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“After a fierce battle, we finally have a winner!”  

After a long and intense duel, the head of the academic department, who had been commentating on the situation, received my signal and declared the match over in a loud voice.  

“Overcoming Charlie’s relentless barrage, Robin advances to the next round!”  

As he said, Charlie, who had been widening the distance while continuously chanting spells until the last moment, ultimately failed to cover the opening that appeared in an instant and was subdued by Robin, collapsing to the ground.  

“To think we’d have such an intense match right from the start! The students competing in the next round must feel quite pressured. By the way, the defeated student, Charlie, is actually the head of the club I run—”  

“Professor Felix. Let’s stop there.”  

“…Ah, my apologies.”  

Even after the match had ended, the academic department head continued speaking in his commentator tone, only to be warned by the dean beside him.  

As he awkwardly lowered the microphone, Lady Meredia, who had been watching me with a look of disdain, muttered in a low voice.  

“You seem quite excited, which doesn’t suit your appearance.”  

“Huff, huff…”  

“For the record, that applies to you as well, Whitney Lingard.”  

I had been catching my breath after continuously giving orders to the two students, but when the remark unexpectedly targeted me, I forced a smile and opened my mouth.  

“…What do you think of my analysis?”  

“Well, I must admit, it was certainly impressive.”  

“Haha, thank you—”  

“That is, up until you got one or two early predictions right.”  

As expected, Lady Meredia was not someone who could be brushed off with light words like Princess Katarina or Hestia.  

“Do you really not find it strange that every single detail of the match played out exactly as you predicted?”  

“……”

“What kind of trick did you pull? I didn’t sense any magic being used.”  

As she said this, Meredia’s gemstone-like eyes shimmered slightly as she looked at me.  

“Could it be that my supposedly ordinary fiancé is actually an SSS-rank tactical genius?”  

“Ha.”  

“…That was a joke, Lady.”  

I attempted a meaningless joke to buy myself some time, though my mind was already on the verge of overloading.  

“You do realize that doppelgänger creation is illegal, don’t you?”  

“Gasp.”  

“Where are the real students?”  

Despite my desperate attempt to divert the topic, Lady Meredia had already grasped the general situation.  

“Are you planning to report this to the Holy Kingdom?”  

“Sigh.”  

Now that I had no other options, I had no choice but to appeal to her emotions, putting on the most pitiful expression I could muster as I cautiously probed for her response.  

“You need to tell me the truth if you want my help with the cleanup.”  

“Ah, as expected of you, Lady.”  

Fortunately, after glaring at me coldly, Lady Meredia let out a sigh and decided to become my accomplice.  

“…I’ve buried a lot of bodies before.”  

“I-I haven’t killed anyone, though.”  

“……”  

“It’s true. By now, my maid should be taking good care of them.”  

I couldn’t tell whether her words were a joke or serious, but in any case, I was grateful.  

“You know, if I were my old self, I would have already cut your throat by now.”  

“……”

“So be grateful. I’m actually quite generous with my people.”  

Hmm, should I be thankful for that?  

“By the way, I’ve always wondered—how do you constantly pull off feats beyond imagination?”  

“…Me?”  

“You’re personally creating a hero and awakening the saint. I don’t know whether to call it reckless or calculated.”  

As I scratched my head and observed Meredia’s expression, I finally grasped the gravity of the situation.  

…This is turning into a bigger problem than I expected.  

For now, I’ve avoided the immediate threat of the selection tournament being suspended, but at this rate, I’m directly interfering in the competition.  

That means the hero selection might not proceed as it was originally supposed to.  

‘The moment I interfere, doesn’t that mean the original fate has already been distorted?’  

In the original story, one of the top three winners of the selection tournament was chosen by the saint.  

But what if that fate is twisted due to the influence of the doppelgänger I created?  

In the worst case, even if the saint comes into contact with the winners, nothing might happen—a catastrophic failure.  

‘At this point, I have no choice but to minimize my influence on the selection tournament.’  

That means I need to ensure that Robin, who just won, and Hayden, who is set to compete, are eliminated as soon as possible.  

At the very least, I’m certain that a doppelgänger cannot become the hero.  

So increasing the chances of legitimate participants being chosen as heroes is the best course of action.  

“Alright, let’s move on to the second match!”  

With those thoughts in mind, I was about to take a moment to catch my breath before my next evaluation.  

“Third-year student Hayden versus—brace yourselves—first-year student Lady Cecil Lingard!”  

“…Oh no.”  

The moment I heard the matchup for the second match, I let out a deep sigh.  

“This time… there’s no helping it.”  

It was one thing for Hayden, my doppelgänger, to be called up right away, but for his opponent to be her of all people…  

“You’re planning to eliminate your sister no matter what, aren’t you?”  

“…Was it that obvious?”  

“I’ve never seen your emotions show this clearly on your face before.”  

As I steeled myself with determination, I heard Lady Meredia chuckling beside me.  

“I never realized I was such a selfish person.”  

“Indeed. Family is the greatest threat in this world. If it were me, I would have cut off the problem at the root from the start.”  

“Haha…”  

Well, for Meredia, family was nothing more than competitors—enemies who would go so far as to threaten each other’s lives.  

But for me, it was different.  

To me, family was…  

“…So precious that I can’t bear to let them walk a thorny path?”  

I clenched my hands tightly, swallowing the words I wanted to say.  

But then, hearing an unexpected voice from beside me, I widened my eyes and turned my head.  

“Saintess?”  

“For the first time, I can see you clearly now, Whitney Lingard.”  

Lady Hestia, who had been quietly standing in her seat, now looked directly at me and spoke in a firm voice.  

“I apologize for misunderstanding you all this time.”  

“….?”  

“And don’t listen to what others say.”  

There was no trace of the timid demeanor I had seen in her over the past few weeks.  

Rather, she now seemed more like the saint I had always known in the game—a steadfast ally and a force for good.  

“…What did you just say?”  

Meredia narrowed her eyes coldly, as if she had sensed something off or simply disliked Hestia contradicting her.  

“Shouldn’t we start the match now?”  

“Hah.”  

But to my surprise, Hestia met her gaze head-on and simply urged the match to begin.  

‘Why is she suddenly acting like this…?’  

Of course, it was a good thing that the saint was behaving like one.  

“You look troubled.”  

But her sudden change was so unexpected that I couldn’t help but look at her in confusion.  

Then, she slowly turned her gaze toward me and gave a gentle smile.  

“Are you unsure of the path ahead?”  

“Uh…”  

“Don’t worry. Just do what you want to do.”  

For a brief moment, her eyes seemed to glow white.  

