*
Time flowed relentlessly, and next week arrived.
“I hope everyone is present.”
A blue-haired man, reeking of alcohol, stumbled into the classroom. As his sharp gaze began to fade, he pulled a bottle from his coat and chugged it down.
“No matter how oblivious you are, you all must know that something is about to happen at our Grand Hertz Academy.”
Is this about the Hero Church?
As the White Aura illuminated again, Dennis seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. So that’s why he’s acting like that.
Drinking at the academy is something one has to tolerate from him. He’s always casting defensive magic using his own body as a medium.
“Erm, yes! The academic exams are coming soon!”
With a hot puff of breath, he pulled out a 3D Magic Circle.
An academic exam sounds like an event where you can commonly earn hidden pieces or potions.
“To be honest, the gap between this year’s freshmen is too vast.”
That’s not a surprising statement. We’ve got someone like Yuri Knight or Kainel, and there’s me too.
If Ariel is included, they wouldn’t be described as weak party members either. Normally, they’d be capable of taking down a Demon King.
But since there’s still no way to stop their powers, we shouldn’t even think about challenging them.
“What did you say…?”
“Is that really true, Professor?”
“True, those two knights seem way too strong.”
“The last time, the barriers broke down…”
At that, the entire classroom began to erupt in chaos. He sighed heavily and began to chant a spell.
“So, I’ve decided to give you all a chance to grow stronger. You’ll likely see some leveling up results.”
But why is he acting so serious about just that…?
Ah, is he trying to train the kids by speaking indirectly about the invasion of the Hero Church? I had my doubts but soon nodded in agreement.
If he were to confess that there’s a stronghold of the Hero Church in the academy’s basement, the Emperor would definitely barge in and angrily ask the faculty what they’ve been doing.
“Why, Licht?”
I stared blankly at Mardol. Why? Because you’re here! If you even mess with a hair on my head, the royal guards will be summoned, and I’d have a sword pointed at my neck!
Even just imagining it gave me a chill around my neck. It’s like I’d experienced it once before.
“Nothing at all.”
It must be a mix-up with the game. I shook my head, pretending it didn’t matter. That was also the reason I couldn’t verify if he was a doppelganger by hastily removing his helmet.
“Well, you’ll get the full explanation from the professor coming in soon. Drake!”
My mentor? Why is a name I know popping up here?
“Students─! Nice to meet you! Just like Dennis here, I’m one of the Ten Heroes! The upcoming Swordsmanship class we have scheduled…”
Cold sweat ran down my back. Did he find out I was trying to learn magic? There’s no way he’d just pop in during lecture hours like this.
“Enough of the chit-chat. Old man Drake, let’s get to the point.”
“These young folks these days… they lack patience.”
The Grand Sword Master, sporting short blonde hair and extensive facial scars, opened his mouth. His slightly disgruntled expression soon brightened.
“Students of Grand Hertz Academy, don’t you want to get stronger─!”
He flashed a kind, yet sly smile. It’s a facade! Don’t fall for it! You’ll end up dragged into the mountains to fight wild boars or bears!
“It’s the Dragon Slayer talking, of course we do!”
“Yes! Probably…?”
“Does that mean you’ll teach us Drake Style swordsmanship?!”
The other freshmen, unaware of the true nature of my mentor, cheered just on the words of becoming stronger. Looks like a tough road ahead. Damn it.
“Ahahaha!! It’s good to have such motivation!!”
They really don’t seem to know that strength comes hand in hand with effort and hardships.
“Today and tomorrow’s lessons will be replaced by practical training for two days, agreed upon by the professors!”
So no Spirit Magic or Divine Power Studies for two days? What on earth will we be doing…?
“Monster Hunting! More specifically, a ‘Group Project’!!”
Ah. That’s it.
The alpha and omega of university life. The infamous team project.
Just hearing it made me dizzy as I placed a hand on my helmet’s forehead. A process that ultimately leaves the lesson of ‘trust no one.’
