Chapter 68: Sketch
SYSTEM : The progress of <The Black Death> Trial has reached 100%.The first crisis was over.
Although Lotte Saliere had gotten infected by the disease towards the end, he’d somehow been able to overcome it since he’d approached Sephia Glyston beforehand and asked her to make the cure as soon as possible.
Thanks to those efforts, no one in the Academy died.
It was truly an exceptional record, so much so that he wanted to post about it if he could access the forums.
Vermel muttered softly and opened the System Window.
SYSTEM : Calculating the probability of the world ending based on causal data.A translucent window that appeared before his eyes, the benefit granted to him by the Goddess who managed this world.
After a moment of loading, the System Window displayed the result he’d hoped for with a clear chime.
SYSTEM : The probability of the Bad Ending is currently 75%.As expected, the probability went down. With this, they were one step closer to the Happy Ending.
And in this process, Vermel came to owe Aether for three things.
First, for fabricating the plague prevention scroll that he had intended to make and distribute.
Second, for willingly agreeing to go down into the underground channels during the time when the Black Death had been rampant.
And the third.
This one makes the least sense.
For nursing the infected Saliere 24 hours a day and delaying her ironizing symptoms.
The pulse scroll could be seen as coincidence, because she was a character exceptionally skilled with her hands and the game never described her school life in detail before Corruption.
Accompanying him down to the sewers was a hidden route so that was understandable. He only needed to think he’d gotten extremely lucky with those crazy odds.
But he just couldn’t understand why she’d sacrificed own health to provide continuous care for Saliere.
─ Sorry, but could you lend me some money?
When she’d said that over the phone to save her roommate, he seriously felt like he got hit over the head with a hammer.
“.......”
He’d thought that knowing the original story would give him more flexibility.
It was such an inconsistent pattern. At this rate, he’d have to reinvestigate from the top.
Vermel decided to observe Aether closely for the next while.
And sure enough, she began acting out of character when school resumed.
She must have dropped by the library early this morning. Aether entered the classroom with an armful of books with Tilette’s seal. From a glimpse, they were all books on continental history.
Read lat𝙚st chapters at fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓ Only.
Why history...?
They didn’t learn much history in first year. He wondered how she had time for that when finals were approaching.
“It’s been a while, everyone! I’m so happy to see you all. The Black Death may not be completely gone yet but I’m touched by the fact that you’re back in school.”
“Then will class end early today?”
“No? We need to push through and catch you guys up as well to make it in time for the finals. Now, open your books.”
Even as the other classmates were complaining, she remained steadfast in her reading. Aether was drawing something as she discreetly turned the pages of the books she had brought.
What is she drawing?
She didn’t let go of the pen even outside of class like during breaks and lunch time. When Prince Klion pretended to pick a fight, she hardly reacted and kept scribbling away.
“What are you doing?”
“Nothing.”
When Vermel came around to the front out of curiosity, Aether quickly folded the paper and hid it under the desk.
He didn’t need to ask directly. Saliere should’ve seen it from the seat next to her.
“What was she working on?”
Vermel took the chance to ask Lotte while Aether was absent with the paper, but the answer he got was disappointing.
“I’m not sure either. She was writing something in a foreign language....”
Her eccentricity didn’t end that day.
The next day. Then the next. Then the day after.
It’s already been a week.
Aether read through the books on continental history and jotted things down on a daily basis. Vermel tried sneaking up from behind when he got the chance, but she’d notice and hid the paper, grinning.
“Do you want to know that badly?”
“Come on, I’ll forget about the ten gold you borrowed from me.”
“That was already discussed with the Saliere family.”
He needed to know what she was doing so he could react accordingly. It definitely wasn’t out of mere curiosity.
“Then I’ll give you a gold coin.”
“No, thanks.”
This was how most of the recent conversations went with Aether. And he was ruthlessly shot down each time.
“What’s this, is there something going on between you two?”
“Oh my gosh!”
He even heard this kind of nonsense from his female peers. His head was already aching and this just made it worse.
