Astral Odyssey: Dying Ember

World 2.11: Alice

**Disclaimer: This chapter may have some triggering content. Bullying/Harassment.**

On the night before the Christmas event, Ethan was drying her skirt as usual. "Alice, you're going tomorrow, right?"

"The Christmas event?"

Ethan nodded.

"I remember the arrangement I had with Violet. Don't worry."

"I'll pick you up." Ethan declared.

Alice looked at him dead in the eye. "You mean you need to come as a couple?" She truly did not know what the event was like. The original soul had been badly injured the last year on the day before the event. So she was not in the condition to leave her bed.

"No, but I- Wait, didn't you go to the event last year?" Ethan lightly frowned.

Alice shook her head. "Tell me about the event."

"It's simply like a social gathering event. It is only during this event where one, two, and three abilities users have the chance to interact with each other. There is a strict no conflict policy. Anyone violating this will be expelled from the school. There'll be food and drinks, the large field in front of the canteen will be lavishly decorated, performances held, and a ballroom dance."

"Ballroom dance?" Her eyebrow twitched in annoyance. What have I agreed to?

"If you come with a date, nobody would bother you for the dance. If you come single, you'll be up for grabs. This year, Stephan will likely be the one to take Violet to the event."

"I see." So I'm going to be used as a deterrent. "Sounds like a pretty extravagant event. Is there a dress code?"

"Yes."

"I'm not going." Alice decided. She did not have anything to wear besides her school uniform. Her parents only had money to cover her school expenses.

"I can prepare something for you." Ethan offered. He inferred the problem she had.

Alice frowned. She ignored him and turned to leave the pavilion.

"Take it as doing a favour for me? Please come to the event." Ethan pleaded.

Alice stopped in her tracks. "...Fine."

"Tomorrow, let's go out to get something after lunch then?"

Alice nodded.

Later at the front of the canteen, Alice insisted for Ethan to not walk her back to her room. However, he was obstinate.

What a pain. Alice thought to herself. "Take it as returning my favour then. Leave me alone now."

Ethan frowned but relented. However, BaoBao informed her that he was tailing her in secret instead.

Seriously, what's up with him? Alice complained. She felt like the second male lead in this world was especially hard for her to control.

When she reached her dormitory building, a group of boys emerged from the shadows. It was the same group of bullies with the fire-earth user as their leader. Once they noticed that Violet was associated with another girl, they have been trying to find her to vent their pent up frustrations but could not locate her anywhere in school.

"Your ability to hide from us have really increased. Could this be your second ability?" The leader mocked.

Alice was not surprised. They were the ones responsible for her not being able to attend the event the previous year after all. The no conflict policy was a way to hone students' scheming skills. They could harm another and get away with it if they weren't found out. This group's method was to break the people they do not want at the event before the event began.