THAT DAY I BECAME A STAR

"And so, what did you hope to do?"

During the night, I receive the most predictable visit of Velvet Tindel. Not only does she not have the basics of stealth and assassination down, but she also didn't even bother trying to act stealthily. In fact, she just entered my room as if it was normal then even closed the door behind her before running to me with a dagger. I wonder if she really is that stupid.

"Nothing. I just got lost." She looks away with an angry face. "And I didn't even know it was your room."

"So, you randomly came to a random room and pull out a knife to stab a random bed."

"Exactly. Why you got a problem with that? In the first place," she starts shaking around, "WHY THE FUCK DID YOU TIE ME UP?!!"

I use my bedsheets to tie her up since I don't have ropes here. She wasn't even strong enough to resist either. Does this girl really belong to the omega class?

"Anyway, I-"

"Untie me, bastard!! Or I will scream for help!"

"You are already screaming."

"Yeah? You want it to be louder then, okay! You got it! Ar-"

I place my foot on her stomach before she can muster strength to scream and press her left lung hard enough for her to lose breath.

"Ack!! Ack!!"

"Yeah, it hurts, right?"

"St…Stop…it."

"Why? Just so that you can scream? Sorry but no."

"Plea…Please…Stop." Her eyes have become teary and red.

"Before I do, let's fix the basics of our conversation. No screaming, no shouting, and we each ask one question at a time. Got it?"

She nods slightly but right as I remove my foot.

"Hel-" I press her stomach again, harder this time.

"Well, seeing as you won't cooperate."

"N…no. Plea…I…won't…do-"

"Right. And why should I believe you now?"

"Plea…se."

"Sigh…Okay." I will just break your ribs this time if you scream anyway.

I remove my foot and she starts breathing heavily.

"Huff…huff…Damn…Huff…You are…Huff…A freaking monster."

"And you are pretty weak for a bodyguard."

"You just too strong. Shit, if I knew it was like this. I would have never accepted this job."

"You are not her bodyguard?"

"Nope. Just a mercenary she employed to protect her for the time being." She sits down after wriggling around a bit. "My contract will end as soon as she meets the heroes."

"I see. But then who-"

"Hey, you said one question."

"Right."

"Who sent you?"

"Nobody."

"No way! You are lying!"

"We said no shouting."

"Sorry. But anyway, you must be lying. Nobody aside from the royal family and the close guards should know Judy's true face or location."

"Why is that?"

"You haven't answered my question yet."

"I told you. Nobody sent me."

"If you are not going to answer truthfully, there is no need to continue this discussion."

"As I said, nobody told me. I simply deducted from the situation and your behavior. You were way too trash to be a princess."

"What?!!"

"Sigh…No shouting please."

"Don't insult me then!"

"Anyway, answer."

"Tch! That's why I fucking hate smart guys." Sorry, but I just read your mind. I am not that smart, at all. "From what she told me, she was afflicted with an illness since she was five. She couldn't assist to most ceremonies and events organized by the royal family because of that. So the people who know her are rare."

"I see."

"Now, what are you going to do?"

"About what?"

"About her. She fled clandestinely from her kingdom. If you declare her existence and location. You will surely get paid a lot."

"And why do you care about that?"

"Because I want my share. Thirty percent. and once you need to bring her in, I will help you."

"Didn't you say that she is sick? Why would I need your help to bring her in?"

"She is sick, yes. But not weak. She has high proficiency with Angas. I saw her burn down a whole group of gragoras during our trip. And how do you think she fled alone anyway?"

"Is that so. And you are ready to betray her even though she placed her trust in you?"

"Hey, don't judge me. Unlike you guys with your fancy outfits and bags full of wellis. I am just a mercenary who doesn't even know if she will eat anything tomorrow."

"And so that was your objective from the beginning when you came here."

"Like I said, I really hate smart guys. But why do I not seek help from others? They do know of her identity now as well after all. Well, It's because of your eyes."

"My eyes?" Why does everybody keep saying that my eyes speak to them? Even Farner said something like this. I don't see what is so special about them.

"Yeah, your eyes are just like those who have seen so many deaths that they don't care about life anymore. I can see deep down the darkness of death in your eyes."

"Hm-mhm. Well, we will see about that."

"What? Thirty percent is too much? Okay, I can take twenty." I stand up and untie her. "Okay, okay, fifteen percent. I can't go lower than that."

"As I said, we will see about that."

***

The next day, I find Samson in the hall.

"Good morning."

"Good morning. Slept well?"

"Yeah, and you?"

"Same as usual, I guess."

"Where are the others?"

"Don't know. I only saw Peter leaving earlier. He didn't say anything so I don't know where he went."

"Okay." That guy must have gone to see Frankher. "Lanuvel told me yesterday that there will be a test for the first-years to get a fighting class. You know something about it?"

"Yeah, I almost forgot. You are an omega so yours will be in two days. Normally, beta and alpha will have their own today. For the gamma it is tomorrow."

"But I don't remember us being so numerous that they would take three days for that."

"Procedures, my friend, procedures."

"Of course. And when will the school start?"

"In a week. You should also see teacher Smith to receive your allowance."

"Allowance?" Ah, yeah, there was some money in the bracelet they gave me when I came here.

"Yes. Did you not receive anything before?"

"I did but I am surprised because I didn't pay anything to enter here."

"It was the heroes who had you enter the school, right? That means the church is paying for it."

"I see." Like I thought, there was no way this was done for free.

I leave Samson and go out of the dorm. I find Lanuvel outside, talking with another girl. The girl has deep navy-blue hair and is taller than Lanuvel, no, she is even taller than me, but inly slightly I think. Not too muscular, though. As I approach, the girl looks at me once. Her face isn't the prettiest one but she is not ugly, so to speak. No scars or weird spots as well.

"Good morning."

"Hello, Lanuvel, slept well? Good morning." I greet the girl while extending my hand, trying to be courteous but she just brushes me off and looks back at Lanuvel.

"Hm…Germinia. This is Kevin Dragonroad. He is an omega student here." Now that think about it, I don't have the jacket of the omega on. Germinia, since it is her name, has hers on though. And she is wearing it with such class you would think it was designed for her.

"He is an omega class? He looks weak."

"You shouldn't-"

"It's okay, Lanuvel."

"I am sorry. She is quite frank about what she thinks."

"That's a good quality. Though it can get you into trouble."

"Not with you at least."

"Germinia!"

"I can't feel his Angas. Are you sure he is an omega student? I heard the omega students were super strong here. That's why I came to this school."

"You are new here, then."

"Yes. I have come to test the limits of this school."

"Test the limits?"

"Germinia was in Sacoxs's academy before coming here. But she left after her second year."

"There was no one interesting there."

"Are you that bored?" She left school just because there was nobody interesting to fight?

"Germinia comes from a notorious family of warriors. The HIGHLANDER."

"Never heard of it."

"Seeing how weak you are, I am not surprised." Okay, now you start to piss me off.

"So your name is Germinia Highlander."

"Say it with more respect, please."

"They are the ones who defended a whole town against the army of Wendhalm in the past. Only five of them manage to hold the army down for three days before reinforcements came. They became legends ever since."

"You are quite informed about them, Lanuvel."

"It's a story everybody knows. It has inspired a lot of people and it's even after that event that kingdoms started granting names to highly skilled and courageous warriors. Normally, your history teacher told you about this."

"I forgot since it wasn't important."

"You…Even though you are a named one yourself."

"He is a named warrior?!!" Germinia moves like a bolt and stands in front of Lanuvel, stepping on my innocent foot in the process.

"Yes, I am. And you are stepping on me."