I Became the Academy’s Pink Airhead

A memory from early summer.

At Senior Nina’s request, who loved cooking, I was bringing back a mountain of dessert ingredients from the shopping district. It was the prize for winning the ‘Dessert Eating Contest’ held at the shopping district.

Senior Nina holding a trophy with ‘Winner’ written on it, smiling brightly.

-Hehehe, I got to eat lots of delicious sweets… and receive lots of fresh ingredients~ This is a win-win no matter how you look at it!

And Senior Nina revealed a secret to me in a whisper. The mischievous smile visible through her ivory hair grown like a Samoyed was impressive.

-Actually, I’ve been blacklisted since winning in my 1st year… but I borrowed Selma’s name in 2nd year, and Frida’s name this time~

I chuckled recalling Senior Nina’s slightly chubby cheeks.

‘Though she’s a bit on the plump side, she doesn’t look like she’d eat that much… Where on earth do those mountains of sweets disappear to?’

Even world champion-level food fighters from my past life didn’t look fat on the outside, could Senior Nina belong to that type of constitution?

Senior Nina’s terrifying appearance.

The sight of her opening her mouth like a vacuum cleaner and sweeping up hundreds of sweets like in an American cartoon animation… it was at a level that could only be called a food god no matter how you looked at it. I learned for the first time that just the sight of someone eating could make people shudder.

‘Even if it’s a world inside a game… to attach such an intense food fighter attribute to a pretty girl with just cute charm sticking out a bit…’

I suddenly stopped walking.

“…”

Come to think of it.

This was a world inside a game.

Where an extinction-level disaster was scheduled to occur someday.

And in this world, fate actually existed.

“…”

Fate, huh.

A problem I had never seriously considered.

What if…

What if ‘Clara’, the character who opens the beginning of the main story, doesn’t fulfill her duty and leaves … what would happen?

What if extra-level characters accomplish things beyond the [Fate] given to them in the main story, what would happen?

What’s the penalty for defying [Fate] in this world?

“…”

To be honest, I don’t know.

In the game, it was just a story that existed as skill characteristic tooltips.

It’s hard for an outsider who flowed in to empathize with devoting oneself to this world’s [Fate]… I just got stronger, became friendly with characters I knew… and before I knew it, summer was approaching while living like that.

“…”

I tried hard to forget about [Fate].

‘Well, history will flow even if I don’t step up like the original Clara. Things like fate and whatnot…’

Blowing away the worries that had arisen for a moment like that.

I readjusted my grip on the slightly slipping sugar sack and walked on.

A hilly road lined with shabby shops.

Usually a path I quickly pass by on bicycle.

It felt fresh walking slowly for the first time in a while.

“Oop―☆”

I climbed the hilly road and soon approached the front gate of . And as always, the seniors were waiting for me.

“I’m back☆”

“Welcome back! Clara!”

“Welcome back~”

Frida leading the way, followed by Nina and Selma approaching. And Frida’s face hardened seeing the enormous amount of luggage on my back.

“Really! Nina, did you tell her to bring such a mountain of luggage? That’s why I said we should all help!”

“Ah, well… Hehe. I didn’t know it would be this much~”

“It’s okay, it’s okay―☆ This much is nothing for a cute porter♪”

“Porter?! Nina, did you call Clara that―?! No wonder you’ve been shamelessly making her do chores lately…!”

“N-No, that’s not it…!”

Senior Frida scolding Senior Nina. But Senior Selma paid no mind, muttered something while looking at me, then pushed up her glasses.

“Hmm… Porter… Porter? Oh! …! Some kind of reversal material that makes my heart tingle is coming to mind…! Thought to be a worthless porter, but actually the protagonist who held an important position in the party…!”

Senior Selma took out a small notebook and was quickly writing something down, ignoring the noisy surroundings.

“Ahaha…☆”

Three chaotic girls.

Seeing that sight, I felt like I had come home again.

‘…It’s not strange to call this home now.’

The old and dusty school grounds.

While the seniors were carrying the luggage inside, I turned around feeling the wind brushing my back.

“…”

Whoosh―

The vast expanse of blue sky and clouds.

Shabby shops crowded at the bottom of the hill.

Dwarves passing through the streets and the World Tree visible in the distance.

The wind blowing again from beyond, carrying the blue of summer.

Whoosh―

Cool breeze carrying the scent of the vast plains and World Tree.

The first summer I encountered in this world was very refreshing.

