Viscountess Arsagil (Lee Joo-hwan) received a letter from Jermiel.
[To my beloved mother,
I am aware that you have a great curiosity regarding Seila. Therefore, I am sending this letter to seek your advice.]
As Arsagil read through the letter, he frowned deeply.
“A character named Troy, with black hair and eyes, belongs to the swordsmanship class, and is skilled enough to be selected among the final four? Really?”
Arsagil was certain.
No such character existed in this world.
At least, no such character existed at the Somarphi Boarding Academy.
“Nonsense!”
Unlike Lee So-hyun’s underestimation, Lee Joo-hwan was an exceptionally talented developer.
He knew far more than So-hyun realized and was serious about That Story.
“I personally inspected every character in Somarphi Academy.”
He was still at a level where he could perfectly write out the entire student roster if asked.
And in that roster, the name Troy didn’t appear anywhere.
“A character that never existed just appeared out of nowhere.”
He sensed instinctively that this wasn’t entirely impossible.
He also vaguely realized, directly or indirectly, that Seila and he were involved in some way.
“It must be a change caused by our interference in That Story.”
The problem was that he didn’t know how this variable would play out.
[If you are interested, Mother, could you look into this character named Troy?]
“I should look into it.”
The former personal attendant of the Second Prince.
Andrew, the current Deputy Director of the Romados Empire Intelligence Bureau, leaned back halfway in his reclining chair.
“Sweet, sweet. So sweet.”
Although he held the title of Deputy Director, in reality, he didn’t have much to do.
To be precise, he had plenty of work—but it wasn’t necessary to do it.
Unlike when he was a personal attendant, he now had a large number of subordinates.
“Hey, what are you doing without reporting?”
Even if he lazed around, there were plenty of people to handle his work.
Of course, there were managers who criticized Andrew for negligence.
“Don’t you know who I am? I’m the personal attendant of the Second Prince. Do you think the Prince will stay in the boarding academy forever?”
Being the personal attendant of Leon, the future emperor, gave him immense power.
It was the reason he could afford to slack off.
“Hehe. Sometimes the Prince is helpful.”
It felt like compensation for the suffering he endured under the prince’s torment in the past.
In a way, it was like a half-paid leave.
Then, one day, an unwelcome letter arrived.
[To my loyal friend, Andrew.]
“From the very first line, you sure know how to make someone uneasy, Your Highness!”
[I have heard that you openly proclaim yourself my loyal subordinate and devoted attendant. Therefore, I too cannot hide my joy in being served by you.]
Andrew’s expression grew darker.
[Now, my loyal friend Andrew, I ask a favor of you. Using your exceptional abilities, please find out about this person called Troy.]
“Am I a private detective?”
He had an ominous feeling that his sweet leave might be ruined.
Yet he chuckled lightly.
“Anyway, Your Highness is trapped in the boarding academy, right?”
He didn’t know whether Andrew was working diligently or not.
“I guess I’ll just pretend to work hard.”
[Of course, you will just pretend to work hard and report falsely to me. Even if I were beside you, you’d want to slack off. If I’m not there, it’s only natural.]
“Geez, scary.”
[I simply find this Troy uncomfortable. Irritating and ominous.]
Andrew’s expression became somewhat serious as he read this far.
He straightened his slouched posture.
‘The Prince might be a bit crazy… but his intuition and observation skills are amazing.’
And yet he sent a letter to express that this person was uncomfortable, irritating, and ominous?
‘Is he someone who could harm the empire?’
That was probably why he went so far as to send a letter, asking someone to investigate.
After all, it was the Prince of the Empire.
“Well… I guess I need to do some work. Let’s see, the name is Troy?”
He finally stood up.
Troy felt part of his arm disappear.
His body flickered like a hologram.
“I…”
His eyes had no focus.
A being who shouldn’t exist in this world.
He muttered with dull eyes.
“I shouldn’t be alive. I… I’m a foreign substance.”
He was a being that should never have been born into this world.
A life that was cursed by existence itself.
Even breathing felt painful.
“But I must survive for now.”
If he wasn’t supposed to exist in this world, then Seila was a being who must die.
There was a natural destiny in this world, and it must not be defied.
“I must guide Seila’s fate properly.”
His previously unfocused eyes gained focus again.
He lay on the bed in his dormitory’s private room.
There was not a single light in his room.
A quiet room so dark that nothing could be seen.
For reference, dormitories didn’t have private rooms.
It was a room with no door or window.
“But…”
Troy tilted his head.
“Someone remembers me.”
He was a foreign substance that should not exist in this world.
Therefore, there should be no one who remembered him precisely.
That would be the correct state.
If more people kept remembering him, the laws of this world would erase him.
“I shouldn’t be remembered. If I am, I will vanish.”
Yet he smiled faintly.
“Still, it feels… not lonely.”
Dark Elf professor Neiphin, who taught survival techniques, gathered the students in the main auditorium.
“Now, the seven-day trial begins.”
The teaching assistants handed each student a small backpack.
“In this backpack is a day’s worth of food and water, and a star-shaped badge. That badge is your life. Survive for seven days without losing it. Moreover, gaining more badges will earn you bonus points.”
They were taught that star badges were hidden throughout the survival area.
“Then, can we receive help from someone who has collected multiple star badges?”
“Of course, only by taking or stealing them.”
“…Excuse me?”
Was ‘of course’ used in such a situation?
And they were encouraging theft?
The students looked incredulous.
In a sacred academy, they should be learning cooperation and harmony—how could this be allowed?
Still, one student who had somewhat adapted to the academy raised a hand.
“Then, was the month-long survival using illusion magic we went through before a preparatory course for today’s class?”
It was a subtle compliment: The professor prepared such a systematic and excellent curriculum, truly impressive!
“What are you talking about?”
“…Excuse me?”
“That was just to torment you.”
“…”
“Remember this: in the real world, packs of predators will be after you. There is no world as comfortable and warm as this academy!”
Everyone fell silent.
Comfortable and warm?
It was hard to accept.
“Of course, those who wish to forfeit this training may do so anytime. Raise your right hand and recite the forfeit oath: [I am a fool who cannot survive alone for even a week. I must die; I am the greatest idiot in the world!]”
Comfortable and warm? The students could not comprehend it.
However, Seila was the only one partially convinced by Professor Neiphin’s words.
‘Surprisingly, at least this place is relatively safe.’
By modern standards, the academy was insane, but it was a tame version of society.
Whether it worked perfectly or not, there were safety measures and teaching assistants patrolling, offering tips.
Neiphin would also try to prevent deaths as much as possible.
Most deaths in such training weren’t because Neiphin deliberately left them; rather, it was because he underestimated: “Surely no one is foolish enough to die from this?”
In other words, he didn’t deliberately kill anyone.
“Now, follow the teaching assistants and step onto the teleportation circle. It will guide you to the place where you will practice for a week.”
Everyone stepped onto the teleportation circle.
They looked tense, but Jermiel smiled faintly.
Seeing that smile, Seila felt slightly relieved.
‘I didn’t think that smile could be so reassuring.’
Colored magic rose from the circle, beginning to transport the students.
Seila quietly observed the color of the magic.
Green magic rose, covering Seila, Jermiel, and Dorphina.
‘Green, huh.’
In the mind of the experienced player Seila from That Story, countless strategies unfolded as their bodies vanished from the auditorium.
‘But…’
Something completely unexpected happened to Seila.
