I Became the Academy’s Pink Airhead

Amidst numerous murmurs, I saw the ‘first magic book’ left by [Golden Witch].

“…”

An old cover made of thick leather.

The exterior had long lost its original color due to severe weathering, and had become so polished from countless people’s touches that it almost shone. Inside the thin leather pages were letters directly engraved by none other than [Golden Witch].

The contents were so bizarre that some students proposed the hypothesis that it might be a diary written by [Golden Witch] after taking a mind-altering tonic during her research.

In short, a dirty, worn-out book.

Moreover, since it was the first thing made by [Golden Witch]… a sort of practice notebook, it had no function as a general magic book. Even the contents were said to be closer to a novel not worth researching.

‘It’s just that people with different [Fates] can’t understand the contents.’

The first book left by [Golden Witch].

Called a magic book, but not a magic book.

The contents had no value… but it was an item kept as a sacred object of the research faction carrying on the will left by the first magic ether scholar.

That was roughly the setting for this story item.

And in the game, it was also an item that students of ‘accidentally’ dropped and left behind along with the disaster caused by the late-game boss [Priest of Erosion] across the entire academy city.

‘Because that was… its [Fate].’

The ‘story’ left by [Golden Witch].

A [Fate] that should have been encountered in the cold winter has approached in early summer. It was now in the hands of an orange cat-eared girl wearing a dark red cape.

Even for me who already knew of its existence, it was an item whose location I didn’t know.

‘Since Rota isn’t the type to go treasure hunting in an emergency… she must have ‘accidentally’ found it.’

Though we had already had the prophet nonsense… chaos festival with [Priest of Strife]. But when I felt such twists in the original work and [Fate] disguised as ‘coincidence’, I felt indescribable emotions.

Sometimes it seems endlessly twisted.

But it can go around in a circle and return to its original place.

What exactly is the [Fate] of this world…

“…”

I stared at the magic book in Rota’s hands for a while.

The shabby magic book held preciously in both hands. Though her gaze was fixed on me, it was impressive how she was unconsciously protecting the magic book well inside her cape.

Then Hilde and Rota spoke in worried voices:

“…Senior? Are you hurt somewhere?”

“…Lara?”

“It’s nothing~☆”

I smiled bitterly and glanced at the research faction kids.

‘It seems there would be an uproar if the research faction kids noticed…’

After all, it’s practically their sacred object… If Freya saw it, she would freak out and demand it back.

Twitch twitch…

Murmur murmur…

But the research faction students didn’t seem very interested in this side.

“…?”

Hundreds of pairs of animal ears constantly twitching.

They still didn’t seem to have noticed the magic book hidden inside Rota’s cape. Rather than paying attention to this side, they were carefully discussing something while looking at me, Hilde, and Rota.

Murmur murmur…

It looked like Freya had joined in the discussion too.

They were all speaking with serious faces. It was somehow strange to see those kids speaking so loudly. But I couldn’t understand any of the content they were discussing.

-I-I think the pink one is the cover… A-After all she’s the most extroverted… U-Usually that type takes the initiative…

-Y-You don’t know anything… Th-That ruffian type is actually the most submissive… Laughing haha hoho then getting eaten up…

-Uuu… I-I see… A-As expected of Library Director… That insight is truly sage-like…

Murmur murmur…

-L-Looking at it… the silver one seems like the husband-type cover…

-As soon as we get home, first the collar… Hauuu… I’m scared… But it’s th-thrilling…

-S-Surprisingly, could the pink one be the supportive wife-type cover…

-Th-The healing type… being the cover is awkward… The healing type exists to be dominated, r-right…

Twitch twitch…

-D-Does no one ship the orange combination…

-I… I think that’s good… She’s the smallest but… the m-most carnivorous… Maybe even a harem…

-Hauuu… H-How shameless… Th-That’s why I like it…

-Hawawa… Sm-Small animal carnivorous type…! Is she g-getting eaten…?!

