《THE AUTHOR'S FRIEND》


 CHAPTER 1: Felix

    "The prophecy came true."


    A man said, laid down on a mud mixed with blood. His own blood spilling from the hole in his chest.


    "Someone you hold dearest, whom you love from depths of soul, will take you heart away"


    He moved his hand over his chest. The heart was gone. She took it. The heart that was filled with love for her.


    It started raining, adding more to his misery. But the rain didn''t reach his face. Someone covered it.


    He heard a sniffle as tears fell down his cheeks, not his tears.


    Exhaustion overwhelmed him, his eyes too heavy to open. But his hands moved towards her cheek and pinched it. Just like he always did.


    ''Why am I doing this?''


    He was comforting her, when she did the opposite.


    She hurt him. His heart was gone, but there was still a pain on the inside, a storm raging in him. The wanting to cry and shout was still there.


    But hating her was impossible.


    "Do you hate me?"


    He asked, but only the rain and the sniffle reached him.


    "Was this for the best?"


    He couldn''t help but question. Never in his imagination did he think of this. Love was the only thing he expected from her.


    The sniffling grew louder. Tears wet his face. He no longer had the strength to wipe them away.


    "If you''re happy, then it must be for the best. But that bastard¡­he will come for you so-"


    A cough racked his body, blood spilling from his lips. His life hung by a thread, unravelling it as the minutes passed. He couldn''t even speak anymore, and kept coughing.


    Life started flashing before his eyes. Some regrets and mistakes, he fixed, some happy moments he ruined, and the love that was never fulfilled.


    Only thing left was-


    Death


    It was now taking him away. He was somewhat glad. Having to live after all that has happened was too cruel.


    But as selfish and pathetic he was, he wanted to hear it.Those magical wordsfor the last time. Instead, all he got was a-


    "Sorry."


    A word he despised above all.


    ''******


    ''


    "Just how many students are here?"


    A young man fixed the small red brochure attached to the black coat he wore and carried his luggage. The train station leading up to the streets, every pavement, every block was filled with students.


    His green eyes glimmered under the afternoon light as he put on a small black hat to block it.


    The train station was so crowded, he barely found any space to walk on. All the people near him also wore the same uniform he wore. A white shirt, decorated with a tie. The boys wore black pants, and the girls wore skirts up to their knees. All of them wore the black coat like he did, except the brochure was missing.


    Pushing the crowd and going ahead wasn''t right, so he just waited for the crowd to move and it did¡­. at a snail''s pace.


    '' I should have listened and left early in the morning.''


    It was too late to regret and blame his own laziness, as he took one step at a time, trying not to step on the person''s leg ahead of him.


    Walking like this felt boring. Since he was tall, he peeked above the crowd and looked around the bustling street. It was the first time he ever visited Neon, and it didn''t disappoint.


    The structure and colour of the building were monotone, but the decorations and paintings outside added life to it. The shops were busy, and the vendors didn''t complain.


    The young man, with curiosity, looked at those shops for something that piqued his interest. His shoulder bumped into the person next to him.


    "Ouch."


    The girl was shorter, and his shoulder bruised her forehead. Annoyed, she looked to her side.


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    For a moment, the bright sun didn''t let her see his face, but once it was clear, she couldn''t help but awe.


    His skin was the kind of porcelain white that beautiful dolls have. Every feature on his face, the shape of his nose, lips and eyes, looked like they had been sculpted with such precision that it felt almost eerie. Under his left eye, the touch of a mole added more to his beauty. And those green lush eyes, mesmerising, pulled in and held the girl in a place she never wanted to leave.


    The attire he wore was the same as hers. So she decided to strike up a conversation with him. Until their eyes met.


    The darkness, that hatred, froze her. The way he looked¡­..no judged her, shook her to the core. Why would he look at her this way? She didn''t deserve this.


    Those eyes, just a second ago, had the essence of a lush green land. But a forest is alluring only during the day,. At night- it''s always a topic for sinister stories.


    She looked down. Her mind... her soul ¡ª would remember this for her whole life. Her eyes caught onto the brooch decorated in the blazer''s pocket.


    She could tell who it was. That made her sweat even more. The boy beside her wasn''t just an ordinary aspiring student like her.


    He was different. A flower only to admire, never to touch. The thorns on it were too sharp to hold on. And a flower could kill with just a look.


    The boy noticed the state she was in. He wanted to assure her. That is fine and apologise for bumping into her. But these damned eyes of his.


    ''Talking to her is going to make it even worse.''


    The girl quickly moved away from his side, and the boy couldn''t help but sigh. Another addition to the collection of rumours and misunderstandings about him.


    Once the academy was near, the surrounding site changed. The buildings were taller, marbled, and a lot fancier than the ones he saw back.


    The academy was in sight. The students were about to enter, and a voice rang around the whole arena.


    "Dear students. Make a line and enter the school premise one by one"


    ''Sound magic.''


    Though there wasn''t anyone around except the crowd of students, the voice rang in everyone''s ears.


    The students started to align themselves accordingly without causing any mess. They didn''t want to make a poor impression on the very first day they stepped inside the academy.


    The boy also got in the line and waited for further instruction. After the line was formed, a stream of golden light flashed by them. Everyone was confused except him.


    ''That''s a quick scan.''


    It was to check if there were any imposters among the students and their luggages as well. Fortunately, nothing was wrong, and the line started moving inside the academy''s main gate.


    Then the same voice rang over again, calling a particular student''s name


    "Valerius Felix, please make way to the front of the gate. We request the other student to let his pass"


    ''What a welcome.''


    Felix held his hat as the crowd looked around for the man to put on the spotlight. Once they spotted him, they made a path for him. None of them complained and moved. Nobody gossiped. They didn''t want to get on the bad side of the Valerius, especially their treasure.


    Felix took long strides as his pace increased. He looked confident, but it was awkward to be stared at by this many people as if he was a lion at a zoo.


    He felt many emotions behind their gazes. Respect, fear, obsession, and some hatred, but a lot of it was fear.


    But one stood out to him. He turned back and glimpsed a silhouette going away. In a blink, the someone was gone.


    ''Am I day dreaming?''''


    He clearly saw something move. What? That was too blurry for him. But the outfit the person wore was definitely the academy''s uniform.


    ''So someone decided to hide their strength, in a place where it matters.''


    Why? He wanted to figure it out, but at the right time, at his pace.


    He reached the gate and looked ahead. The ten-storey building was a marvel of architecture and befitting of the reputation of Arcadia, the best academy in amongst the West and Eastern empire. The blend of blue panelled glasses and the red bricks reflected the inter-playing of light, and gave life to it.


    Felix didn''t look at it too long, as now he had to navigate to his dorm.


    ''Does such a fancy academy not have a map?''


    As he thought of that, a small brochure flew towards him. Ahead of him were stacks of brochures on a table that floated towards the students, courtesy of brilliant magic. And a perfect method for them to flex for being a fancy academy.


    Felix looked through the brochure. Arcadia was divided into ten different sectors. The building ahead, which he had entered and only knew of when he came here half a month ago for his written exam, was Sector I.


    He wasn''t curious about the other ones, unlike the other examinees, who took a full tour of the academy. He skimmed through the brochure and found his dorm in Sector VIII, where every first-year student lived until the term ended.


    It took quite a while to get there. After all, the academy was half the size of Neon, and the city wasn''t small either.


    He reached Sector VIII, which was surrounded by a large metal gate, almost two storeys high, where one guard quickly checked his luggage and let him in. They then looked through some notes and handed him a key.


    "That one is your dorm, and this is the key to your dorm. You are in¡­..room number 10."


    "Thank you."


    He took the key and walked straight.


    Sector VIII didn''t have just a single dorm, but multiple ones, and the one where he was staying stood out from the rest. That one was the smallest but the largest in breath. It even had its own nameplate etched into the building.


    "Arcadia''s Future"


    ''And they say there is no discrimination in every growing garden of Arcadia.''


    Once he reached his room, 10 which was also his rank amongst the two thousand students. He opened the door and set the luggage on the floor, and looked around. A queen size bed, a closet with too much room, a desk large enough for three people and a freaking chandelier.


    '' Why do I need a chandelier? Brighter light doesn''t equal a brighter future.''


    *Ting*


    Again. The same sensation. It didn''t last long. But this feeling was different.


    It wasn''t alertness or fear, but wonder.


    Someone was genuinely curious about him. Not because of his name, his family, and the position he held inside Arcadia. But the desire to know about his existence.


    It thrilled him.


    ''It''s not boring as I thought would be.''


    He quickly opened his luggage and took out a pair of suits that the academy had asked them to bring.


    Why?


    The first day of Arcadia didn''t start with an early morning opening ceremony. Every student had to arrive at their dorm an hour before 6 pm. And before eight, they had to get ready in formal outfits for an event.


    It was a social event, made for the freshmen to get to know each other and form social connections. To the low-status nobles, it was an opportunity to get on the good side of the high-status who treated the event as a hassle.


    As for the commoner, it was a survival event. befriend them but not cross a line that could cost their life. Each word they spoke needed to be calculated. Otherwise, the three years in the academy would become hell.


    Taking out a neatly packed suit from his luggage, he laid it on his bed. He went to the bathroom and, as he was taking a shower; he looked at the mirror ahead.


    "Disgusting"


    If anyone heard him, they would scowl. It''s like when a beautiful person says beauty doesn''t matter.


    But Felix was different. Only he could see it. And hoped what he saw ceased to exist, wished for this nightmare to be over.

 CHAPTER 2: Tanaka

    Life is beautiful.


    That''s what society says. It is beautiful up to some point in life, but as one ages, the beauty withers away. Everyone despairs in the game of life, but slowly they find a way to live with it. Find peace in pain, making it beautiful once again.


    And everyone has to go through this cycle of life.


    Well, that was not the case for Tanaka. Life wasn''t as pleasing to him, then what other people have.


    Life is unfair. Sometimes the cycle isn''t the same for everyone. Some are born with extreme wealth, or brains to figure out the true meaning of the universe. And few lucky ones don''t even get to taste the gloom of life.


    In Tanaka''s case, he got the short end of the stick.


    All he knew about his parents was, they left him at an orphanage. Not at the door, on a basket, with a warm blanket on him, but inside the bin next to the orphanage''s door.


    Orphanage life wasn''t the best either. He had many memories of that place, but not a single one that brought a smile to his face.


    He was looked down on by everyone in there. The caretaker and the other children scowled at him. Why? God knows, cause he never knew, or bothered asking about it.


    A place supposed to fill him with warmth made him colder than a corpse.


    All he did was run, hide and get his underwear pulled to his head by the other kids.


    ''This orphanage-I need to get out of here.''


    And he did. At the age of 16, he got a part-time job at a ramen shop. Cleaning the shop was a lot better than staying at the rotten place. The free ramen for dinner every day also helped a lot.


    The salary he received was enough to pay for the new place he found.


    Though it was someone''s basement, it worked. A place that he could finally call home, where nobody teased him about the large birthmark on his forehead.


    The all nighter he put reading, hiding under the blankets on those creaky bunk beds, paid off. A relatively good high school provided him with a full scholarship for three years of his highschool.


    But life was still sh*t.


    Being the smartest in the room didn''t sit right with everybody. Nobody pulled his underwear again or put off the lit bud of a cigarette on his tongue.


    The bullies made him do their homework, but that didn''t bother him much. Extra homework meant revision for him. But the worst thing was to watch his first love, the beautiful blonde who took the same train as him, sit on the bully''s lap and they cuddled together as he did their assignments. That''s when he realised-


    ''Nice guys do finish last''


    But getting a tattoo, smoking a pack of cigarettes everyday felt and looked too bothersome. Instead, he focused on his studies and ignored everything else. His so-called friends talked behind his back. Sometimes a nerd, sometimes the teacher''s slave, and most of the time, ugly.


    He hated it. Being called ''ugly'', that is. His physical form, the big birthmark on his forehead and the skinny body he had, probably because of lack of care in the orphanage, wasn''t something he had control over.


    There was no point in fighting over it, trying to clarify himself. They would never understand, like how he never understood the sentiment of bunking classes.


    He stopped talking to them and tried to forget his first love, too.


    Now alone, he found sanctuary in the school library. Books were the only companion he had. The magic of words and the emotions behind them hooked him. Books became his second love.


    At first he loved non-fiction, "101 ways to change your life", then space cowboys and then down the degenerate route- harem erotic novels. His first love was now replaced by anime girls.


    Hundreds of those books filled his desk and shelves. And then he thought-


    ''Why don''t I write on my own?''


    The first book he wrote and published on the internet had twenty pages. He "accidentally" deleted his account that had all the drafts of over 1000 chapters and didn''t try to retrieve them. Also, the story was never meant to be published.


    He then stopped writing for a while. Not because he hated it, but because his final high school exams were near. Once they finished, he sat at his table and kept on writing and publishing every day along with his new part-time job as a Junior IT intern. Having a good connection with his teachers helped a lot with the recommendation letters.


    Was he happy with his life now? Sometimes. When the reviews and the comments were good, and not pointing out the comma, he forgot to place on line thirty-seven.


    Writing and programming-which was mainly looking for answers on the internet. That was his life.


    This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    It was sh*t, but now it was sh*t that he loved.


    Living like this was not the euphoria he imagined, but there was something that always pushed him. To wake up, eat a bowl of cereal, watch anime and crouch in front of the computer for twelve hours every day.


    No matter how much life stank, he found joy in it.


    ''I have one life, so I will live it to the best and by best I mean watch the second season of "Cat Girls on Mars." ''


    Well- he never got to watch the new season. The day of the release, he got hit by a truck - the infamous truck that always has a drunk driver or a failed brake.


    The truck slammed him. Pain, there was pain, a lot of it, and then once he looked at his lower body, there was acceptance.


    ''I am going to die.''


    At the side of the road, losing consciousness, he could see a group of people surrounding him. Most took pictures, some looked, the evil ones laughed and only a single person was calling the ambulance.


    Though he didn''t care. His eyes were glued to the bin next to him. He chuckled. Life loved playing with him.


    ''Found inside a bin and died next to one.''


    ''Life wasn''t shit. I was.''


    Now the sh*t of a life was gone.


    Death was here.


    It started feeling cold as his world went dark. The icy embrace of death already had a hold of him. But that embrace was.... warm. Warmer than that cursed orphanage.


    The cold was not so bad, but it prickled and tickled him.


    ''Since when did Death tickle someone to the life? So people in death''s door do hallucinate ''


    However, the more his hands moved, the more it felt real. Instead of the road or even the emptiness of death...he felt grass.


    Slowly, his whole bodily sensation returned. Confused, he opened his eyes.


    ''Wow''


    He said as he gazed at the night sky dancing with the light of the stars. Never had he seen this, except in movies where the love birds sleep on a grass field, holding hands. Their eyes glimmering with light, but the brightest is the one next to them.


    ''Cringe, but I wouldn''t mind if there is also a beautiful cat girl beside me.''


    He turned to his left, and no one was there. Disappointed, he stood up and looked around. He stood in the middle of a backyard surrounded by high wooden fences. There was nothing ahead, only a large forest. Too dark to see, and not so curious and stupid to explore at night on his own.


    ''This-''


    He finally realised. Transmigration to another world. A cliche that happened in a lot of novels found its way to him.


    He turned back and saw a cabin attached to the backyard. The door to the backyard was open.


    The idea of this happening always popped up in his mind whenever he wrote and read reincarnation novels. But that didn''t mean he wanted it.


    Being in another country often came with anxiety to him. Now, being in a whole different world, shook him. To the point, he couldn''t move.


    The door in front was open. He wanted to check what was waiting for him.


    ''But what if it''s a trap? Somebody could be waiting right behind that door with an axe, to chop my head off.''


    Dying once didn''t mean he was open to the idea of experiencing it again. Though a new experience, it wasn''t fun at all.


    He took a deep breath and tiptoed towards the door, and his fist was in a stance to throw a right hook.


    Once he was near, he looked through the small gap of the door and found no one hiding behind it. Then he peeked inside the room. No one was there.


    ''Tsk. I couldn''t use my magnificent right hook that I worked for hundred of hours''


    Which was a lie.


    Tanaka took a quick scan of the room. It was identical to the basement he had. Too much similar, in fact.


    He lived in that same basement for six years of his life. Moving out of the place, even though he could afford a better one, felt wrong. The room, the arrangement of furniture, the unwashed stacks of bowls, the cat girl posters, and the tissues-who knows what he used it for- littered on the ground.


    That was his home. Only his.


    And now the room he was in was similar. The placement of the bed next to it on a table was the same. Except the posters, the tissues on the floor.


    As he looked around, his eyes fell on the mirror.


    Again.


    He froze. This time, even more confused and scared. He walked to the mirror, touching his face, especially the bandage on his left cheek.


    "This-"


    He was at a loss for words. After all, he was seeing the seventeen-year-old behind him in the mirror.


    Tanaka didn''t transmigrate into someone else''s body.


    ''But why the seventeen-year-old me?''


    Seventeen years old, he wasn''t the healthiest. Skinny, about 47 kg and the dark circle under the eyes spoke a lot about him.


    But that wasn''t the part that shocked him. After all, in the novels he read, sometimes people reincarnated as themselves.


    The thing that overwhelmed him was-


    "This band aid."


    He remembered this one clearly. While heading to school one day, on his old rusty bicycle. His cycle stumbled on a rock. He fell head first on the ground in front of the school gate.


    The worst part, his bully was there. He laughed his heart out and then the entire crowd around him chuckled. Tanaka didn''t have any injuries except a scar on his cheek.


    That day wasn''t memorable because of the embarrassing moment. For the first time, his bully had helped him.


    Still laughing, he picked up Tanaka and took him to the infirmary. Once the school nurse cleaned the wound and put a bandaid on it, the bully wrote "Loser" on it and left, laughing.


    Now the same bandaid was on him and the word "Loser" was there. But why was this version of Tanaka transmigrated?


    Also, the big birthmark on his forehead was gone.


    Before he could find an answer, he needed some clothes to hide the forest on his crotch. Butt naked and some grass stuck on his ass, he walked to the closet.


    As he was doing so, distracted, his eyes fell onto the table next to the bed. The $5000 computer he bought was missing. Instead, there was the biggest book he had ever seen. The length and breadth was of a normal book, but its height- it probably had over a million pages.


    "It''s longer than my head and neck combined."


    The book had a black leather cover. The back was the same, with nothing written on it. He turned the book and there was something on it.


    He just couldn''t read it.


    "The fuck is this? A pentagon inside a triangle?"


    And there were a series of these weird shapes.


    ''Don''t tell me I have to learn a new language? Where is my natural ability to understand the world''s language which reincarnated people get?"


    As he said, the weird characters around him soon started to change, not in the book itself. As if his mind was a translation tool, the characters duplicated, floated above the book, and changed to "English". The language he was comfortable with, despite being Japanese.


    "Chapter 1: Prologue."


    He started reading the book, still naked. And the more he read, the more he cringed. The grammar mistakes and the wrong use of verbs pissed him off.


    However, it felt... closer. The start of something, the first words he wrote, that ignited his love for writing. Something he shouldn''t have forgotten.


    And the more he read, the more he remembered. He read through all the first chapter with 2000 words. Once he finished, he kneeled on the floor.


    "The Heart From Abyss."


    The first book he wrote, with ten chapters published and the rest lost. The very first chapter of it was there. It clocked to him where he had transmigrated. He did have guesses to be in a world of the tens of books he wrote, but not this one.


    Because it was a mess- a mess he created.


    He took a long sigh.


    ''I''m fu*ed."


    Life is about a get a lot more sh*ttier than it was before.

 CHAPTER 3: Encounter

    Once reality set in, Tanaka stood up. He turned the pages and found nothing more on it. Only chapter 1 was there. Would more chapters appear as the day passed?


    He left those though for now and focused on what to do. Many questions were in his head. Why was he reincarnated and why this world?


    Everything, after all, had a reason, even accidents have. After all, a great turtle once said, "There are no accidents."


    Though he doubted those questions would be answered this easily. He could make some guesses. From the many novels he read on situations like this, the goal of every reincarnated author would be:


    To save the world.


    That was just a guess, but still he needed something, a goal to strive towards. Not for the world, but for him.


    ''Fuck the world''


    That was going to be his motto for survival.


    And to survive, he needed skills, powerful than his right hook.


    As if it was second nature to him, he uttered,


    ''Stats.''


    A blue panel with words and numbers appeared in front of him. His heart beat rose. He looked away from the panel for a second, took a deep breath, and crossed his fingers.


    ''Let me have an op skill. Please let me have an op skill.''


    Like a gambler waiting for a jackpot, he looked at the panel. But his eyes were glued to the [Name]. The new name, a name he was familiar with, and wished it never existed.


    Lim.


    "F*uuuuccckk."


    He screamed on top of his lungs and again fell down on his knees. But the emotions behind it were higher and soared through his body.


    ''Anything, but this name.''


    He hated that name, not because it sounded odd, but mainly because of the meaning or the abbreviation he had given to it and even his stats showed it. It was written next to Lim in a bracket. All in capital letters.


    Lim''s full form was-


    [LONELINESS IN ME.]


    The seventeen-year-old didn''t like his friends, and of course not his bullies. Friendship was just a burden to him. And he wasn''t a donkey to carry all of that load without getting his share of rewards. So he lived the life of a loner.


    At first it felt cool. Alone, the only one in class who hid his hobbies and stories. He felt like a main character. Except it wasn''t an anime, but real life.


    Nobody reached out to him. Everyone went for karaoke, made plans for summer holidays, talked about their crushes and shared porn.


    He stayed at the back, listening. Never having the courage to utter a simple-


    "Hi."


    That''s when the ego in him decided.


    '' Who needs friends? When I have... this loneliness. It''s quite a friend, you know. It creeps on me, never talks to me, never listens. A perfect friend.''


    And hence Lim was created. An avatar who he strived to be. A person who walked alone, ate alone, and sh*t alone...everyone sh*t''s alone.


    ''If only I could strangle the past me?''


    Being alone and lonely were completely too different things. He found out about it as he grew up, like everyone else.


    And he was glad to be proved wrong. That he couldn''t be Lim.


    ''To the end of my life, I won''t let anyone see my name''s full form, even if the world is to end.''


    After he accepted his fate and his name, Tanaka, or now Lim, looked at the rest of his stats.


    The finger he crossed turned into a middle finger. But he stopped before showing it to the panel.


    ''It could be worse. But still it needs work. A lot of it''


    Though before he could think of how, the bed next to him looked a lot alluring.


    "Let''s leave the future to the future me."


    Said the lazy, as he jumped onto the bed for a good night''s sleep.


    ******


    ''I can''t believe I was that careless.''


    Those were Lim''s first thoughts as he woke up. To sleep in an unknown house in an unknown world without a care was stupid.


    ''But this bed- something is just magical about it''


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    He denied the fact; he was just a ball of laziness.


    And now came the issue. Leaving the house and touching grass.


    He couldn''t just go out from a house that didn''t belong to him.


    The neighbours would call the guards or kill him, thinking of him as a thief. But he couldn''t just hole himself in this room. He had nothing.


    The stars were average, nothing much to help him in this situation. He didn''t get a "system." Only him and the boxer he wore, which probably didn''t belong to him either.


    Once he put it on, he headed out with his right hand, ready for action.


    ''This time, surely I will use my mighty right hook.''


    But unlike how he thought to be welcomed with shouts and screams, arrows and swords, the atmosphere was different.


    It was raining. Quite a lot. People rushed to hide from it. Umbrellas struggled to hold against the wind so they had to hide under the roof of the shops. Only the people with raincoats roamed the streets.


    And for a moment, Lim forgot, he was in another world. It felt so familiar. The splatter of rain, its smell. The world he wrote was now alive.


    As he basked in the new reality he was in, an old lady from the apple store in front called out to him.


    "Lim"


    Lim, with a frown, looked in front. Even though her voice was weak, because of her age, and the rain, the disgusting name still reached his ears.


    The woman with grey hair and missing teeth smiled. She held a bag of apples and gestured for him to take it.


    But he was hesitant. Nobody could be trusted. She wasn''t a character he knew. Hell, he had questions about his own existence.


    However, those red apples. They called to him to take a bite. He was hungry, not being able to eat anything last night.


    ''No, this is also how princesses die, but- I am a boy, so that doesn''t matter.''


    Hunger won. He ran, trying not to slip in the rain, and reached the vendor.


    "Were you up reading until midnight?"


    The woman said, pointing at the silver, cracked wrist watch. It was already 1 pm.


    Lim didn''t have any idea about time. There was a clock on his house, but because of what happened yesterday, he couldn''t care less about time.


    Also, how could he understand the woman? The language she spoke was different. But it sounded natural.


    ''So I too got the power to understand this world''s language.''


    "Just felt under the weather. The long sleep kicked it out."


    Lim sounded-tried sounding as casual as possible. He was sweating. It just looked like he was wet from the rain.


    "Hmm."


    The old woman touched his forehead and closed her eyes. A surge of warmth entered his body. He wanted to push the hand away. It was something unknown, but was calming.


    She pulled her hand away and gave the bags of apples to him.


    "Eat well, and wear some decent clothes."


    Lim looked down. He was out on the street with a shirt on and a pair of black boxers.


    Embarrassed, he looked down


    "Um-how much?"


    He asked and felt a smack on his forehead.


    "We will do the calculator later. For now, go inside and wear something. That bulge is ruining my mood."


    "You have quite the powerful fist for an old woman."


    He ran back after saying that. And slipped this time right on his butt.


    "Haha. You have quite the balance for a young one."


    The old woman said, laughing her teeth out.


    ''What a morning.''


    As he was about to get up, there stood a man in front, wearing a raincoat and a hat underneath.


    "Lim, right?''


    He nodded.


    The postman then scrambled inside his bag and took out an envelope.


    "You have made the village proud."


    The man patted Lim and went away.


    Confused, he walked inside his home and set the bag of apples on the table.


    Eating one without washing his hands and the apple, he opened the envelope.


    The first four words he read were enough to forget about the wonderful taste running in his mouth.


    ''I am not ready for this.''


    "From The Arcadia Academy"


    Those words were about to change his whole life, that he never had a day to have a grasp on.


    He kept reading the letter, which stated he had passed the exam. And he needed to do some tasks before coming to the academy exactly after a month. He needed to tailor the academy''s uniform, get the books, and arrive at the academy.


    ''Classes haven''t even started and they are already giving us homework.''


    But the fundamental question was, how did he pass the exam? The key question was- how in the hell did ''he'' even give the test?


    The letter clearly stated that he attended the exam fifteen days ago which he didn''t, so who gave the exam?


    Lim tried to solve these mysteries but gave up...after 15 minutes.


    ''I need to focus on the now.''


    Now that it was clear where he was heading to, he needed some more cards under his sleeves. And being an author came in the clutch.


    He sat down at the table, took a piece of paper and pen, and started jotting down the location of every skill he knew of.


    The Academy would start in a month, so there was plenty of time to gather them.


    He chuckled, knowing the skills he could have. And the more he thought, the chuckle turned into a laugh, which he thought sounded like a villain''s.


    He sounded more like a hyena.


    ******


    Clad in a simple black suit, adored with a jewel in the pocket with a white shirt, Felix walked towards Section V of Arcadia.


    Nobody was around him. After all, the welcome party started 30 minutes ago.


    ''Trying to use an iron for the first time didn''t work out.''


    He almost burnt a hole in his pants. And the creases on the suit were still uneven.


    However, walking alone without faces surrounding him was good. He hated crowds, so much so, that he didn''t want to come.


    But he wanted to meet that person. So much so that he was ready to face his weakness.


    ''It''s just an illusion. Nothing else.''


    He readied himself to jump into a swamp of his nightmares, but then-


    *Ting*


    The sensation was here again. And it was ahead of him. Even though Levi couldn''t see the person, he knew where they were.


    Once he reached towards the bushes decorated with strings of lights at the border of the large hall in Section V, the sensation got stronger, and the person was in front of him.


    ''A stalker?''


    The person in front hid behind a bush crouched. He was lifting his head up from the bushes, then peeked inside the hall from the window and then hid again.


    Felix walked towards the person, not making any noise. Careful not to step on any of the branches and dry leaves, he walked towards the person and stood behind him.


    Now he just waited for that person to turn back. But he kept peeking ahead.


    ''How can he even see through the window in such a long way?''


    To Felix, the window was too hazy, and he could only see bright silhouettes of people moving.


    Felix, feeling impatient, coughed.


    "Heek."


    The boy startled, made a weird sound and looked back. Felix was there, staring at him, especially the suit he wore. The boy stood up and brushed off the leaves on his suit, which was a lot more tidy and well ironed than Felix''s.


    He remained silent and coughed a bit.


    Felix then watched the boy''s hand move towards him for a handshake. That was weird.


    Shaking hands with someone who was just spying on someone felt odd, but this could be a step to get answers.


    Felix, without making eye contact, reached out, but the boy pulled back his hand back and instead threw a right hook.


    It was inches away from his face. Felix stepped back. The punch flew past him. Felix didn''t speak further and just punched the boys right in the chin. And it landed.


    *Bam*


    There was a crunch sound, probably the sound of the chin breaking. The boy, like a rag doll, fell on the ground without signs of moving.


    ''It wasn''t fast''


    Felix used the same bit of speed and force as the fallen boy, but never thought it would land.


    He crouched and sighed at the sight of the boy he just met getting knocked out.


    ''Good start to my academy life.''

 CHAPTER 4: Who Are You?

    ''This isn''t as easy as it was in those books''


    Lim said as he slumped on the table, yawning every five minutes.


    An hour had passed by since he tried to remember and write the location of things that could power him. Many [Arts] and [Ability] came to mind, but they were impossible to get. Just going into those areas was certain death.


    And even if he could, a thing called ''Butterfly effect'' that could take place,


    ''If I get the main characters and the side character''s skill, it''s a one-way ticket to world destruction.''


    Those characters would eventually fight the forces of evil. Taking away their strength was akin to killing himself. If they could not stop the evil, the world would be destroyed.


    ''And where will I live if the very land I walk, eat and sleep on is no more?''


    He doubted getting all those powers and stopping world destruction on his own was possible. Being a one-man army didn''t suit him.


    Instead, he would like to be at the back, clapping, throwing flowers at the heroes, rather than be part of it.


    Also, he never wrote about how the villains got their [Arts] and [Skills].


    ''I couldn''t be bothered to write about everyone''s past and the sad story of losing a loved one.''


    There was also something else to worry about that was closer than world destruction.


    Arcadia Academy would start in a month, and he was nowhere ready. Though he got in doing nothing, they wouldn''t hesitate kicking him out.


    Every three months, Arcadia held an assessment test. If anyone failed, they wouldn''t get kicked out. The academy believed everyone could improve and grow, but that was not the case for Lim.


    ''How am I meant to improve when I have nothing to work on?''


    His stats were not suited for the level of Arcadia held for their student. As far as he remembered, his stats didn''t come close to reaching the main lead''s stats.


    ''Stats.''


    He said in his mind and a blue window, only visible to him, popped up.


    ==STATS==


    Name: Lim [Loneliness In Me]


    Age:17


    Rank: E


    ==Profession==


    Mage


    ==Attributes==


    Speed: 0.7


    Strength:0.8


    Dexterity: 0.2


    Magic: 1.9


    ==Ability==


    [None]


    ==Elements==


    -Wind


    -Earth


    -Water


    ==Arts==


    [None]


    He had no [Art] nor a single [Ability]. And if there is a God, they didn''t love him to give him a [Blessing].


    ''So basically I''m fu*ked''


    Eating those apples, he sat and tried to remember everything about the story. Some things did come to mind which could be useful for the troubles to come, not if he got kicked out.


    He holed himself in the cabin for two days and thought of ways to get stronger. Things came to his mind, but in they led to nothing fruitful. The more he planned, the future seemed a lot bleaker.


    In the end, the two days of no sleep and constant stress got to him. Will power isn''t something infinite. It comes out of nowhere and once it disappears, nothing in the world is more alluring than the idea of giving up.


    ''Why am I even trying?''


    He was the writer, the creator. Everything in the world was born from his imagination, the hunger to create something praised for centuries to come.


    And evil too. It reflected his desire. The desire to be the top of class beat his bullies. Be someone that the world wants. To look at him, consider him as the first option and have someone to walk beside.


    But being the author didn''t mean he was responsible for all the bad things about to happen.


    ''If I knew this would become real, I would have never written a novel my whole life.''


    And that desire wasn''t something he was born with. The world deprived him.


    Tired and hopeless, he went to bed. As he was about to sleep and there was a knock on the door.


    Knock


    Lim sighed and opened the door.


    Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    "What?"


    "Is that how you talk to your elder?"


    The old woman said. She pulled him down and hit him with her walking stick.


    "Let go of me¡­. YOU OLD HAG"


    Lim covered his head and tried to get away, but the grip she had on his shirt didn''t let him move even an inch.


    "Let me put some sense into that empty skull of yours."


    She said and kept hitting him with the back of her walking stick until he apologised.


    "I''m sorry that those words left my mouth. Please¡­. stop hitting me."


    Satisfied, she cracked her knuckles and let him go.


    ''I knew she was a witch. The apple she gave me must have made me weak.''


    Lim refused to believe it. He lost a fistfight with an old woman who could barely walk.


    "Did you become a vampire?"


    The old woman said.


    She entered the cabin and looked around the room. Empty, but the smell- was not tolerable.


    "It smells of musk."


    She opened the windows and the door to the backyard. As she was doing so, her eyes fell onto a piece of paper on the floor and crumbled.


    Opening it, she lowered the glasses on her head and read it. She kept looking back at Lim and at the letter, and the frown on her face kept on increasing.


    "Who did you bribe to get to Arcadia?"


    "Bribe? I got in because of my talent?"


    Lim replied.


    "Pfft. Talent, my ass. You can''t even beat an old woman like me."


    She then pointed her stick at him.


    "Will you stop lying or need another round of my love?"


    Lim clasped his hands together and said,


    "No, anything but that. And that letter- even I don''t know where it''s coming from."


    The old woman again looked at the letter. There was no mistake. Lim was now selected as a student in Arcadia. And he wasn''t lying. After all, he looked the most surprised.


    "So this is the reason you didn''t come out for two days."


    Lim nodded.


    "Why? People kill to get this letter. Is going out, socialising, that much of a hassle to you?"


    "No."


    Lim replied. He had different reasons which he couldn''t tell. But maybe the old woman could be an exception.


    ''She is a witch, but a trustworthy one.''


    The fact she gave him apples, didn''t ask for money and came to check on him was a good sign. Her back could crack with a single misstep, but that was the only back he could rely on.


    ''Plus, she could teach me some of her stick welding techniques.''


    "It''s a lifetime opportunity that I don''t want to miss, but I am too weak."


    "Of course you''re weak. Have you ever lifted a stone and carried it to the top of a mountain?"


    She was quick with the insult.


    ''Carrying a stone? I haven''t lifted a single dumbbell or ran 1 km in my life.''


    Lim looked back at his life on earth. He definitely wasn''t the healthiest.


    "So you''re going to give up?"


    She asked.


    "What choice do I even have? I haven''t learned a single [Art], or am lucky enough to find an [Ability] and definitely not blessed by god.:


    Lim complained. That was the only thing he could do. Being an author and knowing the future didn''t help. He couldn''t make use of it.


    It was bleak and with how he was now, changing it wasn''t possible. Pushing himself into a pit of despair wasn''t ideal.


    And he had already done it. Living after that wouldn''t be worth anymore.


    The old woman walked towards him and held the stick to his heart.


    "It isn''t a matter of being weak or strong. It''s about how much you want it. Tell me¡­..do you actually desire to go there and live as you heart wants?"


    Lim thought about it. Why was he even going? To save the world?


    He didn''t know his motive  to head to Arcadia and maybe it wasn''t necessary to know. After all, life is meant to be experienced, not a problem to be solved.


    "I want to go there. I don''t know why, but I know it will eat me for the rest of my life if I don''t."


    The old woman looked into his eyes. It had been long since she had seen such determination.


    "Good, meet me at my shop at 5 am."


    "Why?"


    But she didn''t answer and opened the door. Before she left, she looked back directly at his groin.


    "Try not to do it too much. You might not have any energy for tomorrow or ever get it up at crucial moments. Your future wife might have a soft time"


    She left, and he quickly closed the door.


    ''Is that obvious?''


    Lim then cleaned his room and made sure the musty smell in the air was gone. But he couldn''t help but wonder.


    "What is she even going to make me do five in the morning?"


    And once he knew, it was too late to turn back.


    ******


    "Am I really a high schooler again? ."


    Tanaka, or now Lim, said, as he walked through the crowded train station.


    Going to an academy, which was the fancy way of calling school, becoming a student again, wasn''t his cup of tea.


    Everybody liked school not the aspect of studying but the friends they make on their way.


    Lim, however, only went to learn, never to talk about the new game release with his so-called friends. Once he graduated, not even once did he call or try to meet them?


    ''I was just someone from whom he copied notes.''


    At first, he was eager because it was not maths or physics anymore, but magic and combat. Something he did in games was now reality.


    But also having to do the bulk assignment again, which the academy would definitely give until late at night, put him off.


    ''This-how am I getting past the crowd with this much on me?''


    His hands were full. Carrying a suitcase filled with his clothes, and another bag full of apples and, on top of that, there was a bag on his back. Inside of it was the long ass book.


    ''I don''t even like apples that much.''


    But he couldn''t say it to the old woman.


    ''I owe a lot to Miss Belinda''


    Ever since she saw the letter and saw the determination in Lim''s eye, she made it her mission to transform him into something he never imagined being.


    The first day, Lim was sleep deprived and skeptical. However, once the training started, he was in for hell. All the sleep left his body and the only thing important to him was survival.


    ''She isn''t a witch but a demon, the evilest¡­. and the kindest one, too. ''


    He was thankful for that. For one month, he trained day and night with her and he changed.


    He gained some muscles, became chiselled like a statue and that was only the physical part. The breakthrough came in when he could sense mana.


    And from that point on, the training got even harder.


    ''But it was worth it. The stats show.''


    [


    ==STATS==


    Name: Lim [Loneliness In Me]


    Age:17


    Rank: E


    ==Profession==


    Mage


    ==Attributes==


    Speed: 1.7


    Strength:1.2


    Dexterity: 0.9


    Magic: 3.9


    ==Ability==


    Blink (A-rank)


    ==Elements==


    -Wind


    -Earth


    -Water


    ==Arts==


    Whispering Gale: E-rank (59%)


    Bind: D-rank (Complete)


    ]


    He learned two [Arts] in one month. [Bind] was complete but [Whispering Gale] was only at 59%.


    ''I only had one week to train it.''


    He knew the spells and forms of the [Art], but training alone without guidance was going to be hard.


    But the most surprising part was the [Ability].


    ''The book-''


    His thought was interrupted as a voice rang in his ears.


    "Dear students. Make a line and enter the school premise one by one"


    ''That''s cool.''


    He moved into a line and just stood there until his turn came. The same voice rang again.


    "Valerius Felix, please make way to the front of the gate. We request the other student to let his pass"


    ''Who?''


    Lim wondered and looked around. Never had he heard this name. Although Valerius was a surname he remembered.


    ''Did I forget some of the stuff I wrote?''


    Which was logical cause it had been almost seven years since he last wrote and read this book.


