Troublemaker

"Hey that's Lock, the idiot who can just survive because of his guardian is the Headmaster!"

"That troublemaker?"

"That boy came, he is actually shameless enough to show his face!"

"I heard him say he didn't want to graduate, but look at him!"

"That's the legendary sorcerer hahaha."

"That brat…"

"Gosh. How could he graduate?"

"What else? Tell me the authority of the one standing in the stage?"

"Doesn't he only know—"

"Won't you stop? That kid is also good."

Lock couldn't help but smile as his ears willingly absorbed all the words.

Owen's gaze followed Malie dragging Lock to their seats. He was quite relieved.

"I can sit on my own." Lock said and voluntarily sat to his seat under many stares and mocking whispers.

"Uh, just stay here, okay? Don't be hot-headed. I would just greet my friends."

"Are you my mom?" He chuckled.

Malie shot him a serious stare before she made his way to a group of girls talking happily with each other.

'Are they her friends?' He thought.

Lock just sat quietly and observe.

There were many students in the hall. The third year graduating students occupied the front row of seats, the second-year students in the center, the first year's students next to them and the parents was on the rear.

Hearing all the cheerful noises, Lock couldn't help but ponder. He always attended banquets but those were always formal and fancy. Meanwhile, these kids were actually laughing and playing with each other. They particularly bewildered him at this scene. He had never seen such a happy banquet.

Then he thought that the original Lock might not have found this very pleasing. He had no parents to begin with and no excellent reputation. He was also rebellious.

Moreover, like most people in the Northern District labeled him, he, too, treated himself as a failure.

Lock watched the hall silently and thought more about things. Then he remembered his past life.

'That Shitty Lavender,' he thought.

"Lock, you came here?" a boy with round eyes and brown hair suddenly asked.

"Cliff…right?" Lock smiled but then realized he said something wrong so he stood up and bowed, "I'm sorry for all the things I did."

"Eh?... no, it's fine." It shocked Cliff as he raised his arms to say its fine.

"Hey, Cliff, let's go." A group of boys then called him.

Cliff still had a puzzled look on his face but he wasn't really close with his dorm mate, so he said goodbye.

---

---

---

Headmaster Owen was talking to a few graduating students.

The Academy Hall was brimming with people. They had been around a hundred students and a hundred more parents. Sentri was one of the nicest places in the borderlands and it has a wizard academy so more and more people are coming.

Owen finally finished and walked towards Lock's direction.

Owen didn't know why, but he noticed Lock seemed different.

"Old man!"

Lock noticed him and turned his head.

"Lock. I'm thrilled you came here. You would not regret this. Don't take it into heart what other people say?"

"Why would I lower myself because of others?" Lock immediately replied.

"Oh, then have you figured out where to go before you go back to school after a year?" Old Man Owen asked.

"Hm, I'll be a mercenary. I'm strong now after all." he said.

Owen just sighed. From the way things were suddenly going this day, he suddenly learned that Lock went better at fighting. He thought that his physical coordination was especially decent as if it was honed.

No matter how much he looked at it, it was strange. Was it street fighting?

"Lock, I want to tell me what happened to you. When did you learn to fight so good? I got no problems about you becoming a mercenary but tell me your story."

Hearing Owen, Lock already formed a somewhat decent excuse. Based on what his memories have told him, Lock spent the three years isolating himself from his loved ones.

Lock chuckled and said, "I was actually well-aware of what I can only do. So I trained physical combat as much as I can. It was the only way for me."

Owen no longer had a puzzled look on his face, but he was still full of questions, as if Lock's answer could not satisfy his curiosity. But he was no psychic and can only support the kid for his decisions.

"… I see. You'll really been a headache. If you choose to rely on physical combat, maybe I can help you."

"No it's fine." Moon said, and chatted with Owen, and going back to his seat after a few minutes.

---

---

---

'It's really funny…' he thought.

At this moment, he can't help but wonder what happened to him. How did the kingdom react or the royal family? At the very least, he could only conclude he died.

'To be more precise, I was reincarnated.'

Subconsciously, Lock thought deeper and deeper.

'If a human was reborn, that meant it was reincarnation, right?'

'And I was not reborn, this boy was not an infant but someone who already had a life.'

'Then I resurrected, but not in my own body? Then where's my real body?'

'Was it dead already? In a coffin buried in the Royal Palace cemetery?'

Then suddenly, something dawned on him causing him to stop his train of thoughts.

Gulp.

Dugun, dugun.

He felt his heart beat very fast. His pupils shrunk as a sudden realization sent chills deep in his spine. His face has turned sunken and in deep shock. He heard himself breathing clearer. His now cold hands involuntary covered her eyes as he trembled by just thinking about it.

'Why did I realize it just now?' He asked deeply with unfamiliar emotions in his heart.

'If I am here, where did the real Lock go? Did he…die? No, there's no memory of it.'