Chapter 13: Courage Test part 3

This is the worst. Totally the worst! If only my hands arent trembling I may have succeeded strangling the hell out of this guy!

We are out of that god forsaken water filled pit. When the water risen, mechanism and symbols appeared. It was activated by the water. We werent able to notice it before because we were too focused reaching the top which only ended into a hopeless expectation because this guy simply had wrong idea. Although, if it werent for the magic bubble, I could have died drowning. But Im not gonna thank him! Who the hell does he think he is!

When we were in the bubble we got to see the mechanisms that appeared. Solving the puzzle was fairly easy and quite tricky. To be honest, it is merely a child's play. What made it difficult is to make Eugene cooperate because that dumb-headed asshole could not pick up the pace when it comes to thinking. He is the whole definition of a brawl with no brain. I had to hold myself back calling him that because he keeps threatening of pushing me out of the bubble. It isnt like I cant cast the magic myself, however, I need to learn the magic properly and it will take time so learning it while in that situation could have prolonged everything.

We are currently walking down an extravagant hallway, like where a king would walk into. The tiles are big and each have a white and black diamond pattern. The walls never missed out on very little details. Unlike other places, this one didnt have any paintings and more focused on flaunting its feathery-like pattern designs on walls and the ceiling with chandeliers hanging above and light dancing in every twinkle, reflecting on the glass which what are the chandeliers made out of. Everything is fancy and playfully asymmetrical.

Me and Eugene havent talk to each other after leaving the previous room we were in. Too awkward to even stand next to each other. Too embarrassed to say something. And I swear this asshole keep glancing at me with his mouth agape then closing it as if he is holding back something. Dammit, if you have something to say, say it!

The hall brought us to a large double door. The place gotten silent that our breath can only be heard in here. I hold on to the handle with Eugene to the other side. We pushed it at the same time. The door was heavy. I should have expected it considering it size. Fully open, we examined the room we are in. Inside, it is more extravagant and fancier. Everything is bright with golds shining like the sun. At the end of the large room, there lies a big stage. Curtains are drawn, hiding what could be lying on the other side. The room have chairs and tables, they are set aside and in the middle is a very long red carpet leading to the front of the stage.

We walked down the red carpet. It felt so cushiony every step and the sole of my shoes are swallowed because of how much poofy it is. I honestly think that this is such a nice carpet to walk on to. Distracted by the carpet, I soon reached the end of it, stepping on the cold tiles once more. When I did, the tiles glowed in sync in different colors. The step I made made a wave of colors to the tiles like how water ripples when a droplet landed. At the middle before the stage, a projected hologram greatsword appeared. As it did appear, Eugene suddenly got excited behind me and soon catch up.

"Oh wow! This is where the fun starts." He said. He slammed his fist to his palm with so much fiery motivation in him. Somehow, I dont feel so good with this next challenge with have.

Eugene excitedly walked over to the greatsword. Before I could say anything, he immediately activated the challenge and multiples enemies spawned all over, surrounding us both. Startled, I quickly casted a shield all over me and looked around to analyze how bad the situation could get if I were not to be careful.

To be honest, fighting is not my forte. In my world, we don't get to fight anything like these since these monsters or the life this world has does not exist in the real world. Although I do have some few fighting experience at school, not my proudest moments, it isn't enough to fight against these monsters.

Eugene wasted no time to go after the enemies where his eyes first landed on, leaving me all alone in the middle. He may have gotten the attention of the other monsters, still, half of them are on to me. I don't want to get close to them nor do I want them to get close to me so I kept my shield up and prepared myself to attack from long range using limited knowledge of attack magics. I clicked my tongue from a small annoyance in me because this situation isn't ideal for me while Eugene seems like he is having fun.

His weapon is a claymore. That big oversized sword with a broad heavy blade, enough to not only slash the enemies but crush them down to the very bone. How can he lift that? It is almost the same height as him. With his moves, looked stiffly flexible, balance the weight of the claymore as he swings it around. Using his whole body to move around with it. He goes all around to chase the enemies. Plunges himself towards them like a madman or a brave knight. I don't know which is which for him because he does look brave, though still like a madman because of how he is in to this.

