The Academy’s Weapon Replicator

Elodie's playful remark hung in the air, leaving the entire classroom wide-eyed.

For people who constantly felt the presence of Gods, received divine power, and admired those blessed with it, her words were quite shocking.

More than anything, they were bewildered that it was Elodie, not Frondier, who uttered such a statement.

"Uh, Elodie. You're an Inies, right?" Lunia asked, surprised.

Elodie pouted at her words.

"I told you not to call me that."

"No, I mean… you're loved by the five Gods, aren't you?"

Elodie nodded lightly at Lunia's question.

"That doesn't mean I'm scared of Rudra or Indra."

"They're my friends."

Lunia, about to retort, closed her mouth. What could she say when Elodie herself, the owner of the divine power, said so?

"Besides, humanity is in danger right now. This isn't the time to be worrying about the Gods."

"…That sounds like sophistry…"

Lunia pursed her lips, her expression dubious.

Aten, who was listening, spoke up.

"Regardless of how the Gods view the current situation, I've decided to trust Mr. Frondier. The Imperial Palace will act. So will the Zodiac."

"…Did His Majesty say that?"

Sybil, who was listening, inquired.

"I haven't heard it yet, but Dad always listens to Mom. He delegated most of the authority to her anyway."

"…Then, what about Her Majesty, the Empress?"

Frondier answered again.

"Her Majesty, the Empress, always listens to Aten."

"…Isn't the hierarchy strange?"

The conversation seemed to veer off on a tangent for a moment.

Listening to the surrounding chatter, Aster Evans quietly raised his head towards the ceiling.

"…I see."

He intended to speak quietly to himself, and he did, but that small murmur drew attention.

"Manggot is coming."

Aster's presence naturally made those around him listen to his words.

The innate talent of a leader, the qualities of a hero who would lead his comrades and raise the banner of victory.

While everyone paused for a moment at his murmur, a clap echoed through the classroom.

Robald Lieff spoke in a cheerful and light voice.

"Then it can't be helped! If the Imperial Palace and the Zodiac are moving, we can't just stand still!"

His voice had the power to ignite the passion of those around him.

While everyone outwardly sighed, they were all inwardly contemplating their own roles and how they would proceed.

"…Aten, can I talk to you for a moment?"

After a brief pause, Lunia spoke to Aten.

"Edwin, about the security system…"

"Yes."

Ellen and Edwin stepped aside and began their conversation.

Assuming a large-scale attack from Manggot, they each developed their own thoughts.

Meanwhile, Frondier took a step towards Aster.

He spoke to Aster in a low voice.

"Aster, I have a favor to ask."

"What is it?"

"You know it, but you're the only one who can lead them."

"Don't burden me. They'll do well on their own even without me,"

"Aster."

Frondier said, looking at Aster who was humbly shaking his head.

His eyes were more serious than ever, and the usual languidness around him had disappeared.

"Please."

"…If you need a leader, you can do it too."

"I haven't been there for them when it mattered. When Constel was attacked, and during the field trip. I was too caught up in my own desires to look around."

"…"

"It's too much for me."

Aster was about to refute but closed his mouth.

He had many things to say, but seeing Frondier's expression, he understood his intention.

"…Alright. If you say so."

"Thank you."

Frondier's voice sounded relieved. Aster shook his head at his words.

Sybil was watching this scene.

While everyone was busy discussing their thoughts with each other, Sybil looked at Aster and Frondier with a slightly dazed expression.

'…Never been afraid….'

─I don't believe in God.

─Because I don't believe in fate.

The words that first came to Sybil's mind. Now, Sybil engraved these sentences deep within her heart.

Soon, she turned her gaze to the window.

"As expected, I have a good eye for men."

That's also thanks to my good luck.

Because I'm a child loved by fate.

'I used to think it was just an overly exaggerated, ridiculous story.'

Sybil realized her own talent.

A completely different kind from Aster, who received powerful divine power, or Elodie, who was loved by the five Gods.

'I thought I received divine power.'

Not only Sybil but everyone who saw her thought so.

Her shining talent stemmed from the power of God.

However, unlike everyone else who knew who their God was, Sybil didn't.

'Am I loved by a shy God? Or am I really just lucky?'

Or, if not that.

If Sybil's power wasn't the work of some God in charge of fate.

'…Or, am I…'

Am I a devil?

Her sunken eyes turned towards the window.

'If I wish for all the people of Manggot to die here and now…'

Would it happen? Would my fate move to help me?

And if things worked out a little better, and by chance everyone found out it was all thanks to me.

Everyone would like me, the crisis in the world would disappear, peace would come, and all of humanity would have a peaceful and comfortable happy ending.

'…Pfft. What am I talking about.'

She knew.

Her luck was limited to herself. As long as there was no direct harm to Sybil herself, her luck wouldn't activate.

'Besides, that luck didn't work on the monsters outside. No, was it ultimately lucky because Frondier was there?'

Either way.

While Sybil relied on her luck and acted like a tomboy, she almost died and Frondier was injured.

Sybil realized then.

Her luck was created by the sacrifice of someone else.

After Frondier's harsh words, as Sybil began to examine her life, she realized.

Sybil's gain meant someone else's loss, and when she placed a few grams of happiness on her scale, she realized that those few grams were taken from someone else.

'…Sigh.'

She wanted to run away.

She was afraid to fight.

She was afraid her comrades would get hurt and die instead of her.

She was afraid of being the only one alive when everyone else was dead.

She was afraid of being a problem just by being alive.

Creak, creak.

The sound of fate turning.

The sound of it being tailored to fit her.

Even though she knew it was a hallucination, it was a sound that made her feel good.

…It had been longer than she thought since Sybil suffered from insomnia.