11. Clues – 03

In mythology, a creature called Ouroboros, a serpent biting its own tail, often appears.

Because it bites its own tail with its own mouth, it inevitably takes on its original form, and that is why it is said that there is no beginning or end and that it symbolizes an infinite cycle.

And now, why am I mentioning Ouroboros… It was because I was starting to think that the situation I was in now was like Ouroboros, where the beginning and the end were biting each other’s tail.

First of all, the reason I joined the student council and observed the other student council executives except for Erekaya and tried to get clues about the end from them was because the status window informed me of related information.

[■words and ■juhalability are different.]

[Please note. Species ■ is located within ■■■.]

The status window that popped up in front of me the moment I entered the student council and met Celica von Wallenstein.

As if throwing a beggar to a beggar, I had no information about the end other than this clue given by Sang-chang as patronage, so in the end I had no choice but to believe in that message and gossip the student council as if to catch it.

It was said to be done as carefully as possible, but it seems that I couldn’t help but notice that I was not a spy or a spy, but I was secretly spying on and observing other people.

After joining the student council, even Celica von Wallenstein, who looked down on me as if she were a cow and chicken, realized that I was observing others and gave me a hint about the future and end that she foresaw.

Of course, the reason Celica gave me such a hint was no different than ‘There are elements within Nineveh that will awaken the end, so don’t be shy and act carefully.’ That was the purpose, but…

But to put this in reverse, it would mean that Celica would never have given me such advice if I hadn’t been conscious of the messages on the status window and observed the student council executives to the point of being visible to others.

In other words, cause and effect are completely reversed.

Ordinary people take unspecified actions due to some ’cause’, and pay the price for their actions according to the ‘result’.

However, I was not able to hear clues about the end from Celica as the ‘result’ of what I had done, but rather, what I had done became the ’cause’ and eventually obtained a clue about the end.

In other words, to put it a little easier, it would be a story that from the moment I joined the student council, regardless of my will, the reward called ‘Selica’s advice’ was scheduled to be given.

… Yes, as if clearing a quest in the game gives the player an appropriate ‘reward’ in some way.

Confusing. All I could think of was how terribly artificial everything around me was.

All I could think of was that I was walking on a path set by some transcendent being, such as God, the world itself, or destiny.

Because this world is actually a game world? Because the current situation is all according to the guidance of the status window? If that’s not the case, because all of this is going to flow according to a certain ‘scenario’ right now?

I thought I was the only person with free will in this repetitive glass box world, but does that mean that I was also one of the puppets in this world?

I felt strange. Macroscopically, he had obtained a hint that the end was sleeping within Nineveh, and it was undoubtedly true that this shortened the journey I had to walk on, but why did I feel so disapproving and fucked up?

Then how the hell am I supposed to act? And is it okay to blindly trust that guy called the status window that pops up in front of me?

But what if you don’t trust the status window and act as you please, and you end up facing death again? Will I be able to survive the 10th death and the 11th restart with sanity?

Over the past hundred years, countless emotions have already been worn out and shattered just by repeating overcoming nine deaths and standing up again?

“… Damn it.”

In the end, as Jin let out a moan between his lips without giving a clear answer, Altina, who was standing across from him, looked at him worriedly.

“… it’s okay? Are you in a bad mood today? Or did you get injured while sparring earlier?”

“… no it’s okay. Thank you for your consideration. just… It seems like I’ve been thinking a lot lately, so you don’t have to worry about it.”

Come to think of it, I was in the middle of sparring with Altina at the gymnasium.

Shit, as a teacher, it couldn’t be anything other than disqualification.

Although it is said to be savage, since you are claiming to be Altina’s teacher, you have to do your best in sharing swords and sparring with her, but to make Altina worry in front of you by falling into useless dog shit philosophy.

When Jin sighed heavily in self-loathing for a moment, Altina suddenly asked him what the meaning of his sigh was.

“Are you like that because of something related to the student council?”

“… uh?”

Is it because of something related to the student council? Well… If you look at it in a broad sense, it must be something related to the student council, right? maybe?

Even though she was embarrassed herself, in a broad sense, she couldn’t say that Altina’s words were wrong, so when Jin nodded slightly, Altina puffed out her cheeks and made a pouty expression.

It was an expression that would have hit him right away if it had been a black boy, but for some reason, I thought that it was cute when a woman who was supported by her own appearance like Altina had that expression.

“I, actually, don’t like that you belong to the student council.”

“… you too?”

“You too? What else do you mean? Could it be that someone else has said this to you?”

