Chapter 20
I woke up with a migraine that seemed to make my head split apart. It was so bad that my vision turned blurry, and there was a ringing sound buzzing in my head.
"Arghaa, what's up with this headache…what happened in the VR world?" I muttered, struggling to remember anything
"Did I die while fighting the monster horde? But then what is the notification I got from Angela?" My attempt to recollect only worsened the pain.
"–el. Cadet Jadel" A faint voice called out.
"Huh? Did… someone called me?" I asked, unable to see the person because of the blurry vision.
"Can you hear now?" I nodded at her question.
"Don't worry about the headache or losing your senses. It's a side effect of overstraining your mental capabilities. Your senses will gradually return," she said, reassuring me.
I nodded, feeling an inexplicable calm. 'Why am I not panicking?' I thought. Normally, I'd be terrified about losing my senses, but right now, I felt oddly at peace.
"Could I get some water?" I asked, feeling a little thirsty.
"Here, I will help you to drink." I felt a cold sensation on my lips. Opening my mouth a little, I drank the water.
"Better now?"
"Yes"
"Good, I mixed some medicine in that water, so you will be alright in a few minutes."
"Thank you"
"No problem, it's our duty to take care of students."
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Getting out of the VR Asher and others were approached by a group of medics to check their conditions. They have been standing here ever since the battle started. Whenever an orange light lights up, an instructor will rush to check on the student and inform the medics. Because they fought till the end, all the medics rushed to check on the remaining participants.
"Apart from a small mental burden, they are all fine," a medic informed Vice Principal Sebastian and Vice Principal Emein. Nodding, vice principal Sebastian walked to the balcony and started announcing.
"Listen here, students. Rest up now. After five hours, we will distribute the rewards to the top 10 teams, and your battle results will show at the time. dismiss," announcing, he walked away.
"I can't find him here; where did he go?" Taren asked himself. He saw all the eliminated participants, but he couldn't find Jadel here.
"Hey you noodles head"
"Which bitch call– you" Turning around, Taren saw Jadel's cousin's sister glaring at him. Seeing her, his anger vanished instantly.
"What can I help you with?" Taren asked with a forced smile.
'Is she here to get revenge for killing her? He thought, his heart racing.
"Don't force yourself. I'm here for Jadel." Hearing the words, he sighed in relief.
"But he is not here" he said
"I know, I saw medics taking him to infirmary"
"Then why come to me?" he asked, confusion evident in his face.
"Tell him to meet up with me before the result announces"
"Oh, ohh"
"Don't look at me like that" she pulled her friend "it's for her. she fell hard from seeing his fight"
The girl stayed there without speaking, her pointy ear slowly turning red. fidgeting with her fingers, she started to speak.
"Um, a, c-c-can–"
'What is she, an elementary school student? … Wait did she say this girl fell hard from seeing his fight… is she into crazy people? She got…. a unique taste.'
Seeing her friend stammering, Efline interpreted, "Anyway, tell him to meet me before the result is announced." Efline dragged her friend away.
'She is in for a big heartbreak.' taren mused, heading towards the infirmary. 'Now, where did she say to meet up?… Ah didn't say anything about it.'
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"sigh, I can finally feel my body" I thought as I started to feel the sensation. Feeling someone standing outside the room I looked in that direction.
'From here I can feel that person is hesitant.' I sharpened my senses and found out it was Taren. 'Why is he so hesitant?'
"Why are you standing there Taren? Are you not gonna come in?" After a few seconds The door slowly slid open, revealing Taren's figure, entering he looked at me nervously. It is as if he is expecting something or someone.
"Why are you looking at me like that? And what happened in the VR battle I can't remember anything" I said clutching my throbbing head.
"You… You don't remember anything?" Instead of answering, he asked back a question.
"No… I can't remember anything after we started hunting monsters in the horde."
"Are… You okay, man?"
"...Yeah, just a small headache; it will go away after some time," I said.
A sign of relief flashed his face. "So you become normal, huh?"
"Normal?" I asked, confused by his remarks, "What do you mean by that?"
"Huh? You don't even know that your personality changes.
"What!" Looking at my confused face he started explaining everything that happened in the VR battle, how my I gradually changed to a different person, a blood crazed guy to how I single handedly wiped and dominated the battle.
The words he spoke, I couldn't believe it, even if Jadel was at full power he couldn't display that much power that rival Aaron. "So you're saying I became crazy and started to brutally kill people."
He nodded "The worst part is you're having an orgasm from killing." he Joked trying to ease the tension.
"Wait what!?"
"Sorry, not orgasm; pleasure; I mean pleasure."
'The fuck happened; I can't remember a thing.'
"Anyway, I'm going to rest. After five hours, there will be a result announcement and reward distribution. Ready for it; who knows, maybe we will enter the top 10 because of your crazyness."
"Go already, fucker."
"Ho, I forgot to tell you, your cousin wanted to meet your."
"For wha–"
"Bye then"
BAM
The door closed. "Fucker, at least tell me why?"
After 4 hours of resting, my body became normal.
Buzz buzz.
[ Unknown: Hey, it's me, Taren. If you rested enough, should we eat something together? After that, we could go together to see our results. By the way, save this contact. ]
[ You: I'm broke. ]
[ Unknown: I will message you when the time comes. Rest well. ]
"can't you at least treat me?"
