It worked perfectly.

Before I could say anything, Elias’ strong claim had me exchanging lines with Narce as a test. Once it was proven that I had indeed memorized the entire script, the other students took it from there and pushed the situation forward.

In this short time, we managed to rehearse the first three minutes three times.

Surprisingly, everyone was so focused on having someone who knew the lines that no one asked for my opinion.

There was no need to ask to be pushed. I was literally pushed into it.

‘…Of course, it’s beneficial for me this way.’

“We only had 20 minutes left. Actually, before you came, the professor was about to announce that we weren’t going to perform,” Narce said, seemingly understanding my bewildered feelings and trying to comfort me.

There were only a few students left in the waiting room now. Those not performing were already heading to the audience seats.

“Really.”

“But you made the right choice. It probably won’t be as problematic as you’re worried about.”

When I looked at him silently, Narce touched his forehead and continued.

“Hmm… There’s a bigger problem, though.”

“What?”

“I really don’t know. It’s just a feeling.”

Did he use his foresight ability?

On a day like today, when so many things are happening, such words are ominous.

Just then, laughter echoed from the opposite side of the waiting room.

“We have 155 people in the audience, guys!”

“Isn’t that irrelevant? They don’t even have a lead.”

“Hey, do you guys still not have your lead?”

Class 1 students were taunting us in front of the Class 2 waiting room.

Since many students knew each other from the Third Academy, they were playful without hesitation.

‘I knew it when they started comparing the number of special class attendees.’

It’s childish. It just makes me laugh.

Leo also ignored their provocations and slammed the hallway door shut.

At that moment, a staff member knocked on the door connected to the stage.

“Class 2, please come on stage now!”

It was 9:55 PM.

Narce, who stood up, nodded at me.

“Let’s go. See you later.”

***

Finally, 10 PM, the scheduled start time, arrived.

I stood behind the stage, checking the script one last time.

As the stage lights came on momentarily, I heard murmurs from the audience.

“Are they really going through with it?”

“Are they having Mephistopheles do it alone?”

Laughter followed.

How loudly are they talking that I can hear them from here?

Anyway, it’s understandable. There were already about 100 people in their seats. They must be curious about how we’ll start without a protagonist.

‘If we can’t start, all 100 will just leave….’

Since we’re starting, we only need to capture the curiosity of all 100 people.

The reason I’m thinking about this now is that two supporting actors beside me kept whispering about the audience count.

When they met my eyes, they immediately shut up.

‘I wasn’t staring to tell them to be quiet.’

I checked my watch and listened to the voices coming from the stage.

It was 10:03 PM, and the last line before Faust’s entrance was being delivered.

God was making a bet with Mephistopheles about Faust, ending with a line to Mephistopheles.

[“I have never hated your kind; I grant you permission to lead my humans in your demonic ways. Go and prove yourself!”]

Thud—

With the sound, the stage lights went off, and the curtain fell.

The students’ chatter grew louder, as everyone seemed to know it was time for the protagonist to appear.

I walked onto the dark stage. The clunky heels of the props echoed loudly.

Class 2 students, moving the set, hesitated but then nodded at me seriously.

‘…They look so determined….’

Well, I have to meet their expectations.

I sat at the prepared desk, staring into the pitch-black void.

Shortly after, the signal to start appeared from a distance.

I slowly opened my mouth.

“…I have devoted my entire life to studying philosophy, law, and even theology, leaving no gaps in my efforts. But in the end, I have nothing to show for it.”

“…Oh?!”

“What’s going on?! Is Faust here?”

The audience became noisy before they could even see me.

Thwack—

As the curtain rose, a cool breeze rushed along the floor from the audience.

When the spotlight hit me, its heat suddenly felt scorching.

Still staring to the side of the stage, I continued Faust’s lines as written in the script.

“Joy has forever left me, the assurance of knowing what is right is gone, and I no longer have the confidence to teach others. I am….”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa?!”

“Hey, wait a second! What’s going on!”

The sound of chairs being bumped came sporadically from all over.

Even without looking at the audience, I could tell what was happening. The noise from the audience drowned out my voice, and even I couldn’t hear myself.

***

The play ended successfully.

As Elias predicted, the audience exceeded 500, with the final count at 550. The small theater couldn’t hold any more.

‘And…’

Ding—

‘Starting Route 1 — 〈 Chapter 5 〉.’

「 Chapter 5. Good Things Take Time (1) 」

Chapter 5 Special Reward

A solid support base! You have received a new impression item.

‘What’s this?’

A new impression item, huh.

I checked my status screen backstage, just before the curtain call.

Lucas Rene Askanian

Title: Sir Nicolaus

Health: +1.3 [+4.3]

Mental Power: -1.1 (+0.5)

Magic Power: ?

Skill: +2.7 [+5.7]

Impression: -9.9 [-7.0] [+6.61503261]

Luck: +1.15 (+0.2)

Traits: Dawn 777, Divine Power, Charisma (Lv.2), Retry (Lv.1)

A new slot had appeared in the impression section.

