Believe in Me

X and Roxwell sat side by side on a park bench, both wearing the same hollow expression.

In the distance, professors filed out through the main building's front doors, every last one of them looking thoroughly pleased.

"Chairman, Headmaster. A truly proper verdict."

"I can scarcely contain my praise for such a wise decision!"

The most transparent brown-nosing imaginable. X and Roxwell both sighed.

Roxwell was the first to speak.

"Sorry things turned out this way."

"No. If anything, this worked out for the better."

"The hell does that mean?"

"Well…"

"Ah, there you are. Professor Roxwell, Student X."

Elndoor approached the two of them on the bench, a look of deep satisfaction spread across his face. Roxwell started to rise and offer a greeting, but the old man waved him down and settled himself right between them.

"Hoho. Might this old man squeeze in between you young people?"

He was already sitting. Both of them thought it. Neither of them said a word.

Elndoor turned to Roxwell with an easy, thick-skinned smile.

"Are the conditions I set a little too demanding?"

"…They're far too demanding. I'd call them impossible."

"But adversity and hardship are what raise a boy, are they not, Professor Roxwell?"

Roxwell clicked his tongue and looked away. He had the face of a man who'd been strong-armed into something he wanted no part of. Elndoor only smiled and carried on.

"Student X. Congratulations on slipping the noose of expulsion. Professor Roxwell's speech was quite something — weaving The Tale of Hero Protego together with the Academy's founding principles. Not the sort of oration I'd expect from him."

And just like that, they had done it. He had slipped the noose of expulsion, clean and clear.

Elysia had to be livid right about now. It was a genuine shame he couldn't see the look on her face.

Editing Points at 16,100… Jackpot!

He opened the Status Window and happily agonized over which base stats to buy. It was a good problem to have.

Then Roxwell killed the mood.

"But make that brat first in academics within a single semester? And ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠if I fail, not only does he get expelled — I get dismissed too…"

"Is that unfair?"

"Of course it's unfair!"

"Then simply make Student X first, and it won't be."

"That's not—! Screaming Herb! What the hell are you going to do about it?!"

The arrow swung around and pointed straight at X. He averted his eyes as well, fumbling for an answer.

"Well… I'll do my best. First in academics."

"Haa…"

Roxwell let out a sigh that said he didn't buy it for a second. Elndoor watched the two of them, then rose with that same easy smile.

"Well then, I'll be on my way. It looks as though master and disciple have a great deal to discuss."

"I've never once acknowledged this brat as my disciple."

"Hoho. I like that fire in you, Professor Roxwell. Reminds me of when you first arrived at the Academy."

"…Let's not bring ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠up my student days."

"Hohoho!"

Elndoor laughed like a grandfather and took his leave — and as a bonus, he took Maria with him. She'd been making her way over. X caught the greed and disappointment in her eyes and shuddered.

That's the real problem.

He let out a sigh that made no sound.

"…Professor. What do we do from here?"

"You asking because you don't know? If what you told me is true, we do whatever it takes. You know that better than I do."

"Will you help me?"

"…Yeah, you damn brat."

Still — he had gained an ally. Of everything this whole ordeal had given him, that was the greatest prize. He no longer had to wrestle with everything alone. He could do more now. So much more.

Ah. So this is what it feels like.

Just knowing he had someone in his corner, his chest felt lighter.

Circe, too… If I play this right, I might be able to bring her around.

Circe, who had once been a hero-worshipper through and through. She had shown him a change — she had apologized to someone. It had all unfolded inside a tangle of mistakes and misunderstandings, but the fact that she had apologized of her own accord, even knowing that, was a tremendous shift in itself.

Even if we aren't comrades, we might still be able to work together.

And just then, someone else came to mind.

"Ah, Professor. How has Lola been doing?"

"Lola? Fine, far as I know. That's out of nowhere. This about 'that knowledge' again?"

"No. I asked her to deliver a notebook to you. I was worried she might have looked at it."

"Notebook? What are you talking about. The one who brought me the notebook was Circe."

"…What?"

His heart plummeted. Setting aside the question of why, there was something he needed to confirm first.

"…Did Circe look like she'd read it?"

"No. She looked pretty composed, so I doubt it."

For a moment, that almost sounded like a relief. Then the next words knocked the wind out of him.

"Come to think of it, she was carrying two notebooks. Were there two volumes of the one with that knowledge in it?"

"…No. There was only one."

At that, Roxwell grasped the severity of the situation too.

"…This is the notebook, right?"

Roxwell drew out the notebook he'd been keeping hidden inside his coat. X nodded. Roxwell's face hardened as he went on.

"If what you said is true, Circe is the reincarnated Sage. And that Sage was carrying two notebooks. Identical. I received one of them."

"…Don't tell me. She copied it?"

He checked the time. Six-thirty. More than enough time to have read every word. He opened the Status Window to be sure.

The points hadn't changed. It wasn't too late.

"Professor, it's not too late. We need to go recover that notebook, now—"

He started to rise in a hurry.

The required points had changed.

…What?

The Status Window appeared at once, as if to tell him he was already too late.

…What the hell is this.

His pupils shook. Memory erasure? Record deletion? A viewpoint added? He had never seen penalties this aggressive in his life.

