HSTAV 34

Chapter 34

Chelsea had finished cleaning and tidying up the place where Jamie had been staying, and quietly sat down, waiting for her.

But even after a considerable amount of time passed, Jamie hadn’t returned, and Chelsea’s anxiety gradually grew.

‘Could something have happened?’

At that moment.

Creak!

“Huh? You’re still here?”

With a familiar voice, a green-haired girl, Jamie Hasselion, appeared.

“You’re here, Jamie.”

“Yeah. Oh my, you even cleaned up the place so nicely. Thanks, Chelsea.”

Jamie’s expression seemed quite satisfied, prompting Chelsea to speak again.

“Did you meet with Camon properly?”

“Yeah, I did, just like you asked.”

Murmuring that with a faint smile, Jamie then licked her upper lip coquettishly before continuing.

“It was quite… no, extremely interesting. That guy, he was really fun.”

Although Jamie spoke playfully, Chelsea couldn’t shake an eerie feeling.

Jamie usually showed little interest in anything outside of her research, yet here she was, giving such an assessment of Camon Beyd?

“By the way, Chelsea, I’m going back to my research now.”

“Res… research?”

“Yes. I got a pretty good sample this time.”

Chelsea felt a moment of discomfort at Jamie’s words.

‘She got a good sample after meeting Camon?’

Before Chelsea could react further, Jamie continued.

“Then I’ll go research immediately, so see you later, Chelsea!”

“Wait, Jamie!”

Despite Chelsea trying desperately to stop her, Jamie, with a bright smile and a flick of her fingers, had already appeared outside the place where she lived.

“……I hope nothing’s wrong.”

Feeling slightly uneasy, Chelsea simply shrugged and started heading back toward her dormitory.

Thud.

Back at the dormitory, I collapsed onto my bed, still reeling from my encounter with my new mentor, Jamie Hasselion.

My entire body relaxed as the tension that had built up drained away.

“Haah…….”

I let out a deep sigh and stared at the dark ceiling, speaking aloud.

“So, I don’t know why, but my mana pathways are blocked.”

I began slowly going over the conversation I had with Jamie.

“Because of that, my mana keeps accumulating, and after a certain period, I just… explode?”

I hadn’t expected to receive such a grim prognosis.

Of course, she had also given me a temporary solution.

“The only way is to use external items to draw out my mana? And those items need to be at least…”

Dragon Hearts, Lich Orbs, things that made my chest tighten just thinking about them.

Even in the original story, such items only appeared briefly in the late stages, almost impossible to obtain.

But.

‘Do I really need such powerful items, or can I just extract the mana directly?’

The problem was simply that the mana inside me wasn’t being consumed and kept accumulating.

And.

‘I already know of an item perfectly suited for drawing out mana.’

“Orb.”

It was an item that, in the original story, appeared as a trap with the effect of “Mana Drain.”

And I knew it very well.

Why?

Because my memories from before being reincarnated into this novel world resurfaced.

Title: Oh, the Orb seems impressive.
Date: May 16
Content: Got this item called “Orb,” seems amazing? Mana Drain supposedly can’t be used magically, but this item allows it. Isn’t this going to be a super important item later?

Title: Why isn’t the Orb being used?
Date: August 13
Content: The trap item has a “Mana Drain” trait, explained as something amazing, but why hasn’t it been used yet? This was already mentioned before Volume 1.

Title: Seriously.
Date: September 9
Content: For this boss, I could’ve used that mana-absorbing item. Why not use it when it was described as something special at the start?

Title: Did the author forget?
Date: November 22
Content: Ariel’s mana overflow? Just solve it with Mana Drain! We got the Orb, why not use it? Seriously, did the author forget about the Orb?

Title: Just die, seriously.
Date: February 30
Content: How can an author forget even their own setup? What’s the only item that absorbs mana? Oh, MacGuffin? It keeps appearing as a tease, but this thing—mentioned once over 100 chapters ago—never reappears.

These were posts that once heated up the community board. And I couldn’t help but deeply relate.

Because the person who wrote them…

“It’s me, you bastard.”

Although the Orb was an item the third-rate author had crafted with care, it was ultimately forgotten and never appeared again.

