A day passed.
We camped near the secret realm and got up in the morning. After getting up, we had a light meal.
And a little while later.
“Ughhh…”
Fron began to gag.
Not only her, but most of the students were frowning, unable to adapt to the taste of the ‘black jelly.’
On the other hand, the half-demons and the students from poor backgrounds were eating it just fine.
‘As expected of those from noble families.’
Looking at them, I clucked my tongue and swallowed the unidentified black jelly.
And I slowly savored the taste.
“Hmm.”
It tastes like ground-up earthworm droppings.
However, demons were creatures of adaptation.
At first, I reacted the same way as Fron, but as I ate it, I began to adapt.
'Even if I couldn't adapt, I'd have to eat it anyway.'
Nutrient intake is essential.
It is even more important in a wartime situation like this.
Although the taste was terrible, I couldn't help it since it was difficult to obtain ingredients.
It's not that I didn't think about hunting for berries or mountain beasts.
At least I'd be able to get decent food rather than this jelly.
However.
'It's dangerous to leave the vicinity of the secret realm…….'
This place was enemy territory.
I might encounter a human instructor or student wandering the mountain.
I must avoid such a situation.
It's not something I can afford to do before I come face-to-face with my target.
And what I'm most worried about is.
'……The twisted future.'
I sent false information to the Imperial Academy through Kyle's information transmission device.
In return, the Imperial Academy must be thoroughly searching the area around the school.
This place was quite a distance away from the Imperial Academy, so the search wouldn’t reach here, but it wouldn’t hurt to be cautious.
So let's just put up with it for a few days.
Munch, munch.
“Ugh……”
My body is reacting in disgust.
No matter how much I remind myself of the importance of this mission, it's not easy to suppress my nausea.
But.
“Huh? Why are you looking at me?”
Luna, her cheeks puffed out, was chewing on the black jelly.
It seemed that she had no resistance to eating jelly.
What on earth did she eat when she was young to be able to eat something like this without batting an eye?
For some reason, I felt sorry for Luna and trailed off.
“……It’s nothing.”
“It’s bland, but if it’s hard to eat, should I give you some jerky?”
Luna asked, shaking the jerky she had brought from the Demon Realm.
I had firmly told her not to bring anything useless because she had to reduce her luggage as much as possible.
Still, thanks to Luna’s jerky on the train, I was able to sort out the situation quickly, so I decided to turn a blind eye just this once.
I gently expressed my refusal.
“No, the other students can’t eat either, so I can’t eat. Maybe our food will run out, so please save it until then.”
“……When I see you like this, Adel, you seem kinder than I thought.”
“I’ve always been kind.”
I narrowed my eyes.
It was not acceptable for her to slander me like this just because my expression was sinister.
Rather than that.
‘I wonder if Samuel is doing well.’
Suddenly, I wondered what Samuel, who was near the Imperial Academy with Sijo, was doing.
Woo-.
As I manifested my mana, I synchronized with Sijo’s vision.
Let’s take a look.
I couldn’t hear the voice through Sijo, but I could guess what Samuel was saying through the shape of his mouth.
Saah-.
Soon, Sijo’s vision was revealed.
Sijo seemed to have come down from Samuel’s head and sat next to him so that I could observe the situation easily.
Samuel was climbing on a thin branch.
It was a feat possible because of his small stature.
I took my eyes off Samuel and looked around.
‘It’s even more enormous when you see it up close…….’
An exclamation came out of my mouth, which had opened without me knowing.
Samuel was at the entrance of the forest.
That meant he was very close to the Imperial Academy.
It was an area where he could be discovered by humans and be in danger, but that’s why Samuel’s excellent stealth skills shone even brighter.
Even wild animals and birds with excellent senses passed by Samuel without noticing his presence.
I looked around the Imperial Academy along the path of Sijo with a sense of relief.
Modern buildings that had developed like a futuristic city and verdant trees that were in harmony with them.
The vast island was floating in the air.
Trapped in a thin, dome-shaped barrier that was harder than anything else.
‘Is that where the original story takes place…….’
I groaned with a strange feeling.
If I wasn’t in this body, but one of the supporting characters of the protagonist, I would have lived in that place.
A situation where I would have become close with those guys who were clearly described as good characters.
It was the moment when I was chewing on my thoughts, wondering if this was the right thing to do.
Rustle-.
I turned my gaze as I heard the sound of Samuel moving.
‘……It tastes like a cockroach.’
Nom, nom.
Samuel was eating black jelly because he was hungry.
Was it because he grew up poor after his family was destroyed? Samuel was consuming black jelly more proficiently than the other students.
At that moment, Samuel, who had been engrossed in his meal, pulled off a part of the jelly and offered it to Sijo.
‘Do you want one?’
Wiggle, wiggle.
His vision spun violently from side to side.
Sijo was showing extreme resistance to Samuel’s offer.
Well, I would have done the same.
It tastes like something that even the smallest creature would reject.
……Now I’m curious about what this jelly is made of.
Anyway.
Thud-.
Since there was still no movement from the Imperial Academy, I ended my connection with Sijo.
Then I turned my head and gave an order to the students.
“If you’re done eating, please put your masks back on. And please use your Stealth magic while conserving as much mana as possible.”
““Yes.””
Access 5 advance chapters with the 'Position Exchange I' Tier ($10), or 10 advance chapters with 'Eye of Arrogance' Tier ($18), or 20 advance chapters with 'Sword Lacquer' Tier ($18)
For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release a bonus chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the 'Support me' button!
Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel.
Join our discord server for latest release updates and novel discussions.