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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Chaos
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The Imperial Royal Academy.
Newly established by the Emperor’s decree, this academy was the starting point of El Pandor Runterra.
This was because upon account creation, players began as academy cadets attending the entrance ceremony.
However, I was able to set foot in the academy a little earlier.
Thanks to Edgar’s father participating in the Imperial Academy training equipment bidding competition, I also entered the academy as his assistant.
“W-Wow, it really is different… It’s incredible.”
Standing at the main gate leading into the Imperial Academy, James muttered to himself, seemingly overwhelmed by the majestic appearance.
I felt the same overwhelming feeling. Even though I had seen this scenery countless times on my game screen, experiencing it firsthand through the body I now inhabited was on a completely different level compared to seeing it as 3D graphics.
“James Fix. Confirmed. You may enter.”
While we were admiring the academy’s panoramic view, the guard who was checking identification cards granted us entry. James and I, having received our IDs back, immediately stepped inside the academy.
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“Oh my…”
Inside, a breathtaking spectacle unfolded before us. Straight paths made of marble, white buildings clustered closely on both sides, a giant fountain occupying the plaza, a statue of the Emperor made of pure gold, and a garden harmonizing with everything.
We stared at the entire scene, completely captivated.
“It’s even more magnificent than I’d heard…”
As James said, the reality was far more impressive than the game’s 3D graphics. The Imperial Royal Academy, incorporating the empire’s latest architectural technology, possessed a truly beautiful form, even from an engineer’s perspective.
All the named NPCs who would drive the storyline would gather in this beautiful space. And I, too, would be among them, participating in the main story of the game. A strange mixture of excitement and nervousness washed over me.
“Ahem…! Hmm…!”
James, however, seemed nervous for a different reason. Judging by the way he kept clearing his throat with a stiff expression, he was probably worried about the upcoming ‘Equipment Demonstration.’
“Father, there’s no need to worry. You’ll win this bid anyway.”
While James’s anxious expression was evident, I knew he would be the final bidder. After all, throughout my entire time playing the game, James had always been the academy’s blacksmith NPC.
“Your work is good, Father. And above all, it’s cost-effective. You’re quick too.”
Having lived as James’s son for two months, I understood why he was the blacksmith NPC here. Although he couldn’t create exceptionally powerful equipment, he could quickly produce inexpensive and practical items. In other words, the academy needed training equipment for hundreds of cadets, and James was the perfect person to quickly churn out such mass-produced gear. There was no need for meticulous craftsmanship.
“Hmm… Right! If my son, the future legendary blacksmith, says so, I must believe it! Yes! Dad will definitely win! Hahahaha!”
…Above all, his simple nature was a blessing. A little praise was all it took to ignite his enthusiasm. Perhaps this positivity and diligence were also highly valued.
“If things don’t go well, we can just show them the equipment my son made! Maybe the professors will recognize your genius and…”
I just wished he wasn’t so doting. I had been embarrassed countless times over the past two months because of him bragging about me to everyone. I covered my face with my hood and quickly moved away from James.
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Afterward, James and I underwent the basic tests. It was a test to select the final 30 out of hundreds of applicants. We proudly secured our places among the top 30.
[Waiting Ticket: 27]
We received waiting ticket number 27 for the final test, the ‘Equipment Demonstration.’ Since the every participant’s demonstration took about 30 minutes, we had to wait 13 hours and 40 minutes.
“I’ll look around.”
A 13-hour wait. I couldn’t just sit around and kill time. I decided to make the most of the free time and explore the academy.
‘Let’s start with Lecture Hall 5.’
Lecture Hall 5, where Professor Elena conducted her classes, was the top priority on my list. Her ‘Fundamentals of Mana Studies’ course was renowned in the game. Simply attending her lectures provided a 15% boost to skill acceleration, a top-tier option in the game. It was, in short, the best course for improving one’s skills.
‘Well, Elena ‘is’ a genius of the century.’
Elena von Iliad Rosario. Despite being quite young, not yet past 30, Elena had become a professor at the Imperial Royal Academy. From a young age, she had shown exceptional talent in formulas and spell circles, and now she had reached the level of an Archmage.
‘It would be amazing if I could learn spell circles from Elena.’
Her spell circles were something I desperately needed. High-grade equipment required scrolls inscribed with spell circles.
‘Sigh. If only I were a formally enrolled student, I could have become her disciple.’
Realistically, receiving Elena’s teachings was impossible. My status at the academy was that of a blacksmith NPC, specifically, James’s assistant. There was no way Elena would teach a commoner blacksmith like me.
‘In the end, the answer is auditing.’
My conclusion was to audit her class. I would find a hidden route into Lecture Hall 5 and secretly listen to her lectures. I wouldn’t be able to participate in the practical exercises, but that was a problem for later. Even just listening to the theoretical lectures would be helpful.
[Lecture Hall 5.]
Lost in thought, I arrived at Lecture Hall 5. Having seen this place countless times while playing the game, finding my way wasn’t difficult.
‘Now, let’s find a route.’
