It was the first week, and the start of the first day of class for the Overlords. Technically, they are in the second week of semester.

Eiz had enrolled them all in the same course which is in the economic-oriented major as a second year student. They all are scattered into different class sections, otherwise the same class subjects. This is to cover more ground in locating the Witch’s reincarnated soul.

Because they entered at the end of the first week of the semester, they didn’t have much to catch up on. Moreover, most classes disregard the first week as introduction, or as an ‘add or drop subject’ week. This is not the case for most of the third year and final year classes though.

The Witch of Charm avoids making them first year as it will make them go through orientation or whatnot.

“Hopefully, the general knowledge that Weiss extracted from this world is adequate to help you guys survive in this world.”

For Aiden, he had several classes with the new students. Not much, because of the difference in their courses and years. However, for his Softskill 2 class, all of them are grouped into one section.

The ravenette didn’t talk to them nor they are to him; just simply acknowledged each other’s existence. Except for Lias, who went as far as greeting him everytime they met.

Right now, Sir Hermez who taught the subjects, was making the new students introduce themselves to the class.

Starting with Azur Viorel, everything went smoothly as they kept the introduction short and simple.

Until..

“My name is George.. uh.. Snow. Call me, George.”

Everyone was perplexed, staring at the brown haired man with confusion, who in turn, staring back with a hardened gaze.

The reason because.. his name is George, but he pronounced it as, ‘Jé-O-jé’

‘He even spelt it as, George.’ Hermez peeked up the attendance sheet. Some students even peered over his shoulder.

Even the other Overlords were dumbfounded.

“It’s pronounced as, ‘Jawj’, you dunderhead,” Len blurted out.

“Fuck you! It’s George (Jé-O-jé)!” George then huffed. “Whatever, just call me anything.” 

By then, everyone just wrote it off as, ‘different countries, different pronunciation’. But where exactly do these new students come from?

“Okay thanks, anything.” Hermez clapped his hands lightly as he ushered them off. “Now then, let’s proceed to our lesson today. For the new students, you can ask about the study plan with your classmates. Okay, now direct your eyes to the slide.”

The lecturer then began his lesson.

During all this, the otherworldly creatures pretending-to-be-student are all thrashing inside.

All of the Overlords were thinking the same thing; that they didn’t even need the education. But because of the circumstances of their undercover mission, they need to pull it through until their beloved’s soul carrier is found.

For now, they had to embrace this new lifestyle. Even if they felt like hurling out of the room at any moment. Heck, Azul and George didn’t even bring any work bags or stationeries with them to class.

Almost all of them had never been to any academic institution before; Gelaro was an isolated demon beast, Decimus was a lonely orphan, Helios the prince was homeschooled. Only Lelang had the experience of studying in a school at his home village. But because the feline man is an egotistical genius, he always ditched his classes.

It didn’t help that each of them had been in solitary for the past years, and had almost little to none connection to the outside world.

So right now, they are all suffering with this new situation, and it has just been the first day of class.

By the end of the lesson, Hermez paired them all together for a presentation. The presentation will be about introducing a new technology to potential buyers. 

And Aiden was paired with George Snow.

‘Oh, to hell.’ Aiden thought, much to his discontent. He and George then stared blank at each other.

 

♬•°♩°•♪*✦*♪•°♩°•♬

 

Soft Skills was one of the university’s compulsory subjects that needed to be undertaken starting from Soft Skills 1 to 2. It is generally an ‘Easy A’ class with no major exam, but can be troublesome because of the many assessments.

Most students will finish the subject in their early years to get it out the way. But some prefer to take it in their last years because of its high probability to get an above excellent grade. Though, it only has two credit subjects. But nevertheless it can be a great booster for the Grade Point Average (GPA).

There are several sections open for Soft Skills 2 classes. Not quite much, but they are able to have ten or more sections ongoing for each semester, with about 30 to 35 students enrolling in one section. All of which are mixed from several different courses, and also varying from years.

So then why the fuck did fate pair him with the guy he least wanted to interact with in the entirety of the student body in this university?!

One poor ravenette is in distress!

Aiden still remembers what the foul-mouth man had said to him before. He could handle taking shits from Caelum Rivers, but not with a stranger he barely knew! Even the DC Head has some class with his insults and jeers.

“Wait, he also called me names. Fuck that guy also!”

“Fu-fuck who?” Lias was startled.

It should be Aiden who was startled to see the blonde haired man suddenly appear by his desk. “Huh? N-No, I– Oh, class already ended..” 

Sure enough everyone had already gathered their belongings, and moved out to the next class.

“You’ve been spacing out..” Lias had said, while Aiden is packing his books and pencil case, just throwing his stuff carelessly in the bag. “Listen, are you fine.. partnering with.. George?”

The ravenette piqued up at that name. “Ah, George Snow– Where is he?”

“Oh, he just went out..” –The dark brown haired man just went out the classroom along with the crowd.– “..the door.”

“Wait, I need to talk to him about the presentation!” Aiden immediately chased over said man.

