6:59:58 AM.

I opened my eyes, sensing the subtle twist of gears before the cuckoo clock’s alarm began.

“…!”

‘Reminds me of my military days.’

But this was different from the military habit of waking up at odd times for unknown reasons.

If I had to describe it, it was a transcendent reaction speed.

I could sleep soundly indefinitely unless I sensed the alarm coming or an unusual situation occurred, like now.

A trained, transcendent sensory range.

When I became aware of surrounding objects and sensed their presence and breathing, I could predict most things that would happen within a 100-meter radius in the next few seconds. Everything I see, hear, drink, and feel conveys sounds and information that allows me to live in the ‘moment’, transcending time.

59 seconds

I move my eyelids to open my eyes.

The first thing I see is the clear sky outside the window.

In my heart, gratitude for the deep sleep I couldn’t enjoy during my office worker days.

I offer a prayer of thanks to the sky.

‘O heavens, receive my gratitude.’

59.2 seconds

Using only my core strength, I lightly lift my upper body, surveying the room’s scenery as it gradually comes into view.

A room of about 20 square meters, filled with pink.

It should be a double room in the <Central Prism Academy> dormitory, but unfortunately, I’m still the only one attending this school.

Turning my gaze, I saw a pink, pink display case.

Stuffed animals I’ve displayed due to an oddly increased collecting urge since being possessed as this pink airhead. Come to think of it, I forgot to repair the burst beak of Penguin-kun while preparing for the start of the main story.

The poignant gaze of the loyal companion who has been with me since lonely times is only painful.

‘I’ll heal you soon. Endure, my comrade.’

All clear.

59.4 seconds

Perhaps due to moving only with upper body elasticity, two symbols of motherhood sway, transferring kinetic energy. But this body isn’t weak enough to stagger from just that.

Ignoring such soft resistance.

I leap into the air, kicking off the bed.

59.6 seconds

With the initial jump alone, I could reach the opposite wall in one go, but I’ve already accidentally broken the wall and forced remodeling several times.

‘Can’t destroy the room where the protagonist kids will stay.’

I glide smoothly, treading on the ether that can be grasped in midair.

59.9 seconds

And at 7:00 sharp.

The gears mesh.

According to the set time.

The spring snaps, opening the circuit.

From the deep darkness, the cuckoo is about to pop out.

An evil creature with unpleasant mechanical noise and a booming voice is about to reveal itself.

Click―

In the moment of time, a white bird pops out, still flaunting its presence.

It opened its beak.

[Cuck―!!]

Just before the cuckoo spits out its cry, I float in midair and press the alarm release button under the clock.

Tap!

The pitiful gaze of the creature retreating before fully spitting out its cry.

-Next time, I’ll surely teach you the gravity of the alarm…!

With that resentful retreat, my wake-up activity was complete.

“…”

The silence that returned to the room.

Since my cognitive speed increased like this.

For me, a moment has become a realm where I can play to my heart’s content.

But since the last fight with Hilde, I’ve never used this cognitive ability in a fight.

Not even once.

Not even once have I had a proper fight.

Until those who remember the alias [Pink Spiral] and the fight become third-years and forget.

“…”

I slowly approached the window.

Creeak―

The sound of hinges from poor maintenance.

The feel of the window with white paint peeling off the bars here and there.

I fully open the window, feeling the wind of the academy city coming in.

The clear, crisp March sky. Despite the warm spring breeze carrying the scent of flowers. A pure white city as if covered in white snow.

<Academy City Yord>, where the blue sky and ether magic engineering blend.

The streets of the academy city, where modern elegant roof decorations and machines incorporating magic engineering intertwine, were bustling.

Today was the day new students from outside the academy city were arriving.

In this city of numerous schools, enrollment was like the birth of a life.

The city, where only students and the mechanical race of dwarves come and go, was filled with unbearable vitality and anticipation.

“<Mimir Technical High School> entrants, line up here! Hey! You!! No pushing!!”

“Hwaahaha!!! Where are the chicks who will burn their youth and, as a bonus, the streets of the academy city at our <Scarlet Academy>!!!”

“Hey! Commie! What did you just say?! Why are slum kids coming all the way here?!”

“Hwaahaha!!! Those who will achieve the feat of burning down that <United Student Council> someday, come to <Scarlet Academy>!! Unwelcome guests have arrived, so I’ll be off!!”

The female student guides from each school, now wearing second-year badges on their sleeves, came out to welcome the new students. The scene was filled with their excitement.

There, competition to lead new students to their clubs and affiliated organizations had already begun.

Turning my eyes from the quaint street’s commotion, looking towards the city center touching the sky’s boundary, I immediately saw a huge tree.

A white tree of light, probably several kilometers high, that catches the eye unconsciously. And the large white buildings forming a wall surrounding the giant tree.

