An Other Worlders (6)

"Vallen!"

I was jolted from my thoughts as the sudden call of my name pierced the classroom. Slowly, I turned my head toward the source of the voice, managing a forced smile in response.

"Erm, yeah?" I replied, affirming her guess.

Before I could say more, our professor intervened, addressing Alicia with a request. "Miss Alicia, could you please take your seat? We're about to begin our class."

A look of realization crossed Alicia's face as she glanced around the classroom. Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she promptly returned to her seat.

Professor Cossette continued with her introduction, and soon she delved into the topic of magic and its elements. I listened attentively, thankful for the return to normalcy.

During the lecture, I couldn't help but feel the weight of Alicia's gaze on me. It was unusual and slightly uncomfortable. To distract myself, I lightly tapped my index finger on the table and shifted in my chair.

As the class progressed, I found myself gazing out the window at the serene sight of birds soaring through the sky. A sigh escaped my lips, and I turned my attention back to Professor Cossette, who had just finished her explanation.

She addressed the class, asking a simple question, "So, did everyone understand the explanation?"

In the midst of a relaxed moment, I felt a sudden poke on my right side, which caused me to yelp in surprise. Startled, I stood up and quickly turned my head to the side. There, I saw Alicia, who was trying to pretend as if nothing had happened. Her chin rested in her hand while her arm leaned on the table.

With no one else around us, it was clear that she was the one who had poked me. I couldn't quite figure out whether she was frustrated that I ignored her earlier or if it was all part of some complex game.

...Women were certainly complicated.

"Mr. Sephtis, do you have any questions, perhaps?" our professor inquired.

"Uh... no, I don't," I replied quickly, a bit flustered. As my name was called, I sat back down and focused my attention on the table. I'll get back to her somehow... I swore to my heart deeply.

The day flew by, and the remaining classes were filled with basic introductory material. It was only the first day, so such trivial information was expected. The real challenge would likely begin tomorrow. Regretting my initial panic about waking up late was futile at this point; the best course of action was to move forward.

As I navigated the bustling hallway, I noticed the girl I had encountered earlier. This time, she was struggling to carry a towering stack of papers almost half her height. It tugged at my conscience to see her in distress, prompting me to approach and offer assistance. I knew it might not be proper to intervene without permission, but her struggle was hard to ignore.

"Th—Thank you?" She responded hesitantly, as if unsure about my intentions.

Balancing the stack of papers was challenging, and I turned my head slightly to address her. "Where should I put these?"

She seemed to realize the oversight in her initial response and replied, "To the assigned room of the Science Club, perhaps."

"I mean, where is it?" I asked for clarification.

Without a word, she started leading me through the crowd of students. I followed closely until we reached our destination. She used her free hand to open the door and gestured for me to enter the room.

As I entered the Science Club room, it was quite different from what I expected. It was more organized and filled with various equipment, materials, and charts. The atmosphere felt studious and industrious and yet... There was not a single student here.

Er... Was she the only member?

I followed the girl deeper into the room until we reached a table cluttered with papers and lab equipment. She gently placed her portion of the stack there.

"Thank you for helping me," she said, offering a sincere smile. "I'm still new here, and I was afraid I'd drop everything, perhaps."

I gave a nod in response, my attention wandering through the papers that was on the wall... What's with that drawing? A portal? "You're welcome. Is there anything else you need assistance with?"

She pondered for a moment and then smiled. "Actually, if you're interested in science, I could always use an extra pair of hands. Welcome to the Science Club, perhaps," she said nonchalantly. "I'm Aerial, by the way."

"Vallen," I introduced myself.

Aerial seemed curious and continued the conversation. "Are you interested in science, perhaps?"

I hesitated for a moment, considering how to respond. It wasn't that I disliked science, but it wasn't my primary interest. However, I didn't want to make things awkward, so I answered, "Yeah, science is cool."

She closed her eyes at my response. "I see... I'm always looking for new members. If you're interested, I hope you can join me in my experiments and activities... That is if you didn't join any club, perhaps?"

Yep, she's the only member.... Anyways, the idea of joining the Science Club had never crossed my mind, but now that the opportunity presented itself, I thought, Why not?

"Sure, I'll check it out," I said with a smile.

Aerial seemed genuinely pleased, and she started explaining the club's upcoming projects and activities. As she talked about the various topics she had planned, I found myself getting more interested.

I've always been wasting my time following Alicia around in attempt to apologize... Maybe this was a good opportunity for me to move on and get involved in something new and interesting at this school.

