I Became The Academy’s Joker Character

Chapter 20

—–CROW—– 

I felt warmth.

I could sense the devastated surroundings burning from the residual magic. Yet, I wasn’t hot.

“Haha, so you can do things like that when you become an elder-level mage…?”

Gerard muttered in disbelief, looking at me without a single scorch mark.  I hadn’t been injured much.  The cloak had absorbed most of the impact from his attacks, and [Blaze Burst], which was practically a self-destruct attack, hadn’t harmed me due to the nature of [Mana Dominator].

“…Just shut up.”

“Gah!”

Of course, I had no intention of telling Gerard that. I stomped on his solar plexus, knocking him unconscious.  Now, all that remained was the final step.  I just needed to hit him with [Gust Piercing], the wind-attribute piercing magic I had prepared.  Once I killed him, everything would be over.

“Sigh…”

My fingertips trembled.  [Erosion Blade] was over 25%. I hesitated. I still questioned whether this was the right course of action.

Was it because Gerard was from Chrysos? He was practically the last citizen of Chrysos.  Gerard had planned a crime, but it ended in an attempted murder. If I killed him, Eleanor would truly be alone.  On the other hand, if I could persuade him, Eleanor’s mental burden might be significantly alleviated.

“…”

The benefits of killing him versus the benefits of not killing him.  While I hesitated, the surroundings grew noisy.

“Oh dear.”

In the game, this wouldn’t have attracted much attention, but now it was different. I had used [Thunder Calling], an advanced magic spell, right from the start.  After that, I’d used a series of visually striking magic spells, so it was impossible for them to have missed the commotion.

[Observation] detected the faculty discussing the situation from a distance. Among them were powerhouses like Prudence Loa, difficult opponents even in the original story, but they didn’t seem inclined to intervene.

“Tsk…”

Too late. My hesitation had cost me the chance to kill Gerard.  If I killed a defenseless Gerard now, Tia wouldn’t let me get away with it.

“Ahem!”

“Should someone try talking to him?”

“Is it safe to approach?  Isn’t he the Successor of the Mage King? He might see it as a provocation.”

“I can see his murderous gaze from here.  I’ll pass.”

“Professor Aira, why don’t you try talking to him? Isn’t Prince Oz a student in your class?”

“Uh… M-Me?”

Professor Aira was being bullied again.  I always seemed to be causing her trouble.  I should apologize to her later.

Then, [Observation] detected new arrivals.  They were probably other professors and students who’d noticed the commotion, but among them were three presences I couldn’t ignore.  One was approaching me cautiously and politely, while another was coming aggressively and violently.  And the last one seemed static, with no intention of intervening.

“Hah! What’s this now, Oz?”

The one approaching me aggressively and violently was a man with red hair and predatory eyes.

[SSR Fist King]

Alexios

He confidently strode out from among the hesitant faculty and approached me. Alexios’ gaze shifted between Gerard, lying at my feet, and the [Gust Piercing] forming in my hand.  His face twisted in rage, and a red light emanated from his arms.

He seemed angrier than I’d expected.  Or perhaps he was seeing something else in this scene.

Objectively speaking, I was the asshole here.  Alexios had a shitty personality, but he was essentially on the side of good.

“Alexios…”

“You’ve been acting out of character, haven’t you?”

Could I defeat Alexios if he attacked? No.  I couldn’t defeat the [Fist King] in my current state.  I had no chance of winning without relying on the random effects of [Mana Dominator].  Even then, it was unlikely to work unless it was SSR-rank magic.  I didn’t want to gamble on such odds.

But if I just waited, I would be at the mercy of the impatient Alexios.

“Yes, I haven’t been able to understand your actions for a while now.”

Using [Physical Enhancement] would be pointless.  That level of stat difference was negligible to Alexios. That was the gap between Gerard, who was only SR-rank, and an SSR-rank character.

“Tell me.”

Alexios hated me intensely.  It was too blatant to be simply a personality clash.  I didn’t know why he hated me. I didn’t know what had happened between us.

“Are you going to refuse to answer again?”

And if Alexios realized I didn’t know, the situation would only worsen.  Silence was my only option.

“Why don’t you at least try to make an excuse?”

