"OH MY GOD, WHERE DID SHE GO?!" I thought, a surge of panic rising within me. I darted through the manor, searching frantically in every corner, but she was nowhere to be found.
I raced down long hallways, bursting into room after room, my heart pounding in my chest. Just then, I caught sight of Mr. Hyakagure rounding the corner. I then stop in front of him before we could bump into each other.
"I greet the head of the Hyakagure family," and bow quickly before he notices that I've been running through the manor in search of his daughter.
"Oh, Haruo! I didn't see you there. Where's Ena?"
His question nearly shattered my carefully maintained poker face, but I fought to keep my composure, masking the urgency that surged within me. I lift my head before responding to his question.
"She's currently taking a bath sir. I'm just fetching some more tea and biscuits for the mistress."
"Okay, make it quick though. She might sneak out again," Mr. Hyakagure remarked before continuing on his way.
I waited until he rounded the corner, then I took off running through the halls once more. It wasn't long till i searched through the entire mansion.
I then jumped through the window and jumped over the giant fence.
'Dang it! She could be anywhere. I can't believe she's three years older than me; this isn't how nineteen year old's are supposed to behave!'
i thought to myself, my head a mess trying to figure out where she could be.
I then leapt to the roof of a building, searching for her from a higher vantage point.
I scanned the crowd from above, but the sheer number of sights made it challenging to spot her anywhere.
"I can't see her; I need to get higher!"
I concentrated all my strength into my legs and launched myself into the air, soaring an impressive 526 meters above the ground.
From that height, I could almost see the entire city sprawled beneath me.
Before I began my descent, I swiftly scanned the city below, darting my gaze from house to house, cart to cart, and store to store.
After searching through nearly half of the city, I finally spotted her in a bustling market, engrossed in buying something.
"There she is!"
I exclaimed, feeling a rush of adrenaline. I quickly descended to the ground, landing completely unharmed.
The moment my feet touched the pavement, I sprinted at full speed, creating a massive gust of wind that swept through the city.
As I approached her, I noticed that she was still unaware of my presence, completely absorbed in whatever she was buying.
"i should buy this one, wait no this one taste better. ill just buy both I'm rich anyway"
"mistress, i suggest buying one only. these types of food are unhealthy" I suggested.
The moment I spoke, a loud gasp escaped her throat, surprise and disbelief flooding her expression. She turned to me, eyes wide, momentarily stunned by my sudden appearance.
The bustling market faded into silence as she processed how I had found her so quickly.
For a fleeting moment, uncertainty flashed across her face, and time felt suspended, our connection charged with unspoken words and the weight of this unexpected encounter.
"How did you find me!?"
she exclaimed, annoyance lacing her voice, clearly frustrated as if she had reached her limit. Her eyes narrowed, and I could sense the tension radiating from her.
"I jumped very high."
The moment I said that, her expression turned to confusion, clearly unsure of my meaning. A heavy silence settled between us, filled with unspoken questions.
"you found me by jumping high?"
I simply nodded my head, not even bothering to say a word. She looked straight at me blankly with disbelief. After her order was done she grabbed the plastic bag and walked away, of course i followed her I mean what did you expect its my job, the bills isn't cheap y'know.
***
A couple of days passed quickly, like a fleeting fly. Ever since she had sneaked out without my knowledge, I made it my mission to prevent it from happening again. I sacrificed two hours of sleep each night, ensuring I was always one step ahead.
I placed cameras in all the spots she typically used to escape from the windows to the secret tunnel concealed in her closet, IN HER CLOSET. AT THE SECOND FLOOR... vowing that this time, she wouldn't elude me.
Don't even get me started on when she tried sneaking out through the air vents. Like, huh? This isn't the movies—a real air vent wouldn't even fit a dog, let alone a whole person.
I had to follow her everywhere just so i can anticipate whatever plan she had in store.
I honestly felt like giving up at this point, but then i remembered my sweet cute adorable caring and daring little brother needs me more than anyone or anything in the world right now so i persevered.
***
and this is me now, in her classroom disguised as a normal 19 year old boy learning to be successful; how i got here? well i started by asking Mr. hyakagure if i could watch her from the class as a transfer student. he quickly agreed to the idea.
and that's how i became an introvert from your typical high-school, slice-of-life, romance anime, sitting at the edge of the class 4 seats away from mistress. I hope you know I was being sarcastic.
First subject was history.
"Ena could you kindly explain the current status of the world. page 121 to 122" the teacher asked
she stood up with her history book in hand, trying to find the page until she finally got it
***
100,000 Years Ago: the great 10 periods
In 2025, humanity experienced a cataclysmic event that reverted civilization back to its medieval roots.
This world-altering occurrence awakened mana and special abilities within people, igniting chaos and unleashing a butterfly effect that cost humanity dearly. An unprecedented wave of crime and violence erupted globally, leading to the deaths of numerous politicians and world leaders.
The ensuing World War, which spanned twenty years, left the planet and society in ruins. As humanity teetered on the brink of extinction, a mysterious figure emerged, uniting the beleaguered leaders to end the conflict.
The devastation was immense—many buildings lay in ruins, and survivors bore at least one serious injury, though the presence of healers provided some hope. Following their treatment, the Great Clean-Up commenced, taking an astonishing 826 years to restore order.
In a bid to prevent future wars and the potential for another Great Clean-Up, global leaders opted to rebuild society using medieval-style architecture, while avoiding modern hospitals and factories. This decision was rooted in the desire for simplicity and resource availability.
During the first ten millennia, known as The Awakening Period, new continents emerged, revealing diverse species and races, including elves, dwarves, and trolls.
