#03: Unwanted Trouble

[A/N: the brackets '[ ]' represent my own personal thoughts and words.]

"Ragnarok was the battle between Giants and Gods, at the end of the world," a middle-aged man wearing round spectacles and holding a book in his right arm, stated to a class of twenty-five. "It is part of an old Norse mythology in which many Gods died while trying to save the world (which afterward gets alighted by Surtr, so plan failed) including Odin and Thor."

"So...the bad guys, I mean the Giants and others won the battle?" A student raises their hand.

"Emm...yes and no. It is a fact that the world got destroyed at the end by Them, but they suffered hugely as well and the fire also got extinguished by the 'Great Flood'. I say this was a loss for both sides."

The class was a typical one for a highschool, not very decorated but not much sober either. It contained single-person desks, a chalkboard, a teacher's desk, and a shelf. The desks were arranged in three rows and the first one in the left row was occupied by a girl with bright expression and charms, having thick-long black hair adorning her beauty and cuteness. She was in-turn being looked at by a boy sitting on the last desk(middle row) with his head down.

"Ahem! Mr.Adam, would you mind raising your head and paying attention to here?"

The boy(Adam) straightened himself, with a face having "bored" written on it. He glanced at the girl again but secured his focus the next second [I've done it a lot, trust me]. "What use is of studying this. Those people died ages ago due to their own conflicts and left us to research 'good' and 'bad' today," he pondered.

[A/N: I don't intend any offense towards the Norse community.]

"Moving forward, the core message or knowledge we get from here is that war, whether fought by Gods or Devil, will always bring chaos..."

-----<Present-time__Labyrinth>-----

It was again a dark passage of the <labyrinth> with rocky walls and lighted only by glowing crystals, but with few alterations: there was dense but low vegetation growing and covering the ground, walls as well as the ceiling(making this look like the "Final Trial" from Goblet of Fire). Deep inside it, on the floor, Adam was sitting cross-legged with a lame expression [-_-] on his face, while a baby Brevis(read the last chapter) was hopping in-circles around him. From Adam's face, anyone could tell that this was an "unnecessary trouble" that was picked-up a while ago.

After some time of Adam entering this passage(in hopes of freedom), he came across the baby- cornered by a local beast of the <labyrinth>. Just when he saw those two, his initial response was to hide and observe. It was obvious that even though <Breves> are ferocious and strong in groups, a baby was still easy prey for others. Adam had a hostile relationship with them and so...he didn't want to intervene but, he also wasn't among those who will just idly sit by and watch an offense(big enough) go on. The outcome of which...was the current situation. All babies, despite their race or species, have one common trait: Follow the ones who protect them. This time...Adam was that person for the little girl.

"Can you please stop jumping on my head?!" Adam yelled, finally breaking his frustration at the Brevis child who was startled for a moment. She then put her innocent smile back and again resumed her sport. "Ahh...I just can't get along with them(children). They don't even listen and start crying when you play strict," he let out a sigh.

Amidst all the annoyance, his brain was still at work: sensing his area for any threat or trouble, keeping track of the time, and planning his move when reaching the "hoped" exit. He had wasted enough time and now had to act quickly. He grabbed the little girl's head in his palm(stopping her) and brought her close,

"Listen carefully kid, I've got lots up my sleeve so it would be better not to cause any excess trouble," the little girl gawked at his royal-blue eyes. "I want to just escape this place and return home, hope you can help me with that?"

The child probably couldn't understand what was said, but she assumed from the tone that something was being asked or ordered. In-turn, she nodded her head, showing the gesture of approval.

"Thank you! I wish human kids were also understanding like you." Adam gave a kind of head-pat to the Brevis girl.

**Aiga!** The kid expressed with a loud but cutesy, child-like cry. Adam actually stepped-back after hearing it but seeing the broad smile on her face made him relaxed.

Gathering himself up again, he continued his venture in search of Freedom. Adam took out the Stone Tablet and looked for the way ahead. He sure was uneasily cautious even though part of his mind was screaming, "C'mon! This is just a dream and not a reality. Nothing is going to happen!" The "reasonable" side of him was still active though, away from the thoughts of wonderful fantasies.

