Some people depicted that fiction is much more unbelievable than reality. Yet, as a matter of fact, real life tends to be more unrealistic than humanity deemed fiction.

It's ironic in a way. Perhaps because of that, I kept pursuing the works of fiction, allowing me to have a short respite in that dull and exhausting world. Feel free to take it as a rambling of a delusional guy trying to escape his miserable reality through fiction. I don't mind; Everyone is entitled to their opinions after all.

Leaving that aside, I have a rather peculiar situation that requires an urgent response. 

Anyway, here's the context: There's a game I've been following since its initial announcement until its actual release. The game was good enough for me to do that, with its graphics, story, endearing characters, and expansive worldbuilding; I fell for it after seeing a glimpse, which, for better or worse, caused me unnecessary trouble.

I'm broke. I could barely afford food after buying a nearly decade-old computer. As for why I bought it? Aside from using it to look for a job, it was to play the game I mentioned before.

Well, I can't seem to remember its name for some reason. But anyway, here's the problem: aside from being broke, I found out after playing the game for a bit that it was a sh*t game. The initial excitement after getting its copy, playing with a decade-old computer, and imagining how wonderful my time would be in this game dissipated into nothingness.

Aside from its graphics and expansive worldbuilding, the story couldn't be more cliche. The characters are also one-dimensional, making me wonder if the developers are serious about publishing this game. 

Overall, it's like watching someone get every finest material that could ever exist and use it to make hot garbage out of it. But what's done was done. I'm not interested in making it accumulate dust in some corners, so I played it purely to pass the time while looking for a job.

Then, that's where the trouble started.

As a jobless living in a shabby house, the only thing I do not lack is time.

Hence, during those moments, I had no choice but to play the game to relieve my boredom. I played it for so long that I've unlocked all possible endings. I also got all the end game sets, materials, skills, and all the characters. 

I literally poured the remaining time I had even after getting a job. Was it dedication? Not at all. I just found a way to enjoy it, nothing more, nothing less.

Everything was still ordinary at that point; until the developer of the sh*t game sent an email to me.

[Dear Reinhardt,

We are extremely happy for your years of support. The time you spent together with our game was the most joyous moment of our lives. Hence, the developers decided to present you with the last journey ▮▮▮▮▮▮▮▮! This is your reward for being undisputed first through global ranking and also a reward for being our steadfast supporter. Once again, thank you for saving the world.

▮▮▮▮▮▮▮▮.exe (link)]

It was my coffee break when I saw this inconspicuous email. I must say I felt a bit complicated after reading it. After all, I only played the game out of the mentality of not wasting what I paid for and passing some time while searching for a job. Aside from the above reason, it was a pure accident that I remained the first through global ranking, much less being the so-called steadfast supporter.

"... Still, to think these people actually have the balls to create its sequel after their failure." I sipped a bit of my coffee and pondered for a moment.

Ignoring the misunderstanding at the developer's side, I can't help but think these people want me to test the water, propping me as their convenient guinea pig. Although it's unclear whether they took my record in the game as a gullible yes-man supporter, admittedly, I am interested in what cesspool they created again.

After all, failure is common, but living up to the expectation to keep failing is rather unusual.

'... Might as well try it.'

Due to curiosity, I downloaded the game and immediately played it.

As for the rest, well... My computer's monitor suddenly lit up like a flashbang, and I somehow lost consciousness...

Now, let's return to the present.

I was currently standing at the court, not as a spectator, but the subject of its judgment.

"Cleris von Relchredth, in the name of the power bestowed by the highest authority of the academy, I shall render the verdict of eviction from Grand Hall's Dormitory. From now on, you're prohibited from approaching the vicinity of all dormitories. You shall be fined 50 million Rial as compensation for the victim. Until the date of complete payment of the said compensation, you are prohibited from causing any acts deemed as a violation of the relevant law of the academy. Am I clear? Mr. Cleris von Relchrednth?"

Before that unreasonable and sudden accusation of the judge, I can only absentmindedly nod, staying motionless until I'm the only one left at the court.

I have always seen myself as someone with an adaptable mentality, but it still took time to finally process everything; that's just how absurd my situation is. As someone who reads a lot of non-nutritious entertainment online, it isn't hard to deduce what happened to me.

