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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: 2. Encounter (2)
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The accident was handled quickly.
Rockslides from the mountains the train had passed through caused train damage more often than one might think, so all sorts of safety measures were well in place.
The fact that not a single death occurred—not even any serious injuries—in a massive accident where the entire train derailed and flipped proved it.
I was the one who got hit directly by a boulder, so I really thought I was done for.
The students swiftly transferred to other transport and headed straight to the academy, receiving top-tier medical care just in case.
And getting a full-body checkup like that naturally left some time on our hands.
Enough time for me to take a close look at my current situation.
Gift #1 - Fateful Attraction
[The higher the favorability of characters with evil tendencies, the more various rewards you acquire.]
I stared at the text below the window with a look of utter disbelief.
No wonder I couldn't unlock it no matter what I did after possessing this body. The conditions were too specific.
Campbell Barony was such a soft, fluffy place that even finding someone with neutral tendencies was tough—let alone evil ones. It was only natural the gift wouldn't activate without meeting the basic requirements.
With a sigh, I swiped the window over to the skills section. Might as well see what I'd gotten.
[Skill Info]
[Skill: Desperate Situation] [Grade: ???]
[Stats are boosted in moments of crisis. The effect strengthens the lower your survival odds.]
[Skill: Fatal Charm] [Grade: ???]
[You find it easier to gain favor with characters of evil tendencies. The effect strengthens the more extreme their tendencies.]
[Desperate Situation] would directly aid survival and combat. The "moment of crisis" trigger was a bit vague, but any skill with stat boosts was bound to be a huge help.
On the other hand, [Fatal Charm]...
"..."
Was it really okay for me to have this?
I had no idea just how much easier it made gaining favor, but in this game, anyone with evil tendencies was dangerous as hell.
Boxers who lost their minds at the sight of a fight.
Sword maniacs who'd slice you up the moment you got within three steps.
Ruthless assassins who'd kill anyone if the conditions were right.
Genius mages who seemed utterly detached from everything.
Just thinking of those headaches made my temples throb.
Ah, whatever for now.
'...For the time being, good is good, right?'
I let out a wry chuckle and closed the window.
Getting even one skill that directly helped survival was a massive win.
Ever since possessing this body, my guiding principle had been "my own survival" above all else.
Sticking to an extra's role stemmed from that too.
In that light, who'd turn down something perfect for surviving this hellish world?
'The weird part is...'
The skills were marked with ??? grades. What was that about?
They should've been rated from the lowest F to the highest EX.
Even I, treated as a veteran in Sera, had never seen this before.
"What have you been doing staring into space? Need another mental eval?"
"No. I'm really fine."
I answered the medic in front of me, but he eyed me suspiciously as he jotted notes on my chart.
"Your vitals are all normal, sure..."
"Then let me go already. No one was even hurt in the accident—what's with all the fuss..."
"Fair enough. On paper, anyway. It'll probably get filed as an accident."
The medic sighed in response.
"But whether it really was... that's worth questioning."
"Huh?"
"You were riding with the Tristan Duchess, right?"
"...Yeah?"
"And you're from some no-name barony with zero backing?"
"What're you getting at?"
"I'm advising you seriously. I graduated from Elpante Academy too—from an obscure border noble house like you."
The medic gave a bitter smile and continued.
"Out of all those cars, it just happened to hit yours? You think that's coincidence?"
"..."
"The Tristan Ducal House has plenty of enemies. You crossed paths this time out of necessity, but steer clear from now on. Hanging with high nobles only gets you burned."
I know that without you telling me, buddy.
In an academy rife with plots and dirty schemes, did you think she was final boss material for nothing? Standing next to her meant mortal danger as casually as breathing.
The problem was...
[Gift-Related Character Alert]
▼ Elnor
[Trust Stage 1]
[Until related event: D-2]
...I was already tangled up with her whether I liked it or not.
Fuck.
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The entrance ceremony wrapped up faster than cooking beans with lightning.
Imperial Academy Elpante's eternal glory, this year's freshmen are historic, blah blah.
Genius from this region. Royalty from that one. Barbarian warrior from beyond the distant mountains. Notorious thief from the shady side. And so on.
