A Glimpse of the Protagonist

My little sister let out a long, exhausted sigh.

Drained from the lengthy lecture, I stepped out of the classroom with a heavy exhale. By the time all the classes had ended, evening had already settled over the academy. ...This is too much. The lessons are way too difficult.

I had dropped out of high school in my previous life under semi-coercive circumstances, focusing solely on training. I hadn't even completed a proper secondary education. It would be stranger if I could easily follow the theories and curriculum of an entirely different world. I was barely managing by scraping together every fragment of Raiden's memories and forcing them into my head... but that wasn't even the biggest problem.

'Why the hell is everyone staring at me like that...'

During every class, the students kept shooting frantic glances in my direction. And it wasn't just the students. The professor leading the lecture, the teaching assistant helping out, even the janitor sitting quietly in the corner—every single pair of eyes was fixed on me.

Their reactions followed a similar pattern. At first, they were shocked to see me back at ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠all. Then, shortly after, they seemed stunned by the fact that I was sitting there quietly, actually paying attention to the lesson.

'I mean... I get why they'd be surprised, but still...'

The original Raiden would have stumbled into class reeking of alcohol, picked fights with the professors, and harassed the female students around him. So seeing that same bastard sitting silently and listening to the lecture must have felt like some kind of miracle.

"Haa..."

It had been a mentally exhausting day, one way or another. Of course, compared to the daily grind of my previous life, this was practically paradise. As I organized my scattered thoughts and headed toward the dormitory, I spotted someone in the distance.

"......"

The moment he entered my field of vision, I stopped in my tracks.

It was a boy. He had a gentle, approachable face and soft, kind eyes. His golden hair and brilliant golden irises seemed to shine with their own light. A boy with features so perfect they looked like they had been sculpted by the gods themselves was strolling across the academy plaza.

'...Alan Reinhardt.'

The protagonist of this world. The new hero carrying on the will of the first hero, Ash. The boy beloved by the Goddess of Joy.

I recalled the many titles used to describe Alan as I stared at him intently. True to his role as the main character, a crowd had gathered around the boy. The Second Imperial Princess, the second daughter of the Roben Ducal House, the Saintess chosen for this generation, and even the student currently holding the top rank in the first-year class.

"......"

...They all seemed to be girls, but that wasn't particularly important. After all, he got along well with everyone regardless of gender. Unlike me, he was someone who received an abundance of happiness and love.

'What if I had possessed Alan instead...?'

If I had woken up in a body that everyone loved and cherished, instead of one that drew hatred and suspicion. Wouldn't I have been able to reach the happiness I dreamed of much faster?

"......No. No, that's not right."

It was a foolish desire. To think such things after already receiving an impossible miracle. Just how broken of a person was I? Even the simple wish for happiness felt far too extravagant for someone like me. Who was I to dare ask for anything more?

It seemed I had grown too accustomed to this small measure of peace the status window had granted me.

"Huu..."

I clenched my fist tightly, sharpening my dulled mind once more. Obsession and anxiety wrapped around me again. I couldn't let myself loosen up. An opportunity had finally come to me. I couldn't ruin it with pointless greed and jealousy. Just like my father had taught me, I would carry it out perfectly, without a single mistake.

"......"

While I was momentarily lost in the swamp of my thoughts, the Saintess standing beside Alan poked him in the side and pointed in my direction. It seemed I had been staring for too long. I quickly turned my body and left the area.

. . .

That night.

"Mmm... Young Master..."

Using Rachel's sleep-talking from the next room as background noise, I was training my body. Simple push-ups. In my previous life, I could easily knock out a hundred reps before moving on to the next exercise. But with Raiden's miraculous stats—Strength at E-rank and Endurance at E+—ten ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠reps at once seemed to be my limit.

With no other choice, I built a routine of ten reps, rest, ten reps, rest. Still, thanks to the consistent muscle stimulation over the past two weeks, I could feel my strength gradually returning. I hadn't wanted to go through this kind of brutal training again in this life after doing it to death in my last one... but to survive in this story, I needed to maintain at least a minimum level of power.

The original work saw Reynolds Academy swept up in an absurd number of incidents. Countless villains would go berserk trying to eliminate the hero of the new era, Alan Reinhardt. There were even times when high-ranking demons appeared in person. In short, it was a complete mess.

I needed to train both my body and mind enough to at least survive the torrent of chaos.

"Huu... Huu..."

After training like that for several hours, a mechanical sound suddenly brushed past my ears.

"Finally..."

As expected, with such low ranks, the effects showed quickly. E+ was roughly the strength of an average person who was slightly on the weaker side. If I kept up this routine for about two months, I should be able to reach an average D-rank without too much trouble. Of course, raising ranks after reaching B would be incredibly difficult and would likely take years.

