How to Survive at the Academy - Chapter 51

Chapter 51




Chapter 51

The Battle for the Sage’s Seal (5)

[Name: Ed Rothstaylor]

Gender: Male

Age: 17

School Year: 2nd

Species: Human

Achievements: None

Vitality: 12

Intelligence: 10

Dexterity: 13

Willpower: 10

Luck: 8

Combat Skills Details ≫

Magic Skills Details ≫

Life Skills Details ≫

Alchemy Skills Details ≫

It was the start of another day’s work as the sun slowly rose and the early morning air calmly breezed through the forest.

If it were a weekday, I would normally have woken up quickly, jumping out of bed and putting on my exercise clothing before I began my run towards the teacher district. Since it was a holiday, I could be a bit more relaxed.

My body felt refreshed. From the moment I got out of bed, I noticed that my body was back in perfect condition.

Health really was so strange, as you didn’t even feel the weight of its importance until you were already sick. I really needed to start taking good care of my body and stop pushing myself. I couldn’t get sick like that again.

I picked up the passed out Yennekar and I laid her on top of the bed. Then I went out to the stream to wash my face with cool water. While I was there, I decided to check my stats and found that, compared to Taylee’s early-mid core stats, mine were also keeping pace.

Simply put, it would become harder to keep up with Taylee as his growth rapidly changed in the second half… But at least I was able to raise my core stats as much as I could.

That was just how much my stats’ growth had plateaued. Whether it was skill proficiency or core stats, I knew that my growth would slow down once I passed level 10. Though, I did still feel a bit frustrated seeing the way the growth rate declined.

From that point on, each time I raised my stats I would definitely feel the effect. Rather than blindly training without any results, I needed to come up with more of a systematic plan.

“Come to think of it… I’ve barely done any research on the magically engineered items.”

[Life Skills Details]

Grade: Intermediate Craftsmen

Specialized Fields: Woodworking

Handicraft Lvl 14

Design Lvl 10

Collecting Skills Lvl 13

Woodworking Lvl 13

Stonemason Lvl 6

Hunting Lvl 10

Fishing Lvl 7

Cooking Lvl 6

Repairing Lvl 5

{Advanced Production Technique Slot: Spiritual Infusion}

Technical Proficiency: 2

Power Amplification: 3

Infusion Success Rate: 91

Fire-related Spiritual Proficiency: 4

Wind-related Spiritual Proficiency: 2

Contracted Spirit: Low-Ranking Fire Spirit Mugg

Spiritual Resonance Level: 12

Spiritual Understanding Level: 12

Unique Skills: Blessing of Fire Fortune, Explosion

{Advanced Production Technique Slot: Magic Engineering}

Technical Proficiency: 2

Magic Engineering Understanding: 3

Fast Production: 3

Collected Production Formulas:

Weak Wind Generator: Lvl 1

Loud Noise Generator: Lvl 1

Automatic Resonance Magic Power Chessboard: Lvl 1

??? ????? (Analyzing)

?? ??? (Analyzing)

Advanced Production Techniques had a major impact on core stats, and were also very versatile, so it couldn’t simply be compared to a regular skill.

However, as useful as it was, training it was difficult.

It would have been nice if I could just use spiritual injection like a factory, constantly pumping them out. However, for each spirit that used spiritual injection, there was a certain recovery period that was needed before you could do the next one. It was like a cooldown timer.

Magic Engineering, on the other hand, could be trained freely—as long as you have the conditions for it. Preparing the right conditions was quite difficult.

Just by researching the already completed magically engineered items, I was able to gain some proficiency in the skill. If I was lucky, I could also resemble the items. That would teach me the production method, as well.

However, it was standard that, for most magically engineered items, you actually needed to acquire the production method itself. The efficiency of doing so was also better.

The problem was that production formulas for magically engineered items mostly came as rewards in the main storyline quests. That meant it would be difficult for me to get my hands on them.

“Should I ask Taylee…? There’s no way he’ll give them to me… No, he can’t in the first place.”

I sat on a flat rock by the stream as I got lost in my thoughts. The production formulas for the magically engineered items were ‘knowledge’, rather than physical objects.

Since Taylee didn’t have any particular intention or reason to train his Magic Engineering, it seemed like a waste.

If that was the case, then… As the main storyline progressed, wouldn’t it be fine for me to take care of the scroll-type production formulas that dropped?

