How To Survive A Calamity

"So, Vic~ I've got this childhood friend, and his name is Nico. Well, i think you'd know him better as Nicodemus Kodrey...or better still... Number 1047"

I raised a brow and asked inquisitively,

"Nicodemus Kodrey?"

Never heard of him.

"Yes," Chelsea nodded in her usual manner, the solemn gloom now gone from her forced smile, "he's actually a classmate of ours."

"I see..."

Nicodemus Kodrey... I'm not sure, but maybe i might have heard that name once before? Well, it would make sense, if he was in our class.

But, it would still be a stretch to say i knew that name. I couldn't even picture a face to it, really.

"You have no clue who he is right?"

Chelsea sighed, sitting across me, and i readily nodded from my position.

"Nope, not the slightest."

My memory couldn't be blamed for not remembering the names of extras. To me, my classmates were just brats and kids who happened to be around me during certain periods.

Aside from a few who have made a certain level of impression on me, like Ceres and Alexander, i don't think i bothered to recall who was who exactly in my class.

"Rank 1047." That's not average at all.

I chewed on the name and rank number for a few seconds more, but still shook my head.

"Sorry." I bluntly said.

Chelsea sighed with a small smile and waved dismissively.

"No, there's no need for you to. I kind of expected that, i guess," she said, and continued, "you're not that much interested in those around you, are you, Vic?"

"Okay, hey, i think I've let it slide enough. I don't think we're close enough for you to call me that, stop."

There was a reason why whenever Chelsea called me that i would feel something prick me from inside.

That's because, there was only ever one person who called me by that pet name, and that was no one other than my sweet older sister Adrianne!

"Heh, come on, Vic. We're teammates, you can call me Chels or whatever if you want to."

This girl...

"So, what about this Nico guy?" I said, moving on.

Chelsea nodded mildly, seemingly almost meekly actually, and twiddled with her finger strangely on the table.

"Nico, or Nicodemus and i have been childhood friends long before we both Awakened and decided to join the academy. He's like the brother i never had. Nico is family, and more to me." Chelsea began to explain in detail.

I felt a slight shift in mood once again and decided to wait it out for her to finish. So silently in my seat, over the table, i leaned my head against my arm...and listened.

Under my silent gaze, Chelsea Harper continued as i waited for her to get to the point. Her beautiful face and expression melted with wistful warmth as she spoke of the past.

"Nico and I were always together since we were little, promising to do literally everything together. But a lot of things have changed since we entered Aegis. Even though we Awakened at almost similar times, Nico's talent evaluation at the beginning was far below what any of us expected, but even then, over various factors, he still wished to continue the path of a Hero..."

Chelsea paused yet again taking a deep breath. I still wasn't clear on what the point was, and how it had anything to do with me, but Chelsea seemed to be struggling with the right words. Her expression was sewn with hesitation and pain, that i had to pretend not to notice.

"You and this Nico guy...you both seem to get along." I casually said in a small attempt to alleviate the mood subtly.

Actually from what Chelsea had briefly explained to me, i could also more or less understand a few things.

"He's struggling to cope...?"

Without looking to deny it, Chelsea readily nodded.

"Yes. Nico isn't that skilled or powerful, i think he's been getting bullied a lot since the beginning."

"How do you know this?"

"...He...fell off from his initial rank."

Huh?

At this point, i had to show genuine suprise.

"He fell off?"

I knew about the ranking system and how a rank could be easily changed with some effort, but i don't think I've personally heard of someone who has fallen off from their initial rank.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Chelsea swallowed, still playing with her fingers.

"Yes. Nico was admitted into the Aegis initially ranked at 625, but now he has fallen so far below at 1047.."

1047...

That's a lot, i had to bite down the tip of my tongue tightly to barely stop myself from saying that. But i still felt incredulous, strangely.

"How did that happen?"

That was a foolish question on my part, but i couldn't entirely be blamed. Rank 626 to 1047 in less than two months was crazy.

"...Dueling."

I held my glabella and sighed tiredly.

It was either Nicodemus challenged a duel and lost repeatedly, or was challenged and still lost over and over.

Since Chelsea has even claimed he wasn't a skilled fighter, it was much easier to believe the latter.

Since my duel with Ceres, it seems a lot of confrontations and duels have been going on amongst first years.

Huh, it's almost like Ceres and i were the ground openers for the current development.

There was no use thinking so, however, even if i hadn't been the first to challenge Ceres, a duel was something that would have happened eventually.

So, i guess, Nicodemus was just caught up in his own misfortune.

"I'm sure Nico has been getting bullied. He has become a laughing stock among those ranked lower than him. I've heard all sorts of things..."

"Why not go talk to him instead of listening to rumours?" I suggested bluntly.

But Chelsea shook her head.

"I've tried, but he's been avoiding me right since the beginning. Even when i corner him... Nico doesn't dare look me in the eyes and shudders..." She said.

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"His shoulders quake at my presence..." Her voice shuddered.

"He lowers his head." She continued.

"The way he looks at me, as if I'm a hungry predator." Chelsea's breath ceased sharply.

"...Like he's afraid of me."