Trie has a talent in swordsmanship that surpasses her father, Gawayn.
If she keeps advancing, she will surpass the Imperial Sword and reach the realm of the Sword God.
Although the original work was abruptly discontinued before she could reach that point…
However, Trie abandoned swordsmanship. She gave up on becoming a knight.
It wasn’t because she was despairing before her talent could bloom.
At a young age, she had already reached the level of a high-ranking knight.
The turning point was none other than the death—more accurately, the disappearance—of her father, the Imperial Sword.
Gawayn von Shulzenburg.
He was a magician and knight, a Magic Knight who willingly participated in the Freya-Trud War.
He was active as a strategic asset of the Empire, but one day he went out to carry out an operation and never returned.
His corpse was never found, and Trud Kingdom didn’t propagate that they killed Gawayn, so everyone assumed he was missing. But the author, I, know that…
Gawayn was actually killed by the protagonist, Hertlocker.
But ironically, even Hertlocker doesn’t know that he killed Gawayn. Isn’t that funny?
Anyway, following that incident, Trie began to immerse herself in magic.
To find her father, who is somewhere in this world.
If he’s dead, to break the taboo of resurrecting him.
From the start, she didn’t even know if finding her father, whom no one could locate, was possible with magic.
But one thing is certain: no matter how much she swings a sword, her father won’t come back.
On the other hand, magic is an academic field with infinite possibilities, the limitations of which are still unknown.
Thus, Trie sealed her beloved sword in its scabbard and embarked on an endless journey.
It has already been three years.
Magic still showed no signs of surface, and the black sword she always carried with her must have been itching to be drawn.
That’s why I was sure she would jump at the chance to ask me to teach her swordsmanship.
“I don’t want to.”
*Ding!*
… An unexpected response came back.
“Why not?”
“Why, you ask? What’s in it for me if I teach you swordsmanship?”
“…”
Wasn’t she itching to draw the sword…?
I didn’t know my child’s feelings at all. My heart is *crumble*.
“What do you want then?”
“… Magic.”
“What?”
“Can you teach me magic?”
*Bang!*
It felt like my head was bashed hard.
Right now, I’m trying to get you to quit magic, and you want to be taught magic in return?
Even as a commoner, getting first place at the Imperial University means she must have extraordinary skills, but I can’t even get myself sorted out, let alone teach someone else.
But if this could help put a sword back in Trie’s hands…
“Fine.”
“Huh? Really? You’re going to teach me magic?”
“Yeah. I’ll teach you magic, and you’ll teach me swordsmanship.”
“Ah… I’m a really slow learner, is that okay?”
“It’s fine.”
Seeing Trie’s expression brighten, I felt a twinge of discomfort in my heart.
My teachings will be pure *chaos*…
I can only hope she doesn’t catch on.
“Can we start from tomorrow?”
“I’m sorry, but I think I can only teach you magic after the midterm exam. I need to use my mana for something lately.”
“I see…”
I successfully put off teaching magic until after the midterm exam.
In the meantime, I need to quickly scan through my textbooks.
At least I should know enough to explain the basics, even if it’s just *surface-level*.
“I can start from tomorrow. Where will you teach me?”
“There’s a building that I use as a training room in the Single Dorm Room. Come to the Single Dorm Room, and I’ll guide you.”
“How about by 9 A.M. tomorrow?”
“Sounds good.”
The training room is spacious enough, and the walls are reinforced with mana, making it suitable for practicing both swordsmanship and magic.
With much lighter *footsteps*, I parted ways with Trie.
I’ve set up a regular meeting with Trie.
Now I need to figure out how to convince her to give up magic.
The quickest way is to tell her that Gawayn is already dead, and that there’s no such thing as resurrection magic, but…
Even if I tell her, she probably wouldn’t believe it right now.
In the original work, it took over a year for her to realize that, and she eventually gave up on magic.
It might be faster to make her realize that she has absolutely no talent.
“Hmm?”
When I returned to the mansion, there was an unfamiliar pair of shoes by the shoe rack. Black shoes with almost no heel. I think I know whose they are.
“Welcome, Hainkel.”
“Excuse me, Schlus.”
“…”
In the living room, Iris was sitting on the sofa drinking tea, while Emilia stood next to her, looking a bit uncomfortable.
