The Count’s Youngest Son is a Player

The Count’s Youngest Son is a Player 41

Chapter 41

Raul hummed a tune as he examined the ring that fit his finger perfectly under the light.

“This is totally awesome. Who would have thought I could get a ring like this now!”

It seemed that the fact that Gray was a great sage was no lie. After all, he had gifted Raul precisely what he needed most.

[Gray’s Polymorph Ring]

Grade: Unique

Effect: Perfectly transforms the user’s physical structure into a designated form.

Limitation: All abilities decrease by 30% while polymorphed. Beware that running out of mana will revert to original form.

Additional Effect: Allows for a single summon of the ring’s creator, ‘Gray’.

Indeed, Raul’s reincarnation as a son of the count’s household was fortunate.

Yet, what frustrated him was the plethora of restrictions on his movements.

In his previous life, he had roamed the continent freely without even joining a guild.

“But I can’t do that now. This is not a game; this is real life.”

He had to always move with a guard and be cautious with every action.

There were also numerous considerations to ensure he did nothing to harm his family’s reputation.

Hence, upon arriving at the capital, he had planned to acquire tools (such as magical devices with illusion magic, masks, wigs, etc.) through a black marketeer to conceal his identity.

“But a Polymorph Ring!”

While illusion magic that changes facial features was typically at the 3rd circle level, Polymorph magic, which entirely altered one’s physique, was rarely available and was considered 6th circle magic.

It was certain that nobody except a so-called Swordmaster or a high-level mage above the 7th circle could see through a polymorph.

Moreover, although it was a one-time use, the ability to summon the ‘Great Sage Gray’ was now his.

It felt like having an insurance that could save his life in dangerous situations, which was reassuring.

“To be honest, it feels a bit uneasy because it’s too generous a gift.”

Even though he had been observed from afar, to receive such a gift from someone he had just spoken to for the first time.

It was hard to believe it was a gift of simple goodwill.

There surely were high expectations of Raul, and perhaps, it could lead to a favor that would be hard to refuse later.

“But that is a worry for another day. Considering how things went in my previous life, if it helps, there’s no need to distance myself. I’ll make good use of it, Mr. Gray.”

Raul decided to shake off the complex thoughts and enjoy the satisfaction of the moment.

* * *

Two weeks had passed.

Raul was experiencing a smoother academy life than he had expected.

There were no overt adversaries, nor were there hyena-like figures drawn by the aura of his family. Raul had managed to keep a low profile, but part of the reason for that was due to someone sticking close to his side.

“Raul, how about today? I heard there’s a decent armory shop in town. Or what about the ranch? I know a place with some fine breeds?”

The one lighting up with enthusiasm beside Raul was none other than Dalton from the Templeton Dukedom.

“Sigh. Like I said, I’m busy. If you really want to go, then go by yourself!”

Raul shook his head in irritation and avoided Dalton.

“Don’t be like that. Let’s go together. You’ll really like it once you see. Without an introduction, we can’t even make a deal there…”

“Ah, seriously. Unlike someone who’s free, I have a lot of things to do. Isn’t it enough that I hung out with you in class? So, let’s just go our separate ways now.”

As Raul coldly turned away, Dalton’s face fell into a slight pout.

“If I go back now, I’ll just get caught by the instructors and end up training again. Think of it as saving a friend, just for a bit, huh?”

Everything was fine for the first few days. There was no one who approached first, and since classes were condensed, Raul hardly ran into any of his S-class peers.

He had hoped his school life would continue to be invisible, but then, a huge variable appeared.

Dalton, who emerged out of nowhere, ended up attending the same classes all day with Raul, and before he knew it, was sitting right next to him, chatting away.

‘What on earth is this guy thinking?’

Dalton had changed his entire schedule to match Raul’s, starting from the moment they arrived to when they left school.

At first, Raul tried to avoid him due to the annoyance and discomfort.

But it wasn’t as simple as wanting to avoid him.

The classes were the same, and there was no classmate bold enough to ignore Dalton and sit by Raul’s side.

Although Raul asked him to back off, the sly Dalton only laughed it off.

Eventually, Raul decided not to bother about Dalton.

It was slightly annoying, but he didn’t really interfere or harm him.

Having Dalton by his side meant he didn’t have to deal with random people, and families like the Randals or McNeils didn’t dare to bother Raul either.

Soon enough, Dalton began to speak informally to Raul, suggesting they be friends (since Dalton was four years older), and Raul saw no reason to refuse.

“What’s so busy about your day? After spending all day in classes and training, you can rest in the evening!”