    Every student in that area slowly started moving to the side. They made way for whoever "Felix" was.


    ''Is he that of a big deal?''


    Lim peeked through the crowd, and it wasn''t hard not to notice the boy walking down the road, as if he owned it.


    And the first thing that came to his mind when he saw Felix was.


    ''God loves him.''


    He had the look that every man and woman desired. And not only that, the brooch attached to the blazer''s pocket showed the status he had in Arcadia.


    ''Wait-that brooch.''


    The fancy red ruby ornament wasn''t something anyone could have. It was only given to the top ten students in the academy, based on their entrance test.


    Lim rubbed his eyes and looked at the brooch again. It was the one he knew.


    ''But how does he have it?''


    Lim, though, didn''t have the best memory capacity. He was sure of one thing.


    In the book ''Heart From Abyss'', there was no one in the top ten with the name Felix.


    ''Then-who are you?''

 CHAPTER 5: The Author

    No matter how much Lim racked his brain, he couldn''t remember anything about Felix. More so, the person ''Felix'' wasn''t in the story. Not as the main character or even many of the side characters.


    ''If I remember correctly, the Valerius Family only has one son.''


    And he was at an age where coming to the academy wouldn''t suit him. Though he didn''t appear in the story much, heck, Lim even forgot his name and was sure.


    ''No, Valerius is meant to be here.''


    This wasn''t Felix''s world, someone not meant to exist. But here he was, walking down the street, marking his legacy.


    ''I have to find out who he-''


    Lim stopped thinking and felt shivers run down his body.


    "[Blink]"


    Within a second, Lim was inside an alley. Nobody was there, except some cats fishing in the large bin.


    He was glad. Anyone who saw him would think he ran away for his life from a ghost, a demon, or something even worse.


    ''What is he?''


    For a second, he made eye contact with Felix. Maybe it was less than a second. But that was enough.


    The never-ending abyss and the veil of unknown in those green eyes were enough for him to make use of his [Ability].


    Drenched in sweat, he took in deep breaths, to stop the fear running in him. But the moment had been imprinted onto his mind, never to be forgotten. A millisecond of eye contact pushed him to the limits.


    ''He''s not ordinary, that''s for sure.''.


    But for now, Lim needed to get out of the alley. The moment shook him so much; he used [Blink] without properly assigning a location.


    ''Thank God, I didn''t end up in a gutter.''


    Before he left, Lim waited for that thing to happen. Since [Ability] could be used without mana, they were quite powerful tools, but every [Ability] came with a drawback that no one could avoid.


    [Blink] an ability that let him teleport five hundred metres from where he stood was an A-rank [Ability]. He could use it anytime endlessly, only if he could control his urge to puke blood, which was impossible.


    There was no crack in the power that could be exploited to escape the after effect.


    Lim covered his mouth, went to the side and puked there.


    "Blargh."


    Blood flowed down and he couldn''t stop the urge..


    It wasn''t a pretty sight. The burning pain in the chest and the leg also wasn''t easy to shrug off. He held his shirt, trying not to scream.


    Once the urge stopped, he took a cloth and wiped his lips and the blood flowing down his chin


    ''I still can''t get used to it''


    Lim then walked out of the alley and again he was amongst the crowd of students far from where he was before. The focus now should have been on the heavy suitcase he carried, the pain running on his body and not stepping on anyone''s shoe.


    But fear just didn''t seem to part away from him.


    ******


    "Room 896."


    Lim said as he stood in front of his door and opened it with the key he received from one of the staff.


    He opened the door, the first thing he did was put down his luggage. Drinking a glass of water, he looked around the room. There was a table next to a comfy-looking bed, a closet and a bathroom as well.


    There also was a small kitchen counter just ahead of the door.


    ''It''s like those one-room apartments. Some of these would cost half of one''s monthly salary just for a month''s rent."


    He was getting to stay here for free, and honestly, it looked better than the basement and cabin. But he still missed the basement.


    Lim then opened a suitcase and took out a black suit, packed inside a blue suit bag.


    At first, going to the welcome party wasn''t part of his plan. Acting like a seventeen-year-old, and socialising with students younger than him, if he considered his age back on earth, was a pain in the ass.


    Also, the someone who he wanted to see wouldn''t be coming, anyway.


    But now there was another person he wanted to meet, not exactly shaking hands but investigating him.


    But before that, he needed a good amount of rest.


    The long train ride, being with the crowd, carrying the luggage and using [Blink] took a toll on him.


    He jumped onto the bed and felt the soft and cold pillow on his face .... the best feeling ever.


    ''Let''s take a fifteen minute nap.''


    ******


    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Lim took more than a 15-minute nap. He slept for two hours straight and now was twenty-five minutes late to the party.


    He walked towards the hall at Section V. Some guards were at the door, and students, like him, rushed to get in. It wasn''t an event they could miss or wanted to.


    ''Goddamn, what was the budget to build this?''


    Calling the hall magnificent would be an insult to it. It was something more than just that. It blended in with the surrounding, adding more to its beauty. Not a work of science, but magic..


    And as Lim was about to go in, that moment came back to his mind.


    ''How can a pair of eyes traumatise me?''


    Maybe it wasn''t just the look. Lim knew Felix had turned to him on purpose. Through the crowd, he looked for Lim, and that''s what scared him.


    In the end Lim didn''t go in. Instead, he walked to the bushes decorated around the hall and hid behind it. Peeking in and out through bushes, he looked through the window.


    He could see many students. Most of them were in circles with their new friends. And it was clear on what basis as well.


    ''This isn''t a welcome party, but an ego boost for the nobles and a surrender ritual for the commoners.''


    He didn''t have any friends, but knew friendship wasn''t meant to be forced this way.


    But he couldn''t see Felix anywhere. He has good eyesight, so the distance didn''t matter. If he was there, nobody would be near him. Nobody had the guts to do so.


    ''Where are you, Felix boy?''


    "Ahem-"


    Startled, Lim looked to his left. Felix boy was there. The worst person that could find him.


    Lim felt his legs shake again. He couldn''t look straight at Felix. Experiencing the unknown once was enough.


    ''Not again. How does he always know where I am?''


    And this time he couldn''t use [Blink]. Felix would never let him be if he disappeared into thin air.


    ''I have no choice but to use deception.''


    Lim tried to be calm and confident. His plan to escape was simple. Reach his hand out as a handshake and then punch him.


    It was a bad plan. A really bad one. Running away now seemed the best option, but Lim didn''t care.


    ''I will knock him out, tie him and question him. After all, violence is always the answer.''


    And like he thought, Felix hesitated but reached out.


    ''Got you.''


    Lim pulled his hand back and started channelling mana from the pit of his stomach to his right hand. The surrounding air moved towards his hand, making the punch faster.


    ''Get a taste of my art unknown being.''


    He threw the punch and after that, all he heard was


    *Crunch*


    ''Huh?''


    He lost strength in his legs and the world around him turned dimmed. All he felt after that was falling face first on the ground, kissing the dirt.


    ******


    "Hey."


    "Hey."


    Felix said as he lightly slapped Lim. Once Lim was knocked down, Felix pulled him away from the hall, deep into the bushes, and sat him beside a tree.


    He didn''t have water to splash Lim, so slapping was the best and the force behind the slap got stronger and stronger, until Lim opened his eyes.


    Felix''s palm was in front of him, just inches away.


    "There was a bee on your cheek."


    Lim touched it and felt an electric shock through his whole body. What kind of bee stung like that?


    He looked around and realised what had happened.


    ''Punching one of the top ten students without knowing his weakness was my mistake. But what choice did I have?''


    Sometimes, no, most of the time, violence isn''t the answer.


    ''And why is he staring at me?''


    Felix stared at Lim''s face, sweaty and somewhat scared.


    "Interesting?"


    "What''s interesting?"


    Lim asked.


    "Your face. It''s been a long since I have seen one."


    Felix replied, still staring, curious and amused.


    ''Am I that ugly?''


    Lim thought. It was akin to being stared at by a kid as he enjoyed his vanilla ice cream.


    But that was not the case. Felix showed the utmost curiosity. More than he had shown all in his life altogether.


    "So, are you going to disappear like before or try to punch me?"


    Lim sighed and shook his head. No matter what he does, it wouldn''t matter. He wouldn''t be able to hide in the academy. Felix would find him.


    And fighting him- Lim didn''t want a broken chin.


    Felix didn''t take his eyes off Lim for once, didn''t blink for a minute or so.


    "What''s your name?"


    A genuine and simple question.


    "Lim."


    "Valerius Felix."


    He said and reached out for a handshake. Lim looked at Felix''s face in his hand and shook it.


    "Now"


    Felix tightened his grip.


    "Tell me, what are you?"


    He asked. It was a trap in the form of a handshake. Lim was getting a taste of his own medicine. The grip was quite strong and Lim couldn''t retract his hand back anymore.


    "Human. What else do you think I am¨Cargh my hand."


    Felix yanked him against the tree.


    "I am not a fan of jokes, you see."


    Immediately, he was aware of his action. Felix let go and sat on the floor. What he did wasn''t the way to go about it.


    He wanted answers, but threatening wasn''t the way. After all, it had been long since he "seen" someone.


    "I apologise for hurting you. And it is my fault for asking such a vague question. I seem to be impatient around you."


    His voice had warmth, the hostility he had before was gone.


    "Where are you from? Who are you parents? And what kind of magic did you use to vanish in an instant?"


    ''Does he have a personality disorder or something?''


    Lim thought, but it was better to talk this way, and not get his head pushed through a tree.


    "There is a small town to the north. Thar, that''s where I am from."


    "Thar? The place is famous for apples.?"


    Felix asked.


    Lim nodded while massaging his hand.


    "Yes. And about my parents... I don''t know who they are."


    Not even in this life did he ever know about the identity of his parents. He did try to find about but there wasn''t even a clue about them.


    "It must be uncomfortable for you to talk about them."


    Felix didn''t want to remind him of the terrible memories. Past like these were meant to be forgotten. Just like how he wished to, but still was weak to do it.


    "You are quite understanding."


    Lim complimented, trying to steer the conversation in another direction.


    "Thank you. But let''s not get off topic and tell me about your power?"


    Felix was quick to catch.


    Lim took an enormous sigh and thought about it.


    [Blink] was his trump card. He wasn''t going to keep it a secret, but letting someone see the ability and tell them how it worked was different.


    But Felix knew, and talking about it to him, didn''t feel vulnerable.


    "It''s called [Blink]. An [Ability] that lets me teleport from where I am to 500 metres around me."


    "And what''s the drawback?"


    Felix asked.


    "Puking blood and a burning pain in the chest and legs."


    The after effect of the [Ability] wasn''t pretty. At the beginning, Lim even fainted when he trained with it.


    "Hmm. That is a cool [Ability] but I am glad not to have it."


    None of them spoke for two minutes. Lim kept looking away, and Felix just stared at him.


    "Now for the last question. Tell me the truth, no matter how difficult it is to say. In return, I will tell you something that nobody knows about me except me."


    "Do we have a deal?"


    Lim wondered what the question was going to be. But the proposal was enticing.


    "I don''t have any choice but to take it, don''t I?"


    "Yes."


    Lim sighed again,


    "You are forceful."


    "I know."


    Felix replied


    "Haa, fine. I accepted the deal, so what''s your question?"


    Felix pointed at Lim, towards his chest.


    "You are Lim from Thar, with an outstanding [Ability], but there is something more. You are something more that isn''t meant to be here .... Who are you?"


    Goosebumps spread around Lim''s body. The worst question was asked. Something he had to hide, until the end, was now to be revealed.


    ''Should I lie? No, that''s no use, his eyes know¡­. he knows.''


    From the start, Felix read him like a book.


    ''I wonder if it will give him an existential crisis?''


    "Do you think you can handle what I am about to say?"


    He asked.


    "Yes.... maybe and definitely not if you say you are a woman disguised as a man?"


    And there goes all the seriousness Lim had built up. s


    ''This guy¡­I should just say it.''


    He took in a few deep breaths. Nervous and worried, and he looked at Felix, especially his eyes, facing the unknown.


    "I am The Author. Creator of this world."

 CHAPTER 6: The Opening Ceremony

    "You''re what?"


    Felix heard everything, every word, every letter perfectly. He just wasn''t able to comprehend the absurdity Lim just said..


    Lim sighed. It was a hard thing to explain. After all, who would believe their world was made by some random dude, bored, and sitting in front of a computer screen for twelve hours every day .


    "I know it''s hard to digest it. But I created- wrote this world. Well- not physically but, I made a book about it. And it became reality."


    Felix looked at the sky, at the ground, at his hands and back at Lim.


    "Again, like- how-?"


    Felix was lost for words. He guessed Lim to be some big shot or a secret spy. Someone sent either as a guard to protect someone or assassinate. Never did he imagine hearing this.


    "So everything that exists right here, right now, was a product of your imagination, a pen and a paper"


    He said.


    "Correct."


    Lim replied, folding his arms.


    "Bullsh*t. You expect me to believe this?"


    Felix was having a full on existential crisis. He found it hard to believe that every life that has been here was because of this guy, sitting in front of him.


    ''`You couldn''t even punch me. I don''t think you got the power to create a world"


    Denial and doubt had taken over his mind.


    Lim shook his head.


    "Like I said, I didn''t physically create the world and made life bloom in it. You''re right, a person like me who can''t seem to beat you cannot create this world."


    Lim put his hand on Felix''s shoulder and gripped it. He wanted to get Felix out of the train of thoughts he seemed to be having and just listen for now.


    "I didn''t create Celestra. Only wrote a story, a set of events that happened and is about to happen in this world, Celestra. I am not God. Just a normal human who liked and still likes writing."


    Felix slapped his hand away, and the frown on his face increased.


    "And at what age did you create this so- called story of yours?"


    Everything Lim said sounded like absolute nonsense to Felix.


    "And you said you created something that has already happened. So you''re telling me you''re an old geezer that decided to come here, just to experience academy life? I will call the guards on you if that is the case."


    If the past which he wrote had happened, then that meant he was not just a seventeen-year-old boy.


    Felix''s question was justified by giving an answer that would make things even more complicated. Saying he was from another world would be pushing Felix''s mental capability.


    Even Lim didn''t know why this happened, why his story became a reality?


    But he had to explain. Leaving things uncertain like this would be worse. Letting his secrets, his true identity was for the better.


    "I wrote about the past, not because I am a billion years old. It''s cause...I am not from this world."


    "Stop."


    Felix said. He closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead.


    "I don''t want to hear any of this anymore.."


    His patience was gone through the roof.


    "I want proof. Tell me one thing, even the tiniest thing, that is going to happen in the next two days in the story you made."


    His voice was now again laced with malice. More than before.


    "If it happens, whatever you say, I will believe it. That this world, me and the people, were made of the words you wrote."


    It was an order, not a proposal like before. But Lim hesitated. There were no consequences to face, but he, too, didn''t trust Felix.


    He had already revealed too much to whom he still had no idea about. Maybe the unknown in him isn''t darkness, but a well filled with kindness.


    But every good, had a bit of bad in them. And maybe what his actions would bring out the abyss in him?


    Felix stood up and walked away. There was no point in waiting, when Lim had no answers.


    Felix went back to his dorm. Not once did he turn back and looked at Lim.


    Everything was a lie. It had to be. But somewhere along, the ''sense'' he had that he relied on, and came when needed, didn''t activate once when Lim spoke about being the author.


    And if he was, Felix wanted to know.


    ''Will I ever be fixed?.''


    ******


    The next morning,every first-year student was gathered in the same hall at Section V, where the party was held. The fancy lights, balloons and the line of buffet had been removed and a row of chairs had been placed, facing an elevated platform.


    Even so, the place was magnificent. Because everyone was busy trying to fit in, they didn''t notice the painting on the walls and the ceilings.


    Magical beasts like dragons, Phoenix, Griffith, and other magical beasts, were painted. Every stroke of paint was perfect. Many stepped away from the walls, even scared to touch it. Those paintings looked and felt alive.


    Stolen story; please report.


    The students now waited for the stage ahead to light up, and the opening ceremony to start.


    Today, the headmaster would welcome the students, give a speech which was exciting but not as exciting as the award ceremony.


    The headmaster would attach a blue gem to the brooch the top ten students wore. And at the end, the President, number one ranked in the year, would choose a vice-president.


    "Who do you think she will choose?"


    "That''s obvious. It has to be Oscar. He has the face, the talent, and both look good together."


    Rumours flew around the hall. The students, the source of the rumours, were behind a room, attached just beside the stage.


    Felix, with eight other students, was there, sat on the edge of a black sofa


    The top ten students from the first year were asked to come to this room. And all of them would be brought on stage and introduced as the representatives of the first years. "Stars", that is what the academy called them.


    ''Being called a star feels childish ''


    Felix wasn''t a fan of the name, but the same couldn''t be said of the other seven students who sat beside him on a leather sofa.


    They brimmed with pride and confidence, with determination to shine the brightest


    ''I hardly fit in this place.''


    "Felix."


    The boy sitting next to him called. Levi turned and nodded as both shook their hands.


    "Oscar, it''s been a while."


    "It has."


    Oscar nodded. The last time these two met was five or six years ago, at a party, and spoke to each other out of courtesy. And they didn''t see each other during the entrance test.


    After that, Oscar said nothing. He was blessed with red hair which was perfectly complemented by his cyan eyes. A look that stole and broke the hearts of many girls.


    The calluses on his hand, when they shook handshake, spoke enough.


    ''He trains too much.''


    After all, he had to match the expectations of the world. Be the next hero, just like how his father and grandfather were.


    After that, Oscar turned to his right. There was a girl, sat next to him. They started talking, and the girl took a quick glance at Felix.


    Felix recognized her too and was closer to her than Oscar but-


    ''It''s awkward to talk after what happened.''


    So he just looked at the wall, admiring the paintings on them.


    Creak


    The door to the far left opened. And a man, with blue eyes and blue hair though some of it was going grey, walked in. He wore a black suit and a brooch with a blue gem, attached to the pocket in the middle.


    And there was also a woman behind him that nobody recognized. She held a bunch of papers, constantly fixed her glasses and that one bed hair, sticking out like a sore.


    Everyone in the room stood up and slightly bowed.


    "Good morning headmaster."


    "It is a beautiful morning now that I met our stars, but there is no need to bow."


    The man said. Everyone looked at him, admired the presence he had. Strong yet calming. The head of Arcadia, Sebastian Alaric.


    But Felix didn''t look at him


    ''Those are some good shoes, old man.''


    Behind him was one of the staff, the announcer for today''s ceremony. She was shorter than the headmaster.


    After that, the headmaster looked around and found one missing.


    "She isn''t here yet."


    "The guards have gone to check her dorm."


    The woman behind replied.


    He nodded and looked at the nine in front.


    "I am proud that the nine of you here are our future. Things may change, that is life, but for now be proud of your achievements. Have the courage and strength to accomplish the responsibility that is going to head your way."


    After saying that, he left, and the woman behind him spoke.


    "Um- I am the announcer and will call your name one by one, so please come on stage."


    The opening ceremony started. Felix didn''t focus on anything until the announcer said ''representative''


    "Now, I would like to call your representatives. The Stars of the first year on stage."


    There was a tremendous roar that rang and vibrated around the hall.


    "Please welcome on stage the 10th star, Valerius Felix."


    Felix patted his blazer and walked towards the door, attached to the stage


    "Good luck."


    Oscar said.


    Felix took a few deep breaths in before going onto the stage. Where he could see everyone, and everyone judged him.


    ''It''s going to be fine.''


    He opened the door and walked onto the stage. The professors at the front clapped and none of the students did. No one laughed, no one shouted. They looked at him, petrified seeing those eyes, while some had already looked down.


    ''Makes sense.''


    Felix walked towards the Headmaster standing beside the podium, as he attached a blue gem to the brooch he wore.


    "I hope you do well."


    Felix didn''t reply. He had to say a few words, how proud he was to have this position on the podium, but he couldn''t care less.


    He walked away to the corner behind the curtains. Everyone was stunned, but nobody complained or forced him to give a speech.


    "Um-ah, Please welcome, Rank 9, Holzberg Tyson"


    Clap


    Now everyone clapped to their hearts. Tyson waved at the students like a celebrity. The claps and cheers got louder. And unlike Felix, he showcased the newly attached gem and gave a speech.


    He was a lot more tolerable and humane.


    '' Can''t blame them.''


    The announcer called every top ten students'' names. The cheers kept on increasing and as well as Felix''s headache.


    ''When is this over?''


    The speech was getting boring, and he was tired of hearing them thanking their family and all the hard work they will put in for the better of Arcadia.


    The announcer stopped right before calling the last name. The most important and talented of everyone on top wasn''t here.


    ''So she didn''t come.''


    As Felix thought of that, a staff member came running towards the announcer and whispered something. Her face brightened as she started speaking again.


    "Now I would like to call on stage, the ranked 1 student. She is the first ever student to get full marks, a thousand out of thousand on the academy''s test. The sole heir of the Ashbourne Family."


    "Rose Ashbourne."


    Everyone stood up, including the professors, and clapped. Even the ones on the stage. They were rivals, but they admired her strength and talent.


    Except for Felix, his mind was occupied with something else.


    ''The announcer might get a scolding later.''


    After all, the academy prohibited anyone from using their family name as a privilege, and announcing a student like that, was violating their so-called equality rule.


    As the infamous Ashborne entered the stage, the claps stopped.


    Every student in the hall, for a moment, forgot to breathe. Captivated by her long grey hair, reaching her back, and ruby red eyes, the signature of the Ashbourne family. No one dared take eyes off her.


    The professors, however, were astonished by her mana. A red coating around her whole body. It was subtle but powerful.


    They had seen this during the entrance test, but this time, the mana was denser. Her growth wasn''t ordinary, or was she hiding her mana in the first place? No wonder she was ranked one among the thousands gathered here.


    And as she stood on the stage, everyone wondered,


    ''Why is she standing beside him?''


    Felix felt many eyes on him, even through the curtain.


    "It''s been a while."


    She said, but no response.


    ''Just go to the podium.''


    "Eh-miss Rose, please come here for your commencement speech."


    Rose, though, didn''t take her eyes off Felix.


    "You never let your guard down, do you?"


    She mumbled and walked to the podium.


    The Headmaster shook hands with her, and put a red gem on her brooch, except


    "I didn''t think you would come."


    "Me too."


    Rose fixed the mic to her level and looked at the crowd.


    "Good morning everyone." Everyone clapped. Her voice, a heaven made lullaby, was enough for everyone to admire her again.


    ''She said nothing good. Why is everyone acting like a simp?''


    Felix was salty. Not because she was getting all the attention. She could have all of it. He just wanted to leave.


    The crowds, the faces, were growing on him.


    ''Uncomfortable.''


    Once the clapping stopped, Rose spoke again.


    "It''s an honour for me to be here as the President of our year."


    "The position me and my companions hold is of great value. A legacy set by our alumni to create a perfect environment where all can flourish."


    "Maybe not the same level and pace after all. Everyone is different."


    That is the beauty of it. To me, a garden with different flowers is more beautiful than a garden filled with the same one."


    Again, everyone clapped. Felix didn''t. He was striding back towards the door, without anyone noticing.


    "And to make such a garden, I have nine of my companions here. Talents from all over the empire that also have the same mindset as me. And out of them, one has to stand beside me, the Vice-President."


    The moment everyone was waiting for. And most already had their guesses.


    Oscar, the second ranked, and her rival. It had to be him. That was the most optimal and reasonable choice.


    She looked to her left. But her gaze, like before, passed through the eight in line to, the one moving to the door.


    Felix felt her gaze and couldn''t help but frown.


    ''This girl- does she want the whole academy to hate me?''

 CHAPTER 7: A Normal Start

    Everyone in the hall held their breath, even the professors. The person she looked at, nobody wanted him to be the vice-president.


    He was one of the strongest of the first years. Being amongst the top ten wasn''t just a walk in the park, but the problem was his attitude. No one had spoken to him, but the rumours didn''t give off a good image about him. And just how he walked away, without giving a customary speech.


    A vice-captain needed to have good communication. Felix wasn''t the best at that.


    Everyone was worried, except Sebastian. The Headmaster treated everyone equally. He tried to, but as a human, he also had his biases. Such is human nature..


    But he believed anyone could reach the heights they wanted. Anyone could be the vice-president if they had the passion and determination to live up to the position.


    And Oscar was the best for it. If not for Rose, he was the best candidate for the President.


    He was more approachable and predictable than Felix. But if he had to choose... he would go for Felix.


    Sebastian turned to the door, as Felix reached his hand out for the knob.


    ''Finally, I can leave this-''


    He couldn''t turn the doorknob. He even used mana to pull the knob, but it didn''t turn an inch.


    He looked back. Sebastian''s blue eyes shone, and he smiled.


    ''This old man.''


    As for Rose, she never stopped looking at him. Seeing how he tried to escape, she chuckled.


    "I choose"


    She looked at the crowd, and everyone gulped.


    ''Anyone but Felix''


    They thought.


    "Oscar Maximillain."


    She said,


    Everyone took a deep breath. A relief escaped them as they leaned back in their chair.


    They stood up and again the sound of clapping reverberated throughout the hall.


    "Oscar, Oscar, Oscar."


    They started chanting his name. Some even cried tears of happiness.


    ''Did they hate me that much?''


    Felix knew this kind of reaction would happen, but not to this level.


    Oscar waved at the crowd. The Headmaster shook hands with him and smiled.


    "Fulfil the responsibility that comes towards you, but make sure you enjoy doing it."


    "I will."


    Oscar replied as the blue gem on his brooch turned purple.


    The other stars approached and also congratulated him.


    Oscar smiled and nodded at Rose. She smiled back too, but her eyes were still glued to Felix, trying to break the door.


    She stepped down from the podium and stood beside Leon.


    The announcer fixed her glasses and took the mic.


    "The opening ceremony has ended. But-"


    None of the students got a good feeling from the "But" at the end


    "Before your classes start. The first step to a bright and prosperous future, the professors have decided to organise something special before the class starts."


    "The Professors have decided to organise a simple test for every first-year student inside the labyrinth."


    "What?"


    The students shouted. Shocked and confused, they looked at each other.


    "A test on the first day and inside the labyrinth. They want us dead."


    "Yeah, why our year? Our seniors didn''t have to do this."


    There were many complaints, like they should have. All of them imagined a smooth first day where all they did was take new and interesting classes, make friends and get the famous "Chicken and Rice" .


    "Did you know about this?"


    Oscar asked Rose.


    "No."


    She shook her head.


    Even the Stars weren''t informed about this. Felix too. He stopped pulling the door knob. It was impossible unless he scooped out Sebastian''s eye.


    If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ''They must have wanted to do something interesting and new that lived up to the name of Arcadia.''


    But what if there was something more behind it, not just a simple surprise test? He thought of many things, but none seemed plausible.


    In the end he took a quick glance at the crowd, despite that it made him dizzy.


    It was good that Lim'' face stood out from the rest and Felix saw him at the back at the very corner.


    ''Why does he look the most nervous?''


    Lim was biting his nails and scratching his forehead. That is not how Felix thought he would act. If he knew the future, then he must have prepared for it.


    ''He looks constipated.''


    No, that wasn''t the face of someone nervous or constipated. Something was wrong, and he looked like he had no plans for it.


    *******


    Every student after the announcement was handed a black tracksuit and a metal bracelet. The bracelet was a device that would automatically count a student''s point and inform the professor if any student was in grave danger.


    All the first- years gathered at Section X, where the academy''s labyrinth, Nexus, was.


    Nexus was artificial, built by some of the greatest mages, around three hundred years ago. It has twenty-five floors and higher the floor, stronger the monsters.


    The goal of the labyrinth was simple: to train the students. Let them experience the terror of a monster and realise the difference between regular training with a teacher holding back and something with the desire to kill.


    "I can''t believe it''s actually happening."


    "Well, you have to believe once the monsters start coming at you."


    "What if we die?"


    "We won''t. The professors aren''t psychotic enough to enjoy watching us die on our very first day."


    Felix, on the other hand, wasn''t worried about the test. He wanted to be away from the crowd but he was forced to stand beside the Stars on an elevated platform in front of everyone else, like statues.


    ''Right now, my anxiety level is higher than this labyrinth.''


    He just looked down and waited for the test to start.


    "Attention, everyone."


    A male professor said. His voice reached at the end of the line, loud and clear. The control, he had amplifying sound with mana, was truly fitting for a professor of Arcadia.


    He stood beside Felix and everyone turned to him, bringing more attention to Felix.


    ''What else to get more eyes on me? Get me in a clown dress?


    Without any instruction, the student moved and stood in a line, like a group of well-trained soldiers.


    ''He''s strict.''


    Everyone could tell by the glare he had.


    Beside him was a spherical ball, placed on a table. He pressed a button on it, and a large blue panel hologram formed in the air.


    "If your rank appears on the screen, step forward towards Nexus''s gate. Take your choice of weapon and go inside. Your mission is simple. Kill three giant-rats on Floor-1 within ten minutes. Every monster is equal to one point."


    The professor shouted.


    The mission was quite simple, but the time limit given put a lot of pressure on them. Killing the monsters wasn''t easy, but with time, they could.


    They would have to rush. And doing so, one could make many mistakes.


    Also, they weren''t alone. Other students were going in as well.


    If one was slow, the other could steal their prey.


    "Many of you might have already planned to steal other''s hard work. But the person that deals the most damage will get the point, even if the other person gets the last hit."


    This made sure that no student would wait to snatch away another''s kill.


    "And none of you are allowed to attack each other. No items or potions are allowed, and you should give it to the instruction at the labyrinth''s door if you have any."


    "Also losing consciousness in the labyrinth despite getting three points will be counted as failure. And-"


    As he said that, his voice turned colder and the mana he emitted made it hard for the student to breathe.


    "Any cheating will not be tolerated. We encourage you to fail rather than play tricks, which will lead to direct expulsion. Am I clear?"


    Nobody said anything.


    "Give me an answer as loud as you can. Am I clear?"


    He shouted.


    "Yes."


    All the students said unison.


    He then blew a whistle and pressed on the button. A number appeared on the screen.


    [502]


    The student walked to the labyrinth as everyone looked at him. Once he entered the labyrinth, another number came up.


    Like this, one by one, students went inside, and it hadn''t been even three minutes, and the first student, rank 502, that went in, came out.


    Unconscious, covered in blood, as his body levitated into a separate room beside the labyrinth.


    That''s when everyone realised they had to take this more seriously. Not only was it hard, but humiliating to come out like that in front of everyone.


    And worse if they failed and their friends passed. The passed ones would never let them hear the end of it.


    ''I thought I would be here for the whole day. But, this might finish in two hours.''


    Half an hour had passed, and almost 500 students had gone in. Each one came out unconscious. No one had managed to succeed, yet get two kills.


    That made the rest even more restless.


    ''This isn''t random at all, is it?''


    Felix noticed how the magic device displayed only the number of rank 500 students and above


    Another thirty minutes passed, and now only the top 200 students were left. Except there was someone way above that rank still waiting for his turn.


    "This has been a lot more disappointing than I thought."


    The professor shook his head, and his eyes seemed to be lit on fire.


    ''He isn''t going to make training easy, is he?''


    Once everyone above one hundred was eliminated, only then the Stars got their turn.


    [2]


    Oscar was the first star to step up. He entered Nexus and within three minutes, came out and was the first to pass the test.


    He came out unscathed, with only specks of dust on the clothes. His sword dripped with blood as he put it back where it was.


    Everyone was in awe. Not only was he the first to finish, he did it in record time. The last record was three minutes and twelve seconds.


    "Not bad. Leave the bracelet here. Then Get changed and head to the cafeteria."


    The professor said,


    Oscar left and everyone again came to realise. They were chasing after a genius born only once every century.


    Soon everyone stepped inside. Out of ten, seven stars had passed the test. One was still inside and the remaining ones hadn''t been called.


    Felix and Rose were the remaining ones.


    Rose scooted towards Felix and whispered,


    "I wonder why that guy still hasn''t been called. He doesn''t seem that strong."


    She too had realised that the magic device wasn''t random and picked out the weakest at first.


    "Maybe he is someone strong?"


    Felix replied.


    ''Did he write about this too?''


    It was too coincidental for these two to be amongst the last to enter.


    [896]


    Lim''s number appeared on the screen. As he walked towards the labyrinth, he raised his eyebrows, looking at Felix, and then started winking.


    ''What does that even mean?''


    "Your friend?"


    Rose asked, cause only friends would do that.


    "No. It''s the first time I''ve ever seen him."


    Lim took a wand with him as his weapon and walked in.


    ''So he''s a mage. No wonder his punch feels weak.''


    After two minutes, Felix''s number appeared.


    [10]


    "Good luck."


    Rose said. He just nodded and walked to the gate.


    The labyrinth up front looked a lot bigger. Each floor was taller than two floors of a building combined.


    Just from the weapon beside the labyrinth, he took a spear. He swung it a few times and then nodded at the guard at the gate.


    The gate opened, and as he stepped, the air changed. It smelled of grass and mud. Green light scattered around the room and illuminated the bumpy walls and floor with moss all over them.


    "Do you want to fail by standing here?"


    Felix asked. Lim was still there, though it had been two minutes since he walked in.


    "I need your help."


    Lim said.


    "Sorry, I can''t help you cheat"


    He was about to walk past Lim but stopped once Lim said,


    "Someone is trying to kill Tyson, the 9th star "

 CHAPTER 8: The Locked Labyrinth

    Beside Nexus were two other buildings.


    One was a healing station. Not the best in the academy, but in case any student would need immediate care if any accident happened in the labyrinth.


    The next one was a surveillance room. A large room filled with hundreds of holograms. Each displayed every corner of the floors in the labyrinth, via magic cameras they imbued into the wall itself.


    This was done so students didn¡¯t have a sense of security if they saw a camera.


    For now, all the holograms were only focused on the Floor-1


    ¡°Only the Stars have done well.¡±


    The professor, with a stern look, said as he entered the room.


    ¡°You have too much expectations, Professor Vin¡±


    Another man next to him said as he twirled his moustache, his bald head shun under the light of holograms.


    ¡°Is it bad for a teacher to expect good from their student? Professor Ian.¡±


    Vincent replied as he took a seat.


    ¡°No. I too want everyone to succeed. But the test¡­¡­it¡¯s meant to make them fail from the start.¡±


    Ian replied.


    The test was done to give the majority of students a taste of defeat and despair. What it meant to be a soldier thrown into a battlefield without any warning and consideration.


    Of course, they wanted the student to have fun, but this would make sure to keep them on their toes and not drown in pleasure.


    Also, the Stars would definitely pass. This would solidify their authority. No one would question their talents and skills. Also, make them a benchmark for other students to catch up to.


    Out of 1500 students, eighth had passed, and three were inside Nexus, while Rose was waiting for her turn.


    Tyson had already killed two giant-rats and was searching for the other one.


    And the remaining two-


    ¡°Are they planning to work together¡±


    Ian said. Lim and Felix were still at the entrance, talking. Four minutes had passed for Lim and two minutes for Felix.


    ¡°The 10th star might pass, but not that boy. Who is he?¡±


    Ian turned the files with students¡¯ information on the table.


    ¡°Lim, 896 rank and nothing else. I see- so he is the one. But why him?¡±


    As a professor, it might seem rude to question a student¡¯s strength, but the professors can plan out an improvement blue print only if they know their students¡¯ capabilities.


    ¡°The Headmaster-what is he thinking?¡±


    The magic device was random, only to some point. They could decide from which range to call the student at random.


    Except the Headmaster wanted one particular student to take the test at the very last.


    ¡°I have no clue. All we can do is watch.¡±


    Vicent too wondered what those two could be talking about when time was running out. If they weren¡¯t taking this seriously, he would need to sort them out, with a good scolding and a hundred laps around the whole academy.


    Vincent looked around and found a particular person missing, who was strictly ordered to be here all the time.


    ¡°Has she gone for a drink again?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t blame me. I tried stopping her, but when has she ever listened to me?¡±


    Ian shook his head. Trying to stop her was the hardest thing he has done and never succeeded.


    ¡°Haa¡­. That woman. When will she ever learn?¡±


    Vincent sighed at his co-workers¡¯ behaviour.


    ¡°By the way, the announcer at the ceremony. Have you met her before?¡±


    Ian asked about the timid woman with the glasses.


    Vincent shook his head.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s my first time seeing her. What about her?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    Ian started combing his moustache, his sight not once leaving the hologram. She was terrified.¡±


    ¡°Who wouldn¡¯t be terrified of seeing you? That bald head and that moustache of yours. Sometimes I get nightmares of it¡±


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    Vincent said with a smirk.


    ¡°My manliness is something to get scared of. This makes me feel proper, unlike you, who is weaning the t-shirt inside the track suit upside down.¡±


    Ian pointed at the shirt. The tag was at the front.


    Vincent coughed and looked at the hologram.


    ¡°It¡¯s called fashion.¡±


    ¡°Hoho. Excuses don¡¯t suit a professor.¡±


    *Blink*


    As he said that, the lights in the room started to flicker on its own. And soon everything shut off the lights and the holograms too.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a power cut, is it?¡±


    Ian stood up and used his magic to light up the room.


    Vincent dashed out of the room and towards Nexus. The guard there jumped, seeing Vincent right in front of him out of nowhere.


    ¡°Open the door.¡±


    The guard didn¡¯t ask anything. He put his hand on a slate of the giant door, but it didn¡¯t open.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    He did it again. The door didn¡¯t open even an inch.


    ¡°Move¡±


    Vincent said as he touched the slate and poured mana into the slate, but again nothing happened.


    ¡°Get a few steps back.¡±


    Vincent said. The guard moved back, holding his helmet.


    He touched the door, and immediately the entire area around him shook. Cracks formed on the door, and even on the ground so much that the guard lost his footing and fell.


    The air around the surrounding area became heavier than small flickers of light formed in the air. Still, the door didn¡¯t break.


    ¡°My turn isn¡¯t coming anytime soon, is it?¡±


    Rose said, as he touched the door.


    Vincent was shocked by her sudden presence, which he didn¡¯t feel at all. And when she touched the door, there was a small crack.


    Though smaller than what Vincent did, but still a crack. He wasn¡¯t a man that could be easily impressed, but Rose rose past every standard of absolute talent he had in mind.


    If only this wouldn¡¯t happen, he would have loved to test Rose¡¯s skill.


    ¡°Someone got past the magic cameras and cut every power on the first floor from the inside.¡±


    Ian said as he arrived at the scene. Now nothing could be done from the outside to bring back the light and the holograms. Opening the door was the best option.


    ¡°Not just that, they have made a barrier next to the door, on the inside. Even if we break the door, breaking the barrier will take time.¡±


    Ian said as he peeked through the crack and saw a blue barrier


    Now every staff member and professor of Arcadia was at the scene. They had to open the door, otherwise they could lose three lives on the very first day.


    ******


    ¡°Who¡¯s trying to kill Tyson?¡±


    Felix asked, as both stood at the entrance of Nexus.


    ¡°I knew you would think it¡¯s absolute bullsh*t, waste of time, but just for once trust me blindly¡­¡­wait¡­¡­you believe me?¡±


    Lim was a bit taken back. After what happened between them, Felix looked as if he would never trust-yet listen to anything Lim had to say.


