"Do you wear everything?"
Me and my girlfriends had changed into our uniform.
It was eight o'clock in the morning, classes were starting at ten o'clock.
The reason for this is because it is the first day of school so there is flexibility of schedule.
Everyone goes back to the dormitories, which is another reason for such a late schedule.
Eli was arranging Lily's pigtails while Celia was arranging in her own rebellious style while Evelyn was telling Celia how she looked.
As for me, I was surprised because my uniform had to be replaced with a new one.
As my body grew and so did my muscle mass, my clothes no longer fit.
So they had to order a new one.
Once my uniform arrived I tried it on. Barbara was present and apparently she couldn't stand the urge to try on the new uniform and knelt down to give it a good look.
That was about an hour ago.
Now that we were ready, I asked the girls if they wanted to walk to the academy or ride in the limo or carriage.
They all said "Limo."
I have no problem walking as the academy is literally what would be between where Tokyo starts to where Kanto ends.
Now that my body got stronger, so did my stamina.
My girlfriends were grateful for this change, but it bothered me a bit.
Now that I am taller, it feels weird not to move my neck to see people.
We went out to the garden and there was a limo waiting for us. The girls were saying goodbye to Barbara.
Eli and Lily called her Mom and hugged her. Their heads were buried in those huge breasts.
While the other two waited for them.
Once the hug was over, Barbara approached the two of them with the face of a mother.
"You two, hold on a moment."
"Is something wrong?"
"Yes, just a moment."
Barbara approached them and hugged them as well.
Neither of them understood this gesture.
"I'm so sorry for what I said days ago. I was in a bad mood lately. But I'm better now, for that reason."
"Don't worry. Your children will be as much a part of this family as Eli's or Lily's were."
"Also, don't hesitate to call me Mom. You are my daughters too if you wish."
Ever since the time we talked about that issue. Barbara feels different.
We all got into the limo and said our goodbyes.
◇
We watched the streets as we enjoyed our ride to the academy.
Holding my arms were my girlfriends, the protagonist and the villainess.
They enjoyed being with me more than doing anything.
Celia and Evelyn were also watching the cityscape.
No doubt the capital is a good place to live.
◇
"Today I am pleased to welcome you again, dear students."
When we arrived at the academy, we went to our respective rooms to leave our belongings, in my case there was a problem.
As I was the heir of an upstart baron, I had to take a room in the dormitory where the barons are.
But now I am my own head since I was promoted to count. That got me upgraded to be in the same building as the sons of prestigious families.
Since Lily was a commoner, her room didn't change, but thanks to Eli, last semester she filed several complaints about how her younger sister was, so they had to move her to the room next to her.
As a curiosity, the girl who was in the room next to Eli mysteriously left the academy.
Once we left our belongings, we went downstairs to go to the garden in the center of the academy.
All the students were gathered and some were still arriving.
When I got to a very comfortable place to be with my girlfriends, I ran into two people I hadn't seen in a long time.
My friends, Derrick Larkin and Cliff Easton.
Derrick is a boy with healthy brown skin and broccoli green hair. His height is medium and his body is very slim with a rare smile.
While the boy next to him was one of short stature with a bowl cut and pale skin. That was Cliff, who always presumed to be taller than me and now things were reversed.
As I arrived in front of them I greeted them.
"Hey guys, how are you?"
Upon seeing me, they became guarded, they didn't know how to react and just ignored me.
Of course, my appearance changed and they don't recognize me, so I will show them that I am the real me.
"What's with this lack of greeting, you haven't seen me in a while and this is how you guys react?"
"Mushroom head and soup head."
They reacted to those insults.
"Huh? The only one who calls us that is..."
"Razel?!"
They both shouted as they pointed their fingers at me.
They couldn't believe how I looked. It was understandable.
I showed off a little to my friends.
"Ju-ju! That's right, it's me! Nice to see you guys!"
Cliff and Derrick came up to me and started kicking and poking me to see if my body was an illusion. It hurts damn it, stop doing it.
