How to Cross the Desert (2)
The Academy was still bustling with activity.
Although it had been less than a fortnight since the midterm exams, the atmosphere in the academy was far from relaxed.
Rather, it was ablaze with competition.
Galimar, the continent's premier educational institution.
As a facility where only elites gathered, it was a place where a moment's lapse in concentration could lead to being overtaken by a significant margin.
Therefore, the students did not dare to let their guard down.
It seemed that the tense atmosphere would continue, at least until the day of the school trip.
Another fiercely competitive day had passed.
"..."
In the evening, after all the classes had ended.
Regia was walking down the path leading to the dormitory.
Perhaps due to her poorly arranged timetable, the girl was returning to her room quite late.
No one was beside her.
Thud, thud-
She took calm steps.
Her pink hair fluttered in the passing breeze.
Her bangs kept obstructing her vision, but the girl merely moved her feet without any reaction.
She seemed to be lost in deep thought.
"..."
Regia had been like this all along.
In a daze, lost in her thoughts.
Ever since the incident during the last midterm exam, there were many moments when she stood listlessly.
It was due to the memory that had remained like a kind of trauma.
-Hey, commoner! Can't you summon your precious familiar this time either?
-You're nothing but dead weight!!
-Forget it! Just get out of the way!
The voices from that time lingered in her ears.
She felt her breath catch in her throat unconsciously.
-Run out the door now.
-I'll buy some time here... At least you should escape alive.
A desperate situation where life and death hung in the balance.
She couldn't do anything.
Even as the other children fought desperately to survive, Regia was of no help to them.
Because of her terribly weak nature.
'I almost ruined it again...'
The girl bit her lip tightly.
She was afraid of death.
But it wasn't a weight that could crush her.
What had made Regia despair more was the frustration that she had almost lost precious people due to her own incompetence.
A terrible sense of powerlessness lingered throughout her body.
'They might all be dead.'
It was a near massacre.
It was difficult to shake off her own responsibility.
If only she had been able to control her abilities properly, they wouldn't have been pushed back so helplessly.
Surely, escape would have been possible.
'Because I'm foolishly weak... I put everyone in danger.'
Self-loathing crept up on her.
At times like these, her mother's words felt like the right answer, fitting perfectly.
Those whispers filled with hatred.
-A useless girl like you... shouldn't have been born in the first place.
Sharp shards pierced her lungs.
Regia, who had been moaning silently, stumbled on her once steady legs.
She felt dizzy.
It was as if she was experiencing motion sickness.
The memories of the moment of helplessness and the memories of her childhood, which remained like scars, intertwined.
They carved a deep and long wound in her heart.
Regia merely tried to maintain her balance to avoid falling.
"Haah, haah..."
Her breathing became ragged.
It was then, as she was sinking into depression.
"Miss Regia."
A voice came from somewhere.
Even though she hadn't felt any presence, the shadow was already standing behind the girl.
Turning around, she saw a familiar face.
"I've been waiting for you."
"..."
"Young Master?"
Neatly combed golden hair.
A calm and composed aura, and narrow, half-opened eyes.
"Shall we walk together for a while?"
Once again, it was the snake who caught the girl at the edge of her despair.
"Shall we walk together for a while?"
The protagonist was walking, lost in thought.
I, who had been waiting until her classes ended, smoothly appeared behind her and said those words.
Regia seemed startled but then nodded.
And so, we walked together on the way back to the dormitory.
"..."
Even while walking, the girl didn't open her mouth at all.
A heavy silence filled the air.
Regia simply followed my footsteps, moving her feet one by one.
It felt like watching a doll whose soul had been taken away.
"You seem to be lacking energy."
"...Yes?"
"You haven't been looking well lately. Are you feeling unwell by any chance?"
"Oh, no... I, I just haven't been sleeping well, so I think that's why."
"You've been losing sleep for a whole week, I see."
"..."
In the end, I was the one who spoke first.
Regia rolled her eyes as if searching for an excuse, and then mumbled in a timid voice.
"I-I'm really okay... It's just that I've been stressed with my studies lately, so I guess I've been accumulating fatigue without realizing it."
"Hmm~ Is that so?"
"Yes, yes..."
The protagonist nodded meekly.
