POV: Garrett Paloma
It was just another day as I headed to class with my friends, who were also fourth-years like myself as we chatted on a frivolous topic until a random girl, who I assumed was just another clueless first-year, bumped into me as her inattentiveness interrupted my conversation, leaving me quite annoyed.
At first, I intended to brush it off with a derisive remark as the incident was her fault to begin with, but surprising me was none other than the boy who she was with as he grabbed my shoulder and glared at me with animosity, evoking a maddening sensation within me as I found his disrespect intolerable until I noticed Aria, who matched the boy's expression as I swallowed dryly in apprehension.
What in the hell is Aria doing here?
I'm ranked 81st in the academy, so obviously , I don't stand a chance against her, but with my friends watching, I can't just let this first-year disrespect me before them!
"Are you deaf? I asked what the hell-"
"Apologize." The boy demanded, threatening me by tightening his grasp on my shoulder as I winced in pain, nearly buckling before him as his strength left me appalled with cold sweat trickling down my face.
What is up with his strength?!
As the boy tried to force me to my knees, I noticed a small gathering of students beginning to fill our general area as the thought of being humiliated in front of a crowd enraged me.
I'm a fourth-year and yet, I'm about to kneel before this random brat who is just a mere first-year?!
Nonsense!
Activating my Aspect and releasing my Aspectual Force, I swiped the boy's hand away from my shoulder as I expected the boy to began cowering in fear from the pressure of my Aspectual Force, but to my dismay, the boy was unfazed as his reaction provoked my anger further, prompting me to rush towards him until the girl I previously bumped into appeared between us with a nervous expression as she gestured me to stop with her hands.
"It was my fault for bumping into you. I'm sorry." The girl apologized in a calm, yet anxious tone, but although she acknowledged her mistakes, I had no intentions of accepting her apology as I wanted nothing more than to make the arrogant boy beg for mercy, prompting me to strike the girl's face with a heavy slap as she fell onto the floor, giving rise to many snickers as Aria rushed to aid the girl while I glared down at her with a condescending sneer, despite my audacious actions as I felt my grin widen from her averting gaze.
Ah…
I've been Zayn's personal messenger for so long now that I've forgotten what it felt like to look down on others.
"Had you acknowledge your mistake sooner, none of this would have happened-"
Amidst my comment, I felt a palpable bloodlust directed solely towards me, prompting me to shift my focus towards the source as it was from none other than the boy, whose expression was far different than before as his eyes sharpened while his jaw tensed, furious from my actions as his fist, which carried enough lethality for me to witness my life flash before my eyes, approached my face within a split-second as praying for my survival seemed to be my only option.
I'm…
Going to die?
As his fist was no further than a centimeter away from my face, Ms. Rylie, who was my first-year teacher, suddenly saved me as she held the boy back by wrapping her arms around his torso while I fell onto my bottom, drenched in cold sweat as the terror I felt from the boy led to me urinating on myself, rousing a burst of jeering laughter from the bystanders as my own friends averted their eyes in embarrassment, but despite my humiliation, I was more concerned with the safety of my own life as I trembled in trepidation from the boy nearly breaking free from Rylie's grasp.
POV: Rylie Fuchai
Are you serious right now?!
I'm a noble and yet, how is it that I'm struggling to restrain this boy!?
Is it because of your blood coursing through his veins, Evelyn?
~ Few Days Ago ~
"Rylie, there's something I need you to do." Ryan said casually, sitting behind his desk with his legs propped up as Jennifer stood by his side quietly while he spun a pen around his finger to appease his boredom.
Oh no.
Could it be…
"Ryan, I understand that I'm always late to my class, but please don't make me watch over the academy again! Even though it was only for a few hours, I almost lost my mind! Please, Ryan, I'm begging you! Please don't make me watch over the academy!" I implored with a cry and a pleading gesture as Jennifer sighed while my actions roused a chortle from Ryan.
"Settle down, Rylie. I don't need you to watch over the academy—at least not as of now. The reason I summoned you was because I have a proposal for you that I think you'll quite like." Ryan replied as I felt my ears perk up from his intriguing response.
"What is it?" I asked curiously.
"One of your students will be receiving a lot of harassment in the upcoming days. I'm not asking you to watch over him constantly, but at least before you begin class, I need you to prevent him from engaging in any fights as his actions could cause me some problems later down the line. If you accept my proposal, I will double your salary." Ryan answered as the last sentence he uttered sent me into a daze, inspiring me to imagine myself living luxuriously as within five years, I would be debt free, let alone, I would potentially be able to retire.
In order to fulfill my dreams, you're telling me all I have to do is prevent one of my students from fighting before class?!
I knew applying as a teacher for this academy had its benefits since Ryan is one of the wealthiest nobles in Jiyu, but with a deal like this, it feels as if I'm scamming him and yet, I don't feel any remorse!
As I gloated over my own imagination, Jennifer stared at me with a pitiful expression, prompting me to clear my throat as I tried to hide my exuberance with a mature expression, which was futile as I felt an ear-to-ear grin linger across my face.
I'm sure the student will be Everett, but it doesn't hurt asking.
"I'll happily accept the offer, but who is the student that I'll be watching over?" I asked as an amused smile crept onto Ryan's face.
"Rai Shinsei. He's the student that I personally enrolled into the academy." Ryan answered as in the moment he uttered the student's name, my joyous mood was vanquished as I recalled my first conversation with Rai, who left me a threat in disguise as my prying of his surname annoyed him.
Wait a minute...
