“You have a Gift.”

I snapped my head to the side, seeing a taller woman with long locks of white hair and big lilac eyes. She looked like a woman from Korea, a sharp nose, a nice curved chin, and soft features that gave no hard limit on what her age was.

She was definitely older, and the lack of uniform also confirmed this, as instead of it she wore the robes of a teacher, gold and white intertwining in sharp yet elegant lines and a black trim on the sleeves and neck line.

However, appearances aside, I had to ask what she just said.

“Excuse me?”

The older woman turned, her short white hair swaying as she did, “I said you had a Gift.”

Ah, I thought so.

Damnit.

“What do you mean?” I had to play the clueless card, even though I knew who this woman was and what she might be implying.

It was the homeroom teacher of the main cast, Miss Violet.

Miss Violet smiled ever so slightly, one that was so faint it was only noticeable since she was so close.

“I like to watch my students, especially first years, to see how they feel about this place. Some come wearing bright smiles, others with shifty eyes and sweat on their foreheads, a lot with hesitating steps of uncertainty, a handful with unexpected anger, and a startling few with no particular emotion at all; almost like they were forcefully dragged here.” She turned away from me and watched the moving sea of white and gold students. “However, this is a first for me, since I cannot wrap my head around a first year student standing completely still for thirty minutes straight and looking bored out of his mind. It is truly a Gift, to do nothing for half an hour and not move an inch.”

I stood silently for a while, weighing my options as I too watched the hundreds of students going about their first day of high school while enjoying the festival.

“I apologize, but I sadly am not a student here, I unfortunately got distracted on my skytrain and was forced to get off here.”

While I spoke, I cursed my luck, seeing as Miss Violet was number one on the list of ‘characters to not meet in person’.

Her Curse [Lie Detector] was self explanatory from the name.

I could use my Cursed Blessing [Black Field], but I was unsure how it would affect her Gift. Would it give her zero feedback, or would it make anything I said ring as true. It was a risk I was not willing to take, as it could spell disaster.

Annoying, it was going to be hard to deal with, as not being able to hide the truth cut off any excuse I could use.

“I see…” Miss Violet stood stoically, majestic as ever with her exotic features as she no longer bothered to look at me while she spoke. “The festival will be ending soon and I will be officially introduced to my new batch of students.”

I nodded, not sure why she was telling me this.

“So I must ask.” She started. “Would you like to come to this school and join them?”

Thankfully my poker face was something honed for over thirty years, because inside I was practically screaming my head off in my mind, “Hilarious joke miss. I would love to but you can only be admitted if you have a Gift.”

I could only imply I did not have one, her Curse a blade I had to hold carefully as not to cut myself.

Miss Violet frowned, once again barely enough to even suggest it as so.

“I told you, you have a Gift, a Blessing to to stand still without any movement for thirty whole minutes.”

I was really too tired for this, the fact I was late for the first day was enough to make me quick to anger, though I made sure not to let it show in my words.

“I must correct you, I do not have a Blessing, and am only hoping to catch a train back as soon as possible. Once again, apologies for being here when I was not supposed to.”

It was the nicest way to say ‘leave me alone and it is none of your business’. I prayed she understood my implications. From the novel she was always slightly mysterious but was nonetheless a sweet and kind woman. You could never truly know what she was gonna say, a tried and true wild card dressed up as a birthday cake if you will.

Cunning, kind, beautiful, mysterious, and quizzical, a deadly combination which would poison any man with sweet nothings, her beautiful appearance aside.

She at one point, even had eyes for the MC, albeit more implied than outright said. She would blush, make him stay after class, always wanting to help the main cast, and was their chaperone that follows them on their trips like most romance novels.

She was the teacher character which had moments with each of the main characters, slowly guiding them toward their best selves while standing on the sidelines, all alone and not divulging even an inch of her own problems. One could maybe say she had a hero complex, but maybe it was needed to be a teacher, the self-sacrifice to give away most of your time to lead the next generation to their dreams.

I know I should be careful, but knowing how the next three years would turn out for her, pity scratched at the edge of my thoughts, wanting to speak to her and ask if she was okay.

