Chapter 80: Changing Wind
Later that night, Eryl was still driving the car. In the back, the girls had fallen asleep and Dora was looking at the moonlight. He closed his eyes and focused his energy.
"Are you here?"
He waited a few seconds, without getting a response.
"Are you mad at the Queen? There was no way out for us anyway, she had us all along."
"Sigh... What do you want?"
"I was just thinking..."
"Well, keep thinking then, I have sothing else to do."
He opened his eyes in surprise, not expecting such frustration from her.
"Did you hear what she said? You can leave the academy now, aren't you happy?"
"Great, thanks, do you want a dal? If that's all, leave alone!"
She locked herself away again. Dora sighed and looked at an empty spot in front of him.
"That's not all, Midgard, can you co out?"
Midgard was silent for a mont then sighed heavily.
A shadow ford on the seat and took the form of the young woman.
"Alright, what do you want?"
She crossed her arms angrily, looking Dora straight in the eyes.
"... Nothing actually."
"... What?"
He laughed lightly and tidied up Zuri's hair.
"I just... I just felt like there was a void."
"What are you saying, can you make so sense?!"
"I an, we had fun this afternoon, I'm glad to have such good friends, but I missed you."
Midgard was about to utter a curse when she shook her head and opened her eyes wide.
"... What?"
"Midgard, the Queen said you don't have to hide anymore, right? So I'd like you to stay out from now on... Well, more often I an. Everything started with you, my power, our power, is you and , so I would appreciate it if you could get more recognition."
Midgard looked at him in disbelief, blinking several tis, not understanding the young man.
"Wait a minute... You've been acting strange since that fight, what does that an? Why do you want to be recognized? Didn't I tell you that I... Well, no matter what the Queen says: I am a danger to your world, to humanity! I will not stay out."
"I know, I won't force you, just know that I would appreciate it, okay? I don't care what the world thinks, you are my friend and I want to be close to my friends."
"... I'm your Player, PLAYER! Keep that in mind! There is no friendship between a Player and an Avatar, haven't you heard the Queen?!"
"I don't care, I told you, to , you're my friend, and I trust you, so I don't care how you see yourself or what other people think. You, Zuri, Freya, rcy, Marie, Lilith, Liliana, Morgiana, Wendy and Mom. You are what I would like to focus my greed on, I would like to see you all together in one picture..."
He looked lancholy at the moonlight, unable to notice the movent of the eyelids of the three sleeping girls.
Midgard placed a hand on her head, troubled.
"Is it Beta again? I shouldn't have let you awaken your powers after all..."
"Hmm? What do you an Beta? What is it?"
"Uh? Are you kidding again? Please give a break... But fine, I'll stay out more often, happy now?"
"Yeah, really, I really missed seeing you... It's so nostalgic."
"You're weird... And all your friends are girls? How funny."
She crossed her arms, smiling.
"No, I have a lot of bo... Guy friends, we're more like brothers and sons actually, but that's how close we are... By the way, your hair reminds ..."
Dora's eyes turned to Midgard who began to stare at him like crazy.
"... What are you saying?"
He looked at her, seeming even more surprised than her.
"... I don't know..."
He looked at his hands and then at the moon, more and more strange.
"Who were these people? Why do I rember this?
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(Hope P.O.V.)
A few days had passed since the fight between Thomas and Dora.
At the academy, all the students talked about it every day.
In every room, in every hallway, soone was talking about Dora and his fantastic powers.
It is now said that he is no longer an E-rank, but that he would have worked hard to reach this level, at least that is what the teachers say.
rcy and Freya accompanied him when the Queen summoned him, I thought he would be punished for what he did to Thomas, but a statent from the faculty brought back to my reality.
*
*
"From now on, student Anesidora Carper will join our establishnt but as a Royal personality! This is an announcent from Her Majesty herself, so please learn how to behave around him."
*
*
It made a lot of noise, the most problematic student in the history of the establishnt beca untouchable. I now understand what Thomas ant, this kingdom is rotten to the core.