I some few basic attack magics. Adding some elements with that depending on what kind of monsters they are. The flying demonized bat is hit with a wind magic. The magic has a focused pressure that compacts the air so tightly that it becomes strong enough to cut over a flesh but that depends how strong my magic and how thick the bat's skin. And with the four legged shadow monster, I used light magic that goes like a laser beam. The shadow is fast but the speed of light is faster so I had an advantage against it. And for the next-- WHAT THE HELL IS THAT!?

A four feet tall centipede came crawling towards me. Its long sharp legs making disgusting sound. If it werent for my shield, that insect would have been crawling all over me, instead, it is crawling all around my shield and dear god I can see its inside body. How I get shivers all over my body and cringing because of its sight. Eurgh, I feel like what I ate earlier is coming back up. With the space my shield created between me and the centipede, I took the time to cast a powerful blast to push it away. It flew to a significant distance and I saw half of its body gone. They are weak but their disgusting sight is enough to scare me so much I feel like my legs have gone weak. I am only fond of insects that will not harm me or at least pleasant to look that. This one isnt such a bright sight for my eyes.

I repeated what I do to defeat the enemies that spawns around us. Each wave their level is getting higher and higher. I can tell that some of them are getting immune to my attacks, withstanding the damage I inflict upon them. My attack percentage is slowly getting caught up by their strength which I admit a problem that will continue to grow rapidly if these enemies will keep spawning with their level advancing as well.

While Im a little bit confident of the endurance of my shield, it prevailed right when I thought it could last longer. A big mistake for me to think so, now, that huge centipede that I am so afraid of managed to break it, making me shriek from fear. I dashed over to where Eugene to ask for help but all that came out of my mouth are broken words and screaming incoherent sound. Eugene looked over to me and sees that more than two humongous centipedes is right on my tail, crawling so closely to my break and if it werent for Eugene changing his target to those centipedes, I would have lost my mind while my flesh being consumed by those devil creatures.

We didnt exchange any words after he killed those off. He acted out of instinct of killing those monsters so naturally as if he had been doing this since he was child. As someone who came from a family of combat masters, I do not doubt the possibility of him capable of eliminating inhuman creatures for breakfast. He is swift and light, a huge contrast to the weapon he is using.

Another wave of the monsters came and this time, they are beyond of my level. Completely signing me off having the means to kill them if they are stronger than me. I checked my own stat in the middle of combat. To my surprise, I am level 41 only. The enemies level have already advanced to level 50. Weren't they only level 40? Why are they 10 level higher now?

I then checked Eugene's stat and sees he is already at level 50. Same level as those god forsaken species. He must be the reason why these monsters are at such level already! I know domains in this world. Most of the time they will match level of the monsters the same as the characters to balance the combat experience, unfortunately for me, I have yet to reach level 50 so this challenge will entirely run about Eugene, leaving me as a castaway in this battle yet also leaving me as an easy target to these monsters.

I was too distracted checking the stats I forgot to recast my shield, my last one was shattered by the previous enemies. Shadow loomed over me, its broad figure completely engulfing my stature. I turned around and was met by an appearance of huge flying demon bat, five times the size of it compared before. Its wings flaps around, creating a gush of wind, sending my hair into a mess. I quickly turned away and recasted my shield before running away. My shield was just in time when it activated because at the same time, the demon bat released a wind, the same magic I used earlier however, this one is a lot stronger and sharper. It destroyed my shield entirely and the impact had pushed my so far I flew and hit the ground harshly, my chin grazed. I hissed at the pain and tried to sooth it with my hand though the timing is ill and the demon bat caught up to where I was thrown over and ready to send another wind at my way. I didnt have time to counterattack it, yet even if I do, it wont be enough to counter its attack since it is stronger than me now. Curse Eugene for having higher level that me and now I have to suffer the consequence of being inferior, having to face these monsters that is too strong for me to defeat.