The second ten millennia, dubbed The Runic Period, saw the discovery of runic magic, pioneered by philologist and archaeologist Cain R. Lopez. This breakthrough led to the creation of artifacts that harnessed mana flow.
The third ten millennia, referred to as the Artifacts Period, marked the normalization of these magical tools in everyday life, heralding a Golden Age for humanity.
However, this prosperity was shattered during the fourth ten millennia, known as the Devastation Period, when a world-ending monster named Kilrum emerged.
This catastrophe resulted in a significant loss of knowledge, including the secrets behind artifact creation, leaving humanity scarred for generations.
in the fifth ten millennia, termed the Habitation Period, the rapid growth of the population prompted leaders to pursue intergalactic travel in search of new planets, setting the stage for humanity's next chapter.
the sixth ten millennia, the migration period, Following the discovery of new planets, humanity experienced another monumental breakthrough: portal travel.
This advancement facilitated the conquest and migration to approximately 600 habitable planets, expanding humanity's reach across the cosmos and opening new frontiers for exploration and settlement.
The seventh ten Millennia, the Enchant Period, After numerous attempts to recover the lost knowledge of the past, humanity finally succeeded in restoring enchantments.
This significant achievement was spearheaded by renowned philologists Agatha Aldi the 5th and Park Beom-seok, who played pivotal roles in rediscovering the intricate arts of enchantment, further enriching the tapestry of human existence and magical prowess
The Eighth Ten Millennia, The Evolution Period, During this period, the evolution of monsters began, leading to a new wave of challenges for humanity.
As these creatures adapted and transformed, they became increasingly formidable, causing significant trouble and chaos that demanded innovative strategies for defense and survival.
The emergence of these evolved monsters posed threats to settlements, prompting humanity to unite and strengthen their defenses while seeking ways to understand and combat these new adversaries.
The Ninth Ten Millennia, The Advance Period, In this era, technology advanced dramatically, transforming daily life with innovations in communication, transportation, and resource management.
The integration of magical elements, new sciences, and nanomachines led to powerful tools that enhanced efficiency and defenses against monsters. This period marked a leap forward, fostering a new age of prosperity and exploration.
The Tenth Ten Millennia, The Power Period, This era is still unfolding, with records continually being written.
Humanity is experiencing unprecedented developments in power dynamics, technology, and societal structures, shaping the future in real-time.
***
After finishing her reading, the teacher posed a series of questions.
"What year is it?" he asked, maintaining a serious and calm expression.
"J-4023," the she replied straightforwardly.
"Okay, good. Sit down. Let me ask you all a question: Why is there a 'J' in the year? The reason is simple—it serves to simplify the year. For example, each letter represents 10,000"
"For example, D-2354 marks the year of the Great Devastation. In numerical terms, D-2354 translates to 32,354. We adopted this system to record history more accurately."
"You must be wondering, why does everyone have different names despite being of various nationalities?"
"Well, the answer's quite simple: ever since the Runic Period, also known as the Second Period, everyone's genetics have been combined, though people still retain their national names." Professor added.
I wasn't paying attention to the lesson at all, as I had already learned this when I was 10 or 11 years old. I made sure to keep my eyes on mistress, so she wouldn't try to do anything foolish.
It didn't make sense to claim it was 100,000 years when it hadn't actually been that long. The person who made that statement likely intended it as an exaggeration, but it was accurate nonetheless.
The second subject was Science, and I was surprised by how active the mistress was during class, especially considering how much of a pain in the ass she could be.
The third subject was math, followed by alchemy. Honestly, alchemy was quite entertaining to watch, Mistress struggled so much that it even resulted in a small explosion right in her face.
After alchemy, we moved on to P.E., followed by Magic class and a few other subjects that rounded out the day. It was mostly boring since I had already learned all of this before, making it feel like a repetitive cycle of information.
I don't really understand school; it doesn't even teach you how to pay taxes, which feels like such an essential life skill that everyone should know.
school ended to quickly, i wanted to take off this wig and contacts as soon i can but our classmates invited us to go to karaoke with them at a restaurant. mistress was also invited.
i didn't really wanna go but since mistress did i had no choice but too.
***
i wanna go home, i wanna see my little brother i don't wanna be with these low-lives. if only mistress didn't accept the invitation.
'Wow maybe i shouldn't have come here, these people suck at singing' Ena thought to herself
I looked just like your average guy in high school with these disguises on. I wondered why they even invited me.
Then they passed the mic to me, cheering me on as I walked to the front. I didn't want to sing, but I had to. if it weren't for this damn good salary.
I began to move my mouth, preparing to say the first word of the song. Just as I took a deep breath, something unexpected happened.
A sudden surge of energy erupted from within me, and before I knew it, a shockwave blasted through the room. The force was so powerful that it shattered a part of the restaurant, sending debris flying and causing everyone to gasp in shock.
I quickly cheered in my mind while pretending to be surprised, a wave of relief washing over me. 'Maybe god is real' I thought, a grin forming on my face amidst the chaos.
The unexpected destruction had served as my escape route from the spotlight I dreaded. My heart raced, not from fear but from exhilaration. I didn't have to sing anymore!
As the dust settled and the echoes of the shockwave faded, I could see the astonished faces of my classmates, their eyes wide with disbelief.
I feigned concern, looking around as if I too was shocked by what had just happened. Inside, however, I was elated.
The pressure that had been building within me was suddenly gone, replaced by a sense of freedom. after celebrating my freedom in my imagination i start to see if mistress or the other classmates we're okay luckily no one was hurt.