NOVEL NEXT Chapter 6: Opening day
Cold water cascaded over my head, running down my body as I stood still, hands against the wall, head bowed, letting the water cleanse me. With my eyes closed, the memory of how my hands took a life flickered in and out of my mind.
I turned off the tap and put on some comfortable clothes, letting my heavy body fall onto the bed. With one hand over my eyes, I took deep breaths, trying to calm my mind. Anxiety and the fear of being discovered had overwhelmed me as soon as I re-entered the academy grounds. For some reason, I couldn't shake the feeling that people were waiting to interrogate me about what had happened...
I sighed. When you're in a state like this, it's common to imagine scenarios where everything goes horribly wrong. The silence of the night offered some mental stability. The moonlight filtering through the window and the cool, soft breeze gave me a little more air to breathe...
But I shook my head—this wasn't the time to try and relax. Tomorrow was the inauguration, and with it, the class assignments. I got up and stared at the black uniform. Sitting at the wooden desk, I picked up the pencil again. There were so many unknowns, so many things I couldn't predict.
After all, the demon's invasion of the academy had taken all the attention last time, but that variable was now gone. Everything should go as originally intended... but my hands were sweating. I had no idea how to act, no clue what to do. I didn't know anything about this character named Arthur... All I had was a small biography posted on the official game forum.
This was the worst possible scenario. How I wished I had possessed the protagonist's body instead... That would have been far easier than the mess I was in now. I was supposed to be a damned spy, meant to deliver information to one of the most dangerous women in the demonic world, all while stuck in an empire that hated demons to the core.
"What the hell am I supposed to do?!" The frustration that had been building up in my heart finally exploded. Clenching my fists tightly, I cursed the situation. It would have made more sense if I had at least been a human character. I wouldn't have cared if I was just an extra, but no—I'm a demon. It's so complicated. Letting go of the pencil, I grabbed my head in frustration.
What options do I have? I had no idea what Lilith was thinking, sending a slave as a spy. It would have made sense if I had the strength to defend myself, but what good would that do? I'm in the heart of enemy territory, surrounded on all sides. There's no escape from the empire's core.
Sighing again, I felt lost. And on top of that, there was the class assignment—a battle royale, where students are placed in an illusionary world and made to fight each other. There are also low-class demons in there. The rules are simple: you earn points by killing demons and other students. It's straightforward, sure, but only for someone who can at least swing a sword or use magic.
In my case, all I can do is generate a flame that hurts me as much as anyone else...
I laughed bitterly. Only five classes, each with a maximum of 20 students... 20 out of 1,000. Only 100 have a chance. I had no idea what would happen if I failed to get in. Lilith would probably kill me—that's the most likely outcome.
She sent me here to die anyway.
Thinking through my possibilities, I realized I had none... It's a pathetic situation.
"I'm so tired of this shit." I left things as they were, resigning myself to whatever fate had in store for me. There was no point in overthinking. I didn't even know if I could pass the assignment test. I was driving myself crazy for nothing.
Lying down on the bed again, I looked out the window at the clear reflection of the moon...
*****
I got up, the night still lingering, but a golden line began to rise on the horizon... It was morning, dawn breaking. Strangely enough, I had slept peacefully, without any worries. Looking around the familiar room, a laugh escaped my lips... I thought it had all been a dream, that when I woke up, I'd find myself asleep at my desk.
It was a nightmare, but somehow, it was also comforting to realize it wasn't...
"I feel like crap." Cursing, I headed to wash up. After refreshing myself, brushing my teeth, washing my face, and shaking off the last remnants of sleep, I began to put on the academy uniform...
"It's quite comfortable, and it keeps you warm..." As I adjusted my tie, a pale, white hand passed over my shoulders. In the mirror in front of me, I saw a woman with white hair and red eyes, a beautiful smile on her lips. Her hands rested on my shoulders, and she leaned her face close to mine...
"The uniform suits you well... you don't look bad at all," she said, her voice sweet, playful, and mischievous. She licked her lips, her eyes shining with a dangerous light.
A cold sweat ran down my back... It was Lilith Lust. What was she doing here? Just as I was about to speak...
"What a good show you put on yesterday. I enjoyed watching you kill that young man. I'm quite curious, you know... That boy was so normal, too normal, but you still killed him... I don't think it was for fun, judging by the many expressions you made," Lilith said, her white hands gripping my tie, her eyes locking onto mine. She slowly pulled the tie down, adjusting it perfectly...
Lowering my gaze, I looked at her hands gripping the tie... For me, that tie was nothing more than a chain around my neck...
"You don't need to tell me... I enjoyed it," she said. After finishing whatever she was doing, her figure vanished...
Raising my head again, a smile spread across my lips...