I Killed The Main Characters

"You've caused so much trouble, and you don't even care!

Do you know how many rumors are flying around about why you disappeared?

Some people think you're dead, some think you were kidnapped, and a few are even saying you ran off with a lover."

"Romantic," Noah said dryly.

"At least they're being creative."

Eliza jabbed a finger in his direction.

"You think this is a joke, but people are actually worried.

Well, not worried about you, specifically—more like the consequences if anything happens to you."

Noah stood up, towering over them just enough to make his presence felt.

His voice took on a sharper edge.

"And what, exactly, does any of that matter to you two?

You're not the ones who have to deal with the Ashbourne name or the mess my family politics bring.

You're just along for the ride."

Clara glared at him.

"We didn't ask to be dragged into your stupid schemes!"

"Exactly," Eliza chimed in.

"And don't think for a second we're keeping quiet because we like you."

Noah stepped closer, his expression calm but his tone commanding.

"Then I suggest you ride along quietly.

Because if word gets out, it won't just be me dealing with the fallout.

So, let's save us all the trouble, hmm?"

Before either of them could retort, Noah raised a finger, then dramatically pressed a hand over Clara's mouth and another over Eliza's.

"Not. A. Word."

Clara slapped his hand away, her face flushing with indignation.

"Don't touch my lips, you arrogant jerk!"

Eliza smacked his other hand, glaring at him.

"Seriously?! That's disgusting! Do you even wash your hands?"

Noah stepped back, looking offended.

"I'll have you know my hygiene is impeccable."

Clara rolled her eyes.

"Says the guy who's been hiding in a dusty shop for who knows how long."

"Besides you two look like you don't get kisses...or even ever did..."

Noah said.

Ariana, watching this unfold, couldn't help but burst into a small hushed laughter.

"You're impossible!"

Clara huffed, crossing her arms.

"And you're predictable..."

Noah shot back, his smirk returning.

"But I appreciate your loyalty, even if it's begrudging."

Eliza groaned.

"This is the worst day ever."

"Yet here you are..." Noah said smoothly.

Buddy let out a bark of laughter this time, and Ariana finally managed to pull herself together.

"Okay, okay, enough! Can we just agree to keep this between us and move on?"

Clara and Eliza exchanged a look, then sighed simultaneously.

"Fine."

They said in unison.

Noah smirked, giving a small, mocking bow.

"Glad we're all on the same page."

Clara muttered something under her breath about "punching him later" as she and Eliza headed back up.

---

I leaned back against the cold stone wall of Old Man Wilfred's cramped basement, staring up at the ceiling.

My thoughts churned like a storm cloud, weighing me down with their grim inevitability.

To anyone else, it would seem like a lie—some overcomplicated excuse to justify hiding here.

But it wasn't.

Not entirely.

Part of it was true.

I knew my family well enough to recognize the patterns, the way alliances shifted and schemes unfolded in the shadows.

The scions of the House of Ashbourne, ever ambitious, ever treacherous.

Some of them were probably already on the move, quietly seeking me out.

Not to bring me home, but to ensure I never made it back at all.

And Naya… My dear elder sister, with her frosty smiles and carefully veiled threats.

She wouldn't miss an opportunity like this.

Sending people to the academy under the pretense of concern, only to have them "accidentally" deliver a dagger to my back.

A hidden act in the grand play, waiting to follow the chaos that would erupt with the Princess.

The memory of what was coming gnawed at me.

The necromantic commander buried deep within the academy cemetery, the ritual that would bind him to her, the devastation it would bring.

But afterward, once the dust settled, it would begin.

My family's wolves would descend, and I'd be their prey.

I sighed, closing my eyes for a moment.

Things were about to get far more complicated than I'd hoped.

Still, even amid the encroaching chaos, I couldn't help but smirk.

There was a certain satisfaction in knowing I'd already set some of the pieces in motion.

Take Ariana, for example.

Sweet, naive Ariana.

She was useful in ways she probably hadn't realized yet.

Ariana was the type who couldn't help but feel indebted for even the smallest things.

It was in her nature to try and compensate, to balance the scales so she wouldn't feel weighed down by guilt.

That's why I'd trusted her to keep my secret about not being missing, knowing she'd feel obliged to protect it like a sacred oath.

But her usefulness didn't stop there.

Ariana was a genius in spirit taming—an art I had no experience in but needed desperately.

In this world, much like the game, contracting a spirit or mana beast wasn't just a fancy trick.

It was transformative.

Spirits didn't just boost stats; they elevated a mage's mastery of magic, creating a unique synergy that could unlock higher levels of power.

The downside?

Spirits and mana beasts demanded immense reserves of mana, draining their contractors with every use.

For someone like me, it would be a gamble.

But one I was willing to take.

Who better to teach me than Ariana herself?

Of course, asking her directly would be absurd.

Out of character. The system would probably penalize me for it.

No, I had to frame it differently.

As a punishment.

I smirked at the thought.

Yes, that would work.

She'd already let Clara and Eliza in on my secret, after all.

This would be her way of making amends.

"Hey Ariana...."

I said.

"Yeah?"

She said, her tone uncertain.

I crossed my arms, leaning back against the wall.

"I've been thinking..."

I began, my voice smooth and measured.

"About how you let Clara and Eliza in on our little secret."

Ariana's face immediately reddened.

"I-I said I was sorry! It just slipped out—"

I held up a hand to silence her.

"Spare me the excuses. I've already decided on your punishment."

Her eyes widened, and she fidgeted nervously.

"P-punishment?"

"Yes," I said, straightening up and stepping closer.

"You're going to teach me spirit and beast taming.

Thoroughly. No shortcuts, no holding back."

She blinked at me, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water.

"T-teach you? But—"

"No buts," I cut in, my tone firm.

"Consider it your way of compensating for your blunder."

Her expression twisted with guilt, and I knew I had her.

Ariana was nothing if not predictable.

"I… I'll do it..."

She said finally, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Good," I said, smirking.

She buried her face in her hands, clearly flustered, and mumbled something I couldn't quite catch.

Inwardly, I let out a sigh of relief.

This was one step closer to securing a spirit or mana beast, a crucial edge I'd need for what lay ahead.

Outwardly, I kept my composure, maintaining the air of arrogance that everyone expected of me.

Ariana turned to leave, muttering something about preparing for the lessons.