Infinite Arrow-Chapter 55 - 53: Important Mission (2)

Am I hearing things correctly–?

Cliff stared at the ground, dumbfounded at what the king just told him for his reward.

"Your Majesty, Allow me to confirm... I will become his...classmate?"

"That is what I said, Indeed. You will be attending Aria Academy and be in the same class as him. Plus, you wouldn’t have to do the entrance exams anymore like they did."

Cliff couldn’t help but curve his lips lightly, softly smiling as his eyes slowly tore up. However, he couldn’t cry in front of the king. He wiped his face and composed himself back to normal.

Connections, this is a good way to abuse your authority as the king of the kingdom.

"I... Words couldn’t express how thankful I am, your majesty..." Despite composing himself, his words were stumbling on each other. He’s still a teenager.

"Just say ’Thank you’, that would be enough. After all, you’ll be protecting my son while trying to achieve your goals and dreams, ain’t that a fair deal?"

The king... It may just be him but he doesn’t sound like royalty from the way he is speaking. It’s more casual, he’s old and sick but he sounds like a normal businessman forming a contract.

"Thank you, your majesty. If it’s possible, may I ask for more details about the mission?" He can’t just leave after being given that information, Cliff needs to have more information about this mission so that he can do so flawlessly.

"Sure. Ask away." The king gave his permission and Cliff smiled, he thought to himself what a nice ruler.

"Ombra Fattoria, is that the organization that wants to attack the prince?" Straight to the point, Cliff didn’t waste time about it. Since the princess was being targeted by that same group, it would only be logical to think that it’s also that group that is targeting the prince.

"Indeed... My son is being targeted by Ombra Fattoria. As you’ve seen what they could’ve done to my daughter, they’ll want to eliminate him so that they could overthrow us." Cliff’s eyebrow rose, what he said was true but there was something strange about how he put it.

I’ll take a mental note about it. Time for the next question...

Cliff asked...

"Will the prince know that I’ll be his bodyguard?" He waited for his answer, then he heard the king sigh. Cliff tilted his head in curiosity, what did that mean?

"If he knew about a bodyguard protecting him, he would decline their service and handle it himself. My son... is currently in a rebellious phase and wants to act independently." Must be tough being a ruler of a kingdom and also a father, huh? Cliff thought to himself. It also got him thinking about why the prince is behaving the way he is.

"Is it–"

"Whatever you are thinking, you are correct."

As expected of the all-seeing ruler of the central kingdom. There was no need to voice it all out, he already knew. Does he have mind-reading abilities?

"Then, allow me to ask the last question. Why...?"

"Hm?"

"Why me? Of all the individuals you could’ve chosen, why me, a disowned noble with a curse, got chosen to be his prince’s protector?" Cliff has been wondering if he wasn’t that special. It’s not like he is powerful, quite the opposite. He is far from powerful, he compensates for it with his intelligence and knowledge to survive any kind of scenario.

"That is a good question." The king responded, that his see-through cover made his actions possible to see. The king scratched his chin and looked at the ceiling, coming up with an answer to his wonderful question.

"It’s convenient. Yes, that’s the word."

Huh?

"You saved my daughter and fought against a powerful mercenary while protecting my daughter from harm. Isn’t that a fantastic feat in itself?"

I mean, yeah-? Wait, I know where this is going...

"Besides, you don’t deserve getting your future taken away like that. I feel bad, y’know? I’m sorry that my personal family matters have involved you in this trouble, which is why I want to repay you by making it possible for you to attend the academy, while also protecting my son at the same time."

Do I really deserve that kind of praise? Why is he apologizing to me? He’s saying that the situation is convenient, he’s essentially saying that I’m using you because it’s convenient.

"Uhm..."

This is strange. I cannot think of any response... I feel...weird...

"It seems that you are finished with the questions. If you may, please leave."

His body stood up and slowly left the room of the king. The whole interaction was... bizarre, it was strange.

<••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••>

After being informed more about the mission, he left the room where the king resides and went to the hallways where the maid was waiting for his return.

"We will be leaving immediately, do you want to say goodbye to your friends?" The maid asked an obvious question, it wouldn’t hurt to ask but reminding him that it is a goodbye made him take some emotional damage.

Cliff’s expression turned somber, his gaze became softer as he nodded before saying "Yes, I want to say my thanks before going our separate ways." He followed the maid back to where he was sleeping and looked at the door with nervousness.

Sweat dripping down his head, he raised his hand forward to twist the knob on the door yet he slightly hesitated, his hand stopped moving. Yet he forced himself forward, twisting the knob of the door and opening it slowly. The door creaked silently as he stepped foot inside the room.