She kept saying she was fine, but I knew it was a poor lie.
She was clearly under a lot of pressure.
'It's probably because of what happened in the abandoned laboratory.'
She must be feeling disillusioned with her powerless self.
It was a frequent occurrence in the original story.
The weakness of not being able to properly control her abilities.
Despite having the power to protect others, she couldn't achieve results due to her fragile nature.
It was like giving a scarecrow a sharp sword.
[I couldn't do anything.]
The coward always blamed herself.
Because she felt more comfortable hating herself than blaming others.
It was her nature to live a life full of wounds.
It seemed to be the same this time.
The girl was blaming herself.
That she almost caused the people around her to suffer a terrible fate because of her incompetence.
Negative thoughts eat away at the mind.
'It must be frightening.'
Regia had barely grown.
This was also true.
Because she had avoided most of the tragedies that occurred in the original story.
The villainess's bullying was practically gone, and she didn't live as a lonely outcast, struggling to adapt to the academy.
She wasn't dragged away by the monster during the midterm exam.
And she didn't go to Belzen, so she didn't form a tragic bond with Anne.
It was a smooth flow, so to speak.
'Maybe it was because of me.'
Pain promotes growth.
In other words, growth always requires a certain amount of pain.
The protagonist needed an opportunity.
An opportunity to overcome her pain on her own.
'If such an event is needed... I can find it myself.'
This world ultimately flows according to the choices of the protagonist and her companions.
Although I could control many aspects now, it was their role to conclude the story in the end.
This was something even the Liar's ability couldn't touch.
Therefore, my role was that of a guide.
A guide to help those who wander stay on the right path.
"Miss Regia."
I put on a gentle smile.
If you want to change, I'm willing to find you an opportunity.
"Do you have any plans for the weekend?"
"Yes? P-plans?"
"I was wondering if you were busy."
"Nothing special. B-but why are you suddenly asking about my plans...?"
"You said you were stressed because of your studies. How about we get some fresh air together? Just to change your mood."
"Yes...?"
There was a place we could go together.
An event where we could expect Regia's growth.
I grinned mischievously.
"It's a date invitation."
Let's try raising the protagonist a little.
A few days later.
We met each other on the Academy street.
Even though I arrived earlier than the appointed time, Regia was already looking around.
When our eyes met, we exchanged light greetings.
"You're already here?"
"You came early too, Young Master."
"I was looking forward to today too much. I always enjoy spending time alone with you, Miss Regia."
"Eek... S-shall we go then?"
Regia lowered her head shyly.
It seemed she was nervous.
I couldn't help but smile at her innocent reaction.
Taking the fidgeting girl's hand, I led the way as if telling her to follow me.
"I'll guide you. I know this area well."
"Ah... Yes, yes!"
And so, we crossed the plaza.
As we walked along the long, stretched path, we soon left the familiar scenery of the Academy behind.
It transformed into a new atmosphere.
Galimar wasn't just a collection of academy buildings.
As it was on a scale comparable to a decent-sized city, there were also numerous commercial areas and amenities centered around the main building.
Shops, restaurants, theaters, blacksmiths, and so on... There were various things to enjoy.
To be precise, it was a part of the Academy called the 'Outer District.'
"Wow...!"
Regia marveled at the vibrant scenery.
It seemed this was her first time venturing out to the Outer District.
"Shall we fill our stomachs first?"
"Yes!"
"Let's have a simple lunch. I know a good street stall, and I hope you'll like it too, Regia."
"A-anywhere Young Master goes..."
"It's right over there."
I pointed in the direction of an old shop.
It was a street stall run by a white-haired old man.
Regia tilted her head, seemingly surprised.
"Is that... a Plania skewer?"
"Do you know what kind of food it is?"
"Yes, I do. During my travels alone across the continent, I happened to encounter a village where they sold it."
"Oh."
We each took a skewer in our hands.
It looked similar to a chicken skewer.
A dish made by grilling the meat of a bird called Plania until crispy, then finishing it off with a sweet sauce.
It was a rare food to find in the Empire.
"..."
The golden-brown grilled Plania meat.
Regia, who had been standing still, soon brought the warm skewer to her mouth.
Crunch-
"...!"
