Whether in games or in the real world, there are always some people who are annoying just by looking at them. For me, Mason Kent is one of them. A bug that needs to be crushed to death, a piece of garbage whose head needs to be chopped off and fed to the dogs. As annoying as it is to see these characters, sometimes I have no choice. In the game, it is impossible to kill Mason Kent without adequate preparation and the right location, because he is an NPC for future missions. The developers have put a lot of effort into protecting him. But, in the real world, do I have the same limitations? The answer is no. I could kill him right now. It only takes one charged bullet to pierce his head. But that doesn't mean I should do it. After all, killing someone in public is not a sensible thing to do unless I have an influential last name. Besides, killing him now would do me no good.
So, the only thing I can do now is wait, prepare everything, and wait for the opportunity to come. With these thoughts in mind, I stood up from my chair and headed for the exit. "You all are going to the party, right?" As I was clearing away my dishes, I heard a familiar voice. "Yeah...Father said I had to attend." Four people walked into the cafeteria at the same time. It's not usually something I pay attention to, but the word "banquet" caught my attention. "Is it the party?" I asked myself and started listening to their conversation. "Me too. My family said I need to improve my social experience." "Ah... it's those boring conversations again." "Yeah, but it should be a little interesting this time." "Well, now that Victor is here, it might be interesting." "That guy could have just invited all of us. Why send out a formal invitation?" "Well, he's like that. Probably didn't want to show favoritism." "Yeah...but he only invited Julia." “Tsk.” Hearing Victor's name was enough. Those who are from prominent families or people of high status always get together to discuss business, so it is not surprising that the main characters in the game will also attend such banquets. Moreover, this banquet hosted by the Black family is a special event in the game. It is the player’s first real contact with the devil.
This is basically the first major event of the game. 'I can't miss this.' Wherever the devil appears, I will be there, it is inevitable. So I left the cafeteria and returned to my room. ...... Rustle "call……" Walking on the fallen leaves of the College Forest, I took a deep breath of the slightly cool air. The scent of nature and autumn entered my nostrils. 'It's getting colder.' As the semester progresses, winter is approaching. It is the time of season change. "Oh, junior, you are here." As I was walking, I heard a loud sound. Standing in front of me was Maya-senpai, with a bright smile on her face. "good afternoon." Maya immediately appeared in front of me with her usual liveliness. "Good afternoon, Maya-senpai." I bowed my head respectfully. To me, this person was like a mentor who had made me progress a lot in a short period of time, and therefore deserved respect. "Hmm... Hmm... Very good..." She nodded and hummed. I didn't understand why she looked at me like that, but I decided not to care. I was used to the looks around me, and one more wouldn't hurt. "You're always the first one here, junior." She motioned for me to follow her and walk towards the meeting place. "I don't like to be late." This is a habit of mine. Changing places and entering a new environment always takes time to adapt, and by arriving a little earlier, I can use the free time to adapt to the environment. “It’s a good habit.” "Thanks." "Would you like a snack? I brought something special today." Whenever Maya Evergreen showed up, so did the treats. If there was anything I learned during this time, it was that denying her treats was completely ineffective. She never took no for an answer and always forced it on me. "I could use a little." After I agreed, she took out two colorful balls from her bag, which looked very different. 'Um?'
It's not just the looks that are different. The smell they give off is also different. "Senior, this..." It reminded me of an extremely rare item in the game. Although I've never tasted or smelled it, I know what it looks like. "Yes, you read that right. They are Dreamland plums." Dreamland Plum. This is a very rare fruit, not only because it tastes great, but also because it has a great effect on the magic of the eater. As a result, this fruit is highly sought after and extremely difficult to find. "Senior...if you knew what they were, why did you give them to me?" I asked. This action left me a little confused. "Why should I give it to you? Because I am your teacher." "teacher?" "Yes, I am your teacher." "I don't understand. Even if you are my teacher, wouldn't it be better if you just ate them yourself or sold them?" "Ah, you mean..." Maya chuckled, twirling a lock of purple hair between her fingers. "You're right. As a mage, I can certainly benefit from these fruits." She replied, holding the two balls. "That……" "But you see, I have a large amount of Dreamland plums at home. I have developed a certain resistance to their effects, so they have little effect on me. But for you, they will be of great help." She said with a mischievous smile. I understand how a person can develop resistance to these fruits. In the game, some people do this by accumulating wealth, buying a lot of resources and then consuming them. But of course, the more you consume the same thing, the weaker its effect will be. This is why it is more beneficial to improve your attributes through nature in the early stages of the game rather than relying on these items. “So, you can eat them without any worries.” She said, placing the fruit in my hand. I don't know why she did so much for me, but she didn't have any bad intentions. I could tell from her body language. My special ability [Perception Insight] is not for show. "I see. Then I'll be polite." Without saying anything else, I began to chew the fruit. The moment my teeth broke through the peel, an incredible taste entered my mouth. 'tasty.' The way it tasted, and the way it felt when you swallowed it, everything about it was just delicious. This was the most delicious thing I had ever eaten in this world. And not only that, I could feel the magic in my body reacting to the fruit. As I swallowed the pulp, I began to feel my magical sensitivity increase. It wasn't a big increase, but I could still feel a noticeable change. I can also feel my mana capacity expanding, which is one of the effects I expect. "How about it?" I heard Maya-senpai's voice coming from the side. "great." "Then I am glad."
I finished my Dreamland plum, still savoring the aftertaste. "Thank you, Senpai. I really appreciate it." “You’re welcome, junior,” Maya said, with pride and excitement in her eyes. “Think of it as an investment in your future.” “Investment for the future?” In the game, even though Maya is a well-known character, as a player, I know very little about her past and her family. Therefore, it is difficult for me to understand her intentions. “Yes, an investment in the future.” Rustle Just as I was about to ask her what she meant, suddenly, I heard the sound of leaves being stepped on. 'Three people.' There were three people approaching, and judging by the sounds of their voices I could tell two were women and one was a man. "Welcome, fellow students." Maya seemed to realize this as well, and she immediately jumped up from where she was standing, winking at me at the same time. "Hello, Senior." "Hello." The two girls greeted her, but the boy, who was one of the people who had tried to make friends with Maya earlier, just bowed his head. He seemed embarrassed by his behavior. "Hello to you too, fellow juniors." However, Maya didn't seem to care, perhaps she had forgotten about it. ...... "Hello everyone," Maya greeted the new members cheerfully. "You have arrived just in time for our meeting. Everyone gather together and let's get started." The club members gathered, each found a spot, and sat on a pile of wood that served as makeshift seats. "As you know, today we're going to start with speeches. Who wants to go first?" At Emilia's instruction, a well-dressed girl raised her hand. She looked eager to start. "You can start now, junior." "Thanks." After saying that, she stood up and walked over to Emilia's position. "Hello everyone, I'm... I'm Hermione Klein," she began, her voice hesitant and trembling at first. In her hand she clutched a notebook, which contained the speech she had carefully prepared. It was obvious that despite her careful preparation, this was her first time giving a speech. Her voice was awkward and halting. "I want to talk about... about magic and modern art... uh, the influence of art." She stammered, her eyes nervously scanning the faces of the club members. However, with every word she spoke, she got better and better. “In conclusion,” she continued, “the existence of modern magic is an important factor in shaping the course of art, influencing artists for centuries. It teaches us to appreciate the beauty of the past, the wonder of the natural world, and the influence of magic on aesthetics.”
Finally, she ended her speech with a smile. Bang bang bang! Everyone applauded her. And so, everyone continued with their speeches until it was my turn.