Trying to flirt with Aether? It’d be safer to surf with a man-eating shark.
Vermel waved his hand and chased off the paparazzi masquerading as his classmates. The world was about to end; there was absolutely no time to date.
Time still passed in the meantime and before he knew it, finals were just around the corner.
SYSTEM : ‘Dark Day Aether’ is watching you carefully.And Vermel began feeling threatened.
SYSTEM : Take utmost caution.Why are you doing this to me!
You’ve been quiet all this time!
This wouldn’t do. At this rate, he wouldn’t be ready for the Second Trial in time.
The Second Trial, <Guillotine>.
To easily get past this Trial or skip it altogether, he had to keep an eye on the palace because this was when the beasts within the Empire began to move intently.
The person to concentrate on was the currently imprisoned First Prince. He was in isolation somewhere within the palace so for Vermel to avert the Second Trial as an elf, he had to build connections with those of the Imperial court.
The Second Prince Klion. He had to speak to him somehow as he was of sound mind.
Just as he was trying to prevent the Second Trial, here was the catalyst of the Fourth Trial, Aether, displaying uncharacteristic behavior. The thought of possibly having to stop two Trials at once was driving him mad.
And then.
SYSTEM : The probability of heading towards the Bad Ending is currently 67%.“No way. It went down?”
It was definitely at 75% not so long ago.
Yet the fact that the probability went down even though there hadn’t been any particular incidents meant that someone besides him was progressing the story and getting closer to the truth of this world.
“...We also recognize Mr. Vermel Horde and Miss Aether for their utmost efforts within the Academy to get us safely through the plague.”
Finally, the end of the semester. As he received the certificate from Robespierre at the closing ceremony, Vermel fell into deep thought. The Golden-Eyed girl right next to him glanced his way and smiled mysteriously.
It was grating somehow.
Please let nothing happen during the break.
The two walked down the hall to go back to their classroom.
Just then, Aether did something unexpected. She’d been following behind at a distance but abruptly came up next to him.
“......?”
His mind suddenly blanked.
With the exception of Lotte or Freyr, Aether usually kept a meter’s distance from others. And such a person was now walking alongside him without any warning.
A distance of only about twenty centimeters, close enough to brush elbows.
He’d have been leaping for joy thinking this was greenlight if this had happened while walking with a female friend, but this was different.
SYSTEM : System warning - life may be threatened.More than ever, Vermel felt like he was going to die.
Aether who started watching him with a blank expression, eyes wide.
She really was disgustingly pretty. Ah, by the way, you needed to emphasize the right part. She was ‘disgustingly’ pretty.
A beauty who causes the downfall of a nation; it made his stomach churn being face-to-face with the person who could burn down the Empire at the slightest tick.
Regardless. Aether placed a paper on top of the certificate she was holding.
“......?”
There was a short note written on it. Vermel, who had desperately been wanting to see what Aether drew, read over the words without question.
[Q. Is there a monster that can see hundreds of kilometers away or not?]
[Yes/No]
[Blink twice for yes, once for no.]
A nonsense quiz. It was totally random.
He wasn’t sure if she’d lost it after the Black Death ordeal, but her actions kept deviating from the original story.
He felt baffled, but Vermel still answered using knowledge of the future.
Blink, blink.
“Okie.”
After saying that, Aether walked on ahead. Left by himself, he realized he made a critical mistake.
“... She didn’t regain her memories, did she?”
If so, then they were fucked.
“What.”
[You said that you’d reveal yourself to the transmigrator soon but don’t, claiming that you have this ‘big picture’ and instead just sit there drawing Feynman diagram-looking things all day and read nothing but continental history books because you suddenly decided to study history! So when are you going to study magic and get to making that hydrogen bomb or whatsit? Is this the big picture thing you were talking about, Master?]
“Yup.”
[We can use telepathy so just tell me internally. Why couldn’t you just say it!]
“Alright, alright.”
Because.
[Because...?]