Ch.125125. I Decided to Just Sleep

When I returned to the academy after finishing everything, it was already a little past evening.

So we all had dinner together first, and afterward, since the timing was awkward and there wasn’t much to do, we decided to disband.

After returning to the dormitory and finishing some basic organizing, I immediately lay down on the bed.

“Phew…”

The soft bed brings peace to both body and mind.

It helps postpone things that aren’t urgent and easily erases various stray thoughts.

But…

‘Heretics, huh…’

Today’s worry kept surfacing, overcoming the comfort of the bed.

Normally, I would have stared blankly at the ceiling for a while before falling asleep, but today, for some reason, I couldn’t.

-“They’ve drastically reduced external activity schedules because there’s been a lot of heretic activity observed recently.”

It was because I’d heard the term “heretic activity.”

Heretics.

Basically, in this world, they called “those who have gone in the wrong direction” by that name.

They clearly worship the same god, but… their methods are twisted.

The methods vary from person to person, making it difficult to pinpoint exactly, but to express it as I felt in the game, they could be described as “crazy people who turn situations into complete chaos.”

One might think, “Aren’t they just NPCs with slightly twisted ideologies?” That’s not entirely wrong.

However, the problem is that since “heretic activity” appears in the latter part of this game… the people involved are all covered in late-game specs.

Personnel who can handle even demons if they’re low-ranked ones, even alone.

I’ve become desensitized because the people around me have grown stronger so effortlessly, but demons are essentially final boss-like entities.

The role of demons is to appear as final bosses in each episode, bringing despair.

These guys are already starting to act? I couldn’t help but worry about what might happen.

‘We haven’t even properly finished the first semester of freshman year.’

Right. Well, it could happen. Heretic activity? They might do some.

The real problem is that we’re barely past the early stages, even if we’re being generous.

In the late game, when high-ranking demons pop up whenever they feel like it, they might fight among themselves and self-destruct, and by then, the key figures at the academy would have completed their growth, so even if things get complicated, they could somehow be resolved.

But right now, the key figures who can respond to demons are all fully developed characters outside the academy.

Essentially, within the academy, apart from me, Celia and Alkine are the main forces.

I don’t know how things will turn out, and there aren’t many people who can respond.

The game wasn’t designed to be user-friendly from the start, and that hasn’t changed since I possessed this body… but this seems too much.

‘Of course, I brought this upon myself.’

In fact, this was the biggest factor.

“Sigh…”

I recall the face of the stalker who was following Lilith on the day we returned from the Imperial Palace.

He’s not a heretic but a zealot, but well, it’s common for fanatical people to have strangely twisted beliefs.

-“Do you perhaps believe in the same doctrine as I do?”

He even asked such a question.

At least, someone who believes in the general doctrine wouldn’t ask such a question.

Without any twist, he’s also close to being a heretic if you extract just his ideology. It’s just that it wasn’t as noticeable because he was on our side.

I had forgotten about heretic-related matters, thinking they were still far off. I really didn’t expect to recall them so soon.

And that meeting with the zealot.

I don’t know what impact it had, but it’s probably the cause of the early heretic activity.

I denied and denied, but in the end, I had to admit it.

After all, there’s no reason for a story that was running smoothly to change except because of me.

Actually, incidents and accidents happening is a predetermined course.

This is a world where the protagonist grows and defeats monsters and demons that threaten humanity in an increasingly harsh world.

But I didn’t want the incidents and accidents to escalate because of me.

Of course, there have been cases where incidents changed or escalated because of me.

But those were, if I had to say, minor.

…Or not?

Well, even if not all, some of them happened while mitigating other bigger incidents, so…

Anyway.

What’s important now is not that, but the fact that even if you gather all the changes that have occurred so far, they can’t compare to the early start of heretic activity.

That’s because heretic activity is riddled with absolutely terrible elements.

From the developers’ perspective, they probably thought, “It’s the late game, so with good specs, everything’s easy and boring? We need to add variables to make it fun!”

Variables? Okay, good. If it’s fun, I can handle a few unfair situations.

The problem is that these weren’t fun variables at all, but rather unpleasant and infuriating garbage variables.

Among the possible future developments I can think of, the most likely one is that the heretics will join hands with the demons and cause chaos.

I’m not joking. With the news of Arpatustu’s invasion now official, this is the most plausible prediction.

