"Your father… is dead"

"...Dead?"

​​

"...Yes", the woman could not help but sigh as she broke the news to Evans, "Perhaps you could answer some of our questio--"

"Ack!", Evans could not help but grasp his head as a stinging pain quickly crawled through his skull.

"Evans!?", Andrea quickly rushed towards Evans to check on him.

The pain in his head didn't dissipate. The memories before he passed out were rushing through his mind.

Him going to the academy.

Being beaten almost to death by the students of the academy.

He, for some reason, unlocked his System.

And then he was suddenly home.

His father caught him inside the house and started beating him. And when he was about to molest him, time slowed down and he grabbed his father's head.

And that was the last thing he remembered, anything after that was blank.

"My... father", Evans' breathed heavily as he looked towards the woman from the Explorer's association, "...How did my father die?"

"Evans… maybe you should rest first?", Andrea handed Evans a glass of water.

"I am fine", Evans' tone was adamant even through his heavy breaths, "Please... tell me how my father died"

Seeing Evans' eyes, the woman from the explorer's association could not help but sigh again, "Your father died from his head bleeding internally", the woman said as she stared at Evans, "His brain… exploded"

"...what?", Evans furrowed his eyebrows.

"The reports said you were also bleeding from your nose when they found you", the woman continued, "...And that's why we are here. We believe it might be a loose monster that killed your father-- A harpy"

Evans' confused expression grew further.

"Harpies can melt a human's brain through their screams, but your neighbors didn't hear any of such noise", the woman explained, "...Do you remember anything before passing out?"

"N...no", Evans squinted his eyes as he let out a huge breath, "The last thing I remembered was… my father beating me."

Even though Evans' head was still ringing, he still searched his memories. But no matter how much he tried, there were no memories of any monster except for his father.

"...Evans", Andrea's whisper was filled with concern as she gently held Evans' hand.

"I see", the woman let out a long sigh, "I suppose it doesn't matter now"

"Sorry, I couldn't be of much help, miss--"

"Sarah, you may call me Sarah", the woman said, her golden hair slightly waved as she tilted her head.

"Miss... Sarah", Evans shook his head, "I… hope you find the monster before it could kill anyone else"

"As do I", Sarah said as he looked Evans straight in the eye before standing up.

Evans slightly smiled and nodded. He was about to lie down on the bed because of the continuous headache he was feeling, but before he could do so, Sarah's voice once again reached his ears.

"There is actually one more thing we wanted to talk to you about", Sarah said as she retrieved a paper from one of the men in armor, "...We heard you just unlocked your System?"

"...Yes?", Evans widened his eyes as he slightly glanced at Andrea, who had her thumbs up. She was the only one who knew that he had unlocked his System.

"Then we would like to pay for your tuition if you want to attend the Academy for Gifted Children and System Holders, as well as any other expenses you may have during your stay in the academy", Sarah said in a blunt tone.

"What!?", Evans' eyes widened even further as he looked at Sarah. He almost completely forgot the aching pain in his head.

"The loose monster is the Explorer association's responsibility. And so, we are also responsible for compensating you on your… loss", Sarah nodded as she presented the paper on her hand towards Evans, "You just need to fill this up so we can endorse you to the academy"

"This…", Evans wore a complicated expression. He wanted to experience what it was like to be a student. But if he were to attend the academy, then won't he meet Gerald and his group again? Still, this was a chance that he could not just pass by.

"You… will pay for everything?", Evans said weakly.

"Yes", Sarah said, her hand still holding the paper.

"Then…"

Evans was quiet for a while, with everyone in the room anticipating his answer. Finally, after a few seconds, Evans had an answer.

He shook his head.

"Evans!?", Andrea could not help but gasp.

Seeing Evans' response, Sarah furrowed her eyebrows, "You… don't want to attend the academy?"

"I want to", Evans quickly answered.

"Then why?", Sarah was filled with confusion.

"I…", Evans slightly bit his lip as he stared at the application form, "... I don't know how to write", he said as he looked shyly to the side.

"..."

"I-I see", Sarah quickly cleared his throat. She then grabbed a pen from her pocket and sat beside Evans again, "Then... I will help you answer. What is your full name?"

"Thank... you", Evans bowed his head towards Sarah, "...Evans"

"Evans…?"

"We… I don't have a family name"

"I see", Sarah wrote on the paper, "Your date of birth?"

"...I don't know", Evans shook his head.

Sarah almost scratched the whole paper off when she heard this, "T...then, do you know how old you are?"

"I... should be 16"

"16!?", Sarah's eyes widened in shock, "Are you sure!?"

"...Yes?"

Sarah squinted her eyes as she scanned Evans' from head to toe. Evans did not even look past 13 years old. He was... too small.

But then Sarah remembered where Evans lived as she looked at his emaciated body. He was, for a lack of a better word, critically malnourished. She wouldn't be surprised if Evans' mind was probably also underdeveloped.

And so, she could only sigh as she continued with the questions.

It took almost half an hour before they were done.

"We will visit you again once your enrollment is confirmed", Sarah let out a huge breath as she stood up from her seat, "You may stay here for now. You don't need to worry about the fees"

"Thank you!", Evans once again bowed his head.

"Rest well, Mister Evans", Sarah nodded as she left the room with the two men wearing armor.

"Y...you're a student in the academy now, Evans!", Andrea could not help but tear up as she looked at Evans' excited face.

"Hm", Evans hummed as he nodded towards Andrea.

***

Outside the room, Sarah was still standing near the door, her gaze full of weight.

"So… Miss Sarah, was it him?", one of the men asked,

"...Was he the one who killed his father?"

"..."

"...Yeah", Sarah let out a huge sigh as she started walking.

"!!!", the man raised his eyebrows, "Then shouldn't we arrest him now!?"

"...No", Sarah shook her head, "Just write in the report that it really was a loose harpy"

"But…"

"Just do it", Sarah's eyes turned cold as she looked at the man, "If you ask me… he just killed another monster"

"O...okay", the man had no choice but to bow.

Sarah already did a background check on Evans' father. And he was a monster, he just happened to be in the shape of a human, Sarah thought.

"The boy may have been abused all his life...", Sarah whispered, "But he is also a survivor for most of it. Let's not take that away from him"

She then looked at Evans' room before letting out one final sigh, "Good luck, kid…

… We will be watching you"