We find ourselves in the middle of May.
Very soon, the vacation for the second semester of the academy will begin.
I, Razel Bartlet, am an ordinary young man like everyone else. My hair and eyes are black, not to mention I am very ugly. Why was I born ugly?
But there is a difference between others and me.
And that is that I am a background character.
I don't like to stand out.
Standing out is bad for me because I possess an alter ego.
That alter ego exists to protect my identity.
The reason for having one is because, deep down, it's really cool. In my previous life...
Right, I forgot to mention it. I am a reincarnated person.
A former ordinary Japanese student.
My life, like that of other Japanese people, was monotonous. That's why we had vicious hobbies so that we would avoid... well, something very bad that we avoided thanks to entertainment.
Anyway, there was a manga about a billionaire who was a playboy by day and fought crime by night.
Deep down, I'm something like that. But it's more because this world I ended up in is actually an Otome game.
A grotesque and absurd world that only girls should play.
But due to the developer, they introduced an RPG adventure style, making it interesting for men.
That's why something as absurd as an Otome game with an RPG theme was very popular.
Fortunately for me, the romantic themes in the game were few.
That's because the developer put all those elements into another game. That game was the reason for making it an RPG.
A strange game of floating islands and mechas. Where, like this world, the power of love was necessary.
Thanks to the events of this year, nothing has been accurate.
I was scared at first, but I'm not very interested anymore.
Part of that is because I just need to eradicate all future problems I know of at the root.
Like this one.
At these moments, I was looking at the sky.
Despite it being daytime, the moon was visible.
In this world, like in my previous world, the planet revolved around the sun.
Normally, the moon doesn't move from its position; that's why we can see it at night when we turn around.
But in this world, it's not like that; the moon rotates with the planet itself.
I don't know if there are more continents in this world.
But only this side can observe the moon during the day as well as at night.
My fear is because of what I see.
The moon is red.
What the hell does that mean? That's what anyone would ask.
Well, let me tell you, it's true. What the hell?
Is this some kind of joke?!
No, it's not.
Right now, one of the most dangerous events ever mentioned in the game is occurring.
The resurrection of the vampire queen.
She was the bearer of one of the seven deadly sins. The sin of sloth.
I have managed to eliminate some users. Well, I only killed one; the others are my allies.
That only leaves three sins; one of them is something happening right now.
And the other two belong to the same individual. The demonic knight of the Ideal Empire.
My current situation is very terrifying.
In the game, this event itself was never discussed. It happened off-screen to create a plot twist that would surprise everyone.
In the game, that's fine, but now that I live in that world...
It's the worst!
Damn those scriptwriters and developers for creating something so absurd!
"Alright, for the next topic that will come up on the exam, let's talk about the sky phenomenon that occurs once every 500 years."
I was in history class. By chance, the teacher was teaching us about the upcoming topics, and it seems this will be one of them.
"In case you don't know, the red moon is a strange magical phenomenon that occurs every 500 years due to the concentration of mana in the air."
"The magical element condenses to such a point that it changes from its usual white color to red. Our researchers are still investigating why it is red."
"This phenomenon is wonderful because if you use magical power, even a little, you will have a large amount emanating from your bodies. It may seem very interesting, but it's the same as taking depression pills for a pregnant woman."
"It lasts for 3 days. So I'll leave you with the homework of forming groups and conducting research to deduce what you think that red color might signify."
The bell indicating that class was over rang.
"Alright, today is the first day; the red moon gains more intensity as time passes. I'm sure many of you will be amazed to see the red sky. That's what the records say."
The teacher left the classroom. It was recess time.
My friends Derrick and Cliff approached to ask me what we were going to eat today, but I replied.
"Sorry, I have something to do."
And I went straight to the door to go buy a ticket.
◇◇◇
A person was watching Razel when he left; that person followed him.
◇◇◇
Director Karman's Office.
There, at a large desk filling out some documents, was the current director of the academy.
An old, gray-haired man.
Someone knocked on his door. He knew who it was since he had summoned them.
The door opened, and three people entered.
They were all professors.
Starting with the one in the middle.
A tall man, with good muscles and dark skin, stood with his arms crossed.
He was dressed in a physical education uniform, with his sweatshirt wrapped around his waist.
He wore dark glasses, and his hair was tied back in dreadlocks.
He was Johnny Morlett, the academy's fencing and martial arts professor.
To his left, a tall, thin man with very pale skin. He seemed to be sick, but he wasn't.
His black hair was wavy and covered his right eye. His left eye was visible, and his iris was yellow.
He was the academy's etiquette and manners professor, Clement von Werner.
And the last of them was a professor who had spent almost half his life here. Not even the director had the same number of years working here, despite being colleagues.
His short hair was well-groomed and gray, whether naturally or due to age. His mustache was well-groomed and pointed, covering his entire upper lip.
His eyes were sky-blue. He was the magical theory professor, Manfred von Zeben.
They were all ordinary professors, but what exactly where they doing here? That was the question the director's assistant wondered as she let them in.
The first to speak was Manfred.
