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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: Entrance Ceremony (3)
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"What is my true identity?"
Hearing that question, I suddenly grew curious myself.
What *is* my true identity, anyway?
A transmigrator who got possessed after writing a review?
Or Camel, who was being dragged away by the Chaos Cultists?
This chain of questions, endlessly linking, always demands a lot of thought from me.
What was the intention of the being who transmigrated me into this body?
And who is that being, and what do they want from me?
If I hadn't transmigrated, would the original owner of this body truly have embraced sin and become one of the Seven Deadly Sins?
I don't know. At least, among the Seven Deadly Sins I know, none of them had black hair.
Lost in thought, I arrived at the same conclusion as always.
"It's Camel."
I am Camel. I have been since I transmigrated, I am now, and I will be in the future.
So there's no need to think too deeply.
Whatever some transcendent being, whose very existence I'm unsure of, might want from me,
Or whatever wish the Chaos Cult might seek to fulfill through me.
It has nothing to do with me. I just need to live as myself.
I have no intention of losing myself. And even less intention of being swayed by someone else.
I'll live as I want.
Doing what I want, stopping what I don't want, and putting out fires as they arise.
That's how I'll live.
"…That's a good look in your eyes."
Perhaps he sensed my expression had changed. Dian, who had been gazing at me, nodded, even though he had no idea what I was thinking.
"But it was a joke."
He showed off his sense of humor.
****
Somewhere, in an underground ruin bearing the distinct marks of time.
There, a woman was running her hand along the wall of an ancient structure, which boasted the most magnificent size in the area.
"…So that's how it was."
What had she realized? The woman pushed back her platinum blonde hair and let out a deep sigh.
Clatter, clatter.
As the woman was lost in thought, a strange sound began to echo from behind her.
Sensing a presence, the woman turned her head.
"…"
What met her gaze was a figure cloaked in a black robe, holding a blue torch.
"It's been a long time, Lady Daphne."
"Malick…?"
"Malick, you say… It's truly been a long time since I've heard my own name."
The figure holding the blue torch pushed back its hood, revealing its face as it spoke.
"You…"
Daphne's pupils trembled violently at the sight.
It was understandable. What was revealed from beneath the black robe was nothing but a skeleton, devoid of any flesh.
"Indeed, it seems this is how things turned out. *Sigh*, who would've known? One wrong contract, and I'd be living as a skull for over a thousand years."
"…"
"Oh, don't pity me. Unlike you, Lady Daphne, I entered this contract of my own free will. Still, seeing you with all your limbs intact, I can't help but feel a little jealous. Damn it, if I'd known, I would've just run away instead of causing trouble."
"…You're still as talkative as ever."
"And you, Lady Daphne, are still as beautiful as ever."
*A skeleton talking about beauty.*
Hearing Daphne's murmur, Malick chuckled slyly and continued.
"Well, it's not without its rewards. The fact that you've come all this way, Lady Daphne, must mean you've found a clue."
"I didn't expect to find you."
"Haha, neither did I. I thought I'd rattle around alone like this forever. Well, let's go inside. You must have a lot to say about this accursed contract."
Saying that, Malick turned and began to move, clattering with each step.
"Malick."
Daphne called out to Malick in a small voice. The skeleton, which had been moving, stopped in its tracks without turning its head.
"If this contract…"
"It is what I desire."
"…"
"I haven't been able to close my eyes for a very long time. It's gotten to the point where falling asleep is my greatest wish. So you don't need to think too deeply about that part."
"…"
"However, it seems your situation, Lady Daphne, is a little different from mine."
The skeleton's head turned. Malick, despite being a skeleton, wore a pleased expression.
"It seems you've found something precious again."
"…Yes. Not exactly a 'favorite,' but… there's a child I'm looking after."
At the skeleton's question, Daphne answered, lowering her head shyly.
"I'm envious. A friend who receives favoritism from Lady Daphne, who is famously known for her terrible temper, what kind of friend is this?"
