In a messy dark room filled with a fishy damp scent, a boy was sitting on a chair and constantly scribbling something on a paper and then throwing the paper at the ground after making it into a ball.
This scene continued for more than an hour.
"Aghh!" The boy grunted as he harshly scratched his head. "It is good that the game lore was just a lore instead of real. I would die if he were to have the ability to read minds — he is a damn paranoid guy — but why did he even become an advisor? I can't capture the heroines in front of him."
Then the boy opened a notebook and skimmed through the notes written in a completely foreign language to this world.
"Isabella, the devil's puppet, will make a move tomorrow in the evaluation duels. Someone might die if I don't interfere." The boy murmured as he pushed his gray bangs that fell on his crystal blue eyes.
"She is a rather dark heroine with a high chance of Game Over. If I step up, be her partner for the duel, and at least land a good hit on her, I might have a chance to pique her interest. Even if she is in a puppet-like state, she can see, think, and feel — at least it was like that in the game."
The boy didn't really want to trust the game's knowledge, but there was no choice. He didn't have anything other than the game's knowledge.
"Although I like girls, I don't touch crazies. I will just save her from the control of the devil and take the hidden piece." The boy finalized his thoughts as a fire spread above his palm and burned the paper in his hand to ashes.
"Relatively safe heroines are the best. If I were to die because of a dark heroine, I wouldn't be able to enjoy the warm embraces of my future harem."
"It is a pity though, she was an exciting heroine in the game."
The boy licked his lips and closed his eyes. Leaning his back to the chair, he threw his head to the back and whispered.
"Though who were that purple-eyed girl who put me to sleep and the unattractive gloomy girl who lifted her sword against me?"
Slight tremors passed in his body after the boy thought about the 'unattractive gloomy girl' who scared him to death.
"I will kill you after I get the hidden pieces! I am the protagonist, Lars Lightbringer! Who are you to humiliate me just because my hand bumped into your flat ass?"
The gray-haired, crystal blue-eyed boy, Lars Lightbringer gritted his teeth as he swore to get revenge.
*******
"Pair up with your equals!"
The deep voice of the instructor boomed in the training hall. Some students even covered their ears. They felt like their eardrums were about to burst.
A student raised his hand to ask a question.
"Umm, how can we know who is our equal, and what are the criteria?"
"That is easy." The huge instructor with mountain-like muscles replied with a smirk. "Everyone got a wristband just a moment ago, right? You will duel with students with the same wristband color as yours. Like you, you have a green wristband, so you will fight with others that wearing green wristbands."
After recovering his breath, the huge instructor continued patiently without showing any signs of annoyance:
"As for the criteria, it is nothing grandiose. The amount of mana you possess, the quality of your mana, and lastly the power and utility of your innate skills, which are usually called traits or bloodline skills. These are the factors regarding if you are strong, weak, or have potential."
"Now, marsh marsh!"
The students began to pair up with the call of the giant-like instructor.
The childhood friends princes, Elyas Sevuri and Nedrak Albus were one pair. They were wearing black wristbands.
Seraphina and Estrid were another pair. Theirs were dark red wristbands.
'Darker means stronger?' I guessed.
As a new Assistant Professor/Instructor, there were many things I didn't know and weren't informed.
Lars Lightbringer VS Isabella Rose. Wearing a lighter shade of red.
'Red is always stronger than green?'
I could somewhat guess the power levels of the students with my mana sense. It was rather easy to learn which wristbanded students I needed to give my attention to.
Saintess Celeste VS Gabriel Celestia. Wearing black wristbands.
'Saintess is strong as expected.'
As she was the Saintess, I didn't dare to sense her power level. After all, I am the sole believer of The Fallen. If she were to sense any kind of dark aura around me with her saintly powers, I might get burned at the stake.
So, any kind of interaction that could raise suspicion was a no-go. I was always covering the cross of Mother with my mana like a barrier, so there was no way the Saintess could sense it unless I stopped maintaining the mana barter.
My eyes landed on the last target.
Sera Dalinnor VS a random high-ranking nobody I was going to forget in a day or two. They were wearing light red, almost pink wristbands.
'Above average. I guess I need to pay extra attention to her.'
The duels of the students weren't an interesting or rare occasion. The academy wasn't just a place to learn academic knowledge but also learn practical knowledge and combat.
After all, if one were to die to a mere thug, their knowledge would be a waste. One needs to know how to protect themselves.
Anyway, after watching the duel between Seraphina and Estrid, which quickly ended in the victory of Estrid in a few moves, I nodded to myself.
Although Seraphina was a mage, her physic was strong enough to evade Estrid's sword slashes and even cast magic while dodging the attacks.
'She is good enough, an Apprentice Mage on the verge of being Adept Mage. Just, that depressed girl, Estrid, is extraordinary.'
I was proud but I didn't let this feeling get over me. It will only make me feel like shit whenever I notice Seraphina doesn't think of me as her brother.
'Forget it.'
Turning my attention from the out-of-breath Seraphina, who had rolled on the ground and dirtied her clothes, torn her over-the-knee socks, and scraped her knees, I shifted my gaze to the duel between Lars Lightbringer and Isabella Rose. Despite the urge to throw a healing potion to my dear sister, I observed them. At least, I forced myself to.
'Fuck. It is not easy.'
I immediately slipped a piece of my mind into Lars Lightbringer's and Isabella Rose's minds.
[It is alright. I can do it. I just need to land a good hit. The professors will help me in no time. A good hit.]
[...]
After confirming that I still couldn't hear Isabella Rose's thoughts —If she had any thoughts at all — I began to concentrate on Lars Lightbringer's thoughts.
[My survival rate will go through the roof if I take the hidden piece. I need to do it. It is the sake of my future and my harem!]
'Hidden piece? From Isabella Rose? How interesting.'