**Anga-utta-itaana. Ghokuma-ushi nana...** the child appeared to be singing as she skipped along with Adam who was sinking his head in the map of his, like a tourist on a walk.

-----<A few moments later...>-----

A group of four Breves was standing with alarming gazes and their teeth grinding as they gripped the hilt of their weapons. One of them, of a strong build, glanced at the other and whispered, **What the hell is this thing?**

**Haven't seen it before, how can I tell?** the other Brevis replied.

**Well...what stance should we take now? Considering the presence of a child of ours, it will be best not to take violent actions.**

The two people present in front of them(Breves) were themselves concerned about tons of things, leaving the little Brevis child: 'she was just chilling'. The guy with her, on the other hand, was dripping sweat. He was the same 'self-centered' person we all know- Adam.

"Fool...I told you to stay low, not to sing a song that'll bring the rest of your kind!!" Adam was yelling the Brevis girl inside of his head. "Damm it, my whole cautious-strategy failed...what should I do?"

One, from those four's group, slowly stepped ahead and tried to interact, **...W-what are you?**

Adam expressed all of his confusion on the face, "Is he threatening me? Or is he talking to the girl {glances at the child brevis}?..."

The male Brevis, following Adam's sight, also looks at the little girl who is in-turn gazing at them(the group). An uncanny silence fills the place as everyone just stares at one another [oh c'mon! Time is precious].

"Ah..." Adam broke the silence, "...Konnichiwa, ha-ha." The only few words that left his mouth amidst all the panic. His brain was still seeking ways to escape and avoid any conflict. It was clear that apart from the glow of Those Crystals, other rays of light were present, which Adam's consciousness interpreted as the existent of his so-called Exit.

**What did this guy say?...**

**Koni...what is that? Is it a hostage threat?** Another Brevis replied to the first.

**Does it want to take our food?!** And...another one(Brevis) joined.

Despite the three of them bickering, the last Brevis of the group was still holding-in her tongue. Her eyes were fixed on Adam and the child-brevis from the moment they came in sight. She was relatively slim but short like the rest of her kind (a bit taller compared to others). Her eyes were small and gave a still feeling, and she was the only one who was not carrying any weapon. **Boss never told about this creature. Then there is the order about investigating the depleting food stock...is this connected?** She pondered.

[A/N: For a piece of knowledge, female Breves don't possess mammary glands nor breasts. The children also don't depend on milk(or some other body fluid) since birth. More information will be given ahead in the story.]

Adam took a deep sigh, closing his eyes, "Why my life had to get like this...fuck," he opens them back, which were now a little "different". The shade of his irises had turned light orange and a certain glow could be perceived. Adam widened his eyes and his ears turned stiff as he tried to grasp and feel the things around him...his senses were enhanced! "Woah...I thought it was just a hallucination but no, I can feel it again, " were the thoughts of Adam. "Guess I am really 'in' an isekai, haha. Now, let's see...four of them are in front, that slim-one appears to be the weakest. Oh, we have other guests too, huh {turns his eyes sideways and stares at the walls}. I thought this was a single passage but who knew, side chambers like these were present." His eyeballs were moving from left to right, analyzing everything in eyesight as well as those in beyond. For Adam, the walls or ceiling weren't holding back his vision, but he could see everything under a 'certain' range, despite obstructions. What he saw at that moment were separate groups of Breves, resting in the chambers beside the passage. They were all near to one another and had their set of "tools" beside them. It was very clear to Adam that they weren't your regular-bunch, and obviously the four 'souls' in front of him were no different(part of the same groups).

Adam blinked and his royal-blue eyes were back, with their 'non-excessive' glow. The she-brevis saw this and starts approaching Adam. Noticing this, the other ones ended their quarrel while the female stopped right in front of Adam and pointed her left arm toward his eyes.

"A-are you...an o-outsider?" She stumbled a little in saying but her message had gotten through, Adam could understand her. Adam looked at others and all that their faces could tell was some kind of...fear. A short blade appeared out of the air in the she-brevis' left hand, reaching Adam's throat. "Answer m-me. Are You?.."