*
The Demon King of All Knowledge, Head Ake, was watching the situation from afar.
‘…Something feels off. Even with the variable of a Hero added in.’
Time was taking too long.
Dennis was stuck in the Central Hall, unable to master the 3D Magic Circles, and Laplace and the sage’s intel would surely be blocked by the power of ignorance.
“It’s already the seventh loop. I just checked things last time.”
He muttered while checking the number of bullets in his revolver’s chamber. Only one bullet was empty.
Head’s mind was in chaos. Where did the error begin? He took out a book from his pocket and skimmed through the previously noted information.
“…It’s 11:15. It’s already been 15 minutes.”
According to his calculations, the Apostle of Gluttony should have easily overpowered all the Academy’s students by now.
“Communication magic is also blocked.”
He shifted his gaze towards the playground. If Metus truly fed on others’ traumas and turned it into his own power, this should not be happening.
It was a flaw that his abilities required inhaling the black mist through a respiratory device; surely the Academy’s students would be aware of that.
“This is too strange. I’ll have to check it myself…”
He felt something deeply wrong. Perhaps he had too much faith in trauma as a weakness against someone capable of nullifying his omniscience or ignorance.
─Bang.
The troubled Demon King fired his revolver in the direction he was looking, and in an instant, his body moved.
He felt the ground beneath his feet. Upon arriving at the Grand Hertz Academy’s playground, Head looked around.
“…What on earth is happening?”
The playground was empty except for one person lying down. The Academy’s students all looked perfectly unharmed, not a single hair out of place.
“KEEEEKK!! Demon King! Please save me!!”
The Apostle of Gluttony was already bound in chains made of water, while Hero Kainel and Mage Ariel were not trapped in trauma.
“And the princess is siding with that Hero? Why..?!”
He felt a sense of unease as he watched the noble-looking knight kneeling beside the fallen Black Knight, praying in a dignified manner.
It felt extremely strange to Head that Pina Grancia, known for her cold emotions and demeanor, would show such behavior.
This knight should definitely have been trapped in trauma, having suffered under the Magic Hat in the past. Everything was turning out to be the opposite of his expectations.
“Are you curious about the reason? Head.”
At that moment, as Head was stunned by the turn of events around him, it felt as if a projector started rolling before his eyes.
“Well, the Demon King’s schemes always end in failure.”
Click, click. The scenery around him began to change, and soon Head found himself teleported to a hall where golden figures sat.
“It’s been a while. Do you remember me?”
“..Dennis!!”
The pinnacle of Water Magic, that drunken Mage using twisted elemental magic, Dennis appeared to block Head’s path.
“You’ve mastered 3D Magic Circles?! No, wrong. This can’t be! It was supposed to take longer….”
“You don’t know about the joint Master’s program, do you, Head?”
Seeing the blue-haired man’s hand holding the 3D Magic Circle, Head couldn’t hide his shock. Mastering such an ultimate move would usually take at least a month.
Who could have twisted fate so drastically to bring him to this level?
“..Dennis, if you stay here, you won’t be able to protect Schartines or Nex, will you?”
Struggling to think, Head tried to coax Dennis. He knew this place was disadvantageous for him.
“Wahahahaha!!”
“Grab a drink!!”
A grand banquet where golden figures glittered and sat, drinking merrily.
These people’s existence was the barrier created by Dennis using the 3D Magic Circle.
“May this drink be blessed! May it be a grace!”
“Let’s party hard today!!”
If Dennis learned the ultimate move of 3D Magic Circles, he could use teleportation anytime to summon his opponent to a pre-prepared location.
“Aren’t you a professor who values the lives of students like I do, Dennis?!”
Without using the Holy Sword, Head knew escaping was impossible. But if he responded with his revolver here, he might fail to fulfill the prophecy.
This was a situation he hadn’t anticipated. He needed to lead things toward the future he knew as much as possible.
“Are you talking about the second-years?”
“Right! If you’re not shameless, you should understand!”
So, he had to reveal as many cards as he had to pressure his opponent. Seeing this, Dennis momentarily paused.
“These newly brought Heroes are strong! There’s no way the students can drive them off….”
The Demon King of All Knowledge acted calm and relaxed. Nex’s Phoenix Sanctuary was a spell he saw being used when he destroyed the Academy,
“Those second-years are already safe. I saw Nex using the Phoenix Sanctuary.”
“…What? It shouldn’t be happening now..?”
“The absolute invincibility barrier. You witnessed Asha using it during the war, didn’t you?”
It was a final bastion to protect the students from harm.
“Haha, you tell great lies. Hurry and cancel your ultimate move and go save the students!”
“Does this look like a lie to you, Head?”
“…”
“All the remaining students are safe too. I was just about to verify that.”
Seeing the composed Mage, Head’s face showed surprise. Dennis couldn’t have learned the 3D Magic Circle by now.
“That can’t be! Did I get it all wrong?”
The defeated Apostle of Gluttony, Pina Grancia’s changed behavior, and the advanced Phoenix Sanctuary of Nex. He pieced it all together.
“Who… who could deceive omniscience this much?”
