How To Survive Clichés

Chapter 3

How much time had passed since then?

Without any sense of time, I immersed myself in the spell diagrams.

When I turned to page 31, my mind went blank, and I eventually collapsed as my legs gave out. I had to take a brief rest before resuming, though it was hardly a proper rest.

I had only lain down for about a minute.
After turning to page 198, I started coughing up blood. My trembling hands tried to cover my mouth, but it was futile.

At first, it was just a tiny amount, but the more I used magic, the more blood I coughed up, to the point where I was shocked at how much blood a person could lose.

As a result, the sleeves of the white blouse that Demian had been wearing were stained red, as if they had been that color from the start.
I felt a strange sense of relief that I wasn’t in my school uniform.

And then, page 398.

I couldn’t breathe properly. It felt as if I had forgotten how to breathe.
My body wouldn’t respond either, as if I had forgotten how to move it. It felt like my body wasn’t even mine. Well, technically, it wasn’t my body.

“…Huh.”

I pushed aside my thoughts and focused on the spell diagram on the final page.

If I didn’t, I felt like I would pass out at any moment.
As I infused the spell with mana, the strokes began to draw themselves in the air.

Much slower than before but much more precise and clear.

As soon as the final stroke was drawn and completed, my vision went pitch black in an instant.
When I opened my eyes, a new window greeted me.

[Tutorial Complete!]

[You have received 3 QP as a reward.]

And at the same time, I gasped for air.

“Gah—”

Out of habit from the tutorial, my hand instinctively reached for my mouth. This time, no blood came out.
After catching my breath and looking around, I realized I had returned to the original compartment.

“……!”

…It was finally over.

The fatigue and symptoms of mana deficiency that had accumulated during the tutorial vanished as if they were a lie.

Even so, I still felt oddly tired.
I sighed and looked at the blood-stained sleeves.

‘…First, I need to change my clothes.’

Among the clothes with intricate patterns, I picked out the most comfortable and elegant outfit and changed into it. The train clanked and a short whistle sounded.

Tssss—

The view outside the window was all white from the steam. We had arrived at Aethis Magic School.

“Two days have already passed.”

I knew it wouldn’t end quickly, but I didn’t expect it to finish just before our arrival. Still, it was fortunate that I had made some progress. I had learned all the basic elemental spells.

Fire, water, wind, earth. Electricity, ice.

Not just the elemental spells but also the basic mana spells. Though I was probably only at the level of a mid-tier student. But that was something.

Before getting off the train, I invested all my quest points into mana.

[Status Window]

– Name: Damian Draco (Shin Yu-seong)

– Mana: C (Deficient)

– Stamina: F

– Strength: F

– Agility: F

– Intelligence: D

– Talent: –

– Trait: Possessed

– Achievements: None

In an instant, my mana rank changed to C (Deficient).
Because Damian’s rank was so low, each point raised about half a rank.

I didn’t feel a sudden surge or increase in mana, but I could sense a change in the flow of mana.

If the initial mana flow was like a tangled mess of threads, now it felt like I had grasped a single thread to unravel it.

As a test, I drew the fire spell diagram, the first elemental spell I had used.

Woosh!

Flames flared up in my hand.
At the same time, I felt a large amount of mana drain away.

‘However.’

There was a definite change.
The speed at which the strokes were drawn in the air was faster, and their accuracy had improved.
Even the power had increased slightly.

Of course, this skill level was far from enough to be in the top ranks, so I needed to raise my stats as quickly as possible.

Now, I had to safely transfer to the new school.
I hurried off the train and then stopped for a moment.

“…Wow.”

A lake surrounded by vast mountain ranges and waterfalls cascading down tall cliffs.

A long stretch of the magic school’s walls lined with thick mist.

Dormitory buildings by the lake, each representing different houses with guardian beast statues.
I hadn’t expected to see the landscapes described in the novel so vividly.

I stared blankly at the scenery.
And once again, I realized. It really was like being inside the novel.

I had to get a grip.
If this was truly “Dimensional Kill,” I needed to focus on things other than enjoying the scenery.

* * *

Aethis Magic School and Calathio Magic School.
The only two magic schools on the continent.
Their core ideologies were as different as their geographical positions at the continent’s eastern and western extremes.

Calathio Magic School believed “Magic is the exclusive domain of the nobility,” whereas Aethis Magic School held that “Everyone is equal before magic.”

Thus, unlike Calathio Magic School, where only nobles could enroll, Aethis Magic School allowed anyone who had awakened mana to apply, regardless of whether they were royalty, nobility, commoners, or slaves.

However, not everyone could become a student.
They had to pass the dormitory assignment test, which was akin to an entrance exam.

The school wanted to see talent and skill since social status and family background didn’t matter in learning magic.

Princess Yuri Elloa, the second princess, chose Aethis Magic School for that reason.
She believed it was better to learn directly through competition at a meritocratic school than at Calathio, where any noble who awakened mana could attend.
And it was also for her sister.

Her intuition was correct.
Even though it was just for one semester, living at Aethis offered the best opportunity to learn not only magical knowledge but also about the diverse lives of different students.

Moreover, in the second semester, she would have the authority to concoct magic potions herself and participate in practical training and combat drills, which made her even more excited.

That is, until he appeared.
Damian Draco.

He almost worsened the curse of her older sister, the first princess and future heir, Jinya Elloa.

Fortunately, the worst didn’t happen, and the matter was quietly resolved, but it was indeed a dangerous situation.

When Damian was transferred rather than expelled, she regretted choosing Aethis Magic School.
Her sister, cursed with a gentle and kind nature, always blamed herself for everything, even when it wasn’t her fault.

This time was no exception.
Damian’s transfer instead of expulsion was largely influenced by her sister.

