Chapter 63
“You have to enter the Academy this year, don’t you, Denian?”
Countess Logos spoke as she looked at Denian playing ‘Auto Chess.’
When the game Maple Leaf Story was first released, he was still a minor.
Time flew, and Denian was now past the age to enter the Academy.
“I have no intention of going to the Academy, Mother! Didn’t I already tell you I don’t want to study just for ranking and appearances?”
“But don’t you think you need to find a job eventually? The young lord from the neighbouring territory, Marydot, has recently been employed at the Imperial Treasury!”
“Don’t compare me to others! I’m doing my best too!”
It was customary to graduate from high school and enter the Academy at 18 or 19 years old.
But Denian had already been out of high school for a year.
While others spent their first year in the Academy, Denian stayed at home enjoying games.
Recently, this trend had been common among young nobles.
And it wasn’t just because of the emergence of games.
This phenomenon had already been brewing for a while.
As the Empire began consolidating power across the continent, its preference for a standardized type of talent monopolized key positions.
One might call it a problem of uniformity.
Since only a single type of talent was in demand, the Academy narrowed its curriculum, churning out similar individuals.
The focus shifted solely to preparing for the Imperial talent examination.
The pursuit of true scholarship was slowly fading.
Disillusioned by this reality, the younger generation turned away from central politics.
Instead, they began seeking modest lives in the Empire’s outskirts.
“I’ll figure it out myself!”
Denian slammed the door shut as he entered his room.
Countess Logos clicked her tongue.
“What does he mean by ‘figure it out’…”
Her stress was no small matter.
She let out a deep sigh and leaned back into her recliner.
To heal her weary heart, she turned to her favourite game.
Lately, she had been immersed in a leisurely life in Minecraft.
“Sometimes, I think it would have been nice to be born a farmer.”
Building villages, farming crops.
Trading with villagers, occasionally playing with other users on the map.
These activities brought her great joy.
“Oh no, look at the time…”
Caught up in her construction, she was startled when she checked the clock.
Soon, there was a social gathering hosted by Duchess Elisa.
Duchess Elisa’s estate was far from the Logos manor.
But in Minecraft, traveling to her world took just a few clicks.
-Hohohohoho!
When she logged into Duchess Elisa’s world, many people were already present.
“Oh my, Countess Logos?”
“My dear Countess! It’s been ages. Fancy meeting you here.”
“The Duchess invited me. I’ve been completely absorbed in Maple Leaf Story’s new job class recently.”
“Oh, I understand completely. Even my youngest has been enjoying it.”
Countess Logos warmly chatted with an old acquaintance she hadn’t seen in a while.
In high society, navigating subtle competition and veiled boasts was essential, but here, she could relax.
“Countess Logos, you’ve made it.”
“Duchess, it’s a pleasure to see you.”
However, as she joined the Duchess and the other attendees, she straightened her posture.
The real event was just beginning.
“Did you hear? The land prices skyrocketed after the international law reforms. Such luck, isn’t it? Hoho.”
“My eldest son was recently employed at the Imperial Treasury, you know~”
“Oh my, Countess, those jewels…”
“Hohoho, they were quite difficult to obtain.”
The atmosphere appeared harmonious on the surface.
But beneath it all, it was a display of rivalry, like peacocks flaunting their feathers.
How one presented themselves at such events determined their standing in high society.
“Oh my, Countess Logos, your eldest son—did you say he’s attending the Academy now?”
And then came the attack aimed at the Countess.
She felt a slight pang of anxiety.
Admitting that her son was unemployed would instantly invite disdain in these circles.
Though she was displeased with her son, she had a defense ready.
“No, my eldest didn’t enter the Academy last year. He found something he wanted to focus on before enrolling.”
“Oh, really? What might that be?”
Marchioness Sophia asked knowingly.
She was well aware of the Logos family’s rising status and intentionally targeted this vulnerability.
But Countess Logos smiled gracefully.
“Why, COL.”
“COL? Hoho. Isn’t that something everyone does?”
“Yes, but my son’s skill is on a different level. You’re aware that the Imperial family is hosting a COL and Auto Chess tournament soon, aren’t you?”
“Of course. Everyone’s looking forward to seeing the history of Arcane War unfold again.”
“Well, my son might participate. You see, his tier is…”
-Challenger.
““—!!!!!””
The gasp of surprise was audible.
The reaction boosted Countess Logos’s confidence.
“His talent in that field is unparalleled, so it’s inevitable. Taking a year off from the Academy might actually be beneficial.”
As a mother, Countess Logos worried about Denian’s decision to forgo the Academy.
But her concerns were outweighed by the prestige of being a Challenger-tier player.
With the Imperial tournament drawing near, being a Challenger was a badge of honour.
“I’ve never met a Challenger in person before. What’s his main lane?”
“What’s his username? Challengers are the top 100 players, after all…”
“Hoho… His lane is mid. And his username is…”
““!!!!!!!!!””
This time, the astonishment turned into outright shock.
Some even screamed in disbelief.
Such was Denian’s prominence in COL.
His gameplay could shift the entire meta.
He was the undisputed strongest in the current COL scene, famous for his roams that even Bronze players knew of.
He was a God. An Idol. The Sky. The Sun and the Light of COL.
He had even amassed a cult-like following.
Everyone unanimously anticipated his appearance at the Imperial tournament.
