Despite knowing the whole map better than my neighborhood in the previous world, seeing it with my own eyes felt completely new.
And the air was so clean, no pure. Although, I'm not sure whether it's the difference between worlds or simply that I do not have lung cancer anymore.
As I took a deep breath, I continued my carefree stride to my destination.
It was quite a long way from my dorm, moreover, not the most pleasant of neighborhoods.
The slums.
However, the exact destination was somewhat more peaceful.
The only orphanage in the area.
This world almost had no laws, the only actual laws were the commandments from God, although that wasn’t always the case…
Even despite God's presence, corruption is more than just present. It's everywhere.
Given that demons had a hand in this outcome, it doesn't help that “Father” tends to speak briefly and in riddles.
Honestly, the only reason that the orphanage is untouched is because God is much less lenient about sins towards children.
Well… and also that the only volunteer at that place is a veteran.
Ah. It's here.
Despite weird gazes due to my clean look and a few pickpockets attempts, I arrived safely.
*Knock-knock*
A woman in a nun’s outfit opened the door.
“How may I help you?”
Her look and tone of voice was far from welcoming.
I bowed my head slightly.
“God save you, sister. I’ve come to volunteer.”
She was visibly surprised by my words.
“Ho~?”
She looked me up and down as if to assess me.
“You're not from the slums, are you, young man?”
“No, I come from the suburbs.”
The second dormitory is located there after all.
Usually, only rich merchants and servants of clergy or some nobles can live there, while true nobles and clergymen live in the center.
“Better find where to volunteer there, it's not safe here.”
“You do not need to concern yourself with my safety. I can take care of myself.”
She fell silent for a moment…
Now, she will ask the most important question.
“Why us?”
…
This feels bizarre.
While the game I played has been said to have revolutionary AI technology even in the age when debates on artificial life were led…
Now I can't help but think of it as some prophetic scripture.
I knew the exact words to say.
“This is the only place that takes volunteers.”
“That…”
While there are more than enough orphanages out there in the suburbs or the central area, all of them are filled with nobles and rich people who “volunteer”.
They just give money to be on that list and actually do nothing.
The church only says publicly that “those people helped immensely while volunteering”, even though they did nothing but provide money.
This knowledge is being kept secret, but those who directly suffered from it know well.
Volunteering is just another form of donation for the church.
…While poor servants of the church are forced to overwork due to being short staffed… all in the name of God.
“You… are you from the clergy?”
She suspects me in more ways than one.
“No… I merely sinned and want to earn forgiveness.”
That is a white lie I am forced to say.
“Then go to the church and pray.”
She was about to close the door on me.
“While God may forgive me… I am not yet ready to forgive myself.”
I bowed my head again.
.
.
“What can you do?”
The answer was perfectly prepared just for this person.
“I'm good with any type of labor, but, uhh… I'm bad at playing with children.”
I gave an awkward smile, although I did that quite a lot in the game, honestly, I was extremely bad with children in real life.
“Hah, that's no issue. Come, I’ll prepare a list.”
…My weekends are about to get busy.
.
.
Although I came on Sunday noon, I came back in the evening.
Unfortunately, I didn’t meet Ophelia…
She’s the one for whom I’m willing to spend all weekends volunteering.
The one and only other volunteer… and a retired knight.
Ophelia retired due to an “accident” on the battlefield. It rendered her magic- I mean incantations useless. The so-called incantations are a magic equivalent of Fallen Paradise. There’s really no difference, mana is “faith” that is actually tangible in this world. And the main reason why the community called it mana is because it is very inconvenient when the classic definition of the word “faith” still exists in this world.
The stat in my status window refers exactly to that… I am not fit for magic am I?
.
.
I wish to meet Ophelia sooner.
.
.
Today is Monday. And the first day of my new life in the Academy.
Being in my second year, it is located slightly further from the center of the city. The reason for that is the divide of students by years. As years go by, students are moved closer and closer to the world’s edge as well as “No Man’s Land” where demons and monsters roam alike.
