episode_0001

Rustling

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Scene of the entrance ceremony at Richten Academy.

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It’s a scene of chaotic movement, with numerous people mingling and living.

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I stood in the midst of that enormous crowd.

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Looking around, I saw noble ladies gathering in groups of three or five, taking pictures through magic mirrors, and new students taking photos with their parents.

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Located at the center of the continent, Richten Academy, the finest educational institution coveted by all, regardless of empire or republic, was sure to be a great honor even for the nobility.

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That’s probably why the high-ranking nobles were so restless about not being able to take pictures.

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On the other hand, I had no one to take a picture with or take a picture of me.

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Five years ago, I fell into the world of the novel “Eclipse” where I currently reside.

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I was transmigrated as a character from the novel.

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The third son of Marquis Granquil, Vyrus Granquil.

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A villain character who appeared in the early episodes of the academy and died a futile death.

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I can’t remember how desperate I was when I first found out the truth.

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I came to this dreamlike world.

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An incompetent villain character with no abilities, high status, or anything? And on top of that, dying so quickly?

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No, that won’t do.

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That’s not acceptable.

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For the past five years, I’ve tried every challenge to survive.

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I wielded my sword day and night to improve my swordsmanship.

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I tirelessly pursued magic to awaken my abilities.

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But all my efforts were meaningless.

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Vyrus Granquil.

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This discarded character was utterly useless!

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Just a weakling who futilely dies as an insignificant villain to elevate the early protagonist!

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This can’t go on like this.

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I won’t antagonize the protagonist like the original Vyrus, but if I remain this weak, there’s no way I can survive the crises that will come at the academy later.

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However, no matter what means I used, this discarded disposable villain never became strong.

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As if he had to die for the protagonist’s sake.

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In the end, having exhausted all means, I thought of the final option.

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I’ll take it.

The destinies and events that the protagonist should obtain originally.

I take them all away.

After all, it’s a novel I’ve possessed.

Then, am I not the protagonist?

There’s no need for the protagonist to solve everything.

Shall I do it?

Protagonist. You just relax in the corner.

Because I’ll do everything.

Even if they are hidden pieces in the novel, they all exist in the academy.

It wasn’t something I, who didn’t even enter the academy, could obtain.

In the end, what I could do was to take away the protagonist’s events from the start of the main story, which is the day of the academy entrance ceremony.

And that’s why I’m standing right in the middle of the academy square like this.

The starting point of the main story, which means the event the protagonist first faced on the day of the academy entrance ceremony.

It was the collision with a freshman saint rushing in the middle of this square.

The saint, who is also a crucial figure in the academy, forms a friendly relationship with the protagonist due to this event and plays a significant role in the protagonist’s growth by continuing to help him.

I’m sorry, but that saint.

I have to take her away.

I stood in the middle of the square waiting for the saint for quite a while.

Perhaps because I stood there for so long, people around me looked at me with a feeling of “What’s wrong with that person?” as they passed by.

It’s embarrassing, but I can endure it.

It’s all for survival!

Enduring and enduring for about two hours like that.

I could see a woman running towards me from a distance, giving off a feeling of a priest.

Unlike other freshmen, she was wearing the attire of the Holy Kingdom Church instead of a regular school uniform.

I’m sure.

She’s Artoria, the saint who receives special treatment within the Richten Academy!

I stood tall with firm belief that she would collide with me as she passed by.

The distance between the saint and me began to close gradually.

Good.

Just a little more.

Just a little more and…!

The saint, who had been running so hard, looked at my face and then stopped right in front of me.

Huh? Huh?

This is a problem, isn’t it?

This can’t be happening, can it?

Does the saint have to collide with me to know my name and existence, and then be able to receive the saint’s help even after that?

Of course, it was a quite sloppy plan that the saint might not come here, might not collide, and might not even get involved, but seeing it fail like this, I couldn’t help but feel so dismal.

Ah, this isn’t working.

If this fails too, I really…

“Viceus-nim. Finally… finally, we meet like this… hehe.”

At that moment, the saint opened her mouth.

“I’m so happy to see you again….”

She fixed her gaze on my face and smiled broadly.

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“So… according to the saint’s words… I was an angel?”

“That’s right, that’s right!”

The saint nodded vigorously.

What nonsense.

The saint and I entered a café located in a nearby alley.

Even though it’s an academy with many noble people, the saint is a person of tremendous power and influence.

She attracted all the attention around, so we had no choice but to move to another place.

That’s why we ended up in this secluded, old café.

I never thought the saint would know about my existence.

The saint knew about me, about the person named Viceus Grankeinell.

In fact, the reason she ran like that in the square was to find me.

Something that never happened in the original [Eclipse].

I asked the saint why she sought me out because of the events I caused in this world, wondering if it was due to the butterfly effect, but she said:

“Because Viceus-nim and I were angels serving Deus-nim in heaven in the past!”

She was talking such nonsense.

“So, originally, we weren’t human. We were Seraphim, the closest angels to Deus-nim, serving directly by Deus-nim’s side! By the way, Viceus-nim and I were in a romantic relationship. It was such a relationship that Deus-nim blessed us personally because our bond was so good.”

The saint blushed and started pouring out her story in excitement.

One day, I made a mistake! I ate the forbidden fruit in the garden entrusted to us by Deus! Even though Deus said we could do anything, he strictly told us not to eat that fruit!

I should have just stopped there, but foolishly, I thought the fruit would open my eyes! I was really stupid… So, I even offered it to Sister!

Sister vehemently refused, but ultimately ended up eating it because of me. Ah… why was I so foolish? Anyway, because of that incident, Deus got angry.

We received punishment, lost our memories, and became human, falling to this earth. Hauuu… I’m really sorry.

No need to apologize. I don’t know this story. It wasn’t in the original either.

After the saint finished her explanation, I asked her again, bewildered.

“So… according to what you’re saying… I was an angel?”

“Yes, yes!”

“That’s a very hard story to believe. How did you find out… if your memories were erased?”

If your memories were erased, isn’t this an inconsistent story?

Actually, until yesterday, I didn’t know either! But last night! In my dream, all the memories of my angelic days came back to me!

In a dream?

You saw it in a dream?

Isn’t it just a dream?

I didn’t even know about the existence of the prince, but I found out about him there! He’s the love of my life and my companion!

It’s good that she’s interested, but something seems strange.

Who is this prince?

Luxurious accommodation within the Richter Academy

“No!”

The woman who had been lying on the bed suddenly sat up.

…A dream?

The woman got up from the bed with a confused expression.

Creak

“Oh, where are you going, miss?”

The woman, wearing only a robe and sneaking past the first-floor butler, left her lodging to assess the situation.

She looked around the alleyways, realizing she was in the midst of Lichten Academy.

“Have I… returned? To the past before he sacrificed himself for me, or rather, before I met him?”

She leaned against the wall.

“If that’s the case, has another chance been given to me? Perhaps I might be able to be with you…”

Sophia, the illegitimate daughter of the Republic’s president, clenched her fist.

“This time… this time will be different. This time, for sure…”