Chapter 48

───────────

Episode 10 - First Year Representative [5]

─────────────────────────────────

Finally, classes ended; the last one was with Professor Franklin.

So my body was already exhausted, drenched in sweat.

I walked through the Academy hallways, following one particular person.

’It’s time to ask about her intentions.’

I didn’t even know why she had said that during Professor Ashly’s class.

So I decided to ask her directly; it was the first time I had spoken to her, so I would get straight to the point.

After following her for some time, Veronica stopped at a bench on campus, where there was a vast garden of lilies. I didn’t know what colors they were, but I didn’t care.

Liora, who was always sleeping on my head, woke up and flew toward the lilies.

At that moment, Veronica sat down on the bench overlooking the flower garden.

She made space as if she already knew I had been following her this whole time.

Without hesitation, I sat beside her and kept my "gaze" fixed forward without looking at her.

"You already know why I came, don’t you?"

She seemed to nod and said calmly:

"Yes, I knew you would come, older brother."

"..."

I turned my head, confused, unable to make sense of her words.

Could she possibly be Adel’s sister?

’Of course not, Adel was born... different.’

I then asked, incredulous:

"Why do you call me older brother?"

She smiled calmly and said:

"You’ll know soon enough; anyway, I can call you older brother. In fact, you’re older than me, I can tell."

"..."

Confused, I asked:

"Can you see someone’s exact age because of some trait?"

She didn’t nod and simply said:

"Something like that."

Her words were even more confusing. If it wasn’t entirely the ability of one of her traits, then what was it?

Even so, somehow, talking to her didn’t feel uncomfortable.

It was as if, in some way, we had spoken more than once before.

We may have exchanged a few words the day we fought, but it had only been a formal introduction and nothing more.

’Could she also be a transmigrator I knew back on Earth?’

Even more questions settled in my mind, but that wasn’t the issue right now, and I wasn’t even sure.

"So then, what exactly is this about surpassing me and being acknowledged by me? I more or less understand the part about surpassing me, but... you want me to acknowledge you? I don’t see any meaning in that."

She listened quietly, smiling. Ironically, she showed no emotion, as if she had none.

Then she responded slowly:

"I just want to surpass you so I can be of help to my older brother if he ever needs it, so becoming stronger than you is my goal."

"..."

Still bewildered, I said:

"I don’t know you, and I don’t think we were ever close enough for you to say those words."

Honestly, her response made no sense at all; there were too many inconsistencies, and I didn’t know what to say.

Then, she calmly said:

"Because you are my older brother."

"That makes no sense."

"And I said you’ll know soon enough."

"And when exactly is this ’soon’ you’re talking about?"

"Before the end of the second semester, of course."

Is she an oracle, or does she somehow know the future? Because she speaks as if she does.

The only people who know about this world’s future number more than five in total.

Lumina and I are the only ones who know it in greater detail, but the others, even if not to the same extent as us—

They know different things about the future.

So, after thinking about Verónica’s words, it seemed to be the latter.

’But... Is she really an oracle?’

As if reading my thoughts, she said:

"I’m not an oracle, older brother."

"Then what are you? Some kind of regressor, or the apostle of the Oracle God?"

She burst into laughter for a few seconds, and I pursed my lips.

"What’s so funny?"

Honestly, the thought of killing her suddenly crossed my mind.

’In my opinion, wouldn’t it be better to kill her?’

She feels far too suspicious, and from her words, she really seems to know something I don’t understand.

And almost as if she knew more about me than I know about myself.

"You’re funny, older brother."

Sighing, I pushed those thoughts aside for now.

Regardless of whatever she says to me, I could kill her or not.

"Then why do you want me to acknowledge you?"

She looked confused and said:

"I thought you would realize it."

I pursed my lips and snapped in a more serious tone:

"Get straight to the point. I hate wasting time on useless things."

She sighed as if hurt, but I didn’t give a damn.

"Alright, alright, I just want you to acknowledge me as your little sister."

My patience was starting to wear thin quickly.

I was on the verge of standing up and shouting angrily; for some reason, she was getting on my nerves.

"You have to be kidding, right?"

I didn’t come here for this kind of answer; I already knew there was nothing normal about her.

And that also applied to her actions; more and more thoughts kept crossing my mind.

My patience was running thinner by the second, then she smiled innocently and said:

"It’s not a joke. Why else would I say all of that in front of the class?"

I clicked my tongue in frustration and asked bluntly:

"What is your purpose in approaching me under the pretext of surpassing me and making me acknowledge you?"

She waved her hand, slightly surprised by my words.

"It’s not what you think, older brother."

"Answer me."

I insisted, and she finally sighed.

