Healing at the Academy convenience store

Let’s tell an old tale.

As a child, my dream was to be a character in a game.

Think about it, isn’t that the best profession where your efforts are rewarded?

You grow proportionately to the number of monsters you defeat.

Buy items to equip, level up skills, form a party, clear raids.

Isn’t it a wonderful life where you’re rewarded for your efforts and grow on your own?

Then, as I got a little older,

I think it was probably when I was in middle school.

At that time, I thought it was okay not to be the protagonist.

Being a hero is a dream too big.

But, to be honest, isn’t it great just to be a friend of the protagonist and grow together without worrying about retirement?

After becoming an adult, I thought it didn’t matter if I was a villain.

If I survive by avoiding all the death flags, my life graph will surely be on an upward trend.

In conclusion, I was confident in my destiny if only I could enter the world of a game.

That’s the sweet life, isn’t it?

Why resist? Just go all-in on the rising coins.

It didn’t matter what character I became. Honestly, I wouldn’t even care if I were the first act boss.

As long as I played my cards right, I felt I could do anything.

That’s what I thought.

And then my dream came true.

One day, while happy thinking I had become the owner of a convenience store, I was hit by a car,

And as a result.

I think I’ve somehow ended up in a game that I’ve played for ten thousand hours.

Now, life is mine. Perhaps I could dream a bit bigger than owning a convenience store.

Maybe a department store manager? Wow, what a turnaround! Is this even possible?

“Defendant Wolfram von Roengreen. We are stripping you of all privileges within the academy, including your position as student council president.”

But then.

It was not to be.

Even within the game, fate deceived me thoroughly.

An extra who exits during the prologue, unable to even become a third-rate villain.

An event character who doesn’t even appear in the main story.

A pawn with only five minutes to live.

Isn’t this going too far?

***

In the student council room late at night with the lights off,

A girl stood confidently in front of me, who sat on the throne signifying the pinnacle of the academy.

Three figures stood behind her, as if escorting her, glaring at me.

On the other hand, there was no one around me, and I was just sitting on the throne, looking at her.

Her scornful eyes. The girl didn’t seem to like that, and she screamed at me while thrusting a decree stamped with the emperor’s seal.

“Defendant Wolfram von Roengreen. We are stripping you of all privileges within the academy, including your position as student council president.”

Despite her mixed feelings of hatred, anger, and contempt, her beautiful face remained unblemished.

I recognized that face and voice, and that’s why I was inwardly impressed.

The game I’ve bet my life on, with a playtime of 10,000 hours, D/Z SAGA.

The game that my convenience store owner friend used to say, “You’re still playing that crap game?”

The main heroine of the ‘Royal Route’ in that game, ‘Eve von Roengreen,’ was right in front of me.

“…Eve.”

“Don’t call me by that name! Wolfram!!”

“Wolfram? Are you talking about me?”

“Then who would I be talking about? You’re a disgrace to the royal family!”

The vivid reality of a comrade who I’ve crossed countless battles with.

Centered around the protagonist Kelters, Princess Eve, and countless other comrades.

However, this world made me feel a terrible sense of dissonance while being the game I’ve loved.

I’m not Kelters but Wolfram von Roengreen,

And I’m a third-rate villain.

How third-rate? I’ve become a garbage character that doesn’t even appear in the main story of the D/Z SAGA game.

In the context of the work, I was the ‘root of all evil’.

The stage of the game,

An academy filled with 100,000 students. I served as the president but was dreadfully incompetent and had an intense dark side. A believer in lineage and authority, yet completely talentless.

I despised the commoners, belittled the nobles, bribed professors to manipulate grades, docked other students’ exam scores, scapegoated and expelled people when faced with exposure, and suppressed everything.

Embezzlement? That’s the norm.

Relying solely on the power of being the emperor’s son, I unleashed a reign of terror.

As a result, the academy was divided between the magic department and the knight department, who hated each other, and the atmosphere of the academy completely died.

And I lived in luxury. I collected famous swords that I couldn’t even use, coveted magical robes, and was obsessed with magical books that I couldn’t learn.

Even if I was deceived, I wondered how I was deceived. I once bought a 9-tier magic book for a million Rin.

After spending so much money that I even reached into the royal treasury, I had to bear the brunt of the emperor’s rage, and I was cut from my position as student council president.

And if we follow the original settings, the next lines should be obvious.

“Heh. You can’t kick me out. Because I will leave on my own.”

“You won’t be able to handle it. The darkness of this academy…”

“Don’t regret this. I will definitely return!”

This is the prologue.

And Wolfram meets a very miserable end five minutes later.

“You, because of you, youuuuu! You said if I trust, if I do, you would let me graduateeeee! Die! Die! Just die!!”

-Cho…ke…you, such a lowlife…

He dies.

He gets stabbed by a guy who he made his underling and then scapegoated for expulsion.

But, interestingly enough, he keeps his promise.

Our Wolfram reappears in Act 5.

As a zombie.

He appears in the student council room invasion episode, moaning and groaning.

Especially in the Royal Route, he appears in front of Eve…

“Kel, Kelters, I, I can’t do it.”

“Eve! Swing your holy sword now! That’s not your brother!”

“Kelters!”

“Eve!!”

-Groooooan

“Wolfram. No, brother Wolfram… Rest in peace. Goodbye.”

-…Th, thank you.

His head gets chopped off by the holy sword.

A zombie stepping stone to strengthen the bond between the protagonist and Eve!

And that’s the real end of his saga.

