Saturday, October 29, 807
10:00 PM
"So. If you were to encounter the Lizard demon, how would you react?" Leya looks at me again with that ambiguous expression, not giving me an answer.
"We talked about this before, please don't make that face."
"... And if I had to fight it, I would use my electric shocks."
I knew it would end up like this.
"Why are you so stubborn? You can't write like that."
"Oh, enough. I'm going to bed." Leya gives up, getting up from the table and heading towards the door.
"If you leave, you won't pass the test, and you'll be expelled." I tell her sternly.
So, she turns back and says: "Anyway, I never had any interest in entering the academy. You decided everything!"
I stay silent; I didn't expect this.
"So, you didn't agree in the end? Why didn't you tell me anything?"
I had done it because I thought it was the best thing. Where would she go on her own?
"I don't know... I ran away from the lab because you told me I would find happiness outside."
She confesses, then lowering her gaze.
"You want to be happy. But how do you think you'll achieve this happiness?"
I make her sit in the chair and look into her eyes.
"I want to escape... Escape far from here and go to a place where there is no fighting. A place where demons don't exist." She says with a resigned voice; she knows there's no such place.
Then I ask her: "If this isn't possible, if you were forced to stay here and face the demons, what would you do? Would you fight them, or would you hide? What would you do to achieve happiness?"
"What would you do?" She responds with a question, huh...
"I aim to become stronger. Only the strong survive in this world, so if you want to achieve happiness, you have to become the strongest of all. And this academy can help us." I speak with conviction; it's genuinely what I think.
Hearing my words, she looks thoughtful, then adds the most beautiful thing I've heard since I was reborn here: "This world sucks!"
"Now that you've realized that, let's get back to studying."
She nods.
I feel much lighter in my chest; I feared she would say she wanted to die to avoid all this.
After finishing studying at exactly two o'clock, we both collapse on the table.
...
....
Monday, October 31, 807
8:45 AM
I enter the classroom with Leya.
"Stay calm, okay? We've studied for two full days; you're prepared. Just remember not to talk about your electric shocks."
She nods with a disappointed expression.
We go to our seats.
Now that I think about it, if I were to be expelled, in the most remote possibility, what would I do? To counter demons, I need to use special weapons given only to graduating cadets. Mmmmh, I could become a mercenary, but obtaining a weapon is much more complicated in that case.
The last real alternative would be to hide and hope to never encounter a demon, but unlike that gambling addict Koto, I don't like placing bets.
...
9:00 AM
Mary enters the door with sheets in hand. She starts distributing them silently, starting from the lower end of the classroom and gradually moving up. By doing this, I would be among the last to receive the test.
Not that I have anxiety or anything because at the moment, I have more knowledge of this world than its actual inhabitants. I'm second only to the author.
After five minutes, she reaches my desk and hands me the sheets. One with the questions and three sheets to write the answers.
9:10 AM
"Now you can start; you have three."
Mary speaks with her authoritative demeanor."
I glance at Leya. For a moment, she looked alarmed, but she quickly calmed down.
I turn the sheet and read the questions.
- Describe in detail the appearance of the Blood demon and the best strategy to annihilate it.
- Describe the appearance of the Phantom demon and its attack pattern. Is there a way not to fall into its traps?
- List all the demons that have already been annihilated and those that have been imprisoned.
- Describe the appearance of the Technology demon. Why hasn't it been annihilated?
- What is the nature of demons? What distinguishes them from each other?
- If there were a way to annihilate all demons definitively, what would it be according to you?
What is this nonsense of a test? If only university exams were this easy, I would have graduated with honors.
The scoring criteria are also mentioned: 50 points for a correct answer, but the score can vary from 0 to 50 based on the quality of the content.
Among these questions, the most curious and amusing to answer is the last one.
Since we have three hours, we should easily answer all the questions, but I would focus only on the last one. The previous ones are too basic; I think even Mary knows that. The more I think about it, the more I believe this question is directed at me and only me. So, I'll give her a taste of what I can offer; I'll be the one guiding our future conversations... Eheh.
....
11:45 AM
Whistling, I hand the sheet to Mary.
Before leaving, I look at Leya, who is still writing hastily.
As for me, I've written six full pages, dedicating all the time and space to answer the sixth question. I've thrown in some provocations to the Hero Association just because I felt like it.
