The Academy where the Softy Trio Trial was being held was noisier than usual.
Of course, with all grades participating in the Softy Trio Trial just like modern physical evaluations, it couldn’t help but be more chaotic than normal.
It was only natural to see many students wandering around in their gym uniforms.
“Good morning, Murmur!”
The moment I descended to the first floor of the dormitory via the stairs, Esme greeted me with a bright smile and a wave.
Behind her stood Pearl, the maid who gave a nod to Vesta and Bianca.
“Murmur had a good sleep. How about you, Esme?”
“I also slept well. We need to pass Professor Malea’s exam after all!”
Esme clenched her fist, burning with determination.
“Murmur believes Esme will do great.”
“Of course! We’ve worked so hard together, haven’t we!”
Esme gently stroked my horn.
“Thanks to Murmur, I’ve been able to practice so much. Thank you.”
“Murmur has only practiced as well.”
Still, when you think about it, how could we have replicated the Softy Trio Trial for a fifth-grade elementary student?
Only thanks to Super Maid Vesta and Bianca’s help.
From archery to running and combat practice, they prepared everything and cleaned up in the blink of an eye!
“Murmur is wondering… Where did Nicasia go? Did she go to the bathroom?”
Nicasia usually waited on the first floor with Esme.
“Huh? Didn’t Nicasia tell you yesterday?”
Esme covered her mouth with her hand.
“Today! Other seniors and juniors have exams too, right? So Nicasia said she’d have to assist professors all day.”
“Murmur remembered that. I patted Nicasia’s back and told her to do her best.”
“Hmm, I didn’t know she had to deal with adults this early in the morning either. But apparently, she left already when I asked the maid sister earlier.”
Poor Nicasia.
Honestly, at first, she seemed scary and enviable as a princess, but lately, she just looks pitiful.
Though her body might look like a high schooler’s, her essence is still a fifth-grade softy from the Elementary Unit who adults adore too much.
I know she’s being summoned here and there because the royal princess isn’t at the Academy, but…
“Hey, what are you all talking about?”
Citrine appeared alongside Balkan, fiddling with her drill hair as she joined the conversation.
“We were talking about Nicasia.”
“Ahh… About the poor princess who has to play the face of the event today.”
Citrine’s joke made Esme giggle.
Anyway, since there was no one else to wait for, we naturally headed toward the meeting spot with Monica.
It would be too cruel to ask the Saintess living in the Tower of Capella to come to the dormitory, so we always meet at the crossroads between the dormitory and Terra House, which the Elementary students use.
“Monica! Monica! Good morning!”
Sure enough, Monica was standing at the crossroads with Sister Anna.
As other students quickly walked toward Terra House, Monica and Sister Anna standing still caught our eyes even more.
… But the atmosphere felt strangely different from usual?
“Have a good day…”
“Huh? What’s wrong, Monica? Why does your face look like that?”
Esme immediately grabbed Monica’s hand and pulled her toward us while asking.
Even I, Murmur, noticed that Monica’s complexion wasn’t good.
She wasn’t pale, but the usual sparkling aura was missing.
“Can you eat breakfast?”
“I think I’ll be fine today…”
Monica subtly glanced at us.
At that moment, Sister Anna tapped Monica’s shoulders with both hands.
“Saintess, please speak up. Murmur-sama and your friends might be able to help, right?”
“But… However…”
Monica looked at me, Murmur, hesitantly.
Simultaneously, my horns grew oddly warm and itchy.
“Murmur-sama, I saw the future today.”
“Did you see the results of the exam?”
Citrine shrugged and smiled.
“It’s okay. Even if Monica saw something bad, Murmur-sama is someone who can break such results.”
“That’s right. Last time, didn’t Murmur-sama save Monica?”
“That’s not… It’s not like that.”
Now Monica’s face turned pale as she fidgeted with her fingers.
What could possibly be going on? I have no idea.
In the game, the Softy Trio Trial is just a regular event without any hidden elements, right?
“I saw the future. I… I saw Torlin encountering a very bad incident today.”
“What kind of bad thing? What does that mean?”
