I Realized It Was An Academy Game After 10 Years – Chapter 143

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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Ugh, I’m so tired.

I discreetly pinched my thigh.

“…According to… theory…”

The professor’s monotonous voice droned on, the scratching of pens against paper the only other sound in the lecture hall.

The sight of students struggling to stay awake was a familiar one.

Which one was I before I possessed this body? The one dozing off? Or the one diligently trying to focus?

…It didn’t matter now.

To survive this mind-numbing lecture, I needed something to keep me awake.

And to address some lingering questions.

Status window.

I hadn’t checked it in a while. I had been too busy. Or rather, I had simply forgotten about it.

There wasn’t any reason to check it regularly.

I didn’t level up or gain stat points. And this wasn’t the familiar status window from “Survival Academy.” This one was filled with cryptic abbreviations.

Why give me a status window like this? Shouldn’t it be more user-friendly? This wasn’t Dark Souls. Couldn’t they have at least thrown in an EX-ranked skill or something?

“…Status Window.”

I called out to the status window in a voice only I could hear.

The status window, after a long absence, presented several points of interest.

Dexterity had increased by half a rank.

New traits: Sewing, Metallurgy, and Tactics.

Eight trait points.

And the mission slot was empty.

What was this status window trying to tell me? I couldn’t figure it out.

Why had the missions stopped?

Was it because the next incident wouldn’t occur for at least another month?

Did missions only appear when an incident was imminent?

…Without any hints or information, I couldn’t draw any conclusions.

I would move on.

Dexterity… It had increased from all the prosthetic arm and veil crafting. But only by half a rank, despite all that effort.

How much grinding did it take to increase it further?

That was the only question regarding Dexterity, so I moved on to the new traits.

Sewing, Metallurgy, and Tactics.

Sewing from the veils, Metallurgy from working with mithril and iron, and Tactics probably from setting traps and exploring dungeons.

Metallurgy was already at B+, likely due to the mithril.

Did it start at B+, or did it increase from a lower rank?

I didn’t check my status window often enough to know. I would have to start checking it daily. I needed to track the changes to understand the system.

I had plenty of free time while escorting Karina during lectures. All I had to do was occasionally scan my surroundings.

…Though I mainly did that to stay awake.

I had placed Rue in a compartment I crafted on the back of Karina’s wheelchair.

It would react immediately if any hostile individuals approached.

“…That concludes today’s lecture. Any students with questions, please come to the podium.”

The professor’s gaze shifted to Milia.

She immediately grabbed her notes and textbook, excused herself, and walked towards the professor. The professor’s face lit up at the sight of such an enthusiastic student.

She was always so diligent.

I closed my status window and looked around the bustling lecture hall. The students were packing their belongings and getting ready to leave.

Three days into the new semester, the number of students trying to get close to Karina had decreased considerably.

It was partly due to the veil, but mostly because they had given up due to Karina’s aloofness and my intimidating glare.

I stroked the handle of my shovel, casually hooked onto my belt, and helped Karina pack her things.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. It’s my job.”

The table, previously cluttered with notes and pens, was quickly cleared.

We chatted while waiting for Milia.

“I almost fell asleep… My thighs are still sore from all the pinching.”

“M-Me too…”

“…To be honest, I was a little sleepy as well.”

So even Karina found the lecture boring.

It was hard to stay focused when the professor spoke in a slow, monotonous voice like a headmaster giving a morning assembly speech.

Milia, with her bright, attentive eyes, was the unusual one.

Perhaps she had a hidden talent for academics.

“At this rate, the top student rankings might change.”

“That’s possible.”

“I’ve never seen anyone so enthusiastic about Continental History.”

I scanned the crowd of students leaving the lecture hall. The line was still long. By the time Milia returned, the hall would be almost empty.

As I was watching the students leave, I noticed a familiar face break away from the crowd and approach Karina.

I quietly intercepted them.

“Can I help you?”

“Ah, Mister Johann. I’m actually here to speak with Miss Elisa, not the Saintess.”

I stepped aside.

Martina gave me a small nod of thanks and approached Elisa.

Elisa, who had been cowering like a frightened kitten, looked up at Martina with a surprised expression and pointed at herself.

“M-Me?”

“Yes, Miss Elisa. Are you aware of the group project in Practical Magic Theory?”

“Uh… y-yes… I-I heard…”

“Have you found a group yet?”

“U-Um, no… n-not yet…”

…Even after her transformation from gloomy girl to shy beauty, her social anxiety remained unchanged.

Did I need to launch another self-esteem boosting project?

Where should I take her this time?

While I was pondering Elisa’s social life, Martina persisted in her invitation.

Elisa, after several refusals, finally relented and nodded.

“I look forward to working with you, Miss Elisa.”

“M-Me too.”

“Congratulations, Elisa.”

“The Magic department has group projects?”

“Yes.”

Did the General Studies department have group projects?

I thought they would have more.

I asked Milia, who had just returned, and she confirmed that there were no group projects in the General Studies department.

They had projects, but they were mostly individual assignments and exams.

…Did the Theology department have group projects?

If they did, I wondered how Karina’s group would function.

They would probably give her full marks even if she did nothing. And if she tried to contribute, they would probably stop her and do everything themselves.

…This was getting complicated.

“Hello, Saintess!”

A sudden, high-pitched voice made me turn my head. Shuri was standing there, her hands clasped together, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

Karina, remembering her ordeal in the Theology department, flinched almost imperceptibly.

“Hello. Miss Shuri, is it?”

“Yes! Kyaa! Lewis! The Saintess remembered my name!”

“Haha… calm down, Shuri. You’re making the Saintess uncomfortable.”

…The protagonist and the main heroine finally meeting.

The sight filled me with a strange mix of emotions.

Happiness, but also a sense of unease.

Was it because their first meeting was different from the original story?

They weren’t supposed to meet in a lecture hall.

Their first encounter should have been at the entrance ceremony.

Lewis, guiding the lost Karina.

A chance encounter blossoming into friendship. Then, through shared experiences, their feelings growing, and eventually…

“It’s alright. I’m used to it. Mister… Lewis, is it?”

“Yes, Saintess. My name is Lewis. I’m in the Swordsmanship department.”

“…It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mister Lewis.”

Karina, for some reason, glanced at me before turning back to Lewis.

It felt like she was gauging my reaction.

Why?

I suppressed my curiosity and observed Lewis. He greeted me as well, then left with the beaming, tail-wagging Shuri.

A chaotic entrance and a swift exit.

“We should get going too.”

Five minutes until the next class.

We would be cutting it close.

“Hmm hmm~ Math, math~”

With Milia’s humming as our cue, we headed towards the next lecture hall.

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