Surviving as a Trash Bard in a Game

In the rattling wagon, there was no room for silence to settle.

This was because Selina, who felt a prick of conscience somewhere, hurriedly brought up new topics whenever the atmosphere became heavy.

The fact that the journey to the capital was delayed due to her forced slumber made her carefully watch Skyler's reactions.

Mages were beings who delicately handled the threads of time and space, rules and promises.

Their plans followed the same pattern.

Even though Skyler had lost his heart and become a half-mage, his essence had not changed.

After Selina woke up, his expression took on a strange light, and Selina's interpretation of it as anger was not far off. It was simply a different kind of anger.

"Where is the next city?"

"It would probably be best to go down along the coast."

Skyler's answer was as cold as winter frost.

No matter how you looked at it, he was clearly saying, 'I'm angry.'

I responded to his words as if nothing was wrong.

"Really?"

"There's also a way to go straight down from the northern region, but the roads aren't well maintained, and there are no big cities to stop by along the way."

"Why?"

"Cities near the coast or water sources naturally prosper. It's common sense."

"Are you angry?"

"No. Have I had any reason to be angry lately?"

Skyler's words were as sharp as icicles, and his furrowed brow seemed as if he was deliberately trying to pick a fight.

'No, you're definitely angry! You had a reason to be angry recently!'

He wasn't even answering the question properly, just going on about roads and logic.

If he was angry, he should just say so. It would be better to just shout and let it out than this atmosphere of sitting on pins and needles. It's not like I wanted to sleep!

...Even if I thought this, if Skyler asked, 'Then why did you sleep?' I had no way to excuse myself.

'No, I could honestly say it's because of the status window... but I'd be treated like a mental patient. I know about narcolepsy, but I've never slept that long before.'

What would happen if, in a medieval world, someone suddenly fell into a sleep they couldn't wake up from, or said something invisible was cursing them, or that they saw strange things?

Unfortunately, this world was not a simple medieval setting, so there were no witch burnings.

Most of the things witches could do could also be done by alchemists or mages. In the first place, the term "witch" was merely a pronoun for a female mage.

Let's change the question a bit more specifically.

What would happen if someone in a medieval fantasy world said they saw strange things? Something special that others couldn't see.

The answer was that they would be taken to the Magic Tower as a test subject.

'Even just from the examples Skyler casually mentioned during conversations, it's openly a criminal organization. Why does something like that still exist?'

If you ask if the Magic Tower didn't exist in the previous work, it did.

However, the Magic Tower that Skyler was talking about now seemed to be a different organization from the one in the previous work.

If the old Magic Tower was a hall of pure research and learning, the new Magic Tower had become a monster that dabbled in war and politics and did not hesitate to commit sins.

'It would be best to hear both sides of the story, but honestly, I don't think Skyler would lie.'

I looked at Skyler, who was sitting silently with his mouth shut.

As if he felt my gaze, he turned his head and met my eyes.

"...The scroll has peeled off again."

"Huh?"

"It's turned back to pink."

Could what I saw in my dream have affected my real eyes? I couldn't be sure if what I saw in that dream was true, but its influence had clearly seeped into reality.

"...I think it'll be okay."

"It's because all the cities we've been to are rural. We need to be careful as we get closer to the capital."

"Why?"

"I think I explained before about the forces that target bodies."

"Ah, yes."

"Large cities basically have a Magic Tower and a church. This city only has a Magic Tower, but..."

"...What did you say?"

"Yes?"

"No, what you just said a moment ago."

"Large cities basically have a Magic Tower and a church..."

"No, after that."

"This city only has a Magic Tower."

"Why are we going to a city with a Magic Tower?!"

The Magic Tower is an organization that not only kidnaps people but also secretly conducts human experiments. People with bodies should be careful about going near a Magic Tower. If you get caught by the Magic Tower, it's better to kill yourself.

You're telling me to go to a city with a Magic Tower after giving me such a chilling warning?!

Are you trying to kill me? Or have you finally decided to abandon our companionship and sell me to the Magic Tower?

