Meeting The Rival

[My thoughts for all the Turkish, Syrian and all the people touched directly or indirectly by this disaster. Be strong!]

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"Ahhhhhh…."

I yawned loudly.

The natural light outside lit my room and made my eyes crease a little.

I looked around me and noticed that I was sleeping on my bed.

Strange.

I was meditating on the ground until late at night and I think I fell asleep on the ground.

[<Mary put you on the bed.>]

"I locked the door though?"

[<Did you forget her ability and that you were contracted with her?>]

Ah.

Yes, it's useless to close the door on her.

Now, she seemed to rest in her dimension.

I got off my bed and my whole body started to ache.

I had a hard day yesterday after all.

I stretched my limbs for a few minutes before taking a bath. After brushing my teeth, I ironed my uniform and put it on. Fixing my clothes except the tie that I would never know how to put it, I left my room.

It was 10AM and I was late again.

Honestly, I was too tired to run, so I just walked.

[<Your friends knocked on your door by the way but you were asleep.>]

"Ah, yeah."

I just nodded.

They must have left at once, understanding that they would be late if they waited for me.

I can't blame them would not complain anyway.

Today was an important day.

First we have a History class with our promotion, then another class which will be quite interesting…

When we have class in promotion, we are all in the biggest auditorium of the first year building. It was at the center of the building and quite catching. Honestly, you couldn't not notice that.

Sigh…

As expected, I was the only one late.

I was walking lonely in the corridor.

"Hey!"

…or so I thought.

I turned around and my eyes twitched a little.

He was a freshman like me but wasn't in my [Basilisk Class].

He was in the [Pegasus Class].

How did I know that?

Because he was a support character in the First Game.

With brown hair and blue lively eyes, it was Tyler Sawyer.

He was none other than the [Rival] of Jayden and his best friend.

Like Jayden, Tyler was also a commoner and they would get along thanks to that.

Jayden, Tyler and Milleia were all commoners and were extremely popular with all the commoners of the Eden Academy.

The reason for that was because they were sought and directly contacted by the Academy. It meant that an expert of the academy, who was a noble, traveled to lost towns just to test them. Experts would only move for talented commoners and the three of them were the only first years who had the privilege to not have to write the admission test.

Like Milleia, they were tested in their own town and were obviously accepted.

Moreover, they were also handsome and beautiful enough to rival the high-ranking nobles, so they were not different than the idols for the commoners like Alfred, John, Aurora or Layla were for the nobles.

Headache incoming.

I turned back and tried to ignore him.

"Hey! Dude! You are also late?!"

"Why are you shouting?"

I covered my ear and threw him a glare.

He was just like in the game, shouting and jumping around.

He was a little like the protagonist of the second game…

"Ah! Sorry man, I was just glad I'm not the only one late."

Tyler grinned.

Was he really sorry?

"I'm noble, behave yourself."

"Come on man, we are fellow classmates!"

"You are not in my class, so no."

"Hey! You are friends with Jayden, right?!"

A vein popped out on my forehead when he shouted again.

I still can't understand his enthusiasm when it comes to Jayden.

Was he feeling some sort of rivalry since they were both astounding commoners? He was acting like that with Milleia as well, but with Jayden he was like a muscle-brain. No, my bad, he is a muscle brain even now.

"Come on man! I know you are besties."

Yeah!

I'm bestie with a guy I have known for less than a day!

"Jayden is MY rival!"

He doesn't even know you!

"But since you are his best friend, you are consequently my rival as well!"

What kind of fucked up logic is that?

The more I hear him the more I have the impression of losing my neurons, so I quickened my pace.

"Hey! Wait for me!"

No way in hell.

-Creak!

I turned the knob and opened the white door.

Damn it.

Every gaze was on me.

I hated that feeling.

"Hm. Mister Edward and Mister Tyler, you are late."

The man standing on the podium with a mike in his hand was Erwin Kornus, the Homeroom teacher of the First Year, [Pegasus Class]. You call him MonaSimp as well, since he has been in love with my homeroom teacher for years now.

