"This..."Staring at the intricate equations sprawled across the fifteen papers and the detailed drawing of the portal along with its required components that I was holding, I sighed in frustration and let my head drop to the table....I never expected it to be this perplexing. I mean, it was genuinely confusing, with the numbers outnumbering the alphabets!I was on the verge of placing the papers back on the table when something caught my attention."...This thing requires someone as a test subject, right?"Turning toward Aerial's direction, I stood up from my seat."Can I be the one to do that?"Thanks to my looping ability, if something goes wrong, I can just regress back to the first day and make the necessary adjustments to the machine until it works....Playing scientist again this round... Why does it feels weird?"...Why?" She asked, pulling me back to reality. Her face showed a confused express
Entering the apartment building, I was immediately greeted by Miss Olivia, her warm demeanor a stark contrast to the unsettling events of the day.Earlier, I had borrowed Aerial's phone to make a call, seeking refuge in their home. Jack, the owner of the apartment, agreed almost immediately upon hearing my situation.Aerial's surprise was palpable when she learned that I was practically homeless after running away from home. By the time I hung up and said my thanks, she immediately asked about what happened.Since I have nothing to lose anyway, I decided to tell her the truth.... Not the regression part, of course.Her reactions were somehow expected; she sympathize with me, and thus, diverted the topic back to our work.Anyways—"Vallen is finally here," Olivia informed Jack, who nonchalantly continued watching a horror movie, the flickering images casting an eerie glow across the room."You're here already?" he said, h
As we were entering the school, I accidentally heard some rumours spreading about what happened yesterday.According to the rumour, a student from this school had helped on preventing two accidents... Hmm.. Fortunately, thanks to my sweater, none of them seem to have recognized me last night.I can probably rest easy for now...Kim's sudden pause drew our attention, his gaze fixed on my face with an inexplicable expression...What's with him anyway? He's been acting weird since this morning.... Wait, isn't he and Kiyona already weird since the very beginning?With a silent nod to myself, we continued toward the classroom, Kim still recovering from his apparent shock."....?"As we approached, a group of students gathered by the door caught my eye. Curiosity piqued, I approached them to inquire about the commotion."Hey, what's going on?" I asked one of the students.-Ah... Well, do you remember the Arto
I could hear the voice of the system resonating inside my head."Please... stop. I can't bear losing anyone else..." I pleaded, my head bowed in despair.Before me stood the withered man, his grin stretching wider as he loomed over me.'Why was I even brought into this world? Just to endure unending suffering...?' I pounded the ground weakly with my fist, tears streaming down my face.'Why am I so feeble and detached? How did everything I held dear only end up shrouded in agony, slipping away?'His voice sliced through the air, a chilling whisper that pierced my soul. "Look at yourself... Has the toll of each loss, each setback, finally shattered you?""As I told you from the start, surrender. Abandon this struggle. Let THAT curse consume you. Cast aside your facade and embrace your true nature."With a grasp
Chuckles echoed through the air as Athan's voice sliced through the tension."Pathetic peasants, you truly don't grasp the art of surrender."Athan's laughter resonated, punctuating his scornful words."You, pathetic lot, forever stuck in your insignificance. Can't you see? Money and power are the threads weaving this world's tapestry."His mischievous grin reflected his amusement as he cast an apathetic glance at ArArthu"Strength is your claim, yet I find you pitiable. You remain blissfully unaware of your place. Eventually, your apathetic demise will claim you."Athan's words jabbed at Arthur, eliciting a clenched jaw."You really talked too much."Arthur began excluding his killing intent and the mana he had been releasing began increasing. The only thing he could think was to kill the brat that was insulting his family that died and his current friends.The cage he was currently in was slowly melting due to the immense mana he was releasing. Seeing this, Athan slowly backed away i
A day has passed after my argument with my mother.As I was currently reading a book inside my mini library, I suddenly heard a knock outside the door.Tok Tok-Placing my book down at the table, I stretched out my arms and sat up from my seat, then went towards the door to open it."Young master, the dinner is ready." The butler bowed his head slightly and waited silently for my reply.Nodding, I smiled gently and replied, "Oh, I see... Go on ahead. I'll just put my books back on the bookshelf before I leave." "...Right away."Soon after the butler left, I closed door and went back to the table."Let's get started, shall we?"............A moment later.As I was about to pick up the last book from the table, I felt that both my hands became warmer for a secondOut of curiosity, I raised my hands up and saw something unexpected.At the back of my hands, I saw a black dot in the middle."Oh... this might be the first phase of the awakening."Awakening is the reason people can use ma
