Let's get this started. (Actually, I'm getting tired of that intro joke).
Even though six days have passed since the incident, Alice still can't seem to move on. She's stuck in a loop, probably thinking: Why didn't I do anything? Why did I just stand there? But how should I know? I'm not Alice.
Thud! A loud noise came from above. Is Lhong tossing and turning in his sleep again? I sincerely hope he falls off that top bunk one of these days. If he keeps twitching like this all night, I'm never going to get any sleep.
And just as I feared, I really didn't get any sleep. When morning came, I showered, got dressed, and grabbed my things for class while Lhong was still out cold. The first period was Combat Practice. Professor Demilizus started randomizing the matchups, and the person I had to face was... Lhong.
"Hmph. Don't expect me to go easy on you, John," Lhong smirked.
"Hmph. Then bring it on."
I immediately fired a Light spell at him, but Lhong dodged it and launched a Fire Bird back at me. Instead of dodging, I chose to charge straight through it. Because of my forward momentum, the impact didn't knock me back, but... Urgh! It burned like hell. I slammed a Light spell into Lhong at point-blank range. He was nearly knocked off the stage, but he scrambled back to the center to maintain his advantage since I was now near the edge.
Heh. Idiot. Lhong lunged at me, his fist coated in fire magic, intending to end it with a punch. I simply stepped aside, caught his momentum, and hurled him right off the platform.
"Too easy."
"Hmph. It won't be that easy next time!"
Maybe it won't be, but that's a problem for "next time."
The next pair was Alice versus Damustra.
The problem was obvious: Damustra uses Fire, and Alice uses Plant. She was at a massive elemental disadvantage. I figured she was done for.
Damustra made the first move. He seemed smart; he closed the gap for close-quarters combat instead of staying at a distance. It was a solid choice against a control-type user like Alice. Damustra fired a point-blank blast of fire at her. I guessed she wouldn't survive that... and I was right. She was knocked off the stage instantly.
But I noticed the real issue. While Damustra was charging, Alice tried to use plant magic to bind his legs, but she was simply too slow. It means she lacks the natural talent for rapid mana transmission. She desperately needs a staff.
Five rounds passed without anything interesting, until this pair came up: Arthur (why does his name sound like a British King?) who uses Light, versus Xenos who uses Darkness. Opposite elements. Interesting.
Arthur opened the fight. He fired a light beam, but it missed—badly. Now I see why he ended up in the Aqua class. Xenos, on the other hand, was incredibly accurate. He fired a high-speed Dark Ball that nearly sent Arthur flying. But then—What?! In a split second, Arthur appeared right in front of Xenos and landed a heavy punch to his gut. Xenos coughed up blood, but a grin crept across his face. Suddenly, dark chains erupted from the floor, binding Arthur's legs. Xenos quickly retreated as more dark chains shot out from the walls, dragging Arthur right off the field. Wow... that was bizarre. The rest of the matches weren't worth mentioning.
When class ended, I walked out of the school immediately. I passed by a restaurant where people were drinking happily and eating their fill. But as I reached the outskirts of the city, the scene changed. I saw groups of poor people killing each other just to steal a few coins. Their eyes were filled with hunger, greed, lust, and exhaustion.
I didn't know what to feel. Pity? Disdain? Disgust? Sorrow? Actually, why bother thinking about it at all? Just let it be. This is just how the world is. Everything humans created—civilization, commerce, language—it was all supposed to create justice and comfort. Yet, the reality was the image right in front of me.
I chose to walk back into the city. When I entered my room, Lhong was already there, sitting and reading a book. He greeted me without looking up.
"Hey, John. Where've you been?"
"Don't know. Just wandering around, I guess."
"You still have time to just wander around?"
He had a point. Do I really have time for something that useless? I sighed, grabbed a piece of paper and a pen, and wrote down a message. Then, I headed out again. Lhong glanced at me but didn't say a word.
I arrived at Phukan's door. Why on earth does that guy want information about our friends' lives anyway? Even though I complained, I did it anyway because he paid me 1 Ignis coin. I knocked, but there was no answer. Not home? Fine. I left the letter in front of his door and headed back to my own room.
Why is everything so exhausting since coming to this world? There's no happiness like there used to be. But then again, how could it be the same? This is practically a different world entirely.
And so, I finally lay down on my bed, letting time drift by. Today, I managed to fall asleep before Lhong, so I didn't have to listen to the sound of him tossing and turning against the wall. Total peace and quiet for my ears.
The next morning, I went through my usual routine. The first period was Magic Theory. Professor Marcus shouted at the top of his lungs once again.
"Everyone! Listen up! You are strictly forbidden from falling asleep in this period! You can sleep in others, but not this one, because what I'm about to teach is only taught once a year. So, pay attention!"
Despite the professor's warning, more than half the class wasn't listening. Even so, he continued his lecture.
"This period, we will study All Types of Energy Sources. You might think you already know this, but you don't. There are many forms of energy you aren't aware of because the laws of this kingdom forbid teaching them to children before they enter magic school. Millions of children have died from trying to use these powers recklessly. The first thing we will study is Life Force..."
He went on to explain how vital Life Force is, especially for Plant element users, and how it sustains our existence. "If you infuse it into your element, it will produce positive results... but for you curious types, don't try it now, or you'll die."
Die? I thought. Why is magic in this world so complicated? It's a massive headache.
"The positive result is the ability to empower yourself. But I warn you! Do not do this yet, or you might regret it for the rest of your life."
Regret it for the rest of my life? Is it really that bad?
"The next type is Essence..."
Professor Marcus droned on about Essence being a part of the soul that can regenerate and how it enhances elemental efficiency. I listened until the very end. After class, I was walking back when I overheard Alice talking to Anna.
"Anna, what kind of Life Core do you want to use?" Alice asked.
"I don't know yet. I can't decide. What about you?" Anna replied.
"I don't know either. Even if I did, it would be useless. My mana transmission efficiency is too low. I need a staff to use my Plant element effectively... but I don't have the money."
Alice looked dejected. It seemed she still hadn't fully moved on from that incident, though she appeared to be trying to let go. Wait, she wants a staff? Should I include that in the report? Uh... whatever, I'll just write it down.
As soon as I got back to my room, I immediately recorded everything that happened today. I hesitated for a long time about whether to include the bit about Alice, but in the end, I wrote it down anyway.
Later, I left the dormitory and headed to Phukan's room. I stopped in front of his door and knocked. Knock, knock.
The door opened. It was Phukan—who else would it be?
"Can I come in?" I asked.
"Suit yourself," he replied.
"Then I'm coming in."
I stepped into Phukan's room. Wow, it's actually quite nice. But it was also incredibly empty. I handed him an envelope.
"By the way, Alice said she wants a staff," I mentioned.
Phukan paused for a moment before speaking. "Since when did you start caring about what other people want~?"
A smirk played on Phukan's lips. Wait, since when did this guy start teasing people? What is he teasing me for? Didn't he tell me himself to keep an eye on all our friends? Whatever, as long as I get paid, I don't care.
"Probably since you told me to watch over them," I shot back.
"Ah, I see." His smile vanished instantly. "Seen anything strange?"
"Nothing."
"Okay, good. If you see anything unusual outside the school, report it to me."
Outside the school? I wondered what could possibly be strange out there. I left Phukan's room and went for a walk outside the academy grounds. As usual, I saw the same grim scenes: groups of people drinking away their lives while the poor fought and killed each other for a few coins.
This world is truly awful. At 7 PM, I returned to my room, collapsed onto my bed, and drifted off to sleep.