National Power Lies in Colonies, Not Defense
National Power Lies in Colonies, Not Defense
The Academy's supplementary class system.
It's a truly vicious device created by the developers of the original game, <Dice and Academy>.
A prison that physically traps characters who have neglected their studies because they were too obsessed with requests or dating, preventing them from interfering with important branching points in the main story.
But usually, heroines are set as geniuses, so they don't fail even if you leave them alone.
Occasionally, "idiot" archetype heroines have rock-bottom grades, but that's just the developers' consideration to trigger the library study date event with Si-woo.
It's just a device made to force library study date events, and in reality, unless you're a pervert who wants to pick up girls in supplementary events by intentionally neglecting the idiots, it's actually harder to end up in supplementary classes.
The problem is me.
Since falling into this world, I haven't sat in front of a desk even once.
Between rolling summons and fishing for heroines, my brain cells are already fully committed to combat and political maneuvering.
"Damn it...."
I trudged toward the main auditorium.
To think I have to wrestle with major textbooks again at this age (my mental age is already that of a working adult!). Does this even make sense?
I've already committed one unexcused absence per subject.
If I skip one more time without a reason, an F grade is guaranteed.
My access to the main story will be revoked for at least one semester.
That would be fatal to my insurance cancellation plan.
Of course, there is a last-resort excuse I can use because Han Seo-yeon is a girl.
"Seo-yeon-ah, why did you skip school?"
"I went to bleed."
It's an invincible cheat code that would make a male professor turn his head away, face beet-red, but this is truly a trump card to be used only at the very, very end.
And I've already decided when to use it.
Come to think of it, is it time to start tracking the heroines' and my menstrual cycles?
I don't know if I came into the version with the ethics code removed or the 15-rated version, but if it's the removed version, couldn't I just get Si-woo drunk and lock him in a room with another heroine, and they'd figure it out somehow?
While thinking that, I arrived at the auditorium and finished checking attendance.
I briefly considered doing a "run-and-check," but I shook my head.
There was a strategic reason why I came to listen to this boring lecture in the first place.
And besides, Bianca promised to pick me up after class, so it's awkward to leave early.
Professor Jean-Luc de Villaret was preparing for class on the podium.
He is the professor for the mandatory first-year major course, [Pangaea Warrior and Strategy], and one of the most seasoned veterans in the Academy.
If I build affinity with this old man, I can get buffs later when receiving special equipment or accessing classified information.
Using forced study as a stepping stone for greater gains.
That is the attitude of a veteran player.
"Now, let's begin the class. Last time, I explained the process by which the era of war between humanity ended due to the impact of magic power leaked from the Arctic Gate on the oceans, and the era of humanity and the deep sea arrived, right?"
...Excuse me? I skipped that day to train with a [Burning Wheel] behind the mountain.
It's already looking like a disaster.
I scanned the surroundings to see if there was an honor student whose notes I could borrow, but I didn't see anyone suitable yet.
Tch.
"Today, I will talk about the [Bay of Biscay Catastrophe], where the French Navy, which is also my roots, was annihilated. The Alpha-generation monsters that had just poured out of the Arctic Gate at the time were large but had thin armor, so humanity mistakenly thought that 75mm rapid-fire guns and torpedoes were enough."
At the time, the French 3rd Mobile Fleet's strength was 120 high-speed torpedo boats, 40 destroyers, and 5 protected cruisers.
Facing them were 3 third-generation Hazard-class monsters.
The explanation was that it was a battle born from France's impatience, fearing they might lose maritime dominance to Germany and Britain.
That's why those 6-week bastards...
As Professor Villaret swung his chalk roughly across the blackboard to draw, a map appeared with old-fashioned trajectories and the fleet's encirclement mixed up in a mess.
"The French fleet surrounded the Hydra with their then-state-of-the-art 30-knot high-speed maneuvers. Thousands of 75mm shells tore through the monster's skin, and hundreds of torpedoes hit their mark. According to records, the sea at the time was dyed with the monster's blue blood, to the point where one couldn't see ahead."
The professor paused for a moment and adjusted his glasses.
"But 3 hours later, what was the result? 165 French ships annihilated. 12 survivors. And the monster's damage was 0. Now, here is the question. Why was the monster able to wipe out the fleet without a single scratch despite being bombarded with tens of thousands of shells? You there, the student with your hand up."
I didn't miss the chance and raised my hand high, and Professor Villaret's gaze locked onto me.
"I'm Han Seo-yeon, a first-year. It's because of the non-Newtonian fluid properties of the monster's hide and its super-regeneration ability using magic power."
The professor nodded as if interested.
