"Hey, system, I've been meaning to ask... But why should I forget the title of my novel that I'm in?"
I asked out of curiosity as I was searching for a certain business. I'm planning to invest under the name of [Night].
[You can't bring everything here with you. As a matter of fact, you forgot a lot of things in your past life. The Higher Being just transferred enough memory into that body to maintain your personality and characteristics.]
"Is that so."
'Come to think of it, I don't even remember my surname and past address.'
Well, I don't care. I don't have any kind of attachment to those and that world anyway.
"Then how come I can remember my novels and my favorite novels?"
I shot another question.
[Because they're important to you, they're a big part of your characteristics and personality.]
"Hmm, fair enough."
Novels do really mean a lot to me.
"Found it."
Anyway, it was then that I found the business that I was looking for.
'[Xenon]'
That's the name of it. It's a smithy that creates various kinds of equipment. It's not known now, but the owner of it will acquire a skill and an artifact that can enhance any equipment's performance.
The owner's name is Tyrone, a major character. He personally creates equipment for the main characters. He's in his mid-20s.
In the novel, he was about to sell the smithy when he found a skill book and a hammer that would help him become one of the best smiths in the world. It was hidden in his deceased father's room.
The skill and hammer were supposed to be a gift for Tyrone, but his father died from a dungeon overflow before he could give them to Tyrone.
His father was just a normal person, but Tyrone is an ability user.
Anyway, I already sent a message to Tyrone.
[Night]: Hello, I would like to invest in Xenon.
Ting–
Not waiting for long, I received a reply from Tyrone.
[Tyrone]: Um... Mr. Night? Are you sure? I don't even have any employee left. You don't even know me. What would you do if I ran away with the money? Wait, is this a prank?
His reply was full of doubt. He's not even trying to hide it.
'You won't run away. I created you to be honest and dependable.'
I thought to myself, but I can't say that, can I?
[Night]: It's not a prank, I'm serious. I will meet you in person to invest and use a mana contract for our transaction if you want.
I sent back to Tyrone. Doing business with him will gain me a lot of money, and I will have a connection to the future one of the best smiths in the world.
So it's a really good thing for me.
Tyrone didn't reply immediately, as if thinking things through.
But after a while, I received a reply from him again.
[Tyrone]: Well, I don't know... But if I didn't grab an opportunity because it's suspicious, I wouldn't be able to do anything. While on the other hand, blindly trusting someone is stupid. So I'll decide on what to do after we meet.
His answer was logical and honest.
[Night]: I'm currently preparing for something, so let's meet on Sunday. I'll prepare the mana contract too since I was the one who suggested it.
I'll go and lead him to the skill book. I'll just make things a little faster. It won't affect the story greatly anyway.
[Tyrone]: Okay, I'll see you then.
I didn't reply anymore as I found it unnecessary. I didn't know what to reply too.
'With that, I secured a big money income for the future.'
...
After talking to Tyrone, I practiced support magics and buffs and debuffs.
I continued doing so until I ran out of mana.
Exhausted... I laid down in my bed and fell asleep.
*****
When I woke up... I was in my cat form again, maybe because of mana exhaustion.
I washed my face, ate breakfast, and took a bath calmly.
And while wearing my uniform... I noticed my watch displaying the time.
"Huh?"
<10:09 A.M>
I frowned.
Classes starts at <10:30 A.M> and ends at <8:30 P.M>.
And I'm staying pretty far from the Academy.
I'm in Vagha City, the Academy is in the Azeas City.
It's in the middle of the human domain, two cities away from here!
"Fuck!"
I'm gonna be late. Because of mana exhaustion, I slept more than usual. I usually wake up at around <5:30 A.M> because of my body clock.
"You shitty system! Why didn't you wake me up?!"
I exclaimed while speeding up my movements.
[You were exhausted. Your health is more important than the academy for me.]
"Well, you have a point, but it's the first day of the academy!"
[Nothing changed. Your health is still more important to me~]
The system was teasing me.
"Just shut up!"
I did a final check to see if I forgot something and left the apartment at <10:10 A.M>.
'Am I still gonna be late? I even tried my best to come back quickly from the Red Wolves' Mountain!'
I'm not really religious, but I started praying seriously as I ran toward my destination.
