How To Survive A Calamity

Alexander's thoughts about Victor were straying and complex, and he found his mood involuntarily flipping.

But as he was lost in thought, he was suddenly pulled out if his reverie by an unexpected encounter.

A beautiful young female cadet with swaying purple hair like a cascading lavender stream flowing down her back.

She had deep, glowing violet eyes, pulsing with a powerful purple hue. Faint illusionary stars drifted through their depths, scattering like constellations in the night sky.

Alexander paused in place and raised his head, his eyes blinked.

"Alice..."

The female cadet — her name Alice— stepped forward from a corner with a playful curl to her lips

Her steps were lithe. They softly echoed through the empty passage.

At that point, beyond the building of the infirmary.

The sky was painted the orange of evening as the setting sun hung over the horizon in the distance.

Official academy activities were concluded for the day and it was almost time for curfew. As such, most of the cadets had retreated back to their hostels or various devices by this time, and most of the hallways were left bare and empty.

Yet, it such in a place.

Alex found Alice.

In the desolate and empty hallway of the infirmary, the two cadets stood before each other.

Alex with a hint of suprise, Alice with a smile.

The young female cadet walked up to Alex with a small wave in an amiable greeting.

"Hey, Alex. What has got your face so sour looking?" Her voice was cheery and light. With her gem like eyes like something right out of a fairytale, Alice swept a glance at Alexander who stuttered.

The young man reached his fingers for his face slightly as he responded in a half-dazed manner.

"...My face...i didn't notice." Alexander was still slightly surprised at the unexpected encounter.

Alice was someone Alexander had met after getting into the academy. His first friend so to say.

As a result of the system of Aegis, the academy had its own setting of hierarchy following the ranks awarded to each cadet. The truly privileged and powerful were ranked higher and gave disregard to those below them.

Ranking at Number 787, Alex was considered as an average to low ranking cadet by the academy standards. And as such, he's prospects and privileges in Aegis were limited, even when it came to the types of people he could interact with.

The lower ranked cadets, especially those below 500 and 1000 were. But even despite that Alice was the first and only person to reach out to him.

Perhaps... It may also be because Alex was very much aware about the circumstances of the disparity between the higer ranked cadet and lower ranked cadets that he shows concern and care for Victor and his wild antics.

While Alex had that single straying thoughts, he suddenly heard Alice say.

She gave a tired sigh.

"It's that same classmate again, right?"

Alexander cleared his throat behind a fist.

"Friend— but...yeah kind off." He coughed and said, glancing at Alice who was sending him a dubious look.

'This person...'

Alice Al'Rowen.

Great Sage incarnate.

And Number 10.

Truly.

She was someone a person like Alex would usually never get the opportunity to exchange words with in the Academy.

No.

In tge entire world.

That was the significance of her 'influence'.

'But she's different.' the edges of the young man's lips tugged warmly slightly.

Alice was different, Alexander thought. Despite being amongst the top ten rankers, she was warm, amiable, nice and friendly, especially to him.

Number 10 Alice Al'Rowen was someone popular in the academy for a series of reason.

To Alex, and the outside world and her peers, Alice was kind, beautiful, nice and understanding. She was someone with a measured and friendly distance and amiable personality and relationship to every of her classmates who look up at her with awe in their eyes.

Contrary to the other top rankers, Alice wasn't self-absorbed, aloof or arrogant to those below her, making her one of the most liked first year.

Despite the severity of her influence, she was easy to approach.

She was the first person to approach Alex at the beginning when he was lost and struggling to find his way around the large academy ground on the first day. At that time, everyone else ignored and pretended to not to notice Alexander who was an awkward socialist.

But ever since then, maybe it was a string of fate, both Alexander and Alice had hit it off and become close friends despite being from different classes.

She was wven the one who provided Alex with a suitable outfit and a suit for the banquet that took place.

And it wasn't just a one time thing, like a single time encounter.

Over a series of conclusions they got closer and Alice became Alexander's first ever friend in the academy.

During free periods and breaks, Alice would invite Alex and the two of them would hang out together to study and do all sorts of different things. And despite being someone who had a lot of more prominent and competent friends and people around her, Alice would always come to find Alexander instead.

The female cadet had always been there during some of the most troublesome times in the academy for Alex whenever he needed her.

"Haa....is he really that difficult?" After a short sigh Alice said. Her star filled violet eyes darted behind Alice, gazing fleetingly down the path he just came.

Alex chucked hollowly.

He had mentioned Victor to her only a few times before. At first he thought Alice would easily dismiss and forget about Victor just like everyone else because of his status, but Alice seemed to have taken a slight interest in the topic.

Alex glanced silently at Alice's fair and oval face.

'The Idea of a no talent underdog may be found curious by some people, and Alice does seem like the curious type.'

And then there was the recent stunt Victor pulled on the same day that has boosted his popularity and notoriety as a crazy person.

Before, if the name Victor Bright, or Number 1499 was only familiar in passing, now it was definitely accursed.

