[Save This Academy.]
That was the title of the novel Ex had been transmigrated into.
It was a progression fantasy set in an academy, centered around five heroes who had died a hundred years ago during the failed Demon King Subjugation and were later reincarnated.
The five reincarnated heroes would train at the academy, gathering strength so they could defeat the Demon King when he eventually returned.
That had been the original draft.
“I never should’ve done it…”
To heighten the tension, Ex had extensively revised the story’s scenarios.
He had transformed it into an apocalyptic novel where extras and supporting characters were slaughtered by the dozen in practically every episode.
And that wasn’t all. He’d stuffed the novel with every trendy character trait and trope he could find.
A ruthless protagonist who delivered instant catharsis. A harem. Obsession. Misery. Regret…
‘And then I got transmigrated into that novel.’
Sitting alone in his dorm room, Ex sank into deep contemplation.
He couldn’t tell anyone the truth about this world.
‘I can’t exactly go around announcing it, either. I’d definitely get hit with that Plausibility Penalty or whatever.’
『Core Objective: Survive until the novel’s conclusion』
It didn’t take him long to reach an answer.
Absolutely impossible.
‘How the hell am I supposed to survive the apocalypse with garbage stats like these?!’
『Base Stats
Stamina: 0.1
Intelligence: 0.2
Agility: 0.1
Magic Power: 0.1
Luck: 0.1
Charm: 0.1』
『Base Stat Details
The average stat of an ordinary person is 1.0.
The minimum value is 0.1, and the maximum value is 10.0.
A Stamina value of 0.1 is equivalent to that of a terminal patient moments away from death.
The maximum value of 10.0 is equivalent to a hero in their prime.
Base Stats purchased through the system cannot exceed the limit imposed by your System Level.』
A terminal patient moments away from death.
Improving these pitiful stats was urgent.
He needed to raise his stats and acquire talents as soon as possible.
『Purchase Stamina 1.0 = 1,000 Editing Points』
『Purchase Intelligence 1.0 = 1,000 Editing Points』
『Purchase Agility 1.0 = 1,000 Editing Points』
『Purchase Magic Power 1.0 = 5,000 Editing Points』
『Purchase Luck 1.0 = 5,000 Editing Points』
『Purchase Charm 1.0 = 5,000 Editing Points』
The problem was that the prices were absurd.
“Why are Magic Power, Luck, and Charm five times more expensive…? With the purchase limit on top of that, maxing out my stats with Editing Points is practically impossible.”
For now, he put the purchase of Base Stats on hold.
Any stat that could be improved through training needed to be raised that way. Otherwise, he would only be wasting points.
Next, he checked his titles.
“The letters beside the titles must indicate their grades…”
『Titles Possessed
Screamweed (F): Infamy greatly increased. Subject to conditional changes.
Con Artist (E): Minor bonus to deception. Infamy slightly increased. Increased likelihood of being falsely accused.』
『Screamweed (F): You ruined a sacred entrance ceremony by screaming at the top of your lungs. With your shriveled appearance and ear-piercing shrieks, the nickname Screamweed suits you perfectly.
This title may disappear or change depending on your future behavior and reputation.』
『Con Artist (E): Through words and behavior as cunning as a serpent’s, you deceived others and misled them despite their entirely reasonable suspicions. People will now be wary of anything you say.』
A conditionally changing title was essentially a temporary title.
The Con Artist title, on the other hand, was permanent.
Either way, they were both garbage titles that did far more harm than good.
He would have to be careful about acquiring titles in the future.
There was no reason to keep looking at them.
Next came the shops.
And there was even less reason to keep looking at those.
『Talent Shop
Basic Swordsmanship (F): 500 Points
Basic Cultivation Method (F): 500 Points
Mana Sensitivity (F): 500 Points』
『Item Shop
Lowest-Grade Stamina Potion (F): 10 Points
Broken Iron Sword (F): 50 Points
Mystery Gift Box (F): 10 Points (50 Remaining)』
There were two separate shops: the Talent Shop and the Item Shop.
The selection was pathetic, yet the prices were anything but cheap.
