"... And that’s about it for today’s class.
As much as being a hunter is about combat, you have to make sure you don’t lag
behind in theory too. They will also have an effect on your final rankings.
Good day."
She vanished the mont she was done, not
even waiting to take any questions.
’Typical.’
Right on ti, a ssage popped up from the
school.
[Cadet Victor, you are to make yourself
present at Esteed Paragon Alice’s office by 6:00 pm sharp on Friday.]
’At least it isn’t today.’
With Alice gone, the class burst back into
excited murmurs and chatting. Unfortunately, I couldn’t say I shared much of
their enthusiasm.
After all, we still had a physical class
this afternoon. Given my rotten luck, I was almost certain that it would be
endurance training.
Ignoring Shin and Rowan, who kept giving
looks of pity, I scanned around the class for familiar faces.
Song, as always, looked half dead.
Regardless of how much makeup she’d, rather expertly, applied to hide it, the
weariness in her slouch easily gave away her exhaustion. A lackey sat right
next to her.
’Weren’t there two of them?’
It seed she had cut ties with the other one,
as I found her forr lackey chatting idly with so noble girl.
Not that I was one to pry into her personal
matters.
Shifting my gaze from her, I was
pleasantly surprised to find Maki sitting right next to Lily. I’d expected her
to be a loner, just as she’d been in the story, given the paranoid nut she was.
The simulation had brought them closer
than I thought.
Racheal, on the other hand, was sitting
right next to Alexa.
’She’s finally reached out, huh?’
This developnt did not surprise in the
slightest; in fact, I’d been expecting it to happen for a while now. Alexa was
probably the easiest for Racheal to draw to her side.
After all, they shared one very important
thing in common. Both absolutely despised monsters, to frightening degrees.
Not that there was anyone who particularly
liked monsters in Bastion, well, besides the psychos working for the Father’s
Hand. Everyone hated monsters.
Both of those two’s obsession with them was
on a completely different level.
I smoothly shifted my gaze the mont
Racheal sensed that I was watching her. I still felt her burning gaze on my
neck after doing so, but I was very skilled in the act of ignoring things.
Finally, my eyes landed on the person I’d
been looking for from the start. A certain dark-skinned girl in the front row,
currently twirling so of her silver-highlighted hair with a self-satisfied
expression.
’Ayo.’
She was my current ticket out of the ss with
Varic. Being the only Potential Archon not affiliated with any faction, she was
really the only one who could help there.
’I just have to find a way to approach
her.’
My train of thoughts was broken by Rowan tapping
.
"I think you’ll want to see this."
He pointed down the conference room,
towards the place where Varic and his rry band of nobles were sitting, a location
I’d grown rather apt at ignoring, especially with the constant glares they kept
shooting my way.
From the crowd, a young dark-haired and
blue-eyed figure stepped out before heading upwards, towards what suspiciously
seed like our direction.
’They’re finally making a move.’
"Do you need any help?"
Rowan asked as he watched the boy with a
displeased expression. He wasn’t soone especially fond of Varic and his
friends, especially since they’d pestered him nonstop due to his affiliation
with Racheal.
"It’s fine. I can handle it myself."
I had a reason for declining. Regardless of
how well-intentioned Rowan actually was in offering help, I couldn’t stop
seeing the offer for what it actually was.
’A trap.’
Not by Rowan. He wasn’t one to resort to
such tactics. It was set by Racheal.
If I accepted Rowan’s help now to escape
Varic, I’d be automatically tied to Racheal’s faction. After all, Rowan was
currently the main face of that faction.
The scenario from the story would
undoubtedly just repeat itself again.
On so level, it seed the boy understood
my desires as well, as he didn’t offer to help again after I’d rejected him
once. Rather uncharacteristic behaviour coming from the lamb.
To the side, Shin just opened his mouth
halfway before pausing and eventually shutting up.
I couldn’t say I didn’t understand him too.