Although, Miss Violet would just give some mysterious answer about life in response, or would turn the question on me and make it a life lesson.

“Ah, but you do, I really do not like repeating myself.” She crossed her arms and began to drum her fingers on her biceps. “You have a Gift, yet you choose not to use it. Helping others is only an option for the strong, does that make you weak, toiling about with power you wish to never use?”

Okay, this had ‘Sus’ written all over it, so I just faked a hearty laugh and shrugged.

“Quite cryptic, but I said I do not have a Blessing or a Curse.”

Miss Violet's lilac eyes turned to meet mine of gold, our gazes locked for longer than what I thought comfortable, the sounds of the festival becoming a backdrop to our intense exchange.

Then, she looked away, speaking to me with a slight edge in her tone.

“What is it you want to do with your life Cadence Sky?”

She knew me, she must have wanted to see why I had not come to Golden Academy, since nine out of ten times Gifted parents gave birth to more Gifted. It was not some hidden fact too, and suspicion was written all over me for the fact I supposedly did not have one.

I was caught red handed it seemed, and I also had to answer her question truthfully, her Curse aptly named, as it was a curse for me.

“I… “I started to speak, but for a moment I hesitated to think about the question more. 

What did I want to do with my life?

I had spent most of it in another world, one called Earth. A time in which I went through the motions, doing well enough in school, worked relatively hard to get scholarships, lost my only high school ‘friend’ when I had to move for college, finished a grueling four years were social interaction was put on the back burner, and then spent the last two years of that life working a job I hated.

Had that even been living?

Although, as if to amend my mistakes, I saved that boy and died. Only to wake up in this world called Kyriake, now a seemingly new man hoping to just live doing things he loves.

However, deep down, I was only doing the same thing as back then.

I had no friends, I had an idea of an occupation I was not even sure I would love, I focused on my studies despite not being particularly interested in doing well, and I had slowly slipped back into my lifeless self; going with the motions with no will to fight back.

Had I even changed?

“Is that such a hard question to answer Cadence?” Miss Violet asked through her thinned lips.

“It's Cade.” I spat back, irritated how she seemed to read me so easily. “And I am leaving.”

I turned, dug my hands in my pockets, and trudged back to my previous spot waiting for the skytrain. I paid no mind to the gaze I felt on my back, seeing as after a few minutes the feeling vanished and I was left alone.

Time slipped by relatively quickly, and without another word I entered the skytrain, made doubly sure to pick a bench unaccompanied, and silently looked at the window.

Golden Crown Academy grew smaller, the breathtaking island unrecognizable as it became nothing more than a black dot on the horizon.

During the trip, I had to force myself not to think about much of the events of today. Meeting Claire Clutz, the second heroine, Miss Violet who was a core character who supposedly showed interest in me, and the bizarre fact I even somehow ended up in the main location where the story took place.

Thankfully, it was all just a coincidence, and I readily stepped foot on a loading dock where I should have been originally. Little Garden, an island of rolling hills, vineyards, dirt paths, and wheat fields abound.

A humble cottage town bustling with life.

I would have taken the time to admire the scenery more, but I had to practically sprint so I would not be later than needed. It was already Ten o-clock after all, I would at least be there before lunch, hopefully salvaging what was left of my image.

I quickly donned the black blazer as I came to see the manor made of brick with vines growing up them, rose bushes aplenty with tiled walkways and hedge bushes lining the pathway.

Again, I had no time to oogle, so with my lungs doing overtime I entered the building and saw a glass window with a sign saying “Visitor and Student Inquiries”.

I exhaled heavily, shoes thudding on the red carpet as I made my way to the window.

On the other side, a petite orange haired woman in black robes looked up, adjusting her glasses and giving a professional smile.

“Yes, how may I help you?”

Those words, they felt surreal, cementing the fact I would finally be done with the whole A Cursed Blessing thing. I did not have to worry about my own hero complex forcing me to help people, and also not having to deal with the Gifts that would give me countless headaches.

“Yes, due to circumstances with the skytrains I have arrived late, can you tell me which classroom I am in. My full name is Cadence Sky.”

The lady nodded, turning to what resembles a modern computer with her hands clicking on a wooden keyboard (aesthetics were a big thing in this world) while continuing to nod along.

