Frantic Nighttime Self-Study (2)

<A Night of Labyrinths and Slaughter.>

A demon slaying incident that took place many years in the past.

A continuation of the 'Night of Slaughter' arc, this is the part where the corruption of Eldain Academy and the Huang family finally begins to surface.

While it basically revolves around the top students attending nighttime self-study and the main character being trapped in the academy and having to navigate a labyrinth to escape....

The reality is a bit darker and more nasty.

During the self-study period.

Because on the last day, the worst event in the academy's history finally happens.

Paimon, the ninth ranked demon of the '72 demons, is revived at the end of the episode, causing countless casualties. It's so bad that it doesn't even make sense to clear it in the first place.

This episode isn't called Newbie Cutter for nothing. Surviving this episode is harder than any other.

It takes place not long after you enter the Academy. Add to that the fact that it comes out of nowhere with no prior preparation.

It's not easy.

'It's different than before. This time there will be at least a dozen or more casualties, and there's probably nothing I can do about it.'

I'm not the protagonist in the first place. I don't have much room to intervene, and someone is going to die anyway, and someone else is going to live.

'I know that. Things like that happen countless times in the Inner Lunatic.'

But.

I still found this situation a little strange.

In a game that has become so real.

I held the power of life and death over most of my enemies and allies.

I could save them or let them die.

I killed and saved quite a few people.

But most of the time, I chose to save people.

What's left of my sense of modern humanity?

It's not that I have any residual feelings of that sort.

It's just that....

because I didn't want to.

That was it.

'…Maybe it's hypocrisy.'

I thought, maybe.

After all, I killed someone, and I'm alive now because of it.

'But those feelings are poison in this situation, and I need to get rid of them.'

I decided to steel myself mentally.

This time, I have to be really prepared.

I have to be calm, prepared, and defend my life.

Death is fair to all, but sometimes it's just so unreasonable, and I'm very much aware of that.

I was interrupted by the stench of rickety pipes and foul water. And a woman's voice.

I closed my eyes for a moment, and when I opened them, Marin was still babbling.

"So, you're going to trigger the barrier that separates Area 2 from the rest of the academy while I'm outside, and then you're going to naturally force the students to attack the labyrinth, stalling them as long as possible."

"Why are you only saving the students who are still participating in self-study?"

While it's technically called a labyrinth attack, it's a way to keep the self-study students in Zone 2 from getting caught up in complicated events.

In other words, Lunatic is helping them.

So I asked.

How does Lunatic pick and choose its survivors?

"You know," she said, "we've got the Dark Houses' resources behind Lunatic. The young Lord of House Marvas, you, ... Lana von Sader. And that woman. I can't let them be swept away. It's for the greater good, and you know it."

Lunatic's goal is the fall of the Imperial Family.

To accomplish this, they have aligned themselves with the "radicals" of the three major Dark Houses.

They also plan to use this nighttime self-study to naturally protect their materials. Not bad.

The materials of the three major Dark Houses are all very good.

Even for me, it's many times more beneficial to keep units like them alive.

Moreover, in her words. I am in a position to observe events from the outside of this story.

Luna and Noah may have one rough fight over Paimon's Spirit Stone, but....

I already know the future.

That neither of them will die here.

It won't matter for the rest of the story.

'... Instead, it will be innocent students from other districts who will be sacrificed.

A bit of a sour taste in my mouth.

Lunatic is a criminal organization, after all. It's not like we didn't know that.

What's more, this incident was not their doing, but the work of the Imperial Family behind the scenes. They've been dabbling in the crystals.

They've made a deal with the demons to gain greater power. But I don't understand, what does that mean?

In any case, it's already been decided who will die.

Since it's not me, should I be relieved?

It doesn't seem like an easy conclusion to draw.

I don't think I'll be able to fall asleep easily tonight.

Maybe a negative trait like [insomnia] will flare up. Hahaha, I used to experience that often in my real life, which is now a thing of the past.

* * *

Zone 1.

A corridor lined with facilities used mostly by students.

There's a lot of chatter, and the latest news is being discussed.

-Hey, did you hear the news about the seven top-performing students....?

-Ah, nighttime self-study? I heard about that, too. They're giving you extra credit for it? Damn, I wish I was just a little better....

-No, that's not true. You're not even in the middle of the pack. The nobles got all the spots in the first place. Commoners like us can't get in even with good grades.

-Don't you think I know that? That's just the way it is! The nobles only look out for themselves. One minute you're all about equality, the next minute you're saying, "What's the difference?

-I don't know. Who are we to know what the higher-ups are thinking?

-But who picked those seven people? What were the criteria?

-I guess it's grades again. But seeing as how Paracelsus was left out, maybe they're trying to keep the commoners out.

-Yes. It's rotten.

-And the biggest surprise is him, isn't it?

-The… the senior member of the Reinhafer family?

He was just about to say something.

A clamor of voices filled the air. A handsome, gray-haired, broad-shouldered boy was walking down the hall.

Naturally, people moved out of the way, and the crowd parted. His lavender, misguided eyes looked at the commoners as if they were bugs, as if they were natural.

The nobles, of course, were no different, unable to even look at him.

Nox von Reinhafer.

A scumbag worthy of the name, but certainly a talented one.

He had proven himself time and time again.

Quite a few people had been saved by him. But he was still the same. Reputations change overnight, as they do in any novel or drama.

A rumor begets another rumor.

The worse it is, and the more envious the person, the more it snowballs and eats them up.

Like Nox von Reinhafer now.

-What an asshole. Is that all you need?

-Hey, watch what you say. Don't you know the rumor? He's a candidate for the Princess's consort. What are you going to do if he hears?

