ã€ŠFamiliesã€‹


 (Chapter 1) Act 1

    Chapter 1 Act 1

    The sun is about to rise, but my mind is already awake before the sunlight captures me.

    "...Ah I want my sleep." so I thought.

    Currently, I''m here in my room, and my eyes are already awake before I knew it was already six in the morning. I wanted to sleep but my mind is keeping me awake until late night. And right now, I''m starting to feel the heaviness coming from my eyes.

    "..."

    I don''t want to get up, and I don''t have the plan either.

    I''m not the person who stay up all night playing video games, watching movies, anime or drama. I''m just an ordinary highschool boy who value sleep more than anything else.

    However, today was different, and I don''t know exactly why.

    After some thought, I decided not to get up on my bed and have some proper sleep.

    There are a few people out there considered sleep as their number one priority, or it''s just me?

    Sleeping is one of the important needs in order for a human to survive. Therefore, sleeping is one thing I considered my most precious thing. In addition, it is not ideal for me to wake up early in the morning.

    Seconds past before I heard some loud footsteps coming from the stairs. And then with a thud, the door just slammed, causing a tinnitus directly to my ears. I''m aware what is going on around here but I keep my eyes closed, as if I was sleeping. From there, I knew that there''s someone will enter my territory to declare a war. Now it is getting a little bit annoying.

    "Hans, get up!"

    As expected. She enters my room with a loud voice, and happily waking me up. My name is called repeatedly but I refused to surrender.

    What''s wrong with this woman?

    "Hans, I know you''re awake. My instincts tells me, you know?"

    ...Wait what, she knew? Girls are really terrifying.

    "Hans!"

    Hah...What a pain...

    Since I know that she won''t stop until I''m awake, I decided to get up and try to fake my drowsiness. It can''t be help since she is my older sister no matter what. She knew me after all.

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    "Hoaah..." as I yawn, "the sun is up, right Irene?" I asked her but she didn''t response to it.

    Irene Seid, she is my older sister by two years and now she is currently preparing for college entrance exams.

    I heard from her classmates that she is popular among the boys and girls in her school, although I''m not interested with it.

    ''Her beuty makes her to stand out even more'', as her classmates emphasized her appearance.

    From what I ''ve heard from the rumors, she is also an honor student who stays at the top. Though it is surprising for me that she maintain her grades until she graduated from high school. Welp, she is my older sister.

    No matter where you look at it, she seems happy about her life.

    Still I admired her, I guess. We are alot in common but she is somewhat opposite to me in many ways.

    After giving her a fake morning greetings, she just glared at me and then she speaks confidently.

    "Hey Hans, don''t joke around. I knew you''re awake from the start. You just want to be spoiled by this older sister of yours, right? Tell me, tell me..."

    Heh?

    How amusing what my older sister made fun of herself. Of course I don''t get flustered by her wierd imagination. She''s just like a child mocking an older man. Wait what? Who is older by the way?

    "That''s ridiculous," I answered.

    "I know you''re a tsun tsun so I don''t mind it," as she don''t paying attention to my words.

    I don''t want to argue with her anymore so I keep my mouth shut. Her reasoning gives me a headache.

    Now that I am fully awake, I decided to get up on my bed and prepare some breakfast. I don''t want to be make fun of by my older sister anyway.

    I''m just about to stand up but my sister called me again.

    "By the way Hans, are you alright?" She asked me directly.

    After she said that, the flashbacks get into me. But I don''t feel anything from back then. It is like I remembered and forget it in instant. Why did she asked me by the way?

    "I''m alright," I answered indifferently.

    There''s nothing to be worried about. It''s sounds unreal for my sister, but that''s what I have felt.

    "..."

    Irene stared at me. And from the looks of it, I can tell what she''s thinking about.

    "I''m really alright, you know? Don''t concern yourself to me."

    I really don''t feel anything from back then since...

    I have indifferent feelings after all

    Let me clear, I am a person with feelings. I experience joy, anger, loneliness even fear, but after experiencing some emotion, it''s just like I don''t have anything in particular to be interested with it. I''m not attached to it even if it is happy or not. I''m not cherishing my emotions and to the extent that I am stuck being indifferent. I don''t care what''s on the past and what will happen next. Due to this effect, my face is acting being indifferent too. I don''t understand my situation but I grew with these feelings.

    To sum it up, my feelings is indifferent to my emotions.

    Apparently, my family didn''t know about my situation, as if it is like normal to them. And yes, my sister didn''t know either and up to now she is still worried about me. However...

    "I''m glad I have Irene as my sister."

    Before I knew it, the words already slip in my mouth. But I''m not embarrassed about it. I''m just telling the truth to abash her.

    "---Hmm? W-What did you say? I''m not embarrased here. Y-You look embarrassed little brother. To say such embarrassing things, huh," she teases me but I can see her eyes are getting flustered.

    Now, look at you

    Thereafter, she clears her throat and make a serious face to clear things up.

    "Ok I think you are alright. Well then get up and go to your school, it''s already past six so get hurry. It is your first day right?" she said.

    And now I know that this is the reason why I stayed up all night thinking what I''m going to do.

    "Um yes, I better get hurry," I replied with a lack of excitement.

 (Chapter 1) Act 2

    CHAPTER 1 Act 2

    After eating breakfast, I hurriedly get my bag and put my shoes on.

    "I''m off now," as I said.

    "Take care!"

    I started to walk towards the bus station and get on the first ride. Luckily, I''m not late, or should I say I''m safe from being marked as absent.

    There are many students like me on the front gate as I enter the school. I can tell that they are starting to make friends, or maybe they are friends from the start.

    "Well, this is the my first day of school..."

    This is the first day of my Senior High School life in a different place. I don''t have any friends, let alone classmates who also study here, of course. In fact, we moved in the middle of my year due to some circumstances.

    This is the better way to start again, I guess.

    Currently, I am transferred student, and I don''t know much anything from this place. I live in a city before, however, this is different city from where I grew up on.

    It''s been a month since we settle in this area. Our house is one station away from my new school, and from the looks of it, the residents are seemingly peaceful. Going out at night is not an issue for students attending late-night classes.

    In less than a week, I easily recognize the roads but I don''t go outside much often due to my inate laziness. As I already said, I value sleep above everything else.

    Without any particular reason to stand outside, I rush towards the staff room to greet the teachers. In these past few days, I''ve been visiting the school a couple of times, so I''m also familiar to this place. Unfortunately, I don''t know my class, though I remember the name of my class teacher.

    "Uhm, goodmorning, please excuse me but is Ms. Fireil here? I would like to talk about where my class is."

    I enter the room without hesitation. And as expected, all the eyes are piercing at me.

    "Oh you are Mr. Seid right?"

    Suddenly, there is someone at my back who speaks like an angel''s voice. The way she speak is gentler and softer to what I''ve expected.

    I turned around and just what I thought, there she is, Ms. Fireil.

    "Yes, I am your class adviser from Class-1, follow me"

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    She then started to walk so I quickly excuse myself to the teachers inside to follow Ms. Fireil.

    As we walk in the hallway, there were no students to be spotted on, so perhaps the class has just started.

    "..."

    Minutes has just passed and the atmosphere is starting to get a little bit awkward. She didn''t say anything after that.

    What I''m supposed to do?

    Well, I decided not to speak since I''m not fully aware of this place, and not a type of person who blathers on about life to strangers. To be precise, I''m a cautious and non-communicative individual.

    Ms. Fireil on the other hand, looks stiff and I think she is worried about her class... No, that''s not it. She is aware of my presence but she didn''t dare to speak unless I started to talk to her. From a normal person''s perspective, you didn''t notice it due to her composure. I happen to be an observant person, who can deduce some information and reach a notable conclusion. I don''t say that I am a great person who is always right, rather, I am a person who thinks right.

    I assume that it is normal for the teachers to think that way, although I am a transfer student after all.

    Her presence gives off an incredible aura. She exhibits a quite popular face too, from what I mean is she does have a goddess beauty on her own. Perhaps she''s popular among the students here. She walks elegantly and speaks gently as if it is your ideal woman in your twenties.

    After a little walk, we stop at the random front door. This is the second floor, first room of the main building.

    Well, this is going to be my classroom that I will spend my entire year on.

    "We are here, Mr. Seid."

    Ms. Fireil speak as she about to open the door.

    "Thank you for accompanying me Teacher Fireil," I answered.

    I know that this is not my perfect time to intrude the class so I waited outside, and so Teacher Fireil entered.

    This is my first day, and I am not in the least bit excited. Although surprisingly, I am a bit nervous at this time. Stiil, my feelings are indifferent to these stuffs.

    After a while, I heard my name and this is the time where my life is about to begin.

    Just when I entered the door, I hear some students ''woah'' as if they were mesmerized by my looks.

    What''s wrong with them?

    I am quite popular in my junior high school and I knew this feeling. I don''t get it why people are paying much more attention to looks but not in their presence or attitude when they first met.

    Sigh... all these people will eventually hate me at the end of the day

    "Go ahead and introduce yourself Mr. Seid"

    I started to calm down when Teacher Fireil started to talk. This is my cue, I guess.

    "Uhm, I am Hans Seid. There is no particular I''m interested in but I joined a club before. If you need anything please ask. And that''s it, nice to meet you all."

    Well, it is short but I answered all of their questions, and at the same I didn''t.

    *Silence*

    "..."

    A huge silence engulf after my introduction.

    There''s nothing wrong right?

    I''m not sure if my words reach them, or if my presence creates an unexpected vibe.

    But a few seconds after, Teacher Fireil started to speak to break the silence.

    "He is new to this place so if you want, please give Mr. Seid a tour after class. Well, Mr. Seid please sit at the back and ask me anyway if you need anything in particular. That''s all."

    After that, the silence begin to engulf again as if I was being alone to this place.

    I headed towards an empty seat where teacher Fireil instructed to me and just sat down without any hesitation.

    When I settle to my place, I accidentally shifted my eyes towards to a particular girl, which is in my left diagonal front seat.

    She''s been staring at me as if she''s taken aback.

    Hm?

    When our eyes met, she quickly averted her gaze and acted like nothing happened.

    As I thought, my life had just began.

 (Chapter 1) Act 3

    <blockquote>

    CHAPTER 1 Act 3

    </blockquote>

    Nothing in particular happened during school hours. Just idling my notes, and not paying much attention to the class'' lecture. Same as before as my recent school days.

    I''m relieved that nothing out of ordinary is going on at the moment,

    That''s what I thought.

    But eventually, after the last seconds before lunch break, this what happened.

    *Silence*

    "..."

    I''m not sure what is going on, but there''s a lot of uneasiness in the students, or it''s just me? The air seems heavier than before I entered the room.

    There''s nothing I can do about it, and as a result, I decided to pay a visit to the school''s cafeteria. I''m a bit interested about the food that they will serve.

    When I first came here in school, the food captures my eyes the day back then. It is in my mind the whole time when I enter the school gate. The food looks extravagant in appearance, but surprisingly, the price are affordable especially for the students.

    The plan is to escape this heavy environment, so I stand up as I muster all of my strength and rushed towards the exit door.

    Subsequently, I made it to the cafeteria.

    As I make my way to order some food, I heard some remarkably stories from the students.

    "Hey did you hear the rumors? There''s a new transferred student..."

    "Oh, yeah. From what I''ve heard, he is a male student from a prestigious school."

    It appears that rumors are spreading like wildfire.

    "Yeah, I heard that too. Class-1 students are lucky this year. Now I''m a little interested if he''s handsome."

    --Why the heck they are gossiping about!?

    The only transferred student in this year is none other than me, and that is certain. Thus, their idle chat is what makes me uncomfortable.

    "I know, I know. Wait, did you hear that a student from Class-3 is making a fuss about."

    The group of girls in the cafeteria''s front row are sharing some uninteresting stories from each other. They are just so oblivious to their surroundings that they may be overheard gossiping by other students. Well, girls are extremely active during this t¨ºte-¨¤-t¨ºte conversation and that is a fact. It''s not that I''m interested, so I''m simply forgetting what I''ve heard.

    Right, I have to act like normal like I used to.

    After about a minute of being on the line, I sat down on the place where perhaps no one can even bother me. I placed my food and my tea on the table and begin to dig in.

    *chomp*

    Basically, it is indeed delicious to what to be expected.

    Conveying my emotions is my problem afterall, which is why my face appears indifferent.

    "It''s great, I guess."

    After taking my first bite, I suddenly felt that someone has been staring at me from the whole time. I didn''t react instantly but I acted normally to deceive this person who keeps an eye on me.

    It will take time, but they will come here...

    And that is exactly what happened.

    "U-Uhm, sorry for interrupting but do you mind if we sit here?"

    I looked up to them while taking an another bite. And from what I have in my mind, they are the one who staring at me the whole time.

    "Hm? Well, I don''t mind," I answer them.

    They seated in my front without any concern or any hesitation coming from their face. I wanted to isolate myself from the crowd but it can''t be help since many students were using this cafeteria.

    Surprisingly, these two girls are from my class, which is a little suspiscious to me. And based on my observation, they don''t appear to have any specific motives, yet.

    There was no proof that this was a set-up, neither a coincidence.

    Should I ask them directly?...No, it''s unnecessary. From the moment they came here, I was immediately staring into their eyes and perhaps they just wanted to eat like normal.

    "..." *silence*

    "..." *silence*

    However, after a couple of minutes, I can sense an enormous discomfort within the atmosphere coming from these two women. There was no one else tried to talk since we know that it is just a bother. Probably half of it is due of my presence?

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    This looks troublesome...

    This situation is nothing I should care about. Right from the start, I don''t intend to start a conversation here with them since we perceived ourselves as strangers. It''s natural to feel this way, though.

    After a minute, I finished my food and ready to get on to my feet. My instincts tells me that I should go right now.

    They looked surprised but I didn''t bother to say any more to them. There will be no benifit to me if I stay there much longer.

    The remainder of my break will be spend on wandering around the campus. Following my feet from wherever they go. I spend a couple of minutes, and as expected, there''s not much to see from this school. But who knows if there is such a place in this---

    "Can you please stop bothering me around, Mr. Kayvin? You''re getting ahead of yourself!"

    "Huh? What are you talking about? I''m just protecting you from those rumors circulating in our school, right?"

    "I don''t care about such pathetic stories. You''re making it even more complicated. Just stay away from me instead."

    I came to a halt after I heard some loud voices, five meters away from where I''m standing. And luckily, I managed to conceal myself from the ongoing dispute between those two.

    It looks like that they were completely unaware of my presence so I am fine from being caught on the scene.

    There were no students in this area. And it seemed to be such a big deal if anyone else to hear this. If it is such a big news, I''m afraid that I may be get involve with them. Therefore, I decided to try to get away as fast as I could.

    My peaceful life is not worth trading for such event.

    After I had successfully escape from an odd situation, I started to analyze from what that is all about. Their faces are unknown since I hid myself to them, however, I''m certain that ''Mr. Kayvin'' is a male student and the other one is a female student just from their voices.

    That is the limit of my information therefore my conclusion aren''t clear. Well, it is their problem and I''m not a nosy person to begin with.

    I reached my classroom and their on point, nothing had happened. The class just ended peacefully without any hitch. I clean my desk as usual and decided to go home aftermath. Joining a club is just a pain so I always prefer to go home early.

    As I headed towards the door, someone with a female voice just called me by my name.

    "Hans."

    She didn''t getting flusttered or what, but she called my name like we are friends from the start. Obnoxious people have started to approach me, which is a waste of my time.

    What a cheery person.

    "Hm?"

    "Err... U-Uhmm..." she then grab my shoulder and try to whisper into my ears, "can we talk in private?" and not a single sound will be ever heard from the room. It''s just me whom she is talking to.

    Eh? Why the heck did she ask me that?

    "Private? No, It''s good if it is here, right now. Tell me what is it?"

    "..."

    Sometimes, people tend to misunderstand the meaning behind my words since I''m speaking indifferently. Though, this is a different matter. I intend to withdraw anytime if I sense anything peculiar motives from her. There is no way I misunderstand this situation.

    However, it is impressive that this woman isn''t taken aback from my repulsive statement. If someone told you to leave, most of the time, we leave right away considering the situation. Even though this is a different approach, she knew already my statement, and still not turning her back at me. Again, I refused to talk to her privately. I did tell her the truth that right now is a good opportunity since almost of my classmates are already left the room.

    I plan to go home right away but it looks like there is much stuff to do here.

    As far as I can remeber, we didn''t see each other before so it is certain that there''s something else that she wants to talk with me to.

    "Now what is it? Is it necessary for us to go in private?"

    "..."

    A moment of silence before she starts to talk again.

    "Hmm... Er... Well... I... would like you to join our football team, is it a no?"

    This isn''t right.

    Right of the bat, that was not the reason she was talking to me. It''s obvious that she mean something else.

    Now if my memory is right, she sits right next to the front door. It didn''t appear to me that she wanted to talk since we''re far apart from each other seats.

    On the other hand, she''s not flusttered by my looks so perhaps she is serious in recruiting me on the football team. However, if this isn''t true, I guess she''s impressive given by her superb acting skills.

    She''s kinda cheerful and a dependent person from what other expect her to be, and it is after a couple of seconds meeting her. Her eyes are telling me the truth... most likely.

    "Why me? And speaking of which, you don''t also introduce youself to me."

    "Oh, sorry I forgot," she panicked a little bit, but she manage to release her stress right away, "hupp...pheew... My name is Lisa Hollows, I am currently the assisstant manager of the football team, nice to meet you."

    After giving me a brief introduction, I''m just wandering why she called me by my given name.

    "As for why I''m trying to recruit you, it is simply because I knew you play football before, right?"

    "Hold on, how did you--"

    "Lisa..."

    A voice suddenly appeared at the room.

    "...you''re late. Our captain keeps calling you."

    A male student from the other class were just appeard right at my back. We''re just about the same height, 176 centimeters. Given his athletic appearance and the fact that he know this woman, it is possible that he was soccer player. He called the name of this woman which is in front of me naturally.

    But then he looks at me with a disgusting look.

    He must be an idiot.

    "What do you need?" as I muttered to him.

    "Huh?! Oy, oy, what''s wrong with your eyes? You want me to kick your as--"

    "Just to remind you," I stared at him as my eyes filled with bloodlust, "don''t start a fight with me, or else you''ll regret it."

    After I say that to him, he suddenly grab my shirt and he tried to hit me on the face. As expected, he is reckless. I can easily defend myself since my hands are free. Furthermore, I have previously studied martial arts and am prepared to fight with anyone.

    And so I thought, he is just a complete idiot. Those people who are arrogant are not gonna win with their foolishness.

    "Wait a minute!"

    As this woman beside me interrupted the scene.

    "Stop it Levi, go back to the clubroom! I will follow you after, got it?" she stares at him intently.

    This man cannot resist her orders, as I assume. Hence, he let go of his hands and just walk away without saying anything.

    "Tch..." as he clicks his tounge.

    Apparently, this man was in loved with her. What I mean is that, he likes this woman in front of me. Who knows what''s their true rationship is. It''s just an obvious assumption. From the way he looked at me, he seemed to be an arrogant person from the start, but he seemed to care for this woman, so I played with him just a bit.

    Wait is this woman dense? Is she that dense to the extent that she didn''t question him from doing it to me?

    "Uhmm, I''m sorry for that."

    "Don''t worry, I don''t really care."

    "He is arrogant anyway, please forgive him."

    "You don''t need to be concerned about that, I''m not harmed anyhow.

    Well, if he tried to mock with me again, I will try to hold back a little bit. However, it is hard for me to hold back in a fight. To be precise, I am not a good person from what you might expect.

    "If that so, I''ll be on my way now. Please contact me if you are willing to join the club, I will be glad though."

    "..."

    She walks away just like that. She invited me but she didn''t push me to join. What a clever move.

    "She will be glad, she say? Hmmm, it starting to get a little bit messy on this year again. I''ll try my best to avoid getting engaged with them, however, it looks like it can''t be help. Sigh, I want to sleep after I get home."

 (Chapter 2) Act 1

    CHAPTER 2 Act 1

    "Yo, Mr. Seid..."

    "..."

    The next morning, as I headed towards my class, someone just called my name.

    A male student which is unknown to me.

    He walks by my side to follow my pace. We''re not friends to begin with, but somehow he is obtrusive with my time.

    "What''s with your eyes? You''re too cold. Ah, I don''t mean anythi--"

    "I don''t care what people might think of me."

    It is what it is. Their perception of me isn''t all that crucial. Even so, when it comes to anyone, I''m absolutely aloof, and that is a part of being myself.

    Some people are extremely self-aware, and as a result, they act as if they are not themselves. Being honest to oneself is a difficult task. However, regardless matter whether or not we are being genuine to ourselves, everyone has different faces, which is inevitable owing to our human behaviors. We want to fit into society; otherwise, we become completely isolated.

    In my case, being separated minimizes the chances of hurting someone else, which is why I prefer it. I can handle myself on my own.

    "Sheesh..."

    "Now, what do you want?"

    Obviously, if someone approaches you, there must be a one reason, it is they just wanted to talk to you, either it''s necessary or not.

    And, by the looks of it, this is where the ''I want to be friends with you'' situation comes into play.

    He is one of my classmates, if my memory serves me right. Of course, I had no idea what his name was, since I had no desire to know it from the start.

    "..."

    "..."

    Due to my question, he paused and seemed surprised. It is expected since he didn''t know me at all.

    From someone''s perspective, I appear to be a cold-hearted person. It is, however, due to my apathetic attitude. It''s my usual behavior, and this is how I''ve spent my entire life.

    "Say, you''re pretty popular, don''t you think, Mr. Tranferred Student?"

    Now he was sputtering nonsensical conversation.

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    It doesn''t seem like he''s making a joke or teasing me, instead he''s telling the truth.

    As I look around, it is obviously that the students, particularly the females were giving me a dumbfounded look.

    "Is that so? I don''t care at all."

    Denying it will lead us into further discussion so I give him an insipid response.

    The eyes around us were staring not only at the man next to me, but it also piercing right back at me.

    It isn''t surprising that this guy is popular among the girls. If you look at him, he stands about a few centimeters taller than me and has a well-built body. Not to mention that his looks are far from the average.

    Whilst I''m a transferred student who has become well-known as a result of the rumors that have circulated around this school.

    Rumors that I came from a prestigious school, a good-looking man and a smart person. Although I didn''t disagree with these rumors since they were true, however, this is nothing more than the outward aspect that people expect from me.

    Besides, perhaps, I didn''t considered myself as good. Pretending to be good isn''t nice. They don''t realize how vicious my personality is.

    "It is annoying to talk these things, don''t you think? If you have nothing else to say, I will then go first."

    There''s no reason for me to stay here, so I suppose it''s better if I leave him right away.

    As I inreased my pace, he somehow stopped and decided not to follow me at the end. Perhaps he just wanted to know me, but again I refused to do so.

    From the beginning, if he really wants to talk to me, he should probably start the conversation by introducing himself, not just by calling my name.

    There''s nothing wrong with being nice; nevertheless, it''s unpleasant when someone urge themselves and get to know others.

    Greetings and introductions are important aspects of human communication. Therefore, while conversing with somebody, these two must take precedence.

    In addition, he never looks at me straight to the eye. He''s probably a little apprehensive to talk to me since I''m the subject of the rumors flying around the school. In spite of that, I also intended not to make an eye contact with him in the first place, which is actually a habit of mine.

    I arrived in my classroom before the bell tolled, as to inform the students that class was about to begin.

    But before I reach my seat, I made an eye contact again with that girl the day before. The girl which is in the left diagonal front seat, who was shocked by my appearance on my first day of school.

    Suddenly, she pulls out a piece of paper and then handed it to me.

    "Please read it," as she releases a soft voice.

    "..."

    Unconsciously, my hand extended out to receive the note. There is a lot of contemplation going on in my head about what''s the content of this paper.

    Right now, my instincts tells me that this paper seems suspicious, considering that she handed it to me with wavering eyes. Additionally, her actions were questionable since it''s my second day and despite the fact that we''re not close.

    It isn''t an invitation, or a letter. However, the paper shades a faded pink with a flowery design, and has been folded four times.

    Unfortunately, as soon as I sat down, our first class just began, and alas, I had no opportunity to read the contents of it.

    Come to think of it, I found a letter on my bag last night.

    It was ten o''clock in the evening when I saw something in my bag. A white-black (gray) envelope was slipped between my handbooks. There are no writings, insignia, or a mark on the outside. Hence, it is exactly a letter from unknown person.

    It appears that she/he doesn''t want to know her/his identity. Even so, why me? There were a hundred of students out there and it was certain that this was not a pure coincidence. There was a lot of speculation going on in my mind, but I have no concrete evidence. Still, my thoughts are telling me that this is somewhat important.

    On the inside of it, there was a piece of paper with a brief message containing:

    Avoid joining any club or student organizations.

 (Chapter 2) Act 2

    CHAPTER 2 Act 2

    Our second period has ended, and our next class will be Physical Education. Classes such as P.E. are allowed to use the school grounds or gym. All students in my class will be split into four groups. Two groups for males, and two groups for females. In terms of the game, boys will play basketball, while girls play volleyball.

    We''re on our way to the locker room now. Boys and girls are, of course, separated.

    That reminds me, this is my first P.E. class in this school.

    My P.E. classes haven''t been all that horrible. To tell the truth, I typically managed to win first place in some of the competitions at every sports festival. Though my classmates, on the other hand, aren''t ever satisfied with the results.

    Among other things, it is supposed that recreational activities should be practiced to maintain and improve the physical condition of students. Schools must not only provide education, but they must also consider each student''s physical health.

    However, some students are not physically fit on their own, therefore they need to make an effort to adapt.

    "Ah... this again..."

    "You''re right, P.E. is tiresome."

    As we changed our clothes, some of the guys are making a protest about the P.E class.

    I feel the same way, though we can''t object since it is part of the curriculum.

    "I don''t think so," the man over my left said.

    "Yep, totally not," says the other guy in response to the assertion, "you see, girls are extremely attractive whenever they play sports, right?"

    All of the guys are deafeningly quiet as that one man speaks the words of heaven. They are at it again.

    "..."

    "Indeed, they are totally cute, don''t you think?"

    "Yeah... and besides," as the man who is in my left continues, "when we''re playing, the girls are cheering for us, you know?"

    "..."

    Then suddenly, all of the boys continued to change their clothing, having nothing to say in response to that statement. Although, this time, their eyes were burning as if they were pumped up. That guy''s statements are meant to stir up the emotions of these people at best.

    However, at the same time, that guy who was on my left looked at me.

    "They appear to be thrilled to play now."

    "Looks like it," I said.

    It seems that this man is the leader of the boys in our class. He has the ability to read a situation and adjust to it. I wouldn''t be surprised if he is popular within the school due to his great communication skills. On top of that, he is one of the top students in our class. That means, he is a great leader and a reliable person. But still, my assumptions aren''t always correct, so it''s probably not a good idea to make a guess straight away.

    "By the way, I don''t think you''re having any troubles with P.E Mr. Seid, considering that I don''t sense any strain coming from you, am I right?" he speaks as if he was observing me.

    My body froze for a split second. Before I could reply to him, I realized that all of them had already left.

    They are all pretty fast when it comes to these things.

    It''s scary to think that person can tell just by a glance that I''m not particularly interested in the conversation. Judging from his statement, he was trying to make a conversation with me. Regrettably, we''re out of time to make a chat.

    He was observing me in the same manner. Perhaps, he''s wary of me since I''m a transferred student.

    Well, it is not a good idea to hang out with this kind of person. However, as long as we were classmates, it is impossible to avoid future interaction with him.

    Since I had been left behind, I was alone on my way to the gym.

    After a short walk, someone just waiting for me from the corridor. And it looks like that person is the president of our class.

    "Um, what are you doing?" I asked first.

    "I''m waiting for someone."

    She made a sarcastic remark to push down my words. Her statement seemed like she was about to hunt her prey.

    "Yeah I know, but why are you waiting from the outside?"

    "You''re late."

    "I guess I''m a bit late, Ms. President"

    "Stop addressing me as ''president''. If someone overhears you calling me like that, we''ll most probably end up on the Student Council Committee. Set that aside, and kindly call me Alice; the word ''president'' belongs to the Student Council, please keep that in mind."

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Alice Ruclise, the president and the representative of the girls in our class. She''s our leader in terms of bringing the class together.

    "Is that so?"

    "Come on in, we can talk later."

    From my perspective, she is incandescent if there is one term that best represents her character. She radiates both her beauty and her intelligence. Hence, there is no doubt that she is the classroom representative.

    Regardless, the groups had already been decided before I arrived, and there''s nothing I can do about it.

    There are a majority of boys than girls in our class. As a result, the groups are not partially equal. My group consists of eleven players whereas the other team consists of twelve. There''s no issue between the groups, however...

    "Uhm, before we start, to make it more interesting, I''d want to make a bet with the other team."

    "Wait, what are you trying to say?"

    "Hmm, sounds good, Steve"

    Challenge in the beginning of the class? What he''s up to?

    That guy before in the locker room, his name was Steve. It''s interesting to think that this guy would suggest that.

    "What do you think, Mr. Seid?" he suddenly called my name.

    "..."

    He''s observing me to what I''ve predicted, and he seemed confident with his skills. We are not in the same group, so it''ll appear as though he wants to challenge me head-to-head, that''s why he suggested that. Basketball isn''t my sport, still, I''m not that bad either.

    "Wait, what''s going on? Are the boys are betting for something?"

    "It will be interesting to see, right everyone?!"

    "Yeah, yeah..."

    It appears that all of the girls seem to have heard about it. Now it makes a little pressure on all of us. The fact that if I said no, all these guys will come right back at me.

    When I look around, all of their eyes were at me and waiting for my response. Also, all of the boys were all fired up into this little game.

    "Yeah, we can fight against them."

    "Are you sure about that, Steve?"

    His team was questioning him, but it looks like that he isn''t turning his back on this one. Besides, his reputation is also at stake, therefore I assume he''s somewhat serious.

    "What is the consequence?" I asked.

    You should know what the stakes are on this bet before agreeing to it. I''m curious if it''s worth betting on.

    "This isn''t between the teams, as you may know, even though we compete as a team. It''s just between you and me, Hans."

    As expected, he wants to compete against me.

    "The loser will follow the order of whatever the winner wishes, is it fair for you?"

    The bet isn''t totally bad.

    Moreover, I''m not afraid to lose in his childish game. In this case, turning down his offer isn''t probably my option. Then let''s see how it goes.

    "Now, your response?"

    "Alright, it''s a deal."

    "Sure."

    After giving my response, the game has just started. Rules are simple. The game lasts ten minutes. Each shot is worth one point. The team with the most points at the end of the game will be declared the winner.

    We''re on the defense.

    "Please don''t hold back, Mr. Seid."

    That guy (Steve) who is on the opposition team said this to me. We''re going head-to-head and the ball was in his hands.

    "Don''t worry that much..."

    Following his statement, he smirks at me and takes a step forward to attack. I decided not to make any moves until I observe his abilities. Then he shot from the inside. The curve was accurate and the first score was simply a take.

    It was a rule that if you want to win, you must first know your opponent.

    He gives me a wry smile as if he''s mocking me.

    What a cheeky bastard

    Now it''s time to get serious.

    "Hey, it''s our turn. Focus on the game, now we can counterattack," as I call my teammates, "we''re not going to score them until the very end."

    Afterward, at about the five-minute mark, we were in the lead by such a huge margin, it is just exactly what I''ve said.

    "Wait a minute, is that Steve?"

    "Yeah."

    "What the hell is Steve doing? Their points aren''t increasing."

    "One is to fifteen? It''s a shame."

    "It''s too boring to watch the game. We already know who''s going to win."

    As the crowd makes a fuss, the score is just as it is. Aside from that one point, the other team is unable to make a single shot. They appear pitiful, but who cares about them? They are just a bunch of useless insects.

    In the first place, I don''t care about them or their reputation at this school. If you want to win a fight, crush your opponent until they can''t move any longer. However, if you lose, that''s the end of it. Therefore you make sure that their knees and heads are on your feet.

    Now, it''s time to end this game.

    The clock ticks to two minutes...

    One minute...

    Until it reaches zero. The game was over.

    And by the time the game came to an end, they knew who had won. It was as clear as the sky that we had won by a huge margin, one to twenty-four.

    "How did this happen?"

    "This isn''t a game, it''s a humiliation."

    "Yeah, Steve can''t even take a shot, how awful."

    My team isn''t that bad. They listen to my instructions and perform admirably in the game. The other team looks exhausted, however, it appears that their eyes are writhing in shame.

    "Tsch, why the heck you''re doing Steve?!"

    Someone on their team becomes irritated; but that guy didn''t respond to him.

    "Hey, say anything, you bastard!"

    "Stop it, Vince, we''ve lost this game. It''s not that you''ve ruined your existence. Besides, Steve isn''t the only one who can''t make a shot, is that right?"

    "Yeah I know, but the Commander--"

    "I said stop. Alright, it''s time to clear things up."

    The girls who are watching the match are baffled. Even though they already knew the outcome of the game, they couldn''t hide their surprise. By the way, the girls'' volleyball match was over, and they tend to look forward to this game.

    Due to the event, there is an awkward silence going on around. However, time is running out, and I don''t want to waste it on this.

    I take a step towards that man. It is now time to carry out the conditions of our agreement.

    "Say, how pathetic are you?" I dumped a few words at him.

    He''s still on the floor and looked right back at me.

    "It''s my loss, but it''ll be my win the next time, so prepare yourself. Anyway, you''re an interesting guy as what the rumors say."

    "Is that so? Then, I have a question if you don''t mind."

    "..."

    "...can you tell me why all of the students are cautious about me?" I asked

    This question is unusual for him, and I''m wondering how he responds to it. Recently, it appears that all of the student body''s attention has been focused on me. They appear to be watching me from behind, which is rather bothersome.

    "Eh, didn''t you know? Alright, I guess I tell you the truth."

    "..."

    He seemed surprised, but this guy isn''t that easy to read. He acts as if nothing happened, but at the same time, he is also suspicious of me.

    "They''re scouting you to determine if you''re suitable for their Organization. But I don''t think anyone has made a move yet."

    Is this the ''Commander'' thing they''re talking about earlier?

    "Organization? What is---"

    "Attention students, please go back to your class!"

    The teacher interrupted to announce that class had ended.

    This isn''t the right time to know, I guess.

    This organization thing may have related to the letter that I''ve found lately. Well, there''s one person who can answer all of my questions.

    Right, that woman, however, I don''t think I have to know it further.

    "Ah, alright, let''s leave this subject alone; I don''t care about such things in the first place," I said coldly to myself.

 (Chapter 2) Act 3

    CHAPTER 2 Act 3

    "Hey, what an astonishing play, huh?"

    "..."

    It is lunchbreak. The sun is at peak, and the light breeze gives off a cozy feeling. While I''m sitting on a bench someplace in school, which was shadowed by trees, someone simply muddled my silence. However, my movements are not recoiled as if it wasn''t out of the ordinary.

    I let my guard down for a bit, and this happen.

    A girl with long, straight silver hair stood by my side. She''s probably in the same year as me. Her presence is as fresh as her scent, despite the fact that we are only a few inch apart.

    "You appear to be concerned about something, no?" as she speaks.

    Although she converses with me, she never looks in my direction, and I do the same. So we seems to be ignoring one another.

    "Why do you think?" I asked her.

    "You want to know?"

    "Well, it''s no use of telling me. Likewise, mind your own bussiness."

    As I already stated, I am apathetic with those who approach me with confidence. Moreover, she appears to seek attention, which bothers me.

    "Is that so?"

    "Er, why do you talk me in that tone?"

    Her tone is a little stern.

    "No reasons."

    "You caught me off guard, there for sure, you must have some impetus reason under your sleeve. Can you explain to me why are you sitting beside me?"

    Even though I have an idea why she''s here, I want her to answer me honestly.

    "Aren''t you glad since a good-looking, no, a gorgeous woman seated next to you?"

    "What a great descriptive way of introducing yourself."

    "It''s the truth though. Do you think it too?"

    "Um, I think so."

    I can''t deny the fact that she has enormous looks and a commendable demeanor. But, if I had to guess, this woman seemed to be interested in me, therefore she make this stage and create an act.

    "Uhm, did you just praise me?" She asks nonchalantly.

    I want her to be embarrassed and think that I''m not a decent guy to talk to. In specific, I want her to stay away with me. But it looks like it''s pointless to do this to her, as she was making a straight-face.

    "You''re the one who said that, and I''m agreeing to it."

    "Anyway, I''m simply here, perhaps, threat--for observing."

    Did I just hear threat?

    "Observing? It''s obvious that it was me, right?"

    "Who knows."

    "Is this a new conversation nowadays?"

    Frankly, I don''t like how this is going. She seems arrogant yet persistent, which makes her exasperating.

    "Probably not."

    "Then, can I ask one more question?"

    "Don''t expect me that I can easily answer your question."

    "Then why are you here?"

    "Is that your question?"

    "Definitely, it''s not. But I asked anyway, expecting you''d speak on your own. However, it doesn''t work for you. So, to sum it up, I understand why you''re here in the first place."

    She didn''t budge an inch in response to my statement. I have a hunch in my mind as to why this woman is seated next to me.

    On the other hand, this is merely a common threat to push her away. If we use reality, girls are more sensitive when it comes to this conversation. They are very good at observing people who approach them. But since it is the other way around, and this woman had the confidence to come and approach me, I guess she''s wise enough to see right through my statement.

    "Don''t worry. It''s only a guess, so I''m not sure whether I''m accurate. However, it irritates me to think that someone had the confidence to approach me without identifying herself."

    "I guess you''re right."

    "You know my name, I suppose. How about you give me your name?"

    "Hana--"

    "Then Hana, are you from that organization?"

    She wasn''t startled by my straightforward question, but it looks like she was already aware of what I was trying to imply.

    In any case, I''m just making a wild guess here. I''m just curious whether she works for the organization they''re referring to.

    "How do you tell? It''s not that I introduce myself to you," as she responded with a calm-cold voice.

    "Feigning ignorance, huh? How laughable."

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    She didn''t want to answer me directly, so she chose her words more carefully. As I thought, she''s astute.

    "So?"

    "Honestly, I''m quite fond of you, Ms. Hana..."

    "Even if you didn''t know me? I''m glad to hear that, however isn''t a confession, right?"

    "Take it however you want, it doesn¡¯t matter to me."

    "Thank you, but--"

    "Why thanking me?"

    "You see, I''m refusing your confession."

    This woman has the guts to crack a joke somehow. Now it makes sense that she''s here to talk to me.

    "Ah, should I say: ''Can you please give me a chance?''" I joined her caper.

    "Ok, that was too embarrassing, don''t you think?"

    "Right, so can we please stop this act?"

    After that, she stayed silent and didn''t speak for a couple of seconds. It seems that she can''t any longer hide the fact that she''s observing me.

    "Oh right, furthermore, this was intended from the start, right Ms. Hana?"

    There''s no denying that her strategy was well planned out from the start. To be precise, all of this was a ruse to catch my attention and quickly trust her. But, regrettably, I''m not the type of man who would fall into this hook.

    "Hm, fine, it can''t help since I''m not the only one who wants to meet you in person."

    Nonetheless, she didn''t refute my assumption.

    "Then who else?"

    "Few leaders of the Organizations in school," she muffled in a direct tone.

    Is she here to inform me about that?

    "There are different Organizations who built the entire school as you can see Mr. Seid. But the most influential among these Organizations is, of course, the Student Council," she explains.

    "It''s kinda interesting to hear that coming from you. This is something I''ve never heard of before. Can you, however, hold our talk for a moment here? There was a woman who was going to appear right now. That person seems to be interested in joining our conversation."

    I''d want to hear more of it; unfortunately, time has run out. I sensed that there''s a female who wants to meet me here.

    So I stand up and headed towards to that woman who show up right after.

    As expected, she''ll be here. That woman was the one who gave me a note in class. Sadly, I don''t have time to play hide and seek with her anymore, however, she''s pretty quick at finding me. This spot is not crowded and it seems few people know such a place like this.

    We exchange greetings and that didn''t last before she knew that there was someone else present besides me.

    "Uhm, can I ask first?" she looked at the other person who was on the bench.

    "What is it?"

    "That woman."

    "That''s not an issue, right?"

    "But..."

    "Pardon for interrupting Ms. Frey, and greetings to you," Hana, who was about to get up from her seat, greeted her, "Anyway, I will leave first Mr. Seid. There''s plenty of time to talk about this, just the two of us."

    Two of us? That seem a bit suspicious.

    "You''re in a hurry? Well, if you say so."

    I have nothing to do with her time, so I let her go.

    "And Ms. Frey," Hana continued on, "your scent, it was nice. Good choice. I wish you luck."

    Gradually, the air become smotherly silent and intense. It seemed that Hana was taunting her with words.

    "Well then, please excuse myself. I will see you again Mr. Seid."

    After that, Hana leave silently without turning her back to us. From someone''s perspective, listening to her remarks and hearing her accent was more daunting if you didn''t know her personality. Her words leave an indelible effect. Though, I don''t deny, she''s a clever woman. She appears to have been a significant figure while also being mysterious.

    "I''m sorry for that, speaking of which, why are we here? Or, should I say, what are you going to tell me?"

    I assumed right from the start that she was here to see me.

    "It''s not a bother. Basically, I''m just here to discuss some important matters. The note..." she glances around to check if anybody was hiding.

    "Don''t be troubled, there is no one nearby. And yeah, it''s just what you said."

    When I received the note, I thought it was just some frivolous words of some annoying woman. However, the message stated that someone was on their way to see me in a matter of time. However, It was clear that she was the one who wanted to see me. The time was not specified, but rather the location is.

    "Do you believe it was fraudulent in the first place?"

    "To be honest with you, yeah since I don''t trust others very easily."

    "That''s fine, I know you''re a cautious person."

    "And that woman, who is she?" I immediately asked her.

    "I''d like to ask that to you."

    "Uhm, you didn''t know as well?"

    "Of course, who the hell is that woman?"

    Her reaction was surprised me more, but my expression is as always.

    She looks to be unfamiliar with Hana.

    "Why are you questioning me?"

    "Atleast she give you her name, right?"

    "Um, yeah."

    "Then what is it?"

    "I''m not going to tell you."

    "Why!? Did she give you a warning? A threat?"

    "No, atleast..."

    "Then give me her name."

    "It''s not that I am with her, but do you think I''m the kind of person who shares valuable information?"

    I don''t trust anyone, unless I know them.

    "What do you mean?"

    "Never mind. But I''m not going to tell you."

    This is, I guess, the correct choice. I don''t have that much trust in this woman, just as everybody else.

    "Hey, tell me... is it... do you have feelings for that woman? You''re captivated by her beauty?"

    What the heck she''s thinking?

    "It''s none of your business, so don''t ask," I said in a threatening tone.

    "Then forget it. We proceed to the topic." She quickly dodge since it doesn''t concern her anymore.

    "Yes, please do it quickly."

    "Um, first of all, do you know me?"

    She''s being inquisitive as she gaze at my eyes.

    "No clue."

    "You''re too blunt, huh. Please do remember all of the names of your classmates."

    "That''s... too much to ask... but I''ll try my best."

    Honestly speaking, there''s no need to remember it all since I remember the names of those who I encountered the most.

    "Anyway, I''m Hana--"

    "Er, what did you say?"

    "Remeber your classmates'' name?"

    "No, not that."

    "What?"

    "Your name."

    "Hana?"

    "Yeah, that was your name?"

    "Hey, do you have a problem with my given name?"

    "No, please proceed."

    It''s a good thing my reactions aren''t too visible. It''s funny to think that they have the same name--No, probably not.

    In any case, it was just not a coincedence, rather it seemed strange.

    That woman, perhaps she recognized the name ''Hana'' beforehand. Is it possible that I fell right into her trap from the start?

    She''s quite unpredictable.

    "Alright, I''m Hana Frey, and the representative of Student Council."

    "Um..."

    "What is it again?!"

    "Are you from the Student Council?"

    "Hey, do you hear what I''ve said? Do you doubt me?"

    "No, um it''s unexpected, but please proceed."

    "Fine, please pay more attention to my words. Regardless, It''s not that I am an official member."

    There''s an awkward silence before she speak again. I don''t know her reason, therefore I don''t have the authority to talk on that subject.

    "Back to where we''re at, the president wanted to see you."

    "Hm, Alright."

    "Hey, is that your reaction?"

    "Am I supposed to be glad?"

    "No, but have you ever wonder why?"

    "It''s because I''m a transferred student?"

    Obviously, I have my own idea as to why. However, this''ll be the better response.

    "Are you playing dumb with me?" she confidently said.

    "Why are you asking me?"

    "To---"

    *Bzzz*

    Her phone vibrated, and it appeared that she had received a message.

    "Excuse me for a minute."

    She then grab her phone and check the message.

    Suddenly, she felt serious and fixed her gaze on me.

    "I''m sorry, but change in plans. We need to go there."

    "..."

    "...in the Student Council Room."

    "..."

    "Your reactions are the same, huh? You''re a peculiar guy."

    "Um, you appear to be holding me hostage when you say it like that. Anyway, in the first place, I assume that we need to go there."

    "Why do you say so?"

    "Because of that woman..."

    "Is she that related? I don''t get it."

    "Forget it. Please lead the way to the Student Council Room."

    "Yeah, you''re right."

    After that, she took the lead, and I followed. However, as I was ready to take my first step, I noticed something on the bench where I had been sitting earlier. There was a white card with numbers written on it.

    Probably her contact information.

    "How amusing..."

    "What do you say Mr. Seid?"

    "No, nothing..."

    And with that, we continue our way.

 (Chapter 2) Act 4

    CHAPTER 2 Act 4

    After a few minutes, we arrived at the Student Council, a well-known organization across the school. They have seperate building that was constructed just for them, which is hardly unexpected given their status. And their location is a couple of meters away from B-Section building, which houses the main Library. There was a sign in front indicating that we had arrived at the right door.

    "Wait here," Hana gave me few words.

    "You didn''t have to tell me."

    "You know what, you''re starting to become a pain," she said with a serious look.

    "It''s good thing you know who I am."

    "I know exactly who you are. You didn''t intend to conceal your heinousness?"

    "What do you mean by that?"

    "Mr. Seid, don''t underestimate the Studet Council. We knew your personality."

    "Ah, of course, right. There''s no difference if I hide it anyway. Besides, what do you think is bad and which is good? Our perception tells us what is right and wrong. Here is a question, do you think I''m a good peson?"

    "What''s with that? And why asking me?"

    "Because it''s up to you whether you see me as good or a bad guy, is it right?"

    She squint her eyes in response.

    "What now?"

    "You''re starting to irritate me. I know you''re not a decent person, based on my interactions with you. However, if you ask the same question, what would you say?"

    "I assumed we were here because the Student Council summoned me?"

    I looked at her eyes, but chose to dodge the question.

    "...Fine, I guess we don''t have the time, huh?"

    Having a disappointment look in her face, she enters the room and I left alone outside. From the looks of it, she was known in this school as the Representative of Student Council. The duty entails conducting errands across the school and following the President''s orders.

    To be exact, she''s like a dog.

    However, a few seconds after, I feel some presence beside me.

    "Getting caught in some trouble?"

    She said to me after she stood by my side.

    "I don''t think so," as my usual response.

    "Then, what are you doing here?"

    "They summoned me."

    "Ah, well we''re in the same boat."

    "Probably."

    I abruptly ended our talk here since I don''t want to pry why she''s here. That woman (Lisa) is the one who is on my side.

    "Um, is it alright if we can talk after class?"

    "Let me guess, you want to talk about me joining the football club?"

    She appeared startled, but she didn''t say anything else about it.

    "Er, you wanna hear some story?" I immediately said after she didn''t respond.

    "Hm?" She averted her gaze on me and looks confused.

    "A lady once told his pets to run around and bite the person who irritated her. Do you hear any story like this?"

    "I don''t know what you''re talking about."

    She speaks to me as if she doesn''t have the faintest. I''m not sure if my assumption was right as she was making a straight face.

    "It''s unfortunate that you didn''t know."

    I play aggressively here, but it appears she has no clue.

    "But, in any case, I plan to refus--"

    "Wait!" she instantly stopped me, "Before you decide, I just want to ask, you don''t intend to join a club?"

    "Is that a bad thing?"

    "Um, you didn''t know? You need to join a club or an organization otherwise you''ll become an outcast at this school."

    "What does it mean?"

    "Maybe that''s why the President summons you."

    "Is that--"

    "COME IN NOW MR. SEID!"

    Inside the room, a loud voice was heard. It''s Hana, and they''d want us to come in.

    "Shall we?" she glanced at me.

    "Um, sure."

    After I agreed with her, I pressed the door handle. And there was an unsettling air as I gently opened the door.

    "Please excuse us for intrusion," she greeted them with a weak tone.

    And then three.... No, five people were there. Four of them were looking at us at the same time, including Hana.

    "I guess you''re not leaving after Hana abandoned you?" said the man who was sitting in the couch.

    He is drinking tea and exudes a tremendous presence just by looking at him.

    "Student Council wants to see me, and as a student of this school, I obidiently following the orders."

    Typical answer for a student. I''m not entirely incorrect, though.

    "You''re a good student aren''t you Mr. Seid?"

    A familiar voice suddenly speak to me.

    "Good student? How do you say?"

    "No, probably you are not, right?"

    "Hm, It seems that we''ve met again?"

    "Fufu... Yep, we meet again Mr. Seid. You left with nothing to say at that time, isn''t it? Well, you''re a little mean to me."

    The woman beside me (Lisa), who''s a little bit confused about the conversation, stares at me. But, because she''s not involved, she didn''t urge to speak.

    Needless to say, that person, we met at the cafeteria on my first day. She managed to conceal her identity to me at that time. However, I had a suspicion from the outset that she had an ulterior motive that she hadn''t revealed. If my guess was correct, she was there to watch the students on the cafeteria, and luckily she recognized me, hence she sits on my table. I waited for them to speak, but they were plainly watching out for people who were nearby at that moment.

    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    "It was just pure coincidence? Or is it a plan?"

    "What''s that supposed to mean?"

    She returns my gaze, and with her eyes, no one can possibly tell what she''s thinking.

    She''s definitely a clever woman based on her attitude, as she''s my classmate and a member of the Student Council.

    "Is that so?"

    I completely ignore her, but then someone speaks directly behind me.

    "Welcome to the Student Council, please have a sit, have a sit..."

    A girl with a cheerful personality push me down to take a sit.

    "..."

    "T-Thank you"

    She invites me and Lisa to take a sit. After that, she brings us green tea and cookies as if we were guests.

    "Feel free and considered it as a gift."

    Gift?

    Now I''m a little worried why did they call me in the first place. Ordinary students may perceived them as highest rankings to this school, and regard them as top students. However, from my vantage point, they seem to be cautious about me. I have an assumption, but I won''t get ahead of myself.

    "Hoaah..." the fifth person suddenly appeared out of nowhere, "You''re getting noisy here Shane."

    As expected, they were five people here to begin with. And somehow the fifth person is waking up after a long deep slumber. He is a male student and as it seems, he is currently have a sleep mask in his head. After a quick look in his surroundings, he got out of his place and seated beside me.

    "Say..." he grab a cookie and then glanced at me, "Shane made this, is it tasty?"

    This guy... he''s provoking me.

    "I don''t know how to answer that, but from the looks of it, probably."

    "Good, let me try."

    And then he take a bite.

    "Hey, Dev, don''t you think it''s rude to take other people''s food? You''re a Student Council member so please mind your manners."

    "Yeah, yeah Shane. I''m sorry Mr. Seid."

    He put the cookie right back to its place. Now, I''m starting to get pissed off.

    "By the way, please tell me the reason for calling me here. I don''t have time to play around with all of you."

    They went silent, and suddenly switched their reaction and began to take things seriously this time.

    "You''re in a hurry?" Lisa remarked as she was sitting next to me.

    "You don''t have to see us as your adversaries. We''re just here to bargain, rather speak to you."

    The man sitting quitely abruptly speak. He is actually in front of me and somehow he gives an intimidating appearance.

    "I can decide myself if you are truly my foe or not."

    "Oh, how amusing Mr. Seid."

    "Um, Mr. Seid, let me first introduce to you the Student Council Members."

    Hana who was standing at the back, began to speak. She acts as a mediator, making sure that nothing gets out of hand. I''ll try to take a step back for a while.

    On behalf of the Student Council, she began to introduce the members.

    "The manager for financing and the like, is Ms. Steward."

    She pointed out the person who serves us tea.

    "It''s nice to meet you Mr. Seid, Shane Steward, Treasurer."

    She glances at me and make a curtsy bow, while having her right hand on her chest.

    "The person you encounter at the cafeteria, is the Student Council''s administrative assistant, Ms. Leyand."

    "Fufufu... Hana was right. Lou Leyand, nice to meet you."

    A Clever and Cheerful personality? I have to keep an eye on these women.

    "Next is the one who seated next to you," Hana continued, "He is the Vice President of the Student Council, Mr. Crane."

    "Hana, didn''t I tell you to call me Dev?" He quickly diverted her gaze to Hana but he continued, "Well it doesn''t matter, Devon Crane, remember that Mr. Seid."

    "...Remember me as well."

    "Well, I will"

    "..."

    "..."

    I know he''s trying to provoke me, but I''m not going to fall into his trap. When it comes to these matters, the one who loses their temper will lose. Hana, on the other hand, grabs our attention by continuing her introduction.

    "Now, the last person is the President, Mr. Ethan Reginald."

    That''s the person that was seated in front of me.

    "Welcome to the Student Council Mr. Seid, Ethan Reginald, it''s nice meeting you."

    He looks at me with a straight face. He''s the president and I have no question about it since I can sense his unusual presence.

    "Same here," I respond "Now we know each other, why did you call me here?"

    It''s alright if I let them speak instead of me. They certainly know a lot of stuff around here.

    "I''ll get straight to the point Mr. Seid, you''re not planning to join a club or organization inside the school, is it true?" The president asked solemnly.

    "How do you say?"

    "Hana told me so. She''s astute as you are. She''s dependable and a valuable asset to Student Council."

    "If... she''s that useful to you, then why she''s not an official member?"

    "That''s..." Hana speak with a small voice.

    It was just a normal question but it seems I hit the mark.

    "Hey, Mr. Seid, don''t even think of questioning me. I''m the one who asked you the question."

    His eyes are filled with killing intent. But I''m not afraid of his gaze; instead, I''m returning them. That woman (Lisa) seemed surprised but all the members of the Student Council are giving me a wry smile as if it''s interesting to them.

    "You''re not scared Mr. Seid? It''s interesting to see a guy like you."

    "You''re complimenting me after that statement, Mr. President? Well, same here."

    "At any point, I''ll answer your question, Mr. Seid. There are some reasons why I did not recognize her as a member. Regardless, can you explain why are you not interested in joining any organization?"

    "It''s a waste of my time; I''m a going home directly after class type, and my sleep is crucial."

    In a sense, I didn''t lie to them.

    "How nice to be like you. However, in this school, you must join any organization or risk being labeled as an outcast."

    "Outcast?"

    "You''re not belong here, that''s what it means."

    "Let me tell you..." Mr. Crane who is on my side, utters, "all students who treated an outcast here in school seek to end their lives, to be exact...suicide."

    He bite some cookies while making a grin.

    It''s surprising to hear this stories from them. I thought this school was normal from the outside.

    "So all of the students here are a member either a club or organization?"

    "What do you think?"

    "I see... Then, why this school still open after this many incident?"

    "All of the teachers, including the Board Members and the Principal, have graduated here, so there''s no problem; as for the news, normal students didn''t know either, so the school conceals it flawlessly, am I right Dev?" the Treasure said.

    "What do you mean Normal Students?"

    "Listen Hans," That woman (Lisa) said, "the representatives of the organization only knew about it."

    "Representatives?"

    "You''ll know it after some time," the President said while taking a sip of his green tea. "Ah, speaking of which, you''ve met her, right?"

    "Um, who?"

    "That person."

    Is he referring to...

    "Erm, yeah, I met her but I don''t exactly know her."

    "To be honest, that person is dangerous, rather terrifying. We know a little about her."

    The president did not make it clear whether she is a leader or not. But, by the looks of it, this is becoming a problem.

    "I''m aware."

    "Wait, what do you say Eth--Mr. President."

    Hana who was confused abruptly interupt.

    "Like I said, she''s monitoring Mr. Seid, and we don''t know her motives yet. The one who conceal herself with its members and she, herself is unknown."

    "Hm..." I let a small sound.

    "What''s with that reaction? You''re not confused?" that woman (Lisa) asked me, "Even so, you met her, huh? It seemed strange."

    "I am. but it doesn'' matter."

    "Wait, is that the same woman? How do you know Et--Mr. President? I told you about the incidents earlier, but you were a little too fast to jump to conclusions."

    "Well, it is. If I''m wrong, so be it. But she didn''t tell Mr. Seid her name, did she?"

    "Um, how certain are you?" I asked.

    "I''m not answering that," he give me straight face.

    "Then can you answer this? Why the hell did the school create this? For fun?"

    "Fufu..." Ms. Secretary laughs at me, "you''re quite a guy."

    "Mr. Seid, once again, I''m not compelled to answer your questions. Who do you think is the most powerful among us? This is your final warning."

    Student Council is really persistent, yet they don''t want to give me all of the information.

    "To tell the truth, I''m a bit disappointed with the Student Council." I let a small sigh.

    "Fufu how bold. How do you say?"

    "To think I''m standing on the same ground as all of you? It is really disappointing."

    "Hn? You''re mistaken, Mr. Seid. You are far lower than us."

    "Is that what you think of me? We''re all the same, but we have different objectives."

    "Hahaha," the President laughs, "Ah I see, that is why people begin to shun you."

    "You see me just how you see me. I don''t care even if you know my personality. But that''s not to mean I''m against all of you. You are free to do anything you want, and I am free to do whatever I want."

    "It''s useless Mr. Seid."

    "How come?"

    "You know, I told Hana to make a contact with you. So this is why Hana was surprised to see you on your first day of school, huh?"

    "I''m not sure what you mean by that, but I''m saying you don''t get in my way."

    "Okay fine, do anything you want," the President continues, "but if you get into trouble, no one will help you."

    "Should, I then drop out?" I said with a bland face.

    All of them were surprised. They weren''t expecting that from me.

    I know it sounds sardonic to them, but I don''t think it''s appropriate to appear nice in front of someone who knows your true personality.

    "Is that what you want?"

    "To be honest, this school is surreal and out of the ordinary. A Student which is unknown? How ridiculous.There is more to this school that I don''t understand. And it''s not an issue for me whether I''ve been thrown out or willingly drop out. This isn''t the only school here, right?"

    "It''s true Mr. Seid. But Student Council will not be the one to kick you out. As I already said, we are not enemies. If you want an answer, go ask the students, but they probably didn''t know because Representative(s) only knew all of your questions."

    "Is that so? Then I will leave now. I thought Student Council was smart enough to consider me as an innocuous person"

    "You..." Mr. Crane who was irritated.

    "Stop Dev, kukuku..." President laughs again, "I suppose you''re wise enough to make such a hasty decision."

    "Fufu, I wonder how long you can withstand this school, Mr. Seid," the Secretary said.

    That woman''s (Lisa) mouth gaped open in disbelief as she stared around the room with nothing to say.

    "Goodbye, Mr. Seid."

    "Excuse myself."

    "Just a sec!" That woman (Lisa) let a sudden voice.

 (Chapter 2) Act 5

    CHAPTER 2 Act 5

    "Just a sec!"

    "..."

    "..."

    That woman (Lisa) let out a startling bawl, resulting in a brief silence.

    "Why did you invite me to this meeting, Mr. President?" She asked.

    Actually, I was confused as to why she was here in the first place, but I refrained from speaking since it didn''t concern me.

    "Oh, you have an eye on Mr. Seid, right?"

    "How can you prove that?"

    "What if you try to figure it out?"

    "Hmm... Wait a minute, did Hana--"

    "To be at point Ms. Hollows," the President interject, "I just want you to see what kind of person is that guy."

    Even though he didn''t use my name, of course, he was referring to me. I can sense their gazes right at my back, so I have no choice and make my way out of this room.

    "Ah, and more importantly Ms. Hollows, your friend has dropped out."

    "Hnh?"

    The silence began to pervade this room after hearing that coming from the President. My body didn''t move an inch since that surprised me.

    "Why are you still standing there, Mr. Seid? Are you curious?" the President sneered on me.

    I didn''t answer him because this topic was no longer of concern to me, instead I continued on my way towards the exit.

    But that woman (Lisa) yelled once again.

    "W-Why?!" Her tone indicates that she is distressed and worried.

    "You know the reason, right?"

    "B-But how? I never knew about this."

    "Since Mr. Seid was present, I won''t go into detail. However, it''s interesting to see that Mr. Seid is inquisitive about it."

    He surely enjoys making fun of me.

    "Um, my body is acting as it should; I''m not interfering with this matter, so please pardon me."

    I answer as I make my way out since there''s no reason for me to stay there.

    After that, I don''t immediately go to class. Instead, I waited a few more seconds longer since I was anticipating that woman (Lisa) to exit the room.

    And with a thud, the front door opened unexpectedly.

    "Looks like I was right."

    "Hnf?" She was baffled by my sudden voice.

    When I get a glimpse of her face, I saw her eyes were filled with rage and sadness.

    Humans have a tendency to relieve their frustration when no one is watching, therefore they instantly flee and go to locations where no other people are present. So upon receiving the news, I knew she was about to leave the room.

    "What''s up with that face?" I asked.

    "Don''t look at me! And you''re still here, huh?"

    "There was no such law that said you couldn''t stay here, though."

    "Stay away from this issue."

    She put her eyes away from me as she was escaping.

    "Um, you''re right. But, I''d like to ask you a few questions."

    "You basically waited for me to ask a question? How crude. Let me guess, is it that your question earlier?"

    "That was one thing."

    "Well--"

    "First thing, are you a representative or not?"

    She then looked at me. But then I stared at her with my piercing eyes.

    Apparently, I don''t have much information in this woman. So the first thing I''d want her to say is that she is a leader. Even though she is actually the assisstant manager of the football club, she doesn''t clearly recruiting me in, rather, it is clear that the invitation comes from her organization.

    "What if I said no? Will you believe me?"

    "Of course, you said it yourself. However, could you kindly explain why you know so much about this school? And why is the President revealing all of this to you and me?"

    Earlier, the President did not hesitate to divulge all of the school''s information to us. Of course, I was oberving her, but she seemed to be aware of it beforehand. Though, this does not indicate that she is one of the representatives.

    "I''m not bound to respond to all of your questions."

    "Ah, I see..."

    I thought this woman would make use of me, but she isn''t. Her expression is straight, and she didn''t appear to be interested in talking to me. She may have been upset up until this point because of the news.

    "Alright, I will take my leave. There''s no reason for me to stay here," I told her, "but before I go, I''d just like to say one thing..."

    "Hm?"

    "From now on, stay away from me," I speak bluntly while having a sharp gaze, "You don''t have to poke your nose whatever and wherever I am."

    Although, despite everything I told to her, she looked at me and she remained calm and unfazed. It''s not that I disliked her; she''s simply obnoxious.

    After all that, I left her alone in that spot, not turning my back on her. I''m not that nice person. If she keeps pestering me around, I will resort to force to get her to stop. Though, I am aware that she''s a difficult person to deal with.

    Now I will find my answer on my own.

    It''s unfortunate that she refused to work with me. But, asking people and getting a response from them is rarely that straightforward. In reality, information is not free; you must pay the price and verify the information you obtained from them. But, this appears to be exhausting so I doubt I''ll want to delve too deeply into this mess. I don''t want to be involved with this school any longer, so perhaps today is my final day.

    "As I thought, you''re having a problem."

    Someone just speak to me.

    I was still walking when I came upon the person seated on a bench. Since I didn''t have time, I was going to skip the next class, and have a nice chat with this woman.

    "Isn''t it a strange coincidence?" as I put a glance on her.

    "I was just waiting here not long ago." She said in an refined manner.

    She''s the person I met earlier, and she''s rather aggravating. The fact that her name was Hana was an oversight on my part. Well, that''s the way it is. And based on her demeanor, she looked to be here for a reason.

    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    "You''re waiting for someone?"

    "I guess so."

    "What if that person doesn''t show up?"

    "I will leave, of course."

    "Hoh, poor that guy..."

    "But that guy still came, right Mr. Seid?"

    As she has a habit of showing up in this manner, I figured she was waiting for me. But then again, this is annoying.

    "How did you know, or rather, how did you forsee it?" I asked her in a light tone.

    "Woman''s instinct, I guess."

    "That instinct is terrifying."

    "Mr. Seid, you''re a straight shooter. Actually, you''re probably correct in that regard."

    "It was not my intention to offend you."

    "It''s nothing personal so forget about it."

    This was more of a joke, and another stage for her to perform. However, I''m getting to understand how she thinks.

    "By the way, don''t you need my contact information?"

    "You know my answer, right?"

    "Okay. That was unfortunate."

    I despise it, the way she speaks as if she doesn''t know anything while speaking in an ignorant tone.

    "Are you looking for something?" She suddenly asked.

    "Hey, stop pretending like you don''t know anything. You know what I''m searching for, don''t you? In any case, don''t worry about it since I''m not interested in it. It is a waste of my time."

    As I already mentioned, I''m not interested in obtaining more information about the school, therefore I don''t want to hear it.

    "Why are you making such decision? How unfortunate of me. I''d also want to share some intriguing stories with you."

    I knew she was going to talk to me in private, so she waited her turn to act, and now it is her turn.

    "This isn''t free information, is it?"

    "Of course, but why asking even you know it yourself?"

    "Same to you. Why bother asking me what I''m looking for if you already know?"

    "..."

    The air brushes a cool yet heavy gust. The stillness engulfs this spot, and it appears that there was a massive chasm between us.

    "Why don''t you take a seat?" She says, offering me the seat next to her.

    "Erm, I don''t like how this is going."

    "Hn? You don''t like, what?"

    As a matter of fact, I assumed she was unaware of me, a man, sitting beside her. But even if she is aware, she is likely to remain unconcerned.

    "Nothing..." and I seated next to her.

    Just like earlier, we were seated a few inches apart. It doesn''t mean I don''t like the thought being sat next to her. I don''t care what she thinks of me. She gives me the seat, and I''d like to take it.

    Now, how will she react to this?

    "Are you sure you don''t like this thing?" She muttered, without looking at me.

    "How about you?"

    "Can I tell you my honest opinion?"

    "Go ahead."

    "It was unpleasant to think that you accepted it," she said flatly, "and now I''m regretting offering you a seat beside me."

    "Say, did I offer you that seat before?" I grumbled upon her reasoning.

    "Hn, no?"

    "Now it''s amusing that you''re the only one who thinks this way. Seating next to a stranger, huh?"

    I simply want her to realize that her actions make it clear and suspicious in many ways.

