Preparation (2)
I flipped the calendar that was still stuck on last month.
“Time’s really flown by.”
It felt strange. I’d been so absorbed that I had forgotten the very concept of time. But looking back, a lot had happened.
I couldn’t remember the last time I’d lived this intensely—even in reality.
“Forty days…”
There wasn’t much time left until the Championship. Taking into account the time it would take for the commissioned bike to be finished, I had about a month.
In less than thirty days, we had to complete course reconnaissance, strategy planning, and practice—an absurdly tight schedule.
Even if I had known and prepared in advance, the course of events wouldn’t have changed much. At most, I could’ve gained maybe ten more days.
It was the same in the original story. But since this was a main episode, it likely wouldn’t have been affected much by altered developments.
Knock knock.
Grace and I, in the middle of a lecture, turned at the sound of a knock.
“Come in.”
As Grace responded, the door opened as if waiting for the cue. The face that peeked in was one I vaguely remembered seeing in the hallway once.
“Professor Grace! Oh, Assistant Professor Rohan’s here too. Hellooo.”
That student.
The one I’d wondered how they even got into Springwind. They’d seemed a little slow.
I didn’t know her name—never read a description like hers, or perhaps I’d just skipped it.
She didn’t seem to be taking Swordsmanship classes, so maybe she was a magic student?
Grace asked.
“We’re in the middle of class. What is it?”
“The Chancellor’s looking for you. Said it’s urgent and to come right now.”
It was about time the Chancellor summoned us.
But that Chancellor… Would she be alright?
“I’ll finish here and come by shortly. You can go back now.”
“Okaaay.”
As I was thinking about the Chancellor, a message suddenly popped up for the first time in a while.
【 Mainstream: Start Line Toward Victory 】
✵ Objective: Assist ‘Grace Euclid’ and win the ‘Amuller World Championship’.
Failure 》 ‘Grace Euclid’s’ fate worsens, your death branch point triggered
Success 》 ‘150 P’, ‘2kg Eternal Stone’
…The first thing I saw when I woke up in this world was Grace. And the moment I saw her, a message like this appeared. This time, the objective was to win the Championship.
A level of difficulty far beyond the last one. Of course I intended to win—but honestly, I couldn’t be sure. Even in the original, the protagonist team nearly failed to win.
Anyway, the ‘protagonist team’ was made up of: Michael, Queos, and Ellie.
…Queos.
So it was time for that character to appear. But that wasn’t the important part. From that team, I absolutely had to take Ellie. She was one of the key assets to inherit Grace’s legacy. Though she rode bikes as a hobby, Ellie’s skill level was near professional. Amuller Bikes were a sport for the upper-middle class to begin with. Thus, our team would consist of Grace, Ellie, and me.
If Ellie joined us, then it was clear that the wildcard—Ariel—would fill her spot on the other team.
The issue was how strong Ariel actually was. Had I been able to gather more Plausibility, I might’ve unlocked the 「Status Window」 by now.
Yet, even with time passing, my 「Plausibility」 remained insufficient…
“…What’s this?”
“Hmm?”
Lost in thought, I turned to the door when I felt a gaze.
The student from earlier still hadn’t left, and our eyes met. Unlike before, her expression no longer looked vacant.
“Do you still have something to say?”
“Nope. Nothing at all. Really. Well then, I’ll be off now. Goodbye…”
As she hurried to leave, I stopped her.
“Wait.”
A creeping sense of déjà vu welled up from deep inside me.
“What’s your name?”
“Me? Aww… That’s kinda hurtful, you know.”
A dopey-looking smile. But the moment I recalled a certain page, that smile sent a chill down my spine.
She answered.
“Corinne.”
Now I remembered. That clumsy, vacant-seeming… ‘description.’
“How can you not know your own student’s name, Professor? Hehe.”
…Damn it. I should’ve read more carefully.
***
Framed photos of past Chancellors lined the wall. Each of them, by name alone, was a person of such greatness that one couldn’t help but gasp in admiration. From the images alone, one could understand what kind of legacy Springwind carried. Under their watchful gaze, like ancestors observing their descendants, the Chancellor spoke.
“I want to ask something important of you two.”
Grace and I were staring at a ‘child’ far too small to be alone in this massive office.
“After the Second Human-Demon War ended, the Imperial Court finally lifted the international event ban after five years.”
Her big eyes sparkled like she was about to say “Give me candy.”
Her doll-like hair shimmered with a silky sheen.
“Thanks to that, previously suspended events like the ‘Olympia Festival,’ the ‘Highrundon Games,’ and the ‘Amuller World Championship’ are being reinstated. Oh, would you like one?”
The Chancellor offered us candies from a basket with her tiny hands.
“Here you go.”
“I’m fine, thank you.”
I politely declined and continued observing the child—no, the Chancellor.
Though she looked about ten, as if she belonged in elementary school rather than a university, she was in fact the 26th Chancellor of Springwind University, Cornelia Lynn Farcastal.
That didn’t mean she could be taken lightly. Nor should her appearance be mocked.