There was nothing he needed immediately, so he decided not to buy anything for now.
‘That Mystery Gift Box does make me curious, but… it’s obviously a gacha, isn’t it?’
With his Luck sitting at 0.1, he had no reason to go anywhere near it.
Something else had caught his attention.
『System Level: Level 1
Editing Points Required for Next Level: [Conditions Not Met]』
“So there are higher levels, and I’ll need to spend points to reach them.”
For some reason, the required number of points wasn’t displayed.
Did he need to fulfill some special condition first?
He put that aside as well.
“…This must be the main feature.”
『Setting Edit』
It was a function that consumed points to alter specific settings.
After experimenting with it in various ways, Ex had concluded that the function itself was practically a form of reality manipulation.
For example, it could do things like this.
『[Prevent the Apocalypse] Required Points: 999…999 Points』
『[Clean the Room] Required Points: 10 Points』
Based on his testing, the system’s logic was relatively straightforward.
If something could easily happen under the current circumstances, it cost fewer points.
If it required twisting the laws of reality or violating common sense, it cost far more.
‘Its value will depend entirely on how I use it.’
There were also Side Objectives, separate from the Core Objective.
At the moment, that section was blank. There was nothing there.
They were probably the equivalent of side quests.
“That’s enough research on the status screen for now…”
Next, Ex began organizing the flow of the scenarios.
Unfortunately, with his Intelligence at 0.2, his memories were riddled with holes.
He couldn’t remember minor settings or the exact details of individual incidents.
However, the major events and overall narrative remained clear.
“The next major event is Leon Brave’s Hero’s Awakening…”
Leon Brave.
The true protagonist of the novel.
He was the one and only hero destined to awaken his powers through the hardships and suffering ahead, enduring one apocalyptic trial after another.
‘How did Leon’s Hero’s Awakening Scenario go again?’
Villain Number One appeared and challenged Leon to a duel, only to lose.
Humiliated by the defeat, the villain made a contract with a demon in pursuit of revenge.
However, the demon tricked him and stole his body.
The demon then attacked Leon as part of its plan.
During the attack, Leon awakened a fraction of the hero’s power and emerged victorious.
Ex considered whether he should intervene, but there was no opening for him to do so.
‘Could I interfere…? No, forget whether I can. Should I interfere at all? Without Leon, there’s no stopping the apocalypse.’
There was nothing he could safely change.
Awakening the hero’s power was an essential part of Leon’s growth.
If Ex interfered for no reason and derailed it, everyone could start preparing for the end of the world.
‘Leave that one alone. The episode after it is what really matters.’
Once that incident ended, the first Doomsday Scenario would begin.
The ‘Hellgate Episode.’
Ex needed to decide what course of action he would take before then.
“Steal his opportunities, poach his allies…? But if I mess it up, I’ll just be sabotaging the protagonist…”
No matter what he chose, interfering with the protagonist might leave Leon unable to stop the approaching Doomsday Scenario.
The only intervention that seemed justifiable would be saving members of the hero’s party when they were supposed to die during one of those scenarios.
If he wanted to stop the chain of Doomsday Scenarios that would continue throughout the novel, he couldn’t afford to lose powerful combatants.
He had to keep them alive.
‘But with these stats, I don’t stand a chance.’
What could a half-dead invalid with stats of 0.1 possibly accomplish during a crisis?
His highest priority was obtaining strength.
If he wanted to survive—if he wanted to do anything at all—he needed power.
‘There’s always the chance I’ll accidentally affect the Main Scenario, but I can minimize the risk by following one rule: don’t touch it unless absolutely necessary.’
Fortunately, Ex had spent ten years working as an editor, a profession that required him to examine the plausibility and narrative flow of countless stories.
Identifying Side Scenarios that wouldn’t interfere with Leon’s growth wouldn’t be particularly difficult.
Therefore, for the time being, he would focus on improving his abilities.
He would avoid interfering with the Main Scenario whenever possible.
Instead, he would gain strength through Side Scenarios.
