keep mocking the villain and laughing with the prince. Mary looks at him with renewed admiration. I glance at Theodore; he doesn¡¯t seem to notice. Another look at Ronan; he sees it and doesn¡¯t care.


    And I feel a bit better. I¡¯m still thinking about confronting her alone, but I¡¯m glad the prince saved me from a social power struggle where she undoubtedly held the upper hand.


    Taking advantage of their conversation, I turn to Ronan, hoping the others won¡¯t pay attention.


    ¡°Hey, Ronan, can we go to class together later? I want to ask you something, and I¡¯d prefer to talk in private.¡±


    Darius, who seems to miss nothing, elbows Alistair, and they both stare at us.


    Damn.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not that,¡± I quickly add. ¡°I want to ask about those rumors Lily told us about. Honestly, since they involve both of us and it¡¯s a delicate matter, I¡¯d rather not have two guys who act like they don¡¯t even need to shave yet listening in.¡±


    Oof¡­ I almost said they haven¡¯t outgrown their teenage phase. I doubt that concept even exists here.


    ¡°Ah, point taken,¡± Darius says, feigning being wounded comically. ¡°Apologies, Bianca.¡±


    I nod. Vincent and his two childhood friends leave to grab their books before class. The rest of us stay since, apart from me, they haven¡¯t finished eating yet. When we finally get up together, I say goodbye to Mary and Darius at the dining hall exit.


    We don¡¯t have much time, but it¡¯ll be enough for what I want to ask Ronan.


    And no, I¡¯m not apologizing again. I don¡¯t want him repeating that nonsense about how suffering for me is an honor. Honestly, it¡¯s no wonder this guy gave me the creeps before I got to know him.

 Elite Chest.

    I lead Ronan to a secluded area in the building¡¯s hallways, as we don¡¯t have time to find a better place. Once I¡¯m satisfied that no one will overhear or interrupt us, I ask:


    "Are you okay?"


    I look into his eyes. They¡¯re too big for his face, but at least he no longer looks as cadaverous as when I first met him. It¡¯s clear that he eats well now, and he¡¯s getting sunlight.


    "Yes, my lady. I apologize for worrying you."


    I don¡¯t sense any distress in him. Instead, he seems¡­ is he happy?


    I remain puzzled for a few seconds before I understand: I think he¡¯s happy that I care about him. Whether it¡¯s because no one else ever has¡ªhis parents certainly didn¡¯t¡ªor because I¡¯m supposedly his "lady," I¡¯m not sure.


    Okay, not important right now.


    Let¡¯s get to the point.


    "Ronan, your roommate is telling everyone that you grabbed him by the neck, lifted him, and threatened him. I don¡¯t know what to think about that because I already know Damien is a lowlife who would make up anything."


    "But that¡¯s true."


    Talking to Ronan is always surreal because he drops statements like this while staring at you with those big eyes, as if nothing¡¯s wrong, with a mix of innocence and detached analytical logic.


    Honestly, I wouldn¡¯t pay a single penny to know what¡¯s going through his mind right now.


    "You did that?"


    "Of course, my lady. He suggested kidnapping you to do things too horrible to mention. So, I scared and threatened him. I thought that if I took a more forceful or definitive action, you wouldn¡¯t take it well."


    Yeah. Should¡¯ve expected that¡­


    "If you do something definitive or forceful, you¡¯d actually get locked up."


    "But, my lady, that would only happen if I were incompetent enough to leave evidence pointing to me."


    "Right. Well, I appreciate that you limited yourself to just threatening him. What he suggested to you¡ªimagining that he thought you were as vile as he is¡ªis horrifying."


    If Damien ever tried to attack me outright, I could defend myself just fine. But with his medium affinity for darkness, he¡¯d try to catch me asleep or drug me. A shudder runs through me. Just thinking about it makes my skin crawl.


    "Besides, he¡¯s also spreading other rumors. Fortunately, they¡¯re so absurd no one will believe them. Or at least, that¡¯s what I thought until Sol came to me with a new one."


    "Rumors, my lady?"


    "Yeah. He¡¯s claiming that you forced me." It¡¯s hard to even say it. It¡¯s humiliating¡ªfor both me and Ronan. "That one collapses under its own weight because neither I nor anyone in our group would still be eating with you or inviting you to a dungeon raid after something like that. However, he must be conspiring with Sol¡ªor she¡¯s just delighted to spread more rumors¡ªbecause she¡¯s already been heard saying that you sneak into my room at night."


    "That¡¯s all absurd, my lady," he tells me without losing his composure. Good thing, because I had no idea how he would react. "I would never dare harm you. Should we use them to investigate the resurrection spell?"


    "No."


    Okay. That sounds more like Ronan¡ªbecause I think he¡¯s serious. Like he¡¯s found a way to kill two birds with one stone.


    "You¡¯re right. If the spell worked, they¡¯d still be alive."


    I glance around. The hallway, rarely used¡ªand even less so at this hour, when everyone is in the dining hall, dorms, or classrooms¡ªremains empty.


    "Listen, we need to stop them both. Sol¡­ well, you¡¯ve already heard that Vincent is handling her. As for Damien¡­ I don¡¯t know what to do right now. Going to a professor and telling them what Damien suggested won¡¯t work if he denies it or claims it was a joke. Better, keep an eye on him."


    "In the dormitory, I always do. One of my rats spies on him from under the bed. That¡¯s when Bob, Joe, and Tom aren¡¯t in the closet."


    Yeah. The guy¡¯s plenty creepy.


    "It¡¯s late, we need to hurry, or we¡¯ll be late for class. Ronan, be careful, okay?"


    His face and eyes light up as he realizes I¡¯m genuinely worried.


    "Of course, my lady. I understand that I must be very careful, especially if Duskmere might be watching me."


    That¡¯s not what I meant. It almost sounds like I¡¯m encouraging him to do something to Damien.


    "Besides, I¡¯ll need your help for training. And Joe¡¯s. I saw his aim in the dungeon¡ªdoes he have a mastery in archery?"


    "He told me that when he was human, he was a soldier and very skilled with a bow. The other day, I took them to touch the stone chart, and I saw that his mastery level is high."Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    "You took the skeleton to touch the chart?" I ask, astounded. That would¡¯ve never even occurred to me, and if the professors had caught him, I can¡¯t imagine how they¡¯d have reacted.


    "Yes, of course." He shrugs.


    "Alright, I¡¯ll need him. We¡¯ll talk later. Let¡¯s go to class."


    We walk together in silence, keeping a brisk pace until we reach the classroom. The professor is already inside, but at least there¡¯s still a minute left before class starts, so he doesn¡¯t say anything.


    We each take our seats, and I inhale slowly and deeply. I need to clear my mind of everything except this class so I can focus and learn.


    Sol and Damien¡¯s mess, the intense training both the pup and I need¡ªthose are for later.


    Basic Magic Principles¡ªthe name of the subject¡ªlet¡¯s go!


    <hr>


    We¡¯re in the third class when one of the assistant professors enters the room, interrupting the lesson. He walks up to the teacher, whispers something, and immediately, she looks at the prince.


    "Your Highness, Theodore, Alistair, Darius, Bianca, Mary, and Ronan¡ªplease report to the headmaster¡¯s office."


    Immediately, I turn toward the others. The three childhood friends glance at each other, confused. My eyes meet Ronan¡¯s and Mary¡¯s.


    This must be about the dungeon¡ªthere''s no way they''d summon the exact seven of us who cleared it yesterday otherwise.


    Amid murmurs of intrigue from the other students, we leave the classroom and follow the assistant professor to the headmaster¡¯s office. As we walk through the hallway, several professors watch us curiously. There are also a few soldiers here, and I recognize some of them from the fortress¡¯s garrison in the desert. The headmaster¡¯s door is open, and his secretary raises an eyebrow at us.


    "Go ahead, they¡¯re expecting you," she says without getting up from her seat.


    The assistant professor steps aside to let us pass, and Vincent goes in first. The headmaster is there, along with the noble from Krab fortress and the colonel I had the dubious honor of meeting shortly after arriving at the academy¡ªwhen we signed the confidentiality contract.


    On the headmaster¡¯s desk sits an enormous, jewel-encrusted golden chest, shining so brightly that I¡¯m not surprised it attracted so much attention. The soldiers must have drawn quite the crowd bringing it here. More importantly, the headmaster hasn¡¯t ordered the door closed.


    "Come in. I must say, I¡¯m impressed. Baronet Jorund was kind enough to personally deliver the materials you left in the dungeon¡ªand this boss chest. Judging by its size, you defeated an elite boss." He pauses briefly. "In an intermediate dungeon."


    Uh-oh¡­ how am I supposed to explain this?


    The dungeon levels, ranked in ascending difficulty, are: novice, apprentice, intermediate, veteran, elite, master, epic, and infernal.


    The so-called impossible level dungeon I faced¡ªthe one that only people from another world could enter¡ªis probably a separate category. Besides, that one was considered impossible only relative to my own strength, as it had analyzed me before I entered. Here, an infernal-level dungeon is an excruciating survival test, nearly impossible to clear, even for the highest-level warriors and mages with a well-structured and capable party.


    In any case, it seems they won¡¯t interrogate us to figure out how we managed this. Instead, the crown¡¯s representative is naturally eager to credit the prince.


    "Congratulations, Prince Vincent," the colonel says, his tone brimming with pride as if this were his own achievement. "You¡¯ve upheld the honor of the royal family."


    "Thank you, Colonel."


    "The colonel is right, Vincent. Your brother, in his three years at the academy, never accomplished something like this. You and your group"¡ªI notice they¡¯re assuming he led us¡ª"discovered a secret elite-difficulty level in an intermediate dungeon. I have no doubt that you succeeded thanks to your leadership skills and the outstanding performance of your team. You have high affinities for light, darkness, and water. That alone makes you the best dungeon party this academy has ever had the honor of teaching. If we also consider your leadership, Alistair and Darius¡¯s swordsmanship, and Bianca¡¯s earth magic support, it¡¯s truly a shame that you won¡¯t be able to compete together in the third-year tournament. My sincerest congratulations to all of you on this achievement."


    "Thank you for your kind words, headmaster. My teammates helped me a great deal, even in making decisions during battle. Ronan has great potential as a strategist."


    The colonel turns to look at Ronan, his eyes gleaming with a greedy interest.


    Oh, damn. This is the first time someone has looked at Ronan like that¡ªas if he were a valuable asset to be controlled.


    "Please, Vincent, do the honors," the headmaster says, gesturing toward the chest.


    If I remember correctly from what my otome-loving friend told me (since I never got to clear an elite dungeon myself), these chests can only be opened by the person who landed the killing blow or by someone who significantly contributed to the kill. It¡¯s all based on probability¡ªthe more you contributed, the higher your chances.


    Vincent glances at all of us, deep in thought. None of us make any move to step forward and open it, so he finally approaches it himself. To the colonel¡¯s visible disappointment, he fails.


    "Your Highness, is it possible that someone else delivered the final strike?" the colonel asks.


    "Well, we¡¯re not entirely sure what happened in that chamber¡­ Try it, Theodore."


    And so it goes¡ªfirst Theodore, then Alistair, then Darius.


    The headmaster, the colonel, the baronet, and even the professors watching from the hallway are visibly stunned by how bizarre this situation is. I have four words for this, borrowed from my past life: I''m freaking out.


    "Your bear was there, Ronan. Maybe it was the one that killed the boss," Vincent suggests, motioning for him to give it a try.


    Poor Vincent looks genuinely lost¡ªhe has no idea what happened inside that chamber since the zombie bear had blocked his view.


    "You really don¡¯t know who killed the boss?" the headmaster asks.


    "There was the bear, scorpions, a golem, and the lich¡­" the prince begins, recounting the chaos. "We also found an absurdly giant scorpion pincer, but I never actually saw a creature that large."


    "I see," the headmaster says, though he still looks unconvinced.


    Ronan steps forward and tries. My heartbeat speeds up for a second¡ªbut no, he can¡¯t open it. Since he¡¯s the only who got an assist, that means the chest belongs to me.


    Right here? In front of everyone?


    I gently push Mary forward, making her step up before me. I need time to think.


    "What should I do?" I whisper to Ronan as she approaches the chest.


    "I advise you not to open it. Pretend you can¡¯t, and tonight I¡¯ll send Bob, Tom, and Joe to steal it. There must be something valuable inside, and that way, you can keep it, my lady. After all, the chest chooses its owner."


    "Oh, sure¡­" I mutter sarcastically.


    I wasn¡¯t asking so we could steal from our friends¡ªI just don¡¯t want to reveal that I was the one who killed an elite-level boss.


    Of course, he¡¯s not entirely wrong. If the chest contains something that boosts my mana or intelligence, I wouldn¡¯t want Theodore to take it. But regardless of the chest¡¯s selection, we agreed before entering the dungeon that all loot would be shared. That¡¯s what¡¯s fair.


    "I''m sorry," I hear Mary say.


    Alright, so she can¡¯t open it either. Then I notice everyone looking at me.


    "Bianca, it must have been you. Come forward," the headmaster says kindly.


    I nod and walk forward, but internally, my mind is racing.


    Do I take Ronan¡¯s advice and risk getting into serious trouble if we get caught? Or do I open it and let everyone realize something strange is going on with me?

 Ronan. Legendary Item.

    <h2>Ronan, a few minutes earlier.</h2>


    Ronan sat in his seat in the Basic Magic Principles class, but as usual, he ignored the professor.


    Normally, it was because he already knew what was being taught. But this particular morning, it was because his roommate was an idiot.


    Not that Ronan had a very high opinion of his intelligence, but he thought at the very least, Damien would have enough common sense to heed his warning.


    Threaten¡­


    He didn¡¯t threaten. If he had really wanted to squeeze the life out of him, he would have done it. And not because he had a high strength stat, but because that adrenaline, that rage that had surged through his body when he heard him suggest violating his lady, had momentarily granted him the strength to do it.


    And he almost did.


    In his mind, he already had a plan to ensure no one could ever link the body back to him.


    However, his lady wouldn¡¯t have liked that. At least not without consulting her first.


    So he gave Damien a warning, trusting that the guy had just enough sense not to mention his lady again in his presence and to stay out of their way.


    And instead, he was spreading rumors.


    Clearly, he needed to take a more drastic approach.


    Well, that would be tonight¡¯s problem.


    The professor, noticing Ronan¡¯s odd smirk, asked him a question from the lesson.


    Ronan, without hesitation, gave the correct answer.


    He might not have been paying attention, but considering his long years of isolation and study, the academy had yet to teach him anything new. Even less in dark magic, since the professor couldn¡¯t even raise the dead.


    Good thing Ronan was practical and was improving and experimenting on his own.


    <hr>


    <h2>Legendary Item.</h2>


    As I take the steps toward the table where the chest sits, I hesitate, then extend my hand, still unsure of what to do.


    Except for Ronan, none of my friends saw the scorpion boss, and to them, the only one who remained fighting in that room was the zombie bear. If I open it, there will be too many questions. The rector probably won¡¯t give me any trouble since he knows about my spirit element, just like the colonel. But the others don¡¯t. And more than that, I¡¯m afraid this could somehow be a loose thread that leads them to the contract binding me as the next Dark Lord.


    I have to fake it¡ªthere¡¯s no other option. As I think this, my fingers touch the chest.


    But nothing happens.


    When I make contact, I feel that the metal is warm and pleasant to the touch; however, there¡¯s no click, no surge of magic¡ªnothing. Confused, I try to lift the lid slightly.


    Nothing.


    I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but maybe this is for the best.


    In front of me are the rector, the baronet, and the colonel. I can see in their expressions that they weren¡¯t expecting me¡ªthe last one remaining¡ªto be unable to open it either.


    Then, as I still have both hands resting on the lid, I feel the little pup stir in my pocket. He seems to be trying to tell me something.


    Oh no! It can¡¯t be!


    Or can it?


    ¡°Bianca, you can return to your friends,¡± the rector says, seeing that I haven¡¯t let go of the chest. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why it hasn¡¯t opened. I must confess, when I saw you were the last one, I assumed it would.¡±


    Okay, that has a double meaning. They praised the prince, but the rector undoubtedly knows that it takes more than a group at our level to clear an elite dungeon. That scorpion boss¡ªif not for the shadow wolf¡ªwould have wiped us out without question.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    So, do I step back and let Bob and Tom steal the chest tonight?


    ¡°Bianca?¡± the rector repeats when he sees I¡¯m not moving.


    Because if I do that, they might conclude that someone else had to have killed the boss, that we weren¡¯t strong enough to clear it, and they might not let us return to the desert dungeon. If there¡¯s one thing I¡¯m sure of now, it¡¯s that I need to improve and level up. The pup told me, and I believe him.


    Damn it, what do I do¡­?


    "Come out," I whisper on a whim, pulling my hands away from the chest.


    For a moment, I picture myself in the middle of a support group, standing up from my chair and saying: Hello, I¡¯m Bianca, and I¡¯m just as impulsive as I was on Earth. Only, back there, my impulses killed me in video games¡ªnot in the real world.


    The pup, still tiny like when I first found him, jumps from my pocket onto the table. Before everyone¡¯s eyes, he grows to his true size, about that of a three-month-old puppy¡ªlike when he climbed onto Mary¡¯s lap in the carriage. He places his paw on the chest, and it begins to glow. A multicolored light shines from each embedded gem, pulsing twice before disappearing. A click sounds.


    I reach for the lid and lift it easily, aside from its weight.


    Inside, there are about a hundred gold coins, what looks like two dozen decorative jewels, and an object that calls to me.


    I don¡¯t even hesitate.


    I reach for it.


    I don¡¯t know if someone tells me to wait because I feel like I¡¯m in a trance. All I see is that glorious sword, its mana resonating with mine, with my very essence or soul. And when I grasp it and lift it, it¡¯s as if a sublime melody drowns out everything else for an instant, making me shine¡ªthen nothing.


    Just the fleeting memory of having shared a moment of communion with an object that seemed to have a will of its own.


    ¡°What is it, Bianca?¡± Vincent asks, astonished.


    ¡°It¡¯s perfect.¡±


    I read the system prompt:


    Legendary Sword of the Queen Mother.


    Binds upon pickup. Only the bound one may wield it.


    +1 magic damage per damage type used in the attack. Condition: The bound wielder must carry the sword; it doesn¡¯t need to be drawn.


    +1 damage and +1 HP to all vassals, subjects, and summoned creatures.


    The prince steps closer and extends his hand to inspect it. I hand it to him.


    And then something curious happens¡ªhis fingers pass through the sword. He can¡¯t grab it.


    ¡°It¡¯s bound?¡± Theodore exclaims, eyes wide. ¡°A bound item¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright, Bianca, hold it in your hands so I can identify it,¡± Vincent says.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± the rector interjects, likely having the spell at a higher level than the prince.


    I step closer to him, and he casts the spell.


    ¡°Indeed, it is bound to Bianca. Congratulations, you¡¯ve obtained a legendary bound item that grants +1 magic damage per damage type used in an attack. It also boosts the damage and HP of vassals, subjects, and summoned creatures.¡± He seems genuinely astonished¡ªmore like dumbfounded. ¡°That last part¡­ for those of you here, it would have only benefited the necromancer. The vassals¡¯ buff would have been invaluable to His Highness¡­ even more so if the king wielded it, benefiting the entire kingdom. A shame, really, since for now, you¡¯re not a countess, meaning no one else can benefit from it.¡±


    A few seconds of silence follow as everyone processes the rector¡¯s words. Judging by his frown, I think he regrets saying all of this aloud instead of discussing it privately with the colonel. A slip-up, perhaps¡ªhe got caught up in the moment.


    Or maybe Ronan knew?


    First, because he warned me. Second, because before the rector even finished identifying the item, Ronan had moved to the office door and closed it, sealing us off from the curious onlookers in the hallway¡ªincluding the rector¡¯s secretary.


    ¡°Perhaps if she were to marry His Highness, the crown prince?¡± the colonel suggests, calculating.


    ¡°No,¡± Vincent intervenes. ¡°My brother is already engaged.¡±


    ¡°A prince¡¯s marriage must be political. Remember his duty to the kingdom, Your Highness.¡±


    Oh no, no, NO! No way are they making me marry the fianc¨¦ of Sol''s sister¡ªFaith is the ultimate villainess of the otome game. That would be just my luck.


    Besides, I¡¯m way too young to get married.


    And what¡¯s Mary doing, looking at Vincent like she thinks he might start ignoring her because of this whole matter?


    Not to mention that Ronan is watching me pensively, Vincent is looking at me, and Alistair just elbowed Darius, the two of them snickering at some joke only they understand.


    At least Theodore remains the same as always, his expression unreadable and mysterious, though his gaze moves between Mary and Vincent.


    "We have to secure this item for the kingdom," the colonel continues. "And protect the daughter of House L¡¯Crom. If she dies, the sword will become unbound, and she will become a target for assassins. The noble families must not find out." He then turns a stern gaze toward the baronet. "Baronet Jorund, you are to be promoted."


    The man puffs up, lifting his chest and his eyes gleaming with pride.


    "Thank you very much, Colonel, Your Highness. You have my utmost loyalty. Not a word will leave my lips."


    "Is this really the blessing it seems to be?" Mary suddenly interjects, her face lighting up. "A child, a peasant, who has 2 or 3 points of life would now have 3 or 4? Oh, Bianca, you have to marry the crown prince! Imagine all the good and the lives you¡¯d save. Diseases wouldn¡¯t be as devastating if people¡¯s life expectancy increased like this!"


    She¡¯s right. Here, the average person is born with just 3 health points, especially if they aren¡¯t noble and haven¡¯t inherited strong magical affinities or high stats.


    "Exactly," the colonel looks at her. "You¡¯re the student with high light affinity, correct?" he asks, and she nods. "It makes sense that you would be wise enough to see the benefit this would bring to the kingdom."


    As I¡¯m utterly horrified, I don¡¯t even notice that Ronan has moved closer to me. Then he leans in and whispers, barely audible, directly in my ear:


    ¡°My lady, if you wish to add the human kingdom to your empire, I can take care of the crown prince issue.¡±


    I push him away with my hand.


    What the hell is he saying?

 Legendary Item. Part 2.

    "I don¡¯t want to be queen," I state aloud.


