Chapter 3
“Phew, let’s sort this out.”
After a flood of information suddenly rushed into my head—
I was confused for a moment but quickly managed to calm down and organize my thoughts again.
‘When I rummaged through that box, it felt like some sort of power entered me.’
And that power was none other than the skills and sword techniques used by my defensive swordsman.
I went to the desk, grabbed a notebook and a pen, then began jotting down the skills that came to mind.
[Attack Prediction Skill]
[Physical Attack Enhancement]
[Defense Enhancement]
……
“Other than these, the rest are all swordsmanship-related skills……”
I began writing down the names of the sword techniques as well—skills, or more precisely, sword arts.
‘Parry, Deflect, Five Types of Guard……’
Ten defensive sword techniques.
And then two offensive skills—Slash and Thrust—where I had invested some skill points just to have minimal attack means.
‘On top of that… I definitely mastered the five types of Basic Swordsmanship too.’
Basic Swordsmanship.
Players usually didn’t bother maxing out the basic swordsmanship skills.
They normally just took them to level 1 and moved on, thinking that maxing them out was a waste of time and resources.
‘Skill points are always scarce, and even at level 1, basic swordsmanship is good enough. Most players would rather invest in other skills than master the basics.’
But I had taken all of them to the max level.
The reason was not only because it slightly increased the power of my only offensive skills, Slash and Thrust...
‘If you master all five basic swordsmanship types, the number of sword arts you can learn increases from one to four.’
Normally, players who followed the swordsman tech tree could only learn one sword art.
But by mastering all the basic swordsmanship skills, you could learn three additional sword arts.
Of course, as I said earlier, maxing out the basics took far too much time and resources, and most players found it more efficient to specialize in a single sword art instead—so they rarely did it.
But I had.
‘Well, I had more than enough skill points to spare anyway.’
Defensive swordsmanship didn’t really have many skills that consumed a large number of skill points.
So I just invested the surplus into basic swordsmanship.
If needed, I could always abandon the defensive swordsman concept and learn another sword art.
‘But in the end, I stuck with the defensive swordsman concept. And I’m glad I did.’
Never in my life had I imagined I’d end up inside the game.
I didn’t know when it might become relevant, but having mastered the basic swordsmanship skills would definitely prove useful.
Well, anyway...
“This should be about it.”
I checked over the notes I had written down.
It might not be exact, but these seemed to be the skills that had been absorbed into me when I opened and examined that box.
To sum up the situation—
‘I’ve obtained the skills and weapon I used, but as for the other items my defensive swordsman had… it doesn’t seem like any of them are here.’
I rummaged through the box again.
I had secretly hoped I’d find the consumables and holy relics I’d collected over time.
But unfortunately, no matter how much I dug, nothing else came out.
“Hmm, I could live without items, but I really need a rune… Do I have to go get one again?”
Runes.
In this game—or rather, in this world—each person could possess one rune.
A rune was a kind of trait, like a passive skill.
But depending on which rune you had, your entire playstyle could change.
Because, with a rune, you could perform attacks imbued with its element.
‘Fire, lightning, wind… Once you inscribe a rune onto your body, you can passively wield one elemental attribute.’
For reference, the rune I used before was called “Blessing of Water.”
As long as I had that rune, I wouldn’t have to worry about my personal protection.
‘But… is it really right to use the Blessing of Water again?’
A sudden doubt crossed my mind.
The reason I had used that rune in the first place was because it fit the defensive swordsman concept.
There were probably far better runes in this world. Maybe it would be worth finding a different one—
“…No.”
I shook my head, coming to a conclusion.
Of course, I could find stronger runes.
But this world wasn’t a game anymore—it was real.
Meaning, monsters could attack at any time.
It might be better to play it safe.
‘Besides… considering the skills I have, the Blessing of Water is still the best fit.’
I looked again at the list of skills I had written down.
If the information in my head was true, then right now I transmigrated a fairly high level of swordsmanship.
Sure, it was specialized in defense,
but even so, I could do quite a lot as a swordsman.
‘And if I use these skills properly… becoming a knight might actually be possible.’
A knight.
I didn’t know why, but something deep inside told me I had to become one.
And logically speaking, becoming a knight was indeed the best choice for my current situation.
‘Reviving the family line shouldn’t actually be that hard. With my assets and knowledge of this world… I just need to attend management classes at the academy, then return to my territory and run a little SimCity.’
I wasn’t sure if I’d manage territory administration well, but at the very least, reviving the family seemed more than possible.
The real issue, however, was uncovering my family’s secret.
‘That hidden ancient manuscript I saw earlier… The moment I discovered it, I transmigrate to this body.’
That manuscript contained information about a family that had received the Record Erasure Sentence.
Meaning—my family might have been the one that suffered that punishment.
If I wanted to uncover the truth, I had to investigate the group that had issued the sentence—the Imperial Family.
‘Not only the Imperial Family… I might also need to infiltrate the Isrinbloom Ducal Family.’
The manuscript had been hidden in the mansion of the Isrinbloom Family.
So it might be related to them as well.
