Victor led Kenley and her friends down the deserted corridor, its cold, empty silence amplifying their footsteps. Ashara, shadowing them, kept her eyes darting between Victor and the group, her concern palpable.
“So?”
Kenley and her friends, emboldened by Victor’s composed demeanour, attempted to make their move. Kenley, ever so forward, reached out to touch him. Yet, Ashara was quick to intervene again, her voice firm and protective, “I’ve told you before, he doesn’t like others touching him.”
Kenley’s frustration was palpable as she gritted her teeth, her eyes flashing with a mix of anger and defiance. She wanted to lash out but found herself restrained by Victor’s unwavering gaze. With a huff, she said, “Anyhow, I heard that girl, Kyra, falsely accused my uncle.”
Victor’s brows furrowed, “Uncle?”
“Yes, my uncle, Professor Kennedy,” Kenley replied, her voice dripping with pride. Her uncle was a revered figure in their noble family, held in high esteem for his achievements.
Victor regarded Kenley with a steady gaze before replying, “Falsely accused? He got what he deserved.”
“Deserved?! The hell!! Do you even know who he was?!!” Kenley’s voice rose in frustration, her disbelief evident.
“A noble, so what?” Victor’s tone was tinged with annoyance. He felt the problem, which he thought was resolved, was dragging on unnecessarily.
“What the…” Kenley’s frown deepened, her patience wearing thin. She glanced at her friends, who immediately understood their cue.
The first girl stepped forward, her tone filled with reverence,
“Kennedy Blade was a baron nobleman who forged his own path and developed revolutionary artifacts. He was appointed directly to the academy for his intellect and creativity. He created most of the equipment that functions in this academy!”
The second girl chimed in, her voice filled with admiration. “He elevated his house’s rank from baron to duke! He married a beautiful wife and had a large family, living a life filled with love and joy. His only passion was his work with technology. He lacked for nothing!”
Kenley then interjected, her tone dripping with disdain. “Do you really think that a man who had such a fulfilling life, with a loving wife and everything he could wish for, would bother with a…. commoner girl?” Her words carried a layer of contempt.
Victor’s expression remained serious as he stared at Kenley, then glanced at Ashara, who was observing him with curiosity, “A man can have many sides and conceal them carefully… even if they are closely related.”
Kenley frowned at his response, her patience wearing thin. She hadn’t come for philosophical debates, so she cut straight to the point, “Whatever… I just want you to withdraw the complaint from the Principal.”
“I don’t think I have any right—”
“Yes, you do have that right… because you’re the reason that commoner girl falsely accused my uncle,” Kenley interjected with a serious expression, her voice hardening. She added with a smirk, “Why don’t you visit that girl and see if she wants to withdraw her complaint or not?”
Stay tuned for updates on
Victor’s frown deepened. “What do you mean?”
Kenley’s lips curled into a malevolent smile as she said, “Just visit her departement…” and turned to leave.
Victor and Ashara’s faces fell as they began to understand the gravity of the situation. Just as they were about to leave,
“Especially that woman’s restroom~” Kenley called out with a sinister smile and smirk, revelling in the distress she had caused.
“Aarrrhhh!!” As soon as they were out of sight, Kenley let out a scream of pain, clutching her right ear.
“Kenley!!” Her friends shouted in alarm, rushing to her side.
“Tsk, let’s get to the infirmary quickly!” Kenley shouted through gritted teeth, her pain evident, ‘That bastard….’
Meanwhile,
Ashara and Victor sprinted towards the senior department, their urgency was apparent. Reaching the nearby restroom, Ashara said, “You wait here—” but before she could finish, Victor was already inside, moving with a single-minded purpose.
“V-Victor!!” Ashara’s voice was filled with worry, fearing that her friend might be mistaken for a pervert.
But as she entered, she found the restroom empty except for a distressing scene.
Drip, Drip
A girl lay unconscious on the floor, her body drenched in water. Strands of hair were pulled from her head, her clothes were torn, and blood seeped from a wound on her head.
Victor blankly stared at the grim sight, his expression unchanging. Ashara moved swiftly to check the girl’s pulse.
“We need to take her to the infirmary!” Ashara exclaimed urgently.
“No…” Victor shook his head, his face serious. The situation had worsened, and taking her to the infirmary now would attract unwanted attention. The old woman would surely note the incident and inform the professors, risking exposure of the girl’s identity…. which certainly this girl didn’t want.
Ashara, still concerned, protested, “We don’t have time, Victor! She might die if—”
“Get Helena,” Victor instructed firmly. Ashara hesitated for a moment before running off to find Helena.
Meanwhile, Victor stared at the girl before shifting to the mirror and staring at his image, “Who are you?” he asked, directing his question to the reflection of his own image. Yet, there was no answer.
“If you think you can hide your presence with such a pathetic skill… then you are far from reaching her level,” Victor’s voice was cold as he addressed the mirror.
Yet,
There was no response whatsoever.
The silence that followed was unsettling. Victor stared at the mirror, then tilted his head slightly to the right.
It was then that Victor in the Mirror suddenly smirked and a mechanical voice filled the room, dripping with amusement,
“Oh! You are really able to sense me… ah,” the Mirror Victor said, its tone playful.
“What are you?” Victor asked with a frown, his patience wearing thin.
“What are you?… Ah, that’s quite a good question. But… the same could be said for you…. Aether.
What are you?” The Mirror Victor asked back with argument.
“…” Victor’s expression remained neutral, his mind racing with thoughts.
“Haha… don’t worry, I didn’t harm this girl, but those girls really hurt her lot…. What a pity, What a pity…. and I am not your enemy,” The Mirror Victor shook his head with a pitiful expression.
Victor smirked, “Yeah, and I’m not your friend either, right?”
“Haha… yes, yes… you’re right,” The Mirror Victor also smirked as his voice replied with a hint of arrogance, “There is no need to concern yourself with who I am or what I am.
I am merely curious… about how ‘The Beginning’ is going to start. That’s all…
Just remember, everything goes according to Mother’s wish. Whether you like it or not, fate cannot be changed, and That’s the law!!” The Mirror Victor smiled haughtily, “I hope you understand one day, H#########”
Crack, Crack
The mirror shattered into a million pieces, the sound echoing through the restroom.
Victor stared at the broken mirror before calling, “Celestia.”
Celestia appeared as if from nowhere, wrapping the girl in a cloth and lifting her with ease. “Where to?” she asked.
“….. Principal’s house,” Victor replied.
Celestia nodded and vanished in an instant.
Victor took a moment to compose himself, sighing, ‘It’s getting messy…’ He shook his head, reminding himself of his mission. It wasn’t his place to get involved in other matters. His task was to seduce the women.
That was all that mattered!!