For the next few hours, Iid my head on the windowsill with my eyes closed, trying to sleep; however, it seemed like people in the section beside us were really getting along, as constant screaming andughing could be heard.


    If I had enhanced hearing instead of eyesight, I probably would have jumped out the window...


    Slightly opening my eyes, I saw Irene and Zach also trying to fall asleep, as well as Ruby, who was leaning back against her chair and enjoying a snack that had been given out earlier.


    Reclining my chair, I rxed my body and began to fall asleep, ignoring our loud neighbors.


    ...


    ...


    ...


    "We have arrived. Please grab your belongings from the buspartment and head into your rooms. Lights out will be in 30 minutes."


    Jerking upwards from the sudden announcements, I nced outside the window and noticed that pitch-ck darkness hadpletely reced the sunlight.


    Following Zach and Ruby''s lead, I got up from my seat, exited the bus, grabbed my smartwatch and backpack from thepartment, and headed into the hotel.


    The school did tell us that groups would have to be together at all times, so it was no surprise to me when the receptionist handed the four of us only one key. On the other hand, Irene seemed shocked and bbergasted before once again telling me.


    "Don''t even think about it."


    "Not that I would, but how would you even know if I did? What''s the point in saying that?"


    "What''s the point of your life? To be a constant nuisance to me?"


    Before our dispute could grow any louder, the exhausted Zack grabbed the room key and led us to our room.


    After opening the sliding door with our room key, I realized how simr the room was to a traditional Japanese room.


    There was a living room with nothing but a round table and some cushions, and there was also an empty room beside it that was separated by another sliding door.


    Two futons were already ced on opposite sides of the table in the living room, and two more were ced closer together in the other room.


    Without any discussion, Irene walked into the room as if she owned it and immediately headed for the other room before settling down on one of the futons.


    Ruby seemed happy with this arrangement. She settled down on the futon beside Irene, and about 10 secondster, Irene shut the sliding door.


    Left with Zach alone in the living room, I chose a futon andid down while checking my smartwatch for updates.


    Standing alone at the entrance, Zach blinked for a couple of seconds before kindly asking.


    "I''m going to turn off the lights if you''re alright with that."


    "Do what you want."


    As the room became shrouded in pitch ck, of course not for my eyes, I saw Zach struggling to find his way to the futon before putting down my smartwatch and trying to sleep.


    Just how was our group going to fare tomorrow? The whole point of this training camp was to encourage teamwork, as heroes are often required to cooperate with others toplete missions, but our team had no semnce of that.


    Of course, I am partially at fault for theck of teamwork, but what would pointing figures and ying the me game solve?


    Snapping me out of my thoughts, I heard a slight movement from the other side of the table, so I shifted my head slightly to get a full picture.


    Peering through the pitch-ck darkness, I saw Zach slowly getting out of his futon and doing his very best to move through the room quietly.


    Sliding open the door, I saw Zach disappear into the darkness of the night as it was impossible for me to see through walls.


    Now, what exactly is he up to?


    Using my stealth skill as an assassin, I did the exact same thing as Zach, but a hundred times better as I snuck out of the room.


    Utilizing my eyes once again, I looked around for a quick second before spotting Zach heading to the exit of the hotel building.


    Using the darkness of the night, I ran towards Zach''s departing figure, making no sounds or indication of presence.


    Now, right behind Zach, I watched him carefully and cautiously open the exit door before sneaking out right behind him.


    Unless Zach was looking at my vicinity, there was no way he could notice, even though I was right next to him. However, that came with the restriction that I couldn''t make any sudden moves, like pulling out my daggers or getting closer to him.


    Weing the cold air of the night, I used the shadow of the hotel building to sneak behind Zach while he walked around the building to its backside.


    Why would the epitome of an upstanding citizen be sneaking around and even breaking the school''s curfew?


    Reaching his destination, I watched from a distance as Zach leaned against the back of the hotel building.


    *BZZT*


    *BZZT*


    As the sound of a ringing smartwatch echoed throughout the empty night, Zach pulled out his smartwatch and put it right to his ear.


    "I''m here."


    ''..."


    "Yes, no one should know."


    Unable to hear the voice speaking to him on the phone, my curiosity only grew. There was no way someone like Zach would be doing something shady, so was it a possible lover..?


    "..."


    "Alright, Lily, tell me what this is all about now."


    Lily?


    Was Lily his possible lover? If so, I wasn''t even mad at her for ruining the plot this time; I was just disappointed.


    How could she fall in love with a fake person? Everyone besides her and I are fake and fictional characters that were written by some author.


