Chapter 64

Clarice Academy's practice training hall was even more crowded than usual with the ranking battles just around the corner. Even Edwin Gwynz, ranked C, was deep in his training.

'I hope Yeriel's doing okay...?'

He'd just visited her in the infirmary, but she wasn't there. He'd wanted to thank her properly—for setting up his mock battle with Abelin, for the dungeon survey practice, and all the other help. Where had she gone, dragging her sick body along?

'Whatever. Focus now.'

Edwin gripped the hilt of his training sword again.

Whoosh.

The blade sliced through the air, cutting away his stray thoughts. What had once been clumsy swings fueled by sheer conviction now had proper form. The hilt felt like an extension of his hand, one with his body.

After hundreds of such swings, "Huuuuh."

Edwin let out a long breath. As soon as he stopped, his thoughts flooded back.

'Man, I really went and did it...'

He'd challenged Kaeran His, rank S no less—a top-seater—to a ranking battle duel. Since the lower rank had issued the challenge, Kaeran couldn't refuse. The other cadets would think it was insane, but Edwin couldn't just sit back anymore.

He couldn't hold it in any longer. Melissa, Abelin... all the cadets who'd helped with his training...

"Ah, Edwin? Is that all you've done so far?"

"Help you...? Um, I've got circle activities..."

"Sorry, but that's it for today."

"For the time being... I won't be able to join you."

"..."

One by one, they drifted away.

'At this rate, I'm just a total nuisance...'

He hadn't even repaid their help yet.

'Kaeran...'

It was all that guy's fault. He'd formed the Royal Class circle and poached everyone around him. And the jerk didn't even remember Edwin's name properly.

So...

"I'll make sure... he knows I exist...!"

He wanted to prove that frailty had its convictions, that it couldn't be ignored.

And... thinking of that red-haired man brought another to mind.

Lev Denek. The guy who'd challenged Kaeran to a duel even before Edwin did. It had motivated him a bit, sure, but yesterday was the real trigger.

"Selafi Black Dorm, hurry."

"Pardon?"

Professor Sinatis had approached while Edwin trained through the night in the practice hall.

"Yeriel, danger."

Her usual curt tone, but she seemed extremely urgent. Just hearing "Yeriel, danger" was enough—Edwin bolted for the Selafi Black Dorm.

'I heard she was originally a monster, but...!'

Sinatis, who burned massive mana to maintain her Evolution Chamber, struggled to hold her polymorph form. She wasn't much help in a fight like this. Yet for some reason, Lev Denek had called only ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠him, a rank C.

By the time he reached Yeriel's basement, only traces of horrific mana lingered.

Boom!

A heavy pressure that his body instinctively rejected.

"Urk."

A demon ambush...? He sensed mana thick with murky energy, just like what he'd felt from Lev Denek's surprise attack the day before positioning practice.

But contrary to expectations... no demons in sight.

"!!"

Just Yeriel and Lev slumped against each other.

"Yeriel...!"

And far off, a purple-glowing bead floating aimlessly.

"!!"

In that moment, Edwin knew instinctively. His gut screamed for it.

'A demon soul...'

He had to claim it. As he raised his sword vertically, white light enveloped the blade. With a swing,

his [Executioner's Sword] triggered, absorbing the soul.

After that, nothing much. Academy guardians arrived late, and the situation wrapped up. Naturally, Edwin had no clue what had happened.

'If only I'd been by Yeriel's side then...!'

Crunch.

Edwin bit his lower lip hard. Just like the dungeon survey practice. Aria then, Yeriel now. And every time, Lev Denek arrived first.

'How... did he sense the danger a step ahead again?'

If not for him, unthinkable outcomes awaited. He always threw himself in at the last second, resolving everything.

'In the end... I couldn't do a thing again...'

The frustration of failing to help those precious to him sent tremors through Edwin's body.

Grip...

He clenched his fist.

'That's why I need... to get... stronger.'

Edwin had muddled through life until now, but seeing all the powerhouses at Clarice Academy was changing him. He needed to whip his weak, helpless self that only lost things.

'I have to do it myself now...'

Frustrating as it was, he had to emulate Lev Denek's initiative. This time, he'd personally win back Melissa and Abelin from Kaeran.

"What the... this?"

"Raymond from the same rank got wrecked by Kaeran yesterday, right?"

"Yeah, it was so pitiful I couldn't watch."

"I heard Crow Pay already scouted him—probably baiting that."

"If he lands one lucky hit, other guilds might notice too."

"Still, S rank? Total arrogance... Kaeran's got 3 wins locked."

"Betting odds should be fun this time."

