"What are your spiritual roots?" The third male lead, Blueres Venncroft, whispered. We were in line for a first check-in for Magic class when the dude asked me the question.
"I don't know." I replied before turning back to the teacher.
"How can you not know? Nobles- oh." He came to an abrupt realization and quickly quieted.
I grinned. It was quite interesting, really. There were only a few instances where I met a male lead that could actually be considerate in such a way. I respected those types (unless they were sexist or racist bastards, of course). Maybe I won't play with him and keep him clean for a while.
"Chalice." The teacher called out my name and sneered. It was clear they were looking down on me. I simply bowed and moved forward demurely.
The teacher pressed three fingers onto the front of my forehead and muttered a quick incantation. I started to glow white. The students held their breaths, waiting for me to finish, but the color of my body did not change and kept its translucent shine. After a few minutes, the teacher stopped imbuing 'spiritual energy' into me and snarled. "It turns out a commoner is just a commoner. No roots, useless!"
I rolled my eyes at the adult's childish attitude. I already knew I would get nothing. After all, my mana reserves, magic attributes, and demonic energy was sealed until I turned eighteen. Anything else involving controlling energy or magic was blocked as well, which means that until I turned eighteen and regained my original body, I could not use 'spiritual energy', whatever the hell that was.
"Worthless commoner."
"Can't even get the aid of the spirits. So impure."
"Not even a sky spiritual. Tch, disappointing."
I wandered down to the back of the line and sighed. So disappointing indeed. Their insults were so unoriginal, it was as if their brains couldn't get any more cliche. Blueres walked up next. The teacher paled and immediately asked for consent before touching his 'holy' forehead. I could clearly tell the difference in treatment between me and the crown prince of an empire.
"Blessed d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-darkness-" Bruh. Are you a rapper or what? "-and m-me-metal spiritual roots!" The crowd gasped and burst into applause. A few swoons were heard. It was as if they forgot about the fact that Blueres' spiritual roots were already revealed to the entire world at the age of five.
I inadvertently revealed a small frown on my feminine face. Blueres spotted my expression and sat down next to me. "Don't worry, Chalice, just because you don't have any attributes doesn't mean you're worthless, it's fine."
I don't know why Blueres was acting so chummy with me when we've only just met one week ago, but I suppose it was fine. But it seems that he misunderstood my small frown. Far from being devastated by the differences in our skill, I was pondering a very different question. Why does he have two 'blessed' spiritual roots? Third MLs are supposed to be weaker than the rest, but he's stronger than the male lead, and, I'm guessing, the second lead as well. Perhaps...
I swiveled my head to face him. He blushed from the close proximity and covered his face to hide his furious blush. "U-uh, Chalice?" He asked in a fluster. He acts like a shy little boy when he's with me yet acts like a proper prince when he's with everyone else.
I smiled. My slightly wavy purple blue hair swayed as I stood. "It's nothing. I just realized something... very interesting."
----
I took off the tape that covered my chest, letting me breathe, and grinned. I got into the shower. The hot, easing water enveloped my slim figure as my muscles slowly relaxed. The unceasing pitter-patter of clear water droplets hitting the black-grey mare assaulted my senses. It turns out that I had something else to do in this life besides try to resurrect Little Al. A reincarnator, huh, 'Crown Prince Venncroft'. You just made my day.
I stepped out of the steamy bathroom with my towel slung around my shoulders after shutting off the hot water, walking straight into a broad chest. I stepped back and rubbed my pink nose with annoyance.
"What are you thinking about, Bunbun?" I looked up to face the voice and sighed. It turns out that the 2nd ML, Ruvik (who's name I only recently found out) was quite stalkery, these days. After I refused to share a bath with him, he seemed to try and sneak into the bathroom every time I was washing, when given the chance. Just to try and catch a glimpse at my naked body. He reminded me of a guy called Miro I knew... a pervert, a fucker, and an annoyance that I just couldn't seem to get rid of.
I smiled and pushed against him, but he clung onto me. I sighed. If I was in my original body, or if I had my magic back, I could simply flick him and he'd die. Now, all I could do was mobilize my aura for a bit and try to kill him.
I trudged forward, trying to go to bed and just sleep. I really had better things to do other than giving into Sexist Bastard's (his new nickname) whims. But he simply picked me up and plopped me onto his own before treating me like a human pillow and swinging his legs on either side of my body and cuddling me to sleep. It seems like I've already gone to stage two. This is too easy. I laughed and tried to squirm away, only to be held tighter. "Don't try and escape tonight, Bunbun. You're mine."
I just groaned. Dammit, seriously? This is so embarrassing, to think I let myself be held in my weakest moment. I have to get out of here. "No, I'm not." I replied curtly.
"Oh, really? Well. If you can get out of my arms tonight, then..."