Unlike usual, Altina said that in a very sharp tone. And Jin was frightened by Altina’s appearance and shrank himself.

“Oh, no. Nothing.”

In fact, when he said he was going to join the student council, he remembered Claire’s reaction to him, so he unknowingly asked himself that question.

By the way, is it fashionable these days that female students don’t like the place called the student council? Like Claire and Altina, why do you not like the student council?

At any rate, as Jin evaded his words like that, Altina seemed to have decided to let go of the matter for now, even though she put on an expression that seemed not to understand something.

Altina continued her conversation with a more relaxed expression than before.

“Of course, the fact that you belong to the student council doesn’t mean I don’t like it. No matter what you do, the student council is a place that no one can easily enter, and just the fact that you belong to it gives you a lot of power and benefits.”

“… But do you know this In the past two weeks, when you belonged to the student council, you’ve been making an expression of anxiety and nervousness all the time?”

“I have no idea what the hell is making you like that. And you have no right to interfere in whatever you do. But as your friend and your only disciple, I’m just worried. It’s just that I really don’t like that you’re having such a hard time joining the student council and that you keep caring about something.”

“…..”

After Altina’s words made Jin go dumb, Erekaya in his head clicked his tongue and muttered like this.

– That’s ridiculous. Watching you bruise, is it just my misunderstanding that I feel that it is similar to what my wife said when her husband gambled away all the money he earned from his side job?

‘… There’s nothing bad about a girl who hasn’t married yet.’

Anyway, it’s a flaw that he spits out his words emotionally when he has Altina in front of him.

At any rate, it seemed that I knew one thing for sure, even if I didn’t know anything else.

For the past two weeks, the fact that I, a human being, really only thought of myself, and it wasn’t enough to make others worry, and I was a bastard who made Altina in front of me so restless.

“Anyway, thank you. Because you care so much that you worry about me.”

While saying that, Jin slightly lifted his hand to stroke Altina’s hair, just like when he was a lover, but then he remembered what she said in the past and hesitated for a moment.

– … do not stroke My father never treated me this way.

When was that time, I think it was probably the day of the dueling practice.

At that time, I thought I heard someone say something to Altina while I was caressing Altina’s hair like I used to do in the past.

If I inadvertently stroke her hair this time, Altina will most likely say something to me, right?

Aren’t humans the kind of creatures that learn from past failures and grow accustomed to them?

Since he couldn’t repeat the mistakes he had made in the past, Jin quietly put the hand that was meant to stroke her hair back.

“… yes?”

However, unfortunately, it seems that Altina didn’t miss the momentary movement of Jin’s right hand, which lifted slightly and returned to its original position.

“… Why did you put your hand up just now?”

“No, just… I feel like my old habits have come out without me knowing.”

“… Habit? If it’s a habit… That vulgar habit of petting another woman’s head in the past?”

… What do you do when you say something like that? I always did that vulgar act to you in the past.

“Do you, by any chance, like to have your hair stroked?”

“… It’s not like I like it, but I don’t think I hate it either.”

In fact, I have no experience of stroking the hair of any other woman besides Altina, so I think it’s quite funny to discuss likes and dislikes about him.

“then… Did you stroke her hair because she asked to be stroked? Has that become a habit?”

“Perhaps, it seems similar.”

Because Altina was a woman who liked sitting on her lap and stroking my hair, or, in return, lying on my lap and stroking her hair.

“… That woman is a really strange woman. How can you proudly ask another man to stroke your hair without shame or shame… .”

Altina, who was muttering something in a small voice that I couldn’t understand, sighed and looked at my face again.

“By the way… Do you have any plans for this weekend? Or is it something I have to do?”

“calendar? No, there was no student council work this weekend, so I was just going to rest in my room.”

I didn’t know why Altina was interested in my weekend schedule, but it wasn’t something to hide, so I opened my mouth.

“what’s the matter? Do you have anything going on? Or is it something you want to ask of me?”

When I said that, Altina’s expression slightly changed.

Should I say that it is a state in which a certain sense of duty coexists, even though for some reason it seems to be reluctant to speak out of the mouth, but at the same time, it is necessary to say this at least.

“That… First of all, before you listen to me, please don’t misunderstand me. And I’m not forcing you, so if you don’t like it, it’s okay to refuse.”

“… What the hell are you so lazy about? How big are you going to say?”

“that… The fact is… therefore… .”

Altina, who had been looking at me with her eyes down for a long time with a hesitant attitude, sighed as if she had made up her mind and opened her mouth.

“Father… He wants to see you. No, I want to talk to you. That too this weekend, right now.”

“… What?”

What kind of nonsense is that?