She laid her back on the bed and stared at the ceiling.
"This feeling.. why can't I shake it off..?"
She breathed heavily while thoughts kept wandering into her head, memories too.
Memories of Archehon.
"That idiot.. why am I remembering him?"
She rested her arm over her eyes and tensed her face.
"And.. how dare he.. even dare to treat me with no respect.."
She took her arm off and stared at the ceiling for a few seconds before speaking.
".. nobody's ever treated me like this before.."
* * *
Archehon walked through the school halls as he drank the can.
"Ah.."
He said after feeling satisfaction from the can.
He chucked the can in a bin and walked towards the entrance of his department.
But before he could do that, he heard a voice from behind.
"Hey.."
Archehon turned around and saw Linda standing there while looking to the side, with her hair strands covering a portion of her face.
"Hm? Who are you?"
"What have you done to me?"
A frustrated expression filled with anger and a mix of other feelings looked dead into his eyes.
"What are you talking about? I don't recall ever meeting you-"
But his words were only a trigger for her to raise her voice to a greater volume.
"Don't play dumb!"
Sweat dripped down as she clenched her fists even more, this time, with less anger and more of something else.
"Why is it that I feel resentment towards you despite not ever meeting you at all?"
"I'm not sure how I should answer that?", he shrugged as he never showed an ounce of emotion.
"..."
Silence.
She never muttered anything after that which Archehon took as a queue to leave.
"Well, I'll be heading away now. I'm not sure- ah, wait a minute.."
He started to ponder while staring at the floor.
"I think I know who you are now."
"You were at the shop the other day, weren't you?", he began to smile, getting rid of the so-called confusion on his face.
"Yes.. that was me. And, I want an apology for bumping into me."
Once she thought that she could feel relieved, the contrary happened.
"Nope."
"Huh? Why not?!", she grabbed the sides of her clothes and screamed at him.
"Shh, I'd recommend that you do not speak any louder since it's only a few minutes before the departments close down."
But.
"I'm not apologizing since I've done so already, at the store itself."
"B-but, that wasn't a proper one."
'A proper one? Wait a minute, is she..'
"Nope. I don't like giving apologies to spoiled brats such as yourself."
Her eyes widened in shock and annoyance.
"W-what?? I-I'm not spoilt!-"
"Yes you are. So, stop hiding it and get lost."
Linda glared at Archehon's back as he left from the sudden change in behaviour.
"I hate you.."
She bit her lips and turned away after feeling defeated.
For the second time, she felt defeated..
..more than ever.
* * *
The next day...
Magic class.
The teacher was presenting the theory on the board.
"And, that's all the basic theory covered. I know that most of you should already know this theory but it is mandatory that you know every detail as you are required to apply this into a real battle."
Mrs Sunderland finished speaking and allowed everyone to begin leaving the class.
While Archehon was in the process of leaving the class, she called for him.
He walked back to the teacher while some students glanced at the two before leaving.
"Hello Archehon. I don't want to hold you back to your other class but I'm worried that you might struggle in this class as you're having to learn the basics that students learn when they're even younger."
She looked at him with a concerned look.
"Not just that, the class will be moving onto more advanced magic theory practices which you might fall behind. So, if there's any help you need at all, just tell me whenever."
'Ha. You think I need pitying you dumb-'
'
'Ha.. fuck.'
"Okay, thanks for the advice. I'll be leaving now.", Archehon again, as per usual, struggled to get those simple words out of his mouth.
"Okay then. Bye, Archehon."
He exited the class and turned to find Linda standing a couple metres away from his class door.
"Huh? What are you doing here? I didn't expect you to stalk me again."
She bit her lips and glared at him.
"I-I didn't follow you. I just came here to collect my apology."
Archehon looked at her with no pity, no anything.
"If that's the case, then you're not getting another one."
He turned away and began walking off in the corridor.
She widened her eyes and ran up next to him.
"Then, I'm following you until you give me one!"
During the next few days, Archehon's school days weren't necessarily peaceful.
Archehon walked in and out of his classes but instead, Linda continuously trailed behind him.
Of course, this didn't look like it was a good sign as she had the most furious and arrogant expressions every time.