"... Are you kidding me? I transmigrated?"

Not only that, recalling the previous hearing, I can't help but add another thing aside from transmigration.

"Possession... Cleris von Relchrednth, is this the so-called reward of those devs?"

But instead of joy, only the stuffiness in my chest was present as I grit my teeth before eventually sighing.

"Haa... F*ck... At least I'm alive. That's all that matters."

I gently massaged my temples and finally left the court with a heavy expression.

I do not deny that reality is unreasonable; precisely because of that, some people can't help but chase after fiction, something far more convenient than reality could ever be.

But regardless of how you fool yourself, fiction will remain as fiction, and reality will remain as reality. I at least have that self-awareness, but someone seems keen on testing that conviction. It was evident from another issue I was facing after leaving the court.

I saw a lot of old-fashioned houses and facilities reminiscent of the Victorian era. But what captured my attention were none of the magical feats on sight but the battle in the air unfolding in the distance.

"... What the hell?" 

"[ROOAAR!!!]"

A massive black dragon, twice the size of an airplane, spread its enormous wings and soared through the sky with a deafening roar, asserting its dominance over the heavens.

Next to that mythical existence was a figure running in the air as if on the ground. The figure brandished a radiant sword, inspiring awe in all spectators, myself included.

After closing the distance, the figure gently slashed his radiant sword downward, producing a blinding light that eclipsed even the sun.

Due to the extreme light, I instinctively covered my eyes. I only realized what happened after a tragic howl reverberated through the atmosphere.

"[ROAARR!!]"

After the light subsided, the seemingly almighty dragon suddenly fell before the figure and heavily sank to the ground, causing a miniature earthquake.

BANG!!

The center of the battle was quite far, yet the fall of the black dragon could be felt by the court, prompting me to hold a nearby wall to stabilize myself.

But aside from that mythical battle, what truly shocked me was the scene's familiarity. It was a battle cutscene exclusive to the highest difficulty, DEPTHS OF MADNESS, an atrocious game difficulty that forced me to watch it repeatedly.

The difficulty was famed for the unrealistic and unplayability that attracted some hardcore gamers before being defeated. To put it simply, if the game was already so sh*t, then this difficulty made it even more disgusting, to the point that no sane individual would touch it, even if someone paid them to play it.

Aside from the inhuman amount of Bad Ends, even the most trivial factors, like taking a long time before choosing choices, walking on the market during the day, and taking a break from playing the game again, are enough to warrant your play an early exit.

It's outrageous, but it's true. The result of the Bad End from taking a long time before choosing is the game taking your silence as your choice, leading to crucial events collapsing Bad End. Next is Walking on the market during the day; in that difficulty, the various random encounters felt like it was enough to make you have PTSD. Making you constantly monitor the names of the NPCs, looking at when they would turn red and attack you crazily and make you watch the battle cutscene again. And lastly, taking a break from playing the game. Leaving for a significant amount of time makes the system think that the hero doesn't want to save the world any longer. Hence, it led to the early advance of the invaders, leading to a catastrophic Bad End.

This is the only part that gets me. Why are those devs so intent on disgusting their players. What the hell? But, in a way, it seems to attract some weird players, allowing the sh*t game to remain afloat for years.

Looking back, I'm not ordinary at all, am I? I actually remained undisputed first among those maniacs...

Regardless, playing that difficulty in the game is one thing, but playing it in real life is another. The atrocious prospect of only imagining it is enough to send shivers down my spine, much less really living in it.

"... Did I commit treason in my past life to deserve this?"

With those self-deprecating words, I weakly sat on the floor and heaved a long sigh.

"Haa... I... f*cking hate reality, damn it all...!"

---

At the end of the day, after venting my frustration inwardly, I had no choice but to pick myself up. The saying "no one can help you but yourself" couldn't be more accurate than it is now.

It was a world that was familiar yet not. No bonds from the previous life were present, aside from the family of the person I suddenly possessed.

That itself doesn't really bother me much. I'm much more worried about what I would do from here onwards.