Fortunately, I am still far away from that dreaded place.
Today is the entrance ceremony. Every year gets their own.
“Welcome, dear students, future hope of God.”
That is Dean Jacob. He shows an image of a kind grandfather to all of his students.
“I am pleased with all of your results. Especially your year, but don’t tell that to others. Haha~.”
Stolen novel; please report.
The crowd fell into a quiet snicker together with the dean.
I was an exception.
“But enough with the prelude. I will begin the explanation of your curriculum.”
…Corrupt. Like all of them.
Fortunately not by demons.
“As the second year students in the military department, you will begin your practice this year. Professor Normand will be in charge of you.”
Normand is the current captain of one of the Orders.
Orders are the highest rank in the military, everyone here probably dreams of one day joining one of those.
“The theory will be taught by Professor Marisse, as it was in the previous.”
She’s one of the more decent professors at the Academy.
She’s a noble, and not a part of the clergy, which is enough for me to trust her.
“Next is Martial Arts…”
.
He went on and on to explain all the subjects we will be having this year.
Boring stuff.
I know it all regardless. I even know most answers for the exams, as I’ve done them at least a few hundred times.
“*Clap* That is all for your curriculum. Now. To end this ceremony, I want to invite the top of class A to give a speech!”
Applaude followed.
Classes are divided by performance, or in other words, grades.
It goes all the way from class A to F… though if you are in class F by the end of the year, you get expelled.
This body is in class A.
…That’s quite good.
But I’m not surprised. I saw the stats of this body after all.
I should be ranked rather high.
…shouldn’t I be first place?
Wait… then I have to give a speech!?
Damn it!
I need to think of something!
“Cien Firecross. The proud first place of the Academy!”
Phew.
…Why was I even scared?
I know all the rankings. Moreover, before the fourth year they don’t change without the player’s medling.
The first place is indeed Cien…
Cien… She’s one of the heroines in the game…
A weird feeling strikes me each time I look at her or think of her… a slightly annoying one…
No way.
She’s my fucking target.
.
.
How am I supposed to seduce her?
Especially considering she has someone already courting her.
…But that shouldn’t be much of a problem.
After all, she hates his guts. For the simple reason that he openly courts another.
There she is. Going to the podium with her slow stride.
She is… beautiful. She was even in the game.
“Fellow Students.”
Her voice flowed like a calm stream.
“This year will be full of dangers.”
Looking at her red hair, even from below I could count every strand of it.
“While my status and my family allowed me to have a head start in the first year, this is when it ends.”
Today, she wore makeup, making her look like an angel that descended from Heaven.
“While I got education before entering the academy, practice is not the same.”
Ah, her dress is different from the previous year.
Did she grow out of her previous one?
“So do not think of me as some unsurpassable wall. Challenge yourself. And challenge me.”
I didn’t give her gifts for the whole summer… will she hate me now?
She looked at me… I’m so happy…
“This will not only help you climb the ranks, but also help us all grow together as soldiers of…”
“Mundus vult decipi, sed ne decipiatur.”
Stop it.
.
.
.
I closed my eyes, slowed my breath.
My heartbeat became low, my head got light.
I forcibly stopped my thoughts from appearing.
Pain surged like a sudden storm.
.
.
But I resist.
.
This is nothing, I had worse.
A form of meditation that I constantly practiced to get me through everyday life.
What felt like hours passed before I opened my eyes.
There was no more glint in my eyes.
I understand why Brother hated drugs.
This is annoying.
So fucking annoying.
The most sacred of emotions that I only felt towards one person… or two.
I will not be forced to love.
.
.
Cien was finishing her speech.
There was no more love when I looked at her.
Only a headache… and a batshit of annoyance.
.
.
This mission will be hard.
“Lilian Gilded. The second place.”
Especially considering who I am.
