Running Away From The Hero! (Remake)

RATH 49
TL: Eevee

7. Is your backside safe? (1)

#1 Their story: Risen De Roa’s story.

“…Now then.”

It’s been a while since I’ve seen the inside of the disciplinary room… or not.

I wondered just what it was for that I’d been pulled up to the ever-familiar disciplinary room that I had visited only as recently as last week.

Had I been caught selling the magic video recordings I’d taken using Loki’s shoes?

But the odds of that are low. My customers are very loyal after all.

Let alone boys, I’ve got girls buying them as well, and I was even planning a limited edition sale next week! So there was no way they’d betray me now!

In that case, had they found out I had been secretly using student council funds for my own use?

But I’d split those expenses up into enough separate places that not even that eagle-eyed treasurer could find out?

Or had I actually been caught peeping on the girls’ changing rooms again?

As I was pondering over various things, a teacher came into the disciplinary room said something shocking.

“Ah, not here. Go to Professor Nicerwin’s personal office.”
“Save me!”
“Wha, what!”

In the peril to my life I felt just then I clung to the teacher’s legs.

Whatever I had been caught for, it was bad.

Just what had I done? At least I thought I hadn’t done anything bad enough to warrant seeing Professor Nicerwin!

“I’m sorry. I will definitely realise what I have done wrong and reflect on it! So please… please not Professor Nicerwin!”
“Just how the heck did Professor Nicerwin manage turn even that Risen into..”

As I looked up at the teacher who was looking down at me with wariness of all things, I couldn’t help but be even more panicked.

“Professor, I don’t know what I’ve done wrong, but killing me for it is too much!”
“No, I’m just telling you to go to Professor Nicerwin’s office…”
“Is, isn’t that the same thing as telling me to die!”

Why would a student be called to the teacher’s office?

A teacher’s errand? Possible.

Guidance for future careers? Possible. Especially for fourth years nearing graduation.

Something to tell the student council? Also possible. I’m the vice-president after all.

But if that teacher happened to be Professor Nicerwin? Now that’s a different story.

Professor Nicerwin’s official roles in the school are near-total authority over the curriculum and teaching methods, as well as being second only to the headmaster himself in terms of management of the academy.

And that person calls me up?

If it’s about education then he can call Lady Aris or the president, and if it’s about the running of the school then he can call in the President, Treasurer, Secretary or anyone else in the student council that manages internal affairs.

Heck, the person to whom the title of vice-president is but a mere decoration, the one that never actually does anything is none other than me!

Which only leaves one! That I’m getting called up to be disciplined by the teacher!

Even I would admit the number one in the school in that regard would be none other than me!

Meaning that the only thing left for me in Professor Nicerwin’s office where the silver devil lives is nothing other than death!

“I’ll be good! I’ll live a pure clean life from now on! So please don’t send me to Professor Nicerwin…”
“No, that mindset is all very well and good, but it’s not something that I can do to change…”

No matter how much I begged the teacher while hugging his legs the result didn’t change. And.

“Wiing? Oppa? Owner’s calling, whatcha doing here?”

As I turned my neck with an audibly creaking noise what I saw was a little girl with silver hair.

As if he’d expected this from the very beginning, Nicerwin had sent over the silver devil personally to fetch me!

“Professor, if I die then please cremate my bones and scatter them over my family’s rear garden,”
“Ya want unni ta kill you right here, oppa?”
“Coming right away!”

Let’s not concern myself over why she calls me oppa when she calls herself an unni. Because I saw with my own eyes the person that dared to say that she was making tushitushi noises with her mouth getting a concentrated beating from her.

Frozen in fear I arrived at Professor Nicerwin’s office.

The slam! of the door shutting behind me seemed to mark the end of my own life.

All that was present in this room that the school had especially remodeled for Professor Nicerwin, the room that had once belonged to the deputy headmaster of the school in its heyday, were countless bookshelves packed with papers and books, a small desk, and a single expensive-looking sofa that seemed to be the only artifact worth any value in the room.

