School Trivialities

In truth, Fanny didn't care about Skye's identity, but he knew that this was important for Skye. Even if she was happy in her current family, she still wanted to know why her biological parents abandoned her.

"Skye, what will you do if someday you get a superpower?" Fanny suddenly asked.

In this world, it was certainly better to have powers. He could not wait to become stronger, to protect more than himself and his family.

"Eh?! Me?!" Skye was stunned. She said carefully, "Fanny, listen, we are not blood-related. I was adopted by our parents..."

It was Fanny's turn to be stunned speechless. He looked at Skye. Even if they were related by blood, that wouldn't be why they have superpowers.

"Don't think too much about it. Just imagine that you have a superpower, say, the power to control vibrations. What will you do?"

"Vibrations?" Skye was confused, but she considered the question carefully after seeing Fanny's serious expression.

"I... would probably be afraid at first, thinking that I am a monster..." Skye glanced at Fanny, saw that his expression hadn't changed, and then continued. "Then I would be curious about how this power came about and what it can be used for. Controlling vibrations sounds like it would be weak."

Skye racked his brains for a while to no avail. She couldn't think of any application for this power. Fanny wanted to laugh.

"An earthquake is simply a very strong vibration. Anyone who would challenge you wouldn't be able to stand within a ten-mile radius. You could also use it to create a directed shockwave, an invisible and soundless weapon perfectly suited for a sneak attack."

Skye glared silently at Fanny, thinking that he was joking.

Silence descended between them as Fanny returned to his own thought. 'Demon Armor Incursio' had greatly increased his strength, but it was far from being able to fight against a SHIELD or Hydra task force. He could only think about solving Skye's problem when he was strong enough to stand his own ground.

Fanny had considered letting Skye study magic with him and become a witch. However, this kind of thing depended on talent. And while Ancient One had not blatantly rejected him, she didn't exactly approve of him either, so he couldn't make a rash promise.

Fanny talked with Skye a little more after eating lunch, and then they went to the snack shop as usual. He wasn't in a hurry to find the New York Sanctum, so he opened the shop normally—despite yesterday's robbery.

Fanny thought about hiring a security guard on his way to the store but then decided against it. Skye only opened the shop when Fanny was around anyway; she would close the door and play video games in the rare case that he didn't come. A security guard wouldn't change anything.

Fanny ended his weekend after working the rest of the day, with a small bit of experience peeking in the corner of the empty bar.

The next day, Fanny went to school as usual. High school in this version of the United States was easier than the one in his previous life, but graduation was imminent. He hoped to maintain a good result.

When he arrived at school, some people whispered to each other while looking at him, even pointing their fingers. After listening for a bit, he discovered that it was about Carson.

"Did you hear? That genius Helsed beat Carson up the day before yesterday."

"No way; isn't Carson on the basketball team?!"

"That's right, it's that Carson. He was beaten up until his face was covered in blood!"

"Why did they fight?"

"I heard that it was because of a girl. They said that the girl was..."

Fanny walked through the school, a little speechless. He was already used to curious gazes when he first skipped a grade, so he could ignore them.

He would graduate within a month at most anyway; there was no need to bother explaining the matter.

As for university...Fanny originally wanted to follow Skye's steps and end his education in high school, but his parents firmly disagreed after he aced the test to skip a grade.

He was still worried about which university to pick and what major to study, but after meeting Ancient One yesterday, an idea popped into his heart: he would find a university in New York that offers an ancient language major to build a foundation for learning magic. He was not naive enough to think that all magic books were written in modern language.

Fanny had made a tentative plan for the future, but he still had to deal with the present. The other 'main character' of the rumor abuzz in the school decided that afterschool was his turn on the stage.

"Hey, Helsed!"

Carson, along with a few basketball team members, confronted Fanny on his way to leave the school.

"What's wrong?" Fanny frowned, glancing at the people who had surrounded him.

"Are you the one spreading those gossip in the school?" Carson glowered down on Fanny. The wound on his mouth was almost healed, but the scar was still there.

"I don't have that much free time!"

Fanny stared back at Carson with an expressionless face. If he had the time, he would rather earn more experience points from Sumire Karaage Rolls.

Carson silently stood in place, his eyes straight at Fanny as if passing judgment.

Fanny sighed impatiently, "Is there anything else? If not, get out of the way."

"Apologize!"

The sudden exclamation confused Fanny.

"Apologize to me publicly in the school, and I will consider this over."

Fanny could not help but laugh in anger. What was this guy pretending to be? Although he understood that all the students in this school were prideful, trying to bully him like this was too far.

"Go back to sleep. Maybe I'll apologize in your dreams."

Fanny walked aside to leave but suddenly caught a movement in the corner of his eyes. He immediately dodged and found that Carson and his friend were trying to catch him.

"What are you doing?"

Fanny frowned. He never really caused any trouble in school. His reputation as a genius caused the teacher to see him in a favorable light, but he didn't have many friends—some would even mock him as a 'nerd' in secret, but he was too lazy to care.

"Helsed, we don't want to do this either. You just have to apologize," Carson intimidated him. His tall and muscular body made Fanny look thin and weak in comparison.

"What if I don't want to?" Fanny replied coldly.

If Carson had come to apologize for what happened the other day and asked for his help to dispel the rumor, Fanny might have helped him.

Unfortunately, Carson chose to walk the harder path.

"Then don't blame me for being impolite!"

Carson and his friend clenched their fists and took a threatening stance. Passer-by started to look in their direction.

Fanny couldn't be bothered with this nonsense anymore. He launched his fist right at Carson's face, splattering blood everywhere.

Fanny had always tried to restrain his mouth—because what he said in the heat of the moment might become a reality through Ars Magna.

Normally, nothing would happen even if someone concentrated with all their might and cursed you to get hit by a car. But Fanny was different. If he cursed in the heat of the moment or concentrated a bit too much, you just might get into an accident.