[Cadet Lucas Morningstar, rank 116969, has been assigned to be part of class 1-A-1’s 18th unit.

The other members of your unit will be:

•Rank 122212, Kent Takeahint

•Rank 000025, Nero Dekrauf

•Rank 007231, Anastasia Bigod

•Rank 009468, Amelia Black

Remember it is essential to maintain positive relationships with your team members, as in a combat scenario, the trust and support of your comrades will be equally important to your survival as your own skills and equipment.]

“Arghh!”

Lying on my bed, I couldn’t help but let out a frustrated groan after scrolling through the text message again and again.

Each time, I expected the written contents of the text message to change. But it didn’t happen.

No matter how many times I may scroll through it, it was the same! I was assigned to be in unit 18, just like in the novel!

Well, it’s on me. I forgot about this and did nothing to change the outcome. I was too focused on staying away from the protagonist and stealing a cheat item.

“Arghhh! Just fuck me sideways!”

In the novel, Unit 18 of class 1-A-1 consisted of three main characters, one side character, and the first minor villain of the novel.

This unit played a huge role in moving the plot forward.

Members of a Unit must not only work together during training but also cooperate with each other during events in order to showcase their teamwork.

This cooperation ultimately affects the number of merit points they will receive at the end of the month.

In short, in order to preserve their individual gains, the cadets were forced to cooperate together for mutual benefits.

“Please, kill me already,” I put a hand over my face and let out a lazy groan while rolling all over my bed.

In the novel, the role of Unit 18 was to develop the relationship between the three main characters and ruin their impression of Lucas even further.

That, in turn, infuriated Nero, the protagonist, even more during his duel with Lucas, causing him to go out of his way to humiliate the disowned noble boy.

Ding–!

Right, when I was in the midst of wailing like a spoiled child who found out Santa wasn’t real, a notification sound rang in my smart bracelet.

𝑛𝗈𝗏𝖊𝐥𝚗𝑒xt.𝑐𝚘𝑚

Frowning, I scrolled down the notification bar and saw it was from the academy’s messaging app. Without thinking much, I clicked on it but instantly regretted my decision.

From the screen of my smart bracelet, a holographic chat window projected out in front of me.

===

⟨Rank 000025 Nero Dekrauf created ‘Unit 18 Group Chat’ on March 5, 2723⟩

⟨You were added⟩

[Nero Dekrauf is typing…]

[Amelia Black: I told you not to add him!]

[Kent Takeahint: He did already….]

[Anastasia Bigod: How do you use emojis again?]

===

I almost threw away my smart bracelet as soon as I accidentally opened up the group chat.

It seems like not only was I added last, but from the looks of it, I wasn’t wanted there to begin with.

The smart bracelet provided by the academy can function as a communication device.

If you want, you could request the contact information of your peers from the faculty by providing them with a good enough reason.

And I guess being in the same Unit together was a good enough reason for Nero to obtain my contact information.

And judging from the circumstantial pieces of evidence, after Nero acquired my contact information, he added me to the group chat that he created before Amelia could persuade him not to do that.

“Haaa,” letting out an exasperated sigh, I started scrolling through the text messages, lurking silently.

===

[Anastasia Bigod: How do you use emojis again?]

[Nero Dekrauf is typing…]

[Amelia Black: Dude how long does it take you to type a sentence?!?!?]

[Kent Takeahint: Lolol! And he’s a top ranker! Lol!]

[Amelia Black: Ikr? One might think he would be fast with his hands]

[Kent Takeahint: XD]

[Anastasia Bigod: Guys! Stop ignoring me! (⁠T‿⁠T)]

===

Good grief, they talk like a bunch of annoying toddlers going through puberty!

Oh, wait… they are teenagers. Never mind, my bad.

===

[Nero Dekrauf: Guys, remember. The academy will allot us merit points based on our synergy with other things. So it’s in our best interest to work with each other.]

[Amelia Black: I don’t careeeeee!]

[Kent Takeahint: @Nero_Dekrauf#000025 you chat so formally! With all the punctuation marks and all! Lolololol!]

[Anastasia Bigod: @Amelia_Black#009468 y’know Nero is right. The merit points we’ll get can be useful when buying weapons or Martial Art techniques. We should try to make the best of what we are being offered.]

[Amelia Black: Arghhhh! Fine! I’ll work together with that ass but if he dares do anything funny I’ll shoot him with an arrow in his fucking nuts!]

[Kent Takeahint: Lololol!]

===

As I read that, I couldn’t help but involuntarily grab my groin region.

A young maiden shouldn’t be using such words! And talking about shooting a man in his family jewels?!

Blasphemy! It’s a crime worthy of death!

===

[Nero Dekrauf: Okay, now with that out of the way, what do you all think about meeting at my place in an hour? You know, since only 2 out of 5 people in our unit know how to use magic spells.]

[Kent Takeahint: Ye ye! I was about to ask you to teach me myself!]

[Anastasia Bigod: In an hour. You mean at 5:30? Sure.]

[Amelia Black: Fine.]

===

And after that, suddenly the chat group went silent. Maybe they all went to get ready.

And since I was lurking, I could just not go and probably make an excuse later about how I missed the texts because I didn’t check my smart bracelet!

Yes! I’m a fucking genius!

Phew. Crisis averted.

===

[Amelia Black: Why is that guy not answering?]

[Kent Takeahint: Is he… ignoring us?]

[Amelia Black: See! I told you! That guy is unreasonable! He probably thinks he’s too good to grace us peasants with his presence or some shit!]

[Anastasia Bigod: Someone ping him. I think he’s not reading.]

[Amelia Black: It’s showing a blue tick under all messages. Everyone, him included, is reading]

===

What the fuck?!

What the actual fuck?!

What in the name of god’s fuck?!

Instantly, I checked, and sure enough, two blue ticks were displaying under all the text messages that were sent in the group chat.

Why?!

Just why?!

Why does this app have a blue tick system? It’s the worst enemy of us chat lurkers!

===

[Anastasia Bigod: Still he could be AFK. Someone ping him.]

[Nero Dekrauf: @Lucas_Morningstar#116969 c’mere and answer our question. Can you come to my place in an hour?]

[Amelia Black: @Lucas_Morningstar#116969 @Lucas_Morningstar#116969 @Lucas_Morningstar#116969 @Lucas_Morningstar#116969]

[Anastasia Bigod: Hey don’t ping spam him…]

[Kent Takeahint: Lololol!

[Me: @Nero_Dekrauf#000025 Yeah sure I’ll be there]

[Anastasia Bigod: See (⁠*⁠˘⁠︶⁠˘⁠*⁠)]

[Amelia Black: Tsk]

[Nero Dekrauf: Great. I’ll send my location here.]

===

As I put down my smart bracelet, tears dripped down my face. I just wanted to jump off this bed and end my life.

I blundered.

Never in my wildest dreams did I think the academy’s messaging app would have a blue tick feature.

Well, it could’ve played down even worse but I think I handled the situation pretty well, right?

“Fuuu!” Letting out a sigh, I clenched my fist.

Fine. If I can’t avoid the main characters now, then I’ll do my best to give them at least not any reason to hate me even more.

By doing that, I’ll not make myself a target of Nero. I think?