Error in Data and Bandits
Seeing the interface options floating in front of me, I slowly lift my hand and place my finger on the panel.
The moment I press it, the hologram reacts.
The light shifts, and the letters begin to rearrange themselves again, forming new information right in front of my eyes.
I instinctively lean closer and begin reading everything carefully.
----- Data -----
→ Elemental Affinity
→ Aura Level
→ Physical State
→ Magic Capacity
→ Talent
Seeing so many options at once makes my heart beat a little faster.
For a brief moment, I don't know where to start.
In the end, I choose Physical State.
After using this body for some time, I already have a rough idea of what it should look like, but I still want to see it clearly.
I press it.
The hologram changes immediately.
----- Physical State -----
→ Strength : Poor
→ Stamina : Poor
→ Agility : Normal
→ Vitality : Average
Below it, another line appears.
[ Ranking Order (Low → High)
Poor → Normal → Average → Excellent → High → Best → Incomparable → ••• ]
"Hah…"
A weak laugh escapes my mouth.
'Well, I kind of expected this, but this body really is… terrible.'
Seeing my physical condition laid out like this makes me feel helpless.
Even if I plan to become a mage, stamina is still something I absolutely need.
A mage can't be fragile either. Running out of breath after a short walk or collapsing from exhaustion in a fight would be fatal.
My strength is so low that there's nothing to say about it.
My agility is just normal, nothing special at all.
'At least my vitality is average.'
That's the only thing that gives me a little comfort.
Looking at the ranking list again, I can't help but feel that I'm worse than a normal person in most aspects.
For now, I start thinking about how I could raise these stats. Some ideas come to mind, but all of them require time and preparation.
'I can think about this later.'
There's no point stressing over it now.
Next, I press Magic Capacity.
At the very least, I was sure I had been enrolled as a mage in the academy.
So, I should have mid-level mana, at least.
Or, that's what I thought.
But the moment the information appears, I feel like throwing myself into a river and hoping I transmigrate again.
----- Magic Capacity -----
→ Mana Quantity : Lowest
→ Mana Control : Unstable
→ Mana Quality : Undetectable
[ Ranking Order (Low → High)
Lowest → Low → Mid → High → Highest → Incomparable → ••• ]
"What the hell…?"
I stare at the hologram, unable to believe what I'm seeing.
"Are you kidding me? Is this thing broken or something?"
I know the artifact isn't broken. I know that logically.
But emotionally, I just don't want to accept this.
"Mana quantity… low? Even an average academy student has at least mid-level mana quality."
My eyes stay fixed on the word lowest.
"How did the owner of this body even manage to enter the Royal Academy?"
This part doesn't make sense to me at all.
It's the Royal Academy we're talking about.
Nobles are as common there as ordinary people in other academies.
Bribery doesn't work. Connections or Background doesn't matter either.
The principal is infamous for strictly following the academy's long-standing rules more than anyone else.
So how did someone with mana like this pass?
"And what does unstable even mean?"
I look at the ranking list again, but unstable isn't even on it.
'Does that mean it's worse than lowest?'
Or maybe it means my mana can't be used properly at all.
"…Sigh."
I rub my face slowly.
And then there's undetectable.
Does that mean it's so much that the artifact can't measure it?
'I don't think that's the case.'
Why does my data contain things even this artifact can't clearly explain?
Feeling a deep sense of frustration, I move on.
I press Talent, hoping—just a little—that I'll see something decent.
"Please… at least let me have a talent worth having."
The hologram flickers and then displays the results.
----- Talent -----
Innate Talent
→ Acceleration
Dormant Talent
→ Legacy of ?????? [ Undetectable ]
I stare at it in silence.
"…Am I some kind of protagonist or something?"
That's the only thought that comes to mind.
Other than that, I genuinely don't know what to say.
'Damn it. At least make it clear whether I have power or not.'
The innate talent, Acceleration, is clearly a good thing.
It's a talent that allows me to process, learn, and react faster than normal.
Whether it's thinking speed, spell casting, or adapting to new situations, it gives me an edge.
Of course, it has flaws.
It consumes more mental energy, and if I rely on it too much, it could exhaust me faster than normal.
Still, as far as talents go, it's a good one.
Maybe that's what really helped me with my situation in the throne room.
The dormant talent, on the other hand…
I have no idea what Legacy of ?????? even means.
And seeing undetectable next to it doesnt make me feel any better.
Not wanting to give myself another headache, I press Elemental Affinity without expecting anything.
At this point, I already have a rough guess about what I’m going to see.
'Maybe I have one or two affinities at the lowest level.'
I don't expect much.
After everything I've seen so far, having even a single decent affinity would already feel like a miracle.
I press the option.
But the moment the hologram changes, the result makes me question my own existence.
