༺ Second Element ༻
Future Duchess of the North, Aichel Whiteclark. I formally request that you convey the following to your sister, Keridna Whiteclark.
1. Observe Isaac from a distance. You do not have to be reckless in your observation, but if you notice something unusual, report it to me immediately.
2. Never use [Sight Synchronization] on Isaac unless you want to become blind.
3. Never mention anything regarding Isaac’s affairs. He is not someone we can touch.
It was terrifying.
Aichel’s solemn warning lodged into Keridna’s mind like a wedge, the memory gripping her with a sense of unease.
‘Who in the world is that man?’
A female student with short pink hair was sitting in Provisional Class 3, this student was Keridna Whiteclark.
She was currently lost in thought, sitting with her chin resting on her hand as she quietly tapped the desk with her fingers.
While the professor was conducting the orientation on the second semester’s curriculum at the podium, Keridna couldn’t bring herself to focus on the information.
Isaac had been the weakest in the Magic Department, possessing Grade E mana.
The symbol of the Whiteclark Ducal family was the White Dragon, a mythological magic beast.
The image of Isaac forming a contract with that magic beast wouldn’t leave her mind.
Where should she even begin to be astonished? From the fact that the mythical White Dragon was still alive? Or from when Isaac had formed a voluntary master-familiar contract with said creature? Regardless, it was quite a ridiculous tale.
‘Of course, I don’t think he’s still the weakest in the department anymore.’
Going into the second semester, Isaac had grown rapidly, increasing his mana capacity to C+. While he was still much weaker than her…
It was still disorienting.
What the hell is Isaac’s true identity?
As Keridna continued to ponder it, she vividly recalled blood flowing down Aichel’s face, it still gave her chills.
If Aichel hadn’t plundered her [Sight Synchronization], Keridna would’ve been blinded. The cost of daring to spy on a monster like Isaac had been paid by her sister.
Thankfully, Aichel always had an absurd amount of [Basic Protection Magic] active. Otherwise, she really would have gone blind.
Keridna had incurred a debt that would be impossible to repay in her lifetime.
“Ugh…”
Keridna had no idea just how terrifying the secret she had tried to uncover was.
However, she knew one thing for certain.
Isaac was… like the embodiment of fear—a monster dwelling in the dark depths of the ocean.
There were some truths in this world that were better off unknown, and Isaac’s secret might have been among them.
Keridna had almost gone blind as a consequence of her curiosity.
Now, Isaac was the object of her fear.
* * *
[Congratulations! You have unlocked the second elemental slot!]
[Your second element is [Rock].]
While leveling up from 63 to 68, I invested my stat points into [Magic Training Efficiency].
Thanks to that, a combined 81 stat points were allocated to [Magic Training Efficiency], and it was now at A+.
I had also met with Kaya Astrean, who constantly blushed and attempted to avoid my gaze. By reading psychology, I discovered that Kaya was avoiding me because she was embarrassed about kissing me on the cheek during summer vacation.
I approached Kaya to say hello, but it seemed clear she wasn’t willing to converse with me. She merely continually pleaded with me to ‘forget her mistake during the vacation ceremony’.
At the sight of her desperate state, I could only respond in agreement. Soon after, Kaya abruptly left.
It seemed clear the distance between us would remain for the time being.
Recently, our new class placements had been determined. Since there were no demons during the class placement evaluations, I just had to do my best.
As a result of those evaluations, I was placed in the upper level of Class C. It was hard for anyone to believe.
The vast majority of students remained in the same class as last semester, including the Class D students.
Every time we passed by in the hallways, they glared at me. By reading their psychology, I could see they felt a sense of inferiority towards me.
‘Ha.’
Look at how they’re treating me now compared to last semester.
Considering I was someone they had believed themselves to be superior to, it was quite a significant development to say the least.
Thus,「Act 4, Chapter 1, Beginning of Second Semester」 of ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱ passed without any major incidents.
It was now evening. After completing all my classes, I headed towards the corner of the Butterfly Garden. It was where I spent most of my time during the first semester, so whenever anything new happened, I was inclined to think about it there.
