Chapter 18 - Villain’s Debut

In the living room, Alan's sisters, Jessica and, Tracy, who had returned a couple of days ago were playing with Iris, the fairy that Alan brought from the tower. They were excited when they saw Iris came out of Alan's pouch that day.

Erica was also staring at Iris with her curious eyes. Although fairies were rare and hard to find, they still can be found but what made Erica interested was that Iris was 'born' from Alan.

The girls were already accepted Iris as their daughter ever since they heard her called Alan, papa. At first, they were mad at Alan. How did he suddenly get a daughter? Who was the mother? Only after Iris explained to them how she was born, their anger cooled down.

"I wonder when papa will wake up…it's so boring without him. These humans were gorgeous, but they were annoying." Iris murmured.

Although Iris said it quietly, the girls still could hear it. All of them were excellent combatants, and they could hear it.

"What did you say, Iris? Don't you like playing with mama?" Jessica asked.

"Yeah, don't you like your aunt?" Mary asked while patting Iris's head with her index finger.

"I like you guys because papa likes you guys, but still I miss papa…" Iris said while staring at the door of Alan's room hoping that he would come out.

What happened to Alan?

Alan spent almost a whole week in his room without going out at all. All of his time was spent practicing his crafter skill. He needed to enhance Alice's staff so he must do it seriously. He doesn't want to ruin his sister's magic staff. He said that they could call him only for an emergency. Otherwise, do not disturb him. As for their safety, he did not worry that much as Cerberus was always guarding them when he was not around.

Alan did not attend the class for the whole week. Jessica only told the higher up of the academy that Alan was okay and alive. She did not care about others who were thinking that Alan had died in the tower. As long as she, herself knew that Alan was okay, everything was fine.

On the next day, Alan still did not come out of his room. The girls went to class as usual. They were already used to the rumors about Alan.

Alice did berate someone who said that Alan died because he was weak. She even told them that Alan was still alive, but no one believed her. Until at a point, not only her but all of the girls became like Jessica, who did not care about what people were saying as long as they know the truth themselves.

"It's almost a week. The Snow goddess Alice still being delusional saying that her brother, Alan, is still alive."

"I know right, a name that suddenly disappears from the screen only means either one had left the tower or died in the tower. We did not see him walk out of the tower. That means only one thing, death."

"It's still a pity, though. Alan was the only one who had reached the top floor. He had enormous talent and should be a priceless treasure for the academy, but now, he's gone."

"What if he still is alive, and already walked out from the tower? Why did the bracelet did not give any whereabout?"

"No, he is dead. I'm sure of it. As for the bracelet, it could only be used in the tower. If he is still alive, he would have gone to class already, but now it's been a week."

The students of the academy became more and more sure that Alan had died because all the girls who were always with him, now did not spend time with each other that often anymore in the academy. Now, they looked like how they were before Alan came to the academy, minding their own business.

Jessica became colder like how she used to be, the Snow sisters only hanged out with themselves and do not talk to others, and Tracy always mysteriously disappeared.

What they did not know was that although it's true that the girls were all together because of Alan, and did not hang out often together in the academy, they still do at the villa. They now lived together and always together in the living room every day.

***

"Alan Snow…I guess that's him." said a man with his face hidden by a wooden mask he wears, grinning so much, Alan would think of Joker if he sees this person.

"My King, are you sure?" someone appeared from the shadow asked the masked man.

"Yes, Apart from his now Silver-Red hair, that face, that demeanor, is exactly the same as Alan Snow we knew thousands of years ago." The hooded man said.

"My King, does that mean he's a returner?" the man in the shadow asked.

"Returner? No…No…from what I see, he's more like a reincarnator." The hooded man said.

The man in the shadow widened his eyes. "R-reincarnator? What does Your Excellency mean?"

"You see, we, the returners simply exist again and retain our original identities even after thousands of years we died, not him. Alan Snow reborn with a different identity from his original existence. To make it simple, Alan Snow is not just the Alan Snow we knew long ago. He's more." The masked man smiled.

"I see…" the man in the shadow nodded seriously.

After a moment of silence, the masked man turned to the man in the shadow.

"Now boy, it's time to proceed with the plan. I want you to enroll in the academy." A sinister light came from the eyes of the masked man.

"Yes, My King. May the King prosper!" the man in the shadow said before he vanished like air.

"It's been a while…old friend…" a smile appeared on his shadowed face under his hood. The meaning of the smile? No one knows.

***

In the Snow Villa

"Argh…this crafter thingy drains my energy too much. I wonder how much progress I got already from the training I did." Alan lamented.

"Status…"

......…

Crafter – Elementary

......…

"Still elementary huh?" Alan smiled wryly.

"That's it. It's been days since I talked to the girls. Hope they are okay."

'Hope I'm okay…' Alan thought. The girls must be really mad with him since he did not spend time with them at all.

"I guess I am kinda selfish…all work and no play makes me a dull boy I guess…" Alan shook his head. In his past life, he worked so hard, but in the end, he died. Yes, people admired and look up to him, but, he was alone. No meaning in life, no fun, no love.

'What's the point? I see no difference between me alive or not in the past. Life is simply dead.'

Alan walked outside and saw Iris sleeping pitifully in front of the door. "Papa…" she muttered in her sleep.

"Oh dear, Iris, are you okay?" Alan could not help but felt guilty and warmth in his heart.

'My daughter, huh? Okay then.' He thought.

Iris looked up while rubbing her eyes cutely before she saw Alan. "Papa! Hehehe, I miss you so much!" She flew towards Alan while giggling happily.

