episode_0001

Lian Trice.

A character from the web novel “Sword of the Academy,” and the person I’ve currently possessed.

The character Lian was, to put it simply, a common villainous extra, number one.

Just your typical villain.

He briefly appeared in the early part of the academy web novel, only to be beaten up and exit, like a minor villain.

There really couldn’t have been a better description of the character Lian Trice.

An irredeemable loser.

Someone you absolutely shouldn’t get close to for a healthy academy life.

It was the term those guys used to refer to me ever since I was possessed.

I had nothing to say about that.

It’s true, but what can I do?

Before I possessed him, this damn Lian Trice had already done some loser-like things from the original work, so what could I do?

What’s done is done.

There’s a reason why old sayings are passed down to us.

But that doesn’t mean I didn’t try to shake off the loser label.

I even withdrew from the unhealthy club I was in.

I cleared up all the illegal activities he had been doing using the position of the successor to the viscount family.

There were many other things I did that are hard to explain, but anyway, all the loser-like things the original Lian did had been cleared up.

“······So, what now.”

Of course, looking back now, it wasn’t really meaningful.

What’s the point of clearing things up?

It’s not like people’s perception of me changes just because I’ve cleared things up.

In fact, I ended up getting more flak.

Now I’m trying to launder my image.

Outwardly, I act like I’ve cleared things up, but behind the scenes, I’ll probably still be doing illegal things.

People don’t change.

‘Lian Trice’ won’t change.

All of this was just part of the things I heard after being possessed.

Yeah, just part of it.

It was just part of the things I’ve heard since I was possessed.

The reason I endured those words and cleared the traces of the original Lian Trice was simple.

“······I thought if I tried, things would change.”

Belief.

The belief that if I tried, others would acknowledge it.

I spent a year hunkered down like a dog, fixated solely on that belief.

But, as I said earlier.

It wasn’t particularly meaningful.

Just one sentence, “People don’t change,” rendered all my efforts invalid.

Those who originally disliked “Lian Trice” now despised me in reality.

And today.

“…It’s at least a year long.”

I received a death sentence.

***

Vroom—

The overly modern hospital’s automatic doors opened, and a cool breeze greeted me.

Refreshing.

Must be because it’s autumn.

It seemed quite some time had passed since the start of the academy’s second semester; the weather outside was gradually becoming suitable for calling it autumn.

After briefly admiring the clouds floating in the sky, I suddenly became curious about the time and opened the watch given to me by the academy.

[1:23 PM]

“…”

Hmm.

How did it get to be this time already?

I’m pretty sure I came to the hospital right at the start of lunchtime without even eating, and the academy’s lunch break was from 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM.

Unless I sprinted like lightning back to the academy right now, I would be late.

“…Should I play hooky?”

However, this fact didn’t instill any sense of urgency in me.

Maybe the me from yesterday wouldn’t have hurriedly rushed there, saying that being late is not an option when my image is already bad enough.

It felt like something had snapped inside me.

The moment I heard from the doctor that it could be as long as a year, something inside me snapped.

I knew it.

When Lian Trice leaves in the original work.

Due to his foolish behavior, he gets dumped by his fiancée.

Then, the ex-fiancée starts picking fights with the protagonist.

And eventually, unable to bear Lian’s foolishness, the protagonist gives him a good beating and gets expelled from the academy at the same time.

Taking advantage of Lian’s foolishness, even the Trice family, who already disliked Lian, erases his name from the Marquis family.

That was the end.

After that, Lian never appeared in “Academy’s Sword.”

“…But this is the original work.”

Of course, that was just the ending of Lian in the original work.

I won’t go crazy and pester the protagonist of the original work.

I thought my ending would be better than that.

“······I didn’t expect it to turn out like this.”

But I guess I shouldn’t be surprised to face an ending that’s not all that different from what I am.

The setting of Lian Trice having an incurable disease wasn’t even mentioned in the original work.

