Roteo Hall.
It was the name of the university building where I had just given my lecture. Built ten years ago with a donation from the Yukline Count’s family, it was the third-largest building on the university grounds.
Right now, I was walking through the campus after leaving that Roteo Hall. Since it was vacation and there were hardly any students around, I thought I might as well take a casual look around.
“It’s vast.”
The university’s area was far larger than I had expected. Almost the whole place was flat as well, and the gardens, sports fields, various buildings and facilities, roads, and other surroundings were indeed similar to an American campus, just as our team had used for reference.
First, I headed for Deculein’s workplace, the Magic Tower.
For reference, the highest institution of learning in this game was the “Imperial Royal University,” and the Magic Tower was the final boss among its faculties. To put it in Korean terms, the Department of Magic was Seoul National University’s College of Medicine, while the Magic Tower was Seoul National University Hospital.
As I walked, I belatedly noticed someone trailing along behind me.
An assassin? I almost started, but thankfully, it was the mage who had accompanied me from the car. Whoever he was, he had his robe pulled over his head and was only looking down.
“······Was your name Zoro?”
“Pardon? Pardon? No, no! It’s Allen!”
“I was mistaken.”
“Ah······ Allen and Zoro are······ yes, yes······.”
I walked on without a word. Allen, who had been watching my mood, suddenly spoke.
“Professor! The way, the way you walk is like something from a photo shoot. I, uh, should have brought a camera—”
“There is no need to say such things anymore. Walk comfortably.”
“Ah, yes, yessir······.”
In the past, Deculein must have made him do it.
As befitted the noun “tower,” the Magic Tower was tall enough to be visible from anywhere on campus, and by walking toward what I could see, I arrived in no time.
[ Verifying Head Professor: Deculein von Grahan Yukline. ]
[ Authentication complete. ]
The Magic Tower’s magitech entrance recognized my body and irises and opened by itself.
The moment I entered the Magic Tower lobby, many people bowed their heads to me. I acknowledged them with my eyes and said to Allen,
“To my office.”
“Yes!”
Allen hurriedly ran over and pressed the lobby elevator button.
The floor number was 77.
The elevator, operated by mana stones, arrived in roughly three seconds.
[ Head Professor: Deculein von Grahan Yukline ]
My office occupied almost half the floor. It was that spacious and luxurious.
“······.”
The interior was as clean as a sterile room, the bookshelves were absurdly packed with books, and on the executive desk were a crystal ball, fountain pens, a diamond nameplate, the seal of an Imperial University professor, a golden staff, and so on······. Without showing it on my face, I examined the dazzling space.
“What is this?”
As soon as I quietly sat in the chair, a document on the desk caught my eye. Its form and size resembled a guestbook.
“Ah, it’s the sponsorship list for this year’s new mages!”
I opened the cover and skimmed the contents.
│ New Mage (Debutant) │ Jayren │ 19 years old │
│ Attribute: Elemental │ Main Category: Support │ Sponsorship: 30,000 / 500,000 │ Scouting Report │
“Hmm.”
I roughly understood as soon as I saw it.
In this world, the Magic Tower was a research institution. In our world’s terms, it was in a similar category to Caltech or MIT, and research funds were indispensable.
No, mages needed far more money than modern scientists or engineers.
Not only to develop practical, destructive, or useful magic, but also for basic food, training, materials, and the like for the mage’s own growth, astronomical resources were consumed.
“······?”
As I skimmed through the names, I suddenly tilted my head.
Some of the mages’ names were shining in gold.
Almost instinctively, I realized they were “names that would make money.” It was probably the combination of 「Wealthy Magnate」 and 「Vision」.
──「Wealthy Magnate」──
◆ Grade
: Rare
◆ Description
: A born tycoon, an exceptional person of wealth. Possesses an unrivaled intuition regarding so-called “things that make money.”
: The more information provided, the greater the accuracy.
─────────
──「Vision」──
◆ Grade
: Rare
◆ Description
: The power to see intuition, traits, mana, and the like with one’s eyes.
: Used in combination with other traits rather than by itself.
─────────
A harmony between a trait that reacted astonishingly well to profitable matters and a trait that allowed me to see traits with my eyes.
