༺ I Became The Crazy Wizard Of The Academy – 1 ༻
Time remaining until the first class── 1 day.
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After coming out as a Dream Demon, Pink-Haired Lesbian’s attitude changed slightly.
“Would you like some coffee?”
“Yeah, with milk.”
Should I say it felt like she was taking care of me a bit more? Or should I say the barrier between Pink-Haired Lesbian and me felt like it had gotten thinner?
When it was just the two of us, Pink-Haired Lesbian’s fashion became more comfortable as well. She insisted on wearing a full suit with all the buttons done up when going outside, but indoors, she would unbutton a few and even take off her suit jacket.
I believed such behavior was……..an expression of trust.
The effort to break away from the racial limits of a Dream Demon must have been frustrating. I thought it was madness to sleep in a full suit, but it actually wasn’t that nutty; it was conviction and effort.
Opportunely, I also had a solid safety device thanks to Yuna called Sexual Desire Suppression Magic.
I hoped Pink-Haired Lesbian felt comfortable around me, at the very least. Just like how other people went around, in casual clothes.
“Here it is.”
“Yep, thank you……..Wait a minute.”
“Excuse me? Is there a problem?”
“Where did your suit pants go.”
Pink-Haired Lesbian’s lower half was completely bare.
The suit pants had disappeared to who knows where, leaving only black stockings. The white panties were all too visible through the black.
“Ah, since it was uncomfortable.”
Pink-Haired Lesbian spoke calmly.
I wanted her to be comfortable, but not to this extent…
As I stood there dumbfounded as if I had been hit on the back of the head with a hammer, Pink-Haired Lesbian laid down on the sofa in that same exact state. Then, while stretching, she flaunted her slender legs.
“Did I forget to turn off the magic circle…….?”
No. I didn’t. Moreover, I finished tweaking the magic circle, completely remodeling it. It wouldn’t affect the Academy until I activated it, and even if it did, I had finished making exceptions just for Pink-Haired Lesbian.
Did some unknown force realize the fact that the magic circle got NTRed and create a new one to activate it within a day? No. That couldn’t be the case. I’m pretty sure that would be tough even for an Archwizard.
As I was racking my brain, trying to figure out what the hell was going on, Pink-Haired Lesbian dealt me an additional blow.
“Don’t you want to hit it?”
“What. Hit what.”
“My butt.”
“What the fuck. Why have you been saying crazy bullshit every chance you get ever since then?!”
As I jumped up in utter terror, Pink-Haired Lesbian smirked insidiously. By that, I mean she narrowed her eyes slightly and lifted the corners of her mouth. And after doing so, she spoke while still lying face down.
“Because you said you’ll think of me as a friend.”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
Oh! I see! She was just fucking with me!
Just like how one plays a mischievous prank on a friend, it seemed Pink-Haired Lesbian was in a playful mood too. After all, whenever Pink-Haired Lesbian made this kind of move, hadn’t I tried to run away desperately, throwing myself left, right, front, and back to escape this horror film?
The balance of the war of nerves that continued between two prideful geniuses…….seemed to have collapsed. Pink-Haired Lesbian was now in a mount position on top of me, launching an indiscriminate bombardment that I could not escape from.
I kinda understood how she felt. After all, she had lived without friends due to being born as a Dream Demon, so having a friend who knew Sexual Desire Suppression Magic must be a dream come true for her. But it wasn’t great to be unilaterally dealt damage like this.
What wasn’t great, you ask? My mood wasn’t great. I felt like shit.
I will not just stand here and take it.
“『Overlay : Genderbender』.”
“?”
If you wish to duel with seduction, I shall oblige.
I swept back my side hair, rearranging it. My long black hair fluttered. I had long known that Pink-Haired Lesbian was weak to the zettai ryōiki.
Right as I was about to start a war of seduction, beginning with the motion of taking off the stockings under a skirt that barely showed the panties, a sharp cat’s cry was heard from the side.
“Meooooooow!!”
A yellow cat puffed up all its fur in annoyance. Drops of sorrow were falling from its purple eyes. I undid the transformation and rushed over to it.
“My Kaaluk1T’ekaaluk is a Khajiit that comes out in Elder Scrolls. Koreans have a meme where they call cats “T’ekaaluk” because of it. T’ekaaluk -> Khajiit -> Cat. Right now, the MC is basically calling the cat an abbreviated version, named “Kaaluk”, what’s wrong? Why do you keep calling for daddy?”
“……What’s with the cat?”
“Ah, I picked it up yesterday on my way here. For some strange reason, I felt attached to it.”
I soothed Kaaluk, stroking it here and there. Perhaps because it was a wild cat, it flinched at first, but soon, it rubbed against my hand while purring.
The war of seduction had been postponed, but I would not forget this grudge. Just you wait, Pink-Haired Lesbastard.
===============================================================
The time had come.
Tomorrow, the first lecture of 『Countermeasures to Illusion Magic』 would be held. And I was not a student, but the Professor. I was a bit nervous since it was something I had never done in my life.
But it was okay, After all, I had a magic spell that would sweep all my worries and nerves away.
