I’m the Slit-Eyed Character at the Academy, but I’m not the Mastermind

Hidden piece.

A fragment hidden by the developer in the game, an Easter egg.

One that can only be discovered by satisfying certain intricate conditions deliberately hidden.

That was exactly what a 'hidden piece' was.

In the case of 'Hero of the Academy', special conditions like traits, items, combinations, quests, and more had to align perfectly for it to be unlocked.

While there were easy conditions, most required satisfying complex ones. Even...

'It's not always something good that gets unlocked.'

There were instances where one had to play with their total health reduced by 50%, or play while poisoned and constantly needing an antidote.

My current situation was probably one of those.

"Who would have thought there'd be a hidden piece that forcibly changes your dialogue... Amazing."

Of course, it's not all bad.

Seeing a hidden piece that activates as soon as the game starts is a new experience for me.

About 1,950 hidden pieces still remained undiscovered.

Playing the game with this bizarre hidden piece, I might be able to discover dozens of them.

But...

'The biggest problem is that this is reality.'

Slit eyes, twisted speech, a constantly smiling face, and an ominous aura to boot.

At first glance, it's a suspicious character.

I had no idea how this hidden piece would affect future events.

"Well, no need to worry about that."

I've become a character in the game, and my speech is automatically corrected.

This is an undeniable reality.

It means I have no choice but to move forward.

There's a lot that's unpredictable, but fortunately, there's also a lot that is predictable.

After all, I'm a veteran player of this game.

With that thought, I felt at ease.

It seemed more due to the power of the [Mental Defense] skill than having organized my thoughts.

"Anyway... what should I do next?"

'Hero of the Academy' is a game based on progressing through quests.

One progresses by clearing given quests and receiving rewards, or intentionally failing them to receive penalties.

'If there's no quest, the range of hidden pieces I can utilize decreases...'

That's when it happened. A large blue window popped up before my eyes.

[For the Sake of Clearing]

-You have been invited into the game for satisfying special conditions.

You know too much about the game, hence a penalty is imposed.

Penalty: A hidden boss appears.

When the main characters enter each episode's boss room, a portal to the hidden boss room opens.

Inside the portal, a hidden boss stronger than the original boss exists.

(The abilities of the hidden boss can be checked in the information window.)

(Final bosses with no clear experience are not included.)

Clear: Return to Earth + Wish Ticket (usable on Earth too)

Fail: Game Over + Death in Reality

Aha, I see.

So to summarize, while the main characters fight the main boss, I'm supposed to hang back and defeat the hidden boss?

And if I fail, I die, no exceptions?

Sounds easy. No...

"Are you joking right now?"

I said, 'Are you kidding me?', but my speech was automatically corrected.

That made me even angrier.

[Eye Opening] and [Twisted Speech]. How am I supposed to deal with this crap!

I'll die before I even get to the final boss!

But reality was harsh.

The anger quickly subsided due to the power of [Mental Defense].

All that welcomed me was a chilling blue window.

[Main Quest #1]

-Enroll in 'Annwood Academy' of the Annwood Empire.

If assigned to the advanced class, additional rewards will be given.

Reward: 200exp, 10 gold

Additional Reward: Shop Window (S) Skill

Penalty: All stats decrease by 1

The quest wasn't much different from when playing as a main character.

Originally, the main setting of the story is Annwood Academy.

As befitting the reputation of the empire's top academy, it boasted considerable size and talent.

Meaning there's no issue with believability even if there are protagonists who far exceed the average, splitting earth and sky with a single sword.

'Enrolling in the academy, huh?'

Well, the 'entrance exam' does make the first quest quite challenging, but for a veteran player like me, it's as easy as walking on firm ground and swimming.

But.

"...it really feels like it's starting now."

Why all the fuss over the very first quest?

Because of the characteristics of this game.

'Hero of the Academy' is a game with a high degree of freedom.

Not taking on this quest opens up other routes.

'Taking a stat decrease as a penalty in this game is quite bearable.'

While an initial stat decrease is painful, it's not insurmountable.

After all, my goal is to conquer the final boss.

Rather than early or mid-game, I need to focus on the later stages, the distant future.

'I've found everything I thought I could find in the academy. Becoming a student there would restrict my movements too...'

Normally, I would have taken the penalty and moved on to the next quest.

But.

'It's dangerous.'

Different from playing the original game, death here means death in reality.

Then, the most important things to consider are undoubtedly 'danger' and 'safety'.

'Hero of the Academy' is set in a fantasy world.

There are nobles and commoners, but also the poor, slaves, and different races.

Meaning, attacks by bandits, robbers, and thieves occur often enough to be considered frequent events.

