Flutter━━

The hood of the cloak was pulled back, revealing sleek black hair cascading down like a dark waterfall.

“Oh, my…”

Laura Freeze  muttered in exasperation, her voice heavy with lament. Unable to calm her confused thoughts, she wandered aimlessly.

Thud.

Her long shadow stretched over the fountain in the slums, cast by the dim light.

‘So it was all for Ellie .’

Laura Freeze couldn’t help but be stunned by Yuto’s  meticulousness. He had been skillfully and discreetly compensating for Ellie’s flaws better than she ever could.

“Could his foresight extend to even that?”

Even if he knew, his thoroughness was astonishing. Laura Freeze had been well aware of her former comrade Ellie Ingrid’s shortcomings but had never devised a way to address them.

‘If I could have, I would have done so long ago.’

Ellie’s stone-like stubbornness and arrogant mindset were not problems that could be easily resolved. It was a more complex challenge than forging unity between the Sylvest Elves, who lived deep within the emerald forests, and the humans.

‘…If only Ellie would come to her senses sooner.’

That would undoubtedly be a significant help in future battles. Fixing Ellie’s arrogance would aid in the crucial fight that lay ahead. Addressing her tendency for reckless actions would drastically reduce the risks during expeditions.

“Still, entrusting Ellie to that man…”

The time spent with Yuto had been brief. Regardless of his achievements, it was too short a period to build trust. It was hard to exclude him from her list of concerns.

Sigh…

Moreover, a faint twinge of discomfort lingered in her chest. It was unsettling to realize that a man who had once been a complete stranger seemed to understand Ellie better than she did.

However, Laura Freeze pushed aside that sense of inferiority.

She was someone who had traveled back through time and endured far longer than Yuto ever could. Succumbing to such feelings was no different from making an immature decision.

“Claretta Barriette .”

But what about her?

A wild, unpredictable nature.

An uncontrollable beast.

A troublemaker who couldn’t be handled easily.

Yuto’s meddling seemed like the foolish arrogance of a mere mortal.

“Hah. As expected, Kleta is my responsibility.”

That was how it should be.

Laura Freeze was convinced.

Yet, she remained unaware of one truth—that she wanted it to be her responsibility.

It was a truth the current Laura Freeze could not grasp.

​

​“Yuto, come up to the podium.”

At Instructor Julia’s  call, I stepped onto the podium. Behind me, Laura Freeze followed, her presence commanding the attention of everyone in the hall. All eyes were on us.

And the reason for all this?

“Your contributions in the recent ‘Space-Time Exploration’ class have been recognized. As of today, you’ve been promoted. Congratulations!”

So, that’s how it went down.

Clap, clap, clap━━

Even Instructor Julia joined in the applause, along with the other cadets of Class C. The merit they recognized? Sacrificing myself for the sake of everyone else.

As for Laura Freeze, her recognition came from dispelling the monster’s binding curse.

As a result, both Laura Freeze and I were promoted to Class B. Normally, ranks are determined at the end of the semester through performance evaluations, but exceptions like this weren’t unheard of.

‘This happened often in the episodes.’

Promotions for the player or the protagonist were a staple in the game’s early stages. Not that I’d ever experienced it firsthand back then.

“Yuto, why the long face? Aren’t you happy?”

“It’s nothing,” I replied.

Truthfully, it just didn’t feel real yet. My reaction must have seemed lackluster, as the instructor and cadets began to wax poetic with bittersweet farewells.

“Sniff…! I understand. You couldn’t have imagined parting so soon. But don’t worry! Even though we’re in different classes now, we’ll always be comrades!”

“Exactly, Yuto! I’ll catch up to you soon, so go on ahead and enjoy the air up there!”

“Yuto! I’ll work really hard! So… please, wait for me!”

What nonsense. None of you are making it up here.

The ones I know? Not a single one of them ever makes it onto the upper-class roster. They’re destined to remain extras forever.

Pathetic.

“I’ll be waiting,” I said, feigning sentimentality as I mourned for them.

If this were the game, this would’ve been the last scene showing their faces. I left the lecture hall with the cool dignity such a moment deserved.

“What are you doing? Not coming?”

“Just savoring the moment.”

“…? You’re more sentimental than I thought.”

“Maybe I am.”

Sentimental? I could understand why Laura Freeze might think so. But truthfully, I felt no affection for them at all.