"Sigh..."After I arrived at the garden, I decided to walk around the garden for a bit."They should be here by now... I wonder if her personality was still the same according to the novel when she was still a child. If she was, the plan could really work."As I recalled the scenes I remember about her, I sighed deeply.According to what I've read about her, Alicia wasn't really a cold narcissist back when she was just a child. Rather, she was your typical gloomy and aloof-type of person. But because of a certain event where she got kidnapped and awakened her crest early, the changes of her personality began. This made her receive praises from adults, and soon she got addicted to this kind of attention.Though, after spending quite some time with the main character, she will eventually get a character development and mellowed down, becoming a sweet, lovable tsundere.She instantly became many of the reader's favorite."Young master.""...Huh?"Breaking free from my thoughts, I turned a
"I look like a mess..."Examining my disheveled reflection in the mirror, I decided to freshen up by washing my face and taking a quick shower.Unlike the standard showers on Earth, the showers in this world were powered by magic stones.Magic stones came in various types and categories. For instance, there were water stones, typically used for showers, dishwashing, and other water-related tasks. Some magic stones could also be used for training and combat, even if your elemental crest didn't align with the stones' attributes. It only required a small amount of mana to operate these magic stones, making them highly convenient in this world.As I took a step toward the shower and turned it on at half-intensity, water began to gently cascade down over my small body."Sigh..."I contemplated deeply about what I had heard the previous day – the gathering of monsters. It could only mean one thing.It was connected to the organizations that had attacked Arthur and his parents.In essence, th
As we were entering the school, I accidentally heard some rumours spreading about what happened yesterday.According to the rumour, a student from this school had helped on preventing two accidents... Hmm.. Fortunately, thanks to my sweater, none of them seem to have recognized me last night.I can probably rest easy for now...Kim's sudden pause drew our attention, his gaze fixed on my face with an inexplicable expression...What's with him anyway? He's been acting weird since this morning.... Wait, isn't he and Kiyona already weird since the very beginning?With a silent nod to myself, we continued toward the classroom, Kim still recovering from his apparent shock."....?"As we approached, a group of students gathered by the door caught my eye. Curiosity piqued, I approached them to inquire about the commotion."Hey, what's going on?" I asked one of the students.-Ah... Well, do you remember the Arto
Entering the apartment building, I was immediately greeted by Miss Olivia, her warm demeanor a stark contrast to the unsettling events of the day.Earlier, I had borrowed Aerial's phone to make a call, seeking refuge in their home. Jack, the owner of the apartment, agreed almost immediately upon hearing my situation.Aerial's surprise was palpable when she learned that I was practically homeless after running away from home. By the time I hung up and said my thanks, she immediately asked about what happened.Since I have nothing to lose anyway, I decided to tell her the truth.... Not the regression part, of course.Her reactions were somehow expected; she sympathize with me, and thus, diverted the topic back to our work.Anyways—"Vallen is finally here," Olivia informed Jack, who nonchalantly continued watching a horror movie, the flickering images casting an eerie glow across the room."You're here already?" he said, h
"This..."Staring at the intricate equations sprawled across the fifteen papers and the detailed drawing of the portal along with its required components that I was holding, I sighed in frustration and let my head drop to the table....I never expected it to be this perplexing. I mean, it was genuinely confusing, with the numbers outnumbering the alphabets!I was on the verge of placing the papers back on the table when something caught my attention."...This thing requires someone as a test subject, right?"Turning toward Aerial's direction, I stood up from my seat."Can I be the one to do that?"Thanks to my looping ability, if something goes wrong, I can just regress back to the first day and make the necessary adjustments to the machine until it works....Playing scientist again this round... Why does it feels weird?"...Why?" She asked, pulling me back to reality. Her face showed a confused express
"....""...."Tapping my index finger on the table, my eyes shifted between Aerial and the mysterious numbers sprawled across the paper she was holding. How in the world could she decipher this cryptic language?"....Mmm." I closed my eyes, pondering. If it were just ordinary numbers, she wouldn't bother, unless these papers concealed a hidden message—a Morse code of sorts.".....""....ugh."Finally, after what felt like an eternity, she placed the folders down, meticulously arranging them on the table. Glancing my way, she closed her eyes and inquired, "...what do you want?""....!!"Clearing my throat, I put on a smile and replied, "Ah... Well, I want to join this club." She abruptly halted, processing my unexpected announcement.Turning her head slightly, she contemplated before asking, "Why do you want to join?" Her scrutinizing gaze moved from top to bottom."It's because... ah?""You know what, zip it." Before I could elaborate, she handed me a paper—an application for the club
