I Possessed a Character in an Academy Without a Protagonist – Chapter 30

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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“Ha. Really now. Ha. Hahahaha.”

Sergey’s mouth, which had been sighing in disbelief, burst into laughter.

As he was grading the test results after all the students had left,

he couldn’t help but laugh again upon seeing Schlus’ astonishing score.

“0.01 seconds……”

0.01 seconds.

That was the time it took for Schlus to deploy and cast the spell.

No, in fact, even this was an inaccurate number.

The measurement limit of the artifact was 0.01 seconds, so in reality, it was even shorter than that.

“Even I couldn’t break the 0.03-second barrier……”

Even Sergey, who had been on the battlefield for decades, couldn’t cast a spell faster than 0.03 seconds.

Even 0.03 seconds had been enough to handle swordsmen face-to-face without any issues.

But what about Schlus, who had a deployment speed of 0.01 seconds?

Wouldn’t it be more than just a dream for him to mow down swordsmen rushing in from all directions?

“Ah. I shouldn’t be doing this.”

Sergey laughed and slapped his forehead.

It was his bad habit.

The habit of wanting to raise any kid who seemed to have potential as a soldier.

Sergey’s eye for talent was quite accurate, and there were several generals who had achieved great success that way.

One of them was none other than Roman von Byrne.

The problematic child of the Imperial Army. The innovator. The war hero with various nicknames, whose skills no one could disparage.

“I wonder if that guy is doing well.”

Come to think of it, the last time he saw Roman was at the court-martial.

Remembering that time, Sergey gave a bitter smile.

Roman had been charged with lowering military discipline by popularizing the left-handed salute.

It had started when a soldier who lost his right arm during the Freya-Trud War saluted Roman with his left hand, and Roman returned the salute in the same way.

After that, the left-handed salute began to be used as a sign of respect for the wounded and spread throughout the entire army, not just the 3rd Corps, but the military brass didn’t like it.

Fortunately, Roman was acquitted, but he was called to trial several times after that due to his radical actions.

“They’re somewhat similar.”

From being commoners to their free way of thinking and their confident attitude wherever they went.

Watching Schlus reminded him of Roman’s old self.

Still, he had no intention of pulling him into the military this time.

To begin with, I’m already retired now.

And unlike Roman, who had gone through a turbulent period, Schlus seemed to have his own firm goals.

“He seems to be adapting well to school.”

Looking out the window, he saw the students walking away in the distance.

Unlike the first class, where the atmosphere of openly despising and hating Schlus was prevalent, it had softened quite a bit now.

It was probably the influence of the Day of Magic incident.

Now there’s no need for me to worry.

Sergey turned his head, feeling relieved.

*

“Hey! Schlus! Wanna go play golf together-”

“Sorry. I have a schedule.”

“Tch. What schedule do you always have……”

Aintz sighed as he watched Schlus’ back turn away coldly.

Just when will that guy ever hang out with me?

Schlus was the only one who treated him, known as the prodigy of Wiegenstein, so indifferently.

Did he think I wasn’t even worth talking to?

‘Just watch. I’ll make you acknowledge me.’

After all, I haven’t shown anything so far.

I’ll just have to start being active from now on.

If I take the top spot from him in the midterms, will he acknowledge me a bit?

‘Huh? But that won’t work?’

Come to think of it, Schlus had declared that he would drop out if he lost the top spot.

Then it would be meaningless.

As Aintz’s mind became complicated, Schlus had already disappeared.

Meanwhile, Trie-

“What’s going on……”

She was tilting her head and following Schlus.

It was because his expression didn’t seem normal.

To others, it might seem like his usual expressionless face, but Trie, who had seen all sorts of expressions while beating him up during sparring, knew that Schlus was a bit different from usual.

How should I put it? His expression seemed slightly gloomy.

Could there be a problem?

‘Maybe he hasn’t fully recovered from the stab wound yet……!’

Trie’s face turned pale.

Trie had seen countless soldiers and knights who lived in pain or eventually lost their lives due to the aftereffects of injuries.

If Schlus was also only seeming fine on the outside but actually suffering from terrible aftereffects?

It would be a big problem.

‘My magic teacher might die……!’

Schlus had said he would teach me magic after the midterms.

It would be troublesome if he died or became disabled before that.

I know a doctor who is good at treating the aftereffects of injuries, so I could introduce him.

So for now, Trie followed Schlus to ask him.

“Huh?”

Trie, who had arrived at the front gate of the single dormitory room following the trail where Schlus had disappeared, abruptly stopped.

He was receiving something from the attendant at the mansion door.

Looking closely, that was……

‘A white rose?’

It was a white rose.

Was he going to give it to someone as a gift?

As Schlus turned around and headed towards the main gate, Trie hid without realizing it.

She really wanted to find out who Schlus was going to give the flower to.

It was a bit awkward to ask directly. And it wasn’t her hobby to secretly follow someone, but she had no choice this time.

‘He’s going outside the Imperial Academy?’

Schlus hid the rose in his inner pocket and left the Imperial Academy through the main gate.

Then he passed through the bustling streets, the new town, the old town-

‘Where is he going?’

He had reached the outskirts of the capital.

Where on earth was he heading?

There was nothing here.

If there was anything, it was-

“Ah……”

Only the public cemetery.

Watching Schlus’ back as he entered the cemetery, Trie let out a small sigh.

The person to whom he was going to give the white rose was the deceased.

Trie quietly followed Schlus with a slightly darkened expression.

‘Who could it be? The person Schlus is looking for.’

Schlus’ footsteps were steady. It didn’t seem like it was his first time here.

