The First Day at the Academy
“...”
“Uh, um. So, everyone, it looks like Teacher Allen is just too nervous on his first day here. I'll handle the introduction instead. This is the renowned founder of Allen Trading Company, Teacher Allen Jest! He's a bit tense right now, but his abilities are legendary across the entire continent—no misunderstandings, okay?”
Lydia fumbled in panic at my silence, desperately trying to smooth things over. But to me, her words were nothing more than meaningless noise.
This whole thing was just childish doll play anyway. A juvenile scenario marching straight toward its predetermined destruction.
“Phew. Even Teacher Allen gets nervous on his first day, huh? That's okay. Truth be told, when I first stood at the podium, I was so tense I couldn't even introduce myself properly—just like you. You'll adjust in no time!”
“...”
“Ha, haha...”
“Teacher Lydia.”
“Y-yes!”
“Sorry. I think I've tensed up too much and my body's not feeling well. Can I head back for today?”
“Oh! Are you feeling really bad!? Now that you mention it, you didn't look right... I'm sorry I didn't notice! Don't worry. I'll explain to the other teachers, so go back to your dorm and rest up! Your health comes first!”
“...Thank you.”
The morning assembly ended, and I threw together some excuse for Lydia before heading straight to the underground cave. Truth be told, I didn't need to keep playing along with this teacher charade, but to avoid drawing the eyes of those grotesque humans, a minimum of acting was necessary.
Only after confirming the students had cleared the hallways at the start of first period did I return to the hidden underground space. And so my new day began.
A day utterly devoid of meaning had started.
Days had passed since Elaine and I began investigating the underground cave. Yet my routine remained unchanged. Each day reset, I'd fabricate some excuse and head to the cave. I'd wait there until midnight, then a new day would dawn, and I'd return underground once more.
I knew it was a pointless cycle. But if so, what action could possibly hold meaning?
No magic, no superhumans—just a pre-modern civilization facing a cosmic outer god beyond even reincarnated Earth's capabilities. Better to stay like this. At least this way, the day the outer god awakens would never come.
Thud. Thud.
Huddled in the cave's corner, I heard the sharp click of hard-soled shoes. I didn't bother looking up. There was only one person who could enter here besides me.
“...You're here again today?”
“Yes.”
No mutual respect anymore. I'd given up polite speech with her, and she only used formal language without showing true reverence. She no longer called me “Teacher”—just “you.”
Filling that void was contempt. But I ignored her scornful gaze, keeping my head buried.
I understood her contempt.
...It was just as meaningless as everything else.
“How many days has it been now? Every day starts, and you crawl back here, hiding like a scared child! Do you even have the will to solve this!?”
“Haven't you figured it out yet? I'm not particularly interested in solving it.”
“Why!? You said it yourself! That it could be solved! That giving up was impossible!”
I tried to let her words slide, but they ignited something in me.
“That was before I understood the situation!! I thought ending this would lead to something!! But I was wrong! This bizarre mess? Sure, we'll solve it eventually!! But then what? Back to peaceful daily life? No! Wrong! Solve this phenomenon, and an even stranger one follows. Solve that, and another even worse one appears!! Until when? Until every human in this world is gone!! So what's the point in solving it? Better to stall here—it's the safest option!!”
This wasn't the first time I'd unleashed this on her. The day we discovered the massive stone door at the cave's end, I'd told her about this doomed world—skipping the parts about it being a novel or my reincarnation, of course. She believed me without doubt.
Yet she hadn't given up. While I, who'd once comforted her, had long since fled underground.
It must be the difference between me, who'd read the novel and knew the ending, and her, hearing vague prophecies of doom.
“...You said you believed me. So why won't you give up? You were ready to quit before we met.”
“...”
Elaine fell silent at my words. Time passed—how much, I couldn't say. As I gave up waiting and turned back to the corner, she spoke.
“...Because you gave me hope not to.”
“...”
“You're an amazing person, an adult I can rely on. When someone like you said it was possible, I believed you. For the first time, I forgot my fear and held onto hope.”
Her voice was thick with emotion. But with my head down, refusing to look up, I couldn't tell if she was crying.
“...And yet you gave up first. I'm disappointed.”
