Chapter 18
Chapter 18
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: How to Steal the Protagonist's Woman
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"Viola, I'm heading out."
"Sniff... You'll come back, right?"
"Of course... I'll wrap things up as fast as I can and get back."
I stepped into the warp case with Viola seeing me off.
Armonia, dressed in her captain's uniform, finished maintaining the machines in the warp room and turned to Viola.
"Ms. Viola, this area's under restricted access during missions, so you'll need to step out."
"Yes..."
Viola waved goodbye to me after hearing Armonia, then left the warp room.
Watching her go, Armonia focused on me inside the warp case and began the mission briefing.
The target location was Schutra Magic School.
This world's protagonist was 'Louis Brandt Rup,' who'd just enrolled as the top student this year.
The target was 'Luna Staatfeldt,' Louis Brandt Rup's closest friend.
They weren't lovers, but their bond was close enough that you could easily mistake them for one.
"Magic power?"
"Oh, so if I've got magic power, I can sneak in as a teacher?"
"Crazy... I thought they were just like regular schoolteachers..."
According to Armonia, even a nation's king wouldn't dare treat a Schutra professor lightly.
The student body included actual royalty, yet even they were just ordinary students who had to watch their professors' moods.
"So if I don't have any magic power..."
"Phew..."
I'd been bracing for something like starting as a janitor.
Armonia explained that magic power was like a special talent.
Without even LV 1, no amount of effort would yield growth, but with LV 1, at least some potential existed.
The idea was to blast open that starting talent with Enel.
For reference, the lowest student at Schutra Magic School I was entering was around LV 5.
"Ooh, won't cost much Enel then?"
"Okay~"
The moment I heard Armonia's final words, I was standing at the main gate of Schutra Magic School.
The school gate buzzed with crowds.
From elegant nobles stepping down from carriages and receiving guidance, to commoners beaming amid family cheers.
And I was dressed in perfectly plebeian rags.
"Just walk in?"
Sure enough, my hand clutched the letter Armonia had given me.
Most folks were soaking up congratulations from family or friends, but that meant nothing to me.
I just wanted in quick.
The school's exterior lived up to its continental fame—stunningly ornate.
Its towering black buildings exuded an air of mystery.
I handed my admission letter to the guard at the gate.
"Hm... All clear. Head to the main auditorium over there."
I took back the letter from the stone-faced guard and stepped inside.
The moment I passed, his voice rang out again from behind.
"Ah! Heartiest congratulations on your enrollment!"
"Haha, thanks."
It was night-and-day from how he'd treated me.
'What the hell.'
I turned around in disbelief.
Behind me stood a refined young man in pristine white noble attire.
Handsome face, tall build...
'...Was the guard gay or something?'
'Armonia, run a trait scan. Let's see what this punk's deal is.'
Time to dig up dirt and turn him into trash.
Just for getting better treatment, a sub-quest popped up for me.
But Armonia, who always replied instantly, went silent.
'Armonia?'
'What?'
'Oh!'
The guy I wanted to trash turned out to be the protagonist. Talk about lucky.
Thanks for giving me one more reason to rain lead on you.
The punk flashed a bright smile my way.
"Are you enrolling here too, by any chance?"
"Ah, yeah."
I returned a bright smile of my own.
No need to get on his bad side yet.
Lowering the opponent's guard—NTL basics.
Louis extended his hand for a shake.
"Pleased to meet you. I'm Louis Brandt Rup, from the Levin Kingdom."
"Likewise. Seong Suho."
"Quite the unique name."
"Haha..."
I vented to Armonia in frustration.
'The nerve, commenting on my name like that?'
'Exotic, huh? Guess I'll club that curiosity right out of him.'
As we shook hands, a woman in a sleek black dress approached from behind, handing over her letter.
It was practical, not overly flashy, yet radiated elegance.
Long silver hair with gentle waves at the ends.
Her eyes slanted slightly upward, her face set in a cool, impassive expression.
And above all...
