This Novel is not my Novel

Since my plan had suffered a setback, I couldn't help glaring at the cause of it, Reisir. I don't regret that he came specifically while I was taking the exam. In the last episode, I explained that the reason my second attempt's result wasn't good was likely because my flow had been broken. If only I had made use of the time while Skati was out in the hallway. Analyzing the sections where I made mistakes in my first attempt and running a mental simulation? I might really have succeeded in hitting all the targets.

'So all that talk about flow was basically just an excuse...'

However, missing the opportunity to talk to Skati was deeply regrettable. I wanted to solve her problem as quickly as possible and put my mind at ease, but now I had to wait an entire week.

Unable to let go of my lingering concern, I scanned the interior of the lecture room once more.

'The door is blocked by Reisir, and all the windows are closed, so she couldn't have gone outside. Did she hide using a stealth skill?'

As for the reason...

It must be because she didn't feel like talking to me.

In that case, even if Reisir hadn't appeared here, I suspected Skati would have refused to talk to me and hidden herself anyway.

'Wait, it might be impossible to talk to her even if I wait until next week...?'

This was a natural conclusion, and the thought occurred to me that perhaps the current situation might actually be an opportunity.

Although Reisir didn't intend to, he was essentially blocking Skati's escape route.

Since it was certain that Skati was somewhere in this lecture room.

'I can't speak directly with her, but I can still make my words heard one-sidedly.'

As the saying goes, life is full of ups and downs, and this situation certainly proved it.

Now the remaining problem was how to naturally convey the words I intended to say to Skati.

As I mentally composed my sentences, Reisir called out to me once again.

"Karvaldr, are you going to keep staying here?"

A faint trace of impatience could be heard in his voice.

If I said yes, he seemed likely to come inside and drag me out.

If Reisir moved away from the door, Skati might use that opening to leave.

I took a step toward Reisir.

Then I grabbed the arm of Reisir, who was blocking the entrance, pulled him inside, closed the door, and leaned against it.

At my sudden action, Reisir's expression became tinged with bewilderment.

"W-what are you doing?"

"There's no way you came all this way to find me just to play around, is there? You have something to tell me regarding Professor Skati, right?"

Even though he had achieved his primary objective of checking Skati's skill window, the reason Reisir had been waiting for me in the hallway was obvious.

The impatience in his voice just now also attested to that.

'He must be worried that a former assassin might harm me.'

Since I needed to explain to Reisir that Skati wasn't a villain anyway, I might as well get it over with right here.

Having made that decision, I looked straight into Reisir's eyes.

Then I saw seriousness dawn on his face.

"Yeah, you're right. 'Today,' I came to find you for that reason."

For some reason, he placed strange emphasis on the word 'today.'

Was he perhaps foreshadowing that later he would come find me to actually play together?

That point bothered me, but now wasn't the time to dwell on such things, so I had no choice but to pretend I hadn't noticed.

Moreover, Reisir opened his mouth again.

"That person called Professor Skati is someone you don't need to worry about or care for."

"Why is that? Is that professor a criminal?"

"She's not just some ordinary criminal, but an assassin. And one with tremendous skill at that... At that level, she must have gone through countless real combat situations. It's not a level someone can reach through training alone."

Reisir said that and met my eyes.

I could feel a gaze that seemed to say, 'You of all people should understand immediately what I mean, right?'

"How do you know that?"

"I can't tell you that. But I want you to believe me."

I knew this answer was coming.

Because there was nothing good about going around revealing that he could see others' stats and skills.

Even in the original work, the number of people Reisir openly shared his 【Truth-Reading Eye】 with was extremely small.

Aside from that handful of people, he would either say he could read information about monsters or objects, or simply refrain from speaking altogether.

It meant it wasn't information he could tell me, since I had declared that I wouldn't be his friend.

Above all, Reisir must have also noticed that Skati was hiding somewhere nearby, so it was even more natural that he couldn't speak openly.

Thinking that, my question about how he knew was merely procedural.

Because it would look strange if I simply accepted that Reisir was speaking with such certainty about Skati's former profession and skills.

"At least I know you aren't lying. You're not the type to slander others by making up stories."

"You really believe me?!"

"I'm adding this just in case you misunderstand, but I don't trust you. I trust my analysis."

"Okay, okay. I'll believe you too."

"......"

He didn't seem to believe me at all.

He was definitely thinking, 'This tsundere is at it again.'

"Anyway, the conversation is over now, right? Let's get out of here quickly."

