Chapter 5 - The Clue
"...Young Master, it's morning. Time to get up."
"Mmm... five more minutes..."
"It's the first day meeting your classmates. If you're late..."
"Don't care... lemme sleep a bit more..."
"........."
I'd pulled an all-nighter out of fear that Kania might stab me in my sleep. Of course, whenever she got up to wake me, I'd pretend to be asleep just to put her in a tough spot.
It might seem pointless, but every little action like this racks up Villainy Points to save the world.
+1pt (Poor Acting)
To overcome the problems I'm facing now, I need to urgently move to the next stage. In other words, I have to commit even more intense acts of villainy than before.
"...Haa, then I'll head out first. Please don't be late..."
"We're going together."
"...Pardon?"
"If you're my servant, you go with me. Wait a sec."
"........."
She'd been raised in our family since childhood, trained as a butler. So she loves following rules and regulations—it's practically an obsession. She hates breaking them with a passion.
Which means if I make her late on the first day... I'll score a ton of points.
"...Young Master, let me assist you. We need to hurry..."
"Am I a kid? Stay put. I can handle this much myself."
I stopped Kania from helping and started packing my bag as slowly as humanly possible.
"Please, Young Master..."
"........."
Watching me, Kania began breaking out in a cold sweat, urging me on.
"Lemme see... books... writing tools... Hmm, quill pen or fountain pen?"
"Young Master, time's running out. Just grab everything for now and sort it later..."
"Which do you prefer, Kania?"
"...The fountain pen."
"Got it. Quill it is."
"........."
I dragged it out like this for a good while until Kania suddenly bowed her head and muttered softly.
"...Young Master, we have only one minute left. Please, let me go."
"Hold on, I haven't picked a brooch yet."
"...Have I done something wrong?"
As I casually rummaged through brooches, Kania glared at me with eyes full of resentment and asked.
I wanted to tell her the crime was trying to kill me, but that was my karma, my comeuppance. So I stayed silent.
"If you tell me, I'll correct it. Please forgive me..."
"Kania, you like fountain pens, right?"
"...Yes."
She kept pressing, so I pulled the fountain pen she always carried—the one she treasured—from her pocket and spun it around, answering her question.
"I hear the new magic fountain pens write on their own?"
"...Is that so?"
"Yeah, super convenient, right? No need to hold it yourself."
"I see. But what does that have to do with..."
"But just because a fountain pen moves on its own doesn't make it better than its owner."
I grabbed her shoulder with one hand, straightened the spinning pen with the other, and poked at her chest.
"If a cocky fountain pen starts writing whatever it wants, it'll get tossed. No matter the magic, it's just a tool."
"........."
"So don't act out if you don't want to get discarded, Kania. No more reckless moves like sending that telegram to Father without orders, or I'll use my authority to kick you and your sister out of the family."
"Un...der...stood."
I finished by hurling her pen into the corner of the room. Kania gritted her teeth and replied.
Satisfied, I glanced at the clock behind her, confirmed we'd gone overtime, and spoke.
"...Alright, let's go."
"...Yes."
"You carry my stuff. I'll pick a brooch and catch up."
"......Understood."
I made her carry my bag and sent her out, then staggered as a coughing fit exploded from my hand.
"Cough! Cough! Urgh..."
Guess forcing a day's worth of life force into her shoulder took too much out of me.
I collapsed to the floor coughing for a bit, then braced against the bed, staggered up with a sigh, and headed for the door.
"...Hoo."
Now, off to Class A, packed with heroines out to kill me.
.........
"...You lot, class started ten minutes ago. What the hell were you doing?"
"We're sorry! Truly sorry!"
"........."
The moment we entered Class A, the homeroom teacher's wrath rained down.
"...Frey Raon Starlight, and Kania. Unauthorized tardiness: 10 demerit points each."
"...Ngh!"
"...Do whatever."
I pretended to ignore the teacher as I headed to my seat, quietly eyeing the system window in front of me.
+70pt (It Couldn't Be Helped)
'...Yeah, it couldn't be helped. Sorry, Kania.'
If I left her alone like this, her 'first ordeal' would hit in a few months. In the last loop, she barely survived it but ended up with permanent agony and hallucinations.
To delay or overcome that 'first ordeal,' I need to awaken her sister faster than planned.
That's why I pulled this villainy now: the system Item Shop has an item to awaken her sister ahead of schedule.
Once Villainy Points hit a threshold, the next system stage unlocks, granting access to the Item Shop.
So to spare Kania a lifetime of curse-induced torment and voices, I had no choice but to farm points from her—the easiest, closest target right now.
For the record, one big reason she killed herself in front of me last loop was that pain and those voices.
So yeah, like the system said, this was an 'unavoidable' choice for her sake.
- Grind, grrind...
Lost in those thoughts, I heard odd noises and glanced over. Kania was biting her lip so hard, blood trickled down.
Probably guilt over tardiness and demerits on day one.
'...Later, I'll sneak some good ointment into her bag when no one's looking.'
"Now that everyone's here, let me introduce myself."
The teacher, who'd been glaring at us, wrote her name big on the board and addressed the class.
"...I'm Isolet Arham Bywalk. I'll be your Class A homeroom teacher for the next year. Nice to meet you."
I eyed her simple intro and muttered inwardly.
'...Teacher, it's been a while.'
