༺ Prologue (1) ༻
In the afternoon of the school’s vacation ceremony, thick raindrops started to pour down heavily. The clouds that I had initially mistaken for cumulus turned out to be nimbostratus clouds.
In the end, I had to cut my training short and make my way back to Doris Hall.
After being washed by the rain, I decided to sort out my plans for the future and put them into action. Since summer vacation had arrived, I thought it was a good idea to solidify my plans.
I took a seat at my desk, spread out a sheet of paper, dipped my quill in ink, and began writing them down.
‘First, there’s the matter of next semester’s tuition fees.’
Each semester’s tuition fee was 50,000 gel. I had the option to use external funds converted to gel, which were limited to tuition purposes, or I could pay directly with gel.
I had earned a significant amount of gel by selling the zephrim I had obtained in large quantities from the Tantak underground cave.
However, I made a significant expenditure when I bought the Armana Wand, so my current amount of gel was a bit short compared to the tuition fees.
Considering the cost of living during the vacation, I needed to dedicate some time to earning more gel.
I was aware of a part-time job that increased [Elemental Efficiency]. If I took that job during the vacation and combined the gel I earned with the ones I already had, I should be able to cover my tuition fees. The fact that it also helped with my training would be an added bonus.
‘For my vacation schedule…’
Excluding the part-time job hours, my vacation schedule would be filled with continuous training. Enjoying external academy content can help me grow, but repetitive training is still the most efficient way.
If it weren’t for my status window, I would have been Isaac, the weakest student, lagging far behind everyone else in terms of growth speed. I needed to become stronger with maximum efficiency.
‘So, it will be a continuous cycle of a boring part-time job and training. Then, what’s left is the…’
Hilde’s Frostscythe, which could be considered the major highlight of this summer vacation.
During the break, I would have a chance to get my hands on the legendary weapon I wanted within my first year.
In order to obtain Hilde’s Frostscythe, I must pass a trial consisting of mental challenges. It would take place in a non-reality setting, so I simply needed to overcome whatever obstacles came my way.
Since the content of the trial varied from person to person, the trial that I experienced as Ian in ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱ would be quite different from the one that I would encounter as Isaac.
‘I’m not sure if my game knowledge will be helpful.’
I would have to stay within the cold aura emitted by the Frostscythe until the trial was over.
That was why the minimum requirement for obtaining the Frostscythe was to raise [Ice Resistance] to at least 60, as it represented ‘the minimum threshold to withstand the cold until the trial is over’.
In other words, if I couldn’t pass the trial before my body reached its limits, I would die.
‘…Isn’t that dangerous?’
As the time to obtain the Frostscythe drew near, the realization that I could potentially die from this endeavor hit me hard. It felt even more significant because I had already experienced how death was not a distant possibility while fighting with the Thunderbird.
Besides, I was good at hunting demons, but when it came to trials, I was just an ordinary Isaac…
“Still… If I get this, I’ll be able to power up.”
Risking my life had enough merit. I didn’t know how to handle weapons, but simply holding Hilde’s Frostscythe would amplify the power of ice magic. I could use it like a wizard uses a staff.
In other words, if I activated [Ice Sovereign] and held Hilde’s Frostscythe, it would result in the birth of the strongest Isaac. The Isaac Coin would soar all the way to Mars.
Of course, I couldn’t properly handle the [Ice Sovereign] skill yet. As the ultimate ice element passive skill, it would be strange if I could already use it well.
Additionally, Hilde’s Frostscythe had side effects. The more the weapon was used, the more it eroded the user’s body with its cold aura. However, this will gradually become less of a problem as I grow stronger.
Well, it wasn’t like [Ice Sovereign], which he couldn’t handle at all. So that was something.
“I should prepare some cold protection gear.”
Surprisingly, all the ultimate elemental weapons were located in Märchen Academy.
‘In the future, when the Evil God of the Apocalypse is resurrected, and the end of the world approaches, a brave hero will emerge to stop the Evil God.’
