Chapter Summaries

Key Plot Points and Events

• Mel decides to seek Principal Mendel's help to identify the group that attacked Claire.
• Principal Mendel hints that a student from Class A could be involved, narrowing down the investigation scope.
• Mel and Claire plan to have the Lionheart Society investigate suspicious individuals.
• Mel encounters Yeck Darian, a powerful fourth-year student with green hair, bullying Xi Edwen.

Character Developments

• Mel Carlo: Shows wisdom in handling the investigation and maintains a calm demeanor when facing Yeck Darian.
• Yeck Darian: Reveals a volatile and cunning personality, different from his otome game counterpart. He challenges Mel's principles.

Significant Themes

• Power Struggles: The conflict between Imperial Power and Theocracy is hinted at, and Yeck Darian's display of power over Xi Edwen reflects this theme.
• Moral Ambiguity: Mel's response to Yeck Darian's challenge raises questions about his moral stance and the extent of his heroism.

Character Interactions

• Mel and Principal Mendel: Mel respects the principal's position but is firm in his resolve to investigate the attack on Claire.
• Mel and Yeck Darian: Their interaction is tense, with Yeck challenging Mel's principles and Mel maintaining a calm, collected demeanor.
• Xi Edwen and Yeck Darian: Xi Edwen is bullied by Yeck, and Mel intervenes, attempting to end the spar peacefully.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Mel's unexpected answer to Yeck Darian's question sparks a challenge.
• Mel refuses Yeck's initial challenge but accepts it when Yeck invokes the names of the Brotherhood and the Lionheart Society.
• Mel and Yeck engage in a duel; Mel uses the skill [Theft] to disarm Yeck and then defeats him with Magic Barrage.
• Yeck attacks Mel again, revealing his resentment towards the main family of the Darian clan.
• Mel mentions Alice, a commoner girl, and compares her to Yeck, provoking Yeck further.
• Mel defeats Yeck again, this time using his twin swords and attack speed Sword Qi.

Character Developments

• Mel Carlo: Shows his strength and indifference towards Yeck's plight. He reveals his unique perspective on the social system and his lack of understanding for Yeck's pain.
• Yeck Darian: Reveals his resentment towards the main family of the Darian clan and his desire to prove himself. He shows his determination to fight despite his disadvantages.

Significant Themes

• Social Inequality: Yeck's resentment towards the main family highlights the theme of social inequality and the privileges of the nobility.
• Strength and Power: The duel between Mel and Yeck emphasizes the importance of strength and power in their world, and how it can be used to challenge the status quo.
• Change and Acceptance: Mel's indifference towards Yeck's plight and his mention of Alice suggest that change is possible, but it requires acceptance and action.

Character Interactions

• Mel and Yeck: Their interaction is tense and confrontational, with Yeck seeking validation and Mel refusing to engage emotionally.
• Mel and Xi Edwen: Though not present in this chapter, their relationship is briefly mentioned, highlighting Xi Edwen's tendency to cause trouble and her father's cleanup efforts.
• Mel and Alice: Though not present, Alice is mentioned by Mel, suggesting a connection between them that could potentially disrupt the game's original direction.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Mel returns to his dormitory after defeating Green Hair.
• He receives 70,000 Oren from the fountain pen sales.
• Mel decides to join the Assassin's Guild to learn specialized skills.
• He travels to the Imperial City with the Old Sword Saint, Eugene.
• Mel meets the Assassin's Guild manager, a young woman, and pays 50,000 Oren for membership and lessons.
• Mel learns several Assassin-type skills: Ambush, Two-footed Kick, Double Jump, Assassination, and Backstab.

Character Developments

• Mel shows financial responsibility, saving money despite high expenses on alchemy and magic materials.
• He demonstrates practical knowledge about nutrition, understanding the importance of balanced diet in his world.
• Mel displays determination and focus, prioritizing his magical and assassin skills development.

