Varocia : From Gamer to Mentor

"What are you two doing again?" Edith turned back to see Olgan hurling multiple [Fire Ball]s at Lenna, who effortlessly blocked each one with her bare hands, a gleeful smile on her face.

"Ahem, it's nothing," Olgan huffed, feeling the drain on his mana.

He shot a glare at Lenna that clearly conveyed, "I'll get you later!"

She met his gaze with a daring expression before quickly reverting to her usual calm, cool demeanor.

Olgan snorted but couldn't help smiling soon after.

Somehow, he found it easier to get along with Lenna than with Edith, even though he spent more time talking to the princess.

As he followed Edith through the seemingly ordinary castle, he felt a flicker of confusion.

Didn't Edith say it was a mansion, not a castle? Confused, he turned to ask Lenna.

Lenna looked at him questioningly, "Didn't I already tell you it's Magect Castle?"

"You did?" He racked his brain but couldn't recall.

"You were too busy being scared of a spooky asymmetrical ghost to hear me," she teased, her voice calm and mocking.

Annoyed, he pressed on. "Then why does Edith keep calling it a mansion?"

Lenna glanced at Edith before leaning in to whisper softly into his ear. "It's because the Duchess, her mother, and Emperor Blazane—who frequently visits—dislike the asymmetrical style of the Magect family. The Duchess came up with the idea of calling this castle a 'mansion' to convince them that it's just an asymmetric version of a castle."

Olgan listened, feeling utterly speechless.

"I feel like I both understand and don't understand at the same time," he admitted, wearing a blank expression.

"Well, I tried to understand it once, but I just gave up," Lenna replied quietly, pulling away from his ear.

Olgan looked around once more before heaving a sigh of relief. Regardless of why this castle appeared normal, he felt fortunate that his artistic sensibilities wouldn't be warped by it.

Magect Castle perfectly embodied the essence of a medieval castle, though many areas shimmered with enchanting shades of grey and white, imbued with magic. The sight was mesmerizing and beautiful—truly perfect.

Except for the knights patrolling in their over-the-top asymmetrical suits of armor, everything else was exquisite, making his eyes sparkle with wonder. Who wouldn't want to live in a castle at least once?

Edith broke the silence. "Dinner will be served soon. Let me show you to your room first. We have plenty of empty rooms here..."

She paused for a moment, deep in thought. "Actually, you can stay in the room opposite mine. I still need your help with... what was the term you used? Grinding?"

"Yes, you can say either grinding or farming when it comes to EXP," he replied.

"Hmm, I think I prefer 'grinding.' It sounds cooler. Anyway, I'll be relying on you for the next few days! I want to quickly level up and, if possible, learn a new skill that synergizes well with the Berserker Class."

Olgan hesitated before asking, "Are you sure this is okay?"

Understanding his concern, she smiled and reassured him, "Don't worry. I can just tell my dear father and mother that you're my Mentor after I explain everything that happened during our journey... a lot has happened, huh?"

Lenna nodded in agreement, and Olgan felt the same. Although he had only just arrived in this world and not even a week has passed, it felt like an eternity of experiences had unfolded.

As they walked and reminisced about their adventures, which felt almost dreamlike, they climbed a set of stairs and arrived at the entrance of a luxurious room. However, he felt a pang of discomfort as he faced an asymmetrical enchanted wooden door. With his [Basic Mana Control], he could sense a swirl of mana behind it, pulsing with energy.

"I'm finally back!" Edith exclaimed cheerfully, gesturing to the door opposite hers. "This will be your room from now on. Lenna lives next door to the left of mine. I'll drop off my things in my room first. For now, you should familiarize yourself with your new space. I'll call a maid to bring you dinner later.

"It's been a long day. You should rest for the night. Tomorrow, we can start the grinding."

Then, as if remembering something important, she added, "Oh, and don't forget to mark the lock with your mana. It's a special lock designed to only open for its owner's mark."

After saying that, Edith quickly entered her room and closed the door, leaving Olgan and Lenna standing outside.

