Chapter 99
Chapter 99
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 99
Chapter Title: Wolf and Sheep
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Milmyu von Sabre.
The owner of pitiful stats, treated as a failure at Jefrin Academy, was born the eldest daughter of a baron’s family in a quiet rural estate in the east.
Their only local specialty was milk, and sending even one daughter to Jefrin strained the territory’s budget to the breaking point. Yet Milmyu loved her hometown dearly.
She was certain she could have stayed there forever, content with that simple life.
But her parents had other ideas. “You’ll inherit the territory someday, so it’s even more important to meet lots of people while you’re young and broaden your horizons.” With that policy in mind, they sent her off to Jefrin.
“Just like my parents said, I’ll meet all kinds of people! And who knows... maybe even my destined one!”
Harboring such dreams, she set off for the artificial island of Jefrin.
But Jefrin was far too vast and grand.
In a place that gathered geniuses, prodigies, and talents from across the continent, there was no room for an ordinary girl like Milmyu.
She made friends, but she lived in constant fear of being expelled from Jefrin at any moment.
She knew she’d been chosen as the sacrificial lamb to make way for one student.
A scapegoat for the genius boy named Kelters.
In that instant, Milmyu gave up on her dreams.
The lost little lamb, thinking she’d just return home like this, met her savior.
A lone wolf.
Wolfram von Loengrin.
Her seniors had worried at first.
The rumors about the wolf were just that awful.
But meeting him in person, she realized rumors were just rumors.
It made her think she shouldn’t believe anything she hadn’t seen with her own eyes.
The bearer of the once-in-history Loengrin bloodline.
Yet his status was abysmal. Stamina 2. Magic Power 3. Without his bloodline, he wouldn’t even qualify for Jefrin.
Even after losing the Student Council President seat to his little sister and plummeting to regular student status, with the vast majority of the academy’s hundred thousand turning against him, he hadn’t retreated a single step.
His eyes dreamed dreams.
His hands shaped those dreams.
What hesitation could there be in his steps, even with a hundred thousand as enemies?
She realized there were people like this.
She learned that his vessel as a human was extraordinary.
She received countless helps from him. From the brink of expulsion, she’d somehow risen to top of her year.
When she wrote to her parents about receiving a full scholarship, they were more thrilled about her ranking first in her year than the money.
“If you’re top of your year, you can dream even bigger, right?”
“You could even get a job in the capital. Don’t worry about the territory!”
Only then did Milmyu von Sabre realize that becoming top of her year was... a ticket to the next level of dreams.
For Milmyu herself, though, it simply meant she had a qualification worthy of calling herself his junior.
Of course, her parents didn’t need to worry.
She had a proper dream now.
To stand by his side.
If she got greedy, to have him look her way first before anyone else.
Even greedier, to have him look only at her.
How many levels up was that dream?
Everyone around her was wonderful.
The Knight Division senior aimed to become his royal guard. In romance novels mimicking the imperial court, royals often ended up with their royal guards.
There was the famous third-year assassin senior from the Magic Division. Overwhelming in stats.
And his incredibly beautiful fiancée senior, who treated her so kindly.
Honestly, Milmyu von Sabre’s odds were terribly low.
But
“Environment” and “circumstances” were never reasons to give up.
Just like always, she’d trust herself and keep walking forward.
Today, too, Milmyu quietly reaffirmed her resolve amid the seniors she admired, respected, and saw as rivals.
It’s fine. At least my heart won’t lose...!
“Isn’t adventuring outdoors with Wolfram-sunbae more fun than you thought?”
“...Mm. Sleeping Mountains, Eastern Forest, and that natural highland... Rudika likes it too.”
“Ah, I’ve been to the Sleeping Mountains too. I watched the stars with Wolfram once. Has Pip-yak been on an expedition?”
...
..........
“..........I haven’t.”
Her heart hadn’t lost.
Her heart...
“I... haven’t...”
Her heart hadn’t lost.
But this wouldn’t do!
This was why Milmyu von Sabre shot her hand up to join Wolfram’s expedition.
Shock!
For Wolfram von Loengrin, heat and cold were directly tied to life and death!
“Obviously. My stamina’s only 2, after all.”
This damn body couldn’t handle heat or cold.
It was spring now, but summer would end me. It comes on suddenly, so countermeasures were needed while it still felt mild.
“That’s why we head north.”
But the north... the Snowfields of Poeng were a total garbage map.