    "I¡¯m afraid, Bianca," the headmaster says kindly, "that your marriage is arranged by your parents. And Ronan, I appreciate that you closed the door earlier, but it¡¯s not polite to whisper to a classmate in public."


    I don¡¯t give Ronan a chance to answer or apologize¡ªthough I¡¯m not sure he would¡ªbecause they¡¯ve just given me something to grasp at, and even if it¡¯s nothing but straws, it¡¯s better than falling.


    "Of course, and I¡¯m already engaged," I say, relieved. "To Marco Lacor."


    "The Crown will compensate your current fianc¨¦ for the annulment," the colonel states. "That won¡¯t be an issue. This, of course, is a decision for the king and queen. Your parents will be informed of the proposal and the Crown¡¯s decision. In the meantime, be careful. We will assign you a guard. We cannot allow that sword to fall into the wrong hands."


    I think about Sol and her sister. Why do I have the feeling that this isn¡¯t about some noble from another kingdom¡­?


    And no, I don¡¯t want to marry the crown prince. Not even Vincent, as handsome as he is. But why am I even entertaining Ronan¡¯s delusions?


    Internally, I¡¯m crying. A lot. Vincent approaches me and places a comforting hand on my shoulder. I look at him. He seems genuinely worried about me. The colonel watches us thoughtfully.


    The headmaster clears his throat and continues speaking.


    "The truth is, this item is far too powerful to be just legendary. The legendary items we know of can give something like +5 to strength, but this... increasing the health and damage of an entire kingdom... it makes me reconsider the difficulty of the boss that dropped it. The chest is elite, but the reward, a legendary item, only surpassed by the mythical ones..." He trails off.


    Then, he steps closer to the table and picks up the pup, examining it carefully.


    "This little dog¡ªdid it really contribute to the defeat of such a boss?" he continues, while the colonel looks on thoughtfully.


    "Well, was there another boss? Besides the naga, the golem, and the lich?" I ask, while winking at him.


    A gesture only he, the colonel, the baronet, and maybe Vincent¡ªwho is still at my right¡ªcan see. But I winked with my left eye, hoping Vincent wouldn¡¯t notice. As for the baronet, he might be puzzled, but I doubt he¡¯ll ask any questions. After all, he¡¯s merely a spectator here, only present because he brought the chest to us.


    "There must have been one," the prince says. "I didn¡¯t see it, but I did see that colossal scorpion pincer, much larger than those of the giant scorpions we fought."


    He scrutinizes me closely. He suspects something. And the whole deal with the seed changing size¡­ sure, it does that, but it¡¯s usually more discreet, and no one has ever asked me if I have two puppies.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a mystery. It must have been Ronan¡¯s bear, and maybe the little pup, who got lost in battle, somehow managed to land an assist. Oh, my baby,¡± I feign concern as I step closer to the rector to pet the pup on the head. ¡°Did you almost get killed and I didn¡¯t even notice?¡±


    He looks at me with those big, innocent eyes, and I curl my fingers around him. He deserves an Oscar for this performance. He looks completely harmless and adorable.


    ¡°It¡¯s just your pet, a common dog. From what I can see, you were lucky to tame him and he acquired the size trait. But I don¡¯t see any magic or other peculiarities.¡± He hands him back to me. I take him in my arms. ¡°If he really wandered into that room, you¡¯re incredibly lucky he survived¡ªlet alone that he ended up triggering the chest.¡±


    Judging by how my party members are looking at me, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be getting much of the loot¡­ Maybe I should have listened to Ronan¡ªthis way, at least they wouldn¡¯t be trying to marry me off. Breaking an engagement with Marco, a future baron, would be easy; but breaking one with the king¡¯s heir? Not so much.


    Also¡­ do pets here really change size? I had no idea. That explains why no one ever questioned the puppy.


    ¡°A shame for our prince, but surely, you can challenge the dungeon again. Perhaps next time, it¡¯ll be him who gets an item of this caliber,¡± says the colonel, and for once, I actually agree with him.


    I want to go back to that dungeon. And if another copy of the sword drops, then please, let Vincent bind it so they leave me alone.


    Or not¡­ because then they¡¯d probably just marry me to him so every citizen could get double the bonus.


    Enough already! This is too much.


    I can¡¯t deal with this. I need to focus on what matters: I have to go back to that dungeon until the mother scorpion boss stops giving me experience. That¡¯s what¡¯s important. Not some future marriage that, according to the seed and the great danger awaiting me, will be the least of my problems.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I must prohibit you from entering that dungeon again until it has been fully cataloged by the military and all of its bosses evaluated,¡± the rector tells us, and I can¡¯t help but feel completely stunned¡ªI was counting on that dungeon to level up.


    And what happens when they send soldiers, and the boss wipes them out?


    ¡°You may return to class,¡± he continues. ¡°We will store both this chest and the materials Jorund brought in the treasury office. You can come by after lunch to divide them up and let us know if you¡¯d like us to sell any materials on your behalf. I¡¯ll inform the professor of your first afternoon class so you won¡¯t be penalized if you¡¯re slightly late.¡±


    The prince thanks him for all of us, and we start to leave.


    ¡°Bianca, wait,¡± the rector says. ¡°Stay a few more minutes. I want to examine your new weapon in more detail.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, rector,¡± I reply.


    Now comes the part where I make my excuse. I ask the pup to shrink and tuck him into the pocket of my uniform jacket. Honestly, it¡¯s a relief that this divine beast can fool the rector into believing it¡¯s just a regular dog.


    During the brief moment he was examining it¡ªwhether through magic or just a careful look¡ªI felt a flicker of fear. Besides, if he was using an air magic identification spell, that would mean the most skilled mages can analyze not just inanimate objects, but perhaps even monsters and people.


    ¡°So, Bianca?¡± the rector asks once only he, the colonel, and I remain.


    The baronet has taken his leave along with my friends. Before the office door closed, I caught a glimpse of the prince approaching him¡ªlikely to thank him for bringing us the materials and the chest.


    ¡°It was a much larger scorpion. I severely damaged it with my spirit magic. Its carapace was incredibly tough, but by channeling fire, I managed to pierce through it. Thanks to Ronan¡¯s zombie bear, which kept it distracted, I was able to get close enough. I think my pet must have fallen there, perhaps landing on the creature before running off to hide in a corner of the room. I killed the scorpion, followed my friends to the other chamber and the bear stayed inside, preventing the golem from escaping. When everything was over and I reentered the room, I found my pup cowering and scared. And please,¡± I add, ¡°when the military sends people to that dungeon, tell them to be careful. That boss was incredibly tough. We barely made it.¡±


    The problem with this is that I¡¯ve just positioned myself in the room, having killed a creature that no one saw because it was lying upside down, clinging to the ceiling of the massive chamber. I get that my friends were distracted, but not so much that they wouldn¡¯t notice if a new boss appeared, especially one of such size. Maybe the fact that they have to keep my spirit magic a secret is what stops them from asking too many questions about exactly when I used that channeling and killed the scorpion mother.


    ¡°I understand. Your magic is undoubtedly a gift to the kingdom,¡± the rector states after several long seconds of consideration. ¡°You must continue training it. And well played¡ªmaking friends with the prince was a smart move. No one has a guaranteed spot in the tournament, not even him. If he grows stronger alongside you, we will have the honor of being represented by the crown in the games two years from now.¡±


    The colonel nods approvingly at his words.


    Are there power struggles between the nobility and the crown here? Ugh, I really hope not. But if there are, I don¡¯t want to know anything about them. Politics isn¡¯t my thing. Back home, my best friend always said I had the subtlety of an elephant trampling through a horn shop. Just one more reason why I should never become a dark queen.


    ¡°I can¡¯t take credit for that, Rector. The prince is a kind young man who welcomed me into his group when he saw me eating alone. Just like he did with Mary. He has no idea about my power or potential.¡±


    The rector smiles at me.


    ¡°That¡¯s even better. They say the friendships you make at the academy last a lifetime.¡±


    We say our goodbyes and I head back to class. The sword rests at my waist, secured in the scabbard it came with in the chest. The sheath is made of ebony wood, with leather reinforcements and filigree decorations that appear to be gold. At its center¡ªclearly visible if not for my jacket covering it¡ªthere is a decorative gemstone that could be a ruby. It also features a leather belt reinforced with golden threads and a golden buckle, the top part of which is shaped like a scorpion¡¯s tail. It matches the hilt, which has intertwined golden cords along the grip, mimicking scorpion tails, while the guard is shaped like their pincers. Honestly, it would draw quite a bit of attention if not for the practical academy uniform jacket, which, when buttoned up, conceals both the belt and the upper part of the sheath, as well as the sword¡¯s pommel.


    I feel relieved that at least this part¡ªexplaining to the rector what happened¡ªhas gone smoothly, and beyond that, excited about my new weapon, now bound to my soul. The only thing tainting the moment is the possibility of being engaged to Faith¡¯s fianc¨¦.


    Oh well...


    +1 magic damage for each type of damage used in an attack! I think and focus on the positive.


    That means if I channel the sword with fire, I get +1 extra damage from the channeling and another +1 from the sword itself. Oh¡­ my god, could I channel multiple elements at the same time? If I could, just how ridiculously high could my damage get?


    The possibilities this opens up are insane¡­


    Also, if I keep the sword sheathed and use stone spikes or a water splash, they should still get that +1 damage bonus, I assume.


    I need to test all of this. Let¡¯s see when classes end so I can try it during the supervised training session this afternoon. It¡¯s Monday, so what¡¯s today¡¯s lesson? Mmm¡­ light magic. But I can¡¯t channel light. Well, I¡¯ll just stay after class and train anyway.


    On top of that, it also grants +1 damage and +1 life to vassals, subjects, and summoned creatures. The goblins are going to lose their minds¡­ Oh, my gosh, Ronan! It¡¯s not just that Ronan himself gets an extra life point¡ªmaybe this applies to his summons too? Since, technically, they¡¯re my subjects as well.


    This sword¡­ it almost seems like it was tailor-made for my aetherblade specialization and my so-called future role as a dark queen.


    In dungeons, loot partly depends on the creature and partly on randomness. I slip my hand into my pocket and stroke the little pup as I walk down the hallway.


    Could this little guy¡ªor the divinity behind him¡ªhave influenced that randomness?


    I don¡¯t know. And since overthinking has never led to anything good, I walk into class, apologize for the interruption, and focus on what the professor is saying.


    Or at least, I try.


    Vincent glances at me¡ªsubtly, but he does. I smile at him, and he gestures as if to say `we¡¯ll talk later¡ä.


    Either he saw the wink, or what didn¡¯t add up for him ever since spotting the scorpion boss¡¯s massive pincer is now starting to make sense, with everything linking back to me. As long as he doesn¡¯t start agreeing with Ronan¡¯s whispered suggestion, we¡¯re good.

 The Meal.

    Lunchtime arrived.


    Even though we¡¯re in the same class, I usually walk to the dining hall alone. Today, however, Vincent had already packed up his books before class even ended and was waiting for me at the exit¡ªalone. Resigned, I greet him.


    "Hello, Vincent. How kind of you to wait for me."


    "Bianca, you have a lot to tell me. Let¡¯s go."


    He starts walking toward the dining hall, and I follow at his side.


    "Are you talking about the chest?"


    "I didn¡¯t see another boss in that room. Then we all left¡ªexcept for Ronan¡¯s bear and, apparently, your little pup. And somehow, those two managed to take down a boss that gave you an elite chest? None of the other three bosses gave us anything like that."


    There¡¯s only one thing I can say to him. During the remaining classes, I couldn¡¯t help but go over it in my head, and I decided this was the best approach. I put on a serious expression.


    "Vincent, the headmaster and the colonel have selected me as one of the academy¡¯s promising students. Since you¡¯re part of the royal family, you know what that means, and you also know I signed a confidentiality agreement. The dungeon wasn¡¯t an official mission, but if I tell you how I did it, I¡¯d be revealing my secret."


    We walk slowly, and other students pass us by. None join us, though, because Theodore, Alistair, and Darius are acting as a shield, intercepting anyone who tries to approach. Like Mary, who sees us and makes a move to come over.


    "So, that¡¯s how it is," he replies, and I can sense his disappointment. "I understand that you can¡¯t tell me, but I like to know who¡¯s in my party and what I can count on."


    Damn, I feel bad¡­ Worse than I thought I would for lying to him. The truth is, I didn¡¯t want to let him down. I guess I¡¯m a coward, but this isn¡¯t just about being imprisoned or executed¡ªit¡¯s about much more than that.


    The rest of the students have already passed us on their way to the dining hall. Theodore and the others, seeing there¡¯s no one else around, pick up the pace and move ahead down the corridor. I stop walking and look the prince in the eyes. I hate hiding things from him and deceiving him like this.


    "Vincent, I¡¯m sorry. I really am. I wish I could tell you."


    There must be something in the genuine emotion in my voice or my body language because his demeanor shifts. He relaxes, exhaling slowly. His eyes trail over my face, lingering on my lips.


    We stay like that for a few seconds.


    Finally, he looks back into my eyes and replies:


    "Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t want you in my party for dungeon runs. I get it. I don¡¯t like it, but I get it. Promise me that when you can, you¡¯ll tell me."


    "I promise."


    I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll ever be able to tell him, but if the time comes, I¡¯ll keep my word.


    "Come on, let¡¯s eat. We need to hurry so we can check out our loot later."


    I nod and follow him to the dining hall. I still feel awful, and on top of that, something strange happened when he looked at me. He¡¯s supposed to fall for Mary or one of the other main female characters, but when his eyes lingered on my lips, I felt completely exposed. And not because I was on the verge of tears from lying so blatantly¡ªno, it felt like he was trying to understand me, and somehow, despite my silence, he did.


    <hr>


    The meal goes by quickly and in relative silence since we¡¯re all eager to see what materials were brought back from the dungeon. We still have to divide the loot from the chests, too. The only real conversation I have is with Mary, who reminds me that we still need to go shopping.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    "For what?" Darius asks.


    And that was a quick, relatively quiet comment from Mary, who¡¯s sitting beside me.


    "Don¡¯t be nosy. It has nothing to do with you," I reply before Mary can get flustered¡ªespecially since it¡¯s about the ball, and Theodore is here and so is Vincent. "Girl stuff."


    The truth is, it¡¯s hard to find a time for her. My schedule is packed with classes and training sessions. So, I tell her that if she doesn¡¯t mind, we can go next Saturday morning. The ball is about fifteen days away from then¡ªif the seamstresses are fast, they¡¯ll have time to make the necessary alterations.


    And the goblins? I really want to check on them now that I have my sword. But they¡¯ll have to wait until the afternoon.


    She smiles at me in gratitude, and we continue eating at a pace that¡¯s almost a race. The two redheads undoubtedly win. They finish dessert while the rest of us are still on the main course.


    "I asked my valet to make sure the items we pulled from the chests were taken to the treasury," Vincent tells us once we¡¯re all on our way to the treasury office. "That way, we can divide everything at once."


    The treasury office is in a different wing of the academy. The treasurer allows us into one of the workrooms. It¡¯s a spacious room with several tables and bookshelves.


    There, they¡¯ve arranged all the materials that baronet Jorund¡¯s men brought in¡ªmostly scorpion parts (primarily meat and chitin plates), but also a few mummy claws and other alchemical components that honestly make my skin crawl a little. The gigantic pincer from the scorpion boss has been cut into pieces so it could fit through the academy doors, and it¡¯s stored in an adjacent warehouse.


    On one of the tables¡ªthe largest one¡ªis everything we personally collected from the dungeon.


    "We¡¯ve appraised the materials," the treasurer tells us. "They¡¯re of good quality. If you¡¯d like us to handle the sale, we can offer you 898 gold coins, minus a 10% commission, which covers the cost of dismantling the creatures."


    Vincent looks at us, and we all nod.


    Goodness, that¡¯s a lot. I think I could buy a house with my share alone.


    I realize that running dungeons at this level is incredibly profitable, but it also increases social inequality. A farmer, who has no magic and is born with lower stats, would find it nearly impossible to level up. Not to mention, they wouldn¡¯t be able to afford the gear needed to survive in even a novice dungeon¡ªassuming the military even lets them enter one.


    "Perfect, thank you," Vincent says to the treasurer.


    "I¡¯ll be in my office¡ªthe third door on the right. If you need me, just call," he informs us before leaving.


    "Look!" Alistair points out the oil jars to Darius¡ªjust like the one he had been lugging around in the dungeon. "My jar¡­ I would¡¯ve loved to use it¡ªthrow it at the scorpion, break it with a fireball, and then watch it burn as the oil poured over it."


    I saw him practically making heart eyes at that jar even when we were leaving the dungeon. I can¡¯t help it¡ªI burst out laughing.


    "Do you want to keep them?" Theodore asks.


    "No, no, the chance to use them is gone. Better to sell them."


    "Now, let¡¯s see how we handle your sword, Bianca," the prince says thoughtfully. "Maybe you¡¯re going to have to pay us for it..."


    "You¡¯re joking, right?" I tense up for a moment.


    Sure, I already expected to get a small share of the loot, but pay them?


    "No, but don¡¯t worry¡ªwe get it. We¡¯re not going to leave you empty-handed. It¡¯s just¡­ we¡¯ve never encountered a bound item before. What do you guys think about excluding it entirely from the loot division?"


    "As if it never dropped?" Alistair asks.


    "I¡¯m fine with that," Ronan says, who had been rather quiet until now¡ªas he usually is.


    "And so am I. Poor Bianca¡ªit wouldn¡¯t be fair otherwise," Mary adds.


    I don¡¯t know if she¡¯s saying that because she¡¯s naturally generous or because, like Ronan and me, she¡¯s one of the poorest in this elite group full of marquesses¡¯ children and even a prince. For any of us three, having to pay for the sword would mean going into debt. I don¡¯t see my count parents, who give me a minimal allowance, pawning part of their estate to help me. I don¡¯t even want to imagine how much my sword would be worth if it were sellable.


    "Anyone opposed?" Vincent asks.


    Theodore looks at him thoughtfully but says nothing.


    "Well, it stings a bit, but I think it¡¯s fair. And hey, next time, maybe I¡¯ll get lucky," Alistair says.


    "Perfect. We¡¯ll handle things this way from now on."


    And here begins the debate about how to divide the rest of the loot ¡ªmainly over a certain cloak that grants +2 mana. In the end, Ronan keeps it, while Theodore, who also wanted it, takes the socketable +1 mana gem instead. Honestly, I¡¯m not sure which of them got the better deal, since the cloak emits that eerie mist, while the gem can be transferred between different items.


    From the ten life gems that have already been extracted from the golem¡¯s core (Vincent has been handling everything quite diligently), each of us takes one, except for the prince and the two red-haired warriors, who each take two.


    Since no one wants the ring of water affinity¡ªthe one for water breathing¡ªRonan takes it. I assume he knows that if you¡¯re breathing water, you can¡¯t breathe air. That¡¯s the only reason I didn¡¯t choose that spell from the water school and instead went for the minor breath control spell.


    The naga swords were already distributed in the dungeon, and the two antidotes go to Mary.

 The meal. Part 2.

    Since I used one, we have thirteen mana potions left. We each take two, except for Vincent, who insists it¡¯s fine and takes just one to even things out.


    Sure, he has money, but honestly, the guy is a gem. He has principles, a good heart¡ªafter all, he took Ronan and me in¡ªhe¡¯s a great leader, organized, and on top of that, he¡¯s handsome. Not that I see him in any romantic way, but I can¡¯t deny that the combination of his blond hair and golden eyes is striking. On Earth, he could easily be a supermodel.


    If I keep thinking like this, I¡¯ll end up competing with Mary, I joke to myself.


    I smile.


    Ronan watches me for a moment, then leans in and whispers something¡ªso quietly that I can barely make it out. I really hope no one else hears him. I need to figure out if, as his lady, I can unlock a more discreet form of communication.


    ¡°My lady, I believe he would make a fine ruler under your command.¡±


    I don¡¯t answer because, at that moment, Vincent turns to face me, his gaze locking onto the two of us. Maybe because Ronan¡¯s mouth is way too close to my ear, or maybe because, with his air affinity, he has some spell active and just heard everything.


    I step away from Ronan and nod toward the prince.


    ¡°Sorry, we didn¡¯t mean to interrupt. Let¡¯s continue with the loot distribution, please.¡±


    ¡°I just don¡¯t get why there¡¯s so much whispering with Ronan,¡± Alistair chimes in. ¡°You¡¯d think you two were engaged.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, you did kneel before her, Ronan,¡± Darius adds. ¡°Now that we¡¯re all friends and there¡¯s trust¡­ were you confessing your love?¡±


    ¡°No, I would never dare do such a thing,¡± Ronan replies.


    ¡°Oh, come on, Darius, don¡¯t be ridiculous¡ªyou know how he is,¡± I snap, annoyed at the redhead. ¡°And Ronan, I guess it¡¯s my fault for not clarifying, but like the headmaster said, it¡¯s not polite to whisper in front of others.¡±


    ¡°Were you talking about me?¡± the prince asks, glancing between us with curiosity.


    ¡°He was just telling me that you have excellent leadership skills,¡± I reply smoothly.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ I thought I heard something along those lines.¡±


    He studies me intently. I feign innocence, offering him a perfectly neutral smile. I really, really hope he didn¡¯t hear the full sentence¡ªI don¡¯t want him going from friend to enemy. I like him too much for that.


    (Well, or maybe he''ll interpret it as me marrying his brother and not with the intention Ronan meant¡ªthat I¡¯m the next demon queen.)


    Vincent turns his attention back to the others, and we continue dividing the loot.


    Next are the eight health potions¡ªMary takes two, while the rest of us take one each. Then, the key to the second level. Vincent keeps it but promises we¡¯ll all go to the dungeon together. Though that plan is now complicated since we¡¯ve been banned from entering.


    As for the dagger with a dark affinity¡ªgranting +1 darkness damage on weapon attacks¡ªVincent might have taken it if not for its sinister aesthetic. Mary, though it would be useful for her, refuses to wield something so opposed to her own affinity. So, Ronan ends up keeping it since the redheads prefer larger weapons and Theodore favors a knife over a dagger as a secondary weapon.


    Then come the three stone tablets, each containing a one-time summoning glyph for mummy warriors. Mary takes one, Theodore another, and I take the third.