If my memory serves me right, the place I fell into is the academy in the sh*t game, Fraires Clein, an academy built to foster the growth of the future pillars. It was an academy with a maddening emphasis on adhering to its goal: to give birth to the existences that would end the invaders beyond the sky.

Well, leaving those lores aside, it was an academy built in the middle of nowhere, the sea, floating using the state-of-the-art MagiaTek technologies not only to avoid unnecessary power struggles and political conflicts but also to ensure convenient travel to another country using the Mageroid Gate built outside the cardinal directions of the academy.

Although there are other academies, only Fraires Clein remains the undisputed first choice for aspiring Rankers. The wealth of the academy is not something that could be summed up as a wealthy company, as it rivals the country itself in terms of that aspect.

Hence, in the game, there are various events that you could randomly trigger depending on their prerequisites. Although the event was nothing new in games, in actual situations, doing it in real life was nothing short of burning money per second.

After all, it was an academy where ruins could be seen everywhere, and a building suddenly collapsing and being fixed the next day was a usual routine. It was at the level where it wouldn't be strange for a typical academy to suddenly close due to the excessive expense.

The rough size of the entire academy rivals a big city. Hence, various facilities were present here and there, and of course, even the shady ones.

My current problem is this: Since I'm banned from entering any dormitories, I have no choice but to stay in an apartment, inn, and so on. Thankfully, the person I possessed was a noble, an heir of a Grand Duke. Hence, the next day after I got banned, the servants from Relchredth Household arranged a luxurious mansion for me under the premise of house arrest.

Well, it's not all rainbow and stuff, though.

After settling in the mansion, the Grand Duke sent an incredibly lengthy and redundant mail that could be summed up to these words: 

[You utter fool... You really went and did it. You went and offended the princess and also dragged the reputation of the household to the gutters... It's unfortunate, but it seems I was too lenient in your growth, not only as a proper noble but also as a proper human being. Hence, I had no choice but to employ radical means to correct my mistake, not only as a Grand Duke but as your father. This semester, you must attain at least an acceptable grade without any aid from the household. Aside from the mansion and necessities for daily life, you won't get any Rial until you prove yourself. And IF! If you once again committed another incident... I will deprive you of your name and right as an heir.]

... After neatly folding the paper, I sat on the nearby sofa and heaved a sigh of helplessness.

When it rains, does it usually pour this hard!?

Forget about achieving acceptable grades. I'm pretty sure Cleris himself doesn't have any redeeming factors that could pass the standards of the world's renowned academy for Rankers, aside from being an heir of a Grand Duke.

It was evident even to the perk I found after imitating the MCs of novels I've read.

"... Status Window."

Name: Cleris von Relchredth

Age: 21

Trait: [(Tier: ???) My Fiction, Thy Reality (Lvl. 0)]

-Temporary transformation to fictional characters. 

Duration: 10 seconds (The more powerful the character, the less the duration)

Physical Grade: G-

Mental Rate: D- 

[Remarks] -Rest assured, you may be a failure of a man, but at least you can proudly contend against a 9-year-old girl in arm wrestling.

... And what greeted me was an unpretentious and dull transparent panel, along with its demeaning remark.

Well, I'm not exactly a fan of a status window with various complex parameters, but even so, isn't this a bit... lazy? And what's with those disturbing remarks!? I... I only have the strength of a 9-year-old girl!?

"... Looks like even treason is not cutting it. Did I perhaps succeed in a revolution by killing a monarch with a tofu?" After massaging my temples, doubts began to permeate within my heart.

If my memory serves me right, the status window of the sh*t game I spent years on was much more complex and fleshed out. At the very least, it wouldn't be reduced in such a state, nearly castrating everything aside from the Name, Trait, etc.

Also, what in the hell is that Physical Rank!? G-!? Damn, a regular adult would at least have an E ranking, and here I am, a G-, setting the newest low for the standards of my age...

'... If only the ending of this game is not a total end of the world after a bad end... Also, what happened to this castrated version of the status window?'

Although I was curious, there was nothing much I could do even if I knew, so I eventually left it be and decided to tackle the major issues I'd encounter in the future. 

"... The maddening amount of BAD end for the protagonist."

