CH 5

Arcanium, the magical city.

The city, which was located in the air rather than on the ground, gave the impression of a massive carousel floating through the sky.

A carousel that flashed brightly in five different colors.

This magical city, which floats through magic, was said to be about half the size of Seoul.

I realized I was in another world as I watched the city float in the night sky, its dazzling lights pouring out in all directions.

There were five prestigious academies, as well as a prestigious Mage Tower and Magic Knights, in the grand city of Arcanium. Stella Academy was known among them for having the most powerful wizards and the most outstanding students.

“Are you awake yet?”

“Yeah.”

“We’re nearly there, but you’re waking up like a ghost.”

In comparison to last night, the wagon was being driven by a different wizard. It appears that they switched shifts along the way.

I leaned back in my seat and called the system in the air.

I was promised one of three rewards last night.

A downgraded item, a downgraded skill, and a small amount of experience points.

What should I do now?

I had a lot of items and skills. In the long run, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to ask for body strengthening skills, but it seems like they can be learned separately later anyway.

Huh

First of all, I picked the item I loved the most.

‘Is it possible to get my halo flash?’

[As a result of the search, the grade of the item is too high, so the downgrade is in progress.]

‘Well. What about hyperspace blink?’

[As a result of the search, it is impossible to acquire this skill because it is a higher skill than ‘Blink’. However, you can use the reward by slightly strengthening Blink.]

‘Do we really have to downgrade? Can we not do it?’

[Your ‘narrative power’ is lacking, so it is impossible for it to fully materialize.]

What’s that?

[The power of storytelling is called ‘narrative power’. If Baek Yu-Seol unfolds the story in a direction that we don’t know, like yesterday, the narrative power builds up.]

Oh, I see.

Why complicate things when you could simply say, ‘I can’t give you a character item because you’re new?’

‘Then I’ll decide…’

Most of my equipment was of high quality, and even if I reduced the quality by several steps, my options were still limited. ‘Yep, it was good.’

Of course, a high grade does not always imply a good item. Despite my low rank, there were numerous items and skills that could result in high efficiency in my current situation.

‘Emergency Evasion’ allows you to avoid or block one attack unconditionally, but it has a long cooldown, whereas ‘High Frost’ allows you to flee the area. For a time, ‘Soulification’ made one nearly invincible due to its increased movement speed.

If you’re wondering why they’re all escape skills, it’s because I lack the necessary attack and defence abilities. I wanted to live longer because I was a character with poor survival skills, so I only learned survival techniques.

I rarely used them after becoming a veteran, but they might come in handy now that the game is a reality.

But not just yet. There is one item that is more important for the [episode] progress right now.

‘Copper Glasses.’ (T/N 1)

A word that is particularly familiar to men  –

When I was serving on active duty, I once was cursed at by the company commander because someone created a secret folder of copper glasses on my administrative team’s computer.

“Did you put porn in here? What’s the password? Give it to me now!”

“It’s not me.”

“This is really killing me! Do you want disciplinary action?”

“I really don’t know…”

Those desperate cries were still fresh in my mind. I felt wronged and resentful because I had never really created such a folder.

However, it was discovered that the folder was created by an administration official and contained highly confidential information. When the facts were revealed, I was forced to withdraw.

Since then, I have always used ‘copper glasses’ to save the information or take notes no matter what game I play.

[…After a system review, it is judged that it’s possible.]

As soon as I saw the confirmation message, I clenched my fists tightly.

‘Good. Do that.”

[Item: Copper Glasses] Phenomenon Analysis, Summary, Information Retrieval, Telescope, Infrared Perspective, Night Perspective… so on, all functions will be deleted.]

Tuk! Round glasses with a black border fell on my palm. Even if I care about fashion, it was pleasant in its own way since it was based on the design used by celebrities.

All major functions were removed after the downgrade, but the most important function still remained.

〈Copper Glasses>

* Grade: –

*Description: Do you remember what you had for dinner yesterday? Did you immediately forget the account number you just heard? Don’t worry! These glasses remember everything you have seen, heard, and read!

* Special Features

Copper Glasses Folder

Seal

* It is activated by consuming your heart.

It was impossible to recall and read information about monsters I had successfully hunted or knowledge I had gained in the game Aether World. What if I forget? I need to return to the map and read it again.