This was a glimpse of the future seen by the archwizards of each element, collectively known as the ‘Primordial Elemental Kings.’ Naturally, the hero referred to in the prophecy was none other than the protagonist Ian Fairytale, the Child of Light.
The Primordial Elemental Kings had decided to help the hero from the distant future. However, the future was uncertain, so they could not determine which element the hero would use to stop the Evil God.
As a result, they decided to leave behind the ultimate weapons for each element. They chose Märchen Academy, where the hero would awaken his true potential.
‘That setting is introduced in the second semester of the second year.’
In other words, Ian would obtain the ultimate weapons of each element during the second semester of his second year. Well, everything else was fine. I just hoped that he would cooperate well with Ciel later and obtain the Luminous Sword safely when the time came.
Now, my task was clear. I had to find the hidden pieces scattered throughout ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱, namely the ‘Traces of the Ice Sovereign’. There were a total of four such items.
After finding all four ‘Traces of the Ice Sovereign’ and placing my hand on a certain magic circle in the Ayla Forest,
If I declared, ‘I will face the Trial of Frost’, I would automatically be transported to the trial location.
‘As for the preparations…’
I made a list of things to prepare, such as clothes, cold protection gear, and fire element hand warmers. To endure the trial, I first needed to keep my body warm.
As I wrote, my left hand that held the parchment caught my eye.
A black seal etched into my wrist, the ‘8-star Familiar Contract Circle’.
I lifted my left hand to examine the seal closely. It had the same shape as the 8-star Familiar Contract Circle I was familiar with. However, nothing was inscribed in it, only displaying a dull black color.
At first glance, it appeared to be just an ordinary tattoo – it didn’t disappear, nor did I feel anything from it.
After seeing my fate, the Great Witch of Heaven’s Wrath had bestowed upon me this contract circle as the most essential gift.
If the Great Witch of Heaven’s Wrath had foretold my involvement with an 8-star magic beast, then there could be no other creature but that one.
‘Frost Dragon Hilde…’
The Frost Dragon guarding the Frostscythe.
An 8-star ice magic beast, ‘Frost Dragon-Hilde’.
In ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱, all the creatures guarding the ultimate weapons were 8-star magic beasts.
In the later stages of the game, obtaining an 8-star Familiar Contract Circle allowed you to form a contract with an 8-star magic beast that matched your element.
There were two conditions that must be met. First, you must have obtained the ultimate weapon. Second, you must defeat the 8-star magic beast and prove that you are stronger.
In order to make ‘Frost Dragon Hilde’ mine, I must not only pass the trial and obtain the Frostscythe, but also defeat them.
However, unlike demons, it was a pure magic beast. This meant that, I had to face it with the body of an ordinary Isaac, with the [Hunter] trait deactivated.
‘It’s impossible.’
There was no way I could win. I had almost died fighting the 8-star familiar Thunderbird Galia, with [Hunter] trait activated. And that was when its health was already significantly reduced.
How could I, as ordinary Isaac, defeat a full-health 8-star magic beast, Frost Dragon Hilde? No matter how I thought about it, it seemed like an impossible feat.
However… I couldn’t think of any other 8-star magic beasts besides the Frost Dragon.
‘What did that witch see in my fate?’
Could it be that she just gave me something random that was within her reach?
…I decided to put those thoughts aside and go search for the four ‘Traces of the Ice Sovereign’ items.
With a vague recollection of where they were, I was filled with excitement at the prospect of spending the entire day scouring the academy for them.
I placed the quill pen down on the parchment where I had written my plans, stood up from the desk chair, and changed into comfortable navy blue sportswear along with a raincoat.
After that, I left the room.
* * *
For a thousand years, snow had been falling and dancing in the air, even in midsummer, defying the climate of the Whiteclark Duchy which covered the northern region.
The reason behind it was the swirling ice mana that enveloped the Eiffel Mountain Range, which stood at 9,000 meters.
An ice elemental archwizard called Primordial Ice Elemental King, Ice Sovereign, and Witch with the Scythe, had battled against ancient demons to protect the northern region. At that time, the summoned majestic form of the archwizard’s 8-star magic beast, ‘Frost Dragon Hilde’, became the symbol of the Whiteclark family, the ‘White Dragon Emblem’.
