Free Web NovelAlthough there had been some discussion about Reisir going to the health center and the freshmen joining our table, we didn't have the luxury of sitting around chatting over breakfast.
The dawn lecture ended at seven, and the morning lecture began at eight.
By the time we'd returned to our dorm rooms to wash up and walked back, most of that hour was already gone.
No wonder lunch is a full two hours...
Back during the preliminary rounds of the Tournament—in other words, back in Chapter 98—I had thought Author Senna hadn't done a very good job calculating the schedule. I never expected to have that suspicion confirmed again like this.
In any case, we barely had time to exchange a few words.
As soon as we'd hastily finished eating, we had to hurry to the next lecture hall.
Considering how awkward things had become because I'd been so conscious of the seating arrangements, the lack of time actually worked in my favor today.
Still, if this continued, we'd have to wolf down breakfast every single morning.
"The interval between the dawn lecture and the morning lecture is too short. I would like to suggest either ending the dawn lecture thirty minutes earlier or installing shower facilities near—or preferably inside—the small auditorium."
The moment I entered the classroom, I addressed the princess, who had already arrived.
"As a matter of fact, this humble one is also aware of the problem. Installing shower facilities will take time, so for the present, let us simply end the dawn lecture thirty minutes earlier."
Perhaps because she, too, disliked rushing through meals, Fjodora accepted my suggestion immediately.
Still, I doubted she would ever have thought of installing showers or changing the schedule if I hadn't raised the issue first.
She was still being pulled along by the original author's will.
It was probably impossible for Fjodora to feel any sense of resistance toward rules established by Author Senna or think of improving them on her own.
Of course, it would be a different matter if the author himself had recognized the problem and decided to revise it.
"More importantly, I understand the first and second-year students dine on the same floor of the campus cafeteria. Did you happen to eat with the new students?"
"Yes... although we didn't really have time to talk and get acquainted."
"That is understandable. There was hardly enough time to eat, much less converse. To be honest, I was worried you might not look kindly upon the commoner freshmen, so I was relieved to see no sign of that. It seems I was harboring an unfair prejudice."
Fjodora smiled as she patted my shoulder.
The gesture, treating me like a subordinate, left an unpleasant taste in my mouth.
It reminded me too much of the people who used to torment me in my previous life.
But what bothered me even more was what she had actually said.
Now there was an even greater chance that my caution toward Sveinn would be mistaken for prejudice against commoners.
Worse still, I couldn't defend myself.
She wasn't accusing me of discriminating against commoners.
She was simply saying she was glad I hadn't.
Trying to explain myself now would only make me look guilty.
"Ah... yes."
In the end, all I could do was nod awkwardly.
Fortunately, class was about to begin, and the professor's arrival brought the conversation to an end.
Now that the moment has arrived, I can finally introduce it.
The first regular lecture for the Special Class for Awakened—
"Good morning, everyone in the Special Class for Awakened. My name is Radvisin Prodrake. It is... truly a pleasure to meet you all."
—was Ether Attribute Enhancement.
Professor Radvisin looked at us not with excitement, but with eyes filled with sympathy.
That expression unsettled me.
It wasn't because I'd suddenly been shocked.
After seeing the original author's influence manifest in the characters time and time again, I simply couldn't accept as calmly as before that even my mentor was nothing more than one of Author Senna's creations.
"As you already know from the syllabus, this course is intended not merely to strengthen your Ether Attribute Abilities themselves, but also to improve their practicality and efficiency. To do that, I first need to understand each of your Ether attributes. Only then can I provide meaningful guidance."
During the first lecture last semester, he'd spent the entire hour rambling about unrelated trivia.
Was he restraining himself because royalty was present?
Or had he simply decided he wasn't in the mood?
Either way, Professor Radvisin skipped his usual lengthy self-introduction and went straight to the lesson.
"Under normal circumstances, I would ask each of you privately. However, your situation is different. You are not merely classmates, but comrades who may one day entrust your lives to one another. I believe there is great value in sharing as much information about your abilities as you reasonably can. It will help you devise battlefield strategies, and perhaps the collective insight of your peers will reveal new ways to develop your powers."
...He's still just as talkative as ever.
Then again, perhaps that was only natural.
That tendency was part of the character Author Senna had created.
"That said, I also understand you may not wish to reveal every detail. I have heard that a person's disposition can influence their skills, which makes your hesitation all the more understandable."
Professor Radvisin stopped speaking.
At first I thought he was merely catching his breath.
Then I noticed his gaze shift toward someone.
He looked as though he was carefully testing the waters.
The person he was looking at was the First Princess, Fjodora.
She gave him a faint, knowing smile and nodded.
Only then did he continue.
"I will hand out paper and pens. Please write down whatever information from your Skill Window you are comfortable sharing with everyone. Those of you who possess elemental Ether Attribute Abilities should also describe how you would apply them in combat. For example, if you can shape Ether into an arrow and fire it, please include something like that. Other Ether Attribute users may also write down any practical applications they have devised. Ah—and while you may omit the grade, please write down the name of each skill at the very least."
