Saturday was spent on Kanna's training, and Sunday on individual study, causing the weekend to vanish in an instant.
After classes ended on Monday, the moment Kanna said goodbye and left for home, Orca muttered while watching her retreating figure.
"...She seems a bit brighter now."
It felt somewhat surprising that Orca, who had initially been rather indifferent, would form such an impression of Kanna.
Perhaps she had sensed something during their time together. Even though I could be mocked for speaking nonsense, the fact that she was trying to see things positively showed that her attitude had softened somewhat.
"You're right. She didn't seem to like you much before, but you two must have gotten pretty close?"
When I asked casually, Orca simply slung her bag over her shoulder without answering.
Her sudden silence made me instinctively close my mouth.
We simply left the quiet classroom behind.
As we exited the building, the steps at the main entrance came into view.
Just as I was about to step down, Orca, who had been silent until now, finally spoke.
The fact that she had followed me in the first place made me sense she had something to say.
"What kind of person does Kanna seem like to you?"
I groaned at the unexpected question.
Honestly, I thought asking what someone is like might be disrespectful to that person.
Of course, with the premise that it's just my perspective, I could simply share what I've observed, but I worried that if that wasn't the person's true nature, it might be inappropriate.
But before I could answer, Orca continued speaking.
"She was the Bottom Rank, and until now, she came without saying anything and left without saying anything, probably."
Her blue eyes seemed to grow cold.
"I know everyone keeps their distance from students who rank at the bottom of the Academy because they know they won't go anywhere good. I figured they'd at least have their own group to stick together with."
I actually knew that much myself.
I assumed the top-ranked students would hang out together, and the lower-ranked would do the same.
Those groups would likely become their professional networks in their future hero careers.
No one would criticize relationships based on mutual benefit rather than one-sided giving. It seemed natural.
I supposed it was only natural that we couldn't know much about individuals unless we made an effort to understand them, since no one can truly know another person as well as themselves.
"...She seemed like she didn't want to change. Like she didn't want to do anything. She gave off the impression that she was content with her position."
Orca's eyes turned toward me.
"The Bottom Rank couldn't even fit in with the lowest group. So... maybe she couldn't change. Maybe she wanted to change, but the environment that kept holding her back was tormenting her?"
Orca sighed.
"It's still early in the semester so I can't say for certain... but if that's the case, then just..."
She was struggling.
She could have simply gone along with the atmosphere and lived normally by seeing things through the lens of her own values.
But that wouldn't change the flow of things.
What she wanted was to change the environment so that even the Bottom Rank could improve if they had the will to do so.
I agreed with that.
In a place where you can't change anything alone, persevering by yourself typically leads ordinary people to fall into depression and lethargy.
Perhaps Kanna's loss of motivation came from situations she couldn't change no matter how hard she tried to escape them.
So I quietly answered.
"If Kanna can't do it alone, we should help her."
That was all I could say.
As I was about to start walking again, Orca continued speaking while walking quietly.
Apparently, she had more to say.
"Do you know why Kanna's hand is like that?"
"...I heard she got hurt trying to stop monsters from breaking in? Why?"
When I answered honestly, Orca paused.
"Do you really believe all that? Without any evidence?"
"I believe it because she asked me to believe her..."
Feeling intimidated by her confrontational tone, I answered meekly.
A sigh erupted from beside me.
"It seems like she doesn't have a good environment for studying at home either. She keeps lingering outside, reluctant to go home. Plus, her hand injury—it's possible someone hurt her, or she did it to herself."
Orca's sharp gaze seemed to pierce through something.
I couldn't tell if she was being perceptive or making too much of a leap.
Honestly, without asking Kanna directly, it was too early to make assumptions.
But still.
The thought that someone might have done that to her, or that she might have harmed her own hand, worried me.
If it was the former, it would be a family issue; if the latter, probably an Academy issue.
It was somewhat heartbreaking to think she might have done such a thing out of despair over her own perceived incompetence, unable to bear being looked down upon, or from profound depression.
I found myself increasingly concerned about her.
Yet I didn't want to call this feeling pity.
If she was seeking friendship and courageously trying to change, treating her with pity would only distort the relationship.
"...If that's the case, I'll clear the way for her."
This was all I could do.
I couldn't interfere in someone else's family matters, but I could at least change the atmosphere at the Academy.
