Yesterday was a whirlwind, but looking back, it was actually pretty great. I managed to connect with the Alchemy Club's ace, Vice President Abern. I gathered materials alongside Rekka and Lady Liesha. And to top it all off, I survived a literal clash of titans.
I never expected the game's system of grinding skills through party combat to translate so literally to the arena. We only managed to beat that monstrous party of Mikiya, Saionji, and Misuzu because Rekka and Liesha were play-on-another-level strong. Afterward, everyone kept piling on the praise during the debrief. It was honestly a bit much to handle.
Once I finished changing, I headed downstairs.
"Morning, Onii!"
"Morning, Aniki!"
"Good morning, Sakaki-kun," Liesha said.
Wait. What? I stood there, wondering if I was having a waking nightmare. I hadn't even rubbed the sleep from my eyes and I was already seeing and hearing things that shouldn't be possible.
"Onii, what's wrong?" Saki asked.
"Hey, Aniki! Breakfast is ready, so let's dig in!" Taku shouted.
"Are you still half-asleep? Hehe, I didn't realize you weren't a morning person, Sakaki-kun," Liesha said with a smile.
"Ah, no, it's not that... I just saw a fairy or an angel standing in my kitchen and my brain stalled," I muttered.
"!!"
"(Did you hear that, Taku! Onii—the guy who usually ignores every girl—just dropped a line so sappy it's practically leaking syrup!)" Saki whispered.
"(I heard it, Sis-nee! Man, it's finally happening! Aniki is in love! We're backing this ship with everything we've got!)" Taku replied.
"(Roger that!)"
"Is that so? I suppose your Evil Eye¹ lets you see things that are normally invisible," Liesha noted.
""(And she's totally oblivious!!)""
Saki and Taku were practically vibrating with excitement, but I decided to ignore them. Siblings getting along is a rare gift, anyway.
"Liesha-san, aren't you a little early?" I asked.
"Well, I didn't know your schedule. Since you don't have a phone, I couldn't exactly check... so I thought I'd just stage an ambush," Liesha explained.
"And I'm the one who spotted Lady Liesha outside, so I let her in," Taku added.
"H-Hey, Taku!"
"Oh, it's fine. I gave him permission. No one's ever called me 'Lady' like that before—it felt quite fresh," Liesha said.
"I-I see. Well, if you're okay with it, Liesha-san..."
"Speaking of which, Sakaki-kun, now that you can control your Evil Eye, shouldn't you be able to use a phone?" Liesha asked.
""(Oh, like when his eyes were glowing earlier!)""
"Actually, you're right. Saki, Taku... tomorrow is Saturday. Want to go look at some phones together?" I asked.
"Really, Onii?" Saki asked tentatively.
"If the Boss is going, I'm in!" Taku cheered.
"Alright. We'll go buy them tomorrow. Sorry for making you wait this long," I said.
"I-It's not like that! I just thought if you were getting one, I should probably have one too!" Saki huffed.
"Yeah, same here! I don't really care about tech, but if Big Bro and Sis have them, I guess I should too!" Taku added.
I couldn't help but smile. They used those exact same excuses to turn down phones when they were little.
"You three are so close. I'm an only child, so I'm a bit jealous," Liesha said softly.
""!!""
"Thanks, Liesha-san. They're my pride and joy," I said.
"Stop it, Onii! T-That reminds me, Lady Liesha! If you're free tomorrow, would you like to come with us?" Saki asked.
"Eh? But wouldn't I be intruding on family time?" Liesha asked.
"It's totally fine! Not for someone like you!" Taku insisted.
"Sakaki-kun, um..."
"I'd love for you to join us, Liesha-san," I said.
"!? I-I see. Then, I'd be honored."
""YES!!""
"Why are you two so happy about this...?" I muttered.
And so, plans were made to go phone shopping with Liesha tomorrow. I'm so glad I got a handle on this Evil Eye. Master Logan, I'm definitely bringing you a gift of sweets for this.
'Ho ho ho... I'd quite like a box of Valhalla Manju²...'
That was weird. For a second, I thought I heard the imaginary voice of Master Logan in my head noja.
