As I swung the wooden sword in a frenzy, the scene projected like a hologram soon vanished.
The one-hour limit had passed, and the activation of the ‘Memory of True Self’ stopped.
The memories gleaned from Schlus weren’t many.
Just fragmented impressions of his father.
And a few basic stances of longsword swordsmanship and some slashing techniques.
“*Hoo… Hah…*”
However, even after the ability ended, I continued swinging the sword.
It felt as if I had learned swordsmanship long ago; the sword in my hands felt familiar, but that was all.
I could only spend one hour a day glimpsing Schlus’s memories to learn swordsmanship.
If I did nothing and just waited for cooldowns, mastering swordsmanship would take decades, if not longer.
So, I could only pour the rest of my time into embodying the swordsmanship I had learned.
The reason I’m so obsessed with swordsmanship is simple.
Because there’s no other way.
If I used ‘Selection and Concentration,’ I could be the strongest in a one-on-one for three seconds.
But what if it wasn’t a one-on-one? If another fight broke out after using my ability?
Even against a street thug, I’d inevitably die without moving an inch.
Therefore, I need strength to deal with at least extra villain levels even without my abilities.
That’s why I’m investing my time in swordsmanship… I should learn some magic later too.
Because when I go off to seek enlightenment in dangerous places, basic combat strength will become necessary.
It might be a bit strange that the practice I’m doing at the Imperial University, a magic academy, is sword training… but there’s no helping it.
An event will come up soon after classes start that will make this swordsmanship shine.
“*Hah… Hah…*”
After swinging the sword for a while, I realized I was utterly fatigued.
Sweat poured down like rain, and my whole body ached like I was dying.
But the results were evident.
The vague memories of Schlus had solidly integrated into my body.
The fragments of swordsmanship, which were merely someone else’s memories, were now completely ingrained as my own.
Learning swordsmanship is through the ability ‘Memory of True Self,’ but ultimately, mastering it depends entirely on my efforts.
But I think there’s a limit to improving my skills just by waving my sword in the training room.
I hope to have a chance to actually test my skills someday.
“Next, shall I try the internal circuit?”
Internal circuit.
A method to circulate mana throughout my body and enhance it to its limits.
Depending on its form and structure, the extent and manner of the enhancement vary.
Think of it like having magical spell formulas engraved on your body.
The internal circuit is something you are born with and can’t alter, so it’s fair to say a knight’s prowess is determined solely by their lineage.
Very rarely, a commoner might be born with an exceptionally strong internal circuit.
…Could I be one of those?
“Uh… I think I’ve got a rough idea.”
I closed my eyes and concentrated.
I sought the circuits etched in my body.
This wasn’t too difficult.
And then, I tentatively let a small amount of mana flow through…
*Vvvvrrrrrrr…!*
“Uh?”
Mana circulated through my internal circuit.
And at the same time, an odd noise erupted.
It sounded like a sports car engine revving up.
I don’t remember any such description… what in the world…?
“*Cough!*”
With a sharp sensation, blood spurted from my mouth.
Quite a bit of blood. Did something burst inside me…?
Just as I wanted to raise my head to find out what the hell was happening, it felt like I was hit on the back of my head; dizziness took over.
“Ah… Ugh… Damn…”
I collapsed onto the ground.
My limbs shook uncontrollably, and my body wouldn’t obey me.
If I fainted here, it would be a disaster.
Because of the barrier, no one could come in.
I needed to get out before I was discovered as a corpse about ten days later…
“Ugh… Ugh…”
Desperately, I tried to move my stiffened limbs toward the door, which seemed infinitely far away.
As my vision blurred, I barely managed to touch the door and deactivate the barrier, and…
I lost my memory after that.
*
“Are you awake?”
“……”
As soon as I regained consciousness, I turned my head at the soft voice.
A man who perfectly matched the image of a modern doctor stood there.
I found myself lying on a hospital bed.
“Oh, you should stay lying down a bit longer.”
“Ugh… What happened?”
Trying to sit up sent sharp pains throughout my body, so I had no choice but to release my efforts.
It felt like I had been thoroughly beaten all over.
