Chapter 27

That night in the Suzuki household was quiet. The family was fractured, each member retreating into their own thoughts and spaces. Amaya couldn't sleep, so she decided to take a walk in the garden. The cool night air helped clear her mind. As she strolled absentmindedly among the plants, she spotted Chiyo standing near the cherry blossom tree, most of it's beautiful petals had already been swept away by the wind."Chiyo?" Amaya called softly, her voice barely above a whisper, hoping not to startle her.Chiyo turned, her eyes narrowing with undisguised hatred. "What do you want?" Her voice dripped with venom, each word a sharp blade. She didn't need to hide how she felt when it was just the two of them, but since this was the first time it was just the two of them Amaya felt a bit startled. Her lip was still busted from when she was hit by Amaya in school. She normally covered up the bruises with make up but since it was the middle of the night, her beaten face was rather bare. Amaya took a deep breath. "I just want to talk. You aren't my enemy, Chiyo. I don't hate you anymore. I just want us to stay out of each other's way." Truly she should have said this when she first came to this household. Chiyo's face contorted with rage. "You don't hate me? You think that makes everything better? You've taken everything from me! I vow I will kill you, Amaya. Even if I can't now, I will find a way. I will take over the Suzuki family, one way or another."Chiyo was fuming, who was she to stand on a moral high ground? Now she had taken everything from her she wanted to call a truce? Over her dead body! Surprisingly, Amaya did not retort, she only smiled. "Is that all you want? In that case... I truly wish you the best, Chiyo. I hope you find happiness."Chiyo clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms, drawing small drops of blood. "Happiness? What do you know about happiness? You waltzed back into this family and stole everything from me! Father never once told me he was proud of me, I was perfect! I did not ever step out of line! And yet he keeps smiling at a slut for a daughter that doesn't even have good grades, why am I the pitiful one!?"Amaya felt a pang of sympathy but knew that anything she said would likely be twisted by Chiyo's rage. "Maybe one day, you'll find what you're looking for."Chiyo's eyes burned with tears, her voice trembling with emotion. "Don't pretend to understand me. I will destroy you and everything you love." She had promised herself, Amaya can never be at peace, till her death. "...Alright." Chiyo's tears spilled over, but her face remained hard, unyielding. As Amaya walked away, she felt a weight lift off her shoulders. She had said her piece, and now it was up to Chiyo to decide her path. She couldn't change the past, but she could choose how to move forward. She glanced back one last time, seeing Chiyo still standing there, her silhouette rigid and angry against the moonlit garden. ·͙⁺˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚⁺‧͙⁺˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚⁺‧͙⁺˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚⁺‧͙Once she was better, Amaya returned to school. Her arm still ached from the fight, but she refused to let it show. As soon as she walked through the gates, she was tackled by a... dog?"Boss!"Ah, it was a human. Riku checked her all over for any more injuries, and only after seeing she was fine did he feel better. The fact that Arthur came to save the fight made him re-evaluate his life. How did a scrawny nerd suddenly become an expert swordsman? He thought he was dreaming, but he had to admit, if it wasn't for Arthur, Amaya would have died."Boss! You're back!" Kenji exclaimed, a grin spreading across his face. His eyes sparkled with relief and excitement."Yeah, we missed you," Riku added, his voice softer but just as sincere.Amaya sighed as she looked at them. They had caused her so much trouble, yet they were just like loyal dogs. She really wanted to punish them a little, but she had arguably done worse than them at this point.Just then, Arthur appeared, pulling her away. "Come on, we need to go to the teacher's office," he said, his tone urgent but gentle."I'll see you guys during lunch!" she told her lackeys, who let her go.Amaya looked at Arthur, who led her through the crowded school. He was taller and had tanned quite a bit with a stronger frame. She did not have the time to notice his change during the fight, but now she gave herself a pat on the back for splurging on a good training instructor."Sorry for dragging you away..." He started, his ears dusted crimson. "I just haven't seen you since that night... I at least wanted to have you to myself for a bit."His words were too sweet. For a second, she felt her heart skip a beat before coming back to her senses."It's ok." She reassured him, speeding up to walk by his side, his hand still holding hers. As she looked up at his blushing face, she couldn't help but laugh. "Why are you embarrassed? You're the one who pulled me away!""Please don't tease me," he said, trying to hide his face. She burst out laughing and, in the process, failed to notice the blonde boy who passed her in the hallway. He stopped for a moment and turned to take another look at her. He felt an inexplicable emptiness as she walked by, no matter how much he tried to place a finger on why he couldn't. As if he was missing something important."Lucas!" His attention was drawn back to the opposite end of the hallway as his classmate called out to him, and they parted ways.Arthur and Amaya entered the teacher's office. Mr. Saito looked up at them and feared the worst."Don't tell me..." he started, his face showing a mix of concern and curiosity."Please let us register for the exam," Arthur said immediately. Mr. Saito let out a sigh of relief. He couldn't deal with another teen pregnancy scare right now. The teacher turned to Amaya, his expression doubtful and slightly amused."Amaya, do you really want to fail so quickly?