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132. Nebia Chromag (1)

Nebia has done anything to survive until now.

Since her time in the slums before she matured, she has deceived anyone in sight to maintain the thread of her life.

She would approach those who showed any weakness to pick their pockets or win in deceit-filled gambling games.

Living this way was not just Nebia’s fate but an unspoken rule of the area.

Ziiing—

Especially, Nebia had naturally good hearing. She could perceive sounds from distant or unseen entities just by listening.

Even with her eyes closed, the scenery of her surroundings would automatically be drawn in her mind.

Using this trait, she never failed at pickpocketing or lost in gambling.

She thought of it as a divine talent; a blessing from the God of Music.

However, after her family became covetous of that power… it gradually morphed into a curse.

-Nebia, you have keen hearing. So, you can do what this mother couldn’t.

-See over there? Those merchants who once callously abandoned me. You could steal food from them.

-Is this all you’ve managed to bring? Why? You have such good hearing!

-What is this… Why is the money you earned recently decreasing? What’s going on?

-Do you think I’m a fool? How can I buy jewelry with this money!

-Don’t come home until you meet your quota!

Even more unhinged than before, her mother went mad after realizing Nebia’s keen hearing.

She was a woman who would sell her soul to a demon if it meant making money.

Nebia was no longer her daughter but merely a tool for income.

-Tell me honestly! You’re hiding money, aren’t you?

-Why are you acting like this? Do you want to see me die?

-When did you become such an ungrateful daughter? Why don’t you listen?

-Why are you doing this? It’s all because of your father and brother! Do you even know how unfair this is for me!

In reality, her mother had not always been this way. The change occurred suddenly after the death of Nebia’s father and brother.

The stress of losing her family changed her. But the source of her mother’s stress was not solely their deaths.

-If you continue like this, you might as well join a band of thieves like your father and brother! Go and plot rebellion and get stabbed to death by soldiers!

Nebia only realized her father and brother were part of a mysterious crime syndicate after their deaths.

The livelihood of her family until now had depended on the money earned from that crime.

Their deaths happened not far away.

The gruesome bodies of her father and brother were horrifically hunted down by an unidentified purging squad sent by the royal family.

That image inevitably reached the neighbors as well.

Marked as the offspring of a ruthless organization, Nebia and her mother had to face persecution wherever they went.

-Who’s that? Isn’t she the child of those vile creatures? What are you doing here?

-There are no fruits for you, so scram.

-Hungry? Then this uncle will take you to a nice place. Hehehe!

Everyone she met said the same thing.

Combined with her mother’s nagging, the contempt they showed created a void in her heart from which everything was drained.

The hope and attachments she once held disappeared, leaving her heart desolate.

Especially because of her keen hearing, her mother’s nagging resonated loudly, making her shudder just by hearing her voice.

If only she could rise to a higher place, perhaps these events would not have occurred.

Her mother, the neighbors, everyone but herself looked like garbage.

It was living agony, barely surviving.

Just as she was about to hang herself from the rope fixed to the ceiling… a light shone down from the sky.

*

“Do as you like.”

With that one phrase, she felt all her strength ebb away.

It was as if she had lost the will to live, haunted by the memories of the past.

Though she had faced them countless times before and forcibly overcome them by nurturing a desire for domination.

But now, what was the point? There was no situation in which she could fulfill such desires.

Truthfully, having chosen the path of being dominated due to the fear of death, what kind of resolve can a coward possess?

In fact, this desire for domination was merely a form of misanthropy. Even after being selected as the Saint, people still looked like garbage to her.

At least, thanks to the saint training, she could feign otherwise. Deep down, she harbored a twisted distrust that all humans were mere toys.

“Is that your true feelings?”

“….”

She could hear Angela’s heartbeat. It was racing, indicating she was rather flustered.

And now, it quickened further, revealing her anger.

“You said you envied me. I get what you mean, but once you experience the life I’ve lived, you won’t say such things.”

Until she met her sister, Angela had lived as a test subject.

Because of that, she had narrowly avoided becoming a monster once before.

“You held distrust toward others, and I too have hated humans. When you gain strength and become arrogant, I too was on the verge of becoming a monster.”

“….”

“You and I are essentially the same. The only difference is… I haven’t met someone I could trust.”

Trust was a concept that felt very far from Nebia.

The fortunate experiences of meeting her sisters, finding blood relatives she thought didn’t exist, and awakening her taste with rice balls were all foreign to her.

Instead, she merely feared death while still refusing to let go of her distrust, remaining in a filthy and hapless mindset.

“I will carve a future with the people I trust. Whether I’m a test subject or a grotesque being, as long as I’m with them, I can overcome anything.”

Sruu—

The tail that had bound Nebia shrank and relaxed.

Her limbs, previously restrained, were freed, and her head turned as she heard Angela’s voice.

“If you so much as touch my sisters again, I’ll make sure you’ll never be able to sing again, no matter what your identity is.”

Angela, spewing those deadly words, turned and left.

Left completely alone, Nebia was left with a whirlwind of thoughts.

Was it possible she never had any conviction from the beginning? Perhaps she merely rationalized her desire for domination just to fill her hunger.

However, with the uselessness of domination, that means of satisfying her hunger also vanished.

What good would it do to become the Student Council President now?

-A relationship lacking trust is akin to a sandcastle before the waves. Haven’t you experienced it collapsing like a sandcastle before?

At that moment, a phrase someone once said came to mind.

Who had said it? As she recalled, it was from a short senior she met by the lake.

Mary Ryudshiel. She belonged to the camp supporting Angela.