"What nonsense are you spouting? The conversation is only beginning."

"There's more to talk about? I'm telling you, that professor is an incredibly dangerous person. She's even weird on top of that. She's killed people herself, yet she gets angry about you bullying me last semester? I, the person involved, forgave you, so who does she think she is?"

It's worth mentioning again that Reisir must also be aware that Skati was hiding and eavesdropping on our conversation.

Saying this despite that must have been intended as a sharp rebuke toward Skati.

It questioned whether she, a mere murderer, was in any position to scold Karvaldr. Wasn't that far too shameless?

'For a protagonist in a fantasy novel, isn't he too realistic...? Is it because this world is reality to Reisir?'

It was a heinous crime unacceptable in reality.

But in web novels, especially in genres like fantasy or wuxia, there was a sin that was often glossed over without much issue.

That was 'murder.'

The fact that a companion had once been an assassin who killed people in the past didn't matter much to readers.

The act readers could never forgive wasn't a crime, but rather interfering with or harming what the protagonist was doing.

'But for the original protagonist to defend Karvaldr, who bullied him, and criticize Skati, who is destined to become his companion later...'

Seeing Reisir regard murder as a grave sin and make such a remark felt awkward and contradictory.

Even more so because in web novels, it was common for even protagonists advocating righteous absolute good to kill people left and right.

The protagonist of 《NaSE》, in other words Reisir, was no exception.

Currently, he hadn't killed anyone yet, but as he went through various incidents in the future, he would eventually commit murder.

'And quite often at that...'

Of course, those who died by his hands were all villains, and most situations were close to self-defense.

But still, murder was murder.

I felt strangely unsettled, and the being in front of me, unaware of his own future, seemed incredibly pitiful.

"She's a person you never know what she might do at any moment. So it's better not to get deeply involved with her."

Reisir said that to me, someone who tried not to get involved with him because I didn't want to be swept up in misfortune.

If he found out that I had stepped forward to solve the hardship Skati was experiencing while turning a blind eye to the huge misfortune about to befall him,

How great a sense of betrayal would he feel toward me?

"There is an error in your reasoning. If Professor Skati is a powerful individual who could secretly kill people at any time, yet she leaves the people tormenting her alone, shouldn't she be regarded as a safe person who wouldn't do anything, rather than the opposite?"

"Didn't you say the professor being bullied by her colleagues was just a conjecture?"

"It was a conjecture, but now it is a confirmed fact."

Even though my mind was incredibly complicated and heavy, my mouth continued faithfully defending Skati.

"So I will add the information you provided, that Professor Skati is an assassin of tremendous skill, and formulate a new hypothesis. Perhaps the reason she was assigned as a professor at this academy is because she no longer wishes to kill. Otherwise, would the Imperial Family really secure a top-class assassin only to have her teach students instead of using her to eliminate political rivals?"

"......!"

At my words, Reisir's expression changed, as if he had realized something he hadn't considered before.

I suppose it was because he had just confirmed Skati's abilities and had been too busy worrying about my safety.

It was understandable that his thoughts hadn't extended to why Skati had become a professor at the academy.

"Furthermore, I suspect she rejected not only killing people directly, but also nurturing assassins. The test we took today involved throwing daggers at ten targets while passing through various obstacles. This cannot be seen as training for assassinations. It is response training, assuming a situation where one is being chased by multiple enemies, meant to keep them in check, break through the encirclement, and escape."

"So you mean... that professor was once an assassin, but now she values human life. And she is teaching students not how to harm others, but how to protect themselves?"

"You understood correctly."

"......"

Reisir stared at my face with a strangely choked-up expression.

Then he suddenly let out a long, long sigh.

"I heard that professor got angry at you abruptly without even trying to understand you. And yet you're trying this hard to understand her feelings, and defending her so fervently to help her?"

"As I told you last time, I'm not doing this because I particularly like Professor Skati or anything."

"Are you just going to blindly deny it this time too?"

"I am not denying it. It is the truth."

Last time, the problem was that I had given up on defending Karvaldr, so I had nothing to say.

But this time, since I was explaining my reasons for defending and helping Skati, I could answer as much as I wanted.

"Because I cannot become a bystander on top of being a perpetrator. So I simply want Professor Skati to be free from bullying."

"I knew you sincerely reflected on the past, but I didn't know it was to this extent. You were still carrying guilt around, huh? I think you can put it down now..."

"Stop concerning yourself with other people's business."

"If it's about that guilt, isn't it my business too?"

I really thought he just wouldn't let me have the last word.