I Stole the Heroines’ Tragedy Flags

Leaving behind the uncomfortable encounters,
I merged into the massive crowd heading toward the entrance ceremony hall.
I was nervous about the possibility of running into someone familiar,
but luckily, the sheer number of new students meant I was able to slip through without issue.
‘…So the entrance ceremony is finally happening.’
The day had only just begun, but I was already exhausted.
Lack of sleep was one thing, but the two encounters before this had drained me more than I expected.
I ran a hand down my face, trying to shake off my fatigue and refocus.

[…Ahem. Now, let us begin the entrance ceremony—]
A voice rang out from the front.
And with that, the long-anticipated Ella Academy entrance ceremony finally commenced.
…Or at least, that’s what I would say.
But the entrance ceremony of this academy was just as boring as any other.
Even in the continent’s most prestigious academy, no one could escape this sentiment.

Sure, this was my first time at an academy, my first time experiencing an entrance ceremony.
But back when I worked as an adventurer, I had met plenty of Ella Academy graduates,
and all of them had said the same thing:
‘Damn, time’s crawling by.’
In the game, the first time experiencing this scene wasn’t so bad.
But after replaying the introduction over and over, I had gotten into the habit of skipping it entirely.
Even though I had expected this, sitting here listening to a meaningless formal ceremony made me want to yawn.
Especially the Vice Headmistress’s speech, which droned on and on like a lullaby.

If the Headmaster I met yesterday had been the one giving the speech,
she would have cut it short with a single sentence out of sheer laziness.
Not that she was anywhere to be seen—she hadn’t even shown up for the ceremony.
"…Haaam."
They say humans are creatures of adaptation.
Apparently, that doesn’t apply to boredom.

[—That concludes my speech.]
If you are reading this translation anywhere other than .net or SilkRoadTL, it has been stolen.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the Vice Headmistress’s turn ended.

Waaah—! Clap, clap, clap!!
The thunderous applause snapped me out of my thoughts.
Judging by the students’ reactions, it seemed as if she had given some incredible speech.
—"It’s finally over?!"
—"This was worse than the entrance exam…"
—"Hallelujah!!"
—"…Snore—"

…Yeah, no.
It was just relief-fueled applause.
One guy had even fallen asleep while standing.
I glanced around at the murmuring students before turning my attention back to the woman standing on stage—
the one responsible for the longest, most tedious speech of my life.
‘This is my first time seeing the Witch.’
A cursed species, rarely mentioned outside of old records.
Her pale, porcelain-like skin gave her an almost ethereal beauty.
She had lost that charm after droning on for so long,
but at the start, many students had been enamored by her looks.
…They’d probably collapse in shock if they knew her real age.

The Vice Headmistress was now wrapping up the ceremony.
Technically, it was supposed to be the Headmaster’s job,
but the dragon I had met yesterday never showed up for official events.
So the Vice Headmistress took her place instead.
In reality, she was Ella Academy’s acting Headmistress.
The illusion was so strong that many people across the continent mistakenly believed she was the real one.
Even the students here probably assumed she was the true Headmistress.
The title "Dragon’s Nest" might have been literal,
but to most Imperial citizens, it was just a nickname.
No one actually believed that dragons still existed in this world.

A long, long time ago, before the empire was even founded—
Dragons, once considered the most noble beings, had mysteriously vanished.
Completely wiped out.
‘…Wait. That doesn’t add up.’
Only the Imperial Family knew the truth about the Headmaster’s identity.
But the moment I mentioned special admission, she had realized that I knew her secret.

A random, insignificant nobody had figured out the existence of dragons.
—"…Special admission? It’s impressive you even know about that."
Yet after a brief moment of curiosity, she had dropped the subject entirely.
She hated revealing her identity—
so much so that she had personally warned the Imperial Family never to expose her.

Then why had she just let it go with me?
The Emperor’s request aside, this was an entirely different matter.
‘…I should ask her later.’
I pushed the thought aside.
There was no point in lingering on a mystery I couldn’t solve right now.

Anyway, back to the Vice Headmistress.
Since the Headmaster couldn’t be bothered to do her job,
the Vice Headmistress handled most of the administrative work.
Though, to be fair—
‘If anything, it’s the opposite.’

