Ezra and Silas.
I was determined to have those two on my side. No matter what the future held, I hoped they would prove useful to me.
Not as if they were on my side now. That still needed work. Especially Silas.
That aside, I wasn’t entirely sure of Silas’s combat abilities. It was clear to me that he had been hiding most of his capabilities.
However, from subtle clues, I could tell his intellect in theoretical matters was at least on par with Ezra’s, if not slightly lower.
Still, his potential in the political landscape was there. I could definitely use his family name as leverage.
Ezra, on the other hand, was a different story.
He would become one of the strongest, far surpassing even the Archmage Soliette and the Sword Saint, Aston Nietzsche.
He would even hold a narrow edge over Margaret, who herself had surpassed the Sword Saint.
But the problem was survival.
Would he even live long enough to reach that monstrous growth?
In several of my playthroughs, Ezra had died while serving under Irene’s banner. Of course, there were also routes where he became powerful enough to fulfill his role.
“….”
I opened the drawer of my desk and pulled out something I was all too familiar with. Whether I was Chae Eun-woo or Vanitas Astrea, this had been a constant in both lives ever since I got access to it.
A certain remedy I had been taking nearly everyday.
Anxiety pills.
“….I don’t want to die.”
No matter how much I tried to suppress it, convincing myself I was in control, I couldn’t deny the reality anymore.
I was afraid.
If I didn’t have the spectacles, perhaps I would’ve already lost my mind, just like Vanitas Astrea.
For the past six months, I had pushed forward without thinking too much about death.
But now, it was becoming harder to ignore. Ever since I realized that resolving things with Silas hadn’t cleared the tutorial, I’d been growing increasingly restless.
“I don’t wanna die…”
From cancer, or Vanitas’s fate.
It was only a matter of time.
But who?
Who had the necessary knowledge to destroy everything I had worked so hard to build?
Was it Clevius?
Nicolas?
Franz?
Margaret? Astrid? Karina? Yves? Cassandra? Roselyn?
Irene…?
No. That doesn’t make sense. Maybe it’s all of them. Maybe none of them.
“….”
Clues. I needed clues. Anything. It had to be one of them. Right?
Right?
“It has to be them….”
I clutched my head, pacing back and forth. Should I get to them first? Should I end this before they end me?
The system’s reward had ballooned significantly. A sign that something was wrong. This wasn’t normal.
This kind of spike only happened when the difficulty of the scenario increased tenfold.
Whatever was coming, it could lock me into Vanitas Astrea’s doomed fate.
Exile…. or worse. Death.
“I changed everything…” I muttered to myself, nails digging into my palms. “I changed everything! Everyone. Their perception of me. That should’ve been enough! So why? Why is it still following me?!”
My breathing grew erratic. My office suddenly felt suffocating.
I knew I was an overthinker—paranoid, even. But that trait had saved me countless times before. I had used it to stay one step ahead, to always be prepared.
A person who has lived with paranoia their whole life learns to turn it into a tool.
The constant fear had forced me to consider every outcome, every possibility. It’s exhausting, yes—but it had sharpened my senses.
And when the moment of crisis finally hits, I’ve already run through every scenario in my mind. I knew how to stay calm, knew how to compose myself.
That’s how I survived until now.
And that’s how I always operated during my time in espionage.
But this…. this was different.
Knowing something was coming, something inevitable, was slowly driving me mad.
No—maybe I’ve always thought this way since I arrived in this world.
But up until now, I had managed to keep it under control. Managed to stay one step ahead of everyone, everything, even myself.
Even the damn narrative itself.
But what if there was no way out?
What if the story was rigged?
What if I was meant to die no matter what I did?
What if….
“….”
I swallowed my saliva, the bitter taste of the pills lingering on my tongue.
At first, the anxiety didn’t fade. My heart continued to race. The room felt both suffocating and vast.
But slowly… very slowly… the haze in my mind began to clear.
My heartbeat steadied, and the tightness in my chest loosened.
“Hoo….”
Exhaling deeply, I grounded myself in that moment. I wasn’t fully calm, but it was manageable now.
The tension in my body eased as I stood and made my way to the door.
I had a lecture to conduct.
Whatever happened, I had the necessary skills to accomplish any task.
….At least, that’s how I had always convinced myself.
* * *
Karina stood nervously at the podium.
Proctoring a test during Professor Vanitas’s absence was one thing. But actually standing there, teaching alongside him, was an entirely different challenge.
“….”
Her palms felt clammy as she glanced at the rows of students staring back at her. The lecture hall was packed, as always.
“Relax,” Vanitas whispered beside her, adjusting his notes. “You’ve prepared well. You’ll be fine.”
