The moment I opened the book and released mana, I was sucked into an entirely white world.
An empty void.
The only sound was the soft music playing faintly in the background.
‘It’s familiar.’
I had arrived.
Since starting my second playthrough, this was the music I always heard without fail.
Some called this place the Corridor of Illusions, others the Seven Star Trials, or even the Tower of Trials.
Personally, I preferred the name Seven Star Trials.
This illusory, magical world that defied the laws of physics seemed perfectly fitting for the concept of the “Seven Seals”.
“Phew.”
I exhaled lightly and reached my hand forward.
Drawing a small circle with my extended finger, I let my mana ripple like water before calming it.
“As expected.”
The reflection in the mirror wasn’t that of the blond and tanned delinquent the students of Esdinas Academy were familiar with.
The hair shape, body type, and facial features were the same, but the hair, eye color, and skin tone were entirely different.
It was as if someone had undone the bleached blond hair of the delinquent and turned his tanned bronze skin back to a pale hue.
This wasn’t the appearance I used to disguise myself with a mana skin.
Rather, it was the original form cemented by the Archduke of Hell.
In this world, the real me.
In this illusory realm, where only truth remains, lies have no place.
No matter how much one fills their mana pockets with deceptive magic stones, only the truth reveals itself in the Seven Star Trials.
There’s even an event where some companions scream and cover themselves after entering the trial, embarrassed by their true forms suddenly exposed.
‘Honestly, I should be the one doing that.’
At least my companions in the party are trustworthy.
I’ve personally verified the truth of their forms with my own hands, so I can vouch for them.
But as for me…
Have I told my companions about my circumstances?
Not entirely.
The only one who knows is Yunia.
Still…
‘It’s time to reveal it.’
We’ve grown close enough to share vulnerabilities, even appearing in what’s essentially swimsuits in front of each other.
There’s no longer a need to maintain the facade of the blond, tanned delinquent.
Besides, this space won’t allow such deception anyway. It’s an opportunity to show them the truth.
After all, this trial is a journey to uncover the hidden truths of the world.
‘First, let’s get dressed.’
What outfit should I choose?
The answer was obvious.
With a burst of mana, I envisioned the clothes in my mind and conjured them.
I checked myself in the mana mirror from head to toe.
“Perfect.”
A red hat, a red vest, a black T-shirt, and jeans.
It was a look that could easily earn the title of [Heroine Master].
“…”
I slipped my hand into the vest.
Inside were three tiny orbs, each smaller than a fingertip.
This wasn’t the usual method.
Normally, companions entering the library together would faint atop a magic circle and have their consciousness drawn into the fairytale-like magic.
But this extra step was necessary to ensure the ‘protection of the heroines’.
Everything here feels real—sensations, pain, even death. Just as Evangeline had feared, the shock of these experiences is genuine.
But this burden… I alone will bear.
By summoning them here as avatars, akin to familiars, their sensations are dulled to only a tenth of the real impact.
That’s right.
I have entered this world as a summoner.
Just like how summoned units in a game exist as separate entities, I am here as a lone summoner.
Through summoning magic, the heroines are brought here as avatars.
They won’t endure the same direct pain.
“Yunia, Ludmila, Evangeline.”
I adjusted the cores to match the unique mana patterns of the three spirits and then hurled them forward.
With a promise.
“I choose you!”
The orbs of mana grew to the size of a fist and, as they touched the white ground, burst with a resounding bang. White mist spread outward, veiling the area.
“Ugh…”
“Feels like I just woke up…”
“Is this the trial?”
Yunia, Ludmila, and Evangeline—each responded to my summon in their spiritual forms.
“Phew, it worked.”
For a moment, I worried about the possibility of failure after all that dramatic flair.
Thankfully, I successfully summoned them into the Land of Trials.
“Now then—”
“Who are you?”
“…”
Evangeline asked, staring at me the moment her eyes fell upon me.
“…Dark Phoenix?”
Ludmila looked at me intensely, her expression grave, and muttered under her breath.
Then—
“…So.”
Yunia, with her usual blank, or perhaps a bit too stern, expression, stared at me unwaveringly.
“You said it was a secret.”
Her expression suggested a mix of emotions, as if silently reprimanding me for revealing the truth in front of the others when she was the only one I’d confided in.
Still, she seemed equally hurt that I hadn’t kept the moment between just the two of us.
“First of all, I’m not Dark Phoenix.”
That name wasn’t going to stick.
