Episode 34
"Young Master, why are you going to the back alley?"
"...I need to buy something."
I knew full well that my mental state was in shambles, so I had planned to stop by a mental counseling center or treatment facility before arriving at the dormitory to receive some counseling.
However, for some reason, after seeing Serena's letter and receiving a major shock, my previously exhausted mind had become slightly clearer, so I reversed my decision.
Perhaps the shock from reading the letter was so intense that it actually cleared my mind instead. I should use this shock therapy more often in the future.
Anyway, with my mind cleared, I postponed visiting the mental counseling center and turned the carriage toward the back alley I had been meaning to visit soon. Now, wearing a robe pulled over my head along with Kania, I was heading toward the entrance of the back alley in the market district.
"Young Master, do you think Serena has discovered the truth?"
"Hmm... Since no penalty window appeared, that doesn't seem to be the case."
"But then, how does Serena know about 'Hangul'?"
"...Who knows."
Unconsciously mimicking Serena's manner of speaking, I looked at Kania who was wearing a worried expression, let out a deep sigh, and began speaking again.
"Lately, there have been too many variables... It feels like we're straying further and further from the scenario."
"...Scenario?"
"Yes, the 'scenario.' The only path that exists to save this world."
Upon hearing those words, Kania's expression began to harden.
"The only path... you say?"
"Yes, I don't know if it's some petty Sun God or some great System, but anyway, that transcendental being has predetermined the sole means to grant a happy ending to the world."
"........."
As I spoke in a calm voice, Kania stopped walking and looked straight at me as she asked her question.
"...Is there really no other path than that?"
"What?"
"I'm asking if you really have to be swung around so forcefully by that 'System' or whatever it is, suffering like this."
When I fell silent at her words, Kania took one step closer to me and continued speaking.
"I haven't seen the prophecy book so I don't know well, but... surely there must be another way, right?"
"Another way..."
"And, Young Master tends to rely too much on the 'System.' If this continues, surely something big will..."
"There's no choice."
Cutting off her words, I spoke with a bitter smile.
"There is another way. But if I don't struggle, everything ends in sad conclusions."
"...For example?"
"One of the happier endings among the conclusions you'd face if you don't take this 'route' is surviving with just one of the 'main heroines' and living in a destroyed world."
".........."
"Of course there are other options... but most end like this. That's why I had no choice."
Having lost her words for a moment at that, Kania spoke to me again in a quiet voice.
"E, even so... the 'System' is restricting Young Master's actions too much. Moreover, it's even malicious. So please don't trust it too..."
"...On the day the Demon King has been gone for 1000 years, his successor shall swallow the world."
To her, I quietly recited an all-too-familiar verse.
"To stop that successor, a hero with the same power as me shall be needed."
Then Kania, who had been staring at me blankly for a moment, recited the next verse and soon wore an expression of realization.
"Surely, that 'same power' is..."
"Yes, it was the 'System.' Of course, it wasn't the same 'Path of the Evil One' as mine... but that person also used the 'System.'"
Looking up at the sun shining brightly above our heads, I added briefly.
"And with that System, in the end, that person defeated the Demon King."
Looking at me with sorrowful eyes, Kania quietly looked at the sun like me and opened her mouth.
"...Today of all days, I resent that sun floating up there."
"Indeed."
As we gazed at the sun for a moment, when complaints about blocking the way came from behind, we sighed and began moving forward again.
'...Is following the System really the right thing to do?'
And from that point on, though I didn't show it to Kania, my doubts toward the System began to grow stronger.
Doubts like why a convenience-oriented System that solves everything uses my evil deeds as nourishment, and why almost all the abilities the System provides are ones that help in committing evil deeds.
But just as I had deferred judgment when pondering the prophecy book before, since my mental state was already on the verge of collapse, I decided to defer judgment again, thinking I wouldn't be able to endure any longer if I touched such fundamental problems.
"Um...!"
Walking through the market alley toward the back alley entrance with a dazed look, suddenly a voice came from somewhere.
"P, please give us something to eat..."
"We've been starving for 3 days..."
"Please help us..."
