The survival test will begin in three days. The academy students are visibly preparing themselves by practicing, making the combat arena crowded with second-year students.
At this moment, I am giving special training to the discipline committee members so they can achieve maximum points during the test.
One of them is Viera Regnan, a student from the regular class, who is currently practicing her archery technique.
It is quite rare for academy students to choose a bow as their main weapon. However, Viera's abilities will be crucial for my warrior team in the future, especially for certain important missions.
"How was your shooting today, Viera?" I asked.
She turned to me, "I think it's improved a lot, Captain. Since you taught me the Eagle Eye spell and the Stabilite technique, my accuracy has increased to 70 percent at a distance of 100 meters!"
"Good. Keep improving your accuracy. Once you hit 90 percent, I'll teach you a spell that will give your arrows much more destructive power."
"Really? Thank you, Captain!" she exclaimed excitedly.
Slowly, the discipline committee members will each develop their own unique abilities. Even if you can't excel in the same areas as the other students, at least you'll have a specialty that will make the academy prioritize you in certain matters.
Next, I noticed a man surrounded by three other members. He was Tazz Barget.
The three members began attacking him with wooden swords, but Tazz didn't dodge at all. That's because I plan to make him a Tank, which will be critical during team battles.
"Repel!" Tazz shouted as a wooden sword was about to land on his body.
When the sword hit Tazz's thigh, the attacker's hand suddenly shook, causing him to drop his sword.
Repel is a spell that hardens your body like stone and can reflect attacks. That's why the attacker's hand trembled—due to the Repel spell Tazz used.
"I did it! I finally mastered the spell!" Tazz shouted with joy.
The corners of my mouth lifted as I watched these members, who had once seemed like a bunch of losers, gradually improve.
However, my gaze shifted to a small, slender girl struggling to swing her wooden sword. She was Tianna Lovecraft, a second-year student from the regular class.
She has a body that's not suited for her dream—to become a member of the Calvatra Knight Unit. If she shifted her focus to becoming an assassin, I think she would still have a chance to grow.
But this woman is quite stubborn and insists on learning sword techniques.
After about four hours of training, the members lined up to listen to my instructions.
"This is our last training session before the second-year students take the survival test. On the thirtieth day, gather at the office for a briefing on safety procedures during the event. Any questions?"
The members only shook their heads.
"Good, now disperse and rest."
---
After training the discipline committee members, I left the academy to meet some new recruits interested in working with me.
A few days ago, I distributed several flyers to fill certain positions in the capital. I want to build an information-gathering team because I can't rely forever on the information I currently have as a game developer. I need to keep updating it to stay in line with the present circumstances.
Secondly, I want to build an armory and develop magical artifacts for my team to use. Lastly, I aim to create a trade guild so I won't always depend on the wealth of the Garcia family, controlled by Duke Alvaro, to execute some of my operations.
After about 15 minutes, I arrived at a building I had purchased as the headquarters for the team I plan to build.
"Keep the change," I said as I got off the horse-drawn carriage, handing the driver a gold coin.
I then entered the four-story building. About twenty people were already waiting on the first floor. They looked at me as I walked toward the interview room door.
"Five of you, come with me. The rest will be called in one by one afterward."
I took out a key and unlocked the room.
There was a desk inside. After sitting down, I watched as four men and one woman with glasses entered the room.
"Alright, let's start the interview process."
The five of them nodded. I need capable individuals to fill key positions in the group I'll form.
I then looked at the bald man and the man with the largest physique.
"You two, state your names," I said to them.
Judging by their appearances, they seem well-educated. I believe they'll be perfect for the positions of Guild Master for the trade guild I'll create and Master Armory for my team's weaponry.
"Yes, sir! My name is Olen Mask!"
"My name is Joff Bozes, sir!"
Huh? Wait, what? Did I hear that right? Let me ask again to be sure.
"Can you repeat your names?"
"Yes, sir. My name is Olen Mask! I specialize in weapon crafting!"
"My name is Joff Bozes! I'm skilled in trade!"
Ah... I didn't mishear.
Damn it, Marek! He carelessly created game characters resembling famous real-world figures as Easter Eggs.
I then looked at the man beside them, with brown skin and a military haircut. I think I'm a little familiar with his character design.
"What's your name and background?" I asked the man with the short haircut.
"My name is Karl Johnson. I'm a former leader of a street gang called Grub Street."
Hearing this, I held my head, suppressing the anger rising within me due to the mess my childhood friend had caused.
Marek, have you lost your mind by designing and naming characters like a protagonist from a famous game? Do you want our game to get sued for copyright issues?
"I came here to start a new life. All my friends died in a battle against a rival gang," Karl said emotionally.
I then turned to the man beside Karl, who had a thick black beard. Judging by his skin color and facial structure, he seemed to be from the Kingdom of Kuwalid, where most of the land is desert.
"Introduce yourself and your skills."
"Alright, sir. My name is Omasa bin L—"
"Stop...! Stop right there!" I shouted, cutting him off.
Forget about copyright issues—our game will surely be boycotted in the U.S. and Europe if it gets fully released. I don't even need to ask for this man's skills; he's undoubtedly an expert in making explosives.
I swear, if I return to my world, I'll teach Marek a lesson. I'll create a character with the same design as his beloved waifu and make a side quest where that character is horribly violated and killed.
Yes… I'll definitely do that if I manage to return.
"You're all hired. You're now part of the team," I announced.
The four men looked confused, but they didn't complain since they'd been accepted.
"But sir, I haven't even introduced myself or told you my skills," the only woman in the room said.
I looked at her voluptuous figure. She also wore iconic glasses, much like a woman who was quite famous among adults back in my previous world.
I could already guess her name and skills, even if she didn't tell me.
"You're hired too. Now, all of you, leave this room."
Once they left, I jotted down notes on the positions they would take in the group.
"Next, come in!"
Soon after, a short and thin man entered the room. I had no clues about his character design.
"State your name and skills."
"Yes, sir. My name is Joe," the man said politely, bowing.
"Your full name?"
"Joe Kowai. I'm skilled in carpentry and construction."
Finally, a candidate without a reference to my former world.
"Alright, you're hired for the group's construction planning."
The man was overjoyed and shook my hand enthusiastically.
"Alright, next!"
---
[3rd PoV]
The next day at the Imperial Palace, in a room specifically prepared for Duke Alvaro by the Emperor.
Duke Alvaro was reading a report on the growing conflict between the Aragon Empire and the Republic of Venetia at the border. He was here to attend a meeting about the issue that could potentially lead to war between the two nations.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
He paused upon hearing a knock at the door.
"It's me, Alfred, Master."
Recognizing his servant's voice, Duke Alvaro permitted him to enter. Alfred held a report in his right hand.
"I've received a report on the Young Master's activities, Master," Alfred said, bowing his head.
"Alright, let's hear it."
Alfred explained Raul's recent activities, including training troublesome students in the discipline committee and interviewing several candidates for positions in the group he's forming.
"Thank you, Alfred. You may go now. Keep an eye on the boy wherever he goes, understood?"
"Yes, Master."
After Alfred left, Duke Alvaro began to analyze the report, trying to guess what Raul's plans might be.
"Hoo~ Interesting... It seems he doesn't want to rely too much on the Garcia family and wants to build his own power from the ground up, huh? Does he not trust me to support Princess Elena?"
Duke Alvaro assumed Raul was preparing to build his power for the imperial succession. But what he didn't know was that Raul was building all of this to minimize the damage from the Demon Invasion that would occur in a few years.