Heh, Trying to Run?

When Ansu regained consciousness, he found himself back in the classroom where he'd been before the simulation.

The classroom was still bustling after class. His deskmate was chatting up a girl in front of them, while the teacher at the lectern prepared the alchemical tools needed for the next lesson...

Ansu let out a long breath of relief. He was finally back...

A system notification appeared before his eyes again.

[Reality]

[April 12, 625 Light Calendar, 10:22]

[In this simulation, you were brainwashed by black magic and wasted most of your time, but you did obtain some information]

[Rating: D]

[System rewards being issued...]

[Reward: 8 points]

[Remaining points: 8]

Looking at the system interface, Ansu sighed inwardly. The remaining eight points weren't enough for another simulation.

Looks like he'd have to rely on himself from here on...

There was no helping it. Cecilia's "hypnotic lie detector" had completely thrown off his plans.

Just then, another system notification appeared.

[As this is the first simulation, and to encourage the host to avert the Fated Death that awaits him, one skill reward is being granted as a bonus.]

[Magic Immunity]

[When subjected to an opponent's magic attack, you may gain one instance of immunity]

[Immunity covers all magical damage, as well as negative and positive magical effects. Duration: the entire turn (from the beginning to the end of the magical effect). Cooldown: 24 hours]

[Note: The grace period after a 10-minute simulation is 3 hours; after a 10-hour simulation, it is 12 hours]

[You can also earn points by making key changes in reality and altering your fate. You are welcome to keep using the simulation feature for a chance to gain more simulation time and generous rewards. Keep up the good work!]

Magic Immunity? Ansu remembered that the game did have a similar skill.

Skills like this were pretty useless early on, since they couldn't deal damage. But in the hands of a player who knew the mechanics, they could be very effective.

For example, if Cecilia tried to hypnotize him again, Ansu could avoid it completely...

But there was no need to take that risk. Ansu didn't want to face that absurdly powerful Witch on his own.

As he pondered, the classroom gradually emptied.

Ansu remembered that Mary was waiting for him. If he didn't go find her soon, she'd come looking for him herself. He didn't have much time.

He quickly went over everything that had happened.

The Echo of Truth Cult wanted to plant a spy in the Royal Academy, and Ansu, with no influential family behind him, had been unlucky enough to get picked. It seemed that in the original story, this was how he'd gotten caught up in the cult's schemes.

But as long as he avoided this, he could surely avert the "Fated Death" that was coming in two weeks.

Ansu was still shaken. Thank goodness he'd thought quickly and stalled for a while, learning that Cecilia had a way to detect lies.

Otherwise, even if he ran another simulation, he'd probably still be screwed...

With that in mind, Ansu opened his notebook and quickly wrote down two sentences, then tore out the page.

"Kevin, I need you to do me a favor!"

He tapped his deskmate on the shoulder.

"What? Hold on, hold on..."

Seeing his deskmate still trying to chat up the girl in front of them, who was still giving him the cold shoulder, Ansu grabbed him and pulled him over.

"Quit it! She's not interested in you!"

"Hey..." His deskmate turned around awkwardly and said helplessly, "What do you want?"

"It's a matter of life and death!" Ansu hurriedly stuffed him the note, then lowered his voice.

"I need you to go to the Church of Holy Light and hand this note directly to the Saintess! You're a real pal! Once this is over, I'll do all your homework for the next month!"

"Huh?" His deskmate hadn't expected such a request. As he slowly unfolded the note, his expression grew even more confused.

"What does this say? What's it mean?"

"Don't worry about that." Ansu patted him and added, "Just make sure you leave after I've left the classroom!"

"But..." His deskmate hesitated for a moment. "The Saintess doesn't know me. How can I be sure I'll get the note to her?"

"Just tell her it's from a fellow countryman." Ansu looked confident. "Once she hears that, she'll be desperate to see you."

"Uh..." His deskmate looked more and more bewildered.

Seeing he was still reluctant, Ansu upped the offer.

"How about this: a month of homework, plus I'll help you cheat on the midterm! I'll make sure you pass the exam and get a grade your old man will be happy with! Deal?"

His deskmate's expression changed in an instant, and his eyes lit up.

"Deal!"

Ansu breathed a sigh of relief.

Money wouldn't work on his deskmate. After all, hardly anyone who went to school here was poor.

Kevin's father was a rising star in the capital—what people called a "nouveau riche"—so he had high expectations for Kevin's academic performance.