The sudden rush of emotions and memories was, although annoying, very helpful.
It helped me understand what situation this is.
A fucked up one for sure.
Lilian is the second heroine of the game.
And my second fucking target.
But the most shitty thing is the persona of mine.
“Greetings. I am Lilian Gilden, a member of a…”
She spoke with almost no tone changes and her eyes were stuck to a piece of paper that contained her speech.
I soon stopped looking and listening to her.
It was annoying.
Instead I started thinking about my own speech… and my future…
.
.
“...Thank you, Lilian… Now. third place. Roland…”
He stopped and looked at his list again.
Dean did not expect to see the third place to be a commoner.
…Especially when I’m not.
I’m not Roland.
But I understand him well.
To be more precise, I understand the character he played.
Roland the Pathetic Romantic.
The one who tried debauchery in a world where it is prohibited by God.
The one who was hated by the ones he “loved”.
And the one who faked it all to fool the eyes of the cult.
He was successful. Not only fooling every person in this world… but those in another too.
Now I need to take this character for myself.
“Hello, my name is Roland.”
Slightly shaky voice, just enough to seem scared of public speeches.
“I was lucky to get b-blessed by God with talent.”
I found a random piece of paper in my suit. I was frequently looking at it to make an impression of an anxious teen, even though it was empty.
“As you can tell… I am a commoner.”
I was a streamer in my previous life.
Moreover, I did roleplay.
Playing a character was not something new for me.
“The fact that I stand here… is proof that anyone can!”
After all, I had the best teacher, he would laugh if merely this was my limit.
“Thank you for your attention.”
I bowed awkwardly on the podium.
There was a moment of silence, but soon applause followed.
I went back to my seat.
There is much to think about.
.
.
I need to prepare.
.
.
.
*Cien PoV*
“*Clap* That is all for your curriculum. Now. To end this ceremony, I want to invite the top of class A to give a speech!”
Fortunately the dean is short with his speech.
No matter how much my family tries to help me with speeches, they are all musclebrained, I can only count on myself.
They would probably keep it short and tell everyone to get better or change professions.
Moreover they would be happy if I said that. But how can a noble lady say such crude words?
Just as I love my family, my family will love me regardless of how I behave.
So what matters is public image.
Politics are hard, but as the only woman in the family of martial artists, only I am fit.
“Fellow Students.”
I don’t need to try hard this year.
“This year will be full of dangers.”
First impressions are important, that’s why I tried so hard before.
“While my status and my family allowed me to have a head start in the first year, this is when it ends.”
But I still need to keep my image, as there aren’t as many chances to directly interact with other classes this year other than this and some other events.
“While I got education before entering the academy, practice is not the same.”
White lies are not sin, at least that is what my eldest brother says.
“So do not think of me as some unsurpassable wall. Challenge yourself. And challenge me.”
This should satisfy my family and keep the proudful image of the Firecross family intact.
Honestly, who among them could even scratch me?
There’s Lilian, but she never gives it her all.
And… there’s Roland.
That guy is pathetic in every aspect except strength.
It is such a shame.
Look at him… Even just looking at him makes him do this love-struck face.
He’s similar to a puppy when like this. I could even call it cute, if not for the fact that he makes the same face with Lilian.
At this point… it’s plain annoying.
“This will not only help you climb the ranks, but also help us all grow together as soldiers of… God…”
…Did he say something to me?
.
.
.
I can’t help but recall that moment
He…
The moment he mumbled something, his eyes changed.
He changed.
In that look I saw my own emotions.
Annoyance.
But… worse.
.
.
The feeling when something you experience over and over again as if on repeat is certainly annoying… but when that same experience suddenly goes out of loop…
It’s an entirely different feeling.
And I don’t like it.
I can’t even describe why I find it so… it’s perplexing.
.
.
Or maybe I’m just imagining things…
Yeah.
He’ll be back to his stupid, usual self in no time.
