My eyes fluttered open.

I was stuck in the heart of a storm.

Surrounding me were familiar faces like Luna, Rie, and Astina.

I held their hands tightly, pushing through.

Even as the storm tore at me, leaving scratches and bruises, I didn't back down.

A streak of light appeared at the end of the storm.

I strained to reach for it.

But then, I was faced with a choice.

To touch the light, I had to release the hands I was holding.

But, if I didn't grab the light, I felt I would lose it forever.

Suddenly, a cold sensation touched my face.

Cold?

"Uh... huh?"

The chilly touch roused me, causing me to open my eyes.

Was it all just a dream?

"Oh! Rudy!"

As my eyes opened, I saw Luna wiping my face with a damp cloth.

"You're awake!"

Her face was bright as she greeted me.

"Luna, where am I...?"

I looked around.

A fruit basket was perched on a shelf.

I was lying on a white bed, dressed in a patient's gown.

And Luna was sitting beside me.

It appeared to be a hospital room.

"Have I been out for days?"

"You were out for a day. Don't worry."

Luna's calm smile was reassuring.

I was relieved that only a day had passed.

The final exams were nearing, and being out for longer would've caused problems.

"Uh...."

I tried to sit up, only to be met with a sharp pain in my abdomen.

"Rest, Rudy. You're not completely healed. The doctor recommended natural healing over magic, so you might still have some injuries."

The idea of healing everything with magic seemed more appealing given the pain I was in.

With my current state, attending classes at the academy seemed impossible.

"Can't we just use magic to heal?"

"No, we can't."

The door swung open as I said this, and Astina walked in with a doctor in a white coat.

"A wizard's natural healing ability is their lifeline. If the body's healing speed slows down, the speed at which your mana regenerates also slows down."

"Can it get any slower? I need to attend class."

Sure, natural healing is important, but classes are my main concern.

Without attending classes, it's hard to keep up with the studies, and getting good grades becomes a challenge.

Since I didn't have any friends to share notes with, self-study was out of the question.

If I had to take the finals in this state, failing was a certainty.

Astina looked at me, a smile playing on her lips.

"Seems like you're well enough to complain."

The doctor standing next to her chuckled at this.

"Better to rest. This isn't the student council president speaking, but a doctor. You should trust it. Let's check your wound, shall we?"

After inspecting my injury, the doctor assured me that I was healing well and should be able to leave within a week. He then exited the room.

Once the doctor left, I turned my attention to Astina.

"What happened?"

I wasn't overly concerned about Astina's brother, but the situation with Serina did concern me.

"Everything has been sorted out."

Astina replied, a broad smile adorning her face.

"Sorted out...?"

"Yes. Serina was expelled and is being transferred to the capital for trial."

"...What?"

"Hmm?"

I was greatly taken aback.

"Everything has been resolved 'nicely'. Serina will 'nicely' face the consequences of her actions."

"Wha...."

I was at a loss for words.

Things weren't sorted out, things were messed up.

More than messed up.

I still needed Serina for numerous things, but expulsion...

Well, if she was still at the academy, we might've been able to reverse the expulsion somehow.

But the fact that she had already been expelled and even taken to the capital left me reeling.

Taking a deep breath, I asked another question to Astina.

"What...what were the charges...?"

"Don't worry! They've covered everything thoroughly. Attempted murder, theft of a treasure-grade artifact, and more."

Attempted murder? Theft of a treasure-grade artifact?

Had the charges been minor, I could've pulled some strings to get her out.

But with such serious allegations, it was out of my hands.

These were charges that could see her incarcerated for several years at least.

"Ah..."

I'm screwed.

A few days later.

I was lying alone in the hospital room.

It was a weekday, and unlike the weekend when Luna was able to keep me company, she had classes to attend, leaving me on my own.

Still, I wasn't bored.

I discovered I could converse with Priscilla without having to summon her.

I immediately questioned her.

"Serina has been arrested. Aren't you concerned?"

[Why should I worry about her facing the consequences of her actions?]

"But you don't know how she's going to pay for them. And if she ends up in jail, you don't know when you'll see her again."

[It's part of growing up. And if she wants to see me, she'll find a way. I believe Serina has learned a lot from this incident.]

Priscilla's words led to a sigh escaping my lips.

In the game, Serina's growth was always linked to Evan.

She relied more heavily on Evan than the other heroines.

She grew mentally through all the incidents they go through together.

But with her expulsion from the academy, that will no longer be the case.

The prospect of jail was concerning, but the question remained whether she could achieve mental growth independently.

"What a headache."

I stared blankly at the ceiling, deep in thought.

The issue was that there was a significant change in the story.