Unlike the first semester, where I focused on delving deeply into a singular element, the second semester’s curriculum would force me to simultaneously train a second element.
For my own personal growth, a structured magical education was important, so it was beneficial for me to follow the curriculum.
Right on cue, I had successfully unlocked a second element, accompanied by a system notification.
「Rock Generation (Rock Element, ★1)」
“Hmm.”
As I channeled mana through my right hand, small fragments of stone manifested and began floating gently, seemingly in a state of weightlessness.
I had hoped for a gas or liquid element like fire, water, lightning, or wind, but like my ice element, I had received another solid element.
Consequently, there were clear drawbacks in terms of mobility and utility.
‘Still, there are clear advantages as well.’
I could name at least three immediate advantages off the top of my head that came with my new element.
The first was compatibility. Rock magic could counter the greatest weakness of ice magic, which was fire. Still, water would’ve been better.
The second was the coolness factor. If I crossed my arms while summoning boulders from the sky, along with a cool one-liner like ‘When heaven moves, everything follows’, my coolness factor would be immeasurable.
The third was my familiar, Eden.
I summoned Eden, light brown mana gathered in the air and took the form of a small golem familiar.
Eden landed softly on the ground.
[Kyuu! Kyuu?]
My familiar Eden was of the rock element. In other words, I could now begin to supply him with my own rock mana.
As I channeled some rock mana towards Eden, he began to jump up and down in surprise.
“Eden, does my mana taste good?”
[Yeah!]
Eden responded, accompanied by a happy pose.
What a cute fellow.
I petted Eden’s head with a smile.
Providing a large amount of mana to a familiar would accelerate its growth, allowing the summon to keep up with the growth of its master.
The next time I activated [Hunter] and summoned Eden, the surge in mana would be like a temporary buff, strengthening Eden greatly.
If he were able to stabilize his buffed state, Eden would likely grow at an astonishing speed.
Hehe.
The next demon I would face was an elephant demon from 「Act 4, Chapter 3, Underground Giant」 of ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱, known as “Elphelt the Evanescent”.
To reach him, I had to clear a considerably difficult mission from 「Act 4, Chapter 2, Food Chain」, so I expected one hell of a challenge in the future.
But more than that, I was worried about something. Or more specifically, someone.
‘Kaya.’
The hidden boss of 「Act 4 Chapter 3: Underground Giant」 was ‘Kaya Astrean’.
Yes, it was our very own Kaya Astrean. Although it would only be temporary, Kaya would become a demon, and the fight between us was unavoidable.
In the forums, the corrupted Kaya was referred to as ‘Dark Kaya’ for simplicity. Because of her difficulty, I saw many posts mocking nonexistent parents, saying things like ‘Did someone’s mother die for this level of difficulty?’. Her patterns were so irregular it was difficult to find a method that worked.
Not only was Kaya much stronger now than in the original scenario, but her tactical awareness had also increased.
Ignoring the co-op EXP she had received in the Tantak Underground Cave, the fact that I had also given her the Armana Wand as a gift was the true difference maker.
While giving that gift to Kaya had saved me during the first semester, it would become a blade that aimed for my neck during the second semester.
In other words, Dark Kaya’s patterns would be entirely different from the ones I knew, making this fight uncharted territory.
‘Well, I’ll still win though.’
The reason I had given her the Armana Wand was simple.
No matter how much her attack patterns changed, I would be much stronger than her when [Hunter] was active.
Just by levels alone, mine would be substantially higher than Dark Kaya’s.
It was important to note the fact that the lower one’s level was in comparison to their opponent, the less damage they could inflict, but even then…
I had the Frostscythe and Hilde with me now, so there was no way I could lose.
While I was lost in thought, I heard a familiar voice.
“Presideeeeent~”
“Ah!”
A voice rang in my ears, startling me, and forcing me to cover my ears and step away.
Wow, I thought my eardrums were about to burst.
Turning my head in the direction of the noise, I saw a female student with lavender hair wearing a distinctive witch’s hat.
