After that I work to make sure to have some control on my dark elemental. I do not want another incident where I just lose it. Four years pass with ease and now it’s graduation day. I stand tall and smile as I collect my certificate from the professor. Honestly, I find it funny how I graduated from a fantasy collage. This degree in my real life would be meaningless. During this time, I also upgraded a few of my existing skills. Still can’t edit a skill to be max with programming magic though. I have thought of giving myself the magic resistance skill but that just popped up an error. So, no magic attack resistance for me, I guess. I look at my stats and feel pride in my growth.

Name: Andras Kerrim Lorenz

Hp: 25/25

Age: 19 Years Old

Gender: Male

Mp: 38/38 Class: Dark Summoner Title: Villain

Strength: 16

Dexterity: 15

Intelligence: 20

Wisdom: 19

Constitution: 16

Charisma: 17

Observation Level 15

Programming Level 13

Magic Proficiency Level 12

Magic Research Level 13

Water Magic Level 10

Wind Magic Level 10

Dark Magic Level 14

Poison Resistance Level 14

Disease Resistance Level 7

Enchanting Level 7

Pain Resistance Level 12

Acid Resistance Level 8

Burn Resistance Level 8

Potion Making Level 8

Summoning level 8

Erica has kind of let up over the school year. Moving on to the other boys in the school. I am honestly rooting for her. Even if she was super obvious it might have been because I am a prince. Speaking of, I have received letters on and off from my mother and father. My mother asking about my wellbeing and my father asking about schoolwork. Mother mentioned in her letters if I had found any noble girls that I would like. I said a few even if it was a lie. I am only going to try and date once I am like… Twenty-seven or twenty-five. That would make it less weird for me at least. Then the girls would be adults in my eyes.

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Anyhow Jerald and Erica also graduate which is no surprise. Even if Erica was hunting for romance, she did study every other day. Jerald was very much like me and studied almost every day. I know because we would sometimes study together in the library.

Now that I have graduated, I have some options. I could just keep studying until I have to take on princely duties or I can join a mages guild. The ladder sounds promising. If I join a mages guild, I can experience tons of new magics. Jerald is planning to follow in his father’s footsteps. His family earned their wealth and title from war. But Jerald’s father owns a big trading route. So, he is going to go and train to become a merchant. A merchant with an icy wolf. That fits him.

Erica is going back to her hometown. I am glad but also a little sad to see her go. I may have not liked her, but I am going to miss her antics. I suppose my first goal of joining a magic guild should be easy enough. No one would be foolish enough to reject the prince from their guild. So, when I got back to the main city of Astria from the school I looked around. Most places seemed like they would work for beginners. I considered my options.

As I walked, I noticed an old dusty looking store. Peeking inside I wave my hand to clear away dust. When was the last time someone cleaned in here? From the inside of the dark shop a voice rings out “One moment!” out of the shadows in a long dragging robe was a gnome. He stands at around three feet tall with a long beard and a wizard's hat. I shift and cough into my hand “I saw this place and was curious to see what was inside?” The gnome smiles wide, “Excellent a customer!” He claps once and lights pop on around the store. The whole place has shelves of books, potions and other bits or bobs.

Since he thinks I am a customer it would be rude to not at least look. I shift and head to the shelves and hum. I can’t read the spines. I look at the gnome, but he’s gone, I look down and he is standing there grinning. Jesus! I don’t end up screaming like a loser as I let out a breath “Sir, do you have a summoning section?” The gnome nods, his hat bouncing as he does “I do indeed! Follow me.” I follow him as we bob and weave through the maze of shelves. A lot of these books look old. I scan the spines then pick out a few that sound interesting. Elemental Index? Yes please. How to tame a dark elemental. Taking that book for sure. Blood contracts? Sure, let's see what that means.

Following the gnome back to the front counter I notice a box with 12 eggs. A small notice above it saying ‘Buy two get one free! Random Monster Egg raffle’ I point to it “You sell monster eggs? Is that legal?” The gnome looks at it then eyes me “Maybe. It’s my store.” I hum and shrug “I’ll buy two then.” I want to see what monsters I could get. Slime? Spiders? Maybe snakes? The gnome grins and I check out all my purchases. Leaving the store, I turn back to say thanks. When I look, the whole store is gone. The building now looks abandoned and boarded up. Did I just get some special event items? Neat. Time to head home and see what secrets these books hold. I can’t wait to read them!

Arriving at home I head to my room. I set up a small pillow nest for the eggs and lay nearby. I crack open the first book of Elemental Index and begin to read. Hours pass and I feel my stomach growl in hunger. I pause reading and fold the corner of the page. Fire elemental’s can be quite nasty based on this book. Sad I can’t really summon any but good to know. Standing, I stretch and hum looking at the three mystery eggs. I grab them and put them in my pockets as I head for the kitchen. Walking through the halls I hear some noise from one of the rooms. Hmmm. I shift using Stealth and approach the voices slowly. I shift and cup my ear to hear the conversation better.

“Sarah, my son has returned. Have you spoken with him yet?” Sarah sighs “No sir. Alice got to him first.” I hear my father’s gruff voice respond back “Hmm well make sure you serve him dinner at least. I bet the toxin has worn off by now.” I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Sarah was being told to give me poison… By my own father? Why? For what purpose? I lean against the door to hear more. “That son of mine should be stronger now. Keep up the training Sarah.” I feel my heart skin. My father is… He wanted me to be stronger. Does mother know about this?

I take a deep breath to calm my rising anger. “Of course, sir. I will get to that right away.” Shit. I move away from the door and stealth back to my room. Once inside I gasp for air. I can’t believe him! And here I thought I had normal royal parents. But no, my father wants to give me poison immunity! I hope my mother isn’t in on this. I at least know Alice isn’t in on it, probably Celia too. Olga treats me like a grandson but who knows… Maybe the nice old lady demeaner is a ruse. In any case I can’t stay in this house for much longer. I guess this also explains why a physician never checked on my health. I would just be locked away in my room until the illness passed. It wasn’t because I was contagious, it was to make me stronger!

I don’t want to go back to raising my stats with Sarah having to poison me. But how will I avoid Sarah? Oh wait… I dread going to parties but if I attend all of the important ones then… I will have some respite. Eight parties could be thrown in one year alone. Even if I hate socializing, I much rather do that then suffer again. After attending that school, I have come to realize even if this is a game, I should be letting myself get hurt like that. Jerald really opened my eyes to my cynicism in that regard.