Chapter 11: decisions

The view leads us to the academy a gloomy atmosphere could be felt.

The sky was cloudy as if it was going to rain but it wasn't a sad sky with no rain at all.

Master: What a horrible sky, don't you think so, Devil?

Devil: Tell me, are you really going to let them take the girl away?

Master: It's her family, we can't interfere in family matters, especially when it's the king's family, you know that guy is hard to handle.

Devil: He has at least more sense than you do.

Master: Whatever you say... honestly you know I'm not normally one to allow my beloved students to be taken away, but that girl doesn't seem to object to me getting involved and preventing it against her will.

Devil: She is overcome with fear, anger and frustration, she is one of those who thinks of her family first, rather than herself.

Master: Then you should know that these people are condemning themselves to hell if they do not protest.

Devil: let's be honest, between you and me... what are you waiting for?

Master: *smiles* ... for something interesting to happen.

In shiro's room he was helping zoe to pack up.

Shiro: .. it looks like everything's ready.

Zoe: yes..

Shiro: zoe you really have to go... I mean what happened to the goal of becoming strong?

Zoe: I can become strong at home.. besides it's better for the kingdom.

Shiro: Yes, it is... you are a princess, you should think about the welfare of the kingdom.

Zoe: yes you're right.. but we'll still be friends even if I go back to the kingdom when you visit I can.. guide you and show you around.

Shiro: yes... although at that time... you will be married...

Zoe: well there will be .. a good relationship between the orc kingdom and the semi human kingdom.

Shiro: zoe... are you okay with marrying someone you don't even know?

Zoe: .. it's royalty stuff... there have been political marriages before.

Shiro: right.. but I thought the reason to get married was for love.

Zoe: well love can emerge from the couple over time...

Shiro: yes...

Zoe: you know.. in my family I always felt problematic everyone was helping me and I didn't feel like I was doing anything useful.. i guess I feel like this is a way to.. finally help my family.

Shiro:.. I'll go outside and get some air.. I need to freshen up a little bit.

Zoe: yes I'll stay here, I'll organize what's left...

Shiro would leave the room zoe could hear his footsteps walking away , at that the firm face of happiness.

As if nothing worrisome was happening she would fall to pieces and crying would take her.

Zoe:.... happy... family... I'm an idiot I don't want to leave , I want to stay with my friends , I want to marry the person I fell in love with I... I... I don't want to be separated from you shiro I want to stay together with you fighting ... playing... my heart hurts , it hurts like never before .. I don't want.. please take me out of this nightmare

Crying the regret of those very heavy feelings would come to light , the tears flowed like rain did not stop his nose runny .. and his once bright eyes were dead and soulless.

Keeping a happy image so as not to worry her friends .. but instead she was living a nightmare and a fear.

Zoe: mom... dad... why...

On the outskirts of the academy, Shiro was walking towards the gates.

Devil: hey boy where are you going

Shiro: to go out...

Devil: going out? you don't even pretend you're going to sneak out... you're just going through the door? your friends should have told you no if you want to go out do it as if you're going to escape.

Shiro: I'm going to get some air.

Devil: now that I'm back we'll resume classes and ....

The teacher would stop talking when he saw Shiro's eyes and his hands clenched.

Devil: okay, take a breath

Shiro: thank you...

He would quietly walk out the door and away from the academy.

Devil: ...if you dislike the current situation, just say something...you don't have to swallow all the pain....

He would lower his head and walk away from the place.

3 hours later

Shiro:..

He had been walking for three hours .. in that time he already left the city kept his head down, but it was seen that

He was in a rural area on the outskirts of the city.

Shiro: ha !!! because because because because because because because because because because because because because because because because because because because because because because because because because because because because because because because because because because because because because because because because because because because because because because because because because

I was repeating the same words over and over again shouting loudly until I was out of breath.

All this time he had been holding back his anger, rage and pain.

Shiro: because ..... there can never be anything...

In his mind come memories of his sister's tragedy ....

Shiro: what am I lacking... power... effort... what the hell am I missing... I was watching her being devoured... and I didn't do shit... now the same thing will happen... fuck !!!!

Back at the academy we can see luci , black , lili and red talking.

The atmosphere was serious and they were all really upset.

Black: tch... damn it...

Red: It's no use complaining

Black: I know but we have to do something...

Lili: zoe is our friend... but she hasn't asked for help, she doesn't even show any signs of doing so...

Red: she must be afraid... she can't go against something like this on her own without thinking about the consequences it would bring.

Black: it's just refusing the marriage and refusing to come back.

Red: it's not that easy... refusing a marriage could create a conflict with the orc race, not to mention that... it could generate dangerous friction in the future, they are a race of strength and honor, they value strength above all else, Zoe's refusal could make that noble feel displeased and it could even mean that she degrades or undermines the same race.

Black: But what the hell just for rejecting him?

Red: that's right, it could be an insult and without a doubt there would be conflict, every action has a reaction, each person can interpret a word or action differently, what for some people is I don't like you, for others it's you're disgusting.

