I Need the True Ending to Graduate - Chapter 2

This was the world inside the game. Which also meant that the usual methods I knew wouldn’t work here.

‘Should I go to some kind of department office or something?’

I was momentarily lost in thought.

Then, the game system that would guide me appeared.

[Quest: Write request letters to the professors at Calypse Magic Academy. (0/5)]

[Once written, the letters will be sent automatically through magic, according to settings.]

With that kind guidance, a bundle of five sheets of stationery and envelopes appeared in midair and gently settled into my hands.

I put down the research proposal and looked over the stationery the game had given me.

At the top of each sheet was a name, presumably that of a professor.

Andrew Burnett, Benjamin Planton, Dylan Durr, Ian Hudson, Jeran Ennessy.

It seemed that if I wrote on each sheet, put it in an envelope, and sealed it, magic would send it to the corresponding professor.

“Magic sure is convenient.”

Marveling at the convenience of magic, I picked up the ink and pen from the desk and moved to the round table.

There were too many papers on the desk to comfortably write the letters there.

Feeling like I was entering graduate school all over again, I poured my sincerity into writing letters to the professors. Honestly, since I couldn’t finish my thesis without securing an advisor, I had no choice but to give it my all.

After finishing, I waited for the ink to dry, then neatly folded each letter twice and sealed them in red envelopes.

As I sealed the final letter, the envelope glowed golden and vanished instantly.

[Quest: Write request letters to the professors at Calypse Magic Academy. (0/5)]

[All letters have been sent.]

The letters had been swiftly sent, and now all that remained was to wait for replies.

Some professors might refuse, but I hadn’t sent them to just one or two people—I sent them to five.

‘Surely at least one of them will say yes.’

And since everything was exchanged through magic, I didn’t have to worry about the replies not arriving on time.

In the meantime, I just needed to stay calm and adjust to life in this unfamiliar world while waiting for their replies.

That’s what I thought.

And it didn’t take long to realize how complacent that thinking had been.

***

A week had passed.

It had already been seven days since I sent letters to five professors asking them to be my advisor.

And yet, not a single one of them had replied.

‘…Shit.’

Even this morning, I’d woken up with hope and checked for letters the moment I opened my eyes in my pajamas, but there wasn’t even a speck of dust, let alone a letter.

Wondering if I’d somehow missed them, I turned the room upside down, but it was the same. I even wandered outside the dorm for no reason, but no servant came up saying I’d forgotten something and handed me a letter.

“……”

Sitting on the edge of the bed with a grim expression, I brooded anxiously.

‘Why the hell aren’t these bastards reading their letters?’

For a day or two, I’d been relaxed enough to wait patiently.

Three days was pushing it, but still acceptable.

Then four days passed, then five, and now it had been a week.

At this point, I could say I’d waited long enough.

I tried retracing my memory to see if there had been anything wrong with the content of the letters, but nothing stood out as a problem.

And yet, no replies came. Not even a rejection.

I couldn’t just sit in the dorm any longer, obsessing all day over whether a letter might arrive.

Besides, I had to find a new advisor within two weeks. And waiting for those letters had already burned through half that time.

‘If I don’t get an advisor, I’ll be expelled. I have to do something.’

Whether it meant visiting the professors’ offices myself or slipping the letters under their doors, it was time to act.

I didn’t want to get expelled like this. And sure, the professors were probably busy, but so was I.

It’s not like I had time to spare to just sit around waiting. On top of that, once this was over, I’d have to run around figuring out how to pay the tuition and dorm fees.

No one was busier, more desperate, or more pressed for time than I was.

‘If it weren’t for Karl Evenhart…’

I let out a deep sigh.

If that guy had just kept his head on straight, I wouldn’t be in this mess, worrying about getting expelled.

I couldn’t help but resent Karl Evenhart, the root of all this sudden misfortune.

But I didn’t even have time to keep resenting him now.

The only solution was to knock on professors’ doors like a mail carrier and hand out the research proposal.

