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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Chaos
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In “Planetarium,” there were two main types of events: fixed events triggered at specific times, and trigger events activated by fulfilling certain conditions.
The Academy’s group project was a fixed event, largely independent of the player’s actions.
‘…No, wait. The Academy staff, specifically the professors, decide the content of these exercises. And they can change things.’
This was different from fixed knowledge like “combining A and B increases mana” or “excavating area C reveals ancient ruins.”
The question was, what had they changed?
[After this announcement, black butterflies will guide you to your starting points. When the signal sounds, run from your starting point to the designated destination. But that wouldn’t be very fun, would it?]
“Fun isn’t really a requirement…”
“Wait, so we’re abandoning our perfectly good base camp and going somewhere else? In the middle of the night?”
“The one who strives hard cannot defeat the one who enjoys themselves. How profound…”
Professor Istal, naturally, couldn’t hear Lotto and Pino’s complaints.
And Lavaul, that proverb doesn’t apply here.
Maybe if it was “the one with a terrible personality,” it would fit.
As we waited for Professor Istal to continue, butterflies appeared and dropped something on each of us.
“A bracelet?”
[Did everyone receive their equipment? Please put the bracelet on your wrist.]
As I put it on, I felt a faint mana emission from the embedded gem.
I channeled mana into Dantalion’s Monocle and examined the bracelet.
The magic tool’s analysis function revealed its information.
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[Professor Faust’s Improved Protection Bracelet]
A magic tool with the following functions: “Substitute,” which absorbs damage taken by the wearer; “Mark,” which emits a specific mana signature and signal; “Transfer,” which teleports the wearer to a designated location upon detecting significant damage; and “Plunder,” which steals the Mark from another wearer of Professor Faust’s Improved Protection Bracelet upon defeating them.
「Wait, they’re using specialized magic tools for a student exercise? That’s…actually plausible, now that I think about it.」-One year before the Academy opened, the creator, succumbing to the allure of more funding and time-
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Professor Faust…
I chuckled.
The unexpected backstory was amusing, but I was also impressed by the Monocle’s ability to display such trivial information.
It didn’t show numerical stats like attack power or durability, or item grades like in “Planetarium,” but it was still impressive enough to make me wonder about the creator’s skill level.
And judging by the bracelet’s functions, I could guess what the next exercise entailed.
[Each bracelet has a unique Mark for each team. You can steal Marks by defeating members of other teams. The Plunder Run course has two checkpoints and a finish line. You only need one Mark to clear the first checkpoint, two for the second, and three for the finish line!]
Regret flicked her bracelet.
“So, we have to take down two other teams. Or all three, if we’re feeling ambitious.”
“How violent. I hope no one gets seriously injured.”
Lavaul’s concern was unnecessary.
[The first team to have at least one member reach the finish line after clearing both checkpoints wins! Oh, and the bracelets have a damage absorption function, so don’t hold back!]
“Damage absorption?! Why didn’t they give these to us sooner?! There were so many dangerous situations!”
Fiore replied to Lotto’s outburst,
“It’s probably a matter of quantity. They can’t just hand out damage-absorbing magic tools like candy.”
I added,
“And since they absorb damage, they’re essentially consumables. It’s already unusual for them to provide 24 of them for a school exercise.”
“Well, that’s true, but…”
[Now, give it your all!]
As the announcement ended, the butterflies gestured for us to follow.
We packed up our camp and followed them.
After about 20 minutes, we arrived at a circular clearing.
A glowing blue line marked the perimeter of the clearing.
We were supposed to stay inside until the signal.
“At least it’s flat ground, good for setting up camp. The problem is, we don’t know when the signal will sound.”
“We’ll have to take turns keeping watch. It’ll reduce our rest time, but it’s better than oversleeping and getting a late start.”
“I’m hungry…”
Pino’s eyes were bloodshot as she scratched her head, and Lotto looked exhausted.
It was understandable.
Two days of constant vigilance in the forest, a direct confrontation with the Fendevig team, and various injuries had taken their toll.
I had given them potions that restored vitality, but that only addressed physical fatigue, not mental exhaustion.
Only Regret and Lavaul seemed relatively unaffected.
‘Regret’s resilience is expected, but Lavaul is surprising.’
He hadn’t been as injured by Eagle’s mid-rank spell, and he was tougher than I thought.
‘Maybe I should suggest he take Combat classes,’ I mused.
Then I noticed Fiore was missing.
She was standing at the edge of the clearing, staring into the darkness beyond the glowing line.
“What’s up?”
“Oh, Oppa. I was thinking about something.”
“Thinking about what?”
Fiore hesitated, then said,
“The announcement didn’t say anything about not leaving the starting point before the signal, or about attacks before the signal being invalid.”
“Huh?”
I replayed the announcement in my mind.
「…When the signal sounds, run from your starting point to the designated destination…」
「…Each bracelet has a unique Mark, and you can steal Marks by defeating members of other teams…」
Wait a minute.
“…So, we could find another team in the middle of the night, defeat them, and return to the starting point before the signal?”
“That’s probably too much, right?”
“It’s theoretically possible, but not very practical.”
“Everyone looks tired, and I wouldn’t want to do it myself. It was just a thought.”
“It’s not a crime to think,” Fiore said with a playful wink.
I smiled back.
It was tempting, but too risky given the team’s condition.
‘If it was just me and Regret, I might have tried it.’
The darkness beyond the clearing seemed…almost disappointed.
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Crow Vein was what you would call a genius.
Born into a renowned swordsmanship family, he also possessed magical talent.
He had wielded a sword since childhood, and his instructors praised his exceptional abilities.
He had two older brothers, and he wasn’t interested in politics or administrative duties, so he wasn’t in line to inherit the family.
But in terms of pure swordsmanship, he surpassed even his older brothers.
He had few rivals among his peers, so he was thrilled to meet equally talented students at the Academy.
The rivalry with these equals, different from his feelings towards his father, fueled his growth.
And the challenge they posed only ignited his passion further.
‘This is a good opportunity. I’ll settle things with Regret!’
He wasn’t certain of victory, but he didn’t expect to lose either.
His teammate, Akasha, was an unusually skilled and powerful priest, a force to be reckoned with.
If she and the others could handle Chrom’s tricks, he could focus on Regret.
The Academy-provided magic tools eliminated the need to hold back.
His fighting spirit was honed, his body warmed up from the relatively easy second stage.
He was in peak condition.
All he had to do was wait for the signal.
Or so he thought.
Until the monster appeared.
“…Cough!”
Leaning on his sword, with his hand trembling, Crow Vein surveyed his surroundings.
A massive crater now occupied the center of the clearing where their camp had been.
His teammates, caught completely off guard, had been eliminated and teleported away.
Only Crow and Akasha had reacted to the sudden attack, but they were no match for the lone assailant.
Crow’s twin blades couldn’t penetrate the attacker’s magical shield, but the assailant’s spell had pierced Akasha like a flash of light.
Crow thought,
‘Is this it?’
He had never underestimated her.
She was a top student, and the Academy’s curriculum wasn’t just about theoretical knowledge.
But he had also assumed her reputation was inflated due to her status.
Surely, there was some bias towards someone with the Barhardt name in an Imperial Academy funded by the royal family.
And now, he realized he was wrong.
She wasn’t overrated.
She was underestimated.
“You hid a monster behind that innocent face, didn’t you, Your Highness…!”
Lyla Everblaze Barhardt, the attacker, smiled at Crow’s growl.
It was an elegant yet dangerous smile, like a flickering flame.
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