[New attribute acquired.]
[Attribute Name: Eidetic Memory]
Attributes: [Radiant Presence] [Calm mind] [Battle Master] [Favored of Spell] [Eidetic Memory]
After coming to terms with what he had seen of his innate ability, Reinhard was now heading towards the library in the awakened academy.
'It's around seven pm right now, So I can study there for at least two hours and thirty minutes.'
He decided to sleep at ten pm from now on so that he could wake up early to do some physical exercises. Like running around the campus, and doing it at a time like 4 am in the morning would mean no one would disturb him.
To increase his gains there, he had some ideas in mind as well.
He soon found the library and went in to read. There were security cameras covering every corner, so even if there were staffs, no one would disturb him.
'I guess I am not the only one who thought of gaining more knowledge.' He thought after spotting a few other sleepers reading books.
Reinhard reached the shelves with information related to the dream realm and started to browse them.
After finding a good one, he sat down at a table and opened it to start reading.
A few minutes later he frowned.
'Damn, This is quite inefficient.'
Since he was an orphan from a very young age, Reinhard was taught basic reading and writing in the orphanage, at least before he ran away due to the rotten behavior of the staff and maybe his own as well.
He knew being illiterate would be hell, so he always read newspapers or any posters he would come across, even if he wasn't interested in the topic. Though it didn't help much.
And as a consequence of which, even though he could remember everything thanks to his [Eidetic Memory] attribute, he was still reading very slowly right now.
Suddenly an idea popped into his head.
'Of course I can just do that!'
[New attribute acquired.]
[Attribute Name: Rapid Comprehension]
Attributes: [Radiant Presence] [Calm mind] [Battle Master] [Favored of Spell] [Rapid Comprehension]
[Rapid Comprehension] Attribute Description: "You read faster than most and retain what you learn with uncommon clarity."
'If I can't have two attributes right now, why not have one that constitutes both?' He thought smugly.
Reinhard started reading the book again. The book had fifteen hundred pages, but he was able to finish it in around fifteen minutes.
(Author's note: Sorry for a note mid-chapter, but here is an explanation for those who find this absurd. I mean, it still is, but here's why it's so.
The fastest reading speed with comprehension is 25000 wpm (Recorded by Guinness World Records), and if we consider 5 pages have a total of 1000 words, then
5 pages = 1,000 words So, 1 page = 200 words
1,500 pages with 200 words each: 1,500 × 200 = 300,000 words
Reading speed = 25,000 words per minute, so:
300,000 ÷ 25,000 = 12 minutes)
'Now this is fun!'
Reinhard didn't care about people watching him on this matter; he placed the book that he had just read back on the shelf and took out five more interesting books he could find.
By the time he was done, he left the library after reading eighteen more books. Since this was the first day of classes, it seemed most sleepers had avoided coming here or doing any more work; he didn't know how the library would look tomorrow, though.
'I just hope this place doesn't get crowded.'
He headed out of the library quickly and went back to his room.
After setting an alarm on his communicator for four am, he lay down on his bed and closed his eyes.
___
For the next four weeks, Reinhard's routine went quite uneventfully.
He would get up early, train his body, return, take a bath, eat breakfast, read in the library, eat lunch, and read some more. He would also attend combat classes in the evening, which included weapon fights, but the outcome was always the same because of Battle Master and his other hax.
He won.
Though if he said that the fights against Nephis and Caster were as easy as before, then he would be lying, which he couldn't do. They had been trained since a young age to kill nightmare creatures, and both were masters at using swords. He was barely able to win, though the more he fought them, the easier those spars became. No one among the sleepers was as adaptable as him, after all.
And due to that, his reputation within the academy continued to grow. His skill alone would have been enough to draw attention, but his good looks and polite demeanor only amplified it, earning him a small fan group of girls who tried to butter him up—much to the jealousy of some boys.
After all, there were a hundred beautiful young people locked underground in close proximity, with the added spice of a deathly threat hanging over their heads. Many felt that life was short and that it was their time to seize the day. In such an environment, admiration easily turned into infatuation, and passion bloomed in the shadow of approaching danger.
