Chapter 11
Chapter 11
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: Hoping We Get Close (1)
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⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ A legendary-grade artifact has appeared! Gachas always give the best results when you spin them without thinking.
That's just how it is with those games.
You get unexpected luck popping out of nowhere.
-Poof!
A red ring popped out of thin air and landed squarely on my stomach.
▶ Hyperion's Ring (SS) [Type: Equipment] -Upon equipping, Magic Power immediately increases by 3, grants a major bonus to Magic Power operation, and gradually increases Magic Power until the user's reaches 10. (This equipment is soulbound.) "Wh-what the...?"
I jolted in surprise, trying to sit up, only to roll right off the bed.
Suddenly getting an item like this? Is this that munchkin drift thing?
I stared wide-eyed at the ring, stroking it, and it resonated red as it recognized its owner.
"Oh, whoa!"
Exclamations burst out naturally.
I couldn't hold back just looking at it and went to slip it onto my finger.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ 'World Tree of Purity' reaches out! Compulsion activates! The ring vanished.
Just like that, it turned into light and disappeared.
"......"
I sat there dumbfounded for a while until a bright red gem was tossed down from the air like some beggar’s handout.
▶ Hyperion's Gem [Revised] (SS) [Type: Consumable] -Can be used on equipment items. Adds the following abilities to the equipped item upon use. -Upon equipping, Charm immediately increases by 3, grants a major bonus to Magic Power operation, and gradually increases Charm until it reaches 8. My eyes trembled like aspen leaves as I stared at the gem.
-Tremble tremble.
"Explain."
A chilling voice came out of my mouth that even surprised me.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ (Sorry) 'World Tree of Purity' apologizes. "Why did you do that?"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ 'World Tree of Purity' explains it was unavoidable. "No, you crazy stupid tree bitch. What do you mean unavoidable? Be honest—was my low Charm pissing you off that much?"
No response from the World Tree.
I pinched the bridge of my nose and let out a deep sigh.
"Hoo..."
It's not like she gave it just to take it away.
I'd been frustrated lately with no way to boost my Magic Power, and now this sabotage out of nowhere—what am I supposed to do?
Sigh, fine.
Legends are legends, after all.
I'd fantasized about being handsome enough to rival celebrities sometimes anyway.
But losing the dream of becoming a grand mage left me feeling pretty down.
-Vrrr!
The red-vibrating gem.
I grabbed the mask from the desk and held the gem against it.
The resonating red crystal melted into the mask's forehead like water, and a description window appeared before my eyes.
▶ Hyperion's Mask (SS) [Type: Equipment] -A mask that has absorbed Hyperion's Gem. It's ugly now, but if you take time to let it absorb energy, it might turn stylish. -Effect 1: Charm fixed at 2 while worn. -Effect 2: Upon equipping, Charm immediately increases by 3, grants a major bonus to Magic Power operation, and gradually increases Charm until it reaches 8. (This equipment is soulbound.) Not bad.
Not bad at all, so why does it feel so shitty?
I gave a wry smile and flipped the mask onto my face.
A pure white light fluttered like petals and faded away.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Trait :: Ugly Appearance has been removed. I took off the mask and looked in the mirror.
My skin reflected in the glass gleamed like it had been slathered in honey.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ This world has textbook classes too.
Mostly language arts, math, World Tree history, that sort of thing.
"The formula for cubic functions is..."
But the problems weren't that hard.
Most were at a level early high schoolers could solve, so they were boring for me.
'I've already studied World Tree history in the library. Magic class is this afternoon.'
Nothing to do.
I yawned, clasped my hands, and buried my face in them. A groan came from beside me.
"Urgh..."
Bead pondering a math problem. Her furrowed, chubby little eyes were pretty cute.
A quick glance showed she was still on page 2, tackling a 3-point general advanced problem.
"Tch, why is this so hard."
She scratched her neat hair and let out a tiny yell imitation, then glanced my way.
"...Hey, you're good at studying. Teach me."
I mixed in some formulas and taught her the trick, and Bead's face lit up with understanding as she beamed brightly.
"It was super easy! Hehe, thanks."
That pretty face suits it perfectly.
Her unconscious posture naturally accentuated her nape and chest. She probably made plenty of boys cry back in the day.
-But who would be friends with you? Rapist ugly.
Then, suddenly,
I recalled what homeroom teacher Se-young had said.
Thinking about it, I had no redeeming qualities.
Potential and such was something only I knew about at my age; to outsiders, I was just an ugly pig wandering around in a mask.
And my personality? Anger Management Disorder.
The cops at the station near my old place recognized me on sight.
"Something on my face?"
"Sorry, just spacing out."
Bead grinned with a "What?" and went back to her problems.
Friends... friends, huh.
📜 NEW QUEST 📜 Main Quest 2: The Insider's Path
Congratulations on your admission to El Academy. The path to becoming a World Tree's husband is arduous. Strength, connections, honor, money. This time, you'll be evaluated on 'connections'.
Number of assigned tasks: [1]
-Make 3 friends among current Academy students.
Quest Rewards:
-Hoping We Get Close x 3
On Quest Failure:
□□□□□□□□
-You will die.
Time remaining: 6 days 23 hours 59 minutes.
Three friends.
What a ridiculous order.
