Chapter 20 Dive into the Mirror World! Alys Magic Academy Entrance Exam Begins!
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! The alarm keeps shrieking, hammering through the sky above Regain’s capital outskirts.
”Seriously? What’s the deal with this noise?” I mutter, rubbing my ears. “It’s like the city’s having a meltdown.”
A distorted voice booms: “That counterfeit magic carriage on Scarlet Street—halt immediately! Why are you traveling with monsters?”
Another shouts, “Didn’t you hear me?! Stop now or you’ll be tossed in jail!”
And a third one, overly polite, “Please surrender peacefully! Failure to comply will result in major criminal charges~!”
I sigh. “Man, the royal guards must be bored outta their minds if they’ve got time to chase our bootleg carriage.” I flick the reins at Gōbu-kun. “No offense, buddy, but we don’t exactly look like trouble.”
”GōbuGōbu?” he burbles, skin glinting faintly green under his immaculate butler’s suit.
”Yeah, right? How’d they even see through our disguise?”
”Gōbuuuuu!”
”Totally! We nailed that look! A perfect gentleman and his totally innocent carriage crew—”
”G…Gōbuu////”
I grin. “Oh, don’t blush, you dork. You’ve been handsome since last year.”
”G…Gōbuuuu?! Ggōbuu////”
”‘It’s not like I’m embarrassed or anything, dummy’? Oh wow, you actually learned tsundere lines?”
He groans: “Gōbuuuu…”
”Let me guess—Lala-chan again, huh? Practicing her ‘mass at my hidden base’ act? That girl’s chaos personified.”
Suddenly, a faint telepathic static buzzes: You rang, Shin-sa—zzzz…
”Ah crap,” I mutter. “Almost pulled her in through the teleport link between Reincarnation Base and Honorius again.”
Note to self: always lock down weird girls before they start a cosmic pandemic.
”Stop! Suspicious carriage, halt!” someone yells again.
Another, breathless: “Wait—hold that thing!”
”Where’s the royal vanguard?!”
See, this always happens when I leave the city. Ever since we blasted out through the border checkpoint, it’s been one chase after another. Even with recognition-inhibiting masks, somehow, somehow they keep spotting us.
First off—driver: my man Gōbu, looking killer in his butler suit.
”Gobuuu////” (Translation: Blushing intensifies.)
Then there’s Red-kun, our horse A—massive, fiery, and one temper tantrum away from turning a whole town into ash.
”LaLalaLala!!”
”Master, can I burn them yet? …No? Right, morals, sorry.”
”Grooarrr!!” roars Uru-kun, our wolf-blooded horse B. Always itching for a fight. “They’re rude to you, Master! Let’s hunt them now!”
And finally, reins handler and sentient slime, Sura-chan—oozing elegance and mild threat.
”Nyruruu～♪”
She hums, ‘Wanna spawn more down in the sewers.’ Creepy? Maybe. Efficient? Definitely.
From the outside, our carriage should look perfectly noble. Yet the guards keep multiplying like slimes on caffeine. City life sure is a weird beast.
”STOP THAT RUNAWAY CARRIAGE!” someone howls behind us, voice cracking.
I glance back. “What are those guys even yelling? Sounds like a money-hungry detective out of some old drama.”
”GōbuGōbu?!”
”Yeah, yeah, I see ’em—the whole cavalry’s coming. Fire dragons, heal-horses, soldiers. Don’t sweat it, Gōbu-kun. We totally look like a Crusé family carriage, remember? The royal guards hate those guys.”
He mutters: “Gōbu Gōbu…”
I laugh. “Oh stop, you flatter me—calling me the worst kind of friend again, huh? I’ll take it.”
”Gōbu!!”
”So yeah,” I said, flicking a rune card. “Once we reach the rear garden at Alys Magic Academy, I’ll open a gate linked straight to Seyfried Territory. Then you guys can visit the capital anytime.”
”Gōbuuu! Gōbuuuu!”
”Oh, really? You’ll make it in time for the northern front?” I grin. “What’s going on up north—some kind of food fight?”
”Gōbu…Gōbuu…Gōbu Gōbu!!”
I translate automatically: “Ah, the north’s in total chaos—new Demon Lord versus the old one, dragons, militarists, and the Empress’s empire all crashing in. Basically, the Age of Carnage 2.0.” I chuckle nervously. “Guess everyone’s busy these days, huh?”
Gōbu nods solemnly. He actually explains marriage politics through nothing but monster syllables. The dude’s a genius. “You’re planning to unify the territories by marrying the new Demon Lord and the old one’s daughter, huh? Yeah… good luck with that.“
”Gōbuu!”
”Oh sure, sure. ‘For my best bro Shin, I’ll conquer the whole north and give him a tour’? You’re too kind, pal. But hey—brace yourself, we’re entering the academy’s mirror maze.”
”Gōbu?”
”Yeah, that one—Alys’s Maze Garden. Right through there.”
* * *
”Stop right there!” “We’ve cornered them! The runaway carriage!” “They’re rats in a sack now!”
”Regain Royal Army, encircle and capture the fugitives!”
”Yes, Commander Nerica of the Knight Order!”
”Then—CHARGE!!”
A unified shout: “OHHHHH!!”
…and then—silence.
”Wha—? A dead end?!”
”The carriage vanished!”
”There’s nothing but trees?”
