Rehearsal

A writer is someone who creates characters. Setting appearances, personalities, and goals for things that don’t exist can be seen as a basic skill.

But acting as that character is another matter. I don’t even have any acting experience to speak of. I’m naturally good at lying, but acting and lying are different. I’ve never learned acting, so I can’t say for sure, but that’s what I think for now.

The people in the room were nervously waiting for their turn behind a special wall that I couldn’t see them through, when a lively voice rang out.

,Alright. Let’s start the rehearsal!

At Estelle’s voice, I sighed and recognized the spatial coordinates of where I would appear. There’s no tension to be found on Estelle’s face, who simply thinks of it as a fun game. I gave a wry smile. As the one receiving help, complaining is impossible.

,Start!

At Estelle’s signal, I created a newly modified dimensional exit. It’s a completely opposite concept to what Headmaster Nelson-nim improved.

Without thinking about magical efficiency at all, I just recklessly increased the size of the dimensional gate. Thanks to that, to the eyes of someone seeing it for the first time, it looked threatening enough to give the illusion that a perfectly normal space was suddenly distorted and a huge abyss appeared.

As I exited the dimensional gate, I did all sorts of cool poses that I had practiced in advance. Seeing me like that, Estelle smirked as if mocking me, and I sighed.

If I were to tell the story of why I ended up doing this kind of acting, I would have to go back a few days.

***

A few days ago.

,Do you do any acting?

At my sudden question, Estelle froze as if she had stopped moving. As I scratched my head, not knowing how to react, I soon heard a pathetic voice.

,Are you seriously asking an assassin if they do any acting? Are you really an idiot? Disguising as someone else is basic for an assassin! You pathetic bastard!

Listening to her, I realized that I had asked a stupid question. Come to think of it, Estelle is also the legitimate heir to an assassin group. As she said, she must be good at disguises.

But one thing felt strange. If she’s so good at disguises, why does she act like a shy, bashful person at the academy? That can’t be acting.

Just in case, I asked.

,Then can you do it without a mask?

Like a cat raising its fur, Estelle flinched greatly and looked at me warily.

,O-of course I can….

Estelle trailed off as she answered. Her voice was not trustworthy at all. As I narrowed my eyes and sent her a suspicious look, Estelle put her hands on her hips and puffed out her small chest.

,What! Do you think I can’t do that? Test me if you want! You suspicious pig!

At Estelle’s words, I didn’t hesitate and answered right away.

,Then, please act as a lively, talkative girlfriend.

Estelle seemed speechless. She probably didn’t think I would really test her. Her body trembled visibly, and then she raised her hand as if she had made up her mind and took off her cat mask.

A blush rose on Estelle’s cute face as she looked at me. Her expression seemed determined, and I was secretly looking forward to it.

,Ro, Ross-eu~ My boy, boyfriend… Boy, boyfriend… Heuk….

Unknowingly, I bit my twitching lips and desperately tried to hold back my laughter, and tears began to well up in Estelle’s eyes. Thinking that she might really cry if I left her like this, I quickly put the mask back on her.

A moment of awkward silence flowed in the room. At the sound of her sniffing, I felt like I had done something wrong and scratched my arm in embarrassment.

,Come to think of it, Estelle doesn’t really need to take off her mask….

,You pig! You should have thought of that sooner!!!

Estelle hit my arm with a fist full of emotion. Her fist was so hard that it felt like I would get a bruise, but I endured it, thinking it was the price for making Estelle cry.

After venting for a while, Estelle asked, huffing and puffing.

,So, why did you suddenly ask about acting?

Seeing Estelle glaring at me with eyes that seemed to say, “It better not be nothing,” I answered in a serious voice.

,I’m thinking of creating a fictional character to divert the cult leader’s attention.

,A fictional character?

For some reason, Estelle’s purple eyes seemed to shine brightly.

,Wouldn’t a mysterious magician who suddenly appeared and uses space magic be able to attract the cult leader’s attention?

At my words, Estelle seemed to have gained something, whether it was interest or curiosity, and she moved closer to me and waited for my next words.

,Since Tarantula is slowly becoming unreachable, the Green Magic Tower will also start to question this and begin an investigation. I think it would be better to spread rumors that Lily punished Tarantula and use it to spread Lily’s name far and wide.

Ember, who had been quietly watching the conversation from the side, suddenly interjected.

,Will the Green Magic Tower just stand by? They will definitely go around poking everywhere to get revenge.

,Of course, they will. If the rumors are true, it’s a matter of the Magic Tower’s honor.

Rather, if the Green Magic Tower openly puts a bounty on Lily’s head, we would welcome it with open arms. Rumors and commotion will be enough to attract attention.

I added with a smile to Ember, who was giving me a worried look.