"A child just like *him*. And they also bear the fate of a vessel."
"Your taste truly is consistent. If you were my sister, Lady Daphne, I would have shaved off all that platinum blonde hair."
"…"
"On the other hand, I am curious. A child just like that unlucky captain… So, what is that child doing now?"
"…They ran away."
Clunk.
The skeleton placed a bony hand on its forehead bone and sighed.
"…Do you know where they ran off to?"
"Yes. They seem to want to become an adventurer or something, heading north."
Malick listened to Daphne's answer, then looked at the bracelet on her delicate wrist.
"…Immanuel."
The skeleton, Malick, silently prayed for someone's soul.
****
The path leading to the Academy's entrance ceremony hall was incredibly vibrant and splendid.
Multicolored magical flower petals fluttered in the air.
Hundreds of people filled the streets.
Magical dolls, dressed to the nines, guided them.
And people in uniforms, perhaps current students, moved busily about their tasks.
As I witnessed this bustling spectacle, I walked, chewing over the conversation I'd had with Dian in the professor's office.
Dian had told me many things.
How serious it was that I had summoned an evil god.
How the Academy viewed me and how they planned to manage me.
And how classes would be conducted.
Dian, who had provided me with such useful information, even explained how to use the 'toys' he had given me as gifts.
"…"
As my thoughts reached this point, my head suddenly began to spin.
-"It's a spirit beast called a Cheong-o. I thought it was an extinct species, but it was running wild in your dorm room."
Dian knew Tweetie's true identity, and he knew a lot of information about it.
-"How do I know? I used to be very interested in spirit beasts."
-"According to the books I've read, the intelligence of a Cheong-o is higher than that of most humans. So, there's a high probability that the bird understands every single thing you say."
After hearing all this, I had to clutch my head. Because all the harsh things I'd said to Tweetie came flooding back.
-"A fully grown Cheong-o possesses a physique comparable to a dragon's, and can wield mana on par with an Archmage."
-"What does this mean? It means the bird you're raising is an incredible spirit beast, with excellent physical abilities and even capable of using magic. I'm not sure if this is true, but… there are even tales of Cheong-o that enjoyed playing around with Polymorph magic."
-"Downsides? The books say they have inexhaustible energy and a maddening personality. But when I saw it last time, it didn't seem that way."
*Didn't seem that way, my foot.*
"I knew that bird was too energetic for its own good."
Imagining Tweetie continuing to disturb my precious sleep and run amok, my head began to ache.
"Student Camel?"
As I walked, rubbing my temples, someone grabbed my shoulder and spoke to me.
I turned my head and saw a woman who felt strangely familiar.
"Judging by your appearance, it must be you. My name is Anna. I'm not a professor, just a regular staff member. I'm here to guide you."
"Ah, yes. I'm Camel."
"Yes, it's nice to meet you. Please follow me. Special seats are prepared for top-performing students. Student Camel, you also need to go for a rehearsal, so we must hurry."
I remembered. Anna, the NPC who served as a guide from the early stages of the game.
Meeting her in person felt strange. Being guided by Anna, of all people.
"Wait."
"…?"
Then, a sudden question came to mind, and I stopped Anna to ask.
"What rehearsal?"
"What rehearsal? The entrance ceremony rehearsal, of course. Aren't you the top student, Student Camel?"
"I am," I replied, and Anna looked at me with an expression that seemed to say, 'Are you serious?'
"Then you have to read the oath. How can you pretend not to know how honorable that is?"
My head snapped around. Thousands of people were visible.
My head spun.
****
Arriving at the special seating area with a complicated feeling, I found that all four seats, excluding mine, were already occupied.
"Camel!"
"Ah, so you're the top student this year. Nice to meet you."
As I entered, Rose waved her hand, greeting me with a bright smile.
Next to her was a man I'd never seen before, who looked rather scrawny, offering an awkward smile.
I nodded, then looked around.
Two men, one woman.
All of them were faces I had known from before.