As we walked together, she explained some of the activities she often did in the club. "I work on a variety of experiments, and research projects. It's all about exploring the wonders of the world around me and pushing the boundaries of knowledge, perhaps."

I nodded, genuinely fascinated. "It sounds amazing." This girl is quite talkative when it comes to the topic Science, huh... Still, why does she keep on saying "perhaps" at the end of her sentence? Is she addicted to that word?

After our brief conversation in the Science Club room, Aerial and I decided to leave the campus and head into the city. I wanted to explore the town a bit, and Aerial had some errands to run.

As we walked side by side through the bustling streets, Aerial decided to ask me a question that had been on my mind. "Vallen, you seem pretty knowledgeable about the school and this town, perhaps. How long have you been a student here?"

I looked thoughtful for a moment. "I've been a student at this school for years now."

"Oh, what made you choose this school? Is it because you want to become a Guardian, perhaps?" She inquired, genuinely interested.

I hesitantly explained, "Not much of a reason... It's just that my home is not far from here. How about you?"

"Ah... I got here a year ago." Wait, a year ago? I've never seen you once...

We continued walking, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of comfort and camaraderie in Aerial's presence. She was friendly, knowledgeable, and passionate about her interests. At first, I thought of her as an, weird, aloof, introverted transfer student who's main focus is science, but I guess that's not the case...

As we strolled through the lively city streets, I decided to treat Aerial to some snacks from the bustling stands. The aroma of street food filled the air as we indulged in our treats.

While enjoying our snacks, a thought crossed my mind, and I couldn't resist asking, "Aerial, I noticed something earlier. There were papers hanging on the wall. What was that about? Are you working on something interesting?"

The drawing from earlier was well designed. Since the explaination or something that was written on it was long, I didn't bother reading every part except a glance. Yet, it did caught my curiosity.

Aerial's cheerful demeanor suddenly shifted, and she came to a halt, her expression shifting to one of mild panic. "Ah.... I forgot.... Damn it!"

Her response left me puzzled. "Aerial...?" I began to reach out to her, but before I could make contact, she swiftly turned and sprinted back in the direction we had come from.

"Aerial!" I called out in surprise and concern, my instincts propelling me to follow her without hesitation. Weaving through the busy streets, I chased after her, determined to find out what had prompted her sudden change of mood.

***

As Vallen raced toward the Science Club room, he was met with a series of frantic shouts from Aerial. Her cries for him to stay back only fueled his determination. He could hear the sound of something breaking inside, making him quicken his pace even more.

"Aerial!"

He called out her name as he kicked open the door, prepared for anything, but what he saw was beyond his imagination.

Before him, a mysterious circular machine, previously hidden, now emitted an eerie bluish glow. The room held a tall, otherworldly figure with pale white skin, mismatched eyes – one brown, the other gray – and long, jet-black hair. The man was adorned in formal clothing reminiscent of a medieval noble.

"Who are... Aerial!!?"

But his words fell silent, drowned out by the shocking sight. The strange man had Aerial by the neck, his grip unyielding. She fought to breathe, struggling to mouth the words "Get... out."

Vallen was momentarily paralyzed, his heart pounding in his chest. The world seemed to come to a halt. Everything except him and the man faded into an eerie grayscale.

"I..."

Vallen's mind screamed for him to escape, to flee from this terrifying scene, and he turned abruptly to make a hasty retreat.

However, something was amiss. He could feel heat, an intense, unbearable heat, coursing through his body. Every step he took drained his strength, leaving his legs trembling.

"Ah..."

Desperation welled up within him as he tried to understand the source of this sudden weakness. His legs betrayed him, and he stumbled.

"It's hot..."

His vision blurred, and each step became a heavy, labored effort.

By the time he realized it...

"...I'm bleeding?"

It was too late.

His strength waned further, and the room began to spin. Panic engulfed him as he staggered, unable to maintain his balance.

As Vallen observed the blood flowing from the gaping wound in his chest, his frantic escape came to an abrupt halt. His trembling hand touched the warm, crimson liquid.

"Am I going to die...?" he whispered to himself, panic welling up within him.

Suddenly, a loud thud echoed behind him. He turned his head to find the man standing there, unmoved. The fear coursed through Vallen's veins as he locked eyes with the enigmatic figure.

The man mumbled something unintelligible, and then, without warning, his right arm radiated with an intense, blinding light, revealing a crest that resembled a unique symbol composed of particles.

And in a swift motion, the man aimed his glowing arm toward Vallen.

[Change Property: Blood to Ice]

Vallen's voice was cut off abruptly as a deafening, piercing scream tore from his lips.

Shriieek—!!