-- Darius Thorne's Perspective--
I clearly remember the day I woke up with a start, as if emerging from a deep, confusing dream. It was in a small room, filled with toys and children's books, with the dawn's light streaming in through a high window. I looked at my hands, smaller than I remembered, and felt that something was off. Then, the memories started flooding in, hitting me like waves in a storm.
I was five years old, but somehow, I knew it wasn't the first time I had lived. Because, at that moment, I remembered my past life... and the fact that I had been reincarnated in my favorite game, 'Arcanus Academy.' Best of all, I hadn't just become any character, but the protagonist, Darius Thorne.
The truth is, I loved the game, but I wasn't exactly good at it. It was a vast world, full of secrets, with multiple paths and decisions that could change the fate of the characters around me, including my own. But I always got lost on the map, failed to find hidden rooms, and worst of all, I never knew how to equip my character properly. Everything was a mess until I started following the guides of a streamer called Crow Knight.
Crow Knight saved me, literally. Without his guides, I'd never have gotten past the first 'acts' of the game. Thanks to him, I understood how to build my character, how to maximize my stats, but he wasn't perfect; he always got the characters and their routes wrong, skipping all the story to go straight to the action. Still, he was great. I always watched his videos and streams to relax.
So now that I found myself here, in this world I knew well but never fully mastered, I knew I had to use the knowledge that Crow Knight had given me wisely.
I didn't allow myself to panic; I couldn't waste time on that. If I wanted to survive and thrive, I had to prepare. I had to remember every detail of the heroines' routes, their side quests, their key dialogues... If I wanted to prevent them from ending up with tragic fates, I had to protect them and bring them along with me.
In Arcanus Academy, each heroine had her own story, her own struggles, and decisive moments. Only I, the protagonist of this world, could advance by following the respective 'Quest Line.' In the game, you could build your own harem of heroines to join your party and lighten the difficulty of the game.
That's why, now that I was here, I would use my knowledge to build my own harem, a team full of powerful allies and, well, maybe something more. Now that I was here, who could blame me for wanting to do the same?
It sounded selfish, I know. But if I could save them, if I could guide them on the right path... Wasn't that a good cause? Now that I knew the routes, the events, and how to avoid the terrible endings, I had an advantage that no one else had in this world.
I needed to be strong, stronger than anyone. In Arcanus Academy, the Act was a brutal test for anyone who didn't have a minimal idea of how to use a weapon, and even more so if you weren't one of those who knew the enemy attack patterns.
So, every morning, just as the sun was rising on the horizon, I went out to the backyard of the Thorne mansion with a wooden sword in hand, while in my head, I searched for the best 'Build' I had learned from Crow Knight's guides.
At first, it was a disaster. My body, still clumsy and undeveloped, barely responded to what my mind knew I had to do. I stumbled, I fell, and ended up panting from the effort. But I didn't give up because I knew what was at stake.
Days turned into weeks, and little by little, my body began to adapt. The wooden sword no longer felt so heavy. My movements became more fluid, more precise. I could feel my muscles strengthening with every blow I struck, every stance I mastered. But, no matter how much I focused on my training, there was a bigger problem that I couldn't stop thinking about, and that was Tesline Koizumi.
Tesline was my childhood friend. We had grown up together, and to her, I was just Darius, the mischievous boy with whom she had shared games and adventures. But I knew something more. I knew Tesline was one of the main heroines of the game.
It was easy to include her in your group, but her 'Quest Line' was one of the most complicated and frustrating. Her bad endings were numerous, ranging from falling into deadly traps, being betrayed by comrades, or even dying facing enemies too strong for her. I couldn't let that happen.
I tried to dissuade her in every way possible. I talked to her about the dangers of being an adventurer, about how uncertain and cruel that world could be. But every time I spoke, she just smiled with that determination that so characterized her and told me that I worried too much.
Then, I tried a different approach. I went straight to her father and tried to persuade him to stop training Tesline so that she wouldn't get involved in the world of adventurers.
When I suggested, with all the courtesy I could muster, that perhaps it wasn't a good idea to train her to be an adventurer, he just laughed. He told me that Tesline had inherited his warrior spirit, that it was her dream, and that he would never be the one to take it away.
My attempts failed, and for some reason, my words seemed to awaken some kind of challenge in Tesline, who quickly found out what I had done. I saw her training even harder than before, pushing herself beyond her limits, and her gaze, once warm and friendly, had become darker every time she spoke to me. I felt as if, in my attempt to protect her, I had built a wall between us.
