Fourth Floor

『 You have completed the quest! 』

That was the message that she saw on the phone after telling Sylvia to go to her classroom first as she had something to do and wait behind. The moment she saw the message, a torrent of memory wash over her mind. From A to Z, it explained to Sheila how she could give others access to enter the Trial Tower in all sort of ways. For example; she could change the key that was in Ria's hands into something else, a bracelet or anything at all, so long as it is something that would stick close to the user. After all, it is only used as a gate to enter the Trial Tower. 

With this, her plan is finally ready to begin. To be honest, she didn't expect to get a quest with the reward that she needs at the moment. The system was definitely listening to her. Just like what Ria concluded, the message and the school uniform, both of those must have been the work of the system. She feels uncomfortable knowing that she was walking on the palm of someone's hands all this time. She did feel like she was being guided, after all.

She would like to know who or what is behind the system, but as much as she wanted to, she need to grow stronger first. Just like previously where she learned a bit about the system, maybe once she leveled up high enough, she would know everything. Now that she was done with one part of the plan, she could focus her time on leveling up. But not before she gives access to enter the Trial Tower to Sylvia and telling her about it. Only then would she have the time to do some grinding.

Once Sheila had completely absorbed everything, she slowly gets up from the seat before walking downstairs toward Sylvia's classroom. Of course, by walking, she means moving to and fro within the shadow. When she arrived at the door of the classroom, she heard a commotion in the class.

"No way, right?"

Sheila softly muttered to herself before proceeding to enter the class, and it was as she expected. Sylvia was being bullied again by the tan girl with thick makeup. Besides the tan girl, two other girls were also there, and they are in the group list of people who bullied Sylvia. 

"Hey, ugly. Give me your homework."

Who's the ugly one here? Have you seen a mirror? And wow, I have never seen someone so shameless while arrogantly asking for someone else homework to copy with. Jealousy and envy is one thing, but this is complete bullshit isn't? Can't you even do your homework? What are you? An idiot sandwich? 

Oh wait, wasn't I in the same place before? But I wasn't this arrogant when I asked Ria for help. I was shameless, yes. Cough, Anyway, that's beside the point here.

"No."

"Oh? What did you say?"

"I said no. I think you need to pay a visit to the hospital and get your ear check."

Ouch, the burn is too strong there. Look, the girl is already boiling red on her face from the anger. 

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!"

The tan girl shrieked. It was so loud that in the entire classroom, only her voice exists. The tan girl didn't say anything more before moving her hand back as if readying herself to slap Sylvia. I guess it's time for me to make a move, Sheila thought in her mind before jumping into the shadow of the tan girl. She didn't do much but simply 'grab' the girl's legs and pull it a bit before hiding back in the shadow. Sylvia was expecting the slap to hit her, which was why she closed her eyes shut. But after a while, nothing happens. Slowly, Sylvia opened her eyes and looked at the tan girl who was currently seat on the floor with a frightening look on her face.

Sylvia didn't know what happen since she has her eyes closed, but to the classmates who were watching, even they didn't understand what actually happened. In their sight, they only saw the tan girl suddenly fell flat to the ground as if someone was pulling her legs. But there's no one on the floor beside her!

But to the frightened tan girl, she definitely feels that something had grabbed her on the legs before pulling it. She was initially angry at who had the nerve to do such a thing to her, but when she looked around, she didn't see anyone who could be the person behind it. That was why she feels so frightened right now, is it a ghost pulling her leg?!

"What a scared cat."

Sheila muttered to herself before giggling at the sight. It seems that the tan girl didn't have any more courage to bully Sylvia as she gets up and goes back to her seat. The two followers were feeling awkward as they didn't know what to do; in the end, they just went to their seat too. If they had continued on their bullying, Sheila would have frightened them just like the tan girl, too bad. After a while, the teacher arrived, and the lesson started. Seeing all the student focus on the teacher's lesson, Sheila moved to Sylvia's shadow before slipping a paper on top of the girl's legs. Once she saw Sylvia picking up the paper and read it, she nodded her head and headed back home. 

[ I'll meet you later at the front of the school gate when school ends. -Akane ]

***

Sheila's bedroom. 

"Hmm, I see. Then how are you going to introduce the Trial Tower to her?"

"That's a bit tricky, I mean, who would believe if someone told them that they could enter another world where they could grow stronger by defeating the monster?"

"Speaking from the experience, yes, I don't believe you at first, too."

"That's why I'll give her access and brought her there first before telling everything."

"...are you sure you won't make her go through the same thing I did?"

"Err, yes? I mean, she looks even weaker than you at first glance, after all."

"Since her mother abused her, does it mean she got scar or bruises around her body?"

"I only saw a bruise on her neck, not sure about her whole body, but it is possible. God damn it, just thinking about it is making me mad."

Sheila remembers when she had hugged Sylvia, her eyesight caught the bruise on around her neck. Even though she knows that the evil spirit is at fault, she couldn't help but still feeling angry about the whole thing. As far as she knows, the evil spirit shouldn't be able to influence the living people that much aside from feeling something or someone whispering in their ears, but it shouldn't have gone that bad. Perhaps, the relationship between her parents was already bad, to begin with. It wasn't entirely the evil spirit's fault.

"Is it possible for her to drink the healing potion? Or do I need to use my healing magic on her?"

"Oh, right! I have those options!"

"Are you for real?"

"Oh well, I was busy thinking of some other stuff. That could come in handy when I introduce the Trial Tower to her, yeah."

Ria just shook her head at Sheila. 

"So, what do you want to do in the meantime?"

"Grind."

"What?"

"Grind."

"You need to level up more too; your level is still low."(Sheila)

"...you go first, I'm going to take a rest before going in."

"Alright, see you later."

After she bid her farewell to Ria, Sheila immediately teleported herself into the Trial Tower, and this time she didn't even need to use her phone to do so. Yes, she could enter the Trial Tower at any time and anywhere, with just a single thought. But of course, to view her status and everything, she still needs to use the phone. Sheila thought that once here level reached a high enough, she won't just know the full truth, she would be likely able to use all functions without relying on her phone. 

Just thinking about it gives her the motivation to level up even more. Perhaps, there might be other secret function in the system that she didn't even know yet; there's also that possibility. And finally, the Fourth Floor of the Trial Tower.

"I wonder if there's any new monster on this floor? It should be, right? I hope so since I'm getting tired of fighting the same old goblins and slimes."

She entered the cave with the expectation of looking forward to seeing a new monster. But what she saw a yet another green creature which caused a sigh to release out of her mouth.

"Well, goblin it is."

She rushed toward the goblin as the green bracelet on her hands turned into a sword, and she sent a slash at the goblin when she gets approximately close to it. But to her surprise, the goblin agilely dodged her attacks. And before she could come to her sense, the goblin has already swung the club straight at her. So fast— the blood splattered onto the ground.