    The rock-shattering maces, which deal double damage to golems, go to Alistair and Darius.


    The gold, jewels, and unwanted items are sold since the academy provides that service to students. Since Vincent had already arranged for everything to be appraised, we know exactly how much we¡¯ll receive. My share comes to a solid 47 gold coins, plus 128 from the materials. Considering I¡¯d only earned a few silver and copper coins selling boars and hides, this feels like a fortune.


    Ronan, who I imagine has never had a single gold coin to his name, carefully tucks away his share¡ª38 plus 128 gold coins. The way he separates them and hides them in different pockets or stashes within his clothing makes me think I need to talk to him. But Vincent beats me to it.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    ¡°Ronan, don¡¯t worry¡ªthere¡¯s a bank at the academy. They can store your money and keep it safe for you.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± he asks, surprised. ¡°And what if they lose it?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re backed by the Crown. If anything happened, you¡¯d be reimbursed in full.¡±


    Ronan thanks him, and I find myself thinking that his education must have been lacking in some areas. He knows a great deal about magic, but when it comes to the practical, everyday aspects of life in this world, he still has a lot to learn.


    Bianca, are you seriously surprised that he doesn¡¯t know what a bank is? I give myself a mental slap. He was locked up in a basement¡ªwhat kind of education do you think his parents could have given him?


    Theodore goes to find the treasurer to inform him of what we want to sell. Since we¡¯ve moved rather quickly, we¡¯ll even make it to our first afternoon class on time. Without further delay, we head out.


    As we exit the treasury, a guard waiting at the door steps forward and greets me.


    "Lady L¡¯Crom, I¡¯ve been assigned to follow and protect you."


    Oh, right¡ªthe guard¡­ because of the sword. I had completely forgotten.


    "Does the headmaster really think this is necessary?"


    "I¡¯m just following orders. If you disagree, you should speak with him or the colonel."


    "Bianca," Vincent says, "if you¡¯re ever in danger, just find me¡ªor anyone in the group."


    I see the others nod in agreement. Some, like the redheads, do so with more enthusiasm than the rest. Mary looks a bit nervous, but she also offers her help.


    "Thank you all. I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll be necessary, but it¡¯s nice to know you¡¯re here if I need you."


    Curiously, Vincent shifts his weight from one foot to the other, looking slightly uncomfortable.


    We continue on our way to class, and because of the guard, I walk at the back so he can keep me in sight. I don¡¯t want to make his job harder by getting between my friends. Ronan approaches me.


    "My lady," he says, speaking softly but without whispering, "my apologies for the earlier murmuring. I didn¡¯t mean to embarrass you."


    "Don¡¯t worry. If anything, it made me realize that you and I need a way to communicate without words."


    His face lights up.


    "Like how I communicate with my skeletons?"


    Uh¡­


    "Yes, but without having to kill me first," I clarify.


    The guard, who is clearly listening in, stiffens slightly. Great. How exactly am I supposed to sneak off to the goblin village with this guy following me like a shadow?


    Right now, I¡¯d love to ask Ronan if he can give me a hand with the list the goblins requested, but I¡¯m not about to be the one who starts whispering.


    And speaking of the guard¡­ I cross paths with Sol, who is walking alongside my two former friends. She looks surprised to see me with an escort. I can practically read her thoughts: if anyone should have a bodyguard, it should be her, considering she¡¯s the daughter of one of the kingdom¡¯s dukes.


    Well, I hope she keeps thinking it¡¯s a matter of prestige rather than security, because if she finds out about the sword, she¡¯ll be first in line to get rid of me and take it for herself.


    Yeah, I definitely need to get stronger.


    And even though this isn¡¯t really my style, I lift my chin and straighten my posture, as if I were reveling in being important enough to have a bodyguard. I see her mortified expression and hear her shocked gasp which is like music to my ears.


    When I enter the classroom, the guard follows and stands by the door, waiting for me.


    At lunchtime, he walks into the dining hall and takes position against the wall closest to my table. My gosh, not even the prince has a personal guard. The headmaster has gone completely overboard. Everyone is staring at me¡ªsince I arrived after Vincent, it¡¯s obvious the guard is mine. My Earth self wants to shrink away; I don¡¯t like this much attention. But the count¡¯s daughter and Sol¡¯s rival that I am now acts as if she¡¯s pleased by the power this attention grants her. Or at least, I try.


    I focus on my friends and our lighthearted conversation, and little by little, people start getting used to the sight and stop looking our way. Since the first class this afternoon is with Catrina, I ask to stay behind and speak with her once it ends.


    The class was held outdoors. The combat professor asks me to follow her to her office and tells an assistant to inform the next professor that I¡¯ll be a little late.


    "You can wait outside," she tells the guard. "She¡¯s safe with me."


    He obeys, and the two of us step inside her office. After closing the door for privacy, she takes a seat¡ªnot behind her desk, but in one of the visitor chairs¡ªand gestures for me to do the same.


    "Well, well, Bianca L¡¯Crom, look at the mess you¡¯ve stirred up," she says.


    She¡¯s sitting in a completely informal manner, having turned her chair backward and resting her arms atop the backrest with her head atop them. Her dark brown hair is tied into a braid that drapes over one side of her neck. She¡¯s looking at me with intense interest¡ªtoo much interest. Sitting across from her with my back against the chair, I feel a little intimidated.


    The truth is, the professor isn¡¯t much older than me, but between her well-toned physique and her commanding personality, she has an aura that has intimidated us more than once¡ªespecially when she¡¯s put us through grueling training and refuses to accept complaints. Right now, I feel like a fawn being scrutinized by a hungry wolf before it pounces.


    "Come on, let me see that sword."


    I stand to draw it more easily, move my jacket aside, and offer it to her. She doesn¡¯t try to take it¡ªsomeone must have told her it¡¯s bound. But she does examine it. I know she isn¡¯t using an identification spell since she lacks air magic. It¡¯s more like she¡¯s carefully observing every detail of both the sword and the scabbard hanging at my waist. I shift my jacket to give her a better view. The look in her eyes tells me she likes the weapon.


    "I hope the weight and balance suit you. It seems like a fine piece. Congratulations, Bianca¡ªyou can put it away now." I do as she says. "Now, what¡¯s this about you stealing Faith¡¯s fianc¨¦?"


    She says it with so much delight and amusement that, for a moment, I¡¯m left speechless. Then, the pieces click into place¡ªthe otome game.

 Professor Catrina Was One of the Villains

    In the video game, Catrina was one of the villains because her heart had been broken by the crown prince. He had flirted with her during his time at the academy.


    Catrina was a very young professor who had been hired at just twenty-two due to her exceptional combat skills. He was eighteen. Since she was a professor, they had kept their romance a secret, but apparently, he had promised that once he graduated, he would make their engagement official¡ªand used that false promise to sleep with her.


    When, in his third year at the academy, he got engaged to Faith, Catrina became harder and developed a deep hatred for both of them. Yes, not just for Faith, but for the prince as well¡ªbecause she realized how he had taken advantage of her.


    There was an event in the otome game related to this. I never got to play it, but my friend told me about it. During one of the academy¡¯s open house events for first-year students and their families, Catrina tried to humiliate Faith and the crown prince. It backfired because she got caught, and since she felt she had suffered too many injustices, she transformed into a sort of vengeful villain.


    Now, this is something that should happen this year¡ªassuming I¡¯m not altering events too much¡ªand, more importantly, we¡¯re talking about the toughest combat instructor I can imagine. If she turns into a villain, I am absolutely sure I don¡¯t want to be her target.


    Anyway, the point is that if you had chosen Judith or Mary as the protagonist, you would be affected by these events. Honestly, I don¡¯t remember exactly what Catrina did. My friend kept talking about the game to convince me to play it, but I wasn''t interested.


    As she continues watching me, waiting for my response, I refocus.


    ¡°Professor, please, I have no intention of stealing a fianc¨¦ from anyone. Least of all one belonging to the daughter of a duke,¡± I reply, while a part of me worries that I might be remembering things wrong¡ªthat maybe she actually only hates Faith and will punch me for daring to want to marry her former lover.


    ¡°Oh, but that would be perfect,¡± she says with a smile so wide that any lingering doubts I had vanish¡ªshe doesn¡¯t feel anything for the prince but hatred. If someone takes him away from the woman who stole him from her, all the better.


    ¡°Professor, please. This isn¡¯t a topic I enjoy discussing. I came to see you for another reason.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense, Bianca. I already know that it¡¯s up to the king and queen to decide whether your union is feasible. But if you want to marry him, I can only applaud.¡±


    ¡°With all due respect, professor, I have no desire to tie my life to someone who has shown, through his actions, that he is not a good person.¡±


    Catrina studies me, raising an eyebrow. She¡¯s quite transparent. She seems to be wondering what I mean. Since her romance with the prince was a secret, I don¡¯t think she suspects that I could possibly know about it.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were interested in politics,¡± she says, her curiosity piqued as she reevaluates me.


    ¡°Not particularly. In fact, I¡¯m engaged to the heir of a baron, and for me, that is more than enough. I don¡¯t aspire to a higher noble title.¡±


    Catrina clicks her fingers against the back of her wooden chair.


    ¡°A shame. With your potential, with your power, you could have had him completely under your control and been a great queen. Oh well¡­ What did you want?¡±


    Finally.


    ¡°The guard. Please, get rid of him. How am I supposed to do my special training later with that soldier following me everywhere? I even have to watch every word I say around Ronan.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really?¡± The interest in her eyes returns. ¡°Let¡¯s go step by step because, as I understand it, when you enter your room, the guard steps inside to check that everything is in order and then waits outside with the door closed. You use the stones, someone comes to check on you, and you¡¯re not there. At that moment, the guard is going to panic. And that¡¯s not even mentioning what would happen if you locked yourself in with Ronan¡­¡±


    I can¡¯t help it¡ªI swallow hard. This woman is terrifying.


    ¡°Because¡­¡± she continues, now like a cat cornering a mouse, ¡°you were supposed to go hunting wild boars in the forest with Ronan someday, not discussing things with him that the guard shouldn¡¯t hear. He has already been informed that you¡¯re a student receiving special training. Your affinities, of course, have not been disclosed.¡±


    She stands up and crosses the short distance between us. If sitting on the chair backward had already been intimidating, looming over me at her full height while I remain seated is even worse.


    ¡°Tell me, Bianca, what have you told your possible nemesis?¡±Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    ¡°Professor, we agreed that he wasn¡¯t my nemesis.¡±


    ¡°Oh, but he is something to you. No wonder you don¡¯t want to marry the prince. You know, we women should stop being na?ve and innocent and trusting the first man who offers us a hand.¡±


    Uh¡­ She can speak for herself about the heir. I don¡¯t have that kind of relationship with Ronan.


    And honestly, it¡¯s better if Ronan never offers me a hand¡ªhe¡¯s the kind of person who might pass me an amputated zombie limb instead.


    ¡°Professor, I appreciate your concern for my well-being, but Ronan is just a friend who helps me train.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s why you take him to the forest?¡±


    ¡°Alright, professor, you win. It¡¯s possible that he saw me use fire channeling, but I swear he won¡¯t say anything. And this doesn¡¯t violate any confidentiality agreement because I wasn¡¯t on a mission, and I didn¡¯t tell him.¡±


    ¡°I knew it!¡± she exclaims, sitting back in her chair.


    I breathe a little easier.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll speak with the headmaster so that the guard only watches over you while you¡¯re at the academy or in the city. He won¡¯t interfere when you use the portal. And I suppose you need a new safe place to use the stones, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s actually one of the things I wanted to talk to you about. If Ronan comes to my room, it¡¯s not appropriate.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ve heard the rumors.¡±


    Oh, my gosh. Have Sol and Damien¡¯s lies reached the professors? I can feel my face burning.


    ¡°They¡¯re malicious rumors. As I¡¯ve already assured you, he¡¯s just a friend who helps me train.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve made a copy of my key for my supply room. I don¡¯t think you know this, but all professors have a small room where we keep materials for our classes. It¡¯s private, and we¡¯re responsible if anything gets lost¡ªso don¡¯t touch anything. And tell the necromancer that if he breaks or messes with anything, I will end him.¡± She emphasizes.


    ¡°Yes, professor. Thank you, professor.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s small and packed with wooden swords, shields, body armor, and other training gear. But you¡¯ll have enough space to set the stones on the floor. Most importantly, you can lock it from the inside. It¡¯s near the gym. Third small door on the right down the hallway.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I think I know where that is.¡±


    ¡°Here, don¡¯t lose it.¡±


    She pulls a key from her pocket and hands it to me. I take it and thank her.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try to talk to the headmaster now, since I don¡¯t have class, so you can do your training this afternoon without issues. Obviously, my supply room can only be used outside of class hours¡ªincluding the personalized lessons I give, like the one you attend on Wednesdays. So, during the week, from eight in the evening onwards. I¡¯ll let the custodians know not to disturb you if they see you in that area at night.¡±


    She can do that? Well, that makes things much easier.


    ¡°Thank you very much, professor.¡±


    ¡°Alright, if that¡¯s all, you can go.¡±


    ¡°Yes, thank you.¡±


    I stand up and leave her office. The guard is waiting for me outside in the hallway and follows me to class. At the end of the lesson, one of the colonel¡¯s men approaches him. If I¡¯m lucky, they¡¯re giving him new instructions. But he still follows me to my room, steps inside to check that everything is in order, and then waits outside at my door.


    Well, let¡¯s hope they¡¯ve told him I use a portal to get to my lessons because if something happens and he sees I¡¯m not here¡­ well.


    I need to get rid of this inconvenience somehow.


    My roommate isn¡¯t here. Just in case, I leave a handwritten note on her desk, telling her that I¡¯ve been assigned a guard, so she shouldn¡¯t be alarmed if she sees him at our door. Well, she¡¯s probably already seen him when she came in, but at least now she¡¯ll have an explanation.


    I grab the small bag with the stones, set them up, and head to Clearhaven Village. I greet a couple of villagers I pass by on my way from the square to the guard barracks, where my private light magic instructor¡ªthe army healer¡ªis waiting for me.


    "Professor, I¡¯d like to ask you something," I say after greeting him.


    "Go ahead, Bianca."


    We¡¯re in the middle of the training yard, alone except for the occasional soldier from the garrison passing by.


    "I want to learn that light sphere that illuminates and follows you."


    The healer frowns.


    "It¡¯s called a light orb," he corrects me. "And it only follows you when you reach a certain level with the spell. Besides, your healing spell is still at a minor level. Considering that healing is the fundamental spell of the light school, I never teach anything else until my students have at least leveled it up once."


    "But I need it to burn mana," I blurt out.


    "Excuse me?" Now he looks at me seriously. "Do you think that just because the academy is providing you with a valuable mana potion for training with the other instructors, mana is something to be wasted or squandered?"


    I lower my gaze and try to look remorseful. How do I even explain that I have meditation, that I have two licks, and that burning mana is going to be my way of leveling up spells? As for light magic, which isn¡¯t my priority to level up, I¡¯d rather cast light orbs than make cuts on my legs. Especially since healing has a 24-hour cooldown.


    Honestly, good thing I don¡¯t need light magic to continue advancing in earth and fire. If I had to progress by casting my only spell just once per day, I¡¯d be in trouble.


    "No, sorry, I misspoke. What I meant is that I¡¯m here to improve my light magic, and in the few sessions we¡¯ve had, I only get to cast healing once while you give me basic instructions on treating wounds without magic and tell me about the different light spells available. That¡¯s why I¡¯d like to learn the next spell, since it doesn¡¯t have healing¡¯s cooldown. Please consider that the reason I¡¯m here is because they want me to learn quickly."


    "A good healer cares about healing others, not just learning magic fast. But fine, pay attention."


    It seems like my last argument convinced him.


    The professor begins casting the spell very slowly, explaining how he intentionally channels mana into his hands while focusing not on healing but on illuminating. He has to do it three times, correcting me far more times than that, before I finally succeed in forming a small sphere of light above my right palm.


    "Don¡¯t lose focus, stabilize it," he instructs.


    It flickers and looks like it¡¯s about to disappear, but I manage to keep it steady.


    Congratulations! You have just learned a new spell: Minor Light Orb.


    Minor Light Orb: Creates a sphere of light with a 5 cm radius. The sphere remains stationary. Duration: 5 minutes. Cost: 1 mana point.


    I cast it again until I run out of mana and assure the professor that I will practice both this spell and healing on my own. He then gives me a few more pointers, and we finish the lesson¡ªjust in time, since the session is over.

 Hunting rabbits for the puppy.

    Excited, since I¡¯ve been waiting for this all morning, I head into the forest. Once I¡¯m far enough from the village, I unsheathe my new sword.


    The light magic instructor seems a bit stingy with mana potions. Even though I used up all my mana during his class today, he didn¡¯t give me a single one. I think that frugality, along with his obsession with healing magic as the most fundamental spell in the light school, comes from how seriously he takes being a battlefield healer. He¡¯s nothing like the academy professors.


    Since I need mana, I take the little pup out of my backpack pocket and bring him close to my face.


    ¡°Healing lick, please,¡± I ask.


    He barks, and immediately, I feel his wet tongue on my cheek, along with the wonderful sensation of regaining some mana. For a mage, running out of mana feels like being in a state of mental exhaustion.


    Next, I apply channeling to the queen mother¡¯s sword. My first instinct is to use fire, but I correct myself just in time and go with water. They haven¡¯t asked me to level it up yet in order to continue progressing in the other two elements, but I have a feeling that if I neglect it, my specialization will eventually require it.


    The blade takes on a faint bluish aura, as if it were radiating a glow that made the surrounding air shimmer. So far, everything seems normal. I¡¯d like to test the extra damage, but I¡¯m not going to cut into a tree branch or trunk just to see how easily I can do it¡ªpoor tree. If I run into a wild boar, I¡¯ll try it out then. I think I could take on several by myself now, and since I have my major protection necklace, my life wouldn¡¯t be at risk. And don¡¯t forget, I have the wolf with me, of course.


    The next step is to apply another channeling effect to my sword: air.


    But I can¡¯t. I don¡¯t even manage to use up mana. I take a few deep breaths to clear my mind and focus on my favorite offensive element¡ªfire. I begin the spell, picturing the blue glow merging with a crimson one, intertwining like tongues of flame and water. For a moment, it feels like it¡¯s going to work¡ªI almost sense that internal pull that signals I just spent mana. But no. Nothing. The sword only channels water.


    I guess either it¡¯s impossible, or I don¡¯t have the level or requirements for it. I check my stats. My mana is still at three points. At least I only spent the two points needed for water channeling.


    What if the issue is the order of the elements? I could try channeling fire first and then earth.


    I hesitate, though¡ªbecause of the mana cost.


    Originally, my plan was to help the wolf pup hunt before meditating. If I cast fire channeling now, I¡¯ll be left with only one point of mana out of the five I recovered from the lick¡ªhalf of my nine, rounded up. And one point isn¡¯t enough to channel earth. So, if I want to test this right now, I¡¯ll have to meditate first.


    Hmm¡­


    I think it¡¯s better to hunt first and meditate later. That way, I can spend the mana I have left.


    Since the water channeling effect wears off while I¡¯m mulling this over, I sheathe my sword and crouch down near the pup, who has been standing at my feet since I took him out of my backpack pocket.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hunt for you, so you can level up. Shift to the biggest size you can,¡± I ask.


    He barks twice, excited by the idea, and grows to the size he sometimes uses¡ªlike when I woke up in the carriage after the dungeon, and he was curled up in Mary¡¯s lap. He¡¯s still a pup, but he no longer looks like a newborn that fits in my pocket.


    ¡°Is this your max size?¡± I ask, curious.


    He shakes his head.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Aww ¡­ He¡¯s so cute, especially when he tries to communicate with me through gestures. Ugh, I just want to smother him with hugs and kisses. But I hold back and start walking.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    My goal is for him to catch something small, like a rabbit.


    My first thought is to hit one with a fire arrow, and if it survives, the pup can finish it off. But what if it runs off and sets the forest on fire? That¡¯s happened before. Not this exact scenario, but similar screw-ups in MMORPGs when I acted without thinking. So, I should use another spell instead.


    With a water splash, there¡¯s no fire risk, and I¡¯d get to level up the spell. But I¡¯d have to get really close to the rabbit¡­ Could I manage that? I mean, I¡¯m a runner, but still¡­


    I stop overthinking when I imagine the pup laughing at me for not being able to catch even one. Traps¡ªI need traps. Then, I come up with the perfect idea: I¡¯ll trap them from a distance using earth magic.


    Pleased with myself, I spot a rabbit and summon several curved stakes from the ground, quickly forming a cage around it.


    And that only cost one mana point.


    ¡°Your turn,¡± I tell the wolf pup. He barks and pounces on his prey.


    Alright¡­ It¡¯s a chubby rabbit, almost as big as the pup. But it¡¯s an herbivore¡ªit doesn¡¯t have claws, and its teeth aren¡¯t meant for tearing flesh like my little wolf¡¯s. He struggles a bit, mostly because he can¡¯t fit his head between the stakes, but he can reach in with his paws. Eventually, he manages to kill it.


    I check his status¡ªhis experience progress has gone from 5% to 10%. Assuming he needs the same amount as everyone else, the rabbit must have given him one point of experience, and he still needs 18 more.


    Perfect. I still have two mana points. Let¡¯s get more.


    It takes a while, but we end up catching two more rabbits, bringing the pup¡¯s progress to 20% toward level 4.


    I decide it¡¯s time to meditate. I could use one more healing lick, but I¡¯d rather save it. Plus, I want to train meditation too, so I can level it up.


    I look for a quiet spot. At first, I consider heading to the stream nearby, but I discard the idea¡ªwater sources attract too many animals. Instead, I find a small clearing and tell the pup to keep watch, just in case a wolf approaches. I haven¡¯t seen any in this part of the forest, but better safe than sorry.


    Then, I sit up straight with my legs crossed, and try to mimic the meditation posture my real mother used when practicing yoga in our living room. I¡¯m not very good at it, but I¡¯ll learn. I adjust myself as best as I can and activate minor meditation.


