In front of the half-wrecked building that acted as the base of class 1-A-1, cadets were arming themselves and getting ready after having their final meal before what would be their final war in this virtual world.
A silver-haired boy walked out of the building, a smile of satisfaction plastered on his face.
He looked at the sight of all the cadets readying themselves as he did a little stretching himself.
He had been stuck inside, doing all the boring stuff like strategy crafting and war meetings for too long. Today, he intends to have a little fun himself too.
After he was done stretching his body, the boy gazed at his surroundings. His deep scarlet eyes, which seemed to have a shine of their own, widened as he found the person he had been looking for.
At a distance, he saw a scary-looking black-haired boy, expressionlessly leaning his back against the wall with his eyes closed.
The sun’s rays filtered through the cloudy sky and illuminated him; it was as if nature itself was shining a spotlight on his figure, giving him the attention worthy of his greatness.
Even though he wasn’t trying to act like it, he was looking really cool, which made Lucas click his tongue.
With a sour mood, he approached the black-haired boy.
“Hey, Quinn,” he said, waving his hand with an amicable smile. “You waiting here alone? No friend or a girlfriend to talk to?”
Quinn kept his eyes closed and completely ignored Lucas’ remarks. He didn’t know what game the fallen noble was trying to play here, but he had no interest in it.
This haughty attitude of his made Lucas click his tongue once again. He really wanted to strangle this guy to death.
“It’s fine, I understand,” Lucas said, trying to show that he didn’t mind being ignored. “I don’t have any friends either. Well, maybe one, but that’s it. Not many people like talking to me even after I’ve proved myself by commanding our troops.”
Quinn turned his gaze to Lucas, his expression filled with malice and irritation as he spat: “You deserve your solitude; I chose to live in it.”
With a cold stare, he closed his eyes again.
“Don’t you dare think we are the same,” he said.
The silence that followed was heavy, punctuated only by the sound of their breathing, as the tension between them grew palpable.
Finally, Quinn broke the silence with a cold whisper, “You’ll never understand what it means to be truly alone.”
Lucas’ eyebrow twitched in irritation but he didn’t say anything immediately. After a brief moment of silence, he took a long breath and began speaking.
“Perhaps you’re correct. I may not fully comprehend the depths of solitude. However, I do know of someone who does. This individual was born and raised in captivity, subjected to experimentation by their own biological father as if he were nothing more than a mere lab rat.
“While still a child, his father dispatched him to the military border of the North, using him as a pawn in his twisted scheme.
“It was there that he encountered a group of orphans who, like him, were unwillingly thrust into this inhospitable environment.
“Though the circumstances were less than ideal, he persevered, utilizing the abilities that his father had forcibly instilled in him in order to survive.
“Despite his resentment towards using these powers, he had little choice but to do so if he wished to escape the confines of his oppressive existence. He wanted to leave everything behind and live a life not filled with war and blood. He desired freedom.
“But as time passed, he became increasingly close to that group of orphans, particularly one young girl who had found a special place in his heart.”
“Stop…”
An uncomfortable expression appeared on Quinn’s face, becoming more profound by the second.
But despite Quinn’s request to stop, Lucas continued to recount his story without pause.
“For that boy, it seemed like that girl was the only person in the world who truly understood him– the real him. Slowly but surely, the boy started developing feelings for her– feelings that went beyond friendship.”
“I said stop….”
“The girl, to his surprise, reciprocated those feelings. He vowed to always protect her. The boy, who had been fighting solely for his own freedom, now had a new objective. He desired to fight for the girl, to shield her and ensure her safety.”
“Stop it! I said stop it!”
“Alas, fate can be merciless. One day, while stationed at their military camp, a powerful vampire attacked. This was no ordinary vampire but a Noble of Night.
The soldiers valiantly fought but were swiftly overcome and perished, leaving the orphans, who were there to clean the equipment, vulnerable and exposed.
𝑵𝑶𝓋𝐞𝗅𝗇𝖾xt.𝗰𝑶𝓂
“Though they tried to resist and struggled to survive, the boy, in particular, fought fiercely to defend his love. He used every spell and technique he had learned, but it proved futile. The vampire was too strong.”
“STOP!! SHUT UP!!”
“In the end, the boy was too powerless to save anyone– his friends lay dead around him. And as the girl he loved breathed her last few breaths in his arms, she weakly said, ‘Bring me back. I will protect you.’ to the boy.
“The boy, with a wrenching heart, brought her back to life using Necromancy. With his love by his side, he fought the vampire and won. He won against a Noble vampire even though he was just a child! It was a feat unheard of until then!
“However, it was too late. The reason for the boy’s life was already gone. The love of his life was dead and only her shadow was left behind.
“He might as well kill himself, he thought. But in the end, he was too weak even to end his pathetic existence. He lived, dreaming of the day when he’ll finally be free from the shackles of this war-filled world. He was the sole survivor of the Istana Camp. Even now, he walks the world alone because the only person who truly understands him is dead—!”
Right when Lucas was about to finish his take, Quinn lost his patience and spun to his side, grabbing the fallen noble by his neck.
“I don’t know who the fuck told you about all this but–”
“Quinn, I know you’re the second traitor,” cutting the black-haired boy, Lucas spoke.
His eyes were empty of any emotions as he continued to speak in a monotonous tone:
“When everyone will be fighting the enemy, you’ll come back here and meet me. If you don’t do as I say, I’ll tell the academy about her.”
Quinn bared his teeth like a dog and yelled from an inch away from Lucas’ face, “You wouldn’t dare!”
“Are you sure?”
Seeing the way Lucas was looking at him with his hollow eyes, a cold chill ran down Quinn’s spine.
He could tell that Lucas wasn’t bluffing. If he doesn’t comply with his request, Lucas really will tell the academy about ‘her.’
‘No, anything but that!’ Quinn thought to himself.
“Oh, and mind letting me go,” Lucas said, shaking the Necromancer out of his thoughts. “You’re making quite the scene.”
Frowning, Quinn looked around him and saw several cadets looking back at them, whispering in a muffled tone.
“Tsk!”
Quinn clicked his tongue and let go of Lucas’ neck, walking away with a face contorted with rage.
As he watched Quinn’s back fading into the distance, a depraved grin formed on Lucas’ face and his eyebrows arched up in excitement.
His previously handsome face turned creepy and he couldn’t help but let out short bursts of erratic chuckles as if he had lost his sanity.