I already felt it firsthand yesterday, but the headmaster is never lazy, even if she does find things bothersome.
After all, the work the vice headmaster is doing is something he took on voluntarily. That’s because the headmaster is simply too busy.
The period when new students enter the academy is when its security is at its weakest.
That’s why dealing with those who try to infiltrate with impure intentions is one of the bothersome tasks the headmaster personally handles.

Even in the game, this was evident—Ella Academy has many enemies.
Despite being a neutral academy unaffiliated with any particular faction, its influence on the empire was far from insignificant.
That naturally meant incidents happened frequently.
Things like ensuring the safety of new students or dealing with spies who sneak into the academy.
And right now, the headmaster was probably busy taking care of those problems.
Because she exists to protect everything within Ella Academy.
[ Now, we will have an address from the student council president to encourage the new students. ]

Hearing that, I spotted someone stepping onto the stage.
The sight of that pure white hair made my heart sink, just like when I had faced Seria earlier.
[ Ah, ah? Ahem! Hello, new students! I’m Aria, a second-year student, and, though it may be more than I deserve, I currently serve as the student council president! ]
A bright and cheerful introduction filled the auditorium.
Her voice alone was warm and comforting.

[ I sincerely congratulate all of you on your admission—
—That’s all! I hope you all have a wonderful time at the academy! ]
Her speech ended more quickly than I had expected.

"Wooaaah—!!"
Cheers erupted once again.
It wasn’t just because she finished speaking so quickly.
A beautiful girl with pure white hair, warmly smiling as she welcomed the new students—who wouldn’t like that?

Of course, the vice headmaster was also an incredible beauty, but his speech had lasted over thirty minutes.
Besides, Aria had already been immensely popular even before enrolling in the academy.
The Saint of the Sun, Aria.
As the chosen representative of the sun god, Iris, she was practically a radiant light herself.
‘…That saint is still the same as ever.’

With an emotion that made it difficult to smile, I took in her figure.
And I waited.
If this was the same as in the game, I would soon see two more familiar faces.
[ Finally, we will now have the new student oath. ]
[ The top-ranking freshman, Ren Aizel. The runner-up, Ron Aizel. Please come forward. ]
Two familiar figures appeared on stage alongside Aria.
A short-haired man with ash-gray hair and a long-haired woman.

The first people I met in this world, my first connections and also my first enemies.
Joy? Nostalgia? Guilt?
As I looked at them again after so long, a complex, indescribable emotion stirred within me.
One thing was certain—they did not harbor any good feelings toward me.

‘…If Ren really sees me, she might just kill me on the spot.’
Ren Aizel.
The character I first played in the game.
Among the ten playable characters, the one I had invested the most time in.
A genius unparalleled, chosen by the power of the Hero.
Despite not even reaching adulthood, she had built an untouchable reputation and countless achievements as an adventurer.
Just like the other heroes mentioned in history, she walked the path of greatness, a truly one-of-a-kind existence.

And now, just like in the game, she never failed to take the top position.
And what about Ron Aizel, standing beside her?
A prodigy among mages, possessing talent unparalleled in the entire history of magic.
A talent capable of reaching the 10th Circle, a height even Elmasiel had never attained.
He, too, had never failed to secure second place.

Neither of the twin siblings ever fell behind.
Looking at the reactions around them, they were admired by everyone.
People believed without a doubt that after graduating from the academy, their names would be engraved in history forever.
‘…But they all died.’

And not just the two of them.
All ten playable characters.
And beyond them, countless others connected to their fates.
During the four years at the academy, every single one of them perished without exception.

It had always been that way in the game.
A hero defeating the demon king and bringing peace?
That kind of story belonged in fairy tales.
This game was nothing more than a tragedy simulator, where players could only watch as characters struggled desperately to survive, trying in vain to escape death.

And in the five years that I played this game, I had never once managed to save any of them.
Even as I neared the end of my own terminally ill life, I couldn’t do it.
But it had been fine back then.
Because back then, it was just a game.

‘…That’s not the case anymore.’
Now, everything was real.
There were no retries, no do-overs—just a single life, a single attempt.

In this world, where the deaths of everyone and the collapse of the world were inevitable…
I had to save them.