The Sea, and the Ball.
Of course, the fact that two massive battles had just wrapped up in quick succession didn't mean it was time for me to kick back and relax. If anything, this was the moment to hustle even harder.
We had less than a week until the third act kicked off, flowing right into the second semester. A week might sound long, but it's shockingly short when you're plotting your moves.
In a café in the central district, with a perfect view of the entire academy sprawl, I set down my drink and muttered to myself.
"Come to think of it, it's about time I paid him a visit."
She should've been back from that valley trip by now, right? Time to check how much our world's great hero-to-be had grown over the summer. The third act was right around the corner—the one where he takes center stage and starts awakening to his identity as the hero.
If there were gaps in his progress, I'd point them out. If he'd nailed it, I'd give credit where due. Guide the newbie so he doesn't veer off course, mold him onto the straight and narrow... not out of rot, but duty. That was the vet's obligation.
I was thinking that as I rose from my seat in the café.
"Sunbae! Sunbae! Ah! There you are, sunbae!"
Out of nowhere, the café door flew open, and someone barreled inside. Black hair, uniform, massive greatsword slung across his back.
Totally unexpected. Who'd have thought he'd come hunting for me first?
"...What's the problem?"
"I-it's... um..."
The guy panted as he caught his breath.
"Calm down. Breathe steady and speak clearly."
"Y-yes, sir. Hoo... haa... hoo... Okay."
"Now talk."
"Yes. O-one of my party members... is sick! Please help!"
"..."
What the hell happened to the infirmary?
* * *
Erhan.
Born in Mershu, some backwater village not even on the empire's maps—mentioned in exactly one line of the setting docs. Son of poor tenant farmers, with a childhood friend he's childhood-promised to marry. Bright, energetic, super friendly to everyone, a total shounen protag. Blessed with the talents of both grand archmage and grand hero, he's this world's protagonist—the future savior, the dragonslayer.
Deep down, he's got plenty of inner conflicts and hesitations, but he grips his sword and charges forward anyway. A hot-blooded boy.
And to me...
He's the kill switch. If he dies, game over.
That was the guy pleading with me now.
"First off—infirmary?"
"Of course we went. They gave us potions and herbs... but no improvement at all. When we went back, the nurse said it looks more like a monster-induced debuff than an illness..."
High fever, chills, vomiting... standard sickness symptoms so far. But his fingertips and toes are gradually "hardening."
Hmm. So, not a regular disease—it's a monster debuff, and that's why he came to me.
"S-sunbae knows all about this stuff, so I thought maybe you'd have a hint. I-it'll be fine. Yeah, now that I've brought you... he'll get better soon."
He muttered that as he hurried ahead.
...From what I knew, Erhan always seemed upbeat and full of energy, but he had a massive trauma about losing party members—anyone in his group.
I placed a hand on the shoulder of the kid trudging ahead, shoulders heaving with every breath.
"Erhan. Stay calm, first."
"Y-yes... Sorry. I showed you an ugly side..."
Our destination wasn't Merin Hall or Lubrium Hall, but Adel Hall—the premium dorm for nobles.
As expected for vacation, it was completely deserted.
If Lubrium emphasized "academic" and "top-student" vibes, this place screamed luxury: chandeliers, glass tables, marble floors, all flaunting opulence.
We climbed the first-year east stairs, knocked on a door labeled "Macronel," and stepped inside.
"...Ah, you're here? Ah, Adrian-nim. Long time no see."
The mage girl from before shot to her feet when she saw me.
"Sit. We have a patient—no need for fuss."
Her name... Silbi, I think. Which meant...
The one lying here was...
"Bilrum sunbae..."
Bilrum von Macronel.
The shield warrior from Erhan's party last time. Eldest son of some border count family, Macronel house. Solid starter member right up to early third act—no real flaws.
I hadn't expected major changes since our last meetup wasn't that long ago. No other candidates to slot in over Silbi or Bilrum at this point anyway.
"Oh, we actually have one more party member, but..."
"That one's out in West Forest hunting herbs to fix the symptoms."
Got it. Griner's out, replacement filled in. Not the issue right now.
