Olivia began her day as usual: rising at 5 AM, preparing breakfast, and retreating to the garden for some quiet place to eat. But her routine was abruptly disrupted by an unfamiliar presence
She strolled down the garden path, a quiet area reserved for freshmen, typically deserted at this early hour.
Usually, that is.
That is until an unexpected visitor appeared
Alyssa Valenheart.
Once the top student of S-1, had now fallen.
'What is she doing here?'
As Olivia observed Alyssa, sitting by the fountain and smiling at a freshly picked flower, she found the rumors of Alyssa being cold-hearted and indifferent hard to reconcile with the gentle image before her.
No one wanted to get close to her, even if she had the most noble-liked presence in the room, no one wanted to approach her.
A veil always seemed to surround her, keeping others at a distance. Likewise, she found herself unable to come close to her as well.
Olivia approached quietly, stopping just a meter away. She seated herself by the fountain's edge and opened her small breakfast box.
Unlike the usual healthy breakfast provided by the school, she always liked to eat meat, and a ton of meat every day.
Despite her diet, she never gained any weight.
Just as she reached for her fork, Alyssa's voice broke the silence.
"You."
The other girl pointed at her, smiling under the dark sky, where the sun had yet to rise. Her jet-black hair, tipped with a sinister red, framed a face so striking that it could stop anyone in their tracks, though the fleeting coldness in her gaze hinted at something deeper.
'...Wow. I've never realized how striking she is up close.'
She felt that this was the first time she properly took a good look at her. During the entrance exam and countless other places where she took a peek at her, her face was always blurred with something.
Olivia usually dismissed the thought, letting it drift away.
But now, she was in awe, wondering how she had overlooked such beauty.
'How did I miss such a face...?'
Alas, her thought was interrupted by Alyssa's sudden words.
"Be my friend."
'...'
Silence ensued for somewhat a long time, as Olivia tried to comprehend what she was hearing.
Her thoughts were cut short once more
"Please."
She said such words with no change on her indifferent face. She just looked at her, with expectations.
Of course... she's just like the others, trying to use me.
As Alyssa's request hung in the air, Olivia couldn't help but recall the many others who had tried to win her favor with fake pretenses. Was Alyssa really any different?
The heir of the Lancaster family holds immense power, with immense wealth and political prowess. Multiple nobles attending the Academy, and even some professors tried to lure her in. They all wanted the power she held.
Some tried flattery.
Some tried being friends with her until it didn't work.
Some tried gifting her expensive gifts.
Some tried helping her.
'She's no different from them.'
Disappointment clouded Olivia's eyes as she recognized the familiar pattern.
She replied with a simple shake of her head.
Soon after she declined, she was again met with a surprise.
Alyssa's smile remained, though her eyes held a flicker of something unreadable.
"I would appreciate it if you would consider my offer," she said, her tone carrying an edge that hinted at underlying motives.
'Wait... shouldn't she be upset?'
Left in a daze, Alyssa got up and walked away. While muttering something to her, that she could barely hear.
"...I advise you not to go to the garden after today."
'...But why?'
Olivia thought to herself.
Then she heard her next words.
"Your Uncle."
Still dazed, Olivia watched as Alyssa stood and walked away
Moments passed until she regained her composure.
She set down her fork and closed the box.
She thought carefully about what Alyssa said.
It was about her Uncle.
'But how could she know? That's a private family matter.'
Only the other Dukes, high-class officials and the Royal Family should know about the split that the Lancaster Dukedom is experiencing.
'Yet an outsider knows about it?'
Wary thoughts filled her mind as she recounted Alyssa's words
''Don't visit the garden after today', and then the end with 'Your Uncle'.'
One could interrupt it as many different things. But she concluded with the only possible and likely outcome.
Assassination.
But how could Alyssa possibly know? The thought gnawed at her, sowing seeds of doubt and unease.
'...Her identity is not what people seem to believe in.'
Despite her initial skepticism, Olivia couldn't dismiss the unease Alyssa's warning had triggered.
She stood up, losing her appetite, and left the garden.
Looking at the horizon, a thin line of light appeared.
'..The sun is rising.'
***
"Hmm?"
He noticed something new on his desk, which usually was left clear.
The Headmaster studied the letter with a furrowed brow.
An unusual letter lay on the Headmaster's desk—the letter bore the Moonlit Guild's distinctive symbol, a full moon surrounded by intricate lines.
It was a letter representing the highest position of the Moonlit Guild.
The Headmaster's interest was piqued as he studied the letter.
In short, the Moonlit Guild was renowned not just for its vast network of spies and informants but also for its meticulous attention to protocol.
With a flick of his hand, the envelope opened.
Only the Moonlit Guild used envelopes like the old times. Numerous noble houses and high-ranking guilds preferred the current method of transmission of messages through the specialized Union bracelets.
But few guilds like the Moonlits used Letters.
Pausing slightly as he read through the rest of the letter. His interest only deepens.
"Aiden."
"Yes, Headmaster?"
A man, dressed in a suit, indicating a staff in the Academy, opened the door.
