“Date…”
[December 21, 2029]
[7:34]
December 21st, it seemed like there was still some time before the original story began.
Instinctively, I turned on my smartphone to check the alarm and it seemed the closing ceremony was yesterday. Thus, fortunately, I didn’t have to endure the hardship of attending school.
“I was worried that I’d have to leave the dorm, but the system in Raon Academy where third-year students graduating make room for the new first-year students was quite ingenious. If you’re not expelled, you can use the same dorm room for three years, so it’s quite good.”
Single rooms are usually given to outstanding students.
Raon Academy has a class size of about 120 students per grade, and they assign rooms based on rankings determined by certain scores achieved in the tutorial phase.
The lowest quality dormitory requires living in a room with six people sharing three double beds. After that come the four-person rooms, two-person rooms, and then, like mine, single rooms.
“Among the students who can use a single room… were there only twenty of them?”
That meant Yoon Se-ah’s current academy ranking was at least in the top twenty. Since the protagonist entered, Se-ah had already been the youngest student council president maintaining her first place, so I suppose my ranking would also be considered as number one.
“The status window, I didn’t get a good look at it last time.”
When I murmured “status window” again in a quiet voice, a shimmering blue window materialized instantly in front of me.
<> <> <> <>
<Information>
<Name: Yoon Se-ah>
<Age: 18>
<Tendency: Good, Order>
<Skill List>
<Psychokinesis (A)>
<Can freely manipulate telekinesis>
<Recovery (S)>
<Can perfectly heal any wounds, though pain is still felt>
<Dull Sensation (B)>
<Feels little pain due to prolonged experiments>
<Abilities>
<Strength: C+>
<Defense: D>
<Magical Power: A+>
<Stamina: F>
<Agility: B+>
<Luck: A+>
<> <> <> <>
“…[Eye of Hypnosis], it wasn’t here?”
Certainly, from my vague recollection, Yoon Seong-ho had forcibly inserted the eye of a monster into me.
“Inventory… I’m not sure if there’s such a thing… Ah, I found it.”
Below the status window was an inventory window, and after pressing it quickly, detailed information about the monster’s eye implanted by Seong-ho was displayed as expected.
<Eye of Hypnosis>
<When activated, the pattern in the eye can plunge the observer into a hypnotic state. A target with higher magical power can resist the hypnosis. A hypnotized target will have all their senses dominated and will be stuck in a world of illusion, falling into a complete hypnotic state as the user desires.>
<Additional Effect: Magical Power Rank +1>
“…Is this not cheating?”
This was a more versatile ability than what a certain anime villain left as famous quotes like “I will stand in the heavens,” “When did I stop using ‘hardening techniques?'” and “Don’t use overly strong words, or you’ll appear weak.”
In that anime, it was impossible to show nonexistent things through illusions, but with the Eye of Hypnosis, this was possible.
Even though a target with superior magical power couldn’t be permanently hypnotized, the additional effect of increasing magical power by one rank should make it relatively easy to hypnotize villains in the middle stages.
“Yoon Se-ah had such a great ability, yet lost to the protagonist… Or rather, she resisted and toned it down during that moment.”
I wasn’t sure if this excellent ability was developed naturally by Yoon Se-ah or forcibly induced through experiments. However, considering that she also possessed <Psychokinesis (A)> and <Recovery (S)>, the probability of the second-year protagonist defeating Yoon Se-ah was almost zero.
“I had the <Natural Recovery (A)> skill, but to what extent did that bastard Yoon Seong-ho experiment to evolve it into <Recovery (S)>?”
Normally, skills are enhanced through potent herbs or by frequently using them to a degree where your understanding improves, leading to evolution.
Of course, the higher the skill level, the greater the limitations. However, the <Recovery (S)> ability that evolved to the S rank was a clear example of defying those limitations.
“Perhaps… the extreme diet of herbal elixirs and monster carcasses, together with Se-ah’s will to survive after being repeatedly cut and regenerating, contributed to a swift rise in understanding?”
