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Chapter 55 - How to Cross a Desert (2)

The Academy remains as busy as ever.

Though less than two weeks have passed since the midterms, the atmosphere at the school hasn’t slackened at all.

In fact, the competitive spirit is fiercer than ever.

Galimard, the continent’s most prestigious educational institution.

A place where only the elite gather, where even a moment’s lapse can see you overtaken by many.

That’s why the students don’t dare loosen their grip on their studies.

At least not until the school trip arrives. Until then, the tense atmosphere shows no signs of letting up.

And so, another intense day came to an end.

"..."

That evening, after all the classes were over.

Regia was walking along the path back to the dormitory.

Due to her poorly arranged schedule, she was heading back to her room later than usual.

There was no one around her.

Tap, tap....

She walked quietly, each step slow and deliberate.

Her pink hair fluttered in the wind, brushing against her face.

Her bangs kept falling over her eyes, but she didn’t bother pushing them aside. She just kept walking, lost in deep thought.

"..."

Regia had been like this for a while.

She often appeared dazed, her thoughts elsewhere.

Ever since the incident during the midterms, she had been spending more and more time in this helpless state.

It was the lingering trauma of what had happened.

—Hey, commoner! Can’t summon your oh-so-great familiars this time, huh?

—You’re completely useless!

—Ugh, just get out of the way and don’t slow me down!

Voices from that time echoed in her ears.

Her breath caught in her throat.

—Run outside right now.

—I’ll hold them off here… At least you can make it out alive.

In that life-or-death moment.

She had done nothing.

While others fought desperately to survive, Regia hadn’t been able to help at all.

Paralyzed by her own overwhelming weakness.

‘I nearly ruined everything… again.’

She bit her lip hard.

It wasn’t that she was scared of dying.

That fear wasn’t what weighed her down.

What truly broke her spirit was the helplessness of almost losing the people she cared about, due to her own incompetence.

An agonizing sense of despair swirled inside her.

‘We all could have died.’

It had almost been a massacre.

She couldn’t shake off her sense of responsibility.

If she had been able to control her powers properly, they wouldn’t have been so powerless in the face of danger.

They could have escaped.

‘Because I was too weak, too foolish… I put everyone in danger.’

Self-loathing crept over her.

And at times like this, her mother’s words would always come back to her, ringing painfully true.

That hateful voice.

—Someone as useless as you… should never have been born.

Sharp fragments of those words stabbed deep into her chest.

Regia trembled, trying to muffle her sobs, and soon her legs began to give way.

Her head was spinning.

She felt nauseous.

The memories of that powerless moment mixed with the scars of her childhood, leaving deep wounds in her heart.

Regia struggled just to stay on her feet, barely keeping herself from collapsing.

“Haa, haa…”

Her breathing became erratic.

She was sinking deeper into the weight of her despair when…

“Miss Regia.”

A voice called out from somewhere nearby.

Though she hadn’t sensed anyone’s presence, a shadow was now standing behind her.

When she turned around, she saw a familiar face.

“I’ve been waiting for you.”

“...My lord?”

His neatly groomed blond hair.

That calm atmosphere that surrounded him, and those ever-narrowed eyes.

“Shall we walk together for a bit?”

Once again, just as she reached the depths of her despair, it was the snake who reached out to pull her back.

***

“Shall we walk together for a bit?”

The protagonist, walking with her head down, lost in her thoughts.

I had been waiting for her after classes ended, and now I appeared behind her, speaking softly.

Regia seemed startled at first but then nodded.

And so, we walked together along the path to the dormitories.

"..."

Even as we walked, she didn’t say a word.

Only heavy silence filled the air.

She just followed me, step by step, like a puppet with its strings cut.

It felt as though I was walking with a lifeless doll.

“You seem a little down.”

“...Huh?”

“You haven’t looked well lately. Are you feeling unwell?”

“No, it’s nothing… I-I probably just didn’t get enough sleep.”

“You must have been sleep-deprived for an entire week, then.”

“...”

In the end, I had to be the one to break the silence.

Regia fidgeted, looking for an excuse, and eventually stammered out a weak reply.

“I-I’m really fine… It’s just that schoolwork has been tough lately, so I think the fatigue’s just caught up with me.”