I mean, that’s just a saying; I haven’t actually been beaten all over.
“This morning, the single dormitory caretaker brought you in, carried by them.”
Mary…?
Last night, I managed to deactivate the barrier and reached out the door.
It seemed that when Mary arrived at work, she saw that and carried me to the hospital.
I definitely need to thank her later.
“You were almost ruined by mana erosion; your vital organs were almost destroyed. If you had been a moment late, you would have died.”
Crazy. It was not just serious at all.
I owe my life to Mary.
“Did you activate your internal circuit?”
“Yeah. Right after that, I suddenly coughed up blood and lost consciousness…”
“Do you know what state your internal circuit is in?”
“I don’t know.”
“If you don’t know, you should learn it now. Here’s a rough map of your internal circuit.”
The doctor unfolded a piece of paper and showed it to me.
What was drawn there looked like a black circle… But when I looked closely, I saw black lines intricately tangled like threads.
“It’s serious.”
“It’s not just serious. What kind of circuit is tangled up so much? This isn’t something that happens even with a hereditary disease that worsens over three generations.”
For some reason, the doctor was furious.
Ideally, an internal circuit should be small and simple.
The less time it takes for mana to complete a cycle, the higher the efficiency.
But my circuit, being unnecessarily complicated and lengthy, maximizes resistance when mana is flowing through.
The result? The emergence of mana energy, a lethal poison for humans.
“Only a minuscule amount of mana was injected, so you barely survived. If the circuit had operated for just another 0.1 seconds, you would have died on the spot.”
“……”
“Don’t even think about activating your internal circuit again. Next time, you truly will die.”
“Understood.”
“Rest for a day and you’ll be okay to move. Decide whether to discharge tomorrow after I check your condition.”
The doctor left the medical confirmation form beside my bed.
At the bottom, under the sections for medical costs and hospitalization fees, zero was written.
Since it was the Imperial University-affiliated hospital, the top of the class for the academic year was free of charge.
I’m really grateful for these careless settings right now.
I almost ended up in debt from the first semester.
Anyway, continuing the conversation we were having earlier, the internal circuit plays a considerable role in close combat.
Since the internal circuit determines the specifications of physical abilities.
No matter how well I wield the sword, if I can’t use my internal circuit, I can’t win against someone who can use it with bare hands.
Someone with an exceptional internal circuit could break castle walls with their bare hands.
The fact that my important internal circuit looks like that messy ball of thread…
“Hah… Seriously…”
I couldn’t help but laugh.
Not because I was resentful.
But out of gratitude for such absurd luck.
What manifests as nothing but a lethal poison in humans, the worthless internal circuit, I know from being the author.
Mana energy is a far more valuable byproduct.
If my mana sensitivity is sufficiently high, it becomes possible to decompose mana energy into mana, and the vast amount of mana generated inside the body automatically strengthens muscles and solidifies the body.
It’s incomparably superior to the standard internal circuit reinforcement.
This is why Majins are strong.
They generate mana energy just by eating and sleeping, and they freely decompose it into mana to utilize it.
I should apply ‘Selection and Concentration’ to my mana sensitivity.
I need to see how much my body strengthens.
“Mmm… Later…”
I tried to rise but lay back down again.
It’s better to rest as the doctor said…
*
“Oh my! It’s today! The results of the entrance exam are announced!”
“……”
Madam Lichtenburg clapped her hands, creating a fuss.
Erica’s teacup rattled slightly in her grip.
“Of course, you’d be first, right?”
“……I said it might not be. I got one wrong.”
Erica sighed and reiterated to her mother what she had said many times before.
Due to nerves, she hadn’t finished the last question on the entrance exam.
Of course, the entrance exam was never designed for participants to finish all problems.
Considering that the average score of new students is 70, one wrong answer shouldn’t be a big deal for securing first place.
Had she gotten a perfect score, she wouldn’t need to worry at all, but Erica had spent yesterday in tension, fearing that a perfect score would appear after ten years.
“Who would get a perfect score? Our daughter couldn’t solve them all. I heard from Madam Wigenshtein that her son got three questions wrong too.”
