章 10: Meeting the Protagonist 2
"Where is he exactly?"
I was walking through the alleyways of Estelle academy looking for the protagonist.
"But seriously this academy is too damn large"
How am I going to find him like this "hah" I sighed, according to the novel the protagonist was supposed to pass on one of these alleyways after getting lost and encounters the Main heroine who was being ganged upon by some random strangers and saves her.
My heart quickened with excitement as I contemplated the prospect of witnessing this clichéd yet electrifying scene come to life right before my eyes.
but considering the main heroine's strength I don't think he had to save her though?
'Well, it doesn't matter, I need to find him' I thought
"I mean isn't this my chance to see a cliché scene in real life?"
My plan after finding the protagonist is to quietly observe him travel through the alleyways and watch him rescue the main heroine, after everything ends, I will present myself pretending to be a lost student.
As I ruminated on the genius of my plan, a sense of satisfaction washed over me.
This way, I would forge a connection with both the protagonist and the main heroine, all while staying true to the essence of the main story.
It was a flawless strategy, allowing me to be a part of this captivating narrative without directly altering its course.
As I continued to dash through the intricate alleyways of Estelle Academy, my eyes briefly flicked to my watch, the luminous digits displaying 7:30 AM.
"Only 30 minutes left," I mumbled to myself, a sense of urgency gnawing at me.
The grand opening ceremony of Estelle Academy starts at 8:00 AM, and I was acutely aware of the ticking clock. I couldn't help but wonder if the protagonist had already swooped in to rescue the main heroine.
With a surge of determination, I quickened my pace. I needed to hurry up and find the protagonist, for time was slipping away like sand through my fingers.
My thoughts raced, envisioning the climactic scene I hoped to witness before the opening ceremony commenced.
But then, in a moment of distracted haste, disaster struck. A resounding "Bam" echoed through the alleyways as I inadvertently collided with someone.
The impact sent me crashing not only into the stranger but also into the unforgiving alley walls. The world seemed to spin briefly, and for a fleeting moment.
'Did a trailer truck hit me?' what the heck was that a person?
"Oh no, I'm so sorry; I didn't mean to do that." The stranger I had collided with quickly approached me, his demeanor a mix of worry and contrition.
"Are you okay?" he asked, extending his hand toward me. I assessed my physical state, realizing that I was, in fact, unharmed.
'Is his body made of titanium or something? And why is he so handsome?'
"Yeah, I'm fine, thanks," I replied with a reassuring smile
"But do watch where you're going next time."
"I'm really sorry," he uttered, his words carrying the weight of genuine regret.
'Tsk' I inwardly clicked my tongue in frustration.
I simply didn't have the time for this. Every second counted, and I needed to hurry to find him. The urgency of the situation weighed heavily on my mind as I prepared to move on.
But just as I was about to make my escape, the guy I had collided with called out to me.
"Wait!" His voice held a note of curiosity and perhaps a touch of desperation.
"Uhm, are you a student here by any chance?" he inquired, his tone tinged with uncertainty.
I couldn't help but offer a wry smile in response. "Well, as you can see," I replied, subtly extending the distinctive robes of my uniform.
These robes were the unmistakable attire of students from the alchemy and magic department at the academy.
His face brightened with a glimmer of hope, and he continued with his line of questioning.
"Oh, then if you don't mind me asking, do you know where the opening ceremony is to be held?"
'Hmm? Wait this pattern'
"Are you also lost by any chance?" I asked pretending to be in the same situation as him.
His eyes widened with recognition.
"Well, yes" he admitted, the tension of our previous collision now dissolving into shared amusement. "Wait, are you also?"
We both burst into laughter simultaneously, although for different reasons the absurdity of our situations sinking in. In the midst of this unexpected encounter, it seemed that destiny had conspired to bring two lost souls together, each searching for something elusive in the labyrinthine alleys of Estelle Academy.
'Found you, Mr. Protagonist' I couldn't help but chuckle inwardly as a sense of triumph washed over me.
But the novels truly failed to do justice to his physical description. The words on those pages couldn't possibly capture the breathtaking reality before me.
His hair, a shade of dark blue so deep it seemed to absorb the very essence of the night sky, framed a face that was equally captivating.
