Sealed Carnwennan and the Timid Irregular
Damn, killer stats. Not even level 10 yet, and my Body stat's already over 100. Rough math puts me around level 40 right now. That's enough to scrape by even if I got dumped in the Northern Territory.
The entry point to knighthood—becoming a Sword User—starts at level 30. It means a noob who can't even draw sword aura is on par with a knight who can. Stat-wise, anyway.
But there's a huge gap between a level 29 who hasn't awakened aura and a level 30 Sword User who has. In game terms, it's like comparing a starter deck to a full build. Sword aura makes that big a difference.
Not just boosting cutting power, it amps durability too. Unless it's a masterwork blade, clashing a regular sword against an aura-enhanced one just gets you bisected sword and all. In the game, non-aura swords shattered on first contact.
Of course, matching stats with them is bullshit in the first place.
Now that I've checked my stats, time to see the reward from that goddamn play-acting.
"Wonder if this one's a big middle finger or not."
First was the Dreamland Invitation, a teleport ticket. Second was those random but delicious jerky packs x10. So what's third?
I opened my inventory. Dozens of square slots unfurled in a row.
And at the end of the item slots, glowing gold in its box like it was screaming "your reward," there was a dagger icon.
One of the three weapons trusted most by the proud Knight King.
Grade: ■■
Attack: +120
Consumes mana to use skill Stealth.
Nullifies magic up to 6th circle.
This weapon is in a sealed state.
Clicking the icon materialized a silver dagger in my hand. The grade was busted, just like the Orlando-style Muscle Training Method—another weapon not in the game.
But.
Fucking cheat item.
For a dagger, +120 attack. Four times my iron sword. That's greatsword territory, and for a dagger, it's the kind of power you might see from a mid-to-late hidden piece, tops.
Plus Stealth skill. Pass on that—don't wanna be that peeping tom creep.
But the real kicker: nullifies all magic up to 6th circle. Why? 'Cause 6th circle is no joke. Level 60 equivalent. At Dawn Star Academia, 7th circle is Sword Master tier, superhuman realm. Nullifying 6th and below? That's huge.
Basically the natural enemy of most mages. And in this realized game world, it might even bypass magic gimmicks.
Plus, it's sealed. If it's this strong sealed, unsealed must be insane.
Short reach sucks for a dagger, but with this, that clown shit was worth it. Hell, I'd do it a few more times grinning.
Financial therapy for real.
I was geeking out when sudden curiosity hit. Wait, no—not sudden. Been nagging since I dropped into this world and saw them.
The Knightly Stars. Who the fuck are they?
Everything's a mystery. The Orlando-style Muscle Training Method, this dagger. Dreamland Invitation was in the game, but it teleported me to Donnesia instead. Orlando gave me these massive biceps, but never appeared in game. Same for Carnwennan.
And Knightly Stars themselves? No such thing in the game. Even Ian got a one-liner in the artbook later, but nothing on Knightly Stars.
Not like I'm some 1000-loop vet who dug into the source material. Could be a hidden piece I missed, or from one of the original novels.
So, what's their goal? Why make me play clown?
Are they the ones who trapped me in this isekai?
Culprit or not, they're not unrelated.
Leads to the big question: Out of all those players, why possess me?
Dawn Star Academia wasn't unpopular. Not just me playing.
If it's to save the world, some cliché bullshit, they'd grab a 1000-loop pro or novel fanatic, not my half-assed 29-loop self who skimmed wiki and artbook.
If just for fun or catharsis, better to yank a newbie or casual dropout.
So why me? Half-assed 29-looper?
To torment? They pushed knightly honor in bullshit situations, but rewards were solid.
Thinking back, they seem like they'd screw me, but outcomes were all wins. Dreamland ticket zapped me sudden, but saved Donnesia from bad end. Jerky was random AF but baited her. Orlando built these guns. Goblin clowning was a fuck-you, but they gave late-game Carnwennan.
Who are they? What's the endgame?
Plus.
Communication still impossible.
Can't chat with them yet—post-Oath, just this loop message. Recovery phase maybe.
I mulled it over briefly, then dropped it.
No point. Won't change shit, won't learn jack.
Intent's murky, but they're helping. Fact.
So, milk it.
Mind settled, I eyed the spring. About time she emerged.
That instant.
Shwoooaaaah——!
Spray erupted around the water, shooting to the cavern ceiling.
From the mist, a figure appeared.
"Dotae-sik's back."
"Old man spouting weird shit again."
Donnesia emerged from the spring, chuckling wryly.
Leveled from 6 to 10, +4 as expected. And her exclusive stat, Spirit Affinity, popped up. With Sanco, she's set—no dying easy.
And the spring doesn't just awaken affinity. Bonus: brokers a spirit contract. God-tier matchmaking.
In Dawn Star Academia, spirits are water/fire/wind/earth, ranks low/mid/high/king. Irregulars like Sanco are hidden pieces from special events. Kings too.
This spring's random excluding irregular/king, but pulls the rest. I got mid/high, mostly water/fire. Reset for better, but no kings/irregulars.
"Contracted a spirit, right? How'd it go?"
"As expected, old man knows everything. Yeah, made a friend."
Something stepped out behind her.
Wonder what. Sanco covers offense, so fire/wind DPS meh; earth tank or water support ideal.
Then I doubted my eyes at the spirit.
Horse-shaped, lush multicolored mane.
Not the form—the colors. Spirits match element: blue water, green wind, red fire, brown earth.
This horse? All four. Gene-spliced or what? Parents quartet?
"Whaddya think, old man? Good friend, right?"
Donnesia beaming proudly. That cocky vibe hit too close to home—I swallowed a curse.
How'd she pull this? No irregulars here.
I stared suspiciously, then.
Insight Eye triggered.
Discovered Donnesia's lore: Spirit Arts.
Acquiring Spirit Arts....
No Spirit Power or Spirit Affinity possessed.
Failed to acquire Spirit Arts.
What the hell? Tried snagging a skill just by looking?
Just glanced at her post-contract, nearly copied her skill. Failed sans special stat.
Insight Eye boosts skill acquisition, sure, but like this?
Meet conditions, learn by sight? Fucking cheat.
Too bad no spirit stats. But flip: get Spirit Power, auto Spirit Arts.
Spirit mage ain't bad. Issue: mana converts to spirit power, no aura. Orlando becomes dead weight too.
Plus spring ignores me, Spirit Affinity's her exclusive. Pass clean.
I eyed the horse behind her.
Seen this late-game. But by then, king contracts sidelined most irregulars except Sanco. Rare as fuck—even I saw once.
Spirit world's Loli? She pulled it on first try?
Insight Eye used.
Supreme grade? Never heard. Irregular perks, huh.
Why terrified...
Hiiihiiinng!
Before I finished, Rosidante reared, neighed, and poofed.
"Reverse summon..."
"Ahahaha. She's super shy."
Donnesia laughed awkwardly at the flee.
Sanco: loyal scarecrow ghost, believable as spirit. Rosidante: chickenshit owner-abandoner.
Right for a rofan heroine? Donnesia's bad luck streak continues.
I sighed, stood to leave.
Ding!
Protagonist Donnesia avoided bad ending.
Protagonist Donnesia awakened special stat.
2 of 3 hidden conditions for Dreamland clear achieved.
Dreamland clear successful.
Sudden notification flood. What?
"Old man? What's up?"
Donnesia noticed something, voice worried.
Sudden "Dreamland clear" nonsense, her concern.
And before it ended.
Your efforts have altered the past.
Current world slightly diverges from doomed DLC route.