Happenings on the Field Trip [1] - Anonymous Message

Classes A, F, and C were selected as the first group to embark on the field trip, each accompanied by their respective professors, with the notable addition of Erisa Nocturne.

The anticipation in the air was palpable as students gathered, excitement and nervousness mingling in equal measure.

Each class traveled separately, with their own buses that mirrored the antique aesthetic of the car Quill's grandfather had owned, but with a modern twist: a hover mechanism.

The ride was exceptionally smooth, as if gliding through the air without the usual turbulence of a plane, and far more comfortable.

As the bus glided effortlessly, Quill found himself seated next to Ophelia Sunshower, their seats arranged in alphabetical order.

'Man, I wish I could have gotten the window seat...'

But how could he, when he saw the pleading eyes of Ophelia?

She was swinging her feet back and forth, a carefree motion that made Quill wonder how she managed to do that with seats that weren't particularly high.

Ophelia turned and noticed Quill's sad expression. "We can switch places halfway through if you want, Quill."

Startled by her offer and realizing his face had betrayed his thoughts, Quill replied, "No, no, you mustn't. ...I was just remembering someone ...I miss."

Whether he wanted to or not, Ophelia reminded him of his own sister—seemingly carefree, yet elegant and capable.

Obviously, he couldn't just say that; Quill hadn't any siblings.

'…Right? Now that I consider it, why shouldn't he have…?'

Ophelia's voice pulled him out of his thoughts. "Well, I hope you'll be able to see that person soon."

To Quill's surprise, there wasn't any awkwardness with her, unlike with everyone else so far.

He wondered if she was oblivious to Quill's reputation or simply didn't care, or if she was just that kind.

'Well, that would be fitting for her,' he mused.

If there existed a genuinely good person, it would be her. Quill was sure of it.

Quill replied with a small smile, "Yeah, I hope so too."

Ophelia's eyes sparkled with genuine warmth. "You know, Quill, I think it's important to have someone to miss. It means you have people you care about, and they care about you too."

"You're right," Quill said, feeling a strange comfort in her words. "It's just... sometimes it feels like I'm a world away from everyone I care about."

Ophelia nodded sympathetically. "I understand. However, being here, meeting new people, and experiencing new things are all integral parts of the journey. Who knows? Perhaps you will discover something or someone here worth staying for.""

The conversation flowed naturally after that. Ophelia talked about her interests, her love for literature, and her aspirations.

Quill found himself opening up more than he expected, sharing tidbits about his training and the books he used to read.

"Have you read 'The Chronicles of Aravia'?" Ophelia asked, her eyes lighting up.

Quill smiled at the notion of something from his world existing here as well. It seemed there were many such instances, as the author loved to include these subtle nods. "I have. It's one of my favorites. The way the author describes the landscapes and the characters' inner struggles... it's captivating."

Ophelia's excitement was contagious. "Exactly! I love how the characters grow throughout the series. It's like you're growing with them."

The bus ride, which he had initially dreaded, became a pleasant experience.

The hum of the hover engine, the soft murmur of conversations, and Ophelia's cheerful demeanor made the journey feel shorter.

/||\

"Alright everyone, please take your tents and set them up anywhere within our designated area. You have two hours to do this, so make sure to be back here promptly. Anyone who is late will face consequences," 

Professor Mendoza instructed, gesturing to the elegant dark-haired young lady next to him.

"This is a safe zone, so there's no need to worry. However, if anything does happen, seek assistance from me or Erisa Nocturne immediately," Professor Mendoza said, gesturing to the elegant dark-haired young lady beside him.

Quill grabbed his tent and chose a secluded spot, hoping to avoid any potential annoyances.

The tents were high-tech marvels; throw them on the ground, and they set themselves up.

While not as luxurious as the dorm rooms, they had amenities no typical camper would lug around.

But the real purpose of this trip wasn't camping—it was the Reapers.

Once his tent was up, Quill found himself at a loss.

He considered wandering over to the other classes to maybe catch a glimpse of Weiss Licht, a member of Class A, but hesitated.

He could possibly look for the other classes, maybe even see Weiss Licht, as she was a member of Class A, but he hesitated.

'Not like she'd want to talk to me anyway...'

Still, that question she asked—so out of the blue—lingered in his mind.

*Bzzt* *Bzzt*

His scroll buzzed, lighting up.

Even here, students had to bring their scrolls for their multitude of functions—communication, maps, information.

"No name?" Quill muttered.

Usually, the sender's name was displayed, even if they weren't in his contacts, to prevent any misbehavior. 

It was a message, not a call.

He clicked on it, revealing a video with no title or description.

"This feels... ominous... AH WHAT THE F—"

Before he could watch it, someone tapped on his tent door, giving him a heart attack.

Annoyed, Quill yanked open the tent flap. "What?!" he snapped, only to be met with a familiar face.

"O-Ophelia... I apologize. I was just startled and... yeah."

"Oh, don't worry. I apologize if I intruded at an unfitting moment. Someone is asking for you."

"...Someone's asking for me?" Quill repeated, his irritation giving way to confusion.

Before Ophelia could respond, another figure stepped forward, her presence commanding and undeniable.

"E-Erisa... I mean, Lady Erisa... What a pleasant surprise."

Quill performed a formal greeting, tilting his head slightly with his palm on his chest—a gesture familiar from his past life as Elias.

'What does she want from me?'

To his surprise, she mirrored his gesture. "I greet the head," she said firmly, her tone respectful.