Black: damn it... these nobility problems even you and I don't have them!

Red: our parents are kind of nice to let us free to make decisions like that.

Black: I don't want to be used as an object... ...

Red: besides I know that more than one here keeps a facade of a normal student, but I know it's not like that because even shiro saw through me and knows that I'm noble.. and I'll say it once and for all I know that there are more nobles here besides me and black.

His eyes would turn to the girls showing a serious look.

Luci: I have some business to attend to

Lili: I think... she got angry...

Red: she's not mad because of what I said, she's mad because she can't do anything.

Black: Screw it! I'm not going to allow this situation, I'm going to -!

Red: Stop it Black! I know what you're thinking, but remember what Amber said, this is between the orc race and the demi-human race, only the two of them can intervene!

Black: I don't care! We'll let our friend suffer!

Red: Black!

Black: now that red..-

He had stopped talking because he could see the veins on red's arm swelling up and showing his discomfort with the situation.

Devil: You should relax a little bit

Red: uh ? professor devil when he came back

Black: Yeah, we thought you were busy with something.

Devil: I solved it quickly, I ran into Shiro, he's just like you guys (maybe worse).

Black: Professor Zoe is a student of the academy, can't she do something?

Devil: Not if she doesn't say anything, my hands and the director's hands are tied.

Black: If only we could intervene

Devil: Don't talk nonsense if that happened there would be problems.. besides this whole thing is suspicious to me...

Red: anyway...

Devil: more than anything else the indirect invitation

Red: what invitation?

Devil: someone seems to want us to stop this wedding.

When he said that Lili and Black would respond surprised and puzzled but Red would understand that.

Red: I see...

Black: I don't understand why someone would want something like that.

Lili: yeah why go to so much trouble for a wedding

Red: it's not the wedding

Red would get Lili and Black's attention.

Red: whoever it is should have put themselves in a beneficial situation.

Black: What are you talking about?

Red: .. sorry... I'll explain... what if this was all planned if someone hunting zoe would get something favorable for him?

Black: ...but what would be favorable?

Red: that's the part I have yet to find out, I have several theories... the first one is if the guy gets married... zoe is of the royal line, therefore, being her husband.

Lili: he could have the right to the throne and since the wedding is to strengthen the bonds he would not be denied the right to the throne he could be the next king.... ...

Red: but not only that, there could also be something else behind it... I don't think it would be simple just like that if he went to that trouble...

Black: What trouble are you talking about?

Devil: of a war

At Devil's interruption everything would be frozen in their faces.

Red: You think so too, don't you?

Devil: whoever it is... that no race can interfere except for them... it's just that if someone from any race no matter what their status intervenes it gives them the right to start a conflict with that race.

Red: it would automatically start a war

Lili: but the races are at peace ... our goals are to defeat the monsters, beasts and tamers.

Black: exactly who would want to start a senseless bloodbath?

Devil: ... there are people... who do not like peace, there always are, there will be and there will be, and those people are like the cancer of the peaceful world...

Black: so if we attack we fall into his game and if we don't he has zoe and what he's looking for

Devil: now we can't think of friendship when the lives of many are at stake, I don't like this any more than you do but I know zoe's father he loves his daughter and if we intervene and she doesn't tell her true feelings about the wedding he will take our actions as bad and won't hesitate to declare war on some kingdom.. and kill us on the spot.

Devil's words showed sincerity as if he had always known the king.

Later

The time had come zoe was standing at the door she could see almost all of her friends before she left except for shiro and luci who were not there but she didn't bother to ask why.

Amber: let's go now cousin zoe

Zoe: yeah...

She gets into a luxurious car where she would look at her friends' faces for the last time.

Wanting to have seen Shiro one last time...

While her friends watched with helplessness and grief and farewell.

The car began to move and little by little Zoe drove away until she was lost from the sight of her companions.

With Shiro

He was on a public phone talking, he hadn't come back to the academy all night.

Shiro: so that's what's going on, teacher?

It's clearly an invitation to war... that friend of yours is in big trouble.

Shiro: teacher: with my actions I endanger the humans and -

???: stop there... I know what you will say... it is selfish to do something that threatens humanity.

Shiro: Exactly

???: right it's an irresponsible and dangerous act risking everyone's life for selfish desires.

Shiro: ... I'd be an idiot if I did that, wouldn't I...?

???: you sure would be a big idiot.

Shiro: Yeah...

???: but you know something... HUMANS ARE BIG IDIOTS!

Shiro: *smiles* ..

He would hang up the phone and you would see the shadow of a person, it was Luci.

Luci: will you go?

Shiro: after what you said to me I won't back out...

Luci: you know... they will notice your absence.

Shiro: I'm counting on it... see you...

Luci: just wait I am.. there goes the most idiotic human there is.... But also the human who has the most heart in this world.

Elsewhere the mysterious guy who was Shiro's teacher was looking at the phone but the place was so gloomy that only his white hand could be seen holding the phone.

???: it seems that I will have to help my disciple... *smiles* time to ask for a small favor

To be continued...