How to Cross the Desert (1)
The day after returning to the academy, I found myself spending time in the study for the first time in a while. It was one of the facilities prepared within the dormitory. As I mentioned before, Galimar operates on a strict ranking-based distribution system. Students placed higher in the ranks enjoy far more privileges, making academy life considerably more comfortable. The dormitories were no exception. My rank was first in the entire grade, which meant I had been assigned the best room available. To exaggerate only slightly, it was practically a mansion. The spacious study where I now sat was a special facility found only in the top-ranked student’s dormitory.
I always came here whenever I had a lot on my mind.
“Hmm.”
This time was no different. With something weighing on me, I had naturally drifted to the study once again. I sat on the sofa positioned in the center of the room.
“This is quite… I’ve ended up with a rather troublesome item in my hands.”
I toyed with the black case. It was the palm-sized box Neria had handed me a few days earlier. A faint sigh slipped from my lips.
Click.
When I opened the case, something small and sparkling lay inside—a gem radiating a brilliant blue light. I tapped its surface lightly with my fingertip. A strange sound rang out, and the air surrounding the gem distorted like rising heat haze.
As expected, this is a dangerous object.
Bergen-Belsen. Next to that hellish laboratory lay numerous massive canyons. This gem had been found within that abyss.
This is what was twisting the time axis around Belsen.
The gem’s true identity was a dragon’s heart. Long ago, before the empire had even been founded, a single dragon had reigned at the pinnacle of the world. It was called the strongest creature in history, yet it remained a being shrouded in mystery.
Because in the game, its settings were never fully revealed.
Even within the game, only the lightest mentions of it existed. No detailed information had ever been disclosed. I had scoured every event booklet, but it was futile. All I could do was speculate based on the scraps of information provided.
The dragon that protected the world suddenly met its death… and its corpse was buried between the giant canyons.
Hundreds of years passed. Just when it seemed the creature would be forgotten in the desolate wasteland, a dark mage fleeing the empire’s pursuit discovered the site. He soon realized the surrounding region’s time axis had been distorted and decided to build a research facility in a hidden location. That was the exact origin of Belsen as recorded in the setting materials.
“It certainly possesses an overwhelming aura.”
Though long years had worn it down—breaking, chipping, and fragmenting it—the heart still radiated an intense aura. If an item like this fell into Baob’s hands, it would become incredibly troublesome. I had collected it myself to prevent any misuse. There were also a few things I wanted to test. While destroying Belsen, I had casually picked up a myth-grade item as well.
What mattered now was what came next.
“I wonder what kind of reaction I’ll receive.”
As I sat alone, lost in thought, a knock sounded at the door.
Knock, knock.
“Hmm?”
The knock was somewhat crude, as if the person wasn’t yet accustomed to proper etiquette. I recognized it immediately.
“Come in, Miss Irene.”
With a soft creak, a girl with crimson hair stepped inside. The neatly dressed fox. She must have stayed up late last night; it looked as though she had only just woken. Thick fatigue clung to her dark pupils.
I slipped the case back into my inner pocket and greeted her calmly.
“Good morning.”
“Sorry… I woke up late.”
“It’s fine. I prepared breakfast on the table. Have you eaten yet?”
“Yeah, it was delicious.”
“I’m glad it suited your taste.”
As I offered a faint smile, the fox approached the sofa. Irene tilted her head, studying me. I returned the gesture with a curious look.
“Is there something you want to say?”
“Just…”
The fox struggled to find her words. After a long hesitation, Irene finally clenched her fist and spoke.
“……I thought I should say thank you.”
“So suddenly?”
“I never properly said it before. I owe you my life. I didn’t want to just stay silent and move on.”
“That’s unexpected. I assumed you didn’t trust me.”
“That’s… a separate issue.”
“Hehe.”
The fox averted her eyes. I let out a small chuckle. Even though she couldn’t trust humans, she couldn’t quite bring herself to hate them either. It was a glimpse of her inherent kindness.
After a brief silence, the girl murmured softly.
“You really are difficult… you know.”
“Am I?”
“I can never tell what you’re thinking.”
“I pride myself on being rather transparent. Where else would you find a character this pure?”
“…….”
“Your gaze is remarkably disrespectful.”
Those narrowed black eyes irritated me for some reason. I reached out and seized the fox’s swishing tail in a firm grip.
Squeeze!
“Eek?!”
“It really is soft.”
“W-wait! Why are you grabbing my tail again…!”
“It’s punishment.”
“T-then at least tell me why… hng!”
“Figure it out yourself.”
We continued our silly, meaningless exchange for some time, trading lighthearted banter in the study.
The next day, I left the dormitory to attend lectures.
-You don’t need to attend classes for about a week.
-I hope all three of you rest comfortably in the dormitory.
-I will mark your attendance myself.
After the accident during midterms, Selena had given the students a week’s break to calm their shaken minds. Thanks to that, I had been able to leave the academy without worry and returned right as classes resumed.
I walked at a leisurely pace.
Step, step.