I raised my hand in attempt to send a magic blast but nothing came out, overcame by its appearance. What came instead is Eugene, charging up front then leaping upward to the bat. The weight of his greatsword might have hindered him and affected the height of his jump but that problem was too small to create a dent to his flawless execution on performing a swing of his blade in a full cartwheel spin. This world is truly a fantasy, including the physics of this world.

After Eugene eliminating the threat that was tying to get me, I felt a sense of relief and a little feel of guilt because of the act he did. Maybe he did it so not to save me and was only doing it so because of the principle he may have in his head or a sense of fighting spirit in him or other shit I couldnt care less that might have been mistaken for heroism, I still feel like I need to make it up to him. And so, I lowkey casted a buff magic. I purposely made it for the two of us just to not make think as if I am doing him a favor. No, not that I'd do it for him, it is only right thing to do to compensate someone's help despite of who they are.

We took a deep breathe and relish ourselves with the moment of freedom from the wave of monsters after we finished the remaining monster that lingered around and there was a moment of silence we thought it is finally over, oh how wrong we both are.

The ground underneath our feet shaken. The tremor is enough to put us out of balance. Eugene staggered, one knee on the stone cold floor and I too fell, using both of my hands to prevent hitting my face to the ground. I lifted my head to see the forming smoke in the middle and there stepped out a chimera, summoning lightning at its wake. It howled, the noise becoming too unbearable to hear that my eardrums felt like they are about to burst. I covered my eyes using both of my hands. I should have paid more attention to its movement than the noise it made.

The chimera wasted no time to jump up in the air and tries to use its talons to grab me. I barely dodged it. Its razor sharp talons swept over my shoulder resulting of a deep wound. I screamed in pain when my body reacted to the wound I received. As much as I want to check my wound, I didnt have time as when the chimera came back and did the same thing again. I wasnt able to dodge it this time because my mind is disturbed from the pain, hindering my reflex. If it werent for Eugene charging up against it, I would have finally lost my head.

Eugene swung his claymore and managed to hit the chimera's feet. One of its talons is badly chipped. The chimera is shocked and moved backwards, its wings flapped, sending winds to our direction. Eugene is unaffected by it. He proceeded to charge forward, though he may not have been affected by the wind, his claymore was. He wasnt able to swing it the second time. The force of the wind is pushing the claymore, making it go the other way.

I saw him struggle to maneuver his claymore. With the current of the wind fighting against his handling the claymore. He groaned in annoyance and went for another shot. Instead of raising his sword to strike, he went under the chimera where there is no wind. From the ground where the claymore is pointed before he swing it, pointing it upwards to slice the lower part of its body.

The chimera shrieked loudly, letting out a loud cry. It fell to the ground, its body sidewards and struggling to rebalance itself. Eugene wanted to take advantage while its on the ground. He charges up forward, claymore ready to strike. Unfortunately for him, he was too eager to attack it and he is completely unaware of the desperate chimera that kicked its leg towards to Eugene who is approaching impatiently and hit him successfully, sending him flying away.

Alarmed, I quickly rushed over to Eugene and aid him, however, I dont know much about healing. The best I can do is the minimum healing magic type. I came to him and quickly applied that small magic to him. Eugene is the only one who can defeat this thing.

I have patience trying to defeat this chimera. A small damage is still a damage. I am "fromsoftware" player after all, however, this is the real deal. I am in the action. This isnt just a mouse and keyboard type of thing. Having no experience in this field leaves me like an ant with no colony against a wasp. I have no chance of facing this thing head-to-head. My best option it to keep Eugene with me.

I swear once I get through this, I will learn how to use a sword properly and probably figure out how to level up in this world because clearly, being here and being at the monitor is entirely different. Just so that I wouldnt be so lame like right now!

Eugene groaned. The pain on his left side making him hissed from it. He tried to stand up and fell back down. I urged him to stay down for a little while because I haven't finish healing him. He got irritated and pushed me aside. He called my healing a joke because of its slow progress before standing up again which then he succeeded this time then continue to fight the chimera who is still bleeding but have regained it's posture. I, on the other hand, felt hurt from what he said to me. Offended more likely. I stood up from the ground I was on and clenched my hand into a fist. This asshole... I was trying to help him at the very least since its all I can do it right now and he calls it a joke!? Fine then! Here I thought I'd be a little kinder to you. Hmph! What they said was right, just because someone did something nice doesn't mean they're a good person.

