SWNOVELS
Chapter 28
I returned to my room.
It seemed that I could gain achievement points by getting involved in major events like dealing with Ludwig. Of course, I knew that I could also earn points by completing other challenges like slapping the emperor across the face, which was completely unrelated.
But wasn’t this unfair?
I survived a life-threatening situation, which rewarded me 100 points, but just now, when Ludwig was present and someone told him to leave, I was awarded the same 100 points as well. Was that even fair?
That was basically saying that all the hard work I’d done to survive was the same as Ludwig just getting nagged at.
When I thought about this in my head and tried to spawn the system message to get an answer as to why this was, no messages showed up. It seemed like these people had their own rules about it, and besides, it was exhausting to even think about it.
Most of the main story took place in Class B and their dormitory or classroom, so Class A would mostly be filled with events that I didn’t know much about.
When I returned to my room, I filled in the empty names in my notepad based on the self-introduction earlier.
First, Class A.
I couldn’t remember all of their talents. There were even some individuals that I didn’t remember at all.
1 - Vertus de Gradias (Swordmaster, villain)
2 - Ellen Artorius (The super overpowered one)
3 - Liana de Grants (Electricity)
4 - Harriet de Saint-Ouen (Magic)
5 - Cliffman (Close combat specialist)
6 - Heinrich von Schwartz (Pyrokinesis)
7 - Adelia (Talent in the field of magic)
8 - Connor Lint (Teleportation)
9 - Erhi de Raffaeli (Scum number 1, a holy knight I think...?)
10 - Kaier Bioden (Scum number 2, a villain in the early stages. Can’t remember what he possessed exactly)
11 - Me
And then, class B.
1 - Charlotte de Gradias (Unknown)
2 - Louis Ankton (Intelligent. The saint.)
3 - Scarlett (Magic, immune to supernatural powers)
4 - Ashir (Divine power I think...?)
5 - Cristina (Alchemy, enchantment)
6 - Anna de Gerna (Dark magic, not a bad person)
7 - Evia (Telepathy)
8 - Dettomorian (Shamanism, psychokinesis. A powerful individual.)
9 - Delphine Izadra (Talent in archery)
10 - Lanian Sesor (Talent in music)
11 - Ludwig (Has good stamina and endurance, pretends to be a weakling but turns out to be super powerful, protagonist)
Although I couldn’t remember all of their talents in detail, I was roughly able to organize them in my mind after listening to their self-introductions, as it triggered my memories. Since I would mainly interact with the students in Class A, I didn’t need to remember all the characters from the original work so diligently.
Anyway, because Charlotte and I had been added as well, there were a total of twenty-two of us now, which was different from the original twenty.
Among them, I didn’t know what Charlotte’s talent was. I wondered what kind of talent she possessed. Could it be the same type of talent as Vertus? Since they were both nobles, there was a good possibility that they could have the same talents.
But now was not the time to worry about Charlotte.
I’d gained 100 points for successfully escaping from the Demon King’s castle.
I’d gained 1000 points for rescuing Charlotte.
And I spent 300 points by using The Scribe’s Advice, which cost 150 points, twice.
And I received 100 points as a reward for the event just now.
I had a total 900 achievement points at my disposal.
To grant myself a talent with achievement points, I needed a minimum of 1000 points.
[Swordsmanship - 1000 points]
[Archery - 1000 points]
[Magic Attunement - 1000 points]
.
.
.
My ability to acquire talents was quite ridiculously overpowered. Vertus had to endure immense pain and suffer through a great ritual in order to obtain three talents. However, I could acquire talents simply by using achievement points.
Of course, the required achievement points could fluctuate at any time.
Once I acquired the first talent, the second talent would probably become more expensive. It was unfortunate that I didn’t know how much more expensive it would be, though.
If I gained another 100 points, I could acquire my first talent, assuming whoever was in charge didn’t suddenly change the price of the talent.
There were incredibly powerful talents that I could acquire as well, such as the super talents.
[Weapon Mastery - 10,000 points]
[Magic - 20,000 points]
The weapon mastery talent, which was among Ellen’s numerous talents, required 10,000 points, while the magic talent that Harriet possessed required 20,000 points.
I could save up and accumulate enough points to acquire those talents, but that could take months, or even years to save up. Also, I wasn’t certain how much the talent would cost then.
When the talent of swordsmanship reached its peak, it could evolve into the talent of weapon mastery, but who knew when that would happen?
Moreover, talents like weapon mastery and magic required support from other talents to unleash their full potential. Most often, talents related to magical power were necessary.
In the case of magic, even with the talent, without innate magical attunement and aptitude—as well as the most crucial aspect, intelligence—it would be impossible to learn.
What I wanted the most was to become a mage. Mages were safe and powerful.
However, could I really study the field known as magic, which was filled with specialized terminology that I was unfamiliar with? Even if I developed the talents related to magic fully, there was a high probability that I still wouldn’t understand the study of magic itself.
Or maybe, if I acquired talents related to the ability to learn and improve my intelligence, it could enhance my intellect enough so that I could become a mage.