“I… I saw Torlin being captured by a terrible senior from the middle school section.”
Monica bowed her head.
As if she had done something wrong.
“In that case, it would be best to inform the professors.”
Citrine spoke calmly and rationally.
“It’s meaningless. The professors… They won’t listen to us.”
“They say they’ll investigate, but they don’t take serious action.”
As Monica spoke, someone’s face naturally came to mind.
“Murmur-sama, if you speak, it will be different!”
“N-no, I don’t think so. The Saintess Monica is more respected than the Demon Race Murmur.”
“Uuuuugh…”
Citrine bit her lip.
“Murmur is curious. Was the bad senior Monica saw in the future someone with black hair?”
“Yes. Someone with black hair tied to the side.”
“Did that senior just kidnap Torlin because they disliked them?”
Monica nodded, causing Esme and Citrine’s gazes to focus on me, Murmur.
“Murmur! Do you know something?”
“Yeah, Murmur knows because it’s a very famous senior. A super-duper bad senior.”
I dramatically waved my hands up and down.
“It’s Garitosa-senpai!”
“Aah… I see…”
Citrine, unsurprisingly knowing the name, covered her face with her hand.
“Now I understand why telling the professors doesn’t work. Garitosa-senpai already holds a title. They don’t want to get involved in troublesome matters.”
“Eh?! How can that be?! If they’re kidnapping Torlin and doing bad things, then…”
“Adults are like that. In situations where trouble is sure to arise, they pretend to act but ultimately lie about having done their best.”
Esme looked at me, Murmur.
“What kind of person is Garitosa-senpai, Murmur?”
“She’s a senior who really dislikes other races. I heard her entire family feels the same way.”
“Eek! S-so… That means they’re bullying Torlin? What, what…”
Esme growled but bit her lips tightly, probably remembering Aunt Colette.
“… It’s like my aunt, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, that’s why Murmur knows. To avoid being bullied.”
Garitosa de Monte Negro.
There’s a weird praise meme about her in the community, but basically, she’s an annoying villain in the High School Chapter who bothers the player.
Interestingly, if the player chooses a human race, she doesn’t pick fights.
However, if you’re another race, regardless of whether your club is strong or weak, she’ll provoke you anyway.
Is she persistent or just crazy? Either way, that’s the kind of villain she is.
Her reputation at the Academy is polarized—people either love or hate her.
“At least we’re lucky. We know who kidnapped Torlin, and with Monica’s power, we can find out the location.”
Monica nodded.
“I saw it. She took Torlin to an unused Clubhouse.”
“Great! There’s still some time before the exam starts! Let’s hurry and rescue them!”
Citrine and Esme were full of enthusiasm.
But for some reason, Monica’s pale face kept bothering me, Murmur.
“Why didn’t you suggest going to rescue them first, Monica?”
Monica laughed awkwardly.
“I… I saw it. Both Citrine and Esme… And I got badly injured.”
Ah, so that’s how it ends up.
Garitosa occupies an abandoned building and tortures the kidnapped student.
For various reasons.
Starting from “just because they’re pretty,” “because they have good grades,” “because they passed by,” “because they ate quickly”—this psychopath decided to bully Torlin today.
Moreover, the abandoned building she hides in is thoroughly filled with traps.
That’s why the faculty doesn’t interfere—they don’t want to accidentally get hurt by ‘mistake’!
“Are there traps?”
“Yes.”
“Ugh! Still, we can’t let Torlin get hurt!”
“But… That…”
Monica looked at me, Murmur.
Her shimmering golden eyes were filled with apology.
Ah, now I know what she’s thinking.
“Why, why is that? Monica? Even if Monica sees a bad future, Murmur can fix it!”
“That’s right. Murmur-sama can use divination magic, so these cheap traps are nothing!”
Unlike the two who still hadn’t caught on, Monica sniffled.
“I… I can’t say it. I can’t ask this favor of Murmur-sama.”
“Is it because if Murmur goes to rescue Torlin today, she won’t pass Professor Malea’s exam?”
Finally, Citrine and Esme looked at me, Murmur.
