Vivian's Spring
The place we were heading to now was one I'd been saving to get even closer to Choi Yeon—a spot she had to be with me to even attempt.
"……The garden?"
"You haven't been here before, right?"
"Yeah. First time seeing it."
Titania Garden, located inside the academy. It had been created after Ray Pendragon became student council president, as a welfare perk for the students. Countless spirit mages, wizards, and Awakeners had banded together to craft this artificial forest.
It was roughly the size of a university campus, and it was famous as the top date spot for academy couples.
"But why'd we come here? Don't tell me……."
What's this girl thinking now──
"Sparring?"
Yeah, that's Choi Yeon for you. Even so, is sparring the only thing on her mind?
I let out a sigh and pointed to the map at the entrance.
"We're going there."
"……Vivian Lake?"
"Right. That's our destination."
More precisely, it was the elixir storage. Ray Pendragon had created this forest as a public space funded by student council dues, meant to give students a place to relax. Anyone could use it freely.
But players who enrolled in the academy would one day receive a mysterious note, and following its clues would trigger a linked quest revealing the truth about the student council and Ray Pendragon……!
It was one of the key locations in the student council route, handling the scenario's climax.
And I planned to ignore all that and just snag the reward. By using Choi Yeon, naturally.
"Choi Yeon—just to check, you can use Water Split, right?"
"Water Split? I can…… but……?"
"Good. Then follow me."
As we stepped into the forest with her, fresh air filled my lungs, accompanied by the sweet fragrance wafting from the flowers planted around us, tickling my nose. Butterflies and bees fluttered by, and fairies occasionally peeked out.
Choi Yeon spun in circles, eyes wide with wonder as she took it all in.
"Doesn't feel like Korea."
"Yeah, well. Pendragon made this artificially as a mana spot to recreate myths."
"……Mana spot?"
"Exactly. A mana spot."
And beneath it lay a dungeon, just like the one under our club room.
"When students use their abilities inside the academy, the mana doesn't just dissipate—it gathers here. Or more precisely, it flows to the lake in the center of the forest."
Under the influence of this myth-inspired forest, that mana would rebirth as elixirs. That was Vivian's Spring, the elixir that dramatically boosted mana or aura, raising your current stats to their maximum potential. Its value was incalculable.
Coming from the world's top talents at Seoul Hero Academy—not your average heroes—it made sense.
"Kinda like our family mountain?"
Choi Yeon murmured as she listened to my explanation. The "family mountain" she mentioned was probably the spot owned by her Cheongcheon family, used as a training ground.
Yeah, same principle. Spot on.
But I had to play dumb for now.
"Family mountain? You mean the one your Cheongcheon family owns?"
"Yeah. I heard that's where the family's mana gathers, so everyone trains there."
Wait. Hold up.
"……You can just tell outsiders about that?"
"Oh. Right."
As far as I knew, the fact that her family's mountain drew in mana was a closely guarded secret. Yet here she was, blurting it out like it was nothing.
"Forget what I just said. Grandpa would kill me if he found out."
……Not you—he'd come for me with a vendetta!
I sighed and nodded.
"Pretend I didn't hear it."
"Thanks."
No way she blabs this to everyone else…… right? Nah, Choi Yeon might be a bit airheaded, but she's no idiot.
"……Butterfly. Pretty."
She grinned, chasing a butterfly fluttering nearby.
……Okay, maybe she is a bit of an idiot. Still, snatching that elusive blue fairy butterfly barehanded proved her skills were as sharp as ever.
"Let it go. It's registered academy property—you'll get penalty points."
"Oh."
She released it with a disappointed pout, then waved goodbye to the butterfly.
At this rate, we'd never make it before first period ended, so I grabbed her sleeve.
"Huh?"
"Come on. Sightsee while we walk."
"Oh, okay."
Thanks to Pendragon making the damn thing obnoxiously huge, even hustling it would take about ten minutes. Plenty of time in the forest for her to gawk.
But…….
"Never seen that flower before."
"The butterfly's sparkling……?"
"Is that a snake? Grandpa would love it if I brought one home."
"There's a stream."
"They skipping class too?"
I was basically dragging her along, but her mouth wouldn't stop.
