“W-WHAT IS THIS????”

“HOW IS IT THIS BAD!?! IT'S THE FIRST DAY!?!”

‘My’ father and mother both scream at me. 

My expensive black and gold uniform was bloodied and ripped. I had injuries throughout my body and had limped back home.

I was currently being supported by my brother. I had tried walking into the office on my own but that only caused my foot and knee to hurt even more than it already did. 

Fuck, I think I fractured something. 

“WELL, MARCUS ANSWER ME!”

I idly picked at the dried blood on my sleeve as I spoke,

“Hm? Ah, I befriended the Duchess’s kid.”

“YOU-you….what?”

“Don’t lie to get out of this child. You will regret it.” My brown haired father stopped yelling in disbelief while my red haired mother flat-out didn’t believe me. 

“M-mother, father. Brother is telling the truth. He had a… s-spar with the Duchess.”

I grimace a little atmy brother’s inability to lie and nod my head. 

“Yeah, my bad for the uniform but me and that Bitc- girl are friends now. You should be happy right? Why aren’t you happy?”

My brother silently nudges me while keeping a smile on his face and I clear my throat. “Sorry.”

“I-it’s okay. The Duchess’s daughter, are you both serious?”

My merchant father still couldn’t believe it.

“Yes. That Violet Beauregard.”

The Duchess’s daughter.

She had one helluva personality as a result of her mother falling from grace. 

From what I remember, she had lost her noble friends, was trashed, insulted and talked about.

The story goes that things went really bad for a while, I'm talking debt collectors and threats of kidnapping until her mother remarried and became a Duchess again. 

With her status back where it used to be all that was left was the experience of what happened. 

Result?

A badshit crazy girl who dedicated herself to the sword to avoid her and her mother ever having to go through that again. 

It was why the only way to be her ‘equal’ was to fight her, something few ever learned about. 

Of course, as someone interested in this complete bitch of a character in a world of ‘politeness’ and fake smiles: I had looked for any lore throughout the game to learn more about her past to know more than the average gamer. 

It helped that I was friends with the creator too.

…..

From everyone in the game’s perspective, they saw a pompous girl gone crazy. 

From mine, she was pitiful. 

That was my ‘theory’ anyway. 

If I recall correctly: she hated the main character because whoever the player romanced, was scripted to be the one who supported Violet when she was at her worst. 

A different reason was created for each of the romance options but the results remained the same.

Which was why I considered Violet Beauregard: ‘A bitch who didn’t turn out as badly as she could’ve.’ 

She was basically just an awkward kid that didn’t know how to interact with the man she loved. 

It probably didn’t help that from her perspective, the Princess of the story looked like she lived a life of luxury with no stress. 

‘After all, what’s better than a tragic heroine?’

I frown as I remember my friend's words and I sigh a little as my brain is filled with the plot of this shitty story. As my face contorts, I see ‘my’ mother frown a little with guilt. 

“M-Marcus, I apologize for yelling.”

My mother softened her gaze a little as she thought of the benefits of me ‘befriending’ the Duchess’s daughter. 

Heh. 

Typical noble, even if she had also fallen a little from grace.

“It’s fine. I’m gonna go sleep off the pain now if you don’t mind.”

“Go to the doctor first.”

I grimace at my father’s words and my brother starts nodding his head. 

“Yes! That’s what I’ve been saying!”

“It’s fine.”

“Why?”

Why? Because sleeping in the game could heal any injuries the player had received while traversing the Passage, I wanted to test that out. 

….and I don’t want to waste money on something that could be free. 

“Well brother?”

“...I don’t want to know if we can afford it or not. I’m fine.”

My father bangs his hands on the desk he was sitting in and looks at me, 

“My son.”

Wait, Topi’s dad never acted like this in the game. That made me a little nervous, he wasn’t exactly built as he was a little chubby but the man currently had orange eyes like a hawk. 

I swallow my fears and speak, clearly uncomfortable. 

Is this what regular kids experience? 

“...father.”

“You do not need to put yourself in harm’s way for our sake.”

