As dawn broke, sunlight streamed between the buildings, illuminating the scene. At the securely locked main gate of the <United Student Council> compound, we gathered to discuss the current situation.

“…”

There had been some commotion earlier. In my opinion, Hilde had acted childishly because she was tired. Yet, whispers of ‘the president’s woman’ and ‘girlfriend’ lingered behind me, while Sieglinde continued to cast me skeptical glances.

**“It seems that… the president…”

“If they hold a wedding… when would it be…”

“Is this a display of the president’s favoritism…?”**

“…”

The soft sensation still lingered on my forehead. I tried to stop my hand from unconsciously touching that spot by fidgeting with my fingers as I gathered my thoughts.

It’s not an unpleasant misunderstanding… Hmm. Is it a misunderstanding? I’m not sure. But honestly, dating Hilde wouldn’t be bad… No, it’s not manly to jump to conclusions over a single touch. Or is it? I’m not a guy anymore, am I? So I’ve given up on that idea…

Oh, burning soul of a man. Don’t just put all your heart into fighting. Give me answers. What am I supposed to do in times like this?

Ah… You’re clueless too, huh? Sorry…

Desperately trying to explain this feeling, I reached a conclusion.

Hmm… I don’t know. Let’s put this on hold for now.

There were more pressing matters. Right now, I needed to channel the shamelessness of Chancellor Cao, who sent his subordinates away to pursue a married woman.

“Like Cao Cao, the married woman hunter…☆”

Recalling Cao Cao’s shamelessness, I lifted my head to look ahead.

Naturally, Hilde was leading the meeting. However, she couldn’t hide the exhaustion from fighting Frau, who had become as powerful as a [Unique Ether] user by receiving the ancient god’s power, all night long.

Is she… okay?

I glanced at her face.

“…”

“…”

Hilde noticed my gaze and looked back at me. But perhaps because she was in the middle of a meeting, she shook her head slightly and focused on listening to the reports from each member.

You’re worried after what you did, huh.

I couldn’t help but chuckle at the irony.

Many students were gathered on the scene. The <United Student Council>, Freya, and the stranded beastkin girls… As testimonies from the students were cross-verified, a bigger picture began to form.

The faction led by Frau within the beastkin noble faction.

The suspicious cooperation between the newly-formed Eastern Alliance and <Ratatosk>.

And the long-held grievances and inferiority complex of the Eastern Alliance’s leader…

I was astonished to hear the details.

To think that Frau, the student council president of <Public Bana Boarding School>, had been researching forbidden powers and ancient gods since her first year…

An attempt to shed the incompetence unbecoming of a noble leader.

There truly existed a forbidden power that could defy the laws of the world and destiny itself. To be precise, the powers possessed by ancient gods had been passed down through vague legends.

It was a remarkable discovery.

The existence of alien powers that defied the world’s laws.

It turned out to be real, and there had been people researching it for ages…

I recalled the unpleasant encounters with beastkin in the past.

Now it makes sense why beastkin occasionally picked fights with me in the wilderness. They were probably the ones researching forbidden powers…

Of course, I easily defeated them. The beastkin gang with their pitiful combat skills never bothered me again after picking a few fights.

I ignored it because it was an extra event, but it was actually ancient history here… Few truly know, so it’s all been distorted.

The powers of the [Serpent of Wisdom and Rebirth].

A power that grants desired knowledge in exchange for taking [Fate].

The lore of cultists appearing as mobs in the post-ending side stories.

And surprisingly, such ancient beings weren’t the only ones.

I was starting to understand the rumors surrounding [The Faded Spiral].

The knowledge of ancient beings must have spread as rumors and got distorted, becoming the foundation for [The Faded Spiral]… I’m not really a part of this universe, so it doesn’t affect me much.

Calling it forbidden power was amusing.

Honestly, discarding weapons and using it felt similar to pledging [Fate] to unsettling ancient beings from ages past.

But unlike my view as an outsider, Freya and Hilde kept glancing at me with worry as they conversed.

**“…That’s what happened. What I know and… combined with the testimonies of the stranded ones, it’s a hypothesis.”

“Is that so.”

“And judging by the condition of some students… it seems the power is very temporary… Even Frau, who gained [Unique Ether] level power, wouldn’t use it for long… The rest are already losing their strength…”**

“I see. So that’s why Lala lost her power…”

I quickly interrupted before Hilde misunderstood.

“Ah—☆ No misunderstandings here♪ I’m fine~☆ I didn’t even know there were such rumors about [The Faded Spiral]—♪”

“…”

“…”

As their eyes lingered on the branch-like scar on my neck, I added desperately.

“I wasn’t lying when I said I was in pain—☆ I was lying♪ Sorry for making you worry~♪ Really, I’m healthy—♪”

“…”

“…”

“I haven’t lost my power, and my spiral isn’t faded—☆ I’m all set to be a sparkling, dazzling maiden of the spiral~♡ Right, stray cat, you saw me fight earlier—☆ Hilde, aren’t you looking forward to fighting alongside me? Yes♪ I’m excited too~☆”

“…”

“…”

“Once things calm down, let’s invite Eir too! Yes♪ We can have a tea party and clear up misunderstandings☆ Yes♪ Let’s clear up all misunderstandings together~☆”

“…”

“…”

Bzzz—!

