NOVEL NEXT Chapter 52
Clank! Rumble-!
The firmly shut door swings open.
People walk in with sparkling eyes into the courtyard.
Today is the first day of the ‘Star Festival.’
It is the day Polaris begins.
*
“Is there no practice today?”
“No matter how I am, I’m not that ruthless.”
Elma hands me a seasoned chicken skewer.
“Here. I bought it from a street vendor over there.”
“Oh.”
I accept the skewer without further comment.
The chicken skewer is glistening with sauce.
As I take a bite, the savory taste of the seasoning mixed with the sweet flavor of scallions delights my mouth.
“Wow, this is really delicious?!”
“Even if it’s a festival, the Polaris event isn’t something anyone can just sell at.”
So that means all the street vendors here are verified great places, right?
I can already feel the saliva pooling at the corners of my mouth.
“Enjoy the festival. The tournament will be held on the last day, the third day.”
“Is it really okay?”
“We’ve worked hard for this festival. If you crumble because you didn’t practice for a day or two, then victory was never in reach anyway.”
“Then…!”
I immediately dashed to a nearby food stall.
There was a dish that had been wafting a delicious smell all this time.
“This is…?”
“It says it’s a red bean pastry.”
Just by the name, it’s a red bean pastry,
But honestly, it looks and tastes just like a walnut pastry.
“Try it.”
“Are you giving it to me?”
“Since you bought the chicken skewer, I’m treating you in return.”
I threw a bag into Elma’s arms.
“Then I’ll enjoy it.”
She popped a round bun into her mouth.
Chew, chew
With her cheeks puffed out while chewing, she looked just like a hamster.
“Mm… Mmm!”
The expression on Elma’s face gradually brightened as she chewed the red bean pastry.
“It has a luxurious sweetness. It’s delicious.”
“I’m glad it suits your taste.”
I casually sat down beside her and took a bite of the red bean pastry.
‘This tastes reminiscent of a rest stop.’
Though, to be honest, I don’t have many memories of visiting rest stops.
I don’t have family in the countryside, nor have I ever gone on a school trip.
Still, it was a moment when I could faintly feel a lingering trace of my past life before possession.
After finishing the red bean pastry,
“Well then, enjoy the rest of the festival. I have some business to attend to.”
“But it’s a festival!”
“First and foremost, I’m the Vice Student Council President.”
“Oh.”
I exchanged a brief farewell with Elma and parted ways.
“Hmm.”
What should I do now?
To be honest, I don’t have any major plans for the festival.
I’m focused solely on the tournament at the end.
‘Angela is absent because of royal matters.’
Even if it’s related to the royal family, it’s happening in Polaris.
Plus, since we have ‘insurance,’ Angela is unlikely to be in danger.
At least not for now.
“Chomp!”
Black Lotus gobbled up the crumbs from the red bean pastry.
“…Is it good?”
“Chirp?”
It’s probably not for the taste that she eats it.
Black Lotus can live eternally without food.
Maybe she’s just mimicking me eating the red bean pastry.
“Still, thanks to you, I don’t feel lonely.”
“Chirp~ Cheep cheep!”
Black Lotus wrapped around my finger.
The feel of her smooth scales was quite pleasant.
‘Hmm.’
While it would be nice to kill time with Black Lotus,
I feel like there might be a more valuable way to spend it.
“…Oh!”
At that moment, a familiar back entered my view.
I grinned and quickly approached from behind.
Slap!
I lightly tapped her back.
I swear, I didn’t use any strength.
“Ahhh! Wh-who is it?!”
“Yaho, sis.”
“Huuh?!”
Her gorilla-like face paled.
“Is this the first time we’ve talked since the entrance exam?”
“Why are you…!”
The heir of the Goryang, Dwayna.
She exaggeratedly trembled her hands.
“Why did you come looking for me? You’re not suggesting we go grab that now, right?!”
“Well, who knows?”
“Y-you crazy bastard!”
I’ve always felt this way.
Her reactions are quite entertaining.
‘It’s not like this is my original personality, though.’
In front of Dwayna, I feel like playing pranks.
“During a festival, no one would care if a couple of students disappear for a bit.”
“It’s not a matter of being caught or not!”
“How about just going for it?”
“You fiend…!”
That gaze looks as if she’s staring at a demon.
I couldn’t hold back my laughter any longer and raised my hands.
“I’m just joking, just joking. You and I are both participants in the tournament on the last day, so we should stay put here.”
