Chapter : 25
I’ll Save You in the Bad Ending Route
Spirit of the Wind
After the commotion with the illegal weapons attackers ended, I returned to school with Prea and Demian. Aaron and Lowen had other business to handle regarding the illegal weapon investigation, so we parted ways.
That night, I lay down and got lost in thought.
“Is it really okay for me to get this close to everyone…?”
But anyway, once the protagonist shows up, everyone will become the protagonist’s companions.
The twenty romanceable characters are always ready to die for the protagonist. That’s how they all become heroes who save the world together.
So, the moment the protagonist enrolls, everyone will leave my side. Experiencing this fleeting happiness isn’t so bad, then.
“But that’s not what’s important right now.”
I washed up and searched my room. I was looking for the diary that “the real Iren” had kept. I even searched the hidden compartment in the desk, but there was nothing resembling a diary.
My mind felt tangled.
“What’s so special about this diary? Is it that I shouldn’t find it before it’s time? Is there some reason behind it?”
My chest tightened. Before I possessed her, the “real Iren” had attended school. So where is she now? And if the real Iren suddenly appears, what happens to me?
My body trembled, but I quickly calmed myself.
“Iren was such a kind child they even called her the Angel of the Wind.”
So surely, if she used the diary, her intentions were good. And it’s very likely that I possessed Iren because of the diary she had. In that case, Iren must have had good intentions that couldn’t be helped.
“I’ve romanced Prea and Aaron and resolved Demian’s problem. Everything will surely work out.”
I comforted myself and fell asleep, hoping I could uncover the truth about the “real Iren.”
The next morning, I searched my room again, but the diary was nowhere to be found. Suddenly, I thought that maybe Pina might know. I knocked on her door.
“Pina, have you seen my diary?”
“What diary?”
Pina came out of her room.
“Uh… the diary I bought at the bookstore…”
“Oh? The one Lana always wrote in before bed?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
My heart pounded. So Iren had really written in that diary.
There’s no way the diary sold at the Moon Shadow Bookstore is ordinary. What on earth did she do with it?
“Did you happen to see it?”
“Sorry… I haven’t… You mean the one with a navy blue cover and a black magic circle?”
“Uh… yes…”
Wait a minute. Navy blue cover with a black magic circle?
It felt like I’d been hit on the head.
That’s the exact same diary that Raven, the protagonist, buys at the Moon Shadow Bookstore in the tutorial!
Wh-why did Iren buy that? What’s going on here?
The diary I’m trying to find… is the one Raven will use in the future?
But I quickly calmed myself.
“Eh… it’s probably just the same design. After all, I bought it at the same bookstore…”
Still, why did Iren end up with it?
Seeing me flustered, Pina said cheerfully:
“I’ll definitely tell you if I find it later!”
“Thanks.”
I felt uneasy. Somehow, I knew this wasn’t ordinary, but for now, I had no leads. With so little information, I could only think this far.
I put thoughts of the diary aside for the moment and went to the cafeteria with Pina.
I’ll remember this; I’ll find it someday…
The cafeteria had fewer students than usual. With the Orion exam preparation period underway, students could go out and have free time, and most were busy studying for the exam.
Even students who weren’t taking the Orion exam, like Pina, were doing mock exams to prepare for the next wizard promotion test.
As I ordered my food and looked for a seat, I saw a familiar face. A young man with hair close to blonde was eating. I greeted him happily.
“Lowen!”
“Miss.”
Lowen turned his head and bowed politely.
“Good morning.”
“What brings you to school? Is your quest finished?”
“Thanks to you, Miss. I caught all the attackers, so I’m staying at school until the next quest comes in.”
I sat next to Lowen.
“Who’s this?”
Pina, curious, sat down too and asked.
“This is my junior, Lowen. I met him in the village. Lowen, this is Pina, my roommate.”
“Hello, Senior Pina.”
“Ah! Spirit Mage Lowen! You’re our school’s only Light-element wizard, right?”
Pina was overly excited, and Lowen shyly adjusted his glasses.
“Yes, that’s right.”
The clear glass encasing his green eyes suited his neat face. I stared at him, and he nervously scratched the back of his neck.
“When I go on a quest, I use a ‘Vision Enhancement Spell’ on my eyes. Otherwise, I wear glasses.”
Like temporary LASIK in real life, maybe. Likely a talent only Light-element wizards can use.
Pina seized the opportunity and began asking many questions about Light magic. Lowen explained patiently while eating soup, sharing plenty of useful information.
“Light wizards must communicate well with spirits. Forming contracts with them is the first task of a Light wizard.”
“Wow, that’s amazing. Isn’t it hard to talk to spirits?”
“Um… a little?”
Lowen answered all questions kindly.
“Spirits react sensitively to human souls, so they can immediately notice if magic has a problem. You always have to stabilize them so they aren’t startled.”
