I Was Mistaken as a Genius Mage in a Game

Within the absurdly vast 120-square-kilometer fortress, there was truly nothing that it lacked.

There was a massive training ground dedicated solely to the Sword Saint’s practice, a banquet hall large enough to accommodate thousands, and, naturally, a library filled with the histories and teachings of various races. There were also several empty rooms, their purpose unknown.

The fortress contained not just thousands but tens of thousands of rooms. It was impossible to utilize every single space efficiently.

Taking a moment to pay silent respect to the dwarven architects who must have struggled with its design, I let out a deep sigh while staring blankly at an empty hall.

“That space is currently unassigned. If you wish, I can summon the artisans to transform it into a training hall, study room, or library.”

A smooth voice offered an explanation from behind me as I gazed at the empty chamber.

“No, that won’t be necessary…”

I had been assigned a personal attendant. He was a middle-aged man with neatly combed hair, a pristine tuxedo, and a large white towel draped over one arm for reasons unknown—he looked every bit the model butler.

Somehow, he gave off the impression that he would start dancing if he didn’t get to sleep on time.

“For now, please just take me to my room.”

The butler had insisted that I speak casually to him, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it.

I had spent my entire life in a culture that respected age, and speaking informally to someone twice my age felt instinctively uncomfortable.

“This way.”

We walked.

And walked.

And walked some more.

“Wait, wait a second. Let’s rest for a bit.”

The journey was so absurdly long that I had to sit down twice just to catch my breath.

“Please, take your time. If you need anything, simply ring this bell, and a servant will attend to you shortly.”

At last, we arrived at my room.

The butler placed a small golden bell on a nearby table and took his leave. I collapsed onto the bed, kneading my sore legs from the grueling march.

For the first time in three or four days, I was lying on a proper bed. The sheets were soft, the blankets plush—if I closed my eyes now, I’d fall asleep instantly.

“…Shit.”

Despite the comfort of the bed, my mind felt like a deer trapped on the edge of a cliff.

I had, in the end, joined the Sword Saint’s party.

A rookie, not even a week into this world, now part of an overqualified elite group…

Images of the dangers ahead flashed through my mind, sending a chill down my spine.

I would be exposed to countless threats.

Not just high-ranking demons, but also Grand Lords like Maltiel or Raguel. Sometimes, it wouldn’t even be demons or mutants—I might have to face dragons or ancient spirits.

If I didn’t want to die, I had to grow stronger.

Fortunately—if I could call it that—those around me believed I was some kind of unprecedented magical genius, destined to save humanity.

If I wanted, I could easily obtain top-tier equipment and grimoires.

On top of that, the leaders of the Allied Kingdom had promised me a personal magic tutor.

They were eagerly anticipating how much stronger I would become once I received proper training… but to be honest, I wasn’t confident at all.

I was someone who had dropped out of high school to become a composer.

I had never studied anything seriously in my life, and now I was supposed to immerse myself in the discipline of magic?

Worry naturally crept in.

“This is bad.”

…The expression on my soon-to-be tutor’s face was already easy to imagine.

“Basic training and study are essential, but if I want to survive high-level battlefields with the Sword Saint, I’ll need to cut corners, too.”

Simply studying wouldn’t be enough to catch up to the walking war machine that was the Sword Saint in just three years.

Finding ‘artifacts’ would be one such shortcut, as would seeking out the spirits of lightning in their sacred forest and obtaining their blessing.

Thankfully, I knew all the hidden ways to power up a character quickly.

I had to leverage every bit of knowledge I had.

‘If it works, it works. After all, I’m a genius.’

A misunderstanding with great risk but even greater rewards.

I had to walk a perilous tightrope atop this misconception.

One misstep, and I’d either die on the battlefield or be executed for deceiving the rulers.

“I’m a genius… I can do this… I will survive… I’m a genius…”

Like a witch chanting a spell, I murmured to myself as I lay in bed, trying to hypnotize myself into believing it.

…It didn’t work.

Damn [Composure] kept me from even indulging in panic.

And so, I spent my first night in the capital, lamenting my fate.

***

The second day arrived.

The [Composure] trait was indeed impressive.

Even in this absurd situation, I had slept like a baby.

In fact, upon waking, I calmly sat at my lodging’s table, brewing myself tea to shake off the morning drowsiness.

