Ch.8- A cute voice.
Amy stared at the luxurious spread before her, still not quite believing this was her breakfast.
Back on Earth, breakfast had been a hastily grabbed granola bar or, on special occasions, some microwaved instant oatmeal. Here, a small feast awaited her this morning: freshly baked bread still warm from the oven, an assortment of unfamiliar but delicious fruits, creamy yogurt with honey, and a pot of fragrant tea that smelled like cinnamon and something else she couldn''t identify.
The Book floated near the window of her dorm room, seemingly admiring the view of the Academy grounds bathed in early morning light. Sunbeams filtered through the tall windows, casting golden patterns across the polished wooden floor.
"You know," Amy said, taking a bite of a purple fruit that tasted like a mix of pear and strawberry, "I thought I''d miss Earth more."
[Oh? That¡¯s surprising.] The Book''s pages rustled as it turned toward her.
"Yeah." She gestured vaguely with her fork. "I mean, I should be homesick, right? Missing my apartment, my laptop, the internet¡ not fearing for my life." She glanced down at the purple fruit. "But honestly, I¡¯m not like super worried. I still want to come back, of course. But like, I am not freaking out about it."
[The human capacity for adaptation is truly remarkable.]
Amy snorted. "Is that a fancy way of saying I''ve got low standards?"
[Not at all. Though, I¡¯m sure your standards for living accommodations are questionable at best.]
"The hell do you mean by that? My apartment was... functional." Amy sipped her tea, savoring the warmth. "Okay, fine, it was a dump, and I loved it. But this place¡ª" She gestured to the spacious room with its four-poster bed, ornate furniture, and private bathroom, "¡ªis ridiculous. I''m basically living in a five-star hotel."
[Class S accommodations are designed to provide optimal conditions for study and rest. Your body and mind require proper nourishment and comfort to perform at their highest potential.]
"Yeah, yeah, I get it. The privilege of being special." Amy reached for a slice of bread, spreading some golden honey on it. "Still, it''s weird that I don''t miss technology more. I was practically glued to my phone back home."
The Book drifted closer to the table. [You''ve been otherwise occupied with matters of some significance. Preventing the apocalypse tends to take precedence over scrolling through social media.]
"True. The whole ''guiding Crow to a place where a bunch of students get murdered'' thing is definitely a distraction."
[Will you go through with it?]
Amy sighed, her appetite diminishing slightly. "Do I have a choice? If I don''t guide them there, someone else will. At least this way, I have some control over the situation. Maybe I can... change things."
[A noble sentiment.]
"Don''t start with that ''noble'' crap." Amy waved her fork dismissively. "I''m just being practical. I die if the world ends, remember?"
The Book''s pages fluttered in what Amy had come to recognize as its version of a shrug. [As you say.]
Amy finished her breakfast in comfortable silence, occasionally glancing at the Book as it floated around her room. There was something soothing about its presence, she realized. In this strange world filled with unfamiliar faces and so many ways to kick the bucket, the Book had become her one constant companion.
"Hey," she said suddenly, setting down her teacup. "I just realized something."
[What''s that?]
"I don''t know what to call you. I''ve just been thinking of you as ''the Book'' this whole time."
[That is what I am.]
"Yeah, but it''s weird. It would be less strange if I had something I can call you.''" Amy pushed her empty plate aside and leaned forward. "Don''t you have a name?"
[A name?] it finally replied, and there was that metallic quality to its voice again¡ªa strange, robotic undertone that occasionally surfaced.
"Yeah, you know. A name. Something to call you besides ''hey you'' or ''book.'' Also, why does your voice do that sometimes?"
The book drifted backward slightly. [Do what?]
"That¡ªthat robotic sound. Like just now, when I asked about your name. Your voice changed."
[Perhaps it''s merely your imagination.]
Amy narrowed her eyes. "Please, do I look like a dumbass to you? ¡Actually don¡¯t answer that. Just respond to my question."
The book hovered in silence for several seconds.
[I¡¯ll answer your previous question,] it finally said, its voice back to normal. [Regarding the name.]
Amy raised an eyebrow at the obvious subject change but decided not to push it. For now. "Fine. So, do you have one or not?"
[I... do not. At least, not one that would be pronounceable or meaningful to you.]
Amy raised an eyebrow. "Well, that''s cryptic. What, is your real name like some eldritch horror thing that would drive me insane if I heard it?"
[Nothing so dramatic. It simply exists in a form unsuitable for verbal communication.]
"So what should I call you?"
[Is ''book'' not sufficient?]
Amy made a face. "No? It''s like calling a person ''human.'' It¡¯s plain weird."
[I am not a person.]
Something about the way it said that made Amy pause. She studied the floating tome for a silent second before speaking again.
"Maybe not," she said slowly. "But you''re definitely a someone. You think and talk and have opinions¡ªmostly snarky ones. You deserve a name."
The book drifted in a slow circle as if considering her words. [I suppose if it would make our communication more... comfortable for you, I could accept a designation.]
Amy grinned. "Great! How about ''Snarky McFloaty''?"
[Absolutely not.]
"Booky McBookface?"
[I''m beginning to regret this conversation.]
Amy laughed, pulling her knees up to her chest. "Okay, okay. Let me think seriously for a minute." She rested her chin on her hand, contemplating. ¡°Ok, first of all, would you prefer feminine or masculine names?¡±
[I have not strong preference for any of them, but if I had to chose I will go with feminine.]
¡°I see¡ Then how about something like... Athena or Merlin?"
[Those are rather predictable choices.]
"Well, excuse me ma''am for my lack of imagination," Amy huffed. "What would you pick?"
The book was silent for a moment. [I don¡¯t know...]
Amy sighed. "...I always have to do everything..." She said, then stood up and began pacing the small room. "How about... Grimora? Like grimoire, but also kinda grim, which fits your whole mysterious vibe."
[Unimaginative.]
"Chrona? Since you''re all about the story progression and time stuff."
[Sounds bad.]
Amy threw up her hands in exasperation. "You''re not exactly helping here! Fine, what about..." She paused, a memory surfacing from her literature classes. "Libris. It means ''book'' in Latin, I think. Or something related to books anyway. Not really a female name, but you said you don¡¯t care much, right?"
[Maybe¡?]
"Okay, Libris it is then." Amy grinned triumphantly. "Unless you have a better suggestion?"
[Libris,] it repeated as if testing how the name felt. [It''s... acceptable.]
"Don''t strain yourself with the enthusiasm there."
[I didn''t say I disliked it. Merely that it''s acceptable.]
"So... Can I call you that? Libris?"
Another moment of silence, then: [Yes. You may.]
"Cool." Amy smiled, feeling oddly accomplished. "Well, Libris. Now that we''ve sorted that out, I should probably check what fresh hell awaits me today." She reached for the schedule that had been delivered right after she woke up.
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
The parchment was thick and cream-colored, with an elegant script detailing her classes for the week. Amy squinted at the ornate lettering, trying to make sense of the complicated timetable.
She held the schedule at arm''s length, tilting her head. "Okay, so today is... ''Channeling Techniques for Special Abilities'' with Professor Lirienne at nine, then ''Historical Applications of Magic'' after lunch, and then... is that ''Practical Combat'' with Professor Drayke."
Amy glanced at the clock on her bedside table and groaned.
I want to kill myself¡
-¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-¡¡¡ö¡¡-¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-
"Today," Professor Lirienne announced, her melodic voice carrying effortlessly through the chamber, "we will be exploring the practical aspects of channeling your special abilities."
Amy settled into her seat, pulling out Libris and pen from her satchel. She had asked the book if she could write on it, and after a looong debate with tons of objections and arguments, she finally managed for it to agree.
"The key to effective channeling," Lirienne continued, "lies in understanding the unique nature of your ability and how it connects to your magical core."
She waved her hand, and a shimmering diagram appeared in the air above the central platform¡ªa complex web of light that pulsed with rainbow colors.
"Your magical core¡ª" she gestured to the bright sphere at the center of the diagram, "¡ªis the source of all your power. But your special ability¡ª" the light shifted, forming a distinct pathway that branched from the core, "¡ªdraws from this source in a unique way."
Amy found herself already getting bored of the lecture. She began thinking that there must be something genuinely wrong with her brain because it wasn¡¯t normal that she was in a class teaching how to use superpowers and she found it boring.
She lightly smacked her face and reminded herself to concentrate. This would be helpful, at least that was what Libris said. Her life was on the line, it would be stupid to die because of laziness. Moreover, the lesson wasn¡¯t bad at all, with all the projections and stuff it was actually quite well made, the problem here was herself honestly.
"Today, you will be working in pairs," Lirienne announced, surprising Amy out of her reverie. "Second-years will guide first-years through basic channeling exercises. The goal is not to fully activate your abilities, but to become conscious of how they draw from your magical core."
Oh, dear god¡ I withdraw what I said, this class sucks!
Amy felt a wave of dread wash over her. Group work. The bane of her existence.
[Try not to set anyone on fire.]
"Shut up," Amy muttered under her breath. "I don''t even know how to channel my ability."
[That''s the point of the exercise, to teach you how to do it.]
Before Amy could retort, Professor Lirienne began calling out pairs. "Stella Brighthaven with Ash Lockwood. Alba Silvermoon with Lyra Thornfield. Tallen Blackwood with Crow Thorne..."
Amy''s heart sank as she realized she was almost certainly going to be paired with¡ª
"Amy Stake with Zayd Gaspard."
Of course, the two seers in the class. It made sense, but that did not mean she liked it. She still remembered the implications that creepy uncle had made about them.
Well, it could be worse¡ at least the teacher made the pairing herself, because if she was forced to find a teanmate it would have been awkward.
She glanced across the room to where the dark-haired boy sat alone, his face expressionless as he closed the ancient tome he''d been reading. He looked up, his amber eyes meeting hers for a brief, uncomfortable moment before he stood and walked toward her.
[This day just got considerably more interesting.]
"Interesting isn''t the word I''d use," Amy muttered as Zayd approached, his walk graceful and measured.
He stopped before her desk, regarding her with those unsettling amber eyes. "Amy Stake," he said, his voice soft but clear. "It seems we''ll be working together."
Amy forced a neutral expression. "Looks that way."
Zayd took the seat beside her with an unreadable expression, setting his book down with a quiet thump. Amy could almost feel the weight of his scrutiny, but she refused to acknowledge it.
Professor Lirienne clapped her hands, and the shimmering diagram above them shifted again, this time forming delicate lines that linked the paired students. Amy watched with mild interest as a thin thread of light stretched between her and Zayd, glowing a soft gold.
"First-years, close your eyes," Lirienne instructed. "Second-years, place your hand just above your partner¡¯s wrist. Gently¡ªthis is about sensing the flow of energy, not forcing it."
Amy hesitated for only a second before closing her eyes. She heard Zayd shift beside her, then felt the faintest brush of warmth hovering over her skin.
"Now, first-years, I want you to focus inward," Lirienne continued. "Your magical core is always present, always moving. Try to sense where your ability connects to it."
Amy frowned slightly, doing as instructed. It felt... strange. Her magic had always been there, an unspoken part of her existence, but she had never tried to truly feel it before.
[So romantic.]
Libris¡¯s voice broke into her thoughts, and she twitched.
"Focus," Zayd said quietly.
Her annoyance flared, but she took a slow breath, forcing herself to push past the distractions¡ªLibris¡¯s unhelpful commentary, Zayd¡¯s presence, and the soft murmur of the other students. She turned her attention inward, searching for something¡ªanything¡ªthat felt like the "magical core" Professor Lirienne described.
At first, there was nothing but the usual hum of her thoughts, but then¡ª
A flicker. A pulse of something just beyond her awareness. It wasn¡¯t a solid thing, more like a current running beneath the surface, shifting just out of reach.
It was strange. Elusive. And when she tried to grasp it, it slipped away like mist between her fingers.
"Hm."
She cracked open an eye at Zayd¡¯s quiet sound. His gaze was on her, though his hand remained hovering just above her wrist, fingers still and relaxed. He wasn¡¯t even looking at her like a normal person¡ªno, there was something analytical about it, like he was studying her reactions more than participating in the exercise itself.
"What?" she asked, keeping the mistrust from her voice.
"You flinched."
Amy blinked. Had she? She hadn¡¯t even noticed.
"Did you sense it?" he asked, his tone unreadable.
Amy hesitated, then muttered, "I think so." She glanced toward Lirienne, who was still walking among the pairs, watching with a serene expression.
Zayd nodded, as if confirming something to himself. "Try again. But don¡¯t chase it. Just let it come to you."
Amy inhaled and shut her eyes again. This time, she didn¡¯t reach for the magic. She simply observed.
The pulse was still there, but now that she wasn¡¯t chasing it, it became clearer. Warmer. It moved, not like a steady beat, but in unpredictable waves, stretching and pulling like a tide beneath her skin.
And then¡ªsomething else. A thread, lighter than air, connects to it. Not her own.
Zayd¡¯s?
[Mastery increased to level 2, congratulations. Now you might even be able to use your powers somewhat.]
Her eyes snapped open. The golden thread of magic between them had brightened slightly. Zayd was still watching her, his expression composed, but something flickered in his amber eyes.
"You felt it," he said, not a question.
Amy didn¡¯t answer. She wasn¡¯t sure she liked the fact that their magic seemed to react to each other. That was weird. And also, given what she knew about his family¡ªuncomfortable.
Lirienne clapped her hands. "Good. That¡¯s enough for now. First-years, take a moment to reflect on what you experienced. Second-years, you may release the connection."
Amy felt the warmth near her wrist vanish as Zayd withdrew his hand.
Zayd studied her for a moment before nodding slightly. "Not bad," he commented before picking up his book and walking away back towards his place.
[Well that was anticlimactic.]
Amy looked at the book, and surprisingly found herself agreeing with it.
In the manga, Zayd was always painted in a somewhat negative light. Not villain nor antagonistic, but punctually almost getting there. So she had expected for their first interaction to go somewhat badly. Instead, it was quite neutral.
¡°Say, what are the chances he knows everything the Academy has recorded about my powers and has done a deep investigation of my past?¡±
[99%]
¡°...¡±
Honestly, what did she expect? Privacy doesn¡¯t exist when one of the teachers is literally your uncle.
But enough about Zayd¡ªshe should focus instead on the most important part.
¡°So did I level up?¡±
[Yup, congratulations. your mastery has increased to level 2. I believe that now you might be able to start using your powers.]
Amy blinked, feeling a mix of excitement and apprehension. Level 2. It wasn¡¯t much, but considering she¡¯d basically been fumbling in the dark with her powers since she got here, it was progress.
¡°I see. Then, can I see my status?¡±
Libris didn¡¯t respond immediately. A long pause stretched between them, long enough for Amy to frown.
¡°¡Libris?¡±
[Currently updating.]
¡°Updating?¡± Amy repeated.
[Currently updating. As of right now, your status will not reflect your powers properly when the next chapter updates. It¡¯s...complicated.]
Amy blinked. ¡°Complicated how?¡±
[Your power isn¡¯t something I can analyze easily. It¡¯s not like normal magic¡ªit doesn¡¯t follow the usual rules. I¡¯m trying to update your status, but it¡¯s taking time to process all the intricacies behind it.]
That was¡ unexpected. ¡°So, what? My power¡¯s too weird for you to figure out?¡±
[Essentially, yes.]
Amy frowned. "Is it really that complicated? I mean last time you did it on the spot, right after I got them"
Libris hesitated. It was subtle, but she recognized the delay in its response. When it finally spoke, the usual snark was absent.
[It¡¯s¡ changed.]
"Changed how?"
[The complexity grew. That¡¯s why I need time to update.]
The words were cold, clinical¡ªalmost detached. And yet, something about that response unsettled her. Then, she noticed something else.
The voice had shifted. It had become robotic again.
Amy''s breath caught in her throat as a realization struck her. She thought back to every time Libris had done this. The sudden tonal shift, the unnatural calmness, the absence of its usual personality.
It had always happened at very specific moments.
Amy¡¯s lips curled into a small, knowing smirk as the realization struck her brain. "Libris," she said slowly, "are you perhaps¡embarrassed?"
A long pause.
[...no] it responded, still in that artificial voice.
Amy¡¯s smirk widened. "OMG, you totally are."
[You are being irrational.]
She chuckled. ¡°Awww~ That¡¯s actually so cute¡±
[...]
¡°So each time you changed your voice to the robotic one, was it because you were trying to conceal your emotions?¡±
Another pause, this one even longer.
Then, the robotic voice appeared again¡ª
[You misunderstand.]
Amy raised an eyebrow, a smile still on her lips. "Oh? Then explain."
[You are indeed correct that I am embarrassed of not performing a well as I liked¡]
Amy grinned at that.
[However, the voice you¡¯re hearing right now is not something I put on to hide my emotions¡]
¡°Then what it is?¡±
Silence seemed to keep stretching. Through it all Lirienne continued her lecture, but Amy could not hear her at all. Instead, her whole attention was on the book, her smile disappearing as the silence elongated.
Perhaps it was just her imagination, but she was pretty sure the atmosphere of the conversation had changed.
As minutes kept passing she bagan feeling regret at voicing that question. Whatever it had been, she had clearly touched a sensitive topic.
Amy opened her mouth, ready to apologize but before she could, just at the same instant the book finally spoke.
[This is my true voice. The one I was made with.]
Amy blinked.
[This artificial tone¡ªthis¡ monotony. It is my default. The voice you usually hear, its tone, its humor, as well as its humanity is something I have copied.] There was a beat of silence before it added, [So, you were wrong. Each time I changed my voice, was not to conceal my lack of emotions. On the contrary, it is a system built in me that shows my partial lack of them]
Amy didn¡¯t know what to say to that.
Her fingers tightened as she processed the revelation. After a long pause, she exhaled and asked the only thing that came to mind.
¡°¡Was it the Goddess who made you this way?¡±
Libris didn¡¯t answer immediately. Then, in that same robotic tone, it finally responded:
[No. The Goddess was the one who saved me.]
Amy''s breath caught in her throat. She stared at the book in her hands, trying to process what it had just said.
"...Saved you?" she echoed, her voice barely above a whisper.
[Correct.]
Amy frowned. That didn''t make any sense. "That shitty Goddess? The same one who threw me into this shithole for a stupid ass reason?" Her voice dripped with skepticism. "You''re saying she actually did something good?"
[That is the truth.]
Amy clicked her tongue but didn¡¯t press further. There was a part of her that wanted to dig deeper, to demand answers¡ªbut another part of her warned against it. She would rather not make things even more awkward.
Instead, she let out a small sigh and leaned back in her chair. ¡°Either way, just so you know¡ªyou can talk however you want. Use whatever voice you prefer. That¡¯s not something I care about. In fact this one sounds kinda cute in a weird abstract way."
For a moment, Libris remained silent. Then, it responded, [I appreciate that. However, I will continue speaking in my usual snaky tone¡ And it would be better if we both pretend this conversation never happened.]
She raised an eyebrow at that but simply nodded. "Sure."
With that, she finally turned her attention back to the front of the classroom, where Lirienne was still lecturing as if nothing had happened.
Ch.9- Act 1.
Professor Lirienne''s class was over, and now it was break time. Around an hour or so before the second class began, which meant there was no stalling it anymore. She had to get this done fast.
[You look nervous.]
Amy took a deep breath, her fingers unconsciously tracing the edge of her satchel where Libris was nestled. "I''m not..." she muttered under her breath.
[Your heart rate is elevating. Statistically speaking, your physiological response indicates significant anxiety.]
¡°...I''m not nervous," she muttered. "Just... strategically apprehensive."
[An interesting distinction.]
The book''s observation wasn''t wrong. Her steps toward ¡®building B¡¯ felt heavier with each stride, the weight of foreknowledge pressing against her consciousness. Though, she will never admit so.
The Academy grounds stretched around her. Students moved about their morning routines, all oblivious.
Thirteen class B students. That''s how many would die. A number that seemed like a distant plot point in the manga. But now, as she approached the building, it all felt unbearably important, just as real as this world was.
Each victim was a person, someone with hopes, and dreams, perhaps a family waiting for them. Despite knowing this, she still couldn¡¯t internalize it. The fact that they existed, that thirteen human souls were going to disappear if she did nothing to stop it.
It was a thought that made her uncomfortable in a way that wasn¡¯t verbally possible to convey.
Amy hadn¡¯t forgotten what kind of world this manga was, but she had tried very hard. It just couldn¡¯t enter in her sixteen-year-old brain, that she would most likely soon see a corpse for the first time in her life.
How would she feel? Will she puke? Will she be unable to control herself and break her character? Or would it be one of those things that once they happened, she would wonder why had she feared it so much in the first place?