Coming to my senses and looking around, children with filthy bodies all over were surrounding Kania and me, appealing with desperate expressions.
"...Kania, give me the coin purse."
"What if you get caught doing a good deed?"
The children looked so pitiful that I tried to give alms, but Kania looked at me with a worried expression and pointed out that I could be caught doing a good deed.
True, if I keep forcing myself to give alms like this and make a mistake someday, it would be a big failure. Although I'm wearing a white robe pulled over my head instead of the black robe I used before... still, you never know with people.
"That's true too. Then, you distribute it instead."
But unable to ignore the hungry children, I ordered Kania to distribute the gold coins instead, and I began looking around at the children wearing bright smiles.
"...There are some kids who received gold back then too."
Eventually, discovering that most of the children I had saved from the Succubus Queen in the past were mixed in with the beggar group begging again, I let out a deep sigh and held my head.
""Thank you, sister!!""
""Thank you, big sister!!"
After pondering for a moment, I quietly spoke to Kania who was waving at the children running away cheerfully.
"Kania, I don't think I can stand it anymore."
".....?"
At my sudden words, Kania tilted her head with a puzzled expression.
"I'm going to do charity work."
"Excuse me!?"
And it didn't take long for that expression to turn into astonishment.
.
"Young Master, please think again."
"No. I've thought enough."
"Please, Young Master..."
Though I had lowered my voice as much as possible since we had entered the back alley, Kania was still clinging to me and pleading.
"Young Master's life force and lifespan won't remain. Please. Charity work after everything ends..."
"I know my lifespan well myself."
"...Yes?"
I took out something I had been keeping in my bosom and showed it to Kania.
"What is this?"
"My remaining lifespan."
".....!!!"
When I spoke calmly, Kania's mouth fell open and she soon bowed her head deeply.
"It's a lifespan measurer I obtained as a reward for defeating Irina in the practical evaluation. How is it? Quite cruel, isn't it?"
"Young... Master..."
As I spoke with a smile, when Kania grabbed my trembling hand and looked at me pitifully, I scratched my head and spoke.
"It's okay, I just need to stay alive until I settle things with the Demon King."
Having finished speaking while avoiding Kania's gaze with effort, I put the measurer back in my pocket and opened my mouth.
"Anyway, I'm fully aware of the importance of lifespan."
"Then... even more so..."
"That's why I plan to create just one thing in secret, anonymously."
"...Create what?"
When Kania asked with a furrowed brow, I answered with a smile.
"An orphanage."
"........"
Looking at me with momentarily moved eyes, Kania took out a fountain pen from her pocket, tapped her head, and opened her mouth.
"However, if you mobilize the Starlight family's wealth, eventually the trail will be caught."
"I'll just use my personal assets I have."
"Young Master's personal assets?"
When I spoke confidently, Kania shook her head with a bitter smile.
"I know Young Master has a lot of money, but even so, not enough to continuously operate an orphanage..."
"...Here."
".....!"
But when she saw the statement I took out of my pocket, her eyes went wide for a moment, then she looked at me and asked.
"When on earth did you save all this money?"
"I didn't save it, my father did."
"...Ah."
At those words, Kania quietly closed her mouth, and I turned my eyes from her to watch the children disappearing far away, then spoke again.
"I can tolerate everything else, but I absolutely cannot stand watching children who should be the empire's hope wandering around like beggars like that."
"...I see."
"And, I don't think I can endure until everything ends anyway. So I'm going to start now."
"Ah..."
Listening to my words and making a tearful face for a moment, Kania soon wore an expression of determination and opened her mouth.
"I will pour in all my capabilities and definitely establish the empire's finest orphanage."
"Yes, of course... with absolutely no connection to the Starlight family or me."
"Understood."
With a solemn expression, Kania nodded and began writing something in the notebook she always carried, and I looked with a satisfied expression at the children who had now become dots far away, muttering to myself.
'...By the way, I wonder how that little one is doing?'
.
"Tsk... tsk, what a crazy woman..."
Meanwhile at that time, somehow having returned from the Western Continent to the Sunrise Empire in just one day, the Tower Lord was walking down the street grumbling in a bad mood.