    ¡°Just tell me the details. Who¡¯s trying to kill him?¡±


    If Tyson really was about to be killed, Felix could not be wasting time arguing.


    ¡°That is what I want to know as well, even though I don¡¯t know who is after his life. All I know is that someone will assassinate him here.¡±


    Lim said.


    Felix rubbed his forehead and tried to fit in the puzzles. But was there even a need for him to rack his brain?


    ¡°Yesterday you said you were the author of this world- the set of events that are about to happen. Then you must know who it is. You must have written it. And even if you forgot, then at least tell me you know a way to save him.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am the author but-¡±


    Lim had to make things clear, but now would take a lot of time.


    ¡°For now, just help me save Tyson and try surviving ourselves. I do have a plan. And after this is over, I will let you know every detail.¡±


    ¡°Okay. And there is no turning back anymore.¡±


    Felix turned back.


    ¡°That door, it¡¯s already blocked¡±


    Lim turned back and saw a blue veil covering the door.


    ¡°What in the hell is going on?¡±


    He was meant to know everything, but nothing worked out how he thought it would. It pissed him off and¡­¡­scared him.


    Not knowing anything is scary, but when something you know changes, turns stranger, that is even more dreadful.


    ¡®He¡¯s panicking.¡¯


    ¡°We don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening and who¡¯s behind it. Let¡¯s focus on what we know and can do about it.¡±


    Felix said.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Lim nodded as both started running straight. The first floor was dead silent.


    It was meant to be filled with the squeaking noise of the giant-rats, but only their running echoed through the floor.


    ¡®This is getting more and more bizarre¡¯


    They ran for five minutes and still no sign of Tyson or any rats.


    The floor didn¡¯t have any turns and so running straight would lead them to Tyson, unless the assassin took him to other floors


    Most of the rats were killed, but not having an encounter with any was odd. Because Arcadia had methods to spawn them.


    *Ting*


    As he ran farther, Felix¡¯s ¡°sense¡± activated.


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    Lim behind him stopped and caught his breath.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Something¡­no a lot of things are coming our way.¡±


    Now the floor was filled with the sound of marching and squeaking noises.


    As it kept getting closer and closer, and they could see giant glowing eyes, hundreds of them rushing towards them.


    ¡°Hey, is there any secret passage here to get out?¡±


    Felix asked.


    ¡°No.¡±


    Lim said as he gripped his staff, ready to cast a spell.


    ¡°Well shit. You should have written about one..¡±


    Felix took a stance and coerced his spear with mana, ready to take on more than twenty giant rats rushing towards them.


    ******


    ¡°Just where are these rodents?¡±


    Tyson was looking around the floor and still had no sign of any giant-rats. He found two rats immediately after getting in and killed them. Handling two at the same time wasn¡¯t easy. They scratched his arm, but nothing too serious.


    And after that, he saw none.


    He kept walking and reached the end. A red barrier was there that separated Floor 1 and 2.


    ¡°What¡¯s the blue one just in front of the red?¡±


    Maybe the academy was taking extra precaution.


    ¡°Fu*k, where are they?¡±


    Only a minute was left to complete the test. He didn¡¯t want to fail. Every Star had passed except Felix. But once he entered, he too would pass.


    ¡°Maybe he is killing everyone in the back.¡±


    Tyson thought and ran back. He had no other choice .


    As he was running back, he saw another person walking towards him. He couldn¡¯t see the person clearly. The lighting on the floor was pretty bad.


    The person stepped out from the shadow and Tyson recognized who it was.


    He stopped and ruffled his hair. The person ahead, one of the staff, must be here to fix whatever was that didn¡¯t spawn any giant-rats.


    ¡°I knew something was wrong with the floor¡¯s spawning system. Can¡¯t believe I was going to fail because of the academy¡¯s mistake.¡±


    But the person ahead didn¡¯t speak.


    ¡°Did you even hear what I said? Are you not here to fix something?¡±


    He blinked at the next thing he knew. The person was right at his face, and suddenly his left arm felt warm.


    He looked down and his left arm was severed off. Blood oozed out, and all he could do was contemplate what had just happened.


    Before he screamed in the pain, he was kicked to the wall.


    Cough


    He leaned, as blood trickled down his mouth. He wanted to grab the dagger on the floor, fight back, but it was kicked away.


    Now his hand was pressed down by a heel, and it slowly crushed through his knuckles.


    Tyson didn¡¯t even have the strength to move his hand away. All he could do was wriggle and hope to get a quick death.


    ¡°Where is the celebrity smile you showed at the ceremony gone, Mr 9th star?¡±


    The woman said, pressing her foot as he fixed her glasses and the bed hair she had since morning.

 CHAPTER 9: Battle With Rats

    The horde of the giant-rats charged at Felix and Lim. Their front two teeth drooled for blood and flesh.


    "Have you learned any fire-element [Art]?"


    Felix asked.


    "No, I only have a Wind related one."


    Lim replied.


    The most effective way to kill any sort of ground monster that lived in a cave was fire. Their body wasn''t built well to defend against it when their whole body was covered in fur.


    And since fire spreads, if one gets caught, even a single monster, the entire group could be burned to ashes.


    "Do you have any sort of items that you sneaked in?"


    Felix asked. If Lim knew, he must have prepared something.


    "No. I wanted to, but- I had no way to sneak it in."


    Lim had prepared some, but he had no way to hide and sneak it in.


    The horde was getting closer, and running wasn''t an option. The door was closed and on top of that, there was a barrier.


    Felix took a deep breath. He pulled his hand, ready to throw the spear.


    "Focus on the giant-rats coming from the left."


    He said, and Lim nodded.


    Felix threw the spear and-


    Boom


    It slashed through the air. Lim couldn''t even see the trajectory and only saw a blur flash towards the monsters. Next thing he knew, the spear had pierced through two giant-rats at the front.


    Felix didn''t waste any time. He rushed towards the horde and kicked the spear.


    Boom


    The spear again pierced another one. It looked like a barbeque.


    Lim couldn''t believe his eyes. Though he knew the strength of most characters, witnessing it firsthand was different and of a person he had no idea about.


    Also, the boom sound echoing the floor every time he touched the spear made Lim curious.


    ''What kind of [Art] does that?''


    Or was it an [Ability]?


    That wasn''t all. He killed three rats and completed the test in ten seconds.


    Lim had many questions ,but for now assisting Felix was the task at hand.


    Felix held the spear, drenched with blood, and pulled it out from the three dead giant-rats.


    Ting


    A giant-rat was attacking from the right. He held the spear and swung it at the giant-rat. Its body was cut in half easily, like a slice of butter.


    Ting


    Again, the same sensation but from the left. One of the rats slipped from the gap, and was about to chomp off his left arm . However, he didn''t worry much about it.


    Before it could attack him, a gust of wind slashed its neck, as its head rolled on the floor.


    ''His rank is only a facade. A 896 rank can''t kill a giant-rat in a single attack''


    Lim lifted his wand, and again a slash of wind hit the rats, slicing their body.


    Felix kept swinging his spear, and the sound coming from it reverberated throughout the Floor.


    Soon they heard another wave of squeaking sound rushing at them.


    ''There''s more. They are coming here because of my technique.''


    The echoing sound attracted the remaining giant-rats, who had good ears to compensate for their poor eyesight. .


    The thing was-. Only with this [Art], could he generate enough power to cut through the giant-rat.


    ''I am running low on mana as well.''


    For now, he deactivated his [Art]. He was now a bit slower, and the power behind the attack wasn''t much. He had to rely on that ''sense'' like he was doing before.


    The Ting he had that alerted him to danger had another perk.


    A giant rat jumped at it, but with a single thrust, he pierced its heart but not through its whole body


    ''I have never studied monster anatomy, but I know where it is.''


    He couldn''t see it, but his body moved in its own right where the heart was. Like this, he managed to kill them, just by locating the rat''s important parts, its heart, brain and the mana core. The strength wasn''t there for a clean slice, but enough to do the job.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    While Lim focused mainly on the left side where Felix''s spear couldn''t reach.


    The constant barrage of wind blades was enough to push and kill the monsters. But now the remaining giant-rats were also getting near.


    "We can''t waste anymore time with this.''


    They needed to finish this as soon as possible. After all, if the giant-rats were coming this way, then whoever was responsible for spawning them must have already reached Tyson.


    "Felix."


    Lim shouted.


    "Can you handle all of it for five minutes?"


    "I''ll try."


    Felix said. Lim sat on the floor and pointed his staff at Felix. Mana gathered in his staff, as it glowed green and kept getting brighter.


    The reason Felix couldn''t handle the left side was, the spear range was short. If he stayed in the middle and attacked, they would slip by and surround him or go for Lim.


    ''I have to use it again.''


    There was no risk. All the giant-rats were already here, so better to go all out.


    He thrusted the spear into a giant-rat''s mouth and as he twisted it,


    Boom


    The sound again started to echo around the Floor, but this time it was even stronger and it affected the monsters outside the spear''s range as well. It made them a lot slower, and some squealed in pain, covering their ears.


    Felix too felt pain in his ears. Just because he used it didn''t mean his ears had adapted to the sound. But he kept going.


    The walls vibrated each time he swung his spear, and the entire floor shook.


    Lim, focusing on his spell, still couldn''t help and wonder what kind of [Art] it was.


    Felix for now had killed more than twenty giant-rats but there seemed no end to it. He also was running out of breath and mana.


    Also, his own [Art] made him dizzy.


    "Anytime now, Lim."


    He didn''t respond, and Felix held the horde as much as he could. Some hit him, but only scratched his trousers.


    Five minutes passed and Lim finished the spell preparation. The mana in the staff was so dense, Felix felt as if someone was pushing him.


    Mana slowly dispersed to his side and two giant wind blades rotated beside Lim.


    "Whispering Gale: Twin Cutter."


    The blades moved vertically towards the rats. It passed by Felix and everything the blade touched was severed without any signs of stopping.


    He closed his eyes as blood spurted all over his body.


    The squeaking of rats and the whistle of the spell rang in his ears.


    ''At least give me a signal.''


    Felix wiped the blood from his face and opened his eyes.


    "Well, this is-."


    Every giant-rat in the area was killed. Their blood, skin and whatever was inside those rats painted the walls.


    If someone saw it, they wouldn''t even be able to identify these were the corpses of the giant-rats. Lim made a paste out of them.


    ''This sight will stay with me forever now.''


    And it wasn''t something he would have fond memories of.


    Lim walked ahead, wiping blood, dripping from his nose. With his staff, he pulled out a piece of intestine and latched onto Felix''s shoulder.


    "I''m glad I don''t have to clean it."


    Lim said. Whoever the cleaning staff was, it was going to take some good scrubbing to get these off the floor and wall.


    Felix stared at Lim with a frown, every surface of his body drenched in blood.


    "Sorry, man, but I can''t help you bathe."


    Lim almost patted Felix''s shoulder, but stopped. He stepped into the mess he created and started cursing.


    "Sh*t, how did a fu*king colon go inside my shoe?"


    Felix was bothered about his situation, but what bothered him more was-


    ''How is he not a Star?''


    Both walked into a slip and slide from hell and once they crossed it, they ran.


    "I said we had to save him, but what if we''re too late?"


    Lim asked.


    "Then we run away from whoever killed him"


    Felix doubted this was a battle he could win. He knew his limits and strengths, but maybe with Lim, and his arsenal of surprises, they could pull something off.


    As they got closer to the end of the floor, the sensation came back.


    Ting


    The closer they got, the louder it rang in his head.


    "He''s close."


    Felix said, ready to attack. Lim too started chanting a spell.


    A silhouette could be seen of someone standing and another one leaning against the wall. They got closer and the shadow of the ceiling cleared.


    "So it was you."


    Lim said, as the woman and Tyson turned towards them. Tyson squinted. He could barely see who it was, but knew they were here for him.


    The woman spitted on Tyson and grabbed his hair


    "How cute? Your eyes glimmered with hope when these two came in. Do you think they can save you.?"


    The woman said. She took her foot off Tyson''s hand and pressed it on his forehead.


    Felix was about to throw his spear, but stopped seeing that. The woman''s hee would pierce Tyson''s head before it even reached her.


    ''She''s too calm.''


    The way she smiled and had gaps all over her defence was a sign of confidence that if she wanted, their heads would be rolling on the floor.


    Lim too stopped his spell and took a deep breath. What could he do? He had to think. Panicking and acting in a rush wasn''t an option.


    "I am quite impatient, you see."


    The woman pressed the heel even harder. Tyson''s legs wriggled on the floor. He didn''t have any strength to push her away.


    "Stop."


    Felix said.


    "What do you need?"


    He asked.


    "His life. That''s all."


    The woman replied, casual but cold.


    ''Talking her out of this isn''t going to work''


    He put his hand on the back and lowered his finger one by one.


    Lim knew what to do. Once all the fingers were lowered, Felix hit the ground with the back of his spear.


    Boom


    That was the loudest roar his spear produced. The woman cupped her ears and pressed her leg. But instead of going through Tyson''s head, it hit the wall.


    "Huh?"


    She looked to her left. Felix''s spear was right in front of her. Before it went through her eyes, she caught it, and instantly the spear broke into pieces.


    Tyson, her prey, unconscious because of the spear''s noise, was hanging onto Lim, puking blood on the side.


    "Quite an interesting ability you have there."


    She rushed towards them. And her first target was Felix. She had to get him out of the way.


    She threw a punch, but Felix jumped back. The wave and force behind the punch created a hole in the wall.


    ''That''s not a punch¡­. it''s a canon''


    She again threw a punch, but like before, it was a clean dodge. He knew the pattern, although it was the first time he fought her.


    ''Thank you, my sense.''


    Felix kicked her calf, which didn''t do much, and then punched her stomach. She blocked it, but again-


    Boom


    The same sound rang through her body, and she was pushed back.


    "That tickles."


    She said, pressing into her stomach.


    But she was impressed. She could hardly remember the number of people who dodged her punch and attacked her back.


    There weren''t many. And on top of that, he landed two hits on her.


    "Valerius Felix. Bravo."


    She clapped her hands and then smiled.


    "You live up to the rumours. The almighty treasure of the Valerius, talented and strong."


    "No wonder with that strength of yours, you killed two men when you were five. That must have been a piece of cake for you."


    She added more. Lim stopped puking and looked at Felix.


    ''He did what-"


    The first ever thing he knew about Felix''s past was this, which he never expected. And seeing how Felix didn''t deny it, the rumour must be true.


    Felix didn''t reply. He loosened his shoulder and looked at her.


    "Those are quite the eyes."


    The depth in his eyes swallowed her. Only dread was in them. Even so it, was a place of peace.


    "Ahh¡­I now really want them in my hands."


    She said, and in a blink, she was inches away from scoping out Felix''s eyes.

 CHAPTER 10: The Professor With Wine

    The classes for today were cancelled, which they had planned to do from the start. The students were too tired after the test. It would be cruel to make them sit for hours of classes with a sore body.


    But now there was another reason to cancel classes. Three students were stuck inside the labyrinth. It had been fifteen minutes since the door closed on its own. They did manage to break it, but the barrier was still there.


    Most of the professors in the academy were there, and¡­.. Rose, too. She stayed there, even though the test was cancelled and everyone asked her to leave.


    But they couldn''t force her. They had the authority and duty to treat everyone equally, but in front of the sole heir of an archduke, they could only request her to leave.


    "Professor Vincent, can I try?"


    Vincent looked at her, and didn''t say anything. The professor struggled to do anything, so what could a student like her do?


    But underestimating her was foolish, and they needed anyone''s help to break the barrier.


    "Don''t push yourself too much."


    "I won''t."


    Rose walked forward and put her hand on the barrier. Her eyes glowed as the barrier shook. It formed some cracks and as it was about to break; the barrier resealed


    She tried again, but the same thing happened. She stepped back and smiled at her own failure.


    It was made perfect to negate her mana and power.


    Whoever was behind it knew her power well and made a proper plan against it.


    "I was never going to break something that even the most esteemed professor couldn''t."


    The professors couldn''t figure out if that was a compliment or a backhanded insult, cause they couldn''t make a dent in it.


    After that act by Rose, the instructors were even more determined to break the barrier, to save the students and their ego too.


    But again, nothing happened.


    Professor Ian and Vincent also failed, only being able to make some cracks. And the strongest of them all, the Headmaster hadn''t arrived.


    All they could do now was pray. Hope the students survive on their own.


    "Never did I imagine this to happen. We are supposed to protect them, but our plan to do something new has put them in danger."


    "If I knew this was to happen, I would have never pushed anyone to do this."


    Vincent said. He felt the most guilt because this was his idea.


    "Hmmm¡­Why is everyone here looking all sad?"


    Everyone turned to the source of the voice. And there she was, the person supposed to be in the surveillance room, with a wine bottle in her hand.


    Professor Jade, one of the youngest and strongest professors of Arcadia, was here. Her jet black hair was tied to a bun. The dark circles under her purple eyes were clear of her unhealthy sleeping habits.


    "Were you assigned to be at a liquor shop?"


    Vincent said, looking at the bottle.


    "Oh, this...it was my lunch break and an evening wine does wonders to my body."


    She replied, clanking the wine.


    "Does this seem like a joke to you?"


    Another professor said, mocking her attitude.


    "Yes, this is a joke to me. The Professors of Arcadia failed to destroy a barrier, and all they can do is vent out their frustration to another person. It''s a joke of your strength and capability as a professor."


    She accessed the whole situation just by a quick glance. Her words were sharper than a knife and struck everyone.. Even if she was in the room, the accident would happen anyway.


    "Yes, we are pathetic. But you could get past this barrier with that magic of yours easily, right? If you hadn''t left, then you could have gone inside and possibly save those kids"


    The man retaliated. He had given up on bringing them back alive.


    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Jade didn''t argue with that. She knew her mistakes.


    Jade gave the wine to Vincent.


    "You better keep that safe."


    Her hand touched the barrier. The surrounding mana got smaller and smaller, to the point her presence couldn''t be felt anymore. And soon she disappeared from everyone''s sight.


    ******


    Felix jumped to the side and dodged her flurry of attacks. It felt close to reaching him, but always slipped by him. Her moves were predictable... she was making them predictable.


    Each of the woman''s attacks was aimed at grabbing his head or punch his stomach.


    ''She really wants my eye''


    Felix, however, couldn''t go on the offence. It was already hard for him to dodge. If he attacked and missed, the momentum wouldn''t let him dodge. And blocking her punches wasn''t possible.


    But he had to do something. He was being pushed back to where Lim and Tyson were. If she got near, and he dodged, it could hit the other two.


    Tyson was asleep, and Lim was still puking. Having to use [Blink] two times, one for getting Tyson away from the heel and the other for escaping.


    At first, Lim planned to use [Blink] and teleport out of the labyrinth, but the barrier around this floor blocked his ability.


    ''Lim needs time, and Tyson.. he needs a healer as soon as possible.''


    They did manage to get him back, but he wouldn''t survive longer because of the state he was in.


    "Come on, treasure of Valerius. Show me why they call you a treasure."


    Felix wasn''t confident at fighting her head on. He was a spearman, and close combat was his forte. He learned to fight bare handed as well, but against a woman of this calibre,


    ''One mistake and my guts will spill out.''


    But he had to attack. He wasn''t ready to lose his eye, though he hated it.


    So, while dodging all, he started jabbing, quick and light. Some landed, which didn''t do much. Only the boom sound echoed in her body and the room.


    "Again, what''s with this tickling technique of yours? Do you plan to make me laugh at death?"


    She smiled, but was a bit annoyed at not being able to land a hit. Her punches were getting quicker and once she started kicking, Felix was in trouble.


    Some attacks grazed the skin on his arm. But even that much contact tore his skin and gave a sensation of burn in the muscles.


    Felix kept dodging and throwing light jabs. But the boom explosion stopped, and the punches felt like cotton. He was running out of mana.


    "That isn''t enough to kill even an ant."


    She said and threw a punch at his stomach, but Felix didn''t dodge.


    The first attack was a fake, and the other was aimed at his neck.


    "Oh, you read my move"


    She said and threw a kick, but Felix couldn''t dodge this time. His mind sensed it, but his body was heavy to follow.


    The kick struck his arm as he hit the wall.


    Bam


    "Arghhh."


    He groaned in pain and coughed blood as the pain coursed through his body.


    ''I need.... to get up¡­. faster.''


    He quickly stood up and dodged a kick, coming right for his face.


    "You still got some life left in you."


    The mana around her body turned darker. She had her fill of fun and was getting serious.


    Felix''s left hand was blue. The bone on his arm was broken. Despite all that, he didn''t feel much pain. Maybe it was because of the adrenaline or some nerve had been damaged.


    ''What should I do now?''


    Felix had used most of the techniques he knew. He had one more left. It could do some serious damage to her, but needed a distraction.


    He looked back as Lim was wiping his mouth. He got near him and whispered,


    "Any spell that can keep her in place for two seconds?"


    "I got it."


    Lim nodded.


    "I don''t like being left out of a conversation, you know."


    Mana swirled in her hand and turned into a ball. Then, slowly, it started morphing into a sword. She was about to end it all.


    She swung her sword and a wave of black blade similar to Lim''s wind blade moved towards the three.


    Felix quickly grabbed Lim''s staff and stuck the wall. The vibration created from it was somewhat enough to push out the wave coming at them. But it wasn''t parried properly to the side and made a cut on Levi''s shoulder and on Tyson''s hand.


    "Hmmm.. Your [Art]? I wonder what it is?"


    The woman said. She hadn''t expected it to be parried.


    "If you tell me what it is, I might let you go alive."


    Felix shook his head and passed the staff to Lim.


    "My number one rule in life is not to trust a bi*ch like you."


    As he said that, the veins in his right hand started to pump up, an abnormal amount too.


    "Good motto, but she doesn''t seem to agree with us."


    Lim said. The smile on her face was gone.


    She stretched her hand to strike again. Before she could strike downwards, wooden vines sprouted out from the ground and caged her whole body.


    It was [Bind] Lim''s art which had reached its max potential. If that was used on someone on his level, they would have a hard time getting out, but for her-


    "I don''t like branches stuck on my clothes."


    The spell broke apart in two seconds, but those crucial seconds were enough for Felix.


    He was already near her when the branches broke. She swung her sword to cut him in half right down the middle. He moved to the left, but it still managed to lodge onto this shoulder.


    But before it was cleaved off, Levi''s punches reached her ribs.


    Boom


    The force behind the punch threw her to the wall.


    Bam


    Dust formed where she hit the wall and not just that the ceiling above her collapsed on top of her.


    ''That''s gotta hurt.''


    That was the best he could do. He had done everything he could.


    ''But that isn''t enough to kill her.''


    That much he knew.


    He staggered towards Lim.


    "What''s with that face?"


    Lim was surprised, but at the same time glad Felix had something up his sleeve.


    "That attack was good¡­.. But I don''t think she''s dead"


    "No. But I bet it broke her glasses."


    The dust started to go away. She stood up, throwing away her shattered glasses and wiping the blood off her nose.


    Most of the ribs were broken and she could hardly walk because of the bone poking through her organs.


    The playful aura was gone. Her mana was darker than before. It covered the entire room and the lights on the entire floor were engulfed by it.


    Felix was already tired, and the aura made it more difficult to breathe.. His vision had become blurry.


    She picked the sword and dashed towards Felix. Killing Tyson wasn''t in her priority anymore.


    Felix, however, didn''t move. His body had given up.


    Wind blades moved towards her, but she slashed it easily. The power behind it was far too weak to even scratch her. Lim also was drained.


    Felix watched the sword about to slash the neck. It pressed against his neck and then-


    Bam


    Like before, she was sent flying not to the wall but across the whole floor.


    "Took you long enough"


    He said, before losing consciousness.

 CHAPTER 11: Felixs Secret

    Outside the garden of Arcadia''s healing station was Felix on a bench, with a lunch box in his lap.


    A special lunch box that one of the staff got him after he woke up. Everyone had heard of it. The dish was so famous, the emperor would often visit Arcadia just to try it. Arcadia''s famous chicken and rice.


    He opened the lunch box. Inside was a square of rice, and next to it was the chicken, its delicious gravy spilling onto the rice.


    ''The visual is a pass.''


    He sniffed the food like a dog and the headache he had was gone. Its aroma was unlike anything he had ever smelled.


    He took a spoonful of the rice, with a bit of the chicken on top. He chewed it and then took a tissue and spat on it.


    "This is sh*t"


    Felix''s whole body shivered cause of how bad it tasted. After all the rumours he had heard, having to try it was in his bucket list. Now he needed a bucket to throw the rest.


    "The emperor is an old man, so maybe his taste buds must be dead."


    As he was trying to get a grain of rice out, stuck on his teeth, he heard someone walking towards him.


    Lim walked at a snail''s pace towards him.


    "Ow, ow, ow."


    Every step he took, he muttered "ow". Like an old man, he touched his back as he sat down. His back¡­.. his body was finished.


    Felix felt Lim''s gaze on him...and his precious lunchbox.


    Felix poured water on the spoon and passed the lunch box to Lim.


    "Here. Try it"


    Lim was confused, but hungry. He took the box and started digging in. The light in his eyes got brighter, and his back became straight. The food seemed to take the pain away.


    "This is sooo good."


    The ecstasy on Lim''s face made Felix wonder if both ate the same dish.


    ''I am not a big fan of meat, so maybe that puts me off.''


    Felix was never a big fan of chicken, steak or any meat, except fish. He also didn''t like vegetables, and only liked to eat fruits.


    "By the way, who got us out of there?"


    All Felix knew before he fainted was someone had arrived. But he couldn''t figure out who.


    Stuffing the food down his mouth, Lim replied.


    "Professor Jade. I caught a glimpse of her before fainting."


    Lim also was tired after using too much mana and [Blink] for two times.


    ''Jade?''


    Felix had heard of that name before. Maybe they met at a tea party, but he didn''t remember quite well. Though he knew she was one of the strongest in Arcadia¡­.. the entire empire.


    "Did the professor kill that woman?"


    Lim shook his head.


    "No."


    He took another big bite and added.


    "She escaped."


    "What?"


    Felix wondered who the woman was. She was strong, but never did he imagine her to be this powerful. Escaping from the academy''s strongest professor and other forces was a feat.


    Lim, too, was curious about the woman''s identity.


    "I asked the professor outside my hospital room. He said that they didn''t see her getting out. And Ms. Jade allegedly watched her disappear into thin air. "


    "Allegedly? So she must be in custody?"


    Felix asked.


    Lim nodded.


    "Yeah"


    If the hundreds of professors didn''t see her get out, then they had to suspect Jade. Only she was the one who entered, and the fact she wasn''t in the surveillance room when the labyrinth door closed made her even more suspicious.


    However, if there was anyone that knew the woman''s identity, it had to be Lim.


    "So, Mr. Author, want to spoil me the details and tell me who it is."


    Lim wiped his mouth and set the lunch aside.


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    "I don''t know. She isn''t a character I wrote about. Or maybe she is, but not meant to be in this stage of the story"


    "I wrote only about the surprise test, and Rose coming out on top. Tyson wasn''t meant to be attacked nor was she supposed to be here."


    "Then how did you know Tyson was about to get killed?"


    Felix asked


    "That-you have to come to my room to see that."


    If Lim explained now, it would be more complicated, so it was better to just show Felix.


    Felix nodded as both of them stared at the night sky.


    "I haven''t seen this many stars at once."


    "Really? The place you are from must be sh*t"


    Felix said, because of the view, everyone could see it every night.


    "It was¡­.. But I kind of miss it."


    Lim didn''t know why he added that, but he truly missed it. The lone life he had. Him and only him, that was his life. A life he started to love.


    "So a sh*t, you loved."


    Felix asked.


    "Yup."


    Lim replied, and both chuckled. And again, only the chirping of birds and the buzzing of cicadas filled the garden.


    "I was scared."


    Felix said out of nowhere.


    "I believed fate and this world could be changed, but when you said everything was written, and was destined to happen... I felt hopeless."


    Felix challenged fate. It threw the worst at him. He would fall and might fail, but once in a while he would get up. Fail again but soon win.


    But a fight lost from the start could never be won.


    "I knew you were speaking the truth. I felt it. But the truth is hard to swallow."


    Felix said.


    Lim understood it well. He too would have reacted the same... maybe even worse.


    "I once read it in a book."


    Lim back on earth stumbled on a book which was quite intriguing. It was about fate and manifestation of life.


    "It said fate cannot be changed. What is sure to happen will happen."


    He hated that phrase so much he wanted to close the book and burn it. But he kept reading and found a concept he found interesting and hopeful.


    "But you see, each individual in this world has an infinite number of fates. It''s our choices that decide which path we are headed to."


    He paused and smiled.


    "And our choice to save Tyson might have altered his fate to die today."


    "That is quite an interesting philosophy."


    Felix smiled. And it was true. He chose to fight when he could ignore Lim''s words.


    ''Saving someone .... the feeling, it never gets old.''


    Felix remembered the deal he had with Lim, back when he tied him to a tree.


    Maybe Lim had forgotten, but he didn''t. And maybe talking about it would lead to a solution he desperately needed.


    Lim noticed the sudden change in Felix''s demeanour. His hands were shaking as he closed his eyes.


    "My eyes... they are cursed."


    Felix revealed a secret that no one knew. Not his family, or anyone close to him. A secret, and a curse that he had kept caged with him for over ten years.


    But he felt relieved, as if a boulder was lifted from his back.


    "Cursed?"


    Lim questioned. He never guessed Felix to say this. Lim had guessed Felix to be a transmigrator like him or a child of a dragon. And the strength he had to pull to say those words was enough to tell he wasn''t lying.


    And maybe, just like Felix, he too wouldn''t be able to handle the truth.


    "I can see everything as they are. Grass is green, the sky is blue, which is now dark, filled with white bright stars. A cat''s ears and a dog''s moist nose, everything is visible¡­.... Everything is perfect."


    Felix took in a deep breath and closed his eyes again.


    "But people''s faces, they¡­.... phew."


    Again, he took in some deep breaths and wiped the sweat running down his forehead.


    "You don''t have to say-"


    "No."


    Felix cut off Lim.


    "I have to. One day, I need to face my fears, and today is the first step."


    He couldn''t run away or face his fears tomorrow. There was no tomorrow.


    "A person''s face, I can see it but, they are.... haunting."


    "Haunting?"


    Lim asked


    "Yeah."


    Felix nodded.


    "The nose most of the time is broken-bleeding blood¡­.... sometimes insects too. And the mouth, the teeth chipped, most of the times, it seems they are chewing their tongue and they always smile"


    Felix stopped again, his body was trembling¡­.. his soul itself was shaken.


    "The skin is decayed, with pores that constantly boil. For some, there is absolutely no skin but only layers of muscles. They slowly tear away, and I can see the bones, also decaying."


    "The worst are the eyes, hollow, void of colour and life. It always bleeds blood, dark blood. Sometimes they are hanging out, from the socket and I see centipede pass through-"


    "Stop."


    Lim said. He couldn''t listen anymore. Everything was too vivid... haunting, like Felix said. And that was just his imagination.


    "So every time you see someone''s face¡­. Is that why you avoid crowds?"


    Felix nodded. He could handle seeing a single face, but looking at a crowd was a nightmare he never conquered.


    "If I get used to seeing someone''s face, it starts getting worse. Their skin peels off, eyes pop out, or their entire head is sometimes twisted."


    That is why even if he knew a person for a long time, he could never get close to them. The fear ate any bond he tried to form, creating a bridge in them that he never got the courage to cross.


    ''I don''t blame them. I also wouldn''t be close to myself.''


    "So, that''s what you said- it''s been a long time since I have seen a face."


    Lim finally understood what Felix meant. He didn''t give it much thought, but now it made sense.


    "Am I the only exception to the curse?"


    Maybe because Lim was from another world, the curse didn''t put an illusion on him.


    "No, there is someone else."


    Felix still remembered the first time he saw that face.


    "I can see your face, but in her case, her entire face is blank."


    "Her?"


    Lim asked.


    "Rose. She is the other one."


    Lim nodded again.


    "Does she know about your curse?"


    "No."


    Felix never told her. But maybe because the way he looked at her differed from others, she got interested in him.


    Since her face was blank, it was hard to read her expression, a lot harder than with the illusioned faces. And she read him like a book most of the time.


    "Do you know how you got the curse?"


    Lim never wrote about such things. The only curse he knew was of the main character.


    "No, but it started when I was seven out of nowhere."


    It was hard to adapt. He thought it was just something that would disappear or an illness. But it never went away.


    Speaking about it to others also didn''t feel safe. To speak about his nightmares to the nightmare itself, for a child like him, was too much.


    And that is when he changed. He turned away from people and pushed them away. Since that cursed day, he never sat at the dinner table together with his family.


    "Can I ask you something else?"


    Lim asked.


    "Yes, I killed those men at the age of five. I can''t tell you the reason."


    Felix exactly knew what was the question.


    Lim just smiled. Again Felix knew his thoughts.


    "Did you forget about your own character killing people and getting the curse?."


    Felix said. His hands trembled a little, and the surrounding mana raged like a storm.


    ''It''s not his fault. If he knew, he would never write this. But if he was the author, then he must have known about my curse. Why is he so curious about me?''


    "No. It''s not that I forgot"


    Lim said. He forgot many things about the book, the story, but he would remember something like this.


    "I asked because you-"


    He couldn''t finish it. It would hurt him, make him hopeless, devoid of any ambition, but the truth had to be told.


    Not out of obligation, but out of respect and...sympathy.


    "Felix, you¡­.. weren''t a character in my story. You never existed."

 CHAPTER 12: The Book

    CHAPTER 12: The Book


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    That was all Felix could say. He couldn¡¯t form any words.


    ¡°That¡¯s unexpected I guess.¡±


    He chuckled, but it wasn¡¯t a joyful one. How was he meant to respond?


    He knew he wasn¡¯t the main character of the story. The attitude and demeanour he had wasn¡¯t of a main lead after all. But not to be in the story itself was¡­. kind of disappointing and intriguing.


    ¡°So back then, you were stalking me through the window and not someone else?¡±


    Felix remembered Lim acting like a stalker and peeking through the window.


    ¡°Yes, but not stalking,  looking.¡±


    Lim wanted to make that clear.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know who you were, and not just that you were one of the Stars.¡±


    Felix understood why Lim acted weird around him. He was unknown, and it¡¯s human nature to fear the unknown.


    ¡°So, did the Valerius family have only one child in the story?¡±


    Felix had to know if only he or his whole family were meant to be here or not.


    Lim shook his head


    ¡°The Valerius family existed. They had only one child. I don¡¯t remember his name, but he was already in his mid 20s.¡±


    And Arcadia definitely wouldn¡¯t let anyone in their 20s get in as a student, unless it was for political reasons.


    Felix was confused, but he could connect some dots here and there from his past


    ¡®Maybe I should tell¡­.... No.¡¯


    It was better for Lim to not know.


    Lim looked at Felix. His hand shivered, and he kept looking down to calm himself.


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have said this, should I?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s better this way. Rather than complicating things, a straight punch to my gut feels much nicer.¡±


    Finding out about it later on would make him not able to trust Lim at all. He l didn¡¯t fully trust Lim, but at least had faith that he would keep his curse a secret.


    ¡°Do you regret...you know, killing those men?¡±


    Lim asked out of nowhere. But it was killing him on the inside. He was crossing a line, but still he wanted to satisfy his curiosity. And know what kind of person Felix was.


    ¡°Yes, I regret it.¡±


    Felix replied, and Lim felt relief. At least he wasn¡¯t some sort of monster.


    ¡°I regret not being able to kill them in a more brutal manner. Maybe chopping their limbs off first would have been a good idea or cutting off-¡±


    As Felix started listing inhumane methods of killing... well, killing is never humane, Lim¡¯s mouth was wide open.


    The more Felix rambled, the less he started to lose faith in him. But he grasped one thing about Felix, and that was.


    ¡®He is too unpredictable.¡¯


    At one point, he seemed the kindest person alive, sometimes the most depressed, and now too psychotic.


    ¡®The curse must be messing with his head.¡¯


    ¡°I think we should get going now?¡±


    Felix said, in between his killing fantasies.


    Lim moved away a bit.


    ¡°To where?¡±


    The idea of going with Felix alone seemed one quick way to die.


    ¡°You dorm, of course. Isn¡¯t there something you said you have to show me?¡±


    Felix said and, without waiting, started walking ahead.


    ******


    ¡°Come on in.¡±


    Lim sighed as he opened the door.


    Felix took off his slippers and walked in. The doorway was cramped. He walked in and scanned the entire room, and the first thing he noticed was.


    ¡®It¡¯s small.¡¯


    His kitchen was bigger than the room.


    However, it had everything. A nice bathroom, a small kitchen, a bed and a table next to it.


    ¡°What book is that?¡±


    Felix said as he walked towards the table. He measured it. It was as long as his palm was to the elbow.


    ¡°Is this what you wanted to show me?¡±


    He asked.


    Lim nodded and sat on the bed.


    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    ¡°It¡¯s a physical copy of the story.¡±


    ¡°Damn. You must have written a lot.¡±


    Felix was surprised to know Lim was this dedicated to his craft.


    Felix touched the book and looked at Lim.


    ¡°Can I?¡±


    ¡°Go on.¡±


    Lim gave him the permission though Felix would have turned it, anyway.


    He held the thick cover, and turning it felt like lifting weights. He turned the first page and read it, except-


    ¡°What¡¯s this demonic language?¡±


    The weird shapes aligned together were not something he could understand. And Lim¡¯s guess was correct.


    Only he could read it. The others only saw those shapes.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t shown it to anybody except you. And it looks like only I can read it.¡±


    ¡°Then what¡¯s the point of me being here?¡±


    Felix was disappointed. He kept turning the pages and found only twenty-two pages filled.


    ¡°Did you only write this much?¡±


    He asked.


    Lim shook his head.


    ¡°No, it has only twenty chapters of what I wrote.¡±


    ¡°What happened to the remaining ones?¡±


    Felix asked, brimming with curiosity.


    ¡°That is something I too have no idea about, but only guess.¡±


    Lim said.


    ¡°You see, back at home, another world, I wrote about a 1000 chapters. I only published 20 chapters and others were lost, so maybe this book too only has access to that much.¡±


    Lim was always alone. He wrote the book as a passtime, to get rid of the jealousy he had every time he remembered about his crush.


    It was an imaginary world, where he felt meaning, where he had a purpose, to write and finish the story.


    That is why he never published it until he wrote up to 1000 chapters. He wanted to see what the world thought about the world he created.


    He posted twenty chapters and got 100 views only. The rest were lost because he broke his computer with an iron stick, after losing a game of battle royale to a 10-year-old.


    It was frustrating to lose years of work, but he knew everything about the story. After all, it was his creation and reflection of his emotions. So he never tried to retrieve it... not that he could.¡±


    ¡°After coming to his world, each day this book would have new chapters. And after twenty days there was no update¡±


    Lim every day, after waking up, read the book first before doing anything. The spelling mistake and the dialogue like-No one is prettier than me-made him cringe.


    ¡°But a strange thing happened on the 21st day of being here.¡±


    Lim was sad not seeing any other chapter published, but it provided something he needed the most.


    ¡°The book revealed the location of a grimoire for me.¡±


    Grimoire were rare items that once someone opened, it would grant them an [Ability] and then turn into ashes.


