As the weeks passed, more and more students went missing. There wasn't really a huge uproar or anything, but it was getting harder and harder to keep things quiet. No student truly had no connections, and this meant that people talked. Students would notice when their classmates failed to show up to class multiple days in a row, even if they had few friends.

That was the interesting thing, though. As Destiny talked to people, he found that the people who'd gone missing had very few friends. It was as if whoever or whatever was doing this was intentionally targeting students who would raise the least amount of concern.

When this news was reported to John, he didn't seem surprised.

"It's probably the cultists again," he sighed. "I mean, it's getting boring at this point."

"Cultists?" Destiny frowned. "But they're targeting specific students. If it were just cultists, how would they know who to kidnap? And what do they even need students for? Wait, is it-"

"No, it's not souls again," John said, shaking his head. "And, come on. Who else would it be? Every single goddamn time, it's just cultists over and over. Doctor was a cultist of sorts. The first midterm was… well, actually, nothing happened. The first exam was cultists. The second midterm was cultists. The second exam… well, nothing. The thing with Briar, your summer vacation, all cultists."

"Ok, but… I mean, it could be something else, right?" Destiny said hesitantly.

"I guess," John shrugged. "Anything's possible. Do I think it's anything other than cultists? No. Besides, it makes sense that they'd know who to target. This wouldn't be the first time cultists have invaded the school. Remember the first exam? There were two teachers that were actually just cultists."

"Ah… that's right," Destiny nodded. "But that means we should find these students quickly, right?"

