Chapter 4: Deculein (4)

Roteo Hall.

That was the name of the university building I just gave a lecture in. It's the third largest building on the university grounds, built ten years ago with the donations of the Yuklines.

Now I was walking out of the Roteo Hall and onto the campus. Right now the students had vacation so there were few of them around, so I thought about taking a walk around the campus.

"It's wide"

The university was much larger than I expected. Also, the entire area was flat and the gardens, playgrounds, various buildings, facilities and the environment, including the streets indeed looked similar to the american campus our team took as reference.

First, I headed towards Deculein's office.

For your information, the top university in the game was the "Imperial University" and the Tower is one of the most important faculties. In Korea the Magic Department would be the Department of Medicine at Seoul National University and the Tower would correspond to the Seoul National University Hospital.

While I was walking around like that, I felt someone walking behind me.

Was it an assassin? I was startled, but fortunately, it was just the magician who was with me in the car. Though I didn't exactly know who they were, as they had their robe's hood pulled down.

"...Was your name Zorro?"

"What? Pardon? No, no! I'm Allen!"

"I got confused."

"Ah... But Allen and Zorro aren't...ye, yeah...."

I walked without saying a word. Then Allen suddenly said something.

"Professor! You, you look so picturesque, walking like that. I, uh, should've brought a camera-"

"You don't have to say things like that anymore. Rest assured"

"Ah, o, okay...."

I bet Deculein ordered you to do that in the past.

The Tower, like any ordinary tower, was built high enough that it could be seen from anywhere on the campus, so I could see where it was while walking. I reached it quickly.

[Senior Professor: Deculein von Grahan Yukline confirmed]

[Authentication completed]

The magic tech door of the tower recognized my body and my iris and then opened by itself.

As soon as I entered the tower lobby there were many people who bowed to me. I greeted them and said something to Allen.

"Let's go to the office."

"Understood!"

Allen leapt forward and pressed the button on the lobby elevator.

The Floor number was 77.

The Mana stone elevator arrived in 3 seconds

[Senior Professor: Deculein von Grahan Yukline]

My office occupied almost half of this floor. It was such a wide and luxurious office.

"...."

The interior was sparkling clean, the shelves were full of books and the desk was filled with crystal beads, fountain pens, a diamond name plaque, an imperial professor's seal, golden wands, etc..... I looked around this blinding place without any expression.

"What is this?"

As soon as I sat down in the office chair, I noticed a book on the desk. Its form and specifications were similar to a guestbook.

"Oh, this is the sponsorship list for the new magicians this year!"

I opened the cover and scanned it's contents.

| New magician (Debutant) | Jaylen | 19 |

| Attribute: Element | Main Type: Support | Sponsorship: 30000/500000 | Scouting report |

"Hm"

I got the gist of it as soon as I looked over it.

The tower was seen as a research institute in this world. It was similar to Caltech or MIT back in my world and research funds were indispensible.

No, a magician needed even more money than some modern day scientist or engineer.

Astronomical amounts of resources are spent not only on developing practical, destructive or useful magic, but also on basic food expenses, material expenses etc. for the development of the magician themselves.

"...?"

As I was looking at that person, I titled my head.

Some magicians' names were shining gold.

I almost instinctively realized that they were names of "beneficial people". Perhaps this was the result of the combination of [Man of great wealth] and [Vision].

[Man of great wealth]

* Rating

:Rare

* Description

:A born man of great wealth. If it comes to "Money-making", you hold unrivaled intuition.

:The more information is given, the more accurate it is.

[Vision]

* Rating

:Rare

* Description

:The power to intuitively see characteristics and such with your eyes.

:It is used in combination with other traits rather than on its own.

The combination of a trait responding strongly to money making opportunities and a trait that makes this visible to my eyes.

In other words, just by looking at these magicians' names and scouting reports that analyzed their strengths and weaknesses I could tell if they were worth money.

"This name seems familiar...."

| New magician (Debutant) | Ifrin Luna | 17 |

| Attribute: Vessel | Main Type: Destruction and Support | Sponsorship: 0 / 10000000 | Scouting Report |

Luna, Luna, Luna... The woman had light gray hair and stared at the camera with jade eyes that seemed to want to defy the world.

She was like a beautiful yet unfinished blade or a new-born beast. Maybe like a young cheetah.

"...."

I didn't model her, but I once heard in the company that Deculein had a bad relationship with this Named Character. He's her father's enemy or something.

Anyway, Luna's sponsorship amount remained 0.

All the other new magician's got at least 10000 Elne.

"Why didn't this person get any sponsorship money?"

I asked Allen.

"Pardon?"

"Her name is Ifrin Luna."

Then Allen shuddered.

"That...Person?"

"What's wrong?"

"...Yes?"

"It's okay. Go ahead."

"Ah...The other professors and investors from the Tower...saw the report...."

It's because of Deculein.

Nodding my head, I looked over Luna's scouting report and found something rather surprising.

| Sponsorship: 0/10000000 |

"...Allen. Do you know how much this school's food costs these days?"

"Oh, the royal pork cutlet is about 3 Elne. It's very delicious. I might try it later...Ah, my apologies."

It seemed like 1 Elne was about 1000 won.

"If so, then this child doesn't know much about the world."

She requested a maximum of 10,000,000 Elne. 10 million Elne, so about 1 billion won. Did she want to eat so much until her stomach burst? Even if it's called sponsorship, she would have to pay it back with interest.

"Sponsorship...."

I stroked my chin and pondered.

