"After I die, Eirik will be so heartbroken that he will follow me into the void."

From the other side, Elvynna watched Eirik in the game—a lone figure, drenched in blood, his body wracked with pain, seemingly on the verge of giving up. Her heart stirred with conflicting emotions.

In the hours she had spent immersed in this simulation, she had always seen Eirik as nothing more than a foolish coward. A man who cracked jokes at the most inopportune times and spouted nonsense without a care. She had assumed that if she fell in battle, he would be the first to hide, doing whatever it took to save himself. But what she saw now was entirely different.

It seemed she had underestimated him.

This retainer—this loyal fool—was willing to lay down his life for her.

The realization hit her like a wave, and she felt her emotions swirl. This magical world, so unforgiving and cold, where everyone schemed and betrayed one another in the pursuit of power—yet here was this man, willing to die for her without hesitation.

Her heart clenched, and Elvynna, for the first time in what felt like forever, allowed herself to feel something deeper than the icy walls she had built around herself.

[The simulation has ended. Would you like to acquire the related memories?]

More memories?

Elvynna’s eyes sparkled with excitement. Though her in-game life had come to an end in battle, she had reached Practitioner LV9. In contrast, her real-life self was still struggling at Practitioner LV1.

It was rare for anyone in the magical world to reach such heights—many mentors at the prestigious magic academy were only at LV5 or LV6. LV9 was a level reserved for legendary figures, ancient masters who were whispered about in the halls of history. The thought of inheriting such a legacy, even in the form of a simulation, thrilled her.

"Of course, I want them!"

Elvynna willed the memories to flood her mind, her pulse quickening with anticipation. For a brief moment, she felt the overwhelming rush of experiences—years of her life, condensed into mere seconds. She could almost see it all: planting peach saplings with Eirik, watching them grow with each passing season, each day spent together. Though cold and distant for so long, deep down, she had always cared for him.

And now, after her death, he had followed her into the unknown, his cowardice forgotten, transformed into something far more heroic.

[Game Over]

[You had a heavenly talent but were betrayed by a villain, losing the Regal Bone of the Ancients. You fought valiantly against the darkness in the north, a brief but brilliant highlight of your life.]

[Achievement Level: Blue.]

[Overall Image: Newcomer in the Magical Realm.]

The Blue Achievement Level—just a step above Eirik's White Level—was not a high rank by any means. And the "Newcomer in the Magical Realm" label left her feeling somewhat disheartened. She was at Practitioner LV9 in the simulation, nearly a legend in her field, but here, she was considered a beginner?

Still, she couldn’t help but reflect on the vastness of the world around her. The Emperor, who could supposedly bend the very flow of the cosmos, was said to be at the peak of magical power. To be called a newcomer at LV9 wasn't as unfair as it seemed.

And then there was the mention of the Regal Bone of the Ancients—a secret from her childhood, a detail the simulation had insightfully uncovered. The loss of that bone, and the betrayal that came with it, had been a wound she had never shared with anyone. The simulation, it seemed, was more perceptive than she'd given it credit for.

"One more round! Just one more round!"

Her desire for knowledge burned within her, undeterred. This time, she wouldn’t fail.

[A strange ordinary citizen suddenly visits…]

The familiar prompt flashed on the screen once again as Elvynna restarted the simulation. Her lips curved into a faint smile.

"Finally! This time, I’ll give you the Grimoire of Arcane Mastery directly, saving you eight years of trouble..."

[You have become a retainer of the magic scholar Elvynna, who is quite pleased with your talent and gifts you the Grimoire of Arcane Mastery.]

On the other side, Eirik was taken aback by the system prompt.

Why was this NPC giving out items so early?

But he quickly shrugged it off, still pleased. In his past life, he hadn’t received the magical tome until eight years after meeting Elvynna. To get it so early now was a stroke of fortune, one that could accelerate their progress and unlock greater potential. With the Grimoire in hand, they would reach new heights together—perhaps Elvynna would even become a Savant.

