Enrollment Day (1)
Today was the day the academy started. The enrollment ceremony day.
Unlike usual, my eyes snapped open even though the sun hadn't risen yet.
Was it because I was so excited about life at the academy?
……Huh?
"What are you doing?"
I flinched.
Io, who had been standing quietly by my door trying to sneak out, froze in place.
"It's not time to wake me yet… so why are you in my room?"
I had told her to wake me if I didn't get up on time, but why was she already inside? And she'd hidden her presence so well. I almost didn't notice she was there.
As expected of Lydia's little sister.
"W-Well, you see… uh… That's right! I-I got the time a little mixed up!"
Io stammered in panic for a moment before suddenly shouting.
"What? The time?"
She got the time wrong?
When it was this dark outside? Who could mistake that? It was obviously still night.
"It's pitch black out there. What did you mix up?"
"……W-Well…… You know…… R-Right! I came in early to wake you because I was worried you'd be late for the enrollment ceremony today!"
She stammered again at my response, her face flushing red as she yelled once more.
Yeah, right. That was obviously a lie.
She had some other motive for coming in.
What could it be… Probably looking for my weaknesses again.
Even the strongest person is vulnerable when asleep. Maybe she snuck in to observe me while I slept, waiting for that moment.
"……I see."
"Y-Yes!"
"So you came in to observe me while I slept."
"H-How did you…!"
So I was right.
"Tell me the truth. I already know everything."
"Ugh…… Fine. You figured it out, huh."
Io looked utterly defeated.
She must have psyched herself up to sneak into my room, only for her true intentions to be exposed immediately.
Huh?
Now that I thought about it, that could have been dangerous for me. What if Io had bad intentions? She could have attacked me while I was asleep.
……Though I doubt she'd do that. And anyway, attacks below a certain level wouldn't work on me.
"Got it. I'll tell you everything…… The real reason I snuck into your room is… ugh. Well, you see……"
Io was cute, but listening to her hem and haw like this was getting frustrating.
I just wanted to get ready quickly and head to the academy enrollment ceremony.
"So… um… what I mean is, your face……"
"You're not here to scout my weaknesses in secret?"
"To see your face…… Huh?"
She was fumbling so much that I cut in midway.
Io's eyes went wide in shock at my words.
"Even a sword master at the peak of their art, or a mage who's reached the pinnacle of magic, is more vulnerable asleep than at any other time. You were planning to stay by my side while I slept, find my weaknesses, and use them to drive a wedge between me and Lydia, weren't you?"
"……Th-That……"
Io couldn't respond, like a broken record.
What? Was I wrong? Could there be another reason? No way she just wanted to see my face in the middle of the night.
"Am I off?"
"…No! I-I mean, yes! You're right. I was trying to find a weakness to separate you from my sister! I can't believe you saw through it."
Her answer felt a bit awkward, but nothing else made sense, so it had to be that.
A maid who's always so prickly. How cute. So this is what a little sister feels like.
"Did you find any weaknesses?"
"Huh?"
"Did you find any weaknesses?"
"Weaknesses? Excluding how you look like a god of beauty from myth when you're asleep… Gah!"
As she answered my question, she suddenly clamped her hand over her mouth like she'd said something wrong.
God of beauty?
What was that supposed to mean? No way!
Had she figured out some of my Gifts? Nah, no chance.
She probably just thought that because she sees me as a fraud who claims to be a god.
Maybe seeing me made her doubt I'm a total con artist? And she doesn't want to admit it.
Yeah, that tracks.
"……Ha…… Haha, hahahahaha."
"Why are you laughing now?"
"Oh, nothing. You're just so cute, I couldn't help it."
It really felt like having the little sister I'd only heard about. Even her tsundere pride was adorable.
"C-C-C-Cute?"
Io's face turned beet red. Ah, maybe calling a fraud cute rubbed her the wrong way.
She looked seriously pissed.
This was a novel feeling.
In my past life, I was an only child. In this one, I just had two monster-like older sisters.
This fresh, tangy vibe was unfamiliar.
