Chaos, drama, and studying, the three main keywords that define Velcrest Academy.
The previous day, it was the surprise from the Inauguration Ceremony, and now it was a bickering match between two close friends over the boyfriend of one of them.
All attention shifted to the back seat, particularly to Emma, who stared at Naomi with wet eyes.
"What... No, you don't know what you're talking about... I'm not dating Asher."
Asher chuckled silently, then waved his hand. 'Alright, co out, Elena. I have sothing for you to do,' he said in his mind.
A shadow moved from under him, positioning itself behind Naomi before rising and taking form.
'When she tries to hit her, I want you to attack, but not enough to kill her.'
"I understand, Master," Elena bowed but then raised her hand. "Has Master aged yet?"
'I raised you a few hours ago'
"Oh, yes, that's right... Tch, Master is still a child," she muttered.
Asher sighed silently and adjusted his position to listen better.
"Then why did you suddenly decide to ignore and hang out with him? You even got your useless father to get an apartnt in the sa building!"
"No..." Emma trailed off when Naomi roughly grabbed her hand and pulled her up.
"Ouch... Naomi, stop!" she winced, on the verge of tears.
"No, I won't, backstabbing pig!" Naomi spat, reaching for Emma's head, only to receive a blow to her side that sent her crashing into the wall.
"Arrrck!" She spat out.
"Good girl," Asher mumbled as he slowly opened his eyes, his gaze falling on Elena. "You really know how to do your job."
Elena flipped her hair. "I will never disappoint my Master..." She paused. "You might be a child, Master, but you are quite smart....but dense."
She gestured at Emma, who hurried over to Naomi's side to check on her, which caused Asher to frown.
'Is she seriously going to help her?' he asked no one in particular.
Elena nodded and raised her sword. "Should I hit her again?"
"No, no, you don't need to. I only wanted to be sure I can call you out when I need you," he mumbled, rising to his feet. At the sa ti, Elena vanished after giving a short bow.
He made his way toward Emma, who was helping Naomi sit up and even trying to calm her down, despite the insults Naomi threw at her.
"Emma," Asher called gently, but she ignored him. She placed his phone in her jacket pocket and took out a handkerchief, raised it to Naomi's lips.
But once again, Naomi refused and slapped it out of Emma's hand.
"Get away from , betrayer," she mumbled before raising her head, only to see Asher staring down at her.
"Asher?... Asher!" she said excitedly and quickly pulled herself up despite the pain, then threw herself into his arms.
"You saw what she did," she tightened her hold around him. "She hit even when I didn't do anything to her..."
Now she was sobbing.
Asher reluctantly wrapped his arms around her waist, giving her the supposed comfort she needed while Emma bowed apologetically.
However—
"Emma, raise your head."
"Hm?" She humd and did as he said, only to find herself face to face with Naomi, who had a smirk on her face and the look of "Look who he sides with now, pig."
"Uhm... Asher?"
"Relax," he gave her a reassuring smile, and with a swift movent, he grabbed both of Naomi's hands behind her back and held her in place.
When Emma's replacent, the redhead, tried to stop him, Tay appeared out of nowhere and pinned her against the desk, face down.
The entire hall went silent. Even Reed, who had initially tried to attack Asher from behind, remained still.
Why?
Soone dared... The trash-talent kid had the audacity to touch Naomi. Not only that—to many, it seed like bullying.
And that's exactly what Asher was doing, if not more.
The fact that no one except their friend circle knew he was dating her before made it even worse. To everyone else, it was just a trash kid daring to touch the Academy's princess.
"Asher! … ouch … let go of !" Naomi winced and struggled, trying to break free from his grip, but it was so tight that she barely made him flinch.
When she raised her head to look at him, she saw his amber eyes glowing unnaturally, and he was smiling.
"What … are you doing?" she asked, her tone barely audible. But he heard her, and he liked it. The fact that she was terrified of him made things even better.
Then he shifted his gaze to Emma.
"Emma."
She flinched when he called her na. "Yes?"
