My Measurement: The Villain Desires a Satisfying Payback

As we exited the exam hall, I handed something to Sophie Asanami before walking in another direction.

Before I could get ambushed by any of the students wanting to ask me questions about the exam, I swiftly made my way to the school rooftop, which was fortunately empty.

Taking a seat in my regular spot, I took the lunchbox out of my bag and ate my lunch peacefully.

By the time I was done, the time had already passed 12:00. I thought about my next course of action.

Since we were allowed to go home as soon as the exam ended, many of the students were already on their way out. It was a Friday, too, so they were even more enthusiastic about the imminent post-exam weekend.

Scratch that, their eagerness would be even more so due to next week's half-term; including the two weekends, they would be receiving nine days off instead of merely two.

Furthermore, clubs weren't active during any days exams were held, so there was no real reason for anyone to stay on school grounds at this time.

Since no lessons were being taught, there were almost no teachers on the school grounds, and the few who remained were busy urging the stragglers to go home before they would do so themselves.

And thus, I was one of but a handful of people in the school at the moment.

I could afford to stay behind now because I have an event to hold, but in the future such plans would become tricky―once Selina actually starts attending school after half-term, I would have no choice but to go home at the same time she does.

Due to the contract, there will be a need for her to stay within a certain distance of myself whenever she is outside the house, you see.

In any case... It's about time I get things rolling. Wouldn't you say?

Reaching into the large backpack I brought specially for today, I took out a few things; the first of which being a simple, pure white full face mask with a black smiley on it.

"Huu... Two months since I last wore it, huh?"

That's right. I haven't put it on ever since the incident with Avon Laura at the Aurigan Arena in August, but it was now time again.

Smirking slightly as I fastened the mask to fully obscure my face, I also rolled up the sleeves of my school uniform to just above my elbows and loosened my collar and tie. Finally, I pulled out a gun, a high-quality action camera, and a small wireless microphone.

Not even five minutes of setting things up later, and everything was ready.

I hit the 'go live' button and the stream began.

"..."

I waited a moment for it to boot up when I heard a voice.

"There you are."

Turning my head, my gaze happened upon the man who emerged from the rooftop door. He wasn't someone I was familiar with personally, but he seemed to work as a first-year teacher.

"Do you need something?"

Of course, I already knew why this person was here, but I asked anyway. The response I received was rather standard, however.

"You know why I'm here. How someone like you could infiltrate our school and pretend to be an ordinary school student when what you've done is commit a heinous sin... How dare you!"

Listening to this teacher made me want to sigh. Since it was the Wardens who were behind all this, I didn't have to guess what sin they were saying I committed.

To be honest, the gun in my hand probably didn't help to correct that notion.

"I don't believe in the concept of sin. Whether there is or isn't a God or Gods, what gives them the right to dictate what actions I can and cannot take?"

I am not a sheep of the herd nor the shepherd. There is nothing that has more right over my life than myself.

"Blasphemy...!"

Well, it's whatever.

Beginning with a single step, I walked towards the teacher. With my backpack on my back and the action cam planted firmly on the collar just below my neck, I closed the distance between us.

"U-uh...! Stay away from me!"

Judging by the expression on his face, the man was frightened. That had nothing to do with me, however, and so I continued.

As I approached him, though, I noticed his eyes flicker behind me for a split-second as a flash of relief surfaced on his face.

"Woaghk...?!"

First things first, I dashed towards the teacher before he could react and locked him in a chokehold. Taking the Ruger MkIV in my hand and pointing the barrel at his head, he quickly understood to cease his flailing about.

Immediately, I turned to face the person―or rather, the group of people―who appeared at the edge of the rooftop. It was evident that they were from the Wardens by taking a single look at their pristine white uniforms, but none of them seemed particularly special. Still, quantity alone was something to be cautious of.

They slowly began to close the distance one step at a time, and I reciprocated by taking a step back each time they did.

Of course, this couldn't last forever as there was a door right behind me, and so in one quick motion―

"Gah!"

Bang bang bang bang-!!

―I kicked the teacher towards them and pulled the trigger in quick succession.

Some of the bullets hit, some of them missed, but either way didn't matter too much. There was no time to take aim, so I wouldn't complain about something like that.

Turning around, I forewent the spark of curious desire to see the results and simply booked it; through the door, off the roof and down the stairs.

On the second floor, I was now in both a safer and more dangerous place.

Although there was no immediate threat and I was not cornered, enemies could now come at me from any direction.

Suddenly, I heard a flurry of heavy footsteps and started running.

For now, I had to make it to the gymnasium, but it was too far away. I had no choice but to hide on the roof to not get found by the teachers until I was ready, but it was the furthest place from that destination.

As I ran through the halls of the school's second floor, it didn't take long at all for more chumps of the Wardens to show up and chase after me.

Fortunately, I was by no means a slow runner and could thus maintain a certain distance from the majority. Nonetheless, that wasn't a guarantee of my safety.

Bang bang-!

Firing off a few rounds into those who got too close for comfort, I soon arrived at the stairs leading to the first floor.

"Stop now! We--"

Bang!

The shouting of a man blocking the stairwell abruptly cut off as his body fell backwards and down the stairs, bouncing like a ragdoll.

Jumping over him and the mess he made, I successfully made it to the first floor.

That did not mean much, however, as there was still another floor I had to descend; to the ground floor.

Ground floor, first floor, second floor, and the rooftop―such was the vertical structure of the school. Ordinarily, students wouldn't be allowed on the rooftop as it was forbidden, but those like Sophie Asanami and myself didn't care for such a rule.

The first floor was even worse than the ground floor. By that, I mean it was even more infested with the Wardens' grunts than the second floor.

Carrying out the same procedure on the first floor was thrice as hard as the second floor due to the sheer quantity of people chasing me like a stampede. Since they were almost entirely adult males, their muscles were more developed than mine and it was hard to outrun most of them.

A better analogy would be that it felt like being chased in a zombie apocalypse.

If I got grabbed here, a strange sensation loomed over me at that thought, and I felt like I would die.

Although I knew I wouldn't get hurt too badly in reality, getting hurt was the least of my concerns.

I put my all into my form, pushing my legs to their limits so that I wouldn't get caught no matter what.

As I ran through the halls, I took my backpack off and threw it on the ground in front of everyone behind me, causing them to trip and fall in a huge domino effect.

"Fuuh~ Haha!"

Letting out a deep exhale that transformed into a victorious laugh as I confirmed the newfound space between us that created a large and ever-growing gap, I felt relief briefly wash over me.

Looking ahead and around at my surroundings, I felt as if my eyes had opened for the first time.

The cool air hitting my face and blowing my hair out of the way;

The impact of my feet against the floor which propelled my body forwards with every step;

The adrenaline coursing through my veins, causing my body to become extremely alert to the surroundings and hyper aware of these unusual sensations.

―I had never been pursued in this way before, but it somehow felt exhilarating.

Usually, I would sit relaxedly, detached from the situation, and let everything flow according to my plan, but this...

This whole thing of acting personally, of acting involved and engaged, is fun, too, you know?