Inside the Frontier Academy, Chairman's office.
'Even in the game, this was a place I could only enter after the second year...'
Even in the game, it was a place you could only visit once after the second year if you were lucky, and this was already my second visit.
'If only both of these visits had been for good reasons, how nice that would be.'
The first one didn't end well no matter how you looked at it.
And this second time didn't seem like it would go smoothly either.
Purple eyes were staring at me.
It felt like a familiar déjà vu scene.
"Truly flashy... An impressive speech."
Chairman Eris opened her mouth. There was no killing intent or pressure, but the atmosphere was tense.
"Whatever. It was a pretty absurd entrance ceremony speech, but I didn't call you here because of the speech."
...?
It was a puzzling statement.
I was sure she called me because I ruined the entrance speech, but that wasn't it?
"Then why did you call me...?"
"Just had something to ask. Actually, I've been secretly watching you since the entrance exam day until now?"
From the academy entrance exam to now, about a week.
'She's been watching me all this time...?'
I thought quickly, but I hadn't done anything suspicious.
Just simple physical training, feeding stray cats, helping merchants, helping kids...
No matter how you look at it, it was just a normal good student level 1.
Feeding stray cats might be an issue, but not enough to call the chairman.
But even though I hadn't done anything wrong, maybe because of the precedent, the atmosphere was tense.
"From what I saw then, and this entrance speech... I was going to wait until you told me, but I think I need to ask directly."
The chairman said with a resolute face, seriously.
Her serious and resolute expression made me even more tense.
"Listen, Regressor-san, what exactly is happening at Frontier Academy...?"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙[Unique Trait {Defying Heaven} nullifies the status abnormality 'Confusion']
The question that came out of that serious atmosphere: What is happening at Frontier Academy?
What is happening at Frontier Academy...?
'No, wait, Regressor...??'
Before the question about the academy, the heterogeneous title that caught my ear made my mind freeze for a moment.
'Did I... hear wrong?'
"Regressor...?"
"No need to hide it. I'm not testing you. I already know."
...?
She already knows...?
Hide...?
'What the hell is this crazy dragon saying?'
The sudden bewildering story flooded my mind, and my head wouldn't turn properly.
"Those worn-out eyes, the overwhelming knowledge shown in the written exam, average physical abilities but otherworldly swordsmanship and mana manipulation, above all, the familiar demeanor during the crisis response evaluation, and the power that ignores causality and defies logic... It would be weirder if I didn't know."
"Ah... yeah, like that...?"
While flustered by the information overload that was hard to process,
With the help of the unique trait, I quickly calmed the confusion and sorted the situation.
'So... She saw what I showed and mistook me for a regressor... something like that.'
Apparently, because of the performance during the entrance exam, the chairman misunderstood.
The worn-out eyes refer to my customization,
Written exam is the {Piercing Eyes} skill, swordsmanship and mana manipulation are from the {Pioneer} title's action assistance,
The familiarity in crisis response is from game experience.
'And the power that ignores causality and defies logic... is {Defying Heaven} huh.'
It seems the {Defying Heaven} skill looked like that to the chairman's eyes.
'No wonder she misunderstood...'
Thinking about it now, the things I did with skills and titles were indeed absurd.
'If I were a regressor, it all makes sense...'
And yet, if I were a regressor, it all fit perfectly.
"That is..."
As I opened my mouth to correct the chairman's misunderstanding...
'Huh...? But do I need to correct it?'
Thinking about it, there was no real need to correct it.
If the chairman thinks I'm a regressor, then any sudden actions or knowledge I have later can be brushed off as 'because regressor'.
'Actually, isn't this honey?'
The current chairman is the strongest; if I tell her everything about the future and get help, I can resolve many things easily...
⚠️ WARNING ⚠️
[Warning]
[Warning]
[It is impossible to divulge detailed future events to others before the related quest starts]
"Ugh..."
A sudden headache and a red translucent window different from usual denied my thoughts.
'No way it would be that easy.'
