Beyond the Novel

The cool night air hit his face, a welcome relief from the tension that had been building inside him.

He took a deep breath, letting the tranquility of the night wash over him.

The sky above was a tapestry of stars, twinkling like distant promises of hope.

Even though it wasn't that late, the winter sky was already cloaked in darkness.

Not that he minded, not in the slightest.

The night provided a cloak of anonymity, a brief escape from the scrutinizing eyes and questions.

Finally, he had a moment to relax, to recollect, and to wipe away the sweat building up on his forehead.

His breaths came slower, deeper, as he tried to steady his racing heart.

Part of him was relieved about the pressure of the bloodlust; it had protected him from thinking about that once certain ...accident.

Though the bloodlust wasn't something he ever wanted to feel again.

The intensity had been so overwhelming, it felt like death itself was lurking over his shoulder, ready to pounce.

'...Why did Weiss ask me such a pointed question?' he wondered, replaying the moment in his mind.

Her directness was typical Weiss Licht, but it still gnawed at him.

It could have been a just random question, or perhaps there was another rumor about Quill Nocturne having murdered someone, and she was simply curious.

He leaned against a nearby tree, letting the rough bark press into his back, grounding him. 'Could it have been just a panic attack?' he pondered.

It was possible. A repressed memory was resurfaced with a that one question.

Perhaps there wasn't any bloodlust pressuring him after all, maybe it was just his own mind...

'I can't believe I actually miss home...' He kicked a small stone in front of him, watching it skitter across the path.

The familiar ache of homesickness tugged at his heart.

The mundane problems of his own life seemed almost desirable compared to the madness of his current reality.

He missed the simple comforts, the predictable routines.

He glanced up at the sky again, the stars offering a cold, distant comfort. 'Perhaps I should consider asking for a name change,' He amused himself with the thought of no longer being called Quill.

'I haven't heard my name in a while either.' The thought lingered, bringing a sense of melancholy with it.

He stopped in his tracks, a sudden realization washing over him. 'My name...'

"My name is..."

'What was my name...?' Panic set in, his heart pounding in his chest.

How could he forget something so fundamental? The disorientation was overwhelming, a tidal wave of fear crashing over him.

His identity felt like it was slipping through his fingers like sand.

Desperation clawed at his mind as he started running back to his dorm.

The corridors blurred around him, his vision narrowing to a tunnel of anxiety.

He burst through the doors of his dorm, the familiar surroundings doing little to calm his racing heart.

Bursting into his room, he stormed into the bathroom, touching the black screen to activate the mirror, both hands gripping the large sink.

Confronted with his reflection—red eyes and black hair—he tried to remember.

"I-I... My- My name is..."

He stopped, his chest heaving with each ragged breath.

Staring at his reflection in the mirror, he struggled to piece together the fragments of his past. "I lived in a wealthy environment, my life was happy, I had two loving parents, a wonderful little sister."

His eyes softened as a memory surfaced, bringing a hint of a smile to his lips. "And her name is Liliane," he said, joy flooding through him as he spoke her name. "She was always so full of life, always brightening up our home."

His voice grew steadier, more determined. "And my name is... my name is..." He closed his eyes, willing himself to remember.

The answer danced just out of reach, like a shadow in the fog.

"Liliane... Lili. Yeah, she used to call me by a short name too," he murmured, the pieces of his identity slowly falling into place.

His tongue stumbled as he tried to speak the name that felt so familiar, yet so distant. "Eli, that's it, she called me Eli. Eli... Elias." He repeated the name, each time feeling more sure, more connected to who he once was.

"Elias Rosental," he said, his voice firming up as the name resonated within him. "I am Elias Rosental, the firstborn of the Rosental family."

He stood there for a moment, letting the significance of the name wash over him.

It was more than just a name; it was his anchor to his past, a beacon guiding him through the chaos of his current reality.

His reflection stared back at him, no longer a stranger, but someone he was beginning to recognize once more.

"Elias Rosental," he whispered again, this time with conviction. "I won't let this world erase who I am. I will remember. I will hold on to myself."

/||\

"Alright, dear students, today I have an important announcement to make."