"...yeah," John said quietly. "We should."

~~~

To John's surprise, the school didn't implode or anything of the sort. He'd been a little on edge the past few weeks. The first student going missing hadn't been much of a concern to him, but as more and more children began to disappear, he suspected some kind of large-scale event to occur.

He'd been anticipating something like the school being destroyed, an all-out war between students and cultists that would kickstart the demon war, something like that. Other stories had events like sacrificing students to open a portal to the demon world or kidnappings to weaken the allies' forces.

But nothing was happening. There were no teachers whispering dark plans in the halls, no worried whispers of students or stressed looks on teachers' faces. Well, the last one was a little inaccurate. John had gone to Lupin himself to get some answers, only to find out that the Mystics were more than a little concerned with what was going on.

At this point, the two had held enough conversations for Lupin to share information freely. John had spoken of some of his experiences from Earth, leading Lupin to believe John was opening up somewhat. This led to Lupin himself opening up, leading to the current conversation.

"What do you mean, you don't know what's going on?" John demanded.

"I mean, this is unprecedented. Yes, students have snuck into the woods and disappeared, likely eaten by mana beasts," Lupin explained. "It is unfortunate, but there is a reason we have guards there. However, that is a rare occurrence that only happens every half century or so. This many students picked off so systematically… this is the work of some kind of force."

"Cultists?" John frowned.

"I… I cannot say," Lupin said, a bead of sweat dripping down his cheek. "I'd like to believe our school is safe against such people, but as of recently, it seems that belief has been shattered. It could very well be."

"...and the worrying part is that you can't find these students," John said slowly.

Lupin nodded. "That is correct. See, the portals only open on request. The reason you must request off-campus privileges is for security reasons. It's possible one of the portal operators is a cultist, but the problem is that the portals leave mana signatures. We can tell when they're turned on or off. We suppose boats could come in the middle of the night, but…"

"Yeah," John said, rubbing his chin. "That's stupid."

His brows furrowed, his mind began to race.

"How about the school grounds?" John said suddenly. "I know you guys probably checked everywhere, but what if they made, I don't know, some kind of mana proof room? Somewhere your senses couldn't reach?"

Lupin shook his head. "We'd sense the mana needed to make such a thing. Anti-mana materials are hard to acquire and would be noticed. I suppose it's a possibility, but even then… well, it's a good thought. I will inform Leora to check for any blank spots on the island."

John just nodded. If Lupin was also worried, then what did that mean?

"Hey," he said suddenly.

Lupin looked up.

"The demon war… what is it like?"

Lupin's eyes went wide. "Why do you ask?"

"Just… just answer the question. How does it start? What is it like? It must be a big deal if tales of the hero and the Demon King are told in plays and stuff. But… how does it start?"

"Without warning," Lupin shuddered. "The Demon King is a being of great power. There is a reason a hero must be called to deal with them. Portals are opened every few centuries, and demons flood through."

"Let me guess, cultists need to set up corresponding signals for the portals to align properly? And mortal sacrifices are needed to set them up or something?"

"Correct. Which is why they are such a threat. However, it is impossible to root them out. Hence, the wars. However, it is possible to sense demonic energy accumulating, so it is possible to prepare for war. Not that it matters. The demons raze and kill everything in sight. The Demon King himself is a being comparable to Mystics. Perhaps even stronger."

John frowned. "Hold on, comparable? Why don't you guys just deal with him?"

"We… cannot. Scholaris is the most we can do to help," Lupin said, shaking his head. "This is why the hero is needed. Yes, there are occasionally battles between Mystics and demons. But most of the war must be fought by mortals. If we interefere too much, we are penalized. Most of our mana is stripped from our bodies, and we are cursed to live as mortals for a few years before dying of natural causes."

John flinched. "What?"

"There are tales shared among Mystics. Occasionally, one of us falls in love with a human, or sees a crime so tragic that they feel the need to intervene. Others commit crimes or mass destruction for fun. Regardless, these stories all end in tragedy."

"What counts as interfering?"

"That… is unknown. We try to avoid mortals as much as possible as a result."

"Then Hikari-"

"Yes, would've been punished for attacking you, a mortal. You might've died, of course, but they, too, would've paid the price."

That was why Kit was so hesitant to help out. But then why was she capable of helping Destiny so much? Why was she so capable of interfering when it came to the hero?

Ah.

"You seem to be concerned about something," Lupin said cautiously. "Is it something I can help with?"

"Mystics… is this always the case?" John said slowly. "Are there any exceptions?"

"Oh? I'm surprised you asked about this. Yes, there are," Lupin nodded. "When the hero is summoned, a Mystic may be his companion. They may not fight the Demon King directly, but one Mystic may shirk their rules and move around the mortal world freely."

"Freely?"

"Yes. This is where mortals get most of their knowledge of Mystics from. Once every few centuries, a Mystic walks freely among mortals and is the closest thing to god they will ever see. For your information, Scholaris was formed after the last demon war occurred."

John, who was just about to ask that question, nodded. So many questions remained unanswered, though. If Kit could walk around freely, then why didn't she? Why did she stay in that fox form of hers?

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Still, he'd realized something. Based on Destiny's backstory, she hadn't known he was the hero until they'd formed a bond. She'd offered her help while under the impression that he was just an ordinary human.

She'd been prepared to sacrifice her life for him.

"...I see," John muttered. "Um. And just, theoretically. Would a Mystic be able to fight the hero?"

Lupin actually laughed. It was a short bark of a laugh, but John's question seemed to amuse him immensely.

"Fight the hero? Why would a Mystic do that?"

"It's a theoretical," John groaned. "Just… answer the question, please."

"No," Lupin said. "Historically, I believe there is a single instance of the hero fighting a Mystic, and the Mystic was stripped of their powers, but not before dealing the hero a solid blow. That was one of the closest wars we've ever had, I believe."

"Good to know," John said slowly, filing that information away for later.

"Is that all? I'd like to return to my work if possible," Lupin said, picking up a pen.

John coughed. Right, there was a question he'd been leading up to. The whole thing about Mystics had gotten him distracted.

"Ah, right. Um… you'd be able to tell if the Demon War was about to start, right?" John said.

"Yes. And right now, we are not close. I understand your concerns. We also thought the attacks on the school may be related to that. We still believe that the attacks were preparation for the war: however, it is not nearly close enough that you should be concerned at the moment."

"No," John said, relief filling his heart. "Thank you."

"That may be one of the most respectful conversations we've had," Lupin said with a small smile. "You are most welcome."

~~~

"What do you think, Zero?" John said, leaning back on the bench.

Despite his resistance to hot and cold weather, he could still feel the biting chill of the cold metal he sat on. It was good, though. It cut through this fog in his mind and allowed him to focus on something.

"Why are you asking me?" Zero said cheerfully. "You know I'm not going to answer."

"Yeah, but it makes me feel better. You know. Since you know the answer and all that."

"To a degree," Zero nodded, appearing and taking a seat next to John. "Yeah. I do."

"How does that work, by the way?" John said suddenly, sitting up and staring his soul in the eyes. "How do you only know to a degree?"

"Do you remember what you were telling Destiny?" Zero asked.

"What, are you the three-dimensional guy, and I'm the two-dimensional guy?"

