Kaito's goodwill had earned him a favorable impression from most of the mages at Raya Lucaria Academy.
By the time he had won seven consecutive challenges, it was finally the turn of some veteran mage instructors to step onto the field.
But before that, they wanted Kaito to rest.
Prolonged fighting would inevitably consume a lot of energy and stamina. Even though Kaito insisted he was fine, the Academy unilaterally forced a pause.
They hoped Kaito would take this opportunity to have a belated, hearty lunch, then rest for an hour or two before going back out.
As for the dissatisfaction of the other Tarnished?
Let them be dissatisfied; what could they do about Raya Lucaria Academy?
If they didn't like it, they could just stew in their frustration.
Thus, the Tarnished were left speechless. They had thought one of them might get a chance, but now the day was being dragged out, and they didn't know if it would stretch into the evening.
Or if they would even get a chance at all.
Kaito was just too good at handling people.
Not only was he strong, but he also knew how to win people over, making the mages of Raya Lucaria Academy feel favorable towards him.
There was probably no other Tarnished like him!
Of course, Kaito's kindness was the first point, but the most important was that he had defeated Godrick the Grafted of Stormveil Castle.
He had also established excellent systems in Stormveil, maximizing the happiness of its residents.
Thus, the mages believed that letting Kaito obtain Rennala's Great Rune and eventually become the Elden Lord wouldn't be a bad thing.
In their words, Kaito was a "benevolent ruler"—a wise and kind king.
A ruler who prioritized his people.
Helpless, Kaito accepted their invitation and dined in the Academy's most luxurious cafeteria.
The mages didn't disturb him; they just had a mage guide him there, cater to his needs, and that was it.
After he finished eating, they showed him to the best room to rest.
He could rest as long as he wanted!
They said two hours, but if Kaito overslept, they would wait.
Kaito received such privileged treatment.
"This is the biggest difference from the game."
Kaito lay on a sofa in the room, resting with Hirano, Melina, and the others, feeling a sense of reflection.
In the Elden Ring game, Raya Lucaria Academy was hostile. Though there was a "teacher" who guided and helped the Tarnished, eventually turning into a monster herself, at least the mages there attacked Tarnished on sight.
The minor BOSSes from the game hadn't appeared here.
Instead, they had set up this challenge system, benefiting both mages and Tarnished.
If a Tarnished failed, they wouldn't die and could try again.
The mages gained combat experience, constantly improving their skills.
It was a win-win!
Even a win-win-win!
Thanks to this, Raya Lucaria Academy hadn't faced a coordinated attack from the Tarnished.
After all, Tarnished were like a fourth calamity; if individual challenges failed, they would band together.
This had happened elsewhere in the Lands Between.
Even Stormveil Castle had experienced it once, though the attack was repelled; Kaito knew this.
Perhaps if not for that, when he had stormed the castle, the defenses would have been tighter, with more soldiers and knights.
But because of the collective Tarnished attack, Stormveil's military strength had been depleted.
When they finally breached the castle, Morgott appeared and annihilated them all...
Yes, that was how it went.
When Kaito took the throne and heard this news, he was surprised but understood.
In the game, it was a solo challenge, but with so many Tarnished, could they all challenge in an orderly fashion?
At the Roundtable Hold alone, there were over 10,000 Tarnished, and the turnover was huge; Kaito saw new faces every time he visited.
At the very least, there were tens of thousands.
Those he hadn't seen were likely even more numerous.
Well...
Those Deathbed Companions were truly pitiable.
Fortunately, he had saved Fia.
"Kaito, I thought you'd finish the challenges quickly and then go after Rennala, the Queen of the Full Moon. I didn't expect this outcome."
Beside Kaito, Hirano cared for him like a wife, massaging him while pouring tea.
"Hehe, well, initially I did want a quick finish. But the first female mage happened to be a subject from Stormveil Castle..."
"I've never seen another king act like you."
"Haha, that's true."
"But what about the ones after?"
"After that... I just felt it wouldn't be bad to build a good relationship with Raya Lucaria Academy."
Kaito didn't hide his thoughts.
In short, by treating Raya Lucaria well, befriending its mages, and building a positive reputation, when he became Elden Lord and ruled this world, he could let it run itself.
But thinking of a woman like Ranni, he couldn't just do nothing.
Since he had set his sights on her, he had to put in some effort!
Time here was unlimited; he could return whenever after finishing.
Besides, if this world improved, his future daughters and the other ladies would encounter fewer dangers and unpleasantness when they visited.
That was his reasoning.
When he took the throne, his first act would be to abolish the noble system.
Tear down all the bad systems left behind.
Once things were settled, he'd become a hands-off ruler.
He even had someone in mind to help manage this world.
Either Ranni or Rennala!
They would be suitable, or not, as the case may be.
Thinking about a delicious oyakodon made by mother and daughter, he had to put in some effort~~
He just needed to dismantle the rotten systems, establish better ones, promote them, and keep an eye on the bigger picture.
It would be hard work at first, but later, he could just enjoy the fruits of his labor.
The thought of his own daughters becoming princesses also made Kaito quite happy.