She let go of my neck as I was just about to take my last breath.

“I’m saved.”(Daniel). I looked at Julia, who was running towards my side.

“Sister! What’s the meaning of this? What are you doing here?”(Julia)

“This boy suddenly grabbed my butt. He startled me.”(Leah)

What?!

“What?! I thought something happened to you since you’re taking so long, but you’re doing this kind of thing.”(Julia). She rolled her eyes.

“I wasn’t, and I didn’t. It’s because I-”(Daniel)

Leah, who was currently behind Julia’s view, was glaring at me like crazy. Her lips curled, and her nose flares outwards.

“Because of you? What?”(Julia)

What should I say? I heard her talking suspiciously and that they’re planning on changing everyone’s memories about today? She might not believe me.

Should I just make something up?

“I was… Yeah…”(Daniel). Nothing came to mind.

“You’re… Yeah?”(Julia). Her emotionless face was poking on me.

“Yup, since your sister is here, both of you should talk while I go somewhere.”(Daniel). As I tried to get away, Julia grabbed the sleeve of my shirt.

“Since you’re here already, I’ll introduce you to my sister.”(Julia)

I looked at her sister, who changed her face from the devil to an angel.

“Sister, this is my best friend, Daniel. You may not have a good start with him, but he’s a good person. He’s also the one that saved my life.”(Julia)

“And, Daniel, this is my big sis, Leah. She might have tried to kill you earlier, and I apologize about that, but she's an angel.”(Julia). Her face brightens as she said her sister is a good person, but I just let out an awkward laugh.

Leah lifted her right hand. She was trying to shake hands.

This is dangerous. I thought as I looked towards Julia, who was waiting for us to shake our hands.

“H-hello, sister.”(Daniel). I accidentally called her sister since I was too nervous.

“Sister? Jully, is he your?”(Leah)

“Wh-what? No no, no no, we’re just friends. But he’s just a little clumsy.”(Julia)

“Yeah, I was just nervous.”(Daniel)

“Nervous? Haha, don’t worry, my sister won’t bite you. It was just because you scared her earlier.”(Julia)

“ahaha..ahaha…”(Daniel). I grabbed her waiting hand. It was soft and smooth, but then she squeezed my hand immediately.

“ow.”(Daniel)

“What?”(Julia)

“Nothing I said, wow. Her hand is just too, soft… I guess.”(Daniel)

“Daniel, you’re weird today. Are you sure you’re fine? My sister is an expert with healing spells. She can help you.”(Julia)

“Yes, yes, the highest Spell that I can use is Master tier. I’m sure I can help you.”(Leah). She smiled at me, but I know it's fake, and she’ll probably torture me. After all, she said earlier that she’s planning to do something to me.

“No, thank you, I’m excellent. Just fatigues, I’ll be okay with a bit of a rest.”(Daniel)

Julia frowned. Perhaps she still feels a slight guilt.

“You two talk to each other now. I’ll go back to the others now. Uhh.. Bye.”(Daniel)

Julia seems like she would still say something, but she didn’t say it anymore as I had already walked away.

“You have quite a friend, Jully.”(Leah). My sister spoke in a smooth tone.

“Yeah…”(Julia). I stared at Daniel’s back until he disappeared.

“Ohoho, who is he? Is there a spice in the story?”(Leah). She said in a teasing way.

My sister had always been quite a tease since we were kids, but she changed a little bit ever since of what happened to our brother.

‘Maybe, I'm just imagining it.’ I looked at her face, it was still the same old her. Same expression and tone.

“By the way, sis. About the students. How many…”(Julia). I held back my words. I didn’t want to know how many people had died. I’m scared. Not only that, but Daniel could've been one of them for trying to save me.

I’m scared of death, my death, and those who are close to me. But I would be in heavy guilt if I was the cause of other’s death. It scared me the most.

“More than half of the students died, and a couple of dozen is injured or in critical condition. But don’t worry, they’ll be fine. I already exhausted my mana healing everyone. Right now, I’m just recovering my strength.”(Leah). My sister said as she smiles brightly. This is the sister I know. Kind and compassionate.

