"Hey, you why are you staring at me with that perverted grin?"
I quickly realized my thoughts have been caught.
"Oh, I just thought you were cute," I said with a sheepish grin.
"Huh? You, weird bastard, stop staring at me!" she replied, clearly enraged by my comment.
I thought she was pretty cute and complimented her, but why is she so mad? Oh, she must not know who am I. After hearing my name, she should realize and apologize to me.
"Do you who am I? I am Leo Wolfgang, the heir to the guild Silver Wolves. I apologize for my behavior, miss."
Since I chose her, I should make a good impression and apologize. She should realize and apologize back, right?
However, instead of apologizing, the girl raised her eyebrow and replied
"So, what? Who gives a damn about your father's guild?"
I was taken aback by her reply. Here I thought that my status would impress her, but it seems like she doesn't care about it all.
It is fine I thought, I'll just impress her with my abilities then, the weak will cower before the strong after all.
"Fair enough, but can you at least tell me your name?" I asked while trying to get closer to her.
"Get away, you creep!" she exclaimed while taking a step away from me.
I felt offended by her words.
What did I do wrong? If not for the fact that I was interested in her, she would probably never talk to an elite like myself.
Oh, wait I see she must have felt inferior by my status and tried to reject me to save my face. I guess she is a bit smart after all.
"No need to feel worried about me. Status doesn't matter in this school. Why don't we get some food after the examination and get to know each other better?"
Then, someone interrupted me.
It was a short boy with dark brown hair and glasses. He looked like he would fall with the slightest nudge.
"Hey, dude, can't you see that she is not interested in you? Why don't you leave her alone?"
"Why don't you mind your business and stay out of this?" I replied, feeling annoyed.
"Wow, you must be so infatuated with yourself to not see how she feels, you narcissist," he replied forcefully.
"You think you can slander me, and get away with it?" I responded hotly.
I gripped his collar, and since I was strong I lifted him up. I didn't even have to use magic.
"You, bastard, think you can insult me? You're weak and insignificant compared to me. You haven't learned anything from your mama, did you? You should know your place."
Then, I threw him to the wall.
"Bang!"
His glasses broke after hitting the wall and fell to the ground. He was grasping his body and groaning.
I did feel a bit of pity for him, but he should have known better. Now, I don't even feel like talking to that girl. My good mood was ruined by that pathetic weakling.
As I was about to leave, the blue-eyed boy bent down and picked up the broken glasses from the ground.
I could see him putting the glasses back together.
"Stop!" An emotionless voice rang out, causing me to turn around.
I saw the tall figure standing in front of me. He stared at me with those wondrous eyes that seemed to see through me.
"What do you want?" I asked.
Then, I saw a fist flying toward me.
*****
I am not the protagonist, am I?
If I were would I be laying down on the floor in pain? If I were the protagonist, would I be getting stared at by countless students with a look of disgust?
Then, the door opened and an examiner entered the room. She wore a white and black uniform and held a clipboard in her hand. She had quite the slender body and delicate face to match it.
"What happened here?" she asked sternly.
Silence.
No one answered her. No one sympathized with me or tried to defend me. I could not even say anything, it felt pitiful.
She then called people from the infirmary. I felt shame and humiliation wash over me as the other examinees stared at me. I tried to close my eyes and ignore them, but I could still feel their gazes on me.
I was then taken to the infirmary with a staff member supporting me from the side. He must have found it funny that I got beaten up. The delicate and wondrous halls felt like nothing when I walked past them. People were looking at me with pity, and I hated it.
Shame,shame,shame,shame,shame.
I felt dizzy and my head was spinning.
Fortunately, the rest of the way passed in a blur, and I was soon laying on a bed.
The white ceiling and the blue curtains surrounded me. It was quiet and peaceful in the infirmary, as it was only the first day.
Did I break some sort of record for being the first to go to the infirmary?
"Tack, tack, tack..."