“Nyahaha! You’re so cute!”
It was Dorothy, who was laughing mischievously.
“Ah… Senior, you’re here.”
The lingering sensation from Dorothy’s whisper and breath remained from her playful antics, leaving me unable to remove my hands from my ears.
“So you’ve awakened a second element, right?”
“Yes. It was the rock element.”
“Our President has been hitting the gym and putting on some muscle, so rock does kind of suit you.”
“What kind of logic is that…?”
Tilting her head, Dorothy giggled mischievously.
“It’s been a while since you’ve last been here. Lately, you’ve only been going to the gym and back.”
“I wanted to organize my thoughts. I’ve just unlocked a new element, and I need to think about how to best train and develop it for the future.”
“Hm, since you’ve just unlocked it, you probably can’t use very many spells, right?”
“That’s right, I can only cast basic spells, so I was thinking about mastering those.”
My [Magic Training Efficiency] and [Learning Efficiency] had drastically improved since last semester, meaning I should be able to practice more effectively.
“Can this big sis help you?”
Dorothy began to smile slyly.
“Senior? Help me with what?”
“Just tell me yes or no.”
“If you’ll help me, then of course I’ll be grateful.”
“Then extend both of your hands.”
I did as Dorothy instructed and held out my hands.
“…!”
Suddenly, Dorothy placed my hands on top of her wrists and gently grasped my own.
With our hands and wrist pressed firmly against each other, I could distinctly feel her soft skin. I was embarrassed, to say the least.
“Grab my wrists.”
What’s going on…?
I hesitantly grabbed onto Dorothy’s wrists as instructed.
Her wrists were quite slender.
At that moment, I finally realized that Dorothy, who had always been like a daughter to me, was a woman after all.
The moment I began to realize this, light brown rock mana began to flow where our wrist met.
Sssssssss─
Beginning from my wrists, I could sense the rock mana circuits that had been buried throughout my body coming to life.
It was the same sensation I had felt every time I increased my proficiency with ice magic.
Amazed, I stared at Dorothy in disbelief as she offered me a bright smile, tilting her head to the side.
Beneath her witch’s hat, her golden earrings gleamed as they reflected the last vestiges of the sunset. As usual, her eyes seemed to contain the universe within them.
My eyes were feasting on her.
“I have the rock element too, wind and rock to be exact. That’s why I can use my own rock mana to help you master your own. Well, it’s only possible because it’s me though~”
“You’re the best, Senior. Really.”
“Nihihi.”
I couldn’t help but smile, as I hadn’t expected to receive any assistance. I was lucky to meet Dorothy today.
At this rate, it felt as though I could master various rock spells far faster than I had anticipated.
Before I even realized, the flow of Dorothy’s rock mana had ceased.
“Since this method only works when you first awaken a new element, there’s nothing else I can do!”
This much is already plenty.
I repeatedly expressed my gratitude to Dorothy, and each time I did, she responded enthusiastically, placing a hand on her hip and brimming with confidence.
* * *
[Status]
Name: Isaac
Lv: 68
Gender: Male
Year: 1st
Title: Freshman Who Has Adapted to Student Life
Mana: 5200/5200
– Mana Recovery Speed (C+)
– Stamina (B)
– Strength (B)
– Intelligence (C+)
– Willpower (A+)
[Combat Skills]
Elemental Series 1: Ice
– Elemental Firepower (B)
– Elemental Efficiency (B)
– Elemental Synergy (B)
Elemental Series 2: Rock
– Elemental Firepower (C)
– Elemental Efficiency (C)
– Elemental Synergy (D+)
[Owned Skills]
Owned Skills ❰❰Details❱❱
Skill Tree ❰❰Details❱❱
[Unique Attributes]
– Hunter
The warmth of summer gradually faded away, signaling the beginning of autumn.
The increase in my rock element’s [Elemental Firepower] and [Elemental Efficiency] far surpassed my expectations. It was the result of me applying my A+ [Magic Training Efficiency] and Dorothy’s assistance.
