Regressor's Notebook Episode 8
Dream (2)
Endex is quiet during the break season. The first-year rookies about to enroll and the sophomores about to become second-years must be busy with trips and fun and whatnot, while the prospective third-years and the fourth-years challenging the College Board must be busy with tutoring, training, competitions, studying, and the like.
It is the life of wealthy elites, or of talented commoners.
I am not.
I was watching Utube on a computer in the empty Endex library.
“—Today, I’ll show you how to chop wood, that is, how to cut trees down easily.”
These days the skill I’m training in is woodworking, but besides that, I’m also “watching” with my eyes as many skills as possible—fishing, hunting, archery, cooking, and so on. Naturally, this is to fuse them into the Notebook’s Ruxido.
“The most important thing is posture. Keep your core tight, and grip the axe firmly with both hands. For the first strike, swing down at the tree to create a diagonal cut on the surface.”
Thwack—! On the monitor, the axe bites into the tree diagonally.
“Aha. The first hit is a little slanted?”
Thus, everything I see is memorized by the 「Notebook」. Simpler and easier skills take up less capacity, and the more I master them through bodily repetition, the less capacity they require.
“Next, strike in a straight line so it connects with the first diagonal cut. Think of making a triangle on the tree surface by cutting as deep as possible…….”
Among these, I call the process of “mastering through repeated bodily practice” “embodiment.” It means accepting the Notebook’s memories into the body, and a skill once embodied is unlikely to be forgotten. Probably, forever.
“See? This is how easily the tree cuts. It may be difficult, but if you work hard…… please subscribe and like, and I’ll see you next time.”
The video ended. I reviewed the tree-felling technique in my head, then left the library.
“Hm?”
But a large poster was stuck to the hallway wall.
College Board Participant List
1. Gerken Kal Dun.
2. Elize Petra
3. Solliet Areukeune…….
153. Sion Ascal.
Interim Assembly Date: Monday, February 25th
I glanced up and down the list.
“……So I meet them again too.”
As they say, school is a microcosm of society; even at Mana High, a hierarchy exists. It is a hierarchy considering status, wealth, house, ability, and the like; the faculty, not to mention the press and media, divide students into a pyramid-style Tier system.
For example, there are only two S+ Tiers at this Mana High. The eldest daughter of the Areukeune House, “Solliet Areukeune,” and the second daughter of the Petra House, “Elize Petra.” Below them are two S Tiers. Unprecedented talent “Gerken Kal Dun,” plutocrat “Raye Hilton.”
Besides them, there are about five A~A+ Tiers, and interestingly enough, most of the high-tier guys have some connection to me. Some are ill-fated connections, some good; there are guys who dumped spaghetti on my head, locked me in a cleaning supply closet, threw trash at me…… stuff like that.
[Interim Assembly is Monday, February 25th, at Cleyum Hall. Non-participation may result in penalties.]
Anyway, tomorrow’s interim assembly is literally a preliminary gathering of College Board participants. So they can see each other’s faces, scout, and keep each other in check.
“Been a while since I saw those faces.”
* * *
I didn’t know about the assembly, but I did have a temporary dwelling.
The very corner of the second floor of the old building. An abandoned storage room covered in cobwebs.
I’d been getting self-conscious about continuing to live in the old man’s basement, so I moved upstairs.
“Is this inside or outside.”
It’s just so cold my breath is visible, and there’s no furniture whatsoever. Only a floor mat, pillow, and blanket.
Well, I’d need money to live.
“……Sigh.”
So I went out to the mountain behind the old building. I glanced around roughly and chose a suitable tree.
Not too thick, not too thin—a guy just right for use as firewood.
“This’ll do.”
Tap, tap— I knocked on the roughly 5-meter tree with my finger. It was solid.
“Shall we.”
I gripped the axe I’d borrowed from the old man. In that state, I summoned a 「Memory」.
In an instant, every sensation in my body sharpened. My body moved on its own, correcting my stance.
The expert I’d taken as my textbook was [Sereson Lumberjack]. He was a Utuber with 150,000 subscribers who’d worked in the industry for 25 years.
So while I might not become a master woodcutter now, I would be able to become a professional lumberjack with years of experience…….
“Hup!”
With a sharp shout, I swung the axe diagonally down.
Thwack—! The steel blade dug deep into the bark. Fragments of bark flew like sparks.
“Hoo.”