Taylee wasn’t going to train in Magic Engineering anyway, so the magic engineering production formulas wouldn’t be anything more than pieces of paper to him. There was also a high chance that he just wouldn’t even take them.

Techniques were like goldmines to me. Once I graduated from Silvenia and started living on my own, it would be immensely helpful in making a living if I was able to train a reliable skill like Magic Engineering to its limit.

In fact, I was even well-informed of where and what ways the important production formulas were dropped or hidden. If I could catch and get a hold of them, it would greatly help my skill proficiency.

Teaching myself by repeatedly disassembling, analyzing, and then reassembling the products Lortel managed to supply me with clearly had a limit in terms of my growth.

I was starting to feel the importance of securing efficient, useful, and expensive magic engineering production formulas. 

“Hmm… Come to think of it, it’s almost the end of Act 2. I’ve been training out of my mind, not to mention the fact that I was unconscious for ten days, so it’s gone by in an instant.”

In the middle of the tranquil forest, right at daybreak, I gazed up at the sky.

It was a peaceful sight to look at. But when I closed my eyes, I could imagine the scene of the tower of magic power. It engulfed the entire sky over the school, and Glast had imbued it with Celestial Magic.

Using high-ranking time-related magic, creating and using all kinds of golems and experimented monsters, and even using his own disciples and other academic staff members as shields… He was a madman scholar that had finally gained resonance with the Sage’s Seal.

The final chapter of Act 2, The Glast Subjugation.

Thinking that far, the memory of his research room flashed across my mind.

“The Soul Library…!”

I clenched my fist and nodded my head.

There were four stages of battle in the final chapter.

A detour to the teacher’s district, the underground waterways, Glast’s secret research room, and the top of the tower of magic power.

Among them, Glast’s secret research room was notorious for being long and difficult, but it also had the Soul Library—which had a collection of all sorts of valuable magic books, references, and priceless magic documents.

It was a stage where you had to run around and catch the librarian, who would fly through the plentiful bookshelves and magic books. The stage’s boss, the librarian of the Soul Library Raina, was hard to defeat without the use of the Swordmaster’s Skill.

Well, even though things were like that, Taylee’s present specs should have been high enough to defeat her. I’d already asked around for information, so I was sure he was fine. My interests were in a different area—the contents of the Soul Library.

It was full of valuable Magic Engineering production formulas. As far as I could remember, the number of them was in double digits. Plus, there were two in particular that could produce legendary grade magically engineered items. 

If it was a magically engineered item of a legendary grade, as long as you can get the materials to make it, it could be a lethal weapon close to the level of the Swordmaster’s Skill.

It might not be able to keep up with the uniqueness of the Swordmaster’s Skill, which was effective when fighting against particular storyline bosses, but the sheer firepower of a weapon at that level couldn’t be easily ignored.

I searched through my memory carefully.

‘Glockt’s Eyes’ temporarily amplified your innate amount of magic power and all resonance-related skills’ proficiency.

‘Dell Heim’s Sandglass’ reverted all physical conditions back a few seconds.

‘Glockt’s Eyes’… If I could use that, I’d be able to temporarily amplify my Spiritual Resonance. That would allow me to make a contract with a high-ranking spirit, which I normally wouldn’t be able to do at my level.

‘Dell Heim’s Sandglass’… There was a high possibility that it would be the key to saving my life at least once in a desperate situation.

Those… I couldn’t just ignore them.

“I can’t let this golden opportunity slip through my fingers…”

The advanced production techniques for magic engineering had a uniquely designed balance to them.

As for grant-type skills such as Spiritual Infusion and Enchant… you could only be granted those advanced skills once your body raised its proficiency and mana resonance to a high enough level.

However, for production-type skills like Magic Engineering… it was balanced by ‘the rareness of materials.’

In other words, no matter what type of advanced production formula I got my hands on, if I couldn’t get the materials for it I wouldn’t be able to utilize the power of an advanced magically engineered item.

No matter how early you obtained a legendary type production skill, it wouldn’t mean much if you could only obtain the items in the latter half of the storyline.

That meant that the system was designed to prevent players from making excessively strong magically engineered items at the current point in the storyline… Luckily for me, though, I had a friend that could give me a ‘chance.’