But was she really younger than me? Considering when she and Lydia escaped the Nova Empire, she'd lived through more than I had……
Whatever. If she's cute, that's what matters. Age is irrelevant.
After the commotion with Io, I finished the breakfast she'd prepared, got ready, and left the dormitory room.
This morning's enrollment ceremony was set for the grand hall.
The problem was, there was still a ton of time before it started.
I'd come out way too early because I was so excited to meet them.
Hmm…… Should I head to the hall ahead of time?
The streets were shrouded in thick dawn fog.
Even though the enrollment ceremony was today, it was so early that no one was around.
Everyone else was way too lazy.
Was I the only one excited for the enrollment ceremony?
Thud.
Thud.
Something kept bouncing off a building wall.
What was that sound?
Someone was out there, apparently.
There was still plenty of time before the ceremony, so I might as well check it out.
Heading toward the noise, I spotted someone in an alley kicking a ball against the wall.
As I got closer, I finally made out the face.
"……Huh? Luke. Hey."
It was Sunny, bouncing the ball.
"Hey, Sunny."
Sunny, huh.
Yeah, it made sense it'd be her.
She had this unique habit of loving to kick balls around, despite being a girl.
Soccer didn't exist in this world, but there was a popular sport called kaduregel that involved kicking a similar ball.
Still, it was mostly a men's sport.
Women rarely played. But Sunny loved it.
Which was why her Gift was related to her ankles.
She was a supporting character from Deus ex Machina.
Her deadpan face and quirky personality had made her popular.
As Luke, I'd met her before at noble social gatherings, and thanks to my game memories, we'd become friends.
"What're you doing? Practicing?"
"Basics. Practice."
"Basics?"
"Basics. Gotta master 'em. Dad taught me the trick."
Oh, right. That was her backstory. I'd forgotten since it had been a while.
"But why start this early?"
"Mornings. Best time."
"The ceremony's soon. You wanna go in all sweaty?"
"……Oh."
This clumsy, otherworldly charm was Sunny's appeal.
"Here."
I used an artifact with a built-in Clean spell to freshen her up.
"Luke."
"No need to thank me. We're friends, right?"
"Pervert."
"……Huh?"
P-Pervert?
"Washing a girl's body. Luke's a pervert."
I just used Clean magic, and that's pervert?
This……
Haha. Yeah, that's Sunny for you.
"Pervert? Sunny, I just kept you from going to the ceremony all sweaty. How's that pervy?"
"Luke's a pervert."
"No, I'm not!"
Murmurs filled the grand hall at the academy's heart.
This was where major academy events took place.
As the enrollment ceremony neared, more freshmen poured in.
Sunny and I had arrived ridiculously early and were just waiting.
Watching the early arrivals, I spotted familiar faces.
The main characters from Deus ex Machina I'd been dying to see.
And some new freshmen, altered by the changed history.
Most of the missing ones were extras with minor roles……
But why was she absent? Was it butterfly effects from my changes keeping her out of the academy? Possible?
I'd have to ask Lydia later to check.
Should've asked her for the freshman roster before enrolling.
Would've made things easier.
Nah. That'd look suspicious as hell.
I was already avoiding Lydia to not seem un-godly.
Yeah. This was fine.
Scanning the entrants, my eyes met Amy's.
She waved enthusiastically.
We'd only known each other a day, but this friendliness? What a social butterfly.
Amy said something to Dia beside her, who gave a small wave too.
I waved back.
Good. She didn't totally hate me.
We could work on her androphobia gradually.
Click.
Murmurs grew louder.
Suddenly, all the hall lights went out. Maybe because it was such a huge space, even in morning light, it plunged into darkness.
The crowd grew chaotic.
Then, a blinding beam of light shot down from the front—like a stage spotlight.
Ah. Right. The chancellor.
This showoff.
"We~lcome, Class of 557, academy freshmen~! We welcome you to the academy!"
In the spotlight's center appeared a woman wearing a fish-shaped necklace.
The current academy chancellor.
A character infamous among Deus ex Machina players for her attention-seeking ways.
Wakpa Hucknockjuke.
To see her in the flesh……
Huh?
Was it my imagination?
Those eyes…… They seemed locked right on me.