I’m the Slit-Eyed Character at the Academy, but I’m not the Mastermind
Chapter 356

The Trash Sprout Defense Squad had evolved into a band of thieves.

The phrase “A promising tree is different from the sprout” suddenly popped into my head.

‘No way… They’re not going to grow into legendary bandits who rule the continent in the future, are they?’

I refuse to accept such a hidden piece.

They must be reformed!

Adel, Whale, and Acela.

The three children were huddled together in a corner, chattering excitedly.

Luna and Rezé tiptoed behind me as we crept closer.

With the difference in our heights, it wasn’t hard to peek over and eavesdrop.

Adel, the leader of the Trash Sprout Defense Squad, was holding a piece of paper.

A chart was drawn on it, with the words [Today’s Duty Roster] written at the top.

It wasn’t difficult to figure out what it was.

It was the duty schedule for the Trash Village’s Knights.

“There are only two knights off duty tonight.”

“Bickerd and Stroch, huh.”

“M-Mister Bickerd has skipped three times this week already!”

The children continued chatting, unaware of our presence.

Looking at the duty roster from above, I noticed something strange.

“What’s this box next to their names?”

“It’s a signature. It shows that they’ve checked whether they’re on duty or not.”

“Sir Redington’s box is empty. That means he didn’t check, right?”

“He’s always careless like that. You know he never marks it. He’s the worst kind of knight—sometimes he doesn’t even show up when he is on duty…”

As if realizing something was wrong, the children’s heads slowly, very slowly, tilted upward.

“Keke, greetings.”

“Waaahh!!”

The children shrieked and scrambled backward.

Huddling together in the corner, they gaped at us like baby birds.

“I greeted you, and you scream? Even I find that hurtful.”

“If you’re going to say hello, do it from far away! Who wouldn’t be startled when you do it like that!?”

Flap—

A piece of paper fluttered through the air.

It was the duty roster the children had been looking at.

They must have thrown it in shock without realizing it.

I reached out and caught the paper, and Adel let out a panicked cry.

“G-Give that back! Before I report you!”

“Keke, I believe we’re the ones who should be reporting this.”

“Huh?”

“Isn’t this a classified document? Even if it’s not that confidential, it doesn’t seem like something that should be in your hands.”

“Ugh…!”

“Well, it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t seem like anything dangerous.”

Trash Village was a rural town.

It wasn’t even near a border region, nor were there any other villages close by.

A duty roster from a place like this? It was almost embarrassing to call it classified.

Besides, the real issue was the lax security that let a bunch of kids steal it in the first place.

That said—

“Why were you checking the knights’ duty schedule?”

“T-That’s…”

Adel stammered for a while before suddenly shouting, as if he had thought of something.

“It’s a game!”

“A game?”

“Yeah! We were just playing around because we were bored.”

“Hoo~.”

“W-What’s with that smile?! I’m telling the truth!”

Adel stomped his feet, demanding I return the paper.

He was just as full of energy as always, just like in the game.

“Alright. I’ll give it back.”

“Really?”

“Yes. To where it belongs.”

I handed the paper to Ron. He took it reflexively.

This was the knights’ duty roster.

Not exactly top secret, but still an official document.

It was only right to leave it to Ron.

After all, he was technically our supervisor.

“Hm… You’re not just dumping this annoying problem on me, are you?”

“Keke, you’re overthinking it. More importantly, I suggest you run.”

“Huh? What do you—”

“Get him!!”

“Eek!!”

The Trash Sprout Defense Squad charged at Ron.

The children latched onto his arms and legs, trying to bring him down as they struggled to snatch the paper away.

Ron stretched the paper toward me for help, but I simply ignored him.

I didn’t care what happened to that paper anymore.

Because I had already gotten what I needed—

A crucial piece of information related to Dolores.

Luna seemed to have reached the same conclusion, as she leaned in and whispered.

“So tonight, Bickerd and Stroch are the ones guarding Dolores?”

The knights who weren’t on duty elsewhere were the most likely to be stationed near Dolores.

As Luna said, the only ones off duty tonight were Bickerd and Stroch.

However, there was one variable.

“Sir Redington might be with them.”

“But he might not be.”

Both my theory and Luna’s were valid.

After all, according to the children, Redington sometimes didn’t show up even when he was on duty.

‘Schrödinger’s Redington, huh? What a pain.’

Redington was technically on duty tonight.

Logically, that should mean he wouldn’t be guarding Dolores.

But in my experience, the opposite was more likely to be true.

‘Because this game doesn’t give meaningless hints.’

Luna’s eyes sparkled.

She was ready to move forward with the rescue plan tonight.

Of course, my answer to that was—

‘No.’

If I could play through multiple times, I would have charged in recklessly.

Even if we failed, there would always be another chance.

But that wasn’t an option this time.

I couldn’t risk my life on this.

Perhaps sensing my hesitation, Luna spoke first.

“So in the worst case, there are three knights? Three knights, huh… Sounds doable.”

“Keke, are you planning to side with the knights? Betraying us and attacking from their side—an excellent strategy.”

“Of course not! There are three on their side and three on ours. Doesn’t that make it a fair fight?”

“No. They have four. And we only have two.”

Because I was siding with the knights.

Rezé seemed to share my thoughts, as she subtly moved to stand beside me.

“Keke, now it’s five against one. Still think it’s a fair fight?”

“You little—!”

Slap!

Luna smacked me on the back.

Wow, her hand was sharper than I expected. Luna was definitely going to be a strict but loving mother one day.