    In any case, people usually observe from a distance, but this woman''s movements are out of the ordinary. What I mean is that she''s not the average person who cowardly observes from afar, but she''s brave and direct, which makes her stand out to me.

    "But do boys love these stuffs, huh?"

    Teasing me was nothing at all.

    "I''d be lying if I said no; I''m a man, so there''s nothing wrong with that, right?"

    I openly speak what I was thinking.

    "You''re extremely honest."

    "Well, I don''t like pretending to be someone. That''s why, stop your perfomance."

    After that, I stared at her, but she doesn''t look at me, at least not until....

    "I guess my assumption was right, you''re an interesting guy."

    ...she looked at me and closed the gap between us.

    Looking at her closely, you can see her piercing eyes as cold as the night. And her silvered hair flutters as the wind gives a light breeze, which sways in the same direction. In someone perspective, no one can withstand her blisterly gaze, but if you find her looking at you; you might fall on her massive charm. That stare are enticing enough to set a lustrous trap that perhaps no one can escape.

    She stares at me intensely, but I kept silent for a few seconds. However, I''m not one of those men who can be easily swayed by this.

    This is not the moment to be awed by her eyes.

    "Learn to look at the person you''re speaking to," I said indifferently.

    And she tilted her head, as if perplexed.

    Humans have evolve their social skills more than other creatures, suggesting that we communicate through our language. Some people, however, are socially inept.

    Other individuals don''t normally look the other person in the eyes since they are timid or it makes them uncomfortable. As we all know, talking while looking someone in the eyes makes you more sincere and boosts your confidence.

    "But you didn''t even look at me, right?"

    Conversation is, indeed, difficult, especially when dealing with strangers.

    Actually, someone just told me that my eyes are intimidating, and since then, I''ve made it a habit not to look into someone else''s eyes.

    "Yes, but you''re concerned about that?"

    "Um, No... Never mind."

    She lowered her eyes and looked away.

    By the looks of it, she seemed embarrassed that she asked that, but I didn''t say anything about it. So, in order to relieve the discomfort, I try to shift the subject.

    "Er, You''re not being followed?" I quickly turn my head away.

    If you look at it, it''s kinda strange for a woman, which is unknown, just suddenly showed up to this unnoticeable guy, which is me. Furthermore, there was no other person around as to what I observe.

    "By whom?"

    "I knew you''re well aware that you''re being pursued."

    "Yes. But, you see, it''s just a matter of time before I unveil myself to everyone."

    "Hm? Can you reveal yourself right in front of me?"

    "Mr. Seid, please don''t ask that too much."

    Even if I insisted, it looks like she would not expose herself to me.

    It was pointless to keep this a secret, so I''ll just ask her another question.

    "Speaking of which, is it true that they have a little information about you? It seemed strange since you''re also a first-year student here."

    "They''re just imagining things. Despite this, rumors about an unknown person were spreading here not long ago."

    "I assume you don''t want to talk about it."

    She remained silent for a time, although there was nothing wrong with my assertion.

    "By the way, why are you interested in me?" I followed up.

    I knew there were stories floating around the school, and she was aware that I was a new student. But, since she was unknown to this school, why did she approach me? She didn''t mind whether other people knew about her?

    "Is that why you''ve come here?"

    "No. I want to know personally."

    "You want an answer?"

    "You''ve heard it, haven''t you?"

    "Then, let''s suppose I''d want to know more about you."

    "Hm? That was a bit unexpected."

    "What do you mean?"

    "In the first place, I''m rather certain you know something about me. So, why do you want to learn more about me?"

    As I previously stated, it worries me that she was so secretive while still knowing everything.

    But, on the other hand, she remained mute.

    "I''ll ask you again later for that."

    It seems that I hit the mark. She''ll probably be wary of me now. This will be better since I want her to keep away from me.

    I''m not interested in her past, so I don''t go any farther. If she refuses to tell, I''ll have to take a step back.

    "Mr. Seid, beforehand, what would you provide me in exchange for my information?" She asked.

    "I''ve already stated that I don''t want to negotiate with you. You''re really persistent."

    "Is that so? Then why are you still here?"

    "To get to know you as well."

    To be specific, I''m observing yet knowing her behavior.

    "But, since we''re already here, I''d want to know what your preference is if I want your information."

    "Then," she stopped, then said, "...don''t drop out."

    "Hm? What is it again?"

    "Are you deaf?"

    "No, but what is that request?"

    "It''s simple right?"

    "Not exactly. Sure, you''re a wiser than I thought."

    "Thank you. Now, your decision?"

    Because she''s so enigmatic, there is a possibility that I won''t be able to verify that information from her. In addition, she wants me to stay here in school, which is strange.

    "Um, can I ask what your name is, or more precisely, what your true name is?"

    If I recall properly, she did not identify herself to me, therefore I''d want to know her real name this time.

    "Hm, Are you interested in me?"

    "It is just a simple question."

    "It is perhaps... But I don''t want to answer that."

    "Then what should I call you?"

    "I''ll leave that to you."

    "Alright, but I''m not very good at naming people. Just like earlier, I called you Hana for some reason."

    "No worries. But it seems you don''t have any friends considering you can''t do simple task like this."

    "We''re the same, aren''t we?"

    "No, not at all... I have a friend."

    She had a friend?

    My reaction is not visible from the outside, but I am confused of the way she speak. There''s no way of knowing if she was telling me the truth.

    "Um, I didn''t want to offend, but that came as a surprise."

    "No. I don''t mind."

    "However, because my experience at this school was brief, it''s preferable to leave that matter alone."

    Since her subterfuge isn''t getting us anywhere, this is my response.

    "What do you mean?"

    "I had intended to leave school immediately soon."

    "Er, can I ask, why you''re making such a hasty move?"

    "This wasn''t a typical school, so why do students continue to apply here?"

    From someone perspective, you don''t want to apply here since the school was mysterious and odd. And of course, if you are a student, it''s normal for you to quit right after you know the school''s history. All students want a normal highschool life on their own. However, this school was obscure.

    "Hmm, you''re quite clever, aren''t you? I''m not going to respond to it."

    Now I get it, she''s sharp.

    Also, that was just a simple ploy to get her to provide information to me. But she''s perceptive.

    "You''re listening carefully, huh?"

    "What do you think of me?"

    There is no other option except to leave this school, since this is normal thing to do.

    "I''m delighted to speak with you, Miss, but I''m afraid I''ll be leaving this school tomorrow." I said as I stood up.

    "Fufu, is that what you decide, Hans Seid?"

    "Now you''re calling my name?"

    "You are not the one who will decide whether or not to leave."

    "What do you mean by that?"

    "That is for sure."

    "Hn?"

    "As I already stated, you are not going to leave."

    Her tone indicated that she was serious about her statement. She stays sitting on the bench, but her voice has the power to halt my steps.

    "You want some information about the school?" She asks, admonishingly, "the oganization was formed to keep track of the students."

    That was surprising of her. I''m not really sure what she''s up to.

    "Anyway, that''s all for today Mr. Se--Hans," she stood up, "For the time being, I''ll say goodbye and appreciate the time," then turn her back and left me instantly.

    "Hah... What a shame. In the end you''re leaving me behind?"

    But after her disclosure, I walked and leave that place since I had been left alone.

 (Chapter 2) Act 6

    CHAPTER 2 Act 6

    Today was such a terrible day for me. In fact, There was a lot going on at school that no one could tell me about. It''s so bizzare that I can''t even think about what I''m going to do tomorrow.

    "What''s up with you today?"

    My sister abruptly speaked to me. She appeared to be concerned after seeing a shift in my behavior.

    I''m here at my house with my older sister, Irene. The sun was already set. It was six o''clock in the evening, and I had already returned home after school. My sister and I are only here tonight since my parents are away for a week for their work. It''s usual thing that they''re not here, and we''ve grown accustomed to it. And, while it may appear odd at first because we have moved from our previous residence, we can manage to live on our own.

    While I''m sitting on the couch, my sister is preparing dinner for today. I don''t watch TV or fiddle with my phone on a daily basis; it''s just a habit. Taking a sense to it, I''m just lazing around the whole time.

    "Hans, you look different today."

    "Why do you think so?"

    "I knew because I am your sister. So, are there any problems in your school?"

    I''m not sure whether she''s that skilled at reading minds or if she knew anything about the school''s history, but I kept my mouth closed and pretended not to hear her.

    "Hey Hans, can I ask a question?"

    My sister isn''t convince enough and disturbs the stifling silence in the room. She was in the kitchen, but I can hear her from where I''m sitting. In fact, I can see her cooking since the kitchen is not separated from the living room.

    "Hm?"

    "Hans, are you able to make friends at that school." she sounds too direct yet cordially.

    As it may seem, she was undeniably worried about me. But, as I already mentioned, it''s not an issue if I don''t have any friends. I would be surprised if I had one.

    No one has ever told me that they are my friend in my entire life, and the same is true for me. Regardless, I am skeptical of what is genuinely a friend to be considered.

    I don''t want to answer her that I don''t have, and I also don''t want to pretend that I do. So basically, I''m deafeningly silent in this situation.

    "Considering of your behavior, you seem to have not making progress at that school, is-- it--right?" she then give me a bitter glare.

    In addition, she was brandishing a knife which was insanely terrifying.

    "Er, I can adjust myself, so don''t worry about it." I stared back at her.

    "I guess its alright, if you say so. But if you have a problem, just ask your sister okay?"

    "I''d rather not. Don''t treat me like a kid."

    True, she was compassionate, but I don''t appreciate how she treats me like a five-year-old.

    "Hmmm..." she furrowed her eyebrows while making a scary face.

    Again, her knife was reflecting light to contrast the sharpness of the blade.

    "What''s with that attitude, Hans? You''re making me sad, despite the fact that you''re already an adolescent, huh..." she release a deep sigh and continued, "Fine, tell me that again if you able to make a friend. I will consider it."

    "Um, Sister Irene, I think of school as a learning institution."

    Naturally, because the school was designed for education, I don''t believe it is vital for students to form friends. Besides, I think I can live on my own without being bothered by anyone.

    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    "Yeah, perhaps you''re right Hans. Making friends is not something that is taught at school. However, making friends is part of you. You must understand that in this world, no one can stand alone. Therefore you create friends. What if you can no longer see me? What about our mom and dad? What are you going to do?"

    "Don''t say anything like that."

    "I know, but you have to understand..." she hastily diverted her eyes and resumed cooking. She have a solemn look on her face, but after that, "Looks like I''m a nice sister for today too~" she chuckled softly.

    I can still hear you.

    My sister was concerned that I might be alone in the future, and I am aware of this. However, after hearing her words, I still can''t get the thought of it out of my head. I didn''t even respond to her since doing so would lengthen the conversation.

    On the other hand, it''s not that I don''t like friends; it''s just that I don''t understand the concept, which makes me dubious.

    In my entire school life, most of my classmates have shunned me. But I don''t care in the slightest. And it was around that time that I realized there is something wrong with me.

    Growing up with these emotions has rendered me inhuman.

    I am aware that... I...

    "Hans, are you okay...? Why your eyes so intense?"

    My sister paid heed on me while having a subtle expression in her face. For a moment, I was buried in thoughts, and my sister looked at me.

    "Ah, I was simply lost in thought."

    "Is that it? Hmm, well then assist me in preparing the dinner."

    "Alright."

    I stood up and forget what I was thinking.

    We took a seat as soon as we finished setting up the table. Tonight''s meal will be my sister''s favorite, chicken stew with a seasoned salad on the side. It looks heavy for a meal, but she appears to like making it today, so I don''t mind.

    "Hans, before anything else, please have a taste first."

    "Huh, um, why? Did you taste it before placing it on the table?"

    "The guest is usually served before the chef," she said confidently having her cheeks puffed.

    She''s claiming to be a chef even though she isn''t and brags about it. She then brings me the stew in just the appropriate amount.

    "There''s nothing poisonous in it, so take a quick taste now."

    Wait, poisonous?

    "I understand, but don''t say it like that."

    I looked at the stew. It seems fine and looks delicious.

    But before I knew it, she had forced a spoon with a piece of sliced meat directly into my mouth.

    "Yeah, fine... But tell me, how does it taste?" she asked, eagerly looking at me.

    She seems proud about her dish but I stared at her without anything to say. It is, indeed delicious, but I can''t properly express it to her.

    "You''re speechless, huh?" she said while making a smug face.

    "..."

    "Well then, let''s dig in."

    Without further ado, she grabs her plate and prepares to dig in. She seemed to be pleased, and I can tell how much time and care she put into this dish. Because there are just two of us at the table, I am right in front of her. I could tell he was having a good time since her smile reached the corners of her sparkling eyes.

    While we are at the table, I suddenly think of something that I want to ask her.

    "Er..."

    "Hn?"

    Having her mouth full, she glanced at me.

    "You are not having a hard time in this city?" I asked.

    "Why do you ask? Are you concerned about me as well?"

    "No."

    "Why?! Geez, how blunt."

    She had surely contorted her surprise into a grimace look.

    "In any case, do you like our way of life here?"

    "It''s strange that you ask that."

    "I know."

    "You truly want an answer? Well, I could say yes; it''s not difficult to adjust to our new surroundings, is it?" She replied fervently.

    I look into her eyes and she appears to be fine. She was visibly as cheery as usual today.

    "How about the school? The one you take test, is it strange?"

    "Pffft..." she was blown away by surprise, "what''s with that odd question? It''s a typical school, of course."

    "Hmm...."

    If I put into words, I could tell that she was telling me the truth.

    "What is it now? You''re having a hard time in your school?"

    "Most likely."

    "Hmm? I guess your school isn''t normal, huh?"

    I kept silent and feigned ignorance about what she said. Since my face barely changes, I''m adept at maintaining secrets. And because of my silence, she knew I wasn''t going to respond, so she didn''t urge any further.

    "Speaking of which, our father contacts me before you arrive home." she said in a light tone.

    "..."

    "...he said [Say this to Hans; you can''t drop out of school.]"

    "..."

    My face isn''t surprised at all, but I was gobsmacked on the inside.

    I have a lot of questions that I want to ask, but they are all jumbled up in my thoughts right now.

    "And then he said this, [Inform Hans that he has joined an organization. Please pick up Ms. Eve tomorrow morning; she appears to be interested in him,] that''s what he said."

    "Ms. Eve?"

    "I don''t know her either, so don''t ask me about her."

    "Um, is that all?"

    I''m not sure whether that''s all my father said to me. I''m looking for an explanation and a response from him, but I knew he was busy right now.

    This is getting troublesome. What does he even think?

    "Hmmm, hold on... ah, he said that [If you can get her trust, that''s better] if I said it correctly. But wait a minute Hans, what''s our Dad supposed to mean? Do you have any idea? He looks serious though." My sister sounds bemused to it.

    I take a close look at her, and it looks like my sister didn''t have any clue about it, so that''s quite a relief. But at the same time, how can I get an explanation if my sister isn''t even aware of that?

    My mind is out of place right now so I need to take a break.

    "Um, thanks for the food."

    "Hold on a sec Han---"

    My sister is clearly trying to stop me, but it''s futile. After that, I stood up and go to my room to ponder about what Dad had said to me.

    This will need a lot of thinking.

 (Chapter 2) Act 7

    CHAPTER 2 Act 7

    "Now, this is vexing," I mutter in the air.

    I was lying in my bed, wondering what my father had meant. I know he''s busy at work, so I need to take some time to clarify this up.

    It was approximately eight o''clock at the time, yet I was stuck in this situation till then.

    Despite her concern, my sister did not interrupt me in my room. The light footsteps outside my door indicated her worry for me, and I know she''s lurking around and wondering what my Dad was trying to express. I''m guessing she''s going back and forth right now.

    Still, my time is running out, and I''m not sure what''s going on.

    "Er, sister Irene."

    As soon as I utter my sister''s name, the footsteps started to fade away. And with that, I can tell she''s perturbed by it.

    "I know you''re standing right in front of the door."

    However, despite my persistent calls, she did not react even once. So I stand up, move through the door, and open it without offering her a chance to escape.

    "Um, Sister Irene, what are you doing?" I quickly called out to the woman who was currently sprawled on the floor.

    "N-Nothing." her voice cracked, and she had no choice but to deny.

    "Nothing?" I locked my sight on her, but she swiftly diverted her look.

    "Ah, er... I''m simply curious what you''re up to."

    "Hm, can I ask a question?"

    When I asked her that, her eyes gleamed and shone. She seemed to be quickly regaining her cheerful demeanor.

    "You want my help? What is it? I can help you with anything!"

    Looks like I was correct. She''s interfering with this situation and is captivated by it.

    "No, you''re getting ahead of yourself."

    "Geez..." she laments, her mouth slightly frowning.

    "Give me a break, alright? I was simply wondering whether our Mom said anything to you?"

    If my Dad was preoccupied, I hope my Mom was not. She was the last person who sprang to mind to elucidate the situation to me.

    For the most part, my Mother was amiable and kind, and she was mostly an identical image of my sister. However, she is overly convoluted, resulting in several identities, which quite unpredictable. Mom didn''t meddle too much if she understood she wasn''t involved. And when it comes to family and business issues, she takes them very seriously.

    "Mom? I don''t know exactly." she thought for a moment.

    "You didn''t receive a voice mail?"

    "I checked it shortly when I came home, but yep, there are no recordings."

    "I see..."

    After that, I cut the talk short and returned to my room. My sister, on the other hand, seemed dissatisfied with our conversation. Her brows are intertwined, and her eyes show that she is irritated.

    "Am I supposed to be left out?!" She scowled at me and I know she''s staring at my back.

    "If you want to know, know for yourself."

    I didn''t want to say anything to her since it would worry her. And because I don''t talk much, it''s a little tiring to explain.

    I went back into my room, but before I knew it, my sister had gotten into my bed.

    "Um, you know what, you''re trying to become a busybody."

    "I don''t care, Hans, since this seems interesting to me." She gave me an unusual glance with a serious expression.

    My sister didn''t meddle in this too much if she knew that this was not interesting to her. That''s why I hesitated to say anything about it before.

    To be honest, she''s a brilliant woman, but her actions cast doubt on that. She knows what she''s doing and how to act. Though, she may be too self-centered at times. If she wants something, she will get it.

    "What if I say get out in my room?" I said calmly.

    "No, I won''t."

    "As expected from you. Well, keep your nose out of mine, and I''ll go about my business and pretend you never came here in the first place."

    "That''s alright; Hans knows how obstinate I can be."

    "You are actually."

    She puffed her cheeks, but I didn''t look at her any longer. Instead, I attempt to find my phone and call Mom. I suppose she''s a little free.

    As far as I know, my Dad and Mom work in different fields. They do, however, seem to be connected in some way. They always arrive home together, whether it''s late or not.

    "What are you doing?"

    My sister curiously asked me.

    She''s sitting on the bed, making a bland face. She seems to be following my movements even up to now.

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    "As I said, mind your own business." I replied to her in a direct tone.

    I don''t want to complicate and explain all of my actions to her. And I''m sure she already understands what I''m trying to say.

    "Fine, alright."

    She isn''t angry but she''s persistent. She took my words and is now observing me.

    Earlier, I didn''t push her away since I know she''s determined, so instead I let her observe me from a distance and don''t ask any more questions. That was my intention from the beginning.

    She''s still on the bed and hasn''t moved an inch. Following that, I saw my bag and went to grab my phone from it. I don''t use my phone at school or in class since, as I already stated, the phone serves no useful purpose for me. In addition, once I went home, I always put my bag on the side since it was inconvenient to find it otherwise. And for better or worse, I always keep my room clean.

    When I reached for my school bag, I discovered a piece of paper, specifically a black envelop.

    "What is it, Hans? Is there something wrong?"

    "Nothing."

    She''s too perceptive even though I didn''t react that much.

    She continues to bug me with erratic questions, which makes me more wary. But my actions are not overt, yet she is fast to pick them up. I calmly reasoned with her, and so luckily she did not press any more.

    I didn''t open the black envelop right away since my sister was here. Simply, I don''t want her to bother me. In any case, the envelop is identical to the one I received yesterday, but I know it''s new since I get rid of the other.

    But now is not time to think about this, so I take out my phone and look for my Mom''s phone number.

    *Ring*

    As I pressed the call button, the ring was immediately heard.

    "Um Hello?"

    I say as soon as the phone stops ringing.

    [Oh, Hans? Isn''t it strange you called for me, no? Anyway, why did you call for?]

    Why did Mom respond so quickly?

    There are two reasons for this: one, she isn''t busy, and two, she knew I was going to contact her. If I had to guess, she''d be waiting for my phone call.

    "Er, I just want to know something if you''re not busy."

    One of my assurances is that I always say things, even if they are too apparent.

    [No, not at all; your timing was perfect; did your Father explain it to you?]

    "Hm?"

    [Don''t be a fool, my sweetie; I knew you''d get it from the start, and I''ll tell it again: grab Ms. Eve in the morning.]

    That''s not what I''m expecting from her. It stands to reason that if my father is aware of this, my mother is as well. I''d want to coerce her into spilling the beans, but she''s forthright.

    "Ah sure, I received from sister Irene, but what does it mean?" I directly pointed it out.

    [Hm, by the looks of it,] she mused, [that''s why you contacted me, is that right?]

    It''s typical for me to be stunned by her assumptions, but I wasn''t. I know she''s similar to Sister Irene in many respects, but Mom was much beyond, so I know how she speaks in an argument. She''s quite intelligent and has a habit of talking in circles.

    "Er, I''m assuming you''re waiting for my call, Mom?"

    [Well, I guess it is; I was expecting you to contact me tomorrow till morning, but you called sooner than I expected.]

    Though she did not deny my notion.

    [Anyway, I''m going to explain it to you.] She clears her throat and continues, [Me and your Dad have known the Principal in that school since we were in high school. We are not schoolmates, let alone classmates, but we share the same bond as if we were family.]

    "Family, huh?" I mutter in response.

    This is no longer surprising, yet the narrative seems rather incredulous. I had no idea what Mom was saying, but I can follow her words. On the other note, she sounds very enthusiastic about this.

    [And to conclude, we establish the Family in the same way.]

    "Huh? What do you mean by that?"

    This is clearly becoming perplexing, so I raise an ideal question. In addition, I''m very careful with my words since I don''t want my sister to suspect anything.

    [Family or Organization thing... that''s what today''s age calls itself.]

    "So that''s why we moved here for that?"

    This was an inconsequential question, but in any case, I''d want to hear why we moved here.

    [No, Hans.]

    She instantly emits a severe tone that pierces my eardrum.

    And by her words, it reminded me of the day when I was in that city. There were a lot of kids back then, playing around, and I was alone in one modest place where no one bothered me. But before I realized it, someone was there alongside me, which¡ª

    [Hans, I know you''re confused, but we didn''t move because of that; back then, I received a word from that person (Principal) that it was time for Hans to enroll in the school created by the organization.]

    "Hn? Yeah, though you didn''t consult me and sister Irene?"

    [Your sister knew something about the organization even though I didn''t tell her; you know your sister, right? I didn''t confer with you since we''re too busy and the paperwork have already been sent to the school.]

    So sister Irene knew all along?

    Since my Sister was watching me from behind, I didn''t budge an inch. It never occurred to me that she was aware of the entire situation, even though she had no idea who Ms. Eve was.

    "Um, I''m not concerned about the school, but what is that thing you''re referring to?"

    I didn''t care where I was going to transfer, but what does that organization mean? After then, I''d like to know if sister Irene was cognizant of everything.

    [''That thing''? Ah, Family? It is an organization structure that creates and expands businesses. However, young people must contribute or else... No, there''s no need for me to explain it to you.]

    "Um, but why?"

    [It is more than friends, so I assume you understand what it means; why don''t you talk to your sister? Sure enough, she knows a lot.]

    "A lot, huh? There is no need to hasten things."

    [Well, that''s up to you; in any case, there are certain issues we''re working on with the Principal, so we can''t help but meet.]

    "Er, you''re not going to tell me details?"

    [That''s for later; I think it''s time to get back to work, so bye. Oh, and if you don''t want to meet the Principal, she''ll come to you.]

    "To me?...Wait, hold on. Is Ms. Eve the Principal?"

    [Er, didn''t I mention it?]

    "No, you did not."

    [Well, there you go. Bye.]

    The phone call had just ended, as indicated by the clicking sounds. But before I knew it, my sister had a grin on her face and was looking at me. I''m not sure what she''s thinking, but it clearly can''t be fun.

    "So the Principal is Ms. Eve, no?" She glanced at me with a wry smile.

    "You heard it clearly, right?"

    My lips slipped in that instant, so there was nothing I could do with it.

    "Um, I guess you want to know some things, Hans?"

    "I''d want to skip school tomorrow," I blurted out, ignoring her.

    "Hm? What did you say? No, you have to come to school; Dad will email you the location of Ms. Eve."

    "Beats me."

    I no longer care about the school, thus I need to step away from this.

    "Hey! Don''t snub me!"

    "Go out Sister Irene, I want to sleep."

    "It''s not that late though."

    "But my sleep is more important. And also to remind you, this is is not your room."

    "...I know." She shifted her wavering eyes.

    I''d like her to stay away because I need to think about this. And the envelope was still in my backpack. In contrast, I''m not sure what it means. I had no idea who was behind this envelope thing.

    Anyone would suspects that if you find a letter, it perhaps was a joke or a prank. And of course, I''m concerned by that, since I''m not sure who this person is in the first place. But first, sister Irene must leave my room.

    "Aright. You need to push me away right?" she suddenly let out a big sigh, "In your bag."

    Hn?! How did she...

    "As one would expect from my sister. You''re extremely observant, but are you interested in it?" I questioned casually.

    "Not at all; well, I''ll go outside, but talk to me once you''re done."

    And by doing so, my sister comes out as thoughtful, which is unusual for her. She''s no longer upset and has left me in my room.

    "I suppose she''s okay."

    As a result, I''m constantly reaching into my bag and pulling out the black envelope. When I open it, there''s a little message within containing:

    Find me Hans Seid.

    "What is this?"

 (Chapter 2) Act 8

    CHAPTER 2 Act 8

    "Um, so, what do you want to talk about?" I ask my sister, apathetically.

    "Listen here for a second." she clears her throat and looks at me subtly.

    So, after reading the mysterious letter, I went downstairs to speak with my sister. We''re currently sitting at a table, facing each other. As I previously stated, I did not despise my sister for being a nosy person, nor did I push her away. I said it because she is undeniably interested in the item (letter) covert in my school bag.

    "Hans, when was the last time you started acting like that?"

    "What do you mean?"

    "From the look on your face right now, I''d say you''re pretty pumped up? I don''t know how to explain it to you though..."

    I can''t tell for sure since I don''t have a mirror next to me. However, my sister grinned as if she was relieved, but at the same time, apprehensive about seeing me. She smiles to appear both genuine and phony.

    Leaving that aside, I''m not feeling fired up or anything. It''s simply that I''m looking forward to tomorrow. Perhaps she saw through my eyes, as they say; eyes are windows to the soul.

    "What''s the point of that? Is it unusual?"

    "N-No. I''m not sure what''s wrong, but you look like you''re getting ready to beat someone up."

    Beat someone? Is that the expression she sees on my face? In any case, my expression is neutral and serene. So that''s why she appears concern?

    "Is that so?"

    "Yeah. Anyway, what are you hiding from me, Hans?"

    She throws me an admonishing question, which I knew she was referring to when I sent her out of my room earlier.

    "I thought you''re not interested."

    "It is, but are you going to keep it all to yourself? You can rely on me if the load is too much for you to bear."

    "Don''t worry about me."

    "Do you have any doubts about my abilities?"

    "Is that how I said it?"

    She was startled and frowned as she heard my statement. That was not my intention though.

    I''d say anything if I wanted to speak the truth. Moreover, it is in my tendency to keep things the way they are. And if there is a vital issue, I would like to resolve it on my own.

    Ideally, in this situation, my sister continues to pester me with irritating questions. But, since she didn''t say anything, I tried to reverse and manipulate her feelings by asking this question.

    "Would you believe me if I told you?"

    "Of course, Hans! Who am I to you?"

    "You are my Sister."

    And with that, her sulking expression gradually pours down as she realizes I regard her as my sister. It''s not that I distrust her; it''s just that I don''t easily reveal secrets, even if they are in my family or if someone is torturing me to say them. Unless, as I already indicated, I intend to speak. I''m the sort of person who considers his options before speaking.

    In essence, no one will ever discover the letter again because I burnt it down before anybody else did, including the letter yesterday.

    "Literally, it hurts that you didn''t say anything about trusting me."

    "Um, I suppose you''re going to tell me about something, no?"

    I try to shift the subject.

    "Jeez. Well, in any case, what Mom said you was correct, I recently discovered something in our family, but it''s not that surprising to me."

    "Hold on a sec, how do you know what Mom told me?"

    "From the start, it was predictable that you''d ask Mom about the organization because you couldn''t bother Dad."

    "Hn?"

    "What? You''re doubting me, huh?"

    "Does it matter? Basically, you know what I''m doing from the start?"

    Primarily, I don''t cast doubt on her. I ask her that merely to double-check my assumption. And, as I had predicted, she began by deducing the scenario. If I recall well, she stated, Am I supposed to be left out? That meant she wanted to participate in the conversation. However, if I allow her to join immediately, she would most likely want to go deeper into it. And it''s annoying.

    "Hoh, you''re being a bit evasive in your response, Hans. So, what did Dad mean before that? Have you ever considered it?"

    "Ah, obviously it was an organization thing, right?"

    "Yes, specifically regarding Ms. Eve?"

    So as she spoke, it made sense that she knew nothing about Ms. Eve other than the fact that she was the Principal.

    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    "Don''t ask me."

    "I bet Ms. Eve was one of the leaders, considering her relationship with our parents."

    "Huh? Get me to the point."

    We don''t have much time, it''s late, and my sleep has been ruined.

    "Remember what you said about not rushing things?"

    This cheeky sister, she''s definitely making fun of me.

    "You remember some unnecessary things, huh?"

    "It''s just ingrained in my memory."

    This was typical of her attitude towards me. It was frustrating, but I wouldn''t say I disliked or liked her acting that way.

    "All right, like I mentioned, I noticed something in our family as we were moving to this city."

    "Then?"

    "Wait a minite, it''s strange. I thought you knew all along, Hans?"

    "If you knew I was aware, why didn''t you consult with me first?"

    "Ah... e-eh, I''m busy with my studies."

    "Nn? Are you busy so you can learn about the ''organization''? If you look instinctively, it''s too conspiscious. "

    "Well... the fact is, I want to see your reactio¡ªNo, no, no, not that... Um... I want you to figure it out for yourself and see whether you''re capable of doing so, teehee~" she give me a forced grin.

    "Lies. Anyway, you absolutely have no intention of saying to me from the start, don''t you?"

    From one point of view, she appeared to be making excuses, but plainly she was avoiding telling me why she didn''t say anything about what she discovered then.

    "Sister Irene?" I called out her name since she was staring at me.

    "Um, right... To what I know, this organization started few centuries ago and it still working as of today."

    Centuries? I''m sure these people are pretty great at upholding tradition.

    "And the enduring tradition is still there; we trade information, create connections, and acquire influence; different groups are still standing, although ours has just been a few decades, according to the documents."

    "Documents?"

    "U-Uhm did I say anything?"

    "I don''t know if your statement was intended but I don''t care, please proceed."

    She gave a coaxing smile and continue, "Among these Organizations, they have fifteen recognized Families."

    When it came to imparting what I needed to know to this new world, my sister definitely didn''t hold back. True, it''s difficult for me to believe, but unfortunately, I can''t get away from this reality.

    "In these many families, it''s inevitable that organizations have disputes, whether between organizations or just inside the family, so it''s a little scary to think that we''re participating to such..."

    "Scary you say, huh."

    Sister Irene stared at me with a puzzled and frightened expression on her face.

    "Say Hans, are you not afraid?"

    "Er, afraid of what? Do you mean getting killed?"

    It immediately brings back memories for me. Well, I didn''t receive the sense back then since I was apathetic. Additionally, I don''t speak that term very often; it''s only that I''m going to do it right away. There''s no need for me to hold back in a fight.

    Even so, my sister was aware of my feelings; take note, not my emotions.

    "Ha?! Shh... keep down your voice, Hans. You''re too direct."

    "Um, but I''m not frightened."

    "You know what--No. Hn, it''s reassuring to hear that from you Hans."

    "It''s me after all?"

    "But, Hans..."

    "Forget me Sister Irene. Is there anything else?"

    I''m sure there''s more, so I''ll go right to the point.

    "Ah, there''s more to it; our family is a member of a prominent group."

    So, in retrospect, Principal Eve must have been from the same Family as ours based on the fact that she knew both of our parents.

    "Hans, I''m quite amazed that you''re not startled; your face is still the same."

    "Oh, yeah?"

    "Yup... Anyway, getting back to the issue, these Organizations were hiding behind well-known names, you know in ''big names'' in businesses."

    "Hmm. It appears they are well-known people."

    "Yeah, perhaps."

    "If that''s the case, then who is the leader in our Family?"

    "E-Eh? That''s... I don''t know in particular."

    "..."

    I stayed motionless and glanced at her dumbfounded expression, not knowing if she was lying to me or not.

    "Above all, Hans, we must contribute to this world. We are descendants, therefore we must accept duties. We lived our lives as if it were normal, but we must take notice of our obligation. Hence, as of today, treasure your friends and establish links between them¡ª"

    "I don''t have one though."

    "Hn? Then make one."

    "..."

    The hush engulfed me as I returned my gaze to my sister. She''s not sure if I''ll take a chance and make friends; but still, the choice is entirely mine.

    "Speaking of which, what about Dad saying I joined the organization? Is it our Organization?"

    I''d rather ask this simply to be sure that I''m not missing any parts of the puzzle in my head.

    There are two possibilities in my mind right now about Dad''s message: [Get Ms. Eve.]

    One is that Ms. Eve is from another Family that is recruiting me; and two, is that Ms. Eve wants to welcome me to her school because I am a transferred student and the son of a friend of hers. This question will be answered if I know where I belong.

    "I''m not sure because Dad didn''t say anything."

    Just I had guessed, my Sister didn''t know.

    "When I asked him, Dad suddenly cut off the phone. Though, I recently joined our Family. You see, there are Fifteen Main Organizations as far as I remember, but we are under the Light Family."

    "Light Family?"

    "You didn''t know, but Light Family is one of the Fifteen Main Organizations, or to put it another way, Fifteen Main Families throughout the world, and as I mentioned, we are part of the most influential group."

    "Indeed, you said it."

    "Moreover, there are many families that were under them, much like us; but our Grandfather was well-respected within, I''m not sure why. So essentially, we are considered as a respected Family too because of that."

    "Hold on..."

    I immediately stopped her because this was becoming more and more confusing.

    In my memory, our grandfather was a pleasant and reliant man, according to what my sister describes him. I''m not sure how I felt at the time since I had the indifferent feelings of a seven-year-old. My sister always tells me how beautiful his smile was. Once again, I can''t recall what I was feeling back then. As far as I know, our grandfather seldom visits our home, so his image of me is hazy.

    Looking back, I don''t recall hearing anything about our grandfather, let alone our grandma, from my parents. Nevertheless, my sister seemed to be quite proud of my grandfather''s accomplishments.

    Clearly, it was surprising event.

    "What''s the matter, Hans? Are you perplexed?"

    "If you claim our family was well-known, isn''t there a potential that someone in our lineage may follow in our grandfather''s footsteps?"

    In the worst-case scenario, we''ll have to fight over the successor. And because I''m not interested in these things, this will be a hassle for me.

    "Not exactly, since we have our cousins."

    "Ah come to think of it, you''re right."

    I suddenly felt relieved, and at the same time bothered. I was hoping they would make a smart choice for a successor.

    "Um, Hans, it was bugging me for a while, but you appear to have gotten used to it, and now I doubt you know anything."

    "Do I look like it?"

    "Not so..."

    "..."

    "Well, for further information, entering the Family is a bit tricky; anybody is welcome to join, but leaving stands with a compensation; yet, if someone in the higher-ups recruits you, no one will oppose it because it was their decision, unless there is a one-step process. "

    "Hm, process?"

    "I don''t know exactly the process."

    I''m not sure if I''ll be pleased or not, but most of all, I was astonished. Although, I''m not sure how to accept this. Definitely, because my family was involved, there was no way to avoid my joining procedure.

    I had cooled down a little, but it was still a crazy world to conceive of me participating in.

    Because this is something new, I figured I''d take it halfheartedly.

    "Is that it?"

    "Technically, yes..."

    "Then let''s call it a day."

    "Huh? Why so suddenly, Hans?"

    "It''s late."

    When I looked at the time, it was already twelve o''clock. As soon as I stand up, Sister Irene calls out to me.

    "Hans, don''t try to runaway, okay? The principal wants to meet you so..."

    I don''t say anything further about it, and I leave her alone at the table.

 (Chapter 2) Act 9

    CHAPTER 2 Act 9

    Upon receiving all the details yesterday, I was planning to take a break from now and leave the school for a couple of days. But that was the plan--

    "Pardon for intrusion..."

    "..."

    My face appeared calm, but my mind began to believe that this was simply another bad day for me.

    I''m standing at our front door, but to my astonishment, the man (Steve) I beat in the basketball match in P.E. class was standing right in front of me.

    "Um, can you tell me why are you here?"

    "Is that how you treat your guest?"

    "In the first place, I have no idea who you are or why you''re here. What was your real motive?"

    As I said with a stern glance.

    This is utterly vexing to see. This guy, whom I had only met the day before, was present without even introducing himself. It irritates me and makes me suspicious.

    "May I go inside now? It''s inconvenient to be here outside, isn''t it?"

    "I don''t think so; you are, in a sense."

    "Are you making fun of me, Mr. Seid?"

    "Could you maybe get to the point about what you''re doing here?"

    My speech was monotonous in contrast, yet he opened his eyes in response. I was making an attempt to irritate him. Personally, I''m not kind towards strangers, especially those that exude a lively disposition.

    "What else could it be? But yep, it''s you to what I''m here for; my Mom sent me here to pick you up."

    "What do you mean?"

    "We knew you weren''t going to come directly to school today, therefore we came to pick you up."

    Deductively, I''m waiting for someone to take Ms. Eve''s place because I knew she was going to send ''someone'' since she was too busy. It''s only a guess, but I don''t think this man will come to visit me.

    ¡ªWait, did he say "Mom"?

    "May I come in?" he said, widening his grin.

    "Hans, how come you''re still standing¡ª"

    "...Ms. Irene Seid, it''s a pleasure to meet you."

    "Oh, Hans, who is this ''strange'' person addressing my name?"

    She was literally pissed off.

    "I''m not sure."

    As my sister questioned me, I honestly had no idea who he was. My sister was going by and was curious as to why I was standing in front of the front door. Well, I''m here because the intercom rang.

    "I realize it''s a little impolite, but please forgive me; in any case, my name is¡ª"

    "Let''s skip that; don''t tell me, Hans, he''s your friend?"

    "Obviously not."

    "¡ªI''m sorry, but I''m afraid I''m not his friend."

    "Ah, I see..."

    As my sister gave me a puzzled expression, I immediately shifted my attention to that person (Steve). In fact, he was producing a sham look, which was grating to witness. Why do people strive to look as if they want to be liked by others? I don''t get it.

    "Why don''t you come in¡ªuh no, First of all, why do you come here?"

    My sister asked and had a scary grimace on her face.

    "Ah, it''s too late to say this, but Ms. Irene, we have to go as soon as possible."

    "Please quit saying my name, it''s creeping me out. Anyway, do you need Hans?"

    "Ms. Eve was¡ª"

    "Is that so? Then please look after my little brother."

    My sister promptly dragged me outside and locked the door. I''m not sure why she seemed so eager to push me away. However, I believe she understood the matter immediately soon when Ms. Eve''s name was spoken.

    "It''s weird that you don''t respond shockingly in this, Mr. Seid."

    "Am I supposed to? Well, I knew it from the beginning. I guessed and knew some of the information and deduced it gradually."

    ...As a result, I came to this conclusion and decided what I should do.

    "By the looks of you, you''re not a typical guy, are you? You''re not easy to read at all."

    "I don''t know what that''s supposed to mean."

    "Well, let me guess, you''re waiting for someone to come and get you?"

    "Didn''t you say that earlier?"

    "You''re right; but is it true or not?"

    "How naive..."

    "Nn?"

    I don''t know what to say to him, so I simply put it out of my mind. He wasn''t entirely wrong, but in retrospect, I think it was an apparent assumption as soon as I agreed to go with him.

    "How can you prove you were sent by Ms. Eve?"

    "Well, I don''t have any proof that would satisfy you, but if you don''t want to come, we''ll force you to. I''m sure you don''t want your house to be blown up." Again, he make a wide smile.

    "Is that a threat?"

    "Hm, I wonder..."

    I no longer mistrust him since I can tell he wasn''t lying. In contrast, the neighbors will be bothered if, by any chance, they make a sudden ruckus.

    I thought this person was difficult to read, but it appears that he is being honest while still being cautious with his words.

    So I get inside the vehicle, which is, by the way, a limouscine, and try not to speak while we''re in it. It''s not unexpected to see this sort of automobile because our Grandfather usually came to see us in this car. I haven''t wanted to brag about it since.

    And shortly after a while, we arrived at the place, and to my surprise, it was our school.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    "Um, you''re confused as to why we went to school?"

    He asked confidently, but I gave him a piercing, yet tranquil look.

    "I guess you know, huh?"

    "Um, speaking of which, we have a class right?" I abruptly asked.

    "Yeah... but I''m skipping it for a day, just like you." He gave me a strained smile.

    I see, that wasn''t his decision. He was being ordered directly so he can''t refuse.

    "Why? To pick me up?"

    "Not really. Uh yeah, here we are."

    We proceeded to the back of the school gate, as he had instructed. And we headed directly to the Principal''s office. I''d probably wear the school uniform if I knew this is where we would be meeting.

    "If you''re wondering why there are so many people outside the corridor, it''s because we have a special announcement to make."

    As he mentioned, there was a brimful of people who initially looked at us while we were passing by.

    "What''s the big announcement?" I asked.

    But, before he could react, we arrived at the random door, which was, as far as I could tell, the Principal''s office. From the outside, it appears to be large enough to be classified as an office room.

    "Ms. Eve will respond to all of your questions."

    He knocked on the door for me, and we entered. The place is huge, and I am astounded by how everything are arranged here. To some extent, it was clean and pleasant.

    "Hans is finally here, Ms. Eve."

    "Ms. Eve?" I mutter.

    It''s strange since he was his mother. So, why does he address him as Ms. Eve?

    As I was pondering what it meant, someone just called my name.

    "Are you Mr. Hans Seid?"

    She was sitting on the couch, reading a book with a silent expression on her face. She appeared serious, based on her manner.

    Because the place was so quiet, I didn''t answer right away. The thin air encompassing the entire room, was unrelenting, though I wasn''t intimidated by it. I was silent for a bit since I was watching her from a distance.

    "What do you want?"

    That man''s (Steve''s) eyes were at a loss, and Ms. Eve''s attention finally met mine. They were actually taken aback. While, I know she''s a friend of my parents, but that doesn''t mean I can completely trust her.

    "It''s funny to think that you look like Owen."

    Owen was my Dad. Somehow, I didn''t mind or care that someone compared me to my parents.

    "Um, are you making a joke?"

    "No, not all. Do you see it that way?"

    "Please get to the point of why I''m here."

    That man (Steve) didn''t make a single sound since he was perplexed by the unprecedented interaction between me and the Principal. I''m guessing he didn''t expect me to be that forceful.

    "That''s right. I just wanted to welcome you to this school; you''re not having any trouble, are you?"

    "Don''t treat me like a fool, Ms. Eve. I''m not sure whether you care about me, but it appears you''re hiding something."

    "¡ªHm? You''re rather certain of your assumptions, Mr. Hans."

    "It''s simply a strong hunch."

    "Wasn''t it rather useful?"

    "Yeah, so can you kindly expose it right now?"

    "Well, if you''re wondering, your parents have accepted you into our Family."

    For a little period, I was deafeningly quiet, but then it hit me.

    "I see. Family, huh?"

    "Are you not suprised enough, or can you guess it from the start?"

    "Er, no, but I''m not going to get away from this, am I?"

    "Of course."

    "How can my parents make such a choice without consulting me?"

    "Come to think of it, you don''t have any friends, do you?"

    "Hn, I suppose you dig at my background information."

    "So, what makes you believe your parents didn''t talk to you?"

    "..."

    I don''t want to say anything out loud, but I''m guessing my parents want me to progress in life--in making friends.

    "You''re a bright student, so I''m sure you''ll figure it out."

    I can''t dispute with her because she was correct and knows some of my information. However, I have decisions to make and things to consider before joining and participating in this unusual venture. I don''t really trust or comprehend what this organization is all about.

    "I''m not, but I am an honest student; to be fair with you, I don''t care whether such a thing exists, and I don''t want to associate myself with anybody; thus, please take my refusal."

    "You know that''s not going to be simple, Hans, because your parents have already filled out the necessary forms."

    "My parents? Does it imply that all the youngsters aren''t free to join whichever group they want?"

    Sensibly, I know it doesn''t fit because of the way she stated my parents filled out the form. If this is the system in which parents decide whether or not to engage their children in the organization of their choice, what is the point of joining for free?

    "Hmm, is this about joining an organization? You''re not entirely wrong either, but have you considered the higher-ups who want to recruit you? Basically, your will isn''t free at all since you have a ''Blue Blood.''"

    "What exactly do you mean?"

    "Joining is a free decision, but it depends on the Organization, right? That means, if the Organization wants you, you have no choice but to submit. That''s how it works in our world. Once you have a Family Blood (Blue Blood) running through your veins, you cannot resist instructions."

    "Then, basically you''re free, yet you''re chained. How horrible."

    "That''s right, being born in this world will wreak havoc on your life."

    "Seems like you are quite experienced yourself?"

    "Is that how it looks?"

    "Seems so."

    However, neither Ms. Eve nor her son have my whole trust. They appear to have been lying the entire time. It''s only a supposition since I don''t have any proof. Ms Eve was difficult to persuade. She''s aware that I''m pressuring her to confess.

    Then, when it comes to this, I''ll go with my gut instinct and be honest.

    "But it appears you''re deceiving me, Ms. Eve."

    She didn''t budge an inch and gazed at me intently without giving a hint.

    "How can you say?"

    "I told you it was simply a strong hunch."

    "..."

    She didn''t reply to my insinuation, but then a woman other than Ms. Eve appeared right off my back.

    "There''s no need to force it, Ms. Eve; he''s made his own decision."

    As she moves towards the couch, we notice her elegant propensity. She sat there and cast a straight gaze at me.

    "After a time, you ultimately show yourself."

    "Do you realize I''m hiding?"

    "It''s clear¡ªNo, nothing."

    I was about to add that I can smell her perfume in this room. I know that seems weird, but I recall her characteristics after meeting her. The perfume was really powerful and had a fruity scent. In this situation, though, I''m certain she was here.

    "What brings you here?" I asked.

    She is the woman I met the day before. As I showcase her, she remains a mystery. She was both mysterious and elusive to me.

    "Why not? I''m here for my Mother."

    "Mother?"

    "Er, she was speaking the truth, Mr. Seid."

    That person (Steve) who spoke to me scratched his head and made an uncomfortable look.

    This, on the other hand, was unexpected.

    Mainly, if she was her daughter, it ''s possible that individuals circulating stories about the mystery person were actually referring to her? Or if I guess correctly, she was here not long ago due to the Principal''s authority? Is there something else going on?

    "You are siblings?"

    "K-Kind of."

    Kind of?

    Even though it was unforeseen, that guy''s words stuck with me. It appears that there is more to it. Either way, I shoved this issue to the back of my mind.

    "Again, Mr. Hans, you''re not even surprised?"

    "Same to you, right?"

    "Hm, no."

    She stares at me simply, as if she had anticipated this all along.

    That''s why she starts talking to me right away and, strangely, doesn''t identify herself. It''s certainly aggravating, but I don''t mind.

    "Hm, now you disclose yourself, what am I expected to do with this. I granted your request to listen in on our talk, and yet you interrupt?"

    "I''m sorry to disturb your discussion, Mom, but I need to tell you something."

    "Hn? Is it unusual? This is the first time you''ve opened up to me, Zei?"

    Her name was Zei?

    "Well, forgive me Mom, but I''m going¡ªno, I''m leaving the Family."

    "¡ªHm?

    "¡ªWhat? Are you serious?"

    They were baffled.

    "Do I look like I''m kidding?"

    "B-But, Zei?"

    "I''m sure you know why, Steve."

    He fell silent, and Zei continued, as her Mom was confused.

    "Mom, I''d like to start my own Organization."

    "You''re brave enough to say it to me?"

    "E-Eh, Zei, are you insane?"

    This is quite uncomfortable. I''m stymied by their familial situation.

    "Indeed, this is my selfish request."

    She made an expressionless face from the outset, indicating that she was dead serious.

    I''m convinced that this isn''t the announcement they''ve been waiting for.

    "But do you understand the process, Zei?"

    "I am aware."

    And then all of a sudden, she reveals a pair of scissors in her hand, and immediately cuts her hair. She was now fortifying her resolve.

    A bold woman with a strong determination. This was the first time I met someone with this personality.

    For a brief while, the two were at a loss for words as they saw Zei''s actions. It is hard to believe, yet that has been her decision up to this moment.

    "You''re grown enough, Zei, so do what you want, albeit I have high expectations of you."

    "Thank you for taking care of me for all these years," she bowed her head and continued, "Please look forward to it."

    "But first, I apologize to Mr. Seid for seeing my daughter''s appalling behaviour."

    Ms. Eve then glanced at me with a slight contrite face.

    I didn''t answer to Ms. Eve, but Zei was gazing at me intensely, as if she was unconcerned with her behavior.

    "And you knew that was a lie, didn''t you? It is. Your parents called me and told me about your situation, so I''ll attempt to assist; but it was pointless, huh?"

    "Fair enough. So you''re all lying up to now?"

    "You know the answer. Joining an organization requires a signature of that person, you know? However, it is not always simply a signature, of course, it all depends on the organization if they are willing to take you in."

    In the grand scheme of things, this piece of knowledge was a waste. I can''t get away from the Organizations after all.

    However, Ms. Eve''s Family is the first thing that comes to mind. She did not appear to be the leader, as it seemed

    "Um, Mom, are you finished? May I borrow Hans?"

    This woman, she keeps calling me by my name as if we''re close. Is she trying to get my attention?

    "What do you want to talk to him about?"

    "It''s just a secret."

    Zei then grabbed my arm and led me out of the room.

 (Chapter 2) Act 10

    CHAPTER 2 Act 10

    After cutting her own hair, I was troubled by how it still sways and shines as if silvered, despite the fact that it is now short, above the shoulder.

    "Are you with me?" she said as she walked ahead of me.

    "So you''re saying you want me?" I respond, vaguely, although it was clear what she meant.

    Zei was asking me to join her organization in a respected manner.

    We are now strolling along the corridor. I''m not sure how it happened, but after she grabbed my arm, she let go after realizing what she had done. She, on the other hand, was neither embarrased or upset by it.

    She was walking ahead of me, elegantly, without even glancing at my presence. I was looking at her, and noticed how her short hair flutters back and forth like a fallen leaf. It wasn''t cut neatly, but it''s not all that bad as is.

    Whatever the case, it was time to leave the Principal''s Room. I meant for her to hold my arm so I could go without making excuses.

    "If you make a comment like that, people may misinterpret it. Are you saying it on purpose?"

    "You have some wild thoughts, but there''s no one here. Where are the people anyway?"

    As we move around, I can see that the folks I encountered earlier are no longer around.

    "Um, I simply let them go."

    I didn''t have much to say, but her clout here in school is certainly incredible. She is the daughter, so there is no mistake about her authority.

    "Your announcement was rather impressive."

    I toss in a tangent sentence to divert the conversation.

    "Don''t claim it''s impressive considering your face hasn''t moved an inch."

    "I thought they were going to make another announcement¡ª"

    "Uh, that? They believed they were going to get you into the Family, but I stopped them before it happened."

    This woman makes her own decisions, and they are definitive. Not that I''m the one who should be speaking. Needless to say, she hasn''t wavered up to this point, and it takes a lot of guts to do so, especially in front of her mother. Now I''m wondering...

    "Why? Sure enough, you have a lot of courage, huh?"

    "I don''t know what you''re saying, but I was able to pull it off because you were there."

    Clearly, she doesn''t want to expound on why she said it. Even though she was there in front of me, I could sense her enigminess.

    "It''s all nonsense if you don''t collaborate with me now, Mr. Seid."

    "So you''re saying it''s my responsibility?"

    "Responsibility? I believe you have a duty, but it''s your decision."

    She was not mistaken; I have a duty since it is in our blood. So she meant that it is, after all, my own life?

    "What are you trying to achieve, and why are you choosing me above others?"

    "We both have a terrifying intuition, so I''d say simply a strong hunch."

    This woman...

    "Are you pleased with the fact that you have my attention?"

    "Because you are honest, Hans, I suppose I can answer with an honest word¡ªYes."

    "But why me?" I persisted.

    "It''s simple; I know you; I know about your life from your previous school¡ª"

    "Hey, Ms. Zei," I say with a forceful tone.

    I abruptly halted my steps, causing her to do the same.

    "It makes sense now," I added, menacingly.

    I gazed at her back, with my bloodlust surging through my veins.

    This will be getting bothersome now that everyone knows my past life.

    What she''s up to? I don''t know. But I need to confirm something before I get rid of her.

    She then turned around with a straight expression to see me; nonetheless, I slowly put some heaviness on my feet and gradually close our distance.

    I lifted my arm in an attempt to intimidate her, but she was unfazed or afraid. So I cast a deep gaze into her pupils¡ªand immediately grasp her hair.

    "Urgh..."

    In anguish, she flinched her eyes and crossed her brows. She grabbed my arm in an attempt to resist, but she was outmatched by my strength.

    "I''m sure you understand a lot about me from our conversation yesterday?"

    "A... As I already said, I am aware of you," she says with a straight face and a daunt look.

    "Then..."

    Since no one was around, I''ll make use of this situation.

    I grab her other arm and shove her up against the wall.

    And, as I suspected, she was clutching the scissors she had used to cut her hair earlier. I''m not even surprised because I knew she wouldn''t hesitate to stab me if I made a move on her.

    "Holding this thing for a while and speaking innocently; you''re fully aware of what I''m capable of doing to you, aren''t you?"

    "You could tell what I was about to do, but don''t you think it''s wrong to injure a woman?"

    "I don''t think so, but you also don''t make a single notion of hurting me... what is your true motive?"

    My tone is rather threatening. I slowly close my face to her, tighten my grip, and ensure she doesn''t budge an inch.

    "As I said previously, I want you to join my Organization."

    "Why?"

    "You didn''t understand my motives yet? Now I''m more interested in you than before. And it''s funny to think I''m jeopardizing my reputation to get someone who isn''t interested in this. Get off on me or I''ll make a loud noise."

    "Do it."

    "Hn?"

    "You can''t do it, can you? I know you''re not going to make a fuss since you''ve already left your Family, right? There''s no one you expect to come and save you."

    We''re a long way from the Principal''s Office, so I doubt anybody will hear us. If I''m accurate, she currently has no authority at this school. Her biggest blunder was instructing the folks here to leave early.

    She no longer wields any authority. What else could it be if she yelled in a pitiful noise?

    Even if she tries.

    "You''re correct, I don''t have any authority right now, but you will give it to me."

    "Hn? You''re getting full of yourself."

    "Can you let me go?" she asks, firmly, looking back in my eyes.

    Even though I could sense she wasn''t lying, I was confused by her objectives. Nonetheless, she was the only woman that have the courage to confront me.

    I''m not getting anything out of these little bits of information, so I''ll gradually remove my firm grip.

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    I constantly take a step back after gently releasing her. However¡ªI spin around and kick her hand, causing the scissors she was holding before to fall out of her clutches.

    I was only making sure she didn''t try to attack me.

    "¡ªNn?" She wasn''t expecting it, yet her countenance is absolutely expressionless.

    "I like sharp items, but they aren''t always my favorite."

    "As usual, you''re a cautious man."

    She next cleans her clothing and assumes proper posture. She barely made a face, but I don''t believe it was forced, so I''ll assume she''s not afraid of anything.

    I could say, she has a lot of guts.

    "So, can you tell me what your plan is from the beginning?" I asked.

    "First but foremost, let''s ignore that things happen; in any case, do you know why I left the Family?"

    "..."

    "Right, you have no clue. I left because I''m avoiding the interaction."

    "Interaction?"

    "Betrothal."

    That said, I was speechless. Surprisingly, she was quite candid with me, as seen by her straight gaze.

    "Betrothal? That has nothing to do with me."

    "Precisely, but I''m expressing to you that I''m not the sort of girl who marries any random guy she meets."

    "In that case, it has nothing to do with me."

    "Um, I know, but I also want to get out of the Family to be free; I know it''s somewhat awful to witness. Under any circumstances, I have to go through the process they''re talking about."

    "Then it has nothing to do with me."

    "Can you stop that?" She asks, making a blunt face.

    "Is this it? I presumed it may be something about my family, so I tried to listen, but it''s the contrary."

    She just looked at my eyes, but then I continued.

    "Organizations are like this? I never thought about it."

    In today''s world, I don''t imagine that some families still practice this type of arranged marriage. It''s rather unpleasant, but I get the impression that someone gets affianced to another person in order to boost the power of the family and wealth.

    "I felt the same way; nonetheless someone in another Organization wanted me and invited me to a ceremony when I was twelve. I had no idea it was an engagement offer at first, but later on I found out, and though I have power, I''m totally helpless when it comes to higher ranks. So I''ll flee and keep my profile as low as possible, hiding at this school for a long time."

    It''s surprising that she was that young, and someone proposed a marriage to her.

    She''s a wise woman, therefore I''m sure she studied while hiding at this place.

    "So, why does it involve me?"

    "I''d want to create an organization with you and suppress someone."

    "Wait, in a way, why are you abandoning your Family? To tell you the truth, I''m not the omnipotence you''d hoped for."

    I''d rather ask since her statement has too many obvious flaws. If I think about it, I''m not that well-known or powerful.

    Besides, even if she wanted to leave or not leave her family, she couldn''t do anything since her future was predetermined. And I''m the same way.

    "I no longer trusted the Family, and I believe Mom understands why I''m going."

    "Trust? But don''t you think it''s a little unjust to include someone? And don''t you ever think about what and how I respond to this?"

    "I initially thought about it from the beginning."

    "Then¡ª"

    "Then I''ll make you agree to this," she says making a stern expression.

    I''m wondering what she''s up to.

    "You see, many organizations were attempting to recruit young people with Blue Bloods, and of course, you are one of them, so I''ll offer you a warning."

    That''s what I''m assuming from the start. In any case, I have no intentions to join any of them.

    "Many of them, especially the higher-ups, were intending to undermine or perhaps compel you to join."

    This is making my head hurt. This whole thing was just a mess considering many Families were involved.

    "Now that I think about it, to which Family do you belong?"

    "...If you ask, of course, we are also in the Light Family. We are not different. Alright, let me explain," she then straightens her back and clears her throat, "Are you aware that there are Fifteen Main Organizations, right?"

    "Um, sure, that''s what someone just told me."

    "Then Light Family is one of that Organization, and there are Fourteen Main Organitions that are attempting to attract people from different Organization. Basically, they are concentrating on power and numbers."

    "Does that make a difference?"

    "Of course it is, if you want to survive and bring the other down, you need influence."

    "Hold on, do you mean annihilate the other?"

    "Hmm, it makes sense you didn''t know; all of these groups are battling for influence, power, and wealth, and you know that people are greedy. To contrast, they are prepared to tear down one another for their own merit."

    I don''t disagree with her. I understand that we live in a society that encourages people to strive for the highest possible position. Individuals who, at the bottom, will eventually be unable to survive.

    As a result, it stands to reason that you must acquire influence.

    However, individuals are simply concerned with power; I believe you must consider control in order to remain at the top.

    "As you can see, each of these Fifteen has a representation here at school; and the other Fourteen organizations were effectively sending their own students here to watch the other children, Generally, they meant for Light Family not to make a move and dominate all of the students."

    "What do you mean? Do other organizations regard the Light Family as enemies? Do you find it unfair?"

    "It''s easy to say, but these Fifteen Main Organizations are on good terms, you know? If someone has malice and tries to stab the other in the back, it will eventually lead to a war, so everyone is moving cautiously and innocently like a mere cat. All of these Families have a contract; we help each other; however, not for internal affairs."

    Similarly, cats are both sensitive and careful about their environment. At the same time, they were thought to be good hunters, considering their species were made for hunting.

    "Uh, in a way, this is what you said Organizations are meant to monitor the students?"

    "It''s not entirely incorrect to say so, but the true nature of the Organization is a long story that we''ll save for later."

    "..."

    "Though there are many discriminations and heirarchies between students even now, which leads to disputes; the school guarantees education, but once internal affairs were involved, the student representative in each Organization will hold a meeting, together with the Student Council, and perform an action."

    "I see..."

    ...It is inevitable given by the nature of Humans.

    Now I have a greater picture of what was going on around here.

    Above all of what she said, it is unjust to hold a meeting between the Principal and the students because the Light Family built this school.

    Therefore, I assume that students have the most authority of all. If so, it''s possible that they were somehow linked to one another.

    "But, tell me, how did Lisa find out about me?"

    Lisa was aware of my existence, and I do not deny that she could pose a threat in the future. So I''m pretty sure that someone might...

    "What was the sudden question? Well, it''s because I told her about you, and we came to an agreement¡ªNo, never mind."

    Got her. She knows Lisa in a way.

    "Agreement?"

    "Never mind," she says, clearly refusing to talk about it.

    So she was involved with her.

    That is extremely suspicious. Not that it concerns me; I''ll ask her about it sooner or later.

    "Now, if you don''t mind, I''d like you to accept my proposal."

    "Proposal? Now you''re making a deal despite the fact that you don''t have the power, huh? You''re pathetic in some ways."

    "That insult... Well, I know you don''t want to join my organization, so here I''ll change the proposal that will might help you, but in exchange, let me follow you and use me."

    "Nn? What do you mean?"

    "Rather than me creating an organization, why not you create it, and in return, let me serve you."

    In response to her proposal, I remained completely silent. This is way beyond my anticipation. I had no idea she had proposed this to me.

    I make use of her in some ways if I think about it carefully.

    "You''re a sly little brat."

    "Don''t call me a brat; it''s tempting, isn''t it? If you have one, you don''t have to go through these Big Families."

    It makes sense in some ways, but there is still a gap.

    "You''re correct, but what if the Big Families get intervene? Do you think it''ll be pointless?"

    "That''s why you should try to recruit people that suits you."

    Ah, this is inconvenient. If I think about it any further, it will only exacerbate some of the troubles. Anything else makes sense, but it doesn''t sit well with me.

    "When you think about it, it''s troublesome."

    "...Then make use of me."

    She''s as tenacious as ever.

    "I don''t understand why you''re so obsessed with me."

    In some ways, I don''t understand her. But I have a feeling she''ll cling to me until the end.

    "Don''t tell me¡ª"

    "No, if you think of it as a relationship, it isn''t; however, as a partnership, I would say yes¡ª"

    "But don''t get too attached to me; I warn you. After all, you knew me."

    "Yes, and I am aware, which is why this is also an opportunity for me. I want you to protect me in return¡ª"

    "Protect you? You''re really hopeless, aren''t you? I don''t know about you, but you know my background; we''re both utter strangers in a manner, so don''t put yourself against me."

    "I don''t disagree, but you''ll definitely need me."

    For the time being, it''s unimaginable.

    "May I ask as to what the prerequisite is for this to become a real thing?"

    "In my opinion, you need at least five members to form a Family, but there is no such law; however, if you want to build an organization, try to get approval as soon as possible. You need to prove yourself to the other existing Families that your group is a worthy Organization."

    "I see... that''s a little stressful, isn''t?" I gave an honest response.

    "It''s not as difficult as leaving your own family," she muffles.

    "Leaving your Family? Speaking of which, what is the process you''re talking¡ª"

    "I''m not going to talk about it."

    "Is that so?"

    If she doesn''t want to talk, I''m not going to force her since it has nothing to do with me.

    "However, as I said, you''re hopeless. If you think I''m going to agree to this easily, you''re mistaken."

    I''m not saying her idea isn''t worth a shot, but I wanted to be certain.

    "Nn?"

    "As you have heard."

    "Hmm... I expected you to say that, but I''ll wait for your response; I knew you needed some time to think about it."

    When she turns around, her shadow slowly fades away. I don''t want to say anything further about her, so I let her go.

    "You seems to be the sort of person to leave first, huh?" I mutter.

    I have crucial things to consider.

    Primarily, there was the letter, which I believe was sent to me on a regular basis. I''m not sure who it may have been. I discovered the letter on my bag twice in a row, so I decided not to attend class today to test whether it would be there again even if I was absent. To begin with, it''s burdensome, so I''m simply confirming.

    Secondly, there''s the issue of organization.

    Is it necessary for me to rely on anybody in this? Is it necessary for me to build such a place in order to evade the future disputes?

    "Haa... I knew this was going to be a mess."

    Since I didn''t need to attend class, and there was nothing to talk about with Ms. Eve, I was heading towards the gate.

    ...When I noticed a woman and a man walking opposite me.

    They were either walking cautiously or were aware that I would overhear their talk.

    We pass each other by, but they don''t even make a sound.

    However, as we ignore one another on the hallway, I noticed a handkerchief on the floor. I''m not sure whether this was intentional, but I blatantly ignore it anyhow.

    But after a few steps, someone took a step back; and its footsteps steadily increased. It''s heading in my direction. Although, I was strolling ahead of the handkerchief, with a sidelong glance.

    "What are you doing, Mr. Kayvin?" exclaimed the girl.

    "Wait a second, you drop your handkerchief?"

    Unbeknownst to me, there was a recognizable voice and name. But I didn''t react right away since it was too clear.

    "Is that them?"

    I heard their footfall were beginning to diminish. And I simply turn away from them.

    "What are they up to?"

    I whispered as I walked out of the school and went home by myself.

 (Chapter 3) Act 1

    CHAPTER 3 Act 1

    On my way to school the next day, I had remembered what my sister had said to me before I left the house.

    "Er, Dad and Mom plan everything from the beginning."

    I remained quiet, but she continued on.

    "That''s why they make an effort to be kind of you; don''t blame them."

    It''s not like I can undo things, so this is no longer a concern of mine.

    Ms. Eve contacted my sister regarding our conversation. I''m not sure how they knew each other''s contact information, but Ms. Eve told her that I declined the offer.

    And that''s why my sister was worried about me disliking our parents.

    "I''ll try." I responded shortly before leaving the house.