It wasn't that he was wholly against the idea; he simply didn't like people bothering him too much, nor did he believe this was the appropriate time for love.
And then, just like that, days passed, and now the winter solstice was upon them.
___
On the day of the winter solstice, Reinhard woke up feeling tired and drowsy. No matter how much he tried to shake off this restlessness, it wouldn't go away. In the end, he reluctantly got off the bed and went to take a shower.
He was already familiar with this feeling of never-ending, ensnaring sleepiness. It was the same in the days before his first nightmare.
Today he decided to take a break from his training. He had already studied all the books in the library related to the dream realm.
After finishing his morning routine, he headed for the cafeteria.
The cafeteria was full of Sleepers, but no one was talking. Everybody was in low spirits and seemed to be uncharacteristically introspective. There was no usual laughter or boisterous conversations—only the Legacies remained calm and collected. However, even they kept to themselves.
Reinhard attracted quite a lot of gazes, but today no one really paid him more attention than they would to anyone else.
'If only things were so peaceful every other day.'
That was just a front, though; even if he wasn't as anxious as everyone else here was, there was still a sense of wrongness when he saw a hall filled with so many people being so quiet and subdued.
He didn't really feel like eating much, so he got himself a cup of coffee and looked for a seat to sit at.
Unfortunately almost all the seats were filled. However, in the corner he saw a desk where only two people were sitting.
A pale, black-haired boy and a blonde-haired girl.
While Reinhard did not care much about the gossips going around the academy, he did manage to hear some tidbits.
The blond-haired girl's name was Cassia; he had seen her in the last place in the rankings. The boy was directly above her too, from what he had heard.
But the main part was that she was blind.
Reinhard pitied her, but he didn't really care about a random girl he had never met before nor ever talked to, so like he had done with any other sleeper, he simply ignored her till now and continued to do whatever he wanted.
Though since there was no other table available right now, he had no choice but to sit at that table.
Reluctantly he approached them, which was noticed by the boy, since he was facing the direction Reinhard was approaching from.
The boy sat a little straighter and acted like he hadn't seen him approaching; Reinhard was easily able to notice that, though.
'Since when did i become so scary?'
He walked to the table, purposefully walking a little louder so the blind girl could also hear him approaching.
"Can I sit here?" he asked neutrally.
The blind girl looked in his direction, a little startled by his voice.
'Walking louder didn't help huh?'
"Y-Yes." She said.
"Uh... Sure."
Receiving their approval, Reinhard sat down beside the black-haired boy and then continued to mind his own business; there was enough space to fit two people between them since the table was quite large.
He took a sip of his coffee and suddenly realized he had completely forgotten to get his [Flavor Grace] attribute.
[New attribute acquired.]
[Attribute Name: Flavour Grace.]
While his attention was on his coffee, he noticed the girl stiffening from the corner of his vision.
'Huh... What was that about? Did she suddenly receive a shock or something?' He ignored that and took a sip of his coffee.
'Yeah, definitely a lot better then before.'
The boy next to him finished his coffee a lot earlier than Reinhard and went away, leaving only him and the girl sitting there.
A few minutes later Reinhard also got up to leave. Since he didn't really have anywhere to go, he decided to waste time in his room till five pm, at which time all the sleepers were supposed to meet Awakened Rock.
He got out of the cafeteria and turned towards the sleeper dorms.
Since most sleepers were in the cafeteria or somewhere else, no one was really present in the dorm area or in their rooms.
Soon Reinhard reached the corridor outside his room.
But then he heard them.
Footsteps.
He frowned and was about to turn around when a quiet voice spoke behind him.
"W-Wait…"
That voice sounded similar.
'Isn't that—'
When he turned, Cassia stood several steps away; one of her hands was clenched tightly at her side, while the other took support from the wall.
Her unfocused eyes were fixed in his direction, but she was staring at the ground.
"I... I am sorry for this, but—" Her voice was low; it seemed like she would start crying any moment now.
She looked up; tears were streaming down her eyes.
Reinhard had never been this confused in his entire life.
"Please," she whispered. "Help me."