Chapter 20

Translated by Momo & edited by Mary

Right after that, a scream echoed from the dormitory.

The four of them rushed towards the voice and saw the students running out of the dormitory one after another.

Behind them was a rampant student with a malicious expression on his face and several wild dogs.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

“Is it a ‘disturbance’?”

As Oscar calmly uttered, Cecilia looked surprised. This was supposed to be Jade and Leanne’s event.

“Let’s leave that matter from earlier aside, we have to help everyone now!”

Leanne said impatiently.

That wasn’t something that Cecilia can afford to just let it go, but she knows Leanne is right.

For the time being, the priority should be to prevent damage caused by the 'disturbances’.

(I need to help everyone too, but this time I must not interfere too much!)

She was still very aware of the prologue and how she ruined Oscar and Leanne’s first event. It was one of Cecilia’s bad habits that she acted carelessly and couldn’t pay attention to her surroundings when she became hasty.

“Bring the injured students here!”

Professor Mordred was shouting behind them. He was healing the wounded using the power of his 'treasure’. It was a power very befitting of his role as a school doctor.

Basically, a Saint who has not received any 'treasure’ has no power. Their only ability was to eliminate 'disturbances’ by touching the mark that appeared on the body of those affected by it. However, no matter how many 'treasures’ a Saint candidate has received, they’re able to possess the power of each one of knights. Therefore, the Saint candidate entrusted with the most 'treasures’ was stronger than any of the knights.

This meant that Cecilia can currently use Gilbert’s 'treasure’.

(Certainly, Gil’s treasure was…)

“Cecil!”

She got distracted as she sorted through her memories. Cecilia didn’t notice the stray dog jumping from behind until Oscar called her name. She was caught off guard and staggered. At that time, the tip of her finger touched the 'treasure’ on her wrist.

“Gyann!!”

Bzzzt. Sparks flashed around the dog before it could touch Cecilia. The wild dog dropped to the ground and went still. Then a black haze rose and vanished from the dog’s body.

(I remember, Gil’s 'treasure’…)

Contrary to Oscar, his 'treasure’ was specialized in defense. When deployed, almost nothing can hurt the caster. It was a tool that automatically nullified anything that tried to harm its owner.

(In that case!)

Cecilia approached Oscar.

“I’m going to help evacuate those who haven’t escaped yet, so can Oscar take care of the 'disturbances’? My 'treasure’ weapon isn’t suited for battle…”

“Of course. You don’t have to worry about that.”

“Can Jade move together with Leanne? If you’re able to, please help Oscar.”

“All right!”

“Okay.”

Cecilia didn’t forget to casually let Jade and Leanne stay together. After all, he still has to get hurt while protecting Leanne.

(Well. But this would mean I’m simply overlooking Jade’s injury…)

To endure the remorse, Cecilia held her chest. She knew it was a necessary event for the plot, and she also understood it wasn’t going to be a life-threatening injury, but it was still difficult.

But if she interrupted this event, only a dark future would be waiting for her.

(Even if Jade is going to get hurt, at least make it a shallow wound!)

“Oscar!”

“…What happened?”

Cecilia pulled the hem of his uniform, stopping him from heading to the dormitory.

“Um, stay by Jade’s side. Don’t get yourselves hurt…eh, maybe only a little…”

“Hmm?…Okay.”

“I trust you!”

She said it while holding his hand, making Oscar’s face turn red all of a sudden.

“J-just leave it to me!”

“Yeah, do your best!”

“I got it!”

Oscar replied, shyly turning his gaze away.

This should be enough to help Jade with his injury.

Cecilia was full of such thoughts.

“Okay! I need to do my best too!”

She said it out loud to switch gears and pump herself up.

Cecilia also has something she must do. Despite the event, it would be better if there were fewer casualties.

She touched the bracelet and jumped towards the screaming voices in the dormitory.

◆ ◇ ◆

After thirty minutes, the situation showed signs of recovery.

Most of the 'disturbances’ have disappeared, and the students and teachers were sitting around the yard and observing the surroundings around the dormitory.

Shortly after Cecilia left the dormitory with the last remaining person, Jade, Leanne, and Oscar came out too. They must have finished purifying the 'disturbances’.

Leanne found Cecilia and ran in her direction.

“Cecil, were you all right?”

“Yeah. Thank you, I’m fine.”

Cecilia smiled to reassure Leanne who had furrowed her eyebrows. She seemed worried about Cecilia, who went off on her own.

Oscar approached right after Leanne. There was dirt on his cheek.

“You don’t seem to be hurt.”

“Aaah, you guys also …”

Cecilia saw Jade. He was completely immaculate without a single scratch on him.

She tilted her neck to the side.

“Why aren’t you injured?”

“When you say like that it sounds like you wanted us to be injured.”

“No, just Oscar being fine…”

As she heard herself say that she couldn’t bear to say “I wanted Jade to be injured.”

Considering the fact that Jade and Leanne were spying on Cecilia earlier, somehow this whole event seemed strange. Cecilia stroked her chin with a troubled expression.

