elra

An Otherworldly Scholar - 196

AN: In Chapter 194, I wrongly implied only one year had passed since the Lich's Monster Surge. Actually, they are approaching the second anniversary of that event. My apologies.

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The orc miners celebrated our return like we had jus...

An Otherworldly Scholar - 195

“I don’t want it!” Astrid said, covering her head with both hands.

“You have to use it,” I replied.

“It’s uncomfortable!”

“It’s mandatory!”

I had lobbied for the usage of safety helmets since the openi...

An Otherworldly Scholar - 194

A world away, lost among the Appalachian Mountains, was a small cabin with moss-covered shingles, a porch, a chimney, and a shed on the side. There was nothing outstanding about the cabin other than the fact such a simple house belonged to an old ...

An Otherworldly Scholar - 193

I was used to kids growing up. Graduations have been a yearly staple since my days as a teaching assistant. However, a part of me wanted the older kids to remain at the orphanage for a few more years. I didn’t voice my feelings so as not to make...

An Otherworldly Scholar - 192

The letter slipped through Ilya’s fingers. Her hands trembled, and she had to take a deep breath to remain in control. I could almost hear her heart hammering against her chest.

“There must be a mistake. I’m not Imperial Cadet material...

December (2024) Bonus Chapter

“Take care, Slimebrains!” Astrid shouted, on the verge of tears.

“Take care, Fleabag!” Risha replied before entering the manor.

Astrid’s special day had quickly turned sour by Risha’s departure. She clutched the dagger—he...

An Otherworldly Scholar - 191

Whiteleaf Manor was three hours by foot from Farcrest. The old cobbled road turned east through a path between steep hills into the Farlands, went low into the valley, and climbed the western hill into the hamlet’s main building. The ruined mano...

An Otherworldly Scholar - 190

I woke up to the warm spring breeze and the softness of Elincia’s bed. The sun was high in the sky. The room smelled like lavender, old books, and soap. I took a deep breath. After a month of roaming the Farlands, I thought this was the smell of...

An Otherworldly Scholar - 189

I stood before the Ebros soldiers. The golden armor of Prince Adrien’s elite troops gleamed under the spring sun. By their side stood the Farcrest Guardsmen wearing tunics with the colors of the Marquis—red and black—above their chainmail. B...

Merry Christmas!

Hey, everyone! Hope y'all having a good time!

I wanted to thank you for joining me on this literary adventure. It's been quite a ride since I started publishing back in May last year, and we still have a long(?) way to go. From now on, I ...

An Otherworldly Scholar - 188

Firana pushed forward and executed a surprising diagonal slash. Our blades clashed. Firana aimed a wind-blow at my leg, but I foresaw her movement before she even used the skill and countered with one of my own. The wind bursts collided midway, ca...

An Otherworldly Scholar - 187

“I’m old, and I’m dying,” the soft voice said.

The Fountain burned like a sun in an underground cave. Occasionally, mana flares shot from the Fountain’s corona. It didn’t seem like it was dying. 

“Are you th...

An Otherworldly Scholar - 186

After Janus’ betrayal, I swore to be less naive; however, I didn’t count on Hallas letting the Lich control his body and feeding the Warden with the Holone Grapes. 

Perhaps it was the Avatar’s fault for giving me subpar runes to f...

An Otherworldly Scholar - 185

All around me, the Thorned Saplings withered. The green pod throbbed, and the mana wave immobilized me as if I had fallen into a frozen lake. A shadow moved inside the hazy liquid. Mana currents swirled around the Warden’s Cloister, visible even...

An Otherworldly Scholar - 184

The kids shifted nervously. The elven city was too silent for a monster lair, and the wooden platforms and resin pathways suspended over our heads created too many blind spots. I expected Gloomstalkers and Mana Stingers to rain down from the ceili...

An Otherworldly Scholar - 183

The cloak fell back, revealing a familiar face. 

“Izabeka!” I raised my voice, but my body froze. 

It couldn’t be. Janus had chased me into the Farlands, which meant Izabeka had been defeated. Janus wouldn’t let a wit...

An Otherworldly Scholar - 182

We hunkered down behind a fallen tree. A hundred meters down the forest slope, past a rocky creek, three Greyfang warriors stood unnaturally still. Their coal-black skin made them look like charred stone golems. A subtle magic barrier covered them...

Announcement

Hey y'all!

For the past three days, I've been experiencing flu symptoms and a lot of headaches, so chapters will be delayed this week. Chapters 182 and 183 will be posted on Thursday and Sunday instead of the usual Tuesday-Friday.

Sorr...

An Otherworldly Scholar - 181

The Lich’s forces were starting to recover. Undead and Chrysalimorphs patrolled the Farlands. It wasn’t hard to guess what they were looking for—the Access Rune. 

I used [Mirage] and [Dome of Silence] and turned us into silent sha...

November (2024) Bonus Chapter

Risha put his backpack over his shoulders, shield and spear on his back, and stepped outside of the manor.

The first light of the day appeared behind the mountains. Winter was gone, but the orphanage’s backyard was completely still. He too...

An Otherworldly Scholar - 180

The orc caravan walked for two days without stopping for rest. The Energy Potion carried me through the first day of marching, but the effect dissipated by the second night. I must’ve collapsed in the middle of the road because when I opened my ...

An Otherworldly Scholar - 179

The citadel exploded, and blocks of stone showered all across Umolo. A chunk of the citadel hit the wall near the outer camp, and the rain of rock and dust obscured my view of the night sky. I covered my eyes. Debris fell on the outer camp, but ot...

An Otherworldly Scholar - 178

The orbs cast light on the battlefield as the Mana Stingers poured from the hole in the ground. The black and orange insect wave marched into the camp, but a mass of Gloomstalkers, Spriggans, and Chrysalimorphs crowded the bulwarks as they tried t...

An Otherworldly Scholar - 177

Ilya scanned the forest line from the top of the wooden platform. Although she looked minuscule next to the orc archers, her black armor and long enchanted rifle gave her a fierce look. Zaon remained seated, back against the parapet, and eyes clos...

An Otherworldly Scholar - 176

As soon as we arrived at the outer camp I had a bad feeling. The camp was in disarray, which was uncharacteristic for orcs. However, as much as I examined our surroundings, there was no sign of monsters. 

Ilya guided us to the central s...

An Otherworldly Scholar - 175

Far into the forest, the mysterious tree stood like a silent colossus dominating the valley. The canopy stretched wide, casting a massive shadow on the mountainside. It wasn’t a species I’d seen before but it looked vaguely like an oak. The le...

An Otherworldly Scholar - 174

“I know that man. He’s the Lich,” I said.

The System Avatar intruded into my memories, and it felt like acquiring a new skill. My brain was pressed and squeezed, flattened and built again. I wanted to puke, and I would do it if I were ...

An Otherworldly Scholar - 173

The Man in Yellow sat cross-legged behind the bamboo bars. His yellow shirt was smeared with mud, the left sleeve was torn, and his tortoiseshell glasses were crooked. His arms were scrapped as if he had been dragged through the dirt. The beginnin...

October (2024) Bonus Chapter

“The mana from a Hermit’s Gold doesn’t come from the System,” the tall man said as he turned the crank of the press. The metal crushed the yellow fruit, sending a stream of sweet juices down the receptacle into a glass flask. He wasn’t p...

An Otherworldly Scholar - 172

I threw a cloak over my head and followed Pyrrah outside the tent. The camp was in complete darkness. Guards were stationed near the main square, outside the chieftains’ tents, and around the camp. Most of the night watchmen were posted on the w...