“…After all, this is a path you’ve already walked once before, isn’t it?”  

Startled, I hesitated for a moment, but soon, a thought flashed through my mind.  

With that, I decided to focus on the match for now.

“Both sides, prepare yourselves.”  

‘It seems certain that the hero is somewhere nearby.’  

I took hope in the fact that the way Hestia was acting now was incredibly similar to the prologue of the original game.  

“Begin.”  

‘At the very least, fate has not yet been twisted.’  

And so, the second match began.  

***  

—BOOOOM!  

A tremendous impact shook the arena, sending up a massive cloud of dust that covered the battlefield.  

“Oh, wow.”  

“Wait, is that kid really a first-year?”  

“This selection tournament is no joke…”  

As the dust finally settled, the audience, who had expected an easy victory for Hayden, began murmuring in astonishment.  

“Urgh…”  

To everyone’s surprise, Cecil, despite enduring a shockwave powerful enough to shake the entire arena, was locked in a sword clash with Hayden, engaging in a test of strength.  

‘…This is insane.’  

However, contrary to what it looked like, Cecil, who was pushing against Hayden’s blade, was already feeling an overwhelming sense of despair from facing the massive wall that stood before her.  

‘I’ve struck my sword against his so many times, yet not only have I failed to land a decisive hit, but even holding my ground is a struggle…’  

Unlike Hayden, who still had the leisure to attack at his own pace, blood was already beginning to pool at the corner of Cecil’s lips.  

‘It’s like he sees through my every move.’  

Cecil’s fighting style was built on high offensive power and decisiveness, but she lacked the endurance to withstand prolonged attacks.  

That was why she had gone all out at the beginning, aiming for a swift victory with overwhelming force.  

But the problem was the technique Hayden was using—his own unique sword aura.  

‘At this rate… I’ll lose without even landing a proper strike.’  

Hayden had mastered a technique called Vibrating Blade, an ability that could transmit tremors through anything it touched, even the ground and air.  

For Cecil, who had no choice but to block his attacks directly, it was a nightmare—each parry still inflicted damage on her.  

Creating distance and responding with magic wasn’t a viable option either.  

Even though Cecil was a prodigy with talent in both swordsmanship and magic, Hayden, a third-year known for his extreme balance in both disciplines, was an opponent who could counter anything she tried.  

To put it bluntly, Hayden was the complete and superior version of Cecil, who still lacked experience.  

‘If only I had mastered my own sword aura…’  

Her only hope was to awaken her own sword aura, but despite dedicating herself to intense training right up until the day before the selection tournament, she had been unable to manifest it.  

—Zzzzzzzzt…  

Now, locked in a battle of attrition, Cecil gritted her teeth as she heard a sinister metallic hum from Hayden’s vibrating blade, bracing herself for impact.  

—BOOM!  

But no matter how prepared she was, there was no way to fully withstand an impact so powerful it felt like it shook the entire space around her.  

“Cough…!”  

The shockwave sent Cecil flying backward.  

She barely managed to plant her feet on the ground, but moments later, blood sprayed from her lips.  

‘There won’t be a next time.’  

At that moment, a realization sank deep into her subconscious—her next move would be her last chance.  

—Vwooooom…  

As if responding to her will, an incomplete yet faint sword aura began to flicker around her blade, drawing gasps and cheers from the audience.  

“A first-year using sword aura? Who is that girl?”  

“…The Lingard family is truly blessed with talent.”  

“So that was just a warm-up? The real battle starts now…”  

However, unlike the excited audience, who saw this as the rise of an unexpected dark horse, Cecil herself knew the truth.  

“…”  

Just standing upright was becoming increasingly difficult—this was nothing more than her final desperate struggle.  

‘…Is there any point in this?’  

She gripped her sword tightly in frustration, forcing herself to stand despite the odds.  

But then, she saw Hayden standing in the distance, already cloaked in his complete and refined sword aura, staring at her with an impassive expression.  

‘Even if I use this unfinished sword aura, it won’t change anything…’  

Her hands, wrapped tightly around the hilt of her sword, began to tremble uncontrollably at the thought.  

“Cecil Lingard.”  

A cold voice cut through her thoughts—it was Lady Meredia.  

“Are you still in a condition to continue the match?”  

“…Ugh.”  

Cecil briefly turned her head toward the judges’ panel before clenching her teeth and tightening her grip on her trembling hands.  

“It would be wise not to push yourself too far.”  

Unlike Meredia, who spoke as if the match was already decided, what truly ignited Cecil’s determination was the sight of Whitney Lingard quietly preparing to step forward and heal her.  

“I… am fine.”  

“Hmm.”  

Hearing Cecil’s quiet yet firm response, Meredia narrowed her eyes and, after a brief pause, spoke again.  

“…Both sides, resume the match.”  

And then, a tense silence fell over the arena.  

‘Even if I end up losing here…’  

In that silence, Cecil gathered every ounce of strength left within her and poured it into her blade, her eyes burning with determination as she prepared for one final attack.  

‘I will give it my all.’  

Her gaze was fixed on Hayden, but in truth, the words she wanted to say were meant for someone else.  

Someone sitting at the judges’ panel beside her.  

“So that no one will ever look down on me again!!!”  

With a deep, ragged breath, Cecil shouted her resolve and raised her sword high.  

—Shiiiing…  

At the same time, Hayden lifted his own sword in response.  

—BOOOOOM!  

A shockwave unlike anything before erupted, shaking the entire arena as an enormous cloud of dust blanketed the battlefield.  

***  

“…Ah.”  

Even the judges’ panel and the audience seats trembled as if struck by an earthquake.  

Seeing the devastating impact and swirling dust before me, I unconsciously stood up, letting out a sigh.  

“And now you act surprised, even though this was your doing?”  

“…Don’t worry too much. From what I can see, your sister doesn’t seem like the type to be defeated by just that.”  

Lady Meredia, who had grabbed my arm, tried to reassure me.  

But that wasn’t why I had stood up.  

“Well, she’s probably injured, but if she couldn’t handle at least this much, she shouldn’t have entered the selection tournament in the first place.”  

“…That’s not the issue.”  

The reason I stood up wasn’t because I was worried about my sister.  

It was because the mana that had been steadily draining from me with every command I gave had suddenly returned all at once.  

“…Huh. Now this is unexpected.”  

Hearing my words, Meredia tilted her head slightly and briefly let her gemstone-like eyes glimmer before letting out a small chuckle.  

Judging by her reaction, it seemed like my suspicions were correct.  