I gathered myself and my remaining strength. With anger clouded in my mind, it controlled me for the moment. I took an item from my pocket, a single piece of scratch paper. I teared it in half and took the other half to tear it again into smaller pieces. Those pieces, I turned them into really sharp daggers. I placed a magic explosion that will activate once it hits a target before using the levitation magic on them and control the direction to where they need to go using my point and middle finger together and the rest are closed.

The daggers flew to a direction, following where I pointed. It is fast. I used it to chase the flying bat to get back at it. Eugene had the bat occupied, it's full attention all over him. I used the timing to hit all of the daggers I created to that monster. Upon the blade piercing to it's flesh, mainly around it's wings, with direct contact to the target, the magic activated and exploded on the spot, damaging the bat's right wing. It made a loud screech from the pain. I felt satisfied on what I did, although it is too early to feel it is enough. Remembering that I have a lower level, that damage isn't enough to take out the bat.

With the daggers all used up, I created a field of cloud surrounding the bat when it came to ground once more because of its injured wing. The cloud then covered the whole figure of the huge bat. The cloud turned a darker hue of gray followed by the sound of thunder. Not long after, a streak of multiple lightning is summoned. The bat let out another screech. With its wound created by the explosion, not only the lightning grounded the bat, the burning sensation of the lightning will double the damage of the wound, twice the pain it will feel.

"Don't hog it all by yourself!" Eugene let's out a war cry before going in to the cloud I created.

Idiot! Don't go in! Whoever is in that area is going to be hit by the lightning no matter what it is!

Panicked, I quickly dispersed the clouds in fear of friendly firing Eugene. He is an asshole and I would like to hit him but not right now, given at the situation where his strength is needed.

After dispersing the clouds, the silhouette of the bat became clearer, showing the actual body of it. Eugene, given the sight of the bat's position, he raises his claymore to his head and the claymore glow in a red light. Few symbols appeared surrounding Eugene, making him too glow because of the symbols, possibly an enchantment. After charging up, he swung his claymore to the bat very heavily. He slashed through the it's thick body like a piece of meat. The powerful claymore hit the ground with a tremor.

"Yeaheha! Did you see that!" Eugene celebrated. The bat was sliced in half. Each piece fell to the opposite direct. It's blood pooled all around with its guts spilling on the floor. "Oh man! I didn't think it'll be that powerful!" Amazed by his own strength, he did not expect pulling such power from what is remaining of him. While celebrating, unbeknownst to him, Carlos staggered all around, finding it difficult to maintain his balance. He fell on the ground, kneeling.

Eugene took notice of him and called out to him that everything is now over, all thanks to him, boastfully pointing at himself with pride. Carlos did not move an inch of happiness or any relief, he stayed on where he is, his back turned against Eugene, preventing him seeing what is going onto him. Thinking something else, Eugene sighed and walk towards him.

"Now now. No need to be sad. We all want our own glory but you gotta have the mean to do it." He teasingly said. He voice condescending towards Carlos. He got closer to him and hears Carlos hissing at something. Curious eating his brain, he walked over to see what has got into him, only to find out Carlos have a deep cut on his shoulder, so much blood leaking out. Carlos used his hand to cover the wound and stop the bleeding, unfortunately it isn't doing anything. The blood tainted his hand along with his uniform. The blazer of their uniform is black, making the blood very unnoticeable and Carlos positioned himself where Eugene wouldn't easily see the cut on his shoulder, ignorant of his injury.

When Eugene did see it, the feeling of victory changed into confusion. "What happened?!" He asked while cautiously observing Carlos.

Carlos wasn't hit by the monster bat except for its few attempt of trying to take him and Carlos hitting himself by accident. None of those moments could have been the reason of that resulted a deep cut on his shoulder. The bat didnt get closer to him before dying and Carlos kept a good distance with it throughout the battle as much as he could.