    How could she live the rest of her life in this world with Zach when, in her heart, she knows that he and everyone else are nothing more than a book?


    I guess that''s the difference between her and me. Would she even go back to Earth if given the opportunity? Could she even be considered to be from Earth if shepletely and utterly epted her relocation to this book world?


    Taking me out of my thoughts, Zach''s voice once again sounded.


    "...What do you mean you want to keep watch on Ren?"


    Is that how it is? With the uing cruise ship event, I knew that she would definitely keep watch over me to ensure I didn''t do anything, but is she really handing the job off to Zach?


    That would be a huge mistake for her. Such a naive person could easily be fooled, just like right now.


    Even if Zach knew nobody was following him, he still should have taken the call in a 100% secluded ce like the bathroom, but he decided to take it outside where countless people could be hiding and listening.


    "..."


    "Yeah, I''ve heard the rumors about him, but he doesn''t seem to be that type of g-"


    For the first time, while responding to Zach, I could actually hear Lily''s voice as her scream reached my hears despite my distance from Zach''s smartwatch.


    "ZACH, DO YOU WANT ANOTHER GIRL TO BE HARRASED BY HIM?"


    "... alright, I''ll keep watching him if you''re sure."


    "..."


    Realizing that their conversation would end soon, I took the same route as I headed straight back to the hotel room.


    What exactly am I in Zach''s eyes, and why does he trust me so much? Maybe Ruby told him something?


    Hearing Zach open the door of the hotel building, I quickened my pace and rushed towards the hotel room, jumping from shadow to shadow to ensure that my figure wasn''t illuminated by the moonlight streaming in from the windows.


    Approaching the room, I saw a figure standing by the open hotel room, whom I quickly identified as Irene.


    I had left the dorm room open when I left!


    Being caught by Zach now would make Lily even more suspicious of me, and she would probably send even more people to keep an eye on me, making me unable to n.


    If Irene caught me, what would she do?


    Stepping out of the shadows and in front of Irene, I ced my hand around her mouth, moved her inside the room, and let the door fall shut behind us.


    Seeing my face illuminated by the moonlight, Irene murmured through the holes in my hands.


    "Mfff the hell, you dirty, g-get y-your h-hands off me."


    Hearing Zach''s approaching footsteps, I whispered into her ear.


    "I won the poker game, and you lost, right? Go back to your room, and don''t say anything about me leaving to anyone."


    If she saw Zaching back now as well, she would probably report my disappearance to Zach, and Lily would figure out I was following Zach, so I needed to send her away now.


    Letting go of Irene, I opened the sliding door to her room, revealing Ruby''s sleeping figure, and gestured for her toe in. Even in the dark, I could see her red eyes shining with anger and hatred.


    After shutting the door, I slid into my futon and pretended to be asleep while Zach quietly entered the room and got into his futon.


    ...


    ...


    ...


    Waking up the next day to dozens of hard knocks on my door, I heard Professor Zia scream through the wall.


    "REN, YOUR GROUPMATES ARE WAITING FOR YOU DOWNSTAIRS IN THE BREAKFAST HALL. GET UP!"


    Looking around the room, I noticed that it was entirely empty. I wasn''t even mad that they left me, but more so confused. Didn''t they understand what the academy meant when they said, "Groups are required to remain together at all times?"


    They just didn''t bother to wake me up at all?


    "Yes, Professor, let them know I''m on my way."


    Taking my time, I imagined my 3 groupmates impatiently staring at the food with angry expressions while I showered and put on a set of casual clothes that I had bought after midterms.


    As I arrived at the breakfast, the scene was just like my imagination: Ruby, Zach, and Irene were sitting together in silence while staring at therge buffet of food ahead of them.


    Not informing them of my appearance, I grabbed a te and searched around the spacious area before loading my te with food.


    Satisfied with my te, I made my way to the table where my 3 groupmates sat impatiently.


    Irene was the first to speak after seeing me standing in front of them with a te of steaming hot food.


    "When the hell did you get here?"


    Shrugging my shoulders, I responded.


    "A couple of minutes ago, I think. Might have been longer."


    Her expression distorting and her eyes burning with red fire, Irene responded.


    "And you didn''t think to let us know? Even though we waited here for over 10 minutes for you."


    Sitting down at their table, I picked up my fork and replied.


    "Did you guys let me know when you got up?"


    "Is it our job to wake up? Right, guys? guys..?"


    As Irene nced around, looking for our two group mates, who had run to get food during our dispute, I dug into my food while shing a smirk at the pissed-off Irene.


    Irene being angry and pissed off was actually essential for my ns today, so I wasn''t just doing it to have fun today.