This is…….a TRPG.
It was the same when I had a job interview in my previous life. If I thought of the situation as a TRPG and myself as a character, words flowed out smoothly. It was a proven method, tried and true.
I was trying to act out the character of a Professor. What kind of Professor should it be, what kind of…….character would fit best in this situation? Perhaps being a bit mysterious might work well.
I’m talking about the narrow-eyed characters that were so suspicious that they were suspicious. You know, those guys who were all chill and shit, but when shit hit the fan, they would unleash their true power.
This character trait had its advantages. It was possible to suddenly come up with a map of where the Demonic Sword was buried or to blurt out unverified rumors like, ‘Did you know? There’s a legend that the Divine Arts of the Heavenly Demon is hidden within the Academy……’.
Surprisingly……… I was already suspicious. To the point that the Saintess who got ahold of the Demonic Sword was after me. Since I was already suspicious, I might as well just go all out and be incomprehensibly mysterious. Imma make them lose their minds because of how mysterious I am!
Noice, next.
How should I conduct the first class……? Let’s briefly outline the objectives of the class.
1) Increase the prestige of the Purple Magic Tower by making Illusion Magic go viral
2) Spark curiosity about the 『Otherworld Exploration』 lecture
3) Make the students vigilant of Illusion Magic and learn how to counteract it.
4) Supplement practical experience.
Mm.
Something……. Something clicked. I could picture it. It seemed like a move that could satisfy all conditions. A sharp, insightful angle. I called for Pink-Haired Lesbian, who was loafing around beside me.
“Hey, Pink-Haired Lesbian.”
“Yes, Unni.”
“Okay, Babe. As a Dream Demon, you can enter people’s dreams right? How does that mechanism work?”
“My Dear Husband. Sneaking into dreams is possible due to the special racial trait of Dream Demons. With the power to move between reality and delusion, we transform our bodies into clusters of information and parasitize the target’s body.”
“Thanks for telling me, Darling.”
“No problem. Oppa.”
How does she always get the last word in?
Anyway, I gotta feeling. Woooo, woooo. It wasn’t so different from Illusion Magic. The magic circle seemed usable for various purposes, but this time, I decided to use it as a battery and a loudspeaker.
Since it had the capability to influence the entire Academy, magic cast here could be spread throughout the Academy with a single click of a mouse.
I vaguely conceived it. A cool friend who entered other people’s minds and showed them wonderful dreams. I gave it a bit of intelligence and minimal autonomy. A cluster of information that followed my commands. I named it after the classics.
“『Sandman』.”
In a way, it could also be called an artificial spirit.
I deliberately lowered the intensity of the Illusion Magic shown by Sandman. Sensitive people could easily recognize it as an illusion. After all, that was how it should be for the class to work, shouldn’t it?
I recalled the beginning of a semester in my previous life. The face of the teacher who distributed a quiz to gauge our levels as soon as I entered my assigned middle school was still clear in my mind. I resented it then, but now I came to think that there may have been a reason for it.
Sandman would serve as that very quiz. It was time to see how well the students were prepared to defend against Illusion Magic. I activated the magic circle.
Grey fog was sucked into the center of the magic circle. After a short wait, the replicated Sandman would spread throughout the Academy. Then, it would go to the students that I had already inputted in advance, showing them the dreams they desired.
Now then, a ghost is on the prowl in this Academy──.
===============================================================
Bennett opened his eyes.
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
He threw off the blanket, got up, opened the back door, and scooped up a bucket of water from the well. Even after lightly splashing his face and shaking off the water from his hair, the somewhat dazed feeling was not washed away.
What day was it today? Today was……right, he needed to attend the 『Countermeasures to Illusion Magic』 lecture. School had started. Academy life began once again.
Bennet had been doing well until now. He sneaked into the Academy, became a disciple of Alexon, and started his 2nd-Year without revealing his identity. The time of patience and restraint was about to come to an end.
The pretense would stop here as well. Whether it was going to Alexon for teachings or talking with the guys he had gotten to know at the Academy, this would be the last time. D-Day was early July, just before the Academy’s final evaluations.
Before July, he would continue to accumulate and maximize the fear and anxiety in this place.
And once the 『Corpse Flower that Consumes Fear』 casted 『Nightmare Summon』……a new world would descend. The Black Wizards would achieve their goal and Bennett would receive his promised reward.
He dressed properly. Wearing the Academy uniform, he strapped two daggers and a long sword to himself. Then, he left the dormitory. The 『Countermeasures to Illusion Magic』 lecture was to be held in an auditorium that could accommodate all enrolled students.
He walked. Around him, fellow students passed by. Their features seemed especially blurred today. A strange sense of unease was felt.
Blink.
When he opened his eyes, he was in the auditorium. Time really did fly like an arrow. The time spent walking in a daze felt, at times, like teleportation.
He found a suitable seat in the corner. Not too front, not too back, but close to the building’s exit. Bennett was always cautious.
A wizard ascended the podium. He was wearing a hood. Right, they had formed a group to pursue that person. Saintess Tara and Niolle. They were definitely supposed to attend this lecture as well. But they were nowhere to be seen.