Although I said "MY," ultimately, what troubles the Protagonist automatically translates to my problem. It's stupid, yes. But it isn't an exaggeration to say so, at least for me. I already got myself abducted in this world arbitrarily, with annoying and mortal problems to add to the insult. The least I could do for myself is to live a peaceful and meaningful life, which requires the Protagonist's existence to reach the so-called True End and maybe return to my world someday; if not, live my life long enough without too much regret.

But all of my wishes were under the premise that the Protagonist is well and kicking, powerful enough to fend off the invaders, and finally, get him to kill the Final Hidden Boss of the game. I also need the Protagonist to go through all BAD ends unscathed.

'... However, I never thought I'd change my profession to become a nanny after being abducted to another world.'

Although I'm supposedly on house arrest, there were no servants courageous enough to stop me, thanks to my position. So here I am, walking outside as another sigh escaped from my lips under the stinging gazes of other students. 

"Look, that guy actually did that to the princess..."

"Yeah, I heard he also tried to assault her..."

Murmurs and baseless rumors seem to be the trend for the students. It's not really hard to understand. After all, an heir of a Grand Duke did something to the princess, which resulted in my situation.

For better or worse, I don't have any memories of the so-called assault against the princess at all. Although I have inherited the original Cleris' memories, only one instance remained unknown. It's the day Cleris committed the act and what he did on that day. 

Although I'm curious, my situation takes precedence. I have to somehow get a passable grade and stay in the academy, assist the Protagonist, and at the same time, find out the mystery regarding the cause of my situation.

'But for that to happen, I must test my peculiar Trait first and see if it could help me.'

Thanks to my years of experience in the game, I've passively memorized most of the paths and facilities in the academy. It also helped that the academy was a complete replication of the game, helping me to avoid the embarrassing situation of being lost, allowing me to escape from the prying eyes, leading me into a secluded alleyway.

But, something appeared out of my expectation.

"Huh? Who the hell-? Oh, isn't this our little rap*st! Ah, just saying, but if you think you could leave scot-free, you're thinking of bullsh*t. You lots! A sheep delivered itself to our door! It would be discourteous to leave it hanging, isn't it?"

"Hehehe."

The other five, aside from the leader-looking delinquent, laughed maliciously as they slowly rose from their seat, hinting their knives at me. 

'... Haa, somehow, I'm not even surprised anymore.'

The fact that they're wielding half-baked Magik Knifes in an academy that nurtures beings that could shatter the very fragment of reality itself was rather comical, in all honesty.

But thanks to that, my initially tensed nerves calmed as I finally uttered the name of my Trait.

"... My Fiction, Thy Reality."

The minuscule magic power within me seemed agitated as it boiled and examined my body from the sole to the head like a scanner. Soon, my sight was suddenly engulfed by endless light before receding as I felt every fiber of my being empowered by a mysterious and seemingly limitless energy.

{[Transformation Template: Sakamaki Izayoi (Gift: ???)}

[Duration: 10, 9, 8, ...]

I was stunned by the magical feeling of the transformation. Fortunately, the timer brought me to reality just in time, avoiding the embarrassment of transforming without being able to do a thing.

Due to the constraint of time, rather than saying anything, I immediately went into action and punched straight.

The delinquents seemed surprised by my transformation; hence, they didn't think much of my strange action, which eventually sent them regretting later.

BANG!!

The violent and ignorant punch shattered the sound barrier itself and immediately sent out a powerful shockwave, bursting the nearby mirrors of the facilities along with the delinquents buried deep inside the falling building.

RUMBLE!!

Due to the residue of the force, it also shook the earth itself as if a multitude of bombs exploded at once, leaving me stuck in my spot, my fist still out as I stared at the ruined building in front and the fragmented mirrors that fell from the nearby infrastructures dumbfounded.

"... I overdid it."

A mixed feeling filled my heart as I glanced at my surroundings. As for the delinquents, I'm not exactly worried. The academy, Fraires Clein, is incredibly wealthy, to the point they're handing out Artifacts like cabbage to students, shaped as a badge. It's basically the academy's insignia badge, proof that you managed to pass the fiendishly brutal examination of the academy, elite amongst the elites. Its role was not only to make the students feel good about themselves, but it also had the function of a barrier created by the Top Rankers in MagiaTek technology.

