Chapter 70: Academy Difficulty Level Increase 2
“Hey, Lorei. Did anything special happen outside?”
“Tower Master, didn’t I already tell you the color of the beastkin rogue’s underwear?”
“Not that! I’m talking about something… different.”
“Something, huh…?”
For the sake of her Purple Magic Tower Master, who was trying to extract as much juicy information about their Esteemed Junior as possible, Lorei, nicknamed ‘Senior Scarface’, began her nth flashback.
I’m pretty sure I already mentioned how Esteemed Junior’s adventurer friend got whacked by an ogre’s flaming club and went flying. I’m itching to indulge in some personal research… Can’t she just get out? Did I miss talking about anything?
Ah.
Lorei snapped her fingers.
“You see, our Esteemed Junior didn’t seem to grasp just how terrifying golems can be, so I thought it would be a golden opportunity to set up a fight with a cleaning golem.”
“Gah…! Why did you do that, Lorei?! What if he comes out traumatized…?!”
“An Illusion Wizard needs a bit of trauma regarding golems. Anyway, as anticipated, the battle ended with our Esteemed Junior’s defeat, but…”
Esteemed Junior’s final incantation.
Even though it got interrupted by a swish from the duster, Esteemed Junior had been trying to conjure something against the golem. Since it was a spell I’d never heard of before, I casually asked him about it on the way back. Just what kind of magic was he trying to pull off?
He said it was a spell he made up on the fly.
“So, obsolete golems don’t have egos; that’s why Illusion Magic doesn’t work on them, right?”
“For most of them, I guess so?”
“Right, so he was like… he’d make an ego and then thrash it… or something like that. Esteemed Junior said that.”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯!!”
The Tower Master froze, as if struck by lightning. Since it wasn’t the Blue Magic Tower making a surprise attack, it must have been a zap from a crazy flash of inspiration. What in the world did this little genius come up with?
Reading people’s minds is often a challenge, but understanding the Tower Master’s thoughts was a piece of cake. By observing the illusions swirling around her, I could deduce what was on her mind.
Illusions fluttered around the Tower Master, lost in deep thought. There was a chibi version of Esteemed Junior and a spaghetti monster doing loops in space.
But then, she imagined opening Esteemed Junior’s head, taking something out, and dumping it into the spaghetti monster…?
“I’m going back to my research now, so please exit.”
Lorei decided to act as if she hadn’t seen anything at all. Getting wrapped up in something so dubious and troublesome was just asking for trouble. She physically dragged the Tower Master out and slammed the door shut. Cute little sparks flew as the door clicked into place.
Finally, Lorei reclaimed her precious solitary time.
===============================================================
The Tower Master paced around her office, muttering.
“Right… Uh-huh. If I can’t hit it due to not having a body, I can just create a body…”
This was an idea she had never even contemplated. And the answer lay right there.
What resided in her mind was a highly complex Magic – Thought Form. It erased memories and drastically altered personalities while having no physical presence, making it untouchable.
Even Yuna didn’t know much about its origin or what it truly was. After long observation and data collection, she had only grasped a fragment of its essence.
Thus, there was no option but to slow down the erosion and wait for the right moment. The reason ‘Something’s’ identity was kept hidden from him was due to the common trait among Cerebrates; they convert belief into power.
Just like the Illusion Magic he devised, the more one thinks about it, the more power it gains.
A contradiction of trying not to think about it while still needing to deal with it. The paradox of having no physical form. This complexity was why even the Emperor and the Tower Master couldn’t find a solution and simply paced around.
Tower Master Yuna also thought she must resort to her ultimate tactic at the pivotal moment. However…
“Create it… and then hit it.”
She would grant 自然 ‘That’ a physical form and launch an attack.
Perhaps it could serve as an effective preemptive strike. While she couldn’t completely eradicate it, she might at least manage to siphon off a portion of its power. So now, it came down to how and what to bestow.
Therein lay the clue in the simulation.
If it was within the simulation closely knit with psyche, Yuna could possibly manage the phenomena caused by ‘That’ while minimizing its effects.
===============================================================
In a world simulated by Illusion Magic, he had been running a Cthulhu session for Academy students. Yuna hid her presence while carefully observing every detail.
A world under the influence of a wicked Evil God. It seemed to consist of fanatical worshippers and heroes trying to save the world.
“……This time too, I’m late again….”
And the players were currently being smashed in real time.
Yummy despair. They lost valuable companions. The motivation aligns just perfectly. Their reactions are more passionate than I anticipated, but I’ve woven in time travel into the session material, so I can rough them up a little more…
He looked at the suffering trio with a warm smile. It was hard to reconcile this with the image of someone who crawled on the floor like a worm just because he couldn’t land a kiss with Second Prince Irid.
“Yet still not enough. They remain too complacent. Maybe I should set up an NPC reporter to build some rapport with them before triggering the next event.”
He actually planned to hurt them more. Their mental states had crumbled to dust by now. Yet, he was convinced they had to feel regret to stage a compelling climax in their second chance, which starts anew.
It appeared that his capacity for empathy was fading considerably.