Where did the materials come from, which characters I interacted with, and what contributions I made to the kingdom?

Nothing of the sort was provided.

So, players developed top-level systems like these copper glass to store information.

And there’s only one reason I got these glasses now. 

” I forgot most of the game’s information. “

“What item did I obtain from a specific hunting ground, or what type of rare item did I obtain from a specific dungeon, and so on. All of this important information was documented.

Furthermore, this is the one I used while playing the game, so the information will be there.

[View the Copper Glasses folder.]

[Alchemy Ingredients]

[Hunting Ground]

[Dungeon]

[Monster]

[Character]

[Magic]

[Other…]

When I put on the glasses, a slew of information folders appeared. Unfortunately, the story was not recorded, and because I was not interested in the characters, the folder was mostly empty, but it was still a satisfactory result.

“For the prize, it’s good enough.”

Now all I have to do is figure out how to use these glasses.

The amount of information I have is enormous.

I’ve been travelling the world for ten years and have only collected the best items. It is not enough to say that it is a fortune.

‘Even if I can’t recover all of the performance of the character I’ve developed over the last ten years, I should be able to catch up to half that level in the near future.”

Now that I think about it.

Among the effects of these glasses was the ability to summarise and write down the character’s information.

I mean, maybe I can figure out who the grey robe sleeping in the next seat was.

“We’ve arrived.”

However, as soon as the wagon arrived in Rezoica, the grey robe quickly got off.

“Let’s do it quickly…”

I quickly separated and headed for the airship dock after thanking the wizards for their assistance.

“Do you have a ticket?”

I guess he was just offended because I was a villager.

“Absolutely.”

“hmm……”

The sailor carefully examined the ticket. No, then I’m afraid I’ll try to smuggle to Arcanium, the world’s best magical city. 

No, then I’m afraid I’ll try to smuggle to Arcanium, the world’s best magical city. 

With a hesitant expression, the sailor brushed past me. I had no choice but to relax as soon as I boarded the airship.

“Wow….”

Even if I had been on an airplane, it was an airship. Both the words and the atmosphere were different.

The airship was almost in the shape of a cruise ship, and while you might be thinking about how luxurious it would be to go to the nearby Arcanium anyway, keep in mind that this is an airship heading to Stella Academy.

The majority of the passengers on board were students from wealthy families on their way to Stella Academy.

Boo woo woo!!

After some time, the ship’s beating was heard and the airship floated up.

A cool breeze caressed my cheeks. This airship had the advantage of not being stuffy like an airplane, where you could only see outside through a small window.

Perhaps that’s why there were a lot more students outside than I expected.

“Look at that jerk looking around.”

“Is this your first time on an airship?”

“You must be from the village.”

“Tsk, Stella is one of the most prestigious academies in the world, but I don’t know why they allow commoners to attend. What a downgrade.”

“I don’t get it.”

I was able to hear the sounds around me because I had sensitive hearing.

‘Ahhh, it’s always like that wherever the kids go.’

Teenagers’ level of gossip was always the same, whether in this world or another. I wanted to summon everyone to the bathroom and have them wash their hair in the toilet bowl, but I held back because I didn’t want to be like these teenagers.

“Look, they’re smoking.”

And I acted like an adult.

“Yeah?! Arcanium is a no-smoking zone for teenagers!”

The sailor dashed over to the students I had pointed out.

“This… is a cigarette!”

Finally, while going through their belongings, they discovered a cigarette. In such a situation, an average student’s attitude would be fixed.

If you are a commoner, admit that you do not own it.

“Let it go! I am the heir of Baron Denington of the Kingdom of Adolevita!”

If you are a noble, threaten by emphasizing your noble status.

However, nobility or anything else was unimportant in Arcanium’s flight to Stella. They had to follow the school’s strict rules from the moment they arrived. The sailor opened his mouth to speak.

That, however, was unnecessary.

Again!

The heir to Baron Dennington abruptly closed his mouth. The sailor took a step back, and the students split like Moses’ miracle.

A girl appeared among the calm.

Her silver-colored hair held elegance, and her eyes, darker than blood, seemed to suck you in as soon as you saw them, while her beautiful appearance blurred the presence of everyone around her.

Others lived in a 480p world, while she lived in a 1080p60 Full HD world.

