Click.
With my permission, the door swung open. A girl stepped inside and bowed her head toward me.
"..."
She wore a crisp, white academy uniform that stood in sharp contrast to her shoulder-length black hair. Her face was a mask of indifference, her eyes cold and unreadable.
'Ciel Eurafia.'
She was the family's executive secretary, assigned to assist Roen, and had enrolled in the academy alongside him. I remembered seeing her a few times in the game.
She scanned my body, her gaze clinical, before inquiring about my well-being in a strictly business-like tone.
"Lord Roen, I heard you've regained consciousness. Are you feeling alright?"
I looked down at myself.
Bandages were wrapped tightly around my gaunt frame. Looking closer, I could see faint blossoms of blood seeping through the gauze. It seemed Roen had been confined to this hospital bed for quite some time following some incident.
'Come to think of it… did Roen have an event like this in the original story?'
I searched my memories, but nothing came to mind.
Regardless, she had asked a question, and I needed to provide an answer.
"Not bad."
My body felt strangely stiff and heavy, but there was no acute pain.
To prove I was fine, I began unwrapping some of the bandages. Ciel, who had been watching me with a hawk-like intensity, gave a small nod.
"I'm relieved to hear you're well. Congratulations on your full recovery, Lord Roen."
After offering her hollow congratulations, Ciel muttered under her breath—just loud enough for me to hear—as if to prove she truly possessed the [Caustic] trait.
"…Though, of course, this must be a great misfortune for the rest of the academy."
The recovery of the good-for-nothing scoundrel, Roen Devalis, who had been bedridden for so long.
Just as Ciel said, this was undoubtedly nightmare fuel for the other students. Now that he was healed, the bastard would surely return to his usual antics, sowing chaos across the campus.
'However.'
That applied to the original Roen. The master of this body now was me.
Since the future was no longer set in stone, I made a point of responding.
"We'll see if it's a misfortune or not in due time, Ciel."
"...?"
Caught off guard by my shift in demeanor, Ciel stared at me with a peculiar expression before quickly pivoting.
"…In any case, I came because I have something to deliver to you."
Ciel pulled a letter from her pocket and handed it over.
It was sealed with wax and stamped with the academy's official insignia.
Sensing her expectation, I took the letter and unfolded it.
Rustle.
The paper was ornately decorated with gold leaf, styled like a formal award, and bore the handwritten signature of the academy's Chairman. At the very top, written in the continent's common tongue, were the words: [Student Council Convocation Notice].
How can I even read these squiggly letters…
Before the thought could fully form, Ciel elaborated.
"You've awakened at a most opportune time. The convocation notice for the Student Council, which had been postponed due to your injury, has finally been issued."
"A convocation notice?"
When I repeated her words, Ciel nodded.
"That's right. Today at 17:00. The student council presidents of the four great academies are scheduled to gather in the main building's conference room. As this is the first official meeting of the new semester, your attendance is mandatory, Lord Roen."
I listened intently to Ciel's explanation while slowly scanning the contents of the letter.
To the President of the Academy Union Student Council, Lord Roen Devalis.
'What? Roen is the Student Council President?'
I tilted my head, re-reading the line to be sure.
I distinctly remembered Roen running for president in the game, only to be killed by the player before he could secure the win through his usual trickery.
Puzzled, I glanced at a calendar hanging on the wall.
'Stellar Year 312, March…?'
The date was wrong.
Racking my brain, I realized the current date was several months after Roen was supposed to have died.
'A guy who should be dead is alive, and I'm in his body…'
The situation had diverged significantly from the lore I knew.
Was this because of my conversation with Director Lee about the game's balance and story? I couldn't be sure yet.
As I tried to piece it together, Ciel continued.
"This meeting will cover revisions to various academy ordinances and the budget allocation for each academy for the current year. Additionally, the matter of renewing the contract with the Academy Management Service Provider will be discussed…"
'Why is the agenda so damn long?'
After a lengthy breakdown of the meeting topics, Ciel concluded by emphasizing her final point.
