Chapter 58 - I Became the Daughter of the Academy’s Villain

<58 - Came to Hear This> The competition at the top is fiercely challenging. This is because it’s a contest among the top 2% of students at the academy, who are competing to crown the strongest in physical prowess at the Gift Academy. Yet, the reason they fought so stubbornly to lead was to accomplish the challenge set during lecture time. [You were among the top 5 climbers of Mount Omine in Professor Plato’s <Advanced Physical Enhancement> lecture.] [You have earned an additional 500 points for completing the lecture challenge.] No matter how many points one accumulates, it is never enough. That's why they ran risking their lives and reaped results. "Stop right there! Riffraffs from the borderlands, you can't go back from here. We'll attack anyone who tries to overtake us!" The problem was the selfish students from Group B who decided to stand in the way of completion. "That guy, he's <Honour>, the spearman from the House of Fried Chicken, known as one of the three great benefactors of the empire. I heard he was personally taught spear skills by Shinchang, the world's greatest spearman." "The guy next to him is from the House of Chicken Makhani, a noble family that has produced swordsmasters for three generations under the Fried banner, <Tataya>." "Now I get why people say never to get involved with these chicken faction folks. If you don't give up your position, they're all set to fight to the end!" Honour and Tataya did not stop at just threats. The beastly fighter, Zenia, who tried to speed up despite the warnings, recoiled with shock as an attack grazed his shoulder. "That was close! I almost got hit!" "That's because you were supposed to, you dumb barbarian from the borderlands. It was a warning this time, but next time, I'll really stab you." "Do you think you’ll get away with this? The professor will give you penalty points!" "Huh. You think we haven't prepared for that? We already asked a long time ago. They said as long as the bloodshed occurs during a lecture as part of competing for ranks, it’s acceptable!" This is why advanced classes are dangerous. Not only the students are crazy, but the professors are too. Where in the world is there a professor who lets students bleed each other during a lecture? The problem was that in their excitement, they accidentally shared the information with everyone present. "Really now?" "Another one wants to get stabbed?" "Wait, wait a minute. Honour. That guy is trouble." "What’s the matter, Tataya. Getting cold feet?" "That bastard is genuinely insane. Remember? On the way to register for classes, he shot and knocked down five students!" A pirate ashore with fiery red hair and wearing a pirate bandana, always ready to pull the trigger. The true trigger-happy land pirate, Jigoku, aimed his revolver at Honour. "So, it’s okay to shoot if it’s during class? It’s okay to go all out, right?" "You’re insane!! A gun is not the same as a spear!!" "What’s the difference!!!" Bang! Bang! Bang! As Honour slowed down blocking the bullets with his spear, the students began to surpass each other, each keeping an eye on those ahead. The chaos near the finish line had all begun this way. "Wow. Look at this fierce battle." I safely avoided the intense fight by subtly moving through the trees to a somewhat distant location, unseen by the others. The purpose behind the fierce fight was not only to check each other but also because there was too much stamina to spare, planning to deplete one's own stamina while checking on the others. "The higher your stats, the faster you recover. Once you pass a certain threshold, you recover faster than you can deplete your stamina with half-hearted exercise!" That applies to me as well. That's how I found an opportunity to consume a large amount of stamina. It was by enduring the effects of Irene’s ice magic close by to wear down my stamina. "Running and fighting aren't the only ways to deplete stamina." Fighting against the cold consumes a vast amount of stamina because living beings generate heat to maintain body temperature, which increases calorie consumption. [You have successfully completed the first assignment of Professor Plato’s <Advanced Physical Enhancement> lecture.] [You have earned a reward of 50 points.] There are still those attempting to complete the course. <Sword of Sacred Arrival> The formidable female warrior piercing a straight line through Irene's ice barrier with the power of the sacred sword. <Bodily Breakthrough> The berserker, Hestia, surpassing even Son Ocheon with her incredible strength, breaking through walls with her body. Led by these two powerhouses, the named students of the advanced class are crossing the boundary. But the ones holding a toast now are not them. It's the early passers who completed the task first. Professor Plato laughed heartily and said. "Students who have succeeded in completing, use these points to clear out the food in the cafeteria!" “A free meal because we got points...” “Actually, that’s great.” “Right. With 50 points, you can get the basic ration sold for 5 points, ten times over!” “Or, you could drink Professor Plato’s special protein shake, made by him, right here for just 5 points!” The students grimaced and backed away at the appearance of <Professor Plato’s Special Protein Shake>, a concoction of sticky grey liquid. "Wow! A food fest!" "Ew! We’re not supposed to eat that. It’s gross, gross!" "Just look at her, always so excited at the sight of new food." While everyone shook their heads vehemently. Northern Grand Duke’s daughter, Irene, apparently very upset about freeloaders, checked her point balance using her magic clock. Then her eyes widened more than threefold. Blink, blink. Her questioning gaze turned to me. Forgetting the