    ¡°I got the ability, [Blink]. After that, the book revealed nothing until last night¡±


    Lim turned towards the last page and showed it to Felix, who still couldn¡¯t understand anything.


    ¡°Here it said: Best of luck for the test. Especially to the 9th star about to be killed by a traitor among you. Save him, and you shall get some rewards. Fail, then you shall be next among the line to hell.¡±


    Lim translated every shape arranged in two lines.


    They had saved Tyson, but still there was no mention of rewards like it promised.


    Felix rubbed his chin. Lim could be lying and translating something else. But since what the book said did happen, he couldn¡¯t disregard its words.


    ¡°So the first twenty chapters are of the story, and the rest will be revelations.¡±


    ¡°I mean you could say-¡±


    As Lim was speaking, the page became bright. Both watched the shapes start to appear on their own. It wasn¡¯t long and only had five shapes.


    Lim was the most shocked. After All this had never happened right before his eyes.


    Felix looked at Lim reading it.


    ¡°Are you getting a reward?¡±


    He wanted to see how the book would give rewards. Maybe it would reveal the location to an item or it would come out of the pages.


    ¡°Hello Felix.¡±


    Lim replied.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Felix was confused why Lim was saying hello out of nowhere.


    ¡°The book¡­it¡¯s saying hello to you.¡±


    Lim really couldn¡¯t understand what was going on. The book only revealed what was about to happen and the location of a grimoire.


    Now it was interacting with them.


    ¡°Ummm¡­hello I guess.¡±


    Felix wasn¡¯t shocked, but just dumbfounded.


    Again the book glowed and shapes appeared on it, and Lim translated it.


    ¡°How about we make a deal?¡±


    Felix frowned at that. Who asks for a deal, after just saying a hello? Well¡­it was a book that talked. It was already weird.


    ¡°What¡¯s the deal?¡±


    The book glowed again, and this time Lim frowned. He looked confused and a bit worried about what was written.


    ¡°Aid the author, protect the main character and kill the antagonist of the first arc, until you reach your second year. If you do so, I shall reveal the location of something you have been looking for a long time¡­¡­the Celestial Orchid.¡±


    Lim was a bit shocked. Why did the book want Felix to help him? It¡¯s not like he didn¡¯t want any help, but that meant Felix had to know as well. The future, that is. And that is a curse and a blessing at the same time.


    He looked at Felix and immediately took a step back.


    Gulp


    Felix¡¯ eyes¡­..as usual hollow, but this time not because of the curse. It was a genuine emotion, not out of fear, but something hidden in the depths of his soul.


    Felix walked towards the book. Should he accept the deal? There was no guarantee he could do the task. Even if he did, there was no proof he would get what he wanted. It probably didn¡¯t even exist in his lifetime. After all, the flower blooms once every thousand years.


    ¡®But this is my last hope of finding it.¡¯


    And by how confused Lim looked at the mention of Orchid, he must not know what it is. After all, he was the author, but not a God.


    ¡°I accept the offer.¡±


    Felix had no choice.


    ¡°You must be desperate to accept the offer.¡±


    Lim said as he read the book.


    ¡°And you have my word. I will give you the location. Even if you die but complete the work, Lim will do it for you.¡±


    After that, nothing happened. Lim looked at Felix. A glimmer of life shone in his eye. Hope, something Felix had lost long ago, was there again.


    ¡°What¡¯s the Celestial Orchid?¡±


    Lim asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s a cure for my curse.¡±


    Felix said as he walked to the door.


    Lie. Lim could tell it was a lie. The book said Lim would do it if Felix died. If he died, there would be no need to get the Orchid anymore.


    Though they were now supposed to work together from now on, the trust between the two wasn¡¯t well established... not yet.


    Felix was satisfied, so he found no reason to stay any longer. As he headed towards the door, he wondered about one thing.


    ¡°I forgot to ask, who¡¯s the main character of the story?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious about the antagonist?¡±


    Lim replied back with a question.


    ¡°I need to form plans. It is a lot harder to protect than to kill someone.¡±


    Felix knew that firsthand. He killed many. Years of life, gone in seconds.


    Protecting someone needed more. Care, effort and attention, that is what is meant to protect. Not only is it physically challenging but mentally draining, too.


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    Lim said and paused for a moment. He wondered how Felix would be around the person from now on.


    ¡°Rose Ashbourne. The world will revolve around her until death takes her away.¡±


    Felix chuckled and left the room. He murmured to himself.


    ¡°Not again.¡±

 CHAPTER 13: Investigation

    "Hey, did you hear that Class A has almost every student in the top 50?"


    "Yeah. I went to their class and checked .... bro, the aura there is different."


    "And not just that, nine stars are in that class. Isn''t that too unfair?"


    "Really unfair. Our class has one too but-"


    The students gossiping at the back looked ahead. Felix was sitting at the first bench in the third row, beside the window, reading a book. He chose this one because from here he could see only the professor''s face.


    ''The middle would be more optimal, but it''s taken already.''


    As more students entered the room, a frown appeared on their face once they saw Felix.


    ''At least don''t make it obvious.''


    Their gazes were too uncomfortable. After all, he was a human, but he couldn''t blame them. He also would be disappointed to be in a class with a person like him.


    Even though most students didn''t like how the nine stars were in the same class, no one complained about the academy''s board. Mainly because of the assigning process of the academy. Once 1500 students were chosen, the professors used a magic device used for the last 500 years that, once fed the data of the students, would assign them to different classes.


    Every professor, the headmaster, and even some heads of noble families gathered during this for supervision, in case someone tried to change anything.


    But this time everyone gathered decided to do the selection process once again. The class distribution was too biassed. However, the results didn''t change. So they had to settle with this.


    Some wanted this to be manual and not dependent on the magic device, but the headmaster and the professor didn''t want to go against Arcadia''s tradition.


    ''It''s not their fault or the fault of the device.''


    Felix knew it was because of Lim, and he understood why. It was a lot easier to introduce characters and build bonds between them, if they were all in the same place.


    But this meant the other class would stand no chance. Any competition between the classes would always be dominated by Class A.


    Soon, the class was filled. The chatter and gossip of the students annoyed Felix a bit, but he couldn''t tell anyone to shut up. He could, but that would make him even more unbearable.


    The clock struck 9 am, and a professor entered the class. Everyone stopped talking. The steps of the professor filled the room.


    He walked towards the podium, set his notes aside, and looked at the students.


    "Good morning everyone."


    The student stood up and greeted the professor back.


    "Good morning Professor Vincent."


    Every student knew who he was. They had their backs straight and made sure their voice was clear. They knew how strict this man was when it came to discipline.


    "I will be your homeroom teacher for this year."


    Everyone was glad to have him as the homeroom teacher. Not only was he one of the best professors, but the students of his class always praised his mentoring abilities. Though none had the guts to say the hell he put them through.


    Vincent turned towards the blackboard and wrote with his chalk.


    [Fundamentals of Mana.]


    He was getting straight to the point without wasting any time.


    "Let''s start the class."


    ******


    Behind Sector X were Felix and Lim, standing at the back of Nexus. Both of them had been called here once the classes were over.


    "Do you actually remember what to say?"


    Felix asked. Seeing how out-of-place Lim looked, he couldn''t help but worry.


    "Yeah."


    Lim had to remember, Otherwise things are going to be harder for him than Felix.


    Both stood there without speaking anymore and a woman in a butler''s outfit approached them. She said nothing and showed them an emblem. A sword with a snake coiled around it. And the way it shone and how the snake seemed alive made it legit.


    Without saying anything, she handed them a blindfold, and both wore it. With her magic, she made a string, tied it to their wrist and guided them.


    "We are sorry for having to treat you this way. But I hope you understand the ordeal of the situation."


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    What happened was a big deal. Someone had gone past Arcadia''s defence, got inside Nexus, locked the door, made a barrier, almost killed three students, and disappeared in plain sight.


    The Academy needed answers. Jade was already interrogated. Tyson was in no state to be talking, and these two were there from the start.


    Lim heard nothing as they were being guided. Only the mana on his wrist was sensible. Everything else seemed non-existent.


    All he heard in the end was a door open as they walked inside.


    "Take off your blindfolds."


    Lim took off his blindfold. For a second, he had to close his eyes again because of how bright the room was.


    Once he adjusted, he looked around the room. It was the whitest room he had seen, blank as a sheet of paper. Only the two chairs and the table between were grey.


    Felix wasn''t with him anymore, like he had guessed. Again, the door opened, and a man entered the room. He wore a black shirt and black pants.


    Professor Vincent ran his finger through his hair and looked at Lim with his cold eyes.


    ''I had made him to be like this but this is really suffocating.''


    "Have a seat."


    Vincent said as he placed a paper and pen on the table.


    Lim sat on the cold chair and looked at Vincent. Those eyes still made him shiver, but he didn''t look away. He had to be convincing.


    Vincent also sat in front of him and placed his hands on the table.


    "How are you feeling?"


    Lim rolled his shoulders and touched his ribs.


    "Not the best, but just enough to walk around."


    Vincent had a dark expression. For a student to be in this state, was because of them. Not entirely their fault, but still they had a duty to protect the students.


    "Me and the academy apologise for whatever has happened. This has happened because of our own negligence and weakness."


    Lim didn''t refute that. Maybe this could be stopped if they were more tight with their security.


    "Any problem you have with those injuries, please do not hesitate to ask the academy. We will use any of our resources to help you."


    Lim just nodded.


    "And I would like to thank you for your efforts to save Holzberg Tyson. If not for you, a life would have been lost. "


    Losing someone would be bad and, on top of that, a Star from a notable, noble family would cause Arcadia many issues.


    ''We save them from a lot of headaches.''


    "The academy will reward you, and the Holzberg family will, too. But it will be done in a more private manner."


    For what they accomplished, Arcadia and the Holzberg decided to reward the two. But they couldn''t make it an event. After all, the whole incident had to be a secret.


    Vincent''s expression again turned dark


    "If possible, we didn''t want to have to do this to you. After all, you did, but we need to act as soon as possible."


    "I understand."


    Lim, too, wanted to know about who it was. As an author, it frustrated him to be clueless about his own story.


    "Can you explain what happened after you entered Nexus?"


    As Ian said, Lim noticed the button on the left earlobe glow .


    ''So they''re communicating with each other. Just like Felix guessed ''


    Lim looked around. Wherever Felix was being interrogated, the other professor must have had the same device.


    They were checking to see if what these two said matched. If not, then the interrogation could take some inhumane route, which the professor wanted to avoid as much as possible.


    Lim smiled on the inside. What they were doing was necessary, but still treating someone who saved their ass- it didn''t sit right with him.


    Lim put his hand on the table. He shivered a little.


    "Right after we entered-"


    He explained how both of them fought the giant-rats and the woman, but he lied about one thing. His power.


    His strength wasn''t something that they should know. It was their trump card, after all. Like Felix planned, he was to take the most credit. Not for his sake, but for Lim''s


    "I see¡­. You guys fought bravely."


    Vincent was impressed by the two and¡­. especially Felix. It shocked him as well to know these two survived something on this scale. But one thing bugged him and the other professors.


    Why did Lim wait at the door? If Felix did it, they wouldn''t have questioned it. He could have finished the test in two minutes, but the same wasn''t for Lim, who wasn''t even in the top 500.


    "Felix must be a good friend of yours."


    Lim shook his head.


    "I can''t say we are friends. We only met two days ago for the first time. Both of us were late during the opening ceremony, we talked with each other outside the garden. That was it."


    "Oh."


    Vincent wrote something on his note that Lim didn''t dare to peek at. He asked again.


    "I see. All of us wondered why you waited at the door at first? And once Felix entered, both of you started to talk. We assumed you to be friends."


    Again he scrambled something down, and this time there was a layer of cold in his voice.


    "Then what did you guys talk about when the time was limited?"


    ''There it is. Again¡­. that bastard, can he see the future or something?''


    "Oh, that...It is a bit embarrassing to say, but I was scared. It was my first time and seeing people ranked higher than me leave with injuries and on stretches within a minute, made me anxious.."


    Vincent nodded. It was valid to be scared. The test was meant to make them despair, so the students strived for growth in the future.


    Lim continued speaking.


    "But I still wanted to pass the test, and once Felix entered, I asked him if we could team up."


    The rules of the test were not to steal other''s prey, but it didn''t say they couldn''t work together.. In Fact Vincent created the test in such a way, so the students could know about teamwork. After all, no matter how strong you are, fighting alone in a dungeon was never easy, but no one figured it out.


    "Did he accept your offer?"


    Vincent asked.


    "No."


    Lim replied.


    "But once the barrier appeared, both of us knew something was wrong. Once the giant-rats rushed in, we had no choice but to fight together."


    The earpiece on Vincent''s ear glowed again. The cold aura around him vanished because what the two were saying matched. Not word by word, cause that would make them even more suspicious.


    After that, Vincent asked how they fought, and Lim''s answer was simple.


    "It was all Felix. He killed most of the rats. My spells only pushed them. Also, each time he swung his spear, a loud roar echoed. I don''t know what that was, but it made me nauseous."


    Lim acted to think for a moment and spoke again.


    "Once the rats were killed, we heard someone screaming and knew it was Tyson, since he went before me. And after that, I don''t remember much. The echo of Felix''s power and the whole situation was too much and-"


    Lim''s body shook. He took in deep breaths and wiped the sweat on his forehead.


    ''I should become an actor.''


    "You did good."


    Vincent patted Lim''s shoulder.


    "Wait here. One of the staff will take you back."


    Before Vincent left, he asked one last question.


    "If you could run away without saving Tyson, would you have done so?"


    Lim was surprised. It was a peculiar question, for someone of Vincent''s character. To see him curious was new.


    Lim thought about what he would do in such a situation and it didn''t take him long to come up with an answer.


    "If I could, honestly, I would run away without looking back."


    "I see."


    Vincent wasn''t disappointed. This was the best action. Fighting a battle that cannot be won, for the cost of life, isn''t worth it.


    "But I couldn''t say the same for Felix."


    Lim said. He didn''t know why he said that. But he just blurted out the thought.


    "I don''t know much about him, but one thing I know from a glance is that he has a good heart. He would fight for someone, not for praise or prize. Because it would be the right thing to do."

 CHAPTER 14: The Meeting

    "What nonsense did you say at the end? Professor Serena was looking at me, as if I was some sort of god"


    Felix said as he walked out of Section X with Lim.


    "Nothing."


    Lim shrugged it off.


    "Maybe he was wooed by your beauty."


    Lim winked at him and Felix side stepped further away from him.


    "I wish I was interrogated by Professor Serena. I got Vincent¡­. Haa¡­. He''s too stoic and cold"


    Lim never realised how scary calmness could be. After you never know what they are thinking about and how they are gonna act.


    Felix didn''t have much idea what that looked like. Cold and stoic expressions.... he wished he could see them.


    "You must have written about him like that, so deal with it."


    Lim frowned, because that was the fact. He had to deal with it. He then remembered something important he had to say.


    "By the way, The Book gave me a reward."


    "What is it?"


    Felix asked.


    Lim woke up and, like always, the first thing he did was check the book. There was something more written after the conversation it had with Felix.


    "It revealed the location of an item. Somewhere around Neon in an antique shop."


    Felix was a bit confused. Why would he reward something that he had to buy himself?


    ''That wouldn''t be a reward anymore.''


    "So you have to buy it on your own. Do you need some money?"


    Lim, of course, needed money, but taking it from Felix, who was younger than him, felt wrong. It hurt his pride as an adult, mentally in his 20s.


    "No, it''s not something expensive. The item is treated as some sort of junk but is a hidden treasure. Once I get it, I will show it to you."


    Felix still took out his purse from the back pocket and took out a note.


    "Here."


    "I don''t need-What?"


    Lim took it and looked at it properly. The note had the face of the First Emperor and some relics around it, but that didn''t matter. The number did.


    "1000 Lira."


    One lira was equal to one dollar back on earth. Lim made it so it would be easier for him to describe the currency of the world without making it too complicated.


    "Why is a teenager like you doing with a thousand in his back pocket?"


    Nobles tend to spoil their kids and often give them allowance to spend. But most keep it in the bank. Why was he carrying this much around in the academy?


    ''Do people of my age carry more?''


    Felix misunderstood and took out some more money.


    "Here, 5000 Lira."


    "WHAT?"


    Lim''s hand shook a bit. He scanned his surroundings to see if anyone was there.


    "I have a meeting to attend. If I have to come with you to the shop, then come to my dorm, I''ll tag along."


    Felix waved goodbye and walked away., While Lim was still soaking in what happened. They say rich kids are dumb when it comes to money. It kind of seemed true.


    ******


    "This is acceptable."


    Felix looked at the sign above the door of a one storey building.


    [Cygnus]


    That was the name of the group of Stars for the first year. It was the name of a constellation, with ten stars, and since they were called Stars, it suited them.


    The building was in Section III, right where every class of the first year was held.


    ''Aren''t they licking our asses way too much?''


    He touched the door, and for a second felt a shock.


    The door, though not visible, had magic circuits in it. And just now, it scanned Felix''s mana print. It checked if it matched with the data that the professors had put in.


    Felix again touched the door and this time there was no shock. It opened and in front of Felix was a luxurious living room.


    To the left were leather sofas, a wall filled with shelves full of books. There were some tables besides those shelves, with typewriters on it.


    ''It reeks of ink here.''


    Ahead of him. There was a large round table with ten chairs on them. Eight of them were taken.


    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    Rose was at the end, with Oscar to her left. Oscar nodded at him. Rose smiled while the others stared.


    Felix said nothing and walked towards the empty chair at the end to this left. He glanced at everyone and then again at Rose. Her blank face was a stress relief for him.


    "Now that everyone is here, let''s start the meeting."


    Rose said. Not everyone was here. The seat ahead of Felix was empty.


    Tyson wasn''t here. Everyone knew that he had been called back home for some family work that came up.


    But Only Felix and Rose in the room knew it was a fat lie.


    "All of us know what responsibilities we hold, so I am not going to brief you on that."


    Everyone nodded. They too didn''t want to go over all of those formal and boring stuff all over again.


    "I am not going to waste any time with the introduction. I, too, as the president, don''t know anything about you guys, as a person. But it is best if we know about each other by working together. And since we are a team, I hope we can set our differences aside and work together."


    As Rose said that, everyone sneaked a glance at Felix and then to the girl, the third star, sat left to Rose.


    ''Saying that makes it even more awkward.''


    Felix thought, as he ignored their judging gazes.


    "Our task for the upcoming weeks is simple. The Club Orientation will start tomorrow. We will split into groups and inform the first years about it."


    Rose then passed some papers to everyone.


    "We will split up into teams and go to the classes on the given schedule."


    Felix took the paper and looked at the paper. He frowned and stared at Rose.


    ''Does this seem like a joke to her?.''


    "That is all. If you have any problem-"


    As Rose was speaking, the girl beside her interrupted.


    "I have a problem."


    She stood up, frustrated, not bothered to hide the anger boiling in her.


    "What is it Stella?"


    Rose''s voice was bitter. She hated being interrupted.


    Stella calmed herself down and sat down. She moved her blue hair to her ears and looked at the paper with disgust.


    "How did you decide to split the team president?"


    She wasn''t happy with the team split. Being in the same group as that boy was already annoying, and now this.


    "It was random."


    Rose pointed at the table to the far, with littered papers.


    "It picked the numbers at random from a box that Oscar made. And your team has three people, because of Tyson."


    Sending one Star alone would feel like they were alienating him from the group.


    Rose moved her hand and tapped on Stella''s arm


    "If you are uncomfortable, then we can-"


    "No, it''s fine."


    She wasn''t fine. She would have taken anybody in the same group, but not Felix. However, like Rose said before, she had to set her feelings aside and sort things out.


    "Also, sorry for interrupting you."


    Her emotions got the better of her.


    "So, does anyone have questions?"


    Rose said and again, everyone looked at Felix. They knew who was going to be most bothered by this after Stella.


    And his eyes showed. They gulped, seeing how hollow they were. But he didn''t utter a word.


    Rose stood up and clapped her hands to get everyone''s attention.


    "Since there are no questions, all of you may leave, except for Felix."


    The Stars stared at her. Why Felix?


    Rose noticed their gaze and knocked out any thoughts they were having.


    "He is good with typewriters and can help me make some sample forms and pamphlets for tomorrow."


    All of them understood, but again, how did she know he was good with typewriters? Since they couldn''t get any answers, they left.


    Now only Felix and Rose were in the room. She walked towards him and stood by his side. He was still staring at the paper.


    "Should I have decided it by myself?"


    She wanted to make it random, so everyone could socialise with each other and wouldn''t group with the people they knew.


    "It''s fine."


    Felix wasn''t angry, he was just anxious.


    ''Ha¡­all of them left finally. Being in the class, the investigation with Professor Serena and now this was making me anxious.''


    Felix was happy to be left alone, without seeing eyes rolling off their socket.


    He stood up and walked to the corner of the room. He sat on the chair and rubbed the table.


    The sunlight passing through the window, reflecting onto the typewriter, made it aesthetic.


    ''I might get a nice white vase and a tulip.''


    As he was thinking, Rose pulled a chair and sat next to him. Felix looked at her blank face and, for a minute, just kept looking at it.


    "Aren''t you staring too much?"


    Rose said, as he took out some samples.


    Felix didn''t answer because he was. He hated to admit it, but¡­it was calming.


    ''Are her eyes redder than ruby, just like I have heard?"


    He was curious, but it would be fine not to know. It was much better this way.


    Felix looked at a sample of the previous works and got to work. As he was typing, Rose too started scribbling down. Then suddenly, she poked Felix''s shoulder.


    Felix flinched And Rose immediately knew


    "Did you get a lot of injuries?"


    Felix sighed. She always got the best of him.


    "Not much. Only on this shoulder and the ribs."


    There was no reason to lie. Otherwise, she would keep adding salt to his wounds.


    "That is a lot."


    Rose felt bad for making him work. Broken ribs and a bruised shoulder weren''t just minor injuries. But she also didn''t get chances like this to talk with him¡­. alone.


    Since Rose knew, Felix wanted to ask her.


    "The test was cancelled, so what about your score?"


    The results would be published on Arcadia''s bulletin board. Everybody would look past their scores, because of how bad they were and check on how the Stars did. And Rose''s being number one, her results mattered the most, but she didn''t give the test.


    "The Professors made it up from how I performed at the entrance. They gave me a time of fifteen seconds."


    Felix nodded. But the score given to her wasn''t right.


    ''It should be much lower, maybe under five seconds.''


    "Was she strong?"


    Rose was curious. Felix just survived and, to her, he was someone capable of defeating her. And there weren''t many people that could do so.


    "Yes. I can''t say how much. She never gave her all, and once she did, I was already out."


    Felix lost the fight. Winning wasn''t the plan, but still it was bitter to be played around with.


    "But still you came out fine... well, except those injuries."


    Rose was glad he came out alive. Otherwise, Arcadia wouldn''t be worthy of her time.


    "How did she even infiltrate in the first place?"


    Rose asked. Felix knew that wasn''t a question. She knew the answer and was checking if their thoughts matched.


    "Someone inside Arcadia must have got her, though."


    Felix came to that conclusion because there was no other way to get in. One needed to turn off every security alarm in the academy and once the person was in, turn it back again.


    "Not only did they get her through, but planned everything out, even my powers."


    Rose said.


    "Your powers?"


    Levi was confused. What did her powers have to do with the infiltration?


    And then it clicked.


    "The professors asked you to destroy the barrier?"


    If so, then Felix was disappointed.


    "No. I asked them. I almost destroyed it but near the end it started repairing on its own. And again, when I tried, there was not a single dent in it."


    Rose was bothered by this. Never had this happened before. To counter her, the enemy must have prepared for a long time, which meant not only did the traitor help the woman with the infiltration, but also leak data on Rose''s power.


    And she wasn''t happy with unknown people knowing about her strengths.


    ''Does Lim know about the traitor?''


    Probably not because if he knew, he would have told Felix. Then the person was someone that didn''t exist in the story. Just like Felix.


    But that was for later. He had to focus on the task at hand. After ten minutes, Felix finished making the sample and stood up.


    "Should I make copies of this?"


    "No, I will ask someone else to do it. You have already done too much."


    Rose took the paper and smiled at him.


    "Good work."


    Felix nodded and walked to the door. As he was about to open it, Rose asked.


    "Why did you do it Felix?"


    She could see his expression getting darker. He didn''t answer and just left.


    That incident still bothered her. Not because she didn''t know anything about it, but because it was something that seemed out of Felix''s character and his morals.


    She leaned back in her chair and sighed.


    "I hope there is something more to it, Felix... I really do."

 CHAPTER 15: A Broken Engagement

    ¡° Professor Jade must have woken up on the wrong side of the bed.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s a demon for making us do 100 laps of the training ground just to warm up.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t feel my knees anymore.¡±


    The Students of Class A complained as they walked inside their classroom. Today, their first class was a combat lesson and all they did  was run around the practice grounds.Jade didn¡¯t teach them anything new, because the Stars were absent.


    Lim, also in Class A, walked to the very back of the classroom and sat on the last bench, alone.


    ¡®I was happy when she said we were doing something basic. What a fat lie. If that was basic than anyone could lift a mountain on their finger.¡¯


    The worst part- this  was their first class and  they still had two theory classes left. Lim had no energy to concentrate. Sleeping in the class would only add more to his assignments, and scornful looks from his classmates.


    ¡®I am already the black sheep in the class.¡¯


    Nobody was sitting beside him. To them the back seat was empty as if Lim didn¡¯t exist.


    The reason- He was ranked 896 and every student in this class was from the top 100. He stood out, as the weakest in the class.


    ¡®It¡¯s typical and cliche.¡¯


    Lim grinned as he thought of the situation he was in. Every book he read about the author being reincarnated ,99% of them were always the weak character, ostracised by their class. Though they could kill  a dragon with a flick of their finger.


    Lim, of course, couldn¡¯t do that. But he was confident in his abilities to beat most of the students in the class¡­..maybe all, except-


    ¡® I still cannot imagine winning against her.¡¯


    Lim looked around and noticed some seats were  empty. He knew the Club Orientation was about to start and the Stars would come to their class and inform them.


    This was a big event for the students. After all, students of collective interest gathered around, to gain new insight from their seniors as well as the club professor and the best part¡­..it was fun.


    .


    As Lim was stretching his back, three people entered the classroom.  Two of them were of this class and while the other was his partner in crime.


    ¡®But what¡¯s with this atmosphere?¡¯


    The murmurs around the class stopped as everyone stared at the three. Not because of how dazzling they looked. Just the three being together was enough to put whatever they were doing at a halt.


    Again the murmurs in the class started but it was so that the three at the front wouldn''t hear them. But the Stars could tell what was on their mind.


    ¡°Please stop the gossip.¡±


    Oscar said and most of them stopped. He started briefing them about the club orientation but Lim couldn¡¯t care


    He hated being left out. He leaned a bit closer to the front and listened to the tea being spilled by the two girls sitting in front.


    ¡°Stella and Oscar look so uncomfortable. They must be out of their mind to put that guy in their group.¡±


    ¡°Yeah ... .it just looks so awkward.¡±


    Lim still couldn¡¯t understand why. He looked ahead and Stella caught his attention the most.


    ¡®Did I ever write about her having such an expression?¡¯


    The frown she had and hate on her eyes was something new for him. To see one of the main characters different from what she was supposed to be, was interesting.


    The two girls ahead, still continued their talk.


    ¡°Of course it is awkward, why wouldn¡¯t it be. I also would hate to be in the same group as my ex-fiance with my current fiance.¡±


    ¡°WHAT?¡±


    The girls ahead looked back at Lim.


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    ¡°Sorry.¡±


    He said with a small grin and they just looked ahead.


    ¡°Creep.¡±


    Both said, but Lim didn¡¯t care, not for now.


    This whole fiance thing was messing his head. The way Stella  was closer to Oscar and how far Felix was to the two, he could tell who was the ex in the story.


    ¡®But I never wrote about Stella and Oscar being engaged.¡¯


    Stella was a love interest for Oscar, but both never got in a relationship at this stage. Stella had eyes for him and Oscar for another. That was how Lim wrote about the relation between those two.


    It was meant to be a love triangle but not with Felix in it.


    ¡®Well he doesn¡¯t look like he loves her. But why didn¡¯t he talk about this?¡¯


    Lim stared at Felix and as if he could feel it,he looked back. He looked innocent and most of all confused why Lim was making faces while looking at him.


    ¡® I see¡­.He didn¡¯t hide it. He must have thought that I knew about Stella and Oscar. Also, talking about a broken engagement isn¡¯t the best way to start a conversation.¡¯


    Being the author, Felix thought, Lim must have known about it, which he didn¡¯t.


    Lim felt pity for Felix, not because of being Stella¡¯s ex fiance, but because of how he must have thought that his existence, which wasn''t meant to be, became a nuisance to Stella and Oscar¡¯s relationship, after he found the truth.


    One thing bothered Lim. Why was everyone looking at Felix with such hate?


    He somewhat understood Stella¡¯s hatred. In a noble family, a girl faced much more humiliation than the man for a broken engagement, but what did the rest have to do with it? It wasn¡¯t like all of them were Stella¡¯s die hard fans.


    ¡®Did Felix throw the engagement ring to her face or something worse than that?¡¯


    Lim had many guesses, but only the boy in front could satisfy his curiosity. He was pulled out of his thoughts, as he watched the paper Oscar had in his arms, float around and be placed in front of everybody.


    ¡®That is one way to cement your place as the 2nd star.¡¯


    ¡°Please fill the form and take it to the club you want to join. Different clubs have their own intake process, which we cannot brief you about.¡±


    Oscar''s voice rang in everyone¡¯s ear. The girls of course blushed, and squealed. If only Stella wasn¡¯t his companion, they wouldn''t leave him alone.


    With her being there, they had no chance. No in terms of talent or beauty.


    Oscar added more,


    ¡°Please submit the forms before Friday. The Club Orientation will end after that and if you have to join, you have to speak with the club professor. most of the time they will reject you. If you have any question, please raise your hands.¡±


    Nobody raised their hand.


    ¡°Thank you for giving us your time. If you lose your form, then please visit the [Cygnus] hall or the reception for another one.¡±


    Oscar walked away and Stella followed him. Felix lagged behind them, looking at Lim.


    ¡°Meet me after the classes end.¡±


    Lim mouthed. Felix gave him a small nod before leaving the class.


    Oscar and Stella were at the front, matching their strides. Both were saying something and each time Oscar opened his mouth, Stella smiled.


    Felix behind them couldn''t see it but knew Oscar was her new sunshine, just like how she always wanted.


    He wasn¡¯t jealous but just  awkward.


    ¡® I feel like I am one of those obsessive lovers who can never let go.¡¯


    Felix noticed the silver ring on Stella¡¯s finger.


    ¡®She broke the school rules, just to show it to me. Hate does make people childish.¡¯


    The academy forbade the students from wearing any jewellery. It could be an item that could cause issues in the academy and even if it was just for the sake of fashion, it was against the academy''s dress code.


    Stella valued rules and regulations.


    ¡°There are rules for a reason, and our job is to follow them.¡±


    She once said those words to him and now  broke it for him.


    Stella noticed his gaze and frowned. She was searching for  a hint of guilt, a whisper for forgiveness, in his green forest-like eyes but just like that day, they were devoid of any life.


    ******


    ¡°Good work¡±


    Oscar said as he and Stella were about to leave for their classes. They had finished their work in Class E which was the last one left. Although they couldn¡¯t attend the first class, after fifteen minutes of break they could attend the class.


    ¡°Good work? All I did was stand while you did everything.¡±


    Felix stood there beside Oscar, like his bodyguard without contributing anything. He felt Stella¡¯s gaze piercing his soul.


    ¡®No need to look like that, I¡¯ll leave.¡¯


    ¡°I should get going now.¡±


    Felix said and hurried away before Oscar could speak.


    Felix was heading back to the class, walking down the long hall on his own. This whole team situation today was suffocating and having to be in front of so many students wasn¡¯t good for his mental health.


    As he was taking in some deep breaths to calm down, Lim came out of nowhere. He was breathing like a dog and holding on to his knees.


    ¡°I knew you are a stalker¡±


    Felix said with a grin. Somehow Lim always found out where he was.


    Lim lifted his finger, and took in a deep breath.


    ¡°Wait, let me breathe¡­¡­the training really messed me up.¡±


    And after a minute, Lim got back up and leaned on the wall.


    ¡°I know I said we¡¯d meet after the classes for today ended, but it keeps bugging me. So much that I ran around the whole hall, up and down the  seven floors just to find you¡±


    ¡°About me and Stella?¡±


    Felix back when he saw Lim¡¯s expression knew that this whole engagement thing wasn¡¯t something written by Lim.


    ¡°Yeah. Why does she hate you so much?¡±


    Lim wasn¡¯t curious about why they got engaged. It was again some butterfly event that had happened, because of Felix¡¯s existence.


    ¡°Because I broke the engagement and also because of the statement I gave.¡±


    Breaking of an engagement between two big noble families was a big deal. After all, the engagement wasn¡¯t a vow just for the two, but for the families and the business they plan to make  after their marriage.


    His breaking the engagement dealt a blow to the financial plans of the families and so, he had to give a  reason that would be published in the daily newspaper.


    ¡°What stupid statement did you give?¡±


    As far as Lim knew, Felix must have said something outrageous to bring him this much hate.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like her. That¡¯s all I said.¡±


    Felix wrote what he felt like at that moment without any sugar coating.


    Lim sighed. That answer was like Felix but still it was rude. That is why everyone looked at him that way.


    ¡®Also, the norms in this world are a bit fucked.¡¯


    The world setting was in the 80s where the nobles treated marriage as a contract. But still getting two kids engaged, when they haven¡¯t felt the raging hormone of teenager was messed up.


    Not just that, Felix must have been a ten or eleven year old kid when he gave such a rude statement. To take a kid¡¯s words to heart and hate him was nothing but immaturity.


    ¡®A world with magic seems to have lost common sense.¡¯


    The way the students looked at him back then was because of this. All of the seemed to have the same thought


    ¡®He doesn¡¯t deserve Lady Stella.¡¯


    But for Stella, it was-


    ¡®He doesn¡¯t deserve to live.¡¯


    It was much colder and hostile. And that definitely wasn¡¯t because of what Felix said and the broken engagement.


    And he wanted to know why Stella of pure and kind heart had a spot of hatred with Felix¡¯s name on it.


    ¡®But I don¡¯t want to cross a line.¡¯


    Felix was hiding something. If it was easy today , he would have already talked about it.


    Lim was still curious and maybe sometimes he acted like a stalker to satisfy his thirst. But he wasn¡¯t a scum and never could be.

 CHAPTER 16: 1 VS 56

    After talking with Lim, Felix headed back to the class. He entered the class and looked around. The rest were carrying their tracksuits, ready to leave for their practical class.


    Nobody waited for Felix. They walked past him, making sure they didn''t bump into him. Felix took out his tracksuit and headed to the training grounds, alone, like always.


    Before going to the training grounds, he went inside the boy''s changing room. He made sure not to look at their faces, cause he was already having an anxiety attack at this point.


    ''Though I didn''t speak a word, the club briefing messed me up.''


    He tried his best and kept looking down but sometimes caught glimpses of the crowd from the corner of his eye.


    ''Even a second of it gives me shivers.''


    Felix opened his closet and started unbuttoning his shirt. As he took off his clothes, he felt the gaze of every boy in the room.


    His lean physique and toned muscles with scars on his body, mostly his back, were eye-catching. Some of the others too had the same physique but Felix''s looked ethereal


    The boys looked at their own bodies and shook their heads. Not only was Felix handsome, but his body was something they wished they had.


    ''Just train 30 to 45 minutes every day. You can get this too, you know.''


    Of course, Felix didn''t say that out loud.


    Felix waited for everyone to leave. Staring at his upper body was fine but not his crotch. He quickly changed his trousers and was about to leave, when he heard someone hit themselves on the locker.


    Thud


    Felix surprised, peeked at who it was.


    "Ouch."


    There was a boy the floor. He touched his forehead and checked if there was a bump or not. Picking up his glasses, he quickly started to get changed.


    ''I didn''t feel his presence.''


    Felix didn''t know if the boy hid his aura on purpose or if it was so weak that his presence was not noticeable. Either way, it was impressive.


    Felix tried to remember the name of the person. For him, who couldn''t see faces it was hard to remember names, and the only way he could do it was by remembering their body structure.


    ''Short and too lean, mole on the wrist. It must be Kean.''


    It was creepy to remember every minor detail of a person, but that was the only way he could recognize people unless they talked.


    And he had never heard Kean talk.


    '' I haven''t noticed him in the class either.''


    Kean started getting changed and Felix stopped peeking. He left the locker and walked to the training ground.


    The HexaCore training facility was a large building. It wasn''t that tall, but it covered more width than any building in Arcadia, except the labyrinth.


    The facility was divided into six different arenas, each with its own weapons room and a small healing station. This was made so practical classes could be conducted effectively.


    Felix entered section A-I, one of the six training grounds. Everyone was already in line. Professor Vicent also was there at the front and looked at Felix.


    He picked his pace and walked over to the end of the boy''s line.


    After a while, Kean too entered the ground. He watched Kean running towards the end of the line but he tripped... well one boy in the middle tripped him. The one who tripped him and the two ahead giggled and kicked away Kean''s glasses.


    Kean bit his lips and got up. He touched the slight bruise on his elbow and picked up his glasses. Holding his elbow, he walked towards the end, behind Felix.


    Felix could hear Kean sniffle and rustle to wipe the dust on his face and snot


    ''He''s a mess and those three- They are brave enough to bully him on the second day and in front of Vincent.''


    Though the boy was quick, he couldn''t escape Vincent''s eyes. But unlike how Felix imagined Vincent to take action, he ignored it.


    ''A man of discipline ignoring such things.''


    Felix inspected Vincent''s demeanour and noticed him looking back.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    ''I don''t like that look.''


    "Silence."


    Vincent shouted, and everyone looked in front. He looked at the watch in his hand and nodded.


    "Since everyone is here on time, there will be no 100 pushups today."


    Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.


    "Today we are going to learn a new mana movement technique. But before that, I have something to announce."


    Felix didn''t like the sound of it. And though Vincent was looking at everyone, he felt the most targeted.


    "I made a mistake on the first day and forgot to assign a class monitor."


    Vincent was keen to teach that day, and the topic of the class monitor left his mind.


    The role of a class monitor was simple. All they had to do was inform the students about any extra assignments and take attendance in the class every day before the first class started.


    "Felix, from now on, will be your class monitor."


    Vincent said, and Felix could only sigh. He saw this coming from miles away.


    They didn''t complain. After all, Felix was assigned a bothersome role, without a single advantage of having it.


    "I can see some of you aren''t happy with this decision. I can see some of you sighing and frowning ."


    Vincent expressed his discontent, and the students looked at each other.


    Who in the hell frowned?


    Felix again sighed.


    ''Nobody frowned. He just made that up.''


    Vincent folded his arms and said,


    "I see that you guys still underestimate the capabilities of a Star. If that is so, the only Star in the class has to prove himself to be the class monitor, am I correct?"


    Everyone now started to realise where this was heading.


    "All of you will have a duel with Felix."


