While Daniel and Ares were talking.
On the rooftop of Aios Academy, a conversation about love was also in full swing.
“Um, how is it?”
Arni Duratan, who everyone thought only cared about her sword, had made a lunchbox with a kitchen knife in hand.
Eve and Tana, savoring it, nodded their heads.
“The seasoning might be a bit strong, but I think it’s fine.”
“Compared to the first time, it’s a huge improvement. Arni, you might have some talent for cooking!”
“I… I practice every day.”
Thanks to that, the name Duratan, known for its swordsmanship, had been crying lately. She spent more time preparing ingredients with a kitchen knife than swinging her sword.
“I think it’s about time you should give it a shot. Try telling him tomorrow.”
“Should I?”
Looking at Arni’s blushing cheeks, Tana smiled with satisfaction.
“Yeah, this is what a girl in love should be like. Not acting like it’s none of her business.”
As Tana glanced at Eve, who was enjoying Arni’s lunchbox, she sighed.
But maybe misunderstanding it, Arni panicked and said,
“Y-you’re worried, right? I’m sorry!”
“Huh? No, it’s fine, I don’t like Ares anymore.”
Tana, who once followed Ares around, now felt indifferent but wanted to cheer Arni on.
“I don’t think you liked him as much as you say.”
It was just that a small spark had once ignited boldly in her heart, but now thinking about it, it didn’t feel like such a big deal anymore.
“But now it’s easier to go after Ares, right? All the girls who liked him have given up.”
“Is that really something to call giving up…?”
With a troubled expression, Arni muttered. From her perspective, it was nice that fierce rivals had disappeared, but now reflecting on it, she wondered if they were really rivals.
Elise was suddenly following Daniel around after the vacation ended. When she chased after Ares, she seemed to have maintained her dignity, but now that was all thrown away.
Sen seemed to have completely lost interest. In fact, she appeared to be diligently doing various tasks recently, and her expression seemed a bit brighter.
Hayun confessed but got rejected. When seeing her talk, one might think she was the one who got rejected, as she looked rather relieved.
Adriana had completely dropped out of school.
“They all got involved with Daniel and ended up like that, right?”
“That’s right.”
Eve nodded at Tana’s words.
“It’s better to stay away from that guy.”
Daniel McLean was in a situation where he was suddenly becoming that guy who seduces women.
*
“So I told you being close to me is fine.”
With a huff, May looked down her nose, and honestly, I couldn’t deny it.
Surprisingly, she had repelled Elise!
After finishing the lecture and exercising as usual, Elise, like a dog following a smell, approached me.
Now I felt a scary vibe, and I had no way to deal with her.
When I thought of insulting or hitting her, her eyes sparkled as if asking me to do it right away.
The only option I had was to run, but that’s when May Plov appeared.
Just like last time, she hit Elise for me, driving her away!
It was fine for me to take a hit, but Elise seemed annoyed and went away, while May was puffed up with pride.
“Honestly, thanks.”
May felt proud just for chasing that woman away and leaned over to me.
“Let’s go eat something in the city since it’s the weekend tomorrow, okay?”
“Yeah, no thanks.”
“How rude.”
Ignoring her, I kept exercising, but she sat down next to me, staring blankly at me working out.
I thought she would leave soon, but after an hour, she was still watching me from the same spot, which made me surrender and wipe the sweat while asking.
“Is it fun just watching from there?”
“Yeah, it’s fun. And what would you do if Elise comes again when I’m not around?”
“…That’s true.”
“You might not know, but just watching someone you like do something is enjoyable.”
“Hey!”
“Hahaha! Look at your bright red face! Were you excited? Wanting to hug and kiss me?”
“Get lost! Just go away!”
“Oh, why! Let’s finish exercise quickly and go eat, sweetheart.”
“I’m really getting mad.”
Lately, there has been a trend of crossing lines little by little, so when I spoke seriously, May replied, looking dejected.
“If you’re going to get mad, do it in bed.”
“You, damn… Come here, you’re really dead.”
“Kya hahahaha! I’m not Elise, so being hit isn’t my thing!”
Watching May run away, I sighed.
She definitely used to be scared of me; why was she acting like that now?
‘Is this what you call growth?’
Seeing her goofing around while bringing a scary person, it seems like you could call it growth.
How could I possibly control this or make her stop, I wondered, as people entered through the academy’s front gate.
“Uh?”
From the uniform they wore, they seemed to be soldiers, but the vibe of guarding someone behind them felt more like restraint than protection.
What mattered was that I recognized the boy caught between them.
“Charlie Kraush?”
He was much thinner compared to when he attended the academy, but it was definitely Charlie Kraush.
The damn guy who created a drug that changed his face and sexually harassed Eve.
That bastard was coming back to the academy.
*
“Don’t talk nonsense!”
The Dean shouted, letting out his anger towards the psychologist in front of him, but the counselor just smiled as if it was ridiculous.
“It’s an opportunity for students to resolve their own traumas. As the Dean of the academy, you should know this well.”
“Students? Where in the world do you think the perpetrator has trauma!”
The Dean blew his top as the counselor clicked his tongue.
“To think someone like that is sitting in the Dean’s chair. The prestigious Aios Academy seems to be past its prime. The victim students have their traumas, but the perpetrators also suffer from guilt and depression that generate trauma from their actions.”
Like a preacher starting a sermon to foolish beings, the man yelled, spitting.
“Do you understand? Even during his trial, Charlie was a student who was remorseful and always wanted to apologize to the victims!”
“That doesn’t mean to ignore the victim’s wishes…!”
“I won’t ignore them! If the victim doesn’t want to meet, we certainly won’t force it! But that student should understand too! Repentance and forgiveness! Overcoming trauma! How beautiful are those words!”
“…”
“We will continue to stay here. I hope the victim student will show a bit of mercy.”
Bang! The counselor slammed the door on his way out.
“…He’s gone.”
“Is that guy insane?”
Hiding in a hidden room in the Dean’s office, I came out feeling irritated.
When I asked why something like this was built, they said it was because they needed a way to escape after being hit by me.
Anyway.
“I did refuse like you said. Hah, I don’t know. That guy’s completely nuts.”
It was obvious that he was attempting to contact Eve, so I urgently told the Dean to refuse firmly.
‘You’re going to stay here?’
He said he would stay in the academy until Eve agreed to meet him. It was as if he was implying that not meeting him would make him the bad guy.
“Haa.”
I didn’t want to let Eve know about this at all.
There was a high possibility that her trauma would flare up again.
“It’s probably for his own performance. For counselors, it’s an honor to have a perpetrator apologize and a victim forgive them.”
“That guy’s really insane.”
“Yeah, pretty much.”
“No matter what they say, absolutely refuse. It’s a must. Make sure they can’t step foot in the academy. I don’t know what they’ll do if they catch Eve’s eye.”
“I’ve asked you several times not to explode in the Dean’s office, alright?”
“I’m leaving.”
Feeling once again why this world is hell-bent on destruction today, I first headed toward Eve.
I wasn’t planning to tell her, but just in case, I wandered around looking for her.
Just in time, I spotted Eve talking with Tana and the counselor.
Shocked, I clenched my fist and charged at him. I’ll hit him. I’m hitting first and thinking later.
With more and more people having the insane idea of bringing the perpetrator to meet the victim, maybe it wasn’t the God of Death that was trying to destroy the world, but Lin.
“So, I’m saying…”
As I swung my fist at the talking counselor’s face.
Thud!
My fist was blocked by a thick hand.
The large, intimidating man standing in front of me, who had blocked the counselor and me, looked down at me.
