A month had passed since the day they went from Nether Realm, three weeks since they returned from being missing to being found, and two weeks since they started to attend classes again after the 'ntal' break that was given to them.
And within this week, a piece of shocking news spread to students from A1 to A-2 to A-12 classes of first years. It's about a certain A-1 student that drop out for unknown reasons that seed provocative to those who didn't have the ability to think logically as so of them only thought that it was kind of insulting that privilege of being an A-1 student was just thrown away as if it's trash just ant for a bin.
"So people really concluded their own to satisfy their own opinion."
Alie said in a monotonous tone, sitting on her seat with her right hand supporting her right cheek as her right elbow was over her desk. The professor for this day's class had just finished his lesson and left the A-1 classroom.
"I hope Ary's alright... Hmm... Alie, do you have any idea why Ary wanted to be strong... like stronger than anyone else? Unfortunately, we haven't been able to do our supposedly predetermined battle as I promised her before."
Freya said in a nostalgic tone, she recalled the mont she t Ary or the mont she first interacted with her after the Disciplinary Trial Exam. Freya and Ary didn't fight during the exhibition battle on the last day of the event of Ergence Anniversary Rembrance because there was nothing at stake which was according to Freya, the condition needed for battling with her.
"I'm not exactly sure about her desire or what motivates her to beco stronger, quickly at that. But if I have to guess... she grew up in an orphanage, so maybe it has sothing to do with her parents. Russell also clearly lets us hear how Ary obtained her current profession right...
"Ary aside... I think it's no use to ask why soone needed to be stronger, especially when you shared with us your... you know..."
Alie said casually, but it made Freya ponder for so ti as she realized the aning of Alie's last sentence.
Freya realized the content of her Star Quest Party, the enemies they would have a fight or war with in the future; Heretic of Nature, Rakshana (SS ), Blood Addict, Cassius Crimson (SSS-), and a staggering powerhouse, an Ex-Constellation, Urg'r Mor.
Upon realization, she seems embarrassed with her question just now.
'It doesn't matter what Ary's reason for getting stronger is... We'll accompany her on her journey.'
Freya thought inwardly, feeling her desire to be stronger intensified, she then glanced at the front of the classroom.
"Fair enough..."
Freya replied, revealing a faint smile, then after so ti, Alie asked with a concerned tone, but this ti, it was delivered via Telepathy through their connection as Chaos Companion.
Freya chuckled inwardly at Alie's way of saying things, she was reminded that Alie was soone who seed to possess different personas as if an actress in different plays in the theater.
Alie's cheerful in front of people she had barely connections with.
Her personality becos gray when being confronted or engaging with people she deed as enemies just like how she looked when she stabbed Kevin Springer in the chest and neck, ending his life in the process.
Then, when she's with them, she shows how intelligent she was when it cos to analyzing and hypothesizing various things while being cheerful or cheeky almost at the sa ti.
Freya put her assessnt at the back of her mind before answering via Telepathy.
Alie said with a hint of curiosity, which Freya satisfies by answering her vaguely.
The books Freya received, after skimming through so of them, were found complicated in her view that she almost wanted to drop out just to have more ti to study those books.
Creak-!
The door on the right side, near the front of the classroom, creaked and revealed a teacher. It was Professor Eric Ror who handles the Dungeon Geographical System (DGS) subject.
His entrance cut Freya's thoughts as she tapped on the shoulder of a man from her side. It's her older brother who earlier fell asleep.
"Wake up, Oppa... Oppa...!"
...
After a few hours, the classes and breaks ended as if a wind just passed by.
Russell's patience was reaching its rock bottom as the rumors about him and Victoria, the forr Student Council President seed to spread like a virus everywhere.
He also saw the face of the Student Council President passing by who inconspicuously looked at him with pity while maintaining his saint-like public image.
Aside from that, Russell observed the businesses of the main characters he wrote in his original, but unpublished novel.
Anya Amasawa and Han Jiho seed to have deepened their connection for so reason, but Russell guessed it was because of Anya's curiosity about Han Jiho and Alexander's identity, although Anya used Arthur's two-faced persona as a cover.
He also painted in his mind the two Princesses that were like a cat and a dog, but in a cheeky way.
Then he recalled Samantha who seems to avoid him for so unknown reasons, and Leon who's quiet, but surrounded by goons with a connection with his family, Obreyon.
'At least everything isn't that different from the original...'
The only difference that Russell was noticing the most was the tifra the things were happening which seed like faster than what he originally anticipated.
