Free Web NovelIn a few hours, the Semester Start Party will be held.
So, while eating the bread I bought yesterday for breakfast and lunch, I mentally summarized what I had accomplished over the past week.
First, regarding the paperback version of the web novel.
There was no information to be gained from the book itself. Not only was the publisher's name missing, but even the printing and publication dates were not written. I even took the borrowed book as a sample and went around to several bookstores, putting in the legwork. But it was all for nothing. No bookstore owner knew anything about books by an author whose pen name consisted only of special characters.
'This means it's safe to assume that these books are not distributed anywhere and only exist at Valhalla Academy.'
Is it because of the setting that this library has the nickname 'the world's largest treasury of knowledge'? Or is it because the early part of the story of 《NaSE》 takes place here?
The latter seems unlikely, since the original protagonist dropped out after only a year, making the Academy's importance in the overall novel minimal. And if you think about it that way, it's also ambiguous to consider web novels as 'knowledge'. frёeωebɳovel.com
'For now, there's no way to get more information, so I'll suspend my investigation into these books until next year...'
Fortunately, that was the only investigation that yielded no results.
I've finished familiarizing myself with the Academy's geography and have almost completely finished cleaning my room. As far as I can remember, I've also organized the contents of 《NaSE》 well, hiding it deep inside the bookshelf.
I have no intention of getting involved with the Original Protagonist, but since we live in the same world, the aftermath of major events could still affect me.
By cutting into my sleeping time, I've finished reviewing the basic general knowledge I started memorizing at this body's main family home. I can now recite it fluently at the drop of a hat.
"Phew, if only this body's memories had been synchronized, it would have been less of a hassle... These dark circles haven't left the area under my eyes."
I let out a sigh and a pointless monologue, then sipped the coffee I had personally brewed to chase away my sleepiness.
'I didn't even study this hard when I was preparing for the high school equivalency exam.'
For the record, since I had no desire to go to university, I never started preparing for the college entrance exam.
But to be possessed into a character in someone else's novel and attend an academy that feels like a combination of high school and university.
They say no one can predict a person's future, but I never dreamed mine would turn out like this.
Anyway, to wrap up my achievements over the past week.
Through consistent practice, I can now imitate the possessed body's handwriting style to a decent degree. I was able to fill out the course registration form in that handwriting and submit it within the registration period. The only problem is that since it's not fully ingrained, my writing speed remains slow.
'Well, I guess it will get faster as I study and practice writing.'
Some might wonder what I am studying, since I have memorized all the basic general knowledge and am only taking combat-related lectures next semester.
To explain for those people, now that I have laid the foundation with general knowledge, it is time to build upon it. Also, unfortunately, not all lectures at Valhalla Academy are elective courses, so I had to take one required theory class.
This means that there will be at least one overlapping lecture with the Original Protagonist.
The reason I said 'at least one' and not 'one' is because I do not know Reisir's schedule inside and out. It has been too long since I read the academy part of 《NaSE》, and it did not mention every single lecture the protagonist took, # Nоvеlight # so I cannot help it.
But there is a schedule adjustment period, so it should be fine.
I will just have to take the required lecture, but for the elective lectures, I will have to see how things go and decide whether to change them or not. I would like to stick to the schedule I have carefully crafted with lectures that seem helpful for survival, if possible.
"Ah... when did this run out?"
As I continued my thoughts, I kept sipping my coffee, and before I knew it, it was all gone. I had finished the bread earlier.
I glanced at the clock and saw that there were still four hours left until the Semester Start Party. Even considering the time it takes to wash the cup, brush my teeth, change my clothes, and leave the room to arrive at the main building's central hall, there is still a lot of spare time.
So, I brewed another cup of coffee and took out the directory of names to spread it open.
I had already read it several times before arriving at the Academy and had familiarized myself with its contents. But since I'll be meeting the people listed here in person soon, reviewing it would be beneficial in many ways.
With that conclusion, I carefully read the now-tattered directory of names. I paid particular attention to the information about those who might approach Karvaldr first, and the moment to use that information arrived a little earlier than planned.
—Knock, knock, knock.
Just as I had finished changing my clothes, someone knocked on my door. A voice from outside said, "It's me, Lord Karvaldr."
It seemed he was confident I would know who he was without him stating his name.
Of course, this was the first time I was hearing that voice.
'Still, I have an idea.'
In the original story, there are two characters who act as lackeys, always sticking close to Karvaldr. Even during their academy days, they followed Karvaldr around and joined in bullying Reisir. The same was true after graduation, when the possessed body formed and operated an Einherjar team with his family's support.
When the original Karvaldr tried to trap the protagonist but ended up dying himself, they also helped with that and died together.
'I don't need to be as careful with them as I am with the Original Protagonist, but in a different sense, these are characters I don't want to get close to...'
I was standing in front of the mirror, tidying up my clothes, and the possessed body's face reflected in it was scowling. He appeared very irritable and sensitive.
