— Are you going to keep blocking the way forever?
Well… that wasn't exactly my intention, to interrupt the scene right here,but it happened.
I really was heading to Area B because of the elective fair. To be honest, I didn't even remember that this little "scene" between Kevin and Emma happened at this point in the story. But thinking about it now… this was what led to the Hollberg Massacre, wasn't it?
Damn… the butterfly effect was terrifying.
Either way, the point was simple. I had just interfered in the scene with a small cut on Fabian's ear. A shallow wound, but one that bled persistently.
Now he was staring at me.
There was fury there. And confusion as well.
Which was perfectly understandable, considering I was just a freshman, standing upright under his crushing pressure… while even Kevin was on his knees.
The blue aura emanating from Fabian was almost tangible, dense like the air before a storm. I could perceive exactly what he was doing, every layer of pressure, every intention behind it.
And yet… nothing was affecting me.
And there was a reason for that.
The release of pressure works by crushing the target's mana directly at the core, using their own mana as the oppressive force. By definition, it only affects those weaker than the user.
However, as you may have noticed, just like what happened with Professor Donna's pheromone release, or Everblood's demonic pressure…
None of that worked on me.
Thanks to my Mana Leakage Syndrome, my core simply didn't possess mana to be crushed. And since mental techniques, like Donna's, need to pass through the core before affecting the neurons…
Well, mental attacks shouldn't work on me either.
Pheromones, psychic pressure… maybe even the demons' mind-breaking spell. Though I'll admit, I wasn't completely certain about that last one yet.
Standing upright in an oppressive environment where everyone else is being crushed might look impressive.
But don't get it twisted…
That didn't make me stronger.
Fabian, the student standing before me, was among the Top 20 of the third years. If he wanted to, he could easily wipe the floor with me. I wouldn't last even two hits.
— Khhgh… damn brat. How dare you…
On top of that, his explosive temper and wounded pride made it inevitable that he'd charge at me at any moment, regardless of the consequences of starting a fight inside Lock.
"So why did I provoke him?"
Swoosh.
Fabian vanished from where he stood, charging forward with bloodshot eyes.
The answer was simple… because he had just messed with Emma.
Fwoosh.
Fabian didn't have time to react.
In the blink of an eye, he was suspended in the air, held by the neck.
— Let's stop here, young master.
The man holding him appeared to be the instructor responsible for that area. He had appeared out of nowhere and was now shouting directly into Fabian's face.
— Wha…?!
Feeling spit hit his face as he struggled to catch his breath, Fabian fought for a few seconds just to speak.
In truth… he knew that man.
Hero Rank 459, Jerome Wilson, better known as "Diamond Destroyer."
A renowned hero, famous for his absurd strength. His title came from the feat of crushing diamonds with his bare hands. If not for his low agility, Jerome would easily be among the Top 300.
Fabian's shock didn't come from the scolding itself.
It came from who was doing the scolding.
The Diamond Destroyer, someone he had known since childhood, was supposed to be an individual planted by his own family to secretly protect him during his time at the academy.
And yet… there he was, humiliating him in front of everyone.
— Come to my office. Now.
Without giving him time to react, Jerome grabbed him by the neck and dragged him away, not even sparing Kevin or Emma a glance.
When the two disappeared, Kevin finally stood up. If Yuto had taken even a fraction of a second longer, he would have been forced to act.
— Are you okay?
Kevin extended a hand to help Emma up, his gaze still unsettled as he watched the students around them groaning in pain.
— I am. Don't worry.
The reply came cold.
Emma was different. Rigid. Restrained. Carrying a silent anger Kevin had never seen before.
As the students slowly began to rise, a smaller figure passed by them in silence, walking toward the entrance.
— Hey! Thanks for the help! I owe you one!
Yuto stopped and glanced over his shoulder.
— Relax. I didn't do it to help you.
He resumed walking, expression indifferent.
— He was just blocking the way.
He said it while pointing toward Fabian, who was still being dragged like a ragdoll by Jerome, protesting uselessly.
— Huh…?
Kevin blinked, confused.
At first glance, it sounded arrogant. But then he realized, it wasn't.
There was no malice in those words.
Yuto just… wanted to pass.
"Pfft… hehe."
Kevin couldn't help but smile, laughing internally. The literal, straightforward way it was said made everything strangely funny.
After a while, he and Emma headed toward the electives.
"What a strange guy…"
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— Let go of me right now!
After reaching a relatively isolated area, Jerome finally released Fabian. Until then, he had been carrying him through the air as if he weighed nothing.
— Kuhh… how dare you do this to me?!
Staggering as his feet hit the ground, Fabian clutched his neck and shot a furious glare at Jerome, who now looked… tired. Deeply tired.
— How dare you put those filthy hands on me?! Just wait until I tell my fa—
— YOUNG MASTER!
The shout echoed sharply. The veins on Jerome's forehead bulged visibly.
Fabian froze.