I entered the combat arena, where Barron was finishing his training, a little further away, Thomas observed. He doesn't participate in anything after his loss, and surprisingly Iris was no longer there with him... But I know how to cheer him up!
"Hey, Cid!"
"Uh?" He turned back to and frowned when he saw .
"You don't rest anymore, it's good, with a rival like you I have to continue working every day so as not to let you surpass ."
Isn't having a good rival a great thing? The pressure of always doing your best, the thrill of the next fight.
But Barron looked at weirdly.
"Surpass? Who? Do you think you're above to ask to surpass you?"
"Haha, it's the spirit! What if I tell you that I am? Do you want to find out?"
I took off my sword, I've been training a lot since my raids with Shining Sword.
I was rated D-rank a few days ago, so I'm very confident in my powers.
I can't wait to show it to rcy, Freya and the Princess!
Barron shrugged and walked away.
"The worst part is that now everyone associates with you."
"... Uh? Where are you going? Don't run away!"
I started to rush after him, but then he turned around and fired a bolt at .
"Argh!!" I fell to the ground, slightly injured. "Hey! What was that for? If you want to fight, don't do such a sneak attack!"
"Who needs a sneak attack to beat you?!"
I stood up, so we faced each other. Thomas had to co to the battlefield and separate us.
I don't really understand why he intervened, Barron and I were like that, although lately, Barron has been very nervous.
"Guys, no need to fight, please, your nobles will visit the academy again this week, don't show them such a display."
Barron spat on the ground and turned his back on him.
"I don't receive advice from a loser."
"Hey! Don't talk to him like that!"
I tried to run towards Barron, but Thomas held back.
"It's okay, Hope, let him go."
"But... You... We can't let him talk to you like that!"
"No, huh... He's not really wrong, I'm a loser who lost a fight he started, It will be a good lesson in humility for everyone."
He lowered his head as he said this. Thomas has never been the sa since his defeat. The day after this fight, the Prince revoked his knighthood.
The reasons are unknown, but rumors are circulating that he is now unable to fight, and his statents about nobility have made the situation worse.
Looking down, I saw his left cheek a little redder and the corner of his glasses a little broken.
"Thomas... Is it true that you're being bullied?"
He looked a little surprised, then smiled and stroked my hair.
"Your eyes wander too much! For now, you need to focus on yourself and stop challenging others."
"Thomas, if you're being bullied, why are you keeping quiet?... I heard Lisa say it was you who brought this on yourself... How co the council doesn't intervene?"
"... Ah, Lisa and her sharp tongue... But yes, she is right, I am the idiot who insulted the nobles and lost my powers in a kingdom dominated by the nobles and the strong, I deserve my daily beating."
I was in shock to hear this. I don't rember the last ti I felt my blood boil so much in my veins. Thomas noticed this and placed a hand on my shoulder.
"Hope, I was the one who asked the others not to intervene."
"... What?"
"Look, I made a terrible mistake that day, a mistake that disgraced my entire family. Maybe you don't understand this clearly, because you're not a noble, but that's why I want you to keep fighting your way. In my case, I can never be freed from my cage, and now my life is just a little bad... But it could be even worse if I refuse this punishnt. "
I couldn't help but tremble with anger. Thomas was my ntor, the one who introduced to this world, the one I followed like his little brother... Seeing him so broken was unbearable.
"It's his fault... only his fault."
"Hope!"
He grabbed by both shoulders, shaking a little.
"That's what I really wanted to talk to you about, please don't try to get revenge on Anesidora!"
He grabbed so hard that it started to hurt a little, surprisingly, for soone supposedly weaker.
"I know you are stubborn, but if you would respect for once in your life, just a little bit, please!... This would be my last advice as a ntor... Nothing good cos from crossing his path."
I lowered my head in frustration, I was so angry at being so helpless.
"THEN GO AHEAD!!!"
A sharp cry startled us. We turned towards the entrance of the arena and were surprised to see Barron and Freya. When did she co back? And why was Barron so angry?
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