Maintaining that expression, I changed from the indoor slippers I had bought in the commercial district a few days ago to my shoes and opened the door.
As I suspected, the two characters were standing in the hallway, waiting.
"It's been a while, Lord Karvaldr!"
"I-I also haven't seen you in a while..."
The character who greeted me first was 'Tryggdrik Skafti', and just as in the portrait included in the directory of names, he looked very cunning. The large man who spoke timidly and greeted me later was 'Ríolíkin Tremler', and he appeared much older than in the portrait.
I know this thought is rude, but I must add that his appearance was such that I would have mistaken him for a professor had I not confirmed his identity through the portrait.
"We'll see each other at the central hall anyway, so what's the point of coming to find me?"
I imitated Karvaldr's way of speaking, implicitly expressing my desire to 'keep a distance from you'. But neither of the two characters understood my inner meaning. They only responded to the superficial meaning.
"Of course we came because we wanted to see you as soon as possible, Lord Karvaldr. We also wanted to catch up and chat on our way to the central hall."
"As for me... as you know, I find it overwhelming to enter such places alone..."
The cunning Tryggdrik is a complete suck-up, and the big guy Ríolíkin is the epitome of timidity, which doesn't suit his appearance at all. I must say, their personalities and appearances were at opposite extremes.
"Tsk."
Since I had no desire to chat with them, I clicked my tongue to show my displeasure. My intention didn't change even after I stepped completely out of the room and locked the door. I didn't even say 'let's go' and just walked silently.
The two who had come to find the possessed body followed one step behind me. Even though they're classmates and supposedly close to the possessed body, they act as if they're serving a superior. To others, it would look like I'm leading those two around.
'Reisir not only used informal speech with me, who's possessed Karvaldr's body, but even shouted at me...'
This was due to his parents' deaths in the Demon Realm and his territory being devastated and taken over by the Imperial Family. Reisir, who had no family prestige, wealth, or anything else, acted like that. Yet it's quite comical to see the sons of much more respectable families willingly acting like this.
Well, how many people would want to use honorific speech to someone who bullies them? If you think about it from that perspective, it's quite natural for Reisir to use informal speech to this possessed body. Tryggdrik and Ríolíkin are probably groveling because they have something to gain from the possessed body.
"Lord Karvaldr, when did you return to the Academy?"
"A week ago."
"That early?! Why didn't you let us know beforehand? I would have come early too."
If I didn't answer, he seemed ready to annoy me by saying 'shall I take a guess?', so I gave a curt reply. Even though I was clearly showing that I didn't want to talk, Tryggdrik was good at striking up a conversation. Did he not notice? He shouldn't be that dense of a character.
"Lord Karvaldr, how did you spend your vacation?"
"Well."
"Ah! Right, of course you spent it well. I asked a strange question. I also had a good time, enjoying my hobbies at a leisurely pace for the first time in a while. And I finally got my hands on a painting I've wanted for a long time, and the real thing was so beautiful...!"
I wondered why he kept talking to me, and it seemed it was because he had a lot to brag about.
The original story never shed any light on how Karvaldr usually spent his time with his subordinates. So I didn't know, but this character, Tryggdrik, talks a lot of nonsense. I wonder if it's the kind of chatter that can be exchanged between friends. But I also wondered if the possessed body and Tryggdrik could even be called friends...
'He saw my complexion and still took my words that I was doing well at face value, and then went on to happily talk about how he had fun during the vacation?'
Let me mention this again: the dark circles under my eyes are clearly visible right now. This means anyone can see I wasn't doing well. But didn't he just brush past it too naturally?
At this point, I was confused whether Tryggdrik had said 'Of course you spent it well' a moment ago, or if he had said 'Of course you didn't spend it well' and I just hadn't heard him properly.
"Ríolíkin, what did you do during the vacation?"
"Huh? Ah, I..."
"Forget it, you don't have to tell me. I think I know without you telling me. You were busy training those absurdly huge muscles on your body, weren't you? Why don't you try going hunting like me to gain some practical experience?"
When I showed no reaction to his words, Tryggdrik started talking to Ríolíkin. Yet he didn't even listen to Ríolíkin's answer and just kept talking about himself. His way of speaking also put down the other person while elevating himself.
'So that's why he was able to act as a ringleader when this possessed body was bullying the protagonist, because he has a personality like that?'
If Tryggdrik's personality and his way of speaking had been fully revealed in the original story, I think he would have received more hate than Karvaldr.
I wonder if that character, Tryggdrik, also has problems with his family environment like Karvaldr. Why can Ríolíkin hang out with a guy who ignores him so nonchalantly? ƒreewebηoveℓ.com
That question crossed my mind briefly, but I wasn't very interested.
How could I cut ties with the possessed body's lackeys?
That was my only concern at the moment.
As I walked, pondering that method, I found myself already arriving at the central hall where the Semester Start Party was being held.