“Um, well… I heard Hainkel has a guest, so I wasn’t sure whether to send you away, so I asked if you’d like to wait inside…”
“In other words, I barged in on my own. I hope you didn’t scold the attendant too much.”
“…”
I understood roughly how it happened.
For Emilia, she couldn’t just turn away not just any noble but the saintess, Iris.
I completely understand why she brought me in without telling me. I would’ve done the same.
And I wouldn’t scold Emilia either.
If I made her angry, she might come to my room with a knife that night…
“So what brings you here?”
“Why the cold tone? I clearly stated that we’re going to be together for a long time.”
Iris gave a benevolent smile.
Honestly, I have no idea what she’s thinking.
At first, I thought Iris was being friendly because she’s my ally in the future, but…
That might actually be a trap.
Iris is set up as a mysterious character with a facade.
She might end up standing on the opposite side of me in the future, trying to deceive me to drag me into a pit.
“Um… Can we join in on this?”
“It’s fine. Schlus, right?”
“It’s fine. Probably.”
Emilia started to glance around restlessly.
She must be worried that she might hear something she shouldn’t.
Of course, even if she leaves now, she’ll probably try to eavesdrop using artifacts or whatever, so it doesn’t really matter whether I send her away or not.
“And why did you come here?”
“I came to talk about our future.”
Did I just see Emilia stiffen?
What’s going on? Is it still cold?
“You don’t have to doubt. I trust you. What you want is what I want.”
“…”
I need to be cautious.
This could all be a lie.
It might be sweet words designed to catch me off guard.
“I’ll help with everything Schlus wants to do, of course, as long as it’s within my means. I don’t think it’ll be possible to borrow my family’s strength.”
That makes sense.
It’s something even her family doesn’t know about— the fact that Iris has Future Sight.
If I told everyone, “Hey, we should help Schlus because he’s going to fight to protect the continent in the future!” no one would believe me.
“Iris.”
“Yes?”
“Can I ask what you saw?”
What kind of future did she witness?
I’ll have to hear her out first.
“It’s a secret.”
“…”
Iris answered with a smirk.
She could have easily made up a decent lie.
She could say she saw us fighting together against hostile Majins.
Or that she saw me saving Iris.
She could have mixed bits of the future she glanced at to make up a lie.
But she said it’s a secret…?
That’s practically saying “please suspect me.”
“Schlus has secrets he can’t tell me, right?”
“…”
Now that I think about it, that’s true.
I haven’t said a word about why I know about Future Sight.
So from Iris’s perspective, I must have looked rather suspicious.
Knowing about something I’ve never spoken to anyone about may have made it look like I could read her thoughts or had a similar ability.
So, my approach may have felt like a threat to Iris.
“It looks like I know this much about you. I could destroy you and your family in a heartbeat, so you best behave yourself,” perhaps it signaled that.
So Iris had no choice but to act friendly toward me, even if she didn’t want to.
“Is that all you wanted to say?”
“Yes. If you ever need help, just call on me.”
“I won’t do that.”
Despite pretending to be in a cooperative relationship, in reality, both of us are deceiving each other.
Both have secrets they can’t share, and they harbor different thoughts internally.
From the start, we can’t even know if our interests align. At least, not until we reveal our secrets to one another.
We’ve become partners who can’t trust each other in the end.
“It’s getting dark, so I’ll take my leave.”
Iris put down her teacup and stood elegantly.
With a faint smile lingering on her lips.
It was hard to tell whether it was genuine or not.
Even Emilia, the master of reading emotions, would have found it difficult against Iris.
“Be careful going back.”
“It’s just right in front, the dormitory.”
“Not everything at school is safe. We’ve faced terrorism before.”
“Really? Then will you escort me to the dormitory?”
“No.”
“How cold. If you keep this up, it’ll be troublesome. We’ll be seeing each other for a long time, can’t you treat me a bit more warmly?”
“I’ll be like that when the time comes. But it’s not now.”
“Hehe. I’ll be watching to see how long you can keep it up.”
Iris left the mansion with an enigmatic smile.
If I just listened to what she said, it might seem like we have a special relationship in the future… but I could easily see through that lie.
It’s impossible for me to feel love for a combination of letters I created.
That much I can assert.
“Emilia.”
“Ah, ah! Y-yes?!”
“…?”
Emilia stood there dazed for a moment, then flinched in surprise and responded.