We ate while chatting and eventually headed out. Honestly, walking beside her felt so much like a date it made my pulse skyrocket. We were such a mismatched pair that even thinking about it felt delusional.
"Your siblings are quite charming," Liesha said.
"Yes! They really are!" I replied immediately.
I can say that with absolute confidence.
"That instant response is one of your best qualities, Sakaki-kun," Liesha noted.
"You think so?"
Anyone would be this proud if they had siblings this great—even if they were way too good for a guy like me.
No one tried to hassle me today, likely because Liesha was still by my side. But the atmosphere was definitely different.
"So that's Sakaki Reo..."
"He's the guy who took down Hyouga's team, right?"
"Please, Todoroki and Lady Liesha just carried him."
"Actually, the guys who lost are the ones praising Sakaki the most."
"For real? Maybe he's the real deal..."
The whispers followed us. It was incredibly awkward.
"Hehe... people are finally starting to recognize you, Sakaki-kun," Liesha said.
"Why do you sound so happy about it?" I asked.
"Well, of course I am. Who wouldn't be happy to hear their friend being praised?"
"!!"
Thump. If she kept hitting me with those high-impact smiles, my heart was going to give out. I did my best to keep my pulse steady—since stopping it would be fatal—and made it to my seat just as Instructor Todo arrived.
"Hey, Reo! I mean, Sakaki! Liesha! I've got business with you. Meet me in the usual room," Todo barked ssu.
"Understood!"
"Yes, Instructor Todo. Let's go, Sakaki-kun," Liesha said.
"Right."
The Award Room was basically our "usual room" now. I wondered if that was a good thing as I walked with Liesha. I figured we were in for a lecture about the arena stunt, but I was wrong.
"You remember the Demon Race business from yesterday?" Todo asked ssu.
""Yes.""
"I called you here for that. Logan, explain it."
"Umu. Reo, do you remember the spiritual projection of the Demon King that appeared when I forced your Evil Eye to shut down noja?" Logan asked.
"Of course. Even for a ghost, his presence was overwhelming."
"That projection was a direct link to the host. He likely retained those memories. He's realized you might be a threat on par with Seiya, and he's already moving to investigate you noja," Logan explained.
""!? ""
Wait, me? The Demon King is interested in me? Not Rekka? Why? My head was spinning with questions.
"As you know, Valhalla Academy³ is protected by a powerful warding barrier. But during our inspection yesterday, we found a breach. We believe the Demon Race used it to infiltrate noja," Logan said.
""What...!""
"That barrier is strong enough to vaporize a mid-tier demon on contact. To break it, you'd either need a Demon King-class entity acting directly, or—and I hate to say it..." Todo trailed off ssu.
"There's a mole," I said.
"Exactly ssu."
I felt a chill. There was a mole in the game, too. A sub-character who eventually joins the party but starts as a traitor. That person.
"So, why us?" I asked.
"Umu. You understand that the barrier has anchors, don't you noja?" Logan asked.
"Ah, yes. Five pillars arranged in a pentagram, right?" I replied.
"""!!"""
Wait. Did I screw up?
"U-Umu. Boy, that information is a top-tier national secret noja. How could you—no, never mind. Let's not go poking that hornet's nest. I'm afraid of what might crawl out noja," Logan muttered.
"Seriously, kid, your 'hobby' for info-gathering is starting to get creepy. I'm just glad you're on our side ssu," Todo added.
Crap! I forgot that information isn't public knowledge until much later. Right now, only a few people like Instructor Todo and Master Logan were supposed to know.
"Ah, haha... well, I just really like digging up info..." I stammered.
"Sakaki-kun, even I have to say that's a pretty weak excuse given the company we're in," Liesha noted.
""...""
The two masters just nodded, and I broke into a cold sweat. If they pushed me, I was dead.
"Fine, whatever. It's not 'fine,' but since it's you, I'll let it slide ssu," Todo grunted.
"Indeed. You've proven yourself trustworthy noja. Ho ho ho..." Logan chuckled.
"!!"
I was stunned. Two of the realm's greatest heroes actually trusted a "Mob" like me.
"Anyway, we need to reinforce those anchors. We're going to overlay an inverted pentagram onto the existing seal ssu," Todo explained.