“Hehe. Whatever it is, he seems to have an amazing ability to immerse himself. Perhaps he could utilize his strategic experience from COL to lead the military, or leverage his physical prowess in dominating lane battles to join the intelligence department. While the academy is important, isn’t personal growth equally vital? Hohohohoho!”
Countess Logos, her shoulders raised with pride.
Of course, Denian had no intention of finding a job, but at least the statement could be made.
Such was the prestige that COL currently held.
Strategy and individual combat skills, leadership, social abilities, and even financial acumen.
COL was regarded as the ultimate collection of all elements necessary for success.
To the point where it was said that one couldn’t be selected as a military officer without adequate COL skills.
“That’s truly impressive.”
“Then… did Lord Logos also wait in anticipation to major in ‘I-SPORTS’ at the academy next year?”
“‘I-SPORTS’ major?”
“Yes, it was recently announced that a new major focusing on experts in fantasy games would be introduced next year. It’s caused an uproar with not just other races but also nobles who already graduated clamouring to re-enroll.”
Countess Logos was hearing this for the first time.
She hadn’t read the newspaper lately due to gaming.
Judging by the clueless expressions of others, it seemed like news that had only just come out.
“Well, you could say that! My eldest son also expressed interest in pursuing the ‘I-SPORTS’ major. Hohohohoho!”
The countess responded nonchalantly, maintaining composure.
Naturally, Denian had not agreed to this.
However, if it was a game-related major, it seemed likely to pique his interest.
Thus, after the party in “Minecraft” ended, the countess immediately relayed the news to Denian.
“‘I-SPORTS’ major?”
“Yes. It seems like a good fit for you, doesn’t it?”
Hearing this, Denian found himself lost in thought.
***
The following year, on the day of the academy’s entrance exam.
The number of applicants this year was unusually high.
An estimated tenfold increase compared to usual.
The important thing was that the number of general applicants remained the same.
Some majors even saw a slight decline in applicants.
“So, what’s your rank?”
“I’m Platinum.”
“Oh, I’m Diamond, lol.”
The increased numbers were entirely due to applicants for the ‘I-SPORTS’ major.
Driven by a passion for success, these applicants were already sizing each other up.
“Son, you must get accepted! It’s the only way to save our family!”
“Don’t worry! I’ll carry the family name and ensure my acceptance.”
Among the applicants were fallen nobles who had traveled great distances for the ‘I-SPORTS’ major.
The major’s establishment had caused an enormous ripple effect.
“Sob, sob, sob…”
“Master of the Magic Tower, please calm down. The semester hasn’t even started; it’s just exam day.”
“Hahaha… but… but…”
The area also included some of us fantasy magicians, including myself and Hina.
Naturally, it wasn’t because we were applying to the academy.
We were there as interviewers for this year’s entrance exam.
“These are kids, after all. Besides, they all respect you, Master of the Magic Tower. Please stop trembling. You’re causing an earthquake.”
“Ugh… Ugh…”
Hina was trembling so much that she was even creating strange illusions around her.
Of course, she had been invited as a professor.
Having shared the history of all games with me and boasting exceptional talent in gaming, she would likely manage as a lecturer, even with her current state.
Several other fantasy magicians were also invited as professors.
Though losing manpower was a painful choice, the astronomical support promised to the Illusion Magic Tower by the academy made it an easy decision.
“It’s been a while, Riot.”
A neutral, sultry voice interrupted.
It was Kilia, a dark elf.
She and a few other dark elves had also been invited to teach about “Minecraft” at the academy.
“It’s been a while, BigTree.”
“…Call me Kilia. More importantly, were you also invited as a professor?”
“Well, others were…”
I scratched the back of my head and trailed off.
“I’m not a professor.”
…I wasn’t invited as a professor.
Even if I had been, I wouldn’t have accepted. But the lack of an invitation still stung.
Curious, I had swallowed my pride and asked the academy, only to receive this response:
“Isn’t your COL rank Silver?”
Hey, I made it to Gold 4! This season, I just didn’t have time to climb higher…
I had cut off the communication quietly.
“I’m just a developer. I can’t teach games.”
“Oh, right. You were terrible at playing games. How could someone who made a game be so bad at it?”
“Ugh…”
Kilia mockingly covered her mouth with her hand, feigning subtlety while clearly displaying her amusement.
“Well, I’m just here to observe today. Nothing more.”
It was, after all, a historic moment in gaming.
Even if I wasn’t a professor—and didn’t want to be—it was worth seeing for myself.
Plus, I was curious to see if any renowned players would be taking the exam.
In particular, I had my eye on the eldest son of Count Logos.
In the past, the family had been the first to be blacklisted.
The eldest son had since grown into a legendary figure in COL.
Given his age, I thought he might enroll.
However, he wasn’t among the examinees.
“Excuse me, is the eldest son of Count Logos not on the applicant list?”
I asked an academy staff member, puzzled.
“Oh, you mean him! No, he’s not applying.”
“Do you know why?”
“He’s famous in social circles, thanks to his mother’s constant boasting. When we contacted him directly, his response was, ‘I’ll just prove myself.’”
“What is he trying to prove?”
In any case, it seemed he wouldn’t be attending.
I had hoped to see such a great player, but it was disappointing.
A few months later, however, not just me, but everyone witnessed his—and his legend’s—beginning.
At the COL tournament hosted by the Empire, he made a dazzling debut.
—
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