The Orb had a very special ability called “Mana Drain.”

Simply absorbing and drawing out mana, nothing could match this item.

“Just extract it, regardless of flow direction.”

And since Jamie was a Yellow Mage, if I told her about this item, she might modify or enhance it into an artifact.

‘She’s a bit crazy, but her skill is top-notch.’

That could solve my inability to use magic problem too…

Moreover, obtaining the Orb wasn’t that difficult.

‘Just reach the far end of Vigo’s hidden area.’

The Orb was the final trap in the hidden area left by the first Golden King, Drante Fren.

And.

‘…The timing’s perfect.’

According to the original story, just after the end of the first year’s second semester, Drante’s hidden area is discovered, kicking off this episode.

Everything seemed perfectly aligned and ready, but…

“The biggest problem remains.”

I leaned back in my chair and muttered the name written in my notebook.

“Diana Fren.”

To get the Orb, I had no choice but to face this character.

“Ugh, why does it have to be her……”

Out of all the characters in the original story, she was the one I least wanted to deal with.

Golden Calamity Diana Fren.

‘A ruthless woman who will do anything for her own gain and goals.’

‘She returns favors twofold, grudges tenfold.’

‘Diana Fren never forgets a debt.’

Everyone who crosses her faces only two possible outcomes: submit first or be forced to submit later.

There were many descriptors, but they all shared one feature:

‘She must never be made an enemy.’

Even the story’s protagonist, Kyle, suffered greatly from entanglements with Diana Fren.

“……Ugh, is there no other item besides the Orb?”

I frantically searched my memories, but nothing could solve the problem as easily as the Orb.

“Hah, what good is knowing all this info? It’s just one mountain after another……”

Currently, Diana was probably competing with her brother, Elliot Fren, for control of the hidden area.

They were fighting for succession of the Fren trade guild, and Drante’s legacy was crucial to the winner.

In the original story, Diana was the one who won that succession.

“So I have to face her anyway.”

I just wanted a quiet life.

Do nothing, cause no incidents, just hide quietly in the academy.

Watching the original protagonist, Kyle, defeat the demon lord and bring peace to the world…

“It’s all greed. Yeah, it’s my greed.”

Resolving that thought, I decided not to resist fate.

“Alright, then. Let’s meet Diana Fren and join her quickly.”

As I muttered this to myself, there was a knock on my dorm door.

…Who could it be at this hour?

The unexpected visitor made me tense, recalling my encounter with Jamie.

Knock!

Knock!

“Is she really not here?”

A very familiar voice came from outside.

‘Huh? That sounds like Chelsea.’

Why was she suddenly looking for me?

Unexpectedly, I thought.

‘Could Jamie have sent her?’

It was after Chelsea had come into contact with her.

Creak!

And at the same time.

“Camon Beyd!”

Chelsea called my name slightly louder than usual.

“…What, what is it?”

I looked at her, stunned by her sudden appearance.

“You were inside?”

“What? You came here and that’s what you say…….”

“Never mind. See you next time.”

Without another word, she turned to leave.

“Eh? Wait, what? You’re just leaving like that? Chelsea!”

I shouted, but she didn’t respond and left without explanation.

‘What the hell is going on with my mentor and my student?’

I couldn’t predict anything.

The next morning.

I woke up earlier than usual and finished preparing to leave.

‘In the original story, Kyle and Diana Fren first met in Drante’s hidden area, right?’

This meant Diana’s victory was based on Kyle’s efforts.

‘I just have to enter and enjoy the rewards……’

Wait, that feels familiar. Didn’t something similar happen during the Dungeon Studies exam?

“Eh, whatever. That time it was Princess Francia messing things up. This time she’s not here, so what could go wrong?”

With Kyle, the overpowered character blessed by the world’s creator, I could just follow carefully and grab the opportunity when it came.

So.

‘Meet Diana and join her under her lead.’

It felt like walking into a tiger’s den, but to get what I wanted, I had no choice.

She was currently a student at the same Plaines Royal Academy.

Second year, right?

Should I call her “senpai” when I meet her?

Ah, I don’t care.

Anyway, let’s meet Diana Fren first and assess the situation.

With that thought, I headed toward where Diana Fren was likely to be.