I Level Up With In-app Purchases

I Level Up With In-app Purchases – 56

EP.56 The Letter (4)

Shine hadn’t come to the general store since that day.

I didn’t bother to look into Shine’s whereabouts.

If Ariane had visited again, I would have asked, but otherwise, I had no intention of searching for her.

‘She must have her reasons.’

Considering how much stronger Shine had become, I didn’t think there was any need to worry.

Instead… I was trying to enjoy the rest of the break that Ariane had ruined.

I set up a hammock behind the store and lay down.

“Damn, this is the life.”

A leisurely afternoon.

For now, I set aside worries about money and the future.

Just as I closed my eyes and smiled at the playful breeze teasing my hair, I suddenly remembered something and opened my inventory.

Among the many items piled up, I took out a newly acquired item from a few days ago.

The orb containing the soul of SSR Shine was noticeably larger than the orb containing the soul of an R-grade character.

‘I still have no idea what to do with this.’

When bored, I would roll the orb around in my hand.

I even pretended to drop it on the floor, but it didn’t break.

The most likely method was to use this orb on a duplicate character….

“Does that mean I have to go to the academy?”

I had to visit the academy anyway because of Fran.

While I was there, I could also find out how to use this orb, so going to the academy was practically destined.

“Let’s just rest a bit more before I go. Just a bit more.”

But contrary to my wishes, the main scenario was progressing faster than expected.

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“Welcome, Patron.”

“I apologize for requesting a visit during such a chaotic time.”

“No need to apologize. Making time for our patron is not a difficult task.”

“But it must have been hard for the Dean to make time.”

A chaotic situation.

The military, having made the worst decision to throw soldiers at the monster wave, was now paying dearly for that mistake.

They had tried to solve the monster wave by sheer numbers, pitting quantity against quantity.

‘How long has it been since we achieved peace?’

Peace is not eternal.

But the nobles hoped the end of peace would never come, and when conflict finally resumed, they shirked responsibility and turned a blind eye.

‘They’ll come to their senses after taking enough hits.’

It was truly a sigh-inducing situation.

The fact that they somehow managed to fend off the monster wave might have been a poison for them.

“Welcome. I am Sarman, the Dean of Trigger Academy.”

“I am Suhan. Thank you for accepting my sudden request.”

If I hadn’t consistently supported the academy for ten years, I wouldn’t have had a way to meet Dean Sarman.

There was an insurmountable difference in our social status, and Sarman had a remarkable past, being called a hero of humanity.

“You have been a long-time supporter of the academy. I wanted to meet you and propose a meal together. You have no idea how perplexed I was when you declined the honor.”

“I’ve been too busy making a living. Although I received the invitations, I couldn’t attend.”

After exchanging polite greetings, we took our seats.

“I was surprised when someone who hadn’t shown their face in ten years suddenly wanted to meet me. You said you had something to tell me.”

“I won’t waste time beating around the bush. The military will soon start conscripting students.”

“…The military is conscripting students?”

“I understand they’ve already taken students from the healing department. But the situation won’t stop there.”

They would take students who weren’t fully prepared and use them as disposable pawns on the battlefield.

While the situation wasn’t as dire as the main scenario, it wasn’t like I had drastically changed the combat situation either.

Even if the current situation bought a little time, the military would soon think of dragging students away.

“The students aren’t ready to fight monsters yet.”

Dean Sarman immediately denied my words, saying it couldn’t be true.

“They’ve already conscripted students from the healing department and seen significant results. The military needs talented individuals to fill the gaps left by fallen soldiers, and they know the academy is the easiest place to find them.”

“That’s just speculation.”

“That’s why you need to prepare in advance. Because there’s even a slight chance it could happen.”

“…….”

Dean Sarman fell into deep thought.

It was unfortunate that students would be conscripted into the military, but nobles were destined to serve the country in times of crisis.