    I understand my parents'' concerns, but I don''t want to engage them in my personal matter. I don''t dislike or loathe them for being overly inquisitive, and they know where they draw the line.

    Probably they will stop after this incident.

    Now I''m heading to school alone, as usual, with a blunt look on my face as I try to figure out what the letter''s purpose is.

    Strangely speaking, I just checked my bag and there''s no note or anything in there. Because there was no letter, I was confident that it was made by someone at school.

    This time, my aim is to capture that person in the act. Nonetheless, I believe it is indeed that capturing this prey is not as simple as it appears.

    As I walked through the entry gate, I realized that practically all of the students were staring at me.

    I have no idea why, but I don''t enjoy this circumstance. Their gazes are not the same as when I first started attending to school. It appears that I have been charged with a felony.

    However, after a minute of walk, someone grabs my shoulder; but I instinctively spin around, grab his hand, and throw him down.

    I''ve been extra cautious since Zei''s incident.

    "What the¡ªugh."

    "What do you want from me?" I asked while straining his arm.

    "Urgh, your reflexes are not a joke."

    "Yeah, I''m dead serious though."

    This is the ''morning guy'' who treats me as if we''re buddies despite the fact that we''re not. He once greeted me, but I didn''t recognize him.

    Regardless, after meeting him for the first time, he didn''t speak to me in class or on the way home. I listened to several others around me and learned his name as a result.

    ''He''s always like that, a pleasant attractive looking man,'' as the girls said, deeply in loved; absorbed by their discussion about him.

    But I didn''t want all of his details, so I dropped the idea of asking them.

    "Dude, can you let me go? You''re creating a ruckus, you know?"

    He is not as weak as he seems. It''s only that my strength is superior than his.

    I step away from him and give him a serious look.

    "Now what?"

    "Uh, I just wanted to know where Lisa went?" he asked after getting up.

    "That woman? Why are you asking me?"

    "She was missing yesterday, and the last time I saw her was from the Student Council Room; when I was ready to go home with her, I unexpectedly spotted you two together; but after seeing you two, you just left, and Lisa ran away. And to conclude, I was hoping you knew about something?"

    Apparently, they appear to be close. If they aren''t close, he wouldn''t have approached me and asked in the first place.

    "Is that my issue?"

    "Huh?"

    "If you saw her acting that way, why did you chase after her?"

    "Uh, no. My body didn''t move at that moment because I don''t like the idea that I''m consoling her while she''s crying like that."

    Crying?

    Anyway, judging from his attitude, I don''t think he has feelings for her.

    If they have a close enough relationship to be labeled "friends," it is true that he was there for her when she cried and carried her burdens. Though I don''t have any particular friends, if I''m right, that''s what friends are supposed to do.

    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

    Whatever the reason, I''m not sure what their relationship is to begin with.

    "That''s not my problem, right?"

    "Um, okay... But there''s a possibility you know abou¡ª"

    "No, I don''t."

    "I see... Then, I apologize for troubling you."

    He suddenly bowed his head.

    "I have a question, what is your relationship with that woman?" I questioned, ignoring his actions.

    "I suppose we''re friends..."

    He seemed to be hesitant about his response based on his movement of scratching his head. It is indeed doubtful, but I think I''ll leave it to them.

    "By the way, why are people acting like they aware of me?"

    Though we created a sudden fuss, I don''t think students would stare at us like this. The issue here isn''t their gazes; rather it''s something else.

    "Hn? You noticed? Well, you were gone yesterday, so you probably didn''t know. You''re getting these stares because--"

    "Fred, let''s go!" said someone ahead of us.

    Apart from that, this guy''s name was (Fred).

    He looks at that person and says, "Oh, right." And he tries to apologize to me again, "Sorry Mr. Seid, but please forget about our conversation... well, then."

    He ran like if he was trying to avoid me, or I was imagining it?

    Later on, I shoved this issue to the back of my mind.

    Hereafter, the best thing to do is go to class and get this day started¡ªat least, that''s what I thought.

    "Hey you," someone just cut in front of me, prompting me to stop at some point.

    How many people will cross my route before I get to my classroom? It''s annoying.

    "What?" I locked my gaze on him.

    "Do you happen to be the new Student?"

    "Is there a matter?"

    Until I realized it, I was surrounded by a swarm of students.

    "Nothing, just our commander requesting you to see her after class."

    "Hnh, what a silly thing to say. Why there were so much people here just to say that to me?"

    Without a doubt, their eyes are tremendously searing at me.

    "No, they will not harm you unless I tell them to."

    What a farce.

    They intend to use their numbers to frighten me.

    "That''s all we had to say," they appear to be saying as they slowly turn away.

    I just realized that is it normal not to identify yourself here?

    This is exasperating.

    After their statement, all of the students who had previously surrounded me vanished in an instant.

    I don''t feel threatened, but I do believe they are quite serious.

    According to their apparent behavior, they''re rather arrogant and pompous. Isn''t my presence a threat to them, or do they intend to impress me?

    I''m sure they want to be friends with me, but they also regard me as a hindrance.

    This appears to be the hierarchy that Zei was referring to. They appear to be at the peak since no one among the students dares to interrupt the scene.

    In any case, I casually left the area as if nothing had happened.

    On my way, I saw someone waiting on the stairs once more. There were no students nearby, but there was one just in front of me. He''s sitting on the third top stairwell, looking as though he''s waiting for someone.

    ...Waiting in me?

    "At long last, you''ve arrived."

    "Uhm, I didn''t say that you need to wait for me. And, who are you anyway?" I asked in a tedious tone.

    He paused, and suddenly laughed sardonically, but it didn''t last long. He then again speak to me.

    "On your first week at this school, you had an absence? What a remarkable student."

    "That''s a ridiculous thing to say. Why don''t some of these students know how to properly greet someone?" I mutter. "Why are you here?"

    "I see. Do you know why I''m here?" He said, mockingly.

    "Sorry for being nasty, but this guy didn''t know how to greet someone; anyhow, simply we''re inviting you to join our chat," a woman alongside him said as she approached us. She came down those stairs with a faint sound that I almost didn''t notice.

    These occurrences have taken me by surprise. Though I suspected that the other organizations are moving as quickly as this one to increase their numbers.

    "We don''t want to push you," she explained, "but let me greet you once again, Mr. Seid; it''s a pleasant to meet you."

    "Hm, is that so? Then, excuse me."

    To brush off their pleasantries, I managed to move ahead of them, leaving them in my wake.

    "If you''re wondering why others are staring at you like that, it''s because someone spread a story about a transferee student, and because no one else was moved here, it''s definitely all about you."

    I came to a screeching halt with her statement.

    "Indeed, but what is that rumor, if you don''t mind my asking?"

    "Now you want to talk now," the guy interrupted.

    I turned around and peered at them as if I were a hunter looking for meat.

    "If you really want to know, come see us after class." The woman said while looking straight in my eyes.

    Basically, even though they did not say it explicitly, it implies that they want me to join their group like the others.

    However...

    "Do you think it''s necessary, Mr. Seid?"

    Hana appeared out of nowhere. All three of us weren''t surprised, given that we were all aware that someone was eavesdropping on our conversation.

    "What are you doing here as well?"

    "I only wanted to seek for you, Mr. Seid, since I had a feeling that someone would approach you."

    It clearly shows that the President directed her to keep an eye on me.

    "This is irritating," I mumbled dismissively.

    "Oh, Ms. Hana, the Student Council representative. This is rather interesting to see..."

    Rhe woman sternly says, staring at Hana''s actions.

    "I''m nothing more than a normal student."

    "So, what are you up to?" the guy asked, "We don''t threaten Mr. Seid, you know."

    "Nothing in particular; I''m simply here to represent the President."

    Hana answered with a flippant grin.

    "Oh, yeah? Then we''d want to say good morning to you as well; we don''t take long here," the woman replied and added, "We''re just here to say hello, and then we''ll be on our way."

    "We will leave immediately, don''t worry; we simply happened to be here at random and didn''t anticipate Mr. Seid to be here," the man snidely explained.

    "Like honestly; so then, excuse us," the woman says as they leave me and Hana.

    They don''t do any harm, anyhow.

    Following that, I spoke to Hana, "What are you doing?"

    "You''ll make a fuss if I don''t interrupt, right?"

    "..."

    I''m not sure whether she can sense the mood, but I was about to force the two unknown persons to spill the beans.

    "Another thing, what is the rumor they''re talking about?"

    "Uh, right, you''re not present yesterday. To tell the truth, the rumor isn''t so bad. You fought Steve, right? That''s it; and the rumors spiraled out of control. That''s why some students are wary because there''s a competition between the leaders. Recruiting, to be specific. Generally, they don''t know how to interact with someone who puts them in danger"

    So they considered me as a danger?

    "I get what you mean."

    "Also, if you don''t join, you''ll be ostracized if you recall what we told you."

    "Um, yeah."

    Outcasted you mean? From their expressions, it''s clear that they shunned me already.

    Their gazes appeared to penetrate me at first glance, but I manage to continue as normal.

    "The representatives are aware of a man like you as well as the normal students; therefore, be cautious and join an organization as soon as feasible. That''s what Student Council wanted to say to Mr. Seid."

    She walked away after that.

    And as a result, I also continued on my way.

    "Join, huh."

 (Chapter 3) Act 2

    CHAPTER 3 Act 2

    During the break, each student was split into their own groups. Despite the fact that they are from various organizations, I can tell that they are all having a good time talking. It''s as if they aren''t separated by their organization.

    Right now, I intend to go to the cafeteria on my own as usual.

    Initially, my sister didn''t usually prepare my lunchbox since I told her I wanted to try the meals at the cafeteria.

    "It''s time to go." I mutter as I leave my seat.

    During class, we just focused on the test.

    Yes, a quick exam was given, but I passed it with flying colors.

    To be honest, that was not an exam, but rather a brief quiz to prepare us for the impending midterm examination. Next week, before the forthcoming school vacation, we''ll be taking a midterm test.

    Teacher Fireil reminded us of the demanding schedule that will take place this month, including the school trip. As a result, it was prudent to plan ahead of time.

    Eventually, after I had left the classroom, I went straight to the cafeteria. And just like the other day, the crowd grew rapidly. This atmosphere doesn''t bother me, but as I suspected, the whole school population was staring at my back. Giving me an unsteady glimpse.

    Looks like they''ve started noticing me now.

    Just like I used to, I ignored the attention and ordered a meal. I did a quick sweep of the area to see where I might locate a suitable seat. However, there was a girl waving at me, trying to get my attention. It''s simple to say I recognized her immediately; she was the Secretary of Student Council, Lou Leyand.

    "Come here, Mr. Seid!" she says.

    I attempt to ignore her call a few times while I turn and look about, but I have no option because there is no vacant seat elsewhere.

    There''s a typical rule that if you order a meal, you must eat it right here.

    "In the end, you can''t find a seat, did ''ya? You see, don''t decide to ignore me, Mr. Seid."

    "Um, is this seat available?"

    So, as soon as my thoughts chose to approach her, I asked her if it was acceptable for me to have a seat. Obviously, she wants me to sit here, but I asked her nonetheless, disregarding her words.

    "Hey, as I said, don''t ignore me."

    "Then if you don''t mind."

    I sat before she caused a scene.

    It seems she was pissed off by my actions towards her, but she kept her annoyance to herself.

    "I think that''s a part of you, Mr. Seid."

    "Hn?"

    "Nothing. In any case, how''s your day off?"

    Day off? Was she referring to my absence yesterday?

    "Ms. Leyand, stop beating around the bush and tell me what''s your objective?"

    "Uh?" She furrowed her brows, "Pfft... Hahaha..." then chuckled lightly all of a sudden.

    "What''s funny?"

    "You''re as cautious as ever, Mr. Seid; am I being too suspicious?"

    "Somehow."

    "Eh? Oh my, you''re really serious with words; despite that, I''m only here to warn you, perhaps..."

    "I suppose it''s something to do with Organization?"

    "Ping-pong! You''re correct," she sounds enthusiastically, lightening the atmosphere.

    Seriously, what''s going on with her today?

    "Could you possibly stop being so friendly? I''m aware of Student Council''s methods toward the students."

    True, sort of. They try to be as pleasant as possible, knowing that all they want to know is if you are a threat or not.

    "Hoh? You''re making me a little uncomfortable," she adds, making a straight face, "Regardless, Student Council usually does this type of stuff, you know what it means; especially for those new to our school."

    Essentially, they always remind new students to fulfill their obligations as blue bloods. To be specific, they want you to decide which side you are on.

    "What if I claim I didn''t change my intentions then?"

    My food nearly finished as I take an another bite.

    "I don''t have any plans to join any of them, unless I have to."

    "What can I say? Those are Mr. Seid''s actions, not mine, but allow me to give you some advice."

    "What is it?"

    "Didn''t these stares make you feel anything?"

    "Hm," I observe the area without moving my head, "There''s nothing in particular."

    Apparently, all of their attention is clearly and very trudgingly focused on us. And I know she noticed it too.

    "You don''t feel anything, yet they''re ostracizing you."

    "As it turns out..."

    It''s staggering, to say the least.

    "Say," as she grabs my attention and asks, "there was the approaching school trip, right?"

    "Um, yeah."

    Our school excursion will take place two weeks prior from now.

    "The question for you is, are you prepared for anything that might happen?" she remarked, making a taunting grimace.

    I fell silent for a moment, thinking about her reasoning.

    That looks like a warning than an advice.

    When I look back today, I notice that they began to avoid me in the first place. Therefore, I thought that there''s something off.

    "It''s none of your business anyway."

    "Hmm, you are too relaxed with this, Mr. Seid. Well then, please pardon me for wasting your time," she said as she walked away from me after a brief conversation.

    In the end, she''s just an annoying busybody.

    After she had left, I completed my meal and tried to go back to class as soon as possible.

    But I was temporarily halted at some point.

    "You''re behaving arrogant this time, you jerk!"

    A strong female voice could be heard coming from the corner stairwell.

    This is not the building where my class is, but you must pass through it before entering the following building, which is where you can find my class.

    Actually, this location is rather secluded.

    "What are you doing?" A guy popped up and asked me a question from behind.

    I can see that this will be a terrible event.

    I was discovered before I could flee. I was going to switch routes, but this was an unlucky incident.

    There are several ways to escape this situation.

    "Excuse me?"

    Pretending I was passing through here by chance was the greatest option.

    "Wait a sec, you''re the tranferee student, right?" He exclaimed.

    And because of that, my bad luck has swiftly escalated.

    I didn''t respond because many people were peering at me right now.

    Definitely, they''re eyes are accusing me of being suspiscious.

    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

    If I''m not mistaken, there were four females and a guy, plus the man who saw me, for a total of six people here; and they''ve been up to something fascinating.

    Among them was a female student who appeared to be being harrased, perhaps by these people.

    She was kneeling on the floor, and her eyes squinting in anguish.

    Specifically, they''ve beaten this female student for fun, I suppose.

    That person seems weak and powerless, and she couldn''t do anything about her attackers.

    What a tragic sight.

    Seemingly, her bruises and open wounds on her head allowed the blood to pour across her whole face. This implies that they do this, not just this time, but frequently. Her cheeks are swollen, and her fingers appear to be fractured.

    Even though she was kneeling, she couldn''t keep her balance since she was leaning on the wall.

    Because we had been heard, I chose to ignore these folks and walk away as if I hadn''t noticed them. This has absolutely nothing to do with me.

    "Hey, are you coming to help this girl?" A certain female, who appears to be the leader, asks.

    Remarkably, they don''t look panicked seeing someone caught them by accident.

    "Help? I don''t know this person, and I don''t owe her anything, so why should I?"

    In some ways, I''m not entirely incorrect. Is it necessary for me to help a stranger? If I''m going to protect her, I''m dragging my own life with me.

    "What? Hahaha," she scoffed, "What an apathetic person you are."

    "Not really, I just look to see if I can get something out of it."

    "I see. Um hey, you''re the new student, right?"

    Now I''m positive that they all recognized me. Though...

    "I don''t have time to talk to all of you right now since the class is about to begin."

    To get out of this, I had to reason with them.

    "Looks like it? Uh, please don''t mention this to others, okay?" she added pleasantly, wearing a fake smile on her face.

    "I don''t see why I should. You definitely have pleasure playing with her, huh?" I turned around and took a step as I try to escape.

    However, they had no intention of releasing me.

    Promptly, they threw me a bag that belonged to the female they had thrashed. Nonetheless, their aim is poor because it didn''t land on me. Though it made me believe it was silly, like it was child''s play.

    Due to their actions, I initially stopped.

    "Do you think you''ll be able to go without our permission?" said the other female student.

    "Most likely," I replied.

    "Ha! What a joke. The rumors about you are certainly foolish in some ways, considering you''re fleeing? We are aware that you defeated Steve, but it was only a normal game."

    Definitely, it was all a game, after all.

    "Um, may I ask why you do these things?" I asked, turning my head back slightly to them.

    "Huh, what do you mean that kind of thing? Ah, this?" The female leader immediately ordered the two males to kick the harassed girl.

    And, with glee on their faces, they mercilessly kicked that poor student multiple times.

    "Ugh¡ª"

    I''m watching them as the girl tried to resist the pain. I can hear some cracking sounds and the blood splatters along with their kicks. The most notable thing is that the girl didn''t shout for help.

    "Do you want to help her now, Mr. New Student?"

    "Help, then what? That didn''t even respond to my question."

    "Based on your reaction, you''re not inclined to help her, are you?" she asks, tilting her head while making a bland expression, "Well, you''re interesting!"

    Soon enough, they stopped gradually after getting an instruction from that woman.

    "To answer your question, nothing special, it''s just fun," she smirked as she leaned down and grabbed the girl''s hair.

    All of them suddenly grinned and laughed as if they were mad¡ªno, they were nuts.

    "How do you feel seeing this, Mr. Transferred Student?"

    "Feel? I''m not sure, but from the sight of her, I''d assume that was excruciating."

    "You don''t feel sorry for this girl, do you?" She grinned and slowly moved closer to me, "Say, I can tell you have excellent looks too; if you don''t mind, can we have a long chat after this?"

    "..."

    I remained silent while closely examining her. She was well aware of her womanly wiles, and she was serious about them. Having said that, I assume she did this to everyone she met. Except that this approach does not appeal to me.

    She''s slowly putting her hands on my cheeks and tucking her body into me.

    "..."

    "..."

    However, I easily grab her hand and push her against the wall.

    While gripping her hand, I was surprised at how calm she was.

    However, her group seemed shocked, and of course, they planned to pursue me, but she instantly said to them, "Don''t worry, I''ll handle this."

    They are extremely carefree. Why don''t they try to stop me?

    These people, on the other hand, are not from my class. Based on their appearance, I believe they are not new to our school and are in the same grade as myself.

    "Are you attempting to seduce me?"

    "Jeez, you''re an aggressive type, aren''t you, Mister? Anyway, do you like it?"

    "Clearly, it''s pain in the ass; you''re annoying piece of trash."

    "Oh my, you''re pissed off?" she smiled seductively, closing her face in mine, "then can you let me go, it hurts you know?"

    Instead of listening to her plea, I tightened my hold and tried to be as nasty as necessary. I''d like her to feel threatened to be exact.

    Based on my observations, she''s not the sort of female that shows weaknesses; plainly, she likes to show off her strength to the weak.

    Despite the fact that she only knew me via hearsay, she didn''t hesitate to approach the perilous edge.

    Nonetheless, I''m not weak enough to fall for her ruse.

    "Get off on me, geez... it''s starting to... -argh... -ugh"

    "What are you doing man!"

    "Stop him, you two idiots," yelled the other female on their side.

    So they''re still trying to hurt me since I''m alone?

    Accordingly, the two guys charge towards me, but before they can do anything, someone comes out, or should I say, speaks out of nowhere.

    "What are you doing here, Mr. Seid? Why are you with this gang of delinquents?"

    As she approached, I stayed passive.

    She was the one I met today before I went to my class. She should have brought her companion, but I don''t see her with him right now.

    In the eyes of others, her look is fairly imposing, and her remarks are amiably taunting. She has a personality that is similar to Zei''s, yet she thinks differently.

    "Why are you not responding? And you bunch of fools, what are you up to?" she said.

    I''m not sure what she was doing here. It''s rather odd that I can hardly hear her footsteps.

    "Ah, Mr. Seid, can you let go of that filthy woman?"

    Her eyes fixed on me. I didn''t say anything. But, having squandered a lot of time here, I let this woman go.

    "U-Uhm Ms. Auguron..."

    As I let go, this girl was quivering in terror, obviously indicating that the newly arrived strange woman was not a regular student.

    "What?" She said to her, having a scrutiny stare.

    Even after approaching us, I have the impression she is one of the representatives.

    "Erm Ms. Aug... ron... this... this thing is..."

    "Either way, I don''t see anything wrong here." She stridently remark to the female leader of the group.

    Technically, they were bluffing. They were acting ignorant in this incident. And that woman was oblivious to the entire situation, even the harassment made by these people.

    "O-Of course Ms. Auguron... there''s nothing unpleasant here, right everyone?" the guy said.

    "Ah, don''t speak if you aren''t the one I''m asking. Anyway, I don''t want to see all of you, so hurry up and get to your class."

    "Y-Yes," they said in unison.

    After they all fled, the only people left were myself, that woman and the bullied female student.

    "Sigh, now what to do in this case."

    She ponders with a slight sigh.

    Ignoring all of this, I also intended to return to my class because this no longer concerned me.

    But...

    "Are you the kind of guy who doesn''t talk naturally, Mr. Seid?"

    "Hm?" I paused for a moment and looked at that woman, "What do you want? Do you want me to thank you? I don''t believe I needed your aid."

    "No, it''s not that. But I''m interested in what you''re doing here. I''d want you to explain."

    "Seems like this was purely coincidental, huh?" I remarked sarcastically.

    "Yeah, I was walking by and happened to see you in this scene."

    "It''s not necessary for you to know, but I was also passing by here."

    I''m speaking truthfully because she gave me a completely honest response.

    "I''m leaving now. Take care." I added.

    Simply put, I disliked taking responsibility in this situation, so I went ahead of her.

    "Mr. Seid, I thought you were here to see her?"

    I came to a complete halt and replied to her, "I''ll go ahead; I''m a trustworthy guy, so you can rest assured that this matter will remain here."

    In truth, I''m uninterested in this.

    "Are you saying you''re ignoring her?"

    "Do I need to say it?"

    "I believe you''ll respond yes; well, since there''s nothing wrong here, I''ll go ahead as well."

    "Hn?"

    And she begins walking with me while ignoring the poor girl.

    I was astounded by her actions as I was puzzled by them.

    "Why are you still standing there? The class was about to start, right?"

    Though she asks, I didn''t answer her.

    "..."

    "What? Didn''t you realize the situation, Mr. Seid? As I said, I didn''t catch them in the act, so there''s nothing wrong; in fact, I saw you hurting that filthy woman. Hm, I wonder if I need to report you to the higher-ups about this?"

    I still haven''t said a single thing, and I''m still taken aback by this.

    What exactly is this facade? Is she blatantly unconcerned with the girl, as I am? Or maybe there''s more to it.

    "No, probably I keep this matter alone."

    "Um, I don''t know what you mean, but certainly you can see her state, right?" I asked.

    "Yeah, so what?"

    Hold on. If I analyze the situation, is this precisely what the Student Council had said to me?

    "Um, are you worried about her, Mr. Seid?"

    "Tell you, I assume you don''t have an organization?" I abruptly asked the harassed student.

    She nodded in response.

    "Thought so. How come?" I added.

    "T-They don''t want me in."

    Evidently, she was struggling in her speech.

    "Want you in?"

    Basically, she didn''t get an approval in joining the organization?

    Hmm... This event is now clear to me.

    This girl was abused since she did not belong to any organizations.

    If I remember correctly, the Student Council had indirectly told me this the day before.

    But what about the reports, though? Did they make certain that the students would be able to live normally here?

    "This school was terrible, huh," I murmured.

    "Hoh? I think you understand your situation now, Mr. Seid."

    The strange woman mockingly approached me.

    "Then, Mr. Seid, I don''t want to talk to you right now, but like I said, you may come and visit us after class."

    "I''m sorry, but I will refuse."

    "Woah, you''re quite a hasty person. Well, that''s to be expected. We''ll still wait for you."

    She began to walk away, but she stopped at some point.

    "Mr. Seid, you may call me Esper, it''s a pleasure to meet you," she said as her shadows completely disappeared.

    I''m not sure why these organizations are so obsessed in recruiting me while other people, like this woman, are struggling to join.

    Is there a difference?

    This poor woman, I can''t relate to her in her current state, and I don''t know what she''s going through.

    Regardless, it''s not my problem to begin.

    "Um," she glanced at me and stared into my eyes.

    Since I had no intention of helping her, I turned around and ignored her completely and went ahead to my class.

    However, she abruptly began to speak of her own volition, "T-Thank you."

    Two words resound vividly in my ears.

    But I wonder...

    "Why? Why are you thanking me?"

    I''m impressed she''s still able to speak after such harassment.

    Her cheeks are swollen, yet she attempts to talk to me.

    From the start, I didn''t do anything to her, so I''m confused.

    "Uh..."

    "If I presume," I returned my gaze to her, "You were instantaneously relieved when I unexpectedly got here? Though I didn''t do anything to you and it''s indirect, isn''t it the likely scenario why you''re thanking me?"

    "Um, y-yeah. Even a bit, I feel i-indebted to you... o-once again, t-thanks for coming here."

    "To be honest, it''s kinda strange to thank me in the first place. Anyway, why are you still insistent on attending this school?"

    "Eh? um..."

    "Just a piece of advice; instead of coming to this school and show the people how pathetic you are, why not just quit? After all, you know what''s going to happen to you if you persist. If you''re sick of it, just leave. In the end, you''re causing a lot of troubles."

    To be frank, this sort of student is a nuisance. They''re pitiful.

    "...Y-You''re right. I''m pathetic in this way. B-But I''m not as good as y-you think. S-So this will be my p-penance."

    "Hm? Punishment, you say?"

    "To be honest, I owe them a lot."

    "How come?"

    "Y-You see, I was k-kicked out of the o-organization, and s-since then, I-I''ve apparently b-been bullied by more than j-just those guys."

    "Kicked out, huh? Um, I''m not sure what you did in the past, but it doesn''t concern me; now, excuse myself."

    Hearing about her background won''t get us anywhere, and I''m not interested in other people''s lives.

    She was surprised by my quick avoidance, but she immediately smiled and said her final words to me, "Uh, Mr. Seid, t-thank you once again."

    Subsequently, I left the area immediately.

    After that incident, I didn''t get a chance to learn her name in the end.

    Little did I know, she''d already gone.

 (Chapter 3) Act 3

    CHAPTER 3 Act 3

    Human minds are complex. They are aware of what they are doing, yet they turn a blind eye to what has been done. Move on, and forget it. That''s it. In any case, we still have regrets that we have to live with.

    Our brains have the ability to think, comprehend, and solve problems. Our essence, often known as nature, however, is the one that opposes it.

    What is the difference between right and wrong?

    What''s good and what''s bad?

    Ethics is the field of philosophy that examines these issues.

    If we answer these questions, we can generally state that ''bad'' are things that bring people down or have a large influence that changes things in the opposite direction of what you expect; simply put, negative. When we say ''good,'' we mean otherwise.

    Though we can say it is wrong, it isn''t precisely anything that bad, and even if things were right, that doesn''t imply they were good.

    If we dig deeper, I feel that wrong and right, good and evil, are non-existent but also existent. To be more specific, it is constructed by human minds to function as a rule (existent).

    We humans have distinct viewpoints, with half of us focused on the ''process'' of saying things good and bad, and the other half based on the ''outcome.''

    But what precisely does it mean to be good?

    You see, being good or terrible is determined by how you treat others, but not by how you treat yourself.

    But what if we adopted a different approach? Is it preferable to be kind to oneself? Or is it preferable to be cruel to oneself for the benefit of others?

    And if you suppose the answer is, that also depends on the people around you.

    To summarize, we humans constantly prioritize others before ourselves. This thinking is widespread around the world.

    And, if we think about humans, being selfish is technically a negative (bad) thing.

    Ironically, people have spent over a thousand years thinking about what would benefit to oneself--about how to treat others kindly since they feel it will also help them.

    In the first place, humans are still not great.

    But we pretend to be nice; in essence, we act in a common way to appear to others to be a decent person.

    However, claiming to be decent isn''t nice either.

    In other words, being kind to oneself is not a desirable option since others would perceive it as bad.

    So, what exactly is being good?

    In my opinion, there is no need for you to be good or evil. Just do what you think will benefit you, and only you, and not for others, since survival is crucial in the environment.

    Although it is not explicitly stated; you can select ''for yourself.''

    Take into consideration that the scariest decision you''ll ever make, along with your life, is your fear of being alone and different.

    "..."

    I came to a standstill and glanced at a handful of people, all of whose eyes were fixed on me.

    They''re so silent it''s almost weird and odd. I have no clue what happened. And it''s still a few minutes before the end of lunchbreak.

    Few seconds later, I ignore them and right go back to my seat. However, there was a specific unoccupied spot that anybody could see. And I immediately realized that my seat was not there.

    "What happened to my¡ª"

    Unfortunately, my desk was missing.

    I turn to face them, but they immediately avert my gaze. Sure enough, they know something about this. I''ve only been away a short time, and they already do this?

    "Who did this?" I said calmly and deeply, but they still don''t seem to notice me.

    They attempted to ignore me as much as possible and pretended as if nothing had occurred.

    "This is unsightly. You there..." I approached a female student near my seat and asked, "can you tell me what happened here? You saw that my seat wasn''t here as well?"

    Besides, my stuff was also missing.

    "..."

    "Huh, you''re not even answering? Ah, before that, could you give me your name?" I said when she didn''t respond.

    "...Why do I give it to you in the first place?"

    She looks at me sternly, as if she has no idea what has transpired.

    This is too annoying.

    How did they plan this out? Even my classmates aren''t going to answer me?

    Perhaps, she''s too concerned that I''ll do anything to her.

    Hana was right, for the most part, I need to remember all of my classmates'' names.

    "It''s unfortunate, isn''t? But let me warn you," I said monotonously, "if you happen to be one of the perpetrator''s accomplices, your name will be carved on the grave," my eyes piercing hers.

    After I gave some warning, I let her be.

    Hana wasn''t even here when I observed, so the perpetrator was probably taking advantage of the opportunity to avoid being caught by Student Council.

    It''s remarkable that he did it perfectly considering how many students were present¡ªno, without a doubt, all of these people are associated with the suspect.

    I moved to the front and glanced at them one by one. I attempted to discern their emotions by staring into their eyes. I''m not particularly accurate at reading people, but this approach increases the likelihood that the suspect will try to waver his presence.

    "Wanna play hide and seek, huh?"

    My eyes move silently.

    "If you want to play something, ask me directly, so our game isn''t one-sided."

    They were silent as if they were ignoring me.

    Stolen story; please report.

    Since my anger ultimately subsided after a few minutes, I decided to leave this problem alone. If I unleash my rage on them, it will be out of control. However, I swear that person will pay for this.

    After a few minutes of frigid stares and silence, and because my desk had mysteriously vanished, I exited the classroom by myself. I can''t be in the class with this state.

    They didn''t say anything for two reasons: one, they were terrified of the consequences, and two, they were paid by the culprit.

    I''m very sure they were all aware of what happened there.

    If they don''t say anything, even if I force them, they won''t, which wastes my time.

    There are still a few minutes remaining before the class starts again. This time, I tried to ask someone in another class nearby if my luck was still there. In addition, I''m looking for my things, which are most important.

    From there, I asked a few people, but my luck ran out.

    This day was really unlucky for me.

    After meeting that woman a few hours earlier, I assumed to myself that some groups would suddenly harass me too. It''s more likely since I am not affiliated with any organizations.

    As a result, I chose not to attend class and skipped the rest of the time. That''s my preference since I need to retrieve my stuff as quickly as possible.

    However, as I attempted to find a location where no one could see me, I came upon Hana, who was rushing back, not to my class, but to a separate building.

    In this situation, I usually divert to find another place, but Hana yelled at me before I could walk away.

    "Oh, Mr. Seid, excellent timing! Come with me! Student Council instructions!"

    She screams as she approaches me.

    "What is it?"

    I said swiftly as we caught eyes.

    "There was a certain student who requested that you be a witness."

    "Witness?"

    It''s strange.

    "Yeah, we''re having a meeting right now; could you perhaps spare us some time?"

    "..."

    And with that, I headed to the Student Council hall without understanding what had happened. I will also take advantage of this chance to report my situation.

    "Oh Mr. Seid, good to see you again!" Secretary Lou greeted me cheerfully.

    "Greetings, Mr. Seid; now that you''re here, let us get down to business," stated the President.

    I was taken aback by how solemn the atmosphere was.

    There was a large, long table in the center, and I recognized all of the students who gathered here because I had met them today.

    "As you are aware, Mr. Seid, a female student was discovered deceased an hour ago," Ms. Secretary remarked all of a sudden.

    "Huh?" I let a sound of confusion.

    It seems that someone had died, huh?

    "Yes, that girl, Mr. Seid."

    Responded the girl who sat with the President on the left side of the table. I recognized her because she was the only one who appeared out of nowhere. If I recall correctly, her name was...

    "Ms. Auguron, do you happen to know Mr. Seid?" asked the President to her.

    "Are you kidding me, Ethan? Who wouldn''t know this man?" She replied, "and moreover, as I told you, he was in the scene."

    "Ms. Auguron, we''re friends, but please don''t call me by my name while we''re talking about anything serious."

    "Then I''ll repeat it again, Mr. President, I didn''t catch them, but Mr. Seid may have something to say about the incident, no?"

    By means of ''them,'' she was referring to those guys who harrased the girl.

    By the way, those guys were all here present today. But their heads and eyes are pointing downwards, and they are not uttering a single word.

    "Indeed, Ms. Auguron, but may I question Mr. Seid about that?" He looked directly at me.

    It seems like this incident is nothing new to them. In this case, it can''t be helped.

    "Erm, if I''m being honest, I caught those people."

    I focused my attention on the folks who were suddenly gazing at me intensively.

    "Is that correct?"

    "Um, as you heard it."

    "Then prove it, Mr. Seid. We need your evidence. I presume you''re an honest person, don''t you?" The President suddenly smirked.

    "It''s unfair to say that way, Mr. President," I answered, "but I don''t have anything you can call proof."

    It''s true, I don''t have evidence.

    "Then it''s pointless, isn''t it?"

    The girl who had been excitedly harrassing the girl before was suddenly cautious and suspicious. They began to stand up and attempt to return in class.

    It''s amusing to see her expression shift so dramatically.

    "Then, Ms. Auguron, your subordinates appear relieved, huh?"

    The President begins to speak again.

    "Mm? To the Gale Family, they''re a bunch of worthless."

    Gale Family?

    Mr. President grins as he asks, "Mr. Seid, can you elaborate on what you see?"

    If I assess the situation, Ms. Auguron and Mr. President want me to assist them in resolving the case, which is why they summoned me here.

    Furthermore, because Ms. Auguron worked for the same organization as the bullies, she was compelled not to confess in order to protect her own reputation.

    Yes, reputation and not her subordinates since, like she said, they''re worthless.

    Ms. Auguron meticulously designed this trap for me. If I assume the entire plot, Ms. Auguron intends to make me an enemy of her organization because I confessed everything; and she subsequently wants me to join her group by owing her one.

    What a brilliant strategy.

    ...Then, when it comes to this, I''m not sure what''s important if I lied here. This is a serious matter anyway.

    "Looks like you got me, no?"

    I say this calmly to the two.

    "Oh my, seriously, Mr. Seid? Don''t overthink this," Secretary Lou said.

    "Don''t fool me. Anyway, we''re wasting time, so if I recall properly, those two people ruthlessly kicked the victim."

    I instantly stared at those two men.

    "Hn?"

    "W-Wait what? What are you saying dude?"

    "Hold on, how can you prove that? Don''t you believe these are false accusation?"

    Those guys instantly denied my assumption.

    Ms. Auguron exclaimed, "Haha, these fools. The fact is, that''s what I admire about you, Mr. Seid."

    "Haha, honestly," Mr. President chuckles, "Then, Lou, look at their shoes and see if they have any blood or whatever in them," he smiles.

    "Wait a minute, is this a joke? H-Hold on..."

    "E-Eh? Give me a break..."

    "You two fools, did you somehow¡ª" the woman suddenly stopped.

    "Mr. President, it''s confirmed," Secretary Lou said after inspecting their shoes.

    "I see. Well, Ms. Auguron, it''s been verified, which is awful for your Organization, isn''t it?"

    "I don''t mind; if you found them guilty, I wouldn''t be able to do anything."

    "Then, Dev and Hana, you know what to do with these people?"

    "Yes," Hana said.

    "Ah, what a pain." muttered by Mr. Crane, who had arrived close to the sofa. I assumed he was sleeping.

    They quickly left the room, and no one knows where they went.

    "Thank you for your assistance, Mr. Seid," the President says, relieved.

    "I''m not trying to help; I''m just responding to you."

    "I see. Well, if you need anything else¡ª"

    "There''s one; you know, my seat mysteriously vanished and my stuff went gone; how could I recover it?"

    "...Is that so? It''s funny to believe you desire to recuperate instead of knowing who''s behind it. About that... Um, Ms. Auguron?" He asks, looking at her.

    "Yeah, we promised not to touch him for a week, but who the hell does this? It''s very questionable and unusual."

    "You see, Mr. Seid," the President said, "various groups promised not to do anything against you for a week, but somehow... I was too preoccupied with the Student Council and didn''t notice it."

    Against me?

    "What a plan out there. It''s very annoying to listen to all of you. You don''t mean to come in my way for a ''week''? Then you aim to get rid of me in the end? Ha, it''s a dumb thing to do."

    "You''re correct, but let me mention this, Mr. Seid; you are nothing more than a hindrance here at school," Ms. Auguron stated in a serious tone. "That''s why we give you our hand to assist you," she continues.

    "..."

    I kept my mouth shut. Her statement was actually contradictory. If they want to get rid of me in the first place, then, do the hell they want. I will make sure that they reap what they sow.

    "Hoh, you appeared to be at ease."

    "It is. But I need to keep my calm in front of you. In any case, I will also emphasize that¡ªI will decide on my own."

    "All right, fine. Now that we''re here, do you want to ask something? It appears that you have a lot of questions on your mind," she asks.

    "Nothing, I''m leaving now," I told them as I attempted to exit the room.

    Indeed, there are a ton of questions I would like to ask them. However, I think it''s better if I leave this room anyway. I don''t want to be indebted to them.

    Additionally, I don''t care about much in their lives.

    "That girl was unfortunate, wasn''t she, Mr. Seid?" Ms. Auguron pushed the words into me, "She still can''t live up to this school somehow, and then, in the end, she ends her life regardless."

    I stopped for a moment.

    When she said, that girl, she was referring to the bullied female student. I met her just a few hours ago...

    The issue is, when did it happen? Though it''s stuck in my brain, I can''t just ask her that.

    "Well, she still grateful in you at the end, huh?"

    Huh, How did she know about it?

    "Hold on, were you still there, Ms. Auguron?" I asked.

    "I foresaw, fufu~"

    "Isn''t your name ironic, Ms. Esper?"

    "Hoh? I believe it is."

    "Don''t get me wrong, but I have a feeling you were present when we talked two alone; if so, what happened to that student afterward?"

    If she exposes something, it will be quite a story.

    "I''m not sure what you mean, Mr. Seid," she mocked.

    In response, I greeted both of them and left the Student Council room, wondering where I might finally find serenity. As I have stated, I can''t stay there.

    Now, how will the Student Council conceal this case from the students?

    Ms. Auguron didn''t say anything about what she saw in the end, but I doubt she didn''t know anything after the incident.

    "Haa... Let''s forget about it and find my stuff."

    Since it''s not my issue.

    ...That is why I''d always decide on my own.

    If we make decisions for ourselves, often we end up regretting them. Regrets are the outcome of something that cannot be undone.

    However, I am aware that maybe my sole regret in my whole life is that I did not chose to stand for the interests of others, but rather for my own.

    Regardless, as a human, I accept everything that''s been done.

 (Chapter 3) Act 4

    CHAPTER 3 Act 4

    Mr. President didn''t respond where I can get my own things.

    As a result, this time I''ll try to locate my own stuff on my own, leaving that room behind.

    However, time passes and the class is almost over. Therefore, I''m pretty sure that I can''t retrieve my things for today.

    I was out walking when I spotted that man (Steve) unexpectedly.

    "Mr. Seid?" he startled.

    He seemed to have been out and about.

    "Is there something wrong?" I asked.

    "No, what exactly are you doing out here?"

    "Just killing time; you''re free to go around here, right?"

    "True, but didn''t you remember there was a class during this time?"

    "I know, but how about you?"

    "Oh, I was just... also wandering."

    "You appear to be really busy, so I''ll go ahead."

    He hasn''t been in class the entire time? Well, I don''t want to know any more about it.

    "Wait a minute, Mr. Seid, you''re not going to class?" He suddenly asks me.

    "Why are you asking? Isn''t obvious?"

    "Hmmm, it appears that you have a current issue, no? Is there something wrong?"

    This guy was too nosy.

    "So, what about it?"

    "Ah, nah... Just curious."

    "Ah¡ª" I suddenly had an idea in the back of my mind, "can you go to the library after class?"

    "Why?" he asks.

    "Do you recall our little game?"

    In short, the basketball match.

    "Ah, that game? So you finally want to discuss it? Well, if it''s ok for you, Mr. Seid."

    "Then, it''s settled."

    We''re both busy so we say our goodbyes as though none of us cares about the other.

    Suddenly, I recall events from earlier in the day, when two organizations approached me. That includes the Gale Family (which is Esper''s organization).

    Naturally, if you know nothing about someone, you are wary of them. So I made the decision that, in order to avoid interaction with them, I would conceal my presence at the Library. Though, given their eagerness to meet me, I suppose they will find me right away. Personally, I believe that this is a good place to while away the hours.

    I found the Library quickly and did not have to wander for an hour to find it.

    When I walk in, I feel somewhat relieved and at peace. The scent of ink on paper is comforting in my nostrils all the way up to my head.

    This is where I want to be.

    From then on, a female student was just present. She appears to be assisting the front desk and keeping an eye on who is entering the premises. She was aware of my presence but said nothing.

    Half an hour passed by, and I was still reading some of the books when I heard the ringing of the bell.

    *Ring*

    Reminded that the class is over for the day.

    The plan is to stay here for half an hour so that I don''t meet any other students outside the room. Besides, I was also searching for information inside the school.

    But, as I had predicted, the door abruptly opened, and the silent room heard a gently creaking noise.

    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    Seems like they immediately found my hiding spot. There''s no doubt that they were looking for me.

    My position is at the corner table, which is a very good place since you can observe all the tables.

    From there, I saw someone I recognized from a previous meeting early in the morning. She had been with Esper before, so I assumed he was Esper''s companion in the Gale Family.

    "So they''re not even close to what I imagined," I murmur.

    In this case, I was hoping that everything would go as smoothly as possible. I can''t get out of this position now that I''ve booted their members out of school.

    He instantly noticed my presence and spoke to me casually, "Oh, Mr. Seid, here you are; do you intend to hide from us?"

    "I don''t know what you mean."

    "You''re as evasive as what Esper said to me, huh?"

    "Truly, you people are very infuriating, and it''s even more frustrating that you found me here quickly."

    "Haha," he laughs sarcastically, "that''s given to Mr. Seid."

    "I don''t like beating around the bush, so why are here?"

    Again, I wanted to double-check certain details, so I went to ask him.

    "Are you going to forget what you did earlier?"

    "Earlier? Oh, those boneheads?"

    "Yeah, name them anything you want since they''re useless, but I''m sure you know we''re going to hunt you down because they are members of mine, don''t you?"

    "Then, what are you going to do with me?"

    Before he could respond, he went to the table in front of me.

    We''re now on the corner side, which is already hidden from students entering through the front door. He understands that if anyone overhear us, it will be problematic.

    "It seems this is going to be a long discussion." he remarked.

    "Well, who knows... So?"

    "Before I answer your question, Mr. Seid, are you joining any organizati¡ª?"

    "No."

    "O-Okay, it appears that you''re not going down without a fight. Then I will be direct, how are you going to pay the price? Don''t you realize those people have a lot more influence than you?"

    "Is that so? Then it''s a lot of hassle, isn''t it? I''d probably die tomorrow or even after this."

    "Haha," he scoffed, "Not at all. You''re exaggerating this, Mr. Seid. Just so you know, yes, we immediately cover this area; did you possibly detect my members? Anyway, they''re just here for observing."

    I''m reluctant to respond to him. This is going to be difficult.

    However, even if the percentage is less than one, there is still a way out of the situation.

    And, exactly as I had anticipated, the person arrived out of nowhere. The front door of the Library makes a screeching sound, and we can hear footsteps approaching.

    He then spotted us, "Mr. Seid and Mr. Arson? This is unheard of for a..."

    "Do you think so?" I asked.

    "Huh? What an unexpected occurrence here, Mr. Steve Wyte."

    He''s right. It is not a coincidence that Mr. Wyte, also known as Steve, arrives here.

    "I suppose so," he answered.

    Even though they were all smiling, none of their expressions were kidding. If anyone was here, they can also feel the solemn gazes of these two.

    "Mr. Seid, may I ask why Mr. Wyte is here?"

    "Erm, we want to settle things, and I hope Mr. Wyte hasn''t forgotten about the game he lost."

    "Of course."

    His answer was more vapid than I thought.

    "Remember, the winner was going to ask the loser, is that right?"

    I reminded Mr. Wyte.

    "Yes, you won, so what''s the point?"

    "Hoho, you lost with someone you didn''t even know about? Are you trying to show off that you''re much beyond by fighting him, Mr. Wyte?" the person named Mr. Arson questioned him and added, "That''s a dumb move if you ask me."

    With each passing second, the air appears to get tighter. Though in retrospect, it is natural to provoke and enrage someone, especially if they are enemies. Then the one who loses their temper will soon be labeled the stupid one.

    "It''s simply a game, Mr. Arson, and I haven''t held a grudge against anybody, since in a game we occasionally lose, even if you aren''t aware of it," he said with a serious smile.

    "Then, Mr. Wyte," I interjected, "consider this circumstance to assist me in getting out of this."

    "Nn? What do you mean, Mr. Seid?"

    "Hold on, Mr. Seid, do you think he''ll be able to get you out easily?" that person (Mr. Arson) said.

    "This is the only way out of this, so what''s the harm in trying to use the advantage? And I don''t think Mr. Wyte can simply forget once he promises, no?"

    I looked at him.

    Mr. Wyte was quiet, maybe contemplating how he would gain from it. However, I''m certain that he was going to assist me because he seems the type of man who keeps promises.

    Seconds had passed, but the silence was about to rupture if no one tried to speak.

    "Is that all? Are you certain you want to take advantage of this situation?"

    Mr. Wyte''s words shattered the stillness.

    "Well, I don''t care about the game; what matters is that I get out of this mess."

    "Sure, I''ll assist you; this is going to be fun."

    "Hold for a second. Don''t you think Mr. Wyte, you have become a little nosy here? Your Family will be involved with this," that person (Mr. Arson) questioned.

    "Hmmm, I don''t mind at all."

    "Ha, the Light Family definitely knows how to play their pawns, don''t they?"

    "No, they don''t," Mr. Wyte remarked nonchalantly.

    His statement was fairly straightforward, as if he had thought about it well.

    "Regardless, would you mind if you explain to me the entire situation of how Mr. Seid ended up with this?" Mr. Wyte asks.

    "You don''t need to know since our business here is completed," that person (Mr. Arson) said, "but you will know after the meeting tomorrow."

    "Is that correct? Then we''ll be addressing our problem there, won''t we?"

    "If that''s okay with you?"

    "Yeah, it would be great," Mr. Wyte replied sarcastically.

    "Then I will go for the time being, Mr. Seid," that person (Mr. Arson) stated, and he tried to walk ahead, but before he could, he questioned me again, "Oh, by the way, why did you save that girl?"

    By which, she is referring to...

    Come to think of it, we''re here because of that incident with that female student.

    And from their perspective, I saved that woman. However...

    "No, I''m not actually saving her, but I was only responding to Student Council as a witness. Besides, I want to get rid of those who try to get in my way."

    "Is that true? It seems that you had a plan from the start. Well, it answers my question; I''ll leave now."

    Someone barged in at the same moment after that person (Mr. Arson) departed. This is to be expected. Anyway, I''m not sure if it will move as easily as it did before.

    "You''re here as well, Mr. Grim?"

    Mr. Wyte said, with a little surprise.

    "We''re here for Mr. Seid."

    That person who just arrived replied with stern eyes.

 (Chapter 3) Act 5

    CHAPTER 3 Act 5

    "Dark Family?" I asked in confusion.

    "Yeah, Dark Family will assist you with this, but in exchange, you must do anything we ask you to do. Is that okay? Regardless, Student Council has already completed their task by covering the incident."

    "Is that so?"

    As I predicted, the Student Council would finally be able to conceal the situation from the students. In this sort of circumstance, they must be extremely cautious and quick.

    We''re currently at the table, and beside me was Mr. Wyte, and the man in front of us was named Mr. Grim, along with his female companion.

    "How did you find out about that incident so quickly? I don''t believe this matter was discussed among the representatives, as Mr. Arson indicated, regarding you guys holding a meeting tomorrow to discuss what actually happened."

    Currently, I am aware of three organizations: Gale, Dark, and Light Family. And the fact that Mr. Grim knew about the incident before Mr. Wyte raises some doubts in my head.

    "You see, we''re close to Ms. Leyand, the secretary of Student Council, so we asked what happened in the meeting."

    "It was confidential, and yet that Secretary gave you the details? I thought the Student Council was much more cautious than I thought, but I was mistaken."

    "No, Mr. Seid. You know that information isn''t free, so you know what it means; we''ll find out the details tomorrow, but we need to get ahead of other organizations."

    In other words, they''re competing with the details as if they were very important information. Naturally, money was involved in that transaction. Therefore, the Student Council benefits to some extent. It astounds me that various organizations are prepared to spend money on this. However...

    "You''re both stupid in sense," I muttered. "I''m sorry to say this to you, but I''ll handle it in my own decision," I add flatly.

    "I see. So it''s all for naught, huh?" Mr. Grim replied in monotone.

    I can tell they were expecting something like this to happen, so they weren''t surprised by my response. But I admire their willingness to try, even if it''s all completely useless.

    "If you don''t mind my question, are you here to take advantage of the situation and get me to your--"

    "Isn''t that simple, Mr. Seid? We want you to join our group, just like any other organization does when recruiting first-years. And buying information is nothing new to school."

    "Dark Family isn''t any organization. They''re both good and don''t have many internal difficulties," Mr. Wyte adds. "Take notice, Mr. Seid, certain Families may ask you to join them, so it''s usual to witness this type of interaction amongst first years and transferees."

    So that''s why.

    "That answers my question," I replied.

    It''s easy to argue that they''re recruiting some members, but they''re true intention was for influence. Organizations are becoming much more troublesome, and Student Council is no exception.

    "Anyway, where does this ''commander'' thing came from?"

    I threw out some thoughts since I want to confirm something.

    "Why do you ask suddenly? All of the commanders here are considered leaders in this school, so they''re trying to show off as much as they can," Mr. Wyte explained.

    "As Mr. Wyte mentioned, we leaders have varied viewpoints and personalities, thus we approach non-members and recruit differently."

    "So," I looked at Mr. Grim with a straight eyes, "are both of you the commanders for the Dark Family here at school, is that right?"

    "..."

    Instead of responding, they stared me over without saying anything.

    "Well, you don''t have to say anything; moreover," as I shifted my eyes, "Mr. Wyte, you are from the Light Family, but I''m wondering if you are a commander too or something?"

    "Um, yes, kind of like that."

    His answers are not very clear to me.

    Mr. Grim abruptly declared, "Um, if Mr. Seid does not wish to work with us, then we will go immediately."

    "Wait a minute." I stopped them.

    "What is it? There''s no sense in talking about something." Mr. Grim remarked, casting a sidelong glance.

    "If you don''t mind listening, I have one more question."

    "Hmm, it does seem important." Mr. Wyte said.

    "Here''s the point; there''s someone I''d want to track down."

    "You mean find?"

    "That''s right, earlier, someone sabotaged my items and I hasn''t discover it until now; I heard that it may be partially made up by one of the organization; do you have any idea?"

    Mr. Grim was taken aback when I mentioned that, and he looked over at the girl next to him.

    That woman didn''t say anything and had a blank expression on her face. Furthermore, she can''t be simply read, but I''m sure this info surprised them.

    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    "How do you believe some organization was involved in that issue?" he ask.

    "If you place yourself on me, you have suspicions about another group, right?"

    "Well, we can''t say who is who and we don''t have any information in that respect, so we''re sorry; if anything, we''ll approach you again; otherwise, we''ll leave for now."

    And they left after Mr. Grim told me so.

    I''m not sure what they were thinking, and that woman was a bit of a concern to me. She doesn''t say anything the entire time, and Mr. Grim solely speaks to us.

    What type of personality is she trying to hide?

    "What''s up with your eyes, Mr. Seid? It appears that you won''t trust any of them, no?"

    "Does that look like it?"

    "Pretty much, though."

    It''s not that I don''t trust them; it''s simply that I''m wary of strangers who know about my past.

    Trust is one thing that humans are concerned about when it comes to building relationships and dependencies.

    Naturally, humans develop relationships based on trust and the extent to which they have an emotional impression of the other party.

    It is difficult for some people to form trust, and it is even more difficult to repair trust if it has already been lost.

    The psychology of trust is that you offer yourself to others and are aware of it. However, as a result of this, you no longer have control over your attachment to them.

    That is why, from my perspective, I don''t give trust that easily, especially to somebody I don''t know.

    Because I''ve been...

    "Anyway, Mr. Wyte, can you give me the gist of that woman from the Dark Family?"

    "By that woman, you mean Ms. Buwan?" he asked.

    Since the beginning, I''ve been captivated by her poise. I was carefully observing their behavior, and currently she doesn''t act much, so I can''t get enough information about her personality.

    "I''m not sure if you have a plan or not, but if you really want to know about her, I can offer you some information."

    "It''s very kind of you, Mr. Wyte, to give me this information."

    "All of the students know her, so this is sort of giving you the truth; anyhow, Ms. Buwan, as you can see, is with Mr. Grim, and it''s true, she was one of the Dark Family''s commanders."

    "You mean representative?"

    "Of course, and here''s the thing about her: she doesn''t say anything, even during our meeting with the leaders."

    "Nn?" I paused for a moment, "Is that a little bit troublesome?"

    What an odd lady. If I had to guess, she is not an ordinary leader.

    "Not really, because Mr. Grim can answer all of our questions about them."

    "Wasn''t it uncommon for a person?"

    "Yes, however, it''s alright for now. In addition, Dark Family is the most passive Organization in the Main Fifteen Organization; you cannot hear some of their difficulties, and they just appreciate walking in quiet right now," he continues.

    The Dark Family appears to be rather strange at times. They didn''t push me to join, and they had no problem with other organizations too. It is almost as if those two are aware of how to manage the operations behind their Family.

    Sounds like pretty good leadership.

    "Don''t get me wrong, Mr. Seid, about me giving you some details. All of the students were vaguely aware of the gathering of representatives, but not the specifics. Therefore, it''s okay for you to know all of the school''s doings."

    "If you say."

    Though, most likely, I was worried about having too much information about this school. If I strive to understand all of the school''s hidden secrets, I will almost certainly end up in trouble.

    "Speaking of which, Mr. Seid, has Zei mentioned anything bothersome to you?"

    "Hn? What would you expect?"

    "Thought so; I''m sorry Zei has caused you trouble; please don''t despise her."

    "I''m not going to hold a grudge against anyone."

    Sure, I will hold a grudge against someone, but not for too long.

    "I appreciate that. You''re very considerate¡ª"

    "That''s something I''m not certain of."

    "..."

    He suddenly fell silent.

    "Well, your family isn''t important to me, and I don''t even know all of you, so I can''t hate someone I don''t know," as I stated.

    "I see. in that case, would you mind telling me about your conversation?"

    "I''m sorry, but I won''t discuss anything with you, and more importantly, she isn''t a member of your organization, so it wouldn''t be good if I kept quiet?"

    "You''re too difficult to deal with, Mr. Seid. Whatever the reason, Ms. Eve was her mother, and she was worried about her."

    "I''m pretty familiar with that."

    Parents are concerned about their child.

    "Is that so?"

    "Well, now it''s up to you now, Mr. Wyte..."

    "Yeah, don''t worry; I''ll take care of that."

    Mr. Wyte didn''t say anything further after that, and he left me alone at the table.

    By all means, I was alluding to Zei, but maybe he misinterpreted what I was saying.

    Meanwhile, I was still at the school since I needed to take care of my things. In the end, I didn''t care about my stuff, and instead, I''ll need to report it to Teacher Fireil.

    I was walking down the corridor before going to the faculty room when I ran into that specific individual, again. We met on my first day of school, and from what I recall, his name was Levi, the person who was madly in love with the assistant manager of the soccer team, none other than Ms. Lisa Hollows.

    "You trash, where''s Lisa?"

    This moron.

    "Is that how you usually greet people? By the way, why are you bothering to ask me in the first place? I don''t have any ties with that woman."

    "I heard from Fred, and he mentioned he saw both of you¡ª"

    "That''s right, but that doesn''t mean I know where she is right now. That''s my response."

    "What''s with that? Are you messing with me¡ª"

    "I give you back the question, are you mocking me? Or are you just playing a role where you believe you are higher than me? That''s why, unfortunately, Lisa didn''t recognize you as a romantic partner."

    "Who are you to concoct anything like that?"

    "Are you in love with Lisa?" I abruptly asked.

    "W-Wha¡ªI don''t know what you''re talking about."

    "Don''t be oblivious; I know what you''re thinking."

    "That... anyhow, stay away from Lisa; she''s dealing with her own issues right now, so don''t get too close for a while."

    "I''m surprised you''re concerned about her."

    "S-Shut up," he says.

    "You''re far too obvious."

    "Huh?"

    "On that note, who are you to tell me what to do?"

    "Well, I''m... I''m a football player."

    "See? You''re nothing special to her, so why are you giving me orders? What an idiot. You''re utterly useless, huh?"

    "Say what?"

    "Would you confess already? I hate those people who tend to keep their emotions inside of them, and in the end, they suffer from it. If you can hold it, then keep it. But I''ll tell you, don''t regret things since it is your own decision."

    "Now you''re lecturing me?"

    "It''s great if you know how to listen and act properly; Well then, I''ll walk this way," I said as I walked away, leaving him behind, "Good luck with your confession," I added.

    A little prod is all that is required to get him to confess. Now that Lisa is shattered, it is time for him to step up and earn her trust in order for Lisa to fall in love with him.

    Take advantage of the chance to control the heart of someone else. Opportunity does not always come your way, and that does not imply it is bad. Nevertheless, if you do not seize the opportunity, you will regret it later.

    I''m quite surprised that the man (Fred) didn''t do it because he considers Lisa only as his friend, which, I guess, is what makes him foolish.

    Anyway, I''m not here to become involved in their love affair. After all, I am here on my own. Besides, I''d seen a lot of things like that in the past.

    After some time, I arrived to the faculty room and informed Ms. Fireil of the situation.

    "What are your plans, Mr. Seid?"

    "Instead of asking me, I''d want to ask you, Teacher Fireil, what you''re going to do in this situation if you were me?"

    "Me?" She furrowed her brows, "You know, as a Teacher, I will always be equal to my Students and give judgement based on their conduct, but internal affairs are not my own problem. If you happen to be enraged by one of the students, I will act accordingly and just, but it is your own responsibility to do what you should do. Do you understand?"

    Teacher Fireil now appears to have expected me to tackle this problem on my own. But I''m at a loss as to how to begin resolving this matter.

    "If you say Teacher Feiriel, thank you for your guidance," I said as I exited the Faculty room.

    Is that how the educational system works? I still don''t know much about the school, though.

    After all was said and done, I had nothing on my own when I returned home.

 (Chapter 4) Act 1

    CHAPTER 4 Act 1

    "What are you doing here?" she asked, without looking at me.

    "I just want to talk to you."

    "Why? Why do you care so much about me? It''s as if you''re pitying me for no reason."

    "No... That''s not it... Why don''t you...? I mean, could you please listen to me for a secon¡ª"

    "Thank you, but I''m sick of it all."

    After that, she pulls her school bag, and something inside that surprises me.

    "Don''t do it; I want you to listen to me¡ª"

    "It''s too late, Ms. Auguron."

    Then I witnessed the tragedy in which she committed suicide directly in front of me. Her knife, which was stuck in her neck and deeply slit her own throat. Covered in her own blood, I stared at her with a blank expression. That was very unsightly to see. I''m speechless and, on the inside, despondent.

    "..."

    "..."

    However, I must restore my calm, and move on.

    "We need to hurry, Ms. Auguron."

    "Go on ahead of me, Mr. Arson, this will take a while," I replied.

    As we walk through the gate of the school, Mr. Arson makes a remark regarding our meeting of representatives. It is so often that we have a meeting or two in a week, but this sudden meeting was about a certain student.

    "I see. Make sure you attend this meeting since it involves Gale Family."

    "I know. Well then, I''ll need to take care of things."

    We split ways after that.

    Mr. Arson and I usually go to school separately, but we often go together. And our relationship is not what others think of when they hear the term "close friend."

    We have been chosen to be the school''s representative in order to gather individuals, particularly those who we believe have something exceptional about them. We should be role models in the Gale Family, and the responsibility is on our shoulders. Therefore, I regard him as a partner on an equal footing.

    However, in order to be a representative, you must be acknowledged by the organization itself and, more importantly, by the people around you. Furthermore, you must have done something to improve your organization''s reputation.

    "Good morning, Ms. Auguron!" a group of students greets me as soon as they see me.

    "Likewise," I say, as I walk away.

    These people are from my organization, and my status here, like that of the Student Council members, is highly regarded.

    All representatives are seen to be at the top and capable of creating their own name and fame.

    I was born as a wealthy young child from the Auguron Family. Though, there was no preferential treatment.

    The beginning point for becoming a representative is that you are at the bottom of the well, and you must rise to the top.

    It is difficult to reach your specified goal unless you strive.

    The Auguron Family is the head of the ISA (Primary) faction inside the Gale Family, which has led the Gale Family to where it is currently. Therefore, as a daughter of that well-known family, I must stand up and do what has been told to me, even if it means losing my freedom.

    Not long ago, I was elevated to this position, and as a result, the Auguron Family''s prestige has grown.

    "What are you doing here?" a woman immediately asked me.

    "Is that obvious? I''m here to learn something."

    "Hm? What is it?"

    I was now leaning against the library''s front desk, pretending to be here to observe. I''m trying to keep my presence hidden here since I had to confront this particular person.

    "Ms. Zei Wyte," I quip, "We''ve known each other for a long time."

    "What''s the deal with that statement?"

    "Nothing, but I know what you''re up to behind the scenes."

    Zei Wyte. She had been hidden in the school for a long time.

    I''ve been acquainted with her before, considering we were childhood friends. However, following that incident, I had no idea where she had gone. Until now.

    "You''re extremely serious in your claim; didn''t you mistake me for someone you knew?"

    "No, I''m convinced about you," I say, looking into her eyes.

    Currently, she is wearing glasses that conceal her identity. But she had those lusty eyes and an imposing presence, and even her short silvery hair told my senses that she was Zei, nonetheless.

    We''d both grown up, yet she was still as lovely as ever after all these years.

    Finally, the mystery of the child lurking in this school was solved. It was none other than her, and on top of that, she was a long-time childhood friend of mine.

    "Then, if it were me, what would you do about it? Are you going to tell other Families?"

    "Of course not; besides, they''ll eventually find out after today''s meeting."

    "I''m interested, Esper. How would you know about me?"

    "So you''re not denying it after all? But can you guess?"

    Zei looks at me for a few seconds, which is rare, but she says nothing. She again shifted her gaze back to the book she was reading earlier.

    "I see you''re speculating, but I''ll tell you part of it," I continue, "The Student Council."

    "..."

    "By which, can you guess what happened then?" I smirked at her.

    "Don''t get too excited," she said.

    This info was revealed to me yesterday, before the Gale Family''s trial. It was worthwhile to trade with the Student Council.

    The President makes a wager on whether or not Mr. Seid will try to confront the Gale family, despite the fact that he lacks the support of any group. If Mr. Seid tries to confess everything, then the Student Council will pay me for a certain piece of information.

    Mr. Arson agreed with me, so it''s okay to get rid of worthless people.

    At first, I don''t feel it''s worth the deal, but after hearing the details, I''m glad since I met Zei more than anything else.

    "So that''s how it is, huh?" she mumbles as she mulls over.

    I didn''t say anything because Zei could probably guess this right away.

    "Anyway, Zei, as far as I can see, what happened to your hair?"

    "...I need to cut it."

    "I thought you didn''t like short hair? It''s still gorgeous, though. Well anyway, this will be our reunion."

    "I guess... But, as you mentioned, don''t you have a meeting this morning?"

    "I''ll be there after this, but am I the only one who missed this conversation, Zei?"

    "Not at all; in fact, I was trying to get close to you today and I''m going to show myself to the school itself."

    "So you''ll finally show up, huh?"

    "That''s right, but it appears that Student Council was ahead of me."

    "Oh, is that so?"

    "By the way, has the President mentioned anything else to you?"

    "Else? What do you mean?"

    "Never mind, why are you here in the first place? It''s not like you want to confirm something, no?"

    "Since I confirmed it''s you, Zei, this is a good time to tell you, that Student Council was aware that you were gathering information within the school."

    "I suppose this is quite troublesome," she mutters, "then?"

    "If you have any insights, I know you''re familiar with Mr. Seid?"

    "..."

    "If so, did you hear about his belongings going missing out of nowhere?" I continue.

    She paused for a moment, "How come?" and continued to flip the pages of the book.

    Apparently, she had a rapid reaction to what I said, making her sound as if she knew something about it.

    "I don''t know, and I have no clue who''s behind this," I stated, "However, all representatives agreed that no one would harm Mr. Seid in a week or such."

    "Why is there such an agreement? Do you think every other organization will follow that? What a dumb nonsense."

    "I know that papers are meant only to be read, but this was just to make sure."

    "Certainly, but I''m not sure what all of you representatives are thinking about this."

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    "But, Zei, if you''re gathering information, do you know who''s behind it?"

    We were carefully exchanging words in this vast room, making sure no one could hear us.

    "Hmm..." she muffles a sound, "Can you bring me to the meeting of the representatives?"

    "Nn, do you want to expose yourself right now?"

    "Esper, like you said, they''ll eventually find out about me, so what''s the reason not to show up there?"

    "Haha, Looks like this is going to be fascinating."

    "As I said, don''t get too worked up, Esper."

