After I enjoyed my ti with the food and stretched a little, I went out and finally headed to the Academy.
There was still a long line of players at its gate, just like when the first ti I went there.
Sated and in a happy mood because of the scrumptious al after not tasting those food like forever, I took my ti waiting for my turn.
There was supposed to be a cap of players per day, about a hundred, I think.
I didn't mind if I didn't make the cut. I could just rest in the inn and line again tomorrow.
Life was ant to be enjoyed and not rush things. There was no Apocalyptic Event, and I had co to a realization that my other self would still appear no matter how much I didn't want him to, so I might as well enjoy my own ti.
I ca to the conclusion that I should just enjoy things in this world. New things to know. A new world to explore.
With the System's help, I could do whatever I wanted, and everyone that hindered my way would face the consequences.
Before that . . . I was curious about this Academy, so I'd just check it out before going my way to Blue River Town.
I stretched my hands over the clouds. Having a good al in the afternoon made drowsy. Maybe I should skip the line and just have a good sleep in the inn and co again tomorrow.
". . ."
T-that's . . .
That sounded so tempting.
". . ." I think I would only look for a bit. If they're not here, then I would go back.
I would just take a little look. I thought as the line shortened, and it was almost my turn.
"Uhmm . . . Excuse ."
I turned at the man on my back. He had an unusual appearance with his brown hair that was broken at the center, and he wore glasses. His eyes were hidden behind them, and I could tell from his build that he was short, but his face told that he was probably around sixteen or seventeen.
The way he looked at made feel like I was being stared at by an innocent kid.
"H-hello," he greeted with a shy voice. "My na is Thomas."
"Ah . . . Cross."
"Are you also alone, Cross?"
Also?
"Y-yeah." I didn't know if my answer would cause trouble, but it was too late to take it back.
Thomas's face brightened. "Did you also co here a month before?"
I nodded slowly, and the smile on his face widened.
" too!"
Thomas opened his mouth but then closed it again, thinking about sothing before making up his mind.
"T-Then . . . do you want to stick together?" he asked with a stuttering voice and uneasy eyes.
Hmm . . . I didn't know what to say because all of the players that I encountered, all of them didn't end well.
I wasn't sure if I wanted to be with another player right now.
Betrayal was painful, and killing them was even more so. I would carry the evil deed forever with .
That I couldn't take.
Maybe it was ti to be a loner so my other self wouldn't kill them at the slightest provocation.
However, Thomas's innocent stare and expecting smile punched straight into my heart, and I couldn't say no.
He was just a kid, and his stat didn't even near twenty.
"S-sure. But . . . only until the Academy," I said and scratched the back of my head. "I have sothing else to do after that."
I think that answer would be acceptable. I accepted his offer but also protected him in the long run.
Thomas's smile lessened, and I felt bad all of a sudden. Maybe he was just like , longing for companions in this world but too kind for their own good and often taken advantage of.
I couldn't bla him since being with soone brought comfort and security in this unknown place.
But this was for his own safety and for my own peace of mind as the future was uncertain, and it was best if we parted ways before things turned complicated.
I was sure that he would make other friends once we were inside the Academy. They're lots of players there, I heard.
"Hey, move over there!"
We heard soone yelling, and that was when I noticed that there was already a wide gap in the line between and the next person in front of .
"Ah. Sorry." I quickly moved forward while scratching my head in embarrassnt.
When it was my turn at the gate, I got a full view of the Academy. The inside was huge, with a wide courtyard at the front before the main building. If I didn't know that it was an Academy, I would think of it as a castle in dieval tis.
There were a lot of players inside and this got excited. It was the first ti that I saw so many players congregating at a single place after I was teleported here with the others.
"Move here."
I heard soone say and was surprised to see an old lizard woman hunched at the side. She was covered in a white robe, and she was looking at under her glasses with her condescending eyes.
"Step on the magic circle," she said with a cranky voice.
I looked at the wide circle at the entrance of the gate. I didn't know how effective the Evil Ring of Deceit was but watching those three pentagrams carved on the stone ground, I wanted to retreat and forget the whole idea.
The truth was, I already forgot about this magic circle until I ca face to face with it.
"Step on the Magic Circle!" the lizard woman yelled, and her tongue slithered out of her mouth together with her spit.
I heard the others' discontent yells at the back, as well as Thomas's weak cry.
"C-Cross?"
I ignored them as all my brain did was flashed different scenarios of what might happen if I step on that magic circle – and it wasn't good scenarios.
Was the trouble worth it in the end?
I was about to take a step back as I changed my mind when I spotted soone walking along the corridors and made my world stop.
Her golden curls were shining brightly under the sun, and each sway made everyone stop to stare at her.
Amara Goldstein?!
She was here?!
Like always, she was walking with a group of humans following her. She was the sun and attracted a lot of butterflies around here, and before I knew it, I was being pulled to her location without even knowing how and why. Like she was tal, and I was a magnet.
When I ca too, I was already standing in the magic circle, and the light hurt my eyes when it shone brightly.
I didn't know what happened next when the old lizard lady gave a bracelet with a weird looking pentagram on its center, and said.
"Wear that bracelet at all tis when you're studying in the Academy. Used the points allotted in that bracelet to buy anything on campus and in the city. You can also see the rules, your dorm, and your class schedule if you press the pentagram on that bracelet," she explained and shouted.
"NEXT!"
( . . . continuation on NOTES)
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