Elpante Academy accepted talent regardless of origin—as long as you were noble or had a noble's recommendation, since it was imperial.
But with every type of person gathered, this damn place was a hotbed of trouble year-round.
Take the "practical evaluation" right after the ceremony, for instance. It reeked of that vibe.
"Now that the entrance ceremony is over, we'll proceed with the level assessment—"
"The evaluation includes 1v1 spars and various other practicals—"
Yeah. Educational institution, so no class assignments yet? Figures.
I stared blankly at the assistants herding the lined-up students, lost in thought.
The event was happening, sure—but a deeper gloom was settling over me.
"..."
Let's be honest.
Living as an extra was already off the table.
I'd dreamed of it when I first arrived here, but meeting the Student Council President in the same cabin threw everything off.
More precisely, it was the gift activation I never expected, followed by this sudden related event countdown.
She was a key player in every major main event in Sera. The moment I got involved, my original plan was toast.
Farewell, peaceful loner life of blending in.
Welcome, scenario packed with deadly incidents.
And facing it? Glorious all-stats F Dawood Campbell.
How could I not be depressed?
"Then first, pair up for 1v1 spars—"
I let the assistant's words go in one ear and out the other, deep in thought again.
So, was I giving up?
No, not at all.
Even without answers, I had to try everything. My life was on the line.
'Immediate goal...'
Handle this first.
[Gift-Related Character Alert]
▼ Elnor
[Trust Stage 1]
[Until related event: D-2]
No clue what the "related event" was, but given her background, it wouldn't be tea and chit-chat.
Blood would spill, for sure.
So, immediate goal: max out my specs in two days.
"..."
This is insane.
Other possession stories give buffer time before shit hits the fan. Why am I on a 48-hour life-or-death growth speedrun?
'...No choice.'
I mentally etched "endurance" thirty times over and kept thinking. No time to waste on anger.
Alright, let's think.
"Student. Hey."
As a Sera veteran, I knew every way to power up in this academy blindfolded.
But none breached the two-day wall.
The only way to grow enough in that time was this.
Gift #1 - Fateful Attraction
[The higher the favorability of characters with evil tendencies, the more various rewards you acquire.]
No idea what rewards, but a tiny bit of favor from Elnor netted two skills. Efficiency was undeniable.
Meaning: I needed "villain favor" ASAP.
Every minute counted.
"Dawood Campbell!"
A thunderous shout right in my face snapped me back to reality.
The assistant loomed in my vision, face twisted in fury.
"Where's your head at? I called you a dozen times!"
His voice boomed everywhere, so he must've been pissed for real.
Now the whole world—everyone—was staring at me.
"Everyone else paired up. You're last, so your opponent's set. Got it?"
The situation clicked fully.
Most looks were pity or mockery.
Pairs usually formed by skill level with tacit glances, but space out like me? You get hell.
Stuck with whoever no one else wanted.
'Ah.'
I sighed inwardly and eyed "my opponent."
Girl with orange hair tinged red. Worn but well-broken-in training clothes. Plain long sword at her hip.
Yet an eerie "presence" she couldn't hide despite the unassuming look.
Charisma so overwhelming it crushed you just facing her.
I glanced at her name tag: [Eliya Chrisanax].
I knew her.
Hell, everyone did. On Elnor's level.
"Um, hi?"
The world's top genius.
The protagonist of "Savior Rising," who'd later become the savior, gave me an awkward smile and greeting.
"..."
Wasn't I screwed?
Her starting stats weren't high, but she'd eventually level mountains solo with sword or magic. Even now, pre-growth, her talent was legit.
Pre-enrollment feats like joining regular knight beast hunts or soloing a dungeon. Unbelievable for a student.
She was shunned even among Elpante's talent horde—probably the most infamous freshman.
Our power gap? Catastrophic. I could legit die...
"...?"
Hold up.
I dug deeper into that thought.
Recalled my "abilities," her "info," my "goal"—all flashing through.
Then, the conclusion.
"...Hi."
I shook her shyly extended hand, thinking to myself.
This.
Might not be a crisis.
Maybe an opportunity.
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