"Ugh, fine, you win. Then how about I tell you two words to build more trust?"

I thought about it for a moment and nodded.

"Fine."

She remained silent for a few seconds and said:

"Status Window."

"..."

Gripping the hilt of my sword, I did not hesitate to circulate my Inverted Mana.

Using the first form of Inverted Heaven, I aimed directly at Veronica’s neck.

"..."

She grabbed her sword and, using all her strength and mana, blocked and dodged the slash of my sword, which had torn through space.

However, a faint red line, with blood dripping from it, appeared on her neck.

Sweat ran down her face as she leaped backward.

"Do you think I’ll let you escape?"

Using the Twenty-Four Steps of Space, I moved briefly and appeared in front of Veronica.

I used my Reversed Mana and swung my sword once again. Veronica straightened her body, and in my vision, countless red lines appeared, barely managing to block the movement of my sword.

Without hesitating, I used the first form, Space, dozens of times.

My sword moved so fast that it cut through every red line in my vision.

Realizing she had been cornered, Veronica quickly shouted:

"W-wait, senior brother... i-if you kill me, the Academy could execute you."

At her words, I smiled.

"So what? If killing you prevents a strange anomaly like you from existing, then that’s better for me, and besides, I already have a way to escape from the Academy."

From the very first day, when I learned about my Dark attribute, I knew I had to create an escape plan.

In case something unexpected happened that threatened my life within the Academy.

Hearing my words, which were clearly not a joke, Veronica quickly shouted:

"W-wait, wait... we can talk calmly, and if you kill me, you won’t know how I know what I just told you, right, senior brother?"

"Are you really still calling me that even knowing that I want to kill you... but it’s true that you’re right."

I stopped for a moment while she struggled to breathe.

She already had more than one wound on her body; blood dripped onto the ground.

I watched her for a second before walking toward her.

Veronica took a few steps back, but in the next instant I appeared in front of her and grabbed her by the neck.

I lifted her into the air and said in a deep voice:

"Depending on your answers, you may die or you may live."

Her sword fell to the ground as she grabbed my forearm, trying to free herself from her situation.

I tightened my grip further, and she let out a groan of pain.

"Cough...!!! W-wait, I can’t breathe properly..."

"Answer me. How do you know about the Status Window? I should be the only mortal who knows about it."

I said "mortal" because whoever is writing about me is doing so through the system.

So, if that entity knows about the Status Window, naturally there should be more.

"I-I’m fine, b-but they don’t allow me to say... much, so understand, older brother."

I didn’t tighten my grip any further; I knew she was telling the truth.

Because if we’re talking about these kinds of things related to the system, there are probably restrictions.

So I patiently waited for her response.

"T-the only thing I can say is one thing..."

No matter what her answer was, I never intended to let her live.

’I can’t allow something unknown to interfere any further.’

The fable and the writer were connected to my fate, so I could tolerate that, since it might be beneficial.

But when it comes to someone physically interfering while standing right in front of me, that—

That is a completely different story, especially when I have no idea what could happen in the future or what dangers she might bring me.

I don’t want to die without knowing anything.

The mere thought of dying without obtaining answers filled me with a deep, primal fear.

So I restrained with all my strength the urge to snap her neck right then and there.

’Even if she answers, I can’t leave her alive; I don’t know what she’ll do, since she seems to know many things.’

So I listened to her response with all the patience I could muster.

"... I-I’m here as a form of help... your destiny, your decisions, your future, your different possible futures, or the end of your story... I-I have no intention of doing any of the things you think... I only want to help you."

"..."

A long sigh escaped my mouth, though I did not actually respond.

Then, I tightened my grip around her neck.

"Fine, then die."

Her face twisted as the veins on her forehead bulged from the blockage of her blood circulation.

She grabbed my forearm with both hands.

"N-no... w-wait, wait... I’d like to tell you more, but they won’t let me do it... please, understand."

I felt something wet fall onto my arm, but I did not care.

I tightened my grip even further; at that moment, I heard a faint crack come from her neck.

Her body convulsed as tears streamed down her face.

And just as I was about to completely crush her neck, she said:

"I-I know who you are... I may be able to tell you someday... if you let me live..."

Then I stopped cold.

She knows about me.

Recently, I discovered that I do not know who I truly am; I cannot find any memories about myself.

But she seems to know, and in a life-or-death situation, I highly doubt she would lie, unless this is her last chance to survive.

’What should I do? If she truly knows who I am, then I should let her live, but if I let her live, I do not know what she will do or how she might affect me.’

Thousands of thoughts ran through my head, and in the end, I decided what to do.

"Fine, I’ll let you live."

Her body collapsed onto the floor; then she took deep breaths in rapid succession.