—Ssshhh…  

At that moment, the dust cloud that had filled the arena slowly began to settle, drawing everyone’s attention toward the outcome of the clash.  

“My goodness.”  

“Haha, now this is an upset.”  

“This is unbelievable…”  

As everyone stared in shock, struggling to process what they were seeing, the head of the academic department finally found his voice, though it wavered with disbelief.  

“T-The winner of the second match is…”  

The one still standing, breathing heavily as she looked down at her kneeling opponent, who had dropped his sword—  

“…Cecil Lingard.”  

It was not Hayden, my main character and doppelgänger.  

It was my younger sister, Cecil.  

—Thud…  

And the moment the announcement was made, she collapsed on the spot, unconscious.  

Thunderous cheers erupted across the stadium.  

But inside the arena, I alone could not share in their excitement.  

“My sister… is a hero candidate?”  

A cold realization hit me like a hammer.  

“…This can’t be happening.”  

The worst possible scenario—the one I had dreaded most—had just unfolded before my eyes.

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I stepped outside with Hestia, who was perfectly disguised as a maid thanks to Bergen’s handiwork, and began heading back toward the arena.  

I wore a slightly disappointed expression as I lost myself in thought.  

‘As expected, she still can’t see it…’  

I had hoped that Hestia might have some clue about the cursed voice that had started echoing in my head, but it seemed that was still wishful thinking.  

‘Well, she hasn’t awakened yet, after all…’  

But if that were the case, what exactly was that form she had shown when we recruited Bergen?  

Was it simply that her latent potential resonated with Bergen’s desperation?  

But then, I’m also just as desperate to get rid of this voice.  

“Saintess, are you really sure you don’t sense anything from me?”  

“…Huh? No, nothing at all!”  

“Hm.”  

Just in case, I posed the question to the saintess walking beside me, but her response was the same as the one she had given earlier in the waiting room.  

‘At least it doesn’t seem to be a curse that directly harms me…’  

When the leader of the black mages had suddenly appeared before me, I had honestly thought everything was over.  

However, when I summoned my last bit of courage and rejected her proposal, she simply vanished, leaving behind the empty shell of the possessed female professor.  

…Well, no matter how powerful she was, she wouldn’t have been able to directly influence me, a white mage, while possessing someone else.  

She must have known that as well.  

That’s probably why she tried to intimidate me, and when that failed, she cast this strange curse to torment me.  

In that case, the only way to resolve this is to awaken the saintess as quickly as possible.  

Fortunately, this curse doesn’t seem to have any effect beyond talking to me, so at least it won’t interfere with my plans.  

The problem is the possibility that the so-called “Great Shadow” has already shared information with the black mages…  

…No, that’s unlikely.  

According to what Rebecca—now an empty shell—had said, the black mages had no personal means of communication to maintain secrecy within their organization.  

Instead, she attended meetings at the association regularly to receive updates and verbally relayed them to the black mages inside the academy.  

In other words, the black mages inside the academy have no way of knowing what happened yesterday.  

Even if the Great Shadow somehow managed to pass on information through its mysterious abilities, it would already be too late for them to act.  

‘Because my plan is already in motion.’  

One thing that bothers me, however, is that the three students—Robin, Charlie, and Hayden—who should be receiving medical care from Sasha, have had their doppelgängers participate in the selection tournament instead.  

Honestly, the fact that they remained motionless in the storage room for so long was a hassle.  

But thankfully, when I asked them to participate in the selection tournament, they moved on their own.  

Luckily, my tests yesterday confirmed that, as mere replicas, they are inferior to the originals and shouldn’t cause any major issues.  

However, for that very reason, they won’t be able to win the selection tournament.  

The loss of those three from the hero candidate pool is a painful blow.  

“Sigh…”  

“W-Why? What’s wrong?”  

As I sorted out my thoughts while walking toward the arena, I was brought back to reality by Hestia’s anxious voice.  

“Saintess.”  

“Yes?”  

“When you awaken, you have to treat me well, okay?”  

It might sound a little desperate, but I need to win her over now if I want any chance of making up for this impossibly difficult quest.  

“Once you awaken, no one in the Holy Kingdom—not even the Holy Emperor—will be able to touch you.”  

“R-Really?”  

“Something as trivial as what happened at the inn yesterday… You could let that slide, right?”  

For some reason, Lady Hestia avoided meeting my eyes and kept staring at the ground.  

This feels a little unsettling.  

Surely, she wouldn’t just take my help and then abandon me once she becomes the saintess… right?  

“If you’d like, I can have Bergen secretly deliver wine to the Holy Kingdom for you.”  

“…L-Leave it to me.”  

Fortunately, after I invoked Bergen’s name—who was probably passed out from exhaustion by now—I finally got a positive response from Hestia.  

“Saintess, I understand that you must be nervous.”  

“Eek?”  

But I wasn’t satisfied just yet, so I took her hand and added a few more words.  

There was no better way to convey my sincerity than through direct contact.  

“No matter what happens, until you awaken, I will protect you.”  

“……”

“So please, don’t worry.”  

As I whispered this to her with all traces of humor gone from my voice, Hestia flinched at first, then her expression became strangely complicated.  

“You really are … a strange person.”  

I wasn’t sure how much time had passed when she finally spoke again, but her words were quite unexpected.  

“Your aura, your actions—everything about you is suspicious.”  

“What?”  

“But your soul… it’s incredibly pure, as if you’ve never committed a single sin in your life.”  

Wait, what exactly about me is suspicious?  

My self-esteem is starting to take a hit here.  

“And there’s one more thing that’s odd…”  

As I made a slightly sulky expression, Hestia hesitated for a moment before continuing.  

“Your soul is too mature for your age.”  

“……”  

“As if you’ve lived a life before…”  

At that moment, I had to admit—she truly was a saintess.  

“…Huh?”  

“Haha…”  

“You… don’t tell me…?”  

I never expected someone to discover my secret so quickly.  

“For now, let’s leave it at that.”  

“……”

“There’s nothing good to be gained from revealing it, right?”  

It was a relief that the one to notice was Hestia, who was inherently good.  

If people found out that I had played this world as a mere game in my previous life, I had no idea what kind of chaos would ensue.  

“Well then, shall we head inside?”  

Brushing off her suspicions, I walked toward the entrance of the arena that was now coming into view.  

“It’s time to set everything right.”  

At long last, after a long, long wait, the Talent Selection Tournament was about to begin.  

*****  

“Ladies and gentlemen! Thank you for your patience!”  

As Whitney announced, the selection tournament had finally resumed after a long delay due to the previous cheating scandal, and the excitement was palpable.  

