Ain let out a sigh.
Regardless of the cost, capturing Mordred was far more important than obtaining a Tier 3 mana crystal.
At the very least, it ensured he would no longer be a mana-less failure from this point forward.
As for the expulsion, he would just have to find another way to deal with it.
Furthermore, Silas was right about one thing.
The academy wouldn't investigate him taking Mordred as a Contract Spirit. After all, the wolf hadn't been their property to begin with.
“Is what Silas said true?”
“Are you really okay with being expelled?”
Erylin walked over, her eyes filled with a desperate need for answers.
“Think whatever you want,” Ain sighed, having no desire to explain his circumstances.
“At the very least, Erylin, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I also apologize for my earlier offense.”
“As for the expulsion, I’ll find a way to resolve it myself.”
If it hadn't been for Erylin, he certainly wouldn't have had enough mana to use during the previous battle, let alone capture Mordred.
“No, I didn't really help with anything. You defeated it all on your own. You’re truly...”
“...Incredible.”
After saying those words, Erylin couldn't help but take a deep breath.
This was the first time she had admitted someone else was stronger than her, the first time she had encountered a monster she couldn't overcome.
Even if her mana hadn't been absorbed, she suspected she wouldn't have been able to block that final spell Ain had released.
Recalling the previous explosion, Erylin felt, for the first time, that magic wasn't as simple as she had thought.
Yet Ain had been hiding his strength all along, even going so far as to disguise himself as a low-level Mage and ignoring the insults of others.
He was even just a second-year student.
Did she truly deserve the title of “number one”?
Unaware of what was going through her head, Ain turned to look at the usually quiet Lillian.
The moment their eyes met, Lillian immediately hung her head, her gaze shifting away repeatedly.
At the thought of her previous behavior—mocking Ain—her cheeks flushed a deep crimson.
Nobody told me this guy was actually this strong!
Lillian finally understood why his reactions to her many provocations had been so calm. Ain had planned everything from the start; he simply didn't think she was worth arguing with.
Thinking back to the moment Ain had stood in front of her to protect her, a mixture of inexplicable guilt and gratitude blossomed in Lillian’s heart.
“I—I’m sorry,” Lillian whispered, not daring to meet Ain’s gaze.
Ain heard her, of course. Letting out a light chuckle, he didn't intend to make things difficult for her.
“Sorry, you’ll have to settle for a zero alongside me now. Though, there might still be time to hunt some low-tier mana crystals.”
“I’ll head back first.”
Having said that, Ain turned and began walking toward the outer edge of the forest.
Since anything less than a perfect score meant expulsion anyway, he might as well take a zero. He needed to go research ways to negate the expulsion order.
“Thank you.”
Lillian’s voice was very soft, so soft that only she could hear it.
Recalling Ain’s performance during the battle, Silas looked at Erylin, his voice regaining some of its composure.
“It seems the rankings for this year’s practical exam are about to be completely reshuffled.”
...
“Did you hear that? That massive sound from deep within the forest!”
“Of course I did! That explosion scared off the monster I was just about to capture!”
“Was that magic? That was too much! Tier 3? It couldn't have been Tier 4, right?!”
“You guys were far away, so you definitely didn't see it clearly. The sky was covered in countless bolts of purple lightning, and then it was instantly torn apart. Only Senior Erylin could pull off magic on that scale.”
Outside the examination grounds, the students’ chatter reached August’s ears. Recalling that Erylin’s name hadn't been on the withdrawal list he had just seen, he made a guess.
“Perseline, it seems she has truly performed a miracle once again.”
“Erylin’s talent is even more terrifying than I imagined.”
August couldn't help but re-evaluate her in his mind.
“I’m afraid the word ‘genius’ isn't even enough to describe her anymore.”
Hearing August’s words, a smile appeared on Perseline’s face as her instructor.
“Professor, look over there. It looks like Erylin.”
Perseline spotted the young girl emerging from the forest and quickly ran toward her.
“Erylin!”
“Instructor! Are you here to pick me up?”