Professors know just how hard group projects can be. I’ve seen it myself in reality. In the end, team luck becomes a disaster.
It’s great when only hardworking people gather, but there’s always someone who vanishes the day before.
“Starting today, you’ll all be entering the woods teeming with monsters! It’s the [Endless Monster Forest]!”
That’s a place I’ve never heard of. It doesn’t appear in the original or the sequels. Are monsters launching an offensive like in the North?
“Any monster will do! Come up with countermeasures! Gather your logic and reasoning!”
This is something I’ve never encountered before in such a scenario.
Could it be that my involvement might have altered the past? Really?
In that moment, the incidents of a few days prior flashed before my eyes.
“The incident that occurred in the setting sun’s secret meeting.”
If I hadn’t been there… Schartines would have been taken hostage by the Hero Church, and our Saintess would end up becoming the future…
“The mention of the original second Saintess may have been taboo.”
No matter how I think about it, that’s the part I’m missing. As long as there are no issues with the love line, is it that the developer lets contradictions slide?
“Or like when we had the Northern Archduchess, retaining her here would lead to her appearing in other works.”
Thinking that way eased my worries. So I did well. I let out a big sigh, almost dropping my heart with a dizzying sensation.
If that’s the case, it might not be too bad as a romance fantasy academy story. It means we can save our Saintess too.
Revisiting what I read in the beta tester mail, I couldn’t help but smile uncontrollably. Thank goodness for the helmet. No one will catch me smiling like a pervert suddenly.
“Even if monsters appear at night, the faculty has made sure they won’t attack students! Just for a single night and day! It shouldn’t be dangerous!”
So, we can fight in the morning, huh? That sounds comfortable and easy.
“Either hunt the highest-grade of monsters or bring back as many as possible!”
Watching Drake continue his discussion brought up a question.
This will certainly be skewed favorably towards me and Mardol, but wouldn’t there be no other evaluation metric? Leaning forward in my seat, I sat up.
“Grades will be given based on individual evaluations or a collective assessment by the faculty, scored by groups!”
Drake’s lips curled upwards as if he was aiming for something. When he does that, it’s terrifying.
But it’s a fair method. Even if you capture weak monsters, if teamwork is solid, an A+ is guaranteed.
“Professor Drake, will teamwork or combat methods also be taken into account?”
“Oh, good question! Of course!”
“Thank you, Professor.”
From a distant seat, a student called out a question. The Dragon Slayer responded cheerfully and continued his talk.
“By the way, don’t mess around at night! We’ll be watching! From another one of the Ten Heroes, Librarian Laplace, or the Sage!”
If they’re employing information mastery and foresight, I can definitely trust it.
The Great Magician working at the Library of Truth, and the Sage from the last Wizard Tower remaining, after all.
“Even if you students are adults, if you do that, you’re out! OUT!”
With a hearty laugh, his voice boomed across the classroom, shaking the entire space with only his spirit. A shiver ran down my spine at the warning in his cries.
“Ugh.”
“… the Ten Heroes really are something else. If I were a Grand Sword Master, would I do that?”
No, Kainel. That guy’s something else.
I shook my head seeing the shocked expressions of the Hero couple.
Some among the Ten Heroes were summoned from another world, but in reality, they’re just exceedingly strong ordinary people and no more.
“That’s Dennis’s case.”
He was the one called for free after the Four Great Heroes to help clean up. So if he grew to the end, a Hero with the Holy Sword would be stronger.
That’s how the game was. There’s a reason Kainel and Ariel’s couple appears in the original too.
“Licht, you too.”
“… Can I?” Mardol asked.
Though the Emperor, who is the father of Mardol, is an exception.
That guy was just a woodsman who sold wood for a living, but when the war started, he turned into a munchkin by taking down the Hero Church with a hand axe.
… He’s said to have suppressed some Demon King with strength and turned him back into a Hero in the original.
“…”
The reason I’m stubbornly sticking to the iron sword is exactly that. I looked at the simple weapon strapped to my waist, a Stalwart Serum II.
