From the moment I got up, returned my tray, and left the cafeteria building, no one stopped me.

There were, however, people following behind me.

One was, naturally, my adorable baby dragon.

The other was...

"Reisir. Why are you following me?"

"With your personality, there's no way you still have packing left to do, right? So I thought I'd keep you company until the graduation ceremony. You might get bored otherwise."

"Keep me company? Stop with the nonsense and get to the point."

"I do have something I want to say about what happened earlier. But honestly, I think I just wanted to chat with you even more."

"...You're serious?"

"Why would I joke about that? We still haven't exchanged our thoughts on the novel you read during the tournament period."

"......"

Was this guy obsessed with novels?

Or was that simply the only topic he could think of discussing with me?

The thought was so absurd that I found myself staring blankly at his face.

Then it occurred to me that standing here wasn't a good idea.

Not because I had somewhere I urgently needed to be.

I couldn't afford to waste stamina or mental energy on training or studying, so there wasn't much I could do anyway.

The problem was that if I stayed here, I would inevitably run into Nidr when he came out of the cafeteria.

I immediately started walking to avoid that awkward encounter.

"So you wanted to spend time with me too, huh?"

There was a reason the protagonist of someone else's novel arrived at that misunderstanding.

Instead of heading back toward the dormitory, I had turned onto the walking path.

I did need to hear what the original protagonist wanted to say about the events of the previous chapter.

That was all.

I absolutely did not want to spend time with him.

It was the middle of winter.

The air outside was cold.

I briefly considered heading somewhere indoors, but the cafeteria was probably packed with students trying to make the most of their final moments together before vacation.

Maybe outside is better.

We won't have to worry about people overhearing us, and if I want to leave, I can always use the cold as an excuse.

So I sat down on a bench along the path.

Then—

"The weather's cold. At least wrap yourself in these."

"......"

As though he had read my mind, the owner of the Inventory skill pulled out a scarf and a blanket and offered them to me.

Did he normally carry things like this around?

Or had he simply taken them out because he wouldn't need winter items next semester and intended to bring them home?

"By the way, that Tryggdrik fellow is really something."

If I refused, it genuinely felt as though the excessively considerate protagonist of someone else's novel would personally wrap me in them.

So, after reluctantly accepting the scarf and blanket, I found myself listening to him say something bizarre.

"Why are you suddenly bringing up that criminal?"

"Because you're someone who sincerely worries about other people and gives thoughtful advice based on solid values. But because Tryggdrik spent all of last semester running his mouth while pretending to represent you, nobody ever noticed."

"No, that's... that's only because my former self was immature and rotten. And what happened earlier in the cafeteria wasn't exactly wise advice, was it? It probably sounded arrogant. Or like I was showing off. Didn't it come across that way? To °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° be honest, I'm not even sure my words got through to him properly..."

Caught off guard by the protagonist's sudden praise, I ended up blurting out excuses without thinking.

I won't describe Reisir's reaction to that display.

I'll simply note that our conversation was delayed for over a minute.

"I honestly wonder whether there's any point in hiding the fact that you're kind and easily embarrassed. At this point, it's impossible not to notice."

So he was planning to tease me openly from now on?

Fortunately, today would be the last time I ever had to deal with the protagonist of someone else's novel.

That kind of threat had no effect on me.

Even so, I couldn't help frowning.

For a different reason.

"Are you criticizing me for speaking up instead of staying quiet?"

"Not at all. I was simply thinking that the phrase 'talent will always reveal itself' exists for a reason. It never once occurred to me that you said anything unnecessary."

"......"

Was this fox-like protagonist deliberately slipping compliments into every sentence?

Just so I'd become flustered and lose my ability to respond?

"I think what you said was genuinely helpful for Nidr."

"...Do you really think that man took any of it to heart?"

"Considering he stood there speechless afterward, I'd say at least some of it got through. The opportunity for change has definitely been planted. The only unknown is when the seed will finally sprout."

If the original protagonist was saying it, I could probably trust him.

It was a relief.

The fact that Nidr still showed signs of changing someday meant there was a good chance he would come to his senses before things reached the worst possible outcome.

It was far too early to lower my guard.

Even so, I felt some of the weight lift from my shoulders.

"Well, then..."

"Shall we talk about Special Character Novels?"

"Special Character Novels...?"

Just as I was about to announce that I should head back to the dormitory, Reisir used a term I had never heard before.

"It means the novels we read. They all have one thing in common—the author's pen name is made up of special characters. So I shortened it to Special Character Novels."

After saying that, he smiled innocently.

"Well? It fits perfectly, doesn't it?"

This world didn't even have computers, much less web servers.

In that sense, calling them Special Character Novels instead of Web Novels was probably more accurate. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

"Anyway. How was the Special Character Novel I recommended? It was good, wasn't it?"

"Well... I suppose so."