Having a talent that would make me smarter was a very convincing idea indeed...
Assuming that my goal was to become a mage, though, I would need at least four lower-level talents based on my standards.
One talent related to the specific magic system, the talent for magic attunement, the talent for magic manipulation, and one for intellectual enhancement.
‘I might as well grow old and die.’
In the end, there was one answer and one answer only.
Supernatural powers.
Supernatural powers were considered strong just with one talent. Much like A-3 and A-6, who only had electrokinesis and pyrokinesis respectively.
But there was a problem with superpowers.
At lower levels of skill, the abilities were either too weak, or not properly controlled. In other words, it was difficult to use them when needed. That was why superhumans needed continuous training to gradually enhance their abilities and their control, just like others who underwent swordsmanship training or magic research.
Either way, instead of grinding for achievement points that may or may not even come, it would be faster to dig my grave early and bury myself.
Swordsmanship could evolve into weapon mastery, and by studying various disciplines of magic, someone without innate magical talent could also develop magical abilities.
Some talents were able to evolve, especially supernatural powers. Practitioners would have to gradually improve their control and understanding, as it would be too overpowered if they were stupidly strong from the get-go. As such, consistent practice was necessary to uncover hidden aspects of these abilities, which the practitioner increased in their control and understanding.
A-3, who used electricity, would eventually be able to use abilities beyond just electricity, and A-6, who manipulated fire, could become capable of flameless combustion as well.
Talents obtained through achievement points had to be something that could not be obtained normally. As someone with all the aptitudes, I could acquire talents that I could physically train for, although I had no idea how long it would take.
Supernatural powers could not be obtained through effort alone, regardless of aptitude or inaptitude. But I was capable of acquiring such superpowers through achievement points.
They might not necessarily be of immediate help, but held great potential for growth later on.
There was no other choice besides choosing supernatural powers.
So, if that were the case, which superpower was I supposed to choose...? It wasn’t going to be of much help initially since it was at such a low level, so I had to decide on something that had great potential later on.
It was funny to think that I was assuming that I was going to get the missing 100 achievement points for certain.
It was probably best just to go to sleep.
***
The next day was the entrance ceremony. It took place in the grand square inside the Temple, and was held to welcome the students who were entering the high school education curriculum. The sight of over ten thousand students participating in the entrance ceremony would be truly spectacular.
Setting up an entrance ceremony on this big of a scale seemed excessive. When thousands of kids gathered, it was only natural for a huge commotion to arise, as if the world was about to end.
But the entrance ceremony for the Royal Class was held separately.
The reason for the separate ceremony was that they wanted the Royal Class students to focus on their studies rather than being dragged into large-scale events. Although this was the explanation that was given, it seemed inadequate.
Upon reflection, it felt quite unfair and discriminatory to inconvenience others at such an event while making things more comfortable for the “privileged” students.
I couldn’t help but feel a sense of utter carelessness as I read through what I had written myself.
The entrance ceremony for the Royal Class was a simple one, with only 22 students. The procedures were straightforward, and there wasn’t anything extraordinary just because the princess and the prince were enrolled.
The ceremony concluded with the introduction of the Royal Class Head Teacher, who was also the school principal, and our assigned teacher as well.
We were then led to a building dedicated for classes for the Royal Class, which was near the dormitory, where we took our seats.
I guess it wasn’t so bad having things progress quickly.
The assigned teacher for Class A was Teacher Effenhauser.
Unlike Teacher Mustang, the homeroom teacher for Class B, I remember making Teacher Effenhauser very bureaucratic and cold in nature.
He looked at us with a stern expression, and treated us no differently from regular students, as if we were nothing special.
“On Mondays and Thursdays, we will have common classes in this classroom.
“On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, you can attend the classes you each have signed up for. The syllabus and course overview are all in the documents that I handed out. If you don’t know what classes to take, come find me separately, as you might be lost.
“You all have exceptional talents, but don’t think that you are geniuses in every field. That means that you shouldn’t try to take classes that are beyond your current understanding and abilities.
“Number 1, you are the temporary class leader. If you want to change class leader, let me know after you make the change. Most of the matters that need to be conveyed to you will be done through the class leader.”
The teacher did not even address the prince by his name, and while some students were bewildered by such casual naming, Vertus seemed to be unbothered by it.
“If you have any concerns, problems, or minor conflicts that you think I can be of help with, feel free to ask for assistance.
“Also, if any significant conflicts arise, call me immediately. While we are taking measures to prevent incidents where students kill each other, I cannot guarantee that such incidents will never occur. Be cautious of one another. Knowing what talents each other possesses will help you be more cautious, so look up each other’s profiles. You can review them later.”
Mr. Effenhauser spoke these horrifying words casually, almost like a narrator.
Someone raised a hand at that ominous closing remark.
“What are you going to do if we call for you when there’s a major fight among students?”
