The Academy's Time Looper-Chapter 41: Confirmation

After getting a briefcase to hold the crossbow from the training hall, Athen glanced back at Alice, who had also finished her training.

With sweat dripping down from her face and onto the floor, Alice fired off one last arrow before finally walking away from the dummy area.

Noticing Athen’s lingering gaze, Kai bumped his shoulder before saying.

"We should go...the training hall is gonna get more crowded soon."

Nodding his head in agreement, Athen halted right in front of the doors and asked.

"So, how exactly did she see your face during that dinner?"

Since Alice had been the reason he had almost been caught on the flying ship, Athen was still somewhat paranoid whenever he thought of her.

Seeing Kai hesitate and look at him with a confused expression, Athen added.

"Even if you don’t remember it, she and Delphi know your face. As I said earlier, they were able to discern that I wasn’t you back on the cruise ship."

Shrugging his shoulders, Kai grabbed a bottle of water and answered.

"I mean, is it a hundred percent? I think anybody would be able to tell you’re not me, a top-ranked student, based on your appearance back on the cruise ship. Your clothes were in tatters, and your face was dirty."

No...that couldn’t have been the case.

Alice would not have called the security guards on the ship to arrest Athen if she had not been completely sure he was not Kai.

Although Athen’s appearance on the cruise ship was rugged and poor, that wouldn’t have been enough evidence to prove he wasn’t Kai.

Both Kai and Athen had the same height and same physical traits, and besides Athen’s lack of muscle, which couldn’t have been seen anyway because he had clothes on, their build was the same.

Athen had deliberately done this.

Back on the cruise ship, he could have picked anyone to steal a uniform from, but he had chosen Kai because he most resembled him.

In other words, Alice and Delphi must have seen at least a part of Kai’s face or body to be able to distinguish Athen from him.

Realizing something, Athen grabbed Kai’s bottle of water out of his hands and replied.

"If it was a banquet, and you ’allegedly’ had your mask the entire time, how did you eat?"

"I didn’t eat. Also, why did you say allegedly like t-"

As Athen shook his head and began waterfalling the bottle of water, holding the bottle a few centimeters from his lips and allowing the water to pour out through the air and into his mouth, Alice began walking towards the doors.

Catching Kai off guard, Athen grabbed his hand and dragged him towards the doors, recognizing the opportunity.

Though she had not said anything yet, Alice probably knew Athen wasn’t Kai from their meeting on the cruise ship and from seeing Kai’s face sometimes at the banquet.

As Alice, completely ignoring the two boys, placed her hand on the doorknob, Athen put his hand around Kai’s shoulder and dragged him closer.

Then, in a completely serious and monotone voice, Athen looked straight at Alice and asked.

"Hey, do you mind telling us who we are? We’re actually doing a survey to see which one of us is more popular with the girls."

"..."

"..."

Freezing in place, Alice slowly shifted her gaze away from the doorknob and towards the two boys, making eye contact with Kai.

Immediately breaking eye contact, Kai looked to his right where Athen was, having a grim expression that said, "Do you really not realize what you have done?"

Intrigued at who could make the son of the grand duke so fearful that they were trembling, Athen smiled and continued staring at Alice, beckoning her for an answer.

Of course, he was scared of Alice as well due to the incident back on the cruise ship, but Athen tried his best not to let it show.

After a few moments of awkward silence, Alice spoke just when Athen thought the girl was about to ignore them and leave.

In a serious and maybe...disappointed tone, Alice pointed at Kai, who was wearing a collared shirt with a nametag that read "Ren," first and said.

"You’re Kai."

Already having accepted that Alice knew about their identity swap, Athen stared at Kai with an expression that said, "What’d I say?"

However, hearing Alice’s words, Kai immediately stopped trembling and replied.

"I think you’ve got us m-"

Interrupting Kai mid-sentence, Athen simply patted him on the shoulder and said.

"Give it up, buddy. You won!"

Then, turning to Alice, Athen picked up his briefcase, waved, and said.

"I’m sure she won’t tell anyone."

As Athen placed his hand on the door and prepared to exit, Alice, surprising both the two boys, pointed at him and continued in a less friendly voice.

"You’re the guy who wasted my time...Aktaio, was it?"

Ah...this is fucked.

As the memories of the second body that he had possessed flooded his head, Athen grimaced and instantly replied.

"You’re mistaken."

Pointing at the nametag on Kai’s collared shirt, he continued.

"It’s Ren."

"No, I’m sure you s-"

Wanting to probe for more answers, Athen interrupted her mid-sentence and said.

"I can’t quite seem to recall your name either, so don’t worry. Was it...Aliki? Or Alba? Hmm..."

Yet, when Athen spoke those intentionally rude words to the proud Alice, she simply stood still and confusedly stared at him.

"..?"

Taking the chance to escape, Athen grabbed the bewildered Kai and pushed open the doors.

At least...she didn’t remember anything else, simply his name.

However, this cemented it for Athen.

There was no other reason for Alice to call him the name that his second possessed body had.

He was a regressor who had lost his memories.

Though Athen was still confused why Delphi, who had been in his third body possession, remembered him as Athen when Alice called him Aktaio.

Did...the different regressors...or versions of himself, call themselves different names?

Snapping Athen out of his thoughts, Kai’s sly voice sounded from behind him.

"Ren, Athen, and Aktaio? Just who the fuck are you!?"