106. REVENGE!
Have you ever heard a mother send his son away to war? When the war ended, his son returned safely. However, the mother said, 'My son has never come back.'
Since ancient times, it was the old or soon-to-be old people who were afraid of changes. And it was always the young one who wanted changes and would never be the other way around.
It was the same with Lex, even though He has his past life memories in the past world. He had his values and order of the world… a peaceful world. Even if he's an otaku in his past life, who has a bit more flexible mind (slightly flawed common sense) because of the anime manga he watched. But in the end, the core value is still a peaceful world.
Like ten to twelve years old children who hadn't experienced the world and thought the hidden world was the world they knew. They could take it no matter how strange the world was.
Even Lex had a flexible mind who could accept the Hidden World's strong prey, the weak killed or be killed world, at least on the surface.
There's a limit to where he could accept it. And that limit is because he didn't know those people who left who died. And because he was constantly feeling detached from the world.
Lex was a Reincarnator… he was also a gamer and an otaku. Did you understand what this means? The way he saw the world was different than average.
In his past life, he was very down-to-earth. But in this world… he always sees the world from an outsider's point of view. He always feels he was playing the character in the game. His body was his character, and the world was the game.
He didn't feel he lived in that world; instead, he thought he was a third party watching the world from the outside like he always does when watching an anime or movie.
There have been a few times in the past. When he woke up and felt the world was real-world and wasn't a game.
He saw his crying mother when he was still one year old and when he got the news about his parent's death.
But that line of difference became a blur once again after he knew about Hidden World. Mana, Magic, Spell, Races. Everything smells like another world from Anime.
Then finally, when someone close to him fell… When Max died, it finally dawned on him. He lived in this world, where the strong prey on the weak. Killed or be killed, world. He finally realized it was the real world, not some kind of game. Once someone dies, they are gone forever.
And there's no way he could accept Max's death so easily. It was a heavy blow for Lex.
He buried the feeling deep inside his heart until Lex himself forgot about it. But it never disappeared, and now it finally resurfaced once again.
The one who killed Max. The Lich was controlled by another person who was still alive, well, and healthy. Lex wasn't mature enough in this Hidden World to let go of it.
****
(Kate POV)
Alone in the student council's room. "Haa~" Kate unconsciously let out a sigh.
(I promised myself to become the perfect girl for him… and I got angry and even cried in front of him on the day I finally saw him after a few years…)
(This year is also the busiest since I took the president's seat. So I couldn't look for him. to get some free time, I packed this week's work to give myself much free time later.)
(Just when I finally finished… he's gone.)
(Three weeks since our reunion and two weeks since he disappeared)
(Haa~) Kate sighed again. (I really should chain him down! So, he wouldn't disappear like this ever again!!) Kate calmed herself with that…. joke.
(Now that we have grown up, we could go on a date! There are many things I wanted to do with him. many places I wanted to go with him. a couple… hehehe) Kate thought as she cheered up, thinking about their sweet time later...
Suu~ Haa~
Kate took a deep breath to focus on herself. Usually, she won't be this busy as a president. But this year was different. Kate didn't know the reason, but since the start of this year. Students started to go missing one by one.
Some of them come back after a few days. But some of them disappeared for weeks, and still no trace of their well being.
Teachers have already tried to contact the police. However, the police didn't make that much movement for some reason. From my point of view, they didn't even try to crack this case. It's like a hollow shell with nothing inside.
On the other hand, the student's parents also strangely didn't fuss much with their missing child.
One look, and Kate could see this wasn't something ordinary people could do. It must be someone from the other side. Normally, this problem wasn't in my jurisdiction. However, she is still this school's student council's president. (I'm the leader of these students.)
(As a leader. I need to take care of my subordinate. Now that the teacher couldn't do a thing. I need to take the matter at hand.)
Kate also heard from her parents. This city was different from others. This land is what they called the land of agreement. No one had this land as their territory. This means this city is what they call a free city.
