Exodia 173: Black Flame Dragon

It was now the 1st of May and I still hadn't fully recovered, despite being in the nurse's office for a week and a bit.

Surprisingly, my left eye still hadn't healed. I'm currently wearing an eyepatch, but Ayaka said that it will heal with time. I'm not going to be one of those edgy characters in novels with only a single eye.

Though, honestly... I look kind of cool. I'll have to show this to Anastasia and Akane when I see them and I'll need them to rate me out of 100.

·———·

I entered the classroom during homeroom. All eyes turned to me and then voices boomed.

"Shoya!"

"You're back!"

"I heard you got mashed up real good!"

"What's up with that eyepatch?!"

"You look so cool!"

Ah, here we are.

"Everyone, back in your seats!"

Ai-nee shouted.

As soon as she did, everyone, who was crowding me, rushed back into their seats. It was strange though. I saw no Anastasia. She's always in.

"So, what's your excuse and what's with that eyepatch?"

Ai-nee approached me with a stern expression.

"Excuse for what?"

"For being late to class."

"Well, Ayaka did her checkup on me only 5 minutes ago."

"The eyepatch?"

"It's a bloody mess, if you want to see it then—"

"No, I'd rather not."

Ai-nee replied, turning away and gagging in disgust.

I'm happy that she didn't want to take a look at it. It IS a bloody mess.

"Get to your seat."

I nodded and went to my seat. Kana smiled at me as I sat down. Come to think of it, I hadn't seen her ever since she told me to call her by her first name back when I met Aden-Lada in Altria.

"Are you okay? That looks bad."

She looked slightly red as she whispered.

"Yeah, I am. It's just something ugly that I need to cover up."

I looked back at where Anastasia's seat was. It was empty, and the Athenblade twins were sitting on each side of the seat as if guarding it.

Calira saw my stare and averted her eyes as soon as our eyes met.

What's that about?

She looks troubled.

"Say, where's Anastasia?"

"Can't say. It was a week ago when Ms Sasaki said that she had come down with a terrible cold. Ever since then, the Athenblade twins have been looking miserable. I thought you would know since you're close with Anastasia."

A terrible cold? That sounds more like an excuse.

"I don't know anything. Did you ask the twins?"

"Emika did but they simply replied with edgy comments like 'he has come,' and 'do not ask about the unnecessary.'"

Edgy, indeed.

"And then now you come with a black eyepatch. I'm thinking someone's going to appear with a black flame dragon next."

Kana sighed.

Oi, oi, black flame dragon? I'm not some sort of edgy chunnibyou. Though, someone appearing with a black flame dragon isn't impossible seeing as I fought a wyvern.

·———·

"Hey, Calira, Sebastian."

I called out to them.

As they were leaving homeroom, they froze, looking back at me with shaken expressions. Calira looked especially distraught.

"Ah, are you two okay?"

"Y-yes, of course!"

"Never felt better!"

These two are not okay. I remember meeting Anastasia over the holidays and she was with these two. When I greeted them, Sebastian greeted me with slight frustration while Calira glared at me the entire time and insulted me.

There's no way there'd be such a change, all of a sudden.

"Say, what happened to—"

"Oh, would you look at the time? We'll be late for class!"

Calira shouted, awkwardly.

"We must hurry others thy time will cometh!"

Thy?! Cometh?! What is this, Medieval England?!

They scurried away.

They won't tell me anything it seems. It was obvious that they were hiding something about Anastasia but they can't talk about it wide open.

[Oi, Shoya.]

(Hm? Erebus, what is it?)

[You should probably stay away from those two.]

(Why?)

I asked the obvious question.

Erebus stayed silent for a few seconds.

[I can sense the residual mana of a Mortal Sin.]

(A Mortal Sin?!)

[Seems like they've met up with a Mortal Sin recently. Though, I have no idea who since none of the Mortal Sins I knew would openly come into contact with Streia. Though, times have changed.]

If they have the residual mana of a Mortal Sin, it's possible that something to do with the Mortal Sin taking Anastasia hostage or something. If so, I need to find out as soon as possible.

I probably shouldn't talk to the Athenblade twins anymore, just in case that is the case.

"Shoya!"

From behind, Tatsuya appeared, hooking his arm around my neck.

"Where have you been?!"

Ow, ow, ow! My neck, sides, and legs still hurt from the battle with Ragnarok.

I pulled Tatsuya's arm off of me.

"Chill."

I told him.

"Huh? What're those lines on your arm?"

I looked at my arms. Ah, I was in a hurry, so I forgot to button my right sleeve. One of my scars can be seen.

I quickly buttoned it up.

"Nothing, just a pressure mark."

"If you say so."

He said.

We were walking to our next class.

"Well, what's with that eyepatch?"

He asked me.

"Just a bloody mess."

How many times am I going to have to say that today?

Tatsuya looked extremely sour.

"Bloody mess, my ass. You just want to summon a black flame—"

Before he could talk any more, I showed him my left eye. Tatsuya covered his mouth and coughed with disgust.

"Ugh! Okay, okay, I believe you, now put it away!"

I hid my left eye.

"God. I'm just jealous because all of the girls were talking about how cool you look. Which, I have to admit, you look cool with that slightly long messy hair of yours. It matches the eyepatch."

"I just happened to get a black eyepatch."

I'm starting to wonder why Ayaka didn't give me a medical eyepatch.

"Well, it doesn't matter because we're both single, right?!"

Tatsuya laughed while lightly slapping me on the back.

"Right... Hehe..."

I laughed hollowly.

I can't tell him...