Mid-day during mine and Kari's class on learning magic...

"Ms. Alice?"

"..."

"Ms. Alice?"

"Eh? Huh, yes?"

I was suddenly called upon by my teacher, Mr. Bueford. He was an old man with long grey hair, a beard, and carried a stern look in his eyes. In his left hand was a book and in the other was a piece of chalk, the chalkboard was filled with writing about magic formulas.

"Were you listening?"

"Yes. You were going over the relationship between mana and spells."

To keep him from giving me an earful, I explained what was going on in class.

I didn't hear the majority of what he said due to spacing out but I knew the overall gist of it what today's lesson was.

It was about the correlation between mana and spells.

In the words of Marcus, if mana is the gas then spells are the vehicles. Without gas, the vehicle won't start. It's best to keep in mind that if you forcibly try to cast a spell without an ample amount of mana, you could run the risk of dying due to Overdrain, where your life force is sucked out of your body to supplement the spell.

"While there are a few things you left out like how there're various catalysts to activate a spell, that's correct. Good job! Kari, what about you? I saw you dozing off a few times."

After hearing my up to satisfactory answer, Mr. Bueford moved on to Kari who was doodling a cute little bunny on her notes.

There were more bunnies on her paper than anything else.

"...Uh, what she said?"

Upon getting called on, Kari didn't even try to put up a fight and said this offhandedly, resulting in her being given a short lecture and extra work to do after class. Sigh, despite being gifted in sports, she never was good at academics. 

Or should I say, she never applied herself.

Our school didn't allow students to enroll via generous 'donations' by parents. They had to prove themselves either by being physically gifted, academically gifted, or both.

Kari is the latter, she just prefers playing sports to reading books. As for me, I'm the opposite. While I don't mind exercising, I'll never be at the level where I could compete nationally.

"Looks like the time for our lessons is over. Class dismissed, I'll see you in a few days from now. Kari, I'll be expecting it to be done."

"Gotcha, teach."

Mr. Bueford then closes his thick book about magic and leaves the room.

"Ugh, never thought I'd be assigned homework in another world."

"Well, if you start paying attention in class you won't have any."

I retorted as I put all my notes into my space ring. We were given these a couple of weeks ago by the king and they are very useful. All the books and notes I had to carry can now be summoned with the wave of my hand.

When Marcus found this out, he was teeming with jealousy, ranting on about how this was hero discrimination, that it wasn't fair that we got one when we were heroes and he didn't.

His overzealous reactions are hilarious.

"Hmph. The pot calling the kettle black. Wasn't you the one who was staring out the window in a daze?"

"But who's the one that got homework?"

"Touché. But still, what's on my best friend's mind?"

"Nothing. Just thinking."

"Oh? Was it about Marcus?"

"...I haven't seen him in two days and eight hours. He didn't even tell me he was leaving the castle."

I had to find out via Mary when I went to visit Marcus in his room. I also asked the guards guarding the gate and a few others where he could've gone but they didn't know either (or more likely didn't care). 

I wanted to invite him to have tea in the castle garden since he told me he finds the scenery there beautiful.

I also noticed that compared to his younger self, who loved playing games and running around, Marcus now tends to like activities that are considered slow and boring. He likes to draw, read books, and stare at the scenery for hours on end.

I once saw him at one of the castle's highest points just staring at the scenery of the entire city before him. When I asked what was so enthralling about the scenery, he said one word, peaceful.

That word had so many meanings behind it.

"He probably wanted to get out of the castle to stretch his legs. Compared to us two who have a favorable impression on the workers of the castle due to being heroes, Marcus isn't really in their good graces. He probably wanted a change of pace."

"…That's true. Excluding Mary, Leonard, and the king, nobody else has good feelings towards Marcus."

The stuff they say about him…

"O-oi, Alice! Keep your magic in check! You're freezing over the table!"

Before I knew it, my magic momentarily went out of control, causing the table to be covered in a thin layer of ice.

"Huh, ah, sorry… H-hey, you don't think he finally decided it was time to leave because of his mistreatment!"

We haven't been together long, only about a measly six months! That's not enough time to spend together! I was so happy that we were transported to this world because I could finally hug and touch Marcus! I wanna be with him at all times of the day!

...It's all their fault! If they only treated Marcus better!

"Geez, I thought you'd be used to it by now. You're oozing killing intent right now."

Kari said with a sigh. She already knows how I feel about Marcus so there's no need to hide them from her. So while forming a needle made out of ice and I said slightly irritated.

"But it's irritating. There are times where I want to hit them with a barrage of [Ice Needle]."

It wouldn't kill the servants and guards but it'd teach them a lesson. No, it may be better if it killed them. Marcus taught the vital points of the body. Just one stab with [Ice Needle] in any of those points and they'll die a quick death. 

