OHNIR – Chapter 4
Chapter 4: The Encounter
After successfully completing the entrance ceremony, Kelusta and Kevit officially became students of Holy Light Magic Academy.
The first-year curriculum wasn't very demanding. It seemed the academy intentionally wanted them to experience life outside of class, so Kelusta had more time to complete her tasks.
In the original story, during her first year at Holy Light Magic Academy, Kelusta met the male capture targets one after another. She attracted their attention through various means, thus beginning her academy life of being bullied, slapping back, and falling in love all at once.
Although it was called academy life, as everyone knows, in any game, novel, or TV series set in an academy… the main quest is never about studying.
"But I will not cease my efforts to study," Kelusta said enthusiastically, sitting in the library and holding up a history book. "Superior wisdom is humanity's greatest treasure!"
System: "..."
The studious Kelusta dashed to the library every day. Kevit couldn't even catch her, let alone the other capture targets—she hadn't even seen them yet and had no idea when the initial plot points would be triggered.
But it didn't matter. Kelusta, who had taken it upon herself to save her hometown, didn't care at all.
Only the weak fall in love; the strong are lone wolves!
Kevit, her sunny childhood friend, spent a few days with her in the library. He discovered that all Kelusta did was read and read, not even saying a word to him. Unable to bear it any longer, he successfully fled after a week. And Kelusta finally put down the history books, which came in various editions but were all largely the same in content.
"I'm exhausted," she said, tossing the book History of Holy Light Magic Academy aside. She held her head, made a gagging expression, and said resentfully, "How did I not realize in all these years that Kevit talks so much!"
The System cautiously remained silent. Fortunately, Kelusta didn't need its response and just continued her frantic internal monologue: "Every time he sits here, he tries everything to talk to me, forcing me to pretend to read just to have an excuse to ignore him. Heavens!"
After venting about Kevit, she wasn't finished. She immediately switched targets and said irritably, "And these books—Nobili's history is only a few years long. At most, you can add the Age of Gods, which can be summed up in a few strokes. How did these authors manage to write volume after volume of nonsense!"
"From this day forward, the sight of history will make me faint."
Kelusta declared decisively, even jumping up from her seat and adding angrily, "Including history class!"
Once she had vented her frustration and sat down again, the System chose a timely and well-intentioned moment to speak up. "I have good news and bad news, temporary host. Which would you like to hear first?"
Kelusta slumped in her chair, listless. "Don't tell me the bad news. Can you just tell me the good news?"
The System paid her no mind, acting as if its audio input program had suddenly short-circuited with a crackle of sparks and hadn't heard a single word.
"The bad news is," it paused, then said concisely, "the library only has history books."
"What?!" Kelusta shot up straight in shock. "Even Seaside Town has fairy tales! Why does a grand magic academy only have history books?!"
She suddenly remembered how, in her attempts to avoid talking to Kevit, she had always just grabbed a random book from the shelf, and unexpectedly, it had been a history book every single time...
Damn it.
"A wide variety of books are kept in the Royal Library, which is for the exclusive use of the royal family," the System said slowly. "Seaside Town... is perhaps an exception. There is no corresponding record in the database."
Kelusta looked up in despair at the seemingly intricate and exquisite bookshelves and shivered violently.
The Glory of the Age of Gods, The Cruel Era: War of Gods, A Chronicle of Major Events at Holy Light Magic Academy, Secret History of the Nobili Royal Family: The Slaughter of Heirs, A Brief Analysis of the Origin of the Conflict Between the Goddess of Light and the Goddess of Darkness...
Even a "brief analysis" could be a two-inch-thick book!
What kind of "brief" was that!
And she had to swim freely in this "river of history" until she successfully obtained the "Sage" achievement...
Kelusta overturned her previous vow with a deadpan expression: "I hate studying."
The System was silent for a moment, then said placatingly, "Don't be discouraged, temporary host. There is still some good news."
Hearing this, a glimmer of light finally appeared in her beautiful, sunflower-bright golden eyes. Kelusta practically shot bolt upright in her chair and said excitedly, "Say something human for a change!"
But it seemed the System was determined not to speak "human" today, as every word uttered by its electronic voice felt like a sharp blade to Kelusta.
It said cruelly, "The good news is, the requirement to unlock the 'Sage' achievement is: you must read every book in the library at least once."
After announcing this terrible news, it acted as if nothing was wrong, even offering what it considered a thoughtful, friendly reminder. "If they are all history books, their content will be largely the same, which means you don't need to read them too carefully. Dear temporary host, I must say, you are somewhat lucky."
This was true. Among the many worlds the System had served, there had never been a library quite as... monotonous in its collection as the one at Holy Light Magic Academy.
As Kelusta was so shocked by this "good news" that she nearly choked and departed from this beautiful world on the spot, it added with great kindness, "Due to the existence of the Royal Library, the collection at Holy Light Magic Academy is relatively small—Current progress: 32/8026. Good luck, esteemed temporary host."
The unlucky Kelusta read books day and night for a month.
The first-year courses at the magic academy weren't particularly esoteric. Plus, with the System finally willing to offer her some warmth in the form of cheating, getting through her classes safely wasn't difficult for Kelusta.