,It’s a fictional character that doesn’t exist anyway. If Modiste handles things well, there won’t be any dangerous situations.

For some reason, Estelle, who had been restless since earlier, raised her hand as soon as I finished speaking.

,If that’s the case, I have a good idea! Let’s have Lily appear at this gathering. Before that, we’ll spread a lot of rumors about Lily. That she’s a heartless monster!!!

It was a voice full of interest that I hadn’t heard from Estelle before. I nodded and said the revisions.

,But like Estelle said, we can’t have her be a heartless killer who just goes around killing people. We don’t need to be checked by people who aren’t even involved.

Ember clapped her hands as if she had a good idea.

,Then how about a monster with conviction? A righteous monster who only punishes the cult or the Demon King’s followers…! She won’t unnecessarily instill fear in innocent citizens, and the cult will definitely pay attention to the newly appeared enemy and investigate. They might even order us to investigate Lily.

I shrugged and nodded. As expected, Ember is good at her job. The direction of Lily’s character that I was thinking of was also in that direction.

,Since I was planning to erase the names from the death list when I become a second-year anyway, I think it would be good to set her up as a righteous avenger who punishes the cult and the wicked. Since it’s come to this, let’s spread rumors that Lily is the one who killed the Sixth Prince.

At my words, Ember’s eyes lit up.

,Then we can attribute the wicked people that Modiste has dealt with to Lily’s actions! We can also manipulate and sell information related to Lily to create confusion.

Should I say she’s good at her job? I don’t mind her trying to make a profit in any way possible. We’re in a symbiotic relationship anyway.

,Let’s have the rumored Lily make her first appearance at Modiste’s gathering, as Estelle said. It will attract attention, and we need to show the participants of the gathering what kind of person Lily is.

Without even promising in advance, Estelle and Ember nodded at the same time as I finished speaking.

,Alright! Leave the spreading of rumors to us! We’ll make sure to engrave in that small brain of yours how much Modiste is helping you this time!

I replied with a smile to Estelle, who put her hands on her hips and said that confidently.

,I’ll look forward to it.

,Hmph. Prepare your acting properly! We have to make sure that no one notices that the person in the rumors we spread is actually a frail first-year student!

I nodded, thinking that it would somehow work out.

***

…I want to tell my naive past self that I’m an idiot.

,That’s not it! There’s no impact! Impact!!! Are you going to walk so pathetically? Walk properly! Don’t flail your arms! Swing your right arm to match your left foot!

Is she a training camp drill sergeant? The words welled up in my throat, but I swallowed them.

The pure white robe that Ember made for me is subtly uncomfortable. To be exact, it’s tight between my legs. It would have been nice if it was a little more spacious. Ember said that it’s better to be a little constricting in order to accentuate the body line, but as the one who received it as a gift, I can’t complain.

,Concentrate your attention the moment you come out of the dimensional exit! Make them naturally think, ‘Ah, this guy is no ordinary guy!’!!! Exude the presence of a plausible strong person! Put your heart into the acting!

I wanted to sigh deeply at Estelle’s appearance, who was putting her hands on her hips and scolding me like a veteran teaching a new actor, but I held it in.

,Still, I did raise my magic power as much as possible….

As I said that as if making an excuse, Estelle snorted.

,Do you think the participants will be interested in just that much? There are Sword Masters and Imperial Palace magicians among the participants. With just this much presence, they might think the rumors are exaggerated and look down on you.

Estelle spread rumors about Lily to the nobles of the capital as if she was sure of it. Now, stories about Lily are gradually spreading even to the academy. In other words, I just need to do well.

As I was subtly looking at her, Estelle patted her small chest as if she was frustrated.

,Try emitting something like that intense fighting spirit you showed when you fought Dwinn-gun! You did so well without even being told to do it back then, why can’t you do it now!

,No, that’s… It’s not something I can just control….

,Why? Why can’t you do it! Just think that there’s an enemy you have to kill right in front of you! Just immerse yourself! Focus on your meager imagination!!!

As she said that, Estelle emitted a murderous aura in an instant as if demonstrating. Seeing Estelle’s transformation from a cute girl to a brutal killer, I scratched my forehead again.

It was only thanks to the Berserker effect that I was able to do that when I fought Dwinn-gun. It’s a condition that automatically activates when I’m close to death, so it’s not something I can control.

,Back then, I was almost dead, so it was like an instinctive ability that naturally flowed out….

As I trailed off, Estelle immediately replied.

,Then if you’re almost dead, you’ll naturally become someone who suits Lily without having to act?

,…Well, if you put it that way, that’s true.

As I lowered my voice and answered, sensing the ominousness, Estelle gave a bright smile.

,I’ve come up with a good idea.

For some reason, her smile full of innocence was even more ominous.