The next morning, sunlight spilled into my room like it had never seen cosmic horror.
Rex, who had spent the entire night on the couch, sat up looking like a man who aged twenty years in eight hours.
He rubbed his eyes.
"...So last night really happened?" he croaked.
"Yes," I said flatly.
"And the... window woman?"
"Yes."
"And the singing?"
"Please don't remind me."
He leaned back with dead eyes.
"I need therapy."
"So do I."
"…We can go together."
Great.
We were trauma buddies now.
---
The moment I stepped out of the dorm—
The world stared at me.
Students froze mid-step.
Some whispered.
Some bowed nervously.
Some stepped behind pillars like I was contagious.
Rex whistled.
"Bro. This is getting worse."
I sighed. "Let's just get to the cafeteria."
We walked five steps.
Then a magically amplified voice roared—
"KYLE VON BLACKTHORN!!"
We both flinched so hard we nearly jumped out of our boots.
A short, balding instructor marched over, holding a clipboard and sweating like he had just fought a dragon.
He stopped in front of me, panting.
"You! Blackthorn! Emergency Notice!"
"What did I do?" I asked, terrified.
"It's not what you did," he snapped.
"It's what EVERYONE THINKS you will do!"
He handed me a paper.
I read the title.
Academy Directive #1849: Student Kyle von Blackthorn shall be temporarily monitored in his dorm for three nights due to public disturbance risk.
I blinked.
"Ah." I nodded calmly. "That explains why Rex—"
"AND," the instructor interrupted loudly,
"because no noble volunteered to supervise you, we chose the nearest student available at the time of the incident."
Rex raised a hand slowly.
"I was in the wrong hallway at the wrong time," he whispered.
The instructor threw his hands in the air.
"Exactly! Congratulations, Rex Calder! You are the academy's sacrificial scapego—I mean observation partner!"
"…You mean roommate," he corrected weakly.
"TEMPORARILY," the instructor barked, "until student Blackthorn stops causing... unusual events."
He glared at me.
"We don't know HOW you caused yesterday's spiritual disturbance, but we refuse to take chances!"
Then he marched off before I could respond.
Rex stared at me.
"…So officially, I'm your babysitter."
"I'm older than you."
"I am spiritually eighty."
Fair.
---
We finally reached the cafeteria.
The moment I opened the door—
SILENCE.
Total silence.
Hundreds of students froze like statues.
Forks in midair.
Bread half-buttered.
Juice cups stuck halfway to lips.
A noble boy dropped his croissant dramatically.
And then—
Whispers.
"Kyle's here…"
"Is he going to confess again?"
"Didn't he almost freeze the dorms last night?"
"No, I heard he summoned a demon."
"No, I heard he awakened a forbidden power."
"No, I heard he serenaded the demon."
"…That one's true," Rex whispered.
"STOP."
We sat at an empty table.
Actually, we sat at a table that instantly became empty because everyone nearby ran.
I sighed and took a bite of bread.
Immediately—
THUD
Someone slammed into the table across from me.
I nearly choked.
It was a tall, muscular noble boy with spiky black hair and eyes blazing with excitement.
"You're Kyle! Right!?" he said loudly.
"Unfortunately," I replied.
"I saw your confession! IT WAS AMAZING. I was so moved I puked."
"…Your stomach is weak."
"No! My EMOTIONS are weak!"
He grabbed my hand dramatically.
"My name is Gale Stormrider! Let us be rivals!"
"I decline."
"EXCELLENT! That is EXACTLY what a rival would say!"
Rex facepalmed.
Another boy approached.
With glasses.
And a book.
And bad posture.
"E–Excuse me," he said nervously. "I–I study social anomalies. C–Could I interview you?"
"No."
"That's exactly what a social anomaly would say!"
"Please go away."
Students surrounded my table now.
Not touching me.
Just… orbiting.
Like I was a dangerous celestial body.
Rex leaned in.
"You are becoming an influencer," he whispered.
"I want to die."
---
Seraphina Dawncrest stood in a quiet, secluded garden.
Her silver hair drifted lightly in the wind.
She stared at a floating crystal projection.
Kyle.
Surrounded by students.
Laughing?
Talking?
Breathing?
Her golden eyes narrowed slightly.
"He survived deletion," she whispered.
Shadows shifted around her.
Faint, almost invisible shapes leaned closer.
"Continue observing him," Seraphina commanded.
The shadows bowed silently.
But her expression wasn't simply cold.
It was focused.
And darkly curious.
"This deviation grows too quickly," she murmured.
Then, very quietly—
"This feeling... I can't categorize it yet."
---
Aether Vale watched the cafeteria scene from afar, leaning against a stone pillar.
"He shouldn't be… social," he said.
Lina nodded nervously.
"He was supposed to be cruel… wasn't he?"
"He was," Aether said.
His blue eyes narrowed.
"But now he looks like someone fighting for survival… instead of power."
He pushed off the pillar.
"I'll talk to him."
Lina grabbed his sleeve.
"Aether… please be careful."
"Always."
---
Back in the cafeteria—
"Kyle."
I froze.
Rex froze.
Gale froze mid-bite.
Everyone froze.
Aether Vale stood beside my table.
Calm.
Polite.
Radiating protagonist energy.
"I have some questions," he said.
I swallowed.
"What kind of questions?"
His eyes sharpened.
"About last night."
My heart stopped.
Rex choked on air.
Students gasped.
"…Last night?" I repeated weakly.
"Yes," Aether said. "There was a surge of spiritual pressure. One that felt… dangerous."
He sat across from me, staring straight into my soul.
Gale whispered dramatically:
"The Hero and the Villain… face to face."
Rex muttered to me:
"Please don't sing again."
I glared.
"I AM NOT SINGING."
Aether leaned forward.
"Did something happen in your dorm last night?"
The cafeteria fell silent.
Everyone leaned in.
Even the ceiling felt like it was waiting for my answer.
I opened my mouth.
And then—
THUMP
A loud sound shook the cafeteria from outside.
Everyone jolted.
Aether immediately stood.
"What was that?"
Students began to panic.
Rex jumped to his feet.
"Please tell me it's not the window demon," he whispered.
But the fear crawling up my spine…
Wasn't fear of a demon.
It was fear of something worse—
Something familiar.
Something that made my system flash a violent red warning.
[WARNING – SPATIAL DISTORTION DETECTED]
[THE WATCHERS ARE BACK]
An instructor burst into the cafeteria.
"EVERYONE MOVE TO THE COURTYARD!
THE ACADEMY IS UNDER SPIRITUAL ATTACK!"
Students screamed.
Aether drew his sword in a flash.
Seraphina appeared silently at the far end of the hall, expression unreadable.
Rex grabbed my sleeve.
"Kyle… what did you do!?"
"I DON'T KNOW!"
But I did know.
Deep inside.
Something was coming for me.
Not slowly.
Not secretly.
Not gently.
It was coming directly—
right now.
The cafeteria walls shuddered violently.
Windows cracked.
Shadows twisted.
Students screamed.
A massive fissure tore open in mid-air—
And a monstrous voice hissed:
"MISWRITTEN."
I turned pale instantly.
Oh no.
Oh no no no—
"THEY FOUND ME!"