12 - Lilith
Congratulations! Awakening Chamber Cleared!
Reward Granted: Stat Bonus
Awakening Chamber Freshman (1st Year) Rankings
1 - Melissa Prominence: Trial 1 (00:41)
2 - Kaeran His: Trial 1 (00:58)
3 - Anonymous: Trial 1 (6 hours 34 min 01 sec)
...
Trial 1: Limited to 3 hours.
‘Was I too much of a dick about it?’
Maybe because of me, the leaderboard now had an added rule about the time limit. When I’d gotten the clear promise from Honorary Professor Sinatis and left, her face had been flushed bright red.
Her hands trembling with rage—shaking, shaking.
For a monster, it was a pretty cute reaction. Maybe that’s why she was so loyal and pure toward the hero Crune Darunhill in the novel too?
Even if Trial 1 had no time limit, I’d planned to just call it an out with admin privileges and leave peacefully… but I ended up with an unexpected jackpot.
And just like that, I got shoved out of the chamber.
‘At least she honored my request to stay anonymous.’
If my name got plastered up there for real, my side character passive might trigger again and slap me with penalties. Plus, considering my reputation, there’d be plenty of assholes filing protests.
Best to just bury it like this.
I rubbed my numb arm and opened my status window.
“Stats.”
[Strength]: 1.1 → 1.4 (new)
[Vitality]: 1.0 → 1.6 (new)
[Agility]: 1.1 → 1.2 (new)
[Magic Power]: 1.0
[Mana]: 1.0
[Mental Strength]: 1.0 → 1.15 (new)
[Perception]: 1.0
[Specialization]
Circle Magic (1)
Crossbow - Proficiency (1) (new)
“Tch, stingy.”
Maybe because my base stats were so trash, or because stat gains were always pathetic during my reincarnated hero closed beta days, clearing the trial didn’t bring any dramatic growth.
Still, something new popped up under specializations.
At half max range, minimum accuracy is boosted by 50%.
Critical hit chance now applies to crossbows.
“Worth the grind, at least.”
Exactly like the game system. I’d hit the bare minimum proficiency for using crossbows.
If it’d been any other weapon, I might’ve gotten bonus damage scaling off magic power or strength, or even a holy affinity specialization skill. But crossbows? Nah.
Instead…
“Jackpot.”
Third place still netted a fat reward. Enrollment bonuses and starter funds were around 20,000 gems, and here I’d snagged 5,310 of ‘em. One gem’s worth about 100 won in Korean currency, so this was real money in my pocket.
Now I could hit the training hall and workshops without worry. Even eat proper meals.
“Tomorrow, soon as the training hall opens, I’m pumping iron.”
Motivation surging. Since I’d written this character off as a failed affection grind, playing dirty felt like it was paying off.
‘A fatigue potion right now would be perfect…’
It was past midnight, so the academy cafeteria and vending spots were all closed.
“Wait, is the black market open at this hour?”
Black market. Referring to the shady bundle merchant beastkin and the fence Gut in the tavern basement from Reincarnated Academy Chapter 2.
Think of it as an anonymous secondhand marketplace.
The bundle merchant runs a simple trading setup: Cadet A consigns goods via the proxy, Cadet B buys ‘em. Profits split between A and the proxy.
Run by beastkin hanging around the nearby village, it reeks of illegality—perfect for money laundering and dark deals. In the story, cadets get tangled up, kicking off the protagonists’ detective arc, and it vanishes completely after.
So, usable only up to Chapter 2 from now. Limited time only.
‘Suck the honey while you can.’
Pre-Chapter 1, who knows what’s on offer, but with cash to burn, I could snag something.
Next to the academy’s commercial district, the old town.
The dimly lit streets, lanterns flickering like they’d go out any second, were packed with laborers from nearby, boozing and carousing.
In Reincarnated Academy lore, Clarice Academy itself—directly contracted by the Empire—is tightly controlled. But adjacent villages like this, with their shrines, serve as rest stops for wandering mercenaries.
‘Feels fantasy-ish here…’
The twisting alleys were creepy in the dark, but I found the proxy easy enough.
“Welcomeee…”
A sleepy voice greeted me from a furry… no, catgirl beastkin.
I didn’t wanna beastkin-hate, but they’re nomadic gypsy types without fixed homes, so caution’s key. Safer to deal with fences who take upfront payment for sales.
In the novel, Edwin trusted one once and got royally screwed.
“Lemme see the goods…”
“Take yourrr timeee…”
I scanned the usable stuff from her bundle.
…
“Hmm…”
Early game, pre-black market proper, so out of the junk pile, these were the only semi-decent picks.
‘Gotta come back later for better stuff…’
Mermaid's Scream would come in handy soon. Once curriculum kicks off with mana perception lectures, Bald Professor Harfan drops his infamous exam: find hidden objects in the lake using mana sense.
Sounds like testing perception, but it’s really just breath-holding endurance—cadets complained about the unfairness.
Kaeran takes first, crushing Melissa’s pride in her magic. The item he uses via his lucky encounter trait? Mermaid's Scream.
Thinking about it, he was black market connected, so probably snagged it this way.
Plus, the academy’s one hidden dungeon is underwater too—handy item. Stock: 2 bottles.
‘I’ll buy ‘em both.’
Kaeran’s the villain. Just look at how he treats the heroines.
To dodge his ending, push simp-hero Edwin. Indirectly block anything that benefits that prick.
After picking my haul, I asked the merchant.
“Got any workshop passes?”
“Nopeee…”
“Then I’ll take the training hall pass.”
“30 gems… pay up.”
This fat fuck?
Official price is 25 gems. Sees me as a noob who’s never set foot in there, trying to gouge hard.
“What about this?” I held up Mermaid's Scream, and she drawled back.
“...1000 gems.”
‘Knew it.’
Good call testing with the cheap ticket first. Feels like double the street price?
I shot back right away. “Training hall pass is officially 15 gems, though?”
“……”
Lie—it’s 25—but her silence meant it landed.
I pressed the advantage, haggling.
“5 gems for the ticket, 400 for the potion.”
“12 gems… 650 gems…”
She looked half-asleep but wouldn’t budge easy. Sly, shameless cat.
“Total 500 gems.”
“600… I’m sleepy…”
She started packing her bundle like she’d call it quits.
“Fine, I’ll buy both potions then—1100 total. Throw in a vitality potion too.”
“...Whatever.”
Deal sealed. She’s lazy; pile on the math, she folds.
‘You’re getting reported for illegal vending later.’
Profit for her, but hidden pieces matter. Worst case, I’ll rat her out…
Transaction done, inventory sorted, heading out the alley—
“Hey, junior. Nice night?”
Someone whispered right in my ear from behind.
“…”
I turned slowly. Dark black hair, tall frame, senior cadet brooch on her uniform.
First time seeing her, but I knew for sure. The mastermind trying to Mainhwa Lev Denek—Lilith Larosel.
She grinned in front of me.
“What’re you doing out here?”