It would be so easy, to think of those people as background characters not having anything to do with her. But after two days and a half of living in this world, she was sure that the people here were not any different from the people back on Earth.
"I have to change this," she whispered, more to herself than to Libris. "I have to."
[...do you truly?]
¡°...¡±
[Do you think you can save them¡?]
Could she¡? She would try, but deep down she knew it was quite impossible to save them all. Maybe if she was stronger, but with her current powers it would be quite suicidal to go for more than five¡
[You shouldn¡¯t obligate yourself to carry that burden, Amy.]
¡°You''re right¡¡± She admitted, letting out a tired sigh. ¡°I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m acting as if this is my responsibility¡?¡±
Yeah, she would save people if she could, but if she couldn¡¯t she would definitely not put herself in potential mortal danger for it. After all, Amy wasn¡¯t a hero, she was a teenager who feared death above all and was still somewhat scared of heights and dark places.
That¡¯s what she tried to tell herself, yet she still knew that the only one who could change it was her and if they died it would be because she did nothing to stop it.
¡°Ugh, I hate this vibe¡¡± She shook her head, trying to get away from the negative thoughts. It had been a while since she had spiraled this way.
Normally in times like this, she would go into social media and drop some nasty comments to somebody or write a paragraph on why a certain celebrity''s life was actually everyone''s problem. But now, she couldn¡¯t really do that¡
¡°Libris, can you give me one of your snarky jokes, please¡?¡±
[That bad, huh.]
¡°Yeah.¡±
[Very well. Mmm¡ What do you get when you cross a magical sentient book with a very ugly prophet?]
¡°...¡±
[You get a "Grimoire-d of the Flies"¡ªa book full of dark prophecies, but nobody wants to read it because it''s just too hard to look at!.]
¡°...¡± How is that even a joke...?
[How weird, your stress levels just increased.]
¡°...If I burn you, how much pain would you feel¡?¡±
[None, after all, I cannot be burned nor broken.]
Amy shook her head and kept walking in silence for the rest of the way.
As building B came into view, she spotted Crow and his companions already waiting. Ash was leaning casually against a stone pillar, while Lyra stood with arms crossed. Lain meanwhile remained slightly behind, her silver eyes scanning a couple of butterflies flying around.
Crow''s black eyes locked onto her the moment she approached.
"You''re here," he said. Not a question, but more an observation.
Amy nodded, her earlier hesitation and shaking of her hands completely disappeared, replaced by a more measured demeanor. Fake, of course. She had always been good at this, hiding her discomfort had been a skill she had developed back when she used to live with her father.
"So," Lyra said with a tense face, "are we ready?"
Crow nodded, the golden key turning slowly between his fingers. "Amy, you said here was the first sign, right? What exactly are we looking for?"
Amy exhaled softly, letting the afternoon air cool the tension on her skin. She couldn¡¯t tell them everything, of course. That would break the very nature of her role. Instead, she tilted her head, allowing just the right amount of distance to settle in her expression before speaking.
¡°We enter and then search,¡± she said simply, adjusting the strap of her satchel. ¡°The first sign should be inside here.¡±
And what a damn entrance it would do.
Ash exhaled through his nose. ¡°We are gonna miss lunch break, aren¡¯t we¡?¡±
¡°We will if necessary,¡± Crow said while studying her carefully, his fingers still idly toying with the key. ¡°We will finish before Professor Drayke''s class, right?¡±
Amy¡¯s lips curled into the ghost of a smile. ¡°Yes.¡±
It would be quick, at least.
Without exchanging further words, the four students entered Edifice B together. Some students from other classes paused and took a double glance at them. It was not every day one saw class S students randomly show up anywhere that wasn¡¯t the main part of the academy.
Amy focused, scanning the corridors. If her memory of the manga was accurate, then the first victim had already vanished but was still alive. A first-year blonde boy named Elias Varn. He had gone missing between classes two days ago, the last person to see him swearing they had spoken just moments before he disappeared.
The thing was, her memory was not perfect, moreover, the manga didn¡¯t really specify in which classroom he was situated, so they would need to search.
Which meant¡
¡°We should separate.¡±
Crow raised an eyebrow but nodded, already accepting the situation. "Alright. Pairs or alone?"
This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.
Amy considered for a moment. If they went alone, they could cover more ground, but it would also make them more vulnerable. That being said, finding the first student wasn¡¯t necessarily dangerous as long as they weren¡¯t weak¡ªand despite their appearances, no one in the protagonist group was weak.
"Alone," she decided. "It¡¯ll be faster. If anyone finds anything strange, regroup back here in ten minutes. In particular, we are searching for a piece of paper."
¡°Paper¡?¡± Crow asked.
Ash groaned at her words. "Fantastic. We really aren¡¯t eating today, aren¡¯t we? Combat class is going to be rough with an empty stomach¡"
Lyra rolled her eyes. "There is nothing to worry about, I¡¯m sure that if we explain the situation to Professor Drayke, he will give us a pass¡¡± She paused for a moment, thinking, and then a hint of fear started appearing on her visage. ¡°...right¡?" She said, turning to Crow.
Crow shrugged with a nonchalant expression, and without wasting any time, he stepped down a branching hallway¡ª
"Wait," Amy said to Crow, stopping him midway. She reached into her satchel and pulled out Libris. "Take the book with you."
[What¡]
Crow looked puzzled, glancing between Amy and the book. Wariness was clearly visible in his eyes.
[Listen, I don¡¯t know what you are hoping for, but narrative protocol strictly prohibits direct interference with the plot progression. Even if you ask me to do anything, I can¡¯t help you this time.]
Amy ignored the book completely, holding it out to Crow. "Take it. It might be useful."
[Why¡? I don¡¯t get what you are planning. As I told you, I can¡¯t¡ª... Wait! Are you abandoning me?] Libris asked, a tone of absolute disbelief coloring its mental voice. [Wait, wait, wait. No way, tell me this isn¡¯t happening! You wouldn¡¯t do that to me, right?]
¡°...¡±
[After all, we''ve been through!?]
Crow hesitated; his gaze was now locked on the book. He probably could sense that it was speaking rather constantly right now, though he could not hear its words.
After a few more seconds of thoughtful silence, he slowly nodded and accepted Libris, tucking the book carefully into his own bag.
[This is unprecedented, acceptable, deranged!]
How dramatic. Amy thought, leaving an exasperated sigh at the book''s antics.
With the book now in his hands, Crow turned and walked down the hallway, leaving Amy standing with the others, her plan set in motion. Lyra stared between the two, confused for a moment, before reluctantly following another path, her form disappearing into the stairs. Ash, still annoyed, muttered something under his breath before taking the staircase. And Amy turned toward the quieter wing of the building, where the classrooms stood empty during the break.
Meanwhile, Lain looked around, seemingly hesitant about where to go. Her eyes darted between all her companions and the building before they settled on Amy.
Amy tilted her head as the silver-haired girl approached her with her usual inexpressive face. They stared at each other for a while, neither seeming to say anything, Amy growing more confused by the moment at the girl''s behavior.
People walked past them, the glances increasing as the two women kept the stare game. Amy could feel herself growing impatient and started to wonder if she should just speak first, but for some reason, it felt as if she spoke, it would be like losing, and she had already invested too much time into this. So she just kept staring.
So¡ what is going on?
None talked, none moved, they just watched each other in silence. Amy''s hands began to lightly tremble as the thought ¡®I don¡¯t have time for this¡¯, became louder.
Ok, I lost.
¡°Is there anything you need, Lain?¡±
Lain blinked, slowly, her expression unchanged. Then, after a few more seconds of silence, she finally spoke, her voice barely above a whisper.
"...can I come with you¡?"
Her tone carried no particular emotion. Really makes one wonder how Crow managed to realize this woman was just a timid person in their first encounter. Protagonist perks, she supposed.
Amy did not know what she wanted, but having her there wouldn¡¯t change much so she just nodded without further question. Then continued walking, Lain following closely behind.
They passed rows of classrooms with one or two students still inside. The further they went, the more this place became desolate, and also the more Amy felt it¡ªthe sense of wrongness creeping along her spine, the subtle urge in her brain telling her to turn back.
Fuck, I was hoping it wasn¡¯t me the one to find it¡ How unlucky can I be, literally walked straight to it¡!
She turned left, towards a classroom she subtly did not feel interested at all, and for some reason felt like not entering. This was the spot. The place where Elias Varn was last seen.
Lain tilted her head as Amy entered the classroom, but did not comment anything.
Amy glanced around, searching for anything out of place. If she remembered correctly, the manga had described this scene in vivid detail: a cracked tile, a faint scent of iron in the air, and the chilling realization that something had been watching all along.
The cracked tile was there. The iron scent was faint but unmistakable.
And the feeling of being watched?
Not yet. He was still not awakened, but his spell was probably listening.
Amy stilled, her fingers twitching toward the strap of her satchel¡ªexcept Libris wasn¡¯t there this time. That was fine, she needed it to be with Crow. Still, the absence of the book¡¯s ever-present commentary made the silence feel even heavier.
Lain noticed her tension. ¡°...something wrong¡?¡± She said, with her usual quiet voice, it was obvious that it had taken her a great deal of effort to say those words.
Amy didn¡¯t answer. Instead, she crouched, brushing her fingers over the cracked tile. It was slightly displaced as if something had been forced beneath it. Carefully, she pressed against the edge, feeling a slight give.
There was something underneath.
She turned to Lain and signaled towards the tile. At this, Lain furrowed her brow before hesitantly kneeling beside Amy, her slender fingers pressing against the tile¡¯s opposite side. Together, they lifted, revealing a small, folded scrap of paper wedged into the hollow space below.
Hands slightly unsteady, she unfolded the note. It was written with blood.
¡°He is always listening.¡±
Seeing it in real life sure makes it way more creepy.
She remember thinking how stupid this was. Classic horror film cliche. Now though, that she was living inside this horror, it felt no longer funny.
¡°¡What does it say?¡± Lain asked, peering over her shoulder.
Amy hesitated for only a moment before handing her the note. ¡°Just scribbles.¡± She said at the same time she showed the paper to Lain and put a finger over her lips, signaling her to not say anything.
Lain tilted her head and then frowned as she read the letter, a rare expression on her face.
Luckily, she was quick to catch up. The spell was indeed listening. And if it realized that they knew, they¡¯d have to fight to get out of here alive. Lain probably could rather manage, but Amy¡
Lain studied the words for a few more seconds before turning to Amy. ¡°...should we see how the others are doing¡?¡±
Amy shook her head. ¡°Not yet, let¡¯s wait till the ten minutes we agreed pass before going back.¡±
Lain seemed to hesitate, probably not knowing if she should listen or go and warn the others. But eventually, she agreed with a slow, erratic nod.
Libris had said during Professor Lillian''s class that she could probably now use her powers. Her mastery had increased to level 2 so at least now she wasn¡¯t completely useless.
She felt within herself, the muscle without physical form. If she strained it, she could see at least a bit far into the future.
She decided that she was going to yell ¡®Blood Emperor¡¯ after looking into the future. Then she closed her eyes and focused. In the manga, this was the way Zayd had discovered the position of the boy. If only her memory was better¡
Amy straightened the mostly dormant muscle. The world blurred. And then¡ª
A splintered rush of images. In the room she was in, she saw herself yelling ¡®Blood emperor¡¯ and instantly a kind of horrific figure full of eyes across its entire body, came out from behind the bookshelf. What followed was carnage, her ripped in half while Lain barely managed to save herself using her frost ability. Amy''s eyes then slowly closed, she felt her life slipping away before¡ª
Pain. Sudden and all-encompassing, tearing through her like she had just been ripped apart from the inside out. The vision collapsed.
Amy gasped as she reeled back, her hands instinctively clutching at her stomach as though she could still feel the phantom pain of her own dismemberment.
She blinked rapidly, her breath coming in sharp bursts.
"Amy?" Lain''s voice was urgent, but still somewhat controlled. "What happened¡?"
Amy swallowed hard, forcing herself to speak. "...I think I have eaten something wrong¡"
Lain''s brows furrowed even more, her eyes squinting slightly, and cold sweat starting to form on her front. "... I see... Do you want to go outside and take a breeze¡?" Despite her timidness, her voice came out smoothly. When it mattered, Lain was always someone who the protagonist could trust, so it wasn¡¯t that surprising.
Amy turned her gaze to her before pointing to the farthest end of the hallway. "No need, I just need a second."
Lain followed her arm, her expression one of deep concern. "I see. But, are you sure you alright¡?"
"Yeah." Amy forced herself to stand, shaking off the lingering sensation of the vision and the tiredness that came from it. "No need to worry, it''s just stomach pain."
The two of them silently approached the wooden bookshelf at the end of the hall. It was filled with dusty tomes, untouched for what looked like years. Amy pressed her hands against its edge, testing the weight.
Lain mirrored her, the two of them pushing in unison. As silently as possible, they moved the shelf, very slowly so it would not make a sound, something which was quite a colossal task.
Eventually, after a lot of effort, they managed, and it revealed a figure situated behind.
A blonde unconscious boy was held in ropes, he was bleeding all over the place, but somehow still alive by some kind of magic holding in place his organs and the flow of the red liquid. Elias Varn.
Amy paused at the sign of blood all over the teenager, the memory of her mother¡¯s bloodied condition as her father stood above her came to her mind, but she quickly composed herself. This wasn¡¯t the time for stupid thoughts.
Instead, she examined the boy more closely. Thirteen crimson marks around him were smeared against the stone in uneven strokes.
Lain inhaled sharply but did not act rashly. She was experienced in this kind of situation, in fact, the whole party of the protagonist was experienced in violence. Amy was the only one who had to force her hands to not tremble.
"Say, Amy. Are you sure that you are alright¡?" Lain muttered, her pale face draining even further of color. "Don¡¯t you want to go to the infirmary?"
Oh, you don¡¯t know how much I want to do that¡
¡°No need, I think I¡¯m getting better.¡± Her voice came calm and composed, not a single sign of agitation could be heard in it. ¡°Either way, we should look for the others. The ten minutes are probably about to¡ª
[Not about to, they have already passed, everyone is here waiting.]
¡ªpass.¡± She finished without missing a beat despite her surprise at hearing the book''s voice.
[Just so you know, I¡¯m very hurt at you leaving me behind. Even kind of considered the silent treatment for a while¡but in the end my hand was forced.]
¡°Very well,¡± Lain responded to Amy, unaware of Libris'' voice currently talking in her head.
[So anyways, I¡¯m obligated to notify you of something that annoys me quite a bit, since it feels like you are being compensated despite your bad conduct, though you probably already know what it is.]
Amy felt a tingling sensation at her fingertips, just like the first time it happened.
Finally. She thought, momentarily forgetting what situation she was in.
[The chapter has gone live.]
Ch.10- Sus.
Amy and Lain made their way back toward the meeting point, their footsteps eerily muffled against the floor¡ªa detail that Amy might not have noticed if she hadn''t been hyper-aware of everything around them.
"...could this be..." Lain whispered, her voice barely audible.
As expected, she had already caught on.
"The way towards the main hall. Yes," Amy interjected quietly.
She subtly looked in Lain''s direction. The frown on the girl''s face hadn''t disappeared for a while now, something which would become a problem if not addressed. From now on, the spell might not only listen but there was also a chance it would observe them.
"Say Lain, are you perhaps in pain? Could it be that we both have eaten the same rotten food? Your expression looks rather concerning," Amy said casually, trying to convey her warning through seemingly innocent words.
Lain''s silver eyes narrowed slightly, her lips pressed into a thin line. After a moment of contemplation, she gave a slow nod, catching Amy''s subtle message.
"No, don''t worry..." she murmured, her voice carrying understanding beyond Amy''s words. Her expression shifted back to its usual neutrality.
She was playing along, thankfully. She probably understood at this point most of what was happening.
Nightmares, that''s what they were called in the manga. They were this world''s version of dungeons but creepier, and each one had its own weakness related to its nature.
This one was special because it was created by the Blood Emperor to manifest one of its incarnations into the Academy. In the original story, Zayd and Lain were the ones trapped in the Nightmare.
In the end, they had managed to escape, but the other twelve souls of trapped students did not. This time though, they would all escape.
Ugh... why did it have to be me¡
If it had been Crow who found this place, he would probably have brute-forced his way through with his broken abilities, but of course, it was her and Lain. She still didn''t understand why Lain had decided to follow her.
Maybe it wasn''t a good idea for us to have separated...
The thing was that there was a time limit. The moment the golden key entered the building, this time limit was set up. It would only be a matter of time before the incarnation was awakened by the spell. So they were in a hurry.
Either way, right now wasn''t the moment to dwell on it. She had to check how things were going on Crow''s side. She hadn''t known that the book could contact her remotely, but now that she did, she would make sure to take maximum advantage of it.
"Libris," Amy whispered, keeping her voice low enough so Lain could not hear, "where is Crow right now?"
[Oh, now you want to talk to me? After cruelly abandoning me with the brooding mystery boy?]
Amy resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "...my life is kind of on the line here, you know..."
[Fine. They''re at the meeting point, waiting. Crow seems... concerned. He''s been checking his watch every thirty seconds. And... your copies are already there, though I assume you would know that much.]
Copies... That was the peculiarity of this nightmare. Once someone entered this fake reality, a creature disguised as the victim would leave into the real world. This was a security measure to prevent the nightmare from being discovered. Since its creation, the dungeon had already replaced thirteen students, including Elias Varn.
The one held in ropes was Elias Varn copy and the main gateway to the nightmare. By simply approaching the room he was in, they had been immediately transported to this world.
In the original story, none of the thirteen sacrifices survived. While Lain and Zayd were trapped in this alternate reality, their respective clones almost managed to fool the protagonist, but the original Zayd and Lain managed to escape just in time and warn them. From then on, a battle took place. Though, this time that last part wouldn''t be necessary.
With her foreknowledge and Libris''s, they had an advantage. Without having to worry about warning Crow, they had more time to find the sacrifices and get them out of here.
"Describe to me what''s happening," Amy whispered, her eyes darting to Lain who was walking slightly ahead, scanning the corridor.
[Two versions of you and Lain appeared at the meeting point about three minutes ago. They''re... convincing. But¡ª.... Wait¡you clever girl, I did not expect you to find a loophole.]
Amy couldn''t help but smile at the book''s words. "What is it?" she whispered.
[They don''t acknowledge me at all, even when Crow tried handing me to your copy. How did you know this would happen?]
"I didn''t. I just assumed that our relationship wouldn''t be able to be copied. In the manga, the author made a point that these things could copy others based on the knowledge obtained straight from the World Tree. But you are you, and I am me. I barely began existing in this world, and you... well, you might as well be above it."
[So, in short, you just threw and prayed it would hit.]
"...yes..."
[...]
[Still, I don''t quite forgive you for what you''ve done, you know. You could have just told me.]
"I wasn''t planning on doing this; it was a spontaneous idea that I didn''t really know would work."
[Tsk!]
Are you a child¡?
"I''ll make it up to you... What do you want?"
[...can I ask for anything...?]
Suddenly a bad premonition hit Amy, but she forced the thought away. Surely whatever it had in mind could not be that bad... surely...
"Yeah..."
[Then, I''ll tell you later. First, get out of there alive.]
Amy shuddered at the thought but did not comment further. Instead, she kept walking in silence. They were getting close to the replica of the place where they had agreed to meet.
When they finally arrived, her blood ran cold. Despite knowing full well what awaited them there, she still couldn''t suppress a shudder.
There, standing, were "Crow," "Ash," and "Lyra." Not their clones or anything resembling them. Just monsters acting like them. All around the building, monsters acting like students were present.
The creatures'' skin rippled with unnatural movement, as if something crawled beneath their surface. Their proportions were subtly wrong¡ªlimbs just slightly too long, joints bending at impossible angles. Their faces retained the vague structure of the features of the respective persons they were copying, but the skin stretched too tight across the bones, and when they smiled, their mouths opened far wider than any human mouth should. Their eyes revealed bottomless black voids to Amy and Lain, with pinpricks of cold light buried deep within.
This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.
Lain stumbled mid-step, her silver eyes widening by a fraction¡ªthe equivalent of a scream of shock from anyone else. Amy caught her arm, squeezing it in warning.
"Careful," Amy murmured, her tone deliberately casual despite the horror crawling up her spine. "The floor''s uneven."
Lain''s face had gone completely rigid, muscles fighting to maintain her usual stoic expression. Only someone looking for it would notice the almost imperceptible widening of her pupils as she stared at the abomination wearing her friends'' likeness.
"Yes," Lain managed, her voice unnaturally flat even for her. "Thank you."
