This Novel is not my Novel

After Professor Radvisin's Ether Attribute Enhancement lecture ended and lunch was over, I attended my afternoon class, Understanding and Criticism of Literature.

Since the protagonist of someone else's novel had stubbornly insisted on matching his entire schedule to mine, Reisir took that class with me as well.

Nothing noteworthy happened there.

Professor Radvisin said he'd prepare a training method by next week... but he also mentioned that he'd have to study the theory behind magnetic fields first?

Because of that...

During the break after lunch, before class began—

And even after the afternoon lecture, when there was still plenty of time before dinner—

Instead of asking me to spend time with him or suggesting we train together, Reisir went to the library alone.

I had also asked him to return my copy of How a Repentant Villain Saves the World on my behalf...

Which means the work of organizing foreshadowing and worldbuilding—and Yor's transcription work—both officially ended yesterday.

With the time I'd secured before and after dinner, I trained alone at my personal practice grounds.

Then, after returning to my room around ten that night and washing up, I set myself a goal.

I'd write one web novel chapter before going to bed.

There were three problems with that plan.

The first was that I was using a mechanical typewriter instead of a computer with a word processor, so I had no way of checking the exact character count.

Fortunately, that problem turned out to be easier to solve than expected.

The paper used in this world followed the same standard as paper back in reality.

One chapter usually filled six or seven pages in my word processor.

So if I wrote about six pages, that should be close enough.

The second problem...

Whenever I wrote, I always relied on dictionary websites.

To check confusing words.

To search for synonyms.

Or antonyms.

This world had neither online dictionaries nor anything resembling those websites.

I worried I'd end up wasting time flipping through paper dictionaries instead.

As it turned out, that wasn't necessary.

Because my baby dragon was a genius.

Whenever I asked a question, she'd simply write the word I needed on the whiteboard.

The third problem...

...was the real one.

Because of 【Character Analysis】, which accelerated my thought processes...

I'd assumed that, if I concentrated, I could finish an entire chapter in roughly two hours.

I was completely wrong.

The skill only activated when I deeply analyzed a character's thoughts or actions.

It offered no help whatsoever when I was planning the progression of the story itself.

On top of that, I hadn't written anything in over six months.

Nor had I consumed much new material during that time.

My writing ability had deteriorated dramatically.

But dawn class starts at five.

To finish my morning routine, I have to wake up at four.

If I reduced my sleep to less than four hours...

My body simply wouldn't endure it.

In the end, on the very first day I resumed writing How a Repentant Villain Saves the World, I had to crawl into bed without reaching my target.

Then, after waking before dawn and finishing my preparations to leave...

I sat back down at my desk to squeeze out just a little more writing.

Because of that...

By the time I reached the small auditorium, class was about to begin.

"You're a little late today. I thought you'd come early again to warm up like yesterday."

Reisir sounded genuinely disappointed.

I understood exactly why.

Because Fjodora must've arrived early today as well.

He already felt awkward around her.

And after the energy bar incident in Chapter 190, that awkwardness had probably become even worse.

I could easily imagine the two of them sitting together in suffocating silence until everyone else arrived.

Perhaps Fjodora had clumsily attempted to become friends with him during that time...

Only to accumulate yet another negative impression in the process.

So much for all the effort I put into dismantling his prejudice against her back in Chapter 176...

To keep their relationship from deteriorating any further...

I should probably start arriving early again tomorrow.

Having reached that conclusion, I answered flatly,

"Today's dawn lecture is basic physical training. The warm-up is probably included in class anyway, so there's no real reason to come early."

"Ah, you're right. Then I'll only come early on days when we have martial arts."

Fortunately, Reisir simply accepted my explanation.

He didn't suspiciously ask whether something had happened or whether I was hiding something.

For a brief moment, one question crossed my mind.

When did I start considering that fortunate?

...

Never mind.

More importantly—

"Aren't you giving it to me today?"

"What?"

"The energy bar you gave me yesterday."

I held out my hand expectantly.

Reisir's expression immediately became impossible to describe.

He looked troubled...

Happy...

Embarrassed...

All at once.

"Is... is it really all right? They're just cheap ones from the school store..."

"Didn't I already tell you not to worry about that? Besides, they tasted perfectly fine. And I took this class last semester, so I know firsthand that this level of training isn't something you should attempt on an empty stomach."

Objectively speaking...

What I was doing now wasn't very different from extortion.

I was acting as though I'd entrusted the energy bar to him in the first place and was merely demanding it back.

Yet despite that...

He quietly said,

"...Thank you."

"Isn't it strange to thank someone while you're sharing your own food?"

"No."

His answer came without the slightest hesitation.

"It's not strange at all."

His expression softened as he watched me bite into the energy bar.

Then several people walked over.

"Reisir? If you had those, why didn't you offer me one?"

"You two secretly ate them yesterday too?! I eat energy bars as well! This is obvious discrimination...!"

