Chapter 10 - Suspension Friday (2)

After a long and, for some strange reason, silent walk, we arrived at the village. Tesline walked beside me with a cheerful yet tired expression. She had been very happy after we completed the mission, but on the way to the guild, she had been very quiet.

'I think it's time for me to part ways with her.'

Tesline is a character who joins the protagonist very early in the adventure, becoming a very useful member of the party, regardless of whether you save her or not. Since I couldn't fully remember the game's story, I couldn't recall how important she was to the plot.

I couldn't deny her role in this world, so the best thing was to separate from her quickly. I think it would be best to talk to Tesline after eating. I needed a full stomach to come up with an excuse, for some reason that I don't understand, hunger makes me stupid.

I noticed how the sun began to set, bathing the sky in warm tones that contrasted with the cold I had felt in the depths of the dungeon. The guild was just a few steps away; its hanging sign creaked softly in the wind. Tesline pushed the door open, and the warm aroma of freshly made food enveloped us.

My stomach began to growl, demanding that I feed it. For someone who was used to neglecting their meals, I have to say it's frustrating to have an alarm that insistently reminds me I need to eat if I want it to stop bothering me.

The usual hustle and bustle of the guild greeted us, but this time, I felt something different. I could hear a conversation in the distance mentioning that a certain person had arrived in the village.

We approached the counter, where Aldwyn greeted us with a slight smile. Tesline, as usual, was the first to speak.

"Mission accomplished, where's our reward?"

"Ahem… she meant to say we completed the mission without any problems," I quickly corrected.

Aldwyn let out a small laugh and looked at us intently.

"How did it go in the ruins? Did you find anything out of place?"

I sighed and shook my head slightly.

"Nothing out of the ordinary. Dust, old walls, and giant rats that will haunt my nightmares. No signs of unusual activity."

Aldwyn nodded, taking notes in her log. There was something in her expression that indicated she wasn't surprised by our report. Tesline settled on one of the nearby benches, clearly relieved to be done.

"Seems like there's no danger or any artifacts from the past era, then," Aldwyn said, glancing briefly at Tesline before turning back to me. "Still, we appreciate you checking it out. You both deserve a good rest."

'Artifact from the past era?'

Although I don't remember most of the game's story, I'm about 70% sure there wasn't any plot related to "artifacts from the past era."

'I'll investigate more about this topic later.'

Aldwyn wrote down the information I provided in her notebook. When she finished, she handed me two silver coins and went off to assist another adventurer. I approached Tesline and gave her her share, causing a big smile to appear on her face.

"Shall we get something to eat?"

She nodded enthusiastically, leaving behind the seriousness of the report. We took a seat at one of the tables in the back, and for a moment, I let the noise and warmth of the guild refresh my mind.

As I waited for the food, I couldn't help but show my nervousness about what I was about to say to Tesline, which she noticed very easily, questioning me about why I was acting that way.

"So, why are you so nervous? You've been acting strange since we completed that mission."

"I'll say it quickly. I think we should stop going on missions together. It would also be better for you to ignore me at the academy."

"What? Did I do something wrong?"

"No, no, no. You see, I'm not, or rather, I didn't use to be the best person... at least that's what I know."

'Damn it, I shouldn't have done this on an empty stomach. I need to get my one working brain cell to come up with something.'

"What do you mean?"

"A few days ago, I woke up and had no memories of who I was before."

"You have amnesia? That explains why you didn't know that we also level up."

"Yes, and from what I've heard, I was a horrible person. It's best if you don't hang around with me, or you'll be dragged down."

Tesline looked at me without saying anything, lowering her head as she thought about the words she was about to say.

"I see."

"I know, but I have to admit it was..."

"I don't care."

"What?" I said incredulously. I wasn't sure if I had heard her correctly. "I think I didn't hear you."

"I don't care," she said, looking at me with her beautiful ruby-colored eyes that seemed to penetrate my soul (souls?). "I don't care what others think of you. I don't care who you used to be."

She got up from her chair and walked to my side. She grabbed me by the shoulders, making our gazes meet.

"I know who you are now; that's all that matters to me."

"But…"

"But nothing. You're Rurik, my friend and a member of my party."

"Honestly, I think..."

"No excuses! You won't get rid of me that easily!"

Tesline grabbed me by the neck and began to rub her fist on my scalp. I tried to push her away, but she was physically stronger than me.

"Stop! It's not fair, you're stronger!"

"Rurik, Tesline! To the counter."

Aldwyn called us from the counter. I couldn't tell if there was anger in her voice, so I didn't know if we had upset her. Tesline and I approached the counter with our heads down.