This wasn’t particularly pleasant.
“By the way, now that it’s vacation time, should I return to the main estate?”
After the semester ended, Raon Academy students had two options:
First, return to their main estate for the holidays and come back on the day of the opening ceremony.
Second, stay in the dormitory, attend special lectures given by professors working during the holidays, or relax until the start of the academic year.
“….If the original story continues its course, there will be a tremendous loss of life.”
While the protagonist and their companions would undoubtedly survive, many sacrifices would be made to “prove” the strength of their fallen enemies.
From the principal of Raon Academy to S-rank heroes who were the protagonist’s allies.
“How should I proceed…?”
As I sighed while pondering, a blue window began flashing as if it had been waiting for this moment.
<Main Quest>
<Help the protagonist defeat the [Demon King Mephisto] and save the world>
<Reward: Meeting with a God, One Wish>
“….A meeting with a god? What is this ‘wish’?”
Does using the wish allow me to return to my original world?
“…I had no ambition, but now I have something to do.”
Firstly, handling the final boss means finding a way back home.
“If I cleverly use the information I gained while playing and such things…”
I could go home faster than the original story and return to my world.
“To do that, I should head back home first, right?”
Just as I was about to send a message home, the text message app linked to the phone app alerted me to a large number of blocked messages.
[Blocked Messages]
[From Lee Seol-hwa] 999+
[Blocked Calls]
[From Lee Seol-hwa] 99+
“Is this accumulated history?”
As I checked the block list to see if Yoon Seong-ho’s number was there, I noticed an unusually high number of call records from Lee Seol-hwa.
[Seol-Hwa]
[Se-ah, it’s dangerous there. You need to get out of there quickly…]
[Seol-Hwa]
[Se-ah, I’m really sorry for what happened back then. I don’t have any right to say this to you…]
[Seol-Hwa]
[Se-ah, please answer my calls. It’s really dangerous there. You’re being deceived by that person. If you read this message, please talk to the healer I know…]
“…That’s quite a lot.”
It seemed as though she knew I’d been brainwashed and was warning me not to fall for it.
“At least, nothing can overcome brainwashing or hypnosis from the [Eye of Hypnosis].”
When Yoon Se-ah herself realized this, it was probably too late. However, I, who know the original story, am different.
“I wasn’t affected by brainwashing since my soul was swapped when I possessed her.”
When a character is hypnotized by Yoon Se-ah, the status anomaly “hypnotized” appears in red next to them. However, there was no such indication in the status window I saw earlier through the system.
Still, just to be sure…
I did what Yoon Se-ah had done in the game and looked into the mirror.
“[Eye of Hypnosis], activation.”
-PAAHH!
An eight-sided magical pattern appeared in one of my eyes.
“In case I am under any kind of brainwashing, you can ignore it all. You must do whatever it takes to return home and bring this story to a happy ending.”
Alright, I started to feel something click in my head.
“Now, let’s continue.”
“Become a shield that protects the protagonists of the Academy Swordmaster, and a blade that eliminates anything threatening to them. Yoon Se-ah.”
Then, the me in the mirror nodded and extracted something from her chest.
‘So… there was indeed a subtle influence of hypnosis.’
What she pulled out was a purple bead.
It perfectly matched the one from the elephant statue I destroyed earlier.
“It hasn’t been activated even once.”
This was probably her final hidden card, reserved for a true emergency.
And the Yoon Se-ah in the mirror began to mouth something silently.
“In the future, I’ll count on you, this world.”
‘…!’
Before I could say anything, the Yoon Se-ah in the mirror instantly shattered into purple crystal, and behind the shattered image stood a dumbfounded me, reaching out to her.
‘…Alright, I’ve accepted that request, Yoon Se-ah.’
Thanks to this, I’ve resolved myself.
“I vow that whatever happens, for the sake of this story’s happy ending, I, Yoon Se-ah will not hesitate to use any means necessary.”
‘With this, self-hypnosis ends.’
Before returning to the main estate, I need to procure a good blade that can cut well.