With that, Elaine returned to the surface.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
More days passed.
“Isn't Allen Jest the founder of that famous Allen Trading Company? But he couldn't even greet us properly—kinda pathetic.”
“It's not that he couldn't. He probably just thinks he doesn't need to. You know how young successful types act like they're the best in the world.”
“His face looks tasty, though. Especially the chewing texture.”
The grotesque humans multiplied by the day. Soon, they appeared even in Class 1-A. But I ignored them. What did it matter? Compared to the true outer god, they were ants.
Morning assembly ended, and I headed underground as usual. Since our argument, Elaine hadn't returned.
She must have lost all affection for me.
Thud. Thud. Sharp shoe clicks.
It was Elaine. Still coming down to see my face. Impressive persistence.
“...With Class 1-A done, the entire 1st Main Building is now under the grotesque humans' influence. A few normal humans remain, but it's only a matter of time.”
She spoke coldly, like a report.
“Found any leads on solving it?”
“...Not yet.”
She bit her lip.
“See? It's all pointless. Why not give up and rest here with me? Even grotesque humans won't reach this far.”
If this day kept looping, the outer god wouldn't revive. It awakened near the story's end, right before graduation. Paradoxically, an eternal first day of enrollment meant the outer god's rise would never happen.
“There's still one method we haven't tried.”
“...What?”
“Dying.”
“What?”
“We've never experienced death yet.”
“Because we don't know what happens if we die. Are you sane?”
Normal people revive the next day after grotesque humans kill them, good as new. But for Elaine and me, who were aware of the loop? Death might be the trigger to escape.
Or we might revive like the others. But if not? Permanent deletion from the loop? Or worse—if our deaths fueled the grotesque humans' spread?
Die, vanish, replaced by a grotesque human? Life was a one-time chip. No matter how untested, I couldn't gamble it lightly.
“But it's the only idea I have left.”
“...”
“So I'm dying today. That's all I came to say.”
“...Okay. Good luck. I sincerely hope it works.”
That was all I could muster for her resolve. She hadn't expected more, apparently, and left for the surface.
Time dragged. I'd spent days in this cave, but today felt endless.
...She must be dead by now. For the first time, I'd be the only sane person in this loop.
Alone.
Escaping wouldn't mean anything. Pointless effort.
But that was laughable. What meaning did my hiding have?
I was just scared. Death terrified me. Living terrified me more. So I hid.
Yet, trapped underground to avoid going out, now truly alone—I feared solitude itself.
Slowly, I stood. Not to solve the crisis—just a vague urge to find Elaine. For the first time, I climbed the stairs.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Too much time had passed; she was nowhere in the academy. But I searched every corner relentlessly.
“Wha sor yer doin? Nee hel?”
“Have you seen student Elaine? Long black hair!”
“Noo wai?”
Grotesque humans eyed me suspiciously, but I pressed on, asking anyway. In the end, midnight came without a trace of her.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
A new day began. Eyes open, first thing on the podium: Elaine. Relief flooded me, near gratitude. Assembly over, I rushed to her.
Students and grotesques alike stared in surprise at my approach. Didn't matter. They'd forget tomorrow.
“Elaine! You're safe!”
“...Teacher Allen, right? What's this about suddenly?”
“...What?”
My heart sank. But I hadn't misheard.
“Safe? You make it sound like I shouldn't be. Have we even met before?”
“...N-no. Nothing. Forget it.”
I came to in the underground cave. She didn't recognize me...? No—her memories of the loop were gone?
Did dying in the loop erase loop awareness, resetting her to a normal student?
Then the Elaine I knew was gone forever? Unreachable?
Was I... truly alone?
“...Cold.”
Was this cave always so frigid? Overwhelming dread hit. Being alone sank in.
Only now I realized: her visits had kept me going.
She didn't know the world's end, true. But her presence had sustained me, also true.
Now that was over.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
No. Not over yet.
I have to get her back. Solve this phenomenon.
No certainty. But I must.
As Elaine once said...
“But it's the only method that comes to mind.”
So I have to solve this crisis.
Midnight. Another reset.
But from now on, my days will differ from before.
I'll make them different.