"Asking me to put a mental recovery spell on the last letter written before losing memory... Does she think that's some magic anyone can use? Even the Emperor has to wait in line for a year to receive it... Hah..."
Frowning and criticizing Serena's abuse of power for a while, the Tower Lord soon looked up at the sky with a sad expression and began complaining.
"My goodness... at this age I'm having such hardships... If only I hadn't been caught by that wicked bitch's weakness..."
"Buy bread!!"
"...Hmm?"
Then, hearing a fragrant bread smell and a spirited shout, the Tower Lord frowned and muttered.
"What bread, who wants bread at this age when I can't even digest it properly..."
Having taken out his frustration on an innocent place, the Tower Lord sighed and tried to quickly pass by the bakery, but...
"Hey, don't do that, just try one bite!!"
"...Little one, I'm busy right now. So move aside."
When some kid blocked his path and held out bread, he muttered in an irritated voice.
"B, busy?"
"Yes, very busy."
"...I don't know what you're doing, but shall I help you a bit?"
Quietly watching the girl who spoke while her eyes twinkled, the Tower Lord unconsciously chuckled at her cute appearance and accepted the bread she held out.
"This is something I, the Tower Lord, must do."
"The Tower Lord?"
Eventually, taking a bite of the bread, the Tower Lord began speaking in a tired voice.
"Yes, enormous magic power that could shake the world was detected around here, so the Magic Tower is in an uproar. That's why I, the Tower Lord, personally stepped forward."
"I, is that so?"
"Yes, so you just keep selling bread. I don't need help from a little one who can't even cast magic."
Leaving those words and giving back the bread, the Tower Lord took out a gold coin from his pocket, placed it in the girl's hand, and muttered curtly.
"Hmph... it tastes good but I still can't digest it. Should I develop a digestion magic or something..."
"I, I'm a mage too!!"
"...What?"
Having done a good deed for the first time in a while to a cute girl and about to go on his way, when the kid urgently shouted, the Tower Lord chuckled again and opened his mouth.
"Silly, you shouldn't lie. I can't feel any magic power from you at all, so what magic..."
"Look! I can cast magic too!"
".....!"
But when the girl's body began to emit a brilliant light, the Tower Lord, who had been watching with his mouth agape for a moment,
- Pop!!
"...Huh?"
suddenly disappeared from that spot.
"...Tower Lord?"
- Boom!!
"Heeek!!"
Staring blankly at the spot where the Tower Lord had disappeared, the girl soon saw the Tower Lord reappear with round eyes and approach her with large strides, and was so surprised she dropped the bread basket she was holding.
"Surely, the enormous magic power that was being felt around here just now... was all...?"
"...Um, what's going on?"
"Little one, what's your name?"
Looking at the Tower Lord with a dumbfounded expression for a moment, when the Tower Lord grabbed her hand and asked her name, the girl answered brightly.
"...I'm Glare!"
"Good, from now on you're my disciple."
"...Yes?"
But when the Tower Lord looked down at her with enraptured eyes and declared her his disciple, Glare began tilting her head with a dumbfounded expression.
And the ring of fortune that had been preciously worn on her left ring finger was glistening, receiving the light emanating from her body.
.
"...Hua, I think I can live a bit now."
"You've worked hard today, Young Master."
After purchasing a lot of items needed for future work in the back alley and returning to the dormitory, the evening sunset was in full bloom in the sky.
Lying on the bed and watching that scene blankly for a moment, I realized Kania was looking at me with a tense expression.
"...Finally, the time for the 'Commoner Dormitory Attack Incident' has arrived."
About to ask what was going on, hearing the words from Kania's mouth, I understood why she was making such an expression.
"Yes, it'll be soon now."
"I've already identified all the students who caused the attack incident in the previous round. Just give the order and I can subdue them immediately..."
"It's no use."
"...Yes?"
Shaking my head, I cut off Kania's words and spoke while displaying the notification that had been floating in the system window.
[You have successfully cleared the hidden route!]
[Content: Win the match against Irina!]
