Match

I click my tongue, frustration gnawing at me as I assess the situation. Dammit, how am I supposed to deal with this? Biana's unpredictable behavior, Lysandra's strong-willed defiance—it's a powder keg ready to explode.

Ugh, I better handle this now. Although Lysandra is way stronger than Biana, if Biana is confident in something, then things will go her way. I doubt she could beat Lysandra, but who knows, maybe she'll pull out Isadora out of thin air.

Walking up to them, I force a calm smile and say, "Hey Biana, it seems like you and Lysandra have met."

Biana's face turns cold and mad as she snaps at me, "Oi, V, you know we can't bring outsiders into the Academy, especially morons like this one."

Ah, fuck. She won't let this go easily. Typical Biana.

Before I can respond, Lysandra's voice slices through the tension, spitting out a disrespectful and cursing comeback. "Oh, I see, so you're the local retard here, huh?"

I sigh, feeling my headache grow. Goddammit, Lysandra! You're not making this any easier. Raising an eyebrow, I realize the situation might escalate further, and Lysandra might even try to fight. Fuck, I can't let that happen; this won't end well.

A sudden idea strikes me. As I walk up to Lysandra, I create a small fireball and place it gently in her hand. I can't help but notice her intrigued expression as she inspects the flame. This should keep her distracted for a minute.

I then approach Biana, who's still glaring with a cold gaze, and wrap an arm around her shoulder. "Hey, Biana, come on, just this once, can you settle this another time? I really need to get her to the dorm she'll be staying at. I'll make it up to you," I plead, praying that she'll take the bait.

Biana's cold expression morphs into a sly grin, and my heart skips a beat. "Hmmm...fine, go throw her in her dorm and come find me immediately, okay?"

I suppress a triumphant smile, nodding gratefully. She took the bait. "Sure thing, Biana. I'll be right back." I got no clue what Biana is up to but as long as nothing escalates I'll take it as a win.

Biana walks away with a cunning grin, and I can't shake the nagging feeling that she's up to something. What the hell is she plotting? Forget it, I need to get Lysandra to her dorm.

I watch as Lysandra looks at the dark flame with interest. Just why the hell does she like that? Is it because she's a dragon? Tsk, I'll ask her later.

Walking Lysandra to the dorms turns out to be surprisingly easy. Her attitude is completely different; she seems calm as fuck. "No way, thank you, Ayla. To think your dorm would be right next to mine." I can't help but grin. Hehe, Professor Ayla truly is great, setting her up near me.

I open the door, placing all the necessary materials she'll need on the table, as well as her uniform. "Look, you'll be wearing this uniform from now on whenever we head to class. There are plenty of spares in this bag," I explain, laying everything out for her.

Then I take out a book and hand it to her, saying, "Read this until I return; it will help you settle down."

Lysandra clicks her tongue, reclining on her new couch with an air of defiance. "I'm not interested in reading that boring shit."

I sigh, offering a compromise. "How about this. If you read it, I'll take you out to eat somewhere way better than that restaurant we went to."

Lysandra rubs her chin, clearly contemplating the offer. "...I'll read it if I get bored."

"That's fine," I respond, feeling a mix of relief and frustration. "When I get back, we'll need to talk for a bit. I've got lots of questions to ask. This is your place from now on; feel free to change it however you like."

With those final words, I walk out and let the door close behind me. Stretching, I release a heavy sigh. Now to deal with Biana. I really hope she won't kill me.

★

I walk up to Biana, my frustration bubbling to the surface. "Fuck, you should've told me where you were heading! I was looking for you all over!" Seriously, why the hell is she in the training grounds? That's the last place I expected her to be at.

Biana turns, a sinister grin spreading across her face. "Hey V, want to have a match?"

No, no, no, no, no. Alarm bells ring in my head. Something is going on here. There's no way in hell someone like her wants to do any form of physical activity. My voice betrays my suspicion as I reply, "Come on, Biana, you're at a disadvantage. Even if you know how to slightly use a bow, you should know you can't beat me."

Biana's grin widens, revealing an unsettling gleam in her eyes. "These last two days, since I'm still being held by that damn curse my mother placed on me, I decided to read some books on magic theory, and I learned some things. Come on, let's have a match."

Fuck this bitch! She's never learned any basic magic unless it applied to runes, and now she's telling me she's learned in two days!? Her malicious grin isn't even trying to hide her true intentions. Fuck, no, this is not good. What is her goal? Is she still upset about that prank?

With a cracked voice, I stammer, "H-hey Biana, I don't feel like--" As I speak, I take a step back, but suddenly an unbearably itchy spot distracts me. Fuck, why am I suddenly itchy here!?

Biana's wicked grin grows as she points a staff at me. "You owe me one, you don't have a damn choice now, do you?" She then creates a water arrow and shoots it at me.

Fuck, it's not that strong, but I can't let my guard down. If this will make her happy, I'll play along. However, as I take two steps back, I suddenly have the urge to sneeze, and on the second step, I lose my balance and nearly trip.

Fuck, this isn't a coincidence. No, no, no, please not that. I enhance my vision with mana and drop my jaw in horror. All around us, hundreds, maybe over a thousand runes are on the floor.