Of all the strategies Ansu had considered, "reporting them" was the most effective.

The cult wasn't as powerful as it was in the original story yet. Otherwise, it wouldn't still be hiding underground, hunted far and wide by the Inquisition and the Demon Hunter Squad.

To keep the note from being intercepted, he'd kept it simple: one sentence requesting a meeting at a particular time and place, and another stating where the Saintess had been born.

It was a "threat" aimed at her.

The Saintess would later become one of the main characters. Ansu, who knew the story, was aware that she'd always kept a deeply buried secret—

She wasn't a pure-blooded human. She was a demihuman.

Catgirls, dragon girls, monster girls—Ansu thought they were adorable, the sort of thing that really hit his tastes...

But in this world, especially within the Empire, demihumans were subjected to discrimination and oppression. If the Saintess hadn't hidden her heritage, she never would have achieved her current radiant status.

So Ansu's note was basically saying:

"Miss Saintess, I'm sure you wouldn't want anyone to find out you're a demihuman, would you?"

Given the Saintess's personality, the moment she saw those words, she'd be thrown into a panic and come running to meet him, like a heroine in an erotic comic...

Her origins were her greatest weakness.

That was Ansu's "outside help." Of course, he had a backup plan as well.

He'd head straight to the principal's office and find an excuse to have a chat with the highly respected old man.

As an impoverished student with excellent grades, he was always treated kindly by the principal. If Kevin had gone in his place, he wouldn't even have gotten through the door.

Plan complete.jpg

Surely Cecilia couldn't kill both the Saintess and the principal, could she?

After reminding his deskmate several times, Ansu got up and left the classroom.

He glanced around the hallway. Mary wasn't there, so he hurried toward the stairs.

But he hadn't gone far when a girl's voice startled him.

"Ansu? Where are you going? Mary's asking you to come to the office right away!"

Seeing that it was only a classmate passing on the message, Ansu replied casually, "Okay, I'll be right there!"

Like hell he would!

He'd get knocked out, tied up, then brainwashed into an RBQ.

After leaving the academic building, Ansu headed straight for the administrative offices. Benalu Royal Academy was ridiculously huge, almost the size of a small town. But once he got there, he'd surely be safe...

The academy's senior staff included transcendent powerhouses, and the Academic Affairs Department had its own security team, well-equipped and rigorously trained.

He'd be safe soon...

But as he walked, just when he was about to reach the tree-lined path, Ansu noticed that the girl who'd passed on the message was following him.

"Hey, Ansu, wait!"

"Mary's been waiting for you for ages. She seems pretty mad, too!"

Ansu frowned as he looked at her. She wore the academy uniform, her cheeks flushed as if she were out of breath.

"I said I'd be right..." Ansu had just begun to speak when he suddenly sensed something was wrong.

Then he turned and ran!

Whether he was being paranoid or not, anyone who tried to stop him now was suspicious! Ansu would rather die than go to Mary's office!

But something eerie happened.

The instant Ansu dashed onto the tree-lined path, the girl who'd been behind him appeared smiling in front of him...

"Heh, trying to run?"

Damn! Ansu's scalp went numb.

He tried to keep running, only to find that he couldn't move a muscle. All he could do was watch as the girl walked toward him, then...

Slowly wrapped her arms around him.

They clung tightly to each other. To anyone watching, they looked like a young couple very much in love.

But only Ansu knew he couldn't break free from her embrace. She even covered his mouth, leaving him unable to speak...

The girl rose onto her toes and leaned toward Ansu's ear with a smile.

"What a pain. Why are you running all over the place? Now I have to handle you myself..."

Hearing that familiar voice, Ansu felt utterly speechless.

You're really going all out to catch me...

Cecilia.

But by then, it was too late to do anything. The pungent smell of chemicals filled his nostrils, and Ansu's consciousness began to fade.

Only one thought remained in his mind.

Thank goodness he'd sent the note...

Cecilia watched as Ansu went limp in her arms, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly.

She quietly took a bottle of [ether] from her pocket and chuckled. Mary's office was full of stuff like this.

"Heh... I'm starting to think this stuff works better than magic."

Then...

A couple locked in an embrace, apparently in the throes of young love, slowly crossed the tree-lined path and entered a small grove, where they vanished from sight...

Anyone who saw them would only smile knowingly, never suspecting anything was amiss.

If you can't find it by searching the book title, try searching for the author. Maybe it was just renamed!