"No, no," Zero laughed. "In this case, we're both the three-dimensional guy. Don't worry about that. There's no concept I know that you don't."

John frowned. "Then what?"

"Remember what you told Destiny? The world follows a path."

"Well, yeah," John sighed. "It's a [Story]."

"You're right," Zero nodded. "There was a different plot before you came here, you know. Not too different from what you've experienced, but different nonetheless."

"I know all of this already. Can you get on with it?"

"Have you ever read a story, then left it alone for a few years only to be reminded of it a few years later?" Zero said suddenly.

John frowned. He didn't quite understand the purpose of this question.

"I mean, yeah, but…"

"It's the same here, John. Well, half of it, at least. I'll explain this first. I don't know everything that's going to happen. I have a vague understanding of where this world will go, you included. But I couldn't tell you every little thing that's going to happen. I'm not 100% [Reader]. Close, but not perfect."

John nodded slowly. He somewhat understood what Zero was saying.

"The other aspect of this is that I have no clue as to what you're going to do," Zero said. "Prota, too, for that matter. Your decisions are completely out of my sight."

"But you-"

"I know what Prota could be," Zero shrugged. "That's different. If she, say, suddenly dies or decides to take over the world, that might mean she never fully realizes her potential, but that doesn't mean I don't know about it. It's not her I don't know about; it's her actions."

"And it's the same for me?"

"Remind me again who taught you how to use your abilities?" Zero grinned.

"...you're right," John sighed. "Wait, hold on. Prota? You don't know what Prota's going to do?"

"Can't tell you any more than that. Even this is a bit too much, but, well… oh well." He flashed a smile. "John, keep that in mind. Your actions are yours. If you choose to unleash your powers and delete this world from existence, I cannot stop you from doing that. If you choose to stay here forever and live your days out as an immortal, I can't stop that either. You've always been a wild card."

"I still don't get it," John frowned in confusion. "I thought you knew everything."

"Not when it comes to you. I know things about your past, which are often indicators for the future, but I can't read you like a [Story]. Think of this like one of those shows with complex AIs built into a video game. Technically speaking, there's a path for you to take, but deviating from that path will just result in the [Author] rewriting the [Plot]."

John didn't know what to say. The [Author] would rewrite the [Plot] for him? How did that work? In the first place, time flowed differently in the real world and for him. The [Author] might take a month to write a second chapter, but for him, a second chapter might be a mere ten seconds from the end of the previous chapter. What did Zero mean by this?

"...Zero," John said quietly. "Is the [Author] of the original [Story] and this [Story] the same person?"

"I can't answer that."

"Does… does the original story even exist?"

"...I can't answer that."

John stood up, his mind somewhat calmer now. It was more stressful to know that there was no stability to his future, but in a way, that was the most calming thing of all. Yes, the [Author] could manipulate his surroundings to kill all his loved ones or banish him from countless worlds. The [Author] could throw him into a living hell with no way out.

But the [Author] could never make him do something he didn't want to do. And in a way, there was some solace in that knowledge.

"So, what now?" John said, stretching.

There was no answer. John hadn't been expecting one.

He didn't even bother to look at the night stars as he headed back toward his dorm. As of the moment, he felt something drastic might happen soon. He didn't know what it was. There were no hints other than the obvious ones. His knowledge as a [Reader] was of no help here.

But his intuition was screaming at him, and it was best to listen to it. If he was wrong, he'd just accumulate some unneeded stress and make a fool of himself.