"We're sorry for causing a scene."

"What? That's not why I called you."

"It's not?"

"No, there are worse offenders than you."

Aldwyn pointed to two high-ranking adventurers fighting with their bare fists. I wonder how I didn't notice that before.

"Then, why did you call us?"

Tesline asked Aldwyn why we were here, regaining her usual hyperactive attitude that I had already grown accustomed to.

"The person I informed about the goblin mission, where you ended up finding an orc, has arrived at the guild. She wants to ask you a few questions."

I felt a slight shiver run down my spine. I had forgotten that Aldwyn mentioned someone would come to question us about that mission.

"Who is it?" Tesline asked, crossing her arms and showing slight curiosity.

Aldwyn paused before answering, as if measuring her words.

"She's an old friend who works at the academy near the village. She's someone with experience in these matters. She's here because it's hard to believe that a couple of novices defeated an orc."

"But we explained how we did it."

"Even so, she wants to see if what you're saying is true. If it turns out you're telling the truth, she might grant you some recognition, considering you both study at her academy."

"And how do you know that?"

Aldwyn pointed to the bracelets that Tesline and I wore. I really do get stupid when I'm hungry.

"Understood," I replied, trying to stay calm. "Where can we find her?"

"She's waiting in one of the private rooms," Aldwyn said, pointing to a door on the other side of the hall. "Eat something before talking to her; the conversation might drag on longer than necessary."

Tesline and I nodded in unison. I was completely grateful to Aldwyn for letting us eat before speaking with her friend. I needed to have all my brain cells working and not thinking about what I would eat first.

We sat at the table and started eating. We were still nervous about what might happen. When my stomach stopped growling, my intelligence returned enough to remember that I needed to ask Tesline something important.

"Tesline, before we go in, please don't say anything about my armor."

"Why not?"

"Just don't mention it, please."

"Fine, but at least tell me what that thing is. I've never seen armor that moves on its own. Unless it's possessed by a ghost… wait, does your armor have a ghost?"

"No, it's more magical I think"

"That's so cool"

　*・・*・・*・・*・・*・・*

Aldwyn led us to the door where her friend was waiting. I still didn't know who this person was, but one thing was certain: this couldn't be too serious.

"Are you ready?"

"Honestly, no, but it's not worth dragging this out."

We entered the room and heard the door close behind us; the silence in the room became palpable. In front of us stood a tall and slender woman by a window, the sunlight enhancing her golden hair that cascaded down her shoulders.

She was an elegant woman; her pointed ears clearly indicated her elven heritage. I couldn't take my eyes off her; there was something about her presence that radiated authority and a certain air of mystery.

The elf looked at me with bright eyes, and a look of displeasure twisted her lips, but she said nothing. Something in the way she observed us made me feel as if I were being evaluated, as if she could see right through me, which unsettled me a little. I didn't know who she was, but it was clear I wasn't to her liking.

Tesline, by my side, seemed more relaxed, but I couldn't shake the feeling that I was missing something. I looked around, searching for any clue, but the room, though cozy, offered no answers.

Finally, the elf broke the silence. Her voice was melodious, almost musical, and there was a touch of authority in it that was impossible to ignore.

"So, you're the novice adventurers who defeated an orc."

"Yes, that's us…"

"Who would have thought that Rurik Valtor, the rotten apple of my academy, would have combat talent."

"You know me?"

"Don't you know who I am?"

Before I could respond, Tesline intervened, looking at me with a mixture of surprise and amusement.

"This is Isilwen Dawnstar, the headmistress of the Arcanus Academy."

The impact of her words hit me like a hammer. The headmistress of the academy… The weight of the situation fell on me immediately.

Not only was I facing a major authority figure in this world, but judging by her look, the headmistress had some sort of history with the body I had been reincarnated into. Isilwen's gaze confirmed that this history was far from pleasant.

"Are you really so arrogant as to pretend to forget who the headmistress of the academy you're about to be expelled from is?"

"No, no, no, I—"

"Rurik has amnesia. He doesn't remember anything from his past."

The air in the room seemed to freeze. My eyes widened in shock, and I felt a shiver run down my spine. I tried to interrupt, raising a hand to stop her, but it was too late. The words were out, and now I had to face the consequences.

'I bet [Showman] is laughing at me right now.'

Isilwen's gaze darkened upon hearing what Tesline had said. Her expression shifted from surprise to a mix of skepticism and growing anger.

"Amnesia?" she repeated, her voice icy. Her eyes locked onto me with an intensity that made me feel like I was under a microscope.

I swallowed, trying to figure out how to handle the situation. Tesline, oblivious to the danger, continued.

"Yes, he's forgotten everything that happened before. That's why he doesn't recognize you or know anything about what happened at the academy."

Inside, I cursed myself for not speaking up earlier. I knew amnesia was a risky excuse, especially in front of someone like Isilwen. If she decided it was a lie, it could make things even worse.

Isilwen slowly stood up from her seat, approaching me with firm steps. I felt my heart pounding in my chest, and a cold sweat began to form on my forehead.

"Amnesia?" she repeated, this time with a mix of disdain and curiosity. "And you expect me to believe that?"

"Headmistress, I..." I began, but my voice sounded weak even to my own ears. I was desperately trying to think of a way to smooth over the situation.

"Amnesia? After all the trouble you caused? After all the people you hurt? And now you want me to accept that you've simply forgotten everything?" Her tone grew increasingly harsh, and I felt the situation slipping out of my grasp.

Isilwen moved even closer, until she was just a step away from me, her gaze fixed on mine.

"I will not tolerate being taken for a fool, Rurik. If this is some sort of trick to avoid the consequences of your past actions, I warn you that you will not come out unscathed."

I felt my throat dry up as I tried to think of something—anything—that could calm the situation. But before I could articulate a response, Tesline stepped forward.

"Isilwen, I know it sounds incredible, but it's the truth," she insisted, with a firmness that surprised me. "Yes, Rurik may have been an unpleasant person. Yes, he may have been despicable. Yes, he may have been a headache for you."

"We'll get to the point of this."

"One moment. Yes, Rurik might have been a cowardly weakling."

"Where are you getting that from?"

"But the Rurik I know is kind, helpful, and brave. Besides, he's the one who saved me from the orc."

"That was very nice, but you had to mention all the other stuff."

"I had to make my point clear."

The headmistress kept her gaze on me for what felt like an eternity, evaluating every word, every gesture.

Isilwen didn't seem completely convinced by Tesline's words. Without saying a word, she turned toward her desk and pulled out a small device I hadn't seen before. It was a magical artifact with a white stone on top, and as she held it, her gaze locked onto me with a mix of challenge and expectation.

"This artifact," she explained, "detects the truth. If the stone lights up green, it means what you're saying is true. If it turns red, it's a lie."

I felt my stomach tighten at the sight of the device. My thoughts raced, considering how this would affect my story. Isilwen activated it, and the stone began to glow faintly.

"Let's verify your amnesia," she said, the stone starting to emit a faint glow. "Tell me, Rurik, do you remember anything about your past?"

My heart skipped a beat. I knew I couldn't lie, but I also couldn't reveal that I was from another world. I took a deep breath and answered as honestly as I could. "I have no memories of who the original Rurik was."

The white stone on the device began to glow more intensely. My eyes stayed fixed on it, waiting for the verdict. Isilwen's gaze did not waver, and I could sense she was ready to uncover a lie.

Finally, the light changed. A soft green glow emanated from the stone, illuminating the room with a clarity that left no room for doubt. Isilwen's frown deepened, clearly surprised by the result.

"Green," Tesline said, relieved. "That means he's telling the truth."

Isilwen's eyes widened slowly, still fixed on me. Even though the stone had confirmed my words, I knew she wasn't completely convinced. "It seems you're telling the truth," she said, though her tone remained distant. "But I don't trust easily. I will be keeping an eye on your actions, Rurik. Don't make any mistakes."

Isilwen, still with a serious and calculating expression, didn't put away the magical artifact completely. Instead, she kept it in her hand, the white stone now off, but clearly ready to be used again. She gave me a penetrating look, and her tone took on an even more inquisitive note.

"Since we're at it, let's clarify another matter," she said with a calm that made me even more nervous. "Aldwyn mentioned something about a recent mission. A goblin hunt, correct? But according to what I heard, things got complicated."

I felt Tesline tense beside me. The mention of the mission brought fresh memories of the orc's ambush and how we had narrowly escaped, using more cunning than strength. It was clear that Isilwen wanted more details about what happened and wasn't willing to accept a partial version.

"That's correct," I replied, keeping my tone as neutral as possible. "The mission started as a simple goblin hunt, but we encountered an orc unexpectedly. We weren't prepared to face it head-on, so we had to use our wits to survive."

Isilwen activated the device again, and the white stone began to glow once more. Her gaze didn't leave me as she forced me to relive those tense moments. I didn't know how much she expected something to be different, but I felt that any hesitation could be interpreted as a lie.

