“…Huh?”
Blade was sure he’d left the illusion, but not much had changed. There was still a soft lawn, the sun gently shining down upon it. He saw no sign of any illusionist attempting to trap him.
He was prepared to cut down any nearby enemies, but none came, so he relaxed. He removed the contact pad stuck to his forehead and threw it aside. The limp bodies of the other students littered the ground around him. They all had pads stuck to their foreheads, just like he did.
…Wait. Everyone? Wasn’t that all the enemy’s illusion? Having lots and lots of friends around me… Could it be…?
Instead of spending his days killing or being killed, he could sleep through class and look forward to pork and curry sandwiches for lunch. But that was all a happy illusion prepared for him by the enemy…wasn’t it?
“Ugh! Why’d you leave…? How’d you even figure it out? You realize this is why people call you a super-being, right?”
“Huh? …Earnest? You’re here?”
“Yes, that’s right—I’m Earnest, your ‘friend since kindergarten.’ The kind and beautiful class superstar who wakes up her sleepy neighbor every day.”
“Huh? What?”
“Are you okay, Blade?” asked Sophie. “You really shouldn’t have jumped out of there by yourself. It might affect you in unexpected ways.”
“I will check.” His annoying underclassman—or rather, Iona—extended a set of diagnostic electrodes and stuck them to his forehead. “I detect some slight memory confusion, but not due to neural dysfunction. His perception has simply not yet caught up to reality,” she concluded before removing the electrodes.
“Um…what?” asked Blade. “You mean this was an illusion…or a simulation?”
Earnest nodded, her hair shaking. “That’s right! We wanted to give it to you as a present!”
“A present?”
“Yeah! A normal life! We all worked together to make it happen!”
Blade turned toward Iona, unsure what Earnest was talking about. He wanted a high-spec explanation from a high-spec machine— Yes, for a change, he actually wanted Iona to lecture him smugly what was going on.
“Normally, when using a virtual space, one’s consciousness remains unchanged, and only spatial awareness and physical sensations are overwritten. However, in this case, I interfered with my master’s memories directly.”
“So it was you,” muttered Blade. He’d figured Iona was the illusionist.
“Perhaps you found it jarring, having Earnest be your childhood friend, Cú your sister, and me your adorable underclassman. But any feelings like that should have disappeared within a few seconds.”
“I didn’t mind the first two much, but I was super uncomfortable with how adorable you were. Was I the only one you tricked like this?”
“Everyone except you was part of the cast. They all provided their enthusiastic cooperation.”
“Hee-hee! Being your childhood friend was hilarious!”
“I was your younger sister, honored Father! I didn’t have much of a role, though, so it was kinda boring. I was waiting for you to come home and shower me with attention! Too bad!”
“Being a transfer student was…difficult. Did I do well?” asked Sophie.
Blade turned away, too shy to answer.
“So, Master…how did you like your normal everyday life?” The automaton flashed him a beautiful smile. He had the urge to fire Dragon Eater at her but just barely resisted.
“Yeah, did you enjoy it, Blade?” asked Earnest. “How was it? You broke out real quick, so…was something not to your liking? What weren’t you into?”
“…Well, first off, what kind of world was that?”
“I referenced the oldest records I have access to in Mother’s database, then used them to simulate the life of a common, ordinary teenager during humanity’s most peaceful era. In other words, you were a student.”
“Oh? You mean that wasn’t a fantasy you created on your own, Iona?”
“It is somewhat like fantasy from the modern perspective.”
“Well? What do you think, Blade? “ asked Earnest. “Wanna do it again?”
“Next time, I will apply memory protection that not even you can break, Master.”
Blade laughed. “Please spare me…”
“Wait, you’re done? You don’t want to do it again?” Earnest looked a little downtrodden.
“No, I…”
How could he put it? That world was too dazzlingly bright for him. Too happy. If that was what normal or ordinary meant…
“I think I’ve had enough for now,” he said, smiling at everyone.