After leaving, what the white-haired maid would think wasn't within Char's considerations.
Because he had more important things to do!
Walking through the streets of this otherworldly realm, Char couldn't help but gaze at the scenery and architecture around him.
The azure sky was a beauty he had never seen in his previous life.
As far as the eye could see, the grand buildings all bore the marks of time, and towering pavilions floated in mid-air, completely defying the laws of nature.
In the game, it seemed ordinary—just something to look at.
But in reality, it was utterly breathtaking!
Though it was a Western fantasy world, the game's creators had blended in plenty of modern elements.
For instance, the colorful modern outfits, stockings, and high heels worn by the girls passing by on either side of the road.
Alongside classic Western fantasy gowns, there were trench coats, suspenders, and petite dresses.
The girls' laughter filled the air, making everything feel so joyful and carefree.
Each girl's legs were adorned with stockings of various colors, their high heels clicking crisply against the pavement.
It was brimming with the vibrancy of youth!
Cars sped through the streets, though they seemed out of place. Powered by magic, they were somewhat plausible.
After all, everything served the XP and game's pacing.
Modern attire was there to please the eye, and cars were meant to shorten travel time and speed up the game's progression.
Char strolled through the streets of this otherworldly realm, appearing casual, but in reality, his mind was focused on his current plans.
This world wasn't just about waifus and XP—it was genuinely dangerous!
And that brings us to the backdrop of this eroge world.
The game designers boasted of its depth!
Sure, I'm into lewd stuff, but I've got standards!!
Once upon a time, the Demon Race, as the "greatest threat" of this world, forced the other races to unite, forming the Seven Shields Alliance.
Comprising the Human Alliance's four nations, as well as the Elves, Dragonkin, and Angels, they forged a pact.
But at the start of the story, the entire Demon Race had already been completely annihilated by the Seven Shields.
Even the Demon God had fallen in defeat.
The remnants were nothing more than harmless stragglers.
And yet, this was precisely the beginning of the crisis.
Externally: *Non-allied races are inherently untrustworthy!*
Internally:
The Twilight Empress, as the boss, sought to unify and dominate the mortal realm.
The androgynous yet authoritative Pope within the Church intended to use this opportunity to spread their faith and vie for devotion.
Above, the lost divine authority left by the fallen Demon God held a fatal allure for the gods.
Though they were forbidden to act directly, they could still dispatch their apostles.
All of this converged, ultimately focusing on the Seven Shields Academy!
Originally established as a wartime academy to counter the Demon Race, it had now become a battleground for contention.
To ensure stability and the continuation of each race, the Seven Shields Alliance's leaders unanimously decided to determine their respective influence through peaceful competitions within the academy.
Though it was largely useless.
There were plenty of underhanded moves behind the scenes.
But that didn't diminish the prestige of the Seven Shields Academy!
In the two years since the story began, it had already gathered the most outstanding talents from all factions.
There were Holy Knight Princesses, Blindfolded Sword Saints, and girls in red and white shrine maiden outfits…
As always, it was all for the game's uniqueness!
The standouts here were the future pillars and spokespeople of their respective factions.
Thus, the Seven Shields Academy held extraordinary weight, even capable of swaying the fate of a small nation.
Unshakable!
Gathering the continent's strongest resources at this stage, simply joining it promised explosive gains.
Wherever you went, you'd be a cut above the rest.
So, setting aside Feng Aotian's PUA tactics, Char himself needed to enroll.
But that was only on the surface.
A year later, everything would be upended.
By then, the Twilight Empress would ignite war, and the nation-wide conflict would begin.
The Seven Shields Academy would exist in name only.
Whether the radiant Children of the Stars or the faculty comprising elites from all walks of life,
they would all fall apart!
But that wasn't even the worst part.
Further down the line, when the Demon Princess led the Demon Race to rise again, that would truly be a global catastrophe.
From a peaceful golden age to a living hell, the difference would be just over a year.
By then, the weak Char, without the game's plot armor, would truly have no chance of survival.
In other words, Char had only one year to grow stronger.
For that, he needed to become powerful.
Not to make Feng Aotian regret for life or let him taste the bitterness of being a cuck, but simply to survive—becoming stronger was non-negotiable.
Thus, this enrollment was an opportunity Char had to seize.
However—
Matching its reputation and resources were the Seven Shields Academy's stringent enrollment requirements.
Those who could enter were either uniquely gifted chosen ones
or members of royal or noble families.
In short, either you were exceptionally skilled, one in ten thousand,
or your ancestors were, with an outstanding background.
Ability and power were both forms of resources—one was a resource in themselves, the other held resources in their hands.
You had to possess at least one of these to enter this pinnacle academy gathering the continent's best.
The original body? It had absolutely no combat skills or cultivation talent.
Aside from a slightly special identity, it was just an ordinary person.
But even that identity wasn't enough to use power to knock on the doors of the Seven Shields Academy.
Talent?
Relying on himself offered little hope.
But there was a way!
Enrolling through regular means was unlikely, but having connections worked.
For instance, the teacher in charge of new admissions this time was also Lilith's mentor—a widowed lady.
Recalling that lady, Char's eyes narrowed slightly.
The corners of his mouth curled up gently.
Before his eyes seemed to appear a graceful figure, slender yet voluptuous, exuding an alluring and dangerous aura.
As long as he could secure her approval, entering the Seven Shields Academy would be a done deal.
This was the lowest-cost method, after all, convincing a mentor was far easier than persuading the academy's higher-ups.
Though it was a solution, it wasn't simple.
Char turned and continued walking in the direction he had in mind.
His first step was to find something—the Charm Ring.
A divine artifact capable of dimensionally reducing women, it was also Lilith's trump card for building her harem.
This Charm Ring was something Char had personally given away.
When playing the game, according to the quest description, the Charm Ring was key to maxing out Lilith's affection, so Char had given it to her.
Indeed, her affection was maxed out.
But it was useless.
To Lilith, he was just a simp.
A simp with maxed affection was merely a trustworthy tool—no, a tool dog.
Even if you treated a tool dog with deep affection, it didn't mean she saw you as a boyfriend!
To avoid the cuck ending, Char had made many efforts, trying numerous options.
No cultivation talent?
Then max out every secondary profession.
Strive to highlight his value, making Lilith unable to live without him.
If she reached a point where she couldn't survive without him, wouldn't she turn back and look at this 24/7 devoted fiancé?
Yet, she never did.
No matter how well he treated Lilith, she never once turned back.
He could only stand at the door, waiting for Lilith and the heroines to unlock their CGs.
Char even sacrificed himself, trying to change Lilith's twisted personality.
Using his sincerity to warm her heart.
But it still failed.
After countless attempts, striving in every possible direction,
he tried again and again to avoid the cuck ending, but the results were always similar.
She wouldn't even unlock a single CG for you!
It was as if all his efforts had been in vain.
Well, not entirely.
At least in the final ending, in front of his own grave, Lilith embraced the other heroines and staged a morgue play.
Rounding it up, I guess I'm the protagonist?
Char thought sarcastically, his heart filled with endless irony.
That was the only time a CG was unlocked for him.
Yet, in grayscale, from the perspective of a memorial photo, he could do nothing.
Calling him the protagonist was like saying he was just holding the camera.
Ugh!
What kind of terrible personality is this?
While playing the game, it was purely pent-up frustration.
For the developers' ideal ending, he endured being cucked time and again.
The frustration piled up, yet the ending remained unchanged.
But now, thinking back, wasn't the gaming me just a purebred boiling sheep?