After leaving the chairman's office, I returned to the dormitory
and used the fortuitous encounter I'd obtained from the academy library—the skillbook {Tome of the Sorrowful Swordsman}.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙You have used the skillbook {Tome of the Sorrowful Swordsman}.
As I opened the worn book,
a translucent window appeared before my eyes, and the skillbook crumbled to ash and vanished.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙You have acquired the skill {Ode to Humanity}.⚔ SKILL: {Ode to Humanity} ⚔The brilliant will of the ancient Sword Saint, and an unbreakable resolve. The courage of the Sword Saint who overcame adversity and grew. • Nullifies mental attacks. • Once per week, revives at 10% HP when HP reaches 0.
The skill {Ode to Humanity}.
It was a cheat skill hailed as essential in the Frontier Chronicles.
Fortunately, reading the description confirmed it had effects similar to the game.
Mental attack immunity,
and a revival skill usable once a week.
Both effects boasted outrageously powerful performance.
Especially the second effect, revival—in the game, reviving at 10% HP early on meant dying again quickly,
but as stamina stats grew in the late game, that 10% became quite significant.
Of course, now that the game had become reality, just having it was insanely strong,
'Once a week, huh...'
Unlike the game where it was once per battle,
this skill's revival seemed limited to once a week.
Given the precedent with {Defying Heaven},
I'd somewhat expected changes to this skill too.
Once per battle would have been better,
but thinking of it as recharging my life once a week, it was still absurdly good enough to satisfy me fully.
I checked the skill and stood up.
I'd considered just resting in the dorm since it was the first class day,
but
'Gotta train stamina too...'
Having gained {Ode to Humanity}, I figured I'd at least do some light stamina training.
I took off my academy uniform and changed into training clothes.
'Gotta buy some more clothes anyway.'
Looking at my empty wardrobe with just the dorm training set, uniform, and the outfit I'd arrived in, the thought came naturally.
I had plenty of money from the top scholarship, so I should go shopping soon.
With that in mind, I finished changing, did some light stretches, and headed out of the dorm.
'Just light jogging today.'
Planning about three hours of jogging, I headed to the academy park.
After the entrance exam, testing over the week showed
jogging built one stamina stat every six hours, full sprints or weights every two.
Not great efficiency, but with no clearable achievements right now, no choice.
So, heading to the park in that mindset, a familiar voice stopped me.
"Ah, Aden, there you are."
Black hair and hollow red eyes—it was clearly Elina, but somehow different from this morning.
Her face held a resolute determination, as if she'd made a vow, and those red eyes now brimmed with clear emotion.
"I was looking for you."
"Me...?"
Her words and tone felt oddly off—
shedding the stiff speech, she addressed me with relaxed, emotional warmth.
'Already...?'
It was like the Frontier Chronicles when her affinity was high.
Student and professor,
always keeping players at arm's length out of fear of loss, Elina's tone when she first began to open up.
Elina looked at me again with resolute eyes and spoke.
"I didn't give you a proper answer in the chairman's office."
"You can take your time thinking it over and let me know."
It was only natural.
Staking her life to prevent the world's end.
Not something to rush or force a quick decision on.
"No. Now that I know your resolve and pain, no need to drag it out."
'Jeez...'
Even with her own life on the line, her eyes held no hesitation or doubt.
She'd instantly decided and come to give me her answer.
"This is for the regressor Aden, not the cadet Aden."
Her unwavering gaze stayed fixed on me as she continued.
"Aden. I'll help you stop the end, so you never repeat despair, never collapse or get hurt again."
What a stubbornly principled person.
And at the same time, someone who shone so beautifully with pure goodness.
"That's my answer to your request."
"Thank you, Professor Elina."
Mercenary King Elina Levan.
The brilliantly shining hero of the battlefield
had willingly become my comrade.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
After Elina delivered her answer and left,
I resumed walking toward the academy park.
'Hm...?'
Then, a familiar figure caught my eye.
A yellow-haired S-Class cadet like me was staring at the night sky with a confused expression.
"Libia!"
"Eek—!"
Calling her name without hesitation, she let out a comical yelp, flinched, and turned toward me.
'What's up with her...?'
Libia trembled excessively at my call,
her eyes filled with deep confusion.
"A-Aden! What brings you here...?"
