"Valedictorian, Mikhail Foxon, to the front."
It is finally graduation day.
I proudly watched the protagonist ascending the podium. The distance made him look no bigger than a cotton swab, but Mikhail was the only one here with such striking white hair.
Unlike the other professors, I couldn't sit in the designated seats, but I was glad I could at least congratulate him on his graduation from here. After all, I had grown attached to him.
<...Greetings. I am Mikhail Foxon, a graduate of the 52nd class of Bedalua Academy.>
His voice, amplified by magic, rang out loud and clear.
Wow, it feels like just yesterday he was hesitating, unable to say a single word of greeting. He's grown enough to give the valedictorian speech now.
You've done well, protagonist. Even though I, as your homeroom teacher, didn't do a single thing for you.
Yes, a lot truly happened in those three years.
I experienced firsthand just how hard it is to endure staying by the side of a fantasy novel protagonist.
But they say the past tends to be beautified, don't they? Looking back, it all feels like memories, and I find myself thinking it wasn't such a bad time.
'Well, it's all over now anyway.'
With the graduation ceremony as the turning point, the protagonist will move on to the wider world, and I will finally be free from this tedious main quest.
Then I won't have to struggle with maintaining this concept anymore! My very own healing life begins!
I've already planned out everything for my post-retirement life a long time ago. I even found a country house where I can live quietly alone. It has a pretty red roof and a spacious yard. Maybe I should plant an apple tree that looks like those floating white clouds.
Just thinking about it made the corners of my mouth lift, and I was struggling to pull them down when it happened.
Huh?
What the, why is my name coming up there?
Startled, I raised my head and felt like I made eye contact with the protagonist.
...I'm imagining things, right? I'm currently sitting high up in a tree, far away from there.
There's no way he can see me clearly from this distance. If he can see me, is he even human? Well, he is a munchkin, after all.
That's a bit excessive for lip service. I don't recall doing anything worthy of such tearful gratitude in a graduation speech.
I just acted like a rude teacher, and the protagonist just grew up all on his own because he's awesome.
So what was there to give up on! I never led you in the first place!
However, the protagonist's bombshell announcement didn't end there.
<...I know your body can no longer stay at the Academy. But please, give me a chance to repay your grace, Teacher. I will follow you.>
At this point, I couldn't help but drop my jaw.
He is the protagonist. The whole world desperately needs his heroic deeds.
He has to go on adventures, slay dragons, save other races, and build a harem. There's so much for him to do, so why now....
'Are you saying you're coming to disturb my healing life?'
Is that something a fantasy novel protagonist should say?
My head was throbbing, but it was too early to collapse. Because the protagonist's resolute voice continued.
At the same time, the guys from Class X, who were sitting side by side in the back row, stood up and turned their bodies toward me.
What is this, what is happening!
Guys, scouts from every country are out here right now to recruit you, what are you doing! Don't you see people whispering? My face is burning from the embarrassment, damn it.
"Crazy bastards, seriously...."
That was a remark born not from a concept or anything, but from genuine sincerity.
I am clearly just an ordinary possessor who can't use a single spell, so why on earth did it turn out like this?
While listening to the applause that rang out as if encouraging their declaration, I stared vainly at the sky.
Mom, I screwed up while roleplaying.
Just before dying in a traffic accident, a system window like the ones in games appeared before my eyes.
[Main Quest 'Earth God's Request' has arrived.] [In a new life... bring... from... and save....] [Do you accept?] [Yes/No]
'Life'.
Only that word seemed to shine.
It might just be a hallucination because I was about to die, but right now, I felt like I would do anything if I could just live.
I can't die. I'm still young.
I desperately reached out my bloodied hand and pressed 'Yes', and with that, my consciousness cut off.
Ding-dong, ding-dong.
My eyes snapped open at the alert sound ringing in my ears.
"Gasp."
What the, am I really alive? I'm breathing?
As I sat up in a daze, I made eye contact with the blinking system window.
...Wait, do system windows usually have eyes?
"Uwah?!"
"Ah, patient Chris. You've woken up."
Said the man who was staring intently at me from behind the semi-transparent window.
His attitude is overly calm. Can that person not see the system window?
No, actually, seeing it is the weird part. Among the aftereffects of a traffic accident, hallucinations....
More importantly, who is Chris?
"Chris... me?"
"Yes, patient Chris Dorton. Is that not right? That's what was written on your ID."
What the man held out wasn't a resident registration card, but some card I was seeing for the first time.
Below the name 'Chris Dorton' written in stylish cursive, I saw the words 'Bedalua Academy New Professor'.
This isn't even Korean, so why can I read it?
"You must have been on your way to your first day of work. Although the entrance ceremony has passed quite a while ago, the Academy will likely understand since this whole area is in chaos due to the train accident."
"Train accident? Not hit by a truck...."
The man's words were far from Korean too, yet strangely, I could understand them perfectly.
I can even speak naturally. Could this be?
"Excuse me! Sorry, but could I get a mirror-"
Ding-dong, ding-dong!
The alert sound rang again as if urging me, tickling my ears.
It seems to be coming from the system window. It wants me to check it?
When I narrowed my brow, white letters unfurled across the system window as if they had been waiting.
[Main Quest: Earth God's Request 1-1] [Welcome, Player! You have entered the body of 'Chris Dorton', a new professor at Bedalua Academy. From now on, you must live as her and solve quests for 3 years.]
Is it really possession? No wonder the line asking for a mirror, a universal rule for possessors, came out of my mouth naturally.
Besides, Bedalua Academy, I've seen it before. In a fantasy novel I read to kill time, no less.
Maybe...
Was the title
It was a novel where a weak protagonist awakens the Demon King's blood, becomes a reckless munchkin, conquers the world, and builds a harem.
But it's been a while since I read that. I might have even dropped it midway because I don't remember the latter half very well.
Above all, Chris Dorton? I don't recall seeing that name in the original work, so she's definitely a passing extra. Someone insignificant enough to be described as trivial without any plot armor or anything.
And system guys always give harder trials in situations like this.
For example....
[A professor has a rightful place. Arrive at the Bedalua Academy Entrance within the time limit. Success Reward: Bedalua Academy Map (1/4) On Failure: Death Time Remaining: 24 Hours 00 Minutes 00 Seconds]
Like this.
Are you crazy? You said it was a train accident. Now that I look, it seems I have bandages wrapped around my head too.
You won't give me time to rest? Does the Earth God have no conscience? How long has it been since I came back to life that you're trying to kill me again!
But no matter how much I punched at the opaque system window, I only cut through the air in vain.
Eventually, I sighed and got off the hospital bed.
"Uh, patient. It would be better to rest a bit more. Although there are no major physical abnormalities, didn't you just regain consciousness?"
You're right, doctor. I also have a chimney-like desire to rest.
[Time Remaining: 23 Hours 59 Minutes 12 Seconds]
But that bright red countdown is like a time bomb attached to my neck.
"It's fine. Hmm... how long does it take to get to Bedalua Academy from here?"
"If you catch a carriage, you'll arrive in half a day. But are you really okay?"
"Yes."
He's a kind person. I'm touched. As expected, there is warmth even in another world.
"Then please pay the treatment fee first. I will guide you to discharge afterward."
But I don't have health insurance, f*ck....
"Oh, of course. Do you happen to know where my luggage is? And if you could also tell me the direction of the exit...."
"This bag is all there is. Your wallet is inside, so you don't have to think about running away."
My "Thank you" almost came out sounding like "Thank yuuu... (gritted teeth)."
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