He stared at Jerome in disbelief. In his entire life, he had never seen him lose control like that.
— …Sigh. I'm sorry.
Realizing what he had just done, Jerome rubbed his face and let out a long sigh, apologizing almost mechanically.
Without another word, he pulled out his phone and hurriedly dialed a number.
— Young master… this time, you made a serious mistake.
— What?
Fabian's confidence wavered. Something in Jerome's tone was wrong. Very wrong.
— Hello.
After a few seconds, a cold, firm voice filled with authority came through the phone.
— …What happened?
— Master, there was an emergency.
— Speak.
— It concerns the young master.
— What did he do?
— There was a conflict between him and the Roshfield child during the elective fair… and given how things unfolded, this may become a serious problem. Very soon.
On the other end of the line, there was a brief pause.
When the voice returned, it was even colder.
— Bring the child home. I'll handle the rest.
Click.
The call ended.
— R-Roshfield…?
Fabian went pale. His eyes lost focus.
Never, not in a million years, had he imagined that girl… that Emma… was the princess of the Roshfield clan. Daughter of the Union's vice-director.
Now everything made sense.
The arrogance.
The coldness.
The fact that she hadn't even blinked upon hearing the Parker family's name.
Though both families possessed similar power, her father's position within the Union meant one simple thing.
If he wanted to, he could crush the Parker family financially without dirtying his hands. Losses of seven, maybe eight digits.
Fabian's legs gave out. He fell onto his back, staring up at the empty sky.
— …I really fucked everything up.
✦☀✦──────────────────────⚔──────────────────────✦☾✦
— Are you sure you're okay?
Kevin walked beside Emma, crossing the elective fair without even glancing at the booths. Since the incident, she had remained in absolute silence.
There was something different about her. Dark. Closed off. As if she had raised an invisible wall between herself and the world.
— Hey… hey.
Suddenly, Emma stopped.
She slowly raised her hand and wiped the corner of her mouth. When Kevin followed the motion with his eyes, his heart sank.
The sky-blue uniform now bore a small red stain. Emma noticed almost instantly and pulled her hand back, trying to hide the blood, but it was too late.
Kevin's eyes widened.
— Shit!
Without thinking, he grabbed her hand and started dragging her out of the fair.
The earlier confrontation had clearly caused internal injuries. The mere fact that Emma had remained standing under that pressure spoke volumes about her willpower.
Fabian was, at the very least, in the C-range, two ranks above Emma, who had barely crossed into the E class.
Being subjected to that pressure… made injuries inevitable.
If Kevin hadn't been on the borderline between E+ and D, he would have suffered severe damage as well.
Smack!
— Don't touch me.
Emma's voice came out sharp.
She slapped Kevin's hand away, and froze immediately afterward.
— …I'm sorry.
Her head lowered, embarrassed.
— It's okay.
Kevin replied gently, stopping in front of her.
Now that he looked more closely, he realized how pale Emma was. Her body trembled slightly, as if exposed to intense cold.
With a shaky hand, she pulled out her phone and dialed a number. After a few rings, a gentle voice answered.
— Young miss, how may I assist you?
— I need someone to come pick me up.
— Is something wrong, miss?
— I'm fine… please, come get me.
— …As you wish, young miss. I will send someone immediately.
Shortly after hanging up, a butler approached calmly. He wore an impeccable black blazer, with a perfectly aligned white shirt beneath.
— Young miss.
He bowed elegantly.
— Uncle Norman… please take me home.
— …Hm?
Lifting his gaze, Norman noticed Emma's pale face.
— M-miss?!
He rushed forward to support her, gripping her shoulders.
— I'm fi—
The words died in her throat. A thin red line trickled from her nose. The next instant, Emma collapsed into his arms.
— M-miss!
Norman shook her gently, panic evident. He grabbed his phone and immediately called for reinforcements.
After ending the call, he carefully laid Emma on a nearby bench. Once he was sure she was breathing, his expression changed.
With absolute coldness, he looked at Kevin.
— Tell me what happened.
Kevin nodded and told him everything, from beginning to end.
With each word, Norman's face grew darker.
— …The Parkers. Good. Very good.
He stood up.
An overwhelming bloodlust spread through the area, suffocating. Kevin felt the crushing weight, even knowing Norman was holding it back.
If a weaker student had been there… they would have suffered immediate mental trauma.
Not long after, two black cars pulled up at the entrance to Area B. Men in suits stepped out silently, forming a perimeter and pushing away onlookers.
Norman lifted Emma into his arms and, before getting into the car, looked at Kevin.
— Inform the dormitory supervisor that Emma will be absent for a few days.
Clank.
The doors closed. The cars drove off.
Kevin remained standing there, watching them disappear into the distance.
After a few seconds, he sighed… it seemed he would have to visit the elective fair another time.
And that the Parkers had just poked a hornet's nest…
With a stick far too short.
✦☀✦──────────────────────⚔──────────────────────✦☾✦