Perseline gave her a light hug, unable to suppress her joy.
“I’m so happy you’ve achieved such great results again, Erylin.”
“Great results?”
“There’s still some time before the final exams. You can rest for a while; you don’t even have to attend classes during this period. Oh, right, let’s go eat first. We can talk while we eat. You have to tell me exactly how you did it.”
Perseline spoke happily, as if she were about to host a victory banquet, and took Erylin’s hand to lead her away from the grounds.
“Wait, Instructor, I...”
August walked up to Erylin, his eyes filled with complex emotions as he looked at her.
“Erylin, I have to admire your talent. You always manage to do things beyond my expectations, and this time was no different.”
“I’ve already given you a perfect score for this exam. Now, you can hand over that Tier 3 mana crystal to me.”
“Tier 3 mana crystal? Instructor, Professor, what are you talking about?”
Erylin frowned, sounding utterly confused. “I wasn't the one who killed that magic wolf.”
Perseline and August both froze in their tracks.
...
Upon returning to his dorm, Ain first took off his mud-stained clothes and then stepped into the bathroom to wash away the grime.
Because of the original owner’s personality, the dorm that was supposed to house three people now only had him.
【Character Status】
【HP: Healthy】
【MP: 297/297 (Continuously increasing)】
【Currently usable magic rank: Tier 2】
【Negative Effects: Mana Leakage, Loss of Mana Core (Eliminated)】
【Mana Source: Mordred】
【Trust Level: 45%】
【Currently convertible mana: 297】
【Contract Spirit: Mordred】
【HP: Critical (Slowly recovering)】
【MP: 200/7479 (Continuously increasing)】
“It seems a contract spell below Tier 3 doesn't allow me to inherit Mordred’s abilities.”
“But at least I can use magic now. That’s a good thing.”
“Furthermore, my mana source is Mordred. I remember the plot mentioning that when special monsters are taken as Contract Spirits, a portion of their mana can be converted into the Mage’s mana.”
“My original mana core is missing, so the current mana core can only be considered a temporary relay station.”
“There weren't any items in the game that could increase the mana capacity; that seems to be determined solely by an individual’s magical attainment.”
At least, that was how the game explained it.
“But as long as I can increase the amount of convertible mana, I can use high-tier magic even without special abilities like mana absorption.”
Warm water continuously washed over Ain’s body, and the cluttered thoughts in his mind began to clear.
“Aside from elemental and healing magic, the Tier 2 spells I can currently use include three types: enhancement, divination, and space.”
Ain could clearly feel that he remembered every circuit, every pattern, and every node of the magic he had learned in the game.
It was as if his memories from a completed first playthrough had been preserved until now.
“In a worst-case scenario, I can always summon Mordred. At this stage, there shouldn't be anything stronger than it.”
“After all, it has that disgusting mana absorption ability.”
Ain stepped out of the bathroom, put on the school uniform from the wardrobe, and began planning his next moves.
“There are still a few weeks before the boss battle of the second act. It shouldn't be summer break yet.”
“Even if my practical score is a zero, the expulsion judgment should only be handed down after the final examinations are over.”
“And before the expulsion judgment, there is the final trial by the Titan Prosecution Office.”
Ain took out the evaluation sheet. The last line on it clearly stated: “Final judgment to be conducted next month! If the final evaluation score is below 60, expulsion will be processed!”
“The judgment is unavoidable. The key is how to make my punishment lighter.”
Ain suddenly recalled the name Silas had mentioned: Persephone.
Various factions existed within the academy. Representing judgment and suppression were the Typhon Chain and the Titan Prosecution Office. Persephone and the Mana Spring Society were associated with healing magic research. Hermetica was responsible for alchemy and potion research. And then there was Minerva’s Nest, the library that housed most of the academy’s books.
If he could find a faction to act as his backer, they might be able to protect him.
Following that train of thought, Ain considered the most mysterious faction in the academy: the Eye of the Astral Splendor.
“Things have come to this. Might as well sleep first.”
Rate on N.U.
