Twelve Days To Become Strong (Edited)

[<You're welcome Amael.>]

"Amael?"

The word felt unfamiliar, as if it had been pulled from the depths of my memories.

[<It's your name, right?>] Cleenah confirmed.

I was taken aback. Had I ever mentioned my name to her?

"No, I never said it was my name…" I replied, perplexed.

[<It's written on your pendant,>] she explained.

I glanced down at the pendant around my neck, a gift from Edward's mother. On the black coin, there was an inscription in a language I couldn't read. To me, it was merely a stylish decoration.

"You can read that…?" I asked in surprise.

[<Yes, it's written in an ancient language,>] Cleenah nodded.

"Written as Amael?" I questioned.

[<Yes, >] she confirmed.

I hadn't been aware of this alternate name, but then again, there were many aspects of Edward's life that I was still discovering.

[<What are you going to do now, Edward?>] Cleenah asked.

[<Who's that?>] she continued as she noticed Jarvis's presence.

"Jarvis, my useless system," I replied in a tone of mild annoyance.

"I'm not a system," Jarvis countered.

"Then what are you, Jarvis?" Cleenah inquired.

No response followed, and I couldn't help but smirk. It seemed Jarvis had moments of silence, much to my satisfaction.

"I'm Edward's dietician," Jarvis finally answered, though his tone suggested he was far from pleased.

Cleenah tried to stifle her laughter, but her amusement was evident.

The exchange had shifted my mood. I couldn't deny that this banter, even if mostly one-sided, provided some semblance of relief but why the hell do they have to bring up by weight?!

"When does the academy start?" I asked, changing the subject.

"Twelve days," Jarvis replied.

"You're going to school?" Cleenah chimed in with surprise.

"Yeah, you know what that is?" I responded, equally surprised.

Cleenah explained, "<Of course! It was a little different, but even us Gods need education.>"

"Then you probably skipped school, didn't you?" I teased.

Her reaction was swift, [<H-How did you know?>]

"From the way you're speaking. It's obvious," I replied.

However, I was more intrigued by her capabilities.

"What are your powers?" I inquired.

Cleenah's answer was less than flattering, [<You are too weak to use them.>]

Mockingly, I said, "So you're a useless Goddess?"

[<I'm not useless>] she protested.

The irony wasn't lost on me - a supposed 'useless' system and a 'useless' Goddess. They were turning out to be quite the pair.

'They can't read my thoughts, right?' I mused, mostly to myself.

"W-Well, I have two weeks to train," I changed the subject, focusing on my upcoming challenges.

Jarvis's reminder caught me off guard, though.

[Your family, Edward. They've probably been looking for you since two weeks ago,] he pointed out.

"Oh, yeah…" I hadn't even considered that. I hadn't informed anyone, not even Belle. Guilt pricked at me, even if only for her sake. But as for the others... Edward's father, foster brother, and younger sister.

"They aren't my family, Jarvis. How many times do I have to say that?" I retorted.

[For them, you are,] Jarvis replied.

I stood my ground, firm in my denial. "It's not my problem."

[Understood, but your aunt?] he pressed.

"Belle, huhhh…," I mused aloud, feeling a mix of emotions about seeing her again.

"I will tell her in two weeks. I will train and see her after that, before the entrance ceremony," I decided.

Jarvis, the ever-concerned assistant, cautioned, [She'll be angry.]

"I know, but right now, I just want to move forward. I want to turn the page on what happened two weeks ago and get a grip on this world," I explained.

[Copy that,] Jarvis responded.

While my conversation with Jarvis was business as usual, there was a new dynamic in my thoughts - Cleenah, the Goddess who had somehow become entwined with my existence.

"Hey Cleenah, do you think two weeks is enough for you to teach me something?" I asked, curious about her abilities.

She dashed my hopes promptly, [<No chances.>]

I smirked, "I should have expected it from a useless Goddess."

Definitely, she was too easy to provoke.

[<I-I can obviously!>] she protested.

"Good," I replied, enjoying our verbal back-and-forth.

As the conversation shifted, Cleenah's concern became apparent. [<Then, are you going to live here for two weeks?>]

"Yeah, you can keep me alive, right? I don't need to eat anything?" I inquired.

Cleenah hesitated before replying, [<For two more weeks I can, but Amael, it will be extremely painful.>]

While her response was not comforting, I shook off the unease. "I will manage it."

I considered my options. Going to a nearby town stealthily was one, but with the news of my departure from the Falkrona House spreading far and wide, I was undoubtedly a highly sought-after figure. The fact that I had disappeared the way I had might have generated a plethora of theories. Given my status as the son of Duke Falkrona, possessing the most powerful army in the kingdom, I could be considered a valuable hostage. Not to mention, those who were hostile to the kingdom might be on the lookout for me as well.

Fortunately, no one seemed to have considered searching this desolate place, a fact for which I was grateful. No sane person would venture here, even the malevolent ones.

As I counted down the twelve days until the entrance ceremony of the Royal Eden Academy, I couldn't help but marvel at the surreal nature of it all. The [First Game] would commence at the entrance ceremony. I was preparing to participate directly in the story, a story I was more familiar with than I cared to admit. But this time, I had no intention of joining Ante-Eden.

I pondered the concept of the Butterfly Effect. It seemed like an apt way to describe the changes I was making to the narrative. Yet, I was determined. I had to be ready for the challenges awaiting me.

I gazed around the surroundings, a desolate but vast area I had chosen as my training ground.

While I didn't expect to achieve the same level of strength as the main characters within these two weeks, I aimed to be stronger than most of my future classmates. The game depicted Edward's life after being disowned as a series of trials and tribulations, both from mocking nobles and his association with Ante-Eden. This time, I was prepared to face the challenges head-on, and that required a certain level of strength.

In the end, all I could do was train and prepare. I knew the road ahead wouldn't be easy, but at least I was willing to take it on.

As I immersed myself in training, darkness blanketed another realm...

***

In that dark expanse, a flicker of green shimmered. It took on the form of a girl, though her features were elusive, as if shrouded in mist. Despite the obscurity, her beauty was undeniable, appearing to be in her late teens or early twenties.

Her voice echoed in the void, addressing someone who remained hidden, "How long are you planning to hide and act like that, both of you?"

No response followed her words.

"He's a good person, I am vouching for him," she continued. Her voice was affectionate, as if she had known him for a long time. "Well, a little rude against a Goddess…"

She pouted slightly before breaking into a warm smile.

"But he has the talent and mentality. Do you understand what I mean?"

Still, no reply was forthcoming. However, the girl seemed to sense that her words were having an effect.

She turned her attention elsewhere, seeming to gaze into the darkness. In reality, she was addressing the one who had freed her from her imprisonment - a gray-haired, plump boy who had been running tirelessly around the temple for the past two hours.

Amusement danced in her eyes as she watched him complain to his companion, clearly Jarvis.

Cleenah chuckled at the sight of Edward's serious demeanor as he ran, but her amusement faded as she noticed the underlying sadness on his face.

She reached out, her fingers brushing the image of Edward's face as it appeared in her mind.

"Will you, one day, Amael?" she whispered with a mixture of hope and uncertainty, her smile fading.

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*Edward's reference illustration added in the DISCORD: LINK IN SYNOPSIS