1 Second Invincibility in the Game

I received a call from Rockefeller and stepped into his tent.

I was already busy due to the upcoming election.

I couldn’t help but speak in a frustrated tone.

“Why are you calling someone busy?”

Rockefeller also frowned.

“…A greeting comes first. You disrespectful little brat.”

Even though there was an extra chair, he didn’t offer me a seat.

Standing there awkwardly, I asked Rockefeller with a hint of expectation.

“Are you going to teach me magic?”

“That will happen after you sit in the president’s chair.”

This man was pushing me away again.

“You also misunderstand, professor. I have no intention of becoming the student council president.”

Rockefeller narrowed his eyes.

“You have no intention? What do you mean by that?”

I stayed silent, unwilling to answer.

Then Rockefeller swung his cane irritably.

A book flew out of his bag and hovered in the air.

“What’s this?”

“It’s a magic book that will teach you magic.”

For a moment, my eyes almost widened.

It was undoubtedly the magic book briefly introduced in Rockefeller’s hidden quest.

I didn’t expect that to be a skill book only accessible to those who specialize in unusual magic types.

I struggled to keep my eyes from wandering to the book.

It was a matter of pride, and I could clearly see through his intentions.

“Did you think I would teach you magic without any compensation?”

As expected…

It had been strange from the beginning when a twisted character like him said he would teach me magic so easily.

Just like Professor Gomon, he probably expected good results from the Integrated Academy tournament.

Moreover, if I, as the representative, showed any disgrace, the embarrassment would spread throughout the entire Frost Heart academy.

At the very least, his intention was probably to make sure I could act somewhat like a person before sending me off.

“You don’t want to? Then forget about teaching.”

It’s getting petty, now I don’t want to learn it.

I wanted to shout, “Do as you please,” but I held back for now.

If my plans for failure in the election were to fail, I would be losing what I could easily gain.

“I’ll think about it again.”

When I said that, Rockefeller waved his hand dismissively.

At this point, it might be worth considering seriously.

In other academies, there are some changes based on rankings, but the winner will definitely be Valient.

If, by some miracle, Frost Heart were to defeat them, the aftermath would be extraordinary.

There was even the possibility that Valient’s narrative might be shattered.

Thinking about it, I wondered if I should lower the bar this time.

Even without winning, if there was a successful result, I could still gain benefits without ruining the narrative.

I stopped in my tracks and asked Rockefeller.

“By the way, professor, what rank would you be satisfied with?”

Rockefeller paused for a moment, deep in thought, then spoke.

“Winning…”

As I glared at him, he corrected his words.

“…I would like to say that, but I think even third place would be a remarkable achievement.”

Third place seemed possible.

There was enough time for special training.

I trailed off and set the groundwork.

“That seems doable… Hmm.”

Having experienced this several times, Rockefeller immediately reacted.

“Damn you. Stop dragging it out and just say it.”

Should we have a casual chat then?

“If there’s nothing in it for me, I won’t work hard. Don’t you think?”

As I blatantly asked for something in return, Rockefeller gritted his teeth.

“What is it that you want this time?”

“Nothing much, just a permit to freely cultivate a few plots of land?”

In my spare time, I had often daydreamed about what I could build on the empty land, and it had become one of my hopes.

A hotel and factory tailored to the area’s characteristics, along with various businesses that could become a honey pot for me even after graduation.

Now was the perfect opportunity to make it a reality.

“…Submit the details in writing. After reviewing, we can discuss it.”

I left the tent after Rockefeller’s half-approval of my request.

As for the student council president…

Once my duties were over, I could start planning for impeachment.

The election ended.

There was nothing special.

The only competition, a seemingly naive guy from the student council, received 38 votes.

The rest all went to me.

After a modest inauguration ceremony, the work that followed proceeded smoothly.

With the budget from the headquarters, we gathered materials. Students supplied the labor, and the prisoners were whipped into action for the recovery work.

The first things built were the training hall and principal’s office, along with some temporary buildings hastily arranged for immediate educational needs.

“Don’t you think this was built without much care?”

“It’ll be torn down soon. By the way, Limberton. Are you confident?”

I asked, and Limberton gave a serious look.

I was asking if he thought he could make it into the main team for the Academy’s integrated combat tournament.

