Esme’s drawing.
A girl whose parents were brutally murdered by demons can’t help but see ‘Murmur’ as a monster.
“Murmur…”
Esme looked at me, emitting a pure white light from her hand. Her pupils were trembling pitifully, and large tears rolled down her cheeks, one by one.
The brush floating in the air, moved by magic, continued to move without rest, completing Esme’s drawing. It revealed Esme’s heart to the world without hiding anything.
Red horns growing from her head, black wings reminiscent of bats, a tail that lashed out dangerously like a whip, and sky-blue hair soaked in blood.
People being trampled under black high heels.
“Haah, haah…! Haah! Haah!”
Esme can’t help but see Murmur this way. It’s only natural, since ‘Colette Bloodberry’ is by this child’s side.
She’s twisted, a truly disgusting adult. Not an aunt who delicately heals the child’s wounds, but trash that exploits her.
I get it. Yeah, I knew there was a background to why Esme sees Murmur this way.
But, something’s been off for a while now. Why is she breathing so heavily?
“Ugh…!”
Esme suddenly grabbed her own hair with both hands and crouched down. The drawing tools floating in the air moved even faster, creating a drawing that surpassed the skill of a child.
Wait, is this…? No way?
“P-Professor William! Esme is acting strange!”
“E… Esme is crying! Professor! What should we do!?”
“Ugh! My paint! My paint!”
The pure white light Esme was emitting began to interfere with the other children’s paints and tools, starting to use them as materials for Esme’s drawing.
“Miss Esme! Stop the magic right now!”
“Haah, haah…! Haah…! Haah!”
“Esme! Can’t you hear the professor!?”
As Professor William approached, a palette knife shot out like a bullet.
『Stress has increased by 10!』
“Danger!”
Without thinking, I grabbed Professor William’s waist and pushed him away. Bang! The palette knife, radiating killing intent, embedded itself into the wall, creating a small crack.
“Ouch… Wh, who… Someone! Call Professor Aiaie immediately!”
Ah, seriously! How did it come to this?
Wasn’t Esme just drawing?
Why did a powerful monster like ‘Nightmare’ start to manifest in the drawing?
“Wh… what? What’s going on?”
“I, I’m scared! Nooo!”
The children who were drawing all panicked, either sitting down or crouching with their hands over their heads.
The drawing in front of Esme began to emit an eerie purple light, rattling.
Let’s not deny reality. Esme has summoned ‘Nightmare’. A terrifying monster that feeds on people’s nightmares, fears, and anxieties, drawn here by the scent of fear Esme is emitting.
Of course, such a powerful monster can’t immediately manifest in this world. Similar to summoning magic, it needs a ‘gate’ to interfere with this world. That gate is the drawing Esme created with magic.
It’s my, Murmur’s, portrait.
“Haah, haah… I, I hate it. I, I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”
Esme, shedding tears and trembling, was shaking. The magical power emanating from her body was being forcibly used as material to summon ‘Nightmare’.
“Nightmare…”
Honestly.
It’s impossible.
『Skill』
【Summoning Magic Lv.1】
【Elemental Magic Lv.1 NEW!!!】
Murmur’s weak skills can’t handle such a monster.
Originally, this Nightmare appears during a high school chapter event with Nicasia. It’s not something you can face in the elementary chapter, especially without any promotion exams.
We can’t win.
『Stress has increased by 20!』
It’s only natural we can’t win.
Nightmare has the specs of a spirit that requires Lv. 5 Summoning Magic to summon!
“I hate it… I, I hate it…!”
And let’s think a bit more coldly.
If Nightmare descends into this world, Esme will likely be killed. Nightmare is a being rooted in the ‘darkness’ Esme harbors in her heart.
For Esme, demons are the enemies who killed her parents. Her aunt Colette probably educates her that they must be eradicated.
Nightmare, rooted in such a child’s heart, will gladly kill Esme.
『Stress has increased by 10!』
“…”
It’s a cruel and harsh thing to say, but an opportunity has come for Murmur.
Esme Bloodberry’s survival doesn’t affect the ‘True Ending’. She’s a character who can die without consequence. In fact, some strategies intentionally kill her because she’s a bothersome ‘power gauge’.
