Kai could feel Cecil's arm muscles becoming taut, and he furrowed his eyebrows in concern.

"Cecil? Are you alright? You are tense, does it hurt?"

He saw her wide eyes staring ahead of her, and once she heard Kai talking, she snapped out of reverie.

"Sorry, I just remembered something."

"Well, it's just two more stitches, hang in there." Kai encouraged softly and Cecil was touched.

This adorable puppy is consoling me, even though it doesn't hurt as much as I thought it would.

Cecil smiled, "I'm fine, your stitching skills are great Kai, I hardly feel anything."

"That's good." Kai grinned. "And...done, now to apply the herb and bandage the wound..."

Kai reached over as Alric passed him the herb mixture, it was only this moment that Kai realised Alric was there. Alric, who had been focused on Cecil the entire time, realised that the man in front of him was completely different.

The aloof and uncaring man was gone, replaced by a man with a bright smile.

Alric flinched back.

"You...you are definitely not the man from earlier."

Kai grinned.

"Hey there, if you know what you really are, just know that I'm just like you," Kai spoke good-naturedly, taking the mixture and proceeded to lather it all over Cecil's wound. "Or rather, I am you."

Alric didn't say a word, just looking at Kai with wide eyes.

Cecil sighed at the cooling sensation, and Kai bandaged her wound with care.

"Thank you, Kai."

Kai smiled widely, before that smile faded a little. "Ah, he's nagging at me."

Cecil reached forward, pausing.

He...he can't see this right? I just want to ruffle his hair, one more time. I hope Xue doesn't see this, or else...he will kill me, probably.

In the end, she decided to ruffle Kai's hair like always. "Bye, Kai, see you soon."

"See you later, Cecil." Kai grinned, leaning into her touch just like always.

She withdrew her hand as Kai closed his eyes, and the man's mien changed in an instant. Alric was bewildered by this exchange, finally understanding what Kai actually meant.

Gazing fondly at the bandage, Cecil smiled to herself and she didn't realise Xue's gaze on her, his hand on his hair where Cecil had touched earlier.

[ Reminder, you are only left with 50 minutes to complete secret mission #2. ]

Her smile stiffened again.

She was once again reminded of the second alter she stole from the female lead.

"You are the last one here." Xue suddenly said, looking at Alric.

Alric stared in silent acquiescence.

Xue frowned, he did not know that Alric already knows since they have never communicated at all this entire time.

"You know what I am?" Xue asked upon seeing how composed Alric was.

"Yes," Alric nodded vigorously. "I am you, and you are me. I am just...a small part to what we actually are."

"You remember everything?" Xue questioned, surprised.

"He...doesn't remember Hana, he is one of the few exceptions." Cecil informed, and the two of them turned to look at her.

"Another one of your vision?"

"Yes."

"Who's Hana?" Alric cut in, curious.

Xue's eyes darkened at his words. "Someone you do not need to know."

Alric didn't dare question any further. Xue simply neared him, their distance an arm away as he stretched his arm out, producing a red marble.

Alric gazed at the red marble, his face inscrutable, however, he did not show any resistance.

In the novel, Alric died along with the body and there wasn't any repercussion. Alas, now the principal, his close friend, was still alive, she didn't know if it would change.

"Wait, Alric." Cecil hurriedly called out.

"...?"

"If Xue were to absorb and combine your soul with his, your body...will die along with you. Are you sure you want to do this?"

Alric glanced down, not speaking.

I guess I should have collected more of the Flaming Lavender. It never occurred to me that I might need more. I was careless this time.

Cecil criticised herself on the inside.

Alric looked up, "It's alright for me," he shrugged. "I do not have much friends in this world anyway, especially those that really cares about my existence. Though, your principal...he might be affected by my disappearance."

"..."

"...will he go on a killing rampage for you?" Xue asked and Cecil looked at him with knowing eyes.

"I...am not sure, but it doesn't matter. I have told him repeatedly that if I were to disappear one day without warning, it means that I have achieved what I've always wanted." Alric elucidated, nodding to himself. "Whether I died tragically or peacefully, he should accept it as what it is. So, just go ahead."

Xue started the process, indifferent to Alric's words.

"...wait." Alric said and Xue furrowed his eyebrows, slightly annoyed.

Cecil panicked.

Is...is Alric changing his mind now?

Was it because I decided to save Kai's original occupant, thus, I am causing a bad butterfly effect?

Did I really mess up...that badly?

Alric looked at Cecil, pointing to her. "If we combine, will I still be able to see Cecil? The entire time?"

Cecil was speechless.

Xue's face twitched, his impassive expression twisting. "......yes."