As I crossed the path leading to the carriage stop, a voice called out.
“Y-Young Master…?”
“She’s coming this way.”
It was none other than the villainess and the protagonist. The two standing side by side outside the stop spotted me and offered greetings. I smiled softly.
“It’s been a week. I hope you’ve all been well.”
“Well… it was all right, I suppose.”
“I-I also got to rest comfortably after a long time.”
“That’s fortunate.”
Snake, puppeteer, vain girl. The children exchanged simple small talk while waiting for the carriage, catching up on what had happened during the week they hadn’t seen one another.
As the pleasant chatter continued, Emilia, who had been walking ahead, suddenly spoke.
“Now that I mention it, the school trip is already right around the corner.”
“R-right… time really does fly, d-doesn’t it?”
“So many things happened.”
I smiled bitterly. Between the regular academy schedule and all the incidents piled on top, the past two months had stormed past like a typhoon. The school trip was scheduled for two weeks later. I hoped, at the very least, that we could enjoy some peace until then.
“I-I at least need to finish the overdue assignments before the trip…”
“You fell behind on assignments?”
“Y-yes… I tried solving them alone, but they were just too difficult.”
“Your level is dropping. I suppose that’s what happens when you’re a commoner.”
“I-I’m sorry… Someone like me really shouldn’t be at the academy.”
“……I-I didn’t mean it that harshly, you know?”
The villainess and protagonist continued their conversation. Having survived life-and-death together during the last exam, the two had grown noticeably closer. The protagonist quickly became sullen at the prickly words, while the villainess, who acted like she was tormenting her, would panic the moment the other actually got upset. Their chemistry was surprisingly good.
“Isn’t the young master already helping you with your studies?”
“He is. But I feel like I’d be a burden if I kept asking for help every single time…”
“So you were struggling by yourself?”
“I-I’m sorry…”
“From now on, I’ll help too. You can ask me if you have any difficult problems.”
“You, Lady…?”
“Ahem! I’m someone who knows how to give.”
I watched with a satisfied smile. It was still a little awkward, but they had grown much closer. That was a relief.
I mischievously inserted myself between them.
“My, my… Are you really going to turn to someone else when you already have a far more excellent teacher right here?”
“……Why are you butting in again?”
Emilia responded sullenly. I shrugged with a bright grin.
“You two just looked so close, I couldn’t help myself.”
“We are not close…?”
“There you go playing hard to get again. When you were in the infirmary, you were holding Miss Legia’s hand so tightly…”
“T-that’s not something you need to bring up!”
The villainess flushed with embarrassment. Her blue eyes sparked with indignation. The urge to tease her grew stronger. With a mischievous smile, I slowly stroked Emilia’s head, the way one might calm an angry cat.
“There, there. Calm down.”
“……”
“It’s important to always maintain peace of mind.”
“……It’s because of you.”
Unable to lash out, Emilia bit her lip in frustration before speaking in a deflated voice.
“When you tease me like that, I can’t help but react grumpily.”
“Then I suppose I’ll have to tease you even more.”
“Huh?”
“Because I like it.”
I continued the playful assault with delight.
“Personally, I rather enjoy that side of you, Lady.”
It’s so fun to watch you get so pissed you lose your mind.
“……Ugh?”
“If possible, I’d like to stay by your side for the rest of my life.”
I want to keep you as my personal punching bag and torment you whenever I’m bored.
“W-what are you suddenly saying…!”
A whirlwind of high-level teabagging. Overwhelmed by the relentless barrage, the villainess couldn’t speak for a long moment. After trembling violently, she finally hung her head.
“You… you’ve been way too aggressive since last time.”
“That’s because I like you.”
Because your reactions when I tease you are so entertaining.
“I-I already know that from last time, but still, charging in so relentlessly like this…!”
“Is being relentless not allowed?”
I genuinely don’t know.
“Ugh, uuuuugh……”
Her deal meter must have finally burst. Emilia sank without offering a single rebuttal. Today’s provocation was another resounding success.
“Hehe.”
As we filled the time with such trivial chatter, I suddenly noticed that Legia, standing beside us, had gone quiet. She was staring silently at the distant sky, as if lost in her own thoughts.
I called to her softly.
“Miss Legia?”
“……Ah.”
The girl snapped back to attention. Legia blinked her dreamy eyes several times before letting out an awkward laugh.
“S-sorry. I didn’t sleep much last night……”
“It’s fine. It wasn’t anything important anyway.”
“T-that’s a relief……”
“Hmm.”
She seemed drained of energy. While she was usually like this, today she looked especially listless. There had been signs even while she was talking with Emilia earlier, but seeing her now made it clear something was wrong.
“……”
The puppeteer lowered her gaze to the ground. I watched her slumped shoulders and muttered inwardly.
If she looks this depressed… it must be because of that, after all.
The withering Legia. It seemed serious this time. Following her lead, I fell into thought for a moment before clearing my mind and beginning to form a plan.
I suppose I need to hold an event.
For our protagonist’s mental care.