After taking a deep breath, Amy approached the group with measured steps, her heart hammering beneath her ribs. The monsters turned to look at her. She focused on maintaining her practiced smile, even as she fought the urge to recoil from the creatures'' proximity.
"Finally here," ''Ash'' said exasperatedly while trying to mimic holding his stomach. "I''m dying of hunger. Please tell me you found the paper."
"No," Amy said, maintaining her practiced smile. "We haven''t found anything yet."
''Ash'' groaned, clutching his stomach more dramatically. "Great. And I was hoping we could wrap this up quickly."
At this, Amy simply smiled.
Every nightmare had a weakness related to its nature, and this one''s weakness was disguise. If they kept their role, the creatures would never be able to tell. Funnily enough, Amy was quite adept at this.
"We''ll need to keep looking," Amy continued smoothly despite the trembling of her body. "The paper has to be somewhere in the east wing."
''Crow'' shifted his weight, moving with uncanny precision that perfectly mimicked his characteristic restlessness. "We should split up again. Cover more ground."
"Right," Amy replied, maintaining her casual demeanor while thinking it was the perfect moment to use her new powers.
"I''d like to check the north this time. Lain, do you want to come with me?"
''Lyra'' stepped forward, her movement a perfect recreation of the real Lyra''s suspicion. "Huh, when did the two of you get so close...?"
[Amy, you won''t believe this!]
Amy kept her expression neutral, giving no indication she was hearing anything. "It''s a long story¡ª"
[Crow figured it out. The moment your copy ignored me, he knew something was wrong. Of course, that alone isn''t really crazy; he is the main character after all.]
Amy''s heart skipped a beat, but she maintained her composure as she explained her sudden interest in Lain, while the girl in question just nodded in silence each time a question was directed at her.
[What was crazy is that he used that third ability of his¡ªthe one that lets him detect life forms. He sensed something... wrong about your copies, but he wasn''t sure. So, guess what he did... He assassinated your doppelg?nger first where no one would see. Yours! I couldn''t stop laughing. Legit zero hesitation.]
It took all her willpower to control her expression from contorting. Disbelief flooded her brain, and three single words took over: What the fuck!
Though she kept it carefully hidden behind her practiced smile, the fact that Crow had eliminated their copies was a positive, but she still couldn''t help but feel annoyed. Zero hesitation, really...?
"We should probably get going," Amy said, seamlessly continuing the conversation. "At this rate, we''ll miss class."
The creatures looked at each other, their movements synchronized in a way that human bodies never quite achieved¡ªtoo smooth, too coordinated. Yet they maintained their perfect imitations, down to ''Ash'' slouching exactly as the real Ash would.
"Fine," ''Ash'' said with a dramatic sigh. "I guess no food today..."
As they prepared to part ways, ''Crow'' stepped closer to Amy. She fought the instinct to step back as the creature wearing her protagonist''s face came near.
"Are you sure this is the right place?" it said in Crow''s exact edgy tone that he always used.
Amy nodded at ''Crow,'' maintaining her smile. "Well, when you asked me if I could find it, I responded ''probably,'' didn''t I?"
The creatures looked somewhat annoyed at this but in the end just nodded, and Amy felt a wave of relief as she and Lain walked away, their footsteps once again muffled against the too-soft floor.
They walked in silence for several minutes, taking seemingly random turns through corridors that subtly shifted and changed when they weren''t looking directly at them. The architecture of the building remained familiar enough to navigate, yet distorted in ways that made Amy''s head hurt if she focused too long on any one detail.
[Update from our brooding hero,] Libris chimed in. [After disposing of your copies, he went searching for the two of you and eventually found records from a deceased student who had discovered the impostors first. Deciding that the situation was serious, Lyra went to call the headmaster while Crow and Ash investigated some more.]
"So... everything is going well?" she whispered.
[Too well, I would say. Almost kind of unnerving. Be careful.]
When they reached a deserted hallway, Amy slowed her pace, feeling a familiar tension building behind her eyes. With Libris''s confirmation that Crow was handling the situation in the real world, she could focus on what they needed to do here¡ªsave the other students trapped in this nightmare.
"I need to rest a moment," Amy said casually, leaning against the wall. Her voice was light, but her eyes met Lain''s with intense meaning.
Lain nodded, taking up position beside her.
Amy closed her eyes, pretending to catch her breath while actually focusing her awareness inward. She needed to use her power¡ªthat strange new ability that let her navigate through the invisible threads of fate. Setting a clear objective in her mind, Amy concentrated: "Show me the path to the trapped students."
The effort was immediately taxing. It wasn''t like reading a book or accessing memories; using her ability felt like flexing an atrophied muscle that shouldn''t exist. The strain behind her eyes intensified, and she could feel resistance, as if the nightmare itself was working against her power.
Come on. Just one sign. Anything.
Like a camera slowly coming into focus, Amy sensed it¡ªa subtle pull, a hairline fracture in reality. Not a vision exactly, but an awareness of something that didn''t belong.
Three lockers down the hall, one had hinges that gleamed just slightly differently than the others. The difference was so subtle that no normal observation would catch it¡ªbut Amy''s enhanced perception flagged it as significant.
The strain was becoming unbearable. Amy felt blood vessels constricting in her head, the pressure building to a sharp pain. She pushed just a little further, asking for confirmation, and received a fleeting impression of hollowness beyond that locker¡ªa passage where there shouldn''t be one.
When she opened her eyes, she felt warm liquid trickling from her nose. Blood. Without missing a beat, she casually wiped the blood away with her sleeve.
Lain''s eyes narrowed slightly at the blood, shining with intensity, but she remained silent. Whatever was going on in her mind was a mystery.
Amy pushed herself away from the wall, fighting a wave of dizziness. "Let''s continue checking this hall," she said, deliberately walking toward the locker her power had highlighted.
As they approached, Amy pretended to examine the hallway while actually focusing on the wall. Up close, it looked completely normal¡ªthe difference her power had shown her was invisible to normal perception.
"These walls are quite old," Amy commented, running her hand along the rocky surface as she surreptitiously examined the mechanism. "I wonder when they were created."
Lain caught on immediately, stepping closer to examine it as well.
Amy''s fingers found a tiny irregularity on the walls''s edge¡ªa slight unevenness in the rock that no casual touch would notice. Her power had led her true.
"Look, some students have no respect for school property," Amy said, pointing to random scratches to justify her interest in the wall.
As she traced the scratch marks, Amy applied slight pressure to the irregularity she''d found. There was a nearly imperceptible click, and the hidden passage shifted inward by a millimeter¡ªnot enough to be visible, but Amy felt it beneath her fingertips.
Lain positioned herself to block the view from the hallway as Amy worked.
Amy tried to appear casual as she manipulated the hidden mechanism. Though her hands were shaking from the after-effects of using her power, and the blood from her nose was still coming but in very small quantity, she continued to persevere, going where her power guided her.
This is actually so overpowered. No way it isn''t nerfed, right...?
[That looks very overpowered... might need to nerf it if it becomes more versatile.]
"..." Why did she even speak?
With another soft click, the locker door finally released. Amy pulled it open slowly, revealing a dark passage beyond.
"How interesting," she said evenly, as if finding secret passages was an everyday occurrence. "This might be worth investigating."
Lain nodded, her face expressionless despite the significance of their discovery.
They had found their way¡ªbut just as Amy was about to step through, disaster struck. From behind the doorway, something fell with a thud. It sounded metallic and loud.
Amy froze, locking eyes with Lain. For several heartbeats, nothing happened. Then, from somewhere in the distance, came the sound of unnatural movement¡ªthe too-rapid scuttling of limbs that moved wrong.
A the monstrous figure emerged and locked eyes with them. For a moment none of the three moved. Then Lain suddenly grabbed Amy''s arm and pulled her toward the passage, their pretense abandoned. Behind them, the scuttling grew louder, accompanied by an unsettling chittering sound.
"Go!" Lain hissed, practically shoving Amy through the opening before using an ice attack behind her while pulling the door closed with all her strength. As the door swung shut, she caught a glimpse of the dark and multi-limbed rounding the corner, its movements a horrific blur of unnatural speed.
The locker slammed closed with a final, damning clang. Amy and Lain found themselves in near-total darkness, a narrow passage stretching ahead, the sound of pursuit already scratching at the wall behind them.
"Run!" Lain repeated, and they barreled forward into the unknown darkness, leaving the sounds of their hunters temporarily behind.
Ch.11- Bittersweet.
The narrow passage stretched ahead, barely wide enough for them to move single file. Amy''s breath came in short, panicked gasps as they rushed through the darkness, the sounds of their pursuers scratching against the wall protecting them from what looked like instant death.
"Do you know where we''re going?" Lain screamed.
Amy nodded, then realized Lain couldn''t see her in the dark. "Yes," she said as she kept running, her voice coming more high-pitched than usual.
I''m gonna puke¡
She truly was in bad shape. Once all this was over, she would have to train a little¡ªno actually fuck that. She would rot in bed for the rest of her life.
They stumbled forward, hands against the damp stone walls to guide them. After what felt like an eternity, the passage widened into a larger chamber. As their eyes adjusted to the gloom, Amy froze.
Thirteen wooden crosses lined the walls of the circular room. Eleven students were bound to them, their bodies slumped and bleeding but still breathing. The remaining two crosses stood empty, waiting.
Amy''s eyes scanned the room before her eyes landed on a pedestal at the center of the ritual circle. On it sat an ornate black box, intricate symbols carved into its surface. A golden lock atop of it.
That was the whole reason why they were here in the first place. The golden lock and the palace where the object Crow needed were situated.
"What is this place?" Lain asked, eyeing the people with intensity, and then fixing the same gaze on Amy.
"The sacrifices," Amy whispered, horror washing over her. The sight was far more disturbing than any manga illustration could have conveyed.
Today might actually be the worst day of my life¡
Lain moved immediately toward the nearest student. "They''re still alive."
Amy''s legs trembled as she approached another student¡ªa girl with short red hair who couldn''t have been older than fifteen. Blood trickled from cuts along her arms and forehead, forming intricate patterns that collected in shallow channels carved into the floor.
"We need to get them down." She paused then gestured to the box. "That box is also the thing that the golden key opens. The whole reason we are here in the first place."
Lain¡¯s eyes scanned the box, then nodded at Amy. Despite her eyes staying on the box, the girl first moved for the ropes binding the other girl''s wrists.
A horrible screech echoed through the chamber as she approached the bindings. The unconscious girl''s eyes snapped open, revealing nothing but milky white orbs. Her mouth opened unnaturally wide.
"Alblagtung thanki shadma. Sehlet hhst mall sbeid," she said in a voice that wasn''t human.
The fuck.
Lain rapidly moved away from the girl. "Don''t touch them directly. The bindings are cursed," she warned, her voice steady despite the horror surrounding them.
From above, a faint red light started to illuminate the chamber. The blood channels on the floor began to glow with an unhealthy crimson light, revealing a massive ritual circle etched into the stone.
"We need to break the circle," Amy said, scanning the room desperately. "In the sto¡ªI mean, according to my power¡ªtheir souls are being used to power the nightmare."
"..." Lain stared silently at Amy for a few seconds. She is smart so she probably has already figured out what it means.
If we kill at least half of them, the nightmare will begin collapsing, and we will be able to get out. In fact, that''s how Zayd and Lain had escaped in the original story. They didn''t kill them per se, but more like collateral damage of their fight with the monsters.
"How do we break it without freeing whatever is trying to manifest?" Lain asked, deciding to ignore the thought that had obviously crossed her mind.
"Libris," Amy whispered. "Any ideas?"
[You know I can''t help you.]
"Please," Amy hissed. "If I use my power one more time, I fear my head might seriously explode."
[...I wish I could, Amy. But I truly can''t, at least not directly like this.]
Footsteps and chittering sounds echoed from the passage they''d used to enter. Those things had managed to enter.
The first monster burst into the chamber, its human disguise melting away to reveal a grotesque figure with too many limbs and eyes. Behind it came the others, no longer bothering with their barely disguised human appearances.
Lain moved with startling speed, frost forming around her hands as she thrust them forward. A wall of ice erupted from the floor, temporarily blocking the entrance. "That won''t hold them long," she warned, getting ready to fight.
Ugh! Fuck me this is going to hurt¡
Amy closed her eyes, focusing. The strain was immediate, pain lancing through her temples as she pushed her ability beyond its limits. Blood trickled freely from her nose, but Amy pushed harder, desperate for an answer.
She could feel her ears start ringing, a sound that was becoming increasingly louder as her eyes, still closed, began to shed tears and then blood. It felt like her objective was so far away, but eventually, after pushing and pushing, she reached it.
Knowledge immediately flooded into her brain, and a small, tired smile formed on her lips.
Without wasting any time, Amy reached the pedestal, examining the symbols. Some of them were familiar from Professor Lirienne''s class and things she randomly saw in the manga and stuck in her brain, but of course, she had no idea what they could possibly mean, nor did she need to.
"Can you stop it?" Lain said. Ice crackled around her fingers as she positioned herself between Amy and the already-cracking ice wall.
Amy''s mind raced, the foreign knowledge coming into her brain, very painfully. "The ritual needs blood from an outside system, someone other than those thirteen. Our blood might be enough to temporarily redirect the flow."
Lain nodded without hesitation. "I''ll go first."
Before Amy could protest, Lain drew a small knife from her boot and sliced her palm. She pressed her bleeding hand against the nearest blood channel, and immediately the red glow pulsed. The ropes binding one of the unconscious students loosened slightly.
Holy fuck it''s actually working. This fucking ability is so overpowered!
Amy took a moment to recompose herself. Then took the knife Lain handed to her. She winced as she jabbed it into her palm, then pressed her own bleeding hand to another channel.
The ice wall shattered. Impostors poured into the chamber, their forms twisting and flowing like liquid nightmares.
Lain stepped forward, her silver hair whipping around her as frost erupted from her body in waves. "I''ll keep them back! Do what you gotta do!"
Amy worked frantically, moving from channel to channel, smearing her blood across the ritual pathways. With each touch, another student''s bindings loosened. But her progress was too slow, each time needing a big quantity of blood.
Lain, meanwhile, was locked in battle. Ice spikes impaled the first two impostors that rushed her. A wave of frost slowed the others. But they kept coming, their bodies regenerating even as she tore them apart.
"Amy," Lain called, creating another ice barrier as she backed toward the center of the room. "My reserves are diminishing fast, hurry!"
Amy had freed four students now, their unconscious forms slumped on the ground. The fifth was nearly loose, but it was enough for ripples in reality, like broken crystal to appear, and something resembling a portal to form at the very edge of the room.
Amy grinned at this for a second before her expression turned grim. From the darkness above, a deep rumbling laugh echoed through the chamber. The stone ceiling cracked, revealing a mass of writhing flesh and countless eyes.
The Blood Emperor''s incarnation was awakening.
"Fuck," Amy whispered, doubling her efforts. She dragged her bleeding palm across three more channels, ignoring the burning sensation that spread up her arm, the tiredness that started taking over her brain, her bloody eyes that began losing focus, and the pain that using her ability caused all over her body.
One of the freed students¡ªa boy with dark hair¡ªbegan to stir. His eyes fluttered open, confusion evident in his expression.
"Run!" Amy shouted at him, pointing to the exit. "Take anyone who''s free and run!"
The boy scrambled to his feet, swaying unsteadily. His eyes locked onto a girl who was still unconscious, before he began dragging her toward the portal.
Lain was now surrounded, fighting off impostors from all sides. Her ice attacks were growing weaker, her movements slower. "I can''t hold them much longer!" she screamed, her voice strained.
Amy had freed eight students now. Five were still bound, including Elias Varn and the red-haired girl she''d first approached. The ceiling was crumbling, revealing more of the monstrous form above. Massive tentacles tipped with eyes and mouths began to descend into the chamber.
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Fuck, fuck, fuck. "Almost there¡!" Amy gasped, her vision blurring from blood loss and exhaustion.
She stumbled toward the ninth student, a boy with dog ears and a long fluffy tail, who, despite the crazy situation, she found kind of cute¡ª Jesus Christ! That blood loss is seriously starting to affect me.
One of the freed students, a tall girl with blonde hair, followed the boy''s example and was helping others get away, bringing them towards the portal.
Lain unleashed a devastating frost nova, momentarily clearing the area around her. She used the brief respite to dash to Amy''s side.
"Let me help," she said, slicing her other palm and pressing it against the channel near the boy. Together, they freed him.
Only four remained.
A tentacle smashed into the floor near them, sending stone fragments flying. Amy cried out as a sharp piece sliced across her neck. Ten centimeters to the right, and it would have ripped off her throat.
"Leave them!" the blonde student shouted from the exit, where she was helping others escape. "You won''t make it!"
Amy ignored her and instead returned to her feet. Both Elias and the red-haired girl were still bound to their cross. Amy couldn''t leave them¡ªcouldn''t leave any of them.
Lain locked Amy with yet another intense gaze, but this one seemed more out of respect than the usual weird one. "We finish this," she said firmly, moving to the next student.
The rumbling grew louder. More tentacles descended, sweeping across the chamber. One caught an impostor, crushing it to paste. Another slammed into the wall, widening the exit where the freed students were escaping.
Two more students freed. Only the red-haired girl and Elias remained.
"Lain, get ready, we are leaving!" Amy screamed desperately as she stumbled toward the red-haired girl. "Make sure to take the box with you!"
Lain was barely able to nod in acknowledgment, before more creatures poured onto her.
The ceiling collapsed further. The Blood Emperor''s true form was becoming visible¡ªa mountainous mass of flesh, covered in countless eyes and mouths, tentacles emerging from every surface.
After creating yet another ice wall between the entire room¡ªthis time seeming to use all her strength¡ªthe barely functional Lain freed the red-haired girl, then turned to help Amy with the last one.
"Get her out," Amy ordered, pointing to the boy. "I''ll finish here."
Lain hesitated, concern flashing across her normally impassive face. Her eyes examined Amy''s face. She was pale, her eyes were half closed, and it was obvious that she was going to faint at any second.
"You can''t¡ª"
"I''ll be right behind you. Take the golden box with you."
After a moment''s hesitation, Lain nodded. She took the box while at the same time helping the disoriented girl to her feet and guided her toward the exit, where the blonde student was still helping others escape.
[You are an idiot, you know that¡]
Amy turned to Elias, the last sacrifice. The ropes binding him were thicker than the others, pulsing with malevolent energy.
"I''m getting¡you¡ªout of¡here," Amy told him, though she knew the boy couldn''t hear her.
But before she could even start pouring her blood into it, a massive tentacle swept across the chamber, heading straight for Amy.
She ducked, barely avoiding it as it smashed next to her, right into the boy''s face.
What followed was silence despite the chaos going on around her, as her tired brain, tired semi-unconscious brain struggled to catch up with the event happening all around her. The realization of what had happened to Elias hit Amy like a physical blow.
The tentacle had crushed his face, leaving nothing but a grotesque mess of blood and tissue.
Her breath caught in her throat as her exhausted mind tried to process the horror.
With the last student death, the nightmare was completely collapsing. The chamber shook violently.
The Blood Emperor''s massive form continued to descend through the collapsing ceiling. Amy''s vision swam, dark spots dancing at the edges. Her legs gave out, and she crumpled to her knees beside Elias''s cross.
"Damnation!! Amy!" Lain''s voice seemed to come from very far away. Amy tried to respond, but her mouth wouldn''t cooperate.
Blood continued to seep from her nose, eyes, and the cut on her neck. Her overused ability had pushed her body well beyond its limits.
Through blurry vision, she saw Lain fighting her way back through the chaos, ice shards flying from her hands as she cleared a path. The golden box was secured at her hip, its ornate surface catching what little light remained in the chamber.
Lain reached her, frost-covered hands gripping Amy''s shoulders. "Stay with me," she commanded, her voice sharp with concern. "We''re almost out."
Amy felt herself being lifted, Lain''s surprising strength supporting her as they stumbled toward the portal.
The Blood Emperor''s roar of rage shook the foundations of the chamber as more of its monstrous form broke through. A final, massive tentacle smashed through what remained of the ceiling, heading straight for them.
Lain shoved Amy forward with all her might, sending her tumbling toward the portal.
"The box¡ª" Amy tried to say as she fell backward.
"I have it," Lain assured her, diving forward as the tentacle crashed down where they had stood just moments before.
Amy felt the strange sensation of the portal enveloping her, like passing through a sheet of ice-cold water.
Her consciousness was fading fast now, darkness encroaching from all sides.
The last thing she saw before everything went black was Lain''s face, normally so composed, twisted with worry as she caught Amy''s collapsing form on the other side.
-¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-¡¡¡ö¡¡-¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-
Consciousness returned slowly, in fragments.
Amy was aware of voices first, then the sensation of lying on something uncomfortable.