I suspected either the original author...
...or Fjodora...
...was behind this.
If it was Author Senna's doing...
...then it was because Reisir wasn't planning to use the 【Truth-Reading Eye】 to inspect everyone else's Skill Windows.
This would allow the readers to see each character's skill descriptions instead.
If it was Fjodora's idea...
...then she must have judged yesterday's introductions too vague to build meaningful strategies around.
Personally, I hope it's the former. If that's true, then Professor Radvisin—not just Reisir—can resist the original author's will to some degree.
Returning to the matter at hand...
...regardless of whose intentions were at work, quite a few students had no intention of copying their skill descriptions exactly as instructed.
Pret had only revealed the barest fraction of his Ether Attribute Ability yesterday.
It was still far too early in the story for Reisir to expose the 【Truth-Reading Eye】.
And I had plenty of skills I intended to keep hidden myself.
Besides, Fjodora surely has no intention of revealing every secret behind the Imperial Family's Ether Attribute Ability either.
If someone removed parts of their skill description, inserted fabricated information, and then claimed it was the complete description...
...the truth coming out later would only breed distrust.
Far better to establish from the outset that everyone would hide what needed to remain hidden and reveal only what they were willing to share.
That way, disclosing the full description became a voluntary choice instead of an obligation.
There would be no reason to argue later over who had lied or concealed important information.
"Once you've finished writing, please form a circle and pass your paper to the person on your right."
When everyone finally set down their pens, Professor Radvisin clapped twice to gather our attention.
Reisir immediately moved over and settled at my right side.
I'd already explained everything to him about 【Exaltation】 and 【Weather Manipulation】, so I had no idea what he still hoped to learn.
"I thought you'd leave out a few details since you never talk much about yourself, Karvaldr. But you wrote everything exactly as it is. Even the maximum amplification coefficient of 【Exaltation】 through sound waves... and the fact that the next stage of 【Weather Manipulation】 is 'Air Current Manipulation.'"
As Reisir's reaction made obvious...
...the only skills I'd written down were the basic abilities associated with my purple and sky-blue Ether:
【Exaltation】 and 【Weather Manipulation】.
I had considered including 【Encouragement】, which strengthened Ether Attribute Skills...
...but...
Professor Radvisin doesn't know I obtained that skill. Since we've met several times since the vacation, it would feel rather awkward if he discovered I'd gained a new skill and never told him.
So I left it out.
It wasn't because repeatedly speaking words of encouragement during class just to satisfy the activation condition and raise its proficiency sounded like a nuisance.
Out of consideration for Professor Radvisin, I decided to keep 【Encouragement】 secret for the time being and simply claim I'd acquired it later.
Instead, I wrote down 【Exaltation】 and 【Weather Manipulation】 exactly as they were.
After all—
"Buff skills reveal their effects the moment someone receives them. And 【Weather Manipulation】 speaks for itself once people actually see it, doesn't it?"
—for skills like those, concealment was difficult anyway.
In actual combat, I intended to cast 【Encouragement】 on myself before using 【Exaltation】.
If anyone questioned the increased output, I could simply attribute it to improved proficiency with 【Exaltation】.
Then, once the time came, I could explain that I'd acquired 【Encouragement】 sometime afterward.
"I suppose that's true... Ah, but what exactly is this 'Air Current Manipulation'? How is it different from a wind-element Ether Attribute Ability?"
"I don't know either. Didn't I write that it's still locked because my proficiency isn't high enough? If I can't even use it, how would I know what it does?"
"...Fair point."
I clicked my tongue at Reisir in exaggerated disbelief before turning my attention to the sheet that had been passed from the student on my left.
Yor, perched on my shoulder, peered down at it with me.
【Iron Blood Steel Body】
: Greatly increases physical durability, rendering the body resistant to blades and other cutting weapons.
: The durability granted by this skill scales according to the user's Defense.
: {Disposition: ■■■■■■■■} Reflection Effect
▶ Originally, the skill only hardened the skin, but it has evolved to reinforce the bones and internal organs as well.
Vigdís had omitted only the grade and the Chinese-character notation.
Everything else had been copied exactly.
She hadn't added a single personal explanation.
As for this skill...
...I knew considerably more than what was written on the page.
I was about to pass it straight to Reisir.
Instead, I picked up my pen and blacked out the word "Endurance."
If her {Endurance} disposition was displayed so plainly alongside a defensive skill...
...everyone would immediately identify her as a Tank.
And if that happened, Vigdís would never be able to display her full potential.
To be fair, 【Iron Blood Steel Body】 alone already made it highly likely she'd be assigned the role of secondary Tank.
Even so, I judged it better to conceal her {Endurance} disposition and preserve at least a little strategic uncertainty.
