[Bonus chapter]Academy breach [3]

[Jessica's Pov]

"So, will you join our cause?"

Looking up at the white-haired, masked man it would be a lie to say I wasn't a bit tempted after hearing the motives behind his actions. How he wanted to change the world, to completely crush the societal hierarchy.

Yet, no matter how alluring his words had been, I wasn't about to betray everyone I loved in the foolish chase of a distant dream. Even more so as it was clear that it wouldn't be without victims.

"There's no way I would ever..."

"Are you sure, Ms. Turner?"

Then, showing himself amongst the Hurricane clan members, a man wearing glasses and a lab coat stepped forward, his face carrying an incredibly sad smile.

"Dr. Smith?! What are you...Wait, if you are here..."

Catching myself in the middle of my sentence, I realized what was happening here, as there was but one reason why he would be here, walking freely. Scratching the back of his head, the healer looked as if he was just as surprised as I was as to how things ended up this way.

"Yeah, that's right. I have decided to follow him."

For the first time since I was caught by Mr. Cane, I lost my composure.

"Why?! Why would you...!"

"Because I believe that he can change this world, and even if that means I will have to sell my soul, I would do so with a smile."

Gazing into the brown eyes hiding in plain sight behind his glasses, they showed me his absolute belief in what he had just said, as well as the resolve to follow through with his decision.

"Aren't you the same, Jessica? Don't you also want to change this world, to give everyone an equal chance of living their life freely?"

"That... This is still not the right way! You know that, Mikael!"

"Then, what is the right way? Even now, after almost a hundred years of peace, nothing has changed. The nobles are still in complete control, and if not them, there are the hidden families that do whatever the hell they want!"

Although I had only known the man for a limited amount of time, I knew that he wasn't someone that usually got this riled up about something.

"My daughter died, Jessica! She died for absolutely nothing! Nothing but the fact that the rich fucks of this country couldn't be bothered to save her! I... I also never thought that something like this would be possible, and I am still not sure whether or not Zero... no, James, is capable of changing things. But I would rather die in hopes of seeing that world than sit idly knowing there's a chance."

At this point, his breathing had gotten ragged, and I thought I could see a small tear in the corner of his eye, dangerously close to falling. And it ravaged my heart.

"Aren't you the same?"

Seeing the usually calm Mikael act like this, I couldn't stop my repressed feelings from emerging, the emotions that I had tucked away when I was saved by Frederick. And no more could I lie to myself, no longer was I able to pretend like everything was fine.

My job as a teacher... the job I had conducted with the conviction that I was doing my part in changing things by fostering the new generation... That I was doing all I could...

'It was all just self-satisfaction...'

I had done nothing. No matter how good it felt to be under Frederick's wings, I had merely been hiding from the world. Pretending that what I did mattered.

In reality, just like Mikael was saying, nothing had changed. Things had always stayed the same, with the justification that we had to prepare to defend ourselves against the demons, that it couldn't be helped as we would otherwise face imminent destruction.

But if even he, who was absolutely helpless in the face of danger, dared to stand up against the status quo, didn't that simply make me a coward who didn't dare to stand by her inherent beliefs?

Maybe it was because of the seeds that Zero had planted in us, with him talking about changing the world, about how we shouldn't just accept things for what they were, but nonetheless, we were both longing to see the same kind of world.

Turning my eyes toward the masked man, who had just been standing on the side in silence, probably aware that I was a lot more likely to listen to Dr. Smith than him, I wasn't sure how to respond.

Yet, I didn't have to. Because he already noticed the emotions behind my eyes.

"I see. Then, I assume that you are ready not only to shed your name but also everything that goes with it."

I had no idea how it had come to this, but I somehow felt that my heart couldn't argue with their vision. A future where all children, no matter their origins, would be allowed to live freely.

Even if it meant having to turn my back on the one who had saved me.

"I... I am."

*Clap!*

Putting his hands together, I still wasn't sure what I was getting myself into, having gotten swayed in a matter of minutes after listening to Mikael speak.

"Wonderful! Then, as of now, you will be Three!"

"...huh?"

"I said, you will be Three! Unfortunately, the seats of One and Two are already taken, so that means you will have to be Three."

If I had thought of him to be slightly insane before, I was now sure of it. Despite that, I couldn't help but smile a bit when hearing his childish antics, as if it showed me a bit of the young student that I had once known.

"I see. Then, who is Two?"

"Two is... right here, it seems."

Up in the sky, the old man that had caught me before was now returning, with even more members of the Hurricanes behind him, after having left to do something urgently.

Landing in front of James, Mr. Cane didn't hesitate to take a knee, showing his respect for the youth, making me even more baffled as to just how he had managed to make all of this happen.

"No need to act like that, Alexander. So, how did it go?"

"It's all in order. We also got word from our people in the city center that the projection is ready. I'm still surprised that you managed to get ahold of that sort of advanced technology."

Things were now happening so fast that I had no chance at all to gain even a slight understanding of the situation. Yet, a part of me couldn't help but get excited, as my mind was now working wonders in convincing me that this was for the greater good. No matter what James was planning on doing.

"And the principal?"

"He is on his way here as we speak."

"I see. Then I suppose it's time for us to get ready as well. Zero, I want you to stay hidden."

Once again, I felt confusion take over my mind, but this time, I couldn't stop myself from asking about it.

"Zero? But isn't Zero..."

Turning around, still not showing his face behind the mask, James quickly clarified.

"Oh, right, there's no way you could know. Well, you see, we have a new Zero! A new saint that will bear the weight of everyone's life while fulfilling his duty with absolute conviction!"

"Please stop. I did accept to bear the name of Zero, but that doesn't mean I have become some sort of saint."

Squirming a bit, I could tell that Mikael found his alias just as bothersome as I found mine, if not more due to the memories of the smiling youth that had always tried his best invading our minds when hearing it.

"Don't say that, Zero! After all, you bear the biggest responsibility out of all of us. Now, please do make haste as I suspect that we won't have too much time left."

"Haa... Alright, I will go. See you later, Jessica."

'Can someone like this really change the world?'

Inspecting the gray-suited man, with his long, white hair flowing freely in the winds while standing in the open training grounds, I was still not sure if I had made the right decision.

At the same time, I knew that he had somehow managed to make the Hurricanes loyal to him, meaning there had to be more than this playful persona he was putting on. And... I had already seen it.

Because I was there in the city center, standing in the plaza when he had lost his head. I had witnessed what he had done in the city square, how he had held the entire nation hostage for but a moment.

"Oh! There is still one thing we have to do before we can continue!"

Then, the monster wearing the skin of a human suddenly took a knee in front of me, his mask dispersing with the wind while handing me a contract.

Seeing what was hiding behind the mask, I couldn't help but shudder. Because underneath it, a pair of heavenly blue eyes pierced my soul. And, worse than that, the wide smile that couldn't have belonged to someone in this world.

"Are you ready to make a deal, Jessica?"