I Pretended To Have Amnesia and the Hero’s Party Becomes Obsessed

44 – 7. Second Fragment (3)

Since childhood, I liked mirrors.

It was because of its cunning nature.

To the ugly, a mirror is exceptionally cruel, but to the beautiful, it is the greatest flatterer.

The ugly see only their ugliness in it, while the beautiful discover their superiority within.

And I was an unquestionably superior human being.

Every morning, when I woke up and looked into the mirror, there was the continent’s most beautiful woman, the Tower’s greatest genius, and a girl loved by the gods.

But how could I not approach the mirror?

The mirror was a close friend praising me every morning.

…However, recently, the mirror became a bit strange.

Of course, the reflection in the mirror is still beautiful. Even to my own eyes, it’s adorable.

But that beauty is not as flawless as before.

Somewhere, there are constantly noticeable shortcomings.

Maybe the height is too short,

or the red hair is too curly,

or the skin is too pale,

…or the chest is a bit flat.

Moreover, the mirror’s criticism didn’t limit itself to my appearance. At some point, the mirror began to criticize my choice of clothing.

Isn’t that robe too plain,

so if I quickly change into something more extravagant,

Doesn’t excessive flashy attire look ridiculous?

Doesn’t it look tacky when you frown and change into something less flashy?

It’s interfering in every little thing.

What’s even more annoying is that I can’t ignore that criticism. In the first place, I, being wise, cannot be unaware of the sharpness of that criticism.

However, when I try to turn my gaze away from the mirror to stop thinking about it, inevitably, a certain face captures my heart.

A unique impression that could kill a mouse with black hair,

A large robe that exudes composure,

And occasionally, a malicious smile that is shown.

When I recall that face, I feel my heartbeat accelerating. And unknowingly…

Nonsense!

It’s a side effect caused by excessive use of Melania solution! It’s a simple physiological reaction that cannot be called a delusion!

Who am I?

In terms of beauty, there is no one comparable on the continent,

In terms of ability, it is difficult to find someone better than me by exploring the entire history of the continent.

Even the lineage belongs to a magician family much nobler than those insignificant nobles.

That’s truly a woman who appears once in a thousand years.

But me, attracted to Lem?

That human who falls far below the minimum level of rudeness?

Nonsense, a man with verbal diarrhea and arrogance!

Of course, I also admit that his talent is real. In fact, there was a time when he even honored me by conceding the top position.

Furthermore, I won’t deny that he has outstanding features in terms of appearance. Sometimes, when he smiles, I can feel my heart melting.

In that sense, if he were to kneel before me and beg, I could consider the option of becoming lovers…

Thud!

I slammed my head against the wall as hard as I could. The pain immediately followed, but I didn’t regret it. Thanks to the pain, the nonsensical thoughts retreated a bit.

I held my cold cheek against the wall and murmured sadly.

“Don’t really make me laugh…”

***

It happened while studying at the library.

“You, do you like Lem?”

The moment Marianne spoke like that, I drew a magic circle in my mind.

It was an artwork, overlaying 7th Type Salamis amplification magic circles, stacking 12 Voyager 2nd Type 45-style spatial control magic circles, and finishing with a Sage 1st Type 2nd Style explosion magic.

In other words, it was magic that could erase Marianne from this world without leaving a trace.

However, soon I erased that magic circle from my mind.

Being a sage doesn’t mean resolving everything through violence.

Instead, I decided to solve this problem in a more prudent manner.

I gracefully but firmly countered her words, tilting my head.

“Oh, no…! Why would I… that kind of person…!”

“I see.”

However, Marianne seemed clueless about my logic, her eyes full of suspicion.

Then, with an expression of sudden enlightenment, she leaned back against the backrest of the chair.

“Well, there’s no reason not to like him, right? He’s handsome, smart, honestly, isn’t he the best among the devilish guys?”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

I found his flaws as if rebelling and put them into words.

