Chapter 76: Social Gathering (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 76: Social Gathering (2)
“Isaac… He is a must-recruit. No matter what.”
Within Märchen Academy, five major factions dictated the flow of the Magic Department. Excluding the student council, the remaining four were known as the Four Constellations, each aptly named after a celestial figure.
The Black Tiger.
The Blue Wolf.
The Golden Eagle.
The Red Elephant.
The balance of power between the Four Constellations shifted based on the results of the student council elections. Depending on which faction the president hailed from, that constellation’s influence would skyrocket.
For instance, the current student council president, Alice Carroll, was affiliated with the Golden Eagle. Consequently, they currently held the most authority among the Four Constellations, with several members also serving on the student council itself.
Since the faction tied to the president tended to monopolize power, the academy granted a baseline level of authority to the other three constellations. This ensured a system of checks and balances against the student council’s reach.
Membership in a constellation—and by extension, the student council—offered immense authority within Märchen Academy. Furthermore, it guaranteed a prestigious reputation that followed a student long after graduation.
To understand why Isaac had received an invitation from these power players, one has to look back to a few days after the conclusion of the Hunting Evaluation.
*
Elephas Hall occupied a secluded corner of Märchen Academy. In the courtyard, a spinning water wheel and blooming trees created a serene landscape reminiscent of an Eastern nation.
In the center of this scenery stood a towering wooden building: the headquarters of the Red Elephant.
A crimson elephant, the symbol of the organization, was engraved prominently on the office walls. Seated behind a heavy desk was a muscular man flanked by two female secretaries with hollow, lifeless eyes.
With his dark red hair and an aura of pure intimidation, it was difficult to believe the man was merely a student. This was Malrog, the leader of the Red Elephant.
A female student wearing glasses stood before him, her voice trembling as she spoke.
“W-we must recruit him before the other constellations get the chance…!”
Eva Hielov, the Red Elephant’s primary informant, was visibly shaken. The pressure radiating from Malrog triggered a deep-seated fear she had carried since the first semester.
Soon, the Four Constellations would begin recruiting first-year students, sparking an all-out war for fresh talent. During the first semester, Eva had recommended several candidates based on her intel, but she had never dared to utter his name.
—Keep what you’ve learned between us if possible. Otherwise, who knows what Dorothy might do.
The warning from Dorothy’s white cat familiar, Ella, still echoed in her mind. Her intuition told her it wasn’t an idle threat.
However, over the summer break, Eva had made her choice.
“Isaac? Who is that?” Malrog asked, his voice booming with authority.
It was clear he viewed the name as insignificant. It wasn't surprising; Isaac was a name only whispered in rumors among the freshmen. Very few second or third-year students had even heard of him.
“He is… an irregular existence.”
A commoner without a family name. A man once dismissed as the weakest of the weak.
But he was no mere underachiever.
Luce Eltania, the overwhelming top freshman who treated everyone with icy indifference, showed favoritism to Isaac alone. Furthermore, the second-ranked Kaya Astrea and third-ranked Ciel Carnedas had both sided with him during the end-of-semester evaluation.
Most shocking of all was that Dorothy Heartnova, the undisputed strongest powerhouse in Märchen Academy, shared a close bond with him.
Then there was his growth. In just half a year, his mana had jumped from Grade E to Grade C+. It was an undeniable feat. At this rate, no one could predict his ceiling.
Driven by these facts, Eva confessed everything she knew to Malrog.
“…”
As Malrog listened, his brow furrowed. He was, quite clearly, intrigued.
“This is unexpected.”
[What do you mean?]
In the world of ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱, 「Act 5, Chapter 1: The Four Constellations」 began with the protagonist, Ian Fairytale, receiving an invitation.
In Chapter 1, Ian attends the social gathering.
In Chapter 2, he befriends a disguised Leafa.
In Chapter 3, he joins the Blue Wolf and confronts the Red Elephant.
In Chapter 4, Heinkel the Hoarder infiltrates the party, leading to a showdown with Ian.
Currently, Act 5, Chapter 1 was about to kick off.
Ian, accompanied by the player’s chosen heroine, was supposed to spend a romantic evening at the gathering while facing the Four Constellations for the first time. The factions would then engage in a psychological tug-of-war to recruit Ian, coveting his rare light element.
