In a romantic comedy, plausibility is key.
No matter how attractive a character may be, if plausibility is lacking, users who play the game will harshly criticize it.
As harsh reviews accumulate, naturally the game won’t sell. This is a fact even elementary school students know.
Eventually, the developers, driven by the desire to sell as many copies of the game as possible, end up messing things up.
The protagonist has done this much for you, so you must fall in love with them!
Due to the developers’ thoughtless attempts to maintain plausibility, the game was released in an excessively difficult state.
The Shirai route, which was rated as the hardest, was only cleared by 5% of all users.
Therefore, keywords related to each heroine’s trauma were added.
Since high-level players had to create guides for beginners, they had to emphasize the importance of each heroine’s trauma.
Judit’s trauma keyword is “family affairs.”
Krypton Moondersturm, the patriarch of the Moonundersturm Dukedom and also Judit’s father, makes a blood contract with an upper-level demon.
When the protagonist’s group reaches their third year, they attend a banquet hosted by the Moonundersturm House.
If the player does not choose the Judit route, Krypton Moondersturm manifests demonic powers and tries to consume the mansion full of guests.
However, his plan is thwarted by the protagonist’s group. Fearing subsequent punishment, Krypton throws himself off the mansion’s rooftop to end his life.
The Moonundersturm family goes into total ruin and loses its ducal status. His wife, Elena Moondersturm, and her three daughters, including Judit, are acquitted in court thanks to the protagonist’s defense for thwarting Krypton.
If the player chooses the Judit route, the protagonist intervenes before Krypton makes a contract with the upper-level demon, causing a battle event.
Though Krypton was a considerable force, the protagonist, who had grown to full capability, utterly triumphs. During the time the protagonist stalls, Judit arrives on the scene.
After an intimate conversation with Judit, Krypton realizes his mistake, repents his past errors, and cancels the contract with the devil.
It turns out that the root of Judit’s “family affairs” trauma was simply a lack of communication.
The difficulty is exceptionally low. However, unless the protagonist has raised their intimacy with Judit to its maximum by the time they become a third-year student, they must retry as the repentance route gets locked entirely.
Muse Fairfield’s trauma keyword is “revolution.”
Her revolution doesn’t just stay within the academy; the problem is that it spreads to the empire.
Since the revolution is a foregone conclusion, it’s better to prepare countermeasures rather than persuade Muse.
Muse Fairfield’s revolution begins at the academy and grows in scale like breaking into different dojos.
The protagonist’s role isn’t to help the revolution but to make it fail.
Muse’s revolutionary events happen at regular intervals several times.
It’s fine if one or two attempts fail, or even three or four with some luck. However, if the protagonist fails to stop five attempts, Muse’s forces will grow to rival the empire’s scale, making them powerless.
Then, with Muse’s illustration heading to the royal palace, the credits roll. After the credits finish, the screen turns black, and a bad ending text appears in the center.
The player is automatically returned to the main menu.
An uncertain ending that doesn’t disclose whether the revolution succeeds or not, leaving players unsatisfied.
Considering that the sentence Muse receives in court increases as her forces grow, the player, who has consistently had to thwart Muse, may end up supporting Muse’s revolution at the last moment.
Because if she fails, she’ll inevitably be executed for treason.
In my case, Muse’s route was the hardest.
I couldn’t clear it.
It wasn’t the difficulty but the uncomfortable conversations with Muse. It felt like talking not to a character but to a real person.
Anyway, the sense of discomfort and repulsion was strong during the conversations. So, I gave up.
Siesta Stella’s trauma keyword isn’t set.
It’s too many, and just thinking about it gives me a headache, so I skipped.
I don’t even know how I resolved her trauma in the previous cycle. No matter how much I think about it, I really don’t know.
I didn’t do anything extraordinary, but somehow I got closest to her among all heroines and even prevented her downfall.
At the academy, we always hung out together. Muse was busy with her family business, and Yuren and Judit, as children of dukedoms, were always overloaded with schedules.
We were always wandering around the academy like outsiders.
Shirai Saintess’s trauma keyword is “the blind.”
It’s the hardest route by reputation.
To resolve her trauma, simply restore Shirai’s sight.
Defeat Lord Asura to obtain RH-null blood.
Crush meteors into dust, boil the dust in water to make Selene’s Tears.
Raise intimacy with Shirai to the maximum so that the deity’s question in the sacred ritual offers the right option resulting in Holy Water.
Mix these three ingredients to create the sunset-colored liquid known as the Universal Elixir. Then, pour it into Shirai’s eyes as one would eye drops, and she will fully regain her vision.
All this toil was from my previous cycle.
I don’t harbor any ill feelings towards Shirai.
I was the one who passed the Universal Elixir to Yuren, and I was the one who instructed Yuren to give it to Shirai and claim that he made it.
But Yuren and Judit caused problems. Judit aside, Yuren was such a bastard.
Even with a beautiful wife like Shirai, he was overconfident.
I knew long ago he was useless without the player to do everything for him, but I never imagined he’d commit adultery.
It had been about a month since the regression began.
Living a dull life in the church every day, and before I knew it…
Lumere Academy welcomes all new students.
This message was emblazoned on the banner hanging by the school gate.
Early March, the season of the new school term—a magical time that stirs the hearts of students.
The brilliant sunlight, the refreshing spring scent tickling the nose, and the beautiful sight of cherry blossoms fluttering about felt like a reward for enduring the harsh winter.
Preparation of the mind is crucial before stepping through the gate.
The moment you step foot inside the academy, you’ll be treated to a magnificent view like no other.
First, the number of buildings exceeds a dozen.
Compared to other academies, where the number of buildings caps at five, this feels extravagant.
