The white sea projected on the ceiling is rippling, as if responding to footsteps.
In the middle, a bookshelf packed with numerous books was flying around in the air. The spell books contained in the shelf also flew around, tidying themselves up. The spell books that were covered in a pale phosphorescence then projected shimmering character strings in the air and disappeared like dust.
A pure white sphere was placed in the center. A very huge sphere. And that sphere on which the star map is drawn continues to rotate slowly and majestically.
That artistic white sphere is, in fact, a constructor magic device that controls the archive of the Otori Magic Academy. Commonly known as 『Silver Sphere』.
As long as someone is recognized as a student of the academy, they just have to press their palm against it, pour their magic power into it, and it will bring the book that matches the imagination of the said student.
And now, I, who came to solve the problem of Nil Arrow after throwing various problems aside, placed my hand on the silver sphere to activate it.
Besides me, there are also some students who are in the middle of closing their eyes in concentration, looking for a book, just like me.
“…”
Then, I also closed my eyes to concentrate.
Arrow, arrow, arrow… Invisible arrow… 『Archery Note』, 『Basic of Archery』, 『Theory of Invisibility』, 『Metamaterials』, 『Structure of a Crossbow』, 『Magic Arrows ~ Basic』, 『Basic Theory of Magic』, 『What is the arrow used by elves?』, 『Alfheim – The Ancient City Surrounded by Mysteries』, 『Technique to Manifest Canon』, 『Complete Book of Magic Eye』.
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No, no, I’m gradually going to another topic. With that, I closed my eyebrows and tried to regain my concentration.
It seems, because I’m trying to imagine the book that I searched in the form of digging up my memory, I ended up arriving in a place that deviated from my objective.
I just want to know how to make an arrow. And also I hope it can tell me how to shoot the arrow straight.
Fortunately, this time it worked, as a few books fell into my arms.
“Oops!”
After catching them, I, who held a few books in my arms, decided to move to the reading room.
By the way, someone with a zero score like me can only use a small private room, but students with a high score will be provided with a theater room where they can watch video recordings.
Of course, those rooms are completely soundproof. There are desks, chairs, and even beds placed in there, and a librarian can fly to you with a single phone call.
In addition, in this archive, there is also a sub-heroine who was known as someone whose 『width between her tsun and dere was so vast like absolute zero and absolute heat.』 by Esco fans, but….since she is also not an existence that a man like me can touch, I’ll ignore her.
I opened the window screen and looked for a vacant room in this archive. Thanks to how large this archive is, it was easy to find a vacant room for a student with a low score.
“Number 32… Number 32…”
As I walked in search of room number 32, the students whom I passed deliberately made way for me while looking at me with a disgusted face. Come to think of it, I also have never met a man at the common facilities on the premises of Otori Magic Academy. Or should I say, it is even rare to pass each other in the school building.
It seems, the guys other than me can read the atmosphere and disappear from sight…. Are they perhaps Ninja?
To be honest, I should have learned from them, and not be involved with the MC or the heroines. However, even if I tried to distance myself all of a sudden right now, it will not matter much, because it is already too late for me.
Well, nothing I can do even if I try to think of something that I can do about it. Right now, I have to work on the immediate task, which is to power-up for the orientation camp…. Although I think Tsukiori would be fine, there is no proof that everything will be happening just like the game.
For the sake of future Yuri, even if I have to use myself as a shield, I absolutely have to prevent the MC’s death. Thus, I have to quickly learn Nil Arrow, so I can use it in case of emergency.
“Oh, number 32!”
I finally found the room number 32, but–
“…”
–I couldn’t open it, as my hands were full of books.
This is annoying, but I have no choice but to put the books on the floor once.
I sighed and tried to put the book on the floor, until… an arm stretched out from the side and opened the door for me.
“Here you go.”
At that moment, a delicate voice entered my ears.
That arm is literally transparent. Looking at that, I subconsciously looked up and my eyes met with her, who was smiling.
“Hello, Sanjou Hiiro-san.”
She is Caeruleum’s manager, Fury Froma Frigiens. She, who was in her uniform and wearing a pure white veil, radiating cold air through her transparent body, as her transparent eyes see through me.
“… Thanks.”
Was there an encounter event between Hiiro and Fury in this place in the game?
Just like any other game, Esco’s story progressed from the perspective of Tsukiori Sakura (MC), so I don’t know whom or where Hiiro might meet someone, but… I don’t think it is a good idea to get involved with Fury here.
No, actually, I don’t want to get involved with Fury no matter where it is!! Because the more I meet a strong person, the more likely I will die!! I don’t want to die in vain in a place unrelated to the MC!!
Thus, I tried to enter the private room in a rush, but– I got blocked by a transparent hand.
“I’m sorry, but can we talk a bit?”
“I’m in a hurry, so, my bad.”
“Ara, perhaps I was hated before I knew it?”