    Vincent said, and everyone took a big gulp and they turned towards Felix. He was just looking at the ground, stoic like always.


    ''What is his motive behind this? ''


    Felix was confused. There was no need to make up a lie and do this, just for a simple role and when nobody complained.


    Felix, of course, didn''t want the role, but he also wasn''t angry he got it.


    The students wanted to retaliate, but it would only make things worse. They knew this wasn''t going to be a duel but a one-sided beating, so all they could do was look at Felix with puppy eyes and hope he didn''t break their bones.


    Vincent also knew this was unfair to others, so he had another plan in mind.


    "Don''t worry. I will make it fair. The duel isn''t one on one. All fifty-six of your present here will fight him at the same time. And the rules of duels are simple. All you have to do is touch Felix, either with your weapon or any spell. And the same goes for Felix. "


    ''This b*tch''


    Felix couldn''t help but curse.


    The students again started murmuring. The ground was big enough for all of them to participate and maybe working together, they might defeat Felix. All they had to do was touch him.


    Vincent added more to the proposal.


    "If you guys manage to win the first exam, all of you will get an A + in the practical exam, except Felix"


    That was a bold statement, and Felix could see flames lit in the student''s hopeless eyes.


    It was a big deal because the practical test, though it changed every year, was going to be a lot harder than this. Being exempt from it was a blessing and getting an A+ on top of it was icing on the cake.


    Now they were determined to do whatever was necessary to make sure Felix lost today.


    ''What next, if you shove a sword up my ass, you get a billion, Lira?''


    Felix wasn''t pleased with these conditions. He wasn''t afraid of fighting, it''s just that it was meaningless to him.


    He would be a class monitor if he won, and that would add more work which he didn''t want. There was no benefit in winning for him.


    ''I could forfeit or just act to lose, but he will notice it.''


    Vincent would keep making them fight unless Felix gave his all.


    "Now."


    Vincent clapped his hand to get everyone''s attention.


    "First, fifty-six of you get your weapons. You have five minutes. And then Felix will get his. Use that time to come up with a plan to defeat the Star."


    As soon as he finished the students rushed towards the weapons room. It didn''t take them even two minutes to return back with their choice of weapon.


    They made a circle and started planning until Felix returned back.


    But that''s when a problem arose. They didn''t know much about Felix. Yes, he was a Star, and they were strong, but how much?


    A person''s rank, strength and mana level could be measured by using an Assessment Orb. As far as they knew, from the academy''s evaluation, Felix was D-rank, exceptional for his age. But not every D-rank has the same strength.


    And not just that a person [Ability], [Blessing], and [Art] if they have any couldn''t be measured. They were sure Felix didn''t have any [Ability] or [Blessing] but his [Art]; they had no idea about it.


    The fifty-six of them had never seen him [Art] but knew it was something fearsome. They knew Felix''s score from the first test. It took him three minutes to complete it while none of them managed to kill even one giant rat.


    "Does anyone know about the Valerius''s Art?"


    Everyone nodded. They knew the Valerius family was famous for their spearman ship, which was mainly focused on wind and earth elements. His mastery over it at a small age got him the nickname.


    Treasure of Valerius.


    "We can do this. There are fifty-six of us. Yes, he is strong, but all we need to do is to just touch him."


    Grian, the boy that tripped Kean, said. The others nodded in high hopes. This duel was a lot easier because they didn''t have to knock him out or push him out of the arena like in a professional duel.


    Grian, after Felix, was the second-highest ranked. His rank was 101, and for now, the others considered him the leader. And Grian''s plan was simple. At first, the lowest-ranked students would attack, while the highest-ranked would wait for a hole in Felix''s defence.


    As they were discussing their plan, everyone felt chills. The hair on their body rose as they turned to the weapons room.


    Felix was walking towards them, spinning the spear to get used to its weight. He didn''t look angry, nervous or excited, nor was he using mana to make his aura fierce. His stoic demeanour was enough of a scare.


    Vincent didn''t need to say anything, as the students quickly moved and surrounded Felix. Moving his spear, Felix quickly scanned his surroundings, and the body language of the students.


    ''Their aura oozes of nervousness, mostly Kean. The sword he''s holding is probably even heavier than him.''


    He then looked at Vincent.


    Their homeroom professor nodded and then shouted.


    "Start."


    Before the nearest students to Felix could move, he struck his spear on the ground.


    *Boom*


    A loud roar echoed through the training ground, and everyone covered their ears. Even Vincent flinched because of how loud it was.


    Kean dropped his sword to cover his ears but soon realised his mistake as he watched the tip of Felix''s spear, about to pierce his stomach.


    The fear had stuck him to the ground and all he could do was accept this fate. Before the spear could pierce him, it only touched his training suit.


    Kean was eliminated. He was sweating a bucket load but he was sure a bucket load of blood would be pouring out from his stomach..The hostility behind the spear was meant to kill. In the end, it just disappeared.


    But in that moment, Kean was closer to death than he had ever been.

 CHAPTER 17: A Proposal

    Kean was out. He hurried out of the training ground and stood next to Vincent. From the stands, they observed the fight.


    Felix struck the ground again with his spear. The roar again echoed through the arena. Some coped through it while others, were on their knees covering their ears.


    Felix rushed towards the students near him and touched them with his spear. Just like this, without the others landing a single attack on him, he managed to eliminate ten students.


    Felix¡¯s art was different from what they imagined. Most of them were ready to deal with wind and earth elements, which were the main focus of the Valerius Art, but what he was using wasn¡¯t either of them.


    It seemed to involve sound and they had no idea how to counter it. Sound was an element but not often used. Nobody was born with the talent to use it and learning it was difficult. Seeing how well, Felix used it, made them admire him, but also fear him a lot more.


    Grian, acting as a leader for this fight, realised his plan wasn¡¯t going to work. The lower-ranking students were about to be wiped out without doing anything.


    ¡°Change in plans. If you can withstand the sound then attack. Don¡¯t wait.¡±


    Grian shouted. The roar again rang in his ears and it rattled his brain. So much so that he and others started to nosebleed.


    Wiping the blood on his nose, he gripped his dagger and rushed towards Felix. Others around him also got hold of themselves. Some were chanting for long-range spells, while others were attacking up front.


    Despite all of these, Felix didn¡¯t move and stood motionless. He looked around and hopped. Next thing, Grain knew, Felix was in front of him.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Grian quickly blocked the spear coming from the right. He was flung to the side as he rolled on the ground barely inside the arena.


    ¡°Arghh.¡±


    He groaned in pain and tried to stand up. But gravity seemed to weigh him down. Every fibre of his body rattled.


    Felix now could easily touch him but he didn¡¯t. Instead, Felix changed targets. Grian slowly stood up, but the strength and mana in his body had vanished.


    And it made no sense. Getting flung like this might have caused some injuries, which made moving a bit hard. But he had not used much of its mana.


    Felix¡¯s art had something to do with this, and the more Grian thought, the less chance he saw of winning. As the battle unfolded, he realised how big of a difference between him and Felix was.


    Every step he took, had meaning. Every swing was precise, just with the perfect angle and strength behind it to pierce everyone¡¯s defence.


    Except for Grian, no one managed to block his attacks. And just like this, striking the ground, stunning the students and using his pace, within fifteen minutes Felix eliminated 56 of the students.


    Only Grian was left. He was at the edge of the arena. Petrified, he watched Felix walk towards him, swinging his spear. His eyes were even colder than before.


    Grian gulped. He was scared and also frustrated for being so weak. He knew the gap between them and Felix was big, but not to this level.


    The fight was already decided when it started. And Vincent must have known about this too.


    ¡°So this is the power of the Star.¡±


    Grian ego had taken a tumble, beyond the point where trying to win seemed the most impossible thing to do. He was about to surrender when Felix rushed towards him.


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    Grian said, but Felix didn¡¯t.


    With the back of the spear, he struck Grian¡¯s stomach.


    ¡°Arghh.¡±


    Grian let out a painful grunt. The vibration of the attack shook his whole body and gave him a hell of a pain. He held his stomach and spat blood on the floor.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    For the whole duel, Felix only touched his opponents.  The attack was speed and strength but he would lessen it not to hurt anyone.


    But for Grian he didn¡¯t. He was angry. What had he done to Felix to get this shivering pain, wriggling inside his body, that increased every time he breathed? Every breath was a spike poking his organs as if telling him not to breathe and just die.


    He looked up at Felix. The rage boiling in him sizzled out by Felix¡¯s cold eyes. If the duel wasn¡¯t over with just a touch then, Grian knew he was in for something even worse.


    Felix got down and looked at Grian, with a smirk.


    ¡°I can relate to you now¡±


    ¡°Relate to me?¡±


    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Grian said confused about what he was talking about.


    ¡°The satisfaction of trampling someone weaker than you as you push them down on their knees. It¡¯s exhilarating isn¡¯t it.¡±


    Felix''s words made him shiver more. Grian understood what he meant. What he did to Kean before though less painful, was soul-crushing and Felix was letting him a taste of his own medicine. Without Felix saying anything, Grian knew not to mess with Kean or anyone.


    After that, all he saw was two staff running towards him with a stretcher before he lost consciousness.


    *******


    Vincent watched the staffs take away Grian. He suffered more internal damage than external. If Felix had used more strength than that Vincent would have stopped the fight.


    Vincent knew Felix would win the fight However,  he didn¡¯t expect the fight to end in this manner, to the point it seemed more like a practice session than a duel


    ¡°With this, the duel is over.¡±


    As he said that the line of students stood beside him, went back to the ground and stood in a line.


    Vincent folded his arms and looked at everyone.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I have to say who the winner is.¡±


    Like Felix, everyone looked to the ground, for different reasons that is. They were embarrassed and had to be.


    ¡°From the next day, your training regime will be harsh, and I won¡¯t hear any complaints. Next time we do this, I want all of you able to land a punch on him.¡±


    As Vincent said that everyone nodded, while Felix frowned. After all, everyone was going to train to knock his teeth out.


    ¡°Make sure to do your assignments and train. Now leave for your last class, except for Felix. Since you weren¡¯t in the first class, I must brief you about the assignment.¡±


    It was weird for him to inform Felix. He could have ordered any other student for it, but they didn¡¯t say anything. It¡¯s not like they were eager to talk with Felix.


    Once they left, Felix walked towards Vincent. He had a poker face but Vincent knew Felix wasn¡¯t happy. He wouldn¡¯t be either


    The fight served no purpose to him, except gain some experience and a lot more fear from his classmates. He wasn¡¯t a dictator to find comfort in other¡¯s fear.


    ¡°I apologise for making you do this.¡±


    Vincent knew how much ruckus this duel would make. Felix wasn¡¯t a big fan of attention and this was making it worse for him. Vincent didn¡¯t say why he did so and Felix didn¡¯t bother to ask


    Felix only nodded, waiting for the assignment. Vicent found it odd, how Felix most of the time seemed to look at the ground. Maybe it was because he knew how fearsome his gaze was.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do the assignments of today.¡±


    It was a small reward for Felix¡¯s effort and also cause he enjoyed the duel. As he said that, a smile crept on Felix¡¯s face which he was quick to hide.


    ¡°And I have a proposal for you.¡±


    He added at the end. Felix stared at Vincent, waiting for the proposal.


    The Professor unconsciously took one step back. He had seen many horrible things. Skinned corpses,  people being eaten alive or stretched as every fibre in their muscle tore apart. All of them had one thing in common.  None of their eyes had a hint of a spark to live. For Felix, it seemed something worse than that. He dared ask what had happened for him to have such merciless eyes.


    Getting his thoughts back on track, he looked at Felix.


    ¡°Be my disciple. If you do, I will teach you a new art, that doesn¡¯t require any element.¡±


    Vincent and any other professor in the academy were allowed to have only two disciples. They could be of any year. For the past fifteen years of teaching, he only had taken two students as his disciples. Not cause they were incapable of learning.


    Something was missing in them. He couldn¡¯t figure out what it was, but he knew Felix was the perfect disciple he could ask for along with the other student he had in mind.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to¡°


    Felix said and again looked to the ground. Vincent could only nod. He had guessed this to happen. Felix was without an element and to most could seem desperate to learn elementless Art but that wasn¡¯t the case.


    But the way he answered it seemed Felix didn¡¯t need to consider this even for a second and was fine without it.


    ¡°Is that all, professor?¡±


    Felix wanted to leave. There was no point in staying here anymore.


    ¡°That is all from me. But the headmaster wants you and your friend, Lim at his office after the classes finish. The Holzbergs are here and they want to reward you.¡±


    After that, Felix left the arena. Vincent watched him and shook his head.


    He was a bit disappointed, that Felix rejected him.


    ¡°He was the perfect successor I could have asked for.¡±


    However, he couldn¡¯t force things. All he could do was hope Felix would change his mind in the future.


    *******


    ¡°You¡¯re ten minutes late.¡±


    Felix looked at Lim, breathing heavily.  He was late and Felix had been waiting for him outside the headmaster''s office.


    Felix could have gone in himself, but the idea of having a conversation with the headmaster wasn¡¯t the best for him. It¡¯s not like he didn¡¯t like the headmaster. Conversation with anyone was a literal headache to him.


    ¡°Some stuff happened. I will tell you later on.¡±


    Lim fixed his attire, wiped the sweat on his forehead and knocked on the door.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    It was the deep and relaxing voice of headmaster Sebastian.


    They walked in and the mixture of the smell of lavender and a hint of wood welcomed them. Felix took a quick look around the room.


    There were four people in the room. Two were sat on the chair, while the other stood behind them. Ahead of them was a large table with tens of cake stands, each with different coloured pastries in them.


    Sebastian was on the right wearing his usual attire, the white suit, with black shoes, and a cane in his right hand.


    Behind Sebastian was his assistant, the woman who escorted them to the investigation room.


    There was another man next to him, that Felix had never seen. His black hair was slicked back,  and his brown eyes glimmered as he looked at the two. He also wore a suit and a picture of a casino wheel embedded in the coat¡¯s pocket. He wore a gold ring on each of his fingers and the rings had heads of different animals made on them.


    ¡®They must be grateful to send someone from the main family to reward us.¡¯


    Though Felix had no idea who it was.


    Behind that man was his knight, wearing a set of silver armour, his head covered with a white scarf only leaving room for his eyes.


    .


    ¡°Good evening to the both of you¡±


    Sebastian got up from his chair. Felix looked at him and bowed a little. He turned to Lim, and could him drooling looking at the tower of cakes.


    He elbowed Lim and whispered,


    ¡°Control yourself.¡±


    Lim wiped the drool and bowed too.


    ¡°Good evening headmaster and-¡±


    Lim turned to the man and he introduced himself.


    ¡°I am Theo Holzberg. It is a pleasure of mine to meet my brother¡¯s saviours.¡±


    This was new information to Felix. He didn¡¯t know much about the Holzbergs except the business they ran.


    ¡®The reward must be big if the heir himself is here.¡¯


    ¡°Please take a seat.¡±


    Sebastian pointed at the two chairs ahead. They sat on their chair and the headmaster¡¯s assistant poured them a cup of tea.


    ¡°Don¡¯t hold yourself back.¡±


    Sebastian said as he looked at Lim. And he didn¡¯t hesitate to grab three pastries and start digging in. As for Felix, he didn¡¯t have much of a sweet tooth.


    Theo snapped his fingers and the knight behind him handed him two scrolls tied with a neat red ribbon.


    ¡° This is rude of me to get straight to the point. If possible I wanted to have a nice chat and meal with you,  I and my family owe you a lot and want to show our appreciation for your bravery but time isn¡¯t on my side today.¡±


    ¡°Your presence is enough appreciation for us, Sir Theo. We know how busy an heir of a family is.¡±


    Felix said and the most surprised was Lim. He had never heard him this formal.


    Theo gave them the scrolls and shook their hands.


    ¡°Thank you for understanding. You can open the scrolls.¡±


    Felix opened it, and read everything written on it. He turned towards Lim, his lips smeared with cream.  He didn¡¯t say anything or make any gestures but knew Lim like him was trying to hide the widest grin they could make.

 CHAPTER 18: The Rewards

    Felix tried his best not to smile, looking at the scroll. He didn¡¯t look good smiling anyway. The reward was something more than he had expected.


    He again read to check if he missed anything.


    ¡® The House of Holzberg cherishes and respects your heroics. Without your efforts, we would have lost our youngest family member. As an acknowledgement of your bravery, we would like to reward you with the following.


    1. You will receive 10 million Lira


    2. You will each be given a weapon for your speciality and armour. The items you receive will however be only D-rank because of Arcadia¡¯s regulation.


    3. You will be bestowed a special pass, which has the same benefits that the highest-ranked knights of our house get.


    ¡®


    He finished reading and for a second, looked at Theo. The illusion was in effect and it was impossible to tell what Theo was thinking. Noticing Felix¡¯s stare, Theo asked,


    ¡°Is there something that doesn''t satisfy you?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Felix didn¡¯t have any complaints. Saving Tyson for a reward wasn¡¯t on the agenda, not for him or Lim.


    ¡°Are you satisfied as well, Mr.Lim?¡±


    Theo asked as he took a sip from his cup.


    ¡°It¡¯s an honour to receive such gifts and privilege.¡±


    Lim was more than satisfied with it. However, he was confused by the special pass they received.


    ¡°Won¡¯t there be any complaints from the knights, to give such privilege to two students who have no connection to the Holzberg nobility?¡±


    Theo shook his head.


    ¡°No, in fact, they were the ones who requested to give this to you.¡±


    Theo then passed two black cards with the symbol of a casino wheel. There was nothing else that said the card belonged to them.


    Felix knew what to do. He just let his mana flow into the card, and the wheel rotated. His name appeared below the wheel, which meant if he was to use the special pass, all he had to do was pour mana into the card for verification. And the wheel would rotate with only his mana.


    Lim looking at Felix did the same. This was new to him. As the Author he never had this many details in the story.


    ¡°Cool.¡±


    He muttered.


    Lim was about to thank Theo again, when the knight behind him, spoke something in his ear. Theo nodded and said something back. Lim didn¡¯t try to lip read and for Felix, he was looking at his haunting face at the tea¡¯s reflection.


    ¡°It''s a pity that our first meeting is rushed.¡±


    He walked towards the two, as they stood up and listened to what Theo had to say.


    ¡°The money will be sent to your bank account this week. As for the weapons, they will be delivered to your dorm. I hope the weapons are to your liking. If there is something you need, please don''t hesitate at all. We won¡¯t hold back to give anything to my brothers¡¯ saviours.¡±


    He then reached out and grabbed Felix and Lim''s shoulder.


    ¡°Again, thank you for saving my brother. But-¡±


    The smile on his face was replaced with worry.


    ¡° I fear that my brother is still in danger. If possible, we wanted to take him back home, but studying here has been his dream. The Academy''s defence has been fortified even more and the assassin may not enter ever again. But if anything is to happen to him again, please if possible help my brother again.¡±


    ¡®Does he love Tyson this much or is this just a manipulation technique?¡¯


    But his Sense didn¡¯t activate so Theo¡¯s feelings were true.


    ¡°We would have done it even if you didn¡¯t request us¡±


    Lim had to save Tyson''s ass anyway, for the progression of the story like he wanted.


    ¡°You are a good man.¡±


    Theo patted Lim¡¯s shoulder. He looked at Felix to say something.


    ¡°I don¡¯t share the same sentiment as Lim, Sir Theo. I value my life more than others. But if I can carry him on my back and run away with my life, then I will not hesitate.¡±


    Felix wasn¡¯t the type to make promises just for the sake of pleasing someone. Once he reaches his goal and Tyson''s life is in danger, he turns a blind eye to it.


    ¡°That is also what a good man does, Felix.¡±


    Theo said.


    ¡°Now, then I shall take my leave.¡±


    Theo shook hands with the two and left the room. He didn¡¯t bother looking at the headmaster or saying anything. Sebastian also let Theo go, without exchanging any words.


    ¡®They don¡¯t get along, more like they don''t want to. Makes sense after what happened.¡¯


    Once Theo and his assistant left the room, Felix and Lim sat down.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t approve of his decision to let a knight protect Tyson from the shadows.¡±


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.Sebastian said. Felix understood why Theo didn¡¯t bother saying his goodbyes to Sebastian.


    Theo blamed Arcadia for letting an assassin in and Sebastian received the most criticism. He was the principal after all. On top of that, straight up declining his request, without taking any time to consider it, made it even worse.


    Sebastian took the blame for the infiltration. It was unsuccessful but Tyson, along with these two was almost killed. He was ready to compensate the Holzberg but not let their knight enter the academy.


    The other nobles, with influence in the academy, wouldn''t allow it. There had been some cases in the past where an assigned knight turned out to be an assassin for other students from different nobility.


    And if Sebastian allowed it for Tyson, others would also want personal guards for their children. If he allowed this to happen, Arcadia wouldn¡¯t be a place for learning anymore, but a place to keep other nobility in check.


    ¡°I am proud of what you did. I would have liked to throw a celebration and give you a medal of honours but the circumstances won¡¯t let me.¡±


    Sebastian even at this age, still loved the tale of heroes¡­.too much at times. But this tale wasn¡¯t meant to be in the books.


    ¡®I prefer it this way.¡¯


    Felix had no problem without anybody knowing about this. To him, this was the best reward.


    ¡°We have reinforced our defences. However, I can¡¯t help but worry about the two of you. Your actions were for the good, but not everyone will be pleased with it.¡±


    Sebastian looked at those two. And they knew the gravity of what they did.


    Their heroics now made them a target, either to be careful of or be eliminated, and the latter was most likely. They were the reason the plan failed and the assassin or whatever organisation she worked for, would come for them.


    ¡° I wanted to assign a knight to the two of you and Tyson but even as the headmaster that is not within my powers. It has too many risks and politics involved.¡±


    Sebastian felt useless. All he could do was watch and wait as the events unfolded in his den, with him without able to do anything.


    ¡°I should stop ranting and bore the two of you.¡±


    Sebastian then turned towards his assistant.


    ¡°Ellen, can you bring me their rewards?¡±


    Ellen nodded and walked towards the desk to her left. She returned with two small boxes and placed them in front of Felix and Lim.


    ¡°The Academy has decided to reward you with 1 million Lira, along with some items and these two enhancement pills each.¡±


    Sebastian said.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Lim and Felix replied in unison.


    ¡°Are you satisfied with this?¡±


    Sebastian was worried that what he gave was lacking. After all, what Theo gave was way better.


    Lim opened the box and looked at the pink-coloured ball the size of a peanut.


    ¡°I am satisfied with the rewards. We never expected a reward in the first place. Even a 1000 Lira as a reward would have made me happy.¡±


    He was lying that 1000 Lira would satisfy his money-craving mind, but what he received was going to help him a lot with the plans he had


    As for Felix, he pushed the box away and shook his head.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry headmaster but I don¡¯t want any of this.¡±


    Lim turned towards him at lightning speed and frowned. Ellen and Sebastian however had no change in expression.


    ¡°Like Lim said, we didn¡¯t save him for a reward but if I am getting one, then I want something else than this.¡±


    Felix had been thinking of this for a long time. The academy wouldn¡¯t let him have it in the normal case but now was his only chance.


    Sebastian nodded as he wondered what Felix wanted for him to reject all this.


    ¡°What do you want, Felix? If possible, I will get it to you as soon as possible.¡±


    Felix folded his arms, his eyes glued to the cup.


    ¡°I want a separate alchemy room all for myself.¡±


    Sebastian was a bit surprised. The request he made was a bit difficult, but not impossible to grant


    ¡°Are you sure about this?¡±


    Felix nodded. Sebastian turned to Lim. He just shrugged it off and didn¡¯t have any idea what Felix was thinking.


    Sebastian tilted his head and closed his eyes.


    ¡°Is my request too much, headmaster?¡±


    Felix asked.


    ¡°No, we can create a private alchemy room just for you,¡± Sebastian said. ¡°Along with the room, you can take these rewards too.¡±


    Felix shook his head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want this, instead I have a question. ¡±


    Lim was confused. What could Felix ask that had the same weight as these gifts?


    Sebastian nodded.


    ¡°Go on.¡±


    ¡°The assassin, Ms Green, she was an imposter, wasn''t she? ¡° Felix said, ¡°Someone else killed her and took her place, in such a perfect manner that it bypassed the academy¡¯s defence.¡±


    This was the thing that bothered Felix more after fighting that woman. He thought about it daily and had come to a conclusion. Sebastian was the only one who could affirm his guess.


    Ellen''s eyes grew wide. She gulped and looked at Sebastian. He was chuckling.


    Sebastian stopped chucking and his eyes turned cold,


    ¡°You''re right. The assassin did take the place of Ms Green.¡±


    ¡°Master?¡±


    Ellen interrupted. She was worried that these two should hear this.


    ¡°They aren¡¯t ordinary students, Ellen, they will figure it out on their own. Telling them might be better for us and I can¡¯t deny his reward¡±


    Sebastian replied


    ¡°Once you saved Tyson, I sent some capable people to check on Ms Green''s house. They found her dead on her bed, with a hole in her skull.¡±


    Sebastian''s aura grew colder.


    ¡°I had interviewed her before. She was shy and sometimes would be aloof in the middle of the interview. But once I asked why she wanted the job, everything about her seemed to change. I love teaching, she said to me with the brightest of smiles. I was pleased to have her, but the poor soul- she didn¡¯t deserve it.¡±


    Felix nodded. He didn¡¯t know the woman, but there was a loss of innocent life. Her dreams were stripped away from her.


    ¡®May her soul be at rest.¡¯


    Felix couldn¡¯t do anything about that but he felt odd when he saw her for the first time. the timidness she had, felt somewhat artificial. The orientation was on his mind so he didn¡¯t think about it.


    ¡®If only I acted that time, maybe we would have never been locked in the first place.¡¯


    Lim found this new information fascinating. He never gave it much thought after Tyson was saved. It was something he had never written and didn''t bother racking his brain around it. He felt dumb not having figured this out. But now that he knew one thing bothered him.


    ¡°I can understand how someone might be able to replicate another person''s face, height, body, voice, and even fingerprint. But how did they manage to pass the mana print test?


    Lim had made sure that even though fingerprints could be altered by magic, no one could replicate others'' mana prints. It was the very essence of their mana core. And if someone could, they wouldn¡¯t sneak in, but destroy the entire academy with a snap of their fingers.


    Sebastian was impressed by how quickly Lim caught on to this.


    ¡°We took her mana print the first time she came here for the job interview. And when she arrived after that, she took the test again for security reasons. She passed the test. We even have the footage of it, and testimony of three other professors at the test site.¡±


    ¡®Then how?¡¯


    Felix wondered for a while, and then it clocked.


    ¡°Someone from the inside tampered with the Mana Oracle. Then that means-¡±


    Felix looked at Sebastian as he nodded.


    ¡°There is a traitor among us.¡±

 CHAPTER 19: Conversation In The Forest

    ¡°Haa ....I want to take my brain out of my skull and chuck it into a gutter.¡± Felix said.¡±Why does everything have to be complicated? Why did you have to make everything difficult?¡±


    ¡°Hey don¡¯t blame me. I didn¡¯t write stuff like this. This whole incident has been alien for me too.¡±Lim said. He opened the lunch box on his lap and started eating.


    They were at their usual spot, the small forest behind Arcadia¡¯s cafeteria. After their talk with Sebastian ended, they left with the box with enhancement pills. Well only Lim, Felix refused to take it.


    Once Sebastian revealed there was a traitor, there was no need to talk further. If he knew who it was, he would have told them.


    Felix couldn¡¯t trust him either. Just cause he was the headmaster didn¡¯t mean, he couldn¡¯t have the desire to bring everything he owned down to his knees. After all, that¡¯s what traitors do.


    ¡®I need a good hot shower.¡¯


    Felix had a lunch box as well but didn¡¯t want to eat at all. All he wanted was a shower and the soft feeling of the pillow on his head.


    ¡°So what was the reason you were late coming to the headmaster¡¯s office? Felix asked, opening his lunchbox. He never wasted food.


    ¡°Oh, that,¡± Lim said, taking a bite from his chicken and rice.


    ¡°Rose approached me. Well, she waited for me in the class before everyone left..¡±


    ¡°Rose?Why?¡±


    ¡°She wants me in her Circle,¡± Lim said.


    Felix just nodded and took a bite from his meal.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you surprised?¡±


    Lim had thought Felix to ask a bit more about why she did it, but he acted as if it was normal for her to do so.


    ¡°I mean, it makes sense. You were called almost last during the test when every low-ranked student was called earlier. That made you part of the labyrinth incident which you survived and you¡¯re part of a class full of top 100 students despite being eight hundred something. That must have made her curious about you.¡± Felix said.


    Rose had always been a curious person¡­..sometimes a bit too much. She approached Felix for the same reason. He didn¡¯t talk much and except for the rumours about him, there wasn¡¯t much Rose knew about him.


    ¡®I have never shared anything about me¡­¡­.except my birthday, nor has she told me anything about her.¡¯


    She too had her secrets, but Felix had no intentions of knowing them.


    ¡°So did you accept her offer?¡± Felix asked.


    Lim shook his head.


    ¡°I said I would think about it. Her proposal was unexpected. I am leaning towards joining her but I had plans to make a Circle with you and then explore the labyrinth.¡±


    ¡°Join her,¡± Felix said.


    ¡°That seems for the best. I think it¡¯s good for us to be in separate Circles. You and I aren¡¯t meant to be here but you know the future and Rose too. The story has to progress like how you made it and like you said the story will revolve around her. You have to be near her, so most of the things are how you wrote them to be.¡±


    Lim nodded. He couldn¡¯t argue with that. He planned to work from the shadows, laying his strings and playing with fate like a puppeteer. Though he was supposed to work with Felix, his existence could cause a butterfly effect that already seemed to be in action.


    ¡°You''re right. Our existence has caused ripples to occur in the world¡¯s fate. Splitting up into different teams might be the best thing to do.¡±


    Lim said.


    Being in different Circles didn¡¯t matter. Both had the same objective, Lim to save the world, and Felix to help him only for a year.


    ¡°So how many are there in her Circle?¡±


    Felix asked.


    ¡°Five.¡± Lim pointed with his finger. ¡° As far as I remember, everyone except me is the same as I made it to be. Rose, then¡­.... I still can¡¯t remember their names. Two Stars, Rank 4 Jacob and Rank 7 Ruben then Nino, Rank 11 and me.¡±


    Lim paused as he struck his chest, because of the big piece of meat, he tried to swallow without chewing.


    ¡°Also Nino¡¯s position is complicated. She was supposed to be the 10th star. You took her spot, but just cause she¡¯s not a Star I can¡¯t ignore her. She played some crucial role in the story and has the strength to be one of the Stars.¡±


    ¡° Does she use a rapier as her main weapon?¡±


    Felix asked.


    Lim nodded


    ¡°Yeah? You know her¡±


    ¡°No. We met for the first time during the entrance test. I remember having a rapier around her waist and someone calling her name.¡±


    Felix couldn¡¯t tell what her body looked like.


    He did feel guilty staring at people¡¯s bodies to remember them, but he had no choice. Especially when he hadn¡¯t heard their voice and knew what they smelled like.


    Both didn¡¯t speak for a while and finished their lunches. As Lim burped loud enough to wake every bird in the forest, he asked.


    ¡°Anything notable happened to you?¡±


    ¡°Professor Vincent asked to be his disciple,¡± Felix said.


    ¡°He was ready to teach me an Art that didn¡¯t require any element, but I passed on it. Whatever his Art was wouldn¡¯t work for me anyway.¡±


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Felix had forgotten to tell Lim, that he was an element and Lim had figured it out through the rumours that always circulated about Felix. He didn¡¯t blame Felix for not saying it.


    It had only been four days since they met and shared their secrets. And this thing had just slipped out of Felix¡¯s mind.


    ¡°Why are you so sure that art won¡¯t work?¡±


    Lim wondered. It would have made sense if Felix rejected the proposal because of the curse he had, which made it difficult to interact with others. There was also the risk of Vincent finding out about it.


    ¡° I am not just elements, Lim. My mana is cursed.¡±


    Felix said.


    ¡°Cursed?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. So cursed that I can¡¯t even learn curse magic, unlike others who are cursed just like me. It is difficult to control my mana flow even for three seconds. And most 10-year-olds can do it for 2 minutes..¡±


    Felix was a bit embarrassed by this.


    Lim leaned back on the tree. This was a problem.....a big problem.


    ¡°When did you get the curse?¡± Lim asked.


    ¡°The same time when my vision got cursed.¡±


    Felix was strong but this was a major obstacle, that even Lim, as the author, would have a hard time finding the solution to.


    ¡°Then how do you use your Art? Doesn¡¯t any Art need you to have control of your mana for more than three seconds?¡±


    Lim was curious. He also had no idea about Felix¡¯s art. He had been meaning to ask it but conversations never went as planned.


    ¡°Yeah, even Valerius¡¯s Art does but not the Art I created¡±


    Felix said. Lim got closer to him. His eyes were wide and his breath smelled of garlic and chicken.


    ¡°Wait, hold on, you created an Art? ¡±


    Lim was shocked because creating Art wasn¡¯t a child¡¯s play¡­¡­or even adults. Only masters of their craft could do so, with extensive research, years of failure, determination and a sprinkle of luck.


    ¡°Shocking right, I was shocked too ''cause I made it by accident. Pure luck you could say. I was pretty desperate after not being able to use my family''s Art. So I was messing around with my mana when I found out that my cursed mana repelled itself when I started taking control of it. That is also why I can only command it for three seconds.¡±


    Felix¡¯s mana was like microorganisms made of magnets, but they only repelled each other, once he started moving it.¡±


    ¡°But I found a way to use that repel. I try to push as much mana as soon as I can to my fingertips or any other part of my body. As the mana repels itself, the force it creates produces a roar, and a vibration that makes my attack stronger.¡±


    Not just that the vibration travelled through objects making it even more deadly.


    Lim looked at the sky and processed what Felix just said.


    ¡®He made it sound so easy.¡¯


    He was impressed that Felix never gave up and paved his path to be one of the strongest of his age.


    ¡°No wonder you managed to beat 56 students with this Art without getting touched.¡±


    Lim knew about what Felix did. In the third class, one of his classmates came running in and shouted,


    ¡°That Felix¡­..he beat his entire class in a fight without being touched once.¡±


    That was enough to get everyone¡¯s attention and make them fear Felix even more.


    ¡°Gossip travels fast.¡±


    Felix said, crumpling his finished lunch box. It hadn¡¯t been even a day since he did this and now probably the whole academy knew about it.


    ¡®Things are getting worse for my mental health.¡¯


    ¡° So you created an Art out of necessity but what got you interested in alchemy?¡±


    Lim asked. He was pretty shocked when Felix asked for an alchemy room of his own.


    ¡°I am not interested in alchemy but only in one aspect of it, Arcane Apothecary. Most of the tools and items that I need for it are related to alchemy, that is why I asked for an alchemy room.¡±


    Felix said. He watched Lim scratching his head, trying to pronounce ¡°apothecary.¡±


    ¡°Arcane apo-apollo,apothi-


    ¡°Apothecary.¡±


    Felix interrupted.


    ¡°Yeah that- what does it mean?¡±


    Lim had never heard such fancy terms in his life.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a complicated and cool way of saying pharmacy.¡±


    ¡°Ohh.¡±


    Lim nodded. He didn¡¯t ask why Felix was interested in that. It didn¡¯t take a genius to connect the dots.


    Felix¡¯s goal to get the Orchid and interest in arcane apothecary meant he was trying to cure someone. It would be better to know who it was, but he doubted he could do anything.


    After all the flowers Felix wanted, he had never heard of it. And Lim had no idea of a disease that needed a flower that bloomed once every thousand years.


    For Lim, he found it better to help Felix reach his end goal and get the Orchid, rather than keep questioning about stuff he wouldn¡¯t be comfortable talking about.


    Lim stood up and stretched his back.


    ¡°We should get going. The club orientation is about to start.¡±


    ¡°Are you joining one?¡±


    Felix asked.


    ¡°Yeah. Travel and Exploration Club. Every main character in the story will be a part of it and some plot happens during the Club¡¯s travel. Things will go wrong and I want to see if anything happens outside the story.¡±


    Lim wasn¡¯t obsessed about making sure everything was according to the plot, but that didn¡¯t mean everything had to turn into a big mess, that further ruined his plans and him too.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you joining any?¡±


    Lim asked.


    Felix stood up.


    ¡±No, not even a bit interested in them.¡±


    He threw the crumpled lunch box at the trash bin about twenty metres in front of him. It went in. He raised his eyebrows looking at Lim with a grin.


    ¡°Anyone can do that.¡±


    Lim threw his box but didn¡¯t go in.


    ¡°Yeah, anyone but you.¡±


    Felix said as he walked away waving his hand.


    ¡°Your¡¯s was just a fluke.¡±


    Lim shouted and walked toward the trash bin. He picked up the lunchbox, walked back and started throwing it again.


    Once he got it in he flared his nose and grinned.


    ¡°I knew I was a basketball prodigy.¡±


    Said the sore loser who got a clean shot in forty-seven attempts.


    ********


    ¡°Was Felix a criminal in his past life or something?¡±


    Lim wondered. Even after he finished talking with Felix, the conversation about the curse he had still lingered.


    Others can have cursed mana too which made them unable to use any element. However, that is a boon, because now a new element opened up for them which not everyone with normal mana can use. They can use curse magic. Though any cursed user was frowned upon because of the weird effects it has on the caster as well as the target, using it wasn¡¯t illegal.


    But what kind of curse was it on Felix that didn¡¯t even allow him to use curse magic?


    ¡°He must have killed a god in his past life¡±


    As he was racking his brain, trying to figure out any details he forgot that could help Felix, he remembered something important he forgot to say-


    ¡°Ahh¡­I forgot to tell him that thing about Rose. I will have to tell him anyhow the next time we meet. Should I go to his room after this?¡±


    He made plans and walked through the long hallway. He took a turn to the left where the Travel and Exploration Club was.


    Many students were here. Some passed by while some standing in a line outside the Travel and Exploration Club.


    As he was about to join the line, chills ran down his spine. Everything came to a halt for a moment, his breathing, his heartbeat. From the corner of his eye, he turned to the clock on his left. The hand on it had stopped.


    Every student in the hallway had disappeared in plain sight. Not a single gossip, laughter and shouting could be heard. The silence was so suffocating, that Lim focused on his heartbeat, to hear a thump, but that too didn¡¯t work.


    ¡°Come to me¡±


    A whisper, soft as a breeze touched him, but its lingering presence crawled in as if trying to get inside his head.


    Lim could move again. He took in a deep breath and placed a hand on his chest. It was beating again. He looked at the clock, it was moving and the students were back at their place filling the hallway with their chatter.


    Lim walked to the club room, wiping his forehead.


    ¡®Were they supposed to be this strong?¡¯

 Chapter 20: Ghost in Town

    The Ironclad Training Centre was the Section VI of the academy. It was different from the training grounds used during practical lessons. This one was made for students to practise in their free time.


    The training centre was for every student in the academy and was separated into three buildings for each year. The Stars had their chamber inside those three-storey glass buildings.


    Felix was in his training chamber. His chamber wasn¡¯t as big as the main one but it was less crowded and peaceful for him. It was a white room, with grids aligned all over it. Nothing was in there, except a weapon stand, a water dispenser beside it and a large mirror attached to the wall on the right side of the room.