Karina nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat.
This was a crucial step for her. Someday, she would conduct her own lectures—her own topics, her own expertise—without Professor Vanitas by her side.
By then, perhaps the Professor would already be an Imperial Professor. Maybe he’d even establish his own university.
If that day came, Karina knew she wouldn’t hesitate to join his institution over the prestigious Silver University Tower.
“Whenever you’re ready,” Vanitas said, pulling her out of her thoughts.
She nodded and began. “Today’s lecture is on advanced mana theory, focusing on leyline interference and magical stability…”
As discussed beforehand, Karina handled the introduction. Leylines were an essential topic, especially during autumn.
While most students already had a basic understanding, it was a subject that needed to be revisited every academic year.
This was because leylines were constantly studied and new discoveries were made each year.
Karina tapped the board as a diagram of intersecting leylines and energy flux points appeared.
“At these intersections, mana becomes…. u–unstable. If large-scale spells are cast near these planes without p–proper stabilization, the entire formation can collapse.”
She stumbled over her words, hesitating as she tried to choose the right terms.
Compared to Professor Vanitas’s clear delivery, her explanation felt roundabout, as if she was uncertain.
Vanitas, noticing her struggle, stepped forward slightly.
“To add to what Karina mentioned,” he said, smoothly taking over, “these points of intersection, also known as ‘planes,’ act as amplifiers. Without proper control, they can cause mana imbalances, leading to disruptions in spells.”
——I thought it was the Weltanschauung that caused the instability.
——Ah, I thought it was the point hallucination.
The students nodded in understanding, discussing amongst themselves. Karina took a deep breath, gathering her composure as Vanitas gestured for her to continue.
She gave him a small nod and turned back to the board.
“Right. While both theories, the Weltanschauung and point hallucination, are relevant, today’s focus is on the plane theory….”
Her voice grew steadier as she continued. Her confidence seemed to be returning bit by bit.
There were moments when Vanitas had to step in, but as the lecture went on, Karina seemed to find her rhythm.
“Oh?”
She adapted quickly, and now that he observed her more closely, he noticed she had started to emulate his teaching style.
Vanitas felt a sense of pride. Among all the students he taught, Karina was the closest he would consider his true disciple.
During their free-time, he would often guide her through concepts and theories, helping her study more efficiently.
And during lectures, he knew she paid close attention, diligently taking notes and absorbing everything he taught.
Now, all her hard work was paying off. At this moment, Karina was conducting herself like a true professor.
“The next segment will be discussed by Professor Vanitas.”
“Ah.”
Uncrossing his arms, Vanitas stood up. He hadn’t realized how much time had passed or that Karina had already finished her portion.
“Keum.” He cleared his throat. “The current phenomenon associated with the leyline this season is the Red Moon of Autumn…..”
Vanitas tapped the board, and an image of a crimson-hued moon appeared.
“This phenomenon occurs when mana saturation peaks during the autumn equinox. This causes a visible distortion in the sky. In ancient times, it was seen as a bad omen, but in truth, it’s a natural result of the Autumn Spirit, Leafandel, interfering with the leyline.”
The Red Moon of Autumn.
A magical phenomenon that appeared every year from November 16 to either November 26 or 28, depending on how long it lasted.
Scholars believed that the Autumn Spirit, Leafandel, drew power from the moon during this period.
This caused the moon to glow red and created an extended cycle where the nights lasted at least seven hours longer than usual.
For Chae Eun-woo, however, the Red Moon was one of the best in-game events for farming rare drops and grinding EXP.
Back when he was a player, it had been a key period no players would want to miss.
But in this world, the longer nights brought a different kind of danger.
And with longer nights, November became widely known as….
“The month of demons.”
* * *
Naturally, During the Red Moon of Autumn, officials like the Grimreapers and members of the Crusade of the Round Table were dispatched all over the continent to handle the increased demonic activity.
Other demon-subjugating groups from various empires were also sent to different regions.
As knowledge of leylines and magical phenomena evolved each year, new strategies and insights emerged.
What had been considered reliable a year or more ago often became outdated.
This continuous accumulation of new knowledge helped reduce casualties, as fresh tactics and discoveries were shared annually in preparation for the Red Moon.
By November 7, Vanitas was sent to the Amesticross border alongside other scholars.
Their mission was to deliver the latest findings, collected from July to the present, to the teams responsible for defending and subjugating demons in the area.
In other words, members of the Scholars Institute, including Vanitas, were sent to give lectures and prepare the defenders for the Red Moon.
“Glad to have you with us, Professor,” Elder Tristan said with a warm smile.
It seemed he had either been assigned to Amesticross or had chosen the location after noticing Vanitas’s name on the list.
