I had the perfect opportunity in front of me.
However, I knew very well that Amelia wasn't the one who held the power here.
If there was anyone who could make me enter the Royal Academy, it would be her parents or whoever was the current academy director.
"Are you sure you can handle going all the way to the Lix Estate?" Amelia asked me with a worried glance.
I smirked because of how naive she was. To think she would agree with me tagging along only because I said that I was still feeling a little ill.
'To think that it would be this easy… Are all people usually this careless towards strangers?' I suddenly thought.
Looking at her smiling face, I couldn't help but remember some of my past before I learned the truth about this world.
***
"Did you really think that I was friends with you?"
I had been stabbed in the back, right into the stomach, by a presumed friend.
"Ugh. W-Why…?"
My friend's smile only grew in size, sending shivers down my spine. "Why wouldn't I? We'll be forced to kill each other anyway. I might as well do it now before you become a bigger threat."
"One of the higher-ups offered me personal guidance in improving my Mana Core as long as I killed you. Who would be stupid enough to refuse such an offer?"
I pulled out the knife from my stomach, blood gushing out.
"If you really wanted to kill me… you should have cut off my neck," I muttered under my breath as my eyes turned into an endless pool of darkness.
Within a split second, the one who had his head cut off wasn't me but my "friend".
And the person who received personal guidance... it became me.
***
"Mhm, Yike? Are you sure you're fine? If you keep clenching your fists, you might hurt yourself."
I shook my head and dismissed those annoying thoughts.
"Ah, sorry. I remembered a few things."
I forced a smile. However, it clearly wasn't very convincing.
Amelia didn't comment on it, but it was clear from the look in her eyes that she knew I was hiding things from her.
Even now, she must be thinking about what kind of person I am. After all, her first impression of me was getting brought to her half-dead. She must have thought that I was some kind of criminal or maybe even worse than that.
"Actually, there was something I wanted to ask you…"
Her cheeks turned bright red, and she couldn't even bring herself to meet my eyes.
'I knew there'd be another reason with me tagging along. No one is that nice. Not for no reason.'
I sighed. "What is it?"
"Well, the truth is… I'm not very well-liked by my family. That's why I didn't mind bringing you along. I-I thought it might be better if I had someone with me this time."
'That's it? She saved my life, and that's all she wanted?' I frowned.
"You just want me to be there as your friend? Nothing else?"
To be honest, even if she were to ask me to kill those who were bullying her, I would have agreed.
After all, Amelia was my savior. She deserved at least this much.
"Y-Yes…" She looked down, almost crying. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pull you into this situation; I didn't think about the position I was putting you in. If you want, I can bring you back to the Royal Capital…"
'She really is strange. I've never met anyone this stupid in my entire life.'
I took a deep breath, annoyed by how nice she was acting.
"Accompanying you is the least I can do. If there is anything else you want me to do, then I will gladly comply."
Her eyes immediately lightened up, and her smile radiated.
"R-Really!"
Her reaction was genuinely sincere.
'To think that she would be this happy with this much.'
"As I said, if there is anything else you need help with, then I will gladly help you. It can be anything."
Her head tilted. "Anything?"
"Yes, anything you want. I'll do it."
She stayed silent for a few seconds but ended up shaking her head.
"Nope, that's it! Just stay close to me while we're there."
'I won't leave her side,' I vowed internally as I watched her careless face.
However, while I would fulfill her demands, I still needed to talk with the Lix's family patriarch. He was the only one who could get me inside the Royal Academy.
'I could potentially blackmail him by threatening his life. But… if I do that, then there's a great chance that I'd be found out by those chasing me.' I clenched my jaw. 'I'll have to gain his favor in another way.'
The next semester would only begin in two months. I had plenty of time to do just that.
For now, I'll watch over Amelia and make sure nothing happens to her.
"Miss Lix, we are about to arrive at the family's estate."
"I-I see." She answered, her voice quivering.
Immediately, there was a clear change in her behavior; her smile was nowhere to be seen, and more importantly, her hands began twitching from fear.
'Just what has she been enduring in there?'