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'It's showtime.' Silver thought as he stepped forward
Before he moved forward, he recalculated his plans, 'I can't act recklessly here. I'm not entirely fearful of the consequences of being caught, for people infiltrating the district is quite common, but I'd rather not spend the new year in prison while listening to Hestia's bickering.'
'So first, it seems I'll be needing to go through a little bit of a makeup change…' He thought as he brushed his hair back
/Swomm…/
His body slowly shifted. His eyes turned crimson red as his hair brightened, becoming golden.
Meanwhile, his ears elongated, shifting into those of an elf.
His skin turned slightly paler, but not that much… aside from that, he changed nothing else.
"This should be enough." He mumbled out loud as he looked in a mirror
He looked at his hand, 'I can maintain this much change for nearly forever. The biggest issue here is my skin, but the Mind consumption is negligible. If I spent some extra time tinkering with my body, making this semi-permanent would've been fine.'
"Now, for my voice… making it a little smoother and elegant… ahh~… hooo~… ahem… this should be fine." He said as he held his throat
'I could try speaking in Elvish, but my pronunciation… I would be busted by another native in no time.'
'From now on I'm Elfgard… if anyone asks… I'm from the Hermes Familia.' He thought with a sneaky smile, ready to pin the blame on a certain deity if it came down to it
"Now then… should we make our way to the library?"
He looked around him, 'I scouted the surroundings first, but I should move. If they find a student in the middle of a service room, they'll start asking questions… while most students aren't allowed to leave at this moment, I'd rather not be singled out.'
'Step one… reach the nearest library. If there's even more than one… Quest… begin!'
Silver, or rather, Elfgard stepped out of the room as he adjusted his collar, stepping into the famed School District for the first time…
…
/Step…/
He stepped outside, clenching his eyes faintly as the sunlight blinded him.
What unfolded before him momentarily made Silver forget he was on a ship. It was an overwhelming landscape of many buildings built from white stone with blue rooftops.
The perfect symmetry of the structures alone was a work of art, evoking the image of churches, or perhaps even cathedrals to him, for the details on every building were breathtaking.
'I can understand why they call it a district. This is almost like a mini - Orario.' He thought as he walked along the deserted stone-paved streets
He tried to be casual about it so as not to draw too much attention. With his hands in his pockets, he just walked aimlessly, following the road wherever it would lead him.
'The architecture of the place is extremely similar to that of Orario, albeit far cleaner and smoother. With the Guild putting some money into its function, it can indeed be considered part of Orario… its like someone cut Orario and moved it into the ocean…'
The Academic District was so vast and meticulously arranged that it truly felt transported from some distant land.
Despite the limited space of a ship's hull, Silver didn't feel confined, 'Excellent craftsmanship. They went through the trouble of carving nearly everywhere… I like the trees as well, makes this place quite pleasant.'
'The ship is divided into three layers. The lowest layer is where their machinery is located, the middle layer is where everyone lives, and the upper layer is where the schoolrooms and the rest are located.'
He looked around. Although many facilities were closed at the moment, Silver could see many storefronts that were clearly not classrooms, giving the impression that he was strolling through a boutique district, or even a higher-class residential area.
'It really makes me eager to buy one of those houses… it's about time we moved from the Church. We can keep it for a little longer, but no student living in this environment will ever accept entering a Familia whose home is an old church in the middle of nowhere.'
He glanced at the magic-stone streetlamps lining the roads. Like Orario, they were engraved with ornate designs of considerable elegance. In all of those around him, he read the following inscription: "Graduation Project – 40th Crafting Department Class".
The same was true of the other buildings—beautiful arches and statues of goddesses adorned the surroundings. Some he could recognize, which only made it awkward… they weren't that magnificent in person.
Silver continued his walk in peace and tranquility. He ran down the street, climbed hidden staircases, passed by some students, and eventually reached a higher terrace with a view beyond the district.
Resting his hands on the railing, he gazed out at the school spread before his eyes, "Breathtaking."
White buildings stretching as far as the eye could see, crowned with blue roofs. A majestic structure ahead, easily surpassing fifty paces in height. Truly a landscape worthy of being called a paradise of sea and sky.
From the central zone, a primary avenue extended outward like spokes of a wheel, dividing the sectors like slices on a pizza. In the harmonious contrast of blue and white, the structure that drew the most attention was something resembling a stadium.
"People said this was like a district? This is almost a carbon-copy of Orario…"
'It's not just the buildings, it's the layout itself. They even have small models of things where the real ones would've been… not everything, but someone did not know much, they might assume this place was Orario instead.'
