Descending Into A Novel-Chapter 52:Transfer Students

It had been nearly 3 months into the academy year already. Raymond boasting an astounding 70 something percent absence rate, only ever showing up for the special class only lessons and the occasional class if he felt like it.

But otherwise, he would just spend his days locked inside his training hall. His two months had nearly expired, causing Raymond to request an additional month. Something they readily agreed to.

He also didn’t know how, but the knowledge that he had ’formed’ a core had seemingly become common knowledge to everyone. With it causing a craze when it was first revealed due to him breaking the record.

Raymond was pretty sure that Arthur was the one behind it leaking. But he didn’t really mind it anyways, the academy had already known. it was only a matter of time until the students and the outside world knew.

It had been just another regular day, he had decided to show up to class for that day. Rare, but not strange.

But he and Ellen and were quickly met with an alarming sight.

Once their teacher, Camila Veradawn had entered the class. Rather then immediately starting to teach them, as she always did. She instead quieted the class before announcing something.

"Everyone. We have two new transfer students who will be joining our class. These two students have also managed to enter the special class. Due to their entry into the special class none of you will be kicked out of class A as we usually do."

Class A consisted of special class students and the next top 100. Two new students joining class A would have kicked the last two out and into class B. Since they were special class that didn’t occur.

But the more pressing part was the fact that two new students had entered the special class!

This had never happened in the previous timeline! Raymond and Ellen both made eye contact with each other and nodded.

Raymond wasn’t surprised at the butterfly effect occurring. Such a thing was inevitable after all. But something as big as two new students joining the special class was unexpected. The two of them hadn’t even changed much yet! How did such a butterfly effect even happen?

As if on cue, the door to their class opened again. Raymond roughly knew everyone within the academy so he could immediately tell these were the transfer students.

A young graceful looking girl strolled into their class, her long brown hair swaying behind her as she elegantly entered. Her eyes were startlingly clear, and calm as a lake. With a tranquil expression on her face. Many of the boys in their class fell in love at first sight.

Ellen quietly muttered next to him, "Lucy?"

Lucy? Lucy Floriza?

While she had definitely played an important role in the later arcs of his novel. She had unfortunately never been able to join as part of the Zachary gang. Because of one very crucial reason, she had never went to the academy!

As a latecomer, she naturally lost to the early birds. Unable to get as close with the main cast, forced to stay as a side character.

Raymond quickly shook his head—erasing those thoughts, these were real people. He had already put it on his list to stop treating people like characters in a novel.

Behind her, a tall boy also entered the class. His handsome appearance drawing a lot of sharp breaths from the girls in their class as well. His ashen grey hair was styled into a wolf cut. Featuring medium-length hair, layered with a loose curtain fringe at the front.

Raymond could also see that despite wearing a uniform, his muscles were clearly defined. Obvious for all to see. He wasn’t nearly as muscular as others like his basic fighting skill teacher, but he was more muscular then Thomas or Zachary or even Raymond who were more on the lean side. He also was wearing an abnormally large bag.

Standing in front of the class, the two of them introduced themselves under the gazes of the everyone present.

"Good morning everyone. My name is Lucy Floriza. As of today, I will be transferring to the academy."

She gestured towards the boy next to her, "And this is my shadow Cador Ashfield."

***

"What about kidnapping her and then interrogating her? There’s definitely something suspicious about Cador. I can feel something off about him!"

"She’s a Floriza. We can’t just attack them willy-nilly. They might be evil but Lucy and her father are the rare few from that family who are actually nice."

Now that Ellen brought it up, it made Raymond realize that Lucy was the third Floriza that he had met so far. Martin Floriza, his basic monster biology teacher. Rudeus Floriza, the personal instructor for Noelle. Now there was Lucy Floriza as well.

Compared to the Grace family, which only consisted of Ellen and her parents (she and her parents were all only childs). The Floriza family had dozens of members. Each generation having lots of people.

