The tension in the air was cold, pressure rising as the man looked Merlin straight in the eyes. His gaze held hints of mystery and an ulterior motive, but it was hard to tell beneath all the coldness.
"Follow me," the man said plainly, yet those words carried weight.
Merlin's palms were clammy, and his throat tightened. He glanced sideways. "U-uhh, Sera?" he called out cautiously.
"Yes?" she answered without shifting her calm expression.
"So uh… you weren't exactly clear on what I'm doing here," Merlin said, touching his fingertips together nervously.
"Think of this like high school," Sera replied.
"What?!" Merlin exclaimed after a pause, his voice bouncing slightly against the hollow walls. "I barely made it through middle school."
Sera smirked, then let out a soft giggle. "But you made it through, right?"
"I knew I shouldn't have followed you," Merlin muttered, dragging his hand down his face. "Uggh. I didn't sign up for this."
"Relax. I said think of it like high school, not welcome to high school," Sera said, leaning back slightly as if this whole thing was nothing.
"Yeah, I figured," Merlin said with a sigh.
"You did?" Sera tilted her head.
"I mean, I'm smart enough to know that high schools don't start with creepy men in shadowy buildings," Merlin replied, his lips curling into a crooked smile.
"Fair point. But I think he might have heard you," Sera said, lowering her voice playfully to spook him.
"I did," the man said, cutting in before Merlin could reply—his voice sharp, reminding them he was still right in front of them.
They both looked at the man, then at each other, and burst out laughing to shake off the pressure.
When they arrived at the classroom, the man finally spoke again. "Get comfortable. Get to know your classmates. I'll be back."
Merlin stepped through the doorway, pausing at the entrance to scan the room. All the students turned toward him, their stares heavy and unblinking. Had it been any other student, the weight of so many eyes might have crushed them with nervousness. But Merlin? He couldn't care less. He looked right back at the class, meeting their gazes head-on until they were the ones who grew shy and looked away. Then, in a low but firm voice, he said,
"I'm Merlin."
He walked toward an empty seat in the back, his footsteps echoing faintly. Just before he could sit, three older boys blocked his path.
"Looky here. The teacher didn't tell us anything about a new kid," one of them sneered. He looked like he had more to say, but the boy in the middle stepped forward, brushing the others aside like they were just clearing space for him.
"So, you're new? Must be hard being the new kid," he said with a grin that didn't quite reach his eyes.
"Well, lucky for me, I don't make friends," Merlin replied, folding his arms.
"What did you say your name was again?" the boy asked.
"It depends who's asking," Merlin answered coolly. "If it's a waste of my time, then I don't know. But if it's someone about to buy me lunch—" he leaned back against the desk with a cocky grin—"then I'm Merlin. Nice to meet you."
The two boys behind him frowned, visibly offended. The one in front kept smiling, but the edge in his eyes sharpened.
"You've got a really loud mouth for someone your size," he said.
"I like my size. It makes sense in proportion to my brain. So what's your excuse?" Merlin shot back without missing a beat.
The smile disappeared instantly.
"You better watch it. We use guys like you as an example for the class," the boy said, grinding his teeth.
"And I use guys like you to scare away animals. So I guess in a way we're not that different," Merlin said with a half-smile, his tone light but cutting.
The tension thickened. Their expressions twisted, fury simmering, but hesitation kept them from striking. Finally, one of them snapped. He grabbed Merlin's shirt in a tight fist.
"Hey, punk. I don't like your attitude."
Merlin's eyes flicked up in a heartbeat. The joking mask vanished—his gaze sharp as blades. "Let go," he said, his voice low but commanding. The boy's grip faltered for an instant, rattled by the sudden shift, but he tightened it again and yanked Merlin's collar upward.
"Look at me when I'm talking to you," he growled.
The class froze, whispers swallowed in the heavy silence.
"Tony, please let him go," a timid voice called from the far end of the class.
"Shut up!" Tony barked without looking back.
"So that's the name of this pathetic piece of furniture," Merlin said dryly. "It's a deserving name."
Tony's veins bulged. "Is there something wrong with it? Huh?! Talk, you little punk!" He raised his fist, stopping inches from Merlin's chin as a threat.
"Now why would you think there's something wrong with the name?" Merlin asked, calm as ever. "I only said it was deserving. So either your conscience is playing mean tricks on you… or you've just come to a realization." He let out a sudden laugh, sharp and echoing, refusing to look away.
Tony snapped, fist cocked back for a swing—
"Let Merlin go."
The voice cut like a blade, clear and sharp. Both Tony and Merlin turned toward the doorway.
It was Sera.
Tony froze, his fist still hovering, before lowering it and releasing Merlin reluctantly. He didn't dare challenge her.
Merlin dusted off his collar, unbothered. "Took you long enough. I was about to charge them rent," he said confidently, flashing a smirk.
The boys exchanged confused looks. He knows her? Tony thought, his surprise written all over his face.
"Your first day here and you're already making trouble," Sera said as she stepped forward, her voice calm but edged with amusement. She smirked. "As I expected."
And just like that, the atmosphere shifted—Sera insta
ntly became the new center of attention, the weight of the room's eyes moving from Merlin to her.