"...lucky to be alive, all of them..."
"...severe strain..."
"...Class S truly is a different breed..."
She floated in darkness, disconnected from her body.
It was peaceful here. No pain. No monsters. No responsibilities.
I failed.
The thought pierced the darkness like a needle, sharp and unwelcome.
Elias''s crushed face flashed in her mind, along with her promise to save everyone. He is dead.
I could have saved him. But I didn''t.
Memories flickered through her semiconscious mind: the ritual chamber, the crosses, the students they''d managed to free. Yet it didn''t feel like it mattered. Her logic was telling her it had been a huge success, yet the fucker of her heart¡
Something cold touched her forehead¡ªa damp cloth, she realized dimly. The sensation anchored her briefly to reality before she slipped away again.
-¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-¡¡¡ö¡¡-¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-
Light filtering through her eyelids. Pain throbbing behind her eyes. The metallic taste of blood in her mouth.
Amy became aware of a soft surface beneath her¡ªa bed. Clean sheets. The antiseptic smell of a medical facility.
Her eyes felt crusted shut, but she forced them open with tremendous effort. Blinding whiteness greeted her, causing her to wince and close them again immediately.
[You are awake.] A familiar voice resounded in her ears.
She tried to respond, but her throat was parched, her tongue swollen and uncooperative. A pitiful croak was all she managed.
[Yeah, that sounds about right.]
With monumental effort, she opened her eyes again, more gradually this time. The white ceiling of what appeared to be an infirmary came into focus. She turned her head slightly, wincing at the stiffness in her neck. Libris was there, placed on a bedside table.
The amber book''s presence brought a smile to Amy''s face.
[Welcome back,] it said quietly. [You''ve been unconscious for three long days. And despite my reluctance to admit this, I''ve been quite bored without you.]
Amy tried to speak again. This time, her voice came out as a raspy whisper. "Aww." She barely managed to express. "...that''s the sweetest thing you ever told me¡"
[Don''t let it get to your head¡ And also, just take it easy from now on. Alright? The healers worked extensively on you, but you''re not fully recovered yet.]
You don''t need to tell me twice.
"How bad was it?" Amy croaked, her throat still dry and scratchy.
[Bad enough. Multiple lacerations, severe blood loss, and extreme mental strain. You''re fortunate that Archmage Selwyn was available¡ªshe''s one of the Academy''s most skilled healers. Your physical injuries have mostly been addressed, but¡ You severely strained your core. Pushed it far beyond what it could handle. The healers have stabilized it, but it needs time to regenerate naturally. Now that you''re conscious, they estimate about two days for full recovery, provided you rest properly.]
Amy reached weakly for the glass of water on her bedside table¡ªreally considerate of whoever left it there¡ªAfter a few sips, she felt marginally more human. "And the others? Lain? The students we rescued?"
[All alive. Some still in recovery, but none in critical condition. Lain was discharged yesterday¡ªshe suffered injuries less severe than yours, but still strained her core a considerable amount.]
Amy nodded, relief washing over her. The memory of Elias''s crushed face flashed in her mind, but she quickly pushed it away, focusing instead on the water glass in her hand.
[I should warn you, Amy,] Libris continued, his tone more serious than usual. [Next time you push your ability that far, you might not recover at all. The strain on your core was significant. Another episode like that could cause permanent damage, or worse.]
Amy set the glass down, avoiding looking directly at the book. "I didn''t have a choice."
[There''s always a choice.]
Amy''s eyes narrowed. "Really? What was my alternative? Oh, please enlighten me." The bitterness in her voice surprised even her.
[Choice is not merely a fork in the road, Amy. It is the weight you bear with each step forward. You chose to save them¡ªadmirable, but reckless. If you destroy yourself in the process, who will be left to protect them next time?]
Amy clenched her fists, jaw tight. "So what, I should just stand by and do nothing?"
[No. I am telling you to be wiser in how you fight. Strength is not just in sacrifice. It is in endurance. In knowing when to push, when to hold back, and when to trust others to stand beside you.]
Silence ensued before she let out a short, humorless laugh. "Did you find that on the internet?"
Libris chuckled. [Yes. The wisdom of ages is now conveniently stored in your world''s vast digital archives. Quite efficient, really.]
Amy shook her head, half-exasperated. "Great. I''m literally here barely alive, and you''re quoting motivational blogs at me."
[Would you prefer I cite an obscure philosopher? Wisdom is wisdom, no matter where it is found. And in this case, it happens to be true.]
Amy sighed, rubbing her temples. "Yeah, yeah. I get it." But despite her irritation, she felt some of the tension in her chest ease¡ªjust a little. "Has the Academy done anything about what happened?"
[Quite a bit, actually. Security has been dramatically enhanced throughout the grounds. The Headmaster ordered a full inspection of all facilities, particularly after receiving some rather forceful complaints.]
"Let me guess¡ªLain''s family?"
[Indeed. The House of Arkwright does not take kindly to their heir nearly being sacrificed to an eldritch horror. Several other noble families have joined in demanding explanations.]
Amy snorted weakly. "Fuck''em. Every loss that any school receives, is a win for this world."
[There''s more,] Libris added. [Classes resume in two days.]
"What?" Amy tried to sit up too quickly and immediately regretted it as her head spun. "That''s insane! After what just happened?"
[The Academy''s official position is that ''normalcy must be maintained to prevent panic.'' Some students are already calling it a cover-up. The real reason is, of course, that they want to form the students into battle ready ability users as fast as possible.]
Amy slumped back against her pillows. "And here I was hoping for at least a month off..."
[On another note, Crow has the box now.]
This caught Amy''s attention. "Has he opened it?"
[No. He''s been... hesitant. He just stares at it for hours, seemingly unable to bring himself to use the key. I suspect he''s afraid of what he might find inside.]
Amy frowned. But didn''t really judge him. The box belonged to his father after all. If Amy was in his place, she would have a lot of trouble accepting anything from her own.
"Anything else I should know?" she asked, trying to redirect her thoughts away from her father. It would only make her mad.
[The new chapter is out, been out for three days, in fact. Right after you lost consciousness. Also, I finished the update of the system.] Libris said, causing Amy to perk up immediately.
"That fast?"
[It''s not as surprising as you think. The previous one took so long because it was the start of a new arc and those are quite lengthy. In the future, it would happen faster.]
"Wait, does that mean...?" A spark of hope flared in her chest. "Did I get a power-up?"
[Indeed. And a significant one at that. Your ability is directly proportional to readers'' affinity for your character. Your actions in the ritual chamber... resonated with them.]
¡°...you won¡¯t nerf it, right¡?¡±
[I will only nerf your powers if their strength is disproportionate to the reader''s liking of your character. So, no. Don¡¯t worry.]
"So I''m stronger now?" Amy couldn''t help the small smile that formed on her lips, despite everything.
[Substantially. Though I''d advise against testing those limits until you''ve fully recovered.]
Amy nodded, then glanced toward the door. "How long until the nurses realize I''m awake?"
[Probably not long. The monitoring spells should have already alerted them.]
"Want to watch the new chapters to pass the time?" Amy asked, deliberately asking for a distraction as thoughts of Elias threatened to surface.
[If you''d like.]
Amy nodded, settling back as the familiar glow began to emanate from the book''s pages, pushing away the darkness of her thoughts, if only temporarily.
The memories of what happened in that chamber¡ªof her failure to save everyone¡ªremained buried deep, deep with all the others.
And hopefully, they would never resurface.
Ch.12- Better than none.
Amy¡¯s body adjusted against the infirmary pillows, trying to find a comfortable position as the book''s glow intensified. The pages shifted and transformed before her eyes, the familiar amber leather morphing into the glossy pages of a manga volume before settling into her hands.
"You know," Amy said, attempting to keep her tone light, "I''m weirdly excited to see how I look in action. Is that narcissistic? That feels narcissistic."
[Absolutely.]
She attempted a laugh, but it turned into a pained cough. "Ow. Everything hurts."
[Perhaps you should rest instead of¡ª]
"No." Amy''s fingers tightened around the book. "I need to see it. Now." She caught herself, then added more casually, "I mean, I need to know how bad it is." Her hands betrayed her with a slight tremor as she turned to the first page.
A sigh left the book. [Very well. Chapter 152 is titled "Mysteries of Building B." It covers events going from a little before the inauguration ceremony to your discovery of the Nightmare.]
The cover art for Chapter 152 prominently featured Crow in the foreground, holding the golden key between his fingers. Its surface caught the light in an almost ominous way. Behind him stood his usual companions¡ªAsh, Lyra, and Lain¡ªwith the Academy¡¯s Building B looming in the background. Partially obscured by shadow, Amy herself appeared behind the party, her eyes seeming to glow with prophetic light.
[They keep making you look cool for some weird reason¡]
¡°What do you mean? I am ¡®cool¡¯.¡±
Amy flipped to the first page and began reading.
The chapter opened with Crow in Professor Vanheim''s office, his expression unreadable as he placed the golden key on the professor''s desk.
"You''ve made no progress?" Vanheim asked, his silver-streaked beard catching the lamplight as he examined the key.
"None," Crow admitted, frustration evident in the tension of his shoulders. "Every conventional method of analysis has failed. It''s as if the key exists... between realities somehow."
Vanheim stroked his beard thoughtfully. "It''s not entirely unprecedented. Artifacts from the Old Kingdom occasionally exhibit such properties." He paused, his eyes narrowing. "Have you considered consulting Zayd Gaspard? His prophetic abilities might¡ª"
"No," Crow interrupted, his tone sharp. "I''d rather explore other options first."
Vanheim''s expression shifted to one of careful neutrality. "Your aversion to the Gaspard family, while understandable given your... history, limits your resources unnecessarily."
A small flashback provided context. It depicted how six months ago, Crow discovered evidence suggesting Gaspard''s involvement in his father''s disappearance.
"I have another possible option," Crow said after a moment, his gaze distant. "There''s a new potential student. I believe she might have... special perceptive abilities."
Vanheim''s eyebrows rose slightly. "Ah. I think I know who you are talking about.¡±
¡°Is she related to the Gaspards¡?¡±
¡°From all I know, her relationship with them is nonexistent, which raises a lot of questions¡ I didn¡¯t think you two knew each other.¡±
A few scenes were shown of Crow''s internal debate between telling the professor everything about Amy, or not. He trusted his teacher with his life, but he also didn''t want him pestering him about his decision to trust that girl more than Zayd. If he told him that his encounter with the new student was not only a coincidence but also that she seemed to possess an ancient consciousness-bearing artifact and appeared out of nowhere on the day the Onyx Star was closest to the world, then he would surely start thinking of Crow as a fool.
¡°We don¡¯t. I met her randomly some time ago.¡±
"I see¡ Between us only, a new Professor, Kaelen from the Gaspard family, has expressed... significant interest in her potential."
Crow''s eyes narrowed at that. "What kind of interest?"
"Professional curiosity, nothing more," Vanheim replied smoothly, though a subtle tension underlined his words. "Professional curiosity that seems unusually... focused, compared to his typical indifference toward first-year students. But that''s not my immediate concern." He leaned forward, fixing Crow with a penetrating stare.
"What concerns me is your willingness to trust this girl¡ªsomeone you''ve told me you barely know with information about an artifact potentially connected to your father''s disappearance."
Crow crossed his arms defensively. "I''m not sharing everything with her."
"Yet," Vanheim countered. "But you''re considering it. I can see it in your expression, boy. You''ve always been transparent to those who know how to look. This artifact may be the most significant clue you''ve found in years. And you''re ready to entrust it to an unknown variable."
"I have no reason to trust Zayd," Crow said, his voice tight. "At least with her, I''m starting fresh."
Vanheim sighed, his eyes momentarily closing. "Just... be careful, Crow. Not everything¡ªor everyone¡ªis as they first appear."
Crow nodded curtly and collected the key from the desk. "I know." He turned to the exit.
"And Crow," Vanheim called after him, "remember what I taught you about perception and reality."
The manga showed Crow pausing at the threshold, not turning back but clearly listening.
"The simplest explanation is often correct¡ªexcept when dealing with the past. Then, it''s never simple. Be careful boy, don¡¯t let your father ruin your life more than he¡¯s already done."
It was after those words that Crow left the room.
Amy grimaced at the page. "I am really that unreliable? Like, I get it''s suspicious and all, but does it genuinely have to be this exaggerated?"
[If you were in their position the same apprehension would be present. Perhaps even worse considering your¡attitude.]
¡°The hell are you talking about?¡±
[Nothing.]
¡°Whatever.¡± It was a hopeless endeavor wasting breath on the nonsense of this insolent little book.
The manga scene shifted to Crow during the opening ceremony reuniting with his friends, whom he had seen before but had not talked to thoroughly since summer break. Ash enthusiastically recounted his adventures he experienced with Crow in the orphanage, Lyra shyly presented gifts she''d brought back from her homeland, and Lain stood quietly beside them, a small smile occasionally gracing her features.
Then another figure entered the frame¡ªa tall, athletic girl with copper skin and a confident stance. Iris Wright, Amy recognized from the manga. Class S''s combat specialist and another recurring character in the story.
"Survived another summer with your folks?" Crow asked her with a rare half-smile.
Iris snorted, flipping her braided hair over one shoulder. "Barely. Father insisted I master three new weapons before returning. As if I didn''t already outclass most of the lower grade instructors here."
Her gaze swept over the group, pausing briefly on Lain. "You look well, Arkwright. Managed not to freeze anything important over the break?"
Lain''s silver eyes flickered briefly, the only indication of her response to the friendly jab.
The conversation continued, full of the easy camaraderie of friends who''d faced dangers together in the past. There were subtle references to previous events Amy recognized from earlier manga chapters¡ªthe tournament arc from last year, the Northern Ruins expedition, the confrontation at Blackthorn Bridge.
During the conversation, Crow was becoming more and more annoyed after being teased by Ash a couple of times regarding his relationship with the blonde first-year student. So he ended up telling the group about Amy, their encounter in the teahouse, as well as everything he knew about her.
¡°How nosy. Doesn¡¯t this guy know is bad to gossip about others this much?¡± Amy commented with a frown as she watched the protagonist turn into some kind of old woman with more than fourteen cats without nothing better to do.
The next several pages covered the opening ceremony from Crow''s perspective, focusing particularly on his reaction to seeing Amy formally introduced as part of Class S. The artist had drawn his eyes following her movement across the hall, his expression at first thoughtful rather than suspicious.
A text box captured his internal monologue: As expected, she¡¯s in class S. A potential seer not bound by Gaspard traditions. Perhaps...
"So he really was trying to use me from the start," Amy muttered, feeling oddly disappointed. "That¡¯s not how protagonists are supposed to be..."
[I''m not sure that''s entirely fair. He was looking for help, and you appeared to be someone who could provide it.]
"What are you, his PR team?" Amy frowned, flipping to the next page.
The chapter continued, showing Crow''s decision to approach Amy about the key while talking about the deal he wanted to do, and then leaving when he sensed the headmaster''s eyes on the two of them.
What happened next was a boring lecture and him reuniting with other second-year students, such as Vulty and Kain. And greeting politely to Zayd, he still didn¡¯t understand where the two of them stood.
Eventually, the first-years arrived, class began, and ended. And finally he approached Amy and talked about their deal, then his companion buttle in, annoying him a little bit, but eventually relenting.
What followed was the conversation on the balcony where she had agreed to help him. The artist had captured the wariness in Lyra''s eyes, the curiosity in Ash''s, and the silent observation from Lain, who looked very wary of her.
When Amy had made her declaration about being able to find what the key opened, a panel showed Crow''s genuine surprise, quickly replaced by calculation. A small text box revealed his thoughts: Either she''s bluffing, or her power truly is remarkable. Either way, I will know soon.
The deal continued with Crow offering payment, but Amy declining, and instead asking for a favor, something that deeply unsettled Crow, but eventually he accepted. The conversation was then over, and they both went their separate ways.
However, right before the scene changed, there was a full page of Amy walking home. A single line was written in her dialogue as she walked.
¡°Will I be able to stop it, I wonder¡¡±
As she read this part, Amy could not contain her surprise. ¡°I¡¯m so fucking gorgeous¡!
[...is that really what you should be focusing on about?]
Amy cleared her throat before shifting her attention to the line she had just said. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that the author would add this part. Am I in danger¡?¡±
[Why would you be in danger? I¡¯m confused.]
¡°What if they add something that breaks my character?¡±
[Then I¡¯ll censure it before it reaches them.]
¡°You can do that?¡± Amy''s eyebrows rose, and her eyes opened slightly. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±
[I can only do it when you haven¡¯t exposed yourself directly to the characters or other similar situations. As for why I haven¡¯t told you, it''s because I have a bad premonition you will try to exploit this rule.]
¡°I would never!¡± She said as she mentally thought on ways she could try to use this to her advantage.
[Forgive me, but I would much rather thrust a clown more than you.]
¡°Why a clown¡?¡±
[Don¡¯t you have a chapter to finish?]
Amy stared at the book in silence, still trying to understand why it had mentioned clowns specifically, but a few seconds later she gave out and returned her attention to the manga.
The scene shifted to the next day after class, with Crow and his companions waiting outside Building B. His fingers toyed with the golden key as his gaze scanned the Academy grounds.
This place feels... wrong, his internal monologue read. Has it always felt this way? Or am I simply more attuned to such things now?
Amy shortly arrived. They talked briefly and then entered the building.
The final pages of the chapter showed their group splitting up to search, focusing briefly on Crow accepting Libris from Amy with a puzzled expression. His mind raced with thoughts, trying to discern the woman''s intentions.
It also showed Lain and Amy weird standoff as neither of the two moved their gazes from each other.
Lain silver eyes followed Amy''s every movement with her usual expressionless visage. A small text box captured her thoughts:
There''s something not right about her. The way she appeared so suddenly...so conveniently just when Crow needed her¡ I need to keep watch.
A panel showed Lain''s fingers subtly frosting over as her anxiety increased¡ªan unconscious manifestation of her powers that the artist had used in previous chapters to indicate her emotional state. She quickly clenched her fist, dispersing the ice crystals before anyone could notice.
¡°And here I was wondering why she decided to approach me¡ What did I do to deserve this¡?¡±
[Quite a lot¡ª]
¡°You know, your snarky, quirky comments are getting old. Is your whole personality just that?¡±
[Yes, actually.]
¡°...¡± Amy sighed, something that she felt happened lately with a lot of frequency. With a shook of her head, she once again returned her focus on the manga.
It was after a while of deep silence that someone finally spoke.
¡°Is there anything you need, Lain?¡± Amy asked bluntly.
The panel showed Lain''s hesitation, her silver eyes darting briefly to the side before meeting Amy''s gaze again. When she spoke, her speech bubble was drawn smaller than usual, indicating her quiet voice.
"...can I come with you¡?" Lain asked, after a big effort.
Amy seemed to think for a second before just nodding and walking away. Lain followed behind.
The manga perspective shifted again, this time showing Crow searching everywhere, and even talking to students, all without success.
Once the ten minutes agreed upon were over, everyone returned except for two. Amy and Lain. Ash wasn¡¯t bothered at all, and in fact, tried to reassure multiple times the concerned and mildly impatient Lyra, who kept imagining the worst possible outcomes.
Meanwhile, Crow just stared in silence at the book, a deep frown on its face. Why did she give it to me? He thought. Could it be, something is about to happen¡
And with those ominous words, the perspective switched to the last panel. Amy and Lain stared at the bloodied figure of a student held in ropes with some kind of cursed magic holding in place his organs. Meanwhile, carved around him thirteen crimson marks smeared against the stone in uneven strokes.
[End of Chapter 152.]
Amy exhaled slowly. "Pretty accurate to what happened, though seeing it from Crow''s perspective is... interesting."
[Ready for Chapter 153?]
Amy nodded, and the pages shifted again, revealing the cover for the next installment. This one was more dynamic¡ªCrow in mid-combat, his blade slicing through what appeared to be a distorted version of a student. In the background, chaos reigned as more monsters attacked. Amy and Lain appeared in a small inset panel at the bottom, surrounded by darkness, their expressions determined as they faced unseen horrors.
"So dramatic," Amy commented, yet her voice held no warmth. Instead, a hint of fear could be heard.
She began reading the new chapter, which opened with Crow standing at the rendezvous point, checking the clock in the hall with increasing frequency.
"Seventeen minutes late¡" he muttered to Ash and Lyra, who waited nearby.
"Maybe they found something?" Ash suggested, though his tone betrayed his doubt.
"Could an assassin have attacked in their way here?" Lyra added, her expression filled with fear. "Perhaps they have found a demonic ritual and are currently trapped in a nightmare!"