    Immediately, I feel as if the energy flows within my body become more distinct, more perceptible. With my eyes closed, I can sense them coursing through me, and I begin to visualize them¡ªthough I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s real or just my imagination. I enter a trance-like state, where everything boils down to following those currents of energy, not just mana but vitality as well, watching how they converge in a core before branching out again, circulating through my body and extending slightly beyond my skin.


    I have no idea how long I remain in that state where time itself feels infinite. At some point, I become aware of my surroundings again¡ªthe sounds of the forest, the cool night breeze¡­


    Wait. Night?!


    I snap my eyes open.


    Yep.


    Oh no¡­ I missed dinner.


    When I started meditating, it was just before sunset. I don¡¯t know what I was thinking. Well, I wasn¡¯t thinking¡ªI just wanted to improve my skills. I forgot that each mana point takes twenty minutes to regenerate, and judging by my status, I¡¯ve recovered all nine. That means I was out for three hours.


    Well¡­ might as well keep going.


    I activate earth channeling on my sword. I use this first since it boosts the weapon¡¯s durability instead of its damage, so maybe it¡¯s the best base element. I spend the mana, and there it is¡ªthe brownish glow. I focus on channeling fire next.


    Just like before, it feels like I¡¯m close¡ªbut it doesn¡¯t work. I don¡¯t lose mana either.


    Since I¡¯m already here, I might as well see if I can hunt a wild boar.


    I¡¯m not far from the area I hunted in last time. I push aside my guilt, promising myself that on a weekday, I won¡¯t do this again¡ªI¡¯ll go straight from class to the academy.


    I spot three wild boars. Using earth control and earth channeling, I create reinforced stakes that pierce through two of them, stabbing into their bellies and exiting through their backs. They¡¯re wounded and unable to move.


    ¡°Go¡± I tell the puppy.


    I draw my sword, channel water into it, and move toward the remaining wild boar. As it charges, I sidestep its attack and slash its side as it rushes past.


    If my calculations are correct, that¡¯s one point of damage from the sword, one from the sword¡¯s magic with that kind of damage, one from the water channeling, and one more from the sword¡¯s magic¡ªfour in total. And that¡¯s assuming I didn¡¯t land a critical hit by striking the gut or another vulnerable spot, which would have increased the sword¡¯s base damage to two.


    The wild boar turns, moving more sluggishly now, and charges at me again, attempting to bite. Blood drips from its wound, matting its fur and staining the ground.


    I finish it with another slash.


    I wipe my sword clean on an unbloodied part of the boar¡¯s hide before sheathing it.


    Congratulations! Your sword mastery has increased from Minor to Low. You gain +1 Strength.

 Vassal Sergeant. Marco.

    I have two mana points left. The puppy is dealing with one of the wild boars, using his agility to avoid getting bitten or kicked since the boar is immobilized. I think I can try the water splash on the other one without killing it. I move closer since the spell doesn¡¯t have much range.


    I cast the water splash. I lose one mana point. I can¡¯t see how much damage I¡¯ve done to the boar, but I imagine it¡¯s two¡ªone from the splash and another from the sword. I don¡¯t dare attack again in case I end up killing it.


    I step back and cast a light orb above our heads. The shift from moonlight to the sphere¡¯s glow momentarily blinds me. As I hit zero mana again, I feel exhausted. Strangely, when restoring mana with a potion or a lick from the puppy, the second time always feels worse. However, after meditating, it¡¯s as if the previous exhaustion has been completely erased, like I¡¯ve slept through the night and fully recovered. Interesting.


    Once the puppy finishes off both wild boars, I check on him. He doesn¡¯t seem injured, just a few scratches. I¡¯d gladly use my second healing spell of the day on him, but I¡¯d rather save his other lick in case we get attacked and I need the shadow wolf.


    Because I still remember that there are creatures out there searching for the divine beast of darkness. I have to make sure I always have a way to summon him.


    Right now, I feel drained, completely worn out. But I did well. I ask the little pup to show me his status. I¡¯m a little disappointed to see he didn¡¯t level up. He¡¯s still level 3, with 45% progress toward level 4. I assume one wild boar gave him two experience points, and the larger one gave him three.


    I¡¯m not too happy about it, but it¡¯s late. I tell the seed to follow me, and we head back to the village. I have to leave the wild boars behind¡ªthere¡¯s no way I¡¯m dragging them back. I don¡¯t know if they¡¯ll still be here when I visit the goblins. Probably not. If I could communicate with them from a distance, that would be great. I¡¯ll check on that later.


    The path is lit by moonlight since the light orb has been left behind.


    Once I return to the academy, I take a shower and change into clean clothes. Judith greets me, looking a bit surprised to see me back so late on a Monday, but she doesn¡¯t ask anything. I leave the room, and the guard is there¡ªbut it¡¯s a different one. They must have changed shifts. I head to the dining hall to see if there¡¯s still someone in the kitchen who can give me something, even just some fruit, to curb my hunger.


    I¡¯m lucky. The cook scolds me, telling me she¡¯s not here to cater to students¡¯ whims, but she still hands me a plate of hot food. I appreciate that they treat us more like students than nobles. I wouldn¡¯t have liked a servile ¡°Here you go, my lady.¡± I apologize, thank her, and eat.


    Then, straight to bed¡ªthere¡¯s no time to study for tomorrow¡¯s classes. The last thing I do, already in bed, is check the system to see if having vassals gives me a way to communicate with them. It takes me a while to find it since the interface isn¡¯t very intuitive, but I see that it exists. It¡¯s like a whispered messaging system that works both ways¡ªI can talk to them, and they can talk to me. But it¡¯s only available for leaders, not all vassals.


    With your kingdom at its current level (Initial Level), you can appoint one leader.


    Available ranks: None.


    Unlockable ranks at your current kingdom level: Sergeant.


    Cost: 5 Influence Points.


    I try to see if I can find out the different kingdom levels, but nothing shows up when I tap on kingdom or initial level.


    In any case, if I can only appoint one leader, it¡¯s obviously Ronan. The totem will have to wait.


    As soon as I select my friend, I flinch, and Judith¡ªwho¡¯s still studying¡ªturns to look at me, puzzled. I pretend to be asleep.


    The truth is, I just heard Ronan¡¯s voice in my head, loud and clear, saying, ¡°My lady?¡± That¡¯s why I jumped.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    A notification pops up, but I ignore it for now.


    I try thinking with the intent for him to hear me.


    ¡°I just found out I can communicate with my officers. You¡¯re one now.¡±


    ¡°I do not deserve such an honor, but I will strive to serve you and fulfill my role.¡±


    ¡°Ronan, cut it out. For now, I could only name you a sergeant.¡± I mentally roll my eyes. He¡¯s not next to me, but I can hear the tone in his voice. I¡¯m sure my dry response reaches him perfectly. ¡°This is just so we don¡¯t have to whisper. Look, if you can, take care of gathering the goblins¡¯ requested materials tomorrow. I¡¯ll give you the money in class.¡±


    ¡°That will not be necessary, my lady. I have my share of the loot as well.¡±


    ¡°Which is yours to keep. Like I said, I¡¯ll give you the money in class. If we can, we¡¯ll sneak away on Friday after classes and my air magic training. I¡¯ll come back to the academy, pick you up, and we¡¯ll take it to them.¡±


    ¡°As you command, my lady. But would it not be more practical if I just accompanied you to your class and waited in the forest?¡±


    He sounds relieved. I imagine it¡¯s because I refused to take his money.


    ¡°That¡¯s outside the time when Catrina allows us to use her supply room. That¡¯s why I¡¯ll come back and pick you up. We can meet right at the door.¡±


    ¡°As you command.¡±


    ¡°Perfect. Goodnight, Ronan. Oh, and one more thing.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°This channel is for important matters only, okay?¡±


    ¡°As you wish, my lady. There is one more thing¡ªVincent inquired if I knew the reason you did not attend dinner.¡±


    Oh, right¡­ The headmaster must be at ease since the guard knows I¡¯m in my room or out in the forest hunting boars, like I¡¯ve done before. I already told Catrina that sometimes, after private lessons, I go hunting to continue training. But the prince¡­ first, he finds out that I could be a target for assassins because of the sword, and then I skip dinner¡­ Poor guy, he must be worried.


    ¡°What did you tell him?¡±


    ¡°That you wanted to practice with your new sword and probably got so absorbed that you lost track of time.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s exactly what happened. Thank you, Ronan.¡±


    ¡°It was my pleasure.¡±


    We say our goodbyes. It¡¯s nice having the necromancer cover for me.


    Next, I check the system notification.


    Ronan Velbrun is now a Sergeant. You can communicate with him mentally. His actions under your command can earn you Influence Points. As a Sergeant, he can lead up to ten of your lower-ranked vassals, who will receive Minor Resistance to Status Effects. Ronan Velbrun gains Minor Resistance to Status Effects while serving as your vassal Sergeant.


    I wasn¡¯t expecting this, but it¡¯s good news. It makes sense¡ªthings like fear or confusion should affect them less since they¡¯re under the direct command of an officer, who in turn follows me.


    I get comfortable under the covers and let exhaustion wash over me. It¡¯s time to sleep.


    <hr>


    Marco.


    Marco sat at the desk in his father¡¯s estate office. Beside him were the accounting tasks that came so easily, and right in front lay a blank parchment. The quill in his fingers moved slowly toward the parchment, then lifted again, never quite depositing the ink.


    "Why is this so difficult?" the baron muttered to himself.


    It was just a ball. He only wanted to write a letter to his fianc¨¦e to let her know that he would accompany her to the end-of-term ball at the royal academy where she studied.


    And yet, he felt uncertain.


    Ever since Genevieve had told him about that other student, he couldn¡¯t shake the thought that if this young man was such a prodigy in dark magic, perhaps Bianca would be drawn to him and might even want to speak with her parents about arranging a better marriage proposal.


    He had looked into it. That young man¡¯s parents held a barony, just like his, and he too was the firstborn heir. In terms of noble title, both Ronan and himself could offer the L¡¯Crom counts the same. However, Marco had never attended the academy, he wasn¡¯t particularly talented, and this other guy had nothing less than a high affinity for dark magic, capable of controlling skeletons.


    Ah¡­ if only he had that affinity. The extra labor he¡¯d have for planting more fields¡­


    But there was no point in feeling insecure, no use in fearing that he might receive a reply from his fianc¨¦e saying she had already accepted someone else¡¯s invitation to the ball. Technically, being engaged to him, she shouldn¡¯t; but since he had yet to invite her, she could argue that she accepted another¡¯s invitation, thinking he wasn¡¯t going to.


    In truth, Marco had kept his distance from his fianc¨¦e as much as possible¡ªjust enough that it wouldn¡¯t be considered neglect or an insult.


    He ran his left hand over the back of his neck, massaging it for a moment, then brought the quill back to the parchment. This time, he wrote, his strokes growing more confident.


    Dear Bianca,


    I will come to pick you up for the end-of-term ball at your academy. Apologies for not writing sooner¡ªI have been focused on improving the productivity of the lands that will soon be your barony as well. Please accept this bracelet as a token of my sincere faith in our engagement and my eagerness to see you again.


    Yours,


    Marco.


    As for the bracelet, he had purchased a delicate piece of jewelry¡ªgold with embedded pearls and a heart-shaped pendant.


    He hoped she would like it. He called his valet and handed him the letter and the bracelet to be sent.


    Now, all that remained was to wait and trust that she would not reject him.

 Ronan. Vincent.

    <h2>Ronan.</h2>


    They had just finished dinner, and Ronan was actively ignoring Darius. The necromancer was trying to emulate his lady from the early weeks at the academy, when she brilliantly avoided him.


    The problem was that Darius was much more persistent than Ronan. Or rather, instead of coming up with another way to get what he wanted and stopping his pursuit, he just kept walking beside him, repeatedly asking him to summon the bear.


    "Come on, don¡¯t be like that. Let me ride it."


    Ronan quickened his pace and pretended not to hear him. However, Darius had more agility and constitution than he did, so not only did he fail to leave him behind, but he also ended up out of breath, running straight into Vincent as he rounded a hallway corner.


    "Sorry, Ronan. Are you alright?" the prince asked, sounding concerned.


    And that was after Ronan had already been getting sunlight and eating well. Still, he hadn¡¯t fully shaken off the effects of malnutrition. Although it had been reduced to a low level and only accounted for 10% of his constitution points, the rounding still caused him to lose one point of health.


    "Vincent, tell him to let me ride the bear," the redhead pleaded as soon as he saw him.


    "You¡¯re still on about that?"


    "Of course. It must be awesome," he shrugged with a grin.


    Vincent sighed and turned back to Ronan.


    "Honestly, my friend, if you want him to leave you alone, you might have to promise that you¡¯ll let him ride it someday."


    "Why not now?" Darius protested.


    "Not now," Vincent replied firmly.


    "Yes, I¡¯m fine," Ronan finally answered the prince¡¯s first question. "And Darius, maybe I¡¯ll let you someday, but only if the bear agrees to it."


    "Great, thanks!" Darius said enthusiastically, stopping his hand mid-motion as he was about to give Ronan a friendly pat on the back.


    Right¡ªhe had almost killed him once¡­


    "Ronan, can we go somewhere quieter? There¡¯s something I¡¯d like to ask you," the prince requested.


    They were standing in the middle of the hallway, in the male dormitory area, where other students occasionally passed by.


    "I was heading to my room, but I don¡¯t know if Damien¡¯s there. Want me to check?"


    "No, let¡¯s go to mine. It¡¯s more spacious, has a sitting area, and since I don¡¯t share it with anyone, we¡¯ll have privacy."


    "It has a sitting area?" Ronan asked, surprised.


    "Perks of being a prince," Darius said. "I have to share mine too, and I don¡¯t have those luxuries. Lily has the same kind of room, and she hosts tea parties there with her friends."


    "And my lady has to share?" Ronan asked, puzzled.


    "Your ¡®lady¡¯¡ªand I still don¡¯t get why you insist on calling her that¡ªis the daughter of a count. That¡¯s just how things are, Ronan."


    "Sharing a room isn¡¯t so bad if you¡¯re with a friend," the redhead interjected. "Alistair and Theodore could¡¯ve had single rooms, but they preferred to stay together."


    "It¡¯s late. Let¡¯s go," the prince urged, picking up the pace as he led them to his room, which wasn¡¯t far.


    Once inside, the three of them sat on the upholstered chairs in the sitting area.


    "Alright, Ronan. I wanted to ask you about that elite chest boss¡ªthe one whose massive pincer I saw in the chamber after we all entered. Since your bear was inside, and I saw in the dungeon that you can communicate with your skeletons, maybe the bear told you something?"Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    Ronan nodded.


    "I can communicate with any of my creatures, but not with words. It¡¯s on a deeper level¡ªI receive feelings and images."


    "So, did your bear manage to tell you anything before it died?"


    "Or summon it now, ask it, and let me ride it while you¡¯re at it," the redhead chimed in again.


    "Right here?" Ronan questioned. "With its size, it could damage this delicate room."


    A carved wooden coffee table with four decorative, not sturdy, legs. Upholstered chairs. Shelves with glass doors displaying bottles of non-alcoholic drinks¡­ Ronan was certain his bear would destroy something even if it barely moved. He didn¡¯t see a single clear spot where he could summon it.


    "No, not here," the prince quickly cut in, shooting Darius an exasperated look.


    "It¡¯s not necessary to summon it," Ronan continued. "It did tell me how the battle went: the sensation of wounds that don¡¯t hurt but still tear through undead flesh. A monstrously large scorpion. More wounds for the bear. Loss of body parts. The fight continues. The scorpion stops moving. That¡¯s all it could share with me. I thanked it for its help, its bravery, and its sacrifice. It told me it had fun¡ªthat it was a good fight."


    Vincent fell into deep thought, and Ronan studied him. Sitting across from the prince, the necromancer tilted his head slowly from side to side, inspecting him as if he were a horse he wasn¡¯t sure whether to buy. In this case, he was assessing a human who might be suitable to join his lady¡¯s future army.


    Ronan considered the prince to be intelligent, resourceful, and a good leader. He also had charisma¡ªthe troops would follow him well. When he shifted slightly, as if preparing to get up and inspect him more closely, the prince, looking uncomfortable, stopped him.


    "Ronan, what are you doing?"


    "I was just checking if you¡¯d be a good fit for my lady."


    "What?" Darius burst out laughing.


    Vincent extended a hand toward him, signaling him to be quiet.


    "That¡­ unfortunate conversation when Bianca opened the chest¡ªI want to make sure you understand that there is no way I¡¯m going to be king. Which means, under no circumstances, will I be engaged to your lad¡ª I mean, Bianca," he corrected himself, running a hand over his face.


    Ronan thought that slip¡ªalmost saying ¡®your lady¡¯¡ªwas very telling. Vincent might be willing to call her that too. He didn¡¯t realize the prince¡¯s frustration was more about being annoyed with himself for the verbal slip, caused by constantly hearing Ronan call her "my lady."


    "Yes, don¡¯t worry. My lady is free to marry whomever she wishes."


    "Alright, thanks for your help, Ronan. If you don¡¯t mind, let¡¯s wrap this up¡ªit¡¯s late, and I¡¯m sure you both want to get some rest."


    He stood up and walked them to the door, where the three of them said their goodbyes. Darius headed to his room, and Ronan to his.


    Thankfully, Darius didn¡¯t say another word about the bear and let Ronan go without chasing him.


    When the necromancer opened his door, he saw his roommate inside, studying.


    Perfect. They had unfinished business.


    He locked the door behind him.


    <hr>


    <h2>Vincent.</h2>


    The prince no longer knew what to think. What he was sure of was that he could not imagine how a zombie bear, no matter how large, could stand against a scorpion that had to be massively bigger. Or at least, if that pincer they had found was proportional to the rest of the creature¡¯s body.


    He knew Ronan had an area-of-effect exhaust spell. But he had not asked if he used it, because even with that help, he could not figure out how the bear alone could have handled a boss that no one saw and that dropped a legendary chest.


    Ah, sorry¡ªnot alone¡­ with the help of a tiny puppy, barely three or four months old.


    When he had spoken with Bianca, she had hinted that she had played a role in that fight but could not tell him.


    Honestly? It hurt. He believed he had given enough of himself to his party members for them to trust him. As the leader of a dungeon party, he also needed to know exactly what he could count on in order to give better commands during battles. In fact, when he saw that Ronan¡¯s skeletons obeyed him¡ªpossibly because their master had ordered them to¡ªhe felt relieved. He was not used to having undead in his group, and if they ever went feral or did not fully understand the necromancer¡¯s commands, it could be a serious problem.


    He had heard of cases like that.


    However, Ronan seemed to have an unprecedented level of communication and control over his summons. Even they behaved as if they were still human. It sounded strange, but that was the impression he had gotten¡ªespecially when Joe sacrificed himself for Darius. It was as if they retained memories or echoes of emotions they had felt when they were alive. One day, he would need to discuss this with Ronan.


    Another thing he did not particularly like was not understanding why the necromancer behaved that way with Bianca¡ªwhispering to her in front of everyone and treating her with the kind of respect as if she truly were his lady.


    He had not brought up this topic with Ronan either, since he preferred for Bianca to be the one to explain it. He did not want to pressure her; he was giving her time. But if she kept hiding behind secrets and refusing to trust him, she would no longer fit into his inner circle of friends. Besides, he was part of the royal family¡ªany promising student agreement she might have made with the headmaster and the Crown should not exclude him. Surely, if she or he asked, they would allow him to be informed. But he also wanted Bianca to take that step herself.


    He had welcomed both Bianca and Mary into his group with open arms. Mary had integrated without any problems, but Bianca¡­


    He sighed.


    Bianca was like a headache or an itch in the worst possible place. Strange things always happened around her, and she had behaviors that Vincent still did not understand. However, she was also like a ray of sunlight on an overcast morning. If she never truly fit into his group, he would miss her.

 Duskmere Requires My Presence.

    The next morning, at breakfast, the whole place is in an uproar. As I sit at the table with my tray, I want to ask what¡¯s going on, but Vincent beats me to it and asks how my training went yesterday.


    "Are you asking because I missed dinner? Sorry," I reply with a smile meant to be conciliatory. "My new sword has a weight and balance that I love. Also, did you know that if I cast stone spikes I deal one extra point of damage just by having the sword on me?" I let my voice show my excitement.


    What I won¡¯t tell him is that it also happens when I use spirit magic.


    "Really? I hadn¡¯t thought that was another magical effect of the sword. Honestly, I just assumed it was a simple +1 to damage."


    "A sword for mages¡­" Theodore muses. "I¡¯ve never heard of such a thing. I¡¯d rather have a staff that boosts intelligence as well as spell damage."


    "Do you have items like that?" Mary asks, intrigued. "Aren¡¯t they absurdly expensive, even for a noble of your rank?"


    Theodore turns toward her, looking a bit uncomfortable.


    "No, I don¡¯t. My mother does¡ªshe¡¯s a water mage. She inherited it from the previous marquis, my grandfather."


    Wow, so decent magical items really are that rare or expensive, I think to myself.


    "It¡¯s because it has both effects: water spell damage and a +2 to intelligence."


    Interesting.


    "Anyway, why is everyone¡ªthe entire dining hall¡ªso worked up today?" I kill two birds with one stone. On one hand, I change the subject, and on the other, I satisfy my curiosity.


    "Ronan¡¯s roommate jumped out the window. They¡¯re investigating it," Darius informs me.


    Now that I think about it, Ronan isn¡¯t here yet. We¡¯re all here except him. Lily is also present, sitting next to her brother instead of with her friends.


    "What?" I blurt out, louder than I intended.


    I definitely wasn¡¯t expecting that.


    "And why isn¡¯t Ronan here?"


    They didn¡¯t arrest him again, did they?


    "I don¡¯t know. They interrogated him last night but didn¡¯t detain him. Apparently, Damien says he jumped on his own¡ªthat he even weakened the window glass with a weakness curse. Since it had only been a short time, they were able to verify that, indeed, the shattered window glass in the garden had indeed been affected by his magic, not Ronan¡¯s."


    "Yes," the princess chimes in. "Between that and the fact that Damien insists Ronan didn¡¯t do anything, they believe your friend, who also denies pushing him."


    "But why would someone jump out of a window?" I ask, because I just don¡¯t get it.


    "Apparently, Ronan was practicing a spell, and Damien thought it was getting out of control. Panicked, he decided to jump. He completely clears Ronan of any blame."


