Anywhere Door (2)
I opened the door onto a long, stretching corridor.
It wasn't merely quiet. There was nobody there at all.
"...What's going on?"
I walked slowly down the hallway, and then it hit me. This was supposed to be the entrance ceremony. So why had I just stepped out of a studio apartment?
"Ah — maybe... I'm a dorm student?"
Universities did take in dorm residents early sometimes. I more or less accepted that and went looking for the main auditorium.
"That must be it."
Through the window I could see a huge building where people were gathering. Beyond it stretched a colossal athletic ground, a cluster of hulking buildings, and off to one side, a large structure that looked for all the world like a church.
"Well, it is an academy with 'God' in the name... of course there'd be a church."
I walked along, glancing around the corridor just in case a hole had opened up somewhere, when a door behind me burst open. Out came a girl with vivid crimson hair. Her eyes were just as red, and her face lit up the instant she saw me.
"Huh? There was another dorm freshman? Hi!"
"Uh... hi."
"Why's your voice so small? Are you sick?"
"...!"
In a heartbeat she'd closed the distance and pressed her palm to my forehead. I stiffened at the complete lack of personal space, even as I registered how soft her hand was.
"No fever. Ah, you're just nervous 'cause it's the first semester!"
"...No, that's not—"
"Don't 'no' me! I'm nervous too, you know. This is fate, right? Let's go to the auditorium together!"
"Huh? Uh, okay..."
She even linked her arm through mine and started leading me along. I followed, utterly helpless. Are girls always this touchy-feely? Not like I'd ever hung around enough of them in my old life to know.
Once we'd left the dorm together, she spoke up.
"I'm Lim Yu-ra! You?"
"...Oh Na-ho."
"Ah... that's a pretty name!"
"I saw you hesitate."
She knew exactly what an onahole was. I could tell from that pause. Feeling utterly wretched, I started scanning our surroundings — and Lim Yu-ra, trailing my gaze, started looking around too.
"Na-ho, what've you been looking for this whole time?"
"Ah... well, you see..."
Should I tell her or not? Two people searching was definitely better than one. And besides... She's a girl, right? They say women feel curiosity more than lust, so it might be okay. But still — was it really right to tell a girl I'd just met about that?
"Na-ho! There's so many people! Come on, hurry!!"
Lim Yu-ra, who'd had her arm linked with mine, now grabbed my hand and pulled me along at a near-run. I'd missed my window to explain. I just followed her into the main auditorium.
"Wow... it's huge. I guess they weren't lying about this being Earth's greatest academy!"
"...Yeah."
The setting of the Holy God's Academy was a modern-fantasy Earth. The main plot: otherworldly gods trying to invade the planet, and you help Earth's deity — the Holy God — stop them. And to grow strong enough to stop them, our protagonist diligently... pounded some ass.
So why was everyone so obsessed with training?
For a game slapping an 18+ rating on itself, it was weirdly more into training than sex — even though sex was vastly more efficient. You could argue, "If you only have sex and pump your stats, how are you supposed to actually fight?" But that's just how eroge are, right?
Come to think of it, the status window earlier told me to try it myself.
Did that mean sex, or training? Considering the Mythic-grade Bound Item I'd received as a starting bonus... probably the former.
"Haa..."
"Hm? Why the sigh? Nervous?"
"No... just don't worry about it."
"Ah... sorry. I, I was being too much, wasn't I..."
Her voice had gone completely deflated. That face that had been bright as the sun a moment ago was now looking at me like a squirrel who'd lost its acorn.
Was my expression that bad? To be fair, I probably hadn't said it very nicely either. Grabbing her hand to comfort her felt weird, so I patted her on the back instead.
"It's fine. I'm just really nervous, that's all. Yu...ra."
"...Really?"
"Yeah. It wasn't because of you, so don't look so down."
"Waaah! Thank you!!"
"Auph—!"
Was it because Lim Yu-ra was taller than me? My face got buried in her chest as she crushed me in a hug. She was strong as hell, too — I couldn't even pull away.
...Not bad.
I'd heard girls mess around grabbing each other's chests as a joke. I shoved the dirty thoughts aside and pulled away from Yu-ra.
"A-air..."
"Sorry, that was too tight, huh. Everyone always tells me to stop clinging so much... you're the first person who's ever said it was okay, Na-ho."
"...Yeah. Let's get along."
"Yeah!!"
I swallowed a sigh and started scanning the room again. Naturally, my eyes met a few people's. The girls looked at me like I was some kind of enemy. The guys broke into idiotic grins the second they saw me.
...So this is what it feels like. Like being a pretty celebrity, I guess.
I kept looking around, and then someone caught my eye. I stared blankly for a second, and he sent me a casual nod, like this was just a normal thing.
"Ugh..."
"What?"
"Ah, nothing."
"You're no fun. Ah, let's go sit over there."
"Okay."
A slightly secluded spot. I sat down next to Lim Yu-ra and thought.
...He was definitely the protagonist.
There was no mistaking him. One hundred eighty-five centimeters, ninety kilograms of the kind of solid muscle women went crazy for. A face of superior beauty, pieced together from every handsome celebrity I'd ever referenced. And a monster cock over twenty centimeters long.
My... custom character.
Since it was an eroge anyway, I'd customized him into my ideal. That mysterious silver hair, those vivid violet eyes — all products of my degenerate otaku fantasies.
Just in case, I casually asked Yu-ra. Please, don't let me look like some lovestruck girl.
"Hey... Yu-ra?"
"Yeah?"
"That tall guy over there. Silver hair, purple eyes. You know who he is?"
