Professor Tia takes one look at me, Shiva, and then turns to face me, the copy, who has just burst into the room.



"Hurt, is something wrong?



"Actually, I hate school. I want to drop out of school, so please help me.



　What is he suddenly saying with a straight face?　I haven't even told Char about it, it's top secret!　Did you have a bad day again?　I'm sure there must have been, because I'm me.



"That's not a request you'd make of a teacher. If you want to quit, you can leave voluntarily.



If I could do that, I wouldn't be here!



　Hurt C., who is sulking in a retort, says, "Objectively speaking, I'm a scab.



I'd rather just stay indoors and relax.



"You're a hopeless man, you know that?"



I don't know why, but the king recommended me for the job.



"Oh, you're proud of yourself?"



　Hurt C. didn't care about me, rather, he sometimes glared at me and talked about how he came to attend the institute with body language and hand gestures, explained his ideal life as a hermit, and even touched on his plan to leave school early.



　What on earth was going on with him?



"Hmm. I understand what's going on, but I don't think this is a case where you need to ask a teacher for help.



Do something about it!



　Desperate. Who am I .......



　Professor Tia crossed her arms and glanced at me without looking at me.

　And the sound of shoes running down the hallway again.



"There you are, Hurt Semphis!"



　A beautiful blonde teacher with one eyeglass appeared.



"Hey, Oratoria Belkum!"



"You've got some nerve calling out to a teacher. But I forgive you. I don't care what you call me. I'd be more than happy to hear your views on auxiliary attributes.



　Professor Belkam grabbed Hult C by the collar.



"Wait a minute!　I'm in the middle of class right now!



"You know as much or more than your professors, why should I listen to your lectures?　So don't worry, I've already talked to the professor in charge."



"Why do you do this to me only when I'm here?　Today is not my day!"



　It is true that today is the fifth day of the week when I would normally be in class. But I'm sorry, I had to move around a lot today to deal with the aftermath, so they switched me.



　Oh, that reminds me.

　The last time I was in charge, Professor Belkam almost caught me. I promised him that I'll be back next time, and he let me go.

　I'm sorry. ...... It was a seed I planted.



"I don't know anything. I'm having a bad day!"



　In spite of his appeals, Hurt C. was taken away by a female teacher.

　My stomach is in knots at the thought of another strike.



"Well, Shiva, what do you think?"



"What?"



"Hurt, with your ability, it should be easy to shake Ora-chan off. But he was caught so easily even though he didn't want to. Isn't that strange?



You said you were having a bad day.



　Riza wasn't around today. Round table meeting or something. So I guess you could say it's been a day of misfortune.



"I see. The conundrum I mentioned earlier is the very existence of "Hurt," who's not feeling well. ...... Will you tell us about it soon?"



　If you know that much, there seems to be no point in hiding it.

　Maybe we should follow the example of the copycat and get Professor Tia to leave school early. Yeah, let's do that. It's getting a bit tedious, and Professor Tia and I are in agreement on the fundamental point that <>, even though we are going in completely different directions.



　I took off my helmet.



"What?



　Lolita glasses erupt.



"Yes. Shiva was actually Hurt Semphis.



"Don't reveal yourself to me as a conundrum!"



　I don't know why I'm pissed.



Why are there two of you?



"That was my copy or alter ego. The body I created with warding magic has an artificial intelligence that traces my thoughts.



"You're so quick to be so difficult to understand. I demand an explanation of the logic!



"I was doing all kinds of things, and then it was done."



"You've created a homunculus, an autonomous doll that is exactly the same as a human being, just with your senses. ....... Are you really a god or something?"



　You don't believe in God, do you?



"That's not the point, Professor Tia."



"Whoa!　Explain!　You've got to do it right!"






"That's why I have no idea what's going on. So I need to talk to you about something."



Are you still going to make me work for you?　Well, I'd like to receive some compensation first. Well, I don't have to tell you all. A copy of Mr. Hurt's, I think.



Hurt C.



"...... You're distinguishing yourself by that designation. That's a bit simplistic. Whatever. What you're asking for is what that Hurt C. said, <>"That's what you mean, right?"



　Thanks for talking so fast. I nodded.



