Chapter 34: Welcome to Braveheart Knight Academy
One month has passed since my appointment as the Blackmore Family’s Hero Candidate. I was getting ready to leave for Braveheart Knight Academy, with plans to start next month, at the beginning of the academic year.
"Ugh, isn’t this way too fast, Envi? I’ll officially be an academy student next month. Honestly, it’s hilarious. Naoki is way too old for this. I mean, look at me—I’m already 25 and still stuck in my third year without graduating." I complained to Envi while stretching.
"HAHAHA, you’re not wrong! But hey, cheer up, Nao! It’s the academy, you know? We’re bound to see tons of cute girls there." Envi’s face lit up with excitement, practically radiating an emote of pure glee.
"Seriously, you’re such a perv, Envi. Always going on about girls. But then, the moment you’re in front of Amelia, you freeze up. Hahaha! What, are you scared of the princess?" I teased, a wide grin plastered on my face.
"...That’s none of your business. I was just tired, okay?" Envi replied nonchalantly, brushing me off. I decided to let him have the last word, though I was chuckling internally.
As I prepared to leave the Blackmore mansion for over a year, my mind was focused on the task ahead: graduating from the academy and passing the Hero Exam. There was much to do. Over the past month, I had dedicated myself to training. My swordsmanship had improved, and with the acquisition of Dark Magic, I had also been working on my mana control.
I couldn’t help but marvel at Naoki’s body—my body now. When I first awakened in this world, it had been frail, unimpressive, and wholly unfit for the battles that lay ahead. The only redeeming quality had been its exceptional mana capacity. That, at least, had given me a thread to pull on. But after months of relentless training, discipline, and countless failures, the transformation was undeniable. The muscles I’d built weren’t just for show—they responded with precision and strength. My reflexes were sharper, my posture tighter, my aura more commanding. What once felt like an unworthy vessel was now the foundation of a Magic Knight.
I couldn’t help but wonder if Naoki—the original soul—had some inkling of this potential. Was that why this body had such monstrous mana reserves? Why it had remained undeveloped physically, as if waiting for someone to unlock its true form? I had asked Envi, my contracted spirit, but he had no answers. Whatever the truth, it was my responsibility now.
With my departure for the Academy imminent, I knew it was time to allocate my unused status points. I poured the majority into INT—intelligence was key, not just for complex Dark Magic incantations, but for understanding mana theory, enchantments, and the metaphysical structure of spells. The more I learned, the clearer it became that raw power meant little without refined control.
I left a few points unspent, a reserve for emergencies. There was danger in becoming too reliant on system-assisted growth. Natural growth, hard-earned and hard-learned, built a foundation no level-up could replicate. I wanted to shape my strength with intent, not let the system dictate who I became.
Even so, sometimes... I felt something stir within me. A sensation deep in the mana core, not just power, but memory—residue of Naoki’s forgotten self, perhaps? Or something older still, something awakened by my presence. I didn’t fear it, but I remained cautious.