I Realized It Was an Academy Game After 10 Years

[Soon, you’re going to gain one more friend!]

The Observer’s face lit up with a bright smile.

The toys he had collected over the years looked back at their master with eyes as devoid of emotion as dolls.

There was no hatred, resentment, joy, or even fear on their faces.

They were simply displaying a look of resignation.

The Observer gazed at his collection with a satisfied expression.

Toys he had obtained by invading various worlds for countless years. His hobby was to gather them all together and admire them.

‘Just a little longer, and there will be more toys!’

As he thought about the human who would become a new toy, the Observer chuckled with the excitement of a child anticipating a Christmas gift.

‘This new toy will be worth playing with!’

Acquiring a rare toy was the most exhilarating thing. The Observer turned, imagining the new toy taking its place on his display shelf.

It was time to look forward to playing with the new toy.

As the Observer vanished from the gallery, the toys with resigned expressions glared at the door he had exited with eyes filled with hatred.

Opportunity.

If they had the chance, they would plunge the blade of revenge into that detestable creature at any time.

Today, too, they nourished their anger on a diet of hatred.

——————————————-

“You’ve really lived hard, Young One.”

“I was just thinking the same thing.”

Hecate said this right after I returned to Yeomyeong-gwan, having completed the schedule for gathering reinforcements.

I nodded appropriately to her words and tossed aside my clothes. After flying through the sky, dust covered my entire body.

Why was it sticking like this, not even due to yellow dust?

“You’ve gathered all the usable forces on the continent by yourself, so now it’s just left to think about how to fight the Observer.”

…The Observer.

To be honest, I still had no clue how to fight him. It wasn’t that I had no idea at all, but it was merely conjecture based on fragmentary information. I had no way of knowing how useful it would be.

“I don’t know if there’s a way to obtain information about the Observer.”

“…The Observer has a hobby of collecting beings like you.”

“I know that.”

“And once beings become ‘toys’ like that, they are forever part of his collection and cannot die or escape.”

…It sounds like you’ve actually experienced it.

“How do you know that?”

“I was once a target of the collection too.”

“Quite the escape you made.”

“I was lucky. He had no interest in animals. He wouldn’t recognize me if I transformed into one, and it means he has no interest in ordinary living creatures.”

So that’s why she transformed into a cat.

But isn’t she a creature that should be able to see through that? I felt something was off, yet I nodded along since it wasn’t important right now.

“Isn’t there any other information?”

“When the Observer descends, do not fight directly, but propose a game. A hungry Observer for play will gladly accept.”

So does that mean we have to sit at a table and fight like with Harpas?

“There’s no chance of winning in a direct confrontation.”

At my question, Hecate shook her head firmly.

“The chance of winning in a direct confrontation is close to 0%. As long as there are toys in this world, they won’t be destroyed. There’s the Quartz family, but it’s meaningless in a direct fight.”

Is this cosmic horror?

In the end, to him, we are nothing but ants.

“So we have to lure him onto the same field somehow.”

“Same field…?”

I couldn’t help but recall Harpas with that phrase. Hecate’s method was similar to how I fought Harpas.

“Alright, I understand. But even if we lure him onto the same field… will it be a fair fight?”

Even if we stood on the same field, the gap between a mere human and a cosmic being could not be narrowed.

Hecate answered, wagging her tail at my point.

“We have to make it so. At least on the surface, it should look fair. So that our struggles are laid bare.”

“…I understand.”

“Young One, you will manage.”

“…I would have suffered a lot longer without you.”

“This is just destiny.”

Hecate left this cryptic statement and curled up.

I mulled over her words and left the room to prepare for the upcoming confrontation with the Observer, which was now just a little over a week away.

—————-

“Johann, are you alright?”

A familiar voice came from behind me as I sat at my desk, pondering how to position the reinforcements.

“…I’m fine.”

“Don’t overdo it.”

“That’s right. You shouldn’t overdo it.”

Despite Karina and Renny’s concerned words, I could only reply that I was fine.

Just because I said I wasn’t fine wouldn’t make the Observer retreat.

It was a game where I had to dive in, carrying the risk of world destruction.

To survive, I had to do my best.

Not just for myself to survive, but for everyone to survive.

Karina quietly embraced me. My face was buried in her ample chest.

A quiet comfort.

I accepted her soothing back rub without a word. It must have been her way of trying to comfort me. I wasn’t someone who could reject that.

Actually, I wanted some comfort myself…

“I believe in you, Johann. Just like always. You’ll win and come back, right?”

“I suppose so.”

“I’ve killed plenty of gods already; why can’t I kill a stronger one? You can do it.”

Defeat is not allowed.

Defeat will lead to the destruction of this world. For that reason, I racked my brain to think of how to minimize the sacrifices of my allies while defeating the Observer.

At the same time, I pondered how to draw the Observer onto the same field and set up the groundwork for victory.

That was the most important element.

In the end, unlike Harpas, who was merely a lackey of the Observer, the Observer was not an opponent who could be easily defeated.

To win against him, I had to prepare every possible move and respond accordingly.

“Thank you, Karina. Renny.”

“No need to thank us. I’m sorry I couldn’t ease your burden even a bit.”

“No, it’s because you’re here that I can have the will to fight.”

Had I been stuck on a deserted island, living alone, I wouldn’t have cared whether the world ended or not.

A life that just survives has no value at all.

It was because of the bonds I had formed while living here that I finally had a reason to fight.

“Johann…”

Karina and I naturally leaned closer.

After sharing a brief, sweet moment, I got up from my seat.

“The elves should be arriving soon, so I’ll go meet them.”

“Let’s go together.”

“Sure.”

“Me too! Me too!”

When did you get here? I chuckled lightly at Millia, who had naturally grabbed my other arm.

Now that Millia was here, the others would soon appear as well.

Since Millia, who was the busiest because of her work as student council president, was here, the rest should be arriving soon. I walked with the three of them to the lobby to greet Elisa and Viola, who were just coming home.

“Johann, I’m back!”

“Uncle, where are you going?”

“Going to meet the elves.”

“What? Can I go too?”

Viola asked me with a curious face, evidently eager to meet the elves.

While there’s an elf named Sandulbaram at the Academy, she’s a harp elf…

“Can I go too?”

“Of course. I’m just going to discuss things at the prepared lodgings.”

Unless we were deliberately being rude, there shouldn’t be any issues. I took my loved ones and left Yeomyeong-gwan.

“What?! Contractor! I want to see you after so long too!”

Rue, who had been rarely seen lately, naturally joined the line.

“But where are the elves?”

“They said they arrived at the temporary lodgings I made, so they should be there.”

I had created a small forest on the outskirts of Kalon to serve as a temporary base for the elves.

It might be a bit too grand for a temporary residence, but it worked as an investment anyway.

It wasn’t that difficult either.

Creating a forest now was merely a post-meal exercise for me.

I’m not sure if drawing the power of the World Tree so recklessly is a good thing, but since I got permission, it should be fine. As I arrived at the forest I made, I let these useless thoughts swirl in my head.

“Was there a forest like this?”

“I’ve never seen it before.”

“It’s a temporary elven residence.”

“…Creating a forest temporarily is on a whole different scale.”

“Right? Right?”

“Because it’s Johann.”

Does that really explain it?

Contrary to my thoughts, everyone accepted it with just a single clarification from Karina.

…Done. Seems convenient and nice.

I led my loved ones deep into the forest.

And I was able to face familiar faces.

“It’s been a while.”

I shook hands with the Bear Drummer, whom I hadn’t seen in a long time.

The first reinforcements have arrived.

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