The third-year senior’s spear was fast.

He had gone through countless training sessions, exams, and dungeons to reach this point.

It was only natural that he had more combat experience than I did.

The same goes for physical stats.

Even if this person was considered below average among the third-year NPCs, there was no way that someone who had been training since birth until their third year at the academy would have stats similar to mine, who had only been in this world for less than half a year.

So, this was supposed to be an unwinnable fight.

Under normal circumstances, that is.

But I have the power to make situations abnormal.

First, there’s the Iron Wall skill.

No matter how fast this third-year swings his spear, the Iron Wall alerts me faster than he can aim at me.

So, the senior’s attacks are nothing more than something I can deal with.

"Slowly. Don’t rush."

Then there’s Grandpa.

If Iron Wall strengthens my defense, Grandpa supplements my lack of combat experience.

There’s no battlefield unknown to someone like Grandpa, who has fought in countless wars.

Grandpa is like a navigation system guiding me to victory.

But above all, the most important thing is…

"Idiot senior♡ You're so slow♡ Do you really think that lousy spear can hurt me?♡"

"Shut up!"

"Ahaha. Three years at the academy, and you can’t even beat a first-year?♡ You’re pathetic♡"

"I said shut up!"

I can manipulate the opponent’s emotions at will.

At first, when I didn’t know much about fighting, I didn’t understand the significance of unsettling an opponent’s emotions.

But after dueling with Fossel, Carl, and various knights of the Allen family, I realized that unsettling an opponent has a deeper meaning than just provocation.

You can see it just by looking at this third-year senior.

At first, he attacked me methodically, but now he’s emotional.

He can’t hide his intentions.

He prioritizes harming me over calculating gains and losses.

He doesn’t even try to read my intentions.

Because he’s been affected by the Mesugaki skill’s taunt.

This is an extremely effective debuff.

A debuff that consumes the opponent with their emotions to the point where they can’t even realize they’re being manipulated!

And as the opponent gets angrier, my stats increase.

In terms of performance, the Mesugaki skill is indeed a cheat skill!

The only drawback is the painful cost of my speech and reputation!

I blocked the spear thrust with my shield and measured the distance between myself and the third-year senior.

At most, two steps.

That much distance can be closed.

According to what I learned from Grandpa, it’s the distance where a spearman should feel threatened.

However, the third-year senior doesn’t notice.

Because he’s lost his composure.

"It’s time to bare your fangs."

Grandpa liked to compare paladins to crocodiles.

He said they were like crocodiles, hiding under the shield like water, waiting for the right moment to strike with sharp teeth.

I thought it was an unremarkable metaphor for a legendary paladin, but I agreed with the explanation itself.

That’s how paladins fight.

"Now!"

As soon as I deflected the senior’s spear, Grandpa shouted.

Without a moment of doubt, I followed his instruction and moved.

Because I knew Grandpa wouldn’t make a mistake in a situation like this.

The senior, startled by my sudden approach, tried to step back, but it was already too late.

At this moment, the spearman’s advantage was gone.

Now it was my turn.

I raised my mace and brought it down.

There was no hesitation in my movement.

Even Grandpa had acknowledged it as flawless.

The head-crushing technique.

The third-year senior, anticipating the worst outcome, tightly shut his eyes.

But the worst outcome he feared didn’t come.

Because I stopped my hand at the last moment.

When the senior cautiously opened his eyes, he saw the mace hovering just inches from his face, and he collapsed to the ground, his legs giving out.

"Well done."

"Aha, idiot senior. All that confidence, and this is all you’ve got? Pathetic."

Forced by the Mesugaki skill, I let out a mocking laugh, which made the senior’s face turn red with anger.

I’m sorry!

But ever since the discovery of the underdog skill build, your fate at Soul Academy has always been like this!

If you don’t like it, you should’ve been stronger!

Not that it would’ve mattered since I would’ve found a way to beat you anyway!

[Quest Clear!]

[Reward will be given!]

I clenched my fist as I saw the message window pop up in front of me.

The skill called Underdog given by this quest is a skill that converts 5% of your damage into fixed damage when fighting enemies 20 levels higher than you.

It’s a skill that’s difficult to use in normal situations and becomes completely useless in the late game, but it’s still necessary.

For a future exploit.

I would’ve been sad if I hadn’t obtained this.

Especially since I missed out on most of the quests that should have been received on the day of the academy entrance ceremony.

The most painful one was the "A Female Student’s Worry" quest.

It seemed like just a minor side quest when I first got it, but it gives a great reward if you delve into it properly.

I really should’ve gotten that one, at least.

Sigh. I guess I’ll have to try talking to her again next time.

"You’re really strong!"

As soon as I put away my shield and mace, Freyr came rushing up to me.

"Was that fight not enough? Let’s go again right now."

"No."

"Idiot swordswoman, are you a chicken? Why do you keep making me repeat myself?"

"What?"

"Good work, my lady."

"Well done, Lady Allen."

After forcibly pushing Freyr aside, Joy and Carl approached me.

How long have these two been standing there?

