The Unintended Consequences of Competence
"As previously explained, today's meeting concerns the competition scheduled for next week." The female teacher presiding over the meeting turned her gaze toward me. Perhaps she was worried that a newcomer like me might feel left out? I offered her a reassuring smile.
"Please don't worry. I'm well aware that this is an annual event. I've already read the materials you sent over and familiarized myself with the details."
"...I see. Excellent."
Forget merely "familiarizing" myself—I had milked this content dozens of times. In all likelihood, no one in this room knew the details of this competition better than I did. I had played through this segment so many times that I had memorized the arena's layout, the students' starting positions, and even the exact weapons they wielded.
If the prologue was, quite literally, a tutorial designed for first-time players, then this competition marked the official beginning of Chapter 1. Its purpose was to let players test-drive their chosen playable character, get a feel for the controls, and catch a glimpse of the other playable characters' unique playstyles. Consequently, Chapter 1 was the only point in the entire game where every single playable character made an appearance.
"As stated in the documents, the primary objective of this competition is to evaluate the students' combat capabilities."
"Ah, that troublesome time of year has rolled around again..."
"...Are you really the one saying that, Instructor Ian?"
And yet you enjoy it more than anyone else, I thought. As one of the teachers at the table trailed off in disbelief, the man called Ian burst into a hearty laugh.
"Haha! I suppose I do enjoy it a bit! After all, they say there's nothing more entertaining than watching weaklings scrap!"
"Sigh..."
"...But jokes aside, it really is a headache. Every year around this time, the students' morale takes a massive hit."
"..."
"These kids have spent their whole lives being praised as geniuses and prodigies by everyone around them. Watching them get utterly crushed and lose their drive... well, it's a real pain to deal with, isn't it?"
"That is..."
At Instructor Ian's uncharacteristically bitter tone, the room fell silent. In the lore of the Academy, every student here was an elite talent handpicked from across the Empire—even if, in the grand scheme of the game, they were nothing more than weak, nameless extras.
Of course, the real issue was that the playable characters were simply absurdly overpowered. Compared to ordinary people, even the average Academy student was exceptionally gifted. But cold logic could never heal bruised egos. Even if you ranked tenth out of three hundred students nationwide, if you ranked tenth out of ten in your specific class, you were still the dead last.
When students who had never known defeat—arrogant youths who had only ever tasted success—experienced their first major failure, some of them would break entirely. I knew this all too well because I had played through a sub-story featuring an NPC who suffered exactly that fate.
"Which is why we are counting on you, Counselor Ophelia. Everyone has very high expectations for you."
"...Y-You can count on me."
Ugh. Seeing someone vastly stronger and far more experienced than me staring with such sparkling, hopeful eyes was so overwhelming it made me want to gag. I really should have taken some calming medicine before coming here...
"...So, in the end, you actually started dating him?"
"That's how it turned out, Princess."
"..."
Stella, the Second Princess of the Empire, stared at her friend in sheer disbelief. She confessed? Really? She had sought her out after hearing the rumors, but seeing it with her own eyes made it no less difficult to swallow. It made absolutely no sense. Charlotte Aubert, the literal embodiment of noble pride from the prestigious Aubert family, had made the first move? The very same girl who had previously refused to even hint at her feelings, claiming that confessing to a commoner would wound her dignity? ...And so suddenly?
"Well, I suppose congratulations are in order..."
"What do you mean 'I suppose'? Don't tell me you've set your sights on my beloved too..."
"No, absolutely not."
Stella's personality was not so thoroughly rotten that she would steal her friend's partner. She had spent hours listening to Charlotte's endless, unsolicited relationship woes when her friend had come seeking advice; there was no way she would turn around and snatch the boy away. Besides, he wasn't her type at all, and as a commoner, he was someone Stella couldn't even associate with romantically in the first place. When Stella made this clear, Charlotte let out a long sigh of relief.
"What a relief, Princess."
"...So? What on earth possessed you to confess first? I know you better than anyone, and you are definitely not the type to do something like that."
Having known her since childhood, Stella was absolutely certain of one thing: the girl standing before her was physically incapable of confessing her feelings to the person she loved. If anything, Charlotte was the type to play hard to get even when confessed to, only to lose the boy to someone else entirely. Yet, she had suddenly confessed? ...There was definitely something fishy going on.
"The item the counselor gave me was a huge help."
"...Counseling? Ah, now that you mention it, I did hear some rumors floating around."
"Exactly. I went to see her with plenty of skepticism, but... she was absolutely wonderful."