Telling everything about the future right now and getting help seemed impossible.
Still, the regressor misunderstanding, aside from that, provided considerable convenience.
"Why the sudden reaction? You okay?"
"Ah... I'm fine. Just surprised you figured it out so quickly."
Judging there was no need to correct this misunderstanding, I quickly started acting.
If she rejects me for thinking I'm a regressor, that would be a problem, but the atmosphere didn't seem like that.
"Ha! I'm not so dull as to miss even that."
"Sorry about that. Looks like I underestimated you, Chairman."
In that case, no need to dispel the misunderstanding.
'Hard to dispel anyway.'
To dispel it, I'd have to reveal that this is a game world and I'm a possessor, spilling all sorts of info.
She'd probably send me to a mental hospital rather than believe it.
"So, can you answer my question? What exactly is happening at the academy...?"
"Hmm..."
As the status window said earlier, can't divulge details of future events before quest starts.
But 'details' is ambiguous.
'Let's test it now.'
From the mad group Ixion to the revived nightmare Bahamut, say them in order to test the level of 'details'.
"Ixion...! Mmph!"
⚠️ WARNING ⚠️
[Warning]
[Warning]
Suddenly, with dark red sparks, my mouth felt forcibly sealed, and intense headache hit.
"You okay?!"
Chairman stands up in panic.
The mad devil-worshipping group Ixion invading the academy.
Even just saying their name triggered warning and sealed my mouth.
Blocked from the first try.
'Tougher than expected...'
Seems I can't say much right now.
"Causality... Yeah... If there were no restrictions, you wouldn't have repeated until your eyes were that worn out."
Chairman, seeing the dark red sparks, said as if convinced.
"Yes... It seems difficult to tell in detail..."
"It's okay. It's a shame I don't know, but can't help if you can't say."
A bit disappointing.
If I could say even a little future info, there'd be clear benefits.
'Can I say collapse or destruction?'
Trying to say it didn't trigger warning.
"Collapse... destruction..."
"Hm...? What was that?"
Tried saying it simply, seems okay at this level.
"The academy will collapse."
"What...?"
Said it clearly this time, no warning.
Seems this level is fine.
"Why..? No, how? The academy collapsing is nonsense! Even if such a situation arises, I'll stake my life to prevent it!"
Chairman grabbed my shoulders and interrogated, different from before.
Unlike her rational demeanor earlier, her purple eyes and voice were trembling severely.
I've seen how much Eris cherishes the academy many times.
Don't know the circumstances.
In Frontier Chronicles, Eris's character story wasn't detailed.
Because Eris was just a sacrifice point, the academy chairman who dies someday.
Just a cutscene when first visiting chairman's office and at branch points, and repetitive fixed lines after.
— "Frontier Academy is my treasure!"
But even such a character was endearing.
Her willingness to give her life to protect the academy was dazzling.
In the game, I failed to protect it many times.
This is reality.
Unlike the game, only one chance...
Unlike the game, impossibilities aren't set.
"It's okay, Eris... This time, we'll protect it."
This time, we will protect it.
You too.
"This academy and the world too."
That was my second goal set after possession.
Silence after those words.
"Huh...? Uh... Ahem! S-Sorry! I got flustered without thinking!"
Eris broke the silence, blushing and stepping back embarrassed.
Apparently embarrassed for suddenly grabbing me and yelling.
"It's fine. I know how much you cherish the academy, Chairman."
"Eris... Eris..."
"Chairman...?"
Eris just kept her head down mumbling.
'Must be shocked badly...'
Seems deeply shocked by the academy collapse news.
She who stakes her life for the academy.
Not just ordinarily shocked.
While mumbling repeatedly, chairman lifted her head and spoke.
"Huh...! Huh? Ah, sorry! Let's... talk later, not today! Later..."
With Eris's sudden words, a teleportation magic circle appeared underfoot, and vision flipped.
Sudden, but understandable.
For her who cherishes the academy, the collapse news is a big shock; needs time to compose herself.