"No way!"
Cliff shouted since he was no taller than me. I put my hand on his head and with a smile said.
"It's called karma, little guy, hehehe."
I teased my friend who couldn't believe I was any different.
While chewing on his uniform, Derrick in surprise asked me.
"H-How did that change happen to you?"
I really don't know how to tell them, so I'll lie.
"You know I was forced into going to a war, right?"
"Well, there was a guy there who cast an ancient spell on me and instead of killing me it turned me like that."
They didn't seem to believe me, but the truth is even crazier.
Eli and the others arrived.
"Good morning guys."
They greeted them.
As usual, these guys acted shy and reserved, plus they were afraid of Eli since she is a Duke's daughter.
"G-Good m-morning, M-Miss Rosenberg."
I really don't want them to think she's scary just because her status is sky high.
Even Eli doesn't want to be treated like that, she wants to get along with my friends. Only Lily can talk normal to her, but she's very beautiful so her beauty makes them idiots.
Understandable.
The principal came to the front along with the other teachers and projected a magical hologram of his head into the sky.
He started talking about things that did not interest me.
After all, since this is an otome game world. It's normal for the academy to just be the excuse for romantic events.
For example, right now we are entering the last semester of the first school year of the prologue.
I'm really scared you know!
I only had two years to eliminate 70 to 90% of the dangerous events as enemies.
I haven't even eliminated 10% of them.
I certainly meddled with several events.
But those events are those that happened after the time jump and it was good to have deleted them, but it's just a small portion of them.
But with what Astraea, the vampire queen said. I feel scared.
Apparently my real enemies are not the demon kings or the dark knights.
But some specters that are related to the deadly sins.
This situation is really a pain in the ass.
I feel confused.
Eli was tugging at my shirt, I looked at her as I was lost in my thoughts.
"Hey, pay attention on this it's important."
I heeded her and focused my motivation on listening to the principal.
"As you may know, many strange events happened this year. Which have caused the academy to have to correct its schedule several times."
I was sorry for that.
"But we teachers will not give up on your education."
"For that reason, we modified the schedule for this semester."
"Exams will no longer be given as they normally were, but will be modified so as not to leave any missed school events."
Excuse me?
The other students didn't seem to understand what he was referring too.
"No problem if you don't understand, I'll explain it to you anyway. You see, this year the school festival had to happen two months ago."
"Since it didn't happen, there is no choice but to change our settings. So, instead of exams, the school festival will be your exam."
The school festival.
A very cliché and generic event that tries to strengthen the love bond between Lily and the capture targets.
I find it extremely stupid that they do this.
"So the classes today will try to explain to you what you will have to do and the grading system."
"Before I finish, I'd like to say a few things. The first is that, for seniors, you will not be exempt from going to the ministry of magic at the end of the month, talk to your teachers in charge about the area of interest you wish to learn."
What does the ministry have to do with any of this?
Eli seemed to understand that I had no idea and explained.
"All seniors are required to visit on a trip to the ministry of magic. Where they will look to see if they wish to work there or as palace officials or devote themselves to their territories."
(Oh, I see, that wasn't in the game.)
"Thank you."
"Not at all. If my husband doesn't know something, it's my duty as the wife to explain it to him."
Eli puffed out her big chest with pride as she said those things. I'm glad to have such a hard-working wife-to-be.
The principal was still talking.
"As a last point, a stricter curfew will be put in place, we let your families know in advance so we won't get your complaints."
The students were upset, some did not understand this either, again the principal proceeded to explain.
"Ahem. For those who live far away from the capital you must not know this, but for weeks now, a wave of mysterious murders caused by the wanted criminal..."
What he said, made my eyes widen and my mind stop.
"Licht. Who has been taking the lives of nobles and knights at night."
"The palace has been sending more knights and beefing up security at night, but the capital is very large. Catching it won't be easy as we don't know if it has accomplices."
"With that said, to conclude. Fear not my dear students."
