The Land of Keimusho [ COMPLETED ]

Chapter Forty-two: A friend's betrayal.

I don't have any classes today, but I have something I need to do, which is to search for the Gemstone of Energy. I don't know how I would recognize that specific stone since I have never seen or heard of it before, but I still need to look for it. It's better to do something than nothing at all. As I made my way through the hallways, inspecting anything that seemed weird or unusual, I spotted Belle, the nurse mage. Without hesitation, I followed her cheerfully; it had been a long time since we last talked. I was about to call out her name when I noticed that she wasn't paying much attention. It seemed like she didn't realize I was following her. Just as I was about to call out to her, someone else called her name.

"Belle," his voice sounded familiar, but I couldn't confirm if it was really him since the person was wearing a cloak, completely covering his face.

"What the heck are you doing here?" Belle shouted and started looking around, so I instinctively hid behind the wall.

"I have something I need to tell you," the guy continued.

"Let's talk inside. People might see us," Belle said, and I heard their footsteps as they entered the art room.

I came out from my hiding spot, and my curiosity was consuming me, so I decided to check on them. I walked slowly towards the door and listened closely, hoping to hear their conversation.

"What the hell?! Did he find it?!" Belle shouted from inside, almost making me jump. I had no idea she could get this angry.

"Not yet. He's still searching for it. He probably won't recognize the stone, as Eveline is the only one who can identify it," the guy replied.

"You don't know for sure if those two are working together to find the Gemstone?" Belle asked, furrowing my forehead in confusion.

"At the moment, I'm still observing them. Nothing seems out of the ordinary," the guy answered.

"Alright, just make sure not to get caught. Eveline might become suspicious of you, so be careful," Belle cautioned.

"You too. You need to get closer to her, deepen the connection, and gather more information from her," the guy responded.

"No need to worry; I can handle that," Belle replied.

Am I only imagining these things, or are they actually happening? Did Belle truly have ulterior motives in trying to get closer to me, not out of genuine desire, but out of necessity? Does this imply that I am being betrayed?

I was unable to react; I couldn't move or think clearly. I wanted to confront Belle once and for all, but my body remained frozen, incapable of budging. As I heard footsteps approaching the door, signaling that the two of them were about to leave, I remained motionless. Just as they were about to open the door, someone grabbed my hand and pulled me away.

"S-Storm?" The only word that came to mind as he dragged me somewhere.

"You wanted to get caught?" He glanced back briefly before refocusing on the path ahead.

"Is everything I heard... real?" I asked, confusion evident in my voice. All this time, I believed Belle was being honest with me, but it turns out she was merely using me.

"Yeah. No one would ever lie behind someone's back. She probably meant everything she said," he replied, releasing my arm as we reached the entrance of the forest.

"How did you hear their conversation?" I asked, still perplexed.

He smirked, then turned toward a tree and sat down on the grass. "I was following you. You probably never noticed."

"What?!" I exclaimed, and he turned toward me, studying my expression intently.

"I didn't know you could make a face like that," he said, smiling a little.

"Shut up!" I hissed, sitting down beside him. "Why were you following me?"

He bent his right leg and leaned toward it, looking at me. "I had a feeling something like this might happen earlier. I was there to prevent any unnecessary accidents or incidents."

"Wow, the way you said it makes it seem like I'm accident-prone. Do you think I'm that clumsy?" I asked, a hint of irritation in my voice.

"Yes, you are, completely," he agreed, chuckling lightly. I forced a fake smile and hit his arm hard.

"Ouch! So now you're resorting to physical affection. Do you like me that much?" he said, causing me to distance myself from him.

"Why would I like you?" I asked, rolling my eyes. But upon further reflection, I found it strange how he had been laughing and smiling at me today, as he usually displays little emotion. Something must be off with him today.

"Never mind," he replied, then lay down on the grass. He gazed up at the sky with a serious expression. "I hope we can resolve things quickly."

"You don't want to be associated with me anymore?" I asked absentmindedly, also looking up at the sky without lying down like he did.