This magician, Ifrin Luna, is Deculein's enemy.

No, Deculein is that magician's enemy.

However, no matter if they hold a grudge against this character called Deculein or not, if left like this, 'I' or anyone else in my situation would end the same as him in the game.

[A Villain's Fate]

* Rating

: ???

* Description

: The Fate of a Villain. The whole world wants you dead.

: But what doesn't kill you makes you stronger....

A Villain's fate, the so-called inevitable death.

Deculein would die in various ways in the game. Whether his heart got pierced, got crushed, got shot by an arrow, got poisoned, he died in an explosion or something else, the fact didn't change that he died.

Therefore, I had to make different choices.

The original Deculein would never have made such a choice.

But....

"Allen, almost half of these people would hate receiving money from me, wouldn't they?"

I asked as such and looked at Allen's reaction. Allen shuddered and shook his head.

Although he quickly denied it, he actually meant to say "yes".

"... I'll give it to them even if they don't like it. They wouldn't dare refuse my sponsorship."

As I said that, I immediately became sad and checked many names.

However, I put down "anonymous" under the [Sponsor] column.

If I wrote down my real name for no reason and they found out it would definitely backfire.

"Allen, now go do your job."

"U, understood!"

Allen answered quickly and left. He shouted louder than ever.

Now that I was alone, I turned my chair back and looked out of the window.

The view from the top floor was spectacular.

Rays of sunlight filled the air and migratory birds swarmed around the clouds. These numerous wings that flitted between those particles of light seemed more free than anything else.

"In order to survive..... I'll need a lot of money first"

I mumbled quietly.

The more money, the better, I have to save it up to save my life. Some of these bad relationships can be solved with money after all.

Fortunately, that's not too hard because of the traits I have. I'm sure I'll get ten times as much profit just by investing in the right magician.

"Even so, how should I act as time passes? Where should my existence head....?"

After I've made money, what's next?

There will be no end to the Named Characters who hate me and they'll be the death of me without even really trying.

For me to survive against them....

"I must have 'my own strength'."

My strength.

That strength is, of course, related to wealth, but what I need is more intrinsic strength.

What I need right now is – fighting power.

Fortunately, I knew this body's talents. Although his talent is mediocre, he certainly has the "Elemental" attribute and the "Control" type aptitude.

He wasn't able to control all elements like Deculein boasted, but just two: Fire and Earth.

Also this body had many traits I added.

Among them was [Mida's Touch].

[Mida's Touch]

* Rating

: Unique

* Description

: Consumes the User's Mana to unlock targets potential

: Increases the target's performance by the magic power consumed, if the target does not have any potential, it grants a special effect appropriate to the target's class

: However, Mana can only be given in units of thousands and can't be used repeatedly

It was higher rated than [Man of great wealth].

I picked up a fountain pen from the desk to experiment on it.

[Mana : 1315 / 3375]

My mana had also sufficiently recovered, so activating this trait became a desire in my heart.

"...!"

The power in my neck and temples got exhausted.

That was it.

There was no change to the outward appearance of this fountain pen.

But there was certainly a change. It was a change that could only be confirmed through the system.

[Yukline Fountain Pen]

* Rating

: High Rank

* Class

: Other > Writing Tool

: Equipment > Weapon

* Description

: A fountain pen carved out of pure gold with a family crest on it. [Midas' Touch] increased its durability.

* Special effects

: When used, writing skills seem to improve.

I spread out a white paper and tried to write something.

It turned into calligraphy.

"... In that case."

After I put down the fountain pen, I thought about how to combine my traits and talents.

Vision. Midas' Touch. Understanding.

Control Type. Elemental. Fire and Earth.

While I was actively comparing my traits and talents, "Understanding" just triggered without my intentions.

Bzzzit-

The electric current from my brain warmed my whole body. Instantly my hair stood on end and an idea flashed through my mind like lightning.

Earth and Fire.

Through the combination of these two elements, metal is created.

Also, [Midas' Touch] had the characteristic to strengthen said metal.

As a magician, I could handle such metal with control type magic.

-I won myself a sword

It's a grandiose sword, after all it's "Psychokinesis", although it's theoretically pretty awkward to use as my main force.

The lack of talent, which is Deculein's weakness, can be reinforced with the quality of the metal.

There aren't just steel alloys in this world. There were also fraudulent metals comparable to the mithril of legend, so if I make full use of my money, I should be fine....

After I finished thinking I looked up with satisfaction.

"If clearing this game is truly the answer, this one has to survive until the very end.....Oh, what's with this tone?"

I tapped my lips. I also belatedly checked my sitting posture.

My waist leaned straight against the back of the chair, the neck neatly rested on the neck rest and the two arms raised on the armrest maintained a distinctive angle.

Even such enormously formal actions were nothing but unconscious gestures to me.

This naturalness was terrifying.

"...Allen, are you there?"

I called Allen through the crystal ball.

[Yes! I'm coming!]

Stomp, stomp, stomp.

I heard stomping footsteps and then Allen appeared.

"Yes! I'm here!"

I pitied Allen seeing him like that. Was this what graduate students were like on earth?

Maybe not.

"I shall call it a day. Borrow the books I have written down and return as well"

"Ah... Ye, yes! Understood!"

For some reason I really seemed to dislike the idea of leaving work already, but I still wrote down the names of some books on a piece of paper.

The first was on magic metals and the second was on Control magic.

Allen was confused, because both books were of "Basic" level, but soon after he bowed 90 degrees towards me and left.