After all, the selection tournament was one of the most prestigious events in the empire, rivaled by none.  

For organizations constantly suffering from manpower shortages, participating was a must to make an impression.  

To compensate for the losses incurred during the last tournament, the spectator stands had been expanded by nearly half, and even officials from the Holy Kingdom had attended.  

As a result, the audience size had more than doubled compared to the last match.  

“You’re late.”  

“…Haha, my apologies.”  

“Well, I suppose not many people would be eager to sit through a boring opening ceremony.”

Thanks to that, in the midst of the bustling arena, Whitney arrived at the very center—the quietest place, ironically like the eye of a storm—where Lady Meredia was already waiting.  

She greeted him with an awkward smile.  

“By the way, that person over there…”  

“Ah, hello…”  

However, Meredia’s gaze was not on Whitney but on Lady Hestia standing beside him.  

“For someone who was kidnapped, you seem to have been eating well. Your skin looks positively radiant.”  

“T-That’s…”  

“I was just making a remark, but it really seems like you were well taken care of.”  

“…I-I’m sorry?”  

When she spoke with a mischievous smirk, Hestia, who had been sticking close to Whitney, flinched and instinctively apologized.  

“Don’t worry, she may seem that way, but she’s a good person.”  

“…Is that so?”  

“Back during the engagement incident, she even started a commotion for the saintess’s sake…”  

Worried that Lady Meredia might leave a bad impression, I tried to explain as her fiancé, but before I could finish my sentence, the lady clamped her hand over my mouth.  

“You talk too much.”  

“…Mmph.”  

“Instead of babbling, why don’t you focus on your plan?”  

I know I brought this upon myself, but isn’t Lady Meredia being a bit too rough with me lately?  

She was like this earlier too—at this rate, I wouldn’t be surprised if she started carrying a whip.  

“Haha! You two make quite the pair!”  

As I stood there, quietly watching Meredia’s mood, I suddenly heard a familiar, cheerful voice from afar.  

“But the first match of the selection tournament is about to begin!”  

Princess Katarina, who had taken extra care with her disguise as a man today, was walking toward us, brushing aside her golden bob.  

“So it’s time to put an end to the flirting and… hmm?”  

But her words trailed off when she noticed Hestia, who was disguised as a maid standing beside us.  

Narrowing her eyes, she turned to look at me.  

“…Lord Whitney, you’re quite clueless, aren’t you?”  

“Excuse me?”  

“How could you bring a female servant along when your fiancée is right beside you?”  

She sidled up to me and whispered in my ear, making me let out an involuntary sigh.  

“I understand women well, you see. A woman will naturally pay attention if another woman is close to the man she loves.”  

“Um…”  

“Come to think of it, there are too many women around you, Lord Whitney. Your personal knight is a woman, your butler is a woman, and even your exclusive maid is a woman. Are you doing this on purpose?”  

I mean, isn’t it natural for a personal maid to be a woman?  

And while Runiel might be an issue, Parsha is just a middle school brat with a chuunibyou phase.  

“Hmm, Lord Whitney, could it be that you’re a heartbreaker…?”  

I wanted to let her ramble just to see where she would go with it, but Lady Meredia’s expression behind me was turning ominous.  

So, I decided to tell the princess the truth.  

“…That person is the saintess in disguise, Your Highness.”  

“Gasp.”  

When I whispered the truth into her ear, Princess Katarina gasped so hard her eyes widened to the size of buns.  

“T-That’s something you should have told me earlier…!”  

“Haha… You didn’t exactly give me a chance to speak, did you?”  

“Ugh…”  

She tugged at my sleeve with her index finger, speaking hurriedly, her face flustered.  

“…I-I need to go to my seat up there now!”  

“Is that so?”  

“I-I’m sorry for making a fuss over nothing!”  

With that, the princess, who had been floundering in front of me, hastily left with a face as red as a tomato, disappearing with the quickness of a scurrying squirrel.  

“Come to think of it, I heard a rumor that before you became the saintess, that person tried to… assault you.”  

“Huh?”  

“Is it true?”  

Meredia, who had been watching with a frown, suddenly threw a sensitive question at Hestia.  

“Well… That’s a bit of a misunderstanding…”  

I had been caught off guard, but Hestia’s unexpected response made me hold my breath and listen closely.  

“When His Highness visited our territory, I… um… was being punished in my room.”  

“…And then?”  

“Unfortunately, he mistook my room for another, and I screamed without thinking. I think the rumor got exaggerated from there…”  

Oh dear, I never expected there to be such a backstory.  

Then again, considering Princess Katarina’s preference for disguising as a man, it was unlikely that she had actually tried to assault Hestia.  

Did someone deliberately spread the rumor through the imperial newspapers?  

‘Hmm, there are too many potential suspects for that.’  

Even if it wasn’t the emperor, plenty of people found Princess Katarina untrustworthy.  

She really does live a tiring life.  

“Yeah, that sounds like her.”  

Even Lady Meredia seemed to agree, murmuring with a dumbfounded expression.  

“But something still feels off.”  

“Huh?”  

“…Her behavior seems even more displeasing than before.”  

Her voice was low, making it clear that she still found the princess untrustworthy.  

“Attention, everyone!”  

But at that moment, the voice of the academy’s chief administrator, amplified by magic, rang through the arena.  

“The first match will be between third-year students Robin and Charlie!”  

At last, the tournament disguised as the “Talent Selection Tournament”—in reality, the battle to determine the hero who would protect the world—was about to begin.  

“The top contenders are facing off right from the start! This will be an intense match!”  

Whether it was a coincidence or fate, the dean’s voice was filled with excitement as the two students entered the arena from opposite ends and faced each other.  

“All participants, please prepare yourselves. Except for the final match, Lord Whitney and the other judges will take turns overseeing the rounds!”  

As agreed, I was the one assigned to judge the first match.  

“Ahem. Both sides, get ready.”  

The moment I cleared my throat and spoke, the once-boisterous arena fell into silence.  

“…Begin.”  

With a solemn voice, I declared the start of the match.  

And then came an awkward silence.  

“…Hmm?”  

Feeling a strange tension in the air, I tilted my head in confusion.  

‘Why isn’t anyone moving…?’  

Robin and Charlie, who were supposed to fight, simply stood there, staring at each other blankly even though the match had begun.  

“Hey, you two? The match has started, you know?”  

Thinking they might not have heard me, I raised my voice again, but no response came.  

“What’s going on? Why aren’t they moving?”  

“Shh, they’re both top contenders. Maybe they’re trying to gauge each other’s strength.”  

“Just start fighting already!”  

