Last time on "I Transmigrated as the Male Lead of a Transmigration Novel", I-- Emily Swanson-- have only just been getting used to my new body. After a few twists and turns I realize that if I have to live as Everette LaVonche, I have to leave the Historia Empire. There's no way I can flirt with girls. Or pursue them. I'll leave that to the remaining six male leads. What I want to know is why there are so many to begin with? I was planning on leaving the manor soon, little did I know, that I wouldn't have to...
...I now sit here with several other children in the back of a covered wagon. There are seven of us. One has fiery red hair and golden eyes and a snaggle tooth. Another has light blond hair that comes down to his shoulder blades and green eyes, a mature air hanging about him. There's a scary eyed kid with blue hair and deep brown eyes. A detached looking kid with green hair and golden eyes with a red ribbon tying his hair back. There's a kid with orange hair that is still sleeping... somehow. Lastly there is a kid with long silver hair and red eyes who looks scary as all get out. The wagon shakes as it rolls along and slowly shudders, creaking as it comes to a stuttering stop. I whimpered.
"Is this the part where we all die?" I squeeze my eyes shut.
"Don't be stupid." I open one eye and remember that there are other kids here. The blue hair kid just called me stupid. My cheeks puff out in annoyance.
"We're the heirs of dukedoms and other prominent families. We're more valuable alive." The mature one translates for me. I nod awkwardly. Now that I think about it, I guess being the son of a duke might be kind of important.
"So they're going to ransom us?"
"Or use us as high class sacrifices." The silver haired one states.
"What?" I squeak.
"Don't worry so much, Ever." I flinch, turning around to look at the kid with the snaggle tooth.
"Um, how do you know my name?"
"How could I not? We've been friends for years." I gaped at him. Who the hell are these kids?! "Wait. Do you not remember me? Victor. Victor Viaunte." My soul left my body at the realization.
"I don't remember."
"Seriously?!"
"Would you two be quiet someone is coming!" blue hair whisper-hissed. No, wait that meant--! Blue hair, the Northern duke, Eliza Fraunz, male lead number three. He's the tsundare of the group! Okay, so we a kid with green hair, I guess that'd be the son of the Eastern Dukedom Leo Sientte. He is the most playful of everyone. The kid who is currently snoozing with the orange hair would be the southern duke son Bernard Nezerontes. The mature kid has got to be Collen Nermandes, the next pope. My eyes settle on the boy with long silver hair and red eyes. Then, who the heck is this kid?
"It'll be fine, Ever." Collen patted my head. I blushed and nodded. Suddenly, the footsteps stopped and a man in black threw open the fabric to the wagon.
"Get out." Everyone easily jumped down from the wagon, leaving me gaping. The hell though, why is Everette already in trouble?! "Didn't you hear me? Get out of the wagon, you little brat." Rough hands grabbed me by the back of my night shirt and flung me out of the wagon. I hit the back of the kid with silver hair. He grunted and looked down at me like I was an insect. I flinched and tried to hide behind Collen. Unfortunately, the horrible man had jumped down from the wagon. I hid behind the silver haired kid, peaking out from behind him. We were led into a cave and began to descend down the stairs into the earth. I swallowed hard, whimpering.
"Why do you keep leaning into me?" a cold voice asked me.
"Cuz I'm scared."
"So? Go hang onto one of the other kids." He tried to pull away, but I grabbed onto him. He gave me an annoyed look. I whimpered and looked up at the silver haired kid with tears in my eyes,
"Please, don't leave me." I begged. He sighed and refused to look at me anymore, but allowed me to continue to hold onto him. We were all led into a smaller cavern, and were chained to the walls before we were left on our own. I huddled up against the wall.
"It's going to be fine, Ever." Victor promised me. Eliza scoffed.
"I seriously don't remember you being such a wuss." he glared at me. I looked down and shrunk.
"S-sorry." I murmured. Eliza looked as if he had been stricken.
"The-- the hell are you apologizing for?" he screeched. I flinched, confused at what he wanted from me. The rest of the boys looked just as surprised.
"I think this is the first time you two haven't butt heads... and Ever apologized first." Victor said. Bernard yawned and tilted his head.
"Weird." he said. I responded with a head tilt of my own,
"Am I really that different?"
"I'd say so." Victor nodded. I looked around, it was weird in here. It was like any stereotypical cavern the ceiling decorated with stalagmites, the floor had towering spikes, hollow and empty. There was no doubt about it, this was a cave. Still, there was something odd about it.
"It's like the cave is dead." I muttered to myself. Eliza scoffed, rolling his eyes.
"No duh, genius. Rocks and caves aren't alive to begin with."
"No! I mean, yes, but still there is a feeling of life." I paused, trying to find my words, "I haven't seen any bugs or rodents or bats. There aren't sounds of life here, it's completely silent." I looked up to find the silver haired boy staring at me and flinched, quickly looking away. I still can't deal with boys.
"Well, minus us of course!" Leo laughed. None of the rest of us did.
"Right, besides us there isn't much sounds." Victor nodded his head. Collen looked around, clearly uncomfortable.
"Yes..."
"There also has been this weird feeling, like we're being pulled somewhere, maybe?" I continued. The air around us seemed to beacon us further into the endless caverns. I looked towards the exit to our own little pocket, more than a little creeped out. "In short, I don't like it in here."
"Because the rest of us like it in here just fine." Eliza rolled his eyes. I wilted.
"Sorry... I didn't mean to--"
"You can feel something pulling us?" The silver haired boy asked, startling me.
"Yes? I mean, can't you guys? It's kinda like someone is pulling me into the cave." I flinched, "You don't think there's ghosts in here do you?"
"Maybe." Bernard shrugged, yawning again.
"But it is certainly uncomfortable in here." Collen nodded. I sighed in relief that I wasn't the only one. "Still... Ever, have you ever thought about joining the temple?"
"No." My response was quick. Collen looked shocked at my quick refusal. I continued oblivious, "I plan on leaving to go on a journey. I'll learn how to be a merchant or something. Travel the world. Or maybe a pirate? It'd be kinda fun. Or maybe I could be a mage! I mean, magic is kinda cool!" I paused, noticing the silver boy was staring at me in shock, I shrunk, "Or not... I mean, I'm a pretty bad screw up, being a mage would probably be a really bad idea." I chuckled nervously, and leaned back into the cave, staring at the ceiling I thought out loud, "It's kinda hard to watch my parents, I mean, not knowing them and being so different from 'Everette' and all. I just want to run away from that."
"Ever, did you loose your memory?" Victor brought me out of my thoughts. I flinched, forgetting I was surrounded by witnesses.
"Um... maybe?" I refused to look at them again. Slowly I curled up and faced the wall, "I'm going to go to sleep. Cuz we don't know if we're going to need all our energy and who knows? This could all just be a dream." Bernard did the same, yawning as he did.
"Great idea. Sleep sounds... great..."