"Huu... I should stop here for today..."

My arms were screaming. How many reps had I even done to end up like this? I massaged my protesting muscles and stood up to take a shower. At that moment—

A notification rang out again, and a status window appeared before me. A main quest? There shouldn't be any major events happening right now. I tilted my head in confusion and tapped the blue window floating in front of me.

"What the hell is this..."

It was telling me to head to a designated location with no context whatsoever. The reward was marked with question marks, and there wasn't even a penalty for failure. Was there a reason behind it?

All the quests I had received so far had been like guide rails, telling me exactly how I should act and where I should go. If this quest was pointing me somewhere...

"Huh?"

As I checked the attached map, a puzzled sound escaped my lips. The location marked on it looked strangely familiar.

It was the Deep Time Forest, located near the academy.

'The Deep Time Forest...'

It had appeared in the original story as well. On the surface, the Deep Time Forest looked like an ordinary woodland. However, if one followed a hidden path, it would lead visitors to a concealed ruin. It was a sanctuary left behind by the Three Goddesses of Emotion, who were said to possess the second-highest divinity among all gods.

It was a fortuitous encounter that Alan had stumbled upon while entering the forest to train his mind. There, he would obtain a sword said to be the strongest in the entire world... In short, it was an episode that turned the already overpowered protagonist into an even bigger cheat character.

'And now it's telling me to go there...?'

Wasn't this supposed to be the protagonist's golden opportunity? Why was it being given to me?

"Hmm..."

After a brief moment of deliberation over whether I should go or not, I decided to head there anyway. It might not even be the ruin. And even if it was, according to my memories, the only thing one could obtain there wasn't limited to just that sword.

"Should I go tomorrow, then?"

There were still three days left on the time limit, and if it really was the ruin, it wouldn't take that long to reach. I could head out right after classes ended tomorrow.

"Alright... For now, I should take that shower."

Two days after Raiden had returned to the academy.

Even in that short span of time, word of his return had spread like wildfire throughout the entire campus.

The scoundrel of a young master has returned!

Raiden was not only a member of one of the Three Great Ducal Houses that drew the continent's attention, but he had also always stood at the center of dark and ominous rumors. Naturally, the news traveled fast. It wasn't limited to just the second-years he belonged to; students from every grade had heard about it.

Among them was a first-year student who froze with a dazed expression upon hearing the news.

"My brother... has come back...?"

The girl's name was Ariel Lisite. She was the eldest daughter of the Lisite family, a first-year runner-up with a natural talent for ice magic, and the younger sister of Raiden Lisite—the very person at the center of the current academy-wide commotion.

The moment Ariel heard the news from her friends, she stiffened for a brief moment before suddenly bolting up from her seat.

"I have to see my brother...!"

With those words, Ariel dashed out of the classroom. Behind her, she could hear the flustered voice of the professor and the clamor of her friends, but the girl paid them no mind. She simply ran forward, eyes fixed straight ahead.

Her feet carried her out of the First Hall used by first-years and toward the Second Hall used by second-years. However, she soon ran into a problem.

"Ugh..."

Because Reynolds Academy was as vast as a small city, students had to use dedicated carriages even to move around the campus. The problem was that those carriages didn't operate during class hours. That meant Ariel had no choice but to run the entire way. The distance that took fifteen minutes by carriage, she would have to cover on her own two legs.

"Swift."

The girl cast a spell over her entire body and kicked off the ground. Behind her rapidly vanishing figure, strands of her red hair fluttered like afterimages.

. . .

Raiden Lisite.

To Ariel, Raiden had once been a kind older brother. In her curious childhood, whenever she didn't understand something, her smart older brother would patiently explain it to her step by step. Even when she pestered him endlessly to play with her, he never once got annoyed and always made time. When she was crying in her room after being scolded by their parents, he would comfort her with warm words. Whenever snacks or chocolates appeared, he would always split them in half and give her the bigger piece. And once she had finished eating it, he would pretend his stomach hurt or that he had no appetite, then feed her the smaller piece as well.

Ariel had adored that gentle older brother. At least until he changed...

Around the time Ariel turned fifteen, her mother, Philippa Lisite, died. She had been killed while protecting her older brother from intruders who had broken into the mansion. Ariel had wailed desperately for her mother, whose grave hadn't even been built yet. She spent the night sobbing in utter despair and misery, completely unaware that her cries were tearing Raiden's heart to pieces.

By the time she had gathered herself enough to look around at her surroundings, it was already too late. Raiden had already broken beyond repair.

After that, Ariel never saw her brother's smile again.

