Chapter 6

Part 1

Today, I will set out to the center of the city to Valery Page Academy.

Thanks to Remus’ geography books, I’ve got to learn more about the kingdom of Tyrus and Valery City– its capital city and also the city I live in.

Most relevantly, Remus is sending me to a public page academy, where the academy is funded by the city’s taxpayers.

I suppose that’s why the academy took after the city’s name.

The kingdom’s militancy grows every year because of the aggressive expansion from the Kingdom of Vis. These two seem to be the superpowers of the world as of lately.

Though with my limited information, if these kingdoms were to go to war, I don’t know who’d be the good guy.

I’d hate to fight for the wrong side. Heck, I’d hate to fight a war, period.

*knock* *knock*

I remain laying on my belly in bed, looking out the window into the grey, cloudy skies before exclaiming, “Come in!”

The man who pushed my door open is none other than Remus, whose face I’m gravely sick of seeing lately.

“Upset that you won’t see me for a while?” Remus’ voice wry.

I didn’t think it was possible, but with such a stupid question, I was able to stare 1000 yards into his soul.

The silence is short lived, broken by Remus' forced cough.

“Anyway, since you’re so helpless, you probably won’t make any friends there, so…” Remus steps aside, waving his hand out the doorway and into the hallway as if he were calling someone in.

A young teen who seems around my age stumbles into Remus’ place. His appearance is ruffled, from his clothes, to his hair, to his everything.

Worst of all, I can smell his stink from the other end of the room! Eugh…

He looks around curiously for a moment before the light in his eyes dims, then he starts picking his nose.

It looks like Remus just stole a homeless kid off the street.

As if the boy could hear my thoughts, he jumps forward onto me.

“Are you underestimating me, fool?!”

He tries to force his boogy finger in my ear, but I’m just able to catch it in time.

“The hell is wrong with you? Get off me!” I demand, but to no avail.

I look over to handy-dandy Remus who seems to enjoy the scene unfold as he stands there idly.

“I found him today in an alley. Sounds familiar…” Remus’ voice cracks as if he’s holding back laughter.

This kid is supposed to be my friend? I didn’t even get to say a word and he just decided to surprise attack me with a boogy finger!

“Fool! A mortal human should never look down on a superior being!” The boy boasts, as if his words were certainly true.

My face grimaces at his charade.

There’s no distinguishing features that tell me this kid isn’t human. He’s got screws loose.

After a while more of wrestling, the boogy began drooping down the tip of his finger, threatening to touch my new and beautiful face.

I quickly become light-headed, the sight of the booger approaching is similar to– no, worse than seeing a ghost at night.

“You leave me no choice!”

I begin tightening my core, my muscles warm and ready to spring at any moment.

“Ultra… NUT CRACKER!”

I thrust my knee into his appendage, which causes him to roll over with an immediate reaction, “EUGH!”

He tosses and turns while holding his family jewels, cursing something under his breath I can barely make out.

“Curse… you… human…”

Almost too dramatically, he stops squirming all together and lays there seemingly lifeless.

Is he… pretending to be dead?

I turn to Remus, his face seemingly fixed into a stupid mug.

“This is… er–” Remus holds his chin tightly, peering thoughtfully into the ceiling. “Marcus!”

Is that really his name, or did Remus just forget and make up a new name?

“I am Marcus! A demon who’s possessed this capable boy’s body!”

Eh, that’s a thing?

I turn to Remus for an answer.

“He’s just some homeless punk who’s somehow formed a contract with a demon.” Remus effortlessly lifts Marcus up by the back of his shirt as one would with the nape of a cat. “He’s still the same boy, just a little stronger than he was before the contract.”

“Remus, what exactly is a contract with a demon?” I ask

Remus sighs before dropping Marcus, who’s still cupping his appendage.

“I’ll simplify it for an idiot like you,” Remus explains, walking over to the window. “Anyone can form contracts with the dead in the spiritual realm, absorbing their numen until death. These contracts usually have lesser conditions to be met, and their numen not only becomes finer, but they also gain the abilities from the dead.”

I can feel Marcus creeping up on me. It only took a twitch of my leg to fend his vengeful approach.

“It’s somewhat common, mostly in family members and loved ones. Though, if one had no connection to the dead, the dead would probably prefer to remain in the spiritual realm.”

Remus points to the sky, our gazes follow.

“After all, it’s a place of never-ending peace and reuniting with the other dead.”

The spiritual realm sounds loosely similar to heaven in my home world.

Remus' face is fixed on the window, his posture unmoved. I can’t see his face so can’t try to tell what he’s feeling.

