I Became the Academy’s Pink Airhead

Bell and Sigrun tried to escape, but were eventually caught by the hundreds of students who surrounded them and Eir who followed. They were tied back-to-back to a pole, hanging like a pair of electric roast chickens.

The brat and elf shouted, looking like they were about to become electric roasts:

“Uwaaang―!!”

“Release the investigation team members―!!”

Eir spoke in front of Sigrun, the dark-skinned elf who was the 2nd year investigation team leader:

“Hmph, isn’t this mess happening because the and bitches forcefully suppress everything except the Golden Street?”

“How is that the ’s fault―!”

“Even if you talk about the world’s distortion, do you think those who are focused on fattening and preserving the World Tree like a pig raised at home due to greed for ether would understand? We have to burn it all.”

“Aah! Blasphemy!! To burn the sacred World Tree―!! I’ll forgive you if you take back those words―!!”

“…What’s the big deal about burning some trees?”

“Eeeek!!! Unforgivable―!!!”

“Tsk…. Anyway, do you have any information about this erosion crisis? We kept your underlings because they all kept their mouths shut like justice idiots.”

“I have no information to give to blasphemers!!”

“Hah… and you. I really don’t like how you all act on your own whims while pretending to be fair…”

Sigrun flapping her elf ears in anger.

Eir watching that with displeasure.

Bell rolling her eyes around nervously.

It was a scene reminiscent of an execution.

We were watching that sight from a little behind.

“…”

“…”

Alvit, still tightly holding my hand, spoke in a dispirited voice.

“Fortunately, they’re not touching us.”

“Yes♪ students are just energetic passionate girls―☆ Not delinquents or criminal groups―☆”

Alvit had been tense since the moment we started running away, and the beads of sweat forming on her palm were a bit cute. The warmth felt through the hard calluses on her slender fingers was very warm.

‘Well, to the eyes of those living in the central area, students from slum schools probably look no different from delinquents.’

The slum students just lived a bit differently from students of other schools. They were ones living within their own rules and order.

Rota pointed out my words defending in a questioning voice:

“You’re calling a group trying to burn the World Tree that maintains the academy city and the energetic students?”

“Ahaha―♪”

Apart from their chilling madness, I knew that students didn’t truly desire the destruction of the academy city, so I answered casually:

“Come to think of it, a burning World Tree might look romantic like a huge maple tree―☆ It might be wonderful to have tea time together there―☆”

“…”

“Are you serious?”

“Senior comrade’s sentiments are sometimes so pure it’s scary.”

Some students reacted to my words, turning around and grinning.

Their masks made of black leather created an eerie atmosphere. But having lit fires to wipe out the chaos insects spread throughout the northern streets, their smiles with subsided madness were pure.

Actually, if you put aside prejudice, they too were girls running towards their own dreams in their own way.

A few of the smiling students patted my shoulder and said:

“Heh, pinky knows something.”

“Hehehe…! Want to transfer to our school? Even if you can’t use ether abilities, as long as you can throw Molotov cocktails…”

“Wow―☆ I wonder if prettier flames would burst if we put them in pretty vases―♡ Putting destructive energy in a vessel that holds life☆ How romantic―♪”

“Huh…! To already understand the aesthetics of flames…! Did you choose the wrong school? Come to our school right now!! Kekeke…!!”

“Ah, no…!”

When I responded appropriately to their words, for some reason, Alvit hid me behind her back and stood in front, stretching out her arms like a threatening red panda.

“…That’s not allowed.”

“…”

The other two juniors also stuck to each side.

Truly a sight of being completely protected among the three juniors.

I couldn’t help but smile bitterly seeing that overly protective appearance.

‘Though it’s the concept I decided on, it stings somehow.’

[Faded Spiral]…

Actually, if you examined each piece of evidence, it was an absurd rumor.

To treat someone as a demonic cultivator who fell into qi deviation just for winning against strong ones wielding weapons with bare hands and retiring…

But combined with the heterogeneity shown by my actions and fighting style, plus the tendency of girls to like creating rumors, it seemed plausible.