"Me? Just out for a jog. What about you? What're you doing here?"
"Me...? Oh, uh, my head hurts, so I came out for some air..."
'Cold or something...?'
Her shaky, confused eyes and body, trembling voice, headache complaint.
She didn't look well at all.
"You look sick. Go back and rest."
"Y-Yeah, I'll head in first...! See you tomorrow!"
At my urging, Libia shuddered and fled toward the dorm like she was escaping.
'Hope it's nothing serious...'
Still, she was my first friend since arriving here, so I felt attached.
I hoped it wasn't bad.
After sending Libia back to the dorm, I headed to the park and started jogging while organizing my plans.
'Gotta knock out achievements during mandatory classes the next three days...'
Of the week, Wed, Thu, Fri had just the three mandatory classes.
This week was the so-called tutorial week, no major incidents.
Next week, electives started, and real events kicked off.
Electives...
Three new classes on Mon, Wed, Fri, excluding mandatory ones starting next week.
I'd decided on mine.
Imperial Swordsmanship, Dungeon Practice, and finally Alchemy.
Imperial Swordsmanship was Libia's department and necessary for learning the {Imperial Swordsmanship} skill to create {Emperor Sword}.
Dungeon Practice was a must-take in the game for tons of rewards and achievements once enrolled.
And the one department all five heroines took, naturally packed with events, so I planned to sign up.
Finally, Alchemy...
Where Ixion's sub-executive Baal taught, and Isabel was.
'Baal...'
Ixion sub-executive Baal,
the last boss before summer break.
To become a full executive,
he dreamed of a devil contract by sacrificing Isabel—or rather, one with Helm blood.
He heralded the high-difficulty phase, overturning the normal pace of Frontier Chronicles.
If unresolved in the game,
or if skipping academy,
Baal and Isabel Helm went missing, becoming mid-to-late bosses:
[Monster Without Will - Baal]
[Devil's Puppet - Isabel Helm]
Both tough clears with average growth specs then.
Must prevent, so last elective: Alchemy.
As I organized my thoughts while jogging in the academy park,
in a secluded lakeside corner with little foot traffic,
a striking doll-like figure I'd seen before came into view.
'Jeez, what day is it today...?'
Glorious snow-white hair and eyes gleaming in moonlight,
goddess-like beauty emanating a holy aura—the beautiful girl.
Saintess Cecilia stood by the lake.
"Oh?"
She turned toward me with a soft, melodic voice.
Saintess Cecilia smiled faintly and spoke.
"I wondered who it was. It's Brother Aden."
She gestured to the lake behind her and asked,
"Here for the park's night view too, Brother?"
"Nah, out jogging."
"I see. Still, take a moment to look. It's my favorite scenery."
Behind her stretched a lakeside vista worthy of the name.
The soft moonlight reflected on the water was beautiful, adorned by flowers enhancing the splendor.
"You found a spot like this quick—first class day and all."
"I found it on entrance ceremony night, strolling the park by chance."
I paused jogging to take in the park's beauty.
An unshown academy park scene in the game, just viewing it felt healing.
'Or maybe 'cause the saintess is next to me...?'
Either way, the sight before us was meltingly beautiful.
As I quietly admired the park view,
Cecilia spoke up beside me.
"You're a mysterious person, Brother."
"Why?"
"Your eyes seem to hold nothing."
Her somewhat out-of-left-field words made me ponder briefly before realizing.
'Oh... my custom eyes...'
My customized eyes looked like empty voids.
"Yet you seem to feel the same beauty, the same emotions as everyone else."
'Of course...'
I was just an ordinary guy before possession.
Possessing a blank-eyed character didn't make me emotionless.
"'Cause I'm a normal person."
At that, the saintess eyed me with doubt and disbelief.
"You're truly mysterious."
'This girl...?'
Her tone screamed disbelief to anyone listening.
Her gaze practically said, 'You're not human...', nearly making me snap...
"It's late. I'll head back first, Brother."
Somehow reading it, she quickly said goodbye,
turned, and slipped out of the park.
'Runs away good, huh...'
She had a knack for subtly irritating and fleeing.
Once she parkour'd away, the now-deserted spot felt emptier.
"Guess I'll keep jogging..."
Staying to enjoy the view longer would've been nice,
but time was late anyway...
I felt like finishing the jog quick and crashing in the dorm.