I always used to have this thought: what if I could go back in time to high school and do my life over? The real question is, would I actually do it now?
I looked around the classroom. It was a normal class full of students except for the two mages. Everyone else had normal lives unfolding. Normal romances. Mundane day-to-day routines. Most of these people would probably look back at these years as the happiest of their lives.
They were too young to realize how good they had it. Some of them would end up in debt. Some would be saddled with kids. Others would fight to keep a stable life. It's a cycle. To have winners, you must have losers.
You can't have only winners. There has to be someone at the bottom, someone who makes the sacrifice. This war is reminding me of that. The more I think, the more I prepare, the more I believe it.
If I don't take my chance to win, do whatever it takes, someone else will. In war, no one cares about your feelings. It's eat or be eaten. And I refuse to be eaten. I'll devour anyone in front of me, at any cost.
That's why I have to do this.
"Rin!" I called as I saw Rin leaving the classroom without me. I quickly got out of my seat, grabbed my bag, and followed her. She didn't even glance back.
I caught up to her easily. She looked annoyed, but I didn't say anything right away, just walked beside her. It was time for the next class. Luvia had made sure we were in all of Rin's classes to keep an eye on her, so wherever Rin went, I was already scheduled to be.
"You know it's impolite to follow a woman everywhere," Rin said, still looking straight ahead.
"Well, my class is actually this way," I said lightly. "So can you really call it the following?" I gave her a teasing smile.
She sighed and didn't respond.
"You know, Rin," I said after a moment, "it's not bad to have friends."
I've been researching magi for months now. I understood why Rin was so isolated but personally, I thought it was stupid.
"Tch. Here you go again, trying to include yourself in my life." She mocked me without even turning her head.
I just shook mine. "Being alone only brings weakness. It isolates you from yourself. You get dragged to a place so dark you can't even see the light. And the only way you'll get out… is if someone reaches in and pulls you out."
I caught myself. That was too much. She stayed silent. I sighed. She'd get it sooner or later.
I decided to peel off for now. There was another mana signature I'd been sensing, faint but there. Even suppressed, I could still feel its presence.
I followed it down a hallway until I heard voices.
"How dare you disobey my order and keep talking to that guy Shirou. Didn't I tell you not to speak to him anymore?"
The blue-haired boy's voice was sharp. He was talking to a purple-haired girl, his face twisted in anger.
He's about to hit her, I realized, watching the way his arm twitched. I was watching from my Eye of Clairvoyance, focusing on them. The girl just stood there, shy, letting him degrade her.
She's stronger than him, I thought, sensing their mana signatures. So why is she just taking this?
The boy's hand moved, ready to strike—
"Argh!"
He yelped as he was flung backward, tumbling to the ground.
I stepped forward from the stairwell, my presence now clear. The boy was on the floor, clutching his arm in pain. Pathetic.
The girl looked up at me, startled but silent.
"Are you okay?" I asked her.
She nodded quickly. "Yes, I'm fine," she said, voice hurried.
The blue-haired boy scrambled up, furious. "What just happened to me?" he demanded. He'd felt it pull, like a powerful gravitational force and now he was staring at me.
I smiled faintly. "Your name?"
He glared. "Matou Shinji."
Shinji… so that's the guy Rin compared me to. Figures.
I turned to the girl. "And you?"
She clutched her arms to her chest, hesitant. "Matou Sakura," she said quietly.
"Okay, now get lost," Shinji snapped. "I was talking to my sister."
I scoffed. You were doing a lot more than talking.
"I actually needed Sakura," I lied smoothly. "My teacher told me to find her to help me join a club."
Shinji eyed me suspiciously but didn't say anything.
"Y-You need me?" Sakura asked, pointing at herself.
I nodded. "Can you walk with me? I have a lot of questions. I think we're in the same class next, too." I already knew every roster by heart.
She looked at her brother once more, then stepped past him and joined me. I smiled and began walking.
When we were far enough, I said, "My teacher never told me to come get you."
She blinked. "So what do you want from me then?" she asked cautiously.
"I overheard your conversation," I said. "Saw what he was about to do. So I stepped in. No idea what he felt it must've been punishment from God himself." I chuckled.
Her eyes widened. "I'm sorry you had to see that. But please don't tell anyone I disobeyed my brother. It's my fault." Her voice was almost pleading.
I shook my head. "Doesn't matter what you did. He shouldn't hit his cute little sister like that." I smiled faintly, remembering my own sister.
Sakura's face turned pink. She looked down, not daring to meet my eyes.
"You know, Sakura," I said, stopping, "I don't have any friends. Do you want to be my first?"
She blinked, surprised. A small smile crept onto her face. "I'd be glad to be your friend—" she stopped herself. "I actually never got your name."
I chuckled, realizing I'd forgotten. "Look at me. Demanding names without giving mine. It's Rudeus Greyrat!"
Omake
"Hey, author. I see you put a little more effort into this chapter," Rudeus said, stretching and yawning like he'd just woken up from a nap. "But come on, you didn't even crack two thousand words."
A/N: "Well… yeah. I don't have an excuse. I'm just lazy."
Rudeus blinked twice. "At least you're honest."
"Also!" Luvia interrupted, slamming her hand on the table hard. "Why wasn't I in the chapter? This is my fanfiction too! Rudeus isn't the main character here!" She crossed her arms and glared straight at the 'camera'.
A/N: "Well, I love you, Luvia, but Rudeus is a popular character and you… aren't. Plus, he's the harem guy here."
Rudeus's ears perked up. "Wait, did you just say I'm getting a harem?" His grin spread.
A/N: "I don't know yet. I was thinking of writing a pure romance, but harems are funnier. Maybe it's just multiple love interests, and he picks one or doesn't pick any."
Rudeus's smile died instantly. "So I don't get a harem?" He sighed dramatically, slumping forward. "Ugh, forget this. I don't wanna be in this fic anymore. I'm leaving."
He turned to walk off-screen, hands in pockets.
A/N: "Like I'd ever let that happen. I'm planning over a hundred chapters, buddy. You're in for the long run. Don't worry, though someone's running your world in my other fic. It's in good hands."
Rudeus stopped, looked back, and burst out laughing. "Oh, that's rich! You mean that fic? The one you dropped halfway and admitted was trash?" He laughed so hard he had to wipe tears from his eyes. "Good hands, huh?"
A/N: "…"
Luvia sighed, rubbing her temples. "Rudeus… you should probably run."
Rudeus froze. "…Why?"
A/N: "You're being killed off."
Rudeus's eyes went wide. "NOOOOOp