*****
I rode rapid trains. If I didn't have [Calm Thinker], I might've run all the way to the academy, which is just stupid.
I arrived at the academy at <10:27 A.M>.
'3 more minutes!'
I used a university I saw in a sci-fi anime as the Lunar Academy's design reference. I just made it more grand and beautiful.
So when I entered the academy...
"Woah..."
I was at awe. I looked at the academy's beauty while running. It was more beautiful than my rough drawings and descriptions. Seeing it in person was a lot different.
Tall buildings and structures that could be seen in every direction you looked.
Unfortunately... I couldn't waste any time looking around casually and admiring the view. So I just promised myself that I'd do that later.
I ran where the freshmen's building was supposed to be.
"A-1, A-1, A-1"
I ran while searching for my classroom.
And then... I saw it on the door of one of the classrooms—
[CLASS A-1]
I ran toward it, and when I was near the classroom—
"Rank 2619, Raven Obadiah?"
I heard a voice calling my name in a questioning tone.
I immediately opened the classroom door.
Creak–
Bam–
"Present."
Then I said that as I came in.
All the eyes in the room turned to me.
'Ah, fuck... I wanna hide under a blanket for years.'
I thought in embarrassment, sensing their gazes, but my expression remained straight.
I calmed my mind with [Calm Thinker], but I can still feel the embarrassment...
"You're late. Care to explain why?"
A man said while looking at me.
'He's the owner of the voice I heard earlier.'
He looked like he was in his late 20s. He had a handsome face, his body was muscular, he had brown eyes and hair. But he looked like a musclehead.
His name is Kendy Nasah, our homeroom professor and an
I looked straight at him and spoke confidently.
"I'm a minute early, Sir."
It's <10:29 A.M>, so I'm basically right.
I don't know if I'm being rude or what... It's been so long since I talked to other people, and all of them were younger or the same age as me.
My readers doesn't point it out if I was being rude to them when I'm replying to comments. But I really don't want to be rude.
"Oh, you're gutsy."
Kendy said, smiling at me, but he was emitting a heavy pressure toward my direction.
"But I'm not wrong, right?"
I replied.
The system adjusts the [Calm Thinker] based on the pressure, so I'm thinking calmly and receiving the pressure with a calm face. I'm still feeling scared though.
The room was filled with students whispering to each other while looking at me.
"Can I take my seat now so you can start the class?"
I said with a straight face, hiding my nervousness.
Kendy then laughed and looked at me.
"You may sit. Find an available seat."
Kendy Nasah is a major character in my novel. He likes gutsy people—just don't step over the line and you'll be fine. That's why I answered him boldly.
"Thank you."
I looked around to find a seat for me.
In the back row of seats, there's a handsome young man with white skin, platinum blonde hair, and ruby-red eyes.
It was Curtis Hawkins with his goons. He is the rival of the protagonist. He's not a villain, but he's arrogant.
In the front row seats, there's a handsome young man that rivals Curtis' looks.
White skin, jet-black hair, sapphire-blue eyes. He even attracts a lot of girls' eyes just by breathing.
Alec Osmond, the protagonist. Near him were all of his potential lovers: Eve Godwin, Adelle Lucette, and Masami Aoi.
All of them were the top students among all freshmen. The protagonist is the top 1, by the way.
'Damn, they're all good looking. My confidence is hurt.'
Anyway... I settled in the middle row, on the end right corner. Being near the characters you created is pretty weird, so I chose the farthest seat from them.
But right after I sat down, Kendy spoke again.
"Now stand up and go to the training grounds."
He was looking at me, grinning like an idiot.
'Bastard.'
Even though he looks like a musclehead, he's actually smart. He gave us instructions to stand right after I sat as revenge for earlier.
"Petty bastard."
I muttered in a low voice that even those near me didn't hear. Well, Kendy heard what I said as he looked at me, squinting his eyes.
I grinned then tilted my head as if asking, 'What?'.
I'm pretty petty myself too.
I stood up and headed to the training grounds with the other students.
*****
Arriving at the training grounds, I saw a lot of weapons lined up.
"These weapons are provided by the academy. You can use a personal weapon, but if you don't have one, then get one here."
Kendy instructed.