It was a setting from the game that remained afloat till the end of the story.

Apparently, the barrier was built to be strong enough to take at least a point-blank hydrogen nuclear explosion once for an extended time. Giving the much-needed time for the relevant department to aid the student and deal with the situation. Hence, instead of worrying about them, my initial thought was to leave as fast as possible or else thankless troubles would arise.

---

"Sir, we received a report from District 11. A conflict ensued between the students, although the Security Department has already responded, they encountered a bit of an issue..." 

In an office at the highest building next to the prestigious academy, a man stands in front of the mirror, gazing down at the students. Behind him, a white-haired young man was reporting dutifully, his eyes occasionally glancing at the receiver of his report.

Seemingly aware, the man in front of the mirror retracted his gaze and turned towards the white-haired young man.

"An issue? Did those lunatics sneak in another rat?"

Hearing his rough and somewhat rude tone, the white-haired young man remained at ease, seemingly used to the situation.

"No, sir. It would be more appropriate to show you the Backtrack footage first, may I, sir?"

The man nodded. After getting the man's consent, the white-haired young man took out a paper from the inner pocket of his uniform. He infused a hint of magic power into it, which immediately broke into fragments, floating between them before turning into a transparent panel. 

In the transparent panel, the figure of five students with various tattoos and piercings on their faces was standing against a blond-haired student. They were holding Magik's Knife against an unarmed blond-haired student, making one of the spectators frown out of disdain before returning back to normal.

"Tsk. It seems the entrance examination has been lax, allowing even these non-recyclable garbage to sneak in." 

The white-haired young man remained silent before the man's unresponsible remarks and continued watching the footage.

In the transparent panel, just before the delinquents in the footage could move, the blond-haired man immediately threw his fist out at imperceptible speed. Which sent not only the delinquents but also the building in front and the nearby mirror in ruins as the earth trembled before the ignorant power of the blond-haired man's punch.

The footage ends with the figure of the blond-haired man, who has his fist out as he watches buildings and mirror fragments fall, with his purple eyes indifferently.

Despite the end of the short video, the impact on the two spectators remained. Allowing silence to permeate the office until the man eventually spoke.

"... Who is this student?"

The white-haired young man, Cynric, shook his head with a wry smile.

"Unfortunately, sir, we do not have any relevant records of the blond-haired student in the footage. It's as if he suddenly appeared out of nowhere. We're waiting for the victims to regain their consciousness, but until then, it's expected that the case will conclude for the time being."

The man, Fraires Chris, nodded and returned his gaze down to the students below.

"Is there anything more?"

"It's about the inlaid Inherent Boundary, sir. It broke."

At this moment, Chris' blank expression changed; his eyes turned sharp as he gazed at Cynric.

"... Elaborate."

The temperature in the office suddenly plummeted under the pressure of the Top Ranker, one of the Title Holders and a being who singlehandedly built the world's prominent academy for nurturing Rankers.

Despite facing the brunt of the pressure, Cynric remained composed. He sent his magic power to the transparent panel, which immediately flickered, turning into an image.

The victims in the transparent panel were covered in a bluish circular barrier. But in the middle of that barrier, a terrifying gap and cracks that spread like a spider web were present.

Seeing this, Chris frowned and contemplated for a moment before speaking.

"... Ask the Hidden to assist the investigation. If they complain, tell them it's my order."

One of Cynric's eyebrows rose, but he didn't say anything and nodded.

"As you will, sir."

After hearing the door creak, Chris's solemn expression eased, and his gaze returned down to the lively and youthful faces of the students with a hint of worry.

"... Is it the beginning of a storm or a false alarm? I hope it would be the latter."

---

After leaving the office, Cynric clenched his fist but soon recovered his calm as if nothing had transpired. He glanced at the white ring on his right index finger and channeled his mana into it.

Soon, a smartphone appeared, various runes of unknown meanings engraved around its body aside from the screen.

Cynric took the floating smartphone and dialed a string of numbers on the screen. He put the smartphone next to his ears and waited.

RING!

"[... Huh? Why did you call us, you punk?]"

"It's the Principal's order. I already sent the materials, so gather at the site of the incident as soon as possible."

