Seeing her head in the direction of the dormitories reminded me of something.
"What are you gonna do now that your dormitory is destroyed?"
"Oh, that? They paid to give all of us 5-star hotel rooms in the capital."
Oh, so I, the hero, get to sleep in a small dorm room while the "victims" who ran away at the first sign of danger get an all-expense-paid vacation?
Blasphemy, I say!
As night was nearing, the streets were crowded with tourists heading to the front gates, so Ruby used the forest shortcut to get to the main gate.
Walking through the forest, trailing slightly behind Ruby, reminded me of the first few days I had spent on the mountain range, looking for the Dragon's Eye.
When times had been much simpler...
Sure, I was powerless and weak, and one slight wrong move could result in my death from a monster... but at least death was my only worry.
Now, I had to worry about death alongside keeping the plot together, becoming more powerful, not exposing my identity, and finally, other people besides myself.
What if I had never come back to the academy?
Would life have been much simpler, then?
At that point, I didn't know Lily was also from Earth, so I would have assumed that the plot would go precisely as in the book and that the world would have been saved just like in the book.
With the meager savings I had received from my father, I would have lived in that small mountainside town. I would have worked a regular job to earn wages, bought a small wooden cabin to live in, and enjoyed the simplicity of life there.
No... the old me would have hated that.
Simply accepting my circumstances in this new world and pretending everything was real and not a book instead of trying everything to get back to Earth.
The old me would have rather jumped off the peak of the mountain range.
But would me right now like that?
It's not like I would be leaving anything behind at the academy.
Lily knew the plot, and unlike me, she seemed to care about the people around her. Sure, she was a bit naive, but wouldn't she be more than qualified enough to keep everyone safe?
Ruby, Raven, Zeng, Jin, Han, Astrid, and the main cast would all be safe with Lily's guidance, wouldn't they?
But would I be fine with that? Leaving everything to someone else?
Well, I guess already knew the answer.
I mean, me still being at the academy despite having enough money to live comfortably was answer enough.
Looking upwards, I saw our surroundings shift as the forest ended, and we neared the railing that separated the edge of the academy from the ocean.
Walking up to Ruby, who was leaning on the railing, I stood beside her, staring at the vast dark-blue ocean before me
Turning to Ruby, who was also focused on the ocean, it felt like an immeasurable burden was weighing on me.
In fact, every time I talked or even looked at anyone related to the old "Ren," that burden only increased.
It was all a lie, wasn't it?
As the memories of spending time with all of them resurfaced in my head, a sudden thought flashed through my head.
The times I had spent hanging out and talking to Jin and Han, whether on the smartwatch or in person. The times I joked or messed around with Raven and Zeng, and the times I explored with Ruby and Astrid.
Wasn't it fine for it all to be a lie?
Was it my fault I was transferred into this body? Was it my fault I had taken this body?
Why was I blaming myself?
Couldn't I just accept this lie?
I had accepted that this world, alongside everyone else in it, was real, so why couldn't I accept that I was the real "Ren" now as well?
I was no longer "Silas" from my life on Earth; I was Ren. The time had long passed since I needed to act like the old "Ren."
This body, these relationships... they were all mine, weren't they?
As Ruby noticed I was staring at her, I asked.
"Did you know me before we met at the hideout that day?"
Why did it matter if people thought I wasn't the original "Ren" at this point? Why should I care? It's my body and mind, now, isn't it?
Shaking her head, to my surprise, Ruby replied.
"No... but I would be lying if I said I didn't know your family."
So... the old "Ren" played no part in our current relationship? Why had I been worrying all this time and avoiding her, then...?
Without me even asking anything, Ruby continued.
"That's not why I came to the academy, though. Not why I befriended you or continued to talk to you."
"So, then, why?"
Turning to face me, Ruby got on her tippy-toes to reach my height and put her hand over my mouth before replying.
"I've answered one of your questions, so now it's your turn!"
Nodding my head, I said, with her hand still covering my mouth.
"Mmf, ask away."
"What happened last night?"
Shrugging my shoulders and pushing her hand away, I replied.
"Nothing big, just killed some big-shot teacher. Made quick work of him."
"Oh really?"
"Yeah, I think I heard that the top first-years AND the student council president couldn't even take him out. What a bunch of frauds, no?"
"You know, you are calling me one of those frauds, right?"
"You sure? The whole academy seems to be calling you a hero and their savior. Quite the villain boss you are"
"Oh? I heard some rumors flying around the academy that say you were actually the mastermind behind the whole attack."
"... really."
"*PFFT* really."
How was I the mastermind behind the whole thing? Was my reputation that bad..?
I can't even blame Ren now! I've been in this world for more than two months, and it's even gotten worse!
"Is my suffering really that funny to you, Ruby?"
"Maybe check your smartwatch next time when I message you."
Sighing, I checked my smartwatch and finally turned off the "DND" mode of my message apps, causing a flurry of messages to be released as my phone started ringing uncontrollably.
Looking at Ruby, who was smirking, I pressed further.
"So, why did you come to the aca-"
"Oh, it's getting late, isn't it? Sorry, but the FIVE-STAR hotel has a curfew, so I must depart."
"really had to emphasize the 5-star, didn't you?"
"Oh, maybe, if you defeated the teacher and saved the top first years from dying, you could have gotten a hotel room."
"... real funny one, aren't you?"
Watching Ruby depart to the main gate of the academy, I turned around and headed back to my shabby and old and small and disgusting dorm room.
Why do the real heroes always get treated the worst?
[A/N: Felt the identity thing was starting to get repetitive, so I used this chapter to end it off. Did you guys think it was rushed or anything?]