Ex closed the notebook in which he had organized all the relevant settings and placed it neatly in the corner.
Then a sudden realization struck him.
“…Did I write all of that in the common language instead of Korean?”
He reopened the notebook.
Every word was written in the common language.
If someone found this notebook, the sheer implausibility of its predictions about the future might make his Plausibility Penalty explode.
He considered rewriting everything in Korean, but ultimately decided against it.
The notebook might still prove useful in its current form.
“Before any of that, though…”
There was one week left until the opening ceremony.
At the very least, he needed to become human.
***
The Dritania Empire stood at the heart of the supercontinent of Arcana.
The capital, Vallon, stood at the heart of the empire.
And Elyon Academy stood at the heart of Vallon.
In other words, Elyon Academy was located at the very center of the continent.
“How did failing to subjugate the Demon King a hundred years ago lead to this level of technological development…?”
Standing in the middle of a busy street, Ex looked around at his surroundings.
Mana Phones, communication magic devices used throughout the empire.
Magic-powered cars that floated through the air without wheels.
Buildings constructed from reinforced concrete and steel.
“Wasn’t the setting loosely based on the year 1900?”
It was one of those areas where the author had taken considerable liberties for the sake of making the story more convenient.
‘They have Mana Phones that can make calls and send messages, but no computers. The gold standard was somehow abolished, and a reserve currency was somehow introduced in an era like this…’
Of course, there was no one left for him to argue with about it.
This world contained only the results. The reasoning behind them no longer mattered.
‘The setting claims gunpowder and bombs exist, but no one ever considered using them as weapons because they’re weaker than sword aura and magic. That alone tells you everything.’
Elyon Academy, at least, was a state-of-the-art educational institution filled with the latest equipment and modern conveniences.
As long as he lived in the dormitory, he wouldn’t have to endure that rich, distinctive stench of sewage commonly associated with the Middle Ages.
And this was what a week of training in such a comfortable environment had produced.
『Base Stats
Stamina: 0.7 [Increased by 0.6]
Intelligence: 0.9 [Increased by 0.7]
Agility: 0.7 [Increased by 0.6]
Magic Power: 0.1
Luck: 0.1
Charm: 0.1』
“I’m screwed.”
For an entire week, he had quite literally poured blood and sweat into his efforts.
He had endured every ache and every burst of pain as though forcing himself through physical rehabilitation.
He had spent more time moving than sitting still.
He had pushed himself so hard while trying to recover his memories that his nose had bled almost constantly.
He had gone through hundreds of tissues just trying to stop the bleeding.
And despite all that effort, he still hadn’t reached the level of an ordinary person.
At least most of the holes in his memory had been filled.
His body could now remain active for several hours without reaching its limit.
He had recovered enough to handle the bare minimum required for daily life.
‘I wanted to get my Base Stats above 1.0, at least…’
In the end, Ex attended the opening ceremony without being remotely satisfied with his results.
The moment he entered the academy, countless gazes stabbed into him.
— Look. It’s Screamweed. What the hell happened to his face?
— Is a face like that even magically possible?
— Goddess above. How could You make a mistake like that…?
The power of Charm at 0.1 surpassed anything he had imagined.
His notorious reputation and horrific appearance complemented each other perfectly.
With a presence that overwhelming, it was only natural that everyone’s attention gravitated toward him.
The stares bothered him, but he ignored them.
His survival was at stake.
Compared to that, a few contemptuous looks meant nothing.
‘So this is Class F.’
He had been assigned to the first-year Class F.
Even the door at the entrance looked ready to collapse at any moment.
A particular piece of worldbuilding suddenly returned to him.
‘Class F is also known as the failure class. And whenever a scenario needs victims, they’re the first ones thrown in…’
He had expected this, but seeing the reality of his situation left him staring into darkness.
His Charm of 0.1 was the least of his problems.
Merely being a member of this class meant he was living on borrowed time.
‘What about dropping out of the academy entirely…?’
He immediately forced that thought away.
Later in the story, the academy would become the place with the highest survival rate.
Rather than thinking about leaving, he needed to make sure he wasn’t expelled.