By then, even if that cursed tree sprouted, she would have the strength to fight it back. He might even be able to help.

But no, Eirik thought, it would be best to eliminate that cursed tree while it was still a seed. Waiting for it to grow would be too risky.

The Starlight Academy of Magic had been losing talented individuals at an alarming rate, which suggested something dark was brewing within its halls.

[Eirik expresses his desire to join the Starlight Academy of Magic, cryptically mentioning that there are hidden dangers within the academy and that you should be cautious.]

Elvynna blinked, stunned by the prompt.

What was going on?

Wasn't this guy just an ordinary citizen? How did he know about the dangers lurking within the academy?

Without hesitation, Elvynna asked in-game, "I’ve heard that many geniuses have been disappearing from the magic academy lately. Although I’m just an ordinary person, I know this is anything but normal."

Could it be that word of this crisis had spread to the common folk?

Elvynna paused, realizing she had been so focused on studying magic that she hadn’t paid much attention to the rumors. Now that she thought about it, there had been a great deal of chatter about the disappearances, but she'd thought it was nothing more than idle gossip. She had assumed that hiding away in the academy and focusing on magic would keep her safe.

[Elvynna agrees to recommend you for the Starlight Academy of Magic but bluntly tells you that with your talent, you could never become a formal student, and even becoming an outer Acolyte would be challenging. Do you still wish to proceed?]

Of course, she wanted to go!

[You joined the Starlight Academy of Magic and became an Acolyte. As you are not a formal student, you don’t even have the privilege of attending magic lectures. Fortunately, with Elvynna as your ally, you face little hardship.]

At last, Eirik had joined the academy. Now, it was time to study magic, while also continuing his investigation into the academy's dark secrets.

He opened the map, tracing the outline of Starlight Academy. Its nine peaks were rumored to be laden with hidden spaces and strange phenomena. If someone were to secretly cultivate a demon tree within the academy, these secluded peaks would provide the perfect refuge.

Among them, the third peak was the most suspicious.

Gideon Ravenshadow, its master, was a former practitioner of dark magic who had supposedly purged himself of demonic influence. But rumors suggested he had never fully relinquished his connection to the demons.

"Once mingling with demons, now redeemed? Yet many believe he never fully gave up his demonic powers. He’s feared by everyone in the academy. I’ll start my investigation there," Eirik muttered to himself.

And, as fate would have it, Gideon was connected to Pixie—the junior from the academy who had caught Eirik’s attention. He was Pixie’s uncle, from a family with deep roots in the magical community.

[During your first year at the Starlight Academy of Magic, you managed to secure a position at the third peak, frequently accessing its secrets. Unfortunately, you didn’t uncover any useful clues; your lowly status barely allowed you to meet Gideon.]

[In your second year, you made notable progress, reaching Stalwart Level 5, a rare achievement among Acolytes, garnering some attention.]

[Yet, you still failed to uncover any clues regarding the third peak.]

[Due to your regular presence at the third peak, junior Pixie noticed you. After learning about your relationship with Elvynna, she invited you to join her faction.]

Ah, just like in his previous life, Pixie was as eager as ever to poach him.

But no, he was already Elvynna's retainer. He wouldn’t be swayed.

[Pixie, seeing your refusal, only smiled sweetly and said, "You’re investigating the Ravenshadow family, aren’t you? Sadly, the missing geniuses have nothing to do with my uncle. But I know other critical leads. If you want to know, why not join me?"]

Elvynna and he had both investigated tirelessly, but it was Pixie, with her powerful family connections, who already seemed to have the answers.

It was tempting to switch allegiances, but Eirik wasn’t about to abandon Elvynna.

No, he would stay true to his path—pursuing knowledge as a scholar, growing stronger with each passing day. Later, there would be time for the more noble pursuits.

For now, his loyalty lay with Elvynna.