Chapter 2: Mana Evaluation (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 2: Mana Evaluation (1)
[Congratulations! You’ve defeated the demon Trevion the Evil (Lv. 80) and gained EXP!]
[Level Up!! Your level has increased to 25!]
[You have unlocked the achievement: ❰Beginning of a Legend❱! You have gained 15 additional bonus stat points!]
“Oh.”
A sudden jump of five levels all at once.
I received two stat points with every level up, and it seemed the achievement rewards were being distributed normally as well.
The enemy’s absurdly high level was a byproduct of the Hell-difficulty setting. In other words, even with such an extreme level gap, my level wouldn't just skyrocket uncontrollably.
[Status]
Name: Isaac
Lv: 25
Gender: Male
Year: 1
Title: First-year
Mana: 305/320
Looks like my mana increased by 20. Meanwhile, all my other stats are exactly the same.
A unique characteristic of ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱ was that, unlike most fantasy games, leveling up didn't directly boost your stats.
Sure, a higher level raised the "ceiling" for a character's potential, but it wasn't a mechanic I needed to worry about right now. In this world, you had to train desperately if you actually wanted to see your stats rise.
The stat points accumulated from leveling could be invested into a character’s "Growth Efficiency." As the game progressed, this caused stats to scale upward in a steep curve. Therefore, Isaac’s stats were about to see a sudden, rapid rise.
Putting that aside, another game mechanic dictated that the higher an opponent's level, the less damage they took. However, since Trevion was only level 80 while I had been level 120 in my previous life, the damage I dealt seemed to have been fully applied.
Oh, does it give party EXP too?
I glanced at Ian, who was still sprawled out unconscious on the ground.
[Ian Fairytale]
Lv: 31
Race: Human
Elements: Light
Danger: X
A sudden increase of one level.
In ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱, allies who fought together received EXP based on their performance. Damage dealers gained EXP based on damage dealt, healers based on health restored, and so on.
Additionally, the more characters in a party, the higher the total EXP pool became. It wasn't a system where EXP was split or diluted between members. It seemed the party EXP system remained unchanged, even after my unexpected transmigration into this game.
The first bad ending has been prevented. Now…
I should hurry to the entrance ceremony.
The fact that I was still stuck in this world after three days no longer fazed me. It was a necessity for me to face the coming events head-on and resolve them myself.
…Oh, right. Kaya.
Come to think of it, Kaya Astrea hadn’t shown up yet. According to the plot, Kaya was supposed to appear while Ian was struggling to hold out against Trevion. I scanned the area, but I couldn't sense or see her anywhere.
However, when I thought about it, it made sense. In the game, Kaya only appeared after Ian had endured the fight for a while. But I had obliterated Trevion in an instant. Kaya simply hadn't arrived yet.
I’m glad.
I felt a wave of relief that I hadn't been caught mid-fight. Had Kaya, the second seat of the first-year class, seen me delete a level 80 demon in a single strike—I couldn't even imagine the butterfly effect that would cause.
If I was going to survive in this world, I had to prevent every possible bad ending. I couldn't afford a setback this early by accidentally revealing my true strength.
I had made quite a bit of noise casting [Frost Explosion], so it was best to vanish before anyone noticed. After sorting my thoughts, I began walking back toward the academy for the ceremony.
*
Wait, what?
Hiding behind a tree, Kaya Astrea couldn't close her mouth.
While wandering through Josena Forest, she had sensed a dense surge of mana and rushed over using wind magic. Upon arrival, she witnessed a confrontation between a grotesque demon and a lone man.
Demons were considered natural disasters; their sudden appearance in remote places wasn't unheard of. Judging by the mana it emitted, that demon was incredibly dangerous. But if that was the case, what kind of monster was the man who had slaughtered it in an instant?
He looked like a young student with silver-blue hair and crimson eyes that shimmered with a bluish glow. He was of average height and gave off a somewhat cute impression.
However, the moment he fought, his eyes turned ice-cold. The shift in his aura was instantaneous, like flipping a switch. It felt as if the very air around him had frozen solid.