Significant Themes

• The importance of specialized instructors for learning complex skills.
• The value of money in the magical world, with magic coins being scarce and valuable.
• The concept of critical hits and instant kills in combat.

Character Interactions

• Mel interacts with the Old Sword Saint, Eugene, who accompanies him to the Imperial City.
• Mel meets the Assassin's Guild manager, a young woman, and they negotiate his membership and lessons.
• The young woman recognizes Mel and is impressed by his ability to pay a high membership fee.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Mel focuses on practicing technique-based skills like Ambush, Two-footed Kick, and Double Jump.
• He struggles with Assassination and Backstab, especially on summoned creatures.
• Mel considers using Forced Summoning and Sacrificial Summoning for his creatures.
• He returns to the Royal Academy, determined to push forward despite his curse.
• Mel contemplates learning Holy magic if his current path proves futile.

Character Developments

• Mel continues to dedicate himself to skill mastery, driven by his curse's worsening.
• He considers alternative paths like Holy magic if his current research on curses fails.
• Kain and Basaka acknowledge Mel's hard work and dedication.

Significant Themes

• Determination and Perseverance: Mel's relentless pursuit of skill mastery despite his curse.
• Adaptability: Mel's willingness to explore alternative paths like Holy magic.
• Limits of Power: The ineffectiveness of the Sacred Sword against curses highlights the limits of Mel's current abilities.

Character Interactions

• Mel, Kain, and Basaka: They interact at the academy's training grounds. Kain and Basaka acknowledge Mel's hard work and dedication, while Mel invites Kain to spar.
• Mel and Alice/Felicia/Lily: Mel thinks about their Light Mage attainments and the different learning directions they might take.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The week starts with Mel avoiding harassment from classmates.
• Mel plans to build a steam train model to test their design before investing in a full-scale version.
• Claire agrees to help find craftsmen to build the model and expresses interest in funding the research.
• After a month, the model is completed and tested. Mel observes its performance and identifies areas for improvement.

Character Developments

• Mel: Shows initiative in approaching Claire for help and demonstrates understanding of the train's potential impact on transportation.
• Claire: Recognizes the invention's significance and potential profitability, considering the Bernardo Merchant Guild's involvement.

Significant Themes

• Innovation and Progress: Mel's steam train model represents a new technology that could revolutionize transportation.
• Power Dynamics: Claire considers the political landscape and the need for strong central power to implement Mel's vision continent-wide.
• Collaboration and Support: Mel seeks Claire's help, and Claire, in turn, sees the potential of supporting Mel's project for the guild's benefit.

Character Interactions

• Mel and Claire discuss the train's purpose and potential, with Claire offering to fund the project and Claire's guild taking a leading role in its implementation.
• Mel shares their vision of the train's impact on global transportation with Claire, who appreciates the project's ambition.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Mel aims to accelerate the development of steam engines to internal combustion engines, hoping to find oil-like substances in this world.
• He starts working on a train model using magic power as the driving force, considering sound transmission magic patterns for broadcast.
• Mel realizes he needs to survive to execute his future plans and decides to prioritize finishing the train model to allocate more time for pattern studies.
• Liberia expresses her desire to save Mel from his curse to the Principal, who reveals the Academy's past curse research and the existence of a Holy Relic, but it's currently inaccessible.
• Mel decides to find a curse that conflicts with his own to potentially counteract it, recalling his visit to the lizardman Hututu.

Character Developments

• Mel: Focuses on his train project, aware of his limited time due to the curse. He shows determination to survive and master knowledge.
• Liberia: Develops feelings for Mel, demonstrating her concern and willingness to help him. She's determined to find a way to save him.

Significant Themes

• Time and urgency: Mel's curse emphasizes the limited time he has, driving his actions and priorities.
• Survival and determination: Both Mel and Liberia exhibit strong will to survive and overcome their respective challenges.
• Knowledge and learning: Mel's focus on mastering skills and knowledge highlights the importance of continuous learning and growth.