Two years passed. A period that could feel either long or short depending on how one looked at it. What everyone thought would pass quickly only grew worse with each passing day. According to the rumors, his misdeeds branched out into violence, threats, destruction of public property, and more. There were even whispers that he had raped a commoner girl.

Amidst all those murmurs, Ariel gradually grew exhausted. She could no longer recall the smile her brother used to give her. In the past, thinking of him would naturally bring to mind the image of a boy smiling brightly. Now, all she could picture was him drunk and throwing a tantrum.

Even when Ariel tried to talk to him, Raiden would coldly brush her off. She began to resent her brother. She resented him for acting however he pleased while she waited for him. She wasn't incapable of understanding him. But... but...

—...I miss Mom too, you know.

The girl was suffering from the same kind of pain as the boy. Even so, Raiden's behavior had already crossed the line. It was as if something was chasing him. He was sprinting straight toward a cliff, eyes fixed only on what lay ahead.

Ariel was a person with emotions too. When Raiden spat venomous words at her, she was hurt. When she thought of their deceased mother, she shed tears of deep sorrow. Fatigue and resentment slowly accumulated, growing heavier with time. And those piled-up emotions eventually exploded in the worst possible way—the one Ariel had feared most.

It had been an ordinary day like any other. Ariel had only recently entered the academy and was working hard to adapt to her new life. Then she received some news. Raiden had been flirting with first-year girls and ended up getting beaten for it.

Ariel felt a surge of anger. It had only been three days. Just three days ago, she had quietly asked him to behave himself. She couldn't take it anymore. If Raiden had even an ounce of consideration, he wouldn't have done something like this today of all days. Because that day was Ariel's seventeenth birthday.

—Raiden!!!

With her head filled with rage and disappointment, Ariel sought out her brother and confronted him. Why was he doing this? Why couldn't he stop? Did he enjoy hurting others and causing trouble so much? The girl raged, but her brother responded half-heartedly as usual and ignored her. Anger boiled up inside Ariel. She was disappointed that he would act this way even on her birthday. She hated him for shamelessly brushing off her words.

Perhaps that was why.

The murky emotions she had been suppressing—disappointment, sorrow, rage, resentment, hatred—twisted together into ugly thorns. Words she would ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠never normally say, thoughts that had never even crossed her mind, spilled from her lips.

—You should have just died instead...

It was an incredibly cruel thing to say, even to herself. If only she had stopped there. Unfortunately, the girl's mouth did not stop. As if pouring out all the sorrow and resentment she had held back until now, she spat out disgusting words.

—Why didn't you die?! Why does trash like you get to live while Mom dies... You should have just died! You should have died instead!!!

The girl shouted and finally opened her tightly shut eyes. And what she saw was Raiden's face, drained of all color.

The moment Ariel took in that expression, a single thought crossed her mind.

Ah. I made a mistake.

Raiden stood frozen for a moment before turning around and disappearing. And from that day on, Raiden vanished.

. . .

"Haa... Haa..."

Ariel ran, breathing raggedly. She had already reached the Second Hall and was sprinting down the corridor. Her once-neat uniform was in complete disarray, and her proud red hair— inherited from her mother—was drenched in sweat and a total mess.

Ariel forcefully swallowed back the tears welling up in her eyes. The last image of Raiden she had seen kept flashing before her. His deathly pale face. His wildly trembling pupils.

—You should have just died instead...

No. That wasn't what I meant.

—Why didn't you die?! Why does trash like you get to live while Mom dies...

I didn't mean it.

—You should have just died! You should have died instead!!!

I never once thought that. I never wished for you to disappear. I never wanted ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠you to be sad. I'm sorry. I was too young and too foolish and said something horrible.

It doesn't matter if you're not the kind older brother from before. It doesn't matter if you're the scoundrel everyone calls you. So please. Just don't disappear like that.

"Huu... Haa..."

Soon, the door to the classroom came into view up ahead. Ariel charged straight at it and kicked the closed door with all her might.

—BANG!!!

The door flew open with a loud crash. Inside, the professor and students turned to look at her with startled expressions. Ariel scanned the room frantically, searching for Raiden. Then, a single voice reached her ears.

"Ariel...?"

Ah. That voice. The one she had missed so dearly. The one that made her anxious. The one she felt sorry toward. The one she had waited for. The one she loved with all her heart. The voice of that boy.

It was only a single word, but Ariel recognized it instantly. It was unmistakably her brother's voice.

When she turned her head, a boy with black hair came into view. He looked quite haggard, but it was definitely her older brother. Looking into those black eyes that stared at her with a bewildered expression, Ariel finally burst into the tears she had been holding back and ran straight into his arms.