'She's fucking gorgeous!!'
Armonia read my mind and promptly displayed the woman's traits.
"Ah, Luna. This is Seong Suho, starting the same time as us."
"Ah..."
Luna glanced my way with her impassive expression.
Not totally emotionless like Armonia—just cool and detached.
I could catch subtle shifts in her face, unlike Armonia.
"And Suho, this is my friend, Luna Staatfeldt."
"Ah... Hello."
I stuck out my hand, dying to feel hers.
But Luna didn't react.
She stared at my hand for a moment, then looked up at me.
"No need..."
"?"
"...to shake hands."
"..."
I had no idea what was going through her head, but her attitude lit a fire in me.
'Whoa! That's another reason to devour the protagonist's girl! Armonia!'
Louis looked flustered watching Luna and apologized to me.
"Sorry. Luna's not great with people... She's not a bad person."
"I just said there's no need to shake hands."
"Sigh, that's your problem."
The two bickered, but it was clear they enjoyed it.
Luna's face softened with a hint of a smile as she talked to Louis—nothing like the cool mask she'd shown me.
I retracted my awkward arm, seething with rage.
'...Armonia.'
'That woman... With this rejected hand, I'll make her taste hell...'
I slipped away quietly, leaving their banter behind.
I sat through the dean's speech and professor intros in the auditorium, then got dorm directions.
Separate dorms for men and women, single rooms.
I entered my assigned dorm.
It wasn't in great shape.
Single bed, desk, wardrobe, private bathroom... That was it.
Felt like a broke student's studio apartment.
"This is leagues below my office..."
Armonia explained that top students got better dorms.
Ranked from top-tier, upper, mid, lower, bottom-tier.
Likely a system to motivate students.
And assignments shifted every semester...
"My rank?"
"Position?"
"Total students?"
"..."
Back in school, I never hit dead last even skipping class and napping...
Neatly folded uniform lay on the bed.
High-quality shirt, tie, vest, trousers.
The cape for outerwear was a rich navy, looking luxurious.
Design so sharp, it'd fit right in modern times—no country bumpkin vibes.
Reminded me of school uniforms, but the ornate patterns on the collar, vest, and cape evoked military garb.
Mages were basically wartime weapons back in the day, so it made sense.
I sat on the bed and started sorting my situation.
Met the protagonist and heroine.
Luckily, Zodiac rigged us into the same class, per Armonia.
And...
"Won't be able to take it easy like with Viola this time? I wanna smash her..."
Luna's expression still burned in my mind.
Mad? Nah, I was grateful—it ignited me.
I wanted to shatter that look.
"Ooh... Jealous?"
"True, hauling them back every time might kill me with exhaustion someday..."
Plus, no spare living quarters left on the ship anyway.
That front was sorted. Next up: magic power.
My traits included a magic branch.
Armonia expanded the magic traits for me.
- [Magic Power LV 0], [Magic Resistance LV 0], [Fire Affinity LV 0], [Water Affinity LV 0]...
"Let's see... Gotta bump magic power to 1 first, right?"
"What!?"
I freaked at that.
"10,000 Enel just for +1?"
"Phew, that's a relief. Thought it'd be insane from the start."
I'd legit panicked.
Bottom ranks at LV 5—if I'd thought school life started at LV 1, I'd be expelled before seduction even mattered...
"How much Enel we got?"
"No choice... Unlock magic power first."
The instant I said it...
Nothing happened, like a lie.
"Huh... Games usually have light pillars for level-ups..."
Fine, you're the smart one...
Traits now showed [Magic Power LV 1].
"Cost per level-up now?"
"Gasp! LV 100 would be 100 times 2 to the 100th... Enel apocalypse."
"Ah... Yeah, no point maxing magic anyway."
Maxing Sex Skill would pay off way more.
"Alright, get me to LV 5."
"Gotta match the bottom rung at least..."
Whew... Should save face tomorrow, right?
And the next day, our professor's first words poked right at my sore spot.
"No magic for the next week."