The classroom was built in a tiered structure. The professor’s platform was at the bottom and the students’ seats rose step by step like stairs.
Unlike the hallways and the exterior of the building, which boasted a classic charm, the inside of the classroom had a clean simple appeal.
There were no eye-catching decorations. Just polished, high-quality marble.
I only noticed this thanks to the sound of my own footsteps.
Tap, tap.
The clear sound drew the attention of the seated students.
“……..”
“……..”
The stares were intense. I glanced around at all the gazes directed my way.
I wondered if there was anyone here who wasn’t on bad terms with Adel. If there was, maybe I should head that way.
No one, huh.
What kind of school life was he living?
Suppressing the sigh that threatened to escape, I forced a smile and walked toward the farthest row in the back. That was the only spot that seemed remotely open.
Scrape.
“Mind if I sit here?”
“…Whatever.”
The student who’d been slumped over in the back gave a half-hearted reply.
I was already sitting down as I spoke, but still…might as well keep things friendly.
“Well then, now that everyone’s here, let’s continue the lesson.”
Professor Quinoron said with a satisfied nod.
At some point, the drowsy warmth of spring sunlight had begun to fill the classroom.
The professor walked to a corner and cracked open a window. The breeze gently billowed the curtain…
“……”
Watching that scene, I rested my chin on my hand.
I hadn’t been late for some silly reason.
It wasn’t to make a dramatic impression with my new look or anything like that.
Well… I can’t say that wasn’t part of it at all, but still.
The main reason was to get a good look at Adel’s….no, my classmates.
To see what they thought of the “new” Adel.
To figure out if any of the key characters from the original game were among them.
For now… it doesn’t seem like any major characters are here.
This was something worth noting.
Of course, just as Adel’s character never appeared in the original storyline, the same could apply to the others as well…
But the game “Empire of Kohonbah” was one that thoroughly spotlighted talented characters.
If a character had any significance at all, they would’ve at least had a single line of description.
I can also tell who doesn’t like me. Looks like I’m not being ostracized by everyone… there’s a group involved.
A group of boys sitting toward the back corner of the classroom.
One was big and burly, another looked like a troublemaker, and the third had a kind face.
At that level, it wasn’t as serious as I expected.
Thinking about it, this was probably normal.
The school year had only just started, so people were still putting on a front.
Which means those guys, who are already spearheading the bullying, aren’t just your average bad eggs.
I made a mental note to keep an eye on them.
In any case, regardless of my own thoughts, the class continued.
Professor Quinoron who handled most of the artifact-related lectures was a teacher who knew how to provide good examples.
His lesson was so engaging, I found myself absorbed in it without realizing.
But I hadn’t skipped first period and deliberately shown up just in time for “Magical Artifact Applications” to hear an interesting lecture.
“Hey. Catch.”
“Oh. Thanks.”
A boy sitting in front of me handed something back.
The moment I grabbed it, I felt the pulse of mana flowing through it.
“…A magical artifact. First Rank, huh.”
This. This was the reason I came to this class.
I knew Professor Quinoron often let students examine actual artifacts hands-on.
Trait: Shape Transformation
Shape Transformation.
This trait that its users are commonly called “Shifters”.
I wanted to see if one of the little tricks from the game still worked in this world.
The mana waves of an ordinary mage flow outside the body. Magical artifacts interfere with those waves, reducing magical responsiveness.
That’s exactly why magical artifacts are basically useless in Empire of Kohonbah.
They’re somewhat useful at lower levels… but their limitations are clear.
However, for Shifters like Adel, it was a different story.
Shifters’ mana waves flow inward, not outward. That’s why they can’t use standard magic.
But because of that, they aren’t affected by magical artifacts.
And that’s not all.
If the Shifter’s inward mana flow is used properly…
Crackle—
◆Magical Power: “570” → “680”
Good. It’s working.
Not only can I rapidly recharge mana like this, but I can even draw the power of magical artifacts into my body.
Right now, I’m still inexperienced and could only pull in a limited amount of mana, but once I get used to it, I should be able to activate the spells engraved in the artifact…. multiple times, even.
And all that, without a single chant.
A Shifter’s trait. Unbeatable in short-term, one-shot battles.
This was the secret behind it.
That’s when it happened.
Ding—
◆ Trait Unlocked: [Total Magical Structure Analysis]
…What now?
Suddenly, an unexpected system message popped up in front of me.
I tilted my head in confusion for a moment, then quickly understood the reason.