By that, you could easily guess. People who ran away from their hometown. Whether it's criminal or not, people gather in this city. As a result, this city's ratio to Hidden world's population was the highest that you might find, one in twenty.
Even with that ratio, The victim of this case was always a normal person. Someone who has no connection with the Hidden world at all. It's like they knew and deliberately targeted them.
Once Kate decided to take the matter in hand, she didn't waste her time and approached the victim who came back, but each one didn't remember anything. She also contacted the Guild and many other organizations.
Some decided to help. While some chose to wait and see because the victim was only an ordinary person, which they didn't care much about.
The Guild was established as the tower control for this city. Because this city didn't have a Guardian, It functions like the adventurer guild from a game but also serves as a police department in Hidden world in this city.
Many families and organizations living in Valentine city sent a proxy to the Guild. So, the Guild is like a modern government with a democracy.
And today… Kate got the information she wanted to hear the least from the Guild.
She took a piece of documents from her table, and the identity of the missing student that just got missing yesterday was written there.
"Alice Versalis" Kate read the name out loud. She wanted to step out of this room and look for Alice as soon as possible. But she couldn't. She didn't know where she was or where to look. She couldn't just go and blindly search for her. It would be a waste of time.
Kate thought about Lex again to calm herself and prevent herself from doing something reckless.
"Huu~~" She let out a breath.
*knock *knock
Kate tensed up. "Come in," she said. Kate hoped it was the one she was looking for…
*Click
The door opened, followed by a girl coming in. The girl was beautiful with her long black hair. And a cold and cool vibe.
"Guild's representative, Priscilla Bella," she introduced herself.
(!!) Kate almost jumped out of her seat. She IS the one she's waiting for. Kate also knew she was a student at this school. Being a girl in the same class as Lex already included her inside her list of names, she had to be wary.
"Kate Bentley, Student Council's President" Still, Kate introduced herself to respect her.
(…) on the other hand, Priscilla was a bit dumbfounded by Kate's reply. She didn't expect she was this humble. It wasn't because she hated her or something, however, from Priscilla's point of view. Kate's ability was unquestionable. It was a fact she was superior to everyone else in this school. Therefore, it was her right to have a more condescending view toward her.
(Maybe she didn't recognize me?) Priscilla thought back. She always lived with everyone identifying her. This was the first time she thought someone might not recognize her.
(This is bad…) Kate thought (I, Alice, and Dia were different! She had the trait we don't have. This is bad…!?) Kate immediately realized it. She thought about Lex too many times. That her way of thinking is also becoming strange.
"Cough
Kate made a fake cough to hide her spacing out. (Alice was the most important now!) she thought, "Priscilla Bella, Ninth-grade class 3, can you tell me the message?" Kate said with a smile.
"..." Priscilla stood in a daze.
"Ms. Bella?" Kate tilted her head, staring at Priscilla.
"Ah," Priscilla snapped out. This is her first-time meeting Kate, the president, directly like this. Priscilla knew she also had good looks. Leered by the male's gaze and Confessed by the opposite sex was normal for her.
Even with that, she acknowledged she was lacking in front of Kate. Just a small gesture from her. Priscilla felt Kate was something that made others want to help her. She finally understands how she could have all those fans.
"… that's all!" Priscilla finished her report.
"I see," Kate replied as she stood up. The report said the culprit might be hiding in this very school. Knowing that there's no way Kate would let it go. Then Kate fiddled with her bracelet for a while before facing Priscilla again. "Thank you, you can tell them I have transferred the fee."
"Understood," Priscilla professionally replied. Then she took a glance at Kate again before leaving. She saw Kate was preparing to go out "are you going?" she asked.
Kate only showed Priscilla another smile before she left.
***
Kate arrived at the gymnasium near the school. It was usually used as a place for inter school competitions. First Middle School also has its own gymnasium, but if they want to gather all the students from all grades, they will use this place too. It's close and enormous. When she carefully checked the school one by one, she heard an explosion and a fighting sound from here.
However, when she was about to enter the Aula….,
"No! you're not!" She heard a very familiar voice. It stunned her.
