After the Entrance Exam (Part 2)
Arsen Academy is nominally an "academy," but in reality, it's closer to a massive city. It's divided into four main districts: the Commercial District Arpen, the Industrial District Berhan, the Forest Zone Luyan, and the Gray Zone Kion. These names are drawn from the four great figures who lent their power to founding Arsen long ago.
The Commercial District Arpen is a bustling hub centered around Arsen itself, home to alchemy shops, forges, and guilds. It's essentially the heart of the academy.
The Industrial District Berhan to the west is packed with factories and facilities related to commerce and manufacturing. Most of the weapons and gear consumed in Arsen are produced here, making the academy largely self-sufficient.
The Forest Zone to the north is a vast woodland containing training dungeons and gates that are kept open year-round. The Gray Zone Kion, meanwhile, is off-limits to ordinary people due to its intense mana concentrations. It's largely deserted, which is why research facilities are clustered there.
Among them, Raknia Cave sits on the eastern edge of the Gray Zone Kion. It takes a full hour by car to reach it.
...An unpaved road in the Gray Zone Kion. Amid the barren windswept sands, a single black limousine pulled in.
Through the heavy tinting, the lettering read "Grander." It was a top-of-the-line armored vehicle provided by Grander, lords of the north.
There were only two occupants: the driver-cum-security agent in the front seat, and Arsen's student council president, Rebecca von Anastasia Grander.
Inside the limousine, with its plush leather seats, Rebecca glanced at her watch while staring out the window.
The name on the watch belonged to Amelia, Rebecca's closest confidante. As student council secretary, she was one of Arsen's top students.
"I'm going alone."
Rebecca's response was flat and emotionless, as if discussing someone else's business.
But beneath that outwardly cynical facade, her insides were burning up.
...What's this restlessness?
Her heart pounded wildly. She furrowed her brow at the unfamiliar sensation.
Yet the anxiety wouldn't settle easily. Cold sweat trickled down the side of her face. She wiped it away before the driver could notice.
Rebecca's impulsive decision was unfamiliar even to Amelia. On the screen, the secretary was rushing somewhere—heading back toward the cave after wrapping up the Raknia investigation.
"You don't need to come. I'll go alone."
"This is an order as student council president."
Amelia froze on the screen, eyes wide as she stared at Rebecca. Her mouth had been agape the whole conversation.
"I have to handle this alone. It's a deal with Sion Illeionhart."
...A deal with Shion Esperand.
Strictly speaking, it was an abuse of power, but Rebecca had no other excuse.
She'd been skeptical at first, but the information Shion provided was real. A hidden door had been found deep in Raknia Cave, and before the investigation team could open it, Rebecca issued a strict order to withdraw.
The team stationed in Kion had pulled out in a hurry as a result. blatant abuse of authority—but as student council president, only the faculty could rein her in. And even they turned a blind eye to some extent, wary of her father, Grand Duke Grander.
Rebecca was, for all intents and purposes, Arsen's absolute power right now.
"The cave should be empty now."
The situation felt alien to Amelia. This was the first time Rebecca had acted so impulsively. Rebecca always consulted her on important matters, yet now she was pushing ahead alone.
Why go by herself? What had she discussed with Sion? Endless questions swirled.
"Nothing will happen. If it does, I'll contact you again."
Click.
Rebecca cut the call before a reply could come. She knew she was acting on impulse.
But even she couldn't help it. The burning in her chest wasn't something she could dismiss as mere nerves.
Rebecca was genuinely ill. Not just her—about thirty percent of the continent's population showed similar symptoms. Most dismissed it as a chronic cold, but the truth was far graver.
...Its arbitrary name: demon blood.
An unknown factor flowing in Rebecca's veins, its origins lost to time. The demon blood, deeply rooted in this world for centuries, was no simple affliction to purge.
"......"
Rebecca rolled up her sleeve. The corruption that started at her heart had spread throughout her body.