"You betting underground again?"

"Shh!"

"Went all-in on a big gamble, huh."

The practice hall buzzed with the Day 7 matchup reveal. Lowest rank C versus highest S. Simple math—the gap was massive, drawing all eyes.

Not surprising, though. In the fanfic, Edwin challenged Kaeran because his heroines ditched him one by one. I'd skipped those cringey parts, but he was probably steeling himself like a tragic protagonist right now.

Human nature doesn't change easily, after all. The story was following its course to a degree.

'Time to scout a bit.'

After tinkering in the practice rooms, I scanned the area.

'How's my parasite worm doing?'

Checking Kaeran's status would be smart.

Then, in one open practice room, cadets clustered, chattering.

"Man... his swordplay flows like water..."

"Haven't seen him lately, but his magic's top-tier too, they say."

"First time seeing Kaeran do public practice."

"Well, genius grinding? Even Crow Pay can't ignore that."

Kaeran... practicing? His setting had laziness baked in. An infuriating trait only extreme talent could pull off.

Practice? Sun rising in the west.

Through the transparent glass wall, I secretly activated my magic eye on Kaeran mid-personal training.

With Magic Eye at level 2, I could now check trait infections too.

"Fortune's gone..."

His luck-based growth trait, Fortune, was long gone. Shame Copy wasn't infected yet, but with everything else, it was just a matter of time.

"Smooth so far, but..."

One variable: specializations and stats dropped less than expected versus traits. Simple reason—he'd gone mad training. Growth offsetting the decline, barely holding it back.

Even so, the net loss meant unless he trained 24/7, it was pouring water into a leaky bucket. The self-insert author who'd only grinded his fave character was paying now.

'Still, Edwin should win?'

Assuming a fight now, Kaeran had the edge coldly speaking. But outcome wouldn't change. Even if he copied Edwin's Execution trait, [Executioner's Sword], parasite spread was unstoppable.

Resetting everything—that was Kaeran's sole endgame.

"Spin your wheels hard."

As I turned to leave the conditioning room, a woman's voice hooked my ear.

"Hmmm~ Why's our Kaeran so weak now~?"

"!"

Languid voice. Droopy eyes, sky-blue hair.

Probably Elody Ratashia. Chapter 4 or 5 senior girl.

'Why's she here already...?'

Like she meant for me to hear, I left without a hint of fluster.

"That was close..."

Smart to bail quick. I'd have struggled with my expression otherwise.

'Elody Ratashia.'

In the fanfic, portrayed mysteriously neutral—popping up when protags pondered, offering solutions. No early screentime unlike Lilith the demon sympathizer, but she was the real deal... a demon.

Later a war hero clashing with Saintess Psyche. Someone I absolutely shouldn't tangle with.

'Why show up here...?'

Clarice's 3rd and 4th years were half or less of 1st/2nd. Most got scouted by guilds or knight orders by year 2. Long-timers were nobles without money woes or high-potential cadets. Even they spent little time on-site for practice, so I figured no encounters. My bad.

This wasn't a fanfic with fixed timings—it was reality. Characters didn't have to appear in sequence. Chance meetings with late-game ones happened.

'No point overthinking...'

Anyway, what mattered now was separate. From my secret test in the private room earlier,

I'd picked Taicheonsa Transformation despite myself... only to hit the no-stacking issue.

It wouldn't even slot into the ultimate slot. Plus...

Mainhwa boosted stats and generated black mana during duration.

Taicheonsa cut skill mana costs and generated black mana.

Alternating would've been ideal, but slot swap cooldown was 1 hour. No real uptime.

Made sense, really. Same as original game.

"Hm."

Like not dual-registering holy and dark magic.

Not hopeless, though. Veteran trick: [Memorize: Ring of Imprint] item.

This ring let you memorize a spell for dual-casting on one skill slot. CBT had no limits, allowing holy/dark stacking.

Get the ring, problem solved.

Issue: filthy expensive legendary rarity.

Fanfic mentioned it late—initially just jewelry, till Crow Pay's master Regulus sniped it at auction spotting true value.

So, outbid Regulus or kill the late-game boss for drop.

"Killing... impossible without cheats."

Regulus had hordes of followers. Crow Pay was one of seven major guilds. Plus, ex-royals lifelong, guild master—swimming in ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠cash.

Intercept? I'd just suck my thumb.

"Need quick cash..."

Then, conditioning room chatter resurfaced.

"Kaeran 3 wins locked."

"Betting odds fun this time."

"You betting underground again?"

"............Found it."

A way to score big. Defy the plot.

"Just make Edwin win, right?"