While I was looking at this pathetic excuse of a human being, I decide to use my ability again just to make sure I wasn't hallucinating.

Thoughts: "I NEED MEL! WHY DOES MEL HATE ME! I WANT TO DIE! MEEEEELLLL!"

Oh god, I want to escape. If I could then I would. However, I can't just let this matter be. Although I'd rather let him rot on the side of some random unnamed street located in the middle of nowhere, he is still my Onii-sama that I loved dearly. That, and the fact that our family's reputation would take a huge blow if the eldest son of the Byron family were to disappear for some unknown reason. As I was staring at his lifeless eyes and pale face, I carefully plan out each and every word that I'm about to say. 

"U-umm Onii-sama?" (Mel)

"M-mel?" (Eric)

"I need to talk with you." (Mel)

"U-umm, o-ok." (Eric)

"It's about what I said." (Mel)

"W-what do you m-mean?" (Eric)

"When I said that I hate you, I didn't mean it." (Mel)

"R-really?" (Eric)

Not then, but now I do.

"I still love Onii-sama." (Mel)

Nope.

"It's just that, I only love you as a brother." (Mel)

Love-d.

"And it's not that I want to leave you." (Mel)

I want you to leave me. Forever.

"It's just that, I really want to study alchemy." (Mel)

And that I don't want to see you.

"And going to the academy is the best way for me to do so."

And also the best excuse to stay away from you.

"And it's not that I love alchemy more than I do you." (Mel)

I just hate you more than anything.

"It's just that I really want to do this. It's my dream." (Mel)

My dream to be away from you.

"So don't be sad." (Mel)

Because when you're sad, you become so pathetic that I don't even want to breathe the same air as you.

"Because I will always love you." (Mel)

Lies.

"And I will never hate Onii-sama." (Mel)

More lies.

"R-really?" (Eric)

"Yes." (Mel)

No.

"Thank goodness!!!" (Eric)

As soon as my pathetic Onii-sama recovered, he lunged towards me and hugged me as he was crying what I assume to be tears of joy.

"I'm sorry!!!" (Eric)

Disgusting. Get off from me.

"I'll never do that again!" (Eric)

Thoughts: "MEL FEELS SO SOFT. SHE ALSO SMELLS SO NICE!!!"

And I hope you never hug me or even touch me again. Please stop breathing. If you do so, maybe I'll attend your funeral at the very least.

"I'm sorry!!!" (Eric)

After a few more minutes of torture, he finally let go of me and stopped crying.  He then told me that he would allow me to go to Xerxes Academy. Well, it didn't really matter since I would have gone regardless, but I just came here so that you wouldn't ruin our family's name from your stupidity. Well, at least I can go to school with some reassurance that he wouldn't screw up everything. 

A week later

"Have a nice trip!" (Viscountess Byron)

"Make sure to come back once in a while!" (Viscount Byron)

"Have fun over there!" (Onee-sama)

"Have fun!" (Eric)

Thoughts: "MEEEEEEELLLL!!! DON"T LEEEAAAAVE!!!"

I'm scared. I should talk to Aunt Marie about him. I have a bad feeling that when left to his own devices, he would be the cause of some tragedy. As these thoughts were going through my head, I enter the carriage that will bring me to the academy. As for admission, I am supposed to take an exam that will verify whether or not I reach the academy's standards. If I fail, I'm just going to retake it again and again until I pass. I don't expect that I will pass the first time. I think that it will take me 2-4 attempts till I get accepted. 

After a few hours, the coachman informed me that we had arrived at the academy. I am alone without any servants because the Xerxes main branch has dormitories that both students and personnel are allowed to use. People are allowed to choose between living in the dormitories or living in their own personal space, but I chose to live in the dormitories because it was just more convenient to live there as I don't have any other things to do other than studying. A person who was standing by the gate had welcomed me.

"Good afternoon Lady Melanie Byron. I hope that you had a pleasant journey. My name is Germaine Braum, I am a teacher here at Xerxes academy. You can call me Professor Braum. I was appointed by the Headmaster to be the one who will oversee you taking the test. Please follow me to the room that you will take the test in." (Braum)

Germaine Braum? His name sounds familiar. Maybe he's someone important. I'll check it out later. As I dismiss my thoughts, I follow him as he makes his way to the room. We then arrive in front of the room.

