The blue screen warning Seraphina's DANGER LEVEL was FATAL did not make Roran stop. He had faced a real S-level monster before, and he wouldn't be a coward again. He made his choice. This time, he would not be noticed.
He lowered his head and walked right past the Princess's area. He focused only on the stone path ahead, counting his steps, forcing his mind to ignore the silver flash of her armor and the perfect silence of the watching crowd. Every student was still, like they were waiting for the sky to fall. Roran just kept walking. He felt the burning pressure of her presence on his back, but he did not turn. When he finally cleared the training grounds, he let out a slow breath. He had walked past the most dangerous person he had ever seen without making a sound or a mistake.
Princess Seraphina, who was talking quietly with her guards, paused. She noticed the single, low-ranking student who hurried past her without staring, without even stealing a quick look. It was strange. Everyone else in the Academy, from the highest elite to the new students, always stopped to stare. But this boy, Roran, walked as if she were nothing more than a stone wall. She smiled slightly, a small, knowing curve of her lips, but did nothing.
Roran walked quickly until he reached the Grand Academy Library. It was not just a building; it was a silent, towering fortress built of dark, ancient stone. The pillars inside were thicker than large trees, and the ceiling was so high that shadows covered the tops of the tallest bookshelves. Inside, the air was cool and thick, tasting of old parchment and a thousand years of untouched knowledge.
Liam quickly found the correct section, pulling down a dusty, slim book. "Look for the books on Basic Mana Theory first," Liam advised, his voice a nervous whisper. "That will help you with Mana Circle 2."
"No," Roran said, his voice flat and hard with new purpose. "First, I need to know what I'm fighting. I need the full picture."
He ignored the basic books Liam suggested. His fingers trailed over titles until he found the oldest, heaviest scrolls—the ones that held the complete truth of this world. He opened a massive volume on Monster Rankings and Kingdom Structure. Just like his old world, this one was filled with constant, deadly danger. Monsters and Demons were real, powerful enemies of the kingdom. Roran's eyes locked onto a clear, terrifying chart that showed the true scope of power, using the Mana Circles he'd heard about as the metric for life and death.
The words hammered into his mind: Mana Circle 4 was the minimum level required to be taken seriously. That was the point where the Mana Core could hold enough energy to truly affect the outside world to form a glowing Sword Aura for a Knight or to successfully cast a simple, damaging Level 1 Spell for a Mage. Below that, they were just people who might be a little faster or stronger than a normal person, but useless against a real threat.
3 - Guard Rank: This is a real job protecting the city, giving a small level of safety.
4 - Basic Knight / Mage: The minimum requirement to be a fighter, in the starting line for adventurers.
6 - Elite Knight / Mage: A field commander level, someone who leads troops and wields considerable power.
8 - Master: Kingdom heroes who can save entire cities; reaching this level is nearly impossible.
9 - Grandmaster: The pinnacle of strength and skill, reserved for the greatest heroes.
Roran's stomach felt cold, like he had swallowed a piece of ice. I have four months to reach Level 2, he thought, gripping the spine of the ancient book. But Level 2 is still just a student rank. I need to reach Level 4 just to be useful. The distance between his current Level 1 and the critical Level 4 felt like a mountain of glass.
With this weak body, the old Roran couldn't do this. But the old Roran is dead. I will force this body to change.
He pushed the overwhelming, crushing pressure down and moved to the Genealogy and Noble Houses section. He pulled a heavy, gold-edged scroll titled The Ashborne Line: Pillars of Aethelgard. He needed to know about the family name he now carried. He read the history, and the truth hit him harder than any monster's claw.
The entire Kingdom of Aethelgard was built on the strength of Six Great Houses. These six families were called the Six Pillars of the Emperor, and each one specialized in a different, unique strength. One family might control the earth magic, another the swiftness of the wind. They were the true, powerful shield of the kingdom, protecting it from the monstrous threats beyond the walls.
The Ashborne name was not just respected; it was the single greatest warrior family among these Six Pillars. They were known as the dynasty of pure, unbreakable Strength and Defense.
Roran felt a cold sweat on his neck as he read the simple, direct facts about his immediate family:
His Grandfather, Lord Darius Ashborne: A legendary Grandmaster (Mana Circle 9). He was a living fortress who personally drove back the Demon King's army centuries ago. The books described him as "the Earth's Shield."
His Father, Duke Ashborne: A legendary Master (Mana Circle 8). Famous for closing the great Crimson Rift ten years ago, saving three major cities. The kingdom owed him everything.
The book didn't bother listing the other children of the Ashborne family; it simply stated that every Ashborne born was a genius warrior destined for great power. Roran felt his face turn hot with a burning, terrible shame. He was the only dark spot on that shining family record. The only Mana Circle 1 student, famous only for being a failure. He wasn't just weak; he was the anomaly. The family didn't hate him; they just didn't register him. He was the useless piece of cotton in a family of pure, unbreakable steel.
Liam, who had watched Roran reading the heavy history books instead of the study guides, walked over nervously. "Roran, you look... sick. What did you read? Are you finally scared about the deadline?"
Roran slowly closed the heavy history book. He looked at Liam, his eyes completely changed no longer lazy or afraid, but hard and focused.
"The old Roran didn't care about this family," Roran said, his voice low and serious. "But I do. If I must be Roran Ashborne, I will not be a joke."
He pushed the history book aside, the sound echoing in the silent library. The four-month deadline and the impossible Mana Circle 4 goal suddenly stopped feeling like a limit. They felt like a starting gun.
Roran grabbed the dusty book Liam had put down earlier, the one titled Basic Mana Theory, Volume 1. He didn't even look at the title.
"Where is the quietest corner in this library, Liam?" Roran asked, his voice a low command. "I have four months, and I will not waste a second. Show me how this useless body starts to breathe mana."
He would work ten times harder than anyone else in this Academy. The blood of the Grandmasters was in his veins; now he just had to force his weak, inherited body to live up to it.