“But, he’s shameless. Honestly, he seems lethargic about studying these days. Sometimes he even talks back to the professors, lacks basic manners… Ugh!”

I clutched my head in pain felt at the crown of my head. Glancing back, I shot a look at the culprit.

Or, that’s what I intended to do.

“Do you have to gossip in a place where there’s no one around?”

From Noble mtl dot com

“Rem…?”

Unconsciously, I avoided his gaze. However, my rebellious mouth moved without seeking my consent.

“It’s not gossip. It’s a timely truth. You haven’t been studying properly lately. You even doze off during classes sometimes.”

Not aiming for the top spot as before, I suddenly pushed Chimin’s words into my mind. A faint sadness crept into my chest.

Of course, it didn’t last long.

“Ugh!, W-why are you hitting me again!!”

“Just trying to let you know that saying someone is shameless to their face might not be a good idea.”

“You could’ve just said it!”

“Saying it might not get through to you.”

Rem said with a sly smile. It was a moment when my confidence in my decision became even stronger.

Indeed, I couldn’t like such an unlucky guy.

I am a genius of the century, the most distinct mind of this era. Yet, how could I consider such a sly person as a lover?

“Ah, and, thank you.”

Suddenly, with words lacking context, the book that had dared to invade my consciousness flew into my hands.

As I received the book unexpectedly, I realized that what he handed over wasn’t just a book but something more profound, like a gravitational force.

“Candy…?”

“I borrowed that book for you, as a gesture of gratitude.”

Only then did I realize that the book was borrowed by me on his behalf, fulfilling his request.

In the library of Matap, there is a place only accessible to those with specific qualifications. Last week, Rem had asked me to borrow a book from there.

It was a somewhat unexpected request, but I readily accepted it for two reasons.

Firstly, I had an interest in that place myself, and

Secondly, one of the qualifications to enter was the position of valedictorian at Alain Academy.

…The position that Rem was conceding to me.

In summary, the current situation was as follows:

“Well, it’s not like I did that just for you, you know?”

I extended the candy to him once again.

“So, take it back…”

However, Rem interrupted me by waving his hand. He covered my objection with a tone that seemed annoyed.

“It’s noisy, and it’s somewhat expensive. Eat it when you’re tired. Don’t do anything risky thinking you’ll stay awake.”

“It’s not risky, you know? I’ve calculated it precisely to have no adverse effects on the body…”

“Sure, you say that. Anyway, I’m leaving.”

Ignoring my words, Rem walked away to the other end of the corridor.

I was momentarily speechless due to astonishment. Only after he completely disappeared from sight did I manage to sigh.

It’s a tragedy that I can’t witness such a scene!

How can such a narrow-minded spirit be combined with such a brilliant talent!

Of course, cases where excellent talent and excellent character combine are not common.

Still, the gap between character and talent is so vast!

I lamented the tragedy of this century and made a brief comment.

“…Unfortunate, really… we don’t need this kind of thing…”

“Then, can I eat the candy?”

I looked at Marian in surprise. I spoke, flustered by the unexpected statement that assumed a certain relationship.

“Uh, huh? W-why suddenly…?”

“I crave candy.”

Craving candy is childish yet also a valid reason.

I don’t want candy, but Marianne does. So it’s only natural for me to give her candy as a friend. Clear reason dictates this.

“Oh, no…”

However, the words that came out of my mouth were completely opposite to such logical advice.

Marianne’s eyes and tongue are suspicious.

“Why?”

“Because…”

Unconsciously, my gaze turns to the candy. At the same time, his words echoed in my mind again.

[It’s noisy, and it’s quite expensive. Eat it when you’re tired. Don’t do dangerous things thinking you’ll stay awake.]

Unfortunately…

You’re worrying about me.

Suddenly, heat rushes to my face.

Shaking my head vigorously, I struggled to speak.

“Oh, anyway, no…!”