Keridna Whiteclark, a pink-haired female student belonging to Class A at Märchen Academy, returned to her mansion and greeted her parents.
In a hurry, she entered her room and locked the door.
When the maids outside the door offered to prepare a bath, she was blatantly embarrassed, stuttering, “Uh, um…!”
“Hehehehehe…”
After the maid left, Keridna was dripping cold sweat and started laughing like a villain. It was a habit she had developed in her childhood, believing it made her look cool.
“That commoner got served. He dared to ignore me.”
It was during the vacation ceremony before she left the academy to return home.
Keridna took advantage of the crowded scene to brush past Isaac, the silver-blue haired male student from Class D, and planted a spell on him.
The Whiteclark bloodline ability, [Sight Synchronization]. It was a unique magic exclusive to the direct bloodline of the Whiteclark family, similar to Amy Holloway’s [Heart Color Discernment] magic.
By casting the spell on a specific person, one could see and store in their memory the scenes that appeared in the target’s field of view, regardless of the distance between them.
Since the mana consumption increased with distance, continuously observing the target’s field of vision was challenging. Keridna’s sister had advised her to intermittently check the target’s sight instead.
Keridna’s sister, Aichel Whiteclark, contributed to the power struggles of the Whiteclark family by monitoring the vision of about 20 key figures, excluding royalty, using this ability. Although the consequences of being caught could be severe, potentially leading to the downfall of the Whiteclark family, no incidents had occurred so far.
She was a bold sister.
And she seemed to be hiding something.
Anyway, [Sight Synchronization] had never been discovered by others. Its unique characteristic of not emitting mana made it undetectable. Detecting the [Sight Synchronization] spell was only possible when targeting someone from the Whiteclark family who utilized the spell.
Ultimately, [Sight Synchronization] was a major factor in the Whiteclark family’s rise to power as a ducal family and their success in power struggles.
Keridna had used this kind of magic for personal purposes. She absolutely couldn’t be caught, as her parents would be furious if they found out.
“What’s so special about that commoner that everyone’s making a fuss about?”
The silver-blue haired Class D commoner. During this break, she would uncover all of his secrets.
Keridna valued connections. As soon as she joined Class A, she tried to be friendly with her fellow students. It was evident that a good network would greatly benefit her in the future.
Although her performance during this first semester was somewhat lackluster.
By taking a peek into the life of the mysterious Class D commoner who was associated with the top students—top seat Luce Eltania, second seat Kaya Astrea, and third seat Ciel Carnedas—
She might find valuable hints to create new connections.
‘No, I didn’t use [Sight Synchronization] for personal purposes. It was all to solidify my social status. Ultimately, it was for the Whiteclark family!’
Keridna expanded her thoughts in this manner, justifying her actions to herself.
Outside the window, the view was enveloped in darkness. In the Whiteclark duchy, it snowed for 340 days a year, and today, Keridna saw a gently falling snowscape.
What could the mysterious Class D male student be doing now?
Keridna sat down at her spacious desk, closed her eyes, and focused.
A damp space. Falling water. Isaac’s sight was dim.
Is he… taking a shower?
Suddenly, Isaac’s upper body was reflected in the mirror. His body was… better than she had expected.
‘Something, something…’
She felt like the sight healed her eyes. Was the commoner’s body really this good? It was surprising.
“Hu, uh, um…”
Gradually, the fact that she was peeking into someone’s private life in real-time started causing her to feel guilty and depraved. It was an act that deserved moral condemnation.
Then, as Isaac’s gaze started moving downwards.
Keridna was taken aback, quickly opened her eyes, cutting off the [Sight Synchronization] magic. She didn’t have the courage to see what came next.
“Heavens, this is what the spell does…?”
Keridna panted. It was her first time using this bloodline magic.
To have felt such a psychological burden from just briefly looking into someone’s vision… She thought she would die of embarrassment.
Her sister, who usually monitored 20 nobles, must have witnessed all kinds of things.
