Prologue of Cain:
“Honestly, why do so many people feel pain?”
Ever since I was a child, all that U was taught was to toughen up.
No matter how much pain I was in, my parents always had one thing to say.
“Don’t be a loser! Don’t be a bitch! Toughen up.”
No matter how painful the injury was.
Heck, not even an injury.
Every time I didn’t get an A+ on a test, quiz or an exam.
I would get beaten up severely, for a month, I would sleep on bricks.
That was the childhood I had.
Even when I tried to escape, they still found a way to track me.
Then, my punishments would get a hundred times harsher.
The things in this world are sadness discussed as happiness.
I have suffered throughout childhood.
Now, I am taking many children’s own childhoods from them.
No matter how evil you think I am…
This is the way I was taught to raise.
My mother did nothing.
She was obsessed with dad.
To her, he could do no wrong.
His existence was the sole reason why she lived.
But, he used that against him.
He beat her, point at me and design me as the villain.
In the end.
I didn’t become someone who wanted revenge, of course, I wanted them to say “I am sorry!” But I guess that is too late.
Even after seeing their death.
I felt nothing.
The cold emotionless spread throughout my veins.
People talked about them as if they were angels who went to heaven, all they saw was the beautiful mask they wore when they went out.
To the outside world.
We were the perfect family: Two loving loving parents and a responsible child.
This is the message they created before dying.
“I don’t have any regrets. I am still the villain. I have no emotions which I show to ask for forgiveness. I am who I am, that will never change even on my death bed.”
Chapter 3: The rules and regulations.
During the break around nine in the evening.
An announcement was made….
“Please, all students from the lower grade (grades from the first, second years and the students who are underclassmen like Princess Chloe and Eva) are supposed to meet the cinema hall for a proper explanation of their exam.”
All the students around me looked at each other.
Of course, it was normal.
They hadn’t expected to be isolated from the upperclassmen.
They perceived this exam as the whole grade exam.
(Meaning that all the grades will be involved rather than having an isolated exam.)
“I guess we are supposed to head there now, right?”
“I mean… it is better than waiting around to find out…. What’s the worst that can happen?”
Eigi and I made our way to the cinema hall on the last floor.
As we walked, Eigi noticed the engines that helps the ship work.
Whether it is floating on the water, generating energy to the ship, filtering the water, or maintainong mana recovery, all that is done with the help of the engines.
“Who really is that smart to create all this?” Eigi asked.
“Last time I heard, Max said that this all was created by the brilliant mind of the ‘Mercy group.’ A group that helps design various materials such as the phones we use, the watches on our hands and clocks on our walls. Even the refrigerators too.” I said.
“You mean the group that is ministered by Lady Lily?”
“Yes. I don’t know, but there is a rumour that her school is also coming to the exam island.”
The news was heard when I spoke with administrators an hour ago.
Even Condo, is going on a good behaviour streak.
Having Lady Lily as someone who she can work with is a privilege many people will kill for.
But unfortunately.
She is an extraordinary person.
But still, there is a chance that she may be someone from that world.
From earth.
And if that is the case, then, I wouldn’t want to involve myself with such a person.
‘I have forgotten that world.’
A world where I wasn’t seen.
I have replaced it with this world.
A world where I have a little sister and great friends who are willing to spend time with me.
Even if it is the call of god, I wouldn’t answer it.
I simply do not care about that specifically anymore.
“I wonder. How do you feel about relationships? Have you ever fallen in love before?”
The question was trivial.
My first love was taken by someone whom I was replaced by.
That was one of my biggest regrets while I still lived as Riah Amakawa.
Whether I said to him no or yes, the answer wouldn’t matter, since as Ria Karasuki, I really haven’t fallen in love with anyone before.
But, as Rial Amakawa, he did fall for someone but she ended being taken away by someone else.
Someone with better looks, more money, and more charisma.
Truly, all that I can say is that I wish them the best of luck.
“No. Love isn’t something I have found since I was born. And you?” I asked, returning the question back to him.
“Ahh… You may have not known, but um… I am dating my childhood friend Kylia.”
“…Kylia?” I said while we continued on our way.
“The girl you saw me with the other day. She has beautiful green hair and bright orange eyes.” Eigi spoke about his girlfriend as a kid who has found his true love.
I smiled at him and said.
“Congrats, don’t lose hope in yourself.”
Words I wished someone would have said to me when I was on earth.
Some people did.
But they were people who already knew my pain.
If they say it many times over and over and over again.
At some point, it loses its meaning.
You can even imagine them saying it without much struggle.
Then Eigi turned and smiled brightly.
“Thanks man. I needed that.”
From there, we walked and talked until we reached the cinema hall.
Almost everyone I knew was there.
Eigi and I took seats from the first row.
Then shortly after the teacher arrived.
“Now listen. For the past five years, the higher grades and lower grades have been doing this together. But, since that started occurring, we have noticed an incredible amount of un -independency or I should say ‘a dependent person’ someone who only relies on others. A person who only works when they are facing struggles all alone.”
“And so, we have created something new. An inter-school competition.” A woman who came with the head administrator said.
“The inter-school competition allows all students to face each other in battles. But, there is a slight plot twist. You will not be fighting just your mates from the grade. Instead, you will be facing the other five nations students who are also in the same grade as you.” He added.
So, the rumour was true.