“What about us formidable demons?!” Marcus barks like a dog, his stance certainly imitating one.

Remus doesn’t turn, he remains facing the window. After a little moment longer, he breaks his silence, continuing to explain “Demons are different. They’re often deceptive, and their contracts always have significantly tougher conditions to be met in order to use their abilities.”

He finally turns to his, his smirk long-turned into a stern face.

“They’re invasive, and unlike the dead in the spiritual realm, their personalities sometimes intertwine with its user. It’s strictly forbidden to form a contract with a demon in any kingdom, as it’s a threat to not only its user, but the kingdom itself.”

Remus points to Marcus, and Marcus responds with a bright face, his loud breathing cadence growing faster.

Maybe he really is a dog.

“Although it’s forbidden, most people can’t form contracts with demons since their bodies aren’t able to withstand a vastly fined foreign numen. Only those born blessed with a higher capable numen will have a body that can withstand a demon’s contract.”

Remus places a hand on his chestplace, close to his heart, tightly closing his hand into a fist.

“If an ordinary human were to contract with a demon, their bodies would shred apart.”

I think I understand. When I gather even a small amount of numen, my body writhes in pain just to adjust to its new strength.

But for ordinary people, it’s not a process of gathering small amounts of numen slowly, but an immediate overload of numen.

Kind’ve like throwing a trash bag on a baby.

“So Marcus is blessed with a higher capable numen?”

“Each of your numens are potent. However, neither you nor him know how to fine-tune it, so work together through page academy to become resourceful squires!” Rumen pats my shoulder whilst patting Marcus on the head mockingly.

I’m not really sure what he means by fine-tuning it, but I have a feeling I’m going to learn soon.

My eyes focus on Marcus gawking at Remus’ hand.

Somehow more pressing is that I’ll have to go to academy with this dunderhead.

“Since it’s frowned upon by society, I don’t want you or him telling anyone at the academy about his contract, otherwise you both will be targeted by other students.” Remus demands

The last thing I’d want is this kid to be my schoolmate, but now I have to make sure he doesn’t spew out publicly that he’s a demon?

Being around Remus causes my patience to wear thin and thinner everyday.

“How were you able to tell he signed a contract with a demon anyway?”

Remus opens his eyes, pointing at them.

“Some people are born blessed with eyes that can see someone’s numen.” Remus crouches to my eye level, his voice dropping almost to a whisper. “My eyes are especially blessed. These eyes can also see the numen of the dead who roam the lands of the living trying to find the spiritual realm.”

Of all the times he’s revealed his strange eyes to me was to reinforce a point he’s making. But right now it feels as if he’s trying to intimidate someone other than me.

**

As we leave the building, the hallway seems blocked off by a boulder.

“Captain Valens, these boys will be leaving for Valery Page Academy now!” Remus calls.

The massive man turns to us.

Now and then his rough face always seems determined, though I’m not exactly sure what for.

He bends his knees, trying to meet our eye-level, but even then he still towers all of us.

“Before I wish you luck, tell me what your aspirations are.” Valens heavy voice could crack a stone.

I’ve thought about it when I was recovering, but even I know my aspirations are fairly loose. I barely know anything about this world, but if I were to do something…

-“To learn more about this world.”

-“I shall conquer the entire world!” Marcus howled

Marcus and I spoke simultaneously.

I was worried that my aspiration would seem childish, but being side by side with Marcus…

I seem like a genius!

Captain Valens’ mouth opens agape, appearing as if he’s preparing to eat us.

Instead, he gives a hearty laugh.

“You boys truly are special!” Valens rises, his head nearly touching the tall ceiling. “Squad Valens will welcome you with open arms, if you pass Page Academy that is!”

Valens steps aside, allowing us to just barely squeeze by him.

The last obstacle in the way were the two grandeur wooden-steel plated doors that separated the city from this barracks.

There are no locks, because there is no need for them. The door is so heavy that one would have to be at minimum a Class 3 Knight to budge it open.

Remus once told me that if there were to be any strong enough intruders, then simple locks wouldn’t work anyway.

As if it were a normal door, Remus effortlessly pushes it ajar, the bright sunlight charging through the slit.

“Alright, boys. Be on your way!” Remus opens the door fully.

“You’re not taking us to Valery Page Academy?” I ask, rubbing my eyes to the sudden intrusion of sunlight.

“I've got better things to do!” Remus laughs it off.

“How’re we to find the academy?”