    With that, we made our way through the Student Council Room. And, as I had predicted, many students'' gazes were drawn to us, particularly Zei, who was strolling calmly alongside me.

    "What''s the matter, Esper?"

    Again, her eyes are fixated on straight ahead, and she doesn''t even glance back at me. All of the time, Zei doesn''t look directly at the person. And sometimes because of this, I feel distant towards her.

    "Nothing, I was just surprised that you''re literally ready to show yourself. For sure, students are wondering who was with me today."

    "Is that a compliment or are you making fun of me?"

    "Of course you know it''s a compliment; no one here understands you better than me, and the same goes for you."

    "I''m relieved to see you''re still Esper."

    "Hm? Don''t you think I''ve changed a lot even though I''m the representative now? The Gale and Light aren''t the same, but our Family were close, you know?"

    "It is, but I suppose we can get together after this?"

    "Sure, that''ll be great!"

    After a little walk, we''re now at the front door of the Student Council room.

    Zei appears to be blissfully serene, as if she had a plan from the start.

    She is often unpredictable in her actions. And even after we''ve been apart for years, she hasn''t forgotten me. However, for those years, I can see that our difference was still huge. I can''t get close to her even once.

    Her expression also changed dramatically, and her appeal was a lot more refined. I could say her change was the result of ''that'' experience. But still, she was Zei from back then.

    "I''ll open the door then," I said.

    "Go ahead, I''ll follow you."

    And with that, we entered the room. And, as expected, all of their eyes were straight on us.

    "Who''s that woman, Ms. Auguron?" A girl who was also also a representative suddenly asked me.

    It looks like they didn''t recognize her.

    "It''s my long-time friend, Zei Wyte," and then I looked at Steve Wyte.

    He seemed surprised a bit, but some did not notice it at first glance.

    Every organization has two representatives, but if I take a look, it seems not everyone was present.

    "If that''s the case, Esper, why is she here?" they wondered.

    "I simply want to say ''hi'' to the President," Zei says, doing a curtsy bow.

    "You two know each other?" I asked.

    "Not at all," she answered.

    "Well, you''re finally here," the President remarked, "and it looks like this meeting is going to be exciting."

    "You think so, but I''m not here for the Light Family, though," Zei replied.

    "I''m aware of that, Ms. Zei; may I address you as such because Mr. Steve Wyte is also present?" Mr. President says.

    "That''s not an issue; in any case, you''ve been aware of me since yesterday, huh?"

    "Seems like Esper said so."

    He suddenly looked at me.

    But I responded to him, "I don''t think I said anything, Mr. President."

    For the most part, that was true. I told Zei that Student Council was involved, not a specific person.

    "I know we have an agreement, Esper, but don''t overcomplicate things."

    He said as he peered at me. On top of that, I can sense his annoyance.

    "Hoh," I answered with a broad smile, "If that''s the case, I''ll think about it."

    I agree with their conditions, but it is not my problem if something goes wrong. Furthermore, if I did not violate their terms, everything would be okay.

    "First and above all else, why did you come here, Ms. Zei? I''m sure you have something to tell me; nevertheless, I''ll invite you to join us at our meeting, so I''ll presume we have to start immediately."

    "That''s fine with me," Zei says.

    I don''t know Zei about what she''s up to, but I can see she''s incredibly calm being here. Regardless, all of the organizations didn''t say anything about Zei joining the discussion.

    In a minute or so, I walked to my seat next to Mr. Arson, and Zei was sitting somewhere near the entrance.

    In any case, the discussion was held at this massive rectangular table, and the President, of course, was at the head of the table. Every single organization represented at this meeting had at least one representative. In addition, Student Council members and Zei were present.

    This is a gathering of fifteen Big Families.

    Seats are arranged as follows, from the left side of the table to the right.

    {Absent}

    -Student Council-

    Mr. Ethan Reginald "President"

    -Time Family-

    Mr. Past, {*unknown*}

    -Evanesce Family-

    *unknown*, Ms. Leap

    -Clone Family-

    Mr. Ilne, *unknown*

    -Dark Family-

    Mr. Grim, Ms. Buwan

    -Scorch Family-

    *unknown*, {*unknown*}

    -Flame Family-

    *unknown*, *unknown*

    -Aqua Family-

    *unknown*, {Ms. Lisa Hollows}

    -Terra Family-

    *unknown*, *unknown*

    -Gale Family-

    Mr. Arson, Ms. Esper Auguron

    -Frost Family-

    *unknown*, Ms. Shear

    -Light Family-

    Mr. Steve Wyte, Ms. Shine

    -Alter Family-

    *unknown*, *unknown*

    -Life Family-

    *unknown*, *unknown*

    -Demise Family-

    {*unknown*}, Ms. Crimson

    -Cosmos Family-

    {*unknown*}, *unknown*

    All of the representatives are not average, or should I say, they have sharp eyes and unique personalities. We compare each other as equals, whether they are upperclassmen or underclassmen.

    "I see, so not everyone was here."

    The President observed.

    "Why do we need to keep showing up like this?" Ms. Shear of the Frost Family said.

    Mr. Grim commented, "You don''t have to show up if you don''t want to."

    Their gazes met, but no one said anything.

    If I think about it, this meeting is a lot more troublesome and wastes our time.

    "Well, calm down, Ms. Shear," the President interposed, "First of all, can you report to the school those students in your group who should be expelled?"

    As the meeting began, we should report one by one on the students who should be expelled from school owing to their inappropriate behavior. Indeed, even if a person is innocent, representatives have the authority to expel them. Of course, no one will say "yes" to this question...as of now, because everyone in the organization requires influence. But sometimes, other Families need to expel students for their own personal reasons.

    "Alright, so none of you are going to kick someone out today?" Secretary Lou adds, "If anything, the Student Council will handle it."

    "So, let us get to the point," the President continued, "as you can see, there was a dead body yesterday," he stated nonchalantly as if nothing had happened.

    The hush engulfed them when they received the news. This information is not new to us, but we were astonished to see that some students are unable to handle their own difficulties.

    As a representative, I attempt to keep our activities'' casualties to a minimum, but this isn''t always possible. Even though we warned the students to use caution, some are going too far. Yes, we get a lot of complaints, but it''s a rule in every organization that if we see someone, we immediately get rid of them and toss them out. If not, then we will remain silent and prudent.

    "Who is currently involved?"

    Secretary Lou responds, "Gale Family."

    And all of their attention is initially drawn to us.

    "Don''t stare at us like that, it''s unpleasant," I stated, "Besides, everyone here has been in the same boat in the last couple of days, hasn''t it?"

    "Don''t worry everyone; those involved have been expelled from the school and from the Gale family," Mr. Arson said.

    "If that''s the case, there''s no need to address this issue, right?"

    "Not exactly. If you consider the name of the person who died, it''s Ms. Hunt," the President fills in.

    "Oh? The Gale Family has its own troubles again, huh?" Ms. Crimson from the Demise Family wondered aloud.

    I firmly stared at her, "That problem was handled a year ago, and it has nothing to do with it."

    Incidentally, Ms. Hunt and I were acquaintances back then. At the time, Ms. Hunt was the representative of the Gale family.

    "I know¡ªwe know Ms. Auguron," Ms. Crimson mockingly replied, "but don''t you feel anything about this incident? I''m sure you do."

    This woman was grating on my nerves, but I needed to keep my cool.

    "No one cares about the past, and I don''t believe we need your viewpoint, Ms. Crimson?" I replied.

    "All right then, Ms. Auguron. One thing I just want to say, be sure to clean up your own mess."

    "My hands are both clean, Ms. Crimson. Regardless, the same goes for you; always clean your own cup since you don''t know if someone will put poison in it."

    "Hm? I''ll heed your advice," she said, as she smiles.

    "Calm down, you two," the President says.

    And once more, the silence returns to this room.

    "Mr. President, if I may make a suggestion, might we not discuss Ms. Hunt in this meeting and get right to the point regarding the topic? After all, there''s one more issue you want to address, right?" As Mr. Grim suggested.

    "That''s right. As you can tell, the rumors concerning a mystery person have now been revealed: it''s Ms. Zei Wyte, Principal Eve''s daughter."

    "Daughter?"

    Zei was closing her eyes while almost everyone seemed shocked about this news.

    Even though I am aware of this, I can''t believe Zei has been present at this school the entire time. Now I''m wondering about what she was doing here and how she got here.

    "Indeed," the President continues, "but she has no organization at the moment."

    "--What?" I instinctively stood up and shouted.

    This... I still can''t believe Zei did that.

    "Why did you leave Zei?" I asked her immediately, "Zei, I''m not exactly sure why you quit, but are you certain about this?"

    "There''s no need to be concerned about her, Ms. Auguron," Mr. Steve Wyte stated, "her commitment is strong, and I''m not sure how she can handle it; regardless, don''t involve yourself to her. You understand that, right?"

    I''m speechless after hearing what he just stated. I''m sure he was concerned about her as well, since...

    "You heard it clearly, didn''t you?" the President asks, "therefore you''re free to welcome Ms. Zei in yours¡ª"

    "There''s no need, Mr. President," Zei responded, "but why does it appear that Student Council wants to sell me?"

    "Is that your interpretation, Ms. Zei?"

    "Like I said, you don''t have to; I''m in the process of forming my own organization."

    "..."

    Now everybody is looking straight at Zei.

    "What are you doing?" Mr. President said calmly. "Are you acting like a grown-up? Do you believe you''ll be able to manage it?"

    "I''m not sure what to say in response, but I''m convinced you regard me as a threat now?"

    "Was that your intention from the start, Zei?" Mr. Steve asked her, but Zei ignored him.

    Zei was certainly unpredictable and that''s what I looked up about her. I can sense her determination, but that was a major risk.

    "Regardless, Mr. President, may I speak with you privately about that matter?"

    "That was rather abrupt, but I guess we can talk right after this."

    "Thank you very much," she responds.

    I kept my eyes downcast while I processed the situation. It''s difficult to think Zei was that daring.

    "Anyway, representatives, we received a report that perhaps one of us was involved in that incident..." The President diverts the topic.

    "..."

    "..."

    He adds, "...from Mr. Hans Seid."

    "Oh that guy," Mr. Ilne from Clone Family said.

    "What then?" Ms. Shear asked.

    "Recently, his stuff, including his bag, disappeared."

    "...Disappeared?"

    "That was weird. Didn''t we just agree on something?" Ms. Crimson said.

    "Yeah, we came to an agreement on something."

    "May I say something about that?" Finally, Mr. Past of the Time Family spoke up.

    "What is it?" Mr. Grim questioned.

    "Don''t you think this is ridiculous?" He said.

    "How come?"

    Ms. Crimson said, "Hmm, sort of."

    "If we distrust the other representative in making a move, we end up disputing, right? What if we all make a move now? There''s no harm in it."

    "If I think about it," Mr. Arson said, "we can agree on that."

    "Then this isn''t our concern; if Mr. Seid rejects us and quits school, it''s not the end of the world; why do we fight over a certain guy?"

    And with that, we stared at each other.

    "Haha," Mr. President suddenly laughs, "that''s not what I''m expecting from all of you."

    Definitely, this is just a silly play.

    "Why are you laughing, Mr. President?" Mr. Ilne sarcastically asked.

    "No, I just realize how foolish this thing was."

    So we''ve been played by him, huh?

    The reason we agreed to the Student Council is that we wanted to take advantage of the consequence. If the other Family is responsible for all of Mr. Seid''s attacks, we will simply put them down. Of course, we desire a peaceful fight between Families, and Mr. Seid was a remarkable student as well. But as long as we can take our enemies down, we will.

    "Then, this meeting is probably over now." Ms. Crimson asks.

    "Yeah, since that''s all of it," says the president, "Ms. Lou..." signaling the end of the discussion.

    "That was today''s meeting," Secretary Lou said.

    The meeting concluded, but instead of leaving, I remained in the Student Council room with Zei.

 (Chapter 4) Act 2

    CHAPTER 4 Act 2

    We, the representatives, do not need to attend class during school hours since the school is aware that we are all quite busy. All we need to do is take and pass the exams, and we''ll be alright. Although, maintaining good grades, on the other hand, is a challenge.

    Ragardless, I have the opportunity to remain in the room and figure out what Zei''s plan is.

    A minute had passed, and practically everyone had left the room.

    "Um, you''re not going with me to meet Mr. Wyte?"

    "No. I know you are capable of handling it, Mr. Arson," I say.

    "All right, you owe me this one."

    I put my trust in him and knew he didn''t need me to solve the issue regarding Mr. Seid''s case.

    He did give me the details after his conversation with Mr. Seid, and the result was unexpected, though.

    In the meantime, Mr. Seid has been extremely fortunate, but his good fortune will soon run out. Given his perspective, I''m not sure how he''ll handle the upcoming situation. This will become an issue for him since other organizations will now make a move and target him directly.

    The attempt to capture Mr. Seid is now meaningless because others have already taken action. I can''t have complete control over this situation, so we''ll probably take a step back. Besides, Mr. Seid was already rejecting us. Moreover, other organizations will interpret this as rivalry, which I believe is exaggerated.

    Competition among representatives is common. The winner will reign supreme, while the loser will appear foolish.

    That was a high-risk, high-reward situation.

    However, in this case, I infer that Mr. Seid was not going to take sides with any of us, which is unusual for a student. If you don''t have any organization at this school, you''ll need to be extremely self-aware, both mentally and physically. However, many students struggle to deal with the pressure.

    The majority of students here are from any organization, while non-organization students make up about 2% of the student body. Those two percent include new students who are essentially ordinary people, as well as some who have been thrown out of their own organization.

    It is difficult to exist in an environment where you do not belong, which is why people will strive to conform and attach themselves to others in order to be accepted.

    Why is there such a thing?

    It''s simple to answer that¡ªhuman mindset. If you are not with them or you are different, they view you as odd and strange. And with human instinct, they will try to get rid of you since you are a danger that could harm and change them.

    That''s why I''m stunned by Mr. Seid''s persistence, since he wanted to attempt not to include himself in us while also being with us.

    That''s rather ironic.

    On top of that, there''s a problem with Zei''s appearance. That''s why I''m concerned about her as well.

    Light and the Gale Family see each other as not a threat...yet¡ªbut Zei''s absence from the organization will have a significant influence on them. And I''m sure, higher-ups in the Gale Family will attempt to persuade Zei to side with us.

    However, I will be the one to oppose the idea since I do not want to force Zei and bring her any further issues.

    Anyway, I''m standing at the entrance, and Zei initially saw straight through me.

    "Why are you still here? Do you want me to explain everything to you?" she said.

    Zei went on my side and carefully leant on the wall. I stared at her but didn''t say anything.

    "Ms. Zei and Ms. Auguron," the President calls and asks, "Could you please quit talking; and get right to the subject, Ms. Zei?"

    He draws our attention with his sharp voice.

    "All right, since everyone except Esper has left, may we consider Esper in this discussion?"

    "Hoh? Is this something crucial that Esper needed to hear? If that''s fine with you, it''s not an issue at all."

    "Thank you," Zei said.

    I know the President is being considerate of me, but I wonder how this conversation will turn out.

    "Firstly, Mr. President, I believe you are the perpetrator of Mr. Seid''s mysteriously disappeared things; am I correct?"

    Zei moved to the corner and is peering through the window.

    "Hm? You accuse me right away? Don''t you think it''s rude and insulting?"

    "What are you talking about, Zei?" I asked.

    I had no intention of interfering with their talk, but it took me off guard.

    "If I examine this closely, I believe the Student Council was more suspicious," she remarked.

    "Suspicious? Let me tell you, Ms. Zei Wyte, don''t overstep your bounds since you don''t have any organization backing you up."

    "I''m fully aware of that. Okay, let''s suppose we don''t know who''s behind all of this, but one thing I can say for certain since I received some information."

    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    "Hmm, what is it?"

    "You''re from the Demise Family, if I''m not mistaken."

    "You did a lot of research, didn''t you?"

    "Regardless, I won''t get into details here, but I''ll tell you one thing," she pauses before adding, "...Love."

    Suddenly, the light atmosphere becomes heavy.

    And the President said with a deep tone, "...What''s your point, Ms. Zei?"

    There was a really tight air that enveloped this place.

    ''Love?''

    I heard some rumors back when I was in my first year, but I ignored them since they were simply made-up things. Is there a connection between what Zei said and the President?

    This is not the time to discuss why, but it''s almost as if the President realizes it straight away.

    "You were the Demise Family''s representative back then, and you joined Student Council in your first year, what a great start; is there a reason for this? Of course there is, no?"

    Zei was correct, the President was a representative, but because he had joined the Student Council, he was going to lose his title and leave the Demise Family for the rest of his school life. It was a condition that if you joined the Student Council, you would not have access to your Family. And if you abandon your obligations as a member of Student Council, the entire organization will condemn you and eventually make you suffer. So many of us did not want to take the risk of joining.

    "A reason, you say?" the President said, "From your confidence, I genuinely think you know the answer."

    "...More or less, I could say. Anyway, your overall objective is to get rid of all Families, right?"

    "Alright fine," he says and adds, "is that what you want to hear from me?"

    "..."

    "..."

    That response confuses me even more. Is he agreeing with Zei''s statement, or not?

    "You''re a bit elusive, Mr. Reginald," Zei remarks.

    "I''m telling you what''s on my mind, and to be honest, you''re a serious impediment because you know my past."

    "I''m fortunate to know some of it, and I expected that everyone in the organization would know it, but that isn''t the case."

    "Then? Is that why you want Esper here?"

    "Not quite; I''d want Esper to observe our conversation for future purposes."

    "Is that so? This is getting a little bothersome."

    "I''m sorry for that, but I''ll assure you¡ªI''m not against your plans. Do what you think is good."

    "Good? What''s so good about it?" the President makes a sarcastic remark, "...So you''re basically watching me from behind, huh?"

    "No¡ªI will surely close my eyes."

    "I see. You''re going to ignore me."

    "That is the case. And one more thing: sometimes we make a hasty decision that isn''t in line with our plans."

    "Hmm, you''re telling me that my plans aren''t going to happen?"

    "Yes, because your adversary isn''t only one. You have to fill out different options."

    "I''m already aware, Ms. Zei. Well, if you look closely, we are in the same situation."

    "Probably... you''re not mistaken."

    "However, there isn''t much time, so I''ll have to move quickly."

    "Very well said."

    Then they went silent after that.

    The president was currently in his third year. So he meant that he didn''t have any time left for him. I''m curious whether the president will actually try to get rid of the Families.

    "Er, uhm.." I cut in.

    "..."

    "..."

    "Have you trusted me with this, Zei?"

    "Likely."

    "Do you think I won''t report this to higher-ups?"

    "I believe you, Esper; if you want to report this, go ahead and give me the Gale Family''s response."

    "But..."

    Zei... might end up in trouble.

    "You''re supposed to report, isn''t it?" she said.

    Right now, I''m in a pickle. So, what should I do?

    If I try to make a decision... Then...

    "I didn''t have any proof yet so I don''t have to report this."

    With a stern look, I gazed at the President.

    My statement isn''t entirely untrue, though.

    "You''re too nice, Ms. Esper Auguron," the President stated.

    I''ve known the president since she solved the case involving Ms. Hunt and myself a year ago. He was a great help to me that day, and I considered him a close friend. However, I was unaware of his goals the entire time.

    If I make a hasty judgment here, it will almost certainly backfire on me. True, this is something I should be concerned about, but I need some time to watch and consider my next steps.

    "Don''t get me wrong, as I previously stated, I don''t have any proo¡ª"

    "That''s alright, Esper; there''s no need for you to feel embarrassed about it; you''re too apparent, and you''re really thoughtful," the President remarked.

    "..."

    With his direct and honest compliment, I immediately went speechless.

    "By the way, Mr. President, you know how serious I am about starting my own Family," Zei speaks.

    "Yeah. Is that your choice?

    "I won''t go into details, but don''t get in my way as I don''t get in your way."

    "...If you look into it, isn''t that contradicting what you said earlier?" he replied and added, "You said that I''m trying to get rid of Families."

    As Mr. President points out, Zei''s thinking was rather complicated. Her statement are obviously laced with secrets and caution.

    "Sort of."

    "So, basically, you want me to move first, as if I''m a pawn?"

    "Is that your perspective? Technically, you don''t have enough time because you''re in your third year, so it''s my opportunity to use this as an example."

    "You''re getting cunning Ms. Zei..." Mr. President said, "If you want to form your own Family, go ahead; likewise, I won''t stop you."

    "..."

    Again, I''m not sure how Zei can say all of this when she doesn''t reveal all of the details. She exudes confidence, as though her plans are just getting started.

    "That was unexpected, but thank you."

    "Not at all, and this is an excellent opportunity since I wanted someone to follow up on my unfinished business; I presume you intended to take down someone, don''t you?"

    Zei paused for a moment and said, "You''re imagining things, Mr. President."

    "Well, I don''t want to delve more into it," he answered. "Another thing, are you recruiting Mr. Seid?"

    ''Mr. Seid?''

    Come to think of it, I suppose Zei has already contacted Mr. Seid, and she will be recruiting him in the same way that many organizations did.

    "Recently, I attempted to persuade Mr. Seid, but he is so tenacious."

    ''Thought so.''

    "I see. Are you still going to try to convince him?"

    "Mr. Seid will definitely need an organization at the end of the day, and if he doesn''t join any of them, he will probably form his own."

    "If that''s the case, don''t you think it''s really intriguing to see?"

    "In a sense."

    I''ll agree with Zei''s reasoning since I believe that Mr. Seid will definitely need a companion to stand alongside him.

    Mr. Seid was not your average man, but he was still human. There''s always a problem that he can''t handle on his own.

    "That''s all I had to say to you, Mr. President," Zei concluded.

    "Alright. If you''re done, I''ll have to take care of some things."

    "Oh wait," Zei abruptly said, "I just wanted you to know that I''ll be attending school starting tomorrow."

    "Really, Zei?" I called out to her.

    "Um, didn''t you hear what I just said?"

    "Oh my, are you going to enroll in school?"

    "There''s no need; Principal Eve registered me here a year ago."

    "Wait, what?" I exclaimed.

    That comes as a shock to me. A year ago... does it mean...?

    "Um, I enrolled in my first year here and studied mostly on my own."

    "How did you get your grades, though?"

    "There aren''t any."

    "Is it lonely moving up to a new grade without any friends?"

    "Certainly not."

    "Who, then, is your teacher?"

    "My mother."

    "..."

    "..."

    ''Wait, she mean the Principal?!"

    Zei hasn''t looked at me directly till now, but I can tell how serious her responses are.

    "That sounds rough." I mumble.

    "You don''t have to be sad like that, Esper."

    "You two, are you not going back?" Mr. President intervenes, "This room is not for student who want to skip classess."

    "Yes, Mr. President," I answered, "we''re going back."

    "I appreciate your time," Zei expressed gratitude.

    And with that, we concluded our chat, but I still have a lot of questions in my thoughts.

    "Zei..." I call out to her as we walk down the hallway.

    "Hm?"

 (Chapter 4) Act 3

    CHAPTER 4 Act 3

    "Zei?"

    "Hm?"

    "...Uh, no, never mind."

    Right after I realized, I changed my mind, and instead I didn''t want to ask her.

    This was the only time I saw her after that day. And I don''t want to be a bother and pretend as though we were friends before. I understand that a couple of things change with time, but even after all these years, I still know, and also want to know more about Zei. Despite that, I''m still unsure whether she wants to be as close to me as when we were kids.

    "I know you''re confused, Esper."

    "Erm..."

    She soon stopped walking as I attempted to confront my thoughts. Following that, I also stalled and glanced back at her.

    "Esper, don''t try to hold back on me."

    "No, I didn''t¡ª"

    "It''s as if you don''t know me at all. What happened? Is it because you realized we hadn''t seen each other in a long time and something had changed? Yeah, something was off and changed over time, but it''s difficult for us if you don''t try to speak."

    She''s really good at spotting my emotions. True, this feeling was a bit unpleasant, rather uncomfortable.

    There is an important question that I would want to have answered. But all I did was look at her, and nothing came out of my mouth.

    "If you''re not going to ask, I''m going¡ª"

    "...I recognize your name and your personality," my tongue blurted out.

    Even I, was surprised.

    But then I continued, "Despite the changes, I still confirmed that it was you, and after verifying that it was you, I just assumed that I didn''t know you at all."

    Zei is someone who means a lot to me. We played together and got to know each other when we were kids. But because we have different minds and ways of thinking, I feel somewhat distant.

    On the other hand, I don''t hate or despise her for such an empty reason. I say I didn''t know her because there are so many questions in my mind that remain a mystery.

    "We''re the same," Zei answered.

    "Huh?"

    That was an unexpected response from her.

    "I thought I knew the person based on their approach to me, but I didn''t. I know it''s trite to say this, but sometimes we know the name of the person but not the person itself, and that mistake leads to misunderstandings. Even if we interacted with that person directly or indirectly, we still don''t know about them."

    "I guess... you''re right."

    "Therefore, you need to ask¡ªto know them."

    Zei looked at me in the eyes, and I was startled. I can see her eyes glistening with sincerity and solemnity. Her words are still lodged in my thoughts, and seconds later, I replied to her.

    "If that''s the case, why do you hide? Why did you conceal yourself here? Why did you abandon us¡ªme?"

    "More importantly, I didn''t abandon you. I''m still here," she snidely said.

    I know.

    "Secondly, there''s a purpose on all of this."

    That said, I have a vague understanding of her objectives. If she wanted to run and escape...

    "So, how come you didn''t tell me everything?"

    "You never ask¡ª"

    "Stop saying that! Stop responding to me with sarcasm; it''s rather annoying."

    "Do you want me to tell you everything, then?"

    "I can''t ask you much more than that..."

    Zei is a reclusive person who is really good at hiding things on her own. That''s why I''m willing to hear her out.

    "Is that what you''re looking for?"

    "I want you to... trust me."

    "I did say that earlier, but are you going to believe in everything I will say?"

    "Of course."

    Essentially, I trusted her, so I gave her a firm reply. My words were honest and are now conveyed properly.

    After that, we decided to go to the library and talk about everything. This is an ideal location for a chat, and nobody can hear us since minimum amount of people were visiting this place.

    "There''s something I want you to do, Esper."

    We''re currently at a random shelf, and Zei was looking for a book, probably to read.

    "W-What is it?"

    Asking out of the blue is certainly surprising.

    "Leave your own Family," she said in a serious tone.

    "Huh? What did you say?"

    This will sure never cross my mind.

    "Alright, I''ll amend the statement. Can you join me in forming a new Family?"

    "Hold on... that... was..."

    "Sudden, right? It is."

    "But..."

    "You couldn''t leave. You can''t choose me over your Family?"

    "Wait, how can you read my thoughts? And what are you implying, Zei? This is rather hasty."

    "Make your decision soon or I''ll leave this room."

    Zei eventually found a book and sat down close to the shelf on the bench to start reading.

    "Wait a minute, I thought¡ª"

    "Your answer, Esper."

    "Hold on, uhm, I... I..."

    This time I won''t be able to respond immediately to her. Choosing your friend above your Family is a drastic step. But I can''t deny the fact that I''m a member of a well-known Family.

    I can''t betray either Zei or the Organization.

    "I... can''t..."

    "Sigh..." Zei lets out a big sigh and closes the book she was reading, and suddenly said, "I''m sorry."

    She''s gazing down at her book, but I know she''s pouring the words earnestly and it''s genuine.

    "Erm, Zei?"

    "I understand you won''t be able to respond instantly, but I insist on asking anyway; please accept my apologies."

    "No, that''s not it. Also, you''re too formal."

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    "...I simply wanted to see whether you have any resolve, but I''m just being a nuisance to you. You see, leaving your Family is a risk."

    Her tone made me shudder for an instant.

    Before she could say anything further, I sat next to her. I finally realized what she meant until she said that to me.

    "Once you leave, there''s no turning back. Even so, I don''t regret my decision."

    "Why did you leave after all, Zei? Is it because of your marriage proposal?"

    After I said that to her, she didn''t answer me back.

    "I''ll take that as a yes."

    My speculation was not hundred percent correct because she''s still remained mute on this issue.

    I''m sure she has difficulties concealing and preserving her identity. She probably can''t handle her status and the family troubles going on in the Light Family, particularly with her Father.

    Even when we were kids, her prominence was incredible. Therefore, several suitors continue to appear to offer marriage to her. That''s why she may have grown tired of it and vanished without a trace. I''m not sure if her family was also involved in her hiding, but it was a great success in certain ways. However, as I previously indicated, Zei is unable to overcome all of these hurdles.

    "So, what are you going to do now? Are you still pursuing your goal?"

    "My purpose was not merely to build a strong Family, but to bring someone down, as the President stated."

    "So, in general..."

    "Yes, this has always been my desire, which is why I''m revealing myself."

    This is her determination, and I can tell how serious she is.

    Zei was alone in this school, and she was aware of the repercussions. But, in the end, she remains strong.

    "The first stage is to establish a relationship and gather people."

    "But are you certain you can invite individuals other than those you know?"

    "I can''t have Mr. Seid, but he''s not the only student here, and I also obtained the information I needed, so it''s a simple task."

    So it''s true at all. According to the Student Council, Zei acquired a lot of information during her time here at school, which was unimaginable despite her seclusion.

    On a side note, she was aware that I couldn''t join her, so she didn''t say anything¡ªbut I will support her no matter what.

    "Don''t forget to ask me directly if you need anything."

    "That was really thoughtful of you to say."

    "There''s no reason for you to be concerned; the Gale Family will not help you, but I will."

    "I don''t want to cause you any trouble, Esper."

    "Trouble? Is that why you haven''t said anything until now?"

    "Mostly."

    "It appears that you don''t trust me at all."

    "I believe in you, which is why... I didn''t say anything."

    "What?"

    ''Because she trusted me, she didn''t say anything?''

    This...

    "Are you waiting... for me...?"

    Zei was silent, indicating it was true.

    "So you''ve waited for nothing? Now it''s true, I don''t understand you at all; I couldn''t have predicted you."

    Zei was an idiot, in some ways. That was the truth.

    She didn''t answer further, so I''ll try to shift the subject.

    "Speaking of which, how can you leave your Family? You can''t leave without going through the process."

    There is a process before leaving one''s own Family. You must consider four things.

    You must first pay a fine, which is determined by how much influence you have in your Organization. Second, you need a signature from your head Family, which in this case is Zei''s Wyte Group, with her father as the primary leader; she needs a signature from him. Third, you must return all of your assets or businesses that your Family has named after you. It''s as if you don''t have anything to carry and you leave your belongings alone. Finally, and most importantly, you must attend a meeting with the leaders of your Organization. That was the most nerve-racking moment. In front of everyone, you directly disclose the reason for your separation. And you will need to persuade them to sign a contract.

    All of these things must be completed before you''ll be able to leave.

    "I''ll take care of everything; you don''t need to worry about it."

    She stood up and looked straight at the the shelf, searching for something else.

    "Are you having a problem with that?"

    I''m sure there is.

    "If you think that way, then, like I said, it''s my problem, so I''ll handle it; I don''t want to trouble more people."

    "But¡ª"

    "I understand. I''ll let you know if I need anything."

    Now that she''s said it, I''m out of things to say.

    "Well, technically, you aren''t leaving right now, not until the procedure is completed, is that correct?"

    "What do you mean?"

    "You are still a member of the Light Family."

    "I... guess."

    Zei will not leave the Family if she does not complete any of the processes. She is now resolving the problem, but it will take some time because I know Zei''s father will be adverse to it, considering Zei was a great tool for him.

    Her father was a nobleman who was somewhat rigid. He was also an extremely intelligent and well-respected leader of the Light Family. However, he is mildly concerned about his daughter''s life.

    "How about you, Esper? Do you have any trouble?"

    Zei stopped searching for a book and sat next to me.

    She said it then, as if she knew everything from the start. I''m guessing Zei is aware of my issues. Staying here for a long period will most likely make you aware of the forthcoming and continuing rumors floating around the school.

    "It appears you are aware of it?"

    "Maybe. But could you explain to me what it is?"

    And with that, I was confident she was aware of it, but I informed her nevertheless.

    "As you know, I was just raised to this position."

    "As one would expect from you."

    "...They usually say that, yet I''m left feeling empty."

    "Why?"

    "I don''t know. Maybe because of Ms. Hunt." I say, lowering my head, "I-I..."

    "You want to help her?"

    "Y-Yeah. Now I''m convinced you know something. But I can''t help observing her from afar, since I''ve been watched by someone. No. That was just merely an excuse. Actually, in a sense, I didn''t help her at all--"

    "No, there''s nothing you can do about it."

    "You''re wrong. I''m totally a bad person. I''m not great or good, considering I choose myself more than others. I want to help Ms. Hunt, but I''m choosing to turn blind on this. How terrible was that?"

    I then scoffed and laughed at my own statement.

    "You know what, I realized that choosing yourself leads to regret."

    That''s how it is.

    Ms. Hunt was a great deal and a great commander for the Gale Family here at school. But disputes happen, and misunderstandings occur at unexpected moment. Therefore, she lost her status and prestige. Whether or not, I was involved in this massive issue.

    She killed herself right in front of me, and there''s nothing I can do to change that. Recalling it back to my memories is just a heart-rending event. And in the end, I was still here.

    "I know you have gone through several attempts and trials to obtain your status. And I know that you care so much about the people in the Gale Family. But choosing oneself isn''t bad at all, Esper."

    She returned the book she was reading earlier and then sat on my right side.

    "Indeed, we can''t escape guilt and compunction; nonetheless, the choice we made was still ours. More or less, the future was distant, and we couldn''t tell what was ahead. Therefore, every choice we make takes a lot of courage to do so. No matter what, I admire people like you, Esper."

    Zei was right.

    Just what I thought, listening to her makes me feel relieved.

    "I can tell you''re keeping an eye on me, Zei."

    "I can''t unhear the things that can be heard."

    "You''re insane. In any case, it''s in the past, and I don''t want to think about it."

    "You know, you can''t let go of what''s important to you."

    I gave her a quick glance and was left stunned by her words. I know how Zei could accurately represent my emotions, and she was always on track.

    "Well, I''m not the one to talk," she added, not looking in my direction.

    "Zei..."

    I can''t stop myself from calling out to her. We''re both experiencing issues, but mine was fixed while Zei''s wasn''t. I want to assist her and reach out to her.

    But I guess, I''ll need to wait for her call.

    "Um, how about the President? Is all of it true?"

    I ask all of a sudden since I was curious about it.

    "You can feel it''s true based on Mr. President''s responses."

    "So you''re saying it''s true?"

    "I can''t say it''s true since the President hasn''t said anything true either; basically, ask him, not me."

    "What about the term ''love,'' which you tell him? Is it related to him?"

    "I know for a fact that people have always experienced first love."

    "Um, yeah... and?"

    "I''ll tell you since this is Mr. President''s past," Zei says monotonously, "Mr. President had unrequited love."

    "...O-Okay. That was a little surprising."

    Literally, for the most part, I can''t picture his sensitive side.

    "Come to think of it, Zei, how can you gather this?"

    "The buzz started around two years ago," she cleared her throat, adding, "Anyway, he lost it all, like everything."

    I didn''t answer straight away because I was perplexed. But then I realized that this was a tough situation for him.

    "So, what does it mean? He lost in a fight?"

    "I don''t like that idea, but when I say everything, I mean everything; he waited so long, but his patience turned to hatred after hearing the news."

    "What news?"

    "What would you do when you hear from someone that the most important thing in your life has been stolen from you and you can''t get it back?"

    "Get it back? That means..."

    His love has been taken from him, and he will never be able to reclaim it. Why is this the case?

    If I placed my shoes on him, I''d probably become upset and distressed. This is a position in which you are unable to get out of bed.

    Fortunately, despite everything, the President remains positive and does not wallow in self-pity. That''s why his reaction when he heard it was gloomy.

    "I mean, it''s kind of heartbreaking to think about how the President manages it."

    "I didn''t give you the entire thing, but it appears that you got the gist; there''s more to it, by the way, that I must keep hidden from everyone."

    "...Is that so? Then, is this the reason why the President wants to abolish Families?"

    "Almost, but not quite."

    It makes sense that this was the reason. His entire goal was most likely to get retribution, and he doesn''t have time to waste in his third year. Though Zei didn''t react to whether it was correct or not, I believe half of it was.

    I can''t help but feel sorry for him while still admiring for overcoming this well¡ªor not at all.

    Zei was accurate in every claim she made. Despite the fact that there is still a fifty percent lack of knowledge that Zei did not want me to be aware of.

    "So, what happened?"

    Following that, I was eager to see how the President handled all of these.

    "Ask the President personally if you want to know."

    "You''re still playing with words with caution, Zei."

    "In a way, because the information is private."

    Zei takes a moment before speaking. She is still not giving me a complete understanding of the information, which is typical of her.

    "If you don''t want to talk about it, that''s fine," I responded relievedly.

    For better or worse, this is the best option. In reality, this information was no longer useful to me. I''ll wait for the President to tell me this.

    "I suppose this is the end of our conversation."

    "Eh, why?"

    "You need to take care of some things, and me too, I also need to take care of some things, Esper."

    After she said that, someone just walked in.

    "You! Ms. Zei Wyte!"

    The peaceful room was startled by a loud female voice entering through the front door. I was surprised and turned to face that figure.

    That person is Ms. Denise Shine, representative of the Light Family.

    She stepped in without hesitation and instantly approached us. And then she grabs Zei''s uniform and slaps her face.

    "Traitor!"

    Zei didn''t try to avoid the hit, and she didn''t flinch.

    "Hey, that hurts, you know?"

    Zei said, while glaring fiercely at Ms. Shine''s hands.

 (Chapter 4) Act 4

    CHAPTER 4 Act 4

    "Hey!"

    My voice actually erupted, and I yelled madly at Ms. Shine, who was holding Zei. As she stares back at me, I can sense her ferocious rage seeping through her eyes.

    "What''s the wrong with you? You slapped someone out of nowhere."

    I came close to them and took Ms. Shine''s hand. I tightened my grip on her to ease her down and bring her senses back.

    "Ms. Auguron, stay out of this. This is a matter between me and this woman."

    Her hands were trembling, not because she was guilty, but because she was restraining her rage.

    "Did you see what you''re doing now? It''s assault."

    "How funny. I thought you were not on the side of justice since you used anything to force Ms. Hunt out of her place. But, no one can substantiate your allegation."

    She is well aware of her position in this dire situation. We were the only ones present at the scene, and she could reason anyway she wanted to avoid being suspected.

    "If you''re willing to strike Zei, that''s a sign of evidence."

    "If people believe what you say, Ms. Auguron; too bad, no one believes something as reckless as that."

    "I see..."

    In some ways, she was correct. Nobody will easily believe in a story like this.

    She had the audacity to do this while no one was around. Seriously, what''s wrong with her? Why did she abruptly put up a fight?

    Being a representative ensures that your reputation is kept at its finest. Regardless, there is a limit to everything we do, so we must remain vigilant in our actions. But Ms. Shine''s actions were quite shocking given her image as a reticent woman. And we all know that, as representatives, we don''t behave as rashly as this.

    "Of course, you have something to say since you''re here."

    "I told you to keep out of this. You and your Organization aren''t involved here."

    She let go of Zei and shoved my hands away. At the very least, she calmed down a little after that extreme outburst of emotion.

    "It''s fine. I''m here to testify."

    Nevertheless, my irritation eventually faded. I have to keep my composure and pay attention to what she has to say.

    "Whatever, it''s all meaningless."

    Ms. Shine ignored me and focused on Zei.

    "Hey, Ms. Wyte, how dare you betray your own Organization?"

    Betray?

    "...I didn''t, though. Instead, I''m assisting them in getting rid of those folks who are utterly useless."

    Zei looked aside without changing her tone. She retained a straight expression and remained calm.

    "What? Is that how you manipulate people? You create so much tension within our Organization. You even sell all of your shares to other Families and trade them with information. How infuriating. Most importantly, you sell information about Mr. Seid and his family. Do you think the Light Family will stand by and observe all of your actions?"

    "You''ve said too much, Ms. Shine, but I don''t care. Kick me or kill me if they want. It''ll solve a lot of my problems."

    "You...! How could you say that? Light Family embraces and adores you. It is truly your home."

    "Not any more."

    "What a nightmare; they''ve made a mistake by keeping you."

    "What else can I say?"

    Ms. Shine and I were both out of words and stunned by Zei''s remark. I feel lost every time Zei speaks with a cold-hearted response.

    Is this all true?...More likely.

    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    To think Zei is a little... frightening.

    "Now, why are you here? Just to hit me? Does it please you?"

    "Of course not. To be honest, that''s not enough. This is just getting started. I''ll repay you with a present."

    "Hm? What exactly is it?"

    Ms. Shine immediately closes her fist and attempted to strike Zei once again. My body didn''t respond in that split second since it was so fast, but Zei managed to stop it with her own hands.

    "That surprises me, Ms. Shine."

    "That is to be expected. Is it correct that the first one was intended to make me feel guilty? In any case, I''m here to let you know that I hold you in high regard as a person. You''re deceiving me¡ªno, you''re deceiving us. I''ll let you know that this is the point at which I''ll forsake your sheer existence."

    "You''re a loyal subordinate, aren''t you?"

    "No, I don''t think so. I''m basically being selfish."

    "Hoh, that''s great for you."

    "...The fifteen organizations are in disarray right now, and they haven''t dared to make a move. I''m curious how you gathered such vast amounts of information in such a short period of time."

    "What exactly do you mean?"

    Ms. Shine pushes Zei''s hands away.

    "Stop behaving ignorant! You sell information to trade money. After that, the money is then circulated in order to purchase the data that you need. What a brilliant scheme, and now you''re using the money to pay us and leaving us in trouble?"

    "Hm, I wonder whether that''s true..."

    According to Ms. Shine''s words, Zei had planned this not long ago in order to acquire money and abandon her family. From the looks of things, this is a massive mess, and the Light Family was in big trouble.

    This may be the result of Zei''s harboring grudge and contempt towards her Organization.

    "Oh, Ms. Auguron, let me tell you something interesting."

    Ms. Shine unexpectedly called out my name.

    "Hn?"

    "Do you know why you''re a Representative? Because of Ms. Zei. Light Family gave me some specifics about how she engaged with Ms. Hunt''s situation back then. Ask her for the details if you like."

    She gave Zei a blank and direct stare.

    My head is a complete mess right now. I stared at Zei, but she was totally silent.

    "...I-Is it true?"

    I asked both of them to clarify things.

    "Who knows. As I mentioned, it''s best if you question the person directly¡ª"

    "Ms. Shine, you''re talking too much. I didn''t realize you were such an exasperating and nosy person. If you say any more than that, I''ll make sure your life is buried after this."

    "See, Ms. Auguron? She was threatening me."

    "..."

    This... can''t be...

    "Are you here to waste our time, Ms. Shine?"

    "Oh, Ms. Wyte, it''s simply a fortuitous coincidence."

    "Are you now satisfied? This occurrence really was a lot of coincidence. Are you that upset at me? You were absolutely fine at the meeting."

    "After the meeting, I went to the Light Family''s office, where they provided me with documents detailing how you accomplished your plan flawlessly."

    "Sure, they''re acting as if they''re planning to kick me out, but are you going to trust them no matter what?"

    "Probably. I have confirmed everything after meeting with you today."

    What should I do?

    I felt terrible, and afraid... of Zei after knowing she was connected to Ms. Hunt''s case and mine.

    She''s like a bomb, waiting for the right moment to annihilate all that surrounds her.

    "Ms. Auguron will ultimately distrust you after hearing that, won''t she?"

    Ms. Shine cast a look at me.

    What''s the matter with her, really? Suddenly attacking Zei and severing us.

    I didn''t respond, but I looked at Zei, who was still not facing my direction.

    ''Tell me, Zei, do you still believe in me...?''

    "I don''t know who was telling me the truth, but as of now I want to believe in Zei."

    For an instant, they both reacted and were surprised by my statement.

    I need to relax my mind and trust in myself. True, I have my doubts about Zei, but that doesn''t mean I don''t trust her completely.

    "What a wonderful friendship you had there, Ms. Auguron. I appreciated your bond, but sooner or later you will learn something."

    She then tried to leave the Library, but she came to a halt and said a few things.

    "Ah, I''m sorry for hitting you, Ms. Wyte. It was my mistake. However, I won''t forgive your misdeeds."

    And then she left us as if nothing had happened.

    "What was it all about, Zei?" I demanded firmly.

    Zei was not looking at me as usual, and she was seemingly serene and calm.

    "I''m not sure of your genuine aims or objectives, but I need to question you so that I know. As you mentioned before, I need to ask¡ª"

    "Let me ask you first, Esper, what is your opinion here? Do you believe in everything she blathers about?"

    "That''s..."

    Zei had fully turned the tables on me.

    "Can you answer that for me Zei?"

    "..."

    Basically, she refused to answer my question.

    "So is it true?"

    "Probably..."

    When she said that, it was almost as if she were acknowledging Ms. Shine''s assertions.

    "Nn?"

    "...So, it was absolutely true after all, Zei. What did you do during your concealment? And, more importantly, don''t tell me you''re the reason Ms. Hunt..."

    "I heard you''re interested in that position."

    "Position? So it was you all along!"

    My voice raises, and I can''t stop my tears from falling. I can''t think clearly right now, and I''d like to hear an answer from her own mouth.

    "Zei, tell me!"

    She turns her head and looks into my eyes.

    "If that''s your conclusion, will you forgive me?"

    "You know what, Zei, I just realized that you were incredibly earnest and fully open when you looked at me directly. But how did you manage to strip Ms. Hunt from her position, not knowing her feelings? My feelings? Did you think I''d be grateful for that?"

    "I had no idea. It was a great opportunity for you as well¡ª"

    "Then why? Did you think I could handle that event easily? Until now, my heart has been torn apart every time I recall the incident, especially when Ms. Hunt killed herself."

    "There''s nothing we can do. Please accept my apologies."

    Her tone didn''t change a bit.

    "You feel sorry for what...? Until now?"

    "I''ve said what I needed to say. Now, Esper, do what you need to do."

    "..."

    Now I understand. She had planned this out already.

    "Are you pushing me away? Is that what you want?"

    "Did you hear what I just said? You need to take care of the things that need to be taken care of."

    "...Then I''ll leave."

    For now...

    When I open the door, the sky appears remarkably darker and sullen. It looks like anytime soon, the rain will start to pour out.

 (Chapter 4) Act 5

    CHAPTER 4 Act 5

    I''m terrible... I know I''m stupid enough.

    I''m far too awful.

    I accept that I, too, am overly self-centered. I know Zei did it for me, but I also realize I made a mistake.

    My actions were also in the wrong direction, so I can''t blame anyone. I can''t blame or dislike Zei for being mindful of me. Yet, I still hurt her feelings.

    The whole point is that I readily accepted everything, being a representative, and the prestige.

    I want everything... There''s no denying it.

    This lingering guilt in me is most likely the outcome of witnessing someone I know commit suicide in front of me.

    That''s why I''m very emotional with other people, particularly Zei, but in fact, I''m a nuisance.

    That''s all. My emotions messing things up.

    "Jus how long will I be able to keep this face?"

    Nearly a few minutes ago, I was at the library, and now I''m walking towards the Gale Family''s office to check if there are any orders coming from them.

    Every Organization has an office here, or should I say, a room for them, along with several minor Organizations. Every office is housed in a different building and in a different location to allow for separate private matters. To obtain one, students must first obtain approval from the Principal''s office.

    We''re still in the midst of the day, but the sky doesn''t appear to be as bright as it was the day before. The chilly breeze brushed over my sleeves, making me feel even more alone.

    It was obvious that Zei probably wanted to push me away from her. She had planned to do this from the beginning and had already done it. Of course, my emotions are jumbled right now, but I do feel horrible about everything that has happened.

    What was Zei attempting to accomplish by pushing me? Is she going to leave me out for my own safety?

    I''m not so stupid to miss it, yet the question remains, why?

    Before I could go to the office, I went on something trivial along the corridor.

    "...If anything, where''s Ms. Hollows?"

    "Who knows. That''s all I could come up with. Also, stop pestering me from now on."

    "This crap¡ª"

    "Calm yourself, Ms. Lish."

    This seems interesting.

    There I met Mr. Seid and Mr. Oaes from the Aqua Family. Based on what I''ve heard, I believe they were referring to Ms. Lisa Hollows.

    If I think about it, she was, in fact, missing at the meeting.

    They weren''t the only ones in this place. Mr. Oaes is accompanied by an attendant who is apparently upset by Mr. Seid''s words.

    I slowly approach them, but later on, they will notice me ahead.

    "Ms. Auguron?"

    "What are you all doing here?"

    "Uh, greetings to you, Ms. Auguron. We''re simply conversing."

    Those two greeted me, but Mr. Seid was quiet, and he looked surprised as well, seeing me.

    "...I''m wondering whether fate has something to do with this, Ms.Esper. This is the second time we''ve met by acident."

    "I''m thinking the same thing, Mr. Seid. By the way, there are still classes at this hour. Was it Mr. Oaes who called you here?"

    Mr. Seid didn''t answer, but Mr. Oaes replied to me.

    "Well, Ms. Auguron, we''re talking to him if he''s in anyway connected to Lisa''s disappearance."

    Disappearance? I assumed she was on leave. If so, does it suggest Ms. Hollows has been missing since then? Gale Family didn''t notify me ahead of time, so they probably didn''t know either.

    "...That was strange."

    "Indeed."

    And I thought Mr. Oaes would never say what they were talking about since our Families were different. Perhaps he didn''t mind if I knew, since there would come a day when all leaders would be aware of it.

    Aqua Family maintains a minimal profile while being one of the largest Organization.

    Mr. Oaes is one of the Aqua Family''s representatives, and he obviously cares about his people, particularly those who are close to him. He was a leader with a meek personality. Ms. Hollows, as far as I know, acquired influence because she was the assistant manager of the soccer club, everything else was strictly confidential. We''re not related or friends, but as representatives, we frequently interact with one another.

    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    "Yeah, I asked Mr. Seid''s presence after that day when they had a meeting with President Reginald, but Ms. Hollows never showed up to us after that day."

    "Do you mean you asked me then? Hold on, I presume you''re the one who sent out those people that day?"

    Mr. Seid stepped in.

    "That was the case. I mean, not me exactly, but this woman right beside me."

    Mr. Oaes is obviously referring to Ms. Rane Lish, the Reef Family''s leader. Her family was part of the Aqua Family, so it makes sense that she came here to help him.

    In that sense, I had no idea what they were on about.

    Seemingly to their conversation, this is the first time they''ve met each other. However, I''m pretty sure that Mr. Oaes already had an eye on Mr. Seid.

    Furthermore, Mr. Seid was well aware of what was going on at school. And, impressively, he always appears relaxed about the issue, adding that a leader from a Family approached him.

    If I look closely, I can see that this specific location was not near any classrooms, so it was essentially out of reach for people. This suggests that the Aqua Family did not want any of the students to learn this information.

    "Um, excuse me for intruding, and I don''t want to stand in your way, Mr. Oaes, but could you give me a greater picture of what transpired in Ms. Hollows'' case? The disappearance of a representative is something that must be taken seriously."

    A missing representative is a critical issue that must be resolved as soon as possible. It has had a huge impact on the entire Organizations and between Families.

    He looked me in the eyes and said, "Fair enough, but we must investigate more into it to find an answer, so there''s no need for you to know about it too early."

    "Essentially, you don''t want me to have a complete understanding of what was going on? How about Mr. Seid? Can you tell me what it is?"

    Mr. Seid remained silent and didn''t respond.

    "All right, I guess I''ll back out."

    Regardless, I''m curious about this, so I''m not going to dismiss it right away. I''ll probably inform the Gale Family.

    "Oh, by the way Mr. Seid, before I go, may I have a full talk with you following your conversation with Mr. Oaes?"

    "I have classes."

    "...Does it look like you didn''t want to speak with me?"

    "Ms. Auguron, you may talk to Mr. Seid since we''re going right now."

    "But comman¡ª"

    "It''s fine, Ms. Lish. He already answered us, right?"

    "...A-Alright, if you say so."

    The two were unexpectedly left with nothing to say. Butting into the conversation is rude, but whatever.

    Mr. Seid amd I were the only ones remaining in the situation. I tried to break the stillness by speaking, but he was the first to speak.

    "You look dissatisfied¡ªno, you''re probably not happy, Ms. Esper?"

    I was startled by his statement, but I just smiled and regained my composure.

    "Hmm, is that what you''re thinking right now?"

    "Maybe, but what do you want to talk about? I have a class I need to attend."

    "There''s no reason for you to be anxious about that; being a representative may be just as useful as it has always been. I''ll inform your teacher right after."

    You can do whatever you want as a representative as long as it is important.

    "...I have a question," Mr. Seid said with a keen tone, "Isn''t it nice to be a representative?"

    At that moment, I took Mr. Seid''s words more seriously. He wasn''t kidding or speculating. He was just closely observing and could see right through me.

    Mr. Seid understands how to read my inner thoughts and utilize them to prod me right now. But I guess I''ll have to play a little poker here.

    "I''m not sure what you''re thinking, Mr. Seid, but I''ll go straight to the point. Do you know Zei Wyte? If so, has she confronted you?"

    That was the first thing I needed to find out from him. This will be significant information for me, especially because I''m curious about what''s going on within Zei''s head.

    He was unsurprised and responded calmly.

    "Do I really need to tell you?"

    "Hm, parry response, huh? But I''m thinking it is, so what did Zei say to you?"

    I need to know whether Zei is attempting to recruit Hans. If they are already in contact with each other, there must be more to it.

    "Is that Zei you''re talking about something close to you?"

    This guy... He never responded to my question, instead attempting to elicit information from me.

    "Who knows."

    "I see... Well, Ms. Auguron, I''m not exactly sure how to answer your question."

    "What do you mean?"

    "Is that person popular or something? If you ask some students here, they didn''t know either."

    "I''m asking you, not them. Are you acting stupid, Mr. Seid?"

    "No, of course not. I''m not lying, though."

    When it came to questioning him, he was, as I expected, rather evasive.

    "Mr. Seid, you''re as sharp as I imagined."

    "I''m not sure what you mean. Is that a compliment?"

    "This is futile... Well, you''re the sort of guy who can flee or fight if necessary, which is why you evaded perfectly the troubles surrounding the recent issue between us."

    "I''m kind of fortunate at the moment."

    "You''re correct; in some ways, you''re free to do anything you want."

    Not like me.

    "...It''s obvious that you''re having a difficult time, Ms. Esper."

    He blurted it out, but subsequently added,

    "Well, I''m not concerned about your stuff."

    "...You''re saying that very bluntly, huh? In any case, if you need anything, I can provide you with some information."

    "Information? You owe me nothing, and I don''t want to be indebted to you."

    "I understand, you don''t want to trade after all. But how about your most recent incident? Do you want to know who''s behind it?"

    His belongings have mysteriously vanished, and no one has yet revealed who is to blame in the case.

    "I already reported that issue."

    "In that case, from your point of view, you don''t need anything since you can handle things on your own."

    "No, it''s just that I don''t need to worry about such things."

    He doesn''t care in the slightest? Is he apathetic? Is that how he decides for himself?

    "...You''re extremely peculiar."

    "It is, and by the way, is that what you all wanted to say? If so, then I will leave first¡ª"

    "Again, last question, did Zei say anything to you?"

    Zei and Mr. Seid were most likely planning something. However, the possibilities are too faint.

    "..."

    "You''re quiet again? Okay, I don''t believe you''ll answer me honestly. If you keep your acting like this for the rest of your school years, you''ll definitely make enemies."

    Assuming he hasn''t changed, he''s most likely having a hard time dealing with this school''s environment. However, I believe there is something that Hans Seid could change his mind about.

    He didn''t respond to me and attempted to leave. But then again, I stopped him.

    "Wait!"

    "Now what?"

    He gave me a hard stare, as if he was on his way out.

    "It began pouring. Hold on, I''ll get¡ª"

    "I already have one."

    Surprisingly, he revealed a folding umbrella in his paper bag. I was on my way to grab him one at the office when the rain began to fall. Yes, raindrops flow out in a steady stream.

    "Why are you concerned, Ms. Esper?"

    "Uh, no..."

    I averted my eyes to the side.

    Mr. Seid leaves me right away as a few droplets pass by. The rain pours down strongly, making the dry floor become damp.

    I''m hearing heavy drops, and the noise has established a barrier from the outside corridor.

    "Oh... what a day..."

 (Chapter 4) Act 6

    CHAPTER 4 Act 6

    "How is your conversation going?"

    "Not much. We decided that the Light Family would pay a fine to put this matter behind them. Mr. Wyte will give me information tomorrow. How about on your part? I can tell you''re taking your time there."

    "It is, but I need to take a break for a little bit."

    "All right, I''m not going to ask you any more questions, but if it involves the Gale Family, please let me know ahead of time."

    "O-Okay..."

    I''m at the office with Mr. Arson, quietly sorting paperwork. The office isn''t particularly large, but it can accommodate four people in a meeting.

    Mr. Arson was already present when I arrived, and he had notified the Organization about his discussion with Mr. Wyte. As of now, the problem has been rectified without incident. However, because Ms. Shine has already informed me that the Organizations are now in turmoil, I''m certain that the Gale Family will convene an emergency meeting.

    Zei has already moved her pieces, and there''s nothing we can do. The next step is to figure out how to block the flow of information. If this does not cease, it will most likely lead to conflict and gradually sever the bond between Organizations and Families.

    Mr. Arson remained silent in this room and did not ask any additional questions. We''re both new Gale Family representatives, and he''s been accustomed to me in the previous several months; though, I know he holds himself back in front of me.

    Mr. Arson was once associated with the Scorch Family, which was affiliated with the Flame Family. Later on, however, the Scorch Family rose to become one of the well-known Organizations, at which point he quit his own. That is all the Gale Family has been documented.

    "Um..."

    We''re nearly done, so I strike up a conversation with him.

    "What?"

    "Can I ask... why you quit your Family?"

    He reacted all of a sudden and stared at me. I returned his gaze, but immediately he turned away his head.

    "A few months have passed, and you''re only going to ask me that today?"

    "Why? Uh, I''ve been wondering about it for a while."

    "Then what''s the point of asking me that?"

    "I was only curious..."

    The documents are now completed, so he has taken a seat on the couch. Then I do the same thing, sitting in front of him.

    "You know what, Ms. Auguron, I can see in your eyes that you''re looking for an answer. Are you worried about something?"

    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    "...Is that what you see?"

    I''m trying to make my expression as calm as possible, but he was right nonetheless; I''m worried about something.

    "I''m not sure, but I do think the way you stare seems a little forced."

    "Oh, I see..."

    "And the answer to your question isn''t worth mentioning. I leave them behind since it''s the only choice. I don''t have a home there."

    "Erm, is that all?"

    "..."

    He''s completely quiet. Does he have no trust in me?

    "I''m sorry, but I didn''t understand since you didn''t explain everything in detail."

    "What did you do if you knew about me? Does it have anything to do with Ms. Wyte?"

    There''s no denying that he instantly thought about it.

    "What could I say? To be honest, I''m trying to connect your story to Zei in some way, and that''s why I want to know your reason."

    "Being eager to know everything does not imply that your problem has been answered. You must be patient at times, Ms. Auguron."

    "It doesn''t make sense. All I want is for you to answer me honestly."

    "If you''re also willing to share Ms. Wyte''s history, or must I say, the story between the two of you."

    I squinted my eyes eventually to see whether my guess was correct.

    "Hn, I''m just guessing, but are you interested in her?"

    "..."

    He was silent in response.

    "No, there''s no need to discuss anything."

    I immediately ended the conversation, but Mr. Arson continued.

    "You get the wrong idea here, Ms. Auguron. I wanted to avoid her as much as possible."

    "Is that so?"

    Honestly, I don''t believe his statement. It looks like it''s the contrary.

    "...But once again, let''s just stop our conversation here, Mr. Arson."

    I mustn''t reveal Zei''s objective or background to anybody, particularly not to this person. He most likely has a plan hidden someplace.

    The silence began to envelop him, but he replied lightly.

    "...These questions are personal matters, right? That''s why, we don''t have to get to know each other. This mutual relatio¡ªpartnership isn''t all that bad."

    "What are you talking about?"

    "Nothing."

    Then the unpleasant stillness returns to strangle my consciousness. I don''t know what to say, so I think I should leave this room and go to class.

    "Ms. Auguron..."

    "Hm?"

    I attempt to open the door, but I turn my head around as he calls me back. He glanced at me and said something.

    "You know what, I''m sure there''s an upcoming order from the higher-ups regarding the impending test."

    "What exactly is it, and is there anything exceptional about the test?"

    "Beats me... In a sense, are you not interested in how Mr. Seid performs?"

    "No."

    "What a direct response. Are you sure?"

    "In any case, I don''t care about him. If I wanted him in the Gale Family, I could foresee that it''d be chaotic, and he had already decided that he had no plans regardless."

    "You''re correct, but I''m not only talking about him, I''m talking about the other Organizations too."

    "What about them? If they''ve got a plan, then so be it. There''s nothing we can do."

    "Aren''t we planning anything as well?"

    If the Gale family had ordered us, we had no choice but to do what we could. In the meantime, we must remain passive.

    "Don''t get yourself worked up, Mr. Arson. Like I said, we do not need to face other organizations yet. Mr. Seid may be different, but we cannot fight over a certain prey."

    "Sure enough, but what about Ms. Wyte? Is she planning anything?"

    "Why are you asking so many questions today?"

    "Because there are several questions that need to be answered."

    "As you said, be patient and let things happen on their own. The main thing is that we must prioritize our Organization first. If something strange is going on, please notify me ahead of time."

    "Yeah, yeah, fine. What are you going to do now?"

    "And what''s with that?"

    "Are you putting your family ahead of Ms. Wyte?"

    I was confused at first by his remark, but then I realized what he truly wants.

    "Are you concerned about me?"

    "Not at all."

    "You''re kind of suspiscious."

    He is actually. Although, I don''t know if it is genuine or not.

    "I don''t know what you''re talking about," he said in a bluff tone.

    "Well anyway, there really isn''t much I can do at this point, so I''ll probably keep this to myself. Thank you for your cooperation, and see you in class."

    "All right, I''ll stay here for a while."

    After that, I left Mr. Arson alone in the room.

 This Is Not A Chapter

    Hey everyone! Author here... uhm, I just wanted to let all of you know that this week and the following week (April 17-30) that I probably cannot upload a chapter. Yes, it''s because there''s a lot going on that I need to do first. You know that my upload is per week, so sadly I can''t this time. However, I will try my best to upload atleast one chapter, but if I can''t, you know the reason. Thanks for consideration and have a nice day!

    Ps. I need to repeat this thread to make 500 words. Anyway, just ignore the bottom part...

    Hey everyone! Author here... uhm, I just wanted to let all of you know that this week and the following week (April 17-30) that I probably cannot upload a chapter. Yes, it''s because there''s a lot going on that I need to do first. You know that my upload is per week, so sadly I can''t this time. However, I will try my best to upload atleast one chapter, but if I can''t, you know the reason. Thanks for consideration and have a nice day!

    Hey everyone! Author here... uhm, I just wanted to let all of you know that this week and the following week (April 17-30) that I probably cannot upload a chapter. Yes, it''s because there''s a lot going on that I need to do first. You know that my upload is per week, so sadly I can''t this time. However, I will try my best to upload atleast one chapter, but if I can''t, you know the reason. Thanks for consideration and have a nice day!

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    Hey everyone! Author here... uhm, I just wanted to let all of you know that this week and the following week (April 17-30) that I probably cannot upload a chapter. Yes, it''s because there''s a lot going on that I need to do first. You know that my upload is per week, so sadly I can''t this time. However, I will try my best to upload atleast one chapter, but if I can''t, you know the reason. Thanks for consideration and have a nice day!

    Hey everyone! Author here... uhm, I just wanted to let all of you know that this week and the following week (April 17-30) that I probably cannot upload a chapter. Yes, it''s because there''s a lot going on that I need to do first. You know that my upload is per week, so sadly I can''t this time. However, I will try my best to upload atleast one chapter, but if I can''t, you know the reason. Thanks for consideration and have a nice day!

    Hey everyone! Author here... uhm, I just wanted to let all of you know that this week and the following week (April 17-30) that I probably cannot upload a chapter. Yes, it''s because there''s a lot going on that I need to do first. You know that my upload is per week, so sadly I can''t this time. However, I will try my best to upload atleast one chapter, but if I can''t, you know the reason. Thanks for consideration and have a nice day!

 (Chapter 5) Act 1

    CHAPTER 5 Act 1

    The day of the test appeared to be typically fine, but few realized that all Organizations were quietly observing each other.

    Today is the first day of examinations, and different Families will undoubtedly devise their own strategies and take advantage of the test results.

    As a Representative of Light Family, I, Steve Wyte, must remain in touch with my fellow Family members and rigorously oversee them.

    The school plainly and unequivocally informs us that we are not permitted to engage in any illicit actions that violate the law or school rules, particularly during this time of examination. But I know that certain students will attempt to take down and exploit my Family in a sly way, so we are vigilant.

    Maintaining peace requires as few encounters as possible, so we aim for that. And so, the Light Family has opted not to act aggressively today; knowing that all Families are crumbling apart because of what Zei did. If we act recklessly, we may endanger the whole Organization.

    In a way, this day was not special at all; rather, many Families were busy at the time with maintaining their Family''s reputation as well as keeping them safe.

    "Alright, class, let me remind you that every action you take carries responsibility. You know the rules and regulations, and you know what is right and wrong. Anyway, if you received the paper, wait for my further instructions, and keep in mind that you only have an hour for each subject. If you have any questions, you can ask me. That''s all."

    Before handing out the test questionnaires, Teacher Fireil stepped in front of the class and delivered a few words. We didn''t ask any more questions; but everyone seemed pretty confident today, which makes me more excited.

    All students take examinations at the same time, and separate classes are not permitted to interfere with one another.

    In front of my seat was a great student who was well-known throughout the class; Ms. Alice Ruclise, our Class-1 President. She handed me the exam paper and smiled without saying anything. She is a member of the Ruclise family, which is well-known for its hotel operations. Ruclise Family also members of our organization, the Light Family.

    Apparently, she was the female role model in the class, and she''s working hard to get to the top and be on par with me.

    I can tell that she will be one of our organization''s representatives in no time. It''s not that I doubt Ms. Shine''s abilities as she''s currently my co-representative; I admire and completely acknowledge Ms. Shine.

    They are both excellent at everything, yet there is a gap when it comes to experience.

    "I wish you the best of luck, Ms. Ruclise."

    "Thank you for your concern, Mr. Wyte, but I don''t believe in luck. Though, I can guarantee my fate."

    "...I see, you''re extremely confident, which is a good thing; but, I want you to keep an eye on today''s exams."

    "As you will, commander."