But, to think that more than half of the students died.

I feel a sharp pain in my heart. To think that many innocent lives were lost again because of Null. Why did they do this? Do they enjoy killing and destroying lives? They’re disgusting. They are using other people’s lives as stepping stones and for enjoyment.

“I feel sorry for their family and friends…”(Julia). I said in a low tone but enough for my sister to hear.

“About that. We decided to wipe everyone’s memory about this incident. Today didn’t exist.”(Leah)

What?

They decided what? Wipe everyone’s recollection about today? Is that a good or a bad thing? But how about the students who lost their friends? Don’t tell me…

“What do you mean, sis…”(Julia). I asked in a shaking voice, not believing what came out of her mouth.

“They will erase everyone’s memory about today. Meaning, those who have died will be forgotten as well.”(Leah)

“What?!”(Julia)

How could this be? Why?!

“W-why?!”(Julia). I stuttered as I find it hard to find my voice.

“It’s complicated… It’s not something that you should worry about.”(Leah)

“But how about their families?! Friends!? What will happen!”(Julia). I asked in a desperate voice. I want her to tell me something that will comfort me, and what she said was fake.

“They’ll be well compensated.”(Leah)

Compensated??? With money!?? Do they think money can solve everything?! Wh-what are they thinking?!

“What?!”(Julia)

“Look, Jully. You don’t have to be concerned about everything at all. I’m only telling you this because, except for you, everyone will have their memory altered.”(Leah)

“Except… For me?”(Julia). I muttered.

How about Daniel? This means he’ll have his memory altered too!

“But Daniel… How about Daniel?!”(Julia)

“They’ll change his too.”(Leah)

“What…”(Julia). Tired of hearing any more of this, I slowly fell on my knees.

Everyones… To avoid backlash? Precious memories that they made with their friends? Will disappear? Because they’re gone, means their existence will vanish too?

“This isn’t fair.”(Julia)

“It isn’t. But do you want them to suffer from this? Fear lingering in their hearts and holding them back?”(Leah)

“N-no, but, still. Why does it have to be solved by altering everyone’s memories? It didn’t have to be this way.”(Julia)

“Well, this is a reality of being a low priority student.”(Leah)

What just because of that? That they’ll rather pretend that they didn’t exist at all? Because we’re weak? Because we’re not promising as the higher classes?

“I don’t believe it… Before, no matter if you’re weak or not, as long as you’re an Enhancer, you’re equal to everyone.”(Julia)

“It isn’t now. We’re not in the times where we always had to watch our back from demonic beast attacks.”(Leah)

“But still, it doesn’t change anything. Look at what the syndicate groups are doing! They’re doing what they please.”(Julia).

“Jully, you still don’t understand. Not only that LP students are the weakest, but also the smallest group. And most of them don’t make it to at least the top 10k AE lists. So, everyone thinks that they’re a hassle to take care of. Not only that, but most of them end up joining a syndicate group, hence becoming a nuisance.”(Leah)

“Bu-but that’s just.”(Julia)

“But, how about your friend? It’s for his sake, too, you know.”(Leah)

“His sake? How?”(Julia)

“I don’t know, maybe he’ll be traumatized with what he’d gone through. You don’t want it to happen, right?”(Leah)

“N-no, but.”(Julia)

“I heard that from a UDA soldier earlier that he has friends that helped the both of you escaped. They’ve also torn apart. No survivor was found. He was crying when he came out of the cave and asked the soldier to help his friends, he told us. Do you want him to carry the guilt by himself?”(Leah)

What?

He was crying when he got out? Why didn’t he tell me?

Friends? Who? They helped us escaped?

Daniel? Why didn’t you tell me?

“Wh-what?...”(Julia)

“That’s right, right now he’s glad that both of you survived. But he didn’t tell you since he wanted to carry it by himself. He didn’t want to make you feel guilty for their deaths. Are you sure you want him to keep regretting and suffering without you knowing?”(Leah)

I wasn’t able to reply due to shock.