‘Though, Ian’s path is already set.’
Following the original scenario, he would choose the Blue Wolf. Their leader, Ray Rasmorgan, was an all-rounder gifted in both magic and the blade—Ian’s ideal mentor.
Regardless.
At the heart of the social gathering, the Four Constellations would host an event for the invited students involving a "Treasure Ball." As students channeled their mana, the ball would roll toward the person with the highest mana resonance.
The ball didn't have a mind of its own; it simply reacted to the individual whose mana best matched the treasure hidden inside.
Through this event, Ian would obtain the ‘Cherubim’s Necklace,’ an artifact that amplified light magic. The reason such an overpowered item was given away at a simple party was that its true value hadn't been recognized yet.
Since the light element was virtually non-existent at the academy until Ian arrived, everyone assumed the necklace was just a pretty trinket.
However, if worn by a demon, it would transform into the ‘Fallen Angel’s Necklace,’ amplifying demonic power instead. Because of this, several clever demons would attempt to steal it during the second semester.
For me, the necklace was useless, but Ian absolutely needed it. I had to ensure he got it without any complications.
It was night. I sat in Briggs Hall, examining the fancy, decorated invitation sent to me by the Red Elephant.
As I mused over the strange turn of events, Hilde spoke up. She had shifted from a small orb of light into something resembling a flickering blue flame. Within the fire, I could see her pale blue eyes glistening.
Her transformation was likely a result of my increased mana capacity.
“It looks like Eva Hielov sold me out.”
[You mean that ‘Four Constellations’ group you mentioned?]
The letter was packed with details about ‘Isaac.’
You are a promising talent whose Mana Grade has surged from E to C+ in a single semester. You are also a first-year capable of casting 5-star magic.
To you, who has achieved such heights in so little time, I offer my deepest respect…
‘What a load of crap.’
The Red Elephant only cared about their own interests. Even if my growth rate was impressive, that alone wouldn't warrant an invitation like this.
‘Eva definitely talked them into this.’
I knew the informants for each faction. For the Red Elephant, it was Eva Hielov.
‘They probably sent this because of Luce.’
While rumors about Luce and me were circulating, they were mostly just gossip among the freshmen. The Red Elephant likely believed that if they secured me, Luce would follow. Eva probably used that as her main selling point.
‘…And she probably would.’
The more I thought about it, the easier it was to imagine Luce trailing after me like a lost kitten. In the original game, Luce never joined a faction because she hated having her freedom restricted. She was an outlier.
“…”
I leaned back and sank into thought.
I had tried so hard to keep a low profile. I’d even planned to skip the social gathering entirely to focus on training, intending to just use [Clairvoyance] to make sure Ian got the necklace.
There weren't supposed to be any demons or major variables during this part of the game. But there was no guarantee the story would stay on the rails.
‘I’m getting complacent.’
My goal was to prevent every single Bad Ending. That meant I had to stay on top of the main plot’s progression.
I ran through every possible variable and outcome based on my knowledge of the game. I had to be cautious—I had to assume the worst-case scenario was already in motion.
Just as I finalized a plan, Hilde chimed in.
[What’s the move? I thought you wanted to avoid the Four Constellations?]
I had shared a lot with Hilde, and while I hadn't explicitly told her my end goal was to kill the Evil God, she knew enough to understand my situation.
“First, I need to scout the area. With [Clairvoyance], I should be able to find their strongholds or anything suspicious easily.”
I needed to know if Eva had stopped at just sharing my info, or if the disappearances of Heinkel and Leafa had triggered some dangerous new variable.
I need to investigate as much as possible before the gathering starts.
“I also need to go rent some formal wear. If I wait too long, they’ll be out of stock.”
[Formal wear of this era…! Ahem. I wish to wear it as well.]
“…Sorry. I’ll get you something when you can actually manifest a physical form.”
[…!]
[Frost Dragon Hilde]
Psychology: [Excited for the day she can wear a beautiful dress.]
Despite her flame-like appearance, her eyes were sparkling. I didn't quite get why a dragon was so obsessed with a human dress, but I decided to be understanding. She was still a girl, after all. Maybe I’d get her a custom-made one once she reached her baby dragon stage.
By the time the social gathering arrived, my investigation into the Four Constellations was complete.
And as I suspected, the original story had already been significantly distorted.