[... Azariah.]
As the silver-haired girl continued to stare at me, El's words resonated in my mind.
'What's up?'
[Who is she?]
'Shyamal Del Estiere, The [Villainess] of the game,' I replied, staring back at her.
[No, not that.]
'Then what?'
[She.... She is like your mother.]
Yeah....
About that.
In a way, she is like my mother.
'....I know,' I replied as my gaze met hers, 'But she isn't like my mother.'
Unlike my mother, who is an incarnation and a vessel of one of the five [Primordial Evils].
She is just a vessel to contain that evil, and unlike my mother, who has full control over her powers.
Shyamal...
She might lose control of herself.
And if that ever happens.
Who am I kidding?
It will happen.
And when that happens.
I will die.
If she loses control, I will be the first she will try to kill.
I will die the most gruesome death one could imagine... being torn limb from limb, getting my body shredded into pieces, bones crushed into nothingness... It's a fate I'd rather not contemplate.
But knowing the game and Shyamal's story, it's a very real possibility.
[Wait...but why will you die?]
'Can't you see the hatred in her eyes?' I rebuked, my gaze still on her as I clenched my fists to stop them from trembling.
[Yeah....what did you do now?]
'.... Don't talk like it's my fault,' I grumbled in reply.
[So...Was it not your fault then?]
'.....'
Well, it was my fault.
[Tell me, what did you do?]
'Well, I killed a guy,' I replied with a tired sigh, 'A guy who was important to her.'
[....The Heroines hate you, the protagonist hates you, and now the Villainess hates you as well. Please tell me there is someone who doesn't hate you.]
'...I told you, didn't I?' I replied as I leaned on the chair, averting my eye contact with her, 'Everyone here hates me.'
[.... Life's hard on you, isn't it.]
By hard, you mean fucked up, then yeah.
Tap. Tap.
I looked at my side as Ashlyn tapped on my shoulder.
"Are you alright?" She whispered, bringing her face close to mine.
"...I am fine," I replied with a smile on my face.
"B..But right now you look lonely," she whispered again, looking at me concernly.
"I am not lonely," I replied with a chuckle as I leaned on my chair, "people would never leave me alone."
"That's all I have to say." Both of our attention turned towards Princess Arianell as she completed her speech.
"And one more thing." But just as the students were about to clap, she continued.
"I will make this clear."
She announced, looking at all the students before her gaze landed on... me.
"If there is any student who is being harassed physically or mentally,"
She continued, her gaze fixed on me.
"I don't care who you are, nobility or commoner. If someone is trying to make you do things you don't want to do,"
As if no one else was important to her, she continued to speak,her beautiful white eyes staring at me.
"Bring your complaint to me. I will make sure there is justice for the victim."
She looked at me as she dragged her last words.
"Even if the one who committed the crime is the son of a Duchess."
And...
All eyes in the hall turned toward me.
Ashlyn, sitting beside me, shrank in her seat, glancing at me.
Ethan also looked at me.
[...Her emotions are conflicting.]
'....All I see is hatred,' I replied as the hall once again started to buzz.
[No—.]
'It's hatred. Don't think too much,' I interjected as Arianell walked down from the stage and the older man standing beside her took the mic.
"I have already introduced myself," he said, while fixing her black hair that had streaks of white in them, "so I will not waste your time anymore."
"To all the new students." With a bright smile, he said, "Welcome to Pargoina Academy."
Clap! Clap!
The hall resonated with loud clapping sounds after his words.
"Your classroom has already been assigned," he continued as a holographic screen appeared in the middle of the hall.
"Where are you going?" As I stood up from my seat, Ashlyn asked.
"To our class," I replied, smiling at her as I extended my hand. "Let's go."
Hesitantly, she took my hand as she stood up before leaving my hand.
I took one last glance at Shyamal, who was still staring at me, before I walked towards the door.
"AZ!"
But just as I turned, a voice resonated throughout the hall.
"Ahh, fuck him," I mumbled as I looked back, only to find a raven-haired boy walking towards me.
"The hell are you doing here?" Aimar bleated at me as he stopped in front of me.