"How many tis has Naomi hit you since you began serving her?"
Emma raised her head, looking at him in confusion, hoping he ant sothing else.
But when she realized he didn't, she dropped her gaze and whispered sothing inaudible.
"Answer !"
"Seventy-two!"
Asher's gaze darkened. "You're lying. Is that for this month alone, or since you star..."
"It's for this month alone."
"Tell the exact number."
Emma turned away. "I can't."
Asher let out a sigh. He expected that, and he wasn't surprised. If anything, it gave him even more reason to carry out his judgnt.
"Alright. Since you refuse to tell , I'll punish you instead," he said, shifting Naomi to his side while still holding her hands.
"Now listen up, everyone!"
He yelled, turning to the entire class, his gaze settling especially on Reed.
"Has anyone noticed how Naomi treats Emma?"
"No!"
They all responded in unison, which made him scoff. But he smiled anyway.
"Alright, I want to say this as a warning to you all. If anyone, anyone.....who saw what happened here says a word about it to anyone else … even a peep …"
He paused, letting his words sink in.
"That person will have to contend with."
"Ha!" Reed laughed. "Like you can do anything. You might be able to bully Naomi because she's a girl, but definitely not ...."
His words got stuck in his throat when Asher's pen flew past him, grazing his cheek before embedding itself into his desk, at an angle that made it clear it was no accident.
Asher smiled. "Now that's your warning."
"I've had enough of bullying, and I can handle myself. But not Emma Lockwood. And I an it, whoever touches her or makes her cry will not go ho sane."
"I won't be the one to punish them, though. I have soone who can do that. Three of them, and the exchange kid included."
Gasps erupted as everyone exchanged glances, murmuring randomly, even though his last sentence was a bluff. Until—
"Don't worry, everyone," Naomi spoke up, despite the pain she was in. "He's my boyfriend. Sotis he just talks off point. Worry not."
"Hm?" Asher glanced at her with a raised brow, wondering why she said that. But when everyone settled back into their seats, she smiled warmly.
"I know I did sothing bad. It's not necessary to do all this, you know …" Her smile widened.
"We can always settle things in our usual spot," she said and winked, nearly making him gag out of irritation.
Asher let out a sigh as he released her, only to grip her hand again and pull her close, just inches from his face. His amber eyes glead.
"I'm not the Asher who was once blind, Sinclair. And I advise you to stay away from and everyone around ."
"Next ti I see you doing sothing to Emma, mark my words, you'll wish for your tongue back," he whispered. Then he smiled. "Is that clear?"
"Tch. You're just acting like this because I didn't get you sothing for the inauguration," she scoffed, crossing her arms and turning away.
"You are so annoying," he mumbled and waved his hand.
Elena appeared beside him again, and the disgust on her face when she spotted Naomi almost made him burst out laughing.
"Why would you speak to a human who covers herself with cake powder, Master?" Elena asked, frowning.
'I was just warning her, and she doesn't seem to take it seriously.'
"Oh." Elena glanced at him, then grinned.
Suddenly, a small knife appeared in her hands. She appeared behind Naomi, stared at Asher for permission, and he nodded.
"Ah!" Naomi's scream filled the silence once again, but this ti, no one paid attention. They were all focused on sothing else.
Naomi snapped her head toward Asher, raising her hand to her bleeding cheek.
"Don't underestimate , Sinclair."
"I'll make you pay for this, Asher. Mark my words. Mark my—"
"Please be seated, everyone!"
Another voice ca from the entrance of the hall. Naomi had no choice but to storm back to her seat, dragging Emma's replacent along with her when Tay finally let her go.
Asher turned to Emma, who kept her head low, avoiding his gaze.
"Why didn't you tell ?"
"It's nothing," she mumbled. Then she whispered a soft "thank you," picked up her bag, said "thank you" again.
He watched her walk to the seat Infront of him, where she placed herself beside a guy he recognized, one of those who had awakened an S-rank skill.
That was a relief, he thought she would go further.
But it was also annoying.
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