Episode 1 — I Have One Day Left to Live

1

[Do you really think I, the academy’s top student, would lose to a mere commoner?]

[Oh, heavens. Once again, today I shall spill impure blood upon the ground, letting it nourish the growth of noble blood.]

[This kid becomes more intriguing the longer I observe him.]

Text from a frowning man on the monitor.

A handsome face with a twisted expression, yet a character destined for an early demise.

The villain who appears at the game’s outset, a mere extra.

A fleeting character, but one with many surprising facets.

The top student in his first year, now advancing to his second, this young man bears the nickname ‘Tyrant’.

The second son of a ducal family, a character with an illustrious name.

A breeding ground for factions, synonymous with villainy… or rather, just an insignificant extra.

A character who meets an absurd end in the tutorial.

-Caesar Manus.

[Honestly, whoever created this clearly cared little for coherence.]

Restarting the game from the beginning to binge-play in celebration of the DLC release.

The game’s motto and concept revolved around learning different types of magic and combining more than two to create new spells.

“But what in the world is this-.”

A man born and raised in South Korea sighed as he spoke.

In his country, the game was wildly popular.

The man was also deeply invested in it.

He often said, ‘Caesar Manus is the problem. He ruins the story’s coherence.’

[Who would believe this guy is the top student? A top student should possess top-tier skills.]

A top student character whose sole purpose is to help awaken the protagonist’s talent.

Only to fall from the roof and perish.

Cause of death: falling.

A fool who died after saying ‘follow me to the roof’.

And what transpired afterward?

Despite hailing from a ducal family, there was not a word about it, and the protagonist faced no real consequences, as it was deemed merely an ‘accident’.

The man believed this to be the only flaw in an otherwise masterpiece of a game.

“But that’s… me?”

The man stood there, dumbfounded.

With a crooked smile, he recreated the face of the character depicted in a single illustration.

The second son of the Caesar family, who entered the academy as the top student and maintained that position throughout his first year.

Yet, a peculiar character with no real abilities to speak of.

Why?

The man, now Caesar Manus, pondered.

Why did he enter as the top student, and why was he destined to be so absurdly defeated by the protagonist?

Today is March 2nd.

In the original game, it was the day the protagonist transferred and was resting in the dormitory.

Tomorrow, the new semester would commence.

“…How is it possible for this dorm to surpass my rented room-.”

He wiped his face dry.

He could feel the soft touch of the smooth palms that seemed never to have known hardship, completely different from his own rough and calloused hands.

Perhaps that’s why it felt more like a dream.

The man, now Manus, sighed.

“Well, this is the DLC. Will I be able to return home once it’s over?”

There was no one to answer his rhetorical question.

He surveyed the dorm, which rivaled a five-star hotel in its opulence.

A chandelier emitting a soft golden light.

A desk and bookshelf that somehow exuded a pleasant aroma.

He was overwhelmed by the overall atmosphere, unsure if it was naturally tidy or if someone had meticulously organized it.

He recognized all the subjects studied here but was unfamiliar with their content, and sighed again as he examined himself.

He approached and inspected the book on top of the pile.

『Understanding Elemental Magic』

Flip-.

He opened it to a random page, inhaling the faint scent of paper.

He could comprehend the writing, but the content was another matter entirely.

“What in the world.”

『For the fire element, one must discover the form of friction, concentration, and ignition. The construction of the formula is-.』

Thud.

The book, which seemed better suited as a blunt weapon, closed with a frustrating sound.

He couldn’t fathom its meaning even as he stared at it.

That was Manus’s honest sentiment.

Magic?

He hailed from a world where science reigned supreme, a world driven by logic.

What did he care about magic that caused superhuman phenomena?

There were plenty of tools to create fire, like gas stoves, lighters, and matches…

Knock knock-.

As he was deeply immersed in this frustrating reality, he heard a knock.

His heart sank, and he debated whether to answer or feign sleep.

Ultimately, he decided to quietly rise and open the door.

“It’s Veronica.”

“-I’m coming.”

He inadvertently spoke in a blunt tone.

