Varocia : From Gamer to Mentor

They continued their journey, eager to reach Ascension Tower before the day's end.

With no reason to grind for [Rage]'s EXP anymore, their pace quickened.

Along the way, Edith taught Olgan how to train his Potential in each stat, except for SPR, as neither she nor Lenna knew how to increase it. Olgan mentally noted everything, planning to train his body according to Edith's advice once they reached Magect Dukedom.

Edith had already agreed to bring him back with them, even offering him a room in their mansion. How she would convince her parents, the Duke and Duchess, was not something he felt he needed to worry about. His [Talk-no-jutsu] Skill was at Level 0; there was no way he could stand before a bigshots without suffering from humiliation.

Then there was the matter of the original Olgan's parents. Aware of his amnesia, Edith promised to help him uncover his past. With the authority of the duke's eldest daughter, this should be an easy task for her.

As for living shamelessly in her mansion? Well, he had nowhere else to go. Despite his morals urging him to be more reserved, a better living condition was certainly preferable.

Edith also began to introduce the factions within the Blazane Empire. Notable ones included Magect Dukedom, Lancield Dukedom, Herbia Dukedom, the Adventurer Guild, the Merchant Guild, and the Aether Church.

The Magect Family was known as the sword of the empire, while the Lancield Family was its shield. The Herbia Family primarily dealt in support, being renowned Alchemists.

The Adventurer Guild and Merchant Guild were neutral organizations, their influence extending throughout Varocia; their hidden power could not be underestimated. As for the Aether Church, it was the largest organization promoting Classes with Holy Skills. Their main mission involved curing diseases, eliminating plagues, and hunting down demons and evil cultists.

Olgan couldn't help but wonder if the Aether Church was genuinely righteous. Typically, in games, churches were often sources of corruption. While it was impossible for any large organization to be completely free of corruption, surely the Aether Church's main goals should be pure, right?

Edith also shared information about other kingdoms and empires surrounding Blazane, notable within the Southern Continent. The Blazane Empire boasted one of the strongest military forces in the continent, alongside its archrival, the Wintoria Empire. Currently, the two empires were locked in a protracted war that showed no signs of resolution.

As Olgan absorbed this new information about the world, he paused, frowning at a distant sound.

An ancient melody began to play, its gentle yet slow tempo evoking a sense of loss tinged with hope. It created an atmosphere of nostalgia, guiding listeners toward a new future.

While he enjoyed the music, he also caught the lyrics.

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Ascend the tower of ancient ages, where the stars align~
With each step I take, hope within will ignite~
Forward in future's embrace, where fantasies are born alike~
In this tower of dreams, I rise, I rebel, I fight against destiny~

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"What is this...?" Olgan was dumbfounded, realizing he was listening to... a BGM(Background Music)?

Edith smiled and explained, "It's called a BGM, created by the Voice of the World. It's said that any place gaining the world's recognition will have music composed for it. Ascension Tower is one of those places."

It sounded good, but there was a clear lack of emotion in the singing voice. As he pondered this, he found himself wishing for a his own personal theme song.

What was I even thinking? That's so childish… He shook his head, but the idea had taken root; he couldn't help but want a theme song for himself.

"Hearing this BGM means we're close to Ascension Tower," Edith said, letting Lenna lead the way forward. Though it was technically a "safe zone," it was better to be cautious.

Soon, they emerged from the forest into a large clearing dominated by an ancient stone tower, draped in moss and vines. The tower stood about 20 meters tall, and at its peak, he could make out something resembling an altar, glowing with a mysterious sheen.

Surrounding the tower were numerous people of various races, with humans making up the majority. He spotted Humans, Elves, Dark Elves, Dwarves, Lamias, Mermaids, Dragonewts, Demons, and many more.

This was indeed another world. Olgan's eyes sparkled with genuine curiosity as he mentally memorized their unique appearances. A certain female pirate emperor would have loved to witness this scene—a place where all races coexisted peacefully, engaging in casual conversation.

Their arrival briefly caught the attention of those present, but most quickly returned to their discussions. A few frowned at Edith and Lenna's asymmetrical fashion choices, yet their gazes didn't linger long.

Fortunately, it seemed I wasn't the one with unusual fashion sense! Olgan thought gleefully.

At that moment, someone called out, "Princess Edith, welcom- where are your guards?"

The speaker was a short, middle-aged man with brown hair, clad in an expensive suit of armor bearing an emblem of a raging fire etched into the right side of his chest. He must be the sentry assigned by the Blazane Empire to guard the area. Although Olgan had little understanding of combat, his instincts warned him that this man was far stronger than Lenna.

"Greetings, Uncle Olex... Unfortunately, our carriage was attacked by 'bandits,' and only Lenna and I survived. It's all thanks to Olgan." Edith emphasized the word "bandits" while pointing at Olgan.

Olex paused, thoughtful for a moment, then turned to Olgan. "I see... In the Empire's name, I thank you for saving Princess Edith and her knight." He bowed slightly.

Olgan returned the bow, humility evident in his voice. "It's my honor to serve the Empire."

Olex then nodded at Edith. "The Empire will find those responsible for the attack as soon as possible."

Edith nodded, though her eyes betrayed little hope. In her mind, the culprits were likely either her siblings or a spy from the Wintoria Empire—such was the life of a noble child.

While Olex pulled out a device and began speaking into it, another figure in a shadowy corner near Ascension Tower reported back after witnessing Princess Edith's arrival.

The shadowy figure, a middle-aged man, spoke into his own device. "My Lord, Princess Edith and Lenna survived."

A long pause followed, filled with tension, before a frustrated sigh emerged from the device. "Didn't I instruct your people to force Edith to Reset if the assassination failed?" The male voice carried a hint of anger.

The fact that Edith had arrived at Ascension Tower indicated she hadn't Reset; otherwise, it would have been pointless for her to come unless she intended to advance into a Tank Class.

The shadowy figure replied nervously, "We followed your instructions… I don't know what went wrong. There was another person, a man, with them. I suspect he was the one who saved them."

The silence lingered for a moment before the shadowy figure, anxiety creeping into his voice, quietly probed, "My Lord, what are your orders? Should we attempt to assassinate her during her Ascension?"

A cold, simmering anger radiated from the device. "Are you insane?! I expected you to kill her, not to provoke a war with every faction present! The Ascension Tower is a place where many eyes are watching. If you fail, it could spell disaster for us all. Even if you succeeded, the Empire won't protect us when we're caught!"

The shadowy figure recoiled, his neck shrinking back as sweat trickled down his face. He longed to turn back time and take back his reckless words.

After a moment, the voice from the device softened, instructing, "For now, cease all operations and return. With Olex learning of the attack, he will undoubtedly send his squad to escort Edith back. For now, we can do nothing to her."

"Yes, My Lord," the shadowy figure replied, his voice barely above a whisper. The device fell silent, and he slowly retreated into the depths of the forest, shrouded in the shadows.