I Hate Being The Protagonist

I made no friends to say goodbye to last week, so I silently disappeared, ready for Obiwon.

Taking the train, I sat alone. Evy wasn't there, as the vacation still wasn't in process.

Evy would now be 11 years old, while Dorian would be 13. I thought about how I won't be seeing them, since they are in the enlightenment program, at least currently. If my actions don't cause a catastrophic butterfly effect, Dorian will enlighten himself in about two years, while Evy should do it a few months after him.

I'm already enlightened, meaning I'll be sent to regular schooling at Obiwon, with other enlightened kids.

My eyes trailed around the train, seeing no enlightened individuals. Regular people having regular jobs, moving through cities in the subway. It was at this moment something clicked. I realized my not-so-long life hasn't been what one could consider ordinary or average. I'm royalty stripped of its title, became a higher being which died and returned to life in the past. I definitely am special in a sense.

Do I want to be regular, attending a normal school and becoming an engineer, architect, doctor or any other 'regular' occupation? I've never experienced it, a normal everyday life of an average person. I can't say I wish for a simpler life, but would certainly appreciate not dying or losing a loved one any time soon.

-

I reached the skyscraper castle of golden arcs. My school, finally. Breathing a loud sigh, I walked through the front gates with the Sunsword tied tightly to my back.

"Hello resident, how may I help you?"

The front desk lady was enlightened, with an aura stronger than my own. Her manapool could be quantified as half a glass, but her true potential was hidden I assume. There was just something weird about it that I couldn't read.

"My name is Adam Agnes, I've been invited to your schooling program."

"Let me see for a second... Adam Agnes... Ah, here you are. Your room is number 99, on the second floor. The classes are separated into normal schooling and magic training along with martial arts, swordsmanship and archery as the optional subjects. The normal schooling is held down the blue hallway on the first floor, your class being 1-A, the first door to the left. The gymnasium, where magic training and other types of physical activities are held is on the other side from the regular classes, ground floor. The yellow hallway leads to it, where you'll train along side other kids. If there are any issues, you may call the front desk from your room's phone, or come here in person. Enjoy your stay."

"Thank you," I say while taking the keycard to my room.

The lady also gave me a map of the school, since it was so huge. I was given an instructions manual, in which everything is described in precise detail. I have no idea how anyone would have questions after the thorough explanation I was given, along with this manual.

I open the small catalog, listing through a dozen pages or so. Looks like this school has a pool, along with a sauna. It has a healing booth after tough sparring, and all kinds of different rooms.

I reach my room on the second floor after taking the elevator, ready to meet my colleagues I'll be sharing the dorm with.

Opening the doors with a keycard, I enter the pleasantly smelling room only to see it empty. I see 'Adam Agnes' written on the display above my bed, with the room decorated in white and golden like the exterior of the school is. My Sunsword fits perfectly as I place it on the wall. I guess I have a room only for myself.

A student coming from a regular school here would be out of his mind to have a private room. This establishment felt more like a hotel than a school. I was used to a whole castle for myself, and more recently a private mansion, so a hotel room was a downgrade. I definitely don't complain though, as I like the solitude of my room. I want to work on myself, becoming a better version and a stronger one.

The day I died I realized something. Power is everything in this world. If you want to be protected, you have to gain strength. My loved ones depend on me, so I will be their protector. If I'd been more powerful in my past life, I could've defeated the homeless-looking man that ended me.

In the next two years, I'll focus on only getting stronger and having an academic success. When Dorian and Evy reach enlightenment, I'll return my social life to an existent one.

-

I was surprised to see I was alone in class. Teacher and I were the only ones here, like a private tutoring. The reason behind this was my age, since no other 11 year old was enlightened in the kingdom. When two enlightened beings make a child, their child will also be enlightened from birth. Following normal reasoning, one would think there'd be plenty of enlightened kids walking around. This isn't the case however, as the enlightened population in Eviansis is about 0.00001%. Most of them end up in the military, so only a fraction of a fraction actually has 'normal' jobs and are enlightened. Those in the military don't have wives or husbands that are enlightened most of the time, so it is a miracle if a child is born enlightened. If that is the case however, the child would most likely be taken away by the kingdom to make a super soldier. It's evil, but who can stop the empire we live in.

My teacher was a young enlightened man, most likely graduated in Obiwon.

"Teacher, did you go to this school?" I ask.

"I have. I was a regular student at this school while Holdanis was still a kingdom. Once I turned 19, I gained enlightenment and finished a university program in this school."

