Reincarnated Into A Dead Woman's Body In Another World-Chapter 155: [Bonus - ] The Metallum Blade

Part 1: Regrets to My Future

"Stop it!" a girl with bright red hair cried out—two ears cowering and covering her head; a red tail hid in between her legs while she was crouched down.

"Freak!"

"She looks so weird!"

A relatively small playground, grass kept short and kids playing on the seesaws whilst others played on the slides. However, a little crowd of fifteen or so children had circled around a small wolf-girl.

They crumpled up pieces of paper and picked up little pebbles to be thrown at the redheaded girl, who was maybe about six years old; she covered her head and ears with her hands while in between all of them, squealing and crying as she did.

A boy crumpled up his exam paper in his hands; it’s not like ’B’ was a grade to be proud of. He had clear skin and sharp blue eyes—the greyish-turquoise school uniform they all wore.

Medium black hair, ruffled—he glared at the paper in his hands. Was this really the best way to get rid of the frustration? He aimed for the wolf-girl and swung his arm.

"Tock!" The crumpled exam paper hit her right on the head as she winced and squeaked; just another paper from the barrage of random objects being flung at her.

The boy sighed; it’s not like this was the first time he threw something at the girl, much like the other students around him. But it was still the same as any other time he did—it did not help the frustration.

"Hey Okod!" a scrawny boy came running in from behind. He jumped right before the circle of students and chucked a food wrapper into the mix onto the girl.

He caught himself on Okod’s shoulder upon landing, "So, what happened this time?"

Okod looked to the boy next to him—dirty blonde hair and some missing teeth—much taller than him; though, most kids seemed to be.

"Oh hi Zach; she corrected someone’s history homework I think," Okod replied.

"Who’s?"

"Don’t know," Okod shrugged, "But clearly they didn’t want the help."

"I heard she likes to stick her nose in other people’s business, so that makes sense. Nobody even knows that dog-girl; I think she’s a 2nd year?" Zach glanced to her.

"Actually, I think she’s a wolf-girl," Okod speculated.

"Eh, what’s the difference?" Zach rolled his eyes, "I think we’ll learn how these freaks of nature came to be in next year’s syllabus."

"I think they were, failed experiments from a long time ago or something."

"Yeah, my dad says they’re pretty common outside of Kria though," Zach picked up a pebble and threw it at her. "Tuff." "Aw, I missed," the stone fell into the grass.

Okod’s face pouted and nose wrinkled, "What are we doing? We’re two 3rd years bullying a 2nd year. I get that she’s an abomination and all, but shouldn’t we be doing something else? Like call a teacher at least?"

Zach looked to Okod, "Hey, don’t go defending her. You do that, you’re gonna be right there with her. We still have so many years of school left.

The seniors will be the end of us if we get a reputation right here," said the nine-year-old to the other. "So don’t go do something stupid, alright?" Zach held him by the shoulder.

Okod stared to the ground, then took a deep breath. He looked up to Zach—concern was all over the blonde’s face. "Okay, I won’t," he replied.

"Good."

"RING!!!" The school bell rang. The students circling the girl all glanced at the cream-coloured building and began to hurriedly get their things together.

The wolf-girl, seeing the barrage come to an end, stood up. Tears still went down her face and her ears were still folded back—her brilliant blue eyes surveyed her surroundings as a little bit of blood went down her cheek.

The girl ran out from the disassembling circle of kids and ran past all of them, out of the playground. Okod stared at her while the other students were busy getting back to their classes now—some sneered at the abomination running away.

"Come on, we have math," Zach pulled Okod along.

"Uh, you go first, I have to pee. Vouch for me will you?" Okod’s eyes shifted back and forth.

"Yeah, sure," Zach walked away, alongside the other students, into the school. An unnerving feeling—his heart beat faster as he stood somewhat alone.

Was he really going to skip class? He had already lied to his friend... "I think she was bleeding," Okod whispered to himself before quashing down the nervousness.

He glanced back and forth, before grabbing his bottle of water. He took out a handkerchief from his pocket and ran after the wolf-girl.

The boy made his way in the direction she ran; a small open gate to the side of the school that led outside—left unguarded... The adrenaline rushed into his body as he gulped...

He looked left and right, before he held his breath and walked beyond the gate. Face scrunched and brows furrowed, he looked for all the places the girl could have run off to.

On the left were just the streets and some buildings— and to the right- Straight ahead! Down the street, he saw a flash of crimson hair turning into an alley.

Okod rushed after her down the street, nearly knocking into people going about their business. Rumbling carts went by, pulled by horsaroaches—between the streets right at the border of the Magistrate District and Old-Town he ran through.

With the school still in sight, Okod found the corner of a building. The girl was sat against the wall, bruised and dirty. She held her knees within her arms, sobbing to herself.

Okod held the corner of the wall, water bottle and handkerchief still in hand; he stared, about to open his mouth.

"Hey, don’t go defending her. You do that, you’re gonna be right there with her—So don’t go do something stupid, alright?" Zach’s words rang in his head.

