A Very Deep Brother-Sister Conversation
Are you out of your mind? After checking that headache-inducing mission system—just glancing at it made my temples throb—Rain and I headed toward the Arcade Academy.
Does this guy really not know it's a total mess, or is he just blurting it out? No way. Those damn gods are definitely doing this to toy with my reactions. Hell, the second one even threw in a heart emoji to mock me outright.
"Spear and newlywed life...?"
I couldn't even imagine it. Sure, Spear and I had gotten pretty close—somewhere between friends and lovers—but "lovey-dovey" was a world away from us. Cosy and sweet with someone whose idea of fun was holing up in her room to rest or read? Yeah, right.
"Young master, is something wrong?"
"Ah, sorry. I was spacing out a bit."
Right now, there was no need to obsess over this constellation system. The shop items you could buy with coins were priced like blatant "don't even think about it" ads anyway, and in these early days post-regression, there were already more treasures and opportunities than I could shake a stick at.
Now that real school life was kicking off—beyond just the entrance ceremony and orientation—there was one elixir I needed to snag.
"By the way... isn't it kinda noisy around here?"
"The second- and third-years had their student council president election yesterday."
The student council only voted for the president. The VP, librarian, secretary, and other execs were all handpicked by whoever won, building their own team. Getting in was a big deal—limited your post-grad career options but opened doors to prestigious gigs. No wonder the upperclassmen were probably killing themselves to join.
"The perks from being on the student council mostly go to jobs like magic tower staff or knights—stuff that screams 'honor'."
"Ahh, that explains it."
Honestly, I hated the current student council president. Not just disliked or indifferent—straight-up hated.
"That bitch... falls head over heels for Arian..."
Under the banner of "love," she listens to Arian... and Arian ends up helping her wipe out my family, two ducal houses, and five marquisates. How could a mere student pull that off? Simple: team up with the Demon King's army.
"Anyway, not our problem right now."
"Understood."
She hasn't met Arian yet, so there's no reason for her to eye us powerless first-years, politically or militarily. She probably fell for Arian during a dungeon expedition grading session. She admitted it while torturing me, so that's gotta be it.
"In a stroke of honor, a first-year has joined the student council."
I knew it...?
"Arian Primal. Come on up."
"Yes, teacher."
What the hell is going on? As Arian stepped onto the podium with that signature arrogant smirk, looking down on everyone, I barely stopped my hand from twitching. Right—everything's already changed beyond recognition. It shouldn't surprise me that Arian's actions are different too. Why did I assume she'd meet the president later?
"I'm Arian Primal, and starting today, I'll be serving as the student council's vice president."
Still... this is way too fast. Arian just enrolled; there's zero overlap with her. Even if Arian caught the president's eye, why bother with the daughter of a barely established count family just starting to build influence?
The president must've fallen at first sight or something. Thoughts spiraled into a tangled mess. But I shook off the useless what-ifs and focused on the moment.
Yeah, it's absurd, but what can you do? I can't rewind what's done. I'm not the old me anymore—I'm the current one, living now.
"I still have much to learn, but I'll do my best alongside President Press."
Clap clap clap clap.
The sparse applause echoed too loudly in the classroom of barely ten students. Fine. This time, I'll handle it properly.
"Looks like my sister and I need a very deeeep~~~ conversation."
A sincere, intense, heavy one.
"That's all the announcements. As you know, join a club by next week."
"Yes."
Homeroom ended short, and the next period's teacher barged in like a blitz.
"First period starts. Sit down, chicks."
My heart-to-heart with Arian would have to wait till lunch.
Classes at Arcade Academy totaled 120 minutes. Mornings meant two straight periods of nonstop studying—no breaks. After that 240-minute marathon, you got about 90 minutes for lunch.
"Whew, tougher than expected."
"Not just the volume—the academy's lessons are brain-meltingly hard on a qualitative level too."
Honestly, even I spotted new angles every time. Was my memory shot, or was the academy's bar insanely high?
"...Come to think of it, there are twelve gods, right?"
Only eight weirdos so far. What were the other four up to? Please let the rest be normal.
"Shall I prepare lunch?"
"Yeah, handle everything and set it up at that place from yesterday. I've got something to take care of."
"Understood."
Alright, now—where's my dear sister hiding?
I slipped out quietly and headed to likely spots. Spreading mana was an option, but with Skaya's mana flooding my mana force circuits, it was impossible. This was the best bet.
"Lemme see... pretty sure it's around here."
The narrow back alley behind Lecture Hall 2. It was remote and cramped compared to others, backed by woods, so students avoided it unless using the hall. Plus... ghost rumors.
"...It's a virgin ghost."
They're having a blast. Chuckling at the gods' antics, I reached the back alley of Lecture Hall 2, where two familiar figures were chatting.
"R-Really? If I just do this one thing, you'll go out with me?!"
"Yes, of course, senpai."
What the actual fu—
Fine my ass. Look, I'm neutral on same-sex stuff—if it's real love, whatever. But family or lovers? Gotta stop it, no matter what.
And you damn gods are the ones who planted those weird fetishes in humans!!
"...Never mind."
Anyway, these gods can't interfere directly. At best, they hang bullshit missions I can ignore. If they could, they'd have meddled ages ago.
Make your sister fall and let her feel the sting of getting NTR'd by the student council president.
"There's a limit to bad taste, you psycho gods!!"
"Who's there!?"
I snapped at the insane quest and yelled without thinking. Who the hell yells "NTR" in front of people, you lunatics?
"From now on, everything I do is just educational."
Yeah, this is purely teaching my sister—who's tarnishing the family name—what it means to be a Primal daughter, proper values and all.
I drew my sword—still in its scabbard—and smashed it down on Arian's head.
Clang!!!!
A crisp ring echoed as Arian's body went limp, collapsing like a marionette with cut strings.
"...Huh?"
"You. The psycho bitch groping my sister."
"Y-Your sister?"
The student council president glanced between us in panic, then veins bulged in her eyes as she bellowed at me.
"You don't look anything alike, you bastard!!!"
"...Jeez."
She and Arian didn't resemble each other at all. I took after Dad with gold hair and eyes; Arian mirrored Mom's silver. Our vibes were night and day—no sibling vibes. We'd even been mistaken for childhood friends as kids.
"Lena Press, were you too dumb to memorize the names and faces of your measly twenty first-years?"
The academy name usually prevented mix-ups for Primal... How does the president not know a duke's heir?
"How dare you insult me, a scion of the Press family... Huh?"
Jingle.
"What're you doing? Not gonna talk anymore?"
"W-Wait... that crest..."
Jingle jingle.
Oh, this? "A clock engraved with the Primal family crest."
Mom had it, then handed it to me as a kid with a warning.
'When some crazy noble bitch struts around on family prestige alone, flash this clock and say...'
Thanks for the line, Mom. Always grateful.
"You fucking bitch, you back to your senses now?"