"Can you stop causing trouble for just one day? Why are you so obsessed with making everyone around you miserable?" Liana glared at Elian, her eyes filled with pure hatred.
It was obvious—she hated him. And there was no chance she'd be any help during Arc 1. That said, it didn't really matter. Elian already had a plan in mind.
"Isn't it cruel to blame someone who did nothing wrong just because you hate them?" Elian said calmly. "Besides, why are you all making such a big deal out of this? Accidents during sparring are normal, aren't they?"
Most of the people around nodded in agreement. Still, when something like this involved Elian, everyone believed it couldn't have been an accident.
Elian walked up to Reinhard and stopped right in front of him.
"And you—do you really think making a scene like this will magically heal your friend?" His voice turned sharp. "Stop seeking attention and mind your own business."
Then he shouted, "Now leave. You're ruining my break."
Reinhard clenched his fists, his whole body trembling as he tried to hold back his anger. He knew better than anyone that violence would only make things worse—especially against a noble's heir like Elian. A commoner hurting a noble would turn into a huge issue, and Reinhard had no one who could protect him if that happened.
In the end, he turned away and left. The crowd slowly dispersed.
Liana stared at Elian with a dark expression before turning around and leaving as well.
"Good job," Elian said casually. "Keep this up. Pick commoners with decent skills—but make sure they're still beatable."
Finn lit up when he heard the praise. He bowed deeply. "Yes, Lord Elian!"
After that short exchange, Elian realized the person he was looking for wasn't in the cafeteria. He left right away, checking the library and the garden next. When he still couldn't find her, he headed for the Alchemy Building to ask around.
Just as he was about to enter, someone blocked his path—a girl with short red hair.
"What are you doing here?" She looked at him with a bored expression.
Elian noticed the golden badge on her clothes. Student council.
"I'm here to see Amelia. I want to apologize to her in person."
The girl looked him up and down. She seemed a little surprised, but not enough to care.
"Fine. Follow me."
She turned around and walked off. Whatever Elian was planning didn't matter to her—as long as she was around, things wouldn't get out of hand. Besides, this might help her get off duty sooner.
They entered a room filled with shelves covered in all kinds of plants. The smell of herbs and medicine filled the air, strangely calming Elian.
"Did you find it?" Amelia spoke without turning around.
"Miss Amelia, it's me—Elian."
She flinched at his voice and quickly turned toward him.
"Mr. Elian? What are you doing here?" Her voice was gentle, with no hint of resentment. Still, Elian needed to be sure.
Name: Amelia
Gender: Female
Age: 15
Sequence: 8
Magic Power: ???
Personality: Selfless
Trait: Soft Heart, Saint, Prodigy Alchemist, Loyal To Friends, ???
Rank: ???
Strength: ???
Dexterity: ???
Agility: ???
Constitution: ???
Intelligence: ???
Wisdom: ???
Charisma: ???
Just as he expected—she has the loyal-to-friends trait. Combined with her selfless personality and saintly trait, Amelia was the kind of person who'd run to the edge of the world just to save someone else.
Maybe this time, she already saw Elian as a friend. That alone made things much easier.
'But what's with this "??? "trait? Is my power too low to read it?'
"Miss Amelia, I came to apologize properly." Elian bowed deeply.
Amelia panicked the moment she saw him bow. "Mr. Elian, please don't do that!" she said quickly. "It wasn't your fault. They attacked me, not you. You actually saved me—you used wind magic right before that kick could hit my head."
"Even so," Elian replied, "it's still on me for not keeping my subordinates in check. I promise it won't happen again."
He stepped closer and casually brushed the hair away from her forehead.
Realizing how close they were, Amelia quickly stepped back, her cheeks turning red. Elian let out a small laugh, clearly amused.
"I just wanted to check if you were hurt. Good thing that kick didn't land. What about the other injuries?"
"Don't worry," Amelia said softly. "You really did save me back then. And I've already healed the rest—there won't be any scars."
"Oh, right." Elian took out a sandwich wrapped in plastic. "Think of this as part of my apology."
Amelia's eyes lit up the moment she saw it. "Mr. Elian—how did you know I like sandwiches?"
Elian smiled, satisfied. "I went to the cafeteria looking for you. When you weren't there, I figured you probably skipped eating again."
"Thank you!" She smiled warmly as she took the sandwich from his hand.
It was a lie—but to him, it was the most natural answer he could give.
So… who was Amelia, really?
No matter how many times the game was replayed, characters only changed slightly. Their paths always stayed the same—unless the player chose to interfere.
Amelia was a kind, book-loving girl who cared deeply about others. She often died trying to save random people or ended up betrayed and met a miserable end. And yet, despite all her kindness, no one ever truly cared about her.
She spent most of her life researching medicine, often forgetting to eat or drink for an entire day. People praised her discoveries—but none of it ever made her happy.
[With this potion, I'm sure many lives will be saved.]
A man wearing a monocle over his right eye clapped loudly. Excellent work, Amelia. With this, our kingdom will become unstoppable.]
Years later, the Kingdom of Celestra expanded relentlessly. Every night, Amelia cried, believing her inventions had taken countless lives. Not once in her life did anyone truly understand what she wanted.
In the game, Elian used food to raise Amelia's affection. But now that she was real—a living person with her own thoughts and feelings—he finally understood.
Maybe it was never about the sandwich.
Maybe what Amelia needed
'this isn't just a game anymore.'