Beyond the stadium, toward the stern, stretched a green expanse, 'A park? They sure have space to spare in this boat… that area alone is wide enough to fit three stadiums.'
What mattered the most, however, was what stood behind him. At the center of the boat, rising tall and commanding all attention, was a massive tower. Not as enormous as Babel, but still colossal, reaching up into the sky when seen from below.
Like the other buildings, the tower was beautiful white with a blue roof… or so he assumed. Albeit he could see a few traces of it from here.
'Excellent craftsmanship. So Daedalus wasn't the only exceptional architect of this era. I would love to meet the engineers who built this place.'
He then looked at Orario on the horizon, "If that is the city of adventurers… this must be the city of students."
He glanced at the students below, "Hm… I think they aren't allowed to leave Melen for now. There is always a period where the district unloads before entering the city."
'Solving bureaucratic and whatnot, but most importantly, helping the students settle down with the city's culture.'
'Most students should still be here. Those outside may be the professors and high-ranking students? Maybe a department connected to security and bureaucracy?'
'I've noticed that students have different badges on their chests… they must mean something… classes, perhaps? The years they've been here?… I don't think that's it… maybe which Familia they belong to?'
'There are no Familias per se here. Each deity is in charge of a Class like a department in a university. This way, when students graduate, they'll say they were part of a specific class than a Familia, which makes students feel more at home with their new companions once they're outside.'
'Adventurers don't trust children from other Familias that easily, especially if they're moving from one to another… Ordinary people also don't tend to see adventurers or those with a blessing well… who would, really? Having superhuman beings walking around you is never good for one's mentality.'
'But saying they were part of a class instead masks their past, which is ideal to those who won't pursue power like smiths and alchemists. Or even some of the Guild's staff.' He thought as he looked around
'So far I've been relying on my knowledge, but I should seek out something more in-line with reality… I can't just plan my actions based on rumors and such…'
'I heard something about a pamphlet that explains much of a student's life to newcomers… I should get my hands on that first. Phew, this place works like a modern university. So much so that it scares me.'
"What can I say? Deities and their antics…"
Silver looked at the distance for a little longer before turning around and returning to the empty streets of the third layer, "Now, to find that library…"
…
"Is this it?" He asked out loud as he looked at a large building near the central shaft
'As beautifully done as everything else. There are so few blemishes around I'm feeling sorry for being here and staining it with my shoes… just a little.'
He stepped inside. The enormous library was luxurious, but also well-organized.
Multiple floors with dozens of bookshelves lined up in dozens of rows. On the first floor, Silver saw multiple large tables with students reading and chatting with one another.
He also saw a large counter where a few students could be seen borrowing and returning books. Although there wasn't a lot of action around, the scholarly mood was strong here.
'Finaly a place I feel at home… where should I begin? Perhaps geography? Martial Arts? Language?'
He did not hesitate long. As soon as he stepped inside, Silver immediately made way to the second floor regardless of whether or not the books he wanted were there.
Mostly when lying or doing something like this, confidence was the biggest factor to consider. People would easily overlook a confident person than a worried one.
As he reached the second floor, he found a large section of bookshelves labelled -Magic Theory-. As soon as his eyes fell on it, he knew exactly that this would be his research focus.
'Let's see… Ancient Chanting… Spiritual Chanting… Spirit Magic… On Curses Vol 1… Basic Magic Applications… man… I love this. Not even grandma had such a comprehensive array.' He thought as his fingers passed through the bookshelf
"Barely any dust either…" He mumbled as he checked his fingers
'Then again, I can't blame her… she left her home to settle in a countryside village. There were only so many books she could've brought with her.'
'Let's start with the basics then… "A Comprehensive Introduction to Magic Studies Vol 1"… just what I needed.'
Silver took the book and a few others and walked to a table on the first floor since he found none on the second floor. Perhaps the idea of the library was to have its students study next to one another… although if that wasn't their cup of tea, they could still rent them and study outside.
/Sit…/
"Uhum…"
'Let's see… oh? This book isn't written in Koine… this is the language of Altena.'
He opened another book, and as expected, it too was written in the language of the land of magic.
'Perhaps these were copied or bought in Altena? Given this place, there should be translations… though I don't need them. Grandma already shoved this up my ass when I was younger.'
'I also know a few other dialects, but the only one aside from this and Koine would be Elvish. The rest I only know a little… the only reason I know the languages of Altena and Elvish is because my grandma forced them on me.'
'I wouldn't mind learning the rest though. There should be those documents around… however, I need to finish the matter of my identity.'
