The cool evening breeze drifted through the window of the small house, carrying with it the chill of the night that was gradually approaching. Inside the living room, Kai, Duke, and Mike sat around the table, all three directing their gazes toward the dark red letter lying in the middle.
For a while, no one said anything.
The letter remained where it was, bearing the academy's seal.
Duke let out an exasperated sigh and leaned back in his chair.
"Well then… take a guess, you two idiots. What do you think that sentence could be?"
Mike sprawled across the couch, his hands folded behind his head as he stared at the ceiling, seemingly trying to recall everything that had happened.
"Wait, what were the three of us even guilty of again?"
Duke slowly turned his head toward Kai.
His gaze settled on Kai with a deeply sarcastic expression.
Kai immediately noticed and raised a hand to cover half his face, looking both annoyed and somewhat embarrassed.
"You mean the crimes committed by the idiot sitting over there?"
Duke began counting on his fingers.
"Let's see… starting a fight right when a high-ranking official arrives at the academy, failing to show respect to the queen, bringing disgrace to the school…"
He paused for a moment before looking straight at Kai.
"And whatever else along those lines."
Kai lowered his head, the irritation on his face becoming even more apparent.
"Alright, alright… I'm sorry."
He raised a hand and scratched his head.
"But even so… a sentence? Isn't that a little too harsh?"
This time, no one answered immediately.
Mike was still lying on the couch, but the carefree expression had disappeared from his face. Duke was no longer joking around either.
A heavy silence settled over the room.
After a long while, Duke stood up.
He walked toward the window and stopped in front of it, gazing outside.
The sky was gradually darkening.
Duke stared at the scenery for a long time before finally speaking.
"You two understand it too, don't you?"
Kai and Mike looked toward him.
Duke turned around, his expression growing serious.
"In the worst-case scenario…"
He paused.
"…it's death."
The room immediately fell silent.
Mike slowly sat upright.
The joking expression vanished from Kai's face as well.
Duke continued.
"Nothing is certain yet… but in this world, that possibility is very real."
Kai and Mike exchanged glances.
Both understood what Duke was trying to say.
Ever since arriving in this world, they had witnessed far too many things with their own eyes.
Monsters.
Battles.
People possessing powers far beyond anything they had ever known.
And teachers who could effortlessly knock them out with a single blow.
None of the three could be certain that the upcoming sentence would amount to nothing more than a few days of suspension.
Kai slowly stood up.
"Then… you mean…"
He looked at Duke.
"For the next seven days, we have to…"
Mike finished his sentence.
"Prepare for the worst-case scenario."
Duke nodded.
He let out a sigh.
"Exactly."
Another silence followed.
Duke walked back toward the table and planted both hands firmly on its surface.
"For the next seven days… you two need to get used to your own Blessings."
His gaze shifted toward Kai.
"Especially you, Kai."
Kai listened silently.
"Because if the worst-case scenario happens… we'll need to have a plan ready."
Kai nodded immediately but his face is still full of confusion.
"Got it, but…..how?"
Duke left out a little sigh, then he sake his head
"I…don't know…..you have to figure it out…some how"
Kai stay silent, figure out something that is almost impossible, then kai suddenly remembering something, he spoke again.
"So… what about you?"
Duke froze.
He remained silent for a moment.
His already serious expression grew even more contemplative.
"…"
Kai and Mike watched him, waiting for an answer.
Eventually, Duke turned his face away.
"I'll… figure something out….for myself."
Mike frowned.
"Figure something out?"
Duke didn't answer immediately.
"It's just that, for now…"
He stopped.
"…Ah, forget it."
Duke folded his arms across his chest and looked toward his two friends.
"Anyway, over the next seven days, the three of us need to get stronger."
The three of them met each other's gazes.
"Understood?"
Kai nodded.
Mike sat up straight as well.
All three reached their hands toward the center of the table.
"ROGER!"
Their shouts echoed through the small room.
Duke then stood up.
"I need to go look for a few things."
He turned toward the door.
"I might be back late."
Kai and Mike nodded.
"Yeah."
"Got it."
Duke opened the door and stepped outside.
It closed behind him.
Only Kai and Mike remained in the living room.
The two looked at each other for a moment before standing up and returning to their respective rooms.
The house gradually sank into silence.
But Duke hadn't left yet.
He stood alone in the living room before slowly lowering himself into a chair.
The serious expression he had worn earlier disappeared.
In its place were exhaustion and anxiety.
Duke lowered his head, interlocking his fingers.
"My…"
Duke glaze at his hand, the hand then gripping it tightly, He sat motionless in the darkness, then his gaze shifted to the door through which his two friends had just disappeared.
"…own way…"
Outside, the last traces of the evening light gradually faded away.
And the final seven days before their sentence would be delivered…
had officially begun.