    Felix accumulated mana in his hand. He swung his spear in a vertical direction and the mana reppled itself out of his fingertips to his spear.


    Swish


    As usual, a roar echoed as the air around that spear seemed to vibrate. Felix didn¡¯t stop there, he moved his mana towards his chest. Once the mana repelled, it produced a vibration a few inches above his chest. It stayed there for a second and then vanished, He quickly pressed on the stopwatch and looked at the time.


    ¡°Haa¡­1.8 seconds¡±


    Levi let out a long breath and sat on the floor.


    ¡°Finally¡±


    There was a breakthrough and he had been doing this for the past two weeks.


    Felix could control mana around his body for three seconds but to produce the vibration using the repelling effect of his mana, it took him two seconds.


    And now after continuous training, it has dropped down by 0.2 seconds. It wasn¡¯t the biggest of improvement, but he was happy with it.


    ¡®One small step at a time.¡¯


    Felix¡¯s attack range was small. That was his strength and weakness, just like any other close combatant had, but Felix¡¯s case was different to theirs.


    Others had control over their mana. If their attack, was missed, they could easily block, dodge or follow up with another attack, without having to move mana from their core to any body part, every three seconds.


    They could do what was called Mana coating on their weapon and body. It was like adding armour that not only provided defence but made them faster and their attack deadlier.


    However, Felix was unable to do so, because of his cursed mana. He couldn¡¯t even control it, doing a mana coat was way out of his league.


    However, the vibration made his attack lethal as it could shake an object from the inside. His attacks were the perfect defence breaker.


    But if he missed, and the opponent counter-attacked him in a position where he couldn¡¯t dodge, Felix would be in big trouble. He would have no mana coating to cover himself. That is why he was trying to produce vibration at a faster rate.


    If he used his Art on the weapon, he couldn¡¯t use it anywhere else at the same time. That left him vulnerable.


    ¡°If I can execute  the Art faster, it would be the same as attacking and defending in parallel.¡±


    Felix stood up and looked at the clock on the wall ahead of it. It was 5:30 pm.


    ¡°Half an hour more, and then I can read the new book I just bought.¡±


    Felix again did the same manoeuvre. He swung his spear and then produced a vibrational energy on his chest. The progress wasn¡¯t noticeable but he knew this was the right path.


    All of this was possible because of the best weapon in his arsenal¡ªthe Sense he had.


    The Sense wasn¡¯t an Art, a Blessing or an Ability. One day, the epiphany hit him and he remembered the incident clearly. It brought a smile to his face. The only vivid memory of his childhood that made him smile.


    Felix shook his head. There was no need to focus on the past.


    As he started training again, The Sense alerted him. Something was in this room, just behind. He looked in the mirror and couldn¡¯t see anything.


    He felt a hand, trying to grab his neck. He ducked, stepped to the side and swung his spear in the air. Though there was no contact, he felt like hitting something.


    Again, there was a cold chilling sensation, this time below him, trying to grab his legs. Felix jumped back and was about to attack, but the presence was no more.


    ¡®The hell?¡¯


    Felix ran towards the training door and opened it. Nobody was there, except some students looking at him.


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    He closed the door and put a hand on his chin. What could it be? To bypass an A-class barrier around the training ground and leave without a trace.


    ¡® When it was close to me, the curse that I always see appeared in my mind. It was even worse than usual.¡¯


    Whatever it was, only one person had an answer to it.


    ¡®Where can I find him at this time of the day?¡¯


    ******


    ¡°Why is your kitchen bigger than my whole room?¡±


    Lim asked as he looked around Felix¡¯s kitchen. It was a separate tiled room, with shelves full of seasoning, bowls and cups Felix was never going to use. Lim had these Felix¡¯s Kitchen but a lot more downgraded.


    ¡°I am better than you so of course my kitchen will be better too,¡±


    Felix said as he walked to the counter.


    Lim frowned and sat on one of the four chairs around the table.


    Felix passed him a glass of water, with an ice cube on top of it.


    ¡°Thanks¡± Lim took a sip and felt the cold water slip down his throat.


    ¡°So you¡¯ve encountered it too.¡±


    Felix nodded. After leaving his training chamber, Felix rushed to this dorm, took a shower and was about to leave again to find Lim, but he was in front of his door, about to press the doorbell.


    ¡°I was training and it just came in¡­.. I don¡¯t know how but it tried to grab my neck. My attack did hit it, but I don¡¯t think whatever it was, is capable of feeling pain.¡±


    Felix walked to the sink and washed some potatoes.


    ¡° At first I thought it was a Ghost but that just seems impossible.¡±


    ¡°No, it is a ghost¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Felix turned to Lim confused.


    ¡°A ghost? How did it manage to get past all of the barriers, especially from the reach of those fire fairies¡±


    ¡°You''re right ¡±Lim said ¡°Even I considered this to be absolute bulls*t when I thought of it, but this does make sense. A ghost didn¡¯t enter the academy, not in the presence of trillions of fire fairies. Someone must have collected a bunch of fireflies and turned them into a Ghost.¡±


    Felix thought about what Lim just said as he started cutting the potatoes.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t impossible. Some professors with expertise in the academy could do so, but as far as I know, the process of conversion isn¡¯t something easy and secretive to full off.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by secretive?¡±


    Lim asked.


    ¡°I read it in a book once. Any conversion of a spirit to a ghost or the opposite needs a large amount of mana, so much that a human body or even an elf can¡¯t hold. So a magic circle is needed, a large one¡­..I think the book said a ten to twenty-metre area was needed. And to activate the circle, mana stones are needed, or items with a large reservoir of mana.¡±


    Felix paused for a while, as he started mashing the potatoes.


    ¡°If it is a Ghost, then the mana needed for the conversion probably wasn¡¯t a small quantity. Whoever summoned it must have either sacrificed a large number of mana stones around C to D rank or five to ten of A to S-ranked stones or items.¡±


    ¡°That does make sense, but how did nobody see them doing so?¡±


    Lim said as he finished his glass of water.


    ¡° Even if the stones weren¡¯t in large quantities, someone should have seen the drawing of a magic circle or even sensed such a high quantity of mana in one place¡±


    Felix started frying the potatoes and a fresh aroma of oil and herbs filled the room.


    ¡°Whoever did the conversion must know about a place, where you know, nobody could find them. And this is the work of the traitor we are searching for.  We don¡¯t know who the traitor is, but right now with this, everything points towards Professor Serena, the head of the Spirit magic department and the one who interrogated me. I can¡¯t be sure about it but we need to be extra careful of her now.¡±


    Lim shook his head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think she is the one, not from how I wrote her in the book but¡­¡­I too can¡¯t be sure right now. Nothing is how it is supposed to be. She is a prodigy, an S-class mage in spirit magic which earned her the position as the Head of the Spirit Magic department. If she is the traitor, then it makes sense for her to know some secret base or area that  I have no idea about.¡±


    As Lim was thinking about a secret place, he wrote about, Felix placed a plate of potato fritters, with salmon and a half-cut lemon on the side. He too sat on the table and passed a fork to Lim.


    ¡°The ghost for now has only come for us and I don¡¯t think the traitor went through all that trouble just to give us a scare. Before it creates chaos, we should move and try to find out about it, right now. What do you think?¡±


    ¡°We should,¡± Lim said taking the fork


    ¡° I mean only we can do it. The ghost has come only for us. We should keep it a secret from the professor. Nobody can be trusted, even the headmaster¡­.... Why does fate like to play this much with us?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think too much. Just eat. A full stomach does wonders to mind.¡±


    Felix said as he took a bite from his meal. Lim nodded and looked at the plate in front of him.


    Maybe it was because of the conversation they were having or the effect of the ghost still on him that he didn¡¯t notice the dish. The smell of chives, the crispiness of the potato, and the grilled salmon fillet looked amazing.


    Except the salmon fillet was missing on Felix¡¯s plate.


    ¡°Are you allergic to meat?¡±


    Felix shook his head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like it. Fish that I can eat, but just didn¡¯t feel like eating today.¡±


    Lim didn¡¯t ask further and started eating. The crunchiness of the potato and the char of the salmon with the lemon was great, so much so that Lim licked the plate after finishing his meal.


    ¡®He¡¯s a good cook.¡¯ Lim thought.


    ¡°We should get going now.¡±


    ¡°Go?¡± Felix said as he pointed at the sink.


    ¡°Wash the dishes first.¡±


    Lim didn¡¯t complain. After all, Felix cooked such a wonderful dish and he had to wash only two plates and forks. He took his plate as well as Felix''s and walked towards the sink. He looked inside it and turned towards Felix


    ¡°The fuck? What is this?¡±


    Felix shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°Unwashed dishes.¡±


    ¡°I can see that.¡± Levi said.¡± Why is there so much of it?  Who did you invite to your room, your whole class?¡±


    Since the dishes were inside the sink, Lim couldn¡¯t see them piled up from the table. If he did, he would have never agreed to eat in the first place.


    Felix started unwrapping a book he just bought. He walked to the living room, leaned on the sofa and started reading.


    ¡°Unbelievable, making a guest wash dishes. So much for being a gentleman.¡±


    Lim shook his head. He lathered a sponge and started washing the fifty plates and bowls.


    ¡®Curse you¡­no you''re already too cursed. Damn you Felix.¡¯

 CHAPTER 21: Search For The Ghost

    ¡°Look at your hand, shining brighter than a star.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah. It would be even more than that if you had hundreds of unwashed dishes.¡±


    Lim said as he sat on the sofa opposite Felix. He spoke nothing and Felix had his eye glued to the book.


    ¡°Here.¡±


    Lim said as he chucked a pair of glasses to Felix.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I have bad eyesight. I eat my green veggies and carrots daily.¡± Felix said


    ¡°It¡¯s one of the rewards the book gave me, for saving Tyson,¡± Lim said. It¡¯s a simple night-vision glass, and if you infuse your mana, you can even see further up to a kilometre. But it makes you dizzy.¡±


    Felix wore the glass. The field of vision became narrow, and everything was mixed in a layer of green hue.


    He poured more mana into the glass, as his vision expanded, so much that he could see the small pimple under his lips. However, his mana repelled and everything was back to normal.


    ¡®It would be handy only if I could make proper use of it.¡¯


    ¡° This is the only reward?¡± Felix asked Lim to pass the glasses to Lim.


    ¡°No. I got this.¡±


    Lim took out a silver bracelet, rusted in the middle, from his jacket¡¯s pocket.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t have a name, but it expands my mana tank and mana recovery speed by 2x.¡±


    ¡°Two times? What rank is it?¡±


    ¡°D-rank. And I got it for 1000 Lira. The rust blocked this small green gem on it, which made it worthless.¡±


    Lim said as he wore the bracelet.


    Felix nodded as he closed the book and set it on the table ¡°So, any idea how we are going to catch this ghost?¡±


    ¡°Hmmm¡­..how about we use that Sense of yours?¡±Lim said¡± We could walk around Arcadia, and with the Sense¡­.you know detect where it is. I don¡¯t think my night vision glasses are useful for transparent and invisible beings.¡±


    Felix shook his head.


    ¡°That could have worked if I had control over my Sense. It only activates when I am in danger or have a bad form in my training.¡±


    He stopped and looked at the ceiling.


    ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t have a plan, but we just can¡¯t sit around and do nothing. I think we have to follow your plan, but not search for it together¡­¡­kind off. The ghost might attack us if he spots us alone. But don¡¯t move too far from me. The Sense might not alert me if you are too far. You don¡¯t even have a weapon to defend yourself.¡±


    Felix was fine without a weapon. He was well trained in hand-to-hand combat¡­..maybe not against ghosts, but he knew his way.


    But a mage like Lim, needed a staff to make their spell accurate. Without it, a mage found it hard to channel mana out of their body into the surroundings, because the mana without a proper outlet, could explode the mage¡¯s hand. Only a B-ranked mage or higher above cast accurate magic spells without a staff.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I can have a way,¡± Lim said as he took out a pen from his pocket.


    Felix frowned. He looked at the pen and then at Lim.


    ¡°You''re planning to poke the ghost¡¯s eye-¡± Felix stopped talking. He noticed some magic circuits drawn on the pen.


    ¡°It might not be as effective as a staff but this can do the job.¡±


    Lim said. He left the room first, and after five minutes Felix followed.


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    As he closed the door, he watched Lim, strolling on a path on the far right with trees planted on the sides.


    Lim acted to crack his neck and turned to Felix¡¯s dorm. He gave him a thumbs up and walked.


    ¡®He trusts me.¡¯


    Felix''s main reason for them acting separately wasn¡¯t so the chances of ghosts attacking them were high. He didn¡¯t want to be seen with Lim together and hoped nobody saw him get out of his room.


    Many eyes were always on Felix. He was a noble after all, a powerful one at that. Everyone watched every action he took. Society made a big deal of anything he did. Felix was used to this, but this reputation of his should never reach Lim.


    Felix wanted Lim in the shadows until whatever was to happen was over. Lim, a commoner being friends with Felix, a Star and a high noble wasn¡¯t the best to shroud him.


    The attention Lim would get wouldn¡¯t be positive. Everyone would get interested in him, and with so many eyes watching, he would have to be careful of every action he took. His newfound reputation would only bring unwanted enemies.


    Felix was to help Lim and eliminate any obstacle in his path and this was the best action he could take.


    ¡®My name itself is a hindrance to him.¡¯


    Felix didn¡¯t feel good lying. He wasn¡¯t the best at reading expressions but knew Lim trusted him. And there was guilt eating him, why couldn''t he have the same trust?


    Felix shook his head. He could think about this kind of stuff, next time. He walked, maintaining a distance where nobody suspected he was following Lim.


    As Felix reached the same path, he saw some students in groups of two.


    ¡®It hasn¡¯t even been a week since classes started. Their asses must have been itching with love.¡¯


    Even though he thought like that he was jealous. Being able to love someone, even just for their status, money or face, he couldn¡¯t imagine what that was like.


    It wasn¡¯t like he was dead on the inside. The curse had haunted him so much, that talking, a normal human activity and became a survival.


    Sometimes he heard whispers of being called handsome but what did that mean? How could he tell when he couldn¡¯t look at himself or others?


    Felix didn¡¯t have many wishes, but maybe¡­just maybe someday he too could do the same. Bring his partner, let her lean onto his shoulder and hold hands.


    ¡®Haa¡­why am I this cringe all of a sudden-¡¯


    Ting


    The Sense activated. Felix was pulled out of his thoughts. He focused and tried to figure out where the Sense was leading.


    ¡®To my left.¡¯


    Felix gestured to Lim, who had been looking back to see if Felix found something. He walked behind a tree, away from people''s view as Lim approached him.


    ¡°Is it here?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell if it''s the ghost,¡± Felix said. ¡°But we have to check.¡±


    The Sense alerted him of danger, but not what the danger was. It was telling him not to go further, but he couldn¡¯t afford to do so.


    Lim nodded as he wore out his night vision glasses. The area they were headed to was the same forest where they always had their lunches, but at night the air around it was too cold and silent to enjoy a good meal. The forest was relatively safe, except for maybe occasional cases of squirrel bites.


    ¡°Are you sure you can see?¡± Lim asked, worried. Even with the night vision glasses, he was having a hard time walking through the forest, bumping into branches and tripping on rocks.


    ¡°I can¡¯t, but I just know.¡± Felix¡¯s Sense didn¡¯t let him see in the dark but it alerted him before he hit anything.


    Felix walked closer to where the Sense directed him and it kept getting stronger and stronger. Not just the feeling, but a stench, the smell of blood and rotting loomed around the area.


    Felix stopped. What the Sense pointed at was ahead of him. He pinched his nose and asked.


    ¡°Do you see anything?¡±


    But there was no response.


    ¡°Lim?¡±


    He felt a tuck behind his collar


    ¡°Run, Felix.¡±


    He said as he pulled Felix. The Sense grew larger and something was coming towards them. It was the ghost, but why did it stink of rot and blood?


    Felix ran in the dark, without being able to see anything. All he could hear was Lim panting beside him, and the rustle of leaves as they ran.


    Next thing he knew, the ghost was just about to attack Lim. Felix turned his body and struck his elbow in the air. Again like before, he felt like hitting something, as the vibration of his attack broke some branches.


    Screech


    There was a low screech, and it confused Felix.


    ¡®A ghost that has a smell and it makes a sound. Is it the ghost we know?¡¯


    ¡°Lim, can you see it?¡±


    Again there was no answer. It was a stupid question because ghosts were invisible, but the way Lim acted, it was as if he saw it.


    Lim showed no signs of stopping and kept running as if he was in a trance-like state.


    They were almost out of the forest, as they stopped at the same place where they were before.


    Once they were out, the lights on the pavement made Lim¡¯s face visible. He was pale, and his eyes had lost their usual brown colour. They were grey and hollow, just like how the illusions in Felix¡¯s vision looked like.


    He took off Lim''s glasses and slapped him.


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    Lim touched his cheek as the colour returned to his eyes. He looked at Felix.


    ¡°What happened-¡±


    He couldn¡¯t finish his sentence. Going over to one of the trees, he vomited and kept on doing it for five minutes. And it wasn¡¯t because of what Felix gave him for dinner.


    ¡°The ghost-¡± Lim spoke as he wiped his mouth. ¡°It was eating. With the glasses, I only saw its silhouette in red and yellow, but what it was eating was clear.


    He paused for a moment and looked at Felix.


    ¡°It was feeding on a human and the corpse wore the academy¡¯s uniform.¡±


    ¡®Sh*t¡¯


    Felix wore the glasses and held Lim¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°If I don¡¯t come back in ten minutes, tell the professors about the ghost.¡±


    He didn¡¯t wait and ran inside the forest again.


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    He could hear Lim saying something, but for now, he had to act in a rush. If the corpse of a student was there, then they had made a mistake hiding it from the professors.


    Felix reached the spot. He knew because Lim¡¯s pen was on the ground. But what Lim said he had seen wasn¡¯t there. However, there was a circle on the ground that didn¡¯t have a single leaf on it.


    ¡®Something was here. Either it was moved or devoured in seconds.¡¯


    Felix threw a stone at the circle to check if it was a trap. Nothing happened. He walked and stood in the circle. The leaves around it didn''t seem to want to enter, even though the ones around it moved because of the breeze.


    Felix moved around the forest for a few minutes but he spotted nothing nor did his Sense. He walked back and Lim was there sitting beside a tree


    ¡°You are too reckless, Felix,¡± Lim said, his face still pale.


    ¡°I had to find out. After all, I can¡¯t let a one-in-a-lifetime chance to see a ghost. But there was nothing, not even a single drop of blood or flesh.¡±


    Lim just nodded. He was tired, mostly afraid.


    ¡°I can¡¯t sense it anymore. Let¡¯s go for now.¡± Felix pulled up Lim and put the glasses in his pocket. He felt almost weightless and too weak. The usual atmosphere around him was gone. What he saw must not have been pretty.


    ¡°Get some sleep, it helps with getting rid of nightmares.¡±


    Felix said. He knew it better than anyone.


    Lim nodded as he looked at the sky.


    ¡°Again, I couldn¡¯t do anything.¡±


    That¡¯s all he said as he walked away without waiting for Felix.

 CHAPTER 22: Stroll In The Town

    The next day, when the classes ended, Felix didn''t walk to the cafeteria. He stopped at the edge of the courtyard, feeling the weight of the day on his shoulders. Lim wouldn''t be there either, not after what had happened. He wouldn''t be locked in his room, crying either. Felix knew that much about him. Lim would be working on something. Felix hoped so, anyway.


    He walked past the larger buildings and toward the smallest one in Section VI. It was the first-year Stars'' headquarters. Hardly any other Stars came here at this time. The first years were too timid to go near the building, and the older ones were too arrogant.


    He opened the door. The hallways smelled of dust and old wood. Felix turned left and saw him.


    There he was, Quinn, sitting alone. He was halfway through a cup of noodles, slurping quietly when he noticed Felix. His eyes widened in shock, his chopsticks frozen in the air.


    Felix walked over and sat down across from him.


    "Quinn," Felix said. His voice was even, calm.


    Quinn swallowed. The chopsticks in his hand trembled before he set them down, his fingers moving slowly, cautiously.


    "What?" Quinn said, his voice shaky. He gulped as if trying to regain control of himself. His hands gripped the edge of the table. Too hard, Felix thought. His knuckles were white. He was scared. Felix could see it.


    "I''m not here for a fight," Felix said. "Relax."


    Quinn nodded but didn''t look any less nervous. Maybe it was the effects of his power. Felix had never talked to him before, but Quinn was strong. Strong, but timid.


    "Have you noticed anything strange around the academy?" Felix asked.


    Quinn stared at him, confused. His brow furrowed, and he blinked a few times as if trying to figure out why Felix was asking. His silence dragged on, and the air between them thickened.


    "No," Quinn said, finally. He was about to stand up, his chair scraping the floor, but then he met Felix''s gaze and froze. He sat back down, like a dog told to sit, without being told. He didn''t dare move.


    Felix watched him for a moment. Quinn''s body language was strange, almost unnatural. He was stiff, his hands balled into fists now as if waiting for something bad to happen.


    "Can you see ghosts, Quinn?" Felix asked, his voice low.


    Quinn shook his head quickly. "No. I can only sense them" He tried to laugh, but it came out forced and shallow.


    "Is there any relic that lets people see ghosts?" Felix asked.


    Quinn paused. He seemed to be thinking hard like he was trying to make sense of Felix''s question.


    "No," he said slowly.


    "There isn''t. The power to see ghosts runs in the blood and the soul. You can''t fake it. To try, you''d need to capture a ghost hunter''s soul and turn that into a relic. But even then, you can''t store a soul. Blood, maybe. But the soul changes the moment it''s taken."


    Felix nodded. It was what he needed to hear. Lim''s glasses weren''t a relic. They couldn''t be. Felix had sensed nothing from them.


    But how had Lim seen the ghost? Was someone playing tricks on him? Could it have been an illusion? Felix''s mind raced.


    "Do ghosts get hungry?" Felix asked suddenly.


    "No," Quinn answered quickly. "They absorb mana through air. That''s all."


    Felix nodded again. He knew it was a stupid question, but he needed to ask.


    He stood up and gave Quinn a small nod.


    "Thanks for the answers"


    Felix left the room. Quinn sat there, shaking. He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.


    "His aura," Quinn whispered to himself. "It''s like the Lord''s."


    The power to see ghosts ran in the family. When one begins to see it, it is said they wish they had gone blind. But as time passed, it beomes normal. The ghost hunter becomes stronger and resilient, but not free from the horror they witness.


    "There is fear every time I see it, but as time passed I found peace in my horrors." That is what Quinn''s father said. And he felt Felix was the same. Scared yet resilient.


    ******


    Felix walked out into the cold air. The academy stood tall behind him. He headed toward the streets of Neon, away from the academy. He didn''t want to be here anymore. The buildings felt too close, the walls too thick.


    He wore a simple khaki shirt tucked into brown trousers and a small hat on his head. He didn''t want to attract attention, and the commoner''s clothes helped with that. But still, people stared.


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    Women, mostly. They said he was handsome. Felix didn''t know what that meant. He had never seen his face. The stares unnerved him. It felt like they wanted to devour him as if they could see something he couldn''t.


    He quickened his pace, moving toward the far end of the town where there were fewer people. The buildings were smaller here, the streets quieter. It was better this way.


    Felix passed shops with their wooden signs hanging in the breeze. Vendors called out to him, trying to lure him in with promises of cheap goods and deals. He ignored them. He wasn''t looking for anything in particular. Just a sign. A small one, hidden among the clutter.


    After fifteen minutes, he found it. A small one-story shop with a sign that read "Alluring Flowers." It looked ordinary, nothing special. But Felix knew better. The letter "s" if looked carefully with eyes enhanced with mana looked like a demon''s tail.


    He walked in. The scent of flowers hit him immediately. Roses, daisies, and others he didn''t recognize.


    "Welcome," the shopkeeper said. He was a man in his forties, dressed simply, like Felix. He smiled politely, and Felix nodded, glancing around.


    Felix wasn''t the only customer. There was another student from the Academy. Unlike Felix, he wore the uniform. He was fidgeting a lot as the florist packed a bunch of roses into a bouquet.


    The florist smiled and winked at him.


    "Hope it goes well."


    The student just smiled, paid and dashed out.


    Once the student was gone, Felix picked a purple flower and placed it on the counter. He didn''t know the name of the flower, but it didn''t matter.


    The florist smiled. "Is this all?"


    Felix didn''t answer. Instead, he picked a petal from the flower and placed it on the counter. The petals darkened, turning from purple to black.


    The florist''s smile disappeared. He walked around the counter and locked the door.


    "It''s been a while since I''ve had a true customer," the man said. "Not many people come to Neon out of curiosity."


    Felix sat down. "Curiosity kills the cat."


    The florist chuckled. "True enough. So, who do you want information on?"


    Felix pulled a piece of paper from his trousers and handed it to the florist. The man read it and chuckled.


    "No picture?"


    Felix shook his head. "You don''t need one. She''s dead."


    The florist frowned. "I find people, not ghosts. Looking into dead people''s lives isn''t my job. Too much trouble."


    Felix said nothing. He reached into his trousers and pulled out a pouch. He placed it on the counter with a clank. The florist opened it and his eyes widened. Gold coins, more than he''d seen in months, maybe years, filled the pouch.


    "It''s worth a million," Felix said, watching the man''s reaction. "Do the job, and you''ll get two more pouches just like this."


    The florist wiped the drool from his mouth and straightened up. "It''s hard, but doable."


    He pulled out a piece of parchment covered in strange symbols. Felix didn''t need instructions. He made a small cut on his finger and pressed it to the parchment. The blood smeared across the symbols, activating the contract.


    The florist did the same, except his blood was purple.


    "How much time?" Felix asked.


    "Two weeks. Finding a person is easy. Looking at their past not so much. Also not when the academy itself has already started looking into it" the florist replied, his voice steady now.


    Felix smiled and stood up. He opened the door and Before leaving, he turned to the man. "Was I ever here?"


    "No," the florist said quickly. "You weren''t."


    Satisfied, Felix left the shop. The florist watched him go, his hand trembling as he wiped the sweat from his forehead.


    "What is he?" the man whispered to himself.


    He knew Felix wasn''t like the others who wandered into his shop. Most were fools or unlucky travellers. But Felix¡ªFelix was something else. He had broken the demonic spell on the door without even trying.


    The florist looked at the contract again and sighed. He had two weeks. But something told him he had no choice in the matter. If he failed, it wouldn''t just be the money he lost. It would be his life.


    *****


    Felix walked back toward the academy. As he crossed the street, he noticed a library. It called to him. He needed a book to pass the time. He stood on the curb, waiting for the clatter of carriages to pass, then stepped into the street.


    He entered the building and walked to the second floor. There it was, a small, congested bookstore, with shelves full of disorganized books. From a glance he could tell, the books weren''t well kept.


    But he wanted to go in. After all, they do say old is gold. No one was inside the shop. Even the front desk was empty.


    "Anyone?"


    he said, but no one answered. He waited by the front desk but no one came. Bored, and impatient and walked towards the shelves and started taking out books. The books weren''t just dirty but filled with dust. Each book taken out would throw dust at him, enough to make him sick.


    At least clean your store.


    Felix took one book out, and read the title. None of them caught his attention. Most of them were story books, which he read at the age of five. After looking through almost all of the shelves, he found one.


    "The Art of Being A Bard? Bard?"


    Felix had never seen a word called Bard in his life or read this book.


    "Interesting choice."


    Felix jumped back. He turned around. A small girl stood there, with a bright smile on her face. She twirled her brown hair and walked towards Felix.


    "Do you want that?"


    The girl asked, her eyes shining enough to light the room.


    "Umm....yes," Felix said, still on his toes.


    When did she get behind me?


    His sixth sense didn''t activate. That meant she wasn''t hostile, but not ordinary as well. He always seemed to stumble at weird places and people.


    The girl snatched the book from his hand. She wiped the dust off with a cloth. As if time had turned, the book returned brand-new. The girl noticed Felix''s curiosity and nervousness.


    "I ain''t a witch or a legendary retired magician. This isn''t any ordinary dust or book. The papers are made from Chalice tree and the dust too. The dust keeps the colour of the book. The writings don''t wither away with time and water. The paper is too hard for insects to eat."


    The girl said.


    Felix had never heard of the Chalice tree or had seen this method of preserving books. There were other ways, much cleaner than this. But this was fascinating in its own way.


    "How much?"


    He asked.


    "117 Lira"


    Felix squinted. The book was more expensive than he thought even by his standards. Maybe it was because of the material. He read the author''s name. It was the first time he had seen it.


    The girl noticed his hesitation and scuffed.


    "It''s expensive cause this is the only copy left. The writing in a Chalice paper cannot be copied with magic. People these days are too lazy to do anything that cannot be done without magic."


    "Then why don''t you do it?" Felix asked.


    "Cause I belong to one of those lazy people too." She smirked and eyed the purse in Felix''s hand.


    Felix sighed and handed her the money.


    "Good doing business with you."


    She packed the book in a bag. Felix took it and left. As he was leaving, he heard.


    "Be sure to come here again. After all, it''s been a while since someone decided to become a bard."


    Felix walked out of the library, the book under his arm. The girl''s words echoed in his head. Bard. What did that even mean? Was it a joke? He didn''t know. All he knew was that the book felt heavier than it should.


    As he made his way back to the academy, the sun had started to set. Shadows stretched across the street. The academy gates loomed ahead.


    He slipped inside and made his way to his dorm, itching to turn the pages.

 CHAPTER 23: Two Choices

    Felix brewed a cup of peach tea with a dusting of cinnamon. It was his favourite. He sipped and let out a long breath, one that felt like it came from an old man. Sitting at the small table beside his bed and the only window in his room, he opened the book.


    "THE ART OF BEING A BARD"


    That was it. No author. No publisher. No dedications. The first three pages were blank on both sides. The fourth page was where the story began.


    This sucks. How am I supposed to do this without a staff? A magician without a staff is like a tiger without teeth. Everyone else has one. And just because I don''t have ''noble blood,'' I can''t even use one. Not that I could afford it anyway.


    "Tim, to be great, you don''t need a tool. A great magician can make a tool out of anything. Everything around you is magic. And a bard doesn''t need a staff. All you need is your mana and the will to create a muse."


    He always said the same thing. How can I do it? My wind spells aren''t even accurate without a staff. Controlling sound? Ha. Impossible. Easy for him to say, with talent handed down by the heavens and a family to boot. As for me, all I hear are whispers no one else can hear. And it''s not angels singing. It''s the devil''s shouting.


    Felix stopped reading after ten pages. Walking around the town had tired him. The bed called to him more than the secrets of the book.


    I will finish it in the morning, sleep comes first.


    He crept undo the bed and snuggled his pillow. But some things in the book made him question things.


    The author, "Tim," mostly complained about how unfair the world was. How it was against him, and everyone else was too, except for one person¡ªthe "he" Tim always referred to. Probably his mentor.


    But Felix had picked up two things so far. First, a bard was a class of magicians, and their magic involved sound. What those sounds could do that, he didn''t know yet, but it excited him. After all, he too used sound and vibrations, when he fought.


    And the second thing that caught his attention was this line:


    "All I can do is hear whispers that nobody else hears. And it''s not angels singing, but devils shouting."


    Devils shouting. It seemed familiar. No¡ªit was exactly what Felix experienced. Except he didn''t hear them; he saw them.


    Tim had the same curse as Felix. But how? Felix didn''t know. He was clueless about how he''d been cursed in the first place. Though it wasn''t a coincidence he chose this book. Maybe the book chose him. Work of fate or strings of devils¡ªthat, Felix had to figure out. On his own. For now, he just wanted a good night''s sleep.


    ________________________________________________________________________________________________


    "So, have you decided on your Circle?" Lim asked. He took his usual spot on the forest floor. Felix sat nearby, taking the bacon out of his sandwich.


    "No," Felix said, tossing the bacon onto Lim''s lunch.


    They didn''t speak. Felix enjoyed the bacon-less sandwich. Lim felt the silence. Awkwardness hung between them, at least for him.


    That night, when Lim turned his back and walked away, he felt weak. He always had been. But this was different, like he was 15 again, the boy who couldn''t care less about anyone but himself. The weak boy that forced a smile to keep the bully from beating him.


    Yes, what he saw that night had been shocking. But leaving Felix behind was never the answer. He was already fighting a battle that wasn''t his. If only Lim had talked, maybe¡ªjust maybe¡ªthe whole thing could have been solved that night. But because of him, the ghost still lurked.


    "I¡ªI''m sorry for not¡ª"


    Before Lim could finish, Felix handed him the book.


    Lim looked at the title.


    "The Art of Being a Bard?" Lim raised an eyebrow. "Wait¡ªa bard? Why does a spearman like you want to be a bard?"


    Felix was surprised by that answer.


    "I picked it up on a whim. I don''t even know what a bard is. Most people in this world don''t either."


    Lim nodded slowly. Bard. It could be a lost art or be rare and insignificant that no one cares anymore.


    "Bards are a common trope in fantasy books," Lim said. "At least where I''m from. They''re what you''d call supporters in a team. Their melodies can enhance the powers of their allies. It can even heal. The best ones, though¡ªthey can stir emotions. Make you feel things you didn''t even know were there."


    Felix nodded, taking it in. That was good information.


    "Well, the other thing," Felix continued, "the one who wrote this¡ªhe seems to have the same curse as I do. Just on the hearing side of things. You know, like hearing ghosts or demons."


    Lim nodded again. This was more than just a book. It was a treasure. The source of a forgotten power. And the author¡ªcursed, like Felix.


    "Maybe this book has a cure for your curse," Lim said. "Have you finished reading it?"


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    Felix shook his head. "No."


    "Why not? The faster you finish, the more secrets you could unlock."


    Lim was right. It would be better to read it all the way through. But Felix sighed.


    "That was my plan. I tried to finish it this morning, but there''s nothing past the fifteenth page. There is the first path to becoming a bard. If I complete it maybe the rest will appear."


    "I see." Lim passed the book back. Silence crept into the forest again.


    "The ghost," Felix said suddenly.


    Lim flinched. The ghost and the half-eaten body flashed in his mind. Felix noticed the reaction. It was normal.


    "I plan to go into the forest," Felix said.


    "N-no."


    It took courage for Lim to say that.


    "I can''t. The truth is¡ªI don''t know how to handle it. I''m not strong. My legs shake just thinking about it. And as the author, I''m ashamed to admit I''m not in control. I am clueless. But you''re not going in there alone."


    "Who said I''m fighting it?" Felix asked.


    "Huh? Then what?"


    "All I''m doing is luring it. You''re the one killing it."


    Felix watched as Lim''s face paled. Lim gulped, his throat drier than a desert.


    "But¡ª"


    "No buts," Felix cut him off. "We have no choice. It''s after us. And if we don''t deal with it, it''ll find someone else. Maybe one of the students. And someone''s life will be gone, just because we hesitated."


    "Why not ask for help? You know we''re just students, right?"


    Lim tried to chuckle, but it came out awkward. Felix''s eyes narrowed, disappointment clear.


    "You know why we can''t," Felix said. "Fear shouldn''t cloud your judgment, Lim. Either you come to the forest tomorrow night, or you''ll find my half-eaten body in the ghost''s mouth. Your choice."


    Felix stood and walked away. Lim didn''t stop him. His courage was long gone. That creature had taken it.


    Lim sighed deeply and looked up at the sky.


    "I just want to watch Cat Girls," he muttered.


    ________________________________________________________________________________________________


    Was I too harsh? Felix thought as he walked. No. Don''t regret it. It was necessary. We don''t have time for him to come out of his shell to crawl back in when things go south. He has to face it. Now or never.


    Felix made his way to the training chambers. Every Star had one; it was the perfect place for him to try new techniques without prying eyes.


    Felix opened the door to his chamber, his mana print triggering the lock, and stepped inside. Just as the doors were about to close, he felt a gust of wind sweep past him.


    "You''ve been training a lot lately," a voice called from behind.


    Felix didn''t turn around. "And you''ve become quite the stalker."


    A familiar whistle echoed through the chamber as Rose slipped in, her face dangerously close to his. Too close, like always.


    "The door was open for too long. It seemed like an invitation to me."


    It wasn''t even open for a second.


    Felix gave her a thin smile. "Now I ask you to leave."


    He gestured to the door, but Rose shook her head, ignoring the hint.


    "The training chamber they give us is too big and the public ones are too crowded. It feels lonely, okay? What''s the harm in us training together?"


    Felix sighed, already exhausted by her games. She wasn''t someone who craved company, not in the way she made it seem.


    "You''re the problem," he said bluntly. "So leave."


    But Rose merely walked to a corner of the chamber, planted her sword on the ground, and sat with a pout. "Do what you can to kick me out."


    Felix shook his head and sighed again. "Suit yourself."


    He sat on the floor, his back to her, and pulled out the book.


    Okay, all I have to do is create a sound using my mana. Then, within a beat, amplify it. Try to make music, a harmony that heals the heart. Haa... What does that even mean?*


    Felix frowned. The text was vague like it expected him to fill in the blanks. He, like the author Tim, would have to figure it out alone. No guidance, no mentor. Just trial and error.


    My elective piano classes might come in handy for once.


    He had never thought his quiet hobby would amount to anything. But now, in this chamber, it seemed to have some relevance.


    He walked over to the weapons shelf and pulled out a sword. Rose, watching him from the other side of the room, narrowed her eyes. He could tell. She wasn''t here to train.


    She doesn''t intend to train, does she?


    Felix knew why, why she was interested in him.


    He didn''t train. Once he hit his limit, he stopped. The cursed mana in his veins kept him from growing stronger, and no amount of effort had ever been enough to overcome it. So he trained lightly to change the only thing he could, reduce the time it took to create vibrations. An hour or so a day, nowhere near the intensity of the other students.


    Felix stood in the centre of the room and closed his eyes, gripping the spear. He struck it against the ground, the sound ringing through the chamber. He wanted to control that sound¡ªthe sharp, metallic *Tang*¡ªand mould it.


    In his mind, he imagined standing in a pool of still water. Every strike on the ground produced ripples in the lake. He needed those ripples to create a tone, something akin to a G-major on a piano. To him, the G-major chord felt calm, and healing¡ªa comfort he desperately wanted to recreate.


    But each attempt failed. It sounded more like a hammer driving a nail, harsh and jarring. Maybe some people could find comfort in that, but not Felix.


    He repeated the motion over a hundred times, failing every time. He stopped, breathing heavily, wiping the sweat from his forehead with the bottom of his shirt. Rose sat beside him now, tilting her head.


    "Are you testing the quality of the floor? I assure you, it can handle a B-ranked spell," she teased.


    "It''s something else," Felix replied, the irritation clear in his voice.


    Rose''s eyes drifted down to the horizontal scar on his abdomen, exposed as he wiped his brow.


    "Does that still hurt?" she asked softly.


    "No," Felix said, his voice flat. "It never really did... but for the first seven days, it felt like someone was ripping me apart, bit by bit, with a dull knife."


    Rose didn''t respond. She couldn''t relate to that kind of pain, and she wasn''t asking about the physical wound. She knew that the source and cause of pain often lingered long after the wound itself healed.


