Chapter 5
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 5
Chapter Title: Sir Alon's Statue
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The carriage window was covered with curtains.
Unable to look outside because of it, Abel spoke to Dillon, who was sitting opposite him.
“How long until Del Modor?”
“Our estate is on the outskirts, so it’ll take a good forty minutes.”
Considering it was a horse-drawn carriage, that wasn’t too far.
This world had all sorts of transportation options, thanks to the monstrous invention called Gigants.
But most were for military use only, leaving civilian options extremely limited.
In the capital especially, even nobles were restricted to carriages for safety reasons.
Abel nodded and opened his mouth.
“Do you know anything about the academy entrance exam?”
“Not in great detail.”
His tone was stiff, and his expression suggested he didn’t know much.
Truth be told, Abel hadn’t expected Dillon to rattle off every detail about the exam.
He’d just asked to check if there were any differences from what he knew.
“Even so, could I hear whatever you do know? I’ve never heard anything about it.”
“Of course.”
Dillon answered this question with full sincerity.
“All participants take the exam using Tito models prepared by the academy. They basically measure physical fitness, mana control, and Sync Rate.”
“All crucial for handling Gigants.”
“Indeed. There are three main tests, but the content changes every year. Last year, they had everyone run until they collapsed, and...”
Abel listened carefully to the story that went on for quite a while.
Some of it was new, but fortunately, it didn’t differ much from what he knew.
They were in the middle of such back-and-forth when the carriage began to slow down gradually.
“So... Ah, let me check outside for a moment.”
“Sure.”
Dillon stopped talking and said to Abel,
“We’ve passed through the academy’s main gate. You should prepare to get out soon.”
“Got it.”
Preparing to get out just meant straightening his clothes.
After a few more exchanges, the carriage came to a complete stop.
At the knock on the door from outside, Dillon got out first.
Abel followed, instinctively scanning his surroundings.
‘Whoa...’
If Dillon weren’t right beside him, Abel would have let out a vocal exclamation.
Stone buildings lined the street—elegant without being overly flashy.
They were especially tall.
He knew why from the game.
This was a place to train Gigant riders, and with countless Gigants moving around inside, the height concealed them.
Ordinary buildings would let anyone see the Gigants moving beyond.
‘Amazing.’
It wasn’t his first time seeing those tall buildings.
He’d never been inside the academy, but walking nearby always showed them.
They reminded him of a forest of skyscrapers, evoking thoughts of Earth.
‘Memories... yeah. But seeing it up close, it feels even more majestic.’
As Abel thought that, Dillon spoke.
“Please follow me.”
“Yes.”
Abel snapped to attention and walked after him.
* * *
They hadn’t been walking long when they arrived at a particularly ornate building.
Passing through a large door engraved with beautiful patterns revealed a fairly quiet interior.
Including the receptionist, there were fewer than twenty people inside.
The reason Del Modor Academy’s reception area was so empty was simple.
‘Most people have already registered.’
It was the tail end of the application period.
Abel glanced around, wondering if he’d spot a familiar face, but everyone was a stranger, so he quickly lost interest.
“This way...”
Dillon guided him to an empty counter in the center and handed over some documents while speaking to the receptionist.
This world was strange.
Too many elements from different eras were jumbled together to compare to any specific time on Earth.
‘Maybe it’s only natural.’
This was a game world, after all.
One tailored heavily for the player’s convenience.
But every time such thoughts crossed his mind, a different question reared up in Abel’s heart.
Was it really?
Things he’d dismissed as nonsense in the game all had plausible explanations here.
The setting’s gaps were filled in.
If it was just a simple game world, who filled those ‘gaps’?
“Abel Klein? Is that you?”
Abel looked up at the voice calling him.
A receptionist with brown hair and a plain face was looking at him. Her conversation with Dillon had apparently ended.
“Ah, yes.”
“Could you place your hand here? It’s a simple verification.”
Abel put his hand on the wide plate the receptionist indicated.
Bzzz—
A faint blue light shimmered with the vibration, then faded.
It was checking mana aptitude.
Without the bare minimum aptitude, one wasn’t even eligible for the academy.
Not an issue for Abel, who had already awakened his mana.
“Measurement complete.”
She double-checked the results and documents, then smiled.
“Registration complete. This has details on the entrance exam—please refer to it.”
The paper she handed over listed the exam schedule and other notes.
That wrapped up registration.
As they stepped away from the counter, Dillon asked,
“Heading back right away?”
“Could I look around the academy a bit more?”
He nodded at Abel’s question.
“Yes. But we need to leave in about an hour.”
“Understood.”
The ready permission suggested it had been arranged in advance.
Good for Abel. An hour was plenty to get what he wanted.
As they headed for the exit, the door opened and someone entered.
Dillon, about to grab the handle, naturally stepped back, letting Abel see who it was.
‘Huh?’
Abel nearly voiced his surprise.
His gaze locked on the woman who had appeared through the just-opened door.
Silvery hair gleaming with luster, sapphire eyes. Skin as white as her hair, and an emotionless expression.
Her beauty naturally drew the eye, but that alone wouldn’t have startled him.
‘Iolin.’
Her distinct features and major role made her unmistakable.
She was the game’s protagonist, Iolin, the Sepir Frontier Count’s only daughter.
If the Klein Count family was a rising powerhouse since the last great war, the Sepir family was a traditional noble house of meritorious service.