'Well, I don't have the right to complain... the original plot is already twisted.'
He lampooned inwardly while walking side by side with his younger sister and Alie, then after so ti each of them parted ways, going to each of their own dorms.
...
Sitting on a couch with his hands on the back of his head as he leaned backward, Russell analyze his plans and how to execute them at the right ti.
After an unknown period of ti, he changed clothes from his school uniform to simple black shorts and a shirt with a gray hooded jacket, then he took out the Mask of Night from his Dinsional Inventory, wore it, then vanished from his dormitory room.
...
"It is ti?"
Alie — who also changed her clothes from her school uniform to black pants, and a simple black t-shirt — asked with her lips slightly curled up, then Russell wore a look of confusion with what she wears next, it was a shoulder-length black veil, slightly covering her face.
Then after a few seconds, after Russell nodded, she transford from a human to a being called 'Shade', took out her new staff, 'Staff of the Lost Shade (Growth)', and opened the Spade Warp which she and Russell walked through.
...
"You're quite an adventurous one."
They instantly arrived at one of the secret passages that Alie knew near the 'Player General Store' near the Northernmost Olympia where Armageddon Mountain could be seen.
"Considering the influence of Thorn of Rose, and by the organization I was in, I'd say I traveled many places, but what's convenient the most are the locations where you wanted to go are also the places I have already been."
Alie answered casually, her pink hair that turned black fluttered slightly.
'She's right, with Spade Warp, combining with the location she traveled to. It's easy to traverse the place.'
Russell admired Alie's adventurousness which seed to stem from hardships and the Spade Warp skill that she obtained from the Lady of Shaded Spade.
"Yeah, it's truly convenient. By the way, let's buy so high-quality food for our host tonight."
Alie didn't question Russell as they started to take their pacing, looking for a restaurant near the Player General Store.
...
Inside the Player General Store where Maya — the salesclerk that Russell interacted with before he went on a journey to Armageddon Mountain in search of the Seed of Chaos — was arranging the various Low-Grade Potions before the end of her shift.
After so ti, she finished tidying up and bid goodbye to her co-worker who just arrived.
The Player General Store runs for 24 hours and doesn't close because so Players or adventurers prefer to raid Strayed Dungeons during the night.
Walking on the sidewalk, she felt a presence around her, but being a perceptive woman, she felt two people were following her, but she brushed it off and continued to walk to her ho that's only a few blocks away from the Player General Store.
After a few minutes of walking, she opened the door to her apartnt, the scenery of her neat apartnt interior entered her sight the mont she opened the lights, then she locked the door, and tidied herself up.
She looked at the mirror, reflecting her fair-skinned face, sapphire-like eyes, and waist-length auburn hair that contains smoothness, as well as her voluptuous body.
After so ti of tidying herself up, her eyes widened at the two figures sitting on the chairs around the table that were reflected in the full-length mirror.
"Three seats, but you're living alone."
A womanly figure in all black, wearing a black veil that hides her face spoke in a cold voice, she only listened but with cautiousness.
Maya was just about to reply when a manly, cold voice of a figure wearing a dirty white mask with the symbol of 'X slanted 45 degrees to the right' carved on the mask's forehead part, cut off what she was about to say, prompting her to look at the other figure who wore a gray hooded jacket.
"I know where your parents are."
The voice of the manly figure reverberated in her apartnt, but it pierced her soul as she trembled.
...
'Maya's parents were already dead in the original story, but in this reality, and at this point in ti. I'm certain they're still alive.'
Russell thought inwardly, looking at Maya whose auburn, smooth hair flutters as the cold wind entered from the window of her apartnt.
"I'll tell you the details, but after you calm down first."
He looked at Alie, then Alie took out food from her Dinsional Inventory, it was the food they bought before coming to Maya's place.
Alie placed the food on the circular table, causing Maya's eyes to tear up a little because it was the food that she and her parents mostly shared together, Nereian Seafood Ran.
Maya cautiously took a seat, recalling her parents whose been missing for at least two years for reasons unknown to her.
After taking a heavy breath, she looked at the two figures who took their own seats, but they didn't use the two remaining chairs around the table in respect to her parents, but rather took out two plastic chairs. Maya then spoke firmly.
"Tell ."
...
Russell agreed to what Alie guessed. Although they were not certain about it, they felt that sothing was amiss with Maya.
Russell interjected, continuing the words that Alie was about to say.
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Author's Note:
Please read the updated notice written under the Synopsis. Thank you, readers!
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