So, it’s fine to let her die now.
In fact.
That’s the right answer.
“I, I hate it… S, save me. Save me. Mom! Dad…!!!”
A purple light-emitting arm emerged from Esme’s drawing. The arm, covered in eerie scales, touched Esme’s shoulder and began to strangle her.
Seeing that, I instinctively stepped forward.
─ Bang!
A palette knife flew towards me. Luckily, it grazed my cheek, and sticky blood trickled down.
『Stress has increased by 20!』
Murmur’s body screamed. It cried out that an elementary school fifth-grader’s body couldn’t endure such trials.
“Don’t come…! Mu, Murmur!”
Esme Bloodberry said in agony.
“Why do you say that? Esme is in danger right now.”
“I, I hate it! I really hate demons!”
Esme grabbed the nightmare she created with her small hands. Despite not being able to push it away or stop it.
“That’s why…! You! I really hate you, so don’t come near me!”
I see. You really hate me.
Even though you hate me, you won’t let me die, and you tell me not to come near.
『A new■ event■ has■ been■ activated!』
“You’re not being honest…”
I hate adults like Colette.
I really hate adults who exploit children.
And I know all the solutions to everything that happens in Legend of Academy.
Let’s do it.
If you were confident you could survive anything, you should be able to handle this!
『A new■ event■ has■ been■ activated!』
《Prevent■ the summoning■ of Night■mare》
“Esme!”
“Don’t come near me…!”
Another palette knife flew towards me. I barely dodged by throwing myself to the ground, but I can’t expect to dodge the next one.
“Murmur is…!”
It’s really embarrassing and awkward, but this is the only way.
Fighting and defeating a half-summoned Nightmare is absolutely impossible.
But by thoroughly exploiting its characteristic of rooting in a person’s mind, we can defeat it.
“I have pajamas!”
“Wh, what… are you saying?”
“Pink pajamas! With lots of pretty flowers drawn on them!”
Esme looked at me with a slightly dazed expression.
I know, I know! I realize I’m saying something really weird right now!
“Murmur… likes those pajamas! The hero gave them to me!!”
“You… what are you talking about…”
“But they’re a bit big, so I always have to fold the sleeves twice!”
Another arm emerged from the drawing, strangling Esme’s neck.
“And! Murmur likes rabbits, but also likes sheep!”
“You… uh… cough, it hurts!”
“White sheep are as cute as white rabbits! So fluffy and soft! Like marshmallows!”
“Th, that can’t be… uh, no way…”
Esme let out a very faint laugh.
“And… and also… Murmur actually isn’t good at using forks!”
I spread out my small hand.
I can do it. This method is the right answer. There’s no chance of failure!
“The fork is too big! I have to grab it tightly and stab my food to eat!”
“You’re such a fool…”
“But, Murmur likes eating desserts! Likes donuts! Likes cake! Likes madeleines!”
One of the arms strangling Esme turned into white stardust and disappeared.
“I like cream cakes! Chocolate is too sweet, just sweet, so I don’t like it! I like cakes with lots of sweet and sour fruits!”
“You…”
“I like cakes with lots of strawberries! I wish I could share it with Esme!”
I desperately shouted and crawled on the ground.
“I want to eat the pasta Esme likes too!”
“Even though you can’t use forks well?”
Another of Nightmare’s arms disappeared.
“Yeah, because Esme likes it.”
“Yo, you fool… who would say such things to be friends with a demon?”
“I want to take baths together.”
“I definitely won’t take baths with you.”
“I want to keep taking magic classes together.”
“I hate demons…!”
Esme, screaming in a painful voice, grabbed Nightmare’s arm with both hands and roughly shook it off.
“I really hate them!! I hate the demons who killed my mom and dad! I hate the demons Aunt Colette tells me to kill every day! I hate them! I hate them! I hate them…!”
The drawing shook violently, and a huge beast’s maw emerged from it. Nightmare’s mouth, emitting a purple light, opened wide, ready to swallow Esme.
“I hate… hating you even more!”
Esme threw herself towards my outstretched hand. Our small, soft hands met and gently interlocked.
─ Beep beep!
A cute whistle sound came from above Esme and me. Colorful paper fluttered like snowflakes, sticking to our cheeks.