Character Interactions

• Mel and Claire: Claire's excitement about the train model shows her support for Mel's projects, while Mel considers her a genius.
• Mel and Liberia: Liberia's concern for Mel's well-being and her determination to save him reveal her growing feelings for him.
• Liberia and Principal Mendel: The Principal's reluctance to help Liberia access curse research data hints at past regrets and the Academy's limitations.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Mel checks his skills and finds he's close to completing the Assassin job change.
• He decides to visit the Assassin's Guild to complete assassination quests.
• He accepts two assassination commissions: a slave merchant and an underworld figure.
• Mel successfully assassinates the slave merchant and then the underworld figure in a single day.

Character Developments

• Mel demonstrates his proficiency in Thief and Assassin skills, completing two assassinations efficiently.
• He shows no hesitation in killing, indicating his growing ruthlessness.
• Mel's calm and collected demeanor suggests he's adapting to his role as an assassin.

Significant Themes

• Adaptation and Growth: Mel quickly adapts to his new role, completing difficult tasks with ease.
• Moral Ambiguity: Mel doesn't question the morality of his targets, focusing solely on the task at hand.

Character Interactions

• Mel interacts briefly with the Assassin's Guild receptionist, who is surprised by his efficiency.
• He encounters no significant NPCs during his assassinations, focusing on stealth and surprise attacks.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Mel uses an ambush and backstab combo to instantly kill a target, bypassing his armor and vital spots.
• Mel completes three commissions within the Imperial City but delays the remaining five tasks due to time constraints.
• Luke's environmental magic begins to take shape, but it's not yet 100% realistic.
• Mel resumes his daily training and class schedule, prioritizing magic courses.

Character Developments

• Mel becomes more confident and instinctual in combat, disregarding vital spot attacks.
• Mel's dedication to his studies and training increases, showing his commitment to his chosen path.
• Kain and Basaka notice Mel's improved vitality and demeanor.

Significant Themes

• Instinct vs. Precision: Mel shifts from focusing on precise attacks to fighting on instinct.
• Time Management: Mel struggles to balance his commissions, classes, and training due to time constraints.
• Practicality vs. Innovation: In magical engineering, students must create practical items, but innovation is also valued.

Character Interactions

• Mel interacts with Kain and Basaka, discussing his class choices and their disappointment in his lack of combat class selection.
• Mel has a conversation with his equestrian class teacher about the practicality of using Earth Dragons as mounts.
• Mel's interactions with his classmates and teachers highlight his dedication to his studies and his unique perspective on combat and magic.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Mel learns about the difficulties of riding Earth Dragons from his instructor.
• Mel takes on an assassination commission targeting a corrupt minor noble.
• Mel infiltrates the noble's manor but struggles to find an opportunity to assassinate him undetected due to heavy guard presence.
• Mel decides to assassinate the noble in plain sight, killing him and all the guards to avoid witnesses.
• Mel acquires the [Assassination] skill upon completing the commission.

Character Developments

• Mel demonstrates his stealth and combat skills, efficiently taking down multiple guards.
• The noble is portrayed as carefree and reckless, valuing his comfort over his safety.

Significant Themes

• The dangers and challenges of assassination, including the need for stealth and the consequences of being discovered.
• The importance of information and trust within the Assassin's Guild.

Character Interactions

• Mel interacts with his riding instructor, learning about Earth Dragons.
• Mel confronts the noble's guards, ultimately killing them all to prevent witness testimony.
• The noble interacts with his guards, showing his disregard for their concerns about his safety.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Mel buys cakes for Liberia and travels to the Royal Academy.
• Mel practices the [Assassination] skill extensively, discovering its powerful damage stacking potential.
• Mel tests and confirms the damage stacking of various skills, achieving 1000% true damage.
• Mel begins training in new skills: [Beast Trap], [Stealth], [Grappling Hook], and [Quick Draw].

Character Developments

• Mel becomes increasingly powerful, mastering skills and developing new training methods for his body.
• Kain is motivated by Mel's progress to improve his own strength and training regimen.