She confronted me after that, with a look I had never seen before, filled with a mix of disappointment and defiance.
The argument that followed was a disaster. I tried to make her understand, but every word seemed to deepen the rift between us.
"Why are you doing this, Darius?" she asked, her voice firm but with a tremor I hadn't heard before. "Do you think I'm weak? That I can't take care of myself?"
"It's not that, Tesline. It's just that..." I tried to reason, but the words slipped away from me. How could I explain what I knew? Tell her that I was trying to protect her from a fate only I knew?
"It's always the same with you!" she shouted, her dark eyes reflecting the sunset light. "Always trying to control me, as if you knew what was best for me!"
I tried to stay calm, but my own frustrations burst out. I couldn't afford to lose her. I couldn't afford to fail.
"You don't understand, Tesline!" I replied, my voice filled with an urgency I couldn't contain.
She stayed silent for a moment, then looked at me. She opened her mouth, surely to shout whatever she was holding back, but she didn't. She just lowered her head and walked away.
Days passed, and our exchanges grew more tense. Her words were sharp, her tone biting. It was frustrating to see my childhood friend, someone who should be by my side, with such a dark expression... as if she could no longer trust me or even stand to be near me.
*・・*・・*・・*・・*・・*
My plan was progressing smoothly. Everything was in place, just as I had anticipated. I was attending the Arcanus Academy, where the most talented students in the kingdom trained to face the threats that plagued our world. And my first objective was clear.
To defeat the tutorial enemy, Rurik Valtor, and claim Eliora Bernett for myself, the first heroine of the game who was supposed to join the protagonist's group.
Eliora was the typical starting heroine, bright, noble, with a heart as pure as an angel's. In the game, she tells you that she was forced to be Rurik's fiancée, whom she despised for his behavior.
Eliora would join you after seeing your determination in the battle against Rurik, in which you defended her and freed her from being the fiancée of this despicable nobleman.
So I prepared. I trained even harder, visualizing every move, every strike, every defense. I wasn't going to leave any detail to chance. And the day finally came. I found myself in the Academy's training ground, surrounded by other students who had come to watch the spectacle. Eliora, as always, was among them, watching with a mix of interest and concern.
Rurik looked at me with that same arrogant expression I had seen a thousand times on the screen. I knew he underestimated Darius. After all, what could a "commoner" do against his noble strength?
The duel began. Rurik advanced with a direct strike, as he always did, and I dodged it easily, using his momentum to throw him to the ground with a quick maneuver. The spectators let out a murmur of astonishment, but I didn't get distracted. Everything was going as it should.
I attacked with a series of quick moves, taking advantage of his initial confusion. Rurik tried to retaliate, but I kept him under control until, with a calculated blow, I sent him crashing to the ground, making his head hit the floor. It was a risky tactic, but effective.
To my surprise, however, something changed. Rurik began acting strangely. He no longer looked at me with the irrational fury typical of his character. His expression had softened, and his eyes seemed... different. As if he had woken up from a confusing dream.
"Where… am I?" he muttered, raising a hand to his head.
I ignored his strange behavior and approached, ready to deliver the final blow. I had to finish this the right way, to follow the game's sequence. I leaned over him, beginning the speech I had planned for this occasion, just as it was in the game script.
"Rurik! I'll tell you one last time, and I hope you listen carefully."
I got closer to him and looked him directly in the eyes. "I don't want you to ever approach Eliora Bernett again or intimidate anyone else."
Rurik looked at me, confused, and started glancing around at everyone present. Something was wrong; he wasn't acting like he did in the final cutscene of the tutorial. He should have been insulting me.
"Are you going to stay silent?"
Rurik didn't respond, so I decided to continue with what was supposed to happen according to the game's story. I got closer to him and took his sword. I was about to end the scene when Rurik interrupted me in a completely unexpected way.
"Can you remove whatever you have between your teeth? It's distracting me."
For a second, I was speechless. What was he saying? Why was he acting like this? But before I could react, I heard laughter around me. First one or two, then more. The other students, even some of the teachers, couldn't contain themselves. Instinctively, I covered my mouth with my hand.
My cheeks burned. I felt anger bubbling inside me. How dare he? How dare he interrupt me, ruin my moment? My plan was falling apart before my eyes, and this idiot had somehow turned my big scene into a joke.
Without thinking, I lunged at him with all the force I had. I grabbed the sheath of my new sword and struck him as hard as I could in the stomach, and the next thing I knew, Rurik was falling to the ground, unconscious. The training field fell into a tense silence.
