"Life," they say, "always finds a way."
Yeah. A way to say ’Fuck you’
Just when you think life’s finally playing nice... Just when you’re about to raise a toast to soone else’s misery...
Life leans in, smiles and says, "Now it’s your turn."
Then it starts screwing you—slowly, thoroughly and without consent.
Now, don’t get wrong—I’m not talking about my own devastatingly handso self. I have made peace with life’s nonsense. Hell, I even got used to it back in my last life... before I beca a billionaire, of course.
No, this particular tragedy belonged to soone else.
A traitorous bastard currently floating in front of as if he had been screwed so fast he didn’t even feel the pain until the soreness began to spread.
My dear ol’ sentient cloak.
This bastard—I was definitely sure—was laughing while Ru was doing her little makeover experint on .
It didn’t even try to help. No protest or even a try to sacrifice itself nobly in my stead.
It just floated there, like a smug spectator, silently enjoying the show.
"So, you are back, huh?" I asked.
The cloak nodded with its hood.
I wanted to stay mad, for it’s betrayal but looking at the poor guy... I couldn’t just control my laughter.
Ru hadn’t spared this guy from her creativity either.
Still, I wasn’t an insensitive jerk. So, I controlled myself.
It now had weird, mismatched eyes stitched onto its hood... the kind that followed you no matter where you stood. Its body was lined with different shapes and jagged symbols. So of which definitely looked like cursed carvings—the kind that whispers sweet nothings before gulping your soul.
Poor guy.
I stepped closer and gently patted its hood, channeling mana into the fabric. A soft blue glow covered it and slowly, the marks began to fade.
This was the cloak’s auto-repair function.
No matter how badly it was damaged, as long as I was willing to spend the mana... it would always restore itself to its perfect condition. As long as it’s not obliterated completely that is.
It bowed before —or at least that’s how it looked—before it tried to strap itself to my back like the dramatic bastard it was.
But I stopped it with a single finger and pointed to the hanger in the corner of my room.
I an, co on—it was bedti. Who the hell sleeps with a sentient cloak clinging to their back?
I wasn’t that lonely.
Its hood drooped in defeat.
But it followed my order and floated over and hung itself on the coat hanger as if it was a criminal being executed.
Tch. Dramatic bastard.
I left it to its own device and flopped onto my bed, staring at the ceiling.
After the long day—filled with chaos and bearly heartbreak—I was finally back in one piece.
It was peaceful. But I knew it wouldn’t last.
Because tomorrow...
Tomorrow was the day.
The day of my departure. And it was going to be hectic.
Ru still didn’t know I was leaving.
And knowing her? She wasn’t going to take it quietly.
"Haah"
A sigh left without even a thought.
My bear butler wasn’t here.
After returning from the forest, the first thing I did was report to Father. Told him—very casually, mind you—that I made a new friend who wanted to follow out of sheer admiration for my noble self.
He raised a brow in suspicion and pressed for details.
I, in turn, gave him the most honest answer I had: "Things happened. Now I have a familiar related to my class."
He didn’t laugh. Didn’t scold. Didn’t even sigh, calling a little bastard like he always did.
He just nodded, his crimson eyes filled with exhaustion.
He had been working tirelessly to cancel my departure to Noxvalen—reaching out to every contact, every favor, every ancient na in his reach.
All to find a way to break a soul contract.
But there wasn’t one. At least not known to anyone.
I felt bad. Really, I did. But there was nothing I could do... except promise him the only thing I could.
That I wouldn’t die.
Still, he wasn’t exactly thrilled about letting a red-furred, nacing Alpha Bear follow around without so assurance that it wouldn’t rip my head off in my sleep.
So, he asked to keep the bear with him until tomorrow—to assess if it posed any danger.
I agreed. But only after he promised he wouldn’t hurt him.
After all, the bear was my subordinate.
And I take good care of my slav—I an, subordinate.
Having a tad beast was rare, but not exactly legendary. So it wasn’t the end of the world.
And most importantly? Familiars were allowed into Noxvalen.
That academy banned servants, attendants and pretty much anyone who might fetch your slippers for you. But familiars? They were different. They weren’t companions—they were considered an extension of the Master’s own strength.
Which ant, there was no problem with Bearlo joining to the academy.
Yeah, you heard that right—Bearlo. That’s what I decided to na him.
I an, I couldn’t just keep calling him "Alpha" or "hey, you." That’s no way to treat a loyal subordinate.
When I asked if he had a na of his own, he explained that bear-kind doesn’t bother with nas. They use scent to recognize each other.
So obviously, the responsibility fell to with my unparalleled, oh-so-creative naming sense, to give him a worthy na.
I gave him options. Glorious ones.
Growl. Bearthur. Even Crimsanity.
Each one a masterpiece and peak innovation, I must say.
But no. He turned them all down and chose the most boring of them all—Bearlo.
As if that was the most normal na of the bunch. Which, honestly, was rude—considering the sheer amount of creativity I had invested.
I personally liked the na "Bearthur PenBear."
It had class and dignity but who was going to tell this to that stupid bear?
With nothing else to do, my mind wandered to my hectic day. Especially to the Trickster.
Because whatever that bastard was... he didn’t die like a normal entity.
He resurrected people even as he was but a shadow of what he once was.
That alone reeked of trouble.
And if life had taught anything, it was this:
The stronger soone is... the stronger the bastards who want them dead.
And now, with being his so-called "successor candidate"?
Yeah.
Trouble wasn’t just coming for . It probably wanted to marry , even have kids with and spend a lifeti with until it kills .
So romantic, right?
But thinking about it wouldn’t solve anything.
So I did what any rational man would do—I decided to check my stats. Especially the new skill I got after the assistant contract.
"Status," I muttered.
The familiar translucent window appeared into view as always.
But just as I was about to read—
BANG.
Soone barged into my room like the concept of knocking personally offended them.
I swear to the stars, I don’t know what kind of karmic curse exists between and my status window...
But every damn ti I try to check it, soone interferes without a miss.
"What the fuck do you think you’re doing, you little brat?"
A voice echoed across the room.
I sighed.
Here we go again.
_______________________
User Comments
0 comments from readers