Chapter 63

EP.63 Second Attribute

Instructions.

Aichel Whiteclark, the next Duchess of the North, told her younger sister, Keridna Whiteclark:

1. Keep an eye on Isaac from a distance. There's no need to go out of your way to watch him. However, if you notice anything unusual, report it in detail.

2. Under no circumstances should you use [Sight Synchronization] on Isaac. Unless you want to go blind.

3. Do not speak of Isaac in any way. He is not someone we can meddle with.

It sends shivers down my spine.

Aichel's solemn voice, which warned her as if giving a stern lecture, was still firmly etched in Keridna's mind. Whenever she thought about it, she still felt a chill run through her body.

'What is that man, anyway?'

Temporary Class 3 lecture room.

Keridna Whiteclark, a girl with short pink hair, sat at her desk, resting her chin on her hand and tapping the desk lightly with her fingers, lost in thought.

The professor was conducting an orientation on the second-semester curriculum at the front of the podium, but Keridna couldn't focus on the content at all.

Isaac, who was the weakest in the first-year Magic Department with an E-grade in magic power.

The White Dragon, the symbol of the Whiteclark Dukedom and a mythical beast.

The scene of them forming a familiar contract was firmly stuck in her mind and wouldn't go away.

Where should she start being surprised? That the White Dragon from mythology was still alive? Or that Isaac had formed a master-familiar contract with it? Either way, it was an incredibly far-fetched story.

'Of course, he's not the weakest anymore.'

Since the start of the second semester, Isaac had rapidly grown to a C+ grade in magic power. Even so, the fact that he was still much weaker than her remained unchanged...

It was confusing. What exactly is Isaac?

As she continued to think, the vivid memory of Aichel shedding a large amount of blood and tears resurfaced. It still gave her goosebumps.

If Aichel hadn't taken away the [Sight Synchronization], Keridna herself would have gone blind. Aichel had paid the price for her peeking at the monster that was Isaac.

Fortunately, Aichel had a high-level [Basic Protection Magic] constantly active, or she would have gone blind.

Keridna now owed Aichel a debt that she couldn't repay in a lifetime.

“Ugh...”

Keridna had no idea how terrifying a secret she had almost uncovered.

However, one thing was clear.

Isaac... is like a monster lurking in the depths, a source of fear.

There are truths in this world that are better left unknown. And Isaac's secret might be one of them.

Keridna had almost gone blind trying to witness it.

Now, Isaac was starting to feel scary.

* * *

[Congratulations! Your second elemental attribute slot has been unlocked!]

[Your second elemental attribute is [Rock].]

From level 63 to 68, I invested my stats into [Magic Training Efficiency] every time I gained one.

Thanks to this, [Magic Training Efficiency] is now at a total of 81 stats, with a grade of A+.

I met Kaya Astraean. She blushed and tried to avoid me whenever she saw me. Reading her mind, I understood that she was embarrassed because of the kiss she gave me on the cheek during the closing ceremony.

I approached Kaya and tried to greet her casually, but she showed no intention of continuing the conversation. She only pleaded, “Please forget my mistake on the closing ceremony day...”

Seeing her desperate state, I had no choice but to agree. Then, Kaya ran away.

It seemed that the distance between us wouldn't close anytime soon.

Recently, the class assignment evaluation was conducted. Since no demons appeared in the first-year second-semester class assignment evaluation, I just had to do my best.

As a result, I was assigned to Class C. I had reached the upper echelons of Class C, and it seemed that all the students found it hard to believe.

Most students remained in the same class as the previous semester.

The same went for the students in Class D.

Whenever I met them in the hallway, they frowned. Reading their minds, I discovered that they felt inferior to me.

‘Kya.’

Look at the temperature difference from the last semester when students sent me contemptuous and disdainful looks.

I was the weakest, the one everyone thought was better than, but now... it was a significant improvement.

Thus, the <Märchen's Magic Knight> Act 4, Chapter 1, "Start of the Second Semester" part passed without incident.

Evening.