Professor Mendoza's voice cut through the chatter in the room. He scanned the classroom, his eyes lingering on yet another empty desk. "It seems li—"

The door creaked open, and a young man with shining red eyes and dark black hair entered hurriedly. "I apologize for being late," he said immediately, making his way to his desk.

He didn't give Professor Mendoza a chance to respond, slipping into his seat as quickly as possible.

Professor Mendoza sighed but continued, "...I hope this is the last time."

"Now that everyone is here, in yesterday's teacher conference, we decided on the order of classes for the field trip. You should have already made your preparations, as this information was given before you entered Sentinel."

Small mutters arose among the students, some excited, some curious, others nervous.

"Our class will be among the first group to be sent out. We will be going along with classes F and A."

Again, a mix of reactions rippled through the room. Some students exchanged excited glances, while others looked visibly anxious.

"And there's more good news. We have a special guest who will be joining our group to make the learning process much more enriching."

'...Can't I catch a break? What's going on now?' Quill thought, frustration bubbling within him.

This was completely different from the original story—there wasn't supposed to be any additional surprise guest.

"But I'll let her introduce herself. Ms. Nocturne, if you please," Mendoza said, his voice calm and inviting.

Suddenly, a burst of blood-red mist materialized next to Professor Mendoza, swirling and coalescing to reveal a stunning red-eyed beauty with the same black hair as Quill.

Her presence was both commanding and graceful, a visible aura of power emanating from her. The blood-red mist faded, settling back into her veins.

"Thank you, Professor Mendoza. I am honored to participate in this," she said smoothly, her voice carrying a confident yet warm tone.

'What?!' Quill was stunned, his mind reeling. This definitely wasn't in the novel.

As he tried to process this new development, a blue window popped up in front of him, a sight he hadn't seen in a while.

Reading its content, his eyes widened: "Congrats, fellow. You have earned yourself a little reward for stirring up your destiny. Since word of your spar with Sol got around, it reached important ears, and they were pleased by the quote 'Humiliation' you inflicted. Not only will the character Erisa Nocturne be a helping hand on the field trip, but you also gain two additional Traits to choose from."

"What?!" Quill shouted, his shock breaking his usual composure. All eyes in the classroom turned to him, confusion evident in their gazes.

Realizing his outburst, he quickly stammered, "I-I apologize," and sank back into his seat.

He could feel the weight of everyone's stares, including the intense gaze of Erisa Nocturne.

'Great, just great,' he thought, trying to make himself as small as possible.

/||\

The field trip was scheduled for next week, giving Quill plenty of time to prepare.

Well, as much time as he could get, considering students weren't allowed to leave the academy campus.

Not that there was any real need for that, since everything one could normally need was available on campus.

However, certain artifacts Quill desired couldn't be bought at a random store. Those items were hidden away in places only known to those who had read the novel.

Right now, he was in his room, staring at the blue window floating in front of him.

He had planned to train using the academy's state-of-the-art training facilities, but before he did that, there was something else he needed to address.

'Two new traits, huh?'

The Trait Window was open, displaying only the E Grade traits, while all the others were grayed out.

Unlike last time, when he simply chose based on what he assumed he needed, this time he searched for something specific, and it didn't take long for him to find it.

[Easy Minded]

= Sick and tired of being a blabbermouth? Sick and tired of being under stress all the time? Sick and tired of having your head all over the place? Easy Mind will help you clear your mind and have a level-headed view.

'Again, these descriptions are way too personal,' Quill thought, his brows furrowing.

It was something that bugged him the very first time, but Quill had dismissed it as overthinking.

'It feels like it's reacting to my current situation, giving comments and encouraging me.' 

Just like it did with the previous message in class.

'...Is this thing sentient?' Quill wondered, looking at the blue window. He then punched at it, only for his hand to pass through.

At this point, he hoped the blue window was not sentient because that display was rather embarrassing. He shook his head, trying to push the thought away.

Moving on, he wasn't sure if he wanted to pick another trait now or wait until he needed something specific.

'Maybe this time something more related to fighting...' he concluded.

But before choosing anything, it was smarter to train first, to see what he lacked, and perhaps there would be a trait corresponding to that.