episode_0004
by fnovelpiaLife’s turning points arrive unexpectedly.
‘—This update is large in scale, so we’re opening a test server and selecting beta testers—’
One day, memories of a past life might suddenly surface.
‘Thank you for always loving our [Academy Story]. You have been selected as the first beta tester—’
In those memories, you might realize this world is a game.
The trigger was insignificant.
As soon as I arrived at the royal library, I gathered books on the origins of the world indiscriminately.
After reading the mountain of books for two or three hours straight, certain passages began to stand out.
「Mana has four basic attributes and two special attributes. Fire, water, wind, and earth are the basic attributes, and light and darkness are the special attributes—」
‘—If you press random on the attribute selection screen, there’s a low chance of getting no attributes at all—’
This… does this mean my current situation?
「In the center of the Central Continent lies a huge mountain range, and on either side, a kingdom and an empire have been locked in conflict for hundreds of years—」
‘—The starting faction is easier for beginners in the kingdom, but the [Chaos Forest] in the empire has a higher difficulty, and thus, higher experience point gains—’
I was clearly reading a boring history book, yet its contents kept resonating with familiar memories.
And a crucial clue.
「The current king, Ulysses Pertus Naifrantz, has six sons and five daughters—」
‘—He has six sons and four daughters—’
In my memories, there were clearly only four.
The ‘Fifth Princess’ was absent from that memory.
What kind of memory is this…?
‘—The [Fifth Princess] announced for this test server will make her appearance. We eagerly await your anticipation—’
And the puzzle pieces began to fall into place.
Scenes of me sitting in front of my computer after work every day, enjoying the game. Especially, the moment I heard certain news and was incredibly happy, flashed through my mind.
Beyond the monitor, the landscape of the Naifrantz Kingdom unfolded.
This isn’t just a world that’s somewhat similar…
I’ve entered the game.
『[Seed of Memory] has fully germinated.』 『‘Player’ qualifications met.』 『Delayed rewards will be given.』 『You can now use the ‘Status Window.’』 『Scenario unlocked. [Prologue: The Princess is Strange]』
This must be the system.
The voice, like divine revelation, disappeared, and a transparent window appeared before my eyes.
Startled, I looked around, but it seemed this window was only visible to me.
So far, it’s been a cliché.
Gulp.
I muttered softly.
“…Status.”
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[Status]
Name: Narita F. Naifrantz Level: 10 Gender: Male/Female Title: Fifth Princess of the Naifrantz Kingdom Traits: [Reborn One], [One Who Has Escaped the Laws of Nature] Skills: [Swordsmanship Lv. 10]
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…
It took a while to regain my composure.
Gender and all that, it shouldn’t be this disorienting.
First, I’ll gather information and organize what needs to be done.
This world is the game, [Academy Story]. And it’s a different ‘test server’ from the one I originally knew.
I think I read the update details, but I don’t remember them well.
What’s certain is that I, the Fifth Princess Narita, am a new character not present in the original work.
Hunting grounds and general stories may be unaffected, but the main story is different. The main story can change the global situation with the appearance of just one character.
I didn’t know what would happen to the planned Fifth Princess. As a new character, I won’t die suddenly, but if I move rashly, I don’t know what might happen.
So, will I live quietly like this…?
‘Absolutely not.’
I was ranked 1st in the original story progression. If I utilize those memories, I can definitely carve out my own path.
This was my conviction.
‘Then the first thing I should do is…’
I approached the librarian and showed him the reward I had just received.
A small, card-shaped item.
[Borrowing Permit: Ancient Mana Studies Research Log] -Rank: Normal -Allows borrowing of the ‘Ancient Mana Studies Research Log’ from the Royal Library.
The librarian, who looked quite elderly, adjusted his glasses and examined the permit.
“Please wait a moment.”
He went somewhere and returned a moment later with a thick book. It took him a while, and the slight dust on his shoulder suggested he had been to the storage room.
He presented the book across the counter.
I wanted to borrow all the other books as well, but carrying them all would be a problem. If I piled them up in the room, Yuri would suffer again.
“Ah, right.”
I went inside and walked along the bookshelves. I passed history books, maps, and botanicals, and picked up a fairy tale book from the corner.
“I’ll borrow this one too.” “All right. The lending period is one month, so please don’t forget to return it before then.” “Yes.”
With two books tucked under my arm, I was about to leave the library.
“Princess.”
The librarian called out to me.
“Yes? What is it?”
He walked out from behind the counter, stroking his graying beard. His appearance felt familiar.