While sipping my mushroom soup, I remembered something I had forgotten.
Right! I read it in the setting compendium.
“Yes! I’ll have Lowen check my skills!”
I moved closer to him, my voice unintentionally excited.
“Lowen, do you have time today?”
“Huh? Uh… yes, that’s fine.”
“Then could you check my magic?”
“Yes, yes?”
“I want the spirits to check my skills! I’ve been worried lately.”
A few days ago, during training with Prea and Demian, I realized that my skill was only a third as strong as Iren’s original skill. I had tried several times alone, but it was still weak.
“Iren is weak, but if my skill is weaker than hers, that’s a big problem.”
Thankfully, it seemed Lowen could help with this. The spirits should be able to identify the cause!
“Ah, please do.”
Lowen smiled kindly.
“Of course, Miss. I’d be happy to help.”
I handed him my morning bread as thanks.
Promotion exams I had probably cleared hundreds of times in over 2,000 hours of gaming. I even did solo time attacks using all kinds of exploits. So the Orion exam itself wasn’t a problem.
But skills were another matter. If the power remained weak, it could interfere at crucial moments. So I had to ask the top spirit mage for help.
After breakfast, Lowen and I headed straight to the training ground. He was as kind as Iren had been.
Even if I used skills incorrectly, Lowen wouldn’t spread rumors or think I was strange. But training with him turned out longer than expected.
“Focus more on your abdomen while casting the spell.”
“Like this?”
“Yes, good! Now recite the spell exactly like that!”
“Wi-wind barrier!”
Following Lowen’s instructions, green magical energy seemed to gather in my dantian and then dissipate.
“Another failure…”
For three hours, I had been stuck unable to properly use Iren’s skill.
It was maddening. How did it come to this?
At first, I just honestly told Lowen my problem.
“I think my skill is weaker than usual.”
“Really? Wait a moment…”
Lowen brought his hands near my collarbone. Yellow magical energy flowed from them. His brown hair glimmered golden as he closed his eyes to focus.
‘Light magic is really beautiful…’
He withdrew his hands after a moment.
“Your health is fine. What’s left is your soul’s condition…”
So that was the health check.
“Can we test how weak it is? Could you cast the skill once?”
“Oh, yes.”
I picked up a wooden practice sword in the training ground and cast . Lowen narrowed his eyes.
“Wait, Miss. Why is the energy dispersing?”
“Huh? What?”
He looked almost shocked.
“Miss, you’re not concentrating your magic properly.”
“Really?”
You can see that? How? Is this a trait of Light magic?
He seriously explained how my magic flowed with his hands. It felt like electricity discharging; I felt like a battery. I roughly understood the theory.
“What should I do then?”
“Before checking if it’s your soul… practice concentrating your magic.”
And that turned out to be a mistake. For three hours, we made no progress.
“This… seems serious.”
I realized it wasn’t Demian I should worry about for failing at dark magic. Could I even take the exam like this?
Lowen seemed worried he had made a mistake in teaching.
Then he said something crucial.
“It feels… like it isn’t your magic. It’s as if your soul is rejecting it…”
I fell silent. There was the answer.
“I see… the skill’s power is weak because I’m using Iren’s skill. I’m not the real Iren.”
Then what should I do? I couldn’t get stuck here.
“Do I have to act like Iren to use her magic… think like her, act like her… Is that the only way?”
Is that even possible?
Seeing me so serious, Lowen tried to encourage me.
“Maybe you’re nervous because the exam is coming! Magic is highly influenced by the caster’s emotions and mental state.”
“Really?”
“Yes, cheer up, Miss!”
He tried to comfort me, and the yellow stone on his necklace began glowing.
“Wait a moment.”
Lowen rubbed the stone around his neck twice.
“Hello? Young master?”
‘It’s a communication device.’
The stone glowed, and I could hear Aaron’s voice.
“Lowen, where are you now?”
“I’m at the training ground with Miss Iren.”
“I’ll come there.”
I picked up the wooden sword and asked:
“Is it something important? Should I leave?”
“No, stay there. If he wanted to talk alone, he would’ve said so.”
Lowen waved his hands, then looked at me with glowing green eyes.
“I said I’d check your magic, so as long as Miss Iren doesn’t give up, I want to help with all my strength.”
I felt like light was radiating from Lowen’s face.
‘I asked for this…’
I felt both thankful and apologetic for his earnestness.
“Thank you.”
“We should have the spirits check. They might find a hint.”
Lowen stretched out his hand, and his Spirit’s Wooden Staff was summoned from thin air.
“Actually, checking the soul with a spirit can strain the body, so I’d rather avoid it… but given the circumstances, I’ll summon the Wind Spirit.”
I nodded. He lightly grasped the long staff and tapped it twice on the ground. Soon, pale green light formed a circle and began swirling upward.
A beautiful female-shaped spirit appeared with a gentle breeze, standing beside Lowen.