/Chatter…/
Silver's ears perked up as he listened to some of the nearby students. He had already realized a few mistakes about his condition just from that.
'As expected, the badge tells from which class you're from. I have no idea which class this badge is though…' He thought as he reached for his chest, 'There's also something about an identity? Do students have ID cards here?…'
'Oi… I thought we were supposed to be in a medieval setting!'
'Don't blame me if I start pushing in modern machinery! Maybe I should complain about this to the deities, they would understand my frustration...'
Silver closed his eyes faintly, returning to his studies.
As the day went by… his peaceful time would soon end.
/BEEP!/
…
/BEEP!/
[Emergency broadcast! Emergency broadcast! There are signs of a trespasser in the School District!]
"!!"
Silver grimaced.
'Oh shit… did I screw up?… Things look fine around me though?… I also forgot speakers are a common technology… at least they don't have security cameras yet… don't tell me they have them too?!'
Shredding the surrounding air, an earsplitting voice rang out across the entire library, startling not only him, but dozens of students as well.
[Based on the Music Department's investigation, there are two trespassers! One is a deity, and the second is a follower! Judging from the Morals Police report, it is highly likely the latter is wearing a school uniform to pass as a student!]
The source of the broadcast was several speakers attached to the library's pillars. But from the sound echoing outside, he could tell it was being shared all around the district.
The announcer was brimming with determination to bring down the wrath of heaven upon the villain who dared disturb their holy ground… But Silver scoffed as he heard the announcement.
"…"
'A deity and a follower?' He thought as his eyes narrowed
'That has nothing to do with me.'
His gaze went back to his book. However, as he did so, he realized his action was the odd one as all students around him seemed to be in a hurry to leave after the intruder. Righteous wrath wrung in their eyes.
'For fuck's sake…'
[The deity has been confirmed to be the god Hermes! I repeat, the deity has been confirmed to be God Hermes!!]
A strange feeling ran down Silver's stomach…
[The follower has yet to be seen! But the deity has confirmed his appearance! A male human with dark hair and white eyes! I repeat, a human with dark hair and silvery eyes like a blind person!]
Silver froze in place, "…"
'What?… The hell do you mean they know that??? Also, isn't that slander? I don't look like a blind person at all!'
He clenched his fists as the gears inside his mind began to roll, 'It's that man… Hermes, you son of a bitch! Did he eavesdrop on my conversation with Hestia?! Only a crafty deity like him would've realized what I was planning on doing. Sorry, but I won't fall into your schemes!'
'Despite his thoughts, he was full of worry, 'At the same time… what if he blurts out my name? No, no… he wouldn't go that far…'
"How dare they!" Someone exclaimed on the side as they ran outside
"How do they keep breaking in?! When will they learn their lesson!" A small pallum declared as he marched outside
A demi human girl closed her book with a twisted expression, "Not this again! We won't join a Familia this pushy!"
/Chatter…/
"…"
'Shit, the library is emptying… I'll just follow them outside and sneak back in… that should be fine.'
Silver followed the raging mob outside, leaving his book on the table like everyone else. But as they walked through alleys, following the orders from the speakers, he sneaked out by fusing into the wall.
Once enough time passed, he ran back to the library. Now empty, he took this time to sit down and enjoy his peace and quiet away from everyone.
"Wait… now that I'm alone…"
'I can use my Plasmids to copy these books. That's far more efficient. If I copy them, I can read them anywhere, and my purpose for being here would be fulfilled.'
'If I could have the library for a few weeks… I would be able to copy all of these quite easily.'
'Excellent! Let's get started.'
Silver moved to the second floor with the other books in hand. Once he got there, he lifted them with telekinesis before putting his right hand forward.
/Crunk…/
His flesh shifted, his skin hardening into a metal sheet… "Huff… this is difficult…"
'It's my first time trying this since I reawakened it… the consumption is greater than I expected. Mind efficiency is still too low… I still don't fully understand what it considers being high-consumption and what isn't.'
While his skin transformed, his muscles spread and split into dozens of small cable-like protrusions.
/Flash!/
The metal sheet before him came to life as a hologram lit up on its surface, displaying an empty page.
"Haaa… as expected, all the books I once scanned are gone."
'I expected this much. The information was stored within my flesh and not my soul or consciousness… an unfortunate thing, but nothing too great was lost. Anything I needed to keep in mind, I did.'
"There's quite a few books here… I can't do it all in one day… not even a week… I might not even finish it by the time they leave." He wondered as he looked around
'So I'll have to choose it wisely. For now, this bookshelf should do. If I focus around, it should be enough.'
