Haruto leaned against the wall, crossing his arms.
"Fine. So how do I grind to Level 5? Do I go out and start swinging at something?"
"No," Ivory replied, her expression slightly hesitant.
"In this world, you cannot just wander into the higher layers as a rogue player. You need a Guild. You either join an existing one or create your own."
"And to create a Guild," Lustra chirped in, "the World System requires a Guild License. To get that, you have to pass the 'Evaluation Test'. They won't even let you through unless you are Level 5."
Haruto let out a dry, jagged laugh.
(Haruto's Inner Thoughts:)A License? This world really is a masterpiece of bureaucracy.
"Level 5, a License, and a Guild," Haruto muttered, eyes flashing with a rare, stubborn spark. "Fine. If the system wants me to play by the rules for five levels, I'll do it.
Suddenly Lustra started to speak.
"For a new soul in this layer, there is only one regulated path to reach Level 5 safely. You must enroll in the Allesta Village Preliminary Academy also known as AVPA. It's a school designed to—"
"A school?"
Haruto interrupted, his face contorting into an expression of pure disgust.
"You've got to be kidding me. I was summoned to another world as a celestial miracle, and your solution is homework? That is the most boring thing I've ever heard."
He let out a sharp, cynical laugh and looked away.
"I didn't even go to school in my old life a lot." Haruto muttered, his voice dropping into a colder, darker place.
"My parents died when I was just a kid. I survived because I was lucky enough to remember the password and PIN to their old bank accounts. I used that money to buy a roof over my head and lived a gray, pathetic, boring life in total isolation. I've spent my whole existence avoiding the systems of classrooms."
He looked back at Lustra, his eyes sharp.
"And now you want me to sit at a desk? I don't wanna go to class to learn how to beat some monsters."
Lustra stepped toward him, her voice soft but firm.
"Haruto, it's not about books. The Academy is the only place here that houses 'Controlled Mana Manifestations' ; through weak monsters which you can harvest for fear without being killed instantly. Without the Academy's resources, you'll stay Level 1 forever, and the 'Nothingness' will eventually find you."
Suddenly, Ivory froze. Her eyes flickered as if she were accessing a hidden system calendar. Her face went pale with shock.
"Wait... the solar alignment... the local time-cycle..." Ivory stammered, her fingers trembling as she pointed at the clock.
"The 12th cycle of the Zenith Moon... Haruto, we have to move NOW! Today is the absolute final day for the 'Sovereign-Class' admissions! Look at the clock—we have less than a day before the gates seal for the entire year!"
Haruto blinked, his bored mask slipping for a second as he followed her finger to the glowing lunar calendar. The symbols were ancient, and the mana-readings were flickering in a language he hadn't fully decoded yet.
"Zenith Moon? Solar alignment?" Haruto muttered, his eyes narrowing as he translated the 'Game Data' in his head.
(Haruto's Inner Thoughts:)I don't care about their celestial poetry. All I see is a ticking quest timer. Date: 12th. Month: Zenith Moon. Status: Deadline. If I don't hit that register today, I'm locked out of the best XP farm in Allesta.
Haruto blinked, his cool mask slipping for a second. "Wait, today? Like, right now?"
"Yes!" Ivory shouted, already ushering Bellona and Lustra to gather their gear. "If you want those 'Controlled Monsters' to level up, we need to get your name on that register before it's too late!"
Haruto stared at the door of the suite, the word 'School' echoing like a curse in his mind.
"Isn't there any other option?"
Haruto said, his voice laced with desperation as he looked for any exit from the idea of a classroom.
"Surely, a Star-Child doesn't need to learn from a chalkboard. Can't we just find a cave or a dark forest?"
The air in the suite suddenly grew heavy, but not from mana pressure. It was the collective stare of the three women. Ivory, Bellona, and Lustra turned their heads in perfect unison, their eyes narrowing as they glared at him.
"No!" they shouted together, their voices echoing off the marble walls.
"Shut up, be a good boy, and go to school!"
Haruto froze, his hand halfway to his collar. He looked like a stunned deer in the headlights, his 'Bored Legend' mask completely shattered. He had seen them as celestial protectors, as legendary beings, and even as annoying roommates—but he hadn't expected them to snap at him like a choir of angry older sisters.
The "Sovereign of the Void" was currently being bullied by his own party members.
However, as he looked at their flushed, determined faces, a realization hit him. Their divinity, their strength, and their very future were now tethered to a boy who was too lazy to climb the ladder. If he stayed weak, they stayed trapped in this Layer forever.
A slow, calculating smirk crept back onto Haruto's face. If they were going to force his hand, he was going to make sure he wasn't the only one suffering. He leaned back against the obsidian table, crossing his arms and looking them up and down.
"Wow," Haruto said, his voice dropping into a dry, sarcastic drawl.
"What is this? Are you three of my mothers now? I didn't realize 'Divine Goddess' was a synonym for 'Nagging Parent'."
He looked at Ivory, who was still fuming.
"Do you have a lunchbox packed for me too, Ivory? Maybe some crustless sandwiches and a juice box? Should I hold your hand while we cross the street to the Academy?"