“Just call me Phoenix. Dark Phoenix sounds like some doomsday-level bad luck waiting to happen.”
“What’s going on?”
“What’s going on is…”
I ran my hand down my face quickly.
“The appearance you’re used to is a disguise. This—this is my true form.”
* * *
[At that moment.]
[Instructor Esta. What are the students in the Old School Building up to?]
“Nothing is particularly unusual.”
Esta answered the voice coming through the instructor’s magic pad.
[Really?]
“Yes.”
The owner of the voice, Dean Ederson, seemed to have some doubt in his words.
[Three female students from the special class are in one room together, and you’re saying there’s nothing out of the ordinary happening?]
“Yes. It’s probably just a pajama party where the three of them sleep together.”
[I doubt that.]
Ederson’s tone implied suspicion as he looked sharply at Esta through the magic pad.
[As you know, certain academy regulations don’t apply to the Old School Building.]
“Yes.”
[And the reason the students there are called ‘special class’ has to do with this, doesn’t it…?]
“Because they can technically do things that would violate academy rules elsewhere?”
[Exactly. For instance…]
“In the academy dormitories, excessive romantic behavior between male and female students that breaches public decency is forbidden.”
[That’s right!]
Ederson snapped his fingers.
[And yet, three beautiful girls are in a room together, not even in their own room, but in Phoenix’s room—and you expect me to believe nothing’s going on?]
“So what, you want me to join in wearing pajamas and listen to teenage girls giggle?”
[N-no! That’s not what I meant…]
“Yes?”
[Ahem! I just mean, if necessary, you should confirm—by any means possible!]
Through the magic pad, the sound of someone drumming their fingers rapidly echoed.
[You’d enjoy it too, wouldn’t you?]
“I’ll sue you for s*xual harassment.”
[W-what did I say?!]
“I see your words and intentions clearly, Professor Ederson. But, to address your concerns—there’s nothing of the sort happening. Besides, Student Phoenix isn’t even in his room right now.”
[He’s not?]
“Correct. The thing is…”
Esta sighed deeply.
“The moment he received permission to access the library’s ancient book section, he went straight there to study with Instructor Kadisha.”
[…Huh.]
“Despite what you might think, Student Phoenix is incredibly diligent in ways you don’t often see. Judging by appearances, you’d expect him to be doing something outrageous with the three girls—but no. Absolutely not.”
Instructor Esta continued in a firm and composed voice.
“Phoenix, as a student, is not the kind of reckless boy you might imagine. He knows how to exercise restraint, show consideration, and discern the time and place for his actions.”
[Hmm. …That’s a bit disappointing, from a Lionheart perspective.]
“Pardon?”
[Personally, I was hoping Student Phoenix would live up to his seemingly reckless demeanor and cause some ‘trouble.’]
“…What are you implying?”
[As I mentioned, it’s the Old School Building. The rules don’t directly apply to the students there. Male students are rather grateful for the miracles of the Magic Pants, and some are eager to offer carriages should he visit their territories for a vacation during the break…]
Dean Ederson made a sound again, “chop chop chop”, as if slicing the air.
[What happens in the Old School Building leaves room for interpretation, as it doesn’t directly violate the school rules.]
“That is…”
[There are even areas that haven’t been addressed by the rules yet. Perhaps the instructors didn’t anticipate such situations at the start of March.]
Dean Ederson swallowed before continuing.
[Take, for example, the rules concerning expulsion due to pregnancy. The regulations concerning the Old School Building were not solidified back in March. There’s room for interpretation, especially regarding library-related matters.]
“…Ahem.”
Instructor Esta cleared her throat and patted her chest lightly.
“So, you’re saying…”
[Some instructors casually mentioned during the break that if a special class is created for the Old School Building in the second semester, and if a Vermilion Bird class student were to get pregnant—]
“This must be because of Student Ludmila, but please, enough. Lion King, are you really that eager to see a granddaughter?”
[…Ahem.]
Dean Ederson cleared his throat awkwardly at Instructor Esta’s sharp remark.
“No matter how delinquent someone might appear, how could an instructor ever encourage a student to act in violation of the rules?”
[What I mean is—]
“Does my student really look like the type to engage in such promiscuous behavior with multiple women?”
* * *
And once again, the dream world.
“Now, about the first trial.”
Phoenix, Yunia, Ludmila, and Evangeline.
“Let’s go with 4P.”
A 4-person party—let’s go!
