232 I am participating

'Fuck that bitch! Who does she think she is!?' Blaze's fiery expletive echoed in my mind, reflecting the frustration coursing through me.

"I'm done," I announced, pushing my chair back and preparing to leave.

"Me too," she murmured, her voice trailing off as if hesitant to continue.

"You should talk to them. I'll head out; the lecture will start soon," I stated, gathering my belongings.

"Take care," she responded softly.

"Still, thanks for staying till the end. I would've felt quite lonely if you had left with them," I expressed my gratitude, trying to keep my tone casual.

"Eh!?" Raven's surprised squeal rang through the air.

'Quite smooth for you to tell her that you feel lonely without her,' Blaze interpreted, his comment sardonic.

"Well, later then," I left the spot, only for Raven to grab my arm. "Hm?"

"No-nothing," she said abruptly, releasing my arm almost instantly.

I didn't dwell on it and left the cafeteria.

[Two minutes later.]

'I told you, man, you need to get your palm read,' Blaze said.

"Could you move?" said the blond-haired elven female knight. Her hair was cropped short, and a faint scar marred her face, but—

What the hell is this?

"I asked you to move," she repeated herself, pulling me out of my thoughts.

What in the world? Is she really alive? Wait—

"Hey," I blurted out involuntarily.

Amelia halted and looked at me. "What?"

Raising my hand, I touched her shoulder - she's real.

More than that.

Raising my left hand, I intercepted the incoming slap—she's at least two tiers above me. It took considerable effort to deflect it, yet that wasn't as shocking as the realization at that moment.

I left her, turned around, and walked away, ignoring her calls from behind.

'Dude, she's calling you... whatever,' Blaze hopped onto my shoulder.

I strolled across the academy grounds and returned to my dorm, collapsing onto my bed.

"What the actual fuck?" I muttered.

Amelia Clay was alive and kicking. Unlike the game where she never returned from the trip—ha! I should've noticed when Adam and his group entered the cafeteria in high spirits.

And until now, it was a certainty that she'd die, but now, what?

It might seem like a trivial detail, but—

It's as if the entire storyline has been disrupted. How did she survive the onslaught of hundreds of dark elves? It's impossible for her.

She was already fatigued if I recall correctly, but now—the way she stood in front of me made me doubt a lot.

'Is it that significant?' Blaze questioned.

Yes, it is!

This event would've made Adam the protagonist, the hero who valued lives and the consequences of his decisions.

I rolled onto my side. This was not—this is not how it was supposed to be.

'Dude, stop it. It's not like this is the first time something has deviated from your knowledge,' Smokeball chimed in.

I leaped off my bed, dashed to the desk, and grabbed paper and quill.

"The events that unfolded were aspects left out of the game, which I could understand—how demons arrived wasn't explained, but there was a plausible explanation. The same went for other occurrences involving the gods and everything else we witnessed," I explained, "But until now, anything we knew didn't affect the storyline; it was in its place, working fine without disturbance. But this is a direct change, like altering a death itself."

"Wait... that's bad?" Smokeball's ignorance struck me.

"Yes, I can overlook other alterations because they patched the plot holes, but this is a direct contradiction of the story!" I listed the alterations.

Amelia's death.

Adam becoming more cautious.

Joining the Mage's Gambit.

Progressing to the interschool rounds.

And losing another first-year's life in the final moments of the tournament.

But now, the initial step is missing—the entire chronological order is in disarray now.

The magnitude of this alteration reverberated within me. It was a disruption that unraveled the carefully crafted progression of events. It was more than just a plot twist; it was a direct violation of the narrative structure.

I scribbled furiously on the parchment, organizing my thoughts in a desperate attempt to make sense of this anomaly.

"This change undermines the very foundation of the story," I muttered to myself, my frustration mounting as I grappled with the implications.

Amelia's survival defied logic, challenging the established order of events.

"That bitch was meant to be eliminated." Her continued existence meant a deviation from the destined course, disrupting the pivotal moments that were supposed to shape Adam's journey.

'What now?' Blaze's question lingered in my mind.

"I don't know," I admitted begrudgingly.

The consequences were unknown and unpredictable, shrouded in uncertainty and veiled by the unpredictability of this unforeseen deviation.

'Is there a way to fix it?' Blaze's voice cut through the tumultuous whirlwind of my thoughts.

"I don't know," I repeated, frustration lacing my words as I stared at the scrawled notes on the paper, each line indicative of the disruption that had taken place.

'So, what's the plan?' Blaze nudged, pressing for a solution.

... I can't eliminate her too. It'll be difficult to assassinate her now that everything will be in disarray tomorrow.

'Well... if Adam wins and becomes more conscientious, following the same development as the game, won't it reconcile everything?' He presented a smart perspective, but...

"Who says I am going to let Adam win?" I was more upset that...

Initially, it was going to be one change in the story, but now there are going to be two.

"haha no way you're going to..." his voice trailed off, "participate... right?....you were kidding last night right?"

"No I wasn't." I regret that Adam won't get the prize—well, I'll at least let him have the trophy.

***

[Third-person view]

Amelia frowned, puzzled by the recent unsettling encounter. What was that guy's deal?

His unexpected touch had sent shivers down her spine, leaving her feeling unnerved. Unconsciously, she swung her palm, attempting to push him away, only to be met with a surprising realization.

"Is he truly that strong?" Although she hadn't exerted her full power, his ability to halt her without so much as a flinch was disconcerting.

This marked the third strange encounter she'd had with this peculiar individual. Each time, he managed to do something that left her feeling suspicious and questioning his intentions.

First, it was his presence at the borders, then being spotted with a criminal, and now this odd behavior at the academy. It was almost as if he was intentionally causing trouble.

And now, this almost harassment-like situation?

"I should be more attentive that I am the chosen one." She muttered as a green spark flickered in her emerald eyes.