"Un. Iris. Did you behave like a good girl?" Alan asked.

"Yes! Iris is a good girl!" Iris happily spoke while her two arms raised upwards above her.

"You did, aren't you? My baby girl is a good girl! Okay, let papa washed then we go see the others okay?"

"Un! Okay!" Iris flew and sat at the edge of the bed while her legs swinging waiting for her father.

Alan quickly took a quick shower and had a light lunch as he missed breakfast. He put Iris in his upper pocket which he upgraded with spatial skill before went towards the academy.

***

At the Academy.

"Hey, Jess! Now, that shithole is dead. We have no more problem being engaged. My family will come to yours this holiday." Shaun smiled.

'I can't wait to have this beautiful girl.' Shaun thought to himself.

"Who's you're calling Jess?" Jess raised her eyebrows thinking whether to smack the guy pestering her or not."

Shaun ignored her and looked at Erica, "Miss, if you don't mind, let's have a date sometime."

Erica ignored him. There's no reason for her to mind anyone around her.

"Are you ignoring me, Miss? You should think again, I'll guarantee that you will like it after you spent some time with me." Shaun smirked while his hand was going to touch Erica's face.

Erica did not look at him at all and before Shaun could touch her, a palm covered his face and tackled his whole body to the ground.

*Bam!

"You're barking like a dog." Alan stood before Shaun who was groaning in pain.

Erica smiled, she knew Alan was coming. In fact, both of them, Jessica and her knew that he was coming.

The students surrounding were shocked to see Alan.

"He's alive!" They thought.

Alan ignored everyone and looked at his two girls. "Are you two okay? Sorry for being a selfish jerk these past few days. This kind of thing will happen once in a while but don't worry, it will only happen if something important needs to be done."

Both of them smiled.

Jessica looked at Alan before she walked towards his ear and said with her sultry voice, "You owe us a lot, Dear."

Alan, although he always acts calmly, never to actually in a situation like this before in his past or present life. So, when this happened it caught him off guard and made him blushed.

The girls' eyes were wide opened. They never saw Alan acted like this. Especially Erica, who knew him way longer than anyone.

"O-okay, I'm sorry. I'll make up for it. Okay?" Alan said while his face had a tint of redness.

The girls looked at each other for a while as if they were talking with their eyes.

'He's so cute you know.' Jessica said with her eyes.

'I know, he's always so cute.' Erica answered with her eyes.

'We both know what to do right?' Jessica asked.

'Of course.' Erica answered

After a while, the girls stared at Alan for a whole minute before each of them took an arm and hugged it.

"Let's go!" They dragged Alan to the class.

What happened just now made into a sensation at Unity Academy. Some of them recorded a video where Alan slammed Shaun to the ground.

"HE LOOKS SO CHARMING" some of the girls squealed with hearts in their eyes.

The trio went to class and met with the sisters.

"Big Brother!" Alan was called by a cute voice. He looked in the voice's direction.

It was Alice, running towards him before threw herself in his arms. Mary was following behind sulking at her brother.

"Alice, Mary how are you guys? I'm sorry that I left you guys alone for days." Alan apologized.

Alice and Mary looked at their brother's guilty face who was sincerely apologizing. How could they stay mad at him? Impossible.

Mary spoke first, "It's okay big brother but make it up with us alright?"

Alice nodded along. "Umu, Umu."

Jessica and Erica were watching the scene behind, also saw Alan's sincerity.

Jessica nodded while whispering to Erica, "That's why no one ever truly mad with Alan even since he was little. It's simply impossible."

Erica nodded before replying. "True." Even when Alan was the ruler of his country, no one ever got a chance to hate or angry at him. He was very charismatic."

Alan was thinking about how to make it up with the girls and suddenly an idea popped out from his mind.

"Say, girls…how about we go out on a date?" He said while looking at the four girls.

The girls were surprised by Alan's suggestion. Never they had the idea of Alan asking them out on a date in their life.

The girls were stunned for a few seconds before Alan pulled them out from their daydreams. "Girls? You don't want?"

'Maybe they don't like going on a date with me? I guess I should-…' but before he can end his thought,

"NO! NO! we love to go out on a date with you!" Jessica spoke loudly. The other girls came out from their dreams and nodded along.

"I would love to go out with big brother!" Alice squealed happily.

"Me too!" Mary joined along.

"I as well." Erica smiled. This is one of her dreams after all.

"Iris too!" Iris flew out of Alan's upper pocket before landing on Alan's shoulder. Except for his group, others don't see her as Alan already made an illusion around her. The spatial skill is really convenient.

Afterward, Alice asked her brother, "Big brother, what were you doing for a week?"

The other girls were also curious.

"Ah, I forgot to tell you guys. From now on, I am also a Crafter! Now I can enhance and upgrade your weapons. Hehe…" Alan made a peace sign.

The girls other than Iris who did not understand what was going on widened their eyes in shock. "C-Crafter?" Jessica dazedly asked.

"Yes, why?" Alan asked.

"Crafter is very rare! Now, big brother also a crafter? This is a piece of shocking news indeed!" Mary said while jumping happily.

"Papa is the best!" Iris who still did not understand what was going on also joined.

Erica smiled. "That's our Alan." It's true, even her, who lived long enough, a crafter is a rare treasure.

Alice only smiled wryly. "Well, I'm tired of being surprised by you big brother! Next week, you'll be a god right?"

*boink

Alan flicked her head. "You're teasing me, aren't you?"

Alice held her head while pouting. "It's your fault being so cool." She muttered while stars appeared shining in her eyes.

All of them laughed happily.