She was a main character in the storyline, one who I’d been trying not to get close to as much as possible. However, she could get any material she wanted, even if it was on the other side of the map.

I didn’t know what she would ask for in return, but the fact that I had a source in the first place was the important part. If all went well, I’d be able to work with a level of magically engineered items that shouldn’t even exist in the current ongoing storyline.

“Just what are you thinking so hard about?”

As I turned around, trembling, I saw a girl with reddish-brown hair sitting on a fallen tree.

I thought she had said that braiding her hair over one shoulder was more comfortable, but I’d been seeing her with her hair unbound or neatly combed recently. I thought her hair was always braided when she was working.

“I wasn’t sure, but you showed up right away.”

“Oh my, have you been thinking about me this early in the morning? I’m embarrassed.”

Seeing her smile, she looked more like a girl her age than a merchant. But that quiet voice of hers and insidious smile made me rethink that.

“Don’t you know? Many a little makes a mickle. Something that starts off small will build up into something bigger. If you want to get rid of me, you will have to try harder~”

“… I didn’t even realize you were nearby. When did you get here?”

“That’s a secret. It’s been quite a while.”

Lortel jumped off the fallen tree, trying to catch her balance.

“I’ve been so busy that I haven’t been able to see you lately. At that rate, I thought I might have forgotten what you look like. It would have been great if you had the sense to visit my store.”

“You already knew about my situation. Well… Thanks for the furniture.”

“Yeah.”

Lortel strode up to me with a coy expression, grabbing my shoulder and lightly pushing me. She made me sit back down on the rock. Then, after looking me up and down with a sour expression, she let out a deep sigh.

“I’m relieved to see that your condition has returned to normal. I was so surprised by it all.”

“It’s also a relief to see that you look healthy.”

“Do I look healthy? I’m already suffering from chronic fatigue. My hair has become all frizzy, and I’ve gone through so much to stop my face from getting puffy. There are so many things I need to deal with, and I also have to head back and take care of my schoolwork.”

“Even though you’re so busy, you came all the way to the northern forest?”

“Well, I need to rest when I can. Also, I have something I need to tell you.”

* * *

Translator – Plumper

Proofreader – Harley

* * *

After saying that, Lortel pushed on my waist. She was trying to tell me to make some room, since the rock was so small. Moving my butt over, I made some room for her to sit. Sitting down gently, she looked at me with a satisfied smile.

“It’s about what Ziggs told me. How if I bought the Sage’s Seal and showed it to you, you would do anything I ask.”

I took a deep breath.

It was an urgent situation. Even though I needed to keep Krepin in check immediately, since I had overworked myself by passing out, I had no choice but to take care of it in any way possible. And this was the result.

“Once my father’s dismissal is completed and the transfer of power from the head seat is finished, the Elte Company is planning to change its name. Wouldn’t it be sort of weird to call it the Elte Company when Elte has been dismissed?”

“So?”

“We are planning on completely reorganizing the company’s structure. Until then, I’m thinking that we will get rid of the name ‘Elte Company’ and use a simple name like ‘Top Class’ instead. There’s going to be many personnel changes, and in the process my authority and influence will definitely become stronger.”

From just that much, I could get a rough idea of what Lortel was trying to say.

It was a specific type of kidnapping called ‘Scouting’.

“Once the business branch’s restructuring is complete, we will need a lot of new hands-on staff. It will be a pretty high up position, too. From employee management, asset management, sales flow, and even external affairs, you will oversee nearly everything… You will practically be one of the few people at the top with major authority.”

“……”

“Imagine that. When we wake up in the morning and go to work in the company’s building, there will only be a single wall between us. How great of a deal is that? As I was one of the people with authority back when it was the Elte Company, I’ll still have a decent share of personal assets that I will share with you. We will be just like a married couple… Oh my, why do I keep running my mouth and saying such nonsense? Hahahaha.”

By the middle of her speech, I could feel Lortel getting carried away in her excitement. She was usually so calm and collected, but she was so excited that she was talking rather quickly. 

Seeing her smile, it didn’t match that insidious smile that I had seen earlier… I was confused as to what rhythm she wanted me to dance at.