But from the <Central Prism Academy> dormitory on the outskirts, only the corner of that sight was visible.

Listening carefully from there, I could hear a lively girl’s voice echoing through a loudspeaker.

[Good morning! It’s a beautiful morning, everyone in Academy City. This is the morning news from the <United Student Council> Press Department.]

[I’m Her, a second-year from the <United Student Council> Press Department, always bringing you news! Today, with the spring break over and the semester starting, it’s the day of the <Academy City Yord> entrance ceremony!]

[Welcome, new students~!]

[While the student councils of each school and the <United Student Council> are busy with new semester events, Brunhilde, the United Student Council President from <Aesir Girls’ High School>…]

Suddenly hearing that name, I found it difficult to focus on the following words of the female student called Her.

‘Hilde.’

Since that day, I haven’t met Hilde again. I stopped participating in any fighting-related events.

Just like that, as if a lie, the year-long connection ended.

“…”

I went into seclusion after that fight. And there was no excuse or connection for me to go to <Aesir Girls’ High School>, hundreds of kilometers away from <Central Prism Academy> where I live.

Hilde also seemed to be busy after immediately joining the <United Student Council> after that fight, so I just considered it a missed connection.

‘No, if there were any feelings of affection left, she would have at least sent an ether reception call.’

Even though there were no means to contact as casually as a cell phone, this world setting had letters and public phones.

Thinking about it now.

The reason Hilde didn’t come to meet me so much. It must have been because she was angry at my sudden change.

‘Did she think I ran away after winning, and got angry?’

If so, then I might have done something really terrible to Hilde.

“…”

I looked beyond the window.

Hilde must be spending busy days in the <United Student Council> building under that huge tree.

Perhaps if she’s as noble as she is, and if she’s become much stronger much faster than in the game, she will support everyone much more firmly and strongly in the story that’s about to unfold.

I thought of her and prayed.

‘Please, continue to walk that path of the strongest…’

My eternal rival.

Praying like that, I too left the room wearing the uniform I had worn for the past 2 years.

To prepare to welcome the lovely new students.

* * *

‘So this is… <Academy City Yord>.’

Alvit, a girl with brown bob-cut hair who had just arrived in the academy city, trembled as she felt the vibrant atmosphere and the scent of ether all around.

The academy city, with its tall white buildings and cutting-edge ether magic engineering, was dazzling.

And there was one more element that surprised Alvit.

‘Indeed, the ether concentration is thicker than anywhere else. Someone without ether aptitude would quickly suffocate and collapse.’

In front of the station where Alvit got off the ether floating train, the only ones passing through the streets were mechanical dwarves and high school girls carrying all kinds of weapons.

Unlike the dwarves busily moving to open their shops, not caring about the new students, the seniors with second-year badges on their sleeves were enthusiastically trying to attract new students to their respective schools.

“Hey! You there! Won’t you come to our <Svart Technical High School>?”

“What are you talking about! Why go to such a gloomy place where only elves go? Hey! If you’re interested in ether magic engineering, come to our <Mimir Technical High School>. We’re the best technical high school even within the academy city!”

“Huh? W-What did you just say?!”

“What? I’m right, aren’t I, elf!”

“Y-You insolent beanpole, how dare you…?!”

Two female students wearing special coats customized to their tastes, worn by ether magic engineers. They boasted, listing the pride points of their respective schools.

New students intimidated by their enthusiasm were busy running away from there.

A desperate scene of elite school students snorting and laughing.

Alvit left such a bustling scene behind.

Because she had already decided in her heart which school she wanted to go to.

<Central Prism Academy>.

The land where rainbow and golden blessings had settled. The school built on that sacred ground.

The prophecy her mother had told her.

To prepare for the destruction that would come to the world someday.

She said to head to that land located in <Academy City Yord>.

“Central Prism Academy… I wonder what kind of place it is?”

Alvit, the new student girl with distinctive short brown hair, hoped she could find reliable comrades there.

“It would be nice if I could meet cool and strong seniors.”

* * *

Crash bang―!!

Ting―

Tang―

Roll roll roll…

-He-help me please―☆

When she entered the grounds of <Central Prism Academy>.

Alvit ran towards the source of the sudden noise.

“Hueeeng… He-help me please☆”

“…”

“I can’t see anything…”

“…”

“Uu, am I going to be abandoned like this―”

“…”

Inside a dilapidated building about to collapse, amidst numerous scattered buckets.

A pink-haired 3rd-year foolish senior was making a tearful face on the floor, tied up with rope and wearing a large overturned bucket.

“What are you doing?”

“Ehehe☆ I was trying to repair the leaking roof when whoops―☆”

‘This is a disaster.’

That was the first thought that came to Alvit’s mind.