“Likewise, Elder Tristan,” Vanitas replied, shaking his hand.
He then gestured to the young woman beside him.
“This is Karina Maeril, my assistant and an aspiring professor.”
Karina gave a polite bow. “It’s an honor to meet you, Elder Tristan.”
“The pleasure’s mine,” Tristan responded. “It’s good to see talented young scholars stepping up. The coming weeks won’t be easy, but I’m sure you’re prepared.”
Karina nodded. “I’ll do my best.”
Vanitas turned his attention toward the fortress guarding the Amesticross border.
“Hoo….”
As he exhaled, a thin mist of white breath faded into the cold air. Winter was coming.
Around them, several professors and scholars were gathered. They walked toward the fortress gates, where guards stationed at the entrance saluted them.
——Welcome, esteemed scholars. The briefing will begin shortly inside the war council room. Commander Albrecht is waiting.
Vanitas nodded in acknowledgment and entered with Karina by his side.
The air was cold in the fortress’s interior. The sound of footsteps echoed as soldiers hurried past them, their armor clinking softly.
“Huu…. It’s kind of cold,” Karina murmured, rubbing her arms. Even though she was dressed appropriately for the climate, it was still cold.
“Fortresses near borders are always like this,” Vanitas explained. “They’re built to endure both harsh weather and attacks.”
Several other professors and scholars had already been guided to their rooms to prepare for their lectures.
“….”
Noticing Karina shivering profusely, despite the weather not being as harsh as full-on winter, Vanitas recalled the time she had been sick before. Perhaps she was more sensitive to the cold than others.
Without a word, he removed his coat and handed it to her.
“Here. Use this.”
“A-ah, what? It’s fine, Professor. Haha~” Karina laughed nervously, waving her hands.
“If you get sick, I’ll abandon you here.”
Karina blinked, her smile fading. “Wha—? You’re joking, right?”
“Try me.”
Karina hesitated, glancing at the coat, then at Vanitas. Finally, she sighed and took it.
“Thank you….”
Moments later, a young officer approached and gestured toward a large wooden door.
——Over here. The war council room is this way. Commander Albrecht and the others are already assembled.
Vanitas exchanged a glance with Karina and nodded. They followed the officer down a dimly-lit corridor.
The officer pushed open the large door, revealing a spacious chamber where several commanders, officers, and scholars gathered around a large tactical map spread over a long table.
“Professor Vanitas,” Commander Albrecht greeted with a nod. “And Miss Maeril, welcome.”
Several others in the room turned toward them. However, what truly caught Vanitas’s attention was a beautiful knight standing near the map table.
Unlike the attire she wore during her time at the university tower, she now donned full armor.
Whether by coincidence or not, things had taken an interesting turn. With Margaret here, Vanitas was certain that the border was more or less secure.
“Ah….”
Nevertheless, it was Margaret.
* * *
After a brief meeting, the lecture began.
“You’ve been quiet the entire time, Clevius,” Johanna said, nudging his shoulder playfully.
“What? I’m just trying to be respectful. Everyone here’s pretty important.”
“Right.”
The Illenia Knights had been dispatched to Amesticross, and the fact that Vanitas Astrea was leading the lecture left them astounded.
“….”
Clevius had his own share of troubles with Vanitas back in his University Tower days. Vanitas had been a third-year senior at the time, while Clevius was just a first-year.
During their batch, the Crusade and Mage Departments had worked closely together. The practice known as “Rook and Bishop” had been in full swing then.
In simple terms, Rooks referred to knights, while Bishops referred to mages.
The system aimed to develop synergy between knights and mages during combat scenarios to foster better teamwork on the battlefield.
Truth be told, Vanitas Astrea had been quite popular back then, though for conflicting reasons. His looks, academic excellence, and impeccable track record earned him admiration.
However, his infamous personality often overshadowed these achievements.
His cold, blunt demeanor made it difficult for many to approach him. Yet, his genius left no room for others to refute.
Among the female students, there was a common saying.
‘That face is completely wasted on someone like him.’
Johanna chuckled as she recalled those rumors. “I heard some of the girls used to bet on who could get him to smile.”
Vanitas, oblivious to the whispered remarks, continued his lecture.
“These traces are consistent with readings found at ancient sites where large-scale disasters occurred in the past…..”
As he spoke, he scanned the faces in the room. Most were listening with mixed reactions.
But one person stood out to him.
“….”
A composed woman with an exterior similar to that of a CEO’s secretary, if she were compared to a certain degree.
Vanitas knew.
For the past two weeks, this woman had been quietly observing him.
Second Inspector Adrienne, of the Grimreapers, Unit 07.