The next day.

Since it was Saturday, it was time for Professor Radvisin's private lesson.

I was on my way to the Ether Attribute Enhancement classroom, though I doubted any actual lesson would take place.

Just as they'd held a birthday celebration the day after the possessed body's birthday—

there was a good chance they had prepared something today to celebrate my Tournament results.

'It's not like I won. I only made it to the Round of 16, so maybe it'll just be a brief congratulations...'

If I walked into another celebration without mentally preparing myself, I might freeze up just like I had back in Episode 40.

It was safer to assume there would be a surprise party.

That way, if there wasn't one...

I could simply think, Guess not, and move on.

Having organized my thoughts, I carefully opened the classroom door.

Pop! Pop!

As expected, party crackers exploded the moment I stepped inside.

"Junior Karvaldr! Congratulations on making the Round of 16!"

"It was amazing! You looked so cool!"

"Hohohoho. You worked very hard. The results you achieved are worthy of the effort you invested."

Since I'd prepared myself beforehand, I wasn't left standing there in a daze like last time.

Even so, something inside my chest tickled.

How many more times would I have to hear words like these before I got used to them?

Just as a faint warmth rose to my face and I opened my mouth to thank everyone—

"It worked perfectlyyyy~! Good thing you learned whip techniques from me, riiiight~?"

A figure suddenly emerged from the shadows holding a cake.

The owner of that unmistakable habit of dragging out every sentence was, of course, Skati.

Every Saturday evening, whenever I had dinner with Professor Radvisin and the research students, she somehow ended up joining us.

Apparently, she'd become close enough to help organize a celebration without me even noticing.

"Judging by that reaction, you expected we'd throw a party, but you never imagined Professor Skati would jump out of the shadows, did you?"

"Exactly! Look how startled he is again~! You're really innocent, you know that?"

I hadn't frozen because I'd been surprised by the party.

I'd frozen because an original supporting character destined to die had suddenly appeared.

But the two research students had no way of knowing that.

They simply looked pleased with themselves for successfully surprising me.

That was fortunate.

"...Yes. I truly didn't expect that."

Not wanting to ruin the mood, I forced a smile and glanced at Skati.

She was smiling awkwardly as well.

She must have noticed that I wasn't exactly happy to see her.

"Lord Karvaldr. Perhaps you should blow out the candles first."

Before either research student noticed the strange atmosphere, Professor Radvisin smoothly intervened.

Only then did I finally look at the cake.

Two candles shaped like zeros stood side by side.

Apparently, they were meant to symbolize the Round of 16.

"Thank you all for celebrating me."

Regardless of how awkward I felt around Skati, I was genuinely grateful.

If she hadn't volunteered to teach me whip techniques, I never would have entered the Tournament.

Without that, I wouldn't have had any reason to participate in the training sessions Reisir organized.

And I certainly wouldn't have reached my current level of combat ability.

So I offered my sincere thanks, met Skati's gaze for a brief moment, and bowed my head.

Then I leaned forward and blew out the candles.

Whoosh.

"But, Junior, you know we cheered incredibly hard for you too, right?"

"That's right! We were shouting, 'Junior Karvaldr! You can do it!' Did you hear us?"

"Thank you for your support as well. Unfortunately, I couldn't hear you, but I always believed you would be cheering for me."

The two research students immediately puffed up with pride.

It was a pleasant sight.

The protagonist of someone else's novel wasn't here.

Maybe it was alright to smile comfortably for once.

Just as that thought crossed my mind—

another thought followed immediately.

An original supporting character is here.

The two conflicting thoughts fought inside my head, leaving me unsure what expression I should make.

The result...

"How can someone speak so smoothly yet look this unbearably shy?"

"Seriously! He's just way too cute...!"

Apparently, everyone interpreted my confusion as embarrassment.

If the protagonist of someone else's novel had been present, he would have teased me about it without mercy.

Fortunately, the people here were young adults busy flirting with each other.

"S-Senior?! Your adorable junior is right here! Me! Elska! How can you call another boy cute while I'm standing here?!"

"A worn-out research student trying to compete with a fresh first-year student in a cuteness contest? Have you no shame?"

"Research students are allowed to be cute! The proof is standing right in front of me! Senior Blida!"

"Y-You little...! There's seriously nothing you won't say in front of the professors and our junior!"

Rather than teasing me, the two research students quickly became absorbed in their usual childish flirting. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Thanks to that, the tangled mess in my head gradually settled.

"Why don't we sit down?"

Professor Radvisin lightly patted my back and guided me toward the silver mat spread across the center of the classroom.

Skati placed the cake on the folding table set in the middle and sat down.

