Echoes of Crimson

At Class

The classroom was already buzzing when Helk and Jellin arrived. Whispers filled the air, and though Helk couldn't hear every word, he caught snippets—his name, his memory loss, and varying opinions about him.

"Poor guy, losing all his memories like that…"

"Tch, what's the big deal? He's not that special."

"Didn't he help take down the shadows? Bet he just got lucky."

Helk sighed internally. Typical. Some were sympathetic, while others, clearly insecure about themselves, were trying to bring him down just like his memories at school from past life....

His thoughts shifted as he glanced at Jellin. He had always wondered how Jellin managed to get to the broadcast station so quickly back then, and now he knew—Jellin had teleportation abilities. It still felt unreal. One second, they were in their dorm, and the next, they were already stepping into the classroom, arriving just in time.

Jellin pointed toward Helk's desk near the window, right beside his own. "That's yours," he said simply before taking his seat.

Helk sat down, barely getting a chance to settle before the temperature in the room plummeted.

A sudden chill crept into the air, sending shivers down everyone's spines. The once bright classroom dimmed, shadows stretching unnaturally as if something unseen lurked among them. The students instantly hushed, scrambling to their seats.

And then, like mist forming into shape, the icy air condensed in front of the classroom—slowly materializing into a woman.

Miss Kayla.

She adjusted her glasses with one hand while holding a thick book in the other, her presence alone enough to make the students stiffen. The chilling pressure lifted as she dispersed her magic, but the lingering unease remained.

The class leader quickly stood up. "Everyone, rise!"

"Good morning, Miss Kayla!" the students greeted in unison.

She nodded slightly. "Good morning. Sit."

Everyone obeyed in perfect synchronization, their movements eerily disciplined—as if any mistake would lead to immediate doom.

Miss Kayla's sharp gaze swept over the room before landing on Helk.

"So," she said, voice cool but firm, "you've been discharged."

Helk sat up straight. "Yes, that's right."

Her expression remained unreadable, but something about her stare made the room feel a few degrees colder. "I've heard about your… condition. You've lost your memories."

Helk felt a prickle of unease. "That's correct."

Miss Kayla's eyes narrowed slightly. "Will this affect your academic performance?"

Helk hesitated. He hadn't even thought about that. Would it? He didn't know what kind of student he had been before, nor what subjects he was strong or weak in.

Still, he couldn't show uncertainty—not in front of someone like her.

"It might, for a while," he admitted, straightening his back. "But I assure you, it won't be for long. I may have forgotten, but my body hasn't."

A long silence followed. The air felt heavier.

Miss Kayla studied him as if weighing his worth.

Helk kept his composure, but inside, he was already sweating.

The rest of the class held their breath, watching the tense exchange.

Finally, Miss Kayla closed her book with a quiet thud.

"I see." Her lips curled into something that might have been approval—or a warning. "Well then, I'll be watching you."

Helk resisted the urge to gulp.

Miss Kayla continued, "You've been absent for quite some time, which means you've missed a considerable amount of material. You will need to catch up."

Helk nodded. "Understood."

Miss Kayla tapped her book. "I will allow you to seek my guidance when necessary, given your contributions during the last attack."

Helk blinked. "You mean…"

She gave a firm nod. "Your quick thinking and strategic coordination played a key role in minimizing casualties. Good work. Keep it up."

For a second, Helk thought he had misheard. He had never expected praise from her, much less in front of the entire class.

The students murmured among themselves in surprise.

Helk gave a small, grateful nod. "Thank you."

Miss Kayla said nothing more as she turned to the blackboard, beginning the lesson. The tension slowly dissolved, and Helk let out a quiet breath of relief.

Break Time

Helk was packing his books when Jellin leaned over. "Let's go to the cafeteria."

Helk paused. "Cafeteria…? Yeah, sure."

At the Cafeteria

"So, Miss Kayla teaches dark magic?" Helk asked, taking a bite of his sandwich.

Jellin nodded. "Yep. But don't get the wrong idea—it's dark magic that's legally approved. Dangerous stuff is heavily regulated."

Helk swallowed. "And what about those born with the… not-so-legal kind?"

"They're trained separately. Don't worry, though. They're treated fairly." Jellin took a sip of his drink before adding, "The kingdom actually trains them to serve as shadows—silent protectors, in a way."

Helk nodded slowly. "I see…"

Jellin suddenly smirked. "You remember that cold, eerie feeling back in class?"

Helk raised an eyebrow. "Miss Kayla's magic?"

"Yeah. She has Nightmare Magic. Sounds tame, right?"

"Not really," Helk said, recalling the suffocating pressure earlier. "It was terrifying."

Jellin exhaled dramatically. "Exactly. That's because it is terrifying." He rubbed his arms as if warding off an unpleasant memory. "Trust me, you do not want to experience her ability at full force."

Helk frowned. "You sound like you've been through it before."

Jellin's face darkened slightly, eyes distant. "I have."

Helk watched as Jellin set his drink down with an oddly careful motion, as though remembering something deeply unsettling.

"…What happened?" Helk asked, now more curious than ever.

Jellin was quiet for a moment before he sighed.

"It was during my first month here. I—" He stopped and shook his head. "You know what? No. I don't wanna talk about it."

"…That bad?"

Jellin just looked at him.

Helk couldn't explain why, but something about that silent stare sent a shiver down his spine.

"…I get it," Helk muttered, returning to his food.

Jellin nodded. "Good. You should get it."

And just like that, they finished their meal in silence—both of them occasionally glancing toward the classroom building, as if expecting Miss Kayla's shadow to loom over them at any moment.

The Next Lesson

The entire class gathered at the field, stretching and warming up under the midday sun.

Helk, rolling his shoulders, glanced at Jellin. "So… what's the next lesson?"

"Magic range," Jellin replied casually, cracking his neck. Then, after a pause, he turned to look at Helk with a knowing expression.

Helk's stomach dropped. "Wait… that means—"

"Yep." Jellin nodded.

"Damn…" Helk muttered under his breath.

"Haven't we already done this lesson before?" he tried to reason, hoping for some kind of loophole.

Jellin stretched his arms above his head. "We did. But Helk… you never did."

Helk froze. "What do you mean I never did?"

Jellin gave him a look. "I mean exactly that. Every time we had skill training, you either skipped or got called away."

Helk stared at him. "I did?" His mind scrambled for any memory of it.

Jellin just shrugged. "Yeah. And nobody ever questioned it. Even the instructors never pushed you about it."

Helk frowned, thoughts spinning. Wait… how did I get away with skipping an entire core lesson? Wouldn't I have been disciplined?

Then a more unsettling thought crept in. Don't tell me… was I covered by the principal?

His mind raced through possibilities. Was the original owner of this body just lazy? Or… was he hiding something?

Helk groaned, dragging a hand down his face. This is a mess… I don't even know what my power is!

Jellin watched him in silent amusement before giving him a slow, meaningful nod. The kind of nod that said: Yeah, you should probably start panicking now.

Helk sighed deeply, bracing himself for whatever disaster was about to unfold.