──────
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──
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* * *
(Small alternate world: The Mirror Realm)
”Hohohon! Indeed—that’s the Honorius Oathbook, no mistake! Holding that, you’re untouchable. Too bad for us! Off you go, safely now.”
”Much obliged,” I say, bowing slightly.
Up above, perched like royalty, sits a red-and-black cat with a grin too wide for comfort.
”Shin-kun… where are we?” Alexia clings to my sleeve.
”The reverse side, Alexia. Stay close, okay? Folks from this world might just snatch you up.”
She gulps. “O-okay! I’m holding tight!”
The cat flicks its tail lazily. “And you—boy. How did you learn the entry route to this place? Who exactly are you?”
Its eyes gleam like twin rubies, distrust shimmering. I still remember hating this boss fight back in the game days.
”I cleared the whole thing,” I say with a shrug. “And I still remember your lines, Trickster Cat. See ya around.”
”Bzzz!!” The mirror ripples as the world shifts again.
Alexia and I step forward, emerging through silver air—
—and find ourselves inside Alys Magic Academy.
Behind us, the cat’s voice echoes faintly: “Strange… enemies turned friends so easily? Has that sorcery geezer Merlin meddled again? Oh-ho-ho…” And then it fades like smoke.
* * *
(Alys Magic Academy Rear Building)
”GōbuGōbu～!”
”Yeah, I’ve set the gate here. You guys can come anytime you like now. See ya, everyone!”
”Gōbuu～!” “LaLala～!” “Woof!” “Nyuru~!”
The monsters wave before stepping through the gate I made, shimmering like liquid glass, back toward Seyfried Territory.
Now, anyone I authorize can move freely between Alys and Seyfried. Pretty neat, right?
”Yessir! We’re inside Alys Academy grounds now, ssu~! Time to cut loose, ssu!”
That, of course, is Master Raichi—our resident disaster of a human—who promptly crawls out from the Honorius tome and dives into a sewer drain like it’s their home. I wince. “Tragic.”
”Yes… Master Raichi, our deal’s complete. You escorted us here, and I freed you within Alys Academy grounds.”
They pop their head from the sewer grate, grinning like a wet rat. “Aye-ssu, so we’re strangers now, huh, my dear apprentice?”
The scene hits me with déjà vu—like that horror flick where a creepy clown whispers from a drain. Except, somehow, my version’s worse because the clown’s real and drooling over gold.
I crouch, drop a pouch full of coins by the gutter. “Take it. Living expenses.”
Their eyes light up. “Wha—so much?! You serious, boss-ssu?”
”Dead serious. Take it, Raichi.” I smile faintly. “Cheap price for cutting ties with my dear, underperforming master.”
They snatch the pouch, drool stringing from their grin like molten silver. “Heh! Then I’ll buy the key from the painting’s warden and strike it rich-ssu! Later, brat—SHUUU!” And with that, they’re gone, slithering into darkness.
Wait—painting’s warden? That wasn’t in the game. Oh no.
”Raichi—wait!” I yell, but the only thing left is the gold pouch, abandoned on the stones. “Did they just… leave the money? Or did they cast some theft magic? Unreal.”
Before I can dwell on it—
”Shin-sama, I’ve finished the admission paperwork! What should I do next?”
I turn. “Meryu-chan? Oh right—you’ve been cooped up in Honorius for three days.”
She pouts. “Why the formal talk? Normally you’re all insults and thunder.”
I sigh. “Just… go hang out with Layla-chan, alright? You may be useless as a maid, but you’re unbeatable in combat.”
She bursts out laughing. “Pffft! That’s rich—wait, what did you just call me?!”
”Go. Or it’s butt-spanking time.”
”Eek! No, not that! I’ll guard her properly, promise!”
”Good. She’s probably terrified right now, being called by the faculty.”
Meryu grins, softer this time. “You actually think about other people, huh, Master? Color me impressed.”
I arch a brow. “Something you’d like to share?”
”Nope! Just saying I lucked out in the master lottery. Off I go!” She darts away, waving. “See ya, butt-spanker!”
”Yeah, yeah—try not to trip over your own feet, you disaster of a maid!”
Her indignant cry echoes down the hall. “Why am I the ‘disaster’ one?!”
I can’t help but laugh. “Classic.”
Moments later—
”Shin-kun!” Alexia’s voice rings across the courtyard. She’s sprinting, papers flapping, smile radiant.
Then—
THUD! CREAK! CRUNCH! She slams into me like a missile, arms locking tight. “I finished registration!”
”Yeah, I noticed—ack—Alexia—lungs—” I wheeze. Luna warned me about this: once Alexia hugs you, it’s game over. My spine protests, but hey—pain’s temporary, affection’s eternal.
Two women approach from behind, bowing deeply. “Shin-sama, thank you for bringing us safely.” / “On behalf of the Churidince household, we are grateful.”
I nod. “Of course. Alexia’s precious to me.”
I straighten, meeting their eyes. “Now then… let’s head to the exam hall. Sounds like half the continent showed up for this year’s test.”
And just like that, we step toward the future—our new beginning under Alys’s mirrored skies.
Notes:
• Uru – The wolf.
• Sura – The slime.
• Nerica – The Commander of the Regain Royal Army Knight Order who leads the pursuit of Shin’s suspicious, runaway carriage. She orders her forces to “encircle and capture the fugitives” just before Shin uses the Mirror Realm to make a clean escape.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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