Alright, dungeon training.
It’s a completely ordinary cave where a monster summoning magic tool (which is, of course, contraband and illegal for civilians to possess) has been installed, and the monsters spawned from it roam around. It’s an artificial dungeon.
The students are tasked with clearing it.
Well, since the academy’s curriculum spans five years, the main focus of this first year is to get used to the battlefield atmosphere and toughen up the students by stripping away any dependence they might have.
The task is to defeat a specified number of monsters—essentially, the students have to each kill a goblin. Each group has an instructor supervising them during the exercise.
There’s almost no chance of anything going wrong.
As for me personally, I’m more curious about the monster summoning magic tool.
It’s a contraband item, so not only is it impossible to obtain, but we don’t even know who has possession of one. That’s why I’ve never seen one until now.
…Hm?
Oh, I see.
I can just borrow the monster summoning magic tool from this artificial dungeon.
Of course, I won’t break it. I’ll just inspect it a little.
Alright then, let’s head for the deepest part of the dungeon!
Now, as for the academy’s artificial dungeon…
It’s basically an attraction. They’ve excavated and expanded a cave in the nearby forest, drilled out the top a little to let in light, and placed guards to make sure the goblins don’t escape outside.
Apparently, they feed the goblins scraps and human waste, which they drop down through a hole in the ceiling that also lets in light.
As a result, the goblins inside are somewhat starved and weakened.
All in all, it’s a perfect place for beginners to practice.
It seems the knight course students from the academy cleared the dungeon a few days ago, but the goblins have already been replenished. I’m becoming more and more intrigued by the monster summoning magic tool!
As for clearing the dungeon—well, as expected, I had no trouble with it, and it ended quickly.
Now, I’m taking apart and analyzing the monster summoning magic tool…
‘What are you doing?’
Oh, by the way, the one who came along as my instructor was the academy’s headmistress.
‘I’m just analyzing this magic tool. I’ll put it back after I’m done, so give me a moment.’
‘…Well, if it’s you, I suppose you can manage. Once you figure it out, be sure to tell me.’
Right. Monster summoning magic tools are relics from ancient civilizations, things like that. If I can successfully analyze it, it would be a major breakthrough, possibly even boosting the country’s power. No wonder the old lady is curious.
Hmm… but this…
‘Ah, I’ve got it.’
‘What?! It disappeared?!’
I transferred it to a designated folder (a different world).
Based on what I saw of the monster summoning magic tool, it seems to pull a specified number of monsters from the ‘Monster Spawn Area’ and push them into the surface world.
This part of the research has already been figured out—monsters spawn in areas where the concentration of magical energy exceeds a certain level. That seems to be a fundamental rule of this world.
So, if you manipulate and solidify magical energy, some kind of monster will be created, but it seems human magical energy doesn’t work. It’s probably an issue with the magical energy’s waveform.
That’s why, when I tried to artificially generate monsters by building a magic tool that accumulates magical energy, I ended up creating a grotesque monstrosity that looked like a patchwork of tentacles. Poor Fran-chan got so scared she cried. That’s a memory I won’t forget anytime soon.
Naturally formed magical energy will spawn monsters suited to the area, but when magical energy is artificially manipulated, it fails.
This world, it seems, is filled with magical energy waves ideal for generating goblins.
Some strange green and purple, pulsating, marble-like pattern spreads out in this eerie subspace.
And from that subspace, goblins are popping out one after another…
It’s disgusting.
At any rate, I’ve memorized the magical energy waveform for goblin generation, but…
I still haven’t figured out how to generate any other monsters.
While I can create them, I don’t know the exact waveform needed. Normally, you’d expect the programmer to leave some helpful comments at the edges of the code, but whoever programmed this world clearly didn’t bother with that. What a pain.
Well, it’s still a step forward, I guess…
Alright, back to the original world.
‘W-What did you just do?’
‘World transfer. I figured out how to make goblins, but I couldn’t figure out how to make other monsters.’
‘I see…’
After discussing things, I restored the monster summoning magic tool, placed it back in the cave, and left.
Of course, I passed the exam.
Ada and the other members of the Aurora Group passed the exam as well. Even those who couldn’t make the cut managed to pass with the support of the instructors. Apparently, failing in the first year is a bad look.
After that, a long, long summer break from June to September began.
This academy has a system similar to that in America, with a long summer vacation, followed by a new term when it ends.
The three-month-long summer break allows the children of noble families from faraway places to return home.
I’ve mentioned before, but in this world, there’s no fast travel—just slow-moving carriages. A simple trip can take a month.
‘So? What are you all planning to do?’
‘We’re going home,’ Francis, Yuki, and Grace all replied.
These three probably have obligations as nobles and other such things. I didn’t want to hold them back, so I cheerfully sent them off, telling them to show their faces to their families.
…For some reason, they all looked at me suspiciously. What’s with the lack of trust?
Meanwhile, Ada and I won’t be returning home. It’s too far, and there’s nothing to do there anyway.
In Ada’s case, she says going back to her hometown only brings bad memories, so she insisted, ‘I don’t want to go back!’
If my cute Ada says so, then so be it.
Thus, I decided to spend my summer vacation relaxing at my home (a former slum mansion that’s now the Aurora Group’s hideout).
After all, I’ve been spending my days like an FPS player or fighting game enthusiast, constantly battling others. I think it’s time to enjoy a bit of a vacation..
