CHAPTER 4
Before leaving the house, Daren stood quietly in front of the mirror, adjusting the collar of his uniform while staring at his own reflection. For a few seconds, he didn't move at all. He just looked at himself, as if trying to confirm something.
He looked different.
Not just a little different, but noticeably so. His posture was more relaxed, his eyes were sharper, and even the way he carried himself felt more stable. The weak and tired version of him from before was still there somewhere, but it was buried under something new.
"…GAIA," he called out.
[YES.]
"What's my profile right now?"
[NAME: DAREN PETERSON]
[AGE: 17]
[STATUS: MAGIC STUDENT]
Daren nodded slowly as if memorizing it. "Still the same on paper, huh."
He picked up his bag and slung it over his shoulder, then glanced at the mirror one last time before turning away.
"…That's fine," he muttered. "It won't stay like that for long."
He stepped out of the house and began walking toward the academy. The morning air felt fresh, and the streets were already filled with students heading in the same direction. Normally, he would try to avoid attention, but today he didn't bother hiding or rushing.
When he reached the academy gate, everything felt familiar. The same crowd, the same noise, the same environment that used to suffocate him every single day.
But this time, something changed.
As soon as he stepped inside, a few students nearby started noticing him. At first, it was just a glance, then a second look, and then whispers began to spread.
"Who is that guy?"
"Is he new?"
"He looks like a transfer student."
A group of girls standing near the entrance tried to act casual, but it was obvious they were staring. One of them leaned closer to her friend and whispered that he looked good, while another covered her mouth, trying to hide a smile.
On the other side, a few male students looked at him with more serious expressions. They weren't impressed by appearance alone, but they could feel something different about him.
"He doesn't look weak," one of them said quietly.
"I've never seen him before," another replied.
Daren kept walking as if none of it mattered. His expression stayed calm, and his steps didn't slow down.
Someone eventually stepped in front of him and asked directly, "What's your magic type?"
Daren stopped for a second, looked at the guy, and answered without hesitation.
"Fire."
The reaction was immediate. A few students nearby looked surprised, while others nodded as if that made sense.
"Fire users are usually strong."
"That explains his presence."
Some of the girls seemed even more interested after hearing that. Fire magic had a certain image attached to it, something aggressive and powerful, and people naturally respected it.
Daren didn't say anything else. He simply walked past them and continued toward his classroom.
When he opened the door and stepped inside, the room gradually went quiet. Students turned their heads one by one, and the moment their eyes landed on him, their expressions shifted from curiosity to confusion, then to complete disbelief.
"…Wait."
"…Is that…?"
"No way."
Daren ignored all of it and walked straight to the back of the room. Without hesitation, he sat down in the same seat he had always used.
The weakest seat.
The reaction this time was even louder.
"Why is he sitting there?"
"That seat doesn't match him at all!"
"Hey, don't sit there, that place is for the weakest!"
One student from the front even stood up slightly and pointed at him.
"You should sit here instead. That spot doesn't suit you."
Daren leaned back casually and rested his arm on the desk.
"I'm good here."
The answer was simple, but it confused everyone even more.
They couldn't understand why someone who looked like him would choose that seat on purpose.
Before the situation could settle, another student suddenly rushed into the room, loudly announcing his arrival and breaking the tension.
"Sorry I'm late!"
The noise shifted the attention away for a moment, and shortly after that, the professor entered the classroom.
"Settle down," he said firmly as he walked to the front.
The students quickly returned to their seats, although many of them kept glancing back at Daren.
The professor opened his list and began calling names one by one. Everything went normally until he reached a certain name.
"Daren Peterson."
"…Present."
The moment Daren answered, the entire room reacted again.
"That's him?!"
"The weakest guy?!"
"No way, that can't be true."
Students began whispering more intensely, trying to compare the person in front of them with the Daren they remembered.
"He looks completely different."
"His face, his body, even his vibe changed."
"Did he really change that much overnight?"
Some were impressed, some were confused, and others simply didn't believe it.
The news didn't stay inside the classroom for long. By the time the first break arrived, people from other sections had already heard about it.
Students started passing by the room just to take a look. Some pretended to have business nearby, while others openly stared.
A few girls even waited outside, hoping to see him up close.
Daren rested his chin on his hand, looking slightly bored.
"GAIA," he said quietly, "this is getting annoying."
[HOW IS YOUR CONDITION?]
"I'm fine," he replied. "Just not used to this much attention."
After class, he decided to leave the noisy building and head toward the garden area. The moment he stepped there, the atmosphere changed completely. It was quieter, calmer, and much easier to relax.
He sat down on a bench and leaned back slightly, letting out a slow breath.
"…This is better."
He looked at the flowers nearby, their colors standing out under the sunlight. For a moment, it reminded him of something simple, something from before everything went wrong.
Then a voice suddenly called out to him.
"Daren!"
He looked up and saw Louise walking toward him with a serious expression.
"…Louise," he said calmly.
She stopped in front of him and crossed her arms.
"Stop acting."
He raised an eyebrow.
"Acting?"
"You're not Daren," she said directly.
He let out a small laugh.
"I am."
She shook her head.
"No, you're not. The Daren I know doesn't look like this."
He leaned slightly forward, resting his arms on his knees.
"So what, I'm not allowed to change?"
She stared at him, still not convinced.
"Then prove it."
Daren smiled a little.
"You really want proof?"
"Yes."
He moved a bit closer and spoke in a lower voice.
"When I held your hand yesterday, you were blushing so much you couldn't even look at me."
Louise froze instantly, her face turning red.
"H-Hey! Stop talking about that!"
She covered part of her face, clearly embarrassed.
Daren laughed.
"See? It's me."
She looked away for a moment, then sighed.
"…Fine, I believe you."
She paused, then added softly, "But seriously, what happened to you?"
"Training," he answered simply.
She frowned.
"Training doesn't do that overnight."
He shrugged.
"Mine does."
She didn't push further and instead pointed at the flowers nearby.
"They look nice."
Daren followed her gaze.
"…Yeah. They do."
He stayed quiet for a second before adding, "I used to take care of plants when I was younger."
She looked surprised.
"Really? I didn't expect that."
"There's a lot you don't know about me," he replied.
They stayed there for a while, talking casually until the bell rang again.
"I have to go," Louise said.
"Yeah."
"I'll see you later."
"See you."
She walked away, still slightly flustered, while Daren stood up and returned to the classroom.
During the next session, the professor made an announcement that immediately caught everyone's attention.
"Tomorrow, we will have a battle session."
The room filled with excitement as students began talking about it.
"This is going to be fun."
"Finally, a real fight."
Daren remained quiet, but there was a small smile on his face.
After classes ended, several girls approached him, asking to walk with him or talk with him. Some tried to act confident, while others were clearly nervous.
At the same time, a few students looked annoyed, especially those who noticed how close Louise was to him earlier.
Daren ignored most of them and made his way toward the exit.
Louise caught up with him near the gate.
"Make sure you rest," she said. "You'll need it for tomorrow."
"I will," he replied.
They exchanged a short goodbye before parting ways.
As Louise walked home, she couldn't stop thinking about him, her face turning red again without her realizing it.
Meanwhile, Daren walked alone, hands in his pockets, his mind focused on something else entirely.
Tomorrow was going to be a battle.
And this time, he wasn't the weakest anymore.
He was the one everyone would start paying attention to.
And that thought alone made him smile.