Afternoon.
Alan once again took the path to school.
In his backpack were a dagger and a bag of lime.
In his pocket were poisonous mushrooms.
What happened that morning had left a deep psychological scar on him.
This time, he deliberately avoided alleyways, choosing instead to walk through crowded areas.
Luckily.
No more accidents, and he arrived at school safely.
The town school provided lunch.
Most of the students were still in the cafeteria, and the classroom was deserted, save for two girls chatting quietly.
The original owner of this body, Alan Panthers, had reached puberty physically, but his mind was still relatively immature.
In his class, he was a mischievous but average-scoring mischievous kid, and he associated with similar mischievous people.
This group of boys usually ignored the girls.
The reason was that getting along with little girls was too much trouble. If they weren't careful during playtime, they'd make them cry. They'd always fuss over the smallest things, which was so annoying!
Of course, his sister was an exception.
Kelly was known throughout the school as the tomboy, the boss!
Thinking of these things, Allen now found it amusing.
Thinking back to when he was twelve years old, before his time travel, he'd already tasted first love.
If only his former self had had a sturdy physique and masculine looks like Allen Panthers, it wouldn't be hard to pick up girls just by showing off on the basketball court.
Putting aside his childish thoughts, Allen opened his schoolbag and neatly arranged his books on his desk.
The school's main courses were , math, geography, history, and martial arts.
The first two subjects were only equivalent to fourth-grade students in his previous life, far too easy for a "test-taker" like him who had received a full scholarship to study for a doctorate .
Geography and history seemed more like a collection of settings for a fantasy novel, but Allen was reading with gusto.
As he flipped through the pages, a faint fragrance drifted from behind him.
"Student Allen, why didn't you come to class this morning?"
A young woman's voice echoed in his ears, sounding displeased.
He didn't need to turn around to know it was the class monitor, Beatrice.
The mischievous boys in the class secretly nicknamed her "Police Dog."
Perhaps she was chosen as class monitor because she loved to be in charge and was particularly strict.
It must be admitted that the class monitor was conscientious and responsible.
Otherwise, a mischievous kid like Allen occasionally skipping class for half a day to hang out wouldn't be a big deal. Why worry about it? Allen turned around and smiled faintly at the stern-faced girl in a white dress across from him.
"Class monitor, good afternoon."
"Eh...?"
The girl was startled, seemingly caught off guard by the sudden politeness of this notoriously mischievous boy. A look of bewilderment crossed her delicate face.
"Well, good afternoon... Allen, you haven't answered my question yet!"
"It's a long story. It all started yesterday afternoon when we went to the circus..."
Alan briefly recounted his experiences of the past two days.
Aside from his identity as a time traveler and the secrets surrounding the Gluttony system, he kept nothing else to himself.
Firstly, there was no need to disclose the details. After all, someone had already died, and if the case was reported, it would quickly spread throughout the town.
Secondly, he considered that the more widely this case became public, the more it would inspire local residents to hate child abductors and encourage them to organize and combat such crimes.
If the circus sent someone back to kidnap children again, they would likely not escape the public's scrutiny, thus relieving Alan of the pressure.
Alan recounted these thrilling experiences with vivid detail.
Beatrice was captivated.
Soon, another young girl from the classroom came over and sat next to Beatrice, listening curiously.
The two girls sat across from Alan, their chins resting on their hands, their elbows resting on their desks, listening with rapt attention.
The boys, returning from lunch, marveled at the scene.
"That boy, Alan! He's having such a good time chatting with a girl!"
"What a damn traitor! He must be expelled from the Iron Fist Gang!"
"That's probably not possible..." another boy said with a wry smile. "After all, Alan is the boss of our Iron Fist Gang! Only the boss has the power to expel gang members..."
...
"That's how it happened."
Alan finished explaining the whole story, a half-hearted look of fear on his face.
"I was able to escape the kidnappers, thanks to the presence of my ancestors!"
In this world where sorcerers reign supreme, people worship their bloodline and ancestors, while religious beliefs are brutally suppressed by the various sorcerer families.
Believers of both good and evil gods are forbidden from publicly preaching.
So, when people express their gratitude, they often say, "Thanks to the blessings of the ancestors," rather than "Thank God."
"Alan! You're so brave! So amazing!" The little girl next to Beatrice looked at him with admiration. "You fought back against two vicious kidnappers and escaped successfully. This is straight out of an adventure novel!"
"So, you're not making this up, are you?"
Another girl, who had come to listen, asked doubtfully.
"By the ancestors, I'm telling the truth!" Alan said seriously. "If you don't believe me, you can go to the police station and ask."
"Alan wouldn't lie to us," Beatrice said, fair. "A guy like him only brags around other boys. If he brags to a girl, the other boys will laugh at him and say he's trying to woo her. How embarrassing!"
Alan smiled and nodded.
Ms. Class monitor, you really understand the psychology of cool boys!
"Alan, after this incident, you must learn from it. Study hard and don't go to dangerous places again..."
The class monitor solemnly lectured the delinquent boy.
Usually, when she spouted these clichés, Alan would turn away, impatient to listen.
But now, with the soul of a time traveler, he felt the same way.
"You're right, Beatrice. I used to do meaningless, foolish things all day, thinking I was some gang boss or street thug. How foolish!"
Alan said seriously.
"Class monitor, from now on, I'll learn from you, study hard, and do something more valuable for myself and society."
Beatrice's eyes shone with relief, and her fair, delicate face suddenly flushed.
"Alan... since you didn't come to class this morning, I'll lend you my notes. Make sure you study them carefully!"
"Thank you, class monitor. I'll return them before school."
"No need to rush!" Beatrice looked a little uneasy. "Also, um... you haven't had lunch yet, have you? I still have bread and milk. If you don't mind..."
"Thank you very much," Alan said calmly, extending his hand. "Actually, I came after lunch, but I think I could eat a little more."
Alan devoured a mere girl's lunch in just two or three bites, feeling... like he hadn't eaten at all.
The "Glutton System" truly lived up to its name when it came to its gluttony.
The girls around them had already noticed the monitor's unusual attitude toward Alan, and their gazes at the two of them became peculiar.
Alan, feeling the gazes from all around him, chuckled to himself.
Some innocent, kindhearted girls are always eager to rescue delinquents, persuade prodigals to turn back from evil and embrace good, and they derive immense satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment from this.
They're even willing to destroy their own lives for this cause, like moths to a flame.
Beatrice, it seems, also has a bit of a Madonna complex.