"I understand you don't fit in the academy. Frankly, I don't think it's a good idea for you to stay at the academy."



　Oh!　You're talking faster than that!



But I can't.



"Why?



　Professor Tia crosses her arms and looks confused.



You really don't care about anything but your own interests, do you? I don't know why I'm telling you this.



"Explanation, please."



　Yes, yes," said Professor Tia, holding up two fingers.



"Two reasons. First, you underestimate the meaning of . The king is mediocre, but not stupid. Therefore, there are still many who support him even though his authority has been greatly diminished, and the word of the king is much heavier than you think.



"Hmm, you mean?"



"Even if you can play the part of an incompetent, the teachers hope that if you take your time and teach them well, you'll get some out of it, and even if they don't, they'll try their best to do so. They don't let you stay in school, they don't let you drop out, they just let you advance somehow until you graduate in five years."



"..................What, does that mean you've been stuck from the beginning?"



　Professor Tia nods her head.

　I flatten my forehead.



"There's only one reason!"



"No, no. The other reason is the one that really binds you. Suppose the king admits he was wrong and withdraws his endorsement.



"Oh!　I didn't know you had it in you!"



　You can threaten me as Shiva. You can make up any number of reasons.



"Hear me out. You don't want to get your parents in trouble, especially Lord Semphis.



"If the king recommended it on his own initiative and withdrew it on his own initiative, there's no problem, right?"



　Professor Tia shook her head from side to side for some reason.



"I told you.　The king's word still carries weight. And Lord Semphis is the head of the King's faction. What would people say if his son was nominated for king and didn't do well?



"How do you see it?"



　He sighed, as if to say, "Huh?



"Lord Semphis will lose his appeal within the royalist faction and give the rival factions an opening to take advantage of him. The relatively high public opinion of Lord Semphis may also decline. The latter may not have much of an impact, but it would certainly shake Lord Semphis' position in the aristocracy, and that would be fatal.



"Why is it so important that I, your son, drop out of school?　And it's my duty, you know?　Besides, he was mentioned from the start as a magic level 2 clunker."



"That's how aristocrats pull each other down. It's rather bad because they don't go directly after the person in question."



　It's so annoying .......



"But it's strange. To be honest, I initially suspected a conspiracy theory when I heard that you, a level 2 magic user, had been recommended by the king. But it turns out that you're an ancient magician of the class of the monsters of the gods."



"Conspiracy, you mean ...... oh, someone wanted to bring down my father by having me, an incompetent man, recommended to the king?"



"Yeah. But, well, I don't think the king would overlook it. He's not stupid. That's why I wanted to know what you were capable of before I enrolled you.



"So, the king thought I wasn't incompetent, right?　I don't know you directly, do I?"



　He's my own son, but he doesn't know it. I'm sure my father was careful to keep it that way.



"I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of people who could convince the king. I mean, the circumstances limit it to one person. You've never really shown your skills in front of Princess Marianne, have you?"



　Sis?

　Oh, I beat the shit out of Lias once when I was about ten years old, who was a bit of a cocky bastard at the time: .......

　So my sister went the extra mile for me. ...... is .......



"Sounds like you have a pretty good idea what's going on. But you don't have to get down on all fours and beat yourself up. There's still a way."



What?



　I get up with a start.



I'm gonna change my mind.



Where do we turn it over?



　I move my face closer to Professor Tia's, and she turns her head back, looking a little uncomfortable. I cooled down a little and thought to myself for a while.



　My first goal is to get out of school as soon as possible. However, according to Prof. Tia, that is almost impossible at the moment.

　Wait a minute. Don't get me wrong. What you want to do is to stay home, right?



　I reconfirm my premise, and there's a little guy in glasses staring blankly in front of me.

　Well, he only has one class a week. Other than that, he's been in this research building all the time. .......



"Ah!"



　No way, no way!






"I see you've noticed."



　Yeah, I got it.

　If you can't escape the curse of school...



Why don't you just stay in school?



"That's right!"



　This is a revelation. A Columbus' egg-like shift in thinking!

　As Professor Belkam said earlier. > and.

　If I emphasize to them that I don't fit in the school's framework, I might not have to attend classes even though I'm enrolled in the school.



Is that really possible?



　I wondered to myself.