Following Magnus out of the first-year classroom building, I opened the doors, instantly feeling the bright early morning sun shine on my face.

It's a nice day...

Pausing and glancing on the tracking mark on my wrist, I watched as Magnus turned right, heading toward the training hall.

Is he really unsavable?

In the novel, midterms would mark the start of Magnus's descent into the darkside.

Just like curious guild recruiters coming to visit Four-Axis Academy to spot new talent to grow their dungeon-raiding teams, Villainous Organizations would come as well.

They would cause some trouble on the campus, as expected, but most of them would simply watch the battle royale take place on the screen within the coliseum.

One of them would take note of Magnus's talent and grow closer to him, until the end of the first year when Magnus would leave Four-Axis early to join them.

...

A sudden idea popped into my mind, but I didn't dare voice it.

Take care of Magnus in the battle royale before any villain recruiters can mark him.

Clicking my tongue, I walked forward and took a left, heading towards the library building, stopping and grabbing a drink on the way.

Just like any other student within the academy, I also had to study, no matter my knowledge of the future.

Entering the gothic-esque library, chandeliers hanging from the ceiling that dimly lit up the room, casting an ominous mood, I sat at one of the three wooden tables that stretched horizantally for at least half the library.

Stretching my hands and leaning backward, I scanned the library, finding it rather full of grouped students, most of which I didn't recognize as in my class.

...

...

...

"Hey!"

Feeling a constant tapping my right shoulder, I removed one earbud from my ears and annoyedly looked backward, pausing my writing.

"Yes?"

As her two jade-green pupils met mine, Haerin immediatly asked, not even trying to lower her voice.

"Do you have information for the midt-!?"

Raising my right hand, I instinctively rushed it forward and covered her mouth, using my left hand to carefully caress the back of her neck and pull her close, down toward me.

With my palm over her mouth and our faces close enough that I feel the warm air blowing out of her nose and rushing against my face, like a fan, I whispered.

"SHH. Don't say anything."

Her jade-green eyes blinking in confusion, she simply stared at me for a moment before slowly pushing my hand off her lips.

"So, you do have something!"

Our foreheads practically touching, I whispered with my eyebrows raised.

"Are you serious!?"

Her pupils widening, Hearin whispered back, moving her face so close that our noses brushed against each other.

"Come on, tell me! What is it!?"

Before I could even think of a response, a familiar emotionless voice that I hadn't heard for quite some time sounded.

"Hello."

As Haerin and I confusedly turned to the source of the voice, Carissa appeared, her eyes narrowing as her lips parted.

"Are you two close?"

The two of us finally realized the little to zero distance between us, Haerin and I both awkwardly turned around.

However, Carissa simply continued watching us, tapping her foot as she awaited an answer.

Sighing, I scratched my head.

I didn't even mind the closeness between us, but Carissa was right: Haerin and I barely even talked besides occasional hallway run-ins.

Perhaps it was because of our team fight, where my life was in the hands of Haerin and hers in mine, but despite everything, the proximity between us felt somewhat natural.

Finally breaking the awkward silence that had descended amongst the three of us, I coughed dryly, unable to see Haerin's face as she was turned around, and said.

"Not really. She was just asking a question about studying."

As I returned to my notebook and continued studying, the two girls sat down next to me, making the seating arrangement: me, Carissa, and then Haerin.

...

...

...

Stretching my hands and yawning, catching a glance of the timer on my smartwatch that read, "9 hours 34 minutes," I glanced to my left.

Surprisingly, both Cariss and Haerin were still next to me, their eyes locked on textbooks.

The last bits of light shone through a window in the library, while stars began covering the evening sky.

Just as I was about to pack up, I looked forward, across the desk, and saw Leo and Serena still across from me, also glued to the notebooks before them.

Perhaps sensing my gaze, Leo's crimson-red pupils flicked up from his textbook and onto me.

Titling his head as we made eye contact, he asked.

"Hungry?"

"..."

What is this...?

With all of them sitting around me...it felt as if I were one of them.

Just like the other people studying together in the library, the main cast and I...were a group?

Snapping me back to reality, Serena's cynical tone sounded from beside Leo, as she, at some point, had also looked up from her book.

"Just go: even if you scream and yell at him, he'll still sit with you."

At those words, a snicker sounded from where Haerin was studying, as Carissa fell back on her chair, gazing up at the library's ceiling.

Packing up his items and standing up, Leo yawned and said.

"Anyone else hungry?"

Surprisingly, Serena closed her book and also got up while Haerin and Carissa followed a few moments later, nodding their heads.

Confusedly looking up at them, I rubbed my neck and prepared to continue working when a sudden hand grasped my shoulder.

Looking up, I found Carissa standing right behind my chair while Haerin, Leo, and Serena all stood a few steps behind, seemingly waiting.

"Come on, let's go?"

"Ah..."

Rubbing my stomach, I awkwardly alternated gazes between my book and backpack before eventually getting up.

Before I knew it, I found myself walking through the hallway with the four of them, each one of them comfortable beside me as if it were normal.

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