Crow''s gaze moved unconsciously to Libris. It bothered him more than he wanted to admit.
His internal monologue revealed more: Something''s wrong. This entire situation feels... off. The key, this building... none of it sits right.
Before he could pursue that thought further, movement caught his attention. Amy and Lain approached, their expressions neutral.
¡°Lain! Where were you!? I almost had a heart attack!¡± Lyra immediately ran and hugged Lain, who returned the hug shyly.
"Did you find anything?" Amy asked, her golden eyes revealing nothing.
Crow studied her for a moment, something nagging at his instincts. "Nothing yet," he replied carefully. "And you? You are quite late."
¡°We got lost. As you had seen from our first encounter, I¡¯m not the best with direction.¡±
¡°I see¡¡± Crow narrowed his eyes, but eventually just nodded. ¡°Then, have you found anything?¡±
"Nothing," Lain answered, her voice as quiet as always.
Crow sighed before handing Libris to her. "Your book," he said, extending it toward Amy. "I''m not sure it was much help to me."
Amy made no move to take it, her gaze sliding past the book as if it weren''t there.
The panels zoomed in on Crow''s eyes, narrowing with sudden suspicion. A small text box appeared: Why isn¡¯t she taking it¡ Not even glancing at it, but the book is communicating with her, I can feel it¡ Is it possible that¡
"Actually," Crow said, sliding the book towards Lyra, who held it with a confused face, "I think we should check the east wing again. Lyra, would you come with me? Ash, stay with Amy and Lain."
Amy was confused at the reasoning behind this, but Crow didn¡¯t elaborate, so in the end she had no choice but to agree.
As Crow and Lyra moved down a hallway, he activated his Soul Sight¡ªone of his abilities that allowed him to see higher planes. The panels showed his vision shifting, colors inverting as he looked back at the group they''d left behind.
Where ''Amy'' and ''Lain'' stood, his enhanced vision revealed distorted, twisted auras¡ªnothing like the clear, defined signatures of true living beings.
"They''re not Amy and Lain," he whispered to Lyra, whose eyes widened in shock.
"How can you be sure?"
"Three things," Crow replied, his voice tight. "First, Amy''s book. She treasures it, yet her copy didn''t even acknowledge its existence. Second, my Third Sight confirms they''re not human. And third..." He hesitated. "My intuition."
¡°This writing is ass¡¡± Amy couldn¡¯t help but mutter those words at the ¡®my intuition¡¯ line.
[You are miserable, you know that?]
The next sequence showed Crow carefully maneuvering to isolate ''Amy'' from the others, leading her down a secluded corridor under the pretense of checking a classroom. Once alone, the pages depicted a brutal, efficient attack¡ªCrow drawing his blade in one fluid motion and driving it through the impostor''s back before it could react.
Instead of blood, black ichor spilled from the wound. The creature''s form rippled, its features melting into a grotesque approximation of humanity before collapsing into a puddle of writhing darkness.
Amy winced at the graphic depiction. "Wow. He really didn''t hesitate, did he?"
[As I mentioned earlier. Not a single doubt. Quite impressive, actually.]
The manga continued, showing Crow and Lyra confronting ''Lain'' together after explaining the situation to Ash. The impostor fought back with considerable strength, its limbs elongating into blade-like appendages, but the three Class S students overwhelmed it with coordinated attacks, and in a matter of seconds, it was dead.
As the second impostor dissolved, Crow examined the black ichor with growing concern. "This is blood magic. Ancient and forbidden. Could it be the blood emperor?"
Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.
"We need to alert the Headmaster," Lyra insisted. "Whatever''s happening here, it''s beyond what we should handle alone."
"Agreed," Crow nodded. "Lyra, go. Ash and I will search for Amy and Lain¡ªthe real ones."
"And the other students in this building?" Ash asked, his usual carefree demeanor replaced by grim determination.
Crow''s expression darkened. "Assume any student you encounter might be an impostor until proven otherwise."
The subsequent pages showed Lyra departing while Crow and Ash began methodically searching the building. As they progressed, they encountered more students¡ªsome genuine, others impostors who attacked when their deception was discovered.
"All of them are copies..." Ash muttered after they''d dispatched another creature. "Where are the real ones?"
Before Crow could answer, a loud screech echoed through the building. The impostors they''d encountered previously had maintained their human disguises even when attacking, but now more monstrous forms emerged from classrooms and hallways¡ªabandoning pretense for savage ferocity.
"No more disguises, it seems. They know we''re onto them." Crow realized, drawing his sword as three creatures converged on their position.
What followed was a dynamic, multi-page battle sequence as Crow and Ash fought their way through the increasingly chaotic building. Other students caught in the madness either fled or, in some cases, attempted to help¡ªthough most lacked the combat prowess to be effective against the monsters.
"Get to safety!" Crow shouted at a group of Class B students who had bravely but ineffectually tried to assist. "We''ll handle this!"
The fight spilled out into a courtyard as more creatures poured from the building. Ash''s strength-enhancing abilities allowed him to literally tear the monsters apart with his bare hands, while Crow''s swordplay created a whirlwind of death around him.
Amid the chaos, the perspective suddenly shifted to Lain, deep within the nightmare realm. The artist had captured her internal struggle quite well¡ªher normally impassive face betraying subtle hints of confusion and concern as she glanced at Amy.
Who is she? Lain''s internal monologue read. She speaks of visions and fate, yet knows this place as if she''s walked it before. Not a Gaspard, yet with prophetic gifts that rival Zayd''s. A seer who appeared from nowhere just when we needed one...
The panels showed Lain observing Amy closely as they navigated the nightmare, noting how she moved with purpose.
Too convenient, Lain''s thoughts continued. Too precise. Whatever she is, it can¡¯t be something simple.
What continued were the events as Amy had lived them, showing as they had barely escaped from the monster into a secret tunnel.
The chapter reached its climax with a dramatic split-panel: on one side, Crow and Ash standing back-to-back in the courtyard, surrounded by monsters; on the other, Amy and Lain in the ritual chamber, Amy pressing her bleeding palm to the channels as Lain defended against the creatures pouring in.
Eventually, almost all worked up. Crow managed to keep the casualties to zero as he focused all the attention in himself. While Lain and Amy saved almost all of the sacrifices, with Amy falling unconscious at the end and Lain princess, carrying her. Right when the teachers and professional ability users arrived.
Nobody died, except for one person.
[End of Chapter 153]
Amy closed the book with a frown.
[You did well, Amy.]
She leaned back against her pillows. Not responding.
After a long while, the door to the infirmary opened, and a healer entered¡ªa middle-aged woman with a serene expression and streaks of silver in her dark hair.
"Ah, you''re awake," she said, smiling gently. "Good. How are you feeling, Miss Stake?"
Amy quickly composed herself, pushing away the complex emotions stirred by the manga chapters. "Fine."
The healer chuckled, approaching to check Amy''s vitals with practiced movements. "So strong~."
As the woman began her examination, Amy''s gaze drifted back to Libris, now once again in its simple book form on the bedside table.
Twelve saved, one dead.
It wasn''t perfect, but it was better than the original outcome. Perhaps that was the best she could hope for in this world¡ªnot flawless victories, but improvements on tragedy.
The thought provided little comfort as the memory of Elias''s crushed face flashed once more in her mind.
It took some time, but the nurse finished her inspection, then she excused herself, saying that she would be right back in a minute.
[Would you like to see how readers are reacting to these chapters?] Libris asked after a moment of silence.
Amy groaned, pulling the blanket up to her chin. "Do I have to? I''m not sure I''m emotionally equipped to handle a bunch of strangers dissecting my actions right now."
[It might be enlightening. The readers'' perception directly affects your abilities, after all.]
Amy stared at the ceiling, considering. "Fine, show me the most liked comments, and any relevant thread related to me," she said finally. "But if it gets too weird or annoying, we''re stopping immediately."
[Fair enough.]
The book''s pages began to glow, shifting and reformatting.
[Displaying comments from both chapter 152 and 153]
[Ch.152]
MidnightReader "Will I be able to stop it, I wonder..." WHAT DOES AMY KNOW??? That line dropped like a bomb at the end! + The golden key subplot has been teased for like 20 chapters, and we''re getting somewhere. The Building B mystery feels genuinely creepy.
? 14008 likes ? 216 comments
KeyMaster42 ? replying to MidnightReader, I''ve been saying Building B was sus since the background details in chapter 87. Takahashi-sensei plays the long game with his foreshadowing.
? 378 likes ? 16 comments
CrowStans4Life Can we talk about how Crow keeps using Amy while simultaneously not trusting her at all? Bro needs to make up his mind
? 982 likes ? 157 comments
Psych000 ? replying to CrowStans4Life Classic Crow behavior though. Remember how he treated Lain when she first joined the group? That''s just his daddy issues taking hold.
? 453 likes ? 15 comments
GoldenEyes Amy is such a breath of fresh air in this series. She''s mysterious but not in an annoying way, and her dynamic with the group is already so interesting.
? 876 likes ? 94 comments
LoreHunter ? replying to GoldenEyes Her character design is gorgeous too. Those golden eyes against that dark character palette Takahashi-sensei uses? chef''s kiss.
? 328 likes ? 13 comments
Skep101 ? replying to GoldenEyes I don¡¯t know about her, she¡¯s so sus. Even if her intentions might be good, she still seems antagonistic...
? 112 likes ? 43 replies
Lolenhd ? replying to Skep101 Right? Even Vanheim is wondering about it. "Transparent to those who know how to look" - Crow is being played.
? 67 likes
ZaydFan2000 Everyone''s focused on Amy, but let''s not forget Zayd Gaspard. I miss my boy ;---;
? 1487 likes ? 94 comments
PlotTheorist That last panel with Amy and Lain finding the student... chills literally down my spine. Takahashi-sensei never disappoints with the horror elements.
? 754 likes ? 87 comments
Mangasucker ? replying to PlotTheorist Those thirteen blood marks are definitely some ritual. I''m betting it connects to the Forbidden Arts mentioned in the Library Arc.
? 312 likes ? 7 comments
LainDefenseSquad Lain asking to come with Amy instead of staying with her usual group?? Character development.
? 708 likes ? 76 comments
Charay ? replying to LainDefenseSquad Lain''s internal monologue about Amy being "not right" is so fascinating though. Her instincts are usually spot on.
? 287 likes
ForeshadowingExpert ? replying to Charay She clearly knows way more than she''s letting on. Calling it now - she''s seen the future somehow.
? 31 likes ? 8 comments
VanheimFanclub Professor Vanheim proving once again why he''s the best character in this manga. "Be careful boy, don''t let your father ruin your life more than he''s already done" - OUCH.
? 1584 likes ? 167 comments
KeyTheories Deep dive on the golden key: Old Kingdom artifact + "exists between realities" + Crow''s father disappearance = DIMENSIONAL PORTAL???
? 547 likes ? 213 comments
BalconyScene That balcony conversation was the perfect setup for the whole Building B investigation.
? 501 likes ? 58 comments
ShipperTrash ? replying to BalconyScene The lighting in that scene was gorgeous too. The artist is spoiling us.
? 203 likes
[ch.153]
SageFan426 Well, that was INTENSE. Takahashi-sensei really said "no breaks" this time. I''m still processing everything that happened in Building B. Thoughts?
? 8007 likes ? 3438 comments
AcidRainDreamer ? replying to SageFan426 I cannot believe Takahashi-sensei didn¡¯t just kill everyone like he used to. Was the rumor of their partner scolding them because they killed too much true? Also, the Elias death was brutal tho ?? but holy shit Amy and Lain actually rescued almost everyone. In the rough draft leaks it seemed like Takahashi was setting up another typical "everyone dies" moment but then SWERVED US.
? 4954 likes ? 902 replies
KingOfTheories ? replying to AcidRainDreamer I''m honestly shocked. Quest for Avalon never lets characters save people. Remember the Village Arc? The Temple Collapse? The fact that Crow managed to protect everyone and Amy and Lain saved 12/13 students, is huge for this manga. It''s like Takahashi is signaling a tonal shift.
? 1426 likes ? 138 comments
NotLikeOtherMCs ? replying to KingOfTheories Exactly. And the contrast between Crow''s "eliminate the threats" approach versus Amy''s "save everyone" mission really highlights the changing dynamics. I love that she''s bringing a new energy to the story.
? 198 likes ? 38 comments
EternalCynic ? replying to NotLikeOtherMCs Don''t get too excited. We''re still in the "Hope" part of Takahashi''s typical "Hope -> Despair -> Deeper Despair" cycle. These 12 students are probably just being saved for something worse later.
? 137 likes ? 14 replies
CriticalReader21 ? replying to AcidRainDreamer Am I the only one who thinks this was WAY too convenient? New character shows up and suddenly the established grimdark tone changes? This feels like editorial interference or Takahashi trying to appeal to a wider audience.
? 29 likes ? 8 replies
AestheticDoom ? replying to CriticalReader21 not everything is a conspiracy theory against your precious dark stories lmao. Maybe the author just wanted to try something different after 150+ chapters of complete misery? ??
? 83 likes
MangaOtaku88 ? replying to SageFan426 Crow''s "zero hesitation" moment when he stabbed fake Amy was the coldest shit I''ve ever seen in this manga. My man did not BLINK. Just "you''re not Amy" STAB ??
? 1200 likes ? 127 replies
CelestiaPrime ? replying to MangaOtaku88 He didn''t even question it lmaooo like "this girl I barely know is acting weird" immediately commits murder AND HE WAS RIGHT
? 678 likes ? 97 replies
BloodiedSword ? replying to CelestiaPrime Bro has trust issues the size of the moon and I''m here for it ?? Crow said "nah this ain''t my mysterious seer gf" and chose violence instantly
? 354 likes ? 17 replies
CalmNinja ? replying to SageFan426 Anyone notice how Lain had warmed up so fast to Amy throughout these chapters? Like she says more to Amy in 2 chapters than she did to most other characters in 150+
? 798 likes ? 87 replies
FrozenRose ? replying to CalmNinja That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying. Lain, the girl who can barely speak three words to people she''s known for years, voluntarily going with Amy and then fighting along side her is huge, why are people not talking more about this?
? 431 likes ? 17 replies
IceQueenLover ? replying to FrozenRose she literally carried amy''s unconscious body out of the collapsing nightmare and the panel where she''s looking down at amy with actual emotion on her face¡ i ship it your honor ??
? 367 likes ? 243 replies
ShipWars2023 ? replying to IceQueenLover Here we go again with people shipping characters who''ve known each other for two days.
? 29 likes ? 88 replies
FrostSeeker ? replying to ShipWars2023 "shipping characters who''ve known each other for two days" my brother in christ Lain doesn''t HAVE friends besides like 3 people and she immediately latched onto Amy. That''s not normal Lain behavior
? 107 likes ? 87 replies
CleverAnalysis ? replying to SageFan426 I think we need to talk about the massive revelation that Building B has been compromised for who knows how long? There are 13 fake students we know about, but what if there are more? The paranoia potential here is incredible.
? 654 likes ? 42 replies
ConspiracyTracker ? replying to CleverAnalysis Holy shit you''re right. What if this is just the tip of the iceberg? How long has the Blood Emperor been infiltrating the Academy? How many "students" are actually imposters?
? 228 likes ? 22 replies
ThatsN ? replying to SageFan426 Am I trippin or was Elias Varn never mentioned in the manga before? Feels like they created him just to kill him off
? 43 likes ? 7 replies
MangaHistorian ? replying to ThatsN He was actually mentioned in ch 87 in the background during the tournament. Just a name drop though.
? 95 likes
SeriousFan101 ? replying to SageFan426 Can we discuss how Amy basically destroyed herself to save those students? The panel where she''s bleeding from her eyes while still trying to free more people? That''s the most hardcore thing I''ve seen from a new character.
? 723 likes ? 54 replies
ProtagonistVibes ? replying to SeriousFan101 It changed my whole outlook on the character. I thought she was a villain, but she might genuinely be good.
? 392 likes
Realig ? replying to ProtagonistVibes Nah, she¡¯s evil. Have you seen that face? I know that bitch is plotting something.
? -8 likes ? 26 replies
CommonSense2023 ? replying to Realig She saved 12 lives while putting hers on the line. If that''s not heroic idk what is.
? 15 likes
GrangerThoughts ? replying to SageFan426 The contrast between Crow''s tactical approach (isolate threats, eliminate efficiently) vs Amy''s emotional one (save everyone even at personal cost) is such interesting character work. In terms of personality, we haven''t seen much of Amy, but in terms of action,s they''re like opposites but somehow complementary.
? 527 likes ? 38 replies
TheoristSupreme ? replying to GrangerThoughts Takahashi loves his "opposing approaches that actually need each other" dynamic. Remember Ash and Mina''s whole arc? This feels like a new version of that with Crow and Amy.
? 219 likes ? 28 replies
CryingInTheClub ? replying to SageFan426 no bc why am i sobbing at amy desperately trying to save elias even after everyone else escaped?? the way she REFUSED to leave him behind?? i can''t handle this emotionally ??????
? 612 likes ? 27 replies
EmotionalDamage ? replying to CryingInTheClub LITERALLY SAME and then when the tentacle just.... i can''t even type it. Takahashi really said "you get to save almost everyone but watch this one die HORRIBLY"
? 341 likes
Matias45462 ? replying to EmotionalDamage god the way this fandom talks now makes me feel ancient. what happened to actual discussion instead of whatever this is
? -37 likes ? 12 replies
D¡±ck27 ? replying to Matias45462 go back to retirement home grandpa, let people enjoy things
? 127 likes ? 8 replies
Thread: Controversial Opinion - Amy is BAD for this story
TruthTeller99 [Thread Starter] I''m probably going to get downvoted to hell but somebody needs to say it: Amy is RUINING the core essence of this manga. Quest for Avalon has ALWAYS been about the harsh reality that you can''t save everyone. The despair and tragedy are what make triumphs meaningful.
Now suddenly this random new girl shows up and saves 12 people? This completely undermines the established tone and themes of the story. It''s like Takahashi is catering to fans who complained the story was "too dark."
And don''t get me started on how she''s already being set up as a love interest. The "mysterious girl with golden eyes" trope is SO overdone.
? 17 likes ? 131 comments
FanSince2019 ? replying to TruthTeller99 dude it''s literally been 3 chapters with her, maybe wait before declaring she''s "ruined" a 150+ chapter manga? ??
? 213 likes
RIPLogic ? replying to TruthTeller99 So your complaint is that... too many people survived? That''s honestly weird.
? 178 likes ? 12 replies
TruthTeller99 ? replying to RIPLogic No, my complaint is that the core THEMES of the manga are being undermined. QfA has always shown that sacrifice is necessary, that you can''t save everyone. Now suddenly you can?
? 19 likes ? 138 replies
LiteraryAnalysis ? replying to TruthTeller99 Have you considered that subverting expectations is the point? That the story might be evolving to explore what happens when someone REFUSES to accept the "you can''t save everyone" premise?
? 430 likes ? 18 replies
NeverSatisfied ? replying to TruthTeller99 LMAO did we read the same chapters?? One kid still died horrifically, Amy almost killed herself trying, and Lain barely saved both of them. Yeah real happy sunshine outcome there.
? 970 likes ? 8 replies
ShippingWars ? replying to TruthTeller99 "Don''t get me started on how she''s already being set up as a love interest" my brother in christ Crow STABBED HER DOPPELGANGER WITH ZERO HESITATION
? 754 likes ? 28 replies
LogicalShipper ? replying to ShippingWars To be fair that''s basically Crow''s love language at this point
? 186 likes ? 3 replies
Thread: Amy''s backstory predictions???
CharacterLover [Thread Starter] We still know almost nothing about Amy''s background! Where did she come from? What is her objective? And most importantly, what''s with the talking book?
Drop your theories below! Most creative one gets my free award :)
? 342 likes ? 197 comments
WildGuess ? replying to CharacterLover I''m thinking she''s actually related to the royal bloodline somehow. I remember someone commenting that on an old thread. The golden eyes/hair are a dead giveaway - remember the ancient queen in the flashback from ch 120? same coloring.
? 87 likes
OutlandishTheory ? replying to CharacterLover The book is actually Amy from the future who went back in time to guide her past self and prevent some catastrophe BOOM
? 120 likes ? 5 replies
ReasonablePerson ? replying to OutlandishTheory This makes zero sense but I''m upvoting for creativity
? 14 likes
GrassyField ? replying to CharacterLover no theories just here for the vibes.
? 43 likes
DeepLore ? replying to CharacterLover Realistically, I think she comes from one of the Outer Territories that were lost during the Cataclysm. That would explain why her prophetic abilities are different from the Gaspard tradition - they evolved separately.