The girl's eyes widened as if surprised by the taste.
Did she like it?
I, who had been watching her reaction, also took a bite.
Crunch-
The well-cooked skin broke with a loud noise.
Immediately afterward, a rich gravy burst out.
The savory aroma lingered intensely in my nose, and the unique, stimulating sauce coated my tongue.
It was a strange texture.
The skin was definitely like that of a chicken, but the meat was closer to pork.
The rich flavor was especially excellent.
'This is my first time trying it, but it's delicious.'
It was a street stall that Regia frequented in the original story.
I brought her here because I thought she might like it in reality as well, and it seemed to be a great success.
It was delicious enough to suit my taste too.
"How is it, Regia?"
"It's d-delicious...! Much better than the Plania skewers I had before!"
"I'm glad."
The girl munched away with a relaxed expression.
A warm smile naturally spread across my face.
I unconsciously stroked her pink hair and ordered a few more Plania skewers.
Seeing how much she enjoyed it, I wanted to feed her to her heart's content.
"Shall we go somewhere else after lunch?"
"Yes...!"
We wandered around the vast streets.
Although the outing was primarily for the growth event, I also wanted to spend time with her.
It was our first time venturing out to the Outer District together like this.
"There's s-so much here."
"Hehe... Shall we experience them one by one?"
It seemed she was enjoying herself.
We watched a play at the theater, browsed through items in shops, and even bought weapons displayed at the blacksmith.
Time flew by.
"I-I knew about the Outer District, but... I didn't know there were so many things here."
"It's always enjoyable to learn new things."
The sky was gradually turning into evening.
The scenery was slowly being dyed red.
I realized it was time.
I led the girl towards our final destination for the day.
It was a secluded path, rarely visited by people, even within the Outer District.
"Shall we take a look around here last?"
An old shop located in a remote area.
The building, bearing the marks of time, stood alone in the deserted surroundings.
It had a somewhat eerie feel to it.
"There's a shop even in such a remote place...?"
"It seems like there might be some good items here."
The interior was filled with various odds and ends.
The items were displayed more neatly than expected.
It looked like someone had meticulously organized them.
I looked around for the shop owner, but there was no sign of anyone.
"It seems like no one's here..."
"They must be away for a moment. Since we're here, shall we browse the items?"
There were many miscellaneous items.
It seemed more like a shop selling antiques rather than a typical store.
Old magic tools, faded banners, a crackling crystal ball, and so on.
There didn't seem to be any particularly valuable items.
That is, until Regia picked something up.
"This is...?"
The girl was fiddling with a book as if possessed.
It was an old leather-bound book.
The title "[How to Cross the Desert]" was embossed on the cover in golden letters.
"Regia?"
As expected.
You chose that one.
"This book... It feels strange somehow."
"What do you mean by strange?"
"I-I don't know exactly. It's like the mana is faintly trembling..."
Summoners are inherently sensitive to mana.
The concept of summoning itself requires delicate manipulation.
It seemed like the book caught her attention because of this characteristic.
Regia, who was tracing the cover as if scanning the mana, unconsciously turned a page.
At that very moment.
BEEEEEP-
"...?!"
Along with a sharp ringing in her ears, light began to emanate from the book.
The scenery was instantly dyed in brilliant colors.
The flashing light swallowed up the shop and even obscured the children's vision in white.
There was no time to react.
"Y-Young Master...!"
A panicked voice rang in my ears.
I muttered, realizing my consciousness fading in real-time.
'Is it starting?'
The growth event.
I subtly curled my lips into a smile.
The unfolded page drew us into the story.
I willingly surrendered myself to the flow.
'There's only one chance.'
Then.
My vision went black.
When I regained consciousness.
We were greeted by the scorching sun.
"W-where are we...?"
Regia hurriedly looked around.
There was still sand clinging to her sleeves that she hadn't brushed off yet.
I muttered softly.
"...It seems we've arrived safely."
The intense heat.
The texture of sand beneath our feet.
A landscape covered entirely in golden hues.
We had landed in the middle of a desert.
[EP???. How to Cross the Desert]
-The Door that Opens in the Sky, the Boy who Spends the Night with the Stars-
The beginning of the hidden episode.
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