After what seems like an eventful day, Nathan and his friends get a surprise encounter with an unwelcome schoolmate, William Beaumont.
"How's it going, everyone? You all seem very lively this afternoon."
Ariel responds,
"We were doing just fine before we noticed the school's recurring rodent problem."
"(snickers) My, my. The daughter of a fallen baroness suddenly starts to talk big. Try to make your house a bit more honorable before embarrassing yourself.
"(angrily) What the fuck did you say?!"
Seraphina tries to calm the situation down,
"Let's both relax, we're all still in school.
"Bleh, do you even hear yourself sometimes. Stop it with the goodie-two-shoes… It's getting annoying.
Nathan walks forward to his provoking schoolmate and asks,
"What do you want?"
William tilts his head and answers,
"Huh? I can try to dismiss the girl's disrespect, but a commoner thinking he can intervene is another thing entirely."
Noah hears this and walks forward as well, beside Nathan, and asks,
"Well, I'm a commoner too. So, what will you do now?"
William's gang goes up in front of him, and Noah snarks at this and says,
"So what do we call you lot, the 4 horseshits?"
William pushes his gang back and yells,
"Do you both want to go right here, huh?!"
Nathan and Noah stand off against William and his gang. The whole school witnessed their face-off, eagerly awaiting the first strike, until it was broken off by the school's student council, consisting of Oscar Brant, Eleanor Ravencrest, and other members.
William frustratingly pulls away for a moment and asks,
"Aren't there any first years that need their hands held today?"
Oscar replies,
"William, do you really want to cause a problem the one time the school starts doubling down on security?"
"Ha, isn't it prohibited for student council members to give special treatment to other students? Why are you presuming that I started this? What about them?"
Noah threateningly tries to walk up to William, but Nathan holds him back and tells him to calm down. William uses this to his advantage and takes the opportunity to make them look bad.
"You see? I feel so uncertain of whether or not I'll be safe every time I walk past those gates."
Oscar looks at Nathan, confused about what to do in order to ensure the matter is resolved without taking sides, but then Eleanor intervenes,
"Mr. Beaumont, may I ask you a question?"
"Huh?"
"You said that Nathan and Noah threatened you, and that made you feel unsafe."
William responds with a smile on his face,
"Yes, exactly."
"I see…."
Eleanor begins to ponder his statement, which worries William as if it didn't add up.
"What the hell are you even thinking about?"
"It's nothing. But I do have a follow-up question."
"What is it now?"
"Were you afraid that Noah was going to hurt you, as well as Nathan?"
William takes a moment after hearing the question and angrily clenches his fists.
"What did you just say?!"
"There is no need to be furious, Mr. Beaumont, it's just that I find it hard to believe that they were to attack you in front of the school, even outnumbered as well."
"(angry) I am not afraid of him."
Eleanor smirks after hitting a nerve.
"Oh, really, why did you say 'him'? Is it Noah? Or is it, Nathan?"
"You bitch- "
Nathan cuts William's path to Eleanor and says this while piercing his gaze with a cold, dead stare,
"I have to problem fighting you, William… Just know that I didn't start it."
Oscar rushes in between them and diffuses the situation. Telling the two of them to go back to class, otherwise this will be taken to the headmaster.
William reluctantly leaves with his gang, followed by a tiresome sigh from Oscar. He then turns his attention to Nathan and says,
"First day back, and I had to break off a fight with you and William."
Nathan responds to him,
"Would you have preferred it if he had made fun of Ariel?"
"What?"
Ariel jumps into their conversation and says,
"I didn't want your help; I would've been just fine dealing with him on my own."
"Come on, Ari, I couldn't let that weasel talk shit to you guys or me."
The school bell rings for the end of recess. Seraphina loudly claps her hands to snap everyone out of it and says that they should all head off to class and continue later.
And so, the remaining school day ends in a breeze after the confrontation with Nathan, catching up to all the work he has missed all this time. He walks off to the gate after a tiring day, to see that Noah waited for him.
"Hey, Noah."
"Hey, how was your first day back?"
"(chuckles) Is that a rhetorical question?"
"I guess that's my answer."
"Do you know why they had to investigate the classes?"
"You noticed it too, huh. Guess the school felt pressured after Captain Cedric paid a visit to the headmaster today."
Nathan stops in the middle of their walk.
"Noah, was Captain Cedric alone?"
"Not really alone, but he came with a few imperial guards. Why'd you ask?"
Nathan looks around and tells Noah that they should keep walking.
"You're starting to scare me, Nate. Why are you in a hurry?"
"Can't explain everything on the way, so let's head over to my place and I'll tell you everything."
"Try to summarize it, just give the important details."
"Fine. Do you remember that water mage I fought earlier?"
"It's kind of hard to forget."
"Turns out that they know there's a terrorist organization as of late. Seems like they believed I'm involved with them."
"How do they know?"
"They asked Prof. Nowell about my whereabouts."
"They already got to him, and what did he say?"
"He told them I wasn't involved."
"And they believed him?"
"Captain Ravencrest and Prof. Nowell seemed to know each other."
Nathan tells him of all that has happened in the castle's dungeon. They arrive at Nathan's front door, and Noah asks,
"Who's the guy they held hostage?"
"I'll tell you inside."
Nathan opens the door to see his mother making tea in the kitchen. They both go in to check on who the guest is, only for it to be his father seated on the chair. He turns to see the two boys in confusion, smiles, and says,
"Hey, son, who's your friend?"