"Good morning, Director. Can we know why you summoned us?"
The director showed some papers. Each had their name on it.
"The imperial palace is moving."
"I don't know what's happening, but they sent me a letter asking me to mobilize the only fighters we have."
Now John spoke.
"I understand that, but is it really necessary to call us?"
"Yes."
"The prime minister personally wrote those letters for you."
Everyone swallowed saliva.
Manfred looked at the letter with an empty expression.
"I thought the palace didn't care anymore."
"Manfred. I understand what you must be feeling, but it seems something big is happening in the Granville Duchy."
Clement responded, intrigued.
"The Granville Duchy?"
"Are you talking about the lawless city by any chance?"
"The very same."
Sweat ran down their foreheads.
"The palace received a report from a spy. Large numbers of individuals have been entering and leaving for weeks."
"Something big must be happening in the Underworld."
"That's why a large number of knights and adventurers will be sent."
"Can I count on you?"
John said without hesitation. "I accept."
While Clement responded a little late. "This is for the good of the Werner Household."
While Manfred took a while to respond.
"... I accept, but I hope this is the last time. Will that man also go?"
"I'm afraid not. He's retired. Now he fervently dedicates himself to his work."
"You may leave; your train tickets will be available tonight when the other knights and adventurers arrive."
The three left the room, but Manfred's face seemed to have a bit of displeasure.
The director saw him and could only say.
"I'm sorry, old friend, but you are tied to the palace even though they spat on you and fired you."
◇
I ran straight to the central train station in the capital.
The streets, like in my previous life, were crowded with people.
I arrived at the station. It was identical to a normal Japanese station.
The difference was that the girl at the reception counter for buying tickets was a demi-human.
A tanned beauty with dog ears.
I asked her for a round-trip ticket straight to the Granville Duchy.
But...
"What do you mean the tickets are sold out?!"
She lowered her ears as a sign of sorrow.
"I'm sorry, but a palace official asked us to reserve all the tickets for this week for an event."
The tickets were made of a rare material to find. That's why we imported them, and their price was high.
I had just enough in my wallet for one ticket.
To go to the Granville Duchy, which is located on the northeastern border of the empire, it would take 4 days of running.
I could use my God of Lightning Speed to do it, but that would take me a long time.
Going by flying ship is much more expensive.
The Rosenberg Household doesn't have one yet; at the same time, no one should find out what I'm doing.
That's why the train is the best option.
Curiously, the train and flying ship journey take the same amount of time: two days.
If I leave today, I'll arrive at midday, right on the third day.
If I had known the exact date, I would have prepared earlier.
Eliminating the vampire queen is very important to guarantee the peace of this world and its future.
But that girl just eliminated that possibility.
"Are you really sure you can't sell me one?"
"I'm sorry."
"Not even one extra?"
"I'm sorry."
The girl with dog ears seemed sad for not selling me a ticket. She was undoubtedly a good worker.
I left there very sad.
What should I do? Steal a ticket from one of them?
But why does the palace want them? I doubt they know what's happening. So it must be something else.
My situation was really bad; I needed a miracle to avoid attacking someone and stealing their ticket.
"Razel, what are you doing here?"
Someone called me. I turned around to see who it was.
I was surprised to see an attractive boy, taller than me. His rebellious hair was navy blue, and his eyes were dark blue.
It was Cid—Cidfert von Bryes, one of the paid capture targets. In the game, he was an unpleasant boy, like his face, who was an envious person with a complex, which was the reason he was the bearer of the sin of envy.
But that didn't happen because I prevented it, and we became good friends.
I asked him.
"What are you doing here, rather?"
"Don't evade the question."
"No, seriously. Tell me, please. Were you stalking me?"
"I'm going to hit you."
A blue vein marked his forehead.
Then he directed his gaze to the train station.
"Why do you want a ticket?"
My eyes immediately looked elsewhere.
I couldn't tell him. –I'm going to kill a vampire to save the world.
Absolutely no one would believe me.
But there's something I can use to my advantage.
"W-Well... that guy. Yes! That guy asked me to go buy something for him in a certain place!"
Cid's eyes widened upon knowing who I was referring to.
"Right, that guy. Without a doubt, something to fear."
Several weeks ago, the demon king Desmond, one of the four demon kings, came to live at the Rosenberg mansion.
I don't know how it all ended up like this. But he hasn't killed anyone and just eats a lot.
"I see. We mustn't make him angry."
Cid understood that that guy was dangerous. That's why he hasn't called the palace to come and eliminate him.
Partly it was because I asked him not to.
It would be bad if the wildest demon king started his attack when the heroine and the capture targets aren't together.
Cid ran to the receptionist and somehow got two tickets.
(Huh?)
(I only need one, why two?)
(Did he make a mistake?)
When he returned, I asked him, and he told me.
"I'll accompany you, obviously."
I didn't show an expression on my ugly face, but I was screaming inside.
(You what?!)
(Why would you do that?!)
(Are you an idiot?)
"If there are two of us, getting 'that' for that guy should be easier. Besides, it was easy thanks to my influence."
