Chapter 64
Chapter 64
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 64
Chapter Title: 7. Is Your Back of the Head Safe? (11)
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# 64
#13 Their Circumstances: Risen de Roa's Circumstances.
We woke up early in the morning, and the president said to us with a refreshed face.
"All right, let's start securing today's rations!"
The other executives, already accustomed to this routine, responded energetically and began searching for breakfast rations.
Fortunately, the professors only unpacked their lunchboxes in the evening, leaving mornings wide open and easy to procure.
Of course, these lunchboxes were loaded with all sorts of magic, making one wonder why anyone would craft such advanced artifacts just for this purpose. Still, it was more peaceful than lunch, when the Silver Devil roamed, or dinner, when we occasionally clashed with the professors.
"All right, then..."
We searched the expected spots for lunchboxes.
The rule for mornings was to find them before students arrived for class. If spotted, we went straight to Professor Niserwin.
The finder received a bizarre ticket called an Early Dismissal High Pass, which apparently let you skip fighting professors and just head home.
The day after it was announced, students started coming to school an hour early just to snag our rations.
Of course, with the frenzy overheating, Professor Niserwin limited arrival to 7:30 a.m., which naturally imposed a time limit on our ration hunts.
"Got one today."
After checking various spots, we found a lunchbox tucked into a bookshelf in the library.
I immediately opened the lid to check the contents.
"Sandwich, huh."
A fine menu.
It balanced bread, meat, and vegetables, providing all essential nutrients while tasting great—a truly beautiful ration.
"Let's eat."
I dug in right away.
Delicious. Incredibly delicious.
First came the soft texture of the bread, followed by the crisp crunch of vegetables dancing in my mouth.
Then the tender, crispy fried chicken and spicy sauce surged forward, bringing a small wave of happiness welling up inside.
Perfect. An absolutely wonderful flavor.
Having savored this rare moment of bliss outside our daily grind, I hid the lunchbox container.
Time for the perfect crime.
I headed back to the rooftop and asked the vice president with a grim expression.
"How many did you find today?"
"Three so far. Not looking good today. What about you, Risen?"
"None."
I shook my head and let out a deep sigh.
I'd already perfectly erased any food smells or traces.
Just to be safe, I'd checked my teeth thoroughly in the bathroom.
"Yeah?"
Seeing the vice president sigh similarly, I realized my acting was flawless.
Honestly, if this guy—the vice president who'd fought the most and was sharpest—hadn't noticed, no one else would.
Under normal circumstances, maybe. But in this extreme situation, where we'd all adapted to the abnormal, I was one of his precious comrades.
Not just him—the others wouldn't suspect anyone either.
I was exploiting that perfectly to carve out my own escape route.
I wouldn't say I was right, but you all had it coming too, right?
What did we learn during night self-study before break?
Forgetting that means your learning skills suck!
As a friend, as a comrade-in-arms, it was my role to give them an unforgettable experience.
That soothed my pricked conscience a bit as I waited for the others to gather.
"President, find any?"
"Grabbed one from a second-year classroom. Almost missed it."
"What's the menu? What was it?"
"What, Risen? You didn't find any and you're checking the menu first?"
"Again? How come Risen never finds one?"
"Yeah, the fastest guy among us has zero results?"
"Ah, I'm starving and low on energy! Pump me up or increase my share!"
My stomach was practically full, but for the perfect act, I yelled like I was angry.
Maybe it looked funny, because smiles crept onto their faces one by one.
Yes, laugh like that.
It eased my conscience a little.
But someone among us had to do this.
Look at their outfits. Still in pajamas.
How many days have they been wearing these?
Fine, uniforms get worn multiple days too.
But underwear? Especially for Karen and the other female executives?
They pretended to care on day one because they were girls, but now they don't even bother.
I've heard female soldiers or mercenaries in long campaigns do that, but these are students?
Students at an academy?
Trapped inside, sure, but that's not normal.
So, I'm stepping up.
I'll get out and make them realize how precious normal life is.
-No, how long are you gonna keep rationalizing this?
-Until I get out?
-Definitely... I picked the right summoner for once.
I ignored Loki cackling annoyingly.
Time to think about the date.
My escape date!
I'd already memorized the academy's layout perfectly.
I'd also figured out the on-duty professors' patterns to some extent.
Especially weak between 3 and 5 a.m., confirmed by pretending to use the bathroom at night.
That's why I insisted the rooftop bathroom (no idea why it exists) was for girls only.
The others looked relieved that they'd finally grown up, but oh well.
It was all for my grand plan!
After risking life and limb for lunch, I woke up beaten by the devil again, to evening as usual.
We'd grasped the rules enough that professors no longer handed out food nicely, so fierce skirmishes broke out to secure dinner. We chatted about escaping tomorrow for sure and went to sleep.
