Chapter 72
Chapter 72
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 72
Chapter Title: Return to the Academy
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Back to the academy.
After conquering the tower, we returned to our original lodging.
We planned to rest our battle-weary bodies before heading back to the academy.
And on the first night after conquering the tower.
A grand festival broke out in this city centered around Tarrros Tower.
In the city square, all sorts of alcohol and food gathered as the townsfolk danced and raised their glasses.
As the stars of the festival, our party didn't join the square but enjoyed a small banquet in the restaurant of our lodging instead.
"Ken Fine Stein! Ken Fine Stein!"
"Your voices are too quiet, you bastards━!!"
"Woooooo━!!"
The atmosphere was already rowdy, lionizing the tower-conquering party as heroes. If we'd gone to the square, we wouldn't have kept our sanity.
But that didn't mean the lodging's restaurant was subdued.
If anything, this place packed with adventurers might have been even noisier than the townsfolk.
I felt like we'd made a slight misjudgment.
"...━And just when we thought it was all over...!! Ken burst out from behind the monument, unleashing on the horde of monsters...!!"
"Ooooh━!!"
For the record, the one passionately recounting our adventures was the drunken Emily.
Swept up in the cheering voices and heated mood, our protagonist had been downing drinks like water and was now cheerfully explaining my heroic tales to everyone with a bright smile.
It felt a bit embellished, somehow.
"Ehehe, Ken, eating a lot? This too, mergbar..."
"Ken, this one too, this one's delicious. Here, try it quick."
Rafne and Mary were just as drunk as Emily and had been pushing food on me nonstop.
Rafne clearly intended to fatten me up, while Mary seemed locked in a rivalry with her.
"Mmmpf, nom nom."
And there I was, at the center of the noisy spot, accepting and eating all the food they offered.
'...This atmosphere is awkward.'
I didn't hate banquets or anything.
I liked the lively vibe, and getting tipsy was fine too.
But the reason this space felt uncomfortable...
"Uhahaha━! Ken! Who'd have thought a gem like this was hidden in that lump of flesh!"
"Krr━! Tell me about it! But thinking back on Ken's exploits, even this look makes sense!"
"How about it? I know a decent girl adventurer. Want an intro...? Gaaah?!"
"Excuse me, what did you just say?"
"S-sorry! L-let go! Sorry!!"
"Rafne..., just, snap his arm..."
"Affirmative."
"Gaaaaah━!"
...was how people kept swarming me, calling my name nonstop and treating me like a hero.
Honestly, since conquering the tower wasn't my solo effort, it didn't sit right.
I wished they'd give more credit to the other comrades too.
I glanced at the others around me.
Siegfried and Adrian were similarly surrounded by adventurers, chatting away.
Curious, I perked up my ears a bit.
Just like the other adventurers or Emily, they were right in the middle of talking about me.
I didn't know which moment, but the adventurers cheered at Adrian's added details.
'...I just wanna go in and rest.'
Maybe even worse than Emily's past bullying, I lowered my eyes and sipped my drink.
。 。 。
After staying one night at the lodging, we slipped out of the city early the next morning as dawn broke.
"Haa~ Looking back, it was so much fun!"
"Right? Lots of danger, but no one got hurt."
"Emily, shouldn't we save that talk for after we get back to the academy?"
"What's wrong with it? Hehe. Just the trip home left now."
The three women chatted idly as they walked in the crisp morning air.
As Emily said, it was just the return journey now.
Our original goal of conquering the tower achieved, our steps were light on the way back.
Heading out, we'd been weighed down by anxiety over unknown dangers and doubts if we could pull it off—not exactly a relaxed trip.
But the road back retraced familiar ground.
We traveled with easy, joyful hearts.
Gazing at scenery from the carriage by day, sharing pleasant talk around the campfire at night.
Grilling fresh game on the spot led to blooming laughter.
But amid that peace, one thought lingered in my mind.
'...Reality will change. ...Right.'
The purpose of this journey, the sole item to save Rafne.
The legendary artifact called the Token of Trials, capable of altering the past.
I rolled it over my palm in the glow of the campfire.
The system description carried a warning.
Changing the past would change the present too.
Obvious, maybe, but spelling it out like that nagged at me.
'Telling me to use it with extreme caution...?'
There's the grandfather paradox.
A classic time paradox tale.
If I time-traveled back and killed my grandfather, I wouldn't be born, so I couldn't go back.
Thus, grandfather can't die.
Something like that.