Now that I was here, it was time to find a secret route to infiltrate the lecture hall. There had to be a vent somewhere where air flowed in. I decided to check the ceiling first.
“Ah, there it is.”
As expected, I found a passage where air was coming out. A ‘▦’ shaped hole in the ceiling. The air inside circulated through those small holes.
“Let’s go in then.”
Having found the hole, it was time to enter and find the route. If there was an entry point, there had to be an exit point as well, and that exit would be my entrance to Lecture Hall 5.
“Inventory.”
However, the ceiling was quite high, so I needed something to stand on. I used the player’s unique skill, ‘Inventory,’ and took out the ladder I had stored inside. I was glad I had prepared for this situation in advance.
*Clank*
I climbed the ladder and successfully removed the ‘▦’ shaped metal plate. It was fixed with screws, so I could easily loosen them with a screwdriver.
“Inventory.”
I stored the ladder back in my inventory to erase any traces of my intrusion. I was grateful that the system treated me, a transmigrator, as a player. What would I have done without the inventory?
*Rustle… Rustle…*
Anyway, I started crawling through the narrow passage. Of course, I didn’t forget to leave marks with a specially treated pen to map the route.
After crawling for a while, I finally found the exit. Surprisingly, the exit led to the forge where I would be working.
“Jackpot.”
I cheered and came out. Since the entrance to Lecture Hall 5 was in the forge where I worked, auditing classes seemed easier than I thought.
‘Hmm… I should still make some modifications, though.’
It was too early to celebrate. It took too long to get here—a whole 20 minutes. The thought of crawling for 20 minutes every day made me frown. I needed to modify the vent for easier access.
‘Yes, let’s change it completely.’
There was still over a month until the entrance ceremony. I would be working here with James until then, so there was plenty of time for modifications.
“Meow!”
As I was pondering the modifications, a cat’s meow suddenly echoed. I turned my head towards the sound and saw a cat with its right hind leg missing. The moment I saw the cat, I couldn’t contain my anger.
“No! How could they!”
Who would commit such a cruel act? This was a complete mess. The prosthetic leg attached to the cat’s right hind leg was utterly flawed in both design and engineering, from a feline anatomical perspective.
“Have you been living with this thing?”
“Meow!”
The cat meowed as if saying, “Yes.” How difficult it must have been for it to walk around with such a shoddy prosthetic. I couldn’t just ignore this.
“Sigh… Wait a moment.”
This was perfect. This was a forge, and I had plenty of time. I had found the route to Lecture Hall 5, so I could do what I wanted now. I would fix the cat’s prosthetic leg during my free time.
-*Ding*
[Lv.2 Engineering Thought activates.]
As I resolved to create a prosthetic leg for the cat, the hidden skill ‘Engineering Thought’ suddenly activated, and the cat’s leg appeared as a blueprint.
I began to understand how many bones made up the cat’s leg, their exact length and strength, and how those bones interacted to facilitate movement.
Having grasped all of this, I smirked and stroked the cat’s head.
“Wait, kitty. I’ll get rid of that crappy thing for you soon.”
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“Haa… I need a cigarette.”
Elena von Iliad Rosario, having just finished reviewing the 15th blacksmith, wore a troubled expression. The thought of having to endure 15 more of these dreadful equipment demonstrations made her want to quit her professorship on the spot.
Perhaps she should have declined the position after all.
“No, I couldn’t help it in that situation. Cecelia insisted it was an ‘order’…”
Cecelia. The Imperial Princess and Elena’s disciple. Elena rubbed her forehead, picturing her disciple’s face. The image of Cecelia, sitting with a haughty expression in the seat of honor, *ordering* her to become the academy’s head professor, flashed through her mind.
Under normal circumstances, Elena would have flatly refused, but because it was an order given by the princess, she couldn’t reject it. There were too many eyes watching.
“Cecelia… just you wait…”
Her disciple had sneakily used her status as a princess to force Elena into this professorship. Elena trembled with anger, clenching her fists. Someday, when she met her disciple one-on-one, she would give her a good shake.
“Sigh. I should go pet Wayongi…”
However, that day was still a month away. Until then, she had to find a way to manage her frustration. Elena decided to pet her beloved cat, Wayongi. Stroking the affectionate creature’s fur always calmed her down.
She stopped by her temporary office to see Wayongi.
“Hmm?”
Elena tilted her head as soon as she opened the office door. The cat, who should have been sitting quietly on the desk, was nowhere to be seen. Where could the creature with a bad leg have gone?
*Flash!*
Wayongi was nowhere to be found, even after searching every corner of the office. Finally, Elena used ‘Mana Tracking,’ a wide-area detection skill that could sense the location of any living being possessing even a minuscule amount of mana.
But Wayongi’s mana was nowhere to be felt. The cat was well outside the detection range.
“Wayongi!”
Elena threw open the door and began searching for Wayongi. She scoured the entire building, tracking the cat’s mana. Finally, she detected it. About 200 meters away, in the direction of the forge, she sensed Wayongi’s mana.
“Wayongi!”
Elena hurried towards the forge.
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