Given the -7.0 and the phrase “solid support base”….

‘It’s probably the school.’

I didn’t expect a special reward in this situation.

It seems to mean that I should focus on building support among the students, and it confirms that changing Luca’s image is indeed necessary.

I checked the changeability one last time.

Dawn 777

— Time until the final ending ‘Chapter X. Death’: 693 days, 13 hours, 59 minutes, 21 seconds

— Changeability: 18.6% (+0.1%p)

It’s risen again.

My intuition suggests that there was probably a slight decrease followed by a greater increase. Anyway, since some losses are necessary to gain something, it doesn’t matter. The final value increased, and there’s no way to know if the rise and fall were combined, so I just have to focus on each situation.

“Lucas, let’s go.”

Narce wiped his sweat and smiled, pointing to the stage. He seemed in high spirits, having successfully finished the play he’d been looking forward to.

‘…It’s funny to see someone so happy after playing a demon.’

It’ll surely cause an uproar when the news gets out.

Still, for him, it must have been a joyful attempt at making his own decisions.

When all the actors gathered on stage, the stage lights came on.

“Woooo—!”

The applause was overwhelming.

At first, the audience was silent due to the unexpected appearance of an unknown actor, but as time passed, they separated the role from me and immersed themselves in the play. At that moment, they seemed to feel no aversion to Luca.

It felt oddly like returning to reality for a moment, making it slightly difficult to recall my lines in the middle.

‘I think the Charisma trait helped a bit.’

The 30% persuasion boost of the Charisma trait.

I felt like a machine spitting out lines without proper rehearsal, but fortunately, no one laughed at my mechanical delivery. If it weren’t for the 30% persuasion boost, I couldn’t explain it.

[“Ladies and gentlemen, did you enjoy the play prepared by the second-year magic department Class 2?”]

The host’s voice resonated.

The audience responded with enthusiastic applause.

[“Finally, we’d like to….”]

“Aaaaaah!”

“Whoa, what’s that!”

Just then, screams erupted from the other side of the auditorium.

The students beside me exchanged bewildered glances.

Far away, the entrance doors were wide open, letting light flood in.

“What’s going on? Why are they screaming?”

“…….”

Leo, who had been watching from below, gestured to the control room and approached the entrance.

But before he could get there, the students near the entrance jumped to their feet.

“Isn’t that the Class 2 kid?”

“Oswald?”

The name of the missing protagonist was heard.

Thud—

The entire auditorium lit up.

Far away, someone with half-open eyes looked around, then exhaled deeply in relief upon seeing us.

‘But….’

He was covered in blood, from his face to his school shirt.

A student behind me urgently spoke up.

“Wait, what’s up with him? Why is his face like that?”

“What happened? Is he hurt?”

Lacking the strength to walk, he grabbed onto a chair and collapsed.

Thud—

“Ah!”

The students who had been half-standing around him recoiled in fear.

‘…This is….’

He really wasn’t just slacking off. His appearance clearly indicated he had been attacked.

Squeak—

[This is an announcement. From 10:45 PM today, warp magic and warp tools within the school will be unavailable. External movement for any reason will not be permitted. External visitors within the school grounds cannot leave until the investigation is complete. Please visit the administration building immediately if you hear this announcement.]

“Hey, did you see the news?! If not, check it now!”

Some students ran into the auditorium, dragging their friends out.

The atmosphere grew increasingly chaotic. Everyone now understood that this was a major incident.

The ominous feeling I had since Oswald disappeared resurfaced. I stepped off the stage and tried to recall what I had heard earlier.

‘…The first-year who was missing then….’

It was Amalia Castel.

I immediately looked up at Leo. The loudspeaker activated again.

[This is an announcement. We are looking for first-year magic department Class 2 student Amalia Castel and second-year magic department Class 2 student Oswald Schmidt. If found, please report to the administration building or the school hospital immediately.]

Leo’s face turned pale.

His eyes, full of confusion, roamed the air and finally met mine. They were filled with an unfamiliar shock.

I was probably in the same state.

Castel is a noble family from Bavaria.

And Oswald was also from Bavaria.

“Lucas!”

Ignoring someone calling my name, I moved towards the exit and picked up a scattered newspaper.

Bold black letters were printed in the middle of the Imperial Gazette.

[Seven Bavarian mages severely injured in the capital… Four of the victims are minors]

As I read, the number changed, now listing eight victims.

In the heart of the empire, Bavarian mages had been severely injured. Moreover, they were all from Bavaria.

I continued reading the article.

‘The perpetrator is unknown.’

According to the investigation bureau, none of the victims had any memory of the incident, and no witnesses could be found.

But… it’s obvious.

Bavarian mages were injured in the capital on the same day?

‘…It’s a retaliation and a warning.’

It was clearly the work of Pleroma.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep