Chapter 10: "No, I Do NOT Need Another Attempt!"
I lay flat on the ground, staring at the sky, contemplating my existence.
The trust fall had been a disaster.
Velzaria had let me go.
Seraphina had written down every second of my misery.
Reina had laughed so hard she nearly choked.
I just wanted one normal day.
But apparently—
That was too much to ask.
---
Velzaria stood over me, hand extended.
"Stand," she said smoothly.
I turned my head to the side.
"…No."
She tilted her head slightly.
"You must."
I closed my eyes.
"…I really mustn't."
She smiled faintly.
"But you will."
I felt my soul leave my body.
---
Seraphina clicked her pen.
"Subject Eldric exhibits continued resistance to structured bonding exercises. Predicting prolonged emotional avoidance."
She clicked it again.
"Fascinating."
I let out a weak groan.
"PLEASE STOP ANALYZING MY SUFFERING!"
She blinked.
"No."
I wanted to scream.
---
Reina leaned against a nearby tree, arms crossed, grinning like an idiot.
"You know," she said between chuckles, "for someone who wanted to be a hero, you sure suck at anything remotely courageous."
I glared at her.
"TRUST FALLING INTO A CONCRETE FLOOR ISN'T 'COURAGEOUS,' REINA!"
She shrugged.
"It's not my fault you were dropped."
I felt deeply betrayed.
---
Velzaria lowered her hand slightly.
"Shall we try again?"
I bolted upright.
"ABSOLUTELY NOT!"
She nodded.
"But we shall."
I felt sheer terror.
---
Seraphina calmly tapped her notebook.
"Another attempt is necessary to reinforce psychological conditioning."
I turned to her, horrified.
"CONDITIONING!? YOU'RE LITERALLY BRAINWASHING ME!"
She blinked.
"Incorrect. You are merely adapting to relational adjustments."
I screamed internally.
---
Reina stretched lazily, smirking.
"C'mon, Eldric. Just give in already."
I snapped my head toward her.
"NO!"
She grinned.
"Then suffer."
I hated everything.
---
Velzaria extended her hand again.
"We will proceed."
I scooted back.
"We will NOT!"
She stepped forward.
"You must overcome your fear."
I stood up quickly.
"I AM NOT AFRAID!"
Seraphina clicked her pen.
"Subject Eldric displays classic signs of fear-based denial. Predicting continued evasion."
I felt my sanity slipping.
---
Velzaria closed the distance effortlessly.
"Come," she murmured.
I backed up against the wall.
"No, thanks. I'm good!"
She smiled faintly.
"You are not."
I felt dread fill my entire being.
---
Reina tossed her apple core aside.
"You're trapped, buddy."
I turned toward her desperately.
"HELP ME!"
She grinned.
"Not a chance."
I wanted to cry.
---
Seraphina adjusted her notebook.
"Observation ongoing."
Velzaria extended her hand one final time.
"Shall we?"
I whimpered.
This was hell.
---
I was out of options.
Trapped.
Cornered.
Doomed.
Velzaria stood before me, far too calm for what she was about to do.
Seraphina stood beside her, pen ready.
Reina?
She was still leaning against that damn tree, watching this disaster unfold.
I had no allies.
Only suffering.
---
Velzaria extended her hand once more.
"Come," she said smoothly.
I crossed my arms tightly.
"Nope."
She tilted her head slightly.
"You must."
I took a small step back.
"I REALLY mustn't!"
She smiled faintly.
"But you will."
I felt my entire body tense.
---
Seraphina clicked her pen.
"Subject Eldric remains in extreme avoidance behavior. Predicting escalation to forced participation."
She clicked again.
"Fascinating."
I let out a weak groan.
"PLEASE STOP WRITING MY NIGHTMARE LIKE IT'S A RESEARCH PAPER!"
She blinked.
"No."
I wanted to throw myself into the sun.
---
Velzaria stepped forward.
"You lack trust," she murmured.
I held up both hands defensively.
"THAT'S BECAUSE I LITERALLY JUST HIT THE GROUND LAST TIME!"
She nodded slightly.
"It was an adjustment phase."
I felt my entire soul shatter.
---
Reina was barely holding in laughter.
"You really should just give up, Eldric."
I whipped my head toward her.
"STOP ENCOURAGING THIS!"
She shrugged.
"I'm just here for the show."
I felt absolute betrayal.
---
Velzaria extended her hand again.
"Let us proceed."
I glared at her.
"NO!"
She sighed lightly.
"Then I shall assist you."
I froze.
"…What?"
Before I could even react—
She grabbed my wrist.
