'Huh? What?' Akeru blinked as he looked at a grave with the name "Vanessa" on it.
His shock only grew as he looked at the names on the graves around him.
"I wonder how many more graves I would have to make?" A somber voice was heard from his own mouth.
'No... no... what the fuck? I think it's the best time to wake up from this dream.' Akeru didn't want to read any more names on the graves.
Thankfully, Akeru's body started making a grave.
The coffin was made of glass, such that a person could see the body from outside.
Not only that, but it wasn't buried that deep in the ground. So, if a person came closer to the grave, they would be able to see the face of the dead person.
I had never seen such a graveyard before in my entire life.
Though I desperately wanted to have such thoughts to distract me, the many familiar names visible on the various graves were making it hard for me to get distracted.
'Wait... Don't tell me... I was the one who did all this?'
I felt the world pause before me as the realization crept into my consciousness.
Why was this dream not ending?
Is this the effect of some remote-level illusion magic?
I tried my best to imagine the possible reasons for the current situation.
It was acting as a good distrac-
Suddenly, my body started moving, and I came across a grave.
My surprise turned into horror as I realized what was happening.
I, no, the person..., no, the entity whom the body belonged to was paying respects to the graves, one by one.
'No... please... stop it.' I felt a feeling in my chest. My consciousness? I wasn't sure where, as I could only feel sensations of what my fu- the entity was feeling.
Blank.
That's what the entity was feeling.
He was the embodiment of calmness.
He calmly looked at the faces of the dead people, not affected by the various facial expressions their faces showed in their last moments.
So, despite all of this, why was I feeling discomfort?
Intense discomfort.
Even though I was in a body that wasn't mine, I still could somehow feel emotions.
These were emotions that were mine.
It was like I was facing the worst-case scenario of my life.
Everyone I cared about or would have cared about in the future... all were dead.
No, it was even worse than my worst expectations.
I hadn't expected that the person who would be the cause of this outcome would be none other than me.
An intangible pain penetrated my consciousness.
I felt my mental state getting more chaotic as I saw the last look on the faces of the dead people.
'...' I looked at the fearful face of a silver-haired individual.
She was more mature looking, but it was a face I couldn't forget.
It was Noelle.
I felt my guilt rising as I stared at her face.
It rose to a new level when I saw a sad look on Fuegoleon-san's face.
He was the man who had been arguably the most helpful person in this life so far.
To do such a thing to my greatest benefactor...
'I...I...'
A look of betrayal was present on Leopold's face.
The world paused for me as I itched his face in my memory.
My emotions were running wild at this moment.
I wanted to scream, but I had already lost my voice.
I wanted to cry, but tears refused to flow.
I wanted to shiver, but my body refused to budge.
The only thing I could do was feel the intangible pain engulfing my entire consciousness.
But the pain wasn't enough to distract me.
I- I don't want to see anymore.
It hurts.
My mind went blank when I saw the next face.
It was none other than Mimosa.
However, my shock was not due to her existence but rather the expression on her face.
It... it was of understanding.
Seeing this for a few moments, I felt something break inside me.
To feel understanding for your killer moments before you died.
The same killer who had killed all the people he was supposed to protect, not kill.
Such pieces of shit don't deserve anybody's understanding!
Everything else was numbed in my mind other than anger.
I was ANGRY.
I was angry at this piece of shit.
I was angry to be forced to see this.
I...I was angry at EVERYTHING.
CRASH
I heard the sound of glass breaking as I felt the world break like glass.
I found myself sitting up on the bed as I finally woke up from my nightmare.
"It's over..." My anger turned into relief as I realized that I was back in the real world.
My nightmare... was finally over.
***
POV- Noelle
"So, you got a new sword?"
"Yup, yup, check this out." Asta's voice was filled with enthusiasm.
It was contagious as Vanessa's face cracked into a smile as she saw him swinging the new sword.
I watched the scene with detached curiosity.
At least, that's what I told myself.
I took a sip of the tea in a manner befitting royalty as I sank deeper into the couch I was sitting on.
Sitting on the opposite couch was a lady who was the representation of "Adult Beauty."
At least, that's the first thing that comes to my mind whenever I see her.
Though, I had the decency to not say that to her.
It would be bad if she heard it.
The lady in question glanced at me and flashed me a smile.
Or maybe it wouldn't really be bad.
I tilted my head as I saw Asta looking at me.
For a moment, I could hear the beating of my heart.
Or maybe it was my imagination.
"What is it?" I asked as both of them were looking at me.
"Asta was telling me about his experience of yesterday's mission. How do you feel about it?"
About what?
Is she asking me how I feel about yesterday's mission?... Or
Is she asking me how I feel about Asta telling her about his experience?
I normally wouldn't have even entertained the second thought that popped in my mind.
However, seeing Vanessa's face morphing into a smirk, I could easily see that I was being teased.
I felt my face hot as I realized that I had fallen into a trap.
"That's not tr-"
BOOOOOOOM
Before I could even complete my sentence, I jumped off the couch as a very loud sound of something breaking came from the floor above.
It was so loud that it even drowned out the sound of the cup, which was in my hand, falling on the ground and breaking.
Several other people who were present in the common room around me were startled, too, with the only exception being Captain Yami, who had just turned the page of his newspaper.
"..."
There was silence before somebody broke it.
"Should I go and check it out?" Magna asked.
As if to mock Magna's attempt, the silence stretched for a longer time than before.
It was getting painful... at least to me.
"Hmm? Did you say something?" The Captain finally removed his gaze from the newspaper and glanced at Magna.
"..."
It was Magna's turn to be silent, and he was rendered speechless.
I can't blame him as I, myself, was baffled at the obliviousness of the captain despite the loud sound coming from above.
"Actually, never mind, I need to take a dump anyway." With that, the Captain exited the room.
Though I have been living here for a while now, I still sometimes wonder whether the situation I am currently facing was the norm
"What just happened?"
"I don't know."
Finral and Vanessa were confused, just like me.
So, it wasn't the norm.
NOM NOM NOM
I tilted my head as I noticed Charmy munching on a cake.
'When did she arrive?'
"I'll just check it out," Magna said as he made his way upstairs.
The room was quite silent, so there was even a possibility that I might be able to hear the conversation that would happen above.
Normally, I wouldn't have entertained this idea as this room never really remains quiet, but today, it's different.
I just heard some muffled sounds above, much to my disappointment.
'I need to look into mana enhancement of organs, though I wonder if my mana control is up to par to do it.'
I blinked as I realized that Magna was back in the room, along with somebody else.
"So, it was you?" The words left my mouth before I knew it.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Akeru whistled as he sat at the table while mustering his best oblivious look.
"Yeah, I'm not buying it."
***
A/n- Lol, I was experimenting with First POV as I felt this scene was suitable here.
How was it?
***
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