Wolfram, you even found a husband for your sister. Amazing!

Thanks for the will, you jerk. I can’t help but laugh. Thanks, you son of a…

And now I finally understand exactly what my reality is, what situation I’m in.

Really? I die in the next scene?

Is it over right here? I get kicked out of the academy and that’s the end?

“Wolfram von Roengreen. This is your last chance. Leave the academy and live quietly.”

“…You’re kicking me out?”

“Yes. I’ll say it again. By the Emperor’s decree, all your student council president privileges and powers are stripped as of this time.”

“Hahahahaaha.”

I laughed. No, I pretended to laugh. If I keep up the act, I can buy some time to think.

What should I do?

I really think I’m screwed.

Is there no way out?

“Stripped… stripped, you say.”

“Yes.”

“I’m being stripped.”

“That’s right.”

“…”

No.

Wait a minute.

Can you wait just a little?

Can’t we solve a lot through dialogue?

Don’t rush the answer too much, okay?

“Wolfram, get out now!”

“…”

What should I do?

If I dramatically say the line, ‘You won’t be able to handle it. The darkness of this academy…’ just like the original work and get out of here, I’ll get stabbed for sure.

To avoid that… To survive…

Ah. Ah, hold on.

Didn’t Eve clearly say…

Stripped?

“Weren’t I telling you to get out of the academy, Wolfram!”

“No. I can’t do that. I won’t leave.”

If it’s about being stripped, it’s a different story.

“…What?”

“Read the decree again, Eve von Roengreen. Where does it say I’m being expelled?”

“············Huh? But it says you’re being stripped!”

“Yes. ‘All of Wolfram von Roengreen’s ‘privileges,’ including his position as the student council president, shall be ‘stripped.’ That’s what it says.”

“Uh, Uh… So what?”

“Do you remember Article 1, Clause 8 of the Jephryn Academy Regulations, the next student council president?”

“···Huh? Wait a minute, Article 1, Clause 8? 8th clause?”

Trust Eve, the diligent and genuine scholarship student.

She’s memorized all those long and garbage-like clauses.

Of course, I’ve memorized them too. I’ve played this game for a long time, just like a die-hard fan!

Hello, fellow hardcore fan! Nice to see you!

Now.

Article 1, Clause 8 of Jephryn Academy.

“All students of Jephryn are considered students of the Academy from the moment of admission, as a basic right.”

“Except for the Student Council President, all Academy students are equal under the school rules.”

“That means, being a student of the academy is not a privilege. It’s the rights and obligations of a student.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m saying that I’m returning to being a regular student. All privileges? I’ll return them. But in exchange, you cannot infringe upon my rights and obligations.”

“What… are you saying?”

“In other words, you should mind your own business and prepare for the next student council.”

“That’s impossible!”

The one who yelled this time is a female student next to Eve.

“What do you mean?”

“Stripping you of all your privileges means taking away all the wealth and rights you’ve enjoyed so far! The special room in the Glastheim dormitory, the eighty million Rin that was given each month! Even the bank account under the student council’s name! The special grading favor that you enjoyed! You won’t survive at the academy! Don’t be flippant when you don’t even know how difficult that will be!”

Only then did I stare at the girl’s face.

Her name is probably Sylphia. She’s Eve’s knight in shining armor, and the secretary of the next student council.

She’s a good senior to Kelters, the protagonist of the original story, and a commoner.

“So you think I, a royal, can’t endure that?”

“Of course!”

“What if I can?”

“What?”

“What if I can, what then?”

“Tha, That’s…”

“Do you have confidence?”

“Not… exactly.”

“Then why did you say it?”

“No, that’s…”

“Apologize. I can do it. Don’t rashly judge the ability of others based on your standards.”

“I’m sorry…” 

“Don’t apologize, Sylphia!”

Eve glared at me with burning eyes and Sylphia closed her mouth.

“Don’t get so angry. Eve von Roengreen. I didn’t even charge you with the crime of insulting a royal. Don’t you know? All students of Jephryn are equal under the school regulations.”

“Wolfram. You snake-tongued man!”

As I chuckled, Eve erupted in anger. I should stop teasing her here.

“Alright. Congratulations, Eve. Your rebellion was successful. From now on, that position is yours.”

“…”

I stood up from my seat and faced Eve.

Playtime only lasts for an hour. During that time, I have gone through this girl’s route over 400 times, if my memory serves?

Seeing her face each time, I’ve grown quite fond of her.

But now, I mustn’t get too close.

No, I don’t even have the intention to.

Alright, you guys live freely. Break some storylines, see some endings, save the world while you’re at it, and do some youth projects. Got it?

“I will live seeking my own freedom.”

“What are you talking about?”

“If you can’t understand, you don’t need to.”

But thinking about it, this Wolfram bastard talks too arrogantly.

Perhaps it’s a characteristic of the royal family, or just Wolfram’s character. Anyway.

“Finally, I can be free.”

“Wolfram von Roengreen, there is no freedom for you in this academy.”

“No, there is. I know the way.”

“…”

“That chair is heavy, student council president.”

Saying this, I stood up from the student council president’s seat and walked past Eve.

I left the student council room before her fury could reach me.

I could hear something roaring behind me, but there was nothing I could do.

I apologize for disappearing even before the main story begins.

But I need to survive too.

What can I do?

You go on and make this school shine.

As for how I’m going to live from now on,

“Maybe I’ll become a convenience store manager.”

In a casual, comfortable way. The way I want to live.

Living my life, pursuing the dreams that are yet to be fulfilled.