“Phew… First, I need to eat.”

Just as I resolved to eat, wash up, change clothes, and then storm into the building with the professors’ offices with a stack of copied letters in hand, someone knocked on the door.

Knock knock.

“Miss Lucia Even, are you there? A letter has arrived for you.”

“A letter?!”

The moment the word “letter” reached my ears, I jumped up and flung the door open.

“A letter came?”

The servant standing at the door looked a bit startled and stepped back awkwardly.

“Ah… yes. A letter just arrived for you, Miss Lucia.”

The servant handed me the letter.

I took it and immediately checked the envelope.

The thick paper envelope, a deep shade of green, had my name and the sender’s name written in elegant script.

“Jeran Ennessy…”

He was one of the professors I had contacted with the system’s help.

Just moments ago, I’d been furious at the professors who hadn’t replied, but facing the letter made me feel much better.

“Must be an important letter.”

The servant, who had been quietly watching me, spoke softly.

I nodded. “Yes. I’ve been waiting for this letter.”

“I see…”

“If any more letters arrive for me later, please bring them to me right away. It’s urgent, so I’d really appreciate it.”

“Understood. If any letters arrive for Miss Lucia, I’ll deliver them immediately.”

“Thank you. I’m counting on you.”

The short conversation ended with a smile. The servant returned to his place, and I quietly locked the door. Then I moved to the round table and sat down.

It was time to read the letter.

‘What if he says he can’t be my advisor?’

Even before opening the envelope, cold sweat formed on my hands.

I couldn’t believe that my expulsion, thesis, and graduation all depended on the whim of a single professor.

“……”

Like a gambler about to reveal their hand at a casino, I rubbed my palms together to shake off the sweat.

Then, after taking a deep breath, I broke the seal and opened the letter.

[To Miss Lucia Even,

I received the letter you sent.

I had already heard the news, but I must say, the matter of your advisor is truly regrettable.

You must have suffered greatly from this as well, having been under his guidance. As someone who was once his colleague and your teacher, I would like to offer you my apologies.

I’ve read your research proposal on dimensional transfer magic.

It’s a field that hasn’t been studied much yet, but for that very reason, it is all the more in need of research.

If your research proceeds as planned, I believe you’ll have no trouble graduating from Calypse Magic Academy.

To be honest, the field you’re pursuing is not my specialty. However, I don’t think I’m incapable of guiding you.

If you’re okay with it, I’m willing to take over as your advisor in place of Karl Evenhart.

Before that, though, I’d like to hear more details about your research. Please bring your proposal to my office by 1 p.m. today.

I’ll be waiting.

From Jeran Ennessy.

P.S. I actually wanted to reply a bit sooner, but for some reason, your letter had been missing and it took some time to find it. If you were waiting a long time for my reply, I apologize.]

After reading the final postscript, I went back and read the letter again from the beginning.

It was only after I passed the vague phrasing and reached the part where his intent was clearly stated that I could finally feel at ease.

“Thank goodness…”

I set the letter down on the table and let out a deep breath.

The tension released, and strength drained from my hands. My heart was racing, fitting for a game called Thump Thump Magic Academy.

Then, as if congratulating me for securing an advisor, the status window popped up.

[Quest: Visit Professor Jeran Ennessy’s office. (0/1) (!)]

A little exclamation mark appeared beside it, something I hadn’t seen before.

Curious, I clicked it, and suddenly a golden line appeared in the room, stretching out toward the door.

I stood up and slightly opened the door. I could see the golden line extending down the long hallway and all the way to the stairs leading outside the building.

It seemed to be a path leading to Professor Jeran Ennessy’s office.

‘Hmm. Not bad.’

Since I was bad with directions, having such a precise and detailed guide felt like a blessing, just like using a GPS.

‘No need to worry about getting lost. I’ll spend the rest of the morning reviewing the proposal and getting ready.’

I closed the door and returned to my seat, thinking that.