The throbbing behind my eyes was a relentless drum, each beat echoing the torment that held me captive. "My head! It hurts so much!" I groaned, the words barely a whisper against the suffocating pain. "When will this agonizing torment finally cease?"
Slowly, reluctantly, my eyelids fluttered open. Above me, an unfamiliar ceiling, rough-hewn stone walls, and a solitary lamp on a nearby table greeted my disoriented gaze. Its light, faint and wavering, seemed to be fighting a losing battle, gradually dimming with each passing second. As the last spark of light flickered and died, plunging the room into deeper shadows, a strange clarity began to pierce through the fog of my pain. My senses, previously dulled, sharpened into focus.
I surveyed the alien room, my mind struggling to grasp the situation, to piece together even the most basic understanding of my surroundings. "W-where am I...?" My breath was heavy, irregular. I felt like experiencing a panic attack
Then– an abrupt, searing jolt! "Ack!" A torrent of memories, sharp and overwhelming, surged into my mind, each one a fresh sting. It hurt, truly deeply, but there was nothing to be done but endure the onslaught
Kael Esfort?Exallia? The kingdom of helfith?
The names tumbled through my consciousness, unknown yet strangely familiar. For what felt like an eternity, I wrestled with this deluge of new information. Hours bled into one another as I fought to make sense of it all.
Finally, a single, startling realization began to settle in– I had been reincarnated. The thought was disorienting, my memories of a previous life frustratingly vague, almost non-existent. But even more perplexing was the immediate acceptance of this bizarre concept.
Why had "reincarnation" been the very first explanation to spring to mind?
"Huh?" I breathed, a new wave of confusion washing over me. "Why... why can't I remember my past life?" This revelation struck me with the force of a physical blow. Why was my mind so blank about everything that came before? Had I lost my memories? Had I stumbled, fallen, and struck my head in some catastrophic accident?
"Forget it," I murmured, the words an attempt to quell the rising tide of panic. It was a futile effort to cling to the familiar when all around me was strange. Better to simply accept the bewildering reality I now found myself in.
According to these newly acquired memories, I was currently in the Kingdom of Helfith. It was a realm nestled precariously close to the borders of the notorious Chaos Realm, a fact that made it less than appealing to most ordinary folk. Yet, it bore another, more aspirational title
"Kingdom of the New Beginnings, huh..."
Its unique geographical position, coupled with an abundance of rich resources, drew countless conjurers and ambitious entrepreneurs
This very proximity to the Chaos Realm also made it an ideal location for numerous academies to establish their institutions– hence its more poetic moniker.
I was, apparently, a student at one of these prestigious academies, having barely secured my spot thanks to a modest inheritance left by my parents before their passing. It wasn't much, but it was just enough to sustain me for a few months.
"So right now, money is the biggest problem..." The harsh reality settled in. "Should I apply for a loan? No, the interest rates here are absurdly high" I recalled snippets about job opportunities as an explorer, but that required graduation from an academy– a distant prospect for now.
"Forget it" I sighed, the weariness of these revelations weighing heavily on me. There was simply too much to process right now
.
.
.
"F*ck– too bright!"
I covered my eye– with my hand held upfront, blocking the sunlight penetrating and seeping through the gaps of my fingers
Reflecting a ray of light straight into my face
Is the previous guy a zombie or something? How can he endure staying in a room holed up just because of depression
having said that, slowly as I dropped my hand and opening my eyes
The buzzling town and busy crowd came into view, the breath of fresh air and the sound of cheers... Speaking off which, shouldn't I go back into the academy before I am expelled now?
With that in mind, I quickly rushed straight into the bathroom and dressed as if my life depends on it– well it kinda is but let's just save the talk for another time
Finishing my routine, I quickly ran downstairs
The sound of loud laughter's became much more apparent.
"Well, well, well—look who's back from their hibernation! Haha!" an old man cackled, his eyes glinting as he spotted Kael
"Hahaha–" with his casual jokes, the tavern erupted in laughter
"Guys stop that, Kael. Don't mind this idiots, they don't mean it that way" The tavern waitress– seeing the situation scolded them much to their hysterical look
"Oouu– I can see Sparks of love in the air!"
"!!" Hearing those words, the waitress eyes grew dim as his face erupted in shame
"You guys..." Sensing the growing tension, the people who laughed gained cold sweats. Some already limping near the taverns door
"Ohh no, run!!"
"Haha..." Kael, sensing the awkward situation laughed in silence
"Ahemm!, have finally made up your mind? Going back into the academy"
"Yes!" Hearing this, the waitress smiled with a mysterious glint
"Then what are you waiting for? Your already late"
"..."
"!! Ahh! I forgot, see ya later. Grace!"
.
.
.
"Haah, haah, haah—" I gulped down air, my gaze fixed on the magnificent academy looming before me. I'd barely managed to slip through the gates just seconds before they clanged shut. But that was the easy part. The real challenge now was figuring out what excuse to give the professor.
It's not that he can't say it, but it's just really absurd
First this guy got his money scammed by a con artist, second he nearly died from an Aberration attack and labelled as useless by his teammates
This got him really depressed and didn't come to the academy for days. And today is the last day, If he still didn't come. He would be expelled regardless of anything
Sigh– this is... really so f*cking annoying. Why is it that I am the one to face this problem?
Then, with the eyes that followed me all the way to the class. I came in and became the sole focus of all attention immediately
...
An awkward silence took the entire room, some cast him a scornfull look, some look annoyed while some remained indifferent
... F*ck, this is a bit awkward
"What are you still standing there for? Take your seat!"
With the professors sound, I came back at my suspense, slowly trotting right into the corner of the class, not bothering the sharp looks they kept shooting at me
But even then, there's still some occasional look of disdain
"Alright! Today's discussion includes Exallia, now can anyone tell me what Exallia is?"
With the professors words, students raised their hands one after another– eyeing through the crowd, the professor spotted Kael. Sitting in the corner, seemingly unaware of the world around him
Seeing this, the professors eye grow dark. Followed by a loud noise that made everyone cover their ears
"Kael Esforth!!!"