Had she attended Calathio Magic School with her sister from the beginning…
If that had been the case, she could have expelled that scoundrel herself and ensured he never set foot near her again.

Choosing Aethis Magic School was her decision, so it was a moment of self-loathing.
Yuri Elloa glared at Damian Draco.

‘He must know I’m here.’

Despite that, seeing Damian Draco’s brazen appearance made her feel rigid with tension.

“…….”

It was then that Principal Wenemir’s voice was heard.
– Welcome to Aethis, Damian. Please come up to the podium.

Principal Wenemir’s voice, amplified by magic, resonated loudly in the auditorium. Damian, with a calm expression, lightly greeted and began walking toward the podium.

All eyes were on him.
A slender body for his height.
Skin so pale that the veins showed through.
His silver hair and ashen eyes gave him an even colder impression.

He was as beautiful as any renowned lady.
But unlike his appearance, Damian possessed a fierce and unexplainably vicious temperament.

He wielded his frail body as a weapon, resorting to cheating and threats, flaunting his family name to assert his dominance over fallen families and those of lower status to bolster his self-esteem.

Moreover, he displayed jealousy and spite openly before higher-status families, making critical remarks without hesitation.

She made a resolution.
‘I must expel that man.’

She had to eliminate potential threats not only to Aethis Magic School but also to her sister’s future reign as empress.

Damian Draco was a weed that needed to be uprooted.
‘In that case, the best approach is…’

She searched her memory.
The famous magic houses on the continent each had their own traditions passed down through generations.

‘The Draco family… required graduation from a magic school to become the head…’

If Damian Draco became the next head of his house, it would certainly affect the empire.

Her intuition told her so.
‘…I must make sure he is expelled. Even though graduating with mana deficiency is difficult, I must eliminate any possibility.’

Mana deficiency didn’t just impair magic; using mana drained one’s life force, leading to death. This was revealed only after Damian’s death, so she had no way of knowing he would die before graduating.
She planned to cancel his transfer before getting him expelled.

Since Damian was a transfer student, he would be assigned to the dormitory with the most nobles without a test.

To become a student at Aethis Magic School, everyone had to take the dormitory assignment test, and Damian should be no exception.
If she raised the issue of fairness in front of everyone and sparked a small controversy, the rest would be up to the other students.

Besides, from the information she had gathered, there was no way he could pass the test properly.

‘If that happens, he won’t be able to stay at the magic school or anywhere near the imperial palace.’

– Demian’s dormitory is…

She stood up, sweeping her golden hair behind her ear.

* * *

As I pushed open the door, all eyes turned to me.

…Not good.
Feeling dizzy as everyone focused on me wasn’t just because of mana deficiency but also because ‘I’ wasn’t used to such intense attention.

I steeled myself.
Hundreds of people were gathered in the auditorium.
The students were sitting in rows, organized by dormitory, wearing robes adorned with the emblems and colors representing their dorms over their uniforms.

From left to right, they were: the Tower of the Deep Blue, the Tower of White Guardians, the Tower of Black Abyss, and the Tower of Red Judgment.

Yoo Suho must be among them.
I tried hard to keep my gaze fixed straight ahead, avoiding looking around.

There was no benefit in making eye contact.
At the end of my fixed gaze were the professors of Aethis Magic School, seated in a row.

“Welcome to Aethis—Damian, please come up to the podium.”

A girl sitting in the center among the professors spoke as if she were genuinely pleased to see me.
Her voice echoed loudly throughout the auditorium.
Her hair was darker than the night sky, and her eyes were the color of emerald seas.

She was Wenemir Grete, the most promising candidate for the title of Great Mage on the continent and the principal of Aethis Magic School.

She looked so youthful that she could be mistaken for being Damian’s age, just as described in the novel.

“I greet the master of Aethis.”

I bowed my head in greeting and stepped toward the podium.

With every step, the whispers from the audience grew louder. If I were the original Damian, I would have snapped at them, but I decided to ignore it.
I didn’t want to focus on it now; I was more eager to quickly get assigned to a dormitory.

As I reached the podium, Principal Wenemir’s clear voice once again echoed through the auditorium.

“Damian’s dormitory is…”

It was then.

“Wait a moment!”

“Hmm?”

Before the principal could say anything, a woman with long golden hair stood up and spoke first.

“If a transfer student, especially one from a noble house, and more so from the prestigious Draco family, is assigned to a dormitory like this, wouldn’t that be favoritism? All the students here have taken the test fairly and been assigned to their dormitories. I believe the transfer student should be treated the same.”

Her straightforward, logical words left no room for rebuttal.

As soon as she finished speaking, the hall buzzed with murmurs.

“She’s right.”

“Yes, the rule at Aethis is ‘Everyone is equal before magic.’”

“And if it’s the Draco family, it would be favoritism to assign him without a test.”

“Even the second princess took the test.”

Even among the professors, some nodded in agreement.

The woman sat down, looking satisfied, and glared at me with her red eyes gleaming.

Principal Wenemir pondered for a moment, then looked intrigued.

“There is some merit to what she says. It seems the other students agree as well. What do you think, Damian?”

“…….”

I was momentarily taken aback and forgot to respond.

[Hidden Quest: Dormitory Assignment Test]

– Take the test to get assigned to a dormitory.

– Difficulty: Low

– Reward upon completion: QP 1

I was caught off guard because a hidden quest had just appeared.

‘…This also appears?’

Knowing that the dormitory assignment test would take place from the novel, it wasn’t particularly surprising.

Besides, even if I refused, it wouldn’t be accepted.
The test was also how Damian ended up clashing with the protagonist.

“Damian?”

“…….”

I was internally delighted but maintained a calm facade as I slowly spoke.

“Fine by me.”

It was advantageous for me in many ways.