Chapter 203- Sooner Is Not Always Better (Part 2)
Raising an eyebrow at the weird question that came from his system, Rin responded with a question of his own.
"Rare of you to ask me about something, system?"
[I've been gaining free will because of your character, host. I now have more freedom to ask questions if I need to.]
"I see. Well, I simply saw no reason to make Elise worry." Rin replied with a chuckle.
[Are you scared?] The system asked again.
"Hm? What do you mean?"
[I mean the war. Are you scared of it, host?]
"... I am. Actually, I'm so scared of it that I feel like I'm about to lose my mind." Holding his face with a self-deprecating smile, Rin continued.
"Whenever I imagine what could happen and the mere sight of my loved ones dying in front of me, I feel a shudder run down my spine. Am I a coward for thinking this way, system?"
[I have no say in this. Courage and cowardice are two concepts that rely on many aspects to be determined. What you may see as scary, others could simply not feel the same way, and vice versa.]
"A perfect answer, as always." Rin rolled his eyes in response.
[However, if I have to answer honestly. I don't think your fear is unjustifiable. War is all about killing and spilling blood. I understand that you don't want to see Miss Elise face such an ending.]
"If Elise... dies. I don't think I will be able to continue living. I'd rather die than live in a world where she doesn't exist." He responded with a serious tone.
Elise was Rin's most valuable existence that he can't get away from no matter what. She was akin to the air he was breathing so if he lost her, he wouldn't be able to live.
"But, even when I'm scared, I know what has to be done. If I'm scared then I simply have to eliminate the reason for such emotions. It's that simple." He added.
[That's not how humans usually deal with fear, host.]
"Yeah, I know. But, I'm a demon, so no worries." Rin joked lightly.
[....]
*Knock* *Knock*
Suddenly, the door to his room was knocked followed by a beautiful, melodic voice.
"Rin, are you awake?"
"Yeah, come inside."
After that, Elise pushed the door open and entered the room. She was wearing her usual, comfortable clothes. However, for some reason, her figure now was more sensual and mesmerizing than ever it took Rin's breath away.
"You aren't going to take a nap?" She asked.
"No, why you ask?"
"I have something I want to talk about." She said with a serious face, making Rin worry slightly.
"What is it?"
***
A week later, the time for the meeting finally came. It was a normal, sunny day in the academy like any other. Students were living their lives with ease and carefreeness, not realizing the looming danger that was approaching them from afar.
That ignorance was in a sense, a blessing in disguise. Because if fear was to root itself into the heart of the students, that will only hinder their growth and make them lose their will to get stronger and instead choose to run away instead.
But, for better or worse, no such thing happened as days passed quietly.
A young man along with a slightly older woman were walking inside one of the corridors of a building.
"Are you ready, Rin?" Emilia asked as she stood in front of a platform that most likely led upwards to the next floor. It's size and shape were different from the regular platform that they use to move floors.
"Yeah... More or less." Rin replied as he took a few deep breaths.
"Know that when we reach there, I won't be able to enter with you. It's all up to how you deal with them. Just don't say anything risky and you should be fine, hopefully."
"Don't worry, master. I know what I should do. Just wait for me." He said with a reassuring smile.
Looking at him, Emilia sighed.
"I shall trust your wits."
"Good. Now, let's go."
After that, the two stood on the platform before it automatically started rising up in the air at a moderate speed.
In a few moments, they reached the next floor which looked very similar to the one they were in a few seconds ago except slightly smaller.
Then, the one after and the one after, slowly, they moved from one floor to another without stopping. The fifth, the sixth, the seventh, and the eighth floor successively. The more they went higher, the more amazing the place looked. Hell, Rin even saw floating buildings on the 7th and eighth floors.
By the time the platform stopped moving, they were on the ninth floor. The last floor is where the legendary top 10 students live.
The place was odd for the lack of a better description. It wasn't a city or even a village but instead. They were in front of a very long mountain chain full of greenery and beautiful nature.
There weren't any buildings close by, except for the ones that Rin saw right on the peak of the mountains.
"This is the ninth floor. The top 10 students each have an area assigned to them and they all own a certain part of these mountain chains."
"Why are they living in such a place?"
"It's because they supposedly need quietness and serenity to focus on gaining strength."
"What a weird bunch," Rin murmured.
The more he heard about these people, the more he realized that they weren't normal even in their actions and thoughts. Someone like Sorophi for example was simply incomprehensible at all and the others were just as weird if not weirder.
"Anyway, see that floating castle up there?" Suddenly, Emilia pointed at a particular place in the sky above them.
"Hm? What castle? I can see nothing."
"Oh, right. Now that I remember. Here, wear this." Handing out a weird, red necklace, Emilia told Rin to put it on.
Nodding his head, Rin wore it and looked up.
"What?!"
Suddenly, the empty sky had suddenly been covered by a giant, a floating castle that looks so domineering as it loomed over the whole floor.
"That's Zeus... The floating sky castle." Emilia explained with a serious expression.
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