I Became the Academy’s Pink Airhead

Before returning the magic book to its original place, Rota was rereading the content that bothered her. But she lost consciousness in the shock of the massive earth tremor that followed.

“Ugh…”

And when she suddenly came to her senses…

She was in an endless darkness.

“Where… is this…?”

『…』

Rustle─

“…?!”

In the endless darkness.

A golden cat was looking at Rota.

“A cat?”

『…So you too were fated to face the beast god of ‘chaos’.』

Twitch

The golden cat moved its tiny ears like a butterfly’s wings. And a girl’s voice began to be faintly heard.

『The [Fate] of this world is predetermined.』

『No matter how much you struggle, you can never change it.』

『[Fate] that repeats eternally, like a spinning wheel turning.』

『We live like threads coming out of the end of the wheel, struggle and disappear. And when our given life ends, we disappear again into that deep chaos.』

“…!”

Though the voice was gentle like reading a fairy tale, its content was terribly eerie. But the story echoing from somewhere in the darkness continued.

『Like a book title made of just two letters, we live on predetermined [Fate]. The only way to escape it is to wipe away the ink of the title in the river of ‘chaos’.』

『Our stories have only two conclusions left: predetermined titles and complete nothingness.』

“That’s…! H-How on earth do you know such things…?! Just where is this…”

Even as she spoke, Rota got goosebumps feeling like she knew who the girl was.

‘It can’t be…!’

Where was she before coming to this unknown space?

What magic book was she reading under which statue?

‘That voice is… But why tell me such a story…?’

The more Rota vaguely guessed the girl’s identity, the more scared she became as the pessimistic story started to sound like truth.

“[Golden Witch]…!”

The girl’s gentle voice turned bitter.

『When I discovered this was when I became completely bound to a fate of having to fight my nemesis. That’s why I had no choice but to convey the ‘story’ only to someone with a [Golden] soul who would return someday, avoiding the World Tree’s eyes.』

The golden cat that had started moving at some point.

It… no, ‘she’ continued self-deprecating while swishing her tail.

It was a recollection revealed to a girl with the same fate she would meet in the distant future, and a critique of the thesis that was her life she had written.

[Golden Witch].

The child who resembled mud earth spoke words she had never revealed to anyone in her lifetime.

『I’m a failure, in the end I couldn’t create a ‘story’ that all races could understand each other with. The only ‘story’ I could create was making a fake world where beastkin could escape from fear, as if it were truth.』

『Since the ‘story’ shared by beastkin was ‘the fear of the weak’, creating ‘weapons’ to overcome that… that was all I could do.』

Golden armaments.

Glorious magic used only by beastkin magicians. Thanks to that magic, beastkin were able to win numerous wars. Beastkin were no longer the weak of this world. They were the new masters of the world.

‘For [Golden Witch] to be a failure… That’s nonsense.’

Rota felt dizzy hearing that story.

There was too much information to take in.

The great magician who had written new laws applicable to this universe was self-deprecating as a failure. And… the name [Golden] was too heavy for her.

Rota hurriedly poured out words as if making excuses. As if speaking like that would cancel out the facts she had heard, she pleaded to [Golden Witch] with all her might.

“M-Me, with a [Golden] soul?! That can’t be! I’m incompetent, and… always just a burden… and to say you’re a failure…! Don’t say such things! Your great deeds are beyond reproach!”

『…』

The golden cat didn’t move at all hearing those words.

Rota continued pleading in a desperate voice:

“I-If you’re [Golden Witch], I have a favor to ask…! Right now my precious friends are in a difficult situation! Please tell me the truth that can help them… magic that can help people! Please…! I’ll convey it even at the cost of my life, so please…!”

And trembling her shoulders, she tried to kneel before the golden cat.

『…』

Twitch

The golden cat’s ears moved,

And golden ether raised Rota’s body again.

Whoosh─!

Rota suddenly floated in the air and screamed.

Meeting her eyes like that, [Golden Witch] answered:

“Kyah─?!”

『…I don’t know either.』

“…What?”

『The world I know is only war where everyone fights holding weapons. And dark caves entered while escaping from fear. Things beyond that… I don’t know well either.』

“…”

『At the end of my life, I discovered the fact that ‘I know nothing about this world’. That was the answer to my [Fate].』

“…”

Then who knows?

If even the greatest magician doesn’t know, who can find out?

‘[Purple Spinning Wheel]… Senior Freya?’

Just as that thought flashed through Rota’s mind, [Golden Witch] walked towards Rota standing awkwardly.

The small golden cat’s eyes were shining like jewels.

『[Golden] is not something great.』

“…What?”

『It’s just the name of a soul given to little ones who think thoughts others don’t. My friends always teased me as ‘a kid who thinks strange thoughts’ too. Aren’t you the same?』

“…I’ve heard that.”

『I’m rather curious, what will be the title of the book with the [Golden] label after me… How will she think about this world’s [Fate].』

“…”

So… let’s share ‘stories’.

Because that’s the only way to approach the world’s truth. And understand each other.

“…”

Rota couldn’t easily open her mouth.

The first and strongest magician.

The great hero who made all beastkin come out of the cave of fear. What ‘story’ could she dare tell her?

“…”

But…

Her sister’s dance seen in the garden at sunset.

The voice of the earnest girl who came to save her.

The movement of the huge flag always cheering loudly.

And.