Biana's laugh cuts through my panic. "So you noticed?" she cackles. "Hahahahahaha! I've been waiting for this day V! The amount of suffering I'm going through is all your fault! You...you ruined my life. Now you're going to pay!"

I'm trapped. Completely and utterly trapped.

The runes aren't just decoration; they're a calculated, deadly trap. Biana's not playing a game; she's out for blood. And in this situation, I'm at a severe disadvantage.

I sweat as I look around, my breath ragged, the panic in my chest a living thing, gnawing at me. Breaking the runes is easy, but I doubt she would let me. The place is pretty open, and my options are dwindling fast. Ugh, the only choice is to back up and make a run for it; I need to head to my dorm.

"H-hey Biana, let's talk about this—" I stammer, but before I can say anything else, Biana swings her staff with a malicious grin.

"I thought you were my best friend, V... however, I realize that in this life, I don't have such a thing. Hahahaha!" she cackles, her eyes dancing with a dangerous light, as she shoots out magic arrows.

Fuck, fuck, fuck! Ugh, it's so annoying! I choke on my saliva, then a leg cramp hits, then I trip and activate multiple runes at the same time. An insane itch, something in my eye, a sudden urge to vomit, sudden chills, a flash of dizziness, a tiny stick rammed between my nails, a sudden pain as if I hit my toe on the side of a table, a punch to the face — oh wait, that was just Biana. Then more and more annoyances, too numerous to count, each one another needle jabbing at my sanity.

I groan as I take another step, trying to clear my head. Fuck, this is foul. Who the fuck made her this cunning? Oh wait, that was me. I can't even think straight with these annoying things hammering at my consciousness.

Biana grins, managing to kick me in the face. Her laughter rings in my ears, a twisted melody. "Hahahah! How is it!? A portion of the pain I go through every day!"

I cough, tasting blood, and snarl back, "S-stop exaggerating! All she did was fix your sleep schedule."

Her face twists with rage, a tear escaping her eye as she shoots more magic at me. "I just want my precious sleep... Die, you bastard! HAhahaha!"

My vision swims as her assault continues, every step a fresh agony. This isn't just a battle; it's a nightmare. A never-ending cycle of torment, each moment stretching into an eternity of suffering. Her magic is relentless, her attacks fueled by a bitterness that runs deeper than I ever imagined.

As the onslaught continues, the world narrows to Biana's crazed laughter and the ever-growing list of tortures she's inflicting on me. My mind is unraveling, the situation escalating beyond my control. Desperation claws at me, urging me to flee, but my body won't cooperate.

I stumble again, another rune activating, and suddenly I'm blind in one eye, my tongue swollen, my legs shaking as if I've been running for miles. Each new torment is a fresh horror, and I know that I'm losing this battle. This isn't fair, I can't use my aura for now, I can't fight her or I might hurt her and I can't use my baby or Umbra...All I can do is take the beating while trying to run away...I'm gonna cry.

Biana's face is twisted into a mask of madness, her magic flying with wild abandon. There's no reasoning with her, no way to stop her. I'm trapped in her twisted game, and the only way out is to survive.

But how? How can I endure this relentless torture? How can I escape this living nightmare?

As I struggle to find the answer, one thing becomes clear: Biana isn't just trying to hurt me.

She's trying to break me.

Fuck! My tongue! The taste of blood floods my mouth as I dodge another of Biana's relentless attacks. I'm almost there, the hallway is just a few feet away, and once I get there, there won't be any more runes. I can almost taste my freedom. My heart pounds, hope bubbling up within me.

Biana's voice cuts through my thoughts, her words dripping with malice. "V...I don't like doing this...I really want to think of you as my friend...I've even gone easy on you as only a couple of my attacks have hit you, I just want you to experience my pain with me." Her grin is something out of a nightmare, a devilish expression that sends chills down my spine. As if! Look at her face! She's a fucking monster, and I need to get the fuck out of here now.

Tears blur my vision as I reach the hallway, the sobbing a physical ache in my chest. I need to run fast; I don't have time to cry. I don't want to go through that again. Why is she following me!?

Biana's voice is filled with madness as she screams, "Where do you think you're going!?"

My door. It's right there. Finally, I'm free. I feel like I've just escaped hell. But as I reach for the handle, a shockwave sends me flying back. Nooo, not my door, why is there a trap there!? My world is spinning, and Biana's laugh is the twisted soundtrack to my misery.

"HAHAHAHAHA!" Biana's maniacal laughter rings in my ears as she steps on me.

Before she can say or hit me with anything else, the tears come, hot and fast. "I-Im sorry Biana," I sob, my voice breaking. I reach for her, clutching at her arm. "I-Im so sorry...I-I, I won't do it again, please forgive me." I feel like a child, small and helpless, begging for mercy.

Biana's grin widens, and she sighs, her eyes dancing with twisted joy. "It's just a prank, bro."

I'm too stunned to react, and in the next second, Isadora walks into the hallway. She blinks, her lifeless face betraying no emotion. I seize the opportunity to hide behind her, my words tumbling out in a rush. "H-help me Isadora! She's trying to kill me!"

Isadora simply blinks, her mind seemingly elsewhere. After a few agonizing seconds, she looks down at me and says, "Delicious food?"

Her words are a fresh humiliation, and I break down, sobbing even harder. At this moment, I feel utterly defeated, my dignity shattered.