In other words, with only the mages’ names and the scouting reports analyzing their strengths and weaknesses, I could tell whether these people would make money or not.
“This name looks familiar······.”
In the midst of that, I found a certain named character.
│ New Mage (Debutant) │ Epherene Luna │ 17 years old │
│ Attribute: Object │ Main Category: Destruction and Support │ Sponsorship: 0 / 10,000,000 │ Scouting Report │
Luna, Luna, Luna······ The woman in the photograph had pale gray hair, and she was glaring straight ahead with jade-colored eyes full of dissatisfaction with the world.
She gave the impression of a beautiful but unpolished blade, or perhaps an immature beast of prey. A leopard or cheetah about three months old.
“······.”
I had not modeled her myself, but from something I had once overheard at the company, she was a named character with a definite ill-fated connection to Deculein. Something about him being her father’s enemy.
In any case, Luna’s sponsorship remained at 0.
Even the other new mages had received at least 10,000 elne in support.
“Why does this one have no sponsorship at all?”
I asked Allen.
“Yes?”
“The name is Epherene Luna.”
At that, Allen flinched.
“Th-that······ yes?”
“What is it?”
“······Yessir?”
“It’s fine, so speak.”
“Ah······ the other professors of the Magic Tower and the investors are, well······ taking their cues······.”
He meant it was because of Deculein.
I nodded and looked through Luna’s scouting report, only to belatedly discover a rather surprising part.
│ Sponsorship: 0 / 10,000,000 │
“······Allen. Do you know how much a meal at the student cafeteria costs these days?”
“Ah, the king-sized pork cutlet is 3 elne. It’s delicious. You should try it sometime······ Ah, I apologize.”
It seemed that 1 elne was roughly equivalent to 1,000 won.
“In that case, this child seems to know very little of the world.”
The maximum sponsorship was 10,000,000 elne. It meant she wanted to receive ten million elne in sponsorship, nearly ten billion won.
Was she planning to eat until she burst? Even if it was in the form of sponsorship, she would have to repay it later with interest.
“Sponsorship······.”
I stroked my chin and pondered.
This mage named “Epherene Luna” was Deculein’s enemy.
No, Deculein was that mage’s enemy.
However, regardless of whether she bore a grudge against Deculein or not, if I left things as they were like in the original game, then in the end, “I” would—
meet the same ending at someone’s hands.
─「Villain’s Fate」─
◆ Grade
: ???
◆ Description
: The fate of a villain. The whole world wishes for his death.
: However, trials that fail to kill a man make him stronger······.
──────
The villain’s fate, in other words, an inevitable death.
In the game, Deculein dies in various ways. A sword is driven into his heart, or a wand, or an arrow; he swallows poison, suffers a bombing, or whatever else—no matter what, the fact remains that he dies.
Therefore, I must make a different choice.
A choice the original Deculein would absolutely never have made.
However······.
“Allen, almost half of them would hate even receiving my money, wouldn’t they?”
I asked that and observed Allen’s reaction. Allen flinched, then shook his head as if he were vibrating.
His behavior said no, but it meant “yes.”
“······Even if they dislike receiving it, I will give it. They would not dare refuse my sponsorship.”
After some thought, I soon found it rather laughable and checked off many names.
However, I left the [Sponsor] field anonymous.
If I pointlessly left my real name and was discovered, it would surely backfire.
“Allen. Go out and do your work now.”
“Yes, yessir!”
Allen answered briskly and went outside. It was a shout more vigorous than ever.
Left alone, I turned my chair around and looked out the window.
The view from the top floor of the Magic Tower was quite a sight.
Shafts of sunlight filled the sky, and flocks of migratory birds soared near the clouds. The countless wings passing through the particles of light seemed freer than anything else.
“To survive······ first, I need a great deal of money.”
I murmured quietly.
The more money, the better, so I had to gather it even for the sake of my lifespan. Among this man’s countless ill-fated relationships, some could likely be resolved with money.
Fortunately, thanks to my traits, it was not especially difficult. Even investing in promising mages right away would guarantee several dozen times the profit.