“You’re late.”

And in the middle of the room, Professor Nicerwin sat at his desk with his chin propped on his clasped hands as he said to me with a stony face.(2)

“Owner, he tried ta run. He was all bawling his eyes out hugging the other teacher’s leg?”
“Hiiik!”

She said it. She said it! Damn it, do I have to run? But can I?

It seemed like it would be possible with Loki’s shoes but last time the silver devil caught me all so easily!

Then there’s only one way left, Descension!

-Don’t bullshit. I heard everything from Athena. I’m not going to die with you.

But Loki rejected it the moment I thought of it. Damn it, the rumours had spread to the gods’ world already!

-It’s not just one or two gods that’ve been beaten up. A whopping five gods had been desummoned having been turned into corpses, did you think word wouldn’t get around in the gods’ world.

Damn it, there’s no way out. Am I going to die here? Your contractor is about to die, you should at least try!

-Yeah right, I told you I already know everything? It doesn’t kill you. You’d be happier if you were killed cleanly, but you don’t actually die so it’ll be alright.

It’s over. There’s no hope. Even if I want to just bite my tongue and die cleanly here, the moment that devil hits me even the river of death would probably run away, so for now, beg.

“I’m sorry!”
“Wiing, owner. This oppa, I think his pride ran away.”

Because my life is much more important than my pride. So please, please put that fist down, miss devil!

“I will not scold you for being just this late. I called you in simply because I had something to discuss with you, so please take a seat.”

Professor Nicerwin said, gesturing to the chair facing him but I couldn’t get up right…

“Wanna get hit and sit?”

Or then again I should jump to it.

Uwaaa… it’s the seat right in front of Professor Nicerwin.

Even in the Professor Nicerwin’s once-weekly classes no one wants the stressful seat right in front of him, but this is even closer than in class!

But these thoughts vanished instantly at Professor Nicerwin’s next words.

“Well, I won’t keep you here for long. I’ll exempt you from tomorrow’s night study.”
“Eh?”

My head turned blank.

Just what was it we fought so hard for?

Why was it that we worked so hard to become victorious in the imperial festival?

Why was it that we suffered so much when we met the silver devil?

The answer to all these was the same.

To escape from this disgusting night study!

But, he’s exempting me from it.

And only me at that?

“It, it definitely won’t be for free. What do I have to do?”
“As expected, vice-president. You catch on quickly.”

As I saw Professor Nicerwin nod with a satisfied expression on his face, I thought my predictions were right on the money.

To Professor Nicerwin, nothing is free in the world.

You give something for an appropriate price, but nothing is ever free.

And even more so if it’s related to night study!

“All you have to do is side with the teachers during tonight’s night study.”

Now what is this supposed to mean. In a word, he’s telling me to commit betrayal? Why?

“There have been countless wars throughout human history. The race that has the most history related to warfare compared to every other race are humans. No, even in the wars of other races whether large or small, the majority of them had humans in them somewhere.”

Looking at my expression, Professor Nicerwin smiled and said to me in a sagely voice as if he was retelling an old tale.

“And because of that, humans, despite having the one of the poorest base capabilities, have developed countless strategies and tactics.”
“Wh, what does that have to do with my betraying the other students…”
“Divide and conquer.”
“Huh?”
“Divide and conquer. Out of the countless strategies developed by humans throughout history, this is one of the most effective strategies in the history of human warfare. Honeytrap the enemy commander, sow discord between king and loyal follower so the king kills his follower with his own hands, a very simple yet very effective tactic.”

No, I know what divide and conquer means.

But why at an academy, and to the student council vice-president of all people does he want me to pull this off?

“It seems that you still don’t quite fully understand. What if, hypothetically, there happened to be spies from other academies in this school?”

Now what sort of bullshit is this?
Even if we compete with each other in the imperial festival and other events under the banners of the four great academies, I wouldn’t think it’s anything worth deliberately sending spies in for.