Though one might think the architect should be paid double for their efforts, it also makes one think that having too many buildings concentrated together could be eerie.
But in the case of Lumere Academy, since the buildings’ heights vary, there’s no sense of discomfort—they’re quite pleasant to look at.
The grand marble fountain in the center between the gate and the main building wonderfully blends the academy’s atmosphere.
Even amidst tense situations caused by incidents or when one feels alienated among the high-level students and wonders if they made a mistake coming here, watching the calmly flowing stream from the fountain immediately soothes the mind.
Since one has trained rigorously since early childhood, emotional fluctuations would be twice as much as an ordinary person.
Swinging a sword until blisters form on the palms or tirelessly memorizing incomprehensible ancient scripts and ugly magic circles.
Those arduous memories, bound together like the pages of a book, would conclude with what would be the same scene for all Lumere Academy students—the image of oneself, overwhelmed with emotion upon receiving the admission letter stating, “We congratulate you on your admittance.”
As a student, one’s identity is verified, and one must board a high-class special train to reach the center of the Lumere continent.
Lumere Academy.
The new school term has begun.
Creak Creak*
The academy hall, jam-packed with students in their uniforms.
White shirts with black neckties.
Red name badges.
Gold badges on the chest depicting eagles.
“I hereby conclude the opening ceremony.”
As expected, the opening ceremony is in progress. Every student’s gaze is fixed on one place.
A middle-aged woman standing on stage with a microphone.
Dean Sylus.
Her silver hair gleams softly, resembling moonlight.
Her straight-lined gaze is merciless, and her crimson eyes exude charisma.
Most people feel intimidated just by making eye contact with her.
Though technically middle-aged, she looks young, as if defying time. There will be those who disapprove of her leadership, yet they too will be speechless before her beautiful appearance.
The frilly off-the-shoulder dress Dean Sylus wears is why the male students paid particular attention to her speech.
In my world, such a stunning scene might only occur once in a thousand-year lifespan.
“A-class list announcement.”
A-class.
In the prestigious Lumere Academy, where simply being admitted makes one a point of parental pride, A-class students are treated as elites.
Using the caste system as an analogy, the A-class would be the top tier.
Sylus receives a single sheet of paper from what looks like her secretary, then swiftly scans through it with her eyes.
Some students are anxiously waiting, hearts racing with expectation, while others show no anticipation at all.
Tragically, I already know every name written on that paper.
First-year swordsmanship top scorer, Yuren StarDust.
First-year magic top scorer, Erpin Derhertha.
Owner of Frey Trading Company, Muse Fairfield.
The saint with divine power, Shirai.
And the one with an undead resurrection ability, Siesta Stella.
After an eternity of waiting, Dean Sylus finally opens her mouth to speak.
“Yuren StarDust, Erpin Derhertha.”
This much was predictable to all the students.
“…That concludes the list.”
Two.
Only two names were announced by the Dean.
“Seriously? I didn’t expect much, but two?”
“Guess we’re the bottom tier generation after all?”
The students’ murmurs of disbelief began, turning the hall into a chaotic uproar.
“???”
The one who was most perplexed was me.
“Saint-sama?”
With a skeptical expression, I looked to my right.
Her long, pink hair flowing like silk, eyes closed because she cannot see.
Even now, despite being blind, Shirai Saintess commands the attention of countless students. She looks good in anything she wears due to her elegant posture.
Her ribbon tie and mini-skirt’s are the same color: red.
I once told her to stay a little distance away because she might draw stares from other students. With the innocent demeanor of a cheerful puppy, she nodded and stayed precisely 1 meter away.
I felt cold sweat trickling down my face as I observed Shirai silently standing there.
“Therefore… I cannot join A-class because I’m blind.”
“…”
“I’ll be in C-class, Mate-sama’s class.”
Oh.
So.
“You were originally in A-class but deliberately demoted yourself?”
“Yes!”
She smiles happily for some reason. Setting Shirai aside for now, what about the other two?
I haven’t met the other heroines once since the regression, so I’m not sure if they’ve regained their memories.
In this changed future, I must uncover any reason behind the smallest changes to avoid catastrophic variables that could alter the future.
Since the future could unravel because of butterfly effects.
“When I get the chance to speak to Dean Sylus…”
I’ll ask then.
Just traveling with Shirai Saintess will suffice. A direct visit could be too overwhelming.
“Hey, kid! How did you get in here!?”
Hmm?
“I’m not a kid.”
“This is not a place where anyone can just walk in! What were the guards doing while this kid wandered in?”
At the loud commotion that echoed so clearly as to reach the very front of the hall, all students naturally turned their gazes toward its source.
Behind, where professors stand to supervise the students.
At the entrance of the hall, a little girl of undersized stature and a loud professor were vigorously arguing.
“That’s enough! Aren’t you going to get in trouble?”
“I’m a student here.”
“Oh come on! Stop telling such obvious lies! Where are your parents?”
“Dead.”
“Uh… ahem!”
Two braids peek out from under the hood she pulls back.
Emerald eyes.
Porcelain skin, tiny frame, and an appearance far younger than her age. She looks like a living doll.
So familiar. A comrade from my life and history. I know her well.
As Siesta pulls off the robe, her magnificent silvery hair is revealed.
“What class am I in?”
Siesta looks upward, her gaze aimed directly at Dean Sylus on the podium.
To receive so much attention without faltering—indeed, that in itself is a remarkable ability.
“…”
Dean Sylus covers both eyes with her hand, sighs deeply as if burdened by a throbbing headache, and presses on her forehead with her fingers.
For such a dignified figure like Dean Sylus to reveal such a troubled side in front of so many students…
“You’re in C-class.”
She looked as if she were pacing anxiously like someone in great distress and unable to articulate her feelings.
…
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