Lustra puffed out her cheeks, looking like she was about to explode.
"This isn't a joke, Haruto! You're Level 1! You're a liability!"
"Then I guess I'll be the most expensive 'Liability' in history," Haruto muttered, pushing himself off the table.
He caught the reflection of his own eyes in the polished marble. He knew something the Goddesses didn't quite grasp yet—he wasn't actually 'stuck' at Level 1. His soul was a limitless hard drive, and he could overwrite his own stats whenever he found enough 'Fear' or 'Devotion' to fuel the change. Staying weak was a strategic choice to keep the world from crashing, but maybe... just maybe... school wouldn't be as tedious as he thought.
(Haruto's Inner Thoughts:)A School for Combat... filled with arrogant high-levels, 'Elite' students, and teachers who think they understand the system's code. It's a target-rich environment. If I'm going to harvest Fear to level up, why hunt monsters in a dark forest when I can hunt the egos of 'pro' players in a classroom?
A slow, dark smirk spread across his face as he grabbed his custom black coat. If they were going to force his hand, he was going to make sure he wasn't the only one suffering. He leaned back, his tone shifting from funny to dead serious.
"Fine," Haruto said, his eyes locking onto Ivory's.
"I'll go to your Academy. I'll sit at the desks and play the part of the diligent student. But I have one condition."
He paused, letting the silence stretch between them.
"I'm not going alone. If I'm going to that school, all three of you are coming with me. Every class, every hall, every step. If I have to endure the boredom of an education, you're going to endure it right beside me."
He threw their own pressure back at them, waiting to see which one of them would blink first.
The room fell into a sudden, suffocating silence. The three Goddesses exchanged glances, their earlier unity dissolving into frantic excuses.
"I already possess the vast knowledge of this entire world," Ivory protested, crossing her arms.
"Why would I go to school? It would be like a scholar attending a kindergarten."
Lustra chimed in next, her golden eyes wide with disbelief.
"I am a Goddess, Haruto! My level is 99. I have mastered the arts of flame and wind. Going to a classroom to learn basic spells would be a complete waste of time."
Bellona, however, stepped forward with a look of triumph, as if she had just found the ultimate cheat code to win the argument. Her voice turned deathly serious.
"Listen, Haruto. We are Goddesses. If we try to enter that Academy, the registration stones will demand to see our levels. The moment [Level: 99] appears on the screen—a rank reserved only for the divine—it will cause a global catastrophe. The world would descend into chaos trying to figure out why three Gods are sitting in a lecture hall."
Lustra and Ivory looked at Bellona with pure relief, nodding eagerly in agreement. They finally had an ironclad reason to stay in the luxury of the suite.
But Haruto didn't look defeated. Instead, a slow, predatory smile—the kind an apex predator wears before a strike—spread across his face.
"Do you really think I'm such a pathetic player?" Haruto asked, his voice dripping with dark amusement.
"I know exactly what you're capable of, Ivory. Along with your vast intelligence, you possess Reality Magic. You can rewrite the laws of the local world to fit your needs."
He turned his gaze toward the silver-haired Goddess, his eyes glinting.
"You can hide your true selves. You can rewrite your status windows so that when we walk through those gates, the world sees three ordinary girls at Level 3 or 4. You have the power to change the script, Ivory. So, the question isn't whether you can go... it's how long it's going to take you to fix your HUD."
The silence returned, but this time it was heavy with defeat. Lustra and Bellona slowly turned their heads toward Ivory, who looked as if she had just been handed a death sentence. To her, having to hide her divinity and sit through boring lessons was the ultimate curse.
Ivory stepped back, her silver eyes widening in genuine shock. She bit her lip, her voice trembling slightly.
"I... I never told you the specifics of my magic, Haruto. How could you possibly know about the Reality weave?"
Haruto's expression softened, becoming uncharacteristically frank. He leaned against the wall looking at them with a gaze that felt like it was peeling back their very layers.
"Remember when I first arrived?" Haruto asked calmly.
"When did the system give me the choice to keep you or discard you? At that moment, your entire character sheets were laid bare before me. Your spells, your hidden passives, your utility—I saw it all. And honestly, Ivory, when you 'created' these clothes out of thin air earlier, you confirmed it. Only Reality Magic can overwrite matter that perfectly."
He didn't stop there. He turned his attention to the others, who were now standing frozen.
"And you, Lustra," Haruto continued, his voice steady.
"I know you command the elements, but that's just the surface. You possess Charm—a passive so potent you can manipulate the minds of others just by existing in their line of sight. You don't just fight with elements; you fight with the hearts of your enemies."
Lustra gasped, her hand flying to her chest.
Finally, Haruto looked at Bellona.
"And you, the warrior. You don't just summon weapons. You have the power to infuse them with Ancient Spirits, turning a simple blade into a soul-shattering relic. Plus, you possess the instinctual knowledge of every martial art ever conceived in this world. You aren't just a soldier; you are the definition of combat."
A heavy, profound silence filled the suite. For the first time, the three Goddesses didn't see Haruto as a bored boy they had to babysit. They saw why he was the Master. He held their secrets in the palm of his hand, watching the game while they were still figuring out their moves.