Significant Themes

• The power of skill stacking and specialization in combat.
• The importance of continuous learning and adaptation in personal growth.
• The value of hard work and dedication in achieving success.

Character Interactions

• Mel shares his training methods with Kain, who is inspired to improve his own training.
• Basaka observes and learns from Mel's unconventional training methods.
• Mel hires artisans to craft specialized items for his new skills, demonstrating his resourcefulness and determination.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Mel's skills are enhanced, acquiring new abilities like [Beast Trap], [Grappling Hook], and [Stealth].
• He considers learning Level 15 skills for Curse Swordsman, Necromancer, and Lancer, but faces prerequisites and limitations.
• Mel receives information about a Blood Moon Cult settlement and plans to investigate.
• He decides to buy a high-quality dagger from Claire to increase his damage output.

Character Developments

• Mel shows strategic thinking in planning his skill progression and combat strategies.
• Claire demonstrates her business acumen and negotiation skills.
• Liberia expresses her feelings and insecurities about Claire's relationship with Mel.

Significant Themes

• Power and Strategy: Mel's focus on enhancing his skills and planning his actions to counter stronger enemies.
• Relationships and Jealousy: Claire and Liberia's feelings towards Mel and each other, highlighting the theme of love and jealousy.

Character Interactions

• Mel and Claire discuss business, leading to a shopping date arrangement.
• Liberia expresses her discomfort with Claire's date with Mel, showing her feelings for him.
• Claire shows understanding and acceptance of Liberia's feelings, wanting her to accept their relationship.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Mel, Claire, and Liberia go to the Imperial City to buy a dagger and pastries.
• Mel seeks a gold-quality dagger but finds only purple-quality ones.
• They discover a gold-quality dagger at the Bernardo Merchant Guild, priced at 50,000 Oren.
• Mel buys the dagger using a Bernardo Merchant Guild Oren Card.

Character Developments

• Mel shows interest in a high-quality dagger for his collection and combat use.
• Claire demonstrates her role as the young lady of the Bernardo Merchant Guild, handling transactions and promoting Oren Cards.
• Liberia's role is minimal in this chapter.

Significant Themes

• The value of high-quality weapons and their scarcity.
• The introduction of Oren Cards as a new form of currency, reflecting the guild's expansion into banking.

Character Interactions

• Mel, Claire, and Liberia spend time together in the Imperial City, showing camaraderie.
• Mel interacts with the man selling the dagger, negotiating the purchase.
• Claire interacts with the seller, facilitating the transaction using an Oren Card.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Mel infiltrates the cultists' hidden base to obtain data on curse development.
• He encounters two cultists at the gate, then enters a sacrificial chamber where he finds a tome.
• A cultist deacon (Level 40) discovers Mel and engages in combat.
• The deacon reveals himself to be a Curse Swordsman, using soul blades to enhance his combat abilities.

Character Developments

• Mel demonstrates his stealth skills and willingness to take risks for his goals.
• The cultist deacon showcases his power and determination to serve his goddess.

Significant Themes

• The power of curses and their potential for misuse.
• The dangers of experimentation and unchecked ambition.

Character Interactions

• Mel and the cultist deacon engage in a tense standoff and subsequent combat.
• Mel considers his options and decides to switch to melee combat using his dual swords.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Mel infiltrates a cultist hideout and defeats a high-level cult executive.
• He discovers and takes data on Curse Swordsmen and dark magic, including [Painful Chant] and [Magic Armor].
• Mel returns to the Royal Academy with Dean Griffin, who warns him about the limits of his actions.

Character Developments

• Mel demonstrates his combat prowess and strategic thinking, handling the cultists and their hideout efficiently.
• Dean Griffin shows concern for Mel's safety and well-being, hinting at his protective role.

Significant Themes

• The duality of magic: dark and white, good and evil, depending on the user.
• The potential dangers and consequences of Mel's pursuit of curse arts and dark magic.

