Noah and Enid Sinclair stared at each other for an entire minute.
Or at least, that was what it felt like.
The world around them continued moving—students talked, footsteps echoed through the courtyard, and the distant sounds of the snack bar remained present—but within that small space between the two of them, everything felt strangely silent.
Enid was the first to look away.
And quickly, at that.
Almost in panic. Her cheeks turned an even deeper shade of red as she tried to act normal, clearly unsure of where to place her hands or where to look now.
Meanwhile, Noah simply observed her, intrigued.
Wednesday would kill me if she saw me right now. Noah thought with irony. Despite the armor of steel and ice she surrounded herself with, Wednesday Addams was just as ruled by emotions as any other teenager, no matter how much she denied it.
The mere image of Wednesday's deadpan expression staring at this scene almost made Noah smile even more.
Almost.
"Ah… sorry. I wasn't looking where I was going and bumped into you. My apologies." Noah said, not wanting to seem like the strange guy who stared at a girl in silence for too long. So he decided to say something and extended his hand in greeting. "Like I said before, I'm Noah."
His tone was calm, and far less cold than usual.
Enid Sinclair became slightly awkward at the apology, giving a crooked smile as she shook Noah's hand.
The touch was brief, but enough to make her freeze for an instant.
Because, unlike his elegant appearance and composed posture, Noah's hand was cold.
"I know who you are…" Enid commented quietly, still clearly nervous. "I mean, like… everyone does."
She laughed awkwardly right after, as if realizing that perhaps that wasn't the best thing to say.
Noah slightly raised an eyebrow.
"I assume the rumors arrived before I did."
"They did." Enid answered immediately—before realizing how quickly she had replied. "But—I mean, not all of them are bad!"
"There are bad ones?" Noah asked jokingly, watching Enid make an exaggerated expression. "…"
Her silence answered before her words did.
The widened eyes, the dramatic reaction, and the way she clearly tried not to show it made Noah immediately understand that yes—there were definitely bad rumors about him.
Noah sighed.
Honestly… what was supposedly so bad about him?
Alright, there was the oil incident, a few smaller events involving property destruction, and perhaps certain exaggerated stories circulating among influential families. But from his perspective, none of it was truly that absurd.
"Well then, Miss Sinclair, could you tell me why there are so many bad whispers about me?"
His tone remained polite, yet carried genuine curiosity. He truly wanted to understand what kind of image had been created of him within Nevermore Academy even before his arrival.
"Huh…"
Nervous from Noah's closeness, Enid Sinclair became speechless.
She looked away for a moment, clearly trying to organize her thoughts while her face remained slightly red. His presence too close to her seemed to leave her strangely disoriented.
That was until her knight in shining armor arrived wearing a beanie.
It was Ajax Petropolus.
He appeared quickly, almost abruptly, staring directly at Noah with a defensive expression. His steps were firm, trying to project confidence, though there was a subtle hesitation hidden in his eyes.
"Step away from her."
He approached and tried to shove Noah, only for him not to move at all.
It was like pushing a wall.
No, worse.
It was like trying to move a freight truck.
Ajax's arm locked at the moment of contact, while Noah remained completely motionless, not even taking a single step back. His expression didn't even change—he merely lowered his gaze slowly toward the hand resting against his chest.
For a second, the atmosphere around them seemed to freeze.
The nearby murmurs quieted.
Some students even subtly slowed their steps just to watch.
Noah then raised his eyes back to Ajax Petropolus and calmly asked:
"And… you are?" The question came out politely.
But there was something about it that made the entire situation absurdly embarrassing for Ajax.
Because Noah did not seem intimidated, nor irritated. In fact… he seemed genuinely indifferent.
Ajax froze.
Like a gorgon.
Beyond the petrification ability triggered by looking directly into their snakes, gorgons also possessed physical capabilities far beyond ordinary humans. Enhanced strength, endurance, and reflexes were natural for their species.
Yet… none of that seemed to matter to Noah.
And it truly didn't.
Noah was, at minimum, ten times stronger than an adult gorgon. A teenager like Ajax trying to move him was like a baby trying to push a mountain. There was no noticeable difference.
And now, bothered by the hand still pressing against his chest, Noah simply brushed it away with a casual motion.
The problem was that Ajax was still pushing.
So the moment he lost his support…
His balance went with it.
Ajax immediately stumbled forward.
His eyes widened on reflex before quickly shutting, already expecting the humiliating impact against the ground in front of practically the entire courtyard.
But then… nothing happened.
Ajax slowly opened one of his eyes.
He was still standing, perfectly balanced.
As if he had never stumbled at all.
The students around them looked confused.
Very confused.
Because for a second, Ajax had clearly been falling. His body had already tilted backward, his footing was gone, and even his expression showed the inevitable.
And then…
Half a second later…
He was simply standing upright again.
As if the very act of falling had been altered.
Noah remained standing in front of him, one hand still slightly raised.
His expression had not changed, but his eyes… seemed different for a brief instant—darker.
Almost as if something impossible had just observed them through those eyes.
Enid Sinclair blinked rapidly, trying to understand what had just happened.
"You…" She started to speak, but stopped halfway.
Because even she couldn't explain it, and obviously Ajax couldn't either.
In fact, the only person there who seemed completely calm was Noah.
Who merely lowered his hand slowly and sighed.
"You really should be more careful when pushing people." he commented calmly. "You could end up hurting yourself."
"Is he a friend of yours, Miss Sinclair?" Noah asked, referring to Ajax Petropolus.
His tone was genuinely curious, without mockery or disdain. After the little incident earlier, it felt like an oddly normal question coming from him.
Enid seemed to snap out of a trance before answering awkwardly.
"Ah, yes, he is. His name is Ajax Petropolus." Enid said, giving Ajax a quick glance before turning her attention back to Noah.
The movement was small.
But Ajax noticed it, and it created mixed feelings inside him.
On one hand, happiness.
He had liked Enid for a long time, so any acknowledgment from her was enough to instantly improve his mood. The simple fact that she introduced him made his heart feel lighter.
On the other hand, he was also irritated. Because Noah was receiving practically all of her attention without even trying.
And that bothered him.
A lot.
"Social media? I've never used one." Noah said without concern.
As if he had just said something completely normal.
Enid froze for a second.
Then her eyes widened in absolute shock.
"Huh?! Seriously?!" She practically jumped toward him. "Do you at least have a phone?"
The reaction came so quickly that Noah didn't even have time to answer before she grabbed his blazer and pulled him closer.
"Nah."
The silence that followed was brief.
But extremely dangerous.
Enid Sinclair immediately huffed before starting to drag Noah away from the area.
'She's strong…' Noah thought as he was calmly pulled along without even resisting. Her physical strength definitely did not match her energetic and colorful appearance.
"Where are we going?"
"To buy you a phone in Jericho."
"What for? Just order one online."
Enid stopped abruptly and slowly turned her head toward him.
"And you know what online is?!"
"Nobody raised me in a cave, idiot." The response came instantly, naturally—and perhaps a little too confidently.
"Say that again!" Enid's offended expression finally made Noah let out a faint laugh through his nose, almost imperceptible.
Meanwhile, Ajax Petropolus remained standing behind them, watching the two walk away while arguing.