“It’s regrettable that they would be conscripted unprepared, but nobles have a duty to fight for the country when it’s in danger.”

It was this kind of thinking from Dean Sarman that led to the deaths of many students.

“Dean, you want the students to fight against contamination to save the country, not to be used as pawns on the battlefield to cover for the mistakes of those in power, right?”

“!!!”

“If the academy obediently hands over the students, they will be sent to the battlefield without any protection and perish.”

“Being used as pawns… How can you say something so terrible? The military isn’t like that.”

“Look at how they’re handling the monster wave. They’re trying to overcome it with sheer numbers. Do you think that’s a decision a competent commander would make?”

“…….”

When it came to fighting monsters, the Dean had more experience than I did.

In the game, the Dean often appeared as a significant NPC, so I knew he was capable of taking action.

“Think back to the times when you were fighting monsters. Under such incompetent commanders, the students’ lives will be wasted meaninglessly. The talents that you and this academy have nurtured for years.”

“…I don’t understand what you want from me.”

The Dean asked why I was saying all this, as he couldn’t grasp my intentions.

What reason would I have for saying these things?

“Please take action for the students. Ensure that the military doesn’t use them recklessly as pawns. If you actively step forward, the military won’t be able to use the students as disposable tools.”

Having a protector makes a significant difference.

What state would the students be in if they were suddenly conscripted into the military?

Naturally, they would all be terrified.

Wouldn’t the soldiers also be overwhelmed at the thought of taking such frightened kids into battle?

Given the dire situation on the ground, there would be no one to kindly look after the students.

They would end up being treated as troublesome burdens, eventually being thrown into the battlefield where many would die meaninglessly.

‘Used as bait, no less.’

I couldn’t stand to see that happen.

Currently, the academy housed both R-grade students and SSR students that I had summoned.

Even R-grade students, if properly nurtured, could achieve significant results on the battlefield.

Losing such talents meaninglessly would only darken the future.

After pondering my words for a long time, Dean Sarman finally spoke with difficulty.

“I suppose I should start by thanking you.”

“Excuse me?”

Was this a sign that he was considering my words positively?

“You said this for the sake of the students. I’m impressed. I can feel that you genuinely care about them.”

“It’s nothing grand. I’m just passing the burden to you because I lack the ability.”

What I couldn’t do, Dean Sarman could.

If a few words could prompt him to take action, it would be a great benefit to me.

“I don’t think so. No one has ever asked me to speak out for the students. Everyone is just thinking about pushing the students into danger under the pretext of serving humanity. Honestly, if you hadn’t pointed it out, I would have thought it was natural for the students to be conscripted, without raising my voice for them.”

“If the students grow well now, they can achieve great things for humanity in the future. It’s not right to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs.”

The analogy might have been a bit off, but the point was that students shouldn’t be sacrificed to stop the monster wave.

“You’re right. I understand what you’re asking of me. Thanks to you, I now know what I need to do as the Dean of the academy.”

Dean Sarman’s expression brightened.

“I’m no longer a soldier.”

Exactly.

As the Dean, he needed to act like one.

He should understand that pushing students to die on the battlefield isn’t serving the country.

I was worried that he might be too stuck in his past as a soldier to be persuaded, but things went smoothly.

Although I might have caused some misunderstandings, it didn’t seem like it would harm my image, so I decided to let it go.

“I’ll see you to the gate.”

As I finished my meeting with the Dean and stepped out, a staff member offered to escort me to the gate.

“No, it’s fine.”

Since I didn’t plan to leave the academy immediately, I politely declined the staff member’s offer.

“It would be better for you to attend to your schedule rather than worrying about me. I don’t want to cause any more unnecessary trouble. I’m fine as it is. Well then, goodbye.”

I quickly left the area, fearing the staff might follow me.

I still had two tasks to complete within the academy.

One was to inquire about Shine’s whereabouts, and the other was to resolve my curiosity about the orb’s usage due to the duplicate.