Proofreader: Me!

The guards surrounding Luna began to immediately circle us.

“What’s happening here?” Ark had arrived from our camp. “Why’s the princess…?”

“Juniors!” Krulia held her hand to her face. “Ah, you stupid princess, stop this at once!”

“Shut it! You are all in my territory, and under my jurisdiction. Here, you are all my subjects!” The frantic look in her eyes seemed to appear at the cost of her rationality.

Seriously, her personality was just rotten. Maybe I should allow an exception, and have one of the protagonists fix her. Possibly… maybe Fen?

“Luke, snap out of it!” Uriel grabbed my face. “We need to get out of here!”

The guards had already begun a skirmish with the paladins. We three were stuck in the middle of a circular formation from the paladins, while the guards attacked from the outside.

I held the shoulders of the two girls, “Don’t worry, I have a plan.”

“Really?” Lisana asked.

I answered honestly, “No.”

“What?!” Uriel snapped.

“I do, kind of, something along the lines of needing to beat them up and then running away?” I pondered.

“Would we be able to do something like that, in the Alexander Kingdom?” Uriel nagged.

“Yes actually, she’s in the wrong, not us. We have the direct support of the Hero Abel so that no one would go against him.” I looked over at the fuming princess, “Except her.”

“Then what?” Lisana asked for Uriel.

“We knock out Luna and take her to the academy.”

“You… you are crazy Luke!” Uriel hit my arms lightly.

Unfortunately, that was the easiest solution, and I didn’t want anyone else to get hurt.

“Princess, call this off or I will personally intervene,” Ark came to our rescue. “Even if I am only the fifth strongest out of the second years, I am enough to stop your entire force.”

“…”

Ark spoke with tension oozing from him, “Snap out of your delusion, don’t make decisions you’ll regret.”

Krulia put up her hands, holding up a divine-looking staff. Both she and Ark were ready to start fighting.

“Didn’t you hear already?” Luna spoke with an eerie calm. “I am Luna Rend Alexander, first in line for the throne. Bow to me, or I will execute the kingdom’s will.”

She’s lost it…

The timing couldn't have been worse. I looked over the battlefield, noticing the fight between the seniors and Luna. My head ached, as such an event never happened in the game.

I stretched my legs and said one final thing to Lisana and Uriel, who stood next to me: “Let’s meet at the academy later, ‘kay?”

“Wha- what?” “Understood.”

I enhanced my strength and agility and leapt into the sky. Midair, I enhanced the gravity around me to speed my descent.

“Luke!?” Ark called out my name, sword in hand.

“Go to the academy, I’ve got this.”

In both my hands laid eight magic missiles. I managed to increase the amount I could manage through strenuous training of my mana control, as in almost dying in these recent events.

Luna averted her eyes toward me, a clear killing intent being transferred to me.

“Commoner, today is the day you stop pestering me once and for all.”

Balls of every element launched toward me, thankfully she didn’t do anything sneaky.

I dashed to the side, quickly getting behind her blind spot as she couldn’t keep up. As a magician, all her physical attributes were vastly lacking and were on the same level as an academy student. Thus, with my enhancements, I was just as, if not faster than her.

“What is this blasphemy!” She screamed, launching a giant flare onto the ground.

Luna attempted to levitate into the air, but I had already made it to her.

“Sorry princess, but for now I’m nothing but a lowly kidnapper.”

“Mmm! Mmmph! Mmmm!” I shoved a napkin onto her face, one that Lisana gave me earlier.

Here was the scary part, I stood atop a boulder conveniently close to the camp scouring my path. I gulped in a load of air and psyched my lungs for a shout.

“I’ve got your leader! Surrender or she dies!”

A mountain of pressure had been directed at me, strong enough to cause shivering within my body.

I gulped again, “Cya, seniors!”

In my arms was a struggling princess, and behind me was a legion of maddened elites. My goal was the teleport gate back at the place we had arrived at, which, thanks to the mini-map I could rush to without help.

‘Today I pray to the Gods of this world, let me live!’

The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

-x-

Third Person POV

“I’ll meet you two at the academy later!” Luke’s voice became quieter the further he got.

As soon as the boy jumped into action, Lisana looked at her hands.

“Saintess, prayers,” She quietly murmured.

She let out two simple words since her parents told her to always be efficient when letting out my wants.

‘Always treat others as you would want to be treated!’ They would say. With something extra tacked on the end, ‘Remember! Always be quick with what you want to say, or it’ll be too late.’

Such memories played within her mind, as Uriel responded in kind. “Ah yes, understood.”

Her body lit up with boosts due to the Goddess and Uriel’s strain. However, before she took action, something caught her eye.

In the arms of Luke was their struggling classmate, Luna.

She reversed her stance to leap, ‘It seemed there is nothing for me to do.’

“Cancel it,” Lisana ordered.

“Hah- wha- why?” Uriel’s voice showed her helplessness.

Lisana didn’t both to explain, “Do it.”

“Y- Yes!”

The surroundings quickly calmed down as the guards left to chase the reincarnator, leaving the two alone in contemplation.

“Wait, who is that?” Uriel shivered at the revelation.

The guards who were in hot pursuit had been blocked by a singular person.

“Tell me, where is Luke?” In their hands was a peculiar wand, mimicking the skull of a human as its base.

Uriel realised, “Isn’t that Serina?”

