Transmigrated as the Cuck.... WTF!!!
Chapter 88. Did I kill them??

Chapter 88: 88. Did I kill them??

It was in the 17th Wing of the main building.

You know, when Amelia had said, "It isn’t that far," I had naïvely believed her.

Yeah.

That was my mistake.

Were people here just chronically optimistic or had they all just collectively lost their goddamn minds?

Because this place was far. Not "take a stroll under the sun" far—no, this was "your calves start aching and your patience thins" kind of far.

If I didn’t know any better, I’d say she was trying to test my sanity.

Regardless, we finally arrived.

The First-Year Gold-A Class.

The building was similar to ours—cathedral-style architecture, high-vaulted ceilings, stained glass windows that made it look more like a temple than a classroom.

The Rose Academy sure loved its aesthetic. The only difference was the aura. Ours was suffocating. Predatory. This one?

This was... a shade quieter. Calmer. Like they hadn’t been shoved into hell yet.

’Just wait you bastards. You will suffer too.’

But the moment we stepped in, all eyes turned to us.

Glances. Half-curious. Half-judging. Some even borderline worshipful.

Yeah, I was used to it. Still annoying though.

They whispered amongst themselves, hushed voices like vermin in the walls. I couldn’t catch a word, but I didn’t need to. I already knew what they were saying.

That’s Cassius Lancaster.

The boy who strangled Verena in broad daylight.

The lunatic.

Good. Let them talk.

As Amelia had mentioned, Celeste was there. Sitting with Freya.

But... ’huh?’

Freya looked like someone had just drowned her puppy. Shoulders slouched, arms crossed, expression distant.

The girl was sulking.

Freya.

The radiant sunbeam who was supposed to cheer up others. The moral support unit. The happy-go-lucky princess of positivity. The mother of the damn group type of girl.

And now? She looked one gust of wind away from breaking into tears.

Lilith was there too, seated beside Celeste. They both looked like they’d been trying to uplift Freya for a while now, without much success.

I leaned toward Amelia, keeping my voice low. "What happened to her?"

Amelia let out a quiet sigh. "She... didn’t take it well. The entrance exam. A lot of her group died."

I blinked.

’What?’

’When the hell did that happen?’

I raked my brain.

If memory served right, she was supposed to gather a bunch of lower-ranked students, head to a manageable danger zone, and farm weak monsters for days—grinding points without risk.

It was efficient. Safe. Calculated.

And when the time came to form factions, she’d already have loyal lackeys—people indebted to her, ready to follow her lead like loyal dogs.

So what the hell happened?

How did all her dogs die?

Did she feed them chocolate by mistake? Hold a picnic in a dragon nest?

Still, I kept my expression neutral and nodded. "I see. You can go if you want too. Thanks for showing the directions."

Amelia watched Freya for a second, her face softening. "I’ll stay here for a while. Just want to check on her."

I gave her a small nod. "Got it. Thanks for the directions, anyway."

She smiled faintly. "Don’t worry about it."

And with that, I turned toward the trio.

We didn’t exactly sneak up on them—they saw us coming.

No surprise.

Celeste’s hazel eyes landed on mine.

Lilith offered a small wave. Freya... kept her gaze low. Like she was avoiding something. Or maybe someone.

I raised a hand casually and smirked. "Yo. What’s up? You guys free too?"

My gaze shifted pointedly to Freya.

We had a reason for being here—our classes were dismissed due to our little scuffle. But her? What was her excuse?

Freya finally looked up at me.

And then... didn’t look away.

Her eyes locked onto my face. Not in a casual glance or a side-eye check.

No.

She stared.

Like, stared stared.

It wasn’t a normal look—it was intense. Anxious. Focused. Like she was studying every pore on my face.

’What the hell?’

I tilted my head. ’Was she okay?’

My brow furrowed slightly.

Wait.

Wait, wait...

’Did I get more handsome or something?’

Was that it?

Did strangling Verena awaken some primal instinct in her?

Nah, that’d be ridiculous.

...