Even Saintess Tara and Niolle appeared dazed, their eyes clouded. Still, he didn’t appear to be inclined to take action. While post-desolation happiness could indeed be electrifying, mashing someone to a pulp and merely offering them a band-aid wasn’t exactly healthy community conduct.
This situation couldn’t continue.
Yuna scanned the world around her.
It would be ideal if 『That』 could be encased in a weak NPC that couldn’t even move its limbs. When it got whacked, expulsion would be much easier.
But she couldn’t just assign any character. It had to share common traits with 『That』 in various angles; whether it’s personality, abilities, narratives, beliefs, or settings, you name it.
The magic Yuna prepared essentially tricked 『That』 into a misrepresentation. Therefore, she needed a vessel with a high synchronization rate that would lead 『That』 to mistake it for its own body.
Capacity was essential too. The larger the capacity, the more of 『That』 could be stored.
An NPC named Isaac caught Yuna’s attention. It seemed designed as a mid-boss. She considered transferring 『That』 into her. But no, that wasn’t a smart move. Isaac’s storage capacity wasn’t that great.
Then what about the Cult Leader? As a final boss design, the capacity was quite decent. He could probably contain about 2% of 『That』. The setting also lent itself well to draw in 『That』. He was a lunatic, worshiped an Evil God, and committed murder without a second thought for his own objectives.
Still, if I want meaningful results, at least 5% would be the goal…
“……Ah.”
Yuna looked up at the sky.
While the starry sky glimmered with beauty, Yuna, endowed with Game Master powers, perceived something else. A massive cosmic beast composed of countless bubbles. A fictional Evil God taken straight from cosmic horror tales.
“……If it’s this…”
If she were to contain 『That』 within the Evil God, it seemed likely that about 7% could fit snugly in there. The synchronization rate was quite remarkable too. An incomprehensible Evil God that manipulated time and space and viewed humans as insignificant pests. It was an avatar that would stimulate the attention of 『That』.
Moreover, using the Evil God as a vessel would bring multiple additional effects.
While it was only his memories that were erased, it also affected the memories of those acquainted with him, as if changing the world under the impact of his existence. Even Yuna was unaware of the exact mechanics, but she was informed that the phenomenon indeed happened.
The reason she sought to stir things up in a simulation was due to concerns about that impact. Being a virtual reality, she believed it would be tough to extend influence beyond its confines.
Still, since life is full of unpredictability… There’s always a chance that if she used the Cult Leader’s avatar as a vessel, someone resembling him in the real world might unexpectedly encounter a mishap.
Thus, the Evil God was the prime candidate.
If she used a forbidden, non-existent entity, one that nobody genuinely believed in, as the vessel… If she could take it down, this whole affair could wrap up neatly.
The sole caveat here was…
“We’ll be departing for the secret safe hour discussed by the investigator… in 10 minutes.”
“To think they’re just now getting ready to go there.”
This meant that the trio, who were already overstretched, would face even more intense challenges. The session difficulty would explode. Instead of facing a mere empty data construct for an Evil God, they would encounter a legitimate malevolent entity, fully loaded with 『That』 and keen on wreaking genuine havoc among the populace.
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
Her conscience pricked at her.
Still, this endeavor needed the assistance of those hapless students. The most potent means of inflicting harm on a Cerebrate was indeed through the force of the mind, similar to how a Dream Demon dares not invade a priest tempered in mental discipline.
Emotions filled with human courage, friendship, love, or anger… would be immensely beneficial in combating the Cerebrate.
However.
Wouldn’t it make more sense for just three people to take the hit on the front lines instead of letting him be completely consumed and madly unleash horrific Illusion Magic, causing the Empire and society to collapse?!
“I-I’m sorry, Bennett. I’m sorry, Tara, I’m sorry, Niolle… But I promise to do my best too…!”
She planned to wield the powers of a Sub-Game Master to the fullest.
Despite that, it would undoubtedly be a rough road ahead. It was undeniably unethical to heap even greater suffering on those who embarked on an adventure with good intentions. Yuna tightly squeezed her eyes shut. Yet…
The Purple Magic Tower Master could slice away something less precious for the sake of something much more valuable.
Yuna pressed on with her strategy while fully feeling the stabbing ache of guilt.
To extract 『That』 from him and inject it into the Outer God, he needed to stay within the simulation world. Thus, Yuna revealed herself before him at the session’s end.
“…Uh, Tower Master?”
“Oh, yes… it’s me…”
“How long has it been?!”
At first, he looked shocked, followed swiftly by a broad smile. His face lit up with joy at seeing her again. Pure warmth of happiness surged toward Yuna, even in his current state dominated by 『That』.
“Did you sneak in? No wait, that’s not what’s important! What’s been happening at the Academy is──.”
Yuna lifted a hand to stop him in his rambles. After adjusting the brim of her hat to slightly shadow her eyes, she asked.
“Hey, do you… still trust me?”
“Of course! Why? Do you plan to do something?”
“I’m going to make you fall asleep. For about… two weeks.”