“A what if. Just a what if.”
“That would be problematic then.”
“Indeed, it would. Because the betrayal of an allies always causes great chaos. Even more if said ally’s position is a high one.”

Despite the fact that I just said whatever came to mind, Professor Nicerwin nodded as if satisfied.

“And, to prepare for that scenario, I wish for you, Risen, to side with the teachers.”
“…And that’s the condition that you will exempt me from tomorrow’s night study for?”
“Yes, it is.”

What should I say. Should I say something as to why a school’s curriculum includes this sort of material?

I’m the normal one for thinking this, right? No matter how much people say that I’m the weird one, I’m the normal one here, right?

-Yes you are. As someone called the maverick among the gods, I can guarantee you that this academy is absolutely insane!

There we have it, a god’s seal of approval. Damn it, why did the academy have to go to cuckooland in my final year!

And worse, he’s telling me to betray, yet why does it sound so good? It’s seriously tempting?

He’s saying that he’ll exempt me from tomorrow’s night study of all things!

“Ah, of course I will also exempt you from the after-school club activities and the study sessions as well. Same with attending school. Although it’s limited to tomorrow only, since there are no morning classes tomorrow you will be able to come to school at ten and leave at five.”

What, what are these things that were a part of daily life we took for granted last year, but feels like such a distant dream now.

“…Really?”

Swoosh!

At my question, the silver devil got up and closed the curtains behind Professor Nicerwin.

The room darkened instantly, and Professor Nicerwin’s expression turned solemn with it.

“Indeed.”

The single word that came with the change in speech.

What is this short yet trustworthy answer?!

“Victory in this year’s imperial festival is all but certain. In that case, is it not better to look after your own profits?”

Urk, yes it is! I can’t ever imagine Yugrasia right now losing at the imperial festival!

But!

“But my comrades…”

I think of the President that pretends to be stern yet does dumb things with me anyway.

I thought of the vice-president who I always fight with but sometimes think of.

And the Treasurer that sometimes chases me with an invoice whenever I sneak away some of the student council funds, or his tearful face whenever I offload my work to him.

And the countless comrades-in-arms(students) that I fought with on countless battlefields(night study)!

“Some of your comrades have already decided to side with us.”

Kuurgh, they’ve betrayed us? Already? Were there already traitors before me!

Even though we swore together to escape the night study together, and just for this!

‘Or maybe it’s not something you can call ‘just’ this…’

Damn it, for the fourth years these conditions were just simply too good. I can’t help it. But I!

“Now, now. This is also a good learning experience for the other students. It’s hard to experience betrayal on the battlefield outside of real life-and-death war. Having experienced this in advance, even if they are betrayed in the future, they will have ample knowledge of how to deal with this situation.”

But Professor Nicerwin began to cut off my escape routes.

“Moreover, who knows what may happen in the imperial festival. It will be good to experience a situation where you have lost a few key members in advance.”

“Kurrghh… th, then…”
“Now, what will you do.”

Ahhh, It just can’t be helped. I can’t do anything about this! But, but even so!

“Krrrrk… wha, what if I don’t agree to these conditions…”
“Well, you will not be penalised. I just hope you would keep it a secret.”

Damn it, it’s done. Everything’s been set up, I have already fallen for his trap.
Then it simply cannot be helped!

***(3)

“Why?”

I looked down at the student council member that was looking at me with wide eyes, unable to understand what was happening.

The back lines, where the weakest yet the most important forces of the student council were.

I ambushed the summoners that were capable of healing and knocked them all out.

Now there is no one on the eighth floor capable of healing. Although I can feel the pricks of guilt it’s already too late!

“Isn’t this too far for a joke, Risen?”

I felt the guild weigh down on my shoulders as I saw the vice-president with uncharacteristic tears in her eyes, but I couldn’t help it.

“Kurrgh… how… how could you!”

And finally, I felt like another dagger of guilt stab into me as I watched the president collapse, shaking in betrayal.

It hurts. It really hurts.

But!

“Yee~ yahoo!”

That pain was perfectly treated by skipping the following day’s night study.