Roderick hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to process the information that had suddenly appeared before his eyes. He blinked, trying to clear his vision, but the interface remained stubbornly in place.
He thought of hiding what he was seeing, to keep it for himself, as a secret ace in the sleeve. However, looking at the two worried faces staring at him he thought better of it. As of now his title of dean rested on the willingness of the two people in front of him to support him, if they started suspecting him of not being who he said he was they could betray or abandon him.
Already having to feign being another person would strain their relationship, but trying to also hide whatever benefits the system brought him would doom their relationship and ultimately lead to his downfall.
"Guys, I... I think something happened when I touched the artifact," he began, his voice wavering slightly. "There's some kind of interface in front of me. It says 'Magical Academy System.'"
Elara and Thane exchanged concerned glances before turning their attention back to Roderick.
"What do you mean by an interface?" Elara asked cautiously.
"It's like... like a window with various pieces of information about me, my skills, and some quests related to the academy. It's hovering right in front of me, but I don't think you can see it," Roderick explained, his eyes darting back and forth as he tried to take in all the details.
Thane furrowed his brow, clearly intrigued. "That's odd. What does it say exactly?"
Roderick recounted the details from the interface, including his skills, attributes, and active quests. As he spoke, Elara and Thane leaned in closer, their eyes filled with curiosity and concern.
"Well, that's... something," Thane said slowly. "But why now? And what does it have to do with the artifact?"
"I'm not sure," Roderick admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "But maybe we can look into it together tomorrow. I think I need to rest for now. It's been a long and confusing day."
Elara nodded sympathetically, her hand reaching out to briefly touch Roderick's arm. "We understand. You've been through a lot today. Get some rest, and we'll help you figure this out tomorrow."
As Roderick moved to leave, Thane spoke up. "Hey, if you want, Elara and I can stay with you tonight. Just in case anything happens, you know?"
Roderick smiled at their concern but shook his head. "Thanks, but I'll be fine. I'd rather not keep you both up with my tossing and turning. Let's just regroup in the morning."
With a few more words of reassurance, Roderick left his friends and returned to his quarters. Despite his exhaustion, he couldn't help but explore the Magical Academy System interface.
------------------------------------------
| Magical Academy System |
------------------------------------------
| Name: Roderick (Alex) |
| Role: Dean |
| Rank: 1|
------------------------------------------
| Skills: |
?????? (Level ???/10)
?????? (Level ???/10)
?????? (Level ???/10)
?????? (Level ???/10)
------------------------------------------
| Attributes: |
| 1. Intelligence: 28/30 |
| 2. Wisdom: 25/30 |
| 3. Charisma: 27/30 |
| 4. Dexterity: 20/30 |
| 5. Constitution: 18/30 |
| 6. Strength: 23/30 |
------------------------------------------
| Active Quests: |
| 1. Rebuild the Academy's Reputation |
| 2. Secure Funding for the Academy |
| 3. Investigate the Artifact Incident |
------------------------------------------
| Inventory: |
| 1. Dean's Amulet |
------------------------------------------
| Shop: |
| Open: [Yes/No] |
------------------------------------------
The skills section being all question marks was not ominous at all. He shook his head.
He opened the shop and discovered a variety of items and upgrades available for purchase, from magical weapons to books on advanced spellcasting. He also found a section where he could spend points to improve his skills and attributes.
(Work in progress shop interface)
| Available Academic Points: 243 |
| Mana Crystals |
| Enchantment Scrolls |
| Magical Wands |
| Spell Tomes |
| Elemental Focus Crystals |
| Arcane Barrier Stones |
| Potions |
| Teleportation Talismans |
| Summoning Orbs |
| Magical Ingredient Pouches |
| Outfits |
| Weapons |
| Materials |
| Improvements |
| Attribute points |
| Skills |
Every item represented a category, clicking on potions, for example, would showcase mana potions, health potions, stamina, etc, however, most were locked in grey, with an ominous message [Rank too low to purchase.]