For the first time in quite a while, I found myself marveling at the utterly inconsistent worldbuilding of this novel.

'That's a traditional Korean banquet setup.'

And yet, the table wasn't covered with Korean food.

It was covered with snacks.

Then again, the snacks were identical to the ones sold in Korea.

Maybe they still counted as Korean food.

"By the way, Junior, you fought incredibly well."

"Right! Your movements were agile and graceful, just like a cat!"

Perhaps they felt guilty for getting distracted by their own flirting during a party meant to celebrate me.

The two research students finally sat down and began showering me with compliments.

Being compared to a cat felt oddly embarrassing.

Still, it was clearly meant as praise for my agility, so I accepted it gratefully.

"I really wish I could've watched the Tournament toooo..."

While I distracted myself by crunching on a stick-shaped snack, Skati set a plate with a slice of cake in front of me and sighed regretfully.

"Huh? Professor Skati couldn't watch the Tournament? Why?"

"Well, I happen to have a status that prevents me from leaving the Academyyy..."

"Ah..."

Elska looked confused for a moment before realizing his mistake.

Skati's usual cheerful and friendly behavior felt so far removed from the image of a criminal that he'd completely forgotten.

"Then we'll tell you all about it!"

"Reaaally?!"

Blida quickly stepped in and nudged Elska's side.

The gloomy shadow that had briefly fallen over Skati disappeared instantly.

Her dark eyes sparkled with anticipation.

'I genuinely can't tell who's the professor and who's the student.'

Visually, there wasn't much of an age difference between Skati and Blida, which only made it stranger.

Still, it was good to see Skati smiling again.

Unfortunately, my own situation was much less fortunate.

"If we're talking about the absolute highlight of Junior Karvaldr's match, it has to be—"

"The finishing pose!"

Blida and Elska alternated sentences as they excitedly continued.

"The way he stepped on his first-round opponent's shoulder, grabbed the sword they dropped, and pointed it at their neck—absolutely incredible!"

"It pains me to admit another man looked cool when I'm standing right here, but today I'll allow it! Even I thought it looked cool."

"Arrogant, yet dignified. Like his entire body was declaring, 'You and I are fundamentally different!'"

"He was the very image of a noble young master!"

Technically speaking, I had indeed been born differently.

I was originally from outside this world.

I attempted to distract myself with that meaningless observation.

It did absolutely nothing to cool the heat rising in my face.

It wasn't embarrassment from being praised.

It was pure shame from hearing such unbearably cringeworthy descriptions.

"Nyaaa..."

Yor patted my back in consolation.

It helped not at all.

I really should have been eliminated in the first round.

Advancing had clearly been a mistake.

"And the finishing pose from Round 2... Honestly, we need to demonstrate that one in person. Senior Blida, get up."

"W-Wait... Seniors, there's really no need to go that far..."

I barely managed to force out a protest while suppressing the urge to crawl into a hole and disappear.

Elska ignored me completely.

Before long, he had dragged Blida to her feet and begun reenacting that pose from Chapter 117.

"For reference, Senior Blida is playing Junior Karvaldr."

"Hmmmm...? You stopped fighting in the middle of a match just to strike a pose like this~?"

Skati stared with wide eyes, thoroughly bewildered.

Which was understandable.

I felt exactly the same way.

I had always suspected it looked strange.

Seeing it recreated with my own eyes confirmed that it wasn't merely strange.

It was bizarre.

At that moment, I wanted to grab the protagonist of someone else's novel by the collar and demand an explanation.

Even though I'd already heard one.

"No, that's... My condition was deteriorating rapidly. We were trying to end the match as quickly as possible, and it just happened to turn out that way."

"Ah! So that's why you had a nosebleed back then? Your condition was already getting worse?"

"E-Excuse me... Senior...? Could you please stand normally now...?"

Since Reisir wasn't present, I found myself explaining the circumstances behind the pose on his behalf.

Blida reacted as though she'd just learned an important new fact.

Meanwhile, Elska was desperately begging her to stand upright again.

Considering he spent most of his life sitting in a laboratory, supporting another person's weight with one arm was clearly pushing his limits.

"Huh? But if we're reenacting it properly, shouldn't you pick me up and carry me over to the mat? Just like Junior's opponent carried him to the Healer afterward."

"Wh-What? T-That's a bit..."

"Why? Am I heavy?"

"N-No! Senior Blida is as light as a feather!"

"Then hurry up and pick me up."

"..."

Elska turned toward me with desperate eyes.

He was obviously asking for a strengthening buff so he could lift and carry Blida.

Even though I understood perfectly what he wanted—

I deliberately pretended not to notice.

It was revenge for forcing me to confront a reality I desperately wanted to forget.