Reality's Beholder

*Aurora's POV**

Two weeks ago, during our special class outing—a rather eventful excursion—they had finished discussing the events with the members of New Eden and were recounting the casualties when an unexpected situation was reported. "Lady Evelyn, we discovered a cadet fainted on the floor. Strangely, he does not appear to be injured, yet he is completely unresponsive," the major explained to instructor Cornwell.

"Let me see," the instructor commanded. Both Aurora and the instructor proceeded to the infirmary, where they found a navy blue-haired cadet lying on a bed. Aurora immediately recognized him as the very boy she had been suspicious of—the same boy whose group mates had all perished. The first thought that crossed her mind was, "Is this meant to be a diversion?"

The instructor examined him but found nothing amiss. Not being an expert, she decided to leave him be until we returned to the academy. Upon our return, he was taken to the infirmary, and the healers there also confirmed that nothing was physically wrong with him, predicting that he should wake up soon. Aurora had specifically instructed them to alert her immediately upon his regaining consciousness.

Yet, the peculiar aspect was that one day passed, then two, then three, until an entire week went by with no sign of his awakening. Another week elapsed, and she was beginning to wonder if he would ever come to. Then, unexpectedly, a message arrived today, indicating that the boy had awakened. Abandoning whatever task she was engaged in, she hurried to the infirmary.

When she opened the door to the room where he lay, the moment he saw her, his eyes instinctively averted, further deepening her suspicions. She approached his bed and softly stated, "You're awake."

He remained silent for a moment, seemingly struggling to find the right words, before finally saying, "Yes, it's good to be back."

"Hmmm, I'm going to ask you some important questions," she said. In her mind, she warned, "If he so much as utters a single falsehood, his head will fly off."

"I'm listening," he replied.

"What do you know about my eyes?"

**Adam's POV**

"What do you know about my eyes?" she asked, the muscles on her face not betraying the slightest motion. Damn, and I thought my face was stoic. But what could she mean by 'what do I know about her eyes?' I considered saying, 'they're captivating,' but my instincts warned against any notion of flattery.

"I know nothing about them, just that whenever I look into your eyes, I feel a sense of overwhelming pressure," I said the truth. She was silent for some moments, as if pondering, before moving her face way too close to mine, in a way that was way too much for my comfort. But, she was.... stunning, captivating. Her face held no imperfections of any sorts, as if carefully carved by the gods themselves; her glowing eyes, drawing me in like an abyss; and her skin, flawless. How could such perfection exist.

"How about now?" It was then that I realized I was staring right into her eyes without even realizing it, and felt no pressure whatsoever.

"The pressure is no more," I said, regaining my composure. 'Damn, I must've looked like a dumbstruck fool,' I cursed. "So it worked," she muttered but still stayed in the same position, though she was an eye candy, it was way too close for my comfort, and unnerving, to say the least.

"Um... could you..." I started, but she already learned back as if knowing what I was about to ask. Her eyes suddenly grew more detached and emotionless, that I felt my instincts blaring to me that any wrong move and I would die.

"Are you connected to New Eden in any way?" she voiced expressionlessly. With the way she voiced it, one would have thought it was a casual question, but the lack of emotions in her eyes, and my instincts said otherwise.

'Does she think I'm a member of New Eden? And how exactly did she come to this conclusion,' I wondered. It's not like I'm suspicious or anything. Right, it was just a coincidence that my group mates all happened to die on the day that New Eden was planning to kill all the cadets, while I miraculously survived.

'If only I had waited for just some minutes more before reporting to instructor Cornwell about the deaths. It would have been tallied as part of the deaths caused by the nefarious organisation,' I thought, not knowing that Aurora was already suspicious of me beforehand. I came out of my thoughts when I felt her eyes boring holes into me.

"Not that I know of," I replied. Her gaze lingered on me for a moment before she said, "You're not lying." I almost heaved a sigh of relief at her words when, "But for some reason, I don't believe you." 'What does she want me to do, it's not like I can make her not not believe me'.

"I have a preposition for you," she stated. "You don't happen to have any job at the moment, correct?" 'What does she mean by that? is she planning on getting me a job, but why would she go out of her way to do that?' I pondered.

"Yes," I replied.

"I still don't trust you, I'll take you as my secretary, that way I'll be able to keep an eye on you and at the same time you get paid for your work." Her words sent my mind into overdrive, first because I just realized that this was the longest she had talked at once, and second, her secretary, what even are her duties as a first year representative? The promise of points was rather tantalizing, but I'm not exactly sure I want to get entangled with another member of the big seven.

"Can I decline?" I hopefully asked.

"The alternative would be your death," she stated as if it was the most normal thing in the world. I gulped at that, 'isn't that against the rules of the academy? Right, she must be joking,' I thought, not knowing how close I was to death at that moment.

"But fret not, since I'll be taking your time, I'll train you myself, you're pathetically weak at the moment, too weak to be my secretary".

Out of all she said, only the phrase 'I'll train you myself' kept ringing in my mind. But pathetically weak? she didn't have to go that far. "When do I start?" If I could fight even half as good as her, it'll be more than worth it.

"In two days or so, your weekly pay will be 300 points," she answered. "But do remember this, I detest liars, should I find out you lied to me, it'll not end well for you," and then she... disappeared. Who would have thought that I would get entangled with a golden goose.

"Damn, I didn't even ask her where I was supposed to work, or what work I was supposed to do," I muttered. 'But the pay sure is juicy,' I mused. After a few minutes, the door opened, bringing me out of my musings. It was instructor Cornwell, her black eyes fixated on me.

"It's good that you're awake," she said as she stood before my bed.

"Thank you," I replied. "I've been convinced by a certain someone to tally the deaths of your group mates among the deaths caused by New Eden," she said, placing emphasis on the phrase 'certain someone'. But I already knew who that 'certain someone' was; it was obviously Aurora.

"I still have my doubts, but I'll keep them to myself. Get well soon, I expect to see you in class on Monday," she said before she turned to walk out. "Thank you," I said as she made way for the door. 'Now that I'm clear but still on a tightrope, all I have to do is continue getting stronger'. Speaking about getting stronger, I entered my bloodline plane; it was time, I was going to break through to rank three here and now.

------

Meanwhile, as soon as instructor Cornwell came out of Adam's room, there was someone outside awaiting her. "My lady," the instructor bowed slightly. "I told you to call me by my name while we're in the academy," Aurora said impassively.

"What do you think of this?"

"I think he really doesn't know anything," the instructor replied.

"Of course he doesn't."

"Then why..." The instructor was taken aback.

"Why did I show that I was suspicious of him?" Aurora tilted her head.

"Why, of course, to lure out the real snake." Aurora wasn't sure who the real snake was, as far as she knew it could be a cadet or several cadets, an instructor or two, or maybe even both. She had already absolved the boy of her suspicions; it simply couldn't be him, his alibis were solid, she knew the reason he was looking away from her eyes, and how his teammates died, after all she had personally went to the place he described and kill that filthy worm herself.

But if despite all that he still was the mole, then even she would have to acknowledge his threat.

"So what now?" asked instructor Cornwell.

"I asked him to be my secretary so I could keep my eyes on him," Aurora replied.

"My lady, surely you know that would cause an uproar, right?"

"Hmmm," Aurora hummed. "It's merely a repayment for us putting his life on the line. After all, the real snake or snakes would very much like to take him out."

"Let's go," said Aurora, and then both she and the instructor vanished.

A/N:

*********************************************************

#Your gift is the motivation for my creation.

Grace this novel with them powerstones.

IF YOU'RE ENJOYING THIS NOVEL,

PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW 🙏🙏🙏🙏.