Then, an expression that seemed to have expected this crosses Marianne’s face. She folded her arms and stabbed at me with her words.

“You say you don’t like it, but you act like this?”

“…”

I wanted to refute, but I couldn’t find the right words. I just bowed my head deeply and tried to cool the heat on my face.

“Aish… Nowadays, students don’t study like they’re supposed to, they just focus on love. They say it’s a tragedy of this era…”

“S, stop it…!”

Click, the sound of laughter came from Marianne’s direction. It was followed by a playful tone.

“Well, it’s none of my business. But if you plan to date, you better act fast, you know? I mentioned it before too, but there are quite a few girls who like him.”

My shoulders jerked up. It was not a conscious action, but rather something that came out unconsciously.

And, as if Marianne sensed it, she whispered to me in a low voice.

“I know all the names of his admirers, you know.”

“…!”

I raised my head abruptly and looked at Marianne. There was a mischievous smile on her face.

“Should I tell you their names?”

…It was truly the devil’s whisper.

To the point where I could feel the word ‘yes’ itching at the back of my throat.

But I am a presence akin to the morning star of this era.

I firmly resist temptation.

“W-who cares about that…!”

And with that, I stood up from my seat and placed the books neatly into the space on the shelves.

“What? Are you going to see Rem now, at this late hour?”

“No!”

I stomped my foot. It was a risk to clearly convey my anger to her. And, in order to amplify the effect, I left without even saying goodbye.

…Well, that was the intention, at least.

Suddenly, my steps came to a stop at a thought that crossed my mind.

I hesitated, then ultimately turned back towards Marian.

“What? Weren’t you leaving? Why are you suddenly…”

“…You can have this.”

I took out another candy from my pocket and placed it on the table.

…Pretending not to see a friend’s difficulties is not the virtue of a wise person.

“Well, then…!”

And this time, I fled from the library as if running away.

.

.

.

Without a destination, my steps, which had been moving just to cool the heat on my face, stopped in a hallway.

I wiped my cooled cheek with relief and let out a sigh.

And finally, I began to vent my frustration.

Unfair, it’s completely unfair!

How could even my closest friend treat me like this! No matter how well I treated her!

This is an injustice that cannot be ignored!

If the opportunity arises next time, I will definitely clarify and dispel this terrible misunderstanding!

I absolutely do not like him…

“…?”

Suddenly, something on the floor caught my eye.

I picked it up, curious.

It was a book. Not overly worn, but definitely showing signs of rough treatment.

The leather cover was heavily worn, and most of the pages were torn.

Essentially, the book had lost its functionality.

It was more like garbage than a book.

However, instead of discarding it, I chose to examine it closely.

It didn’t seem like simple trash; there were too many signs of efforts to protect the book.

Traces of pages being carefully glued back together, marks where leather had been patched up.

Evidence that someone had valued this book.

In my haste to find the owner, I quickly scanned the book and soon found a clue.

…A somewhat peculiar clue.

“L solemnly pledges to give everything to C from today onward…?”

The moment I saw it, I knew that C was someone’s initials. And I also caught on that L meant Lamb.

The handwriting was unmistakably Lamb’s.

So, who on earth was C?

And who was the person who had taken everything from L?

An uncomfortable sensation lingered at the back of my neck.

I shook my head vigorously, shaking off the feeling.

Anyway, it seemed like the owner of the book was Lamb.

Good. I’ll return it tomorrow when I see him in class…

…

Suddenly, a thought crossed my mind, and I looked at the book again.

Now knowing the owner was Lamb, the traces of someone cherishing the book became more vivid.

How deeply does the heart of someone who has lost something precious burn?

Yes, a sage is someone who can understand the hearts of others.

…Not to mention the debt owed for the received candy.

Anyway, Lamb was always in Professor Kilian’s lab.

Determined to return the book to Lamb, I headed towards Professor Kilian’s lab.

…All the while, ignoring the questions about C that persistently prickled my heart.