Girls busy moving under the sunlight stop to feel the coolness, plants bowing their heads to hide the dew sway back and forth.

“…”

With that wind at my back, I picked up the rest of the luggage and walked on. And I soon matched pace with the seniors who had gone far ahead of me.

A body much stronger than at the start of the semester.

Growing stronger day by day under the influence of the ether realm.

But the realm of [Unique Ether] always seemed just out of reach.

‘I’ve completely mastered [Wave Ether] now… but strangely I can’t grasp [Unique Ether]… It’s like I almost understand, but not quite…’

The name heading towards [Unique Ether].

In the game, it was said to be the soul’s form heading towards [Fate].

But I can’t even begin to grasp what that [Fate] is supposed to be.

‘The soul’s form… What is this, the occult? I can’t even begin to understand what they’re talking about.’

Thinking that, I trudge over to the seniors’ side.

Senior Frida was flustered as she wiped away sweat beaded like dew.

“Wow…! Clara is really good at carrying heavy things…?”

“Ahaha―☆ It’s a cute girl’s specialty~♪ That’s why I said I’d carry it all☆”

My boastful tone.

Senior Frida giggled and said:

“Still, there’s no need for one person to shoulder all the heavy luggage. Even if it’s just a little… just sharing together can make you feel happy, and you can keep your strength up much longer!”

Senior Frida’s romantic sermon. But her hands holding the flour sack were trembling like aspen leaves. Sometimes her sensitivity level would get too high and she’d needlessly exhaust her body.

‘Just last week she collapsed after staying out in the scorching sun with a butterfly that looked lonely…’

Feeling sorry for Senior Frida needlessly expending energy due to her romantic sensibilities, I offered a moderate counterargument. No matter how worried she was, or how much it was for my sake… she still needed to take care of herself.

“B-But… Rough work like this is better done alone by someone who’s naturally strong…☆”

“Hmm…? Hmph, I guess Clara doesn’t like us weaker ones helping―!”

To counter like that…

Even the pretty filter is starting to falter.

I answered while sweating, carefully choosing my words:

“N-No―☆ That’s not what I mean…♪ If someone good at it does it alone, it’ll finish quickly☆”

“Ah?! Clara has started talking back to me… Sob sob… How sad…!”

Senior Frida pretended to cry, preventing me from arguing further.

The situation ending with an appeal to emotion.

I could only smile bitterly seeing that sight.

‘I know she’s a kind and good person, but somehow… she has an excessively emotional side… Is it because she’s an art student?’

Light debates passing back and forth almost jokingly.

Senior Nina came to my side and cut in. It was impressive how she subtly held the lightest sugar sack.

“Hehehe… When Frida gets like this, just quietly go along with it~ She’s so stubborn she’ll never be persuaded anyway~”

“I can hear you, Nina…!”

“Ahaha…☆ Well, Senior Frida is a lady of integrity―☆”

“Clara~! You’re making fun of me for being stubborn!”

“Ahaha…☆”

“Don’t just laugh!”

Senior Nina looked at us and said with a grin:

“No matter how much you can’t see eye to eye, if you just eat something delicious together while talking…! Problems tend to get solved!”

Senior Selma shrugged and said:

“Nina… Isn’t that just because you only care about eating? Wouldn’t you get made fun of if you said that elsewhere?”

“No, no~ My thoughts won’t change~ People’s thoughts are similar… Just their tastes differ.”

Whoosh―

The summer wind blowing again.

Carrying away the breath of this moment becoming the past.

Senior Nina’s bangs sway in the passing blue breath. She smiled mischievously and said:

“Even seemingly grand problems end up being solved by just one trigger… In the end, everyone just needs a similar excuse~ For me, that’s delicious food… And no one dislikes delicious food! So this is the truth of the world―!”

“…”

Hearing those words, Senior Frida smiled and said. Her face was full of undisguisable playfulness:

“Then if Nina recreates the taste of the limited edition cookies from , the most famous dessert shop in the Golden Street, for me, I’ll think about it!”

“Hehehe, that’s quite a difficult order…”

“Oh my―♪ Senior Frida has suddenly become a picky lady―☆”

“I’m a refined lady!”

“Hehehehe―!”

Senior Nina burst into laughter with a witch-like cackle.

What’s needed is a trivial trigger.

Senior Nina’s words that seemed foolish at first glance.

They unexpectedly helped greatly in raising my ether realm.

Not long after that day, I awakened to [Unique Ether].

* * *

A shattered sign had fallen on the intersection floor.