"I knew it! The moment you said you liked Star Author's novels, I knew this one would suit your tastes!"

"Um..."

"What was your favorite part? Who was your favorite character?"

"Ah, that's..."

As an author, I could never bring myself to call a novel I had enjoyed boring.

So the moment I answered honestly, Reisir's enthusiasm exploded.

I should've corrected him about the name while I still had the chance...

In the end, I was forced to endure a relentless barrage of questions until Reisir finally satisfied his curiosity.

"Karvaldr. Do you have a Special Character Novel you'd recommend to me?"

"I don't."

"Why not?"

Because it was obvious he wouldn't be able to read it even if I recommended one.

He would be leaving the academy soon, and the books he called Special Character Novels existed only in the library of Valhalla Academy.

Those words rose to my throat.

Naturally, I swallowed them.

"Why not? Whyyyy?"

"......"

"Then instead of a recommendation, at least tell me the title of one you enjoyed."

"Isn't that the same thing?"

"Then how about telling me what you've read so far?"

Persistence was undoubtedly one reason he kept pressing.

But there was another.

He wanted an excuse to spend time with me again in the future.

In other words, he had no intention of backing down.

"Next semester... I'll tell you."

"Next semester?"

"Even if I told you now, it's not like you'd be able to read it anyway."

"Well, that's true. I'll be going home during the break."

"Then our conversation is over. Since it's cold, we should return to the dormitory."

I had no desire to spend any more time being held hostage by the protagonist of someone else's novel.

So I immediately stood up and returned the scarf and blanket.

When I thanked him and handed them back, Reisir stored them in his inventory with a disappointed expression.

Then he said,

"Can't we just keep talking in your room or mine and head to the auditorium together when it's time for the graduation ceremony?"

"No."

"Yeah, I figured you'd say that. Just as expected from the feline family. You need regular periods of solitude, don't you?"

"W-What...! I am not some feline creature. I am a perfectly normal human being. And I'm not alone. Yor is with me."

"Right, right. It's cold. Let's head inside."

There wasn't a trace of sincerity in that "right."

Still, if I argued any further, I'd end up spending time with him all the way until the graduation ceremony began—exactly as Reisir intended.

I wasn't about to fall for such an obvious trap.

"Hmph!"

After giving a dismissive snort, I marched toward the dormitory.

 The Demon Realm Transformation did not begin at the start of the graduation ceremony.

It happened in the middle of it.

The representatives from each year had been called to the rostrum.

And just as the first speaker—the representative of the first years—was about to begin their address...

The Demon Realm Transformation would begin.

For reference, the boss monster appears in the center of the rostrum.

Which means right beside the student giving the speech.

Some of our dear Readers may have reacted with a confused Huh? the moment they read that explanation.

Because it has already been mentioned several times that Helga was scheduled to deliver the speech as the first-year representative at today's graduation ceremony.

In other words, the reason there was only a single victim in the original novel was—

Partly because of Helga.

And partly because of the swift actions of the academy's extraordinarily capable professors.

If you trace it all the way back to the source, though...

It's probably because the character the author wanted to kill wasn't standing among a crowd of students.

She was standing alone.

By now, some people have probably wondered:

Then shouldn't you have prevented Helga from becoming the representative?

I never interfered.

I let her become the top student exactly as she was meant to.

The first reason was that I couldn't save Helga by making someone else the sacrifice.

The second was that I couldn't obstruct her dream of obtaining a high-ranking government position—the very goal that would someday give her the power to protect those she loved.

And the third reason—the most decisive one of all—was...

Because the condition Author Senna established was probably not .

It was .

There was no way to rule out the possibility that the boss monster's true spawn condition was tied to Helga herself.

What would happen if the monster appeared beside Helga while she sat among the students?

Chaos.

Chaos far worse than anything that occurred in the original novel.

The professors would waste precious time controlling the panic instead of responding immediately.

Even if I somehow managed to save Helga in the midst of that chaos, the deaths of other students would still be my responsibility.

That was not a burden I could carry.

So, in order to eliminate as many uncontrollable variables as possible, I had no choice but to allow Helga to remain at the top of her class.

I can do this... right?

I had prepared to the utmost.

No.

I had prepared beyond the utmost.

As long as I successfully drew the boss monster's aggro before it attacked Helga, the operation was effectively guaranteed to succeed.

Even so, no matter how many times I told myself there was nothing to worry about, the tension refused to disappear.

And if that tension showed on my face, people might start wondering how I knew the Demon Realm Transformation was coming.

Fortunately, Yor was there.

I eased my nerves by hugging the adorable baby dragon and running my fingers through her soft mane.

"Next, we will hear remarks from the representatives of each year."

The moment had arrived.

The professor acting as master of ceremonies announced the names of the representatives from first through fourth year.

Four students, Helga among them, rose from their seats and climbed onto the rostrum.

It's about to begin.