The Author's POV

A couple of days had passed since the party, but news of what had transpired during the party spread throughout the whole academy like wildfire.

It was to the point that pretty much everyone knew what had happened.

Currently, I was laying on my bed staring at the white ceiling of my room. Lost in my own thoughts.

I thought that since I didn't directly participate in the main plotline of the story that the future wouldn't change.

I thought I had full control of my memories, so I decided to take advantage of them and help myself to some of the benefits whilst also trying to not affect the plotline.

But I was wrong...no matter how small the change was, once it began...there was no stopping it.

It suddenly hit me.

One little change could cause massive changes to the whole story. It was like a domino chain.

Regardless of how small the force was, once the first domino fell, like a chain reaction all the dominos fell apart.

I was naive, no! I was arrogant.

Because of my arrogance, the plotline started changing. In a way that I was losing control of the advantage that I had as the author.

The event between Elijah and Amanda should've never happened this early in the novel. Somehow my actions had affected the novel. Despite me repeating to myself that everything was going to be fine, I was simply lying to myself.

I couldn't deny something that happened right before my eyes. I couldn't deny that my existence itself had changed the plotline.

...I fundamentally needed to change the way I was thinking.

But how?

'Do I actively interact with the protagonists or keep myself in the shadows as I did before?'

I was lost...

-Ring!

Snapping me from my thoughts was the sound of my cellphone ringing. Turning it on I looked at the notification that showed up.

[Amanda Stern, singlehandedly defeats rank villain that had infiltrated the academy and posed as Elijah Turner. She had been awa...]

'It seems like the news was already starting to spread outside of the academy...'

During these past few days, Amanda managed to cement herself as one of the foremost geniuses in our generation. 'Ice queen', 'Bow Godess', 'villain killer' all sort of nicknames started circulating around the academy as everyone started paying attention to her.

The reason for such attention was because...she singlehandedly defeated a rank villain despite only being in the early stages of rank. A genius amongst geniuses. After the incident, she was now being compared to the likes of Kevin in terms of raw talent.

Turning off my phone, I gave myself a pat on the back. It seems like I managed to cover my traces quite well as nothing was mentioned regarding me.

It also seems that Thomas covered for me, preventing anyone from finding out that I was responsible for tipping them about the incident.

Looks like I owe him one...

Fortunately, apart from the small loophole, with the facts pointing towards Amanda, my daily life returned to what it was before.

well, that was how it was supposed to be like, but...

After changing and heading to my classroom, I noticed two eyes deeply staring at me from the left side of the classroom.

Awkwardly smiling, I lightly waved in Amanda's direction. I was hoping she would take then hint and leave me alone, but it seemed that my action only further increased the intensity of her stare.

'...does she perhaps have a grudge against me for putting her in the spotlight?'

I thought as I tried my best to look at the front, ignoring her piercing stare.

action, the whole world

me, I too would've held a grudge against myself. Sometimes fame was more of

did she perhaps misunderstand

it. She probably thought that I was someone who was hiding his

the event,

kill a rank villain, many factors had come

had not distracted him with her last-ditch attack, and if Elijah didn't underestimate me added with me having [Monarch's indifferece]...I would've

that many factors combined together helped me achieve. It wasn't something I could ever hope to achieve

world and thus I was now stuck with Amanda thinking I was some sort of genius that

...this was honestly problematic.

"...hm?"

who was sitting three rows

her eyes paused on

eyes a couple of times

her tongue, then suddenly a smirk appeared on

an ominous premonition. Just now, she did her signature smile. The smile

I start crying

she a sadistic girl who took pleasure in other's suffering, but she was the type to repay grudges

Kevin were

class loner suddenly interacted with the two most beautiful girls in the academy was to spread, I could already start planning my

amount of admirers those two have could probably

class is starting,

the clock and seeing that it was time for class to start, Donna dismissed everyone that was in the front

"Quiet please"

class to quiet down, Donna lightly raised her palm. Soon everyone stopped

I couldn't help but admire her even more. The degree of control she had over the class was quite impressive. With

was not to be dismissed either. She

will select the groups you will be split into during our trip to

oh crap, forgot this was

had completely forgotten we had a class trip in about a

didn't

of the

a large box and

your name one by one

her register, Donna

take one ticket and that will be your group for the week that you will be

stood up and headed to where Donna

"Here?"

a ticket and

his hand into the

everyone's attention was

curious about his group number. Being the number 1 ranked in the whole year, if anyone was paired up with him they were guaranteed results. This was shown multiple times in things such as in the virtual class and other group activities

reaction, I scoffed

to you but this time you'll come back disappointed as an incident

for a second before

disappointment, he didn't show what group number he

that rule didn't apply to me who knew exactly what he got. His group was [Group 7], and if I'm

"Next, Melissa Hall"

the

intense as when Kevin had come up. This time it wasn't because of her ability, but more because of

"Next, Jin Horton"

.

.

.

"Next, Ren Dover"

knows how long, my turn

most people ignored me. No one really cared about

I found two sets of