On the other side, Louisa walked through the courtyard towards the side corridor of the academy. It was quiet, only the breeze carrying the scent of garden flowers. However, her footsteps stopped when she felt a shadow following her.
Without turning around, she said in a calm but sharp tone.
Louisa: "Stop following me."
From the shadows, a young man with black hair and blue eyes appeared. It was Lucius, the first prince of Cryztolia. His smile was friendly, but his body clearly showed reluctance.
Lucius: "I'm sorry, Louisa. I was following you. I couldn't approach you directly at the academy, you know why. That would definitely cause a commotion."
Louisa raised her eyebrows, then glanced over.
Louisa: "Commotion or not, your behavior is still more fitting to be called a stalker." You're a prince, not a silent assassin."
Lucius chuckled, slightly embarrassed.
Lucius: "Heheh... I was wrong, forgive me," he said, bowing.
Louisa sighed softly, then looked at him with sharp eyes.
Louisa: "Lucius... are you interested in that commoner?"
Lucius himself was surprised, but his expression remained calm.
Lucius: "How did you know?"
Louisa: "I've been watching you for a long time. Your gaze has been fixed on that boy since he first entered Class S. Even during class. So, why? What attracted you to that person?"
Lucius sighed, then answered sincerely.
Lucius: "Wim, he's different. Even though he doesn't have mana, he can teleport and create a long-lost Mermaid magic circle. He defeated the Centaur automaton in the Gigan Dungeon. And now... he created Anti-Toxic Venom using only Salamander skin." "He's... truly unique."
Hearing all that, Lucius's words were certainly not mere empty talk to Louisa.
Since he first entered the academy, Wim had surprised everyone with his behavior and demeanor throughout his time at the academy, and that's what made him well-known to many, including Louisa herself.
But he reiterated his point.
Louisa: "Then why don't you approach him directly?"
Lucius smiled bitterly.
Lucius: "Because of his personality. He always causes chaos in class, always gets scolded by the teachers. Even I... don't know how to approach him with that personality."
Louisa listened intently, then smiled faintly, almost mockingly.
Louisa: "If you're truly interested, then do it yourself. Don't ask someone like me to intercede for a mere commoner." That would humiliate you, Lucius."
Without waiting for an answer, Louisa walked away, leaving Lucius standing alone in the hallway.
Although she appeared indifferent, Louisa was actually genuinely curious about Wim.
....
(Professor Syit's Office - Unio Academy)
After Professor Syit's crushing defeat, she began to lock herself in her office, venting her anger at having just been defeated by a brat with no mana.
Although the office seemed quiet, Professor Syit, sitting at her desk, was in a different state.
The sound of her watch ticked in the silence.
Professor Syit was seen biting her fingernails.
Clearly annoyed and angry at the humiliation she had caused.
Professor Syit: "That brat... dared to humiliate me!" How could I lose to him…?!" she said, gritting her teeth and biting her nails.
From her hands, a faint black smoke of Abyssal power seeped out uncontrollably from the illusion magic, making the air around the room feel heavy and stuffy.
Tuk… Tuk… Tuk…
A knock sounded on her office door. Syit flinched, thinking she'd been discovered because of her Abyssal power. But when the door opened, a man in his forties with a neat mustache and elegant black noble attire entered. His authority immediately filled the room.
Professor Syit was immediately startled by the person and quickly bowed as if the person who had just entered was someone important.
Professor Syit: "P—Professor Crane…!"
Crane is a member of the Supreme Council at Unio Academy. However, he is also a member of The Hive, and Professor Syit's superior in helping him infiltrate the academy.
Crane walked slowly, his voice heavy but calm.
Crane: "Syit… I heard some embarrassing news from some of our members who infiltrated the academy. They say you were just humiliated by a brat with no mana. Is that true?" he asked with a slightly disappointed expression.
Syit lowered her head deeper, cold sweat dripping down her forehead.
Professor Syit: "I'm sorry, Mr. Crane. It was just a momentary personal grudge… I promise it won't happen again."
Crane stared at her for a long moment, then sighed.
Crane: "I don't care about that student. More importantly… you must complete the Magic Transmutation Technique. Don't let your emotions waste your precious time."
Professor Syit bowed respectfully.
Professor Syit: "Yes... I'll finish it soon."
Crane turned and stood in front of the large window. His shadow cast a silhouette of a monster there.