“We will occasionally see each other at work, and we will exchange glances and greet each other. When we go to the front together, we might have challenging times, and even be suspicious of each other, but… They say that the ground will harden even after it rains, right? As long as we have each other’s back as we develop the company, eventually the sun will rise again… As we slowly age, we will also become much more skilled in managing the company. So even though we made a lot of enemies on the way, at least we will be strong allies to each other… Ed, I’ve seen you be quick-witted, intuitive, and you also seem to have good sense when it comes to bookkeeping and personal management. You will definitely be an amazing merchant…”

“Lortel.”

She was going to give me a key corporate position at her company, share some of her private assets with me, and even my living conditions would improve greatly.

It was a mouthwatering offer. But there were many reasons why I would have to swallow my spit.

Needless to say, the events that would take place in Silvenia would ultimately also affect the world.

I couldn’t rely on the temporary emotions and skill set of a successful merchant like Lortel, or invest my entire life in such a risky job.

Above all else, Lortel’s behavior was completely irrational, unlike her usual self.

“Going this far just for me… It’s too strange.”

“……”

Calmly bringing up the reality of it all, as if she realized it herself, Lortel got rid of her disgraceful appearance.

“You really don’t know anything.”

“What?”

“I know how you are feeling, Ed. ‘Just what is wrong with that girl?’ You can’t agree to such a major deal based on a little girl’s momentary feelings. That must be what you’re thinking. I’m sure that you just want to keep a business relationship with me, up until the very end.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“That’s how people usually feel. But there is something that you don’t know.”

Lortel lowered her shoulders as she continued to speak in a dispirited voice.

“Do you know what you start craving the most in the world of business? Do you know what the most important thing is when living in a world where every little gesture, or every slight breath you take, changes the entire flow of hundreds of gold coins? One where, if you don’t stab someone else in the back first, you will be the victim?”

“……”

“A person that will never betray you. Even if everyone else in the world turns their back on you, a person that will always stay by your side. A person that, if you wake up one day and all the money you’ve saved up vanishes, will stand by you.”

To some, it might be their family. To others, perhaps a lover. Or maybe it was an ally that had been by their side for decades. 

Even though her life had been short thus far, Lortel must have witnessed the rise and fall of some of the greatest merchants of all time. 

As was often the case for those who lived a life blinded by greed, she must have always been alone and miserable.

The fact that she might one day be the one that falls… That fear would always live deep inside the hearts of those who stood on top.

There was no way for her to know if the people around her were looking at her for who she was, or if they were looking at the tower of gold coins under her feet.

That was why, if you needed that sort of relationship, you would have no choice but to make it yourself.

“There’s only one way to get such a person. Looking past their interests, all you can do is share each other’s feelings and help one another.”

It was nothing special and nothing all that great.

It might be in line with buying a meal for a friend who didn’t look like they were in a great spot.

It was common in a person’s social life for someone that helped you when you were having a tough time to later develop into a better and closer companion.

People who trusted each other in hardships would never betray each other. Maybe her story was something like that.

However, Lortel’s actions showed a different type of urgency.

Lortel, who lifted both her hands to hold my right hand in between hers, spoke with a weakened face.

“Nothing more and nothing less. Can’t you please just stay by my side?”

“Lortel…”

Then, I eventually said it.

“… First, stop laughing. Then you can try asking me again.”

“Ahh! You didn’t fall for it!”

Lortel burst into laughter as she put down her clasped hands, leaning back.

Seeing her come back to her usual self, she was like a fox wagging her tail.

“That’s too bad! I almost had you!”

“Your voice was getting too excited in the middle of your speech, you little—!”

“I’m only human, so I couldn’t help but get a little excited. How was it, though? Did it trigger your protective instinct at all? Usually, by showing someone my vulnerable side like that, their heart would begin to tremble.”

“Well, it did wake me up.”

“Ehhh, what a shame. Though, still…”

Lortel lowered her head as she added on something else.

“Not everything I said was a lie.”

There was a long moment of silence. For a while, I stayed completely still, listening to the rustling of the leaves and the flowing stream.

Surprised by the sudden silence, I turned my head to try and look at Lortel. For some reason, she had lowered her head even further, hiding her expression underneath her hood.

I couldn’t guess the reason at all; whether she was embarrassed, regretful, happy, or sad.

“I’m planning on graduating from Silvenia. Until then, I don’t have any intention of leaving school.”

I could list many reasons.

There were all the disasters that would take place at Silvenia. That was the most important reason. 