The sound of heels approached me, and I saw a tall woman with a stern look on her face. When I mean tall, I meant very tall. She was well over 2 meters tall. Her long dark hair felt insignificant to her height.
"Someone already got hurt on the first day? It seems like it'll be a busy year," she said with a sigh.
"Okay, kiddo, let's take a look at you. Can you tell me where it hurts?"
I'd have already gotten agitated if someone called me a kid, but for some reason, her tone and demeanor gave me a sense of security. Still, doesn't change the fact that I was feeling embarrassed.
"I'm completely fine," I said with a weak voice.
The tall woman frowned at my answer.
"Hah, this kid, you have a large bruise on your face and you're saying it's fine? It is childish to try to hide your injuries."
"I said I'm fine it's just a little bruise"
She suddenly put her arms on my shirt and lifted it up despite my struggles.
"Let me be the judge of that," she said firmly.
She then started examining my naked skin, rolling her fingers all around my body.
She brought packed ice and put it on top of my bruise.
"Hold it like that, you're lucky it isn't serious. If the other person hit you slightly downwards, you'd have internal injury."
Suddenly, green light enveloped me, it felt warm and comforting. It washed all my worries away, and I felt a sense of relief.
"You'll be free to go after the swollen cheek goes down" she informed me.
"Maybe, we'll see each other often," she said with amusement in her voice.
Only then I saw the nameplate, "Doctor Elethea".
She was smiling at me for some reason, and it sent a shiver down my spine.
"Does she enjoy seeing students get hurt?" I thought.
"You'll be late for the exam, so you'll probably have to take the last one, tomorrow afternoon."
After she gave me some more ice, she left the infirmary.
"Tack,tack tack..."
Footsteps faded away through the halls.
I then wondered " If she is so tall, why does she wear heels?"
As the last ray of sun disappeared from the room, my eyelids got heavy and I dozed off into deep sleep.
****************
The morning came too soon, and I woke feeling sore all over my body. I groaned as I sat up feeling the ache in my muscles. As I touched my cheeks, the bruise wasn't there anymore. I felt relieved.
"Nice"
I won't look like a total mess on the exam today.
The air felt fresh and invigorating as I walked toward the exam hall, and I felt a sense of renewed energy.
It'll be fine I thought. Even though I failed miserably yesterday, today is a new day and a new beginning.
Then, my stomach started to rumble.
I didn't have dinner nor where I knew where I can eat breakfast.
My sudden uplift was dampened instantly.
"I don't know what the fuck is going on. What am I supposed to now?" I muttered to myself. I decided to at least know where things are.
There weren't any people in halls unlike yesterday. No sign of life.
As I walked around aimlessly, trying to discover something, someone grabbed my shoulders.
Startled by the sudden impact, I turned back. An instructor was wearing the black and white uniform of the academy.
"Aren't you Leo? Hurry the last exam will begin in a few minutes and you were missing! You should follow the schedule! Do you understand?"
His firm and authoritative tone left me overwhelmed, as I nodded an answer.
I couldn't help, but follow his lead unable to rebut.
His strong grip made me feel like a little child getting carried away to the doctor's office by force.
****
Soon, I found myself in an exam hall standing with 2 other people. The room was definitely smaller and dimmer than the room I was in yesterday. The small window revealed the smallest of sunlight, and the gray walls swallowed the remaining light. I then carefully observed the other people taking the test with me. A tall boy and an small girl. At least, I wasn't alone.
I wondered about their circumstances, but then I remembered why I was here in this room.
Their situation was probably better than mine.
I suddenly thought of that boy who beat me up. Those eyes filled with wrath and tranquility. I would normally feel rage and thoughts of revenge, but instead, I felt fear. I felt for the first time from a kid whose age was the same as mine.
I shuddered trying to forget what happened.
As I focused back on the room, I noticed the hint of scarlet on their hair.
A very subtle detail, but something that caught my attention nonetheless.
Are they not human?