“I see~ Is that right?”

“Y-Yes…”

The protagonist nodded timidly.

She kept insisting she was fine, but I could tell it was a flimsy lie.

It was obvious she was struggling.

‘It’s probably because of what happened in the Abandoned Laboratory.’

She was likely feeling disgusted with her own helplessness.

It was something that happened often in the original story too.

Her inability to fully control her powers.

Despite having the strength to protect others, her timid nature always held her back.

It was like handing a legendary sword to a scarecrow.

[I couldn’t do anything.]

The coward would always blame herself.

It was easier for her to hate herself than to place the blame on others.

That was how she had lived her whole life—carrying scars within her heart.

This time was no different.

Regia was feeling guilty.

She thought that because of her incompetence, the people around her had nearly been hurt in the worst way possible.

Dark thoughts gnawed at her.

‘She must be afraid.’

Regia hadn’t grown much.

That was also a fact.

She had avoided most of the tragedies that should have occurred in the original story.

The villainess no longer tormented her, she wasn’t an outcast struggling to adapt to the Academy.

She hadn’t been dragged off by monsters during the midterms.

She hadn’t gone to Belsen, and so didn’t experience the tragic events tied to Anne.

Things had been going smoothly.

‘Maybe it’s because of me.’

Pain drives growth.

In other words, growth often requires a certain amount of suffering.

What Regia needed now was an opportunity.

An opportunity to stand up on her own, to overcome the pain.

‘If she needs an event like that… I’ll just have to create it for her.’

This world ultimately moves according to the choices of the protagonist and her companions.

For now, I can control many aspects, but in the end, it is their choices that will decide the story’s outcome.

Even my powers as Liar cannot interfere with that.

And so, my role is to guide them.

To help those wandering souls walk the right path.

“Miss Regia.”

I smiled softly.

If you want to change, I’ll gladly help you find the opportunity to do so.

“Do you have any plans this weekend?”

“Huh? P-Plans?”

“I was wondering if you were busy.”

“There’s nothing special… But why do you ask all of a sudden?”

“You mentioned that school’s been stressing you out. How about taking a break to clear your head? A little outing, maybe.”

“Huh…?”

I had just the right place in mind.

An event that could push Regia toward growth.

I gave her a playful smile.

“Consider it a date invitation.”

Time to help the protagonist grow a little.

***

A few days later.

We met up at the Academy square.

Even though I had arrived earlier than planned, Regia was already there, looking around.

When our eyes met, we exchanged a quick greeting.

“You’re here already?”

“Well, you came early too.”

“I’ve been looking forward to today. It’s always nice to spend time alone with you, Miss Regia.”

“U-Um… Shall we go then?”

She lowered her head, clearly embarrassed.

I couldn’t help but smile at her shy reaction.

Taking her hand as if to lead her, I began to walk ahead.

“I’ll guide you. I know this area quite well.”

“Um… O-Okay!”

And so, we strolled through the square.

As we walked along the long path, we soon left the familiar scenery of the Academy behind.

The atmosphere began to change.

Galimard isn’t just an academic institution.

It’s large enough to rival most cities, with all kinds of facilities and districts surrounding the main campus.

Shops, restaurants, theaters, blacksmiths—there were all sorts of places to explore.

This area, known as the “Outer District,” was technically part of the Academy.

“Wow…”

Regia gasped in awe at the vibrant surroundings.

It seemed this was her first time venturing out to the Outer District.

“Shall we grab something to eat first?”

“Sure!”

“Let’s keep it simple for lunch. I know a good stall nearby. Hopefully, it’ll suit your taste as well.”

“If you recommend it, my lord, then…”

“There it is.”

I pointed toward an old stall run by an elderly man with white hair.

Regia tilted her head, looking curious.

“That’s… Flania skewers?”

“You know the dish?”

“Yeah. I came across it in a village during my travels across the continent. They were selling it there.”

“Interesting.”

We each grabbed a skewer.

It looked similar to chicken skewers.

The dish was made by roasting a bird called Flania until crispy, then coating it with a sweet sauce.

Such a dish was hard to find in the Empire.

“...”