Rescuing Torlin definitely takes time.
And not just time—it’s a dangerous place where everyone could get seriously injured, consuming a lot of stamina.
“Murmur-sama, I believe she’ll be exhausted until late afternoon or could get seriously hurt.”
“Th-then! Shouldn’t Murmur take the exam?”
Esme smiled but shook her head.
“Monica’s prophecy showed that the three of us couldn’t get through the traps.”
“B-but! What about Balkan or Pearl? Can’t we get help from the adults?!”
Esme looked back at the adults, but Monica shook her head.
If it were that easy to handle because they’re ‘adults,’ the faculty wouldn’t just stand by with their arms crossed!
“Huh… But!! Murmur has been preparing for over two weeks!”
Esme clenched her fists and shouted.
“M-Murmur… I can’t tell you to give up and go rescue Torlin!”
The results of the Triathlon greatly affect grades.
That’s common sense.
“Does Esme want Murmur to take the exam?”
“I want to rescue Torlin too… But you’ve worked so hard. Murmur… Despite getting hurt and feeling pain, you prepared hard.”
Esme bowed her head and agonized.
“I saw it. Torlin will be severely injured and suffer greatly… Their hands might become unusable.”
“Huh? Huh?! E-e! Th-that means… Ah.”
Esme grabbed her hair with both hands and agonized.
This isn’t a story where a normal student can close their eyes and choose easily.
“Murmur-sama, stop worrying and take the exam.”
“Is that what Citrine thinks?”
“Yes, Torlin is… Torlin. Murmur-sama cannot waste all the hard work you’ve put in so far.”
Citrine spoke coldly and looked at Balkan.
“I’ll try to handle Torlin somehow. Even if it doesn’t go well, it’s not Murmur-sama’s fault.”
Indeed, if I finish this exam successfully, I’ll gain Professor Malea’s affection, improve my Academy reputation, and acquire useful martial skills.
This reward is definitely not something to give up lightly.
“How does Monica feel about it?”
“I… humbly wish Murmur-sama would rescue Torlin.”
“Monica thinks only Murmur can rescue Torlin, right?”
Monica shook her head from side to side.
“I can’t see Murmur-sama’s future. I don’t know if you can rescue Torlin or not. But… But…”
“So Murmur thinks that as a Hero, she can rescue Torlin, right?”
The one who started this story, Monica, nodded apologetically.
“What does Vesta think?”
“I am always on Murmur-sama’s side.”
Vesta sparkled her eyes and bowed her head.
Ultimately, the choice falls on me, Murmur.
Since Monica’s prophecy exists, it seems only I, Murmur, can safely rescue Torlin.
“Uuuuugh…”
My horns felt strangely hot.
If I’m asked whether I can rescue Torlin, I can.
Garitosa’s kidnapping event happens in the main storyline, and the traps can be memorized and easily overcome, so I’m not particularly afraid.
“Murmur has the power to rescue Torlin.”
I clenched my fists tightly.
If I go rescue Torlin here, the efforts of sweating for two weeks will turn into water.
The shiny reward in front of me will disappear.
It’s an extremely inefficient play that doesn’t make sense.
And Torlin might not offer any reward to me, Murmur.
Honestly speaking, it will probably end with just a thank-you.
“Murmur should think about it. If you have the power to rescue Torlin but don’t, then think of it as using that power to hurt Torlin.”
“That’s not true! The one hurting Torlin is Garitosa-senpai!”
“But Murmur has the power to save a friend. Does Murmur want to use this power?”
“You might not be able to take the exam at all! If that happens, you’ll receive a penalty!”
I firmly gripped Citrine’s hand, who was worried about me, Murmur.
“Don’t worry. Murmur still wants to rescue a friend.”
“Murmur-sama is truly… always… suffering losses like this…”
“Because Murmur wants to become a Hero! I want to always save my friends with this power!”
It’s absolutely a losing deal.
Despite knowing that, I, Murmur, can’t control the goodness burning inside me.
Giving up the exam to save a friend sounds like a Hero, doesn’t it?
Isn’t it like something out of a fairy tale?