/Sha!/
The meat tendrils moved to the bookshelf, pulling book after book and prying them open, casting deep red shadows onto each of them.
Silver began scanning the documents, one at a time.
…
/Later…/
As the situation grew more serious outside as the students ran after Hermes. Silver finished scanning his first bookshelf. With a satisfied smile, he ran down to the first floor again to resume his studies.
He could leave or continue scanning, but in truth, he felt quite comfortable here, and he was quite tired as well.
No one was around, the seats were good; the table was just right… but above all, he took this chance to rummage through the students' belongings they had left behind.
The first thing he found was their student IDs. After going through a few documents, he made a fake one for himself with a fitting number given his interpretation of what they meant.
Second, he changed his badge to one that fit the major he wrote on his ID. In his case, he went with one of the IDs he found, putting his major as Alchemy. As for his badge, he promptly changed it to the owner of the ID.
His student ID now read Elfguard Deepwood 2323A2222. Major in Alchemy, Baldr Class… or something along those lines.
Now, he could easily hide as a student from this particular department… as long as no one from there saw him, that is.
He was safe for now, but not for long. That was why he made himself more than one identity in case he needed to make a quick transformation.
Also, aside from their usual items he cared little for, two items took his attention. The first was a small guidebook in multiple of their backpacks. The second one was an unsealed scroll with a broken wax seal with the School District's emblem.
The scroll was an overview of all courses within the academy, in neat lettering. While the guidebook was exactly what he needed… he stole one from the students, thinking it was a simple thing to acquire for someone who already had it.
Being tired from using his abilities so much, he'd rather do it the old fashioned way.
Opening the scroll before him, he frowned, 'Tsk, what is this? Am I back on Rapture? Electives? Required courses? Credits? These deities really don't know how to appreciate the setting. They made this way too modern.'
'Also, what are these courses? I can understand some of them, but the rest are… so damn oddly specific…' He thought as he went through the horrendously long list of courses within the scroll
'Magic Theory, Incantation Studies, Magic Development, Spirit Studies, Harmonic Theory… harmonic theory?'
Raising an eyebrow, he continued, 'Alchemy, Compounding… as in mixing?… Cooking, Elixirs, Smithing, Monster-Taming, Ethnobiology… really? In this world?… Theological Synthesis?… Do they teach Hieroglyphs here? I was meaning to learn it, actually.'
The more he read, the more interested he became, 'Ancient History, Modern History, History of Heroes, Divine Era Seminar, Eschatology Seminar… this one is quite interesting for me… Then we have the courses on language such as Koiné, Elvish, Animal-People Dialects, Prummish, Amazonian… maybe learning Amazonian and Prumish would be fine, but I'm more interested in the other languages of major nations outside.'
'There's also electives for Dance, Theater, Performance, Music, Poetry… not everyone from here will become an adventurer; a good deal may choose careers elsewhere among the common public. I heard that many of the Guild staff graduated from here. So that's one thing.'
'Swordsmanship, Spearwork, Archery, Ax Mastery, Hand-to-Hand Combat, Staff Fighting, General Combat… this is quite comprehensive. I like it. Maybe I should copy martial arts documents next time. That would work just well with my training.'
'After that, maybe alchemy and other crafting documents followed by documents on math and physics? I'll have to make a selection here…'
After a while, Silver put the scroll back in the pouch he had taken it from, having already memorized its contents. With that in check, he opened Comprehensive Introduction to Magic Studies Vol 1 and continued from where he stopped.
[Emergency broadcast! Emergency broadcast!…]
All the while, Hermes continued to cause trouble around. He felt the deity was trying to say something through his actions, but he could not care less.
…
"…"
Silence reigned in the empty library… a single blond elf stood there with a book in hand, immersed in his studies… or so it seemed.
"#!!"
'This woman… when will she stop glaring at me? She's been here for fifteen minutes!'
Silver looked at his book with trembling eyes, feeling the overwhelming presence of a being beside him, staring at him in curiosity as he read his document.
Unable to hold out anymore, especially given her divine aura, Silver put down his book, confronting her, "How may I help you, Lady Idun?"
'I barely recognized her face from the catalog of deities within the Guild. Had I not done so, she would've busted me instantly…'
"Oh? The stranger knows me?"
The bright-eyed, golden-haired goddess with wavy hair stared at him with a faint smile, as if she could see right through him.
"…"
'Busted instantly!'
Silver cried internally. Out of everyone who could've come, why did it have to be an almighty being?!
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Notes
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