It felt far from his original manner of speaking but strangely natural.

It must be the influence of his possession.

He recalled the memory.

Veronica.

Manus knew the character well.

She was distinctive with her pink hair.

As he opened the door, he was greeted by the sight of a white apron.

The maid, attired in a typical uniform, bowed gracefully.

Manus stood blankly, gazing at her face.

Like a servant who dared not lift their head in the presence of a great person, her eyes were fixed on Manus’s feet.

A delicate hand extended along with the sound of soft fabric.

“A letter.”

“Thank you.”

At his words, Veronica briefly made eye contact with Manus.

Realizing her mistake, she quickly lowered her head.

She closed her eyes gently, bracing for the impending pain, but nothing came.

[How dare trash like you make eye contact with me.]

Instead of that cold voice, there was silence.

Instead of the vulgar sound that typically echoed through the hallway, there was only the soft sound of the door closing.

Click-.

“…”

Looking up again, the door was closed.

Veronica briefly gazed at the room where the self-proclaimed great young master had entered.

She touched her cheek, which did not feel sore.

“Interesting.”

The great one didn’t even strike the lowly servant.

Moreover, he said ‘thank you’?

Anyone who heard would think his soul had been swapped.

It was an event almost like a joke or a dream.

Yes, it was an event.

2

“Whew… Let’s see.”

Manus extracted the letter.

There were two, one bearing the seal of Caesar.

He had seen it only once, but he could remember it clearly.

And the other letter.

It bore a symbol that shouldn’t exist in this world.

Manus carefully opened that letter first.

『Greetings.

You have been selected as a DLC character.

Your goal is to rectify the twisted fate of Manus.

You will witness the events following the main story. Survive. Aid those around you and reach the true ending.

Afterward, you will see your own conclusion with great power.

Good luck.』

『P.S: Interfering with the characters around you will grant you tremendous influence. Remember.

Everyone must grow stronger together to reach the story’s end. You won’t be able to accomplish anything alone.』

So-.

He had been thrust into this world due to someone’s machinations.

Manus calmly assessed the situation.

Nothing would be solved by whining.

He was always a man who calmly observed his surroundings.

Now, in a surreal situation, he could only resign himself to his fate.

Since he had entered the game, he couldn’t just stand idle.

He had to contemplate how to survive.

Then, he suddenly compared his situation in Korea to his current predicament.

‘This place might actually be better. But then again…’

-Rustle.

Manus unfolded the other letter.

The sound of paper unfolding seemed to dispel the long-held curiosity deep within him.

What had the family sent?

『My son.

The effort expended to make you a great person is not insignificant. As always, just remain quiet. Do nothing and make no waves. If you do so, the top spot at the academy will always be yours.

The past year has been your time exerting influence at the academy.

But you must not continue this.

Just stay still.

The name Caesar at Mythos Academy is merely a very valuable title, it solves nothing.

My son.

To remain great, you must do absolutely nothing.

The shadows will take care of everything for you…

Take care.

Happy birthday.』

The content of the letter elucidated Manus’s situation.

So this fellow had cheated his way in, even manipulating grades?

That made sense.

“He just wasn’t interested.”

The background information stated that the Caesar family was renowned as a great family of magic.

A family so illustrious even the protagonist admired it.

A family that could single-handedly overcome calamities.

A family hailed as a great family among mage families and dominated the entire continent.

That’s why the name ‘Caesar’ was chosen.

‘But with such a fool born, they must have simply abandoned him without taking any measures.’

He roughly understood the possessed character’s setting.

He searched for any memories, but his mind only held recollections of his original world.

Thus, he had no knowledge of how Manus lived, why he was able to enter as the top student, his relationships, etc.

Manus sighed as he lay on the bed.

If it weren’t for this letter, he wouldn’t have known the character’s circumstances.

And to think he saw the infamous maid assassin in person.

It was a novel feeling.

‘Shadow Assassin Veronica.’

13 bosses, numerous mini-bosses, and event bosses.

Bosses that appeared in the ‘tower’ and those caused by conflicts.

This game constantly threw bosses at you to fight.

