"After I die, Eirik will be so heartbroken that he will follow me into the void."
On the other side, Elvynna watched Eirik in the game, a desperate figure drenched in blood, yearning for death. Her emotions swirled within her.
Over the past few hours of gameplay, she had thought Eirik was nothing more than a cowardly fool, always cracking jokes and making nonsensical comments. Elvynna had assumed that if she were to perish, he would simply hide away, doing whatever it took to survive. But the reality was starkly different...
It seemed she had underestimated him!
This loyal retainer was willing to lay down his life for her!
The thought stirred a wave of emotion in Elvynna. This magical world was unforgiving; people schemed against one another, each striving for power and strength, often resulting in deadly betrayals. Yet here was this retainer, ready to die for her...
[The simulation has ended. Would you like to acquire the related memories?]
More memories?
Elvynna’s eyes lit up with excitement. In the simulation, even though she had ultimately met her end in battle, she had reached Practitioner LV9! Meanwhile, she herself was only at Practitioner LV1!
It was worth noting that even the mentors at the magic academy were only at Practitioner LV5 or LV6. LV9 was a level reserved for ancient masters! Acquiring the memories from the simulation felt like inheriting the legacy of an elder!
"Of course, I want to obtain them!"
As she silently willed this, Elvynna felt a tidal wave of memories crashing into her mind. After a moment of silence, she slowly opened her eyes, a faint redness creeping into them as a deep ache settled in her heart.
The memories were far more vivid than any game experience.
It felt as though she had truly lived through those years—planting peach saplings with Eirik, watching them grow day by day, season after season. For over a decade, she had been cold and distant, yet deep down, she could not deny the emotions she felt.
Ultimately, that cowardly man had, after her death, transformed into a hero, following her into the unknown...
【Game Over】
【You had a heavenly talent but were betrayed by a villain, losing the Regal Bone of the Ancients. You fought valiantly against the darkness in the north, a brief but brilliant highlight of your life.】
【Achievement Level: Blue.】
【Overall Image: Newcomer in the Magical Realm.】
The Blue Achievement Level was just slightly above Eirik’s White Level.
As for being labeled a newcomer in the magical realm, Elvynna felt somewhat disheartened. She was at Practitioner LV9, practically a legendary figure in the academy, yet she was still considered a newbie?!
But this magical world was vast, and the fabled Emperor was said to possess the ability to disrupt the cosmic flow. Being merely Practitioner LV9 and called a newcomer wasn’t entirely unjustified.
Moreover, the assessment noted that she had been betrayed by a villain and lost the Regal Bone of the Ancients, a secret from her childhood that she had never shared with anyone. It seemed the simulation had been impressively insightful...
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"One more round! Just one more round!"
Elvynna gritted her teeth, determined to play through the night if necessary!
【A strange ordinary citizen suddenly visits…】
Just moments after restarting the simulation, the familiar prompt appeared again.
Elvynna smiled slightly.
"Finally! This time, I’ll give you the Grimoire of Arcane Mastery directly, saving you eight years of trouble…"
【You have become a retainer of the magic scholar Elvynna, who is quite pleased with your talent and gifts you the Grimoire of Arcane Mastery.】
On the other side, Eirik was taken aback by the system prompt.
Why was this NPC handing out items so early?
But he brushed it off, feeling happy nonetheless. In his previous life, he had only received the magical tome after eight years of knowing Elvynna. Now, getting it eight years early meant they could reach even greater heights together.
Perhaps Elvynna would become a Savant.
By then, even if that cursed tree sprouted, she would have the strength to fight back. He might even be able to assist her!
Of course, Eirik believed it was best to nip this in the bud. Waiting until that demon tree matured before confronting it was too risky; it would be better to find it while it was still a seed and eliminate it!
This Starlight Academy of Magic had been losing talented individuals at an alarming rate, which meant something was wrong.
【Eirik expresses his desire to join the Starlight Academy of Magic, cryptically mentioning that there are hidden dangers within the academy and that you should be cautious.】
"…"
On the other side, Elvynna stared at the prompt, feeling bewildered.
What was going on?!
Wasn’t this guy just an ordinary citizen?
How did he know about the hidden dangers at the magic academy?!
Elvynna immediately asked in the game, "I’ve heard that many geniuses have been disappearing from the magic academy lately. Although I’m just an ordinary person, I know this is anything but normal."
Had word of this spread to the common folk?
Elvynna was taken aback. Thinking back, this matter had stirred quite a commotion during her last simulation, but she hadn’t paid much attention to it. She had assumed that hiding away to study magic would keep her safe.
【Elvynna agrees to recommend you for the Starlight Academy of Magic but bluntly tells you that with your talent, you could never become a formal student, and even becoming an outer Acolyte would be challenging. Do you still wish to proceed?】
Of course, she wanted to go!
【You joined the Starlight Academy of Magic and became an Acolyte. As you are not a formal student, you don’t even have the privilege of attending magic lectures. Fortunately, with Elvynna as your ally, you face little hardship.】
Finally, he had joined the academy; now it was time to study magic while thoroughly investigating!
Eirik opened the map and information for the Starlight Academy of Magic, studying it intently.
The academy was located north of Aelsryel City, and within its grounds lay vast hidden spaces, consisting of nine peaks. Each peak was imbued with spatial magic, making them extraordinarily expansive. If someone were to cause trouble and secretly cultivate a demon tree, these secluded peaks would make the perfect hideout.
Among them, the third peak bore the most suspicion.
The peak’s master, Gideon Ravenshadow, had once been tempted by demons, learning their dark arts. Later, he purged the demonic power from within him, rediscovered elemental magic, and rapidly increased his strength, eventually being accepted into the Starlight Academy as one of its mentors.
---
"Once mingling with demons, now redeemed? Yet many rumors claim he never completely relinquished his demonic powers. He’s a figure feared by all within the Starlight Academy… Regardless of whether it’s him, I should start the investigation with him."
Eirik muttered to himself.
Moreover, he noticed that Gideon was actually from the same family as the junior, Pixie.
Gideon Ravenshadow was Pixie's uncle.
The Ravenshadow family was a lineage of magic scholars with significant influence in the Starlight Academy.
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【During your first year at the Starlight Academy of Magic, you managed to secure a position at the third peak, frequently accessing its secrets. Unfortunately, you didn’t uncover any useful clues; your lowly status barely allowed you to meet Gideon.】
【In your second year at the Starlight Academy of Magic, you made notable progress, reaching Stalwart Level 5, a rare achievement among Acolytes, garnering some attention.】
【Yet, you still failed to uncover any clues regarding the third peak.】
【Due to your regular presence at the third peak, junior Pixie noticed you. After learning about your relationship with Elvynna, she invited you to join her faction.】
Whoa, wasn’t this just like in the first life? The junior truly loved to poach!
But sorry, I’m already Elvynna’s retainer; don’t tempt me!
【Pixie, seeing your refusal, only smiled and said sweetly, "You’re investigating the Ravenshadow family, aren’t you? Sadly, the missing geniuses have nothing to do with my uncle. However, I know other critical leads. If you want to know, why not join me?"】
Elvynna and he had tirelessly investigated, yet they found nothing, while Pixie seemed to already know the clues!
It wasn’t that she was smarter; she was simply backed by a powerful family with access to far more information than these two ordinary scholars.
Switching to the junior was a tempting option, but Eirik pondered deeply and decided against it.
He’d be damned if he just abandoned Elvynna!
Besides, he wanted to pursue the path of a regular scholar, continuously growing stronger; there would be time to explore the noble route later!