When the Villainous Flame User Trapped in a Time Loop Starts Living Earnestly, Every Female Party Member Turns into a Pervert and Now the World Is in Danger!? - 9

Chapter 9: I Know You Can Do It!

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Today was the day of the entrance exam for the Magic Academy. In other words, it was the day when new underclassmen would be joining—but honestly, this day was always kind of depressing. For me, it was also the day of a traumatic humiliation.

“Oh, o-oh! If it isn’t Habiri-sama, good morning.”

“Habiri-sama is also here to observe the new students?”

Since today was the entrance exam day, there were no classes.

“Yeah, pretty much.”

So, the only students in the academy today were those helping with the exam, people involved with club activities, and then, like me, those who came to check out the incoming underclassmen.

Especially because among the new students, there were often nobles from the upper classes like myself, or even royalty from other countries. People would observe them beforehand, with all sorts of goals—forming future connections and such. Last time, my reason for being here had been something like, “I wonder if there are any hot girls around?”—but this time, I’d come with a proper purpose: to see how the Hero was doing.

“Ugh… That guy from the Spoild family…”

“Shh, don’t make eye contact! If he notices you, he’ll assault you!”

“I know, right? It’s disgusting… Even that beautiful lady he drags around as a slave… He’s the worst…”

“Hey, keep your voice down…”

I can hear you, you know.

My reputation hadn’t changed even in this second life. There were those who flattered me while nervously watching my expression, and others who kept their distance so as not to draw my attention. Well, by the time I’d looped back, my reputation in the academy had already been beyond saving.

Still, the Hero and the incoming underclassmen were a different story. I just had to make sure things didn’t go like last time…

(Hmm… So the day has finally come, one way or another. Little me is still a virgin, of course… but even if Bocchama has become a reformed man, his reputation in the academy remains low. And… From today, it will only get worse… I wonder what will happen? Well, no matter what happens, this lowly me will always be here for you, Bocchama. You can rely all you want on my breasts and butt, yes? …Or so I would like to say, but… How will my reformed Bocchama act today, I wonder…?)

The person I was about to meet would change my life, and the lives of Sword and Magina, completely.

(Today, those people… the “Nemeth” guy… The important thing is not to be deceived by their words. I’m a slave for life. If necessary, I will even give you Magina in my place.)

The new students this year were extraordinary. They were called “The Golden Generation of Miracles,” and though still students, they would go on to create countless legends, becoming the hope of the Empire—and the world. Eventually, Sword and Magina would join them.

Back then, I’d known nothing about that. I’d picked a fight with him, roughed him up pretty badly—and after that, he awakened his sleeping power… Well, now I understood just how pathetic I’d been. But in this looped world, I wasn’t going to make the same mistake. I’d changed my ways, worked hard, and now—

“Now then, the entrance exam… Or rather, before that, we will begin with a check at reception. Those who fail this will be disqualified on the spot, so be aware!”

In front of the academy gates, the exam—or rather, the traditional preliminary screening—had begun.

“The check at reception is very simple. Here, we have what’s called a ‘Mana Sword.’ As you can see, it’s currently just a hilt with no blade. However, when someone with sufficient magical power channels mana into it…”

The examiner teacher demonstrated on the spot—pouring mana into the hilt to create a blade of pure magic. To do that required a certain amount of magical power, and precise control over it. This academy was the highest-level institution on the continent, where only the most elite students were admitted. In other words, anyone who couldn’t manage at least this was turned away at the gate.

Last time, at this very point, I’d picked a fight with “that guy,” who was still a commoner back then. Because of that duel, he’d been unable to take the test—but his skill in that fight had been recognized, and he’d been granted special admission as an extraordinary exception. But this time, I wasn’t going to do anything unnecessary. He’d surely pass on his own….

“Examinee number 303, Nemeth Kowiker… Disqualified!”

“…Huh?”

At that moment, I heard a familiar name.

(Wh-what!? W-wait, Nemeth-dono!? Ehh!? Wh-what’s going on…?)

Huh? Looking closely, someone was kneeling on the ground in front of the examiner—

“N-no way… Uuuh… My dream… Nooo…! Please, just one more chance!”

“No. Those are the rules. Please go home.”

“No, I have to… I have to become a Hero! Please, just one more chance!”

“You’re being noisy. Someone, please escort him out.”

“N-no! I don’t want to! I’m going to be a Heroooooo!”

It looked like one of the failed candidates was causing a scene… Wait, hold on—no way!