Similarly, if this artifact made history where my grandfather died in the past.
I'd cease to exist in the present.
'...My goal is making Rafne not the child of prophecy.'
What I wanted was erasing the prophecy itself.
If the prophecy existed but wasn't linked to Rafne.
The anxiety it'd be revealed in the future would linger.
So, uproot it entirely.
But here's the hitch.
'I don't know how much history stems from the child of prophecy...'
Now, it's practically the demon army's guiding doctrine.
The demon king acts with it as top priority, a history built around that.
If I erased the "child of prophecy" fact.
In that altered present.
What happens to us...?
"Ken, is it okay if I stay by your side?"
Lost staring at the fire, Rafne approached from her bedroll.
"Not your watch tonight. Sleep well, Rafne."
"Yeah, but I can't sleep."
She snuggled right up, draping her blanket over my shoulders too.
"Hehe, warm."
She smiled brightly in satisfaction, resting her head on my shoulder.
Her sweet scent wafted, her warmth filling the blanket.
I wrapped my arm around her shoulders.
"......"
"W-why?"
Rafne blushed, staring blankly at me.
Wondering if my hand on her shoulder was the issue, I asked in a fluster.
She gazed up softly at my question.
"Ken feels proactive today, somehow."
"...Just 'cause it's cold."
"Then I hope it gets colder. Hehe."
She wrapped her arms around my waist, pressing close.
Her soft body pressed everywhere, but I averted my eyes to the fire, trying not to notice.
"Ken, ...you have something bothering you?"
After quiet time, Rafne broke the silence.
"...Rafne."
"Yeah?"
"If, ...if solving everything meant the world changed against our will. ...Would that be okay?"
Rafne knew why I'd started this journey.
When deciding on Tarrros Tower and explaining to her, I'd told her everything about the child of prophecy.
So she'd grasp what I meant.
She pondered silently a moment, then smiled softly.
"I think I'd be fine."
"...Why?"
"No matter the world, I'd like Ken."
I turned from the fire to meet her eyes.
She blushed shyly, averted her gaze, then peeked back.
"And.... You promised."
She turned fully, looking straight at me.
"That when you could take responsibility, you'd take responsibility for me."
Saying that, she giggled "Ehehe," and lay across my lap.
I gently stroked her hair.
The promise in the tower.
The trigger solidifying my resolve for this trip.
If her prophecy vanished, no war meant no chance of my death—then I wouldn't hold back.
That promise.
I smiled warmly down at Rafne on my lap.
And smiled softly myself.
Her answer cleared the fog in my mind, giving certainty to my path.
The promise mattered most to her, sure.
But why I'd risked my life on the tower.
Because I wanted Rafne happy.
Then I'd gladly bear the risks of altered history.
No matter the past, present, or future.
I'd pursue my survival and her happiness unwaveringly.
With worries fading, our journey swiftly concluded.
The familiar return path was smooth, border city passed without issue.
Growing accustomed to travel and camping sped us up immensely.
Thus, the return halved the outbound time.
"We're here!"
The familiar cityscape from the carriage.
We'd returned to the academy—our home.
。 。 。
Arriving at the academy, we headed straight to Rafne's tower.
One final task remained.
At the top, in Rafne's room, we gathered around one item.
"So, we're starting now...?"
Siegfried muttered, eyeing the artifact in my hand.
Not knowing how this moment might shift from changing the past, we'd all gathered to activate it together.
I looked at my comrades and spoke sincerely.
"Thank you all, truly. We made it here because of you."
Meeting my eyes, they smiled back.
No gain for them, yet they'd risked life at my request.
I'd never forget this debt.
With thanks conveyed, I regarded the artifact.
"Then, ...let's begin."
Everyone braced, tense faces fixed on it.
No one had experienced altering the past.
As the system described, I channeled mana into the artifact.
Not much mana flowed in, and after a moment.
"S-something's starting..."
Emily's voice as the artifact glowed. I focused on the prompt before me.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [System: Would you like to change the past with the 'Token of Trials'?] The system even politely asked. I nodded affirmatively.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [System: The changed past cannot be undone. Proceed?] The follow-up confirmation made me hesitate briefly.
Then my eyes met Rafne's gaze from beside me; she smiled softly.
Seeing that, I steeled myself and replied.
"Change it to a past where the prophecy handed down in the demon army never existed."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [System: Request accepted. Please wait; this will take some time.] With that final message, the light bursting from the artifact grew enormous.
Soon engulfing the entire room.
