Cursed Ring

The next day, when I heard about the event unfolding last night, I quickly went to the academy clinic. Even though it's called a clinic, it's still a big luxurious clinic almost comparable to the hospital in the city. It's understandable for this place though.

'It's cloudy, I think it's going to rain soon', While thinking about that, I arrived in the room where Hector and Selena reside, there were already William and Alice too. I see Hector and Selena in the clinic bed. From their outward appearance, I couldn't see something serious going on. With that thought in mind, I heave a sigh of relief.

This kind of thing did not happen in the story. Going by the original event, a rescue should've come before things get dangerous. Maybe it's because William, the main character wasn't there with them that things start to deviate from the original story. But it's still alright as long as nothing serious happens.

I did hear the signal last night, but I judge that someone will take care of it. If I knew it was from Hector, I'll come too.

But for some reason, the air is gloomy here. Everyone is just silent all the time. I could see Selena already awake on her bed. She's sitting there while glancing through the window with a sad expression. Did something serious really happen? Even though I rarely talk with her during the core party, I still have to make sure that she's alright, so I approach her bed slowly.

"Hey, you alright?", I ask her with a low tone.

She then turns her face towards me. When she sees me, her facial expression undergoes a sudden change. It's like... She's angry this time. She just stare at me with that expression without saying anything. I too felt awkward if you stare at me like that. She seems like she wants to say something to me, but can't find a word to say.

"What happens? Are you alright or not?", I ask her again.

"You...!", She said with wide eyes, "You shouldn't be here!"

"Uh... Did I miss something?", Giving up interacting with her, I turn my body to face William who's leaning his back to the wall with arms and feet crossed while standing. His face facing downwards.

He didn't turn his face back to me. His face also indicates that something did go wrong. I see Alice sitting on a chair near Hector's bed with her face in the direction of the glass window beside Hector's bed.

"Can someone explain to me what's really happening?", I raise my hand to do an asking gesture to them.

Suddenly William turns his face and body towards me. Yep, he's also wearing the same angry expression as Selena.

"Explain? No, we don't owe any explanation to you", He said while pointing his index finger towards me, "On the other hand, it's you who should explain something to us"

I was bewildered by his sudden question, so I ask back, "Wait, what kind of explanation do you mean?"

"Those rings that you give to Vanessa", William takes a deep breath, seeming like he wants to control his emotion, "What are those rings?"

"Those rings? What about it?"

Did they find out? but how? Unless you're using the ring power with a high-ranking magician nearby, someone shouldn't even notice the power held inside those rings.

"Ku ku ku, now how do you explain it to them?", laughed Balaur inside my head.

"Where did you get that ring?", Seeming indifferent about me feigning ignorance, he ask another question.

"I already told you, I bought the ring at the street vendor in the city", I answered trying to not sound panicky.

William stares at me with a mix of anger and sadness facial expression. Maybe he's trying to discern whether I'm lying or not.

"I don't trust you", This time Alice stand up from her chair and approach me and William, "Where's that street vendor you talking about? Are they still selling the same ring?"

"Hahaha, you are quite late young lady. The last time I checked them, I couldn't find the street vendor anymore. Maybe they're moving out to a different city? Business seems bad these days... hahaha", I swear I tried to sound as honest as possible.

Alice and William's exchange look seems to don't believe me. Really, what do you expect me to say? That I'm trying to save her from the future that I know? Maybe they'll see me as a pathological liar that would say anything to convince anyone then.

"Whatever, I still don't trust you", Said Alice while sighing, "I'll just go straight to the point then. Vanessa... She disappeared since last night"

"What do you mean by disappearing? She's been with Hector and Selena, right? How?", I switch my gaze between William, Alice, and Selena.

Yeah, what do you mean by disappearing? This kind of event is not in the original novel story. Vanessa wasn't on the list in the student disappearance case.

"It was because of that cursed ring of yours", Hector said. So he's been awake and listening to our conversation all this time.

"My ring?"

"Yes, last night....", Then Hector started telling me a simplified story about what was happening last night. About how he found out about Miss Martha is working with some devil, about how the magic she cast has been reflected in herself, etc.

All of that event is within my prediction? No, it's not, who asks you to follow her? Don't you know that curiosity kills the cat? If not for my ring, all of you should be dead by morning. But why's that instead of all of them, now only Vanessa disappearing?

"The devil took interest in that ring of yours", Hector continued, "He wants her to be bait for whoever owns that ring first. Now, do you understand? it's because of that cursed ring of yours"

This... Is not what I expected. The stories now deviate greatly from what I know. With this, now I'm certain that I can't use my knowledge of the future all the time.

I turn my face towards William, he just silently listens to the conversation without saying anything.

"William I-"

"Shut Up"

I just want to say "I'm sorry, I don't know something like this will happen", but he interjects me before I even finish my apology.

"I-"

"I said, shut up!", William grab my collar and push me to the wall with both of his hands. They stare at each other without saying anything.

At first, I too also grabbed his hands on my collar with both of my hands. But after seeing his expression, I instinctively release both of my hands. Then he continues to push me, crashing my back to the wall.

'Maybe I deserve it', I just thought this. My mind was blank. I tried so hard to make the future doesn't really deviate from what I envisioned, but I still failed in the end. I'm a shame to all the transmigrators.

Silently occupying the room, I could hear the sound of the rain outside. Since when? all I could think of right now was William whose hand still grabbing my collar. We're still in this position like a statue. What would he be thinking right now?

Then Alice approaches us. She places one of her hands on William's arm and shakes her head. Seeing that, William seems to realize the position we're in. He turn his face downwards until I couldn't see his expression anymore and loosened his grip until he fully release my collar.

He turn his body, giving me his side body and pointed to the exit, "Get out!", He said with a trembling voice. No, his hand is also trembling. I think this is the first time I've seen him this angry.

I don't have any choice, so I just walk to the exit door. But before my hand touch the door handle, I feel like I still have to say something to everyone in this room, especially William.

"I won't apologize", I said with my back turned to them, "I'm indeed not worth of forgiveness"

"But I swear that I'll do what I can on my own to save her. Even if it means risking my life"

I didn't hear any reply from any of them. So I turn the handle and open the door and close it gently. Even when closing the door, I can't face them. I feel like I'm indeed not worth their presence.

All of them are someone with great destinies. In the future, they'll be the heroes that'll lead humanity in the great war. What I'm doing to them is simply destroying that future, altering it into something worse.

I'm not even doing it for their own good, I'm simply doing it for my own personal satisfaction. I'm not treating them as normal humans, instead, I'm treating them as a character from a novel. In short, I'm not treating them genuinely.

As an adult, It is my own responsibility to treat everyone as their own individual, as real humans with genuine feelings. I... I really deserve all of this.

"Ku ku ku, So, what're you gonna do now?", Asked Balaur happily inside my head.

"Balaur, can you detect the whereabouts of your own power?", I asked him back.

"I can", He answered, "But what for?"

"Devil Extermination"