Chapter 11: Uncle Brandon (1)

The gentle morning sunlight warmly shone as the peaceful chirping of birds filled the air.

Adding to that was the soft chatter of students walking through the campus.

I strolled through the school grounds, savoring the fact that I had finally escaped the nightmare of the infinite loop and returned to normal life.

Beside me, Elaine also walked at a slight distance, pretending to be casually taking a stroll.

We acted as though we were strangers to avoid drawing attention from the other students, while secretly exchanging words.

“Why are you walking so far away? Ignoring me like that— it hurts, you know?”

“You’re doing the same thing, Mr. Allen. You’re not exactly acting like you know me either.”

“Hey. Don’t forget, I’m a teacher. If a teacher acts overly friendly with just anyone, people start talking. I’m working on building an elegant and perfect image here at the academy. So I can’t be the one to approach first.”

“Hmph. I’m managing my image too, you know.”

“Image? What kind of image?”

“Even if I don’t look it, I’ve got a mysterious aura thing going on at Everlight. I’m not exactly known for being cutesy and affectionate with the teachers.”

“Pfft. That’s a funny joke.”

At her words, I laughed, momentarily forgetting we were supposed to act like strangers.

“I’m serious. Why are you laughing?”

“Ah, sorry. I wasn’t laughing at you.”

When I laughed, she glared at me in frustration, and I smiled and offered a light apology in return.

As we continued our lighthearted conversation, Elaine suddenly changed her expression and asked seriously:

“So, what are you going to do now?”

“What do you mean? You talking about the lesson plans?”

“Don’t dodge the question. I mean the bizarre phenomenon. You said in the underground chamber that it wasn’t over—that it was just the beginning. And that the academy’s destruction was already set in stone.”

“…Yeah, I did say that.”

I tried to steer the topic back to something light, but her persistent questioning made me reluctantly answer.

I just wanted to enjoy this peaceful moment a little longer.

It had only been a day since we escaped that eerie loop, after all.

“Then, Mr. Allen, what should I do to prevent that destined destruction? And what are we going to do from now on?”

She looked at me with eager eyes, not even slightly shaken by the nightmare we had faced just yesterday.

…Well, at least Elaine’s doing better than I am.

Seeing her brimming with determination, I laid out my plan in a clear and concise manner.

“We’re not going to do anything.”

“…What?”

Her face went blank.

“Do we have to do something?”

“Wait, what kind of irresponsible answer is that?”

“It’s not irresponsible. Just think about it for a second.”

When I think about it carefully, the situation we’re in seems exactly like the one in the novel — except for one key difference.

That difference is time.

Unlike the characters in the novel, I know that this world will be destroyed three years from now.

In the novel, the characters wasted their precious three years chasing pink-tinted lives, swept away by hormones and civilized courtship rituals called romance, completely unaware of what was to come.

But I’m different.

Of course, even with three years, what could I possibly change on my own…?

But why should I be the only one to fix everything?

We could all just carry the log together.

If the fate of the world is at stake, then people around the globe should get involved.

Once the Outer God awakens, no military from any country will be able to defeat it.

But what if the goal isn’t to defeat it, but to maintain and reinforce its seal from the beginning?

“Eek…”

Elaine didn’t bother to hide her disappointed expression at my explanation.

Ordinary people don’t know the hidden secrets — the thrilling adventures that come from crossing the boundary into the extraordinary.

For someone her age, that kind of experience might be exciting and stimulating.

But—

“Don’t get it twisted. This isn’t some fun and exciting game. What’s at stake here is the lives of every single person in this world. If we screw this up, it won’t just be the two of us who pay the price — it’ll be the other students at this academy, your family back home, your friends, and even people we’ve never met.”

“….”

“Don’t be foolish and arrogant enough to think you’re some hero or savior who can solve everything alone.”

Elaine was a smart student.

Which meant she listened to what I said, understood what I was doing, and immediately reflected on her attitude.

“Of course, I said I wouldn’t do anything, but that doesn’t mean I’ll just sit back and watch. If the time comes when I’m needed, I’ll do everything I can to help — and that goes both ways. But remember that the people who will take the lead in solving this problem will be the experts from each country.”

The important thing is how to persuade those countries and research organizations.

If I use the connections I built up during my time running the trading company, I should be able to make it work, somehow…

Elaine soon left for her next lecture, and I wandered through the campus, thinking about how to bring other nations into Everlight Academy.