Lias frowned, a bit worried with the ravenette after what had happened at the forest. It’s not like he suddenly takes concern about a stranger, but that stranger seems to be a good guy, and he is currently paired up with his most bad mannered peer.

Gelaro is hard to manage, even after all this year. He had always been like that. Too untrusting and antisocial.

However, he did change to be more open at one point. But then everything reverted back after the ‘incident’.

 

♬•°♩°•♪*✦*♪•°♩°•♬

 

Outside the building, Aiden managed to catch up with George.

His sling bag ran loosely around his shoulder as he finally reached the taller man’s side. “Snow, I need to talk to you for a sec.”

George ignored him, not even spare a glance at his direction.

“Uh.. Snow. I need to talk to you about the presentation.”

The dark brown haired man seems to pretend he doesn’t exist.

Aiden felt really really really  annoyed right now. Why must he get paired with this discourteous transfer student?

“Snow.” Aiden called out again.

No answer, or acknowledgement.

“Snow.” Aiden called out again, a bit louder. “Hey, Snow!”

George finally snapped his neck at him. “Who the fuck is ‘Snow’?”

“Eh?” Aiden was confused. He hesitated for a bit. “Your surname is.. ‘Snow’, right?”

‘Oh, right.’ George just remembered about his stupid fake last name. If it’s an imaginative one, he would have had the effort to remember it. Heck, he even forgot the pronunciation of his fake first name.

Well anyway, George glanced back at Aiden. “What do you want?”

“About this presentation for next week.. can we discuss a little about it?”

“What presentation?”

‘Are you kidding me?’ The ravenette gaped, before answering with disbelief clearly in his voice, “Soft Skills’ class just now! Sir Hermez assigned us a presentation for next week’s class! We need to do a presentation about a new technology or something!”

Once again, the Overlord was looking above the cloud. He should start paying attention to things.

“Whatever. Just do what you want.” Gelaro continued his steps.

“Just do what–? Hey!” Aiden’s patience is starting to run thin. “This is a pair presentation! I can’t just do what I want! We need to discuss what subject we should do and whatnot! Also, the arrangement and everything.”

“Can’t you just do all of that by yourself? I just present what you make.”

“I will not do your part!”

“Why not? Aren’t you a good little busybody helper? Help me, Lil Rosy.” Gelaro quipped a smirk.

Aiden snapped shut, but the flat in eyes had turned sharp. “If you think you can bully me to do this work alone.. think again.”

“Then, whatever. Look, just tell that.. that lecturer, that I didn’t do my part, okay? Now fuck off.”

The sharp in Aiden’s eyes turned slit, as his mouth in a tight thin line.

George, indifferent to the change, just keeps on walking.

 

♬•°♩°•♪*✦*♪•°♩°•♬

 

Yesterday, George or Gelaro had cornered the ravenette because he felt suspicious, but intrigued at the same time.

The reason because, he couldn’t sense Aiden’s aura before the ravenette suddenly appeared at the forest yesterday. He came like out of nowhere, while they were being hyperaware at all times.

But after that, he could sense the ravenette’s aura like he always has. It’s almost like this being’s presence was clouded by mist. Why was that? It’s irked Gelaro heavily due to it being the same as that–

Well, it’s probably just nothing. He doesn’t want to think too deeply. Lest, things will get too convoluted.

And besides, it was more likely that their hyperaware abilities had been dampened by the limiter they wore. It was supposed to constraint half of their powers after all. The limiter is also the accessory that was supposed to alert them of the witch’s life sign.

What a joke. Gelaro was so sure of himself that he would definitely be able to identify his beloved’s reincarnated soul without the need of that useless junk. Though, he doesn’t know where the Witch’s soul is right now..

In Tierra, aura is often used interchangeably with one’s own soul. The lion’s share of scholars in that world believed that the aura is a sense of identity, while the soul is the source of life. Ultimately, both are concealed emanations that can only be seen by a few handfuls of powerful beings.

While the soul stands constant from person to person, no matter how many times they’re reborn, the aura on the other hand is constantly changing with each life it lives.

As thus, the soul gives the personal identification to the changing aura, just like a fingerprint, but in the form of fire that varies in colour and intensity for each person.

As a crucial piece of information, the Witch has an indigo’s fire of a soul. While indigo’s soul is not uncommon even in their own world, however the intensity and sense of the fire is not the same.

And till now, Gelaro still doesn’t know where the Witch’s own indigo fire is. Every being and creature he met in this place.. are not hers.

Their aura is obviously different from her. Her soul’s carrier will also have a different aura than her. But that is something that Gelaro can live by.

Also, the ravenette, the tour guy, had nothing in common with his beloved Witch. His appearance and manners are too opposite. Fuck, he could swore that the ravenette appeared more like that damn–

Gelaro sighed, he doesn’t want to think back about the damn past. He doesn’t want to remember anything from that ‘journey’. He doesn’t want to speculate anything that might prove to be total nonsense. And he definitely doesn’t want to reminiscence anything about that fucking Wizard. That fucking Wizard is dead. Obliterated. Not a single soul left.