What lingered in my mind wasn’t any sense of camaraderie. It was…

[Julia has become obsessed with you.]

[Danica has developed an obsession...]

[Philip’s obsession grows...]

…The experience points they gave me. Even if I’m away from them, their points might keep rising for a while.

A shame, really.

But no matter—I’ll look forward to new companions.

Delicious, aren’t they?​

​

​

​A Sentimental Man

Laura Freeze  thought to herself, He’s more sentimental than I expected.

The occasional cold glint in Yuto’s  eyes? She had misjudged them. When Yuto had chosen to sacrifice himself for the group, she had assumed it was a calculated move to prove his worth.

But the truth was different—it had been an act of devotion, a gesture of camaraderie.

‘The more I see, the more he seems like a genuinely good person…’

Yet, strangely enough, that very quality stirred a sense of aversion within her.

It wasn’t dislike, but something else entirely. Why did she feel this way? Part of her even wished he were more villainous. A petty, absurd desire.

‘Why am I like this?…’

Laura shook off the thoughts, unwilling to let herself be swayed. Instead, she redirected her focus to the immediate problem—the unwelcome stares she and Yuto received as soon as they entered the Class B lecture hall.

“Welcome to both of you! I’m Geoffrey , the instructor for Class B.”

“Thank you,” Yuto replied with his usual friendly smile, shaking the instructor’s hand. Laura, meanwhile, offered a polite bow and nothing more.

Geoffrey was a towering figure with a rugged, imposing demeanor, clearly someone who favored physical combat. He didn’t seem to notice anything amiss.

The cadets of Class B, however, were less gracious. Many openly expressed their displeasure, with some outright sneering.

‘Not surprising.’

Class promotions were a competition. For someone to rise, another had to fall. With only 24 spots in Class B, Yuto and Laura’s promotions meant two cadets had been demoted.

The resentment in the room was understandable.

“You two, give a brief introduction, then take your seats,” Geoffrey instructed.

“Let me go first,” Yuto said unexpectedly, his usual amicable demeanor vanishing as he began.

“I’ll skip my introduction.”

Huh?

“I won’t be staying here long enough for it to matter.”

What?

Yuto gestured upward with his hand.

“I’ll be moving to Class A soon, so I don’t see the point in introducing myself.”

...Insane.

Yuto’s introduction was nothing short of a provocation. Why? Normally, he would have delivered a polite, congenial introduction with a smile.

He didn’t. He finished speaking and walked off to find an empty seat, leaving everyone stunned.

Even Laura found herself speechless, the target of the remaining cadets’ glares. Yet their attention quickly shifted back to Yuto.

‘What is that man thinking now?’

Once again, he’d gone and done something unpredictable. It was absurd, but even Laura found herself suppressing a laugh at the audacity of it all.

“Well, I’ll follow his example,” she said, against her better judgment.

“I’ll skip my introduction as well.”

For once, she found herself aligned with Yuto’s mindset.

Pulling the Strings

[Donald has developed an obsession with you.]

[Michael has developed an obsession...]

[Angela has developed an obsession...]

Ah, the bait worked perfectly.

But what truly delighted Yuto was the last notification:

[Claretta Barriette  has developed an obsession with you.]

Excellent. She was the only useful asset in Class B, so laying the groundwork early would pay off.

Still, what was with her behavior just now?

In the original storyline, Claretta Barriette barely said a word to the protagonist. But here she was, approaching him on her own.

“Hey, you. The guy over there.”

“Me?” Yuto responded.

What a surprise. The “bait girl” had come right to him.

Claretta Barriette was what one might call a mesugaki—a bratty little troublemaker. Small in stature but full of attitude.

But Yuto knew better than anyone how to handle a mesugaki like her.

“Just a moment,” Kleta began, but before the interaction could go any further, Laura Freeze stepped in.

Of course, Yuto thought. The protagonist does nothing to help the player—always interfering instead. Fine, have it your way.

“Are you the Laura Freeze who suggested a sparring match last time?” Kleta asked, eyes narrowing.

“Yes, that’s me,” Laura replied.

Their conversation was unfamiliar, even to Yuto. This didn’t exist in the original game. Why had Laura proposed such a thing?

“Didn’t you say we could spar anytime?”

“Yes. Even now works for me.”

“Perfect. Let’s settle this now.”