For Frost Heart, the standard was to be in the Ten Elites.

“Well? Me, in the Ten Elites? I never even thought about it.”

Others had shown rapid growth, and there were no upperclassmen who could rival them.

The Ten Elites was practically a given.

But for Limberton, who needed to wield a bow to show his true potential, I was worried.

“Looks like you’re having a lot of doubts.”

I had no advice to offer Limberton. He had surpassed the level of the archery instructor. Now, it was time for him to forge his own path.

As for the others, there was no need to check on them.

The integrated academy tournament was arguably the most significant event in the Empire.

It was a place where the current powers picked out future great figures, and a battlefield of pride where their children also appeared in droves.

Given that it was a personal and special debut stage, everyone was training hard, putting everything on the line.

But they were working even harder than I had expected.

Much of this was due to Kerndel’s influence.

– Give it up. Do you really think you can sit in this seat before graduation?

On the surface, he seemed relaxed, but in my eyes, it looked like nervous boasting.

Due to his usual behavior, Kerndel had earned the disdain of the main players.

From his perspective, the rapid growth of the main group was undoubtedly bothering him.

One of Kerndel’s life goals had been to graduate honorably while maintaining a Ten Elites position.

It made sense that he’d be concerned since his career could be shattered.

But this was like poking a hornet’s nest.

Everyone had been so busy with their daily lives that they had unwittingly forgotten the memories, which now resurfaced.

– Oh right, I was planning to deal with that guy. Wait for it, senior.

Silla glared at Kerndel as if she were about to strike his neck, while Bellman, in his typical foolish manner, hinted at a gift for him.

– Senior Kerndel. I’ll make sure to take care of a crutch for you.

It was a satisfying situation.

The current Ten Elites had also grown stronger through the Spirit Battle.

Before they could perform on stage, they’d become excellent nourishment.

However, there was one regretful fact.

“By the way, is Hersel and Dorosian participating?”

“No. Didn’t they say they were stepping down from the Ten Elites spots?”

Dorosian, true to her disinterest in this system, didn’t even know she had been in the Ten Elites from the start.

As soon as I told her, she responded with this:

– “Shouldn’t I start managing my reputation too?”

Well, she had tasted the hope of the world’s existence.

Her corruption was a hysterical act carried out on the premise of destruction.

Now that she had a longer life ahead of her than expected, reminding others of the bad reputation she had built over time would bring no benefits.

She would likely avoid exposure for the time being.

It would take quite a long time for her already solid image as a villain to fade.

“That’s a shame.”

“Indeed. If it were Dorosian, she would have brought certain victory.”

“But you have your younger siblings, right? They’ll surely win, just like Dorosian, right?”

There was clear expectation in Limberton’s voice.

I smirked and glanced at Limberton’s hands.

The gloves looked like they were on the verge of falling apart, and the bowstring had been replaced with a new one, probably because the old one had snapped.

“You’re on a high level, but Limberton, you’re really taking this seriously, huh?”

Limberton smiled sheepishly.

“Did it show that much?”

Saying that he hadn’t thought about the Ten Elites was a lie.

Limberton was certainly undergoing rigorous training behind the scenes.

And his motivation was probably his younger sibling.

“Are you conscious of Selberton?”

“Oh, you know my brother? Yep. I always show him my worthless side, so I’m trying to save face this time.”

Limberton’s face looked quite dignified.

The image that had once felt frustrating now seemed like a distant memory, and he had clearly changed.

“I’ll go get back to training now.”

After Limberton left, I headed toward my quarters. I saw Bellman practicing magic with Ricks. Around them, other main players were gathered, focusing on their training.

Ricks, Bellman, Riamon, Aslay, Silla, Leana, and Edina.

Mircel and Erucel were training separately, so I didn’t keep an eye on them.

But the number of people seemed a bit lacking.

“Hmm?”

There was only one person who could cause this sense of imbalance: her.

I approached Ricks and asked.

“Sorry to interrupt, but I can’t see Gravel around.”

“Gravel?”

Ricks blinked for about three seconds after hearing the name.

“Ah, Gravel? Well, I haven’t seen her much lately.”

His response seemed somewhat off, but I shrugged it off and passed by them. Gravel was probably training somewhere else.