“Whew, that’s a relief… Wait!”
I half-listened and chewed on her words as I replied.
“Well then, shall we go?”
“Uh… Where to?”
“Where else? We should enjoy the festival.”
“Why should I spend the festival with you?!”
“Come on, come on. Lead the way.”
“You shameless rogue….”
If someone from a bandit background says that, is it an insult or a compliment?
I have no idea.
*
“Are you really sure about this?”
Pernia scrunched her face.
Even though it was a distance away, just being in the same space made me feel nauseous.
“All preparations are confirmed, Your Highness.”
Someone approached her and spoke quietly.
“Just don’t forget what you have to do.”
“…Who’s commanding whom right now?”
Pernia made a nervous sound.
As if that matters.
“Very soon, our grand plan will be set into motion. Not even the slightest mistake will be tolerated.”
Scarlet maintained a businesslike tone.
“…Tsk.”
Pernia clicked her tongue.
These days, she had been openly ignored more often, which left her feeling uneasy,
But soon, wouldn’t she become the highest authority in this country?
Such a level of disrespect could easily be overlooked.
“Huh… So, can that really perform its task on time?”
Pernia squinted her eyes, staring at the creature bound by amulets all over its body.
“Grrrrr-!”
Saliva was dripping, and its body trembled irregularly.
A large monster.
Minotaur.
“…It looks like an ordinary specimen no matter how you see it. A filthy and lowly dungeon monster.”
“That might be how it appears to you.”
Scarlet reached out her hand.
One of the amulets maintaining the seal came loose.
“GAAAAHHHHH!!”
A deep roar shook the space.
It was different from the usual roar meant to intimidate an opponent and boost morale.
“AHHHHHHHHHH!”
A cry filled with dread and fear.
“That guy is already ‘in progress.’ The moment the seal is broken, it will escalate rapidly.”
“Can’t you perfectly stop the distortion?”
“That’s an issue beyond our ken. All we can do is delay it.”
“Your words hint at your lack of skill.”
Pernia scoffed.
“The one who should fear mistakes isn’t me, but you.”
“You’ll have to prove that doesn’t stem from arrogance, Your Highness.”
Scarlet left those words behind and vanished.
.
.
.
A silent corridor.
Scarlet, who returned to the empty place, let out a heavy breath.
“Heh… heh….”
Half-torn wings of flame wrapped around her body.
“My wounds… take a long time to heal….”
This is the result of ‘intervening within the framework.’
A harbinger of the apocalypse is merely an observer from outside the framework.
They can indirectly influence it, but seldom can they actually enter inside.
In a truly crucial moment, they can exert influence directly, prepared for some sacrifice.
This is the result.
‘Loss of standing’.
Halo was cracked, and the wings could no longer emit flames like before.
Fortunately, this level will automatically recover with time.
But if they directly kill or harm the ‘person mentioned in the prophecy,’ then at that moment, the harbinger will perish without a trace.
That’s why, in this manner, I have no choice but to handle Angela.
‘No.’
What the harbingers are aiming for is not just Angela.
The individuals mentioned in the prophecy are not merely her.
“You seem to be overwhelmed.”
“…Nero.”
A black wing appeared before Scarlet.
“Your loss of standing appears worse than usual. The opponent’s inaction may have been quite significant, huh?”
“Regardless, it’s just a being within the framework. There’s no reason to place any significance on it.”
“…Is that so.”
Nero silently passed her by.
“But don’t worry.”
Scarlet called out to Nero as he was about to leave.
“I have definitely set it ablaze.”
*
They say humans are creatures of adaptation.
Even if thrown into some crazy situation, humans will seek ways to survive and eventually blend into their surroundings.
The reason they’ve stubbornly survived without anything exceptional is likely due to that trait playing a big part.
In that sense, I want to ask.
“Dammit! It’s a misunderstanding! A misunderstanding!”
“Where are you lying! I saw you groping that boy’s butt!”
“Kyaaaaaa! Why would I grope that guy’s body! If I had my way, I’d want to kick him!”
“This is now violence and intimidation…! What do you think of men, you rascal!”
I wonder when I could ever adapt to this crazy world.
For instance, I might just slightly bump into someone while walking together.
“Ahhhhh! Aargh!!”
In a world where I’d get suppressed by security and have to yell while on the floor.
Ah, of course, I’m not talking about me, but Dwayna.
“Chirp chirp chirp.”
Black Lotus cackled at her from my shoulder.