He wondered what the relationship between Lucy, Martin and Rudeus was for a moment. Uncles? Cousins? Maybe even Grandparents? Rudeus definitely had to have the grand- suffix to whatever relationship he had with the two. Maybe even a great grand-.

"I know basic memory wiping magic. We could just wipe her memory and she wouldn’t know any better."

"Feasible then, but let’s try to think of a better option first. Let’s not resort to violence immediately."

The two of them were currently in their meeting room (Raymond’s living room). Discussing plans on what to do with Lucy and Cador.

For starters, Cador had never even existed in the previous timeline. Raymond himself didn’t know much about her since he never really cared too much, but Ellen knew her quite decently since she was a massive help during the Human-Demon war.

She did however, have a pet wolf named Ashfield. So it seemed like she had named her pet wolf after her dead shadow?

But that brought up another problem. Lucy never had a shadow, the whole tradition of a shadow was already dead even by the time of the party of heroes. If not for Ellen mentioning it, Raymond himself wouldn’t have known. So Lucy suddenly gaining a new shadow which just so happened to be a person who literally never existed was extremely suspicious.

"We could just subtly ask them over several weeks."

"Maybe, but even if we did become friends. Would she really reveal something private like that? They’re close enough that she named her pet after him."

Decisions, decisions. Raymond was of the opinion that they should just kidnap her and then wipe her memory afterwards. A bit mean maybe, but she would forget everything anyways!

Ellen was hesitant to use violence however, opting for a more peaceful method instead.

"Even if we did kidnap her. How exactly should we do something like that without causing a ruckus? If it ever gets revealed that the top two students tried to kidnap and interrogate other students...

She didn’t need to finish the sentence, even if they were the cream of the crop in terms of geniuses. The academy wouldn’t let something like that slide.

"What if we do it during our first mission?"

"That’s...feasible actually."

As special class students. They went out on missions earlier then other students. Their first mission was supposed to be in two weeks, but the academy had graciously decided to postpone it until a later date so that the special class students could get along with each other first. Namely with the newcomers, Lucy and Cador.

Since the only people that would follow them on their mission was one of their personal instructors. The chances were much higher compared to doing it in the academy, which was laden with safety measures for each student.

"But are we strong enough to kidnap them? I’m unsure of Lucy’s current strength but she’s definitely a G+ rank like the rest of the special class students. I doubt that Cador would be weak as well."

It was quite hard to determine the weakest in the special class. In terms of pure fighting skills, Audrina was definitely the worst—or maybe Raymond.

But that wasn’t because she was the weakest. It just wasn’t what she was good at. Like telling a fish to climb up a tree, she was an assassin. Not a frontline fighter.

In terms of Arts, then Raymond himself would be the worst. He knew none barring the Grace Hand-to-Hand Arts. But he would easily best any of them when it came to mana.

Raymond felt that Noelle would probably be the weakest. She had her innate ability and her Asteria Arts but she hadn’t yet formed her core so her Arts were much weaker without the astral-attuned mana. As for her armour, well it was just a regular suit of armour. She would improve in the future but right now, she was the weakest.

Again, they were all in the special class for a reason. There was no weakest or strongest.

Well actually Raymond was easily the strongest but he wasn’t trying to look down upon his fellow classmates.

"I’ve got my core and Lucy doesn’t. She also isn’t even practing the Art that she’s good at."

The name of Lucy’s main Art was never revealed. But she did reveal a few key things about it.

One. She had to form a special close bond with beasts.

Two. Her Art let her fuse with said bonded beasts. Letting her gain their powers.

Three. Whichever beast she bonds with has to be within close proximity to her to initiate the fusion. Otherwise it just won’t work.

Lucy, did not seem to have any pet beasts right now. Meaning she likely wasn’t practicing the Art and was thus much weaker.

She stroked her chin for a while. Before eventually letting out a resigned sigh.

"Let’s just kidnap her."