"[What? What the he-]"

After relaying his message one-sidedly, Cynric decisively dropped the call indifferently.

".... Really, are you an ally or an enemy? I hope it would be the former, unknown friend." After glancing at the photo of a blond-haired student, Cynric resumed his walk.

---

'... I'm done for.'

In all honesty, it's really reckless to attempt to test my newfound Trait with those delinquents. Not only that, I also caused a commotion, seeing all relevant departments from the academy rush to the scene.

If the Grand Duke heard that his prodigal heir did it, I'm convinced I'll be removed from the family tree.

The only thing I'm grateful for is... It seems I'm not a potential suspect to them.

"Young master, the carriage has been prepared. Should we depart?"

"Yeah." After embarking on the carriage, I saw a few individuals wearing blue uniforms on the road, questioning students. The strange thing was... These students have a commonality; it's their hair color; they're all blond.

That peculiar situation became even more apparent after seeing a line of blond students in front of a black and white building, the Detention Halls.

Thankfully, Cleris has pitch-black hair, partnered by his above-average looks. If not for his terrifying background, almost no one would pay attention to him, as he has a high chance of blending well in the background as an extra among extras.

Truly... If not for his terrifying background, I wouldn't have to be submitted to the following.

"Cleris von Relchredth, you dared to show your unsightly presence in this holy ground of teachings!"

A woman with elegant platinum hair with a length reaching her waist blocked my path as her burgundy eyes reflected my figure. Sporting a uniform exclusive for Magia students who embarked on the path of Magia, adorned with a special badge reserved only for the Top achievers in academic and magical prowess.

As pretentious as her words, her background was also not lacking, even compared to the heir of the Grand Duke. After all, she's the center of the whirlpool of my recent trouble, the Empire's Princess, and one of the main heroines of the game, Luna von Horchrestia.

She's also the last person I ever wanted to meet right now, but what's done is done. All I can do now is cope with the situation.

"... It is my honor to meet Her Excellency, her Imperial Princess." 

After bowing lightly, I heard a snort, but I ignored it and was about to walk to her side when she suddenly blocked me again.

"A mere greeting... would not suffice!"

Although her voice was soothing like a harp, her intention, and frowning countenance were in stark contrast.

"... Your Imperial Highness, if it's about the previous issue... I would like to apologize for my ignorant and-"

Before I could utter my next word, a heavy coercion suddenly descended.

WOOM!

Due to the immense pressure, I had no choice but to kneel and raise my head in difficulty.

"I-I..."

A sense of stuffiness filled my chest as I broke into a cold sweat.

"You committed a sin worthy of a death sentence... You only managed to survive under the plea of your father, the Grand Duke. Yet you dare to leisurely utter words of asking forgiveness as if it's a mere joke... Your frivolity and hubris are far too inflated, Cleris!"

Hearing that, I could only grit my teeth and endure the pressure threatening to crush my soul. Thankfully, it didn't last long.

"... That's enough, Luna."

After those words, the coercion that nearly crushed me as if a mountain were weighing me down disappeared like a lie.

"Hans... But-" 

"Enough is enough." 

Before Luna could utter her words, Hans' sharp eyes and authoritative tone immediately dismissed her desire to argue. Meanwhile, I could only watch their exchange with ragged breathing as I tried to stabilize myself.

Hans, the true Protagonist of the game, has appeared. He has the cliche setting of an incredibly handsome genius hard worker. He was a commoner who rose to the top with his matchless talent. 

If not for the disgusting nature of the devs in setting BAD ends, I wouldn't dare to even breathe the same air as him and his harem. But for the sake of living a long life or even returning to my previous world, I must assist him in his future endeavors.

Thankfully, he's not one of those annoying MCs with pea-sized brains. A person who believes in what he sees more than baseless rumors floating around him. It was evident because even now and in the game, he's the only one who persisted in learning the truth regardless of the dissents of his companions.

But, his act of dismissing the Imperial Princess is, by no means, free of consequences. Even if Luna doesn't pursue the issue because of their friendship, the people below her have different thoughts. Especially so since it was a mere commoner who blasphemed their Imperial Princess. They would do anything to curry a crumb of her favor, even if it meant destroying someone else' life.