It was also the only place that I could use my future knowledge. That means that, at least until I graduated, there was no better place than the school for me to efficiently develop my growth.

Other than that… It was to lay the groundwork for surviving alone in the world, without having to rely on anyone else. Plus, I didn’t want the time and money I spent already to go to waste.

“As for what I’m going to do after graduating… I haven’t decided that yet.”

“Well, I guess you could just wait until graduation. But Ed. Did you know? You don’t have a choice in the first place?”

Lortel smiled as she took out a piece rolled up parchment from her pocket, then she pressed it against my chest.

Accepting it, I unrolled it to see… The certificate of sale for the Sage’s Seal.

When I looked up, Lortel had moved far away before I had even realized it. I couldn’t see her expression well because of the robe, but hearing the tone of her voice, she must have had a wide smile on her face.

“It was nice to see you again after such a long time. I’ll come back with my free pass soon.”

Unfortunately, it was my victory.

Completely certain about the turn of events, Lortel trotted off and disappeared into the woods. Only then did that appearance of the rare, one-of-a-kind female merchant finally return.

I sat by the stream, scratching my chin a few times.

Thinking about what was going to happen later… I felt like I had done a really terrible thing to Lortel.

From Lortel’s point of view, I didn’t think she would have figured it out yet, but…

But still… I felt like it left a debt on my heart…

***

‘That was dangerous…!’

Lortel was already out of her mind, fighting back the smile that threatened to cross her face.

After suffering through a heavy workload, she came to see Ed’s face for healing. However, halfway through she had to put all her concentration and thought into maintaining her facial expressions.

Originally, she had planned to approach him calmly and show him the certificate of sale. She planned to declare ‘you’re mine, now’, and end it there. But when she saw Ed contemplating in the early morning sun, her plan was disrupted.

Either way, she ended up speaking nonsense, and went completely off track from her original plan, but… It was a relief that her foxlike merchant persona seemed to be well maintained. If she had left even a bit later, surely her true expression would have been exposed.

‘I couldn’t even give him his change…!’

Most of the money Ed had was in gold coins.

The price of the magically engineered items he’d bought from Lortel for cheap were for paid using a single gold coin. Lortel had put the change in her leather bag before coming.

Since she didn’t know when she would be able to visit the camp again, she felt uneasy pushing it back any further.

That being said, she didn’t have the confidence to see Ed’s face again. Instead, she went behind the stream and headed back towards Ed’s camp. As long as she threw it somewhere near his cabin, Ed would be able to find it and take care of it.

The distance between the stream and the camp wasn’t that far. Lortel was going to stop by quickly and place the leather bag near the campfire in the middle of the camp, where he could clearly find it.

Thud!

At that moment, the door of the cabin opened.

Yennekar walked out holding onto Ed’s pillow, yawning with messy hair.

“Yaaawn…  Ed… went to the stream.”

Yennekar had seen Ed go out towards the stream while she was pretending to be asleep. She hadn’t slept because of the exhaustion that was flooding her body and the nervousness from spending a night in the same room as Ed, so she had pretended to sleep without saying anything… But she actually ended up falling asleep like the innocent girl she was.

“Before I head back, I should at least eat something simple…”

Rubbing her eyes as her vision started to come back, she made eye contact with Lortel, who was coming from the stream. 

Seeing each other’s faces was a disaster in their eyes.

“Why are you coming out of there, Yennekar…?”

“Why are you coming from the stream, Lortel…?”

It was also the beginning of a new disaster for Ed.

* * *

※ The article you’re reading is PepperoPepe’s ‘How to attack the Act 2 Boss for beginners, briefly focusing on the main points! (http://sihtdaerotevahtnoduoy.co.kr/memopad=11231) A summary of basic information and strategies. 

※ Please refer to the original article for detailed strategic information!

2-11; Act 2, Final Chapter

Boss: Inquirer Glast (Seeker of Truth)

■ Phase 1. Chasing Glast

Achievement Condition: Chase after senior professor Glast, who is fleeing from Trix Hall after kidnapping Ayla!

(Conditions for additional achievements.) Have ‘The Spear from Nature Ziggs’ join you.

(Conditions for additional achievements.) Have ‘Romantic Adele’ join you.

(Conditions for additional achievements.) Have ‘Gloomy Clevius’ join you.

(Conditions for additional achievements.) Have ‘Nosy Elvira’ join you.