All incidents involving Serina could be a problem now because of her sudden absence.

However, those related to Priscilla were fine.

Those incidents were not important to the main storyline but were more about Serina's personal growth.

The problematic ones were those that were originally resolved by Serina.

With her sudden absence, there was a huge loss of manpower.

It was like being outnumbered.

The abrupt disappearance of a figure as skilled as Serina means more preparation is needed.

"What a headache..."

This incident has taught me much.

I was now thoroughly entangled in the main storyline.

Backing out is no longer an option.

While the main story's structure remained intact, minor incidents had been drastically altered.

All these events were changing due to the ripple effect of my actions.

The Butterfly Effect.

My seemingly insignificant actions were causing major shifts in events, much like the butterfly effect.

This incident was no different.

Serina's disappearance would likely lead to an even greater butterfly effect.

And since I caused this butterfly effect, it was my responsibility to address it.

"When will Evan actually do something..."

My frustration began to bubble up.

The protagonist merely buried himself in studies, not helping whatsoever.

I was changing the story to survive, I suppose it can't be helped...

But he should at least contribute something.

"This... so-called protagonist..."

[What are you grumbling about?]

"It's nothing you need to worry about...."

I said to Priscilla, sighing heavily.

"But it's nearly vacation time..."

Exams weren't yet over, but the holidays were coming up.

Ah, sweet vacation...

In the game, vacation truly was a period of rest.

A time free from incidents, ideal for comfortable training.

If I could just manage the exams well, I too would have a break.

I could train in dark magic... I could learn to handle Priscilla... and other magic too...

It was a 'break', but most importantly it was a period devoid of life-threatening situations.

But I couldn't exactly relax.

"But what's really troubling are the final exams..."

-Knock Knock

"Hey Rudy, I'm coming in."

The person behind the door entered even before I could respond.

"Why bother knocking if you're just going to barge in?"

The uninvited guest was Rie.

"You seem to be doing better than I expected? Luna made it sound like you were on death's door."

"Try getting stabbed in the abdomen. Then you'll understand."

Each time I tried to sit up, a sharp pain coursed through my belly, making it impossible to assume a comfortable position.

At this, Rie chuckled and settled herself in the chair opposite me.

I glared at her as I began,

"Why are you here on a weekday when you were nowhere to be seen over the weekend?"

At that, Rie sported a broad grin.

"Hmm~? Did you miss me because I didn't visit?"

"Yes, I did miss you."

I was slightly annoyed.

Not having many friends, and with Rie failing to show up, had made me feel a little lonely.

At my candid admission, Rie's eyes widened in surprise.

"You missed me even though you have Luna and Astina?"

"What?"

I narrowed my eyes at Rie.

Why were Luna and Astina suddenly part of the conversation?

Before I could pose the question, Rie crossed her arms and smirked.

"In that case, I'll make it a point to visit first next time."

Seeing her delighted expression, I refrained from saying anything more.

While I would have probably felt the same if Luna or Astina had failed to visit, I didn't think it necessary to spoil Rie's mood by mentioning that.

"So, why didn't you visit earlier?"

At that, Rie pulled out papers from her bag and handed it to me.

The papers contained information related to Serina.

"I couldn't just sit idle when unpleasant things were happening at the academy, being a part of the student council and all."

In essence, she had dealt with the matter herself.

The document listed charges against Serina, all meticulously detailed.

Judging from the gravity of these crimes, it seemed highly improbable that Serina would ever return to the academy.

"Haah... good job."

"That's it?"

Rie retorted, a frown forming on her face.

Her disgruntled appearance made me feel a bit uncomfortable.

She seemed to have exaggerated various crimes as if to take revenge for me, so should I be grateful...?

Looking somewhat irritated, Rie began rummaging through her bag again.

"Here, you'll probably appreciate this more."

Rie produced a few more documents.

"And what are these?"

"Notes from the classes you missed."

A chill ran down my spine.

Suddenly, Rie appeared to be wreathed in a halo, like a messiah descending from the heavens.

"Ri... Rie you...!"

"Yes, I thought you'd appreciate something like this more. Consider it a get-well gift."

Rie chuckled as she handed me the papers.

Though it was rather unconventional to receive lecture notes as a get-well gift, they were precisely what I needed at the moment.

I had been worrying about how to catch up with the classes after being discharged, so it was a great relief.

"If you stumble upon anything you don't comprehend, don't hesitate to ask. I'll assist if I can."

"Rie...! You truly are the best friend!"

With a thumbs-up, I expressed my gratitude.

***

I agree Evan is absolutely useless.

Another chap later today.

3/5 Enjoy the chappy!

Coming soon!