I reached out and checked Bilrum's condition.
Symptoms: fever, vomiting, headache. And confirmed—fingertips and toes turning grayish.
This is...
I knew it. Definitely monster-induced.
In this world, "illness" was just another term for debuff. Fractures to sniffles—all status ailments.
And there was no debuff in this world I didn't know.
Status.
Full Body Petrification (In Progress)
Complete in three days.
"...How is it?"
"C-can you identify the symptoms?"
I'd half-expected it, but...
...For real? How the hell did he catch this?
"Question first. Erhan—your 'explorations' aren't just sticking to the entrance zones?"
Erhan hesitated before answering.
"Um... After the dungeon we cleared with you, West Forest felt tapped out, so we pushed into mid-Scorching Desert... and got ambushed out of nowhere. But I swear—we never reached the end of mid."
Right. Noobs hopped on the vet bus once and got cocky, dove into mismatched depths unprepared, and paid the price.
"Wh-what went wrong there..."
"Erhan."
I turned to face the fidgeting kid.
"The place we cleared together was technically the entrance-mid border. Not even West Forest's mid. You nearly caused a disaster. If you're the leader, evaluate yourself and your party objectively."
"...I'm truly sorry."
...No. Even so, this doesn't add up.
Full Body Petrification? No monster that inflicts this debuff spawns in mid-midsection.
Something was off. Had to be.
"Putting other stuff aside—this much is clear."
"...What?"
"In three days, Bilrum turns to stone and dies."
* * *
Just like that, Bilrum would turn to stone and die in three days.
My words dropped a heavy silence over the room.
"It's my fault... If I hadn't pushed for mid..."
"No, Erhan—you at least thought it over once. I should've stopped you..."
They blamed themselves.
Hm. Good sign they didn't point fingers. Solid comrades.
But I didn't love the mood.
"Lend me the desk a sec."
I grabbed a sheet of paper, scribbled, folded it crane-style, and flung it out the window. Snapped my fingers for a Wind Blade, letting the gale carry the note toward the training grounds.
Hope it got there in time.
"Three days... yeah, three... How do we cure Bilrum sunbae in three days?"
"We could hunt herbs in West Forest too..."
"Wrong."
All eyes turned to me.
"This is a curse. Not an illness—herbs or potions won't touch it."
Well, a rank-6+ panacea might, but no way to get one now.
"...Then what do we do?"
"S-sunbae, do you know how to fix this?"
Erhan rushed over and dropped to his knees before me.
"Sunbae, please. I'll do anything. A-anything—just save Bilrum sunbae. Money's no object. I beg you."
"Tch. Get up, Erhan."
"...Yes."
"This isn't your fault. From what I see, this shouldn't have happened at all—you were just unlucky enough to be there."
"...Really?"
"But objectively gauging your party's strength and prepping for variables? That's the leader's duty. So fixing it? That's your burden too. Right?"
"Yes. Exactly."
Erhan nodded firmly.
Sheesh. The guy with the unbreakable smile and steel mentals, crumbling over one downed comrade? Not sitting right.
And.
Most suspicious of all.
No monster that curses Full Body Petrification should spawn where these kids could reach.
If this wasn't random bad luck but the main story firing early...
That'd be way ahead of schedule. Needed a proper investigation.
I knew the plot had diverged from canon, but where and how? The butterfly effects? Had to see for myself.
"Then let's head out."
"Wh-where to...?"
"Back to your retreat point. If I'm right, we kill that thing to cure Bilrum."
I had a pretty good guess which monster.
But they hesitated, shuffling in place.
"Problem?"
"W-we can go, but... we have no frontline now... No, I caused this—I'll tank up front and—"
"Why assume you're short?"
And.
"Adrian-nim! Heard you called!"
From afar, sky-blue hair, massive shield and longsword, bundle of gear—she, no, he dashed under the window and saluted crisply.
"Came right away when the note said you called. Got everything you mentioned."
"Come on down."
I left the stunned kids and headed downstairs.
What was there to hesitate over?
I had the best frontline talent I'd raised right here.