One Month Later

Run away! One month. It had already been a month since I entered Raiden's body. The academy life that had started in such a chaotic mess was already entering its second week. Time flowed faster than expected. Maybe it was because of all the various events involving Ariel, Margaret, Lucy, and others. It felt as if I'd merely closed my eyes for a moment before everything had passed. Still, nothing particularly major had happened beyond that. The academy classes being difficult was a minor issue, but... well, I'd just have to muddle through somehow. I was slowly and steadily adapting to my new life.

"I'm heading out."

I spoke lightly while standing at the entrance. Then, with a clattering sound, a head of brown hair peeked out from the kitchen.

"Just a moment, Young Master!"

She stopped what she was doing and came running over. Reaching out, she clumsily fixed my crooked tie.

"You must keep your attire neat."

"......This ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠is too bothersome."

"That's why I'm doing it for you~"

Rachel let out a small laugh as she straightened my clothes. Hmm... this was a little embarrassing too. It made me feel like a child who couldn't even dress himself properly. Feeling awkward, I asked,

"Should I really learn how to tie a tie properly?"

"It's fine~ I'll just do it for you instead."

"Doesn't it bother you?"

"On the contrary, I rather enjoy it."

She hummed a little tune, clearly in a good mood. Yeah, I couldn't take away her joy when she liked it that much. She already worked hard every day. It wasn't like I was avoiding it just because it was troublesome. While I was lost in self-justification, the knot of my tie had already been neatly arranged. Rachel smiled brightly and poked my cheeks repeatedly.

"I hope Young Master never learns how to tie a tie for the rest of his life~"

"Why?"

"There's a reason~"

"How childish."

Rachel was great in every way, but she occasionally said the strangest things. If she didn't want to explain, she shouldn't have brought it up in the first place. Grumbling inwardly, I opened the front door.

"I'm really heading out now."

"Yes! Do your best today too!!"

With her cheerful encouragement echoing behind me, I set off for school. The cool breeze gently tousled my hair as it passed. Time really had moved forward. The season that had held the heat of summer just half a month ago was now stepping toward autumn, bringing cooler foliage with it.

"......Already a month."

Raiden. When I first possessed this sinful bastard, I thought there was no hope at all. Yet contrary to my worries, I had been spending rather peaceful days. There was still time before the original events would occur, after all. The only slightly disappointing thing was that my existing image wasn't improving much.

"Why isn't it working?"

I clearly hadn't caused any problems over the past half month. I hadn't skipped classes or been late. I hadn't talked back to professors either, and I'd listened attentively during lectures. Yet this persistent rumor and reputation showed no signs of improving. Everyone looked surprised when they saw me, but no one approached. "Why? I didn't do anything noticeable..."

......Though I suppose I did do a few things? Well, just a little. Really just a tiny bit. Still, compared to Raiden, it was practically saintly. I made excuses in my mind as I crossed the street. Not long after, I heard someone calling my name from afar.

"Oppa!"

Raising my head, I saw a red-haired girl running toward me with both hands waving. The sight of her smiling brightly with a yellow bag on her back was quite adorable. It reminded me of a chick. Though if I said that, she'd get angry and tell me not to treat her like a child.

"Ariel."

I caught Ariel as she threw herself into my arms and smiled faintly. The girl greeted me energetically.

"Good morning!"

"Yeah, yeah. Good morning."

When I patted her head a few times, Ariel melted with a purring sound. Her behavior was closer to a cat than a chick. Crossing between predator and prey—she really was a frightening child. I matched my pace with Ariel's as we walked. Come to think of it, going to school together like this had become routine. Ever since that day she stormed the lecture hall, Ariel had been clinging to me intensely. As if she intended to make up for the two years of affection she hadn't been able to show. I let out a slightly bitter breath at the warm body heat I felt against my arm.

"......"

Ariel wasn't bothersome. On the contrary, being with her was pleasant enough to make me think it was enjoyable. However, it was somewhat burdensome. It felt like motion sickness from incomplete adaptation. The warmth of another person was quite unfamiliar. Occasionally, it made my stomach churn. Sometimes I even heard hallucinations from the past.

'......I'll have to overcome this someday too. Because this is the life I have to live.'

Even as I repeated that resolve in my mind, my heart remained heavy. I couldn't imagine myself growing accustomed to peace and leisure. Worry and depression kept taking precedence. It felt like blankly staring at an unreachable possibility.

'It'll be fine... Yeah, it'll be okay.'

To hide my complicated feelings, I forced an awkward smile onto my lips. It would be troublesome if Ariel noticed my dark expression and worried. While I was organizing my tangled thoughts, our feet had already reached the carriage stop.

"Bye! See you tomorrow on the way to school!!"

