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By the time we reached History of Gods class, I was convinced my lungs were about to file a formal complaint against my legs.
The classroom was on the third floor, on the other side of the building—because of course it was. Whoever designed this school clearly believed true education began with unnecessary suffering.
Light slammed his back against the wall outside the door, wheezing like a broken flute. Art bent over with his hands on his knees, sucking in air like his life depended on it.
"If this man," Light said between breaths, straightening his collar with shaking fingers, "for any reason scolds me, you both are dead."
I stared at him.
Flatly.
Bro?
Art let out a dry laugh. "He is going to scold us. You told us yourself—he doesn't tolerate nonsense. And we're like ten minutes late."
Ten minutes.
In History of Gods.
Where professors were rumored to glare students into reincarnation.
"Are you two going to stand here and continue your couple argument," I cut in, rolling my eyes, "or are we going to be more than ten minutes late if we don't go in now, Light?"
Light shot me a glare, inhaled like a soldier heading to war, and pushed the door open.
The class was already packed.
At least a hundred students.
And standing at the podium—
Oh.
Oh no.
The man was handsome.
Unfairly so.
Silver hair neatly slicked back, sharp eyes, broad shoulders, and a face that had absolutely no business belonging to someone in his fifties. What was this school? A divine employment agency? Were ugly people banned at the gate?
I was too busy mentally drafting a complaint to the universe to notice what was happening.
Which is why I didn't realize Light and Art had already dropped to their knees.
Apologizing.
Passionately.
Only when the silence stretched did realization hit me like divine retribution.
Oh shit.
I dropped to my knees so fast my soul nearly lagged behind.
"I—I wasn't feeling well," I blurted. "I passed out. They had to help me regain consciousness. That's why we're late. I'm very sorry."
Ah.
Perfect.
Smooth.
Almost like jazz.
Light and Art instantly caught on, nodding vigorously and layering the lie with dramatic concern like supportive backup actors.
The professor stared down at us.
Not angry.
Not annoyed.
Just… unimpressed.
Like we were cockroaches that had suddenly learned how to speak.
Art swallowed hard. Light looked one apology away from tears.
Me?
I couldn't care less.
I was here without my consent anyway. If he expelled me, I'd just pack up, move to the next town, and finally live my dream of becoming a CSI in peace. Honestly, that sounded fantastic.
Light kept apologizing. Art kept nodding. I knelt there thinking about what I'd wear on my first day of CSI training.
Black, obviously.
"Since you three look sincere and remorseful," the man finally said, smiling.
Sinisterly.
"How about you give us a brief history of a god or goddess? Anything you know."
Ah yes.
Public execution.
Light began to stand—
"No," the professor said calmly. "You there. Lady behind him."
Even I turned around.
Then Art tapped my shoulder.
Oh.
Right.
Damn genetics.
"I'm not actually a girl," I said quickly. "Just—a guy with unfortunate genetics."
The professor tapped his leg impatiently.
Clock's ticking. Perform or perish.
I stood, imagining myself shaking like a leaf in a storm.
"U-um," I coughed. "I'll talk about the mountain god… Aurelion."
The name felt oddly natural.
"He was the guardian of the high peaks," I continued, words spilling out from half-memory. "He protected the mountains from beasts and monsters. Towns near the ranges worshipped him, and in return he granted them prosperity and protection. When a group of drifters had nowhere to go, Aurelion carved a town between two great mountains for them. Other towns helped build it. The land was blessed. "
The classroom was silent.
"He was kind," I added. "Selfless. He helped the poor, the weak, the rich—without discrimination."
The professor studied me.
"And the name of the town?" he asked.
"Thyrelith," I said quickly. "Something like that."
A pause.
Then a faint smile. "Acceptable. Sit down. And never be late again."
We scrambled to the back left corner—the perfect blind spot.
As soon as I sat, I dropped my head onto the desk.
And fell.
Straight.
Into darkness.
—
The ground was brown.
Not the warm brown of soil or earth—but the dead, dusty brown of something long abandoned.
Broken walls surrounded me, jagged like snapped bones. Pillars lay crushed, their carvings shattered beyond recognition. The ceiling was gone, exposing a sky that looked wrong—too still, too dull, like a painting that had forgotten how to breathe.
I stood there, frozen, my heartbeat loud in my ears.
I brushed dirt off my uniform with shaking hands.
Where the fuck am I?
The air smelled old. Burnt. Like blood that had soaked into stone and never washed away.
I took a step forward.
Then another.
My boots crunched against rubble as I climbed a broken staircase that led nowhere. Halfway up, the wall simply… ended.
I peered down.
Bodies.