“Wh… what?”
The terrifying beast’s mouth that emerged from Esme’s drawing had transformed into an extremely embarrassing figure.
“Esme…”
The terrifying monster had transformed into me, Murmur, wearing fluffy white sheep pajamas. Even spaghetti sauce was smeared around my mouth, and both hands were full of desserts I didn’t even know the names of.
“What… do you think of me?”
“I, I just thought of what Murmur told me!”
Esme, sniffling, suddenly burst into laughter.
“What’s that… so cute!”
“It really looks like a sheep! Must be because of Murmur’s horns!”
“Ah! I saw that! Murmur… really can’t use forks!”
The terrifying and fearsome figure of Nightmare had become a cute existence that brought smiles to the faces of the trembling children.
This is how it ends, obviously.
“Oh… nooo… oh, no… ohhh… oh!”
Nightmare screamed and then ‘popped’, turning into fluttering colored paper. It would soon turn into white stardust.
“Ha, hahahaha!!! Murmur! You were really weird!”
“It’s not that Murmur is weird, it’s that Esme imagined it on her own.”
“But! Murmur told me, right? I just imagined what you told me~”
Esme, with a face streaked with tears, laughed heartily and then hugged me tightly.
“Esme, you… laughing like that after crying…!”
Without giving me a chance to speak, Esme started petting me wildly.
Hey, why are you like this this time?!
* * *
“Do you really think you can deny everything?”
“I apologize. I believe Cosmos Academy has done its best to cooperate with the investigation.”
In front of Colette Bloodberry, who couldn’t control her expression at all, sat a woman with white hair that barely reached her shoulders. She wore a dignified black coat draped over her shoulders.
Everyone in the academy knows her name. She always has a relaxed and leisurely expression, but she can do anything for the academy.
“Lying so shamelessly without even a hint of guilt.”
“Do I have any reason to lie? Especially in front of someone who will soon become the Magic Minister of the Magica Kingdom. Moreover, Cosmos Academy has provided all possible cooperation.”
“Don’t make me laugh… Are you going to pretend you know nothing about the ‘Curse of Knowledge’ club?”
Unlike Colette, who had a venomous expression, the white-haired woman had an expression so relaxed it was almost smug.
“You’ve thoroughly examined the Curse of Knowledge club, haven’t you? Searching that building, which is practically a ruin, so meticulously.”
“Tsk! That’s not what I’m talking about. Headmaster of Cosmos!”
“I’ve already shown you everything. If you’re not satisfied, you’re free to investigate further.”
“If you’re hiding something, it would be best to come clean now. You know Her Highness the Crown Princess is watching, right?”
“Our Crown Princess is doing well in her studies, so I feel at ease whenever I see His Majesty the Emperor these days.”
Grinding her teeth, Colette Bloodberry stood up.
“Wait…”
The headmaster raised her right hand, touched her ear, and slightly raised the corner of her mouth.
“I think we should end the conversation here.”
“Planning to run away, are you?”
“No. It’s for your sake, Countess Colette Bloodberry. I heard your niece, Miss Esme, was seriously injured. Perhaps you should visit her?”
“Esme?”
Colette thought that was irrelevant.
“She summoned a Nightmare during class. Thanks to Miss Murmur’s help, no one was hurt. Friendship is truly wonderful, isn’t it?”
“Murmur…?”
Realizing faintly that the name belonged to a demon, Colette gritted her teeth and stood up.
“Fine. We’ll talk later.”
Without even a proper farewell, Colette walked out of the room. The headmaster watched her go, raised the corner of her mouth, and turned her chair to look out the window.
“The Curse of Knowledge club…”
Feeling like she had found a treasure chest buried in dust, the headmaster’s eyes sparkled as she watched the children playing in the academy.
“… Only two people in this world know that Armonia is sealed there.”
It’s impossible.
There can’t be anyone else who knows the current state and punishment of the Demon God.
Colette Bloodberry, poking around everywhere, is ultimately relying on ‘rumors’. She can’t grasp the exact details and just whines for answers.
The Crown Princess is the same. She must have been the one who gave Colette the information.
“Murmur. How do you know that?”
