The blind villain of the academy

Chapter 215

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Episode 54 - Intention [3]

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After reading Raon’s letter, I let out a sigh.

The reason was that the time to finish the Prologue was drawing near.

Of course, I was still only halfway through the time I was allowed to remain inside the Prologue.

If I failed to complete the Prologue, the Memory Gate would consider it a failure.

The total amount of time I could stay there was seventy days.

And there was only one reason it was that long.

’Without any information, Invaders must find a way to complete the Prologue. The same applies to Chapter One and Chapter Two.’

Every Memory Gate had this basic time-limit system.

The Prologue of the Fallen Maiden had something similar.

Its time limit was only three days. Beyond that, it would be considered a failure.

’Mhm, it looks like Raon will return in twenty days.’

So, until then, I had to make the most of all the time I had left before moving on to Chapter One.

Crunch!

I crumpled the letter into a ball. Then I tossed it into the trash and turned around.

After that, I sat back down on the floor and closed my eyes.

---

The Mental Palace.

It was the next thing I needed to accomplish to complete my mastery of Imagination.

The Mental Palace was the place where I would store the different forms of the images I would use to shape and mold Sword Intent.

Sword Intent was used in every situation, from battles where concentration was the most important factor to fights whose outcome was decided in a single instant.

In my current state, my Imagination could not function properly. Sword Intent simply could not be used so easily.

Unless my mind were a computer or an AI capable of creating and maintaining my Imagination.

It would be impossible to preserve the Image created to shape Sword Intent.

With that in mind, the Mental Palace was like a library where I could preserve my memories, as well as images vivid enough to be used with Sword Intent.

’According to my master, the Mental Palace is a Unique Trait. Since it belongs to the Unique Category, awakening it is extraordinarily difficult.’

Unique Traits could not be awakened as easily as ordinary Traits.

A Unique Trait could even be inherited after the death of an Awakened.

It could also choose its owner of its own accord, as though it were a living being with a will of its own.

Or, on rare occasions, someone could awaken a Unique Trait through their own efforts.

In this case, the Mental Palace was a Unique Trait that depended on awakening during a unique occasion.

So, what unique occasion did I need?

That was something I had to discover on my own.

I couldn’t awaken a Unique Trait by following someone else’s unique occasion.

Naturally, a Unique Trait was, in the end, a Unique Trait.

Both its Category and the way it awakened were unique and extraordinary.

With that in mind, I opened my eyes, and before me stretched an endless sea.

It was so vast that its waves remained calm and gentle, without a single violent or sudden movement.

This was my Mental Space. Every living being possessed a Mental Space.

Within this place, both negative and positive emotions could manifest.

However, that would only happen if you chose for them to appear.

’The concept is complicated, but that’s basically how it works.’

I looked around. A vast black sea, a starless black sky; everything before me was nothing more than an empty sea.

And yet, a faint light illuminated everything with an omnipresent glow.

Within that vast sea, I stood in silence as countless thoughts appeared and vanished.

’Ugh, this is complicated. How am I supposed to find that unique occasion?’

Honestly, I couldn’t find an answer to my question.

But according to my master, it wasn’t necessarily about finding something. I reflected on those words, and only one thought came to mind.

’But first, I need to build the Mental Palace.’

Building the Mental Palace and obtaining its specific function were two different things.

Building the Mental Palace meant creating the structure where my Imagination would have the comfort and convenience needed to guide itself toward whichever Image I wished to use.

With that in mind, I imagined a library inspired by the Academy’s Astral Library of Memories, where the Memory Gates were stored.

I imagined the walls, then the decorations, and finally the circular bookshelves with their designated spaces for storing books.

The bookshelves rose dozens of meters into the air.

The ceiling was a glass dome. Hanging at its center was a chandelier with candles that somehow illuminated every corner of the Mental Palace.

Then I imagined the books, along with separate sections where memories and images would be stored.