Then, after a brief pause, I pulled out the axe and struck straight below the first cut.
Crack—!
The triangular empty space [∠] formed by the intersecting diagonal and straight line—
With that, the tree’s balance was completely destroyed.
Creak——
The tree, its spine shattered, crashed down with a scream.
Boom!
A tree weighing several hundred kilograms had been felled in just two axe swings.
“Whew…….”
I regulated my breathing. I wiped away the sweat that had stuck to me. I looked at the fallen tree with rather proud eyes.
Now, it was time to chop this guy up into firewood.
* * *
Crackle, crackle— crackle, crackle—
The warmth of the firewood stove borrowed from the old man gently rising indoors.
“Yawwn…….”
I opened my eyes amidst it. Surprisingly, my body felt refreshed. I’d thought it would hurt from chopping so hard.
I looked around with clear eyes.
My temporary quarters on the second floor of the old building. My body was on the mat, surroundings messy with firewood I’d cut yesterday.
“……Feeling good today.”
The moment I muttered that, my hair shot up—!
I hastily turned to look at the clock on the ceiling.
[9:03 AM]
“……You crazy—!”
—Interim Assembly is Monday, February 25th, at Cleyum Hall. Non-participation may result in penalties.
The sentence written at the very bottom of the poster was vivid in my mind, not a word missing.
“Fuck!”
I sprang up as if launched. I ran like mad out of the old building and sprinted across the grounds.
My destination was the round building southeast of the clock tower, [Cleyum Hall].
“Hah, hah.”
I ran until my heart felt like bursting and barely arrived.
I gently pressed my ear to the door. Voices were already flowing out.
I straightened my school uniform tie. I tidied my appearance.
“Hoo.”
After a deep breath, I quietly opened the back door.
Creeeeak…….
“Late?”
The moment I stepped inside the hall, the man at the podium pointed at me and twitched his eyebrows. The seniors filling the hall turned to look at me simultaneously.
I bowed my head deeply.
“I apologize.”
“I'll let it slide since it’s an interim assembly. From the next class onward, it’s a penalty.”
Fortunately, he seemed to be a flexible person. He looked quite young, with refreshingly sharp features.
“Yes. Thank you.”
I walked to find a seat. With every step, I heard whispering.
—What is he doing here… ugh, why’s his head like that—it’s buzzed—why’s that bastard here without graduating—did he go crazy this time—
Amidst such chatter, the supervisor continued speaking.
“I will explain the College Board process.”
I quickly planted myself in any seat.
“What. Sion, why are you sitting here?”
Someone lashed out from beside me. Raye Hilton, twirling purple hair around her finger.
Endex’s S Tier.
Next to her was even an S+ Tier, Elize Petra.
“I asked why you’re sitting here.”
I have quite a few bad memories with these two. Whether Raye was axe-crazy, a psychopath, or had a split personality, she had genuinely tried to cut off my fingers in our first year for “crossing the line.” As for Elize…….
Snap—!
Just then, the supervisor snapped his fingers.
Flick—!
A sheet of paper flew and landed on my desk.
It was a course registration form.
“The College Board process is divided into three terms. March to May is the first term. For your first term, you must choose two liberal arts courses on Tuesdays and Thursdays.”
I scanned the list with my eyes. The electives included [Basics of Swordsmanship], [Latinel I], [Literature], [Advanced Magic Studies], and so on.
I chose two immediately.
[Basics of Swordsmanship] and [Latinel I].
Swordsmanship because my father is a knight, Latinel because it is a necessary noble education to approach Libra.
“You may submit your choices to the faculty office by tomorrow.”
I folded the liberal arts form horizontally.
“Hmmmm……”
Raye next to me glared at my hand movement with narrowed eyes.
“On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, you'll work on College Board assignments. Most assignments will be revealed that same day, and if you fail three times, you're eliminated. However, the assignment on the first day of school is a special ‘qualification review’; if you fail, you’re immediately eliminated.”
The supervisor paused and drew a card from inside his jacket.
“Today, I’ll hand out a common assignment. There is no failing this one, but there are benefits to succeeding.”
He waved his arm. Ch-ch-ching— Over a hundred cards surged up from beneath the podium.
“The first common assignment, ‘Manito’.”
Ah, shit.
I closed my eyes briefly. The others made deliberate groans of dislike, but within them was excitement and anticipation.