The wizard started talking about how to cook spaghetti. He listened with one ear and let it pass through the other. Soon, the wizard’s voice became like background noise, barely audible.
He felt numb, as if submerged in water.
Right then, someone sat next to Bennett. Dark green hair fluttered. It was like a poisonous herb blooming in a decaying swamp; its ominous color seemed addictive just from looking at it.
Bennett knew her. He knew her very well. She was 『Corpse Flower that Consumes Fear』. A Black Wizard who had been executed in the past, but had resurrected.
Why was she here? As Bennett pondered such a question, she spoke in a beautiful and kind voice.
“The plan succeeded, Bennett.”
“…….What is that supposed to mean?”
“Just as it sounds. Thanks to your hard work, we have gathered enough fear. Honestly…..I had no intention of keeping the promise. But since you worked so hard, I’ll keep it.”
What a relief. Bennett had thought that there was zero possibility of her willingly fulfilling her promise. But a miracle had happened. Bennett’s efforts had been worthwhile.
Deceiving others, occasionally killing innocents, and using magic at the expense of his soul over the past years was not in vain. He had received his reward. It was moving.
“I’ll return it now.”
“Yes, hurry. I’ve been waiting for this moment for so, so long……”
His heart raced. Finally, he could meet her again.
The green color slowly drained from the hair of 『Corpse Flower that Consumes Fear』. It returned to its original color, a slightly lighter shade than Bennet’s. Ash hair akin to silk. At last.
『Corpse Flower that Consumes Fear』, who had resurrected by stealing his little sister’s body, slipped out.
Suppressing his overwhelming emotions, Bennett cautiously called out his sister’s name.
“…….Verda.”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
“…….It’s me. Bennett. It’s been a while, right? Oppa’s been doing well. Yeah……”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
No response came. Upon closer inspection of his sister’s face, there was nothing there. After all, it was to be expected. It had been over five years since he last saw his little sister. Enough time for memories to fade, blurring into the forgetful abyss.
Bennett looked down.
“……As expected, it was a dream.”
This was not the first time he had gone through this. It was a dream. And an attack on his mind. Was there a Dream Demon hiding in the Academy?
Bennett had desperately wished for his little sister’s return. She was the only family he had left in this world. It seemed the Dream Demon had read such desperation. Caught in a maelstrom of disappointment, self-loathing, and anger, Bennett drew his sword.
“…….Get lost.”
The existence wearing his sister’s appearance cocked its head, as if not understanding. And then, its mouth grotesquely ripped wide open.
Bennett woke up from the dream.
===============================================================
Those who had undergone the ability of Dream Demons would experience confusion between dreams and reality. Bennett sat up, holding his head. His eyes were moist. Was this a dream or was this reality?
He yanked his drawer and opened his diary. The dream of a Dream Demon could not replicate details. He read through the diary. It was perfectly logical and coherent with not a single inconsistency. This must be reality.
He got dressed, armed himself, and stepped outside. He needed to go attend the 『Countermeasures to Illusion Magic』 lecture.
He shook off the unpleasant sense of déjà vu by jerking his head. As he was walking along the main road, he heard murmurs of people from here and there.
“……Are they trying to catch the Dream Demon?”
“That’s a part of it…..but mostly, it’s regarding the arrest of Black Wizards.”
He turned his head towards the voice that responded from behind. It was Saintess Tara, looking particularly haggard today while wearing the same embarrassing attire she always flaunted around. Sorrow marred her eyes. Had she too been affected by the Dream Demon?
“Arrest of Black Wizards?”
“Because an entire group of them were causing a commotion, saying something about a……plan succeeding or whatever. I don’t know what got into them, but it’s still a fortunate thing. Except for the damned nightmare, it is a fine day.”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
His head began to hurt. Had there been a mishap among their ranks at this crucial time?
Tap tap tap tap.
Niolle, having seen Bennett and Tara, joined them with a whiteboard held up high. Unlike the two tormented by nightmares, she appeared exceedingly excited and happy.
[Good morning!]
“…….You look really happy. Did something happen?”
[I had a wonderfully happy dream.]
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
“Let’s leave the commotion to the Paladins for now. And let’s head to class. The uproar was just caused by some riff-raff, so there’s no need for anyone else to step in.”
The Saintess waved her hand.
[Is something the matter?]
“To explain again……”
Saintess Tara and Niolle chatted as they walked to the lecture hall. Bennett followed a step behind.
===============================================================
One by one, students started gathering in the lecture hall. Some were smiling as if happy, while others bore a somber expression like Bennett and Tara. This odd commonality inflated suspicion in Bennett’s mind.
“……Could it be…”
The commotion that started first thing in the morning was…..
Thud. Thud.
A wizard wearing a hood ascended the podium. Beneath the hood, long black hair spelled out and eyes that seemed to glow red in the shadows shone brightly.
Standing on the podium, the wizard gave a light greeting in an all too casual manner.
“Did you enjoy your dreams last night?”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯?”
Silence. The lecture hall froze instantly.
