Chapter : 4
I’ll Save You All From the Bad Ending Route
Walkthrough Start!
Frea stared into my eyes for a long while. At first, it looked like she doubted me.
“Fine. All right. Then you’re the one who has to wash it. Come with me. I’ll lend you a uniform.”
Frea rose from her seat. I followed, trying to smile as politely as possible. On my way out, I tapped Peena on the shoulder.
“Peena, don’t worry. Just go back to the room first.”
“Huh? Mm… o-okay…”
Frea ordered me to wash her uniform and bring it back by lunch tomorrow.
After bowing goodbye, I headed straight to the laundry room and handed it in.
The moment I opened the dorm room door, Peena burst out. Her face looked pale, but still far better than when I saw her earlier in the cafeteria.
“Lana! I’m sorry. All because of me… If it weren’t for you, I—I really would’ve just… kept standing there like an idiot! My head went completely blank!”
I brushed Peena’s hair gently. Tears welled up and spilled from her big eyes. She must have been holding them back all this time.
And of course she had. How many commoners wouldn’t tremble uncontrollably before a noble—let alone the daughter of a duke? My chest tightened at the thought of how truly frightened she must have been.
I pulled Peena into a hug.
“It’s okay. Nothing happened. It all worked out.”
I held her a long while, comforting her. After countless rounds of her thanking me, I was finally able to get ready for bed.
Our dorm was a two-person room—cozy living room, attached bath, and private bedrooms on each side. A noble school dormitory, indeed.
After wishing Peena good night, I lit the magic candle on my desk. Sitting under its soft glow, I opened my notebook and began writing down every detail I remembered from this game.
Like I was writing my own survival journal.
From today onward, this notebook would be my Walkthrough Log.
While writing down the day’s events, I made my decision about the future.
I wouldn’t become the heroine’s companion—nor the brainwashed foot soldier of the true villain.
I opened the “Plan A” page I had been mulling over for days.
“Plan A: Drop Out.”
One loophole of this game’s setting:
Only currently enrolled students get dragged into the war.
Graduates, dropouts—anyone no longer part of the academy—are safe.
Peena, my character Airan’s only friend, also lucked out by dropping out after the first semester. She never gets involved.
If I stay, I’m doomed. So I’ll just say,
“School is too hard, I can’t keep up!”
…and bolt.
That way I’ll survive and avoid brainwashing.
But then—the problem:
“Airan’s a fallen noble. No house, no land, no servants.”
Airan’s parents died in an accident, leaving her mooching off her uncle.
Even if I drop out dreaming of a happy noble life on my estate—
I have nothing.
A fate no different from my past life.
“If I drop out, I’ll just be a moron who threw away a prestigious school diploma!”
Weakest of the weak, noble only in name, basically broke.
Could a setup be any more tragic?
“But! I just came up with a new solution! Behold: PLAN B!”
I gripped my quill and wrote neatly:
“Plan B: Become top student and graduate within one year!”
“If I can pass the mage advancement exam two months from now, I can do it!”
I tore out the “Plan B” page and pinned it in the most visible place on my desk.
“As a veteran gamer, I’ll clear the new quest: ‘Early Graduation!’
And then live the elite graduate mage life!”
Then earn money and get that real noble lifestyle!
“And to do that…”
I flipped to the page covered with notes on Frea and Aaron.
“I have to conquer those two first.”
I circled their names.
I—Airan, Queen of Bad Endings—will build my own happy ending!
The next morning was the weekend, but assignments meant I couldn’t relax at all.
Most students left on campus were those whose scores were too low last semester, or were forced by their parents to stay for winter supplementary classes. Problem kids, basically.
Everyone was buzzing with excitement over the new gossip.
“Hey, did you hear? A commoner spilled potato soup on Lady Frea’s head yesterday!”
“Oh no~ Lady Frea is already having such a hard time~ And now soup on her head? I hope she’s not burned!”
“Eek! If that gorgeous face got scarred, I’d drop out!”
Was that supposed to be sympathy or shade?
Frea was like the queen of the school. Stunning beauty, duke’s daughter,
and even competing for 1st place with Aaron!
Naturally, though everyone admired her, there were also plenty waiting to tear her down.