-M-Maybe all three…! A tr-triangle…?! Th-Then the W-World Tree will burn down…!

“…?”

No matter how much I listened, I couldn’t understand.

But it must be a serious and difficult conversation.

‘Hmm… Is it a discussion about [Unique Ether] and attack affinities…? And it seems to be about the fate of the World Tree.’

As expected of the students closest to forbidden knowledge.

They were freely discussing the fate of the academy city’s powerhouses and the World Tree. But perhaps because I observed only momentarily, there were minor inaccuracies in the details.

‘Hilde’s [Unique Ether] isn’t silver, but a mixture of blue and white… Well, it could be confusing at a glance.’

Since they’re kids who live cooped up in the library like that, they might not know epithets like [Azure Lightning Lance]. Besides that, I couldn’t understand, but I felt it must be a profound discussion befitting magic scholars.

Thanks to the continuing discussion, they didn’t seem to care at all about the first magic book Rota was holding.

‘But where on earth did she pick this up…’

I pointed at that magic book and said to Rota:

“By the way, where did you get that cool… um… vintage♪ magic book─☆ It doesn’t seem like something to bring to such a dangerous place☆”

“Ah…! This? I brought it without thinking.”

“Ahaha☆ So our house cat was a thief cat too─☆ You naughty girl~!”

“Ah?! Th-That’s not it…!”

Twitch

Cat ears moving once in surprise.

Then Rota explained the situation to me.

“W-Well… It seems it was under the statue of Lady [Golden Witch], but the floor kept shaking so the statue kept wobbling… I thought the book might get damaged if I left it there, so I ended up bringing it…”

“Aha─♪ I-I see─☆”

“R-Really! The library kept going boom! boom!…”

“Ahaha…☆”

Rota bounced her body with each ‘boom! boom!’, expressing the urgency of the situation. Since she had indeed taken something belonging to the research faction, her face turned completely red.

“Ahaha…”

Apart from that cuteness.

I felt deflated about the unexpected place where the magic book had been hidden.

Ah… that statue with the ridiculously huge chest.

I can’t believe it was hidden under there.

‘My goodness, they say it’s darkest under the lamp… Did they aim for people’s gaze to be drawn to the statue’s extraordinary appearance? Or did they just place it together symbolically since it’s [Golden Witch]’s item…?’

Honestly, given the various extraordinary aspects the research faction kids had shown so far, I thought there could be multiple overlapping intentions.

Even I stared at that statue for quite a while, but couldn’t even recognize the existence of the magic book.

‘…The book itself has a strangely faint presence too.’

Anyway.

I wanted to know if Rota could use the first magic book even at this point.

‘…Actually, originally it’s an item obtained when using at least [Wave Ether], so she might not be able to understand it at this point.’

While setting aside high expectations for now.

I pretended not to know and asked Rota:

“I see~☆ Then do you perhaps know what its contents are…”

“Oh that… Strangely…!”

At that moment.

“…Lara. More importantly, isn’t it important to check the noble faction’s main base from now on? The operation [Purple Spinning Wheel] explained is over, so we should move to the next site.”

“Eek─?!”

Hilde spoke in a whispering voice beside me. I was startled by the high-pitched breath tickling my ear.

‘Ah geez… Why is she suddenly doing ASMR…’

“R-Right… Senior has things to do too… I…”

Because her words were cut off, Rota became dejected. But knowing it wasn’t the situation to leisurely discuss the magic book, she quietly made a gloomy expression.

“…”

Hilde paid no attention to that appearance and came close to me.

Squeeze─

The warmth and softness felt on my arm pressed close.

‘It’s not just my imagination that she keeps bringing it close, right.’

No matter how I think about it, it’s blatant seduction.

I was already trying to think of other topics as much as possible since Hilde had been on my mind, but this makes strange thoughts start wafting up again.