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. Her grades were not good, so what's giving her the confidence to take the graduating exam a year early?Amaya felt embarrassed but begged him to let her take it. "Please, Mr. Saito, I can always take it again next year! My dad will pay!"Mr. Saito sighed but nodded. "Alright, but don't cry to me after you fail." He was definitely not convinced she could pass."Trust me!" she said with a smile on her face, but instead, he felt her chances of passing dropped from two percent to zero. He shook his head, wondering if she truly understood the gravity of the task she was undertaking.Arthur, sensing the tension, added, "We've been studying hard, Mr. Saito. I believe in her."The teacher looked between the two of them, his scepticism evident. "Alright, Arthur. If you vouch for her, then I'll allow it. But, Amaya, you need to understand the amount of work this will require."Amaya nodded vigorously. "I understand, Mr. Saito. Thank you for giving me this chance."He leaned back in his chair, still not entirely convinced. "Very well. You both are registered for the exams. Make sure you prepare adequately. I don't want to see either of you back here regretting this decision."Arthur and Amaya started to spend their evenings in the library, studying together. Unlike Arthur who had always been on top of his work she had a lot to remind herself of. It had been a two years since she graduated high school in her world, so she knew she could do it, she just needed to remind herself. "Well, if it isn't the enigmatic Amaya. How do you manage to be everywhere?" Hiroshi who was also a study geek found them in the library and felt a little shocked to see them. Amaya just smiled and laughed. "I'm a person of many talents," she replied, her voice light and teasing.Hiroshi sighed dramatically. "I hate how you're such an enigma. But I truly hope we can stand together in the future. I won't let you be better than me forever.""I doubt you will ever be better than me, such is life. HAHAHA!""Sssh!" Some hissed and she immediately shut up much to Hiroshi's happiness. "You're literally a human megaphone; I doubt you actually understand anything." He mocked her; she rolled her eyes throwing an eraser at him and he caught it. "See you later." He said taking the eraser with him leaving her deeply unsatisfied. "That brat is always annoying." She muttered and Arthur could only snicker. ·͙⁺˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚⁺‧͙⁺˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚⁺‧͙⁺˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚⁺‧͙Three months passed in the blink of an eye and the day of the exam passed and the day of the results arrived, and Amaya woke up nervous. School was out for summer and she was so anxious she could't eat any of the breakfast on her plate. Mr. Suzuki told her, "No matter what, I will be proud of you."As his words left his lips Chiyo who was also at the table paused but then kept eating as if she did not notice anything. Amaya forced a smile. "Thank you for taking care of me so well.""It's a father's duty," Mr. Suzuki replied, his voice warm and reassuring.Amaya did not say anything else, instead opting to leave, Mr Suzuki did not see the oddity in her words, as if she was saying a final goodbye.Outside, Arthur was waiting for her, leaning against the gate with a relaxed smile. "Ready to go?" he asked, offering her his arm.She nodded, taking his arm as they walked to school together. The morning air was crisp, and the sound of their footsteps on the pavement was the only thing that filled the silence between them.When they arrived at school, the courtyard was bustling with students, all eagerly awaiting their results. Amaya's heart raced as they made their way through the crowd. She spotted Lucas with his little sister and an older woman, presumably his mother. They were huddled together, and when Lucas opened his envelope, they burst out in happiness. The joy on their faces was infectious, and Amaya felt happy for them."Congratulations," she whispered to herself, feeling grateful for the time she had spent with Lucas and the care he had shown her.Arthur led her to the results board, where a crowd had gathered. She felt her hands trembling as she reached for the envelope with her name on it. Arthur stood beside her, he knew she would be fine."You will be fine," he said softly, his voice filled with confidence.Taking a deep breath, Amaya opened the envelope. For a moment, her eyes couldn't focus on the numbers and letters in front of her. Then, the realization hit her like a wave: she had passed. Overwhelmed with happiness, she turned to Arthur, her eyes shining with tears of joy."I did it," she whispered, barely able to contain her excitement.Arthur's face broke into a wide smile, and he pulled her into a tight hug. "I knew you could," he said, his voice filled with pride. He lifted her off her feet and spun her around, laughing. "You did it, Amaya!" Around them, other students celebrated or consoled each other. Arthur set her down and she looked at her results again before it hit her - this was it, her time here was almost up."I have a surprise for you later today." Arthur told her, he had been working on it for months even before the war against Mamuchi. But she wasn't paying attention to him much. Her mind was focused on the notification in front of her.╔══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╗08:00:00 till departure╚══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╝·͙⁺˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚⁺‧͙⁺˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚⁺‧͙⁺˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚⁺‧͙Arthur was in his room, carefully adjusting his tie in front of the mirror. Tonight was a big night—Mr. Suzuki was throwing a party to celebrate Amaya's success, and Arthur had an important gift for her. He turned to his desk, where his computer screen displayed a vast array of documents and files. Months of painstaking work had gone into compiling this portfolio, detailing every criminal member in their city, along with blackmail material and detailed descriptions.Arthur sighed, feeling anxious. This was his way of contributing to Amaya's future, ensuring she had the tools she needed to take over from her father. He knew the information he had gathered was invaluable, and he hoped it would prove his worth to her. Since the moment he vowed to be her shadow knight he had been working on this. As he closed his laptop, he caught his reflection once more. Truly, If she asked him to join her, to stay by her side, even as her dog, he would.The Suzuki mansion was ablaze with lights and filled with the murmur of excited guests. Arthur arrived, looking quite handsome in his suit, his heart pounding in anticipation. As he stepped into the grand hall, he saw Amaya, and he felt