Chapter 33 — Before the Calamity

1

The third-year class ended on an intriguing note.

4th Period.

The blackboard was covered in dense theories that extended far beyond the current curriculum.

Manus, naturally, grasped all the content with ease.

‘This will accelerate things even further.’

Now was the time to fill in the gaps.

He needed more magic stones.

He craved more magical power.

Today’s goal was to reach the 25th floor.

‘I should start focusing on training one bus driver soon.’

Though he felt guilty towards his other companions, today’s plan centered on developing just one person.

Preparing for the future was often a solitary endeavor.

As the events only he knew of drew nearer, the pressure mounted.

He longed to confide everything to the protagonists, but doing so would disrupt the story’s natural flow.

The game always presented challenges to the protagonists.

It forced choices, offered options without clear answers, and compelled them to trudge forward.

‘Alano, Veronica.’

Two characters whose emotional arcs would be deeply explored in this episode.

There was a need to intervene to produce a slightly better outcome.

The key difference from directly playing the game was knowing all the consequences of the choices.

Moreover, he was now a third party rather than the protagonist.

This episode typically produced many victims.

When crafting the story, the writer might have focused solely on the protagonist and surrounding characters.

The deeper implications were often reduced to a single line of dialogue.

[You don’t know what I’ve done.]

[What I’ve done behind your backs while you’re intoxicated with pride from achieving feats without anyone knowing-!]

What did her desperate cry truly mean?

Why was she forced to walk a different path from the players?

Through countless playthroughs, Manus had pondered these questions.

Veronica.

What exactly did she do on the night of the festival?

‘If I can prevent that, her fate might change-.’

The protagonist just needs to play their designated role.

But the stories that unfold afterwards…

The tales of those left behind also require intervention.

The fewer tragedies, the better.

This was Manus’s guiding principle.

A familiar voice interrupted his thoughts, accompanied by the scent of her signature perfume.

“Manus. What are you contemplating so deeply?”

“The night that’s fast approaching.”

“Will many lives be lost?”

Manus nodded solemnly.

Her snow-white silver hair fluttered in the breeze, revealing her face.

She too was acutely sensitive to the topic of death.

— Her position as student council president likely amplified her emotional responses.

Her heart-wrenching sobs at the funeral became a famous scene, discussed by many even before arriving here.

Who would have imagined the Ice Princess Alano could weep so bitterly?

To prevent such scenes, there were countless matters Manus himself needed to address.

“At least here, I’ll avert disaster.”

“Do you have a plan?”

“The tower.”

A cursed structure, yet also a wellspring of possibilities.

Today, he needed to ascend it once more and retrieve what was necessary.

Manus felt the cold touch of metal inside his pocket.

— Though it was a place where death lurked at every turn, all solutions originated there.

Essential items, means to grow stronger, even the core elements of the story.

There was no reason to avoid climbing the tower.

“Alano.”

“Yes?”

“Let’s ascend the tower together.”

There was much he needed to impart to her.

As the de facto leader, she needed to become stronger.

It was time to push her harder, to prevent future self-loathing over powerlessness.

If he could just elevate her to around level 20 today-

Manus, who always ventured alone, was proposing they go together!

Was he finally attempting to bond with his companions?

— Unaware of Manus’s ulterior motives, Alano inquired brightly.

“Really? We’re going up together?”

“Yes. Just the two of us.”

“Huh?”

What could this mean?

Surely he wasn’t trying to create a romantic atmosphere.

If that were the case, he would have suggested meeting at a truly romantic location.

Manus’s blue eyes fixed on Alano.

Was it her imagination, or did he look more terrifying than a demon?

The corners of his mouth lifted slightly.

“I have much to teach you, so make sure you come.”

“…”

She couldn’t readily answer.

An instinctive sense of pressure firmly sealed her lips.

Manus stared directly at her.

Without realizing it, Alano took a step back.

“I’ll be counting on you.”

“Alright.”

In the end, Alano acquiesced.

Did she realize that what awaited her was only harsh hunting and endless grinding?

It was no illusion that a bead of cold sweat trickled down her forehead.

2

Late at night.

Manus prepared to ascend the tower.

Under the world bathed in an eerie green glow, he entered the tower of death.

Alano followed close behind.

He had instructed the first-year companions to rest well, given yesterday’s events.

Gulp-.

Alano swallowed hard as she gazed at the golden clock.

— Perhaps it evoked memories of her first foray into the tower.

“Climbing with just the two of us, isn’t it a bit reckless?”

“It’s fine. I know all the arcana and their weaknesses.”

“Right. Let’s go. I need to absorb as many magic stones as possible.”

That’s the right mindset.

When entering the tower, one should always focus on potential gains.

Manus smiled quietly.

“Let’s go. Today we’ll ascend as high as we possibly can.”

“But if you push yourself even a little, won’t I be holding you back?”

“That won’t happen.”

Because you’ll be the one pushing yourself, not me.

Manus kept that thought to himself as he headed for the transfer device.

A sort of quick travel system installed on each floor where a boss had been defeated.

The tower swallowed the two, eager to lead them to their demise.

They materialized on the 17th floor.

It was the highest level where they had vanquished a boss.