With his brown hair, blue eyes and thick glasses, he looked average, but he could have a chance if he changed his style, maybe. Well, I don't think professor Mona is interested in the look of someone in the first place.

"Pardon my late, Professor Mona needed my help."

I threw an excuse similar to the one I used with professor Mona.

"Professor Almona?!"

Erwind became restless at the mention of the woman of his dreams.

Giggles rang in every corner of the auditorium at Erwin's reaction.

If the first years weren't aware of Erwin's feelings towards Mona until now, then not anymore.

"Ahum! I understand. You may take your seat. It's good to help your teacher, Edward."

"I know, don't hesitate to call me if you have any problems, professor."

I smiled back.

[<Don't you have any shame?>]

'Nah.'

"You as well, Mister Tyler."

"Than-"

"No, Tyler didn't help, he is just late. He probably woke up late."

Before a smile could form on Tyler's face, I spoke.

"..."

"Mister Tyler, you are one of my personal students and I can't condone being late on the first day of class. As the rules of the Eden Academy oblige, you will be removed from ten points."

"N-No I-"

"Take your seat."

The classes were ranked with Class Points, which were calculated from all the people's personal points they would earn from exams or classes from the professor, so the fact that Tyler lost ten points was going to impact his whole class, so the [Pegasus Class]. Indeed, I could already see a lot of his classmates glaring at him.

But why Erwin, who was the Homeroom Teacher of the [Pegasus Class] would do something that would disadvantage his class, you'd ask.

It was simple.

All the teachers were formed strictly. They were also assessed by other great teachers of the academy. They would have to make a report of their class, their decision and the reason behind this. The teachers could even earn access to more facilities for their class, which would help their students a lot in their progress if they, as teachers, showed a good example.

Yeah, in the end, being strict with their students was the best thing to get their class at first rank.

Of course, the students weren't aware of that and the teachers were strictly prohibited from revealing anything to them. The students could only complain about the harshness of their teacher. The diligent ones, on the contrary, just thought that the teachers were excellent because of their impartiality.

"Yes…"

Tyler slumped his shoulders and walked.

I laughed inwardly.

[<You're right. No one would want to be friends with you.>]

Shaddap.

It was for my own good as well.

'The more points the other classes lose, the better my class's rank will be and, as a result, I will get the privileges and get stronger.'

[<Oh? You had a reason? I thought you were just a petty man.>]

'I'd have done the same without that. He nearly destroyed my eardrums after all.'

[<You are exaggerating!>]

"Pshhh!"

As I climbed the stairs with a big grin hidden behind my impassive face, I heard whispers.

I turned to my right and saw to the far right row, Jayden beckoning me.

With him was Milleia and Lyra.

I smiled and waved at him.

He smiled back at me and waved back, while pointing at the seat he kindly reserved for me.

What a nice guy…

I widened my smile and ignored him, looking for a place alone in the last rows on the far left.

I didn't feel bad for Jayden, who froze awkwardly when I ignored him.

Why?

Because they were seated right behind the three idiots!

Namely, Alfred, Loid and Thomas.

They were well hidden with all the students flocking around them, on every seat and I would have sat there if I had not looked properly.

How did it end up like that?!

Must be Lyra.

That girl, I know her.

She probably wanted me to sit with the three idiots to quench her thirst for actions. Because yeah! I will never be able to hold back my words with the three idiots right before me!

You can't outsmart me, Lyra, I am at a way higher level.

I climbed to the highest row and took a seat.

No one was in my row.

"I will not sit with you, Edward."

Tyler climbed behind him and threw me a glare for what I had done earlier.

"I thought of you as my best friend."

Not me though.

"Too bad for you."

I don't freaking care, muscle brain!

Now leave!

Tyler was visibly affected by what happened, but I wished he would take a seat before blabbering, since we were taking too much attention for nothing.

He shook his head and took the seat next to Jayden which was reserved for me.

Jayden and Tyler, who were both 'betrayed' by me, were silent.

It was too embarrassing to look at them so I averted my face.