Chapter 191
PUNISHMENT (3)
The low, lazy instrumental track that oozed out of unseen speakers—soft jazz, all slow piano and the occasional drawn-out trumpet note—began to change to another song. The smooth melody faded into something more darker, the notes were more eerie and heavier.
The once-relaxed rhythm gave way to a foreboding tone, as though the room itself had caught on to the tension and decided to lean into it.
IAM finally spoke. "So what's the point of you bringing all this up?"
There was no use pretending anymore. She had cornered him, step by step, and continuing to dodge her questions would only waste time. The game was over.
Dragging things out would only make him look foolish—it would be like playing cat and mouse when the trap had already snapped shut.
Now all that mattered was understanding the reason behind it. Why go this far? Why dig this deep?
Ari licked her lips slowly, thoughtfully, like she was considering whether to give him the answer he was looking for.
"Before we even get into that," she said, "there's another matter I'm curious about. While narrowing down where the rumours started, we went through all the footage involving your group."
She leaned forward slightly, placing her cup down with a gentle clink.
Her eyes glittered. "And just last night, we came across something very interesting—a little trip of yours. A late-night detour to the library."
She smiled faintly, watching him.
"You seemed to spend quite a bit of time there. And naturally… I'm curious as to wh—"
"That's enough."
IAM said, his voice steady but cold. "You've already done enough. You've dug into our pasts, you've crossed into our personal lives—and I don't owe you any explanation for that."
Ari didn't react immediately. She simply picked up her teacup and took a slow, unbothered, as though she'd been expecting his response.
After a moment of silence, she set it down and looked at him with a faint smile.
"That's where you're wrong," she said quietly. "It's entirely within my rights—especially when it comes to ensuring the safety of this academy, the people in it… and myself." Her smile deepened just a little. "And you think I've already done enough?" She let out a soft breath. "Trust me… I haven't even started."
The room seemed to grow colder. No one spoke. IAM didn't respond—not because he agreed, but because there was nothing he could say that would change the reality in front of him. They didn't have the power to challenge her, and they all knew it. All they could do was endure it.
Ari casually tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her fingers brushing lightly against her cheek. With a small, graceful gesture, she waved off the tension. "Don't misunderstand me," she said, her tone softening just enough to sound reasonable. "I'm not here to antagonize you or anything like that. I'm simply… a curious woman. So there's no need to give me such scary looks."
She leaned back in her chair, her gaze steady as she continued. "The main reason we're here today is actually much simpler. It's time to give you your punishment." Her voice remained light.
"As you're already aware, we don't know you, and we certainly don't trust you—not with anything important. And this... all of this?" She gestured vaguely at the group. "This is the first time first-years have ever caused this level of trouble. So it's new territory for us too."
None of the boys responded. The silence hung in the air, it was thick and uncomfortable.
"So," Ari went on with a smile, "we've decided to give you the most useless jobs we could come up with." Her grin widened slightly, a flicker of amusement in her eyes.
Just as Ari opened her mouth to continue, the soft chime of the elevator interrupted her. The doors slid open with a quiet hiss, and Snow stepped out with her blonde hair that curled slightly at the ends swaying as she moved.
Her light brown eyes surveyed the surroundings before spotting them, she began pushing a metal tray in front of her. The wheels squeaked faintly against the floor as she approached.
"Perfect timing," she said, glancing at the tray. "I hope you boys are ready to get to work."
The boys exchanged confused looks, a wave of uncertainty passing between them. No one spoke.
Snow moved without a word, her face calm but unmistakably amused. She reached into the tray and began pulling out items: rubber cleaning gloves, bottles of industrial cleaner, a sponge, and a small stack of folded rags.
The unease in the room grew. It crept into their stomachs and settled there. The more they watched, the clearer it became—it all pointed in one direction.
Ari didn't keep them guessing for long.
"I hope you're all familiar with public toilets," she said with a tilt of her head. "No?" She gave a mock sigh. "Well… that won't matter. By the time these next two months are over, you'll know them better than you know your dorms."
...
"So," the voice asked quietly, "based on your surveillance… how was he?"
"He appeared healthy," came the reply. "Very careful and cautious. He's definitely an interesting young man."
There was a pause.
"Hmm… and how do you think he'll do?"
"I'm not sure yet," the other voice admitted. "So far, I haven't seen anything that suggests he's even aware."
"Let's give him another week or two," the first voice said. "Then… we'll bring him in."
"As you wish," the man replied. He wore a formal academy uniform, and with a respectful bow, he turned and exited the room.
Silence returned. The only sound was the soft clink of metal as Omari Gold—The Flame—flipped a coin across his knuckles.
He stared down at it for a moment, then sent it spinning into the air with a flick of his thumb. The coin landed perfectly balanced on his finger, the image of a broken sickle gleaming in the low light.
"…Don't disappoint me, IAM Grimm," he murmured.
Omari Gold—the Flame—stood by the window, bathed in the gray light of the overcast sky.