But he didn't get to sit with the questions for long.

"Screaming Herb…!"

Roxwell's voice, urgent and fraying. X snapped his head to the side and found Roxwell staring out of unfocused, clouding eyes, clutching his head in agony.

"Professor!"

"Is this that Status Window you told me about? A translucent film — like glass…! Can you see it too?"

"No, I can't see it! What does it say?!"

"It says Forget everything, won't you? Dammit… that's why my memories… Screaming Herb, listen to me!"

Roxwell seized X by the collar. His eyes were losing focus — but those same eyes locked onto X's with perfect, piercing accuracy.

"Is it watching us right now?"

"…It's watching."

"…Tsk!"

Roxwell's point of view had been added. It would be watching this very moment. At that, Roxwell clicked his tongue, frustrated and running out of time.

"Can't even explain it properly. I'll say just this."

He swallowed a groan and forced the words out.

"Believe in you? Believe what?!"

"We're being watched, so I can't say it. Anyway — believe me! You got that? I don't care what kind of bullshit I pull on you from here on out. You have to believe in me!"

His eyes were full of conviction. X hesitated for a heartbeat, then nodded.

"I'll believe in you."

"Good. Dammit, my mind's…"

Roxwell's consciousness gave out. X caught his collapsing body as it went slack, and a fire smoldered in X's eyes.

So this is how you want to play it.

A comrade, stolen from him as easily as breathing. Their cooperation, ripped away. But of a few things, he was already certain.

You moved too soon. Keep being that impatient. I'll smash you to pieces for it.

"I'm bored."

Beatrice, Imperial Princess, was bored. No — she was no longer Princess Beatrice.

"Even occupying a princess's body isn't any fun."

The demon Andras had been filling out reports for her duties as princess when her gaze drifted to the ring on her right index finger.

"…Shut up. Stop nagging. The only reason I'm keeping you alive is because I have no choice. Keep running your mouth and I might erase you for good. Ack! You've got some nerve…! What? I filled out the report wrong just now? Haa…"

She sighed and sank back into the chair.

I thought I'd get to enjoy every kind of pleasure imaginable. Why is there so much work? I'm bored to death.

How many years had it been already? The preparation period for the plan alone had stretched on for years. At this rate, her soul would rot and crumble from sheer tedium.

"What? That duel? …Yeah. That was pretty entertaining. You want ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to see him again? Your tastes are bizarre."

The sight of a mere weak worm beating a strong one had been, she had to admit, a little amusing. His name was X, wasn't it? She had intervened without orders. Because she'd been told to heal him, she'd drawn unwanted attention from the Archdemon for no good reason.

"I'll admit I got careless. But I'm bored. Lesser demons get to have all the fun they want out on the frontier. Why am I the only one stuck playing this tedious role? …Still room for me to repent? There's nothing you won't say to a demon, is there. Haa…"

Sighing didn't change ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a thing. It only added to the pile of sighs.

"Master. A report."

A bird swept down onto Andras's hand. Its eyes glowed red, and it began to speak. One of Andras's familiars.

"You found out? What happened?"

"He avoided expulsion, my lord."

"Huh? Really? That kid's something else!"

The one she'd been certain would be expelled. Screaming Herb, X. He had punched straight through her expectations and survived.

"How did that happen?"

"Reporting."

The familiar recited everything that had taken place at the disciplinary committee. Andras's interest cooled as she listened.

"What. His homeroom professor walked in and talked them around? Lame. …I don't get how that's supposed to be impressive."

"Afterward, the professor lost consciousness and collapsed."

"Huh?"

That was strange. From what she'd looked into, Professor Roxwell was a martial artist of considerable star rank. He wouldn't lose consciousness that easily unless some outside force had intervened.

Is it connected to that kid?

"Shall I assign surveillance?"

"Don't bother. Unnecessary."

Andras shook her head.

I have a personal interest, but not to that extent…

Still just curiosity. If she stirred something up and got herself marked by the Archdemon, that would be a problem.

Then her gaze drifted back to the ring, and a wicked smile touched her lips.

"Right. Interest. I could use it that way. And I've got a spare ring lying around, too. …Don't use the ring? Have you forgotten who I am?"

Andras drew two rings from her clothes. One was so saturated with holy power it could no longer be used. The other was the 'ring' she intended to give to that kid. She frowned down at them.

"Hard to tell them apart by looking. I'd rather not probe them — if I hit the one packed with holy power, it'll hurt. …The right one is full of holy power? Really? Then it's the left one, you liar."

While she was turning that over, the familiar spoke again.

"I have orders: begin preparing the plan."

"Ah, at last!"

Had the time come? Andras's expression brightened. The gloom of a moment ago vanished in an instant. How long had she waited. How much had she anticipated. How long had she yearned for this, ever since the advent of the God of Light.

Andras stroked the ring as she spoke.

"Did you hear? We can finally meet our God! Our true God!"

A vile light kindled in Andras's hideous eyes. The ennui of all those years was gone.

"The Hounds are ready, I take it?"

"They are prepared."

The first stage of the plan would begin here. At the heart of the continent — Elion Academy.

Everything, for our God.

The demons were on the move.