‘Sister, what kind of battles have you been through…?’
Keridna never imagined that she would feel this kind of admiration for her sister, Aichel Whiteclark.
Flinch. Keridna quickly looked around the room, making sure that there was no one around.
It was because Aichel frequently appeared out of nowhere, she needed to be extra cautious.
“Should I continue looking…? No.”
Keridna shook her head. The other person was in the shower. Even when using [Sight Synchronization], there were ethical and moral boundaries that had to be respected.
Despite having already invaded Isaac’s privacy, Keridna attempted to alleviate her guilt with such thoughts.
Did the Whiteclark family turn a blind eye to such guilt in order to maintain their power?
It was an unexpectedly thought-provoking night.
* * *
The traces of the Ice Sovereign were faintly glowing blue magic stones, divided into four pieces.
It took a full three days to find them all. It was a humbling experience, making me realize how ambitious it was to think that they could be found in just a day.
The first piece was found in a cave on the Neishin Coast.
The second piece was found inside a tree in Josena Forest, which took an entire day to locate, from morning to night, because I had the vaguest memory of it.
The third piece was found inside a book in the ancient books section of the library. Since I knew the title of the book, it didn’t take long.
The last, fourth piece was found in Changgung Park, a park on a mountain with a panoramic view of the Märchen Academy.
Each time an item was found, a system window appeared saying something like [Congratulations! You have found [First Trace of the Ice Sovereign]!] There was no doubt that these were the traces of the Ice Sovereign.
At one point, when Luce asked, “Isaac, what are you doing?” I casually brushed her off by saying I was exercising. She had decided to stay at the academy during the break.
─ ‘Isaac, are you going home for the holidays?’
─ ‘No, what about you?’
─ ‘I was thinking of not going since you’re not going.’
─ ‘…???’
She said there was no reason to leave, as the person she cared for was at the academy, not at the Eltania mansion.
It was a headache-inducing explanation.
In the evening.
As soon as I found the fourth magic stone, I headed straight to Ayla Forest. It was a forest that appeared after crossing Josena Forest, which was right in front of the Märchen Academy’s main entrance, and following a long valley.
The trees entwined with ice mana, emitting a bluish-green hue, added a sense of mystery to the forest. It was because of them that Ayla Forest was called the ‘Ice Forest’.
As I made my way through the forest, a vast plain reminiscent of an icy tundra spread out before me. A sky-blue grass field faintly emitting ice mana. A subtle chill started enveloping my skin.
In the middle of the plain, there was an inconspicuous magic circle. Even though the grass made it unnoticeable, it was clearly a magic circle.
“I’ve finally arrived.”
This was the location of the trial. Beyond this magic circle, Frost Dragon Hilde and the Frostscythe left by the Archwizard Ice Sovereign must be sealed.
I remembered the setting where the Primordial Elemental Kings caused mana to be undetectable from the outside. That was why, until now, no one had discovered that the 8-star familiar and the ultimate weapon were hidden here.
Even if an archwizard-level person were to come, the situation would be the same.
I took out the four pieces of the ‘Traces of the Ice Sovereign’ magic stones and dropped them onto the magic circle.
Then, I began wearing all kinds of cold-weather clothing from my magic pouch.
Everything was covered except for my eyes. Due to the numerous layers of clothes, my figure had become so thick that it made extreme obesity seem insignificant.
‘Walking is uncomfortable.’
Still, as long as I could walk, it was enough.
I took a deep breath.
Bending one knee was difficult, so I just laid down and placed my thick, gloved hand on the magic circle.
Even if I looked ridiculous, considering the fact that I was about to undergo a trial to obtain the ultimate ice elemental weapon, there was nothing I could do about it.
And finally, the last step.
“I will face the Trial of Frost.”
My vision was instantly filled with a bluish hue. A powerful light that started emanating from the magic circle enveloped me.
Suddenly feeling a floating sensation, I closed my eyes.
T/N: Changed Demonic Beast -> Magic Beast. This is to differentiate between magic beasts and demonic creatures, whereas demonic creatures are closer to demons, but magic beasts are not.
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