[Event] [Hectic First School Day] Masked Prince

Few minutes ago…

"Hope I'm not late!"

I ran like a madman to the opposite side of the academy. Surprisingly, some students were a little late, like me. When they saw me, they wondered why the heck I was running to the opposite side.

[You are late.]

[<No doubt about it.>]

I'm so lucky to have these two useless guys with me.

I love their positivity and how they encourage me every time.

I removed my blazer and unbuttoned some of my shirt's buttons because it was hot as hell!

But as I ran, I fell on a stand which was selling clothes like the one in Falkrona city.

[<What are you doing?>]

'Just in case.'

"Old man, gimme the black hat."

"Yes, young man. 26 Eden pleas-"

"Thanks man."

I cut him off and ran away with the hat.

"H-Hey!"

The old man stood up with his cane but I was too fast for him.

[...]

[<...>]

I didn't have money anyway.

"There!"

Putting on my hat to cover my grey hair, I rushed inside the forest on my left. It was faster like that. How do I know that? Because Jayden was using the same short route in the game.

"!"

Five minutes later, I heard screams and I headed to the sound.

It's here!

I hid behind a tree and watched stealthily.

They were here.

Jayden Rayena the [Protagonist] of the First Game of [Princess And Dragon].

And Milleia Sophren, the [Main Lead Heroine] of the First Game of [Princess And Dragon].

They were both fighting two guys each.

It was the same scene I watched on my TV with Ephera.

Damn… it really feels strange.

Seconds passed and that moment arrived…

The leader of the punks threw a ball of fire at the carriage and his friend blocked the door.

"..."

[<You will not do anything?>]

Cleenah asked me.

Did she think I would intervene to save them?

I couldn't do that.

It was an important moment for both Jayden and Milleia.

"No. The start should happen like that."

[<Like what?>]

"In the game, Jayden rescues them barely in the end. No one died but everyone in the carriage would be badly burned."

[<You mean even the children?>]

"Yeah…"

I felt uncomfortable, so I continued.

"They will be taken to the hospital. Jayden and Milleia will arrive late for the entrance ceremony."

[<Well, at least they will be alive.>]

"Not really."

I bit my lips remembering what was going to happen to them.

"The next day, Milleia will get news of their death. Some will live but the children won't survive."

In this world, mana was present in everyone's body. It strengthened the bodies of all of them. Adults had a stronger resistance against fire than children obviously.

[<I really thought you would save them.>]

"Do you want me to save them?"

[<You must have a reason for not, right? Then I will respect your decision.>]

Yeah, I had a reason.

Their deaths were necessary to steel the minds of Milleia and Jayden. Milleia would also get closer to Jayden after obtaining psychological support from him.

She needed to get rid of her naivety fast and Jayden had to get the drive to get stronger. He wasn't the strongest at all among the [Main Characters] after all.

"M-Mommy!!!"

"..."

I heard the voice of a girl crying inside the carriage.

She was going to die tomorrow.

What the hell am I doing?

I was acting exactly like Edward in the second game.

Watching people burning without care at all…

The plot will change but I can't let them die. What difference would that make between me and the one in the game otherwise?

Though I said that I knew deep down that I didn't want to save them willingly of my own volition. Be it, adults or children, I never cared for strangers, even on Earth.

Why should I exhaust myself to save people I didn't know?

But now, I feel compelled to help them. Not because of pity or any good feelings.

I was afraid.

I was afraid of becoming 'that' Edward Falkrona.

It was just for my self-interest.

Just to prove myself, I wasn't going to become like that.

If the 'past Edward' would have refused to help them because he didn't care about them, then Nyrel was more because he had no reason to do so. I, who was both of them, really felt no reason nor drive to help them except a selfish one.

I was really a...

What had Ephera or Miranda found in a guy like me?

I laughed weakly.

I knew.

I knew from the start.

Since my family on Earth died or my mother died in this world, I have turned wrong in both lives. Ephera was my only source of light on Earth and I somewhat kept my feet on Earth. But here, that hallucination drove me insane. I don't know why my nightmares of that hallucination started to stop or fade away from my mind, since I recovered my previous life memories, Nyrel's memories. It was thanks to that, I wasn't acting like an idiot like before.

-Ding!

[An Item is available in the SHOP!]

What?

"Jarvis, I thought there was no shop?"

[I thought as well.]

That guy…

"Whatever, show me quick what it is."