Ariel waved at me as she boarded the carriage that arrived right on time. I lightly returned the greeting and waited for the carriage heading to the Second Hall. Standing still, I looked up at the sky. White paint was gradually seeping into the blue-soaked background. Beneath that vast, quiet scenery, I quietly closed my eyes.

. . .

-Well then, that concludes today's class.

The professor's voice announcing the end of class echoed through the room. After the professor gathered their things and left the lecture hall, the students began rising from their seats one by one. I was among them.

"Haaam......"

Yawning from stiff fatigue, I stretched. Sitting with books open all day made my whole body ache. Studying really didn't suit my constitution. I never knew not dozing off could be this difficult. I gathered my belongings and left the lecture hall. While getting up, my eyes briefly met Margaret's from across the room, but I quickly looked away, pretending not to notice.

"......Guess I'll head out for today too."

I slung my crossbody bag over my shoulder and started walking. Over the past half month, I had done two major things. The first was mastering Raiden's unique talent, Blink. The second was acquiring other "Slaughterer" titles like the "Spear Slaughterer" I'd obtained from my spar with Lucy last time.

What? What happened to midterms? Let's just skip that. There are things effort alone can't accomplish. As long as I avoid failing, that's enough. I hoped they wouldn't expect too much from me.

"Status window. Show me my information."

Desperately avoiding my academic duties, I called up the status window.

After pushing my body hard for the past month, I had successfully raised all my physical stats to D-rank. As for titles—after defeating Lucy and obtaining "Spear Slaughterer," I had gone around challenging academy students with C-rank or higher weapon proficiency. You might wonder why someone who wanted to live quietly was picking fights... but it was necessary to obtain the titles. To get the synergy title, I needed five "Slaughterer" titles. Thanks to that, a bizarre rumor had begun circulating around the academy that the mad bastard young master was hunting down honor students. Still, I believed everyone would understand. And honestly, a rumor about me constantly fighting was better than one about me disrupting classes and harassing female students. It was a cover-up strategy. All part of my plan.

'......Though it feels like comparing acorns.'

Ignoring the voice of conscience in my head, I turned my gaze back to the status window. Spear Slaughterer, Sword Slaughterer, Martial Arts Slaughterer, Hammer Slaughterer. I currently held four titles, with just one remaining until the synergy title. And now, I was heading out to obtain that final title.

"Are you here to use the training grounds?"

"That's right."

"Please write your name on this list and review the safety rules before entering!"

"Understood."

While fiddling with the status window, I arrived at the training grounds. Leaving behind the guide who was trembling despite their calm demeanor, I entered the facility. As soon as I passed through the door, I quickly scanned the interior. There were numerous exercise equipment and students training while sweating. Among them, one boy stood out particularly.

"There he is."

His unnaturally dyed gold hair. Deeply tanned brown skin. Slyly narrowed eyes containing blue irises. He was a student who exuded a delinquent aura at first glance. The boy who had been lightly running on the track with a sandbag noticed me watching and quickly turned his back, attempting to flee.

"Shit!! That bastard's here again!"

Not a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠chance. I quickly kicked off the ground and chased after him. While running, he glanced back and shouted,

"Ah, stop it already!! You crazy bastard!"

"Let's fight."

"No, we sparred yesterday too!! Shit, how many times is this now!? You've come every day since last week, so this is the fourth time!"

I gradually accelerated. The distance between us slowly closed, his rear coming closer and closer.

"Let's fight."

"No, shit!! If you'd lost, I'd understand, but you won every time! You got your ass kicked all four times, so why do you keep coming back!!"

Because I haven't obtained the Slaughterer title yet. The condition for the "Slaughterer" title was achieving victory against a martial artist of C-rank or higher without being hit more than three times during the spar. Even a light graze counted as a hit. That meant the spar would continue until a perfect game was achieved.

"Let's fight."

"Get lost!! I said I'm not sparring with you!!!"

With that scream, the boy threw himself toward the back door ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of the training grounds. But it was futile. When the distance between us narrowed to about ten steps, I moved my lips.

"Blink ×10."

With a small incantation, the view before my eyes rapidly flickered. A technique of chaining short-range Blinks. This allowed me to cover up to ten meters as if using a single teleport. It was a difficult technique to control, and I'd been practicing its application. Fortunately, this attempt seemed successful.

"Eek?!"

Because the flustered face of the blond tanned delinquent appeared right in front of me. He tried to change direction in a hurry, but my foot tripping his leg was faster.

"Uwaaaah!"

With a loud crash, the boy fell. Looking down at Gold Tae-yang who was groaning on the floor, I spoke.

"Let's fight."

Gold Tae-yang clutched his knee that had hit the ground and shed tears.

"Y-You crazy ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠bastard... uwaaah..."

"Let's fight."

For reference, there was no right to refuse. Just quietly become a sacrifice for my Slaughterer title.