Sniffle.
“That Oknodie, that lousy bastard! Leaving people behind and running off by himself!”
Snowville, wrapped in a blanket, sniffed as she sipped her cocoa to lift her gloomy spirits.
In the academy’s infirmary, it wasn’t only students with severed limbs or half-dead bodies seeking resurrection; sometimes, the lost were transported here to calm their minds.
But when seniors with serious injuries were brought in, covered in blood, her tear-streaked face shook with shock behind her cocoa cup.
“What’s wrong with him! Did a villain organization attack the academy?!”
The healing magician in the medical building sprang up in dismay.
While staunchly addressing the bleeding and beginning treatment, the instructor who brought in the patient spoke.
“The northern region’s land prices shot up. Trying to ride the dimensional coin and explore mini-dimensions, he got hit by a meteor and returned half-dead.”
“At least he made it back alive!”
“If the treatment costs are high, this guy asked to post an obituary on his serialization about the mini-dimension exploration on the magic watch before he passes out. Why not just post it now and fund it for the treatment? Any leftover cash, we’ll split, sound good?”
“I’ll take my time receiving it when he wakes up, so don’t do that…”
“Well, if the recipient is saying that, it’s out of my hands. Anyway, good luck dealing with this clumsy fool and all the blood in the night. Tch.”
Each instructor had significantly varying strengths, and this one was definitely something else.
Having crossed dimensions to perform rescue missions, he’s undoubtedly on par with a fourth-year.
His eccentric personality suggested a wealth of experience from years in the academy, having adapted his knowledge to the extreme.
“Hey!”
Snowville tossed her cocoa cup and blanket aside and rushed forward.
The instructor glanced at Snowville, wrinkling his face in open dislike before heading out of the infirmary three times faster than before.
Unable to contain her disbelief, Snowville protested.
“Why are you running away faster after being called?”
“No time. Don’t make me waste my breath. I’m going to curl up in a corner and sleep from now on.”
Snowville deciphered the instructor’s temperament.
For a proper conversation, she’d have to shout words like magic.
“Money!”
“Money?”
The instructor stopped dead in his tracks.
The more competent a person was, the more ways they had to spend money.
Fancy gear that amateurs couldn’t handle.
Potions that amateurs couldn’t consume.
Knowledge that amateurs didn’t know about.
Purchasing all of that would cost a fortune!
“I’ll share a chance to earn a lot of money! Please lend me some strength, Instructor!”
“Students lacking points in the academy engage in insane actions every day. That fool you saw in the infirmary is one of those. What’s the difference between you and that fool?”
“I have a lot of money right now. I just want more in the future!”
The instructor scanned Snowville with half-closed eyes.
“Doesn’t look like you have much money.”
“Hmph. That’s just because I’m not like Irene, who seeks the spotlight. I’m keeping it low-key. Whoosh!”
The moment Snowville dispelled the magic, the instructor was genuinely taken aback.
The second-year, Class 981 student appeared suddenly clad in full-body armor akin to an empire noble.
“Where on earth did you get that expensive set?”
“Hmph. Don’t underestimate the disciple of the Blue Magic Tower’s master. The support given to a future master is on par with that of a noble heir, you know?”
“You aren’t just a clueless fool after all. Fine, I can entertain you a little.”
The instructor acknowledged Snowville’s power.
“My name is Olosst. A 978-class student on a leave of absence and an instructor. Don’t misunderstand; I’m not delaying my advancement due to a lack of skill.”
“Nice to meet you, Senior Olosst. I’m Snowville. My aim is to uncover the next plan rivaling the Dark Princess’s northern development plan and invest all my assets for a reversal in life, and I desperately need your help to achieve this dream!”
“…That feels a bit sketchy, but can I back out now?”
Snowville sprinted forward and grabbed the instructor’s pant leg.
“You can’t! We might miss an opportunity if we keep chasing after Oknodie without knowing what properties could skyrocket at any moment!”
“Seems like you don’t know what you’re getting into. Let me give you a piece of advice as a senior at the academy: Don’t approach troublemakers. It’s a lesson passed down in the Knight Department.”
“What happened in the Knight Department?”
“Something did. Seven promising swordsmanship clans lost all their heirs to their clan’s techniques overnight.”
“What?!”
“Ten years ago, there was a sword genius named Reinhardt. He had many skilled swordsmen wanting to defeat him. They all rushed in like moths to a flame and got obliterated. As a result, the current sword clans are run by a bunch of weaklings in a new generation.”
Olosst recalled the painful memory of his classmate who came to the academy to reclaim the family’s techniques after losing his brother in a battle. Though he had no intent to share such memories with Snowville.
“The lesson for you is to not be swayed by Oknodie’s wealth and assets. Just like those tempted by Reinhardt’s swordsmanship could have lived successful lives yet ended up dead alongside their clans.”
“That…”
“Don’t waste the support given to you by the kind people of the Blue Magic Tower.”
Snowville manipulated her magic watch to show off her assets.
━━━
Snowville’s points balance: 120 million points
━━━
“Even if I multiply this by a thousand, I’ll have 12 billion points, and considering the explosive real estate boom happening in the North, who knows how much other regions might explode? I’ll share 10% of whatever points I earn!”