His eyes, like twin pools of cerulean blue, held an almost hypnotic quality, drawing you in with an intensity that left an indelible mark on your soul.
It was as though the universe had decided to paint its most vivid shades on this canvas of a human being, and I couldn't help but be captivated by the living, breathing embodiment of the protagonist before my eyes.
"Uhm, is there something on my face?" he questioned, his voice carrying a note of uncertainty.
His furrowed brow and the subtle shift in his demeanor betrayed a hint of self-consciousness.
'Had my gaze lingered on him a bit too long, making him wonder if there was an issue with his appearance?'
"Oh, no, not at all haha"
"I was just...uh, lost in thought for a moment. Sorry if I seemed a bit distracted" my words came out in a slightly flustered manner, embarrassed by the fact that I was so captivated by his appearance.
"Haha, is that so" he replied slightly embarrassed, while looking at me suspiciously.
'Hey what's with your reaction? And don't look at me like that!'
[Authority: Eyes of the wondering crow: {Passive}]
[Tristan: unsure about your reaction, wondering if you're…]
'Hey Tristan don't jump to conclusions!'
"Boom," a sudden and thunderous explosion echoed through the air, the ground tremored slightly, startling everyone in the vicinity.
"Kyaahh! Cecilia, stop!" cried out a girl, her scream piercing the air, filled with a mix of fear and distress.
Tristan and I exchanged a swift but meaningful glance, a silent agreement passing between us.
Without wasting a moment, we instinctively nodded at each other and moved with purpose in the direction from which the explosion and the girl's cry had emanated.
'Right, I completely forgot about her, so much for a perfect plan'
...
"I'm completely lost" muttered a beautiful girl, a sense of disorientation washing over her as she wandered deeper into the bewildering maze of Estelle Academy's alleyways.
It was creepily quiet.
A voice suddenly pierced the quiet of the surroundings, a girl's frustrated muttering cutting through the tension.
"Hah, I should've stayed with Leslie. Who knew that I would get lost like this after buying some cotton candies?"
A deep, rumbling voice responded, its tone reproachful.
"That's why I warned you about not letting her see any sugary snacks, Cecilia!" The speaker, a towering gorilla composed entirely of rocks, loomed like a giant carriage-sized sentinel.
Cecilia, who appeared as a massive snake of flames with a head the size of a small house, fired back in defense. "What! It was you, Tulan, who openly guided her on what flavor was the best!"
Amid their bickering, another voice, this one stern and commanding, tried to restore order.
"Hey, both of you, stop fighting!" cried Louise.
"But Louise Tulan started it!"
"What you're the one who blamed me for nonsense"
"What do you mean nonsense yo—"
However, her pleas fell on deaf ears, as the two elemental beings continued to exchange heated words. The tension in Louise's voice escalated, a rare hint of anger creeping in.
"Stop it, both of you!"
In the face of their summoner's distress, Tulan and Cecilia immediately ceased their quarrel, recognizing the gravity of Louise's emotions.
It was an unusual sight for anyone unfamiliar with their unique connection, Louise usually never expresses such emotions unless she's really stressed out.
As she was currently nagging both Cecilia and Tulan.
To an outsider, it might have seemed like the girl was talking to empty air, speaking on her imaginary friends and possibly labeled her as someone crazy.
But the truth was quite different, normal people can't see them but she can, and they exist everywhere nature touched, they are the metaphysical beings called 'SPIRITS'
Louise Obelia possessed a rare gift as an exceptional summoner, allowing her to not only see but freely converse with spirits, in their metaphysical form.
A talent that no summoners in this world had, they would have to spend mana and summon their spirits to converse and see their spirits.
It was a talent that many would envy, and it had forged a deep bond between her and the otherworldly beings she summoned.
As she continued her journey through the labyrinthine alleyways of Estelle Academy, Louise couldn't help but reflect on her own misjudgment.
She had mistakenly believed that this route would serve as a shortcut to Charlotte Hall, where the academy's entrance ceremony was set to take place.
As Louise continued her anxious journey through the dimly lit and narrow alleyways, her heart raced with each step, desperate to find an escape route from this labyrinthine nightmare. The oppressive silence of the alley was broken suddenly by an unfamiliar voice that sent shivers down her spine.