"How come you didn't sign up for a better pay in the military? Surely they don't pay that well as a teacher?" I ask, remembering the pay every occupation makes. My mentors used to teach me economics, as did Rache when I took interest.

"You'd be surprised. I make about 4 times what a regular teacher at a normal school makes. That's enough for me, since fighting and magic never were my thing. But your question is valid, since a regular enlightened still makes more than me in the military."

"Interesting."

"Let's go back to history," my teacher comments, continuing with the presentation.

I had the peace and quiet of an empty room, with my teacher covering the materials in half the time he would normally. At the end of every class, he would have a quiz for me. Since I would listen to his presentations easily, I would always answer every question correctly. This made it easier for him to cover more and more in a single lesson, leaving us with a bunch of free time. In this free time, I would ask how the teacher's day was going, ask about his life and get a better bond with him. He asked me about my past, to which I answered half-honestly. I revealed I was a foreigner from Eclipsia but not that I was royalty. I revealed where I was first moved to–into the center of Holdanis–but didn't reveal my death.

This made the time pass by more quickly, and when the teacher would finish his presentation and have other duties to attend to, he would dismiss the class. I used the remaining time to access as much of my magic training as possible.

The first day of magic training was unusually intense, when we met our teacher, who was from the military. Lucidel was his name, one that would be engraved into mind.

"At attention!" he yelled out.

Every single one of us clapped down with our leg touching the other, our hands tightly glued to our bodies. How is this any different from the military?

"I will be your new professor of magic, martial arts, and to some, swordsmanship. My name is Lucidel, a general of Eviansis off duty to teach you kids how to fight."

A general of Eviansis? That was great, to be taught by the best in the kingdom. A general as he refers to himself is one of many, since there are 7 regions with their own generals leading many squadrons of their armies. If I could guess, there are about 5 generals in each of the regions. There isn't an exact number written in any public book, but looking at the number of generals Eclipsia had and what Rache told me, I'd say Lucidel is one of the 35 generals of Eviansis. It could be more or less, but around 35 people lead all of the army Eviansis has. Millions of soldiers and god knows how many ships, tanks and machinery. All led by 35 people and the 7 hands. An insane amount, furthermore led by such a tiny amount of people. Of course, you have your subgenerals, commanders and other smaller leaders down the ladder.

"I want you to remain upright as much as you can! Ready!?" Lucidel yells, his arms not moving from his back.

We had no time to question what he meant by that as a giant force pushes us down into the ground. Before Lucidel lined us up I could get a read for the 30ish kids I was sharing the magic class with. Most were around my level, with some having manapools a quarter of a glass or half a glass full.

Our general leading the class here had an abundance of mana and a terrifying aura.

His manapool could be compared to an entire barrel, and the power his aura exerted was so great, all of us fell down to the floor. We were knocked down on one knee, with some even being totally laid onto the ground.

"I didn't say you could sleep!" Lucidel shouts.

The kids which fell completely returned onto one knee, a proper greeting pose for a general. I was knocked on one knee, into that exact position.

"I can see which ones have proper etiquette! None of you know how to greet a general serving your kingdom!! Only one of you did everything required! Young brunette here firmly held eye contact with me, even while being pressured by my aura!"

I held eye contact with Lucidel, trying my best not to smirk. I was excited to see such a powerful figure lead us, and the fact I witnessed his immense aura. Thousands of times bigger manapool than ours, with an incomparable aura.

The truth was, these kids knew proper etiquette. The problem has developed when a pair of balls has to grow. These kids didn't break eye contact because of sheer force. Some of them did, but the rest were overtaken by fear. They failed to look death into the eyes. Our instincts make us subvert our eyes from such an overpowering force.

"You kid, stand up!"

I stood up the moment he said those words, my eyes not moving an inch from his face.

"What made you be able to look me in the eyes? The rest of these kids obviously think their general is ugly!" Lucidel jokes loudly.

None of the kids were looking at the general, because his aura was still in effect.

Even after training here for a few months, none of the students could gaze at Lucidel with his aura pressing them.

"I've been met with horrors far worse and more powerful," I exclaim.

"You mean to tell me there is something scarier and stronger than me!?" Lucidel asks loudly, his aura growing stronger.

One of the kids throws up on the spot. It's too much for them.

"I do," I proclaim calmly.

"Good answer," he notes, releasing his aura.

Every student gasps for air, recovering from being drowned in Lucidel's barrel of an aura.

"I can see which ones are cut out for my training, and which ones are going to pussy out!”