But by the same token, she couldn't shine brilliantly in class like in the original game.
Although she was no longer a thorn in the nobles' side, she also failed to attract the attention of certain special individuals.
Kelusta was quite satisfied. For one, she had no time to deal with those arrogant nobles who "couldn't stand a commoner surpassing them," and for another, she didn't need the attention of the capture targets. Her current status as an unknown nobody was perfect for grinding progress.
After countless failed attempts to persuade her to visit the library less, Kevit finally gave up in resignation. There was another boy from Seaside Town in their year who had also awakened Earth Magic. On her way to the library one day, Kelusta happened to see the two of them walking out of the classroom together after class.
Before her childhood friend could call out to her, Kelusta dashed off toward the library in a flash.
"Once I'm done with the Sage quest, I'll ask Pascal to keep an eye on Kevit,"—Pascal was the boy who had awakened Earth Magic—Kelusta said to the System, putting down a history book dazedly, her words rambling. "Help me check how many are left... I'm really going to turn into an idiot from all this reading. I'm dreaming about the Age of Gods and the kingdom's unofficial histories now."
The System said: "Current progress: 8012/8026. Based on your previous daily reading volume, I can offer my advance congratulations. You can unlock the achievement today."
"...Normally, I should be jumping for joy and cheering right now," Kelusta said numbly. "But I don't feel a shred of excitement. I only regret that I awakened Water Magic, otherwise I would have burned this trash library down sooner or later."
"A friendly reminder: loud noises are not permitted in the library—and book burning is a crime on the strictly prohibited list, legally punishable in Nobili. I advise the temporary host to think twice."
Kelusta couldn't even be bothered to roll her eyes. She stretched out a trembling hand, opened a book, and forced herself to ignore her dizziness. Staring at the densely packed text, she said weakly but firmly, "I hate history."
For humans, after a long period of suffering, the small amount that remains is often like the last straw that breaks the camel's back. Much like the hundred-day countdown to the college entrance exams in a higher-dimension world, it is exceptionally torturous.
By the time Kelusta had sluggishly finished the last dozen or so books, the sun had long since set behind the western mountains.
As she closed the book and slumped over the table like a pile of mud, she finally heard the System's electronic announcement, which sounded as enchanting as the music of the heavens—she swore this was the first and last time she would ever use that disgusting metaphor.
"Ding! Congratulations, temporary host, for unlocking the advanced achievement 【Sage】. First-stage mission objective detected as complete. Now distributing mission reward: 【Probability Increase MOD】. Special note: This MOD has only five uses."
"...Confirmed. 【Probability Increase MOD】 successfully received. Preparing to issue the next-stage mission. Is the temporary host ready to receive?"
"Receive..." Kelusta mumbled, sprawled on the library's mahogany table, as limp as a pancake and barely breathing.
"Issuing mission..."
"Main Mission: Unlock the 【Secret of the Gods】 True Ending route."
"Completion Method (Stage Two): Encounter the key character Gloria Silentdis and raise her favorability to ≥10."
"Mission Reward: Anti-Magic Halo."
"Special Reminder: To reiterate, the first-stage mission reward has a limited number of uses. The World Line Convergence System must assist and supervise the temporary host in using the Probability Increase MOD with caution."
Kelusta opened her eyes. In the dim light of the library, they reflected a rich amber color. "What...?" she asked groggily. "What do you mean, 'use with caution'?"
The System said: "The mission reward has a limited number of uses. Headquarters has instructed me that I must effectively supervise your use of the item."
"Hey, who are you looking down on?" Kelusta stood up unhappily and pushed her chair back. Its legs scraped against the wooden floor with a grating, teeth-setting-on-edge sound. Fortunately, the library was empty by now, so no one would care about her disruptive action. "I have a great sense of proportion."
No, you don't, the System thought. The heroines from the other three capture routes all seemed to have a better sense of proportion than this one.
I really don't know what went wrong... A data import error? Doesn't this game have a debugger?
Seeing the System ignore her, Kelusta didn't press the issue. She just carefully returned the few books by her side to their original places on the shelf before heading toward the library's main entrance.
The achievement was unlocked. Time to go back and sleep. As for grinding favorability with the final boss... that could wait until tomorrow to deal...
with.
Kelusta pulled back the right foot she had just extended past the library's threshold. She stared wide-eyed at the slender figure at the bottom of the steps outside. Her first reaction wasn't alarm, but rather the stunned inaction of someone who had just seen an elf under the night sky.
Under the bright moonlight, that head of long, platinum-blonde hair shimmered with fine, diamond-like sparkles. It was like the thin layer of ice on a swan lake in winter, and like the first snowflake to land on one's eyelashes.
Her deep blue eyes were like the most magnificent cornflower sapphires, and like the calmest stretch of ocean—unfathomable, yet mysterious and captivating.
Silver and blue are the noblest, purest colors.
Across the long flight of steps, Kelusta and she gazed at each other from a distance.
—Gloria Silentdis.
This noble and beautiful duke's daughter was both her enemy and the key to breaking the curse of destruction upon Seaside Town.
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