The dining hall was vast, cathedral-like. High arched ceilings were supported by marble pillars engraved with a bull crest: the crest of the Supreme Academy.
A bull crest? That's what they were told to call it. But with those jagged, twisted horns and that elegant, threatening pose, it looked more like a cult symbol than an academy emblem.
Tall stained-glass windows lined the walls, depicting the strength humans had shown against the Scarlet Kins in the past.
Long, immaculately carved tables dominated the floor, arranged with deliberate intent. The peripheral tables were reserved for those with high status and the Moon Killers.
Currently, Scar sat in the far left corner alongside Julien. But they found themselves in quite the annoying predicament.
Red hair, a scar across the chin that looked as if it had been carved there deliberately. Scar remembered him all too well, he was the one who'd given it to him nine years ago.
This was Adisa, and before Scar's parents died, the bastard had been nothing more than Scar's puppet. Hell, after Scar gave him that wound, Adisa was the one who apologized.
He used to be a real pushover, kind, and a yes-man. But now? Scar wasn't so sure. This guy reeked of bloodlust and malice.
"Scar Hide… Hide? Who names themselves that? And you, someone so pathetic, actually defeated Amell?"
Listening to Adisa speak made Scar's blood boil. Sure, he'd laughed at the surname Hide countless times himself, but that gave Adisa no right to mock it. That was Isaac's surname. The man who raised him.
Scar immediately got to his feet, anger evident as his veins acted as though popping out of his skin.
"Talk about my father again. I dare you."
Julien continuously tugged at Scar's uniform, trying to get him to calm down, but all Scar could think about was repeating what he'd done to Adisa nine years ago, only this time, breaking his jaw.
Laughter!
"You beat Amell and think that makes you my equal? Know your place."
Scar's anger boiled over. He reached for Adisa's collar, but before he could grasp it, an icy grip seized his wrist and snapped him back to reality.
His skin crawled.
"This hall is no place for your quarrels. Sit, eat, or remove yourselves."
Scar gulped, cold sweat breaking out despite the icy grip on his wrist. Before him stood Haven, her entire body cold as ice, yet this time she barely spared him a glance.
Even so, her words left no room for questions. Both Adisa and Scar could only nod in understanding. Even Julien complied.
After a brief moment, Haven let go of Scar's hand and returned to her seat, which was about five tables away from theirs.
Adisa sneered.
"We'd settle this next time. Tsk."
As soon as Adisa left, Julien began teasing.
"You should've seen your face. Like you'd seen a ghost… pale as a sheet. I warned you, but you didn't listen."
He burst into taunting laughter.
As strange as it seemed, Scar felt nothing emotional toward Haven this time around. Instead, confusion had replaced whatever feeling he'd felt.
Haven remained his crush, yes. She'd been that since childhood.
But why was Haven always around him? Last time, she'd even watched his duel with Amell. The thing was, he'd be glad if she'd somehow figured out it was him all along, Scar Rover. But he couldn't shake the feeling that there was nothing pleasant about this.
His name, Scar, was unusual enough that anyone who'd heard it before might feel a flicker of recognition. Isaac had suggested changing it, dyeing his hair to maintain a perfect disguise.
But Scar couldn't accept that. It was a name given by his real parents and someone worthy of respect. He was Hide and Rover both, completely.
Even if the name gave him away, too much time had passed. On paper, the Rover family had no one called Scar Rover. Anyone who remembered would second-guess themselves.
So… Haven Velanora—what was she playing at?
"Hey, what's wrong? Did I strike a nerve?"
Julien asked, snapping Scar from his daze.
"Huh? Nerve? You can't even touch a bug." Scar teased.
Julien snorted.
Ha!
"I struck a nerve… look at your face."
Wait.
"You didn't think Haven interrupted just to have lunch with us… well, with you, did you?"
Scar wore a disappointed smirk.
'How clueless of you, kid. By the way… I've held her hands before.'
As they sat there acting like children, a loud noise echoed through the room.
"The next five matches would be…"
They listened attentively, but what got their attention was Scar's name.
"Fourth: Scar Hide vs. Purple Vey."
Before Scar could even picture what Purple looked like, Adisa turned to him, acting as though he'd already claimed the fight for himself. He still looked bloodthirsty as before but Scar barely minded.
From his perspective, Adisa had every right to hate-watch, but Scar had bigger problems.
The name Vey stirred something in his centuries-old memories. He could only hope Purple didn't have an Inheritance he couldn't handle with fists alone. Dain was still out there. Watching. Always.
Julien frowned.
"Three days ago, you fought. And now… fighting again already?"
Strange. The laws never said someone couldn't fight more than once a week. But that didn't make it any less bizarre.