However, after a few moments of clicking with the mouse, she turned to me with a raised eyebrow.

“You said Cadence Sky correct?”

I nodded, “Yes…”

I had a bad feeling a really bad one, a feeling like I was gonna get punched in the face by a professional boxer type feeling.

“I'm sorry to say this but you are not in the system as a student.” She pushed her slowly falling glasses back up. “However, I was given an email from the our Headmaster with your specific name, give me a moment please Mr. Sky.”

She left, and with her, my hopes and dreams.

Nothing was going my way it seemed, because I could bet my reincarnation that I had definitely applied and been verified to go to this school. I had a syllabus too, just without a classroom number. I even had a student code, meaning I by all means, should be in the system.

The office lady returned, surprisingly with an envelope in her hand. Hesitantly, like she herself was confused, slipped said envelope under the glass cover.

I gave her a questioning look, but accepted the envelope, and slowly proceeded to open it.

On the paper, a single question could be seen.

[  What is it you want to do with your life? 

-From the Headmaster of Golden Crown Academy]

My hands shook, then my arms, and finally I was a moment away from ripping the paper up.

However, I stopped myself, eyes scanning over the letter dozens of times before I closed them.

I breathed in and out slowly, thinking deeply about the current events. Then, as if the lights lit up a room, it came to me.

Miss Violet’s Gift may not work on me if I put up my [Black Field], but that was not the case for my family. Of course, I had told them to lie, but with her Curse it would be child’s play to see they were vouching for me.

Stupid, an oversight on my part, and the final nail in the coffin which I now had to occupy.

I read the question one more time before crumpling it, saying a curt  “Thank you” to the female worker and excusing myself out of Rose High’s doors.

As I walked, taking in the beautiful gardens of the school, my mind replayed the question over and over again like a broken record.

What is it you want to do with your life?

I smiled, running a hand through my hair before chuckling softly, knowing the answer but afraid to realize it.

“I want to help people.”

The world sucked, it really did. Earth, Kyriake, any world or place you could think of. Poverty, hunger, rage, anger, sadness, or even war. Those things seem to prevail no matter where one went, a shadow to the light of all things, a yin to yang.

So, I wanted to help people, to give them a helping hand when times were tough.

A small joy in a heap of depression.

So, who was I truly to not use my meta knowledge of A Cursed Blessing to help people I knew would suffer? To use my Gift that could negate others Gifts’ negative effects and help them heal from wounds brought about by being ‘Chosen by God’ without their consent.

Claire Clutz and the fact she would spend the first year of high school alone, shunned by her family because of her Curse, and horrified at the thought of making friends.

Emily Arc, a girl who had lost everything because of her Gift, forever forced to be her own supporter and had even contemplated suicide at one point.

Melody Kane, someone used for her power, and privy to carry baggage too big for a single person to truly hold.

Rei Remedy, the perfect girl whose mind was fragile enough to break with the slightest tap.

Miss Violet, a woman who hid her pain well, just like I did, fake smiles and a kind heart all she had. No one to rely on.

These girls, they were living a life worse than the one I had lived on Earth, and were only able to find the tiniest glimpse of happiness through the MC of A Cursed Blessing.

And even then, he did not choose a single one of them, none of them had won the popularity poll.

Stupid, the thought I was currently having was outright idiotic. I should just let the story take its course, sit back and live a quiet life like a good mob should.

However, who was I kidding, really?

Funnily enough, I found myself right back on the sky train, the conductor who occasionally walked through the carts shooting me a confused glance, which I could only answer in a weak smile and small shrug.

He seemed okay with the response, and twenty minutes later, I stepped foot right back on the island where love triangles sprouted like grass in spring, romance spread like the black plague, a harem could form at the drop of a hat, and hearts were shattered with the biggest hammers that could be found in reach.

All of that, wrapped up in a bow called “comedy”.

I frowned, but I noticed the anticipation building up in my stomach that suddenly morphed into butterflies, “Well, let's just hope things go alright.”

I froze, “Wait, is that a flag?”

Sadly, no answer came, and I could only curse myself into oblivion.