More importantly, he needed money if he wanted to survive without any capital or connections.
At present, he was entirely dependent on the monthly living stipend provided by the academy.
If he dropped out now, becoming a penniless beggar would be inevitable.
He opened the classroom door and stepped inside.
The students’ gazes converged on him.
Contempt. Disgust. Shock.
He looked away, ignored them, and searched for an acceptable seat.
He hadn’t come here to relive the joys of his school days.
Besides, he had endured far worse treatment for years.
Ding— Ding— Ding-
The bell rang, announcing precisely seven o’clock in the morning.
At the exact same moment, the classroom door swung open.
Someone entered, long hair streaming behind him like a horse’s tail.
It was Roxwell, the man Ex had met before.
“Tch.”
The moment Roxwell entered, he looked over the students and clicked his tongue.
‘…Roxwell never appeared in the settings or the original novel. But then again, I never covered Class F in much detail.’
Ex had no idea why the man was clicking his tongue.
There was no need to investigate.
Roxwell immediately explained the reason himself.
“I told the hopeless little bastards among you to drop out voluntarily, but it looks like only four of you had actual brains inside your skulls. Do you have money rotting in piles somewhere? Not that it was ever your money to begin with.”
Tension spread through the students in response to Roxwell’s verbal abuse.
According to the setting, each class should have had twenty students.
Looking around now, Ex counted only sixteen.
Judging by Roxwell’s words, he had driven the other four into withdrawing.
“For the deaf idiots who apparently had their ears plugged during freshman orientation, I’ll explain it one more time. You were assigned to Class F because you’re worthless failures no one else would even consider associating with.”
Roxwell swept his blade-sharp gaze across the room.
“In other words, you’re garbage with neither talent nor skill, and you forced your way into this academy with money and connections. So allow me to offer some sincere advice for the sake of your futures.”
Something invisible suddenly crashed down upon Ex’s entire body.
An enormous pressure seized his heart and squeezed.
At the same time, instinct told him exactly what he was feeling.
‘So this is the pressure martial artists can release…’
“Drop out. Right now.”
None of the students moved.
They could only hold their breaths beneath the crushing, violent pressure.
Perhaps it was pride.
Perhaps it was the dignity of the nobility.
Or perhaps, like Ex, they were simply too stunned and confused to react.
‘This is the homeroom teacher I’m supposed to spend an entire year with?’
As though he had read the question in Ex’s eyes, Roxwell began walking toward him.
He stopped in front of Ex, looked down, and pressed him with an icy voice.
“Screamweed Ex. You can’t do a damn thing, yet you’ve still got the nerve to sit there. Is it because dropping out would cost you the stipend that comes with your Special Admission Recommendation?”
Several students’ eyes sharpened at those words.
They were probably the ones who had paid their way into the academy.
Thanks to their reaction, Ex understood exactly how students admitted through recommendations were treated.
Roxwell looked around at them and issued a warning.
“What have any of you accomplished to justify looking at him like that? At least this bastard has a reason he can’t easily drop out. Unlike him, you’ve got nothing to lose, so why are you still sitting there?”
He was deliberately sowing discord.
Ex realized that Roxwell was attempting to isolate him from the rest of the class.
He didn’t know why, but the man’s objective was probably to force him to drop out.
‘There was an incident like this in Class F…?’
The pressure suppressing them was far too intense.
More importantly, Roxwell’s aura was saturated with genuine emotion.
At the moment, Ex could barely manage to breathe.
“No matter how many times I explain it, you refuse to listen. This is why I hate dealing with brats. Tch.”
Roxwell finally clicked his tongue and withdrew his oppressive presence.
The students began gasping as the tension released its grip on them.
Roxwell glared at their desperate breathing with obvious displeasure before returning to the lectern.
At that moment, a female student abruptly rose from her seat and protested.
“Th-This kind of abuse is unacceptable! My family will issue a formal protest against—”
“Do it.”
Roxwell leaned back against the blackboard with open arrogance.
He raised his head and stared coldly down at the girl.
“Go ahead.”
