bookcurios Chapter 166 Minor Incident
Chapter 166 Minor Incident
"Things didn't turn out quite as I expected."
As I walked toward the cafeteria, I pondered the changes in the college.
"The curriculum was supposed to remain unchanged until the end of the first year."
In the game, the second year is much busier than the first, both in terms of facing villains and course activities.
"But the situation is quite different now."
Many factors can influence the game's plot, leading to these changes. Small events often trigger larger ones—a phenomenon known as the butterfly effect—but not every small thing brings about a huge change.
"If there is one key factor, it is Sylvie's awakening."
Such a significant change would require some triggering factors, and in my opinion, the only one I can think of besides myself is Sylvie's awakening.
“And Sylvie’s awakening is the most reasonable triggering factor.”
In this world, some powers far exceed people's imagination. Dragons, mythical creatures, otherworldly beings, beings close to gods, or even gods themselves.
Sylvie possesses one of those powers.
"The authority of the First Lord".
When this power awakened, other beings or [Venerable Ones] must have sensed the energy emanating from the Academy. The world began to change, and with the appearance of dimensional rifts in every direction, the number of monsters steadily increased.
The world is gradually descending into chaos, and changes often occur more frequently amidst chaos. A powerful force lurking within this world has long been plotting in secret to become the most powerful.
“Sylvie’s awakening merely provided them with a reason to act.”
The college may want to nurture students before the situation spirals out of control. Given the dean's power and position, he seems to have foreseen these changes to some extent.
"But this also makes things more dangerous."
The Academy wants to control Sylvie's power and protect her from threats, but they also understand that her growth is crucial and they cannot keep her locked up in the Academy as she grows.
"They are more likely to let her blend in with the students at the college, hide her identity, and let her grow up in the chaos of nature."
This is easy to understand, and it's what happens in games.
"But if there is one thing that worries me, it is her premature awakening."
As Sylvie awakens her dormant talents, she will be assigned to the Academy's rising star.
Ethan Hartley.
At that time, we, as players, had already entered the top ten and were striving to become the strongest.
"But that's not the case now."
Ethan isn't strong enough right now, and his ranking is low. I doubt the Dean will pair Sylvie with Ethan.
This actually means that Sylvie's actions and the relationships around her have deviated from the trajectory of the game, which also indicates that things may change.
“I need to be prepared.”
If Sylvie is kidnapped by external forces, the situation will become even more complicated. Even the Federation is difficult to trust; if she's controlled by a demon…
"Then it'll be all over."
My thoughts continued to drift among the various changes that might occur in the future.
As I approached the cafeteria, the noise of the students gradually replaced the quiet of my contemplation.
The cafeteria doors opened, and a cacophony of noise greeted us.
The sounds of trays clattering, laughter, and lively discussions mingled together, echoing the vitality of college life.
"Everything is the same as usual."
After joining the queue, my gaze swept over the figures of the cafeteria staff.
The cafeteria staff worked busily at the counter to ensure that every student could have a meal smoothly.
In the crowd, I noticed that the woman I often saw in the cafeteria was gone.
Her disappearance reminded me of her. A person trying to hide her scars and conceal her past.
'I think I'll never see her again.'
This world is truly cruel. No one cares about the future of the weak.
I found an empty seat and sat down. The low, noisy sounds of the cafeteria gradually faded into the background, and my attention turned to the food in front of me.
Just then, my senses picked up on some subtle movements behind me.
'Um? '
Someone is using magic.
despair!
With a sound of foot kicking something, a student tripped behind me, and food from his plate flew towards me.
Should I cooperate?
Because I had a premonition of what was going to happen, I had time to avoid it, but I didn't. I needed to confirm some things.
Whoosh!
Food splattered all over me, and sticky residue landed on my hair and clothes.
The student who had tripped walked over, a look of surprise and guilt on his face. "I...I'm sorry, I didn't mean to...someone used magic, that's why I fell." He stammered, his eyes filled with genuine remorse.
He wasn't one of them.
I didn't see any signs of lying in his expression. Usually, people show some nervousness when they lie, but he didn't show any of that.
He's a student majoring in magical engineering.
