Chapter 7: Regression, Recruitment, and a Restroom Duel

“Hmph.”

Claudia sensed Sofia entering the bathroom.

The barrier she’d set up would prevent an immediate encounter, but Sofia’s power, which she’d just witnessed, was on par with her own.

At the very least, Sofia had reached the Master level.

If so, she might be able to break through the barrier.

No need to draw attention by revealing its existence.

“I’ll leave for now.”

Claudia spun around, her cloak billowing.

“But I won’t let you go next time. So wait for me.”

With the promise made, she’d trust Bisus and focus on her own tasks.

…But just in case, should I send that guy?

Casting a quick spell, she vanished from Bisus’s sight.

“…Did I survive?”

It was like a bolt from the blue.

Bisus felt as if a storm had just swept through.

“Bisus?”

“Huh?”

As Claudia left, taking the barrier with her, Sofia walked in casually and came face-to-face with Bisus.

“Sofia, why are you here? This is the men’s bathroom!”

“W-Well…!”

She’d come in thinking something had happened, but was it just her imagination?

Barging into the men’s bathroom like this—Bisus might think she’s some boy-crazy girl!

“You were taking so long, I thought something was wrong! I-It’s not like I came in with weird intentions!”

Meanwhile, Bisus was inwardly panicking.

If she’d come in just a bit earlier, she’d have run into the princess!

Wait, with Sofia’s level, couldn’t she sense residual mana traces? I need to get out of here fast.

“Yeah… I took a bit too long, haha. Let’s get out of here quick. This is the men’s bathroom—you shouldn’t be here.”

Bisus hurriedly dragged Sofia out.

“Phew.”

After parting with Sofia, Bisus returned to his cozy room and flopped onto his bed.

What a long day.

Who could’ve imagined meeting the princess at the academy at this point?

For now, he’d bought some time with her.

She’s caught up in the succession struggle with the crown prince, so she shouldn’t have time to focus on the academy.

The issue now is Sofia and Artoria.

Their obsession with him was stronger than expected.

Artoria showing up in the middle of the night, Sofia clashing with the princess in the headmaster’s office—it seems those dreams had a bigger impact on them than he thought.

Sure, in his past life, seeing a female friend in a dream might make her seem more appealing…

But this level of obsession is abnormal.

It’s not just a dream.

It’s more like…

Regression.

Yeah, it feels like they’ve regressed.

But that makes no sense.

There was no regression in the original novel.

I’ve barely done anything to cause such a massive change.

Scribble scribble

Bisus jotted down the altered situation in his notebook.

…I can do this.

It’s better than the miserable situation I started with.

The heroines have become stronger, so if I maintain good relationships with them, my chances of survival might actually increase.

I will survive.

Click

Bisus turned off the light and closed his eyes.

Exhausted from the day’s events, he fell asleep instantly.

Flash

Waaaaaaaah

Clang clang

Boom

Huh?

Bisus realized he was in the middle of a battlefield.

A dream…?

Thud

A massive, muscular figure blocked his path.

“Hahaha! I am Tontonura, the Second Legion Commander of the Demon Realm!”

A jet-black, muscular demon hoisted a club larger than a grown man over his shoulder.

“Die, Hero Bisus!”

I’m gonna die!

Terrified by the club swinging toward his head, Bisus couldn’t move.

Crack

But against his will, his body moved on its own, shattering the club.

“My treasure, bestowed upon me by the Demon King himself!”

Bisus’s body leaped forward, slicing the demon in half with a surge of sword aura.

“What are you gonna do about it?”

His mouth moved on its own, speaking words he didn’t choose.

Bisus realized he couldn’t control his body.

He knew it was a dream, but it wasn’t one he could control—it felt like watching a first-person VR movie.

Bisus tore through the battlefield, slaughtering demons left and right.

No demon could withstand even a single blow.

Wherever he passed, his allies triumphed, and soldiers sang his praises.

Is this my power?

In this dream, it was definitely his body, Bisus’s.

But the power was that of a legendary hero.

A supreme weapon against demons, cutting down any foe in one strike.

Not the pathetic body he had in reality, but the one he dreamed of having.

If only I could bring this power to reality.

It was frustrating to only wield such immense strength in a dream—or rather, to merely witness it.

“Hero! Hero!”

A messenger ran toward him, shouting desperately.

“What’s wrong?”

“S-Sofia-nim!”

“Breathe slowly and speak. What’s happened to Sofia?”

The soldier caught his breath and continued.

“Sofia-nim is single-handedly holding off a massive demon ambush at the flank!”

At the word “ambush,” Bisus’s body launched forward, sprinting toward Sofia’s camp.

The speed was inhuman, as if space itself folded and shrank around him.

Moments later, he spotted Sofia fending off countless demons.

Piles of demon corpses littered the ground, but there were so many enemies that Sofia was covered in wounds.

“Sofiaaaa!”

Bisus’s body swung his sword wide.

Boom boom boom

A massive sword aura obliterated the demons about to overwhelm Sofia.

“Bisus?”

Bisus reached her, standing back-to-back.

“You idiot! Why are you fighting this army alone?! Do you want to die?”

“Haha. If this army hits the flank, the main force will collapse. We’d lose this battle.”

“You could’ve drawn troops from the main force! Why do it alone?!”

“That would weaken the main force… I couldn’t let that happen.”

“I can win this on my own! You don’t need to worry about that! Your safety is—”

“You came to save me, didn’t you? I knew you would.”

“You…”

The two swordsmen, back-to-back, crushed the charging demon army.

Despite their mounting fatigue from the sheer numbers, the end of the demon forces was in sight.

Hooooooorn

A horn blared in the distance.

“Sounds like the main force won.”

“Since we took out their commanders beforehand.”

“Reinforcements should arrive soon.”

“Yeah. Let’s hold on a bit longer.”

Humm

As they steeled their resolve, a demon appeared before them, firing a dagger.

“What?”

The legion commander, hidden in stealth, had seized the moment to strike.

A dagger infused with mana.

Bisus realized it was aimed at Sofia’s head.

And that even swinging his sword wouldn’t stop it.

He threw himself forward.

Stab

“Bisus!”

The dagger meant for Sofia’s head struck Bisus’s body instead.

“Heh heh heh. Not my intended target, but I’ve pierced the hero’s chest.”

“Demon!”

In that fleeting moment, Sofia pushed past her limits, unleashing a sword aura.

“Arghhh!”

She cut down the legion commander and the remaining forces.

“Bisus! Are you okay?!”

“Cough… This hurts like hll.”

“Don’t talk!”

“Hah. You think I’d die from a wound like this?”

Sofia knelt, examining his wound closely, then tore her clothes to administer first aid.

“Phew. It missed your vitals.”

“Cough! Told you.”

“Stop talking! I’m taking you to a priest right now.”

Sofia hoisted Bisus onto her back.

“…Thank you.”

Bisus couldn’t see her face from his position on her back, but he knew it was bright red.

Flash

Bisus’s eyes opened to the ceiling of his dorm room.

I’m awake…?

A dream.

What was that?

Just a dream?

Or was it Sofia’s dream, her memories from a past life?

Confused, Bisus reached for the bathroom door to wash up.

Crunch

He ripped the doorknob clean off.

…Huh?

Was I always this strong?