The Worldview Where Everyone is Destined to Die

Chapter 35: Ash Dawn (1)

"I am totally fine now."

The 'me' of the future...

Did they take advantage of the kindness of these people?

Actually, I know how the rumors about me are circulating.

After the festival incident, people weren't looking at me kindly, to the point where I thought it would be a good idea to just take a break during the vacation.

Rumors about self-harming for attention seem mild now.

Judith must have secretly hoped that I would take a leave of absence because she knew that life at the academy would be difficult in the future.

"Anyway, I feel uncomfortable taking leave in this way; it feels like I am running away."

"No, do senior have two lives or something? You might not seem like it, but you sure are brave."

Shirley, who couldn't hear it, scolded me.

But I do agree with Shirley.

If I don't have two lives, then why am I this obsessed?

No one told me to protect this academy, nor did anyone tell me to confront this unknown entity out there.

However, if there is a reason why I felt like this, it could be...

'I guess it is because the letter I wrote under hypnosis doesn't seem like a lie.'

I could have dismissed it as either confirmation or a delusion.

However, the issue was that I wasn't the only one witnessing peculiar occurrences that seemed to revolve around me.

The incident that centered on me ultimately had a negative impact on all academy cadets, and it briefly developed into mass hysteria.

"A-am I holding a key or something?"

"..."

"..."

Without realizing it, my thoughts slipped out, leaving both Judith and Shirley wide-eyed, followed by an unexpected silence.

"... What's with the mood?"

"No, it's a bit flustering... It isn't that serious... Ah, Judith, say something."

"Huh? Arma might think so. Your mother is in trade... You feel like the person you are is like the captain..."

"The person at the helm is the helmsman---no. I spoke for no reason."

"Arma, I think you are in a situation where it is true."

"Enough now..."

The price of saying something I shouldn't.

In just two days, I competed with crows and became a captain navigating through life.

"Ah, right. Senior. Dylan told me to give this to you."

At that moment, Shirley searched the coat pocket and handed me a letter sealed with wax.

"What is this?"

"What is..."

Shirley deliberately paused, clearing her throat loudly, and then took out a paper knife to cut open the letter. At almost the same time, she echoed our thoughts.

"This is the winter supplementary study notice. It was in the mail."

"Supplementary study."

I couldn't believe that my life had come to this. To put it a bit more dramatically, it felt like the sky was falling.

"It makes no sense...."

There was a gap of about two weeks, but excluding the week missed in a coma, the next week was a temporary break by the academy. In other words, I missed an entire week of classes on my own.

"Senior, you were kicked out of divinity class once. Sir August didn't acknowledge that as evidence."

"He kicked me out; that is unfair!"

"As you live, you see such things happen."

"Yes, Arma. But I am also participating in the winter classes, so you can come visit me if you feel lonely."

"Why don't I feel comforted?"

In the first place, special lectures and supplementary learning are different things.

Sir August seemed to think it was a pity that I postponed the basic classes until the end. If not, there was no reason for him to be grumpy. Fortunately, I was able to avoid failing as I got to make up for the losses. If not, all the grade management I did would have been in vain.

"Arma, even a captain in life has to study."

Judith added with a chuckle.

I dismissed the two individuals serving tea, urging them to leave.

"Seriously. Why did you come?"

I moved to the window to see them off and waved at the two. Once I confirmed that they had left, I threw myself onto the bed that had been pushed far inside from the window.

The architectural style of Aegis Academy is basically an exaggerated form that gives people a sense of intimidation. I tried to reach the ceiling, which was too high for me.

'Then the only thing left to do is to return to my daily life.'

The leave of absence has also been postponed, and the academy's unusual temporary break has ended. I decided to portray Arma Cruz, who has returned to his normal life, as much as possible.

"You really want to send me, right?"

It is also funny to make guesses about the future that haven't happened yet based on what I saw in my dreams. But no matter how many times I thought of it, I couldn't find any answers.

The main stage of future events is the academy. I will graduate in two years, yet in my dream, I remained at the academy even after that.

"Is this a disaster that starts at the academy?"