Enemies:

Low-Rank Magic Golem* 50

Mid-Rank Magic Golem* 10

Head Researcher Melverick* 1

Student President Verus *1

Lazy Lucy *1

※ Once you’ve met the specific conditions, your colleagues will join you in rescuing Ayla partway through.

‘Spear from Nature Ziggs’: During Act 2, Chapter 7 ‘Devil of the Underground Waterways’, tell him the story about Ayla’s pendant.

‘Romantic Adele’: When asked about Ayla’s Magic Power Resonance, you answered honestly.

‘Gloomy Clevius’: During Act 2, Chapter 3 ‘The Occupation of Ophelis Hall’, Clevius is slapped and reprimanded by Ayla.

‘Nosy Elvira’: During Act 2, Chapter 5 ‘Exploring the Alchemy Department’s Society’, losing the debate with Ayla.

※ The Magic Golem is barely affected by magic power. It is easier to use physical strength to break through, incompatible magically engineered items, or modified alchemy reagents to neutralize it. 

※ You can skip over the head researcher Melverick, who appears midway through the chase, by taking a detour. If you don’t need a particular achievement or skill proficiency related to Magic Engineering, take the detour to save supplies.

※ The student president Verus’ swordsmanship can invalidate nearly all blocking-related skills. If it’s difficult to quickly dodge her attacks, it is okay to just use Swordmaster’s Skill one time. However, if you have used it once during the battle with Verus, make sure to avoid using it again until right before the boss.

※ If certain conditions are met, Lazy Lucy will appear as a hostile enemy. Make sure to avoid it as a bad ending is inevitable. The pre-conditions that are necessary are quite complicated, so it’s an event that rarely occurs. But if your goal is to complete a certain achievement, please refer to the original article for the detailed conditions!

■ Phase 2. Chasing Glast 2

Achievement Objective: Continue chasing after senior professor Glast, who has now hidden in the underground waterways!

Enemies:

Low-Rank Magic Golem* 70

Mid-Rank Magic Golem* 30

High-Rank Magic Golem Hayton* 1

Third year top alchemy student, Dorothy *1

Assistant Professor Cleoh Elpin *1

※ The High-Rank Magic Golem Hayton is resistant to most attacks. Use the Swordmaster’s Skill to defeat it or buy enough time for the event where the entrance to the underground waterways collapses. (Don’t waste any of your consumables!)

※ You can’t see the map while in the underground waterways. If it’s too difficult to remember the correct path, put your hand against the left wall and keep walking until you reach the entrance to the secret research room.

※ Through a dialogue choice, you can skip the battle against Dorothy. Each time the option will be different, but if you express the fact that she’s being deceived by Professor Glast as much as possible, it will work.

If combat begins, fight her in the same method as you dealt with the Act 1 mid-boss Elvira. You can quickly and easily clear the battle if you are careful about your distance while she is throwing reagents. 

※ There is not much direct combat with Assistant Professor Cleoh Elpin. If you destroy the shield she created with beginner magic, a cut scene will occur and you can move on to the next phase.

■ Phase 3. Searching Through the Secret Research Room

Achievement Objective: Advance to the deepest parts of the secret research room!

Enemies:

Alive and Moving Dolls* 80

Magic books with souls *440

Floating Bookshelves* 30

Soul Library Librarian, Reina* 1

Escaped Subjects* 30

Blue-blooded Kobold* 40

Gremlins with wings cut off* 10

Distorted Vampire Bat* 40

Celestial Researcher Koom* 1

Revived Devil of the Underground Waterways* 1

※ This is a tricky phase. The number of enemies are high, and they are all quite powerful. Gather your senses and handle it properly!

※ The order follows first the Soul Library – Monster Research Room – the central hallway. If the order is messed up you will need to do it again, so please take notice.

※ Enemies that appear as Souls barely take any damage from physical attacks. However, if ‘Romantic Adele’ joins the subjugation team she will be able to cast soul-fixing magic, allowing you to inflict physical damage. It’s very convenient to have, so make sure to bring her along.

※ The Soul-type magic used by the librarian Reina reduces your mental strength and restrains the flow of your magic power. You will also periodically fall victim to hallucinations, so be careful to not accidentally attack a member of the subjugation team. If you are in a state of hallucination, it’s better to just focus on avoiding attacks. 