    Without another word, Rose stood and left. The door slid shut behind her with a soft hiss. Felix hadn''t even noticed her leave, too deep in his failed attempts to control the sound. When he finally opened his eyes, the guilt started creeping in.


    Maybe she had something to say, he thought. I should''ve talked to her and asked her what she wanted.


    But then again, Rose was different. She wasn''t like the others. There was something strange about her, something he couldn''t quite place. It wasn''t her demeanour, nor was it her actions¡ªit was her face. Unlike the others, who bore their scars and imperfections, hers was blank, like an untouched canvas. A canvas he had always wanted to paint, but never dared to approach. Fear held him back.


    Fear of ruining it. Fear of turning something empty into something worse. Something no one would want to look at.


    Felix sat down again and stared at the floor. He could feel the weight of his curse bearing down on him, stifling every inch of progress he tried to make. Rose''s presence had stirred something in him¡ªa mixture of frustration and self-doubt that gnawed at the back of his mind.


    Why do I push people away? he wondered. Why do I avoid the ones who care, the ones who try to understand?


    Out of everyone, Rose always approached him. No matter what he said to push her away, she talked with a smile.


    He sighed, closed his eyes, and returned to his training. There was still so much to figure out. So much left to learn about the sound, the harmony, and the magic he was trying to create. And about Rose too.


    He would figure it out.


    Alone.


    As always.

 CHAPTER 24: Bait

    She isn''t here


    Felix thought as he walked inside the Star''s meeting room. Rose was always the first to arrive for their usual half-hour morning meeting.


    He walked to his seat and looked at the calendar. It was Friday, and there would be no meeting on this day.


    Haa... Why didn''t I check it first?


    Felix took out some papers from his bag. He had to do some paperwork for some upcoming events and also manage the current structure of club members from the first year.


    The dark chocolates he had bought for her would have to stay in there for now.


    As Felix got to work, after ten minutes, Stella entered the room. She saw Felix at the table and didn''t go in. But after a few minutes, she walked in. Her strides were confident and furious. She took her seat far away from him and started writing.


    Not even once did Felix turn her way and acknowledge her presence. It was the best thing to do for him and her sanity.


    For an hour, neither said a word and went on with their work. Felix finished his. He took the papers and walked to the front desk. He stapled them and put a note on top:


    "Finished with organising the budget for the archery, sword, and mage clubs."


    As he was about to leave, he peeked at Stella''s paper. At a glance, he could tell she was struggling. It made sense; she had always been like that, bad with numbers.


    Stella noticed Felix''s stare.


    "You''ve got a problem?"


    "No. Rose might have if she sees what you have done."


    Felix''s reply made her even more mad. But there was no denying she was making a mess of the work.


    Should I help her? No, she would rather do the work a thousand times than get my help. But Rose might push it onto him if she fails. What a pain.


    Felix sat, wrote something on a paper, and put it on the table a few inches away from Stella. She frowned and looked at him, but he walked out of the room without saying anything.


    Stella didn''t touch the paper and went on with her work. But after fifteen minutes of getting nowhere, she banged her head on the table.


    "Rose is too busy to help me, so I can''t ask her. Oscar isn''t good with this stuff as well, and he is usually out for training and meetings."


    Stella did have friends who could help her. But these paperwork weren''t meant to be seen by them, so she was all on her own. Except for the paper in front of her. It was meant for her, but she''d rather cut her hand than take it.


    But her stubbornness would cost the team. She reached out her hand. It shook just to take the paper. Just the fact that Felix kept it there for her was revolting. And more revolting was that she had to take it.


    She took it. The format for the documents was there. And the way it had been written, dumbed down was easy for Stella to understand. There were no complicated words. He had circled anything hard and given the formula for it. It was the perfect guide.


    And she hated it. She hated that he still understood her well. However, for now, she had to swallow her ego and finish her work.


    _______________________________________________________________________________________________


    Felix entered his training chamber. He found a note stuck on the inside of the door. It said that the apothecary room he had asked for had been created, just when he needed it. He was headed there.


    The room was next to Professor Ian''s office. They had designed it to appear like a storage room for the professor rather than a personal laboratory for a student.


    As Felix reached for the door handle, Professor Ian walked out from the adjoining room.


    "Anti-social Felix. You must be eager to see your new room."


    "Yes, professor."


    Felix replied with a thin smile. He didn''t like being called anti-social. It wasn''t just rude; it was the truth.


    "You deserve it," Ian said, twirling his moustache. "I hoped they wouldn''t place it in the darkest corner, but at least it stays a secret this way."


    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    "It does," Felix said, gripping the doorknob. Ian''s presence, his face made his stomach turn.


    "If you need help, come to the next room. I consider myself a reliable professor."


    Ian flexed his biceps, snorting like a bull.


    "I will," Felix said. As Ian walked away, Felix quickly stepped into the room.


    That was close.


    He took a deep breath. Ian''s bald head and the weird moustache made him a lot scarier than other people.


    Felix glanced around the room. The room was small, but it was sufficient. Bundles of lavender, rosemary, and sage hung from the ceiling, filling the air with a soft, earthy scent.


    In the centre stood a sturdy workbench. A cauldron sat nearby, waiting. Tools were scattered about¡ªmortar and pestle, bottles, and flasks. To the left, shelves held glass jars and ceramic containers, all labelled. The ingredients inside¡ªmandrake, Silverleaf, and other herbs


    To the right, rows of potions and vials glowed faintly. In the far corner, a crystal ball rested on a pedestal, with incense smoke curling around it.


    Felix stood still for a moment, taking it all in. This room was better than the one he had before at the family mansion. He had made many mistakes setting up that space. The ingredients needed proper storage. Otherwise, the air ruined them, and sometimes the fragrance of different flowers and potions caused poisoning, which he had found out the hard way.


    Felix walked to the right, where the potions were, and examined them. There were common potions, like healing and strength-enhancing potions. Most were F-ranked. Yet some items here were expensive.


    "They even got me a wyvern''s blood. And it''s not from an ordinary wyvern."


    Felix, impressed, looked around the room, noting the ingredients. Then he got to work. He donned gloves, a mask, and a hair cover. He moved to each shelf, pulling out the ingredients and setting them on the central desk and started working.


    If anyone saw him work, they would think he came from a family of alchemists. Not once was he distracted. The concoction required precision. One mistake, and he would have to start over. Buy the ingredients, and clean the room, and the fear of messing up would distract him. He had endured his fair share of failures, and each time, it was hell to restart.


    Felix worked for an hour in the chamber. Sweating and proud, he poured the final product¡ªa red, gooey substance¡ªinto a small potion flask.


    He stored it in a box filled with ice crystals, removed his equipment, cleaned the area, and glanced at the time.


    It was eight in the evening. Now all he had to do was wait. Wait until tomorrow night, when he would play his part, and Lim would play his.


    _______________________________________________________________________________________________


    Lim took deep, slow breaths as he approached the edge of the forest. His body and mind screamed for him to turn back and leave. But he couldn''t keep running from it. He had to face it, especially with someone waiting and willing to help him.


    Lim could see Felix standing in front of a tree. He seemed to be carving something into a tree. Lim stood behind him and peeked over his shoulder.


    "Is that a penis?"


    Felix didn''t respond. He tossed the stone and feigned calm.


    "It''s a dragon¡­ um, a newly born dragon. They have little hairs on their ears and really¡­ long mouths."


    "I don''t see any eyes, though."


    "I''m not an artist" Felix replied.


    Lim could only shake his head. Sometimes, Felix seemed the most mature and responsible person he knew. Other times, he felt like the most childish.


    "Be ready and wait here. I''ll go in and lure it," Felix said before stepping forward.


    "Wait. I don''t think it''s a good idea for you to go in alone and lure the ghost. First of all, we don''t know where it is. Its powers are unknown. It could get you before you get it out of the forest. And fighting it where others can see us isn''t smart. We should go together."


    Lim hadn''t just sat, cowering. He wanted to rid himself of the ghost as quickly as possible. He had thought of many plans, which led to nothing. Fear held him back. With Felix''s "do or die" plan, he had to step up.


    "Okay. Then come with me."


    Felix agreed with Lim''s plan. It came too easily. Felix''s plans usually had holes in them. Then it dawned on Lim. Felix never intended to lure the ghost out. He wanted to ensure Lim was there.


    I walked right into his trap, Lim thought as Felix led them into the forest.


    Lim donned his night glasses and trailed behind Felix. They walked the same path they had taken three days ago. After fifteen minutes, Felix stopped.


    "Cast a light spell, Lim," Felix instructed.


    Lim cast the spell, and a small ball of light floated above their heads. Felix kicked the leaves aside and picked up a stick. With it, he began drawing a mana circle.


    From inside his coat, Felix retrieved a square piece of meat wrapped in paper. He placed it in the centre of the mana circle. Then he took out the potion from yesterday and poured it into the circle.


    The red slime-like liquid crawled around the circle, meeting in the middle just below where the meat lay.


    Felix then moved to one of the bushes and hid in them. "Lim, pour your mana into the circle until the liquid boils. Turn off the light and come here."


    Lim didn''t know what was happening or what was about to occur. He had many questions but felt too scared to ask.


    With his fingertip, he poured mana into the circle. The liquid boiled, and steam rose from it. He dispelled the floating light and hid behind Felix.


    Now, all he had to do was wait for whatever was about to happen.


    The liquid continued to boil, cracking like firecrackers. Then it began to move into the meat. It soaked up the potion until the colour changed to something that hadn''t been stored properly, dark and bleak.


    Then nothing happened. Lim looked at Felix and back at the meat. After a while, the meat began to convulse as if it were alive and in pain. It broke apart into a mush of flesh, growing and expanding.


    The mush began to form a structure. It formed legs, then thighs, slowly moving upward until it became human.


    A human with no skin, eyes, lips, or anything that defined humanity. It was just a tall mass of flesh in a human shape.


    The smell was of rotten meat, potent enough that even from a distance, Lim could detect it. He had to cover his nose. Felix, on the other hand, inhaled deeply.


    He didn''t enjoy the stench, but the potency signalled that his potion had worked wonders.


    "What in the world did you make?" Lim asked, horrified. What he saw wasn''t apothecary; it was black magic.


    "You did it. It''s made from your mana. Look, its head shape is just like yours."


    Felix said, and Lim frowned. He was ugly but nowhere near that level.


    As he was about to respond, he felt chills run down his back. That thing was here. He could sense it. His fear alerts him.


    "Get ready," Felix said, holding a knife and looking at Lim. Lim didn''t look back. His eyes were glued ahead as he watched the face of his worst nightmare move toward the mass of flesh.

 CHAPTER 25: Done And Dusted

    Lim fumbled for his staff. The darkness was heavy. Everything felt worse. There was no running this time. He poked his leg with the staff. The pain reminded him not to flee.


    Then the ghost appeared¡ªhideous and terrifying. Its grey skin looked lifeless. Its eyes were hollow. The nose was half-severed. The mouth was a jagged mess, with stitches on one side. Blood dripped from its lips, pooling at its feet.


    Long, thin fingers moved to its mouth, dragging across its face, slicing through stitches. Lim watched in horror as its mouth opened wider, spilling blood and chunks of flesh onto the ground.


    He clamped a hand over his mouth, fighting the urge to vomit.


    The ghost''s neck twisted unnaturally, and its head dangled. Its body looked like a stick figure, with bones jutting out and strips of flesh hanging off. Lim realized it had no lower body. The ghost floated toward the flesh decoy lying before it.


    Felix sensed the horror closing in. He could feel the creature''s hunger and Lim''s fear.


    The ghost hovered before the decoy, stroking its head with sickening tenderness. It opened its mouth, releasing steam. Lim''s stomach churned.


    He gagged and vomited. The sound shattered the night''s stillness.


    "Blergh!"


    The ghost turned its head toward their hiding spot. The sound had drawn its attention. Its long fingers extended toward them, reaching like skeletal vines.


    Lim readied his staff. He was about to unleash a spell. But Felix grabbed his arm, shaking his head, urging silence.


    Felix struck the ground with the back of his knife, creating a subtle vibration that moved toward the decoy. It wriggled, catching the ghost''s focus.


    The creature seemed satisfied with the movement as if the decoy was alive. It turned back to the decoy, and licked it, savouring the thrill of a meal.


    Nausea rose again. Lim puked once more. Felix patted his shoulder.


    "Chant a wind spell and fire it when I tell you."


    Lim nodded, though doubt lingered in his mind. Would his spell be enough to stop the creature? He avoided looking at it, not wanting to witness the horror.


    The ghost growled, teeth grinding as it devoured the decoy. Lim dared a glance. It consumed the decoy entirely, leaving a bloody mess.


    The ghost licked its fingers clean, enjoying the taste of its feast.


    Felix held his knife ready to attack.


    "Whatever you have planned, I hope it works"


    Lim said, heart racing.


    "I can''t face it again."


    He began to chant, feeling the power build in his staff. It glowed green, illuminating the darkness. Felix focused on the creature. When the spell finished, Felix dashed forward.


    The ghost turned, howling as it moved to strike. Its skeletal hand reached out, nails sharp. But Felix dodged, leaping aside and driving his knife into one of its hollow eyes.


    The ghost didn''t scream. It felt no pain.


    It lunged at Felix. He leapt above it and clapped his hands together.


    Ting.


    The sound rang out, sharp and clear. The ghost screamed, its hands flying to its ears. The knife reacted, exploding with force.


    "Argh!" the ghost cried.


    "Hit its head, Lim!" Felix shouted.


    Lim stood tall and pointed his staff at the ghost.


    "Gale Shot!"


    he shouted, launching a ball of wind toward it.


    The impact was fierce. The ghost''s neck cracked. Its head dangled at an odd angle. Flames ignited, enveloping its face, and spreading toward its neck.


    The ghost fell, scraping its face against the ground. But the fire only grew stronger.


    Lim''s heart raced. What weapon had Felix used? A knife that could create flames?


    Felix withdrew another knife, charging toward the ghost. As he approached, spikes of bone erupted from its body. Lim conjured a wall of wind to shield Felix.


    Felix aimed for the back of the ghost''s head. At the last moment, the ghost turned, its face disintegrating into ash.


    The ghost screamed, sending a shockwave that slammed Felix back against a tree branch. Lim struck the earth with his foot. Stone beams shot up, hitting the ghost with force.


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    It felt no pain. But the assault halted the barrage of bone spikes.


    Lim began to chant another spell, but the ghost''s claws were inches from his face.


    In a flash, Lim disappeared, using [Blink] to reappear behind the ghost, coughing blood.


    "Eat this!"


    he yelled, firing another Gale Shot.


    The ghost, distracted, swatted at the air, parrying the spell. At that moment, Felix threw another knife, aiming for the ghost''s body.


    He clapped his hands again.


    Boom.


    Another explosion shook the ground. The ghost cried out in agony, "Argh!"


    Felix rushed toward Lim, barely able to keep his footing, blood dripping from his wounds. He hoisted Lim onto his shoulder and started to run.


    "What about the ghost?" Lim asked, panic rising.


    "Our work is done," Felix replied, leading them behind a sturdy tree. They watched from a distance.


    The ghost writhed, teeth elongating as it tried to consume the flames. Its claws scratched and tore at its flesh. Bones erupted from its form.


    Flames consumed half of it, leaving only ashes behind.


    Screams filled the night, a chorus of despair. Finally, after a long struggle, the ghost''s form dissolved, its ashes whisked away by the wind.


    Before it vanished completely, it uttered a final word:


    "M-y-c-h-i-l-d."


    _________________________________________________________________________________________________


    Lim slid down, sitting on the ground. He leaned back, exhaling in relief.


    "You did it."


    Felix shook his head.


    "We did it."


    They fell into silence, breathing heavily, trying to regain their composure.


    "I''d rather fight a hundred goblins than one of these, and I hate those green bastards,"


    Lim said, cracking his neck in pain.


    "Same."


    Felix sat down, eyes closed. Lim felt he hadn''t done much. He created two spells of the highest calibre he could. But his ability took its toll. The drawback was heavy.


    One question rang in his mind as he recalled the fight.


    "I didn''t know there was a way to lure a ghost."


    As the author, he hadn''t dived deep into ghosts. They appeared later in the story, never this daunting.


    "That wasn''t a ghost. It was a Morrowraith."


    "A Morr-What?" Lim had never heard of anything like that. Not even in the books he had read or written.


    Felix was surprised. No wonder Lim had no idea how to deal with it.


    "Ghosts are dead creatures, just souls trapped here. They don''t have a physical body. A Morrowraith is a creature, halfway between life and death. It''s neither a ghost nor alive. You could say it''s a corpse with the power of a ghost."


    Lim found it fascinating. "So fire is its weakness."


    Felix shook his head. "Not quite. Like ghosts, only holy magic and exorcism can kill them. Burn it, and once a ghost is touched by holy light or exorcism, it cannot regenerate its destroyed body part. Morrowraiths can do so. What I used was an exorcism technique used in the old days. "


    Lim was impressed. Felix knew many things. Every part of his plan was perfect and neatly executed. Since he knew the Morrowraith would regenerate, he created flames that wouldn''t die unless the creature turned to ash.


    "So was the knife a special relic that created an unquenchable flame?"


    "No. Just normal explosive knives. I tweaked them to explode with my mana vibration. The potion caused it."


    "Your potion?" Lim asked, confused but curious.


    "Yeah. The academy finished building my apothecary lab. They were kind enough to give me some expensive materials. Two of the items were perfect for me. A wyvern''s blood¡ªnot just any wyvern, but a blood wyvern. Its blood burns and cannot be extinguished unless the object it is on turns to ash, or if you sprinkle it with wyvern dust or use A-rank water magic."


    Felix paused, then added more.


    "The potion was mixed with a Vessel Draught. It turns meat into a flesh decoy of whoever infuses mana into it for two minutes. That''s all the time we needed. The Morrowraith was hungry for a human, so I just had to make one. Once it ate it, the wyvern''s blood seeped into its body, and our job was done."


    Lim listened, mouth agape. Brilliant. Genius. Terrifying. That summed up Felix''s plan.


    If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.


    The quote came to Lim''s mind. It captured Felix''s ability. He was locked in a room with the lights on, so the ghost didn''t come in. While Felix worked, making plans and potions, Lim didn''t have to.


    "How are you so talented and fearless?"


    Felix scoffed.


    "Talented doesn''t suit me. Lucky would be better. Most of what I made was from alchemy. I was lucky to create it on the first try. This Morrowraith was starved. We were lucky. It''s a B-ranked creature. It would have taken more than just burning it. As for being fearless, I see worse things than that every day."


    Lim nodded. He learned something new. His sympathy for Felix grew. That Morrowraith was the worst he had seen. For Felix to stay sane seeing thousands of faces worse than that was admirable.


    "But how did you know it was a Morrowraith?"


    "Because it attacked us in broad daylight. Ghosts don''t do that. They avoid light and don''t attack humans outside their territory. The fact that you saw it, despite being a ghost hunter, solidified that fact. But there''s one thing that bothered me."


    "What?"


    Lim asked.


    "Why did it attack us? Morrowraiths usually eat cows and chickens. Farmers often hire ghost hunters to get rid of them. You saw that half-eaten girl in its mouth, right?"


    "Yeah,"


    Lim shivered at the memory.


    "That wasn''t a girl. It was an illusion."


    "Illusion?" Lim felt confusion rise. Why would there be an illusion of a corpse in its mouth? Then it clicked. "Does it cast an illusion when it''s on the verge of starvation?"


    Felix nodded. "Yes, it creates an illusion of eating its prey to satisfy its hunger. And that''s the problem. I¡¯ve never heard of them with the desire to eat humans. They can become invisible and pass through walls, but the academy walls resist ghosts or any of their kind."


    Lim recalled something that puzzled him too. "Can they make time slow? When it attacked me in the hall, for a moment, time seemed to freeze "


    Felix sighed. The Morrowraith was gone, but the headache lingered. They still had so much to figure out.


    "Let''s think later. I just want a shower."


    "Me too. And some fried rice" Lim said, starting to walk, with Felix following.


    He noticed something off about Lim, especially at the back of his head.


    "You might need a haircut."


    Lim turned back.


    "Why? I think this suits me."


    "No, not because of that. The flames must have caught your hair, when I carried you behind that tree, "


    "What?"


    Lim touched the back of his head. Strands of burnt hair fell away.


    "That made it worse. I can see your scalp," Felix said, chuckling.


    "You might need to shave it all off."


    "No! My hair is the one thing that makes me look decent,"


    Lim protested, covering the back of his head while Felix continued to laugh at his expense.


    They reached the academy. Felix was still giggling.


    "If you want to shave it, come to my room."


    "Shut up."


    Lim was pissed, really pissed. But he couldn''t blame Felix. He saves his life, at the cost of his hair. As he was about to say something, Felix''s eyes distracted him. He looked pleased and relieved. Not cause the work was done, but Lim had returned to his old self.


    "Good job today."


    Felix waved his hand and walked toward his dorm. Lim stood there, watching his back with a quiet smile. After living in two different worlds he had finally found someone he could proudly call a friend.


    For the first time in a long while, the night didn¡¯t feel so heavy.

 CHAPTER 26: Second Floor

    ¡°I slept like a pig.¡±


    Felix glanced at the clock. It was 10 in the morning, and he just woke up. The battle tired him a lot more than he realized. Every part of his body felt sore and tight.


    He started stretching by the window and looked outside. Groups of students were walking by. Instead of their usual black and red school uniforms, they wore battle outfits.


    Everyone had an armoured one, of different colour, sizes and according to their battle roles. The close combatants had their whole bodies covered in armour. The archers wore simple chest plates, with light clothes, enforced with mana. The mages wore braces on their forearms. The cloak they wore served as their defence.


    Then Felix remembered that from today, the academy¡¯s labyrinth, Nexus, was available to the first year. This wasn¡¯t a one-time event. Every student at any time, could explore the labyrinth. Except during their class time, and at night.


    Some groups of students carried their banners. They either had a drawing or the name of their Circle. Most of the logos looked stupid, but they didn¡¯t care. Excited and nervous they walked with their mates for their first expedition.


    Felix also had plans to explore Nexus, but he had no Circle. It¡¯s not that he had a choice. No one would take him in or anyone was stupid to join him. Rose already had one, and she knew Felix wouldn¡¯t join hers. She didn¡¯t bother asking.


    Lim was in her circle. Oscar could be an option but with Stella there, he had no chance of being part of it. Many knew him but didn¡¯t want him in the Circle, which was fine.


    Felix liked to do things alone anyway. He ate his breakfast and separated his laundry so the maid would pick it up, without having to do any extra work.


    Just beside his bed, there was a chest. He had brought it back from home. He opened it.


    He wore the armour and checked in the mirror. A  silver-coloured armour made from iron. It had no intricate designs or any extraordinary features. Just iron armour, light and strong, enough to do the job.


    He picked up the spear he had hung on the wall and walked out of his room. As he made his way to Nexus, the students made way for him. Even though he wasn¡¯t in his usual attire with the green brooch, they recognized him. Everyone feared him. Nobody dared challenge his authority as the Tenth Star. Except for one.


    ¡°Felix.¡±


    Someone shouted from the back.


    Felix sighed.


    Why do people always want a fight with me? Do they want to punch me that bad?


    Her short black hair framed a sharp, angular face, and her dark eyes held a quiet intensity. High cheekbones and a strong jawline gave her a commanding presence, while the armour she wore added to her striking appearance, making her seem both formidable and captivating. Too bad, Felix could only see an angry howling demon walking towards him.


    Three of her friends were pulling her. She was about to say something stupid and they had to stop things before they got out of hand.


    ¡°Nina. Don¡¯t make a ruckus.¡±


    ¡° Have you lost your mind?¡±


    ¡°You are strong but there is a reason why he is a rank above you.¡±


    The girl, Nina, ignored her friend''s words and pulled out her sword. She pointed it and shouted,


    ¡°I, Nina, challenge you to a duel.¡±


    Everyone in the vicinity gasped.


    ¡°This crazy girl-¡±


    Her friends said, shaking their heads in disbelief.


    Felix walked toward her, the tip of her weapon inches from his neck. Everyone held their breath. Things had escalated too quickly. Nina had broken the rules by threatening him with a weapon on academy grounds. And provoking Felix was far from the solution.


    He pushed the sword aside and reached into his pockets. Nina quickly withdrew her blade, taking a defensive stance, ready for whatever he was about to throw at her. But what he did next, no one was prepared for.


    Felix took out a candy¡ªa red one, apple-flavoured¡ªand handed it to Nina. Shocked, she stood frozen, unsure of how to react. No one understood what the situation had become. One held a sword, poised to strike, while the other offered candy as if there hadn¡¯t been a blade inches from his neck moments before.


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    Since she didn¡¯t take it, Felix calmly placed the candy on her head. He gave a brief nod, then turned and walked away.


    ¡°What the fuc¡ª¡±


    Nina couldn¡¯t even finish her curse. In just two minutes, her emotions had swung from anger to excitement, and now to complete confusion.


    This was the second time both of them had met. The first time, he bit her to dust, the second time, he left her with a candy. She didn¡¯t know what to think about him. But one thing was for sure,


    ¡°He has a few loose screws.¡±


    _____________________________________________________________________


    Felix was glad to get out of there without any trouble. And as usual chocolate and candy rescued him.


    He walked to the main gate of Nexus. There was a line of students receiving their explorer cards. And this is where being a Star came in handy. He skipped the line and walked to the emptiest one amongst the tens of counters in the building.


    The lady at the counter looked at him and smiled.


    ¡°Valerius Felix.¡±


    She confirmed and started searching through the files for his card.


    ¡°Here. Please make sure not to lose this card. This holds your record in the labyrinth. And it is a hassle to replicate another one.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    Felix replied.


    ¡° Be safe.¡±


    ¡°I will. Thank you.¡±


    Felix faked a smile and walked to the main entrance of the labyrinth. There a guard on the door checked his card.


    ¡°Are you alone?¡±


    "Yes."


    Felix said. The guard just nodded and gave him back the card. If there was any other student who came alone, they would need special permission to go in alone. But they knew Felix¡¯s capability. They had seen it first-hand, during the labyrinth attack, when they saw a bunch of dead rats with spear marks on them.


    ¡°Do you want to explore the 1st floor again or explore the 2nd one?¡±


    ¡°2nd one.¡±


    Felix said.


    The guard nodded and pointed to his left. Just beside the main wooden door that led to the 1st floor, there was another steel door, with a card slot attached to it. Felix inserted the card and the door opened.


    He took the card and stepped inside the elevator. This was one of the special services of artificial labyrinths. Once a student had cleared a floor, they didn¡¯t have to do it again and could skip it, unlike a natural labyrinth.


    There were a number of buttons ranging from floor 1 to 25, but if he pressed 25 the escalator wouldn¡¯t move. The card he had, only allowed him to move to floor 2 and would be updated the more floors he cleared.


    Right now, only Felix would be on floor two. Other Stars also had cleared floor one, but their teammates hadn''t. They could use the elevator, but their teammates wouldn¡¯t be able to keep up with the creatures and the intensity of the battle.


    He pressed the button, and the escalator moved. After thirty seconds, it stopped, the door sliding open. He stepped off, and the escalator quietly retracted behind him.


    The second floor was a forest, known specifically as Goblin Forest. Felix scanned his surroundings. Trees. That was all he could see¡ªdense, towering trees, stretching endlessly into the distance.


    Cicadas buzzed, and birds chirped in the distance. The sounds of the forest filled the air, creating an eerie contrast to the stillness of the towering trees around him. The atmosphere was thick with humidity. Felix had barely stepped into the forest, yet sweat already clung to his skin, trickling down his face.


    The trees blocked most of the light, casting long shadows on the forest floor. There was no real sun, but the artificial lighting mimicked it so well that it felt almost natural. Every two hours, the lights shifted, transitioning from day to night to simulate the changing environment, forcing students to adapt their strategies depending on the time of day.


    What made it more surreal was the size. From the outside, the second floor appeared no larger than a modest apartment, but inside, it expanded into a vast forest that seemed to stretch endlessly. It wasn¡¯t just this floor either¡ªevery level beyond the first had this strange, impossible dimension, small from the outside, but limitless once you stepped in.


    If only  I could learn spatial magic.


    Felix thought quietly as he wandered through the forest. Along the way, he encountered a few of its inhabitants¡ªcapybaras lounging near the water, sloths slowly climbing the trees, and even a jaguar, which took one look at him before bolting into the shadows. It seemed the creatures of the forest recognized him, or at least sensed that he wasn¡¯t to be trifled with.


    But Felix wasn¡¯t here for sightseeing. He had to find the End of this floor. There was no map nor did the academy allow any of their students to make it.


    Felix kept walking, looking at trees for scratches and the soil for footprints. After thirty minutes of searching, Felix noticed the sight of blood, a thin purple trail dripping onto the forest floor, leading off into the distance.


    He followed the blood trail, weaving through the thick bushes and towering trees. The deeper he went, the more the forest seemed to close in around him. Then, he heard it¡ªrustling in the leaves, followed by soft, unsettling laughter.


    Felix spotted a group of goblins up ahead, four of them laughing as they encircled a smaller, frail goblin. They took turns tormenting him¡ªone bit at his ear, two others kicked his stomach, and the last delivered sharp punches to his face. Their laughter was cruel, echoing through the trees as the small goblin whimpered in pain, powerless against their relentless assault.


    Felix wasn¡¯t surprised. Goblins picked on anyone weaker than him, even if it was their tribe. Felix aimed his spear at one of the goblins and threw it.


    Swish


    It pierced the air. The spear struck the goblin''s head and lodged in a rock. The other three paused. They picked up their stone axes and grunted. Alone in the woods, they struck the trees to call out their enemy.


    Felix emerged beside them. The three goblins jumped back in surprise. Felix pulled his spear and swung it. One goblin raised its weapon to block. The spear cut through the axe and into the goblin¡¯s head.


    Purple blood spurted out into the ground and some on his armour. The remaining two instinctively realised they had no chance. They started running without looking back. Felix let them run.


    He turned to the bullied goblin. Its eyes are grateful for what he did. It stood up and walked towards Felix. It laid a flint dagger on both hands and presented it to him. That was its gift.


    As Felix reached out, the goblin smiled. It swung the dagger, but a spear pierced its chest first. The frail creature coughed and fell.


    Never trust a monster.


    Felix''s intention was never to grab the dagger. He had moved to kill it from the goblin¡¯s blind spot.


    He walked ahead, his eyes following the trails left by the two fleeing goblins. There was a reason he had let them go, and they had done exactly what he expected. Their tracks led him deeper into the forest, toward something larger, something more interesting.


    Felix smirked to himself. He wasn¡¯t a bloodthirsty psychopath, but killing goblins? That never got old.

 CHAPTER 27:Anger

    Felix followed the trail for ten minutes. Ahead, he could hear voices. Walking straight into the enemy wasn¡¯t the best idea. With his mana and strength, he climbed the trees effortlessly. He rose to the top and looked down.


    Around fifty goblins were gathered in a circle, whispering among themselves. The two he had let run were at the centre, kneeling. The goblin warrior was at the centre. It had its leg and axe on each goblin''s head.


    The bone mask it wore was enough to tell who ruled this area. It held a stone axe like its minions, but bigger and sharper. It shouted and began speaking, while the two goblins joined hands.


    They grabbed the warrior''s leg and started crying, but the goblin warrior showed no mercy. It crushed and cut off their heads. Their headless bodies slumped, and the other goblins quickly moved to carry them out. Some wiped the blood from the warrior¡¯s leg and axe.


    They were killed because of Felix.


    The warrior didn¡¯t take revenge for the frail goblin. It was likely the one who had ordered the goblins to bully and kill it. Letting a human, their biggest prey, live and humiliate them, was what angered the warrior.


    Felix watched the goblins for a bit. The smaller ones were most likely E-rank, while the warrior was D-rank. It was just a level-up, but it made a world of difference. Felix knew this firsthand¡ªhe knew how different he felt when he reached new ranks. Fighting them would be good practice, but not all of them.


    He broke the branch next to him. Mana gathered into his arm and then into the stick. As his mana repelled, he threw the branch, aiming away from the goblins to a nearby tree.


    It produced a crackle as if lightning had struck. The goblin warrior looked in the direction of the sound and ordered ten of the goblins to check. Felix repeated the trick, throwing branches in different directions.


    Until only the goblin warrior and three smaller goblins were left. Felix concluded:


    None of the power went to its brain. It¡¯s brain-dead, just like its minions.


    Felix was too far away for it to sense his mana. Even veterans couldn¡¯t sense it. That was the only benefit of having cursed mana: being invisible.


    But the warrior didn¡¯t look up to check if it was lightning. Felix shot another branch at the warrior. It reacted, blocking it with its axe.


    It finally looked up, snarling as it glared at Felix. He dropped down. The two goblins rushed at him. Just like the warrior, he killed them both in a single swipe.


    Felix dashed and swung his weapon. The warrior blocked it. The weapons clashed, and the sound roared, echoing through the forest. Sparks flew as the weapons pressed against each other, neither side giving way. The warrior stood proud of its strength. Felix wanted to see how far he could push it.


    The loud clash drew the attention of the goblins, and they started to return. They wanted to attack, but the warrior snarled¡ªit was its fight. It gathered mana, making its axe stronger. The power behind it had increased too.


    But, as Felix thought, he stood there, bored. Then, the axe started to vibrate. The warrior''s whole body felt heavy. It wanted to jump back. Felix held his weapon with only one hand.


    That confused the warrior. It could tell, on a physical level, that it was stronger, so how could it not overpower Felix?


    Felix grabbed the warrior¡¯s neck. He tapped and its neck quivered. The goblin warrior screamed. Veins popped out of its neck as it tried to call its minions for help. Only a squeak escaped. The goblins were too cowardly to move. What could they do against someone who could easily deal with their chief?


    Foam dripped from its mouth. Its eyes bulged as if they would pop out. It kept kicking the air, hoping to hit Felix. It did, but it felt like being hit by a pillow.


    After a minute, the warrior stopped struggling. It had suffocated. Its green face turned blue, and Felix let it fall limp to the ground. He glared at the remaining goblins, who ran off without looking back, not even one attempting to fight for revenge. Not that the warrior had been particularly benevolent in the first place.


    Felix rolled his shoulder back. The fight had been easier than he expected. But this warrior wasn''t the boss of this floor. It wouldn''t be this easy.


    As he was about to walk away, the air felt heavy. He sensed something. Not a goblin, not a human¡ªjust something he couldn¡¯t describe. He turned calmly. Nothing was there, but something was walking straight toward him.


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    It wasn''t hostile, Felix knew, so he just stood still. The forest had hidden cameras. If anything happened that Felix couldn¡¯t handle, the professors would step in.


    Now, whatever it was, it was right in front of his face. He just couldn¡¯t see it. It moved its fingers around his forehead, then his eyes, and slowly down to his chest, to the spot where his heart was.


    He waited for pain or a reaction, but nothing happened. Then he noticed¡ªthe air was still. The leaves falling had come to a stop, frozen in midair.


    It¡¯s just like what Lim said.


    He couldn¡¯t move, not even his pupils. Slowly, he felt himself losing control of his body. His heartbeat stopped, and his lungs seemed to forget how to breathe.


    Felix wasn¡¯t scared. If there had been hostility, his senses would have told him. He had to figure out what it was, so he waited for it to reveal itself¡ªa glimpse, a sound.


    But nothing of that sort happened. It was gone. The air moved again, the leaves fell, and Felix regained control of his body. He looked around. Only the dead body of the goblin warrior remained.


    Felix realized that he and Lim had been attacked by this creature inside the academy, not the Morrowraith. And he didn¡¯t know of a single creature that could stop time. Maybe there were more they hadn¡¯t encountered yet.


    Felix sighed and rubbed his forehead.


    Why can¡¯t things be simpler?


    ******


    Did I make her too overpowered?


    Lim thought as he looked at Rose. In a single sweep, she had killed ten giant rats. Her cold blade moved gracefully back into its sheath.


    Her control over mana was perfect. No unnecessary movement and each strike was meant to end life.


    He wrote her that way¡ªstrong and calm. But seeing it firsthand was something else entirely.


    Rose turned to Lim and looked at the three dead rats beneath his feet. She smiled.


    ¡°How are you not in the top fifty?¡±


    Not just Rose, but his other Circle members, Joyce and Giselle, thought the same.


    Lim didn¡¯t reply. He had walked right into Rose¡¯s trap when he intentionally let three rats pass her and attack Giselle. Giselle, too, hadn¡¯t attacked them. She wanted to see what her Circle member was capable of. And to her surprise, he had proven to be a reliable comrade.


    She gave him a thumbs-up and smiled. Lim nodded.


    Giselle was a mage, specializing in fire and lightning magic¡ªtwo of the most destructive elements. That had earned her the position of Fifteen Star. Her almond hair and green eyes perfectly complemented the grey robe she wore.


    The other member of the Circle was Joyce Thornvale, the Seventh Star. She was the archer of the group and the only one among the ten Stars who relied on a bow. However, she carried no quiver of arrows on her back. At just sixteen, she was already able to create mana arrows.


    Her purple hair and eyes were the trademark of the Thornvale family, a rare trait passed through generations.  She wore brown pants, practical for the hunt, and the rest of her was hidden beneath a long, black hooded cloak that flowed as she moved.


    Joyce hadn¡¯t once looked his way. Lim didn¡¯t know why she didn¡¯t like him. Maybe because he was the only boy in the group, or because a lower-ranked person had joined them.


    The three girls walked close together, while Lim trailed behind. They didn¡¯t push him away; he kept his distance by choice. Unlike him, the three girls had known each other for a long time. Giselle had been trained under the Thornvale family, a supporting family of the Ashbourne Duchy¡ªRose¡¯s family.


    Of course, Lim knew more about them than they knew about themselves. But that was as Tanaka, the author¡ªnot Lim, their fellow Circle member.


    Lim seemed out of place, but he didn¡¯t mind. They weren¡¯t intentionally excluding him. After all, it was human nature to stick close to those you were most familiar with. Rose and Giselle often glanced back to check on him.


    The group''s dynamic and the changes in other Circles made Lim both fascinated and a bit concerned. Many of the Circle members had changed. Instead of him and Giselle, it was supposed to be Oscar and Stella.


    But those two had formed their own Circle. Lim had noticed that other Stars were forming Circles in ways completely different from what he had written.


    Should I be worried or happy that these people have their wills and choices?


    Probably the latter, but with changes came consequences, ones that could become hurdles later on. Still, he didn¡¯t feel entirely alone. He had a friend.


    And his only friend seemed to be the most anti-social person in the world¡ªgoing into a labyrinth alone. Rumors here spread like wildfire.


    The Circle walked on without any trouble. Any giant rat that attacked was killed within seconds. This was far more relaxing than his last trip here. It felt more like a picnic than a battleground. Killing the boss wouldn¡¯t even take minutes.


    There were two ways to get to the next floor: kill the boss or find the door leading there. But all of those doors were guarded, so in the end, fighting the boss was the surest bet.


    The academy, however, wouldn¡¯t recommend skipping the boss fight. After all, this wasn¡¯t a race but a practice ground for them. Cheating the system meant cheating themselves. Each challenge was a chance to grow, to push past limits.


    They were near the boss area. The walls were covered in thick vines, and the mana in the air felt heavier.