I dispersed the magic remaining in my hand.  This signaled that I no longer intended to attack Gerard, but Alexios didn’t seem to care.  His eyes burned with fury.

“So that time, that too…”

Could I persuade him? No, it was impossible. Alexios was past persuasion; he just wanted to attack me. I’d intended to surrender peacefully, but Alexios looked ready to throw a punch.

So, I held on, trusting in the other presence.  Even if they didn’t intervene, I couldn’t avoid this attack.  [Spatial Barrier] was still on cooldown.  [Parma Shield], an intermediate-level spell, wouldn’t be able to block Alexios’ attack.

“So, you want to do this, huh?”

“If you insist…”

So, once again, I had to gamble, hoping that [Mana Dominator] would block Alexios’ attack.

『That steadfast faith shall become light.』

But at that moment, a single line of song reached my ears.  Simultaneously, a translucent barrier of light appeared between Alexios and me.

If magic was art, drawing formulaic structures with mana, then divine arts were music, appealing to the gods with a voice filled with divine power and faith.

And there was only one person I could think of who possessed such a beautiful voice.  Yes, one of the two presences [Observation] had detected.

[SSR Saintess of Hope]

Arieta Domine

Three SSR-rank characters were gathered in one place. In the game, this would have exceeded the cost limit.

With that absurd thought, I lowered my [Erosion Blade], which had reached its limit. The situation was over. There was no need to be on edge anymore.

“You’re both too agitated. Why don’t you calm down for a moment?”

Alexios had lost his reason, but I wasn’t agitated. I was simply observing the situation calmly.  It was probably the influence of [Observation] that made me appear that way.

“Arieta… You!”

“Stop. We cannot tolerate threats against the Saintess.”

, Arieta’s personal guard squad, including Olivia, surrounded Alexios.  From SSR to SR. It was a gathering of high-ranking individuals.  If Eleanor had been here, it would have been complete chaos. She hated not being the center of attention.

“Tsk…”

Fortunately, even the powerful Alexios didn’t seem inclined to fight the Saintess’ personal guard squad, .  The light that had blazed like the sun from his arms faded.

“Oz.”

Arieta spoke with a gentle smile.  A refreshing scent of apple mint seemed to waft around her with each step she took.

“Are you alright?”

Despite the current situation, she didn’t ask about Professor Gerard.  She didn’t show a single ounce of suspicion towards me.  [Observation] confirmed it.

Her unbelievable trust felt incredibly heavy.  A sense of guilt washed over me.  Even though I’d done what I had to, the very act of keeping silent felt like a sin.

“I’m alri…”

“Just in case.”

『Answer the pleas of the weak with warmth.』

Arieta clasped her hands together and chanted another short incantation.  My heavy body felt lighter.  The pain from Gerard’s attacks subsided.  Was this the power of the game’s best healer?  The incantation she’d just used was only basic level in terms of magic. Yet, its effect was remarkable.  She was truly special.  Even better than me.

“Aren’t you going to ask why I attacked Professor Gerard?”

She remained silent. So, I decided to ask. Why wasn’t she asking any questions?

“Oz, did you injure Professor Gerard for no reason?”

“No.”

“Then I’ll believe that.”

Arieta trusted me.  She had unwavering faith that there was a reason.  There must have been that level of trust between them in the past.

“If you did that, Oz, I believe there must be a reason.”

“Why do you trust me so much?”

“Hmm… I wonder?  Is it because we’re both on the disciplinary committee? I don’t know. But please remember this one thing.”

“What…?”

“No matter what… yes, even if you attacked Professor Gerard for no reason, or with malicious intent, Oz, I will still believe in you.”

And that conviction weighed heavily on me.  It was terrifying. I hadn’t imagined that the Saintess’ unconditional trust would be so burdensome. Her trust demanded integrity.  It demanded that I never betray that trust, that if I had lied or done wrong, I should repent.  That heavy conviction, declaring that she would bear the burden of my betrayal, changed the person she placed her trust in.  It molded them into someone worthy of that trust.

“…”

It was truly frightening.  The fact that it wasn’t a calculated act, but genuine, made it even heavier.

