Pretty much like every day, after the classes ended I was stalking Leon. First, he left the class and then roamed around here and there, chatting with some students who were less like friends and more like admirers.
Then he met up with Ellyn and they had breakfast in the cafeteria. When they left from there though, there was a difference in his actions.
Usually, Ellyn and Leon would've split up after they had their meal and went on their own ways, but today both of them were still together.
Instead of following the main route, they were headed toward the dorms, taking the route behind the cafeteria building.
Also, it is not like this was that unusual; Leon sometimes took this route when he wanted to avoid meeting people since this route was almost empty.
They went inside the alleyways, and I followed. I was keeping a good distance from them to avoid begin caught so I entered the alleyways a couple of minutes after them.
And as I was on my way I saw three boys, running hurriedly. They were coming from the opposite direction and from their faces it looked as though they have seen a ghost.
'Maybe something happened?'
I moved forward and soon both Leon and Ellyn were in sight. With the exception of one other person being there with them; it was Anya.
Her condition wasn't good; I was far but she was clearly visible to me. Her face was wet with tears and her clothes had burn marks on them. While she wasn't physically injured, her mental state didn't look good either.
Leon and Ellyn were also with her. Leon was standing by her side while Ellyn was helping her stand by holding Anya from her shoulder.
This was a good sign. Anya finally had an interaction with Leon. But something felt wrong, the state she was in worried me.
Hence, leaving the stalking aside for the moment, I made my way toward Anya and the others.
? ***
"Are you alright?" Ellyn asked as she held Anya from her shoulders, giving her the support to stand still.
"Y-Yeah…I'm fine now, I think."
"Do you know those guys? Were they like, your fan group or something," Leon appealed.
"No, I don't even know them. I was just passing by from here and they were, probably waiting for me. Then they started attacking me all of a sudden," said Anya.
In the middle of this discussion, a boy who had black hair and a set of golden eyes approached them; it was Zero. "Hey Anya, what happened? You don't look so good," he queried.
Seeing him Leon kept his guard up, as well as Ellyn, and they stared right at him.
"Who are you?" Leon inquired.
"D-Don't worry, I know him," Anya clarified.
"You know him?" Ellyn questioned, trying to confirm her doubts.
"Yes, he is my brother."
Ellyn eased up a bit after hearing that. At this point, Anya was also able to stand properly on her own so Ellyn released her.
"So? Did something bad happen? Judging by your face I guess you cried a lot—Wha!"
Zero tried to ask Anya about the situation, in between he also tried to tease a little to lighten up her mood but before he could finish, Anya leaped forward and hugged him tightly.
"Sniff…I-It was scary. I was scared!" she cried, tears rolling down her cheeks.
This was so unexpected that Zero was stunned for a second before he regained his senses.
"It's okay, you're fine now," he whispered, patting Anya on her head.
While she was the "big sister", her height was a bit shorter than Zero's current height.
***
After Anya calmed down, I asked her and Ellyn for the details of what happened. Also, I tried my best to ignore Leon as much as I could, since originally I was an extra in loli_pop's novel, and my existence didn't matter much to Leon.
'Can't have him get influenced by me in any way. I want to keep the plot same as the novel, at least for now.'
Ellyn was the one who explained the situation while Anya only nodded when she wanted to confirm something with her.
What happened was this: Leon and Ellyn were going toward the dorms taking this route when they saw that Anya was being pinned against a wall by three students—all boys.
It was clear just from a look that they were forcing themselves on Anya, thus Leon being Leon went to stop them. Upon his seeing that they are against the so-called strongest first year, they turned their tails and ran away.
'Then I guess the three students I saw and the one whom Leon chased away were the same.'
That was it for the explanation. Even Leon and Ellyn didn't know who these students were and their motives. Anya was still looking nervous so I also didn't push the matter any further.
"Let me accompany you to the dorms," I proposed.
Leaving Anya alone right now might not be the best option. I could have let Leon handle it from here but—Nah, fuck it.
"Hmm," Anya nodded slightly, she was also okay with this.
Then I turned in the direction of Leon and Ellyn, "Thank you very much for your help. I'm grateful that you saved my sister," I said, bowing down.
"No, no, please. It's okay, I just did what anyone would've done," Leon denied.
'Here comes the classic cliché reply, *what anyone would have done*.'
"It's fine really, you take care of your sister," Ellyn stated. Then she looked at Anya, "Tell me if they meddle with you again," she said, to which Anya nodded.
After that, I and Anya left for the dorms. Obviously, we were headed toward the class A dorm building since I have to drop Anya in her room.
Still, though, they didn't even ask what I was doing there. Does being a protagonist of such a novel drop your IQ or something?
***
"You okay?"
"Yeah," said Anya as she sat on the bed in her room.
We were in the class A building and surprisingly, students from other classes were allowed in the dorms of any class other than their own. Though you have to take the permission first and bring the person whom you are visiting, with you.
"Now, this might not be good of me but…" I paused, sitting beside Anya on the bed.
"I understand, I will tell you exactly what happened there," Anya admitted.
She had calmed down now; maybe that's why she can answer my questions without any problem.
"It would be great if you will. I wouldn't have been of much help there but I think I have the right to know what's going on with my sister."
"Yes, you have."
Did she forget that I'm not her real brother? Well, it's not a problem since I still see her as my real sister.
Anyway, then she told me the events that occurred before Leon and Ellyn arrived at the scene.
What happened was…
Tch! Let's not think about it for now.
"You should rest for today," I said. During the conversation between us, Anya's voice seemed weak and she trailed off a couple of times; it was clear that her body was struggling.
"Maybe you are right, I am feeling like I have a fever."
A fever, huh? I wonder if it will go away on its own, if not then I'll have to get her treated by a mage specialized in healing magic.
I helped Anya lay down on the bed, she really was tired I guess since she fell asleep quickly.
"I should go now. Rest well," I mumbled and began to leave the room.
But then my eyes caught the sight of something, it was a letter that was lying on the desk.
'A love letter?'
It won't be that surprising if Anya is getting one of those, she is beautiful, after all.
Unable to control my curiosity, I went ahead and took a look at the letter.
[Tomorrow a certain someone will save you from a certain something. All you have to do afterward is to get together with that person. As for whom the person is, you will know that tomorrow.
This is not a prank and don't mistake to assume it is one. I am keeping an eye on you and if ignored my instructions then it won't be good for your…brother. He will die.]
…
What the hell is this?
I threw the letter back on the desk and took a few steps back.
What happened with Anya makes sense now.
If everything went according to the plan, then Anya and Leon will develop some kind of relationship, or at least get to know that the other exists.
And everything did go as planned. It was good.
Just like I wanted from the start, Leon now knew that a girl named Anya existed. It was possible to get them in a relationship.
…But that's not the case here.
I mean, I am not the one who sent Anya this letter, nor did I arrange for those guys who attacked her.
Everything went like I wanted to but I was not the one behind it.
This is almost like someone is trying to fix the plot I messed up.