episode_0028

“Um….”

Versed gently opened his eyes.

‘A strange ceiling.’

He thought he would wake up from the dream and return to his room, but the ceiling reflected in his eyes was unfamiliar to him.

“Are you awake?”

Versed turned his head in the direction of the voice.

“Sophia.”

“Yeah, it’s Sophia. This is the recovery room. Your injuries were healed by the academy’s priest.”

“Injuries? Ah.”

Recalling the attack he suffered before losing consciousness, Versed tried to sit up and look at his back.

“No need to worry. It wasn’t a minor injury, but I used the highest-grade potion I had to heal you, so there should be no scars.”

“You used a potion?”

A potion that was as good as having an extra life.

Among them, the highest-grade potion was so precious that it was called a treasure.

Unless you were a noble, it would be difficult to see it in your lifetime.

“Well, I’m the one who saved you, so it’s natural.”

Sophia put her hands on her hips and leaned forward.

She hoped that the injured person, due to her mistake, would recognize her gratitude.

“For using a potion for someone like me, whom you barely know. Thank you.”

“No, I should be the one thanking you instead.”

Sophia stood up straight and assumed a stern posture.

“I’m Sophia de Roubellion. I’m sorry for persecuting you without knowing you properly. And thank you for saving me even though I did that.”

She was the best example of the upper class in the republic.

“Then let’s call it even.”

“Call it even? Is it okay with just that?”

“Huh? There’s nothing wrong with that, right?”

‘Even though I am the daughter of the president of the republic, I have the title of a savior and the grounds of being unfairly attacked, I just pass it over to both sides and make the first proposal.’

If Versed wanted, he could demand more from Sophia.

Of course, if she made an unreasonable demand, Sophia had thought about cutting it off at the appropriate line, but she never thought that she wouldn’t demand anything like this.

“And that demon, I chased it and it ended up in that bathroom. When you think about it, it’s my fault too. Even if I were in your position and a man I’d never seen before came into the women’s restroom like that, I would have reacted the same way as you did.”

This man. Does he really not care about my position even though he knows that I am Sophia de Rubéllion?

“Hmph. Vesperus Granginelle. It seems you’re starting to take some interest in the person you are.”

Vesperus, who approached Sophia, who only saw people approaching her to get involved with her, to approach her father, to gain even a little bit of her power, or to pick up any falling crumbs, seemed different for not showing any particular interest in her.

“In the case of that demon, its breathing was cut off by the blow you delivered. Currently, the remains are at the Academy’s leadership office.”

When a living being is eroded by magical energy flowing from the demon world to the intermediate world, it becomes a demon.

It becomes very ferocious and violent, losing its reason.

That’s why immediate exclusion was the principle for ordinary demons.

Especially at the Leicheten Academy where major figures of the continent gather.

‘Demon….’

Vesperus thought to himself.

‘It’s definitely different from the world I was in. There are demons in that world too, but they feel different from the demons in this world.’

Maybe it’s really a different dimension as I initially thought.

“Ugh. The leadership office.”

“Why are you making that expression?”

Sophia looked puzzled.

“Oh, no. Don’t worry about it.”

This is getting annoying. Now I’ve got another reason to be scolded if I get caught.

Vesperus muttered so quietly that Sophia in this world couldn’t hear him.

‘This reaction.’

It’s certain.

This Vesperus is different from me.

He doesn’t have knowledge about [Eclipse] like I do.

The secretary of this world and the somewhat acclimated secretary could read his memories and thoughts little by little.

This world’s secretary who knew Genesis as a man.

He was different from the secretary who had merged with novel knowledge after reading [Eclipse].

“Perhaps I’m just mistaken in thinking of myself as the possessor.”

He thought he might be one of many secretaries.

The secretary got up completely from the recovery room bed and checked his body condition.

“I feel healthier than before I got hurt. Thanks to the potion you gave me, Sophia.”

“It’s okay. There’s no need to repeat the thanks I’ve already received.”

“Se-cre-ta-ry.”

At that moment, a clear voice came from the entrance of the recovery room.

“You’re all healed?”

Genesis was leaning against the wall next to the door, looking at the secretary.

“Genesis!”

“What? Did I say I’d take care of this monster? Running out without properly informing the leadership?”

The secretary didn’t know what to do as Genesis approached slowly.

“Again. Again! What if your body jumps out again this time? You could die.”

“But it was an urgent situation. A monster that shoots thorns. If I had missed it, there could have been an accident inside the academy.”

“But that doesn’t mean you should go alone! You were badly injured last time because of that!”

“I see. The secretary of this world was active as a leader responsible for the security of the academy with Genesis.”

The secretary understood the situation while listening to the conversation between Genesis and the secretary.

“Stop. This man is my benefactor. I can’t ignore him anymore.”

Sophia stood in front of the secretary who was being scolded unilaterally.

“Sophia de Loubellion?”

“Do you know me?”

“There’s no way you wouldn’t. There’s no one in this academy who doesn’t know you. But why are you with this guy?”

Benefactor?

Genesis looked at the secretary demanding an explanation with his eyes.

“Ahaha. That’s because I got entangled with this kid while trying to catch that monster. I brought him here so he could recover and used a potion on him.”

“Potion? Are you dating someone you just met now?”

Jenice shot Vyrnus a displeased look.

“No, it’s not like that.”

“You always say ‘no’!”

“I mean… This guy is frustrating.”

‘Is this guy annoying?’

Watching Vyrnus converse with the two women from this world, Vyrnus thought.

It felt like watching a frustrating conversation style where the male lead of a romantic comedy from a past life was surrounded by female leads.

‘Hey! Speak properly!’

He didn’t realize that he wasn’t much different in reality.

‘…Huh? But Sophia saw all of this in a dream. Then…’

Does Jenice know that she’s a woman?

No, doesn’t she already know everything about Jenice?

* * *

Late at night

Jenice stood in the training ground, gazing silently at the scarecrow in front of her.

“Vyrnus has become so strong. I can’t stay hidden like this forever.”

She felt a sense of crisis due to Vyrnus’s recent progress, her close friend.

Vyrnus and Sophia, who were by his side, both possessed exceptional skills compared to her own.

While she was at the peak level that could be expected for her age, she was far behind the asymmetrical power of the two, and Jenice was not satisfied with her current level.

“Perhaps I’ve been too arrogant all this time.”

She had never encountered anyone stronger than herself in the Dawnlight Realm.

She had seen the skill of Naver Shraig, but she believed that he was far superior to her. She thought the same would apply to Sophia, who was evaluated as being on par with him.

Jenice recalled her duel with Sophia, which took place the day before.

I never thought she’d be that strong.

Was I just a frog in a well?

Thud

Jenice loosened the tight pressure bandage around her chest.

“Phew. I guess I can move a little now.”

Jenice straightened her sword and fixed her gaze back on the scarecrow.

And at that moment.

“Jenice!”

“V-Versus! No, no!”

“No-oooooo!”

“Squawk”

“Eek!”

Fragmented scenes flashed through her mind, causing intense pain.

Unconsciously, Jenice sank down, clutching her head.

W-What is this?

What are these scenes popping up in my head…?