Right after Williamson left, Richard arrived and informed him about the meeting. He met Sarah at the entrance and their arrival coincided with Evander's.
The only reason Varian was interested in the meeting was Charles. Recalling the fierce Charles who despite his rage, couldn't do anything, Varian couldn't help but smile.
As he recalled that Xanders were the ones related to her death, his eyes flashed. 'Once I get strong, that's the day you die.'
"Varian, don't zone out." Sarah's voice sounded beside him.
"My bad. I'm still relishing in Charles' angry look." He smiled and walked out of the dean's block.
Luna, Sarah's Space shuttle was waiting for them.
"Is it okay to skip the mission meeting?" Varian asked. Sarah was the faction head, so she should at least attend it for the sake of it, right?
Right?
Sarah puffed her chest and said. "I have full confidence in Seniors Dhruv and Mia. I'm merely a second year. All I can do is follow their arrangements."
"...you're right." Varian nodded disbelievingly.
Who was she kidding?
But apparently, every member of the faction had to sit for a couple hours on this meeting.
As the sudden Vice head, he too must attend the meeting. Thanks to Sarah, he avoided it.
After they boarded Luna, Anna served them refreshments as they sat in the living compartment
"VARIAN!" Amidst Charles' roar, Luna took off.
To be honest, even though Sarah's space shuttle was far, far smaller than ghostship, Varian felt more comfortable in it.
A good senior sister, a capable maid and luxurious interior.
'Is this the peak of life?' Varian twirled the juice glass in his hand with a profound expression.
Anna looked at Varian's lazy posture as he leaned back on the couch. If she had to compare, he was similar to a lazy cat.
What about her miss?
'Eh?'
Sarah came out into white top and pants—her training clothes.
"Miss—" Anna stopped as Sarah appeared in front of the lazy Varian and dragged him into the fighting room.
"Junior Varian, your punishment begins." Was what she said. Even her tone was serious.
But Anna could tell. 'She isn't angry. She is anxious and frustrated.'
'I wonder what happened inside.' Anna smiled and followed them into the fighting room.
The fighting room was the most expensive customization Sarah made. It was coated with a high grade alloy.
This little room of over two hundred square meters could easily bear the attack from a peak Level 6 Awakener.
"Sarah, let this slide." Varian coughed.
Sarah's shoulders trembled and she swiped her comm. "Slide? Take responsibility for you've done."
Dozens of holograms popped up.
'Oh?' Anna's eyebrow raised at Sarah's words.
Varian…didn't do anything weird, did he?
Her worries were for naught as she found the content on the holograms.
As she read the trending news article titles, with each one more click bait than the other, Anna couldn't help but click her tongue.
{'I pick you' Varian bold lines. Is Sarah's silence acquiescence?}
{Hundreds of second and third year cadets are signing a petition to bring in an anti-dating law.}
{The president of Sarah fanclub stated he'd rather die than let Sarah fall into Varian's evil clutches!}
'My my, I missed a good show.' Anna covered her mouth to stifle her laughter.
'Well, I can still see something everyone else won't.' She focused on Varian and Sarah.
Varian wasn't shocked at the articles. It was like…he was expecting them.
Sarah, on the other hand, was trembling. She pointed her finger at Varian and yelled. "There's no way I am letting this slide. Get yourself ready to be beaten."
Sarah used to be calm and composed all the time. She always worked towards her goal.
But since that mission, something changed in her.
'No. She just returned to normal.' Anna became the silent spectator.
Varian took a deep breath and with a serious expression. "I can tell you the real reason."
Sarah paused all of a sudden. Without knowing, she clenched her fist and her voice trembled. "G-Go on."
Varian's gaze alternated between Anna and Sarah. It was as if he was debating his own decision to reveal the reason.
Anna watched in anticipation as she awaited the grand reveal.
'Hey, say it already! Are you waiting for season 2 or what?' She wanted to yell, but like a good maid, she controlled herself.
Her comm buzzed and Anna squinted her eyes. They already reached Amethyst community.
Normally, she would reveal this to them and the drama would stop.
But, to stop this show just because the journey ended would be a pity.
'A maid gotta do what a maid must do.' Anna told herself and ordered the space shuttle to circle around the campus until she asked otherwise.
Thus, the drama that was supposed to end continued.
Varian looked at the nervous Sarah and gritted his teeth. "Promise that you will not beat me up."
"Huh?" Sarah was taken aback and cocked her head. "Aren't I going to beat you up, ahem, spar with you anyway?"
Varian's face twitched.
Sarah gave a smile that would've fascinated countless men as she said. "You can say the reason and maybe, just maybe, I'll spare you for this prank."
Varian sighed deeply and closed his eyes. 'So this is how I die, huh.'
'Boo.' He called out.
'Yes, Master.'
'Your master will become a ghost like you in a few minutes.'
'That's wonderful!'
'...Wonderful my ass. Sigh. Forget it, I have only one request before I die.'
'What is it, master? Boo promises to do anything it can.'
'My tomb, make sure nothing weird is written on my tomb. Especially words like virgin or single. Or I might come back from dead and destroy the tomb myself.'
'....but isn't that true?'
'Shut up! And follow the order.'
'Yes! Now please die!' Boo said with sincerity.
Sarah, who was anxious and nervous saw Varian close his eyes and her brain started overworking.
'H-He, why is he thinking so deeply? Was that some sort of prank? Did he mean it? No. He never looked at me like that. Yes. But-'
As Sarah's thoughts spiralled out of control, Varian's eyes snapped open.
Anna and Sarah were both taken aback by his expression.
It was the expression of a man that was about to die.
'Do you think I'll eat you or what?' Sarah wanted to ask him loud.
"Sarah, do you remember how many girls attended the meeting?" Varian threw a seemingly irrelevant question.
"So the reason is girls…wait, what are you talking about?" Sarah raised an eyebrow and groaned in frustration.
"Just answer me, Sarah." Varian said as he sighed in resignation.
"Around forty. All are mid or high Level 5." Sarah replied. Even though she skipped, ahem, passed on the work to Mia and Dhruv, she had the basic knowledge.
Varian shook his head and said. "There were fifty six girls. Without you, fifty five."
"So?"
Varian's expression turned bitter. "You were far too engrossed in Dean's speech, you didn't even notice their gestures the whole thing.
A girl asked me from military faction asked my for my comm's contact. Initially, I thought she just wanted to add contact. So I agreed.
But who knew the first girl opened a chat window.
Soon, the second girl joined. Then the third and then fourth. In no time, forty girls joined."
Sarah's mouth opened wide as she stared at Varian in a daze. It was true that she was completely immersed in Evander's speech.
A part of her didn't want to disappoint him. She already disappointed him by refusing the hide outs purge last time.
But what the hell was going on with this forty girls?
Varian gritted his teeth. "First it was formal talk. Then they revealed their true nature.
They were asking for a date. Some were asking for a night out, ahem. Forty members…they were competing and offering conditions." Varian recalled the craziness and shivered.
Who knew women were so scary?
Sarah's expression turned weird and she said. "My father must have seen and heard it all. D-Didn't he say anything?"
As soon she as mentioned him, Varian gnashed his teeth. "He saw my predicament. When I hoped he would help me, h-he gave me a smile and even gave me an encouraging nod. Like what? Why?"
Despite Taken aback by her father's weird behavior , Sarah's mind was focused on the answer she found. "So you used me as a shield. Now those girls will stay away from you, right?"
Varian's face stiffened and he nodded slowly.
Sarah put on a kind face and approached him step by step.. "Varian, I can understand your problems, but you know, I'm really frustrated. Since I am your shield, be my punching bag, okay?"