Hence, after stabilizing myself, I have no choice but to finally take the first step of assisting our sunfish-like Protagonist.

"You damned commoner... When nobles talk, there's no turn for a peasant like you to interrupt. Get lost, you filthy sc*m! Your mere presence pollutes the air itself." I scowled, glaring ferociously at Hans, and acted like an ungrateful bastard.

"Cleris! You-!" Lo and behold, instead of Hans, what reacted violently was the Imperial Princess and her merry followers scattered around.

Although I launched an AoE taunt, Hans remained composed as he gazed at me without expression. He probably used one of his cheat skills on me, but I, without hesitation, carried on with my act.

Like those actors in theaters, my face switched as fast as if the previous scene hadn't happened, with a flattering face no different from a corrupt politician.

"I once again apologize for my previous unbecoming conduct, your Imperial Highness. Please allow me to make amends and punish the peasant in your stead; it would be my honor."

"How dare you-!"

Judging from Luna's tone, she's probably disgusted and angered by what I did; if not for Hans stopping her, I would definitely suffer the previous treatment. But this also means that most attention will switch from Hans to me. 

Haa... Really, the other transmigrator, reincarnator, and so on were busy saving beautiful girls and beating guys. Here I am, beating a beautiful girl and protecting a guy. I'm really damn speechless at how ironic and sad my situation is.

While lamenting my situation, the sound I'd been waiting for finally resounded.

RING! RING! RING!

It was the sign for the start of the class and a notice for students to return to their classes. Hearing this, the crowd slowly dispersed, aside from Luna, Hans, and Me.

"Your Imperial Princess, I would like to excuse myself. It was a pleasure meeting you." After bowing slightly, I turned around without hesitation and left the aggrieved Luna and silent Hans.

'Really, what an awful way to start my day.'

---

"How dare that fiend-!" Luna was about to stop Cleris, but Hans immediately blocked her path with his left arm.

"Hans! Why are you stopping me!? He insulted you and even tried to use you to avoid punishment! That man deserved far worse than this!"

Hans glanced at Luna before returning his eyes to the receding back of Cleris.

"It's because from the beginning to the end, that man has never, even once, uttered a single truth."

Luna stared at Cleris with a confused expression, which soon turned into the previous scowl, seemingly even more disgruntled by Cleris, "Hmph! As I told you, that man is evil. He even dared to commit such a thing to me! If not for his father, I would've exiled him to the Land of Cursed Livings!"

Hans inwardly shook his head and closed his eyes for a brief contemplation.

'Humans, intentional or unintentional, tend to mix lies with a hint of truth to make it believable. But that man has never done any of that. It might be because he's simply incapable of such a thing, and I'm just making a big deal out of him. But, my Trait has reached a completely different conclusion.'

Hans opened his eyes and stared at the floating transparent panel across him.

Trait: [(Tier: ???) Eyes of True Insights (Lvl. 7)]

-The ability to discern truth from falsehood, to reach a highly likely conclusion based on all existing senses and information.

Target: [Cleris von Relchredth]

{Insightful Conclusion}

-A man shrouded in mystery. He seems to be your ally, but your attention to him is the last thing he ever wanted. He is someone who willingly embraced the shadow to assist a specific existence, but for what cause?

After carefully deliberating through the Insightful Conclusion, Hans eventually made his decision.

'Active approach means the opposite result. If so, I can only observe for the time being.'

Hans didn't linger for long in the hallway and urged Luna.

"Let's leave that talk for later. We'll be late for the class if we continue loitering here."

"Huh? Ah! K-kuhum! You're right. It wouldn't be worth it if I failed to attend because of that man." Luna blushed in embarrassment and walked ahead of Hans.

"I'll take my leave first. Let's meet a̵͔̼̘̾gain later." Luna smiled brightly and waved her hand to Hans before eventually departing.

If it's someone else, they would probably notice nothing of Luna's actions. But for better or worse, Hans has the Eyes of True Insights, which somehow activated itself due to the faint foreboding sense of incongruity he detected from Luna.

Trait: [(Tier: ???) Eyes of True Insights (Lvl. 7)]

-The ability to discern truth from falsehood, to reach a highly likely conclusion based on all existing senses and information.

