"What do you an I am in the sa group as this commoner trash?!"
As I was walking along the corridor with Aria, I heard soone furiously shouting.
Curious, my head turned toward the source.
"Hey, isn't that…" Said Aria, looking at the guy who was idiotically arguing with Professor Lucas.
It was a silver-haired boy from my class.
"What was his na again?" I muttered.
Hearing take interest, Aria answered.
"Cedric Blackre."
Ah…
I rember now.
He was the one who received a week's suspension because he was bullying his roommate, who happened to be a commoner.
"At first, you people gave a false rank!" Cedric kept arguing, "and also made share a room with a lowborn!"
So jerks just don't evolve.
His loud voice attracted all the staff's eyes. So felt disgust, others just kept their head low.
Professor Lucas kept his face calm and didn't try to talk back.
Well, that's understandable.
"Let's go," Aria said, turning around, "we're wasting our ti here."
I nodded and followed behind her.
No matter what, so nobles just drown in their tiny egos.
Surely. Ti will teach them.
Walking outside, I just followed behind Aria to the railing of the ship.
She paused, taking in the view in front of her.
Then, she slowly turned around, her gaze fixed on .
She looked at as if she wished to ask sothing serious.
'What is it now?'
I don't rember doing anything.
"Tell , Zane." She begun.
I simply nodded. What else can I do? Her eyes reminded of her mother.
'Damn scary.'
"Yes?"
"I've been aning to ask," her gaze narrowed, "how well do you know my mother?"
"..."
That was completely unexpected.
Exactly what made her ask this question?
"What do you an?" I simply pretended.
"Exactly what I said," Aria continued, her eyes didn't waver from my face, "I didn't notice at first, but after you vanished for days recently without even telling us. I got worried and asked my mother to investigate your matter. And…"
She took a short pause and asked, "...and, do you know what her answer was?"
Master Envy, exactly what did you ask?
I didn't have a single clue.
"Every ti, I ntion you to my mother, or my mother to you… you both gave almost the sa reaction. As if you have known each other for years."
'How the hell did she co to this conclusion?!'
I almost tripped.
Alright, I need to calm down. She must be just guessing it… yeah, this must be the reason. There's no way she can read my face.
I face-pald inwardly, "What makes you think I knew her? Didn't I tell you before that she was the one who saved my life when I was a kid… what's there more to know?"
"Can you exactly tell what she saved you from?" She tried to press further.
Good gods, why was she asking all this?!
What the hell even happened while I was gone?!
Seriously, Master Envy was not a fool who could let herself read like an open book. There was no way of knowing for Aria that her mother was my teacher, and we were colleagues.
And I don't want her to figure it out. At least not today.
So, for now, I just politely warned her.
"Aria."
My voice sounded commanding even to my own ears.
She stiffened.
I continued.
"I don't know exactly what made you think this far… but please stop thinking here and now."
"Then that ant—"
I cut her off, "Let complete…"
She probably figured out that there was so kind of connection between and her mother.
So, right now, I won't deny the fact that I already knew her.
"Did your mother reveal anything about ?" I asked without hesitation. "Did you hear the na Zane Skylark before you entered this academy, from your mother's mouth?"
She went completely silent.
Of course, master envy didn't hear about my real na. It was I who didn't let her find out.
I hid my real self from her and the rest of the world.
And it's not like Aria would believe either way, if I blatantly told her that: I was Hope. I was the Rank-1 Hero.
Aria would laugh; anyone would.
I continued. "You must just recently after I joined Nova, that you heard my na from her… So, by that logic, you can say that I properly t your mother after our academic year started.
"..."
Technically, it was not a lie.
It was the truth, I did et her in that underground facility, where afterwards, I revealed my na and face to her.
'Wow, Human, your reasoning sense improved.' Sera comnted.
"You still think I t your mother before my academics?" I asked, tilting my head.
"..."
Well, she might have so doubts now, but with this answer of mine, I temporarily shut her mouth.