The uniqueness of the skills ‘Clara’ possessed.

The actions of suddenly hiding activities and disappearing to a remote school.

In a world with few means to verify information, when parts of truths witnessed by many people gather, a distorted story is created.

Moreover, that story is more stimulating and frightening than anything in a world that treasures ether realms like treasures. If someone adds intention to that and gives a little push, rumors become truth.

‘And if the person herself acknowledges it…’

Well… it had to be considered irreversible now.

From the moment I acknowledged it, [Faded Spiral] had essentially become the truth.

The sight of me being protected by my juniors like this.

Seeing that, the students giggled softly.

“Kukukuk…”

“Kekeke.”

“Oh my, how scary.”

What settled in the students’ eyes was contentment as if seeing something cute.

For them, the sight of fighting for what one wants was the ideal student image. The sight of juniors stepping forward to protect their senior with chivalrous spirit seemed to be a sight worthy of a passing grade to them.

Unlike that peaceful execution scene behind, the people involved, Bell and Sigrun, were struggling while watching Eir’s reactions.

“Uhiiiik!!”

“Let us go―!!”

“…”

Actually, Bell and Sigrun as 3rd stage ether ability users could have quickly broken the ropes. But because [Crimson Trajectory] was watching right in front, they didn’t dare to do so.

Bell, tied horizontally, wailed in a desperate voice.

“Uwaaang―!! Untie this!! Don’t you see this red tracksuit? I’m a student―!!”

As she flailed her short legs and protested with an implausible lie, Sigrun hanging below twitched her ears and answered:

“Ah!! Secretary Bell!! Isn’t Secretary Bell’s school of origin !! Could it be that your reason has been paralyzed by fear―?!”

“You crazy bitch!! I’m lying because I want to live―!!”

“Secretary Bell!! Even so, to flatter a group trying to destroy the academy city by lying about your school of origin―!!”

“Please just shut up―!! That’s why only your investigation team among got chased out of the center and demoted to garrison totem―!”

“Demotion?! We were dispatched to ’s garrison!”

“Then you should listen to my orders as the on-site commander there!!”

“In Secretary Bell’s absence from the site, it was an improvisation to respond to the academy city’s crisis!”

“What improvisation!! Our original mission was to keep the Eastern Alliance in check!!”

The pathetic sight of the two bickering.

Eir, who had been watching that silently, soon waved her hand and instructed the 2nd stage ether ability users waiting around:

“Haa, this isn’t going anywhere. Kids, light the fire.”

“Yes! Boss!! Hiyaa―!!”

“Haaaaap―!!”

Whoosh―

As the students who had reached the realm of [Vibration] manifested ether, red ether flames like a campfire bloomed.

The madness shared by students.

Ether created containing desires for destruction and arson.

It took on a form like the flames flickering in the streets.

Surprised by the intense heat, Bell and Sigrun struggled even more and shouted.

“Hot hot hot hot―!! Wait!! Just a moment, let me explain…!”

“Uwaaak!! Even if you torture us!! Justice will never disappear―!!”

“Please just shut up!! Sigrun!! When you return to the garrison, you’re going to the detention facility!!”

“Oh…? Are you certain we’ll let you go? As expected, an arrogant thought befitting an executive of the .”

“Eek?!”

At those words, Bell smiled as servilely as possible and said:

“Ah, ah…! Th-That’s not it…! Senior Eir hehehe… This cute junior’s words…!”

“Secretary Bell―!! To call such an arsonist senior…! Hot hot!! Secretary Bell!! What are you doing!! If you brace yourself in the air like that!! I’ll burn up―!!”

“You’re dark-skinned anyway so it doesn’t matter!! I have a duty to maintain this clear, fair skin!!”