It was Number 8, Connor Lint. He was a curious fellow, as far as I could remember. I also detected a sense of overconfidence or arrogance in his question. It seemed like he thought the teacher wouldn’t be able to do anything if a fight broke out.
Mr. Effenhauser seemed accustomed to such questions, as if he’d been asked it multiple times before.
“You all are under special supervision and are considered precious talents of the empire. However, you may possess powers that can be dangerous to yourselves or others. And I assume you all agreed to the precautions during the enrollment process,” Mr. Effenhauser explained firmly. “As the teacher in charge of the Royal Class, I have the authority to take emergency measures in critical situations.”
“Emergency measures?”
“It means that if the situation is dire, I have the power to take immediate disciplinary action against a student and eliminate them on the spot.”
The atmosphere in the classroom chilled at those words.
Only those who possessed exceptional talents were in this room.
And he had just calmly stated, right in front of them, that he could kill them if the situation called for it. He spoke as if it were nothing to be surprised about.
“And do you possess the ability to do so?”
It was Number 10, Kaier Vioden, who had asked the question in his usual sneering tone.
However, Teacher Effenhauser showed no particular reaction to his blatant provocation.
“Well, let me just say I’ve been working here for ten years and I’m still fine, so that hopefully explains something.”
This time, no one else dared to provoke him further. They were just teenage kids, after all, so it made sense.
But then why was I, a fully grown man, also intimated along with them? I was supposed to be the more mature and experienced one, but this teacher was just too intimidating. Was it okay for a teacher to be that scary?
Laughter echoed from the classroom next door, in stark contrast to the fiery atmosphere within our own.
“Hahahaha!”
It was Class B.
“Well, then, I hope you all understood the warning to be cautious of one another.”
Unlike Class B, no one was laughing in our class.
“And, Number 11.”
Huh?
“Come with me.”
‘Huh? Me? Why? Why me all of a sudden?’
I hadn’t expected this plot development.
‘Um... teacher?’
***
Next to the Royal Class’ exclusive dormitory was a separate building reserved for common class classrooms. So, on days when we had common classes, we didn’t need to wander around the entire Temple.
Although there were about a hundred students receiving education, the common class building was slightly smaller than the other Temple buildings. However, it housed not only teachers but also other staff members as well, similar in number to the number of students.
I set it up like this, but I didn’t really know what all those teachers and staff actually did...
In the office assigned for first-years, there were dozens of other people working besides the homeroom teachers. I wasn’t sure if they were all teachers or something, but it was likely that all offices were like this as well.
The number of staff members and students could be on par. In fact, there might even have been more staff members.
Mr. Effenhauser took me to his personal office and instructed me to have a seat in front of him.
I felt like a patient who’d been finally brought to a hospital after their illness had worsened because they had waited too long.
I wasn’t sure what this feeling was, but I had a feeling that something bad was going to happen.
He rummaged through some documents without even looking at me and spoke.
“Number 11, Reinhart.”
“Y-yes, sir.”
“...”
He stared at me silently.
“So, you have many aptitudes but no talent. Is that correct?”
“Uh, um... yes.”
Was he going to ask what a useless piece of trash like me was doing here?
I did set him up as a character that was cold and ruthless, but not to the extent of being a total dick.
“What classes are you planning to take?”
“...Pardon me...?” contemporary romance
The words that came out of Mr. Effenhauser’s mouth were unexpected. He placed a document in front of me which contained profiles of each student.
The document he handed me was about Number 3, Riana de Granz.
“Number 3, Granz, is a superhuman.”
“...I see.”
‘So what?’
He rummaged through the papers and showed me another page.
“Here’s Number 5.”
“...Yes.”
“Cliffman. He has talent in combat.”
“I see.”
I looked at Mr. Effenhauser with a puzzled face, and he stared back at me with an intimidating expression.
Looking at him made me realize that there were people in the world who could intimidate others with just their eyes.
“Usually, superhumans enroll in special classes for meditation or controlling their abilities. Since there aren’t that many superhumans, they require such special education.”
“That makes sense.”
“I suppose you, Number 11, wouldn’t need those specialized classes, correct?”
“Yes, I suppose so.”
‘I might need it later in the future, but definitely not now.’
“Cliffman has a talent in combat. It’s a rare talent. He excels in unarmed combat, swordsmanship, martial arts, archery... he has basically all categories of combat talents you can think of.”
“I see.”
Cliffman demonstrated talent in all forms of combat. Although Cliffman only had that one talent, it was a talent that surpassed weapon mastery.
“So, Number 5 who has combat abilities, would likely focus on physical training, weapon techniques, and sparring-based classes. Do you agree?”
“Yes.”
Ah, I knew what he was trying to say.
“The other classmates already have some direction in their specialization. They have a rough idea of what they need to learn and what classes they will need to take.”
“Yes.”
“But, Number 11, you have an aptitude in all areas, but no outstanding talent in any.”
Though that was slightly discouraging, his purpose wasn’t to put me down.
“Perhaps you also don’t know what direction you should head toward. Is that right?”
It seemed like he thought I needed some guidance.