Tough Studies and Sudden Transfers
Today and tomorrow... "Damn, this is intense."
Training with Aeshy Emberline turned out more manageable than I'd expected.
Maybe because I'd already pushed my body a bit in my old life? The workout volume should've had me dropping dead, but... it was honestly doable.
What I'm calling intense right now has nothing to do with training.
"How the hell do you even solve this crap?"
It's the note-taking. The academics.
The Academy is a place for Performers to grow. And obviously, growth isn't just physical.
Mental growth counts too. So what's the most effective way to build that?
Studying writing. Philosophy from countless sages—absorbing it, understanding it...
In Earth terms, it'd be like ethics or philosophy classes.
"...Ah, screw this."
Still, as a cadet who needs to keep up Academy grades, I bought a workbook and everything, trying to study a little.
But I don't get a damn thing these sages are saying in here.
Listening to them, you'd think humans are these noble, beautiful beings.
Reality? A paradise of greedy trash.
And hell, I've probably lived longer than these guys.
What the fuck are you?
"Ha... "
...It'll be fine. That's why they're in textbooks, right?
Why they haven't been forgotten like me?
Ah, if I'd known, I should've skipped the Quests and just played sage myself.
Screw it.
"Fuck this."
"Hey! Don't fuck it up! Absolutely not!"
Ah, that won't fly.
I'm in the dormitory self-study room right now. Plenty of seats—maybe twenty—but only me and Arbel are using them.
"...How about we grab some food first? Like sandwiches."
"Sandwiches...?"
Yeah, sandwiches. Sound tasty, right?
Way more rewarding than staring at this wall of text?
"Hmm... No way!"
...Busted.
"Besides! You're the one who begged me to study together like this, Heon!"
...True, but.
"...I didn't know studying would be this brutal."
I underestimated studying. If I'd known, I wouldn't have even started.
Honestly... I don't even care about studying.
I just used it as an excuse to see Arbel's face since she vanished after the evaluation match.
...But damn, the mental drain is real.
"That's exactly why you gotta build the habit now~!"
"...Fair point."
Excuse me, who's the room boss here?
Hurry up and fact-ban her or something.
Let's fight fair—with agitation and fabrication.
"Still~ You're pretty smart, I-Heon! Even I admit it~!"
"Thanks~ I appreciate the praise."
Her nicknames keep shifting, though. Heon earlier, now I-Heon.
Someone might think I have two names.
"Anyway~ If it gets really tough, just say so!"
...For real?
"I'm super seriously struggling right now."
"Nope! That's fake struggling!"
...Huh?
"You know... that fake hunger thing? Yeah~ What you're feeling is definitely that!"
No, I'm actually struggling. I can't do this.
I'll just live with the parachute kid insults.
"Alright, back to studying~!"
Study... ing.
I can't. Gotta stall more.
I won't sink into this study swamp.
"Arbel, you know about Transfers?"
"...Out of nowhere?"
It is sudden, but you're the only one I can ask.
Not like I was racking my brain for time-wasters and this popped up. Totally legit.
"Yeah, I got hit by one recently."
"Huh? For real?"
Surprisingly, yes.
"This scythe I carry? Got it there."
"...That antique?"
Ouch, that hurts coming from you.
"...Yeah, that antique."
"Oof~ You must've suffered!"
...What?
Don't say it so cheerfully.
"I... nearly died, for starters."
"Eh? But you lived, so it's fine, right?"
Is that something the person who almost killed me should say?
"So what was the Dungeon like, Heon!?"
Like what...
"Just... kinda weird."
"Huh? Weird how?"
"I don't know much about Transfers, but..."
From what little I know, it was abnormal enough for even my shallow knowledge to clock it.
"I died once in the Dungeon."
"...Huh?"
It wasn't real death, so no need to freak.
"But I woke up alive."
"What!? You scared me!!"
...My ears hurt.
"Anyway, after dying... I saw someone's memory."
"What memory?"
"Just... not a good one."
Sorry for being vague, but it's not something I wanna voice.
"A memory~ Definitely not normal!"
"Right?"
"Yeah! Dying happens sometimes... but seeing memories? First I've heard."
...Yeah, not normal.
The memory I saw was definitely one of mine I'd lost.
So the person who put it in that Dungeon... was me too.
What was the intent?
