As if confirming my suspicions, a quest window popped up at that very moment.

[Forced relocation by ‘???’ confirmed. You have arrived at the designated location.]

Damn it, there was a similar episode in the original work, but this is way too early! These kids are all still fledglings!

“Grrrr……”

“Eeeek!”

“A-ah, mo… monsters! Professor, behind you…!”

A chill ran down my spine.

The thick killing intent made every hair on my body stand on end, but I couldn’t turn around. In that moment, an ominous premonition washed over me—something was about to pounce.

What I heard at my ear wasn’t simply the breathing of a beast.

My body froze solid.

Am I… going to die?

‘No, get a grip. No matter how much this is just a roleplay, I’m a professor. I have kids I’m responsible for!’

I took a deep breath to keep from losing my reason and glared at the glowing blue window before me.

‘The countdown wasn’t ticking down for nothing. She knew this would happen all along. Damn it!’

Click.

[Time Remaining: 23:59:59]

As if mocking me, the time ticked down.

[Monsters Subjugated: 0/50]

The quest had begun.

* * *

I’m terrified.

I’ve already died once, but that’s precisely why it’s even more frightening.

I know exactly how painful it is when your body breaks apart. I still remember the despair I felt then.

But……

‘What would Chris do in this situation?’

Right now, I am ‘Chris Dotten.’ A grand mage who has cut down countless people, let alone monsters.

Why would she fear some monster opening its jaws and approaching now?

No! Don’t be ridiculous. It wouldn’t even qualify as trash—just a flat-out nuisance.

To ‘Chris,’ this situation wouldn’t even qualify as child’s play. She might even see it as an opportunity to test her students. Anyone who’d crumble at this level of unexpected adversity would be better off going home immediately.

I lifted just one corner of my mouth into a relaxed smirk. Please don’t twitch.

……Good. I can feel my breathing stabilizing quickly.

Unlike other Transmigrator seniors, I don’t have any mental-related skills, but I am a Roleplay Addict. That means I’m confident in total immersion.

‘Properly immersed roleplay-acting is indistinguishable from the real thing!’

I braced my core and shouted.

“You fools! Have you already forgotten why you came here?”

“……!”

Everyone’s shock was brief; the Princess, standing closest to me, contorted his face.

“Wait… Are you seriously saying we should do practical training in this situation? You’re joking, right?! Do you even know what’s behind you right now—”

At that moment, the Model Student cut in brilliantly.

“I see, understood! Angelina! The professor is saying she’ll handle the boss monster herself, so we should fall back and deal with these rampaging horned rabbits! I’ll take the lead!”

Truly befitting a character whose nickname was ‘The Interpretation Outshines the Dream.’ Even when ‘Chris’ spews garbage, he reads it perfectly! Bravo.

“So the students are in charge of mob duty? Heh, what a terrible personality~ It’d be a real problem if you don’t give us instructions on how to fight.”

Even while grumbling, Twin-braid took a proper combat stance, and the Princess bit his lip, alternating his gaze between me and the swarm of mobs approaching.

In response, I shot him a displeased look loaded with the message: ‘How dare you worry about me? The audacity.’

In the end, the winner of this staring contest was the Roleplay Addict.

“……Haa, fine! You must have your reasons, Professor. I’ll trust you’re not the kind of person who’d endanger students for a reckless stunt! 『Frost Spear』!”

And immediately, he summoned a sharp ice spear and joined the mob subjugation.

“Leave support to me. Tell me right away if you get hurt!”

Next, the Healer naturally stepped into her supporter position.

“Just this once, please… F-Flame…!”

Last was the Protagonist, squeezing out every last ounce of strength he had, determined not to be a burden.

‘Good job, kids!’

[Monsters Subjugated: 3/50]

I clenched my fist as I watched the number begin to climb.

A thought flashed through my mind—what if the kids got hurt or died like this?

‘These are all party members who stay with the Protagonist until the very end. Even if it’s early on, they’re fundamentally overpowered.’

Why worry about kids several times stronger than me? And aside from the one behind me, these aren’t particularly high-difficulty monsters either.

If push comes to shove, the ultimate weapon will handle it on its own.

The moment I felt relieved, a breath-stopping sound reached me.

“Grrrk, grrrrk.”

