<Bright>
“You are such an idiot.” (S)
“Gah!” (B)
A finger flicked Bright down as he attempted to get back on his feet.
With today’s training over, he had hoped to quickly escape the conversation bound to happen.
Looks like that won’t be the case.
Hero Sun, who had hardly said a word since yesterday’s mess, took in Bright’s form with unamused eyes.
“After all the trouble I went through convincing her, you couldn’t even be bothered to set an alarm?” (S)
“S-Sorry….” (B)
Yesterday, like Bright predicted, had been quite terrible. But, contrary to expectation, it wasn’t because he was given a lecture or even punished. It was because nothing happened to him. Like nothing at all. Hero Yuki didn’t say a word but merely led him over to the table to eat. Dinner, as well as today’s breakfast, was had in complete silence as Bright waited for words that never materialised.
The anticipation was suffocating.
“Why couldn’t you answer the phone? What were you doing that was so important, huh?” (S)
“S-Studying! I was studying! You know… so I can keep going to school.” (B)
The truth will not set you free! If Bright admitted to being late due to playing what was essentially a gambling game, he would not see the light of day. Given how petty these two tended to be, they might force him out of school using “bad” influences as an excuse.
“Right. You were studying.” (S)
Hero Sun rolled his eyes.
“Whatever. That was the last time I am doing you a favour, anyway. My credibility can’t survive these behaviours….” (S)
Bright bit his tongue the moment he heard that.
How was he supposed to get the stuff he wants if Hero Sun didn’t support him!?
Hero Yuki wouldn’t bend to his will without some convincing!
“I-I’m sorry, really! I didn’t think she would get so mad!” (B)
Hero Sun paused.
He looked at Bright before raising a brow.
“Mad? She’s not mad… You know that, right?” (S)
‘Ugh’
That was probably the worst part about all of this. Hero Yuki wasn't the silent type. When she was mad, she’d always revert to "lecture mode". Bright knew the routine from the orphanage days: a stern voice, cold eyes, and a rapid-fire string of corrections that could last an hour (and which, of course, were never directed at Bright).
“Yeah…. I know.” (B)
“Come on.” (S)
Hero Sun pulled Bright to his feet.
“Make sure you apologise, okay?” (S)
“I-I already did! Dozens of times!” (B)
“And?” (S)
“…No response.” (B)
Hero Sun sighed and looked at Bright with great exasperation.
“Why can’t you stay out of trouble?” (S)
Seeing Hero Sun being so melodramatic, Bright couldn’t help but feel a great injustice committed against him.
He wasn’t a child.
The only reason he kept getting in “trouble” was because they kept treating him like one. Not to mention they were strict for no reason. Even if Bright looked like a typical child, he wasn’t anything of the sort. He was the next big hero destined for greatness.
“You don’t have to make it such a big thing…. I didn’t do anything that bad. You guys are always so… much.” (B)
Bright’s soft mutterings continued until he concluded with a final word.
“I would’ve been better off by myself.” (B)
A touch of bitterness seeping in.
Hero Sun sighed once again.
“Look, I get it. You’re not happy with the whole adoption thing—” (S)
‘How could you tell?’
“—But I suggest you start looking through a more pragmatic lens. You are the daughter of the two greatest heroes the world has ever known. You are their sole, direct heir, fit to claim not just their immense wealth, but their connections, their resources, and their powers.” (S)
Hero Sun eyed Bright.
The usual charm laden in his voice evaporating.
“Do you know what that means?” (S)
“…Yes.” (B)
“Our enemies, the adversaries of mankind, and the enemies of those very foes all have every incentive to commit harm against you. Given your current weakness, you are nothing more than a walking target—a guaranteed payday for any ambitious villain.” (S)
Hero Sun’s aura crashed into Bright.
He froze.
“Why do you think we train you? This is not a game.” (S)
A hand laid on Bright’s head.
“I have given a lot of freedoms, Bright. A lot more than anyone in your position should have. Don’t make me regret it.” (S)
With those final words, Hero Sun’s aura disappeared as a cool smile bloomed on his face.
“Do you understand?” (S)
“…Yes.” (B)
“Lovely!” (S)
He petted Bright’s head.
“I won’t be getting any more troubling reports, no?” (S)
“…No.” (B)
“Good girl! Now go get cleaned up. Dinner should be ready shortly.” (S)
Hero Sun strolled out of the training room.
Humming a soothing tone all the way.
Bright clenched his jaw.
Then took a deep breath.
‘Die,die,die,die,die,die,die,die,die,die,die,die,die,die,die,die,die,die,die,die,dieeeeee!!!!!!’
And shouted in the pits of his heart!
1:00 am.
It was the den of night, yet Bright could not sleep.
The words of Hero Sun had ignited a smouldering fire in his heart that refused to die.
“Who does that guy think he is!?” (B)
Pacing back and forth in his room, Bright vented his frustrations to the dog and the plushie of it.
The fact that Hero Sun had plainly threatened him could not be overlooked!
“Revenge, I need my revenge!” (B)
A soft yipe from the fluffy, white dog caused Bright to panic and pause in his tracks.
He anxiously gazed at the door.
Being a bit too loud could attract the wrong kind of attention.
Gods forbid they walk into his room and decide that this counted as “trouble”.
Walking over to his bed, Bright picked up the dog, kicked the plushie over, and buried himself under covers. The desire to browse on his “fun” phone was strong, but even that couldn’t lifthis sour mood.
Bright hugged the dog as he closed his eyes.
