As I walked towards my next class, the documents handed to me by Professor Verdajin quickly piqued my curiosity. I began to walk more slowly, then I started to read them. Most of the documents were related to some classes that Professor Verdajin had given a few weeks earlier.
But as I continued to browse through the documents, certain words written in another language, unrelated to the context, started to appear here and there in the text.
'Is it a message?'
Vibrate
Vibrate
As I was lost in my thoughts, I felt the vibration of my mana bracelet, which was on my wrist.
"Argh, I'm going to be late..."
'I'll take a look at the Academy library to find out about this language.'
Finally, I put the documents away in the storage of my mana bracelet before heading at full speed to my next class, which happened to be a magic class.
'But how am I going to make the instructor in charge of the magic classes detect my curse?'
Because yes, I might not have mentioned it, but I am the victim of a curse that prevents me from seeing mana.
And to block this curse, my body uses more than half of my mana without me knowing.
'Well, that's probably why I was so tired yesterday after my fight against that girl named Judith.'
And yes, if I managed to win against her yesterday, it was mainly because she was unsettled by my thirst for blood and because my swordsmanship is excellent, thanks to my training before my regression. Otherwise, a guy as weak as me would never have been able to beat her.
'But once this curse is lifted, I can finally use more mana and probably become stronger.'
Before my regression, I couldn't lift this curse because the director of this Academy had passed away. And unfortunately for me, even searching among the best mages, I never found anyone who could lift it or even, at least, soothe it.
"Oh, am I already here? I shouldn't be late then!"
With this thought, I opened the door to the magic classroom and was greeted by the instructor in charge of the magic classes.
"Kid, do you know who I am?" said the instructor, who was about six feet tall.
"Well, you are Instructor Mnory, a fifth-rank combat mage."
"That's right, so do you think I'm a joke?"
Saying this, he ran his white hand through his short blond hair while slightly furrowing his brow and analyzing me from head to toe with his emerald green eyes.
"Um, why would I take someone as strong as you for a fool?" I said sincerely.
"Kid, since the beginning of the year, you've been late to all my classes. This time, do you have an excuse?"
"Well, yes."
"Oh oh, you have an excuse?"
As the instructor asked me for my excuse, I could see all my classmates looking at me with sly smiles on their faces.
'Do they want me to get in trouble that much?'
"The Professor Verdajin kept me in his class to give me some documents," I said honestly, with an impassive face.
"Is that true?"
"Yes, sir."
"I'll ask him later, but if I find out you lied to me... I swear I'll make you suffer."
He said with a sadistic smile. I just nodded slightly and then went to sit down.
After that, the class began.
"Well, we're going to start today's lesson. We talked about it two days ago, but I'll explain it again for those who might have forgotten," he said, looking at me.
'Is he targeting me? Well, after all, he isn't necessarily wrong.'
After he said something that undoubtedly targeted me, the instructor began to re-explain his lesson.
Basically, he wanted us to strengthen our bodies with mana, something very useful for close combat.
Then, after a few minutes, everyone finally started to strengthen their own bodies. Only ten more minutes later, there were already five people succeeding in what the instructor had asked.
As for me, I was just patiently waiting for the right moment, and that moment came when the instructor went to congratulate the students.
At that moment, I began to gather all my mana within me, then... I made it explode, ruining my entire body.
This one solution could actually be completely fatal for me if I did it wrong, and even if it was well executed, an excruciating pain would then rage in my body.
But I didn't care. Right now, I just wanted to heal my problem, which was this damn curse.
And compared to before my regression, a pain of this magnitude wouldn't hurt me that much.
*
Dull Noise
Everywhere in the room, the dull sound of a body collapsing to the ground could be heard.
The instructor in charge of the class turned his head to see a young boy lying on the floor, face down.
This boy was named Reyn Fiorsav, the youngest son of the Fiorsav family and also a troubled boy. But strangely, since yesterday, rumors had been circulating that he was currently being possessed by another person due to his sudden change in character.
But anyway, at that moment, this boy was lying face down on the ground without moving.
