I Was Reincarnated as a Duke as a Matter of Course, So I Bought a Slave on a Whim and Now There’s No Turning Back - 17

Chapter 17: A World I Didn’t Know

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What remained in the training grounds was the smell of blood and the remnants of the shattered barrier. The attackers had already been subdued. However, the elementary division students did not have the composure to accurately understand who had accomplished it. There was only one thing, the heavy truth that someone had wagered their life.

“…A stretcher, over here!”

At the voice of a middle division teacher, several upperclassmen moved swiftly. A white cloth was spread out, and beneath it lay the quiet form of a boy. His face could not be seen. But the blood-soaked uniform visible from the edge of the cloth told the whole story.

“…Luka-sama…”

Yuka could not move from where she stood. Her knees trembled, and she could not breathe properly.

“Get a hold of yourself!”

A male middle division student grabbed her shoulders.

“Treatment comes first. What good is it if you fall apart?”

Even so, her eyes never left the cloth.

(—I was supposed to protect him.)

That thought alone burned in her chest.

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A short distance away, Elysia stood frozen. She could not speak. She could not cry. She simply watched the white cloth being carried away, as if she were watching something unreal.

“…Elysia.”

A hand rested on her shoulder. When she turned around, Kaiel was there. His face was pale, but his voice was surprisingly calm.

“For now, you don’t need to think about anything.”

After saying that, he stepped half a pace in front of her.

“I won’t tell you not to look. But… I’ll be the one to support you.”

Elysia finally drew in a small breath. The moment the stretcher exited the training grounds…

“—Wait.”

A low, resonant voice rang out. Those who appeared were students from the high and middle divisions. Their uniform colors were different. The atmosphere clearly changed.

At the front stood a tall young man.

“I am Fazil Noctire.”

Just stating his name caused murmurs to ripple around them.

“The injured?”

A short question.

“One elementary division student. Severely wounded, but his life is not in danger—”

“Name.”

The teacher hesitated for a moment.

“…Luka Noctire.”

At that instant, Fazil’s steps stopped. His gaze dropped to the stretcher. The small body was covered in cloth.

“…Luka?”

He stepped closer. Just as he was about to touch the cloth, he clenched his fist tightly instead.

“…Who did this?”

His voice was low and restrained. But it could not fully conceal his anger.

“They have already been restrained, and the academy is handling it. The student council is currently—”

“I see…”

Fazil said nothing further. Only one sentence, directed at Luka.

“Live. No matter what.”

Those were the words of an older brother.

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The scene changed. High division, student council room. In heavy silence, five members were gathered.

“Report the situation.”

The student council president, Arvel Reinhardt, spoke. The secretary, Mihal, flipped through the documents.

“During the elementary division evaluation exam, there was an organized intrusion. Barrier destroyed. One severely injured.”

“The name?”

“…The third son of the Duke Noctire household, Luka-sama.”

At that name, the vice president quietly lowered her eyes. That was Rizel Alfilia.

“…And Serena?”

“She is unharmed. Likely suffering from psychological shock, however.”

“I see.”

The fact that she was alive, that alone was enough.

“There is one problem.”

At Carona’s remark, Rizel raised her face again.

“Why the elementary division exam?”

“Probably aristocrat hunting, right?”

Said Glen, who was in charge of security.

“They understood the barrier’s structure. There is a possibility that internal information was leaked.”

“The academy will have to bear responsibility for this..”

Treasurer Carona sighed. Arvel folded his fingers together on the desk.

“…And one more thing.”

All eyes turned toward him.

“Luka Noctire. Was he targeted, or merely caught up in it?”

Silence. Rizel spoke quietly.

“…Either way.”

A brief pause ensued.

“When he lives and wakes up, the academy must provide an answer.”

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A white ceiling. A faintly rising and falling chest. The boy still did not awaken. But… His heartbeat continued.

The one placed at the center of the storm still knew nothing.

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Before I realized it, I was standing.

Rather than standing… It felt closer to floating. Like that weightless feeling on a roller coaster. 

