# Enhanced Translation
I'll structure the protagonist's power-up event simply as follows:
1. A sudden attack during a peaceful moment.
2. A conspiracy revealed through hardship and adversity.
3. Awakening through positive concepts like friendship and love.
4. A series of rewards after overcoming adversity.
This is now considered a classic story structure, but there's a reason classics are classics. Even with variations, stories don't stray far from this structure.
Thinking one step further, I can understand Ivan's preparation process.
To forcibly initiate the protagonist's power-up event, one must lay out a conspiracy, ambush the protagonist's party, continuously push them through hardships, and then throw them rewards afterward.
There's a subtle difference between overcoming adversity to awaken versus throwing adversity to cause awakening, but all roads lead to Rome.
In the end, only results matter. A trained agent never prioritizes the process. As long as you can achieve proper results in any situation, that's all that matters.
Therefore, Ivan decided to prepare rewards, arrange hardships with an appropriate difficulty curve, and create a "plausible" conspiracy in between.
"At minimum, the 'protagonists' should all be able to master neural acceleration and Line-of-Fire Detection... and ideally pick up at least one secret technique."
Ivan contemplated while looking down at a map covered in tactical symbols.
What he was doing was essentially game design. It couldn't be helped.
Since he had already cleared all the "stages" that the protagonists would normally have had to solve in a normal gameplay process.
So now he had to create stages for them. And stages must be designed with precise calculations of the player's experience and growth limits.
It was a kind of level design. Ivan stroked his beard as he looked down at the map.
"The protagonist party, huh."
Isabelle, Elfihera, Asidis, and Oskar cannot be left out. These four were definitely the protagonist party.
But Lucia, Enrique's disciple. She's currently carrying out a "secret mission" with Enrique. The kind of mission directly controlled by the princess that even he, as commander of the counterintelligence headquarters, doesn't know about.
If it's a mission requiring a member of the Hero Party, it must be harsh. In that case, Lucia, who is directly apprenticed to Enrique, doesn't need to be considered by Ivan.
So the remaining "protagonists" are...
"Oswald, Yu-jin, Yu-ri."
The transmigrator trio. These kids are somewhat complicated. Each has growth potential no less than the Hero Party's children, but they each have their own narratives arranged for them.
For instance, Oswald has a romance fantasy with the "villain lady."
Yu-jin has an academy genre story as the "youngest scoundrel son."
Yu-ri has... well, anyway.
Then forcibly inserting a "power-up event" by directly intervening in their growth might be meaningless. Their own stories aren't progressing.
Ivan tapped the table repeatedly, lost in thought.
Considering the end of this story, the most powerful potential adversary would be the Demon King or the previous generation Hero.
In the worst case, the disappeared Maximillian, the man who reportedly secluded himself while bearing numerous "curses" alone. He might have to face him directly.
Then it certainly can't be done alone. Ivan couldn't imagine himself killing Maximillian single-handedly.
Moreover, it's "common sense" that a corrupted hero is stronger than the original. An ally turned enemy tends to come out with all sorts of buffs slathered on.
Ivan was a sensible person, so he didn't overestimate himself. Instead, he looked down at the map.
He must use all available resources. The Hero Party's children were the highest quality resources he had at his disposal.
Raw gems only gain value when cut.
Ivan thought as he wrote the operation plan. Trials that don't kill you make you stronger. Hadn't he grown that way himself?
Finals, naturally ended with top honors. Scholarship was "noblesse oblige." What significance would such tuition have before the wealth of the Grikenkos family?
Elfihera hummed as she walked past the mansion's main gate. The warm summer sunshine was vigorously heating the elven residential district.
"Oh, you've arrived."
"Lord Coenulf."
Her mood plummeted immediately after encountering the elf doing a handstand on a sword in the middle of the garden.
Literally, Edelplat Coenulf was currently meditating while doing a handstand on a sword that he had stuck upside down.
This is why swordsmen are like this.
Meditation should rightfully be done with a composed mindset in silence. Why would a swordsman need meditation in the first place? It all stems from a base desire to imitate mages.
Anyway, swordsmen have a habit of trying to imitate anything that looks good. And most "good-looking things" originate from magic. This was an obvious truth.
"When are you finally returning to your homeland?"
"My, already issuing an eviction notice? How unbecoming of a noble."
"I spoke indirectly in a noble manner because you didn't understand when I was direct."
"What a regretful thing to say. I understood everything and refused in a noble manner. Surely the Grikenkos family's resources aren't so scarce that they can't accommodate one humble swordsman as a guest."
"I'm sorry, but aren't you richer, Lord Coenulf?"
"Paying rent would be too vulgar, wouldn't it?"
Edelplat smiled and released the sword handle, spinning down gracefully.
"I'm thinking of leaving before winter comes. I don't want to experience Krasilov's winter again. Well, I'm not sure if I'll be going alone."
"...?"
"Hehe, something came up. There was mail for you, go check it."
"Yes, I'll see you later."
Elfihera nodded a greeting to Edel, who had resumed his training, and left.
Mail? Is it from the homeland?
During the half year since entering this university, most of the numerous love letters Elfihera received were delivered at school. No human dared enter the elven residential district.
And elves never convey their feelings through letters.
So a letter delivered to her home would most likely be from her homeland... Father could contact through a crystal ball, so aside from him, who could it be?
Elfihera picked up the neatly placed envelope on the reception room table.
"Huh?"
[Sender: Ivan Petrovich Yeremov]
"Uncle?!"
Elfihera hastily hugged the letter to her chest and looked around. Naturally, there was no one in her mansion except for minimal servants. And there was no need to hide the letter.
Noticing this fact with her brilliant intellect, Elfihera cleared her throat and straightened her back.