his soul leave him. She looked stunning in an elegant dress that accentuated her natural beauty; her hair was back to it's natural brown and tied up in an elegant style held up by crystal hairpins. Her smile lit up the room as she graciously accepted congratulations from family and friends.Arthur made his way through the crowd, his eyes never leaving Amaya. When he finally reached her, he extended his hand. "May I have the first dance?"Amaya looked up, her eyes sparkling with happiness. "Of course," she said, placing her hand in his.They moved to the dance floor, the soft strains of a waltz filling the room. Arthur held her close, feeling the warmth of her body against his. As they danced, they talked, their voices low and intimate."How come you didn't ask me?" She spoke first. "About what?""Why Lucas and I fell out." Didn't he find it odd that they suddenly stopped speaking to each other?"I figured you'd tell me when you felt like it." Amaya wondered if he really trusted her so much, she didn't feel like she had done anything to earn his trust. "I had to let Lucas go," she admitted, her voice tinged with sadness. "I desperately wanted his devotion, but that's something no normal person can give me."'If its devotion she wants, then the devotion is the only thing I have to give her.'He wanted to say something, but before he could speak, the lights suddenly went out. The room was plunged into darkness, and the soft music was replaced by murmurs of confusion and the occasional nervous laugh. Arthur tightened his grip on Amaya, ready to protect her from whatever was coming."Thank you," she whispered in his ear, her voice steady despite the chaos."Amaya?" He asked reflexively, but he couldn't hear anything, and the woman in his arms had vanished. When the lights flickered back on, Arthur's heart dropped. Amaya was gone. He looked around frantically, but she was nowhere to be seen. Panic spread through the crowd as they realised someone was missing. Mr. Suzuki's face turned pale as he tried to rally his security team to search for his daughter, but before he could give any orders, he suddenly collapsed.Arthur rushed to his side, his heart pounding in his chest. "Mr. Suzuki!" he shouted, trying to keep his voice steady. As he knelt beside the fallen man, he felt for a pulse and checked his breathing. It was shallow and erratic.Realising the urgency of the situation, Arthur quickly accessed his system. He checked Mr. Suzuki's status.╔══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╗Suzuki KaitoStatus: Poisoned╚══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╝"Damn it," he muttered, his mind racing. He tried to contact Amaya through the system, but his attempts were futile. Her signal was faint but still active, indicating she was alive but unreachable."What do we do?" one of the guests shouted, panic rising in the room.Arthur took a deep breath, trying to maintain his composure. "We need to get Mr. Suzuki to a hospital immediately," he instructed, his voice calm and authoritative. "And we need to find Amaya."Arthur stayed by Mr. Suzuki's side until the paramedics arrived, his mind racing with thoughts of Amaya. He reached into his pocket and felt the USB drive containing the portfolio he had compiled. It was meant to be a gift for Amaya, a tool to help her navigate the dangerous world she was entering and a way for her to protect the Suzuki family.As the paramedics loaded Mr. Suzuki onto a stretcher, he realised someone was standing behind him. He turned around to see Chiyo, somehow her eyes were full of glee. The death of the head of the family was one thing, and now the true heir was missing; the only one who could take over was her. Suzuki Chiyo. ·͙⁺˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚⁺‧͙⁺˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚⁺‧͙⁺˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚⁺‧͙╔══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╗.....╚══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╝╔══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╗Congratulations of graduating! ╚══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╝╔══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╗Calculating points...╚══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╝╔══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╗Side quests completed: 2/2╚══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╝╔══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╗Bodies down: 220 ╚══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╝╔══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╗Calculating extra points╚══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╝╔══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╗Paying off debt╚══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╝╔══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╗2,310,000 coins deposited╚══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╝╔══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╗Reclaim Shadow Knight system?Yes/No╚══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╝╔══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╗No╚══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╝╔══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╗Shadow knights 1/4╚══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╝╔══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╗World Added to Quest Log╚══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╝╔══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╗Search Shop?Yes/No╚══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╝╔══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╗Yes╚══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╝╔══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╗Searching....╚══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╝╔══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╗Elixir of RebirthCost: 10,000,000 coinsVisit a world you have previously completed for a lifespan╚══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╝╔══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╗Error!╚══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╝╔══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╗Insufficient funds╚══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╝╔══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╗Loading next world...╚══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╝