"Continue."
"The 75mm small-caliber rapid fire that the French fleet poured out at the time only irritated the surface of the monster's hide. Due to the hide's characteristic of instantly dispersing impacts below a certain level, the wounds healed faster than the shells could penetrate before reaching the vital organs. This is called a mosquito swarm attack."
I pulled the text I had memorized from the in-game encyclopedia out of my head.
It doesn't hurt to look good to the professor, so this is great.
"Just as no matter how many mosquitoes bite, it doesn't affect a human's life, the density of firepower that cannot exceed the regeneration limit is meaningless. On the other hand, large-caliber single shots physically crush the armor and destroy the internal structure before the regeneration speed can keep up. It's the same principle as why one slug shell is more advantageous for catching a bear than 100 pistol rounds."
"Oho, the analogy is quite good."
Professor Villaret drew a huge X over the drawing on the blackboard.
"Correct. Then let me ask one more thing. Why did we retire small ships capable of evasive maneuvers from the battlefield? Isn't 30 knots fast enough?"
"Not at all. In front of tentacles moving at 100km/h, 30 knots is no different from standing still. A small ship's hull is disassembled by a single wave from the monster. Ultimately, the key to anti-monster warfare is to pour out firepower that exceeds the regeneration limit in one go."
"You may sit down now, Student Seo-yeon. Was it Han Seo-yeon? That's an excellent insight that makes your record of unexcused absence from the first class pale in comparison. It seems you've done your preparation properly."
As my answer ended, whispers could be heard here and there in the lecture hall, and for the first time, the professor wore a faint smile on his lips.
"This is the strategic background for why the [Bismarck-class Destroyer], which used to be battleships, were downgraded to destroyers, and why humanity became obsessed with the madness-like enormity of 100-inch main guns."
I was certain that my name was firmly planted in Professor Villaret's eyes.
...Well, he wouldn't try to make me a future graduate student just because I have high affinity with professors, right?
Yeah. Surely not.
Anyway, not only did I defend my F grade, but I also finished the groundwork for affinity farming to acquire items later.
If I stand out too much, it might be difficult to build my reputation later, so I quietly bowed my head and looked around while pretending to take notes diligently.
However, in the corner of the lecture hall, I felt a female student wearing a deep hood staring at me intently ever since my answer.
...What is it? That gaze.
Professor Villaret tapped the contents written on the blackboard as if satisfied and finished the lecture.
"In the 3rd week, we will cover the birth of Hazards and the acceleration of their evolution. It's a preview of the first discovery of Hazards, entities that absorb magic power and multiply infinitely. Thank you all for listening to today's class diligently."
As soon as the professor left, sighs and murmurs that had been held back burst out here and there in the lecture hall.
I also closed my notebook and stretched widely.
"Ugh... Ah, my head hurts."
My brain was fully utilized for the first time in a while, so I feel like my sugar levels are dropping.
I was about to pack my bag and get up, but seeing people pouring out, I quietly sat back down.
Because there was one more person who hadn't left yet.
In the corner at the end of the lecture hall. A female student who was still staring at me intently while wearing a deep hood.
...Who is she? There was no such style among the original heroines.
When I sat back down and stared at her, the girl hesitated, stood up, and approached me while trembling.
She had a look on her face like she was about to cry, so just as I was thinking, "Did I do something wrong?", she opened her mouth.
"D-do you... happen to be very interested in history?"
"...Yes?"
"That explanation just now about the crushing of non-Newtonian fluid hide and the regeneration limit! And even the background of the [Bismarck-class Destroyer] downgrade! T-that's an insight that couldn't come from simple textbook knowledge!"
She didn't even wait for my answer and immediately started pouring out a waterfall of history-nerd talk.
"I'm Grace Sterling, a first-year! I especially love the romance of the big gun battleship doctrine! The overwhelming recoil emitted by the 100-inch main gun, and the aesthetics of a huge armor-piercing shell cutting through the sea surface! Don't you think a big, beautiful, and sturdy battleship is the most perfect work of art created by humanity?!"
The face revealed as the girl's hood came off was quite doll-like and pretty, but the expression she was making right now was definitely not one a beautiful girl should be making.
I maintained a poker face and nodded vaguely.
"Ah, yes... there is a romance to it."
"As expected! My eyes weren't wrong! I needed a talent like Seo-yeon-ssi who can see through to the essence!"
Grace was excited, grabbed my hand tightly, looked around once, and whispered in a low voice.
"Hey, Seo-yeon-ssi. Do you have any intention of joining our club? It's a semi-club called [A Cup of Tea After Meals for Health and Beauty]..."