As the standoff dragged on for over a minute, the murmurs of the expectant audience grew louder.  

‘Wait… Don’t tell me…’

At that moment, a thought popped into my head—one that I desperately hoped was wrong.  

‘Wait… Did these guys really just enter the tournament like I told them to and do nothing else?’  

But as the second minute passed with both doppelgängers standing motionless, it seemed my worst fear was correct.  

…This is bad.  

If the selection tournament gets halted again, it will be a complete disaster.  

I won’t be able to stop the black mages’ upcoming plan, and even if I somehow manage to prevent that, I won’t be able to clear myself of suspicion for touching the Holy Kingdom’s knights and abducting the saintess.  

“Whatever it takes, just move already…!”  

In my desperate frustration, I muttered under my breath.  

And at that very moment—  

“They’re moving!”  

“Woooooooah!”  

The two students, who had been staring at each other, finally took a step forward, and the arena erupted into cheers once more.  

“Ah.”  

And that’s when I had to confront a reality I absolutely did not want to face.  

…This is going to drive me insane.  

To prevent another selection tournament disaster, I would have to control the two doppelgängers in real time since, for some reason, they actually listened to my commands.  

*****  

Just a few minutes later—  

-BOOM! CRASH!  

The earlier fiasco at the start of the match seemed like a mere prelude, as the battle between the two students quickly turned into a fierce and thrilling showdown.  

“Wait, are these really students…?”  

“They seem way stronger than last time….”  

Even those who had missed the previous tournament, as well as those who had seen these two fight before, had to acknowledge their terrifying skill level.  

Understandably, the audience was entirely absorbed in the ever-changing battle before them.  

But there was one exception—Hestia.  

She wasn’t watching the arena.  

Instead, she was staring at the man beside her.  

“Robin will raise his shield here to brace for impact. He’ll get paralyzed, but his opponent’s magic will consume a lot of mana. He’ll likely wait it out and watch for an opening to strike when the incantation ends.”  

“…Haa.”  

“On the other hand, Charlie will immediately widen the distance once his chant is finished. He won’t allow Robin to close the gap… No, he won’t allow it. Instead, he’ll prepare the lowest-mana-cost spell to keep pressuring him. Haha…”  

For some reason, Whitney had stopped being a judge and started acting like a full-on commentator, giving Meredia a perfect play-by-play of the match.  

‘I had my suspicions, but now I know for sure.’  

After listening to Whitney for a long moment, Hestia bit her lip and came to a final conclusion.  

‘Whitney… You’re a regressor.’  

It was the only explanation that made sense—the only way to account for his bizarre actions, his unnatural knowledge, and the terrifying future she had glimpsed within his soul.  

“…That’s why you were so desperate to save me.”  

Of course, to Whitney—who was moments away from frying his brain trying to control two player characters simultaneously—her conclusion would have sounded utterly absurd.  

“I… I didn’t know…”  

But fate’s wheels were already turning, perfectly interlocked and unstoppable.  

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After a long and arduous wait, the morning of the day when the Talent Selection Tournament was finally held arrived.  

“Uh, um. Lady Meredia.”  

“…?”  

“Ha, have you seen Sir Whitney by any chance?”  

Meredia, who had arrived in front of the grand stadium located at the heart of the academy, frowned at the faculty director who ran up to her in a fluster and instead threw a question back at him.  

“Why are you asking me that?”  

“Well, that is….”  

The faculty director, who was nervously gauging her reaction, wiped the sweat from his forehead and carefully answered.  

“It’s just that… you two are quite close, so…?”  

“……”  

“D-Did I say something wrong?”  

Thanks to the privileges granted by the academy, he didn’t need to bow to most high-ranking nobles except for the royal family.  

However, things were different when it came to Meredia.  

“Do I need to know Sir Whitney’s every move?”  

“…M-My apologies.”  

Leaving aside the fact that she held the real power in the empire’s only ducal family, she was also the chairwoman of the board that controlled a significant portion of the academy’s finances, so his wariness was understandable.  

“Anyway, why are you looking for him?”  

Knowing this better than anyone, Meredia narrowed her eyes at the faculty director until he lowered his head before tilting her head slightly and asking.  

“Well, actually… Yesterday, Sir Whitney took three students with him, saying he was going to convince them.”  

“And?”  

“Since then… there has been no word from him.”  

As the faculty director’s explanation continued, her eyes narrowed.  

“…I thought that matter had already been settled.”  

“Not only Sir Whitney but also the three students who caused trouble yesterday are missing….”  

“Tsk, what are they up to now?”  

She clicked her tongue and muttered in a voice tinged with irritation, but for some reason, Meredia’s expression seemed slightly uneasy despite her words.  

“…Don’t tell me the first-year homeroom teacher is missing too?”  

“H-How did you know that?”  

She casually tossed out a question, but when the faculty director gasped in surprise and raised his voice, she pressed her lips together as if she had expected this.  

“…Is there a problem with the plan?”  

“D-Do you have any idea what might be going on?”  

As Meredia mumbled something to herself, the faculty director clung to a faint hope and tried to read her intentions.  

“…I’ll go find him, so just go and get ready.”  

“Th-Thank you!”  

After a short moment, when cooperative words finally came out of Meredia’s mouth, the faculty director was so moved that he even shed tears of gratitude and bowed his head again.  

“Well then, I’ll be on my way—”  

“Ah, there you are, Faculty Director.”  

“…Huh!”  

At that moment, a cheerful voice came from behind, and the faculty director quickly wiped away his tears and turned around with a bright smile, as if he had never been distressed.  

“I was a bit late, wasn’t I?”  

“N-No! Just the fact that you came back…! H-Huh?”  

He had been smiling and clasping his hands together, but when he saw the students standing behind Whitney, his eyes widened in shock.  

“I was busy convincing them all night, so I ended up being late.”  

“Ah….”  

“Fortunately, all three of them have confirmed that they will participate in the selection match without issue.”  

The faculty director, who had been staring blankly at Whitney for a moment, suddenly broke into a wide grin and hurriedly walked toward him.  

“As expected! You’re amazing, Sir Whitney!!!”  

“Haha….”  

“With the midterm incident and now this, I don’t even know how to properly thank you…!”  

However, as Whitney shook hands with the faculty director, Meredia, who was watching him, had an unreadable expression in her eyes.  

“Well, I don’t expect much, but… If possible, I’d like to request a small favor.”  

“Haha, say no more! If it’s within my power, I’ll gladly grant it.”  

“Would it be possible for me to bring one of my maids into the examination hall?”  

Not noticing Meredia’s gaze, Whitney nonchalantly began making a request to the faculty director.  