"Now," Haruto said, breaking the tension as he stood up and headed toward the bathroom. "I'm going to go get refreshed. While I'm in the shower, I suggest you three get ready. We're going to that school, and we're going together. No more excuses."
As the bathroom door clicked shut behind him, the three Goddesses stood there, stunned. It felt like a physical blow to their pride. They were Level 99 deities, yet they had just been outplayed and out-maneuvered by a Level 1 boy who had been in their world for less than 2 days.
The bathroom door opened, and Haruto stepped out, refreshed and dressed in his sharp black attire. The three Goddesses were standing near the exit of the suite, their visible levels successfully masked by Ivory's magic. But as Haruto reached for the door handle to finally leave, the three of them suddenly blocked his path.
Haruto stopped, raising an eyebrow.
"What now? I thought we agreed on the terms."
Ivory looked at him, her expression a mix of confusion and hesitation.
"Haruto... why do you insist on keeping us so close? Why are you so adamant that we attend this Academy with you? We are your servants, your tools to conquer this world. You could easily command us to wait here or handle things from the shadows."
Haruto went silent. He looked at Ivory, then at Bellona and Lustra. A strange, slightly crooked expression crossed his face—not quite a smile, but something softer.
"Seriously?" Haruto sighed, leaning back against the wall.
"Listen... I've lived my whole life alone. I've never seen anyone as 'below' me. To me, you three aren't just servants. You are beings who depend on me for your very existence. My existence is your lifeblood."
He straightened up, his gaze becoming surprisingly intense.
"If you depend on me, then it's my responsibility to ensure you're okay. My goal isn't just to 'win' this game; it's to make sure that as long as you're with me, you're happy. And maybe..."
He paused, scratching his cheek sheepishly.
"Maybe it's because I want you all to stay by my side and keep depending on me."
"I don't know why, but... having you three rely on me makes me feel responsible. It makes me feel like I finally have a 'family' in this world that actually matters. I kind of... like that feeling."
The three Goddesses froze. A deep, burning crimson flushed across their faces, spreading from their necks to the tips of their ears. They looked like they had been hit by a physical force.
Deep within their divine essences, a sensation they had never known began to bloom. It wasn't the "programmed" loyalty they were born with; it was something raw, warm, and terrifyingly human.
For the first time in their eternal lives, the Goddesses felt like girls. And for the first time, Haruto didn't look bored—he looked like someone worth following to the ends of the world.
(Haruto's Inner Thoughts:)Why did I just say that? That was way too high-resolution for a guy like me. Now the atmosphere is all glitchy and awkward. I should have just stuck to the 'I'm the Boss' script. Nha that would become boring. This tension is necessary and I enjoy it.
"Also..."
Haruto paused, a playful but sharp glint flickering in his obsidian eyes as he looked at the three of them.
"Think about it. If you three come with me to the Academy, it'll be the perfect setup. If any danger comes my way, you can handle it. Besides..."
He leaned in slightly, his voice dropping into a smooth, teasing tone.
"The three of you are incredibly beautiful. I don't think anyone in that school would dare to say 'no' to a group of girls as stunning as you and who in the world wouldn't want to be protected by three Goddesses?"
The blush on their faces hadn't even begun to fade when Haruto spoke again, his voice dropping to a low, sincere tone.
"So," Haruto said, adjusting his black coat and walking toward the door.
"I want to make one thing clear," he said, looking each of them in the eye.
"I have never seen you as servants. Not for a single second."
The three Goddesses blinked, their hearts still racing. They asked the question in perfect, breathless unison
"Then... how do you see us?"
Haruto reached for the door handle, but he paused, looking back over his shoulder with a small, genuine smile.
"As a family. A family I can't imagine surviving this world without."
Before they could respond—before they could process the sheer weight of that statement—Haruto pulled the door open and stepped out into the hallway. He didn't wait for them to recover. He moved with a newfound purpose, leaving the three Goddesses to scramble after him, their souls stirred by a human emotion they were never meant to feel
The scene shifts as they exit the luxury hotel and emerge back onto the bustling streets of the city. The morning sun was bright, and the air was filled with the sounds of merchants and travelers.
As they walked, the same phenomenon from the day before occurred: the crowds parted. Heads turned, and whispers filled the air as the citizens of Allesta recognized the boy who had spent a fortune. But this time, the atmosphere was different.
Behind Haruto, the three Goddesses walked in their disguises, their divinity hidden under Ivory's reality magic, yet their natural beauty still made them look like celestial attendants.
Haruto, however, didn't look annoyed by the stares this time. He didn't feel the urge to glare back or hide. Instead, a strange sense of calm washed over him. He felt... lucky.
'Never thought I'd be heading to a school,' Haruto thought, watching the city life go by. 'I spent my old life avoiding everyone, hiding in a dark room. Now, I'm walking under the sun with three Goddesses by my side, heading toward a future I can't predict.'
The boredom was still there, lurking in the corners of his mind, but for the first time, the "game" actually felt worth playing.