[Reward: Lifespan measurer]
[Change: The mastermind of the 'Commoner Dormitory Attack Incident' changes randomly]
"Because I defeated Irina, the scenario changed."
Originally, the 'Commoner Dormitory Attack Incident' occurs because Irina overwhelmingly defeats a high-ranking noble in the practical evaluation sparring.
That high-ranking noble, having been miserably defeated by her and becoming a laughingstock among commoners, commits the insane act of setting fire to the commoner dormitory with his companions out of spite.
And as a result, through the efforts of Perloche, Irina, and Kania, there are no casualties, but... numerous injuries occur.
And the many commoner students who finally explode after enduring and rising up.
The movement that started from commoner students spreads uncontrollably, and eventually the entire empire becomes caught up in rebellion and falls into unrest.
Of course, the Demon King who manipulated all of this from behind begins to reveal himself to the world in earnest from that point.
In other words, the 'Commoner Dormitory Attack Incident' is an event where the empire heads toward ruin in earnest while simultaneously being the Demon King's debut.
Since it's such an important event, it must absolutely be stopped, but... because I defeated Irina, the situation has become twisted.
Originally, the strategy for this event was for me to become the high-ranking noble who was miserably defeated by Irina, then get caught trying to set fire to the dormitory with a few noble lackeys...
From the moment I defeated Irina, the 'attacker' became random.
Because of that, it became impossible to predict who would attack the commoner dormitory, for what reason, and in what way.
"...Then, it's quite a big problem?"
Listening to my explanation, Kania asked with a worried expression.
"Indeed... Kania, you're staying in the noble dormitory as my servant, and Irina is in a mana-depleted state... Perloche can exert her power, but still, relying on just that child alone is a bit concerning..."
With so much happening lately, I couldn't find a plausible solution and began pondering response methods while holding my head.
"Can't I just keep watch around the commoner dormitory?"
"No, it's dangerous."
"...Yes?"
When Kania cautiously asked while I was pondering for a long time, I shook my head and answered.
Then Kania, wearing a slightly flustered expression, emitted an aura from her body and opened her mouth.
"Young Master, I don't know about a few days ago, but... the current me can subdue most academy students."
"But if you use black magic, traces of dark magic will remain. Then it will be quite troublesome when the investigation team comes later. Other things can be covered with the Starlight family's power and bribes, but... incidents related to black magic are hard to cover up."
"What I meant was using regular magic, not black magic. Students who aren't even commoner students but noble students... honestly, I can subdue them even with my eyes closed..."
"...You don't know because you're unaware."
"Yes?"
I sighed and spoke to Kania.
"This event... might be our first real crisis."
At those words, Kania began to wear a bewildered expression, and I quietly rose from my seat and added.
"In most random events... the Demon King intervenes."
Hearing that, Kania bit her lip tightly, then soon opened her mouth with a determined expression.
"...Then I should step forward after all."
"Sigh, let's think about that gradually."
Trying to stop such Kania, feeling fatigue throughout my body, I postponed persuasion and closed my eyes, asking in a low voice.
"By the way, is there any new report? If not, I'm going to get some sleep."
"...There is one thing."
"Really...? Then tell me..."
Like that, I was gradually falling asleep while listening to Kania's words in a half-asleep state, but...
"...The Imperial family has sent a ball invitation."
"A ball invitation?"
I had no choice but to open my eyes wide at Kania's following words.
"Yes, they say they'll decide Klana's fiancé at that ball."
"...This is really driving me crazy."
"...Excuse me?"
Because an event that was supposed to happen much later had suddenly occurred now.
Truly, it's a maddening situation.
.
"...Let me ask once more, who did you say you are?"
"I am..."
Meanwhile at that time, not far from Frey's dormitory.
"...I am the Demon King's faithful confidant."
Isabel, whose ship's curse Kania had placed was lifted at some point, was muttering with a dreamy smile.
"Very excellent. Then, I'll tell you the first mission you must fulfill as the Demon King's confidant."
And the crow sitting by the window, amazingly, delivered its orders to her in human speech.
"Attack the commoner dormitory."
The setting evening sunset was quietly illuminating Isabel, who was smiling at those words.