He shouldn’t have been able to use that yet. Why had his calculations changed so drastically?
“…I wasn’t deceived. The future has changed..?”
If the Magic Hat had concealed lies, then the information would have to be fundamentally wrong. The prophecy had seemed to progress smoothly.
“Licht!! Is it because of that Hero named Licht?!”
The Demon King of Truth could do nothing. The thought of Licht’s ability flashed like lightning in his mind.
“Even the Demon King of All Knowledge doesn’t know everything, it seems.”
The blue-haired man raised his hands, glowing with White Aura as he remained motionless.
“No! This wasn’t the future I saw!!”
Head began to tear at his hair and scream.
‘Was it all thanks to our Licht? Then he could be the Hero of Omniscience too.’
Dennis had suspected it was due to that summoned Hero Licht, but he wouldn’t bring it up.
‘But I can’t tell him.’
If he mentioned it, he’d reveal information that could be turned against him by Head.
“Brothers!!”
He didn’t miss the opportunity and began incanting swiftly.
“Tonight, we will reclaim the spring that was stolen from us!”
A glass made of water appeared in the blue-haired Mage’s hand.
“For the Grancia Empire!!”
“For the Empire!!”
“Let us erase the concept of that Demon King Head Ake! Cheers!!”
“Cheers!!”
As he raised his glass and shouted, the golden figures clinked their beer mugs with his and cheered.
The scent of beer spread, ssshhh. an effervescent sound followed. The people holding glasses began to fill with golden beer as if by magic.
“Wahahaha!!”
“Drink! Get drunk!”
“Wahahaha!!”
“Cheers! Cheers!!”
The crowd joyfully drank, chatting while munching on meat. Aside from the Demon King, it was a lively and raucous atmosphere.
“This barrier employing the ultimate move and beer gold… is still weak..! If I cancel it..!”
Watching this, Head drew out his red revolver from his cloak and aimed it at Dennis.
“What are you doing, Demon King of All Knowledge?”
His vision wobbled as if he were drunk, spinning around, losing his balance. The Demon King unable to aim his gun at the enemy made Dennis feel victory was within reach.
“This can’t… be…!!”
In a momentary struggle against the inebriation and the laughter threatening to burst his eardrums, Head shouted.
“My flawless prophecy…! Can’t possibly be wrong!!!!”
He raised his arm toward the ceiling of the hall and pulled the trigger.
*
In a hospital blanketed by heavy snow.
“Look! Santa Claus really exists, didn’t I tell you?”
“Right, you’re right. Young-min.”
“Hehe, Su-hyun hyung is going to cry and miss his gift today~!”
The little boy wearing a red beanie was blissfully unaware of what was about to happen, shouting.
“Ho ho ho! Merry~ Christmas!”
“Thank you! Grandfather Santa!”
He happily smiled, receiving a gift wrapped in colorful paper. I gazed at the boy, pondering my scheme.
“Wow, a combination robot! I’ve wanted this so badly..!!”
A robot formed by merging cars and dinosaurs could bring immeasurable joy to a boy who received such a toy.
‘..Destiny cannot be changed. That saying existed.’
The attack of the Apostle of Gluttony. Metus’s attack. This was my trauma. Ultimately, the future where Young-min dies here doesn’t change.
‘What should I do? What on earth….’
I wanted to tightly close my eyes. There were less than three hours left. Soon, when people go to sleep, a fire will break out.
An unavoidable fate. Does hope to break it not exist anywhere?
Trying to pick up a fire extinguisher nearby, or running to the stage to shout failed utterly.
“Ho ho, Lee Su-hyun, Merry Christmas.”
Lost in thought, I realized it was my turn.
“Su-hyun hyung got a gift too? Seems like Santa took notice!”
“..A snow globe?”
The gift I received from the adult in red clothes masquerading as Santa was a snow globe.
Inside the glass ball, snowflakes drifted slowly. A deceptive object that puts various decorations or miniatures inside and makes it look like it’s snowing.
‘Wait, it resembles the act of snowing, doesn’t it?’
Snow globes don’t actually cause snow to fall. Rather, shaking them creates a ‘visual’ effect of snowing.
If I can’t change the past, I’ll recreate it similarly.
“..Young-min.”
“Why, Su-hyun hyung?”
“They say Santa’s reindeer appears behind that Christmas tree every night.”
I pointed my finger at the large tree in the distance. Just as I suspected, this would work. Originally, this would not have been an action in the past.
“Don’t you want to see Rudolph?”
“Of course! But we’re not allowed to go outside the ward at night..”
“..I’ll sneak out to catch Rudolph.”
For some reason, the boy in front of me ended up here during the fire.
If that’s the case…
“You can stay quiet in the hospital tonight.”
I can take this boy’s place to sacrifice my life. The past of getting burned wouldn’t change, and
“It’s a promise! A pact between us!”
“Yeah, just our promise.”
The fact that ‘a certain boy’ would lose his ‘life’ tonight wouldn’t change either.
“So, don’t tell anyone.”
It was a late penance with time slipping away, and though Metus’ attack might influence reality,
A Black Knight sacrifices for others.