“Ah!! Aaah!! Secretary Bell―!! Just now racial discrimination!! That was a racial discriminatory remark, right?! In the academy city where students of all races mingle equally, discriminatory terms like beanpole, elf, darky, furry, carpet, hooknose, gloomy, nouveau riche, commie, mosquito, whitey, robot lover, tree lover, weapon lover are forbidden!! For you, an executive of the , to―!!”

“You crazy bitch, I didn’t say that much!!”

But Sigrun, as if some switch had been flipped, continued shouting viciously:

“To speak such nonsense to me who discovered the important fact that all the erosion dungeon gates found in the northeastern part of the academy city are spewing chaos insects towards a specific area after personal investigation―!!”

“You crazy bitch!! Why are you only saying this now!!”

Whoosh―!!

“Uhak?!”

“Uwaaah―?!”

Both people rolled on the ground, freed from their restraints by Eir’s carelessly swung sword. Of course, right below was the fire lit by the students.

The two people rolling on the fire.

“Hot hot hot―!!”

“Uwaaang―!!”

Bell and Sigrun got up from their seats, making a fuss.

“Hiing… It’s hot…”

Of course, both were uninjured as befitting high-level ether ability users.

Looking at the two, Eir spoke in a cold voice:

“Elf. Explain that in detail.”

“Eep―?!”

Ching―

Eir held the sword shaped like an animal’s spine to Sigrun’s nape. Magenta ether gradually rose from that sword, instantly raising the surrounding temperature.

“What did you say about the erosion gates?”

“W-Well.”

“Hey elf, if you tell everything right here, I’ll release your underlings detained by .”

“…!”

“Though I don’t like that you’re lackeys, solving the northern problem takes priority. We can settle with the detestable center afterwards.”

Eir grabbed Sigrun’s collar and said:

“Cooperation or hostility? Choose quickly.”

Eir’s drastic proposal.

At those words, Bell shouted and urged:

“Yeah!! You crazy bitch, speak quickly!! Shouldn’t we resolve this situation first?!”

“Th-That’s…”

“Elf, you’re the only one who loses if you don’t speak.”

“Ugh…!”

Confrontation.

And conflict.

But even in this moment, the dungeon gate erosion crisis was likely getting more serious.

If it was done according to how the [Priest of Erosion] did it in the game, it was obvious they would fail miserably if they attempted to conquer in this haphazard state. It would be a shame to make such a disgraceful display with these luxurious initial members.

‘I was hoping they would cooperate on their own like this… but they’ll just waste time like this if someone doesn’t push them.’

To intervene appropriately at times like this.

I volunteered to be [Faded Spiral].

“Yes―♪ Just a moment―☆”

I pushed through the crowd and inserted myself between the three on guard. I could feel the students who had been looking at me favorably also becoming flustered.

Murmur murmur

“…Huh?”

“…?”

“Hmm.”

In front, the three fools were looking with their own emotions, and behind me, I could feel my three juniors startled.

I spoke, pretending not to notice those gazes:

“Since it’s come to this, why don’t we all just get along nicely―☆”

“…”

“…”

“…”

I spoke in a deliberately nonchalant tone:

“There must be many people struggling outside even now―♪ Yes! There must be people baking delicious cookies or making dolls―☆ Or cute students―♪”

“…”

“…”

“…”

“I understand you all have different circumstances and goals… but I think we need to help those people quickly―♪”

A chilly silence.

I spoke through that:

“Though weakened me can no longer be of help… you all can do it, right―☆”

“[Spiral]…”

Eir looked at me with sorrowful eyes.

“Help me, so we can help the troubled people of the academy city… It will surely be fun―♪”

“…”

As everyone was silent with their own thoughts.

“…”

Sigrun opened her mouth, her ears trembling:

“…Alright. Helping people in trouble. That is justice after all.”

Everyone’s attention focused on Sigrun.

“I discovered the anomaly a few days ago.”

Hearing those words, I smiled. And in my head, I imagined a familiar UI quest window popping up.

[Ratatoskr Conquest: Priest of Erosion]

[Quest Start]