Target: [Luna von Horchrestia (???)]

{Insightful Conclusion}

-A girl with bound!ess t@len? alluring be@uty and comp@55ion. She is ?!@(#D8192#@! ▮▮▮▮▮▮... B▮ ca▮▮▮ul▮!

Looking at the sudden and bizarre Insightful Conclusion he got, Hans' eyes narrowed as he unknowingly broke into a cold sweat.

"What in the world..." He retracted his gaze from the transparent panel and found in surprise that... Luna has been staring at him from the distance. The upper half of her body was submerged in the shadow of the pillar next to her, her eyes gleaming as she tilted her head inhumanly, staring at him.

 

 

"[W̴̪͇̙̻̎́̃͝͠h̴̨͓͓̼̜͖͓̍͆́̊͌̏̈́̍̅͑͝͠͝@̸͍̼̿̈̒̔̚͝t̷̡̢͎͈̘͎̟̦͕͋̅̄͂̀̌̕͘͝ ̴̡̺̙̺̰̳̳̰̟̖̉̎́͑͊͛ͅͅ@̷̧̢̰͕̬̙̱̰̬̳͕̥̼̗̆̿̂͘̚ȑ̶͉̘̤̥̘͚̰̥̈̒̋̀ĕ̶͉̋̈͐̊̍ ̵̛̺̤̟̪͙͇͇͆̀̽͊̏̀̏̚͝ȳ̶̛̛̬̜̙̦̩̀̀̆̉ͅo̴͕͇͎͋̉̄̀̎̑̔̓̈́̓͠͠͝ŏ̴̧͔͙̀̎͜u̵̼͂̈͒̅͐̆̅̋̂͝͝ ̶̡̢̧̯͔̠͇̭̪̼̜͓͒͒̓͌͌̔̑͛͋̀̓͋̐́ͅẅ̷̞̥́̿̒͒̈́̎͗̈́̔̕̚̚͝@̷̡̧̨̢̦͎̞̘̝̗̯̼̺̐ͅ!̶̛͉̗̰̫̯̱̱̜̥̦̙͎͉̱̟̐̊̍̽͠͝ṭ̴̘̹͓͍͊͐̄́͌i̴͇̤̘͍̱̺͖̒̈͝n̸̮͇̥̠̿̋͗̂͛͠g̷͎̭̖̫̲͈̟͓͖̗͔̼̥͈͖͐̈́̋͑͗̿͒̾́͠͝ ̴̡̪͔̼̳̥͙̺̫̺̳̹̄͋̇̕͜f̶̠͈̅̓́͜ō̴̧̨̢̲͚̲̘̟̭͕̦͓͕̰̈́̿̆̿͌̄̓̽͗͠͠r̸̛̮̔̈́̓͋͊͑͌̍̑̌͛̕͠?̷̡̢̳̲̯̻̘̣͙̫̬̲̌͛̑͒͊̈́̎̉̓͘̚̕͠ ̴͈̘͔̦͙̣͙̙͚̲̬̥̬͈̞̅̏̊̀̂̿̂̿̈̿͒̔̎̕͝M̸̡̦̤͎͖̹͐̏̌͒̔̈́̄ͅy̶̼̘̦͕͕͕̝͙̣̓̉͜͝ ̸̛̪̪͚̭̪̤̺̘̬̤͔̱̻̫͐͒͆̍̎̏̕͠͠͝d̴̟͉̟̤͒̋ë̴̠̖̭̍̅̎̽͌̌̇͒͘@̷̤̹̮̎̿͂̋͛̃͊̓̽̋̆̎̚͝r̷̜̈́͌͌̀ ̴̯̱͚̖̺͘Ḧ̶̪̭͇͕͎͇̮͎͖̺́̃@̴̧͉̙̬̱̞̌̎͝n̵̗͎̪̮͔̱͔̰̩̩̗̈́̆̌ͅ5̸̡̨̨̧͙͔͈͚̪̺̳͓͎̕ͅ!̵͎͉̟̪̟̤̳̤́̌̊̾̎̽̑̋̈́́͠͝?̴̛͈̤̠̺̱̔̋̓̂̃͛͜͝]"