As soon as I entered the tent, Mircel and Erucel, who were wiping off sweat with towels, greeted me.

“You’re here?”

“Been hard to see you lately. Is the president’s work keeping you busy?”

As Mircel said, it’s been busy.

I still hadn’t elected the student council officers, so I’ve been handling everything myself.

The professors have been helping out when there’s not enough manpower, but soon, I’d need to recruit more people.

Even now, I was exhausted and wanted to replenish my energy with some snacks.

But I couldn’t just eat alone; I had to get something for them too.

“Wait a moment.”

I stepped outside for a moment and used inventory magic.

What I pulled out was a bucket full of ice cream.

As soon as Mircel took a bite, his eyes widened.

“How is it?”

“It’s… delicious. What is this?”

Erucel, seeming curious, took a scoop and stared at it intently.

“It’s like ice that’s melting.”

“Eat it before it melts.”

Erucel’s reaction quickly became the same as Mircel’s.

“It’s smooth.”

“And sweet.”

The speed at which they moved their spoons began to increase.

It was a natural reaction.

This was a food that should not even exist in the original civilization, and on top of that, it had been fine-tuned by experts.

Our family’s chef, Mireille, who had never seen such food before, was silent for a while but, being a skilled cook, quickly collected her thoughts and pointed out the flaws.

– “I would have reduced the strawberries a bit. The intense flavor is great, but in that case, it would be better to just eat strawberries.”

– “I thought something was off. The balance of flavors was ruined…”

I smiled contentedly as I watched them eagerly finish the bucket.

It really was an incredible product.

If I were to set up an ice cream factory in Frost Heart, a place always covered by the cold, I might just become the richest person in the Empire.

Well, for now, I should tempt the people here with ice cream.

I’ll get the graduating seniors hooked on it and spread the word.

Lost in my happy thoughts, Mircel licked his spoon and asked.

“By the way, brother, I saw the principal today, and his expression didn’t look good. Did something happen?”

“Hmm?”

Now that he mentioned it, I remembered how Arkandric had seemed deflated today.

His body had mostly recovered, so there was no other explanation for it.

“It looks like the principal’s meeting is starting soon.”

For Arkandric, that day was the worst of the year.

He had to listen to the other principals boast and ignore him.

***

There is the best tavern in the Empire.

It’s a high-class establishment where only members of the Edel Kreis, the highest nobility, are allowed entry.

Within the tavern, there are even divisions, with the top floor reserved for those of royal or equivalent status.

On the top floor, four old men were drinking and laughing loudly.

“Ha ha ha! These newcomers are something else. Everyone should be on edge. This year, Scarlett is going to have a good harvest!”

The old man with a ponytail said, and the old man with glasses cleared his throat.

“Ahem, you’re still as cocky as ever. You say that every year, but you always lose.”

“What? You lost last year. Admit it, Ever Blaze is below Scarlett now!”

“You arrogant fool! Don’t gloat just because you won once!”

The principal of Scarlett and Ever Blaze glared at each other.

Meanwhile, the old man in a robe and the one wearing armor sipped their drinks leisurely.

The robed old man spoke quietly to the armored one.

“We’re on different levels, I don’t even want to associate with them.”

“Same could be said for you, Bamal.”

“You’re still as arrogant as ever, Bamal.”

“Well, I’m allowed to be.”

The robed old man clicked his tongue.

The old man in armor, Bamal, was the principal of Valient. This time, he had tried to make a stand but had been overshadowed by Valient’s numerous top-tier recruits.

“Why bring mages along if you’re specialized in knights?”

“And why did you eye Ares if you’re specialized in magic? Shouldn’t you have focused on mages?”

The old men, who would bicker and argue whenever they gathered, found a moment of unity when someone entered.

Tap, tap, tap

“Oh, who’s dragging their feet?”

“He has arrived, I suppose.”

It was the principal of Frost Heart, the perennial underachiever, entering the room.

“Well then, what should I make fun of this year?”

“Hmm, wait, I heard the fortress was destroyed.”

“What? What happened? Why is that the case?”

The principals of Scarlett and Ever Blaze, who had been glaring angrily, sneered as they spoke.

“Isn’t it obvious? There have been incidents happening lately.”

“True. Things have been unsettled in the world recently.”

