The following day arrived with a heavy blanket of monotony. The morning lectures were a grueling endurance test of sitting still, listening to professors drone on about ancient mana-conduits, and suppressing the urge to yawn every five minutes. I found myself daydreaming about the adrenaline of the previous day—honestly, kicking the asses of arrogant bullies was far more therapeutic than academic theory.
When the morning session finally rounded up, I made my way to the Lunch Center. I joined the long queue, waiting for my dish order, when a flash of familiar arrogance caught my eye. A Tier-four student was aggressively cutting in line, shoving aside a Tier-one kid who looked ready to collapse from fear.
I let out a cunning smirk. Wouldn't it be embarrassing for a bully to be bullied at the same time? I mused. I was about to step in when a different presence entered the fray.
A girl with vibrant pink hair, neatly packed into twin tails that cascaded down to her waist, stepped forward. She was a study in contrasts. She wore a long black jacket that brushed her heels, but underneath was a white, short-buttoned shirt that revealed her navel, paired with a short black skirt and knee-high stretchy socks. Despite her average height, she radiated a sharp, dangerous energy as she casually rolled a sweet in her mouth.
She tapped the Tier-four bully on the shoulder.
"Huh? Who the hell are you—?" The boy snapped, turning around. He stopped mid-sentence. His face went pale, and a bead of sweat rolled down his temple. "I-I'm sorry, Lady Wenta. I didn't realize it was you."
He immediately bowed his head, his voice trembling. The surrounding students began to murmur her name in hushed, fearful tones. Wenta ignored them, her expression unconcerned as she moved the sweet to the other side of her cheek.
"Well, well, Andrew," she said, her voice a soft, terrifying melody. "How many times do I have to warn you not to intimidate those below you in my presence? Don't you know it irritates me? And you know the punishment for that, right?"
"Ye… yee… yes," Andrew stammered.
"I'll let it slide for today because I have a special appointment," Wenta said, her lips curving into a dark, predatory grin. "But on one condition, your training intensity will be tripled for the next month."
Andrew's knees buckled. "Lady Wenta, please! Anything but that!"
"Oh? Was that too light?" Wenta closed her eyes, smiling darkly. "How about we add sweeping the hall entrance without the use of magic, and serving tea at my table during every lunch break? Of course, your training will still continue afterward."
"What? My Lady, that's too cruel! Please, I'll take the first one!" Andrew pleaded, desperate to avoid the manual labor and public humiliation.
"Fine. Now, leave my presence."
"Thank you, My Lady!" Andrew scrambled away, disappearing into the crowd as fast as his legs could carry him.
She's scary despite her striking appearance, I thought, watching the exchange.
Her unbothered expression shifted the moment her eyes locked onto mine. She walked toward me with a rhythmic click of her boots.
"Hey, you're Oliver-kun, right? It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Wenta." She stretched out her hand for a friendly handshake. I pulled my hand from my pocket and took hers.
"Umm… to what do I owe the pleasure?" I asked, my curiosity piqued.
"I've heard a lot about you from Shera," she replied. "He pleaded with me to come and lead you to him."
"Tch. So he was actually serious about yesterday's offer." I muttered internally.
"Okay," I said aloud, managing a small smile despite the dozens of envious, burning gazes pinned to my back.
"Hey, isn't that tier-one kid lucky?"
"Yeah, to talk so casually to Lady Wenta… we can't even approach her."
"Lucky bastard."
I walked past the murmuring crowd, completely unbothered by their jealousy.
"So… you're one of Sherach's friends, right?" I asked as we walked.
"Yeah, of course. But not just a friend," she said, suddenly pressing both hands to her cheeks. A deep blush spread across her face as she skipped slightly. "I am his actual type."
So she can be a bit of a daydreaming child when she's not terrifying people, I noted.
----
We reached a section of the hallway I had never seen before. As an E-Ranker, these luxurious quarters were usually off-limits. We entered a grand hall supported by fancy, descending pillars and marble stairways. This was the diamond tier relaxation lounge. There were roughly fifty students here, each possessing a presence far beyond the average student, though none quite as overwhelming as Sherach.
I spotted Sherach at the far end of the hall, lounging near a private bar. He was with two other guys and a girl with sharp black hair, and they seemed to be in the middle of a heated card game.
"Dammit! When can I beat you for once, Yuri-chan? Give me a break!" Sherach groaned, looking dejected as he stared at his losing hand.
"Hmph. No matter how many times you try, Shera, you'll never beat me," the girl, Yuri, said with a smug tilt of her chin.
The other male student laughed. "Yeah, Shera, just give up. Yuri is a dangerous player. Even I'd lose to her."
"Tch. As long as you're human, you can't be unbeatable. Let's try again—"
"Umm… you called for me?" I interrupted, standing behind them.
"Hey, Oliver-kun!" Sherach jumped up, his face lighting up with excitement. "It's so nice to see you again! I've been expecting you. What took so long?"
"I didn't think you were being serious," I replied.
"Huh? What did you take me for? I'm a man of my word," Sherach said.
Wenta stepped forward, clearing her throat. "Sherach, I've done as you asked. Now, where is my reward?"
"Yeah, yeah, I remember, Wenta. But I don't have anything on me right now. Maybe later. Thanks!" Sherach waved her off casually.
"But… but maybe a kiss will do?" she asked with a look of feigned innocence. Sherach ignored her, turning back to me.
"Hellooo, don't just ignore me like that!" Wenta said with a slight annoyance.
"Umm… Shera, who the hell is this tier-one kid?" the other guy asked, eyeing me with suspicion.
"Oh, this is Oliver, my new friend," Sherach replied, beaming.
"Heh. Shera, since when did you start befriending E-Ranks?" Yuri asked, her eyes narrowing as she scanned me.
"We met during a duel," Sherach said innocently.
A waitress approached with a tray of fresh coffee, placing it on the table. The atmosphere in the room was thick with tension, these tier-nine seniors were truly in a league of their own.
"Hey, I'm Yuri, and this is Jura," the girl said, finally offering a nod. "Since you're Sherach's friend, we might as well introduce ourselves."
"Hi. It's nice to meet you both," I replied, taking a sip of the coffee.
Jura decided to test me. He leaned in, stretching out his hands for a handshake releasing a silent, sharp pressure—a wave of his aura energy designed to make a lower ranker buckle. I met his gaze and shook his hand, my expression completely unfazed.
Jura's eyes widened, and then he smiled. "No wonder Sherach took liking to you. To stand firm against that… impressive for a tier-one."
"Don't you dare try to intimidate my friend during introductions, Jura," Sherach said, his playful tone suddenly turning cold and serious. "I brought him here to be comfortable."
"Yeah, yeah, I didn't mean anything by it," Jura said, a drop of sweat appearing on his forehead as he felt Sherach's protective aura flare. "I was just curious, you know?"
"Alright, Oliver," Sherach said, standing up and clapping me on the shoulder. "Time for the real tour. Take a walk with me."
"O-okay?" I said, still unsure of where this was going.