Of course. I must’ve met the trait activation condition.
Each trait has different and usually unknown conditions for activation, but I was certain the condition for this “Total Magical Structure Analysis” was as follows:
Come into contact with something magical while already knowing the trait.
I took a close look at the artifact shaped like the letter “ㄹ”.
Things that weren’t visible before began to come into view.
Its structure….no, its internal blueprint was becoming clear, almost as if I could reach out and touch it.
The materials composing the artifact, and the mana flowing between the gaps of those materials, were asserting their presence in units of magic elements.
…It’s like checking how much battery charge is left. Not a bad match.
If this is how things are going, I’ve gotten more out of this than expected.
I still need to test the exact scope and applications of [Total Magical Structure Analysis], but a door has opened.
A possibility beyond just surviving.
I won’t die so easily, Camilla.
“…What did you just say?”
“Sorry. Did I wake you? Here. Take a look.”
“…Huh. It’s just you, Adel. Thought I was imagining things.”
What a rude person.
I turned my head away after watching the girl behind me slump back down and close her eyes.
◆ Discovered hidden trait usage!
◆ NP +300
***
Time is fair. It only feels different depending on whether its flow is calm or turbulent.
Here, where the proud spirit of the Empire continues undiminished, the flow is usually calm.
Many of the students here are children of powerful nobles from every field and many are heirs to high-ranking noble families.
The atmosphere is one where everyone dedicates themselves to study and training, striving to become talents worthy of the Empire….or at least, that’s the image the faculty works tirelessly to maintain, day and night.
And yet, even in the usually calm halls of Tane Academy, today’s atmosphere was nothing short of chaotic.
The first-year students of the Department of Magic were having an unusually noisy lunch break.
“Hey. Did you see him? Did you see how Adel looks now?”
“I’m not sure what you’re referring to, Countess.”
“Waving that fan like that won’t fool anyone. I’m asking if you saw how handsome he is!!”
“…Yes. If you’re asking whether I saw or didn’t see…then yes, I saw him.”
“This is crazy… I think younger guys might be my thing from today on.”
“Oh my. So someone magically incompetent is your type now? Poor girl…”
“Well, he looks competent.”
Their main topic of interest was Adel’s changed appearance.
In other words, an image change.
Among younger students who haven’t reached adulthood yet, it’s not uncommon for their looks to change significantly after a certain point.
But Adel’s transformation was on a whole different level. Something no one would believe could happen in such a short period of time.
Of course, all he’d done was trim his bangs, shape his eyebrows, and brush his hair back a little… which, from a modern perspective, is an extremely basic level of grooming.
But in the end, what matters in an image change isn’t the effort. It’s how big the difference is.
“Just a little bit of good looks, and look how noisy the girls get.”
“Right? They treated him like he was invisible just last Friday.”
“Ugh~ this is so annoying. He’s smart enough to get early admission, and now he’s even good-looking…”
“But he can’t even use magic. Would you still go for Adel or pass?”
“Pfft. I’d definitely pass.”
Blunt expressions of honest feelings.
There was a simple reason why people were being this honest in a place like this where most of the students were heirs of prestigious families…
“…But seriously, where does that Adel guy even eat?”
“Isn’t he in the dining hall?”
“He wasn’t there.”
Because the person in question wasn’t present.
Up until lunch, Adel had been attending all his classes resting his chin on his hand in an unusually casual posture. Then after sitting around for a bit, he disappeared somewhere.
Maybe he was bothered by the people subtly trying to approach him and start a conversation.
Then again, he’d looked calm and unbothered the whole time.
Maybe he just had prior plans.
“If he could just use magic, he’d be perfect…”
“Such a shame. The vibe was right today….I was thinking of talking to him.”
Can someone’s treatment really change this much just because of their looks?
That thought crossed someone’s mind in the classroom.
He’s got a face that both guys and girls would like… so I guess it makes sense.
That’s how powerful good looks can be.
Things like personality….things you can’t see, don’t matter to people who’ve only known each other for the three short weeks since the semester began.
And the one at the center of all this fuss—
Adel Bliss.
He was, at the moment… in the bathroom.
“…Oh! Sir Adel! I knew you’d come!!”
“…You’re seriously here.”
“Of course! Did you think I’d break my promise~?”
“I don’t recall making any promises.”
“There’s a lot today! Want some too, Sir Adel?”
“……”
She was a bit too energetic.
Feeling a headache coming on, I rubbed my forehead and spoke.
“…Fork.”
“Huh?”
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