To summarize the events so far:
Ciastralla.
I voluntarily demoted myself from Class A to Class C.
This alone doesn’t necessarily confirm memory of past loops.
After regression, unlike Shirai, no one has come looking for me.
A 4th-dimensional object that makes you want to spit it out immediately upon putting it in your mouth—a heroine like that.
Even if she hasn’t forgotten her memories, it might be for the best.
There’s no need for me to interfere; nothing will corrupt, and it means less work for me.
She’s the only heroine I wish I hadn’t forgotten my memories for.
Judith is getting along just fine with Yuren.
Regardless of whether memories are lost or retained, all she needs to do is attend the banquet in two years.
When it comes to affection or hidden routes, that’s already over and done with.
There’s something else troubling my mind entirely.
Muse Fairfield.
One of the most serious issues at the moment.
She is the heroine I genuinely hope has forgotten her memories.
Think about it.
An ambitious woman who wants to make the empire her own.
Suddenly, she has the chance to retry a revolution. What’s more, she hasn’t forgotten the flow of the future.
A woman who experienced failure in a previous loop. She must have mulled over hundreds of times in her mind what caused the failure, what was lacking, and what needs improvement.
Failure is never something that will make an empress kneel. It only fuels desire, stirring competitive instincts. It is merely a stepping stone to savor a future victory.
The downfall of the Solaris royal family due to the revolution of a single woman.
While others might think it’s impossible, the truly terrifying fact is that if there’s even a 1% chance of it happening, it might actually be feasible.
‘When am I going to tell Shirai?’
That I haven’t lost my memories.
The camaraderie event is slowly starting to come to an end.
Many students have already left the banquet hall, making the space much less crowded.
I leaned against the entrance of the banquet hall.
In the warm spring breeze, my silver hair occasionally drifted into my line of sight.
“Ah, hello…?”
Hm?
A languid-looking black-haired girl approached me hesitantly. Her hesitant gaze of pumpkin-like hues was directed at my shoes rather than me.
There’s something about her that feels akin to a mini-Yudit, though she’s small and cute, unlike Yudit, whose appeal leans more toward sensuality.
Black nameplates indicate first-year students, purple ones second-year, blue for third-year, and white for fourth-year.
The girl’s nameplate is purple, meaning she’s a second-year student like Princess Nipia.
Her face is incredibly red, her voice trembling.
Her eyes won’t meet mine, and I suspect she has some sort of feelings for me.
“You, are you okay if…”
“Matte!”
A clear, refined voice cut in.
An unmistakably motherly vibe that no one could replicate.
I know it’s her without even turning around.
‘Wasn’t she supposed to be at the banquet?’
Shirai appeared running from the opposite direction of the banquet hall.
Not just me, many others noticed Shirai and couldn’t help but turn their heads instinctively at her beauty, regardless of gender.
Soon, their expressions turned to astonishment.
The fact that the noble Shirai maiden is actively running to someone shocked them, wide-eyed.
“Where on earth did you go without telling me? Do you have any idea how worried I was?”
Still catching her breath with her hands on her knees, Shirai spoke.
Sweat rolled down her forehead, indicating how much she had been searching.
“Have you been looking for me?”
“Since I lost your scent, I stepped outside. After that, I followed the scent until I found you.”
“What kind of dog are you, tracking people by scent?”
Shirai wiped her sweat with her collar and questioned.
“Do you know her?”
“She’s a second-year senior. We just exchanged casual greetings. Nothing more.”
‘Mini-Yudit, go on.’
Since Shirai couldn’t see, I waved my hand conspicuously.
I was planning to decline whatever she wanted to say anyway. Listening to me would be better than upsetting Shirai.
Mini-Yudit nodded and quickly left the scene.
Thank goodness for her sharp intuition. She’s not just any student here.
“Haven’t you even said goodbye to her?”
“It’s almost time for class.”
“A pity. I wish I could at least know her name.”
She sighed, clearly disappointed—too much so.
‘Why does her voice feel so sharp?’
It’s just a junior trying to be friendly with their seniors. The complexity of my recent thoughts must be making me go crazy; I don’t feel like myself.
“Right! We need to go to orientation too!”
A mandatory first-class for all new students. Sword wielders go with their own group, and mages with theirs.
Classes are combined for sections A to C.
“Let’s go to Eter Tower.”
“But there’s a problem.”
Shirai shyly raised her right hand.
Her complexion is even redder than the female senior from before.
“Because I used up my mana looking for you…”
Time seemed to stop as heavy silence filled the air.
Shirai’s bashful appearance, glowing as though she’s radiating light, felt like a scene directly out of a romance novel.
If it was another time,
Or if Shirai were not the main heroine but a mere extra,
Could I perhaps feel a little flustered—just a little, even like a grain of rice on a vast ocean?
Defining Shirai’s feelings might seem inappropriate, but liking someone isn’t complicated.
You want to see them longer, and when you do, your heart skips a beat. You want to be together longer, and when you are, you can’t help but feel excited—that’s what love is.
You want to give them everything they love. Even areas you didn’t care about before can spark interest as you study and try to better fit their preferences.
“Is there any way I can help?”
It reminds me of the old me.
I know how much sadness comes from losing sight entirely. That’s why I’ve worked so hard to create medicine even if it’s strenuous—and yet I know Shirai still has mana left.
I understand the feelings she harbors for me.
Human emotions may seem complex, but at heart, they are a straight, simple path.
“Judith and Yuren ended up together.”
Though she looks at me now, I feel that the moment she finds her true purpose, she might end up with him someday.
