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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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‘What the hell?! Seriously?!’
Affinity 49.
A DEFCON 1 situation with a heroine he was supposed to avoid. In eight regressions, he’d never experienced such a drastic affinity increase.
Egenir was unaware of a crucial factor,
[Bad Boy Style.]
Having lived as a cynical bastard for so long, he didn’t understand the appeal of the “bad boy.”
Women sought stability? That was more about wanting a man who treated them well, not necessarily high affinity.
Women were attracted to men who were handsome, kind, and slightly unattainable.
The thrill of the chase, the emotional rollercoaster of anticipation, disappointment, and anger…By the time they realized their emotions were fixated on him…
‘Why do I even care about him?’
…that’s when Cecilia would start questioning herself.
Egenir had granted her request at a crucial moment, agreeing to be her vice president when she’d finally gathered the courage to ask.
All the negative feelings, the frustration of his unavailability, had flipped, boosting her affinity. Egenir hadn’t anticipated this.
He’d deliberately lowered Cecilia’s affinity, and now, by agreeing to her request, he’d inadvertently reversed the process, adding all the suppressed affinity back.
‘But why 49?!’
Women were a mystery.
He couldn’t understand their sudden shifts in affection, the inexplicable drops and spikes. Sometimes he’d stumble into their good graces, other times, his best efforts would backfire.
He’d expected a 10-point increase at most, but it had jumped by over 20. If it increased by just 1 more…
‘No!’
He suspected 50 was the threshold for stealing a trait. Acquiring Salamander now would ruin his carefully planned, balanced build. And…
‘Cecilia’s eyes are…changing.’
The yandere trait was awakening.
‘Will this ruin my chances with Spenny?’
Cecilia’s obsessive tendencies…He’d planned to acquire her trait and then ditch her. Or rather, acquire her trait and then “accidentally” kill her during the demon invasion event.
“What’s wrong? It’s just a hug! A friendly hug!”
Cecilia’s breathing was ragged.
‘Hugs are for family and friends!’
Fortunately, there weren’t many people in the garden. His lunch was scattered on the ground. He lay half-sprawled on the bench, one arm blocking Cecilia, who was trying to embrace him.
He pushed her away, holding her at arm’s length.
“Wait! Just a second! Why are you making this weird?!”
‘Your eyes are weird!’
Like a predator fixated on its prey, Cecilia lunged, desperate for that final point of affinity.
“Haaa…”
A moan escaped her lips. In her struggle to embrace him, his hand brushed against her breast.
“N-No!”
Egenir recoiled in horror.
‘No! Don’t!’
He screamed internally. Cecilia’s face flushed.
“Fine!”
She pounced, throwing her arms around him, holding him tight.
“Aaaaaah!”
A scream of despair.
All his efforts, a week of grueling training to acquire a trait…all for nothing.
[Cecilia’s affinity increased by 1.]
[Congratulations! Cecilia’s affinity has reached 50.]
[Cecilia now sees you as more than a friend.]
[Congratulations! You have acquired a trait.]
[Acquired trait: Salamander.]
[Fire magic efficiency increased by 300%.]
[Efficiency of other magic attributes decreased by 50% or more.]
[Acquired fire resistance.]
[Automatically learned fire magic spells due to Magic Level 4 or higher.]
[Acquired skill: Fireball.]
[Acquired skill: Firewall.]
“Aaaaaah!”
“Are you screaming because you’re embarrassed?”
This was a disaster. He spotted the steep cliff overlooking the artificial lake.
‘Thud!’
He scrambled to his feet and ran towards the cliff.
“I’m going to the next turn!”
His build was ruined. He’d finally acquired a trait, but it had thrown everything off balance.
He’d have to endure Cecilia’s obsessive affection, at least until the demon invasion event in a month. He couldn’t take it. He’d rather die.
His trauma, combined with the certainty of a ruined 8th turn, overwhelmed him.
How could he attend Spenny and Horfin’s classes with Cecilia watching his every move?
Elemental, Iron Heart…all forgotten. He’d have to start over.
‘Thwack!’
A wooden sword struck him in the stomach as he reached the edge of the cliff.
“Ugh!”
Before his vision went black, he saw Ella, seemingly hidden in the bushes, lunge at him with the wooden sword.
Her swordsmanship, enhanced by a newly acquired Dragon Swordsmanship she shouldn’t have had at this stage, was impressive.
‘What kind of…She’s a cheat character…’
A girl who’d mastered Dragon Swordsmanship in less than a month.
The bitches who’d ignored him in previous turns were now blocking his path.
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The academy infirmary.
One of the academy’s proudest achievements, equipped to handle injuries from swordsmanship training and magical explosions.
Not a small room with a few beds, but a fully equipped emergency room, staffed by a head nurse, five assistants, and over twenty nurses’ aides. A testament to the academy’s generous funding.
“Ugh…”
It was time for Horfin’s class. Egenir’s eyes snapped open.
‘Iron Heart!’
He threw back the covers and sat up.
‘Oh.’
The memories flooded back. This turn was ruined. He’d acquired Salamander. Even if he managed to get Elemental later, the imbalance would cripple his build.
“Sigh…”
He considered his options. The damage was done. He shouldn’t have even considered suicide, not when he’d gone so long without a trait. He thought about attending Horfin’s class, then…
“You…”
Ella, her clothes slightly singed, sat beside his bed.
“You’re awake?”
His attacker…and his savior. Ella, even before acquiring the Hero trait, had always been aloof. She sat there, arms crossed, waiting for him to wake up.
“Where’s Cecilia?”
He was scared, but Cecilia’s condition was his priority.
“She went berserk.”
That explained everything. Cecilia must have snapped after seeing Ella knock him out.
A clash between Dragon Swordsmanship and level 6 magic.
‘But…’
Cecilia had been the strongest freshman, at least initially.
‘How did Ella win?’
Ella, having defeated the overpowered Cecilia, sat calmly beside his bed.
‘She even learned Dragon Swordsmanship…’
Perhaps mastering Dragon Swordsmanship was a prerequisite for acquiring the Hero trait. He remembered the Hero trait awakening during the demon invasion event, after a fierce battle.
‘And she’s from the Dragon Swordsmanship family.’
Egenir, disgusted by her bloodline advantage, glared at her.
“Where is she?”
He needed to know what had happened to Cecilia. She wouldn’t have killed her, would she? Ella pulled back the curtain beside his bed.
‘Swish!’
Cecilia lay there, unconscious.
‘It’s true…’
His memories of previous regressions were diverging drastically from the current reality.
Ella, who should have been diligently practicing basic swordsmanship, had mastered Dragon Swordsmanship and defeated Cecilia.
He noticed bandages peeking out from under Ella’s uniform. It must have been a fierce fight.
‘But she won.’
The future had changed.
“I…I have to go to Teacher Horfin’s class.”
He was late. Even with a ruined build, he couldn’t give up.
‘A changed future could be a good thing.’
He could always regress. But the main events had always remained the same. Now, with his newly acquired trait and the altered course of events, a glimmer of hope flickered in his mind.
‘Could this be…the end of this damned regression?’
“Egenir.”
“What?”
He had nothing but bad memories of Ella.
“I also…”
“Huh?”
She must have had a reason for hiding in the garden.
Why was she hiding?
“May I attend Teacher Horfin’s class?”
That’s when it hit him.
‘This bloodline-blessed bitch is stealing my training opportunity!’
He considered flipping her off.
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