Of course, I didn't sleep.
Today was D-Day!
Target: 4 a.m.
When professors were most exhausted and everyone half in dreamland.
I slipped out quietly and entered the tenth-floor bathroom.
Escape plan was simple. True to a summoner academy, use a summon!
True experts hide part of their power!
I'd never used Loki's full abilities in any fight so far.
-Don't twist it. You've never properly drawn my power except peeping!
-Loki, a man has duties.
-Like peeping in girls' changing rooms, filming hidden cams for cash, or escaping academies?
-Naturally!
-In all my newborn life, you're the first like this...
-So, you hate it?
-No way! You're the best, contractor!
Loki and I chuckled together as I invoked his power.
Loki was a rare god who'd appeared only a handful of times.
His true abilities had never been fully revealed to this world.
So everyone thought he summoned rare items, but that was just part of it!
"Let's go, Loki!"
-Yeah, this'll be fun too!
Light flashed in the bathroom, and I was gone.
Just a tiny kitten left!
This was one of Trickster Loki's great powers!
The ability that let me sell countless peeping videos (never crossed lines!) without getting caught.
Perfect transformation!
Unlike cheap illusions or polymorph spells, it could fool gods.
Loki said no summoner he'd contracted wanted this for war or power, so he'd never given it before.
Purely, only!
Moved by my endless efforts to peep the third-year (back then) changing room, guarded ironclad by Vice President Karen, Loki taught me this secret spell!
My escape was perfect!
As a lost little kitten, I descended floor by floor.
God's magic indeed—the ultimate technique of the god-fooling Trickster Loki!
Reached the first floor and nudged the firmly shut door with a bit of mana.
An alarm probably notified professors, but surveillance would show only a small cat.
They'd check anyway.
But professors wouldn't spot Loki's god-deceiving power!
It should be obvious!
"Whoa, cute baby kitty?"
What was this creature wandering sleepless at dawn?
A real devil? Devils don't sleep?!
-Devils sleep too.
Loki vouched, saying he played with devils often—they got deep sleep.
Right, then only one hypothesis left.
Evil God's spawn theory was most likely, and spot on!
What was the imperial army procedure for reporting Evil God worshippers!
"So cute I wanna pet it."
I flinched reflexively every time her hand rose.
And she watched amusedly...
-This brat saw through my transformation?!
-You said it'd be fine!
-It is! No human, animal, devil, or god has ever spotted my transformations!
-Then what's that?!
-...The Evil God's spawn you all talk about?
Different world or not, the Silver Devil—god-recognized Evil God's spawn—poked the floor around me thoughtfully, debating how to toy with me.
-Beg for mercy, maybe she'll spare you?
-Contractor, after all those beatings, you still don't get it? She's waiting for you to drop the transformation!
-Why?
-Obviously: "I didn't know it was a student escaping as a cat?" Then whack!
-Incredibly convincing!
Indeed, that innocent stare—was she planning to claim ignorance after I transformed?
But what now? Flee, and she'd beat me for "running after I petted you." Transform, and for "escaping."
"Wanna play a fun game with big sis, kitty? It's called..."
She whispered in my ear, making me twitch uncontrollably.
-Deceive her, contractor! Old tale: tricked huge Thor into drag with words alone! Tricksters like us wield tongues that split life and death!
To confident Loki, I retorted:
-Hey, Loki? How's a cat gonna talk?
-Argh, forgot that!
Damn, this god was hopeless.
I'd known he was flawed since forever, but this much!
"It's a knuckle rap my master taught me. Bend your finger like this and snap! Fun game."
The Silver Devil flicked her middle finger right in front of me.
I-Isn't this animal abuse? No savior for this poor kitten from the devil's clutches?!
-None. 4 a.m., even heroes sleep.
-Ah, no!
Snap, snap! Fingers closed in, despair imminent.
Then, salvation's voice rang out.
"What's this at dawn?"
"Master! Playing with a cute baby kitty!"
No clue why Professor Niserwin emerged from inside the academy past 4 a.m., but his words saved me for sure.
"You have much tomorrow. Stop playing and go in."
"Just a bit more with the kitty?"
Gulp.
I swallowed involuntarily.
"No."
"Aww~"
Saved. I was saved.
She showed no intent to tell Professor Niserwin my identity, so I lived to escape.
After he pushed open the door for me, I reached the gate, sighed in relief, and glanced back.
"Meow..."
Ah... I saw it.
From afar, the Silver Devil and another devil smiling contentedly at me.
Yes. I'd just been used.
No miracle—Professor Niserwin already knew.
Or maybe he told the devil.
But I was out of the academy now.
No turning back.
Steeling myself, I succeeded in escaping the academy.