“…I…”

[Erosion Blade 30%]

Something flashed through my mind.  A promise from my childhood, to surpass God. It was Oz’s memory, not mine.  Yet, it resonated with me.

“I will not betray your trust, now or ever… Arieta.”

I suddenly found myself saying Arieta’s name. I’d always addressed her as “Saintess.”  Then who had just uttered her name?  Oz? Or me?  Was this the effect of the 30% Erosion Blade?  Or was it the weight of the [Saintess of Hope] Arieta’s conviction?

Either way, whether it was Oz’s true feelings or mine, I couldn’t lie.  And more than that, it felt too burdensome to even feign a false appearance.  As a suffocating sensation, far more intense than during confession, washed over me, Arieta murmured,

“Oz…”

It was a gentle smile, but the expression [Observation] saw through was closer to a wry smile.  For the first time, her inner and outer expressions were misaligned.  But they quickly realigned. Both the outward expression and the one she held within.

“…You’re a liar.”

She looked sad.

* * *

After subduing Gerard, I was taken into custody without resistance.  They decided to detain Gerard as well, assuming there was a reason behind his actions.  Due to my position, no one dared to question me, so I was left in confinement until Tia returned.

And the moment Tia returned, another disciplinary hearing was convened.  The difference this time was that I was at the center of the hearing room.

Was it my imagination, or did it feel like a courtroom?

“Defendant, let’s hear what you have to say. Didn’t I tell you I’d twist your neck off if you caused any trouble?”

“To a student, defe…”

A strange sense of déjà vu washed over me. I stopped talking and carefully observed Tia and the others’ expressions.  Arieta was shaking her head, her face pale.

What? Did I kill someone before I got here?

[Observation – Activated]

“Where do you think you’re looking? Do you want to die?”

[Observation – Deactivated]

I only saw it for a moment, but it was no joke.  What I saw before me was definitely Tia’s polymorphed form, but when I activated [Observation], I saw a red dragon against a backdrop of a volcano.  This was the most serious I’d ever seen her.  She truly intended to kill me.

“…Could you please dismiss everyone first?”

“If you mean you don’t want others to see you explode into chunks of meat, I’ll grant your request.”

“Please calm down…”

Why was she so angry?

“…It’s a little different.  It’s about our respective beliefs.”

“Beliefs my ass.  Sigh… Fine, I understand.”

But despite saying she understood, Tia closed her eyes and began to contemplate.  What was she thinking?

[Observation – Activated]

“Put out the fire in your eyes.”

“Yes.”

[Observation – Deactivated]

…She really had her eyes closed, right? I briefly activated [Observation] to confirm what I’d just seen, and Tia’s chilling voice pierced me like a dagger.

“Everyone, leave for a moment.”

As Tia dismissed everyone, the professors and witnesses cautiously filed out of the room.  Among them were Olivia and Arieta.

“…Olivia, surely the Headmaster won’t kill Oz, right? Considering her personality…”

What kind of being was Tia to her? She was a year ahead of me, having experienced Tia’s tyranny, so her reaction was understandable.

“It’ll be fine. Of course, the Headmaster is in a bad mood today, but surely she wouldn’t kill him?”

“You think so…?”

“Yes, Saintess. If you’re that worried, why don’t you go back and pray? It will ease your mind.”

Olivia gently pushed Arieta, who had turned pale, out of the hearing room.

Although their conversation bothered me, my priority was to plead my innocence to Tia.

“Now, let’s hear your excuse.”

“…”

“What made you think you could act on your own?”

Her eyes were literally burning. If Arieta created an atmosphere where lying was impossible, Tia created one where it was unacceptable.  I didn’t even need to use [Observation] to know that.  Standing before me was the most powerful being in this world.  A massive dragon.

“Tell me what’s behind this incident.”

“Professor Gerard… he was planning to attack the students.”

“Hah! Seriously… Do you think I’m asking about that?”

Then what was she asking about?  Tia’s unusual anger and this question… A chilling possibility flashed through my mind.  If I’d killed Gerard, I could understand. But I hadn’t killed him.

“What happened to him?”

But her reaction was different.  So, I had to ask about Gerard’s current state.

“Don’t you know? He’s dead.”

The answer was the worst possible. Something I didn’t know about was happening in this damned situation.

—–CROW—–