"If you have any extras... could I have one too? Ah! I don't mean for free. I'll pay you back later."

Helga.

Ríolíkin.

Vigdís.

All three held out their hands toward Reisir.

Smiling awkwardly, he placed an energy bar into each of their palms.

"Sorry... it just completely slipped my mind. I bought them to share with everyone from the beginning, so there's no need to pay me back."

"That's not exactly the kind of thing someone just forgets."

"Haha..."

He laughed awkwardly before changing the subject.

"If any of the new students would like one, you're welcome to take one too. That includes you as well, Senior Lissy."

Naturally, he couldn't reveal the truth in front of Fjodora.

Instead of answering the suspicion in his childhood friend's question, he simply laughed it off.

Helga looked even more suspicious than before.

But before she could question him further...

The professor arrived.

"Good morning, everyone in the Special Class for Awakened Ones. This is our second meeting. Some of you, however, are seeing me for the first time, so allow me to introduce myself again. I am Banhilda Beyzl, and my ability is 【Super Regeneration】."

The moment Banhilda appeared...

Not just me.

Everyone present was puzzled.

According to the course schedule, she wasn't supposed to be teaching Basic Physical Training.

The instructor assigned to this class was the same professor who had taught it last semester.

His Ether Core had been destroyed in an accident when he was young.

No one could blame him for failing to fight monsters anymore.

Unlike Skati, he wasn't openly criticized.

The general conclusion had merely been that, because he'd gradually been ostracized by the combat faculty, he too had become an innocent victim of workplace bullying.

So Banhilda, like Professor Radvisin, was a character created by Author Senna.

Since the original protagonist dropped out of the academy, I assumed this was simply a character who never had the chance to appear before the remake.

Was he merely a background character burdened with a tragic past?

Or had the original author intended to use him before abandoning the idea midway?

I had no answer.

Fortunately, Banhilda herself explained the change.

"Originally, another professor was scheduled to teach Basic Physical Training. However, we concluded that there's no better environment for safely experiencing sparring than martial arts class. Since many of you are studying martial arts for the first time this semester, it was proposed that thirty minutes originally allocated to physical training be devoted to teaching basic martial arts movements instead. As a result, I will now be overseeing all of your dawn training."

It was exactly the sort of adjustment that revealed the author's impatience to push the protagonist into the Demon Realm as quickly as possible.

'It was proposed...'

Perhaps Author Senna had written that phrase casually.

But inside this world...

It couldn't simply be dismissed.

If Banhilda herself had made the proposal, she wouldn't have phrased it that way.

So far, the Special Class for Awakened Ones had taken only two exclusive courses.

Martial Arts.

And Ether Attribute Enhancement.

Professor Radvisin, who taught the latter, wasn't part of the combat faculty.

By process of elimination...

The only person who could've proposed this is Fjodora... isn't it?

As I reached that bleak conclusion...

A surprisingly heartwarming scene unfolded before us.

"By the way... what is everyone eating?"

"Energy bars. Would you like one too, Professor?"

"...Thank you. I'll gladly accept."

Banhilda accepted the energy bar Reisir offered with both hands.

Her expression looked genuinely moved.

Judging from her backstory...

She had probably remembered the child she'd lost around the time they had just learned to walk.

Perhaps...

A memory of those tiny little hands offering her a snack.

...Of course, if you didn't know her history, she'd just look like a rather strange person.

Sure enough...

Reisir looked distinctly uncomfortable.

The other students also stared at her with puzzled expressions.

Only two people reacted differently.

Fjodora, as a member of the academy's leadership, naturally knew Banhilda's past.

She looked at the professor with unmistakable sympathy.

Pret, meanwhile—whose greatest hobby and talent was gathering information—carefully observed everyone's reactions.

Eventually, his eyes met mine.

Well... this body belongs to a ducal family.

It wouldn't be strange if Karvaldr already knew Banhilda's story.

Pret silently mouthed an appreciative, "Oh."

I merely frowned, then deliberately turned my head away.

At that moment, Fjodora composed herself before addressing Reisir.

"It is inappropriate to leave something as essential as food distribution to the goodwill of a single student. Beginning tomorrow, the pâtissier in my employ will report here each morning and prepare energy bars for everyone. There will be no need for you to continue purchasing them from the school store."

I won't bother describing the look that crossed Reisir's face.

I'm sure my dear readers can imagine it well enough.

I will say, however...

That obvious panic appeared on Fjodora's face.

"...Ah! Naturally, please submit the cost of the energy bars you've already purchased. This humble one will reimburse you."

"No, that's unnecessary."

Reisir smiled politely.

"I wasn't distributing supplies. I simply bought some snacks to share with my classmates."

"Umm... if that's the case..."

Fjodora had almost certainly proposed that ridiculous idea because she'd sensed his mood suddenly souring and wanted to smooth things over.

Instead...

His perfectly courteous tone only locked his heart away even more tightly.

For a brief instant...

Discouragement flickered across Fjodora's face.