He looked at the cut again and it appears to be a perfect cut. The skin is perfectly sliced. The skin did not show any force of tearing upon the skin tissues, moreover, it looked more like a cut with a blade. Did Eugene...

The moment Eugene had struck the enemy, the distance of the damage got longer due to the enchantment that was applied to the claymore. It had reached where Carlos was at that moment, shattering the shield he had to protect himself.

Eugene ran towards to Carlos after realizing how dire the situation is. He knelt down at the same level as Carlos. He raises his hand to reach to Carlos' wound but Carlos slapped his hand away before grunting from the pain. Carlos glared at Eugene as if he wants to stab him directly and Eugene is aware of that thought.

"The hell is wrong with you!?" Eugene reacted when Carlos pushed him away.

Carlos got even angrier. "Dont you have eyes!? See for yourself!" He broke his gaze to Eugene and focused more on his wound, using the healing magic he applied to Eugene earlier. The healing is indeed very slow.

Eugene scratched the back of his head, unable to say something. He doesnt even know where to begin with. He knows that Carlos got injured because of him. Part of him wants to blame Carlo not dodging and being in the same alignment as the bat, yet he knows to himself neither of them could have predicted the outcome. Another part of him blames himself, that he should have been aware about his own attack and what those could be harmed along the way.

"No... Blaming Carlos is wrong... He isnt at fault. Neither can I say fully to myself since I caused it. I know and he knows what I intended to do but none of us could have known that the outcome would lead to this." He tells himself.

A voice at the back of his ear yelled at him. That voice belongs to his father. His never ending deafening scolding. Eugene had enough of it. His father blames him for everything even though Eugene is not the cause of it all, instead, he, himself had caused it and a shameful father he cannot admit to himself. With pride, he puts all the blames to his own son just to keep his image and stupidly unaware that he is pushing his only family away. Eugene hates him. What more is that he hates being compared to his father. How everyone says he is the same as his father, short tempered person with big pride. The fact is, he have heard of it so many times he cant bear it that he gets angry only for his attitude towards to people matches on what they say about him and his father. He do his best at things he is good at because this is the only thing can he prove himself to the world, thus, having such high pride, almost matching his father's. He cannot win against those who compares him to his father.

'Arent sons cursed not to be like their father? Or that doesnt apply when their father is shitty?' is what he always asks to himself and never got any answer.

He realized to himself further that blaming Carlos for the wound he got by keeping his pride at the very top would certainly make him the same as the person he hates.

He approached Carlos for the second time. He reaches to him once more only for Carlos to push him again for the second time. With amount of sympathy for him, he understand why Carlos is acting this way. Carlos struggled in his grasp, clawing Eugene's hand away from him using only one hand. Telling him to "fuck off" and Eugene did in fact not "fuck off". Securing Carlos's shoulder in his hold, he used his own magic to heal him. His healing has stronger effect. The gentle warm coating the wound comfortably that made Carlos caught off guard by the action Eugene is showing right now. He calmed down, feeling pain just now is fading, relieving the ache. His eyes wandered to Eugene's face, seeing that serious yet caring expression. For once he felt comfortable with him.

Soon after, the wound had healed though it left a small scar, just a delicate thin stripe of scar right across his shoulder. The scar left is quite long that four inches can be seen at the four and the other three inches is at the back. Carlos' uniform was struck too but there is nothing they can do about it since neither of them had learned about fixing magic yet.

Eugene guided Carlos to stand.

Eugene wanted to say sorry but he can't find the courage to say it. It is no longer pride that is holding him back to do it so but rather something else. He can't seem to find the words to fill to make a sentence. He opened his mouth and only a breath came out, sounded more likely a sigh to Carlos.

"Thanks..." Carlos said while arranging his uniform better. Eugene looked at him and Carlos did not. His faces at the next part ahead.

The curtains at the stage drew back, revealing a huge open door. Beyond the door is a warped space like another portal. It's color is red and blue, though spinning together, their colors did not mixed and remained as what they are.

