Chapter 618
“Come here, come here.”
Students wearing black armbands approached.
“Hey! Aren’t you coming?”
At the loud shout from over there, the startled Kamibarez clung tightly to Simon’s side.
“It’s alright, Kami.”
Simon reassured her with his gentle voice.
“They’re on our side. Looks like there was just a little misunderstanding.”
Since the others were coming closer, Simon also walked forward, bringing Kamibarez with him.
This was the new “Guidance Division” created under Dick’s new policy.
During the reign of the Dark Emperor, they were tasked with guiding outsiders and disciplining students.
Hmm.
Simon quickly scanned their appearance.
All three were second-years. Two wore the black armband of the Guidance Division, while the other was just a normal student. With his hands stuffed in his pockets and grumbling unhappily, he looked like he had been caught wandering outside by the Student Council.
Simon stopped walking and raised his hand in greeting.
“Hello, thanks for patrolling so early in the morning.”
Kamibarez also bowed her head politely in greeting.
“Hello! Thank you for your hard work!”
“???”
The sight of someone caught outside acting so carefree and offering greetings left the Guidance Division students looking baffled.
“Huh, what the…”
Finally sensing something strange, the two students flinched. The one on the left trembled slightly as he pointed to the Student Council armband.
“Wait… don’t tell me…”
The one on the right nodded.
“That’s our superior. Excuse us.”
They admitted their mistake much more readily than expected. The one on the left scratched his head awkwardly.
“S-Sorry, President. I thought you were a first-year sneaking out of the dorms.”
“No, no. Anyone can make a mistake while working.”
Simon brushed it off coolly.
The Guidance Division members always had one thing in common:
They were oddballs.
It was unpaid volunteer work, required waking up at dawn, and meant they couldn’t even enjoy the festival properly. Yet they still gathered here to do it.
To Simon, the students who applied didn’t seem all that bad.
“A bit unexpected, though.”
Simon turned to the one on the right.
A blond-haired boy with bangs long enough to cover one eye, hands shoved deep into his pockets, face twisted into a scowl, and chewing gum loudly.
He looked more like a delinquent than a member of the Guidance Division.
“Didn’t think you’d join the Guidance Division. Malcolm Randolph.”
Malcolm’s expression contorted sharply.
“What, what! You got a problem with me being in the Guidance Division?”
“No, no problem at all.”
Come to think of it, Simon hadn’t had much direct involvement with him, but they’d crossed paths quite a few times.
He was the son of the boss of one of the Three Major Gangs — the Randolph Gang, and also the “Special Admission No. 10.”
But by the end of the semester, when his main skill Doppelganger was countered, he fell out of the top 100 rankings — a boy of misfortune.
His father, the gang boss, had forbidden Malcolm from returning to Keyzen and pressured him into crime. But Malcolm defied him, aided the kingdom in his father’s arrest, and eventually returned to Keyzen.
“Of course I got a problem.”
The voice came suddenly. Everyone turned.
The second-year student being held by the Guidance Division clicked his tongue.
“A gang brat as Guidance Leader? A criminal preaching discipline to students? That’s the biggest joke I’ve ever heard.”
He sneered mockingly.
The student on the left stepped forward angrily, but Malcolm raised a hand to stop him.
“Am I wrong, Student Council President?”
Now his gaze turned to Simon.
“As a fellow Keyzen student, I’d like to know — why entrust discipline to a criminal from the Randolphs?”
“……”
Truthfully, Simon also found it surprising. That Malcolm had even applied to the Guidance Division at all.
“It’s disgusting! F***!”
The boy suddenly shouted louder.
“That criminal bastard’s sins don’t just vanish, yet here he is, acting all reformed in second year, pretending to be noble by working in the Guidance Division? What a goddamn joke!”
“……”
“Criminals should stay criminals! Don’t pretend to be something you’re not — it’s disgusting!”
Malcolm stayed silent, only holding back his Guidance Division colleague from charging at the boy.
And then—
“Y-You too!”
Kamibarez, eyes squeezed shut, shouted shrilly.
“You also did something wrong, that’s why you were caught, right?!”
“…Huh?”
The boy looked down at the tiny Kamibarez’s head. Malcolm also blinked in surprise at her outburst.
“W-Wait, that’s not the same! He’s a criminal, I’m just—”
“Those words you said.”
This time Simon stepped forward, coat hem fluttering, face stern. The boy instinctively shut his mouth.
“I don’t entirely disagree. Malcolm committed crimes. He’ll always be cursed at, always be pointed at. That’s something he has to bear.”
“Exactly! That’s what I’m saying—”
“But.”
Simon’s eyes sharpened.
“You said it was disgusting. That it was laughable.”
“……”
“Can’t people change? Just because he came from a gang, does that mean he’s forever bad, condemned to crime for life? Why dismiss someone’s effort to change as disgusting and laughable? Who gave you that right?”
Malcolm’s lips trembled. His clenched fists bulged with veins.
“I know people don’t change easily. I’m no prophet — I don’t know how Malcolm’s story ends. But mocking the effort itself to change?”
Simon cut in firmly.
“I don’t think that’s right.”
A heavy silence blanketed the air.
The boy opened his mouth to retort, then scratched his head roughly with a growl.
“Fine, we’ll see about that. Student Council President.”
Dragged away by the Guidance Division student, he muttered quietly:
“That bastard will never change.”
The storm passed.
The Guidance Division members and that boy left, leaving only Simon, Kamibarez, and Malcolm behind.
Ssshh—
The sound of waves filled the air. The sky deepened to navy blue. The sun would soon rise.
“…Why go that far?”
Malcolm sat down heavily on a nearby rock, speaking quietly.
“Defending me could hurt your reputation.”