So, I was trying to shake off the title of ‘fool’ by any means necessary.

I wanted to live not as a fool, but as Lian Trice, without the label of a fool.

“······It’s meaningless.”

Given the terminal prognosis, I wondered what the point of all this was.

Even if I put more effort into this, it wouldn’t erase my image as a fool.

“···.”

Well, okay.

I’m starting to dislike going back to the classroom even more.

If this is also an ability, then it must be an ability.

Still, I had been pondering things a bit, and they just vanished as if washed away.

I wondered what use there would be in returning to the academy to attend classes in the classroom.

Whether I return on time to attend class or not, people’s gazes won’t change.

In that case, wouldn’t it be better to enjoy this peace I haven’t felt in a while?

I’ve been living quite a busy life lately.

Lian Trice, that crazy guy, has caused so much trouble.

However, there was no need for such pondering anymore.

I finally wrapped up the last of Lian’s legacy(?) yesterday.

“······The timing is a bit cruel.”

I say it’s a bit cruel, but honestly, the timing doesn’t make sense at all.

Of all days, today.

Why should I receive this notification the day after cleaning up all the mess left by the original Lian?

“···.”

Sigh.

The world is despicable.

Until a moment ago, I was feeling indifferent, claiming a mental victory, but as soon as I started breathing the outside air, the sense of injustice that had been pent up until now began to appeal to me.

“······But there’s nothing I can do about it.”

Of course, that didn’t change anything, but what am I supposed to do if I feel wronged?

It’s my fault for being possessed by this body, isn’t it?

······It’s my fault for being possessed by the body that was on the verge of suicide.

If it’s not my fault, then whose fault is it?

If we really want to blame someone, it would be the fault of the original Lian.

But since I’ve been possessed as Lian, ultimately, it means it’s my fault.

And this fact was well proven by the stinging scar engraved on my right wrist.

***

Intermittent tree-lined walkway.

Is it because it’s time for office workers to be at work and students to be at the academy?

“…It’s nice because it’s spacious.”

I was the only one walking on this wide walkway.

Or was I? There weren’t many people walking here to begin with.

The background itself is highly developed in engineering, with transportation methods like portals existing in this setting.

Even though it’s a weekday, there must be a reason why I’m the only one walking around here.

“I mean, I used a portal when I arrived at the hospital just now.”

A world where engineering is so advanced that people don’t need to walk around.

Yet, it’s a world where titles like viscount and marquis still exist, and customs like engagement remain.

···

There are even strangely shaped monsters in this world.

“···.”

Come to think of it, the background is quite a chaotic melting pot.

The author certainly threw in every background they wanted.

Well, I don’t think it’s bad.

As long as the novel is interesting to readers, no matter what’s in the background, that should be enough.

It’s just that I don’t particularly like being transmigrated into a novel with such a mixed-up background.

As I continued to walk aimlessly for a while, my legs started to ache.

“······Maybe I should have just taken the portal gracefully.”

A belated small regret.

But I quickly erased it from my mind.

If I had taken the portal, I would have to attend class.

I consider it a mental victory, exchanging attending a meaningless class for the pain in my legs.

A true mental victory.

······What a meaningless thought.

Vroom-

As I was sorting out these useless thoughts, a black sedan passed by.

I wonder what the person inside is thinking when they see me. What kind of person walks around here at this time?

Screech-

While I was thinking about that, the sedan that was passing me suddenly stopped on the road.

What? Why did it suddenly stop?

Did it run out of fuel all of a sudden?

Right next to me, a sedan came to a stop. After briefly trying to discern its intentions, the sedan’s window slowly opened, revealing a very familiar face.

“Tayo. I’ll give you a ride to the academy.”

“···.”

“Oh, don’t annoy people and get in quickly.”

“······Elise?”

A woman with dark ash-colored hair and bright red pupils was staring at me with an annoyed expression.