"And since today's the first day, you're free to do anything you want, but you can't leave the training grounds for an hour."
He added.
Then some students started picking weapons. Almost all of the main characters have their own personal weapon except the protagonist—Alec.
'Well, he's supposed to be from an average family too.'
Alec picked a sword as his weapon.
I approached the weapons and picked a handgun.
I already have a gun, but appraising the ones provided by the academy, it's a lot better than mine.
"Hmm?"
I started hearing whispers around me after I picked my weapon.
They're all looking at me.
'Well, gun is considered a weak weapon in this world, so it's not surprising.'
Now, why did I pick a gun?
I don't know how to wield a sword, and even if I can now carry a spear with me after ranking up, it seems that I have no talent in it.
A bow makes it harder for me to cast magic, and to be a magician, you need to be able to cast 4th-tier magic right now. I can only cast support magics, buffs, and debuffs, which are considered 1st-tier magics, the lowest tier.
While in the future I may be able to cast maybe up to 4th-tier magics, the magician students that can cast 4th-tier magics now will be able to cast 6th-tier or above magics by then.
Also, I'm pretty much familiar with guns as I got admitted to the military in the past. I also like realistic shooting games. My aim is not bad too.
This was the best choice for me.
"Are you sure about your choice? You can pick any weapon here for free."
It was then, Kendy approached and asked me that with a concerned look in his eyes.
'He really cares for his students, huh.'
I thought as I nodded my head.
"I'm fine with this."
Then I answered confidently.
Kendy looked at me like I was weird. Well, everyone is actually looking at me like that... Even the main characters.
'Well, I am weird.'
I shrugged and went to the shooting range area, ignoring my surroundings.
*****
In the shooting range area, there's a lot of arrows and bullets. The shooting area is divided into rooms.
I picked up some magazines and bullets on the way.
There are a few students here, including me and Masami Aoi, but I'm the only one holding a gun—everyone else has a bow in their hands. Aoi is holding a personal weapon bow.
They're looking at me weirdly, except Aoi who only shows curiosity in her face.
I ignored their gazes.
'System, appraise and record my classmates' stats, I'll look at it later.'
I said in my mind.
[Okay, got it.]
The system replied.
I looked around, specifically at all of my classmates so the system could appraise them.
[All recorded.]
"Thanks."
After that, I went into one of the rooms in the shooting range.
*****
The inside of the room is spacious, but I don't really care about that.
"Training start."
I muttered. I know how this works as I have [Understanding] and I know it from the novel.
-Please modify your training.
A robotic voice replied, echoing throughout the room.
"10 moving targets, difficulty max."
I said. Training will not be fruitful when doing an easy one. I also have a boost now because of the [I like the spotlight] trait. I gained a lot of attention as soon as I entered the classroom earlier and when I picked the gun as my weapon.
Turns out not just positive attention is used as fuel for my growth. Good for me, I guess?
-Training will begin in 10 seconds.
Anyway, as soon as I heard that, I activated [Insight] and [Calm Thinker].
"Fuuuu..."
I took a deep breath and focused on my surroundings.
"Let's go."
-Training start!
A circular target appeared out of thin air, and seeing that... I immediately aimed at it and pulled my trigger.
Bang!
*****
[Session complete]
A hologram displayed the time it took me to hit all the targets.
"Huff... Huff..."
I was breathing roughly because of exhaustion.
As my breathing stabilized, I recalled the training.
"System, what do you think?"
I asked.
[Maintain the count of your moving targets but decrease the difficulty to 7. The speed of difficulty 10 is too fast for you at the moment. Increase the difficulty one by one when you get used to the speed.]
Then the system gave me detailed instructions for my training. Everything it said were logical, and I completely agree with them... I spent more than 8 minutes training and I only have 10 moving targets.
"Thanks."
After that, I reset my training according to the system's advice.
And I trained diligently for about an hour... Then I left the training grounds to go back to the classroom.
*****
As I was about to enter the classroom, 4 students approached me. They're my classmates, I assumed.
But they were extras in the novel. I don't know any of them, after all.
Then, as I was wondering why they stopped me—
"Oh! Isn't this our little gunner?"
The young man in the front said that with a scoff on his face.
"...?"
=====
(In Japan, surname comes before given name.)