“It’s truly fortunate to see you back in good spirits.”
Ah.
Why did I forget?
When I was little, I went to the library as if it were my own home. I don’t know if my past life’s collector’s nature played a role, but I read almost every novel. I was addicted to the written word, to the point I looked at simple academic papers.
And I greeted this librarian daily.
“You look healthy too, sir.” “Oh, this old man’s only boasts are his long life and that I can write somewhat well.” “You haven’t changed one bit.”
That’s right.
Thinking about it, not everyone pointed fingers at me.
Why didn’t I notice? No, I wasn’t interested.
I was blinded by what I had. I didn’t look around me.
From now on, to avoid such things, I will deeply engrave today’s events in my heart. After saying goodbye to the librarian, I returned to my bedroom.
…
“What… is this?”
I thought I’d gone to the wrong room.
Just a few hours ago, it wasn’t like this.
The floor, once covered with hair, dust, books, clothes, and various items. The musty air in the room. The dark and damp atmosphere due to the curtains being drawn for 24 hours, the resulting stains and mold.
…should have been there.
“Whew..! Welcome back?”
In the middle of the room, Yuri stood with a mop, wiping the sweat from her forehead. The light from the open window cast a halo behind her.
Yuri’s light spread throughout the room. It felt as if the art style, colors, and artwork had changed. There wasn’t a single dark spot.
“…Did you do all this?” “Of course!”
Clothes were neatly arranged in the closet. Books were neatly organized on the bookshelves. Various cosmetics were lined up on the table in front of the mirror.
The duvet and bedsheet were replaced with new ones, creating a snow-white bed as if snow had fallen. Inhaling deeply, a faint sweet scent mixed with the mountain breeze from outside, creating an exquisite harmony.
“…Crazy.” “Perhaps… did I do something wrong?”
Seeing my expression of astonishment again, Yuri looked slightly uneasy.
“No, it’s amazing. 100 points. Perfect.” “Thank you! Hehe…”
I gently stroked her head, and she laughed like an innocent child.
This is truly in the realm of talent. This girl has a talent for cleaning. Where did this lucky find come from?
I threw the [Ancient Mana Studies Research Log] in a corner and brought Yuri to sit at the table.
“What’s this…?” “A fairy tale. I’ll read one to you every day.” “Really?!”
Yuri’s face flushed with interest. She asked me about what kind of animal a tiger is and whether there are any around the kingdom.
Actually, the content isn’t important.
“This is today’s assignment. I’ll lend you this book, so write it down on blank paper.” “Yes? But I don’t know how to write…” “Don’t worry. I’ll help you.”
I immediately brought over paper and a pen and had her copy it. Watching her, I realized something.
‘She doesn’t not know how to write.’
She hesitates, but then quickly writes words like ‘clothes’ and ‘tree.’ She knows the characters themselves, but she hasn’t learned how to read and write properly.
She’ll quickly learn to read and write.
“But why are you doing this?” “I’ll teach you how to read and write. Knowing how to read and write will be helpful when you work.”
I spoke with an expression of doing a really good deed, exaggerating my virtue. But Yuri’s expression wasn’t bright.
“…Why are you doing all this for me?”
A slightly hesitant expression. I knew without hearing her words.
In her life until now, there have been few occasions where someone properly taught her when she didn’t know something. She had to think, figure out, and learn alone.
That’s why her hands were so rough despite her young age. I could feel the traces of her past experiences in Yuri’s hands holding the pen.
Then, how should I answer?
There’s no right answer. I’ll just honestly express my feelings.
“Actually, I wanted to have a friend.” “…A friend?” “Yes. Let’s be friends.”
Yuri’s eyes sparkled slightly.
“Friends exchange things with each other, right? But I can’t just keep receiving. I’ll give you what you need from now on.” “…”
Didn’t she fully grasp it yet?
Hug. Instead of words, I just hugged her.
“Tell me if anything’s difficult.” “Yes, Princess. Hehe…”
『[Character Story: Yuri] progress increased.』
I seemed to hear a slight sniffle, but Yuri smiled brightly at me. She’s so cute.
I sat her back down, and she diligently began to write down the contents of the fairy tale. I picked up the research log I had thrown on the floor and sat beside her.
‘Because this is the most important thing.’
According to my memories, the blessing of mana is actually a ‘shackle.’ It narrows down the boundless possibilities of magic to one.
The answer to everything is in this book.
[Ancient Mana Studies Research Log].
I carefully opened the book.
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