But what intrigued him the most was the improvements to the academy, just like in a city-builder game of his past life, there was a whole tech tree of buildings available to him to buy for something called Academic Points, of which he somehow already had 243.
(A/N: you can find the first draft of the tech tree in the author's comment at the end of the chapter.)
He looked at the only available item he could purchase for 100 AP:
[Mana Fountain: The Mana Fountain serves as a central source of magical energy for the entire academy. This mystical structure draws in ambient mana from the surrounding environment, amplifying it and distributing it throughout the academy grounds. By investing in the Mana Fountain, the academy can further develop its magical infrastructure, attract magical beings, and provide students with unparalleled learning opportunities. ]
Even as someone that didn`t know anything about magic, this seemed like an amazing first purchase that would serve as a foundation for the academy.
He fought hard the urge to buy it immediately and instead decided to consult his two more experienced companions.
Additionally, he had to figure out how to obtain these so-called Academy Points and why he had started with such a random number of them.
As he relaxed while scrolling through the various options, he suddenly remembered scrolling through apps on his phone, and this brought back the fact that he had abandoned his family, friends, and girlfriend. The sudden sense of loneliness made him feel like crying but held back the tears, emotions would only be a hindrance at the moment.
He had to figure out a way back in the future, and according to the system, one of the late-tier buildings was a planar research center. That would be a good starting point and starting goal for this new life.
As he fell asleep, more tired than he had been in both lives, a new quest appeared.
New quest: [Forget about your old life.]
-------------------------
Meanwhile...
Late that night, after ensuring Roderick was safely tucked in his quarters, Thane and Elara retreated to a quiet corner of the academy, their faces etched with concern. They needed to discuss the strange events surrounding Roderick's return and the lingering suspicions that gnawed at Thane's mind.
Thane leaned against the cold stone wall, his arms crossed over his chest. "Elara, I can't shake the feeling that something's off about Roderick. I mean, I know it's been years since we last spoke to him, but he's..." He hesitated for a second "...different."
Elara sighed and hugged herself, her eyes downcast. "I've noticed it too, Thane. His mannerisms, the way he speaks, even the way he looks at us. It's like he's trying to remember who he's supposed to be."
Thane rubbed his chin thoughtfully, his eyes narrowing. "Do you think it's possible that the explosion affected him somehow? Maybe it altered his memories or his personality?"
"It's possible," Elara conceded, her brow furrowed with worry. "But if that's the case, we must find a way to help him. He's our friend, Thane. We owe it to him to try and figure this out."
Thane nodded in agreement. "You're right. We should keep an eye on him, and see if we notice any more inconsistencies or strange behavior. And maybe we should try to find out more about that artifact. If it's somehow connected to Roderick's condition, we need to know."
Elara sighed, tired. "It's not as if we haven't tried, none of the materials we have had any information about it, and the people we asked or hired to investigate also had nothing new to tell us. Whatever that accursed object did is a mystery."
As they mulled over the situation, Thane brought up Roderick's mention of the mysterious system. "And what about that hovering interface Roderick mentioned after he absorbed the artifact? Could it be some kind of magical system or a side effect of the explosion? I've never heard of anything like that before."
Elara's eyes widened, her curiosity piqued. "That's true, it's certainly odd. It could be a magical construct or some sort of connection to the artifact itself. We need to learn more about it, and if possible, understand how it's affecting Roderick."
They shared a heavy silence, the weight of their suspicions hanging between them. Thane leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. "I think we should talk to him about it. Ask him why he hasn't confided in us, and find out if there's something more going on."
Elara nodded, her expression resolute. "Yes, we need to have an open and honest conversation with him, and try to understand what's happening."
Thane's eyes softened, and he reached out to gently squeeze her hand. "We'll get through this, Elara. Whatever's happening with Roderick, we'll help him."
She smiled faintly, drawing strength from Thane's reassurance. "Thank you, Thane. I'm glad we have each other."