“The lesson is for cowards afraid of challenges. They’re trash, but I’m a master, so it’s different. If you win at gambling, it’s fine. Where’s Oknodie?”
Money may make fools out of dumb people, but large sums can make smart people foolish too.
Snowville’s daring investment was creating one more fool.
“I’m planning to directly ask Oknodie about the investment plans since I’ve noticed unusual activity around him lately. He’s been collecting the academy’s challenges one by one!”
“Share your recorded map. This… [Magic Maze Garden] and [Sapling Forest], [Library], [Training Tower], [Principal's Ruins]?”
“In the Magic Maze Garden, I can’t catch up with him at all! I need to wait at a facility where Oknodie will likely stay and approach him then!”
Instructor Olosst shook his head in disdain, marveling at the infamous Dark Princess.
All the locations where Oknodie was spotted boasted insane difficulties as expected.
“The Magic Maze is definitely a no-go. Too fast and the paths are challenging.”
“Good thinking. The Magic Maze Garden is essentially a massive dump where professors or instructors discarded problematic plant monsters. Once it became difficult to dispose of them, they made sure the monsters couldn’t escape. It’s definitely not a place for a second-year like you.”
“Why was Oknodie wandering around a place like that? Was I almost killed?!”
“Just avoid breaking the maze’s rules while taking shortcuts. Don’t light a fire, walk on the maze walls, pee, or leave sword scars or magical marks.”
“…What happens if you do?”
Olosst looked at her seriously.
“Do you really want to know?”
“…No, I’d rather not. What worried me more was the instructors who came to save me after Weird Professor called them. Surely they’re not…?”
“Your guess is probably right. They might have come to dump troublesome trash into the maze but ended up doing rescues by accident… Or they were checking to see if the trash they previously disposed of hadn’t escaped.”
So, the instructors of Professor Weird weren’t some divine saviors patrolling to rescue a second-year but rather the culprits nervously lingering at the scene!
“…I know what the library is like. I’ve heard rumors among us from the library expedition team. Are there any remaining places where I can lie low?”
“Honestly, all the dangerous spots are equally questionable. But there are relatively safer places.”
“Really?”
“The Principal’s Ruins.”
Name aside, it was the most dangerous-sounding place on the list, and it certainly raised suspicion.
“Don’t give me that look. I’m being serious here. What is a ruin, anyway?”
“It’s a site where historical remnants remain.”
“So, would there be any remnants left in a place where the Principal genuinely went berserk?”
“They’d likely be reduced to ashes.”
“Exactly. The Principal’s Ruins aren’t things he destroyed but rather a digital archive and memory museum he created, lamenting the things lost over the long ages of the dragon. When you reach fourth-year, you’ll even experience memories from within as a regular course.”
Snowville was thrown into confusion.
“Then doesn’t that mean it’s dangerous enough to rival the fourth-year class? Then why is it considered the safest?”
Olosst smirked, and Snowville quickly grasped the instructor’s intention.
This place isn’t low in difficulty; it just meant the others are even crazier!
“By the way, I suspect Oknodie has been attending special classes under the Principal since they’re rumored to be the Master’s new heir. This could be part of their lessons.”
“Could I just wait outside the Principal’s Ruins until Oknodie comes out?”
“Do you think Oknodie would give valuable information for nothing to someone unhelpful? You should at least show some effort in helping his heir lessons. Besides, with me, who’s even stronger than a normal fourth-year, you’ll be fine.”
Trusting her senior’s confident words, Snowville gathered her courage.
“Alright. Let’s check it out! We’ve got the heir of the Blue Magic Tower and an instructor stronger than any fourth-year here! How could it be tough? Besides, with the spirit I’ve been burning out, it must be easier than I thought. It was just bad luck about the garden!”
As soon as they arrived at the Principal’s Ruins, coincidentally, Oknodie appeared!
“Hello! Are you going to use this place?”
“We were just looking to form a trio party! Wanna join us?”
Typically, people don’t explore the Principal’s Ruins in groups.
The difficulty level increases with more participants.
However, the instructor believed Oknodie was likely stronger than a normal fourth-year, and Snowville wouldn’t be a significant hindrance.
“Um, sounds good! I actually wanted to check out this ruin with three people.”
Oknodie excitedly picked up a Mana Board lying around in the ruins.
Olosst caught a glimpse of the title inscribed in ancient characters on the Mana Board.
[Doll Play]
Surprisingly cute tastes for a child.
But the moment that thought crossed his mind, he remembered the title was written by [Omoshiroi] the Principal and hesitated.
Doll plays written by a child seem heartwarming, but those written by the Principal were undeniably alarming.
[Spy Child]
[Reconnaissance Eye]
After searching for the markings left behind by students who had stealthily attended classes without the Principal’s knowledge, survivor accounts and testimonies surfaced.
– You’re going to become a doll too.
– Put that down. This Mana Board isn’t real.
– Let’s play dolls. Oh, you’re the doll^^
– Right ahead, bankruptcy awaits.
– Another reason the Principal is an evil dragon just added today…
“How about we try something else?”
“I already switched them all on!”
Ignoring Olosst’s request, a brilliant light announcing the transfer of spirit bodies enveloped the three.