"Not now, Aimar," I replied as I walked towards the door, but he quickly grabbed my shoulder as Oliver also come to my view.
"Az, seriously, what are you doing here?" he inquired softly as I glanced at him.
"Stop harassing him, Aimar," his twin brother interjected firmly, pulling his hand off my shoulder.
Sighing in relief, I continued walking towards the door with Ashlyn by my side, who was feeling somewhat awkward.
"Wait for me, Oliver." A girlish voice once again made me stop in my tracks as another girl hurried towards us.
"Thank you," Aaliyah Vespertine beamed at Oliver.
"Yeah, it's fine," Oliver replied with a light chuckle.
"Wait a minute, will you?" As I turned to walk, Aimar once again grabbed my shoulder, and another girl came into view.
With her beautiful face framed by cascading orchid-colored hair flowing over her shoulders, she approached us with a graceful gait, seemingly unaware of our presence as if lost in her own thoughts.
"What's this thot doing—Argh," my words turned into a groan as both brothers elbowed my sides.
"Fucking simps," I muttered under my breath.
"Thank you for waiting," Miley said, arriving beside us with a smile.
"It's fine, Miley," Aimar babbled, smiling back at her.
"I'm going now," I grumbled, walking away from the group, with Ashlyn quickly following me.
"Wait, Azariah!" Oliver called after me, followed by the rest of them.
"Hi," Aaliyah waved her hand towards Ashlyn as she walked beside her.
"Hello," Ashlyn replied, unsure how to respond.
"What are you doing here?" Miley asked softly as she arrived beside me. "You could have attended the academy next year."
"None of your business," I rasped without looking at her.
"Azariah!"
"Shut up, Aimar. I don't want to hear again how cute or beautiful she is from you," I quickly interjected, making him look at me blankly.
"N...No, it's..Um.."
"Loser," I commented again as he stammered, and Miley looked at him with amusement.
"Come with me." Oliver placed his hand around my neck and mumbled before leading me a little further away from the rest.
"What now?" I asked, looking at him.
"Are you sure about coming here, Azariah?" He mumbled softly. "You can't use Mana, remember? How will you survive here?"
"Don't worry about it," I said, shaking my head.
"It's serious, Azariah," Oliver whispered softly. "I will try to protect you when I can, but with how many people hate you here, it will be impossible for me as well."
"Like I said—"
"Your mother's name will not work here, remember?" He interjected sharply. "Nobility never interferes in issues related to the academy, not even the imper—"
"I can use Mana."
"What?"
"You heard me."
"Wait! Really!"
"Stop shouting."
"Hahaha! Good, good." He laughed heartily as he slapped my back.
"Stop it, you bastard," I grumbled as my back ached with pain.
"Aimar!" Oliver turned towards his twin brother, but his words didn't come out as he looked at the flying being in the air.
A short distance away, Ethan strolled nonchalantly, accompanied by a diminutive fairy-like creature hovering above him.
"What's that?" Ashlyn's curiosity peaked, her gaze fixed on Ethan and the creature above him.
"Ahh, my spirit," Ethan responded, his tone tinged with awkwardness as he scratched his head.
"Hello!" The tiny fairy-like spirit bowed before Ashlyn, her voice beaming with happiness. "Please take care of my son."
"Ah, yes." Ashlyn bowed back in front of the spirit.
"Hello!" The tiny fairy-like spirit then bowed towards Miley, "please take care of my son."
Miley curiously looked at the spirit as it turned and bowed towards Aaliyah, then Aimar, and then towards Oliver.
"Hello!" And at last, it bowed towards me, "please take care of my son."
I... I didn't reply.
I just couldn't.
[Azariah... She has a human soul.]
'I know,' I replied, my gaze on the fairy. 'It's part of Ethan's mother's soul.'
[How... How did she become like this?]
'Ethan's mother begged and pleaded to be with her son at her last moment, and... my mother granted her wish.'
[.....]
Sometimes, I do wonder how a woman can be so sick in her head.
"Sigh..."
With a tired sigh, I walked towards my classroom because there is someone who can help me become stronger.