The World Is Mine For The Taking

It felt like someone was calling out a name, pulling me out of a nap. But it wasn't just any name—it felt like mine, even though I'd never heard it before. It was familiar, so much so that it felt like it belonged to me.

I lifted my eyelids and found myself in a place vastly different from the worlds I knew. Wherever this place was, it was unlike any I'd ever seen. I had no memories of it, yet it felt oddly familiar—as if I'd lived here once before.

Slowly, my hazy vision began to clear. I saw billowing white curtains, a silver window frame, and old, faded glass. Outside, leaves rustled in the breeze, the sky painted with the hues of a setting sun, jet streams trailing lazily across the sky.

I sat up, inhaling dusty air, and noticed the back of someone in what looked like a uniform standing before a dark-green chalkboard. An eraser slid across its surface, wiping away the white chalk words.

"Chihara-san." Latest chapters on NovelFire-mp _yr.

The mention of that name once again drew my attention to the face of a boy standing over me, looking like he wanted something.

"What is it?" My mouth moved almost automatically.

"You have a good relationship with Ichinose-kun, correct?" he inquired. "Could you possibly engage in a conversation with him?"

"Why? It's not as though we're particularly close."

"Ah, well, you see, Ichinose-kun has been absent from school for quite some time now. As the class representative, it's my responsibility to facilitate his return. However, every attempt to visit his apartment has proven fruitless. It seems he's always one step ahead of me. Given that you reside in the same complex, I thought perhaps you could lend your influence."

I had no clue who Ichinose was, but somehow, I found myself speaking up.

"Why not talk to Asada-san first? They're childhood friends, right?"

"Well, I've already spoken to Asada-san, and she mentioned trying to reach out to him. But Ichinose-kun doesn't seem interested in hearing from her," the boy explained. "Please, Chihara-san. Could you ask him to come back?"

"I doubt it'll be that simple. And honestly, even if I did try, I'm not sure I'd have any luck. We're not exactly close."

"Besides Asada-san, you're the only one he's speaking to," he pointed out.

"That's because we're seatmates," my mouth blurted out, though I hadn't meant to speak. "I'm sorry, Kashiwagi-kun. I can't help you bring Ichinose-kun back," I said, turning my gaze away.

The boy lingered for a moment before saying, "I'm sorry to bother you then," and walking away.

The scene shifted abruptly, and now I found myself standing in the rain, walking with my bag in one hand and an umbrella in the other.

Then I saw him. He was in the midst of a brawl with a group of thugs, the kind you'd typically find in the rough streets and dark alleys. They were fighting in the narrow alley leading to the apartment complex where I lived. Despite being outnumbered, he was holding his own, taking down each thug with impressive skill until he was the last man standing.

After catching his breath and wiping the blood from his mouth, he glanced in my direction, and our eyes met. I stood there, a mix of emotions swirling inside me, unable to fully describe what I was feeling. He looked away, preparing to leave.

"Ichinose-kun," I called out to him.

He paused.

"Do you mind if we talk?"

The only sound between us was the heavy rain pouring down.

The scene shifted again, and now Ichinose-kun and I were somewhere unfamiliar, yet oddly familiar.

"You're not planning to go to school?" I asked.

Ichinose-kun remained silent.

"Kashiwagi-kun asked me to bring you back, but I figured it would be pointless, so I declined to help him. Still, I need to know—are you planning on going to school or not?"

Once again, he didn't reply.

"I don't blame you for skipping school, but you can't keep bottling things up like this. If you do, you'll be stuck in that cycle forever. I'm sure that's not what Kana-san, your sister, would want for you either."

I noticed Ichinose-kun gripping the railing tightly out of the corner of my eye.

"You don't know anything," he said, turning away from me. "Now, if you're done, I'm leaving. And I hope this is our last conversation. I plan to go to school tomorrow to submit my withdrawal letter. I won't be coming back."

He didn't look back at me as he walked away.