Who wouldn't listen to what the Top Rank had to say?
"I knew you'd say that."
Orca chuckled.
With that laughter behind me, I recalled Kanna's expression.
Her eyes, once so sunken that you couldn't see the bottom, seemed to have gradually risen to the surface and brightened.
Had I been thinking too much about myself?
I had thought that if I excelled and took care of those around me, it would be enough, but what if I couldn't even help one friend at the Academy?
My expression suddenly furrowed.
A chill ran down my spine as the image of someone who had given up on life flashed through my mind.
"Yoon Ha-min?"
Orca seemed startled by my reaction.
"No, it's nothing."
It can't come to that.
It just can't.
*
Looking in the mirror, ivory hair and purple eyes stared back at me.
When I sighed, Kanna Aurora in the mirror sighed too.
The anxiety wouldn't go away.
Naturally, I had derailed this world's story from the beginning, and now all the information I had left was what the Mysterious Person wanted and what powers they possessed.
Well, with luck, some of my information might still be accurate.
But it was best not to count on that.
"...Hah."
Even choices that seemed good now could turn out differently later.
The story had been going well throughout, only for everything to fall apart at the very end.
That's why I was so afraid.
How much longer could I live?
If people near the Wall died, then those further in would die next, followed by inexperienced Academy students, and eventually even heroes would die.
The protagonist, Yoon Ha-min, would probably survive until the end, but others, including Orca, would all die—and I would be no exception.
If I wanted to prevent that...
Perhaps from the very beginning.
The world's destruction, plainly written behind a story where I thought at least the protagonist would be happy.
I bit my lip.
In my surrounding environment, I felt like I was rotting away, but thanks to the small changes I'd made, I could breathe a little easier.
Thinking of Yoon Ha-min and Orca who were helping me, they truly seemed like the dazzling protagonist and heroine they were.
But if I were to be greedy, I wished they would help me a little more.
Would that be possible?
Because I had acted too hastily, leaving no evidence behind, and made up excuses about wanting to see them smile without clear reasons, I doubted I had built much trust.
In truth, even if I asked for help now, I wasn't sure what kind of help to ask for.
Unless I made changes slowly without deviating from the main framework, I couldn't predict what lay ahead after having altered things from the beginning.
I didn't want to die.
And if I could live, I wanted to change this ending too.
So, to change the ending, I needed to change everything from start to finish.
To change my situation so my words would carry weight.
So that someday, when I spoke the truth, everyone would think it possible.
After leaving the restroom, I sat back down at my makeshift desk and resumed studying.
The underlines in my textbooks grew one by one, running through the lines.
I desperately hoped that both my written and practical exams would go well enough for me to escape the Bottom Rank.
Now that things had turned out this way, I was actually grateful for weekly tests.
It meant I had a chance to challenge myself once a week.
Being at the bottom meant I had nowhere to fall.
With nowhere lower to go, I could only look up and run forward.
With that positive mindset, I didn't leave my seat until the moon was full.
*
It was already Tuesday. With the exam looming, I put on my uniform and walked to the Academy, determined to work hard today as well.
Today's studies would cover tomorrow's exam material, so I couldn't afford to miss anything.
The Academy probably held weekly tests to discourage students from slacking off and hoping for lucky breaks.
I used to hate the weekly tests because it meant I had to be the Bottom Rank every week, but now I welcomed them as opportunities to turn things around.
If my efforts paid off, even if the teachers and other students didn't notice immediately, my relationship with Yoon Ha-min and Orca could improve.
I climbed the stairs with an excited heart.
But before I could finish, I saw students rushing out in droves.
"Emergency, everyone! All students in the building, come out and move to the gymnasium!"
Before I could even climb the stairs leading to the Academy building, I saw a teacher shouting at the top of their lungs from above.
While everyone was running in panic, I stared wide-eyed and groaned.
I could only see students going down the stairs, crossing the field, and heading to the gymnasium beyond.
"What's happening—"
As I looked around in alarm, someone grabbed my arm and pulled me hard.
"Kanna! Don't just stand there frozen!"
At Yoon Ha-min's shout, I found myself following him as if entranced.
My gaze wavered.
Asking "why suddenly?" would be a foolish question.
The story had been altered from the beginning, and what followed was naturally a future I couldn't know.
"...Ah."
I wondered if this was all my doing.
I worried whether I could handle the consequences.