With such a clear and vivid selfish appearance, it was very easy to guess her identity.

Hong Biyeon Adolevit. {T/N: The best girl has appeared. Kuuderes are the best. You can see her illustration on the novel’s page}

Princess of the Kingdom of Adolevit.

My first thought when I saw her was, ‘Wow, she’s a celebrity.’ But then I felt compassion for her.

In this context, Hong Biyeon was a ‘villainess.’ With that, she was doomed to a bad ending.

She was destined to meet her end in a variety of ways after a series of nerve battles with Full Frame.

She was brutally murdered in some endings, while she was bullied by the entire school and then expelled in others. In some, she was humiliated to the point of being unable to lift her head again, while in others, she was imprisoned in the countryside and punished indefinitely.

It appeared that they were attempting to give the character Hong Biyeon a bad ending on purpose.

“P-Princess…”

The heir of the Denington family trembled at the sight of his country’s princess. However, Hong Bi-Yeon took no attitude toward him, which caused a commotion in the cabin.

She simply looked and passed with contemptuous eyes, and the situation was over.

For a brief moment, I focused on Hong Biyeon’s back as her hair fluttered. It was a far cry from her first appearance in the game.

Despite her villainous title, there was a reason she was popular with many male players.

It’s definitely a little frightening.

She was lovely, but I’m afraid if I talk to her, I’ll be reprimanded. I entered the cabin after seeing Hong Bi-Yeon leave.

It was lunchtime, and the cabin had kiosks or convenience stores, so many students were eating snacks.

‘The price is extremely high.’

At this price, I could eat a full meal and drink coffee. When I heard students whispering next to me, I slumped on a chair and stared blankly out the window, thinking it would be better to just starve now and eat later when I arrived at the Arcanium.

“Hey, isn’t that Eisel over there?”

“Huh? I understand. Eisel, the eldest daughter of the traitor, Grand Duke Morph…”

“Shh. “Don’t bring it up; what if she overhears?”

“That’s right.”

Eisel? A familiar name.  Looking in the direction the students were looking, I noticed a student sitting in the corner reading a book.

She, like Hong Bi-Yeon, had sky-blue hair and a beautiful noble appearance as if blessed by God. With that appearance, the child who refused to let the public approach her seemed to be certainly familiar to me, but I couldn’t recall why.

I hurriedly took out the glasses and checked the information.

[Eisel Morph]

Salty Mistress

Master of Sunkol

Eats pizza and drinks pickle broth

Eldest daughter of Grand Duke Morph

Father is dead and the family is in ruins

Dies later on. 

‘What the heck. Was she that salty mistress?’

She reminded me of the grey robe I saw off this morning. ‘I wasn’t certain, but the grey robe and Eisel had to be the same person.’ By the way, I’ve limited it to only the most important items.

The information contained in these glasses was a summary of information gathered by community members in their own unique way.

Of course, I didn’t record much because I wasn’t particularly interested in the other game characters, to begin with, but the girl named Eisel confused me even more.

What concerned me the most was the ‘died later’ part. Community members rarely use the word “death” to describe a character.

Because it was a simulation game, there are numerous routes and possibilities, so if she can be saved even once, the word ‘death’ will not appear.

However, despite the numerous efforts of countless players over the course of ten years, this girl Eisel appears to be a ‘can’t be saved’ character.

In other words, no matter where or how she dies, the girl’s death is unstoppable.

‘Her father was most likely murdered by the Black Demons.’

Black Demons, those who deal with magical powers, have accepted the other world and become monsters.

The ability to freely transform their bodies and use magic – were not only powerful but they were portrayed in the story as the world’s evil and the players’ true enemies.

The Black Demons continued to invade in order to encroach this magical world into the ‘rear world,’ such as by opening the ‘persona gate’ or liberating the ancient ‘dungeon.’ The Stellar Academy was responsible for training magical warriors to combat it.

And she was the world’s ‘Original Female Protagonist,’ with the ability to fight such dark demons.

To be honest, however.

I didn’t want to die to get involved with the main character as well as the supporting characters.

The heroine had a very special ability to purify the Black Demons, but she was also good with human relationships, which made those around her more dangerous.

It makes no difference what the main characters do.

Because I wanted to get to the ‘True Ending.’

‘There are drums, billiards, and even bowling.’