Crane: "Focus on that. I've already contacted someone to take care of those Class S students... You just focus on completing that technique."
...
Wim's POV
(Helbert's House)
[You have successfully completed the Main Quest Episode 3: "The Knowledge Behind Alchemy."] You gain +120 EXP and gain one level.]
Wim: "Not bad, no wonder so many people always skip this story," he said.
Wim was on his way to Helbert's house as usual this afternoon.
The trip to Helbert's house felt calmer this afternoon than the previous days.
Perhaps because the exam was over, it was no wonder Wim could travel calmly, without any burdens.
Wim: "Art." He called out to Art.
Art: "Hey, what's wrong?" Art, who was flying beside him, began to rotate its wings from the ball-shaped body.
Wim: "Please display my status now."
Art: "Okay, dookie."
Then a blue hologram flashed in front of Art, displaying smoothly moving numbers and statistics.
Wim's Status:
Level: 6
Strength: 5.1 → 5.7
Perception: 6.7 → 6.9
Endurance: 4.6 → 4.8
Charisma: 6
Intelligence: 6.2
Agility: 8.2
Luck: 8.4
Skill: Blink (2-second cooldown) (stock: 3)
Skill: Mana Detection (Automatically activates, 20-meter range)
Skill: Throwing (Automatically activates)
Attribute: Blank (Essence: Fire)
Wim stared at the screen with half-open eyes, his fingers tapping on the small wooden table they had brought for reference. He let out a long sigh, slightly disappointed that his stats weren't significant.
But that was understandable, as this main quest was just a small-time quest and didn't have much of an impact on the player.
However, what intrigued him was the Blank attribute, a very strange attribute he had never encountered before while playing Victori Shard. Even on the forums, no one had discussed such an attribute.
Whether it was because he'd never seen it himself, or whether it had been intentionally omitted by the developers, no one knew for sure.
What was clear, however, was that for now, Wim would have to rely on Art for what he didn't know. This would allow him to find the True Ending.
Upon arriving at Helbert's house, the main door was locked. Only the silence of the house greeted him. Fortunately, Wim remembered the location of the spare key Helbert had told him, so he quickly entered without waiting for him.
Inside, the house looked like a wreck: several books were scattered about, some alchemy and magitek tools were still piled up, and the mini garden beside the house looked dry in places.
Wim: " Unbelievable, this Dwarf..." he muttered, annoyed at Helbert's behavior after getting a new assistant.
Finally, Wim began his routine: cleaning the workbench, rearranging the alchemy and magitek tools, sweeping the dust off the creaking wooden floor, and even watering the garden using an automatic water sprayer Helbert had assembled himself.
Wim: "Phew... Finally done."
After everything was ready, Wim ordered Art to display a hologram of Professor Syit's Abyss power enhancement. The hologram's blue light formed a complex diagram, showing the percentage increase in Professor Syit's Abyss power.
Art: "It looks like Professor Syit's Abyss enhancement is currently at 48 percent. Her power is definitely enough to penetrate some of the illusion spells she casts, but it seems the Professor is still safe."
Wim furrowed his brows.
Even though Professor Syit's Abyss enhancement is almost 50 percent, can she still be safe?
How is that possible?
Wim thinks Professor Syit has most likely enhanced her illusion magic so that the power of the Abyss within her can still be neatly concealed.
However, the most important part isn't just Professor Syit. It's the next steps she'll take after this.
In the game, Professor Syit will most likely infect one of the students with the power of the Abyss to become their partner.
But Wim doesn't know who will be contaminated by that power.
It's not because he can't memorize the story in detail, but because there are so many branches within a single episode, like a simulation game, and it's impossible to predict the future of this world.
However, of the many students with potential contamination, there are several suitable candidates.
Ken, a Beastman who was with Luna in the Gigan Dungeon.
Jelly, a Class A student who will be Luna's rival.
And the most dangerous of the two...
Morian Smith, heir to the Magic Tower.
Wim: 'If Morian is Professor Syit's primary target, this could be serious.'
Even among the hundreds and thousands of players who play the game, very few have witnessed Morian's Abyss contamination. They sometimes share it through video clips so everyone knows.
But the point is, if Morian is Professor Syit's target, it could lead to a bad ending.
Although Wim himself doesn't know whether this is likely to happen or not.
Wim: 'I don't know why. Now that I think about it, maybe I should practice first so I can survive the next story,' he thought.
