I Realized It Was an Academy Game After 10 Years

A few days ago, the heroine of the Survival Academy washed ashore.

Suddenly, there was commotion in the Bears’ Territory.

Bears that fell victim to traps.

A rift had formed in the powers of the deserted island.

This wasn’t exactly cheerful news for me.

First, the power dynamics on the deserted island are shifting.

The cause is unclear, but a significant panic struck around 20% of the bears, rendering them unable to avoid traps they usually evade. Not only the bears, but vibrations were felt in other areas too. And then, it subsided.

Why this happened is something to investigate slowly, but the most plausible reason seems to be a fight between the Leader and challengers who want to become the Leader. The position hasn’t changed in ten years, but… ten years is certainly not a short time for either humans or monsters.

They might not guarantee a lifespan similar to bears because they are much larger and stronger than Kodiaks, but it’s still a possibility. If the Leader has changed, it means new tasks follow.

The previous Leader was quite clever and, after I had grown a bit, realized that provoking me would only bring loss. But if the Leader has changed, the story is different. A new Leader might change the group’s nature altogether.

If the new Leader is excessively aggressive, a war cannot be avoided. Though the snake might deter them from making moves, it still bothers me that eight bears died in traps, panicking.

Secondly, there’s the snake heads… the movements of multi-headed snakes. Unlike bears, they use their heads quite well, sometimes sending small snakes to scout my territory. The likelihood of them rampaging just increased.

That’s what I dread the most. Bears can’t quite break through traps due to their size, but snake hatchlings can easily find and exploit the gaps in my traps. I spread things that snakes dislike around, but that has its limits.

Lastly, the dungeon.

Though it’s a randomly assigned name, the word ‘dungeon’ fits the cave quite well. Different monsters from those that dwell on the island pop out there. Zombies, moving skeletons. And occasionally, bizarre monsters.

Once it was a dog that breathed fire, another time a golem. Yet another time, a troll-looking creature. Each one a tricky foe to engage. But they’re not impossible to deal with.

If they were, there’d be nothing left but bones by now.

Whenever the balance among the three forces was maintained, the monsters emerging from the dungeon were managed separately by each faction. But if the bears’ faction shakes, it could get harder to contain the dungeon monsters. As a result, monsters might invade my side.

“It got complicated.”

I originally planned to deal with the snake hatchlings first and then catch the bears, but now things are bound to get messy.

For now, I’ll have to cancel the existing plan and scout the Bears’ Territory to grasp the situation and re-establish the plan.

…For now, improving Karina’s condition is the top priority, though.

I hope nothing happened to the shelter?

With my panicky thoughts, I headed towards the shelter.

——————-

“Uh… So, does this mean there’s been a seismic shift in the power dynamics?”

“Yeah.”

Returning to the shelter, I immediately relayed the information I’d gathered to Karina.

Even though I mumbled like a fool since I wasn’t quite used to talking yet, she understood me perfectly, nodding. She truly was a commendable student, having scored well at the Academy. Wait, now that I think about it, has Karina even enrolled?

It’s a bit awkward to ask that.

I want to know exactly when it is now, but aside from knowing about the Academy, I have no way to determine the precise time.

I don’t know the game’s timeline either. Even if I told her it was XXX year, XX month, XX day, I wouldn’t know when that is. So ultimately, all I can do is bring up topics related to the Academy to ask about her enrollment.

“Isn’t this a big deal?! There’s nowhere to escape here…”

“It’s fine.”

To be honest, it’s not fine. The atmosphere on the island is shifting in an unpredictable direction. But I can’t plain say that. Karina, emerging from the game, isn’t exactly fragile-minded, but she’s currently in a weakened state. I didn’t want to increase her worries unnecessarily.

“Trust me. I’ve lived here for 10 years.”

Our eyes met, hers were beautiful. What’s the intention behind that gaze? Unable to withstand it, I quickly turned my eyes away to stare into the void. This kind of mutual understanding is far too burdensome for me. Catching a passing bear for eye contact would be much easier.