And pulled me forward.
I let out an inhuman scream.
---
Seraphina flipped a page.
"Subject Eldric enters high-stress panic when physically guided. Predicting further involuntary reactions."
She clicked her pen.
"Fascinating."
I kicked my feet wildly.
"STOP! LET GO! YOU CAN'T JUST FORCE ME INTO THIS!"
Velzaria ignored my suffering.
"You must learn," she murmured.
I was going to die.
---
Reina was now fully laughing.
"This—this is the best thing I've ever seen."
I thrashed harder.
"REINA! HELP ME!"
She wiped a tear from her eye.
"No chance."
I wanted to cry.
---
Velzaria turned slightly.
"Now, fall."
I stared at her.
"…Excuse me?"
She nodded.
"I will catch you this time."
I froze.
"This time!?"
---
Seraphina clicked her pen.
"Subject Eldric reacts negatively to previous failures in trust-based exercises. Predicting further distrust."
She clicked again.
"Fascinating."
I wanted to throw her notebook into a fire.
---
Velzaria watched me carefully.
"You will trust me."
I shook my head.
"THAT'S A HARD NO!"
She sighed softly.
"Then I will assist once more."
Before I could even scream—
She leaned me backward—again.
---
I screamed in terror.
"WHY DOES THIS KEEP HAPPENING TO ME!?"
Reina fell to the ground laughing.
"I CAN'T BREATHE—"
Seraphina calmly took notes.
"Subject Eldric enters full-body distress when forcibly guided. Predicting further unwillingness."
She clicked her pen.
"Fascinating."
I hit the ground again.
And lay there in absolute despair.
---
Velzaria gazed down at me.
"You must learn to trust," she murmured.
I curled into a ball.
"…I don't want to."
She smiled faintly.
"But you will."
I felt my will to live fading.
---
Seraphina flipped another page.
"Another attempt will be required."
I bolted upright.
"NO, IT WILL NOT!"
She nodded.
"But it will."
I screamed internally.
---
Reina wiped away a tear.
"Best. Day. Ever."
I glared at her.
"I HATE YOU!"
She smirked.
"You'll get over it."
I wanted to cry.
---
Velzaria extended her hand again.
"Shall we?"
I whimpered.
Seraphina clicked her pen.
"Observation ongoing."
I was doomed.
---
I lay flat on the ground.
Again.
My back hurt.
My pride was gone.
My will to live was fading.
And worst of all—
Velzaria was still standing over me, waiting for another attempt.
---
Seraphina clicked her pen.
"Subject Eldric continues to exhibit severe resistance to structured trust exercises. Predicting future breakdown."
She clicked again.
"Fascinating."
I groaned.
"STOP SAYING THAT!"
She blinked.
"No."
I wanted to scream.
---
Reina was barely standing.
She had been laughing so hard she nearly fell over.
"You—oh gods—you look so pathetic!"
I lifted my head weakly.
"HELP ME!"
She wiped a tear away.
"Nope."
I felt betrayal so deep it physically hurt.
---
Velzaria offered her hand again.
"We shall continue."
I snapped up immediately.
"NO, WE SHALL NOT!"
She nodded.
"But we shall."
I felt my soul leave my body.
---
Seraphina calmly flipped to another page.
"Another attempt is required to normalize the experience."
I gasped.
"NO, IT IS NOT!"
She nodded.
"But it is."
I clutched my head.
"This is literal hell."
---
Velzaria gently took my wrist.
"You will improve," she murmured.
I froze.
"NOPE! I'M DONE! NO MORE!"
She smiled faintly.
"One more time."
I panicked.
"NO! THAT WAS THE LAST ATTEMPT!"
She leaned slightly closer.
"You are mistaken."
I felt true horror.
---
Reina finally took a deep breath, recovering from laughter.
"Alright, alright. Let's cut him a break."
I gasped in relief.
"YES! FINALLY!"
Velzaria turned to Reina, raising an eyebrow.
"Why?"
I froze.
"…Wait, what do you mean 'why'?"
Velzaria tilted her head slightly.
"Training must continue."
I felt my entire soul shatter.
---
Seraphina calmly wrote another note.
"Subject Eldric's ability to bargain for his survival remains ineffective. Predicting further distress."
She clicked her pen.
"Fascinating."
I glared at her.
"YOU ARE A MONSTER."
She blinked.
"No."
I wanted to cry.
---
Velzaria extended her hand one final time.
"Shall we?"
I let out a long, defeated sigh.
"…Fine."
She smirked slightly.
"Good."
I collapsed back onto the ground.
This was my life now.