“M-My family is highly respected…”
“Did you sleep through freshman orientation? Lady Lola of House Lemercier.”
Ex couldn’t help being surprised to learn that the girl was the daughter of a count.
Of course, Roxwell’s decision to speak so disrespectfully to her face was even more shocking.
‘Even if distinctions of rank are less important inside the academy… does he have someone powerful backing him?’
“Did you not hear me?”
“Eek…”
The color drained from Lola’s face.
Roxwell must have focused the entirety of his pressure on her.
Wasn’t this going too far against a girl that young?
It looked like nothing more than outright bullying.
‘What the hell is a grown man doing to a child?’
Roxwell merely continued in a cold-blooded voice.
“Did you think hiding behind your family name would make you somebody? Unfortunately for you, there doesn’t seem to be a loyal knight here to protect you.”
“P-Please, spare…”
“Lola Lu Lemercier. You possess no martial ability whatsoever. You have a slight aptitude for magic, but your casting time is excessively long. You prepare spells as though the vermin around you will obediently die in your place while you finish. Even a third-rate mercenary would have plenty of time to stroll over and slit your throat.”
Roxwell ambled forward with the careless, loose-limbed gait of a wandering mercenary.
Just from the way he walked, Ex could tell that the man had spent many years living as one.
Lola held her breath and stared at him with terrified eyes, as though the Grim Reaper himself had come to claim her.
Roxwell looked coldly at Lola and slowly dragged one finger across her throat.
As if slicing it open with a blade.
“Sixteen is too many, don’t you think? We should trim the number by one.”
Lola’s eyes were on the verge of complete panic.
This had crossed the line.
Ex immediately raised his hand and spoke.
“Professor! I have a question!”
The suffocating atmosphere shattered like a pane of glass.
Roxwell hadn’t expected the interruption. His pressure lost its target and scattered.
Lola squeezed her eyes shut, collapsed into her chair, and began breathing heavily.
She gulped down the air as desperately as someone who had nearly drowned.
Roxwell’s blade turned toward Ex this time.
“What is it, Screamweed?”
Ex immediately asked the question he had prepared.
“What are we doing today?”
“…”
“It’s the opening ceremony. Are we having class?”
He had asked an entirely ordinary question.
As though he had completely failed to read the room.
The other students’ gazes dug into his face, each one silently asking what kind of lunatic he was.
Roxwell furrowed his brow and glared at Ex.
“Screamweed. Has something finally broken inside that head of yours?”
“I was just curious. We’re already ten minutes into morning homeroom.”
“…Haa.”
Roxwell released a long sigh.
Fortunately, he seemed to have sheathed the blade of his pressure. Ex could no longer feel it.
Strangling someone with nothing but sheer presence was an utterly surreal sight.
After returning to the lectern, Roxwell said something none of them understood.
“From now on, I won’t care what kind of pathetic state you end up in. You brought this upon yourselves. Regret it all you want later, and then go die.”
The students looked confused, unable to understand what he meant.
Ex, however, formed a hypothesis.
‘Is Roxwell connected to a Doomsday Scenario?’
He hadn’t appeared anywhere in the setting notes or the manuscript, but there was no guarantee that other unknown characters didn’t exist.
Otherwise, Roxwell’s actions made no sense.
Especially his desperate attempts to force the students to withdraw.
At that moment, the status screen appeared before Ex’s eyes.
『What a fattened liver! A puppy doesn’t know enough to fear a tiger.』
『Title [Foie Gras (E)] Acquired.
250 Editing Points Acquired.』
『New Title Possessed
Foie Gras (E): Mental resistance slightly increased. Infamy slightly increased. Luck adjustment decreased when encountering powerful opponents. This adjustment cannot reduce Luck below its minimum value.』
『Foie Gras (E): Your sense of fear has been cut out of you. Unfortunately, this is closer to recklessness than courage. People will be reluctant to remain near you.』
‘Fucking status screen.’
Only after they had been in the classroom for quite some time did Roxwell finally say something befitting a professor.
“Now submit your elective course registration forms.”
–TL Notes–
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