"Tell me how you managed to escape," Isilwen demanded, her tone unyielding. "And how you defeated it."

I swallowed, recalling every detail of that harrowing experience. "We quickly realized that a direct confrontation would be suicidal. The orc was too strong, so we decided to mislead it. We ran toward a denser part of the forest, where the trees and terrain gave us an advantage. When it got close to a ravine, we pushed it and it died from the fall."

The stone began to glow more brightly, and Tesline intervened, confirming my words. "It was all thanks to Rurik, who appeared out of nowhere and saved me before the orc could attack."

Isilwen watched the green glow emanating from the stone. Her eyes returned to me, but this time, there was no trace of the skepticism from before. I could feel she was assessing the truth of every word, trying to find any crack in our story.

Finally, the green light stabilized, and her expression softened slightly, though it remained unfriendly. "Interesting," she said with a touch of recognition. "And tell me, how did you manage to be faster than an orc? And how did you have the strength to push it into the trap?"

I felt the cold sweat returning. I didn't want to reveal the existence of my mechanical armor, an artifact that had been crucial in the battle but that I wasn't willing to explain in detail. I tried to deflect the conversation with an evasive answer. "Well, it was a combination of strategy and luck. We used the terrain to our advantage..."

The stone on Isilwen's device immediately glowed a deep red, interrupting me before I could finish. The headmistress frowned, clearly dissatisfied with my answer. "Rurik, the stone does not lie. What are you hiding?"

Tesline looked at me with a mix of concern and curiosity, while I struggled to find the right words. I knew I didn't have many options, and seeing the insistence in Isilwen's eyes, I realized I had to be more honest, though not entirely.

"Alright," I sighed, feeling the weight of her gaze. "I used a special armor. It gave me the speed and strength needed to face the orc."

The stone changed color almost instantly, from a fiery red to a bright green. Isilwen raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "Special armor? What kind? Where did you get it?"

My mind raced. I knew answering those questions could lead to more problems, so I decided to cut the conversation short before it delved deeper. "It's a complicated story. Maybe we can discuss it another time. I need to return home now."

The stone, which had remained green, suddenly turned red again. Isilwen looked at me intently, and Tesline barely managed to suppress a laugh.

"I'm not lying when I say I need to get home."

But, to my misfortune, the stone on Isilwen's magical device glowed a bright red once more. I frowned, trying to maintain my composure. "Seriously, I need to go home."

The red did not disappear. On the contrary, it seemed to intensify, as if the rock were enjoying my discomfort. Tesline, next to me, tried to stifle a laugh, but she couldn't fully manage it. Isilwen, for her part, watched with a mixture of curiosity and amusement, clearly entertained by the situation.

I tried once more, this time with a firmer tone: "I really need to get back home!"

The rock remained red. Tesline could no longer hold back and started laughing uncontrollably. Isilwen also smiled, though she tried to stay serious. I felt the heat rising to my cheeks, and in a last desperate attempt to escape the situation, I exclaimed: "I need to get back to my home!"

But the rock did not yield. Seeing that there was no way out, I finally gave up with an exasperated sigh. "Alright, alright. My home is... a cave in a hill."

As soon as the words left my mouth, the rock instantly changed from red to green, emitting a soft and reassuring glow. Tesline was doubled over with laughter next to me, and even Isilwen let out a small chuckle, something that seemed very uncharacteristic of her.

"A cave in a hill," Isilwen repeated, still with a amused smile. "I suppose that explains why you were so determined to hide it."

"It's a very comfortable cave, which Tesline and I remodeled," I replied, trying to regain some dignity, but it was hard to do so with Tesline laughing so much.

Finally, Isilwen put away the device, still smiling. "It seems the rumors about you being expelled from the Valtor family are true."

"I'm not sure who the Valtors are, but I think I'm better off without them."

"Well, it's clear you're not the same as before. Still, we can't easily forget your actions, so I must inform you that the student council has managed to ban you from both the commoner and noble dormitories."

"One thing: are those dormitories free, or do you have to pay?"

"Both the commoner and noble dormitories require payment; of course, one is cheaper than the other."

"Then I'm not missing much. I wasn't planning on paying for a room if my 'home' is so close."

"Alright, Rurik. You can go... to your cave. But remember, I'll be keeping an eye on you."

I nodded, relieved that the conversation was finally over, albeit in a rather ridiculous way. As we left the room, Tesline continued laughing, and I couldn't help but let out a small laugh as well.

"One more thing. I look forward to seeing you at the academy; I'm sure you'll have a bright future. Or at least, you'll make me smile once in a while."