"Precisely noja. It will make the barrier impenetrable, even from the inside noja," Logan added.
"I understand the theory, but why me and Liesha? Aren't there third-year elites better suited for this?" I asked.
The third-years at Valhalla were destined for the military. If you weren't elite, you didn't even make it past the second year.
"Because this requires an Evil Eye user who can see the actual flow of mana noja," Logan explained. "The pentagram barrier uses a dense mana formula. We need to thread an inverted seal through it with surgical precision—like threading a needle through silk noja. Until now, no one was capable of that noja. And then you arrived like a comet, Reo noja."
"Me...? Can I really do that?" I asked.
"Ho ho ho. Don't worry. Since you're the only one who can, we won't hold it against you if you fail noja. Besides, this is an official Valhalla commission. The Points will be... substantial noja," Logan added.
"...I understand. If I can help, I'll give it everything I've got!" I said.
"That's the spirit ssu! I knew we could count on you. Liesha, you're his guard. While Reo is busy with the anchors, you keep him safe ssu," Todo commanded.
"Understood, Instructor Todo. I will protect Sakaki-kun with my life," Liesha vowed.
"Good ssu. I wouldn't have asked if I didn't think you could handle it. Go ssu," Todo said.
After a quick lecture from Master Logan on the locations and process, we headed out. I was officially exempt from all classes. Not that it mattered—my academic level was already at a high school senior's, and I had the lore of this world memorized.
Still, this was a massive responsibility. Master Logan said it was okay to fail, but for the sake of Valhalla, I was going to pull this off no matter what.
Summary:
Reo wakes up to find Liesha has 'ambushed' him at home to escort him to school, much to the excitement of his younger siblings. At Valhalla Academy, Reo and Liesha are summoned by Instructor Todo and Master Logan for a high-priority mission. They are tasked with reinforcing the academy's barrier using Reo's unique mana-vision, as a mole has potentially compromised the security and the Demon King is targeting Reo.
Trivia:
- Reo's siblings, Saki and Taku, are actively 'shipping' him with Liesha.
- Liesha was invited by the siblings to join them for phone shopping on Saturday.
- Master Logan and Todo-sensei trust Reo despite his suspicious level of knowledge.
- The Demon King's spiritual projection from the previous chapter has retained memories of Reo.
- The reinforcement of the barrier involves an 'inverted pentagram' technique that requires surgical mana precision
Character Insight:
Reo struggles with the cognitive dissonance of being a 'Mob' while receiving direct validation and top-secret requests from world-class heroes. Liesha's protective instincts are fully awakened as she vows to guard Reo with her life.
Behind the Scenes:
The author uses the 'Evil Eye' trope to bridge the gap between Reo's metaknowledge and his in-universe capabilities, giving him a plausible reason to know top-secret academy layouts.
TL Notes:
1 ↩ Evil Eye (魔眼, Magan): A trope where a character has mystical ocular powers.
2 ↩ Valhalla Manju: A fictional version of a traditional Japanese steamed cake (manjū), likely sold as a souvenir at the academy.
3 ↩ Valhalla Academy: The primary setting, an elite institution for training heroes and military personnel.
Notes:
• Abern - Abern Schwartz, second-year Alchemy Club vice-leader & ace—genius w/ fast brain, high alchemy skills & connections, but no combat chops. Hangs in dim rooms, senior sub-boss type grinding potions over fights.
• Saki - Reo's younger sister, two years his junior. Handles housework and cooking. Has a kind but slightly blunt personality toward her brother. Highly concerned for her brother's safety. A middle schooler with Sage-level magic power who has been scouted by Valhalla.
• Taku - Reo's younger brother. Protective and prone to outbursts of anger against those who hurt his family. A middle schooler. Over 180cm (6 feet) tall with a massive, intimidating build. Skilled in sewing and housework.
• Logan - An Archmage and Reo's master. An elderly man with a grandfatherly demeanor who possesses immense magical knowledge and power.
• Reo - Reincarnated HS dude who grinded 'Brave Fantasy' 100+ times, now a bland mob in the game world—black hair, Class E #6 by the back door, F-rank stats but plot meta-knowledge + magic flow reading to sideline-support heroes. Lil' bro to Saki & Taku, survives as background bro.