How long had I been walking?

After a while, something suddenly bubbled up from within me.

An undeniable craving.

A true desire.

It was…

“I’m hungry.”

It was hunger.

Ding— dong— dang— dong—

Just then, I heard the academy bell ringing in the distance.

I was just aimlessly walking around the campus, but before I knew it, it was already lunchtime.

“Oh no, I’ve been so caught up in my thoughts that I lost track of time.”

I guess I should eat something first and then go back to pondering.

I turned my steps toward the academy’s cafeteria but suddenly changed my mind and went in a different direction.

The place I headed to was the academy’s snack shop.

Come to think of it, when I was trapped in the infinite loop ghost story, I repeatedly visited the snack shop.

After becoming aware of the ghost story, I hadn’t gone back even once, but I clearly remember how delicious the desserts they sold there were.

Though it was called a snack shop, since this is a romantic fantasy academy, it looked more like a bakery selling treats rather than a modern convenience store.

The quality was surprisingly high, and I remember being impressed each time during the loops.

I also remember they sold simple meals like sandwiches, not just snacks.

And I never did manage to conquer the madeleine during the ghost story loop— this might be the perfect chance to finally do it.

Ding─ ding─

As I stepped into the snack shop accompanied by the light sound of a bell, the fragrant aroma of baked goods tickled my nose.

The rich scent of butter and flour, the sweet aroma of fruit jams and cream— symbols of indulgence.

And that’s not all.

The fresh, metallic scent of blood freshly drained from a human neck.

Topping it all off was the perfect pairing: the fresh scent of milk and tea that complemented the pastries beautifully.

The atmosphere inside the snack shop was elegant beyond words, filled with the moans of students whose eyeballs had been plucked out.

At that moment, I realized something surprising.

“Oh! There aren’t many students here. Lucky me.”

Yes, the snack shop—which was always packed during breaks—was unusually quiet.

That makes sense.

Thinking about it, during breaks, students all flock to the snack shop, but at lunchtime, the cafeteria takes priority, making the snack shop relatively less popular.

Of course, that will change once students start finishing their meals, but for now, the chance to buy pastries without waiting in line was definitely an advantage.

Rather than slowly browsing the shelves, I headed straight to the register, thinking I’d grab my pastries quickly before the crowd came.

“Welcomeeeee…”

At the counter was a baker I had never seen before, greeting me warmly.

He smiled broadly—so broadly his mouth stretched up to his ears, with blood dripping from it.

I couldn’t help but flinch when I saw this patissier.

“Wait a second, you’re not the usual manager who works the counter, are you?”

“Nooope…. Starting today… we have a new manager…”

Blood dripped steadily from the new manager’s chin as he smiled eerily.

“I see. That’s too bad. The madeleine I had yesterday was really good…”

What a shame.

If I’d known this would happen, I would have tried every single madeleine before the infinite loop ghost story ended.

“That’s alright… because my skill in making bread is far superior to yours…”

Oh no.

I made a mistake.

If I praise the predecessor’s skills in front of my successor, the successor might feel hurt or offended.

I quickly needed to calculate.

I awkwardly smiled and immediately placed an order with the baker.

“Well, then, I’ll have a BLT sandwich and a regular madeleine. Oh, and an Earl Grey tea to go with that, please.”

“I’m sorry… but we don’t sell those breads here…” the baker responded.

“Oh… really?”

Oh no.

Now that I think about it, if the baker had changed, the menu might have changed as well.

But still, I never thought they wouldn’t even sell a BLT sandwich.

“Then, could you tell me what kind of bread you sell here?” I asked.

“Yes… at our main store, we only make red cookies and white candy.”

“…Pardon?”

This was a bit surprising.

To have only two types of items on the menu, and one of them is candy.

How do they even stay in business with just that?

I’m worried that the owner might change again if I come back in a few days.

I had chosen this store over a restaurant, and this is the result…

Still, leaving without buying anything feels a bit awkward.

Well, I guess at least I can fill my stomach with a cookie.

“Then, I’ll go with the red…”

Suddenly, someone grabbed my shoulder and pulled me backward.

Because of that, I couldn’t finish my order and was pushed back helplessly.

“Who… who is that… Elaine?”

Suppressing my frustration, I turned around with a forced smile, and there she was— Elaine, with her face pale, holding my shoulder as if it were going to break.