 

"This is my office. This is where you will take the test. As for the test, you will be given an hour to finish everything. This will be checked by the Headmaster. My only purpose here is to make sure you do not cheat on the exam. Now then, I will start timing when you are ready." (Braum)

"I am ready." (Mel)

"Okay, you may start now." (Braum)

30 minutes later

Is this the actual test? I expected that it would be way harder. They said that was tailored for 16-year-olds, but it wasn't that hard. I think I'll at least pass.

"W-what is this?" (Braum)

"What seems to be the matter Professor Braum?" (Mel)

"U-uhm, it's nothing. I'll be going to the Headmaster now. Please wait for a few minutes, I'll be back then." (Braum)

Hee~, suspicious. Let me see what you're really thinking of.

Status

Name: Germaine Edelfaust Braum

Titles: Professor Braum, Alchemy Genius, 3rd son of Earl Winstor Braum

Alchemy Genius:  Has made multiple breakthroughs in Alchemy. Discovered the cure for the Althen Disease and Feuner Disease. Revered by the Alchemy Community as an important figure.

Thoughts: "How is it possible for a 10-year-old to achieve a perfect score for the test. Even I wasn't able to achieve that. I know that Lime did the same when he was 5, but no one can consider Lime to be a normal kid. Is this new generation filled with monsters? Maybe this is why her family is being supported by Duke Harmonia."

W-what? A 5-year-old kid also did it? And he's being recognized by someone important? What is this? I know I said t was easy, but it couldn't be that easy. Just a few minutes later, Professor Braum comes in and tells me to follow him once again. After a minute or so of walking, we end up just in front of an important-looking room. He then knocks on the door and then opening it a few moments later. We then entered the room as a man who looks to be in his 60s greets me.

"Good afternoon Lady Melanie Byron, I am Hans Drew Wistleton, the Headmaster of the Xerxes Academy. You may either address me as Headmaster Wistleton or simply just Headmaster." (Headmaster)

"Ok then Headmaster. What did you call me for?" (Mel)

This is probably about my score.

"I heard that you managed to achieve a perfect score, and in half the time most people would take to finish none the less. This is the first time that someone your age has achieved that. In short, you are now a Xerxes Academy Student." (Headmaster)

Yeah, this is the first time a 10-year-old has done that because someone half my age already did that before me. I'm going to use my ability just to know exactly what he is thinking.

Name: Hans Drew Wistleton

Titles: Adopted Son of  Marquis Sven Wistleton, Pride of the Wistleton Family, Headmaster of the Xerxes Academy, ...

Pride of the Wistleton Academy: Despite not sharing any blood with the Wistleton Family and being adopted by the former head Sven Wistleton, he became well-known as the most successful of Sven Wistleton's children. He achieved multiple breakthroughs and is known by the Researcher's Community as one of the most important figures that have existed.

Thoughts: "Interesting, another genius. It is a shame that she isn't another monster just like Lime Stein. If I recall correctly, both their older brothers were in the same situation. The elder Stein was a monster while the elder Byron was a genius. Is this fate at work?"

Stein? I think I've heard that name before. I can vaguely recall Onii-sama telling me something about his highschool days. Ugh, I don't want to recall anything about my brother. Just thinking about it makes me feel sick. 

After a lecture on how the academy works and the various facilities it has to offer, I exited the room with the name Lime Stein in my mind. Just what kind of person is he to make not only Professor Braum but also the Headmaster acknowledge him not as a genius, but a monster? Lime Stein, just what are you?

---

About 9 years later

"W-what is this! A breakthrough just 1 year after graduating? Impossible!"

"Lime Stein? Who is that?"

"Isn't he the person who attended the same classes as the graduating seniors when he was 18?'

"T-this isn't just a breakthrough, this is a whole new world of possibilities!"

"If he's still 19, isn't he more of a prodigy even when compared to Professor Braum?"

"I'd say he's way better than the Headmaster."

"I didn't even know this was possible!"

"Alchemy, maybe I should've god for Alchemy as well"

These days, the name on everyone's mind is Lime Stein, the so-called monster. No matter where I go I hear that name everywhere, not that I go anywhere outside the academy. Lime Stein this, Lime Stein that, I'm so tired of it all. The emotion I feel whenever I hear that name is not jealousy nor is it a feeling of dread nor inferiority, it is a feeling of overwhelming curiosity. No matter how much they say his name they never end up saying anything substantial, only mere gossip and rumors. Some talking about how he is the secret love child of either Professor Braum or the Headmaster, some saying he was secretly raised by the royal family, some even saying that he's the reincarnation of the founder, but only I know the truth. From what I've found out from tiny tidbits of the Alchemy Professors' thoughts, I had uncovered the truth about his identity.

