Coming Back to the Academy

Hazel doubted the potion's effect, so he let Mircalla appraise it. She only observed the potion for a bit before saying, "The effect should be real. Phew, I am glad it only affects a grandfather."

Her words reminded Hazel about the harem system, making his heart sour. "Stop reminding me about the harem system."

"Hehe, I am sorry. As an apology, how about I help you look for a suitable grandfather to be conquered."

"You will help me?"

"Of course. If you become stronger faster, you can help me construct my body."

"About that. What should I do to help you construct your body?"

"Nothing much. You only have to supply me with your mana everyday. After you reach a certain level, I want you to visit my hidden treasure troves and pick up certain ingredients I have prepared in case I have to destroy my body."

Hazel suddenly remembered that Mircalla mentioned had her treasure troves. She promised to give him her treasures, and he would gladly accept it. However, before he decided to actually help her construct her new body, he wanted to know her intention after becoming free.

"It seems you are still suspicious of me...." Mircalla put on a sad expression for a moment before changing it to a bright expression. "Well, no matter! I can't guarantee that I am not a kind person, but I will prove my kindness to you. I can do at least this much because you are my savior!"

Hazel was quiet after hearing her confession. He had been living alone, and people rarely cared about him. Sometimes, he longed for love, but even he could only imagine it as luxury because a poor person had to shoulder many burdens in order to live.

Hazel thought he could have gotten someone to care for him when he became someone powerful and rich, but he never imagined someone would care for him as the current him. It was... not bad.

"Why are you spacing out? Let's leave. I think the goblins are starting to make their move. They are going to become more aggressive after finding out their cubs were killed."

Hazel suddenly realized he was still in the middle of the wilderness. He complied with her advice and left the place.

---

What Mircalla predicted came true. The goblins were going on a rampage. Even their high level elite forces joined the low level goblins to hunt humans.

The organizer of this event had to cancel the event, and they immediately saved the students and gathered them at a tree house on a giant tree. This was the academy's lookout and a base. This place was safe according to them.

Hazel was among one of the first people to arrive. After waiting for the other students to arrive, the organizers immediately held a speech in front of them.

"Due to a certain reason, we are canceling the event. We will still count your points and give rewards for ten people with the biggest points!"

And thus the organizers started to count their points for killing the goblins. After that, they called the ten people with the biggest points and rewarded them.

Hazel didn't pay attention to most of these people because he didn't want to feel jealous, especially when he was the last rank in this event.

Hazel was sitting on the bench by the window, looking at the beautiful trees outside. He tried to not care about the rewards. However, a sudden announcement attracted his attention. It was when the organizer called a certain woman's name.

"Rank 1, Luciana Salazar Martinique."

Following the call, a girl stepped on the stage.  She had straight brown hair and bright blue eyes. Her face made people want to protect her, but she wasn't a weak person. Luciana was the strongest student in the first year, and also one of the most beautiful women in the academy.

Just like any other normal man, Hazel admired her. Just like other men too, he could only see her from the side. Even popular guys were rejected by her, so he—an average person—would be rejected for sure.

Still, Hazel couldn't help but think maybe he could get close to her if he got stronger quickly.

As he thought of that, Mircalla slapped his back. "If you want to befriend her, you can just approach her and be upfront with your intentions. Don't wait until you become stronger this or rich that."

"Can you read my mind?" Hazel asked, shocked.

"I have an ability to read minds, but I don't need it to read you. It is apparent in your face. You have an inferiority complex."

Hazel scratched his head, feeling embarrassed. "Well, I can't refute."

Mircalla smiled. "You don't have to be something in order to get something. Just be yourself. Look...." Mircalla reached out and flicked his forehead. "We can become acquaintances even though you are nobody."

"Well, you are half right. Technically, we became acquaintances because I helped you."

"My points still stand. Be yourself and become useful to other people. Maybe someone will appreciate you," Mircalla said as she smiled innocently.