The monsters were vicious, and the map’s gimmicks were trash.
“That’s why we need to pick the Act 2 rewards carefully.”
With that, I started selecting my Act 2 clear items.
The fixed item from Act 2 was, no question, the Jourmangi Gloves set.
So among the Act 2 rewards, you get an extra piece of the Jourmangi set.
With the gloves pair plus one more, you complete the full Jourmangi set.
Plus some lyn, recovery potions, and an 8th-tier skill choice voucher.
And the clear bonus perk was delicious...
I fiddled with it over and over.
This was it. What I’d hoped for. It came to me, as expected.
Of course, I knew. Like the last random acquisition voucher, it’d prioritize frequently used stats.
Probably, the one most likely to rise highest was Dexterity.
So Wolfram’s Dexterity had a high chance of going from 9 to 10.
But I had Skill Scan.
Break the limit.
Normal Skill Scan maxed at three even for veterans.
But who am I!
Transcend the limit and descend here!
“Ah...!”
And it worked.
I trembled with omnipotence.
I definitely tapped five times.
Meaning five stats would rise!
“...?”
For real?
Dexterity 14.
As expected, Dexterity had the highest chance of rising.
It’s always the stat I use most, alongside Magic Power—but this one excludes Magic Power.
Still, not rising alongside Strength or Will in some mediocre mix is something. The worst would’ve been +1 Dexterity and +4 Will. That’d make a total trash character.
At least it could’ve given me +1 Stamina? A little human touch?
Anyway, not bad. Mediocre hybrids are a dead-end anyway.
One more Dexterity gets me an extra skill.
And now Dexterity alone is solid enough for anywhere.
Like, “barely scraping by for Jefrin admission on Dexterity alone.”
Plus, useful skills unlock at Dexterity 15, so I’ll console myself with that.
Can’t hide the disappointment, though. +1 Stamina would’ve been nice.
“Whatcha making, Wolfram?”
“...Nothing. Just prepping for the expedition.”
“Sunbae, what are you making right now?”
“A mini campfire set.”
“Campfire set?”
“Mm.”
The fun part was that Dexterity 14 was already paying dividends.
“Put ignition stones and fuel inside this box, pull the string, and it’ll burn on its own for ten hours. Campfire set.”
“...That’s not easy to make, right? What if it catches fire by accident on the road?”
“I’m making it so that won’t happen. No worries.”
If my Dexterity were even a bit lower, crafting it would be impossible, so safety’s guaranteed.
“Also packed portable rations, dried leaves that repel monsters, tent, hot packs, spare clothes... Prep’s mostly done.”
“Wasn’t this a day trip?”
“I-I thought so too. Disappointing, but... a day trip...”
The two, lightly packed despite their sturdy outfits, looked a bit flustered.
Oh, did I forget to explain?
“Not a day trip. Returning tomorrow.”
“Eh, ehh? Really?”
“...Heh. Got it. Yes!”
“Don’t underestimate the snowy mountains. The Snowfields of Poeng mess with your senses. And the weather shifts unpredictably.”
“...Ah. Should’ve packed more then.”
“...W-what do we do, Aila-sunbae?”
“No need for needless worries.”
I loaded the luggage onto the cart pulled by Patrasche.
Three backpacks total. White’s mine. Pink and purple ones too.
Milmyu and Aila stared wide-eyed.
“Wolfram has three backpacks... don’t tell me...”
“No way...”
“Yep. These are yours.”
A backpack’s the same whether one or three—lunchbox style.
“Ah...”
“Sunbae...”
They looked at me with sparkling eyes, but I couldn’t get swept up in the moment.
The Snowfields of Poeng were an Act 4 map normally.
Going there meant max prep even with current specs wasn’t enough.
Hope nothing goes wrong...
“Let’s go. Hop on the cart.”
“Yes! Wolfram! Let’s go!”
“Yes, sunbae!”
The cart carrying the three of us slowly headed north.
Some glanced our way curiously midway, but no one dared block the year-top duo with a royal riding in a cart pulled by a red wolf.
We passed the defensive wall encircling the northern sector and arrived at the Snowfields of Poeng.
A colossal barrier.
Built by the founding emperor to separate the living quarters from the outside. Monsters couldn’t invade the inside, but curiously, there was an exit gate.
The founding emperor hoped students would venture out and challenge it, but alas, that dream never came true.