He was a hidden talent that the academy had found out about due to mere luck. He didn't have any practical skills or knowledge of Alchemy, but he had a strong learning ability when it came to things he was interested in. Once the higher-ups caught wind of such a talent, they immediately took him in as part of the academy. When they brought him in, they introduced a lot of subjects to him in hopes of him finding interest in any one of them. It was also by chance that he took a fancy to Alchemy. According to them, they were very scared of the possibility that he would find none of the available subjects to be interesting as he quickly dismissed most of them. According to them, he did not find any interest in most of the subjects and denied all of them till the very last one to be introduced to him, Alchemy. This fact was reinforced by how some non-Alchemy teachers had lamented at the fact that their subject wasn't the last subject that was introduced to him.  After that, the teachers who taught Alchemy had taught him for about 2 years. It took about 6 months for him to be able to achieve a perfect score for the entrance exam and another 18 months to teach him about common sense. Apparently, his way of thinking was very dangerous back then that they had to educate him.

I couldn't find more information about him because even trying to find him was difficult. In the first place, he was an entire 3 years ahead of me, so for the most part I wasn't able to "accidentally" bump into him. He also just so happened to have basically no friends mainly because the people who he had to take classes with were about 10 years older than him on average.  It was also hard to get the teachers to tell me where he was currently at because whenever they get any hints about me wanting to find out about Lime Stein, they would start evading the question. Even their thoughts wouldn't reveal his location as they were all panicky and jumping around. Geez, he's supposed to be a pureblood commoner, but he's surrounded by one hell of a mystery. 

---

About 3 years later

I finally graduated. With this, I can finally start my career as a researcher. As I look through the list of researchers I can act as an assistant in, I see that the name Lime Stein is there. If it were the me 3 years ago, I would've chosen him without even thinking twice. However, there have been so many things that the infamous Lime Stein was involved in. Apparently, all the people who had applied to work in his lab had all quit and said that they would never ever try again with tears running down their faces. I tried to verify the truth, but whenever I tried looking at his face I immediately knew the reason why. His face was terrifying. 

He looked as if anyone who would approach him would certainly be killed. It was as f he would use you as a test subject for his experiments if you manage to piss him off just a little bit. I couldn't even use my ability on him because even his glare felt I would be erased from society's view if I stared just a bit longer. I have never seen something so frightening before. It was enough to make my instincts tell me that being within 10 meters of him would guarantee either the murder of Melanie Byron or my heart failing to work due to the mere shock of even being in the same breathing area as him. However, my opinion of him had all changed one day.

While I was struggling to choose between Professor Braum and another professor by the name of Professor Hyde, I had for some reason, ended up in the library. Ever since I became a student, the library became my favorite spot to go to, especially in stressful situations such as this. The library is normally closed during the night, but some people have access to it any time of the day. When I asked the Headmaster for said access 5 years ago, he approved almost immediately. Ever since then, I  would come here every now and then during the night. Barely anyone comes here during the night. The only people who come here are researchers who are hard-pressed for time and people like me. At one point, I had come across a midnight rendezvous between a female researcher and a male student, but I quickly left as it wouldn't have been a nice sight to look at. I sure do hope they cleaned up afterward.

When I entered the library, I hear someone shouting out of frustration. It seems that whoever it is is the only one in the library tonight. This voice, however, is unfamiliar to me. This means that either he's new or he just so happens to come here whenever I'm not here. Out of curiosity, I use my ability on him to find out just who it is.

Status

Name: Lime Stein

Titles: Monster, Conditional Genius, Misunderstood Monster

Monster: Deemed to be an existence exceeding that of a genius.

Conditional Genius: Unparalleled genius when it comes to topics that he is interested in. Otherwise, he is pretty much useless.

Misunderstood Monster: Is misunderstood by the public. Called as monster and demon by the public despite inner nature. 

Thoughts: "Why do I have this face!!! I wish I had friends!!! Why am I like this!!! I'm so lonely!!!" 

Uh, this is awkward. I feel bad. Er—what do I do now?