A mere weapon doesn’t reach a Demon King. So, no matter how expensive the tools you equip, it’s ultimately a waste of money.
The Holy Sword doesn’t earn its reputation as a powerful item for nothing.
“In the game, I was lucky enough to acquire a similar weapon.”
Thinking about it, I wonder where that weapon is now. As far as I recall, I might have bought it at an auction.
[zZSupremeDecayCoolzZ: quitting due to [Black Heart]. Selling cheap.]
Honestly, it was a lucky find. There are plenty of rare items among the gear that old players selling off their things.
“Automatic elimination if you retire!”
At that moment, my daydream was cut short. Drake had just started speaking something I can’t afford to miss.
“Don’t worry if you get hurt or find yourself in a dangerous situation, the instructors will rush to help you!”
So, Professors Beatrice and Maria will be involved as well.
That means they’ll pour their Spirit Magic or Divine Power entirely into protecting and improving the new students’ skills.
Something seems odd though. That’s a bit too excessive.
“Then, by the name of Tardun, ignite that will! You all─!!”
With a hearty laugh, Drake took a step back from the lecture’s podium.
“Those who want to back out can go home.”
Suddenly, Dennis spoke. With this sudden schedule, surely some students wouldn’t be able to attend. But even if it’s because of the Hero Church, it’s so urgent.
Wait, what do you mean ‘send them home’?
Isn’t it normal that they should say you won’t get project points?
“Other grades don’t matter, but this is special only for you freshmen.”
The answer to a question I hadn’t considered sprang forth. Which meant only the freshmen are involved.
“Could it be that there are limitations on abilities due to the divine power? That’s why they’re creating variables with this group project…?”
It felt strange how suddenly we were tasked with going outside. Goosebumps crept over my arms.
“Thinking of it the other way, being outside might allow future sight or access to information.”
I know the Demon King is keeping an eye on this, but the level of power used is excessive.
My head was throbbing. Only I and Nex could possibly catch on to this. If we just sit still in the academy, it’s dangerous, right?
“Departure in 10 minutes! I’ll be testing your judgment in this dire situation.”
That wasn’t Dennis; his words were hastening with anxiety. He was clearly trying to tweak the Head’s abilities to stretch the calculations.
In any case, we’ve got to get out of the academy fast. Cold sweat dripped down my helmet.
Think. My guess is that only ‘freshmen’ have issues. If not, they would’ve protected all students.
What’s important here? Why did the Demon King suddenly abduct Schartines this time?
Oh, I get it.
Is he targeting Rufus? That would make sense.
Come to think of it, he was close with the senior girl. The protagonists of [Night Heart Trilogy] all had a troubled past because of the Demon King.
As the solution came to light, my head suddenly felt clearer. I stopped tapping my fingers on the desk.
“Quickly form your groups. That’s a skill too. Students.”
Dennis, looking obviously worn out, set a 3D Magic Circle floating and started a countdown.
Twisted twice. If he just evacuated the students, the Demon King would catch on to it, and by using the group project as an excuse, they manage to gather the freshmen in one place for protection… Yeah, it’s not a bad plan.
It’s likely beyond the calculations I’ve made before.
As it was time to form teams, I noticed many students looking for strong members in the classroom.
“There…!! Black Knight helmet!!”
“Was it Licht? Listen to what I have to say!”
“Why are there so many people?!”
Maybe because I got first place last practice session, people started flocking toward me.
“Kainel!”
“Hey, Licht.”
I stood up to look back. It was a good thing I always sat near him, just in case.
Talking about these emergency situations only heightens the anxiety. There’s trauma due to the Demon King.
“You understand without needing to say it, right? I’ll ask Ariel to join us.”
“Of course! I’d be grateful to have you!”
“Helmet Guy! You’re using that storm-like move again, right? I trust you!”
Quickly, we formed our team. Ding— the sound rang as our names appeared in the 3D Magic Circle before us.
[Team 1: 3/4]
A 4-person group, huh. That means…
“Hey, Mardol! Let’s team up!”
