This Novel is not my Novel

"Oho...! You mean you didn't strengthen an existing skill but obtained an entirely new one? That is indeed a rare occurrence! Congratulations, Karvaldr. By the way, could you perhaps use that skill on me right now? Surely the ability you awakened this time isn't like your second buff skill, usable only when specific conditions are met? That would be such a shame..."

Professor Radvisin's gaze, laden with excitement, flew toward me and locked onto me.

It was regrettable that I had to crush his expectations and disappoint him with reality.

"The buff skill I obtained this time accelerates thought speed, and it can only be used on myself."

"Ah..., if it is an ability usable only on yourself, then it cannot be helped... By the way, accelerating thought speed is quite a peculiar ability, isn't it? It is also an ability any scholar would covet! As expected, Karvaldr's talent as a scholar is very outstanding..."

"However, there are restrictions."

The old Professor showed disappointment for only a brief moment.

Soon regaining his energy, he not only showed interest in my ability but also started gearing up to list reasons to secretly drag me onto the path of a scholar.

Because of that, I hurriedly cut him off.

"If there are restrictions, what are they?"

"It automatically activates when deeply contemplating someone's actions or psychology, and it deactivates the moment I think of something else. Therefore, contrary to what Professor expects, it cannot be utilized for thesis writing or research."

"Huh..., what an unfortunate thing......!!"

Even though it was not his ability but mine, Professor Radvisin was disappointed to a historic degree and could not hold back his lamentation.

He even looked at me with a gaze that said I was pitiable.

Although I also wished I could use the thought acceleration ability without restrictions, I didn't feel that much regret.

"Hmm..., very well. Karvaldr probably didn't bring this up just to boast about a newly acquired skill to me, so you must want to seek my help regarding that ability, right?"

"Yes, that is correct."

Indeed, it seems the Professor title was not obtained for nothing.

Professor Radvisin immediately saw through my purpose.

"When the skill activates, my thought speed becomes so fast that time feels like it has stopped."

"Hearing the explanation, there seems to be no problem, but seeing you describe it as 'excessive,' it seems there are some difficulties."

"Yes. I succeeded in activating the skill multiple times during sparring, but I couldn't utilize it properly. Because of the reason I just mentioned."

To see the opponent's frozen posture and predict their next movement, I had to time the skill's activation precisely.

If the Thought Acceleration Skill activates before they take a ready stance for their next action, there is nothing to learn.

Even if I activate the skill immediately after the preparation stage, there is no guarantee the opponent's movement isn't a feint.

But if I use the skill too late, I don't have enough time to deal with it, and I just become someone who gets hit while knowing it's coming.

'But considering the activation condition of this skill, timing it down to the exact second is impossible, right?'

In short, it means it is very useful if the timing happens to line up, but if I'm unlucky, it only hinders my immersion in combat.

I explained these points in detail to Professor Radvisin.

"Hmm, I see... Since the ability itself is 'increasing thought speed while contemplating the actions and psychology of others,' changing the activation condition would be impossible. Even if it were possible, if you only focus on timing the skill's activation during sparring, it would be difficult to concentrate on the sparring itself, so it cannot be called a good solution."

"Yes, that is correct."

Professor Radvisin is a scholar type Professor, not a combat type.

However, thanks to his outstanding understanding, he immediately grasped what I was trying to say.

"So, Karvaldr concluded that controlling thought speed is the key to using the skill effectively. And you said it is a problem because it is excessively fast."

"That is also correct."

"If it were only moderately fast, you could activate the skill early, maintain it, and watch the opponent move slowly in real time. Then you would be able to adjust your responses according to the opponent's changing movements moment by moment?"

"Do you see that as possible?"

"Hmm..."

At my question, Professor Radvisin fell into thought for a moment.

Meanwhile, I swallowed dryly in tension.

That moment felt like several minutes even though the Thought Acceleration Skill had not activated.

"Theoretically, it seems possible."

"......! How should I do it?"

"When the skill activates, you simply have to control the flow of Ether and make it move more slowly."

"......"

To mention it again, this skill deactivates the moment I think about anything else.

But to pay attention to the flow of Ether while the skill is active?

Indeed, it is a method possible only 'theoretically.'

'But I have to actually pull this off...?'

Even during sparring, situations change based on momentary judgments, so how much worse would actual combat be?

One misjudgment would lead to death.

In the midst of that, being able to observe the opponent's movements in detail and secure enough time to leisurely predict their next move would be an enormous advantage.

"I will... have to practice."

"It will be a difficult task. Are you not giving up?"

It's not that I'm not giving up. It's that I can't.