Buzz buzz
[ Unknown: Come to the Royal Restaurant. I got someone to pay for our bills.]
"Academy restaurant, who is the rich friend of his kind enough to pay for the bill?"
After going to my dormitory room and taking a shower, I went to the Royal restaurant. It's a restaurant for rich and noble students; the main cast often eats here.
"I don't want to bump into them."
Arriving at the restaurant entrance, I remembered some unpleasant memories. Shaking off the feeling, I entered the restaurant.
"Welcome"
I walked in the restaurant, searching for Taren.
"Here" from a table, he waved his hands, and seeing him, I walked to the table.
"Where is your friend?" I asked as I sat on the chair.
"In the bathroom, they will come here in any minute. Let's look at the menu."
As I opened the menu, my eyes bulged. I'm not the only one; Taren's eyes also bulged from surprise.
"T-two hundred Acro for a dish and that's the most low priced one. Isn't that a rip off"
Placing the menu on the table, I waited for his friend to arrive. "It's best to decide after your friend arrives." Taren also agreed.
FLINCH
'Another fucker' I turned to see who gave me a hostile glare.
FLINCH
I flinched again. "Fuck, why is she here, and why is she coming in our direction?"
"Well, that's someone I talked about."
Walking to here, they sat on the empty chair. "Did you guys order something?" Efline asked.
"No, it's all expensive," Taren said.
"expensive?" Taking the menu, she looked through it "Wow, it's all cheap."
""Huh""
"Compared to my academy restaurant, the prices here are cheap, so feel free to order anything; it's our treat."
'What does she want? Taren also said she wants to meet me. Well, I'll just order food and eat to my fill'
"I'm done choosing" I said to her
"Is that so, what about you guys"
"I'm also done"
"Me too"
Efline called the waiter.
"How can I help you"
"We want to order"
"Very well" everyone gave their orders.
"What about you sir" the waiter asked me
"I want this, and this, this, this, this, this, and this"
"That's a lot of dishes" Efline said.
"I can eat all of it." I haven't eaten anything since yesterday, and I'm starving to death now.
The food arrived in less than a minute, and the aroma filled this place. I felt like the aroma was rubbing my nose and pulling my face to the food.
"Jadel, you're drooling" Taren said..
"It's disgusting" Efline said
"I can't help it; it's been a day since I ate something," I said.
"What were you doing all the time without eating anything?" she asked.
"Trathing (training)" I replied as I filled my mouth with meat.
"Sigh—let's eat"
I gobbled the food without properly chewing it. While I'm eating, Efline took quick glances at me.
"If you have something to say, then say it." She hesitated for a minute, sighing she asked.
"Do you have girlfriend?"
"Cough cough, wh-what did you say"
"Don't make me repeat myself; I asked if you have a girlfriend."
"Huh, do you still like me?"
Bam
"I don't like you at all, basterd"
"Hey, hey, calm down, others are looking at us" Taren said.
"Humph—Anyway I don't like you at all"
"Say that without blushing"
"This bastard, really?"
'Hehe, kids are fun to tease with'
"So why did you ask?" I asked her.
"Well" she turned her face, looking at the elf beside her "She likes you"
"Huh" 'she likes me' I looked at the girl. As our eyes met, her pointy ears turned beet red, and she looked down in embarrassment.
"Can't she ask me directly?" I asked Efline. If you like someone, then you have to be brave and ask directly to that person instead of sending someone. That's because straight-up confessions have more chances of success than message confessions. Well, that's what I heard.
Hearing my words she started to speak up while fidgeting.
"Um, m-m-my na-name is Ez-Ezreya " she said without making eye contact.
'What is she, an elementary schooler'
I smiled a little. 'There are still people like this here, huh'
"My name is Jadel. Nice to meet you." I extended my hand for a handshake. Her hand trembled as she about gave me a handshake. Upon contact, her hands
turned completely red.
'Isn't she a bit too embarrassed'
"I know what you're thinking" she said "aren't you thinking she is too embarrassed"
'Wow spot on' I nodded
"Well, that's because it's her first time liking someone, and she doesn't interact with boys that much, so whenever she speaks to someone, she becomes embarrassed" the girl nudged Efline and conversed with her eyes.
"You don't have to answer now, she will wait until you answer her"
'My feelings are mixed with Jadel. even though I don't like Alicia, the feelings of Jadel overwhelm me sometimes. And this girl is still a kid'
"Ezreya, huh, you have a cute name." I showed a gentle smile. "I know this may hurt, but you don't have to wait for me."
"Baste–" I stopped Efline
"You're a cute and beautiful girl. I'm sure you will get good boys." As I said this, tears started dripping from her eyes.
"Listen full before you start crying." I gently tapped her to get her attention. "For now and for the time being, I can't fall in love, as the heart inside me isn't mine, but in the future, after we become big and mature, and if you still like me, say to me face-to-face, I may fall in love with you," I said, pa
tting her head.
"D-do you like s-someone"Ezreya asked
"Well, I like this person, but I actually don't like her at all. What can I say? It's a little complicated."
"Then I will wait for you" she said, her eyes gleaming with determination.
"You don't hav–"
"No I will"
"Okay…then"