"Heheh..."
"..."
But Lim Yu-ra crushed that hope without a second thought. Wearing a mischievous little smile, she elbowed me in the side.
"Are you going after him too, Na-ho? I'll cheer you on, but it's gonna be tough. That's Arthas — he's taking the first-year student council president position this year."
"...Arthas?"
Shit. That's kinda terrifying.
"Yep. Arthas Gregory. Eldest son of the Gregory family, and they say he's the next wielder of the Divine Sword."
What's with all the grandeur. He's just my custom character?
"Hmm... your face is actually better than his, though. Living with him would be exhausting. They say being a hero's support staff is no joke."
"...I was really just asking."
"Sure, sure."
"I mean it."
"Yep."
I looked at Lim Yu-ra's smug little grin and gave up trying to convince her. Well, maybe this was actually a good thing. In these transmigration novels, the protagonist usually went around screaming about saving the world. Even the ones who said they wouldn't ended up hogging every fortuitous encounter and saving the world anyway.
If that guy is exactly as I designed him, he's a guaranteed overpowered monster.
Which meant I didn't have to do anything. I just needed to quietly, without lifting a finger, diligently plug up the holes around campus.
Yeah. I'll just blend in. Quietly. Without anyone knowing.
Secretly. Timidly. To get strong in this eroge in the first place, you had to either train or have sex. The latter wasn't even an option I could consider. The former was basically self-flagellation.
Once I'd made up my mind, I felt a lot better. The tension even seemed to ease a little. Yeah. It's all about your mindset.
I am a man. I am a man.
I'd barely finished my little mental pep talk when a booming voice filled my ears.
"GREETINGS!! CADETS!!! I AM HWANG GI-YEOL, HEADMASTER OF HOLY GOD ACADEMY!!! HUP!!!"
"HUP!!!"
"Hup! Hup!!"
Along with the headmaster's spirited greeting, answering shouts erupted from the upperclassmen's section. The first-years looked pretty startled, and even the eternally upbeat Lim Yu-ra had a bewildered look on her face. I alone remained calm.
The shitty gay headmaster. This dumpster-fire game's nastiest penalty.
If you didn't have sex in this so-called eroge, there was a set probability that the alumni club — the Holy Soldiers' Association — would make contact with your character. Oh, not an STD. Holy Soldiers, as in soldiers of the Holy God. Anyway, if you were unlucky enough to get your back door popped, you had to delete that character.
Because you'd start liking men instead of women.
More precisely, the club would remodel your body and turn you gay. What a horrific game. I'd ruined my first character that way. But surely they wouldn't do that to a girl... right?
While I was thinking that, the headmaster's speech continued.
"—WELCOME TO THIS PLACE OVERFLOWING WITH THE SPIRIT OF GEUMGANG AND BAEKDU! YOU BRATS!!!"
"HUP!!!"
"I CAN'T HEAR YOU!!!"
"HUUUUP!!!"
Most of the students stayed quiet. But the voices of a handful of alumni-club members rang out loud enough to fill this entire massive auditorium.
I need to avoid those guys as much as possible.
Terrifying bastards. Without realizing it, I quietly took Yu-ra's hand.
"...Hm? Are you scared?"
"Ah... yeah."
"You can hold on as much as you want."
"...Mm."
What a kind-hearted friend. Feeling my heart settle against her soft hand, I watched the rest of the program. The professors in charge of each year and subject took turns introducing themselves. At the end, the headmaster recited the academy's history and talked about the future ahead. Basically: all of you get strong and protect this world from the otherworldly gods. I let it wash over me with the same half-assed energy I'd had sitting through mandatory reservist lectures.
And then, the next item.
"Next, the first-year student council president, Arthas Gregory. Please come up to the podium."
"Wooooah!!"
"Wheeeew!"
Cheers and applause erupted. It felt like light was radiating from the person himself. Even I had to admit it — my handsome custom character walked up onto the stage.
"He's so handsome. Right, Na-ho?"
"...Not interested."
"Aww, come on."
"I'm serious. I was just asking earlier."
I ignored Yu-ra poking me in the side and looked at him. Those mysterious, dazzling violet eyes swept across the crowd.
"It's a pleasure to meet you all. I am Arthas Gregory, and though I am still lacking, I have been appointed first-year student council president."
"KYAAAAA!!"
"Oppa!!!"
They're the same year at best, and they're calling him oppa? Give me a break. I hid my inexplicably sour mood and scanned the auditorium. Back to the main job.
Not here. Not there either.
Where the hell are you, my hole.
I half-listened to Arthas's fairly long speech, until I suddenly realized Yu-ra was calling me.
"...Ho, Na-ho!!"
"Huh, yeah? What?"
"Arthas is telling you to stand up!"
"...Why?"
I looked at the podium. He was staring straight at me. His eyes were burning with passion.
"You there, my fellow student. Would you mind standing up for a moment?"
"...Why?"
"You don't seem to be paying attention."
Come on. There were thousands of people listening. Couldn't one person zone out a little? And he was going to call me out for it?
Arthas pressed me as I hesitated.
"My speech — I wanted everyone to hear what I had to say, if possible. If you'd like, I could fill you in separately."
"Drop dead!!"
"That attention-whore bitch, how DARE she to our Arthas!!!"
"Fox-spirit slut!!"
Harsh jeers erupted along with those words. If I kept hesitating instead of just refusing, I was going to get jumped after the speech. I was about to hurry and stand — when a jolt of sensation pierced me from the base of my spine all the way through my brain.
"A-ahhnnngh!!"