"Transfer a student named Kazok, here is his information."
He sliced off a part of the letter, where it contained the information of such a student.
Though he wasn't sure why they would bother with doing this process when they could've just sneaked with fabricated information.
Yet, they followed formal procedures to admit this person into the Academy
'I wonder what kind of situation is happening in the freshmen this year.'
"Yes, Headmaster."
Aiden, left the room, intending on finishing what the Headmaster assigned him to do.
But he was also left confused. A student recommended by the Headmaster is no simple matter.
But he couldn't question his decisions as he got ready to admit such a student.
Meanwhile, in the Headmaster's office, he burnt the letter, only for it to form another sentence in the air using mana.
A specialized technique from the Moonlit Guild, that a special statement was made when burning the letter. Revealing their actual proposal.
[ Alyssa Valenheart. ]
He looked at the words, blue-colored mana as it wrote.
"It's her again."
He smirked and erased every trail of the mana.
'The world is going through another change…'
***
I walked quickly to my room. Upon closing the door I sighed.
"Ugh! That was really stupid of me."
It was embarrassing to ask someone to be your friend out front and get rejected. So I can only act like nothing happened. But a ton of stuff did happen!
With my mind in turmoil, I couldn't think of what to say so I just got up and left. While also warning her about the attack.
'Will it work though?'
I don't quite know a lot of her personality as her part in the game was minuscule.
Yet I prayed that she would heed my warning.
I sighed, steeling myself for my first real day at the academy
Within my closet, I took out a fresh pair of uniforms.
Dressing everything up, I went into the bathroom to check myself.
Making sure everything seemed perfect as I looked myself in the mirror, I nearly missed something.
The ends of my hair that was red seemed like it was a little bit longer than before.
'..? Why is the red end of my hair a bit longer now?'
My hair length didn't grow that much compared to how the red part of it grew.
"But it's probably nothing... right?"
Coming out of the bathroom, I tread my way out of the room and made my way towards class S-1.
**
I arrived at the entrance of the classroom and opened it. Looking around, looks like I am the first one to be here.
I went straight towards my spots and sat down.
Time passed as students with their friends slowly entered the classroom. Even now, everyone still looks a bit on edge.
'I mean such a terrifying event for these youngsters happened quite recently.'
But something still feels amiss. However, I couldn't figure out what it was.
I heard some mumers between some students talking about the incident.
"Do you know what happened in the lobby? None of the professors wanted to talk about it."
"Yeah, even my family said not to worry about it."
"The thing is, everyone felt a terrifying pressure emanating from outside. But we couldn't figure out what it is."
Right, that must be the Jester.
"Hmm?"
I realized that the Jester should have a bounty from the Union if I remember correctly.
Tapping my bracelet, I pulled up my balance.
".."
[ Balance : 750,057 ]
"..."
I rubbed my eyes to make sure I ain't dreaming.
'Damn, I knew that he was worth something but this is a lot.'
I could quite literally retire from school right now and live a comfortable life on the outskirts.
"That indeed sounds promising."
I muttered out loud, but someone replied.
"Right."
"..."
To my right, it was Ryder who replied.
"Why is it always you who keeps overhearing my words?"
"You keep saying things out loud?"
"..."
He was correct, I just lost my composure because I just suddenly hit the jackpot, you bastard.
"Master."
He bowed his head towards me and did a full 90-degree bow.
'Huh???!'
"What are you doing?"
I quickly shoved in onto his seat and shushed him.
"Don't you ever dare do that embarrassing thing in front of so many people!"
"I thought that's how a master-disciple relationship works?"
He crooked his head sideways and looked at me like he was being framed.
"Ugh."
I can feel my sanity being chipped away every day by this bastard. Or should I say disciple now?
Anyway, it appears that the Holy Sword made him agree with me being his master.
Suddenly, I felt a piercing gaze on my back.
".."
The whole class stared at me and Ryder.
It was at this moment, I knew, I had fucked up.
Multiple students, mostly girls glared at me. Some were confused, some were fuming with anger, and most importantly, disgust.
"...ah fuck."
"This is all your fault, Ryder."
"..."
He remained silent and pretended to pay attention in front of him instead of me.
"..."
I want to bash his head right now.
Then finally Liora came into the classroom. But she was dumbfounded as she looked towards me and the rest of the class.
She took a seat next to me, offering a sympathetic smile.
"It's all good, Alyssa."
"..right."
Taking a deep breath, the school bell rang, and finally, Professor Verron appeared in the room.
I stared at him, trying to convey my feelings through my eyes, but he only gave me a pitiful look.
'What's with the pitiful looks that everyone is giving me..!'
The professor took attendance, and he began the lecture.
The class we are taking should be [Mana Fundamentals].
It should just be a simple class.
Students began taking out their notes, or some used the note function in their bracelets and with their serious eyes. Dead-shot eyes to be exact.
'..wait you guys are kinda scaring me.'
It looks like they are preparing to fight in a war.
…
'shit this is a goddam war.'
…
Time passed, and finally, an hour and thirty minutes of torture passed.