Isolet, first-year Class A's homeroom teacher, is the academy's true educator, its hope, its last shred of conscience.
She's the eldest daughter of the Bywalk family, descendants of the Sword Saint who aided my ancestor—the hero—against the Demon King a thousand years ago. Her family, always producing top warriors, called her the Sword Saint reborn, despite their sky-high standards.
Her prodigious talent shot her up fast from a young age. Just months ago, she was offered vice-commander of the Imperial Knights and an academy teaching post.
Anyone else would've taken the knights' prestige. But Isolet, with her cold eyes scanning us now, chose the academy.
Why? Her unyielding sense of justice. Better to nurture future sprouts than be a figurehead in a corrupt knights' order.
She fought her family over it—practically disowned now.
So she'll never call herself 'Bywalk' after this intro again.
But her aura and presence? Untouched. She could take down most academy students, and her authority backs it.
"...Let's begin class."
Her dry voice signaled the start. Most students sighed or grumbled.
First day? Usually adventure tales, games, or intros—not textbook lessons like this.
Yeah, Isolet's flaw: hardcore stickler for rules. Matches Kania perfectly.
'...Still, she's worthy of respect.'
When the academy fell, she was the only one who stayed till the end, slashing Demon King forces to protect students.
The last conscience and hope in this rotten place.
Prophecy Book called her a 'sub-heroine' in my ancestor's world for it? Don't know, don't care. Good she's 'sub.' If main, with her memories back... I'd be dueling her to the death by now.
"...Y-you... how are you here...!?"
"...?"
Suddenly, a shocked voice. I turned—Irina, looking haggard, stared like I'd risen from the grave.
"........."
A warm-yet-chilling aura hit from behind. Perloché Astellade, the saintess, gawked murderously.
"........."
Even Kania beside me glared with hate. The classroom chilled.
"Focus! You all, focus! I'm not flexible enough to cater to Class A whims!"
As I sweated under those stares, Isolet slammed the board, redirecting the heroines. I sighed and muttered.
"...Now 3/5 are here."
Without my fiancée abroad or the princess arriving before class ends, the room's already freezing. Gotta buy hot packs soon.
.........
"Class dismissed for break."
True to form, Isolet ended right as the bell rang.
Free from rehashing known material, I leaned back stretching—when Kania bolted from her seat beside me, heading somewhere.
I tilted my head watching her, then footsteps from behind.
"...Um, excuse me. Lord Frey?"
"...?"
A timid voice. I turned—Perloché stood tense behind me.
"...Would you come to the cathedral after class? I'd like to bless you, from the storied hero family."
Strong killing intent detected nearby!
Her sweaty pitch triggered the system. I muttered inwardly, baffled.
'...What? Murder announcement?'
The 'Pure White Saintess' is continent-wide pure and kind. Too pure for real schemes.
"...Status window."
Her info popped up as she trembled, eyes shut. The special note made my eyes widen.
'...Solar God's Blessing?'
Not just anyone gets that. Only saintesses the Sun God deems worthy, after fervent prayer.
With it, stats mean nothing. Today, Perloché could crush or shred me one-handed.
Legend says the saintess from a thousand years ago—party member to my ancestor hero—used it to rip the Demon King's side.
"...No."
"...Gasp."
Following her to the cathedral meant Sun God sacrifice, unknown to all. My flat refusal shocked her.
"W-wait... You must not know the value of my blessing. What I offer today is priceless, can't buy it..."
"Eh, don't need it."
"Pardon? But..."
"Scram. I hate church scum."
"Uh, um... y'see..."
I gave her a bored look. She stammered, sweating.
As shown, the 'Pure White Saintess' has a pure heart—and a pure brain. Devout believer knowing only Sun God and doctrine. Or, bluntly, a divine power battery.
No Plan B if rejected? Case closed.
'...Tch, that's why the church uses her.'
Church brass covet her overflowing divine power—even in her status, it's divine over magic. They sweet-talked her into a battery role.
Fitting for a church worshiping the mad Sun God who blessed a heroine trying to kill me—while ignoring me slaving to save the world, even last loop when the Demon King roamed free.
Church needs reform too. Feels like my to-do list grows on its own. Mood soured.
"Uh, u-uh... uhhh..."
"...Scram, you divine rag."
"...!"
My cold snap made her eyes well up. She bowed and slunk back.
Honestly, feared she'd snap and yank my head off. Dodged a bullet.
"H-how's that bastard alive... Fuckin' prick... Was he with the Demon King from back then...?"
Perloché slunk away dejected; now Irina panicked beside me, muttering.
She'll suffer mana exhaustion for a year—needs Kania-level care. Dropping or expelling from A-Class derails the 'scenario.'
'Then the princess and fiancée are the real threats...'
I leaned back, pondering countermeasures amid Perloché's scheming whispers behind and Irina's mutters beside.
After some thought, I concluded:
'...Just drop out?'
Even with the system, no confidence against those two.
.........
"Found it—my fountain pen."
While Frey agonized over the princess and fiancée, Kania returned to his dorm and picked up the fountain pen on the floor.
"...That bastard, I'll kill him. Somehow, no matter what."
Clutching the treasured gift from her sister—forgotten in tardy panic—she aimed to return to the main building before class ended...
"...Huh?"
But spotted something on the pristine white bedsheet. Tilted her head and approached.
"...What's this?"
A handprint, smeared in blood, stained it starkly.