Chapter 1
I shouldn't have received that email.
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【Notification of Selection for <Song of Sword and Magic> DLC Trial】
Hello.
Thank you for applying to participate in the <Song of Sword and Magic> DLC trial.
Our game company has selected you as a participant through a random draw of many players. Congratulations.
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< Song of Sword and Magic >.
A game that tells the story of Olympia Academy, divided into Knight and Magic Departments.
It was an AAA game that received public acclaim and was even selected as Game of the Year.
I was also a veteran player who had enjoyed <Song of Sword and Magic> for over 10,000 hours.
*'How could someone like me not apply for the DLC trial?'*
As a result of promptly applying, I was accepted.
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This DLC focuses on characters that weren't previously highlighted.
In particular, we've provided 'cheats' to ensure smooth progression, allowing for a comfortable gaming experience.
If you agree to the above, please send a reply.
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I immediately sent a reply agreeing.
"...Thanks to that, I ended up in this situation. Right?"
"Yes, sir!"
"Oh? Is your back hurting? Aren't you going to straighten up?"
I ended up possessing a character for reasons I couldn't understand.
In front of me, the gang that had picked a fight with me earlier was collectively doing a North Korean bow.
Seeing their hands behind their backs starting to loosen slightly, I gave them a light kick.
"You know, I'm not in a good mood right now. I'm really bewildered. Okay?"
"W-what are we supposed to... Ugh!"
"Quiet."
*Whack!*
After kicking the one who talked back insolently, I sat down on the ground and addressed the one who seemed to be the leader.
I think his name was Jackson.
"Hey."
"...Yes, sir!"
"Let's continue where we left off. What's my name?"
"Why are you asking that... It's Herak, Mr. Herak, sir!"
*'Herak.'*
An extra in <Song of Sword and Magic>.
A useless guy in the Magic Department who suffers from magic insensitivity.
Naturally, he's not respected by his fellow magic students, and the knight students bully him.
He doesn't play a significant role in the story, leading many to question why he was included as a character.
*'Moreover, doesn't this guy die?'*
I remember him always dying if he leaves the academy.
I've possessed quite a miserable character.
However, there was no need to despair just yet.
As they said they provided 'cheats' to ensure smooth progression, I was given special privileges as a possessor.
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【Ultimate Physique】
※ Indestructible Body: The world's backup.
Hardens the body and automatically recovers fatigue during sleep/meals.
※ Heavenly Martial Body: A destiny born for martial arts.
Stats (strength, stamina, agility) grow rapidly with each body movement.
※ Magic Slayer: A blessing born from magic insensitivity.
Almost unaffected by magic.
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*'This seems quite useful, doesn't it?'*
It's a bit ironic to receive a physical cheat while belonging to the Magic Department.
But for a talentless character who originally only had magic insensitivity, having this level of cheat was enough to aim for a reversal.
*'The fact that I was able to win against these bastards just now was thanks to that Indestructible Body.'*
After all, there's no Magic Department student who can win in a physical fight against the Knight Department.
I've already reaped the benefits of the cheat.
"What's the current academic schedule?"
"Ugh... It's 10 days before school starts."
"Was I a second-year student? The entrance exam for new students will be soon, right?"
"Yessir...!"
Go ahead and grind your teeth, grind them.
Even while doing the North Korean bow, their bodies are trembling.
They seem quite resentful. These bullies who pick on the weak.
"This won't do. You guys need some mental education. One more hour added."
"Fuck, what the..."
"What? 'Fuck'? Do you want to die?"
"...I mean, don't you have to go? Didn't the Vice Chairman summon you?"
"What?"
Why would the Vice Chairman call for me?
I thought about it for a moment, but couldn't come up with an answer.
The character Herak is so insignificant that even I, a veteran player, don't know much about him.
...No, before that.
"You bastard. You knew that and still called me here? To bully me?"
"T-that's..."
"Your mind is completely rotten, isn't it? Huh?"
Even if I have to go, I should give them a good beating before I leave.
Even if there's intense rivalry between departments, how could they do something like this?
*Whack! Whack whack!*
"Argh!"
After listening to Jackson's screams a few more times, I left the place.
***
The Vice Chairman of Olympia Academy holds quite a unique position.
Olympia is a battlefield where the pride war between the Knight Department and Magic Department takes place 365 days a year.
