Chapter 7: Loner

Finally, dawn broke.

Arriving at the classroom earlier than usual, I dragged my sluggish body and plopped down in my seat.

“Ugh…”

In the end, I couldn’t get a wink of sleep.

I feel tired, sluggish, and my whole body feels heavy.

The after-effects of excessive power usage… and thanks to the Regressor who ambushed me last night.

Seriously…

Doesn’t she know that trespassing into someone else’s dorm is a crime?

What’s more, the things she did after entering my room were a sight to behold.

Secretly fiddling with my hand, staring intently at my face, and then finally placing her hand on my cheek…

“Haa, haa…”

“Thankfully, huff… I’m not late, am I…?”

“Huuuugh…”

…She even made some rather dangerously suggestive breathing sounds.

The look in her eyes, which seemed a little off, when I slightly opened my eyes, was quite chilling.

It was a good thing I pretended to be asleep the whole time; if she had somehow realized I was awake…

I don’t even want to imagine what that Regressor, who had nothing to lose, would have done.

It was an unusually sinister act that I hadn’t seen much of even in previous regressions, making it even harder to predict.

At least she left right before sunrise, which was a relief.

If anyone else had caught her leaving my room, the Regressor and I would have been punished for inappropriate conduct between opposite sexes.

Fortunately, it seemed she also didn’t want to receive a disciplinary action.

I also have no intention of telling anyone else about what happened last night, so I’ll bury it as if it never occurred.

Apart from that, it’s a bit scary that she just sat there watching me until the sun came up…

‘Right, after regressing multiple times, sometimes you just lose your mind, that’s how it is.’

I can understand it to a certain extent.

As time passed, and when all students except the Holy Maiden and Yulia had arrived, the homeroom professor finally entered the classroom.

He immediately delivered shocking news to the students.

“Early this morning, there was an intruder within the academy. The barrier is currently being repaired by the Headmaster, so for the time being, do not approach the damaged sections of the barrier… Any other special notices will be announced separately, so for now, please focus on the lesson. That is all.”

Within that brief announcement was unbelievable news.

As expected, the classroom instantly became noisy the moment the professor left.

“The barrier was damaged?”

“An intruder… How many incidents like this have there been this year alone?”

“I don’t know if I can trust the academy anymore…”

“Haa… I should’ve just stayed quietly at home… What was I thinking, wanting to enjoy my youth at my own level…”

Sighs could be heard from all over the classroom.

Although many strange things had been happening at the academy recently, it was originally one of the few places with such thorough security.

At most, only the Imperial Palace or places guarded by several Transcendent Beings.

As the academy was also guarded by a Transcendent Being, the Headmaster, it didn’t lag behind other places in comparison.

That’s why even high-ranking officials could safely entrust their children here with peace of mind.

But the recent incidents…

Most of these incidents had already been resolved by the Regressor, but the mere existence of such incidents was causing the academy to gradually lose trust.

And because of the holy relic theft incident I caused this time, that trust was truly about to hit rock bottom.

The Headmaster would have a tough time.

Well, even if the academy falters, it won’t collapse entirely from this.

Instead, they’ll use every possible method to strengthen security.

Options include reinforcing the barrier or inviting another Transcendent Being to the academy.

Among these, the Headmaster chose the latter.

There are a few people who would have a fit if they learned that I, as the petty thief, had revealed myself.

Among them are renowned Transcendent Beings called the Great Pioneers, and because of this incident, one of them will personally come to the academy looking for me.

Although the Headmaster hasn’t made a clear announcement yet, ever since I first started my activities by stealing a holy relic in the second regression, the Great Pioneer has always visited the academy without fail.

So, this time, too, he will soon come directly to the academy to investigate my traces.

At this point, the Headmaster ‘requests’ him to stay at the academy for a while to protect the students.

I don’t know what kind of deal was made between them, but in any case, he accepts the Headmaster’s request.

Perhaps he was hoping for the Headmaster’s help in finding my traces.

Of course, I don’t feel particularly moved even upon hearing the news that the ‘Great Pioneer’ is searching for my traces.

If I could be found by someone trying hard enough, my identity would have been exposed and I would have been tracked down long ago.

Unless someone can properly [perceive] and [cognize] me, connecting things related to me is nearly impossible.

That remains true even if the Great Pioneers use the near-mystical powers they obtained from the tombs.

My only impression of it is, ‘The academy seems like it’s going to get a bit noisy for a while.’

****

The day before, Yulia, along with Arie, completed all their excessive schedules and fell into a deeper sleep than usual.

And she had no idea that this would lead to a fatal mistake, allowing an intruder.

She was complacent.

Due to her carelessness, unbecoming of her position as the Holy Maiden’s escort, she failed to stop the intruder.

‘To think something like this would happen on the first day…’

Yulia blamed herself, thinking she was disqualified as an escort.

If this matter reached the ears of the Church, she might no longer be able to accompany Arie as the Holy Maiden’s escort, but even so, Arie’s safety remained more important to her than anything else.