Alric beamed, it was almost blinding. "Then do it! I'll be glad to combine souls with you!"

Xue looked at Cecil, bemused.

"You...you like her?"

"Heh..." Alric grinned sheepishly. "Kinda."

For the first time in his life, Xue was at a lost for words.

Cecil blinked rapidly, her face a deadpan, turning around. She was tempted to walk to the mahogany table and ram her head into it.

...or better yet, she wish that she could just shrink into oblivion.

***

Finally, Xue absorbed Alric's soul without any disturbance and Alric was only eager to assimilate with him. Like Kai, there wasn't any difficulties and the process was even faster.

Alric's body dissipated, like the other two corpses, where nothing remained in the spot he stood.

[ Secret mission #2 : Alric, the Cowardly Wandering Merchant
Objective completed!
Reward : 400 points
Remaining points : 6130 points ]

After that, Xue approached Cecil, looking at her bandaged arm, and the medicinal supplies she was packing up. Cecil felt Xue's eyes on her, licking her dry lips as she spun around.

"You...this woman, you are so strange. First it was him, and now...another one..."

Cecil maintained her haughty and aloof facade, but her eyes was wandering.

It's not only you, great lord protagonist...even I am speechless too.

How could this happen again?

Cecil felt like crying.

***

Hana collapsed onto the ground, along with the other students. In the end, the civilians who were alive were sent here and they defended every single one of them until their last drop of energy. At that moment, the corpses all froze and they fell apart on the floor. It was as if the strings controlling them were no longer there, and the ground swallowed them up.

The grisly and odious battlefield was no more, though the gory sight of internal organs and blood were still strewn about. Despite that, the students and civilians cheered, the torment was over.

The civilians and students cooperated together, taking the ill and injured ones away first to give them priority for treatment. They could only comfort those who mourned for their loved ones, and started to dig graves for them for a proper burial.

"For those who are still able to move, I need some help here!"

"Over here too!"

"I'll go, you help the rest!"

With that, the invasion that would have ended up annihilating the town and the academy almost completely, according to the original plot of the novel, was brought to an end.

The principal heard about the death of his friend, Alric, who could not be saved. Fortunately, true to Alric's words, he did not retaliate and he simply prayed for his friend's journey into the afterlife.

"Cecil! Xue!" Hana exclaimed happily, finally having the chance to see her friends. "Oh my god, Cecil! What happened to your arm?!"

Hana gasped in horror, her lips trembling as she hopped around Cecil in concern, like a mother hen.

"I'm fine, it's just a cut, I've already treated it."

"How did you get hurt?" Hana frowned, her eyes slightly red.

"Well..." Cecil's eyes drifted to Xue surreptitiously. "To help someone."

Alric: "...sorry lady, Cecil was hurt because of me...and she almost died..."

Kai: "Hey! She's still alive!"

Alric: "Th-that's why I said almost...!"

Xue squeezed his eyes close in frustration, he had to deal with two voices in his head now. In the novel, these two voices were actually the most quiet ones, in fact, they hardly spoke at all.

Hana pouted, turning to Xue. "Xue! You are strong! Why didn't you protect Cecil?"

"...?!"

Cecil was stunned.

What is this heroine doing now? Why is she saying that?!

Xue did not know what to say to Hana, bewildered.

"Ha-Hana! You've got it wrong! Xue did try to help, things got...complicated." Cecil stated, her voice hurried. "He actually..."

Cecil glanced at Xue and as he stared at her, impassive and silent.

"He actually...?" Hana said, noting their gazes on one another.

Cecil smiled helplessly.

He actually tortured the poor villain to death, for me...almost.

She then cleared her throat, looking away. Somehow, it didn't feel right saying that out loud, or even thinking about it. "Let's head back to the academy, I want to change out of these dirty robes."

Hana glanced down, nodding along with Cecil's words, forgetting about the conversation quickly enough.

Hana could feel there was a change between the two, but she couldn't quite put a finger on it.

Yes, something did really change, but what?

Hana pouted thoughtfully.

Meanwhile, Xue accompanied the two ladies, his gaze straying to Cecil more frequently; lingering.

***

Pt. 1

《 start 》

I hate the corpses!

I hate fighting like this!

I hate the smell of blood!

I hate everything about this invasion!

Ahhhhhh! Eeeeeeee! So gross!

It's after me! No, no no, no, stay away!

《 stop 》

***

Pt. 2

《 start 》

First it was that...Kai, and now this other "me" too?

I should be happy.

I should be happy they are liking that woman instead of Hana.

...but why am I not happy?

《 stop 》