Chapter 357 - Back To School

With the Versatile Weapon back to its job, it's time to do some extensive farming for materials for the preparation on the quest on the Frozen Desert. My current armor is not strong enough to handle the pressure of that place and since it suffered quite a lot of damage from the battle against the possessed King Goliath, it just makes sense I needed some replacement on it.

I spent the whole day farming materials and collecting different kinds of things that will be useful for potion crafting and some trinkets that can help me in the later parts. There is no harm in hoarding a bit of them since they might come in handy at later dates and who knows when it will come. Getting some preparations done is better than not being prepared at all.

...

A week passed by and I continue to collect all kinds of materials. Today is the beginning of the schools opening their gates to welcome new students after being closed for a year meaning I have no time to play the game in the morning. Of course, I have no actual need to go to school but I still needed to get it done or everyone would suspect why I decided to drop out without an appropriate reason. And besides, I can easily ace things now that I have done most of the things here in the past timeline, and I don't need to do some studying here and there. It was like I am already cheating.

When I finished my preparations and my uniform is now good and dandy, I went out of my room only to find Janus scrambling around.

"F*CK! I totally forgot that today is the day we go back to school! It completely slipped on my mind! Dammit! I will be late on this!"

He started running to the bathroom while carrying his towel. The siblings on the other hand are already preparing breakfast. Yes, they are also going to school since I also enrolled them while I was enrolling myself. It just doesn't make sense not to let them enroll in school. Even if they are good at games, they should have at least a proper education. After being a beggar for so long, they should at least get the opportunity to experience school life too.

Akira who saw me coming to the kitchen decided to greet me. "Morning Big bro, breakfast will be ready in a few minutes."

"Morning Big Bro, please wait for a bit alright?" Sora smiled as she continues to prepare the necessary things that her brother needed to cook. Since she is blind, she only has a minor job in the kitchen, and yet she still functions like a normal person who didn't have a disability. Perhaps her time in Alternate World allowed her to get used to using her eyes despite not being able to see.

"You guys looked good in your uniforms. How is the fit? Are they too tight?" I asked since I am just estimating their measurement when I went to a tailor to order the uniforms they needed.

"They fit perfectly in our bodies, it was like we are measured when we got this." Akira gives me a thumbs up.

"That's good to know. Let me know if it gets tight, we need to readjust the size so that it won't get uncomfortable in the process."

The two nodded and continue with their job. As for me, I turned on the television since it's been a while since I watched the news. Ever since I played the game, I rarely have time to turn on this thing and watch the news nowadays. I know most of the major events that will happen in the future so I thought I don't need it, but then I realized that the world is already changing and with different and small things that have changed, big impacts have already occurred on things. There is no longer any guarantee that the things that happened in the past timeline will happen again here in this timeline.

"Next in our news. cold weather will start to roll over around the world and better prepare to have some jackets ready before everyone catches a cold. According to the experts, it seems this is due to the climate change that is happening right now that causes this phenomenon. However, further studies are needed for things to be fully understood on what causes this worldwide phenomenon from happening.

I furrowed my eyebrows after hearing the news. Worldwide cold weather? That is news to me. This phenomenon didn't happen in the past timeline. Never did happen even once. So what is happening all of a sudden? Is this a phenomenon that occurred while I am busy with the games? No, that shouldn't be it since this is happening while we are going to attend the first day of school and that means I have yet to get any sort of progress in the game and I am still totally free in my responsibilities.

However, according to the authorities, there is nothing to worry about with this so perhaps it was just some sort of natural thing that happens randomly around the world. It might just be a coincidence. However, I still needed to take note of this. I can't just be not focused on what is happening. Who knows, if this ever signifies something.

A few minutes later, when the siblings were done cooking, Janus came out running out from the bathroom with a messy uniform.

"Bro, what is the rush? It's the first day of school, teachers won't be that strict if you get late since it's the first day of school so you shouldn't rush too much."

"Bro, you are too chill! I totally forgot everything about school after playing! I can't afford to just dawdle! What about you? You are playing for quite a while and you are even much late in enrollment. Are you done with everything?"

"Of course, way ahead of you. I even took care of the necessary things for the siblings even. It's not that hard anyway. Slow down for a bit, you might get some trouble in the process."

"DAMN!" Janus started running back to his room, perhaps to complete his things before going to school.

I can only shake my head. Still typical Janus.

....

Janus was thankful he managed to complete his preparations and we waited for him as we only needed to walk to school. There are also other students walking around and it only signifies the students will be around now.

Now that I realized it, it seems the news is indeed telling the truth. The weather is getting colder and the fog is rolling around, making it seem like it is in winter despite the fact that we are currently in spring right now. Our breath is even a bit foggy too which made me think if we are even in the wrong weather or not.

"It should be spring but why is it really cold? We aren't even in the season of getting snow this month too..." Janus is rubbing his palms for a bit of heat.

"Some kind of worldwide phenomena according to the experts. It is still unknown what caused this but we should be expecting this kind of weather nowadays until it lifts off or something like that."

"That's a bit sh*tty man...I should buy some hot canned coffee later at school. This weather is just too cold. I hope it's not going to last that long..."

Currently, I am fine with the cold as it is not really affecting me much but for these guys, they will have to endure it for a bit. Still, this is really mysterious to me who have experienced the past timeline. This is not something I have ever known in the past timeline, even during the later parts. This is just new to me so I don't know what is really happening.

When we are almost near the school, we meet with Riko who seems to be waiting for us to pass by.

"Morning guys! Seems like you guys are also not on good terms with the cold eh?" Riko smiled as she looked at us who are all clad in thick jackets.

"You are not much different from us though... You are also covered in a jacket!" Janus retorted.

"Anyways, who do you think will be our homeroom teacher right now?" Riko asked.

"Nah, you think I have an idea who it was? I don't think I know. I heard they changed some of the faculty members since there are some who retired last year. We might as well get a new teacher," Janus scratches his head.

"You guys think we are still classmates?" Riko grinned.

"Ha, of course! 100%! Right, Manato? You agree with me right?"

"Ha, he has confidence that we are still classmates, so why not?"

"So Akira-kun and Sora-chan are going to our school too as our juniors? I can't wait to become your senpai, you two!"

"Same here!" Akira is overflowing with confidence while Sora just nodded with a smile.

As much as we have a lively atmosphere right now, I don't think we are going to have a lively morning for today. After all, something major will happen once we are going to reach school later this lunchtime.

"Let's meet up at the rooftop this 12 sharp alright?"

"Sure! Eating lunch together with you guys will be the best and this time, I am not the only girl in the squad with Sora here!"

Yes, I needed their help for later on this lunch.