I can understand why Carl is here since he’s like my stalker, but why is Joy here?

"Thank you, but…"

"It wasn’t a big deal. But never mind this idiot. What brings you here, Dizzy Lady?"

"I came to talk."

Joy’s expression was serious as she spoke. She probably wanted to talk about the Third Prince.

Ugh, this is troublesome. It’s not something I can stop doing just because I don’t want to.

I don’t even know how I come up with these nicknames, so how could I change them?

"Could you spare a moment?"

"I’m sorry, but…"

"Dizzy Lady, do I look like someone who has that much free time?"

"Are you busy?"

"Of course! Do you think I have time to wander around aimlessly like you?"

"Aimlessly? I came here specifically because of you."

I could guess the sincerity behind Joy’s furrowed brow.

She probably came to convince me for the sake of the Third Prince, who would be hurt by me, and for my own sake, as I would likely be hated by the Third Prince.

She may look like a villainess, but she’s a good person.

If only the drawbacks of the Mesugaki skill were a little less severe.

"I don’t need any help."

"Help? From you, Dizzy Lady? Ahaha."

Joy’s expression grew colder at my blatant mockery.

Ugh, sorry, Joy.

But I have no choice but to act like this. Please understand?

Can’t you?

Of course not.

Good thing there’s no affinity meter.

If I had seen a message saying "Joy’s affinity has decreased," I might have lost my will.

"…Fine. Do as you please."

As I watched Joy walk away, I sighed inwardly.

Is it really possible for me to raise my affinity to 70?

No matter how I look at it, I can only see myself dying a tragic death after six months at Soul Academy.

"Living as a loner isn’t so bad sometimes…"

"Grandpa, be quiet."

Don’t you know that clumsy comfort is worse than saying nothing at all?

Shut up, Grandpa, before I throw you in the academy’s bathroom.

Sigh. Well, there’s no use in staying depressed.

I should focus on what I can do right now.

"Carl…"

"Hey, idiot. You’re done here, right?"

"Huh? Yes, for now."

"Follow me."

"Come with me. We’ve got work to do."

•  

The last task I had planned for today could only be done after sunset.

I had to find an item in a place that could only be accessed at night within Soul Academy.

"My lady, the academy will soon close its gates."

When I told Carl about my plan to leave the academy, he tried to stop me.

"I know."

"Idiot. Do you think I don’t know that?"

"But how do you plan to leave?"

The gates of Soul Academy close at 8 PM.

After that, no one except certain professors can go in or out.

However, there’s a gimmick that allows one to bypass this and explore the academy at night.

Normally, you wouldn’t discover this passage until the latter half of your second year at the academy, but as long as you know its location, you can use it even as a first-year.

"Carl, follow me."

"Idiot, follow me."

I led Carl to a secluded corner of Soul Academy’s garden.

Then, I walked toward a wall covered with plants, blocking the path.

Normally, you’d be stopped by branches or the wall itself, but this path is different.

The wall is designed this way, so unless you’re caught up in the plants, there’s no reason to be blocked.

As I walked forward with my eyes closed, a large wall surrounding the Soul Academy building appeared before me.

"My lady, isn’t this a dead-end?"

"No, it’s not."

"Idiot, are you going to keep questioning me?"

"I apologize."

This wall may look ordinary, but there’s a hidden gimmick here.

As I ran my hand over the academy’s bricks, I found one that was looser than the others and pressed it.

With a grinding sound, a passageway appeared.

"What is this?"

"I told you there was a way, didn’t I?"

"Idiot, are you still doubting me?"

"No, not at all. Is this also a revelation from Armandy?"

"Uh… yeah."

"Think whatever you want."

I really hate how the perverted idiot god’s reputation rises every time I do something amazing with my game knowledge.

It’s a convenient excuse, but it’s too much credit for a useless god who does nothing.

If it were a god that actually helped me, I’d gladly give them the credit.

Grumbling to myself, I stepped into the passageway.

After exiting the academy and touching a part of the wall, the passage disappeared again.

"Amazing. I had no idea there was something like this in the academy."

Of course you didn’t.

This is a gimmick that was forgotten as the academy’s history grew longer.

It would be annoying to explain, so I won’t bother.

"So, my lady, where are we going?"

"To Alsetine’s Tavern."

"Alsetine’s Tavern."

"The Alsetine’s Tavern I know is a place where back-alley gamblers gather."

"That’s right."

"Yes, that’s exactly where I’m going."

"My lady! Gambling is not allowed!"

When I nodded, Carl was horrified.

He began to panic, saying he had seen many people ruin their lives because of gambling, leaving me no choice but to sigh.

"Carl, I’m not going there to gamble."

"Idiot, do I look like someone who would do something that stupid?"

Do you think I’m crazy enough to gamble there?

If I gambled in a place full of scammers, I’d end up being a sucker and losing everything.

There’s no way a seasoned Soul Academy player like me would do something so foolish.

"Then why?"

"I’m going to meet the owner."

"I need to meet the idiot who runs the place."

Alsetine, the black market dealer.

I need to get something from him for the favorability quest.