“Wha…? It’s really not cool to mess with the session schedule for personal motives…”
Rather than asking why or how she was going to put him to sleep for two weeks, he seemed more worried about the upcoming session timetable. Was he that invested in it?
“Uh, I…! I’ll act as GM. The session will continue…”
“To think you’d swipe the most savory parts that I painstakingly prepared…!”
“N-No, that wasn’t my intention…! Look, I’d rather be surrounded by love than despair and suffering, alright?!”
He grumbled for quite some time. Mentioning how he had been eagerly looking forward to the session, regretting not being able to wrap it up himself, and questioning whether she could indeed maintain the players’ spirits.
When Yuna proposed that this was a once-in-a-lifetime favor and asked if he could handle it, he relented under the condition that Yuna would grant him a wish in return.
“It looks like I’m in for a long break. Just a heads-up, please inform Pink-Haired Lesbian that I won’t be attending this week’s debate. Also, here’s the outline for future plots. There’s a ton of material, so even if you leave it alone, the session’ll progress on its own. However, given the unpredictable actions, just in case. By the way, I was thinking of focusing on tentacle dungeons this time for my next lecture….”
After he detailed all the preparations and handed Yuna a pamphlet titled “Even Beginners Can Master This! : 11 Ways to Induce Players’ Unexpected Actions”…
“I’ve released the mental barrier.”
It was all up to Yuna now. Although it was quite an elaborate exchange, seeing him have this level of trust in her honestly tugged at her heartstrings. Yuna, on the verge of tears, reached out.
“……Thank you. Alright, see you… later.”
“Make sure you log everything.”
“……When someone’s trying to be heartfelt, can’t you just keep the mood for a moment…?”
With a single motion of her hand, Yuna blurred his consciousness, sinking him deep to prevent him from awakening from any outside disturbances. Then, after layering on defensive spells…
She reaffirmed her determination. She would lead this plan to success.
Afterward, Yuna disguised her appearance with Illusion Magic and stepped forth before the trio.
===============================================================
Yuri Lanster lay on her bed, wiggling her toes, before snapping at the dawdling Crazy Wizard who seemed particularly lost today.
“Aren’t you getting ready?”
“Uh…? Huh? Getting ready for what?”
“I’m fairly certain I sent you an official document. Aren’t we heading out for the Dungeon Exploration Practical Exercise soon?”
“Oh, ahaha. Is that so?”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
Yuri Lanster narrowed her eyes. Then, she stepped closer to the Crazy Wizard and took a sniff. Instead of his usual scent, there was an overwhelming floral fragrance.
Although she hadn’t moved in for a close approach, the Crazy Wizard was oddly fidgety. To top it off, he clasped his hands together on his chin, hunching his shoulders.
The scent of a female was so potent that she could detect it from 10 meters away. As she adjusted her glasses, Yuri Lanster inquired seriously.
“Hey, Crazy Wizard. Are you trying to seduce me?”
“What, wha—WHAT?!”
“It’s like you’re begging to be devoured! I’m pretty sure I mentioned I like passive girls, right?”
“Ugh, eek…!”
“That tone. There’s no way you don’t know what that flirty sound means to me…”
Is this a challenge?
They regularly engaged in playful banter, but always within the bounds of gentlemanly conduct, never crossing any lines. Yuri Lanster hadn’t removed her ‘Suit Jacket’ seal for that very reason. It was a boundary-crossing provocation.
The Crazy Wizard also sealed his TS Magic precisely for that reason. Crossing the line was inherently stimulating.
But right now, in a battlefield that only allowed cold steel, the Crazy Wizard began lobbing fireballs. That was breaking the covenant. If one side stepped over the line first, the other had to respond with full force.
Should I… unseal it? Should I simply charm him?
Oh, I could just go wild and leave him speechless…
Just as Yuri Lanster was ready to violently loosen her tie and pop open the top button of her dress shirt… the Crazy Wizard vanished, disappearing from existence as if erased by the cosmos.
“Hah.”
Why the heck did you cross the line to run away like a chicken?
Still, it was a long-standing tradition to strike back for every hit received. Yuri Lanster loaded a metaphorical nuclear bomb called ‘Sneaking into Bed in the Middle of the Night While Wearing Thin Clothes.’
I’ll make this Crazy Wizard taste defeat. Get ready to face your doom!
After tidying her tie and fixing her attire, Yuri Lanster composed a new official document for a cooperation request—specifically for the upcoming Dungeon Exploration Practical Exercise, which the Academy students were set to undertake in succession. This requested her presence as an overseer.
The dungeon designated for the students had been vetted for safety by numerous adventurers, but the professors would accompany them as a precaution against unforeseen challenges.
They were set to depart in two days. The first group of students would soon be on their way.
She glanced over the list contained in the document. Bennett Helton, Niolle Lestman, and Saintess Tara were included.
Having traveled through a tumultuous world teeming with fanatics, a mere dungeon would be akin to a leisurely stroll for these seasoned adventurers. From what she could glean last, their faces had appeared rather grim, though…
Although the wait was brief before the start of the second session, Yuri Lanster genuinely wished for the Dungeon Exploration to serve as a refreshing change of pace.
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