Was she always this chatty? No—Choi Yeon was definitely not an NPC with tons of dialogue.
"You talk this much around other kids normally?"
"Huh……? Not really, I don't think."
"Feels like you're talking a lot right now."
She tilted her head, as if pondering it.
"Hmm…… Maybe 'cause there's so much new stuff. Kinda exciting."
"That many new things?"
"Yeah. Usually just swinging my sword at the family place. New spots get me hyped without thinking."
That's when it hit me: in the game, the most efficient way to raise her affection was travel and sparring. Sparring made sense, but travel? Now I got it…… hidden backstory.
Stuff you couldn't uncover in a game with fixed routes.
So.
"……We've got time before first period ends. Take it slow and look around."
"Thanks."
I slowed my pace just a tad.
* * *
Soon, the sound of running water grew louder. In the forest's heart lay the massive blue Vivian Lake. This was where Pendragon had hidden his precious elixir.
"Choi Yeon. You know the King Arthur myths at all?"
"……A bit. Family taught me. Connected to this place?"
"Obviously. In the myth, Arthur gets Excalibur from the Lady of the Lake, and one theory says her name's Vivian. This lake's named……."
"……Vivian, right?"
"Yep. And now we're going inside Vivian."
I approached the lakeside, glancing at the "No Swimming" sign.
Looked ordinary. But.
"Around here, yeah."
Disabling the security totem disguised as a warning sign was simple enough.
"Heave-ho."
I yanked it out and set it aside neatly.
"……You can just pull that up?"
"It's a security measure. Just turning it off for a bit."
"Security?"
It was a basic alert that'd ping the mages if anyone entered the water, but since it was on academy grounds, they couldn't embed complex spells—easy to bypass once you knew it was a totem.
"Aim Water Split at the center of the lake. Oh, got your sword?"
She shook her head.
"Nah. Can do it barehanded, though. Wanna see?"
Fine for normal water, but this was an elixir vault. Might be too tough barehanded.
"Hold on a sec."
Had to have stashed one around here…… ah, there.
"How's this?"
I pulled a jagged machete from my cube—one I'd taken from the Triad thugs at Incheon Port back then. Loose-looking, but a rare-grade item with Durability Enhancement. Kept it for later; glad it had a use now.
"……How hard should I do Water Split?"
"Full power."
"Might break after one swing. That's okay?"
A durability-enhanced machete breaking on one swing?
"……Try to minimize splash damage if you can."
"No worries. Water Split's quiet."
She gripped the machete I handed her, assumed a mid-guard, and aura swirled around her. Then, with a clean vertical slash.
Tok.
The blade's tip touched the surface lightly. And then.
──────!
The water parted massively, revealing hidden stairs.
That was why I'd brought Choi Yeon. Vivian favors talented swordsmen. Only those who'd reached a certain realm could enter Vivian's interior.
Probably just Ray Pendragon and her could open it among current students. No way I could've with my guns and fists alone—but getting here so soon had me buzzing with excitement.
Choi Yeon trudged over, pouting, and handed me something.
"Tried my best, but it broke. Sorry."
She bowed, offering the hilt-only machete.
Who cared about some scrap iron compared to unlocking Vivian Lake?
"Nah, it's just something I picked up off the ground—no need to apologize. Opening this place is more than enough reason for me to be grateful."
"……Really?"
She suddenly puffed out her chest.
"Then be grateful."
……What is she, anyway.
"Yeah, thanks."
"Okay."
Leaving the proud Choi Yeon behind, I descended the stairs. Water walls flanked us, teeming with ornamental fish swimming freely.
Walking through water like this…… felt like Moses.
"Pretty."
Choi Yeon poked at the solidified water walls with her finger, fascinated by her own technique, trailing behind.
I reached a pristine marble-like temple and pushed open the snowy white door.
A heavy rumble echoed as the interior revealed itself.
"……Seeing it for real makes it even more ridiculous. Guess you need to be student council president to build something like this in secret at the academy."
As the doors parted, sunlight-like white radiance flooded the temple. Runes and spells densely inscribed on ceiling, walls, and floor glowed softly, lending a sacred air to the empty space.
And in the center, a single small spring emitted its own light…….
"──Found it."