Online, people called him a modern-day princess. With the way things were going, that was steadily becoming a harsh reality. He was living the classic gilded cage trope: all the perks of privilege, none of the freedom. And unlike in the stories, no one, no dashing hero, no charming prince, was riding in to save Bright.
…Not that he would want that anyway.
‘…What can I even do now?’
Hero Sun’s words were genuinely scary. Firstly because of the thinly veiled threats, secondly because he had the power to enforce them, and lastly, and most concerningly, because they were partly true. Bright had long past the point of no return regarding being a hero. If he decided to quit today, the world would not forget who he was connected with. Trying to live a regular life now was so far out of reach. The enemies of those two wouldn’t let him go the moment they believed he was out of their protection. Bright was strong, but not strong enough to compete against all their foes.
They would drown him.
He would die.
Hero Sun wasn’t lying when he said that this wasn’t a game.
‘Why did I become a hero again…?’
The allure of money plus the chance to live out an old childhood dream didn’t seem that important right now.
‘Goddamn it’
As Bright’s eyelids grew heavy, a final thought passed through him.
The way out of this was not clear yet, but for now he had to make sure of one thing.
No more trouble.
A grand total of two weeks had passed.
It was exam time.
So far everything was looking good.
Bright had successfully dodged anyone who looked like trouble: his lackey and the kid he beat who now carried a weird aura. He hadn’t studied on account of the aforementioned avoidance, but beating everyone should still be well within his means. It was the start of Highschool after all. As for things at the house, they had mostly returned to normal. With the exception of the lack of punishment and the day he sold yet to be claimed, Bright could confidently say everything was alright.
“Bright! Would you like to join us for lunch?”
“It would be amazing if you could come sit with us! Please say yes!”
“Yeah, yeah!”
Forcing out a sweet smile, Bright cursed his past self for drifting off.
In an attempt to make up for not studying, he tried to pay attention in class for once. A great mistake because the moment the class ended, his fried brain forgot to dash out. Giving people enough time to surround him. The entire class was packed with upperclassmen as well as neighbouring students who came just to get a glimpse of him.
“~Sorry, but I would like to use this time to study.~” (B)
“No problem! We can come along with!”
“Yeah! We got a few study techniques on our hands.”
“Let us take care of you!”
‘Leave me aloneeee!’
Unable to come up with another suitable excuse that wasn’t easily brushed off, Bright found himself, along with a large group of followers, being dragged into the dining hall. The loud, crowded dining hall where food was meant to be consumed.
“~Hehe, this doesn’t seem to be the best location? Perhaps we should try the library?~” (B)
“Don’t worry about it!”
Sitting at the centermost table, Bright felt dozens of eyes bear on him.
These people had no intention of studying!
‘Ulterior motives are such a pain!’
“So, Bright. How do you like Chrome High so far?”
The girl who sat opposite Bright posed a simple question.
‘She’s the leader, huh?’
Crimson skin, dark as midnight hair. A taut, swishing tail and a set of curved horns.
She made quite the devil.
“I’m enjoying the school quite a bit. Everyone is super friendly and nice.~” (B)
Pinpointing her as the leader made things much easier.
If he could charm her, getting out of this situation wouldn’t be too hard.
“That’s great to hear! …Now tell me—”
The voice of the girl grew deeper as a sinister smile climbed on her face.
“—Is there anyone you have taken a special shine to?”
‘H-Huh?’
The noisy dining hall suddenly fell silent.
If Bright needed any more proof people were listening, this would suffice.
‘What the hell is that question!?’
It reeked of the exact kind of trouble he was trying to avoid!
“~I think I’ve taken a special shine to everyone I’ve met so far! There are so many colourful people, you know?~” (B)
No fear though, this type of trouble wouldn’t catch Bright so easily.
He wasn’t a rookie regarding these types of games.
“Eh, come on! That was not what I was asking….”
The girl beat the table while swaying back and forth.
Peeking around, Bright saw people picking up their phones and recording.
“What about that boy you waved to the other day? What was his name? Baridreth? Verin Baridreth? Something like that?”
…Did such a thing happen?
Searching through his library of memories, Bright couldn’t recall interacting with anyone like that. Verin Baridreth? Who was the guy? But assuming what the girl said to be true, there weren’t many places Bright met people enough to even remember their faces. The last time he had been in such circumstances was when he was freshly awakened to his powers.
‘Let’s go with that’
A harmless reply.
“~Ah, him? We studied at the same academy some time ago.~” (B)
Collective gasps were had, and whispers of “young love”, “forbidden” and “childhood romance” rang out.
Right.
That was a terrible choice.
Seeing the girl about to ask another of those trap questions, Bright readied himself to leave.
“I am deeply sorry for her behaviour!”
Out of nowhere though, a hand came and smashed the girl’s face into the table.
The boy, dressed in a sharp suit, took a bow while smooshing the girl.
A halo hovered slightly above his snow-white hair.
“I am Allen. The Head Boy and this—”
He pulled the girl’s face up.
“—Is Gabriela. The Head Girl.”
The Head Boy smiled politely at Bright and stated.
“May we continue this conversation in private?”
An angel and demon combo.
That might make for a funny bar joke.
Bright smiled.
“~Sure.~” (B)
He may not have a hero to rescue him from bad situations, but a guardian angel could suffice.
If Bright was lucky, he might get some actual tips, tricks and knowledge from the angel.
And that would be absolutely….
Divine.
Ehh, take your time, write something you're satisfied with~
You right, spitting out work you're not satisfied with is worse than nothing