“I’ll brief you quickly. From here on, the ‘Emperor’ and ‘Temperance’ arcana will appear as well.”

“Weaknesses?”

“Ice, lightning, physical types. You figure out the specifics. There should be a consistent pattern.”

Alano nodded.

She had been pondering constantly.

Why had Manus specifically invited her alone to the tower today?

Thoughts she couldn’t be certain of now found clarity here.

She had considered many possibilities.

The notion of enjoying a clandestine rendezvous had crossed her mind, if only briefly.

‘He wants to make me stronger.’

Motivation welled up inside her.

Yes, to protect someone, one must become strong.

Her family still treated her like a delicate flower.

But to truly protect others, mere beauty isn’t enough.

She understood this better than anyone.

“Alright. I’m ready.”

“Let’s proceed.”

Do you know what people often overlook when sculpting a rose?

The thorns.

Sharp, deadly-

Yet capable of protecting the beautiful flower.

What Alano needed to cultivate now wasn’t a beautiful blossom.

It was thorns that could shield her from any threat.

She recognized what she needed, and would forge those thorns more efficiently than anyone else.

3

[Hmm hmm-!]

The distinctive cry of the arcana assaulted their ears.

It was a blue mask.

The number ‘8’ etched itself into their minds.

[Hmmm-!]

Flames erupted.

Alano deftly avoided the heat and unleashed her specialty ice magic.

[Glacia]

An ice hammer materialized firmly in her grasp.

As if demonstrating the fundamentals of close-range combat for a mage, her movements were swift and precise.

The hammer she swung with a twist of her waist shattered the mask.

[Hmmmm-!]

“So Emperor 8 is weak to ice. I’ve got the general idea now.”

They had already traversed the 20th floor.

Losing track of time, she cycled through using and replenishing her mana.

She had vanquished countless demons.

Alano was truly a prodigy.

Befitting a game world, the demons adhered to rules and gimmicks.

The colors of the masks, the numbers.

The types and appearances of the arcana.

‘To think I’m only noticing this now. I still have much to learn.’

After defeating another demon, Alano let out a small sigh.

She could sense it instinctively.

That a formidable entity awaited them just above.

“I feel a powerful presence above. We’ll reach it soon, right?”

“Correct.”

Manus too gazed upward.

Alano’s education was progressing steadily.

With each battle, her overall abilities showed marked improvement.

Magic selection, manifestation.

Weakness detection, targeting.

Even mana distribution and stamina control.

Indeed, practical experience was the best teacher.

“We can handle it together, right?”

“Yes.”

Manus ascended the stairs visible just ahead.

Alano followed, mentally reviewing their recent battles.

Come to think of it, had there been a single instance where Manus used proper magic?

If he had conserved his mana, they should have ample reserves even against a powerful foe.

Feeling slightly resentful, she briefly pouted.

There had certainly been challenging moments.

Yet he hadn’t intervened, which meant-

“Manus.”

“Hm?”

“You seem to have high expectations of me?”

Manus nodded.

He turned his head and asked in return.

“Is it too burdensome?”

“Huh? No-. That’s not it. I just… want to understand your standards.”

“I hope you’ll perform as I would when I’m not around.”

Her first thought upon hearing his words was ‘terrifying’.

It was a loaded statement, as if from someone about to depart abruptly.

Alano suddenly grasped his wrist.

Seeing the desperation in her trembling eyes, Manus smiled.

What past events might she be recalling?

What did the memories reflected in those eyes wish to convey?

“I’m not going anywhere. It’s just that moving forward alone has become taxing now.”

“Is that so? Can I believe that?”

“Yes.”

Alano’s hand fell away.

Her steps, now reinvigorated, carried her up the stairs.

His words about finding it burdensome to advance alone.

— Those words ignited a small flame in Alano’s heart.

The duo conquered floors 20 to 24 with unstoppable momentum.

What level might she be now?

Unlike the game where specific stats could be checked, here no such convenient system existed.

Manus had to gauge her growth solely through observation and instinct.

By his estimate, Alano’s current level was in the early 20s.

This should suffice to provide adequate support.

‘When leveling up, it’s not skills that are learned, but the aptitude for them. Regrettably, I can’t expect major support abilities.’

He acknowledged his calculations were off due to her faster-than-expected growth rate.

Had he known, he would have urged her to learn a few more buff or attack spells when time permitted.

As this world was styled after an academy story, skills had to be acquired through direct study.

Thus, one had to study magic according to strategy, practice, and train until it could be applied in actual combat.

“Are you ready?”

“If I’d known, I should have learned a few more spells before coming-.”

Alano seemed to share similar sentiments with Manus, voicing a small complaint.

It’s fine.

There were a few things he wanted to test out anyway.

He had tried to avoid becoming the protagonist in the tower as much as possible, but-

To interfere with fate, sometimes one must stand out even more than the protagonist.

A colossal statue loomed over the two.

“Let’s go.”

“Alright.”

The combo of the strongest second-years.

A joint test, conducted where no one knew, was about to begin.

【Duel with the 25th Floor Guardian begins!】

『Temperance — 2: Noble Statue』

[Part of Alano’s talent has bloomed.]

[Alano can now learn some 3rd-class magic.]

[Alano’s level has increased.]

[Alano: 22]

–TL Notes–
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