Cornelia had once served as Deputy Director of the Imperial Bureau of Magical Engineering.
The reason she looked like this now was all because of the Human-Demon War.
“I don’t get why people keep giving me candy when I don’t eat it… My body’s gotten used to it, but I still can’t get used to the stares.”
Pouting, Cornelia pushed the candy basket aside.
Those were gifts from professors and students who found the Chancellor cute and left them during breaks.
“Oh, talking to myself again. Don’t mind me. I’ve just been feeling a little lonely lately.”
The reason she looked like this was for the Empire.
On the day the capital of Habledown, Blean, was bombed, she took a self-developed drug to buy time for Michael to complete a defensive spell.
That drug was called Soma. An ultimate stimulant that, once ingested, allowed one to transcend the present into the future.
But such immense power came with equally immense side effects.
Namely: after the drug’s effect ended, the user would begin ‘reversing’ through time—alone.
Because of its effects and side effects, there was once talk of banning it in the Empire.
Rumors persisted that the Bureau continued researching Soma in secret…
Knock knock.
“I’m coming in.”
Michael Lippenstein entered the Chancellor’s office without hesitation.
Without so much as glancing at Grace, he passed right by me and stood before Cornelia.
“I heard you called for me, Chancellor Farcastal.”
“Perfect timing. I called all three of you because there’s something important to discuss.”
Leaning forward, Cornelia spoke clearly in a deliberately serious tone.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which is overseeing the Championship, has requested that Professor Grace Euclid and Professor Michael Lippenstein participate in this event.”
Michael clicked his tongue in irritation as he stroked his chin.
“Trying to milk publicity, are they. What a waste… So the rumor that their brains are the size of peanut shells was true.”
In a manner befitting his dignity, Michael growled. Knowing him, he likely saw international competitions as nothing more than noisy, pretentious sports festivals.
More than that, the Foreign Ministry was under the direct control of the Imperial Court—essentially making this a royal order. And Michael had an allergy to anything related to the royal family.
Grace asked,
“What exactly is our role?”
“Nothing special. Just show your face and ride a bike around like it’s a pleasant stroll.”
“Understood. Since it’s for the Empire, I will gladly accept this decree.”
“Great. As expected of Professor Grace—so unlike someone else.”
Cornelia’s eyes passed over Michael as if comparing the two, then turned to me.
“Assistant Professor Rohan, are you alright with this too?”
“Yes.”
“Then, Professor Lippenstein, you’re the only one left. What will you do? I won’t force you. This is just a recommendation.”
Michael, who had defended the capital alongside Cornelia, knew her personality well.
Fiddling with his ring, he studied Cornelia before finally wrinkling his brow.
“…Fine. If I refuse, you’ll harass me for the rest of the tournament. With those tiny arms and legs of yours.”
“Tiny arms and legs? Wanna see what happens if one hits you?”
“Regretfully, I believe you’ll never be able to reach me.”
Cornelia clenched her doll-like fist and bit her lip. Before Michael could get pounded by that fist, I purposely cleared my throat. Only then did Cornelia calm down and remember we were still here.
“So all three of you are on board?”
“But just this once. Never again. I’ll make sure I’m unavailable next time.”
Cornelia shuddered.
Must’ve hit a nerve. Even I was annoyed just watching—imagine how she felt.
“Fine, fine. The Championship committee will provide all gear, including the Amuller Bikes⸺”
Bang.
“…Honestly. That damn jerk.”
Before she could finish, Michael left the office.
As always, he hadn’t spared Grace a glance or a word.
And here I’d thought, with the storyline changes, that you might have changed a little too…
Cornelia, realizing she’d misspoken, glanced at Grace.
“Sorry. Forgot you were still here.”
“…I’m used to it now.”
Grace responded calmly, but Cornelia took a long breath and asked, as if she couldn’t understand.
“Haa. While we’re on the topic—what do you even see in that guy? No, wait. Sorry again. That was out of line. Who am I to say…”
Cornelia took a deep breath to calm her temper.
Michael, that bastard—just because he’s the protagonist, he goes around collecting enemies like it’s a hobby. If not for his protagonist status, he’d have been beaten to death long ago.
Sometimes, the protagonist is the worst of them all.
“Anyway, do your best. You never know—someone like Professor Grace could totally win this. And she’s got Rohan, a promising rising star, by her side too. Oh, and I hear they’ve prepared a 1kg Eternal Stone as a special prize this time. If it works out, it’ll boost the university’s prestige too. It’s a rare opportunity.”
“Understood.”
Including the 2kg I’d get from the Mainstream reward, that made 3kg in total.
I quietly glanced at the sword barely hanging off Grace’s waist.
If things went well, I might even be able to craft a new weapon for her.
As we were leaving, Cornelia stood on tiptoe and issued a final warning.
“Oh, and Professor Lippenstein—whatever else happens, just don’t lose to that professor. Got it?”
She then held out her pinky.
“Promise!”
…Now I kind of understood why students and professors kept bringing her candy.