"You are you! Alice!!!"
"You don't have to be afraid. You never be alone. No matter what, I'll always be by your side. Forever by your side."
It was Lex's voice… she would never be expected to hear right here right now. From his conversation, Kate knew he was talking with the missing Alice. The conversation content was a bit unbelievable for her. (it must be my misunderstanding) Kate thought, trying her best to throw away the possibility of Lex proposing to Alice from her mind.
She peeked…
*drip
Tears started to flow from the corner of her eyes. She saw the topless Lex was hugging Alice with only her underwear.
Kate thought her mind just stopped.
Her mind was empty.
It was incomprehensible.
Kate unconsciously ran away from that place.
Trying her best to wipe her tears, which only increased the more she wiped them. "Lex…." She muttered as she sobbed.
Suddenly, not far from her. a part of the wall engulfed and transformed into darkness. A dark gate appeared on the wall.
"Are you sad?" a heavy voice reverberated inside that darkness.
"Are you angry?"
"Do you hate them?"
Kate finally reacted and stared at the darkness. The smoke around the darkness looked like fire and immediately increased its intensity once it got Kate's reaction.
"They BETRAYED you" the voice from inside changes a bit. It's not very distinguishable, but it was undoubtedly more spirited and gleeful after it got Kate's attention.
"How could they do this to you! After all what you have done! They deserved a punishment!! To feel what you feel now!! a REVENGE!!!"
"Punishment?" Kate replied in a low voice.
"Precisely!"
"Revenge?"
"Come in. I'll help you fulfill it. they will regret making you like this!"
In a corridor dim-lit by the moonlight, Kate took a step approaching the darkness….
===============================================================
(A/N: Below this is unrelated to the story. it's up to you guys whether to read it or skip it. but if you do read it. please tell me your impression.)
Chapter 2
Year 1 March 3
I don't know why, but it looks like I don't have any problem waking up in the morning.
Looking at the sun, it should be around 5.30-6.00 am.
Following my knowledge, after waking up and eating my breakfast, I went to water my plant.
Luckily you only need to till the field once
I would rather die than do labor like that every day.
Not long after, the mayor came as he promised.
"Let's go," he said.
Like that, I followed him sightseeing the village and introduced myself to the villager.
We went to the small supermarket, an inn, flower shop, chicken farm, etc
There's also a blacksmith, doctor, church, etc.
However, there are also some strange ones like potion shops, alchemists, magic stones, etc.
Well, the last one was strange but before I can mind about them
I have a more critical problem than that!
After walking around the village, I realized something...
Why the hell are all the villagers looking at me like I'm someone who killed their parents!?
I still could feel the chill being glared at whoever I met!!
The mayor introduced me to them. They would still reply to the greetings, but after that was a glare that could kill!!
What the heck! What did I do!? Where's my good and warm villager!?
What happened to my heartwarming second life!!!?
Nooooo!!! It can't be like this!!
While I dramatically fell to my knees on the ground. The mayor looked at me with a pitying look.
He told me the villager didn't really like an outsider.
Then why would you tell me to cultivate this field!!?
Damn it!!
I don't have a cheat.
I have to do this much labor!!
And I didn't even feel accepted here. No, the villagers literally hated me! Damn it all.
At least give me a system!!
[Ding!]
[Congratulations, host, you have been chosen by the Failed system]
Seriously!?
Mmm, why failed? Anyway, it doesn't matter as long as I got the system!
[Initiating system linking with host...]
[Success]
[The Failed System]
[Booting....]
[10%....]
[36%....]
[54%....]
[87%.....]
[.....]
[Ding!]
[The Failed system has failed to boot]
[Ding!]
[Rebooting....]
[10%....]
[23%....]
[88%....]
[Ding!]
[Rebooting....]
[.....]
[The Failed system has failed to boot]
[Ding!]
[Rebooting....]
[.....]
[The Failed system has failed to boot]
[Ding!]
[Rebooting....]
[.....]
[The Failed system has failed to boot]
"...."
Fuck it!!!