"Oh, would you look at this?" exclaimed a man with a wicked grin, clutching a gleaming knife in his hand.
"Are you lost, little princess?" mocked another man, who had silently crept up behind her, his tone dripping with sinister intent.
"Hmm? Are you a student? It's rare for a student to enter these parts, you know," chimed in yet another man, his voice oozing with malicious curiosity.
Louise, her innocence and naivety still intact, found herself momentarily bewildered by the bizarre encounter.
A thin man, seemingly the most sinister of the group, couldn't contain his amusement and chuckled, his eerie laughter echoing off the cold, graffiti-covered walls.
"You're really pretty, aren't you?" he leered, his laughter becoming increasingly unsettling. Louise, unable to fathom their true intentions, was utterly baffled by the bizarre situation she had unwittingly walked into.
"Finally, some people. Uhm, do you know the way to Charlotte Hall by any chance?" she asked, her wide eyes filled with genuine innocence.
"??? pfft hahaha," erupted the random thugs in mocking laughter, their mirth echoing eerily through the alley. They exchanged incredulous glances as if Louise's question was the punchline to some sick joke.
"Do you not understand the situation you're in right now?" one of the men retorted, his voice laced with a mixture of disbelief and menace, trying to convey to Louise the gravity of her predicament.
"S-situation? I understand, you know. I'm lost right now," Louise replied with an air of nonchalance, oblivious to the true danger that surrounded her.
Her innocence and confusion only seemed to fuel the twisted amusement of the menacing men in the alley, making her vulnerability all the more pronounced in this ominous encounter.
"Hey give us all your belongings, even better strip naked right now" said the man holding the knife and continued "don't worry we promise we won't hurt or touch you"
"Kekeke" the thin man laughed at his colleague's request.
The man behind Louise slowly approached her.
"Hey don't worry kid we're quite gentle you kn-"
He couldn't continue his words, as his head flew straight into the thin man's chest creating a hole upon impact.
"T-Tulan what are you doing!" screamed Louise in shock and horror, contrary to one might expect Louise was actually quite used to death, but the death she encountered were all monsters who tried to harm her.
Unbeknownst to her awareness Tulan self-manifested using Louise's mana, their bond was at the point we're he could protect Louise without her having to chant and summon him, or any of her close spirits.
"They are trying to harm you, Louise; you are much too innocent, my master," Tulan whispered with deep concern, his incorporeal form hugging Louise tightly as he shielded her from the impending violence that loomed ominously.
Louise attempted to voice her confusion and concern, but her words were momentarily stifled by the sudden explosion that rocked the alley.
With a resounding "Boom!" a colossal serpent of living flames manifested, its fiery form wriggling and winding around the dark corners of the alleyways.
The intense heat radiated from the creature, casting eerie, flickering shadows upon the cobblestone walls.
The fiery serpent, a manifestation of Louise's potent magical abilities, cast its menacing gaze upon the two grown men who had threatened her.
Its eyes, each as large as their entire torsos, bore into them with an intensity that sent shivers down their spines. The elemental spirit of fire, an embodiment of wrath and vengeance, seemed poised to exact fiery retribution.
However, unbeknownst to Louise, the thin man among the assailants had secretly attempted to use hypnotic magic on her.
But in the presence of powerful spirits like Tulan and the fiery serpent Cecilia, his magical efforts were as conspicuous as someone recklessly parading naked in broad daylight.
"You dare use something like that?" the fiery serpent hissed, its flaming maw widening ominously, as if preparing to consume the offenders and send them to purgatory.
The line between punishment and mercy blurred, as Louise desperately pleaded.
"Kyaahh! Cecilia, stop!" Her voice carried a mix of fear and compassion, trying to halt the elemental fury that had been unleashed.
"What's going on here?" Amidst the chaos, a newcomer with dark blue hair and cerulean blue eyes arrived on the scene, baffled by the surreal tableau before him. His voice cut through the tension as he questioned the bizarre circumstances.
…..
I watched the bizarre scene right in front of my eyes a giant gorilla made out of rocks was currently hugging a beautiful girl.
A giant flaming snake ready to swallow some random thugs, and a handsome young man holding his sword confused on what to do.
"Where is the clichéd scene I was supposed to see?"
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