’I guess this is what true geniuses are like. But I’m not allowing myself to lose to you here, bro,’ Riven thought. He gripped his sword tight.
He waited for the right moment. Noel’s sword came for a stab. Riven moved to the side and dodged the attack. He immediately pushed close, covering the distance and going for the head.
Noel pulled back, dodged the attack. He got destabilized, almost tripping on his feet, but he managed to keep standing.
Riven attacked faster. He used an overhead slash, putting all the strength from his body through the sword.
Noel blocked the attack, and his hands trembled from the force, but he didn’t let the attack get through. He pushed up with all his strength, creating enough chance for him to slip out and roll away.
He got on his feet and got into another stance. "Let’s make this serious," he said, lightning crackling around the sword.
"Alright," Riven responded. His sword erupted in flames. He charged forward, leaped into the air, and slashed down.
Their swords cracked from the collision, and the both of them were pushed back. They kept going, attack after attack, until their training swords shattered under the pressure.
The both of them collapsed to the ground, looking at the ceiling, their chests heaving up and down.
"Riven, what’s your plan? What do you want to do?" Noel asked.
"To keep you guys safe. I want to have time to finally get to know my family—you, our brothers, everyone. So I’m fighting just to keep my family."
"I see. So tell me, where is Riven, the real Riven?" Noel suddenly asked.
Riven froze when he heard the question. He didn’t expect him to say something like that.
"What are you talking about, is there a second me?" Riven said with a chuckle.
"No need to hide it. I’ve been with you long enough to know that you aren’t Riven. Trust me, I’m not trying to do anything to you. I prefer you to him. You have desire, you have dreams, you have something I aspire to have.
So I want to keep walking with you. We have a journey ahead of us, but I want to know, what happened to Riven?" Noel said.
’When did he figure it out? I didn’t think anyone would be onto me. Sigh.’
Riven took a deep breath. "Your brother died. His death created the opening that allowed me to come to this world.
Before then, I was from a world called Earth. There was no magic, no dragons, no demonized—nothing like that. There was no other intelligent race, just humans," Riven said, wishing in his heart that Noel wouldn’t believe him.
"I see. So Riven died." He paused, then turned to look at Riven. "That means you died as well and entered his body, right? So what happened to you? Who were you before this world?" Noel asked.
"I was a student of a college, obsessed with reading novels all the time. It was an addiction I got due to the fact that my mother and father were always arguing and fighting.
The books were a distraction from my reality, a place that I could run and hide in. There was no one else to console me, no one I could lean on, so I read on.
Even the day that my mother died, I was reading in the room as my father mistakenly hit her and she died. I lost all family that day. My father was arrested and sentenced to life.
Because of that, I kept reading, making my life all about the books, until one day I died at my table, and I woke up in the body of your brother, Riven.
I learned about all that Riven had done and the life that he had led, and I started trying to make amends, being nice to everyone—even maids—because I needed people to not hate me, to not despise me and one day leave me all alone like before.
That was the motivation when I came into this world, by wanting to be seen. But that only lasted a while. I finally discovered that I was more than something to be validated.
It was hard and it was confusing—and hard—but slowly, I finally understood what I wanted. I wanted to have real connections, something I never had before. Not to be validated or seen anymore, but simply to finally have something to care for beyond books." Riven narrated everything, opening up entirely to Noel.
"I see, it finally makes sense. Normally I wouldn’t believe such a story of someone coming from another world, but I know you aren’t lying.
I know Riven was my brother, but we never had anything together, no connection, nothing. What I know is that I have a brother, and his name is Riven, and that’s you..." Noel said. He got up and stretched his hands to Riven.
Riven looked at the hand. A smile formed on his face. He grabbed the hand, and Noel pulled him up.
"I’m still going to be the one protecting us," Riven said.
"In your dreams. I’m surely going to get ahead. I’m your elder brother—there is no way I’ll let you stay ahead of me," Noel said.
"Keep dreaming, bro," Riven said.
The both of them spent the rest of their day training until it was dark.
They left the training ground together and headed back to the dorm. Riven cleaned up quick and got dressed. He headed to the first floor.
There were a few classmates sitting around inside the sitting room and other places. Riven made his way to the kitchen. He pushed open the door and walked in.
He saw Liana there, sweat trickling down her forehead as she rounded up her cooking, an apron tied to her waist.
She was yet to notice Riven there. Riven stared at her, entirely stunned.
"You should go in, don’t keep her waiting," Robert spoke from behind him, making Riven almost jump in fear.
"Shuuu," Robert shushed him. "Go in. Oh, and also, tomorrow is the day the headmistress finally handles Lance’s case. You should be there."