A Forced Slumber
"Now then..." I quietly made my way over to the bed where Orca was fast asleep—or rather, where she was lying down. She kept her eyes closed as if she were in a deep slumber, but I could tell. She was only pretending.
"I know you're awake, Orca. You can open your eyes."
"...How did you know?"
"Huh? Well, I mean, there's no way you could have fallen asleep in such a short amount of time..."
Her acting was actually quite convincing, but even so, expecting someone to believe she'd fallen asleep that quickly was a bit of a stretch. ...Well, that wasn't the only reason I knew she was awake, of course.
Though no one else knew, Orca actually suffered from severe insomnia. It was one of the main reasons she was always so irritable with everyone. After all, anyone would be cranky if they couldn't get a decent night's sleep.
And that wasn't the only problem her sleep deprivation caused. Because she couldn't focus, she couldn't pay attention in class. That was why she skipped her lectures to wander around the Academy. There was no point in attending if she couldn't absorb anything anyway.
She was utterly exhausted, yet sleep eluded her, and her mind remained in a constant fog. So, she roamed around, searching for a place where she could rest even a little bit comfortably. When she said she liked the facilities here, she probably meant the plush, cozy bed.
"Are you sleeping well these days? ...Whoa, what a scary look."
Eek. Terrifying... I knew she didn't actually want to murder me. She was just scowling, wondering how on earth I had figured it out. She was probably just baffled that I'd ask about her sleep.
On the surface, she didn't have dark circles or anything; she just looked naturally fierce. ...But still, was it because her default expression was so intimidating? Even knowing she meant no harm, I felt a little intimidated... She wouldn't suddenly lunge at me and rip my throat out, right?
"You... know who I am?"
"Of course I do. You're quite famous, after all."
She was famous, both inside and outside the game. The in-universe reason goes without saying. Orca was a Devil Possessed. A vessel harboring a devil within her body for some reason—the very definition of an ominous existence. Setting aside all the complex lore... how do people usually view a Devil Possessed? Thinking about that made it easy to see why she was so well-known.
Even when she openly slacked off during class, no one cared, except for the class president who occasionally went looking for her. Even the instructor responsible for her guidance turned a blind eye. The class president only sought her out because of her frustratingly stubborn sense of duty. Her classmates probably wished the president wouldn't bother.
Everyone at the Academy avoided getting involved with her. Sure, there were definitely those who tried to treat her without prejudice at first; the game's story occasionally depicted them. But as her current state of wandering alone showed, everyone had eventually given up on her. Why? Because of Orca's own behavior, of course.
"...Then why are you still here?"
"And what... exactly do you mean by that, student?"
"If you know what I am, then get the fuck out. Unless you want to die."
See? Orca pushed away anyone who tried to get close. No matter how kindly you wanted to treat her, anyone would grow weary of receiving nothing but hostile responses. And when the person pushing you away has a terrifying label like Devil Possessed? People would just think, 'Of course, what did I expect from a Devil Possessed?' and abandon her.
This was also why she was famous outside the game. A character with whom almost no NPC interactions were possible—that was Orca. Of course, you could unlock interactions in the late game... but by then, it was practically useless, making the system entirely redundant.
Naturally, because of the restriction of not being able to use systems available to other characters, Orca was a pick reserved mostly for hardcore veterans. Aside from them... maybe the occasional clueless newbie who started the game with Orca just because her looks and personality were their type. Those newbies complaining about how ridiculously hard the game was on the forums was practically an annual tradition. And mocking them was just as common.
"You shouldn't use such harsh language, Orca. You'll never make friends that way."
"Friends? I don't need that shit."
"Hmm..." I gently chided her while studying her complexion. She just looked exhausted, showing no other reaction toward me. ...It seemed she hadn't noticed the Hypnosis at all. Since she had been lying down pretending to sleep, and the bed curtains had blocked her view, she hadn't seen what happened. She still might have heard us, so I was prepared to take action if she had overheard my conversation with the class president. Fortunately, casting the hypnosis in a whisper so Orca wouldn't hear had paid off.