It had been a magnificent attack. [Frost Explosion], a 5-star ice spell. To wield that much power, his skill level had to be astronomical. Rather than jealousy, Kaya felt a sense of pure admiration.
Furthermore, the moment he cast the spell, Kaya sensed a magnitude of mana far greater than her own.
Mana capacity was the one thing Kaya was most confident in. She was so talented in that regard that she had been admitted to the Magic Department of the prestigious Märchen Academy as the second seat of her year.
But that guy—who is he?
Looking at his uniform, is he a first-year like me?
He was definitely wearing the academy uniform. A navy blue capelet with silver trim was draped over his shoulders, and the small brooch on his tie scattered the red light that symbolized a first-year student.
Could he be the "top seat"?
Seeing the clear gap between them, Kaya suddenly realized she was nothing more than a frog in a well. The days when people praised her as a once-in-a-generation genius flashed through her mind—and a heavy skepticism now engulfed her.
“Haa—!”
She gasped as the silver-haired man began to move. Kaya quickly turned and pressed herself against the tree. Her light green hair, tied into twin-tails, fluttered for a moment.
She held her breath. To Kaya, the man’s strength was terrifying.
The silver-haired man, meanwhile, leisurely left the glade, as if he had never noticed her presence at all.
*
The entrance ceremony in reality was almost identical to the game.
It took place on a sunny day after the heavy rain had cleared. The students gathered in an outdoor plaza, and I took a seat among them. Thanks to the faculty installing a light barrier in advance, the plaza was dry despite the morning downpour.
Standing on the podium were Luce Eltania, the top seat of the first-year Magic Department, and Kaya Astrea, the second seat. They were currently receiving their awards.
For some reason, Kaya kept glancing back and forth between the top seat and the audience with a suspicious, searching expression.
Is she still in shock about being second instead of first?
In the game’s cutscenes, the faces of the first and second seats were usually obscured, so I never knew they could make expressions like that. It felt fresh, in a way.
Fortunately, the protagonist, Ian Fairytale, made it to the ceremony on time. Seeing him in one piece, it was clear Kaya had healed him after I left. Thanks to his unique constitution, Ian could return to peak condition with just a small amount of healing magic. After a brief chat with his savior, he would have realized he was late and sprinted here.
Still…
I can’t believe the protagonist is struggling this much from the very start.
An ominous chill crept down my spine. The main story hadn't even officially begun, yet Ian Fairytale had almost been killed by Trevion. It made me wonder if he was actually capable of defeating the gauntlet of enemies waiting in the future.
With my soul tied to this world, I had no idea what disastrous fate awaited me if Ian died and triggered a "Game Over." To avoid an untimely death, I had to clear the main story of ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱ myself, struggling through this Hell-difficulty to prevent any bad endings.
I have mixed feelings about this.
Anticipation and fear of the unknown warred within me. It was the same feeling I got back when I went all-in on a tech stock, praying it would hit the moon while the chart just kept dipping. It was that toxic mix of anxiety and hope that kept you paralyzed, whispering, "It'll go back up eventually."
*
Orientation for the first-years was scheduled immediately after the ceremony.
After checking the bulletin board and finding my name, "Isaac," listed under Provisional Class 3, I headed to the designated lecture hall.
Having played this game countless times, I was intimately familiar with the sprawling layout of Märchen Academy. I found the hall for Class 3 without any issues.
It was a tiered lecture hall, similar to a university auditorium. About fifty students were already seated, with ten more expected to arrive. The Magic Department had a capacity of 300 students per grade, split into five provisional classes.
I pushed through the crowd and took a seat in the center. Ian hadn't arrived yet, but I spotted several familiar faces.
[Mateo Jordana]
Lv: 75
Race: Human
Elements: Rock
Danger: X
Mateo Jordana, an early-game antagonist who served as a stepping stone for Ian’s growth. He had slicked-back brown hair that revealed a perpetually furrowed brow. Combined with his muscular build, he radiated an aura of pure intimidation.
[Tristan Humphrey]
Lv: 71
Race: Human
Elements: Wind
Danger: X
Then there was Tristan Humphrey, a vain aristocrat who lived to look down on the "weak" and the "commoners." He was the quintessential blond noble with an arrogant smirk permanently etched onto his face.
