Chapter 138: Mentor Isaac (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 138: Mentor Isaac (3)
"I... I've been training the wrong way all this time..."
It was the walk back after two hours of hellish training.
I had lent White Zhonya’s staff to help her move. She gripped it with both hands, leaning her weight on it to steady herself as she staggered forward.
"Princess, I really think it would be better if I supported you..."
"No, don't... Ugh. If I don't get through this on my own... there’s no point..."
Merlin offered her help several times, but White, determined to foster her own self-reliance, stubbornly refused.
It was an admirable attitude.
"Senior... Isaac."
"Yes?"
"Please... look after me tomorrow as well... Ugh."
Suddenly, I was reminded of the time right after I first possessed this body. I had received hellish personal training from the Knight Department students every single day. Back then, I’d had to crawl back to my dorm more often than not.
Seeing her like this felt like looking at a mirror of my past self, and a smirk played on my lips.
I certainly understood how she felt. It was actually quite endearing.
*
"By repeatedly cycling your mana—gathering and releasing it—your mana circuits are reconstructed into a more robust form. Gradually, the flow of mana accelerates, and the circuits adapt to withstand the pressure. This results in a steady increase in both the quality and quantity of your mana."
"I-I know that, but... oh..."
"Let’s do this part again. No, that’s not it. The magic circle should look like this. These three strokes are wrong. This stroke here should be ‘Geummu,’ but you drew ‘Jeya.’ ‘Geummu’ has a more twisted form, like this... Draw it this way. It’s better to keep the intensity of the mana release at this level. Now, follow my lead."
"I... I feel like I’m going to die, Senior Isaac..."
The next day, in a secluded corner of the Hydrangea Garden.
As I adjusted my round glasses and explained the theory, White’s face twisted in distress.
"One more time. Try to manifest the wind again."
"Huaaah...!"
Whooooosh!
"Good. Now, another one."
"Huah!"
"Good, keep that rhythm. Again."
"Huek...!"
"That’s the spirit. One more time."
"Hyaah...!"
Despite her obvious struggle, White followed my instructions without a single complaint.
I was also repeatedly casting rock magic alongside her, so it seemed White didn't feel like she was being singled out for torture. For the record, my repetition wasn't just for demonstration. Even while teaching White, I had no intention of neglecting my own training.
"Huuh...! Ah!"
Suddenly, blood trickled from White’s nose.
I knew this would happen. I quickly stepped toward her, gently steadied the back of her head, and pressed a pre-prepared handkerchief to her nose.
"Are you okay?"
"...!"
White shuddered, her eyes going wide as she looked up at me.
Merlin, who had been leaning against a tree, started to rush over with a shocked expression, but she stopped when White held up a hand to signal she was fine.
"...It’s like you were prepared for this."
Because of the handkerchief pressed against her nose, White’s voice came out muffled and nasal.
"Senior Isaac, have you... been through this a lot too?"
"It happens when you overuse mana. It’s unavoidable. But pushing through this is the fastest way to improve, understand? If you overdo it, your mana circuits can rupture, but I can gauge your limit right before that point, so don't worry."
I know the limit quite well, having broken it a few times myself.
"Senior..."
White gazed at me with a look of pure pity.
"You... you must have struggled so much..."
It was an unexpected reaction. I had expected her to be panicking or disoriented from the nosebleed, but instead, White appeared remarkably calm.
"It’s all part of the process."
I smirked and handed the handkerchief to her. She held it firmly against her upper lip.
"Let’s take a short break."
"Yesss...!"
"Want one? It’s good for mana recovery."
"Oh! A Mana Pudding Bar...! I’d love one...!"
I unwrapped the Mana Pudding Bar and handed it to her. It was a pudding-textured snack marketed as being effective for mana recovery.
It had been released this semester and was quite famous among the students, mostly due to the aggressive advertising claiming it aided mana circulation.
However, its actual effect was negligible for someone with a low mana pool like White. In other words, the marketing was a total scam.
However, this kind of lie served a purpose. If White believed her mana was rapidly recovering, it would aid her mental stability and potentially motivate her to train even harder—a classic placebo effect.
Above all, it tasted great. I didn't eat them often because too many sweets could make the body sluggish and interfere with training, but for her, it was perfect.
Despite her exhaustion, White seemed delighted by the treat, a small smile forming as she prepared to take a bite.
"Princess."
"...!"
Then, Merlin stepped forward to take the first bite—a precaution in case it was poisoned. No matter who the provider was, caution was her duty.
With a disappointed expression, White handed over the bar, and Merlin promptly gobbled up almost half of it in one go.
"Waaaah...!!"
A tearful cry erupted from White’s mouth, but Merlin remained unfazed. She simply muttered, "No problem here," and walked away nonchalantly.
Tears welled in White’s eyes. She looked utterly miserable as she nibbled on the meager remains of the pudding bar.
"It’s tasty..."
Her expression was dazed, her voice small and sad.
The sweet but brief rest period ended, and we resumed the grind.
"White, one more time!"
"Kraaah...!"
Thud.
A moment later, White collapsed to the ground in a heap of exhaustion.
*
The spring sky was luminous with the hues of the sunset.
After finishing the hellish magic PT, White was once again using the Zhonya’s staff I lent her, limping along like she’d thrown out her back.
We were making our way out of the Hydrangea Garden, a routine we had established over the past several days.
She had fallen several times today; her uniform was stained with dirt, and dust clung to her pure white hair. Passing students glanced at us and whispered. Looking at her now, one would seriously question if she was actually a princess.
