Chapter 5: I Became the Last Place in the Academy

*Crack, crack, crack.*

It was getting closer. The first exam was already over.

I knew something would happen during the third exam, but I had no idea how to deal with it, and my anxiety only grew.

No one believes me.

No one listens to me either.

I would be so grateful if they would at least pretend to listen, but I had nothing.

The teachers are kind, but they will surely treat me like a failure, so I felt more and more lost.

Surely, I'll be able to stop a few things at first.

Of course, the protagonist won't lose anything in this first ordeal.

The heroine or friends don't die from the start.

But it was hard to estimate how many people unrelated to the protagonist would die.

Just a simple line written plainly.

'A village collapsed.'

The academy would also suffer losses due to the monster's invasion, but I had to stop it there first.

By protecting one village, I could at least protect one family member of that guy in the academy.

But how?

Stories always revolve around the protagonist's point of view.

In the end, what matters most is what the protagonist gained and what they lost.

Since that village wasn't related to the protagonist, I couldn't get much information from the narrative.

Therefore, since I didn't know in detail how that village collapsed, I didn't have a plan to protect it either.

It's dangerous. The village is in danger.

Who would believe me if I just vaguely threw out that one sentence?

I wished they would believe me, but if someone did believe me, I would have to suspect that person instead. My situation was that bad.

"..."

*Crack.*

I couldn't focus on the lesson at all.

My mind was just running simulations over and over again.

If I could get meaningful results on the next exam, someone might listen to me.

But when they averaged the scores, they always deducted points in **Abilities**, magic use, and sparring, so there was a limit to my efforts.

It was as if I was being told that I couldn't do anything, that I should just watch the world fall apart and die helplessly without lifting a finger.

"Ah..."

I groaned softly.

It seemed like no one heard me, as it was drowned out by the teacher's loud voice, but my heart was so anxious that it felt like I had made a loud noise in the silence.

What can't I do?

Is there really no one here who will take my side?

Of course, I was being ignored by the entire student body and marked as the number one person to avoid in the academy, but that was just among the students, not among the teachers.

Even if I'm a failing student, wouldn't they listen if I told them?

If I gave up from the start, saying it was too unrealistic and that no one would believe me, it would be the same as throwing away an opportunity without even trying.

I stopped biting my nails, took a light breath, and waited for this time to end quickly.

The moment the bell rang to signal the end of class, I was going to go to the faculty room and find my homeroom teacher, who was the kindest.

***

And the expectation I had, just in case, was shattered, as I expected.

"...Kanna. I think I misheard you. Could you tell me one more time?"

Recess at school was a break time for the teachers as well.

Of course, it wouldn't matter to give this time to a teacher who didn't teach in the previous period, but on the other hand, they might find it annoying, or they might want to rest even a little because they had a class, so they might be giving up that time.

I felt a little sorry because I didn't know the teacher's class schedule separately.

But the teacher didn't dwell on that and asked me to explain again with a troubled expression.

"...Well, we have another exam the week after next, right?"

"Yes."

When I stammered and said that, the teacher listened to me again and looked at me seriously, as if trying to understand this time.

"Then monsters will come and... a village will collapse. Over there, on the side with the wall..."

Standing on the roof, I looked around, but I couldn't pinpoint the exact location, so I tried to point my finger at the huge wall.

And the teacher stopped me with a cold voice, as if there was no need to do that.

"Kanna."

"Yes."

I was intimidated and immediately lowered my head.

I knew it was hard to believe, even though I understood.

I knew to some extent that this kind of reaction would come out.

So, it didn't hurt that much.

If Yun Hamin had said these words, or even if a slightly decent mid-ranking student, not a great top student like Yun Hamin, had said them, the situation would have changed.

"I understand that you're not keeping up with the class well. Even if you get **Abilities**, those **Abilities** aren't always strong enough to save the world. I think I know why you're talking about this right before the exam period, but you shouldn't do that."

"That's, that's not it... Really..."

I was so upset that I opened my mouth as if grabbing onto the teacher.

And what I got in return was not something else, but advice for me.

"I hope you refrain from telling these stories to other teachers, as they might get angry. I've been watching you from the beginning, so I can understand and let it go."

Ah, it was obvious.

Because it's right before the exam, it looks like I'm faking it.

Does it look like I'm subtly telling the teacher that I don't want to see it and failing?

In the first place, it was a natural result that the words of the student at the bottom of the school, who would be lacking even if they failed, would not be credible.

"...I know you don't like it, but having exams every week is to provide students with more opportunities to improve. I hope you escape from the bottom rank even once."

With those words, the teacher opened the door and disappeared leisurely.

"Huh," a hollow breath burst out.

And then, I blankly grabbed the railing and took in the distant scenery.

The bell to start class would ring soon, but I didn't want to care about that, so I tightly closed my eyes and felt the gentle breeze blowing.

In the world I was in, there were only four exams.

The kids desperately prepared for those four exams, and some even started studying the day before, calling it cramming.

Some of the kids who studied desperately slipped and fell, and some of the kids who didn't usually study raised their grades by cramming.

Maybe it's a system to prevent that.

And I resented that system.

I wished it wasn't so frequent.

The third exam. That is, in two weeks, monsters and weirdos would invade.

Of course, the academy would be safe. Because there are teachers and the protagonist.

But the surroundings are slowly collapsing.

Collapsing, collapsing, collapsing.

Even the protagonist's surroundings, which seemed fine, are collapsing.

If something that seems fine right now is rotting from afar, shouldn't we dig that up first?

I have two weeks.

Even the kindest teacher didn't believe me, and I might be seen as a despicable girl who was trying to get rid of the exam by faking illness because I was at the bottom of the class.

I repeatedly wondered what I could do in two weeks to achieve meaningful results, given that my credibility, reputation, and value were at rock bottom among the students.

I don't like it. I won't die right away, but the feeling of slowly dying wasn't a good feeling.

Knowing the future end without being able to cope with it wasn't a good thing.

Just because the bottom student suddenly comes and says that monsters and weirdos came and destroyed a village, they wouldn't say, "Oh, really?" and invest the budget.

"...I'm going crazy."

I was depressed. I felt like this was what it was like when no one believed me, and at the same time, the fact that I couldn't reveal this sorrow to anyone felt so miserable.

Today's lunch, tomorrow's lunch, the day after tomorrow's lunch.

I'll go into the innermost stall of the secluded bathroom where no one can see me and eat bread and milk.

While everyone else is making groups with their friends in the cafeteria and chatting happily, I'll soak the bread in my mouth to muffle the sound, afraid that someone will come and hear me.

My lips trembled.

The bell rang to start class, but I didn't want to go back, so I just stared at the scenery contained here.

"..."

Where should I tell them now?

Will anyone even listen to me?

If the last hope is cut off, I should do something on my own.

What can I do on my own?

It was the first time I had ever skipped class.

But I didn't feel good.

I didn't know why I had to feel this misery even more because it was ambiguously two weeks until the exam.

It was always just resentful things.

Which village is it? The collapsing village is said to be near the wall, but there's a village over there and a village over here.

I can't just tell everyone who lives near the wall to run away!

I was blankly staring and then sighed.

"...If I go once, what will I see?"

As I was muttering that, I heard someone behind me.

"Calm down."

"...?"

It wasn't a teacher.

When I turned my head, Yun Hamin was there.

"...Calm down and get away from the railing."

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