[Kaya Astrea]
Lv: 90
Race: Human
Elements: Wind, Ice
Danger: X
The second seat and one of the game’s heroines, Kaya Astrea, was here too. She looked adorable with black ribbons tying her light green hair into twin-tails.
…Wait, why am I getting embarrassed now that we’re face-to-face? Am I really this shy?
Regardless, Kaya was known for being kind-hearted and broad-minded. She had a bit of a sharp edge, but it was mostly a defense mechanism to hide her shyness. She was also the type to follow those she admired like a loyal puppy—the kind of girl who absolutely needed to be protected from cult recruiters.
She was also a master of overthinking. She was a "cute" heroine who would attach deep, world-changing meaning to every minor thing Ian did and get flustered all on her own.
Whoa.
Seeing the characters I had loved in the game standing right in front of me made my heart feel strangely overwhelmed.
“Welcome, prospective mages.”
The front door swung open, and the professor entered. Several female students let out audible gasps. "Oh my..." "He's so handsome..."
The professor reached the podium and silenced the commotion with a chilling glare.
[Fernando Frost]
Lv: 98
Race: Human
Elements: Ice, Water
Danger: X
Unlike our silver-trimmed uniforms, the professors wore navy blue with gold trim. With his perfectly groomed silver hair, piercing blue eyes, and tall stature, he exuded professional authority.
Fernando Frost.
He was a cold man who wore a permanent poker face, looking as if he didn't have a single drop of warmth in his body. In reality, however, he was a selfless humanitarian who cared deeply for his students' safety. Thanks to that gap in his personality, he was ranked 5th in the game's popularity polls.
Level 98. He was far stronger than the students, but for a wizard, he was considered around average. In this world, "Level" was determined by direct combat power. While magical knowledge played a part, combat strength was the deciding factor. If the criteria were based on theory alone, Fernando’s level would be much higher—as would most of the professors'.
“I am Professor Fernando Frost. I am in charge of Provisional Class 3 for this week.”
He spoke in a smooth, calm tone. The girls in the class looked like they were swooning over his sharp charm. I’m sure he was aware of his looks; this reaction was probably daily life for him.
I’m a little jealous.
“We will skip the pleasantries and get straight to the point. Orientation will take place over the next week. Once the class assignment evaluations are complete and you have been properly divided, formal lessons will begin based on the level of each class.”
Fernando continued with his characteristic impassive attitude. “With that said, for the sake of future evaluations and to ensure you are aware of your current standing, we will now measure the mana capacity of every student.”
“Our mana?”
Oh, right. Mana capacity was measured during the first orientation. It was a minor plot point I usually skipped in later playthroughs, so I had forgotten about it entirely.
Either way, the results would be useful for my future tests. When the story began, Ian Fairytale was rated as "E"—the absolute bottom tier—which led to him being ostracized. But as he grew, the students were forced to reevaluate him.
“Alright, come forward one by one when your name is called.”
Under Fernando’s guidance, the students of Class 3 moved to the training grounds. It was a massive arena with spectator seating and a floor of fine sand. Several other provisional classes were already there. I spotted Ian and the other heroines in the crowd.
“We will now measure the mana quantity of every first-year in the Magic Department.”
Fernando used a small "sound amplification" stick—essentially a magical microphone—to address the crowd. The other professors sat in the stands, observing their potential students.
“First, take these.”
Assistants began handing out objects that looked like hand-grips. I took one; the translucent grip felt firm in my hand.
“This magic tool measures your maximum mana capacity by analyzing mana concentration. Simply hold it with a firm grip and allow your mana to flow into it. Your grade will be displayed automatically. This grade represents your current position within the academy and will serve as a vital reference for future evaluations.”
As usual, Fernando delivered the speech with a perfect deadpan.
“When you channel mana for measurement, it is common for some of it to manifest as raw magic. For safety, we will conduct the measurements in an open space. Five people from each class will come forward at a time, in numerical order.”
And so, our first mana evaluation began.