Among them, ‘Veronica’ was one of the most notorious bosses.

‘You want me to do nothing? I’d like that too, but there’s something on my mind, dear new father.’

According to the original story, he was destined to die tomorrow, but knowing the future, he didn’t plan to perish easily.

It would be beneficial to just live quietly and hope the original story concluded well.

This is something anyone who found themselves in this situation would contemplate.

Actually, the conditions weren’t unfavorable.

He was the top student.

Scholarships were abundant, and he could live comfortably in this luxurious dorm.

“But this letter-.”

Manus pondered the content of the letter.

It implied he should intervene in the story appropriately.

What could he do?

What talents did this character possess, or what abilities did he have?

Advice?

Or…

‘I don’t know. I just hope no one interferes with me.’

The power of being from a ‘duke’s family’ in this game was immense.

A force with the financial resources to run a small country.

A force with the military might to rival the regular army of a small nation.

A force with ‘superhumans’ who could replace a thousand knights with their own prowess.

All of this encapsulated the power of a duke’s family.

Manus, thinking of just getting through tomorrow unscathed, stared blankly at the ceiling.

In such a soft bed, he felt even less inclined to do anything.

Hoping for nothing to transpire tomorrow.

“This must be what being a wealthy idler feels like.”

Apart from the world being on the brink of destruction, it was a perfect possession.

3

Today, the campus was bustling as usual.

Fifteen.

The age when students, just entering puberty, chattered as they headed toward the enormous edifice.

Mythos Academy.

A comprehensive educational institution located at the heart of the continent.

Eight kingdoms, two empires.

Three duchies on the Rox Continent’s only neutral territory.

A place where people from all countries and all talents converge is Mythos Academy.

“It’s ridiculously vast.”

While the game allowed for fast travel, that wasn’t the case now.

Manus walked, slowly taking in the entirety of the academy.

Strangely, no one approached him, and there was not even a whisper.

A presence so formidable that it would take a prince of a kingdom to dare address him.

His steady steps added elegance, and his polished shoes reflected his character.

His cold gaze swept around as if-.

“Hey, hey, lower your eyes.”

“Don’t make eye contact. Absolutely not.”

-as if searching for prey.

‘The name ‘Caesar’ carries that kind of weight.’

Every step he took seemed to lay down a carpet of confidence.

‘This is hard to accustom oneself to.’

As he slightly frowned, he heard a gasp.

Manus, who had lived a normal life, had suddenly become an object of fear.

It was reminiscent of when the school bully walked by during his school days.

-There wasn’t much difference, actually.

The path he trod had to be clear of obstacles, and it always had been.

Until he saw a girl standing idly.

Manus walked straight, and the girl stood with her back to him.

“Hey, isn’t that the transfer student?”

“Crazy— We need to get her out of there…”

“Hey, hey! Get out of the way!”

A slightly dazed girl.

With blue hair and a tall frame.

An incredibly beautiful protagonist of this world.

A girl with profound magical power, staring blankly at the school building.

As if she were alone in another world.

‘It’s her.’

Kael.

The world’s savior and the protagonist of this game.

Originally, her gender could be chosen, but here she seemed to be female.

Manus approached her side.

Already, the gazes around them had changed.

The low murmurs gave the feeling of standing on a theater stage.

“It’s impressive, isn’t it.”

A low, heavy voice.

Kael slowly turned her head to look at the person standing beside her.

For some reason.

Though usually hesitant to answer strangers, her lips parted without her realizing it.

“-Yes.”

Kael’s response was brief.

Manus’s lips curved into a smile.

Two gazes looking at two towering structures.

Without a word, Manus moved on.

‘Just pass by quietly without incident.’

Calmly.

Without any trouble.

Their meeting ended there.

The girl who originally should have been called to the rooftop for blocking his way would have a peaceful day.

But no one knew.

That safe day would awaken a talent that would shake the world.

That the fate of an unnoticed child was approaching a new date.

The fate that had been in darkness, now meeting the dawn, would become a light that would shake the world…

No one could know.

–TL Notes–
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