“If you want to play so badly, go with someone else. Why me?”

“What? You want me to hang out with that snotty Randal kid or whiny Jamieson? Forget it, just forget it.”

For some reason, Dalton seemed uninterested in making friends with anyone else but Raul.

“Anyway, I’m busy, so I’m off!”

“Hey, what’s so great about the library? If I knew it’d be like this, I would’ve become the top student and taken that library pass! Ah, go meet a ghost in the library or something!”

“A ghost, really? And if you hate training so much, go to the library and read a book or something.”

Dalton then grasped his head in disbelief.

“Good heavens, Raul! How can you say such harsh things… I’d rather swing a sword than read a book. Oh dear, my one and only friend is a bookworm…”

And so, fearing that Raul might suggest they visit the library together, Dalton took the initiative to distance himself. As he left, Dalton’s shoulders seemed unusually slumped.

“Well, now that I’ve shaken off that obstacle, maybe it’s about time to head to the library?”

Raul crossed the campus with a noticeably brighter expression. Located at the heart of the National Academy, the library was enormously vast.

The interior of the library, a five-story building, was even more expansive due to the application of a space expansion magic circle. Opened concurrently with the establishment of the kingdom, its long history was paralleled by its immense collection of books.

While the first floor of the library was accessible to all students of the academy, entry to the higher floors was restricted. The further one ascended, the older or rarer the books became, and the top floor was completely off-limits to everyone except royalty and certain professors.

Although Raul had been granted ‘access to all floors,’ in reality, he could freely enter up to only the fourth floor. To enter the fifth floor, he needed to be accompanied by Professor Greina or other faculty members.

Nevertheless, having access up to the fourth floor was a significant privilege. In fact, among the academy students, fewer than fifty could access beyond the third floor. The majority of these were senior students from the department of administration and those who assisted professors with their research.

* * *

Today, as always, she roamed the vast expanses of the library. Given its size, there were surprisingly few visitors. Most were students from the department of administration, studying in the reading rooms on the first floor.

While there were those who ventured beyond the second floor, driven by a thirst for new knowledge, it was not often that she encountered new faces. However, with the new semester starting, it was a time when more students were expected to visit the library.

“I hope we receive a lot of new books…” she thought.

However, contrary to her hopes, there had been very few new arrivals in recent years. The influx of new books was mostly limited to periods of war or arms races leading to technological advancements.

Perhaps due to the academy still being in the early and unsettled days of the new term, even the first floor was relatively deserted. Nonetheless, as usual, she wandered among the bookshelves, checking what books people were reading.

She also examined the students’ bags, hoping to spot any new books. During her rounds, she noticed a student’s notebook. The meticulous notes inside showcased the student’s dedication to their studies.

“This kid is still working hard,” she thought with a warm smile, gently patting the student’s head in an approving manner. The tired-looking student’s face brightened instantly, as if they had just come out of a refreshing shower.

With a nod toward the air as if in gratitude, the student plunged his head back into the book. However, not every student was that diligent.

Some visited the library reluctantly for homework or other purposes. Among them, those who treated books disrespectfully particularly irked her. Today, an unforgivable student appeared before her eyes. This student had not only scribbled bizarre doodles in a book but was also sprawled out, snoring loudly. The problem was the drool oozing from the student’s mouth, soiling the book.

“Good heavens! How could anyone commit such an atrocious act?!” Her face set hard, she smacked the back of the student’s head.

“Arghh!!” Thud. As if struck by lightning, the student twisted and shrieked, leaping to his feet. Drenched in cold sweat as if he’d seen a ghost, the student clutched the book with trembling hands and fled the library. The surrounding students paid no mind, as if nothing had happened. It seemed like just another ordinary day in the library.

* * *

Having shaken off his lethargy, Raul headed to the library’s first floor, where he had stopped by yesterday. Today, for some reason, the library’s atmosphere seemed different.

“…showed up!”

“Really? Why there, of all places…?”

“Tell me about it. Could’ve been heaven for a week if we were lucky.”

Girls whispered at the end of the hallway.

‘Did some celebrity come to the library?’ Raul thought to move on, had he not caught the last bit of their conversation.

“So, someone received the ghost’s divine punishment again?”

“Yeah, that unlucky ###.”

‘… A ghost?’

While Raul puzzled over this, the girls disappeared. Wondering if it might be a quest, he checked the bulletin board but found no mention of a ghost haunting the library.

‘Hmm. Must be some school ghost story.’

Believing that kids indeed have rich imaginations, Raul resumed his walk. He intended to finish the book he had started yesterday and then explore the second floor.

(To be continued)