    I listen to her while trying to draw some conclusion about what might have actually happened. I mean, Ronan can be scary at times, and Damien, who doesn¡¯t know him like I do, might have genuinely been frightened. But how convenient, right?


    "I can understand him," Mary says. "Dark magic isn¡¯t pleasant. But his roommate should know him better and realize that Ronan wouldn¡¯t practice anything dangerous in his room with someone else nearby."


    "Wouldn¡¯t he?" Darius doubts. "Some things are missing from the room itself, like pieces of the window glass. When they went upstairs, Ronan was asleep, and his skeletons barely let the professors in until he woke up first. There were traces of his magic in the room¡ªa spell the professors failed to recognize, and even using air magic, they couldn¡¯t figure out what it was."


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    At that moment, Ronan enters the dining hall, and everyone starts whispering when they see him, but the moment he looks their way, they go silent. He grabs his food and sits next to me.


    "Ronan, why are you coming down for breakfast so late today?" I ask.


    "They woke me up in the middle of the night when I was exhausted, and they kept me up for a while." He shrugs.


    To be honest, he does look a bit tired, even haggard¡ªthough not as much as when I first met him.


    "About that¡­ did you experiment with magic last night in your room?"


    "No, it wasn¡¯t an experiment. I was just practicing a spell I¡¯ve been trying to pull off for years. I almost got it this time," he tells me, genuinely excited, his expression lighting up.


    "And Damien?" Lily chimes in, curious.


    "Oh, him? I don¡¯t know. He must have gotten scared because he jumped out the window," he replies casually.


    Darius bursts out laughing, dragging Alistair along with him.


    I roll my eyes.


    "And why didn¡¯t you go help him?" Vincent asks.


    "I was tired, and it was Damien. Who cares?"


    "Okay," I interject, annoyed. "Who even thought it was a good idea to put two dark magic users together? With how twisted Damien seems, no wonder he got scared. He doesn¡¯t have your power, and if he saw you trying a new spell¡­ By the way, what¡¯s the spell called?"


    "Void."


    It doesn¡¯t ring a bell for me, but Vincent is left speechless.


    "Void? The spell that was lost centuries ago? The one rumored to be achievable only by a handful of mages with a high dark affinity, the ones chosen by their¡­" He stops before saying God. The censorship in this world is something else. "Uh¡­ by their power. So, yeah, only a select few were supposed to be able to cast it."


    "Yes."


    "Have they offered you mentorship as a promising and exceptional student?" he asks, lowering his voice. Though Lily is listening, and with how much the princess loves gossip, I highly doubt his answer won¡¯t leave this table.


    "No."


    Vincent frowns.


    "Well, they should. I feel honored to have such a talented dark mage and promising student in my party."


    "Thanks. You¡¯re pretty good too¡ªyou take us to dungeons. If you want, I¡¯ll let you ride the bear too."


    The prince sighs. I can see he¡¯s starting to understand how Ronan is. He didn¡¯t mean to offend him by calling him useless or anything like that¡ªhe¡¯s just practical.


    (Besides, even though Vincent doesn¡¯t know it, I do¡ªRonan actually considers him a good leader.)


    I let out a small smile, though it quickly fades as one of the assistant professors approaches me to say that Duskmere, the so-called associate professor¡ªwho¡¯s actually an investigator¡ªis waiting for me in his office.


    Great, I might be late for class, I think sarcastically.


    I down the rest of my milk in one gulp, say goodbye to my friends, and follow him.


    As I walk away, I can hear Vincent thanking Ronan for the bear and Alistair trying to join in. I don¡¯t catch Ronan¡¯s response.


    Well, even if I end up distracting Ronan a bit, there¡¯s something I want to ask him. So, on the way, I send him a mental message.


    "Did you do it to Damien?" I think.


    "No, he jumped on his own," his response reaches me. "Do not worry, my lady, because if my spell had failed and I had fainted, Bob, Joe, and Tom would have protected me from Damien and gone to get help. If it had worked, I thought we could have blamed it on an explosion from a failed experiment, but in reality, there wouldn''t have been a single piece of evidence pointing to me. As you can see, I had everything under control, and none of this could have harmed you."


    Alright, that¡¯s enough¡ªI don¡¯t want to hear more.


    It¡¯s clear this is all because of the rumors, and this is Ronan¡¯s way of trying to defend me.


    My first reaction was rejection. But only at first¡ªit faded quickly.


    Honestly, I think I should feel horrified or something, and yet¡­ didn''t Damien bring this on himself?


    Seriously, that guy was up to no good¡ªneither for me nor for Ronan. And my affinity for light may not be as high as Mary¡¯s, but it¡¯s high enough that just looking at him fills me with repulsion. There¡¯s something about Damien that makes me want to learn a purification spell and blast him with it point-blank, just to see if it cleanses that eerie dark aura slithering across his skin¡ªsomething that has nothing to do with the way Ronan makes me feel.


    I don¡¯t know.


    The fact is, I feel bad for thinking he deserved the whole window incident. But at the same time, I¡¯m also tired of having to¡­


    Of having to what? I think, frustrated with myself. Having to scold Ronan for protecting me? When I was the one who told him to keep an eye on Damien in the first place¡­


    Yeah, definitely not doing that.


    Of course, if he had actually hurt him, I wouldn¡¯t have been cool with it. But this¡­ he jumped on his own. Is it so awful that a part of me is glad?


    I guess it is¡ªbecause the rest of me is screaming that this is wrong, that I¡¯m not like this.


    Shit.


    "Ronan, please," I force myself to say while we¡¯re still on our way, "unless it¡¯s in self-defense, don¡¯t try to kill or hurt anyone in this school."


    "As you wish, my lady."


    He doesn¡¯t sound particularly pleased.

 Duskmere Requires My Presence.

    The next morning, at breakfast, the whole place is in an uproar. As I sit at the table with my tray, I want to ask what¡¯s going on, but Vincent beats me to it and asks how my training went yesterday.


    "Are you asking because I missed dinner? Sorry," I reply with a smile meant to be conciliatory. "My new sword has a weight and balance that I love. Also, did you know that if I cast stone spikes I deal one extra point of damage just by having the sword on me?" I let my voice show my excitement.


    What I won¡¯t tell him is that it also happens when I use spirit magic.


    "Really? I hadn¡¯t thought that was another magical effect of the sword. Honestly, I just assumed it was a simple +1 to damage."


    "A sword for mages¡­" Theodore muses. "I¡¯ve never heard of such a thing. I¡¯d rather have a staff that boosts intelligence as well as spell damage."


    "Do you have items like that?" Mary asks, intrigued. "Aren¡¯t they absurdly expensive, even for a noble of your rank?"


    Theodore turns toward her, looking a bit uncomfortable.


    "No, I don¡¯t. My mother does¡ªshe¡¯s a water mage. She inherited it from the previous marquis, my grandfather."


    Wow, so decent magical items really are that rare or expensive, I think to myself.


    "It¡¯s because it has both effects: water spell damage and a +2 to intelligence."


    Interesting.


    "Anyway, why is everyone¡ªthe entire dining hall¡ªso worked up today?" I kill two birds with one stone. On one hand, I change the subject, and on the other, I satisfy my curiosity.


    "Ronan¡¯s roommate jumped out the window. They¡¯re investigating it," Darius informs me.


    Now that I think about it, Ronan isn¡¯t here yet. We¡¯re all here except him. Lily is also present, sitting next to her brother instead of with her friends.


    "What?" I blurt out, louder than I intended.


    I definitely wasn¡¯t expecting that.


    "And why isn¡¯t Ronan here?"


    They didn¡¯t arrest him again, did they?


    "I don¡¯t know. They interrogated him last night but didn¡¯t detain him. Apparently, Damien says he jumped on his own¡ªthat he even weakened the window glass with a weakness curse. Since it had only been a short time, they were able to verify that, indeed, the shattered window glass in the garden had indeed been affected by his magic, not Ronan¡¯s."


    "Yes," the princess chimes in. "Between that and the fact that Damien insists Ronan didn¡¯t do anything, they believe your friend, who also denies pushing him."


    "But why would someone jump out of a window?" I ask, because I just don¡¯t get it.


    "Apparently, Ronan was practicing a spell, and Damien thought it was getting out of control. Panicked, he decided to jump. He completely clears Ronan of any blame."


    I listen to her while trying to draw some conclusion about what might have actually happened. I mean, Ronan can be scary at times, and Damien, who doesn¡¯t know him like I do, might have genuinely been frightened. But how convenient, right?


    "I can understand him," Mary says. "Dark magic isn¡¯t pleasant. But his roommate should know him better and realize that Ronan wouldn¡¯t practice anything dangerous in his room with someone else nearby."


    "Wouldn¡¯t he?" Darius doubts. "Some things are missing from the room itself, like pieces of the window glass. When they went upstairs, Ronan was asleep, and his skeletons barely let the professors in until he woke up first. There were traces of his magic in the room¡ªa spell the professors failed to recognize, and even using air magic, they couldn¡¯t figure out what it was."


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    At that moment, Ronan enters the dining hall, and everyone starts whispering when they see him, but the moment he looks their way, they go silent. He grabs his food and sits next to me.


    "Ronan, why are you coming down for breakfast so late today?" I ask.


    "They woke me up in the middle of the night when I was exhausted, and they kept me up for a while." He shrugs.


    To be honest, he does look a bit tired, even haggard¡ªthough not as much as when I first met him.


    "About that¡­ did you experiment with magic last night in your room?"


    "No, it wasn¡¯t an experiment. I was just practicing a spell I¡¯ve been trying to pull off for years. I almost got it this time," he tells me, genuinely excited, his expression lighting up.


    "And Damien?" Lily chimes in, curious.


    "Oh, him? I don¡¯t know. He must have gotten scared because he jumped out the window," he replies casually.


    Darius bursts out laughing, dragging Alistair along with him.


    I roll my eyes.


    "And why didn¡¯t you go help him?" Vincent asks.


    "I was tired, and it was Damien. Who cares?"


    "Okay," I interject, annoyed. "Who even thought it was a good idea to put two dark magic users together? With how twisted Damien seems, no wonder he got scared. He doesn¡¯t have your power, and if he saw you trying a new spell¡­ By the way, what¡¯s the spell called?"


    "Void."


    It doesn¡¯t ring a bell for me, but Vincent is left speechless.


    "Void? The spell that was lost centuries ago? The one rumored to be achievable only by a handful of mages with a high dark affinity, the ones chosen by their¡­" He stops before saying God. The censorship in this world is something else. "Uh¡­ by their power. So, yeah, only a select few were supposed to be able to cast it."


    "Yes."


    "Have they offered you mentorship as a promising and exceptional student?" he asks, lowering his voice. Though Lily is listening, and with how much the princess loves gossip, I highly doubt his answer won¡¯t leave this table.


    "Yes."


    "I''m glad."


    "But I rejected it."


    Vincent frowns.


    "You shouldn''t have. I feel honored to have such a talented dark mage and promising student in my party."


    "Thanks. You¡¯re pretty good too¡ªyou take us to dungeons. If you want, I¡¯ll let you ride the bear too."


    The prince sighs. I can see he¡¯s starting to understand how Ronan is. He didn¡¯t mean to offend him by calling him useless or anything like that¡ªhe¡¯s just practical.


    (Besides, even though Vincent doesn¡¯t know it, I do¡ªRonan actually considers him a good leader.)


    I let out a small smile, though it quickly fades as one of the assistant professors approaches me to say that Duskmere, the so-called associate professor¡ªwho¡¯s actually an investigator¡ªis waiting for me in his office.


    Great, I might be late for class, I think sarcastically.


    I down the rest of my milk in one gulp, say goodbye to my friends, and follow him.


    As I walk away, I can hear Vincent thanking Ronan for the bear and Alistair trying to join in. I don¡¯t catch Ronan¡¯s response.


    Well, even if I end up distracting Ronan a bit, there¡¯s something I want to ask him. So, on the way, I send him a mental message.


    "Did you do it to Damien?" I think.


    "No, he jumped on his own," his response reaches me. "Do not worry, my lady, because if my spell had failed and I had fainted, Bob, Joe, and Tom would have protected me from Damien and gone to get help. If it had worked, I thought we could have blamed it on an explosion from a failed experiment, but in reality, there wouldn''t have been a single piece of evidence pointing to me. As you can see, I had everything under control, and none of this could have harmed you."


    Alright, that¡¯s enough¡ªI don¡¯t want to hear more.


    It¡¯s clear this is all because of the rumors, and this is Ronan¡¯s way of trying to defend me.


    My first reaction was rejection. But only at first¡ªit faded quickly.


    Honestly, I think I should feel horrified or something, and yet¡­ didn''t Damien bring this on himself?


    Seriously, that guy was up to no good¡ªneither for me nor for Ronan. And my affinity for light may not be as high as Mary¡¯s, but it¡¯s high enough that just looking at him fills me with repulsion. There¡¯s something about Damien that makes me want to learn a purification spell and blast him with it point-blank, just to see if it cleanses that eerie dark aura slithering across his skin¡ªsomething that has nothing to do with the way Ronan makes me feel.


    I don¡¯t know.


    The fact is, I feel bad for thinking he deserved the whole window incident. But at the same time, I¡¯m also tired of having to¡­


    Of having to what? I think, frustrated with myself. Having to scold Ronan for protecting me? When I was the one who told him to keep an eye on Damien in the first place¡­


    Yeah, definitely not doing that.


    Of course, if he had actually hurt him, I wouldn¡¯t have been cool with it. But this¡­ he jumped on his own. Is it so awful that a part of me is glad?


    I guess it is¡ªbecause the rest of me is screaming that this is wrong, that I¡¯m not like this.


    Shit.


    "Ronan, please," I force myself to say while we¡¯re still on our way, "unless it¡¯s in self-defense, don¡¯t try to kill or hurt anyone in this school."


    "As you wish, my lady."


    He doesn¡¯t sound particularly pleased.

 Duskmere thanks me.

    We arrive at the office assigned to Duskmere for his work. The assistant professor knocks on the door, announces me, and then closes it from the outside.


    "Come in, have a seat," Duskmere says. His voice sounds relatively kind. That surprises me¡ªI was expecting a dry, curt tone.


    I take a seat in one of the chairs he gestures to, on the opposite side of the desk where he is sitting.


    "I imagine you already know that I''m investigating the events that took place in the water dungeon during the practical exam."


    "Yes," I reply.


    "I''ve spoken to everyone, and at first, I didn''t see the need to call you in. Considering your status as a promising student at this academic institution¡ªsomething the headmaster has already informed me of¡ªas well as the testimonies about how you helped save Princess Lily''s life, it''s evident that you had nothing to do with the modifications to the dungeon that I''m investigating. Besides, you possess a medium affinity for light, and your family supports the royal house."


    "I truly appreciate that you don''t consider me part of some conspiracy to eliminate either the prince or the princess. Vincent, in particular, is a good friend, and if things get tough in a dungeon, he knows he can count on me."


    "Yes. Well, he knows you''re his friend, but he only suspects just how much you saved him in the second dungeon: the pyramid."


    Right. I suppose they''ve told him my version of events as well.


    I simply nod.


    "In fact," he continues, "I''m not calling you in for an interrogation but rather to thank you for looking out for Vincent."


    "He''s my friend. There''s nothing to thank me for."


    This time, he''s the one who nods. He seems to like my response.


    "I also wanted to ask if you noticed anything that might give us a clue as to whether someone could have tampered with the dungeons."


    "Well, I have no idea about the first one, but as for the second¡­ I think we just had the luck¡ªthough I¡¯m not sure if it was good or bad¡ªof stumbling upon a secret level."


    "They say it was your little pup that leaned on the relief that activated it, right?"


    Oh, shit¡­ I¡¯d completely forgotten about that.


    "Yes."


    I focus on keeping my best poker face.


    "Can I see it?"


    "Of course."


    I take him out of my pocket and place him on the desk. The little wolf pup grows to his full size.


    Duskmere reaches out a hand, and the seed of evil¡ªadorably cute¡ªlicks him while playing the role of an innocent, playful puppy, something he does incredibly well.


    Well, he''s tiny. Maybe that''s just how he is, and here I am roasting him for no reason.


    "It''s adorable. Just like the headmaster, I don''t see anything unusual about it."


    This man probably has a very high-level identification magic. I''m glad the disguise of the divine beast is holding up so well.


    "You can put it away. It really was just luck. And it''s not a bad thing for the kingdom¡ªnow we have a higher-level dungeon. The crown prince himself is going in with his party to clear it out."


    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    The heir? He definitely wants a sword like mine.


    "He should be careful, sir. It''s dangerous. If you know what my magic is, then you should know it was a hard-fought battle."


    "Yes, thank you. Well, that''s all, Bianca. You may go. If you uncover anything, you know where to find me. And keep up the good work taking care of our prince and princess," he says with a smile.


    Damn. I can''t stand this guy, and yet he''s smiling at me.


    Because he captured Ronan. That''s the reason I can¡¯t stand him.


    I didn¡¯t realize I¡¯d grown so attached to the necromancer.


    Anyway, I say goodbye and head to class.


    At least for now, they still don¡¯t suspect me. From what he mentioned earlier, in whatever court intrigues are happening in this kingdom, it seems the L¡¯Crom counts are in favor of the crown. Good to know. I wonder whose side Sol¡¯s parents are on.


    <hr>


    When morning classes end, I hurry to catch Ronan before he leaves the classroom.


    "I¡¯d like to talk to you once I¡¯m done with my afternoon training. Shall we meet a little before dinner?"


    "As you wish, my lady."


    "Then, half an hour before dinner at the fountain in the gardens."


    Honestly, I had thought about meeting with Vincent too, at least to tell him something, because I feel bad lying to him. But even revealing the channeling and the spirit would still mean keeping things from him.


    I don¡¯t like this¡ªmaking friends while keeping quiet about the fact that I could be their future enemy. I know I don¡¯t want to be their enemy, nor do I want to take over this kingdom through blood and steel, but I don¡¯t think they¡¯d understand that. They¡¯d probably only see the contract with the seed of darkness and the threat it represents.


    Vincent is the one I¡¯d most like to tell. And precisely because of who his father is, he¡¯s the one I can least afford to. I really wish I could confess that I come from another world, that this was a game, that I was chosen by a divine beast of the wrong god, that they intend to turn me into a demon lord¡­ But I can¡¯t. No matter how much he¡¯s my friend, if he found out, he¡¯d be forced to report me, and I¡¯d end up dead¡ªor worse.


    Another person I¡¯d like to confide in is Mary. She¡¯s incredibly compassionate and kind, and if anyone could understand me and support me in trying to fix this without hurting anyone, it¡¯s her. Plus, she could help me with Ronan. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s a bad person, but last night¡­ If things had played out differently, my opinion of him might have changed. I think talking to her could be a good idea, but I¡¯m not sure.


    I¡¯m referring to a divine beast from the wrong god and to one young woman who, in any similar-themed otome, just with gods instead, would have been a saint.


    I don¡¯t know.


    For now, Ronan is the only one I can trust, and I didn¡¯t even have to tell him¡ªhe read everything on the stone slab that first day at the academy.


    Yeah¡­ Trusting a guy who remained completely calm while provoking his roommate to jump out of a window. And who didn¡¯t seem to care if his spell had injured him.


    I sigh.


    I¡¯m on my way to the dining hall, alone, since after talking to Ronan, I went back to my desk for a moment to put away my books. Well, "alone" is a bit of an exaggeration; the guard is following me. As I walk, I check my chart for a second: Yes, I still have mid-level light magic. I¡¯m still me, just as I¡¯ve always been. For a moment, I got paranoid and wondered if I might be corrupting somehow.


    Sensing my unease, the pup peeks out from my pocket and licks my hand, which is nearby. I pet him.


    I don¡¯t have time for silly thoughts. I need to get stronger before that great threat arrives, because something tells me it won¡¯t just be about saving the pup and myself. I¡¯m going to have to be strong enough to protect a lot more people.


    <hr>


    During lunch, a new rumor spreads through the dining hall. Kai Greylark, the guy who gave false testimony against Ronan, has been arrested¡ªnot just for that, but also for obstructing an official investigation. I glance over at the table where Sol, Ashe, and Caroline are sitting. The villainess looks mortified. And that¡¯s with Kai covering for her¡ªhe hasn¡¯t revealed that she was the one who pushed him to lie.


    The rest of the day passes uneventfully.


    In today¡¯s training¡ªfire magic, since it¡¯s Tuesday¡ªI manage to improve my fire dart spell.


    Congratulations, your Minor Fire Dart has leveled up. It¡äs now Low Fire Dart. Projectile speed increased by 20%.


    Nice! Though what I really want is to learn fireball. But according to the instructor, unlike the light orb, which was independent, this spell evolves from fire dart. So, until I level it up a bit more, it won¡¯t develop further.


    I¡¯m just finishing my training when Ronan¡¯s voice echoes in my mind.


    "My lady, I hope I am not disturbing you."


    "Go ahead."


    "I went to the city. I have all the components from the list."


    "Great."


    He alone can¡¯t bring them to the goblins¡ªhe doesn¡¯t have any stones or permission to use mine on his own. A shame.


    "Remember, on Friday, I have air magic training. Once I¡¯m done, I¡¯ll come get you, and we¡¯ll head to the village together. Oh, and I¡¯ll see you in a bit."


    I¡¯m already looking forward to meeting with the goblins. That +1 to health and damage should make a big difference. Since they¡¯re weak creatures, the boost should be even more noticeable.


    In fact, that bonus could be an insane improvement for a skeleton army. Their health might jump from 2 to 3, and their damage from 1 to 2.


    I¡¯d say whoever gave me this didn¡¯t know what they were doing¡­ but I think they knew exactly what they were doing.

 The Letters.

    As soon as the morning classes end, I head toward the portal, walking so fast I¡¯m practically running. It¡¯s been like this for days. I''m tempted to actually break into a sprint just to see if it improves my runner skill. If I did it, I would probably end up leveling it up. Might be a good idea to add short sprints to my weekend training.


    I teleport through the portal to the stones in my room, pick them up, and freshen up a bit before heading to the gardens. When I arrive, Ronan is already waiting for me. The guard¡ªof course¡ªhad been standing outside my room and is now following me. He stays a few steps behind, but I¡¯ll have to be careful about what we discuss.