“It’s just that one of the participants in the selection match is a relative of my maid. But as you know, watching the match is quite expensive for commoners….”  

“Ah, I see what you mean. That much is no problem at all.”  

“Haha, thank you.”  

With ease, Whitney obtained the faculty director’s permission and smiled as he slightly lowered his head.  

“You lot! Stop standing around and follow me!”  

“……”  

“You’re all such a hassle, really.”  

Meanwhile, the faculty director had already started dragging the three students into the stadium with a stern gaze.  

“Well, what do you think of my competence?”  

Watching the scene with satisfaction, Whitney turned toward Lady Meredia with a bright expression and asked.  

“…Explain why I can sense dark mana from you.”  

However, Meredia, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly glared at Whitney with an icy expression and pressed him for an explanation.  

“H-Huh? What are you talking about? I don’t understand….”  

“Explain.”  

“…Uh, well, um.”  

Whitney hesitated for a moment, glancing at Meredia, who was staring at him without a word, and tried to come up with an excuse.  

“Uh, actually…………… Ugh.”  

But then, he suddenly clutched his chest and swallowed his words.  

“What’s wrong?”  

“Ugh.”  

“Do you have a reason you can’t speak…?”  

Meredia, who sharply caught on to the strangeness of his behavior, was about to continue pressing him but then trailed off.  

“…You, come with me.”  

“Huh? Uh, wait—”  

Before he could react, she grabbed his arm and began dragging him away, leaving Whitney with a bewildered expression as he was helplessly pulled along.  

“…Look at that.”  

“…?”  

Watching this unfold, Adele, who had been about to enter the stadium with a visibly tense Cecil, squinted her eyes in interest.  

*****  

“Haha. Lady Meredia, what’s gotten into you all of a sudden?”  

Unable to resist Meredia’s overwhelming strength, I was dragged to a secluded area behind the stadium and, only after she stopped walking, cautiously asked while gauging her mood.  

“Please calm down first… Huh.”  

“Stay still.”  

“…Yes, ma’am.”  

However, she suddenly shoved me against a pillar and placed one hand firmly against the wall in a dominant stance, making me shut my mouth without further protest.  

“…Lady Meredia?”  

“I said, stay still.”  

But then, as she unfastened my coat and started undoing the buttons of my dress shirt, I genuinely wondered if I should start screaming.  

“I-I think this is a bit too soon for me….”  

“…Oh, is it?”  

I tried to weakly resist with a timid voice, but Meredia’s expression, as she looked up after stopping halfway through unbuttoning, was terrifying.  

– Swoosh….  

In the end, I simply shut my mouth again as her slender fingers ran over my exposed chest.  

And then, a short silence fell between us.  

“…Could you, um, hurry up before someone sees?”  

As I nervously glanced around, Meredia finally removed her hand from my chest and asked me in a quiet voice.  

“Are you really saying nothing happened?”  

“…O-Of course?”  

“Are you absolutely sure?”  

“Well, whatever it is, you just checked yourself, didn’t you?”  

Even after my response, she asked one more time with suspicion before sighing and murmuring under her breath.  

“…I must have been mistaken. Sorry.”  

“……”

“It’s just that I sensed an energy similar to the curse on my right hand coming from you.”  

Since it was rare for Meredia to apologize, I found it unexpected.  

However, upon hearing her next words, I finally understood her overreaction.  

“I also have a restriction that prevents me from carelessly revealing this.”  

As she spoke, she raised her right hand, which, unsurprisingly, was trembling slightly.  

“Anyway, it’s a relief that it wasn’t anything serious. I thought I had been betrayed.”  

“…That would never happen. Haha.”  

Noticing from experience that her right hand always trembled when she showed weakness, I smiled as usual to prevent the atmosphere from becoming awkward.  

“Believe it or not, I’m a white mage. Someone like me wouldn’t fall prey to black magic….”  

– Swoosh….  

But in the middle of speaking, for some reason, Lady Meredia’s slender hand once again touched my chest, causing me to swallow my words.  

“I’ll button it back up myse—”  

“…It was my mistake, so stay still.”  

Was I hallucinating?  

As she focused her gaze downward, buttoning my dress shirt again, her face seemed slightly flushed.  

“Don’t cause unnecessary trouble.”  

I rubbed my eyes and looked again, but she had already returned to her usual cold expression, speaking to me in an irritated tone.  

Seeing that, I figured I must have imagined it.  

“Are you telling me not to make you worry?”  

“…Shut up.”  

Feeling slightly disappointed, I tested her reaction, but all I got in return was a sharp rebuke.  

“That aside, there are a lot of annoying bugs around lately.”  

“Bugs?”  

Feeling a bit dejected, I let her tighten my tie, but she suddenly glanced behind her and muttered.  

– Crackle….  

At that moment, Meredia’s jewel-like eyes faintly glowed red.  

“Kyaa!”  

A sharp scream burst out from behind a pillar, and a silhouette, presumably that of Lady Adele, hurriedly lowered her head and dashed toward the stadium.  

“You know the rules, right? If any strange scandals spread, our contract is immediately nullified. I can’t allow my reputation to be tarnished.”  

“…I understand, but this is unfair.”  

“Hmph.”  

I blankly watched the scene and hastily tried to explain myself, but Meredia’s suspicion remained deeply ingrained.  

“So, how is the plan going?”  

“…Since I’ve got permission, it’s time to make contact with the Saintess and bring her to the selection match.”  

Just as I was worrying about how to appease her, she changed the subject, which I gladly followed.  

“Don’t expect my help like last time. That was beyond absurd.”  

“Haha, I’ll keep that in mind.”  

She stared at me with a look of displeasure for a while before turning sharply and walking toward the stadium.  

“Don’t mess up like an idiot—do it properly.”  

It was hard to tell if it was criticism or encouragement, but considering it came from Meredia, I decided to take it as motivation.  

“…Alright, time to get moving.”  

I had to pull myself together and join Hestia, helping her awaken as the true Saintess.  

– Pfft. Your fiancée is adorable.  

That way, after the near-fatal encounter yesterday…  

– By the way, I didn’t expect her to sense me. That was unexpected.  

I might finally be able to deal with this damned woman who had done something to me against my will and was now talking inside my head without pause.  

*****  

Some time later, in the spectator waiting room near the academy’s main building…  

“Whew… I thought I was going to die from exhaustion.”  

Avoiding the public eye, Saintess Hestia reached the waiting room, gasping for breath.  

Her legs gave out, and she slumped onto a seat with a tearful expression.  