Maintaining royal dignity was important, but it seemed White currently lacked the physical capacity to care.
It makes sense.
She had likely never struggled like this in her life. The elite tutors who taught her back home would have gone easy on her, mindful of the power dynamics.
Merlin hovered nearby, fidgeting with worry every time White stumbled. Even I felt a twinge of pity.
"Senior Isaac."
"Hmm?"
"Developing skills like yours... I expected it to be hard, but this is really tough... But lately, thanks to you, my mana is flowing much better. I feel like I’m actually getting stronger...!"
"You’re doing well. Just keep it up."
White looked at me and bit her lip, clearly trying to suppress a smile at my praise.
As the training continued, I could see through [Psychological Insight] that White was filled with 'admiration.' It seemed I looked impressive to her for having grown through such repeated hardships.
Though I rely on the Status Window.
Without the Status Window, I would have hit my limits long ago. I didn't truly deserve such admiration.
On the other hand, White had never undergone proper, rigorous training until now. Once she really got moving, she had the potential to reach incredible heights. After all, royal blood wasn't just for show.
Moreover, White’s hidden power was the key that could sway the 「Fairy War」. There was a reason her death in the original game led directly to a bad ending.
I can't do this without White.
I intended to help her grow, protect her, and defeat any enemy to prevent a bad ending at all costs. Additionally, I benefited from being exposed to the mana she emanated, like a plant photosynthesizing in the sunlight. To become stronger efficiently, I needed her.
"Um, Senior Isaac. Is there anything you want?"
"Anything I want? Why the sudden question?"
That’s unexpected.
"I’m in a position where I have to rely on you, so I can’t give much right now... but I still want to repay you someday. Thanks to you, I’m getting stronger!"
"Oh, if that’s the case, there is something I’d like to ask for."
"Puhuh! You didn't even hesitate...!"
There was no need to refuse. I had to take what advantages I could get.
"Go ahead and ask. I’ll grant it if I can. What is it?"
"Just occasionally..."
I pointed at Merlin Astrea, White’s escort knight.
"Lend me her for a while."
Merlin Astrea.
She was the daughter of the Sword Saint and a genius with weaponry. As I’d thought before, if I could receive swordsmanship training from her, I could master the Obsidian Blade’s skills much faster. She was truly the best possible teacher.
It would also be a good opportunity to learn some basic scythe techniques. I needed to focus on magic, so I couldn't invest too much time in weapons, but some basics were essential.
"Ah, Merlin? Of course... Wait, what? You can't do that...!!"
White looked horrified, and Merlin glared at me with a look of pure contempt.
...It’s not what you’re thinking. Please don't misunderstand.
*
"He seems to be having fun..."
Atop a Märchen Academy building, a girl wearing a witch’s hat perched precariously on the railing. Pressing down on her hat, she grumbled while staring toward the Hydrangea Garden.
Her long, violet hair, tied only at the ends, fluttered in the spring breeze, reflecting the orange glow of the sunset.
It was Dorothy Heartnova.
[Why don’t you just go and talk to him?]
When Ella, the white cat familiar lying beside her, asked this, Dorothy shook her head and dangled her legs over the edge.
"A mentoring system? I heard they started something like that. I can’t disturb the President. Besides, the mentee is a princess... how can I even mess with her?"
[You’ve become too timid. Just ask him, ‘The mentee or me?’ and be done with it.]
"Hey cat, if I cause trouble for the President, wouldn't that be bad for him?"
[Since when do you care about status? Isn't your style more like a headstrong boar?]
Dorothy huffed in derision and smugly placed a hand on her chest.
"How silly. Where would you find a lady as demure as me? If you want a metaphor to encapsulate my essence, use an elegant swan, not a boar."
[How fitting. But really, you have become more cautious lately, haven't you?]
"I’ve always been like this."
[You have full penalty points on your record.]
"Let’s not sweat the small stuff."
[You aren't easily swayed, are you? What, did you have a change of heart because you’re planning a future with Isaac and can’t afford to make any more mistakes?]
"...Nyahaha! Well, wow, what an imagination! To come up with something like that... you’re amazing, Ella!"
I hit the nail on the head. The way she denied it out of embarrassment was nothing short of adorable.
Ella chuckled, but her expression turned serious as she got to the point.
[...But really, what’s the true reason? The reason you’ve been secretly watching Isaac lately.]
Dorothy turned her gaze back toward Isaac.
He was walking out of the Hydrangea Garden, chatting amiably with Princess White and Merlin Astrea.
"I sense something strange going on around the President."
A prodigy said to have received the blessings of the Supreme Lord Manhalla. The chosen girl who had contracted with Stella, the fairy of the stars.
Dorothy’s mana perception was far superior to that of almost any other genius. She possessed an extraordinarily keen sense that allowed her to detect unknown dangers. It was the same intuition that had warned her about the arrival of The Floating Island last semester.
"I have a feeling that something is targeting the President. If it’s dangerous... I’ll have to deal with it."
Isaac was a very special existence to Dorothy. She even owed him her life, and she was prepared to face death for him in return.
If there truly was a being intending to harm him, Dorothy was ready to overturn anything—the academy, authority, or the world itself—to ensure his safety.
Ella sighed.
[You’re such a romantic.]
"Puhuh! S-such a funny thing to say, really!"
At Ella’s words, Dorothy blushed furiously, her serious demeanor failing to last even thirty seconds.