Decided to keep a positive mindset.
With Mana Sensitivity or whatever, it’s not like there’s any stat loss to worry about.
There were three major benefits from significantly increased Mana Sensitivity.
First, I no longer have to awkwardly summon Vafe every time I activate my internal circuits.
In the past, I had to forcefully summon Vafe to burn off the crazy amounts of Mana Energy created with each activation, but now I can just break it down with Mana.
Of course, most of the time I activate internal circuits during combat situations, but occasionally… like when I desperately want to run to the bathroom but there are too many people around, it’s a real advantage not to summon Vafe and risk hurting someone.
Wow. What a huge benefit.
Secondly, it’s now possible for me to run infinite power from my own body.
If I pump a small amount of Mana into my internal circuits, it produces a minuscule amount of Mana Energy, which I can break down into Mana and then re-synthesize into more Mana than I originally put in.
It’s like creating a perpetual motion machine, ignoring the second law of thermodynamics!
Of course, there is a teensy-weensy issue with it: if I keep that perpetual motion up, my weak body might not hold out.
Finally, thirdly, I can freely synthesize Mana into Mana Energy.
I can walk around exuding Mana Energy like those powerful magical beasts.
If I step into a forest crawling with magical beasts, I could even act as the king of the beasts!
That sounds pretty useful.
“Ha…”
I couldn’t help but chuckle again.
Is this what happens when you dump 26 coins all at once?
Still, I’ve learned a valuable lesson this time.
The lesson that you should never buy the Forbidden Elixir unless you have plenty of coins to spare.
Especially now that it costs a whopping 9 coins.
Things are a bit different from when it was just 1 coin and I could buy it on a whim.
Of course, if I were in desperate need of 1 stat, I’d have no choice but to buy it, but for the time being, I had no intention of drinking it.
Because it tasted absolutely disgusting.
“What’s wrong? Are you nervous?”
“I guess so.”
Just then, a noose was playfully placed over my head.
Emilia came up to me with a giggle, tying my necktie.
Even knowing that this devoted act was to gain favor as a watcher, and understanding that she viewed me as Herzlocker’s substitute, I found myself struggling to uncover Emilia’s true intentions.
There’s no way she has any sincerity.
Even if she did, it wouldn’t show.
“I’ll be back.”
“Wait a minute…”
She roughly ruffled my hair as she prepared to leave, but Emilia pulled at my hand and wouldn’t let go.
“Charge up a bit more before you go. Hope you do well on the exam today.”
“Charge up? With what?”
“Uh… my energy? I’m pretty lucky, you know.”
“Is that so?”
There was still some time left.
As I gently stroked Emilia’s hair, her eyes started to flutter closed.
But then I suddenly felt that this wasn’t enough.
I took my hand away.
“Huh? Is that already it?”
“No, I thought this might be better if we’re charging up.”
“Oh…”
Emilia looked a bit flustered as she opened her arms.
Maybe I pushed it too far.
Just as I was about to say it was a joke and retract my arms, it happened.
“Oof!”
“……”
Suddenly, Emilia leaped into my arms.
I hugged her tightly.
I hugged her tightly enough that I thought I might break a rib.
It felt like all the weight lifted off me, bringing a sense of calm.
Is this how Pelaine feels when she hugs me?
It’s true that the power of a hug is incredible.
“Thanks. I feel energized.”
“Uh-huh… Do well on the exam.”
I left the flustered Emilia behind, her cheeks flushed.
That shy demeanor was no joke.
Anyone would think I really set her heart racing.
I stepped out of the Chairwoman’s Residence.
I couldn’t help but glance around to see if Erica was waiting for me.
Not that it was likely.
While there were plenty of threatening forces during midterms, now that I’ve become a direct knight of the Emperor, very few would dare to touch me.
If there were any, it would probably just be Madam Lichtenburg, who was overstepping her bounds, but she was practically an extension of my will at this point.
There was no need to worry about attacks funded by noble families during the exam period.
‘I’ll find a way to see the right ending no matter what.’
That guy definitely said that I’d be able to leave this world once I see some kind of ending.
That ending must also include a bad ending where humanity faces destruction.
But I couldn’t give up on it.
This was the last chance he gave me.
If I gave up here, I would be unable to write again even if I made it out.
So, I had no choice but to charge recklessly into it.
I absolutely loathed just sitting idly by.
“What’s up? I’m super busy, so why the summons?”
While strolling down a quiet street, Erwin strolled over and casually joined me.
In the past, summoning him would take an hour or more, but since breaking a few times, he’s been moving faster.
“Got a bit of a longer hair?”
“Really? I don’t notice…”
“Did you put on some makeup?”
“Just a little… I thought it wouldn’t show.”
“Oh, I almost didn’t recognize you if I hadn’t looked closely.”
“……”
Looks like she finally dropped the boyish style.