We will meet Lady Lily in this exam.
I didn’t expect that.
I guess I have to prepare for any situation.
Max face changed colour, just dim that no one noticed.
The chairman who sat on the edge of the ballot looked at Max with a mocking smile.
So, that is what this exam is for.
A cover exam to expel him, and if given the chance, expel me too.
Lily’s Perspective:
Still at the hall, the teacher whom is considered the best educator in the Kingdom of the Moon said.
“The rules of the exams are relatively simple. Here they are.” He paused for a minute, then continued.
“All students will start from a location called the starting point. The starting point is a location where all the teachers who are looking at the exam procedure will be. The starting point will also be a location where students can report technical issues to us the teachers. If a student is injured and needs medical care, students are supposed to report back to the starting point. This can be done with help of the magical magical smart watches or, if a situation where you happen to be in a group, your group member can stand in for you while you rest in the ship.”
After that explanation, he reshuffled the paper, turning the paper he read a second to the back which revealed the paper that followed.
Then he continued.
“Students are also supposed to have their magical smart watches on them at all times. If there is a case where your watch happens to get destroyed, you are required to go to the starting point and get it replaced. This is important because all your information ( this means your points you have gained ever since the exams began.) is stored by a software which can only be displayed if the watch is working properly. Of course, with the tablet you can do that but that will cost you one point every time you use it.”
Then he repeated the same action as the last time.
Replacing the paper by shifting it downwards.
“Speaking of points. The points which can be gained are divided into three separate dimensions or domains. There are earned points, credit points and shared points. Earned points: these are points that are gained from the students by competing in different activities such as academics, physical practices or games. Credit points are points gained from special privileges. In short, take it as this; if someone gets a task and that person ends up being the first person there at the location, if that happens, the person automatically gets 10 points, the second person who arrives after that person will get 5 points and the third earliest person will receive 3 points. Finally, shared points are points which can be only accessible to students who are in a group and want to share their points. To make this clear, this setting is only installed when you join a group, if you, it downloads automatically.”
After he finished with that paper, I realised that he just read three entire papers.
“Finally, students with health issues are required to sign a document confirming their approval to join. They will be given a device that will record their medical health and give their locations to the teachers who are near which student.” After he finished, he looked up in the crowd, awaiting if any of us had many questions we wanted to ask.
Most students feel shy asking instructors for instructions, so when exams season arrives, they try to study all the materials within a single moment.
“You may go now.” He said, setting us free.
Arisu, Tsubaki, Nanase and I went out together.
“Well, that was something else. I never expected to meet so early.” Said Arisu.
Arisu is the daughter of one of the many heads of the Star Royal Academy.
She sometimes visits her younger cousins on holidays, even likes to play chess and checkers with me sometimes.
In our grade, she is one of the most intellectually gifted students.
Her thinking ability is far beyond students in the same grade as her.
While except for two special people she claims to be of a higher set of individuals than her.
Nanase, Nanase is a girl from the Moon kingdom.
Much is not known about her, this mainly comes from her cold persona she puts on.
She is not cold, when she was younger, a lot of boys claimed to be her fiancee when they grew up.
She didn’t like that so she invented that persona to keep her peace and quiet.
Then we have Tsubaki.
Tsubaki is one of the Karasuki members who survived the civil war that happened in the Asteroid kingdom over a hundred years ago.
During that period, a lot of people escaped the kingdom and settled in different nations.
Tsubaki’s grandparents were some of those survivors who lived and moved to the Moon kingdom to live the rest of their lives.
Right now, they are old but still alive.
Every now and then, I visit to listen to their stories and eat their cooking.
They are really delicious.
“But… Why? I never expected a full blown exam right after getting into the royal academy.” Said Tsubaki.
” She is right.
Something doesn’t seem right.”
As we walked, two people in white clothing came across from us and waved.
The wave wasn’t directed towards us, but towards Arisu.
“So… I guess that man has started moving again.”
The two people nodded and continued to walk.
“Shiro. Ichika. Are you coming to the exam?” Arisu shouted.
One of the two raised their right arm up and made a circle with his thumb and index finger.
Ria’s perspective
5th April, 998
A day later.
We arrived at the Island, Eigi and I made our way to the “Starting point” to register our names…
“Here you go.” I said as I handed her my card which was handed to us by our group teacher.
The lady sitting there scanned it with magic, a moment later the ring that indicated that the scan was successful rung.
“Here.” Eigi gave her his card.
Then she repeated the same things as she did mine.
A moment later she handed his back.
But then,
“Poooooooonnnnnnnnn!” A loud noise echoed throughout the forest.
In the centre, it wrote: “The Moon Royal Academy.”
They activated their passenger boarding bridges for the students to get out.
“Well, looks like the fun is about to begin.”
Eigi held my right arm and pushed me to move.
I turned to watch the first people who will come out of the ship.
As I stretched my vision, I only saw five girls.
“Oh, Arisu and Lady Lily. I don’t know the other three.”
The famous lady Lily’s appearance was quite striking.
She had beautiful blue hair and blue eyes, she also wore their school uniform which was white and blue.
Meanwhile.
Lady Arisy has a childish appearance.
She had silver hair like mine except mine is mixed with black, she also has red red eyes like Kakashi.
And the calm expression like Max.
“Oh! This is going to be fun with her here.” Rui said, as he approached from our backs.