Crossing her elegantly extended legs, she took a cup of tea prepared with the reception room refreshments. Drinking slowly.
Hmph. A snort once.
"So you've finally noticed, have you?"
When he suddenly ran off saying he was getting married, I thought, ah, human mating seasons are so blind and foolish. What pitiful creatures they are.
Yes, you've finally noticed the "opportunity"? The "opportunity" to be connected with an elf, truly. It must have been an irresistible temptation for a human.
So, now you're trying to wag your tail at me?
With the vigor that would have made her tail wag fiercely if she had one, Elfihera extended her finger with a grinning smile.
Snap, breaking the letter's seal.
Taking a deep breath.
Whew, placing a hand on her chest for a moment of deep breathing. After that, widely. Unfolding the neatly folded letter paper.
Now for the passionate love confession... confession...
[Summer Resort Invitation.
Location: Irtysh Station
Date: St. Yansk University semester end day 1500 hours
Details: Board the No. 15 section railway departing from St. Barbai Station Platform 1 at 1530.
Note 1. One-way ticket for No. 15 section railway attached.]
Confession...?
"Usually... feelings that can't be fully expressed in a letter are followed by 'meet me behind the school'... right?"
Strange. Clearly everyone around her confessed, received confessions, and dated that way.
This businesslike... exactly like some official document, even using the word 'invitation'...
And even including a ticket for a train ride a week later...?
More importantly, what? Where is Irtysh Station?
Elfihera was thrown into confusion.
"This is a honeymoon? Trip? Right? Uncle, you think so too, right?"
"Well, to my eyes it looks more like inviting a foreign noble to military training."
"That's because your sensitivity is dead. Actually, Uncle Ivan and I have this kind of relationship, you know?"
"Well... I've never seen you properly exchange letters... or conversations... with that guy."
"That's because you've never been in love. When hearts connect, there's no need for words or anything like that, you know?"
"Right. Let's just go with that."
Mord nodded quietly, looking at the bouncing Asidis with warm eyes.
Brother, I think you've failed at raising your child. I'm just saying this now, but she seems to take after her mother more than you. You know, in the not-so-good way.
They say daughters take after their fathers, but that's all lies.
While thinking.
"Lord Yeremov, is it."
Oskar wiped the sweat from his forehead with a towel as he looked at the letter.
A sudden contact and a sudden invitation. Normally he wouldn't have given it a second thought, but...
"He's a strong person."
He had also observed the last tournament. Ivan's military prowess had been painfully evident since the field training attack incident.
He is a weapon this country is hiding. Even as the son of the Hero Party, he had never heard Ivan's name until coming to this country.
The fact that such a man had an intimate relationship with Enrique and his father. The fact that despite being such a powerful figure, the citizens of this country don't know of his existence suggests only one thing.
Krasilov is preparing for war.
Contrary to many people's misconceptions, monarchs who loudly advertise their military power fear war more than anyone. That's why Tilles held lavish festivals while appointing Gil Ber as the Guardian Lord.
Oskar, Gil Ber's eldest son, knew this fact more clearly than anyone. However, Krasilov, on the surface, appears fragmented by internal strife, consuming most of its military power to control vast colonies, with all heroes of the last war either retired or disappeared.
Yet their internal intelligence network is suspiciously meticulous, and despite being evaluated as on the verge of collapse due to internal strife, their response to terrorism is surprisingly swift.
And they're harboring a weapon like Ivan Petrovich without revealing him to anyone. They've been suspiciously keeping him hidden.
Then there's only one conclusion. Krasilov was preparing for war.
The great powers sharing borders are Droan and Tilles. And Droan's king recently infiltrated Pritzenkaya and made some kind of agreement with the princess.
Then the only country Krasilov could immediately raise arms against narrows down to Tilles alone. As a knight of Tilles, this is unacceptable.
"Inform the homeland. Say that regular reports may be sparse for a while as I'm acquiring internal information."
Ivan Petrovich Yeremov. To understand the identity of this mysterious man and this country's intentions, it would be better to stay close to him.
Knight of the Hero Party, son of Gil Ber. Oskar.
Krasilov entry: 6 months. Fixed spy work (main job) commencing!
"Yes. This is training."
Isabelle acknowledged cleanly as she folded the letter.
Would that "uncle" really try to hit on a college girl by suddenly suggesting they go hiking?
No matter how flowery his mind might be at his age, Isabelle was one of the people who had observed Ivan most closely and for the longest time.
Of course she could tell the moment she saw the letter.
Suddenly calling her out of the city? Him? Well, there's only one conclusion. Nothing but training.
Yes, I understand he's healthy.
So the conclusion is, while being healthy and fine, he's been ignoring his promise to come eat "vegetable stew" for several days.
And yet he wants to take me out alone for training?
Yes, yes, because there are many watching eyes in this city.
As an intelligence agent, he's naturally a talent managed by the state. Spending "off-mission" time with a foreign noble lady would be burdensome.
If he's calling me out alone under the pretext of training, to take a train journey together.
Yes, yes, I understand.
"This is love."
Anyway, this habit of speaking indirectly is really bad.
Isabelle grinned as she began packing her bags.
"Strange. Why do I feel like there are so many familiar faces? Right?"
"I know. Are you going to Tilles as soon as vacation starts? Well, this railway does go straight to Tilles, doesn't it?"
"That's fine for me, but Droan should be on the opposite platform."
"Didn't Oskar say he would stay in Pritzenkaya during the break?"
"I have some business to attend to briefly. What about you, Miss Elfihera?"
"Don't talk to me. There are too many humans, it's making me dizzy. I have an allergy to human hair."
"How does she even attend school with that attitude?"
Summer vacation, begin!