But her impressive background alone wouldn’t have made Abel recognize her instantly.
‘Her talent is unparalleled.’
Even among top talents, Iolin was a standout genius.
Her beauty couldn’t overshadow that brilliance.
Abel could see the strikingly stable flow of mana around her.
Proof of her advanced mana control.
“Hm.”
The cough from the knight beside her snapped Abel back.
He’d been blocking Iolin and her guard knight from entering.
“Sorry.”
“No problem.”
Abel apologized and stepped aside at once. The guard knight smiled faintly and passed by with her.
Only then did Abel exit with Dillon.
Walking beside him, Dillon said,
“That’s the Sepir Frontier Count’s daughter.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. Rumors of her extraordinary talent have spread even to the capital.”
“Impressive.”
Abel feigned admiration in response to Dillon’s explanation.
Of course, he knew exactly how talented Iolin was.
He’d witnessed—indirectly—her future exploits.
Coming face-to-face with a key game character made his heart race again.
‘Feels like arrhythmia.’
With his heart pounding at random times, the thought came naturally.
The last few days had been so spectacular.
Chosen directly by Countess Klein, piloting a Miles, and now encountering the famous Iolin at the academy.
It truly felt like the wheels of fate had begun to turn.
‘To keep up, I need to work harder.’
He’d planned a leisurely tour, grabbing what he could before leaving, but meeting Iolin ignited his competitive spirit.
Where would his talent rank in this academy full of monsters?
Hugging that curiosity, Abel strode forward energetically.
To claim his first hidden piece, as planned.
A short while later.
“This must be the central plaza.”
“Seems so.”
About twenty minutes after leaving the building.
Abel arrived at a circular plaza amid blue grass that lifted his spirits just looking at it.
Trees planted here and there and benches beneath them looked perfect for resting.
The plaza had quite a crowd, mostly cadets in academy uniforms.
They’d be his seniors once he enrolled. He gave the plaza a quick scan, then headed to the center.
There stood a statue.
Dillon offered a brief explanation, catching Abel’s gaze.
“It’s a statue of Sir Alon, the empire’s great knight.”
Alon.
A national savior from the history books, deeply involved in founding the academy.
Abel looked up at the statue.
It depicted an armored knight holding a sword with both hands.
Impressive, but Abel hadn’t come here to relax or sightsee.
‘Even bigger in person.’
He knew.
This statue hid a hidden piece. That’s why he was here.
“Mind if I get a closer look?”
“Go ahead.”
With Dillon’s permission, Abel approached the statue.
It had one legend.
-They say Sir Alon’s statue moves when a hero destined for great deeds appears.
It seemed like the kind of tale every school has. You know, like the Sejong the Great statue moving at midnight.
Sir Alon’s legend was about that level. Just idle gossip for amusement.
But Abel knew it wasn’t mere legend.
The academy’s headmaster and some professors likely knew too.
Its true nature.
“Whew.”
Abel took a deep breath, placed his palm on the pedestal, and closed his eyes in focus.
Gigants had been seriously developed for less than a century.
But ‘Sync Rate,’ deeply tied to them, was different.
Even without Gigants, Sync Rate was a human talent with uses.
Ancient artifacts—the precursors to Gigants—relied on it.
‘Focus.’
Abel reviewed his knowledge, closed his eyes, and concentrated.
His top-tier Sync Rate talent had brought him here first.
An inexplicable flow passed between the hard pedestal and his palm, slowly seeping in.
Rrrrrumble—!
That’s when the statue began vibrating violently.
Every eye in the plaza turned to the statue and Abel.
Dillon behind him sensed the anomaly and started approaching.
Flash—!
Then, light burst from the statue.
Bright enough to make nearby people flinch and close their eyes.
But when the light faded, the statue stood still, as if nothing had happened.
“Are you alright?”
Dillon rushed over and asked.
Abel, who’d been staring blankly, blinked as if snapping out of it and nodded.
“Ah, yes. I’m fine.”
“What in the world... Why did the statue glow...?”
Dillon, genuinely shocked, even stammered—uncharacteristic for him.
No wonder, with a brilliant light erupting the moment his charge touched the statue.
But Abel had no mind for Dillon.
[An unprecedented energy seeps into your body.]
[Acquired the clue to ‘Overflow.’]
[Mana growth rate increases by 200% for one week.]
The successive messages, the distinctly changed mana flow, and the alien sensation in his body.
He’d expected it somewhat, but experiencing it firsthand was beyond.
In the game, the condition was ‘a character with A-rank or higher Sync Rate attempts synchronization with the statue.’
Meeting it yielded a useful skill and buff for the effort.
‘But the real value is the symbolism.’
Overflow was a powerful skill, and the week-long mana growth boost was great.
But more important was the legend itself.
-They say Sir Alon’s statue moves when a hero destined for great deeds appears.
With a legend like that, would this just be dismissed as a curiosity?
No way.
It would draw massive attention.
A burden to some, but not to Abel.
To clear this game’s main quest, he couldn’t just be a top student—he needed to be a ‘hero.’
This incident would be excellent fuel for that path.
“Shall we head back now?”
Calming his racing heart, Abel said to Dillon, who nodded with a troubled expression.
Bathed in uneasy stares, they left the plaza.
Soon after, they boarded the carriage and departed the academy.