16 Getting stalked. *

Time flowed at an alarming rate. It felt even faster for me because while a year or two might be an incredibly long time they were nothing compared to the 3000 years long slumber I perceived.

Before I got a chance to catch up to modern life, I had already turned five. A reality that hit me in the face right after the ball.

Turning 5 meant that it was the beginning. The beginning to the most dreadful and simultaneously most exciting period of my life- education.

"Mao-kuuuun~ You look so cute in your uniform." Dad fixed the little tie nestled between my little collar. That was when Mom walked in and immediately dropped the school bag she had in her hands. Her hands dove inside her jeans and she pulled a phone out.

"He looks angelic!~~" She exclaimed while paparazziying the heck out of me.

But her statement and all the ads that I had encountered over the last few years made me realise that the modern world didn't know how dreadful the angels looked back in my era. If she did know, she would be disgusted herself for calling me that. Calling someone an angel used to be an insult. It was wild how drastically the world's perception changed.

I personally hypothesized that it was the church's propaganda that made angels resemble sirens. They completely did a 180 and fell far enough to use a demonic being as a template for angelic propaganda.

I mean think about it, angels were just the things that helped keep heaven in check. They had no business looking good. On the other end, we had sirens, who entirely depended on their looks for survival. Enchanting people with music and looks and then draining their lives away.

Of course, heaven would want that! The perverted bastards up there thought all beauty belonged to them. Like some of those losers even had hundreds of wives. It annoyed me how I never got to screw them over back in my previous life.

If I had the chance to ruin them without getting any stronger than I was now, I would take it. And when a peace-loving man says that, it means something.

Anyway, that was a weird tangent... the moral of the story is that obsessive evangelic worshippers should just not exist.

"Is he ready?" Sadou Rune came in carrying Yuuno on his shoulder. She sat there poised as a princess would.

[Yo!] I greeted her.

[Hmph!] She ignored me.

Apparently, she was going through a phase. What should've been her pubescent mood swings from her previous life are all taking place now- I think. She doesn't really have any reason to act so hostile against me when nothing happened over the past couple of weeks.

We were playing around with Clintarou the other day too.

[You really shouldn't be doing this, Yuuno.] 'You know', 'Yuuno'... see what I did there? I giggled at my own joke a little, but she stayed emotionless.

Evidently, I too am going through a phase. I really like making dad jokes now, though I didn't make them too often (novelty is a big part of humour). Why did I make them? Probably because I'm 21 mentally. I would've been a dad if I was a normal human back in my era.

I do admit to being 18 years old, but that's just the age of my soul. Mentally I haven't gone past 15. My actual experiences and maturity was acting sternly against the hormonal balance of this body. Mental age was dependant on both your bodies reaction and your mind's age. There was a stark difference between those two for me.

Anyhow, I just stood quietly after Yuu-chan ignored my god-tier joke.

[Stop making stupid jokes! I'm like this because of you, you asshole!] Eventually, she cracked.

[What are you so pissed about now? I legitimately did nothing to offend you.]

[Don't you remember?]

[Am I supposed to remember something?]

She sounded a lot like my Dad when he wanted Mom to figure out why he was angry the other day. It was because she left the towel on the bed. I swear to god if Yuu-chan was acting this stuck up about something as petty as that I would snap. And then she would snap me in half because I was powerless.

I AM ON THE LOSING SIDE EITHER WAY!

[Sure you don't remember, you dipshit. You take everything for granted after all.]

[What are you on about??] This was getting increasingly annoying.

"Let me down, please." Resigned, she commanded Rune.

"Yes, ma'am."

She plopped down and started walking towards me.

"Hey... what are you doing?" I stepped back in fright.

"Status Open." She placed her hand on my chest and a holographic display field came out.

'Status', a modern implication of magic that gave the caster information about whoever they touched. The information would include any and every property about a person extracted from their internal mana. It would then get categorized by the external computer that Yuu-chan had on her wrist.

Truly a convenient magic spell, but almost impossible to use. People in this era don't have nearly enough mana to activate this spell. That's why the computer company that made the 'status watch' went under. Luckily Yuu-chan got her hands on it as an antique item. And surprise surprise- someone living their second life with optimum settings had enough mana to use it.

The real issue now was why she was using it on me.

Why was she casting an EX grade magic on me? What did I do to deserve this thorough of an inspection?!

As a list of data slid across the hologram emanating from her watch her eyes widened until-

"Ah, here it is!"

She turned the window towards me and pointed at a clause.

"Dietary history… peanutbutter… puddin?" I looked back at her. "What about it?"

"THAT WAS MINE!" She shouted.

"Yeah I know it said your name on the top… but you can just get a new one."

"I can't!! That was a limited-time production. They aren't making any more of them! Ever!"

[You know what, you really look like a kid right now.] I switched to thought transmission while her hand is still on my chest.

[Oh really? What if I... uhh... took your imported demon candy?]

[I'd go to Europe and start a war against the alliance after regaining my strength immediately and eradicate you.] Ah, I see my mistake now.

Woops.

[What you did was evil! If it was a normal pudding I would've been fine. But it was one of three hundred DaDa peanut butter pudding. One which I registered for an entire year ago. One that I dreamt about eating for a year. The flavour that I would never get to experience. The curiosity alone is enough to end me. How could you do something like that?!] She ranted with tears almost forming in the side of her eyes.

"I'm sorry." I apologised sincerely. This indeed was a blunder.

"Sorry won't cut it."

"I really am sorry. But being mad at me won't bring the pudding back." I answered as rationally as I could.

"URRGHHH! This is annoying."

"Alright… alright… enough with the fighting, you two are going to be late for your first day!" Dad broke the argument up. Of course, he didn't take us seriously, we were kids. But this argument was serious.

Rune picked Yuu-chan up on his shoulder. She was still clearly mad at me. Her face was filled up with an incredible pout. As angry as she was, I wanted to slap those balloons in. That would've been so satisfying.

Too bad it wasn't on the agenda for today.

Dad held my hand and we left for Kindergarten.

Since we were rich and powerful, our Kindergarten reflected that status.

Schooling in this country was weird.

Kindergarten and Primary schooling is common for all and they teach the basic course. In middle school, you had to study everything in academics. Students sat down and crammed as much knowledge as they could.

This method of schooling seems a bit forced, but it makes total sense considering that you awaken your abilities in the first year of high school.

After awakening them, you get to choose which field you want to pursue.

Our kindergarten only taught members of the elite households. This might seem extremely priveledged at the first glance but was necessary. The world was on the brink of war. And the children of high ranking officials were the best target anyone could ask for.

So our school was armed with such high security that you are biometrically identified at the time of admission. And even then, the premises was loaded with guards and turrets.

As I was info-dumping, we gained a little distance from Rune and Yuuno.

"Dad…" I tapped his elbow and he leaned down.

"What?"

"Can you teach me how to make some peanut butter pudding?"

The usual smile on his face widened after hearing my words.

"Sure!"