Daily Rewards! Transmigrating into a novel as a side-character!

Silence lingered in the air for a few moments, until at last her lips curved into a beautiful smile that showcased her glistening white teeth.

It was the kind of smile that did not simply lift her cheeks but seemed to rekindle something within her.

I could see that she had regained confidence in herself. Elen looked at me with renewed resolve, as if envisioning countless possibilities opening before her, each one a challenge to be met, a barrier to be broken.

In that moment, I knew she would step into the alchemy module not as a student burdened by doubt, but as a seeker ready to embrace every triumph, every failure, and every lesson the path had to offer.

This was exactly what made Elen different from other students, the way she absorbed advice was something that was special in her. She didn't find ways to disprove your words, rather she contemplated and worked upon it.

Elen drew in a quiet breath, steadying herself before speaking.

"Adrian…" she said, her voice almost a whisper at first, then stronger, carried by conviction. "Thank you. I didn't realize how much I needed to hear that. I thought my failures meant I wasn't good enough, that maybe I wasn't cut out for this at all. But now… now I see it differently."

Her eyes glistened, not with weakness, but with determination. "You've reminded me that failure isn't the end. It's just part of the journey. I won't run from it anymore."

For a moment, her gaze softened, gratitude clear in every word that followed. "Truly, Adrian… thank you."

Emmet's voice cut through the emotional moment for Elen bluntly. "You done with the motivational speech? Why don't you come and spar with me, Blackwood."

I looked at Emmet for a moment before smiling. I wasn't offended by his sarcastic interruption. The fact that Emmet was talking to us so casually meant he was beginning to recognize us as people worth his time, even if we weren't considered friends yet. This informal interaction was progress.

"I'll have to pass this time, Emmet. Another time, though."

Emmet clicked his tongue in disappointment, the sharp sound expressing his frustration at my refusal. His eyes showed he'd been looking forward to testing himself against me again after our previous match.

"Fine," he said with obvious reluctance. "But don't keep me waiting too long, Blackwood."

"I won't."

Elen watched this exchange with curious interest, clearly trying to understand the dynamic between Emmet and me. The competitive tension was obvious, but so was the underlying respect.

"I'll hold you to that promise," Emmet added before walking away, his hands already returning to his pockets.

With Elen by my side, I made my way toward the private rooms where students could practice blacksmithing, alchemy, and other specialized fields.

Elen's excitement was obvious as we walked. "I want to book a room too. I'm actually looking forward to learning through trial and error now."

We approached the booking station, and I scanned my card first. "One blacksmithing room for two hours, please."

[-1,000 Points]

Elen stepped forward next, though I noticed her hesitation when she saw the price display. "One alchemy room for two hours."

[-1,000 Points]

She winced slightly as the points were deducted from her account. "These rooms are expensive, but I suppose it's worth it for proper learning facilities."

"The academy charges premium rates because the rooms are equipped with magical grade equipment, think of it as an investment in your skills." I explained.

"You're right," she said, her determination to improve overcoming her concern about the cost. "I need to stop thinking short-term about expenses. If I can develop my alchemy abilities, the long-term benefits will far outweigh the initial point investment."

"Exactly. Plus, once the official modules start, you'll already have hands-on experience that other students lack."

Elen nodded firmly. "I'm going to make every minute of this practice session count. No more hesitation, no more fear of making mistakes."

"That's the spirit. I'll see you in a couple hours?"

"Definitely."

We headed toward our respective practice rooms, both eager to push our skills to new levels.

Inside the blacksmithing room, I focused on creating stronger arrows to compensate for the damage limitations my crossbow had shown against Elite-rank opponents. The standard bolts simply weren't penetrating deeply enough to be effective.

I began by selecting higher-grade steel and incorporating thin strands of Mithril into the arrow shafts. This combination would provide superior durability while maintaining the lightweight properties essential for proper flight. The arrowheads required special attention, I forged them with a diamond-shaped cross-section to maximize penetration while adding small Orichalcum inlays to channel mana directly into the impact point.

Testing the completed arrows against my own skin by rubbing them and testing their sharpness proved that they were indeed much better than the previous ones. Still, it needed real time testing, but that would have to wait.

These new arrows meant that the crossbow would be more devastating against normal Elite-rank opponents. The resource cost was higher than before but it made sense, the improved lethality justified the expense.

With stronger ammunition ready, I turned my attention to upgrading the crossbow itself. Rather than crafting an entirely new weapon, I retrieved my previous prototype and began handling the modifications to withstand the increased stress these powerful arrows would generate.

I reinforced the bow stave with additional Mithril bands, preventing structural failure under higher tension loads. The string mechanism received Orichalcum wire reinforcement throughout its length, allowing it to channel more mana without degrading. Most importantly, I redesigned the trigger assembly to better distribute the explosive force generated by the enhanced arrows.

The adaptive bolt groove system required recalibration as well. The new arrows had different weight distributions and dimensional specifications that the mechanism needed to accommodate. I spent considerable time adjusting the Resonite sensors and memory alloy components to ensure proper fitting.

After two hours of intensive work, I had transformed the crossbow into a weapon capable of threatening elite-rank opponents.