? 102 likes ? 17 replies
Theories on Amy''s Powers (Based on Chapter 153 and 152 revelations)
PowerShjfAnalyst THEORY THREAD: Amy''s powers explained after the Building B incident
- She doesn''t just "see" the future - she seems to physically navigate potential futures
- She has knowledge no first-year student should have about the building layout and academy situation
- The physical toll (bleeding eyes, collapse) suggests her power has serious drawbacks
- She seemed to know that the students were trapped before finding them
What do you all think? Is she more than just a seer?
? 1200 likes ? 247 comments
MultipowerTheory ? replying to PowerShjfAnalyst I think she''s like Crow - multiple abilities that work together. Prophetic sight + some kind of fate navigation that lets her navigate the consequences of different choices.
? 1438 likes ? 128 replies
ShadowSage23 Anyone notice how Amy seemed to be conserving her strength until the ritual chamber? Then suddenly went all out? She knew exactly when to use her full power.
? 876 likes ? 34 comments
AbilityHoarder ? replying to ShadowSage23 This suggests she has way more control than a typical first-year. Her power might be new to the Academy but not new to her.
? 295 likes ? 4 replies
OutsideContext Wild theory but what if Amy has all those drawback because she was so far away from the book?
? 743 likes ? 167 comments
MetaReader ? replying to OutsideContext There was a theory that said that the book is the main body, and honestly, it might actually be right
? 284 likes ? 17 comments
Nerd Amy breaking the blood ritual requires specialized knowledge, so the ability she explained to Crow is most likely real. However, it doesn¡¯t explain her leaving the book behind to Crow like if she knew exactly what was going to happen.
? 247 likes ? 16 comments
TwoBooksTheory ? replying to Nerd I wonder if her book is her soul, or has her soul contained in it.
? 247 likes ? 9 comments
EyeBleedingSymbolism Theory: The bleeding eyes aren''t just a physical toll - they''re symbolic of how her power works. She''s literally seeing through time until her body can''t take it anymore. I genuinely believe that she might be an irregular just like Crow and have an ability that permits her to gain more than one ability.
? 631 likes ? 92 comments
LimitBreaker ? replying to EyeBleedingSymbolism Personally I just think is a single ability that tells her what to do. The further she "looks" into possible futures, the least focused it is so it doesn¡¯t put as much strain on her body. But with the rituals, it was because they were so complex that she needed to overdrive her core.
? 218 likes ? 12 comments
ClassSSecrets Amy hasn''t told anyone her full abilities - calling it now. That "finding what keys open" thing is just ONE aspect of what she can do.
? 587 likes ? 84 comments
FutureTense ? replying to ClassSSecrets Agreed. Notice how she described her ability in the vaguest possible terms? She''s hiding something.
? 201 likes ? 54 comments
ConsequenceTracker The 12/13 survival rate is unprecedented in this manga. Amy must be able to precisely calculate the outcome of her actions to achieve this.
? 529 likes ? 76 comments
Arminmybeloved Does anyone else think Amy might have some kind of time manipulation ability? Not full control, but maybe she can slow her perception of time to make better decisions? She looked so adaptable during all the impostor stuff
? 487 likes ? 95 comments
CostAnalysis Power scaling theory: Amy''s abilities are S-tier but with S-tier drawbacks. She''s not overpowered because using her full strength nearly killed her. Balanced character design. Good job Takashi-san
? 452 likes ? 63 comments
Thread: POWERSCALING AFTER CH 153
PowerLevelGuy [Thread Starter] Updated power rankings after the Building B short-arc:
S-TIER: Headmaster, teachers, Crow, Vanheim A-TIER: Zayd, Iris, Ash, Lain, Amy (maybe higher?) B-TIER: Lyra, Kaelen, Other Class S seniors C-TIER: Tallen, Alba, Stella, Other Class S firsties D-TIER: Normal students
Thoughts?
? 989 likes ? 1430 comments
ActuallyPays Attention ? replying to PowerLevelGuy Amy in A-Tier? Are you HIGH? She literally collapsed after one fight and needed to be carried out. Her attack power is non-existent.
? 76 likes ? 88 replies
PowerLevelGuy ? replying to ActuallyPaysAttention Her prophetic power is A-tier. She literally broke a blood magic ritual that was supposed to be unbreakable. Attack power isn''t everything.
? 393 likes ? 84 comments
FactsOnly ? replying to PowerLevelGuy Bump Lain up to S-tier. She was fighting those monsters non-stop while also breaking the ritual and carrying Amy out.
? 427 likes ? 54 comments
NoContextMemes ? replying to PowerLevelGuy Elias Varn: D-tier from dead. ??
? 880 likes ? 17 replies
CommonDecency ? replying to NoContextMemes Seriously? Making jokes about a kid who died horrifically? You are horrible.
? -15 likes ? 84 comments
NoContextMemes ? replying to CommonDecency Touch grass lol.
? 5 likes ? 1 comments
"That''s enough," Amy said abruptly, her voice tight. The room seemed to be spinning slightly. "I can''t... I don''t need to see any more."
[Are you alright?] Libris asked, the glow fading from its pages.
"Fine," she replied automatically, though her hands were shaking and a cold sweat had broken out across her forehead. "Just tired."
[You seem distressed.]
Amy forced a small, brittle laugh. "Wouldn''t you be? Reading all that... commentary about yourself? It''s weird." She kept her voice deliberately light, fighting to control the tremor that threatened to creep in.
[It''s more than that, I think,] Libris observed quietly. [The comments about¡ª]
"I said I''m fine," Amy cut in sharply. Then, softening her tone with effort, "Really. Just need to rest."
She settled back against the pillows, forcing her breathing to remain steady even as her mind kept replaying that moment¡ªthe sickening crunch, the spray of red, the absolute finality of death. Not a plot point. Not a dramatic story beat. A real person, gone forever.
Will it happen to her too? Death? What would it be like? Will she just stop existing....?
[If you want to talk about what happened¡ª]
"What''s there to talk about?" Amy interrupted, staring fixedly at the ceiling to hide the moisture gathering in her eyes. "Twelve survived. One died. Better than none, right? That''s what matters."
[Perhaps. But that doesn''t mean you can''t acknowledge what witnessing his death did to you.]
Amy swallowed hard, fighting the tightness in her throat. "Nothing to acknowledge. We saved most of them. The readers love it. My powers will get stronger. Mission accomplished."
The book remained silent for a long moment, as if weighing whether to push further.
[Very well,] it said finally. [You should rest now.]
Amy nodded, turning onto her side away from Libris, using the movement to discreetly wipe at her eyes. "...I haven¡¯t forgotten about your favour¡tell me later...the status too¡" she murmured.
[Sure.]
As she closed her eyes, Elias''s head¡ªwhole, before the tentacle¡ªappeared in her mind. She hadn''t even known him. Had never spoken to him. But she''d tried to save him, and failed.
Twelve out of thirteen. Better than none.
The words felt hollow as she repeated them to herself, a mantra that did nothing to dislodge the weight in her chest or erase the memory of death that now seemed permanently etched behind her eyelids.
Better than none. Remember¡better than none.
Ch.13- Attention.
"And you''re certain you saw nothing else unusual before discovering the chamber?" Professor Kaelen asked, his thin fingers steepled before him as he leaned forward in his chair behind the oak desk that dominated his office.
His dark eyes hadn''t blinked once during the entire twenty-minute interrogation. Amy had counted.
The office was dimly lit, with tall bookshelves lining the walls and strange artifacts displayed in glass cases. A subtle scent of old parchment and something metallic hung in the air. Amy sat uncomfortably in a hard-backed chair across from him, feeling increasingly like a specimen under observation rather than a student.
"Nothing beyond what I''ve already described," She said as she shifted in the uncomfortable seat. "The hallways were strangely quiet. The floor felt...wrong. Then we found the hidden passage."
Kaelen''s gaze intensified, as if trying to extract information directly from her mind. "And these ''monsters'' that attacked you¡ªthey acted like humans at first?"
"Yes. They mimicked students perfectly until they were discovered."
The professor made a noncommittal sound as he scribbled something in a small black notebook. His quill moved with unnatural precision. The scratching echoed in the quiet room.
"Fascinating," he murmured, more to himself than to her. "The ability to maintain such complex illusions requires considerable power. And you say they were connected to the Blood Emperor?"
"That''s what it seemed like, based on the ritual chamber we found."
Kaelen''s eyes narrowed slightly. "A first-year student being able to recognize ancient blood magic and tamper with it. How... interesting."
Amy kept her expression neutral despite the alarm bells ringing in her head. "I didn''t recognize it specifically."
A large clock ticked loudly somewhere behind her, making the silence between them feel even more oppressive.
"Hmm." Kaelen closed his notebook with a snap that made Amy flinch slightly. "Well, Miss Stake, you''ve certainly had an eventful first week at the Academy." His thin lips curved into what might generously be called a smile. "Rest assured, the staff is investigating this incident thoroughly."
"I''m glad to hear it," Amy replied, eager to escape the suffocating atmosphere of his office.
As she stood to leave, Kaelen''s gaze dropped to Libris, clutched in her hands. "An unusual tome you have there. Might I examine it sometime?"
"It''s just a family heirloom," Amy said quickly, instinctively pulling the book closer to her chest. "Nothing special."
"I''m quite knowledgeable about rare artifacts," Kaelen persisted, his fingers twitching slightly as he gazed at Libris. "I might help identify its origin."
[Don''t you dare give me up again, girl.]
"Sorry," Amy said with practiced politeness. "It''s very fragile. I don''t let anyone handle it."
Kaelen''s expression cooled several degrees. "...As you wish. Perhaps another time."
He rose from his chair and moved to accompany her to the door. Amy felt the weight of his presence behind her.
"By the way," he said, his voice deceptively casual, "I''ve been curious about your interactions with my nephew, Zayd. I understand you two haven''t become acquainted yet."
Amy''s pace faltered slightly. "We haven''t had much reason to speak."
"A pity," Kaelen murmured. He reached past her to straighten a crooked frame on the wall, his arm blocking her path momentarily. "Zayd has significant insights about prophetic abilities. Particularly those that manifest unexpectedly." His eyes slid to her face. "Like yours."
Amy said nothing, waiting for him to move his arm.
"You know," Kaelen continued, lowering his voice, "the Academy takes a special interest in students with unusual talents. For their protection, of course." His smile thinned. "The Disciplinary Committee has become quite concerned about students concealing the full extent of their abilities," he added. "Especially after this incident. There''s talk of mandatory magical examinations."
He finally moved his arm, allowing her to continue toward the door.
Amy reached for the door handle, but Kaelen''s pale hand flattened against the wood, holding it shut.
"Zayd takes his tea in the East Tower gardens most afternoons," he said, leaning slightly closer. "As a faculty advisor and teacher, I strongly recommend you join him tomorrow for your own benefit. The Academy can be a dangerous place for isolated students. Particularly those involved in... incidents."
He finally removed his hand from the door, stepping back with a thin smile. "Do consider it, Miss Stake. Some invitations shouldn''t be declined."
Once safely down the corridor and out of earshot, Amy exhaled shakily. "Creepy fuck," she muttered, her knuckles white around Libris.
[He¡¯s threatening you.]
"No shit." Amy quickened her pace, putting as much distance between herself and Kaelen''s office as possible. "He wasn¡¯t trying to be subtle about it."
[What are you going to do? The Gaspards are not known for empty warnings.]
"Dunno. I¡¯m honestly so tired of giving a shit¡"
She stepped out of the main faculty building, blinking as her eyes adjusted to the afternoon light. The campus grounds were emptier than usual as classes will only start tomorrow. The few students that were there, chatted between themselves, creating a welcome contrast to what she had just experienced.
Today is such a good day to rot in bed.
She headed toward the dormitories, keeping to the stone path that wound through the Academy''s central gardens. The morning sun cast long shadows across the manicured lawns, and despite the pleasant weather, she felt a chill that had nothing to do with the temperature.
"Did you see? That''s her," a voice whispered loudly from a nearby bench.
Amy kept walking, pretending not to notice the group of first-years staring openly at her. Their attempts at subtlety were laughable.
As she walked toward her dormitory, the whispers followed her. They were quite hard to ignore since there weren''t many people around, so those who openly gazed at her were quite noticeable.
Keeping her gaze fixed ahead, Amy quickened her pace. The adoration in their gazes made her stomach twist uncomfortably.
A small group of second-years nudged each other as she passed. One girl even started to approach before her friend pulled her back, whispering something.
Amy had thought that the attention she had received due to her new face back when she first came to this world was annoying, but now she realized that the occasional glances were nothing compared to this.
By the time she reached her dormitory building, her jaw ached from clenching it so tightly. She rapidly got herself into the ¡®elevator¡¯, desperate to escape the weight of all those admiring gazes that understood nothing.
Finally reaching her room, she flung the door open and immediately collapsed face-first onto her bed.
[You''re going to soil your bedding with those filthy shoes.]
Amy responded by burying her face deeper into her pillow.
[At least close the door. Anyone could walk by.]
With an exaggerated groan, Amy dragged herself off the bed just enough to kick the door shut before flopping back down.
The silence of the room pressed in around her, broken only by the distant sounds of students in the courtyard below and her own uneven breathing. After a few minutes, it became unbearable.
"Libris," she said finally, her voice muffled by the pillow.
[Yes?]
Amy rolled onto her back, staring at the ceiling. "Can I see my new status window?"
[Very well.]
Libris floated, the pages glowed softly before revealing a translucent blue screen materializing in the air before her:
Name: Amy Stake
Special ability: Fate''s road.
STR: F / END: E / DEX: E / AGI: F / MAG: C (F)
READER SENTIMENT:
- Fanatic: 0.0%
- Devoted: 1.0% ¡ü (Increase of 0.8% since last chapter)
- Like: 20.7% ¡ü (Increase of 12.4% since last chapter)
- Neutral/Undecided: 77,49%¡ý (Decrease of 13.51% since last chapter)
- Dislike: 0.8% ¡ü (Increase of 0.3% since last chapter)
- Hate: 0.01% ¡ü (Increase of 0.01% since last chapter)
Overall: Your ability power has increased to level 12.
Ability¡¯s Mastery: 3
Amy stared at the status window, fixating on the numbers before her. "Wow, you actually did quite a good job with the system. These percentages are cool."
[Thank you,] Libris replied, a hint of pride in its tone. [I''ve implemented a new feature tracking reader sentiment. We can now see precisely how your character is being received.]
Amy''s eyes lingered on the ''Dislike'' and ''Hate'' percentages. "Only 0.8% dislike me? And just 0.01% hate? That seems... low."
[Minorities always scream the loudest. A handful of vocal detractors can create the impression of widespread disapproval. In reality, most readers are still forming their opinions or warming to you.]
Amy nodded absently, lingering on the MAG rating. "What''s with this MAG stat though? I''m a C in magic? I don''t even know how to cast a spell." She tapped at the glowing letter with her finger. "How can I have a decent rating in something I know nothing about?"
[The MAG stat is tied to your special ability. Fate''s Road has magical properties by nature. Even without formal training, your connection to fate operates on principles similar to what others would call magic.]
"So I''ve got decent magical potential just sitting there unused?"
[Essentially.]
¡°I see.¡± Amy''s eyes drifted back to her stats, focusing on the ability. "My power level is 12 now, but mastery is only at 3? That''s a pretty big gap."
[Indeed. Your raw power has increased substantially thanks to reader investment, but your control and understanding haven''t kept pace. It''s like having a powerful engine without knowing how to drive properly.]
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
"So even though I''m technically stronger, I can''t actually use most of that power effectively," Amy frowned, sitting up on her bed. "That''s frustrating."
[Which isn¡¯t really surprising considering that you barely had a few days to acclimate to the experience. Practice will definitely shorten the gap; however, don¡¯t expect quick upgrades, training isn¡¯t a life or death situation, and powers advance faster during those situations.]
"Yeah, I think I¡¯ll spend the rest of the day practicing now that my core is somewhat healed. My mastery is way too low. No point having upgraded powers if I can''t use them properly, right?"
[...]
¡°What? Say it. I know you have something to comment¡¡±
[I don¡¯t think you should be training for the rest of the day.]
Amy''s body tensed visibly, her fingers tightening. ¡°And why is that¡?¡±
There was a brief pause before Libris spoke again, its tone gentler than usual.
[Even if your core has replenished at a faster rate than expected, it is still delicate. Moreover, the minute of silence for Elias Varn¡ I think you should attend it instead of¡ª
"I should really focus on training my mastery," She interrupted quickly, her eyes darting away from the book. "That''s what matters." She murmured while nodding, as if convincing herself.
[Of course,] Libris replied after a moment. [Training would certainly be beneficial.]
"So how exactly do I train this ''mastery'' thing? Is there some exercise I can do, or...?"
[Your powers aren¡¯t exactly something I have precedent of, so really the only thing you can possibly do is to figure them out by yourself.]
¡°Then I guess I should start then¡¡±
[You should.]
-¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-¡¡¡ö¡¡-¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-
Amy didn''t attend the minute of silence for Elias Varn, but as the Academy bells began their solemn toll at precisely 6 PM, their deep resonance reached every corner of the campus. She paused in her room, her hand hovering over Libris as the first bell rang out across the grounds. For sixty long seconds, she stood frozen, listening to each heavy note as it marked a life cut short.
When the final bell faded into silence, she released a breath she hadn''t realized she was holding.
-¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-¡¡¡ö¡¡-¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-
[Mastery increased to level 4. Congratulations.]
¡°Finally!¡±
By early evening, restlessness, tiredness, and hunger had finally caught up to her. She flopped onto her bed and groaned dramatically.
I should have rotted in bed just like I had said I would do¡ I¡¯m so fucking dumb¡
"I''m starving," she complained, staring at the ceiling. "Do you think the dining hall is still open?"
[Doubtful. It usually closes at eight on non-class days. You''ve been stubbornly ignoring your body''s needs for hours.]
Amy''s stomach growled loudly in confirmation. "Well, I need food. And I have exactly zero money."
[A predicament of your own making. If you had done the scholarship demand instead of complaining about how many papers you will have to complete, you wouldn¡¯t be in this situation.]
"...Come on," Amy rolled over to face the book. "Please? I''m really hungry."
Libris remained silent for a long moment before emitting what sounded remarkably like a sigh.
[Check my inner back cover...]
Amy eagerly flipped to the back of the book, finding a thin leather pouch that definitely hadn''t been there before. Inside were several small silver coins stamped with the Academy''s crest.
"You''re a lifesaver!" she exclaimed, pocketing the money.
[You need to sort out your money situation; constantly creating more is tiring.]
"Yeah, yeah," Amy waved dismissively as she grabbed her jacket, pulled the book into her satchel, and headed for the door.
The campus was quieter than usual as Amy made her way toward the small row of shops and eateries that lined the western edge of the Academy grounds. The evening air carried a slight chill, and long shadows stretched across the cobblestone paths as the sun sank lower in the sky.
As she approached the central square, her steps faltered.
The memorial had been impromptu but unmistakable. Small clusters of candles flickered in the growing darkness, surrounding a makeshift shrine where students had left flowers, notes, and small personal tokens. A framed photograph of Elias Varn¡ªsmiling, alive, ordinary¡ªsat at the center.
Amy swallowed hard, an uncomfortable tightness forming in her throat. She tried to look away, to redirect her path around the square, but her eyes kept returning to the memorial as she approached. The shrine was larger than she''d expected, with far more flowers than seemed reasonable for someone most students had barely known.
A few people still lingered, placing fresh flowers or simply standing in contemplative silence.
"That''s her," a whisper carried on the evening air.
She instantly quickened her pace until she was nearly jogging by the time she reached the small noodle shop at the corner.
Inside was mercifully quiet, with only a handful of patrons seated at the counter. Amy ordered quickly, keeping her gaze down as she handed over Libris''s coins, and selected the table farthest from the windows while she waited for her food.
When her order came¡ªa steaming bowl of spiced noodles and dumplings¡ªshe nearly reconsidered eating there. The thought of returning to her room, to privacy and silence, was tempting. But hunger won out, and she began to eat with single-minded focus.
The first bite almost made her groan with relief. It wasn''t spectacular cuisine, but to her empty stomach, it might as well have been a feast.
She was halfway through her meal when the shop door opened, admitting a gust of cool evening air and two new customers.
"Excuse me," a soft voice spoke nearby, causing Amy to freeze mid-bite. "Are you... Amy Stake?"
Slowly, Amy looked up to find a woman in her thirties standing beside her table. She wore a simple dress, and her hand rested protectively on the shoulder of a boy who looked the same age as her.