"Lastly, as you are already aware, the Saintess and Hero candidates will also be in attendance. Please be particularly mindful of your conduct."
*
After delivering the notice, Ciel headed back to her classroom.
'Five o'clock.'
I checked the clock on the infirmary wall.
There wasn't much time left.
After rushing through the discharge procedures, I headed straight for the Student Council President's office.
After wandering through the massive complex for a while, I finally found it.
Creeak.
I pushed the door open and stepped into a room dominated by a massive glass window.
The floor-to-ceiling glass overlooked the vast academy grounds. Below, a wide boulevard stretched out, flanked by majestic buildings arranged like a meticulously planned city.
This was the center of learning, established through the joint efforts of the nations of the Myrillin continent.
Commonly known as the Academy Union.
It was a gathering place for heroes and prodigies—the stage where countless central figures of the Myrillin Saga converged.
After a brief moment taking in the magnificent view, I sat in the president's chair and caught my breath.
"Hoo."
Then, I looked into the empty air and spoke softly.
"Status Window."
Ting!
As if responding to my command, a translucent system window flickered into existence with a crisp notification sound.
Fortunately, it seemed that not only the world of Myrillin Saga but also its RPG mechanics had been reflected here.
'That's a relief.'
Slightly reassured, I scanned Roen's stats.
I needed to understand my current standing before making any moves. Knowing a character's limits was the foundation of high-level play.
[Roen Devalis]
[???, Male, 17 years old]
[Vitality: 14 (-7)]
[Agility: 8 (-4)]
[Strength: 10 (-5)]
[Magic: 18]
[Intellect: 19]
[Charm: 90 (-61)]
After checking the numbers, I couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh.
'…An average person's stats are usually around 10.'
Considering the penalties shown in parentheses, his physical abilities were pathetic. He was basically a walking skeleton that would collapse if someone poked him too hard.
But that was fine. What truly mattered for a character like Roen were his traits.
"Traits."
Ting!
When I opened the trait window, colorful text flooded the screen.
[Alchemy]
[Thick-skinned]
[Sophist]
[Stubborn]
[Deceit]
[Infamy]
[Severed Yin Meridians]
[Half-Demon]
Among them, the epic trait shining in gold, [Alchemy], was the core of Roen's identity. It was a top-tier trait that elevated the mediocre mage Roen to the level of a mid-boss.
'Roen was originally a character who relied on item power, utilizing exceptional alchemy and enchantment magic.'
His current stats were abysmal, but that penalty could be overcome by farming and enhancing high-grade artifacts. In fact, with the right gear, he wouldn't just overcome his weakness—he would become a powerhouse.
Roen only died easily in the game because he was an early-game boss. Given enough time, he had the potential to be one of the strongest characters in the world. He was the ultimate late-bloomer.
Well, that was a problem for future me. For now, I kept scrolling.
The blue and red traits were standard or penalty traits—nothing too surprising.
'But… what are these last two?'
I tilted my head, staring at the bottom of the list.
[Severed Yin Meridians]
[Half-Demon]
These traits, which had a line struck through the middle, were hidden traits I had never known Roen possessed. And they were epic-grade, glowing with the same gold light as [Alchemy].
"…I see."
I stroked my chin, processing the information.
[Severed Yin Meridians]—a constitution of a natural-born mage that halved all physical stats and guaranteed a short life. And [Half-Demon]—inheriting the bloodline of the abyss.
Neither was an ordinary trait. They were scandalous for a member of the Devalis family—a lineage of legendary swordsmen at the forefront of demon subjugation.
This discrepancy filled in the blanks of Roen's backstory. There was definitely more to this guy than the game let on.
'But it's too early to jump to conclusions.'
I'd uncover the truth in time.
I closed the window and stood up. The meeting was approaching.
Ten minutes to go.
I watched the second hand of my wristwatch sweep forward and centered myself.
'For now, I'll attend the meeting as planned.'