I just felt like shit.
“You probably know how it works. These Manito cards have you 153 names written on them. The Manito must perform an action toward their target that can be ‘clearly defined as helping,’ and if you do, you gain 1.5 CP.”
CP. It stands for College Points. The cut line for prestigious universities is set based on this.
For top students, every single point is like blood.
“However. The Manito must never let the target know they are the Manito. If discovered, no CP.”
He raised a finger.
“Conversely, if you guess your Manito's identity correctly, you receive the same 1.5 CP. This Manito guess chance is only once.”
Many rules for an outdated Manito game.
The supervisor spoke rigidly.
“To summarize. The Manito must not have their identity discovered by the target. If they help without being discovered, they gain 1.5 CP. If discovered? The Manito gains no CP, and the target gains the CP.”
At a glance, it looks like a friendship-building, ice-breaking game, but upon closer inspection, it reeks strongly of the opposite.
“The period lasts until midterms are over.”
This game makes you suspect the other person's goodwill.
The side trying to help must deceive the other with all their might, and the other must see through the ulterior motive of the goodwill to receive points.
“Whatever help you give, it's best to do it quickly. If the target gives up or is eliminated, you lose the chance to help them too.”
Maybe it's the right lesson.
Because in this world, there is no unconditional goodwill.
“I'll distribute the cards randomly, one by one.”
The supervisor imbued the cards with his mana. Then, whoosh—! They flipped over and were delivered in front of the students' desks.
“Check them.”
A space holding its breath.
Raucous voices disappeared, and the void was filled by the noise of flipping cards.
I picked up a card too.
“……Ah, fuck.”
My face contorted the moment I saw the name. I pressed a finger to my temple. A headache suddenly surged.
“You've all checked, right.”
Ye-s—
“Good. Then, we'll do self-introductions one by one.”
—■■■■■!
In that instant, sincere screams filled the classroom.
The supervisor furrowed his brow.
“Self-promotion is a tradition of the interim assembly. Are you going to do nothing but groan like today on your college interview day?”
As he spoke, the supervisor pointed somewhere with his finger.
“The one who came latest, you first.”
It was me.
My headache worsened.
Damn it, why me of all people. Should I confess I'm a terminal patient.
“Hey. Stand up.”
I had no choice but to rise.
“......”
I looked into the supervisor's eyes. He met my gaze and asked,
“Name?”
“......Sion Ascal.”
“Hobbies?”
I glanced around briefly.
There were many people filling the hall.
Some students looked straight ahead as if uninterested, some leaned back to watch, but most treated me like some “inferior thing.”
Raye next to me was especially grinning as if looking at a monkey.
I want to punch her.
I let out a sigh-like reply.
“......Drawing.”
“Drawing?”
“I can draw.”
My hobbies are mostly things I can do lying down. Listening to music, reading, information gathering, newspaper clippings, drawing, and so on.
Come to think of it, I was rather talented at drawing among them.
Suddenly the supervisor asked.
“Dream?”
“......Dream.”
Dream. The nuance of that word felt strange.
Dream. It was a future I had not considered for a very long time.
Dream. Old Man Beltos's voice whispered in my ear.
.......Become the most trustworthy person to your enemies, become their most important person, and destroy their hearts.
Why did that come to mind now?
It sounds easy but would be incredibly difficult.
It would be so arduous it would be terrible.
Since Libra is in a different star field, reaching them would require tremendous effort and patience.
“Dream. None?”
“......Libra.”
But the current me muttered blankly.
Clenching my fist, opening my eyes.
A smile I myself didn't understand formed.
“What? Libra?”
“Yes.”
If they are in a different star field, I will surely reach that star field.
I will exact from them a price befitting this damned life, crawling if I must.
“Libra.”
Until then, I can endure.
Because I have much to ask them, because I have countless things to retrieve from them, I can endure enough.
“My future hope is......”
I gathered my breath.
I spat out the emotion rising from the very bottom of my heart.
“To become a guardian knight of Libra.”
This is a resolution sent by me, still too small to be seen by you.
A prayer offered while hoping it reaches you above.
“......Hmm. Rather grand.”
The supervisor said.
Then, as if they'd been waiting, laughter erupted. Paha-hat, khaha, scornful laughter mixed with contempt and disregard.
It did not matter.
“Yes. It is.”
Because I smiled too.
Since coming back through time, the most purely.