。 。 。
"Mm..."
My eyes stung.
Rubbing them, the light faded, and I opened mine.
A familiar ceiling.
"......What?"
I was lying down.
Precisely, on a bed.
My bed in the academy dorm room.
I was there.
Realizing that, I sat up and got out of bed.
"...Did the past change?"
I wore my usual sleepwear.
But looking down, no familiar belly fat. I was still slim and light.
"Appearance didn't change..."
Mirror confirmed: same face. I was Ken Fine Stein.
Of course changing the past wouldn't alter my looks. I nodded.
Time check: morning.
Same as when we returned from the trip and used the artifact in the tower.
Normally, time to head to classes.
'So the location changed.'
I'd definitely been in Rafne's tower moments ago.
Everyone else too.
But after the artifact's light, I woke in my dorm room.
Not teleportation—only one option.
'...In this time's altered past, I was in my dorm room, not Rafne's tower.'
Proof the past had changed.
Whether to my desire needed checking, but.
The artifact worked properly.
"......Rafne."
First thought: Rafne.
The party to the change.
I grabbed my uniform from the closet, dressed, and left the dorm.
Head straight to the tower? But time was tight for classes.
Rafne would likely be in the academy classroom.
She'd come to class looking for me too.
So I headed to the main academy building.
Shoes on in a rush, out the room, down the dorm path, familiar commute.
'...Peaceful.'
Nothing unusual on the way.
Past changed, but no cliché sky darkening or academy under evil lord.
The same unchanged academy.
'...No, something's different.'
Walking a quiet path, students gathering for school—I noticed the change.
But not from the past shift.
"...W-who's that?"
"Did you see? See? He's super handsome, right?"
"Transfer student...? But Dredis doesn't take transfers..."
"Wow..., what year? No one like that in third-year."
Whispers clearly aimed at me.
Growing stares.
The more students, the more eyes.
Attention I'd never felt before losing weight.
Girls blushed on eye contact, whispering to friends.
Boys gawked in shock at my face.
'...Should've stayed fat.'
Uncomfortable with notice, I hurried along.
━Rattle.
Back door open to familiar classroom—eyes checked who entered.
Just spotting a classmate, friendly.
Then shock upon seeing me.
As expected, whispers followed.
"...Who's that?"
"Not our year? First time seeing..."
Mostly: Who's that? New face?
Makes sense.
Even I felt awkward seeing my mirror self.
But no loitering outside, so I walked to my assigned seat and sat.
My desk.
"Why's he sitting at Ken's spot?"
"Come to think, Ken hasn't shown up lately. Dropped out?"
"Ah! New transfer to the empty seat! ...He's way too handsome."
"Sh-should I ask his name? Anna, you go?"
"N-no way! My makeup's off today...!"
Overhearing embarrassed me; I ducked my head, praying time passed.
Endure a bit, they'd realize who I was, whispers stop.
'Ah..., hope everyone comes soon.'
In the awkward space, awaiting familiar chat mates, I gazed out the window.
I'd arrived first among the group; no familiar faces yet.
Wait a moment, someone'd come.
Chat would reveal my name.
No need to declare "I'm Ken Fine Stein!!" out front.
Gazing idly a bit.
━Thud thud thud!
Someone running down the hall reached the class.
Sound neared.
And.
━Rattle, bang!
"Ken━!!"
Front door flung open, familiar voice echoed.
Startled, I recognized instantly, looked front.
There she stood, staring at me.
Rafne.
'...Rafne!'
Happy face, I waved lightly.
She stared blankly.
'......What's wrong?'
Normally she'd grin and rush over on eye contact.
'...Ah, I lost weight.'
First time seeing me here like this, maybe shocked by the unfamiliar sight.
Normally, fat ugly Ken should be here.
Rafne stood at the door a moment, then strode toward me.
Somehow different aura.
Usual Rafne approached like a golden retriever; now, Siberian husky... no, fierce Doberman.
Class whispers shifted to her.
"...Rafne's here again."
"Thought it'd quieted since Ken's been gone. Checking today?"
"But no Ken today either."
"Whatever. Confirm he's gone, she'll leave."
Quiet murmurs, soft so she wouldn't hear.
But I heard clearly.
Problem: What the hell were they talking about?
"...Hey? ...Rafne."
She stopped before me; to her unusual vibe, I smiled softly and greeted.
Arms crossed, looking down.
Face full of displeasure, she eyed me intently.
Then opened her mouth.
"Who are you?"