I didn't really know what he was leading to, nor did I really care. I just assumed that he was saying if I could get out of his arms, then I wasn't his. So long, cringey trope that would haunt my conscience for another billion years, so long, humiliating embarrassment and hurt pride. "Deal." I turned myself forward to face him, taking advantage of his moment of weakness, and swung the heel of my hand down hard onto the man's most sensitive spot. A strangled cry slipped from his mouth and his arms weakened. I crawled forward and rolled off the bed. Watching the originally cocky Sexist Bastard curl up into a fetus' position, I let out a satisfied smirk at my handiwork before leaning forward and whispering a smug 'I win~' into his ear.
----
"Did you really think that you could kill me?" The cloaked figure widened their eyes and tried to plunge their obelus into my exposed nape once more. I simply gave a faint chuckle and seized it skillfully as it attempted to press against my neck. "Shhh-shhh-shhh. You don't want to wake the sleeping beauty, do you~" I took a quick glance at the sleeping Sexist Bastard lying face-up on his black bed. The edge of the blade was pressed against my neck, but I paid it no mind and leaned forward. Blood trickled out of the newly-opened wound, showing a brilliant contrast between snow-white skin and dark red blood.
I tilted my head and smiled, caressing the dagger relaxedly. "I'm too invested in this life-" I swiftly pried the knife out of the assassin's skilled hands with ease. Slowly handling my aura to a degree that could pressure the assassin down, I quickly stabbed the bloody blade into the cloaked figure's abdomen and leisurely eased them into the ground, kissing them lightly on the forehead. My aura burst and enveloped the bloody scene while my pursed lips steadily morphed into a sardonic smile. "-to allow you to kill me."
I withdrew the dagger and used my nightshirt to wipe it clean of blood. I casually wiped the fresh, lukewarm blood off my cheek and frowned, murmuring, "I guess I'll have to wash again. What a pain."
I felt a presence move into the room and nonchalantly hid the gleaming dagger behind my back, desperately surprising the massive amount of bloodlust I emanated until not even a little bunny could deem me a threat.
"Wow. To think you could kill off Ten with only a dagger. I've never seen a commoner like you."
My eyes darted to the man in front of me. His face wasn't hidden by the hood behind him. The white moonlight shone on his shining silver hair. His distinct lapis lazuli eyes gleamed with interest and killing intent. Glancing at his attire, I could immediately tell that underneath his cloak, at least twenty razor-sharp daggers were hidden and ready to kill. I danced to my bed and flumped down onto the soft bedding, my short purple-blue hair splay out onto the mattress, letting the blood drip down and stain the silky white sheets.
I sighed, rolling my eyes. 'I've never seen a commoner like you'? That's such a trope, I almost vomited. The amount of terrible cliches packed into that man was so immeasurable that I lost all my strength before the battle even began.
I rolled over and put my head on my hands, swinging my legs to match the rhythm of his breathing. The awkward silence after his hackneyed phrase drew a small deadpan chuckle out of my slightly cracked thin lips. The only response I could draw out of myself was, "I like your hair."
Truly a masterful reply, don't you agree?
After a short silence, I stated, "It reminds me of me, so I guess it's only natural I like it."
I paused before adding, "But the rest of you looks like complete shit, so I guess it all evens out in the end."
He barked out a laugh. "For someone like you to be so carefree in the face of death... truly astonishing."
I cocked my head to the side and made an innocent, bewildered expression. "Someone like me? Who would... someone like me be?"
He snorted. "A little boy who hasn't been exposed to death or torture-"
"You remind me of someone, from a long, long time ago." I cut him off and smiled, flipping over and lying on the bed sprawl-eagled. I knew that this man must have put some sort of barrier around Ruvik, so I was no longer as quiet as I was before. Before he had a chance to protest or spit out one of those cringe worthy lines again, I started to reminisce. "My bias... his name was... what was it? It's been too long... Ah, Ciaran. Honestly, I don't even remember why I favored him so much even though he was as bad as the other male leads, but in the end, I was a simple little lamb in my twenties... Fufufufu, thinking about it makes me feel like an old geezer again." I laughed and caressed the growing wound on the side of my neck. My hand soon dripped with fresh, sweet-smelling blood.
My strange, lethargic behavior clearly made the duplicate Ciaran restless, because he soon launched a silent, unwarranted attack on me. I danced away from the flying dagger-like weapon and smiled. "Ah... but unlike Ciaran, I guess you are a bit more hotheaded and boring." I crouched and picked up the weapon. I could immediately feel the excess mana flow into my body, and couldn't help but frown. "Using magic in a knifefight? Tsk-tsk-tsk, that's playing dirty." I threw the small weapon back with ease. He narrowly missed the flying dagger. A small sliver of red appeared on his left cheek.
"...Just who are you?" He grabbed the knife that was lodged loosely on a wall and pushed it back into his pocket.
"Me? I'm just a little boy who hasn't been exposed to death or torture~ like you said!" I giggled. "But I gotta say... for the leader of one of the biggest information organizations in the empire, you sure don't do your research on your target's companions, do you."