It was now visible to the naked eye. Some likened it to a mutation, but that was the closest analogy; it was on an entirely different level. To analyze it properly, you'd have to dive into the genetic level.
What was known: it didn't manifest in everyone. It had lain dormant in humans for ages, liable to awaken suddenly—or never.
In that sense, Rebecca was unlucky. For the grand duchess of Grander to be consumed by demon blood...
That's why she couldn't even tell her most trusted Amelia. If this got out, she couldn't remain student council president.
The demon blood would gradually consume her body, ultimately turning her into a rampaging demon. With nearly thirty percent of the continent's population at risk of becoming demons, public knowledge would spark chaos. It was a secret known only to a select few in this world.
Weeeeng—!
Then, the watch she'd silenced buzzed again. A glance at the screen, and Rebecca quietly turned off the alarm.
This time, it wasn't Amelia. The name was "Exion Assistant."
He assisted Professor Biern as a teaching assistant. Outwardly, a bumbling but diligent fool always getting chewed out by Biern.
But the name on Rebecca's watch differed from his public persona. It wasn't his official title, "Exion Bante."
Rebecca ignored the missed call notifications. As always, she just left them marked as read.
This was a few hours before she crossed paths with Shion Esperand at the guesthouse.
'Player'
The day after the entrance exam, the acceptance notices went out.
But I couldn't focus on that. It was because of the new trait I'd gained.
The "Player" trait. As the name suggested, it was something that didn't exist in the original story.
▸ Rarity:[Unknown]
▸ Perk:Player (Exclusive to Shion Esperand)
▸ Effects:
• Receive "Player Bonus" when participating in main story events.
• Stats slightly increase upon completing events.
• Limited system access in specific situations.
▸ Note: You are the son of Duke Esperand, Shion Esperand. Debuff [Villain's Dilemma] always active.
It seemed hastily slapped together at my request—the description was pretty vague. But who cares about the details? The important thing was that all the perks the angel prepared for me were now unlocked.
As long as it works properly, that's enough.
The contents were straightforward: stats rise slightly with each completed event. Limited system access in certain situations. And a "Player Bonus" when joining the main story.
Probably something like the buffs given to noobs in the original...
But one line at the bottom caught my eye.
......Villain's Dilemma.
This was a debuff even I didn't know about. Probably newly added, like Player.
The higher your position, the greater the chance villains take interest in you.
The effect was simple too.
...Villains become more likely to notice me.
Encounters with villains were something I'd braced for ever since realizing I was part of the Esperand family. My father, Duke Esperand, was one of the main villains in the original story, after all.
Naturally, I'd have ties to villains like Grand Duke Grander, and as his son, connections to me too.
No need to look far—Professor Biern was already collaborating closely with Esperand.
That said, no need to cower in fear. My talent is Sharp Shooter. Unlike Kyle, I don't need to fight up close.
Besides, villains' main targets are the protagonists like Kyle and Lara, not me. Events focus on them too.
Just look at Act 1. The trial called "Rebecca" that befalls Kyle.
Kyle falls out of favor with student council president Rebecca, becoming the council's target. He gets dragged around and screwed over left and right.
Out of all the cadets entering Arsen, only Kyle gets marked by her.
With the entrance exam wrapped up, Act 1's curtain should rise soon.
Time until event occurrence
Unlike the first time I saw it back at Esperand, this timer felt urgent. Rough math put it after dinner.
Even just from the timing, I could guess the event.
Act 1's memorable debut episode, where the protagonists gather: the "Dormitory Ghost Incident."
Kyle will probably get dragged through the wringer in this one. Running around the dorms all night, naturally stumbling on some hidden piece.
I'll probably be up all night too. Gotta stockpile stamina for it.
No matter what comes, my role is clear. Like in the original, I support the protagonists.
And in doing so, prepare for my own peaceful, comfortable retirement.
In that sense, Player suits me perfectly.