Only self-sacrificing people like Rowan would be willing to ss with soone
like Varic just to save a person they had only known for a week.
The boy soon stood before us, looking down
with that typical haughty arrogance that I’d grown to expect from nobles.
"Varic wishes to see you."
I rubbed my chin seriously, pretending to
seriously contemplate the offer for a mont. Then I turned to give him my best self
satisfied, shit eating grin.
"I don’t want to."
The boy seed shocked at the statent. He
glanced around, wondering if he’d misheard , before speaking again.
"I don’t think you understand very well.
I said, Varic of House Aurelius wishes to see you."
"Yeah, I don’t think you understand very
well, too. Cuz I said I don’t wanna."
The boy could only open his mouth
speechlessly, before closing it. Rowan looked to be dying inside as he
struggled to suppress his laughter, while the wolfman gave his best attempt at
becoming invisible.
The boy regained his voice, but it was
steeped in irritation now.
"I don’t think you understand your position,
Peasant. An heir of a great clan wishes to speak to you."
"Why should I care? In fact, what’s the
point in going to et him, if he can’t co ask himself? Is he feeling
shy?"
He finally seed to understand that I was
just ssing with him. Regaining his composure, the boy nodded curtly.
"Very well. I’ll relay your words to him; I
just hope you won’t regret them later."
"Good. Also tell him I don’t swing that way
if that’s why..."
He seed to have lost all tolerance for my
bullshit, as he stomped away before I could even finish my sentence.
I could only click my tongue in
disappointnt.
’Well, he’s no fun.’
Rowan and Shin looked at like I was
a lunatic. I shrugged obliviously in response.
"What?"
"Are you... Why eve-... D-... You know what? Just
why?"
Shin was speechless, Rowan only shared a
little of that sentint. He was too busy being amused with the situation.
"When I first t you, I knew you weren’t
normal. Still, I didn’t think you’d be batshit crazy."
In my defense, I wasn’t doing this because
I’d suddenly gone rogue or mad, or anything of the sort.
No. This was all part of a well constructed
plan.
Ragebaiting Varic. More specifically, his
nobles. With all their ire on , they’d be much too busy to go around sparking
conflicts with Racheal’s faction.
Of course, it also ant I’d be under the
concentrated fire of a bunch of nobles. But I was already immune to most of their
typical tricks and tactics.
Being an orphan, I had no family outside
the school they could threaten. The only possible connection, Anna, was
likely already under the wing of the Church of the New Mother. Nobles never
ssed with those under the Church’s protection.
At least not for reasons as silly as this.
The only other two thods would be bribing
and outright bullying to drop the post. While most of them would certainly
be stronger than , Ayo would be my card to getting out of that ss.
I also had another particularly useful card.
Opening the interface, I finally saw the ssage sent a while ago.
[(*￣∇￣*)]
’Of course.’
Ignoring it, I sent a ssage.
[We need to talk.]
A reply ca rather swiftly.
[Says the guy who left to die in the
simulation.]
[My apologies, I was too busy getting
ripped to shreds by the Predator.]
There was a lull, before the next ssage
arrived.
[Fine. et in the dorms after
classes.]
’Oh, almost forgot about that.’
We both stayed in the sa dorm now. Hell,
given that she’d sohow co third, she was on the floor right below .
’Well that’s convenient.’
I sent an affirmative reply back to her
before collapsing the interface.
Just then, I heard sounds of murmurs
increasing from the seats below, and wondered for a mont if Varic was coming up himself.
But no, the reason for the murmurs soon
beca very evident. An interface ssage soon popped up before .
[Do you wish to save Varic Aurelius as a contact?]
> [YES] [NO]
’Well, this is getting more interesting.’
I accepted it without wasting much thought.
Almost imdiately, a ssage popped up from Varic.
[Forfeit your position.]
I didn’t reply imdiately, pausing to
build his anticipation. Then I typed.
[Don’t wanna.]
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