My dinner plans with Irene fell through.
It wasn't because Siena was sulking.
Irene insisted that our first dinner together couldn't be in a subpar place, something I agreed with.
I quickly asked Amy to find a fancy restaurant, but they were booked solid for three days straight: Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
It made sense that the reservations were packed.
Unlike in modern times, where there's plenty of entertainment like movies and games to enjoy, this world had only a handful of leisure activities.
So, dining held a prime spot in everyone's list of pastimes.
Barging into a restaurant and taking over the place wasn't a feasible option.
However, Irene had something important she wanted to discuss, so postponing indefinitely wasn't an option either.
So, I managed to book a dinner date for the following Saturday.
Both Irene and I had commitments on weekdays - club activities for me, and academic responsibilities for her as a model student.
So, Saturday was the best choice.
I spent the remaining three days - Friday, Saturday, and Sunday - hanging out with the Orcs.
Meanwhile, I also gained from the trio: Neike, Andrew, and Eshild, promising their assistance in the future.
Quite a lucky break.
All three were all valuable assets with a wide range of skills.
Their personalities meant they were likely to honor their promise.
The dawn of the 7th week, Monday, marked the beginning of the artifact exploration evaluation.
Groggily rising from bed, I performed a light stretch.
'I must be careful this week.'
My schedule was packed to the brim.
And this afternoon, an important task was waiting for me.
My mission was to obtain the [Magic Cartridge] treasure from the magical dungeon for the evaluation.
The [Magic Cartridge] is an artifact that enables casting up to 3rd circle magic without using any mana.
Even I, who possess zero mana, could use magic.
In its initial state, it's pretty much an empty can, needing to be charged with mana and stored with various magic.
Despite being such a treasure, [Magic Cartridge] doesn't play a significant role in the original story.
Neike has extraordinary talent, learning 3rd circle magic in a matter of days regardless of the route you decide for him.
If Neike was on the mage route, he'd be just shy of graduating to the 5th circle right now, casually casting 3rd circle magic without effort.
The players of the original game consider obtaining the [Magic Cartridge] a waste of time.
Well, then, it's only fitting I make use of it.
I happen to have the [Amplification Orb] too...
I could try a combination unexplored in the original game.
It sounds straightforward, but it's a three-component combo: zero-mana Theo X [Amplification Orb] X [Magic Cartridge].
"Off to school, then."
After having breakfast and getting ready, I headed directly to the Hero Department.
***
The classroom bustled with student chatter.
"I feel like I've been idle too long. My mind and body are stiff."
"I actually took a long break for once, and it cost me all the allowance I had... Is there a decent paying part-time job around?"
"Man, I confessed to Seria last week and got rejected. Don't ask me about it."
"Seria? The daughter of the Black Tower Master from the Magic Department?"
"Yep."
"You were also captivated by her voluptuous heart, huh? Ah, my comrade..."
"Ugh, bug off. Stop hugging me... I need to find another girl this week."
The familiar classroom scene unfolded with students chatting away.
As per usual, I joined the orcs in the back row.
Just as we were exchanging greetings,
Professor Rok made his entrance.
'Ah, my eyes!'
The dazzling light bouncing off Rok's glossy scalp was blinding.
As I squinted to fend off the unexpected assault from the sun.
"Silence, everyone."
The room instantly fell quiet at Rok's command.
"An announcement before beginning the first lecture."
He scanned the room, eyes lingering on me a bit longer than others before continuing.
"It's regarding the magic dungeon incident from last week."
The statement made waves.
-Did they finally catch them?
-So that's why the classes are back on, right?
-Who caught them? Was it the professors?
The students broke into whispers.
Following Rok's clap, a teaching assistant entered, carrying a large scroll.
He pinned the scroll to the bulletin board next to him with a grunt.
"For more details, refer to the scroll. Classes will resume as usual from today. I encourage everyone to try their utmost to move past this."
Rok and the assistant left the room.
The moment they departed, almost all students swarmed around the bulletin board.
Needless to say, our team, the real captors of the culprit, remained seated.
"The offender was Instructor Francis, caught by the first-year investigative team?"
"Wait, so it wasn't the professors who captured him? Ah, I can't see. Move aside. Who belongs to this first-year investigative team?"
"Let's see. Neike, Piel, Jang Woohee, Aisha, Andrew, Eshild..."
"Wow, that's seriously incredible! How did they manage to capture an instructor, a criminal the professors couldn't catch? Aisha, tell us what happened!"
The six individuals were quickly encircled by their fellow students.
The crowd buzzed, anticipating an exiting story.
"Ah..."
The six seemed uncomfortable, sweat beading on their foreheads.
As the crowd cooled down a bit, Neike spoke.
"Ah... Sorry, everyone. It's a difficult story to tell."
Then, their gazes subtly shifted toward me.
Silently, I bore their scrutiny.
I didn't make any move.
I never mentioned that they would be credited for catching the perpetrator.
'They'll never forget. For their entire lives.'
This vague unease would linger.
Now, they were fish trapped in the same tank as me.
The situation had already been made public.
In such a scenario, they couldn't possibly claim, 'Actually, we didn't catch him, Theo did!'
Unless they abandon their ambitions and retreat to the countryside for a quiet life, they'd have to tread carefully not to offend me for the rest of their lives.
These kids were born to be heroes.
They promised to help me when I needed it.
‘But I won't only use them once.’
All six of them were named characters playing active roles in every route.
Neike is even the protagonist.
"Theo, your face right now... It's kind of scary."
"Oh, I was just enjoying a pleasant thought."
After responding casually to Noctar, I focused on the morning theoretical class.
Morning classes had finally come to an end.
The afternoon was dedicated to practical evaluation.
'First, I'll secure the [Magic Cartridge].'
As previously mentioned, today's practical evaluation theme is 'artifact exploration.'
Naturally, the dungeon where we're expected to 'explore artifacts' is also conjured by Archmage Odious's magic.
Just as the monsters in the 'monster subjugation' were somewhat inferior to the real ones, the artifact exploration is also simplified compared to the real deal.
Approximately 200 students were split up and boarded five 45-seater carriages, heading towards the western forest.
We reached the western forest, our designated location.
"Will something else happen this time? I'm terrified."
"Don't worry, our Golden Generation Six will handle it somehow, right?"
"......"
From morning lessons until now, the students couldn't stop discussing the Six.
Even now, as we disembarked the carriage.
The students continued pestering the Six to share with them the heroic tale.
I locked eyes with Piel.
'I must not end up on the same team as her.'
Outwardly, I was composed.
But inside...
The image of Piel pressuring me to strip haunts me.
Who knew what that woman might do to me?
"Everyone, pay attention."
Rok, like the previous time, addressed the students with the field instructors lined up behind him.
"I will now announce the team compositions."
Upon finishing his sentence, Rok's assistant pinned a scroll to the wooden board standing beside him.
My team was right at the top.
[Team 1 : Aisha / Ralph / Noctar / Travis / Theo]
"Nice! Aisha, let's do well together!"
"Nice to see you, Theo. Our luck must be good to be on the same team again."
Ralph and Travis, who landed in the same group, could barely contain their excitement.
'The team composition is good. No, it's excellent.'
With this, we arguably have the best team composition, barring Neike and Piel's team.
One of Aisha's traits, [Sharp Vision], provides a tremendous advantage in exploration.
'But he should know Noctar and I are close... did he pull some strings?'
I glanced at Rok standing at a distance.
Our eyes met, and Rok gave a sly smile, subtly nodding his head.
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