"...Yes?"
[A Cup of Tea After Meals for Health and Beauty] ... Ah, I remembered.
This was the club that Bianca-sunbae kicked out by force when she was securing the club room, right?
Before I could even confirm if my memory was correct, Grace clenched her fists and burst out in frustration.
"If only our precious base hadn't been taken away by that dictator sunbae, the Ice Princess or whatever she's called...! To think that our elegant group, which researches giant naval gun fire support and deep-sea monster strategy, would end up on the street like this, it's so unfair!"
She added, huffing and puffing.
"Besides, that place called [Society for the Preservation of Human History and Cultural Heritage] or whatever that took our room is very notorious! They don't do any activities, it's just a vulgar, play-around club that parties every day! How can school budget go into a place like that...!"
Scratch.
Sorry. One of the main culprits of that vulgar, play-around club is me.
Just then, the back door opened with a clatter and a flourish.
"Seo-yeon-ssi! You weren't coming out, so I came to pick you up!"
Along with the whirring sound of an electric wheelchair, Bianca-sunbae appeared majestically, discovered me remaining in the lecture hall, and waved her hand happily.
"H-hieeeek?!"
Grace screamed, jumped backward like a cat, and looked back and forth between Bianca and me with shocked eyes.
"S-Seo-yeon-ssi? Do you know her? This terrifying club room robber?!"
"Uh... Sunbae."
As I answered while scratching my head, Bianca naturally approached me and grabbed my arm.
"Seo-yeon-ssi, you didn't forget that today is the day the limited edition goods arrive, right? We have to go quickly and unbox... Hmm? Who is this brat next to you?"
"Look... Grace, I'm sorry. I'm already a member of that [Society for the Preservation of Human History and Cultural Heritage]. I've even finished the recommender's signature."
Grace's face was dyed with shock, and soon she began to tremble with anger mixed with a sense of betrayal.
"L-lies! A comrade who knows the charm of battleships so well, being a member of such an otaku den! That makes no sense!"
"Seo-yeon-ssi is my soulmate! How dare you try to seduce our precious club member?!"
Bianca pulled me toward her, burning with possessiveness, so I tried to push her away by pressing down, but this time, a heavy weight was placed on my other leg.
"No! Seo-yeon-ssi has to join our tea club and discuss the beauty of the 100-inch main gun together!"
Grace started a tug-of-war while hanging onto my leg.
"Let go! Seo-yeon-ssi has to recover foreshadowing for the new anime with me!"
"Battleships come first! The romance of steel comes first!"
It hurts, you bitches! My legs are going to rip!
"Seo-yeon-ssi, please don't go! We are comrades connected by steel and steel, and the smoke of 100-inch main guns!"
"We've never been connected."
Despite my retort, Grace cried and hung onto my pant leg.
Grace pointed at Bianca-sunbae with a trembling finger, muttering that she would never forgive her, but a different calculator started running in her head.
Wait, if I play this right, this is a sweet auto-hunting opportunity, isn't it?
A while later, we left the chaotic lecture hall behind and returned to the club room of the [Society for the Preservation of Human History and Cultural Heritage].
Currently, the club room is chaos.
One side of the wall is occupied by Bianca-sunbae's beautiful girl figures, and the other side is covered with medieval-style furniture and carpets brought by 20 knights, creating a strange contrast.
In the center, Penelope was rolling dice with a serious expression, surrounded by 20 men (vassals).
"Now, here my princess knight jumps over the castle wall...!"
"Penelope-ya. We have to go take over a club room."
"Wait a minute! Right now my princess knight is in a desperate crisis... Huh? A club room?"
Penelope and the vassals lifted their heads at the same time and looked at me.
"Seo-yeon-ssi, we already have a club room here, right? Who are you trying to kick out again?"
"It's not a club room for us to use. I'm going to take over a new one for those tea club kids that Sunbae took away before."
I pushed Grace, who was trembling like a puppy behind my back, forward.
And I took out a document I had prepared in advance from my arms and handed it to Penelope.
[Treaty on Mutual Cooperation and Entrusted Governance between the Literature Research Club and the Tea Strategy Sub-club]
Penelope's eyebrows twitched as she scanned the contents of the treaty.
"...Seo-yeon-ssi. The contents of this are a bit strange, aren't they? The tea sub-club reports all strategic data to the Literature Research Club first, all external activities go through the headquarters' approval, 30% of the club operating expenses are paid to the headquarters."
Penelope looked up at me as if she were dumbfounded.
"...Are you perhaps trying to create a colony inside the Academy?"
"Given your background, I think you'll understand it well, Penelope-yang."