Why trigger my Transfer and show me that?
"Ha... "
"Huh? What's up?"
"Just... head hurts."
All this studying's fault.
Without it, my head wouldn't ache like this.
But studying hits first, Transfer talk second—now it's spinning.
"Hmm~ Wanna grab food then?"
"...Suddenly?"
You just said no earlier.
"Yup! 'Cause I'm hungry now!"
...Got it.
"...Fine, let's eat."
Maybe my hero party pals need a lesson in selflessness.
Well, we're comfy enough for this casual vibe.
Not a bad thing.
Stepping out of the dorm with Arbel, the sky was painted in sunset hues.
Today was lecture-free for both of us. Hero vanished for urgent business; Arbel said something about self-canceled classes since there's nothing to learn? Anyway, we'd met around 10 a.m. to study, and now sunset.
We focused more than I thought.
...No wonder I'm wiped.
Hours staring at workbooks, no food.
Whoever called it fake fatigue, reflect on that.
"Whoa whoa whoa! The sky! So pretty!"
"Yeah."
So innocent.
...Forget reflection.
Arbel's always better like this. My energizer.
That dark face from the evaluation match... still doesn't fit.
How does someone who smiles this bright end up like that?
A expression that makes you wonder.
The Arbel memory I saw isn't her whole story.
Just one wound among many.
If I see more memories ahead...
I might understand her better.
...Yeah, that's it.
TL;DR: Eat well, smile lots, stay healthy~
...She's hopping along fine, looks healthy enough.
"Arbel, you'll trip like that."
"Huh~? Nah! I won't tri—"
Thud.
"Ow... "
...Just stay healthy, seriously.
"Ugh... Heon... it hurts... "
Of course it does.
Blood's gushing from your forehead.
"...Infirmary before sandwiches, I guess."
Days with Arbel feel full of life.
...Good thing?
"No! No infirmary!"
"You're making a blood fountain right now."
"It's fine! I'm the ultimate mage!"
...Right.
"Heal!"
With her word, the gash on her forehead knit closed.
Whoa.
Ultimate mage for real.
Hero party from my past life—different league.
"Arbel, you can do Heal too?"
"Of course!"
Look at that shoulder shrug. Cocky.
"This ultimate mage knows every spell~?"
Our ultimate mage strides ahead proudly.
...Even ultimate mages trip on rocks.
Is that rock the ultimate rock?
"Arbel, mind if I ask something?"
"Huh? What?"
A question I'd held back.
"That... silver-haired, green-eyed girl in our dorm. The one who stares at flowers sometimes."
"Ah... yeah."
"Know her name?"
Best to ask her directly, but...
She'd never tell me.
Can't stalk her daily either.
"Mm... yeah, but... why do you wanna know?"
First time Arbel's tone got serious.
Wonder if she'd talked like this during the evaluation match chats?
Serious Arbel feels off.
"Just... saw her first day, don't know her name."
"...Nothing else?"
"Nah, no big reason."
Without the Quest, I wouldn't care about her name.
Just good to know a bit.
"Sellin. Sellin El... uh, just Sellin."
"Sellin?"
Pretty name.
Maybe match it with a prettier personality?
"What about the Saintess's name?"
"Saintess?"
"Yeah, she didn't tell me either."
"Just Google her, duh?"
...Ah.
True.
Didn't think of that.
Phone's handy, sure.
But I hadn't even considered searching.
"One last thing."
"What~?"
This one's heavy.
Might burden Arbel.
"...This Taboo that moved from your neck to mine—what's its effect?"
"...Huh?"
Her face stiffened instantly.
"Not bad intent."
I'd worn curses and Taboos galore in my past life.
Two? Barely notice.
"Just... gotta know to plan counters. That's why."
"...Steal."
Steal?
"That's all I know."
"Steal... vague."
Taboos are like that.
One keyword, user interprets into powers.
Cheat keys on their whim.
"At first... when it was on me, I used it to rob freedom of movement."
"Basic."
Steal should've been more versatile, no?
"...Meant for something else, but it failed."
So fallback to that... got it.
"Sorry, brought up bad memories."
"...No, sorry I stuck you with it."
"It's fine."
I had dozens in my past life.
Two now? Practically none.
So.
"Let's just eat."
Good food, pretty sky, stack a nice memory today...
That's enough. For now.