    Nothing blocked their view, but they couldn¡¯t see the boss. Once they stepped in, the fight would start.


    ¡°Get ready,¡± Rose said, and the rest just nodded. But she didn¡¯t move forward.


    ¡°Rose?¡± Joyce asked softly, touching her shoulder. Rose didn¡¯t respond, but the mana around her did. It grew fiercer and thicker, so much so that Joyce pulled her hand back.


    What the-


    Lim didn¡¯t know what had happened, but Rose was angry¡ªangry enough that the floor trembled.


    She walked in, without waiting for anyone. Joyce looked at Giselle, both shocked and followed. Lim did too.


    The next thing he knew, the boss was dead. A creature, about eight feet tall, similar to the giant rat had been pierced through the head. Rose had killed it so fast the creature didn¡¯t even have time to realize someone had entered its territory. It was terrifying. She was terrifying.


    Giselle was shaking, and Joyce, who usually didn¡¯t show emotion, looked pale.


    Lim looked up. Rose was already climbing the circular stairs to the next floor. The bright red of her eyes had turned dull as if life had drained from them.


    ¡°Rose!¡± Lim shouted, but she didn¡¯t stop. He ran toward her, the others following close behind. Whatever had angered her was about to die.

 CHAPTER 28: Unwanted Feelings

    Rose reached the top of the stairs and pressed her hand against the door. It opened slowly, and she stepped through, not looking back. Lim and the two girls behind her tried to catch up but couldn''t. Rose''s strides were too powerful, too steady. She did not look at them, nor stopped to make sure they were close. She kept moving forward, her steps as constant as her gaze.


    She moved like someone in a trance, eyes fixed on the path ahead. With each step, her eyes darkened, her focus sharp and unbreakable. The goblins on the second floor felt her presence, all of them. She was the first to arrive, and the others, sensing her aura, didn''t react as they normally would. The goblins laid down their weapons. Some knelt. Not a single one tried to attack her as she passed.


    Lim was close behind but didn''t know what to make of it. Giselle and Joyce didn''t either, their faces showing their confusion. Rose''s usual self wasn''t here right now. This was different.


    They came out of the thick forest and stepped into a clearing. And there, right in the centre, was Felix. At his feet was the body of a dead goblin, bleeding out on the ground.


    "Felix?" Lim called. He wasn''t surprised to see him here. He had expected it. But something about Felix''s look concerned him.


    Felix looked drained, and pale, and there was a coldness about him. His whole body seemed to shiver, though the day was mild.


    Rose was there before Lim could move. She cupped Felix''s face with her hands, her expression intense, her eyes searching his.


    "Are you okay?" she asked, her voice low and urgent. "Why are you so cold? Do you need something warm? I could make you tea. Isn''t peach tea your favourite?"


    Felix blinked, taken aback, staring at her. He glanced over at Lim as if hoping for an answer. Lim looked as shocked as he felt. Giselle''s mouth hung open, and Joyce rubbed her eyes, trying to make sense of what she was seeing. She usually kept her composure, but Rose''s reaction left her off balance.


    Rose was the steady one, the wall that didn''t bend or break. She''d tease Felix, sure, but never with any show of real care. Not like this. This was something different. This was a real concern. Her hands trembled as she touched Felix, checking his face, her gaze filled with worry. Nothing was teasing about this.


    Felix gently took her hands, lowering them from his face. "I''m fine. You''re the one who looks worse than me."


    "Don''t lie to me. You''re freezing."


    Rose''s voice held a tone Felix had never heard before. There was a slight shake to it, a bit of panic. Part of her felt lost, wondering why she was so worried. The other part didn''t care. All she wanted was for Felix to be safe.


    Felix squeezed her hands gently, grounding her, and gave a faint, forced smile. Smiling wasn''t something that came naturally to him. He''d never quite mastered it, but he tried.


    "I''m okay, really," he said. "So¡­ don''t worry. Don''t panic, all right?"


    Rose nodded, but her hands still shook. She glanced back at her teammates, who hadn''t moved. They stared at her, wide-eyed, frozen, not sure what to make of this scene. Shock ran through all of them.


    "Let''s go back," she said quietly.


    The three of them fell into step behind her. Giselle and Joyce cast glances at Felix, who looked calm, as though nothing had happened. But that calm only made things stranger. Lim didn''t say anything, but he knew he''d have questions for Felix later.


    ---


    As water trickled down her face, Rose tried to shake off the thoughts swirling in her mind. Her actions today bothered her. She''d been standing in the cold shower for nearly half an hour.


    Her skin was red from the chill, and her teeth chattered. But she didn''t move. She hated what was happening. Why had she cared so much for Felix?


    She cared about him, sure. But not like that, not enough to feel weak at the thought of him hurt. Today, she felt something sharp rise in her and it spoke to her that Felix was hurt. She felt angry, but more than that, she was terrified.


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    And somehow, she had known exactly where he was. She even prayed for him, though she''d never been one to believe in anything beyond herself.


    When she saw him, anger left her. She''d held his face, felt his cold skin. And she''d been afraid. Rose, who feared nothing, had felt real fear.


    The water ran cold, but she stayed under it until her thoughts dulled. Finally, she wrapped a towel around herself and walked into the kitchen. She put a kettle on the stove and waited, looking through the cupboards for tea bags.


    Where did I put the tea?


    She didn''t even like tea. Coffee, strong and black, was what she drank. But today, she wanted tea. Peach tea, specifically. Her mind circled back to Felix again.


    She tapped her head against the cupboard. How had she known his favourite tea flavour? She''d never asked him about it, and he''d never told her.


    Leave me alone, Felix, she thought as she headed back to the shower.


    ---


    In Felix''s dorm room, Lim frowned at the stack of dirty dishes piled high in the sink.


    "You''re not going to make me wash those, are you?" he asked, looking at the mess with distaste.


    Felix didn''t answer. Instead, he placed two glasses of iced tea on the table and then sat across from Lim.


    "How do you even use this many dishes when you live alone?" Lim muttered, shaking his head. "And what about the maids assigned to the Stars? Why haven''t they done it?"


    Felix only smiled and took a sip of his tea. Lim sighed, resigned to his fate. Every time he visited Felix, he ended up doing dishes.


    "So," Lim said finally, "what was with Rose? What did you do to her?"


    Felix looked down, frowning. "All I did was stand there. She just¡­ showed up out of nowhere. But I think I have a theory."


    "Go on," Lim said, listening closely.


    "Well, the ghost problem isn''t over."


    Lim nearly spit out his drink. "What do you mean, ''not over''? Do you think the Morrowraith is still around? Can it come back from ashes?"


    "No, the Morrowraith is dead," Felix replied. "But when you were attacked in the hallway, it wasn''t the Morrowraith¡ªit was something else. And it attacked me today on the second floor."


    Lim nodded slowly, his face serious. "Did it stop time for you too?"


    "Yes. And it felt cold." Felix remembered the chill, how his skin had turned pale.


    "That''s what''s strange," he continued. "I was in real danger. But somehow¡­ Rose knew. And she looked worried."


    "Worried is an understatement," Lim added. "She practically flew up to the second floor, killed the first-floor boss in seconds, and knew exactly where you were¡ªlike she had some kind of compass pointing to you."


    Felix raised an eyebrow. Lim hesitated, taking a deep breath. He didn''t know if he should say it, but he couldn''t leave Felix without answers.


    "Felix, Rose isn''t supposed to be like this," he began.


    "She''s¡­ well, she''s how I imagined her. Strong, dazzling, a leader. A symbol of perfection. And she is that way. But when she''s around you¡­ she changes. She becomes¡­ human."


    This troubled Lim. Rose wasn''t supposed to act like this, not toward Felix, not like today. The story he''d written had focused on action, on a perfect hero. He hadn''t imagined anything different. All he wanted was to make something perfect, something he never had in real life.


    Felix tilted his head, studying Lim.


    "Isn''t that a good thing?"


    "No, not in her case,"


    Lim replied.


    "If I''d known my story would become real, I might''ve been better off never writing a word."


    Lim''s face was unreadable, but Felix saw something there. Regret.


    "When I created Rose, I was proud of her. She was strong, brave, unbreakable. But the more I wrote, the less I liked her. She was too perfect. And a perfect character doesn''t grow. So I gave her a flaw, something she had to overcome to be complete."


    Felix stayed quiet, letting him continue.


    "The flaw I gave her was her heart. Her heart¡­ it''s an object from the abyss."


    Felix nodded slowly, understanding the title of the story for the first time: *The Heart from the Abyss.*


    "Does that heart make her less human?" he asked.


    "Not less human," Lim replied. "But it makes her feel alone. She can still feel other emotions, but loneliness is her deepest feeling." He paused. "I made her that way because it was how I felt back then. Lonely."


    Writing the story had been his way of dealing with that feeling.


    "I figured out my loneliness by opening up to people," Lim continued.


    "But Rose''s story is different. I made it hard for her. Too hard."


    Felix nodded. Emotions were never his strength, but he listened. Rose had always looked at him with a sense of amusement, nothing more. Or so he had thought.


    Today, though, he saw something different. She was scared for him. She touched his face, something that would normally disgust her. Her steady hands had shaken. She, who was unbreakable, had panicked.


    "So what''s the cure to her loneliness?" Felix asked.


    "Oscar," Lim said. "His heart is the cure. It''s pure, so pure that even the abyss can''t taint it."


    "So she has to fall in love with him to be whole," Felix replied.


    "Yes." Lim glanced at Felix. "But now¡­"


    Felix understood. Rose had reacted to him with something more than concern, something that went deeper. It was clear now. He was the problem. It was always him, always his presence, that disrupted everything.


    They didn''t need to say more. They both knew what had to be done. Rose had to end up with Oscar, not Felix. Breaking someone''s heart was necessary, and it wouldn''t be the first time he had done it.


    "Is this the right thing to do?" Felix asked.


    "We have to," Lim replied quietly. "For her sake."


    Felix questioned it. For her sake.


    He repeated the words, letting them sink in. For her sake, he was supposed to hurt her. It didn''t sit right, not with him. It was absurd.


    He had no answers for her feelings, but dismissing them, hurting her¡ªthat didn''t feel right. He''d been here before, once, unintentionally shattering a connection that was too far gone to repair.


    Rose wasn''t his love, nor his friend, but she was someone he respected.


    "Sorry, Lim," he said finally. "I don''t think I can do it. Not for her, but for myself."

 Chapter 29: Gallery

    Rose woke at three. She used to wake at five, but sleep was slipping away from her more and more. She burrowed into the blankets, pulling them tighter, hoping they''d coax her back into sleep. But it didn''t work.


    She''d had her usual eight hours¡ªgone to bed early¡ªbut her body still felt heavy, unwilling to move. Meditation didn''t call to her, her coffee ritual felt hollow, and even the thought of washing her face seemed exhausting. Everything took more effort than she had to give.


    Still, she did it all. Slowly, it took her an hour. She pulled on her training clothes. She grabbed the door handle but couldn''t turn it. The weight of what was waiting outside felt like too much.


    She could handle Joyce and Giselle. Lim would keep his mouth shut; he didn''t seem the type to gossip. But Felix? If she ran into him, what would she do? Tease him? She doubted she could.


    "Don''t overthink," she muttered to herself.


    "Just go."


    She pulled the door open. It was dark. Nobody else was awake. She stretched, jogged down the stairs, and stepped outside. The cold air felt good, sharp. After yesterday, it felt like a clean slate. She smiled a little, looking at the lights and the moon, half-hidden behind clouds.


    Then she heard a crunch, a sound to her left. She turned to her left and closed her eyes. Please, let this be a dream.


    "Good morning," Felix said. It wasn''t a dream.


    Felix was sitting against the wall, eating a peanut butter sandwich.


    Rose wanted to run, to brush him off like a fly. But there he was, looking at her, biting into his sandwich at four in the morning.


    "Good morning," she said.


    "You''re up early."


    "Yeah."


    He nodded. It was a lie; he wasn''t up early. He hadn''t slept at all. His conversation with Lim had been stuck in his head, playing repeatedly. He''d spent hours staring at the ceiling until he was hot and restless. He''d gone outside to eat, and then she''d shown up.


    "Aren''t you cold?" she asked. He was wearing just a shirt and shorts, not even any shoes.


    "A bit." He patted the ground next to him. She looked at him, then shook her head and stood beside him instead.


    "You haven''t changed," he said, thinking of how she''d always been the first one up when she stayed at the Valerius mansion.


    "Yeah," she said.


    She didn''t know what to say. Maybe "thank you," but it didn''t sound like a compliment.


    "So, about yesterday¡­" He glanced down, knowing it was better to get it out. Rose nodded, her face calm, though her heart was a storm.


    "You know¡­would you want to hang out with me after classes today?"


    Rose''s head snapped toward him. He took another bite of his sandwich, hiding his red ears behind the food. Maybe it was the cold, but he looked almost¡­cute. She blinked.


    Cute? Him? Snap out of it, Rose.


    "Hang out?" She managed to get out. "Like¡­training or¡­?"


    Felix shook his head.


    "No, just going out. The two of us. No training or work. Just going somewhere."


    Rose nodded. She tried to keep it cool, but her lips betrayed her, spreading into a smile. She wanted to say yes but held herself back. She didn''t want to look easy.


    "If I have time," she said. She lied. She had nothing to do¡ªmaybe sort out some documents, but she could push that onto someone else. She was the president, after all.


    "Then how do I know you have time?" he asked.


    Rose was surprised. He was being direct, almost like he was determined to see her there.


    "Meet me at the Star Hall," she said.


    "If I''m there, then I''ll come."


    Felix nodded. He got up. Rose moved left, but Felix closed in. He picked a leaf on her. He touched her shoulder, a light, brief touch.


    "See you at the hall," he said, then turned and walked away.


    Rose watched him go, feeling her chest tighten. She hadn''t expected him to be so direct. Usually, he was guarded, the quiet type who didn''t reach out first. But here he was, leaving her with the promise of something so casual yet laced with meaning. She stayed there a moment, unsure of what to make of it.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    But there was one thing she was sure of¡ªFelix had asked her on a date, and she couldn''t stop herself from smiling.


    ******


    "Where are we going?" Rose asked.


    "Art gallery. They say it''s the best attraction in town." Felix replied.


    He had heard some students gossip about it. And he had no idea where to take her, so it seemed the best option.


    The Art Gallery?


    Rose seemed a bit surprised. She looked at Felix and by how composed and clueless he looked, he didn''t seem to have any idea about it.


    As they walked together, many stared at them, like always. They tried not to make it obvious, but their occasional glances were clear signs. They were interested. But none had the guts to approach them.


    At first, Rose wasn''t bothered. This was an everyday thing. But not this time. The gossip flying around the school was going to be different. There would be speculations, some wild ones about the relationship between these two.


    "Should we have gone another way?"Rose asked.


    "It''s fine. We can''t keep running away from people who have nothing better to do, but just stare at others."


    Felix made sure to say that out loud. The crowd cowered away in guilt and shame.


    The two reached the town. Since the gallery was near, they didn''t take a carriage or tram. They walked side by side.


    Felix was the quiet type, who was always uninterested in anything, made small talk, or was tired too. Rose could tell. He was trying to be confident but could see he wasn''t used to it. Being talkative wasn''t like him.


    Also, her behaviour wasn''t much help. She answered most of his questions with "Yes." "I see" or chuckled occasionally.


    It was awkward. Both knew. Felix didn''t stop. He asked her questions, simple ones, cause he felt that''s what mattered. To know about her, even if it''s the simplest of things.


    Until now, he knew her from the rumours. He wanted to find out about her from his observation and not from the whispers of others.


    After about ten minutes, they reached the Art Gallery. It was a magnificent, white-marble building with grand columns and intricate carvings around the entrance. On the roof stood a statue of a man with a trident beside a small winged boy holding a bow and arrow. The statues cast long shadows across the entrance, giving the gallery an air of timeless mystery.


    "Do you know who they are?" Felix asked.


    "I have heard of them. The man with the trident is Poseidon, the god of Sea and Storms. He is somewhat of a mystery in a sense, because nobody has seen him and known which mythology he comes from. All we know is that his statues have been found in the ocean with the violence of storms and the largest tsunamis. And the boy with wings is Eros. He is the God of Love. "


    Rose said.


    Felix was impressed by her knowledge. They walked to the counter, to get their tickets. The receptionist, a man, recognized Felix as a noble, because of how clean and healthy he looked. But what surprised him was the girl beside him.


    "Lady Ashbourne."


    The man stood up and saluted. Recognizing Rose wasn''t hard. Her white hair and red eyes cemented her name and blood. Once someone saw her, it was impossible to forget.


    Rose nodded to the man, who quickly handed them their tickets. After passing through security, they stepped into the gallery.


    The hall was wide and open, with high ceilings that gave it an airy feel. Platforms rose around the room, letting visitors view artwork placed at various heights. Paintings filled the walls, from large, dramatic pieces to smaller, intricate works. Glass cases dotted the space, each holding handcrafted ornaments and engravings that stood out under soft lighting.


    Felix was underwhelmed by it. After all, art depended on the eye of the beholder and his eyes were cursed. He looked at Rose. She walked to the centre and looked around, the entire area.


    "Where should we start?"


    "From where you want," Felix replied.


    Rose nodded as they moved around the gallery, working their way from right to left and then up the stairs. She paused before each painting, taking time to absorb it fully. Every small detail¡ªthe brushstrokes, the subtle shifts in colour, the texture of the canvas¡ªdrew her in. Everything she saw seemed to spark a quiet thrill, a deep appreciation that she couldn''t hide.


    "Felix, look, this one too. How did they manage to capture such lighting in such a small space?"


    Rose''s voice was full of excitement as she pointed out details, explaining techniques and colours with fascination. Felix just listened, unable to appreciate the art the way she did, but that didn''t matter. He had never seen her this animated, so he was content to watch and listen.


    After going around the hall, they reached the far end on the top floor. There was one large painting at the end, almost like a focal point. Felix wished he had seen it from afar, but now he stood beside Rose, who stared at it, a storm quietly brewing in her expression.


    The painting was of a man in white armour, sword pointed toward the sky. His features were striking: white hair, red eyes, and a strong stance. It was Rose''s father, Reginald Ashbourne. The resemblance was unmistakable, though his eyes in the painting looked even darker as if shadowed by something impenetrable. The man didn''t feel like a person¡ªmore like a legend or a symbol.


    "Let''s go."


    Rose''s voice was quiet, almost hollow. She turned sharply and began walking. Felix didn''t say anything and followed. He understood why she wanted to leave.


    Outside, Felix suggested they go to a nearby caf¨¦. She nodded, and soon they found themselves seated across from each other at a small table by the window. The waiter brought their order¡ªtwo espressos and some fresh croissants.


    Felix slid her coffee over, waiting for her to take the first sip.


    Rose noticed this and offered him a small smile.


    "It''s not your fault," she said softly.


    "If you''d known, you wouldn''t have taken me. I was planning to come here on my own anyway, so¡­ thank you for bringing me."


    Felix nodded, taking a sip. He grimaced slightly.


    "How can you like this?"


    He''d ordered an espresso to have something in common with her, but he wasn''t made for the bitterness. Rose chuckled as he reached for his water.


    She watched him, noticing the calm in his expression, the steady tone of his voice. There was something in the green of his eyes that drew her in¡ªa warmth beneath their cool surface.


    Rose tapped his hand lightly.


    "You know, there''s another reason that gallery''s popular."


    "Why?" Felix raised an eyebrow.


    "They say if a couple walks through the entrance at the same time, Eros blesses them with eternal love."


    He looked at her hand on his for a moment, then smiled, his expression thoughtful.


    "Did we walk in together? I don''t think so. I went in early. Maybe next time we can sync our steps."


    Rose felt her face warm as her ears reddened. She pulled her hand back, laughing awkwardly. Felix had answered her teasing in a way she hadn''t expected. She didn''t know this side of him.


    It felt a little forced, but she didn''t mind. Right now, it didn''t matter. Her heart, usually calm, now fluttered like a bird''s wings, and for a moment, the boy in front of her seemed to be the wind lifting it higher.

 CHAPTER 30: A New Hint

    Rose sipped her coffee, while Felix looked out the window, gently dropping a tea bag in an empty cup.


    He wasn¡¯t talking much like he did before. He was tired. All he did was try to understand and find something new about her, which he did. She loved art. It was simple, and he still didn¡¯t know much about her, but every small detail mattered.


    Felix noticed knights, in a group of four to five, talking to a vendor. And he had been noticing many of them around the town, during their walk. They questioned the locals, while some hung around the alleys, searching.


    ¡°There are a lot of them today.¡±


    Rose said, looking out of the window. She too had noticed it but didn¡¯t want to say it to ruin the mood.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Felix replied. There would be a few knights guarding the main gates and city walls. However, it was the first time he had seen them this active and on their toes.


    Felix figured it had to be something serious¡ªlikely a murder¡ªfor so many knights to be stationed in the city. A crime of that magnitude in Neon was no small matter. With the academy located here, any involvement of a student, especially one tied to a noble family, would create a storm. The news would spread quickly, and the fallout could be disastrous.


    Both of them finished their drink and decided to leave. Before they walked out, Rose tied her hair into a bun and then wrapped a scarf around her face. The stares were annoying.


    ¡°Do you have anything else you want to do?¡±


    He asked, cause never in a million years would he figure it out just by looking at her.


    Rose shook her head. She had some work to do, and she never skipped her training.


    As they walked to the station, Rose listened to the whispers of the townsfolk.


    ¡°Last night¡­¡­..merchant¡­¡­..Soaring Coin¡­..killed¡±


    Rose could piece out information even though she was about fifty metres away from them.


    ¡°Looks like one of the merchants of Soaring Coin was killed. The merchant must be a high-ranking one.¡± Rose whispered to Felix.


    Felix nodded. He hadn¡¯t heard anything or had the eagerness to pay attention to them.


    ¡°The assassin must be reckless.¡±


    Killing inside Neon wasn¡¯t the best of moves.


    ¡°Or the merchant had something so important they were ready to take the risks.¡±


    Rose added.


    Felix didn¡¯t say anything further, because it wasn¡¯t his problem. He prayed for the man¡¯s soul but he just couldn¡¯t be asked to care about it.


    The two sat on a bench and waited for the tram to arrive. Rose glanced to her right. Felix looked drowsy. His head bobbed, trying his best not to sleep.


    Cute


    She thought and immediately pinched herself. She had to stop herself from thinking that way. She had realised her feelings for him. She had no idea how it happened. It bloomed out of nowhere but they were there.


    However, love wasn¡¯t something she had time for. Other things waited, much more important, than dates, cuddles and other things that lovers do. Maybe if she was a normal girl, she could afford to do so, but responsibilities waited. And she couldn¡¯t slow down. One mistake and everything would slip from her hands.


    The tram arrived and both went on it. Rose sat first and Felix sat right next to her Their shoulders touched, and Rose felt heat on her cheeks. They had gone red. It was childish that such a thing made her blush at the same time, she didn¡¯t want to move.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    She turned to Felix if he had any sort of reaction, but he had dozed off. It hadn¡¯t been more than ten seconds since he sat down.


    She chuckled seeing how his head rattled by the window. She reached so, she could put his head somewhere comfortable. Her hands stopped midway. Her emotions were getting the best of her and actions tied with feelings never worked out well for her.


    She turned away and never looked once at him, through their travel.


    *******


    ¡°Argh¡­.I must have twisted it.¡±


    Felix said as he massaged the side of his neck. He had no memory after he sat on the tram.


    Haa¡­..How could I fall asleep at such moments?


    Rose had to wake him up, and after that, in a drowsy state, he came back.


    It seemed like his whole effort to be close to Rose was ruined because she didn¡¯t speak a word. As he was about to take a bath, someone knocked.


    He opened the door and it was the usual face, Lim, except he was sweating a lot.


    ¡°You ran all the way here to do the dishes¡±


    Felix asked.


    Lim didn¡¯t answer. He walked in, drank water and sat on the sofa.


    ¡°I was looking for you throughout the whole day. Where in the hell did you vanish?¡±


    ¡°I was out¡­¡­¡­.with Rose.¡±


    Felix replied.


    Lim nodded. He kept replaying what Felix just said in his head.


    Lim nodded, replaying Felix''s words in his mind. Felix appeared relaxed, so Lim didn¡¯t question him further. It was the best approach for now. Even with his knowledge as the author, there was nothing he could do to fix Rose''s heart. Letting Felix handle it was probably for the best.


    ¡°So why were you looking for me?¡±


    Felix asked


    ¡°The book gave me a hint.¡±


    Lim replied. After lunch was over, Lim headed back to his dorm. And there he found the pages of the book turned with a faint gold light shining from it.


    ¡°What does it say?¡±


    Felix asked.


    ¡°Find the killer before it¡¯s too late.¡±


    Lim said. He watched Felix think about the riddle and sigh. Just when he had thought that he couldn¡¯t be asked to deal with it, everything seemed to crash down his way.


    ¡°A merchant of the Soaring Coin-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard about it.¡±


    Felix interjected.


    ¡°First, we need information on the merchant.¡±


    He looked at Lim because he had no source of information on this matter. The so-called florist he had hired was busy with other work.


    ¡°I can get them tomorrow.¡±


    Lim said. Felix didn¡¯t ask how because Lim sounded confident. From the inner pocket of his jacket, Lim took out rolled piles of papers.


    ¡°Make sure no one sees them.¡±


    Felix took it. He turned the page read the first few paragraphs and understood what it was.


    ¡°Is it okay for me to know this?¡±


    Felix asked.


    ¡°You have to.¡±


    Lim was firm with his decision.


    ¡°With everything going on, it is best, if you know how it will affect the story. Everything is a mess, but at one point it will connect and we don¡¯t know when. After all, the world influences the story, not the other way around.¡±


    Lim needed Felix to act as his ¡°second-brain¡±. Now that he knew the future, he could see things in a different perspective than Lim, and prepare beforehand before stuff happened.


    However, Felix looked worried. Knowledge always wasn¡¯t a gift. It was a curse, especially when it was about the future. The choice between stopping the inevitable or letting it happen wasn¡¯t always an easy one.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I only wrote the story for the first arc, until your promise with The Book ends.¡±


    Lim assured Felix, who had his eyes glued to the papers.


    ******


    The club selection program was over and a hectic week for the student council had ended. Lim for the past few days, often saw the Stars in his class tired and sleep-deprived, except Rose and Felix.


    How does his body even function?


    Lim wondered. Felix had his fair share of the club duties. He also had to do his school work and in secret fight a Morrowraith. And he never looked miserable.


    Today was the club orientation and Lim was heading to his club room. He managed to get into the esteemed ¡° Rune Wielders Club¡±.


    The club''s main purpose was to decipher Runes, a forgotten language of ancient magic and use whatever has been translated to make them stronger.


    Everyone in the academy wanted to be part of the club. The sole purpose of joining the club was to grow stronger. However, the seats in the club were so limited that only fifteen students from the first year could join.


    Runes, though powerful, were hard to understand. Not everyone was capable or meant to learn them, so the club advisors selected a few who showed potential, passion and ethics to learn them.


    However, Lim had other reasons. He joined the club to keep an eye on the nine stars that would join the club. According to the story, it was supposed to be ten, but now the tenth Star was different.


    Lim was sure that the club would take him in. As the author, he had his ways and knowledge. But the problem was if he was to join, there would be more eyes on him. He wanted to be in the shadows, but many major events happened in the club. Felix wouldn¡¯t be able to get into the club or have any interest in it, so he had to do it.


    Lim walked inside the room. It looked more like a library, because of the bookshelves cramped in the room. Nobody was in yet, so Lim took the seat in the furthest corner.


    There were around fifty chairs, which included the first years and their seniors. Slowly the room was getting filled.


    Only ten seats were left to be filled. Nina, the ¡°supposed-to-be¡± tenth Star entered the room. She stared at the people judging her. She smirked at them and took her seat.


    The last ones entering the room were the Stars of the first years, with Rose leading them. The first years were exciting but the seniors were worried. They had their egos. With a year or two of knowledge and training, they were stronger than the new students. But not these nine.  Messing with them wasn¡¯t anyone''s business. And the 11th Rank Nina could have been a Star if not for the numerous talents in the student council.


    Lim noticed Tyson, the ninth star, looking at him. He gently nodded at Lim and took his seat. Everyone knew Tyson was away, because of a ¡°family business¡± he had to attend, which took a month to finish. Nobody raised a question about it and the ones who knew the true reason for his absence kept quiet.


    The classroom was filled and no one spoke a word. Only the noise of Nina yawning echoed around the room.


    Tak Tak


    The room was so silent, that everyone could hear the footsteps of the club advisor walking to the room. As soon as he stepped in, the student stood up and greeted me,


    ¡°Good afternoon, Professor Jade.¡±


    Jade walked to the podium. Nobody sat down and admired her ethereal beauty. She wore a black shirt and black pants, with a leather jacket on top. Her purple eyes glinted under the overhead lamps, holding every gaze as if commanding silence without a word.


    ¡°Sit down.¡±


    She said, She scanned the room, and noticed Lim,  hiding his face behind a book. She grinned and the seniors got goosebumps. Her grin was never a good sign and whoever it was directed to wasn¡¯t going to have an easy time.

 CHAPTER 31: Overthinking

    The Stars had gone to attend the Rune Club orientation, except Felix. He had no interest in the club, after all, Runes were useless to him. His cursed mana rejected it.


    ¡°We need to state our presence.¡±


    That is what Rose said as the nine of them left. So, Felix had to do the council work today. Jayce was supposed to bring some magic stones but now he had to do it.


    Felix stapled some papers and left the council. The usual bustling academy was quiet. Not a single student was around, likely because of their club work.


    As he walked he reflected back on his training. Felix had not made any progress with the bard training. He hadn¡¯t found the ¡®harmony¡¯ that the book said. Manipulating mana was already hard for him, making sounds from it seemed impossible.


    He had hit a wall and found no way through it. There was no one to teach him.


    Maybe I should have trained under Professor Vincent. But I doubt he could have helped me in any way.


    Felix reached the labyrinth. He showed the papers to the guards, who guided him to another small section at the back of the labyrinth. There was a tiny counter there with a woman inside sipping her coffee.


    ¡°Excuse me.¡±


    Felix said, which startled the woman and she almost spilled her coffee.


    ¡°Y-yes.¡±


    The woman looked at Felix and didn¡¯t even notice he had slipped papers on the counter.


    ¡°Mam¡±


    Felix called her and pointed at the papers.


    ¡°Oh-¡±


    She took the papers and read them. After a while, she stamped it, and took out a card and a mask with two filter holes.


    ¡°Please take the elevator to the left side and use this card to open the elevator. Also wear the mask before the elevator door opens.¡±


    The receptionist said.


    Felix nodded and walked to the elevator. Beside it, there was a card scanner and he used the card. The door opened and the card turned to ashes.


    The card was specifically made for students to enter the third floor. The third floor was not a dungeon or a forest filled with monsters.It was a magic stone cave, which was used by miners. So students even if they had completed the second floor or not needed a pass.


    Felix walked into the elevator. Without pressing any button the elevator moved. As the door opened, Felix felt a wave push him back. His nose burned, as a burning sting passed through his nasal canal.


    Felix wore the mask, and the burn stopped.


    This-


    The cave was a lot bigger than Felix had anticipated. Red and blue magic stones stuck out from the walls. Hundreds of miners in the cave were in the cave with a pickaxe and yellow helmets.


    Felix looked around and noticed an old man walk towards him. He wore a white vest and brown pants, cleaner than what the other miners wore. He passed a helmet and shook Felix¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Howard. In charge of the mining department.¡±


    ¡°Felix¡±


    He said and took the helmet. The man noticed the brooch he wore, and the striking color of his eye.


    ¡°What is your surname?¡±


    Howard asked, which could be considered rude, but Felix didn¡¯t mind.


    ¡°Valerius.¡±


    He said. The sound of mining stopped. Even through all that noise, everyone heard his surname. They stared as if he had committed a crime.


    The old man gave them a sharp look and everyone started working again.


    ¡°Hmm¡­..no wonder, you seemed familiar. Those lads must be curious to see what the lineage of Valerius looks like. Don''t mind them¡±The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    Felix said.


    ¡°Is there anything magic-related in your pocket?¡±


    Howard asked and Felix shook his head


    ¡°This whole area is a no-magic tool zone. Any of those items will not work. Some even explode.¡±


    Howard said. The density of magic stones and mana often made the magic tools useless, which is why the miners had to resort to traditional tools and methods.


    ¡°But the clothes they wear, isn¡¯t that special?¡±


    Felix could notice mana around their clothes.


    ¡°You have quite the eye. The clothes are made so it doesn¡¯t absorb mana but just attract it to form a shield the clothes¡±


    Howard said.


    ¡°So what kind of stones do you need?¡±


    ¡°Defected ones. It¡¯s for a test.¡±


    Felix said.


    ¡°A test, huh? You look like you would breeze past through it.¡±


    Howard said as he eyed the brooch.


    ¡°I hope I can.¡±


    Felix replied.


    As Howard guided him, Felix watched the miners. The way they worked, it was slow. Every five seconds they hit the stone, which caused only a dent on the stone.


    ¡°This is none of my business but aren¡¯t the miners too slow.¡±


    Felix said


    Howard looked around and nodded.


    ¡°Again, good observation. They are slow, very slow.¡±


    Howard took the pickaxe from one of the workers passed it to Felix and pointed at the smallest batch of stone.


    ¡°Go on. Show me what fast work looks like.¡±


    Am I really having to do this?


    He didn¡¯t consider the work a lowly job like how other nobles did. It was just a pain in the ass.


    Felix took the pickaxe and started striking the stone. He kept hitting it and noticed cracks forming on it and struck them so the stone would break faster.


    After five minutes, he finished mining and looked at Howard.


    ¡°Impressive. You struck the cracks and made it fall effortlessly. Are you sure you haven¡¯t done this before?¡±


    Howard said


    Felix shook his head. The ¡°Sense¡± guided him and he just followed it.


    Felix looked to his left and all of the miners were done. They had already moved on to other areas, and the magic stones they mined were three times larger than Felix¡¯s.


    He again watched them work. All of them struck the stones at the same time. The damage at first was small. Since they hit the stone at the same time, a resonance of mana was formed which made multiple cracks making the stone easier to break.


    If Felix had ¡°Sense¡± then, the miners had teamwork. They were slow yet efficient and Felix was a lot more tired than they were.


    ¡°What do you think goes on in their head?¡±


    Howard asked.


    ¡°Beer and barbeque, I guess.¡±


    Felix replied.


    Howard chuckled.


    ¡°Yes, every time. But the resonance they create isn¡¯t the only reason they are faster. When they mine all they think about is mining, nothing else. They are mining for the sake of mining.¡±


    He then pointed at Felix¡¯s head.


    ¡°You lad, think too much.¡±


    ******


    Felix thought about what Howard said, as he left the labyrinth. His thoughts kept getting complicated, the more he thought and that was exactly what Howard said. He overthought everything. Overthinking everything was his problem and he didn¡¯t have a magic spell to fix it immediately


    Mine for the sake of mining


    He thought. So he decided to overthink only one thing.


    Felix kept walking with that thought in his head until his ¡°Sense¡± clicked. And he changed direction. Instead of going to his dorm, he was headed to somewhere nobody would imagine him seeing.


    After ten minutes of getting lost and asking for directions, Felix found the room he was looking for.  The room was in the attic of a building and it was the only room located there.


    He opened the door and looked around. To his surprise, the music room was clean. The floor had some magic circle that most likely ventilated the room. He flickered the lights on and looked around.


    The room wasn¡¯t to the standard of the academy. It was small and not well organized.


    Even the receptionist was shocked when I asked for the key to the room.


    The music room was probably the least used in the academy. Because nobody was interested in music. Felix wasn¡¯t surprised by this. Students came here to learn magic, not to create beautiful songs. Anyone with an interest in them would have studied in another institution. The academy did make the music club and provide equipment for it, but no one cared.


    Students that used sound magic, didn¡¯t need to learn about the keys of a piano. Even the professors didn¡¯t know how to read a music sheet. It wasn¡¯t necessary.


    Felix was the same. He had no interest in music and he wasn¡¯t learning sound magic. But the more he read about the bard, he understood it was more of magic with music than just sound.


    The room was filled with many musical instruments. The shelves had stacks of clarinets and flutes. Violins of different sizes were beside those shelves. To the left was a large harp that, was almost as tall as the room.


    Other equipment was also there, except Felix had no idea what they were.


    What he was interested in was the piano, right beside the panel of windows. The wooden piano was polished but aged. The keys had gone with time, and some of the structure of it had been chipped.


    He pressed the keys on the keyboard and they were somewhat in tune. He pulled a chair, sat in front of the piano and closed his eyes.


    Play the piano for the sake of playing it.


    After taking a few deep breaths, he started playing it, one key at a time.


    He wasn¡¯t the best at it. It had been almost eight years since he had played it. But he kept at it and found his rhythm.


    Is this the right path? Is the piano too old for this? Am I playing the wrong note? What if it doesn¡¯t lead anywhere in my training?


    Thoughts crept up. He doubted himself. But he kept playing. For now, only one thing mattered to him, and that was music.


    He was not the best at it, and he could hear it getting worse but this was enough. Just existing with the music for now was enough.


    An hour or so passed, and he stopped. He was drenched in sweat. Physical training didn¡¯t take this much out of him.


    There was some guilt for not practising and running away from Ms Dawson when she chased him to take his classes.


    ¡°Music helps find a rhythm, young master.¡±


    She would say in each of her classes. And she was true. He was bad until the end, but this was the right path. His ¡°Sense¡± told him, and the most important of all.


    I had fun.


    As he was about to leave, he noticed the door slightly open. Felix was sure he had shut the door. He checked it and the door didn¡¯t fully shut unless it was locked with the key.


    It must be the wind.


    ******


    Stella walked around large empty halls. The Rune Club orientation had just finished, but some council work needed to be done. She needed some scrolls. She had forgotten to make the orders, so she had to get them herself.


    She roamed around the building, swinging the keys, looking for the ¡°Paper¡± room. She went from one floor to the other and still couldn¡¯t see the door sign.


    After getting lost and almost giving up she found the room on top of the building. As she was about to walk in,  something distracted her. The sound of piano playing.


    Do we have a music room?


    She followed the sound and climbed the stairs which led her to the attic. As she got closer, the melody was clear to her. It was a soft, melancholic note.


    The door to the room was slightly opened. She peeked and saw the last person she had expected, playing.


    Felix?


    Stella didn¡¯t know he played piano and not this well. She wanted to look away. It was Felix after all, and she had other work too. However, her body refused to move.


    It wanted to listen and the more she did, she realized


    He isn¡¯t good.


    Stella had been to better performances


    However, she stayed, for Felix. She couldn¡¯t take her eyes off Felix. He looked different, but similar at the same time. The calm in his eyes and face stirred memories of the past. His calmness wasn¡¯t a facade but something deeper, something real, something she always saw when the bond between them seemed inseparable.


    She watched until Felix stopped playing. The moment he looked at the door, she bolted down the stairs into the storage room and closed the door.


    What am I doing?


    She clenched her fists and shut her eyes, wishing to erase the sight. It would have been easier to see him in agony, to watch him shed the same tears she had, as she once did under his demon-like gaze.