Certainly, I was the only one feeling any sort of camaraderie, and honestly, I was just being dragged along by Skyler on this adventure.

Except for the fact that our final destination is the capital, I honestly don't know much about Skyler's purpose.

Why he's helping me, why we're traveling together, why I see the adult version of Skyler whenever he uses magic! I don't know anything!

"Even if you look at me with that expression, nothing will happen."

"You said the Magic Tower is a terrifying place!"

"No, I never said the Magic Tower was a single entity."

"...Huh?"

"Originally, the Magic Towers were operated by establishing branch towers for each school based on the main tower. But these days, each school has rebelled against the main tower due to differences in their inclinations and has become completely independent."

"What do you mean?"

"No, first of all, I apologize. I forgot for a moment that you lacked basic common sense, so I forgot to explain."

"Hey."

"Selina, I wish you would stop channeling magic into your eyes just because you're a little angry."

Oops.

I didn't realize.

I slowly released the magic gathered in my eyes and drew it back into my body.

Skyler sighed deeply and continued his explanation.

Even if I did something stupid, was it necessary to sigh like that and give me the side-eye?

Did my thoughts become more feminine because my body became female? I felt slightly irritated over trivial things. Honestly... I wanted to get angry for no reason.

No, in these modern times of equality, wouldn't such thoughts be toxic?

'...Wait a minute.'

Something clicked. I hoped I was wrong, but I couldn't think of any other reason.

***

On the way to the city adorned with windmills and tulips on the hills, I was facing an even more pressing issue.

-

This city is...

-

The status window popped up, but I ignored it.

Skyler was next to me, enthusiastically explaining why the Magic Tower we were visiting this time was safe, but most of his explanation didn't reach my ears.

There was something more important than that explanation right now.

After talking to himself for a while, Skyler noticed that I wasn't responding and stopped his explanation to look at me.

When Skyler finally noticed my pale complexion and asked if I was okay, I could no longer maintain my composure.

There are things in the world that you can't hide no matter how hard you try. Eventually, Skyler asked me a question.

"Are you okay?"

"No."

"...What's wrong?"

"I think I'm feeling motion sickness."

"You've never had motion sickness while riding in a carriage before."

I felt nauseous, and even trivial conversations irritated me. I wanted to ask Skyler why he was interrogating me like this.

But there was no coherence..

Yes. I just couldn't control my emotions without any reason or coherence.

It's a different feeling from when my intelligence drops due to the influence of the status window. And I know why I'm feeling this way.

But I hope I'm wrong! Please!

"Skyler."

"Yes."

"Once we arrive, how about we find lodging right away and rest for a day?"

"...One room."

"No, two rooms."

"Okay, I understand."

His concerned gaze unexpectedly made my heart flutter.

It was a different feeling from simple concern.

I wanted to see that concerned look a little longer, but soon I felt embarrassed and shook my head.

Even though it was brief, I had the pathetic thought that if I pretended to be sick, he would keep looking at me like that.

I was ashamed.

Skyler looked at me strangely as I suddenly shook my head from side to side.

The concern in his eyes had diminished a bit. I felt a pang of disappointment. My chest tightened.

A faint magic swirled in my eyes. The image of the 'older Skyler' I had seen before overlapped with Skyler's current appearance. ...It was an annoyingly handsome face.

I dispersed the magic.

.

.

.

After some time, I threw myself onto my bed in my room.

The sky had already darkened.

I felt something leaving my body. It was similar to the feeling of wetting the bed when I was 4 years old. But I was an adult now.

With a fearful heart, I slowly took off my clothes and tidied up.

As always, bad predictions tend to come true.

The truth I faced in the room confirmed that my body was complete as a 'woman.'

In a situation where I didn't even have spare clothes... what on earth was happening?

'I'm going crazy.'

A faint smell of blood lingered in the room. I couldn't do anything about the smell outside my body, even if I couldn't smell the one coming from my body.

I heard that the minimum adjustment for TS was to be a beautiful girl who doesn't accumulate waste.

Knock, knock.

Someone knocked on my door. It was Skyler's presence.