"...You've become a scum," I said to him.

Ichinose-kun just let out a low chuckle. "Yeah. I guess you're right."

***

My eyes slowly blinked open, greeted by the familiar sight of my dorm room's ceiling in the academy. For a lingering moment, I remained still, letting the remnants of the dream fade away like mist in the morning sun, before finally pushing myself up from the comfort of my bed.

"Another one..." I murmured softly to myself.

These dreams had been occurring frequently lately. They weren't repetitive, but they always featured the same person: Ichinose-kun. There was something about him that felt important, something I needed to understand. He seemed to hold a significant role in these dreams, although I couldn't quite grasp why.

But enough dwelling on dreams for now. It was time to prepare. Today was the day I would visit the royal castle and finally receive my reward.

I felt an unusual excitement coursing through me, even though it was only 6 A.M. and my meeting with the King wasn't until 3 in the afternoon. It was out of character for me, but I embraced it nonetheless. Heading straight to the bathroom, I couldn't help but grimace at my disheveled appearance in the mirror.

After fixing my bed head and wiping away the drool from my face, I stepped into the shower, ready to freshen up for the day ahead.

After showering, I dried my hair with a towel and headed to my closet. Grabbing a pair of underwear, I slipped them on and examined myself in the mirror. Despite wearing them, there was no denying my lack of femininity. I lacked curves and my chest was far from ample. It made me wonder why some men found me desirable.

I wasn't conventionally beautiful, nor was I cute—my demeanor was far too fierce for that.

As I delved deeper into my closet, I pondered the age-old question: what does one wear when meeting a king? It seemed to be the greatest dilemma of the day.

I rummaged through my closet, finding only trousers and the clothes I wore on missions with the Silver Blades. There was nothing suitable for meeting a king. What was I going to do?

After a moment of contemplation, I reluctantly decided to call her.

When she arrived and entered my room, I immediately noticed something different about her. She was usually full of energy, but this was on a whole other level. She was literally glowing.

"Did something happen?" I inquired, studying her expression closely.

"Oh?" she responded, her wide grin never faltering. "Whatever could you mean, Shreddy?"

Her calling me "Shreddy" grated on my nerves, but I pushed the irritation aside. "You seem unusually radiant today. More so than I've ever seen from you. That's why I couldn't help but ask if something remarkable occurred."

"Oh, it's nothing," she dismissed with a casual shrug, though her happy smirk remained firmly in place. "I'm just delighted you reached out to me. It's the first time you've sought my company for something, after all."

That couldn't there all there was to it. I could see that something super good happened to her. I looked at her suspiciously.

"Okay. Fine," she said, her cheeks ablaze with a vivid crimson that threatened to consume her entire face. "Me and Leon... Um... how should I put it? Let's just say we've reached the pinnacle of our relationship."

"Is that so?" I replied, arching an eyebrow as I observed her flushed complexion. "Well then, why don't you assist me in selecting a dress suitable for my royal audience? After all, with your noble lineage, you should possess a keen eye for regal attire."

Despite Titania's radiant glow, my interest in her romantic escapades swiftly waned. Matters of the heart held little allure for me, especially when there were more pressing concerns to address.

"Ugh! Aren't you gonna ask for some juicy details or something?" she prodded. "Like how it happened, who made the first move, who set the mood... You know, all the stuff the girls in my class chatter about when they reach the pinnacle with their boyfriends. I thought you'd be interested in that too, Shreddy."

"Well, I'm not exactly your average girl," I retorted.

"Ah, come on now, Shreddy," she insisted, her expression softening. "Don't talk like that. There's no such thing as a 'normal' girl. Everyone's unique in their own way. If we're going by that standard, you're as 'normal' as they come."

Her words struck a chord within me, but I couldn't shake the feeling of being out of place. Even if she was right about everyone being unique, I couldn't shake the fact that I didn't belong in this world. Someone not from here couldn't be considered 'normal', no matter how you looked at it.