I don't deny that what I've done is risky, but it's all or nothing. If things go well, I'll become someone extremely important to Mary, who is always a Hero, so having such support wouldn't be bad. In any case, we have a strange relationship, so if things go wrong, we can discuss it calmly.
Why take risks? Why didn't I just answer all the questions?
Because it's boring. It's like memorizing a poem and repeating it two hundred times in a row. I'd rather kill myself than repeat it one more time.
Wait... Why do I feel like I've made a bet?
....
1:05 PM
I find myself with the whole group in the refectory, sitting around a table. But only Koto and I are eating.
Toki and Kairi look terrible, while Seyun is crying.
The only immaculate ones seem to be me, Koto, and Leya, although she's not touching her food.
"Leya, how did the test go? Did you answer many questions?" I ask her curiously.
She gives me an empty look, so I move a hand in front of her face.
"Did a demon steal your soul?" I ask her with a feigned scared voice, but I get no response.
"It seems to have gone well for you." Koto says, pointing at me with his fork.
"Mmmh, let's say I answered only one question."
"Ehhhhh?" Koto looks at me in surprise. Meanwhile, the others have started to look at me strangely.
Kairi and Toki seem ecstatic and say to each other:
"Did you see, Toki? Three answers are more than enough. Maybe we won't finish last."
"I knew it, Kairi. It's all about ranks; those of us higher up have a higher knowledge."
They start giggling, covering their mouths with their hands.
"Ban, did you really only answer one question? Why? They didn't seem difficult, except for a few... " Leya says beside me, looking concerned.
Koto stops eating, seeming to wait for my response.
"The truth? I didn't feel like answering the initial questions. I only answered the last one."
They continue to look at me in astonishment.
Koto speaks up: "The last one? The one about finding a solution to demon annihilation?"
I nod.
He looks puzzled: "I don't think that answer holds much value because we haven't discussed that topic with either instructor. It seems more like a curiosity, at least to me."
The others seem to nod. Well, we'll see. It wouldn't make sense to include such a question in an official test unless there's a reason only I can understand.
I eye them distrustfully before concluding: "We'll see the results tomorrow."
After that, I go back to eating my spaghetti with sauce.
Koto starts looking at me with a mischievous gaze.
"You haven't forgotten our bet, have you?"
Damn gambler. I nod with a smile.
No matter how much time I spend in this place, I can't stand all these voices. There must be several hundred cadets just in this section of the refectory.
Ahhh... I have to endure a little longer. After the events of the next arc, many will be afraid of their own shadows and won't leave the central palace. I can use that excuse to stay in my room.
"Have you heard what those cadets are saying?"
Kairi points to two cadets sitting at a table a few meters away.
"I'm surprised you could hear them with all this noise." I reply without thinking.
"They reported the disappearance of their friend. It's been a day since they last heard from her. What do you think happened to her?" She speaks with a very anxious tone.
Could it be the work of the Darkness demon?
The author introduced the demon only towards the end of November when it appeared in the central palace. On that occasion, it killed several hundred cadets. Before that madness, there were references to some disappearances through conversations with the protagonist.
So... the first narrative arc has already begun.
From now on, dozens of cadets will start disappearing, but the real bomb will be dropped only on November 30.
"She probably withdrew, or maybe she had a falling out with those who think they're her friends." Toki says, trying to reassure the anxious Kairi.
If I didn't know the future, I'd probably agree with him.
"Let's see what happens in the next few days. If she's really missing, they'll communicate through phones, or they'll announce it tomorrow before the lesson. It doesn't make sense to worry when we're not certain of the truth," Koto intervenes, trying to calm the group before it gets too agitated.
I look at Leya beside me. She must have calmed down since she's eating her meal intensely.
'Leya, something terrible is about to happen. I don't know how to say it, but I need you to stay safe. I can't let you get involved in all of this.'
I can't tell her this...
What can I say to her to seem as natural as possible?
Maybe this: "Leya, you'll be sleeping at my place again until the end of the month."
At that moment, Leya spits her bite in Toki's face, who responds annoyed: "Hey, what are you doing? Be careful when you eat!"
Have I been too straightforward?
....
5:00 PM
I'm sitting in the armchair contemplating the next moves.
1. My goal is to survive in this world. It may be fictional, it may be a very realistic dream, but it's the one I live in. I have no idea what would happen to me if I were to die.