‘That would be really bad.’

Of course, if the worst-case scenario comes, the headmaster will step in and resolve it, but the moment that person takes action, the enemies will be annihilated, but at the same time, our allies will also be wiped out.

That person’s ability is incredibly powerful but uncontrollable.

It’s literally the last resort, which resolves the situation the moment it’s used, but can’t guarantee what happens afterward. I didn’t want to create a situation where such a thing would be needed.

“This is annoying.”

I know.

Life doesn’t always go as one wishes.

But despite knowing this world and having all sorts of information, I didn’t expect to become this stupid.

Was I too arrogant? I didn’t particularly raise my nose over such things, but I did unconsciously keep thinking it would be okay.

And the fact that it went awry is all my fault. What’s the point of getting annoyed?

Just thinking about them interfering with the upcoming Arpatustu invasion incident gave me a headache… but whatever.

When has anything ever gone exactly as I thought? This time too, it’ll work out somehow.

In this helpless situation, I came to an irresponsible conclusion and decided to go to sleep for now.

///

Contrary to my worries, time passed without any particular incidents.

But that didn’t necessarily mean things were okay.

After all, heretic activities are carried out in secret, so the current peace might be like the calm before the storm.

It will probably continue to feel this way until the Arpatustu invasion incident occurs.

Time heals, they say, and the complicated feelings and annoyance I felt about the situation caused by me have now dulled.

It might be due to my lack of responsibility… but being swept up by Celia, who somehow became my lover, I couldn’t help it because I was too busy.

Isn’t it stranger to maintain the initial feelings all the way to the end?

Anyway, as days passed like that, the final exam season arrived before I knew it.

I didn’t particularly prepare for the exams, but I wasn’t worried.

After all, we’re still in the first year, so it will probably be similar to the midterms we had before.

On the day of the final exams.

As soon as I opened my eyes, I had a question.

Unlike usual, I could hear a commotion outside.

The mornings were always quiet due to the time, but I wondered if something had happened.

With that thought, I looked at the clock and immediately understood.

‘I overslept.’

The clock was pointing to a time later than when I usually wake up.

I had been waking up on time all this while, but today seemed to be an exception.

The commotion outside was because everyone was starting to go to school.

I need to get ready quickly too. I’ll be late at this rate.

That’s what I was thinking when…

Knock knock-

I heard a knocking sound.

Not from the door, but from the window.

But since nothing was visible beyond the window, I decided I must have heard wrong.

…If I ignore it, would Celia get angry?

I slightly opened the window.

And as I moved to the side, the window closed by itself, and Celia appeared.

“I came because you were late, but it seems you were sleeping until just now?”

“It just happened.”

Celia accepted my nonchalant answer and looked around the room…

“Why is that wall broken?”

She asked about the hole in the wall.

I had hidden it well until now, but it was discovered so easily.

But actually, it doesn’t matter if Celia finds out, so I answered lightly.

“The guy who used that room broke it. Now he’s been kicked out, and I’m using both rooms.”

“Oh? Then can I use that room?”

“Hey, Celia. This is the men’s dormitory.”

“What does it matter? I can sneak in like this anyway.”

Saying that, Celia once again hid herself from view.

Soon, something embraced me.

An invisible hug. Dating a magician lets me experience all sorts of things.

“How is it? Isn’t it exciting to be hugged when you can’t see me?”

“No, I prefer seeing your face.”

“…You’ve gotten good at sweet talk now.”

Celia, who had separated from my embrace, revealed herself again. Her face was slightly flushed.

She clings to me a lot, but when I do something, she gets embarrassed.

Actually, I was too embarrassed to say such things before, but after doing it once or twice, it’s like a blockage cleared, and the words just come out naturally.

Thanks to that, I’ve been able to respond to Celia’s sudden actions.

But that’s enough of that for now.

“We’re really going to be late. I’ll get ready quickly, so wait outside.”

“Alright.”

“Celia. You need to leave secretly, the way you came. If you leave like that, everyone will see.”

I quickly stopped Celia as she was about to open the window and jump out.

What kind of rumors would spread if others saw her leaving like that?

“…Alright.”

After receiving my correction, Celia, looking somewhat disappointed, hid herself once more, and soon the window closed by itself.

For a day when we’re taking final exams, the start of the day was incredibly light.