As silence began to grow within the room, so did my curiosity as in the moment Ryan revealed the fact that he enrolled Rai personally into the academy, my mind began racing with many thoughts as the boy's surname that I once considered a mere coincidence may not have even been one at all.
Rai's exam report stated that his Aspect was a normal-type that only enhanced his reflexes, but who's to say that the report isn't false as the one who tested him wasn't any members of the council, but Ryan himself, who stated that he enrolled Rai personally into the academy.
Out of the four years that I've taught at this academy, there have only been three students that Ryan enrolled personally.
Avery, Zayn and Arthur, who are all ranked among the top three as they are considered the strongest and yet, Rai,who was also enrolled personally by Ryan, is only ranked 200th?
I've known Ryan since my days as a student and his judgement for talent was never this bad, meaning that Rai is most certaintly a false ranker that is hiding his true abilities for a reason that is unknown to me as of now.
And even on the off chance that his exam report is true, as someone who knew Evelyn personally, her unique sky blue eyes was a distinctive trait that solely belonged to her and yet, not only does Rai share the same surname, but he always shares the same eyes as her.
On top of everything, Ryan also knew Evelyn---even more than I did as during our days as a student, they were a part of the same friend group as they were all third-years while I was just a first-year.
It can't be a coincidence anymore as I am now certain that Evelyn is Rai's mother.
"Ryan, I'm going to ask you a question and I want you to answer me truthfully." I said as Ryan's amused expression remained unfazed.
"Ask away." Ryan replied, his lighthearted gaze depressing as he stopped spinning his pen around his finger.
"Who is Rai Shinsei?" I asked sternly as Ryan's eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
"He's the black hair student that I placed into your class around a few weeks ago. Have you forgotten already-"
"Don't feign ignorance, Ryan! This isn't something to be joking about!" I shouted, alerting Jennifer as she narrowed her eyes and began listening intently.
"Is Rai the son of Evelyn?" I asked once more as Ryan's silence confirmed my answer, provoking my anger as I slammed my hands onto his desk and glared directly into his eyes.
"Are you insane?! What the hell is wrong with you?! Do you have any idea what will happen to him if the authorities find out about his existence---let alone the Lyheart family? Are you trying to have him executed?!" I questioned, exasperated as Ryan's amused smile was replaced with a frown as his demeanor shifted into a more serious one.
"Rylie, do you accept my proposal or not?" Ryan asked, his tone lacking his usual lightness as I clenched my jaw before relieving my anger with a deep breath.
"Does Rai even know the truth about his existence?" I asked, my tone laced with a tad of anger as I found Ryan's actions destable, but as I expected, Ryan remained silent once more, prompting me to click my tongue in displeasure as I turned around and headed towards the exit of his office.
He's hiding something, but I'll let it go for now.
"I accept your proposal." I added irritably as I left his office, leaving the two of them alone.
~ Present ~
Anger clouded my judgement at the time, but had I known that Rai was this strong, I would have asked Ryan to triple my pay!
"That's enough, Rai." I voiced in a jittery, yet calm tone as it required my utmost effort to restrain Rai, whose resistance slowly began to die as within a few seconds, he seemed to have regained his composure as I released him from my grasp, allowing him to step forward as he looked down at Garrett, who trembled with such fear that it appeared as if Rai was the incarnation of death itself.
"Apologize." Rai uttered in a tone resembling a king giving an order as the fear ingrained within Garrett forced him to obey Rai's command without question.
Groveling before Sarah, Garret slammed his head into the floor, nailing it in place as he begged for forgiveness and apologized for his mistakes, his humiliating actions inspiring the small crowd of bystanders to ridicule him with laughter, but as for Sarah, she struggled to find a proper response, rousing a vexing sigh from Rai, who was annoyed with with her hesitation as he grabbed Garrett by his hair and tossed him towards his friends, sending him tumbling through his own puddle of urine as he arrived at the feet of his friends.
With all of the attention focusing on them, they buckled under the pressure as one of Garrett's friends quickly grabbed the collar of his shirt from behind and scurried away while I began dispersing the nosy crowd of bystanders, sending most of them on their way to class as the remaining few chose to chatter with their friends.
After clearing up the general area, I called over a janitor to clean up Garrett's shameful incident as I then headed towards Rai, who seemed to glare at someone from afar before directing his attention towards me.
"Why did you step in, Rylie?" Rai asked, his casual manner prompting me to narrow my eyes as I approached him and chopped him in his forehead, startling him as Aria and Sarah's eyes widened in surprise.
It's because your charade of being weak would have been for naught if you were to engage in a scuffle with Garrett, but it seems even your actions are just like Evelyn's.
Despite the consequences, she also stood up for what she believed in…
"Who gave you the right to speak informally with me?" I asked with a wry smile as Rai rubbed his forehead in bafflement.
Even if the entirety of Jiyu stood against her.
"I simply didn't want to see any of my precious students harmed." I added as I began heading down the main corridor towards my classroom while Rai and his group walked alongside me.
"That doesn't sound right. You don't seem like the type to help others without money being involved." Rai replied as he stared at me skeptically.
"You don't actually think that of your lovely teacher, right?" I questioned with puppy eyes as my insincere reaction left my three students expressionless.
"We do." They responded collectively in a deadpan tone, rousing a smile from me as we approached my classroom.
Evelyn.
I don't know if you're still alive out there, but as long as Rai is in my hands…
I'll protect him to the best of my ability as even within this prestigious hero academy, his life is in danger.