“Even so, if time continues to pass, how should I act? Where should my existence be headed······.”
If I made money, then what came next?
The named characters in this world who hated me would be endless, and they would bring death upon me at every opportunity.
The way to survive against them would be······
“I must possess ‘my own strength.’”
My own strength.
That strength was, of course, related to wealth, but I needed a more fundamental power than that.
Namely—personal martial might.
Fortunately, I knew this body’s talent. Though it was mediocre, it definitely possessed talent in the “Elemental” attribute and the “Manipulation” category.
Not all elements, as Deculein had boasted, but only two: earth [土] and fire [火].
Also, this body had many traits that I had added.
Among them was this 「Midas’s Hand」.
──「Midas’s Hand」──
◆ Grade
: Unique
◆ Description
: Consumes the user’s mana to awaken the target’s potential.
: Strengthens the target’s performance by the amount of mana consumed, and if the target has no potential, grants a special effect appropriate to the target’s category.
: However, mana can only be bestowed in units of one thousand, and repeated use is impossible.
───
A trait of a higher grade than 「Wealthy Magnate」.
To test it, I picked up the fountain pen on the desk.
「Mana: 1,315 / 3,375」
My mana had recovered sufficiently as well, so activating the trait only required the intent in my mind.
“······!”
My nape and temples tightened as mana was consumed.
That was the end of it.
There was no change in the exterior of the fountain pen that had been bestowed with the trait.
However, a change had certainly occurred. It was a change that could only be confirmed through the system.
──「Yukline Fountain Pen」──
◆ Grade
: High
◆ Category
: Miscellaneous ⊃ Writing Instrument
: Equipment ⊃ Weapon
◆ Description
: A fountain pen with the family crest engraved in pure gold. Its strength has increased due to 「Midas’s Hand」.
◆ Special Effect
: When equipped, one’s writing skill seems likely to improve.
─────
I spread out a sheet of paper and tried writing.
It was Han Seok-bong.
“······In that case.”
After setting the fountain pen down, I thought about how best to combine my traits and talents.
Vision. Midas’s Hand. Comprehension.
Manipulation category. Elements. Fire and earth.
Just as I was actively comparing my traits and talents, 「Comprehension」 activated without my knowledge.
Crackle—
An electric current originating from my brain heated my entire body. For an instant, my hair stood on end, and as if a flash of light had burst forth, a certain secret art came to mind.
Earth and fire.
What was created through the harmony of these two attributes was metal [金].
Furthermore, 「Midas’s Hand」 was a trait that could strengthen that metal.
As a mage, manipulation-category magic capable of handling such metal.
──Sword Control with Qi (以氣馭劍).
Grandly called Sword Control with Qi, it was ultimately “telekinesis,” but as a mainstay, it was theoretically perfect. Deculein’s weakness—his lack of talent—could be supplemented by the quality of the metal.
In this world, steel alloys were not everything. There were also cheat-like metals comparable to fantasy mithril, so I simply had to spend my overflowing money on them······.
Having finished my thoughts, I nodded in satisfaction.
“If clearing the game is truly the answer, then this body shall survive until the very end······ Ah, why am I talking like this?”
I tapped my lips. I belatedly checked my seated posture as well.
My straight back was properly resting against the chair’s back, my neck was neatly placed on the headrest, and both arms on the armrests maintained a distinctive angle.
Such tremendous formality was now nothing more than unconscious habit to me.
The naturalness of it was almost frightening.
“······Allen, are you there?”
I called Allen through the crystal ball.
—Yes! I’ll be there!
Thud-thud-thud— I heard the sound of feet pounding, and then Allen appeared.
“Yes! I’m here!”
Looking at Allen made me feel sorry for him. Perhaps graduate students on Earth lived like this.
Or maybe not.
“I will leave work here for today. You should also borrow the few books I write down for you, then go home.”
“Ah······ yes, yessir! Understood!”
For some reason, he seemed to dislike leaving work, but I wrote down the titles of a few books on paper.
The first was on metal-attribute magic, and the second was on manipulation-category magic.
Since both books were at the “basic” level, Allen looked puzzled, but soon he bowed at a ninety-degree angle and left.