Chapter 184: Complicated Books [Skill Name: Photogenic Memory] [Skill Rank: C] [Skill Description: This skill allows the user to record anything they have seen in perfect detail and store it in memory. Texts, diagrams, drawings, and even magical runes can be recalled as though the user were looking at them again. Unlike normal memory, Photogenic Memory does not fade with time, and the user can bring up details instantly, even things that were only glimpsed for a second. The skill does not make understanding easier, but it makes study and learning far more effective.] ... ’Ah, if I had this when I was in school, life would have been a whole lot easier,’ Azel thought, leaning back on the soft mattress of the master bedroom. He shook his head at the small pile of books on the bed. He knew the truth. The people of this world had been learning about mana, magic, and complicated theory since they were children. They grew up with these concepts drilled into them. He was different. For him, this was the first day he was even touching textbooks from this world. ’So I’m right. It’s not that I’m stupid, it’s that they’ve had a head start.’ He turned to the second book. It was thick, bound in dark blue leather, the gold lettering on the spine reading: Advanced Magical Mathematics. He opened it, glanced at the first page, and immediately felt his brain give up. Strange symbols, swirling lines that turned into formulas, and explanations that mixed math with magic theory filled the pages. ’This isn’t math. This is hell in book form.’ He closed it at once and sighed. Next was Elemental Theory, then Fundamentals of Spellcraft. Those looked complex, but at least he could pretend to understand them. Then his hand fell on one that made him stop. Anatomy of Humans and Monsters. He tilted his head. "What the hell is this?" He opened it. The first thing he saw was a diagram of a human body, the muscles carefully drawn, magical channels mapped across it like rivers. The next page had the same for a beast, and the next for something like a wyvern. Detailed drawings of hearts, lungs, magical cores. Some of it looked like an old biology textbook, but worse, far worse. "...WHY THE FUCK WOULD I NEED THIS?!" Azel yelled, slamming the book shut. He groaned and rubbed his face. The game had never prepared him for this. In the game, you had to study game lore and attempt the exams yourself but the Academy exams had been simple. They showed you a few questions before, and you could guess the answers. It had been multiple-choice nonsense like "What is the first stage of mana circulation?" Nothing about cutting open monsters or calculating magical physics. ’Out of all the things that changed, the Academy exams changed the most,’ he thought, deflating with another sigh. Still, he adjusted his new reading glasses, picked the book back up, and forced himself to continue. His Photogenic Memory meant he could at least memorize the diagrams even if he didn’t like them. He needed this. ... Later that evening, the house was filled with the smell of roasted meat, warm bread, and butter. The wide dining table was set, the chandelier casting soft golden light across the plates. Everyone was seated. Edna sat with Isolde in her arms, carefully eating while nursing her baby. She was quiet, her mind not on the food but on Azel. ’He’s been in his room all day,’ she thought, nibbling her lip. ’He hasn’t come down once. He hasn’t eaten anything. What is he doing?’ She wasn’t the only one with worries. Veyra poked absently at her plate, frowning. ’Something happened. He’s locked himself away... maybe those people we were with at the port did something to him? Should I confront them?’ Before her thoughts could spiral, heavy footsteps came from the staircase. Everyone turned. Azel came down. He looked worn out. His eyes were heavy with fatigue, his hair messy. And then there were the reading glasses perched on his nose. Edna felt her face heat instantly. ’Why... why do glasses make him look hotter?’ she thought furiously, biting down on her lip. But she quickly forced the thought away when she saw his eyes. He looked exhausted, truly exhausted. She lowered her gaze, focusing on Isolde, who fussed softly in her arms. She adjusted her dress to feed her daughter, trying to hide the blush on her cheeks. Azel sat at the head of the table, dropping heavily into the chair. Medusa moved quickly, setting a plate in front of him and pouring him chilled water. "Master," she said, her tone calm but filled with concern, "is there a reason you look so tired?" Azel gave a long sigh, pushing his glasses up. "...I’ve been studying. The Academy entrance exams are coming up." The words made Medusa’s lips curl upward. Edna looked up, her expression mixed with worry and surprise. The others, however, stayed silent, not understanding. "You three don’t know what the Academy is?" Azel asked, looking around the table. Veyra gave a small shake of her head. She wasn’t embarrassed — she simply didn’t know. The Empire’s ways were still foreign to her. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖 Azel set down his fork and leaned back, deciding to explain. "The Academy is a place for learning," he began slowly. "But Astralis Academy isn’t normal. It’s built on a floating island in the sky. A whole city carved into rock, suspended above the Empire. That’s where the strongest and smartest go. The best swordsmen, the best magicians, the best scholars. It’s where people become powerful." He paused, letting them imagine it. He himself remembered how the game had shown it: tall spires of white stone, endless libraries with glowing shelves, arenas where students clashed with magic so bright it lit the skies. "But that’s not all," he added. "There’s a reward for the student who ranks first in the entrance exams. They don’t just get respect. They’re given their own private complex. Not just a room, but a whole building inside the Academy. And they can invite anyone they want to live there." Everyone’s eyes widened. Even Feng looked surprised. Their expressions glittered with awe. To them, this sounded like the peak of privilege. Azel, however, wasn’t smiling. ’It’s August 25th, Year 300,’ he thought as he cut into his food. ’That gives me five days. Five days to memorize everything in those cursed textbooks before the exam.’ The developers had decided to give the world regular Earth months but not the same year though. He chewed silently. ’Five more days... I’ll memorize it all. I’ll do well enough to secure my place.’ His eyes narrowed slightly. ’I can’t let that bastard protagonist take first place.’