2. When I enrolled in the academy, I was convinced I would survive the first arc unscathed. Now I realize I was a fool. I thought the demon would kill some cadets, then massacre them en masse on November 30th. So I thought, 'I'll leave the academy on November 30th and come back the next day.' The problem is, I could be one of those first cadets. To ensure my survival, I should run away now and stay away for just over a month. But doing so would get me expelled due to all the absences. Talking to Mary? I wouldn't have a plausible excuse. And she's intelligent; if I return right after the massacre, she'll connect it to me. Whether I tell her the truth or not, I'll be in big trouble. So... why should I risk my life by staying in this academy? I can't find an answer; I feel like a character in a video game, controlled by someone else and compelled to do certain things.
3. What to do to survive before November 30th? Good question. The Darkness demon attacks in the shadows and fears the light. So, I should fight him using this weakness... The problem is, the bastard can absorb it. So, I need something to use at the exact moment he's about to attack me, making him harmless and allowing me to escape.
No, wait. I'm wrong because escaping wouldn't help. I'll be able to counter him with light, but only for a few moments; he'll absorb it and then chase me. He's one with the shadows; he'll materialize behind me and will kill me. So, I must exploit that moment when he's defenseless to imprison him.
4. How do you imprison a demon? Today I'm in the mood for good questions. Using ordinary means is impossible because the damn thing can absorb anything. Even if I initially manage to capture him, after a few seconds, he'll escape by absorbing what confines him. So, I should use some artifact.
I open the 'Black Market'.
Let's see if they sell this damn artifact.
- PURCHASE SECTION -
- ENTER PRODUCT NAME -
- ..... -
What was it called? There was the Prison demon in the middle.
Ah yeah.
- PRISON SPHERE -
I hope it's for sale, as this demon is only mentioned in the second half of the story, so I'm not sure.
After a few moments, the artifact appears on the screen.
- PRICE: 50 MILLION STARK -
- DO YOU WANT TO CONFIRM? -
I mentally curse it. Maybe even selling the two demon flesh won't get me to that amount.
I close the site directly.
Damn. I have no intention of going back to that damn lab.
How much money do I have left then?
I check my personal account.
- 2,135,830 stark -
Just over two million dollars.
I should sell those pieces for 25 million each. But no one would buy them at that price, not knowing their nature.
I go back to the site to have them analyzed. Now I can afford to do it.
I take the bottles I had left in a cabinet and scan them.
The response comes after a few minutes.
- CONFIRMED ANALYSIS. DEMON PIECES RECOGNIZED. WITH AN ADDITIONAL 1 MILLION STARK, IT IS POSSIBLE TO PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION ON THEIR NATURE. DO YOU ACCEPT TO PAY THE SUPPLEMENT? -
- ..... -
Thank you, million stark, for your sacrifice: your departure will not be in vain.
- YES -
- THE DEMON FLESH IN QUESTION CORRESPOND TO THE LIGHTNING DEMON AND THE SHARK DEMON -
- AT WHAT PRICE DO YOU WANT TO SELL THEM? -
- ..... -
- ..... -
Uh, Jackpot: both are worth a lot of money because they are very strong demons.
Thanks, Dr. Marco, may your death be quick and painless.
An unknown demon flesh is sold for around 10 million. If it's a weak and useless demon, the cost will decrease, but if it's a strong demon, it will inevitably rise.
- $30,000,000 -
- $30,000,000 -
I think this price is fine for both. In any case, the buyer can make me an offer if they think the price is too high.
- ITEMS PUT UP FOR SALE -
All set. Now I have to wait, hoping not to die in the meantime.
5) Suppose I make it to November 29th healthy as a fish... In the end, I could leave the Academy for a day and return on the morning of December 1st. Even if there are doubts, I can come up with some excuses. Then everyone will be busy dealing with the aftermath of the attack, so they shouldn't pay attention to me.
6) How should I behave with the other cadets? Frankly, I have no intention of saving those I don't know. I would have to give many explanations, so if they die, let them curse the author. As for the protagonists, none of them should die here. Koto, Soichiro, Shiori, Yumiko will find a way one way or another. As for Kairi and Toki, I have no idea. They have never been mentioned by the author, so they will probably die, maybe not in this arc, but it's likely to happen soon. Do I intend to save them?... I don't care because I haven't bonded with them so much. And Seyun? Her fate has completely changed by now. She hasn't been bullied or isolated, so I'm sure she won't die in that way anymore. If she survives this arc unscathed, I'm convinced she will become one of the protagonists in every way. Among the victims of this first arc, she was the most "illustrious."