Thanks to me giving her pocket money, she didn’t need to pretend to be a boy and do labor anymore.
So now, I sometimes see students passing by, surprised.
Saying Erwin kind of looks like a girl lately.
Most of the female students probably already noticed.
“The first-year Combat Magic Studies final exam is supposed to be a written test this time, right?”
“Yeah. That’s what I heard for sure.”
“Give me the exam questions. And if possible, the answers too.”
“……”
Erwin glared at me as if looking at trash.
What? Why the glare?
“Just how low are you willing to stoop?”
“I’ve always been a scumbag from the start. Now that I have power, it’s time to use it.”
My stance hasn’t changed at all from back then to now.
It’s just that before, I didn’t have the power, so my maliciousness didn’t show.
“You little prick with no sense of honor…”
“Just shut up and give me the exam questions.”
“I can’t do that.”
“Ah, so you wanted to test the skills of the Empire University Investigation Department, huh?”
“No, no! It’s not that I can’t give them! I just don’t know any of the exam questions!”
Erwin’s face turned pale as she waved her hands desperately.
A few days ago she almost got turned over to the Imperial Police, so now, she recoils at the slightest hint of danger.
I have to admit, her nose for danger is impressive.
“Weren’t you on your way to help Professor Sergei with the exam?”
“That’s true, but the professor does the problem-making all by himself, so I haven’t even seen them yet.”
“What a useless being.”
“I don’t want to hear that from the one who asked for exam question leaks!”
Erwin was done for.
It meant I would have to face this exam with just my own skills and luck.
‘First up, taking down Trie is a must.’
I could easily beat Trie since her grades plummeted as soon as it became a written exam.
The problem is Aintz.
Even with a low score on the midterm, Aintz had received good grades in all other evaluations, so if Aintz gets the top score and I bomb it, she could become the valedictorian.
“Got any brilliant ideas?”
“You know you’re looking pretty rough, right?”
“Yeah. I know. So, any ideas?”
“I don’t know! Just go around during the exam and use my eyes to cheat or something.”
“Oh. Are you a genius or what?”
“……”
Come to think of it, I could borrow Erwin’s eyes.
During the exam, Erwin would be walking around to prevent cheating.
If I connected with Erwin’s sight then I could see all the students’ answers and compare them to figure mine out.
Now that’s a brilliant idea!
As I applauded in admiration, Erwin glared at me with a look of disdain.
“Someone like you is a knight directly under the Emperor? The future of this country is dark…”
It surely is dark.
If things go on like this, humanity will be eaten up by those fanatics and put under the control of Majin.
I need to get rid of the Emperor as soon as possible and create an environment where I can rampage freely.
Otherwise, it’s almost impossible to see the right ending.
‘I have no lingering attachments to this world anymore.’
Once I sent that guy off, all my attachments faded away like a lie.
There was no reason to stay in this world at all.
I need to smash the Asylum guys as quickly as possible and see the right ending.
Then I’ll go back to reality.
Back to finish the ending of my novel.
For that, I was willing to do anything.
*
“Ha… this is ridiculous…”
As Roman read through the report submitted by his aide, he couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
It was regarding the recent actions of the 1st Division Commander.
Multiple minor disciplinary actions for drinking on duty, verbal abuse of soldiers, physical assault, and general poor behavior had been assigned within just a week.
It was an amount of discipline that would be hard for any major general to accumulate over an entire year.
Word was spreading that he might soon be dishonorably discharged.
“It seems he’s gone senile. I’ve heard whispers that the royal family is about to kick him out and seek a new 1st Division Commander.”
“Senile… Yeah, ‘senile’ sounds like a good cover.”
“……?”
With a creak, Roman tilted back in his chair, letting it lean against the wall.
‘Senile.’ A perfect excuse.
What if the senile 1st Division Commander suddenly ordered an attack on the Empire’s citizens?
That would just be an unfortunate accident.
If one senile old man hung himself, no one would take responsibility—just a regrettable incident.
‘What on earth is he planning to do…’
As Roman eagerly attempted to predict the Emperor’s thoughts, his eyes suddenly lit up.
Speaking of which, the 1st Division had airships.
And the main cannon of that airship was none other than the Annihilation Cannon.
Originally developed for siege use, it had since been continually modified to target the eradication of Majin—a weapon of ultimate power.
“Damn it. We need to schedule training for our anti-air unit.”
“What? Suddenly?”
“Yeah. It has to be a drill that feels like actual combat. Just in case Trud Kingdom sends an airship tomorrow, we need to be ready for takeoff.”
“Eh…?”
The aide couldn’t hide his shock at the absurd command.
Other than the Empire, no other countries had air power, which meant the anti-air unit of the 3rd Corps was largely experimental and almost unsupported.
He couldn’t fathom the intent behind ordering that flimsy unit to be combat-ready overnight.