Lisana nodded, also surprised by her appearance. Following the two’s shock, the guards were forced to disperse as spells of all types were launched at them. Serina’s spells were of the third rank, higher than all of the first-year students, yet she spammed them without rest.

‘A monster…’ Lisana had thought. Due to not witnessing what happened at the dungeon in Philos Forest, nor the Demon King’s grave, she had not seen the lengths of her abilities.

Due to the guards being dealt with, the thoughts of the two girls shifted. Uriel attempted to process the situation, while Lisana lamented their journey so far.

‘Luke, why does he… remind me of her?’ Such a thought resonated throughout the entire quest. ‘Why can’t I help but want to keep talking to him?’

Uriel moved closer to her, “Li- Lisana, are you alright?”

“Yes.” She paused, “I will go to the academy as he instructed.”

“I-if that is okay, c-c-can I come too?’

Lisana tilted her head, wondering why the Saintess would need permission for that. However, the paladins surrounding her seemed to reject her desire.

“Maybe, a different time.”

“Wh- why!” She panicked.

“Behind you,” Lisana pointed.

“Ah- my apologies!”

Uriel rushed over to her original party, healing everyone and eventually packing up.

Lisana thought that not only the boy Luke but also the saint candidate were quite odd. Although, she couldn’t grasp why he mirrored the image of the most important one in her heart.

‘But… she’s gone now.’

Perhaps, she saw Luke in them.

However, she would be disrupted in her thoughts. In the middle of a now ruined camp, Serina had tapped her shoulder.

“Where is Luke?”

“!…” Surprise coloured Lisana’s face before she quickly composed herself. “Academy.”

“Wasn’t he just here?” Serina pressed further.

“Yes…”

Behind the two, a sneaky senior made herself a cosy place to watch the two.

Serina turned her head to a nearby bush, “Senior, what about you?”

Unfortunately, she was found out immediately.

Krulia shrugged, “Like our cute junior said, Luke ran for the academy portal.”

Without delay, Serina flew toward the direction of the return portal.

“No thanks? Seriously, the new generation’s so rude, aren’t they?” Krulia turned to Lisana. “Hmmm… are you okay?”

“Yes,” Lisana remained outwardly indifferent despite the sudden question.

Internally, Lisana was stunned. So far, in the academy, only Luke had read her emotions somewhat correctly.

“Then, Ark is waiting.”

She followed from behind, emptying her head as the flowing thoughts were starting to overwhelm her.

-x-

Meanwhile, Abel sat at his desk, scratching his head with a strange fervour.

“Nali, could you have expected this at all?” He stared into what looked like a replay of Luke’s entry into the academy with a gagged Luna. “Seriously, I knew he’d be a chaotic force, but already?”

“I- I have actually!” Runalia stood straight, feeling proud of her student. “He’s a very promising student!”

“Huh?” Abel looked at her with an estranged look in his eyes.

‘Maybe it’s time she’s put down? Wait- no, dragons don’t become senile.’

“Nali, you do realise that we will have to deal with the aftermath right?” He facepalmed with a sense of resignation. “That old man is a very, very, veryyyyyy, doting parent.”

Runalia put her finger to her cheek, “Well, I’ll handle it somehow.”

“Now?” Abel probed.

“It’s my responsibility since I put him in that class!” She stood, with her chest being thrusted outwards, “I have to take care of a precious prospect.”

“Good enough,” Abel murmured as he started other paperwork. “You live another day.”

“Excuse me?” Runalia had a worried expression.

“Nothing.”

‘I should probably consider it though, right?’ Once again, the intrusive thought shot into his mind.

“Also, before you leave Nali, could you go fetch them? I need to have a stern talking not only to Luna but Luke as well.”

“Luke? Did he do something wrong?” She let out a genuinely confused voice.

‘Yup, one of these days, I’ll do it.’

“Remember, King Alexander?” He shrugged his shoulders.

“Hmmm… still, I don’t see the issue,” Runalia wore a careless expression.

Steam rose from the Great Hero’s ears, “Just do it before I rob you of your scales!”

“Yes sir!” In an instant, she disappeared.

Before continuing his menial tasks, Abel looked at the footage of Luke once more.

‘This time, maybe we’ll have a better outcome?’

He scratched his chin, “Well, it’s too soon to tell.”

“What is?” A sudden intruder found himself in the Head Master’s office. “Oh- looking at the boy, aye?”

Abel shut off the magical replayer, facing the bastion. “Did we have an appointment today?”

“No, but I did see a frantic dragon running down the hallways.”

Abel massaged his temples, “I get it, what do you want?”

“Nothing much, just your opinion on Luke. He said some pretty intriguing things to me last time we talked,” Haruto lightly chuckled. “I promised to give him one one-on-one teaching after the week of quests.”

Abel tapped his fountain pen, drawing on memories of the boy.

‘Hmmm… there was nothing too prominent, besides the small things he’s already been a part of. Maybe I could test him at the mid-term exams? Although, for now, I don’t have any opinion on him. After all, there have been many different times where a promising light seemed to shine prominently at the beginning.’

Abel pondered the question, glancing at the violet ring attached to his necklace.

“Nothing much, except maybe… that he’s interesting?” He decided to say.

A wide grin covered Haruto’s face, “That’s quite a big compliment from my perspective.”

“Is it?” Abel asked while stacking a pile of papers expecting a response.

“Hello?” Despite looking for an answer, Haruto had already left.

‘That’s two to consider now.’ He sighed, looking at the built-up paperwork.