After that incident on the training field, I felt completely out of my element. Rurik had behaved in a way I never expected, but luckily, things seemed to be getting back on track. He was suspended for a week, and by the end of the day, everything seemed to be aligned once again with the story I knew.
I had done what I had to do; I had publicly defeated Rurik, showing my strength and making it clear that I would not tolerate his behavior.
And as if fate confirmed that I was on the right path, Eliora Bernett joined my team shortly after. Her bright smile and eyes full of determination looked at me with admiration, just as it should be. I had cleared the first hurdle, and now I had the first heroine of my group by my side. From here, the rest of the story should flow according to the game's script.
Eliora was as charming as I remembered her from the game. Her skill with healing magic was astounding, and her sense of honor and justice radiated with every word she said. She believed in me, in the protagonist I was supposed to be. She spoke of our future missions, of the enemies we would face, with a hope that almost made me forget Rurik's strange behavior.
But I couldn't afford to relax. I knew what was coming next. The next crucial event in the Arcanus Academy storyline was Rurik's return. In the game, after being suspended, Rurik didn't disappear. No, instead, he sneaked back into the academy, seeking a rematch, an opportunity to regain his pride. This was the moment when the player could face him again, this time to claim Rurik's shield.
Rurik's shield and sword contained within them a "rune core" that granted them their magical attributes. With that shield in my possession, I would have both cores that would give me a significant advantage over upcoming enemies and events. All I had to do was wait for Rurik to return.
So I waited. Everything seemed to be in place. The lessons continued, the missions at the academy unfolded as they should, and Eliora was by my side, getting closer each day. I convinced myself that the previous incident had been just a minor deviation, a temporary error that I had quickly corrected.
*・・*・・*・・*・・*・・*
--Suspension Monday--
On the first day of Rurik's suspension, a Monday, I expected things to unfold as they should. I knew that in the game, Rurik would sneak into the academy during his suspension, trying to regain his lost pride. I had planned to find him in the west wing, right when he tried to enter, and provoke him until he challenged me to another duel. Then, I could claim his shield as my deserved trophy.
But the hours passed, and there was no sign of Rurik. Time moved slowly, and I remained alert, watching from the shadows. Every creak of a branch or whisper of the wind made me turn my head, expecting to see him appear. But time kept moving forward, and my anxiety grew. What was he doing? Why wasn't he showing up?
My patience had run out, and I couldn't keep waiting without doing anything. I had to find him, discover what was happening. So, instead of staying still, I set off. I started searching throughout the academy, in every place where he might have hidden, where he might be plotting something.
And that was when, passing near the academy's dumpster, I saw him. It was just a shadow slipping between the containers, but I was sure it was him. My heart raced. Finally, he was here. Without a second thought, I rushed toward the dumpster, determined to catch him.
When I arrived, I looked around frantically, searching for any sign of Rurik. But there was nothing, only the sharp smell of rust and the distant noise of students still in the courtyard. I took a deep breath, trying to stay calm, but my frustration was growing. How could he have vanished so quickly?
I decided not to waste any more time. If he was here, he had to be close. I searched through the shelves, checked behind old armor and rusted weapons, but found nothing.
Frustrated and out of options, I made the drastic decision to turn to the Student Council. I needed help to locate him; I couldn't let him slip away again. The Student Council was the highest authority among the students, and they could certainly organize a more thorough search.
I headed to the Council's office, convinced this was the best option. When I arrived, I was met by its president, Amelinne Reinhardt, a young woman with blonde hair and a piercing gaze that never let any infraction go unpunished.
"What is so urgent, first-year student?" she asked in a cold, firm voice, looking at me with a mix of disdain and curiosity.
"It's Rurik Valtor," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady, though I noticed her expression change to contempt at the mention of his name. "I think he has snuck into the academy during his suspension. We need to find him before he causes any trouble."
Amelinne looked at me for a long moment, her eyes analyzing every one of my gestures. Finally, she sighed, but not in the way I expected. It wasn't concern; it was exasperation.
"Rurik is suspended. There's no reason to believe he has snuck in."
I tried to insist, to explain my concern, but Amelinne just raised a hand to stop me.
"Alright," she finally said, "We'll organize a quick search. But if it turns out to be a false alarm, it will be your responsibility."
I agreed, still sure that I had done the right thing. However, as the Council organized the search, I began to notice the looks. Whispers among the students passing by, Council members murmuring among themselves. Their eyes fixed on me with disapproval, as if they had already judged me for something.