Is she talking about the new counselor who supposedly pacified a victim of Devil Possession? Stella had assumed the Academy had simply hired someone exceptionally skilled in psychology, but seeing the results firsthand went beyond strange—it was downright bizarre. How could a person change so drastically after just a few counseling sessions? It defied all logic.
"She placed a spell on this doll, telling me that looking at it would give me courage. Thanks to her, I was finally able to summon the strength."
"...A spell, you say."
Stella hadn't dedicated her life to the arcane like the imperial court mages. Even so, as a member of the royal family, she prided herself on being highly competent in magic. Yet, as she examined the doll Charlotte proudly thrust into her face, she couldn't detect a single trace of magical energy. It was just a plain, cute penguin plushie.
"...I don't sense any magical enchantment on this."
"Huh? ...My goodness, is that what you were looking for, Princess? I'm sure she just meant it as a warm gesture of encouragement."
"..."
No. Stella was absolutely certain. Charlotte, gathering the courage to confess over a simple word of encouragement? There's a limit to how much I can suspend my disbelief. Her needlessly shy, absurdly prideful childhood friend was simply not built that way. There had to be something else at play. Unfortunately, she had nothing but her own suspicions. Lacking any concrete evidence, Stella could only offer an awkward smile.
"Right, of course. That makes sense."
"See? I really need to drop by her office sometime to thank her properly..."
Letting Charlotte's excited chatter fade into the background, Stella sank into deep thought. What kind of trick did she use to make this girl confess? That was the question gnawing at her. I'll have to pay this counselor a visit when I find some free time.
"Is that so? She did..."
"Yes, Lady Watcher. The other sisters have confirmed it, so it appears to be true."
"..."
Inside a church adorned with magnificent, colorful stained glass, a beautiful girl kneeling in prayer at the center of the sanctuary let out a faint smile.
"I must admit, I never imagined that wild beast could be reformed in such a manner."
"Now, now."
"...My apologies, Lady Watcher. I will watch my tongue."
"Indeed. It is never wise to speak ill of others so carelessly."
The girl addressed as the Watcher offered a slightly playful smile. Yet, even with that touch of playfulness, her gentle, benevolent aura remained entirely undisturbed.
"I always believed. Even if a devil dwells within that body, human goodness is never truly extinguished."
"Forgive my insolence, but I still cannot comprehend it. Why do you place so much faith in him?"
"...Why do I believe, you ask?"
A fleeting shadow passed over the girl's face. Perhaps because it vanished as quickly as it had appeared, or perhaps because her eyes were bound by a strip of pure white cloth, the believer conversing with her failed to notice.
"Naturally, because it is our sacred duty as those who follow the Lord's command. Anyone can find redemption if they truly repent of their past transgressions."
"You are truly merciful, Lady Watcher. I still have so much to learn."
"..."
The girl quietly turned her own words over in her mind. Yes. If one repents of their past sins, anyone can become good. It had to be true.
"Yaaawn..."
The weather was perfect. Aileen lay sprawled out on the grassy field, using her scabbard as a makeshift pillow, and let out a massive yawn. Why did nice weather always make her so incredibly drowsy? Her eyelids grew heavier by the second, and she didn't bother fighting the urge to close them. Well, not like it mattered anyway. This peaceful, lazy atmosphere was just so—
"You shouldn't be sleeping here."
"...You again?"
"That's my line, Miss Aileen. Must you always..."
What a pain... The student who used to be too busy chasing after some Devil Possession victim had suddenly redirected all that relentless energy toward her. Was it because that other student had actually started attending classes regularly now? Tsk. She really wished that new counselor had been incompetent. Because of her unnecessary competence, this annoying kid had suddenly taken an interest in her instead.
"I've been attending classes perfectly fine, so give me a break... Besides, isn't it free period right now?"
"If you actually paid attention during class, I wouldn't have said a word. You spent the entire lecture dozing off."
"...Ah, you saw that?"
"I seriously question your state of mind if you honestly believed you wouldn't get caught..."
Ugh, what a drag. Aileen clicked her tongue and reluctantly pushed her sluggish body off the grass.
"A wise decision. From now on, you must—wait, what?!"
"Heh! I don't need to sit through boring lectures to get things right!"
"...Stop right there!"
"Like I would!"
Ah, things are going to get so annoying from now on. Aileen let out a bitter laugh as she bolted. How long would it take for this kid to finally give up on her? She sincerely hoped it wouldn't take too long.