“Huh!? What?! Wait a second!”

That was—the Hero, wasn’t it?! The leader of the Golden Generation of Miracles, the one who would create countless legends—the “Genius Hero, Nemeth”! Why was he disqualified!?

(This is impossible! Why was Nemeth-dono disqualified…? Hm? No, wait… In the previous loop—ah! That’s it! Back then, Bocchama was the one who…!)

Come to think of it, when I’d fought him last time, at first I’d been completely dominating him… But then, when he was cornered and desperate, he awakened that dormant power within him—ah!

Wait a second. I didn’t do that this time… Which means, right now, he’s not strong enough to pass the exam because he’s not awakened yet? I mean, yeah, he’d been weak at first, but this weak?

“Hehehehehe, look at him—screaming like a fool. And dressed like a commoner, too. It’s disgusting, isn’t it, Habiri-sama?”

Wait, hold up. If he couldn’t get into the academy like this… Then that means…Hold on! In the future, when the academy was attacked, or when the Demon Lord’s army came, or when that happened….. Without him, everything would be a disaster!

“Hey youuuuuu! Wait just a damn second! Don’t you dare disqualify that guy! Wooooooahhh!”

“Wha!? Bocchama!?”

“Habiri-sama!?”

This is bad! If the Hero vanishes like this, then the people who should’ve been saved—all those lives—would be lost because of me.

To protect that future again, I had to get his disqualification overturned, no matter what!

“Objectionnnnnn! I object to that disqualificationnnnnn!”

The examinees had formed a line in front of the gates, and those who failed were being forcibly escorted out. Among them, the future Hero, Nemeth, was struggling in tears—and I ran toward him, shouting like a madman.

“Habiri Spoild… What is it you want?”

The teacher frowned as I ran up. And Nemeth, eyes brimming with tears, looked at me and murmured.

“Ah… This person… Yesterday…”

He mumbled something in shock, staring blankly. But that didn’t matter. What mattered now was preventing Nemeth from being disqualified. Because if Nemeth disappeared, then before the war with the Demon Lord’s army even began, the students would start dying when those various things began happening at the academy. To stop that, I had to make him awaken again, just like before. In other words, just like last time…

“Uh, hahahahaha! You there, are you a commoner? This isn’t the kind of place for filthy peasants like you! Someone as ignorant and backwater as you doesn’t even have the right to take this exam! (monotone)”

Yeah, something like that. Then, last time, he’d snapped back with—

“Ugh!? Uuuh… No way…”

Huh? Wait, instead of getting angry, Nemeth just looked deeply shocked, hanging his head in despair… Huh?

“Ah… Anyway, he’s already disqualified, so please see yourself out…”

“…What?”

The teacher muttered rather awkwardly. 

Wait, seriously?! Things are flowing completely differently now than before!

“I don’t even… Have the right…? N-no way…”

Was he really about to just give up like this?! No, that couldn’t happen!

“Y-you idiot! If you’re a man, don’t just mope—fight back! Struggle against it! Who cares about qualifications or marks or whatever!”

“…Eh?”

Before I knew it, I’d grabbed Nemeth by the collar and hauled him up.

“Uh… Hey, Habiri… What are you doing? Wait—whose side are you even on?”

Yeah, everyone—Nemeth, the teacher, the examinees—were just staring at me, totally confused.

“Listen up! Even if qualifications matter, as long as you’ve got the guts to want to be a Hero, that’s all that counts! Right, Teacher?!”

“…Well… Technically speaking, this is an exam, so that’s not really how it works…”

“Grrrr! You narrow-minded bureaucrat!”

I didn’t even know what I was doing anymore.

“A-anyway! So what if he failed the check! A true Hero isn’t bound by exams or systems! Heroes are supposed to break the rules! Don’t give up! You can do it! Show me your power!”

“…Ah…”

“Don’t give up on your dream! Don’t throw it away! Don’t stop moving forward! Humanity is waiting for you to awaken!”

“Don’t give up on my dream…”

“You’ll become the hope of mankind! The hope of the world! Even if the teachers deny you, I’ll say it again and again—You can do it!”

“-!? I can…!”

Wait, why the hell was I cheering for the Hero? This was the guy who’d knock me down to the bottom, and eventually even steal Sword and Magina away from me… Well, make them happy, but still!

“Alright, fine then! Let’s duel! Come at me! Show me your power!”

“Eh, w-wait! Why are we suddenly dueling?!”

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