“…Ha, trust me, it was harder for me sneaking you away from the Holy Nation’s people.”  

“But still….”  

“We both had a rough time, so at least stay still while I do your disguise this time, Saintess.”  

Hearing Bergen’s exhausted reprimand, she immediately shut her mouth.  

“So, what about that knight, Runiel?”  

“W-We separated along the way. She was going to rejoin us under Sir Whitney’s employ….”  

“Oh, right.”  

As he asked about Runiel’s whereabouts, Bergen rubbed his temples as if struggling to stay focused and stood up.  

“Then get ready for another disguise session.”  

“Eek….”  

“Don’t give me that look—wait, am I actually the villain here? Never mind. Just don’t be too upset. This is all for your sake, you know?”  

“…Yes.”  

Just as it seemed like Bergen’s disguise show was about to begin in the waiting room…  

– Knock, knock, knock….  

A sudden knock on the door made Hestia tremble in fear while Bergen, who was taking out his disguise kit, stiffened.  

“It’s me, everyone.”  

“…Oh, that scared me.”  

But soon, Whitney’s voice came from beyond the door, making Bergen sigh in relief and lower his guard.  

“Right, we were supposed to meet here. Man, my head’s all over the place.”  

“…No.”  

“Huh?”  

But oddly, Hestia, who was still frozen beside him, had an unusual reaction.  

“T-The person behind the door… isn’t Sir Whitney.”  

“…What?”  

Her voice trembled with fear as she spoke, making Bergen instinctively reach for his knife again, his face filled with confusion.  

“Wait, then… who just spoke?”  

“I-It’s… the one who’s been tormenting me all this time….”  

Before she could finish her sentence…  

– ….  

The door creaked open, revealing the person outside.  

“Why are you all so tense?”  

Strangely enough, contrary to Hestia’s fearful claim, the one who entered looked exactly like Whitney.  

“What? It’s just your employer.”  

Bergen frowned and shot a confused look at Hestia, but her eyes remained fixated on Whitney.  

– Long time no see, huh?  

To be precise, she was staring at the dark figure beside Whitney, which only she, possessing the Saintess’s ability to perceive souls, could see.  

“…Y-You.”  

“…?”  

“A-Are you here to torment me again…?”  

Trembling, she shrank behind Bergen, her voice full of fear.  

“Hestia?”  

“What’s with her all of a sudden?”  

Of course, Whitney and Bergen had no idea what was happening and simply exchanged puzzled glances.  

– Oh no, I got caught again!  

Meanwhile, Hestia, peeking out from behind Bergen, could only stare in shock as the black figure continued to speak.  

– I tried to possess this girl’s body like I did to you, but instead, I got absorbed into her soul! Haha….  

Considering how ominous the entity looked while speaking so cheerfully, it was hard to take its words at face value.  

“Hestia. Could it be that….”  

“…Hic.”  

“Do you see something next to me?”  

At that moment, Whitney flashed a chilling smile as he asked her, his words almost sounding like a leading question.  

“If you do, I’d appreciate it if you told me….”  

– Yeah, tell him!  

In the end, Hestia didn’t say a word.  

‘They’re both too scary…!’  

To her, both Whitney and the shadowy figure appeared equally terrifying.  

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“First of all, since this selection match is a rematch, the preliminary round will be skipped, and we will proceed directly to the main tournament.”

“……”

“The main tournament will follow the traditional tournament format, and the group draw will begin after a short break.”

At least, the preliminary briefing for the promising candidates’ selection match was conducted without any further incidents.

“…They’re forfeiting now? Those three?”

“Honestly, I had half given up, but if those three forfeit, we might have a chance…”

“No, more importantly… I didn’t know they could even talk…”

However, the real problem was that the atmosphere, which should have been solemn, was chaotic from start to finish.

“Uh… then, let’s take a short break.”

“Robin, Charlie, Hayden, follow me for a moment.”

The faculty members, sensing the turbulence, even declared an unscheduled break in an effort to control the situation.

“Not one of them is following.”

“……”

“Seriously, these guys…”

But when the three responsible for the atmosphere stood silently in place despite the teacher’s words, even the murmuring students fell silent, holding their breath to observe the situation.

‘What the hell is going on all of a sudden?’

Amid this ominous atmosphere, I stood beside Meredia with an awkward smile, also holding my breath and observing while muttering inwardly.

‘Why, of all people, are those three forfeiting?’

Robin, who possesses overwhelming skill in swordsmanship, archery, and marksmanship. 

Charlie, who has unmatched intelligence and magical talent. 

And Hayden, an extremely well-balanced fighter capable of performing above average in any technique.

The three of them were essentially responsible for the self-balancing patch in Black Tail Fantasy 3, and the clear rate when selecting them was higher than that of all other characters combined.

If one of them became the hero, I could entrust the Saint to them without worry and focus on my own tasks.

‘Should I try to stop them?’

For the sake of my future convenience, I considered whether I should swallow my pride and cling to their legs to stop them.

“Excuse me, if it’s not too much trouble, I’d like to speak with Sir Whitney.”

“What?”

Even in front of the intimidating lead faculty member, Hayden, who had remained silent, suddenly spoke my name.

“I’d like to ask as well.”

“Me too.”

Then, the next moment, Robin and Charlie, standing beside him, also raised their hands in agreement.

‘Is this some kind of hidden camera prank?’

For a moment, I entertained such a ridiculous thought, but soon I noticed that all eyes were on me.

I awkwardly smiled and shrank back under the scrutiny.

I had lived my life avoiding people’s attention, so I had absolutely no tolerance for being the center of it.

“Why Sir Whitney, of all people?”

“……”

“…For god’s sake, why do you guys always stop mid-sentence?”

Still, I couldn’t just stand by and act like a social outcast in a situation like this.

“Please calm down, professor.”

“Ah, Sir Whitney.”

“I’ll speak with them.”

“Haha…”

Since this involved the fate of the world, I had to grit my teeth and endure the discomfort of being the center of attention.

“…Understood. Then, please come with me.”

“We’d like to speak with Sir Whitney alone.”

“Me too.”

“Me as well.”

Though I had resolved myself to face this, when all three students turned their gazes to me and spoke in unison, I couldn’t help but feel self-conscious.

“…Is this your plan?”

“How could it be?”

Meredia shot me a suspicious look, but I honestly had no idea why these students were doing this.

“Sir Whitney, I hope our students are not troubling you…”

“No, it’s fine. I’ll at least hear them out.”

“……Then, I leave it to you.”

Seeing the earnest expression of the overseeing teacher, I felt that, whatever this was about, I had to make an effort to convince them.