[Mask of the Marauder ~500 AP~]

[Description: Upon wearing it, one can hide his face and change his features. Consume mana.]

What the hell was this timing?

"It's really convenient, right Jarvis? It doesn't feel like it at all, your master wants me to intervene, huh."

[...]

Yeah don't talk when I hit the bullseye like usual!

Whatever, I really can't stand still, knowing what would happen to the children. I can't believe I was planning to just watch…

"But, I can't buy the mask, Jarvis?"

[You can take a loan but you will have to repay it in a week.]

"Then do it since your master prepared everything."

I snorted.

As for how the heck I will gather 490 AP in a week. Don't ask me. I don't have a damn idea.

[Challenge!] [Talk to Milleia and Jayden!]

[Reward: 50 AP]

Okay, I didn't plan to talk to them, but I should take as many affection points as I can.

"What is the penalty if I didn't repay in a week?"

[Something that will not please you.]

"Thanks for the useless answer.

[You are welcome.]

A vein popped out on my forehead as I clicked on the slot of my inventory. The mask was floating above the screen and when I touched it, it appeared on my hand.

'Jarvis! What the hell is this mask?! Give me another one!"

I asked angrily.

Hell would freeze before I wore such a cringe and embarrassing mask!

It was the kind of mask people would wear in a masked ball! What idiot would wear such mask in the morning on the road?!

I fell in the red for that freaking mask!

Are you kidding me?!

[<Pfffft- I-It's really looks g-good, Ama-ahahaahaha!>]

Fuck!

[You can't return it once bought.]

"You are the one who bought it!"

[The carriage is burning.]

I know!

Curse my life!

I put on the mask and felt a tickling sensation on my face.

"Mary. Let me use your bloodline."

"Yes."

Mary appeared in a beautiful black dress in front of me.

"Get them out of this carriage and put a mirror a hundred meters near the academy. Put my blazer there as well."

Marry nodded and disappeared in a mirror she had just created.

Mary's unique bloodline ability was the control of mirrors. She could create mirrors and the most cheated thing about that, was the fact that she could 'teleport' thanks to the mirrors. She could also use them to defend and attack, though it wasn't really efficient to attack. Anyway, who cared about that when you had amazing defense and teleportation? The only inconvenience would be the huge mana consumption.

"Thanks."

I thanked her and entered the mirror.

***

"Masked prince!"

"Beat them! Masked prince!"

"..."

Using my will force to keep my composure at the children's words, I looked in front of me.

I opened my palm and my short sword appeared from the void.

I shouldn't waste time here anymore.

-Whoosh!

I stomped the ground and rushed at the leader.

Kill the leader first and the rest will be easy.

"A mere brat dares to underestima-"

-Crack!

I summoned a mirror in front of him to hinder his vision.

-Bam!

A fist of fire broke the mirror into a thousand pieces but I expected that. I raised my free hand and all the shards levitated before attacking the man.

"W-What?!"

He put both his hands before his face to protect himself.

Rotating on my heels, I roundhouse-kicked his forehead.

"Kah!"

He was flung away but he rolled on the ground and stopped.

He threw me a death glare but I was already before him with my sword raised.

"Tch!"

The leader punched out his burning fire.

I snapped my fingers and another mirror appeared before me.

-Smash!

When the mirror exploded into pieces again, I was not in front of him anymore.

"!"

Yeah, I just needed one shard of mirror to move between them.

-Spurt!

Warm blood spattered but I protected my clothes with another mirror. I couldn't leave a single hint of my identity.

"Rahhh!"

The leader growled at me in anger.

Blood was dripping down from his forehead and also from his back now.

Did he feel humiliated?

I was at least ten years younger after all.

"Kill him!"

He shouted to the guy behind me who probably thought he successfully sneaked behind me. I was ready to summon another mirror but I didn't have the occasion.

-Crackle!

A spark of lightning sent the guy flying away.

I glanced behind me and saw Jayden.

"We should help each other as fellow students of the same academy."

He grinned at me.

"Are you okay?"

Milleia followed from behind.

I ignored them and looked at the remaining men.

There were only four now, including the leader.

Piece of cake.

With Jayden and Milleia, there was no way we wouldn't come out triumphant from this fight.

The people of the carriage were behind us in safety, so nothing to worry anymore.

"I will take on the leader. Do the rest."

Without waiting for a reply, I rushed at the leader.

"W-Wait!"

"He must be in a hurry, we are late after all."

Milleia and Jayden followed behind me.