Thus, Eastern Forest, Sleeping Mountains—all unknown lands.
The forest entrance saw some Knight Division outings, at least.
And this northern snowfield, formally the Snowfields of Poeng, offered a completely new vista the moment you stepped out.
“...Wow!”
“This is...”
Nothing but snow in sight.
True to its name, only snow everywhere.
Chase the snow-made horizon, and you spot snow-clad mountains that look the same.
This was the story’s mid-game branching point.
Anyway, where is it... Ah, there.
Two out-of-place ice trees stood a bit inside the entrance.
“See those trees? Past them is the Snowfields of Poeng.”
“Finally, the adventure with sunbae begins.”
Milmyu couldn’t hide her excitement, gazing at me.
“What’re you talking about? We’re absolutely not going in. Don’t go near, either.”
“...Eh? What about fighting monsters, adventuring, bonding?”
“No. We pitch tents here first. Don’t take a single step further.”
Milmyu and Aila quickly set up the tents.
Aila reinforced them perfectly with Black Crystal, lining the insides with heat stones.
My tent? Patrasche handled it.
Thanks, Patrasche. Dog treats later.
“Wolfram. Why not go inside?”
“...The Snowfields of Poeng wrap you in illusions and shadows. Step in, and your senses go mad.”
It’s a puzzle field inside.
Like those classic RPG rooms with exits north, south, east, west—mess up the solution, and you loop forever.
Or more familiar: Pokémon Gen 1 Yellow City Gym.
But... there’s a trick here too.
Pitch camp outside toward the Jefrin quarters without entering the trees, and you see all events/field effects without monster encounters!
That’s the borderline exploit.
“Ugh... Scary. Gotta be careful. Hup.”
Aila erected a massive Black Crystal wall between the trees, then nodded with a sigh.
That’s definitely safe.
“So now we can make a giant snowman around here, right!?”
“...Do as you like.”
“Alright, let’s go! Patrasche!”
“Mm!”
And so Aila and Patrasche dashed across the snow, rolling snowballs.
Kids and puppies love snow that much, huh.
Letting the kids play, I gazed at the snowfields.
Back in the army, snow was hell, but just looking at it now? Not bad.
Lost in snow thoughts, Milmyu approached.
“Sunbae’s so knowledgeable.”
“...Not really.”
“Anything else to watch out for here?”
“No monsters. But weather effects hit full force, so be careful.”
“Weather effects?”
“Part of what drives senses mad is climate shifts. Blizzards anytime...”
I glanced up at the sky.
You know? When snow clouds grow huge, the sky tints purple.
Right as I thought it, snow began falling.
Tch. Damn map.
This one’s big. A huge one’s coming.
“E-eh?!”
“Aila! Patrasche! Into the tent! Don’t come out till I say! Got it?!”
“Y-yes!”
“Got it, master!”
I shouted quick, confirmed them inside, then Milmyu and I dove into the nearby tent.
“Milmyu! Follow me in!”
“Y-yes!”
Grabbing her hand and entering, howling winds hit. Skin-prickling sounds made me shrink, but I knew what this was.
“S-sunbae, you okay? Shouldn’t we flee to the quarters?”
“What for? Tent’s sturdy.”
“Won’t all that snow bury us?”
Ah, reasonable worry. Smart girl, as expected.
“The blizzard itself probably won’t be that bad.”
“R-really? You said it was big earlier...”
“The Snowfields of Poeng weaponizes even the weather.”
“Y-yes?”
“It mixes hallucinations into blizzards. Tricks you into panicking over flurries as a storm. Problem is prolonged exposure erodes your mind. Hard to tell truth from illusion.”
“...Ah.”
Crazy map, who’d brute-force naked? Luckily, climate effects don’t repeat for a bit after one hits.
So safe to farm inside the tent without peeking out.
Issue is it could last hours.
Up to twelve, worst case.
In the eerie silence, I looked at Milmyu. She stared back intently.
A hesitant expression.
“Sorry. Dragging you here. Could’ve come alone.”
“N-no. Not blaming you at all. I begged to come. First time knowing this place exists.”
“Glad you say that. Not scared?”
“...Scared? No. Ah... Aha. Um. A-a little? Yeah, a bit scared?”
“I see.”
“Y-yes. Ah, feels even scarier now. Sunbae. So, um...”
Milmyu scooted closer.
“Sunbae. Can I snuggle up to you?”