grudge of moments ago, Irene approached and asked in a low voice. "Oknodie. Did you also receive additional points?" "Shh. Let’s pretend we don’t know, it’s too tiring otherwise." Informing others about the 500 points received for completing the challenge is of no benefit. "But I got an extra reward of 1500 points." "1500 points?" Why did she receive 1000 points more? "For disturbing the highest number of participants…" "……." No wonder Irene seemed particularly flustered every time during the advanced class lectures. It wasn’t just 500 points—she went a step further and achieved an additional challenge worth 1000 points! It’s no surprise she was astonished, having scored 30 times the jackpot compared to others. "Deceiver!" "And you took a free ride." "Ugh." As I was flustered, Irene suddenly grasped my hand firmly. Gosh, she isn’t planning to freeze me to death for brazenly using her, is she?! "Your hand has turned red. Take a look at your palm. My magic tends to cause frostbite more easily the closer you are." "Aren’t you going to scold me?" "Didn’t you get punished enough with your whole body? You shouldn’t carelessly approach a cryomancer." Irene’s face, already pale, blushed slightly, truly seeming angry. "Be careful not to reduce your presence. It’s fortunate that I spent all my energy beforehand this time, but at another time, you might’ve been frozen to death by my mana wind at the moment of acceleration." "Mana wind?!" "I would prefer not to accidentally freeze someone to death without knowing. Please be more careful from now on." In the original game, such a technique was only used after becoming a sophomore! The thought that using a sophomore technique now was somehow cheating crossed my mind, yet considering this wasn’t a game but reality, it seemed entirely possible. "I'm sorry..." "I’m sorry for scolding you too much. This is a gift from me." Irene unfolded her pocket and took out a stone, placing it in my hand. "?" "You like stones, right?" "Not every stone..." "Don’t you like a stone given by me?" "That's, not what I meant." This isn’t a stat stone. Besides, why is she carrying around a non-stat stone anyway? "Thank you. I'll cherish it." "And..." "Yes?" "If the burden of your household becomes too heavy... No, forget I said anything." "??" It was only after I stored the stone in my special stone pouch, clinking inside, that Irene turned away with a face indicating she was holding back words. What was that all about? Irene wasn't usually a character concerned about others. As her fondness increased, the protagonist would see her showing concern in an "I'm a cold woman from the north. But warm to my people." sort of way. No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t recall making any play that would earn her fondness. Walking towards the Academy of Adventure with the grown-up worry of feeling uneasy rather than thankful for someone's inexplicable kindness and a nagging feeling. Isabel said, “That’s not the way to the cafeteria.” “I know. I’m headed to a lecture.” Isabel and Giselle looked shocked as if they had seen a non-human monster, akin to a farmer witnessing a beast. “Were we in the same lecture?” “You still have the energy to attend lectures?” "I recovered while talking." What? Isn’t it common sense that stamina regenerates when you rest? "Ah, I might be a bit late to the classroom, so I'm going to run ahead." "Ha-ha, little one, you're brimming with energy! Fine. Then it's a race between you and me!" "Eh. No thanks. Son Ocheon, you’re faster than I am." "That's why we should do it! Betting 50 points!" "I’ll tell Isabel you were picking on me." What does it matter? If it's fun, that’s all you need! Leaving the dumbfounded stares of the two behind, I ran off towards the classroom with Son Ocheon. * * Academy of Adventure. The Academy is commonly sought after by students who, wanting to become remarkable people through the Knight or Magic Academies but lacking confidence in surviving the competition, simply wish to grab a diploma and leave. As such, while there are many students, the top-tier talent is significantly lackluster compared to other departments. For professors who gain honor by producing outstanding disciples, accepting a position in the Adventure Academy's faculty is seen as *accepting defeat* or getting involved in an *unfavorable competition*. On the other hand, it’s troublesome because you have to teach long, earnest lectures to a crowd of mediocre students. 'Heh heh. But that's where the other professors failed to see the gap.' If there are fewer top students, just open an exclusive class for advanced students. It’s even better if attending lectures is optional, not mandatory. In the Adventure Academy's advanced class, it's extremely rare for top-tier students to deliberately attend such lectures. 'What if such a student exists?' Then, pick the most difficult timing and conditions for the lecture. 'A mandatory first-period lecture. It’s practically impossible for a student who has exhausted their stamina at the entrance of Mount Omine to arrive on time for a lecture situated on the completely opposite side of the campus!' A lecture that’s physically and mentally impossible to attend without absolute determination. After selecting a lecture with the highest difficulty in enrollment since joining the Academy, the professor, who had not tolerated the presence of even a single student, doubted his own eyes. "Are you, by any chance, a new janitor at the Academy?” “I’m a student.” “Didn’t you mistake the classroom for another lecture?” “I came to attend 'Adventures of a Retired Legendary Hero'!” “This is an exclusive class for advanced students.” “I’m the top student of Group A!” Yet, an oddball overflowing with determination to attend this lecture at any cost had finally appeared.