Finally, I numbered the sections and the different areas using numbers and letters of the alphabet.

"It looks good, although..."

I imagined dozens of candles floating throughout the library, though naturally not in a random arrangement.

Instead, I arranged them in a way that made the library look as though it had come straight out of a magical fantasy novel.

’Mhm, this reminds me of a series, although I can’t remember its name.’

The candles glowed faintly.

Then I adjusted the lighting so it wouldn’t be so overwhelmingly omnipresent, while ensuring there wasn’t a single shadow anywhere.

Finally, I nodded. The structure of the Mental Palace was complete.

’Now I just need to find that special opportunity to awaken the Unique Trait.’

"...."

"Ah, I suppose it’ll take me a long time."

---

Before I realized it, the day had passed incredibly quickly.

I spent many days thinking of countless ways to obtain the Mental Palace.

By following the original principles of what a Mental Palace was, I managed to uncover a wide variety of clues.

I followed them, and after two weeks, I finally found the answer.

The result appeared before me.

〖The conditions to awaken a Unique Trait have been fulfilled〗

〖Congratulations! You have awakened the Unique Trait: Mental Palace〗

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Name: Mental Palace.

Category: Unique Trait.

Description: For most people, memories are fleeting and can be forgotten. However, the Mental Palace is an ability that allows you to store your memories.

Passive Effect.

[Passive]-[You can store every memory and image.]

Active Effect.

[Active]-[You can enter the Mental Palace and either manually select or automatically retain the memories or images you wish to recall at specific moments.]

Note: Be careful to store your memories properly.

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I read through the information, and as expected, it was exactly as I had imagined.

’Ah, now I need to store everything inside my Mental Palace.’

It took me a long time to store every memory and image I could recall up to that point.

Perhaps it was because I didn’t have memories spanning years or decades, but in reality, my memories could only be classified into the following categories.

Holy Land and its history.

My life as a game developer, though incomplete and unreliable.

And finally, my life at the Academy, from the very first day I awakened as Adel until the very last day—today.

Honestly, I didn’t have much else worth mentioning.

’It feels empty.’

I looked at the only three bookshelves. The last one wasn’t even twenty percent full.

Then I looked at the rest of the shelves.

Row after row, divided into countless sections. I had made my Mental Palace enormous, thinking there might not be enough space.

But looking at it now...

"I really don’t have anything, do I?"

I let out a long sigh. Somehow, seeing how few memories I had felt strange.

At the same time, I also felt hopeful.

Because perhaps, in the future, those bookshelves would be filled. It would take time—I was certain of that.

But I doubted they would remain empty forever.

Finally, I left my Mental Space and opened my eyes.

I blinked once before finally focusing on the lights in the training room.

Then I got up from the floor and stretched a little.

"Ugh, Master, I’ve already awakened the Mental Palace. What comes next?"

I finished stretching and felt my body free of any discomfort or tension.

"...."

I waited for Master’s reply, but it never came. I frowned.

"Master...?"

I grabbed the sword and stared at it. When no answer came, I focused and poured my mana into it, enveloping the blade as I tried to sense something, but...

’She’s not here...’

Panic surged through me when I couldn’t sense anything at all within the sword. I used the system to check the sword’s information, and what I saw nearly left me in shock.

’Before, the description said it was a sword with a soul, but now that’s gone...’

Then, with a thought, I took something out of my Inventory.

I extended my hand and held what I had just retrieved.

"Eh... Ah, wha...?"

A soft, sweet voice reached my ears. The thing in my hand was none other than the body of the Ancient Spirit I had obtained, but...

This time, she was alive. I looked at the Ancient Spirit and said,

"...Master?"

The Ancient Spirit looked at me and blinked once.

Then a smile appeared on her face, and she said proudly,

"So, what do you think? How do I look, Disciple?"

"...."

Yeah, now I could finally confirm it.

This tiny little being was my Master.

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