※ Celestial Researcher Koom uses beginner level Celestial Magic. He’s immune to all forms of attacks and his magic attacking strength is very high, though he doesn’t move locations.

If you steadily keep lowering the number of monster subjects that he is summoning, eventually Koom’s Celestial magic circle will run wild, causing him to self-destruct. Don’t waste any consumables here unnecessarily.

※ The attack pattern of the revived devil of the underground waterways is nearly identical to the one you faced in Act 2, Chapter 7. However, as its body has become much bigger and the number of arms has increased, it is more difficult. Its range of attack is much larger, and the arm attached to its shoulder is able to cover its weak spot behind on its’ back, so you will have to face it with standard tactics.

Try to block as many attacks as you can, then attack it with full strength. If you have failed to acquire the appropriate clear specs, you will get stuck here. Make sure to check the level of your specs.

■ Phase 4. Advancing to the Tower of Magic Power

Achievement Objective: Attack Glast, who is resonating with the Sage’s Seal at the top of the tower of magic power. 

Enemies:

Wandering Skeletons* 30

Magic Powered Guardian Golems *20

Cyclops* 1

The Golden Daughter, Lortel* 1

※ You just need to deal with the enemies that appear while taking a straight path up the tower of magic power.

※ Note that some of the wandering skeletons shoot arrows. Also, deal with the elite monsters wearing armor first.

※ Due to its massive size, the Cyclops will move very slowly. However, if it hits you even once you will die. If you have brought along ‘The Spear from Nature Ziggs’, he will take the position of vanguard, making it very easy to clear.

※ The battle against Lortel can be skipped by picking the appropriate option. After the subjugation, if you promise to hand over the ownership of the Sage’s Seal to her the battle will not continue. However, if the seal is damaged in a later battle, the Sage’s Seal will disappear from the clear rewards.

If you are careful of her intermediate ice magic, it will be much easier than you think to defeat her. So don’t unnecessarily sacrifice the reward and continue with the battle.

■ Phase 5. The Glast Subjugation

Achievement Objective: Subjugate Glast!

Appearing Enemies:

Inquirer Glast* 1

※ He uses lots of tricky Celestial Magic and carries many magically engineered items. Listing the unique things to be wary of:

Miniature Time Reversal: Temporarily recovers all wounds and sends out an attack, fainting the entire battlefield.

Time Prison: At the start of the battle half of the subjugation members will be trapped in a time prison, unable to move. Until Glast’s vitality reaches the halfway point, they will remain detained. 

Reinforced Claw Fingers: A magically engineered item that pushes back the vanguard of the subjugation team, giving him an advantageous position. It’s usually used with elemental magic, so make sure to fix the battle formation quickly.

Shock-Enhanced Wave Ball: If you are hit at close range, you will immediately fall off the tower of magic power. Always make sure to keep your distance from it.

In addition, he regularly summons golems and monster experiments, as well as using magic common amongst other enemy magicians like elemental magic, spirit-type magic, and spatial magic. Please refer to the original version for information regarding the attacks of each phase.

■ Etc.

At the end of the time limit, Ayla will die, resulting in a bad ending. Make sure to move quickly.

Throughout the storyline, try and sufficiently raise the proficiency of the Swordmaster’s Skill up to 4 or 5. It’s a skill that is necessary to be proficient in when facing off against the Act 3 and Act 4 bosses.

This is an important act that lays the key foundation for the future storyline. It’s better to play through it without skipping as much as possible.

* * *

I sat alone by the stream, looking towards the slowly rising sun. With this newly refreshed body, I was encouraged to get started on some work.

I slowly stood up and turned around.

I remembered the three letters that I received before I collapsed from overworking.

One was a letter from Lortel, which contained a message to take care of myself, as Elte’s movements were suspicious.

Another was a personal letter from Princess Penia, who was trying to summon me for information regarding the Rothstaylor Family, since Krepin’s movements were suspicious.

And the last letter had come from the school. The person who had sent it to me was completely unexpected.

The senior professor in charge of the first years, Glast.

It was a message saying that he wanted to meet with me personally after the academy’s scheduled training at the end of the month. 

Sadly, as I was still unconscious during that time, I couldn’t go see him.

There’s no way for me to know why he had called on me, or what he had wanted to discuss.

Act 2 was now coming to its final stage, and his story was reaching its end as well.

____