"...Hey, keep those yandere tendencies down, please. While the concept of it is nice, the reality of it is scary. Besides, do you think Marcus gives two shits about what they think? He knew what was going to happen when he refused."

As Kari said, Marcus didn't care all that much about the rumors being said about him. In fact, he finds it humorous. Messing with the guards who blatantly hate him and teasing the castle servants by calling every butler Sebastian and trying to small talk with the maids who hold the most disdain towards (much to my disgruntlement).

He's a complete troll.

"However, if they only knew…"

"Yeah. if they knew. But who's to say that's a good thing. The deceased hero Mars doesn't have a very good reputation either." 

"..." 

Sad but true. While Mars did save humanity from enslavement, history books considered him a genocidal murderer, tyrant, and unscrupulous hero. 

He's a stain on what the people deem to be heroic. This view became more apparent after the death of Zech Alderman, a member of Mars's party.

In the history books, it was said he was more of a hero than Mars ever was. He was a kind and selfless man who always put others before himself, earning him the nickname Humanity's Hope by the people.

As for Mars, the people feared him more than anything. Nobody ever saw his face because he always wore a helmet that took the form of a skull and he seldom spoke. However, some reports said his voice sounded sometimes childish and at other times deep and demonic. The only time you'd hear of him was when death was involved.

Quoting the words of one of humanity's generals who was a rare Mars sympathizer, 'if Zech Alderman was Humanity's Hope then Mars was Humanity's Monster… We need someone like him to strike fear in the enemy.'

And that's what he did. But he did it a little too well to the point both humans and devilkin alike feared him. However, the moment Zech Alderman's death got out and it was said Mars had a hand in it, that fear became hatred.

It got to the point that Mars has a holiday celebrating his death. 

If Marcus was to come out and say he was the former hero, Mars, he'd become an outcast in an instant.

I don't want that to happen.

But I also don't like how everyone is badmouthing him.

"..."

"Now, now, don't look so down Alice. As long as the person concerned isn't worried about it then it's alright. Come on, let's go to the dining room. It should be lunchtime now, the chef should already have my plate ready."

Kari said as she got up to head towards the door. I follow in behind her.

"I guess it pays to be friends with the chef, huh?"

"Hell yeah, it is! I told him all of the foods I love and now I have a custom meal plan. Ah, the perks of being a hero."

"..."

This glutton!

"Speaking of being a hero, are you ready for the trip?"

"You mean the trip we're supposed to go on to subjugate monsters?"

"Yeah, that one! I'm super excited! Ah, just four more days!"

Kari was like a kid on the night before their school field trip, she was endlessly excited.

"I also heard that the queen and princess are returning today. I can't wait to meet them." 

"I'm sure they're beautiful."

"They got to be. I mean look at Leonard, he's quite the handsome guy."

"Oh? Are you saying that because you like him?"

"Hmm, perhaps. But don't tell Marcus, he'll start teasing me."

"Hehe, I'll think about it."

"I'm serious!"

***

As we were walking down the hallway towards the dining room… 

"Have you heard?"

"What?"

"There's a rumor going around that the prince got tired of that freeloader Marcus and gave him a severe scolding saying how could he act so sleazy when there's a war going on."

"*Gasp* Is that true?"

"Mn. My friend said she heard it from one of the guards that were there. He said that was the first time he ever saw Prince Leonard so mad."

"Hmph, that's what he deserves."

"Right?"

I overheard a group of bitc- I mean, maids talking about Marcus. 

Does that mean he's back?

...But the contents of that rumor are quite concerning.

"What do you think Kari?"

I asked Kari who was also listening in on the conversation.

"About the rumor?"

"Yeah. I don't think it's true but as the saying goes, there isn't smoke without fire."

"Same. I don't think it's as bad as it sounds though. Leonard yelling at Marcus? I can't see that. Leonard practically worships him and Marcus treats him like a close friend."

"I believe the contents of the story got twisted as it slowly spread through word of mouth."

"I think so too… Sigh, I'm not Marcus but damn, hearing so many rumors about him is tiring. Every other week it's something new. He isn't doing this on purpose is he?"

"..."

"Is he?!"

"..."

"IS HE?!"

"I-I don't particularly know myself. Mary said that he was trolling the trollers." 

"...I'm gonna go eat. You go on ahead since I know your dying to see him. His goals are beyond my understanding and it's giving me a headache."

Grabbing her head, Kari said with a wry smile as neared the dining room door

"Okay, see you in a few."

I then leave and head towards Marcus room.

If I didn't know any better, I'd thought that she and Marcus were brother and sister. They're always taking jabs at each other.

Despite being the one closest to him, it's making me feel slightly jealous.

***

Author's Note

- Happy 4th of July guys!