Seriously, that thing makes your legs give out (※they do not actually give out).

The ground beneath my feet was like clouds. It wasn’t fluffy, and I could stand properly. There was no ceiling, of course. Just a clear blue sky stretching above. Honestly, it was a breathtaking view.

“…No way I’m actually alive…Well, doesn’t seem likely, though.”

I spoke, but it didn’t echo anywhere. It just made me feel strangely lonely.

This looks like heaven or something… Aren’t there supposed to be angels to guide me? I’m a guest here, you know? The customer is god, right?

After waiting a bit and nothing happening, I decided to walk around. I wasn’t looking for anything in particular. It was like I’d completely forgotten the pain. My body felt light, and that alone lifted my mood.

But I’m not accepting that I died. That pitch-black chuuni cheat-showoff bastard is getting cursed to death.

…I finally got reincarnated and everything! Dying at seven years old is too soon, isn’t it? I haven’t even seen elves or beastfolk yet.

As I walked along like that, I saw three figures a short distance away.

Huh? No way, there actually is someone here.

…Kind of saying this about myself, but shouldn’t I be more surprised? Same with this whole space. Am I one of those “emotionless guy, any questions?” types? Eh, whatever. I’ll observe first, then get closer.

Two of them were normal humans.

Age… Around high schoolers? Their clothes definitely looked like uniforms. Modern ones, too. They had an oddly accustomed air about them. Their faces showing more expectation than tension. The other one.. I couldn’t quite tell. It had a human shape, yet didn’t. It was simply something that could only be described as “being there.”

“So? This really is the world of Etaal, right?”

One of the boys spoke casually.

“Yep, yep. It’s basically the one you’re familiar with.”

The voice that responded was surprisingly easygoing. Not arrogant. Not intimidating. Just a voice that existed there as if it were natural.

…A god?

“Seriously? What’s the difficulty? Hard? Nightmare?”

“That depends on you. Well, don’t worry. I haven’t prepared any dead-end routes.”

“God, you’re so nice~”

So it really is a god… I’d almost believe it even if someone called it a marshmallow man…

The two of them laughed.

What is this? What am I even watching?

“Can we check our status and stuff?”

“At first, just the basics. There’s proper growth potential.”

“So we can’t steamroll from the beginning, huh?”

“That’s right. It wouldn’t be fun without a little effort, would it?”

…I don’t fully get this conversation, but given the situation, it’s pretty simple… This is the orientation for getting reincarnated into another world, right? Heh, excuse me, I kind of missed the briefing. Could you start from the top again?

I stepped closer. The distance wasn’t far, and I closed it quickly. I was close enough to reach out and touch them. And yet… No one looked at me.

That’s not allowed, you know? (angry)

Our eyes didn’t meet. They didn’t even react to my words.

“…Heeey?”

I spoke clearly—very clearly.

“I’m also—”

“So where’s the starting point?”

My words were cut off midway. They couldn’t hear me. It was more like I didn’t exist at all.

…What is this? Is it a dream after all? But for a dream… It feels different.

“Somewhere relatively safe. Whether you’re nobility or commoner is random.”

“Ugh, a gacha?”

“Life’s pretty similar, isn’t it?”

They laughed again. I just stood there. Transparent. Like air.

Huh. So that’s how you’re going to play it. I’m telling sensei about all of you.

“Well then, I wish you good luck.”

Hmm, seriously just ignoring me?

The being called a god lightly waved a hand. The two figures drifted away. Like they dissolved into light and disappeared. And at the very end… For some reason… For just a brief instant… 

I felt like that god looked this way. I couldn’t see its eyes. But I knew I had been seen. It didn’t say anything, and I couldn’t even tell where its face was turned. Yet I was certain it had looked at me.

…What was that? My feet began moving on their own. I stepped forward, advancing toward it, trying to touch it for some reason. Just one more step and everything in my vision turned white.

“…Nn— hey… wai…t.”

My hand reached out, even though the god was already gone. 

That was when it happened. A shadow fell behind my eyelids, and I heard a familiar, comforting voice.

“…Luka-sama?”

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