“Is there nothing I can do to help?”

She looked so determined to offer any help. I shook my head. The patient shouldn’t exert themselves.

On the deserted island, one must always be in peak condition to avoid dying from the smallest reason. I couldn’t maintain that myself, but at least I hoped Karina would suffer less.

I’m not a sadist, so there’s no reason for me to want a new companion to suffer.

“Focus on recovering your body for now.”

“Yeah, right… But I’ll help you as soon as I’m better!”

Karina looked somewhat apologetic. Why would she feel sorry? It’s unavoidable. Just helping with making meals, as she is now, is sufficient. That’s the extent of my hopes anyway.

I stirred the dwindling embers in the brazier with a shovel, reducing the flames. They’d burn on their own if I left them be, but it would be easier to keep some embers for next time. I buried the remaining embers beneath the ash. If I leave it as is, it’ll make it easier to light a fire next time too.

“I’ll go back now.”

At my words, Karina attempted to stand on her own but wobbled. Her movements were as unsteady as a child taking their first steps. I quickly grabbed her shoulder. She blushed, looking up at me, embarrassed.

“Don’t overdo it.”

“Still, it’s quite a distance. Carrying me around is a bit…”

“It’s fine.”

I turned my back to Karina and crouched down. It was to carry her. Maybe it’s because I wasn’t wearing a shirt, or perhaps she was just shy, but I could hear Karina let out a sheepish sound.

“Get on.”

“Um, excuse me then.”

Soft skin wrapped around my neck. The sensation of her abundant flesh touching my scapula and the arm wrapped around my neck, combined with the breath brushing against my ear made blood rush to a rather precarious area.

…Shouldn’t I have just carried her?

I thought it would be easier this way, but I didn’t anticipate this. Still, I have to endure. I’m not the kind of person who would reach out to a patient like this.

If something goes wrong, the future looks very bleak. Without her cooperation, it’ll be hard to escape, not to mention survive. The probability of the ‘Survival Academy’s’ world meeting its doom would also skyrocket.

Speaking of which… what’s going on in the Survival Academy? Isn’t there chaos now that the Saint Sara is missing? If Karina is out of the game story, things won’t proceed properly. There’s a crucial event early on where the protagonist dies unless the Saint saves them…

“Johann.”

“What is it?”

“My, um, hand is a bit…”

Oh. I guess I was holding her butt. No wonder it felt soft and squishy. I changed to holding her thigh instead and stood up. We had to head back soon to sleep well on time.

I stepped on the stairs leading out of the shelter.

—————

We arrived home just as the sunset started to dip low in the water.

I immediately set her down on the bed and added a few fresh logs to the fireplace filled with nearly burnt wood. The fire still flickered, so if I left it like this, it would illuminate the house.

Confirming that the flames began to catch properly, I fetched water from the well and filled a pot halfway.

Tonight’s dinner is, as always, caterpillars. A few pieces of dried meat tossed in should make for a suitable meal. Karina should have recovered enough to eat the solid bits without issue.

“It’s hard to believe such commotion happened during the day while we’re sitting here in front of the fire.”

“Usually, one doesn’t know about threats until they’re right in front of you.”

“True… heh.”

After looking worried all day, a comfortable smile finally graced Karina’s face. I was relieved she seemed to have let some stress go.

I tossed in the ingredients into the bubbling pot and grabbed my shovel to wipe it down with a cloth. Since it was made from the bone of a monster that emerged not from this island but from the dungeon, it wouldn’t rust. Still, I can’t stand using a dirty favorite item.

As I began cleaning off the shovel, the house soon filled with sounds of fabric brushing, water boiling, and sparks flying from the fire.

The harmonious blend of those quiet sounds made me momentarily forget that this place was always a risk of losing a life. Glancing sideways, I noticed Karina, sitting with her knees pulled up, gazing at the brazier with a soft gaze, seemingly unaffected by the peaceful atmosphere.

It was a serene evening.

Tomorrow would mark the start of another war, though.

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