    "My lady¡­" Ronan greets me with a slight bow as he rises from the bench where he was sitting.


    "Hey, Ronan," I smile and take a seat. He does the same. "So, I wanted to talk to you about something."


    Time to switch to mental whispers. The guard is a few meters away, but I¡¯m afraid he might hear us.


    "I know you swore fealty to me, and that¡¯s why you treat me with such respect, like I¡¯m really your lady," I think.


    "Because you are my lady," he replies in the same way, stating the obvious.


    "Yeah, well, on paper. But I¡¯m not exactly giving you orders."


    Not like I¡¯d take advantage of the poor guy and have him doing all the assignments some of our professors give us.


    "Because you do not want to do so."


    "Right. Here¡¯s the thing. Because of your isolation as a child, you behave a little¡­ differently. The way you treat me¡ªI think people see it as unusual. But with all this stuff about the boss, the elite chest, and the sword, I¡¯d rather give Vincent some kind of explanation so he doesn¡¯t get too suspicious of me. I don¡¯t want him connecting any dots that might lead him to the contract with the divine beast. For now, I think you and the pup are the only clues that could take him there."


    "As you wish."


    Just in case the guard is listening, I ask Ronan a couple of questions out loud about our classes, and he answers. Then we fall silent again and continue our conversation mentally.


    Maybe we could have had this discussion from a distance, without meeting up here. But I prefer to see his face and reactions. Mental whispers are more impersonal and, at the same time, intrusive.


    "How about we tell him that you¡¯re always watching over me because you¡¯re seeking my help? That when you knelt before me, you were actually asking me to be your moral compass? That you¡¯re worried about the influence dark magic might have on you?"


    Ronan stares at me, utterly perplexed, as if I were speaking another language.


    "My lady, if I may¡­ I am not seeking your help. Quite the opposite, in fact. And I have no concerns about my morality. I know it is the correct one."


    "And what if you lose control and kill someone? Like your roommate¡­"


    "As long as it does not cause you trouble and I can continue serving you, I fail to see the problem."


    I roll my eyes.


    "Of course, it¡¯s a problem."


    But I¡¯m not about to get into a debate about why killing is wrong. I trust that he knows the difference. His morality may be a little skewed, but if he really wanted to go around killing people in cold blood, he would¡¯ve done it by now¡ªand he would¡¯ve been caught. The only people he seems to truly despise are his parents, and as far as I know, they¡¯re still alive and well in their barony.


    By the way, he¡¯s looking at me, clearly waiting for me to explain why it¡¯s a problem.


    "Forget it," I tell him mentally. "Can you think of any reason we could give Vincent for why you treat me this way?"


    "My lady, after this time, I have come to recognize that the manner in which I address you differs significantly from conventional discourse between individuals. My concern has been to ensure that I accord you the deference and reverence to which you are rightfully entitled. Indeed, I observe that even Vincent does not employ such formal literary diction in his speech, like in the books I have read, despite his royal lineage," he tells me with more elaborate language than what had lately been normal for him.


    I nod. We remain silent outwardly for the guard¡¯s sake.


    "I have also noticed that Vincent looks at you strangely from time to time," Ronan continues. "I would say it seems like he is suspicious, but it is different, too. I can not quite explain it¡ªit is just a feeling. In any case, my lady, I understand that to maintain your cover, I need to be more discreet. However, a sudden change in my behavior might actually draw more attention. If you prefer, I could do it gradually. That said, if you allow it, I would like to continue addressing you with respect in private."


    "That easy now?"


    Because before, nothing could make him change his mind.


    Ronan looks at me.


    "I have learned more about the world. My apologies if I made you uncomfortable. And if you need a reason for why I treat you differently, it is because you and Mary are the only ones who have shown me kindness since the beginning."


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    "Me? Kindness?"


    "In my eyes, you are an angel¡ªa human worthy of commanding a divine beast of darkness, marked by a contract that makes you an extension of divinity."


    Uh¡­


    Why do I even ask?


    "Alright, I want to tell Vincent something. Do you think it¡¯d be fine if I told him about the channelling? Or should I just let him see it ¡®by accident¡¯?"


    "My lady, I think you should stop overcomplicating things."


    "Overcomplicating?"


    I frown. If the guard is paying attention, all he¡¯ll see is two friends sitting on a bench, enjoying each other¡¯s company before dinner.


    "My lady, if Vincent truly wanted to know, he could pull the right strings to find out."


    Okay. He¡¯s absolutely right about that. I don¡¯t say anything else. We sit in silence for the remaining minutes before dinner¡ªthis time, for real.


    I decide to listen to Ronan and, at least for now, stop worrying about my friends. If Vincent ends up asking and learning about my powers, it¡¯ll make dungeon crawling with him easier. And if he doesn¡¯t, well, maybe I¡¯ll have to reveal it when the time comes.


    There¡¯s no point in overthinking it.


    "By the way, Ronan," I whisper in my mind just before we have to get up and head back inside. "The seed¡ªthe divine beast¡ªwarned me that there¡¯s an even greater danger than other divine beasts hunting it down."


    Oh, right. I hadn¡¯t told him that part either¡ªthe one with the divine beasts.


    "I know the divine beast has to stay hidden. As for this other danger, my friend mentioned something¡ªjust vague notions. I do not know what we are up against. I only know that it is my duty and my pleasure to assist you."


    "Come on, let¡¯s go eat," I say out loud.


    "All I know is that at level 20, the other divine beasts will be able to locate the seed," I think as we stand up.


    "My lady," he replies in my mind, "we must strengthen your empire."


    For a moment, I stop dead in my tracks, even though I had already started walking. To the guard, I make it look like I simply lost my footing.


    "I''m not building an empire."


    "What do you call the goblins and the bears, then?"


    I was about to reply¡ªmentally¡ªthat I¡¯m just helping them. But then, I realize I might be lying to myself. It¡¯s not just helping. They are my vassals, my responsibility. I want them to live peacefully in the forest without harming humans. But let¡¯s be honest, they are the foundation of, if not an empire, at least a kingdom.


    Should I marry the crown prince and try to integrate them so they aren¡¯t attacked?


    I bring my hand to my head.


    "Are you alright, my lady?" Ronan asks aloud.


    "Yes, I might¡¯ve overdone it with training. I¡¯m just a little tired. Nothing a good dinner won¡¯t fix," I force a smile at him.


    We keep walking. I think this approach of taking problems one at a time, putting out fires as they come, might not be working for me. I¡¯ll have to rely more on Ronan¡¯s advice. But after what happened with Damien, I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s the best idea.


    When we step into the dining hall, I have no appetite, my stomach twisted in knots from all this uncertainty about the future.


    <hr>


    The rest of the day passes uneventfully. I keep looking for an opportunity to confront Sol alone, but every time I run into her, she¡¯s flanked by her two shadows¡ªBianca¡¯s former friends.


    The next morning, Berta comes to see me in my room early.


    Let¡¯s be clear: I dress myself. As a woman from Earth, I refuse to have a maid¡¯s help, especially for putting on a school uniform that isn¡¯t complicated at all. For the ball, if I have to wear one of those corsets with laces in the back, I¡¯ll let her help¡ªsame with my hair. But for my day-to-day, Berta has little work to do when it comes to me. Keeping the room tidy along with Judith¡¯s maid, and that¡¯s about it. I think they occasionally get assigned tasks from the academy, but I¡¯m not too sure. In the otome, if you played as Lily, your maid would organize tea parties for you. That¡¯s not my case¡ªmy room isn¡¯t private, and even if I wanted to host one, I wouldn¡¯t have anywhere to do it.


    What brings Berta to my room this morning is to deliver two letters. One from my fianc¨¦ and the other bearing the royal seal. I thank her and tell her she may go. She looks a bit disappointed, as if she¡¯s curious about what the royal family could want from me.


    Judith, quiet as always, keeps to herself and doesn¡¯t ask anything.


    Alright, I sit on my bed and open them. First, Marco¡¯s letter. Looks like I have a date for the ball. Of course, I¡¯m not going to say no¡ªhe is my fianc¨¦, after all. I need to talk to my parents. I don¡¯t want them to marry me off as soon as I graduate in less than three years. With my status as an exceptional student, I think I can convince them that we can aim for something better. I¡¯ll tell them to leave it to me, that I have several interested suitors, and that way, they might relax and stop pressuring me.


    The ball, when I see them then, will be the perfect opportunity.


    As for the bracelet, I put it on. It would be rude not to. I have to admit, it¡¯s pretty. I don¡¯t love the heart detail, but the bracelet itself has a simple, elegant design.


    Holding the second letter, I hesitate for a moment before opening it¡ªlong enough for Judith to finish getting ready, bid me farewell, and leave the room.


    Alright, the royal family¡­ It could technically be from Vincent, but I doubt he¡¯d send me something so official. For a brief moment, I recall the royal representative and feel a chill. This isn¡¯t about that ridiculous idea of marrying the crown prince, is it?


    I break the wax seal and open the letter.


    It is from the king and queen.


    To the noble and esteemed daughter of House L¡¯Crom, Bianca L¡¯Crom:


    By the mandate of His Majesty King Thalador and Her Majesty Queen Eleanor, you are summoned to appear at the Royal Palace on the 12th day of the month of Alondra of the current year.


    The Crown requests your distinguished presence to discuss matters of great importance concerning both your house and the kingdom. We trust in your prudence and diligence to attend this summons with the urgency it deserves.


    You are encouraged to travel accompanied by those you deem necessary for your safety and comfort. The palace teleportation gates will be open for you.


    May the light of wisdom guide your path and fortune favor you.


    By the grace of the Crown,


    His Majesty King Thalador.


    Her Majesty Queen Eleanor.


    Oh, shit. This doesn¡¯t smell good at all. It has to be about my sword. I quickly call for Berta.


    Today¡¯s the day they summoned me. They didn¡¯t specify a time, but since it¡¯s Their Majesties, I¡¯ll have to go as soon as possible. However, I¡¯m not going to wear my school uniform. I need to wear something more fitting for a count¡¯s daughter.


    Alright, now I do need Berta¡¯s help¡ªboth to choose a dress and to get dressed and styled properly.


    "I have to go to the palace. The monarchs summoned me. I don¡¯t know why. I won¡¯t be going to class." I think, directing my thoughts to Ronan.


    At least he should know, even if I don¡¯t have time to let the others know. Well, my professors will find out regardless, since I need to use the academy¡¯s portal. Showing the letter should be enough to get me through without trouble¡ªassuming the headmaster doesn¡¯t already know.


    And about traveling with company¡­ Since I¡¯ll be using portals, I don¡¯t need an escort for the journey. I¡¯ll just bring my maid. That part of the letter is probably more for nobles who want to parade around with their entourage for status.


    My gosh... I can¡¯t deny it¡ªI¡¯m nervous.


    It¡¯s not every day that an ordinary girl from Earth gets summoned for an audience with the king and the queen.

 The Royal Audience. Part 1.

    For the occasion, Berta pulls one of my finest dresses from the wardrobe. It¡¯s orange¡ªa shade she says suits my skin and brown hair. The truth is, even after months in this world, I still haven¡¯t gotten used to seeing myself dressed like this. I have to admit, I take a few extra seconds in front of the mirror, staring at the final result.


    "You look very beautiful and elegant, my lady. Do not worry, you will not bring shame to your house," Berta assures me, misinterpreting my hesitation.


    "Let¡¯s go," I tell her. "I doubt Their Majesties enjoy waiting."


    I head to the academy¡¯s portal room. When I arrive, the portal guardian informs me that he¡¯s already been notified of my visit.


    "You must first travel to the capital and, from there, take the portal to the palace. They have been informed to let you through. Also, don¡¯t worry about the lessons you¡¯ll miss today¡ªyou will be provided with a summary to study on your own."


    Wonderful, I think. That means no sleep for me. Because this weekend, I am going shopping with Mary and visiting the goblin settlement¡ªno matter what.


    I thank him and just as I''m about to step onto the portal¡ªa spacious white marble platform with stones arranged in a perfect enneagon¡ªVincent enters the room.


    "Bianca? Is that you?" he asks, as if unsure.


    His breathing is a little heavy, like he either walked fast or ran here.


    "Hey, Vincent," I reply, confused.


    What is he doing here?


    "You didn¡¯t come to breakfast, and I thought I saw you walking away down the hall. I tried to catch up to you."


    "Well, I¡¯m in a bit of a hurry. Did you need something?"


    All the while, the portal guardian watches us in silence. You can really tell that Vincent is the prince. If it were any other student, I bet he¡¯d have politely ushered them out by now.


    "I was worried. What are you doing here? And with your maid? Did something happen in your family''s county?"


    "No, no, everything¡¯s fine. Actually, your parents summoned me. I¡¯m going to see them."


    "My parents?"


    Did he just pale a little?


    Maybe he thinks they want to marry me off to his brother¡ªthough I don¡¯t see why that would concern him.


    "Yes. Sorry, I shouldn¡¯t keep them waiting."


    "I¡¯m coming with you."


    Well¡­ the invitation said I could bring whoever I deemed necessary, but if they want to talk about my powers or try to marry me off to his brother, sorry, but no. I¡¯m not taking Vincent.


    "I''m sorry, you can see your parents whenever you like, but this invitation is for me. I''ll see you when I return."


    I smile at him and step into the portal. Berta, who had been curiously watching the prince, follows me. My bodyguard comes in right behind.


    Vincent doesn¡¯t look entirely convinced, but he doesn¡¯t make a move to follow us. Ah, such a gentleman.


    The portal keeper activates it, and the three of us vanish.


    That¡¯s when I realize¡­ maybe I should have brought him along. If the king or queen want to talk to me about my powers and their son is present, they¡¯d have to choose between keeping quiet or bringing him into the loop. It would have been an easy and clean way to stop hiding things from him.


    A perfectly simple way to bypass that confidentiality contract.


    Ah, sorry, Vincent, I think. Next time there¡¯s a meeting with your family¡ªif there ever is¡ªI¡¯ll take you with me.


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    The journey itself is simple. We arrive at the travel station, a building in the capital with a large hall where portals to major destinations are concentrated. From there, we take the one leading to the palace. It is the portal typically used by the royal family and also deposits us inside a room.


    As such, I won¡¯t be able to see the palace from the outside, though if it follows the otome¡¯s design, it¡¯s a vast building with multiple wings that, rather than rising toward the sky, sprawls across a massive expanse of fountains and gardens.


    The moment we teleport into the room, a butler who seems to have been expecting us gestures for us to follow.


    Through several hallways adorned with oil paintings and tapestries, he leads us to what looks like a comfortable waiting room. I sit on a couch while Berta stands behind me. My bodyguard remains near the door. Then, the butler informs me that he will go announce my arrival to the king and queen.


    A maid comes by and offers me something to drink. Since I haven¡¯t had breakfast (which, in hindsight, I probably should have, but Berta told me that under these circumstances, it¡¯s customary to go immediately), I gratefully accept. She brings me tea, pastries, and some fruit.


    I have plenty of time to eat and get bored waiting before the butler returns and tells me that Their Majesties will see me now.


    He leads us to another room, guarded by two soldiers, and announces me before letting me in.


    I step forward, followed by my maid, while my bodyguard remains outside in the hallway.


    I walk a few steps into the room, approaching the king and queen, and give them a curtsy.


    And how do I even know how to curtsy?


    I¡¯m not entirely sure I do know how, but while getting dressed, I asked Berta to give me a quick rundown of what was expected of me in an audience with the king and queen. She gave me a slightly puzzled look, but I told her I was so nervous that my mind was going completely blank. We even practiced the curtsy a little.


    So, I delicately grasp the skirt of my dress with two fingers, place one foot behind the other, bend my knees slightly, and lower my head.


    Well, let¡¯s just say I wasn¡¯t bad at dancing back on Earth, and I picked up new steps pretty quickly. Hopefully, I managed a decent curtsy.


    "Come closer, Bianca," the queen says.


    I take a few more steps across the luxurious carpet covering the floor.


    This isn¡¯t the throne room, but rather a space similar to the waiting room where I was just sitting¡ªonly larger, with more furniture and ornate vases. The monarchs are seated in the central area, where there¡¯s a low wooden table, delicately carved, with details that almost look hand-painted. They¡¯re sitting on a floral-upholstered sofa, and a few chairs are arranged in front of them. They don''t wear crowns, but their clothes seem to have been designed to, following the trends of the current fashion, show that their house holds the highest status in the kingdom. Both are blonde with light-colored eyes. The queen''s features have a lot in common with her son''s, while the king''s, on the other hand, are more austere, as if they had been carved from granite.


    I approach one of the chairs, hesitating slightly, and the queen smiles at me.


    "Please, have a seat. Don¡¯t worry, Bianca, this is an informal meeting. In truth, we¡¯ve heard a lot about you¡ªthe brilliant student with all four basic affinities, who has also developed a new one never seen before. Not even in legends. And of course, our dear children, Vincent and Lily, are your friends, and you¡¯ve helped them on multiple occasions in dungeons. As parents, we wanted to meet you and personally thank you."


    "Your Majesties, that¡¯s not necessary. I take no credit for the affinities I was given, and it is your young who welcomed me into their group and helped me," I reply.


    My cheeks burn a little. I¡¯m not used to this much praise¡ªespecially not from someone so important.


    As for Berta, she remains standing near the entrance, keeping to the background as discreetly as possible.


    "The Royal Academy was founded centuries ago, back when wars still ravaged the world. When they finally ended, it was transformed into what it is today: an institution that educates our most promising young people and trains them to participate in the games. But when I think back to my own time as a student, what I cherish most are the friendships I made there," the queen says with a gentle smile, her gaze drifting slightly as if lost in thought. "They are the ones who later helped me support my husband in ruling this kingdom. Even our eldest son, the crown prince, met his future wife there. Faith Vassilea."


    Since I have no idea what to say to that, I simply nod.


    Please, please don¡¯t try to break off that engagement.


    The king, for his part, remains calm, listening to his wife speak and letting her take the lead in the conversation.


    "You see," the queen continues, "some believe that a talent like yours¡ªespecially with that sword¡ªshould come with great responsibilities. I know what it¡¯s like to be young and want to marry for love." She glances at her husband, her lips curving into a warm smile. "In fact, I had to fight quite a bit for it myself. That¡¯s why I wouldn¡¯t want to impose a marriage on either you or my son, Sigfrig."


    "Thank you, Your Majesty. I¡¯m far too young to marry, and I certainly wouldn¡¯t want to be the reason Faith and Sigfrig¡¯s engagement is broken. They make a wonderful couple," I reply, relief washing over me.


    Good thing.


    "There are other ways," the king interjects.


    His voice is firm, his tone noticeably stronger than his wife¡¯s.


    "Is this about the sword?" I ask. "Honestly, if it weren¡¯t bound to me, I¡¯d give it to you."


    "No, if it were just about the sword, we could grant you an honorary title where you wouldn¡¯t have to do anything. My wife and I would swear loyalty to you, and that way, the entire kingdom would benefit from the bonus. But no, this is more about your potential. The four basic elements, a new one never seen before, and light as well. Without a doubt, Miss L¡¯Crom, you are currently one of the most valuable assets in this kingdom."

 The Royal Audience. Part 2.

    "Dear, you¡¯re going to worry her," the queen says, placing a hand over her husband¡¯s. "We don¡¯t want to burden you, Bianca, but the truth is, we place great hopes in you and your house. And I want you to know that Vincent is not engaged, and we would look very favorably on anything that might develop between you two. As a mother, I don¡¯t want to impose my will on a son who is not the heir. I¡¯d rather let him choose. As a queen, however, I can¡¯t deny that a marriage between the two of you would be both beneficial and appropriate."


    She¡¯s the one doing most of the talking. Is it because she was the eldest daughter of the previous king, whose only son died before reaching adulthood? Maybe that¡¯s why, even though she speaks of supporting her husband in ruling, she plays such a significant role in decision-making. Or perhaps they¡¯ve already discussed all this beforehand and decided that, since she¡¯s a woman like me, I¡¯d be more receptive if she were the one to speak?


    That last possibility makes the most sense.


    "Your Majesties," I say, "I am deeply honored that you think of me in such terms. Your son, Prince Vincent, is an excellent match, not just as a prince but as a person. Any young woman would be pleased with such an engagement. However, as you can see, I am already betrothed." I move my right hand so that the bracelet peeks out from the sleeve of my dress. The heart-shaped charm gleams in the sunlight streaming through the windows. "My engagement was arranged in my childhood."


    The queen looks at me for a few seconds, as if trying to read my mind or my heart, and then she smiles.


    It¡¯s a radiant smile. With her golden eyes and blonde hair¡ªjust like her son¡¯s¡ªfor a moment, she looks like the vision of a benevolent goddess.


    "Don¡¯t worry about that, Bianca. There is nothing easier for me than annulling an engagement. All I need to do is compensate Baron Lacor and offer your parents something more beneficial in return. I wouldn¡¯t want to make you unhappy, nor my son, but if you feel nothing for your current fianc¨¦, I would be more than happy to help you."


    Yeah¡­ break off my engagement with Marco in exchange for marrying Vincent.


    No, thank you.


    I mean, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t like Vincent¡­ (Shit, I can feel my cheeks burning just thinking about it, and she¡¯s watching me). It¡¯s just that I don¡¯t even want to think about marriage¡ªnot yet, at least. And I¡¯m certainly not in love with anyone, neither the prince nor Marco.


    For a brief moment, an image of Ronan flashes in my mind¡ªkneeling before me, making me think he had feelings for me.


    Ug, no!


    Especially not Ronan.


    The queen gently squeezes the king¡¯s hand, which she hasn¡¯t let go of, and smiles at me.


    ¡°I see. Don¡¯t worry, Bianca. We would only intervene to dissolve your current engagement if you and our son ever decided to marry in the future. I¡¯m glad you came. As a mother, I truly believe you two would make a wonderful couple and could accomplish great things together.¡±


    Accomplish great things? I think. Like what? Winning the games? Reaching level 20 by running dungeons?


    Because, with the gods forbidding it, military conquests are definitely out of the question.


    Honestly, maybe it¡¯s for the best that I didn¡¯t bring Vincent along. I¡¯d probably die of embarrassment if his mother said all this in front of him.


    ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty, that¡¯s very kind of you.¡±


    ¡°Just think about it, Bianca. My son is a good boy. I¡¯m sure that even someone as pure as you, with an affinity for light, would feel at ease sharing your life and path with him.¡±


    I¡¯d really like to know more about how this queen managed to marry the one she wanted. She seems to truly respect her children¡¯s happiness.


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    ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯d like to ask your permission for something,¡± I say, hesitating.


    Because I do want her permission¡ªbut I don¡¯t want her to think I¡¯m asking because of a possible future marriage.


    ¡°Go on,¡± the queen replies in a soft voice.


    ¡°May I tell your son about my magical affinities? I don¡¯t like lying to him.¡±


    She looks at me with those golden eyes, as if she can see straight into my soul. I don¡¯t know what she thinks she sees, but she nods to herself, satisfied.


    ¡°Let him know that he mustn¡¯t tell anyone, please. Not even his childhood friends.¡±


    ¡°Thank you very much,¡± I say sincerely.


    Curiously, she hasn¡¯t asked the king for permission or even his opinion. Had they already discussed allowing me to tell Vincent?


    In any case, I stay with them for a few more minutes, keeping the conversation polite as we talk about my parents, the Counts L¡¯Crom, and my siblings. Then, they dismiss me, and I head back to the academy.


    There, I say goodbye to Berta. Or at least, I try to.


    "Milady, aren¡¯t you happy? A marriage with one of the princes is far more than your parents ever expected for you," she says, excited.


    As if they had proposed to her instead¡­ Besides, what about Marco? Berta has been my maid for years; she must know Marco. Does she not like him?


    "Don¡¯t get ahead of yourself, Berta. I¡¯m sure the prince has other candidates in mind."


    Let¡¯s see¡­ In the otome game, there were three, because if you chose his sister, Lily, as the protagonist, Vincent¡¯s route would be locked. Good thing.


    "Other candidates? Milady, from what I¡¯ve seen when you¡¯re together, I¡¯d say he only has eyes for you."


    "When do you even see us together?" I ask, surprised, since I barely ever see Berta.


    "Sometimes, when passing through the hallways."


    Really? Because I don¡¯t recall that at all.


    Is she spying on me?


    I shake my head to get rid of thoughts that aren¡¯t helpful right now, dismiss her, and step into my room. The bodyguard stays at the door, and Berta gives me a strange little smile before leaving.


    Well, anyway I have to head to class, but first, I need a few moments alone. I lean against the wall and stay there, processing what just happened.


    I¡¯ve been given free rein to break off my engagement with Marco if I let myself be chosen by Vincent.


    Vincent¡­ the prince whom, in the otome game, both Mary and Judith could romance, as well as Katrina, the student with a high affinity for fire.


    Can I really trust that he could fall in love with me?


    Although, as things stand right now, out of those three, he only interacts with Mary. But at least in the ball, Theodore got ahead of him.


    And in a way, Berta is right. Sometimes he looks at me in a way that isn¡¯t just curiosity¡ªmore like he¡¯s trying to reach the depths of my soul¡­ I shiver. Maybe he¡¯s like his mother, someone who wants to truly understand others. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s anything more than that. I haven¡¯t seen any longing in his gaze, nothing that suggest I¡¯m a romantic route for him.


    But Bianca, I think to myself, this is a real world now. It¡¯s no longer an otome game. Do you really believe Vincent, Alistair, and Theodore don¡¯t have enough personality to choose who they fall in love with?


    The thought of Alistair and "personality" in the same sentence makes me smile. But yes, this is a real world. Its people feel real¡ªthey aren¡¯t just characters in a video game.


    And yet, I¡¯m still myself. The same Elisa I was on Earth. And if, in my twenties, I already felt too young for a serious relationship, then now, with this eighteen-year-old body, even more so. I really don¡¯t want to be engaged to anyone.


    I sigh.


    If I hint at any of this to the Counts L¡¯Crom, of course, they¡¯ll annul my engagement with Marco¡ªbut not to leave my options open and trust that I¡¯ll choose someone better, as I had planned to tell them. No, they¡¯ll push for me to marry the prince instead.


    No¡­ I won¡¯t tell them a word about this.


    I¡¯m going to see Marco at the ball. Maybe I can get him to break up with me instead. After all, in the game, Bianca wasn¡¯t in a relationship.


    Which reminds me of the strange circumstances under which I saw him after leaving the dungeon¡­


    Was he about to break up with me, and somehow, without meaning to, I made him reconsider?


    I let myself slide down the wall until I¡¯m sitting on the floor.


    This is insane.


    I stay like that for a couple of minutes before pulling myself up to head to class. That¡¯s when I realize I can¡¯t undo the corset laces by myself.


    Is that why Berta gave me that little smirk when I dismissed her?


    I step out to find her¡ªor rather, I just open the door. The damn maid is standing right there next to the guard, wearing a condescending smile.


    ¡°Come in, Berta,¡± I say.


    The maid enters with a triumphant nod, as if telling me, ¡°I knew it¡± or ¡°told you so¡±.


    And while she helps me, there¡¯s no escaping her chatter about how excited the Counts will be when they find out.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare say a word,¡± I warn her.


    ¡°But Lady Bianca,¡± she replies, feigning innocence, ¡°do you really not know that one of my duties as your maid is to inform your parents of all your progress? And, of course, the most important progress for a young lady of marriageable age is the kind that, through marriage, can elevate her house.¡±


    I think this confirms that my maid is some kind of spy who reports everything to my parents.


    To this, all I can say is: damn it.


    Because suddenly, the ball¡ªwhich I already wasn¡¯t looking forward to¡ªhas turned into a nightmare I really don¡¯t want to arrive in.

 Ronan does know. Let鈥檚 level up the Seed of Darkness! Part 1.

    The rest of the week is all about studying, practice, and more studying. We also have theoretical exams since next week marks the beginning of the missions. I don¡¯t really know what those are, other than the fact that they remind me of an adventurers'' guild system. My classmates mention them a bit during meals. They¡¯re all excited about them, and apparently, it¡¯s tradition to end the first trimester this way. I don¡¯t pay too much attention, though¡ªI¡¯d rather wait for an explanation in class.


    On Friday, another rumor spreads through the academy: Kai has been released. Someone paid his fine, and it wasn¡¯t his family.


    If I see him at the ball on Sol¡¯s arm, I¡¯ll take that as confirmation of who it was.


    In any case, during my free moments these past few days, I¡¯ve been practicing two spells: splash and breath control. At night, before bed, I meditate. Then, I burn through my mana. Breath control, being the more discreet of the two, is the one I practice the most. My efforts pay off on Thursday night:


    Congratulations! Your Minor Breath Control spell has leveled up. It is now Low Breath Control. The duration of the spell has increased to 5 minutes.


    I¡¯m one step closer to improving my earth magic.


    And thanks to all that studying, it¡¯s not the only thing I¡¯ve achieved:


    Congratulations! Your Minor Scholar mastery has leveled up. It is now Low Scholar mastery.


    Low Scholar. Passive. +2 Wisdom, +20% memorization speed.


    Congratulations! You have reached 10 points in Wisdom. Your mana and health will now regenerate every 20 hours, as long as you sleep at least 6 hours and eat properly.


    Bianca L''Crom


    Race: Human


    Age: 18


    Level: 8


    Constitution: 7


    Strength: 5


    Intelligence: 7


    Agility: 7


    Wisdom: 10


    Health Points: 7


    Mana Points: 10


    Magic Affinities:


    Elemental: Earth, medium level. Water, medium level. Fire, medium level. Air, medium level. Spirit, high level.


    Non-elemental: Light, medium level.


    Skills:


    Minor runner: Passive. +1 Agi. Run 10% faster.


    Low sword mastery: Passive. +2 Stre. Wielding a sword feels natural.


    Low scholar: Passive. +2 Wis, +20% memorization speed.


    Spells: Intermediate earth control. Low earth wall. Minor stone bullets. Low fire arrow. Low breath control. Minor splash. Minor healing. Minor light orb. Minor channeling with water and air. Low channeling with fire. Intermediate Channeling with earth. Minor flash. Minor meditation.


    <hr>


    When Friday afternoon arrives, after my training, I pick up the stones from my room''s floor, grab a backpack I had prepared beforehand, and head to where I agreed to meet Ronan¡ªright at the door of the supply room Catrina lets us use.


    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    "Hey, do you have everything?" I greet him.


    A bit blunt and straight to the point, but we know each other well enough for that.


    "Good afternoon, my lady." He places his right hand on one of the two bags strapped to his back¡ªthe bulkier one¡ªand gives it a couple of taps. "Everything."


    "Great, let¡¯s go."


    I imagine that bag contains the items from the list (nails, a hammer, pickaxes, chisels...), while the other holds his personal belongings. In the end, after whispering through mental messages, we decided the most practical thing would be to spend the night there.


    That reminds me...


    "Hey, listen," I say to the guard assigned as my escort, who has stopped a few steps behind me. "We¡¯re going to train in the forest, hunt boars and all that. Catrina should have informed you. We¡¯ll be back in the morning."


    That way, he won¡¯t worry when I take too long to return. At least I¡¯m relieved that he won¡¯t follow me there.


    "Understood, thanks for letting me know," he replies.


    Ronan and I step into the small room, most of which is filled with our teacher¡¯s class materials, and I lock the door from the inside. Then, I place the stones at the vertices of the heptagon, directly around Ronan and me since space is quite limited.


    "Teleport to active location," I pronounce.


    Immediately, Ronan and I appear in the village square. The sun hasn¡¯t set yet, thanks to the fact that we didn¡¯t waste time having dinner. Instead, we had agreed to bring some bread and fruit with us to eat along the way.


    As we arrive at the teleportation point in the square, a few villagers glance our way and greet us. We head toward the palisade gate, exchange greetings with the guards, and step into the forest.


    Once there, we don¡¯t waste any time¡ªstraight to the goblin village.


    ¡°My lady, if you permit me, we could ride a bear and get there faster,¡± Ronan suggests after we¡¯ve been walking at a good pace for a while¡ªme leading, him following closely behind. By now, we¡¯re far from the palisade and its guards.


    I stop dead in my tracks. Somehow, despite his low agility, he manages to avoid crashing into me.


    ¡°On a zombie?¡±


    His skeletons don¡¯t smell bad¡ªthey¡¯re just bones. But a zombie¡­ Remembering the ones from the insanity difficulty dungeon, I feel a wave of disgust at the thought. Those things reeked. I have to remind myself that I¡¯ve already ridden one of Ronan¡¯s small bears before, and since it was freshly reanimated, it wasn¡¯t rotten.


    And the one he summoned in the desert dungeon didn¡¯t seem to have much of a smell either¡ªor at least, not strong enough to notice in the middle of battle.


    ¡°Does the idea displease you?¡± he asks, looking puzzled.


    ¡°The smell,¡± I reply. ¡°Some zombies stink horribly.¡±


    ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s what concerns you? If I raise a corpse that¡¯s already decomposing, the zombie will smell just like that corpse. But my bears were fresh. And now, I don¡¯t animate them¡ªI summon them. I can only summon creatures I¡¯ve previously animated. Don¡¯t worry, my summons don¡¯t smell bad. They¡¯re zombies that have been restored. They¡¯re stronger than they were in life. Their flesh is dead, but it doesn¡¯t rot.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    It¡¯s a relief to hear that. Look, I¡¯d never make it as a necromancer, but at least the summons don¡¯t stink. Because riding a zombie bear, if it had bits of flesh hanging off¡­ ugh, horrifying! And I don¡¯t even want to imagine if your zombie pet asked you for a hug¡­


    ¡°By the way,¡± I suddenly realize, ¡°if you¡¯ve previously animated a bear, can you summon a whole army of bears?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t work like that. If I want to summon an army of bears, I have to animate each of those bears beforehand. One by one. And, of course, I need enough mana.¡±


    Well, thank goodness! Necromancy is already overpowered enough without the only limit being the caster¡¯s mana. So, if he wants an undead army, he¡¯ll have to work for it.


    Oh, now I¡¯m picturing him spending his free time hanging out in graveyards making new friends¡­


    No, Bianca, stop. He wouldn¡¯t do that.


    ¡°Ronan, how many human skeletons can you summon? Besides Tom, Bob, and Joe.¡±


    He shrugs.


    ¡°A few, my lady, but those three are special. They¡¯re some of my best friends.¡±


    Why do I even ask¡­?


    ¡°All right then, summon your bear.¡±


    ¡°I have enough mana for two, my lady. There¡¯s no need for us to ride the same one.¡±


    I remember how close we had to sit the last time and immediately feel my cheeks warm. I just hope he doesn¡¯t think I want to repeat that.


    ¡°Right, much better. Thanks.¡±


    He summons two of the small bears we fought alongside last week. Yeah, only a week ago, even though it feels like months.


    Oh well. I climb onto one easily thanks to my agility and grab onto its fur. It¡¯s coarse¡ªvery coarse and rough. But at least I don¡¯t rip any of it out.


    ¡°He will carry you carefully, my lady. Just say the word,¡± Ronan says as he climbs onto his own bear, which lowers itself to help him mount.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡±


    Immediately, both bears begin galloping through the forest. I think they could go faster, but Ronan must have ordered this pace so we¡¯d be relatively comfortable. What would normally take hours is significantly shortened thanks to our mounts.


    I let out a small laugh, wondering what Darius would say if he saw me now.


    In any case, I find myself enjoying the ride. As we approach the goblin settlement, one of the female bears spots us and greets us with a respectful growl.


    We continue forward and reach the cave entrance, where two goblin guards are stationed. They greet us as we pass. Ronan stops the bears, we dismount, and enter the massive cavern that is now home to the goblins. Truth be told, they look healthier¡ªlike they¡¯re eating better or maybe even benefiting from the +1 to health from my sword.


    And curiously enough, once inside, all I see are pregnant females. Which is odd, because just a week ago, those bellies weren¡¯t there.


    Gump approaches and greets us.


    ¡°Leader and strategist of the leader, welcome.¡±


    ¡°Hello, Gump, how has your week been?¡±

 Ronan does know. Let鈥檚 level up the Seed of Darkness! Part 2.

    I told the totem not to call me ¡°my lady.¡± It¡¯s an Earth thing¡ªit makes me feel old. ¡°Leader¡± is fine, so I don¡¯t correct the goblin. Besides, if I¡¯m above their former leader in the chain of command and I make them call me Bianca¡­ ugh, I don¡¯t think it¡¯d be wise to throw their entire hierarchy and customs into the trash.


    And as for the question I just asked, well, looking around, I can see that this cave¡ªwhere the super dad bear used to live¡ªis now being used as a communal social space for everyone. They¡¯ve added some wooden structures, like tables and cabinets, and both goblins and bears mingle without any hesitation.


    ¡°Well,¡± Gump replies, ¡°we¡¯ve divided up the smaller caves and enlarged the entrance of one so the bears could pass through.¡±


    ¡°You assigned bedrooms?¡±


    Not exactly goblin-style huts, but they¡¯ll do.


    ¡°Yes, Leader.¡±


    ¡°Well, we¡¯ve brought you what you asked for.¡± ¡ªI gesture to Ronan, and he hands over the bag.¡ª ¡°Is the totem around?¡±


    ¡°The totem has its own cave. But it¡¯s coming now, leader. Please, follow me.¡±


    He shouts to a few idle goblins not too far away, and they rush to grab the bag of materials and tools, which he just set down on the ground. We follow him to one end of the cave, where they¡¯ve put together some sort of throne, and Gump gestures for me to sit.


    For a moment, I¡¯m at a loss for words. Okay, I¡¯m their leader, but I wasn¡¯t expecting them to have built me a throne made of animal bones, wooden logs, ropes, and furs draped over it. I truly understand the honor, but picturing myself sitting there like a queen while the totem kneels before me¡­ yeah, no thanks.


    ¡°That¡¯s not necessary,¡± I tell Gump, motioning at the throne.


    ¡°You don¡¯t like it?¡±


    Meanwhile, the pup has jumped out of my backpack pocket, grown to its current maximum size, and sat at the foot of the throne¡ªlooking like he approves.


    Ronan, for his part, is watching me as if he doesn¡¯t see the problem.


    And Gump, the same goblin I once wanted to finish off for XP, is looking at me with those big, pleading eyes he knows how to use so well.


    ¡°No, no, I do like it. It¡¯s just¡­ it wasn¡¯t necessary¡­¡±


    ¡°Our leader must have a worthy seat. Greetings, great Leader Bianca.¡±


    I hear the voice of the old totem behind me.


    I turn around and see him bowing. Well, at least he¡¯s not kneeling.


    Wait, well?, I scold myself mentally.


    What am I even thinking?


    I don¡¯t even know where to put myself anymore¡­ On the throne¡­ I put¡ª I mean, sit¡ª on the throne.


    Well, there it is. Now all I¡¯m missing is a goblin queen¡¯s crown. It¡¯s like I¡¯m being pushed toward becoming that dark lady from the contract. Which, of course, is not the case. If I¡¯m so uncomfortable, it¡¯s because I wasn¡¯t expecting a throne. Because, somehow, I imagined the totem leading the goblins while I just helped them out a little¡ªlike some kind of good Samaritan.


    I hear a strange noise at my feet. It¡¯s the pup. ¡­Did it just laugh? Can a wolf even laugh?


    ¡°Well, Totem, give me the updates,¡± I ask.


    ¡°There are no enemies in the area, hunting in the forest is plentiful, and with the help of the bears, it¡¯s even easier to obtain. We¡¯ve converted the smaller caves into sleeping quarters and the larger ones for the bears. The smokehouse is fully operational. With the materials and tools you¡¯ve brought us, we¡¯ll be able to build a small forge to process metal and craft better tools and weapons. Now that there are no immediate dangers, we¡¯re increasing our numbers¡ªthough the bear population will take much longer to grow than the goblin population. We deeply appreciate the vitality and damage bonus,¡± he adds, his face twisting into a feral grin.


    Is he telling me that those females with those bellies haven¡¯t been pregnant for months?


    For a moment, I blush. I didn¡¯t think they¡¯d use their newfound health for that.


    ¡°How long does a goblin female take to carry a baby to term?¡±


    ¡°Three weeks.¡±


    Oh my gosh. If I don¡¯t do something, we¡¯re going to have a goblin infestation, and it¡¯ll be my fault for giving them a home that seems too safe.


    I look at the totem seriously.


    ¡°You can¡¯t expand beyond the space this cave and the nearby lands provide. I don¡¯t want you drawing the attention of the human town. If they discover you, they¡¯ll want to wipe you out¡ªjust like what happened in the neighboring kingdom you fled from.¡±


    ¡°Understood, Bianca. For now, we¡¯ll limit our numbers.¡±


    He doesn¡¯t sound too happy about it, but honestly, that''s a relief.


    At least the bears won¡¯t be a problem¡ªso many of them died, and if I remember correctly from Earth, a bear¡¯s pregnancy is long, and they probably only have one cub at a time.


    Unlike goblins, who¡ªjudging by those enormous pregnancy bellies which are only about a third of what a human pregnancy would be¡ªwhat are they having? Quintuplets?


    I shake my head, and the totem gives me a puzzled look.


    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll leave you in Ronan¡¯s care. He¡¯ll help you keep things organized.¡±


    I stand up from the throne, and the totem gives me another bow.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to train the pup. Should I take your bears like you said?¡± I ask my friend.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve already given them their orders.¡±


    I¡¯m thrilled to leave Ronan with the totem and head off to level up the little wolf. I should feel bad for the poor guy, leaving him there to help the goblins organize themselves. But last time, he did it without me even asking¡ªhe might actually like it.


    As I exit the cave, I glance back and see him happily chatting with the goblins.


    Alright.


    Looks like he gets along with them better than with humans.


    Come to think of it¡­ he knows their language. At first, I wasn¡¯t sure if it was a common tongue or if I understood it because of some kind of ¡°otherworldly language bonus.¡±


    Looks like it is a common language.


    Good.


    I step out of the cave, and the two zombie bears, standing beside a living female bear of the same size, nuzzle her fur as if saying goodbye before following me.


    Wait¡­ Do Ronan¡¯s summons recognize their former companions?


    That gift of his¡ªthe one he revealed in the wagon on the way back from the desert dungeon, when he showed us Joe¡¯s skull¡ªas far as I know, no other necromancer has that ability.


    I could say Ronan is terrifying. But then I think about my own potential¡­ or the shadow wolf¡­ and I calm down.


    Better that Ronan is strong and powerful, because if the wolf¡ªas insanely powerful as it is now¡ªisn¡¯t enough to protect us from whatever¡¯s coming, I¡¯m definitely going to need Ronan with every undead he can raise.


    Oh, and the goblins.


    "Maybe expanding the village isn¡¯t such a bad idea after all."


    A happy bark from the seed pulls me out of my thoughts. One of the bears calls us with a roar. I take off running after the pup. We reach a spot between the trees where the bear has a fox pinned under one of its claws, pressing it down just enough to keep it from moving¡ªbut not enough to hurt it.


    A zombie bear being gentle¡­


    The pup, excited, lunges at the fox. The bear holds it in such a way that the fox¡¯s belly is facing up, making it easier for the seed to sink its teeth in safely, without risking a bite. In less than a minute, the carnage is over, and the fox stops moving. Another roar. The other bear has caught a prey.


    We spend the next few hours like this. Most of the prey consists of deer, moose, and wild boars, though now and then there¡¯s a fox, wolf, or rabbit. A few goblins follow us, collecting the carcasses. I imagine Ronan must have sent them to make sure the meat and hides don¡¯t go to waste.


    Well¡­ about the hides¡­ let¡¯s just say the pup doesn¡¯t know how to kill cleanly yet, so there¡¯s a bit of a mess. As for me, with all the money I made from the dungeon, I¡¯m not keeping any this time. Let the goblins use them for their beds or whatever they want.


    In fact, when we return a few hours later, and night has already fallen, they try to give me several stacks of tanned hides from their hunts this week. I politely refuse. Apparently, they had only taken a few for my throne.


    Regarding me and the pup, I level up my runner mastery and he levels up twice. In fact, we haven¡¯t stopped hunting until he reached level five.


    Congratulations! Your Minor Runner mastery has leveled up. It is now Low Runner mastery Low Runner: Passive. +2 Agi, +20% running speed.


