This Novel is not my Novel

Only two weeks had passed since the special Awakened class was formed.

Facing a Boss Monster with the other students alone, while the original protagonist—their core fighting force—was effectively absent, could never have been easy.

It was inevitable that they would all become exhausted before long.

I wanted to prevent this, but it ended up happening anyway...

A bitter taste spread through my mouth.

At last, Reisir's eyes snapped open.

He swept his gaze over the Boss Monster's entire body with the silver eye he always kept concealed, then stepped out from behind Ríolíkin, who had been protecting him.

The spear clutched tightly in his hands brimmed with dazzling silver light.

Sensing the ominous power, the Boss Monster launched its fist at Reisir to eliminate the threat.

A broad smile curved across his lips at the sight.

It was as though this was exactly what he had been waiting for.

He showed no sign of tension despite the enormous mass of rock hurtling directly toward him.

No, he had no reason to be tense in the first place.

His physical abilities allowed him to cover a considerable distance in a single bound with nothing more than a light push off the ground.

The original protagonist easily evaded the flying boulder, leaped high, and landed atop it.

The Boss Monster's fist returned to its original position the next moment.

Reisir used the creature's uneven arm, formed from rocks of every size, as an uphill path and raced along it.

He moved so quickly that the Boss Monster could not even react.

In the blink of an eye, Reisir reached the Boss Monster's shoulder.

Without hesitation, he drove his spear beneath his feet. It was so saturated with silver energy that it had grown nearly twice as long.

Every movement flowed so naturally and smoothly that I almost wondered whether he and the Boss Monster had rehearsed the sequence together.

Crack!

Something hard shattered.

At the same moment, the rock-bodied Boss Monster came to an abrupt halt like a stone statue.

Everyone who had been running frantically around it also stopped in their tracks.

Silence descended, and every gaze converged on the original protagonist.

Rumble...

The Boss Monster's body began collapsing from its extremities, farthest from where Reisir had driven in his spear.

Rocks large and small crashed down upon one another.

Some shattered from the impact. Others rolled away, while still others piled atop one another to form a vast mound of stone.

Last of all, the boulder concealing the power core settled at the very top.

Standing imposingly with both hands gripping the spear embedded in it, Reisir looked like a conqueror planting his flag upon conquered land.

Even the gray veil covering the sky parted at the perfect moment, allowing dazzling sunlight to pour through.

As I looked up at the original protagonist standing high above us with the sun at his back, I found myself overwhelmed despite myself.

The scene before my eyes was simply too majestic.

A protagonist truly is a protagonist...

I couldn't help being reminded of that fact all over again.

Even I, who knew perfectly well that the original author had gone to great lengths to stage the scene so their protagonist would stand out, felt my heart stir.

If this was enough to affect me, how much more must it have affected everyone else?

They must be gazing up at the original protagonist in awe.

The answer was obvious even without looking, but I still tried to tear my eyes away from Reisir to confirm it myself.

At that moment, the original protagonist suddenly whipped his head toward me.

Perhaps because I had felt so overwhelmed by him only moments ago, my body stiffened reflexively when our eyes met.

Before I could carry out my plan to check everyone else's reactions, his gaze held mine captive.

Then a bright, innocent smile spread across Reisir's face.

His pride was written plainly across it.

All traces of his earlier majesty vanished, leaving behind nothing but childlike innocence.

I can't believe I felt intimidated by the protagonist of someone else's novel...

Belatedly embarrassed for no real reason, I jerked my head away.

I shouldn't have.

Because of that, I failed to notice the protagonist of someone else's novel leap down from the mound of rock and run straight toward me.

Unable to dodge in time, I was seized in his arms.

"W-What do you think you're doing...?!"

"Karvaldr, you're a genius!!"

I shouted in alarm, only for the protagonist of someone else's novel to drown me out with that baffling declaration.

"I already knew how extraordinary your insight was, but I never imagined it was this incredible! You're amazing! I'm genuinely impressed! You really are the best! How did such a blessing ever come rolling into my life?!"

It wasn't enough for him to charge at me and pull me into an embrace without warning. Now he was pouring out a torrent of incomprehensible words.

To make matters worse, everything he said was mortifyingly embarrassing.

I had no idea why I had to be held as though captured by the protagonist of someone else's novel while listening to this.

My mind was in utter chaos.

"W-Wait, wait...! J-Just let me go first..."

"I gained a new skill!!"

"......What?"