"W...what?"

No one.

There was no one inside.

"What–?"

"Unfortunately, goodbyes are not allowed either. The king’s mission is an important secret that no one should know, not a single detail is allowed to be disclosed to anybody." The maid closed the door behind him, Cliff quickly turned around and saw the maid open her eyes.

Her pupils... they’re...purple? No, that’s not what I should be focusing on!

"Hey! What do you mean I can’t say goodbye? Isn’t this pretty unfair?!" He reached for his back but found his bow and quiver gone. It was instinctive that his body reached for his weapon the moment he felt endangered.

His cautiousness rose to a hundred percent, he jumped backward to create some distance between the two of them as he tried to observe what was going on.

"You will be sent to the principal’s office, immediately. There, you will be informed about your class and the activit–"

"Answer me, dammit! Where are they?! What did you do to them?!" Cliff interrupted the maid’s explanation. He doesn’t have time for an exposition, his worries for his friends are more important. The lad quickly opened his inventory on his back for concealment and immediately grabbed an arrow and kept it hidden.

The maid clicked her tongue and deeply sighed, disappointingly before slowly walking towards the red-haired teenager.

"Don’t come any closer! I’m warning you!" Cliff threatened the maid, but she kept going. She isn’t hesitating, she’s not even afraid. Surely, she must’ve known that he defeated a powerful mercenary!

"Aria Academy, Principal’s Office."

Suddenly, the room and the maid disappeared from his sight. No, it’s not that they disappeared– the one who disappeared... was him!

Out of nowhere, he finds himself inside of a well-lit wooden room, adorned with trophies and picture frames. A simple yet decorated table can be seen in front of him, with an old man sitting behind with his hands clasped together.

"Welcome to Aria Academy. Please, take a seat."

<••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••>

What is going on?!

First and foremost, that whole interaction with the king and the maid was weird and suspicious as hell. What do they mean by ’that’s all’? Hell no! I wanted to ask more questions yet somehow– I didn’t ask...

Heck, that maid lady is dangerous! It wasn’t that she’s evil, she was too loyal to the king and the mission! She’s a total nut job!

His pained expression can be seen by the man in front of him, who seems to be amused by his reactions. Cliff noticed and slowly sat down on the chair, but not before he made sure that he kept his distance.

"You must be a late student. You got lucky, young man. The king favored you."

Yeah, as if. He just wanted to control the situation, that’s all.

But obviously, he cannot say that out loud. There is a law that states that anyone who badmouths the king will be executed on the spot. A child is no exception either.

"Let’s see... Cliff Carmesi, son of the House of Carmesi and a...Ranger. That’s interesting, most of your elders were mages, I guess it’s a trend for this generation to break the tradition."

What did he mean by that? Also, am I really getting evaluated right now?

"Excuse me, can I ask a question?"

"Make it quick, what is it?"

Damn... Almost all of the old people I’ve met so far are either rude or strange, fucking hell...

Ignoring his confusion and anger, he straightforwardly asked...

"When will I start attending?" Cliff smirked, his entire vibe and energy switched the moment he asked that question. As if a fire inside of him was lit, before that... his eyes were staring in some random direction before focusing back on the principal’s figure.

"It is currently the day of the sun. Tomorrow, you will be able to meet your classmates and the substitute teachers."

"Hm? Substitute teachers? Are the main teachers busy?" Cliff tilted his head, wondering why the substitute teachers were doing all of the work.

"Because the main teachers are on a trip, alongside the third and fourth-year students."

"I see..."

It seems that the principal doesn’t know that I’m here for the prince’s protection. He hasn’t mentioned it, so it must’ve been because he wasn’t informed about it.

He sighed before looking above the principal’s head, an interface.

[ Mission: Meet your New Friends ]

Details: Meet your new classmates on the day of Mon and make sure to make your introduction and personality memorable. Befriend your future allies and get along with them to avoid the incoming disasters that will happen in the future.

Reward: [ Unknown ]

Punishment (if failed): [ D e a t h ]

In the end, I have to follow the system’s orders... Bring it on, I’m no longer afraid. I’m slowly getting used to the bullshit being thrown at me.

Cliff smiled, staring into the abyss of uncertainties and walking inside the void of hopelessness and despair. In this academy, a tragedy will occur.

It is up to him whether he’ll stop it or not, for the sake of having a better life for Cliff, he’ll do whatever it takes.

Whatever it takes.

(Vol.1 End!)