I don’t know how to face him anymore. He told me earlier that it wasn’t my fault that I wasn’t any help. He made me feel better, removing the guild in my heart. But now, I didn’t even know that he’s carrying such a burden himself, without anyone comforting him.

“....”(Julia). I wasn't able to reply.

Daniel, when you saved me earlier, you became my hero. To curry such a thing in your heart, just to protect me. Heroic, brave, and self-sacrificing. You only prove to shine brighter.

“Don’t worry, we’re doing a good thing for him, for them. When have I ever lied to you?”(Leah)

Sister… She’s right. She never lied to me before. She’s a good person. All this time, she’s been trying to heal our brother and other people too. How could I ever doubt her?

I smiled.

“I know.”(Julia)

She’s finally coming back after minutes of talking with her sister. She was shouting at first but calmed down drastically at the end, to the point she smiled.

‘They made up, huh. And she’s calmed down.’(Daniel). I pondered how Leah managed to calm down Julia.

She was walking towards the door, she saw me waiting for her, but when our eyes locked, she looked away almost immediately.

What? Did I do something?

It’s probably her sister badmouthing me again.

“Julia, you’re done talking with your sister? Where is she going?”(Daniel)

I initiated the conversation first as I don’t want her to ignore me. One time she didn’t talk to me at all until I get her an ice cream. That’s her weakness.

“Um… Yeah.”(Julia)

“… Did something happen?”(Daniel)

“No, well. Um, I don’t know how to ask of this, but. I heard that there were students, found dead, where we came from. They helped us escaped didn’t they?”(Julia)

My eyes twitched, my hearts raced, and I breathed deeply.

“Ye-yeah. But you don’t have to worry about that. O-okay?”(Daniel)

“N-no, it’s alright. Although I do still think that what they’ll do is wrong. But, not only they won’t listen to me, but I also don’t want you to suffer.”(Julia)

Me? Suffer? What does she mean?

“Haha, don’t worry about me.”(Daniel). I chuckled nervously.

“By any chance, do you know what they’ll be doing to the students?”(Julia)

“N-no? I mean, what do you mean?”(Daniel). I lied.

“Nothing, forget about it.”(Julia). She pondered for a few seconds, but she continued.

“Let’s go back.”(Julia)

“O-okay.”(Daniel)

She didn’t found out, did she?

A bit later, we both went back to the others. They are still at the same spot where we left them at, talking to each other. Josh, who was directed in our direction, noticed us.

“Well, well well, both of you finally decided to come back. I wonder what happened.”(Josh)

“Dang, dude.”(Mark)

“Geez, there’s a time and place, and it’s definitely not right now.”(Cassey)

What?

“It-its not like that. We met my sister. She’s an Enhancer who specializes in healing Spells.”(Julia)

“Ohhh, I guess there is someone who looked like you earlier. She was healing everyone earlier.”(Cassey)

“Your sister was here?”(Josh). He looked at Julia, then at Mark.

Mark shrugged.

“It’s the blonde that was going around and healing everyone.”(Cassey)

“Oh…”(Josh & Mark)

“So, everyone’s healed up?”(Daniel)

“Not really. Those at death’s door still have to be treated. They’re being transported as we talk.”(Cassey)

“So, where’s your sister? I want to give her my gratitude.”(Cassey)

“She’s busy, still has a lot to do.”(Julia)

“Figures. Well, next time you talk to her, tell her that we’re really grateful.”(Cassey)

“Will do!”(Julia)

“Come to think of it, what time is it?”(Daniel). When I went out earlier, it looks like it’s afternoon.

“About…”(Josh). He looked at his watch.

“3:30.”(Josh)

We must have been in the cave longer than I thought. To think it was only a few hours earlier I had killed other students and I'm already fine. Is this who I really am?

Sigh

I became someone who my grandfather didn’t want me to become.