Side Character Who Became the Pseudo-Protagonist

Chapter 43: So Much For Normal

[Course Deviation Resolved]

[Host has gone above and beyond the required task at hand in maintaining canon.]

[Calculating Rewards:]

[(1) Rescue captives and uncover White Noise’s scheme: 10 CC]

[Error: Reward given in advance.]

[(2) Find the true culprit and discover her motive:]

[Reward: 5 CC]

[(3) Protect the Mimir Database from collapsing:]

[Reward: 10 CC]

[(4) Prevent the canonical death of Heroine ’Colette’]

[Reward: 5 CC]

[Available Balance: 20 CC]

There it was again, the system’s way of dangling the carrot in front of my face after I’d accomplished something it wanted.

But what caught my attention even more than all the rewards that were given was...

’Colette was supposed to die there?!’

In the original game, Colette never died, obviously because they could sell her path as the heroine and love interest.

Which meant the System wasn’t talking about the original game’s canon. At some point after I changed the timeline, Colette’s death had become the expected outcome.

’Maybe changing the timeline wasn’t such a great idea after all...I’ll have to be more vigilant.’

[New function available.]

[Would you like to open?]

"Maybe later."

I swatted the blue screen out of my face like a bug. After everything that had happened, I just wanted to get back to a normal and peaceful life.

At least...for now.

It felt strange, going back to the academy and going to class like nothing happened. Though it was inevitable, as I had missed a bunch of supplementary classes being involved in the whole incident.

"Ahh...going back to school again, what a drag..."

Now that I thought about it, this was my first chance to explore the Academy when nobody was trying to destroy it.

Even if I had seen it in game, the place was a lot nicer in person.

I entered the Courage Tower, where my freshman class was supposedly located. The corridors had a minimalistic feel, almost like this was more of a lab than an academy.

There were around four classes placed in each floor, and I tried to navigate toward the classroom I was supposed to be in.

Though it didn’t help that everywhere I went, eyes were practically glued to me. I used to think celebrity fame was admirable.

Now? Not so much.

’Ugh...how much did my father embellish that story..."

At least I didn’t have to go too far, as on the right side of the first floor near the stairs, I located the sign of my class.

"1-A, huh? Reminds me of that one superhero show..." I snorted softly to myself.

The protagonist, Leon Hart, had been placed in Class 1-B, due to his lower average test scores at the time.

Even though he made up some of the difference through his Gate clears, his commoner status, and a little foul play, had landed him there.

’The classroom is probably boring anyways. There’s no way anything’s gonna—’

Yet as soon as I slid that door open, my mouth almost dropped onto the floor.

Colette, Cecilia, Aidan, Ruby...they were all there. Even amongst the students, I could spot a few others I recognized.

’This...this is the important characters classroom isn’t it...?’

I tried to turn and walk the opposite direction, but a hand was placed on my shoulder which stopped me from moving.

It was Ruby’s.

"Nolan, are you alright? I heard your wounds were pretty bad..."

I turned slowly, accepting my fate. "I should be asking you that. You protected me when I was down. And your wounds were a lot worse than mine..."

"They looked worse than they were," Ruby said, smiling faintly. "Though I’m glad you remember."

Something about the way she said that made me pause. But before I could ask what she meant, someone from inside the classroom called out.

"Hey, could you stop flirting by the door and sit down?"

It was Professor Irene, because of course she was our homeroom teacher.

Ruby and I took the seats in the far back corner. And immediately, I caught myself staring out the window as Professor Irene started going on about the lecture.

Something something about how there was going to be a workshop dedicated to emergency preparation training for students.

Yet in the middle of her explanation, my mind started wandering.

Through the window of the classroom, my attention drifted toward the Administration Building across campus.

And a question I’d filed away in the back of my mind surfaced once more.

’How did Tina know it would be me who’d arrive?’

Her whole plan was to use my [Overload] and frame me for the destruction of the Mimir Database.

But in reality, that plan was so extremely sloppy and contingent on me arriving. For someone who was so careful with everything else...

How did she know it would be me? What if it was Claire or Grant that had arrived instead? Either of them could’ve taken out Tina a lot quicker than me.

And about [Overload]...

The Spell wasn’t exactly public knowledge. More importantly, not a lot of people knew that I was actually able to use it.

I had initially convinced myself that Tina had seen me use it during my fight with the Shepherd. But timeline-wise, it wouldn’t have made sense.

She would’ve had to stay and watch me use it, then somehow make it to the Academy before I did.

But Tina had arrived at Asgard even before I fought the Shepherd according to Grant, so that explanation was impossible.

My gaze drifted across the classroom, toward the people who had accompanied me into the Lava Quarry Gate.

They had seen it—Aidan, Cecilia, Colette, and Ruby.

’Would any of them have a reason to sell me out?’

None that I knew of...

My attention finally returned to Professor Irene, who was explaining something my ears had apparently decided wasn’t important.

She knew about it too, but... The Professor had taken an oath that would’ve made it impossible for her to actually say anything.

The only explanation I could think of was that one of the captives had seen me fight and somehow passed the information along.

But even that explanation didn’t feel right.

"Arghh..." I leaned back in my chair, scratching my head. "I’m confused..."

"Got something to say to the class, Midgard?"

Every head turned toward me, probably expecting some wisdom beyond their years.

"No, Ms. Irene."

But before the Professor could find another excuse to embarrass me in front of the classroom, the speakers mounted above the classroom crackled to life.

[Attention. Nolan Midgard of Class 1-A is requested to report to the Student Council Office immediately.]

...

Slowly, every head turned toward me.

"...What did you do?" Aidan asked.

"Why are you assuming I did something?"

"Because they said immediately."

That was a good point.

[Repeating: Nolan Midgard of Class 1-A is requested to report to the Student Council Office immediately.]

I stood up and stared at the speaker.

’So much for a normal and peaceful life.’