“Of course, our students are so talented that we got through without much trouble, but it seems like Frost Heart didn’t fare so well?”

The four principals simultaneously burst into laughter. It was clear that Arkandric’s forehead would soon be twitching with anger. But strangely, the reaction the old men had been expecting didn’t come.

“I can’t say you’re wrong. Something truly huge happened that can’t even be compared to the other academies.”

Arkandric, for the first time in a while, felt confident that he wouldn’t be overlooked this year. He had students to boast about—one of them was even the man who defeated a monster that even Arkandric couldn’t bring down, Hersel Ben Tenest.

“It was a disaster so great that the so-called invincible fortress fell. But there were so many survivors. It’s a miracle, really.”

The principals of Scarlett and Ever Blaze showed signs of displeasure.

“Look at that guy. Tch.”

“Look at him getting full of himself just because he recruited Mircel.”

“What’s the point? What good is it if you’re doing well on your own?”

Bamal, the principal of Valient, was the one who directly challenged Arkandric’s boasting.

“Just because you got a good recruit this time, you think you can brag? In the end, the result won’t change.”

The other principals nodded in agreement.

“Yeah, exactly. In the end, it’s all about team battles, right?”

“Even when the Duke was around, winning was impossible. This time, the result will be the same.”

“That’s right. What good is it if you’re doing well alone? Everyone has to do well together.”

Before Bamal could continue, Arkandric gritted his teeth.

“This is disappointing. I was looking forward to the face off between Mircel and Ares.”

Scarlett and Ever Blaze’s principals joined in mockingly.

“The result was obvious, wasn’t it? Mircel, that guy, is still too young. There’s an area where his natural talent is beyond anyone’s reach.”

“True. You can’t ignore the experience and the physical gap either.”

“But honestly, do you think they’ll even face off? They’ll end up at the bottom again, haha!”

Arkandric trembled with anger, his fist shaking as if he might slam it down on the table.

However, he held back for now because he still had people to boast about.

“Is that so? I think you’ll see differently this time.”

Then, the old man in the robe, the principal of Wisdom, snickered.

“You don’t really believe Dorosian will participate, do you?”

“Not really. She’s not interested in the integrated tournament at all.”

Dorosian had dropped out of the Ten Elites. Even though she had clearly expressed her intention not to participate, Arkandric grinned widely.

The principal of Wisdom, his eyes widening, asked, “You mean Hersel Ben Tenest?”

Arkandric nodded confidently.

In that moment, the room fell silent.

For a brief moment, everyone thought they’d been hit with a good piece of news. But then, laughter began to seep through the room.

“Pffft!”

“Ugh.”

“I can’t take it. Stop talking, Viron.”

The principal of Wisdom, Viron, said apologetically, making a mock-sad face.

“I’m really sorry. Considering how desperately you begged us last year, even giving us a gift, it’s hard to believe.”

“…What exactly are you hiding, Viron?”

“Well, you see… actually…”

Arkandric almost had a heart attack when he heard what Viron continued to say.

“That guy entered the Magic Department, right? You see, I knew all along. Wisdom is so closely connected with the Magic Tower. The one who taught Hersel… was it Camello? Yeah, that’s the name.”

What they had done was truly horrendous.

Hersel Ben Tenest was excellent as a knight, but as a mage, he was nothing more than a pebble on the street.

It was because he came from a prestigious swordsmanship family.

Yet, knowing he was trying to join the Magic Department before enrollment, they had taken his money and lied to him.

Arkandric’s face turned red with anger.

“Y-You’ll see! This year… this year!”

But the sight of him shaking with his shoulders raised, trying to hold back tears, only amused the other principals.

“Ha ha ha! An old man about to cry? Let’s not make fun of him too much!”

“You say that, but you’ve had your fun too.”

That night, the old men acted like children, their laughter and the sound of fists slamming the table filling the air.

To read Chapters ahead 👇

CH 201-205 (Field Trip) $3

CH 206-210 (Troublemaker Vs Troublemaker) $3

CH 211-215 (Graduation) $3

CH 216-220 (Integrated Academy Tournament) $3

CH 221-225 (The Underdog) $3

CH 226-230 (Who am I?) $3

CH 231-235 (Frostheart Vs Wisdom) $3

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