“Newspaper! Read all about it!~”
“The hunting competition held in the North a few days ago has come to an unexpected end! The one who snatched the crown was actually that man!”
In the bustling teahouse, a paperboy cried out at the top of his lungs.
“One copy, please. Thank you.”
A cool, quiet voice drifted from a nearby private box.
After generously tossing a gold coin to the paperboy, a pale, slender hand took the newspaper.
The owner of that hand sat upright in the host's seat, her slender figure accentuated by a dark gown. Long, orchid-like pale purple hair cascaded over her shoulders.
“Let me see! Let me see!~” Another lively girl on the adjacent seat leaned in, eagerly spreading open the newspaper.
She began to read aloud, her head of pitch-black hair bobbing.
“I see, I see~ So that's the official story~”
“Hmm... Let me look closer. The champion of the competition is...”
Her excited tone suddenly faltered, as if she had just laid eyes on a massive pile of non-recyclable garbage.
“Lynn von Reinhardt?”
“...This couldn't be some kind of inside job, could it?”
“Mind your words, Eleanor.” The elegant woman in the host's seat frowned slightly as she sipped her tea.
The rising steam from the tea softened her features slightly.
“Understood, Your Highness!~”
“Hehehe~ I... I was just a little curious...” The black-haired girl, Eleanor, stuck out her tongue sheepishly.
“After all... even I've heard of this guy's notorious reputation as a good-for-nothing playboy.”
“Rumors should not be the yardstick by which we judge a person.”
Eleanor nodded vigorously, then suddenly cupped her face, looking completely infatuated. “But... judging by this recorded portrait... at least the rumors about him being a pretty boy are absolutely true!”
She gently nudged the elegant woman with her elbow.
“Have you... met him before, Your Highness?”
“...Only once.”
The woman spoke vaguely, seemingly reluctant to pursue the topic.
“Contestant Lynn overcame all obstacles, defeating the powerful contestants Lilian and Veronica...”
Eleanor's eyes widened. “Eh...?! Even the Saintess lost?!”
The woman who had been elegantly sipping her tea finally paused.
She set down her teacup, her fingertips lingering on the rim for a moment. Her purple hair slid to one side with the movement, revealing an exquisite profile.
“Little Pera... lost?”
Anna Via merely lowered her gaze. Frowning slightly, she quietly stared at the youth's conspicuous smile in the newspaper.
...
“Alastor, is this your report?”
In the deep, dark secret chamber, the leader spoke indifferently.
“I... I am deeply sorry! Lord First Seat.”
The man fell to his knees in panic, his hunched body trembling slightly.
He slammed his forehead hard against the ground, completely oblivious to the blood pouring down his face.
“I beg of you... I beg of you... forgive my foolish mistake...”
“...”
The leader, completely shrouded in shadow, did not respond.
“Lynn von Reinhardt...”
Upon hearing the name, the kneeling Alastor shuddered violently.
A colleague watching the spectacle laughed mockingly. “How pathetic~ Scared out of your wits by a single name~”
“Your mission failed, you gained nothing... and you fled back from the North with your tail between your legs like a stray dog...”
“If you ask me~ you should change your seat from 'Greed' to 'Cowardice'~”
Sizzle—
A flame suddenly flared up, illuminating the secret chamber.
On the ancient stone wall, more than half of a mural had peeled away, its bizarre brushstrokes outlining a monster with a beastly body and ram horns.
After a long silence, the leader finally spoke.
“Alastor.”
Those pitch-black, slitted pupils looked down on the wretched man from above.
“Your authority... why has it vanished?”
“It must... it must have been some trick played by that bastard Lynn! I... I...” Alastor's trembling voice grew increasingly desperate.
“That is not important.”
“What is important... is that you no longer have any 【value】.”
Eerie black flames suddenly erupted from the ground.
Amidst shrill, agonizing screams, the man's figure was gradually consumed until nothing remained.
“...The target will soon enter the Imperial Academy.”
“Fifth Seat, 'Gluttony.' I believe... your true body is there, is it not?”
“...” The summoned subordinate knelt on one knee, a drop of cold sweat rolling down his forehead.
The majestic, slitted pupils stared fixedly at him.
“You will take over the target.”
The figure shrouded in black robes slowly dissipated.
“Remember, you have half a year at most.”
...
Meanwhile.
Sena sat at her desk, sighing as she rubbed her temples.
“Honestly, to have to lower myself to that woman...”
She bit her pen holder. As if having made a decision, she began to write with a dark expression.
To: A certain riddle-loving vixen
Respected Star-Gazing Sage, I, Sena Reinhardt, sincerely recommend my beloved disciple, Lynn, to you. He possesses outstanding talent in both magic and swordsmanship...
After writing several hundred words of beautiful official pleasantries, she added a final line with a sour face.
Hey, you bitch, hand over that spot. Don't make me bring my sword to your doorstep and corner you.
She placed the letter into a specially made magical artifact, watching it dissolve into specks of starlight.
“Tch—”
She clicked her tongue in dissatisfaction.
...
Imperial Royal Magic Academy, Star-Gazing Tower.
Under a false canopy supported by countless magic crystal lamps, a charming woman dressed in a witch's robe set down the letter in her hand.
She giggled coquettishly. “To think that wild woman Sena would actually say such nice things to me~”
“Oh my, this is quite a dilemma~” She placed a hand on her forehead in mock exaggeration.
“Elyia and Sena actually recommended candidates at the same time, and even designated the very same 'spot'~”
“What do you think I should do~? As the other recommended candidate—”
“Little Irene, why don't you share your thoughts~?”
On the other side of the communication screen, a white-haired girl scratched her head in distress.
‘Ugh~ Master didn't say anything about this happening before I came...’
‘What should I do, what should I do...’
‘If only Pandora weren't asleep...’
Her long silver-white hair shimmered like moonlight under the magic crystal lamps, and her light purple eyes narrowed in distress.
A plain academy robe hung loosely over the girl's slender body.
If Lynn were to see this deeply troubled girl, he would surely leap up like a startled rabbit.
For no other reason than this.
She was none other than the undisputed protagonist of the game 《Dawn》, an ultimate cheat character with maxed-out stats.
Irene Durandal.
She bit her lower lip, glaring resentfully at the culprit behind her current dilemma.
The name that had been praised to high heaven in the letter.
Lynn von Reinhardt.
“What kind of person... is he?”
The girl couldn't help but feel a touch of curiosity.
...
Meanwhile, Lynn was checking his status panel with a smug expression.
A week had passed since the end of the hunting competition, and the opening day of the Imperial Royal Magic Academy was quietly drawing near. In other words—
“The true main storyline... is finally beginning!”
【Name: Lynn von Reinhardt】
【Mana: 3.9 (Half... half-step Tier 4?)
Physique: 3.3 (A Tier 3 Warrior especially skilled in swordsmanship)
Charm: 3.5 (You are the sole answer in the realm of Cao Cao)】
【Current Emotion Points: 1599】
【Acquired Traits:】
【Favor of the Sinfire Witch (Gold)】【Saintess of Salvation (Gold)】【Apex Cao Cao (Gold)】【Azure Rondo (Purple)】【Lost Lamb (Purple)】【Parallel Chanting (Blue)】【Wind Element Affinity (Blue)】【Notorious Reputation (Green)】
“Hmm... with stats like these...”
“I shouldn't count as some minor, throwaway villain, right?”
He began to daydream in high spirits.
A brand-new life, brand-new 'walking ATMs'—
Here I come!
Rate on N.U.
