⟨30 Minutes Earlier⟩
"Another round," Marie demanded, looking at me with an expectant gaze that is like a puppy waiting for its food.
But "Hell no," I instantly rejected, not getting swayed by her puppy like eyes.
"Just one round," she pleaded, trying her best to make a cute face.
"That's what you said earlier, and it's been the fifth round already."
We have been in the stall for almost an hour, doing nothing but spending money.
Marie entered this store, and as soon as she entered, her sight fell upon a pink monster teddy bear.
Despite how she looked, she had the personality of a kid sometimes. And that caused me to lose my money.
To win the teddy bear, we have to throw a ball into a hole on the right side. We can't straightly throw the ball, which is considered cheating. We have to curve the ball in a C shape and put the ball in the hole.
"Just one more time," she continued pleading, but I wasn't persuaded.
"I already said I wouldn't waste money."
"But you already did." She said, a grin forming her face.
"That's because you begged me."
"Come on, then how about this?" She leaned closer, her voice turning a mischievous whisper. "I will let you touch my boobs if you pay one more time."
""Huh"" All of them looked at her with a shocked face.
"What the hell are you guys looking at? Do you want me to pluck your eyes out?" She glared at them, her tone threatening.
They instantly avoided her gaze; after all, she is ranked second in class E 10, and nobody in their class wanted to mess with her.
"So, are you okay with the deal?" she asked, crossing her arms under her chest in a mock display.
I looked at her chest and then back at her face. "Do you even have any?"
"… Basterd," she rushed and punched me; at least she tried. "Okay, okay, I will give you one chance," I said while avoiding her punches.
"Really?"
"Only one chance."
"Okeee~. one more round, please," the manager placed six balls in front of her. Taking her stance, she threw the ball. ""Miss," everyone voiced out as the ball missed. Tacking her stance again, she threw the ball but missed again. She threw again and again, but all of them missed. Seeing that there was no ball, her eyes started to tear up.
'Where did the strong girl's behavior go?'
"Sigh." Thinking she really wanted the bear, I asked for another round.
"Another round, please."
"Really?" Her eyes lit up. 'What is she, a kid?... Well, she is practically a kid.
"I will be throwing the ball this time," she nodded. The store manager picked up the balls and gave them to me. Taking the ball, I took my stance and readied myself. As I focused, I saw a line appear: 'What the? A line, but doesn't the line always alert me when something dangerous is coming?
"Is something wrong?" she asked.
"No, just thinking something." I focused on the line. Gripping the ball tightly, I threw it. The ball traced through the line, but after the curve, the path changed, causing it to miss.
"Close"
I took another ball and threw it; this time it hit the target but didn't enter the hole.
'I can do it' This time I strongly threw the ball, curving it with a sound, and it entered the target.
'I should have tried throwing the ball earlier, FUCK!'
"It entered, it entered," she said, jumping up and down with excitement.
"Yeah, now choose the reward." She nodded her head vigorously and instantly chose the monster teddy bear.
"Can you also help me, Jadel?" Hearing a voice from behind, I turned around and spotted a white haired girl.
'Huh Seisha'
"Are you really asking me for help?" I asked her, feeling a little tense.
Her pupils shone a little. Observing me for a second, she asked in a composed tone. "Why are you tensening up?" she asked, a small smile forming her cold face.
If you asked me who is the most dangerous person in the first year, I would say without any hesitation, 'It's Seisha.' I don't consider the strongest people strong; certainly they have the strength to survive, but for me, the strong word comes from the mental aspect, and in this aspect, she is the most threatening one.
'The most mysterious character ever introduced in the novel, the one character I didn't understand till the part I read. And now the character is in front of me, asking for help.
"I'm not tensening," I said, acting composed, but her gaze made me feel exposed, as if she were seeing through me.
"Mmm, okay, so can you help me?" She asked again.
"For what?"
"Art"
"Art?" I repeated, confused.
"I will explain if you are willing to help."
"Okay, I will help," I agreed to her since I didn't want to antagonize her.
"Let's go now," she said. Turning to leave.
After I told Taren I would catch up to them after helping her, I walked with her silently; for some reason, the street felt quiet.
"You're different now, as if you're someone else." Her sudden words sent a shiver down my spine. Composing myself, I walked without giving any response.
"Feel like you're acting composed now," she muttered, looking ahead.
'Damn, I knew something like this would happen.' keeping my tone chill, I asked.
"Why do you think I'm different now?"
She made a thinking expression. "Why, you ask? I don't know. I feel like you're a different person now." She said, her eyes narrowing slightly. "I thought it was because of the accident in the dungeon, but—" She looked at me, her pupils shining a little. "I feel like there was something more to it."
'As mentioned in the novel, she is sharp and observant,' I thought for a bit.
"Yep, there was something more than it," and honestly answered.
"Are you admitting now?" She asked, her tone turning intrigued.
"Yes"
The best way to fool a genius is to tell the truth mixed with lies, so they will deduce it and make hundreds of possibilities for answers. And all the possible answers will be within common sense. So, she finding out my truth was close to zero.