What’s with that reaction?
What was that acting about?
“I’m going to the training room. If it gets late, don’t wait for me and go to sleep.”
“Ah, understood.”
Emilia nervously glanced at me, acting strangely.
Why is she acting like that?
I walked through the training room, puzzled.
*
“Ugh…”
After staring at the book for hours, I felt like I was dying.
I’ve skimmed through about half of my major textbook, but I had to reread several parts multiple times because I didn’t understand them.
“It’s about time…”
Has it finally become the right time?
I closed the book and silently called forth my abilities.
Before I knew it, the ability “Selection and Concentration” was lit up, indicating it was activated.
It was now past midnight, and I could use it.
“If my hypothesis is correct, this should open the shop.”
I carefully reviewed my thoughts again to be more certain.
The requirement to open the shop was that all stats must exceed 10.
However, there was no stipulation that all stats had to exceed 10 at the same time, so the idea that “with Selection and Concentration, I could exceed one stat each day” came to mind.
Thus, I’ve been gradually increasing my stats, and now only one remains: strength.
“Selection and Concentration. Use on strength.”
I chanted inwardly without hesitation.
I felt the activation of the ability, but there wasn’t much noticeable change.
Since it was enhancing physical strength, I wouldn’t feel it unless I sliced my hand with a sword.
I thought about testing it by stabbing my hand with a pocket knife, but soon caught sight of some subtitles that drew my attention.
[Shop opening conditions have been met.]
[The shop will open.]
“Finally!”
I couldn’t help but cheer.
[As a special reward for opening the shop, rewards will be given.]
[The ability Memory of True Self has been strengthened.]
[The ability Selection and Concentration has been strengthened.]
Unexpected rewards were bestowed upon me.
Ability strengthening.
Let’s take a look at how it has strengthened.
[Ability: Memory of True Self]
[Grade: Rare]
[Description: Activates memories of True Self related to specific actions with a low probability.]
The Memory of True Self changed from enhancement to a remake-like form.
Originally, it would trigger memories for a specific action performed within an hour of the allotted time, but now it completely randomized.
This looks like a nerf.
The memories related to Schlus might infiltrate unexpectedly, hindering me at times.
[Ability: Selection and Concentration]
[Grade: Legendary]
[Description: Temporarily amplifies a specific stat once a day. Can be suspended and reused again. Limited time: 5 seconds. Amplification amount: 99]
“Whoa.”
The time limit increased from 3 seconds to 5 seconds, and now it could be used in parts.
This was a much greater gain than the nerf on the Memory of True Self.
Now I could even use magic on days when I have two classes.
I’m in a situation where it’s tough to maintain being at the top unless I throw away at least one elective class.
“So let’s take a look at the shop.”
[Shop]
[You can purchase items using shop coins.]
[Coins available: 11]
[Item list]
[Forbidden Elixir]
[Low-grade Recovery Potion]
[High-grade Recovery Potion]
…
There were a lot of items.
But among them, what caught my eye was—
[Judgment Day]
Gawayn’s sword, “Judgment Day.”
I recall it being set up as an incredibly overpowered item, but it disappeared along with Gawayn’s disappearance.
If I suddenly appeared with it one day, I’d get dragged into the Imperial Police.
The price is a whopping 100 coins… There’s no way I could ever buy that.
Aside from that, there were some pretty intuitive items and some with unclear identities.
Recovery potions will obviously heal injuries.
But what the heck is the Forbidden Elixir?
*Inquiry.*
It seems the ability, “Inquiry,” didn’t work.
It looks like it doesn’t apply to text that isn’t real.
Well, there’s nothing I can do about that.
I spent 1 shop coin and purchased one Forbidden Elixir.
[You have purchased 1 Forbidden Elixir.]
“Whoa.”
Suddenly, a small bottle appeared from thin air and landed on my palm.
If I revealed this in a crowded place, I’d surely be showered with questions.
I better make sure to do any shopping like this inside a barrier, like in the training room.
*Inquiry.*
I activated the ability on the vial.
And just as I expected, subtitles appeared one after another.
[Forbidden Elixir]
[Epic Item: Exists beyond the logic of this world; replication or reproduction is impossible.]
[Description: Drinking it increases a random stat permanently by 10. Tastes terrible.]
“What the hell.”
The effect is simply overwhelming.
