Slowly but surely, Instructor Harris gathered everyone else that was left in the forest. Three were not too many students which was a shame but those who were left behind were strong and could take care of themselves.
Needless to say, they were not aware of what was happening and most of them did not take kindly to the exam being called.
Horas watched the instructors and teachers try and calm the remaining students down. No one will be ranked based on this test and instead, regular tests would be held again in an indoor controlled environment.
As for the students who had caused all this? It was safe to say that they were being detained by the facility and would be facing problems soon enough.
The only shame was that Reed would be held accountable as well, even when it had not been her fault. She was a victim as well.
“How are you doing Horas? I heard what happened from Principal Marbel what happened. Reed did not injure you too heavily, did she?”
Horas looked taken aback by the sudden question and decided to just say the truth.
“I won’t say I am doing great but I am better than the others who got injured. I would like it more if I was allowed to meet Reed once though.”
Horas wanted to go back home to his real world. This world did not even feel real after two years of living here and he felt a sense of responsibility every time he saw this world.
Horas might not have written for Reed to be treated this horribly but he had paved her path as a villain. In that sense, he had a hand in what happened to her.
Mark looked at Horas with a sympathetic and annoyed expression. Horas diverted his eyes, not wanting to be subjected to these looks he was getting from the elder man.
“Horas, it is not your fault the villains targeted Reed but you cannot meet her right now. She’s not in the right frame of mind and it will not be safe for you.”
Horas wanted to protest but he decided to hold himself back for now. He would get his chance later, even if he had to sneak around to find that chance. He needed to meet Reed to gain closure.
He had written about Reed, but Horas knew nothing about her. He knew nothing about most of the people in this world. There was a sense of detachment between them and Horas.
“Ah, that reminds me. I got a message from Jack Hollow. He wants to know if you are willing to do him a favor this weekend. Should I reply to him for you?”
Horas did not pay attention to what Mark said at first. His mind was too busy thinking about Reed and her current situation.
But then he did pay attention and he flinched as soon as he registered Jack’s name. Was it too much for Horas to ask to be left alone?
“Why did Jack decide to contact me out of the blue like this? I thought he finally decided to leave me alone two years ago.”
Horas had valid reasons to think that he had finally gained his freedom from Jack. The most prominent one was that Jack had not contracted him once in the past two years.
But that could be because Jack was busy establishing his guild. Finally taking over the formerly no. 1 guild - freedom. As such, Horas had heard that he was constantly in and out of dungeons.
He was almost like a man possessed.
“I don’t know what he wants and I don’t want you to meet him either. But the choice is yours. And with everything that has happened….I do think you need a good distraction in your life.”
Horas did not know if he needed a distraction or something more. He wanted to talk with Reed before he made a decision. His emotions were all over the place right now.
“....”
In front of Horas, Reed and others in her team were taken away and put into confinement. They would not be able to see the outside world again until the investigation was finished.
And Reed, who knew what kind of mental state she was in?
…………………..
After much begging and pleading, Horas finally got permission to go and visit Reed. But that was only because he was not a threat and Reed was chipped and deprived of her powers.
She was no better than a powerless teen and her state was reflected in front of Horas.
It had only been a day for Horas but he could swear that Reed had lost weight and her eyes had dark circles beneath them. She was looking older than she was.
“Reed, are you alright?”
Reed did not answer Horas but that had to be expected. Her mind was still half-asleep under the mind control she had been thrown into. It had tired her brain out and she was slow in response.
Sometimes, she even refused to recognize people who were in front of her and the doctor had even classified her as an ‘urgent’ case.
“Reed, of course, you are not alright. But I am happy to see you alive at least.”
Even if Horas knew that Reed would survive, it still did not mean he was not worried. The future could change at any given moment and it could deviate from the one Horas knew.
He knew he should not risk it, but he could not help his selfish desires.
“Alive? If this is living then I don’t want to live. What did I ever do to these kids to be treated like this? It was not me who attacked them.”
Horas looked up with a jolt at Reed’s words. As far as he knew, these were the first words Reed had spoken out aloud.
“Reed, are you alright? Can you hear me?”
Horas tried to get Reed to respond. If she could speak now, then that meant that she had enough self-awareness to respond to him. She could come back from this.
“No, I am not alright. I am sick and tired of humanity. I thought I could keep hanging on because of you but I cannot any longer. For every decent human I meet, there are 10 horrible ones. I can’t keep going on.”
Reed was losing it. Her voice was calm and cold to not trigger the alarms but her words were devoid of any light.
Horas knew she was breaking but he could not do anything to help. Anything he said now would sound like empty promises.
“I am sorry. I wish I could help you.”
Horas felt helpless. Reed’s experience with humans was different than his. But even Horas had sent the ugly side of humans in this world. He could not defend them in earnest.
Especially with what happened to Reed.
After investigation, it had been found that the main culprit behind what happened had been an ordinary student who thought to use Reed. it was sad but also true.
Reed deserved to hate and curse those who had harmed her.
“Horas, you are a good kid so I need you to stay away from me for the time being. Being with me will get you in trouble.”
Reed’s words were devoid of light but Horas had a feeling something was about to happen.
Horas knew that Reed would end up joining the villains and he was satisfied with her life there. He wanted to stop Reed but was that worth asking Reed to give up her final peace for?
‘I thought I could do it before. But the more I get to know Reed, the more I think it’ll be better for her there.’
Since Villains were a dangerous group, they did not fear others with dangerous abilities.
Reed would be treated like a human being there. And that was more than Horas could say about the adventurer’s side. He would have to let her go.
“I know I cannot stop you from making your decisions but I do wish you happiness. Here, keep it with you for safekeeping.”
Horas passed a small gem to Reed. It looked like an ordinary gem at first glance but Reed looked up in shock as soon as she received it.
It seemed like she had noticed the small trigger by accident. No one else except those who receive it would know what it was about.
“Horas, are you sure? You might get in trouble if you are noticed.”
Reed sounded worried about Horas and it was nice to see. But Horas had already made his decision to help her out.
“Huh? Noticed? About what? I will be out of school this weekend so I don’t know what you are talking about.”
Horas had not been willing to take Jack Hollow’s offer but now he had a reason to take it. No one would be able to point fingers at him if he was out of the academy when the break-out happened.
Besides, the guards had checked his gem and had not found anything suspicious. Horas would have to thank Mark for all his help once he was back. It was all thanks to him that Reed would be able to escape. Mark was the biggest contributor this time for sure and Horas will have to gift him something.