After what felt like hours, the search ended. No one had found Rurik. No one had seen anything unusual. Amelinne turned back to me with a stern look.
"Darius, this has been a waste of time," she declared, her voice cold. "Don't cause a commotion without proof again. Not everyone is here to play your games."
The looks from the Council, the students, they were all filled with judgment. I felt a knot forming in my stomach. I had failed. The script was falling apart again, and this time, even my own peers were beginning to doubt me.
*・・*・・*・・*・・*・・*
--Tuesday Suspension--
The following Tuesday, after my embarrassing attempt to find Rurik with the Student Council, I couldn't get what had happened out of my mind. How had he been able to disappear so quickly? Where was he hiding? I was becoming more convinced that something strange was going on, something beyond my control.
I didn't have much time to dwell on it when suddenly, I heard a noise coming from the dumpster again. It was a metallic sound, like something heavy had hit a container. My heart started racing, and my mind immediately connected the dots.
The reason for that noise was Rurik, it couldn't be anything else. Determined not to make the same mistakes, I ran towards the place where the sound was coming from.
When I arrived, I saw him again. This time, Rurik was holding what seemed to be pieces of armor. They weren't his size; in fact, they seemed so large that he could barely carry them. From their rough and worn appearance, I deduced they had probably belonged to a young ogre. That made no sense. What was Rurik doing with those pieces?
My surprise quickly turned to anger. The humiliation from the previous day was still fresh in my mind. He had made me look like a fool, and now he was there, as if nothing had happened, rummaging through the trash with that relaxed expression.
I ran toward the entrance of the dumpster, my hand gripping the hilt of my sword. But when I got there, he was gone. I looked around frantically, searching for him in the shadows. Nothing. He had vanished again.
"Where are you hiding?!" I shouted, my voice echoing in the empty space. My words bounced off the old weapons and armor, but I received no reply.
With my heightened senses, I managed to hear a faint laugh. Was he laughing at me? My head started to ache, unable to understand how this had happened.
My chest rose and fell with heavy breaths, sweat trickling down my forehead. My mind was spinning with chaotic thoughts: how dare he mock me like this? What was he plotting? I was sure this wasn't part of the game's script.
I decided to let it go for now. My pride was wounded, and my mind needed a break. I returned to the training hall, trying to focus on improving my sword technique. I needed to be ready for anything, even if the original plan was falling apart. My mind kept replaying the last glimpse of Rurik with that strange armor. What did it mean?
As I pushed myself in my training, trying to release my frustration with every strike, the sound of the sword hitting the training post was almost deafening. I focused on my movements, seeking precision, strength, control. I needed to be prepared for whatever came next, but my thoughts kept returning to the dumpster, to Rurik's face.
Then, again, I heard the sound. Another crash coming from the dumpster. My body tensed, my hand froze in mid-air with the sword halfway through a swing. I was tempted; my instincts told me I should go investigate, but... I forced myself to stay in place. I wasn't going to fall into the same game twice.
I took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm inside me. This time, I ignored the noise. I forced myself to continue with my training, my sword cutting through the air over and over, searching for rhythm, trying to regain control over this narrative that seemed to be slipping from my hands. I let the noise fade into the background, determined not to be lured into a trap again.
*・・*・・*・・*・・*・・*
--Suspension Wednesday--
Wednesday arrived, and with it, my determination to finally solve the mystery of Rurik. I spent most of the day watching the dumpster whenever I had the chance, moving from one corner to another, observing from the academy windows, ready to capture him as soon as he appeared. I was sure he must be plotting something; he couldn't just disappear without a trace.
Hours passed, and I began to feel the tension in my muscles, frustration growing with every minute. Where was he? The bastard had managed to avoid me for two days straight, and now he seemed determined to keep mocking me. My patience was wearing thin, and I was starting to think of other ways to force him out of hiding when suddenly, I remembered something that chilled me to the bone. The goblin mission.
Oh my heavens! How could I have forgotten? That day, I was supposed to help Tesline with the goblin mission, a key quest in the game where the player, along with Tesline, faces what seems to be a group of goblins, only to end up in a surprise encounter with an orc. It was a perfect opportunity to earn valuable items and increase Tesline's favor toward the protagonist. And I had forgotten.
My heart raced with a mix of panic and determination. I stopped watching the dumpster and hurried to the nearby town's guild, where I knew Tesline should have gone to accept the mission.