Character Interactions

• Mel and Dean Griffin: Mel seeks Griffin's help for the mission, and Griffin warns Mel about the boundaries of his actions.
• Mel and the cult executive: Mel defeats the cult executive, obtaining valuable data on curse arts.

Key Plot Points & Events

• Mel discovers that controlling the curse's development is challenging and must wait until June.
• He reviews and learns about new skills available at level 20 for various job classes.
• Mel decides to prioritize learning [Painful Chant] and [Magic Armor] skills.
• A noble's son pursues Liberia, and Mel intervenes; the noble challenges Mel to a duel.

Character Developments

• Mel: Shows concern for Liberia's well-being and is protective of her. He remains calm and composed despite the noble's disrespectful behavior.
• Liberia: Demonstrates her affection for Mel and seeks his protection. She stands her ground against the noble's pursuit.
• The Noble Son: Reveals his determination to pursue Liberia, even to the point of disregarding his reputation and challenging Mel to a duel.

Significant Themes

• Power Dynamics: The noble son's behavior highlights the power dynamics between nobles and commoners, with Mel, a commoner, not showing deference to the noble.
• Romantic Pursuit: The noble son's relentless pursuit of Liberia explores themes of love, attraction, and personal boundaries.

Character Interactions

• Mel and Liberia: Their interaction shows a growing bond and affection, with Liberia seeking comfort in Mel's arms and Mel protecting her from the noble's advances.
• Mel and the Noble Son: Their interaction highlights the tension between their social classes and the noble son's determination to pursue Liberia, despite Mel's interference.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Mel Carlo and Rock Ronan, a noble's son, have a duel in the training grounds.
• Mel easily defeats Rock with a single sword strike and a kick, demonstrating his superior combat skills.
• After the duel, Rock expresses his determination to become Mel's lifelong rival and trains with Basaka, the chief of the training grounds.

Character Developments

• Mel Carlo: Mel shows no ill will towards Rock despite his challenge, demonstrating maturity and restraint. He is confident in his abilities and doesn't need to kill his opponents.
• Rock Ronan: Rock shows optimism and determination despite his defeat. He is eager to improve and challenge Mel again in the future.

Significant Themes

• Talent and Hard Work: The chapter highlights the importance of both talent and hard work in combat, with Mel being naturally gifted and Rock eager to improve through training.
• Friendship and Rivalry: The theme of friendship and rivalry is introduced, with Rock expressing his desire to be Mel's lifelong rival and best friend.

Character Interactions

• Mel and Rock: Mel and Rock's interaction shows Mel's maturity and Rock's determination and optimism.
• Rock and Basaka: Rock seeks Basaka's help to train, showing his eagerness to improve. Basaka, in turn, shows understanding and patience towards Rock's physical limitations.
• Rock and Xi Edw: Xi Edw expresses surprise at Rock's presence in the training grounds and acknowledges Mel's strength, further emphasizing Mel's reputation and Rock's determination.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Mel continues to develop his Curse Swordsman skills, learning [Painful Chanting] and [Magic Armor].
• He discovers that curses and undead are opposed but can be used together to suppress curses and slow deterioration.
• Claire informs Mel that his master has arrived in the Imperial City.
• Mel meets Archmage Guweiste and the genius maiden Meyeg at their new manor. Meyeg recognizes Mel's understanding of magic inscriptions and fountain pens, which she associates with the "Land of Curses."
• Mel shares his concerns about the Divine Races and warns Meyeg not to use the inscriptions lightly.
• Guweiste and Meyeg examine Mel's curse research data and conclude that it can only delay the curse's worsening, not solve it.

Character Developments

• Mel: Continues to improve his skills and shows caution about revealing his knowledge of the "Land of Curses" and the Divine Races.
• Meyeg: Reveals her familiarity with curse research and her connection to the "Land of Curses." She shows curiosity and caution about Mel's knowledge.

Significant Themes

• The existence and nature of the Divine Races and gods.
• The potential dangers of using certain knowledge or powers.
• The limitations and possibilities of curse research.

