When I die and am given a proper burial with an ordinary grave, I want people to look at it and say something along the lines of:
"He was an unremarkable man. He never left his hometown. Never changed his daily routine or diet. He died of old age, presumably happy, and perhaps a little bored. He was, in every sense, ordinary."
Indeed, I long for an uneventful, ordinary life, and I wouldn't mind an equally ordinary death. I can even picture the same for the afterlife.
What I desire most is peace and quiet.
With decent looks, a likeable personality, and a habit of keeping to myself, I think that sums me up well enough. If I were to add anything, it would be that I have a natural reluctance to draw too much attention.
It's not that I'm bad with people, or that I dislike them. I'm human - a social creature. I need to interact, make friends, and live a normal life. I understand that. But still… I prefer to keep a low profile.
I can't explain why. But I know that it's more comfortable for me that way.
It may not be the most exciting life, but I don't mind.
Let it be boring.
I'm fine with that.
But… well…
Life rarely follows the plans we make for it.
For me, that truth came crashing down on the day of my House selection after graduating from the Academy.
Now, allow me to share my account of that day to the best of my recollection.
…
A large crowd had gathered in front of the arena, most of them fellow graduates from the Academy.
I was among them, a C-rank talent with slightly above-average mana control, blending seamlessly into the mass of students as we nervously awaited our turns for House selection.
There was a tradition that after graduation, each student had to choose a House to serve under.
How such customs came to be was a mystery to me, but I wasn't the type to question the system. I went with the flow. And so, like everyone else, I waited.
There were four Houses: the House of Swords, the House of Wands, the House of Anvils, and the House of Books.
As the names suggest, the Houses of Swords and Wands dealt with the Kingdom's defence and offence, while the Houses of Anvils and Books focused on growth and development.
My preferences leaned toward the House of Wands or the House of Books. But I could only choose one. Which would it be?
While I was staring ahead and weighing my choices, a familiar voice pulled me back into reality.
"Hey, aren't you nervous, Obyron?"
Linia's voice came with a tug on my sleeve. I leaned slightly to meet the eyes of the petite young woman beside me, offering her a faint, uneasy smile.
"Yes, I am."
"Then why are you smiling like that? It's creepy."
"Ah… sorry. I smile like this when I'm nervous."
"Is that so?"
"…"
She shot me a suspicious look as I smiled back, before turning toward the arena.
The truth was, I had no idea why I was smiling or why I said such a thing.
I never had such a weird habit.
'Then…?'
'Maybe I just said it to add… more to the character? Hmm… What does that even mean?'
I didn't know.
I let out a deep sigh.
"Kale Gregor. B-rank talent. Step forward and announce your House!"
The announcer's booming voice made me jolt.
A tall, handsome boy strode proudly to the centre of the arena.
I didn't know him personally, but I'd seen him around the Academy. If I had to sum him up in a few words: arrogant, overconfident… probably a noble. Definitely not a background character like me. Yes, without a shadow of a doubt.
Reaching the centre, he raised his head toward one of the four viewing boxes that overlooked the arena.
Each box bore the flag of its House. Kale's gaze locked on the one crowned with a crimson banner.
"I choose the House of Swords!"
Inside the box sat a beauty with long raven hair and deep blue eyes. She had an exquisite and enigmatic beauty that was hard to describe in words alone. Her gaze was indifferent as she silently nodded at the young man and looked away.
Seeing that, Kale Gregor beamed with joy as he stepped down from the arena.
This enigmatic beauty was Misendere Lycrane, the SSS-ranked Swordsaint who had a reputation for being indifferent to everything that did not concern her - as if everything other than herself was nothing but a speck of dust on the road she walked. She was also famous for the Blood Castle incident that happened half a year ago, where she broke through her S-rank title to an SSS-rank title - which is by no means a thing to scoff at. There are only three known SSS-rank holders in the whole world, and she was one of them.
She is also known as the Reaper of the Blood Castle and the Silent Star of the North. If titles alone could kill, she'd have slaughtered thousands by now.
As I took a fleeting glance at her, my name was suddenly called.
"Obyron, C-rank talent. Come forth and announce your House."
As soon as that name was announced, I heard a faint gasp beside me.
It was Linia.
'Seriously? What's she nervous about? If anyone should be nervous, it would be me. I'm a C-rank and She's a B-rank, after all.'
I looked at her, gave a small smile, and whispered under my breath, "Your turn comes next. Hope you've already decided."
As I walked toward the centre, my thoughts swirled. Though I said that to Linia, I wasn't sure which House I wanted to join myself.
'I should properly think about this. The House of Wands is a good choice for me, since I have good control over my mana. With this advantage, I could become a warlock in about three or four years. But it's very dangerous too. What if I have to engage in a life-threatening battle? I'm not confident about my fighting skills. Then there's the House of Books. Well, as the name implies, there will be a lot of books and studying involved. And I am not a big fan of those two words. But if I managed to persevere, I could become an Archmeister in about four or five years. Which is the right one for me?'
Before I knew it, I was standing in the centre of the arena.
'Wait, how long was I standing here?'
'Ah…'
I inhaled sharply and made my decision.
I stepped forward, eyes fixed on the box with the purple banner.
"I would like to join the House of Wan—"
I was interrupted.
A flurry of gasps ran down the audience and the graduates like wildfire.
"Wha…"
"Ah… wow…"
"Eek…"
The students began to gasp all around me as a slight chill ran down my spine.
Everyone was looking in one direction - the place where the enigmatic beauty, Misendere Lycrane, sat. Or rather, was sitting until a moment ago. Right now, she was standing straight. Her eyes were wide in an expression of shock and blatant amusement. As if she had just seen a ghost.
…And that gaze was directed at none other than me.
I felt a cold shiver run down my spine. A sense of unease crept over me.
'Wha-? What did I do?'
Everyone, including all the heads of the other Houses, looked at the SSS-rank Swordsaint's unusual reaction. Naturally, they were surprised. The same Swordsaint known for her strong indifference toward others, showing such an expression, was definitely bizarre.
In the next instant, I somehow managed to calm myself, swallowing all the unease, and abandoning them inside my stomach.
And then, as if not thinking much of it, I looked away, moving my head toward the other viewing boxes.
This time I raised my voice just enough so they could hear me.
"I want to join the House of Wands."
'Okay, ignore her. There's no way she's looking at me. Right? No freaking way.'
But just as I thought everything was fine, a shadow loomed beside me.
With a soft thud and a torrent of wind that slapped me in the face, someone landed beside me.
I dared not look. Even without seeing, I could tell from the reaction of the audience who it was.
'Why? What did I do? Does she even know me? Aaaaaaaa…'
My head began to swirl. I was sweating bullets.
"Join the House of Swords, Obyron."
The voice was so sharp that it pierced through my ears, broke into my headspace, and rattled my brain. I felt a bone-chilling cold, like during a snowstorm. I was at a loss for words.
Seemingly fumbling for a reply, I slowly directed my gaze at the breathtaking beauty standing before me. Up close, she was far more beautiful - a sight to behold. Sadly, I didn't have the luxury to enjoy it for too long.
With a shake of her wrist, she extended her right hand toward me.
"Join the House of Swords."
"..."
'Why me?'