After finishing all my classes for the day, I headed to a corner of the butterfly garden. Since I spent most of my time there during the first semester, I wanted to review new things there as well.

Unlike the first semester, where I focused on one elemental attribute, I would have to train my second elemental attribute alongside it in the second semester. The curriculum was structured that way.

For efficient growth, systematic magic education was important, so the better I followed the curriculum, the better.

Through this semester's curriculum, I successfully opened my second elemental mana circuit. At that time, the system window appeared, indicating that my second elemental attribute slot had been unlocked.

「Rock Creation (Rock Attribute, ★1)」

“Hmm.”

When I channeled mana into my right hand, small rock fragments appeared and floated as if in zero gravity.

I had a rock attribute constitution. I had hoped for a gaseous or liquid attribute like fire, water, lightning, or wind, but my second attribute turned out to be a solid form like ice.

There were some drawbacks in terms of efficiency and mobility.

‘Still, the advantages are clear.’

I can list three immediate advantages.

The first advantage is synergy. Rock magic can counter fire magic, which is the greatest weakness of ice magic. Of course, water would have been better.

The second advantage is style. Dropping a rock while crossing my arms and saying something cool like “The sky moves all things” would be incredibly stylish.

The third advantage is my familiar.

I summoned Iden. A light brown elemental mana gathered in the air and formed the shape of my small golem familiar, Iden.

Iden landed lightly on the ground.

[Cooh! ...Cooh?]

My familiar, Iden, is a rock attribute. Therefore, I can provide my rock mana to Iden.

When I channeled rock mana, Iden was surprised and started to tremble.

“Iden, does my mana taste good?”

[Yes!]

Iden nodded enthusiastically.

The cute little guy. I smiled and stroked Iden's head.

Providing a large amount of mana promotes the growth of a familiar, allowing it to keep up with its master's level.

When I summon Iden and pour rock mana into him during the next [Demon Slayer] activation, he will receive a temporary buff and experience a significant power-up.

After that, he will grow at an incredible rate. Hehe.

The next demon I will face is the elephant demon, “Elphert the Void,” from the <Märchen's Magic Knight> Act 4, Chapter 3, "The Underground Giant" part.

To reach him, I need to complete a very difficult mission in the Act 4, Chapter 2, "Food Chain" part. As expected, the insane difficulty will not disappoint.

There was one thing that concerned me more.

‘Kaya is the problem.’

Kaya Astraean, the hidden boss of the Act 4, Chapter 3, "The Underground Giant" part, is “Kaya the Devourer.”

Our Kaya Astraean becomes a demon. Although it's temporary, the fight with her as a demon cannot be avoided.

In the community, she is called “Dark Kaya” for short. There were many posts like “Is Dark Kaya's difficulty level off the charts?” making fun of her non-existent parents. The pattern was so unconventional that it was incredibly difficult.

Currently, Kaya is stronger than in the original scenario and has a wider range of tactics.

Aside from the cooperative experience points we received in the Tantak underground cave, the decisive factor was the wand of Armana I gave her as a gift.

That gift saved my life in the first semester, but in the second semester, it will become a boomerang that targets my neck.

In other words, the pattern of Dark Kaya will be completely different from what I know. It will be like an unknown territory to me.

‘It doesn’t matter, I’ll win anyway.’

However, the reason I gave Kaya the wand of Armana without worry was clear.

No matter how different the Dark Kaya pattern becomes, the fact that I am stronger in [Demon Slayer] mode is obvious.

First, my level is much higher than Dark Kaya’s in [Demon Slayer] mode.

For reference, the lower the level compared to the opponent, the less damage you take, but I don’t have to worry about that.

Moreover, I have Frostblade and the Ice Snow Dragon. It’s a fight I can’t lose.

While lost in thought,

“Kyaah.”

“Gah!”

A sudden intimate sound rang in my ear.

Startled, I covered my ear and moved to the side. Wow, I thought my ear was going to melt.

I quickly turned my head to the back where the sound came from. A girl with lavender hair and a witch's hat came into view.

“Nya-ha-ha! The president is so cute!”

Dorothy's