Did it sound like a desperate lie mixed with bravado?

The purple and blue-white ether gauged me. But I no longer had as much ether as before, and my body was riddled with scars.

“…”

“…”

Freya and Hilde gazed at me with pity.

Climbing back to the clumsy second stage… [Vibrating Ether] seemed like a desperate struggle. It was unfortunate to meet again when I was in such a state.

I felt trapped in an inescapable quagmire.

This is a mess… I hid to preserve the original knowledge, only to find the story twisted, and now they wouldn’t believe me if I said the enemies knew the original lore… Should I just say I knew this world through a game and that I’m unaffected by what you worry about…?

But somehow… I felt certain I’d be sent to a ward for losing my mind if I said that.

It truly felt like that.

Freya and Hilde let out a sigh as they glanced at my faded pink hair one last time.

**“Haa…”

“…”

“…Senior.”**

Their sighs and Lota’s earnest gaze filled my heart with guilt.

Feeling embarrassed and like it was karmic retribution, my head spun slightly.

Good grief… Is this all karma…

Along with my complicated feelings, Freya and Hilde spoke again with mixed expressions.

**“Anyway… Frau researched forbidden powers and… ended up seeing the results…”

“She planned to seize Academy City using that power.”

“Though hastily executed… it was a rampage borrowing foreign power with no real strategy… But that crude strength… it’s threatening.”

“Indeed, given that <Ratatosk> cultists appeared at a time like this, and Frau gained ancient power, calling it coincidence feels inadequate.”**

“Maybe she wanted to prevent external forces like [The Crimson Trajectory] from intervening… If predicted, she’d have prepared a way to counter me…”

“So Frau stopped fighting and retreated hastily because of that.”

Hilde nodded, seeming to grasp the situation fully. She seemed to have heightened her guard against the Eastern Alliance, which had allied with external forces.

Hilde emphasized to Sieglinde and the surrounding students.

“It’s evident… <Ratatosk> is collaborating with the Eastern Alliance. If cultists are found, follow the usual ‘cultist response strategy’ but retreat immediately if a leader called ‘priest’ appears.”

**“Understood!”

“Understood!”**

“The unexpected variables for enemies with time constraints would be the external <Svart Industries High School>… and <Ratatosk> presumed to have infiltrated within. Take this into account and try to delay them. That’s it, proceed to sortie.”

A powerful salute followed Hilde’s orders.

Boom—!

**“Understood!”

“Understood!”**

Many <United Student Council> students began moving in unison again. Of course, Sieglinde continued to look at me intently even as she changed positions.

“…”

It was as if Hilde’s words, saying to run, also included me.

“…”

“Ahaha…☆”

I was initially planning to warn them about the gravity of the situation.

But they all seem to grasp and understand it already.

Estimated level 6070 snake tattooed beastkin with post-ending side story buffs rampaging in a place averaging around level 4050. On top of that, <Ratatosk>’s influence was suspected.

However, before I could say anything, everyone had already sensed the severity and unease of the situation.

Everyone’s… pretty smart.

So I could only raise my hand somewhat forlornly in response.

“Oh—☆ Let’s beat them all—♪”

“What are you talking about? Lala, you’re coming with me.”

“…”

“I will ensure your safety. You came all the way here for me… No one will harm you now.”

“…”

What are you talking about…

You should go out there and handle the strong ones…

It was almost as if Hilde, an asymmetrical force, was about to become my bodyguard.

“…”

While deep in thought, Freya interrupted the conversation.

**“N-no… I think it’s better for the brute to come with me to <Public Bana Boarding School>’s library…”

“What do you mean?”**

“That, that’s…”

Just as Hilde sharply questioned Freya,

Tap-tap-tap—!

A student stationed elsewhere rushed between the <United Student Council> students preparing for the next battle. Judging by the badge on her shoulder, she was tasked with the role of a messenger.

The messenger quickly reported to Hilde, who was looking at her.

“Emergency report! Outside the <Aesir Girls’ High School> sector, a force presumed to be from <Svart Industries High School> has infiltrated!”

At that moment, the faces of Alvit, Kara… and the rest of the girls, including Bell, flashed through my mind.

＊

**“Heh… What a pathetic sight. Inferior breed.”

“Shut up…! What do you know…!”

“Oh, I know that you got turned into a rag doll fighting the city’s strongest with power that doesn’t suit you and had to run away.”

“…!”**

A girl with bushy fox ears swaying gently.

Frau bit her bloody lips and glared at the voice.

**“What will you do by staring like that? Are you going to give up being the ruler of Academy City and live a life of nothingness?”

“…”

“Hehehe…!”**

A giant green dragon stood there.

Its grotesque body looked like hundreds of dragon horns protruding from a mantis’s torso.

It mocked Frau, standing before a magic circle spewing black ether.

The [Priest of Discord] spoke in a voice like scraping the ground.

“If the embodiment of another beast god descends here, perhaps your pitiful [Fate] tied by Yggdrasil may change.”

“…”

“I’m not sure how much of a future remains for you, who has already pledged [Fate]… but hehehehe…!”

Frau turned away, as if unwilling to listen any longer, heading back to the tent to tend to her wounds.