Even though her words were touching, Hazel couldn't fully agree with her. As a poor person, he had tried many things to survive such as being himself. However, he came to realize something. Becoming original was a privilege for truly strong people.

In this world, anything could be right if someone had the power to back up their ideal, even if the ideal was wicked.

Hazel, of course, wasn't fully against the idea of being himself. He would just act accordingly in response to different situations, even if he had to suppress the sense of himself. This was his way to survive in this dog eat dog world.

"You seem to not believe me. It's fine, but remember this advice from me, a former high level. All strong people can become strong because they have a sense of self from the start. They don't have the 'self' after becoming strong, so if you want to become strong, find your 'self' and your 'ideal'," Mircalla said in a serious tone.

Hazel looked at her lonely expression and realized she might have gone through more difficult situations than him. After all, she was older than him. Maybe he needed to listen to her advice.

Hazel would try to think about his 'self' and 'ideal' later. He needed to leave this place first because the speech was done.

The organizers had called an airship, and it was waiting for the students outside of the tree house.

When Hazel arrived at the platform outside of the tree house, a giant ark floated next to the tree house. It let out a staircase, allowing people to enter it.

That was the flying ark. In this world, not only did humans gain superpowers, technology also became advanced. Ships or arks models were more popular than the old planes nowadays. Some luxurious flying arks were facilitated with a swimming pool, restaurant, and recreation areas. Not only that, all these flying arks could dive into the ocean too, so it was more versatile than old planes.

As Hazel entered the flying ark, he immediately sought his room. Sadly, this ark was only meant as transportation, and it was nothing luxurious. Aside from many rooms, a kitchen, and a public bath, it had nothing else.

Regardless, Hazel enjoyed the trip back to the academy. He spent the time eating alone. After that, he took a bath and went to sleep.

The next day, the first year students arrived at the academy. They got off the ship at the academy's dock, and all of them went straight to the stadium, where they had to listen to another boring speech. After that, they finally could go to their dorms.

Hazel went to the backyard of the cafeteria first while most of the students went to the dormitories. He was really hungry again, so he wanted to eat first.

The reason he went to the back of the cafeteria was because he had an odd job to do. He helped the cafeteria owner to tidy up the trash into bags. After that, he brought them to the incinerator.

After his job was done, Hazel knocked on the back door of the cafeteria and waited. After a while, an old man in their sixties opened the door and greeted him with a smile.

That old man was the cafeteria boss, and Hazel always helped him clean up trash in exchange for the food. That was the extent of their relationship. No more, no less. However, it seemed the old man really appreciated his work because he could see his high rate of affection for him from that old man with the system.

[Name: Roy Aldini

Age: 67

Level: 19

Grandchildren: 7

Affection: 69

Personality: ....

Like: ....

Dislike: ....

Talent: None

Abilities:....]

This was the first time he peeked into someone's information through the system. He couldn't do that with the old system. It was rather useful as he could see his detailed information.

Old Man Roy's information entered the system. After that, a notification window appeared in front of him.

[Target Roy Aldini's affection toward you has reached 69! You have been rewarded with 100 affection points!]

[You have completed a daily quest, Quality Time With a Grandfather! You have gained 100 system exp and 100 personal exp! You have been rewarded with 100 special points!]

[Congratulations! You have reached level 2!]

Hazel was surprised to see the system messages, but he immediately swiped them aside. He would check it later.

"Oh, isn't it our Hazel? You have come back!" The old man cocked out his neck and saw the cleaned backyard. He smiled and said, "You have done your job. It was hard to clean the trash without you. Wait a minute...."

The old man entered the cafeteria again. After a while, he came back with a tray of food. "This is your payment. Thank you for your job as usual."

Hazel smiled as he received the tray. "Thank you, sir." After saying his thanks, he left the backyard and went to the front yard of the cafeteria. He enjoyed his meals in gusto.

Mircalla smiled warmly at her and said, "See? Some people are still kind to you when you become yourself. You just need courage to manifest your 'self' and 'ideal'."