Character Interactions

• Mel and Meyeg: They share a mutual curiosity about their origins and the knowledge they possess. Mel warns Meyeg about the Divine Races, while Meyeg tests Mel's knowledge of the "Land of Curses."
• Mel and Guweiste: They work together to examine Mel's curse research data, with Guweiste providing her expertise.
• Claire and Mel: Claire continues to support Mel, helping him with his master's arrival and providing advice on their research.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Mel and Archmage Guweiste discuss incomplete research data on curses.
• Mel reveals knowledge about a man-made summon called the Dark Spirit, which can grant immense power but is dangerous and sealed by the Academy.
• Mel and Mayeg discuss the possibility of the world being spherical, and the existence of storms in other regions.

Character Developments

• Mel shows maturity and determination in seeking help for his curse research.
• Archmage Guweiste demonstrates willingness to assist Mel, showing a softer side.
• Mayeg remains focused on her mission to lift the storm and rescue people.

Significant Themes

• The struggle against curses and the search for a cure.
• The exploration of the world's shape and the existence of other storm zones.
• The potential danger and power of man-made summons.

Character Interactions

• Mel and Archmage Guweiste collaborate on curse research, forming a mentor-mentee relationship.
• Mel and Mayeg share information and theories about the world's shape and storms.
• Mel, Mayeg, and Archmage Guweiste form a temporary alliance to help each other with their respective missions.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Mel quickly learns curse development with the help of two individuals.
• He realizes that perfecting the curse art requires externalizing and maintaining the power of the curse, which can be achieved by finding undead.
• Mel and Archmage Guweiste travel to a valley filled with undead to complete the curse art.
• Mel absorbs undead spirits to counter the curse, feeling a strange, chilling sensation.
• After successfully absorbing the undead, Mel plans to further develop the curse art formation with the help of a genius.

Character Developments

• Mel demonstrates determination and patience in mastering curse development, understanding its complexities and potential dangers.
• Archmage Guweiste shows concern and support for Mel, providing guidance and protection during the undead absorption process.

Significant Themes

• Mastery and Patience: Mel's journey in mastering curse arts highlights the importance of patience and persistence in acquiring complex skills.
• Power and Responsibility: The absorption of undead spirits raises questions about the power Mel gains and his responsibility in using it.
• Mentorship and Guidance: The Archmage's role in this chapter emphasizes the significance of mentors in helping others grow and overcome challenges.

Character Interactions

• Mel and Archmage Guweiste: Their interaction showcases a mentor-mentee relationship, with the Archmage guiding Mel through the undead absorption process and offering support.
• Mel and Claire (off-page): Mel's refusal to let Claire join them on this mission suggests a level of care and concern for her safety, indicating a growing bond between them.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Clili hasn't received a reply from her letter to Mel for half a year, suggesting Clili might have already acted upon her plan.
• Clili, with the Great Dragon's help, crosses the storm and begins researching the ruins within.
• She discovers that the recorded civilization was vast, not just the small island she's on, indicating a possible underwater kingdom or transfer magic.
• Clili suspects that the monsters in the underground labyrinths were not natural but created to destroy the remnants of the Carlos Empire.
• She plans to return to the Sky Island to solve the mysteries but fears it's difficult to find without the magic mark.

Character Developments

• Clili shows determination and resourcefulness in her research and exploration.
• The Great Dragon reveals its ability to transform into human form and provides insights into Dragon race magic and its relation to other magics.

Significant Themes

• The exploration of ancient civilizations and their mysteries.
• The power dynamics between different races, including the Divine Race, Dragon race, and humans.
• The struggle for authority and control over the world.

Character Interactions

• Clili and the Great Dragon interact, with Clili showing hospitality by sharing a meal and the Great Dragon providing information about Dragon race magic.
• The Great Dragon reveals its fearsome aura even in human form, highlighting the power dynamics between humans and mythical creatures.