    As an organization''s leader, I insist on informing my followers that certain students will try to provoke one another. The victims are mostly those who do not have an Organization, but nonetheless, any student might be a victim. As a result, we must be attentive and careful.

    In this particular case, the school had already established a strategy to assemble "red-blood students," or those who do not have a Organization, to take examinations in a separate location in order to keep them safe. However, owing to a decrease in the number of red-blood students, we no longer do it as regularly, and many concerns have increased since they perceive it as discriminatory and uneven. As of now, pupils take the exams together, whether they have blue or red-blood.

    "Now that everyone has their own paper, you may start at exactly eight o''clock, one minute prior to now."

    "Um... sorry to interrupt Teacher Fireil. Can I make a short word?"

    Following Teacher Fireil''s words, a specific student stands up and grabs our attention.

    "What is it?"

    "...As we all know everyone, an exam is nothing exceptional, right? But we may have a little fun if we add more to it."

    Suddenly, everyone starts chattering around, and a female student stands up and agrees with him, "You''re right! It''s too boring just to think of it."

    She seemed to be as delighted as everyone else.

    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    "Here''s the deal: we''ll base our decision on the total of our scores, and whomever gets the highest score will have his request granted."

    "Yeah, that''s nice..."

    "''Yup, I''m in too."

    Everyone looked to be having a good time and enjoying themselves despite the stakes.

    As I predicted, some students would try to be sneaky and take advantage of this chance. I''m sure one of the Organization planned this.

    Regardless, school was out of the picture, and this sort of thing will be agreed upon only in class and between students, so ''they'' know that it is safe to introduce and continue this. Even if you are opposed to it, you cannot do anything since the entire class agrees.

    I turned and took a glimpse at Mr. Seid to see what he thought, but he was too focused on the paper he was holding. It was as though he was deaf to the entire discussion.

    "You''d all agree, huh? That it appears to be rather intriguing," I replied casually.

    "You like this kind of stuff, Mr. Wyte?" Ms. Ruclise looks at me.

    "Not at all. I find it interesting and also ludicrous that many students were bold enough to defeat the best students here. Don''t get me wrong, but I just felt like something was off. I''m not sure what, but something was definitely suspicious, don''t you think?"

    I took a peek at the person who had introduced this game.

    "You''re correct in that regard," Ms. Frey replied.

    "Is that all?" Teacher Fireil said, reminding everyone that the test was about to begin.

    It appears that Teacher Fireil was uninterested in the discussion.

    Mr. Seid received the highest score on the mock tests, along with a few other students, including Ms. Ruclise and myself. He was smart as Principal Eve told us.

    But, on the other hand, I have no idea what the results of these exams will be. What could happen after this?

    After a few hours of taking tests, the day finally came to an end, and we had just finished.

    The questions are not too difficult if you study really hard.

    Everything seemed fine, and all of the students were calm and relaxed, including Mr. Seid. The principal had told me ahead of time that I should carefully observe all of the students, particularly Mr. Seid, and report back to her. But all I can see is that he was completely concentrated on the examination the entire time.

    After I picked up my things, Mr. Seid unexpectedly approached me.

    "You''re keeping a close eye on the students, aren''t you?"

    "Hm? Uh, it''s because we''re careful, Mr. Seid, and the Light Family has to be on turmoil if something happens."

    He most likely noticed me glancing at him and proceeded to approach me. Well, I can''t deny the fact, so I tell him.

    "Of course, that also includes me?" he asked.

    "It''s pointless to lie to you, so everyone here is simply doing what I''m doing, and they''re watching you as well."

    It''s true. I''m not the only one. Even so, it''s scary to think that he knows people very well.

    Afterwards, I decided to leave the room, but as soon as I did, Mr. Seid also exited. I walked fast enough, but he kept catching up. I became increasingly certain that he was following me.

    "Now what?"

    I stopped at some point and asked him directly.

    "Hm?"

    "What are you doing, Mr. Seid? Are you trying to annoy me?"

    "No."

    "And then what?"

    I know he''s following me, but he''s too bothersome.

    "Don''t get the wrong idea; this is also my way."

    "In that case, Mr. Seid, you may go first."

    This guy... What the hell is he trying to do?

    But just after he leaves, he accidentally bumps into someone, or should I say, Mr. Seid means it.

    They exchanged glances, but no one attempted to talk. Mr. Seid was unsurprised, and neither was the woman he ran into.

    Unpredictably, that girl''s name was...Zei.

    Zei bumped into Mr. Seid but didn''t greet him or anything. I knew Zei felt my presence, but then again, she didn''t speak a few words.

    She wasn''t staring at the people she was speaking to as she usually did, but she did cast a glance towards Mr. Seid before diverting her eyes. I don''t know exactly what''s going on between the two, or perhaps Zei is slowly changing in time, but I guess I''ll leave it to them.

    After the day she showed herself in front of all the Representatives, she was introduced later in Class-3, Ms. Auguron''s class. The next day, I studied her behaviors and how she interacted with the people around her, but she did not change at all. Despite she was occasionally with Esper, fewer students approached her. Some are apprehensive, but not everyone dislikes the way she speaks, so I think she was alright in school.

    She was announced as the principal''s daughter, which made it easier for her to make friends, yet she didn''t make any. All she had was Ms. Auguron.

    Of course, only the leaders were aware of Zei''s history in school, but her reason for hiding was so private that she kept it hidden from everyone around her. That excludes me because I know her, but I''m not going to say anything for her safety.

    "This isn''t a coincidence," Zei said to start up the conversation.

    "Perhaps," Mr. Seid replied.

    "What are you up to, Mr. Seid?"

    "I''m sorry for running into you Ms. Zei, but I was just passing by, and by the looks of it, you didn''t have any trouble at school."

    "That doesn''t concern you."

    After that day, Zei became well-known at school, and Mr. Seid was aware of the fact.

    "I know it''s too late, but I''m looking forward to your school days."

    Mr. Seid welcomed Zei, but Zei said nothing.

    "Anyway, it''s great timing that you''re here; I''ve been meaning to ask you this for a while but haven''t had the chance; what is your connection between you two?"

    I was surprised by Mr. Seid''s question as he glanced back at me.

    "Tell me honestly, what is your true relationship, Mr. Steve and Ms. Zei?"

    With a serious expression on his face, he looked me thoroughly in the eyes.

    "...I''m not sure whether I had to tell you this, but I guess I''ll say it anyway. We''re not connected by blood, as you can see, and that''s why... I''m the Wyte Family''s adopted son."

    I stated it without hesitation.

    This is not a private matter; in fact, just a few leaders are aware of who I am and why I am here. Though, this does not affect my reputation because I work hard and earn my name as it is.

    Mr. Seid went silent and did not ask any additional questions. But Mr. Seid then spoke once again.

    "Um, now that we''re here, I''d want to speak with both of you."

    I don''t know what he was thinking, but Zei immediately responded with a little smile.

    "Sure, that''s not a problem at all."

    I''m not sure whether I had to go with them, but since I had the Principal''s directive, I couldn''t pass up this opportunity to question Mr. Seid personally.

    And with that, I followed them behind.

 (Chapter 5) Act 2

    CHAPTER 5 Act 2

    "What do you want to talk about, Mr. Seid?"

    "I will keep this short. I need all of the students'' information here."

    Hans responded without a second thought.

    "...Information, huh? Why though?"

    "There''s someone I''d want to look for and meet."

    "I''m startled by your honest answer, Mr. Seid, but do you believe you can simply obtain information like that?"

    "I don''t know. But I hope I can convince you."

    "..."

    We''re now in the Light Family''s office, and Zei was also here, a little far away, calmly and silently listening to my conversation with Mr. Seid. I looked at her but she didn''t even bother looking at us.

    I know she was here, but I don''t get it. Why did she acquiesce so quickly? Is she waiting for something to talk about? Or is she interested in Mr. Seid?

    "So you''re looking for a needle in a haystack?" I said right after.

    "Somehow."

    "Why us? Did you first inform the President?"

    "No."

    "Wha¡ª?"

    "Erm..." Zei cut in, "Are you pressed for time, Mr. Seid?"

    "Sort of."

    "Can you explain why you want such information? The school cannot simply reveal its students'' information if it will cause trouble later."

    "I am aware; and if you''re wondering why, it''s because of that letter."

    "A letter?" I asked.

    "..." Zei hasn''t said anything in response.

    "It was starting to get bothersome if you got letters day after day," he said.

    "By letter, do you mean...love letter?"

    "No."

    He rejects it right away. Though I''m not surprised if he received at least one.

    "Then what''s the problem? Do you have a stalker? It''s understandable given your popularity at school."

    "Rather than being a stalker, he appears to be very familiar with who I am."

    "That''s what stalkers are good at; they know you well."

    "..."

    "Then why did you contact us?" Zei said, adding, "You didn''t realize we may be the ones sending you letters."

    "Based on Mr. Steve''s reaction, he wasn''t the one who sent it, and if it was you, Ms. Zei...I''m screwed."

    I would be surprised if Zei wrote those letters. But I don''t believe Zei will do that because, like Mr. Seid, she is a forthright person who wants to go and tell that person directly.

    "Pfftt... Haha..." Zei chuckles softly, which surprises me, but then she continues, "What a joke, Mr. Seid. You''d know that if it were me, wouldn''t you? Currently, you don''t ask us here if you have any doubts."

    Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    "You''re wrong. I don''t know if I can trust you all. I''m just lucky that you two aren''t the people I''m looking for."

    "I see... Alright, so why did you come to us? Do you guarantee that we will assist you?"

    "I hope so. Leaving the President, I simply wanted to let you two know because you were the people who could easily access the principal. So even if you don''t give me what I want, at least I wanted to inform you and deliver that word to your mother. She can give me the information I need."

    He''s logical. The quickest approach to obtaining information is to contact us and the principal straight ahead.

    "We''ll inform the Principal later. If you don''t mind me asking, what is the purpose of this letter and why was it given to you?" I asked.

    Naturally, there is a reason for this, and I must first hear it from him.

    "The thing is, I don''t have an idea."

    "What?"

    "It happened when I first came here."

    "Seems like it knows a lot about you, Mr. Seid," Zei said while making a small grin.

    "Pretty much, but then day after day, I received something from unknown, with strange messages and warnings, and later that evening I received from him that I should be on guard for today''s exam."

    As far as dealing with it every day, it seems tough and aggravating. I can feel his eagerness to know that person immediately.

    "I don''t see why you need information. Instead, trust the school to solve this problem for you, Mr. Seid."

    He''s clever, but I doubt he can easily find that person.

    "I didn''t indicate I was seeking assistance, Mr. Steve; I emphasized before that I only needed all of the students'' information, nothing more. I want to solve this on my own."

    "But¡ª"

    "...That''s correct," Zei stepped in, continuing, "You want information? Then what are you going to pay, Mr. Seid?"

    It looks like Zei is willing to help him. This is merely a deal rather than a help. I thought he was going to trust school for this issue. He was well aware that everything was not easy to deal with, yet he insisted on working on his own.

    What''s his real objective anyway?

    "I''m considering it, but I don''t have an option; I''m not going to pay anything, Ms. Zei; instead, I''m going to accept your proposal. Remember what you said that day?"

    "Hoh..." Zei says with a newfound smile, "Of course."

    "Wait, what are you two talking about?"

    After that day, I never saw Zei smile again, but I saw something fascinating here. This was their agreement, and I was no longer involved.

    What was happening here? What was their plan?

    "...If you''re curious, it''s¡ª"

    "He''s starting his own family, Steve; you don''t need to know anything more," Zei replied hastily before Hans could respond.

    "This..."

    My brain has gone blank, and I am unable to process information. That is not something Hans will do. This is actually unexpected.

    If I''m correct, Zei proposed this to Hans. How come?

    One thing I could say...

    "Mr. Seid, this is unforeseeable."

    "..."

    They remained silent for a moment, and then I realized something.

    "Then why am I here? I don''t believe it was necessary for me to be here in the first place."

    "It''s alright since Mr. Seid wanted to confirm if you knew something about the letter," Zei explicitly said.

    "Kind of, but I''d like to speak with Mr. Steve about the Gale Family issue."

    "Ah, don''t worry about that; we''ve finally cleaned up your mess. Essentially, I don''t want to get involved with your business, Mr. Seid; speaking with them takes time, you know?"

    "Isn''t my problem now, right?"

    "...Yeah."

    When it came to certain matters, he was extremely cautious.

    "It''s bugging me the whole time, Mr. Seid, but I noticed, why would you call us by our first names? Isn''t that rather surprising?" Zei said with a casual tone.

    I''ve noticed the same thing, and it took me by surprise.

    "It''s easier for me to remember your name. Besides, you two have the same surname."

    "Is that so? Well, there''s nothing to speak about here, so I''ll leave for now. I need to prepare something for you, Mr. Seid. If you want to see me, you can contact me at any time using that phone number. You''ve remembered it, right? We can now have time to chat alone. Well, then."

    Zei promptly leaves, as if she was in a rush.

    "Is it typically for her to leave first?"

    Mr. Seid asked me out of nowhere.

    "Beats me. Oh, there''s one more question I''d want to ask you."

    "..."

    "How do you feel about the exam situation?"

    "What do you mean?"

    "That little game."

    "...Honestly, I don''t know."

    "Just I thought, you''re not interested in it."

    "..."

    "But what if that individual who took the highest score tries to take advantage of you? Remember the request will be granted."

    "Granted, huh?...Then I don''t have a choice since I am compelled to participate."

    "Then what would you want if you were that person?"

    That wish will only be decided upon in class and only in class because all agree. Thus, anything outside of the class demands will be automatically void.

    "I''m not looking for anything in particular."

    "You can earn influence and power with just a single request; don''t you desire anything?"

    I''d want to know if Hans desired that request. However, he said that he didn''t want anything. But what if he was the one who received the highest score?

    I don''t know.

    They can do whatever they want to Hans, but I can tell that Hans can also do unimaginable things to them.

    Everyone has the chance to take out the other person, including myself.

    So things will be interesting following this test.

    "Power you say? I wonder..."

    He didn''t exactly say what he thought, but I could tell by his steely eyes that things weren''t going to be easy.

 (Chapter 5) Act 3

    CHAPTER 5 Act 3

    When I talk with Mr. Seid, there are still certain questions in me that make me confused.

    Why did he tell me everything about his plan instead of just talking to Zei?

    And if I were him, I might be the first in the exams, and then ask for the information I needed

    Whatever the case, he seemed to have his own reason.

    The examination took three days, and it is now completed. They''ll be releasing the test results today, which everyone has their eyes on. In addition, there were no harmful incidents during the examination, and everything was handled normally.

    It was on this day that I was waiting for Hans Seid''s reaction to the matter. What would it be then?

    "I heard you have an exciting game in your class, Mr. Wyte?"

    "Yeah, and I''m looking forward to it."

    Ms. Shine is walking with me. We went to the Representatives'' meeting and reported some issues to the Student Council. I try to avoid discussing what happened in my class with them. However, Ms. Shine already knew something, and there''s nothing for me to be surprised about. Everyone has their own strategies for obtaining information.

    "Are you that confident in your exam?"

    "It''s not like that, Ms. Shine; I''m concentrating on what''ll happen after that."

    "Why? Is it because of Mr. Seid? ...Oh, I''d want to see it as well."

    "...But first, how''s everything going with the Light Family? Have they sent anything?" I said to shift the subject.

    Actually, Principal Eve hasn''t sent me anything ever since I reported back to her. She seemed preoccupied the minute I walked into the principal''s office, and our conversation was so brief that she didn''t say anything.

    "At the present, there are none."

    "Hmm, it''s rather unusual."

    Thinking that way, we still have some issues in the Light Family.

    "...It''s because of Zei that we''re having trouble," she said, and stopped walking; then I glanced back at her. She clenched her fist tightly without looking at me.

    Remembering that day, Ms. Shine didn''t say anything to me when Zei left the Family. She knew Zei and everything from the start, and she held her in the same respect as the Principal. But the tables are turned. I can empathize with her feelings since Zei betrayed me as well.

    "Are you upset?" I asked.

    "Oh, I''m sorry you heard me."

    "No, it''s okay; I believe Zei overdid it as well."

    "Uh... I didn''t intend to... erm..."

    Out of embarrassment, she continued walking.

    From the looks of it, she was furious at what was going on in the Light Family. Ms. Shine is so devoted to the Light Family that she is willing to put her life on the line to stop opponents who seek to bring the Light Family down. And that characteristic has shaped who she is now. She now recognized Zei as her foe, and there was no way to go back to the things they were before.

    "It appears that we will have a difficult time dealing with it."

    "Erm..."

    "Hm?"

    She hesitantly asked, "A-Are you not hating Zei for what she did? She put all the problems behind us."

    "Hatred, huh? It gets me sad a little, but I don''t want to turn it into hate since she''s my sister after all."

    "If you were to choose between Light Family and Zei, which would you choose?"

    "..."

    It took me off guard that I didn''t have an answer back to her. I hadn''t considered it; no, I don''t want to consider it.

    "Oh, it was a little personal? Apologies..."

    She tosses off her remark as if nothing.

    "Are you serious about what you''ve said?"

    "Hm? Uh... I just wanted to hear your response, but I guess that''s enough of an answer I need; sorry for the inconvenience. Um, to make up, I''ll buy you a drink later."

    "This time again? Are you sure?"

    "Yeah, leave it to me."

    "Well, I guess I''ll take it then..."

    Like almost every day, she did offer me a drink. So to clear things up...

    "Oh, how about we make it a date?" I said.

    "D-Date?"

    "''Yup. You don''t want to?"

    "Uh, no... I mean... W-what time?"

    "After class tomorrow."

    "Yes, I''ll keep it in mind."

    "Alright."

    The embarrassment still sends shivers up my spine, but I don''t show it to her. I don''t want to turn down an offer like that, so I miraculously transform it into a date. My intentions are not bad, to put it simply. I just want to talk to her alone.

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    After a few minutes of walking, we came upon a certain person.

    "Greetings to both of you..."

    A woman welcomes us with a graceful curtsy bow. Her elegance made him stick out at first. That person is Ms. Ruclise.

    Ms. Shine met Ms. Ruclise with the same greeting.

    "How''s your exam?" Ms. Ruclise asked Ms. Shine, smiling a little.

    "Everything is well; how about you?"

    "There isn''t a single issue."

    These two were seemingly confident in their exams. They are aware that each of them poses a threat. If Ms. Shine reveals her flaws, Ms. Ruclise will be named Representative in no time.

    It''s a good thing their feud isn''t widely spoken at school. As I previously stated, they are nearly identical in skills, but the difference is in experience. When it comes to managing the Light Family, Ms. Shine is an expert. Ms. Ruclise, on the other hand, is keeping up with us in a way that no one else has. She''s an excellent student, and there''s no denying it. Though I hope one day they settle down for good.

    "You two, don''t attempt to cause a commotion."

    They both instantly look at me and then turn their heads away, as if I''m nothing. They were deafeningly quiet, but I needed to break the ice between them.

    "Ehem, uh in any case, there''s no issue in Class- 2?"

    When I questioned Ms. Shine about her class, she was immediately brought back to reality.

    "...A-Actually, nothing occurred there."

    "Really?"

    "It ended peacefully, yes."

    "Isn''t that a relief?"

    "I''m not sure, but I''ll double-check whether there was anything strange."

    "Alright then, I will go now. See you later."

    "Where?" Ms. Shine suddenly grabs my arm.

    "To my class obviously. I''ll walk with Ms. Ruclise together. You can go to yours as well."

    Ms. Shine answered, "O-okay," with wavering eyes.

    I''m not sure what that implies, but it''s something that I always keep in mind. After that, we each went our separate ways.

    "Are you sure you''d rather walk with me?" Ms. Ruclise said and stared at me.

    "Isn''t Ms. Shine in another class?"

    "Indeed, but she¡ª"

    "I know, Ms. Ruclise. I''m not stupid."

    "You stated that. But is that your answer to her?"

    "I''m aware of the situation, but I''m not certain."

    "How cruel. Both of you have known each other for some time and some students have speculations, you know?"

    "Is that so?"

    It is self-evident. She constantly buys me a drink for no reason. But today, I told her it was a date, which she readily accepted. Now what''s left is to talk to her.

    "Sigh..."

    I let a deep sigh thinking about it.

    "What are you upto Mr. Wyte?"

    "Nothing. Um, who do you think will be on top score on the exams?"

    "Who knows. Is there a problem?"

    "...Hans Seid."

    We''re now in the outside room. It took us almost a minute.

    "Oh, that guy? He''s quite interesting."

    "Did you think so?"

    "He seems knowledgeable to what I think."

    "Anyway, we''ll see after the results."

    When we enter the room, it appears that not everyone is present. All of the students were all in groups, and I saw Mr. Seid was alone, sleeping through his desk when something unanticipated struck our attention.

    "M-Mr. Seid," a voice interrupts his sleep.

    And that person was holding a water bottle, which he quickly poured over Mr. Seid''s head. The man seemed to be terrified, yet he kept his strength to stand up.

    Ms. Ruclise quickly explained, "He was being used."

    "Seems so."

    Apparently, that guy isn''t in our class, but he was possibly being used by other students and instructed to disturb Mr. Seid.

    Mr. Seid''s reaction was insipid, as if nothing had occurred to him. He opened his eyes and stared at that person.

    "Is that you?"

    Mr. Seid asks him in a light tone, but he receives no answer.

    "Give me that bottle," Mr. Seid said.

    "Uh... I... I¡ª"

    After receiving the bottle, Mr. Seid abruptly hit the person with full force.

    "¡ªUrgh..."

    At the moment, were all speechless.

    The boy was laying on the floor with a slight open wound in his head.

    "What the¡ª?"

    "Mr. Seid!"

    Ms. Ruclise called out his name, and she approached Mr. Seid boldly. I''m surprised she was able to approach Mr. Seid after that. That''s our class representative.

    "What do you want?"

    Ms. Ruclise replied, "Calm down and take a look around."

    Mr. Seid scanned the crowd one by one until he saw me. As far as I can tell, his eyes are serene and lack any energy,

    "And then what?"

    "Please refrain from your behavior; you realize how much attention you get?"

    "Hm... Who is this guy, anyway?"

    Mr. Seid ignores Ms. Ruclise''s statements.

    "Hey, listen to me!"

    "I don''t care about you, but what''s the problem with this guy?"

    He looks at the person who poured water on him. That person didn''t answer out of fear, and Ms. Ruclise stepped in again and got the attention of Hans.

    "Hear me out, this guy is being used against you..."

    "I don''t care; he''s bothering me."

    I was astounded by Mr. Seid''s calm demeanor. He wasn''t yelling, but rather speaking in a calm tone.

    "You''re incorrect in the end, Mr. Seid. You shouldn''t attack someone who irritates you. With just¡ª"

    "I''m not that kind of person."

    He stated this while looking Ms. Ruclise in the eyes. We were all silent till the boy ran away as fast as he could to avoid embarrassment and danger. Ms. Frey, who was also watching the situation, pursues the student. All of my classmates were just gazing at each other, and none of us said anything.

    In retrospect, this isn''t the first time Mr. Seid has been bullied at this school. He had several attempts before the examinations started, but none of them resulted in violence, at least not until today.

    At the same time, Teacher Firiel entered the room and stared at us, puzzled.

    "What happened here?"

    We don''t respond, but she doesn''t seem to mind, so she tells us to take our seats since she''ll be announcing the exam results.

    Everyone seems to calm down a bit, as if it was normal and used to.

    "Oh, I see, Ms. Frey wasn''t here. I''ll let her know later."

    Initially, she began calling out our names in alphabetical order. It took a while for me to hear my name.

    "Here are your test results, Mr. Wyte."

    I went in to the front and Teacher Fireil handed me the paper. In all seven subjects, I received a 678 out of 700 on my exam paper. Not bad, I''d say.

    But when I heard Teacher Fireil''s following words, I was even more surprised.

    "That''s all. And Mr. Seid, where''s your paper? I didn''t see yours but then double-checked it and couldn''t find anything."

    "Uh, my paper? I''m not sure."

    "Huh?"

    And the din grows louder. Even I find myself in doubt.

    "..."

    "What does it mean, Mr. Seid?" A random guy who introduced this mini game stands up and asks. He seemed anxious about something.

    "I''m not sure what you''re talking about¡ªbut it''s not my problem if Teacher Fireil loses it."

    Then suddenly, Teacher Fireil got more serious. She''s being suspected for something she didn''t expect.

    This seemed intended from the start. I''m not sure what happened, and I''m not sure if Mr. Seid is telling the truth. Overall, this was an intriguing approach.

    The guy says, "T-Then your score will be zero, right?"

    "Not actually," Mr. Seid responded.

    "Hm?"

    "Sort of," Teacher Fireil said and added, "Mr. Seid can take another test because it''s my responsibility since I lost it anyway."

    "What? How did you lose it, Teacher Fireil?" A random girl asked, but received no response.

    "Let me tell you all, Teacher Fireil did not contact me when she realized my paper was missing, no?"

    "...H-he''s right," our Teacher stated sternly.

    "How can this be? Does it mean your score is now pointless? Are you running away in the game?"

    "You''re wrong. I can re-test like Teacher Fireil said and receive a score. A score is a score. Now that my score is still pending, are you going to wait for it?"

    I''m sure it was his idea from the beginning not to participate in this small game; waiting for his score will be aggravating, but if we go forward, then we cannot include Mr. Seid in the game.

    "Are you going to wait for my score or not? Decide now or else it will be problematic."

    "..."

    What a brilliant strategy, I could say. What will they say now?

    The girl replied, "Of course, we''ll wait for your score."

    Instantly, stillness came into the room.

    "Are you sure?" Mr. Seid''s tone abruptly changed to serious.

    "Y-yeah, right everyone?"

    However, not everyone responds to that woman. Seeing the earlier incident, it''s clear that it makes them all more cautious.

    Mr. Seid didn''t hesitate a bit when it came to beating down his enemy. And I''ve experienced the same thing before.

    "Well, I guess that didn''t work, huh? Alright then."

    Mr. Seid then walks out of the room, as if he were escaping, although he isn''t.

    "Where are you going, Mr. Seid?" Ms. Ruclise asked.

    "Would you want to accompany me in changing my clothes?"

    "..."

    Following that, Mr. Seid leaves.

 (Chapter 5) Act 4

    CHAPTER 5 Act 4

    The result of the earlier occurrence leaves an unfavorable impression on Hans to everyone. And the mystery continues since we don''t know what will happen next. However, when Hans leaves the scene, Ms. Frey returns to the classroom and searches for Hans Seid.

    "Is Hans Seid here?"

    "Uh, he went to the changing room," Ms. Ruclise responded to Ms. Frey''s question.

    "Erm... Teacher Fireil, please forgive my interruption, but can you come with me?" Ms. Frey hurriedly stated.

    "Hm, why?"

    "I''m sorry to tell you this, but one of your students did something unexpected," Ms. Frey said, as she changed her tone.

    She''s currently doing what a Representative of the Student Council must do.

    "Hmm, I see... I suppose I need to go," Teacher Fireil realized, adding, "Ms. Ruclise, keep an eye on the¡ª"

    "I''ll go, too," she quickly said, without finishing Teacher Fireil''s statement.

    Ms. Ruclise has the obligation to do so as a classroom representative.

    "Then who will be watching the class?"

    "..."

    "Okay then; Mr. Wyte, you keep an eye on the class¡ª"

    "Um, he''ll go too Teacher Fireil."

    "Wait, what? W-why?" I interrupted Ms. Ruclise.

    "It''s for insurance," she explained.

    "Insurance?"

    "No," Ms. Frey adamantly declared, adding, "Student Council did not ask for both of you, therefore you are not compelled to come."

    The Student Council holds the highest position on this, so in a sense, we cannot defy them.

    "Oh, that''s unfortunate."

    "After this, Ms. Ruclise, you''ll know soon the specifics, so please keep your request."

    After that, Teacher Fireil and Ms. Frey left quickly, and we had no idea what would happen at that meeting.

    "Why do you need my assistance?"

    I approached Ms. Ruclise and questioned her directly.

    Because there was no lesson, the students returned to their own groups and continued conversing as usual.

    Our conversation took place in her seat, but I was careful not to raise my voice because there were many eyes on us at the time.

    I just realized Ms. Ruclise is unduly interested in Mr. Seid or something along those lines.

    "It''s because I want you to find out what Hans is thinking and what he has planned."

    "Do you think I know?"

    "Which is why you have to figure it out."

    "Who do you think you are to tell me what to do?"

    "I''m Alice Ruclise. We''ve known each other¡ª"

    "Don''t get too confident simply because of that, and even if you don''t say it, I''m intending to talk to Mr. Seid myself. But I doubt he''ll say anything because he''s too elusive and secretive."

    "Do you think I have a chance if... if... I talk to him?"

    "That sounds like you don''t know anything about Mr. Seid, do you?"

    "..."

    She says nothing else after that. Ms. Ruclise had no idea who Mr. Seid was, and her expression indicated that she was taken aback. She is unaware of Mr. Seid''s nature, yet she is nevertheless determined to learn more about Hans Seid.

    "No matter what, if Mr. Seid wants to talk, he can tell you exactly what he was thinking."

    According to my observations, Hans Seid was an honest man. But one thing puzzles me: how and why he avoided the class-game. I know he''s a cautious man, but he was not a docile guy; on the contrary, he ruthlessly beat everyone who dared to confront him. That is all I know about him.

    "I see..."

    "Besides, the question is, what is your score?"

    I''m sure she enjoys this type of game and was determined to reach the top. Though, even if she loses, she''ll remain unconcerned.

    "Do you want to know? Let''s exchange papers..."

    She hands me her paper and I take it casually. I also gave her mine.

    "You got a fairly good score," she says, smiling mockingly.

    "Yours as well; I''m amazed at how far you''ve come."

    She received 680 points out of a total of 700 in all seven subjects. This is a significant improvement over the test previously. I admit, she beats me on this one. She is dead serious about achieving the heights.

    "Thank you for your compliment, but my aim is still out of reach."

    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    "Alice!"

    A vibrant individual entered our space.

    She has a bright personality and constantly comes with a broad smile on her face, which makes her more attractive to all men. She is also a highly reliable person. She is part of the Light Family and a member of the Celin Group.

    "Mio..." Ms. Ruclise responds to her in a relieved tone.

    Mio Celin is a wonderful friend of Ms. Ruclise, and they are so close that they treat me like nothing while I''m with them. She is in our class, and her average grade is neither good nor awful.

    "How did you do on the test?" Ms. Celin grins as though her grades are unimportant in comparison to others.

    "Hear this, I knocked someone out."

    "Who is that? Oh, Mr. Wyte! I didn''t see you there."

    And they indeed enjoy making fun of me.

    "I was right here before you came; don''t dismiss me, you little brat."

    "Oh please, don''t call me that, Mr. Steve Wyte. Anyway, how''s your test?"

    I diverted my eyes and replied in monotone, "Pretty good."

    "Of course you''re not happy with it, no? Deep inside you were upset because Alice defeated you."

    "Do you always create unnecessary stories like that?"

    "It''s the truth."

    "No one believes you anyhow; and look who has the lowest score among us."

    Her score was 600, and she wasn''t bothered in the least.

    "I don''t care about my¡ª"

    "Mr. Wyte."

    Someone intervened in the middle of our commotion. I looked around and saw a male student walking directly at us.

    It''s Mr. Sean Gounter. He''s not a Representative but I''d call him the Alter Family''s lackey. He is well-known to everyone, but his presence is a bit annoying to me. He''s a rather unremarkable individual, unlike Ms. Ruclise, who''s on top.

    "What are you looking for, Mr. Gounter?"

    Ms. Celin''s and our expression quickly shifted to stern. It could be different if we were friends, but he isn''t one of us, therefore he''s somewhat a threat.

    "Ah, nothing special. I simply wanted to hear your score. Is it okay?"

    For the time being, I could say he isn''t much of a bother.

    Ms. Celin glanced at me and asked whether everything was alright to hand out our scores. I didn''t respond to her to put her decision-making skills to the test, but all she did was gaze back at me.

    It''s disappointing.

    "Here you go," I abruptly handed Mr. Gouter all three of our papers, adding, "Ms. Celin, there''s no harm in giving your score."

    "..."

    Mr. Gounter looked at me, but he didn''t say a word.

    "Now, Ms. Celin, you don''t need to ask my permission," I stringently remarked while looking at her eyes, "This is a basic thing that you must decide for yourself; if you happen to come across the circumstance, you must think cleverly. Not anytime, I''m here to respond."

    Ms. Ruclise stepped in, saying, "I''m sorry for that, commander," and making a modest bow head.

    "I-I''m sorry, too," Ms. Celin replied.

    "..."

    Seriously, the members should give this some thought. I''m sick of it, and it''s quite frustrating that they needed my consent for such a little choice. I know I hold the highest position, but they must learn how to decide for the Family.

    Following that, Mr. Gounter leaves us silently without turning his back. We had no idea of his reason, but I told Ms. Ruclise to keep an eye on him

    "Now, where is the person who suggested this game?"

    It took me a second to realize that I needed to talk to a certain person. I looked around and noticed that individual. He''s with a female student, who was exchanging words earlier with Mr. Seid.

    "What''s their name again, Ms. Ruclise?"

    "From what I remember, they are Mr. Ori Luru and Ms. Reen Funce. They are Independent Families."

    Independent Families are those who do not belong to any of the main fifteen organizations.

    I recall that they are from an independent family, but I can''t recall their names. We don''t interact much, and I''m too busy for anything else to remember them.

    When I approached them, they instantly noticed me.

    "Greetings, Mr. Luru and Ms. Funce. I had a question for both of you: is this your strategy for yourself?"

    "What exactly do you mean?"

    "Have you screwed up your plan?"

    "..."

    "Don''t be a fool; tell me properly..."

    "Uhmn, Mr. Wyte, take notice that we can''t tell you that, no?" Ms. Funce, sitting next to Mr. Luru said.

    "So, who''s behind it?"

    "Even if we knew something, we can''t tell you."

    "All right, how about your test results?"

    I can''t create a fuss around here since all the attention is on us. First of all, if they are confident about beating us, their scores tell me so.

    "Fair enough."

    They show me their test results, and I''m stunned by what I saw. Mr. Luru received 684 in all subjects, whereas Ms. Funce received 681.

    "You think we cheated?"

    They suddenly looked at me with pure confidence.

    "I don''t think so," I said in response.

    I have no proof that they cheated, therefore I won''t say anything until I get confirmation. Perhaps they used all of their brain cells to nail this one down. But, if I had to guess, their Family is now suspicious. Their mock exam results are not even close as of today, therefore I''m astounded and confused.

    "What do you expect to gain from this?" I asked.

    "Like we said, we want an exciting test, that''s all."

    "How entertaining... I thought Independent Families didn''t care, and now they''re interfering?" A man slowly enters into our conversation.

    "What do you mean, Mr. Past?"

    A man with a pleasant appearance and a commanding presence approached us. His hands are in his pockets while he''s making a daunting face. And a female student, Ms. Lock, stands alongside him. Ms. Lock was an endearing lady and an attractive woman. She didn''t attend much of our class, yet I can tell she''s a scary person. Additionally, they''re both Time Family Representatives.

    "If you know, you know."

    "How frequently do I see Mr. Past and Ms. Lock together?" Mr. Luru asked.

    Mr. Past answers in a deep tone, "You don''t have to know that."

    "It''s a coincidence," Ms. Lock said, "However, I came here because of some serious issues concerning Independent Families."

    "We don''t want to be called that, Ms. Lock; it''s insulting. We have a Family name buried upon us and the Fifteen Main Organization is also something you came upon yourself, right?"

    Taking it into consideration, fifteen main organizations were formed as a result of their influence, which was unavoidably established by the people. It''s also worth remembering that Independent Families were formed concurrently.

    Independent Families are often people who are starting to establish a new Family, and the majority of them are also small Families.

    Hans Seid''s attempt to create a Family was certainly an example of this. It will be known as an Independent Family.

    However, if one Independent Family is equal in wealth and influence to that of the Main Organizations, they will be considered as one of the Main Organizations as well.

    "Then what are your objectives?" Mr. Past again questioned him, but no one answered back.

    Mr. Past suddenly pushes the desk, as if they''re about to fight. Independent Families has been increasingly irritating in recent years. And I''m sure they take advantage of the fact that the Main Organizations are in turmoil. Furthermore, it appears that they want to take Hans themselves.

    "Would you like to fight, Mr. Past?" Mr. Luru taunted him.

    "If you''re ready..."

    There is no direct war between independent Families and Main Organizations; the two just do not acknowledge each other as superior.

    "Stop it," Ms. Lock instructed Mr. Past, "we need to settle things differently."

    "...Well, Ms. Lock, if you say so."

    Afterwards, Ms. Lock and Mr. Past have both returned to their seats, but before they do so, they warn Mr. Luru and Ms. Funce.

    "I hope you two have a wonderful day, Mr. Luru and Ms. Funce. And to Mr. Wyte, I apologize for disturbing your chat. Also, please give my regards to Ms. Zei Wyte." Ms. Lock sweetly smiled at me, and they returned after that.

    "You two," I told them, "if you ever plot to destroy the Families, we will get rid of the Independent Families right away; I don''t care if the blood spills then."

    And I returned to my seat since it''s pointless if I stay there longer.

    Ms. Ruclise then asked me, "What did you talk about?"

    "Nothing, but it appears that we are going to have an issue sooner or later."

    "..."

    "Vince!" I called out.

    Vince Hycane is one of my followers and was a friend of mine. He was a quick and rusky man at times, but he was dedicated to the Light Family.

    "What is it?" he came and asked.

    "Inform all of the Light Family members in our class that they should not make hasty decisions. Furthermore, if they make a ruckus behind me, they will be severely punished."

    "Yes, commander."

    "Now we''ll wait and see how things proceed."

 (Chapter 6) Act 1

    CHAPTER 6 Act 1

    The school provides an environment for pupils to learn proper etiquette and gain knowledge; yet, one of the factors which interrupts this is the students themselves.

    Our school firmly prohibits criminal conduct and vigorously enforces the law, or so I thought.

    Unknown to the people outside, there''s more to it than this school. Several Families and Organizations were gathered here in one place.

    In reality, this school was still running because it kept its mask on, keeping the truth about what was truly going on inside hidden.

    There are still areas where the school cannot see behind them, which we term blindspots. But even though the school sees everything, they just play possum. As a result, many students learn to use it and do anything they want.

    As a Student Council Representative, one of the individuals in charge of things, it hurts to see some of my fellow students struggle, and I can''t do anything about it.

    It''s easy to follow the rules and do what is right; on the other hand, it''s difficult to defy the rules and do what you believe is right.

    Overtime, my heart hardens and I cease caring about them. And that is what makes me sure that this is how to be a member of the Student Council.

    "There''s still class, and you want me to come with you, Hana?"

    "Y-yes, Mr. Seid, I''m not the one who summoned you; the Student Council called for you," I said.

    "I see; is this something related to the prior incident?"

    "Student Council needed to act as soon as possible to avoid slowing things down."

    "...Hmm, what else can I do then?"

    I was about to get Mr. Seid, but luckily we ran into each other in the corridor. He was going to return to class, but I immediately stopped him.

    Teacher Fireil goes ahead of me. She didn''t ask any further questions and knew that she needed to be there.

    While I''m leading Mr. Seid to the Student Council Room, there''s an unsettling silence surrounding us as we move down the hallway. I looked around to see why he wasn''t speaking, and I observed that he didn''t care about my presence at all. It is aggravating to see, but this is Mr. Seid I''m talking about. Mr. Seid is not the sort to initiate a conversation and rarely speaks on his own. So, to alleviate my discomfort, I''m forced to strike up a conversation.

    I cleared my throat and began speaking, "Ehem... I have one question to ask Mr. Seid."

    He gave me a sidelong glance before returning his gaze to the front.

    "Earlier, was it a reflex or a loss of self-control?"

    I was discussing how he acted upon the situation previously.

    "Ah, that? Honestly, I have a subtle rage, but I could say it''s an impulsive."

    So he was actually a bit irritated earlier.

    "But it appeared that you didn''t express your temper at all, which baffled me."

    "I don''t know about that. Umm, Hana, is this how you start a conversation with someone?"

    "...W-What do you mean? W-well, it''s popped up on my mind."

    "So you''re the type of person that says anything that comes to mind, huh?"

    "Hold on a minute, are you assessing me?"

    I immediately felt as though he was analyzing me the entire time.

    "Aren''t we the same? You keep staring at me and reading the mood, something not everyone can do."

    "Hoh, you''re very sharp. It''s not that I couldn''t refute it."

    He is keenly aware of his surroundings.

    "Then, Hana, I also have a question for you."

    "S-Stop!" I exclaimed, "C-can you quit addressing my name as if we''re friends?"

    He keep saying ''Hana'' the entire time. It''s a little startling at first, but he keeps using it to catch me by surprise. I''m not against it, but I''m not used to being called by my name like that, especially if it''s someone outside of my family.

    "There''s nothing wrong with your name; are you embarrassed somehow?"

    He hasn''t changed his tone in a while, but I''m pretty sure he was making fun of me just by that phrase.

    "N-not even close... It''s not like that..."

    I quickly avoid my eyes, jittering. I can''t go on like this. How can he address people so casually?

    "It looks like you are embarrassed for real. That''s a cute reaction, Ms. Hana."

    "Wha¡ª"

    I instantly stopped walking. That caught me off guard that I almost slipped on my feet.

    "A-Are you ridiculing me?"

    "..."

    He, too, stopped and turned around to face me. He then just stared intensely at me, saying nothing. He slowly approached me and intimately pressed me against the wall, which everyone would feel uncomfortable with.

    Although I''m aware that he was performing this behavior to diss me in some way, I still can''t handle the embarrassment.

    "..."

    "..."

    We had exchanged stares for almost a minute now, and he was still not turning his back.

    No, that''s not the case. I can tell he''s still evaluating my personality. Despite the fact that we meet frequently, he would not have the opportunity to get to know me well. So now he attempts to mislead me and push me to my limits.

    "This is frustrating..."

    I yelled out my displeasure. I can''t maintain this expression on my face.

    "Let''s end this, Mr. Seid. I lost, so please stop," I said rigidly, staring back at him.

    If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    He gazed at me for a few more seconds before saying, "Alright, but I''m disappointed in how defenseless you can be. Though, you know, it took you more than a minute. Seriously, are you truly part of the Student Council?"

    "That''s... Stop messing around like that all of a sudden. I-It makes people uneasy," as my voice trailed off.

    He''s taunting but also testing me. Not only that, he insulted me. This is completely humiliating.

    "I''m not messing with you in the least," he said, which made me out of words again. "Anyway, as I said," he continued, "I have one question for you: may I call you by your first name?"

    "W-why so formal? And it''s more of a favor than a question, no? Is this how you want to get close to a certain person?"

    Clearly, it gives me the impression that he wants to befriend me. Mr. Seid isn''t the affable type of person, so this struck me as strange and worrisome.

    "I felt this method might work for you."

    "Method? What is your actual goal, Mr. Seid?"

    "I want to know it as well."

    "Now I''m more certain about how suspicious you are."

    I figured we had to end the conversation right here, so I ignored his question and moved on. He didn''t bother to ask me again, so he just followed me quietly.

    I let this one slip, but next time I''ll catch him off guard. This is the last time I''ll disgrace myself in front of him.

    We forgot what occurred there, and finally, we came to the Student Council room. I took one more look at Mr. Seid, and he still had a dead-eyed face. He was really calm, which suggests he didn''t care.

    I opened the door after knocking, and as usual, all eyes were on us.

    Teacher Fireil, the President, Ms. Leyand, and the male student who had been present at the scene were all here.

    "How are you, Mr. Seid? It''s been a long time."

    The President welcomed us casually and greeted Mr. Seid. But Mr. Seid had nothing further to say.

    "It''s funny to believe you''re the victim and you''ve been probed here," Ms. Leyand, the Secretary, shook her head while beaming, but she received no response from him.

    They were already aware of what had occurred in our classroom, and I''m sure Teacher Fireil was as well.

    "Alright, without further ado, let''s get started," Mr. President commands.

    I took a seat beside Mr. Seid, and as expected, he maintained his cool as we took our seats.

    "Now, Teacher Fireil, as you know, Mr. Seid caused a fuss and was witnessed by everyone; what do you think about that?" asks the president.

    "What could I say? It is inevitable."

    Teacher Fireil blurts out a few things, as if she doesn''t care.

    This sort of thing was nothing new to the teachers. Teachers are always drawn to these issues, or sometimes even serious matters, and they are bound to help. For them, this is additional baggage, which has a consequence.

    "I just didn''t anticipate Mr. Seid to be this quick at making problems," Teacher Fireil continued.

    "I realize it''s out of my character on the first day we''ve met Teacher Fireil, but if you expect me to be good throughout the year, you''re mistaken," Mr. Seid remarked insipidly but firmly.

    "..."

    For Teacher Fireil it''s surprising, but that''s how Hans Seid interacts. Teacher Fireil had no idea what Hans'' true nature was since no one had mentioned anything about it.

    Similarly, I heard from certain Representatives that they had received information concerning Hans Seid ahead of time. Still, we''re not sure who is behind it.

    Hans Seid is descended from the Light Family, but he was not a member of it. He''s always making a risky move despite the fact that he has no Family to back him up, which is commendable. According to the President''s information from the Principal, if Hans was viewed as innocuous, he would treat you similarly. If that''s not the case, that''ll be a concern.

    "Hmm... I''m not expecting any students to be good, Mr. Seid," Teacher Fireil assured him, "I only want them to accomplish what they''re required to do. In this situation; I''m sorry to say, but I can''t assist you."

    Mr. Seid was staring blankly at Teacher Fireil''s eyes when the President spoke out.

    "Regardless, we already talked earlier, and Mr. Hans Seid, your luck is very impressive, because the victim said he didn''t want to file a case against you."

    My eyes were wide open in shock. I look at the victim and he appears to want to clean up the mess as soon as possible. There are two things that might be the reason; he''s either terrified or unsettled being surrounded by so many people.

    "He admits first that he hurt himself and had a scratch on his head, but we confirm that it was due to Mr. Seid''s action; then again, he already said he didn''t want to file a case, so according to school rules, we should release you."

    Mr. Seid stared at the victim but didn''t say anything, though it looked like he was contemplating something.

    "So, Ms. Frey, this meeting was pointless," Ms. Leyand affirms.

    "...Uh, I apologize for any inconvenience," I said.

    "Are you not going to say anything, Mr. Seid?" The President questioned.

    "Are you feeling happy? Relieved?" Ms. Leyand adds in a quip.

    "Is this something you should be happy about?" Mr. Seid said cynically.

    Then the guy suddenly interjected, "C-Can I go now?"

    "Ah, Mr. Drior, of course you may leave now," Secretary Leyand remarked, assisting him outside.

    The stillness is gradually creeping into this room since we left with nothing to say. However, it snaps as Teacher Fireil stands up.

    "Too bad, I was going to refuse you a re-exam to recompense Mr. Hans Seid."

    But Mr. Seid remained still.

    "Test?" I said in confusion.

    "No, I''m kidding," Teacher Feireil smiles, adding, "I can''t simply do that."

    Teacher Fireil grins, as if sneering. I''m not sure why she said it.

    "Ah, about that; how''s your exam, Mr. Seid?"

    The President inquires, but Hans Seid remains mute. So he asks Teacher Fireil about Mr. Seid''s test.

    "To be honest, Mr. President, he didn''t have his paper with him right now, so he can''t tell you if he''s doing well," she answered.

    "Hmm?" The President gave a puzzled tone.

    I was about to ask Teacher Fireil why, but she caught me by explaining, "It''s because, he didn''t pass it."

    "E-Eh?" I shrieked out of my chair to my surprise.

    Now I know why Teacher Fireil mentioned it before.

    "But how?" I ask.

    "I don''t know," she only replied.

    Indeed, Mr. Seid was unpredictable. It''s strange why he did that, though.

    "Mr. Seid?"

    "Sorry to interrupt, Mr. President but these two still have classes, so please excuse them," Teacher Fireil stepped in and got the attention of the President.

    "Is that so?"

    "Also, can I have a word for you?" She adds.

    "If you''re okay, then it''s fine."

    After that, we leave them alone with the procedure. I believe they wanted to talk about what occurred today, so we stepped aside for them. Student Council must ensure that this is the last time the student makes a fuss in everyone''s sight. If this behavior was frequently done, I believe others would follow suit. So this action must be taken seriously.

    Because of the awkward atmosphere, the short walk is almost a day for me. I''ll have to get accustomed to it, particularly being with Mr. Seid.

    "Why didn''t you just achieve a perfect score, Mr. Seid? I think you can do it without any hitches."

    I mulled this over in confusion. I''ve been wondering about this the entire time, so I take advantage of the opportunity to question him. I''d also want to take the initiative and break the ice between us. But he didn''t respond, which made me feel even more uneasy.

    "Are you not going to say anything?"

    "Ms. Frey, please allow me to ask you; if you truly know me, why not find an answer for yourself?"

    "What?"

    "Or maybe I might be wrong about something. You stated you knew me the first time we met."

    "U-Uhm..."

    "How well do you know me?"

    "I-I can''t say anything specific..."

    "If that''s the case, then never, ever pretend you know me. Again, perhaps I was expecting too much from you."

    He spoke calmly as he walked alongside me. I could see he was serious about it.

    "Okay, then why? Why didn''t you pass your paper? I''m sorry for bothering you, but I''m interested."

    I waited for a few seconds before he answered me.

    "What if I told you that someone was observing me from behind?"

    I wasn''t expecting him to tell me that openly.

    "O-oh, are you being watched? The only way to explain this is if you have a stalker."

    "Unfortunately, sort of."

    "B-but how is it connected to your exam?"

    He stopped walking at the moment, looking straight ahead.

    From this point on, he was still analyzing me silently, looking to see if it was worth it if he told me everything.

    "You don''t have to be concerned, Mr. Seid; I don''t reveal secrets to anyone."

    "Words cannot satisfy my doubt."

    "Then you don''t have to say it if you don''t want to."

    "However, I don''t care whether you''re that person, Ms. Hana Frey, so I''ll tell you anyway." He then looked me in the eyes and said, "There''s someone out there sending me letters."

    "Letters? Wait, aren''t those love lette¡ª"

    "No."

    "...Erm, j-just kidding."

    Mr. Seid''s stern demeanor surprised me. He denied it, therefore that''s not the case. It appears that the problem is more serious than I imagined.

    "But how about them?" I continued, "I know letters are interesting, but it might get annoying if you receive them every day."

    "You''re correct; I get them every day."

    "Oh, that... strikes me as suspicious; what, after all, is the content of those letters?"

    It might be tough to deal with. If I were him, I''d probably be panicking right now.

    "Some odd commands, but it occasionally takes me by surprise since it understands how things happen."

    That suggests the person watching Mr. Seid is familiar with him. It may be a stranger, but Hans is more likely to know that person for himself.

    "Erm, do you have any idea who it was?"

    "..."

    "From the looks of it, you''re not sure, huh?"

    If Mr. Seid doesn''t know, then neither do I.

    "So, what are you going to do with it?"

    "Of course I''m going to find that person."

    "But how are you going to find that person? I''m sure you''ve thought about it."

    It took a few seconds and then he answered me, "...by building an Organization."

    He then proceeds to walk straight forward ahead of me. That left me blank and speechless.

 (Chapter 6) Act 2

    CHAPTER 6 Act 2

    My talk with Mr. Seid left me with a slew of unanswered questions. Mr. Seid''s remark was definitely a message to the Organizations as a whole. I have no idea what he was thinking, but I''m sure he thought it numerous times before he made that move.

    His words lingered in my head throughout class till our lunch break.

    Since Mr. Seid did not say that I couldn''t tell anybody, I intend to notify the President in advance so that he is aware. So, without incident, I proceeded to the Student Council Room. And from there, I met Ms. Lou Leyand, our Student Council Secretary, exactly on her way out of the room. Ms. Leyand is also my classmate, though she isn''t always in class because she''s assisting the Student Council with various issues.

    "Oh, it''s you, Hana! How''s the class?" In her concern, she asked me.

    We''re not friends, but she''s an acquaintance of mine as we were classmates since our first year. Furthermore, as everybody can tell, all of the Student Council members addressed me as ''Hana,'' and Mr. President was behind that. They do it to tease me at first, but they eventually get used to it. Of course, it was embarrassing for me at the beginning, but now it doesn''t bother me at all.

    "It''s like usual, nothing to talk about," I replied.

    Even if we aren''t close, I can guarantee she is reliable as a member of Student Council. She was nice, yet she could easily read you. She possesses intelligence as well as the attractiveness of a noble lady.

    She took the exam, and apparently, her marks were higher than mine. Even though she is frequently absent and occasionally skips classes, she is capable of achieving higher grades.

    Competing in class is not in my mind, but I feel like my class has many excellent students, which has left me feeling overwhelmed till now.

    "Has there been any news?"

    When she spoke this term, I understood she was referring to the information I''d obtained. I usually acquire information for them, and it''s not a difficult task for me. Ms. Leyand, on the other hand, has an underling under her command who can watch the surroundings and acquire information too. I recall she had one person she relied on in our class. So, even though I gather information, I can tell she does have intel as well.

    "Yes, but first, may I speak with the President?"

    "That''s not a probelm; you may," she said with a wide smile. "By the way, before you go, if you happen to know where Vice President is, please inform me directly, alrighty?"

    She waved at me and then walked away.

    Her sentence makes me wonder when she said it, or whether I was too deluded about it. I hope that my assumption was wrong.

    I knocked, entered the room, and greeted the President. When I walked in, he was on the phone with someone, but it ended right after.

    "What brings you here, Hana?"

    He asked while sitting in his chair, diverting his eyes to my direction.

    "Uhm, I have something to tell you ahead of time."

    "What exactly is it?"

    "I''ll get right to it; erm, Mr. Seid wants to form an Orgnaization."

    I''m determined he had to know this.

    "Oh... he has such lofty goals, doesn''t he?" He said, then shifted his gaze to the papers on his table.

    But hold on, something wasn''t quite right.

    "...Wait a minute, why aren''t you surprised?"

    His reaction is a little noticeable to me.

    "Hm?"

    "Yes, it appears that you already knew something beforehand."

    He soon fell silent, making a stern face. Shortly he said, "Fine, I''ll tell you something."

    He gets up and walks over to the sofa, where he sits.

    "Mr. Seid talked to me the other day; I''m not going to say what he said, but he definitely provided me with the details of what he wanted."

    "Why did you talk to him? Do you think it''s odd? At first, he said he didn''t give a crap about the Organization thing, and now he''s building his own Family."

    "Indeed, it''s unusual, but he''s only doing what he wants, Hana. It makes more sense that his actions didn''t contradict what he said; he said he doesn''t want to join any of them, so he''s making his own. There''s nothing wrong with what he''s doing right now, isn''t there?"

    Of course I am aware, but it appears like Mr. Seid is plotting something other than the letter he was discussing. Definitely, despite that, the President knew something and wanted to watch from the sidelines. I can''t push this conversation on him.

    "Okay then. If you said so."

    "..."

    But still, I''ll have to keep a close check on everything.

    For almost five seconds, our conversation was interrupted when a woman walked in.

    "I heard about this plan from Steve."

    A pleasant voice enters the room. It has a generous yet intimidating tone coming from a respectable woman.

    "But I''m guessing Mr. Seid wasn''t worried even though we knew," she went on.

    That person was Principal Eve, who had unexpectedly and silently entered the Student Council Room.

    "Oh, Ms. Eve, it''s a pleasure to have you here; why did you decide to pay a visit?" Mr. President immediately inquired after a brief pause.

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    "Well, I''m only passing by," the Principal gave an insipid reply.

    "What are the odds. Although, madam, you''re not good at lying."

    It is. Principal Eve would not go to this room without informing us first. Therefore, perhaps she was here for something.

    "I''m not lying; it makes more sense if I say someone called me out here while I was simply passing by."

    "Hoh? It looks like that girl was behind this."

    Mr. President was referring to Ms. Leyand.

    "Don''t be too upset; I''ll take this chance to see what you''re up to, Mr. Reginald. Apologies for overhearing your chat, but I heard you spoke with Mr. Seid, right? To be honest, it leads me to think."

    "What''s wrong in talking to him?"

    "I''m not sure what you and Mr. Seid talked about but..."

    Principal Eve walked over and sat directly next to Mr. President.

    When she passed me, I was instantly distracted by her sweet perfume. It was a delicate and lovely smell, but it was utterly enough to stun me.

    "...whatever the case, if you''re planning to destroy the Families or the Organizations, and go that far, we must eliminate you, Mr. Reginald."

    My eyes filled with disbelief after Principal Eve said that, and I couldn''t say anything. I can''t help but gaze at them since it''s not my place to interrupt their chat.

    "Oh, I''m not sure what you''re on about, madam, but I''m concerned, how''d you say?"

    Mr. President eventually gives me a look that tells me I need to acquire something for Principal Eve. Ms. Steward, who typically serves the guests, was not present. So I go straight to where the tea belongs and instead serve them.

    Ms. Eve smiled at me, so I smiled back, making me feel more embarrassed somehow. Even though I used to serve the President, there''s still a lot of pressure when serving the Principal. She didn''t say anything else to me after that. Now that I think about it, is it okay for me to hear this?

    "I''ll have my information, so please be cautious from now on, Mr. Reginald; information is more vital than anything else in our business; whether you say it''s true or not, it''s still disappointing on my side."

    Basically, the Principal assists Mr. President in his current position, and keeping the title of President is not as easy as it may sound, so you''ll need to get support from the Principal.

    "It saddens me to hear that Ms. Eve did not actually trust Student Council; nonetheless, I believe there is a misunderstanding, madam; Student Council would always support any group, fairly."

    That''s true. That is why the Student Council was established in the first place.

    "You''re right, of course you would say that. And just so you know, I''ve been keeping an eye on you since you''ve become Student Council President, and so until you graduate; please fulfill your promises, Mr. Reginald."

    "..." Mr. President remains silent.

    I simply stand in the corner, looking at them from a distance. Hearing their conversation perplexes and suffocates me little by little. This is the first time I''ve heard the Principal become very upset over something, especially with the President himself. And I''m pretty sure the President knew that.

    "By the way, now that you''re here, Principal Eve, do you know why some of the Representatives haven''t been to meetings in the last few days?"

    To break the stillness, Mr. President shifted the conversation.

    "Hm, representatives? I thought it was natural for the Representatives to be absent; or maybe are you talking about Ms. Hollows? "

    "You did know for sure, madam."

    "I recently heard that from someone..."

    True, Ms. Hollows was not in class, and this was brought out to me as well when I spoke with some other Representatives.

    "...why did you brought that up?"

    "Well, she seems a bit slack and hasn''t been able to attend any single meeting or class since then; she''s not the sort of person to be missing; I heard she took a test, but do you have any clue, Ms. Eve, why she is doing this?"

    Mr. President''s statements confuse me. However, Ms. Hollows took an exam, which remained with me; yet, Ms. Hollows was not in the room on the day of the exam.

    I almost ask them out loud, but I restrain myself. I understood I couldn''t disrupt their conversation.

    I had a feeling there was something wrong with Ms. Hollows, which was why she wasn''t attending any meetings or our class right now. It''s a cause for concern because she was one of the most influential students and an honor student.

    "Poor young lady. I didn''t realize she wasn''t taking any classes. Anyway, Ms. Hollows came to my office and persuaded me to not expel her best friend; really, I admire her conviction and compassion towards her friend."

    "Oh I see, that''s the reason why..."

    I instantly thought this for a while, but I doubt the President didn''t know about this. Is he playing ignorant?

    "However, Ms. Hollows'' actions are ambiguous. Getting back your friend when your friend said that she wanted to leave the school."

    "I don''t blame her; all she wanted was her friend back."

    Now that they''ve stated it, it''s evident to me now why Ms. Hollows'' actions are so equivocal.

    There was a significant problem with her friend before, which is why the Student Council wanted to expel her from school. But, before we make any announcements, her friend has offered to transfer out. Obviously, that was a shock for Ms. Hollows, but it leaves us confused anyhow.

    "Doing what you want does not necessarily end in good, but it makes you appear courageous but then stupid."

    "..."

    Mr. President was deafeningly silent.

    I couldn''t argue with Ms. Eve, because that was the truth. That is why, in order to get better outcomes, I handle things myself, neglecting my own personal sentiments.

    "Whatever the situation may be, I''m just dropping by to check on you, Mr. Ethan Reginald."

    After that, Ms. Eve quickly left, leaving those words.

    "By the way, how''s your exam?" Mr. President glanced at me and asked to change the subject.

    That question startled me because my score paled in comparison to Ms. Leyand''s. Her total score is 690, whereas mine is 679. When I think about her ten mistakes, I get really depressed.

    "U-uh... I''d say it''s not too horrible."

    "Is your score 679 correct?"

    I''d tried to avoid the question, but that guess surprises me.

    "How did you find out?"

    "Ms. Leyand gives me the gist."

    "Oh well, she''s not much of a talker, is she?"

    What else can I expect from her?

    "I asked her about it."

    "Oh... uhm, then why did you ask again? Are you testing my honesty or do you have doubts on her?"

    I can''t say the reason for his asking.

    "I''ll leave that up to your imagination."

    That raises some concerns for me, though I have nothing to say to him. Even so, there were times when I couldn''t figure out what he was thinking.

    "Uh, about that. I''m curious about this. How did Ms. Hollows receive an exam that day? I didn''t even see her in the room, much alone all day."

    The test is critical, especially for representatives, so they should not miss it. But how did Ms. Hollows manage to get an exam?

    "Hm? Just think of what I said, Hana."

    The President obviously expected me to answer this riddle. And I''m thinking this quietly.

    If I think about it, Ms. Hollows is a Representative, thus she can be present elsewhere. But, according to school policy, taking an examination outside of the classroom is banned, therefore I''m at a loss for ideas at this time.

    However...

    "Don''t tell me she didn''t take an exam on test day, but she did take an exam earlier morning, does that make sense?"

    I almost think this is too difficult, but I assume the correct answer was obvious. Mr. President didn''t say she took an exam ''that day.''

    "Hmm, are you thinking this too quickly?"

    "It came up in my thoughts."

    "Well, you''re right; she showed up today and took a special test for absentees."

    The special examination is not the same as a retake exam. A special test is given for pupils who have been excused for medical or other reasons. Ms. Hollows has most likely said that she is not feeling well. That''s why she managed to take an exam.

    I''m surprised she showed up today.

    "And guess what? She got a perfect score."

    The President abruptly got my attention.

    "What?!"

    I yelled instinctively, taken aback. She isn''t in our class these days, yet she obtained a perfect score? That''s...

    "You shouldn''t call her score into question because she''s a representative; also, she didn''t cheat since I was there observing her," he reassured.

    "..."

    I immediately calmed down a tad. But the issue that was on my mind right now was whether her perfect score was also taken into account in our mini game. Mr. President was aware of what was going on in our class since Ms. Leyand stated so herself. And I also think there''s nothing wrong with informing others about the game. I intended to inform the President, but Ms. Leyand was quickly ahead of me.

    "That game... isn''t it entertaining?"

    "Umm..."

    It was, but it was too obnoxious the way it favors only the honor students.

    "Doesn''t your class have a lot of excellent students, Hana?"

    As I thought, he was thinking the same thing.

    "I considered it as well," I answered, genuinely.

    "What if Mr. Seid receives a perfect score too?"

    "Huh? That... erm..."

    "That should be interesting, right?"

 (Chapter 7) Act 1

    CHAPTER 7 Act 1

    It''s been a week since I returned to school.

    This break was only to erase my questions and clear my mind. I also wanted to take care of certain things and speak with a few people, notably ''that person,'' so I, Lisa Hollows, left for a few days.

    I couldn''t believe it when I found out that Hiram had dropped out of school. At that time, I couldn''t help but leave the Student Council Room and let it all out in a place where no one could see me. I had so many questions for Hiram, but they were all too many for me to ask.

    Hiram Frestia was a dear friend of mine. I''m not exaggerating when I say she saved me several times and broke my shell. I was having problems interacting with people back then, and that''s when she came in. She told me that I could only be myself. That''s when it all started.

    Hiram is one of the people I think of when people ask me about things other than my family.

    We''ve known each other since childhood, and our families were quite close despite the fact that we were in separate Organizations. To contrast, I belong to the Aqua Organization''s Rain Family, but she''s a member of the Frost Organization''s Frestia Family.

    But it wasn''t long ago that the Frestia Family disintegrated. Her Family has quickly collapsed since her father''s sudden death. And according to my parents, Aqua Organization will recoup her Family but they''re under Aqua Organization control. Of course, I was very excited because we both live under the same roof, but we didn''t celebrate because her father died. I''m not sure what happened, but we''ve been as close as ever since.

    However, during our first year here at school, she and the Frestia Family inexplicably left the Aqua Organization, which leaves me wondering. Later on, I appointed as Aqua Family''s Representative. We began to see each other less frequently as I became increasingly involved in various things.

    And then, months have passed; we''re in our second year, and I still can''t bring myself to talk to her. I know it sounds pathetic and devastating, but I do regret not talking to her.

    I finally realized that it makes me¡ªno, I''m a worthless person at all.

    So that''s why these last few days I''ve been asking my parents where Hiram went, but they didn''t tell me. They said that it''s for my own safety. I wanted to talk to her or at least her mom, but I can''t reach out to them.

    I had no other choice at this point, so I went to the Principal by myself and questioned her regarding Hiram and her mother. But all she did was put me in circles. I even asked her not to expel Hiram, but she stated she couldn''t do anything because Hiram was transferred out herself. And that has left me dumbfounded. Although I can even tell that Ms. Principal was serious about it, that''s not something I could easily accept.

    That day, I started to gather information. But unfortunately enough, I couldn''t find any information I needed. Honestly speaking, I feel betrayed because she didn''t inform me where she was going.

    But I''m well aware that I''m being excessively selfish on that.

    And now, right after the exam, I''m here. These past few days have been consumed by grief and the search for Hiram.

    I went straight to the Student Council Room where I met Ms. Lou Leyand, the Secretary, and also the Mr. President himself. They were busy sorting papers.

    Obviously, they were completely shocked at my sudden appearance, but I''m here to discuss a few things.

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    "You''re late, but you still came here? The meeting was over, though."

    Ms. Leyand greeted me with a wry smile and had a warm mood. She''s talking about the meeting of the Representatives.

    "I know the meeting is already over, but I''m here to speak with the President."

    And without any second thought, Ms. Leyand replied in excitement, "Oh that''s why... Alright, time for me to leave for a minute."

    Then she gave the President a quick glance and waved goodbye before disappearing from our sight. She is all too aware of what is going on, so it''s no surprise she''s the Secretary. As a classmate, I know she''s always friendly and has a huge smile on her face, and at a time like this, I appreciate that she''s very considerate in some ways.

    "Now?" The President caught my attention.