Carlos is the first one to walk over to it, followed by Eugene who seem to anxiously observe Carlos's recovery. He moved his shoulder with no problem. Stretching them and feeling the bone inside. Feeling satisfied, Carlos relaxed his shoulder and ignored everything else. Eugene behind him, a sense of guilt lingering but not strong as it was earlier. He felt that of the burden has been lifted off but not completely.

When reaching the door, Carlos waited for Eugene to get next to him before stepping into the portal and behind it, is now right where they started, the covered court. The blinding lights and the shining golds that almost blinded Carlos is now gone and replaced by the actual sun emitting it's light through the window of the place. Though afternoon, just an hour past its peak.

'So it's over now? Did we pass? Some of the students are already resting at the benches so does that mean they are finished too?'

I looked over and almost half of the amount of the students who came here has now came back and resting to their own corners. There were five normal doors and few students come out from there in pairs. I scanned around further and Cathrine and Rhyden have finished theirs as well and is now resting near the sun light with Rhyden basking in it and Catherine at the shade cooling off using a fan.

I looked at the others and sees Sir Symoun staring at us. No, he is staring at something specifically and it feels like it is us but more focused on something that is on us. Huh?

Wondering why Sir Symoun looking at us calmly yet his gaze intensely, I looked over to Eugene to see what Sir Symoun trying to see and then I noticed it. Eugene's arm is placed at my shoulder, not the injured one. His posture is very casual at me while looking around at everyone, oblivious to the stare of our teacher. I wanted to slap his arm away due to the embarrassment I am feeling. Some kind of dignity I wanted to keep because I don't want to be seen with him yet what kind of dignity am I trying to defend when the person next to me isn't even aware of anything, moreover, I kinda... Feel bad pushing Eugene again. He helped me, specially defeating the enemies higher level than me. So I am stuck between Sir Symoun looking at us that I could feel like he might tease us later and to Eugene unaware of the tension and very comfortably resting some of his weight on me, walking away from the portal to give space to those who will exit next.

We rested somewhere nearby. Eugene purposely fall on his butt when sitting down before he lay down his whole body, sprawled on the floor like a starfish and stretches all of his limbs and relaxing them after. He gave out a big long sigh, he rested after than. The sun ray touching his stomach. Watching him reminded me of that one video of a tiger acting like a cat despite its size, though tigers are part of the cat categories.

I felt very familiar to this feeling and subconsciously let out a chuckled. I sat down with my back against the wall. I bent my knees up to my chest and hugged them and laid my head there while looking over to Catherine.

The two is talking to each other. Our distance prevents me from hearing their conversation and I am too tired to spy over them so I only watched from the distance. Seeing their expression changes and each of those expressions are bright. Cathrine keeps laughing, giggling, using his fan to cover half of her face although I can tell she is laughing the way her shoulders move and her eyes squinting from her cheeks whenever she smiles. Rhyden laughs too but more of a subtle. He looks at her deeply and only at her and Catherine doesn't seem to notice which led me on thinking about something.

No, I'm probably imagining it. She is only here for two days and there are more days to come. We've got a lot of time and they've got a lot of time to build each other's relationship.

The day ended quickly after that activity. The hours passed by felt like a mere minutes compared to the domain we were put in that felt like days we're trapped in. Everyone is tired yet energetic enough to be triumph throughout the day, talking about their own experiences each of the free minute we are given whenever the teacher leaves the room. I got to hear that some of them got trapped in a stone maze. Some of them fought a giant unmoving toad that didn't even feel like fighting but more on finding a way to just get the toad out of their way since it doesn't fight back, only looks at them like a statue and refuses to move away, blocking the path. There were lots of stories and varieties of challenges they received. Some of them are truly interesting and fascinating that it got me quite jealous because I too want to have a challenge that is finding cute animals and having to get to cuddle with them! And some of the students asks about Rhyden's experience. Girls would ask about his adventures and boys would ask about what Catherine

during those times. Rhyden obliges them with brief answers.