The others must have felt the same as they have no comment for that. But because Gelaro had been living many years in solitary before he even met them, he had always been slow to trust any creatures.

But after peering into the ravenette’s eyes yesterday, using his ability called, [Window Viewer], he found no trace of insincerity in his words. Those clear gray eyes are genuine and have no evil intent behind it.

[Window Viewer] able to detect whether someone was lying or being insincere with their words. It could also give insight on whether they held any questionable secrets, though Gelaro always disregarded this one part because he believed everyone had their own dark secrets.

In order to do so, he needs to maintain at least one minute eye contact with the person, for the discerning to work. However, this ability won’t work on someone with high magic aptitude, or a person with a strong mental will. It could however work if the person in mention allows it; like he had done to the Witch of Wisdom during the meeting.

In conclusion, the ravenette was just a normal human being of this world, like the rest of the beings he had met until now.

‘He’s really just a busybody.’ Gelaro thought in disdain, but then it mellowed. ‘Ara.. Aradia was like that too. She was a busybody too, and quite annoying at that.’

Gelaro knew that he was acting mean to their tour guide and pretty much everyone around him, but that was what he really is, an asshole.

It was a shame that the ravenette was paired with George or Gelaro, as the demon beast had never been to any academic institution before. As such, he didn’t have the mental capacity to be doing the things he did right now. His only concern was searching for his beloved’s life sign.

‘But how can I find ‘her’?’

They had just been here for a few days, and already Gelaro felt that it was hopeless. Maybe the new environment was overwhelming him, but looking out.. everything seems out of reach. It’s like trying to find the specific snowflake in a raging snow storm.

They had absolutely no method of finding ‘her’, except approaching the beings around and seeing whether they can sense ‘her’ soul, or the accessory does it first.

In the distance, Gelaro saw Lelang conversing within a circle of people in an open corridor. That feline being had always been flirty gadabout since the old days. Nothing much has changed.

But in truth, all of them are just broken shells with no soul inside. Just like Gelaro himself.

But he had always been like this.. an asshole.

‘Even so.. You still like me, right?’ The creases between his brows soften. Eyes glazed over on the blue skies.

The clear blue skies reminded Gelaro so much of his ice dungeon in the past. The sky above the place was always dark though, but he felt comforted by the ice crystal surrounding him.

A prison for a being like him. A demon beast who should have not existed.

“Even so, I still like you.”

Her words that day were still fresh in his mind.

Her words, her actions, her smile, everything.. everything still adorned the warmest place in his heart.

The Witch was an annoying person who poked ‘her’ nose in everything. Too caring and kind hearted, she accepts and engulfs everyone like the sky above.

Just like his ice dungeon, she was his sanctuary.

‘I will do anything to meet you again.. no matter how long it takes.. No matter what it takes.’ With that newfound determination, Gelaro’s eyes hardened as he arrived at his destination.

 

♬•°♩°•♪*✦*♪•°♩°•♬

 

Right now, the only ‘hint’ they have was the forest. Or what the beings here labelled it as, the Abandon Forest.

The Abandon Forest is a forest where the shadow hound ran off to, nowhere to be found.

However, Gelaro has a ‘hint’.

During their first encounter with that shadow hound, the brown haired man went chasing after the monster in the forest. The other Overlord had stayed behind because of the tour guy.

What his peers didn’t know was that, Gelaro had stumbled upon the monster escaping inside a portal, no, an active summoning sigil, at the forest behind the General Education’s building.

Summoning sigil is basically a ritual marking that is used to summon something, whether it be a living or non-living being. In Gelaro’s words, it is basically a spawner that generate chaos to fuck over everyone.

But this summoning sigil didn’t seem to be static. Because when he got closer, the spawner immediately shut down and vanished into thin air. So, he deduced it as an active spawner, meaning that it was not a one thing use summoning. But rather a threshold and a gateway for that foul shadow beast.

Gelaro thought of himself to be lucky enough to obtain this important piece of the puzzle. That piece was located in the forest near the back of the General Studies building.

Of course he didn’t tell the other Overlords. He didn’t have any obligation to tell them. Why should he? Be that as it may, Gelaro hated them all.

With that, the brown haired man scanned the surroundings of the back of the General Studies building. Not many students are in that area as there are only the outdoor electrical switchboards situated.

The forest behind it however, is connected to the Abandoned Forest’s circumambient. As such, the place is also fenced.

The thing is, there is nothing unusual there, but George knew that there was a spawner there. Right now, he needs to know the key to trigger the spawner, or a way to force the shadow hound to come out.

With no qualms to his surroundings, George jumped on top of the fence, and stood on it, overviewing the forest overhead. He had done so with ease, as it was really impossible for a human being of this world to do so.

So that’s why Aiden’s mouth fell open. “Ah.”

A gasp at his back made George freeze. He spun around to see the ravenette staring wide at him from below.