Cid went from being the fourth prince to the third.
This was a historical achievement.
I told him several things to prevent him from accompanying me, but he always replied.
"I'm going. Stop making excuses."
I couldn't refuse now. So we ran straight to the academy to pack our bags.
(By the way, why do you do so much for me, Cid?)
◇
Once we arrived at the academy, we went straight to class to avoid problems.
After a few hours, the school day ended.
I was heading to my room to pack my things; Cid went to his.
At my dormitory door, two girls were waiting for me.
The one on the left was a girl with light blonde hair tied in two small ponytails from her neck, reaching down to her back. Her eyes were a bright aquamarine.
She was Lily, the protagonist of this Otome game and also one of my girlfriends.
On her right was another girl as beautiful as Lily; their arms were intertwined, showing her anger.
Her hair was light blonde, reaching down to her back; part of her hair covered her forehead. Her eyes were an exquisite cherry color, like her full lips.
She was the villainess of this game, Elize von Rosenberg, my fiancée.
Last semester, many things happened. Among them, our engagement.
Now they were both my girlfriends.
Eli looked at me very angrily.
"Razel, where were you? We were looking for you all through lunch hour to eat together. We asked your friends, and they said you left."
"Can you tell us where you went?"
"That's right, Razel-kun. We were very worried about you!"
(What wonderful girls. Worried about an ugly guy like me.)
"I'm sorry, but something came up, and I have to leave immediately."
Hearing that, Eli changed her expression.
"Did something happen to my in-laws? Or is it something important to you?"
I should tell them, but...
"Nothing happened to my parents. It's actually an errand for that guy."
When I said "that guy," they immediately changed their expression to a relaxed one.
"Oh, I see; that matter is about Desmond-san, right?"
Said Lily with a smile.
That day, they met the demon king.
I was afraid something would happen.
But just like an employee of a Japanese company, he greeted them cordially and left to eat.
(If you're the demon king, act like it!)
(No, wait! Don't act like it! Act like a domesticated dog, please.)
I told them he was my martial arts mentor who came from abroad.
Give him whatever he asks for.
I was sweating and stammering that day, but they believed me.
The duchess—Barbara von Rosenberg, Eli's mother, greeted him as an important guest, and they gave him his own room.
Something I found strange is that despite having horns, no one is surprised.
I don't think they mistake him for a demi-human ox type to believe he is one.
Anyway, the girls understand the situation.
"I understand. How long will it take you?"
"If I leave tonight, I'll arrive in two days, at midday, in the Granville Duchy."
"!"
Eli showed a face of astonishment upon hearing that, while Lily didn't understand.
Eli whispered something in her ear, and then Lily scolded me.
"R-R-Razel-kun is a bad boy! Tell us exactly what you're going to look for in such a place?!"
She was adorable as she complained.
"It's something important to him. I can't tell you. Once I get it, I'll return on the next train back. That is, next week."
Today is Thursday; Saturday night will be the day a tragedy will occur. I must stop it as soon as possible.
Eli looked at the floor sadly.
"Is it something dangerous again?"
"I can't say."
"I know."
It seemed Eli didn't want me to go because she was afraid something would happen to me. But she lifted her face and showed me her cheerful face.
"There are things that only a man must do! Isn't that right?"
She put her fist on my chest.
"As the next duke of the Rosenberg Household, it's your duty to return."
"Eli-chan, but—!"
Lily seemed to want to stop me, but Eli hugged her and took her chin.
The way they did it was very innocent, although obscene to me.
It gave the impression that Eli wanted to devour Lily.
(I wouldn't complain if that happened. But I'd like to see it.)
"Lily-chan, this is something Razel must do. You're going with Prince Cid, right?"
"Y-That's right."
"See? He'll be fine if he's with him. In these cases, a woman must have faith that her man will return safely. Worrying is bad for your health."
"..."
The way Lily turned her face away only increased my desire to see something that only happens in erotic books.
In fact, before I died, I ordered one that was about Eli sodomizing Lily in a frenzy of unmentionable things.
Once Lily calmed down, she ran to hug me, then Eli.
"Promise us you'll return safely, will you?"
Lily was more distressed than Eli; she seemed to want to support Lily, as her grip was very strong.
(Eli, it hurts; you'll break my ribs.)
"I-I will. After all, I won't leave my girls worried about me."
Their faces looked at me with a charming sparkle.
(Heavens, what did I do to deserve such wonderful girlfriends?)
◇
Night arrived.
The train station was a spacious place.
Many people were gathered here.
Some in armor, others in adventurer clothes.
The knights here must have been from small houses, as their family crests were unknown to me.
Cid and I were handing over our tickets so they could give us a bracelet; that bracelet indicated that we had paid for our ticket.
Its color was sky blue, and its glow would go out once we returned.
I don't quite understand this, but it seems to be to prevent forgeries or intruders.
We were in line to board our carriage.
Little by little, people entered while my eyes were fixed on the sky.
In two nights... a calamity will happen if I don't stop it.