“Hmph! Of course a simple-minded human like yourself is incapable of finding his way! Fret not, mortal, my power shall lead us!” Marcus pounds his chest.

My eyes shift from Marcus to Remus who gives me a slight approving nod.

Tsk, I have to follow this pooch?

“What’d ya say?!” Marcus somehow reads my mind again.

Is this some sort of power, or am I subconsciously revealing my disdain for him?!

Marcus takes the lead and I follow behind him, his odor so putrid that I flinch instinctively.

Before I take a step into the street, Remus pulls me inside by my arm sleeve.

“One last thing, your ability to gather numen is also confidential, so don’t tell anyone. Also, just because you meet the requirement for the academy doesn’t mean you should stop gathering numen. If your numen doesn’t satisfy me when I see you next, I’ll kill you.”

Remus doesn’t seem to be joking.

I thought I’d be used to his threats by now, but I still get anxious.

“Yeah, whatever.” I swat his hand off my shoulder before hurriedly catching up with Marcus, who didn’t bother to stop and wait for me.

Part 2

I had a feeling after the first few turns, but after we passed the same vendor for the fourth time, I finally spoke up.

“You don’t know where you’re going, do you?”

“Shaddup’, pathetic human!” He cries.

The sun is already falling, and I’m positive there’d be consequences if we don’t get to the academy on time.

“Forget it, I’m just going to ask somebody for directions.” I wave off Marcus, walking towards a vendor.

Marcus charges at me, heaving his head into my belly.

The force of his headbutt sweeps me off my feet, throwing me into a narrow alley.

“Oof!” The wind is knocked out of me, though compared to Remus’ blows, this is much more doable.

As I hug my belly with one arm, Marcus begins running towards me, tears trailing behind him.

Is he crying because he hurt his head when he headbutted me? Wait, I’m thinking about the wrong things right now!

I stand on my two feet, getting into a fighting stance.

Although I may not have a lot of numen, I must be stronger than I was when I arrived in this world.

“Gahhh!” Marcus exhales as he reaches closer, his arms swirling like a wheel in water.

Is he trying to hit me with such silly punches?

His swinging arms are now in range to hit me.

I try blocking the first swing, but instead my knees buckle at the downward force of his swing.

He’s much stronger than I expected!

I peddle backwards, gaining distance as I recover.

“Why do you continuously insist on fighting me?!”

“Shaddup!” Marcus yelps

He begins swinging his arms in circles again, charging at me with full speed.

He’s strong and fast, but his form is weak.

I sidestep his incoming attack, delivering an uppercut into his gut.

His body responds immediately as he lets out a strange sound as he exhales any air he has.

Losing his balance, his forward momentum causes him to fall onto his knees and hands.

I can notice the force and speed of my punch has improved from before. This must be the result of my numen.

“You… stupid… mortal-”

*cough* *cough*

Marcus raises to his feet. One of his hands is rubbing his hand against his belly, the other wiping the spit off his face.

“You humans never heed any of my words seriously!”

“Huh, why would I? Everything you say is stupid.”

I was expecting Marcus to bark back, but instead he begins choking on more tears.

Why does he look so hurt? Does he seriously believe in what he’s saying?

I feel a sharp pain in my chest, and my shoulders seem to progressively harbor more weight.

I can’t seriously feel guilty about this.

Marcus teary gargles bounce off the alley’s walls.

Passerby glance but don’t pay any real mind to it.

Maybe I was too harsh, he’s just a stupid emotional teenager.

I walk over to Marcus at the end of the alley, preparing to pat his back before he steps on my toe, his punch grazing my cheek.

“Agh, mother-!”

Blood oozes out of a small minor cut on my cheekbone.

“Don’t underestimate me, mortal!” Marcus sobs.

I step back, gathering my balance as I wipe the blood off my cheek, only for it to reappear shortly after.

The punch is one thing, but stubbing my toe is another!

“I’m used to others doubting my words and dreams, so don’t think that a weak mortal's words like yours have any way with my heart!” He beats his chest proudly, tears still overflowing his eyes.

“Alright, I get it, so calm down! We’re going to be late if we don’t start moving now.”

My pleads seem to only egg him on, as his only response is a clearly forced growl.

He grabs onto the belt of his pants, then forces it down.

I cover my eyes, not wanting to see his exposed area.

“W-why’d you just take off your pants?!”

“My hellform feels uncomfortable with my pants on!”

I try finding footing as a gust of wind presses against my back.

For just a moment, I notice black specks amassing behind Marcus, constructing 2 short tails ending in sharp spades.

“Once I kill you, maybe then you’ll take me seriously!”