Upon arriving at the guild, I pushed the door open with force and, panting, searched through the crowd of adventurers, my eyes scanning every corner of the place. But I didn't see Tesline anywhere. Fear began to grip me. I quickly approached the counter and asked the clerk, a man with a stern face and a scruffy beard.
"The goblin mission? Has anyone taken it?" I asked, trying to stay calm.
The clerk looked at me with some curiosity but then shook his head.
"That mission has already been taken," he replied. "Aldwyn allowed an adventurer named Tesline to take it alone this morning."
I felt the ground crumble beneath me. I was too late. Tesline had already left, alone, to complete the mission. I knew what that meant—the encounter with the orc had already begun, and I wasn't there to guide or protect her.
With my chest tight with frustration, I returned to the academy. I knew that, in the game, Tesline survived the encounter with the orc, but the price was high. Her attitude changed, becoming more submissive and fearful, traumatized by the experience. A fate I had once deeply regretted.
But now... I thought about it as I walked back. Maybe it wouldn't be a total defeat. Yes, Tesline would suffer a change, but that would make her more manageable, easier to control. Without her strong and independent nature, I could mold her to my advantage, make her depend more on me, the "hero" of her story.
I started to consider that maybe, this time, things would work themselves out. If Rurik continued to act out of script and Tesline became more submissive, I could have an unexpected advantage in this new scenario. I smiled to myself, seeing a glimmer of hope amid the chaos.
*・・*・・*・・*・・*・・*
--Suspension Thursday - Friday - Saturday - Sunday - Monday--
In the following days, I focused on following the normal course of the story, trying not to dwell too much on the small slip-ups that had occurred. I convinced myself that everything would return to its course, that the original script would prevail, and that I just needed to stay calm and move forward.
I prepared for Monday with renewed confidence, knowing that it was the day when everything would go back to the way it was. Rurik would return from his suspension and Tesline would rejoin the classes.
Monday arrived, and I was seated in Room 1-F, waiting impatiently. Everything was going as it should. I felt the usual nervousness of the other students, the anticipation of seeing Rurik back, especially after all the commotion he had caused before his suspension. This was the moment when the story would resume its course.
The teacher was at his desk, taking attendance with an almost monotonous routine. Then, he looked up and tapped lightly on the chalkboard, getting everyone's attention.
"Attention, class," he said in a deep voice. "Today we have two new students joining us. Please, come in."
Everyone's gazes immediately turned to the door. I knew who they were. Rurik and Tesline. It was just as it should be—Rurik would return, and Tesline, after her traumatic experience on the mission, would rejoin as well, ready to be guided in her new, more submissive attitude. I smiled with satisfaction, feeling that everything was aligning once again.
Two? Only Tesline was supposed to join this class. What was he talking about? I didn't understand anything. I looked at the teacher, trying to find a clue in his expression, but he only showed his usual serious demeanor.
"Go ahead, you can come in," he said as everyone looked toward the door, waiting for the new students to arrive.
Then, the door swung open with a loud noise that made all the students jump in their seats. My heart stopped for a moment.
Tesline appeared, with her strong and determined figure, but she wasn't alone. She was holding Rurik by the collar of his shirt, almost dragging him as she pushed him into the room. Rurik, with an expression of irritation mixed with resignation, was trying to free himself from Tesline's grip.
"Can you let me go already?!" Rurik growled, trying to maintain his composure.
The murmur in the classroom grew, eyes widened in surprise, and I felt my mind reeling. This wasn't possible. It didn't make sense.
Tesline should have been more withdrawn, more frightened after her mission. Instead, she was here, with more strength and determination than ever, dragging Rurik as if nothing had happened! I felt my breath quickening, my vision blurring, and my hands trembling as I clenched my fists so tightly that my nails dug into my palms. The narrative thread guiding me toward my bright future was starting to unravel before my eyes.
This wasn't part of the story. It wasn't part of my plan.
"Tesline, Rurik, please take your seats," the teacher said, clearly uncomfortable with the scene he had just witnessed.
Rurik, still a bit annoyed, settled into his chair as Tesline released him and took her place next to him. I noticed how they exchanged a look, a mix of challenge and camaraderie that made no sense in the context of the game. I couldn't help but feel a pang of fear, something I had never experienced since arriving in this world. Everything was changing, and I had no idea how to fix it.
My mind raced frantically, looking for a way to regain control, to set everything back on the right path. But as I looked at Tesline and Rurik, laughing with whispered words I couldn't hear, I felt as if the ground was slipping beneath my feet. Uncertainty took hold of me, an unfamiliar, dark sensation… one I was not prepared to face.