Oscar's words were an answer that untangled the threads of thought that had been knotted within me.

  Become successful.

  Not by playing the villain to debase my value. Not by relying on my family's power. I just needed to climb to overwhelming heights through my own strength, leaving no one room to complain. To the point where engagement talks would simply fade away.

  With that resolve in my heart, I knew where I needed to go first.

  "Master Dylan, you're attending the Arcane Arts Society today, correct?"

  As I prepared myself, Martha spoke as if confirming. Her voice carried a tinge of tension different from the worry of recent days. Understandable—after all, I, who had become the subject of academy-wide rumors, was about to face the person at the center of those rumors.

  "Yeah. I can't avoid it forever."

  If I couldn't attend classes while avoiding her, that would defeat the whole purpose. Besides, I hadn't been able to track Erna Griebel's movements since those rumors started.

  With those thoughts, I headed toward my destination—the courtyard.

  "Master Dylan?"

  Martha's questioning voice rose as I suddenly took a detour.

  "No, I dropped something here yesterday..."

  I made up an excuse and headed to the eastern side of the courtyard—near the old sundial. Three o'clock from the fountain.

  One, two, three... I counted seven joints in the stone pavement and stopped.

  I knelt and traced the stone seam with my fingertips. Unlike in the game, it wouldn't be found so easily.

  Suddenly, at that moment, a bell fell from my pocket and rolled across the stone pavement. The small silver sphere rolled to the right following a slight gradient and stopped at a stone seam.

  Ah, here it is.

  The place where the bell stopped—that was exactly the location I'd been searching for.

  I crouched as if to pick up the bell at the seam where it stopped. Between the stones, I glimpsed silver—a coin with just its edge visible. I pulled it out with my fingertips.

  It was a gold coin. Though somewhat soiled with moss, this item was what I'd been seeking.

  'Judgment Coin of Absolution and Calamity'

  On the obverse, "Absolution" inscribed in extremely fine lines; on the reverse, "Calamity." Around the edge ran engravings barely visible to the naked eye. The usage was simple—just flip the coin.

  Obverse—"Absolution." Removes curses from the target.

  Reverse—"Calamity." Inflicts curses on the target.

  Truly a hidden item brimming with game mechanics. Originally used in trials or something. I didn't know if it would work the same way in this world as in the game, but it couldn't hurt to have.

  I also had no idea what would happen if I used it recklessly.

  This bell... was the Bell of Fortune, wasn't it?

  I picked up the bell with my left hand. This was the charm I'd purchased at Alicia Trading Company the other day. Could it really have had an effect?

  Then, from the lounge facing the courtyard, I heard a woman's voice as cold as ice.

  "—Therefore, condition 87: 'Must possess reading and writing abilities at conversational level or higher in the standard language of the Ancient Magical Civilization period.' You do not meet this requirement. Rejected."

  I recognized that voice. I stopped and cautiously peered into the lounge.

  There stood exactly who I expected. Sage Erna Griebel, her silver hair swaying, standing with arms crossed. And before her stood a male student who appeared to be from the upper nobility, face bright red, frozen in place.

  "B-but... Lady Erna, my family's title is high, and in the future I'll inherit my father's position—"

  "Condition 34: 'Must be able to articulate future prospects in one's own words, not relying on parental prestige.' You don't meet this either. Next, please."

  Erna mercilessly cut off the male student's words while glancing at the scroll of parchment in her hand. Was that the rumored "List of 100 Conditions for My Ideal Man"?

  The lounge had taken on the appearance of a public execution ground presided over by a court magician.

  ...Brutal.

  I muttered internally. She was serious. Dead serious about using this ultra-high-level filter called the hundred conditions to screen the men approaching her.

  Best not to get involved right now. I tried to quietly leave the scene without making a sound.

  "—You there."

  Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

  A voice like an ice blade stabbed into my back. My heart jumped. Had I been noticed?

  I steeled myself and slowly turned around. However, Erna's gaze passed through me and fixed on another male student behind me. He flinched at being called, shoulders trembling, and timidly stepped forward.

  ...Saved.

  Inwardly relieved, I left the scene quickly this time. I thought I heard a new execution sentence behind me, but I pretended not to hear it.

  Several students had already gathered in Professor Maxwell's research room. I sat down in a heavy leather chair while feeling their gazes, and sighed softly remembering the scene from earlier.

  That's the sage's marriage hunting... Perfectionism becomes a weapon when it goes that far.

  In the original, she should have directed that perfectionism solely toward magical pursuits. The result of that focus turning toward romance was that disaster.

  Our first meeting had been relatively better, but even that must have been her trying her best to put on an act.

  "...You seem tired."

  Henry, one of the Arcane Arts Society members, called out to me.

  "Well, on my way here, I ran into something..."

  When I answered vaguely, Henry gave a bitter smile.

  "...The lounge, right? Lady Erna has been rather intensely focused in an odd direction lately."

  At those words, the other members nearby also nodded awkwardly. Apparently those public executions had become a daily occurrence.

  "More than 'rather'..."

  "Just making eye contact with Lady Erna makes me feel like my lifespan is shortening..."

  The members voiced feelings somewhere between complaints and awe. For them, Erna was both a genius worthy of respect and the person they least wanted to deal with.

  Just as everyone was getting caught up in such talk, the heavy door opened quietly, creating the illusion that the room's temperature had dropped several degrees. When I turned around, the subject of those rumors, Erna Griebel herself, stood there without changing expression.