    "Uhm, you know why I''m here right?" I said.

    I know for certain he knows what''s on my mind. That leaves us with less time to talk. At that time, I didn''t have time to process the news back then, so I didn''t have time to speak with him.

    "I''m assuming you wanted to know what Ms. Frestia was up to?"

    "Exactly, Mr. President."

    "Hmmm... did you acquire enough information?"

    "Sadly, there isn''t much."

    "Hm, it seems so? Sorry to tell you this, but Aqua Family said I couldn''t tell you about where she is."

    "What!"

    I almost instantly shifted in rage. I looked at him with wrinkled brows, stern yet a little bemused.

    "I apologize; it''s a matter of promise, Ms. Hollows," he said.

    "How can it be..."

    "However, I can tell you what happened."

    At the very least, hearing those words makes me feel relieved.

    "P-principal Eve told me that Hiram wanted to leave the school, but why?" I pondered aloud.

    If she wants to leave the school, I hope she will say anything to me before she leaves, but I received nothing. Besides, ever since she left the Aqua Family, I haven''t heard anything from her.

    "I thought you knew something, Ms. Hollows?"

    "How the hell did I know something?" Loudly, I complain to him.

    "...Hm, you''re right. You wouldn''t have come here in the first place." The President silently glared at me. "She doesn''t have any Family or Organization here, and I''m sure you know the simplest conclusion to that," he said, answering my question.

    "So she has been bullied or what?"

    Of course, if she''s been bullied, I''d be able to tell ahead.

    "Take it easy, Ms. Hollows; I wanted to speak to you calmly."

    As he stated that, I gradually refrained from saying anything else. After I''d calmed down, I asked him again.

    "So, can you explain to me what happened?"

    "...She decided to leave, not because she was bullied, but because she did something else that would endanger the Aqua Family."

    "What is it¡ª?"

    "She commits massive murders inside the Aqua Family; and among them were the Aqua Family''s upper echelons, you know."

    "..."

    When I heard those words, casually said by the President, I went completely blank. My mind is filled with questions, but my body begs to remain calm.

    I looked at the President again, and he was dead serious.

    "I know you''re wondering why, isn''t it Ms. Hollows? Well, it appears that behind those smiles in Ms. Frestia, she was being abused and treated differently in Aqua Family itself, as she told me when she requested to be transferred out; ah, and she also wanted to deliver a short message to you: [I''m sorry]."

    "..."

    "I can''t offer you her whereabouts, so I''ll keep quiet about it as well," he continued.

    I remained silent for his whole explanation. I''m unable to respond to him. My mind literally shut off, and all of my senses were in mess.

    So her smile was all a ruse? I don''t know.

    "Based on your reaction, you seem to know nothing at all, huh?"

    "..."

    I was too far away to know what hurdles she was experiencing.

    I''m a moron for not noticing that ahead of time. We were friends back then, but I can''t call her that anymore, or even mentioning her name.

    "Now, the second thing you want from me is that you want to take an exam, right? It''s nice to know you''re still keeping your role as a Representative."

    While I can''t move, he takes advantage of my immobility and slowly approaches me. He handed me the exam papers as if they were nothing to him, but owing to my lack of strength, he grabbed my hand forcibly and gave me the paper.

    He''s being far too aggressive and insensitive.

    "Oh, and Lou really wanted to have a talk with you, you know? How about seeing her after you finish your exams?"

    "..."

    "You''re not answering? Well, that''s up to you. Also, this is irrelevant, but before you take an exam, I want you to know something about your class. If I recall correctly, Lou informs me that the person who achieves a perfect score receives a special gift in your class, just so you know. That''s all. You can start anytime."

    "..."

    With lack of strength, I couldn''t hold my head up. My eyes were on the floor, filled with anguish, sorrow, and despair. Consumed by a burst of emotion, I cried, sobbing in pain.

 (Chapter 7) Act 2

    CHAPTER 7 Act 2

    Regrets that will remain with me, and sadness that has shattered my heart. I can''t go back in time and undo what has been done.

    How come I didn''t know about that?

    Is Hiram deceiving me? Is that her intention all along?

    ...No, I don''t believe those smiles were staged to trick me. That was genuine, and I''m sure about it.

    Considering many things are happening inside the Organization over the last few days, I assume Aqua Family is on the verge of collapse.

    Is Mr. Oaes also aware of this? This will undoubtedly cause a big mess, especially if anybody outside the Aqua Family is aware of it.

    There''s too much to think about, so I need to figure out my next step. I can''t continue in this state.

    "How''s your chat?" Ms. Leyand suddenly voiced out, jolting me out of my reverie.

    I was already outside the Student Council Room when she grabbed my arm provocatively. She kept tugging me over so I wouldn''t go. With her clinging demeanor, I instantly felt uncomfortable around her.

    "Uh, w-what? Why are you here? Are you eavesdropping?"

    Definitely, she left, but I assume she stayed outside the door. It would be impressive if she stayed for an extended period of time and waited for me to complete answering my exam papers.

    "Excuse me?" Her eyes gazed intently into mine.

    "No, nevermind," I answer back, quickly turning away.

    I felt that I needed to end this conversation since there were more important things I needed to do.

    Regardless, she brought her head close to mine and said, "You cry a lot, don''t you, Ms. Hollows?"

    "Huh? W-what?"

    I stepped back, not letting my guard down, but she grabbed my arm forcefully to prevent me from walking away. Following that, she held my hand and led me so that we distanced ourselves not far from the Student Council Room.

    "In your eyes; I can see it all," she remarked, though, pointing her own eyes smugly as if she was right on the mark.

    In response, I didn''t answer her assumption and remained ignorant.

    But then I asked her, "I know you heard a lot, but did you know something from the start?"

    She furrowed her brows but felt surprised, "What exactly does that question mean?"

    "I''m sure you''re familiar with the girl who transferred out?"

    "Oh, that''s what you mean, huh? Fufu, Hiram Frestia, isn''t it?" she giggled, going on, "Basically, school let her off, and that''s not a very good move in my opinion. Letting wild animals roam freely still poses a threat, you know? I''m against their decision, but there''s nothing I can do about it now. Haah... I hope she never comes back here."

    With that, I sank in fury and exasperation. I still preserved my calm while keeping my emotions disguised, but my voice leaked in a deep tone.

    "Ms. Leyand, can you hand me off?"

    "Oh... fufu, okay if you say."

    She let go of my hands, but since she sensed my ire, she grinned and never took a step back.

    "So you were aware?"

    "Listen, Ms. Hollows. Honestly, back then, the Student Council knew the details from the Principal. However, the Principal gave orders that we should not tell anybody about this. So, at least just stay quiet as well, okay?" Derisively, she smiled.

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    This woman was obnoxiously getting on my nerves.

    "How can you be so cheery, Ms. Leyand?"

    "Cheery, you say? No, I''m not. Did you know that every Organization is crumbling apart right now? Currently, I don''t think anybody will be happy."

    "So what''s your deal? Are you here to make fun of me?"

    "Hn? I don''t know what you''re talking about, Ms. Hollows. Though I''m merely interested in the details of your conversation with the President."

    "Is that so? Then, I''m sorry, but I''m not going to tell you whether you''re here for that."

    Nonetheless, I know she''s there behind the door the entire time, listening in on our conversation. There''s no point in telling her.

    "No, I''m kidding; that''s not what I want," she responded, instantly changing her tone.

    "Seriously, what''s the matter with you?"

    She instantaneously lightly handed me a piece of paper with the words:

    {Please act normally after reading this; basically, the President may hear us, so keep your voice as low as possible.}

    I stared over at her eyes, but she quietly put her index finger in her lips, as if she was trying to keep me quiet.

    Continuing with the note:

    {I''d want to inform you that the President intends to eliminate all of the Families. That is something that none of us want to happen. If you trust me, please contact me at xxxxxxxxxxx. Burn this letter after you''ve finished reading it.}

    Again, slowly, I put my eyes on her. She has this flippant grin on hers, contrary to my thought that she was nearly not joking.

    "Are you insane? Do you think I could easily believe this?" I asked, keeping my voice aplomb.

    "Fufu probably. Well, I''ll go now. There''s so much work to do, and the President missed me, so bye!" She hugged me and waved right after.

    She appears clingy but this is not something I should think about right now. I''ll have to think about what that note means.

    As she swiftly left, I decided to leave as well and rethink what she meant. But after a few minutes, I came across a specific individual that inadvertently captured my eyes. I''ve known her since I acquired information from her in the past. And the thing is, she didn''t give me her name up to now. Besides, I''m curious as to why she''s strolling in public; I assumed her identity was concealed because she said it to me before.

    I made eye contact with her, but she quickly averted her gaze, breaking the discomfort between us. And so, she approached, although she was staring ahead on her way, and simply bowed to me gently.

    "I''m glad to see you''re doing well, Ms. Lisa Hollows," she said, speaking into my ears as she quickly passed by my side.

    She never glanced at me before, therefore I assume she''s an elusive sort of person.

    "How unusual to see you here?"

    I shift my head towards her, hoping to catch her attention.

    Luckily, she halted, though still not turning her back, she said monotonously, "Is that so?"

    Not wasting any seconds, I asked her, "I have a quick question for you, and I''d want your answer."

    "Hmmm, are you buying information again?"

    "Yes."

    "I see... So, what exactly is it?"

    "Do you know Hiram Frestia? What happened to her? Where is she now?"

    I''m not sure whether she has what I''m looking for, but I''m eager to find out.

    "All I know is that she left."

    Her quick answer makes me more curious.

    "Oh, that''s unfortunate, but do you happen to know why?" I asked again to see if she had any other information.

    "Not exactly, but I know she''s guilty of something, isn''t she?"

    And with that, I''m certain she knew something.

    "Can you tell me?"

    My question clearly penetrates her. She waits a few seconds before speaking again.

    "I''m not sure," she says.

    "Oh..."

    My expectations were promptly destroyed by her reticent response.

    "Are you waiting for me to say something, Ms. Hollows?"

    "Uh, well, no, I''m just curious," I reasoned.

    "Your eyes..." she starts, instantly making me embarrassed, "have something to say..." she adds.

    "...T-that was your imagination."

    "I''m certain you cried, but in any case, Ms. Hollows, I''ll go ahead."

    "But what about pay¡ª"

    "You don''t have to; it''s fine, considering I''m not helpful. I''m looking forward to working with you sometime again."

    She began to walk away, but I stopped her by calling her again.

    "Um, hey! What''s your name? Could you tell me this time?"

    In a sprang of silence, I was left inquisitive, then she replied.

    "After this meeting, you''ll know," she answered softly.

    She again quickly escaped as she rapidly increased her distance from me.

    I don''t really get her, like actually.

    Anyway, in the past, I noticed she wore the same uniform as mine, and I guess back then she was also a student here, so until today. Even so, after some thought, I think she wears the uniform in a way to blend in with the school to gather information.

    "Ms. Hollows?"

    Immediately after, Mr. Oaes called out my name. He was standing behind me.

    "Uh... Mr. Oaes? Erm, before that, please accept my apologies for my absence."

    I lowered my head, knowing it was my fault that he was left behind to manage the Aqua Family. It is a significant loss to think if one representative is not there, thus this is my way of apologizing.

    "Don''t worry, it''s all right; but what are you doing here with her?"

    "With her? Ah, we simply happened to cross paths."

    "Do you know Ms. Zei Wyte?" Mr. Oaes said, giving a serious expression.

    "Is that her name, Zei Wyte?"

    "Yeah, she''s also the Principal Eve''s daughter."

    "..."

    In disbelief, my mouth gaped wide open. I immediately turned my head back, hoping to see Ms. Zei Wyte again, although I knew she was already not there.

    It''s no wonder that her surname was Wyte.

 (Chapter 7) Act 3

    CHAPTER 7 Act 3

    Zei Wyte.

    I''ve known of her existence for a long time, and if I needed information, she was the first person I went to. Usually, I have no idea where she is, so it takes me a while to find her.

    Previously, I had come to her to find out who Mr. Hans Seid was after hearing his name from Ms. Frey. So I secretly made contact with Ms. Wyte, knowing nothing at all, including herself. And after that encounter, I discovered that Mr. Seid had a dark past, which has stayed with me till now. His life is certainly awful and heartbreaking.

    Although I failed to get Hans Seid in the Aqua Family, if I think about it, approaching Zei Wyte in the first place wasn''t entirely pointless.

    I never imagined the plan of taking Mr. Seid would be so tough. When I meet with Mr. Seid personally, he gives me the "stay away from me" impression, and again, he is not interested in the organization thing itself. I know he''s adamant when it comes to making decisions, however, there''s nothing wrong with beating him with persistence as well. So I''m not turning my back on him.

    And because I haven''t known what''s been going on inside the school for the last several days, I''m surprised to learn that a lot has occurred while I''ve been gone.

    "For real?"

    "That''s right, nobody knew about Principal Eve''s daughter until recently."

    We''ve arrived at Aqua Family''s office to discuss our necessary plans. I''m here with Mr. Oaes, and we''re presently discussing what transpired over the previous few days.

    "...Does she currently attend our school?"

    "Apparently."

    "W-what? I had no idea; I obtained information from her several times and she never said a single thing."

    "Ms. Hollows, let me tell you, the problem is definitely yours. I guess you asked her name numerous times, but you didn''t question who she is and what it is she genuinely wants; think about it, why is she going to tell you her name from the start?"

    I went silent on the second thought. I felt as if a sharp pin had been thrust into my heart, causing it to hurt, and making me realize something.

    "...T-that''s," I bite my lower lip, feeling the pain of regret.

    That''s the thing¡ªI didn''t ask.

    I didn''t ask anyone including "her."

    This was entirely my fault. I didn''t even ask Hiram Frestia whether she was okay or what her problem was. I''ve been so busy lately that I haven''t noticed what''s going on around me. I didn''t dare to look back or put my eyes on her for just a second.

    "Anyway, now that you know, I must warn you to keep away from that woman," he stated sharply, staring me in the eyes.

    "...Huh, why?"

    "She''s the reason why Organizations, including us, are on the brink of destruction; many secrets have been exposed, and we''re not far away from imploding."

    "What?" I exclaimed, but he didn''t move since he expected it from me.

    Hold on a minute, so Ms. Leyand was correct in this matter earlier. Every organization was in jeopardy. If things go wrong, it may lead to a bloodbath.

    "Calm down, Ms. Hollows; anyway, Aqua Family is now attempting to contact our intel and other Families in order for them to be less wary towards us."

    "Hold it right there, I''m confused if she''s the reason, why is she still here? Revealing your name and brazenly made a move to put down every Organization."

    I understand she is the Principal''s daughter, but that does not entitle you to do anything you want.

    "Good question. She isn''t even a member of the Light Family, so what is she attempting to pull off? I don''t understand Principal Eve at all, but I know it''s kinda tough for her. Her daughter has recently been acting erratically." He continued, "But one thing is for sure, Zei Wyte wants to get rid of the Organizations."

    "Wait, she no longer had any Family?"

    "Yes, she left Light Family a few days ago after revealing herself to us, Representatives, and the Student Council; formerly, she''s been referred to as the mystery individual lurking around the school but then later ultimately disclosed herself in front of us."

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    "Oh, she''s that person, huh? She did conceal her identity well and left a mark on our minds, but why now? Does she seem to have a purpose, don''t you think?"

    "Oh, sure... but I don''t have any clue further than that."

    I have nothing to say back to him. My mind right now is not in the right place to think. I''m at a loss as to what to do at this point.

    "Are you making any plans by now, Ms. Hollows?"

    Mr. Oaes questioned, but I stood up and spoke incoherently and cluelessly.

    "I don''t know."

    I stood up and was about to leave the office to clear my mind when someone barged in.

    With my soft tone, I speak in surprise, "Fred?"

    "...Lisa?"

    As soon as he caught my eyes, he promptly held me firmly, as if we hadn''t seen each other in years.

    "Uh, Fred, I''ve only been gone for about a week, but why are you¡ª"

    "I''m glad you''re okay..."

    "Um, why wouldn''t I?"

    He hugged again, but this time he loosened his grip gently, as if relieved.

    Needless to say, Fred Arios is my friend and one of my subordinates. I can count on him anytime and I fully trust him.

    "Ehem..." Mr. Oeas cut in, "Ms. Hollows, didn''t you know Mr. Arios stopped by the office every time simply to see whether you were finally here? It''s annoying for me, but I admire his tenacity."

    "Is that true?" I asked Fred out of curiosity.

    "Erm, I can''t deny that..."

    He gave a wry smile, yet was embarrassed.

    "Is that so? Ah, Fred, does the soccer club do practices?"

    Even if I question everything, the soccer team is always on my mind.

    Eventually, Fred Arios is our Vice Captain on the soccer team, meaning he will succeed the team when the seniors graduate. I know he''s worried about me, but first I must ensure some things regarding the club.

    "Of course, as usual."

    "I''m relieved..."

    "Ms. Hollows and Mr. Arios, this is not the place or time to flirt. Do this when no one is around," Mr. Oeas said.

    "What makes you believe that?" I shouted, feeling embarrassed, "In a sense, I''m just asking him..."

    Making such assumptions made me feel uncomfortable and, at the same time, sorry for Fred. We''re not a couple to begin with.

    "Kidding aside. Ms. Hollows, where are you planning to go? Are you trying to avoid your responsibility?"

    "...No, that''s not it."

    "Hmmm...fine. And since Mr. Arios has arrived, are you now getting back to yourself again?"

    "Hm, what do you mean?"

    "Never mind; Mr. Arios, now that you''re here, I''d want you to have a seat as well."

    "Eh, me?"

    "Who else is here that I''m referring to?"

    In the end, we just settled into our own seats, and so Mr. Oaes began speaking. I sat next to Fred, and Mr. Oaes was in front of us.

    "First of all, Ms. Hollows, do you happen to pass by Ms. Leyand?"

    "Uh, yes. I went to the Student Council Room before going here. I took a test there actually."

    "I see. Were you aware of her plans?"

    "Plans?" I asked, and I got a glimpse of Fred, who was also bewildered.

    "Yes, she had a plan which she introduced to all Representatives, and that plan was to dethrone the President and subject him to suffering," Mr. Oaes explained.

    I couldn''t speak because I was in shock, but Fred quickly sprang up and became enraged.

    "What?" He said.

    "It is what I say."

    "But... I cannot believe it."

    "That''s true. If you don''t believe, it is fine, Mr. Arios."

    "I believe," with insincerity, I blurted it out.

    I guess it was all connected about why Organization was falling apart right now. My mind continues doubting it, but it makes sense if I think about it.

    "You do understand it right away, Ms. Hollows."

    "..."

    "Wait, can you tell me why I''m here in the first place? Is it okay for me to be here?" Fred abruptly asked.

    "Ah, you''re here because I wanted Ms. Hollows to know that nobody but a few students knew that Organizations were tearing apart right now. Additionally, you''re here to see and support Ms. Hollows, right?" Mr. Oeas answered.

    In response, Fred didn''t say a single thing since he was still puzzled by the situation.

    As Mr. Oaes mentioned, I finally understand what was going on.

    Ms. Leyand approached me and informed me that Mr. President had betrayed the Organization by no longer supporting any of them. Ms. Leyand desires urgent action on this matter, so she devised a strategy.

    Still, however, it makes me think that Zei is covertly linked in some way. No, all of what is happening right now is probably connected.

    "I see..." I murmured as I rose to my feet. I made the decision to go to Ms. Leyand by myself.

    "Where are you going?" Fred stopped me.

    I replied, "I''d want to talk to her," but he got up and gently grabbed my face. Slowly, he placed his fingers on my eyes and said, "Your eyes; you''ve been through a lot, aren''t you Lisa?"

    He stared down at my eyes, but I immediately averted my gaze. He probably knew about it; he perhaps was aware of Hiram Frestia. I''m pitiful, and I don''t want him to see it directly from my eyes.

    "...You dummy," I mutter, "you''re worried about me, but why didn''t you ask my parents where I was?"

    "Ah, that? You didn''t ask for my help, Lisa, so I knew you needed some time, and I waited; in fact, today I''m planning to pay a visit to your house."

    Gradually, my eyes widened, but I was unable to comprehend his reasoning. And I suddenly realized that he''s that type of person I know.

    I''m not sure if I''ll be grateful or not, though I don''t care anymore. I''d like to talk to him about this matter alone, but I have responsibilities that I must fulfill first.

    I walked away from them, but not before saying a few things.

    "Thank you for worrying, Fred. See you later; and Mr. Oaes," I instantly changed my tone, "you still have something on me; I''ll speak with you later."

    Following that, I left the room.

    That was my personal request from him since I do want to know the truth behind Hiram Frestia.

    I left my bag there, but I got my phone in my pocket, from which I planned to contact Ms. Leyand, when suddenly I felt that there was something inside. A note from where I couldn''t tell when it got here. However, I immediately realized who this letter was from. It came from Ms. Leyand. Presumably, she put this in my pocket when she kept tugging me over to her earlier.

    "What a sneaky woman."

    I quickly opened the note and it said:

    {If you open this, I know you''re looking for me. Fufu, am I right? Well then, you''ll find me at the Library. See ''ya! (¡Ð.?)}

 (Chapter 7) Act 4

    CHAPTER 7 Act 4

    My decision is to make a move alone along the way. Even if Mr. Oeas was aware of what was going on, I still doubt he would provide me with the information I want, particularly on Hiram Frestia. Besides, I still have a bit of a grudge towards the Aqua Family.

    For the time being, I must know what has occurred at school during the previous several days.

    "I didn''t see Mr. Oaes with you. I thought representatives were usually together. Are you perhaps alone, Ms. Hollows?"

    "Don''t make us look like everyone else, Ms. Leyand; you know that not all representatives for every Organization were always together."

    We''re sitting in the rear corner of the Library, facing one another. Days passed and I''ve been hesitating to come and meet Ms. Leyand. However, this time I decided to go and Ms. Leyand was already present when I arrived. It appears like she is waiting for me to show up. However, she was bemused when he didn''t notice Mr. Oaes'' presence.

    "Well, Fufu, it appears that you no longer trust the Aqua Family, is that correct? Does that imply you trust me more than they?"

    "Stop being conceited, Ms. Leyand; I''m not here to spend my time on your nonsense remarks," I replied bluntly.

    "...Fine, go ahead and ask anything; that''s why you''re here, right?"

    At last, she stopped playing like a fool.

    "First, if I may, what are your plans?"

    "Hoh, that means you are willing to help me?"

    She becomes enthralled all of a sudden.

    "Don''t get me wrong; let me clearly ask again. What is your actual goal in all of this?"

    "..."

    Her smile had turned frigidly serene, making her quiet. I also sense irritation in her silence.

    "You''re now silent, huh? You see, instead of questioning why the President wanted to get rid of the Families, why don''t you start pointing out your plan first, Ms. Leyand? Yes, we agree that we must eliminate what''s in our way, but why do you need to tell other representatives about your plan? To be honest, that makes me suspicious."

    Still, I''m not sure whether her assumption was all true, but I''ll wait for the President to act before making a thorough countermeasure.

    "...So you don''t trust me at all, Ms. Hollows?"

    "Absolutely."

    I stared at her calm expression adamantly, but then she suddenly grinned and laughed herself silly.

    "Pftt hahaha... I can''t... keep up my seriousness." After that she eventually regained her composure and relaxed a bit before continuing, "Ms. Hollows, do you still have time for suspecting me? Fufu, you''re incredibly careful. Have you ever heard the saying, Time is crucial?"

    Ms. Leyand intently gazed at me and spoke without pause.

    Looks like I hit the mark, so she''s probably not going to answer that question. But I''m not finished with my business here.

    "You''re right, but how and when did you know this information, and from whom?"

    "Erm, that''s a little secret, ''ya know?"

    She offered me a delighted wink while saying that.

    "If you keep dodging my questions, then why are we here?"

    "Not all questions deserve a response, Ms. Hollows. Therefore, maybe your question is a little difficult for me to answer. Give me an easy one please!" she shouted gleefully. She seemed to be enjoying herself.

    "Then, Ms. Leyand, tell me about your intentions for the President? Are you sure you''ll be able to make him suffer? Also, the fact that dethroning the President wouldn''t solve the Organization''s issue."

    Looking closely, it seems foolish to dethrone the president when the Organization is in disarray. If we make judgments like this, we will never be able to stand on our own in the future. That''s why I couldn''t simply agree with her. Not now.

    "Suffering, you say? Ah, that will be our outcome, Ms. Hollows; in addition, what if I tell you that someone will become a scapegoat?"

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    "Scapegoat?" I wondered, adding, "Then who? The President? Perhaps Ms. Zei Wyte, as she was the root of the Organization''s turmoil."

    "No, it was you."

    "..."

    That caught me off guard. I heard her words softly and clearly, but it took me a while to realize them. She was serious enough that I cast an intentful gaze at her.

    "You know what it means, right, Ms. Hollows? Just like Ms. Hiram Frestia, gather all the hate and despair, then leave the scho¡ª"

    "Wait a sec, why me? Do you know what you''re on about?" I grabbed her collar and put her face close to mine. "Also, you mentioned Hiram Frestia¡ª"

    "Yes, I am aware of my words. I want you to accept full responsibility for this chaos alongside the President. That''s all."

    "That''s all?" I scuffed, frustrated, "You make it sound easy, Ms. Leyand, and you didn''t even give me the specifics. This is nonsense."

    She then smiled, but had nothing to say to me in response.

    Luckily, there is no one inside the library, so we haven''t been heard by anyone.

    "...I don''t know what you''re thinking, Ms. Leyand. Do anything you want, but don''t include my name in whatever you do."

    I tighten my grip on her collar even harder.

    "Is that so? But it can''t be help."

    "What do you mean?"

    "Listen, Ms. Hollows, you can''t trust anyone, including me."

    "Is that an advice?"

    "Perhaps, but more of a warning, I could say," as she gave me a distinct grin.

    "How far did you plan, I suppose you can answer that."

    "Hmmm, I think the time when you''re not around?"

    "You¡ª"

    "Hiram Frestia..." she stated emphatically, causing me to pause.

    When I heard that name, I steadily regained control over my rage. I almost ended up hitting her face.

    "I doubt you will say anything else, so I''ll take this time to ask. Before anything else, you did mention Hiram Frestia," I let go of her and said, "Can you explain to me in detail why she left and blamed it all on herself as you said?"

    I want to uncover as many hints as possible so that my time here wasn''t in vain.

    "Hmmm, is it okay to answer that?" she pondered aloud.

    "I can''t force the words into you, but I''m sure you know something, Ms. Leyand."

    "Fufu, did you forget what I just said, Ms. Hollows? Are you really going to trust me?"

    "I don''t care if you become my enemy; all I want is a response, even if it''s only a clue."

    "Hm, okay. In exchange, the wish... I want to control your decision on that."

    "Hm? What wish do you say?"

    "I''m pretty sure the President oriented you about what''s going on in our classroom. The one who gets the highest score will grant a request."

    "...And then what?"

    "I heard from the President that you got a perfect score. Of course, no doubt you will have that wish. Apart from that, the President wanted to convey a word of congratulations, given that you received a perfect score. Fufu, did that get you more excited?"

    I''m not expecting a terrible score, but this is rather much unexpected.

    "Is that so? Wait, give me a second."

    I need to think about this carefully. One wrong move and it will ruin everything for those around me. I absolutely need information, but in retrospect, that request was crucial.

    "That¡ª"

    "Ah, Ms. Hollows, of course that wish is absolutely yours, but I''ll just intervene on what you wish, okay?"

    "Intervene...I see; therefore I can''t utilize my wish until you give me permission."

    "Exactly."

    So that''s what she wants in exchange for Hiram Frestia''s information.

    I''m not sure what I''m going to do now. It appears like I am getting trapped in this circumstance. I''m confused.

    However, at that same moment, someone approached us. I thought no one was around, though I never imagined he''d be here. A male student that I knew.

    "Levi?"

    "Lisa..."

    "Oh, Mr. Flavin"

    We three made eye contact and all felt surprised and awkward.

    "Ah, sorry for interrupting both of you..."

    He seemed to be panicking, but he quickly regained his calm.

    "It''s fine, we''re almost finished. Now your answer, Ms. Hollows?"

    "..."

    I merely stared at her and didn''t give a response back. I was still confused about what to do.

    "Once again, I apologize for intruding, but Lisa appears to be unable to think right now; could you please tell me what this means?" Levi cut in, confident but annoyed.

    "Fufu, how audacious of you, Mr. Flavin; you''re overstepping your bounds, you know?"

    They exchanged sharp gazes as though fighting for their lives.

    "I''m not sure what your discussion is about, but it''s okay to refuse Lisa; it appears she''s getting the upper hand here. Don''t you think it has many flaws? Maybe she''s tricking you."

    "Huh?" I said in confusion.

    "Lisa, how many times do I have to tell you that you''re not in your state right now?" he yelled all of a sudden.

    Levi is always like this, and I know he''s worried about me, but he''s going too far, so I stared at him fiercely, holding my anger back.

    Levi Flavin, a member of our football team. He is incredibly arrogant, yet there are times when he is concerned about others around him.

    "I can¡ª"

    "No, Lisa. Come with me."

    He grabs my arm and pulls me away from Ms. Leyand. He eventually drags me out of the Library, leaving the conversation as it is. I don''t even have time to properly say goodbye to Ms. Leyand.

    "Wait a minute, it''s rude to leave Levi!" I screamed while he was dragging me along the corridor.

    "..."

    "Hold on, Levi! My hand hurts."

    As soon as he heard my grumbling, he instantly let go of my hand and looked at me.

    "Why didn''t you say anything, Lisa?"

    His tone is serious and commanding, as though he is dissatisfied.

    "Anything? For what?"

    "Why don''t you understand?"

    Now he sounds more frustrated and upset.

    "Huh?"

    "Every time you wanted to go fully alone, you forgot about the others who were waiting for your word ''help''."

    "What? Now you''re angry at me? Why are you always like this? Okay, then why didn''t you help me out of your own volition?"

    "..."

    With that, he became quiet.

    "Fred also said that, but you guys didn''t help on your own accord. I''m waiting for you guys too, but you didn''t come to me. I''m not asking for you to come, but I''m just confused. If you''re worried, then why did I always feel like I was alone? I''m not the type of person who wants any help from someone. It''s not because I want to be alone, but I can do it alone. Now that I understand what you''re thinking, it makes me more unreasonable. I''m already tired, so give me a little space."

    "Lisa¡ª"

    "No, stop it, Mr. Flavin; you''re excessively infuriating, you know that? If next time you interfere, I will definitely bury your name in the back of my mind."

    Following that, I leave him speechless.

    Now I still don''t know what I''m going to do next.

 (Chapter 8) Act 1

    CHAPTER 8 Act 1

    I received a call from someone before our exam results were released.

    "Hey," he said in rougher, deeper tone.

    I expected him to call, but I never imagined him calling me this late at night.

    "...What''s with that tone, Mr. Seid?" I asked.

    "Don''t worry about that; in any case, I''ll go straight to the point: let''s go on a date after class, Ms. Zei."

    "Wha¡ª?"

    Before I could speak, he abruptly ended our call. If I had to guess what he''s on about, he''s somehow attempting to make me feel embarrassed in some way so that I can''t forget what he just said.

    Sadly, I''m not into this kind of thing, although it made me feel insulted and irritated. It bothers me that he is so full of himself and has that obnoxious confidence to make such a statement.

    But in perspective, we''re not that different.

    The next day, which was the result of our mid-term examinations, I heard Hans making a ruckus earlier in the morning. The incident quickly became the talk of the school.

    He''s the scary type of guy I imagined him to be, so it wouldn''t surprise me if he had several adversaries over his school years. Definitely, he will soon draw the attention of the entire school to himself.

    On the other hand, I was capable of establishing a positive reputation at school and among the people around me. Only the Representatives and the Student Council were aware of what was truly going on in the Organization. So, for the time being, my sudden appearance had no detrimental impact on me.

    Although some students regard me as a friend, others view me as a problem. In fact, the students who consider me as a problem are a bunch of envious individuals who will harass you if you''re weak and meek. Unfortunately, I am not their ideal prey to shamelessly bully me in public.

    Apparently, Ms. Shine is currently one of the people that despises me the most. Further than that, I know practically all of the Representative were aware, and they probably started plotting to expel me from school. But I''m not worried or concerned about a single thing. I''m not scared about people blaming me for anything since I felt this plan would be my chance. If I don''t do this, I''ll be locked forever in the past.

    Even if everyone loathes me, I know there is one person who will stick with me to the end. However, I''m not sure how I feel about in that statement, now that she''s one of the people who hates me. Esper Augoron; my childhood friend. We''re occasionally together for ordinary classroom duties, but her sentiments towards me were cold, not the same as they were before. Everything changed in the library when she realized Ms. Hunt''s case was somehow tied with me. I know of what I''m doing, yet it makes me sad all at the same time. I have to admit, that I feel some remorse.

    However, I don''t have time for those friendships. I need to get moving and make plans for forthcoming events.

    Given we don''t have an instructor at the moment, I''ll probably skip this and the following class. Usually, when there''s nothing to do, I frequently go to the girls'' restroom to gather information. Girls often spend more and take their time in the restroom to perform necessary rituals, such as applying make-up. As such, they frequently exchange stories, gossip, and rumors at the same time.

    I''m holding a small book and pretending to read it as I go down the corridor, but in truth I''m simply attentively observing my surroundings.

    I arrived at my objective and was fortunate to find one unoccupied room. Meanwhile, while I''m waiting inside for information, I hear the door to someone''s cubicle close as if they''re done. Since the restroom was a closed space, I can hear them from where I''m hiding. They did, however, remain and discuss certain topics. Then, comically, they ended up discussing me.

    "That Zei Wyte, I genuinely don''t like her," someone commented.

    I was furious and annoyed at first, but I later got used to it. On my first day, I heard a number of similar sentiments, especially when I went for a walk around the school.

    "Hey, keep your voice down, someone might hear you," the other female answered.

    "I don''t care. I''m just stating my own feelings here. She has that look of a young lady, but we don''t know what her true nature is. Still, that face makes me sick!"

    *slam*

    With a thud, the other door steeply opens. I''m sure the two girls were startled at the timing, but I was more stunned when I heard the voice of that person who came out of her cubicle. She was enraged, yet her words were soft, "Don''t talk behind people''s backs, you dunces of trash."

    That person was Esper Auguron.

    It threw me off guard, but Esper''s statements were merely considered meddling.

    "...We''re basically presenting facts here, Ms. Auguron of Gale Family, and don''t you think you''re too fixed on the Light Family? You''re not even in the Light Family to say those words to us."

    I''m astonished that these women can speak so boldly to the Representatives. Not that I''m the one to speak.

    "Ms. Reflas and Ms. Ornelia, am I right?" Esper said with confidence, "Let me tell you something..."

    I can''t hear a single sound after that, so it may be Esper whispering to the two.

    "P-please accept our apologies, Ms. Auguron. W-we''re on our way now."

    Eventually, the two apologized as though they were pleading for their lives. Still, I''m curious about what Esper said to them. But I''m more interested in why she did protect my name. I haven''t had the chance to talk to her personally, but now I know she can''t hate me till the end.

    "Those people, I''m probably going to get rid of them soon..." Esper murmured to herself as she exited the restroom.

    After that, I silently stayed in the restroom, pondering what Esper had done.

    Time went fast, and I didn''t even realize it was almost lunchtime, so I got out and went for a stroll by myself.

    Then I encountered a person, who returned unexpectedly after a few days. I''d heard she hadn''t been in school for a week, so I figured welcoming her would bring her good luck on this day.

    I walk gently past her and say in her ear, "I''m glad to see you''re doing well, Ms. Lisa Hollows."

    Lisa Hollows was one of the Representatives of the Aqua Family. She often comes to me for information. Recently, I gave her information regarding Hans Seid, but that was the last time I saw her.

    Then she speak, drawing my attention back, "How unusual to see you here?"

    "Is that so?"

    "I have a quick question for you, and I''d want your answer.

    "Hmmm, are you buying information again?"

    "Yes."

    "I see... So, what exactly do you want?"

    As usual, it''s our typical bargaining.

    "Do you know Hiram Frestia? What happened to her? Where is she now?"

    Hiram Frestia. I remember the name before; alas...

    "All I know is that she left."

    "Oh, that''s unfortunate, but do you happen to know why?"

    Her tone indicated that she was desperate for this knowledge. Regardless, now is not the moment for her to acquire something from me.

    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    "Not precisely, but I know she''s guilty of something, isn''t she?"

    "Can you tell me?"

    She asked me another question, which made me think twice. Now it''s becoming interesting. I''m going to again look into this issue later.

    "I''m not sure."

    That''s all I told her.

    "Oh..." she mutters in disappointment.

    I''m sure my answer fell well short of her expectations.

    "Are you waiting for me to say something, Ms. Hollows?"

    "Uh, well, no, I''m just curious," she denied.

    "Your eyes... have something to say..."

    In short silence, I suddenly said that on purpose, since I''d met her gaze and it was evident that her eyes were glumly and swollen.

    "...T-that was your imagination."

    "I''m certain you cried, but in any case, Ms. Hollows, I''ll go ahead."

    "But what about pay¡ª"

    "You don''t have to; it''s fine, considering I''m not helpful. I''m looking forward to working with you sometime again."

    ...but that next time will be different.

    "Um, hey! What''s your name? Could you tell me this time?" She exclaimed, confusingly.

    No matter what, my name is something that will soon become known to the school, just like the name Hans Seid.

    "After this meeting, you''ll know," I answered as I left.

    After that, I was able to go through the rest of the day without incident. A few classmates questioned my whereabouts earlier, but I nonchalantly shrugged and ignored them.

    The class was finished for the day, and I planned to head home when I realized the phone call yesterday. Mr. Seid wanted to meet me, so I assumed he would come into this classroom at some point. I walked out of the room, but to my surprise, I didn''t see or sense his presence at all. I''m all confused, but I had decided to go home eventually because he hadn''t shown up for me today. Although, when I was already at the entrance gate, he shook me out of my trance, but I didn''t obviously show it to him.

    Mr. Seid was already waiting for me. He didn''t say anything, just stood there staring into the distance, so I was compelled to begin our conversation without looking at him either.

    "Do you want to discuss right now? Or do you want to go somewhere?" I pushed him to speak up for himself.

    It is frustrating and unsettling that he is, in fact, silent.

    "Uhm, no, I''ll just walk you home," he said, not daring to turn his head and look at me.

    "Okay," I said, lightly.

    "Are you perhaps expecting somethi¡ª"

    "No. Please stop that. I don''t want to hear that from you, Mr. Seid."

    "You''re irritated, aren''t you?"

    "You are completely off the mark."

    "Nonetheless, lead the way since I don''t know your home yet."

    By means of "yet," he does have a plan to know.

    I didn''t even attempt to say anything to him back; instead I just started walking. But a few minutes passed and he still didn''t move his mouth, which got me thinking what he was up to.

    "You care to speak, Mr. Seid?"

    We''re currently walking side by side, both of us matching the other''s pace.

    "Uhm, let me think. Ah alright, you appear to be doing well in school, so that''s the power of your name, huh."

    Even though my name is Wyte, I feel obligated to do what people expect of me.

    "What an inane topic, Mr. Hans Seid. Do you clearly realize that they can''t lay a hand on me since I am the Principal''s daughter?" He didn''t respond, so I continued, "You''re the only one who''s starting to make a move on me."

    "Don''t put it that way, Ms. Zei; others would misunderstand."

    "I''m amazed you''re concerned about your image."

    "I''m not concerned about myself."

    It caused me to go silent, but I kept on with the conversation.

    "Still, I''m not certain what will happen tomorrow. Choice has never been easy."

    I still received no response from him. Following the awkward situation, I told him, "I didn''t expect that you would agree, Mr. Seid."

    "Hm? Don''t get me wrong, I agree with you because I want to get rid of the Families."

    That made me think for a second. He was far too forthright and direct to say such a thing in front of me. He most likely sought something out of it.

    "Building your own Organization and eliminating Organizations at the same time... What makes you think that your plan will work?"

    I''m not sure what his plan was, but i have a hunch of some sort.

    "I don''t know; that''s all I can say."

    "...Are you have any doubts or uncertainties, Mr. Seid?"

    "As you stated, choice has never been easy at all."

    "How vague. Right, I heard some rumors about you making a scene earlier."

    I recall hearing my classmates chattering about an earlier incident.

    "Ah, that? What did they say?"

    "It''s all negative; do you anticipate a positive reaction?"

    "Is that so. Anyway, how about you?"

    "Me? What about me?"

    "What do you think?"

    "Is this sarcasm?"

    "No. I simply want to hear what you think."

    What I think...

    "...I abhor your behavior, attitude, your rash judgments and actions; it is what I primarily despise."

    My response was sincere. As if I said that to myself.

    "Good. If I were about to die, I''d like you to either watch me die or take my life instead."

    "Hm? That''s... a cliche thing to say. You know that it is indeed a difficult task."

    "Or maybe ask someone who has never hesitated to kill me."

    "Are you serious?"

    "Do you think I''m kidding?"

    He turned his head to look at me, though I didn''t return his gaze.

    "Shut up. You''re literally annoying," I commented, "It awfully depressing statement, but that was so lame to say to a girl, no, to anyone."

    He go looked straight afterwards, continuing, "In any case, don''t worry about simple things, Ms. Zei; it''s up to you how you perceive things; moreover, I''m just a nobody to you, isn''t it? In the end, it''s only a nuisance to you if you stress yourself in someone else''s trouble."

    Basically, he''s defining me... no, our relationship is merely that of a strangers in contrast. His tone was always distant, as if we were miles apart. However, the fact that he constantly and remarkably speaks to me by my first name and makes demands as such is strange.

    "I''m wondering how scary it is to be in your position. Creating a lot of adversaries is not a good thing, you know?"

    "Then tell me, Ms. Zei, if making a lot of friends is a good thing?"

    "Don''t ask silly questions; if you want to know something, do it. People attempt to explore and try for themselves to experience something they''ve never experienced before."

    "What was that coming for?"

    "I''m stating facts. It''s up to you if you listen or not."

    "Alright, I''ll keep that in mind. So, uhm, do you want to be my frien¡ª?"

    "No," I firmly said.

    "Okay."

    That concluded our conversation. He didn''t ask as to why.

    Taking into consideration that he''s been known to be rejected in the past, I know he''s mostly used to being spurned. Besides, he merely didn''t care about my answer in the first place.

    "..."

    "..."

    Unfortunately, the rain began to fall, causing us to take a short break in our walk. Because the rain was pouring so heavily, we dashed for the shed of a random home. We must first wait for the sky to calm down.

    I instantly took out my umbrella from my bag and caught a sight of Hans'' umbrella, which thankfully he also had. It''ll be an issue if we end up sharing the same umbrella while going down the street.

    "It''s been raining lately..." he said.

    "Is it?"

    We''re still under the roof, listening to the splatters of raindrops. Though even in peltering rain, the noise of splashes is somewhat soothing.

    "By the way, just asking, who got the highest score in your class?"

    In the middle of nowhere, I asked Mr. Seid. I''m curious about how he did in the exams.

    "I don''t know," he said, peering at the sky and at the raindrops.

    "How''s your exam?"

    "I don''t know," he responded, which made me ask, "Why?"

    "I don''t know," he responded once again.

    "How come you didn''t know?"

    "To answer your question, do you remember the letter that was written by an anonymous person?"

    I recall Mr. Seid saying that every day he received a letter. He hasn''t given me any updates since then.

    "Yes, but what about that?"

    "He handed me a note of warning that my exam paper would be gone, so I wouldn''t have any score; and so it happened. He knows what''s going on in our classroom and in my life; it''s nearly, no¡ªI can finally say it''s a stalker."

    Just hearing his explanation makes me bewildered and curious. I''m not sure what to say or how to respond to him.

    "It was his response when he found out I was starting my own Organization."

    "How did he figure that out?"

    "No clue."

    Remembering back, only me and Steve were aware of this. I can''t currently just consider Steve a suspect because I haven''t confirmed it.

    "Did you already take a retest?"

    "I did, but it doesn''t matter whether I got the highest score."

    To be precise, taking Hans'' test was an odd decision. I''m not sure how they''ve done it.

    "What did they gain by doing this?" I mumble, "So, Mr. Seid, what are you going to do?"

    "Of course, my decision was always definitive," he said after a short pause, and continuing, "Are you sure you''re going to assist me?"

    He still has his doubts about my capabilities.

    "...I''m not going to help you; you''re going to assist me, right?"

    "It''s ridiculous to think that way. That''s exactly what you are, Ms. Zei. Then I''ll tell you this: provide me with a list of names before the school excursion. I don''t want too many; I only need a few."

    He essentially wants to meet people he can totally trust to start his own Organization.

    It''s not a difficult task because I know a lot of competent people.

    "Alright, if that''s what you want; in any case, may I ask what drove you to do this?"

    His reason is probably the same, but more different than before.

    "Hm?" he answered, "half of it was to show off."

    "What about the other half?"

    "You know, I''m looking for that unknown person. Now, my goal is to kill him."

    With that, the rain began to fall more gently, and he began to walk, leaving his statement in my head. And I followed him in silence.

    "Say," I called him, "that''s the Student Council logo, right?"

    If I''m not mistaken, that was an umbrella for Student Council members to use. There is a distinctive logo of Student Council in it. It has been troubling me the whole time.

    "Uh, I forgot to return it to him," he said.

    Commonly, people hesitate to answer that question, but Mr. Seid was very honest. I know he said it intentionally so that I would believe he went to the Student Council room.

    "Did you go there to see them, or to see the President?"

    "Is that what you think? Are you jealous in such a way?"

    "Hoh... What are you trying to say, Mr. Seid? That''s utterly nonsense."

    I noticed that he was becoming extremely annoying.

    Later, I will dig out the details of his conversation with the President. Currently this is not the time.

    "Alright, Mr. Seid, since I have million things to do, I''ll go on ahead. Please keep your commitment and your promise with me. That''s all I wanted to say."

    And with that, I took out my phone and dialed my butler''s number.

    "Erm, who are you calling?"

    "Hoh, are you perhaps, jealous?" I stared at his eyes, dead serious.

    He didn''t flinch, but I could tell he was surprised since he remained silent.

    "Let me tell you something intriguing, Mr. Seid: I don''t like walking home especially with someone, and this isn''t the route to my house. Thank you for your time, and I''ll see you later."

    I turned in the opposite direction to part ways with him, but then he replied.

    "Figures. So the entire time was all made up, Ms. Zei? Well, it can''t be helped knowing your true character. You acted a bit reluctant, you know. But I had a great time. See you later, too."

    Well, at the end, he figured it out, which frustrates me more.

 (Chapter 8) Act 2

    CHAPTER 8 Act 2

    After the stressful examination, students can finally relax and heal their minds. We didn''t have classes today, so I''ll make plans to meet with Mr. Seid and gather names as he requests.

    "Young lady, are you awake?"

    Someone called outside my door.

    "Yes, what is it?"

    "Madam and young master were already at the table, waiting for you."

    "Tell them I''ll be right there in a minute."

    "I understand."

    After reminding, I changed my clothing and started properly dressing myself. My morning routine is always on point; I typically dress up and make an effort to appear decent and confident before leaving my room.

    It''s been a week since I made the decision to be independent. My mother, the school''s principal, was so supportive of me as her daughter that she provided me with a proper house to live in on my own. However, Mom stated that I must visit the main house on weekends, which is why I''m here today.

    My mother begins by asking, "It is unusual for you to be late; are you getting enough sleep these days?"

    "Thank you for your concern, mother, but I''m alright; please don''t worry about me."

    We''re currently eating quietly at the table. My mother, Steve, and I were only here. Our father has never been at home since he is a very busy man. Nonetheless, our family had always been like this; it was nothing new to be exact.

    "It appears that you''re getting close to Mr. Seid? What happened?"

    In the stillness, Steve abruptly introduced a topic that I didn''t like the sound of.

    "I''m not sure what you''re trying to say, but it''s none of your business, isn''t it?" I regarded.

    Steve most likely intends for our mother to hear those words. Overall, he is a nosy person.

    "Speaking of which, Zei," Mom stared at me, but I didn''t exchange eyes with her.

    "Yes, mother."

    "Someone saw you together with Mr. Seid, is that true?"

    "I see, so this is how it goes..." I mutter, "Uhm, do I need to explain things?"

    "If you''d like, I don''t want to force my daughter to tell me everything."

    "It sounds like you wanted to hear something from me, mother."

    "You''re not hiding anything from me¡ª"

    "Of course not."

    "How long have you known each other?"

    I then think for a second before answering, "I guess quite a while."

    "Okay..."

    That ended my conversation with mom.

    My mother seems to be interested in this topic, and that sort of bothers me. For a while, I predicted that this would happen, and that they would likely continue to interrogate me incessantly. But for now, I''m glad they stopped asking.

    "Apart from that, you too Steve, I saw you together with Nathalie," mom added.

    "U-uh?" He stuttered.

    Nathalie Shine, the Representative of Light Family. I also saw them yesterday and even before that. They were together almost every time, leading me to believe that they were dating.

    "Is that work-related, Steve? But you two are in the caf¨¦."

    "That''s..."

    "Don''t tell me¡ª"

    "I''m done, thanks for the food," he quickly get up, plainly avoiding the subject.

    "Me too, thanks for the meal," I also get up to my feet and ignore the whole thing, "I have something else to do, mother."

    "Wait a minute, Steve, Zei."

    We halted before we could even turn around. Our mother was anxious, as seen by her troubled and dismal tone. She made a deep sigh and began speaking, "Sigh... you two, did you know your father was coming today?"

    "..."

    That statement strikes me speechless.

    I know for a fact that he will surely go home because of what I did with the Families. But I must admit that I was not prepared up to this day.

    "Father, huh..."

    "He told me this morning that he wanted to see both of you. And Zei, I''ll tell you again, even if you betray the Light Family, I''m still here for you," my mother insisted, passionately.

    "I know, but it''s just you, mother; I''m sorry, but I''ll excuse myself."

    After that, I went to my room and began packing my things. I don''t want to be here, or at least not for a second when my father is around.

    As anyone can tell, my father and I have a poor relationship. We have different perspectives and lives, yet he treats me as if I were a pawn in his game.

    It''s for my own sake that I left the Family. It''s a selfish thing to say, but that move, for me, is definitely a wise choice.

    For today, I made the decision to go to my house and stay there. Since I was in a hurry, I didn''t have time to see Mom and Steve when I left.

    Upon leaving and returning to my home, I began making preparations to gather information for the day. Ideally, I would go to school or to the Organizations'' houses to infiltrate in disguise and exchange intel. Since my time is always free, nobody can stop me from getting what I need.

    "Are you free, Mr. Seid?" I asked while on the phone.

    "Hm? Hold on," he paused as if thinking, then following, "I see..."

    "I know what you''re thinking and that''s not what you think, Mr. Seid."

    Sort of.

    "I''m sorry to decline, but I have a plan¡ª"

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    "Okay, bye."

    I hung up before he could complete his sentence. I felt this was a perfect opportunity to talk to him, introduce him to the people, and ask him who he wanted for his Organization. But he was busy, so there''s nothing I can do about that. As a result, I shall change my plans and monitor certain individuals alone. I will spend my time outside observing a few people. Mr. Seid requested a list of names, and I wanted to see for myself who the people I needed to find were. I need to find someone who can truly complement Mr. Seid''s personality. My list was long, but I only needed to mark down five names today.

    The first person that I find interesting is Kai Hunt of Gale Family, a first-year student and Ms. Hunt''s sibling. Kai was obsessed with seeking vengeance after his sister''s death. Looking at his condition, he was fixated on destroying the school since it left a mark and didn''t acknowledge his sister''s death because the school claimed it was an accident. Basically, we can take advantage of that and control him with our hands.

    He generally stands out in the middle of the road, searching for trouble.

    "You insolence!"

    "...W-we gave up, please spare us!"

    He was always itching for a fight instead of listening. Apparently, I am aware of his recklessness, but such negligence will certainly not be tolerated under Mr. Seid''s leadership and presence. And I''m sure Kai will be significantly useful to Mr. Seid.

    Next person is Caith Feild, a second-year student from Life Family. She was quite a slacker woman, but when it comes to things she enjoys, there''s no way she could be deterred.

    "Are you up here reading again, and with so many books?"

    "The library puts me at ease, Miss Libriarian."

    She is currently reading books in different languages at the Library House. She was so enamored with words that she could read and speak twenty or more languages fluently. Definitely, her abilities will be put to good use.

    Even she, though, has some difficulties. She was a stunning and gorgeous looking lady, but her detractors outnumbered her admirers. She has even received death threats for allegedly seducing tons of men. But in a sense, that doesn''t mean it''s true and she''s completely worthless. We should ignore the rumors circulating and have her at least.

    Following that is Rufus Zane, a first-year computer nerd. He has been missing for about two months because he has been tormented, not because he is fond of computers, but because he doesn''t belong in any Organization. Some others believe he lived recently alone in an apartment near the base station. I''m intending to see him at once, but his previous neighboring acquaintances told me that he doesn''t appear to go outdoors very well. Still, he''s not been seen since then, so I''ll give up for now.

    The fourth person is Lux Crest, a second-year student who also has no Organization. Since she''s a commoner and a nobody, she didn''t escape the unwelcoming dark side of the school.

    "She''s totally a weirdo."

    "Agree. That poor lonely girl."

    Hearing things like that from her schoolmates outside her house every day exacerbates her difficulties. I''m impressed at how she kept going and advanced to second-year. She has a timid appearance and a gentle temperament, which makes her easily bullied. However, from what I''ve researched, she possesses high intelligence and is adept at calculations, forming deductions, and making inferences, which sounds like a person that I know. But, for the time being, she is concealing her skills and living a somewhat dreary ordinary life, not because someone ordered her to, but because she wants to. Few people know her specifically and are familiar with her, which is why I''m more drawn to her character. She''s a rare stone, waiting to be polished. I am confident that she will be of assistance to Mr. Seid.

    I recognize them since many rumors tend to pique my interest. Even if some of them are with Families, we may still lure and persuade them to join us. We don''t want any third-years yet, since we won''t be able to handle them once they graduate.

    Last but not the least, I''m sure she''d be more fascinating if she were one of us.

    "Ms. Wyte?"

    "Oh, Ms. Steward, what a coincidence."

    We''ve exchanged glances before I move my head to the side and gaze around.

    I''m here outside the bakery where I met the lone Treasurer of the Student Council, Ms. Shane Steward. She''s wearing a classy, elegant rose pink dress, but with her apron on.

    Of course, I know she was here in the first place since she was the co-owner of this specific bakery. I went on purpose, hoping to speak with her.

    "Coincidence? But it seems like you''re here for me, no? A-ah, I''m sorry for the late welcome, but greetings to you, Ms. Wyte."

    After a little panic, she gave me a beautiful curtsy bow.

    "Same to you, it''s also a pleasure to see you here. I heard some good reviews, so maybe you''ll recommend me some of the best sellers here. "

    I don''t have a keen eye for food, but looking at and observing these pastries makes me want to return here more frequently.

    "Oh, do you want to come in first? Take a seat first, and I''ll make you a tea."

    "Erm, thanks for considering, but please treat me as your customer, not a guest, if you don''t mind. I might be bothering you."

    "No, it''s fine. Just wait a second, okay?"

    She then went inside, so I follow her behind. I can no longer refuse her hospitality now that she''s doing it on her own. I''ve heard she was good at cooking, especially baking stuffs. I also heard that one of the manufacturers in the canteen was from her own family. No wonder she herself is focused on the food industry. I''ve never tasted her home-baked pastries before, so this must be the first time.

    "Go eat some. Was this your first time here?"

    "Yes, but uh..."

    "Don''t try to be shy, okay?"

    "..."

    I was overwhelmed by what she served me at the table. It exceeded my expectations. I really admired her but was envious at the same time.

    Without hesitation, I took a mouthful of the exquisite looking bread roll. And there''s no denying that it''s extremely tasty. I didn''t make it look obvious, though.

    "It doesn''t suit your taste? I thought that would make you pleased because your face is a little, uhm, how do I say this... it''s..."

    "It was delicious, Ms. Steward. I was out of words."

    "Really? I''m relieved."

    I almost made her unhappy. It was not my intention, and it is not a good indication if I made her upset now that I wanted to talk to her.

    "Uh, I''m sorry to interrupt you, but what do you want to talk about, Ms. Wyte?"

    I paused to consider her question and regain my composure. She knows I''m here for a certain reason. I need her to understand my intention here without making her feel too uncomfortable.

    "I want to ask you first. Are you happy, Ms. Steward?"

    "...What do you mean?"

    "Is it what it is. Are you glad? Are you enjoying yourself in your current position at school?"

    "Enjoying myself? What''s up with that questio¡ª?"

    "If you actually are, you would probably respond ''yes'' right away."

    "T-that''s... Well, uhmm, how should I respond to this..." She restlessly looked to the side.

    "Are you dissatisfied?"

    "Huh?"

    "With your position on Student Council, correct?"

    "What are you talking about? It''s not like that. How can you say¡ª"

    "Does it mean I''m wrong?"

    "..."

    It''s evident now from how she reacted to it. I happened to notice that Ms. Steward desired a little connection with other Student Council members, but none of them appeared to be really getting along. Because all of them didn''t trust each other, which is what led to this. She wishes for everyone to be happy and for the Student Council to form bonds.

    "I''m not trying to make you sad, Ms. Steward; I''m here to recruit you for our Family."

    "Family? Oh right, you left the Light Family, isn''t it? And now you''re creating your own to compensate for what you lost. I know it''s hard for you, Ms. Wyte, but that''s too direct of a statement."

    "I don''t favor bonds, but I see you fit in nicely with ours, so that''s why I''m here."

    "That was a weird thing to say; you want me for yourself."

    "I don''t like sugarcoating words. Anyhow, don''t give me your answer yet. It doesn''t matter when you''ll answer, we''ll wait for you to say yes."

    "..."

    "I''ll leave now; thank you for today, Ms. Shane Steward, and see you later."

    I left her with her head down, as if she was thinking deeper into something. I know she''ll refuse to us so it''s better if I leave that conversation as it is.

    After conversing with Ms. Steward, I spent the remaining time visiting a theme park by myself. I constantly do this to pass the time and study people''s behavior. This location was ideal for observation. Observing and analyzing stuff is a thing for me.

    I stepped inside, but nothing seems different than usual. I walked in for some rides and awe, but only that was it.

    I had no idea how quickly time flew by and it was getting dark. But I have no intention of returning home because my father is most likely still looking for me and was at my house. Therefore, for today, staying out late will do.

    Following that, I meant to go to a neighboring caf¨¦, but for some strange reason, I stumbled upon Steve and Ms. Shine at the table together. They appear to be having fun at first sight, but it is simply one-sided. Steve was solely pretending.

    "So that''s what it is, huh," I mumbled as I stepped outside to flee.

    I don''t have time to be inquisitive. I had seen both of them before after class, but it had nothing to do with me. Steve has his own life, and it''d be chaos if Ms. Shine saw me.

    Instead, I decided to dine alone at a local restaurant. I really didn''t feel like cooking today. But just as I was about to enter, I noticed Mr. Seid, who was inside, together with... my mother and my father.

    "Mr. Seid mentioned he was busy, due to this?" I blabber in shock, "How could this be just a coincidence?"

    I had no idea anything like this was going to happen. For the most part, I know our parents were former acquiatances, but seeing Mr. Seid with my parents is still a mystery and also a concern.

    I didn''t attempt to go inside since I knew they''d see me, so I had no option but to cook at home.

    I was living alone at the time, so it was natural for me to come and buy food nowadays. I get some groceries near the grocery shop where I was residing and went home immediately.

    I arrived home safely, and gratefully, no strange coincidences occurred.

    "What was that for, Mom?" I pondered over and over, but I still didn''t get an answer.

    I was too exhausted to think about what had happened, so I intended to sleep for now and plan for tomorrow.

 (Chapter 8) Act 3

    CHAPTER 8 Act 3

    In such a way, calling Mr. Seid''s phone number or asking him what and why he went to meet with my parents is naturally suspicious and awkward. Though accidentally, I''m here with that guy, asking him the question directly, ignoring the idea.

    "What did they tell you?"

    "..."

    However, he didn''t answer right away.

    "You''d best not be silent because you''re making things appear suspicious."

    "Wouldn''t it be better if you ask your parents first, rather than me, Ms. Zei?"

    "I want to hear your answer, Mr. Seid."

    However, to be honest, I didn''t dare to ask my parents since I knew they would end up asking me more questions instead, so I''d rather hear the answer from him.

    Despite the fact we have no classes, I''m at the school''s cafeteria with Mr. Seid. We ran into each other by chance this morning. We were seated at opposite tables and conversing behind each other''s backs. We had no idea what each other was doing here, but I asked him the very first thing that was bugging my mind.

    "...To tell the truth, I wasn''t expecting to see them there, especially your father; we''re both completely clueless, but I assume your mother wanted to talk to me about a lot of things, that''s all."

    "What particularly did you all talk about?"

    "You''re being nosy, Ms. Zei."

    "But it''s a simple question, you don''t need to be evasive."

    "..."

    He made a muted reply, indicating that he had no intention of telling me.

    "Fine, it''s none of my concern. Wasn''t that what you wanted to say¡ª?"

    "They wanted to meet my parents personally, which meant they wanted their time."

    Unexpectedly, he answered the question.

    "So they invited you to simply tell that?"

    "..."

    "Okay, it''s uncomfortable when you suddenly get silent; aren''t you going to respond?"

    "It''s not what you think, Ms. Zei. Listen, we met for a few minutes and then I left, so I can''t tell you exactly what they wanted to tell me."

    "...What made you leave?"

    "Because in the first place, I wasn''t invited by them. I happen to be there with my sister when they invited us to join them, but I pretended to be sick so I left."

    "Wait, is that it?"

    So my conclusion was a mistake.

    "From your reaction, Ms. Zei, it was apparent you didn''t ask your parents, is that correct?"

    "..."

    My silence simply serves to answer his question. He can guess what it means, but he continued with another inquiry.

    "Now that I noticed it, Ms. Zei, why are you alone here at school?"

    "If you''re that curious, well I''m waiting for someone, but it doesn''t seem necessary right now, so I think I''ll take this time to discuss the people you have an interest in."

    Now that he''s here, we can perhaps talk about that prior matter of creating his Organization.

    "Very well, did you notify few of them ahead of time?"

    "I personally tasked some people with delivering letters; and yesterday, I went to see whether they received it."

    However, not all of them because I''m still unable to contact Mr. Zane.

    "...well, do you want to monitor some of them now?"

    "Have they given their responses yet?"

    "Unfortunately, none of them has ever contacted me."

    "Then I don''t have to see them," he notably remarked.

    "That...," I paused for a second but said, "you''re overly fastidious, Mr. Seid."

    "I want people that are determined and eager to give me everything."

    "..."

    I''m still not sure what his objectives and plans are to ensure that everyone takes part and complies under his command. However, even if I''m not a fortune teller, I can see that all of his people will surely have complete trust in him.

    "Update me tomorrow; if they don''t respond by tomorrow, then abandon them and find someone else."

    He was blatantly testing my limits.

    "You''re a little too demanding."

    "Then don''t ask me again."

    "...!"

    "I''m sure you know what to do. If you''re actually competent at this, you won''t need to ask me these questions....Therefore, I''ll leave the decision to you."

    He instantly got up on his feet and attempted to walk away.

    "So you are saying you trust my choices."

    "No, we''ll find out," he started walking, but before that, I called out to him once again.

    "...Where are you going?"

    "That''s not something for you to know."

    "Hold on, one more question. What''s your score on the exam?"

    If I had to guess, supposing that the President summoned him at school, Mr. Seid was here because his exam papers were handed to him today, guaranteeing that the paper was correctly given to him.

    "Ah right, I''m here because of that. I went to the Student Council room and they said I earned a perfect score." He said this while having a lack of expression.

    "Hoh..."

    I''m impressed with how he handled the exam questions considering that he was only a transfer student. Even though my score was practically greater than everyone else''s, he was still one step ahead of me. But...

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    "...It appears that you didn''t care, Mr. Seid."

    Nevertheless, he was naturally indifferent.

    "Hmm, do you think so...? But other than that, I have one concern."

    "Concern? That''s a strange thing for you to say."

    Typically, Mr. Seid was apathetic to everything.

    "This school was strange to begin with, but I feel like I''m beginning to embrace everything, which sounds entirely ludicrous."

    "Are you implying that this was a bad thing?"

    "This is bothersome." He conveyed dejectedly, but he quickly changed the subject, "And another thing, there''s a lot going on, perhaps starting tomorrow."

    "Tomorrow? Did President Reginald tell you that?"

    "No, the President was not present, but I spoke with Ms. Leyand earlier, and from what I can tell, she was distracted and working on something."

    "So the President wasn''t there, huh."

    "Yeah, and Ms. Leyand is always enthusiastic. She even told me that Ms. Hollows also received a perfect exam."

    In that sentence, I remained utterly silent. This is something I was not aware of. If that''s the case, what will happen to Mr. Seid''s class?

    "It''s intriguing to see what will happen tomorrow, right Ms. Zei?"

    I still didn''t respond, so he went on.

    "Regardless, are you not going to leave?" His tone becoming vapid.

    "Why should you care?"

    "Is that so?" He mumbled, as he started to walk away. "...See you later, Ms. Zei."

    His footsteps faded gently into my ears as it quickly vanished.

    I''m planning to stay for a while since I''m here to see someone...which is my father, before he departs. Because my father didn''t have time to see me yesterday, I''m here at the school to see him. My mother said that my father would be here, and she insisted that I needed to see him at least. I have no objection to the idea, but it makes me feel anxious.

    And out of the blue, someone calls me from behind.

    "I''m sorry to interrupt you, young lady."

    I''m pretty sure it''s one of my father''s subordinates. He''s such a busy man that he sent his own subordinate to simply be here.

    "What is it? Is he not going to see me?"

    "Apologies for missing your expectation, but Sir Wyte wanted to deliver this."

    He placed a letter on the table, which I plainly understand what was this meant.

    Without hesitation, I opened it.

    {Zei, I know you''re trying to avoid me even if I''m there, right? But in any case, I''ll go right to the point: I don''t have control over your actions from now on because you decided to split up with us, the Light Family, on your own. That was truly a crazy decision, but there was nothing I could do about it now that it''s been done. Finding yourself and your path is a good thing. I''ll watch you from behind. Good luck.}

    "Has he already left?" I questioned my dad''s subordinate.

    "I''m afraid I can''t answer you, young lady."

    "I see..."

    Telling me this in letter didn''t feel sincere at all.

    "Tell dad that I''ll wait for the time where we can talk personally."

    "I understand. Have a nice day, young lady."

    And with that, the person was gone in an instant. Since I had nothing else to do, I went home after that.

    The next day, school resumed, and another semester began. Nothing unusual occurs during class, and everything appears to be ordinary, as everyone can observe.