-What would you do if you heard? -What would you do if you heard?

-Yes, but....

Contrary to their worries, Nox didn't seem to hear them.

Certainly, if he, a madman, had heard them, it wouldn't be surprising if one of them had died. In that sense, he hadn't heard them.

With a collective sigh, the students stared after him, who was nowhere to be seen.

... But would they know?

Knox was already writing down the names of everyone who had ever hurt him or spread bad rumors about him.

"When it comes time for me to die, I'm going to take these assholes with me.

...In a sense, Nox was becoming a real asshole.

* * *

"Your nightly self-study will total one week."

Lars rattled off as he sipped the coffee in front of him.

He was one of the professors in charge of the nightly independent study, and I had come to see if he had any information I could use.

After all, I was now his chief pupil, regardless of the course.

"I think I'll be going in the next day, and... will have a different professor teaching the class. The content will be a review of the material so far and a preview of what you'll be learning… I guess you could say."

"Is that right?"

"You look quite troubled."

Lars quickly realized his pupil's condition. Do you see that in my expression?

It's as if there's a shade hanging over me, a shade that [my acting talent] can't hide. But I can only shake my head.

He should, too.

There's no point in saying, "What can I do to help?" because people are about to die in here, but I give him a reasonable excuse.

"No. If there's a problem, it's that Dean Noah's been giving me a bit of a hard time...."

I trailed off, and Lars nodded in agreement, taking another sip of his tea. He patted me on the shoulder.

"Yeah… that's right. I heard from Dean Noah that you had quite a bit of help in the Imperial Castle. I'm sure you'll be haunted by it for a while, maybe forever…. I know you'll have a hard time with it. I know I did."

Lars smiled wistfully, as if reminiscing.

I was almost tempted to ask him, forgetting to play the asshole. What the hell did Noah ever do to you. and ask.

But there's no point. I'm going to get fucked right now.

"Anyway, I'm going to go, but if you need anything for your research, please contact the assistants."

"Sure. If you need anything, I'm here."

After that brief conversation, I had gleaned a few pieces of information and passed them on to Marin.

First of all, if I'm following the scenario correctly, the last day of the nightly self-study is assigned to independent study.

It's a time for students to work on things they're weak in, or need to work on, without a professor.

If you think of it as a game, it creates conditions for the students to stick together without the presence of the professor.

Not bad for a guy like me who has to stall for time.

The second piece of news is more fun.

'There is a hidden labyrinth in the basement of the building in the second zone where nighttime self-study is held. I can't believe it was there all along and that anyone knew about it.'

I thought it was something that was thrown in for the sake of the episode, but apparently not. From the beginning, the writers had built a vast world to take advantage of this.

I thought it would be fun in a lot of ways.

There's very little danger of dying there anyway.

"Hey. Nobleman!"

I thought to myself as I left the hallway and headed for the Sidious Hall, only to be greeted by the unexpected appearance of Paracelsus. It looks like bad luck is about to strike.

I speed up my pace, but he catches up to me quickly.

"My lord. Don't you think it's a bit unfair to run away when I call you?"

"I've never run from a commoner before."

I said proudly.

I ran because I was afraid I'd be in trouble. I'm afraid this asshole's got his shit together and nothing's going right.

Well, more like a row, anyway, than an official Inner Lunatic think tank.

"It's no big deal. I heard you got into night study this time, and you beat me to it, so you got a bunch of recommendations from professors and tutors."

Paracelsus was right.

In fact, the original Nox never even entered the Academy.

So he had no business being on this list at all.

Naturally, the one remaining spot belonged to the protagonist.

Plus, Paracelsus was a fixed unit, so he was a lock to get in, but then the entrance exam changed and he got beaten by me....

I had an absolute stake in the disappearance of his name.

"Is something wrong?"

But, I'm an asshole.

There's no reason to bow to him.

Paracelsus smiles wryly, as if he knows this too.

"No, I'm just telling you to be nice, because I've heard some news lately. Haha, it turns out that men and women should do things right. You're going to have a hard time with this, even though I'm having fun."

... Ah.

As Paracelsus spoke in a purely amusing manner, I was suddenly reminded of one more problem. A problem I hadn't solved lately.

I knew it was going to come back to bite me in the ass.

'The tale of betrothal to the Princess and a potential Empress consort is the equivalent of announcing the unilateral divorce of the Steiner from Talia. To put it simply....'

It means that my enemies have increased in number.

It means that Talia, or her father, Rover von Steiner, could kill me.

I don't think that's likely, even though I'm a potential consort to the Princess…

Rover could.

He's the best son-of-a-bitch I've ever seen.

Shit. What am I supposed to do?

Recent missions for Marin and Lunatic. I neglected this for a while while I was thinking about my nightly self-study.

'I was stupid…!'

"My lord, with that look on your face… it got pretty funny, didn't it?"

Paracelsus chuckled and waved a hand in the air.

"Good luck with that, then, somehow surviving that list!"

After Paracelsus had disappeared, I dug into my pocket and pulled out a slip of paper. It was the list of my classmates that Lars had given me earlier.

On it were the usual names.

[Nox von Reinhaber (senior) / Leon von Marvas (junior) / Penelope von Arkheim / Talia von Steiner / Echidna von Xenos / Eleanor de Rivalin / Lana von Seider – seven].

And....

What a shitty list.

To summarize the current situation,

I have to take classes with my ex-girlfriend (who I never loved) and my current girlfriend (who I also never loved) side by side.

This is really f*cked up.

In a way, it's even worse than when I was fighting Paracelsus in the Fourth District.