She opened her eyes to an unfamiliar ceiling and right beside her was Cypher snoring soundly. She was in the infirmary. She had been carried here after her fight with John and received treatment for all her bruises.
She let out a groan as she tried to sit up, and then Flynn walked in and hurriedly stopped her.
"You shouldn't be making any sudden movements." His brow furrowed in worry.
She smiled weakly. "I am fine. I promise. I may not know how to fight but I am quite durable."
He glanced at her head neatly wrapped in bandages and arms decorated with bandaids and sighed.
"Alright. I believe you. But make sure to get some rest. In five days, we will be going on our first mission. Raps already excused you from your lessons for those days so that you can rest up."
"Mission?" She was out of it. Right after experiencing one hell, why did she have to jump head-first into another?
He grabbed her by the shoulders. "You won't get hurt. You will just be carrying our things."
"But…"
"I won't let you get hurt. I promise."
She felt a swell of emotions that seemed to want to break her dam of tears.
'I can't cry. Crying will just prove it's Just like that she quickly stopped her tears from falling.
She glanced at him and smiled."Thank you."
***************
Christopher was seated at his desk as looked at the documents in his hand with a frown when the door burst open.
"To what do I owe the pleasure, Vice Head?"
The Vice Head glared at him, his face almost like a tomato.
"Why did you suspend Instructor Fisher?"
Christopher chuckled. "Is that all? I thought you wanted to speak to me about an important matter."
"Answer me!" he yelled.
Christopher simply smiled." If you insist. He violated the rules and allowed his agenda to override his teaching duties."
"How could you call that a violation? That student is weak and this academy strives to bully the weak."
Christopher sighed. "You are not wrong, however, many witnesses have claimed the girl had been defeated but your person didn't call it off."
Christopher glanced at him and said innocently."So wouldn't you consider this a violation?"
"Indeed, our school prioritizes survival but not to the extent of threatening a student 's life," he continued.
"She wasn't going to die…" the Vice Head said through gritted teeth.
"Oh? And how are you so certain, Mr Drusk?"
'Damn it!' Mr Drusk realised he had fallen for his ploy which meant Christopher knew everything was his doing.
With a huff, he hurriedly turned around and exited Christopher's office with a bang. He had decided to escape before he spilled more things on that devious dimwitted Head.
Watching Mr Drusk's actions, Christopher allowed a chuckle to escape and returned to his papers like nothing had happened. Not even a few seconds passed when he heard a knick.
"Come in."
The person entered. It was his assistant, Arnold.
"I have brought the documents you requested."
"Thank you. Place them over there, please." Arnold placed the documents on his table and turned to exit but hesitated.
Noticing his behaviour, Christopher asked, "Something on your mind?"
Arnold quickly glanced at Christopher's expression before speaking. "it's just, that I saw Mr Drusk running away from your office on my way here"
Christopher leaned back into his chair. "Oh? And what of it?"
"Did you bully him again?"
"Again? The way you say it makes it seem like I live on his suffering." Christopher scoffed.
"I didn't mean it like that, it's just what if he reports it to the Board. Right now, you are not in a favourable position with them ever since you forcefully enrolled that girl into the Honours Class. He might try to impeach your position ."
Looking at the worry etched on his face, Christopher chuckled, "If my position was that easy to take, I would have been evicted long ago. I am aware of the saliva that drips when that fool looks at me but like you said, I am currently in an unfavourable position so any movement to remove him will threaten my position and my ownership of the Honours Class."
"So why protect that student?"
"It was a request."
"From who?" Arnold wondered which strong figure could make the Head willingly be threatened for a meagre student.
But Christopher remained silent and before Arnold could ask him more, another knock was heard.
Christopher called the person to enter and the person was John.
Christopher looked at Arnold and he instinctively realised he had to leave and he did.
After Arnold left, Christopher turned his attention to the boy who stood before him.
"You may take your seat."
"No, thank you. I am good standing."
Christopher smiled. "Is that so? Anyway, I called you here to inform you of something."
"Am I being suspended as well?"
"And why would I do that?" he asked with a bemused smile.
"I could have stopped but I didn't." John shrugged.
"So will you beg me to revoke your suspension?"
"I will never bow down to you," John said resolutely.
Christopher chuckled. "That fool has managed to poison your mind quite well."
John sneered. "He didn't poison me. I just refuse to be associated with someone who allows connections to triumph over ability."
"I see. But I don't remember doing that."
"Your Honours' class is filled to the brim with nobles even that worthless girl used you as a connection."
The boy's words made Christopher let out another chuckle. "I'm certain you haven't left forgotten your presence here is all due to your grandmother."
John clenched his fists, unable to counter. He detested those who were parachuted to success yet his biggest shame was being part of those very people.
Christopher glanced at the boy's expression and smiled. He picked up the documents he had perused earlier and handed them to him. "Speaking of your grandmother, here."
John glanced suspiciously at him and took them. Upon receiving them, words capitalized and in bold quickly drew his attention. The words were 'Death Certificate'. His eyes widened as he continued to read. His legs seemed to have lost power and he unwittingly long for the seat he had declined before. His face was pale, distraught as his breathing grew increasingly uneven.
"She died…" he mumbled in disbelief looking at his hands that trembled like a leaf. What he had just read was Hilda's death certificate.
He looked up from his shaking fingers. "How did this happen?"
Christopher raised a brow. "Doesn't it say?"
"It says an Act-related death…" he murmured, his voice unstable.
"It is as written. Your grandmother died during the Act."
In a fit of anger, John crumpled up the paper and tossed it to the side. "This paper tells me nothing!"
"I know you know!" he roared.
He smashed his hands against the table. " Tell me now! She wouldn't die just like that!"
Christopher knew the child was in pain but all he could do was shake his head apologetically.
Tears cusped the surface of his eyelids. " Please…Tell me how she died."
"Grandma is strong. She is smart…She couldn't have—" He let out choked sobs.
Christopher placed a hand on his shoulder. "I am sorry, John but she is gone."
Those words sunk him deeper into despair.
"Let me go and look at her grave. The villagers…They need my help! Why did this take so long to arrive? The damn Act ended a long time ago."
Christopher lightly shook him. "Calm down, child."
He looked at the colour drained face of the poor boy. Telling him another truth would send him spiralling.
"John, I also regret to inform you that the rest of your village was killed during the Act. The only survivors were a few children, your father and a girl they had taken in a few weeks prior."
John's mind instantly went blank and watched the world go blank. He had fainted. The boy who had delivered a one-sided beatdown had fallen.
Christopher glanced at the boy sprawled at his desk. "How am I going to be able to move him?"