Time passed and the first semester was coming to an end.
It was morning when several students formed an orderly line outside Dylan's room.
He was sitting at his desk spinning a gold coin.
"I'm so bored; ever since I killed those Eden inspectors, the surveillance hasn't stopped. Hmm, after all, why do I only have fun killing, torturing, and doing other good deeds? Damn it, I think I've been influenced by the system," Dylan concluded and then stopped the coin.
Evon, who was sitting at another desk collecting half of the monthly fee that each of Dylan's friends received, swallowed hard in shock, as did the noble-looking student who was paying the friendship fee.
"I... I paid everything they asked for," said the student, who looked like he was about to cry.
Dylan smiled kindly and said:
"Then don't be scared. We're friends, right?"
The student nodded, and Evon finished collecting the fee, after which the next student entered the room.
...
When the day ended, Miriam, with a somber, almost sad expression, handed Dylan a report detailing the total amount of money Dylan had raised.
Dylan had noticed Miriam acting this way for the past few days.
"If you don't tell me what's bothering you, I won't be able to do anything," Dylan said as she was about to leave the room.
She ran to Dylan, hugged him, and said:
"At the end of the semester, I have to travel to the city of Xerter. There, I have to meet with an envoy from the kingdom of Drecon. His name is Edgar, and he's a vicious guy who likes to rape informants. He attacks both men and women he likes, and then his friends join in to continue using the victim as a mere sex toy. I don't want to...
"Wow, there are all kinds of people," Dylan thought.
Miriam watched as Dylan placed a silver bracelet with a beautiful red gem on her wrist.
"Don't take it off," Dylan said calmly.
She was a little surprised, then looked at Dylan and lifted her feet to kiss him, then hurried out of the room.
Dylan smiled and sat down in the chair while tossing a gold coin into the air.
"It seems I've found the new cast for my play."
...
When the end of the semester came, Dylan got near-perfect scores on his written and practical exams, but he didn't bother to look at them because he knew that the top five places were obtained through influence.
...
At the entrance to the Academy, Luna Valaquia wore a beautiful white dress with gold embellishments. Near her stood the paladins of the Temple of the Rising Sun.
Dylan approached her, and the beautiful Luna looked at him with her golden eyes and smiled.
"Have you come to say goodbye? We'll see each other again next semester." Don't forget to read the holy book. Remember you promised me you would learn the sacred principles," Luna said in a warm tone of voice.
"I will never break a promise. However, I have come to give you this chest. It is a donation from me and my friends. I hope you can take it to the temple," said Dylan, taking a chest out of his storage ring containing 120,000 gold coins, which was almost a third of the money he had earned from the friendship fees he had collected over the last six months.
Luna gestured with her hand, and one of the paladins took the chest.
"May the blessing of the sun be with you."
"The sun will always rise."
A few words later, the luxurious and imposing carriage departed for the autonomous territory of the Temple of the Rising Sun.
Dylan watched for a few seconds and then reentered the Academy.
[If you fall in love with the saint, you will lose]
The system had become slightly active after giving him the mission, and he could also feel an even more ominous energy coming from the system.
...
A few days later, the academic semester officially came to an end.
Miriam, wearing a blue and black dress, got into a modest carriage. But before getting in, she subtly looked around and then tightened her bracelet when she saw that neither Dylan nor anyone else was following her.
Inside the carriage, she felt her heart ache, and she wished she could die before having to experience such a miserable ending.
...
Dylan, who was staying at a hotel on the outskirts of the capital, followed Miriam a short time later. He wasn't worried about her getting away because he could easily track the bracelet she wore on her wrist.
He hired a simple carriage and gave directions as they went along.
After receiving a bag of silver coins, the coachman saw no reason to refuse.
After a few hours and changing horses at some stables, they arrived at the next town. Dylan had the coachman drive to the outskirts of the town.
When they got there, he got out and checked into a decent inn.
After making sure no one was following him, he left the inn and walked away from the city when it was already dark.
...
Dylan settled in a place with few trees, made a campfire, and devoted himself to practicing magic while trying to make his red mana acquire the ominous property that the system currently possessed.
When dawn broke, he had to wait a little longer. Since his level was high, fatigue was not a problem; he could easily go days without sleep.
Around noon, he felt the gem on Miriam's bracelet move again.
...
Several days passed before the carriage reached the city of Xerter.
"They should improve their transportation systems, with magic, stones, and mana gems, when will magical vehicles appear?" thought Dylan, who was somewhat bored of just following the carriage where Miriam was going.
"I should have brought a bottle of liquor. Yes, I'll keep that in mind for the next time I go out," Dylan concluded in his mind as he entered the city wearing an old brown robe and carrying an old cane.