“…”

“Senior?”

A small voice heard from beside me.

Rota was looking at me with worried eyes.

I smiled in response as if to say don’t worry. Turning my head forward again, I saw the dessert shop the seniors had mentioned that day.

‘I didn’t expect to actually come in front of that shop.’

The wretched appearance of . Though its luxurious exterior had been shattered by the aftermath of the battle… even so, it couldn’t hide the sophisticated atmosphere it originally possessed.

While I was blankly staring at the shop, Freya, who had somehow looked around the surroundings, approached and said:

“Th-Those snake tattoo dregs are guarding up ahead… We’ll n-need to force our way through…”

“Okay―☆ Got it♪ I’ll do my best too~☆”

“…”

“…”

A moment of silence.

Freya nodded heavily.

“S-Since I called you… I h-have nothing to say… but… do you n-not regret it? You could have gone with the main force… to your j-juniors, or stayed safely with [Azure Lightning Lance]…”

“Huhu I told you―♪ Those kids are strong now, so they can get through that much―☆ Now I’ll prove directly that I’m not [Faded Spiral] anymore―♪”

“…”

“If I get even a little hurt or become a hindrance, I’ll never… never step forward again―☆”

Because I spoke so earnestly.

Even Hilde understood and agreed to do our best in our respective positions.

She set out to stop Student Council President Frau who had reappeared.

‘What’s needed is… a chance to correct all misunderstandings caused by my actions and approach everyone honestly… Actually, I’m anxious too, but if I don’t do my best to move forward in this moment, I feel like I’ll never gain trust again.’

I looked straight into Freya and Rota’s eyes.

“I’ll stake everything I have… and swear. I’m fine. I’m serious.”

“…”

“…”

“I want to solve the problems of the academy city, my juniors, Hilde… and my friends as much as possible―☆”

Beastkin’s eyes and pupils are transparent like the surface of gems. So when they’re flustered or scared, it shows clearly.

That was appearing in the eyes of the two cats in front of me.

‘Perhaps the noble faction kids’ arrogance is also a shield to hide this characteristic of beastkin…’

Not that I intend to go easy on them, though.

Thinking that, I looked at Rota and Freya’s still trembling eyes and said:

“Then let’s begin.”

“Yes… [Eternal Spinning Wheel], localized range activation, standby…”

Freya summoned a large spinning wheel and prepared to attack at any time, while Rota gently climbed onto my back and said:

“Will it be okay…?”

“Of course―☆”

“…”

Grip―

Arms tightly wrapped around.

A spell ringing out.

[What good is drawing a greatsword, your back’s not good, just use it as a mirror.]

I grasped the cat-shaped greatsword that appeared in midair. Along with the still warm and ticklish feelings, I even felt Rota’s anxiety.

“…”

A thought suddenly passing by.

‘…Was there a character who could feel others’ ether attributes and emotions like this?’

…

I’m not sure either.

But one thing is certain.

Meeting Hilde, Urd, and my seniors… My [Fate], if you could call it that, has already changed from the ‘Clara’ in the game.

Letting those thoughts flow through my mind.

Freya and I charged towards the advancing snake-tattooed beastkin female students.

Tap tap tap tap―!!

The snake-tattooed female students turn to look at us.

What’s visible are their shocked and hostile faces.

“Who are you?!”

“Ah [Purple Spinning Wheel]?! Why?!”

“Attack!! Attack!!”

Thud!

Thud!

Thud!

Hundreds, thousands of red spear blades.

Countless attacks pouring down.

The offensive that made even ’s elite forces retreat continues.

The countless ‘It’s okay’ I’ve said.

But for some reason… I truly felt certain we would be okay.

“…”

And surprisingly.

We were able to break through dozens of beastkin female students and infiltrate through the back door leading to ’s library.

* * *

The gloomy library of .

The main stronghold of the seemingly most shabby research faction.

Along with several layers of strict seals, these words were written on the back door:

[No outside visitors]

Freya knocked on it. It seemed they had completely sealed it shut using magic skills.

Knock knock

“…O-Open the door you crazy bitches… Your boss is here…”

Then a timid voice was heard from beyond the door.

-D-Don’t talk nonsense… You’re good at imitating voices… but th-there’s no way our library director would go around with people… If you have business, write it on the notepad below… G-Go away if you’re noble faction…

Creak―

The seal loosened very slightly.

A gap just wide enough for a single sheet of paper to pass through opened.

“…”

“…”

“…”

This was unexpected.