Fated Companions

As the name suggested, this ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was the Salenium Saga's companion system—or the party system.

Huh? Didn't you already form a party with Melwood Elion back then, Adrian?

Sorry, but that's wrong. That was just a raid party, a completely different system.

So what's the difference between a raid party and a regular party? In the Salenium Saga, a party refers to the companions you'll stick with all the way until graduation. No matter what incidents you get dragged into or how mundanely you live your daily life from here on out, you'll be doing it all with your party.

Your ending ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠changes depending on ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠your party, too. So you have to choose wisely—more than ever before.

"A party... huh."

I rested my chin on my hand, lost in thought for a moment.

Party. The Salenium Saga was an RPG centered around parties. And as you'd expect, forming one came with combo synergies attached.

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Different synergies based on classes and attributes, each with unique names and effects.

The game's whole theme was a youth academy RPG with a ton of characters, so there were tons of applicable party synergies.

Trying them all even unlocked achievements.

If Act 1 was Erhan's adjustment period right after enrolling, Act 2—when the party function unlocked—was about recruiting proper companions and steadily progressing toward graduation. Solve all sorts of incidents along the way, and your companion slots expand up to a max of eight. That's when you truly have a party.

Hmm. But that raises a question.

"...This is supposed to be Erhan's system, isn't it?"

Originally, I was supposed to die in the prologue and exit this world stage left. This wasn't a function meant for me.

Yet here it was, plain as day, right in front of me.

Come to think of it, I snagged Che Soon-pal's spot instead of him.

Was the system acknowledging me as this world's protagonist? But Erhan was still faithfully following the original path, so maybe not.

I had no idea, but if this was a bug, it was a lucky one. The difference between having party synergies and not was night and day.

Who to slot as my first fated companion? That bore some serious thought.

For now, I pushed the system aside and opened the classroom door, stepping inside.

I ignored the murmurs and stares directed my way as I took my seat. It had bugged me at first, but after a few times, I was numb to it. Who cared about stares or whispers?

Thinking of it as a survival game where every little thing could mean life or death helped. I pulled out my notebook and pen, and that's when I heard a chair scrape beside me.

I glanced over. A familiar face.

"Hello, Adrian."

"Reina, huh."

"That's me. Adrian, did you finish the assignment?"

Assignment? ...Wait, there was an assignment?

"There was a short presentation on the essence of Elemental Mana Linkage Studies. Did you not know?"

Come to think of it, yeah, there was something like that. I'd been too busy.

But it didn't really matter if I skipped it.

"It's a presentation on the essence, right? I didn't feel the need to prepare a scholarly theory on magic linked to mana."

Reina stared at me in surprise, then covered her mouth.

"Sorry, that was just so out of left field..."

"Out of left field?"

"The old Adrian would've... well, something like, 'Hmph, as if some piddling professor could judge my knowledge.' Different words, same result. You didn't do the assignment, did you, Adrian?"

She flashed a cheeky grin. What a rascal.

"Want to see mine?"

"No need. Mine's perfect."

"If you ask nicely for three seconds, I'll show you—no strings attached."

"And after three seconds?"

"Then there are conditions. There—three seconds up. Let's start with the basics: Adrian has to go to the central district with me on our day off. One down. Every five seconds adds another. Next: dinner? Shopping?"

The wicked witch grinned innocently.

How could such trivial banter be this fun?

"But I really don't need it. And we're already eating together most days anyway—shopping's the outlier."

"Urk..."

The Elemental Mana Linkage Studies class ended. I thought that was it, but there was more.

"Here are the results from last week's pop quiz! Check the overall rankings for my class on the wall! If you have questions, come to the lab—not my office!"

...Weren't walls for posting grades a relic of a bygone era?

Professor Martin of Elemental Mana Linkage Studies—lab coat, wild bomb hair—declared this and zipped back to his lab like a rocket.

Wait, he said lab, not office, right?

"Adrian, Adrian."

"What?"

"Look, my name's second."

I glanced up and nodded. Reina von Wolfgang: vice-top of the magic department.