The burial fee for this public cemetery was quite expensive, so it probably wasn’t Schlus’ parents, who were commoners.

Schlus walked to the very corner and stopped in front of a small tombstone.

It was an old-looking tombstone, at least 10 years old.

‘Julia von Iceburg…… Huh?’

Trie, who read the name engraved on the tombstone, was soon surprised.

Schlus.

He, who was always expressionless and never cowed, was shedding tears.

***

“I’m sorry. I searched all the flower shops, but this was the only white rose I could find……”

“……”

I received the white rose from Emilia.

A bud that had just started blooming.

And it was slightly wilted.

But it didn’t matter.

“It’s fine. I’m going out for a bit.”

“I’ll accompany-”

“No. I’ll go alone.”

“……”

I flatly refused.

There might be some emotional upheaval if I go there…… I didn’t want to show that side of me to Emilia.

Leaving the mansion, I headed straight to the public cemetery.

I didn’t know the location, but recalling the description I had written, I quickly found the way.

As soon as I arrived at the public cemetery, I headed towards the innermost corner.

If her grave was here, it would be the smallest tombstone in the very corner.

I hoped it wouldn’t be there.

But as soon as I found the small tombstone with cracks and broken edges, I felt suffocated.

‘Julia von Iceburg’

It was really here. I thought it wouldn’t be……

Julia was a character added after the novel had completely gone off the rails.

So I thought she wouldn’t be reflected in this world.

‘She was here……’

My heart ached terribly.

Thinking of Julia kept reminding me of that person.

It couldn’t be helped.

Julia was a character I had created based on my deceased girlfriend.

.

.

.

Areum. Han-areum.

What first drew my attention to her was her beautiful smile.

We were drawn to each other as if it was fate.

I’m not someone who believes in fate, but I can’t explain it any other way.

I was the one who confessed first.

She accepted my confession without any playing hard to get, without testing me, without any hesitation. With a bright smile on her face.

We dated quite passionately for about 3 years.

The places we wanted to go. The things we wanted to do. The things we wanted to see. We did everything together.

A life without her…… I couldn’t even imagine it back then.

We hadn’t even reached the point of experiencing the relationship fatigue that all couples go through. Until then, we thought we would live together forever.

At that time. When we were the happiest. An incurable disease found her.

The nature of that damn disease, which gradually atrophied the muscles throughout her body, was never figured out even by the doctors at the university hospital.

There was a similar disease called muscular atrophy, but it was the first reported case of an adult developing it with these symptoms.

The first thing she lost was her legs.

She, who loved riding bicycles so much, became someone who couldn’t move a single step without a wheelchair.

She didn’t even want to ride that wheelchair much.

She said it was enough to just be alone with me, that she didn’t need to go outside…… but I knew.

It was because she didn’t want to show others her two legs that had become severely thin with all the muscles gone.

She slowly grew weaker.

To the point where it was difficult for her to even lift her arms later on.

I can’t even remember how many times I smiled in front of her and then silently cried as soon as I left the hospital room.

She was dying. Slowly. But surely.

Even so, I brought up the topic of marriage.

Let’s have a small wedding with just our families, without inviting any guests.

But she smiled and said no.

I shouldn’t have listened to her then.

I should have immediately pushed her wheelchair and rushed to the wedding hall.

The very next day.

She left my side.

That’s how I broke down.

I couldn’t write anymore.

The serialization schedule of the novel I had been writing smoothly also fell apart.

But I still tried my best to write.

I only indulged in despair for 3 days before immediately coming to my senses and made all sorts of efforts to squeeze out writing. Because I remembered her saying she wanted to see the completion of this novel.

Even so, it didn’t work. Whenever I sat in front of the computer, it was as if my mind had become completely empty, and no thoughts came to me.

So the drastic measure I took was…… to revive her.

To make her live and breathe, even if only in my novel.

That’s how Julia was born.

Julia was set up as a reincarnator.

Julia was born with a disease similar to what she had suffered from and died at the most beautiful age. The most gorgeous age.

Then she is reborn somewhere on the continent with exactly the same appearance.

And then she dies again…… is reborn again…… dies again, repeating it endlessly.

Unlike her, who died and didn’t return, Julia lives on forever.

Forever, without losing that youth.

By introducing Julia, I somehow managed to write, but that was it.

Julia’s story progressed, but the story of the protagonist and his party made no progress at all.

Readers cursed, asking why a random new character suddenly appeared and took up all the screen time. Naturally, the view count also plummeted.

Even if I wrote 100 more chapters like this, I couldn’t bring it to a conclusion. In order to write properly, I sealed Julia’s story again.

Then, once again, I couldn’t write as if I were possessed. I was really about to go crazy at that point.

The reason I was possessed into this damn world was…

“Phew……”

When I came to my senses, tears were flowing down my cheeks.

I roughly wiped away the tears with a handkerchief and knelt on one knee in front of the tombstone.

I placed the white rose, which was wilted and about to crumble at the edges, in front of it.

Even now, Julia must be living somewhere on this continent.

Just like all the characters I had seen so far, Julia would also perfectly match the image I had drawn in my head.

She would resemble her down to every detail, to the point of giving me goosebumps.

But Julia is not Areum.

No matter how much she resembles her. Even if her personality is exactly the same, Julia can never become her in the end.

Realizing that was so painful.

She can’t come back to life. But in this world, someone who looks just like her is living and breathing.

This is torture.

“Today……”

Now I think I know.

The reason I was summoned to this damn world.

I’m being punished now.

“I miss you so much……”

The punishment for not being able to protect her.

The punishment for not being able to make her happy.

The punishment for not being able to be with her until the end.

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