Of course, that was only if she survived the fight with the knights.

“We could handle one knight. But two or three? That’s impossible.”

“But our goal isn’t to win the fight. It’s to rescue Dolores.”

“That makes it even harder.”

Fighting knights was a challenge, but the real issue was protecting Dolores.

Fighting while safeguarding someone was incredibly difficult.

‘It was the same in the game, so reality won’t be any different.’

Hostage rescue missions were a common event in the game.

The objective was usually one of two things:

Eliminate all enemies while protecting the hostage.

Or escape with the hostage to a designated safe zone.

As long as you fulfilled one of these conditions, you cleared the event.

But more often than not, the hostage would die, resulting in failure.

Not only were they usually in a state where they couldn’t resist, but their HP was also set according to their level and status.

‘Dolores is a commoner with no combat experience.’

At best, her level would be around 5. But even if it were higher, it wouldn’t make much difference.

Because the opponents were knights—people who could wield Aura.

‘Of course, if I went all out, I could probably take down one or two…’

But with the unpredictable factor that was Redington, charging in was out of the question.

It wasn’t just the numbers that were a problem.

Redington himself.

His mechanics and my current setup weren’t a good match.

“I don’t care. I’m going to save her. So just know that.”

Luna whipped her head away, clearly sulking.

Her lips jutted out in an exaggerated pout, making it obvious.

“Yeah! We took down the instructor!”

“Woooo!!”

“Yaay~!”

A chorus of cheers erupted.

Turning to look, I saw Ron lying in a completely miserable state.

In Adel’s hands was the duty roster of the knights.

“Wait! If we just took down an instructor, doesn’t that mean we’re stronger than knights?”

“Well, duh. Whale, you worked so hard during training!”

“Boss!”

“Whale!”

Adel and Whale dramatically embraced each other, tears streaming down their faces.

Effort. Friendship. Victory.

They had just fulfilled the three core elements of a classic shonen manga.

It was only natural that they were moved.

They had no idea that Ron had let them win.

“Ow, ow… I’m dying here…”

Or… maybe he really did lose?

Knowing Ron, it wasn’t impossible.

“You little brats… There’s a limit to how much you can mess around! Hand that over, now!”

Luna stormed toward the kids.

She was already in a bad mood.

No way she was going to go easy on them just because they were children.

Perhaps sensing the danger in her approach, Adel and Whale quickly ducked behind Acela.

“You’re up, rookie! Give that arrogant woman a warning!”

“Huh? M-Me?”

“Warnings are your responsibility, remember?”

Acela hurriedly pulled out a small notebook and flipped through its pages.

Jobs like strategist, supply manager, cleaner, accountant—her tiny notebook was filled with all sorts of random duties.

Eventually, she found the entry labeled “Issuing Warnings.”

“Oh, right!”

Acela stepped forward, standing in front of Luna.

Even I felt intimidated by Sulking Luna Mode.

Acela gulped nervously before shouting.

“More beautiful than a goddess lady, warning!”

“What kind of warning?”

“T-That, um… It means…”

Acela stared directly at Luna’s face before blurting out—

“A warning that it’s a problem if you’re too pretty?”

Luna burst into laughter.

Unbelievable.

Luna’s sulking usually lasted at least three days.

But Acela had completely dispelled it in an instant.

I had to remember this trick for future use.

“Ahem, you’re right. That would be a problem. If I get any prettier, I might bring about the end of the world.”

“But why would the world end just because you’re pretty?”

“Well, you see, men go crazy over beautiful women. There was even a war started over one.”

“Then you have to be careful! We can’t have a war break out.”

“Exactly, exactly. I’m already living cautiously. Acela, was it? You should be careful too. When you grow up, you’ll be as beautiful as me.”

Hah.

They were completely fooling around now.

I wanted to bring Luna back to reality, but I held myself back.

It seemed Adel and Whale felt the same.

They were covering each other’s mouths, their feet stomping in frustration.

Luna patted Acela’s head before clicking her tongue.

“And you two, pushing all the work onto the youngest… What a great example you’re setting.”

“It’s fine. I’m the boss.”

“And I’m the vice-boss.”

“Keke, and I’m Zero.”

“…Why are you inserting yourself? Get over here!”

What a shame.

If it weren’t for Luna, I could have become the youngest member of the Trash Sprout Defense Squad.

As Luna dragged me back to my original spot, I caught sight of two familiar faces peeking out from the bushes.

Yuridia and Victoria.

Strangely enough, both of them were smiling warmly.

From my perspective, their smiles were nothing but deeply unsettling.

“You two get along well with the children. That’s not easy to do.”

“Indeed. You both possess the qualities of good parents.”

“A child of Lady Luna… Surely, they would be adorable, beautiful, and utterly lovable.”

“That goes without saying.”

Were they lost in a delusion?

A brief silence settled between them.

The first to snap out of it was Victoria.

“Oh~ Hohoho! It can’t be helped, then. I shall take on the role of godmother.”

“Oh my, how unfortunate. That position has already been reserved by me.”

“W-What did you say?! I won’t yield this to anyone, no matter what!”

Like a weasel and a marten, the two started bickering.

A baby between Luna and me?

Not happening.

I had no idea when these stalkers had appeared, but their presence wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Because it meant that event was about to begin.

Step— Step—.

“Hm?”

“What is that sound?”

The rhythmic footsteps brought Yuridia and Victoria’s argument to a halt.

An event that would provide the biggest clue about the masterminds—

And an event that had infuriated countless players—

Was about to begin.

–TL Notes–

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