"How do you know that-" He cut himself off before he could divulge more information, but I already knew what he was going to say.
"How did I know that you were the big boss of the organization, right? Did I guess right~? Well, I've met so many of you by now in my life - or lives, if I may say - that it's just second nature to me now! Hmmm, you probably don't understand, do you. Well, I guess... you could call it an educational guess, on my part."
He widened his eyes and stared at me. His lips curled into a mysterious, dark smile. "How much do you know, Chalice?"
I guffawed, casually avoiding the inquiry posed to me. "Haha, so you know my 'name'. What else do you know about me?"
I took a step forward. "Do you know how old I am?"
Another step. "Why I'm here?"
Another. "Where I'm from?"
And another. I leaned forward and caressed his frozen, slightly pink face.
"Let's play a game, shall we?" I whispered into his ear. I could see it slowly turning a deeper shade of red at my provocations. "If you can answer all three of those questions about me..." I said, slowly withdrawing and toying with the dagger in my hands like it was a plush toy, "Then I'll tell you how much I really know."
----
(A/N: Short story afterward, enjoy~)
There is two rules that everyone should know about me, if they treasure their life. One, 'Dress up is absolutely prohibited', and two...
'Don't wake the sleeping Alice'.
Yes, indeed. Even after all this time, after aging and going through countless meaningless and boring lives, that is something that will never change.
Sleeping is one of the most important things to me. If someone wakes me up... well, I'll let your imagination fill in the blanks, but let's just say that a specific part located on their lower body won't be the only thing that's gone. That paints quite a vivid picture for you, does it not? Well, I'm glad. Then imagine this. An Alice, with a fresh bloody wound on their neck, who had to stay up until 3 a.m. to deal with certain intruders; who had to clean up after her mess in the dorm, figure out who was Ruvik's secret guards and cover up their deaths and when she could finally go to sleep, still had to wear suffocating chest bindings that made her stay up until 7 in the morning.
How. Absolutely. Marvelous. Am. I. Right? Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. So funny. I'm dying of laughter.
Honestly, by the time I fell asleep, I already agreed that class wasn't and important as beauty sleep, and that if someone woke me up, they'd shit their fucking asses after being pummeled to the threshold of death. After burning their limbs to a near crisp, I would twist them until their cracks and screams would become so unbearable they'd faint out of absolute agony. I'd-
For our audience's safety, the rest of this scene has been omitted. Please stand by...|
Ahem ahem.
Ehem ahem ahem ehem.
Ahem. Ehem ehem ehem ahem ahem ahem ahem ahem ehem ehem ehem.
Ahem.
You didn't hear anything.
----
Thursday, 8:00 a.m.
I was currently in the middle of a deep, comfortable slumber after the exhausting night before, when a loud pest woke me up.
"Chalice? Chalice? Chaaalice. Bunbun! Bunbuuun~"
"...Fuck off." I rolled my head over and covered it with a thick feathered pillow. I just spent the whole night preventing the leader of an assassination guild from killing your sorry ass, so shut the fuck off, before I kill you in their place. I pulled up the blanket to my forehead and groaned in exhaustion.
"Up you go, Bunbun~ or are you staying in bed and inviting me in~"
Usually, I'd find this guy's behaviour either amusing or cringeworthy. His constant pickup lines made it hard not to laugh. But right now, I am a sleepy Alice. And no one wakes up a sleepy Alice, no matter who it may be.
I rolled the blanket down and dazedly opened my eyes. My messy short hair, slightly teary eyes, and cracked pink lips made me seem like the definition of fresh innocence.
"...I said fuck off... bastard... Or did you not hear me through that thick skull of yours? Shitty asshole..." My aura slowly unfurled and simmered. I always did have terrible control over it if I was being awoken. To be fair, breaking one of Alice's two rules would make my aura go out of control no matter how much I could try to suppress it. That was just how it worked, after all.
But Ruvik paid no mind to the change in my tone, or the death glare in my eyes, or the slow tendrils or aura wrapping around his neck. To him, I was a simple little powerless bunbun, with no spiritual roots nor fighting power. I couldn't kill him, a powerful duke's heir with influence that reached beyond the continent of Zevn. He kissed both my eyes tenderly before looking at my expression. Seeing as I made no sudden movements or hints of resistance, he bent down further. His hot breath tickled my cheeks as he slowly pressed his thick lips against mine. He unhurriedly opened my mouth and pushed his tongue into my mouth. His gentle sucking on my tongue was coquettishly shy and fierce at the same time.
Honestly, I had registered none of his actions. I was half-asleep and really didn't give a damn about whatever Ruvik was doing at the moment. As long as he didn't wake me, as long as he didn't unfurl the curtains and let the bright sun in, as long as he let me breathe properly, I really didn't give a fuck about it. So even as his advances slowly continued, all I felt was a slight tickling on my eyes then movement on my lips.
So it was a nice sleep.