‘Besides, the Isrinbloom Family is one of the Empire’s three ducal houses—and one of the Empire’s Three Swords.’
In short, they were a family of knights.
Thus, the best way to approach them was to become a knight myself.
Moreover, in this empire, knighthood was regarded as one of the most honorable professions.
Once I became a knight, it would be much easier to access information about my family.
‘And on top of that, if I become a knight, I can also revive my family at the same time—two birds with one stone.’
I nodded slowly, organizing my thoughts.
So, in conclusion…
“In this world, my career path is definitely to become a knight.”
Truly, life was unpredictable.
I had thought I’d spend my life as a well-off shut-in—never once imagining things would turn out like this.
‘But I wonder if I can really become a knight.’
Knights were the beings with the greatest physical prowess in this world.
At the very least, it wasn’t the kind of job someone who used to be a shut-in like me could easily take on.
‘Still… the body I’ve transmigrated seems to have pretty decent physical ability, so maybe it’s doable?’
I looked at my reflection in the mirror.
The most striking feature was the white hair, but aside from that, what caught my eye was a well-balanced, sturdy physique.
Muscles that were developed just right, and a body that looked quick and nimble.
It looked like one that would be good at physical work.
‘For now, I’ll give becoming a knight a try. If it doesn’t work out, I can always change paths later.’
There were multiple routes to success in this world.
And since I had personally played through almost all of them, I knew them fairly well.
“In that sense, a knight, huh…”
There were roughly twenty different routes to becoming a knight.
And I remembered them all clearly—because I had tried each one myself.
The only issue was that I had only ever done it in the game.
I knew better than anyone that reality and games were different things.
‘Still, I should try what I can. Though… if I want to gather information later, I’ll probably have to take the route where I get close to the heirs of the ducal families, huh?’
I was lost in thought, considering what to do next, but then shook my head and got up.
Maybe I had been thinking too much, because my mind was starting to feel sluggish.
I needed a short break.
‘There’s about an hour left until the entrance ceremony… maybe I should go take a look around.’
Getting transmigrate by a game wasn’t something I’d wanted, but since I was now inside my favorite game, there were plenty of things I wanted to see with my own eyes.
“…Let’s go.”
I changed into my uniform and was about to head out of the room.
But before I did, my gaze fell on my sword—Mistcatcher.
“…Better safe than sorry. And besides, carrying a sword around in this academy shouldn’t be a problem.”
I fastened Mistcatcher to my waist and stepped out of the dormitory.
---
Lysquare Academy.
It was called an educational institution, but in truth, it was more like a castle.
‘I can already tell—I’m definitely going to get lost here at least once.’
I had explored this academy extensively in the game.
But without a minimap, walking around it in person was far more confusing than I remembered.
Still, after wandering around for a while, I managed to reach the place I wanted to see.
“…I never thought I’d get to see this in person.”
It was the garden located near the academy’s rear gate.
In the center of that garden stood a massive tree, and before it—a statue.
A hooded man carved in stone.
‘Right, he was supposed to be the school’s founder.’
If I remembered correctly, his name was Arter.
Not that it mattered much to me.
I hadn’t come here to see the statue anyway.
“It really is… beautiful.”
I smiled faintly as I looked around the garden.
This garden—known in the academy as the “Garden of Beginnings”—was one of my personal favorite places.
‘Before logging out each time, I always came here to admire the scenery for a bit.’
Partly because the garden itself was beautiful, but mostly because the massive tree in the center created such an enchanting view that suited my taste perfectly.
According to the lore, when the academy’s founder Arter built the school,
he planted this tree at the same time.
Well, lore aside—
this place was simply breathtaking.
It had looked beautiful in the game,
but seeing it in person was on a whole different level.
‘Getting transmigrated by this game… maybe it’s not entirely a bad thing.’
Of course, I still wanted to return to my original world.
But I couldn’t deny that seeing these game locations with my own eyes was truly pleasing.
‘I’ll stay here for a bit longer before heading out.’
There were about thirty minutes left until the entrance ceremony.
After enjoying the view for another ten minutes, I planned to head to the grand auditorium where it would be held—
“What are you doing here alone?”
“Hm?”
While I was leisurely admiring the garden under the large tree, I sensed someone’s presence beside me.
When I turned my head, a female student had approached without me noticing.
A blonde girl—with a face that felt oddly familiar.
“Were you looking around the garden?”
“The garden?”
“Yes.”
“I see. It really is a beautiful garden, isn’t it? I’d heard rumors that it was especially lovely, so I wanted to visit before the entrance ceremony started.”
“Yes, same here. By the way, since you mentioned the entrance ceremony… you’re a new student, right?”
“Yes, that’s right. You too?”
“Of course.”
I replied casually, studying her face.
It was obvious from a glance—she had the air of someone from a noble background.
“By any chance, are you a noble?”
“Eh? Me?”
The girl looked genuinely flustered at my question.
Then suddenly, she burst into laughter.
“Hahaha! Oh, sorry. I just wasn’t expecting that question. From the way you asked, I take it you don’t know who I am?”
“Uh… yeah. Sorry about that?”