I had been about to demand that the protagonist of someone else's novel stop clinging to me like a leech when those unexpected words burrowed into my ears.

I even stopped struggling to push him away and had no choice but to ask:

"You... gained a new skill...?"

"Yes, yes!! And it's all thanks to you!!"

I had naturally assumed that his understanding of 【Truth-Reading Eye】 had improved enough to satisfy the conditions for unlocking a "targeting" function.

But he had gained a "new skill," and it was all thanks to me?

I not only failed to understand what he meant, but found it deeply bewildering.

"No, I mean... How...?"

"I simply followed your advice faithfully."

What advice had I given him?

Hadn't I merely pressured him to succeed somehow?

As I blinked in confusion, Reisir spoke in a puzzled voice.

"Why are you so surprised? You were certain I could do it."

"Well... I was, but... I don't think you should say that gaining a new skill was thanks to me...?"

"Pahahaha!"

I had merely said it wasn't when it truly wasn't.

Yet the protagonist of someone else's novel burst into laughter before adding quietly, "You're as modest as ever, aren't you?"

Apparently it really was true that he had gained a new skill by faithfully following my advice.

"I'll tell you all the details later, when we're alone."

While I was still feeling completely dumbfounded, the protagonist of someone else's novel whispered those words into my ear.

Just as he had told me about 【Truth-Reading Eye】, he apparently intended to explain every detail of the skill he had just acquired.

I was certainly grateful for that, but...

"Let go of me first! How long do you intend to keep holding on to me?!"

"Hahahaha!!"

Earlier, he had refused to budge no matter how much I struggled, simply pouring out everything he wanted to say.

This time, although he laughed loudly, he released me without resistance.

The emotions that had surged uncontrollably through him during our conversation must finally have settled.

So if I want to detach the protagonist of someone else's novel when he latches on without permission, I need to calm him down first...?

I was engraving that rather obvious lesson into my mind when a distinctly displeased third party spoke.

"I could scarcely determine when I ought to intervene and separate the two of you... I am truly grateful that you finally saw fit to part of your own accord."

Contrary to her words, Fjodora's face did not contain so much as 0.01 grams of gratitude.

Only incredulity was clearly visible.

"It appears that the two of you share a far closer and more intimate relationship than I had imagined."

Fjodora put her bow into her Inventory, straightened her clothing, and spoke with an elegant smile.

Given the circumstances, she was clearly being sarcastic, but...

"That's what she says."

The protagonist of someone else's novel turned to me with an extremely satisfied expression and spouted that nonsense.

It was utterly absurd.

If I remained silent, it would appear that I also agreed we were close.

I hurriedly opened my mouth to deny it.

"W-What...?! We are not!"

"Not? You knew not only about the silver Ether Reisir had concealed, but even its attribute. Reisir, meanwhile, knew about the buff skills you had yet to reveal."

"Th-That is..."

"As though repeatedly clinging to one another to flaunt your closeness were not enough, you whispered together and shared secrets that only the two of you knew. Yet you still dare claim otherwise."

There was no closeness between us to flaunt in the first place.

Apparently, that was not how it appeared to everyone else.

"There are circumstances behind how this came about! It was not because Reisir and I are particularly close..."

"I did not ask how the two of you came to share your secrets."

I tried to explain that Reisir and I were not especially close, but Fjodora's expression hardened as she cut me off.

The absurd misunderstanding that I was flaunting my friendship with the protagonist of someone else's novel must have grown so deep that she could no longer take my denial at face value.

Perhaps she had simply assumed I was about to begin boasting about our friendship.

This is so unfair...!

Oblivious to my feelings...

No, pretending not to understand them despite knowing perfectly well, the protagonist of someone else's novel lightly patted my back as though comforting me and joined the conversation.

"Are you questioning us because we failed to report abilities that could prove useful in conquering the Demon Realm, Your Highness?"

I wanted nothing more than to kick the protagonist of someone else's novel.

But the atmosphere abruptly grew heavy after what he had just said, preventing me from doing so.

"Hmm. That was not what I meant. However, if that is how you interpreted my attitude, perhaps it is because something deep within your heart troubles your conscience."

In other words, she was retorting, "So you knew you shouldn't have concealed your abilities?"

She had effectively declared us guilty.

Judging by the political side revealed in Fjodora's attitude, she must have concluded that this matter required strict handling here and now.

If she let it pass lightly, other students might continue concealing their abilities in the future. That could prevent them from forming a sound strategy and cause them to lose even battles they should have been able to win.