And this was a mandatory second-year major subject. So naturally, there'd be a top spot.

I looked higher, reading the name at the very top.

"...Daisy von Shukros."

"I didn't want to say that loathsome name."

Daisy von Shukros. Heir to the eastern Shukros family—rivals to the southern Wolfgang marquisate—and top of the second-year magic department. Wielder of her family's unique inherited magic, and Reina's eternal rival, whom she'd sworn to surpass.

Considering Reina's First Breakthrough condition was taking top spot in magic, we'd clash with her eventually no matter what.

"I knew it, but I lost again this time. Doesn't matter—I'll win next time for sure."

Reina clenched her fist, vowing it. The mana around her rippled and surged with her will.

Not figuratively—she was literally ablaze. I could feel the scorching heat from right beside her.

Igniting the ambient mana and her own drive, Reina strode out of the lecture hall.

"Oh, right—Adrian. I got some info this morning."

"Hm?"

"They say a mysterious oasis popped up out of nowhere in the empty stretches of the southern Scorching Desert field. Any idea what it is?"

Oh. About time it showed up.

"It's a dungeon. Guess I'll have to check it out."

"A what? An oasis is a dungeon?"

Reina's eyes went wide as she turned to me, and I nodded.

The desert field, huh.

"Hmm... Planning to raid it today?"

"If not today, it'll vanish. Better do it quick. You interested?"

"I'd love to, but no can do—I've got afternoon classes. Be careful out there."

I returned Reina's well-wishes and headed elsewhere.

Well. Truth be told.

From the moment I heard southern and desert, I'd already decided who to bring.

Knight department. At the entrance to the second-year training grounds, where outsiders couldn't enter, I leaned against the wall with a clear view inside.

Soon, one figure in the corner caught my eye.

"Hah!"

Bam!

"Hyah!"

His sword tip gleamed, sweat dripping down. Light blue hair swayed, blue eyes reading every sword path without fail.

He lightly deflected an incoming wooden sword with his blade's flat, then swung back in attack. If parried, he instantly flipped his grip, twisted direction, and advanced. Minimal delay in his motions.

Precise distance control, and above all, he watched his opponent's sword position to the end—cautiously.

The training to hone that instinct? Unimaginable.

"Hah!"

"Hyaah!"

In just three exchanges, he pressed his wooden sword's tip to his opponent's throat.

"Winner: Kalen Snowwhite!"

A clean victory. After a knight's salute and a light bow, he turned—and I couldn't help clapping.

Which drew eyes my way.

"A-Adrian, sir?"

"Kalen."

He approached, then froze mid-step.

"...?"

He sniffed at himself, then went rigid as ice.

"Kalen?"

"Ah, please don't come closer. I, uh..."

"I'm fine with it."

"No, still... it's a problem for me."

"Got it. You're blocking the way here anyway—mind stepping out of the training grounds for a sec?"

"P-Pardon? Oh, y-yes, sir."

Whatever misunderstanding, Kalen bowed his head and followed. At his request, I kept exactly three steps back and explained.

His eyes went wide.

"A dungeon in the desert field...?"

"Yeah. If you've got time, I'd like you to come with."

"Just... me? No one else?"

"That's right."

"Ah, then—hold on a moment? I'll grab my sword."

She ducked inside, fetched her sword, and suddenly thrust the hilt toward me.

"Kalen?"

"Hold it. We've shared one before, right?"

Kalen smiled.

"It means we're sharing swords. A ritual from my family before battle."

Oh, if that's all. I gripped the hilt, and she placed her hand over mine.

Light surged around us both.

Probably visible only to me.

I glanced over. He had his eyes gently closed.

"Did it work?"

"Ah, yes—it's done. All set."

She sheathed her sword at her waist with a light motion and bowed.

"Looking forward to working with you."

"Mm. We're pretty close-range, though. But whatever you were worried about doesn't seem to be an issue."

"Ah."

His face flushed, and he crab-walked back three steps, head bowed low.

"...Did it?"

"Nope."

"For real?"

"For real."