    Time flew by, and the day''s lessons were over. I didn''t mean to go home right away since I had something else planned. I now need to confirm the responses of the people to whom I addressed letters the day before. I left a number printed at the bottom of the letter, asking them to contact me if they would agree. Now I must wait.

    I was heading silently down the hallway when I incidentally ran into Ms. Lisa Hollows again, the Aqua Family''s Representative.

    "Ms. Zei Wyte..."

    She had a stern tone when saying my full name. I passed by her but immediately realized what she wanted, so I asked her.

    "Hm? What is it?"

    "I now know everything."

    By this means, she was unequivocally aware of what was going on at school.

    "What do you mean?"

    But I pretended to be clueless.

    "Destroying the Organization is your thing? I''m startled literally."

    "Is that so?"

    She knows what I''m capable of.

    "Even though you''ve revealed yourself and your appearance has changed, you''re still hiding your old self and creating problems for organizations, aren''t you?"

    "Did you think my appearance changed?"

    "Didn''t you used to have long hair?"

    "I suppose you could put it that way."

    She hesitated but still continuing, "...Whatever the case, are you creating your own Family?"

    I anticipated this information would be leaked quickly, and I''m sure all of the Representatives were now aware.

    "I don''t have time to deal with you, Ms. Hollows, well then."

    I was about to part ways with her to avoid getting questioned further, but she called out, "Mr. Seid!"

    And that made me stop, "...What about him?"

    "He requested¡ª"

    *Bzzz*

    My phone began to vibrate unexpectedly, and when I checked it, two messages appeared on the screen.

    "I''m sorry, Ms. Hollows, but I have to leave you."

    I''ll deal with her later, so I instantly left her speechless.

    I received another message but from Mr. Seid which contained the location where we should meet up.

    "Excellent timing."

    Now, the first thing I need to do is tell Mr. Seid about the two text messages. He immediately replied to me with: {That''s good.}

    The next step is to contact those two people that we need to meet at this location. In particular, those ''two messages'' have given me two names, which they identified themselves with.

    "Is it here?"

    When I arrived at the location, the first thing I saw was an old building. It appears that nobody ever traveled along this route. I walked further, and I saw Mr. Seid fiddling with his phone, but he instantly put it down when he sensed my presence.

    "What are we doing here?"

    "You will know."

    After that little talk, we casually stood and waited there, not conversing with one another once again. I don''t know why, but I''m becoming used to this awkward atmosphere.

    A couple of seconds passed before someone other than us broke the silence.

    "I suppose you are, Ms. Zei Wyte?"

    Even without looking at him, I still know he''s that person, Kai Hunt. I''m confident he''ll agree to us since he''s thirsty for retribution.

    "Is that him?" Mr. Seid asked.

    "Yes, he''s Mr. Kai Hunt, first-year from Gale Family."

    "Wait a second¡ª"

    Right before Mr. Hunt could speak, someone else spoke to us.

    "Erm, can I ask a question if you don''t mind?"

    She approached us with a gentle tone. Nonetheless, she is the other person, Caith Feild. Looking at her up close, I guess I''m fairly astounded.

    "Here''s the other person, Mr. Seid. From Life Family, Caith Feild, second-year student."

    "I see, so they''re both associated with Families."

    It''s ridiculous to imagine that the people who want to join us are affiliated with Families.

    "Yes, we only have these two, and others haven''t contacted me, so I believe it''s just them for now, but what are you going to do with them?"

    "I haven''t met them, and I''m not very good at talking to people, so please Ms. Zei, tell them about me."

    "There''s no need to tell them everything; the letter I provided is well explained, and I''m amazed they didn''t question the letter as is."

    The letter I sent was brief but precise in its explanation of the Organization Mr. Seid was forming.

    "Now that they know, shall we move?"

    Without additional questions, the two appear to catch up to us and abandon the introductory remarks. Mr. Seid was already walking ahead of us, so we trailed behind him.

    We moved inside the building, though I couldn''t help but to return my gaze to the two people behind me; they were merely silent, which made me feel odd at a certain point.

    "Do you have any questions?" I asked.

    "We can save those questions for later," but Mr. Seid interrupted.

    "Do you prefer silence, Mr. Seid?"

    "I don''t like noisy people."

    "..."

    In less than a minute, since we were following his steps, we didn''t notice that we were heading to the underground. It''s dark but only a fraction of light is visiting the place. And there right before my eyes was an old room...for prisoners.

    I''m not sure what we''re doing here, but it makes me feel uneasy. And the fact that there are just four of us here adds to my skepticism.

    "Here we are," Mr. Seid said in a gruff tone. He stopped and immensely looked at the two.

    "U-uhm, where is this place by the way?"

    Ms. Feild is, predictably, the first person to become terrified. Regrettably, they have had plenty of opportunities to inquire but have yet to do so. However, I''m not sure if Mr. Seid will answer them, or if I can.

    "You don''t need to ask; I just want you to blindfold yourself first."

    Mr. Seid gave me two handkerchiefs and two sleep masks to fully cover their eyes.

    "W-wait, what are you trying to do with us," Ms. Feild shrieked.

    Mr. Hunt, on the other hand, stated solemnly, "I have total trust in your word, Mr. Seid."

    Even myself, has no idea what Hans is trying to get. But I''m sure this is making me nervous. It gives me the eeriest feeling and creeps down my spine.

    "Get the two of them stand there and wait for my instruction, Ms. Zei."

    Mr. Seid left us, but he returned a few minutes later with two people beside him. Those folks have a cover over their entire head and appear to be tied with rope and handcuffed. What a cruel thing to see.

    "I''m glad you came back, Mr. Seid."

    I thought he was going to leave us.

    "I''m not intending to run away here if you''re thinking that way. In any case, give those two these knives."

    He handed me two sharp knives, and he turned to face Mr. Hunt and Ms. Feild.

    "What are you trying to suggest, Mr. Seid?" I asked, even though I knew exactly what he was thinking.

    The two folks on Mr. Seid''s side were suddenly on their knees, shivering in horror and despair, calling out to me, probably because they heard my voice. Of course, I was shocked, and I have no idea what they were trying to say since they are like a child who no one understands their words.

    "I can''t understand them."

    "Indeed, since they can''t speak, Ms. Zei."

    "...Why? Don''t tell me¡ª"

    "Yes, they don''t have their tongues."

    My voice is being pushed down somehow. I''m too afraid to ask any more questions. It seems that if I did, my brain would not catch up with things.

    In stillness, Mr. Seid drew the two unknown people closer to Mr. Hunt and Ms. Feild with force.

    "Mr. Hunt and Ms. Feild, right? There''s just one thing you have to do... Kill these two."

    The commanding words in Mr. Seid''s mouth was unsettling and frightening to hear.

 (Chapter 8) Act 4

    CHAPTER 8 Act 4

    "What? K-kill? How can... we do such a thing..."

    Ms. Feild expressed hesitation and discomfort.

    As she questioned, I was thinking the same thing. How can a student kill someone? Mr. Hunt, on the other hand, remained mute despite knowing what was going on.

    Hearing those remarks, the unknown two people were kept begging and screaming to us, but no one was paying attention to them.

    The environment is becoming increasingly disturbing at every second, so I take the initiative to ask Mr. Seid.

    "Mr. Seid," I began, but he didn''t look at me, "Did you realize what you''re saying right now?"

    "..."

    "I don''t know what''s going through your head, however this is not right," I continue.

    Killing, as anyone could agree, is one of the most serious sins. Even though he had his own reasons, no one was insane enough to murder someone out of nowhere.

    Mr. Seid hasn''t faltered at all up to this point, which made me anxious. He had these eyes like he had witnessed death numerous times. I was aware of his bad reputation at his previous school, but it did not appear genuine when I first spoke with him.

    Now that he''s shown his true colors, I''m even more startled to see the real him.

    "Will you kill or not?" He questioned the two once again, ignoring me.

    "No." Ms. Feild adamantly refused to do so.

    Mr. Seid was silent, together with the unsettling air.

    However, all of a sudden, Mr. Seid grabs the unknown person in front of Ms. Feild, pushes it down, and crushes its hands. We hear the snapping and breaking of the bones of that man, followed by his despairing cry.

    It was a nightmare not only for him but for us to hear that unpleasing sound and scream.

    "What are you doing?" Ms. Feild exclaimed.

    Mr. Seid didn''t seem angry, but his eyes were serious.

    "This person is attempting to flee, so I forced him to stop."

    "Who are they, by the way?" I can''t stop Mr. Seid physically so I tried to ask him to divert his attention. Thankfully, he stopped beating that guy. If anything, these two unknown people haven''t yet been identified by Mr. Seid.

    "These people are fairly well known to Ms. Feild and Mr. Hunt."

    "Hm?"

    "...What do you mean?" Mr. Hunt finally spoke out, but Mr. Seid didn''t respond.

    Interestingly, these two unknown individuals were both men. One has a tattoo on his arm and does have a large body. The other person who was beaten by Mr. Said is quite thin and tall. Other than that, I can''t specify who they were.

    "Don''t tell me, Mr. Seid, they are relatives of them," I said.

    "What!" Ms. Feild was suddenly surprised and tried to confront Mr. Seid, "Are you saying, you abducted my Family?"

    "..."

    But Mr. Seid just blatantly stared back at her.

    "Answer me!"

    "I gave you one order, just kill them. Now if you don''t want to, then leave. You are not worthy of my words."

    "Worthy of your words, you say? Are you acting almighty? This is crazy; even if you cover and flip the whole thing up, this was still a crime."

    "Crime? If you completely trust me and decide to join us, you must be prepared to face the consequences, because I don''t believe organizations or even families are realistically pure, do they?"

    He''s right. Organizations as a whole will eventually get their hands dirty in some circumstances. Also, I stated in the letter that joining us will have many consequences and responsibilities, so they must be prepared and must consider their choices before joining.

    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    "Your decision will have a significant influence on yourself and within the Family," he continues.

    With that in an instant, I can now understand what he meant of decision. Mr. Seid wanted to analyze them.

    I stared at those nameless people who were still laying down and begging. What a sight...

    "Ms. Feild, you chose to join and accept our Family, right?" I said. "Then do as Mr. Seid commands."

    Mr. Seid glanced at me, though I wasn''t looking at him. He didn''t ask a question, so I know he''s aware of what I''m saying.

    "But I don''t want to kill anyone, especially my..."

    "You''re too soft, Ms. Feild," Mr. Hunt said just before he grabbed the knife and stabbed the person in front of him. He did this not once, but twice, to ensure that the person was dead.

    Out of shock, I stood still, stunned, looking at the scene. Mr. Hunt''s uniform were splattered and soiled with blood, but he didn''t mind. He didn''t scream or even tremble.

    In that regard, no one reacted.

    It''s not the first time I''ve seen dead people, but killing someone in front of me is.

    "That''s it, Mr. Seid. Is that what you want?" He demanded sternly.

    "What? What happened?" Ms. Feild didn''t seem to notice the frightening picture of crime.

    But I replied, "Mr. Hunt did it."

    "D-did what? H-he killed..." after she heard, she instantly stuttered and fell to her knees, most likely due to stress, "...Ha... hmfh..."

    Mr. Seid has no reaction to that as if he was expecting it, "Are you willing to murder somebody merely to follow me?"

    "If that''s how it works on you, Mr. Seid."

    "Very well," he was pleased and added, "that''s a good thing."

    Ms. Feild was confused, "Good thing? Is that what you call a good thing? How terrible..."

    "Mr. Hunt obeyed, Ms. Feild," I answered. "But bear in your mind that Mr. Seid didn''t force you to do it. Didn''t you notice?"

    In the first place, Mr. Seid''s approach plainly indicates that he does not desire to compel anyone to do anything. He didn''t even care what you would do. That is what I discovered.

    Although his remarks alone will make you unconsciously obey him.

    "Hold on, so this was your plan?" Mr. Hunt immediately understood.

    "What plan?" Mr. Seid replied, "I''m only assessing based on your behavior toward a circumstance. Your decisions dictate your actions, and it''s interesting to observe how you two exhibit your character. You both look afraid to kill, yet you''re willing to fulfill my instruction."

    "Is this how you teach them, Mr. Seid?" I asked.

    "No, I didn''t teach them anything; all I can say is that we lived pursuant to our own beliefs; but killing isn''t totally prohibited in nature."

    "Even so, that kind of thinking... no, your method is far too... viscious," Ms. Feild remained scared.

    It''s natural to be afraid, especially of someone you barely know.

    "Yes, and Mr. Seid," I stated, and continued emphatically, "I cannot allow this to happen again; it is an unlawful act."

    "Don''t worry, I have permission to do so. I get these people by request."

    "Request? Don''t tell me you did all of this since you have that?"

    "You already know the answer."

    "No way. How can you..."

    I''m still baffled as to what this is all about and why Mr. Seid did this; merely to put us to the test?

    "Regardless, who are these people by the way?" I asked.

    Mr. Seid didn''t say whether they were truly their relatives, thus I presume they are different people.

    "...As I mentioned, they are somewhat people they knew. The person who died was the leader of the group whom Mr. Hunt faced a few months ago. Their group was also notorious for stealing stuff and child trafficking."

    "Is that¡ª"

    "The other one is Ms. Feild''s stalker."

    "Huh? My stalker?"

    "That guy was so obsessed with Ms. Feild that he was willing to kill innocent people simply to protect her. He too committed crimes such as massive shooting and drug dealing, and by the way, he was convicted before because he killed his girlfriend, but he escaped a few years ago."

    "As I thought, so these people are criminals."

    "What, so you''re lying to us?" Ms. Feild said.

    "No, he didn''t lie of some sort. However, Mr. Seid, Mr. Hunt still committed a crime. How can you¡ª"

    Before I could continue, he replied, "With the help of Time Family, I can prepare everything I need; also, they are on death row, so they offered us the opportunity to kill them and do whatever we want."

    "Whatever we want? I suppose your request is...no nevermind."

    It was horrendously cruel.

    "So, what are your plans after this?" I added.

    "First, I''d want to advise you that this will be our new site; I have someone I know, therefore it was fine for us to own this entire place."

    "Who is that person?"

    "You''ll find out soon enough."

    "You know, I hate it when you hide so many secrets, and you didn''t inform me what to do."

    "Then know for yourself."

    "..."

    He was as secretive as ever.

    "From now on, we''ll be known as the Order Family," Mr. Seid remarked.

    "¡ªOrder Family?"

    All three of us said the same thing.

    "Yes," he answered.

    "Did you give this any thought?" I said.

    "Do you have any names that we might consider, Ms. Zei?"

    "No...none."

    "Good."

    "Wait a minute, are you sure¡ª"

    "Also, that''s just something that came to my mind right now."

    "...Heh? To be honest, that''s lame, Mr. Seid."

    "I can''t deny that."

    "Then¡ª"

    "Uhm, so can you uncover our eyes?" Ms. Feild said. We almost forgot about them.

    On that day, Mr. Seid decided the name for the Family. He said that the Order Family will serve as the judgement.

    Ms. Feild throws up many times once their eyes are opened because she can''t stand to see the awful dead body and the scent of blood. It''s probably her first time. Mr. Hunt was on the side, though he was silent the entire time.

    Mr. Seid had said that he would clean this mess up, so we three headed home differently, as if nothing had occurred. Even so, I couldn''t think of what had just happened. But I guess this''ll be the start.

    Class continues the next day. Mr. Hunt and Ms. Feild were conversing with us in secret because they hadn''t told their Families yet.

    The future was set in. All the pieces were coming together, but one thing happened the next day.

    Someone died.

    And the news got out outside the school.

 (Chapter 9) Act 1

    CHAPTER 9 Act 1

    "Levi... Levi Flavin was dead. Is it true?" I said

    "Y-yeah, the story was true." But Mr. Wyte seemed hesitant to discuss this subject.

    It was 7:30 in the morning when the news broke and spread like wildfire. Students started whispering in the hallway and endlessly chattering about the matter.

    I''m here with Mr. Steve Wyte in the classroom to confirm something mentioned in the report.

    In the same way, I feel like this news is causing a massive fuss among students.

    "Ms. Ruclise, if you happen to know something beforehand, inform me ahead."

    "You don''t have to tell me that," I replied.

    As Mr. Flavin''s fellow student, this is shocking and concerning at the same time. Someone died for unexplained reasons, and it is very likely that it will happen to one of us.

    Out of those rumors, the one that caught my attention was that Mr. Flavin''s body was hanged upside down at the gate of the school, which was insanely cruel and inhumane. That notion sparked outrage not only inside the school but outside as well. I don''t know how it got out; but now that the public is aware of what happened, the school will definitely face a lot of problems from this incident.

    "Don''t you think this was absurd?" I said.

    "I don''t know, but even if we didn''t see the real scene, the rumors made you think that way."

    "...That''s right."

    "However, the main question is why?" He said it as if to make me think.

    "Do you have any idea who was the perpetrator?" I asked.

    "In the meantime, the Light Family will stay out of this incident, so I can''t say anything in specific."

    "I see... but I feel sorry for Aqua Family."

    ...genuinely for Mr. Levi Flavin.

    In my thoughts, Aqua Family let their guard down and this is what happened. After Ms. Hiram left the school, it appears that the Aqua Family''s misfortune began to manifest. I''m starting to notice that this is a sign of a bad omen.

    "Don''t feel sorry for others, Ms. Ruclise," Mr. Wyte remarked. I looked at him and he added, "It shows your weakness, therefore don''t try to say that to others."

    "I understand..."

    I almost forgot the most crucial thing: don''t expose your weaknesses.

    "Anyway, the Organizations will fall apart immediately, as they will lose trust in each other."

    Mr. Wyte''s words were serious enough to steal my attention.

    "What do you mean?"

    "It''ll probably trigger a war."

    "..."

    I don''t understand why he said that. I can see that Aqua Family will be on the brink of collapse, but I don''t think it''ll start a war.

    "There''s no guarantee that the peace will remain."

    Out of a sudden, Mr. Seid went into our place and joined the conversation.

    "Did you hear our conversation?" I said, remaining on guard.

    "That''s fine." Mr. Wyte had just said, "I''ll talk to him."

    "Is that so?"

    I''m a little surprised to see Mr. Seid having a conversation with Mr. Wyte. How did they get so close? I highly doubt that they talked to each other after that basketball game.

    "Here is what you need." Mr. Wyte handed a flash drive to Mr. Seid. "Oh, by the way, Zei surely has some information, why not go¡ª"

    "You don''t need to be concerned about this."

    "Alright... Ah, but please always look after Zei for me."

    "..."

    Mr. Seid only stared into our eyes, then abandoned us without saying a word. I''m not sure whether I''m allowed to speak on this matter, but I''m doing it anyway.

    "What was that for?"

    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    "You don''t have to ask, Ms. Ruclise."

    "Thought so."

    Mr. Wyte clearly indicates that this is not a matter for me to probe.

    "By the way," I try to shift the subject, "Ms. Shine, what''s the latest on her?"

    I recall that Mr. Wyte was talking about Ms. Shine''s feelings the other day, and I heard that things were going great for them.

    "You''re nosy, Ms. Ruclise," he said dismissively.

    "What can you expect? Women are more interested in these subjects, aren''t they?"

    "Well, for you to say that... It doesn''t feel like you''re the sort of woman to make such a remark."

    "I don''t care, so?"

    I just wanted to use Ms. Shine''s flaws in order to gain the position of Representative.

    "I will not say anything," he said, as if he only preferred the information kept between the two of them.

    "I suppose it''s quite a development for both of you."

    But right after I say that, he didn''t say anything and looked completely blank.

    And that concluded our chat. Since the conversation was off, I realized I should stop right here and get on to my seat.

    Time went by and the class was dismissed. It was already lunchtime. However, there was a sudden uproar going on inside the cafeteria.

    "Huh? What do you mean?"

    "I''m sorry, but it was pointless to say anything, Ms. Hollows; come with us," Ms. Hana Frey, Student Council representative, commanded.

    At the tables where students are dining calmly, the Student Council issues an order to apprehend Ms. Hollows, the Aqua Family''s representative, and Ms. Frey was in control of the entire situation.

    All of the students were watching the scene, but no one dared to interfere except for that one individual.

    "What''s going on, Ms. Frey?"

    Mr. Fred Arios deliberately stood in front.

    "Please step back here, Mr. Arios," Ms. Frey said.

    "No, please explain what the matter is."

    "Sigh," she sighed deeply for them, "I don''t want to make things worse for Ms. Hollows, but the evidence reveals she is somewhat linked to a crime. I''m sure you''ve heard about the incident that was floating around the school."

    "What? That''s a completely skewed assumption."

    "Consider before you say something that will affect your position, Mr. Arios. Student Council will not tolerate such act," Ms. Frey warned.

    "...Don''t you think it was all set up."

    "Once again, Mr. Arios, you are not engaged here, so be quiet," Ms. Frey replied sternly, "Besides, the evidence strongly puts Ms. Hollows in question. Mr. Arios, how can you not question that the fingerprint on the gun used in the crime matched Ms. Hollows''?"

    "No way," He insisted, "How can she murder a member of her own Organization?"

    "We will find out about that later. Therefore it would be better if Ms. Hollows cooperated with us."

    "You blame Lisa, the representative, for the death of our fellow member? I think this is unreasonable."

    Mr. Arios'' reasoning was sensible in a certain way. Regardless, if the proof is shown, disobeying the command is pointless. Some would surmise that if Ms. Hollows were actually innocent, there would be no reason for her to resist.

    I was shocked to hear those as well, but I can''t refute the evidence. Ms. Hollows is not a friend of mine, but that was unfortunate of her.

    "We don''t blame her, Mr. Arios. However, there''s a possibility."

    "Possibility? I''m sick of listening to that crap."

    "..."

    The silence quickly surrounds the whole cafeteria. And I think Ms. Frey didn''t like the answer from Mr. Arios either.

    "Get out of our way, Mr. Arios. Student Council will handle this matter," she adamantly concluded.

    "Fred, it''s fine, you''re extremely overprotective," Ms. Hollows interrupted with a smile, but changed right after and stared admonishingly at Ms. Frey. "I''ll go with you, Ms. Frey, but I''m sure I''m innocent."

    "The school will make the decision, Ms. Hollows; let''s leave."

    They left after that.

    Following that event, I overheard some students discussing Ms. Hollows.

    "She was with the President, so I''m sure she''ll be able to get away with it."

    When I heard those, I was taken aback. What was the source of the rumors?

    "Yeah, she''ll get away. She''s lucky to be on the Presient side," another student remarked derisively.

    I was ready to go up to them and ask what was going on, but Mr. Arios kicked the table, catching all of the students'' attention.

    Those girls didn''t worry if they were heard because their conversation was loud enough for those around them to hear. They were simply spreading rumors around the cafeteria.

    "How dare¡ª" Mr. Arios was about to say something to them when someone from the Aqua Family stopped him.

    I realize it''s difficult for Aqua Family to move now that one of its representatives has her own hurdle. I think they must act with caution.

    "What a day..."

    I only said to myself.

    The lunch break was finished, but as I was walking back to our room from the courtyard, I heard someone right at the back of the building. I went there out of curiosity and noticed Ms. Shine and Mr. Wyte were together.

    "What are they up to?"

    I was interested, so I approached them, but I wasn''t close enough for them to notice my presence.

    "I really like you..."

    The phrase reaches my ears. Ms. Shine was embarrasingly confessed her love to Mr. Wyte. That was a little unexpected. Now I''m wondering what I''m doing here.

    However, the warm atmosphere started to get cold when Mr. Wyte speaks.

    "Hey, Ms. Shine, I know."

    That frigid glance were mere as sharp as blades.

    I''m surprised to see him with that expression; he''s not smiling.

    "You know?" Ms. Shine brightly said.

    "Shut up. That''s not it."

    His harsh voice froze Ms. Shine''s body and crushed her hopes. That dazzling smile of hers has turned puzzled and glum.

    "H-huh?"

    "I want you to tell me the reason why you want Zei to be expelled?"

    Expelled? Is this linked to anything?

    "W-what?" She felt apprehensive and anxious.

    Continuing with a cold voice, Mr. Wyte shouted at her, "All of the representatives arranged this carefully, and I didn''t know a single thing until today! Now explain it to me! Are they true?"

    Ms. Shine is now shivering with dread, but she is trying hard not to show it, "H-how do I..."

    How Mr. Wyte know this and how confident was he about it?

    "You''re forgetting something, Ms. Shine, that Zei is my sister; even if she doesn''t have any Organization, I can still call her my family."

    "I know... but..."

    "But?"

    "..."

    Ms. Shine didn''t answer him, moving her head to the side.

    "...Alright you don''t have to answer me. That''s fine. Don''t talk to me the rest of your life." He hastily turned his back on her.

    "W-wait a sec¡ª"

    "Shut the hell up; I''m a moron for letting you explain everything."

    "..."

    They parted ways in separate directions, and no one sought to get a glimpse of the other.

    That was uncalled for. I was at loss for words as to what to do. I''m not in a position to be inquisitve about this, but I''m worried about how things will go for them.

    "Right, Ms. Zei Wyte..." I mutter as I recall.

    If I don''t have someone to talk to, the last thing I can think of is questioning the person itself, Zei Wyte.

    But when I got to my room, I heard someone murmuring about something.

    "Ms. Zei Wyte is also detaining them."

    This chain of events is filled with mystery and coincidence. I have no idea what exactly is going on.

 (Chapter 9) Act 2

    CHAPTER 9 Act 2

    Due to the shocking event, all of the classes were officially suspended. Pupils were not permitted to step on the school grounds until they were told to. Therefore, all of us are now dispersed except for the Representatives of the Main Organizations. Furthermore, there''s a media outside the school that raises the hurdles of the entire student population. So, for the sake of safety, they decided to put this day off.

    Now I''m here with Mio at the convenience store. Usually, we went to this place after class to pass the time and hang out together.

    I can''t comprehend what has transpired and why the suspect did all of this. What was the real reason behind the incident happening at the school? There''s a possibility that he or she was manipulating us to divert our attention in some way.

    This is getting way too complicated.

    "Hey, Alice, what do you want?"

    Mio said this while marveling at the ice cream section''s different flavors.

    "Nothing in particular, just pick anything and I''ll go the same as you," I replied.

    She turned around and cast a glance at me, "You look distracted right now. Is there anything bothering you?"

    I looked at her, surprised at myself since I never thought I was that apparent, "Ah no... I''m..."

    "What?"

    "...I''m just thinking of the earlier occurrence."

    My mind is currently out of place because of the fortuitous things I''ve encountered.

    "You don''t need to be worried about that, Alice; school will handle that matter."

    "I know, but there''s still something that doesn''t add up."

    "Hn? Add up?"

    "Yes, I can''t tell anything for certain, but everything seems unusual to me; that''s all I can say."

    I''m not sure about how I feel and what I''ve heard thus far.

    "Alice, if you''re feeling unsure, ignore it. But if you''re that eager, just ask me and let me help you," she added as she went to get the unusual avocado-chocolate flavored ice cream.

    "..."

    We don''t have any plans to leave after that little conversation, so we remain a bit longer inside. After purchasing food, we proceeded directly to the table. This convenience store isn''t exceptionally huge, but the location is ideal for wasting some time.

    "By the way, Mr. Wyte and Ms. Hollows, do you hear about them?"

    "Are you serious, Mio? This is the first question you''re going to ask?"

    This girl can''t keep her lips and ears shut when she hears such things.

    "Well, I''m wondering since I heard a lot that they were always together. Do you hear anything, particularly from Mr. Wyte?"

    "Um, I heard that they were together... but Mr. Wyte refused to discuss it."

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    "Eh? That man literally sucks..."

    "Stop spouting nonsense, Mio."

    "If I had a chance to talk to him, I would do so and bombard him with questions until he surrendered."

    "However, you see, we don''t know how they''re doing well thereafter."

    Fair enough, Mio didn''t know what had just happened.

    "...Huh? What do you mean?"

    "Nothing," I said, refusing to discuss anything.

    I determined that for the time being, I should keep things hidden. This will reduce the number of false rumors that may harm their relationship.

    "Doesn''t it feel like you''re hiding something secret from me, Alice? You really know a lot of information, don''t you?"

    "It''s all in your mind."

    There are a lot of things going on that I need to be quiet about. I''m sure she gets it.

    "Anyway, what about the Independent Families?" Mio asked.

    Independent Families are keeping their movements as minimal as possible, but we can''t relax our guard.

    "We haven''t gotten any more instructions, so I can''t tell for sure. As Mr. Wyte ordered, we must keep a watch on them."

    "I see."

    Regardless, there are still several things we must keep an eye on, so many things that I''m starting to lose my composure. There are more issues than I''ve imagined throughout this day. Mr. Seid was correct; the current state of tranquility will not last.

    "Come to think of it, Mio, have you ever talked to Mr. Seid?"

    "Talk? No; he seemed aloof, right?"

    "But do you have any idea of what he was thinking?"

    "What''s wrong with Mr. Seid and you suddenly bring him up?"

    "...I was referring to the request he just made."

    "..."

    Suddenly, Mio froze and recalled what it was.

    "When we think about it, the request is pretty troubling; did you expect the Representatives to do precisely what Mr. Seid said?"

    "You''re right, I also think the same. How would Mr. Seid do with that request?"

    "...It is aghastly strange."

    "But we are not involved there, right? So there''s nothing to be woried about." She emphasized.

    Representatives from Time and Light Family were talking with him, so I assume it''s up to them what their objective is. However, I''m not convinced Time Family will allow Mr. Seid to do what he wants.

    Mr. Seid stated in his request that he wished to obtain particular prisoners on the death row and use their lives to completely surrender to him. That was a ludicrous request, but Time and Light Family stood up and agreed with him with nothing to say.

    "Speaking of which, did you witness what happened to Ms. Hollows?" Mio asked.

    Mio was not on the scene, but she has excellent ears.

    "Yeah, I''m there, and that was unfortunate of her."

    Ms. Hollows is being interrogated, and everyone knows she''s a potential suspect.

    "I heard she was being questioned, but she insisted that she was innocent. Don''t you think she might perhaps be telling the truth?"

    "Whether you agree or disagree, the school will make the final decision, and..."

    "And?"

    "Her request also piqued my interest."

    As everyone knows, she also received the request she desired. And Ms. Hollows requested to find Hiram Frestia, but no one spoke up to help her. Mr. Arios was present at that moment, but I''m very sure he was assisting her prior to the matter. Aside from him, no one. All of the students, especially the Representatives in our class, seem unwilling to assist, as if they knew something. They acted reluctantly, but they have chosen to take a step back.

    As far as I know, Hiram Frestia was a member of the Aqua Family, but she left and went to a different school.

    "Didn''t Hiram Frestia already left the school?"

    "Exactly, that''s why it''s odd that Ms. Hollows asked for it."

    "I thought requests were unconditional, but Representatives didn''t take her request," Mio mumbled.

    "I had the same notion, but it is what it is."

    Not long ago, before Hiram Frestia transferred out, Ms. Hollows was diligently active in the school''s activities, and now she seems different than before.

    She skipped the morning class today, which leads me to suspect that she''s off to something.

    I believe Ms. Hollows'' absences, were not due to illness but to something else, maybe busy finding for clues about Hiram Frestia.

    "How about you, Mio, did you think the culprit was Ms. Hollows?"

    "What was that coming for?"

    "Just wondering what you think."

    Mio answers me right off the bat, "Even if I had an answer in mind, I can''t simply say what I think, Alice."

    "So you''re unsure too, huh?"

    "Honestly, I totally had no idea of what was happening."

    "Seriously, what was the reason behind all of this?"

    "I think you''re delving too deeply into this, Alice."

    "..."

    "...In fact, there''s no reason for you to do so."

    "T-that is true..."

    If I think about it, she''s right.

    "Alright, I know you''re worried, so just let it out on me. Of course, if it''s anything confidential, please keep it to yourself. Now, let me help you unwind a little. Hurry up and let''s go have some fun today!"

    "Have fun?"

    She grinned at me and reached for my arm. We left the convenience store and proceeded to the arcade.

    Later that day, we had a lot of fun. And we returned home thereafter.

 (Chapter_10) Act 1

    CHAPTER 10 Act 1

    Ideally, it''s nice to have someone you look up to; to be encouraged to work hard and do your best. However, those expectations and inspiration will might eventually lead to disappointment.

    When I was a kid, I was introduced to a new realm that I''d never heard of before, where there were several clouts and highly skilled individuals that fascinated and overwhelmed me.

    My family, the Shine Family, was a member of one of those prominent Organization called the Light Family.

    At an early age, I perceived everything with an open mind. I realize that I exist in this world for one purpose, from which I can''t easily escape.

    Initially, my parents taught me different things, including how to manage a business, how to handle the people around me; how to have a respectable reputation, proper manner, and even skills that could kill people. They raised me to be prepared for the future.

    I understood that the enormous responsibility of establishing my own position and reputation had gradually become my mundane reality.

    Consequently, as I grew up, they expected a lot of things from me as well, which was not easy for me.

    I''m a dedicated kid who constantly keeps up with everything, but no matter how well I do, someone else steals the spotlight from me, and that is Zei Wyte, from the Wyte Family household.

    She is the one who always draws everyone''s attention, including mine. We were peers, just like any other child in the Light Organization, so she wasn''t a stranger to me. I was amazed and captivated by how skillfully she read out everyone and how she critically thinks when it comes to our mini games. I''ve got to admit Zei is a pristine individual.

    Many Families attempted to entice Zei, but none of them were successful. Besides, just like all of us who were born Blue Bloods, her path was predestined the moment she was born.

    In such way, she is indeed a great tool for the Wyte Family.

    One time, I happened to be fortunate enough and got to work with them. Later on, I became involved in their affairs, and the Wyte Family at least acknowledged my accomplishments.

    Working with the Light Family has always made me happy, especially with the Wytes. But one thing is for certain, I''m trying my best not only for the Light Family but also for someone else...and that person is Steve Wyte.

    Steve Wyte was also someone I looked up to as a child. He was the first person I encountered when I officially arrived at the Light Family main house.

    I got lost playing around back then and was lucky to cross his trail.

    "Are you new here?"

    "...U-uhm."

    "It seems like you got lost; come with me."

    Regardless of having doubt since he didn''t explain a single thing to me, I followed him in silence. Before I knew it, we made it back to my parents. That day, I came to the conclusion that he was familiar with the place and had maybe lived there.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    After a few days, I discovered that he had been adapted by the Wyte Family. Nonetheless, what drew my interest in him was that I could tell from his eyes that he was striving hard for a specific standing and meeting the expectations of everyone around him. He made me realize that his condition is far worse than mine, yet he is not giving ground.

    Having said that, I want to work together with him. I''m also trying my best to earn his approval and support. That''s what was in my head back then. And the moment I knew, I always thinking about him.

    I''m glad that I''m here now. Steve and I were getting along well day by day....or so I thought.

    I''ve been completely submerged and nearly drowned by my dreams at the moment without even realizing it.

    And when he says those words to me, everything turns upside down.

    "I really like you..."

    I muster up everything that holds me back up to this point and I finally said it proudly. He told me to meet with him at this place so I thought this is the time to express my feelings.

    "I knew," with deep held voice, he was staring directly in my eyes.

    I felt happy for a moment, and gladly I asked him, "You knew?"

    "Shut up. That''s not it."

    Without noticing it, he was dead serious.

    "H-huh?"

    "I want you to tell me the reason why you want Zei to be expelled?"

    "W-what?"

    Now, I''m getting confused.

    "All of the representatives arranged this carefully, and I didn''t know a single thing until today! Now explain it to me! Are they true?"

    He yelled at me and my mind went blank.

    "H-how do I..."

    "You''re forgetting something, Ms. Shine, that Zei is my sister; even if she doesn''t have any Organization, I can still call her my family."

    "I know... but..."

    "But?"

    I''m experiencing a mental breakdown. I won''t be able to respond immediately.

    What should I say to him?

    "...Alright you don''t have to answer me. That''s fine. Don''t talk to me the rest of your life."

    "W-wait a sec¡ª"

    "Shut the hell up; I''m a moron for letting you explain everything."

    "..."

    I remained silent and uttered nothing that day. It appears like my timing is awful.

    I''d always known that this might actually happen. It was obvious that I was being rejected, but I''m glad I expressed this out. Perhaps my feelings were not genuine and were only adoration.

    Even so, I still despise his sister more than anyone, and I''m sure he knew what happened to us in the Library.

    Zei was right, and I''m aware of that fact. I''m so attached to the Light Family that I abhor anybody who would betray us. I don''t forgive people easily, and it''s simply my nature.

    Besides, I''ve made a pledge to myself to safeguard the Light Family at all costs.

    Zei did betray the Light Family as well as myself. She lied to us for years without our knowing, and I accept that it is partly my fault for failing to see anything.

    However, arresting Zei was not in my plan yet. I wanted to get rid of her with my own hands, but as I had suspected, those people were the culprits, and they did an excellent job of covering up everything.

    However, I don''t think they''ll be able to solve the entire problem if you construct another one. They dragged Zei out of nowhere into this mess and may end up with a severe issue later on.

    Detaining Zei is their only choice since they don''t have anything else. It is just foolish and naive decision to make.

    To summarize, using Lisa as a scapegoat is their answer, and they subsequently draw Zei into the situation. Making the first scheme, then removing the root next. Therefore, Zei''s case will be overshadowed by Lisa''s case.

    I''m not sure how they foresaw this coming, but one thing for sure they wanted to achieve; it was to get rid of the mastermind, Zei Wyte.

    As a result of involving the daughter of a prominent group, other Families will be worried and will most likely keep out of the picture, or if not, they will be hesitant to help the Light Family, specifically the Wyte Family. In this case, Zei is direct daughter of Wyte Family, one of the Light Family''s well-known families.

    All of the Organizations knew about Zei in the past. However, she suddenly vanished, and her existence had been missing for the last few years. Of course, now that she admits that she was staying at the school all along, it''s natural for all organizations to pay more attention to her.

    Also, at the moment, Organizations were in chaos and weren''t aware, however, if evidence points to Zei obtaining too much information, all organizations will be overly startled.

    So what they (culprits) did is that they diverted this by focusing the attention on Lisa''s case. I agree with them at first, but I have a feeling they''re going to pull Zei into this, and that''s what happened.

    Now that the hearing has been put on hold, I''ll try my best to protect the Light Family as much as possible.

 (Chapter_10) Act 2

    CHAPTER_10 Act 2

    The school was closed owing to the ongoing situation. Leaving that aside, we are now gathered in the Student Council room for an emergency meeting with all of the representatives.

    I came here by myself since I couldn''t find Steve elsewhere, and I''m very sure he won''t attend this meeting anyway because of me. As I already stated, this entire situation has nothing to do with me. Though, I keep my hands off despite being aware of the situation. Well, that was my choice, and I don''t regret it.

    When I enter the room, everyone is serious, and their eyes are all on me, as if I''m the one who caused this problem. However, I noticed nearly all of the representatives were present at this time. This is quite rare to see because we all know how busy we are, but they make time for this. This must have been a significant concern for them.

    They''re all sitting calmly next to each other, though unconcerned.

    Anyway, to some extent, gathering here will become more complicated and uncomfortable, or is it just me who feels that way? Because every time we gathered in one place, I felt like disaster was on the way.

    "Will Mr. Wyte be present at this meeting?"

    And having said that, now comes the first question addressed to me. This is exactly what I anticipated.

    Ms. Katharine Leap from Evanesce Family was the individual who posed the question to me. A third-year student and a good friend of mine. She is a conscientious and thorough lady.

    "Uh..."

    As a result, all of them who heard were carefully waiting for my answer. In this moment, I don''t know how to properly express the answer to them. This is not simply a gathering of representatives, because one will certainly identify your flaws through your words.

    "Oh, I see..."

    "Are both of you not on good terms right now?"

    A third year student besides Ms. Leap which also the representative of Evanesce Family, Mr. Vince Hunsod. A very well known name amongst second year and third year especially on females. As a matter of fact, this man was dangerous if you dare to fight against him.

    "It has absolutely nothing to do with you, Mr. Hunsod," I said.

    "What do you mean it has nothing to do with me? I''m just simply asking, you know?" He said it confidently.

    "True, that was the case, however I don''t want to talk about it." I glanced at him but quickly turned my head away.

    "Mr. Hunsod," Ms. Leap interrupted. "Stop making the air more uncomfortable for everyone."

    "...Alright, alright. I get it."

    "I''m sorry Ms. Shine, but that''s the way he''d want to greet you."

    "..."

    Following that, the surroundings began to calm down. I went right past them to get to my seat. Because I am the sole representative of the Light Family here, I should be careful of everyone else. They are extremely clever and cunning. If you let your guard down, you''ll certainly be humiliated.

    A few minutes later, Time Family arrived, drawing everyone''s attention.

    "Oh, is anything wrong?" Mr. Past remarked, just casually entering with a slight disturbance.

    Apparently, there''s quite a crowd here. I''m sure Time Family saw how many people came here to just find out what was going on.

    "Is Steve here?" Mr. Past said after noticing me.

    Again, the question was up, which was putting me on edge.

    "...Why asking me?"

    "I see... that''s how it is, right?" he commented, knowing what was going on.

    "Stop fussing, Mr. Past," I replied.

    He shrugged and said, "You don''t have to tell me that, Ms. Shine."

    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    I''m not surprised by his taunting and confidence since all of the Representatives are kind of like this. What surprised me was the presence of Ms. Lock, one of the Time Family''s Representives. She had never attended a meeting previously, even if the Time Family was engaged in a specific occurrence. That''s why I''m perplexed by what''s going on with her today. I''m not sure what this signifies.

    After a modest bow, she didn''t stay longer in front of the door and quickly left Mr. Past there. To my perspective, she''s quite aloof and a scary one to interact with. That doesn''t seem right, though. Regardless, she exudes an incredible presence whenever I see her. And then the other day, when I saw her, she didn''t even bother to talk at all.

    "I''m delighted you two came here, especially you, Ms. Lock," a remarkable woman walk straight to Ms. Lock had said.

    "..."

    Ignoring the statement, Ms. Lock didn''t respond to this kind of greeting.

    Now that was interesting to see.

    That student who approached Ms. Lock was Ms. Stephanie Efrosh, a newly reputed individual who was recently bestowed the title of representative by her senior. As anyone might expect, if a representative grows tired of the title, he or she can give it to those who truly deserve it without going through the main house. If that representative dies during his or her reign''s school year, the Family itself will appoint a new one. To summarize, the representative has its own authority to bestow its power on someone else. However, this is an uncommon circumstance because the title "Representative" is appealing and they do not want to offer it to everyone. Technically, we are greedy by nature.

    To be honest, I''m not interested in Ms. Efrosh, but associating with Ms. Lock despite her being new to this gathering is admirable. Also, her Efrosh Family wasn''t great on their own, but I heard they were extremely devoted to the Clone Family. Now I''m curious how she''ll manage the Clone Family as a leader.

    "I''ll leave my number here, Ms. Lock," without any hurry, Ms. Efrosh placed a number card in front of Ms. Lock and quickly left. However, Ms. Lock called her out, saying, "Wait a minute." Immediately, Ms. Efrosh comes to a halt, and Ms. Lock replies, "Here''s mine."

    I guess this type of interaction between these two was nothing to be worried about. I can sense that they wanted to be ''friends'' somehow.

    In that regard, my attention is drawn to Ms. Auguron, who is quietly observing around. She and I weren''t particularly strangers. I remember seeing her come to the Light Family''s house when I was a kid, but I''m not sure why. Later on, I discovered that the Auguron and Wyte families are somehow connected and have a wonderful relationship since Zei''s grandfather and Ms. Esper''s family were close friends. Despite the fact that Gale and the Light Family are not the same in that manner.

    That was indeed strange. Many questions arise in my mind regarding how and why, but I leave that as it is. This never occurred to me as a possibility.

    Unfortunately, Ms. Esper Auguron never returned to the main house of the Light Family after the incident where Zei ran away.

    Following that, Esper''s eyes diverted towards me, and I could tell she was still furious at the truth. After that incident in the library, she never talked to me again.

    She looked away instantly, as if she were trying to brush me off. Nevertheless, I did what I should have done in the first place. I knew what I needed to get rid of and what I should prioritize.

    At the moment, I didn''t feel anything bad either for Ms. Hollows and Zei for being questioned by the Student Council. Mr. Oaes from Aqua Family, felt the same way. Yes, Mr. Oaes was also aware.

    I had previously discussed their intention, but I refused to assist and did nothing about it.

    "Are you certain, Ms. Shine? Didn''t you hold a grudge against Ms. Zei Wyte?"

    "I''d do it alone if I had to do it alone; there''s no need to engage anyone else."

    "Are you wary, or did you have any concerns?"

    "Concerns?"

    "I assume you don''t completely hate Ms. Wyte."

    "What? That''s nonsense."

    "Alright, if you don''t want to help, I guess I need you to remain quiet about this; I''m sure you know what happens when this doesn''t work out, don''t you?"

    "All Families were already doomed before you made a move. It''s already over for us because of her. The relationships between Families were no longer the same. Why do you¡ª"

    "Yeah, and that''s why we need to get rid of the parasite; well, we don''t have any other alternative; see you later, Ms. Shine." He muttered as he walked away, leaving me staring at his back.

    "This is troublesome."

    That was on my mind while talking to him that day.

    So far, he appears to be rather relaxed and silent today, as if he were laying low.

    The silence in this room, on the other hand, became increasingly unsettling with each passing second. At that point, Ms. Auguron finally spoke.

    "So, what are we going to do from here on out?" Ms. Auguron inquired.

    "When you think about it, this isn''t the first time the media has been involved?" Mr. Hudson wondered.

    "I''m sure all of you will get away from everything you all have planned," Mr. Past said.

    It appears that not everyone here is informed of the plan, but I''m sure they were just vaguely aware of it.

    "Nonetheless, Ms. Auguron, it looks like you didn''t know," Ms. Crimson from Demise Family was on the side, provoking Ms. Auguron.

    "Know what?"

    Also, they kept this from Ms. Auguron and Steve, which is why her response was obvious.

    "Hmm, now I''m not sure I want to tell you."

    "You..."

    "Keep your cool, Ms. Auguron," Mr. Arson on the side, was giving her a warning.

    "Do you know any of this, Mr. Arson?" She asked.

    "No. I have no idea what they''re talking about."

    "It''s about Ms. Zei Wyte," on the corner, Ms. Lock, remarked. The uproar appears to have caused her quiet to shatter.

    "What?" In response, Ms. Auguron shouted.

    "Ms. Zei Wyte isn''t going to be expelled."

    At that point, all of the gazes are on Ms. Lock, waiting for her next words.

    Ms. Efrosh replied, "...What do you mean?" Her face looked puzzled.

    "We''ll prevent it from happening. That''s it," Mr. Past stated, adding, "If somebody intervenes, Time Family will consider it as breach of our agreement. and all of our connections will be terminated instantly."

    "That''s..."

 (Chapter_10) Act 3

    CHAPTER_10 Act 3

    Partnerships and agreements between Families are essential in business and for broad influence. For the most part, it''s a win-win scenario for all sides; yet, because of Zei''s involvement, different Families severely cast doubt on one another and, of course, Time Family was triggered as well.

    Among the Fifteen Families, Time Family is the one that holds the most influence and power compared to the other Families. Being in partnership with them is a significant thing, and wasting this chance may be a loss for anyone. I can say they maintain a high ground, and you can barely catch their mistakes.

    However, what Time Family stated is a bit annoying. They''re casually displaying their power to us as if this were their territory.

    "That''s..."

    "You certainly bragging¡ª"

    "No, we''re not, but we mean it," Ms. Lock replied.

    "..."

    I''m pretty sure that Time Family itself was aware of the fact that they have the upper hand in this situation.

    "Why are you doing this? What''s the benefit for Time Family?"

    My mind is bugging me with this question the entire time, so I asked her.

    "Zei Wyte had nothing to do with the Mr. Flavin case..."

    "Then?"

    "Isn''t it therefore terrible to drag her into this mess?" she said.

    "Are you sure what you''re saying, Ms. Lock?" Mr. Oaes suddenly enters our conversation.

    At that point, the deep stillness began to engulf us. Ms. Lock and Mr. Oaes stared at each other down, but Mr. Past intervened, "Looks like you wanted Ms. Zei Wyte to leave the school, Mr. Oaes?"

    "Opposing or not, the fact that Ms. Zei Wyte already leaked the information we''ve had is enough to expel her from this school."

    "As we''ve already stated, Mr. Oaes, if someone is against the Time Family, we will terminate our contract with them."

    "Why do you go to such lengths to protect her, Mr. Past?"

    "It wasn''t me that requested this, but Ms. Lock," he answered.

    All eyes were now on Ms. Lock, and we wondered what she had planned for this.

    "Shouldn''t we be wary of Independent Families right now? They seem active these past couple of days," she abruptly changed the subject.

    Come to think of it, we haven''t been paying attention to them. They were simply making a little fuss a while back, but why did she bring them up?

    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    "What about them?" Mr. Ilne asks.

    "Didn''t you all suspect they were up to something too?"

    Some of us were preoccupied with internal matters, so we didn''t bother to look at Independent Families for the time being. For the most part, Steve told all of the Light Family members that we should be aware of them; nevertheless, we didn''t get any information yet.

    "The Nevial Group," Mr. Past said, continuing, "Does anyone ring a bell?"

    I''ve genuinely never heard of this before. This looks kind of troublesome.

    "One of Independent Families create a group and named themselves after that," Ms. Lock stated, adding, "They were collecting assets and buying shares to increase their wealth. And that group was led by the Chernet Family; also, this isn''t the only Group that has been growing rapidly; the Givion, Dertexs, Plave Family, those three Families from different Groups were also expanding their field. Just so you know, and I''ll say it once, all of you should be aware that your position isn''t permanent."

    That certainly implies that someone from another Family may seize our place in the near future.

    The atmosphere stiffens gradually, making us feel more uneasy.

    "Aqua Family," she goes on, "I''ve heard that sixty percent of your employees have been fired from one of your companies. Is that correct?"

    "Who told you¡ª?"

    "I''ll let you figure out where I got this information from; regardless, where do you think they go to?"

    "..."

    "Of course they''ll go where there''s an opportunity, don''t they? Those gentlemen at the Nevial Group were now beaming and benefiting from it."

    So this is one of the Aqua Family''s issues. We faced similar struggles before, and I know firing someone is a difficult decision. I suppose they also did it for the benefit of the Family and the business.

    "I don''t think there''s any value in choosing the defective ones," Mr. Oaes remarked.

    "Though even the poor quality has some purpose; it''s up to them how long they retain it," Ms. Lock replied.

    "Oh, so that''s what you''re up to these days, Ms. Lock? Running errand and be a nosy kid?" Ms. Crimson sneered, but Ms. Lock answered her with a slight smile, "And so basically sitting here was the only job you did, Ms. Crimson?"

    "...How ridiculous of you to assume so, Ms. Lock," she added, "But do what you like. The Demise Family will remain impartial. We came here just to see the result of this matter."

    "That''s good to hear, Ms. Crimson. Nonetheless, all I have to say is that the Fifteen Families must not waver and must not devour each other. This is not what I know from all of you," Ms. Lock gazed around intently and stops at Mr. Oaes, adding, "Besides, there''s someone on the far who''s watching behind your backs and making fun of all of you because of how you all act foolishly. And yeah, from my perspective, I think it''s entertaining to watch a bunch of fools at this certain distance."

    "What did you say¡ª?"

    "Stop, Mr. Hunsod," before everything gets worst, Ms. Leap instantly restrained Mr. Hunsod. "She was provoking all of us, and now you act like one of them."

    Someone then, enters the room without any hesitation that captures our attention.

    "Did you hear everything, Ms. Zei Wyte?"

    And it is, indeed, she. This is definitely unexpected occurrence.

    "...I''m sorry for the sudden interruption," Zei said, completely disregarding Ms. Lock''s question.

    All of the attention was now focused on Zei, but because almost all of us hadn''t expected this to happen, we were too stunned to speak.

    "To begin with, I want everyone to know that Ms. Zei Wyte was here the moment we arrived; we brought her, but she chose to stay outside for a bit," Mr. Past explained.

    "...Why is she here?"

    Ms. Oaes inquired, but Zei answered him.

    "Setting me up with my own stuff isn''t a terrible idea, but there''s a flaw; do you know what it is, Mr. Oaes?" Zei kept a straight expression and looked Mr. Oaes in the eyes as if she were devouring him, "It''s because my name was Zei Wyte."

    I''ve heard that the murder weapon came from Zei''s belongings, therefore she became a suspect too.

    "She''s been cleared of all charges in connection with this occurrence, and she wanted to investigate who''s behind this incident, so we want to bring her here to hear what everyone has to say," Mr. Past announced.

    "Now, everyone, we want your honest cooperation. Please tell us everything you know," Ms. Lock said.

 ANNOUNCEMENT

    Waahh... It''s been so long since I last logged in. Anyway, I have a some good news, I''ll be back in writing again! To anyone has been waiting and read until this notice, I personally thanking everyone for waiting not just for Hans Seid, but also for me. I''ll be posting the next chapter, just give me some time to re-read tho LOL. That''s all and I''m glad I see you again here.

    Waahh... It''s been so long since I last logged in. Anyway, I have a some good news, I''ll be back in writing again! To anyone has been waiting and read until this notice, I personally thanking everyone for waiting not just for Hans Seid, but also for me. I''ll be posting the next chapter, just give me some time to re-read tho LOL. That''s all and I''m glad I see you again here.

    Waahh... It''s been so long since I last logged in. Anyway, I have a some good news, I''ll be back in writing again! To anyone has been waiting and read until this notice, I personally thanking everyone for waiting not just for Hans Seid, but also for me. I''ll be posting the next chapter, just give me some time to re-read tho LOL. That''s all and I''m glad I see you again here.

    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    Waahh... It''s been so long since I last logged in. Anyway, I have a some good news, I''ll be back in writing again! To anyone has been waiting and read until this notice, I personally thanking everyone for waiting not just for Hans Seid, but also for me. I''ll be posting the next chapter, just give me some time to re-read tho LOL. That''s all and I''m glad I see you again here.

    Waahh... It''s been so long since I last logged in. Anyway, I have a some good news, I''ll be back in writing again! To anyone has been waiting and read until this notice, I personally thanking everyone for waiting not just for Hans Seid, but also for me. I''ll be posting the next chapter, just give me some time to re-read tho LOL. That''s all and I''m glad I see you again here.

    If you notice this, here''s the spoiler (Go back and read earlier chapters, READ it again)

    Waahh... It''s been so long since I last logged in. Anyway, I have a some good news, I''ll be back in writing again! To anyone has been waiting and read until this notice, I personally thanking everyone for waiting not just for Hans Seid, but also for me. I''ll be posting the next chapter, just give me some time to re-read tho LOL. That''s all and I''m glad I see you again here.

    Waahh... It''s been so long since I last logged in. Anyway, I have a some good news, I''ll be back in writing again! To anyone has been waiting and read until this notice, I personally thanking everyone for waiting not just for Hans Seid, but also for me. I''ll be posting the next chapter, just give me some time to re-read tho LOL. That''s all and I''m glad I see you again here.

 (Chapter_11) Act 1

    CHAPTER_11 Act 1

    "Do you think all of the Fifteen Families will stay together, Ms. Leyand?" the President asked me.

    "Why are you questioning me all of a sudden?" I replied.

    I''m in the Principal''s office with the President of Student Council to discuss recent events at school.

    "I''m just curious what you think, knowing there''s a danger nearby."

    "Danger you say? Do you mean Hans Seid and his Order Family?"

    Due to the discussions earlier, I now know what''s with Mr. Hans Seid.

    "The Order Family," he whispers.

    "Nothing to worry about, Mr. President" I responded cheerfully, "But I''d like to ask you as well."

    "Hm?"

    "...Are you satisfied with your decision?"

    "Ms. Leyand," he stated.

    "Yes?" I said, smiling.

    "You know that my position carries a lot of responsibility, so my decisions aren''t easy to make."

    "We all knew that, but I meant what''s inside of you; I''m curious how you feel."

    "That''s rather unnecessary, Lou," he said frigidly, dodging the question.

    "You''re not being honest, Ethan," I responded.

    He just looked at me, saying nothing. I can tell that he is irritated.

    "Anyway, I just wanted to confirm that Ms. Lisa Hollows will be expelled, but Ms. Zei Wyte will remain in school, is that correct?" I said with a kind grin.

    "You''re getting pretty excited about this, Ms. Leyand."

    "Fufu~is that so?"

    Earlier, there was a commotion here in this room. Because of the ongoing incident, Mr. President wants to clear things up. We don''t want to hear this from anyone, so we headed to the Principal''s office.

    "You know why I called you here, you two?" Mr. President asks the two guests, namely, Ms. Wyte and Ms. Hollows.

    "Not sure," Ms. Wyte replied, but Ms. Hollows on the side remained silent the entire time.

    All of the remaining Student Council members were present and simply stood on the sidelines. Madam Wyte, the Principal, was not here due to urgent circumstances. She wanted to settle the issues outside of school, therefore we''ll resolve the internal matters and serve as the court here.

    "I''m sure Ms. Frey made it plain to you both that we need your presence here to straighten things up," he continued.

    "Is that so..." Ms. Wyte makes an insipid response.

    "If you could, Ms. Wyte, please prove your innocence to us."

    Ms. Wyte immediately chuckles, "Pft haha; how naive of you, Mr. President; you''re already treating us like criminals."

    "Didn''t you come here to prove your innocence?"

    "Why do I need to prove something that I don''t even know?"

    "Alright. Now, how about telling me this evidence?" Mr. President looked up at me, indicating that I should show them the pictures of the evidence. Without hesitation, I handed the envelope to them, which contained some photographs. The pictures depict the murder weapon that was used as well as the victim''s body.

    Eventually, both of them just stared right back at me until Ms. Wyte said, "That''s fabricated. I can already tell."

    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    "What are you saying, Ms. Wyte¡ª?" I said, but Mr. President shoved me away.

    "Hm? Tell me, Ms. Wyte, how do you say so?" He said, then added coldly, "Prove it to me."

    "It''s pointless," she thought, adding, "There''s no use in proving myself if this was all planned by someone, right? Besides, right now, I don''t have any power."

    She had abandoned her family, so she was aware that no one could help her from this.

    Gradually, the silence began to visit us. However, Ms. Hollows finally breaks the stillness.

    "Do you see the evidence, Mr. President?" She asked.

    "Yes, I did see it."

    The question brought Mr. President to his senses. After seeing her calmness earlier, I realized Ms. Hollows was examining the entire room, including me.

    "Well, what are your thoughts? Do you believe we did it?"

    "I''m simply here to be in between, Ms. Hollows; I don''t take sides, so please avoid certain queries," he stated.

    "Thought so. It looks like I''m right on the spot¡ª"

    The conversation abruptly stopped when the door unexpectedly opened with a thud. All of our attention is focused on the two people who arrived.

    "Ms. Lock and Mr. Past?" Mr. President uttered these words in confusion.

    "...Don''t make a fuss here, Ms. Lock," Mr. Crane told them.

    "I apologize for the sudden interruption, Mr. President," Mr. Past stated calmly.

    "What brings you two here?"

    If they come here and disrupt our conversation, it means they have an important business here.

    "All we need is for you to release Zei Wyte," Mr. Past said.

    As I heard this from them, my mind went blank. Sure enough, we''re all wondering the same thing...

    "Why?"

    "You don''t need to know why, Mr. President," Ms. Lock interrupted, "because we''re here to prove her innocence."

    "For one thing, why are you going to such lengths to save Ms. Wyte?"

    "Do I need to repeat myself, Mr. President? Regardless, I can state that Ms. Zei Wyte has nothing to do with this entire situation."

    "You only need Ms. Zei Wyte, is that correct?" I said.

    According to their remarks, Time Family does not want Ms. Lisa Hollows, but rather Ms. Wyte herself.

    They replied honestly and plainly, "Exactly."

    Ms. Lisa Hollows didn''t say anything, but the expression on her face indicated that she was frustrated. But I''m a lot more perplexed right now. I''m not sure what the advantage is for them.

    "Then prove that to me," Mr. President asks.

    Ms. Lock remained silent for a minute, contemplating her response.

    They couldn''t have come here without proof.

    "...Order Family."

    When she stated this, I caught a glimpse of Ms. Wyte''s feint reaction. I''ve never heard of this Family before, so this might be vital information.

    "This is Mr. Hans Seid''s newly founded Family," she continues.

    "Mr. Seid, huh?" The President wonders, "What''s your point?"

    "As you may have heard, they actually formed yesterday, but that''s not the whole point. Together with Mr. Seid, Ms. Zei Wyte joined them."

    "..."

    We were all startled to hear this. I, too, had not anticipated that Mr. Seid and Ms. Wyte would form a Family. However, what''s surprised me the most is that Mr. Seid tried to start his own Family. I recall him saying that the entire Family thing is ridiculous.

    "Fufu~ that''s quite interesting, don''t you think?" I said.

    "Indeed," Mr. President agrees, "But why are you saying this to us, Ms. Lock?" He immediately gathered his composure.

    "As I mentioned, they formed this yesterday, and Ms. Wyte was present there."

    "..."

    Ms. Wyte didn''t say anything to that assumption, as if she were keeping her word.

    "If you don''t want to believe me, here''s my conversation with him."

    Ms. Lock handed me her phone as though she was certain of her proof. She calmly stared at me in the eyes. I can tell that they did have a talk, but this was insufficient. I stared at Mr. President, wondering what he was going to do with this.

    "I''m surprised you managed to contact him, Ms. Lock. I had no idea you were having conversations with him without my knowledge," Ms. Wyte stated.

    "Ms. Wyte is correct," I muttered, "Why do you have a conversation in the first place."

    "...I''m not here to answer that question," she adamantly replied, "Anyway, if this isn''t enough, summon Mr. Seid here; though I doubt he would show."

    She is perfectly aware that Mr. Seid was unconcerned about Ms. Zei Wyte. Mr. Seid will undoubtedly not spend his time on this.

    To summarize, Ms. Lock wants to state that Ms. Wyte spent the entire day yesterday with Mr. Seid and has nothing to do with the case.

    "You know me well, Mr. President. I hate lies," she insistently added.

    Ms. Lock was raised for honesty, and I can see that in her.

    "Besides," she replied, looking at me intently, "...No, nevermind."

    She pulls back her words, but I understand what she means. Her eyes tell me that she is aware of what is going on. I didn''t respond to her in that regard.

    I didn''t inform them about the "idea" since I knew she didn''t care about her surroundings. Nevertheless, I overlooked this and was taken off guard. I had no clue she would support Ms. Wyte.

    She then diverted her sight to Ms. Hollows and bent slightly in greeting.

    That was the end of the discussion earlier. All of the decisions were, of course, made by the President himself, and it will not be questioned further. No one was around right now since the meeting had already been dismissed.

    "In any case, Mr. President, do you want me to look into the Order Family?"

    "Why are you asking me?"

    "Fufu~ Didn''t you organize this? You''re now my boss, I must follow your orders, right?" I teased.

    "Do anything you want, as long as you don''t cause a problem."

    "Okie!"

    "Please wait, Ms. Lou."

    "Hm? What is it?"

    "Be careful of Independent Families."

    "You don''t have to be concerned about me, alright Ethan? I''ll go on ahead!"

    I exit the Principal''s office with delight. But I came to a halt on the way since there was someone outside in the hallway.

    "Ms. Frey?"

    "I heard it," she says, and with the serious look on her face, I can sense trouble.

 (Chapter_11) Act 2

    CHAPTER_11 Act 2

    I was taken aback by what she said, but I kept my cool as usual.

    Don''t tell me she overheard me talking with the President?

    "What are you on about?" I said.

    "Is that you, Ms. Leyand?" she asks, "I heard about it from Ms. Hollows."

    That woman is causing quite a stir, isn''t she? She suspects me, as predicted.

    "What exactly do you mean?" I questioned.

    "It''s all about the President''s rumors. Ms. Hollows told me that perhaps you spread wildfires and targeted Ms. Hollows as if she were Mr. President''s girlfriend, and now everybody knows about the story you created."

    I instantly regained my composure and stared at her. Though hearing this from her rather than anything else makes me feel reassured.

    "If this is a rumor, then no one will believe it, right?" I reasoned.

    "True, Ms. Leyand, but it is still a fact that you spread these false rumors; spit the facts."

    "Are you certain it was me? And what is there for you to investigate? Looking into it, I''m assuming you cared about these two people; and I doubt you care about Ms. Hollows than the President; so, to summarize, you are concerned with¡ª"

    "Yes, I''m concerned about Ethan; so tell me what your obejective is."

    I''m quite surprised she revealed her true feelings to me. It has been clear that she likes the President, but she never told me about it even once.

    "Oh my, are you taking those rumors seriously, Ms. Frey? Why are you now sticking your nose into this?"

    "Stop playing games with me; I am just here to find out why you have to create those rumors."

    She is overly interested in something that can accidentally lead her to the truth¡ªthe truth that could result in her ruin later on.

    "If I tell you, Ms. Frey, will you keep it and promise not to tell anyone else?" I said it in a nice tone.

    "It all depends."

    "Thought so. It seems like Ms. Frey is not trustworthy at all. Okay, since we are here and you made an effort to investigate the situation, I will now tell you why those rumors started."

    I''m sure she''ll find out soon enough, so I think it''s better for her to find out early.

    "...It is just to make sure that the President is unstable." She was completely perplexed in my words, but I continued, "Anyway, I''ll get straight to the point; the President will be dead soon."

    "¡ªWhat?! D-Die... you say?" I can sense her hatred towards me in those surprised remarks. "You stupid! What are your plans behind this, huh? Did you get conceited now, Lou?" she says as she runs towards me and grabs my collar.

    "What are you telling me all of a sudden, Hana?" I shook her hands, but she kept her grip firmly. "Hey, Hana, I will let you know that I am simply stating facts here. The President concludes that Zei will be discharged, but on a side note, Ms. Hollows will be expelled, which implies that the organization will be not satisfied with these outcomes. Therefore, you know what that means. It''s all pointless."

    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    She said solemnly, looking down, "He''ll be the target of the entire Organizations..." She then let go of me.

    "Now that you understand what I''m saying, do you think I started those rumors?"

    Ms. Hollows is brave enough to point the guns at me. To be sure, I was unaware when Ms. Frey approached me, but it made me understand that no one can be trusted here, even I, don''t trust the President.

    She ignored my question and said, "Then why didn''t you do anything to save the President? Didn''t you like him, Lou?"

    Those words surprised me...

    "Is that what you think, Hana? Who knows... If he liked me, he and I were dating right now, and the same goes for you," I responded with a phony grin.

    She paused for a moment before responding, "So the rumors weren''t coming from you... Then who could it be?"

    And now afterall she believed me.

    "That''s for you to find out." I was going to walk away when she grabbed my wrist.

    "Are you not going to help me with this, Lou?"