  "Good morning."

  At that dignified greeting, the members who'd just been voicing complaints about Erna straightened their backs with a start. The research room's atmosphere tightened instantly.

  Erna glanced at us, then smoothly took a seat at the head of the round table, next to Professor Maxwell. That appeared to be her regular spot.

  "Master Dylan Belmond. I apologize for my terrible rudeness the other day."

  Suddenly, Erna quietly bowed her head toward me. At that unexpected action, not just I but the other members held their breath.

  "I apologize for causing you discomfort with my hasty assumptions."

  Those words clearly referred to her dramatic change during the previous Arcane Arts Society meeting. But in her azure eyes dwelled a probing light far from apologetic. This was a feeler to gauge my reaction. If I got upset here, I'd be playing right into her hands.

  "Not at all, I haven't been concerned about it. Rather, I'm looking forward to today's agenda."

  I responded with an innocuous smile. Who knew the poker face drilled into me as a noble would prove so useful? At my response, Erna's eyebrows moved slightly, but she said nothing more and dropped her gaze to the materials before her. A taut silence dominated the research room.

  Eventually, Professor Maxwell entered and cleared his throat heavily.

  "Good, everyone's here. Let us begin today's Arcane Arts Society."

  Professor Maxwell slowly began to speak.

  "Now then, today's topic... I would like to discuss 'The Limits of Incantationless Magic, and Beyond.'"

  At Professor Maxwell's words, the room's atmosphere changed. As if the previous awkwardness had been a lie, everyone's eyes took on the color of intellectual curiosity. I was no exception.

  "As you know, incantation is an auxiliary act for constructing magical formulas. It serves as a 'key' to focus the caster's mind, regulate the flow of magical power, and interfere with the world's laws. And what we call incantationless casting—completing that entire process through thought alone—is nothing less than an advanced technique."

  The professor slowly looked around the round table.

  "However, the speed of thought has limits. The amount of information the human brain can process is finite. Therefore, the scale and complexity of magic that can be handled incantationlessly naturally has limits. How do you all view this wall?"

  It was a weighty question. The first to speak was, as expected, Erna.

  "That's a matter of the individual caster's qualities and ingenuity. As a matter of fact, sigil magic was created to reproduce incantationless casting. It's now established as a technique with higher stability than incantation methods."

  Erna's answer proceeded smoothly.

  "Precisely. Sigil magic is an innovative technique where complex magical formulas are inscribed beforehand as sigils on the body or tools, and activated simply by channeling magical power. This allows the caster to concentrate their cognitive resources not on constructing the formula, but on controlling magical power and adjusting output. An excellent answer to incantationless casting's 'wall of thought speed.'"

  Professor Maxwell affirmed Erna's opinion and nodded. But then, he continued.

  "However, sigil magic also has limitations. The area where sigils can be inscribed is limited, and rewriting sigils mid-combat is impossible. In other words, it lacks adaptability. Now, does anyone else have opinions?"

  The professor slowly looked around the table. Erna crossed her arms looking displeased, and the other members showed no signs of raising their hands. So I timidly raised mine.

  "...What about spirit magic?"

  At my words, Professor Maxwell raised his eyebrows with an intrigued "Oh?"

  "Spirit magic... you say."

  Henry murmured.

  "Indeed, spirit magic is the technique of 'communicating' with spirits that pervade this world and borrowing their power. Certainly, by borrowing a spirit's power, one could manifest large-scale miracles far exceeding an individual's magical power or thought speed. However..."

  When Professor Maxwell paused, Erna immediately took over.

  "Spirits are capricious beings. While forming pacts now makes some degree of control possible, the pacts themselves are greatly influenced by the caster's qualities. Ultimately, it's a principle that relies on uncertain elements and is far from perfect."

  Erna concluded sharply. No matter what miracles it could produce, without reproducibility, it was incomplete as a technique. That must be her unwavering conviction.

  I see, I thought admiringly.

  Even in the game Eternal Quest, magic and spirit magic existed as distinctly different skills. While the former required cooldown periods and enormous magical power, the latter had randomness in its vague effects, or could even backfire in the worst cases.

  "...Ah, my apologies. Master Dylan Belmond hasn't yet completed the pact ceremony, have you?"

  When Erna glanced at me, she added as if just remembering. Was this intended as provocation, or consideration for me not being able to follow the discussion?

  "Hm, that's right."

  Professor Maxwell also looked at me and nodded. From their reactions, it seemed I was the only one here who hadn't completed the pact ceremony.

  "One learns by doing—let's make this topic homework until Dylan completes his pact ceremony."

  At Professor Maxwell's words, I felt both relieved and apologetic.

  "Now, when was this year's pact ceremony..."

  "I believe it's at the end of this month."

  Henry answered Professor Maxwell's muttering.

  "That's convenient. Dylan, by all means participate. With your magical sensing ability, I'm sure you'll form a bond with an interesting spirit."

  I nodded at the professor's words. But internally, complex feelings swirled.

  The pact ceremony...

  In the original, this ritual often became a turning point of fate. Some formed contracts with powerful spirits, while others couldn't form any bond due to compatibility issues. And the hero Leon should have contracted with a legendary-class spirit at this ceremony.

  However, the hero himself was absent. What would happen now?

  I had a strong premonition that the pact ceremony would become yet another spark of turmoil for me.