They were piled below like discarded dolls—twisted limbs, torn clothes, faces locked in silent screams. Some were half-buried beneath stone. Others stared upward with empty eyes, as if accusing the sky for abandoning them.
My stomach lurched.
I stumbled back, nearly tripping over loose stone.
"Nope," I muttered. "Absolutely not."
I turned away, breathing fast, trying to make sense of the ruins. I scanned through fallen pillars and collapsed walls, but the place felt endless—like a city that had been erased and left to rot in memory alone.
Then I saw it.
A door.
Standing upright.
Untouched.
Perfectly intact.
It didn't belong.
My instincts screamed.
This was the part in horror movies where curiosity got you possessed, cursed, or dragged into an ancient blood pact you never signed up for. I had watched far too many movies for this nonsense.
"I'm not opening that," I said firmly, backing away. "Not today. Not ever."
I turned my head sharply, refusing to even look at it.
The ground trembled.
Stone groaned.
The ruins began to shake violently, dust raining from the air as if the world itself was collapsing.
Then—
"Priest!"
The voice wasn't loud.
It was close.
Too close.
The sound slammed into my chest—
—and the world shattered.
I jolted awake so hard my chair screeched.
Light had both hands on my shoulders, shaking me like I'd just died on him.
"Priest!" he hissed. "Are you okay?"
I blinked rapidly, my vision swimming.
Art was leaning in, brows furrowed with genuine concern. "You look pale."
I shot him a look. "What is this, some drama where I wake up suddenly and I'm supposed to look pale? Relax."
Light snorted.
Then laughed.
Then completely lost it—laughing like a possessed hyena, clutching his stomach.
"You were twitching," he wheezed. "Like—like you were being exorcised."
"Yes," Art said flatly. "You slept through the entire class."
"Perfect," I sighed rolling my eyes
Talk about peaceful slumber and nap till I forget my name ...
—
We left the classroom soon after, and the first thing my body demanded—loudly—was food.
The cafeteria was noisy, warm, and blessedly normal.
I ordered a hamburger steak, fries, and canned soda.
Then another hamburger steak.
Then a third.
By the time I finished, my soul had returned to my body.
I leaned back, satisfied, and immediately began interrogating Light.
"So," I said, pointing my fork at him, "rules. Since I threw the brochure away like a responsible student."
Art sighed. "You didn't even skim it, did you?"
"Skimming is a myth," I replied. "Talk."
Light adjusted his glasses. "You can visit other dorms if the house master approves. And the house prefect."
"And Blackwood?"
He hesitated. "Blackwood is… different."
"Can we visit other dorms?"
"Yes. With approval," he said. "Except Blackwood. That place is chaos."
Blackwood.
My house.
And home to the school topper—Noir Michaelis.
Naturally.
Which was exactly why I wanted to see the fourth-years' game in the arcade.
We got the arcade room and it was already packed with alot of people.. buh either way we squeezed ourselves to to the front to get a VIP view after the other fourth years played I didn't see Noir sonic just concluded that he was nothing but a nerd afterall
I was about to leave
Then—
"Noir! Noir's here!"
The reaction was instant.
Like someone had summoned royalty.
Students surged forward. Whispers exploded. Phones appeared out of thin air. The atmosphere shifted from casual excitement to full-blown worship, and I nearly rolled my eyes out of my skull.
Then I saw him.
…Damn.
No cap.
Noir Michaelis was unfairly handsome.
Tall, composed, sharp-eyed—moving through the arcade like he owned the place. People parted naturally to let him pass, like the floor itself respected him. Brilliant student, house prefect, top of the school, and apparently blessed by whatever god specialized in annoying perfection.
"Damn bastard," I muttered. "Why is he allowed to look like that?"
Light glanced at me, amused. "Returned so soon?"
"I just changed my mind," I said flatly, folding my arms.
The arcade screens lit up.
Cheers erupted.
Someone shouted odds. Someone else started betting. Typical.
Then the game selection flashed on the large screen.
Mobile Legends.
Fourth years only.
Two teams.
Five members per team.
Plus their leader.
The names appeared one after the other.
Red Circus — Leader: Noir Michaelis
Queen Aurora — Leader: Hope Will
I paused.
"…Hope Will?" I repeated slowly.
Light sighed. "Unfortunately."
I turned to him. "Unfortunately?"
"That's my brother," he said. "Elder by two years."
I looked back at the screen, then at Light, then back at the screen.
Huh.
That explained a lot.
I folded my arms tighter, eyes glued forward.
Watching my roommate play.
Judging.
Critically.
If they said he was good, I'd see for myself.
And even if he was good—
I was still going to mock him.
Heh .. just for the joy of it hehehe....
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