I recognized the badge on his uniform. This department wasn't highly regarded in the academy and was often looked down upon by the Hunter Department, so there was no point in drawing unnecessary attention to him.
I didn't show any hostility; instead, I nodded. "It's okay, accidents are normal," I replied calmly.
"Th...thank you," he stammered, then immediately turned and left, as if he were aware of the stares around him.
"Heh... As an orphan, you certainly have a talent for attracting trouble."
The group that had orchestrated this farce, exuding an air of arrogance, continued to revel in the spectacle among their companions. "Look at this guy, resorting to such methods to fit in, how pathetic," he sneered, his eyes gleaming with malice, as if enjoying the moment.
“Yeah, it must be really tough doing this, right? After all, he’s an orphan.” Another person chimed in with a sneer, a contemptuous smile on their lips.
“You bet, I heard he’s willing to do anything to get attention,” the last person added sarcastically.
I didn't say anything, I just kept staring at them and observing their behavior.
Are they acting under orders, or are they acting from the heart?
Things might not be as they seem. These people might just be targeting me for fun, and if that's the case, it's easy to deal with. I can either ignore them or respond the way they do.
But if there's someone else behind it, then it's a different story.
If I choose to ignore them, they might find another way to deal with me, trying various methods. And if I retaliate, they will use other means to put me at a disadvantage.
"Someone like him would probably sell himself to make a living," the leader sneered, his eyes filled with malice, his smile growing increasingly smug, as if anticipating my next reaction.
Despite his sharp words, I could sense something unnatural in his demeanor. His gaze wasn't entirely focused on me; his hands clenched slightly, and his eyes darted around.
'Found you'
Just then, I noticed out of the corner of my eye that his gaze had shifted elsewhere.
I followed his gaze and saw the person I had expected.
'Trevor Phillips.'
He was sitting in a corner observing, while having a meal with his friends.
My eyesight is very sharp; I can catch details even from the corner of my eye. And I also saw him nod to the bully.
That confirms it.
My cooperation with these bullies was to confirm whether Trevor Phillips was truly behind these rumors. Acting on mere speculation is unwise; I needed confirmation.
"Ugh, just looking at this guy is annoying."
When the bullies seemed to lose interest in trying to provoke me, the leader suddenly stood up and gave his companions a signal that was difficult for others to notice, and they followed.
I remained seated calmly, pretending not to care, and showed no emotion even as the leader passed by me.
'Now.'
In that instant, I sensed a malevolent aura in the air. My intuition told me that some kind of danger was imminent.
despair!
"what……"
Just as he was about to pass me, the leader moved swiftly, thrusting something hidden into my shoulder. His movement seemed casual, like an accident. However, I had already anticipated this.
I quickly dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding the stab. The needle grazed my arm, and I saw a tiny mark on the tip.
'Poison?'
If I hadn't dodged, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
"You... I almost tripped over you, you bastard."
However, the bullies did not give up; instead, they decided to try a different approach. The leader turned around, feigning anger, and shouted loudly.
"Watch your feet, you idiot! I almost tripped because of you!"
He walked towards me, aggressive and continuing his baseless accusations. "How dare you put your dirty feet on my path? What? Are you trying to get revenge on me?"
I remained calm and responded to his feigned anger with a blank expression. "I didn't put my foot on your path; you tripped and fell on your own." At the same time, I sensed someone approaching.
"Did anyone see what this piece of trash just did?" the leader shouted to the onlookers, his tone full of feigned anger.
The bystanders exchanged uneasy glances, seemingly drawn into the potential conflict. Just then, rumors about me began to circulate.
“He does look a bit suspicious,” one person whispered to the other, his tone uncertain.
"Yes, I heard he's the one being talked about at the academy lately, right?"
The bullies seized upon these whispers, using them as evidence in their accusations. "See, even they think you're the problem," the leader sneered, a smug glint in his eyes.
'This trick really works.'
This undoubtedly proves just how powerful the misleading power of public opinion can be.
'well……'
Things are getting annoying, not because I'm powerless, but because it's like a scene from a movie.
Just then, a dignified voice rang out in the noisy cafeteria.
"enough!"