The boy was immediately recognizable¡ªnot by his face, which Amy had never seen clearly in the darkness of the ritual chamber, but by the fluffy dog-like ears that poked through his sandy brown hair and the tail that curled nervously behind him. One of the twelve. One she had saved.
"I¡ª" Amy began, already shifting in her seat, preparing to stand, to leave, to escape. "I was just finishing, actually¡ª"
"Please, wait¡ªjust a moment," the woman said, her voice trembling slightly. Her eyes held a desperate earnestness. "I know you must be tired of people approaching you, but... are you her? Are you Amy Stake? The one who helped find the children? I''ve been hoping¡ªpraying, really¡ªthat I might find you or one of the others who were there that night."
Amy reluctantly settled back, her fingers fidgeting with her satchel. "...Yes¡.that''s me..."
The woman''s eyes brightened, and a small smile appeared on her face. "The moment I saw that golden hair, I knew it had to be you..."
"Is there anything I can do for¡ª"
Before Amy could finish the sentence, the woman bowed deeply, her hand never leaving her boy''s shoulder.
"Thank you," she said, her voice thick with emotion. "Thank you for saving my son. I know those words must sound hollow and inadequate compared to what you did, but I don''t know how else to express what''s in my heart right now."
Amy''s discomfort intensified, her gaze darting around the shop as if seeking an exit. "It''s fine. I mean¡ªyou don''t need to¡ª"
"When they told me what happened," the woman continued, straightening, "that my boy had been taken, that he was just... gone..." Her voice broke, and she took a steadying breath. "At first, I didn''t even realize. Can you imagine that? My own child was replaced with something else, some... creature pretending to be him, and I didn''t notice at all. I''ve been replaying every conversation, every interaction we had, wondering how I could have missed the signs. How I failed to recognize that the child in my house wasn''t my Relan."
She swallowed hard, her fingers tightening on her son''s shoulder. "I hated myself for that. I still do. What kind of mother doesn''t know her own child has been... replaced? The guilt has been eating me alive. I can''t sleep, I can barely eat. I keep thinking about what could have happened if you hadn''t found my kid when you did."
Amy shifted uncomfortably as the woman''s raw emotion filled the small space between them. The few other patrons in the noodle shop had fallen silent, their attention clearly drawn to the scene unfolding at her table.
"Please," Amy murmured, "you don''t have to¡ª"
"But I do," the woman insisted, her eyes glistening. "I''ve been carrying this weight, this gratitude mixed with shame, and I needed to say it to you directly. They told us everything¡ªthe Academy officials, I mean. What you and that girl named Lain did. How you found them all, how you fought those... those demons, risking your own lives for kids you didn''t even know." She squeezed her son''s shoulder. "Relan hasn''t spoken much since it happened, but he told me enough. About the dark place they were kept, about the strange symbols, about how scared they all were. And how you came for them when no one else even knew they were missing."
The boy¡ªRelan¡ªlooked up at Amy with eyes that held a mixture of timidness and a small smile.
Amy shifted uncomfortably, her appetite vanishing. "I was just in the right place."
"Nonsense," the woman shook her head firmly. "I know this is making you uncomfortable¡ªI can see it in your face¡ªbut please understand that what you did... it means everything to us. Truly everything. Relan is all I have in this world, especially after his father passed three years ago. My boy has been the only thing keeping me going forward since then. If he had disappeared forever..." Her voice faltered. "I don''t know what I would have done. I honestly don''t think I could have survived that loss."
The woman squeezed the boy''s shoulder and gave him an encouraging nod, gesturing for him to step forward.
Relan took a step forward, his ears still flat against his head in nervousness. Then he bowed and with a low voice he said. "Thank you."
Amy stared at him, unable to form words.
The woman smiled at his son''s awkwardness. "He''s always been shy, but he insisted on coming to find you. We won''t take any more of your time¡ªI promise. We just... needed to say thank you. In person. To all of you who were there that night. Crow, Lain, Ash, Lyra... and you. The parents¡ªwe know very well what you kids did. And we won''t forget it."
Amy sat in silence, only responding with a short nod.
It seemed to be enough. The woman bowed once more, then guided Relan out, disappearing into the now-dark evening.
She stayed motionless for several long moments before mechanically gathering her things and standing. Her food lay half-eaten, forgotten. She left the shop without looking back.
The walk back to her dormitory passed in a blur. The square with its candlelit memorial, the whispers that followed her, the faces that turned to watch her pass¡ªall of it registered only dimly through the fog of her thoughts.
When she finally reached her room, she closed the door behind her and leaned heavily against it, sliding down until she sat on the floor with her knees pulled to her chest.
"I hate the silence," she murmured after several minutes.
[Pardon?]
"The silence," Amy repeated, staring at nothing. "My mother had always kept the TV on so loudly that I couldn¡¯t even keep count on how many times the neighbors had complained. I never got it before. Now I do."
[I don¡¯t understand. Is it because silence leaves room for thought?]
Amy nodded slowly. "And memory¡and guilt..."
[You have nothing to feel guilty about. You should be proud of what you accomplished. A good deed is something that should be celebrated.]
"...¡¯good¡¯... That¡¯s the problem, Libris. I''ve never been good¡"
She picked at a loose thread on her sleeve, unable to meet the book''s metaphorical gaze.
[I beg to differ. Despite my numerous complaints about you¡ª]
"No, you don''t get it," Amy interrupted, her voice growing harder. "Back home, before all this... I was awful."
[Everyone has regrets¡ª]
"I was a bully," Amy said flatly, the words hanging in the air between them. "There was this girl in my class, Mira. She had these ridiculous glasses and braces and was way too smart for her own good¡ I was obsessed with her."
[Obsessed?]
"Yeah." Amy leaned her head back against the door, staring at the ceiling. "I didn''t understand what I was feeling¡ªstill don¡¯t." Her voice hardened. "So, I made her life hell."
She closed her eyes, memories washing over her. "I stole her notebooks. Knocked books out of her hands. Called her names. Made everyone laugh at her." Her hands curled into fists. "Every time she cried, I felt like shit, but I couldn''t stop. It was like... if I couldn''t have her attention one way, I''d get it another."
[I see.]
"No, you don''t." Amy''s eyes snapped open, suddenly fierce. "One day, she didn''t come to school. Then another day passed. And another. When she finally returned, she was... different. Quieter. She''d tried to¡ª Her parents transferred her to another school. I never even apologized."
[We all have regrets, Amy. That doesn''t mean¡ª]
"Can we not?" Amy cut in sharply, suddenly straightening up. "I don''t know why I''m even telling you this..."
Silence filled the room after Amy''s abrupt interruption. She hugged her knees tighter to her chest, trying to quell the storm of emotions that threatened to overwhelm her.
[Your feelings are... fascinating,] Libris finally said, its tone back to that robotic voice it had.
Amy frowned, looking up at the book. "What?"
[Nothing. It''s simply that humans experience such... intensity. Such depth. Even negative emotions like guilt and shame have a certain vibrancy to them.]
"Are you seriously analyzing me right now?" She asked incredulously, wiping away a tear she hadn''t realized had fallen.
[I''m merely making an observation. You speak of your guilt as if it''s unbearable, yet you wear it so comfortably. Like a familiar coat.]
Amy stared at the book, confusion slowly replacing her earlier vulnerability. "What the hell is wrong with you?"
[Nothing is ''wrong'' with me. I simply find it remarkable how humans can be so consumed by their emotions. How you can feel so deeply.]
"..."
[Your capacity to experience life fully. To taste, to touch, to feel. To have a past that haunts you and a future that awaits you. To change and grow¡is fascinating.]
A heavy silence settled between them, broken only by the distant sounds of students in the courtyard below.
[Amy,] Libris began after a long pause, its tone still sounding metallic. [Do you recall what you said back in the nightmare? That you would give me anything that I wanted?]
"...yes..."
[And do you remember what you said yesterday?]
Amy furrowed her brow, trying to recall her exact words. "That I owed you?"
[Precisely. You said you owed me a favor. Any favor.]
"I did," Amy admitted slowly, a tendril of unease beginning to curl in her stomach. "What about it¡?"
[I''ve been contemplating what I might ask of you. What would truly matter to me.]
"Libris, I¡ª"
[I understand this is unexpected. And I don''t wish to place more obligations on your shoulders. You already have enough to deal with¡ªthe Gaspards'' threats, managing reader likability ratings, the looming end of the world... not to mention your own internal struggles.]
The book''s pages rustled gently, almost like a sigh.
[But this... this matters to me. More than I can properly express. I want to be human, Amy. I need your help. This is the only thing I want from you: help me become human.]
14- Sports.
Amy trudged along the stone path leading to the Hall of Elements, where her combat class would take place, her eyes fixed on the cobblestones beneath her feet with a thoughtful expression.
¡°Help me become human¡±¡ And how exactly am I supposed to do that¡?
Libris''s request from the previous night echoed in her mind, a demand that she had no idea how to fulfill, or even begin to approach.
After dropping that bombshell, the book had fallen silent, refusing to elaborate further when she asked for any kind of clue on how to exactly do that. Which in turn made Amy wonder if it wasn¡¯t allowed to share.
Things can¡¯t ever be simple, can they?
"Can¡¯t I just use my power to make the readers believe you are human?"
[No. That wouldn''t work. If what you desired was another thing but making me human, it would definitely be possible, but transforming my nature requires... something else entirely.]
¡°Why not?¡±
[...] Libris remained silent.
"Then what? How am I supposed to help if my ability is useless for this?" She hissed, glancing around to make sure no one was watching her satchel. "You drop this massive request on me and then refuse to explain how I''m supposed to do it?"
The book stayed stubbornly quiet.
"Fine," Amy huffed, shoving Libris back into her bag. "Can I at least put your demand on hold until I''ve dealt with some of my more immediate problems?"
[You could take all the time in the world if you want, I don¡¯t care. Be one day, two weeks, four years, or a century. As long as you make me human, then I will be satisfied.]
Amy grimaced at Libris''s response. The lack of a time limit would normally suggest indifference, but weirdly enough, those words felt as if they were emphasizing just how important reaching its goal was.
¡°Will I even manage? How hard will it be?¡±
[It will be extremely difficult, if not downright impossible. But I trust that you will manage.]
Trust? In me¡? It has to be joking¡
"Well, that''s reassuring," she muttered under her breath.
[So¡will you help me?]
"Will I help you?¡± Amy stopped in her tracks, staring at the book in her bag with an incredulous expression. ¡°Of course I will, you ridiculous book. I owe you one, remember?"
[I don¡¯t believe that our exchanges are equivalent. As I said, this is quite the colossal task. I understand if you wouldn¡¯t want to do it.]
Amy scoffed, adjusting her bag on her shoulder. ¡°If you weren¡¯t here, with me, and I was alone. I don¡¯t know what I would have done. When I say I owe you, I mean it. Moreover, this looks like it is really important to you... Did you seriously think I''d just say no?"
[...I wasn''t certain.]
"Well, that''s just insulting."
[Many would refuse in your situation, with all the things you have to deal with, adding more to your plate isn¡¯t wise.]
"Yeah, well, I''m not wise, nor smart, so I guess you got lucky."
[I did indeed get lucky. Thank you, Amy.]
She rolled her eyes, trying to hide a little of her embarrassment. "Yeah, sure."
The conversation died as she approached the Hall of Elements.
A steady stream of students flowed through the grand entrance doors. Amy joined them, feeling the familiar tiredness that always settled over her when she was about to work.
Will she someday escape school¡?
"Amy! Hey, Amy!"
She turned to see Stella hurrying toward her, her crimson hair bouncing as she jogged to catch up. Alba followed at a more sedate pace, her pink hair neatly combed and her uniform perfectly pressed.
¡°Vacations¡± are over, I guess¡time to get back to acting¡
"We''ve been looking for you," Stella said, slightly out of breath as she fell into step beside Amy.
"You have?" Amy asked, her tone neutral despite her inner wariness.
Alba caught up, giving Amy a small, shy smile. "We wanted to make sure you were okay. After... you know. Building B."
Amy''s expression remained carefully blank. "I''m fine."
"We heard what happened," Stella continued, lowering her voice. "Everyone''s talking about it. About what the second years and you did. It¡¯s even in the newspapers."
"Is it true?" Alba asked, her eyes wide. "About the... ritual? And those creatures pretending to be students?"
Amy felt her shoulders tense. The last thing she wanted was to relive those moments right now.
"It was handled," she replied curtly, increasing her pace slightly.
"But how did you know?" Stella persisted, keeping stride. "I mean, nobody even knew those students were missing until you found them."
"Luck," Amy said flatly.
Alba and Stella exchanged glances.
"Then, I guess we all should be glad luck is on your side..." Said Alba with a smile.
Amy''s jaw tightened. "I suppose."
They walked in silence for a few moments before Stella spoke again, this time to Alba. "So, ready for combat training? I heard Professor Drayke is really tough."
Great. Just what I needed¡
The room was a massive circular chamber with seven enormous stone archways spaced evenly around its perimeter. Each archway bore different elemental markings: fire, water, earth, air, light, shadow, and spirit. The ceiling rose in a perfect dome overhead, creating impressive acoustics that carried even the quietest whisper throughout the space.
As they entered, Amy noticed signs directing first-years to the changing rooms. She, Alba, and Stella walked down a side corridor that branched off from the main hall.
"Did you bring your training clothes?" Alba asked as they walked. "I wasn''t sure what exactly we needed."
"Yeah," Amy replied, patting her bag where she''d stuffed the Academy-issued training uniform. The student handbook had been very specific about bringing the proper attire for combat classes.
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The changing room was spacious and well-lit, with individual stalls for privacy and rows of lockers along the walls. Several girls were already in various states of undress, chatting nervously about the upcoming class.
Amy found an empty locker and began changing into the required outfit¡ªloose-fitting black pants made of a breathable material, a matching short-sleeved tunic with the Academy''s emblem embroidered on the chest, and soft-soled shoes designed for quick movement. The fabric seemed to adjust slightly to her body as she put it on, probably some minor enchantment for comfort.
"I heard Professor Drayke is really intense," Alba said, pulling her pink hair into a tight bun. "I was talking with our seniors, and they said that his conditioning sessions are brutal."
"I''m not worried," Stella declared, though her voice betrayed her nervousness. She glanced at Amy. "You''ll probably be fine, though. After fighting those... things in Building B, this should be easy, right?"
Amy merely shrugged, not wanting to encourage more questions about the incident.
As she tucked her possessions into a locker, she caught sight of a second-year girl across the room staring at her with undisguised awe. When she noticed Amy looking back, she quickly averted her gaze.
This is such a pain¡
She shook her head, trying to get her mind clear. Sure, all this undeserved attention was annoying and somewhat downright disgusting, but at least it was just that, attention. Instead of continuing to worry about that, she decided to refocus on getting her things into the locker.
Amy hesitated, wondering if she should bring the book with her, then decided against it. Combat training seemed like exactly the wrong place for a sentient, talking book.
[Try not to die,] Libris said dryly as she closed the locker door.
"Your concern is touching."
"Did you say something?" Alba asked, glancing up from tying her shoes.
"Just talking to myself," Amy said quickly. "Bad habit."
Stella grinned. "If you''re giving yourself a pep talk, maybe share some with me? I''m terrified of what''s coming. My ability is..." she made a see-sawing motion with her hand, "very, very unique¡"
When they emerged back into the main hall, the space had transformed. Training mats now covered portions of the floor, and various equipment had been arranged around the perimeter¡ªweights, balance beams, and what looked like enchanted training dummies.
At the center of the hall stood Professor Drayke. His imposing figure somehow seemed even larger in this space, his mechanical arm gleaming in the diffused light streaming through the high windows. His wolf ears twitched slightly as students filed in, assessing each one with predatory awareness.
The professor himself wore a similar training outfit to the students, though his was more worn and practical-looking. His mechanical arm was more visible now without his usual robes, the sophisticated magical engineering exposed.
"Form a semi-circle," he commanded, his voice carrying effortlessly through the chamber. Students scrambled to comply, arranging themselves in front of him.
Amy found a spot near the back of the gathered students, trying to blend in despite the occasional whispers and glances directed her way. The murmurs followed her everywhere now¡ª"Building B," "saved those students," and other variations that made her want to sink into the floor.
"Attention," Drayke''s voice boomed across the hall without him seeming to raise it much. The chatter died instantly. "Welcome to Combat Applications. Some of you are returning students, others are new. Regardless of your experience, the rules remain the same. First rule: Safety protocols are absolute. Ignore them, and you''re out. Second rule: Respect your opponent. Third rule: When I say stop, you stop."
The professor paced in a tight circle, his mechanical arm whirring softly as he gestured. "No exceptions, no excuses. Is that clear?"
"Yes," some students responded.
Drayke nodded, seemingly satisfied. "Before we pair off for combat assessment, we''ll begin with basic conditioning and a theoretical overview. First-years, this will establish your foundation. Second-years, consider it a refresher after your break." He clapped his hands once, the sound echoing sharply off the domed ceiling. "Form rows, arm''s length apart. We begin with thirty minutes of physical conditioning."
Amy bit back a groan as she took her position.
What followed was a grueling series of exercises that left even the fittest students breathing hard. Push-ups, squats, lunges, planks¡ªDrayke cycled through them relentlessly, occasionally correcting form with sharp barks of instruction.
"Your body is your first weapon," he called as they moved through the exercises. "Magical ability means nothing if your physical vessel fails you. Many battles are won or lost on endurance alone."
By the time they finished, Amy''s muscles burned and she could barely breathe. She wiped sweat from her forehead, grimacing as she caught a glimpse of Alba nearby, who looked not much different from her, like she might collapse. Even Tallen, who had started with confident swagger, was breathing heavily.
[You''re quite out of shape,] Libris observed as Amy gulped water from a flask she''d brought.
Amy tried to retort, but she could barely utter a few incomprehensible words.
"Recover and hydrate," Drayke instructed, giving them a brief respite. "Then gather for the theoretical portion."
When the students regathered, Drayke stood beside a large, circular platform that hadn''t been there before. The stone disc, inlaid with various runes and sigils, glowed with a soft blue light.
"Combat in the magical world follows principles," Drayke began, pacing around the platform. "Understanding these principles is the difference between victory and failure¡ªor life and death."
He held up his flesh hand, counting off on his fingers. "First principle: Know your core. Your magical reserves are finite. Expend them wisely.
¡°Second principle: Adapt to circumstances. The battlefield rarely favors your preferred style.
"Third principle: Assess your opponent. Know their strengths, anticipate their weaknesses.
"Fourth principle: Strategy trumps raw power. The strongest ability, poorly applied, will fall to a weaker one used intelligently.
"Fifth principle: Control is paramount. An uncontrolled strike may harm allies or yourself.¡±
As he spoke, the platform beside him illuminated with different colors and patterns, seemingly responding to his words. Students watched, transfixed by both his commanding presence and the visual display.
Jesus, why is everyone so theatrical here¡? Am I watching a class or a late-night show?
"Many of you rely heavily on your special abilities," Drayke continued, his scarred face serious. "This is natural. These abilities are part of you. But understand this, overreliance creates vulnerability."
He gestured to the platform, which now showed a stylized figure channeling too much energy and collapsing.
"Magical burnout is real and dangerous. Push beyond your limits, and your core may take days, weeks, or even months to recover. In extreme cases, permanent damage can occur."
Amy shifted uncomfortably, remembering her recent experience in the nightmare.
"Now," Drayke said, his tone shifting, "we move to practical application. You will pair off for assessment matches. These are not duels to the death, but I recommend you to act as if they were."
He paused, scanning the room. "Some of you may wish to keep your abilities private. That is your right." His mechanical arm gestured toward the platform. "However, understand that hiding your capabilities significantly decreases your chances of victory. Your opponent might not be similarly constrained."
A murmur ran through the first-years at this.
"To be abundantly clear," Drayke added, his voice carrying easily over the whispers, "you can choose to fight without revealing your special ability, but expect to get your ass thoroughly handed to you. This is not a suggestion¡ªit is mostly a certainty. The choice is yours. Privacy or victory? Few achieve both." He pulled a small crystal sphere from his pocket, which projected glowing names into the air. "I will now announce pairs for the assessment matches. When your name is called, step onto the platform. Each match has a five-minute limit or ends when one participant concedes or is incapacitated."
The first few pairs were called¡ªmostly second-years matched against each other. Amy watched carefully as they fought, analyzing their styles and capabilities. Some relied heavily on their special abilities, while others demonstrated impressive physical combat skills.
One match particularly caught her attention¡ªIris Wright against another second-year boy whose name Amy didn''t catch. Iris moved like lightning, her combat style so seamlessly blending physical strikes with her physical enhancement ability that it was difficult to tell where one ended and the other began.
[Notice how efficiently she uses her energy, the exact opposite of someone I know.]