The golden-brown flesh of the roasted Flania.

Regia, who had been standing still, soon brought the warm skewer to her mouth.

Crunch-.

“...!”

Her eyes widened in surprise at the taste.

Did she like it?

Watching her reaction, I took a bite as well.

Crunch–

The well-cooked skin made a loud crackling sound as it broke apart.

Immediately, rich juices burst out.

The strong aroma of meat lingered at the tip of my nose, and the distinctive tangy sauce enveloped my tongue.

It was a fascinating texture.

The skin was definitely like that of chicken, but the meat was closer to pork.

The rich flavour was especially exceptional.

‘It’s delicious, even though it’s my first time trying it.’

In the original story, Regia often visited this stall.

I brought her here, thinking she might like it in reality too, and it seemed to be a huge success.

It matched my taste as well.

“How is it, Miss Regia?”

“I-it’s delicious...! Much better than the Flania skewer I had before!”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

The girl’s expression, relaxed and mumbling, made me smile warmly.

I absentmindedly stroked her pink hair and ordered a few more Flania skewers.

I wanted to feed her as much as she liked.

“Shall we visit another place after we eat?”

“Yes...!”

We wandered through the wide streets.

Though the outing was intended as a growth event, I also wanted to spend time together.

It was our first time exploring the Outer District as a pair.

“Th- there’s so much here.”

“Hehe... Shall we experience it all one by one?”

It seemed enjoyable.

We visited a theatre, browsed shops, and even bought weapons from a blacksmith.

Time flew by.

“I knew about the Outer District, but... I didn’t realise there was so much here.”

“It’s always enjoyable to discover new things.”

By now, the sky was turning to evening.

The landscape was gradually turning red.

I realised it was almost time.

I led the girl to our final destination for the day.

A rather remote part of the Outer District, a place seldom visited by people.

“Let’s explore here for the last stop.”

An old shop located in a secluded area.

The building, marked by the passage of time, stood solitary amidst the empty surroundings.

It had a somewhat eerie feel.

“There’s a shop even in such a remote place...?”

“It seems like there might be some good items.”

Inside, there were various odds and ends piled up.

Items were displayed more neatly than expected.

It looked as if someone had meticulously managed the items.

We searched for the shop owner but found no signs of anyone.

“It seems there’s no one here...”

“They’ve stepped out for a moment. Shall we browse the items?”

There were many miscellaneous items.

It appeared to be more of an antique shop than a regular store.

Old magical tools, faded banners, and crackling crystal orbs.

Nothing particularly valuable seemed to be there.

Until Regia picked up something.

“What’s this...?”

The girl, as if mesmerised, was handling an old book.

It was covered in aged leather.

The title [How to Cross a Desert] was embossed in golden letters on the cover.

“Miss Regia?”

As expected, she picked that one.

“This book... feels a bit strange.”

“What seems strange about it?”

“I-I’m not sure. It feels like the mana is faintly vibrating...”

Summoners are typically sensitive to mana.

The concept of summoning itself requires delicate manipulation.

Perhaps that’s why the book caught her eye.

As Regia ran her fingers over the cover, she inadvertently turned a page.

At that moment.

Beep-!

“...?!”

A bright light began to emanate from the book with a loud noise.

The scenery turned dazzlingly bright in an instant.

The flashing light not only engulfed the shop but also blotted out her vision completely.

There was no time to react.

“M-my lord...!”

A panicked voice echoed in my ears.

I could feel my consciousness fading away in real time, murmuring.

‘Is it starting?’

A growth event.

I subtly curved my lips into a smile.

The opened pages drew us into the story.

I willingly surrendered to the flow.

‘A growth event.’

Soon after.

The vision turned to darkness.

***

When I regained my senses, the sun was blazing down on us.

“Wh-Where are we...?”

Regia hurriedly looked around.

There was still sand clinging to her sleeves.

I murmured softly.

“...It seems we’ve arrived.”

The scorching heat.

The texture of sand underfoot.

The entire landscape covered in a golden hue.

We had fallen right into the middle of a desert.

[EP???. How to Cross a Desert]

- A Gate in the Sky, A Kid Who Stays Up Under the Stars -

The beginning of a hidden episode.