Will we come to a future where I kill more than four cadets? Will it be possible to prevent this form of disaster? As I clenched my outstretched hand, a not-so-reliable vein popped up on the back of my hand.

"Ah. Come to think of it, she also gave me a book or something."

I got up again and took out the wrapped book that Shirley gave me along with the letter. It had a lot of pages and looked thick, so even though it was only one book, it felt bulky.

It was a bit odd; compared to its size, it felt light. As I scratched the package with the knife and opened it, I could smell the faint scent of old paper.

"This."

I gulped dryly as I looked at the cover of the unwrapped book.

It's a book with a cover I definitely saw before.

Unlike other editions of this cover, which beautifully depicted the creation god Aegis and an enlarged snowflake, this was clearly a copy of the creation myth, particularly the Liechten.

"Why does Dylan have this?"

Though I ran into him in front of the library, he couldn't have seen what book I borrowed. Even though he guided me there, did that mean there were only one or two volumes of the creation myth available? Dylan going out of his way to send me this suggested two possibilities. Either he sent it by accident or he knew which book I chose. In either case, there was a lingering doubt as to why he did.

Flutter.

I quickly flipped through the book to check for any other notes, and sure enough, a note fell from the book halfway. This was written on the note in calligraphy that looked like it had been drawn with something.

[Arma Cruz, Are you interested in the classics? I will invite you. More details will be given in the advanced major class tomorrow morning.

Ash Dawn, Dylan.]

"Ash Dawn society, huh."

I checked the front and back of the note and looked through the book to see if there were any more clues, but my eyes caught nothing. Folding the note and putting it in my pocket, I sat down, contemplating my next move.

If something happens again in a hurry, this time I might be tied up and sent back home.

"Ahh."

Accidents were happening too frequently. And I went to bed with the odd feeling of not knowing whether the tomorrow I hoped for would come quietly or not.

The next day.

I wore a silk black shirt, white leather pants, and suspenders---designated as active-wear---along with flat-toed shoes. Today was a day of advanced major classes, and I had to go to the shooting range. Although the lecture schedule was freely designed by each cadet, advanced major classes were fixed for Monday morning, marking the start of the week.

'I don't want to go!'

I checked my belongings like I was on the verge of tears and then gathered up and tied up the parts that were different from usual, such as slightly covering the sides of my hair. Initially, I did it because it was difficult to aim when the bangs were bothersome, but now it has become a habit. I took the gun holster, which I had stored in the closet.

"Arma."

As I dragged my shoes, the steps turning heavy, perhaps reflecting my unwillingness to go, Judith called me from afar.

Judith had just emerged from the annex on the other side of the Wooden Cross dorms I was coming from.

Although Judith and I had the same class today, unlike me, who was dressed purely for training, she was adorned in formal attire.

"What day is today? Wouldn't the promotion evaluation be done just next month?"

Her dark blue jacket with gold embroidery along the shoulders and sides of the legs matched her sea-green hair. The blue velvet ribbon of the same color as the jacket was worn to show special care, serving as Judith's trademark.

"I don't know either. I was asked to wear this, so I did as I was told."

"It seems like something is up."

I patted Judith's slumped back and headed to the lecture with her.

Upon entering the place, I made my way to the back garden housing the shooting range, while Judith headed towards the garden designated for swordsmanship training. We passed through a corridor adorned with 16 long murals depicting the sacrifice and salvation of Aegis.

Judith wore an uneasy expression throughout the time she passed through the corridor.

"Judith."

"Yes?"

"I will be in that place all day, so come visit me anytime."

"Haha, sure. I feel good thanks to you."

When Judith was just a couple of steps away from the end of the corridor, she walked ahead and then turned back.

"Then see you later. Don't ditch. I will watch."

"Hahah... sure."

After saying that, Judith immediately turned around and walked towards the swordsmanship training.

I didn't know about her, but the title of Judith dressed like that felt like <Blue Lightning of Aegis>. If she heard it, she would probably twist my arm, but I did think it was a fitting name.

And now she has totally vanished.

It looked like both of us were going to have a hard day.