Come to the Land of Fantasy (1)
The moment I opened the book and channeled my mana, I was sucked into an all-white world.
An empty space. The only sound was the gentle background music playing softly.
Familiar.
I'd made it in properly. This was the music that had played without fail every time since I started my second playthrough.
Some called it the Illusion Dream Corridor, others the Seven Star Towers, and still others the Tower of Trials. Personally, I preferred Seven Star Towers. After all, this illusory virtual world—a realm of grand magic that defied the laws of physics—symbolized the seven seals themselves.
"Hoo."
I took a light deep breath and extended my hand forward. Then, with my outstretched fingers, I lightly traced a circle, letting my mana ripple like water on a calm surface before slowly settling it.
"As expected."
The reflection in the mirror wasn't the golden-tanned delinquent that the academy freshmen knew. The hair shape, build, facial features—all the same. But the hair color, eye color, skin tone? Completely different. It was like reverting the gold-dyed hair of that golden-tanned punk back to black, and bleaching the tanned bronze skin to white.
This was my true form, not the Mana Skin disguise—the original shape that the Archduke of Hell had imprinted as my "prototype." The inherent true form of "me" in this world.
In this dreamlike realm, the fairy-tale world, lies don't work. No matter if you stuff your chest with fake mana stones to fake a mana pouch, in the Seven Star Towers, only the truth is revealed.
That's why some companions scream "Kyaaack!" the moment you bring them here, clutching their chests—but
That's a situation I should be in.
All three in the fake breast squad are genuine. I'd checked them personally with my own hands, so I could say that with certainty.
Did I tell my fake breast squad companions about my situation? No.
Only Unia knows the full truth. But now—
It's time to reveal it.
We're already close enough to show off near-swimsuit bodies without shame. Do I really need to keep up the golden-tanned delinquent act? Not at all. Since this space doesn't allow it anyway, showing the truth now isn't a bad idea. This trial is all about uncovering the truths hidden on the world's underside, after all.
First, reconstruct my clothes.
What to wear? That outfit would be best, of course.
Fwaah.
I envisioned the clothes in my mind and manifested them with mana. Then I checked myself top to bottom in the mana mirror I'd spread out in front of me.
"Mm. Perfect."
Red hat. Red vest. Black t-shirt. Jeans.
A fashion fit for a Heroine Master.
"......."
I slipped my hand inside the vest. Already nestled inside were three spheres smaller than a knuckle joint.
Normally, it wouldn't be like this. You'd enter the library with your companions, they'd lose consciousness on the magic circle, and that consciousness would get sucked into the fairy-tale magic together.
The reason for this cumbersome process? Fundamentally, it's for "protecting the heroines."
Sensations felt here are indistinguishable from reality, including pain and death, as Evangeline worried. But I can take the full brunt of that real shock myself.
By summoning the heroines like my "familiars," they'll feel those sensations at about 1/10th intensity.
That's right. I'd entered here as a single summoner.
Just like how a summoner's sub-units in the game are treated as separate units, I'd come into this fairy-tale world solo as a summoner. Those I summon via summoning magic are like "avatars." So, no direct pain for them.
"Unia, Rydmila, Evangeline."
I slotted the three cores—tuned to match their mana patterns, containing their spirits—between my fingers and tossed them forward simultaneously.
With the promised line.
"You're it!"
The mana spheres expanded to a perfect handful size, and the moment they touched the white ground, there was a pop and white mist spread out.
"Ughhh...."
"...Feels like waking up from sleep."
"...Is this the trial?"
Unia, Rydmila Lionheart, Evangeline di Ershi.
All three had responded to my "summon" from their spirit states.
"Phew, success."
I'd struck all the poses, so I was worried it'd fail, but luckily, I'd successfully summoned them to the trial grounds.
"Alright, then—"
"Who are you?"
"......."
Evangeline asked the moment she saw me.
"......Dark Phoenix?"
Rydmila stared at me for a long while, her face grave.
And then.
".......That."
