.｡.:✧ Chapter 1 ✧:.｡.

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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“Expulsion, Daniel,”

The Dean, with wrinkles symbolizing authority etched on his stern countenance, declared coldly to me.

Expulsion.

Had I truly been expelled from the renowned Aeios Academy, considered the pinnacle of continental education?

Why? How?

“Our academy has no place for students like you, lacking camaraderie, displaying violence, and devoid of manners.”

I couldn’t utter a word in response.

Though injustice welled up, threatening tears, I fought to hold them back, not wanting to admit defeat.

“If you have nothing to say, then leave.”

After his chilly declaration, the Dean turned his gaze naturally to the documents laid out on his desk.

Implicitly, he signaled me to exit without saying a word.

In the end, I left his office, unable to voice the injustice gnawing at my heart, only whispering breaths as companions.

“I might be better off this way.”

Indeed, staying in this academy only spelled trouble. Besides two childhood friends from my hometown, no one else considered me a friend, and many students despised me for my humble origins.

Amidst the pressure, the constant interference from fellow students, and the discrimination from the faculty, I had become branded as an incapable student.

“But still, Ares and Rin…”

My childhood friends who had joined Aeios Academy with me. I wanted to say goodbye to them, at least.

I saw them walking together outside the window.

Watching the two of them strolling side by side, a memory resurfaced—how the villagers used to tease them about being a perfect pair.

Tears I had held back so strenuously in front of the Dean now flowed freely.

“Turn off.”

“Agh…”

When I opened my eyes again, it was reality.

A dense, dark forest. I had taken refuge beneath a single tree and dozed off briefly.

Because the dream had felt so vivid, I checked my body once.

A robust body in its twenties, marred by numerous wounds that made it look grotesque. I had bandages wrapped around my shoulders due to an injury.

“Are you alright?”

Eris inquired, and I reassured her to not worry. Despite having her ear severed during battle, she remained as graceful, resolute, and beautiful as ever—an embodiment of an elf.
“What about the army?”

“It seems there is still some distance. Thanks to the trap you set up.”

“It’s just a temporary delay.”

As we gathered our gear and rose, Eris too held her staff and sword.

“But where should we go?”

“Deeper into the forest. Because of the demons even the army will not be able to enter recklessly.”

The onslaught of death that had engulfed the continent. They were made up of the deceased, and they had swiftly covered the entire continent, leading to the extinction of all kingdoms and transforming the world into a place of pure death.

Were there any living humans left?

Probably not. The place we were in, known as the “Forest of the Abyss,” was considered a hell for humans.

The fact that the army of death had advanced this far meant there was no place on the continent beyond their reach. The forest, infamous enough to be called a hell for humans, had now become an eerie refuge for them.

Of course, that, too, would come to an end.

“Assuming we make it.”

Eris, who had been silent for a while, finally spoke. Busy running, I didn’t feel the need to reply, but she uttered a shocking statement.

“If everyone else is dead, and it’s just the two of us left, would you marry me?”

“What?”

I was so surprised by the words coming from the elf’s mouth that I turned my head in disbelief. She, however, blushed unexpectedly, seeming embarrassed.

“Well, humans and elves are extinct. Eventually, the only mate left for you would be me.”

“That’s…true, but…”

“We might become the dawn of a new human race. The day when half-elves rule the world will come.”

Seeing Eris chuckle softly, I couldn’t help but burst into laughter as well. It felt as if such a possibility lay ahead of us, even though it was almost impossible.

Perhaps that’s why I responded to this promise that could never come true with a smile.

“Sure, why not.”
Did I surprise her with that response? I had always kept my distance from people, so my answer, though brief, seemed to startle her momentarily. Yet, she smiled, a mixture of surprise and embarrassment shining in her eyes.

Then, suddenly, she asked, her voice filled with curiosity, “By the way, what’s your name? I’ve been calling you ‘Sherpa’ all this time.”

“Oh, right.” I hadn’t even shared my name until now. Well, our first encounter was in the Forest of the Abyss, where I was a guide, and later, we ventured there for materials.

“I am…”
Fu-wook-!

A dark, foreboding presence surged from the black spear that had just pierced Eris’s chest, extinguishing the laughter that had filled the air moments ago.
She opened her mouth as if to say something to me, even as blood spewed forth, but in the end, she couldn’t say anything and her hand fell letting warmth escape through the ground, without a word spoken.

“Eris!”

I rushed to her side, but then, a figure clad in black armor appeared behind her.

“You are the last one.”

The Commander of the army of death. The monstrous entity, known as the calamity sent by the gods to the continent, turned its gaze towards me. It revealed nothing about its name, age, or gender.

Nonetheless, it casually drew its sword and aimed it at me.

What did it mean by “the last one”?

I had that question in my mind, and it answered as though it had read my thoughts.

“You are the last human left on this continent.”

“Of…”

A bitter laugh escaped my lips. I never imagined those words, which sounded like nonsense, would hit me so seriously. It turned out we were indeed the last of humanity.

I wanted to tell Eris, but she was no longer breathing.
With my sword drawn, I said nothing more. Whatever words I might utter here wouldn’t matter since the creature knew it was going to kill me.

And so, the duel began. The army of death, who had followed their Commander, surrounded us, but I didn’t pay them any attention. I knew I was already living on borrowed time, so I swung my sword with all my might.

“I’ll kill you!”

Objectively, I had the upper hand in swordsmanship. However, I couldn’t counter the creature’s magic. I had always struggled with magic, and while I had a few tricks up my sleeve, facing a magician of this caliber was a futile endeavor.

Did it even matter if I killed him? What was this monster’s purpose in destroying the continent?

“You damned bastard!”

I shouted as I swung my sword. Its helmet flew off, revealing a cascade of black hair. I could have killed it right then and there, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it.

Rin?

A childhood friend I used to play with in our village. Always beautiful, with a kind heart. My first love.

Fu-wok-!

As the sword plunged into my chest, I felt a searing pain along with an intense heat. But I couldn’t look away. I could only gaze at Rin, who had mercilessly drawn her sword.

Her sword pulled free from my lifeless body, and I could only watch her with a sense of futility. Tears welling up in her lifeless eyes.

And that’s how my story ended. A life filled with mysteries, where I never truly revealed anything, always running, but now, I had no more chances, no more time.

Yes, that’s what I thought.

“Expulsion, Daniel.”
So, I thought this was a dream too. The Dean with his wrinkles etched into his face, the distinct scent of disinfectant mixed with the smell of old books in his office, the setting sun streaming in through the window, and the expulsion form he had pushed in front of me. “Is this like a dream?” It couldn’t be. Dreams are something you see before you die, but I was certain I had died.

“Our academy has no place for students like you, lacking camaraderie, displaying violence, and devoid of manners.”

So, I initially thought it was some kind of dream. But what was a bit peculiar was that, unlike the dream I had earlier, I could move and act as I pleased, and all my memories up to this point were intact.

“If you have nothing to say, then leave.”

In this dream or replay of my memory, the Dean averted his gaze with a stack of documents. While I blankly stared at the expulsion form, I noticed the Dean, who had already begun focusing on his work.

“What the hell.”

I raised a middle finger, feeling a sense of frustration.
“Fuck you.”

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