“That’s right brother!”

My brother was looking at me in a different light as he continued nodding. My mother clears her throat with a shaking hand, was she that shocked?

“Marcus. Go to the Doctor.”

Ok, she did act like this in the game. 

She was glaring at me with blue eyes that wouldn’t be argued with. 

“...I’ll go now then.”

“Mm. Topi, stay behind.”

=====================================================

The office door closed behind the eldest son’s back and Topi turned to his father who had a serious expression on his face. 

“Tsk! Does he really think our situation is that bad?”

“Dear…”

“Yes… Topi. Did Marcus act strange at all today? I heard from the servants he was yelling confused when he woke up.”

Topi opened his mouth to speak and he thought about his usually quiet but intimidating brother acting like a violent thug around the school. 

Then he thought about how he was treating him and a small smile grew on the kid’s face.

“...no. He’s the same as always, Father.”

Rach Glennden noticed his son’s lie immediately. He turned to his wife and she nodded thinking the same thing.

Either way though….

“I’m glad your brother is okay.”

“Me too!”

“Mm. How was your first day of school honey?”

“It was good mother!”

“Did you find anyone you like?” 

A blush started to spread on his face as he subconsciously smiled. “No…”

His parents looked at him; his mother barely held back a sigh at her son’s lack of the ability to lie while his father was thinking about having ‘the talk’. 

“..that’s good honey.”

“Mm. I’ll leave now then. Good night, Mother, father.”

“Good night.”  

“Mm. Good night.”

The door closed behind the younger of the twins and both parents let out a quiet sigh. 

“...We have some strange children, my dear husband.” 

“Ahh but no one's complaining at least, my dear wife.”

The man’s wife chuckled at the comment before relaxing in her seat. “Quite right. I’m glad they’re growing up properly.”

“Me too.” 

Gale Glennden looked down at the documents her husband was focusing on, 

“...Do you need help with the finances?”

“Please.”

There was a moment of silence as the family focused, when it was broken by Gale. 

“Let’s give our children a better life than we had.”

“Mm. Agreed.”

=====================================================

“Brother, what are you thinking about?”

“Hm? What makes you say that?”

“You’re humming to yourself. You do that when you’re in deep thought.”

Marcus had a habit like that? 

“…It’s fine.”

“…you can trust me brother.”

“I know.”

“Goodnight brother.”

“Goodnight Topi.”

My younger brother quickly falls asleep and I start humming to myself.

Exactly a year after the first day of school.

According to the…. still don’t know the name of this game, terrorists attack the school.

It’s a major event and one of three, where the main character then chooses one of the romance options to both protect her and fight alongside. 

‘Hey, you were complaining so much about not fighting; I added something for you. Be grateful man, I can barely code to begin with.’

I bitterly chuckle a little as I remember that old conversation, his tired face and weary voice as he spoke to me. It was nothing really, just a single conversation among hundreds between friends.

But I didn’t have anything like a family so I considered that guy my brother. 

Even if he pouted as I criticized the game. 

The first event would lead to a game over and you’d be reset at the beginning of the ‘chapter’ in the game.

But how can you ‘reset’ a chapter of life?

I let out a sigh as I wrapped myself in the soft blanket and laid down in my comfy bed. 

I can still vividly remember my hometown. The people I hadn’t seen and his….

Goddammit that fucking idiot. 

I can’t even visit him. 

“..Christ, I'm really stuck.”

“Christ? What’s that?”

I don’t turn to my brother as he seemingly wakes up out of nowhere. His soft snoring suddenly vanished as he spoke. 

“You wouldn’t get it.”

“I want to.”

“You still won’t. It’s just a phrase, ignore me.”

“……”

“……”

“So what did you mean by being ‘stuck’?”

“Tch.” I click my tongue as my brother continues asking questions and I roll over ending the conversation short. 

“…goodnight brother.”

“….night.”

I’ll start training before the first event. I won’t get a game over. That much I’ll promise myse-

“You’re humming Brother.”

…I’ll continue later.