Wouldn’t it?

I forced a smirk, breaking the silence. "Freya, you alright? You’ve been staring at me like I owe you money."

She flinched slightly, as if waking up from a dream.

Then shook her head, finally tearing her eyes away.

Lilith chuckled softly beside her, while Celeste just kept watching me. Sharp. Quiet.

I met her gaze, and for a moment, we just stared at each other.

Then I smiled wider.

Celeste’s lips puckered as she tilted her head. "Did something happen between you two during the entrance exam?"

Lilith followed up instantly, a smug smirk curling on her lips. "Hey Freya, tell us—did you hide some juicy secrets from your big sisters?"

She started nudging Freya with her elbow, playfully teasing her like it was some girly gossip circle.

But Freya—Freya was blushing.

I stared at her.

’The fuck?’

Blushing?

Since when did that happen?

I mentally combed through the memories of the entrance exam like a desperate man rifling through trash. Trying to find something. Anything.

But... I drew a blank.

I didn’t remember meeting her during the exam. Not even once.

I was too busy.

Too consumed.

Fighting monsters. Crushing bones. Drenched in blood. That time was a blur—a killing haze, courtesy of that wretched thing inside me.

That damn Element.

That cursed ’Nothing’.

It had taken over me like a parasite, puppeteering my limbs and thoughts with a singular, violent instinct.

So then—if I couldn’t remember what happened, what the hell was Freya remembering?

Something snapped in my mind.

’Did I forget it?’

Yeah. That was highly possible.

Which meant—

Was I the reason her group died?

Did I—?

’Did I fucking kill them?’

Was that why she was staring at me earlier?

That anxious, wide-eyed gaze?

Not awe.

Not admiration.

Fear.

’Oh, shit.’

My hands twitched. I looked down at them.

These same hands—what if they were the ones that tore through her companions like paper?

What if she saw it?

My maniac grin. My blood-soaked face. As I laughed through a massacre like a psychopath?

That would explain a lot.

’She’s a ticking goddamn time bomb.’

And if she decides to open her mouth about me—about what she saw?

I’d be done.

Not just expelled. Not just punished.

They’d wipe me off the damn map.

Another problem. Just perfect.

This academy was cursed.

From the moment I stepped foot onto its pristine marble floors, my life had been rigorously, unapologetically fucked.

Groaning, I rubbed my temples, trying to massage away the spiraling thoughts.

Then, Freya finally spoke.

"Nothing happened between us. Don’t make fantasies."

Her voice was curt. Dismissive. And just a little too quick.

Celeste narrowed her eyes but said nothing. Lilith clearly didn’t believe her either, but both of them dropped it—reluctantly.

I took the opportunity and cut in before their blabbering could spiral into another circus act.

"Hey, Celeste," I said, voice calm but firm. "I want to talk with you. Privately. You free?"

Lilith instantly snapped toward me, eyes lighting up like she’d been waiting for this.

"Oho? You damn playboy," she teased. "First Evelyn, then Freya, and now Celeste? Just how many hearts are you trying to collect, huh?"

I stared at her.

Deadpan.

Blank.

Internally, I was fighting the overwhelming urge to grab her by the ankles and swing her into the nearest tree. But I controlled it. Barely.

I ignored her like a fart in a storm and turned my full attention to Celeste.

"You free or not?" I repeated, tone sharper.

Celeste studied me.

Her hazel eyes narrowed slightly, guarded.

Before she could respond, Amelia chimed in gently. She was now sitting across from Freya, concern still lingering in her expression.

She glanced at Celeste and offered a small nod. "Go with him. I’ll stay with Freya."

Celeste held her gaze for a second. Then, slowly, she rose to her feet.

Her posture was straight, poised—but her eyes?

They were on me.

Cold. Untrusting. Calculating.

Like a cat deciding whether or not to claw your face off.

"Where are we going?" she asked coolly, brushing her uniform down.

I sighed and jerked my chin toward the hallway. "The garden."

She gave a nod, not saying anything more, and walked past me.

I followed behind her.