At that time, she heard something growling behind her. The instant she looked back, something jumped towards them. Cecilia fell on her back in surprise.

A black thing rushed directly towards Leanne.

“Leanne!!”

“Kyaaa!”

The black thing was a dog affected by a 'disturbance’.

Jade, who was the closest, protected Leanne.

This was exactly the same scene Cecilia saw in the game.

“Jade!”

However, she heard a shout that was not in the game and a sword swung down at the dog. The sword passed through its body without splitting the dog’s flesh, cutting only a black haze in half.

The dog fell down as if it suddenly fainted and became immobile. It did not seem to be dead as the ears were still moving.

“Huh. Was I too careless…?”

Oscar swung his sword down as if he was cleaning up and putting away a real blade, and then it disappeared.

Cecilia stared at him with a stunned expression.

“……Why……?”

“Hmm?”

“Wh-why did you defeat it!? ”

“Huh?”

Oscar frowned. He couldn’t understand what Cecilia was talking about.

“It’s a 'disturbance’, of course, I have to defeat it!”

“But! But!!”

Cecilia’s scenario was broken just in front of her, and she hesitantly gapped her mouth. It was good that neither Leanne nor Jade got injured. Of course, Cecilia didn’t want them to be hurt.

Nevertheless…

“But!!”

Just like that…The event was–! She couldn’t even shout.

“Just before, didn’t you say 'I trust you’, but what’s with that attitude now?”

“Oscar, you got really fired up after that, huh?”

“That’s not it!”

Oscar’s cheeks reddened while he fleetly turned his face away, probably because he was happy when Leanne approached him.

Cecilia remembered their earlier conversation.

“Um, stay by Jade’s side. Don’t get yourselves hurt…eh, maybe only a little…”

“Hmm?…Okay.”

“I trust you!”

(Was it because of what I said!?)

Cecilia held her head.

It felt like her head was about to roll off her neck, heavy with regret, desolation, and anger at herself.

As Cecilia glanced down, she noticed a notebook dropped by her feet.

“What is this……?”

She carelessly picked it up and flipped it over.

Inside that notebook…

———————–

Cecil restrained Oscar with his thin arms.

Oscar, intoxicated by the heat from the aphrodisiacs, looked up at Cecil with moist eyes without any resistance.

He had a suggestively charming smile on his face

“Struggling is futile, Oscar.”

Just like that, Cecil pushed down Oscar as…

———————–

“UwaaAaAaaaAH!”

Cecilia vigorously closed the notebook.

The notebook that fell on the ground was a novel.

Moreover, she was used as the main character And even paired with Oscar.

(A-and… Am I the top!?)

“Ce, Cecil! Hey! P-please stop! It’s embarrassing!!”

Jade was the one who probably took the notebook out of her hands. He shyly asked while his cheeks reddened, “Did you read it?”.

When Cecilia nodded, he squealed, saying, “Uuuh”. What is he, a maiden?

Jade who still had a reddened face, confessed.

“Actually, I used you both as the protagonists of a novel I wrote…”

“…”

“Leanne is also drawing the illustrations.”

“Oh, that’s called a 'manga’!”

After being reborn in this world, Cecilia was struck by the concept of 'manga’ for the first time.

Cecilia’s brain circuit was completely breaking down.

“Wait, wait! A manga…”

“It’s a technique for making stories through connecting pictures.”

“I know that.”

“Oh… were you aware of this concept?”

Cecilia continued to talk without realizing Leanne’s meaningful questioning.

“Hey, can I ask you something? What was the purpose of your diary exchange?”

“We were doing creative activities together!”

Leanne lightly laughed without taking any offense at Cecilia’s eagerness.

Cecilia felt like fainting after seeing that bright smile.

“So, when you guys were spying on me earlier…”

“That was for research and data gathering!”

Her whole spirit was about to collapse from these direct attacks.

And they even used a 'treasure’ for their (peeping) research. It really gives out a shady hobby vibe.

Jade made a sullen face.

“I’m sorry, Cecil. But my favourite is GilCeci!”

“Exactly what are you apologizing for…”

She spontaneously hardened her expression. She covered her eyes and felt sorry for her stepbrother getting somehow dragged into this.

“If we’re going to discuss it, I prefer OscarCeci! CeciOscar is also tempting, especially with the emphasis on a dark and twisted Cecil… but for me, Cecil is an eternal bottom!”

“I’m neither top or bottom!”

“I’m sorry. I can’t really accept a reversible pairing. I thought a bit about it before but my guess is that Leanne might be misinterpreting something.”

“What are you discussing right in front of me, there is no need to interpret anything!”

Despite impetuously retorting back to their comments, she didn’t know how to stop their nonsensical blabbering.

By the way, Oscar was shaking his head by himself, apparently unable to follow the whole conversation.

“Hey, can I ask one last thing?”

“Yes, what is it?”

“Yes?”

Cecilia took a deep breath.

“How do you define your relationship?”

“Friends that share a hobby!”

“We’re creative buddies!”

Cecilia almost collapsed after hearing those answers.