Suddenly, Instructor Mnory saw mana starting to escape from the boy at a terrifying speed. A normal person would have thought that the boy had fainted from using too much mana.
But Mnory knew, from his past experiences: the young noble named Reyn had just exploded his mana throughout his body, which could quickly become fatal for someone so young.
He then ran at full speed towards the young noble before inspecting him closely. It was then that he found dark mana resembling demonic energy forming a very high-level curse located on the boy's heart.
Instructor Mnory then looked around and explained the situation to the other students, who were watching him with undisguised fear.
"Listen to me carefully, your classmate just experienced a mana explosion due to a very high-level curse. I need to take him to the principal quickly, so I count on you to behave, understood?"
Most of the students were stunned to hear that this young noble was cursed and began to look at him with undisguised disgust. But they still nodded their heads at the instructor's words.
'Did I mess up? Why is everyone looking at us like that?'
Mnory suddenly wondered, but he didn't dwell on it and hurried at full speed towards the principal's office, firmly holding the young noble named Reyn in his arms.
*
'An Unknown Ceiling'
That was the first thought that came to my mind upon waking. The second was:
'Who is this old man?'
"Oh oh oh, are you awake, my child?" said the old man standing before me. Despite his age, he remained a handsome man with gray hair cascading down to his shoulders.
"Who are you?"
"I am the director of this Academy," he said, looking at me with his red-colored eyes.
'So this is what he looks like... But...'
"And this person?"
I asked, looking at the man in his fifties who was staring at me with a furrowed brow, touching his chin with his right hand.
The man had a long scar running across his face, which did not diminish his beauty, but rather accentuated it. He had long platinum-colored hair that reached his hips, along with a striking pair of gray eyes.
"Mm? Ah yes, indeed, let me introduce you to my old friend, the master of arms Yervock Ovracht."
A look of surprise spread across my face after the director's words.
'The master of arms Yervock? The legendary dragon slayer? What is someone like him doing here?'
"Ah ah, you look quite surprised."
"How could I not be when someone like Mr. Yervock is standing before me?"
I quickly gathered myself after that, then I asked the director:
"Actually, why am I in this room with people of your rank?"
I pretended not to know the reason for my presence there.
The director and Mr. Yervock looked at me for a few seconds before one of them finally opened his mouth.
"You see, kid, you are cursed."
The one who said that was the master of arms, who was now looking at me with a smile.
"Cursed?"
"Indeed, and unfortunately for you, neither of us is good enough in sorcery to lift that curse."
"Huh?"
"But fortunately for you, we know someone who can free you from this curse."
'Someone better than the director?'
"What do you desire in exchange? I doubt this will be free, will it?"
I said confidently, but deep down, I hoped they wouldn't ask for something unachievable for someone like me.
"Well, you see, it's quite simple. Become strong enough, and win the tournament that will be held in about three months."
'Huh?'
"But how can I win against senior students?"
'Especially when 'she' will be participating in that tournament...'
"I don't want to," I then said to Master Yervock and the director.
"Why!?"
'Argh.'
"It seems boring to fight against kids stronger than me, that's all."
Master Yervock then began to think deeply while the director started a new conversation with me.
"You've changed, my child. What happened?"
"Well, I just realized that I wouldn't get anywhere with my old attitude," I said with a sad smile.
'If only I had realized this before my regression... I could have lived a chill life?!'
"You came to that conclusion on your own?"
"Well, in a way."
"I see, it's—"
"I KNOW!!"
Just as I was talking calmly with the director, a deep voice resonated loudly throughout the room.
"If you win the tournament, I will give you one of the weapons I possess," he said proudly.
"A weapon of your choice? Like, any of them?"
I asked, thinking I had misheard. Next to me, the director hid his face in his hands.
"Indeed, any of them!"
After that, Master Yervock laughed for a good minute before suddenly stopping.
He looked at me for a few more seconds before asking with a slightly trembling voice:
"Um, d-do you want to forget what I just said?"
I smiled gently at his words, then spoke with a serious tone.
"No."
'Now I have a goal other than just becoming stronger. I need to win the tournament to obtain the shapeshifting sword that Master Yervock possesses.'
I told myself excitedly.