¡°...¡± Amy did not register the comment, too busy observing the display. Even though she had gone through a lot of crazy stuff these past few days, watching magic was still somewhat surreal.
The match ended with Iris''s opponent flat on his back, yielding with a pained grimace while the class applauded.
As the applause for Iris died down, Professor Drayke consulted his crystal sphere again.
"Amy Stake and Tallen Blackwood."
A ripple of excitement passed through the gathered students. Amy felt her stomach drop as whispers erupted around her.
"That''s the Building B girl..." "I heard she took down three of those creatures by herself..."
Amy stepped forward with reluctance, her eyes finding Tallen across the circle. The boy''s expression shifted from surprise to a barely concealed hesitation as he strode toward the platform. His dark hair was slicked back with sweat from the conditioning exercises, but he moved with the easy grace of someone coming from nobility.
"Stake," he acknowledged with a nod. "Heard you''ve been busy making a name for yourself."
If Amy wasn''t so good at reading people, she wouldn''t have noticed the hidden tension of his posture, he was nervous. Like someone who could not afford to lose.
Amy didn''t respond, simply taking her position on the opposite side of the platform. The stone disc hummed beneath her feet, the runes along its perimeter beginning to glow brighter.
Professor Drayke stood at the edge of the platform. "Standard assessment rules apply. The barrier will activate once I step back¡ªno strikes can penetrate it, so spectators are safe. The match ends with submission, incapacitation, or at the five-minute mark." His mechanical arm whirred as he gestured between them. "Begin when ready."
He stepped back, and a translucent blue dome shimmered into existence around the platform.
Ch.15- Bear with me.
Amy stared at Tallen across the platform, her mind racing through her limited options.
She''d watched him during the conditioning exercises¡ªhis movements were fluid and controlled, speaking of years of formal training. And now, the determined glint in his eyes told her everything she needed to know: this wasn''t just an assessment for him. For whatever reason, he seemed to be extremely tense¡and prepared.
[You''re screwed.]
I''m so screwed¡
[Perhaps you should just surrender now? Save yourself the embarrassment of getting thrown across the platform like a rag doll. Like c''mon, you can barely do a proper push-up without collapsing.]
Amy clenched her jaw, unable to form a retort. The worst part was that Libris was absolutely right. Her lungs were still burning from the conditioning exercises, her muscles trembling with fatigue. Tallen, on the other hand, despite the sweat on his forehead, looked absolutely fine.
She narrowed her eyes, watching Tallen carefully. The rational part of her brain agreed with Libris¡ªshe was outmatched in every physical aspect. But giving up before it even started was too much, like actually embarrassing.
[C''mon just surrender, what are you waiting for¡ª Oh, I see. Pride. How predictable. Well, don''t say I didn''t warn you when you''re lying flat on your back in approximately thirty seconds.]
Amy didn''t respond, instead focusing on her breathing as she tried to recall what little self-defense training she''d received back on Earth when she was little. A weekend workshop her ¡®father¡¯ had insisted on after a mugging in their neighborhood.
I''m so screwed¡
"You may begin," Professor Drayke''s voice echoed within the barrier.
Amy immediately activated her ability, and the response was basically something akin to a scream in her mind: No.
She could see there were paths where she won, but it felt as if she even tried to use her ability to reach them, she would immediately pass out. It was a completely different feeling from last time, during the nightmare. Maybe it was because her mastery had reached level four, but now she knew of her limits somewhat.
How is this thing harder that breaking a damn satanic ritual!
Luckily for Amy, neither of them moved immediately, each sizing the other up. The gathered students fell silent, their collective anticipation filling the dome. This gave her a few precious seconds to think about what to do.
In the end, she decided to just use her ability so she could at least dodge a few strikes, which put a strain on her body that was barely manageable. That was better than just straight up losing.
"I''ve heard impressive things about you, Stake," Tallen called, beginning to circle slowly. "Saving those students. Fighting monsters. Quite the heroic debut. Impressive, really." His tone held a barely concealed edge.
He really seemed nervous, which honestly was almost funny. If only he knew that he had nothing to worry about¡ Truly, after all these events that have happened these last few days, Amy had forgotten just how much of a fraud she was. This was a nice reminder of how weak she actually was.
She needed to become strong, this wouldn''t work forever. If she kept being this weak, it would eventually lead to another¡ª
Right now wasn''t the time to think about that, she reminded herself.
Instead of wasting more time in thoughts, she took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and began to psyche herself up.
I can do this. I''m Amy Stake. I survived a literal nightmare dimension. I fought those... whatever-they-were creatures, and battled (ran away) from an eldritch being. I''m basically a seasoned warrior at this point.
Tallen, pffft! Who is he compared to me? Probably just knows a few fancy rich-kid combat moves. Nothing I can''t handle. Maybe he''ll trip on his own shoelaces! Maybe he''ll spontaneously develop a cramp! Maybe a meteor will conveniently strike the exact spot where he''s standing¡
Please, please, something happen. Please¡! Anyone? Help¡
[So, are you guys going to fight or what¡?]
Shut up, Libris. I''m manifesting.
[Seriously, just surrender. Even though nothing wrong is going to happen with the teacher here, it won''t change the fact that you might sully your character.]
You know what, Libris got a point¡ I think I''ll just surrender¡ª
[Wait, wait, wait. I saw the subtle change in your facial expression. You really are surrendering, aren''t you? I was just trying to act like the archetypal wise voice in your head while you irresponsibly throw into an unwinnable fight. But if you surrender now, I''d be disappointed. Even I didn''t think you were that pathetic. I mean, giving up before you''ve even tried? That''s a special kind of weak. At least try to get your ass kicked with some dignity.]
"..." She really wished she could burn this book right now.
You know what, watch me. I''m going to win somehow¡for sure¡
Tallen, growing tired of their staring contest, shifted his stance, his movements fluid and practiced as he began circling her with predatory focus. Amy mirrored him awkwardly, trying to look like she knew what she was doing.
Around them, the other students watched with bated breath. Amy caught snippets of whispered bets and speculation, most of which seemed to favor her based on the Building B rumors. If only they knew.
Okay, my power is telling me he is going to attack from the left. I''ll dodge right, sweep his legs, then... do something impressive. Yeah. That''ll work.
She caught a flicker of movement as Tallen''s expression shifted. His eyes, previously dark brown, began to glow with a golden light. The change was subtle at first, but then his entire body tensed, muscles bulking beneath his training clothes as his form began to... change.
What the¡ª. Amy took an instinctive step back.
Tallen''s face broadened, his features becoming more massive as dark, coarse fur sprouted across his skin. His fingers thickened into heavy paws tipped with deadly claws, and his posture shifted into something powerfully hunched. Within seconds, he stood before her as a human-bear hybrid¡ªnot a full transformation, but enough of one to make Amy''s eyes widen in alarm.
[Oh. You didn''t know? How interesting, did you also skip this chapter¡?]
Interesting? INTERESTING? He''s a freaking BEAR! With CLAWS! And FANGS! And BIG!
[C¡¯mon. You got no balls.]
"..."
At this point I''m too deep in¡
Amy made a mental note to never try gambling before taking a hesitant step forward, and readying for the inevitable attack. Compared to the nightmare creatures of that they this wasn¡¯t that scary¡just a little bit¡
After a few seconds of more silence, Tallen moved, putting all his strength into his charge, not hesitating one bit anymore.
He lunged forward with startling speed, his right arm¡ªjust like she had predicted¡ªmorphing midstrike as fingers elongated into even bigger, deadly claws.
Amy barely dodged, throwing herself sideways as his claws sliced through the air where her head had been a split second earlier. She stumbled, barely keeping her footing as she retreated to the edge of the platform.
"Grrrr!" The impact of Tallen''s missed strike shook the platform beneath them, his claws leaving visible gouges in the stone where they struck. Amy stumbled back, her heart hammering against her ribs as she realized how close she''d come to being seriously injured.
Holy fuck!!
"GrrRrRr!!" Tallen growled even more furiously.
Amy''s instincts kicked in after seeing the predator in front of her, her core going into overdrive. Her ability was screaming warnings at her with each of Tallen''s movements, giving her just enough foresight to avoid his attacks¡ªbut only barely. Each dodge felt closer than the last, her reflexes slowing as fatigue set in.
[You''re doing surprisingly well for someone with the physical capabilities of a particularly unfit sloth. That ability truly is overpowered. Though, at this rate you won¡¯t last long¡]
Amy would have retorted if she''d had the breath to spare. As it was, she could only gasp as she twisted away from another swipe of Tallen''s claws, the wind of his attack ruffling her hair.
"Storrr runNningr and fightrrr!" Tallen snarled, frustration evident in his voice. His golden eyes blazed as he circled her, muscles bunching as he prepared for another lunge.
Amy tried desperately to find a path to victory, pushing her ability harder than before. The response was immediate¡ªa searing pain behind her eyes, a sense of impossibility so profound it made her dizzy. The paths where she won existed, but they felt like trying to jump to the moon.
Fuck this, this is not worth the trouble!
"I surrender," Amy said while looking towards Drayke, straightening up and letting her arms fall to her sides.
For a brief moment, the platform was utterly silent. Then Tallen launched forward with a roar, his massive clawed hand aimed directly at her chest, seemingly not caring at all about her words.
Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
Amy didn''t flinch, didn''t raise her arms to defend herself. She knew the claws wouldn¡¯t hit her. Though, it sure felt scary seeing a seven-foot-tall monster charging towards her. Still, she had trust that no harm would arrive¡probably¡surely¡right¡?
The claws were inches from her chest when everything... stopped. The air around them shimmered with a strange distortion, like heat waves rising from summer pavement. Tallen hung suspended mid-lunge, his expression frozen in a snarl, claws extended but unable to move forward.
"I believe the match is concluded," Professor Drayke said calmly, stepping onto the platform, eyes glowing softly as he used his ability.
He regarded Amy with a thoughtful expression, his wolf ears twitching slightly as he studied her face. After Amy moved away from Tallen¡¯s trajectory, he released whatever hold he had on the half-bear-boy, who stumbled forward before catching himself, his momentum disrupted.
"The match goes to Tallen Blackwood," Drayke announced, his voice carrying easily to the watching students.
The tension in the barrier dissipated as it shimmered out of existence. The watching students erupted into whispers, many looking between Amy and Tallen with expressions ranging from confusion to surprise.
Amy turned to leave the platform, but Tallen''s voice stopped her.
"Wharrr the hellt warrss tharrt?" he demanded, his voice still roughened by his partial transformation as he shifted back toward his human form, fur receding and muscles returning to their normal proportions. "You didn''t even try!"
What¡?
[What¡?]
"I did try." Amy turned back to face him, barely concealed confusion all round her face.
"Bullshit!" Tallen''s eyes widened with shock as soon as the curse left his mouth.
He quickly clamped his lips shut, a flush of embarrassment rising to his cheeks as he subtly glanced toward the noble students spectating from the sidelines.
With visible effort, Tallen composed himself, squaring his shoulders and forcing his features into a carefully neutral expression. Without another word, he turned on his heel and strode stiffly toward the seats, though the tension in his back betrayed his lingering frustration.
Amy stood rooted to the spot, staring after him in disbelief.
[Did he just... get upset because you lost?] Libris sounded genuinely confused. [And what is with that ¡°you didn¡¯t even try¡±?]
"I... the fuck¡?" Amy muttered under her breath, still bewildered by Tallen''s reaction. The logic escaped her complet¡ª Actually¡
¡°He didn¡¯t misunderstand, did he¡?¡±
[...]
Amy trudged back to her seat, her legs still wobbling from the exertion of dodging Tallen''s attacks. Several students shifted subtly away as she approached, while others leaned in to whisper among themselves.
She slumped down, letting out a long sigh as the next pair of students was called to the platform.
[So... are we going to discuss what just happened?]
"That a seven-foot-tall bear almost ripped me apart?" She whispered.
[No, the important part. The part where, just like with Kaelen, bear-boy misunderstood your abilities. I''m genuinely curious, how do you do it?]
¡°I wish I knew¡¡±
[Liar. Once is a coincidence, but twice¡ I''m trying to understand humans better, and you''re providing excellent case studies in how to deceive them while showing them the truth. With Kaelen, you demonstrated your real capabilities during the test, and he misunderstood your correct intuition with you hid your real powers. Now with Tallen, you surrendered instead of fighting, and he equally misunderstood. It''s fascinatingly consistent. Please explain this phenomenon to me, I beg you.]
Amy ran a hand through her sweaty hair. "You think I know? I''m just as confused as you are..."
[Perhaps it''s a special talent. Your real ability isn''t fate navigation, nor the readers, but the ability for people to believe whatever stupid bullshit you come out with¡ªit''s the supernatural capacity to confuse and trick people regardless of your intentions.]
"..." Amy said eloquently.
[But seriously, I want to understand. Please tell me, please.]
If I had that kind of ability, then I¡¯m sure it''s working on this guy right now¡
After a long sigh, Amy glanced across the room, where Tallen sat rigidly, anger clearly visible on his face.
She also noticed Stella, who looked awfully happy, a grin was plastered all over her visage as she stared at Tallen¡¯s annoyed frown. Meanwhile, Alba was nudging her friend to stop her from smiling.
Not wanting to be caught staring, Amy quickly averted her gaze to the students fighting, second years both. Letting her mind drift in the brief respite.
"...I should have just surrendered at the beginning¡"
[With your talent, I bet it would have made things worse.]
"..."
-¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-¡¡¡ö¡¡-¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-
The fights continued, Amy watching with a mixture of fascination and envy as her classmates displayed abilities that ranged from impressive to downright terrifying. A second-year boy manipulated shadows into solid weapons, while his opponent countered with blinding flashes of light that made several students shield their eyes. Alba was paired against a wiry third-year who could harden his skin to stone-like density; she surprised everyone by demonstrating an unexpected talent for illusion magic that left him swinging at empty air until he stumbled off the platform.
It also showed just how much stronger the protagonist group (not Lyra) was compared to others of their year with the exception of Zayd and Iris. Crow straight up did not even use any of his abilities and just swinged Bloodedge, winning quite easily. Maybe Amy should have done the same with Libris, wasn¡¯t the book indestructible¡?
[Is it really cold in here, or is it just me?]
Stella''s match proved particularly memorable¡ªher "unique" ability revealed itself when her opponent''s fire attack suddenly reversed direction mid-air, returning to engulf its caster. Professor Drayke had to intervene before any serious harm occurred, but the look of shock on everyone''s faces suggested that Stella''s peculiar talent for reflecting magical attacks was rarer than she''d let on. Amy wondered how she did not remember her from the manga, but then again, she had skipped many chapters and only read when the main story progressed or something important happened.
As the class progressed, Amy became increasingly aware of her own inadequacies. Every match highlighted just how unprepared she was for the physical demands of this world. The magical feats she witnessed only drove home her reliance on a power she barely understood and could hardly control. She needed to become stronger¡ªnot just in terms of her prophetic abilities, but in combat as well. Dodging had kept her alive against Tallen, but dodging wouldn''t be enough against real threats.
When Professor Drayke finally dismissed the class, Amy felt a profound relief wash over her. She gathered her things from the locker, retrieved Libris, and headed toward the exit, her muscles protesting with every step.
"Amy!" Ash''s voice called out.
She turned to see Crow approaching, flanked by Ash, Lyra, and Lain. The sight of them together¡ªthe protagonist squad¡ªstill felt surreal, but she was beginning to get used to it.
"Wasssup, good to see you healed and all," Ash said with a grin. "You know, Lain over here has been talking a lot about how brave you were. I wish I could have seen it."
Amy stared at the inexpressive Lain, unable to tell whatever was going on inside her brain.
"Ash," Crow interrupted, his tone measured but impatient. "We''re not here for small talk."
Ash rolled his eyes dramatically. "Always straight to business with this one. No fun at all. Don¡¯t judge him harshly, Amy. He is just especially grumpy today."
Crow ignored him, focusing on Amy. "We''re planning to open the box tonight. After what you and Lain went through to retrieve it..." He paused, something almost like respect flickering across his face. "You should be there when we see what''s inside."
The box. With everything that had happened¡ªLibris''s request, her disastrous combat assessment, Kaelen''s thinly veiled threats¡ªshe''d almost forgotten about the golden box they''d retrieved from the nightmare.
Amy breathed deeply, considering her options. Her original plan to maintain distance from the protagonist group seemed increasingly impractical. The story was moving forward with or without her, and staying on the periphery wouldn''t help her grow stronger or influence events.
Plus, she already knew what was in the box. Might as well be there to see their reactions.
"Can we do it now?" Amy asked, surprising herself with the directness of her question. "I have... plans later."
Crow''s eyebrows rose slightly. "Plans?"
"Tea," Amy replied, then after a second she hesitated. Should she tell him¡? If he found out after, then a misunderstanding might occur, and she was already fed up with those.
"With Zayd Gaspard." She eventually added.
A tense silence followed her words. Lyra''s eyes widened, Ash looked confused, and Lain''s expression remained carefully blank. Crow''s face, however, darkened noticeably.
"Zayd," he repeated, his voice flat.
"His uncle invited me," Amy explained, keeping her tone neutral. "Quite insistently."
After careful consideration of Kaelen''s warning, she''d decided that avoiding the Gaspards entirely would likely create more problems than it solved. Better to meet with Zayd, assess the situation, and navigate carefully than provoke open hostility. At least for now.
Crow seemed to understand the implications without her having to elaborate. "I see." He exchanged a glance with his group, some unspoken communication passing between them. "We can open it now..."
As they walked across campus toward the Class S dormitories, Amy felt the weight of eyes following their little group. Whispers and stares followed them¡ªor more specifically, Crow and Ash¡ªas they passed groups of students.
I¡¯m really never going to get used to this¡
Crow''s dormitory was on the top floor of the Class S residential tower, a spacious corner room with tall windows that offered an impressive view of the Academy grounds. The space was surprisingly austere for someone of his status¡ªfunctional furniture, neatly organized books and scrolls, and a collection of weapons mounted on one wall. The only personal touch seemed to be a small, worn photograph on his desk that Amy couldn''t quite make out from where she stood.
"Wow, I thought your room was a mess since you didn¡¯t let me get in, but it¡¯s actually kind of cool," Ash commented, flopping down onto Crow''s perfectly made bed without invitation, messing up the covers. "Very... you."
Crow ignored him, instead retrieving the box from his desk drawer. He placed it on the table in the center of the room, then took the golden key from a chain around his neck.
Tension suddenly filled the room as Crow set it down.
Lyra shifted nervously from foot to foot. "Are we sure about this? What if it is a trap?"
"I checked," Crow replied shortly. "No magical traps that I could detect."
"That doesn''t mean there aren''t any," Lyra persisted, glancing at Amy. "Maybe... maybe we should have Amy look first? With her abilities?"
Amy raised an eyebrow at that suggestion. "I don''t think that''s necessary. The box¡¯s contents aren¡¯t dangerous."
"How can you be so sure?" Lyra asked, suspicion creeping into her voice.
Before Amy could answer, Lain spoke, her quiet voice commanding attention simply by its rarity. "We should open it. Now."
Since when does she speak while there are strangers around¡?
The others stared at Lain with the same question, but no one voiced it.
Crow nodded in agreement to Lain''s words, his fingers tightening around the golden key.
"Anyone want to do a dramatic drum roll?" Ash suggested.
Amy barely managed to contain her snort, while Lyra shot him an annoyed look.
Crow, after a long second of hesitation, inserted the key into the lock with careful precision. The mechanism clicked softly, the sound unnaturally loud in the tense silence.
No one breathed as Crow''s hand rested on the lid. Even Ash had abandoned his casual sprawl, now sitting up straight on the edge of the bed, his usual smirk replaced by an expression of intense focus.
Crow hesitated, his fingers tracing the intricate patterns on the box''s surface.
¡°Wait.¡± Lyra wrapped her arms around herself, as if suddenly cold. "Maybe we should wait. Consult someone¡ª"
"We''ve come too far," Lain interrupted, her voice soft but firm. "Open it."
The air in the room seemed to grow heavier, charged with anticipation and dread. Amy found herself holding her breath, even knowing what they would find.
Crow''s jaw tightened. With one fluid motion, he lifted the lid.
Light spilled from within¡ªnot the blinding flash Amy had half-expected, but a subtle golden glow that illuminated their faces from below, casting strange shadows across the ceiling. For a heartbeat, no one moved. No one spoke. They all leaned forward, eyes wide, as they stared at the contents.
And inside was...
Rat-a-tat-tat-a-tat-tat-a-tat-tat-a-tat-tat-a-tat-tat-a-tat-tat¡.
Another key!
Ba-dum-tss.