Ch. 14.2

"I do know."

"Oh, really? There are very few people who know about it. It's an abandoned building now. I can't go in there because it's closed, but in fact, in the basement…"

"Wait a minute."

Believing that it shouldn't happen, I hurriedly stopped Eisel.

As she stated, this was extremely valuable information. It could bring in massive benefits or a misuse depending on the listener.

In the game, Edna was able to significantly increase her affinity with the desired male protagonist based on this information.

In other words, Edna knew what Eisel knew in the original Romance Fantasy Novel.

Eisel, too, should hand over this valuable information to the male protagonist. Not an extra like me.

"It's a scary story, isn't it? I don't want to listen. I don't think it'll be fun."

"… It's not a scary story. Are you afraid of ghosts? You're not as I thought."

"Okay, I'll just tell you for free."

'Don't waste that valuable information in vain.' I swallowed those words back.

Anyway, just the thought that Eisel was sincerely trying to trade something was enough for me.

This was because I was aware of the fact that despite the tricks and annoyances she had suffered from the people, she was essentially the nicest, righteous, and most unfortunate person in the world.

"Hmm, you acted like you weren't going to tell me anything earlier, but you suddenly changed your mind?"

"Yes. I don't usually tell someone, but I'm telling you because you're pretty."

"Uh."

"Are you saying you are not pretty?"

"It's not like that. So, what would you recommend?"

"It doesn't have to do with your grades, but it's really good for you right now. Take 'Meditation' as a liberal arts subject."

Although it was not yet known, meditation was very important for a priest-type mage, who poured destructive magic into a wide range at once.

It was important to understand the formula for accurate casting, but in the end, it all comes from the brain that manipulates the mana.

"Meditation? It's not very popular as a liberal arts subject. I've been learning Twelve New Moons Studies as a hobby, but also to polish it up…"

"No, wait."

At that point, the importance of meditation was not yet known, so Eisel's reaction was natural.

However, after only a short period of time, most priests would meditate for hours every day. In that sense, meditation was a hugely important course for priests.

When I thought about that, I felt my head pounding.

'Wait, come to think of it, I'm also a mage, right?'

Recently, my growth had been stalled. There were no episodes, and there were no demons in the school, so there was no way to acquire EXP.

At least, I was increasing my strength through training, but that was the limit.

But, why didn't I ever think of training like other mages?

In the game, I was successful in training the character's constitution whereby its mana would constantly travel back and forth between nature and the body, thereby awakening the Mana Accumulation Retardation skill.

In the game, it was enough to train automatically by pressing a button, and one could earn EXP for free...

Now that it had become a reality, couldn't I do it myself with this body?

In the game, if I just worked hard, my skill level went up. However, in reality, it was slow and there was a serious lack of content to acquire skill points.

If so, repeated training like this was the answer.

As soon as I thought about it, my mind felt clear.

'I'm a mage, too. So, I need to train like a mage'. I came to this conclusion and somehow felt better.

"My master was a priest, and through meditation, he greatly increased his magical power. Although I would never tell this to anyone else, since it's you, I am telling you this."

"Um, a Master. Thank you. It's a pity I didn't hear anything about grades, but I will apply this. There was one course left anyway."

When the conversation was over, Eisel suddenly disappeared somewhere.

"It was worth teaching her…"

I was a little scared to think about how this action would affect the future. However, leaving a girl who would be unhappy in the future because I was afraid of manipulating destiny struck my conscience as well, so I did not regret my actions.

Besides, you never know, do you? I wonder what kind of expensive rewards I would get if she meditated and gained enlightenment.

… Well.

I did not think that was gonna happen.

'She's a beggar like me now.' I quickly gave up on thinking.

After class, I returned to the dormitory and stared blankly at the empty room.

"The dormitory is very spacious."

At Stella Academy, all students lived in a dormitory. The dormitories were also graded, divided from Class F to Class S.

This dormitory system was like a 'decoration room' for the players, but it became the only home for me. There was really no place to go back to because my hometown was burned down in the game setting.

Class F and Class S were not significantly different from one another. It had the same room structure, and the furniture was nearly identical. However, Class F-E had four people in one room, Class D-C had three, and Class B-A had two.

And those in Class S had one room for themselves and were assigned to the highest floor.

The system that divided mages ranks according to floor number was already implemented in the school.

'I'm lucky to be assigned to Class S, so I can use it alone, but it's a little lonely."

Nonetheless, there were benefits as a result of it.

I was reminded of the previous incident as I sat cross-legged in the middle of the room.

'Meditation.'

Meditation was very important to mages. And, although I could only use one magic skill, I was still a mage.

Why did I still think of Flash and Mana Accumulation Retardation as simple skills?

It was possible to increase the ability by accumulating EXP through hunting or clearing episodes, but it was possible to raise stats and skills by training.

I had hardly ever exercised in real life, and this was the first time I used 'mana'. In other words, I had to become more accustomed to mana. This was not a problem that could be implemented with a skill level or the like.

'Simple stats are not important. This is reality, so I have to adapt myself to my body.'

I still did not know much about my body. Because, I couldn't know everything just by looking at the status numbers. I had to move and feel it myself.

Activating Flash with a mouse and keyboard was very different from activating Flash in reality.

Likewise, additional skills that would be dealt with using 'Mana Accumulation Retardation' in the future would have to be controlled purely with my own senses.

Compared to the other 'geniuses,' I was far behind.

Since I couldn't even handle magic, my abilities were close to the weakest, and even my control over mana was at the level of a newborn baby.

In the game, Baek Yu-Seol was a genius who succeeded in comprehending 'sword aura' by feeling that aura using his 'Mana Accumulation Retardation', which constantly leaked mana.

Although he did not stand out due to his lack of importance, no one could deny the fact that he was the only 'sword master' to master the ultimate sword aura in this magical world, and I must walk the same path that another 'me' walked.

Whoa… Whoa…

I could feel the mana entering into my body as I breathed in and then out again.

The total amount of mana that entered in one breath. And the total amount of mana that escaped again.

The circulation of mana was determined solely by my breathing rate.

In other words, breathing was playing a similar role to the controller that handled mana.

If one gradually increase the amount of mana he inhale in one breath, he will be able to achieve high efficiency someday.

The amount of mana, which was only a spoonful, gradually increased with each breath. It was a very small amount, the size of a grain of millet, but I could breathe more mana than before.

'Skills are not simply raised by accumulating EXP.'

'The more you use the skill, the higher the skill level.'

'Then, wouldn't it be possible to train and raise skills?'

Even skipping dinner, I closed my eyes and concentrated on meditating, maximising the sense of Mana Accumulation Retardation.

Late dusk… No, early morning. As the sun began to rise, I opened my eyes and felt a new sense of change.

'Mana Accumulation Retardation' had a completely different feeling from when it simply existed as a skill.

Baek Yu-Seol, who had lived his whole life accepting the Mana Accumulation Retardation since childhood, felt this sensation.

I was feeling it, at least to some level now.

[The level of the skill 'Mana Accumulation Retardation' has increased.]

[The level of skill 'Flash' has increased.]