Unia stared at me with a blank—no, serious—expression and spoke.
"You said it was a secret."
Somehow, Unia's face seemed to flicker with thoughts like 'You promised to tell only me, but suddenly revealing it like this is kinda iffy, and showing it off with these two around feels super unfair, did you have to show your true face like that?'—but.
"First off, not Dark Phoenix."
That won't do.
"Sounds like it'd doom us somehow, so just call me Phoenix."
"What happened?"
"What happened? This."
I quickly ran my hand over my face.
"My usual look is a disguise. This is the real me."
[At that moment.]
[Instructor Esta. What are the old school building's students doing now?]
"Nothing out of the ordinary."
Esta responded to the voice coming through the instructor's magic panel.
[Really?]
"Yes."
The voice's owner, Dean Ederson Lionheart, seemed laced with doubt.
[Three female freshmen from the old school building's special class gathered in one room, and you're saying nothing's happening?]
"Yes. Probably just having a pajama party and sleeping together."
[No way.]
Dean Ederson sounded incredulous, glaring at Instructor Esta as if accusing her of lying.
[As you know, academy rules don't fully apply to the old school building.]
"Yes."
[That's part of why we call its residents the 'special class.' Because...]
"Even if they do things academy freshmen shouldn't, it doesn't violate the rules?"
[Exactly. For example...]
"In academy dorms, men and women can't engage in excessive displays of affection that offend public morals."
[Right!]
Dean Ederson snapped his fingers at Esta's words.
[Three beauties sleeping in one room—no, in Phoenix's room—and you're saying nothing's happening?!]
"So, should I put on pajamas and join a bunch of giggling late-teen girls?"
[N-no, not that...]
"Pardon?"
[Ahem! I mean, not that, but you could probably join without issue... No, you should check anyway!]
A chomp chomp chomp sound came through the magic panel.
[You'd like that too!]
"I'll sue for sexual harassment."
[What did I even say?]
"I can see right through what you mean, but none of that is happening. Phoenix the freshman isn't even in his room right now."
[He's not?]
"Yes. That."
Instructor Esta let out a deep sigh.
"The moment he got permission for the high library, he headed there with Instructor Cardisha Alreister to study."
[...Huh.]
"Phoenix the freshman lives more diligently than you think, out of sight. Sure, judging by appearances, it looks like he'd be up to something wild with those three... but no."
Instructor Esta continued firmly and coldly.
"Phoenix the freshman isn't the reckless boy you imagine. He knows restraint, consideration, and picks the time and place."
[I see. ...As a Lionheart, that's a bit disappointing.]
"Pardon?"
[I'd prefer if he caused some 'incident' true to his looks.]
"......What?"
[I told you. It's the old school building. Freshmen not directly under the rules. The male freshmen are super grateful for the miracle of the Magic Pants, and during break, if they visit estates for vacation, they'd kill to lend him a carriage...]
Dean Ederson made another chomp chomp chomp.
[Acts in the old school building have leeway if they don't directly violate rules.]
"That's... "
[Some parts aren't even codified yet. They probably didn't expect instructors to end up like this by early March...]
Dean Ederson swallowed hard before continuing.
[Rules on expulsion for pregnancy. The March rules targeting the old school building. ...The library building might be interpreted as exempt.]
"...Ahem."
Instructor Esta coughed and thumped her chest.
"So, right now... "
[During break, some instructors talked about it. With the new old school special class next semester, if Phoenix gets someone pregnant—]
"Probably because of Rydmila freshman, but ease up. Lion King. That eager for a granddaughter?"
[......Ahem.]
Dean Ederson cleared his throat awkwardly at Esta's words.
"No matter how delinquent he looks, how can an instructor urge a freshman to violate rules like that?"
[That's why I mean...]
"Does my freshman look like some promiscuous youth messing around with multiple girls to you?"
And back to the dream world.
"Now, about the first trial."
Phoenix, Unia, Rydmila Lionheart, Evangeline di Ershi.
"Let's go 4P."
Four-man party, let's go.