Beside me, Peena walked with a ghost-white face.
“Uh, La-Lana? Should I t-too go apologize to Lady Frea?”
Peena was terrified she had caused fresh rumors.
“Then… want me to go with you later to apologize?”
“C-Could I? Would she even accept a commoner’s apology? Wh-What if she tells me she can’t stand the sight of me and orders me to leave school!?”
Peena clutched her braids so tightly her tousled red hair turned into a mess. She wasn’t joking—she truly believed it.
“Peena, breathe… Lady Frea wouldn’t do that.”
“B-But I heard rumors! That if Lady Frea hates you, you’ll be forced to take a leave or drop out! I—heard she bullies people horribly!”
“Hmm? No, that rumor is actually…”
I tried to explain, but the group of NPC bullies—chiefly my tormentor Yerina—threw a cutting glance and spoke loud enough for us to hear.
“Airan’s acting up again, huh? A beggar girl dared touch Lady Frea’s uniform. Probably tried to steal it.”
She was a gorgeous blonde from a thriving count family, though her behavior ruined the effect.
She led a clique that trailed after Frea like handmaidens.
“That sly fox is just trying to use this chance to get close to Lady Frea! Maybe she’s after the page position.”
“Oh my! But Sally’s already the page! Ugh, that girl pretends to be sweet but steals everything. Even other people’s men.”
They snickered at me. I ignored them.
‘There’s the name I’ve been waiting for.’
I couldn’t help sighing.
Sally Wright. Frea’s maid, and close enough to win the page position at school.
And the game’s top villainess.
‘Gamers used to say “you’re like Sally” as an insult.
And whenever a new villain appeared, we called her “the second Sally.”’
She exploited Frea’s trust to get everything she wanted.
If the protagonist tried to befriend Frea, Sally wedged in and poisoned the relationship.
Worst case—she framed the protagonist for cheating, forcing a dropout bad ending.
Frea believed her utterly because Sally once saved her life. She’s held the page position for five years.
Meaning I currently have a stroke of luck, since the story hasn’t “officially” begun.
‘Sally’s away on break, which is the only reason I can approach Frea.
If she were here, I couldn’t even say hello.’
So I had to use this time well.
Because once Sally returned, I’d be brutally bullied for daring to approach Frea without permission.
“Um, Lana… c-could we eat outside today?”
“Huh? Why?”
At the cafeteria entrance, Yerina’s clique glared at us.
“Why eat with trash like them? They ruin my appetite.”
Yerina blocked the door. I sighed.
“There’s a place nearby with brunch sets. Let’s go there.”
“O-Okay…!”
Ugh. Enough.
But I didn’t have time to waste on low-level NPC trash.
I took Peena out for a delicious breakfast, then we headed to morning classes.
Classes ran nonstop from 9 a.m. to noon. When they ended, I packed up to meet Frea.
“L-Lana, should I go with you…?”
“It’s fine. I’ve got it.”
“But… I’m scared of Lady Frea…”
“You’ll be fine~”
Afraid of Frea?
The truly scary one is someone else entirely.
“Don’t worry. Go eat first.”
“Okay.”
“I’ll be back!”
Leaving Peena tilting her head in confusion, I ran to pick up Frea’s uniform from the laundry.
I ran hard to arrive ten minutes early and was out of breath.
Sally’s vacation ends in a week.
Until then, I have only this window.
So I went to the Emerald Garden, hoping he might be there too.
‘He’s the type who’s always punctual…’
Then I heard footsteps behind me.
“You’re early.”
Hearing the voice I’d been waiting for made me smile automatically.
“I thought Lady Frea would be waiting.”
Aaron stepped out from behind a tree, leaving the shadows.
“She’s not coming. I told her not to.”
His jet-black hair gleamed red under the sunset.
He was so tall I had to crane my neck.
Just that was enough to feel pressure radiating from him.
“Yesterday—Peena didn’t trip on your foot. That spot was too far for that.
So why did you lie?”
His sharp gaze pierced me.
But I smiled confidently.
Aaron Zenknight—the game’s top swordmaster and tactician.
I had come with Frea’s uniform precisely to meet him.
If I returned it, I knew he’d show up.