But since I couldn't explain the reason for now, instead of saying that, I simply answered with "Yes" and nodded.

"Oh, I can feel the resolve in your expression. Has your desire as a scholar to improve an Ether Ability boiled over?"

That's not it. Absolutely not.

However, since Professor Radvisin continued speaking immediately, I didn't get a chance to deny his words.

"It is a very admirable attitude. Then, as a senior who walked the path of a scholar first, it is proper for me to guide a junior... But it seems difficult to help you this time. Creating a situation where Karvaldr can frequently activate that ability is beyond my power."

Regret was plainly written across the Professor's face as he spoke.

Because of that, I could tell that he sincerely wanted to help me.

For me, I was simply extremely grateful for that sentiment.

"Just teaching me the method has already been a great help. I think I can handle the necessary training myself, so Professor, you do not need to concern yourself."

"That is unexpected."

"Excuse me? What part?"

"Doesn't Karvaldr have an outstanding drive for self improvement? So I thought you would find it insufficient to combine this training with sparring during martial arts lecture time and would feel very regretful."

I don't have an outstanding drive for self improvement. I was simply possessed by the thought that I must become strong quickly.

Therefore, the premise Professor Radvisin used was wrong.

However, precisely because of that, only the conclusion turned out to be correct.

If I could only practice the Thought Acceleration Skill during martial arts lecture time, I would indeed have been very regretful and unable to suppress a sigh.

But.

"That is... somehow, I ended up promising to gather with a few students participating in this tournament every Sunday and spar with them in turns..."

It really turned out that I came to receive the original protagonist's help again, somehow.

So when I trailed off awkwardly, I saw the old Professor in front of me smiling a pleased and benevolent smile.

"Hohohoho! Come to think of it, Karvaldr is at an age where growing through interaction and helping each other with friends is very important, isn't it?"

"They are... not friends."

"Euheoheoheo, I am glad you seem to be getting along well with your friends. You will be able to gain a lot. Perhaps much more than spending time with this old man."

"......"

It seems the Professor decided to let my claim that they aren't friends go in one ear and out the other.

At times like this, I never know what to say.

"Then shall we begin the training we originally planned to do?" 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

When I hesitated without being able to say anything, Professor Radvisin spoke again without removing the benevolent smile from his face.

Thanks to that, the conversation that was difficult to respond to did not continue any further.

Because on Saturday evening, I ate in the basement with Professor Radvisin, the research student seniors, and Skati.

For reference, Skati had merely happened to run into us and joined the table. It wasn't as though we had originally arranged to eat together.

'But if this kind of thing happens again next Saturday, it should be viewed not as a coincidence but as something Skati deliberately aimed for.'

Anyway, for that reason, those who only saw me again today spoke to me with faces full of concern.

"Karvaldr, I'm sorry. I pushed you too hard without considering your stamina. I heard Friday afternoon was a free period, so I thought you would rest well after lunch. I didn't know you had decided to learn whip techniques from Professor Skati afterward. No, saying that is just an excuse. I should have adjusted things properly so it wouldn't strain your body, but I didn't. Since you followed along with the sparring so well without showing signs of struggling, I guess I got greedy. I'll be more careful from now on."

The one who spoke first, and at greatest length, was Reisir.

He must have felt genuinely sorry.

In reality, the one who got greedy was not him but me.

I wonder if he misunderstood and thought I forced myself to keep up with him because I knew about his trauma.

"I heard about it from the Young Master's familiar. Is your body okay now?"

"Somehow it feels like we haven't seen each other in a very long time. In reality, I only didn't see you yesterday... Is it because we ate while looking at each other's faces every day...?"

Unlike Reisir, whose dialogue was long enough to make me worry it might look like a wall of tightly packed bricks to someone reading this on a mobile device,

Helga and Vigdís expressed their concern with lines of ordinary length.

And Ríolíkin─

"Nyaaa..."

"Hyiik..."

─was busy trembling while curled up, frightened by Yor's gaze.

Whatever.

I didn't want to hear words of concern from Ríolíkin anyway, and I was already troubled about how to answer the others.

I'm just relieved that at least one person didn't add more words.

"...Enough with the useless talk. Just eat your food quietly."

No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn't bring myself to thank them for worrying.

Whether it was because I wanted to keep my distance from them, or because I wanted to maintain Karvaldr's unique character traits.

Thus, I intended to wrap things up and move on by saying that and lifting my spoon, but—

The protagonist of someone else's novel was not easy to deal with today either.

"Karvaldr... You really can't handle this kind of atmosphere, can you?"

The words "If you know, then just shut up" rose to my throat, but I couldn't bring myself to say them because it might make me look shy.