"Reynald, what are you doing here?" An angry voice of a young girl sounded in my ears.
"What else, princess. In such a peace, what do you expect someone like me should be doing..." I answered with a lazy tone.
Oops, there she goes. I caught the hand of the princess with my right hand that about to smack my head as I couldn't help but be fascinated by her angry face.
"You're the great black general of the Azeron kingdom, Reynald Lance! You are supposed to be an honorable and admirable man so that the soldiers and the knights will admire you and become their role model!" She said the line that she always said to me every time she caught me lazing around.
"Then isn't I'm being a great example for them? It's good to not work too much and stress too much, princess... People who take life easy like me live longer than people who tire themselves every day like you, princess," (Me)
"Y-You... D-Did you just wished for me to die fast!?" She angrily pinched my cheek.
"O-Ouch! Princess! It hurts! There's no way I wish for the princess of the Azeron kingdom to die, right?" But despite being pinched at my cheek, I couldn't help but grin as hearing her voice and looking at her angry face made me remember how a spoiled princess she was before.
These peaceful days...
I hope it would last for a long time...
But.
I know.
It's all nothing but a vain hope.
In a split second, the scenery changed.
The princess that has bright and cheerful eyes just seconds ago, is currently crying to the point that her eyes are swollen.
"You can't do this... Rey... You can't do this... I won't let you do this!" The princess shouted with all of her might as tears keep on gushing out from her eyes.
"Princess... The world doesn't need a mere general like me... But they'll need you, and the heroes. We never know whether he'll still survive or not, so you need to survive, princess. And if I fail to kill the demon king, you and the heroes will be the ones that need to face him next," I said towards the princess as I clenched my fist, trying my best not to change my decision and flee with her.
"But... Rey..." The princess grabbed at my armor.
"Hero Leon, I entrust the princess with you. You must protect her with whatever the cost, please, please fulfill this request of mine," I said towards the hero of the world's prophecy as I grab his shoulder.
"With my life," Answered him firmly. Even though he and his handsome face is kind of annoying, but it assures me that he answered it with such resolution.
"Lucy, please," I called out towards the magician of the hero's party. She approached us and aim her staff towards the princess's head, and the princess suddenly lost her strength together with her consciousness.
"Now, go! Quickly!" I said to Leon as he lifts the princess.
I could see Leon's eyes that filled with tears as he about to say something to me, I know what he's going to say so I shake my head.
"It's fine, humanity, no, our world will lose if I go with you now. Go, you'll find people like me anywhere," I said towards Leon that started to cry as he gritted his teeth.
Don't be too strict with yourself, Leon. It's not your fault, I've lived a blissful life because of all of you.
"It's an honor to be able to meet all of you," I said towards them as I unsheathe my black sword.
"It's our honor too to be able to meet you, black general, we'll never forget you, please-" Alice cut Leon's words as she tapped his shoulder to stop him to say things that he shouldn't say at this moment.
"Rey, please, make a miracle and stay alive..." Alice said towards me as she cried even worse than Leon. Please... you'll make me want to survive if you do that.
I turned my back against them as I think my heart can't bear looking at them crying.
"Go, before it's too late," I once again said towards them.
Without turning my head to look at them, I clenched the sword in my right hand as I resolute myself.
If I kill the demon king here, won't the princess don't need to face such a dangerous battle anymore?
But suddenly, a small voice entered my ears.
"Rey, this is an order, live,"
It's the voice of the princess that now should have gone rather far to be able to communicate to me.
"But well, as usual, she always gives me impossible tasks..." I muttered towards myself as I could feel my spirit rose to the peak.
The sound of steps of an army marching suddenly entered my ears. The ground and everything surrounding the army dies, the ground became black and the plants above it died.
Facing tens of thousands of the demonic army, I stand alone in front of them as I raise my black sword against them, "Now, where's the demon king?"
*************************
"Hey! Ray! Wake up! *Smack* " The smack that comes together with the voice of my sociology teacher made me realize that I've fought with the demon king and died together with him.
"W-Why are you crying? D-Did I smacked you too hard?" Asked my Sociology teacher.
"Ah..." I realized that I let out some tears as my cheek is wet when I touched it with my hand.
"Ah... It's so hurt... I think I just got a brain concussion..." (Me)
"Don't be too obvious when you're lying, *Smack*" She smacked my head once again.
"I-I'm not lying... It really hurts, sensei... What kind of teacher that would smack their student's head twice?" I asked her as I rub at the part of my head that just got smacked by her.
"It's fine. Anyone will smack you just like what I just did to you if they saw your annoying face," Said her as she rubs her fist.
"J-just what kind of teacher you are..." I could only question why would a person like her got accepted to become a teacher.
No wonder the new generations are full of bad eggs and mannerless kids.
"So, Ray lance. You're one of the prodigies of the academy that always have perfect grades, and you've already won lots of competitions representing the academy in your first semester of high school, which we very much appreciate as you increase the academy's reputation,"
"But the only problem of this prodigy is that he is a first-class antisocial that have no intention of socializing with any of his friends... What are you grinning for, huh? It's not a compliment!" said her as she stomped at my feet.
Seriously, it very hurts...
"How could you attend school for a semester and still have no friends? You should try to enjoy your youth before it's too late, young man,"
I wonder what kind of expression she would have if she knows that I actually lived for more than a thousand years in my second life.
"And what with that way too oversized uniform of yours! I know you have a good physique," she holds my sleeve that about two times the original size it should be.
"I don't like to stand out," I answered indifferently.
*Sigh*
The sensei in front of me holds her forehead as she sighs.
"Well, fine, but you must have at least one friend at the end of this week. If you don't-"
"I don't want to," I cut her words immediately.
"Y-You... I know you will answer that but I couldn't help but get annoyed and have the urge to smack you once again... Fine! meet me here at the end of school! Don't you dare flee and go home!" said her as she asks me to leave the room.
"Roger that..." I answered as I left the teacher's room.
Sigh...
Why the hell should I try to befriend myself with kids...
I enter my class at the same time as the end of lunch break sounded. The kids are as noisy as usual. I went to my seat without drawing any attention and immediately take my sleeping stance.
"Youth, huh... Geez, I'm far too old to enjoy that kind of thing..." I muttered towards myself.
As usual, the teacher entered the class and start to search for those who still haven't entered the class yet. To add more fuel, the delinquent kids in my class entered the class right at the end of the teacher's routine scolding. After scolding for about another 15 minutes, the mathematic teacher finally starts the class.
The teacher writes the title of the topic of today's class on the class's whiteboard. But after looking at the topic title, the materials, and all of the formulas immediately popped up in my head and I took my sleeping stance once again.
"Algebra, huh..." I muttered as my consciousness start to fade towards the darkness.