And there was also the point that Alexander had someone like Number 1499 as a friend and classmate.

But Alice had already shown slight interest in the two's relationship right from the beginning and it seemed to be purely goodwill.

It was just honest curiousity, is what Alex thought.

It was also how she knew she could find Alex walking down this passage because she knew he had gone to visit him at the Infirmary.

So perhaps, maybe their meeting wasn't entirely coincidental.

And Alex too, would occasionally bring up the topic of Victor when he was around her.

"I went to check on how he was doing, but he's holding up much better than i thought." Alex sighed and shrugged.

He took a step forward to continue moving, gesturing at Alice who was still staring down the passage.

She casually turned around to follow him with a small hum.

"To think he would challenge Ceres to a duel though..."

"Haa... that's what i said too."

"And lose so pathetically..."

" .. th-that's what i said too..." Alex responded weakly.

Victor's duel, and overwhelming loss was something which spread quickly throughout the academy and first years.

The match against Number 1 Ceres was the first ever duel challenge amongst the First years, and so a lot of people came to watch. The news inadvertently spread far and wide quickly, and Victor's lost was cast to the entire academy.

Solidifying his place as pathetic.

-Step -step.

As the two continued to walk briskly, Alice suddenly stepped forward a little and said.

"Did he at least tell you why he suddenly did that?" She asked curiously.

"Hm?" Alex, in thought, turned to his side.

Then he thought back to the recent conversation he just had with Victor.

Alex recalled the image of the type of expression Victor had on at that moment.

Frustration and desperation.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

It was almost subtle, but it was there.

Alexander could recognise it immediately.

After all.

Frustration and desperation at his own inability and weakness were things he was painfully familiar with.

Without realising it, Alexander's expression became wistful and cold.

Alice noticed this and narrowed her eyes slightly. The illusionary stars in them darkened slightly.

"Was he really bullied?"

"What?"

"...What?"

Alex snapped out of his reverie abd blinked stupidly at Alice. The female cadet also had a strange expression on.

Then Alex shook his head in an attempt to dispell the misunderstanding.

"He says he wasn't. But I'm not sure. Victor seems like someone who holds in a lot, i doubt he would even tell someone like me if something happened."

Alice went silent for three seconds before facing forward.

"I see." She said, leaned forward toward Alex and said with a smile, "But if that's ever the case, then don't hesitate to tell me. I believe I'll be able handle such a matter more... effectively."

'Wh-what...' Alex shuddered slightly at her ominous smile and laughed hollowly to dispel the atmosphere.

"Thank you, Alice. I'm not sure how it came to be, but having someone like you next to me in the academy is reassuring. I didn't think I'd get to call a Ranker a friend. And even now you're showing concern and offering to help someone you've never met before. I'm really not sure how to ever repay you for all this." Alex rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment and gratitude.

Number 10, Alice side glanced at him from the corner of her eyes with a subtle smile.

"What do you mean you can't repay me back, what's that supposed to mean?" She harrumphed.

Alex's eyes widened slightly as his expression turned troubled.

"Wh-what i mean is....what could i possibly give to someone like you. It's almost like you already have everything i could possibly offer."

"Haa... Alex, how many times have i told you not to say depressing things like 'someone like you'. I'm no different than you are, despite our status and ranks. Here in Aegis, we both are students and classmates. And more importantly..."

Alice stopoed walking and stood before Alexander. She gazed deeply into his eyes, and reached out for his hands, holding it warmly in her's.

"We're friends, aren't we?"

Alexander felt firm warmth of the touch of Alice's hands around his. Her soft palms and slender fingers caressed his skin. Her stunning violet eyes warmly gazed into his with a mystical light.

Alex felt something warm and bright flutter through his chest.

"You don't have to owe me anything. And if you're truly worried about it, then just promise me something. Promise me that you'll always stand by my side... that you'll always be there whenever i need you just like now."

"Alice..." Alex's lips parted but he found himself unable to day anything.

Instead he gaxed deeply and resolutely into Alice's eyes.

His touch on her skin became firmer. His gril around her fingers became reassuringly more tighter.

Alex gazed deeply into the starry eyes of Alice.

He nodded.

"I promise."

Internally, he felt moved.

'Yeah...'

He smiled subtly at Alice...

'She really is different.'

His first friend.

How lucky he was, he felt.

Alice's smile blossomed beautifully. Her violet eyes brightened as she moved her gaze slightly.

"And besides, how could i turn away even if we haven't met?

Her starry eyes looked beyond Alex.

"Actually, i wish you can introduce us soon enough too. Do i really have to remind you?"

Alice gazed down the empty passage, towards the direction they just came through.

Down there lead towards the infirmary.

Alice's warm smile was beautiful. Her lips parted as she stared behind Alex.

"The friend of a friend..."

She said softly.

And at that moment...

"...Is also my friend."

Alice's eyes shimmered strangely, the stars shinning much differently than before...