‘What can I do? Things have already escalated this far. Might as well make the most of it.’

The anxiety that had consumed me last night now felt like a distant dream.

…Was I truly going insane? The fact that I could sit here, leisurely brewing tea in this mess, certainly made it seem that way.

“Well, what’s done is done. I just have to focus on what I can do.”

Clearing my mind, I rang the golden bell provided by the servant a couple of times.

Soon, a different, younger servant than yesterday knocked on the door and entered.

"Did you call for me?"

...This person also looked like he would start dancing if he didn’t go to bed on time.

"Here’s a list of magical tools and clothing that I need."

I handed the servant a list I had filled out in my notebook the night before, scribbling frantically as if casting a spell.

It included basic equipment like crystal orbs, spellbooks, robes, and hats, as well as introductory texts explaining how magic functioned.

‘I need to at least understand what magic is.’

While I instinctively used Bloom and had played the game that served as this world’s foundation for over 5,000 hours, I had absolutely no idea what “magic” actually was.

This was reality.

In front of a computer, I could just click a few buttons to summon a massive pillar of fire, but that obviously wouldn’t be the case here.

Before meeting my private tutor, I needed to understand at least the fundamental mechanics of real-world magic.

"Oh, one more thing."

"Please, go ahead."

"...If an orc named Rex and his squad arrive in the capital, could you inform me?"

"Rex? Do you mean the orc soldier? May I ask what your business with him is?"

"...I owe them my life. I think it’s only proper to attend the funeral."

At my response, the servant merely nodded silently before leaving my room.

That afternoon, most of the items I had listed arrived in my quarters.

After checking the size of the robes and hat, I opened a book and began studying—something I had never done so diligently in my entire life.

As I started reading the text, time seemed to accelerate.

It felt as if everything in my peripheral vision blurred and was pushed out of focus.

I was able to concentrate unbelievably well, even to my own astonishment.

‘...This is easier than I expected.’

Contrary to my concerns, the knowledge about magic entered my mind surprisingly easily.

Was it because of my abnormally high Magic Power stat?

I had planned to take my time reading through about twenty books, but I ended up finishing them in less than three hours.

Unlike in reality, my mind in this world seemed sharper than I had thought.

Well, considering that ordinary mages only had around 13 to 14 Magic Power, while I had maxed out at 20… It wouldn’t make sense if I didn’t have this level of intelligence.

Just as the arrogant thought that I might actually be a genius crossed my mind, a sharp pain pierced through my eyes.

It felt like being pricked by needles, forcing me to press my palms against my eyelids as I rose from my desk.

Sitting in the same position for three hours and then suddenly standing up made my head spin. A classic case of dizziness. I barely managed to stagger toward the bed and collapse onto it, my eyes burning as if they were on fire.

People say that studying also requires stamina, right?

Apparently, this cursed body of mine couldn’t even handle three hours of sitting and reading.

As a result of this grueling endurance training session called "reading for three hours straight," I ended up spending the entire day lying in bed, rubbing my eyes.

It seemed my grand expectations of becoming a true genius had been nothing more than a fleeting delusion.

***

By midday on the third day,

I had learned my lesson from the previous day’s pain. I made sure to stretch after every 30 minutes of reading and took 20-minute breaks by lying on the bed.

I had learned the hard way that this ridiculous body couldn’t handle more than 30 minutes of sitting still without a break.

Endurance 1, Strength 1, Agility 1.

Just saying those stats out loud made me sigh in frustration as I leaned into the bed. That was when an unexpected knock came at the door.

Dragging my heavy body, I reluctantly reached for the doorknob.

"Squad Leader Rex and his men have returned."

The young servant delivered the news with a solemn expression.

"...Please take me to them."

The servant, who seemed to have the layout of this absurdly massive castle memorized, led me skillfully to where the carriages were.

After about 30 minutes of walking,

I was out of breath and drenched in sweat. The servant suggested we take a break, but I refused.

I could rest in the carriage.

A four-wheeled carriage had already been prepared at the castle’s entrance.

Soon, the carriage left the castle walls and traveled down the well-paved roads of the capital toward the national cemetery for fallen soldiers.

After nearly two hours,

A funeral was already underway at the cemetery on a distant hillside.