Flying ship (Selene) Part 1

"Come on Ella, you can see them again when we have a break in summer."

"Still, I can't imagine leaving them for more than a week.. What'll happen if they forget about me? Orange, especially, is forgetful. I remember that one time when I was gone for a month and....."

Selene watched one of her friends comforting the other for leaving pet dog behind for more than a month.

This is the first time I've seen Ella so distressed about something.

"My cat can't even remember me unless I bring it food so it's not that bad. Plus he was a puppy back then, he'll definitely have a better memory than he had before"

Ella, who was discouraged and sullen a few moments ago, nodded at Matilda's gentle words with a relieved expression on her face.

"Yeah, maybe you're right Matilda, maybe I'm just exaggerating. Orange would definitely remember me. He's a smart boy after all."

Selene and Violet, the two spectators simply smiled after resolving Ella's worries.

It had been an hour since they departed from the Capital of Vitoten and Selene and her friend group decided to relax in the lounge after checking out their designated room in the ship

Selene was the one who called all three of them and discovered a crying Ella who was saddened with the parting with her dog.

They headed to the lounge as Matilda comforted Ella.

Now they wanted to pass the time and simply relax before the main event, The Academy entrance exams.

Though there wasn't much to talk about, all three were simply drinking tea and eating snacks leisurely, ignoring many of the interested observers who were also in the lounge.

Oh this isn't bad. I'll ask one of the crewmates later where they bought these.

Selene crunched on the packaged muffin she just ate and grabbed another as her stomach craved for more.

Selene*'s mind then floats over to the events that were going to take place in the entrance exam.

Worse comes to worse a demon stronger than Stoma would appear and terrorise the entrance exams, which would be a bigger pain to deal with. Or the best thing that could happen is that the exams would naturally flow and finish unlike in the game where hundreds of examinees die in the game.

Selene and Theo were prepared to do everything in their power to prevent occurance of any casualties from happening and they knew the timing of when it'll actually occur as well, so if they plan it right and disrupt the demon before it could appear, Selene and Theo were positive that they could deal with it without anyone knowing what happened.

Theo and Selene already know that there were demonic spies lurking inside the academy, from students to the staff. It was easier to just use their authority and try and subdue all the demons, but it could throw everything into chaos and could potentially lead to more harm than good if all the demon conspirersers started popping up taking hostages or relentless massacres when discovered.

Theo proposed that it was better to slowly thin them out, increasing the possibility of controlling the situation and preventing all the events in the game from exploding out of proportion.

It was also better if their intentions were more subtle and planned to prevent the demons from prioritising their elimination when they haven't even grown enough to defend themselves.

Just thinking about it made Selene's headache, so she took another big bite of her 5th muffin.

Her train of thought was then disrupted by Matilda commenting something about Selene.

"Sigh, I wish I could eat as much as you, Selene... For some reason everytime I eat as much as you, I gain helluva a lot of weight and it takes a couple of days of hard working training just to shave all of it off. I always have to look after my figure and mindful of my weight, because mother is also always hounds me whenever I get a kilogram or two heavier"

Matilda had both of her arms sprawled on the table as she whined about her mother for a couple hundredth time.

Ella and Violet nodded both in unison at Matilda's comment and gazed at Selene with immense amount of envy.

"Yes, Yes. I'm so jealous of you, Selene. Every single proportionate you have is the definition of perfect. Slim but not bony, you only need extremely light makeup to look good, you basically look beautiful in everything you wear, and you're stronger than any of us as well."

Violet affirmatively nodded at Ella's honest comment.

"Indeed, I absolutely love how everything you do seems so natural and cute despite being crude and boyish all the time. I haven't seen you slouch or do wrong in your mannerism at all be it in public or in private. Obviously unless you get flustered but that's besides the point. How can someone be such a perfect entity like yourself"

Selene hearing all the compliments from her friends forced her to focus her gaze on the ground, unable to face her friends as she clutched the hem of her skirt in embarrassment.

Selene loved that her friends were increasingly honest about their feelings and not shy away in their envy of her, which she really liked.

She finally had friends who honestly speak their thoughts and not gloss over everything with hidden meanings and complicated hints like a lot of girls do from her experience.

BUT!!!

Isn't this too honest and detailed? Are they trying to murder me with words? Make me blow up in embarrassment because of their sheer envy of me!?

All of her friends simply smiled and chuckled seeing the embarrassed figure of their cherished friend.

"Sigh, It always feels great seeing an embarrassed Selene. It's only right when you're too beautiful" Matilda commented with her arms crossed, nodding approvingly of Selene's reaction.

"It is something she must endure, because of her immense unrivalled beauty. The fate of a goddess in human flesh" said Ella copying Matilda's gesture.

"Both of you are wholly right. You are, after all, One of the most if not the most beautiful princess of Alethea." And Violet naturally followed after the other two as she spoke and complemented Selene with pride.

Selene started to tremble, unable to resist the embarrassment she was facing.

With the last of her will that was not focused on melting and fainting on the spot from embarrassment, she spoke.

"You... guys... Are also.... Beautiful.... so shut up....."

Selene muttered, trying her best to retaliate at the trio who bullied and showered her with compliments.

Sadly for Selene, her retaliation only flamed her friend's motivations and made them smile ear to ear.

"And a great personality as well! Oh how the world is unfair for mortal beings like us!" Matilda pronounced exaggeratingly with her arm outstretched and her other on her chest.

Ella nodded rapidly at her proclamation.

Violet joined and mimicked Matilda and spoke in a similar sounding tone.

"How can the gods be so unfair! to bestow such beauty and kindness in the mortal plain! How can us mortals even compare!"

Crack!*

"""Ah...."""

A part of the wooden table broke from Selene's grip.

"... Looks like I have three spar partners for today's training.... How lucky for me. My chances of ranking higher in the exams will now increase thankfully to you three"

Selene stood up from her seat and an undoubtedly deadly aura radiated from her.

The trio trembled in fear, their eyes unfocused and their dark memories that were buried was unearthed once more.

"Um, S-Selene, we didn't mean any harm! Please calm down" Matilda shouted as she knelt on the ground begging for forgiveness

"Y-yeah! W-we only meant to poke fun and make the atmosphere more lively! Yes! to lessen the nerves for the upcoming exams!" Ella said hastily as she stood up as she took a step back from Selene.

"I-Indeed! And it's not like we meant any har-!"

GRAB!*

"S-S-S-Selene! P-please let go of your dear friend! Please not again!" Violet begged as she tried to escaped from Selene's clutches

"Run! Go Ell-!"

"NOOOO!"

Before Matilda and Ella could run, Selene casted shadow hands, that Astute tier individuals would have a hard time escaping it's grasp, to grab the duo, capturing them, crushing any kind of hope of escape that was held within their hearts

All the spectators saw in horror as three of their fellow companions got dragged off by the imperial princess to the training hall with no power or status to save the victims from the suffering they could only imagine would go through