As he pondered for a moment, light footsteps were heard at the door. Wim immediately told Art to cover some secret holograms and hide important notes. The door opened, and Emily entered.
Emily: "Hi, Wim... how are you?"
Wim: "Okay... well... you could say that," she said, patting Art, who was floating.
Then she continued.
Wim: "By the way, where's Old Man Helbert?"
Emily looked down slightly.
Emily: "Helbert is busy repairing some automatons at the Academy. So he'll be home later."
Wim nodded in understanding, then Emily began asking Wim another question.
Emily: "So... How was your alchemy practical exam?"
Wim smiled goofily, giving a thumbs-up.
Wim: "Passed, as you can see."
Emily, seeing this, smiled and chuckled.
Emily: "Then you passed. I'm glad you and your group passed. Professor Syit is a perfectionist, so passing under his supervision is no easy feat for the students there."
Then Wim's curiosity began to rise again.
Wim: "By the way, Emily. You seem very close to Professor Syit?"
Emily sighed lightly after hearing the question.
Emily: "Yes, I'm her personal assistant. That's why I've been so busy lately."
Wim nodded, recalling his character in the game Victori Shard, where Emily had indeed played Professor Syit's assistant. However, there was something she didn't know about Professor Syit: she was being indirectly exploited by her to complete several formulas to be presented at an upcoming seminar.
Although Professor Syit had said she would replace Emily in presenting the formulas, all the credit that should have gone to Emily instead went to Professor Syit.
This made Emily less visible as one of the most influential people in the formulas.
'It's a bitter truth.'
Then Emily put some of her notes on the table, papers filled with alchemy theories, considering that Emily would soon graduate there.
Wim and Art, seeing this, couldn't help but be curious about all the notes Emily had brought. So they began examining each note.
The note contained every alchemy formula Wim might have been somewhat familiar with or seen because he had read it in one of the books.
[Author's Note: It's in Chapter 12, please read it again😊]
There was even one of the potions Emily was working on herself.
However, one page caught Wim's attention: a diagram with three mana circles forming a triangle, with a large circle in the center.
Wim: "This... Assistant Emily, what is this?" he said, adding the word "assistant" to Emily after he asked Emily if she was Professor Syit's assistant.
Emily glanced over briefly, then smiled faintly.
Emily: "Oh, that... That's the Mana Transmutation Technique Formula. A technique that is still only a theory. Professor Syit and other professors are also working on finalizing it."
Blip
Instantly, Wim's eyes widened when he heard the word:
Mana Transmutation Technique
A technique long lost since the Arcanum era, an era where magic dominated all aspects.
In the game's story, Professor Syit, along with other members of The Hive, successfully completed the formula. Thanks to this, the Hive invasion became rampant due to the difference in magical technology, causing many countries to fall one by one.
Fortunately, thanks to Emily, who also successfully completed the formula, the Hive invasion was successfully held back by the resistance, although it still left countless remnants of the war.
However, if Emily manages to complete this formula before Professor Syit, there is a possibility that the world could possess magical technology that can surpass the Hive's forces, who use the power of the Abyss.
Perhaps this could be one way for Wim to achieve the True Ending.
Wim: "...Assistant Emily?"
Emily: "Yes, what is it, Wim?"
Wim: "I wanted to ask, does Assistant Emily actually want to complete this formula?" He said, handing Emily the paper containing the Magic Transmutation Technique.
Emily took it and looked at it again, this time with a silent expression, but a strong desire was evident within.
From that, Wim already knew that during her time as Professor Syit's assistant, Professor Syit never gave her the opportunity to step forward.
Because of this, Emily was never able to develop herself, and she remained stagnant there.
However, if she were given the opportunity to develop herself, she would definitely try her hardest.
Emily: "...Actually, I want to, but... I don't know if I can?"
Suddenly, someone came from there and deliberately opened the door loudly.
Helbert: "You have to be able to do it, Emily! Don't just be a servant to that arrogant Professor!"
It turned out to be Helbert, who had returned from work.
His shout surprised Wim, Art, and Emily.
Wim: "So, what do you think, Assistant Emily? This way, you can become a more renowned alchemist than Professor Syit. No, or even a world-renowned alchemist."
Hearing Wim's question and Helbert's support, Emily stared blankly at the paper, then began to glow as if inspired.
Emily: "Then... That would be great," she said. Feeling happy
This way, Emily began trying to solve the formula before Professor Syit could.