As for Leya? I don't know what will happen to her; she was supposed to die at the hands of Dr. Marco, but now even her fate has changed. Basically, she shouldn't even be in this academy. In the story, she played a major role, but only when the author talked about her in the Sidark flashback. This makes her, in this first narrative arc, a cameo. In fact, the queen of cameos.
...
My heart begins to beat quickly.
I lean my hand on it.
Why do I feel this strange sensation? Did something happen to Leya?
I quickly check the bracelet: it's still black, meaning her mood is normal.
What is it then? I start breathing heavily. Is it a panic attack?
Why should I have a panic attack?
Just at that moment, someone opens the door and enters the apartment: it's Leya.
"Hey Ban, we haven't talked since lunch, but why should I sleep here? And for a whole month, no less. The others didn't say anything, but they looked at us strangely..."
I look at her with a terrified expression and without realizing it, I get up from the armchair and rush towards her.
I hug her as tightly as I can.
"Eh? EH...EH? What's going on?"
...
I close my eyes, then speak to her in a hushed voice.
...
"Don't... leave me."
...
....
...
7:30 PM
When I come to, I realize I'm lying on my bed, staring at the ceiling.
I must have calmed down now; Leya must have brought me here.
But what came over me? Was it a panic attack? Why?
Before losing it, I was thinking about her...
Why... am I afraid she might be in danger of dying?
The demon will kill mere cadets, people whose names the author has never mentioned. Leya is currently like them, so am I scared for that reason?
"Ah ah" I laugh at how pathetic I am.
Am I behaving like this just because I owe her my life?
"Don't leave me."
Why did I say those words?
Do I want to save her that badly? Or is it because...
No... no... that's out of the question.
I glance to the other side of the bed. Only then do I notice that she's here too. She's lying down and looking at me.
She has a serene expression, then starts to smile.
"What you told me earlier..." She blushes like a tomato, saying those words.
Seeing her embarrasses me too.
I look at the ceiling again and cover my eyes with my hand.
...
Did I not fall in love with a fictional character, did I?
Damn hormones...
"Why were you so agitated, did you miss me?"
And now what do I tell her? That she might become the target of a homicidal demon, and I don't want her to die horribly?
I remain silent, thinking of a good excuse.
"You missed me too..."
I look back at her. Despite the dimly lit room, I can see her embarrassment.
I turn to the other side.
"..."
What should I tell her? I'm not in the right mood to talk now.
"So... I have to bring all my stuff back if I'll be staying here again."
"No, no, it's not necessary. You'll just come to sleep here." I reply with a low voice.
"But I had already arranged some of my things..."
Already? That surprises me.
"I guess when I go back to my room, I'll buy those things again. These will stay here." She states decisively. Doesn't she realize how awkward the situation has become?
Now I sense her moving on the bed. Is she about to get up?
I don't think so; I feel her presence behind me... Has she perhaps approached?
She puts her arms around my waist, then rests her head on my back.
"Ban... Your heart is beating very fast..."
Look at this... Why do you think?
"You still haven't told me why you seemed so scared... Maybe... it has to do with that missing girl?"
I remain silent. Should I tell her everything? No, it would be absurd. She'd think I'm crazy or worse.
I nod; at this point, I'll make her believe whatever she wants.
"Ahahaha" She starts laughing.
"Why are you laughing now?"
"It's just that... I've never seen this side of you before. You remind me..."
She stops abruptly, letting silence fill the room.
She was probably about to refer to Kronos.
Maybe she'll never know the truth about what happened, but I think it's better that way. Sometimes, truths are too painful to bear.
This brief moment of depression has swept away my embarrassment. Now I feel like I've truly come back to myself.
I turn towards her, finding myself inches away from her face.
I notice her melancholic gaze, so I make a proposal that will make us both happy: "How about I buy a couple of ultra-large perfect edition pizzas, and we eat them while watching a movie?"
The best way to restore the right atmosphere is always with good food.
She nods with a smile.
I grab my phone to order, and only then do I notice that I've received a message.
-Cadet Azka Ban, come to my office tomorrow after the lesson.
Instructor Maria Ross.-
I didn't know instructors could send us messages directly. It never happened with Koto.
Should I perceive it as a positive thing or not? Maybe she wants to ask for explanations... Well, I'll see tomorrow; now I'm hungry.