“…”

Apart from the actions that felt like… seduction,

What Hilde said to me made sense.

Even if Ofnir had hidden his form with a strategic reverse charge, and Frau’s forces including the noble faction had been shot down by the guided bombardment fired from the ‘Sage’s Room’…

‘The situation is not over yet.’

We don’t know when Ofnir will return to cause trouble, and Frau’s forces are still borrowing power from [Snake of Wisdom and Cycles]. And there’s still the existence of the mysterious magic circle whose purpose hasn’t been revealed.

‘Let’s have a strategy meeting together, then go see what happened at the place where Frau was.’

Following Hilde’s words, I called Freya who was continuing the discussion in the distance and asked to decide on the next course of action.

Back at the research faction’s library.

The research faction students had already fled to their respective places.

Rota said she would return the magic book under the statue and disappeared.

Freya spoke with a careful expression:

“I-I see. Come to think of it, Frau suddenly going out alone could have been… to protect that magic circle.”

“I wonder if you know what kind of purpose the magic circle is used for─☆”

“W-Well… A magic circle isn’t something that activates just by suddenly drawing it… R-Rather, in this era it’s less efficient than magic books… or more precisely, it’s an ancient method that wastes space… it feels unpleasant somehow…”

“Borrowing power from ancient beings and using ancient methods… It doesn’t feel like a coincidence at all.”

“Y-You’re right… Haah… Just how far does that idiot moron Frau intend to go…”

“Idiot, moron…”

Hilde muttered the words she had heard from me earlier when she heard them again from Freya. But Freya nodded as if she felt that was Hilde’s agreement.

“Th-That’s right… Borrowing tons of power she can’t handle, relying on outside forces while stirring up trouble… This i-idiot moron…!”

Freya sighed as soon as she finished speaking.

In order to finally sort out this whole situation, Hilde contacted the by phone. It was decided to regroup with them, who had quickly become available due to the support fire shot from the ‘Sage’s Room’.

“…”

And finally, Hilde glanced at me and asked about Alvit’s situation.

Fortunately, they had safely joined up with ’s main force and were currently fighting dozens of armor puppets charging at the gate.

‘Unintentionally, we ended up providing the support that should have been done in Golden Street at the front of the gate.’

“…”

Surely.

They will be able to overcome it.

If not, let’s quickly finish our business here and go help.

‘I should tell Rota to read the magic book here a bit and go with just Hilde and me.’

It was still too early for Rota to get involved in the fight with [Priest of Strife]. Rather, reading the magic book found here and encountering [Fate] more quickly would lead to much greater growth.

‘Now that support fire is coming from the Sage’s Room, we should be able to enter Frau’s main base.’

Thinking that.

I was about to leave after entrusting the Sage’s Room to Freya.

Boooooooom—!!

“…?!”

“This is…?!”

“Wh-What?!”

Ether surging in the distance outside the library.

And along with a massive vibration, the ground began to shake.

[Kukukuk…! Uahahahahaha—!!]

Ofnir’s voice ringing out more clearly than ever before.

[Now, it is complete—!!]

[Kahaha!! O corpse of the dead beast god!! Move as the pathetic mount of a servant worshipping another beast god—!!]

We hurriedly came out of the library.

The scene we saw was unbelievable.

“Sn-Snake…?!”

“…This can’t be.”

Graaaaaah—!!

A distance of several kilometers.

In a corner of Golden Street far away.

A gigantic snake was rising from the ground, making a huge sound and blocking out the sky like a pillar. That pillar was like an ancient god’s pillar supporting the sky.

Endlessly.

Endlessly.

Endlessly…

Graaaaaah—!!

A massive body so large it was uncertain how far it would rise. When it finally rose completely… it was of such enormous size that it could even reach the height of the World Tree.

[Snake of Wisdom and Cycles] raised its body full of black ether.

And when it opened its mouth…

Boooom—!!

…Everything around was being destroyed.