The next morning, the Academy courtyard was alive with students practicing sword drills, spell casting, and the usual chaos of clashing egos. I tried to blend in, though my crimson eyes and black coat made that… impossible.
Whiskerdoom perched on my shoulder, tail flicking with amusement. "Blending in? Hah. You're a neon sign screaming target."
"Thanks for the pep talk," I muttered, adjusting my gloves.
I was halfway to the training grounds when a loud crash echoed nearby. Students scattered, shouting. I froze. That's not normal practice.
A knight in silver armor charged toward me, sword raised high. His face was stern, eyes cold.
"Uh… hello?" I called out nervously. "Friendly duel? Casual sparring?"
No response. The knight swung his sword in a deadly arc.
Great. Diary? Where are your helpful hints?
A sudden blur of white appeared beside me. Eren.
He moved like lightning, intercepting the knight's blade with his own. Sparks flew. "Stay behind me, Riel!"
"R-Riel?!" I panicked, nearly tripping over my own feet. "I'm…not Riel! I mean… Riel!"
"I just had messed up" Aki regretted in his mind.
Eren didn't flinch. "Doesn't matter. I protect my friends."
Friends?! My brain short-circuited. In every game scenario, the Hero hated me. He never protected me.
The rogue knight swung again. Eren stepped in, deflecting every attack, his movements precise and fluid.
"Why… is he…?" I whispered. "Why is he saving me?"
Whiskerdoom's tail twitched. "Because rules are irrelevant, genius. Survival is chaos. Enjoy the panic."
The knight roared, attacking with a flurry of blows. I ducked instinctively, barely keeping my balance. My sword felt heavy in my hand.
Eren glanced at me. "Use it if you have to, but don't get reckless."
I nodded, gripping the hilt. Okay… act natural. Don't die. Don't die. Don't die.
The knight lunged. I swung my sword wildly, more out of panic than skill. The blade grazed his armor, leaving a shallow scratch. He hissed.
Eren seized the moment, delivering a precise strike that disarmed the knight. He fell to his knees, panting.
I stumbled back, wide-eyed. "I… I helped… a little?"
Eren smiled, brushing sweat from his brow. "You did fine. We make a good team."
Team?! My brain exploded. The Hero called me a teammate. Not an enemy. Not the villain doomed to die.
The diary vibrated. New words appeared:
"Unexpected ally detected. Adjust survival strategies. Trust cautiously. Do not die of confusion."
"Do… do I trust him?" I whispered to Whiskerdoom.
The cat yawned. "Trust. Ha. That's a nice thought. But if you do, you'll probably die faster. Keep your wits, idiot."
Eren extended a hand toward me. "Are you okay?"
I stared at it, mouth dry. "Uh… yeah… thanks. You're… really strong."
He grinned. "And you're… surprisingly stubborn. I like that."
My stomach twisted. He's smiling. At me. He shouldn't smile at me. Not like this.
From the corner of the training yard, the rogue knight scowled, backing away. "This isn't over, villain. You'll regret crossing me."
I sighed, holstering my sword. "Rogue knight, you literally just got saved. Can we… not?"
Eren laughed softly. "Don't worry. I've got your back."
I blinked. Why is he still saving me? This isn't supposed to happen. Every survival guide I've read says the Hero kills me. Or at least glares at me until I die painfully.
Whiskerdoom purred, tail flicking against my cheek. "Kid… you're screwed. But at least it's fun screwed."
I groaned. "Yeah… fun. Totally."
And for the first time since waking up as Riel Arkwood, I realized: surviving the game wasn't going to be as simple as following a diary.
Because now… I had a Hero protecting me.
And that changed everything.