“No, it’s not like that.”
“Then, just a little. Please?”
“Eh, wha-, ano!”
Just like that, she pushed me into the private room.
The mist surrounding her body, which is the uniqueness of spirit race, made me feel a peculiar feeling, and now I ended up being alone with a beautiful girl in a cramped private room.
Then, she stared at me.
“Can I call you Hii-kun?”
“… Yes?”
With her hand on her cheek, she crossed her arms, unintentionally pushing her bountiful breasts.
“Look, you know I gave everyone in my dormitory a nickname, right? That was because I don’t feel like calling someone who I want to get close to just by their names. By the way, Lapis-chan’s nickname is 『Rappy』.”
“Such a Guppy-like name… S-she definitely doesn’t like it, right…?”
“It’s fine. I’m the type who likes to see cute girls’ disgusted faces.”
Fine my ass.
“Or rather, I am a man, you know… Are not disgusted by that…?”
“If you say that, I’m a spirit, you know, are you not disgusted by that?”
With the same pushover-ness that she showed to 『Someone whom she interested to』 just like in the game, Fury covered me with my hood and continued.
“Hii-kun unexpectedly has a cute face… What lotion are you using to maintain that…?”
“No, nothing in particular.”
“That’s a lie. How can your skin be this smooth and chewy?”
She touched my face with both of her hands and pinched my cheeks.
“But, Hii-kun,”
Then, with her clear eyes, she looked straight at my eyes, as if she could see through my core.
“I see a sign of bad luck… You probably will die soon… what a sad life.”
“Eh, are you serious?”
Incidentally, Fury is also a fortune-teller who specializes in astrology and physiognomy.
In the original game, her fortune-telling is proven to be right many times… There is even an event that made the people around her respect her more than before where the next day after Fury tells Hiiro that he will die, he was run over by a heavy truck.
“But well, I guess that doesn’t matter.”
It does matter.
“Today, there is something I want Hii-kun to help me with.”
“Something…?”
“I hope you can tell Rappy that you have entered Flavum.”
Ah, I see, so it was about that.
Understanding what she meant by that, I turned away from her face that was getting closer to me.
“Did Lapis say she won’t enter your dormitory?”
“Yes. Because she said she wanted to stick with you.”
Saying that, she stared at me from a very close distance.
“I think as long as you say that you have entered Flavum, she will give up and choose to enter Caeruleum. I saw this from the stars yesterday, so I’m sure of it.”
“Alright. I will tell her soon. So, can I have you retire from here?”
“Hmmm… what a waste…”
Saying that, she stroked the inside of my thighs.
“No, wait?! Where are you touching?!”
“Ah, I’m sorry. I don’t really understand human senses. Looks like I can’t touch that part.”
She then nimbly released her hand and smiled.
“You sure train well. Really, what a waste…”
“… Because I will die?”
“Un. Because you yourself don’t really care whether you are life or death, right? You are the type who will gladly give up your life to protect something important. Or rather, you think it’s more convenient if you don’t exist, right?”
Damn, she’s right… scary…!
“That is why you probably won’t live long…. you don’t value your life that much, after all. However–”
Fury wrapped my cheeks with her hands and looked straight at my eyes.
“I don’t hate it. Because that’s exactly human’s privilege… to devote everything to something more important than life… I think it is very romantic.”
After softly stroking my cheeks with her finger as if tracing the shape of my face, Fury backed away a little from me.
“Occasionally, I pray that my fortune-telling will be off. So, how about you try to overturn your fate… You have something to protect even if it costs your life, right, Knight-sama?”
Leaving cool air, Caeruleum manager then left the room.
And after being stunned for a while, I finally regained myself, and turned to the pile of books on the desk.
I felt that all kinds of determination were concentrated there. Then, I read the books, absorbed the knowledge, and used the knowledge to work on the completion of Nil Arrow.
All to overturn what she calls fate.
Time flew like an arrow before I knew it.
“Un.”
As the sun rose, Master nodded at me.
“Splendid.”
As the sun illuminated the large tree sleeping in the darkness, we could see a hole was created in the center of it, as I aimed.
“….”
Looking at that, I stared at my hands. The hands that are worn out, stained with red-black blood many times, and quivering due to fatigue.
I gently squeezed that hand.
“… Master.”
Astemil quietly nodded.
“You become strong. More than before.”
Hearing that, I squeezed my voice.
“Yes…”
No matter what happens, I will definitely protect them. Because my objective is to create a world where the heroines and MC end up smiling happily ever after.
“I’m off.”
“Take care.”
Like that, I slowly went to the meeting place. And by the time I arrived, everyone had already gathered.
Tsukiori, Ophelia, Lapis, Rei… they stared at me.
I smiled at them and looked at the huge luxury liner floating in the sea.
In other words, it’s going to begin.
The turning point for the MC– the Orientation camp.