The people passed by, Okod stuck close to the wall, still unsure of what to do; that was until he caught a blue glow. Okod pressed himself closer to the wall, eyes widening.

Her tears rolled down her cheeks and started to glow. The small cut and the few bruises on her cheek began repairing themselves. The redhead could feel it and as she opened her eyes to check.

Okod gasped and hid himself from her view—back against the wall. "Woah..." Okod whispered, peeking again to look at her. The girl’s eyes were wide, staring at the glowing blue tears on her fingertips that faded away.

He moved back, "I-I can’t be seen here. At least she’s okay," Okod gulped and then, ran off back into the school, before people got suspicious...

_

Okod returned home, schoolbag on both shoulders. A modest house in East Kria, one in which he ran up the stairs—jostling the contents of his bag. His older sister’s room sat right across from his.

He opened his door—a room painted white and the window open to let air in. A large carpet in the centre, a single bed to the side, a small desk and a wardrobe.

He still could not believe what he had witnessed; so much so, he could barely focus on his homework. He did not even see the girl later in the day.

Then, the word finally hit him, "Affinity. She has an affinity," Okod spoke. The early evening turned to night and the Parnell family sat for dinner downstairs.

"Mom, dad?" Okod had finished half his plate before his parents turned to his call. "Can we go check if I have an affinity?" he meekly suggested.

"Like you would have an affinity," his sister, four years older than him, pointed with her fork.

"Kenilia," their mother told off with a glare. His sister pouted, going silent.

"Sure, we can go check that," his dad placed down his utensils, "How’s tomorrow sound?"

_

"Thanks for taking me along," Zach faced up to Mr and Mrs Parnell.

"Of course," Mrs Parnell smiled, "Now, you two need to behave alright?" 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

"Yes."

"Okay mom." They went into the shop while his father waited outside for a smoke. The bell at the door dinged.

Windows open, the shop filled with antiques and magical items to the brim—they had to duck around certain parts of the shop. Paintings browned and old, fuelless lanterns exhibiting a glow.

’Baregout’s Shop of Magic and Spells’, a sign read. "Ah! Customers," a short man in his late forties, wearing a black tunic and a brown vest.

He halted restocking his shelves and climbed down the ladder. "Good morning," Mrs Parnell greeted, "We came to check if these two handsome little rascals have affinities," she ruffled Okod’s hair.

"Perfect, perfect," Baregout got onto the floor of his shop, "They wanted to check as well; you arrived a minute after," he cheerily made his way behind the counter.

Another man and a woman perused the shop whilst the woman held the hand of a girl with brown hair and brown eyes—about the age of the other two kids.

Okod and Zach looked over just as the girl glanced to them. She gave a soft smile and waved shyly. Okod stared whilst Zach waved aimlessly, nearly hitting Okod in the eye.

The mother of the girl tugged her along, "Come on Lexi, let’s see if you have an affinity," the exact features of her daughter, except the mother had green eyes.

Baregout went beneath his counter, pulling out a thick and tall board that had tiny runes written all over on the coffee-coloured surface—focus in his eyes.

"Please, put your hand in the middle," Baregout instructed the girl. He took out a staff and knocked it against the board and specks of purple dust sprayed out from it.

The dust shaped around her hand, flowing around before the dark purple dust turned into blackish-violet liquid and seeped into the board.

"Let’s see," Mr Baregout clicked a button, pistons ejected and lines revealed along the height of the board mechanism, like layers of cake.

The liquid seeped into the fourth tier and he pulled out the board from below like a drawer. The blackish-violet fluid centred upon one of the runes, glowing, "Shadow," he uttered.

"I have an affinity?" the girl’s eyes sparkled.

"Me next!" Zach raised his arm.

"Wind," Baregout told, his eyes widening, "Wow, two people in the same day. Exceptionally rare."

"Woah, I have an affinity too!?" Zach yelled.

"Zach..." Mrs Parnell gave a glance.

"Sorry," Zach chuckled nervously. Lexi giggled behind her mother. Zach looked to her and giggled a little more.

Seeing her laugh, Okod blushed, "Maybe... it could be three?" Okod placed his hand on the board.

Baregout nodded, "It would certainly be a wonder; let us see," the dust sprinkled, the greyish liquid trickled, "Metal..." he announced, "Wow..."

"Metal?" Okod squinted as Zach and Lexi turned to him.

"It’s quite a rare element. You are, dare I say, destined for great things boy," Baregout chuckled. Okod took a step back—the pair of parents and Mrs Parnell paying the fee.

"Now, what your affinities are, you will still have to figure out; you have taken the first step in finding what element your affinity is tied to," he told the kids.

Then he looked to the parents, "I would suggest not attempting to practice magic anytime soon. Affinities often bloom with age.

So, spells won’t come till they mature; there might be early bloomers, but it’s best not to test. Let their affinities develop fully first."

Meanwhile, "We have affinities!" Zach yelled as quietly as he could to Okod. The pair were smiling before they looked to the girl who also was filled with wonder...