Divine Path System

"…I'm sorry but I don't really know you."

"Don't be like that! Did you already forget the promises we made not too long ago?"

"I don't remember ever talking to a woman for more than a few seconds. So, I'm pretty sure there's no promise to speak of." Varian said with conviction, his eyes scanning the woman in front of him with scrutiny.

She looked physically human but the presence she gave off was completely different.

If he had to explain it in terms of vitality, a human would be a stalk of grass. And this woman would be not just a gigantic tree but the entire forest!

No matter how much she looked like a really pretty young human woman in her early twenties, her appearance was just a facade to hide her terrifying origins!

'But why is someone like this after me?'

Watching him frown in confusion, Miss Calamity's lips curled up in amusement. The disguise was easy. Not even fellow rank 9s could see through, much less this 'thief' who sneaked into the academy.

'He feels familiar…but when did I get acquainted with thieves? If I'm going to relax anyway, might as well make this a vacation where I uncover a thief who sneaked into the academy.'

Thinking so, she brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and blinked at him with teary eyes. "T-Telor, are you really going to abandon me after awakening your natal treasure? You're so heartless!"

Her words caused a few passerby female students to pause. They looked at Varian like he was a scumbag and discussed among themselves, deliberately raising their voice so that he could hear their curses.

"I told you, this is why you shouldn't trust men!"

"You support him in his lows and he'll leave you in his highs."

"Exactly! All men in the academy are like this."

As the curses grew more and more broader, pushback began from the others who joined.

"All men are like that? Ma'am, why did you try all the men in our academy? We aren't restaurants to try out and give reviews. We are people!"

"Hahaha! Good one, bro!"

"Shut up! Just look at that girl, she's so pitiful. Can't you see her tears!"

"I can only see her Xirium watch that's worth more than my family's entire fortune."

"Fuck! That rich bitch is trying to play coy!" 

"She must be playing with his feelings! That poor boy!" 

"Guys, I don't remember seeing her in our grade. And Telor…well, Senior Telor was always alone. So, who the hell is she anyway?"

"Not in my grade either. Never seen her."

"Neither did I!"

As the discussion developed in an unexpected direction, Varian's gaze turned sharp. He wondered if parts of Telor's memory were missing, but it seemed that this girl was just messing around.

Miss Calamity, on the other hand, felt her face burn as her prank was about to get abolished. 'You bastards! Why you don't shut your mouth, huh? This is the cheapest watch I have!'

"I'm a new student! New student!" She yelled, causing the crowd to fall silent.

Then one of them raised her hand and asked. "How do you know Telor if you're a new student?"

"I…" Miss Calamity bit her lip, showing herself as a pitiful girl while her consciousness quickly dug into her professor badge and searched for the academy's registered information.

Her eyes quickly lit up and she said. "I met him during the vacation. After he was bullied, he was so depressed and I felt so sorry for him. We promised to help ourselves in our goals."

"Wow! You're such a kind soul!"

"Hehe." Miss Calamity smiled an innocent smile that would melt even hearts of steel.

The crowd wanted to say more. A few men prepared to hit on her while a couple of women wanted to build friendship.

Anticipating the familiar chatter, Miss Calamity waved her hand and said. "Please leave, this is between me and him."

With reluctance, the young men and women walked away, leaving the two under a large tree that resembled a palm tree. Except this tree was built purely from the bone ash of beasts that got buried in a radius of ten thousand miles.

Perhaps that's why, the tree had a soothing effect on one's body. But if you stand under it for too long, it'd start pulling at your vitality, and weak awakeners, like rank 4s, would die within hours.

"Your memory is a bit messed up but trust me, I would never burden you. I only want the best for you and I will always support you." Leaning against the huge trunk of the tree, Miss Calamity said with a sincere smile.

Varian's lips twitched.

'This girl read some romance story and is trying out those lines on me. What the fuck is she even trying to do?'

Miss Calamity kept her gaze firm.

'These are the exact lines that the novel's heroine said to the side character. After that, he became her loyal dog and dedicated all his life to her goals. Come on, puppy! Wag your tail, and show your loyalty! Be a good boy!'

Since she decided to have fun anyway, she didn't bother using her powers to subdue or control him.

In her opinion, as long as things don't get into a danger zone, she could let loose and enjoy this little detective game.

'She's either half-crazy or fully crazy.' Varian held his breath and used the slivers' power.

[Name: ???

Race: ???

Peak Rank 9]

'Motherfu—'

Varian barely stopped himself from blurting out the profanity.

His gaze towards Miss Calamity remained the same on the outside but inwardly, he started panicking.

'Is my purpose already leaked?! Should I escape already? But how can I escape if she's watching me?'

His thoughts raced and a depressing silence filled the air between them.

"Um, Telor?" Miss Calamity tilted her head. Her voice was even more pitiful now and tears swirled in her eyes. "Did you really…"

"I remember!" Varian clenched his fists and yelled.

Despite being very well composed in normal times, Miss Calamity nearly jumped at his sudden outburst.

"I, You, Vacation." A deeply melancholic expression appeared on Varian's face. "My memories are a little messed up because of something. But I can recall now. You're that girl and I'm that boy. And we did that and that during the vacation."

"…" Miss Calamity looked at him with a blank gaze. 'What the fuck are you talking about?'

Varian didn't stop. He couldn't stop. For whatever reason, she's trying to establish a relationship with 'Telor'. So, he wanted to play along and save his precious life for now. Everything else could come later.

"That Sun, the beach, the silent waves…

That bun, the peach, the violent graves…"

Miss Calamity's jaw dropped and she looked at him with a dumbfounded gaze. 'Am I mistaken? This guy is not a spy sent here to sabotage the academy but a mental asylum patient escaping from his doctors?'

The possibility didn't seem low now. 

"That fun, the speech, the valiant graves…"

Varian had no idea what he was talking about. He even began to suspect if Telor's memory was really a bit messed up. She didn't seem to recognize him as an imposter.

So, why would a peak rank 9 visit him for this play?

It can't be that she woke up today and decided to mess with a random passerby cause she's bored!

There gotta be a deeper meaning for her actions. A plan he wasn't aware of.

So, using the memories of Telor from the vacation, Varian spoke as vaguely as possible, hoping at least one of those many throws would stick.

"The promise we made, hey hey,

The smiles won't fade, hey hey,

The support will be paid, hey hey…"

"Okay, okay, stop!" Miss Calamity raised her hands.

'If I don't push back, this bastard will keep spouting bullshit for the rest of the day.' She had no doubt about that. 'What the fuck are those songs or are they poems? No, they are murder poems intended to kill people! This guy is a terrorist!'

"I'm glad you remember." She said with a smile, a smile that was brighter than the sunrise.

But Varian didn't fall for her charm.

Maintaining his act, he rubbed the back of his neck in a bashful expression and smiled back. "…So you're also glad of my singing talent? Shall I do it aga—"

"Achoo!" Miss Calamity faked a sneeze to interrupt him and quickly changed the topic. "I heard you're participating in the competition."

"That's right." Varian nodded. "I have a grudge to settle."

That's his excuse to divert people's attention from his actual motive. People might still doubt him but as long as they don't immediately discover his real goals, it'd be fine.

"I'll cheer for you!"

"Thanks?"

"But I want to cheer for you from closer, so I'll also join the competition!"

"…"

Varian had a feeling that things wouldn't go according to plan.