"But—"
But before Aria could press this topic further, soone called out.
"Heeeyyy!"
"Hm?"
I turned my head to my right.
Standing there were three figures, Anna, Emily and Rika. My teammates.
Rika was the one who's waving her hands, and shouting.
They walked towards .
"What happened?" concerned, I asked.
"What happened?!" Anna annoyedly, repeated. "Did you just asked 'what happened?' the whole ship shook just now!"
Oh that.
My Essence Release caused it.
Heh.
Teaching those noble brats was necessary after all.
'You overdid it.' Sera scolded.
''Overdid? What do you you an? I did what a sane man would do in that situation!'
'Like hell! You could have simply beat them with a simple punch, but you choose to shook the whole ocean!'
Her scolding didn't stop.
'What if so Authority Holder sensed it?'
She was right. I was reckless.
But…
'A one or two Authority Holder ans nothing to .'
I smirked inwardly.
'...you are—just! Haaah… you know what, I give up, it feels like I am banging my head on a concrete wall!'
Alright, now that was an.
Ignoring Sera, I turned my focus back to my team mates.
"So, why do you guys need?"
"Huh?" Anna sounded pissed. "You seriously asking that, didn't you check notification?"
I tilted my head in confusion.
Neither I and not Aria had no idea.
Noticing both is us unaware, Emily explained.
"We will be reaching the island in few minutes, so everyone were told to group with their teams, and discussion who will be the group leader."
"Aria," Anna called out to her, "what happen to your group, you too need to discuss this group leader thingi."
"We don't need to actually." Said Aria.
"Hm? Why is that?"
"Because I am the group leader."
"..."
Nothing surprising.
Perks of being a rank-1 student.
"Alright, Zane, let's go to our room, we need to seriously discuss on this matter."
I nodded, and started following behind the three, leaving Aria behind.
But, as I was walking, Aria called out to again.
"Zane."
I didn't paused, knowing very well her reason for calling .
I listened.
"Just so you know, I am not really satisfied with your answer, I know for sure, that both of you were hiding sothing from . One day, you will have to confess."
I kept my pace formal.
'Confess huh?'
What would it be like, for her to
"Did you two have a fight?" Anna poked.
I shook my head, "no."
"Oh, then what she an by confession?"
Rina, jolted her head.
"What?! You confessed to her!"
"No."
"And here I thought you were a quiet type."
"Again, I didn't confessed."
Why the hell would I even do that.
Walking a bit, and pointlesly arguing with Rina, I tried changing the topic.
"So, who will be the leader?"
"..."
"..."
"..."
All three of them looked at each other.
Anna spoke, "now that we know we will be dealing with bunch of Beast and monsters in an island, it would be great to choose soone experienced."
She has a point.
Then…
"Who is experienced here?" I asked.
Clearly non of them had any real life battle experience, and I don't think they will be able to deal with an A ranked moster alone.
To my comnt, everyone turned to .
I blinked.
"What?"
Don't look at like that.
Emily stated, "I heard you were the one who guided Anna, Aria and Julius when we all teleported to Demon Continent."
"..."
I can't argue against it.
Anna grin and added.
"Well, apparently, Zane is a walking encyclopedia when it cos to monsters, and geography."
Rika turned to look at , with sparkle in her eyes.
"That's so cool! I didn't know we had soone this talented in our group!"
She nodded her head several tis before she raised her hand, "I vote for Zane to be my leader!"
"Wha—" I tried to fight back, but Anna Inturrepeted.
"Sa, I vote for Zane."
Wait, where did my choice go?!
"If all are agreeing…" Emily added, "then I vote for Zane too."
'Will soone at least consult , if I want to be a leader or not!'
"So it's decided, Zane is our groups leader," Anna said grinning at , "we will obey your every command, and will not go against your instructions."
"Let's go!"
"..."
Today, an innocent's voice was ruthlessly suppressed.
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