Even situations like encountering an elderly person on the road who turns out to be a master-level assassin happens occasionally.

Of course, these unexpected situations have a probability lower than 1%. But.

'It could happen right now.'

For the first time in a while, my head was spinning.

It's not hard. Rather, it's exciting.

There's something I don't know. That I, a veteran player, am pondering this is wonderful.

So great that a broad smile naturally formed on my face.

"...I'll accept the quest."

After some thought, it's the most rational choice.

There are four reasons for my decision.

First, as far as I remember, no one has played such a character.

Even if they have, they wouldn't know as much about the hidden pieces as I do. This will continue to influence the story and be a driving force in discovering new hidden pieces.

It means there's a high probability of finding new hidden pieces at the academy.

Second, as I mentioned, it's dangerous.

I can't go outside without knowing what the next quest is.

The skills I currently have aren't meant for combat.

Third, the [Shop Window] skill is something I've neither heard of nor seen before, a completely new skill.

I don't know what it is, but it's an S-class skill. From its name, it seems to have no drawbacks.

If it's a shop where I can purchase skills or items, I must obtain it.

Fourth, there are hidden pieces at the academy that need to be secured first.

Several fall into the hands of villains during the story, becoming skills and items for the final boss.

But what if I take them first?

I become stronger, and the enemy weaker. Missing such an opportunity would be foolish.

'But just attending the academy won't be enough to defeat the final boss.'

Then.

"Keke, I can always drop out in the middle."

One year at the shortest, two at the longest.

I'll collect as many hidden pieces as possible around the academy as quickly as I can, then move to other areas.

And the quests given at the academy are generally easy.

It's enough time to adapt to the world within the game and become strong enough to venture outside.

"Seeing the protagonists in person is also one of the merits."

Now, 18 years after its release.

Numerous games and characters have appeared, but none had the charm of the various main and supporting characters in this one.

The joy of meeting them was doubled.

Despite appearances, I'm quite sociable.

I should be able to become friends with them quickly.

"How delightful. Truly delightful."

Such crossroads of choices would incessantly urge me until I clear the game.

There will be tough times, times when I have to make painful choices.

But.

"Let's give it a try. It seems like it'll be fun."

With that, I stepped out of the door.

With a bright smile.

* * *

However, it didn't take long for the smile to fade from my lips.

Why, you ask?

"Sigh... This is a bit troublesome."

I'm currently at the main entrance plaza of Annwood Academy.

It's bustling with people, but strangely, the area around me is completely empty.

A small circular space formed by the crowd.

There I stand, alone in the center, like a dot.

If I move even slightly, the circle shifts with me.

What do I mean?

People are moving away from me.

As if avoiding some dirty insect.

"Keke, hello?"

"Aaahh!! Pervert!!"

"..."

I just spoke to a dazed girl, and she screamed and ran away, calling me a pervert.

I seem to remember something like this happening in my school days... but it must be my imagination, right?

"I've never seen such an expression before."

"That's it, right? The one always depicted in the history books..."

"Not just in history books, right? The black mage who brought death to the continent had eyes like that."

Murmur, murmur.

Yes, that's why people are avoiding me.

From petty crimes like theft, assault, and confessions(?) to major incidents like treason, rebellion, war, and summoning demons.

They say their expressions are similar to mine.

Narrow eyes. The so-called 'slit eyes'.

'I'm too conspicuous.'

It's basically a Western-styled fantasy world. A world where facial features are distinct.

It's natural for me, with my slit eyes, to stand out.

"Something about him is ominous. I don't want to get close."

"It's better to be cautious."

Adding to that, the aura emitted by my [Ominous Aura] skill.

It's no wonder a circle formed around me.

'This is troublesome. I need at least one person's help to pass the entrance exam easily.'

The [Shop Window] skill isn't a direct quest reward, but a conditional additional reward.

The condition being getting into the 'advanced class'.

For someone like me without combat-related skills, it's a challenging condition.

"And red hair, too... Scary."

"Lady, don't worry. I am here."

This is beyond racial discrimination; it's discrimination against humanity.

"Oh dear, to hear such words. Even I can be hurt by that."

"What kind of twisted speech is that! Are you insulting me right now?"

Trying to be sociable and starting a conversation only leads to this.

Such a dog-like way of talking.

I stepped back with a slight bow.

At this point, it's better not to talk at all.

That's when I saw her.

A girl approaching me with a confident stride, her black hair tinged with a hint of blue, perfectly curled into a ponytail, and a discipline badge hanging on her left arm.

I knew instantly who she was.

"Indeed... she looks suspicious at first glance."

One of the main characters of 'Hero of the Academy'.

Rodelin de Lucid had descended before my eyes.

--TL Notes--

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