“All three of you, follow me.”

“Haha, I’ll take that as your agreement.”

Gesturing for the students to follow, I stepped outside the waiting room, and they quietly trailed behind me.

“I’m sure this is all part of the plan too…”

“If they keep treating Sir Whitney so coldly, they’ll regret it someday.”

“What do you mean?”

“Sigh… Cecil, there are things that only adults understand.”

“Excuse me? Adele and I are both first-year students.”

As I passed by Cecil and Adele, their conversation caught my attention, but I had no time to dwell on it.

“…Alright then.”

In any case, I finally stepped out of the chaotic atmosphere, intending to scold the three students who had just caused a stir.

“Shh.”

“Huh?”

Hayden, who was right behind me, suddenly pressed a finger to his lips with a pale expression.

His urgent demeanor made me instinctively fall silent.

‘Is he telling me to follow?’

As he gestured quietly and started walking with the other two, I hesitated for a moment before following them.

*****

How long had we walked?

“…This place?”

We had arrived at a storage room on the outer edge of the academy’s main building, not far from the waiting area.

“Are we supposed to go inside…?”

—…

“…Hmm.”

The three students stood in front of the room, staring at me.

I looked at them questioningly, and when they silently nodded, I hesitated but then stepped forward.

—Creak…

Grabbing the slightly rusted doorknob, I twisted it open without much thought.

‘…Huh?’

Suddenly, a chilling sensation ran down my spine, and an eerily familiar sense of discomfort enveloped me.

‘This… is black magic?’

The air inside the storage room reeked of the same black magic I had felt inside the dungeon during the midterms.

“What the…”

Startled, I tried to summon my white magic.

—Whoosh…

“Ah!”

But before I could react, someone suddenly shoved me from behind.

Caught off guard, I stumbled into the open doorway.

And then, a terrifying silence followed.

“…Hah.”

Scanning my surroundings in the eerie stillness, I suddenly froze.

I let out a dry chuckle at the unexpected sight before me.

“This… I didn’t see coming.”

Right there, inside the storage room, Robin, Charlie, and Hayden—the very three who had supposedly led me here—were tied to pillars, unconscious.

“…Then, who were the students who brought me here?”

As I stared at their miserable state, a chilling realization dawned on me.

A shiver ran down my spine.

“Ugh, mmph!”

Then, from beneath me, a muffled voice struggled for air.

“Mmmp!”

“……!”

Feeling a chill run down my spine, I lowered my gaze and instinctively took a step back when I saw a female teacher writhing on the floor with a gag in her mouth.  

“Rebecca…?”  

“Mmmpf….”  

The woman I had once used as a pawn to uncover the black mages’ plans a few days ago was now looking up at me with terror-stricken eyes.  

“Why are you here…?”  

“Mmph! Mmmhh!”  

Just as my mind was starting to go blank from the series of unexpected events, her pupils suddenly dilated.  

— Ssssshhh…  

In an instant, her eyes became bloodshot, and black smoke began to rise from her mouth.  

“This is…”  

It was eerily similar to the strange symptoms that had appeared in the black mage who had cursed my teacup on the day I regained my past life’s memories.  

‘I need to get out of here.’  

An intense feeling told me that I should not stay here any longer, so I turned to leave.  

“…Hmm, I guess that won’t be possible.”  

However, the three students—no, whatever was in their form—were already blocking the door, making it clear that leaving without a fight was impossible.  

“Those children… I personally created them as doppelgängers.”  

“…?”  

“Not just them, but there are countless others like them scattered across the world.”  

Suddenly, a voice filled with amusement came from behind me.  

“This is our first time meeting face to face, isn’t it?”  

Rebecca, now standing freely as if the ropes that had bound her had never existed, spoke as though she were a completely different person.  

“…Wait a second.”  

I was briefly stunned, but then I noticed something different about her.  

“Your eyes… they’ve turned black.”  

“Hmm?”  

When black mages use black magic, their pupils occasionally turn black.  

But in her case, even the whites of her eyes had turned pitch-black, resembling an inverse pupil.  

Her originally red irises had lost their luster, becoming dull and lifeless, triggering a memory buried deep in my mind.  

‘They look just like the final boss version of Meredia’s eyes.’  

Both I and other players had simply considered it a mark of corruption.  

But seeing something so similar in reality made it hard to believe it was just a coincidence.  

“Who are you?”  

“…I thought you already knew.”  

Forcing myself to calm my racing heart, I asked the question.  

“I am the Great Shadow.”  

“…?”  

“That should be enough of an explanation, shouldn’t it?”  

Hearing those words, I almost groaned out loud.  

‘The biggest MacGuffin of the story just suddenly appearing like this is totally unfair.’  

I wanted to deny it, but doing so would be nothing more than escapism.  

“You’re a white mage, so I don’t need to prove it to you.”  

“…Haha.”  

The black magic swirling in the storage room was on an entirely different level from any black mage or monster I had encountered before.  

“I don’t know how you managed to deceive the black mages, but I was quite impressed that you even impersonated me.”  

“……”

“But you should have known that my eyes and ears reach every black mage in the world.”  

And from the sheer killing intent emanating from her, it was clear that she intended to eliminate me right here.  

“Well then, enough small talk. Let’s get to the main point.”  

As I swallowed dryly and bit my lip, she suddenly said something unexpected.  

“Would you like to become my shadow warrior?”  

“…What?”  

At first, I thought she was just toying with her prey before finishing me off.  

But that wasn’t it.  

“Quite literally, I want you to be my double.”  

“Uh…….”  

“I can turn your lies into reality.”  

She had closed the distance without me realizing it, taking my hand and lightly tapping my soul as if knocking on a door.  

“…What do you think?”  

In other words, she was asking me to form a pact, similar to the one Runiel had proposed.  

“Uh, well….”  

Of course, at this point, I thought my plans were completely ruined, and all I could do was ask the obvious question.  

“Why me, of all people?”  

Then, leaning in close, her face filled with dark energy, she gave a chilling smile and whispered in an eerie voice.  

“…Because your looks are exactly my type.”  

“Haha….”  

If I survive this, I seriously need to consider getting plastic surgery.  

*****  

‘Good thing I interfered back then.’  

While Whitney was sweating bullets and seriously contemplating his cursed appearance…  

‘I almost missed out on such a rare gem…’  

The so-called “Great Shadow,” who was staring at him, grinned wickedly, unable to hide her excitement as she continued to poke at Whitney’s soul.  

‘I have to make him mine… somehow.’  

More precisely, she wasn’t looking at him—she was staring at the strange gray energy clinging to his soul.

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