A translucent window in the bottom right of my vision showed the progress.
[Current Friends: 0]
※ Friend conditions: Favorability 40+ and the other person recognizes you as a friend.
-Closest to friends currently: Jeong Si-woo (Favorability 30, Interested), Azalea (Favorability 13, Disgust)
'This is something.'
Half-assed.
Excluding Jeong Si-woo, the next closest is Azalea.
'Why does she hate me?'
Am I that ugly? Well, I did stare too hard back then.
If a fat, ugly girl stared at me blankly for 20 seconds... yeah.
Si-heon hate acknowledged.
So how do I make friends?
"What's this problem?"
Her voice snapped me out of my thoughts.
As I opened my mouth to answer the innocent-faced Bead pointing at a 4-point problem with her pencil tip—
"Huh?"
Something caught in my chest.
Current friends: 0.
The second-closest person to me is Azalea, and her feelings toward me are disgust.
I calmly asked the tilting-head Bead.
"Hey."
"Yeah?"
"Are we friends?"
An embarrassing line that felt cringy even to say.
Bead blinked, then smiled brightly.
"Of course we are! You're the first friend I made here."
She didn't question my intent, showing a cute expression like she was affirming it.
Her face was too nonchalant for mere casualness.
"What're you doing?"
"Nothing."
Realizing it, chills ran down my back.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Welcome to hologram practical combat class."
The instructor nodded at the cadets seated around the vast training hall.
"As written in the class description, but to repeat: this class uses holograms for real-combat training to boost your abilities."
"Think of it like... yeah, you've all used those training rooms with wooden dummies, right? Just imagine the dummies as monsters."
Thanks to that wood, my skills improved leaps and bounds.
I scanned the surroundings while listening to the instructor.
Beyond the explanation, what mattered most to me now was one friend.
'I can handle getting expelled and dying, but not dying without friends.'
Glancing around, I spotted Azalea chatting cozily with Jeong Si-woo.
The instructor finished explaining with a clap.
"Form groups of three with whoever you want."
Now's the time.
I shot to my feet on reflex.
"Si-woo~ Let's team up. I wanna hitch a ride once."
"Bus means you carry me, right?"
I approached the chatting pair.
Azalea, clinging to Si-woo's arm, saw my mask and stiffened visibly.
I forced a gentle tone.
"Jeong Si-woo. Got room in your group?"
"Yeah, but you... oh!"
No way I'd ask Azalea first and get shot down, so I latched onto Si-woo.
"Join us. First time since the entrance exam? Si-heon, right?"
"Yeah, nice to team up. Azalea, we met before, yeah?"
Azalea quickly schooled her face and waved with a strained smile.
"Yes. Nice to meet you."
"We can drop formalities."
"It's fine."
Her clear boundary-drawing showed the tough road ahead.
But she didn't object to grouping with me, so we settled on this team for the class.
Two swordsmen, one mage. Azalea as mage—balanced enough.
"First groups up. The issued swords and staves are mass-produced but real, so handle carefully."
I drew the sword from the sheath in the prep room; a sharp blue edge gleamed.
First real sword, but excitement outweighed worry.
Our turn came, and we entered the dome.
Inside was an artificial dungeon based on a forest.
"Whoa, so cool."
"First time with this?"
"How do humans even experience stuff like this? One run here must cost a fortune."
Si-woo, sword at his waist, reacted childishly; Azalea teased with a laugh.
Once again, I felt like the odd one out. Expected, though.
We advanced silently deep into the dungeon.
-Grrrrr.
Soon, seven wolves emerged from the brush, surrounding us.
Si-woo took stance, mindful of me.
"Si-heon, protect Azalea and slowly take out the approaching wolves."
"Got it."
I gripped my sword reverse and heightened focus.
Azalea, who'd eyed me like a stone, took training seriously, clasping hands to gather mana.
A blue mass floated above her.
I knew what it was.
'Spirit user?'
Talent for handling spirits is rare—did she have that?
As we took defensive stances, the blue mass shot toward the wolves without incantation.
-Crunch!
Blood sprayed, hides crushed by mana waves.
One wolf dead instantly; the rest charged, sensing threat.
"Incoming!"
Si-woo's shout—I moved in response.
Thrust sword into the first wolf's maw charging me.
-Gack!
Short scream; I kicked its heart, roundhouse-blocked the one aiming for Azalea's neck.
Stabbed the fallen wolf's throat; it thrashed then went limp.
Footwork and fisticuffs from the dummies exceeded expectations.
"Not bad, surprisingly?"
"This much is basic."
I replied casually to her slightly surprised reaction—or that's how it sounded to me.
-Looks weak but moves decently?
Her expression confirmed my guess.
Meanwhile, fellow human Si-woo had already slain four wolves and was heading back.
"Si-heon's improved a lot. Got talent."
"You saw that mid-fight?"
"You know my level."
Arrogant-sounding, but no one to call him out.
Si-woo was the unofficial top dog. Strength excuses arrogance.
'Should've studied some swordplay with that dummy.'
From watching it, I seemed innately gifted at mimicry.
Mimicry? More like...
Observing one's movements let me see the sword path, predict muscle shifts naturally.
Probably my potential too.
We handled the rest easily; our first group cleared the hologram dungeon successfully.