“There’s no need to apologize. Well, I suppose some people might not have seen me before.”
She smiled brightly, showing no hint of irritation.
“Anyway, you said you came here to see the garden too, right? So you must like gardens?”
“Not gardens in general—just this one. More precisely, I like this garden because of the tree.”
“I think I understand what you mean. This tree that Arter planted… it really is beautiful.”
The girl looked up at the massive tree for a moment, then turned her gaze back toward me—or rather, toward the sword at my waist.
“That’s quite an unusual sword you’ve got.”
“Hm? Oh, this? Yeah. It’s not the kind of blade you often see in the Empire. I personally acquired it from the far eastern edge of the continent.”
As I gave a brief explanation, I observed her more closely.
I was sure I had seen her somewhere before—and not just anywhere, but as a rather important character.
‘She’s not from a ducal family—none of the dukes had blond hair. Then maybe a marquess family? There was one blonde among them, but…’
“Would it be alright if I took a look at that sword for a moment?”
“Huh? Oh, um… sure, I don’t mind.”
Actually, I was a little reluctant to hand over my sword, but in the end, I decided to do it anyway.
She was clearly the daughter of a high-ranking noble family—nothing good would come from offending someone like that.
I drew Mistcatcher and handed it to her.
“Oh, what an unusual design. I think Jason’s family used swords shaped somewhat like this… but there’s definitely something different about yours.”
“Yes, as I said, this sword isn’t from anywhere in the Empire… wait. Did you just say Jason?”
“Yes. Why? Do you know him?”
“That…”
A sword used by Jason’s family.
A family known for their swords.
And someone from that family named Jason.
As far as I knew, there was only one person that fit all those conditions.
And if my memory was right, there was only one blonde girl who could refer to that Jason so casually…
‘Ah, damn it.’
I realized who this girl was.
She wasn’t some ordinary noble’s daughter.
“M–My apologies for not recognizing you sooner.”
“Eh? Wait, what? Why so suddenly?”
“I sincerely apologize for realizing it so late.”
“Ah… I see. S–So, you’ve figured out who I am?”
I bowed my head immediately in apology.
The girl looked startled and flustered, but this was the correct response.
At the very least, I couldn’t afford to make an enemy of her.
“It’s fine. Please, raise your head. There’s no need to—ah!”
“Are you alright?”
As she waved her hand in reassurance, the girl accidentally nicked her finger on Mistcatcher’s edge.
It was a small cut—barely enough to draw a thin line of blood, like a paper cut.
But the moment I saw that wound, my expression stiffened.
Because I knew exactly what it meant when this particular girl bled—
I’d seen it countless times in the game.
“Blood…”
“It’s nothing serious. Oh, and you should take your sword back. I feel like it’s dangerous for me to be holding it.”
“Yes, understood.”
I quickly retrieved Mistcatcher from her hands.
“Are you sure you’re alright? I could get you some medicine right away—”
“It’s really fine. Just a tiny cut. Ah, now that I think about it, we haven’t introduced ourselves yet. What’s your name?”
“Gideon Kyrgram.”
“As I thought, you’re a noble. I suppose you’ve already guessed, but I am…”
Just as the girl began to introduce herself—
“Your Highness!”
A black-haired girl appeared at the edge of the garden.
She rushed over to the blonde girl—no, to the one just called Your Highness—with a look of alarm.
“Your Highness, why did you suddenly disappear alone? What if you had been hurt or attacked—!”
“Come on, Sara. Don’t be so serious. The academy’s perfectly safe, you know?”
“That won’t do. His Majesty the Emperor himself warned you multiple times—there are far too many who would seek to harm you.”
Your Highness.
The blonde girl wasn’t just a noble. She was a princess of the Empire.
The second daughter of the Arium Empire’s Emperor—Layla Arium.
‘And that black hair… and the name Sara. Then there’s no doubt.’
Sara Isrinbloom.
The eldest daughter of the Isrinbloom Ducal Family, one of the Empire’s Three Ducal Houses.
I recognized her immediately—she was the very character I had been building affection with before I ended up in this game.
‘…Time to leave.’
I made my decision instantly.
Knowing Sara’s personality, staying here any longer would be dangerous.
Especially since Layla had been injured—even if it was just a small cut, Sara would definitely—
“Your Highness! There’s blood on your hand…!”
“Ah, it’s fine, it was my own mistake…”
“Was it you?”
Sara turned her sharp gaze toward me.
Her eyes narrowed as she quickly examined me—and the Mistcatcher hanging from my waist.
“Was it your sword that dared to wound Her Highness?”
“Lady Sara, it’s true that it’s my sword, but I didn’t—”
“So you admit it, then. No need to say another word.”
“No, wait, at least let me explain—”
“Silence. I don’t want to hear it.”
With that, Sara drew the rapier at her side—the same distinctive blade I’d seen countless times in the game.
And without hesitation, she swung it straight toward my leg.
‘…Ah.’
In the instant Sara’s rapier sliced through the air toward me—
I caught sight of a faint red point along its trajectory.
And before I even realized it, I had drawn Mistcatcher, bringing its blade to meet that red point.