"As long as our country is blessed by the goddess Alexia and the gods Kalys and Eibos, our country will never feel fear. Long live the Arklight Empire and the emperor!"
"Long live the Arklight Empire and the emperor!"
The students and teachers shouted in unison the same. The principal then finished this.
"Now yes, please students and teachers, go to your respective classrooms to begin the festival questions."
The students were walking respectively to their classrooms, my girlfriends were saying goodbye, they wanted to say goodbye to me as well.
"Razel, what's wrong?"
Eli was asking restlessly.
(Don't fuck with me. Licht is my alter ego, there's no way I've killed people who aren't a danger to the world or the country.)
(Besides, weeks ago? Don't fuck with me! I was in a war so I couldn't exercise my duties as a guardian in the shadows.)
I turned to look at the girls to reassure them.
"There's nothing wrong with me, I just got a little hungry despite having eaten, hehehehe."
"Is that so?"
"Of course."
I hugged them all and told them how much I loved them before I left for my living room, not without thinking.
(Who the fuck is pretending to be me and why?)
◇
"It's nice to see you all, my dear students."
When I arrived in the classroom, the professor with the monocle, an old man with a thin mustache, Manfred von Zeben was getting ready.
I excused myself and before walking up the step to my seat, I gave a quick wave to someone.
A pay capture target and also someone who possessed a deadly sin. My good friend Cid─ Cidfert von Bryes.
A boy with an expressionless face of navy blue hair and dark blue eyes.
He helped me during my duel against the idiots and was promoted to be the third prince in the line of succession. He is also an acting duke of the ancient lawless city.
As I sat down, the professor began to explain details.
"Very well, the details are as follows. Classes starting tomorrow will focus on different areas that will follow each other during the three-day school festival."
"You will be given different ungraded assessments to check which respective area you will be in. Don't be afraid if you don't make it into more than one, there are many areas where students may or may not want to participate. Now we will talk about the scoring..."
The professor began to explain the scores. But I was more focused on Licht.
The curfew is eight o'clock. Normally it's ten o'clock, but now it's different.
I'll sneak out after school hours, I'll have to tell the girls I won't be able to have lunch with them to go out and check the rotating round of knights on guard duty.
No one messes with my alter ego.
◇
Night.
The lights of the capital illuminated every corner so that there is not a single trace of darkness.
After easily escaping the academy, I changed into my Licht attire.
A jet black coat with a hood, all my clothes were black.
A mask with which I can hide my face.
Thanks to the material made, my body accommodates easily. Maybe I researched the use of slime to make money?
I jumped between the rooftops so no one would see me.
The knights were standing guard.
I approached them from a position where no one could see me. That's right, I was going down the walls by using my magic attribute, electricity, to stick myself against the wall.
I heard them talking.
"Still no sign of that fucker?"
"None. We don't know what he's capable of, but the murders have increased recently."
That's mysterious. Why are there murders in the first place?
"By the way, who were the victims?"
Thank you for asking.
"From what I heard. They seem to be children of famous houses or wealthy merchants."
"How does someone like that go out without protection?"
"That's the weird thing, their escorts were just knocked out and when they woke up the crime was done."
"What's did you say?"
That's even weirder.
"I wonder if it's a personal revenge?"
"I doubt it, after all. That idiot Licht what he does is to provoke that person's anger. I read in the paper that there have also been thefts from properties he owns."
"Who are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about of course─"
Before I could hear what he was going to say.
"Quick! We found another body!"
A knight came running towards the knights I spied.
"Where is it?"
"In the dumpster on the next corner!"
Sorry?
I rushed upstairs to go look at that.
When I arrived, I found the knights gathered near a corpse.
Where is the criminal?
Couldn't he have left so quickly?
◇
By the time Razel arrived, it was too late.
The criminal was jumping from roof to roof.
Only its figure could be seen hidden by the darkness of its cloak.
The killings would continue whether Razel wanted to or not, to spite that person.