-If you ever need help, come see me anytime! Comrade!

As she mulled over the words, she remembered that she said so.

If she needed help, this was undoubtedly the time, but she couldn’t approach her.

Mary Ryudshiel would have surely faced public humiliation due to the instigation from the Royal Guard.

If she were to see Nebia, she would likely react similarly to Angela.

‘There really is… someone trustworthy for me…’

…except that there wasn’t.

Yet for some reason, the only man who did not seem like garbage in her eyes lingered in her thoughts.

Even though he was close to Angela’s faction, thinking about him made all her worries fade away.

Well, dominating people was pointless now.

As that conviction became meaningless, she wished to dominate just one person left.

Radon Crawler, for some reason, he wouldn’t leave her mind.

*

The anniversary of Aligieri Academy was approaching.

For three days, small events would take place at the academy, of course, there would be no classes during that time.

It was almost like a holiday, but my roommate had no intention of having fun.

“The full moon is coming soon. Don’t come looking for me at night. You know why, right?”

“Of course. You’re the one who turns into a demon the moment you bask in moonlight.”

“(Zing)”

Joking back, Luska shot me a sharp glare.

For the next week, the full moon would rise every night. If a divine beast transformation occurred again, that would be troublesome, so I wouldn’t be seen at night.

Moreover, Luska, along with Jenny and Mary, would be leaving the dormitory as well.

“You know very well why I’m going to be gone from the dorm for a while.”

“You lost to those guys and it hurt, huh?”

“….”

Her silence was not an untrue accusation.

Packing a few belongings in the dormitory, she couldn’t sit still due to the unpleasantness of being beaten by a mere first-year.

Jenny would likely feel the same preparing to stay out, and Mary would tag along out of curiosity.

I had anticipated such a scenario from the start.

“I felt uneasy since I lost that time and couldn’t sleep. If that’s the average for freshmen… what does that make us second-years?”

“I heard Jenny mention something similar too.”

I too had nearly faced a crushing defeat. If not for the Trans Card then I might have found myself hospitalized by the princess’s strike.

Jenny had mentioned this to me as well.

“Didn’t Jenny invite you along?”

“She did. But I declined.”

You experienced the same humiliation at the hands of a junior but decided not to join.

When I politely expressed my regrets, I could see Jenny’s disappointed face.

But she understood.

‘She was one of the few friends who knew about my curse.’

Living in an isolated place in the future, how would I reduce the rising erosion?

Additionally, Lyman was supposed to be my companion, which meant things would be no different than in the main storyline.

Lying to that guy frequently would be suicidal.

“But you guys are amazing for using the festival on the anniversary like that.”

“Hmph. Even if you get overtaken, don’t complain.”

“I get it, so have fun.”

It wasn’t a journey to some faraway place. Just heading to the nearby back mountain of the academy.

It didn’t matter where I slept as long as it was outside the barrier.

It would be different if it were the previous vice principal, but the current vice principal was an incredibly vibrant person.

Thanks to them revising the school’s rules, events like this could occur now.

“Then I’m off.”

“Have a good trip. Be sure to taste the food that Mary and Jenny will make there. It’ll be divine!”

“Do you think I’m crazy enough to eat something like that?”

[Erosion Rate Decrease: -10%]

[+1000 Credits]

“Should I lend you the Nobel Record that Senior Trisha gave me? You will be healed both body and mind if you listen to it while you sleep.”

“Shut up! That hideous thing is for you to enjoy.”

[Erosion Rate Decrease: -12%]

[+1200 Credits]

Luska playfully bickered as she closed the door and left the dormitory.

Though the anniversary lasted three days, counting the weekend, there were a total of five days off.

During that time, my acquaintances had nearly all vanished.

Jenny, Luska, and Mary had ventured into the mountains for training, and Lyman would undoubtedly have accompanied them to guide them.

Crona would be lying in the hospital, and Kent would likely visit her in Jenny’s stead.

‘The main characters have all left.’

After being instigated by the Royal Guard, their reputation has dropped. Thus, they would prefer to be distanced from themselves for a while.

Moreover, excluding Radian, there are practically no allies within the academy as many had already been swayed by Jason.

Lyman was the first to sense this danger.

Additionally, Jenny striving to surpass her limits during the confrontation with the Royal Guard was an ominous sign.

Ding!—

At that moment, the mirror part of the student ID shook.

Pressing the vibrating mirror led to a screen appearing with a message displayed.

[Could you please get me ten rice balls? Or even nine before dinner would be great! I’ll pay generously.]

by – Angela Greenwhite

Damn, I thought it was quiet lately, but it looks like it’s starting again.

Food orders arriving through the archive’s messaging feature. It’s like a delivery app.

“I’m not some rider.”

However, it didn’t matter if I refused.

It wasn’t my duty, so the choice was mine to make. Angela herself was aware of that.

Above all, I planned to meet another saint besides Angela.

With Jenny, Luska, and Mary absent, that irritating Lyman was also out of the picture.

In this gap, I intended to meet Saint Nebia and ensure her enlistment.

To facilitate that, I had already requested Jason to arrange a meeting.

“Yeah, those rice balls can wait….”

Knock knock knock—

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

I paused to think about who it might be.

Could it be Angela who had come all this way just to place an order?

But the hair color of the figure visible through the foggy door was green.

Just to be sure, I opened the door…

“Nice to meet you, Radon Crawler, Senior.”

I saw the Melody Saint directly visiting this shabby place.

“Could you spare some time for me?”

Surviving as an Academy Scammer.

 

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