The radiance of the pink spiral that advanced with the morning star at its back…

Made Rota able to open her mouth.

“I…! I think that someday, surely… everyone living in ether will be able to understand the same skill… [Fate], and share each other’s [Fate].”

『…』

“If the [Fate] this world gives to one person is just two letters, we can connect different [Fates] into ten letters… a hundred letters, right?”

『…』

“If the ‘story’ created like that shines dazzlingly…! Surely even the book’s title will look different! If we can’t change the title of [Fate], we’ll change the content of [Fate] with stories.”

Stories that change even with the same title.

Not [Golden] that causes power and greed.

But [Golden] stories like shining sunsets.

Magic that connects heart to heart.

Stories that connect fate to fate.

If our fate is thread made through a spinning wheel, the beautiful cloth woven from that thread will become the world.

Rota spoke to [Golden Witch] in a trembling voice:

“I… will make it not ‘stories to overcome fear’, but ‘happy stories that everyone living in this world can understand’.”

『…』

This world is not lived alone.

Weaving different [Fates], making not lines but planes.

Then even a determined future flows in a different direction, entangled and intertwined.

The consciousness left by [Golden Witch] quietly smiled.

What’s needed in despair is not weapons to overcome fear, but fairy tale-like stories… Certainly, it’s an outrageous idea I didn’t think of.

Then…

For the sake of your wonderful story.

I’ll erase the story I left behind.

Twitch

[Golden Witch] flapped her ears, and the space submerged in darkness gradually began to shine golden.

『Interesting. Then let’s try making that into a new magic. I’ll help.』

“…What?!”

『My disciples have conveniently built suitable facilities in the library…』

“W-Wait, what do you mean…?!”

Let’s make it together.

The new laws of [Fate] you will create from now on.

Stories that flow in new directions by weaving [Fates].

Dream-like stories… ‘Fairy Tale Magic’.

* * *

[Uhahahaha!! Kukukuk!! Foolish inferior species!! This is the fate of [Strife]─!! While you fight stupidly, you become slaves and are used!!]

Ofnir’s mockery. That huge voice echoes towards everyone near the World Tree.

[‘Snake’!! O ancient god who has now become a slave!! Become my mount and advance towards the World Tree!! Kahahahak─!!]

“—!!!”

Rumble—!!!

Once again.

Along with an indescribably ominous roar, the wall surrounding the World Tree is destroyed with a thunderous sound.

Countless dust clouds and debris are rolling in the center of the golden street.

“Kugh…?!”

I protected Rota, who had fainted while hugging the first magic book, from the fierce aftershock. I had barely brought her out after finding her in a corner of the library, but she still hadn’t regained consciousness.

‘…Rota.’

The research faction’s library was also in ruins from debris and shocks, except for the tower leading to the Sage’s Room laid with protective magic.

Rumble—!!!

And the approaching shockwave.

The already timid surrounding research faction students scatter in panic.

“Uwak?!”

“Kyah?!”

‘…Is there such a crappy game.’

The appearance of a final boss-class raid boss that appears after the ending.

Isn’t this like being pushed to fight the Battle of Yiling with Guan Xing and Mi Fang after the Peach Garden Oath just ended? In an already failing war no less.

“…”

I watched the collapsing wall with trembling eyes. More precisely… I was watching [Snake of Wisdom and Cycles], which seemed easily over several kilometers long, advancing.

A side story boss without even a story.

In the game it only appeared as a meat shield raid boss with just its head popping out slightly… but seeing it advance while spewing black ether within a radius of several kilometers was enough to make one lose fighting spirit just by looking.

Even Hilde and Freya standing beside me could only blankly watch with dazed expressions. What can humans do in the face of natural disasters?

“…”

“…”

“…”

A heavy silence.

The first to open her mouth was Hilde.

“Abandon the World Tree. The Aesir warlord clan’s mission to protect the World Tree has failed. From now on, while someone draws attention, evacuate the golden street with as many students as possible. Receive the ’s final order.”

Freya and I flinched hearing those words. The meaning of those words was… essentially a declaration that Hilde would sacrifice herself.

“Hilde…!”

“I-If that happens, you…”

“I won’t accept objections. Ah, lastly…”

Hilde approached me and cupped my cheek.

There was no hesitation in her clumsy but gentle gesture.

She quietly pressed her lips to my cheek and kissed me.

“…”

Feeling… warmth.

I couldn’t stop tears from flowing.

Should I stay and say I’ll die together?

Or… should I tell the truth so as not to regret anymore?

‘Is it… ending like this…?’

I painfully… tried to open my mouth.

But Hilde quietly placed her finger on my lips.

“…”

“…”

“…I won’t make excuses or regrets. So Lara, can you do the same?”

“…Okay.”

Hilde and I looked at each other… sensing it was the final moment.

“…”

“…”

At that moment, Freya’s voice was heard from the side:

“U-Um…”

“…Can you be quiet for a moment?”

“…Don’t interfere.”

“No, you crazy yuri girls, l-look to the side…!”

“…?”

“…?”

When we looked to the side.

There was a golden cat swishing its tail. Faint golden ether was emanating from that strange beast.

『You get along well.』

“…?”

“…?”

『I didn’t expect this era’s ‘saintess’ to have such tastes…』

“…?”

“…?”

And…

Whoosh─!!

That golden ether was being absorbed by me. And from the branch-shaped scars on my neck… golden flower patterns were appearing.

“Golden… flowers?”