    Seed of darkness. Level 5.


    Progress toward level 6: 0%


    Constitution: 14


    Strength: 11


    Intelligence: 8


    Agility: 7


    Wisdom: 6


    Health Points: 14


    Mana Points: 6


    Skills:


    Not available


    Spells:


    Healing Lick initiated level: restores half of the future Dark Lord''s maximum HP and MP. Not applicable to itself or other targets that aren''t the future Dark Lord or the Dark Lord. Cost: 1 MP. Restriction: Can only be used a maximum of 2 times every 24 hours.


    Not available


    Not available


    Shadow Wolf. Level 30.


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


    Constitution: 44


    Strength: 41


    Intelligence: 38


    Agility: 37


    Wisdom: 36


    Health Points: 44


    Mana Points: 36


    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.


    <hr>


    The next morning, we have breakfast with the goblins before setting off back to the academy. I promise them I¡¯ll return soon.


    As for the goblin village control interface, I won¡¯t be able to access it until they have a town hall and fifty goblins with beds. Right now, they don¡¯t even have thirty, so they¡¯ll need to almost double their population. Though judging by the number of babies in those bellies¡­ the requirement might be met in just two weeks.


    Yikes. No wonder goblins are considered a plague.


    So, if I make sure they have enough beds¡ªwhich I assume the fur futons they¡¯re making count as basic beds¡ªthen the only thing missing is the town hall.


    ¡°Ronan, what structures are the goblins working on?¡± I ask him once we reach the part of the forest closest to the palisade, where we dismount from the bears.


    ¡°For now, just the forge.¡±


    ¡°I see. Once they finish it and have made tools and weapons, let me know. I¡¯ll try to figure out what¡¯s needed for the town hall.¡±


    Either by checking my system or asking the totem, since I imagine the village or city they fled from had one.


    Ronan unsummons the bears, and we head toward the guards¡¯ gate. They¡¯ve seen us approach with the bears. They were already familiar with Ronan¡¯s skeletons, but the zombies seem to have left an impression. They greet my friend with newfound respect as we enter the village.


    Normally, they¡¯d ask something like ¡°How did the hunt go?¡± or ¡°Camping in the woods?¡±


    This time, they say nothing.


    I make a mental note¡ªwalking around with Ronan and his zombies is incredibly useful when I¡¯m tired of socializing and don¡¯t feel like talking to anyone else.


    Once at the academy, I say goodbye to Ronan, head to my room followed by my guard, freshen up, and get ready to go shopping with Mary.


    This whole bodyguard thing¡­ I really should talk to Catrina again about getting rid of him. It¡¯s ridiculous. Not even Vincent has one, and they believe someone tried to kill him in two different dungeons. But when I brought it up again, she told me it was because, with that sword, people from other kingdoms might try to kill me to take it.


    And I¡¯m just saying¡­ is a sword like that in enemy hands really worth more than the prince¡¯s life?


    Poor Vincent. It must be because he¡¯s not the heir.

 No, Mary, I don鈥檛 want to snatch Vincent from you. Part 1.

    Mary was already waiting for me near the academy¡¯s exit, right where we had agreed to meet. Specifically, next to the academy¡¯s carriages, which we¡¯re allowed to use for free to go to Solstar, the nearby city. They don¡¯t run at fixed hours¡ªrather, there are usually two or three available throughout the day, outside of class hours.


    We board one, and since it¡¯s a Saturday morning, we¡¯re not the only ones planning to spend some time in the city. We end up sharing the ride with three other students, who excitedly tell us about a new pastry shop that just opened and apparently serves the most delicious sweets. I tell Mary that after choosing a dress, we absolutely have to stop by.


    And, really, I should¡¯ve kept my mouth shut, because bringing up the dress leads to talk about the ball. The three girls, all first-years like us, immediately start asking who we¡¯re going with.


    To their credit, when they find out Mary is going with Theodore, I have to say they don¡¯t seem to mind that a commoner is going on a date with a marquis¡¯s son. Instead, they sigh dreamily and tell her how lucky she is. As for me, since I¡¯m going with my fianc¨¦, the heir to a barony, they don¡¯t pay me much attention. Mary is the real center of attention. Apparently, they¡¯re still waiting for some young man to invite them.


    My head, already screaming for help from the endless chatter of the four of them (yes, Mary included), starts to ache a little less when we finally arrive. We say our goodbyes, and I can finally surround myself with the city¡¯s noises. Sure, there are people in the streets, but it¡¯s nothing compared to being crammed inside a small, enclosed carriage with four girls who wouldn¡¯t stop talking and squealing with excitement.


    Exhausting.


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem very excited about the ball,¡± Mary comments, surprised, as we make our way toward the central streets where the shops are.


    ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m not.¡±


    ¡°But what about your fianc¨¦? From what I¡¯ve heard, you¡¯ve known him since you were little. It must be so romantic to go to your first ball with him.¡±


    ¡°We haven¡¯t seen each other that much, and when we did, it was out of obligation.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see. I guess being a noble isn¡¯t as glamorous as it sounds. In my family, my parents and their siblings all married for love. I¡¯m really sorry, Bianca,¡± she says, slowing her pace until she almost stops, then placing a hand on my arm.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I think I can break off the engagement pretty easily,¡± I say with a wink.


    Now we¡¯ve completely stopped. Fortunately, the street is wide enough that other pedestrians can pass by without trouble. We don¡¯t stand out much¡ªit¡¯s pretty common for academy students to visit the city on weekends.


    Well, I¡¯m still in my uniform. Mary isn¡¯t. She¡¯s wearing a simple white-and-yellow dress that suits her well. But for me, the academy uniform¡ªwith its skirt and blazer-style jacket¡ªis the closest thing to 21st-century Earth fashion I¡¯m going to find in this world, so I don¡¯t mind wearing it even on weekends when it¡¯s not mandatory. Honestly, unless I¡¯m heading to the goblin village, the forest, or a dungeon, I don¡¯t really wear anything else.


    Oh, well, except for the other day when I went to see the king and queen¡­


    Which reminds me of Vincent.


    Which brings me back to this girl who just asked if I have a better match to introduce to my parents. She looks at me with those kind, expectant eyes, waiting for my answer.


    Yeah, sure, your Vincent, I think sarcastically. Yeah, no way I¡¯m telling her that.


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Even if it¡¯s true.


    No, no, I don¡¯t want to marry him. But if I had to get married, it wouldn¡¯t be such a bad option¡­


    I feel my cheeks burning, and Mary gives me a knowing smile.


    ¡°Oh, you like someone. You have to tell me.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ I don¡¯t know if I like him. People are just trying to set me up with him.¡±


    ¡°Who? His parents? Oh.¡±


    That¡¯s the moment Mary¡¯s expression changes.


    Oh, please, don¡¯t let this be the moment where I, as her supposed friend, break her heart.


    ¡°Is that why they summoned you to the palace the other day?¡± she asks, her voice subdued.


    ¡°No, Mary, no. I don¡¯t want to steal Vincent from you,¡± I say, with a bit more force and volume than I intended.


    Some kids playing in a nearby plaza turn to look at us. A couple of passersby do, too.


    Crap.


    "Look, you¡¯re testing the waters with them¡ªTheodore, Vincent, and Alistair."


    "What are you saying about Alistair?" she blushes. "I never said anything about him."


    No, but he is one of your routes, and it just slipped out, I think. And judging by your reaction, you do like him¡ªor at least, he catches your eye.


    "Sorry, it¡¯s just that they¡¯re always together. I see them as similar in a way."


    "Bianca, you say the strangest things. It¡¯s obvious they¡¯re completely different. The only thing they have in common is that they¡¯re all good people."


    "Well, how about we talk about this later¡ªover those sweets? If we don¡¯t hurry, we¡¯re going to be late."


    We have an appointment with the owner of one of the dress shops serving nobility. They have their own seamstresses, one of whom is quite renowned, and they¡¯re going to show us various models and take our measurements to adjust the dress we choose. With only about fifteen days left before the ball, I doubt there¡¯s enough time to have one made from scratch. Not that we even asked when we booked the appointment.


    "But tell me first¡­ is there something going on between you and Vincent? I¡¯m sorry, Bianca. I shouldn¡¯t feel disappointed¡ªit¡¯s selfish of me. You two do make a great pair. It¡¯s just that you were the one who encouraged me to go out with both of them, and I¡­ I didn¡¯t think you were interested."


    "There¡¯s nothing going on, and I¡¯m not interested. I¡¯ll explain later. Come on."


    She gives me a hesitant smile but resumes walking.


    Ugh, why is this getting so complicated? I don¡¯t want to take a potential fianc¨¦ away from Mary¡ªthat¡¯s what Sol is for. Yeah, because Judith and Katrina barely interact with him at all.


    <hr>


    We arrive at the shop, where the owner¡ªa middle-aged woman¡ªwelcomes us. Her boutique is spacious and elegantly decorated¡ªit¡¯s clear that her main clientele consists of academy students. They offer us tea and lead us into a large fitting room with full-length mirrors on two walls and a wooden platform strategically placed between them. I imagine it¡¯s where you try on dresses, allowing you to see how they fit from the front, sides, and back.


    "Miss L''Crom, your parents have instructed me to inform you that the cost of your dress and any accessories you choose will be charged to their account. They want you not to spare any expenses."


    With the money from the dungeon, it hadn¡¯t even occurred to me to ask Bianca¡¯s parents for anything. My personal allowance doesn¡¯t even come close to covering a dress like this. I suppose this is the norm¡ªstudents from noble families come in, and the shop simply charges their parents. Since this is the only store in town that specializes in these kinds of dresses, they must be used to students shopping without their families.


    For a moment, I freeze. That I don''t spare any expenses? Are the L¡¯Crom counts assuming that instead of going with Marco, I¡¯ll be attending the ball with the prince?


    There is an air magic messenger mage in this city. Could Berta have already sent them a message?


    No¡­ I hope not. But I know they¡¯re going to pressure me into changing fianc¨¦s.


    "And you, Miss Mary?" the shopkeeper asks with a polite nod.


    "I¡¯ll be paying for mine in coin."


    Without further ado, the owner calls her assistants, and they start bringing out dresses.


    We sit comfortably, sipping tea and nibbling on sweets as we browse through the options. Honestly, my past self from Earth would find this surreal. Back there, the only clothes I could afford came from fast fashion chains¡ªdefinitely nothing designer, let alone custom-made by a seamstress. Is this how famous actresses feel when picking out their gowns for the Goya Awards? No clue.


    But I decide not to get overwhelmed by all the attention and just enjoy it. Because the dresses¡­ oh my gosh, the dresses. They look like something straight out of a fairy tale. They¡¯re absolutely stunning.


    Mary picks out a couple to try on, but I choose only one.


    It¡¯s red¡ªa deep, dark red, like the petals of a blood rose at midnight. Delicate lace adorns it, both in black and white. The neckline is strapless, and layers of silk cascade down with asymmetrical cuts that I just know will move with me when I wear it, as if they¡¯re part fabric, part wind. I can already picture myself walking and dancing in it¡­


    Mary pulls me out of my daydream with a laugh and a gentle nudge on my arm.

 No, Mary, I don鈥檛 want to snatch Vincent from you. Part 2.

    We try them on. Mary picks a golden-yellow dress to match her hair, along with matching shoes. She also selects a simple necklace¡ªa fine gold chain with a yellow gemstone pendant.


    As for me, I slip into this masterpiece of haute couture, not even complaining when they tighten the corset underneath. And it¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s simply divine. It hugs my figure, accentuates my neckline, and, despite the rigid fit from the waist up, still allows me to move freely. I spin a full 360 degrees. The silk layers flow through the air. I spin twice, faster this time. In the mirror, I see how some of the layers hover for just a moment before settling back down, following my movement.


    I stand by my first impression: this is a queen¡¯s dress, crafted from silk so fine it dances with the wind.


    I want it.


    I¡¯ve never been this obsessed with a dress before, but this one¡ªthis one, I need. I also pick out matching shoes and a dark red choker, along with a pair of earrings with two red gemstones¡ªone snug against the earlobe, the other dangling in the classic teardrop shape.


    They¡¯ll look perfect with an updo.


    "Your fianc¨¦ will be absolutely enchanted when he sees you, Miss L''Crom," the owner remarks. "You look stunning."


    That snaps me out of my trance. Because I hadn¡¯t been thinking about anyone¡ªleast of all Marco. I was just admiring this work of art and enjoying how good it looks on me.


    The thought of Marco bothers me, like an unwelcome intruder in my moment. Then I catch Mary¡¯s curious gaze and remember Vincent.


    Will he like my dress?


    I feel my cheeks heat up slightly.


    The owner smiles approvingly. Mary looks at me, puzzled. I ought to slap myself. Why am I wondering if Vincent will like it? Why do I even care?


    ¡°Red is the prince¡¯s color¡± Mary whispers very softly.


    What? Oh¡­ she¡¯s right. But I don¡¯t like the dress because of that, do I?


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s exactly the same shade of red,¡± I tell her.


    Immediately, I turn my head toward the shopkeeper and smile. Time to change the subject!


    "The dress is beautiful. The seamstress must be very skilled," I say.


    "Advanced level in tailoring," she replies proudly.


    For a moment, I¡¯m taken aback. But of course, there must be mastery levels for sewing. And if this is what an advanced level can create, I can¡¯t even imagine what a grandmaster could do. That is, assuming someone of a lower level could ever reach that mastery. Because here, artisans don¡¯t get dragged into dungeons to be power-leveled.


    Two assistants approach us with pins to mark the alterations. Mine already fits like a glove¡ªthey¡¯re just adjusting the hem so I don¡¯t trip over it. Mary¡¯s, on the other hand, needs to be let out a bit around the bust and hips. Once we¡¯re done, she pays for her dress without hesitation. The cost is about a tenth of what she made in the dungeon. With the total amount, she could have bought a decent house in the city. Yeah¡­ noble ballgowns are ridiculously expensive.


    On our way to the pastry shop, I ask:


    "Didn¡¯t it hurt to spend nearly nineteen gold coins? Wouldn¡¯t you rather have given them to your family?"


    She looks at me, surprised, before answering.


    "My family may be commoners, but they don¡¯t struggle. In my village, we live well. And as for me, I think fitting in is the best thing I can do. Skipping the ball or going in an inappropriate dress wouldn¡¯t help me. Besides, earning this money was super easy. We just need to do more dungeons," she adds with a radiant smile.


    Super easy... She really has no idea that if it weren¡¯t for my wolf, we wouldn¡¯t even be here.


    I suppress the sigh threatening to escape my lips and smile instead.


    "Of course, we¡¯ll do more."


    <hr>


    We arrive at the pastry shop. It¡¯s a new place that opened recently, catering to academy students and well-off members of the bourgeoisie. The prices are steep. I mean, I don¡¯t have much to compare them to¡ªjust the pelts I sold and the tools I bought for the goblins. But the fact that a small pastry costs two silver coins, nearly the price of two deer pelts, seems excessive to me.


    After ordering a hot infusion and two pastries each, Mary stirs her tea absentmindedly with her spoon, watching me thoughtfully.


    The shop is spacious, yet the tables are well-spaced, giving customers a sense of comfort and privacy. A large window provides a view of the street outside.


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    "So, Their Majesties want to betroth you to Vincent?" she finally asks after a few minutes of silence¡ªone I hadn¡¯t dared to break.


    Because this conversation is anything but pleasant for me.


    "Mary, I¡¯m sorry. Yes, they said that, but only if he chooses me. The queen seems very understanding and wants her son to be happy. Besides, you know he¡¯s not the heir, so he doesn¡¯t have that pressure to marry for status. If he falls in love with you, I really think Their Majesties would approve," I say, trying to sound encouraging.


    But I¡¯m not.


    The prince¡¯s face¡ªyes, undeniably attractive¡ªflashes through my mind.


    The damn guy is too handsome, and he knows it. Sharp features, golden eyes that, when they lock onto you, make you want to lose yourself in them¡­


    But I¡¯m not interested in romantic relationships.


    Then¡­ why does it hurt to give up the possibility of having him? Why does the thought of handing him over to Mary sting?


    Mary isn¡¯t stupid. I¡¯m not fooling her. She watches me, a little sad, then nods to herself.


    "I see. You like him too. We both like him."


    "No, I don¡¯t" I protest, blushing.


    Oh, for heaven¡¯s sake, I¡¯m blushing even more than Mary, and she¡¯s supposed to be the na?ve, high-light-magic girl here.


    Okay, I was a virgin in my twenties back on Earth. So what? I had fooled around with a few guys, but nothing serious. Just because I lived in the 21st century didn¡¯t mean I had to lose it before sixteen, like my best friend did.


    "It¡¯s fine. I like Theodore too, and in fact, I¡¯m going to the ball with him." She reaches out, gently taking my hands in hers. "Promise me something¡ªno matter what happens, we¡¯ll stay friends. And if we ever end up falling for the same guy, we¡¯ll accept his choice."


    No way, I want to scream. I have no intention of falling for the prince of an otome game¡ªa textbook playboy, designed to be easy to conquer.


    I don¡¯t say it. I bite my tongue.


    "Mary, right now, I don¡¯t want to marry anyone."


    "It¡¯s not up to you; it¡¯s up to your parents," she says softly. "Promise me."


    It seems important to her. And she¡¯s right¡ªI don¡¯t want to lose her friendship, least of all over a guy.


    Besides, for now, she¡¯s on Theodore¡¯s route.


    "I promise," I say, locking my gaze with hers.


    Mary squeezes my hands a little tighter, smiles, and then lets go of me.


    "Thank you, Bianca. You¡¯re my best friend at the academy. Besides Lily, you¡¯re the only one who treats me well despite being a commoner. I don¡¯t want to lose you."


    Warmth fills my heart.


    "I don¡¯t want to lose you either," I reply sincerely.


    She truly is my only friend in this new world. At least for now. And I¡¯m grateful to have met her.


    We spend a long while chatting about other things, enjoying the warmth of our tea, the sweetness of the pastries, and the comfort of good company.


    We make it back to the academy just in time for lunch.


    <hr>


    ¡°How was the girl stuff?¡± Darius asks as we grab our food and sit with them.


    Theodore isn¡¯t here, nor is Alistair. They went to the latter¡¯s mansion for the weekend since it¡¯s his little sister¡¯s birthday. Lily went with them. I don¡¯t know why Vincent didn¡¯t go with them as well.


    So, at the table, it¡¯s just the prince, Darius, and Ronan.


    ¡°Come on, Darius, stop being so nosy¡± I say, not sure if I¡¯m joking or scolding him.


    ¡°This meal¡¯s been kind of boring, sitting here with Ronan, who barely talks, and Vincent, who¡¯s been acting weird and distracted all day.¡±


    ¡°Hey¡± the prince protests.


    Ronan doesn¡¯t. Ronan says nothing.


    ¡°Come on, something¡¯s up, and you won¡¯t tell me. You¡¯re much quieter than usual, and you didn¡¯t go to Alistair¡¯s sister¡¯s birthday.


    Has he been like this all day? Uh, yesterday at lunch, he tried to make plans with me for later, but I told him I couldn¡¯t, that I was swamped with classes.


    I guess it¡¯s because he saw me go talk to his parents and doesn¡¯t know what they wanted from me. He must be worried, thinking it has something to do with my new sword.


    Ugh, now I feel bad¡­ poor guy. I¡¯ll try to talk to him before heading back to the goblin village with Ronan after lunch.


    ¡°Nothing¡¯s wrong, Darius¡± Vincent replies to him.


    ¡°Is it the exams, then?¡± he insists. ¡°Did you mess up on one?¡±


    We already finished the first trimester exams. This past week has been insane, with one or two exams every day. And on top of that, I had my private lessons in the afternoons...


    ¡°I¡¯m not about to risk bringing shame to my family name by failing. Obviously, I did well.¡±


    ¡°Then that just means you¡¯re even more boring than usual.¡±


    ¡°Darius, leave Vincent alone¡± Mary steps in. ¡°We all have the right to be a little more thoughtful sometimes.¡±


    The redhead rubs the back of his neck and shrugs.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. Sorry, Vincent.¡±


    ¡°No need to apologize. And ladies, since you won¡¯t tell us how your morning went, at least give me a moment of your time. Bianca, can I talk to you at some point this afternoon?¡±


    ¡°If you want, we can take a walk in the gardens after lunch. I¡¯m heading off to train afterward.¡±


    ¡°Alone?¡±


    ¡°With Ronan.¡±


    ¡°Just the two of you?¡± ¡ªHe raises an eyebrow.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    He locks his golden eyes on mine, as if trying to read me. I smile. He¡¯s not going to figure it out¡ªhe can¡¯t even begin to imagine the goblin village.


    I hear Mary accidentally clinking her fork against her plate as she picks up a bite of roasted vegetables.


    ¡°Fine, thanks¡± the prince finally replies.


    ¡°But only if you also spend some time with Mary this afternoon. Otherwise, she¡¯s going to be bored.¡±


    Mary opens her mouth to protest but shuts it again when she sees me wink at her.


    I don¡¯t want her to think I¡¯m trying to win Vincent over. So, if I¡¯m talking to him alone, he should have a proper date with Mary.


    A part of me stirs, telling me that, once again, I¡¯m giving away something I actually want. Because the walk in the garden won¡¯t be a date¡ªit¡¯ll just be me telling him about my elements.


    I feel my cheeks heat up as I remember the rest of my conversation with his mother.


    No way. Not a chance. There¡¯s no way I¡¯m telling him about that.


    Mary misinterprets my blush and plays along.


    ¡°Now that exams are over, I actually have the whole afternoon free¡± she smiles.


    Vincent doesn¡¯t seem entirely sure what¡¯s happening here. Whether out of politeness or genuine interest, he agrees to go for a walk around the city with Mary.


    ¡°So, how was your morning, Ronan?¡± I ask, changing the subject.


    ¡°Productive.¡±


    Good, he no longer calls me "my lady" in public.


    ¡°Still training with the sword?¡± Darius asks.


    ¡°Necromancy.¡±


    Before the redhead can start prying into what exactly that entails, I change the subject again. Knowing Ronan, he might have gone to a cemetery. Or would he do that at night instead?


    Either way, we end up talking about Theodore¡¯s little sister until lunch is over, and Vincent and I say our goodbyes to the others.