"You're Vallen, aren't you?"I turned my head in Alicia's direction, casting her a weary glance before refocusing on the front of the classroom."Don't ignore me!"Alicia slammed her hands on my table, causing me to shrink back into my chair... I'm getting annoyed."Hey, I'm asking you—?!"Kiyona's hands intervened, cutting off Alicia's words. She looked at me with a frown. "You know this girl?" she inquired, squinting."...Nope. Never seen her before," I responded sarcastically, rolling my eyes towards the window.Although I didn't admit it outright, the lie was evident from my expression and tone. Strangely, Kiyona appeared to buy into it....Is she an idiot?"Pfft!" Kim couldn't contain a sound, swiftly covering his mouth. Our eyes met, his expression stiffening before he looked away.Alicia, seemingly unfazed by our silent exchange, voiced her annoyance."How are you able to see...?" she asked curiously, crossing her arms."How do you think? It's because I have eyes." I pointed tw
At the auditorium.The three of us took our seats together. Kiyona, the vibrant and talkative girl, claimed the center. Kim sat on the left, and I occupied the right."There are so many people here!" Kiyona exclaimed, rising suddenly and letting out a loud "woo hoo!" This drew surprised glances from the students in front of us."Stop it... You're only embarrassing us," Kim chided her, shaking his head slightly before turning to me."I hope you're not uncomfortable with this girl... She's a bit eccentric, to say the least."Well, I can see that... I thought, glancing up at Kiyona, who was smiling wholeheartedly. Despite her eccentricities, there was something likable about her that I couldn't quite pinpoint."Hey, Kim! The principal is making her appearance!" Kiyona pointed excitedly to the center of the stadium.She added, "She looks young and beautiful! How old is she again?" Her eyes sparkled at the sight of the principal. I rolled my eyes and snorted.Indeed, appearances could be d
As soon as I woke up back inside my room on the mansion, confusion engulfed me as I checked the calendar that was on the shelf before checking through my phone.'First Day of School!'It was the same.Panic gripped me; this regression wasn't exactly as I anticipated. Cursing my predicament, I held my head in frustration. "Why had I been thrust back to the beginning?" There were no answers, and the disorienting return only fueled my anxiety.Contemplating various possibilities, I considered the absurd idea of being poisoned. However, logic swiftly dismissed it – Miss Olivia, who shared the meal, wouldn't endanger herself nor her boyfriend. She wasn't that reckless or suicidal.Desperation led my mind to entertain wild theories. Had my father sent assassins? A notion swiftly dismissed, recognizing the improbability... Although there is still a possibility, I knew his personality. The mind raced, concocting and discarding scenarios, each more implausible than the last.Tok Tok—!The ca
"...That was boring."As I said that, I carefully removed the bloody gloves on my hand and took out a plastic bag, then placed it inside."None of them even lasted a minute... I guess they never had any proper training." I kept the plastic bag inside my bag before turning away. It's not that I know much about what kind of group the Resistance were, but I did encounter one of them back when I was still sixteen.It was around that age I started my hunt."...Clean."Unlike last time, I made sure that there would be no witnesses during the whole act. As for the three corpses behind me, I laid their backs on the wall and made sure to throw some substances to make it rot faster. Even though I knew for sure that it would smell, as long as there aren't any evidence pointing that I did it, it should be fine.Plus, I already made sure that the CCTVs around the area are destroyed earlier before I did the deed. And also, there are only few people who pass by this area. Meaning, the possibility of
"Yo! William!"Startled, William tensed up, his tail wiggling cutely as he eagerly turned around. Upon spotting me, his expression lit up, his chin raised with enthusiasm."Vallen! Long time no see!" he greeted, the corners of his lips curling upward.Amused, I closed my eyes for a brief second, shook my shoulders, and settled into the chair across from him. I signaled the waitress to take my order."So, what have you been up to lately?" I turned my attention back to William. He leaned back comfortably and responded with a soft hum."Mostly family business, and the rest of my time is spent hanging out with my girlfriend," he said, a hint of smugness in his tone.I rolled my eyes at his response and sighed. "Yeah, right. I'm getting jealous.""Liar," he retorted, pursing his lips. "Your expression clearly says the opposite. Anyway, how's your eyes? I thought you wouldn't be able to see.""Ah... Well, let's save that question and enjoy the snack first!"As my order arrived, he let the m