"The school festival is finally upon us!" Lionel yelled out. He smiled ear to ear, like a little kid.
But Julian wasn't. With this many people, he could easily be snatched up and dealt with.
⏤ My main goal is to stay alive. I can't get distracted having too much fun-
"Julian!"
In front of Julian stood the couple, Ian and Cera. They were both holding sticks topped with cotton candy. Julian smiled slowly, in an automated way.
Cera looked a lot different from when Julian first met her. That shy, quiet girl had blossomed into something social, friendly, and all that good stuff. Perhaps, if Ian had never come into the picture, she would have never become what she was.
Julian knew that. But, he couldn't stop this envious feeling in his chest, pounding about.
"It's nice to see you two here. They have cotton candy here?" Julian spoke, maintaining his smile.
"Mhm!" Cera nodded. "Along with that, they've made this new thing. They call it a 'camera'. It can freeze moments in time, for you to hang it on the wall."
⏤ Cameras. What a coincidence. They named it the exact same thing. Maybe I should take one.
Julian was there Eudora and Lionel. They both seemed to know what he was thinking and didn't oppose the idea.
Eudora was the first to agree. "Sure. Capturing my school days and looking back on it in the future sounds nice."
"I need my early years to be captured. For the historians to look back on the youthful years of Lio the Great!" he lifted his fist to the sky.
. . .
. .
.
Julian sat on the right, Eudora sat in the middle, and Leanore sat on the left.
"3...2...1..." The woman behind the camera counted down.
Click!
A blinding flash shot at the faces of those three students.
"Ack!" they yelled in synchronization. Luckily, their movement wasn't caught on camera.
The camerawoman handed them the picture.
"Woah! Is this what I look like to everyone?" Eudora adored the photo taken of her.
. . .
. .
.
Julian sat on the fences, watching the bullriding contest take place. He observed, keenly. But, there was something else on his mind.
⏤ I need to figure this out. Eudora should be the headmaster's main target. But she's been here for a while. Why has he not struck? Fear? Of being caught?
He pressed his thumb to his chin.
⏤ Lionel is out of the picture. He's delusion, and the headmaster likely knows that. He isn't a threat. It's between me and Eudora. Who will he attack?
Lost in thought, he wobbled, slowly falling off the fence. It wasn't until halfway through his descent, did he notice that he was falling.
"A-agh!" he yelled out.
He landed on the back of an unsuspecting student.
"Ah.. I'm so sorry."
"Wait a minute."
They looked at each other for a split second. Julian looked at the light blue-haired elf.
Julian came to a conclusion, scratching his head. "You're... Ivy's friend. Reylana?"
"Right! I'm a little surprised you remembered my name. Despite it being such a short encounter. You're Julian, right?"
"Right."
"You're attending the festival all alone? Isn't that a lonely experience?" she asked.
"... I prefer the solitude."
⏤ I can't tell her the truth. I've realized that there's a small amount of people I can trust in this school.
"Hm. The loner type. I see."
⏤ Is she trying to... analyze me? What's her deal?
The festival was full of different spectacles.
⏤ Ah, it doesn't matter. I need to find Eudora.
. . .
(Eudora)
Fuck.
"Come on. Stop running. You know I'll be able to catch up to you in a second."
His irritating voice rang through my head, bouncing inside of my skull.
I could taste the blood dripping from my nose, down to my lip. There were a lot more, sharp pains I could feel. He precisely cut the points on my leg, effectively immobilizing me.
Beiric Fahno.
This wasn't the work of a regular student.
I took a deep breath, mustering strength to at least stand up.
He held his two daggers, spinning them on his finger.
This was all a game to him.
"Please don't take this seriously. I'm just upholding the requests of the headmaster. You don't hate me, do you?"
He says that, with the cheekiest grin on his face. He was taking pleasure in this.
[Cast: Light Step]
My eyes couldn't possibly follow him. It looked like he was teleporting.
Crsh!
He stepped on my knee. An excruciating, blunt pain came to me. Everything hurt, but the damage to my knee was the worst. I'm sure it was broken.
"Gaah!-"
I yelled out.
My focus was starting to dim.
My vision went blurry, as my eyes started to tear up.
I wasn't crying, I swear.
My knee was starting to feel numb. Just as I was given a few seconds to breathe and collect my thoughts, he sent a fast kick to my chest.
The wind was knocked out of me. Seconds after the strike, I felt a burning sensation. Like, something was about to burst.
It was unbearable.
He plunged his daggers into my shoulders, pinning me onto the tree behind me.
"My artwork is amazing. This is the most beautiful you've ever looked, Eudora."
He smiled.
It hurts. It hurts. It hurts.
It's everywhere. At my shoulders, it's a sharp pain. In my chest, it's a burning pain. In my knee, it's an indescribable pain.
I can't even decipher my thoughts. I don't know what I'm thinking right now.
Ah, maybe I do.
It hurts, but this is the way I'll go out.
I was able to avenge my sister.
I made some new friends.
Well, not really. The only friend I made was Julian. Everyone else hunted me down.
I guess he understood me.
Being different from everyone else.
Not having the proper strength to do things yourself.
I wonder... what he's doing right now. Enjoying the festival?
It won't be long till he finds my corpse.
I could barely see his lips moving. What is he saying?
[Cast: Grand Light Bolt]
Ah. I see. He's gonna put me out of my misery.