As the days went by, Rou's concern only deepened. It started with small, seemingly innocent interactions, but they began to accumulate in a way that made him feel like he was caught in some kind of loop. Amelia, the heroine of the story, kept finding him in places he didn't expect—places he thought he could avoid her.
One afternoon, as he browsed through a stack of old books in the academy's library, he felt a sudden presence behind him. Turning, he was greeted by none other than Amelia, who smiled brightly as she approached.
Amelia:
[Rou! (she called out cheerfully, her voice like a bell in the otherwise quiet room.) I didn't expect to find you here! I was just looking for a book on magic theory. Have you read any of these?]
Amelia gestured toward a shelf filled with dense tomes.
Rou stared at her, blinking.
Rou:
(Not again. Why is she always around me?)[Uh, yeah. Some of them] (he replied curtly, trying to avoid the conversation.)
He didn't need to be tangled up in this right now. Not when he was already worried about what kind of chaos he'd caused by messing with the story line.
Amelia, however, seemed oblivious to his discomfort.
Amelia:
[Oh, good! Maybe you can help me out then! I'm a bit behind on my studies…]
Amelia trailed off as she noticed a particularly thick book on the shelf and pulled it out with a smile.
Amelia:
[This one looks really interesting. It's about enhancing your magical abilities. Would you like to study together sometime?]
Rou's mind raced.
Rou:
(I don't even want to be seen in public with you, let alone study with you.)
Rou forced a smile, trying to keep his composure.
Rou:
[Sure, maybe] (he said, hoping she'd just leave him alone.)
But Amelia didn't seem to notice his unease. She simply nodded, beaming, and left with the book in her hands. Rou exhaled sharply, relieved that it was over—for now.
Yet, later that day, when Rou made his way through the bustling cafeteria, his gaze immediately fell on Amelia, who was sitting at a table across the room. But what made him pause wasn't just her presence—it was the fact that she was looking directly at him. She smiled brightly when their eyes met, and then waved at him as if they were long-lost friends.
Rou sighed inwardly, resisting the urge to facepalm.
Rou:
(What is going on with her?)
The next day, it happened again. As Rou walked down the hallway on his way to class, Amelia appeared out of nowhere, walking at a leisurely pace beside him, her eyes fixed on him with that strange, innocent smile.
Amelia:
[Rou, there you are! I was wondering if you had a moment before class. I wanted to ask you about something.]
Amelia said, tilting her head slightly, her voice full of curiosity.
Amelia:
[I've been trying to figure out how you understand the magic theories so well. Not only that but you always seem so calm and focused.]
Rou blinked, taken aback.
Rou:
(She's literally following me everywhere now.)
[I just... I guess I know?] (Rou replied stiffly, trying to keep things brief)
He couldn't afford to let himself get too caught up in this—whatever this was.
Amelia didn't seem to take the hint.
Amelia:
[You're so amazing! I feel like I could learn a lot from you]
Amelia continued, her tone unbothered by the way Rou was clearly avoiding the conversation.
By now, Rou was growing increasingly uncomfortable. It was as if she couldn't help but seek him out, appearing at the worst possible times. Each interaction, though harmless on the surface, felt like another piece of the puzzle he couldn't figure out. Why was she so interested in him? And why had the game's carefully orchestrated events gone off-course?
Every time he turned around, Amelia seemed to be right there, smiling at him like she was waiting for something. Rou couldn't help but feel like he was losing control over his own life, like he was being swept up in a plot he didn't understand and couldn't escape.
Rou:
(This isn't how things were supposed to go, what the hell did I do to cause all of this?)
Later that day...
Rou finally snapped, his frustration bubbling over. He couldn't take it anymore—the constant following, the uninvited attention, the feeling that everything was slipping out of his control. He turned to face Amelia, his voice a little sharper than he intended.
Rou:
[Why do you keep following me? What's your deal?]
Rou's eyes were filled with both confusion and frustration, though he immediately regretted raising his voice.
Amelia seemed taken aback, her usual bright demeanor faltering for a moment as she hesitated, unsure how to respond. The silence stretched between them for a long beat. Finally, she spoke, her voice quieter than usual.
Amelia:
[I… I don't really know anyone here] (she admitted softly, her eyes downcast.)
[I don't have any friends, and… I thought maybe I could talk to you] (She looked up at him, her expression uncertain.) [I didn't mean to bother you, though. I-If I'm annoying you, I can just leave you alone...]
The sincerity in her voice hit Rou like a punch to the gut. He froze, the edge of annoyance dulling into a strange mix of guilt and confusion. Amelia's words were so simple, yet so vulnerable, that they made him pause.
His mind raced as memories from the game flashed through his mind. He remembered the cruel events surrounding Amelia's character—how she was always pushed aside, ignored, and even bullied by the other students, simple because she was just a commoner. In the game, she was depicted as a weak, somewhat airheaded girl who had no allies. And as time went on, the bullying grew worse, until one of the love interests stepped in to save her, offering her comfort and the promise of protection. It was the typical rescue arc, one that played out exactly as the game dictated.
In those moments, Rou had always thought of her as just another character to manipulate, a pawn in a larger plot. He hadn't considered the deeper emotional implications of her situation, of the loneliness and insecurity that drove her behavior.
He shook his head, trying to clear the fog of memories and his own rising irritation.
Amelia, still looking at him, seemed to hold her breath, waiting for his response. The guilt grew inside him as he processed the situation.
Silence dragged on longer than either of them was comfortable with, until finally, Amelia's soft voice cut through the tension.
Amelia:
[Rou… are we friends?]
Amelia's eyes searching his face for some kind of answer, her tone hopeful but filled with an underlying uncertainty.
Rou blinked, caught off guard by the question. His mouth opened, but no words came out at first. He was lost in thought, considering the complexities of the situation. He remembered the cruel moments in the game when Amelia's hopes were dashed time and time again. He remembered the way the other love interests treated her, and how she always fell victim to their love schemes. But now, here she was, standing before him with a sincerity he hadn't expected. She wasn't the perfect heroine of the game but another girl trying to make sense of the strange world she found herself in.
Rou sighed, then finally spoke, though his voice was quiet and uncertain.
Rou:
[I… I don't know] (he said honestly, his eyes softening.) [I don't know if we're friends yet, but… I don't think you're annoying.]
Amelia's face brightened slightly, though she still looked a little unsure.
Rou:
[Okay. I'm glad.] She smiled at him, her earlier discomfort seemingly fading away.
Rou stood there for a moment longer, still processing everything that had happened.
Rou:
(This is definitely not how I expected things to go)
But somehow, Rou felt like it was the right path, even if it wasn't the one he planned.
As the tension eased, Rou found himself wondering if he could actually navigate this new reality without messing everything up—if he could find some sort of balance between his past knowledge of the game and the unpredictable path Amelia was carving out for herself.