“It could be a lie to make her feel better.”
This year’s incoming class was special.
Including Lichtenburg, Wigenshtein, and Flechette…
It was a unique cohort gathering prodigies from not only prestigious families but also various lesser noble clans.
Thus, if a perfect score were achieved after a long time on the entrance exam, it wouldn’t be surprising at all.
Even if someone else got questions Erica missed, she wouldn’t be shocked.
“Don’t worry. I’m sure you’ll be first.”
“……”
Erica leaned against her mother’s arm that embraced her from behind.
Then she looked up at the framed photograph hanging on the wall.
A stern-looking image of her father in military uniform.
In that moment, the confidence she had just moments ago soared.
Her father, Count Lichtenburg, left an unprecedented achievement in imperial history,
So who else but her could take the top spot at the Imperial University?
“Madam, a letter.”
“Oh my, could it be?!”
“Yes, it’s from the Imperial University.”
“Oh my, oh my! It’s here! It’s here!”
As she accepted the letter from the butler, Erica sighed deeply once more, watching her eager mother rush toward her.
Even with her confidence renewed, she felt nothing but tension at this moment.
Madam Lichtenburg carefully opened the letter sealed with the ornate designs of the Imperial University.
Then she sat next to Erica, holding a folded piece of paper.
As the letter unfolded slowly, Erica’s pupils widened.
“Ah…”
Quickly scanning the contents from the top, she quickly found her own name.
Erica von der Lichtenburg.
That name was in the second position from the top.
The ‘2nd place’ written next to it crushed any remaining hopes.
So, who could possibly be in first place?
That eccentric from Wigenshtein?
The Saintess from Flechette?
Or perhaps an unexpected leap from a lesser noble prodigy?
…It was none of them.
“Schlus Hainkel…?”
“Why does that name appear? Isn’t this a misprint?”
Schlus Hainkel.
That short, plain name positioned right alongside the label ‘1st place.’
Even rubbing her eyes and looking again yielded the same outcome.
No matter how many times she looked, it was a name without a noble prefix like ‘von.’
This means…
“Are you telling me a commoner took first place?!”
“Mother… Can you lower your voice a bit…?”
The one who snatched the first place was none other than a lowly commoner.
And not even a notably famous bourgeois name.
I had genuinely never heard of a surname like ‘Hainkel.’
“Someone must contact the Imperial University right away! Butler! Butler!”
“Yes, Madam.”
“Immediately send a letter to the Imperial University asking if there’s been an error in the announcement of the entrance exam results-”
“Mother.”
At Erica’s cold remark, Madam Lichtenburg fell silent.
At first glance, Erica looked calmly seated. However, having been around her since she was young, Madam Lichtenburg noticed that tiny back of her head was slightly trembling, clearly expressing her anger.
Since she had been trained not to show her emotions outwardly from her father, it was a somewhat cute reaction to Madam Lichtenburg.
“The Imperial University doesn’t make mistakes.”
“Well, that’s true.”
“If that’s the case…”
Then, there was only one remaining possibility.
Schlus Hainkel, this commoner, committed an act of dishonesty.
But that thought couldn’t easily come to her lips.
It was a statement that would drop the prestige of the very institution Erica was about to enroll in.
Yet, she couldn’t possibly accept that a commoner was truly above her.
“I will verify it myself.”
“What will you verify?”
“Schlus Hainkel. I will find out what kind of person that commoner is.”
Erica abruptly stood up, passing her mother and exiting the room.
She felt she needed to meet and ascertain for herself that the commoner was beneath her.
Of course, she’d snatch the top position from him during the midterms, but it would bring her peace of mind until then.
With that determination, Erica summoned a carriage to head for the Imperial University.
“Aah…”
Watching her from the window, Madam Lichtenburg sighed.
Gazing down at the cup that remained half full.
– An unexpected encounter is looming. Perhaps it’s an individual who might completely change your daughter’s life.
Memories of the contents she had seen unnoticed, long ago, resurfaced.
After all, she hadn’t heard how that change in life might unfold in any direction.
Thus, she felt an even vaguer sense of worry.
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