Chapter 32
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 32
Chapter Title: Elective Subjects (11)
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"Aden-!"
"Aden!"
Tremendous pain accompanies this.
*Remaining time: 1 minute*
The worried voices calling my name echoed from both sky and ground at the same time.
A semi-transparent window floated before my eyes, informing me of the remaining time on the penalty.
But amid the overwhelming pain crashing over me,
I couldn't even twitch a finger.
Every time the crimson-black lightning around me stabbed into me, it felt like every single cell in my body was burning away.
My ears rang with nonstop tinnitus.
The agony felt like knives piercing my entire body and cells scorching to ash—I desperately wanted to just pass out right then,
but whenever I teetered on the edge of unconsciousness, my mind snapped back awake, as if refusing to allow it.
Beeeeeeep—
"Cha■rman-! Hurry to the aca■—"
"Le■ ■■ talk ■■"
The two of them were urgently saying something upon seeing my state,
but the tinnitus filling my ears made it impossible to make out their words.
However, spotting the teleportation magic circle drawing itself beneath me,
I could roughly guess what they were saying.
Moments later, the circle activated,
and my vision shifted to an unfamiliar place filled with various medical supplies.
"Ve■y hea■■y, no tra■—"
"Th■■en ■■rest he■e—"
Eris scooped me up and laid me on a bed there.
The two exchanged words,
but the ongoing tinnitus made it hard to grasp exactly what.
After enduring unimaginable agony for what felt like forever—
Tremendous pain accompanies this.
*Remaining time: 0 seconds*
The window that had hovered before me finally signaled the end of the penalty.
The instant it ended, the crimson-black lightning tormenting me vanished,
and all that horrific pain evaporated like magic in a flash.
The mind I'd barely held together, already at its limit,
finally collapsed, my vision blurring as I slipped away.
It was the faint I'd craved through that minute of hell—the first blackout since possessing this body.
Sizzle—sizzle—
Sunlight slipping through the window cracks shone precisely on my face, rousing me.
"Hngh-!"
As my mind cleared somewhat facing the light,
I let out a guttural groan and bolted upright.
"Hah—"
I wiped away the lingering cold sweat and slowly caught my breath, calming my heart.
The sensation of every cell burning still lingered vividly.
"Crazy..."
That extreme pain penalty—
short as it was,
it far surpassed my wildest imagination.
Shaking those horrific memories from my head to steady myself, my gaze soon drifted to the unfamiliar room.
Medical supplies scattered everywhere, several beds—
not a place I'd seen often, but I quickly deduced where I was.
'The infirmary...'
Come to think of it, I recalled Eris laying me on this bed here.
Having roughly oriented myself, I slowly sat up.
The empty infirmary held no one,
but the sunlight streaming through the window suggested it hung fairly high—
at least a full day had passed.
I scanned briefly for anything to check the time—
Creak—
The firmly shut infirmary door swung open as someone entered.
"What... you're awake."
I turned at the unfamiliar voice—the first I'd heard since possessing this body—to see its owner.
A woman in a white coat like a modern doctor,
dark circles heavy under her eyes, stood there.
Unfamiliar face,
but her identity was easy to pinpoint.
Celes, the priestess of the Holy Kingdom—
essentially the mistress of this infirmary.
She eyed me wearily and continued.
"If you're awake, sit up on the bed. I'll fetch the chairman for you."
With that simple instruction, she turned and exited the infirmary.
As she shut the door behind her,
silence filled the room.
Hearing she'd summon Eris, and with nothing else to do,
I reclined comfortably on the bed, staring at the ceiling to pass the time.
Lying there lost in thought for a few minutes—
Creak—slam-!
The door flew open violently as Celes returned with a familiar face.
"You're awake!"
Eris,
rushes over in a fuss,
gaze full of worry.
"How's... your body feeling?"
"I'm fine, Chairman."
"Heh..."
Celes watched with a meaningful look, then spoke to Eris.
"Then... I'll step out for a bit."
With those brief words, Celes exited carefully, shutting the door.
'Did she get the wrong idea...?'
Watching her go,
it felt like she'd jumped to some grand misunderstanding.
Nothing to be done about Celes now,
so I turned to Eris with the most pressing question.
"How many hours was I out?"
"Huh...? It's S-Class practical combat lecture time right now...?"
"Eh...?"
Her response drew a dazed sound from my lips.
Practical combat had started—far more time had passed than I'd thought.
Luckily, electives hadn't begun yet,
but as the last class before them, it could start anytime.
"What about the elective...?"
"Oh, practical combat just kicked off, so you should have some time."
Thankfully,
her reply confirmed the lecture had only just begun.
'Dodged a bullet...'
Today's elective: Alchemy.
Not as packed as Dungeon Practice,
but fitting for a class taught by villain Baal, it offered an achievement right from the start.
'Penalty's beyond imagination... but just one minute, and that power? Can't pass it up.'
Life and Death Resolve skill—
that penalty was something I'd never want to endure again,
but having felt its might firsthand, I couldn't let it go.
In my current situation,
every stat from those achievements was precious.
"You could skip today's lecture...?"
As I sat up with that in mind,
Eris offered I could rest.
"I'll join from the elective on. Got things to do, and I'm fully recovered."
"Alright...? Well, can't stop you then. Go listen well."
I refused,
and she didn't push hard, just waving me off.
I left the infirmary and headed out.
Normally I'd hit practical combat,
but the cold sweat from fainting felt gross, so I aimed for the dorm to wash up.
Soon, a familiar building came into view.
Only a day away, yet it felt like ages as I entered.
Given the hour, it made sense,
but the dorm's utter emptiness was a strange new sensation.
Feeling that, I went to the top-floor chief dorm,
showered thoroughly to shake off the grime, and changed clothes.
Even after prepping, it was early for alchemy,
but with nothing else, I left for the classroom.
"Alchemy, huh..."
The third elective: Alchemy.
Not a must-take,
but packed with achievements and popular for recruiting the prof after Baal.
'Potions...? Symbol of losers, no?'
In-game, with that mindset, I'd only attended once for the first achievement—
never again.
'Reality changes things...'
Here, helping the new prof post-Baal,
stockpiling efficient potions seemed smart.
Bonus: monitor Baal till then. Win-win.
'Not hard anyway.'
In-game, simple mini-game—tweak ratios, done.
Reality meant no mistakes myself,
'Pioneer's cheat is real...'
With the Pioneer's action assist boosting me,
alchemy was easier than brewing instant coffee.
So I sat relaxed, awaiting the final elective,
as cadets trickled into the empty room one by one.
'Isabel's not here yet...'
Only one S-Class in alchemy: Isabel, so I hadn't expected instant arrival.
She always collapsed from mana exhaustion after combat...
But as start time neared with no sign, I wondered—
Creak—
Finally, the welcome face opened the door.
"Huh...? Aden, weren't you sick?"
"All better now. Cutting it close, huh?"
I replied to Isabel's puzzled greeting,
then voiced my recent thought.
"Prof Elina was total hell today."
"Hell?"
"Yeah... like she was possessed or something—"
Her reply: today's combat was hellish difficulty.
Elina seemed haunted, Isabel griped.
'Oof... skill hit her hard, huh?'
Having witnessed Life and Death Resolve up close, she'd been spurred.
As long as not overboard,
it'd accelerate the five heroines' growth—good thing.
Chatting with Isabel briefly,
Creak—
"Hello, everyone."
A chilling voice came as the door opened.
'Baal...'
Unforgettable since orientation.
Alchemy prof Baal entered the classroom.