Getting back at the manor, I wasn't greeted by anyone at the door. No need to exchange any greetings is quite convenient to me.

I headed to my room. Opened the door the door and closes it behind me. I went ahead and takes off my uniform. When I got to the last layer of my top, I unbuttoned it and slid the fabric of the arm holes off from my shoulders. I am standing right exactly in front of the mirror and noticed that the scar I received earlier is gone! It is no longer there! I looked at the back to see if there is a trace left yet nothing, as if nothing happened earlier. I traced my fingers right where the scar is supposed to be. I looked at my uniform too and the tear is no longer there.

'Could it be that everything happened in the domain remains there only?' I thought to myself. How convenient! Here I thought I'm gonna have a long session of explaining to Julien if he were to discover it.

Fully changed, I hopped on to my bed and snuggled in to the soft blankets. The nearly arrange bed became into a nest of a bird with just a few seconds as I roll around playfully.

While taking my enjoyment from such childish activity, the door opens unannounced and Julien came in. He caught me in the act, rolling around the blankets. I kept rolling around to no ends until I heard Julien coughed in such manner. I stopped immediately and turned my head to Julien, my neck hurting in the process because of how fast I did it. Embarrassed, I covered my head and disappears in the covers.

UUUHWWWAAAAAAAAHHHH THIS IS SO EMBARRASSING!!! I WAS ONLY PLAYING AROUND! I DIDINT THINK HE WILL BE HERE! GOD THIS IS SO-- WHAT IS HE GOING TO THINK OF ME NOW!? A CHILDISH MASTER!?

"Forgive me Master Carlos. I... I didn't know you are already here. I wasn't informed that you have arrived. I was busy so I didn't realize the time. I didn't get the chance to greet you by the door." He said. His closed hand close to his lips as if masking something. Is that a curve his lips is formed into?

I accepted his apology. Head still hidden under the covers.

Tomorrow, I arrived a little but earlier than the time I usually arrive. I sat down on my seat and pulled out a single notebook. The notebook where I usually scribble on and just started doing some sketches of some things around the classrooms.

"Oh my! How great those drawings are!"

"Wah!" Startled, I turned my head to the noise that came behind me ear and Catherine's face jumpscared me for how close she is to me.

She giggled before going to the seat in front of me, taking the chair and moving it closer to my desk and sits. She leaned closer to my sketchbook which made me a little bit conscious so I closed it with annoyance in my face even though I don't feel any annoyance towards her.

"Oh? Those drawings were good! I didn't know you could draw like that! I didn't expect you to be so good at it." She said. Her eyes sparkling like a golden retriever. A golden retriever with violet hair. From leaning to my sketchbook to leaning to my face. She is so close to me. I pulled myself away with my sketchbook in my arms. My eyes avoiding her staring at me.

"Come on! It isn't like I was going to tease you about it. I said it is good didn't I? No need to be so embarrassed." She said to me with a huge smile on her face. I wanted to falter to her but I need to stay strong!

It isn't that I think my drawings are bad, I just don't want her to see it. We're not even that close!

"No. It is enough that you've caught a glimpse of it already." I told her.

Before she could say something more, one of classmates, who is now her friend, her self-appointed assistant of Catherine came by the classroom door and waved her hand to Catherine. She understood and quickly stands up from where she is sitting and fixed the chair she took before going away from where I was before leaving the classroom.

After leaving the classroom there a noise followed of her greeting Rhyden. Huh, so that's why she had her friend inform her about Rhyden's arrival, to greet him personally before entering the school. Isn't that nice?

I resumed to my pass time. The amount of students entering adding and adding. I stopped sketching when Eugene had arrived to his seat next to me. We didn't spoke a word to each other but I gave him a small container with three cookies inside. There wasn't anything or any occasion at all. I just thought I'd give something as thanks. What he did yesterday did helped me despite that those actions are needed by standard, but still, I felt like I'm in a little bit of debt to him.

He took it quietly and we did not speak to each other. Though he did gave me a thanks upon receiving the cookies.

The bell rang and we all settled in our seat properly.