Therefore, as soon as Yulia heard the news, instead of searching for the culprit or making excuses, she began to persuade the Holy Maiden.

“Holy Maiden, you must have realized it enough from this incident, haven’t you? Outside the Church is dangerous. So, how about returning now?”

“…Yulia. You know well what my answer will be, don’t you?”

“…Holy Maiden. Please reconsider. Your safety is closely linked to mine and the other escorts. If you are threatened again… we, who can barely live with our heads held high now, will have to sacrifice our lives.”

At her words, Arie showed a slightly regretful expression.

Thinking there was hope in her persuasion, Yulia continued speaking.

“The academy is currently dangerous. Too many unexpected incidents have occurred this year. It seems difficult to trust the Headmaster and the barrier any longer. If only we were in the Church, where the Pope resides…”

“Haha, I wonder.”

Arie lightly chuckled, cutting Yulia off.

“Even if I hadn’t come to the academy and had stayed at the Church, do you think that person wouldn’t have been able to infiltrate the Church? A Transcendent Being who can breach the academy’s barrier in an instant and incapacitate the Headmaster in a flash?”

“Th-that…”

“Haha, Yulia. This incident is simply something that unluckily happened while I was at the academy. Nothing would have changed even if I had been at the Church.”

Arie’s expression, as she asserted this, held an unspoken conviction.

Yulia, lacking the confidence to persuade Arie who spoke with such certainty, tightly shut her mouth.

Arie lightly stroked the crestfallen Yulia’s head.

“Soon, you’ll understand what I meant. So there’s no need to blame yourself now.”

“…Understood… But please remove your hand.”

Despite Arie’s warm words, Yulia’s mood hardly improved.

She still couldn’t shake the thought that all of this was due to her own weakness.

Watching Arie walk ahead, Yulia clenched her fists.

‘If only I were a little stronger…’

If I had been stronger, never complacent, and someone others could rely on…

Could I have stopped the intruder’s steps towards Arie?

Yulia was deeply ashamed of her weak self.

****

I have placed several [Perception] and [Cognition] effects on myself.

That’s why my presence is always faint, and people can’t properly perceive me.

In everyone’s perception, I am… someone they only remember as, ‘Oh, right, she was there too!’ if someone asks about me.

Unless someone mentions me first, people usually don’t even think of me.

Of course, there are exceptions.

Very occasionally, special beings appear who can clearly [perceive] and [cognize] me.

Although I haven’t figured out the exact reason or conditions for that special ability, a few things come to mind if I really think about it.

The Regressor, Elisha, who sees me through past ties and obsession.

The Holy Maiden, Arie, who seeks a pawn to realize her dreams and desires.

The Hero, Hestia, who wishes to build ordinary justice and ordinary friendship together.

If my guess is correct, I suspect they are trying to achieve what they want through me.

Of course, that doesn’t mean it’s the reason for their special ability or the condition for perceiving through my power, so I’ll need to investigate further to know for sure.

Besides these, there are other special beings who can cognize me, but since interactions with them will be rare, I don’t need to worry about them for now.

Anyway, let’s talk about the Hero among these.

The day after the academy entrance ceremony, which was her first day of school, she, as expected, displayed a complete lack of social skills.

The Hero is, how should I put it…

It’s not that she’s oblivious, but she simply doesn’t know how to converse with people.

She already has the difficult-to-approach title of Hero, and now with no social skills… aren’t those excellent conditions for not making friends?

Normally, by now, the Regressor would have approached the Hero and built a friendship on her own.

If that had happened, the Hero’s desire, which I surmised to be ‘to build an ordinary friendship,’ could have been fulfilled through the Regressor.

If that were the case, the Hero would no longer need to achieve her desires through me, and her special ability to perceive through my power would also disappear…

‘The me of the second regression’ thought so.

But it wasn’t.

The Hero properly perceived and cognized me until the very end.

Thanks to her, I also started to get confused about the conditions for the special ability that penetrates my power.

In any case, regardless of her special ability, the Hero was also someone I was reluctant to deal with, so I had planned to simply leave dealing with her to the Regressor this time too.

Even if the Hero approached me first, if I dealt with her appropriately, the Regressor would always come and take her away.

However, for some reason, unlike in the previous regressions, the Regressor in this regression doesn’t seem to have approached the Hero.

The Hero, with zero social skills, was still a loner, continuing her academy life by herself.

Contrary to her usual aloof appearance, she gets lonely more easily than one might think.

Therefore, she keeps her distance from those who are uncomfortable with her, but tries her best to build friendships with ordinary people.

With quite a desperate heart, at that.

“Hello.”

“…Yes, hello.”

Right.

Because the Regressor abandoned the Hero, that arrow circled back and eventually flew to me…

Thanks to that, this whole mess happened.

“By any chance, are you free during lunchtime?”

…It seems I’ll have to be our Hero’s friend.