"Lily?"
Lily was walking along with a group of people. Among them, my eyes caught a particular girl with rainbow-like color hair. However, her overall appearance was different from what I remember, yet her face still holds a resemblance, especially her eyes. The two were surrounded by fine, established people.
"Oh, Claude? What are you..." Then Lily's eyes wander to Shikta next to us... She grimaces upon catching sight of another woman next to me. It doesn't really suit Lily's beautiful appearance when she's angry, but whenever a stranger would see it—They would often be shaking, but not because of fear. A prime example of it would be the tall man next to her. He's looking at Lily like a new world had just opened right before his eyes. It is scary.
Lily angrily walks forward and drags me away.
"Why are you with that girl? She's from the Kramer family and the fiancee of your brother."
"You know that?"
"Of course, I know."
I sigh exasperatedly. "You're monitoring and investigating them, aren't you...? Why I haven't heard this before? And since when?"
"Since... We parted ways..."
"That long? We'll talk about this later, okay? First of all, who are those people with you?"
"Ignore them. They're just some spoiled nobles, inviting me to their group or something. I shut my ears off once they got into the important parts."
"Factions?"
"Yeah, yeah, that's what they called it."
"That's so unlike of you. What happened to your attentiveness?"
"Who wouldn't get bored with them? They're so power-hungry people. Promising this and that, and a higher position. I'd rather create mine than be under someone."
"I think that's not the only reason..." I peek over Lily's shoulder to see her envious gazes. "Anyway, let's handle those first, okay?" I point to the people behind her.
"I can handle it myself." Lily touches my chest. "Wait, are you losing weight?"
"Don't worry about it. It's because of Adelle."
"Fine. I'll be quick."
Lily returns her glance back and approaches them, leaving me behind. Adelle and Shikta went right beside me. More importantly, Shikta's puzzling gaze moves back and forth over Lily and me, like a confused child.
"You... And... Her? You're friends with the elven princess?! You really have changed... I'm glad." Shikta lets out a tiny laugh.
Shikta was quite hard to understand, but every word that she expresses is genuine. There were times when I will think that she may have taken an interest in me, like a love interest. However, through the short span of our time together, I can feel it's more about her brother and me than herself. Claude's memories of her brother are gradually coming back together.
But those memories are still not enough for Shikta to care about me. Shikta's brother was just a playmate of Claude back in their childhood and would often do everything together, like an intangible bond. However, after Claude's mana assessment, he basically didn't leave the house until he got exiled, and that day, they haven't met ever since. I wonder whether he's also here because he's just a year older than me.
Watching Shikta laugh, I unconsciously let out a tiny smile. I put my palm over the top of her head and said. "Thank you. I hope I can also see your brother. Is he here also?"
"Really?! Then once we have our vacation, let's go to my home! He would surely love to see you!" Shikta's little ears perk up in excitement.
"He's not here?"
"He's not... Or even he wanted to attend, he just can't. He's always asleep. The last time I talked to him was three years ago."
"He's sleeping for three years? Did he get into an accident?" I'm in awe upon hearing it.
"He intentionally did it... How can I put this in simple terms... It's a condition that must be met under his contract with his spirit."
"Conditions... He's a rare case."
"Well, I also have one too, you know?" Adelle added.
"You? It's my first time hearing this. What's yours? This?" I point to my neck.
"Yep, hahaha~" Adelle laughs joyfully.
"I hate to say this... But can you not flirt when I'm in here? And while talking about a pretty serious important matter?" Shikta gruntingly said.
"Oh, sorry..." Adelle apologized sincerely.
"Hmmm... O—"
Shikta was abrupted by the screams of terror near us. The view of Lily holding a sword made out of her ice, pointing at the neck of the tall man. "How dare you to threaten me, you insolent human. A noble-born below me, dare to threaten a royalty? Do you have a death wish? The audacity." Lily said in a cold voice.
Instead of replying, they opted on running away as far as they can, not even bothering on apologizing to Lily. I place my hand over Lily's shoulder and said. "That went well then? Are you going to let them go like that?"
"They're a waste of time. Why would I taint my hands over their disgusting blood?"
"I didn't say anything about killing them... Ehem! What's the name of their faction?"
From what I remember, there are essentially six major factions in the academy. They represent the power and status of students—along with their beliefs or common goals. It's surely a symbol of nobility. In my eyes, it's mostly a group of nobles who wanted to exclude themselves from the rest. Factions are particularly just for the nobles, but there are also commoners among them. Considering Shin joined one from the game and some more. I can't imagine how their different belief will clash with each other. Do they just debate it? Or do they fight like in a war? It piqued my interest.
"Elpis? That's probably it. Let's just go, and where's the girl from the Kramer family?"
"Shikta?" I check the surrounding. "Where has she gone to?"
"She left without saying a word... I think I'm at fault..." Adelle lowers her head.
"Oh? Okay..."
Adelle, Lily, and I discussed Rosalyn and asked them for insights, after explaining to them my experience with her. From their initial reaction, they're quite confused and angry at the same time. In the end, they don't have the information that I needed. Lily was the most overprotective among all of them which resulted in her almost dragging me into her room. With the help of Adelle, we manage to calm her down.
I'm lying on the bed, contemplating Rosalyn. It's so difficult to move when it is someone without any malicious intent. More importantly, the eyes one me. I keep avoiding conflicts that I hated the most. Instead of resolving it, it's making my life worse because I'm constraining myself to not repeat my childish tendencies.
For example, the people who belittle me while peacefully walking. The urge to beat them has been bothering my chest. I want to beat them so bad, especially the people earlier who invited Lily. Their eyes upon seeing me irritate me. They thought they can assert dominance just by looking at me. All the frustrations and anger inside me are almost at the top, it's about to explode at any given moment.
Yet, I still kept those emotions bottled up inside. I do wish that they would punch me and I would beat them, so I could call it self-defense, but they don't. I expected them to abuse the weak, but they don't do anything other than verbally insult them. Quite frustrating. However, at the same time, I felt like they were more creeped out about my existence...
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That same day, an unforeseen event abruptly disrupted my sleep. The cold breeze of the night grazes the hair on my skin. The temperature gradually increases every second. I open my eyes to bright flaming eyes, staring deeply. A warm sensation wraps around my entire body. Strands of red hair were brushing against my cheek. I narrow my eyelids and check the room, to see the entire lighting up from the flames of Rosalyn. Then I check my roommates who were all sleeping soundly, not sensing the impending danger of the woman on top of me.
"They won't wake up," Rosalyn said then licks my cheeks. "I can't get enough of you. You will give me everything right?" She smiled.
When I was about to use my quintessence, I heard the rapid beating of my heart alongside the twisting pain in my chest. At that point, I can even hear my own thoughts.
'It hurts... My chest... Where's my voice? Damn it. I thought I would get a rest, but she's too persistent. She just appeared out of nowhere.'
Everything around me suddenly got brighter. There was no one other than Rosalyn on top of me. I'm biting my lips in a desperate attempt to wake myself up from this abnormality that I'm experiencing. But I just slowly close my eyes with Rosalyn's dilated eyes watching me fall asleep.
Opening my eyes, I was welcomed by the bright sky above me and the flat landscape of sand. The arid smell lingers in the air. Beneath me was the torrid heat of the gritty sand, as the burning sensation in my feet is slowly crawling its way deep into my skin.
I look at the sky above me. "Where am I? A dimension? Again? Tsk..."