The course of Linda's behavior:
- "I hate you"
- "I don't like you"
- "Stop acting so stupid."
This definitely did show that her behaviour towards Archehon wasn't as harsh as before.
And, just like that, a week had already passed since Linda continuously demanded an apology to Archehon.
"Haaa.. when are you going to stop stalking me?", Archehon looked at Linda annoyingly as they walked down the corridor.
It was already night and they were close to Linda's dorm- the spiritual department.
"I-I'm not stalking you, you idiot! I want an apology!"
Her cheeks turned red and she faced another direction in a hurry.
"Yeah, yeah.. say what you like."
Suddenly, she pushed him against the wall out of anger.
"You.."
"Yeah, and I was wondering why he thought that?"
But before Linda could do anything, voices could be heard in the distance.
It was a couple of other girls from her dorm.
"No.. follow me!", she whispered to Archehon and dragged him along with her.
They hid behind a wall while Linda checked and saw the two girls from the dorm still walking towards their area.
"No.. I can't let them see you with me this late at night.."
She grabbed Archehon tightly and ran continuously while the girls from her dorm travelled closer and closer.
Until..
Click-
They had reached her dorm.
"Phew.. they've not seen us.", she peeked through her dorms entrance door before closing it.
".."
Archehon stayed silent while looking at her before she locked eyes with him in the dark room with no lighting.
Their focus was only on each other's eyes. Nothing else.
Then, her cheeks turned into a greater shade of red, and more cherry-like.
"Y-you.. you, can leave now.."
She pushed him away and stared at her dorms window, opposite of the entrance.
"No, actually, I'm fine with staying."
"Huh, what do you mean-"
She turned around and was about to utter a few words before being interrupted by his gaze into her eyes.
"You heard me. I'd like to stay with you.", said Archehon as he smiled, with slightly pinched eyes.
Her eyes widened in confusion and embarrassment.
"I.. I.."
The silence filled with entire room after his words.
It lasted until a few seconds after, when they leaned in closer to each other.
Their bodies got closer until Linda embraced Archehon in her arms.
"Want to know something..?"
"W-what?"
He muttered a few words that would change her forever.
"I love you."
"I.. I love you too.."
Finally.
She had become true to herself while Archehon..
..or so she thought?
"Linda?"
Archehon looked at her with a concerned look before she quickly broke out of her doze and looked at him. It was all just her imagination and she began panicking.
"Ah, I'm sorry! No, I mean, I'm not sorry, you idiot!"
She pushed him away again and closed the dorm's door, leaving him outside the dorm.
' '74.. 75 hearts!>' ' ' "Nice..", Archehon grinned despicably at the rewards he just reaped. * * * "Perfect." Archehon grinned as he looked at the status window. It was the next day and he had completed his very first story quest. After constant hard work, he had finally taken his first steps into decreasing his penalty which was hindering his progress. 'System Host: 'Archehon' (Lucifer in previous life) Level: 25 Title (equipped): Monster hunter (Amateur) Stats: Strength: 21(+4) Speed: 24 Dexterity: 17(+4) Intelligence: 20 Stamina: 25(+4) Luck: 22 Mana: 43 Fatigue: 12 Divine power: 1 Skills: Talent: Dell's Talent (-8x penalty) ' ' "Now.. system, invest all five points that I earned into decreasing my penalty." ' '<8------>7.5>' ' Archehon, immediately after, felt his body glow and felt stronger than before. "Tch, only that much?", Archehon looked at the screen, dissatisfied. ' "That's good and all, but I'm also wondering about another thing.." ' ".. can you create your own story quests? You've always been going on about how I'm the 'Main Character' and that I'm continuing a story." "So, is it possible that I can create and complete my own?" ' "Hm.. okay. Just confirming even though I don't need to.." "Then, display all of the current story quests that you have made." 'Story quests: (1) Mission: Build up the hosts faction to three loyal subordinates. Reward: [Twenty Points] + (2) Mission: Earn five students trust and respect. Reward: [Ten Points] + ... Note: Story quests do not correspond with this world's morals, even whether something is good or bad. The host will also receive new story quests on the spot depending on the situation. ' Up to eight story quests were totaled up on the screen. Many of which could at most, when added up, could decrease his penalty by half.