'...What now?'

They both straightened, the formalities done.

"I hope I am not an inconvenience, but is it really a good idea to be this secluded, Master Quill?" Erisa asked, her eyes narrowing slightly.

'... What? Master Quill?' Quill's mind whirled, trying to process this new development.

"Uh, no, not at all. I think it suits me better," he replied, trying to keep his voice steady.

"As you wish," Erisa said, her expression softening slightly. "I merely wanted to give my overdue greetings. If there is anything you need, I will be setting up my headquarters nearby." She then turned to Ophelia. "This also goes for you. Please do not hesitate if there are any problems."

Ophelia nodded respectfully, her gaze flickering between Quill and Erisa.

"Well then..." With that, Erisa gave a small nod and left, her presence leaving a lingering tension in the air.

Quill watched her go, his mind a tumult of questions.

He turned back to Ophelia, who was looking at him with concern.

"Everything alright?" she asked, noticing the unsettled expression on Quill's face. She seemed completely unfazed, as if this was all perfectly normal.

"...I—Yes, just need a bit of rest after the ride."

"Oh, I get that. Well, I won't disturb you any longer. See you later."

With that, Ophelia left as well, leaving Quill alone in his tent, back to his swirling thoughts.

/||\

"She greeted me formally, called me 'master,' and offered me personal help... In what kind of hierarchy position are you, Quill?"

'Head...'

"No way. ...Is Quill Nocturne directly related to the Family Head?" Quill muttered to himself.

It was a shock, one that left him reeling. He didn't know yet if it was a pleasant one or not, but it certainly shifted his perspective on his place in this world.

"This changes things quite a bit..." he whispered, feeling the enormity of the situation press down on him.

His status wasn't just a name; it was a position of power, responsibility, and expectation.

But there was something else tugging at the back of his mind—the strange video message he had received.

It felt ominous, a shadow over the already complicated situation.

Quill decided to watch it now.

Maybe it was something important, or one of the teachers accidentally used the wrong number.

But deep down, he knew it was more than that. He could feel it in his gut.

Activating the video, Quill squinted at the small screen.

The image was blurry, the camera shaking erratically as if the person filming was trembling with fear.

The scene revealed a narrow, dimly lit alley.

Three shadowy figures stood over someone lying on the ground.

The poor camera quality made it impossible to identify anyone, adding to the eerie, unsettling atmosphere.

Quill's heart raced as he watched the three figures ruthlessly kick the person on the ground.

The sounds of their blows echoed faintly through the video.

They kicked relentlessly, their movements vicious until they finally stopped.

One of the figures bent down, seemingly checking if their victim was still alive or had anything valuable.

After a brief moment, all three ran away in a rush, their footsteps fading into the darkness of the alley, leaving the person lying there, motionless.

He could follow the movements, though. The three people simultaneously kicked the person on the ground until they stopped.

Suddenly, the camera moved, its focus shifting as it ran towards the person on the ground.

Quill could hear a girl's voice, crying out in despair.

The sound was raw and heart-wrenching, like a knife slicing through the air.

It was the voice of someone very young, filled with a pain too intense for words.

The camera closed in, and Quill saw the victim more clearly.

It was a young boy, his body crumpled on the ground. His facial features were obscured by the poor quality of the video, but his white hair stood out, stark and unmistakable in the dim light.

The girl, her sobs growing louder, reached out to the boy, shaking his limp body.

There was no response.

His lifeless form remained still, the stark reality of his condition hitting Quill like a punch to the gut.

The girl's tears fell onto the boy's still form, glistening as they ran down his body.

Her cries grew more desperate.

' ...Did I just witness a murder?'

The video ended abruptly, leaving Quill in a stunned silence. The gravity of what he had just seen settled heavily on his shoulders.

"What the hell?" he whispered

His mind raced with questions. What was this video? Who were these people? And most importantly, why was he the one receiving it? Who had sent it to him?

Quill still had chills on his arms, the memory of the girl's horrific scream echoing in his mind.

The anguish in her voice was raw and visceral, something that would haunt him for a long time.

"Maybe this was just a terrible joke," he muttered, trying to reassure himself. "Or maybe it was meant for someone else."

But deep down, Quill knew this wasn't a mistake.

It felt too real, too deliberate. It was as if he had unwittingly tapped into something far darker and more dangerous than he could have imagined.

"This was definitely not in the novel," he whispered, shaking his head. 

Right now, he was grateful for the trait [Easy Minded]; otherwise, he would have been paralyzed with fear and confusion.

It gave him the clarity he needed to think through the situation.

"White hair..." he murmured, piecing together the clues.

The boy in the video had white hair, a rarity even in this world. The only person he knew with white hair at the academy was Weiss Licht.

"..."

"No way..."

"Is this her brother?"

The novel had mentioned Weiss's deceased brother, but the identity of the killer was never revealed.

His death was the catalyst for her relentless pursuit of power, driving her to become even more formidable than the protagonist.

"No, it's not like those two are the only people with white hair."

Quill put his scroll away.

He couldn't afford to be distracted now.

He needed to focus on the field trip and the imminent threat of the Reapers.

This mystery would have to wait.

Professor Mendoza had assured them that this area was a safe zone, but Quill knew better.

It would soon be overrun by Reapers.

They had a few days, but he couldn't afford to sit idly by, trying to solve the puzzle of Weiss's dead brother out of sheer curiosity.

If it was important, it would have to wait for later.

Right now, survival was his top priority.