"If you don't get lost right now, you're going to regret it."
"But this is my Counseling Room..."
"Like I give a shit!"
"..." I let out a sigh as she growled like a wild beast wary of humans. Seeing her look exactly like her in-game self was nostalgic, but... on the flip side, it meant she had endured the exact same hardships as her lore suggested. It was heartbreaking to see someone so young carrying so many deep scars. Her snarling that she didn't need friends was just a defense mechanism born from a lifetime of hurt.
"Get out. I'll give you three seconds."
"Hmm, you look exhausted. How about I brew you a cup of tea to help with the fatigue?"
"Don't want it. Get lost."
"I'm actually quite good at making drinks, you know."
"I said I don't want it!"
My, how fierce... I smiled, having seen this side of her so often that it felt familiar. Seeing her rough demeanor in person rather than through a screen had been a bit intimidating at first, but... maybe I was just getting used to it. Before I knew it, my fear had vanished, replaced entirely by pity.
"Orca, I respect your desire not to hurt others... but hurting yourself isn't the answer either."
"...What kind of bullshit is that?"
"You shouldn't use such vulgar language. I'll have to scold you if you keep using bad words."
"..." She stared at me as if she were looking at a complete lunatic, but I didn't mind at all. How should I describe this...? Right, it was like looking at a stray cat with soot-covered fur, hissing defensively. It was a threat, yes, but only because life had taught her to be wary of everything. I knew deep down that she wasn't a bad kid.
"Alright, alright. I'll just brew the tea, so please at least drink that. I'll leave as soon as it's ready."
"..." Under Orca's watchful, suspicious gaze, I brewed the tea. I made sure to perform every step right in front of her eyes to show I hadn't slipped anything into it. Once the tea was fully steeped, I quickly slipped out of the Counseling Room.
What is up with that woman?
Did she say she was a counselor? What was with that weird woman? It had been a long time since anyone who knew my identity had reacted like that. ...Well, not that it mattered. She'd probably give up and leave soon enough anyway. Everyone did.
A counseling room, huh... The soft atmosphere and the subtle, drifting fragrance felt strangely calming. This place wasn't bad. Maybe I'd drop by more often. I liked the vibe, I liked the scent, and I liked the bed. Perfect. This was my space now. I could just kick that weird woman out every time, just like today.
Tea? As if. Who would actually drink that? Even though she had brewed it right in front of me, I still couldn't trust her. She could have slipped something weird into the tea leaves beforehand.
...Why am I so thirsty? But it was strange. As I stared at the steaming teacup, a burning thirst began to claw at my throat. I had been perfectly fine just a moment ago. Irritated by the sudden dryness, I began rummaging through the Counseling Room for something to drink. But my search yielded nothing.
What the hell? Why is there nothing here? That was weird. I could have sworn I saw some drinks in the fridge earlier...? That weird woman hadn't even stocked the fridge. Glancing back at the teacup—the only beverage on the table—the thirst hit me again, even stronger this time. I guess I had no choice. I really didn't want to drink it, but... she hadn't done anything suspicious other than use the tea leaves, so it should be fine.
...She actually does make a good brew. I thought she was just boasting, but it seemed she wasn't lying about being good at making drinks. It didn't taste strange at all; in fact, it was surprisingly delici— Thud. After a strange sound echoed, my consciousness plunged into darkness.
"I didn't think this through..." Having watched Orca through the window of the Counseling Room, I gasped and rushed back inside. I mean, who drinks tea while standing up? I naturally assumed she would sit down first. I gently stroked Orca's forehead, which had turned red after she collapsed forward and banged her head against the desk.
"I-I hope she doesn't get a bump..." I felt incredibly guilty. I had only wanted to give her a good night's sleep. I didn't mean to hurt you, I'm sorry...