23 - Skill Stealing
Eventually, it was just me and Yeriel left to spend the night in Selafi Black Dorm.
Thanks to issues with dorm procedures and Melissa's influence along with the Blue Dorm supervisor, Aria wouldn't be moving in anytime soon, at least for the time being.
Who would've thought...
Aria, so stoic and indifferent to others, showing this much initiative. It must mean her past trauma with demons runs deep enough to trigger panic like that...
Click.
All the lights in the dorm went out, and Yeriel, dressed in pajamas, spoke to me from the hallway.
"Good night...! Call me if anything comes up. I'm the supervisor, after all...!"
"Yeah."
We exchanged awkward goodnights, and as I turned to head to my room, Yeriel called out once more.
"Um, hey."
"?"
"Sorry. Actually, the professor told me about you in advance. She said to contact her right away if there were any problems..."
"..."
"I don't buy into rumors like that easily...! I just want you to feel free to relax here..."
"It's all true."
"Huh...?"
Better to draw the line now and show I've washed my hands of it than let it come out later.
"I've got 49 demerit points—on the verge of expulsion. But I'll keep quiet while I'm here, so no need to stick your neck out for me."
"Oh, okay... sorry."
She kept apologizing for some reason.
"Well, good night..."
With that, she hugged her cardigan tighter and headed up to the third floor. Her back looked a little lonely.
In this altered setting, Yeriel had skipped ahead to second year. She was probably pretty popular in the academy, but since this semester was the first time freshmen could be assigned here, she'd been watching over the place alone all this time.
And yet she'd kept her smile through it all. A character innately devoted to everyone like that—no one suspects her as the villain...
But from birth, she was afflicted with the Taicheonsa Transformation curse. The moment she realizes her true feelings and falls into despair, she turns into a fallen angel...
A gamer cliché curse that was utterly clichéd and annoying.
In the end, in Reincarnated Hero, the instant she confirms her feelings for the reincarnated Edwin as love, regret and ruin set in, and she becomes a Taicheonsa.
And this curse is level 9—can't even lift it with the exorcism skill I just got.
Sadly, for balancing the game's difficulty, having her isolated here is the best option.
The morning of Clarice Academy's first regular class dawned.
Rumble rumble.
Before entering the lecture hall, a massive bulletin board at the entrance displayed the cadets' rankings.
Rank S
Melissa Prominence
Kaeran His
Abelin Ballantes
...
I quickly scanned just the main characters' names. As expected.
Rank A
Lily Forzet
Selena Windforce
Aria Bluebell
...
Rank B
...
Lev Denek
...
Rank C
Edwin Gwynz
"Huh?"
Edwin's the same as in the novel, but I'm in B-rank when I'm basically one step from expulsion. Isn't this a mistake?
-What? Isn't Lev Denek supposed to be expelled?
-What's his deal...
-Heard a monster showed up in his exam—pity points for that??
The cadets' reactions weren't great either. Selena, who should be S-rank, was in A.
Per the original story, even without Wind Archery as a half-elf, she shows her full skill and wins the exam.
But I snagged the rag elemental and racked up massive bonus points.
My intervention had already started twisting the future.
Ignoring personality and demerits means this academy is truly merit-based.
Tremble...
Right on cue, Selena in front of me checked her results, clenching her fists tight. Pure rage incarnate.
She never blames anyone—just grinds every day.
Drip.
Composing herself somewhat, Selena looked up. She approached me, standing there blankly, her expression unchanging.
Staring me down, reigniting her fighting spirit.
Impressive willpower... No wonder losing to a human archer—not even a full elf—stings.
Brushing past me halfway, she said,
"I'll work even harder."
Respect. True protagonist material.
So I replied,
"Nah, you've already put in plenty."
My words were pure sincerity, no bullshit.
At that, Selena fully turned to face me.
"Are you telling me to... give up?"
"No? I know you've worked hard."
"......"
"Stick out your fingers. Only an idiot wouldn't notice."
Selena's fingers were wrapped in thin bandages, countless layers. No way that belonged on a girl her age in her prime.
Probably practiced over ten hours a day. Without Wind Archery, she'd doubled down to close the gap.
She silently hid her hands behind her back.
"Pity...?"
"Yeah, half pity... But I've got a favor to ask too."
"A favor?"
"Yeah. We can help each other out..."
That's when some guy wedged between us.
"Hey, what are you scheming with Selena?"
A decently handsome blond elf guy.
▶[Status Average]: 3.1
▶[Specialty] Archery Proficiency (7)
▶[Unique Trait]Wind Archery (Lv.3) (Details unavailable)
This guy. Or rather, his family. The reason Selena can't use Wind Archery.
"Hitting on her now? A human archer, a total outcast loser?"
"Yup, hitting on her. Got something to say? Wait your turn. Did your elf manners go down the drain?"
"You cocky bastard!"
I played childish, and his fist flew instantly.
Whoosh.
Even in Lev Denek's body, dodging this was easy. I knew the scene from the novel.
As his fist sliced air, I ducked and swept his leg.
"Whoa?!"
His balance shot forward, and he faceplanted.
Thud.
"You dog!"
He wasn't a brawler or melee fighter—just an archer. No proper stance for punches.
Crack!
As he tried to rise, I lightly pressed my foot on his nape.
The effect was tremendous! With my improved strength from frontline grinding, he couldn't budge.
"Urghh!!"
He writhed, groaning weirdly.
"Fuck! Get off, you mutt! I'll kill you!"
Huh, a refined elf losing it like this—must've picked up some human trash at the academy.
What to do...
Gailon flips out whenever he sees Selena for a reason.
Hard to believe, but he's a second-year—senior to me, the No. 2 villain getting schooled by the mains after I do.
But he has some weight: he explains why Selena can't use Wind Archery.
His Sharptee family ostracized the half-elf Selena since childhood, aiming to enslave her talent as a concubine.
To make it easier, they cursed her to block spirit-sylph recognition.
Thus, my exorcism skill's perfect use: on Selena.
-What do we do...
-Shouldn't someone stop it?
Before it escalated, I lifted my foot. My demerits are harsh... Better play it safe.
"Everyone saw, right? He attacked first."
He scrambled up, bellowing.
"F-fuck! Dirty, sneaky human—using cheap tricks?! You'd get wrecked in an archery match!"
"Then let's match."
"What?"
"Archery duel, then."
My confidence flustered him.
"Backing out now?"
"Ha? You serious? Think a newbie scrub can beat me?"
Dust on his face, he sneered.
"Think luck beats an elf?"
"Quit flapping your gums. You in or not?"
Pluck.
He flicked off his finger guards—duel challenge—and tossed them at me.
Clang!
Win the duel
[Win the duel 0/1]
Reward: Side Character Points 50
Classic academy event kicking off.
"Pick time and place. I'll show that much mercy."
Mercy to whom...
Gailon shoved his face close, glaring.
"Lose, and you'll crawl at my feet the whole time you're here."
"This weekend. Four days from now, Green Dorm arena. Good?"
He glared a bit longer after my answer, then vanished.
Too bad—could've clocked him then, no dodge.
Selena approached, looking dumbfounded.
"Are you insane?"
"?"
Her tone implied she knew how it'd go.
"Gailon aced marksmanship. Sharptee elves master Wind Archery best."
But no criticism of the fight meant she was sick of his harassment.
I shrugged casually.
"No biggie. You can teach me."
"...?"
Her fine brows furrowed.
"Teach you? ...Me?"
"Yeah."
"Basics, do yourself..."
"Nah. Wind Archery."
Those four words made her eyes widen a bit.