Drip. Viscous saliva dripped onto the bridge of my nose and trickled down.

……Haha, insane. My hands are trembling even though I was prepared. I’m really standing right in front of a beast’s jaws.

I absolutely can’t bring myself to look behind.

It’ll hurt when the fangs pierce through, won’t it? What if things don’t go as I planned?

I’d rather just faint. Forget total immersion or whatever—this is literally a life-or-death situation now.

Running was never an option from the start. It was precisely because I stayed still and let it come to me that the students were safe.

Above all, my legs had long since frozen solid and refused to move.

‘So you’re sacrificing yourself? I’m about to lose my mind wanting to live, and you’re joking?’

I simply made a choice.

There’s a chance of survival even if eaten by a monster. But failing the quest means certain death.

In that case, isn’t choosing the former obviously the wiser option?

“……Professor?”

Hey, Protagonist. You should be finishing off monsters—why are you looking this way?

I wanted to click my tongue and act fine, but the monster’s jaws snapped shut faster.

In an instant, my vision went dark—

And I was swallowed down through its scorching throat.

* * *

Someone died right before my eyes.

Again.

Why? Because I’m weak? Because I’m useless, a piece of trash who can’t even kill a single monster?

Because of me.

The moment he realized this, Michael’s heart began to pound as if screaming.

“No. No, Professor.”

“Michael, wait…!”

Bell stopped casting her healing magic and grabbed Michael’s arm tightly. But Michael’s eyes were fixed on the massive monster’s jaws, unable to move.

I have to pry that open somehow. She was just swallowed, so if I get her out quickly, she’ll be fine.

So I have to hurry.

“Let go, Bell. The Professor—the Professor is right there.”

“…You know it’s useless even if you go.”

Bell was a girl who always acted like everyone’s older sister.

She had smiled kindly at him from the very first day of enrollment, even though he was pathetic.

But that same girl now continued with a look on her face like she might burst into tears, her voice resolute.

“The Professor… The Professor did it for us. A large monster like that becomes sluggish once it’s full.”

“No.”

“Michael…”

“Bell, your specialty is healing magic. Right? Maybe you could do it? If we get her out right now and heal her—”

“…I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

Bell hung her head. Michael felt as though the world had suddenly slowed to a crawl.

Just yesterday, he had grabbed Chris as she was leaving the classroom and spoken to her.

“What is it.”

“I-I’m sorry. Professor… I know I’m not qualified yet, I know I’m still lacking too much, but…”

“Get to the point.”

“Ah! Y-yes! I… I want to become stronger. Strong enough to bear all of that resolve! H-How should I… go about doing that…”

Michael had been prepared to be laughed at. Chris was never a kind teacher, after all.

But she—

“You will become stronger.”

She had told him that.

She acknowledged the potential in Michael that no one else had ever believed in.

That was why Michael wanted to give his all in today’s practical exercise. He wanted to truly become stronger and prove to the world that Chris’s judgment had been right.

But reality was devastatingly cold.

“Tch, she had to go and play the hero all by herself. Since it’s come to this, it’ll be faster to carve a path and escape on our own. Come on, help me out~!”

“I’ll take the vanguard…! Everyone who can move, follow me! Light the way, 『Sunrise』!”

“…I’ll cover you, 『Frost Wind』.”

Screech, screech!

The rampaging horned rabbits with blood-red eyes collapsed with raucous shrieks.

‘Strong’ was a word that suited them, not him. He was overwhelmed just trying to tag along behind them.

‘I’m dead weight.’

If someone had to be devoured, it should have been him. It should have been the most useless, weakest one—himself.

Not the innocent professor, not his own mother.

‘And yet I’m still alive.’

Something broke inside Michael. His limp, hanging shoulders heaved.

“Gasp, hic, gasp…”

“Michael? Michael, are you okay?”

“Heh, hic…”

He felt like every drop of blood in his body was boiling madly. His head spun, and he couldn’t breathe properly.

Was he having a panic attack? No, this was something different. Michael could vaguely sense it.

– Do you desire power, Michael?

Something that had been hiding within his chest since a very long time ago—

– Come, take my hand now. Let us become monsters.

—was about to reveal itself—

“…All X-Class members, halt. Are you running away now? It seems you still can’t see the monsters swarming all around you, can you?”

…Was it about to?