Ethereal Paradigm: Arcadia of Darkness 42 The Midas Touch

"Midas they say possessed the art of old of turning whatsoever he touches to gold. This modern statement can reverse with ease. Touch them with gold, they'll turn to what you please."

-John Wolcott

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Room 12-A8. This classroom never ceases to amaze me at some point. Every time I open its door expecting nothing inside, something is in fact, inside. Something that is least expected...and this is by far, the worst.

I opened the door, and from there I saw the entire class, which seems to have found one common enemy, Celes, who is still looking confident as ever. The atmosphere is very stagnant and you can sense the feeling of hatred from it, yet as to why that is, I have no idea and I certainly have no intention of knowing.

I continued to walk with Shiro in my hand as if I saw nothing. I am not planning to take any part in this. Celes would also likely understand my actions. I should just grab my stuff and get out of here. I had enough surprises for the day. Shiro, who is following me also behaved, seeing how serious the situation looks like. But, even if I chose to ignore this, not everyone from this crowd has the same intention towards me...

"Who is that kid with him, her sister?"

"Are you dumb? That little girl is clearly Japanese!" two guys started discussing.

"It looked like Ms. Celes Reignsworth knew him, so is he also choosing the 'Chaos Armada?', murmured a classmate.

"Duh. Isn't it obvious?", answered the other. It was pretty useless why they're whispering... I can still clearly hear it.

Upon apprehension, I now have an overview of the situation. This bunch, have decided to join the Mirage Armada (which is quite obvious, not to mention that I already foreshadowed that things would turn out like this) and maybe they found out that Celes is planning to join on the opposing team... While I have to maintain a low key profile, I also want to take no part in such discord. If they want to act as heroes who would save humanity from perishing, then they can. If Celes wants to act like a villain, she definitely can. And I, too, deserve the freedom to do what I want to do.

I continued walking towards my desk to get whatever that I left there, without looking at anyone else. I looked straight towards the path that I wished to take while the atmosphere continued its intensity. And there, at my desk's small compartment, I retrieved my wallet and the mp3 player I always have with me, filled with classical music ranging from the composition of Mozart and Beethoven to Alma Deutscher-the last modern classics prodigy. Well, electricity might be not subsistent outside, but I can just find a way to recharge the batteries later.

I quickly placed the things on my bag, as I am also planning to hurriedly get out of this quagmire. Yet, unfortunately...

"Hey! Say something!", a four-eyed classmate said, wondering how I can ignore their presence. Well, I am not compelled to reply to that say-something-dogma. I should just hurry up.

"Ignoring us huh? You asked for this you fricken narcissist!", he charged at me with all his might with a little punch right off the bat. I am ready to defend myself as it should not have been a problem. A simple evasion should have had done the trick. Yet, someone stopped him.

"Stop this, Glen. " a classmate intervened. If I remembered correctly, he introduced himself as 'Zen Wolfenschtien' back at the introductions. He had no trouble stopping that charging tackle as he was taller, probably the tallest one in this class and had a stark body build. Well, I can't find myself being the Damsel here, and I probably don't need a prince charming.

"Hey, you! Jaiden, right?" the guy exclaimed.

Hearing that, I made Shiro took cover on my back as if I was protecting my own flesh and blood. I will not answer him anything. Acting mute should not be a bad idea either. He can keep on talking, I'm just here to get what I want.

"Hey listen to this, you can't believe it. Miss Prima Donna here is in favor of severing her own race, isn't that plain stupid? RIght?", he asked while I was acting very distant, even facing away from him.

"Hey, you're with us right?" I continued to give a cold shoulder.

"You're in favor of saving our folks back home, tell me?" he added with a desperate demeanor...

"Hmmm. We figured. You also are with Reignsworth here. Too hard to leave your girlfriend, friendless?"

There's that abominable misconception again. It took him a whopping 54 words before realizing how serious I am in not giving any response.

"If you're really gonna keep on ignoring me, you leave me no choice you know...You see, I'm one of those Herrschers that Hermes talked about earlier."

Then suddenly, I sensed this rapid energy coming my way. I hastily let go of Shiro's hand and gently dragged her hands away. I let out my pen to defend myself and the next thing I knew is that I got smashed pretty strongly into a wall, by a single kick with potent momentum.

"Oni-chama!" Shiro shouted.

So he really is a Herrscher huh...How did I know? The pen in my hand, it became somewhat heavy and the high-kick's point of contact became... gold. Hmmm. The power to turn anything it touches into gold, this is Midas' touch. I presume his deity must be Midas...an ancient King cursed with a very noble ability. It was a split of a nanosecond when I felt that the kick is beyond ordinary. Should I have failed to defend in that spur of the moment, I should have become a statue of gold by now.

"Hey Zen, stop that! " Mr. soon-to-be representative, Daerenji Nakamura, reprimanded.

"That's his fault for ignoring me...You know, it would not hurt to give you rich kids a lesson!"

He then got ready to attack me again. He slowly takes off the navy-colored glove he is wearing and from there, you can see an 'M'-shaped yellowish insignia, probably the symbol of the contract he had between a deity. But what made me somewhat laugh was how he stated he can give me a lesson...even though I don't need one.

This guy should be thankful, that I managed to get Shiro to let go of my hand. If by any means the girl would have been hurt, I will show no toleration. Good thing she seems to be fine.

I then got back on my swagger, but this time I am somewhat irritated, while everyone continued to watch the farce on the background probably fearing Zen's ability, who just publicly announced that he is a Herrscher, with ladies supporting him. So this is what he was talking about when he first introduced himself. He said, he came here for what the university has to offer, and 'for some other reasons'.

I stood up, cracking my back while also scrubbing the dirt away from my uniform, almost like being disgusted by the most recent someone who touched my clothes.

"Tsk. You truly are a narcissist. Well, you asked for it!", with the endeavor to turn me into a pile of gold with his single touch, he drove towards me with enormous speed, but what he doesn't know is that... calling me a kid and a narcissist is a very serious crime, when in fact I was the most mature here while acting with complete humility.

Celes, getting acquainted with the context clue as to why I'm not answering anything was becoming ready to summon her sword 'Trancy', but that would put her into detriment even more. It's not an act of gentle mannerism, but I'm getting tired of getting saved by someone, females at that! Well, 'Low-Key Profile' or not, I must stand for myself, or else I'm gonna be a constant plaything by these potential plunderers when we set foot outside the city gates. While respect out of fear, is the most despicable type of respect one could have, I don't mind.

Chapter end