Emil remained frozen in the middle of the crowded street, hands clenched tightly around the letter as if it would vanish the moment he loosened his grip. The words scribbled on it didn't make any sense.
Emil just stood there frozen because of what he had just read, his fingers were trembling as he read the heading of the letter.
Empire Academy Admission Letter
His name was written in fancy golden letters, as plain as day:
Recipient: Emil Valcrest
His thoughts spiraled.
"This, this has to be a mistake. I'm sure it's a joke. Or maybe is it a trap?"
He looked around, half expecting someone to burst out laughing at him. In fact, he hoped someone would.
But the world moved on, indifferent. Merchants shouted out their wares, blacksmiths rang steel, nobles strolled by in embroidered cloaksc, they were all too engrossed in their own lives to pay any attention to the dazed commoner standing like a fool in the middle of the road.
Why him?
Why him, of all people?
Why had he received a letter from the Empire's greatest academy, and out of nowhere?
Emil knew what he was. He was Just a nobody. Not some secret mastermind, not a hidden prodigy chosen by fate. Just a talentless whelp with the worst stats imaginable.
His hands trembled slightly as he struggled to breathe.
"Okay. Okay. Let me think this through. Don't panic. Think rationally. If I did manage to get into the Empire Academy, then, most of my problems will get solved"
His voice got low as one thought came into his mind.
"I need to check my stats first. Just in case. I already know what they'll look like, but let's give it a go."
If something had changed or was changing, his status window would show it.
Taking a deep breath, he curled his fists and muttered, "System."
A faint glow shimmered before him, and an ethereal window blinked into existence.
He smiled weakly.
"Okay. Atleast, This works."
[STATUS WINDOW]
Name: Emil Valcrest
Race: Human
Age: 15
Title: None
Rank: F-
— Attributes —
Strength: 3 (Pathetic)
Agility: 4 (Snail-like)
Endurance: 3 (Weak)
Intelligence: 6 (Slightly Above Average)
Mana: 0 (Non-existent)
Luck: 2 (Cursed)
— Skills —
[None]
— Special Abilities —
[??????] – Sealed (Requires Condition to Unlock)
[??????] – Sealed (Requires Condition to Unlock)
Emil stared at the window, completely unfazed. Then, he chuckled softly.
"As predicted. Not even surprised. This little shit is nothing but a worthless piece of crap. My fate's already doomed."
Strength? Weak.
Agility? Garbage.
Mana? Zero.
Skills? None.
And his luck?
"Even fate considers me a joke. Well, why wouldn't it? I'm in the body of a nobody."
He sighed.
But then… something odd caught his eye.
Two sealed abilities.
His breath hitched.
"Wait a minute. Sealed abilities?"
He racked his brain for a moment. Then it clicked.
"This, this happened before. In Gods' Final Requiem. The right-hand man of the protagonist had a sealed ability at the start. He was weak, but after unlocking it, he became one of the strongest in the world, a main character, even."
That guy had only one sealed ability.
"I have two? Who the fuck is this kid?"
A strange feeling rumbled in his chest.
Not hope. Not excitement.
It was something deeper, something closer to despair.
"Okay, perhaps I can do something in this world. I don't know how, or why. But I can't lose hope. Not yet."
He clenched his fists tighter.
"Not now. Not when I'm alive in this world. I have to try. Maybe even improve it. Save it."
Closing the window, he turned back to the envelope.
The parchment was thin, its edges gilded. The wax seal bore the crest of the Empire Academy, a flying phoenix encircled by runes.
Carefully, he broke the seal and unfolded the letter.
[Empire Academy Admission Notice]
Dear Emil Valcrest,
Congratulations. You have been accepted to the Empire Academy. Your presence is required at the Imperial Capital in seven days for the enrollment process. All arrangements have been made. This is a non-transferable and non-rejectable offer.
We look forward to your presence.
—Empire Academy Administration—
Emil read it again.
And again.
And a third time.
"This is insane. I never even applied to this damned academy. So why the hell do I have this invitation?"
His stomach churned.
None of this made sense. The Empire Academy only admitted monsters, geniuses that could squash him like a bug.
So why him?
"Someone needs me there, this shit stinks."
And then this part which chilled his soul.
"Non-transferable and non-rejectable."
"So I don't even have a choice?"
He gritted his teeth, then nodded slowly.
"Fine. I'll go. I'll find out what's really going on."
The idea unsettled him, but, what else could he do? The world had already ended once. He'd been given a second life and now he was walking into the lion's den.
With a breath, he slid the letter back into its envelope.
"Standing around here won't help. If I'm gonna die, I might as well die trying."
And with that, he started walking.
The Road to the Capital
His first priority was figuring out how to reach the Imperial Capital. It was too far to walk, so the best bet was catching a merchant caravan or paying for a carriage seat.
After an hour of walking, he found an inn at the edge of town. The scent of roasted meat and fresh bread drifted through the air, and his stomach let out a loud growl.
"Maybe I should eat something. Rest a bit before heading out"
Thud.
A sharp sound stopped him mid-step.
Thud.
Then a whimper. A soft, broken sound.
Emil's head jerked toward the alley beside the inn.
His blood went cold.
A semicircle of men stood with their backs to him. One of them kicked out, hard.
Another thud.
A small, thin body curled on the ground. Arms covering his head. A boy.
Torn clothes. Bruised face. Couldn't have been more than thirteen.
"Tch. Idiot kid. You think you can get away from us?" one man sneered.
The boy didn't answer. Just whimpered—too broken to resist.
The leader cracked his knuckles, grinning.
"Heh. Looks like we gotta teach you your place, trash."
Emil's fingers twitched. His heartbeat pounded in his ears.
He knew this scene.
Not literally, but he had read it before. A thousand times.
A world where the strong preyed on the weak. Where nobodies like him were ignored at best, erased at worst.
He knew he should turn away. He knew better.
But…
His legs wouldn't move.
His hands curled into fists.
His mouth ran dry.
"Damn it… I know I'm weak. But I want to save that helpless kid…"
He had no strength. No plan. No hope.
But he couldn't walk away.
And then
One of the men reached down, grabbing the boy by the collar, winding up for another blow.
And Emil moved.
His body acted before his brain.
"Oi."
The word escaped his lips before he even realized it.
The men stopped. Then slowly turned.
Their eyes locked onto him.
The leader raised an eyebrow.
"Oh? And who the hell are you supposed to be?"
Emil swallowed.
"Shit."
He had no power. No plan. He had no special skill ot any useful card.
But he had spoken now, he had put his foot in the danger.
And now, he knew that there was no going back. He had to fight them, to save that kid and himself.