This applies not only to the students but also to the instructors.
Whether it's new instructors or veteran instructors, there's a constant battle of nerves, so someone in charge needs something.
*'Justification.'*
The qualification to resolve conflicts between departments.
The Vice Chairman substituted this with fairness.
The objectivity of being neither a knight nor a magician, but a civilian directly appointed by the Chairman.
The first words the Vice Chairman said upon seeing me were:
"...Did something happen? Why do you look like that?"
"I've been rolling around a bit. With some dust-like things."
It's not wrong since they're dust in human form.
The Vice Chairman slightly frowned at my words but.
Soon, he brushed it off as insignificant and got to the main point.
"The reason I called you is simple."
"Yes. I'm listening."
"I hope you'll withdraw from school after this semester."
...What?
***
"Originally, the Chairman should have said this directly, but unfortunately, he's on a business trip, so I'm doing it on his behalf."
The Chairman of Olympia.
I already knew that she was absent from the academy at this point.
However, I didn't expect it to become such a bombshell in this way.
"We tried our best to keep you enrolled, but there were too many opposing opinions. It wasn't easy to suppress them."
"...Sigh."
Opposing opinions, huh?
Let's think about this.
A talentless student with magic insensitivity.
Who would go so far as to expel Herak, the underachiever of the Magic Department?
"Is it the instructors?"
"......"
"The Magic Department instructors are uncomfortable with me. The reason is probably that they judge it lowers their status."
"...That's accurate."
The Vice Chairman's eyes widened considerably.
"Originally, other students would have found me unsatisfactory too, so there probably weren't any opinions against it. The Knight Department wouldn't have had any reason to object either."
"That's right. In the end, we couldn't stop the flow of trying to expel you. I believe you know the reason."
Herak has magic insensitivity.
It means he can't handle magic despite being a Magic Department student.
Of course, he would have drastically lowered the evaluation scores.
It's understandable that the instructors dislike him.
"Your practical scores weren't evaluated considering the Chairman's wishes, but even looking favorably, your written scores are in the upper-middle range, and you haven't shown any other notable achievements. There's not enough basis to ignore the opinion for your expulsion. It's not something I should say as the Vice Chairman, but it can't be helped."
"......"
The Chairman's wishes, huh?
Perhaps this Herak guy was directly nominated as a freshman by the Chairman?
Let's keep this information in mind for now.
"...Is that all?"
"Hm?"
"I'm asking if that's all the justification for why I should voluntarily withdraw."
"...That's pretty much it. That's what remained after I filtered out opinions as fairly as possible."
"Then that's fine."
I take a deep breath.
The one thing I decided as soon as I heard the Vice Chairman's words:
I absolutely must not withdraw.
*'Herak dies in all cases where he leaves the academy.'*
Whether the academy collapses or he goes on a field trip outside the academy.
The moment a log appears saying Herak went outside the academy, it shows up as deceased in the ending credits.
I don't know the reason.
Just that this guy has such a fate.
*'Therefore, I must crush the opinions for expulsion.'*
If Herak shouldn't go outside the academy, he needs to continue being enrolled.
To continue being enrolled, I need to reverse the undervaluation by the Magic Department instructors.
And the method for that was quite simple.
"I'll prove it. That I have the capability to continue studying in the Magic Department."
"...Are you serious? How will you do that?"
"The 'Inter-year Exchange Competition' will be held soon, right?"
Inter-year Exchange Competition.
A combat practice for promoting friendship between the Knight Department and Magic Department.
Of course, that's just a superficial goal, and in reality, it's about establishing hierarchy between departments.
*'If I perform well in such a match where pride is at stake, they won't be able to ignore it.'*
In other words, I need to make the proud instructors of the Magic Department acknowledge me.
"I'll win there. Then you'll be able to ignore the opinions for my expulsion, right, Vice Chairman?"
"That's correct, but... how will you do it?"
How will I do it?
There's no need to even think about that.
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【Ultimate Physique】
※ Indestructible Body: The world's backup.
Hardens the body and automatically recovers fatigue during sleep/meals.
※ Heavenly Martial Body: A destiny born for martial arts.
Stats (strength, stamina, agility) grow rapidly with each body movement.
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I'll just participate as a (physical) magician.