    "No, I don''t want to," I stated honestly, "it''s a waste of time because nothing will change, right? Pointless efforts aren''t my thing."

    I have this thought in my head that if I put in the work, the end result must be guaranteed. That''s why I''m just a watcher for now since I know what will happen. Besides, I believe it is better for the Families if I leave it here.

    "If you have nothing else to say, Ms. Frey, I will go for now."

    "Wait, I''ll ask you one more question: did you know the entire situation and what was going to happen?"

    "To be honest, I did."

    "Then--"

    "As I said, even if you have less than one percent chance of hope, it''s futile, the game already ended," I conclude. "Anyway, Ms. Frey, I know you are eager to talk to Mr. President, so this is the right time to talk to him. And this is also a reminder; do not talk to him about what we have discussed, he knows far better than you do, so there is no point in discussing this with him."

    "I understand, but... I can''t easily give up," she said.

    I didn''t have time to pay any more attention to her, so I walked past her and then walked away, "Well then, Ms. Frey."

    Her words had stayed with me. The plans I have seen are not what I expected, or rather, are not what I have heard about. I do not want to spend too much time there since I need to disseminate the President''s decision and, of course, tell it to Ms. Hollows. Currently, she was being held briefly in the Student Council room to await the President''s decision. I will go there to give her the commands straight, but to my astonishment, Mr. Crane was outside, exchanging fists with Mr. Seid.

    "What are you two up to?" I asked them.

    I bet Ms. Steward was in the room with Ms. Hollows. The President let the SC monitor her for a bit; however, I did not expect that this would happen.

    Nobody responds, so I ask them again, "When are you going to stop fighting?"

    They both looked at me at the same time, but they eventually ignored me. They are itching to fight each other, therefore their ears were closed this time. In somebody''s perspective, they were about equal in strength.

    Mr. Seid, on the other hand, is becoming agitated, and Mr. Crane is becoming increasingly annoyed.

    "Mr. Devon Crane!" I exclaimed.

    I quickly take out my phone and get a photo of them. Mr. Crane turned his head, but Mr. Seid did not. "I will inform your girlfriend that you got into another fight."

    Luckily, after hearing me, Mr. Crane immediately stopped, and nothing worse happened.

    "I know you wouldn''t tell her about this, Lou," he continued, looking at me as if he was about to murder me. "Anyway, I''ll stop here. You wanted to announce something, right?"

    "His mere presence irritates me," Mr. Seid said as he slowly walked into me. "Where is the President, Ms. Leyand?"

    "Wait a sec, is that the reason why you''re both fighting? Just to see him?"

    "No, he attacks me first, for some reason."

    "Mr. Crane, are you that eager to put him to the test?" I said while being upset.

    We have information regarding Hans Seid, and Mr. Crane is aware of it. He wanted to challenged Mr. Seid and see his strength.

    He only replied to me, "This guy is a monster."

    "Going back, Mr. Seid, you wanted to meet with the President, right? Were you concerned about what was going on?"

    "I''m here to see him and Zei."

    "Are you worried about her too?"

    "Yes."

    "What?"

    "..."

    "Uh... nothing."

    That was an unexpected response from him. Hold on¡ªdidn''t they create the Order Family? Is that why he is acting this way?

    "Now that I know the truth, tell me where he and Zei is," he said.

    "Truth? What are you talking about?"

    "Who''s behind this, and I''m sure you know something about what was going on, Ms. Leyand."

    I can''t respond to him in this open space, so I grab his hand and proceed into the Student Council Room. Ms. Steward and Ms. Hollows were inside the room when we entered. Laughing around as if there''s no serious issue at all.

 (Chapter_11) Act 3

    CHAPTER_11 Act 3

    I looked at the two girls, who were staring at me blankly.

    "What''s up? Why are you with Mr. Seid?" Ms. Steward greeted me, but she seemed perplexed, as did Ms. Hollows.

    "Ms. Steward, didn''t you warn Mr. Crane earlier? They were fighting in the hallway," I pointed out.

    "Ehh?" she said, startled.

    "I clearly said this before, please keep an eye on him."

    "But he informed us that they wanted to talk alone, so I let them go."

    In answer, I let out a long sigh, "How can this be..."

    Well, Ms. Steward was like this since I met her. She could be easily duped by anyone.

    "So, what are you two laughing about?" I quickly changed the subject.

    "Oh, that? We are talking about¡ª"

    "It''s nothing; didn''t you come here to make such announcements?" Ms. Hollows intervened.

    On that note, I thought it was suspicious, but I consider it best not to question them again and to get straight to my business. So, with that, I inform them of the President''s decision. They remained silent and did not interrupt me.

    "That''s how it is, huh? This is the end for me," Ms. Hollows said grimly.

    Mr. Seid made an observation, saying, "This isn''t what the perpetrator would expect..."

    I wouldn''t mind if Mr. Seid knew everything before the rest of the school, because this news will be publicized eventually. Now, from his statements, I would assume he was aware of what was going on.

    Ms. Hollows hastily inquired, "What do you mean?"

    "I need to talk to the President," he adds, disregarding her.

    "No, you don''t have to because he''s already aware of the situation," I explained.

    "Ms. Leyand, have you ever told the President how you feel?"

    "What? That came out of nowhere, Mr. Seid..."

    "Did you say the things you wanted to say to him?"

    "No... uh..."

    At that very moment, I was dumbfounded. Those words stung me.

    "If you tell him what to do, he might reconsider."

    "What are you trying to say?"

    He looked into my eyes with the intent of probing me further. That gaze was obviously analyzing me. He is indeed trying to understand my emotions.

    "He is still human, and there are occasions when he is unable to accomplish something."

    "How did you know? And the same is true for you, Mr. Seid."

    He''s trying to convince me to do something in this circumstance with Ms. Hollows'' case.

    "I was aware of my inadequacies, Ms. Leyand, therefore I sought out a person who could fill those flaws."

    "That person? Are you referring to Ms. Wyte?"

    "Enough of me; why did the President select you to be the Secretary, Ms. Leyand?"

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    And that pierced my heart once again. I''m not here to hear his utterance, but it did make me realize something; I''m such an idiot. What am I doing?

    "Sigh... Why am I even listening to you anyway?"

    "I''m not here to lecture you, Ms. Leyand, but this has made me believe that this will not end if you don''t stop this. My purpose here is not to side with the Families, but I guess I''ll just do it anyhow."

    He then advances to the door, but Mr. Crane stands in his path, "You can''t go, Mr. Seid."

    Mr. Seid, on the other hand, simply looked at him dreadfully. I can see that he is suppressing his rage.

    "Mr. Seid," I cut in, "we''ve heard you have your Order Family."

    "..." He didn''t react to it in the slightest; and seemed didn''t want to respond to my comment, so he remained mute.

    "If that''s true, then what is your goal?"

    I''m completely interested in his reason for starting a Family.

    "I see. This is much better, I guess," he stated in satisfaction. "Would you let me off the hook on this one, Ms. Leyand? I promise to answer your question the next time."

    "Hmm... is that so?"

    Without waiting for my answer, he started to take a few steps toward the doorway. Though, Mr. Crane, interfere once again.

    "You can''t leave Mr. Seid until you tell us what the truth is you are talking about," Mr. Crane said.

    "Truth? Didn''t Ms. Leyand already explain to the Student Council?" He then glances at me, but he concludes, "Well, that seems not to be the case. Zei was correct, you people have no attachment with one another."

    "What did you say¡ª?"

    Mr. Seid instantly grabs his arm and jabs him in the face, but Mr. Crane escapes the strike unharmed.

    "You can''t beat me, Mr. Seid."

    This will not end, so I interjected between them, "Mr. Crane, let him go. I will need to discuss something to the SC members."

    Mr. Seid walks away as soon as Mr. Crane lets go of his hand. At the moment, Mr. Seid is not a concern. I need to make things clear on what''s important right now.

    "What''s Mr. Seid talking about? How come you didn''t inform us sooner?" Ms. Steward inquired. Her look had changed from one of curiosity to one of concern.

    "In truth, that''s because I''m upset... with the President."

    "What makes you feel that way?"

    "...Because he intended to ruin all Families."

    Ms. Hollows responded to them for me. As expected, this rendered them speechless. And because the two SC members had no idea, I believe I should tell them right now.

    "I discovered Ethan was planning to destroy the Organizations when someone informed me about his background; it was shocking at first, but later on, I talked to him about it, and he was blinded by revenge; of course, I was upset at him deep down, while also being heartbroken."

    I can clearly recall his firm declaration and its grim retribution on that day. I can''t even oppose him.

    "What is this about his past?"

    "No one knows about it, except Hana Frey. I''m not going into detail, but that was his objective from the start. He understands the risk, especially to his own life, but I know that if I warn him, he would choose to reject me nonetheless."

    "That jerk, why is he acting as if he has responsibility¡ª?"

    "He needed to, Devon," I interrupted him, "he needed to forget and move on."

    "That seems like his history was unpleasant, doesn''t it?" Shane said.

    "...I guess so."

    "So why didn''t you stop him yourself?" Ms. Hollows questioned.

    "You''re the third person to ask me that, and I''ll tell you again why; I was upset at him¡ª"

    "That''s an excuse; in truth, Ms. Leyand, you''re scared. I never imagined I''d see your shortcomings at the time like this."

    "No, that''s not an excuse... in any way."

    "You''re too obvious right now, Ms. Leyand; you''re afraid to address him directly, which is why you wanted all Organizations to side with you and let them accomplish what you wanted to do; yet, you''re still trapped in this quandary of whether you''ll go and stand with the President or oppose him."

    "It makes no difference whether I inform him what I feel or not since he was too blind to see his own."

    "That''s why the Student Council must still assist him, but I''m becoming frustrated because the Student Council isn''t what I imagine it to be; Mr. Seid was right, all of you are just a bunch of individuals."

    As Secretary of the Student Council, I cannot disagree with Ms. Hollows'' statements.

    "Therefore, that finishes my assumption that this entire scenario was entirely due to you, Ms. Leyand."

    "...You''re not wrong in that sense; I''m somehow linked to and drawn into this mess."

    "Now that you''re here, Ms. Hollows, may I ask who murdered Mr. Levi Flavin?"

    My eyes widen, and I unconsciously glance into Ms. Hollows'' piercing eyes. I can affirm that she, too, want to uncover the identity of the culprit.

    "If you''re that eager to know..."

    "Who is it? You know that I didn''t doing anything wrong. I don''t care if I''m going to be expelled or not; all I want to know is the truth."

    "...It''s Mr. Fred Arios."

    "What!?" she said as she rose from her seat "Are you serious, Ms. Leyand?" She fixed her gaze on me.

    "Do you think I''m joking right now? You wanted the truth, right?"

    Ms. Hollows gets up and tries to leave the room, but Mr. Crane is waiting right outside the door, therefore she can''t leave right away.

    Mr. Crane remarked, "Please calm down, Ms. Hollows; you''re not in a position to go out right now."

    "I''m calm, but I''m angry," she explained.

    "Why are you so upset right now, Ms. Hollows?" I asked her.

    Ms. Steward muttered quietly in my ear, "Earlier, Mr. Arios was here and told her that he would make sure that Ms. Hollows gets released, and then he left us. I can tell that she was somewhat really glad, but what you said is a bit..."

    To relieve my frustration, I let out a huge sigh from nowhere, "Ms. Hollows, do you like Mr. Arios?"

 (Chapter_11) Act 4

    CHAPTER_11 Act 4

    "Ms. Hollows, do you have feelings for Mr. Arios?" I asked.

    Even if she didn''t answer, I already knew. She glared at me appallingly and said, "Tell me exactly what happened, Ms. Leyand, and how certain your information is. I don''t want to believe that Mr. Arios did something unimaginable."

    "As I thought, you still doubt me. I have no evidence Ms. Hollows, but someone told me about it."

    "And who is that person?"

    "Mr. Sean Gounter, from Alter Family..."

    "...I see. Alter Family seeks war, huh?"

    "Hang on a second Ms. Hollows, I don''t think Alter Family as a whole knew about this; I didn''t obtain enough details about his plan, but I''m still looking into it," I explained.

    "Why didn''t you act sooner and notify us about this? You hesitated and now you''re paying the price," Mr. Crane interjected.

    "From what I can see, the situation right now is helpless¡ª"

    "That is not the case; you are essentially allowing things to happen," he added.

    "No, like I said, I happened to stumble upon Mr. Gounter that day..."

    I had already received information from Ms. Horveon about Mr. Gounter''s movements. Ms. Sofia Horveon was my main informant in the Alter Family. And technically, I ordered her to closely monitor him. As an ex-member of Alter Family, I can confirm that Mr. Gounter was known as a lackey of our Representatives. I happened to cross paths with him on the day Ms. Lisa Hollows went to the Student Council to take an exam. That day, I was startled to see Ms. Hollows return after almost a week of absence. I needed to speak with her about Ms. Hiram Frestia, but I knew she needed to talk to the President, so I left them in the SC room for a bit. As I returned after leaving them, I observed a peculiar individual loitering outside, and that was Mr. Gounter.

    "What brings you here?" I immediately questioned him.

    "Ms. Leyand? No, um... I intended to speak with the President, but I had never expected Ms. Hollows would be there, so I''m deciding to go back for now."

    His statement was obviously a bluff. There was no one outside at this early hour, especially since the meeting had already ended.

    "Is that so? Then I''ll make an appointment for you, Mr. Gounter, to meet with the President; you may leave now."

    "A-Alright..."

    He was about to leave, but I can''t let this slide off easily.

    "Fufu, why are you so uptight, Mr. Sean Gounter?"

    I remember his name clearly since he was known in the Alter Family. He then paused, "What are you trying to say, Ms. Leyand?"

    "Do you think you can fool me? When did you think you could eavesdrop outside the Student Council room?"

    "I''m telling you the truth."

    "If so, you must come to me first. And how did you know Ms. Hollows was inside? What are you planning? Spill it now or you may regret it later."

    "Is that a threat?"

    "Call it whatever you want, but if all of a sudden there was a commotion going on around, I will be the one to punish you."

    "Woah, how scary, Ms. Leyand. Why are you so stern?" He then moves closer to me and remarks boldly, "Alright, to tell you the truth, I''m not here to speak with the President; I''m here for you."

    "...Hoh?" That made me skeptical.

    "We are aware of your animosity toward the President. You want to get rid of him, right? We can help¡ª"

    "Shut up! How did you know?" I instantly snapped at the moment, "Is that your goal?"

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    "Isn''t that what ''our'' purpose is, Ms. Leyand? Aren''t you going to protect what you have?¡ªThe Families, especially the Alter Family, are the only reason why you''re here now."

    "..." Slowly, all of my thoughts went blank.

    "Didn''t you forget the purpose of joining the Student Council? Don''t let your feelings change you, Ms. Lou Leyand."

    "I-I''m not... Don''t you dare instruct me, Mr. Gounter."

    "I wouldn''t dare, but that was just a reminder. Your feelings for the President are futile. You don''t have him. You can''t have him. Don''t waste your time thinking about your choices; protect what you have, the Alter Family."

    "..."

    And after that, he left. That irritated me since he was only a member of the Alter Family and thought he could talk big like that. Nevertheless, that day, his compelling words clouded my thoughts. I don''t know what my heart desires. But I do know one thing; in a sense, he is totally right. All of his words penetrate my uncertainties. As he said, I have to do the right thing and protect the Families. So I had to choose to go along with his plan.

    On that same day, I get a chance to talk to Ms. Hollows after she finishes her examination and subconsciously inform her about Ms. Gounter''s plan. However, I''m still not aware of his idea. So I contacted Mr. Gounter before the day ended, and he responded in a letter. From there, I learned that the whole scheme had been devised accordingly. And my mind was gradually losing sight of what to do. I thought that everything was inevitable, even if I chose to stop it.

    [We are going to get rid of the Aqua Family, so we''re going to set a fire between Mr. Arios and Mr. Flavin. Later on, we''ll add something to it.]

    "Are they intending to eliminate one of the Families? This is going to be a war," I thought.

    [That''s what has been decided by ''everyone'' in other Organizations. Some of them agreed with us since they are at the bottom of the Fifteen Organizations. We will re-nominate for the vacant seat if possible. Oh, and we will also eliminate Zei Wyte.]

    "Wait... what exactly did he want?"

    That is what I read in the letter. I had no idea how he would pull this off, though I think he is convinced.

    After that, I burned the letter. I decided to talk with Ms. Hollows again on that same day and tell her about it. Later, I found out that Mr. Gounter was using me to create a fuss. Ms. Hollows tells me that this was all my plot, which puzzled me. Mr. Gounter informed not just her but other Representatives too. Of course, this offended my reputation, but I''ll keep my calm as usual when talking to Ms. Hollows. I thought to myself that this was for the best in order to protect all of the Families.

    However, as a result of what Mr. Seid statement earlier, my thoughts began to move in a different way. But, as I said, there''s no way someone can stop this situation, not even me. It''s all meaningless now that I''ve evaluated the entire thing. Even after hearing this information, I can tell Mr. Seid has come up with this theory as well. Though, other things did not go as planned, such as the Time Family saving Zei Wyte. Despite this, they accomplished their primary purpose of eliminating the President and shattering the Aqua Family. Still, I''m not sure why they want to get rid of Ethan.

    "I''m curious, why did you tell me about the plan, Ms. Leyand?" Ms. Hollows asked.

    "Hmm... I wonder why... Maybe I thought to myself that I needed help and didn''t want to get my hands on this mess."

    I wished I could turn a blind eye to this. Funny enough, I am such a hypocrite.

    "But you are involved in this trouble, Ms. Leyand," she added.

    "Right, and that''s how I came to the conclusion that this whole situation does have something to do with Mr. Gounter, along with the rumors between the President and you, which are essentially unavoidable."

    Apparently, the rumor between Ethan and Ms. Hollows was unmistakably from Mr. Gounter as well.

    "I''m wondering if Mr. Oaes was aware of all of that. How could he have let this happen without knowing it?" Ms. Hollows murmured. "I''m going to see him¡ª"

    "No, you can''t go outside, Ms. Hollows," Mr. Crane insisted.

    "Please, just this once?"

    "I know you''re worried and wanted to clarify things, but you still can''t go because everyone thinks you''re a criminal," I stated.

    It may sound harsh, but it is true for her.

    "I never thought Mr. Gounter would plan such a thing; wasn''t the Alter Family aware of what was going on?" Ms. Steward asks.

    "I''m still on bad terms with them, so I don''t know right now, but I asked Ms. Horveon about it."

    This is not the right time to ask the Representatives of Alter Family. Though Ms. Horveon is someone I can trust, so there''s no need to worry. She was with me at the time when we joined Mr. Seid at the cafeteria. I remember it being so tense and awkward back then.

    "Your wish, Ms. Hollows... I wanted to get that, you know?" I bring this up to ease up the room.

    "Wish¡ªthat''s what you wanted from the start, right? Why though?"

    That wish... I didn''t get enough points, or rather, I didn''t get a perfect score to beat Mr. Seid and Ms. Hollows. If I ever obtain it, I''ll be greedy and selfish.

    "Of course, everyone in our class wanted that. Wishes are always a secret, don''t you think? So it''s best if it stays hidden. You already have one, right?"

    "I wanted to find Hiram, but no one helped me; it''s just a nonsense game in our class."

    "It''s obvious you wanted to go for that, Ms. Hollows, but it''s difficult to acquire information about her."

    Even I was still skeptical about her whereabouts.

    "I know... but still..." she persisted, "Uh, speaking of which, didn''t you have any information about Hiram, Ms. Leyand? You wanted to talk to me that day, didn''t you?"

    "Well, that? Last time we said that she dropped out, we meant she was being transferred out; apparently, the President and Principal only knew where she went but didn''t tell us."

    "Is that so? That''s what the Principal told me before; that Hiram wanted to leave the school... But why?"

    "Well, that''s what I thought. You don''t know exactly the reason."

    "How could I possibly know?"

    "Fine... That day, I thought I could talk to you about her words before she left when I was able to talk to her."

    "What did she say?"

    "She blurted out inconceivably that she was tired of everything."

 (Chapter_11) Act 5

    A few months ago, I spoke with her.

    "I''m tired of everything..." Hiram Frestia whispered in a sigh.

    "What do you mean?" I asked.

    "Nothing... Anyway, please let me speak with the President if he is available."

    "Fufu, I see..."

    We''re in the Student Council room, and two of us are sitting opposite each other. Ms. Frestia arrived unannounced, so she missed the President''s schedule and didn''t have time to speak with him. And unfortunately, I''m the only one here because all of the members were doing necessary things.

    "Don''t speculate anything, Ms. Leyand; that look of yours is a little concerning."

    "You''re not holding back when you talk to me, are you, Ms. Frestia? Just try to smile every now and then."

    "That''s good advice; don''t worry, I''ll remember it. Good thing you already know my name."

    "Of course, I had a knack for recalling students who had bothered me for a while; they basically piqued my interest."

    Hiram Frestia. From what I''ve seen, she''s a diligent student and has a sense of responsibility. Her overall appearance is not typical of most people, in my opinion. She has these unwaveringly clear eyes and a pristine disposition that draws your attention right away. In any case, she''s been frequently visiting the President for some important matters, according to her. She''s been acting arrogant recently, which has upset me greatly.

    "I see. Speaking of which, Ms. Leyand, has Mr. President told you anything?"

    "Like what?"

    "...So he didn''t say anything?"

    "Erm, obviously? What is it anyway, and I wanted to know why you are always coming here?"

    I asked the President the same question, but he didn''t tell me anything.

    "I don''t want to tell you this, but you''re the first student, aside from the President, to know that I''m leaving the school," she stated, as if she were already determined.

    Surprisingly, she was forthright about it. Because of how serious she was, her tone made me fall silent for a split second. And now I can see why she''s been here for over a week, preparing her papers.

    "Why though? Did you have any problems in school?"

    "It was just a whim; in any case, it has nothing to do with you."

    "Then why bother telling me?"

    "I wanted you to inform Lisa Hollows, Aqua Family''s representative."

    Mr. President has informed me that Ms. Frestia and Ms. Hollows were formerly friends.

    "She''ll find out about it eventually because I know the President will tell her. Regardless, wasn''t it better if you told her yourself?"

    When it comes to disclosing information, it is common for it to spread through rumor, especially if the news is significant. However, if the news is not much of a deal, like in Ms. Frestia''s case, it may not be completely a fuss.

    "I understand... I''m going to leave now, Ms. Leyand," she seems to be contemplating about something, "This will be our last meeting," she says, getting up from her seat.

    "Again, why are you acting as if I will pity you?"

    Those words were making me...

    "Is that how you see it? You''re a human; it''s natural to feel sorry for someone."

    "You''re getting pretty annoying, Ms. Frestia."

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    "In any case, don''t mind me; I need to go now."

    She walked away with an insipid smile.

    That was the last time I spoke to her. After that, she didn''t even go to the SC room for days, and recently, the President announced that she had decided to leave our school. Although it doesn''t surprise us, the Student Council members were still unsure of the cause. I''ve been thinking about that issue alone for a while now. Even I haven''t come up with a justification for her leaving.

    When I bring up the subject to the President, all he replies is, "She''s been going to transfer out."

    Clearly indicating that she will be switching schools. That is the best conclusion I have ever come to. The most interesting part is that we couldn''t even reach her Family, and her classmates didn''t have any idea either. The only way to solve the mystery is to get in touch with every school I know. But regrettably, visiting and writing letters to different schools would be difficult, even for a Secretary like me in a well-respected school. Additionally, my restricted range and lack of acquaintance with other schools made it unlikely that I would find her.

    None of the Student Council members were aware of what I was doing. I''ll do this out of curiosity and to break up my boredom, so it''s really just a whim.

    One thing that comes to my mind is gathering information, which a specific individual I can think of, Ms. Zei Wyte, can provide. I''m sure she can offer you whatever information you require. At that time, she is well known among Representatives and other third parties with different names. I made contact with her without knowing her identity at all. In truth, Ms. Zei Wyte is the one who told me about Ethan''s background. With that in mind, I went to her.

    "So, what is it that you want now? Of course we''re here again for negotiation."

    Ms. Zei Wyte and I were at the back of the school, where essentially no one was around.

    "Hiram Frestia, do you know her?"

    "Oh, is that why you''re here?"

    "I just wanted to know."

    "What are you going do with it?"

    "I thought you didn''t seem to care about the people with whom you''re negotiating?"

    "For this time, I wanted to know what your side was."

    Technically, I didn''t care about silly things, but I realized this incident somehow caught my attention.

    "The President didn''t tell me the details or the reason for Ms. Frestia''s transfer, so why is that? This has drawn my attention, and until now it hasn''t answered anything, so this is my last resort."

    "I see... but the information you''re looking for is limited, and I''m still looking into it, so I don''t have what you''re looking for right now."

    That came as such a surprise to me. Hearing that, I concluded that my chances of learning anything about Ms. Frestia were slim. Now, this is starting to get more interesting. Ms. Frestia has been an unpredicted individual ever since, but she remains a mystery.

    Currently, I intended to meet the President again to see if he would discuss it, but the entire thing has become more complicated since there''s a massive case right now that we need to resolve first. Ms. Frestia''s absences might be an important piece in linking the whole situation. Though there is a slight probability, I highly doubt it.

    Tomorrow, a number of adjustments will take place. Even I had no idea what lay ahead.

    Ms. Hollows is now in a state of upheaval and says, "What about the President? He possesses the sole piece of information I have to locate Hiram." She is feeling angry and upset.

    The question instantly enters my mind, bringing it to a sudden realization.

    Am I still going to see Ethan again after this day?

    At this point, my thoughts were shattered, and I simultaneously feeling hot and suffocating. I''m getting anxious to the point of feeling remorse.

    "Have you not wanted to speak with him?"

    All of a sudden, a voice from outside the room can be heard. As it entered, her voice sounded strangely calming.

    "Ms. Lock, what are you doing here?" I asked.

    She''s with Mr. Past, and they''re slowly approaching me. They''ve probably been listening to our conversation from outside. I had a chat with her before, and my conversation with her was nothing out of the ordinary.

    "We''re here for Ms. Hollows, but we didn''t expect you to be here, Ms. Lou, and we never anticipated you to choose this yourself," Mr. Past explained.

    "What exactly are you trying to say?"

    "We thought you wanted to be with Ethan, the President, but I guess we were wrong ''til this far."

    "..." Suddenly, my heart aches. Those remarks were enough to wake me up several times.

    "I''m sorry, Ms. Lou, I''ve said enough," he quickly apologizes, "Anyway, Ms. Hollows, we were here to set you off and thank you for serving the Fifteen Organization."

    "...That''s quite hard to believe and unusual of you, Mr. Past. Regardless, I appreciate it even if¡ª"

    "We''re sincere, Ms. Hollows," Ms. Lock said, adding, "It''s regrettable we couldn''t help you, like on Ms. Hunt''s case."

    "Are you trying to comfort me? Have you changed your mind and want to help me now that I''m no longer a student here?" She said it with a raised tone.

    "Don''t be mean to us," Mr. Past said with a sigh.

    "Do you blame me?"

    "Sorry..." Even though Ms. Lock said this in monotone, I could tell it was genuine.

    "Uh, no, I''m sorry," Ms. Hollows replied in shock after hearing Ms. Lock''s response.

    Because it is unlikely that any other Families will visit Ms. Hollows, Time Family assumed responsibility. I know Ms. Hollows was aware of it, so perhaps she immediately regretted raising her voice at them.

    "...One last thing before we leave you; Hiram Frestia is probably not too far away." Mr. Past swiftly changed the subject.

    "Hm? How could you be so certain?"

    "Zei told me about it, and she''s been looking into it as well since then. How ironic, Zei Wyte was hiding before too. She knows how that feels, and that''s why she told us not to worry much."

    "Then maybe Hiram was hiding too?"

    "We don''t know for sure..."

 (Chapter_12) Act 1

    CHAPTER_12 Act 1

    "Why didn''t you confess your sins sooner, Mr. Arios? Haven''t you cared for Ms. Hollows?" I said.

    "I care about her, so that''s why I''m here, Mr. President," Mr. Arios replied to me.

    "Why now? Let me guess, don''t you have a plan or something?"

    "Plan, you say?"

    "Don''t try to play fool, Mr. Arios. I know what your intentions are."

    "If you are aware, why didn''t you tell them ahead? Besides, you know that expelling Lisa puts your life in danger, but still..."

    "That''s a small price to pay. My life is meaningless anyway."

    "...What do you mean by that?" He asked.

    In recent years, I''ve felt hollow and empty, working and serving everyone as their President with a mask on. Nobody cares about my life; they only value my position.

    Regardless, since ''that'' day, I don''t even appreciate my life anymore. I''d done my best not to bring up my past, but the only person who knew about it was Ms. Zei Wyte, which puts me on edge.

    "You don''t need to know. Anyway, I''m just waiting for you to act up, Mr. Arios," I continued.

    "Me?"

    "Can I ask you a question? Do you really love Ms. Hollows?"

    "...Why do you ask all of a sudden? That''s not even worth mentioning," he says, slightly bothered by it.

    "You see, that''s a simple question, yet you refused to respond, so why is that?"

    "Don''t make any wild thoughts, Mr. President."

    "Alright, let me state one thing: you murdered a member of your own football team because of Ms. Lisa Hollows, right? And you do believe you can protect her?"

    "Stop talking nonsense."

    He appears enraged.

    Generally, most students have high respect for all members of the Student Council. But right now, his manner changed drastically.

    "Because of your greed, you wanted to get rid of Mr. Flavin," I added.

    "That''s... not it... You''re wrong..."

    "You''ve come here not because you are in love with Ms. Hollows, but because you are obsessed with her, am I right? That''s why you''re here, ready to throw away everything you have."

    "Shut up!" He yelled.

    "You see, Mr. Arios, that''s a peculiar kind of love you''ve got there."

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    "..." He remained mute. I''m not sure what''s on his head right now, but I need to keep up the pressure on him.

    "In fact, you were involved in the recent case about Ms. Hunt--"

    Instantly, he grabbed my neck, and to my surprise, he was holding the knife from what I had personally prepared for him along with Ms. Steward''s cakes.

    He was probably planning to kill me from the start.

    "How did you come to know all of that without doing anything, Mr. President?" He said while seriously staring at me.

    "Threatening someone''s life is a crime, Mr. Arios. Why don''t you calm down?"

    Unexpectedly, even if we were alone in this room, I am calm in this situation.

    "Silence!" He yells at me, tightening his grip on my neck. "This is a perfect opportunity to kill you, Mr. Reginald, but I can''t right now."

    Those words caught my attention. Based on what he has said, he was plotting something from within.

    Perhaps...

    "A person tells you to do this, no? It''s definitely not Ms. Hollows. Then, who is it?" I asked.

    "Why should I say anything to you?"

    Without hesitation, the name that comes to my mind is...

    "Is this Ms. Frestia''s doing?"

    With that, he easily caught off guard.

    "..."

    He still appears quiet and tries not to give any hints after I state that name. However, that silent reaction means he knows something about Ms. Frestia. Still, the possibility is low since Ms. Hollows was a friend of Ms. Frestia, and maybe Mr. Arios just only knew her name.

    "Why are you silent, Mr. Arios? Did you know something about her?" I said.

    "How come you picked her out of all people?"

    "It is just a wild guess."

    "I highly doubt that," he said, slightly piercing the knife into me.

    When it comes to Ms. Frestia, it appears that Mr. Arios is uncomfortable discussing her.

    Notably, he didn''t help Ms. Hollows in finding Ms. Frestia. Furthermore, I had information that he secretly went to her; though it''s still just speculation.

    "Again, you were so obsessed with Ms. Hollows that you tried to kill Ms. Frestia, right? She was aware and tells me before she leaves the school, and she even gave me a favor that I keep an eye on you."

    "I see. That explains everything," he mumbles.

    Later on, Hiram Frestia warned me about my imminent death. And that''s the case right now. She also indicated that she and Mr. Arios had an agreement. That is, Mr. Arios provides information about contacting other schools, which Ms. Frestia didn''t explicitly explain. In exchange, Ms. Frestia will leave him be in order to make space and time for both Mr. Arios and Ms. Hollows.

    Ms. Frestia probably favors the whole situation because she''s planning something, and it''s up to me to figure out what it is.

    Fortunately, I know where she went since it is required to write it down and notify me and the Principal before leaving the school.

    "I can''t give you what you want. You''re too late, Mr. Arios." I tightly grasped his wrist and twisted his arm to attempt to release the sharp knife he was holding.

    But he further resist, saying, "Again, Mr. President, I''m asking you to--"

    "There''s nothing I can do. Didn''t you recently go to Ms. Frestia for help? Why didn''t you tell Ms. Hollows you knew where Ms. Frestia was?"

    In terms of strength, I can tell he was on same level with me, but something was off here. And so I grab a book from my back and hurl it at him. He instantly reacted, so I took the chance to grab and break his other arm. With that opportunity, I pinned him down.

    "Your love is obesession; and in some ways, we are the same. But I''m more calculating than you, Mr. Arios."

    "Get off of me!" He shouted.

    However, I''m skeptical how he responded to my provocation.

    "On Ms. Hunt''s case, didn''t you plan to trick Ms. Hunt?" I asked curiously.

    Our conversation immediately stops at that point. However to my amazement, his reaction abruptly shifted. "No, you have been wrong the whole time, Mr. President," he laughs.

    "What?"

    "I am not obsessed with Ms. Hollows; I am simply carrying out orders."

    "What do you mean?"

    Wait... This is not what I was expecting. Am I being duped?

    "I am not here to explain things. All I can say is that she wants you, Mr. President."

    "...Me? Tell me more about it."

    "..."

    He was just silent, so I am certain he will not talk it out even if I force him to.

    "All right, then why are you here?" I said.

    "She''s right about you. I guess I''ll go with the plan. I''m just here to deliver this message from someone: "If you want to be saved, follow me," he said emphatically.

    "From whom is it?" I asked.

    "From Ms. Frestia."

 (Chapter_12) Act 2

    CHAPTER_12 Act 2

    Then I''ve been mistaken all along?

    "From Ms. Frestia? Why are you saying this now?" I wondered.

    "You are correct; I met with Ms. Frestia, and at that time, she gave me details on what to do if you refuse to change your decision, but as she confirmed, you are unwilling to change what you have decided, which is perfect for our plan."

    I see. So he''s been observing me from the start, huh?

    "I never thought she planned all of this," I whisper.

    I was buried in thoughts and didn''t see that my grip on him was weakening, so he ultimately slipped free from my hands.

    As I suspected, he was not weak and was just barely using his strength earlier.

    "Mr. Ethan Reginald, why do you think Ms. Frestia did all of this? Just put your best guess."

    "Hmm... I wonder..."

    If she was a friend of Ms. Hollows, why did she go to such lengths to set her up?

    "Doesn''t Ms. Frestia have a grudge against Ms. Hollows?" I asked.

    "We don''t know for sure, but one thing she tells me is that she set this stage for you to accept her offer, since if you do, you''ll owe us gratitude for saving your life."

    "What is the point of following her?"

    "Because that is your only choice."

    "I''m fine; I''m sick of this world that I don''t enjoy anymore," I immediately decline.

    "No, you''ll join her eventually."

    "..."

    "Alright, let me state this even we haven''t confirmed this yet. Didn''t you want to get rid of the person responsible for Ms. Strose''s death--?"

    In that instant, that triggered me.

    "How?" I said in disbelief.

    "That''s a secret. Now, do you want to change your mind?"

    Ms. Frestia has complete control over me. She was meticulously prepared in this situation.

    "You wanted something from me, right? What is it that you are willing to go to such lengths for?" I asked him.

    "We have the same goal, Mr. Reginald, to get rid of the old Families and start a new era," he remarked nonchalantly, as if they were determined.

    "Perhaps we are the same, however, I want ''all'' Families to perish in order for the next generation to have a bright future; I want to eradicate all of them. But that goal is only too far for me because I was fighting alone."

    I''ve never considered doing something like this before. In fact, I''m not sure I''ll be able to accomplish it on my own. If it wasn''t me who would end this, maybe someone else would. But I''m not going to give up and forgive them easily. I''ll make sure they end up faring far worse than I did.

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    "Well, if you help us in one thing, we''ll let you do what you like after; let''s just say this is a temporary alliance between you and Ms. Frestia."

    "Then, what was one thing you wanted me to do?" I asked.

    But, in the midst of our conversation, two people eventually entered the room.

    "This is getting interesting," Mr. Arios commented.

    "What''s this scene? You''re different from what you gives off during school; I guess that''s why you''re vigilant when around me, isn''t Mr. Arios?" Ms. Wyte said, who was sternly looking at Mr. Arios.

    "That wasn''t on purpose, Ms. Wyte; if you think that way, I assume you''re paying close attention to my movements."

    "Mr. Seid told me to do so," she replied.

    In regards to that, Mr. Seid is on her side.

    "I see, that''s your new Family, huh? We made a mistake to approach him from the start," Mr. Arios said.

    "Care to explain what''s this set up?" Ms. Wyte cunningly questioned.

    "There''s no need to explain all of this because you already knew, and you''ve been hiding behind that door for far too long," Mr. Arios replied.

    "We happened to listen because there were no guards outside; in truth, Mr. Seid was here earlier and did not decide to go in."

    To put it simply, they''ve been listening in on our conversation.

    "Anyway," Mr. Seid interrupts, "I had one question: are you people associated with the Independent Families?"

    "What do you think?" Mr. Arios vaguely asked.

    "I suppose you do, and I assume you know Mr. Gounter?" Mr. Seid said.

    "Why are you asking?" he thought.

    "This is just speculation, but do you have spies on each Family?" We all looked perplexed when Mr. Seid made that comment. "Is it true?" He asked once again.

    "Your thoughts definitely explain why we should be cautious when dealing with the Order Family; in that regard, we don''t have nearly enough information about your Family, Mr. Seid."

    "A little piece of advice: just be good at gathering information," Mr. Seid answered.

    "Since you''ve seen us lurking around you, I''ll take that."

    "Is that also true?"

    "Well, that''s for you to find out."

    From the looks of it, Ms. Frestia also started investigating Mr. Seid, which was a little concerning. How could they have approached him in that manner?

    "I thought all the students went home?" I said, changing the subject.

    "Well, they haven''t," said Mr. Arios.

    "So you are agreeing with his terms, Mr. President?" Without hesitation, Ms. Wyte asked me.

    "Why ask if you knew already?" I responded.

    I''m determined to obtain the truth about Ms. Strose''s incident, so I''ll leave away everything behind. And that is my answer.

    "You see, as I said at our first meeting, we have the same goal but different objectives, Mr. President," Mr. Seid remarked, continuing, "but if you pry into my life, there''s a chance that we''ll be enemies. Though we will, and that day you realize that you should never make a move against us. That same goes for you, Mr. Arios, you better tell Ms. Frestia."

    "Woah, that''s scary, Mr. Seid," Mr. Arios gasped cynically.

    "Anyway," I interjected, "now you do what you want here, Mr. Seid, but after this, I''ll return to see if you manage to live a life you''ve never been used to."

    "Never been used to?" Mr. Seid asked.

    "Oh, I forgot, you always find a way to easily adapt and go into your hands, just like you did before transferring here, right?"

    "Don''t bring it up," he said, fiercely gazing at me.

    That look will definitely be engraved in my mind.

    "All right, then, this is the last time I see you in school. I''ll leave it up to you, Mr. Hans Seid and Ms. Zei Wyte."

    "..."

    Mr. Seid didn''t respond, showing that he doesn''t care. I looked at Mr. Arios, indicating what we should do now. "We''ll go right away," he says.

    "Wait, is there any chance we''ll meet her?" Ms. Wyte inquires.

    No one knows where she is right now, and I''ll leave it at that because it''s private information.

    "We will pay," Mr. Seid declared, causing us to stumble.

    Mr. Arios, on the other hand, responded, "You will meet her soon, and I will inform her."

    We went past in an instant and then left.

    The last thing I saw was them, and that made me think that I shouldn''t go back to this school anymore. However...

    *Bang*

    And then the last thing I heard was a gunshot from a distance.

    ---------------END OF VOL1---------------

 SPECIAL CHAPTER

    SPECIAL CHAPTER

    We heard a gunshot from afar, which stunned us for a while. I looked at Ms. Zei Wyte to see if she was alright; nonetheless, she was okay, rather calm, and not afraid. This is not unexpected given that previously, when she encountered the way I handle things, even to the point of crushing someone''s hands, she maintained her cool and acted as if she were not new to the situation. Thus, I assume hurting or, to some extent, killing somebody is common at this school.

    "That gunshot..." she stated in a low voice of perplexion.

    I''m not sure what just happened in the moment. But maybe...

    "Mr. Seid, why are you here in the first place?" She immediately diverted my attention.

    "I''ll ask you the same question, why are you here too?"

    I have a faint clue, but I asked anyway.

    "I wanted to clear this thing about Mr. Gounter, and I got confirmation from different Families, which is why¡ª"

    "I assume you already know," I cut in, "They are from what is known as Independent Families, and their numbers are likely to be increasing based on what I can see."

    Now that we are on the same page, explaining things to her is much easier--no, she will definitely pick it up and connect some of the puzzles I already laid out earlier. This entire scene was definitely rooted in Ms. Frestia.

    "Why are they doing this now?" She asked.

    "This is the right opportunity for them, and Ms. Frestia has calculated this from the beginning. I assume all of the members of her Family and those connected to her will leave this school tomorrow without official notice, as it was a protest against Fifteen Families."

    They cannot remain here due to their involvement in this issue. Ms. Principal surely will investigate; therefore, it''s fair to assume they''re all starting to flee.

    "That makes sense. Also, they said they''ll make their own future, huh? I''m curious why they needed the President to accomplish their goal," Ms. Zei said.

    "That is what we must look for. There are still mysteries that we should solve before it''s too late."

    I suddenly remember Mr. President''s last words which made me think he was entrusting the future to me and Zei: ''All right, then, this is the last time I see you in school. I''ll leave it up to you, Mr. Hans Seid and Ms. Zei Wyte.''

    If it is, then I don''t know what will happen.

    "You''re curious, aren''t you?" she remarked out of nowhere.

    I gave a blank response to her since she already knew the answer.

    To be honest, I''m fascinated by how the Families operate, and as a result, I''ll seek the goal inside myself--as well as the objective of locating the person who is writing me those letters.

    It is still constantly being sent to me without my knowledge. However, every time I kept my bag close to me in the hopes of catching the person who continued sending me those notes, he or she did not appear, and I did not get any letters later that day. It''s extremely intriguing to see, but it''s making me more frustrated that I exert such worthless effort to play this hide-and-seek.

    "Do you have any plans to meet with Frestia?" Ms. Zei suddenly asked.

    "Not today, but perhaps we''ll cross paths and I''ll be prepared for that meeting," I said. Though I''m not certain, at some point that is probable. "Anyway, did you have any idea why Mr. Arios was eager to kill Mr. President?" Apparently, based on their conversation earlier, Mr. Arios was mad at Mr. President and tried to kill him, but he didn''t.

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    "Perhaps it was for his sister. Few people know this, but he has a step sister around the same age who supposedly attends the same school as him. Unfortunately, his sister can''t go because she completely missed the schedule of the entrance exams. If you''re wondering why, it''s because her biological father died on the exact same day. She wasn''t given a second chance to retake the exam because the Principal and the President didn''t allow it. Because of that, his step sister has been treated like a dump since she does not attend the same school as Mr. Fred Arios. As a result, she left the Arios Family and lives alone.

    "I see... Is that all?" I asked.

    "Nothing much of a case, but Mr. Fred Arios also has a large amount of debt left to pay. As I can confirm from my source, it was most likely Ms. Frestia that he was indebted to. However, the interesting part was that Ms. Frestia''s family is not wealthy compared to other associate families, so how did she lend enough money to Mr. Arios?"

    "If that''s the case then there''s something going on about Ms. Frestia."

    After a short conversation, I didn''t expect someone come over in this room... And it was Ms. Auguron.

    "What brings you here?" I questioned her, but she didn''t answer.

    "Well, Mr. Seid, Esper was already aware of Mr. President''s plans to destroy the Families," Ms. Zei explained.

    I was a little skeptical to heard this at first so I asked, "Then why didn''t she do something to stop him?"

    "I don''t know... Maybe because she''s still holding a grudge about¡ª"

    "It''s none of your business," Ms. Auguron cut Ms. Wyte off in the middle of her speech.

    Ms. Auguron''s words were harsh; probably she was angry about something. The only reason I could think of is because of all Ms. Wyte''s previous actions. I was told that they were arguing about Ms. Hunt''s case, which turned out to be accurate.

    "So, why are you here?" I asked Ms. Auguron once again.

    Ms. Wyte immediately responded, "As I said, she wants to take action. Before I came here, I interviewed some of them on what was their plan that they were talking about, and some of them were not aware of the plan, including her. However, when I asked directly at Mr. Oaes, I learned that they wanted to kicked out Ms. Hollows and this is alarming to all Families. It was a chaos indeed."

    I had a hunch about what was going on when this incident occurred, but it is now clear to me. I previously had the opportunity to speak with Mr. Gounter when we happened to meet, and he invited me to a private conversation. But I declined since I had no time that day unless it was something urgent. This is why he gave me his phone number. But the timing was undoubtedly coincidental. That moment I didn''t know if he was associated with the Independent Families or not so I asked Mr. Arios about it, and based on his response it was all true... that...

    "Then?" I asked Ms. Wyte.

    "It was Mr. Gounter all along," Ms. Auguron stated.

    ...All of the Fifteen Families have ''spies'' and they are connected to Independent Families without their knowing.

    "Speaking of which," Ms. Wyte looked at me plainly and asked, "you said Mr. Gounter too earlier; why is he involved?"

    "Isn''t he from an Independent Families?" I diverted my attention to Ms. Auguron.

    "Yeah, we confirmed. That''s why I''m here and thought Mr. President was targeted, but from the looks of it, I failed to ensure Mr. President''s safety. The other Families were now catching Mr. Gounter and those who connected to him."

    So they''re the ones responsible for the gunshot we''ve heard. This may appear confusing, but to put it simply, some Independent Families were labeled as rebel Families. And now the Main Fifteen Families is on the move to catch them.

    Ms. Wyte added, "And apparently Mr. Oaes has been tricked. He has no idea that Mr. Gounter was behind all of this. Mr. Oaes only knows that everyone was told about Ms. Hollows being cast out, but they didn''t know from whom they heard this."

    "What is Mr. Gounter''s Family again?"

    "Alter Family," Ms. Auguron said.

    "Then, assuming the Alter Family was unaware, it leads me to the conclusion that they have spies on each Family," I stated, which leads them to go speechless.

    However, Ms. Auguron continued, "Considering that, I recall one of my members wanting to talk to me about something, but I refused due to my lack of strength in recent days, so perhaps she went to Mr. Arson to tell him something too about their plan to cast out Ms. Hollows."

    "I see, so they use that chance to tell you those too, huh?" Ms. Wyte said.

    "..." Ms. Auguron remained silent.

    Having this two conversing with each other, I can sense that they are certainly feel awkward with one another. The silence of Ms. Auguron also put the weight to that. And me being stuck in the situation makes me feel even worse.

    "Anyway," I caught Ms. Auguron''s attention, "what will you do now?"

    I''m asking about herself, not about the incident. I peered into her eyes, and she seemed somewhat taken aback.

    "I don''t know, but," with a solid response that gives off in her eyes, she said, "I''m trying to solve what I can do for now."

    Then she exited the room.

    The quiet surrounded me and Ms. Wyte, yet all I can see is that the future will not be the same as it was before, for we are all in turmoil now.

 (V2 Chapter 1) Act 1

    (V2 CHAPTER 1) Act 1

    "What happened to Ethan?"

    Strangely enough, Ms. Steward was blocking my path right now, pressing a difficult question.

    "You probably get a grasp of the news, Ms. Steward, and that''s why I don''t have anything else to say to you," I said.

    "You and Mr. Seid perhaps know where he went, or at least he gave both of you any last words or clue before he disappeared."

    Mr. Reginald, or should I say Mr. President did indeed say farewell, and I believed his intention was to entrust the school to me and Mr. Seid. On the other hand, I''m not sure if he meant to pass on all of this explaining and clarifying this matter to school board and Student Council members to us. Well, I guess I have no other choice.

    This is a real pain.

    Ms. Steward was here interrogating me since practically everyone at school knew that we had interacted with Mr. Reginald before he disappeared.

    The incident happened yesterday, and obviously, I should be expecting that this might happen over the course of weeks.

    "I''m sorry for your expectation but as you might''ve guessed Ms. Steward, he didn''t leave anything. Also, don''t be offended but I''m just stating facts here; we don''t know if he survived or not after being chased by all Organizations."

    I still remember that exact moment when we heard a gunshot not too far away from the building where we were standing. Though Mr. Seid didn''t pay any further attention to this matter.

    "That''s really awful for you to say Ms Wyte..."

    "Well atleast I''m not that type person who say to you that everything was going to be alright. Nonetheless, if you have time to talk to Mr. Seid about something, I''ll make a schedule for you. Remember what I''ve offer you about joining the Order Family? We got still empty seats for you to fill those spots. Anyway, that''s for you to decide."

    After I said that, she instantly felt worried. Her gaze become sad and wistful.

    Later that day, we heard the news that Ms. Steward resigned from her position as Student Council Treasurer. As for the remaining two, we haven''t heard of them since the President disappeared. This is undoubtedly a disaster for both the school and the students.

    Several days passed, all seemed to be completely normal for the people outside, and the current issue has been resolved thanks to my mother. Impressively enough, all the reports and evidence were blocked and covered up entirely. Since fifteen organization were huge, a lot contributed to covering up the mess.

    In any case, a new event was brewing when Mr. Seid entered my class shortly after the bell rang. I''m glad it''s lunchtime; however, my classmates make a mistaken assumption about it. I''m planning to walk around, gather some information, and recruit for the Family, but it looks like I''m going to skip the day.

    Ignoring the murmuring that surrounds us, Mr. Seid grabs my hand and attempts to drag me out of the room. I resisted and looked straight into his eyes, "What''s up with you today?"

    "We need to talk," he said.

    "About what?" I replied.

    He whispers in my ears and says, "Mr. Hunt..."

    In that regard, I already knew what was going on. So I hurriedly followed him.

    We stepped out of the school and straight to the spot where Mr. Kai Hunt was.

    "Why did Mr. Hunt go to this place? This seems abandoned," I stated.

    "I sent him a task: to take Ms. Leyand to our place since I have important things to discuss with her, but Mr. Hunt ran into some kind of mess. I wanted to see if he could quickly follow instructions."

    Mr. Hunt has been meek toward Mr. Seid and to me as well since he joined and witnessed what transpired at the meeting spot incident. It was a horrifying scene, but Mr. Seid displayed power and dominance in that situation.

    "I know Ms. Leyand was not present in school, but even then, I thought you had her number."

    Mr. Seid is the sort of person who will go to any lengths to meet his expectations. So I doubt he''ll never asks Ms. Leyand''s phone number.

    "I don''t have her number," he stated.

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    "Didn''t you try asking her?"

    "..."

    "You know, didn''t asking a girl for her number was a normal thing, Mr. Seid?"

    He gave me a sidelong glance and added, "Normal thing, huh? Then giving your number to a stranger was also normal to you?"

    "...I don''t know what you''re talking about."

    After we have a little argument, he abruptly stops at the corner. From the far end, there was a small alley to our left, and we saw Mr. Hunt beating those three individuals who were in their miserable states. Because of their wounds and blood splattering around, the three are unable to stand on their own. From the looks of it, they seem to be in their late twenties.

    "He''s such a beast, like you Mr. Seid," I said casually, looking at the scene. This is a horrible sight to see, but I''m starting to get used to it, which scares me a little.

    "So, why do you drag me here? Just to watch him beat those guys?" I continue.

    "No, help Mr. Hunt..." he said.

    "Huh?"

    "..." he stared straight into my eyes without saying anything.

    "...A-are you serious?" I was astounded that I could barely speak. This is characteristic of him, who always surprises me.

    "What? Is there a matter? And by the way, Ms. Feild was here too."

    When I look to the side, I recognize a shadow of Ms Feild.

    "You are insane, you drag us just to help him beat those guys?"

    "He''s in our Family; therefore, you need to protect him and our reputation," he replied.

    He sounded like he cared for the Order Family, but in fact, his actual nature was that he didn''t care about the people around him. That''s why I''m dubious about his words.

    "Don''t order us around like we''re your pawns," I strongly objected his commands.

    "Isn''t this for the benefit of the Order Family? We only have you and the other two; we need to protect our name, and in order to do that, we need to assert dominance."

    "Mr. Seid, as they say, not everything will be resolved using violence," I replied.

    "..."

    He stares at me quietly, yet he keeps peering further into my eyes, as if looking for something.

    "What?" I said.

    "Haaa..." He sighs and says, "As I suspected, you and Ms. Feild were persistent. Though, I call you because I want you to help me and Mr. Hunt negotiate and clear this mess."

    "Negotiate... therefore not to fight? So you are testing me? What a nice way to say it."

    Ms. Feild glances at us with disdain and rises from her seat. She began to relax, and I''m sure she became accustomed to this later on.

    Mr. Seid didn''t respond to me and went directly to Mr. Hunt. After a few steps, he starts walking faster and quicker, cracking his knuckles, and eventually gets a nice jab on one of the three guys. Mr. Hunt was undoubtedly taken aback when Mr. Seid arrived.

    "W-what... Mr. Seid?" he says.

    "You didn''t reply after I deployed you so something definitely was off," Mr. Seid stated.

    While having a conversation, he completely destroyed the limbs of the three individuals with no sign of mercy. If Mr. Hunt was a beast, then Mr. Seid was savage.

    "I thought we''re going to negotiate?" Ms. Feild questioned out of nowhere.

    "I thought so too," I said.

    On a side note, Mr. Hunt is becoming more docile and improving his patience day by day. I don''t hear any sort of rumor about him anymore, but this day genuinely surprised me.

    Mr. Hunt casts a peek at us, clearly surprised to find us in here. I was able to instill fear in him by looking into his eyes as if saying, {What could you have done to end up in this situation?}

    He understood what I meant but defended himself, saying, "What? I remember these guys are the ones with whom I picked a fight during those recent years, and right now obviously they gang up on me, so I have no choice."

    "..."

    Looks like he needs to be taught additional lectures from now on. Regardless, I ignored him and focused my attention on Mr. Seid. He thrashed those individuals calmly and rashly, acting as though he had done this many times before.

    "Why the heck did Mr. Seid beat those guys if he wanted to negotiate?" I wondered.

    "These guys aren''t simply dudes from nowhere; they were from different Families," he replied to me. "And I''m here to grab a chance for them to agree to the business proposal I''ll offer in order to grow the Order Family," he continued.

    "What do you mean business proposal?You didn''t say anything about this."

    He dismissed my question and remarked, "Ms. Zei, we need more members from now on."

    According to what he stated, we need noteworthy people to complete the Order Family. However, several events occurred throughout this time, and acquiring some information was significantly disrupted.

    Interestingly, I got the feeling that somebody''s been staring at us for a while.

    When I turned my back, a baseball bat flew directly towards my head, which I luckily dodged. However, there was a person there too who attempted to stab me with a knife, which I again barely avoided.

    "What is it with these people?" I mutter, irritated.

    "Ms. Wyte!" Ms. Feild is startled and runs into me.

    Mr. Hunt and Mr. Seid turn around and gaze at us, stunned, but Mr. Seid remains cool.

    Aside from those three deadbeats, there were more of them surrounding me and Ms. Feild. There are too many to count; we''re at a disadvantage here. But based on their looks, they are most likely in their mid-twenties to late-thirties.

    "This is starting to get interesting." Mr. Hunt said.

    Mr. Seid paused for a moment before speaking, "I told you, we needed more members, right Ms. Zei?"

    Mr. Seid didn''t think twice and ran towards us, knocking one of the newer guys, and then Mr. Hunt also joined in. While all this happens, two men run straight at me. I kick his chest with full force to keep him away and avoid the other guy''s strike.

    This is becoming a troubling day. Because I''m being pulled into such a situation, I can''t help but fight back.

    "First ever fist fight of the Order Family," Mr. Hunt said excitedly, avoiding and kicking the beard man''s abdomen.

    "This isn''t fun, Mr. Hunt," Ms. Feild stated emphatically while fleeing and escaping enemy attacks, yet she would occasionally attack them, kicking and striking everyone in their faces. Ms. Feild wasn''t awful at fighting those guys, considering she was also professionally trained in martial arts, though she hates fighting people, especially killing them.

    While we were attacking and protecting ourselves, someone stepped in, and a female voice echoed throughout the scene, "This fight is being recorded," as she was filming with a camera.

    This woman, whom I recognize, is Lux Crest. I''m not sure what she was doing here, but I''m delighted she came to help us¡ªor so I thought.

    "I''m calling the police right now," she stated confidently as the phone began to ring. "This is now your chance to flee," she said.

 (V2 Chapter 1) Act 2

    (V2 CHAPTER 1) Act 2

    *Ring* *Ring*

    The phone started ringing, which left us stunned.

    A brief period of silence before we realize Ms. Crest is going to report us to the authorities, along with these unknown individuals.

    Eventually, all of them quickly flee, carrying their beaten men, but Mr. Seid quickly rushes towards them and apprehends one person. He launched a full-blown kick and knocked one person down. After knocking one down, he immediately rushes towards Ms. Lux Crest, grabs her arm, and shoves her against the wall. In his position, he was ready to beat up Ms. Crest. To be fair, Mr. Seid doesn''t hesitate to make these quick decisions. He then snatched Ms. Crest''s phone and handed it to me.

    "Call the police and tell them it was a mistake," he said.

    "Alright."

    I swiftly looked at the phone and I saw the contacts. She was not kidding at all when she said she''d call the police. After I followed Mr. Seid''s instructions, the commotion stopped, and somehow none of us suffered any injuries. I suggested to them that we head out and skip the class and begin to interview the guy we caught, but Mr. Seid struck up a conversation with Ms. Crest.

    "I''m sure you have a good reason why you are here, Ms. Crest, right?"

    "I''m surprised you know my name, Mr. Seid. Regradless, you''re pretty sure about me being here with a reason."

    "I know a little bit about you because of Zei," he replied.

    I''ve already sent over the documents of those I need to enlist for the Family. To be honest, I provide him all the information he needs to avoid having to ask.

    "Well, I''m trying to be one of the crowd and blend with people, but I guess Ms. Wyte is serious about her work."

    From her statement, it looks like she was aware I was investigating her.

    "If that''s a compliment, thank you. In that sense, again, why are you here?" I said.

    It is interesting to see Ms. Crest here, as Mr. Seid has said. She was one of the people I invited to join our Family, but I did not receive a response on the day we formed the Family. She is practically identical to Mr. Seid. Her knowledge and unique observations will be extremely beneficial to the Order Family. But somehow all these things happening were odd.

    "I chose this school to study in peace," she said with a calm tone, "But looks like I chose the wrong school. I don''t want to attract people and live a life like an average person. However the school itself has this world that is new to me. And here I am forcing myself to join your Family, is that a proper reason for me to say at least?"

    Fair enough. However...

    "Am I the only one who thinks that this is not a proper reason? Well, we need more members so I can agree with her joining the Family." Mr. Hunt said, a bit confused.

    "That doesn''t explain everything, Ms. Crest," I said.

    "In other words, I want to join your Family," she replied.

    "Having all that trouble just to join our Family? Why didn''t you ask us in peace?" Ms. Feild said.

    "Indeed, if you wanted to join, why don''t you tell us sooner?"

    And if that''s the case, why now all of a sudden?

    "Why not? Think of it as a test of how Mr. Seid reacts to these things. Well, he did a great job as your leader today."

    "Your words truly make me think you are untrustworthy; if you are having trouble in school, why not go to another place?" Ms. Feild asked, seeming skeptical.

    "That same goes for Mr. Seid, no? If he didn''t like this place, then why not transfer to another school? It means that Mr. Seid also has a reason for him to stay at this school."

    "..."

    Since Mr. Seid and I are aware that the conversation will not conclude, we decided not to pursue her with more questions.

    "We all know that it sounds unconvincing. But whatever the choice of Mr. Seid, I will also agree." Ms. Feild goes on.

    "So, now we''re waiting for your answer, Mr. Seid."

    ****************

    The school ended, and currently both me and Mr. Seid are heading on our way to the hideout.

    "Why are you waiting outside my classroom?" I said in a low, unenthusiastic voice.

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    "Then?"

    "You know what I mean, Mr. Seid. I know you are doing this on purpose."

    "So then? How do you say so?"

    This guy was so careless after all. Obviously, everyone will think we are "dating" because of his actions, and that makes me bothered.

    "You will gain nothing out of this, Mr. Seid."

    "Is that so?"

    Again, with our usual conversation, it feels like we are running around in circles.

    "Unless... you are looking for someone in my class..." I blurted out of thought, but he showed no response either.

    If he''s not interested in me¡ªtechnically, not in the first place¡ªthen one thing that comes to my mind is that he has an eye on someone else other than me in the classroom. We are in a different classes to be exact, and every time the school was out, he was always right outside my classroom, and this gives me the assurance that something was off with him.

    "..."

    If he is this quiet, then it may appear that my hunch was true. If he doesn''t want to discuss it, so be it.

    "Why do you agree, Mr. Seid?" I questioned.

    He looks utterly quiet walking beside me, and I thought this should be the time to ask him about it.

    Previously, our discussion with Ms. Crest resulted in Mr. Seid''s agreement. Even though I know he won''t answer my question seriously, I still asked since it has been on my mind the entire time.

    While walking beside me, he gave me a deep side gaze.

    "Are you that curious?"

    "I''m more curious why Ms. Crest wanted to join now after I invited her," I continued.

    "She''ll be a huge benefit to us right? Then there''s no other reason I can give to you. As to why now, we don''t know for sure."

    "So you''re saying you don''t care about her motives, as long as she''ll be useful to us?"

    "Indeed."

    "Fair enough. However, I just want you to know one thing; this is too risky to play, Mr. Seid."

    Several factors and circumstances spring to my thoughts after Ms. Crest joins the Order Family. However, it is reasonable to assume that Ms. Crest and Mr. Seid belong to the same Family which will embark on and create a name to the world of Families. This will be the beginning, but I know it will be a rough road.

    In the end he didn''t continue the conversation and looked straight ahead on our way.

    We eventually get into the hideout, and the person who was there ahead was Ms. Lux Crest.

    "You two look good together," she said in somewhat a delighted tone.

    Giving her a silent response causes her to say, "You two don''t seem to talk too much."

    "And you seem to talk too much," I replied.

    "If that''s what you think, then go ahead. Anyway, I summarize what you have been tasked me, Mr. Hans Seid. Those individuals are Azbel Family branches from Light Family."

    Ms. Crest did not return to school to attend classes but instead interrogated the individual we held captive, and she performed an excellent job extracting information from that guy.

    "Then?" he said.

    "I freed that guy and made him deliver a letter to their leader. Probably they will show up at school tomorrow since you fight those people showing our school uniform. Order Family is not this carefree, isn''t? Regardless, where''s the other two, Mr. Hunt and Ms. Feild?"

    "I texted them to get us something for this meeting, so perhaps they will be late this time," Mr. Seid replied.

    "Oh, right, didn''t their Family know about this?" Ms. Crest suddenly asked.

    "No, they haven''t, and it seems like they are still hiding this fact from their Family," I told Ms. Crest.

    "What will we do about it, Mr. Seid?" she asked.

    From a standpoint, the Hunt Family''s relationship with the Gale Organization was on the brink of collapse. Furthermore, Ms. Feild and her own Life Family are on good terms¡ªfor the time being. I can see how all of this will cause problems in the future.

    "I don''t know; I''ll leave it up to them," Mr. Seid brushed off.

    It is typical of Mr. Seid not to be concerned about others.

    "Is that so?" as Ms. Crest agrees.

    "Regardless, since we now have five members in the Order Family, it is time for us to move the pawn," Mr. Seid says, speaking as if to dismiss the subject.

    "It doesn''t really matter if we have more than five members; what does matter is that we prove that Order Family exists within their circle," I went on to say.

    "Well, for us to find more members, Blue Bloods will be our priority, but we will have a hard time convincing them to leave their Family. They must pay the price to freely leave the family. Thinking about it, Ms. Wyte, have you¡ª?"

    "There''s no point bringing up the subject in me, Ms. Crest," I said sternly.

    When it comes to these things, I keep my own pace. I am certain that I will be able to demonstrate to them that I am capable of doing my own things and meeting their expectations.

    Mr. Seid, on the other hand, looked at me and asked, "That condition you''re talking about when you leave the Family¡ªare you really bound to do that?"

    "She is," Ms. Crest said before me.

    "...We don''t have to think about it for now," I said.

    "I see..."

    "In any case, Mr. Seid, I''m pretty sure you wanted to talk to me about something since you sent out Ms. Feild and Mr. Hunt."

    Initially, I had a suspicion, and Ms. Crest did as well. Basically, Mr. Seid wanted to talk to the two of us about something since the two weren''t around.

    "I''ll get to the chase¡ªthis letter I receive every day. I don''t know who it is, but perhaps you know anything about it, Ms. Crest," Mr. Seid remarked, handing Ms. Crest the black envelope.

    "Surely, Ms. Wyte was aware of this, no?"

    "Yes, and I haven''t figured out who it was since Mr. Seid always burns every letter."

    "That being said, if you want to find the author of that letter, you must keep every single letter," she replied in deep thought.

    "Keeping it is unnecessary."

    "I see. Then, why do you need to find that person if you are not that interested?"

    "Read the note first," he stated.

    [I hope one day I''ll see you.]

    When I heard the message, I was both dubious and surprised. Ms. Crest''s eyes were likewise skeptical.

    "This is creepy. Are you sure it is not one of your stalkers, Mr. Seid?"

    "I hope not," he stated.

    "You see, Mr. Seid, I''m not the only one here thinking that," I blurted out.

    "Well, if I''m being honest, this type gives me a bad feeling," Ms. Crest said, "Maybe one day¡ªno, perhaps. Also, I presume Ms. Zei has thoughts in it?"

    "Not yet."

    I''m still finding things out. However, based on how things look, this individual will most likely not show itself.

    "How about you, Mr. Seid? Does anyone you think in the past will do this to you?"

    "I''m not sure..."

    "It seems so. We''ll leave at that. Anyway, I just want to know; why''d you show me this? Do you put trust in me rather than Ms. Feild and Mr. Hunt?"

    "If that is what you think, then that''s it," he replied.

    Ms. Crest looks at him dissatisfied, but there is nothing she can do about it. Besides me, she understands Mr. Seid better than anybody else. Even though she is still somewhat a commoner, I view her on par with Mr. Seid.

    "I''ll tell you after we take care of that one," Ms. Crest said, looking at the front door.

    From there, a bunch of folks, and then Mr. Hunt and Ms. Feild.