It had only been a short time since I had unlocked it, yet I had already reached C rank.
For the rock element, [Elemental Synergy] was useless, so I didn’t bother increasing that stat.
Additionally, I learned some new spells.
To begin with, the 4-star spell [Ice Spear] was a very useful spell, boasting mana density that far exceeded anything I could form with [Ice Generation].
I could launch it towards an enemy by willing it to do so, and the magic circle would do the firing.
Among my former offensive ice spells, I only had [Frostfire] which boasted a large area of effect but lacked offensive firepower, and [Frost Explosion], which was far too powerful to be used normally. Therefore, I had chosen to learn [Ice Spear], which had a limited range but a concentrated attack power.
I also learned the 3-star rock spell [Stone Toss], which threw rocks that possessed a higher mana density than rocks formed by [Rock Generation].
The higher the mana density, the greater the power and strength of a spell. This was especially true for spells that formed solid matter.
“Isaac, all clear. You may proceed.”
Currently, I was heading towards an exam site.
Inside the cabin, the exam proctor began scanning my body to ensure I didn’t have any unusual items on me. Since I hadn’t brought anything abnormal, I passed the test easily.
In this exam, I was only allowed to bring magic weapons or absolute necessities.
The Sheath of Disaster was considered a magic tool instead of a magic weapon, so I had been forced to leave it at my dorm.
If I had to explain the difference between a magic tool and a magic weapon, it would be that magic weapons enhanced the power of its user in exchange for making mana manipulation more difficult.
Some examples of that would include Kaya’s Armana Wand, or Lisetta’s Rock Bat.
Magic tools, on the other hand, referred to tools with magic applied to them. The Sheath of Disaster was treated as a magic tool since it used the spell stored within it like a magic scroll would.
After passing the inspection, I left the cabin, and heard the noise of seagulls in the distance.
It made sense, as I was on a ship owned by the academy.
The sky was a vivid blue.
I enjoyed the cool sea breeze brushing against my skin, and the humid air filling my lungs.
By looking around, I could see the vast blue sea surrounding me.
If I turned around now, I would be able to catch a glimpse of the frenzy at the dock.
But by staring straight ahead, I could see a singular island anchored firmly in my sights, named ‘Elt Island’. It was the location of our next exam, and it would serve as the main stage for 「Act 4, Chapter 2, Food Chain」 and 「Act 4, Chapter 3, Underground Giant」.
Several ships were traveling to Elt Island, each one carrying a varying amount of Magic Department freshmen. They would dock at various prepared locations and let the students off.
Many students were wandering the deck and chatting. They were completely unaware of the upcoming exam, leaving them lost.
This next exam was going to be ridiculously challenging.
Leaning against the ship’s railing, I stared out into the sea, noting the last vestiges of clouds disappearing over the distant horizon.
‘Ugh, I’m so nervous.’
I felt as though I was walking on a very narrow tightrope.
Even though I had managed to come up with a plan, I remained nervous. I was sure that there were many variables that couldn’t be accounted for.
“…?”
As I was thinking deeply, I felt somebody’s gaze lock onto me, making me turn my head towards the source.
“Ah.”
On a ship opposite mine, I gazed at a cute, green-haired girl who was holding onto her ship’s railing. Her twin tails were fluttering in the sea breeze.
It was Kaya Astrean.
Blushing like a beetroot, Kaya bowed her head.
[Kaya Astrean]
Psychology: [Her heart is fluttering at the thought that she made eye contact with you.]
She had a shy expression on her face, accompanied by a faint smile. It felt like a scene from a teenage romance movie.
As always, she was an incredibly lovely child.
I had known for a while that Kaya had feelings for me. Unfortunately, the luxury that was a romantic relationship was out of the question until we defeated the Evil God.
“…”
I would have to fight Kaya in the future.
Of course, I would save that child.
Now wasn’t the time to think about such childish things.
Steeling my resolve, I was determined to overcome the 4th scenario no matter how fucked up the difficulty may be.
Just like I had done up until now.