----- Elemental Affinity -----
Main Elements
→ Fire : Low
→ Earth : Low
→ Ice : Lowest
→ Wind : Low
→ Water : Lowest
Sub Elements
→ Wood : Low
→ Metal : Low
→ Electricity : Low
Conceptual Elements
→ Light : Lowest
→ Dark : Lowest
→ Time : Undetectable
→ Gravity : Undetectable
→ ??? : ??? [ Error… Er.r.rr.h O.rbutdo de..tec.ted ]
[ Ranking Order (Low → High)
Lowest → Low → Mid → High → Highest → Incomparable → ••• ]
[ Elements not listed have no affinity at all ]
"Holy f*cking shit."
That was the best reaction I could give at the time.
***
Inside a wagon.
The wooden structure creaked softly as it moved forward, wheels pressing into the snow-covered road while the horses pulled steadily ahead.
The inside of the wagon was crowded, filled with merchants, travelers, and a few people who clearly did not belong to the same social class, yet were forced together by circumstance and distance.
They were all heading toward the same place.
Valoria.
Among them sat a young boy.
He was seated near the back, leaning slightly against the wooden wall, his posture straight despite the cramped space.
A longsword rested beside him, its sheath worn but well-maintained.
His name was Erynd Valcrest.
He had sharp features, dark hair tied loosely behind his head, and calm gray eyes that didn’t match his age.
His body was lean rather than bulky, built more for movement than brute strength, and his hands bore faint calluses.
Erynd was the son of an adventurer.
Not just any adventurer.
His father had been an S-rank adventurer, someone whose name was once spoken with respect across multiple regions.
Though retired now, the shadow of that reputation still lingered, heavy and unavoidable.
Erynd was heading to the Royal Academy.
Not because of connections or reputation.
But because he wanted to stand on his own.
The wagon jolted slightly as it moved forward.
Then—
Boom.
The sound erupted without warning.
The entire wagon shook violently as something slammed into its side.
People screamed as the horses neighed loudly, panic spreading faster than reason.
The wagon lurched to a sudden stop, wooden boards creaking under the strain.
Before anyone could react properly, masked figures emerged from the snow.
Bandits.
They moved quickly, surrounding the wagon, weapons drawn and eyes filled with intent that was anything but hesitant.
Panic took hold instantly.
People shouted.
Some clutched their belongings desperately.
Others froze completely, unable to process what was happening.
A man stepped forward.
He wore a mask carved with crude markings, and his posture carried confidence earned through repetition.
This was not his first time doing this.
"Everyone listen carefully."
The bandit leader said, his voice sharp and carrying authority.
"Hand over anything valuable you have, and you might live long enough to walk away."
One of the bandits slammed the butt of his weapon against the wagon, emphasizing the threat.
"If anyone tries something stupid... We'll start killing people until the rest understand."
Fear thickened the air.
That was when Erynd stood up.
The movement was slow, deliberate.
He looked at the bandits calmly, his expression almost neutral.
“This is your first and last warning."
Erynd said, his voice steady despite the chaos around him.
"Leave now and surrender your weapons. You still have a chance to live."
The bandits stared at him.
Then they laughed.
One of them pointed at the sword beside him.
"Did you hear that? The kid thinks he's a hero."
Another snorted.
"You lost, boy? This isn't some training ground."
The leader smirked beneath his mask.
"Sit back down before you get yourself killed."
Erynd sighed.
He reached for his sword.
The sound of steel sliding from its sheath cut through the laughter.
In one smooth motion, Erynd stepped forward.
The nearest bandit barely had time to react before Erynd closed the distance.
His blade moved cleanly, efficiently, slicing across the man's throat with precision that left no room for error.
Blood sprayed across the snow.
The laughter died instantly.
Before shock could fully set in, Erynd turned.
He moved again.
The second bandit raised his weapon, but Erynd's sword pierced through his chest, the tip emerging from the other side.
Erynd pulled the blade free without hesitation, stepping past the collapsing body.
The remaining bandits finally reacted.
Weapons were raised.
Spells began forming.
It didn't matter.
Erynd weaved through them, his movements sharp and practiced, his strikes precise and unforgiving.
Each swing carried intent, targeting vital points without hesitation.
He didn’t waste motion. He didn't overextend.
One by one, the bandits fell.
Some tried to flee.
He cut them down.
Some dropped their weapons and begged.
Erynd didn't stop.
When the last bandit fell to his knees, trembling and bleeding, he raised his hands desperately.
"W-wait! I surrender!"
Erynd stood before him, sword dripping red and calmly said—
"You should have done that earlier."
Then he brought the blade down.
Silence followed.
The passengers stared at him in horror and disbelief, unable to reconcile the calm boy from moments ago with the ruthless figure now standing among the corpses.
Erynd wiped his blade clean and sheathed it.
He looked around once, then turned back toward the wagon.
"Let's keep moving."
"Valoria isn't close."
No one argued.
As the wagon slowly began moving again, the bodies were left behind.
