Sometimes, I couldn't help but imagine what would be like if I did not lost my mana.
To be a bit more precise, it wasn't mana that I had lost. No, it was the ability to interact with mana.
Mana is everywhere, in the air, in the ground, in the trees, wherever you go, you'll always find traces of mana. In a way, they are the basic units of the world. The only difference between what is in the air, and what is held within a human body, is the density.
Despite mana being spread all throughout the air, it is nothing compared to the ones produced from a living creature, no. The difference in density is on a whole new level.
All living things are about to interact with the mana within them, but animals doesn't possess the intelligence to understand the concept of an unseen force like mana. Sure, some may tap into it unconsciously, but how many were persistent enough to try to do it again and again? Which is why, as humans, born with intelligence, tried to persevere, and ended up unlocking the infinite potentials that mana has to offer.
By drawing in mana from the air, it rejuvenates the cells within a human body, and proceeds to strengthen them, while increasing the maximum mana output the individual possesses, essentially turning humans into superhumans as a result.
Which is why, since I've lost the ability to call upon mana, I could no longer absorb mana from my surroundings. As a result, the mana generated from my body weakens day by day, to the point that I'm just a piece of fragile glass compared to an average person, easily broken with even the slightest of touches.
So I couldn't fight back, I couldn't do anything about my situation here. Being targeted and bullied by my classmate? I have no choice but to obey if I were to be put into situations like this.
I should be used to this by now, they've been like this since the very beginning after all. But really, I'm just... so, so tired of this.
Every single day of my life was torture. Being picked on by students, barely able to catch on with the pace of a normal life, looked down upon, being treated over cautiously, being seen as if I were some extinct species, et cetera.
Nothing in life is giving me a breather! Every single damn second I am awake, I feel like I am going to suffocate any second!
Yet I still couldn't help but imagine my life would be if I had mana.
Helping out students being picked on, living out a balanced and healthy life, treated with respect, blend in with the crowd, and...
Beating up this piece of dumpster begging for money in front of me.
How I imagined I threw him against the wall, slapping him right on the face, or perhaps even a kick in his scrotum. My anger diminishes as these scenes played out vividly within my imagination, yet depression filled its place, gushing in as if water leaking into a damaged container.
Every single day, I go through these process over and over again, being depressed, getting angry, diminishing the anger by taking it out in my head, being depressed again. And with every single loop, my mind gets tired, so, so tired. Until all I want to do, is just to fall into a long, long sleep. Never to wake up again.
And now, I'm just so tired.
I don't want to care about my money anymore, I'm not going to be using them at camp anyway, and grandma will replenish it by the end of the week. So might as well do it the easy way.
I took out my wallet from my pocket and put it in his palm straight away, not even bothering to pull out the bills from it.
"Just take it, take it all." I just said, turning back against the table, and resting my head on my arms. Once again indulging myself in the infinite darkness before I take the train with the ticket to my Dreamlands.
——
She sprinted through the corridors, zipping across students who were in her way.
She couldn't believe it took that long just to pack up her things. Although she was satisfied with the things she packed for herself, she wasn't satisfied with the things she want to prepare for Edmond.
Evey single time she felt as if she's all good to go, another idea would immediately pop into her head, urging her to include it within her cargo. She then ended up packing too much as a result, causing her to take another big chunk of time to think about how to optimize it.
Which is why she ended up late to school, hopefully she wasn't too late. If her predictions are correct, then that means Edmond is probably being picked on right now.
"...take it, take it all." As she turned the corner into the canteen, her ears immediately picked up Edmond's voice. Scanning the canteen, she finally located Edmond, and in front of him, stood three males.
The one in the middle who looks like the head of them laughed out as he juggled the wallet in his hand, and she was able to recognize that it was Edmond's wallet straight away on first glance.
Rage filled her veins at the sight, she stomped over to the laughing boys and snatched the wallet from his hands as soon as she was close enough.
"Hey! What the he-" The boy shouted out in response, turning and preparing to teach whoever dared to mess with him a lesson, only to stop dead in his tracks the moment he saw who it was. "God damn it, you again? Emily!"
"Yeah, me again." She said with cold eyes as she held the wallet close to her chest. "And I was expecting you to be learning your lesson, guess I should teach you another one very soon."
"You crazy bitch! I only lost because I underestimated you! If I really show you all I have, you'll be beaten to a pulp in no time!"
"Is that so? If that's the case, I look forward to being beaten to a pulp." She emphasized the word "pulp" as a teasing smile crept across her face, while her eyes were as if she's looking down upon worms. "Don't you ever lay your hands on Edmond again, Kyle. You wouldn't want to go through what I did to you again wouldn't you?"
"I didn't even touch him, he willingly gave it to me!"
"Edmond wouldn't do something like that, I know he wouldn't." She left those words behind before she left.
"Tch, that crazy bitch." Seeing her leave, Kyle muttered under his breath, before proceeding to let out a sigh. Turning to look at his friends, he could see that their faces were pale white. "Oh come on you three, man up!"
Walking over to the luggage she left behind on the floor, Emily picked it up and headed for the table Edmond was sleeping at.
Thankfully, nobody dared to sit close to Edmond as if he was the host of some virus that transmits to them if they get too close. So she sat beside him, before proceeding to watch over him while she waited for the teacher to arrive.
Seeing a strand of hair fell on top of Edmond's face, she gently lifts it away as to not wake him up. With that, she let out a warm smile. "Don't worry, Edmond. I'll protect you, no matter what."