"Is that the reason for your appearance change and the weird mana fluctuation in your hand?"
"No, I reawakened when the system got updated, and this caused me to change my appearance just like your family."
"Just like my family, huh? So what did you get?"
"Why should I tell you?"
"You don't have to tell me; I was just curious about it." Although she was saying that, but her face was expressionless, as if she were devoid of any emotions, as if all the subtle changes like intrigue and curiosity were all just her acting.
As we walked through the streets, I noticed she was leading me to a fancy Luxurios restaurant.
Upon entering the restaurant, the scenery changed instantly. From the outside, it looked like a fancy, luxurious restaurant, but inside, it looked like a medieval fantasy restaurant for nobles.
"Is it your first time coming to a fancy restaurant?" Seeing my astonished face, Seisha asked.
I nodded. "The patriarch never allowed us to visit places like this." There were no memories of Jadel or his family going to a fancy restaurant. All he did was endure the grueling training until he got kicked out of his house.
"You're free from your family's clutches, huh." She looked down and whispered to herself. "It must be nice."
'I can hear her clearly'
She led me to the triple seat dining table, where there was already a woman. She has black hair and violet eyes, with a double mole on her lips.
Seisha had to call her, as the woman was immersed in watching something on her watch's holographic screen.
"Oh, you already found a partner already?." The woman looked at me, her smile widening. "And you found a perfect match for you."
'Huh, a match?'
Seeing my clueless face, the women asked Seisha, "You didn't say anything about him."
"He didn't ask." Seisha replied.
"Sigh, what's your name, young man?"
"Jadel"
"Okay, Jadel, I will explain it. You're here as a model for me."
"Model? " I tilted my head.
"Yes, for my art. Don't worry; if you help me, I will give you a reward." My ears perked up.
Hearing the word rewards, my interest piqued. "What kind of reward?"
"E rank kills, 2 star spells , E rank weapons, etc. Only one in them."
'Huh? E rank skill.' I looked at Seisha, confused. 'An E rank skill? For a single E rank skill, she is helping this woman?' With the amount of wealth she has, she could buy many SS rank skills.' Knowing she is going for a E rank skill is really surprising.
'What is she planning now... Well, let's focus on the deal now.
"I will gladly help you," I said with a business smile.
"Let's do it then."
We walked to the center of the city. Arriving there, the woman looked for a good spot. After finding the place, a pen manifested in her hand. Gripping it, she drew on the air, and one by one, all the things for setting a background manifested in thin air.
'Is that Joseline Brett' My eyes widened in realization.
"You realized only now," Seisha asked.
"Yes"
"All set; now only clothes and expression needed to change." She pointed her pen at us and started drawing. Instantly, our clothes started to turn into white medieval fantasy style clothes. By the time the passersby started watching the unfolding show,.
"Now hold hands and sit there while leaning against each other's back." Seisha extended her hand.
"Are you okay holding hands with me?" I asked.
"I don't mind." Nodding my head, I held her and did what Joseline instructed.
"I will use a skill of mine for emotions, don't resist it," Joseline said.
"Okay"
She pointed her pen at us and put a two dot in the air. After some seconds, I felt my heart being pierced by multiple needles. Tears welled up in my eyes as I started to remember all of my times with Alicia.
'Wh-what, is this her skill? Fuck, I really wanted to forget this pain." One by one, all of my memories with Alicia unfolded in my mind. The first time I met her, the times we enjoyed together at the family meetings, the gifts she gave me for my birthday. The smile she showed me every time I met her.
"It hurts. Please stop it, please." I begged her. "Please, I can't, I can't take it anymore. Please stop." the heartbreaking pain I'm getting from Jadel Is far worse than the pain I experienced. I felt a strong headache, and my vision started to turn blurry.
"Just a few more seconds, and it will be over," she said.
"I… can't… it hurts so… much that… I can't."
As seconds passed, the pain lessened as my thought process changed. I felt sad, but at the same time, I'm happy. I'm sad because she is no longer with me, and happy because she is in safe hands.
But in all this process, my emotions will come out, making me feel so disgusted in my thought that I want to puke, but whenever that happens, the skills influence will overtake me, and Jadel's feeling will overwhelm me.
Suddenly, I felt warmth on my back. Feeling the warm sensation of her body somehow soothed my pain; I felt the urge to lean on her. She leaned on my back, and as I leaned on her, I felt like some of my burdens lessened, and I felt a little happy because, in that moment, I thought there was someone I could lean on... if possible, in the future too. I looked at the sky with a small smile.
and firmly gripped her hand, as I felt her small hand tightly gripping me.
'I have an idea what Seisha is after, and I know for sure that when this skill is over there will be a positive image of Seisha in my mind, as if a leaning figure for me whenever I'm having a hard time. And with this, she can start manipulating me and make her pawn.' but one question still arises. 'Why, why me?'
"Done." I heard Joseline's satisfied voice.
"Thanks for enduring the pain. As promised, I will give you a reward."