But if he was right, listening might save him a whole world of pain.

~~~

In their room, Lilith and Ryan were speaking in hushed tones.

"Come on!" Lilith pleaded. "She's been our friend for almost three years now, and she doesn't even know our last name. We can tell her that at least, can't we?"

"It's not worth the risk, Lilith!" Ryan scolded. "She's a human! She comes from Vulcan! Besides, what if she tells someone else?"

"She wouldn't!"

"Intentionally, no. But if we don't tell her to stay quiet, it's easy to ask a harmless question. And if we do tell her to stay quiet, that's… it's not right. We can't risk it."

"But why?" Lilith pouted. "Ever since the Wynton household fell, our house has been doing better. Father is recuperating with the money we've been receiving, and mother can stop worrying so much."

"And that's exactly why," Ryan hissed. "I know you haven't been studying politics-"

"Only because you said I didn't need to!"

"Yes, because I did it for you!" Ryan exclaimed.

The room went silent.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way," Ryan said quietly. "I just meant…"

"No, I understand," Lilith said.

Even in the dim lighting, Ryan could see a tear streaking down her cheek.

"Lilith, I-"

"No, no. I'm… I'm just a silly girl. Even if our house is a fallen noble household, I… I should be doing more. But I don't. I just play, I just have fun, and-"

"Lilith!" Ryan yelled, grabbing her shoulders. "You do that because that's what father wished for. He wanted us to be happy."

"But you-"

"I do it because that's what makes me happy. I don't mind it. I don't mind the work. But you do, and it works perfectly, because I can do the work you don't want to do. But that also means you have to listen, ok?"

Lilith nodded, but she didn't seem to fully understand what Ryan meant. He sighed. He could only hope she'd eventually understand. He'd spoken out of turn, but sometimes… well, it didn't matter.

"Look, we're still recovering. If someone finds out father is sick, they might try to take advantage of it. I know Scholaris isn't meant to be a political ground, but politics is something we can never truly escape. Once father is healthy, then we can tell her. But until then, we have to hide it, ok?"

"...ok."

"I want to tell her, too. But, don't you think she'd be sad if something happened to us?" Ryan said, trying to console his sister.

"Fine," Lilith said, burying her face in her pillow.

Ryan sighed. His sister could be immature, but he hoped she'd never fully get roped into the world he lived in. Politics was a scary game. If only everyone could be pure.

Shaking his head, he let his head fall onto his pillow, and he, too, fell asleep.

~~~

The next week, Ryan went missing.

Lilith, panicked, went to Prota immediately.

"He… he didn't come back," she said, worried. "We had an argument, and I think I made him feel bad… do you think he ran away?"

Unfortunately for Lilith, Prota was worse at dealing with people than John was. While Prota had far more empathy than her brother, she was far worse at actually finding a solution to these kinds of scenarios. How was she supposed to know if Ryan had done something drastic?

"I… I'm sorry, I'm overreacting," Lilith said with a shaky smile. "It's just, if something happened to him… I could never forgive myself."

While Prota felt bad, she really couldn't do much. Her mana control and fighting capabilities weren't of much use here.

Thankfully, there was someone who wasn't nearly as strong but far more intelligent than she. That night, she went to John with Lilith's problems.

"What?" John frowned, sitting up. "Ryan went missing?"

"Is that… issue?" Prota said, frowning ever so slightly.

"It's… this breaks the pattern completely," John said, standing up.

He began to pace back and forth, muttering to himself.

"Ryan is someone people would notice went missing. He's not an introvert, he's not shy… it's possible he doesn't have many friends, but it's not like people wouldn't notice him gone. He also has a sister… But what does this mean? He's not someone Destiny knows, so he's not somebody important to the [Plot], which means he's, for all intents and purposes, just a [Side Character] or [Extra]..."

Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks, his head snapping up.

"Wait. There's no need to think of this in [Story] terms. If the person who's doing this went after Ryan, then it's one of two things. Either they need stronger students…"

A sinking feeling settled in his chest.

"Or they don't need to hide anymore."

What if he'd been going about this the wrong way? What if this wasn't cultists? He'd told Destiny that it couldn't be anybody else, but what if it was?

There was a factor he hadn't considered. It was something he should've been thinking about, but he'd grown lax in his awareness as of recently. However, after his conversation with Zero the night before, he'd remembered.

There were factors that existed outside of the original [Plot]. Factors that were connected to him, factors that didn't have to follow traditional [Story] rules. It was possible this wasn't cultists. Or maybe it was a cultist with goals grander than just the demon invasion.

"Shit," John cursed. "Shit, shit-"

Prota grabbed his arm, tugging hard. John almost fell over, but he thankfully kept his balance.

"What?"

"Is… is Ryan going to die?" Prota said.

It was strange to see such a passive face and monotone voice ask such a question, but as John looked into her eyes, he could see Prota's true emotions: she was incredibly worried.

"I don't know," John said quietly. "I can't say. This… this isn't something I can predict. But we'll find him, Prota. We'll… I'll do my best to make sure he stays alive. No more sad endings, right?"

At that, Prota perked up a little more. Right, John wouldn't just let this slide. She trusted him. He wasn't omnipotent, but he'd yet to lead her astray. They'd been successful in everything, even reviving Olivia from the dead.

Logically, she knew John could make mistakes. But at the same time, she didn't want that possibility to come true.

"Ok," she nodded, letting go of her brother's arm.

~~~

The next day, Lilith went missing.

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