The voice echoed.
It was the same voice I had heard many years ago.
The voice was sweet, comfortably embracing me with its soothing tone.
However, unease stagnated within my heart, overwhelming me with fear.
The child in me remembered this voice very well.
A god's blessing.
It brought me back to consciousness, as the pain and intense panic settled to nothing.
I opened my eyes to Professor Grimrose.
Her usual attire of a grey vest and suit stood over me.
"Did you unintentionally fall asleep in my class Sir Everblade? Or are you intentionally trying to piss me off?"
I was stunned momentarily, staring the professor down as if I had just seen a ghost.
"T-the former."
I managed to get out a few words.
"I understand we all have some troublesome nights, but please don't let it happen again."
Was it all a dream?
No.
I'm not naive enough to ignore the pain and suffering I just went through.
Something was going on here.
As I looked down to my left, I saw the target of my suspicion.
August Vale.
He held his head in silence, subtly shaking at the presence of something that wasn't there.
His thoughts said it all.
'I'm not dead? Why am I not dead? What's happened to the objective? What's happened to the story? Is Princess Aurelia okay?'
He and I were in the same boat.
That death wasn't a dream or an illusion.
It was real.
I looked at the chalkboard.
Professor Grimrose had written today's date.
972/10/13.
It was the 13th.
Today was the first day August Vale caught my eye.
Seven days before the assassination of Princess Aurelia.
And seven days before my untimely death.
August's gaze shot towards me.
He noticed my eyes but failed to speak as we were still in class.
After our lesson was over, a panicked August came up to me.
"You remember it, don't you, Prince Mackenzie?"
"Remember... what exactly?"
It didn't matter what the two of us had been through.
I was not going to get myself wrapped up in this again.
"Don't play dumb. We made an oath. That sigil is proof."
In the palm of my hand was a circle.
Dyed red and staining my skin, the sigil still rested on my hand.
"You still haven't fulfilled your end of the bargain."
I should've never made that oath.
August took me to the gardens, sitting beside me on a bench.
"I'm not entirely sure how, but both you and me were brought back seven days before the assassination of Princess Aurelia."
August was confused about this situation.
I wasn't certain about what had happened either.
The blessing of August was activated right while I was on my deathbed.
'Objective failed. Reset initiated.'
Those were the words I heard before waking up in the classroom.
I could tell August was aware of this.
However, he was treading carefully with his words.
Trying to avoid receiving a penalty by speaking of his blessing.
So I spoke for him.
"The oath. Do you believe that may have been the cause for my memories staying intact?"
I didn't explicitly state that it was the fault of his blessing.
But if the oath remained intact even after death, it could be used as a useful scapegoat for him to avoid speaking of his abilities.
"Yes, I think so."
With that matter settled, we discussed the steps to take moving forward.
August explained that in the oracle he received from the goddess, there was an ability he tried and failed to obtain.
Spirit magic.
It was a contract between spirits hidden from the eyes of humans and a classless individual.
The possibility of coming across a spirit was very low.
Let alone discovering one before you've earned a class.
Those factors added to the rarity of such unique magic.
And somehow, said rare magic was here in the school's gardens.
'I apologize in advance, Amara, but we need this hidden piece.'
August thought to himself while clenching his fist.
The desperation I once saw on his face had disappeared.
Now facing forward with determination, August led me into the garden's maze.
Left, right, left, straight, right, left.
The deeper we traveled into the maze, the more static I began to hear.
It hissed and crackled over and over again.
Pounding.
Like a migraine that wouldn't disappear, the noise was starting to test my patience.
"Hey, Aug-"
"We've finally made it!"
A thick wall of greenery stood tall in front of us.
My eyes peeled over the surroundings for anything else.
But there was nothing.
Only, a dead end.
"August, you mentioned an entrance. Is there a specific way you're going to reach the spirits?"
"Hm? I'm not entering the garden depths though?"
"What do you me-"
That's when August grabbed me by the wrist.
Pulling me towards the dead end, he gave me a sly smile.
The greenery caved inwards, opening to swallow me whole.
I fell helplessly into the depths of the garden as August waved me goodbye.
"Good luck! Meet me by the training grounds when you've finished!"
"You bastard!"
Landing helplessly in the dirt, I regretted every decision up until that point.
I should've just kept my head down.
Why did I think allying with such a strange individual would work?
Now, I was back where I started.
No, maybe it was even worse now.
I have to help this bastard with his objective.
If it weren't for the static still echoing in my ears, I would have seen this coming.
Ugh.
There is at least one upside to this.
The man possessing August Vale is holding onto unbelievable information.
This place proves it.
As long as I use telepathy to my advantage, I can crawl from this hellhole I've dug myself into.
And I didn't forget my conditions for the oath either.
Creeping across my face, a wicked smile planted itself.
I'll make that bastard pay for putting me through this hell hole.
Rising from my knees, I scanned the room.
Light from the outside barely reached here.
It made it difficult to understand what I was dealing with.
"Hello? Is anyone there?"
My empty words reached the ears of no one.
I went over the plan August had explained to me.
The very same plan he conveniently had forgotten to mention my involvement in.
Placing myself in his shoes, I shouted out again.
"Spirits! My name is Mackenzie Everblade! I have come to make a contract!"
...
..
.
I let out a sigh.
There was one crucial factor about this plan that was problematic.
Spirits feared humans.
Specifically humans with bad intentions.
This premise inspired a famous fairytale.
The Wish of Eternal Love.
The story follows a small commoner child discovering and making a pact with a spirit, using the spirit's power to solve problems and create miracles.
Teaching kids to do the right thing and always be kind to their parents and friends.
Considering my goal was to kill someone as a means to an end, I shouldn't expect a spirit to appear before me.
With static in my ears, I sat in silence.
Theoretically, if I clear my mind of all negative thoughts and intentions, then a spirit should heed my call.
After an hour of meditation, I decided to call it.
"Spirits! My name is Mackenzie Everblade! I have come to make a contract!"
...
Silence, yet again.
The day was already waning.
It would be better to wrap it up here instead of fruitlessly wasting my time.
The blonde asshole outside most likely had more information stocked away that I could use as well.
Scanning the room yet again, I looked for an exit.
But nothing of the sort was around for me to escape with.
My eyes caught a glimpse of the setting sun through the greenery above.
If I stay here any longer, my vision will deteriorate.
Sprouting from the walls of dirt, roots followed a path to the small opening above.
'Is that seriously how he got out...?'