The chance to rewrite life is gone.
If Shirai had not been the heroine…
I shook my head.
Such “ifs” are merely self-comforting self-deceptions.
Such realities don’t exist.
“Kyip.”
The tiny cry made me stop all my thoughts and smile.
“What was that for?”
Her face was redder than a radish. I thought I could hear a kettle boiling somewhere.
“Only three minutes left. Let’s go.”
“That’s too much.”
“I’ll take it as a compliment.”
Even though only three minutes remain until class starts, many students are still outside. This part doesn’t differ much from any regular high school.
More than a hundred eyes were on us, and gossip would spread quickly.
“Did the Holy Maiden take a hand with a strange guy?”
“Did someone try and grab her? They were laughing.”
Shirai couldn’t be unaware of this, remembering similar experiences with Yuren.
“Don’t leave me behind, okay?”
Yet Shirai, she isn’t letting go of my hand. Instead, she’s clutching harder whenever I loosen my grip.
“After all…I can’t move unless I’m holding onto Mate.”
*
Orientation. In Korean, we call it the “Freshmen Welcome Assembly.”
All first-years in the Magical Department, classes A through C, are gathered in one place.
The reason the orientation is held in Class C’s lecture hall is because it’s much larger than those of A and B.
Additionally, most students belong to Class C, with Class B consisting of an extremely small number.
The lecture halls of the Eter Tower are wider in their fan-shaped area than those of the Delta Tower where swordsmanship students practice.
Swordsmanship for non-experts involves simple movements, but mages employ spells with wide ranges even at intermediate levels.
Examples include basic magic like Orbital Flame, Energy Bolt, and Cold Beam.
In the corner near the front, a mess of brown hair is scattered across the desk. A yellow blanket covers her lap.
Her head deeply bowed, Elfien Dhertha sleeps peacefully.
Across the room, in the far back corner, is Ciastralla.
She appears mindlessly lost, staring into nothingness.
And to my right sits Shirai.
“You’re gonna let go of my hand anytime soon?”
“It’s fine if Mate just keeps it like this, no one will notice.”
In a room this crowded, hiding our connection under the table doesn’t fool anyone. The seats are so tightly packed in, and there’s nowhere to hide.
Unless we get into the corners, it’s completely at the center. Forcing her to let go would only make things worse.
“Over there, the top scorer.”
“Don’t talk about them like they’re a Pokemon card.”
“Didn’t show up at the party and has her head buried down now.”
Most students are envious of Elfien as she indulges in a blissful sleep, but my attention has been firmly fixed on one woman since I entered.
She sits in front of me, surrounded by two other girls, chatting happily, showing her bright red hair to me as a back view.
Although I can only see the back of her head now, once our eyes meet everyone will understand.
The vivid amethyst-like eyes reveal a picture of the night sky.
Shirai isn’t using telepathy while I’m next to her, so she hasn’t caught on yet…
The aura she exudes, the elegance of her bearing, the enormous presence felt even from her back, with her cloak draped over her shoulders.
It has to be Muse Fairfield, the Lord of the Freya Upper House.
The click of the door opening announced the professor’s arrival.
“My joints are aching in this weather.”
The evidence of survival proving his strength, Professor Tiren Dragunov.
Trained as if beaten with iron rods, his sturdy build reflects the resilience despite being over fifty years old.
His stylish wavy side-parted hair, neat trimmed mustache and goatee, both white in color, complement his towering height and broad shoulders, despite his face being gaunt as if he hadn’t eaten in days.
Tiren finished his book and surveyed the students.
“What do we have here?”
His footsteps carried him directly to the far-left front seating.
Where Elfien Dhertha sat.
Tiren knocked twice on Elfien’s desk with his book.
“Hey, wake up, you.”
Her head slowly lifted as she quickly composed her bushy hair.
“Ahhh…”
“Ah? What kind of ah is that, you brat? Why is your hair so long?”
Sure, it covers her one eye by being brushed to the side. That’s definitely something Tiren would mention.
He carefully examined Elfien’s chest, more specifically her nameplate.
“Huh, isn’t this the top student? How can you sleep during the first class?”
“Sorry…”
“There are only two top students in the A class this year. Two. Doesn’t that mean you need to set a better example?”
Tiren’s nagging continued in front of all the hundred plus first-year magical students.
“Shouldn’t you set the tone so the first year doesn’t lose momentum? I’m only concerned, worried. Worried. Can a top student be so bold as to fall asleep in the front row?”
“Sorry…”
“SNOREEEE…”
“Wh-What’s wrong all of a sudden? Mate doesn’t snore when sleeping!”
Ignoring Shirai spoiling my clever plan…
“SNOREEEE…”
Doesn’t this fool even notice? Doesn’t he?
“Look at that.”
Footsteps echoed on the stairs.
The evidence that Tiren fell for the bait.
At last, I released a louder snore without worry.
“SNORE…snore…”
“Get up, you useless bastard.”
Tiren reached my seat, harshly pinching my ear.
I nearly forgot my concept during my school PSTD moment.
“HUUUUUM!”
Operation: Protecting Elfien’s Mentality Begins.
Myself willingly acting like the bait, drawing attention?
“Well, well, what kind of crazy person do we have here?”
Ignoring Tiren, I continued my loud snoring.
Most students stared at me, thinking I’m insane.
Of course Shirai’s startled, but even Ciastralla and Muse Fairfield couldn’t help but watch.
Ah, and…
“…”
Elfien Dhertha, stunned by the chaos.
“Hmm.”
I’m gonna be tired for a while.
—
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