Simon shrugged.
“I just said what I believe.”
“That’s right!”
Kamibarez nodded enthusiastically. Malcolm gave a short cough, then opened a subspace.
“Anyway, I was heading to the Student Council room anyway. This saves me the trip.”
Malcolm handed over a clipboard filled with patrol records. Simon skimmed it, then signed with his quill pen.
“But Malcolm, you’re the Guidance Leader?”
Since Dick had handled the composition of the Guidance Division, Simon didn’t know the details, but he was sure the Guidance Leader had a different name. If it had been Malcolm, there’s no way he would’ve forgotten.
At those words, Malcolm gave a sly chuckle.
“The previous leader said this to me: he only got the position because of ranking, so if I had a problem with that, I should challenge him. So I called for a Duel Evaluation and took it from him. Keyzen’s a meritocracy, after all.”
“…Ah, I see.”
From Simon’s memory, the Guidance Leader had indeed been someone ranked within the top 50.
“Guess you’ve regained your confidence?”
“I’ve improved my Doppelgänger.”
Malcolm smirked.
“If we happen to face each other in the Dark Emperor Festival, don’t expect me to hold back. Don’t think it’ll be the same power you saw back on the Pharonna Peninsula during vacation.”
“Good. I’ll look forward to it.”
Kamibarez took a step toward Malcolm.
“But Malcolm, I’m curious!”
“About what?”
“The real reason you applied to the Guidance Division!”
A good question.
Simon was also curious about that.
When both of their eyes fixed directly on him, Malcolm’s face turned slightly red.
“Tch, damn it! Do I have to explain something so embarrassing to you two?”
He suddenly raised his voice and stood up.
“Like that guy said earlier — maybe I just wanted to score some points with the school! Satisfied? I’m leaving!”
“Keep up the good work.”
“Goodbye!”
Malcolm turned his back and walked away. But as he walked, more Malcolms approached from all directions.
Copies identical to him.
They were all Doppelgängers, dragging along escaped first-years and various rule violators back to the school.
“Speaking of which, the Guidance Division is way too understaffed.”
Malcolm glanced back and said,
“I have to work ten times harder.”
Even as he said this, Simon and Kamibarez exchanged smiles watching him haul people back.
“Seems like the right Guidance Leader was chosen, don’t you think?”
“Yeah! Absolutely.”
Kamibarez, her face flushed, added,
“And Simon.”
“What is it?”
“When you stood up for Malcolm just now, you really looked like a Student Council President!”
This time, Simon’s cheeks turned red. He scratched the side of his head and smiled.
“If that’s how it looked to you, then… thanks.”
The Second Day of the Dark Emperor Festival
Ringcastle Arena.
“I’m your announcer, Olendo Sray! Welcome to the Ringcastle Arena! We’re bringing you live coverage of the second-year morning match!”
The arena had enormous rails laid across it. Trains loaded with cargo ran along the complicated tangle of tracks.
“Today’s event is the Train Seizure Battle! The rules are simple! Move the ‘track control levers’ along the rails to divert trains into your department’s station. Naturally, the department that sends the most trains to its station wins!”
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Simon was participating in this match. He was on top of a train car, personally guarding it.
Combat is important, but understanding the tracks is crucial.
Before the match, Simon had studied the arena map.
It was enchanted to show not only the layout of the rails, but also the live movement of all trains.
Which route will give us the best advantage?
The trains only moved forward. According to the map, there was a track control lever about 800 meters ahead — pulling it would divert the train either right or left.
“Simon! Tell me which way to go!”
Toto, who was also competing, shouted. Simon, frowning as he studied the map, quickly raised his arm and pointed.
“Got it! See that lever 800 meters ahead? Pull it to the right!”
“Okay! I’m on it!”
Toto jumped off the train with a leap.
Right on cue, a Deathworm burst from the ground, scooping Toto onto its back and carrying him forward even faster than the train.
There it is!
Before long, Toto spotted the track control lever. He jumped down from the Deathworm and grabbed the handle.
Clank!
He had to change the direction before the train arrived. Rolling up his sleeves, he pulled with all his might.
“Right! Right! To the riiiiiiight…!”
But suddenly Toto’s vision blurred. He staggered.
H-Huh?
A wave of fatigue swept through his body, his eyelids heavy.
It was like sinking into a warm, soft blanket on a winter night.
Why… am I sleepy?
And then he noticed.
Three students from the Department of Spiritology, lying unconscious on the ground.
So they tried to ambush our train? Then… who did this to them?
“Sleep well.”
Tap.
Someone brushed the back of his head, and Toto collapsed on the spot, fast asleep.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Meanwhile, Simon remained on the slower train, focused on the map. He hadn’t noticed what had happened. When he finally lifted his head—
The tracks hadn’t been switched.
Toto!
Something must have happened to him.
Sensing a ripple in the flow of Darkness, Simon raised his head skyward.
Flutter—!
A blanket floated eerily in midair. Seeing it, Simon’s eyes sharpened.
No way!
“Hello, Simon.”
A girl with mint-green hair peeked out sleepily from beside the blanket.
It was Merida Hugh Ikel, the second-year representative of the Department of Katarology — and ranked 4th overall.
“…Merida!”
“I’ve always wanted to fight you properly.”
She slowly closed her eyes.
“To see which one of us is really stronger…”
Her eyes fully shut, and a massive wave of Darkness surged forth.
A bead of sweat rolled down Simon’s forehead.
This is bad.
Merida had fallen asleep.
<Phantasus Original – Lost in a Dream>
Superb.
When are we getting more free chapters?
Thanks for the new chapters
Very good story and translation but half the chapter aren't for free and it is wayyyy too expensive will it stat like tjis foreve or will it get free after some time