“I came first! I’m going first.”
“Since I got second, you’re not trying to team up with the first, are you? Mardol…! Let’s beat that Licht Black Knight guy!”
“Ohoho! Step aside! This glass knight is destined to be with me!”
As expected, he’s the harem route easy mode character.
Around him, many girls were swarming. A duchess claiming to be a duke’s daughter, a rustic-looking village girl, and the daughter of the knight commander, without a doubt…
‘He’s really attracting them like flies.’
What kind of pheromone does he give off that causes people to crowd around him?
It’s even worse than me, the first place holder. It’s somewhat disheartening.
But since I’ve got to stick with our Saintess, I ought to help him a bit. I decided to take up the Crown Prince’s companion route now.
After all, I have to protect the heroine of this work.
“Mardol─!!”
I squeezed through the crowd and shouted. My voice barely audible. Thankfully, he seemed to have heard me.
“Licht..?”
The glass helmet that had been long bowed began moving with a clatter.
“Let’s team up for the group project!!”
If this work forms a harem where the Saintess sheds tears again, I won’t sit idle. I stretched out my hand to seek agreement,
“Okay, Licht.”
He grasped my hand in acceptance, and our names went up on the 3D Magic Circle. But why is he interlocking our fingers again? He could just hold my hand lightly!
Is it really safe to be aside from the academy for a bit?
An ever-increasing sense of unease tightened around my heart.
*
In the very moment Licht and his group were just a step away from their group project, somewhere in the Grancia Empire, a soft sob echoed.
“Waaah…”
“Oh dear, little one. Why are you crying?”
“A balloon… got stuck in a tree… It was given by my dad and mom…”
A boy who looked just shy of seven years old was tearfully gazing at a balloon stuck in a tree.
“…Just that? Boring…”
As she spoke, the woman with long white hair switched to less formal speech. Her expression was void of interest as she looked up.
“Here you go.”
“U-uh? Pretty lady!! Thank you so much!!! Oh, I’m so relieved…”
As she finished speaking, the red balloon that had been stuck appeared in the woman’s hand. Handing it over made the boy smile, wiping his tears away.
“It’s pretty…”
The woman in the black suit frowned slightly. Crossing her arms, she continued speaking.
“Now, you see. I’m trying to go to a place called [Grand Hertz Academy].”
“Oh, sure! If you go straight from there to the fountain, you’ll get there, Miss Magician!”
“Thanks, ah. Little one, by any chance…”
Suddenly, as if an interesting thought had crossed her mind, the magician smiled and leaned closer to the boy, performing a playful action akin to a predator fixating on its prey.
“Between your mom and dad, which one do you like more?”
A voice filled with delight gleamed from the crazed woman. Anyone else would have regarded her as mad and made themselves scarce.
“…Huh? All of a sudden? Miss?”
“It just sounds like fun…! Isn’t it? Hurry and answer!”
Unfortunately for the boy, oblivious to the unfortunate fate looming over him, he replied honestly.
“I can’t choose! Miss!”
“…Hmm. Why can’t you choose?”
“My parents are both really good people! I can’t pick just one! Hehe…”
The foolish answer he gave would lead him into regret and lifelong torment.
“…Really? Then I’ll ‘make’ it so you can!”
The white-haired woman’s golden eyes glinted as she wore a slightly twisted smile.
─ Snap.
The Magic Hat clapped loudly, and the cold air that surrounded erupted, sending chills down everyone’s spine.
It was ominously clear. It meant that greatly wrong events were about to unfold.
“Now you can love both at once! Congratulations! Little one!”
“Huh..?”
The young boy couldn’t begin to comprehend the horrifying story that was just beginning.
“Your answer was too boring, so I’ve merged them into ‘one’! Don’t you understand, little one?”
The Demon King of Truth turned, leaving behind the bewildered boy.
“Ah, you’re still too small to understand? It’ll be fun to check when you get home!”
She grinned widely, gently chuckling as she made her way in the direction of the academy.
