"You aren’t making my job any easier, you know?"
Ayo’s frustrated voice reached from the side.
"It’s not like you’ll actually have to fight anyone."
Her presence was enough to discourage any potential troublemakers.
We were currently walking down the hall, having just finished our final class for the day. Given the rather inspiring speech I’d given my fellow cadets this morning, I made it a point to stick as close as I could to Ayo throughout the day.
"Why is she here?"
’Well, isn’t soone blunt.’
Rowan, also walking beside for so reason, pointed a finger at Ayo questioningly. He’d been hanging around a lot more lately, along with Shin.
I just hoped Racheal didn’t take this change in behaviour as stealing her piece.
"You can ignore her; just think of her as a bodyguard. I don’t go around pissing off people without a plan."
She wasted no ti in retorting.
"Don’t talk about like a tool. I have my own goals here."
Rowan seed more amused by the situation than anything.
"What could you have possibly offered to attract a noble heir like her?"
"Simple. I jus—ow."
I was imdiately cut off by a punch to the shoulder. Ayo was glaring at .
"You know what? I change my mind. Just ignore . Pretend I’m not even here."
If Shin was here, he would’ve probably co up with so stupid misunderstanding based on that alone.
Sadly, the wolfman was currently nowhere to be found. Shin generally tended to lay low regarding faction conflicts or controversy in general. Not that I could bla him. Although he counted as nobility, his family wasn’t all too powerful and was generally non-aligned.
Whatever actions he took here were bound to affect his family in so way. Interacting with regularly was already walking on thin ice.
"Have you heard of the missing students?"
The last person in our little ensemble spoke up. Gustav.
He’d seamlessly joined us after classes. He seed more comfortable talking around us now, after my ’investigation’ of his bullies.
Rowan replied.
"Ohh, yeah, I’ve heard of them. At first it was one, now it’s five. Any explanation yet?"
The boy shook his head.
"Not really. Three went missing from my class alone. The Academy’s still staying tight-lipped about it, but no parents have complained yet. So maybe it’s nothing."
"Mhmm... whatever it is, at least they’ve stopped for now."
While saying that, Rowan kept tossing suspicious glances at . I hadn’t still given him a proper explanation as to why he found bloodied up with Kaito the other day. Well, besides calling it student council business.
I coughed.
"Probably."
"What’d you say?"
"Nothing."
I was certain he already knew sothing was going on beneath the peaceful façade of the school. I had no intention of trying to change that; there was really no point in doing so.
After all, what would I gain from hiding problems from the literal protagonist of this novel? Having so awareness would make it much easier for to cooperate with him.
Seeing that he wouldn’t be getting anything out of , Rowan chose to shift topics.
"Gustav, are those guys still causing you any trouble?"
The boy in question thought for a bit before replying.
"No, not really. Not since you, Victor, and that girl helped beat them up."
"We didn’t beat them up; we investigated them. Plus, it had no relation to you at all."
I couldn’t have him go out tarnishing my na like that. What was I? A thug?
"I’m pretty sure we beat them up."
As always, Rowan seed to disagree with .
"What would you know?"
Ayo interjected from her spot behind us, chuckling all the while.
"Wait, were you serious about what you said in class before? I thought that was a joke."
"And I thought we were supposed to be ignoring you. Right now, you shouldn’t exist."
Before she could gear up a proper retort, Gustav spoke up.
"Regardless, I still want to thank you. I’d probably be in a much worse situation without you."
Rowan tossed him a thumbs-up.
"Don’t ntion it."
I waved off his thanks as well, before coming to a halt before an elevator. My destination.
"You guys can go without ; I still have business in school."
"Finally."
Ayo walked off without so much as the slightest bit of hesitation.
"This late?"
Rowan asked, his face holding that look of suspicion that had been plaguing him throughout the day.
"Can’t help it. It’s student council business."
He wasn’t budging easily this ti.
"How co Racheal never gets this sort of business, when she’s the president and you’re the vice?"
Unfortunately for him, I wasn’t budging either. Shrugging, I replied.
"I don’t make the rules."
He stared at for a few monts more before eventually sighing.
"Fine. Be careful, though."
Yeah, there was no way he even half believed my student council excuse. At least he decided not to push it any further.
The boy turned around, calling out to Gustav before walking away.
"Co on. Let’s go."
Gustav didn’t go, though; he remained there, boring holes through with that creepy stare on again.
"Thanks again."
"It’s fine."
I didn’t know why, but I was getting irritated by how much he said it. Luckily, the boy didn’t stay long after that, turning around to join Rowan.
With that done, I looked at the door of the elevator and couldn’t help but sigh. In truth, the reason I had to stay back this long was to collect ’compensation’.
After my little session in the morning, Alice sent another ssage informing to et with Kaito after classes to collect so compensation for allowing to nearly die under his watch.
Hearing the words Kaito and compensation together wasn’t exactly giving any particularly nice feelings.
I sure as hell knew the compensation wasn’t going to be the monetary type.
Wordlessly, I pushed a button and stepped into the elevator, silently descending towards the combat hall, silently descending towards Kaito.
He was just about the last person I wanted to see at the mont.
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