Olgan turned to the door on the right side of Edith's room. The nameplate read "Pokia," followed by "Best Friend Forever."

He sighed softly before noticing Lenna glancing in the same direction. He patted her shoulder, hesitating for a moment before saying, "I'm really glad that you and Edith are the first ones I've met in this world."

In response, a hologram flickered to existence in front of Lenna.

[Olgan Tenia wishes to add you as a friend. Do you accept? Yes/No]

She was momentarily stunned but then smiled gently and pressed 'Yes.'

Without another word, they both retreated into their respective rooms.

As Olgan stepped inside, a hologram appeared before him.

[Lenna Magect sent you a message!]

Hmm, does that mean I consider this place a safe space for me? he pondered, recalling Edith's earlier words.

Curious, he opened his Friend List and clicked on Lenna's name.

Lenna: [Thank you ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶]

This girl knows how to emote? Or is this normal for people in this world? He smiled and tried to respond using an imaginary keyboard.

Olgan: [So, do you acknowledge me now?]

Lenna: [Never! ᓀ‸ᓂ]

He chuckled and closed his Friend List, then looked around his room.

It mirrored the grand style of the hall he had seen earlier. A typical regal bedroom, complete with a red king-size bed. Perhaps in their efforts to transform this place into an asymmetrical "mansion," they had copied the most basic and common tropes of a castle.

Well, aside from the fact that this was a fantasy world and there was a magical air conditioning unit installed, which felt wonderfully out of place. Everything else, however, exuded a sense of order and serenity, with not a speck of dust in sight. It seemed that even though the room hadn't been used, it was regularly cleaned by the maids.

Olgan collapsed onto the soft, inviting bed, exhaustion weighing heavily on him as he reflected on the past five days.

I guess this is my home now...

He thought back to his life on Earth, the memories blurring together until he drifted off to sleep, completely forgetting about dinner.

------

Meanwhile, in the throne room of the Blazane Empire.

Olex knelt before the thrones, where the Emperor sat leisurely, flanked by the Empress on his right and numerous concubines behind them.

"Your Royal Majesty, I have found someone with high Potential for SPR. His name is Olgan, and he is currently under the protection of Magect's little princess, Edith," he reported, keeping his head bowed.

Olex had no idea why the royal family was searching for someone with high SPR Potential, but since he was ordered to always be on the lookout, he dutifully reported any findings. His curiosity about the matter was overshadowed by the fear for his own safety.

"Are you certain?" the Emperor's voice boomed, rich and commanding.

"Yes, Your Royal Majesty! This person managed to learn [Basic Mana Control] instantly, which proves his high SPR. They tried to cover it up, claiming he accidentally allocated his Attribute Point into SPR. However, before he ascended to the Mentor Class, I noticed he was a Hoarder who had just distributed his Attribute Points before the 1st Ascension," he replied humbly.

As a sentry for the Blazane Empire, Olex possessed exceptional perception attribute and skills. He could feel the subtle increases in each of Olgan's attributes the moment he allocated them, even if the changes were barely perceptible.

In this regard, Edith was still too inexperienced and had underestimated him, believing she could fool him.

Murmurs rippled through the gathered concubines until the Emperor silenced them with a quiet yet commanding voice, "Silence."

The room fell still, and Olex's nerves began to fray under the weight of the quietness.

Finally, the Emperor spoke. "Leave him be for now. Also, send the Kindle Shadows to observe and protect him from the shadows."

The Kindle Shadows were the royal family's secretive and powerful guards, taking orders directly from the royal family and willing to sacrifice themselves for the Empire. In essence, they were Blazane's most perfect tools.

"Your Royal Majesty, I beg your pardon for my impertinence, but wouldn't it be better to directly 'invite' him here?" Olex asked humbly.

"There's no need for that now," the Emperor replied, waving a dismissive hand and offering no further explanation.

Olex bowed his head, accepting the order. "Yes, Your Royal Majesty!"