In the Infirmary
V gazed out the window.
V: (What a hassle...)
Yes, it's a hassle to have to explain my powers to them.But thanks to being a kid, it's easier to just say, "I don't know" or "I was born with it," since no one in this world could claim that I'm using mana.
V: (But the problem isn't over yet...)
Right now, I need to recover first.Using up all my mana caused side effects, making my body unable to move or leaving me extremely exhausted.
There are three ways to recover:
1. Let it return naturally (takes time).
2. Absorb mana from the air (only a temporary fix).
3. Drink a mana potion (works instantly, but I need to make one first).
Each method is troublesome in its own way but thanks to mana potions, all I need to do now is rest and heal minor wounds.
As he pondered how to handle things moving forward, someone entered the room.
A red-haired man wearing a white naval cap and uniform.
Captain: "Oh, looks like you're awake."
V didn't respond but cautiously looked at the red-haired man.
Captain: "No need to be so wary, I just want to talk."He raised both hands in a non-threatening gesture.
V: "What do you want?"He narrowed his eyes at the captain.
Captain: "I just want to talk about your future."
V: "My future, huh?"
Captain: "Yes. We'd like to offer you a place at St. Freya Academy so you can train to fight against the Honkai."
V: "Honkai?"
Even though he already knew about it, comparing information wasn't a bad idea.
Captain:"The Honkai is a mysterious life-threatening phenomenon that comes in the form of natural disasters, Honkai radiation, Honkai beasts, Herrschers, etc. We don't know its exact origins, but we know that it's hellbent on annihilating the entire human race."
V: "I see…"
So, the information hasn't changed…
No, I can't be certain yet.
I need to wait and observe first.
The captain watched him, lost in thought.
Captain: "So, what will you do? You could refuse and go back to living a normal life if you want."
He closed his eyes and considered the consequences and responsibilities.After a brief moment of reflection, he opened them again.
V: "You're right… Living a normal life might seem like a good choice, but there's no guarantee that this won't happen again. So, the best option right now is to join."
Captain: "Oh? You're joining for real? You better not take that back!"
The captain sounded so excited that it left him slightly confused.
V: (Why is he so happy about this…?)
Captain: "Alright then, from now on, I'll be counting on you, kid!"He extended his hand.
V reached out and shook it.
V: "Yeah, I'll be in your care. (What a strange guy…)"
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V: (Phew… It took some time, but I've finally made a full recovery. And my level has increased as well.)
[2 Mid → 2 Peak]
It was a good level-up, all thanks to mana exhaustion which made absorbing mana easier.
He clenched and opened his fist a few times before stopping.
V: (Even though it's still not enough to fight against Valkyries or Honkai Beasts, it should be usable for now.)
If possible, he wanted to reach Level 4 to be able to fight a Herrscher without dying.
But for now, this was good enough.
He stopped thinking and looked at the bracelet on his arm.
A storage bracelet, an item he had created by forcing himself to adapt shortly after arriving in this world.
Thanks to this, he was able to hide the black box.
The black box was an object that sealed away Yae Sakura and the Herrscher of Corruption. As for the other details, he wasn't too sure, but the best course of action was to eliminate the Herrscher inside to create the 12th Divine Key.
With that key, dealing with various issues would become much easier.
But before that, he needed a safe place to take out the box and find a way to handle the Herrscher of Corruption.To do that, he had to talk to the person it was possessing.
As for the False Herrscher, it was unlikely to manifest since he had already informed them that survivors might have been buried there.
Because of that, the girl named Yuna had been rescued before she could become a False Herrscher.
For now, finding a place to stay came first.
V: (There should be a building nearby…)
By investing in the stock market, he had managed to earn a decent amount of money. With those funds, he could find a place to stay where he wouldn't have to worry about eavesdroppers or hidden surveillance, allowing him to move more freely.
As he was lost in thought, the infirmary door suddenly opened, revealing three young women entering the room.
Kiana: "Hey! How are you doing? Feeling better?"
Mei: "Kiana-chan, keep your voice down. This is a patient ward!"
The purple-haired girl scolded the white-haired girl before turning to him.
Mei: "It looks like you haven't met her yet. This is—"
Before she could finish, the gray-haired girl stepped forward slightly and introduced herself.
Bronya: "Bronya. My name is Bronya Zaychik, Nice to meet you."
She spoke in a monotone voice, showing little emotion.
V: "I see, My name is Vrater Amano but you can just call me V."
Bronya: "That's an unusual name."
Kiana: "Right?! It's such a weird name!"
Seeing the conversation, Mei quickly interjected to change the topic.