This was a gathering of the student council presidents from every academy within the Union. It was the perfect opportunity to scout the named characters from the game.
Ciel had prepared the materials, so I should be able to fake my way through the proceedings.
However, simply surviving the meeting wasn't enough.
I had to gain something from it.
The reason was simple:
[The Worst Student Council President]
- Objective: As 'Roen Devalis,' maintain the position of Student Council President of the Academy Union until graduation.
- Success Reward: ???
- Failure Penalty: Death
A clear, brutal main quest.
Maintaining the presidency until graduation was a simple concept but a logistical nightmare. Given Roen's reputation and the political weight of the Union President, this was essentially "Hell" difficulty.
'…Even so, it's not impossible.'
A slight smile tugged at my lips.
Giving up now would be an insult to my reputation as a top-ranked pro gamer and test player.
To clear the quest and ensure a smooth life, I had to scrub away the [Infamy] attached to Roen's name. An infamous scoundrel wouldn't last long as the leader of the Union.
Today's meeting would be the first step in that transformation.
I dismissed the system window and stood before a mirror.
Straighten.
Improving Roen's image started with his appearance. If I looked gloomy and sickly, no one would trust a word I said, no matter how noble my actions.
In the mirror, the white uniform popped against Roen's jet-black hair. Now that I was looking closely, he actually wore the clothes well—likely due to his high base Charm. I could see where that 90 stat came from.
Of course, his hollow, vacant eyes and the dark aura swirling around him like a shroud completely negated that charm. That was the weight of the [Infamy] trait and his negative titles.
That was a long-term fix. For now, I'd do what I could.
I straightened my crumpled collar and neatly tied my loose necktie. Just fixing my posture and attire made me look like a different person. In the game, Roen always wore his uniform like a rag.
But I needed one more touch.
"I wonder if there's any… cologne."
A scent can change an entire impression.
After rummaging through the desk drawers, I found a bottle of cologne that looked like it had never been touched.
Spritz, spritz.
A refreshing, subtle scent—like a walk through a deep forest. It was perfect. Not overbearing, but memorable.
"Hmm."
Now that I was cleaned up, the dark aura clinging to me seemed to thin out.
Ting!
[Charm stat temporarily increases by 2. Affinity decreases by 1.]
Even the system acknowledged the effort.
I swiped the notification away and took a deep breath.
"Hoo."
Before leaving, I grabbed Ciel's meeting materials. Finally, I checked [Derod's Ring], the item Roen was never seen without.
[Derod's Ring]
- Classification: Accessory
- Rarity: Epic
- A ring used by the Dark Lord Derod for his amusement. Its durability is low due to its age, but its effect remains potent.
- Effect: Nullifies all demonic energy emitted from the body and all related effects.
- Durability: 4/44
So that was why the bastard always wore it. It was his mask—the only thing hiding his identity as a half-demon.
"Hm."
The durability was dangerously low, but as long as it held, I was safe from exposure.
With everything in order, I left the office with a light step.
*
Creeeak.
The heavy double doors of the conference room groaned as I pushed them open.
The interior was dim. Amidst the heavy air and shadows, a single, focused beam of light illuminated a large round table.
Four students sat there, each in their designated seat.
"..."
One sat with eyes closed in meditation. Another was silently reading a book. One scowled the moment I entered, while the last one's eyes lit up with predatory interest.
Different looks, different personalities, different talents.
These four were the student council presidents of the four great academies—the pillars of the Academy Union.
They were the ones I had to lead, and the key characters required to bring the Myrillin Saga to a happy ending.
"..."
At my entrance, they all stopped what they were doing. Sharp, judging eyes locked onto the intruder who had just disrupted the silence.
Step. Step.
In a silence like the calm before a storm, I walked toward the empty seat at the head of the table.
Screech.
The sound of the chair legs scraping against the floor echoed like a gunshot in the quiet room.
"..."
I sat down, checked my wristwatch one last time, and then looked at the four powerhouses gathered before me.
"It's time," I said softly. "Let's begin the meeting."