Hikikomori Protagonist
Eva Amethyst
Daughter of Petra Amethyst, head of the Amethyst Family.
Protagonist of Academy Lily Princess.
A genius who mastered magic at the age of five.
Heaven-sent talent.
And a total shut-in hikikomori.
Was it really necessary to mention that last bit of the setting?
"That's Eva's core appeal, what sets her apart from protagonists in other novels."
No typical web novel lead could pull this off. It's a niche trait you only see in the occasional gender-swap VTuber protagonist—no other success stories come to mind.
I can confidently say they've made this character, who could easily come off as a flawless superhuman or an invisible dragon, utterly captivating.
Eh, not really for me. Every time I wrote about her, I just wanted to revise it over and over.
"That's surprising. I thought everything was fine except for pairing her with Chloe."
Difference in perspective, I guess. I wanted her to live with her chest out, proud and bold.
"D-cup. That's a size where she could strut around with her chest puffed out proudly."
You little shit! I wasn't talking about her boobs!
"Wasn't it? I thought you meant the gloomy big-boobed hikikomori archetype."
Why the hell would you bring that up now, you moron?!
Kuwaaa!
The writer let out a howl of anguish! Though it had little effect.
'I figured I'd only run into her around the entrance exam, but this is sooner than expected.'
Clack clack clack!
Through the gaps in the noisy crowd, the sound of chattering teeth plays an irregular tune.
Like a tone-deaf kid excitedly shaking castanets.
'Looks like she's trembling from fear.'
In the original novel, Eva submits her application under Chloe's protection, takes the exam, passes, and becomes a Purity Academy student.
She should be waiting in a lounge for the staff right now, so why is she all alone in this crowd, shaking like a leaf?
"Don't tell me this is the aftermath of me shattering the barrier?"
That's what it looks like to me too.
I don't know what happened here. But the writer said it: without dramatic changes, things flow to the same endings as the web novels I know.
And now the flow has shifted? The only one who can throw curveballs is me.
Coincidentally, it lines up with when I broke the barrier. Crowds that shouldn't be swarming the arena, Eva separated from Chloe.
It's decided.
This is absolutely my fault!
No escaping it—my responsibility. All of this happened because of me.
"Haa, what a problem."
Regretting breaking the barrier now?
"Nah, the problem is I'm too damn good. My mere presence screws things up around me."
That doesn't sound like something to say in that situation.
Anyway, enough joking around. It's my mess, so I'll clean it up.
If things stay like this, Eva will be isolated in the crowd, helpless as people shove her around. Innocent footsteps will trample her.
A packed place like this is more than enough to trigger her trauma. Even if Chloe reunites with her, she won't fix things—instead, she'll flip out, draw her sword, and start a deadly dance.
"Better take her with me."
Disaster waiting to happen. Total chaos five minutes from now. To prevent an accident, I'll kindly escort her somewhere safe.
Think that'll go as smoothly as you say?
Thwack!
My fingertips reaching for Eva rebound as if hitting an invisible glass wall. No pain, but a fierce rejection surges from the depths of my soul.
"She's on guard."
Obviously. You've read the novel, reader, so you know Eva freaks out at suspicious people trying to touch her.
From the gaps in the blanket she's huddled under, iridescent mana rises like mist. A clear, refreshing blue, like a cloudless sky, floats in the air.
It's a warning: the moment I try anything funny, she'll hit back hard.
I'm here to save you. Say that, and she'll only get more suspicious.
Guess the only option left is to use force and drag her out.
Chloe will come save her soon enough, so just leave her be.
"This whole area's about to turn into a warzone."
So what? It's not our problem.
"Did something just come out of that so-called god's mouth that should never be said?"
She'd die anyway if left alone. Average daily deaths hit six figures easy— a few more extras won't change a thing.
"Out of line."
This a god? I smacked my forehead in shock at her words. Truth be told, I knew Chloe wouldn't harm civilians even if she turned this place into a bloodbath, so I was just playing along.
"Anyway, I'm taking her and getting out of here."
The protagonist will hate you for it.
"That depends on how I handle things from here."
Like touching a bare wire, Eva sends me a sharp warning jolt, but I ignore it and reach out again.
Clank!
Thick iron chains burst from the ground, coiling around my arm and binding it tight. It weighs like a chunk of metal on my limb, and soon my legs stiffen as if petrified.
Multiple incantations.
The dream of every mage: blooming countless spells from a single pair of lips at once.
A level of power mortals can't touch, achieved silently without chants.
'Eva's specialty. First time seeing it with my own eyes.'
Ever since possessing Solis, I've started sensing mana. And I quickly realized you can gauge someone's level just from the mana they unconsciously emit.
Like judging beauty or an object's appeal with human aesthetics, I can't help but admire the protagonist's magic.
If I had to compare it, it's porcelain. A noble vessel of absolute beauty that could etch itself into history.
Porcelain is shaped and fired in scorching kilns. Yet here, without self-forging training or enduring meditation, it displays breathtaking detail that feels complete.
It's the talent and potential to top Class E at the academy where the magic world's elite gather.
Anyone else would be slack-jawed, jaw dropping off at her skill.
Just bad luck her opponent was me.
Fwaaah!
I channel mana into my bound body. Wishing to break free, the mana responds with a dazzling solar glow, reducing her spell to scattered ashes that vanish without a trace.
"Ho eh?"
Startled, Eva freezes, letting out a sound like a drafted high school girl might. She prides herself on her magic, so seeing me dispel it casually shocks her.
I swiftly wrap her blanket around her like a swaddle and scoop her into my arms.
"Might get motion sick, so bear with it a sec."
A quick heads-up, then I leap with all my strength from the spot.
A dizzying sensation of floating, the crisp wind biting my face as I soar.
"Eek!"
Airborne with no ground beneath, Eva thrashes in utter terror. Worried she'll slip, I grip the bundle tight and let gravity pull us down.
Boom!
We land safely on a deserted walkway beside the arena. Confirming no one's around, I set Eva down.
"G-g-go away!"
The moment her feet touch ground, she shrieks and shoves me with her hands. No way I'm budging from a frail mage's strength.
"Got it. I'm off."
I turn coolly as requested and head toward the arena.
"Y-you're not... after me...?"
Caught off guard by my reaction, Eva asks in reverse.
"After you? For what?"
"M-my life...?"
"I was just passing by, saw some girl shaking in the crowd, and saved her. That's it."
Bonus: I've shown my face to the original protagonist, so no loss. Next time we meet at the academy, she'll at least recognize me.
Eva's safe now—my job here's done. Sticking around would just stir up trouble.
"Call your family or whoever on your phone and get help."
I turn to leave for the arena.
"U-um...!"
Eva calls out desperately in a panicked voice. Thinking something serious happened, I stop and listen.
"Ph-phone..."
"What about it?"
"D-do you... have one? I f-forgot mine..."
"Don't have one either."
"Oh."
This just got annoying.