Mei: "By the way V how are you feeling? I heard you fought some robots."
She asked with a hint of concern in her voice.
V: "It's nothing serious—just some bruises and a slight bone fracture."
The three girls fell silent.
V: "What's wrong?"
He asked, slightly confused by their sudden silence.
Mei: "Oh, it's nothing... really."
He felt a bit puzzled and curious but didn't press further.
Kiana: "Alright then! Let's go eat! Mei-senpai cooked the food herself!"
V: "Food, huh…? Now that I think about it, I haven't eaten anything yet. Might as well get something to eat."
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V: "Is this where you all live?"
Kiana: "Yep! Amazing, right?"
She spoke with pride.
If asked whether it was amazing, he would say it was a nice place.
It seemed to be either a shared dormitory or a separate dorm due to the main dorm being full, so they had to stay with a teacher instead.
V: (I should stop overthinking things for once.)
The four of them entered the dorm.
After walking inside for a while, they arrived at the room where the three girls stayed.
Upon entering, he saw a simple room with a kitchen area separated from the living room.
V: "This is… simpler than I expected."
Bronya: "Bronya thought the same when she first arrived."
Mei: "Alright, just sit and wait. I'll go prepare the food."
After Mei walked into the kitchen, Kiana and Bronya exchanged glances before heading to the sofa to continue the game they had left unfinished.
Having nothing to do, V sat down to gather mana.
V: (No one can see mana anyway, so I might as well make good use of my time.)
After a short while, three more people entered the room.
The first was a white-haired girl in a nun's outfit.
The second was a red-haired woman dressed in red and white.
The third was the person who had spoken to him in the infirmary.
Captain: "Oh? Looks like you're joining us for dinner today."
V nodded in response.
Himeko: "Hmm? So this is the kid from the report?"
She said while circling around him, inspecting him.
V: (Why does this feel like I'm being sized up by a succubus?)
He thought, becoming slightly cautious.
Theresa: "Himeko, stop that. Can't you see he's uncomfortable?"
She then turned to V.
Theresa: "Sorry about that. She's always like this, but she's not a bad person."
V: "It's fine."
Theresa: "Alright, let's introduce ourselves properly. You probably already know the Captain, so I'll go first.
I'm Theresa Apocalypse, the Headmistress of St. Freya Academy. Nice to meet you."
Himeko: "And I'm Murata Himeko. Nice to meet you, kid."
Not long after their introductions, a voice called out.
Mei: "The food is ready! Everyone, come eat!"
Captain: "Looks like dinner's ready. Let's go before Kiana eats everything."
Once everyone sat down at the table, Mei, now without her apron, entered the room.
Mei: "Please, enjoy your meal."
As soon as Mei gave permission, Kiana who had been waiting impatiently, immediately started eating.
Kiana: "Mmm! This is the best!"
Mei: "Kiana-chan, don't talk with your mouth full."
Captain: "As expected, it's amazing! If Mei were just a bit older, I'd definitely ask her to marry me."
Kiana: "No way! Mei-senpai is mine! Stay away, Captain!"
Theresa: "Ahhh~ This is heaven! Delicious food after a hard day's work is the best!"
Himeko: "Mmm… Good food and alcohol—truly a perfect combination."
Everyone seemed to enjoy the meal, making Mei breathe a small sigh of relief.
However, before long, she noticed V hadn't touched his food.
Mei: "V does the food not suit your taste?"
Her question drew everyone's attention to him.
V: "No, it's not that I was just reminiscing a little."
In his previous world, having this much food was a luxury.
Back there, the only things available to eat were vegetables and water.
Although meat existed, it was so expensive that it was nearly impossible to buy.
The reason was that all normal animals had mutated, making their meat contaminated beyond purification.
At the same time, technology had declined as many people had perished, making food even scarcer.
The only exception was for those with high-level abilities, as they could convert mana into energy to suppress hunger.
V: (Since coming to this world, I've only been eating instant food…)
His thoughts were interrupted by a voice calling out to him.
Captain: "Then why not try it? It's really delicious trust me."
Everyone, except Mei, nodded in agreement.
Since there was no reason to refuse, he took a bite.
V: "…It's good."
Captain: "That's it?"
V: "Yeah, Should there be more?"
Captain: "Well, no… It's just that your reaction was kinda… underwhelming."
The others nodded in agreement.
Kiana: "Yeah, yeah! At least say something like 'It's amazing!' or 'I've never eaten anything this good before!'"
Bronya: "Bronya believes V should express himself more."
As the conversation shifted to his lack of enthusiasm, V thought to himself:
V: (Maybe I should learn how to show more emotions…)