The visitor was well-built, dressed in a black suit, and wore shiny leather shoes.
The middle-aged man had a square face and a resolute expression, the lines on his face speaking of a wealth of experience.
From his familiar movements, it was clear this man was at least very familiar with this mansion.
He was either one of Cocolia's subordinates, or…
"Are you Raiden Ryoma's bodyguard?" Brian asked.
The man sat down opposite Brian, his tiger-like eyes revealing an undisguisable weariness.
"Yes, I am the bodyguard Mr. Raiden Ryoma arranged for Miss Mei. I have been protecting Miss Mei's safety in secret ever since Mr. Raiden Ryoma was arrested."
This explanation was very reasonable.
A fallen young lady with a fortune of hundreds of millions would surely attract the covetous eyes of hungry wolves.
The fact that Raiden Mei had been able to live safely at Senba Academy for so long wasn't due to Kiana's monstrous strength.
The world of adults was far filthier than one could imagine.
However…
"Since you've been protecting Raiden Mei in secret, you should know that you shouldn't be looking for me. I'm just a passerby temporarily staying here."
Brian didn't believe this man was unaware of the current situation.
Although he was the only man in this household, he wasn't the one with the best relationship with Raiden Mei.
That would be the boisterous Kiana, the one who had given Raiden Mei the most warmth.
And on the surface, he was just an ordinary person. If anyone was to help Raiden Mei, it should be Kiana.
The man in the black suit sighed, his gaze exceptionally serious. "My identity is rather sensitive. It might bring some unnecessary danger to Miss Mei."
"You are also aware of Miss Mei's current situation. Although her physical safety can be guaranteed, her mental state has been very unstable ever since Mr. Raiden Ryoma was arrested."
It was a well-known fact that pets couldn't solve problems.
Since Raiden Ryoma's arrest, the Raiden family had been deserted by friends and relatives, forcing Raiden Mei, a young lady, to learn how to cook.
Kiana, her underclassman, had pulled her up when she was at her most lonely and heartbroken, preventing her from falling into the abyss of despair.
But Kiana was Kiana, after all. She could only give Raiden Mei a little bit of warmth in her own clumsy way.
To heal Raiden Mei's psychological problems, they had to start from other aspects.
As a bodyguard, he lacked the status, qualifications, and ability to do so.
And Brian…
"Although you and Miss Mei have only known each other for a day, I can see that Miss Mei has different feelings for you."
"Please, I beg you, help Miss Mei."
Based solely on that heavenly body that could make him the top host in Ginza, he was certain of this.
The man in the black suit performed the most solemn etiquette of the Far East—a dogeza!
If he had added a 'hontoni sumimasen', it would have been a guaranteed kill.
Brian's eyes flickered. The information gap allowed him to analyze several possibilities for this man's appearance here.
Raiden Ryoma might have left a bodyguard for his daughter, but from what he knew of Cocolia, she would never leave such a huge oversight.
In other words, this man in the black suit was most likely one of Cocolia's subordinates.
He only appeared under the guise of 'Raiden Ryoma's bodyguard' because Brian himself had entered Cocolia's sights.
Cocolia thought she was one step ahead, but in reality, he was two steps ahead!
Turning her own plan against her was his best choice right now.
"Leave Raiden Mei's matter to me."
…
Senba Academy.
"Hey, daughter of an embezzler, you're on cleaning duty today."
Several female students surrounded Raiden Mei, showing no consideration for their past friendship, and forcibly dumped their tasks on her.
"Isn't this your job?"
The girl lowered her eyes, hiding the sorrow and pain within them.
She used to be so good to them, yet when she was no longer a young lady, these people became the vanguards of her bullying.
It was incomprehensible, and even more unacceptable.
One of the prettier girls said with a look of entitlement, "As the daughter of an embezzler, shouldn't you feel ashamed and contribute more to us?"
Her expression was arrogant and self-righteous.
It was as if they weren't bullying their classmate, but executing a criminal.
"Exactly, don't you feel any shame for your identity as the daughter of an embezzler?"
"Forget it. Just being around her makes me feel like the air is polluted."
"…"
One after another, the girls belittled Raiden Mei, trampling her dignity into the mud.
Raiden Mei said nothing, standing rooted to the spot.
She knew that if she retorted, their bullying would only get worse.
"Hey, what are you standing there for? Hurry up and clean!"
A passing teacher heard the commotion in the classroom but had no intention of stopping it.
These students bullying Raiden Mei were all from wealthy and powerful families. None of them were people ordinary teachers like them could interfere with.
They pitied Raiden Mei's situation, but they would never risk their salaries over it.
In the classroom, what little self-respect Raiden Mei had left kept the girl standing in place, motionless.
She resisted the urge to run away, just so she wouldn't look so pathetic and become the subject of her classmates' gossip tomorrow.
The girl lowered her head, using her bangs to hide the glint of tears in her eyes.
The venom spewing from the girls' mouths grew even more vicious, no longer satisfied with simple personal attacks on Raiden Mei.
Just as a crystal tear was about to fall, a male voice joined the fray.
"What are you all doing?"
The girls who were bullying Raiden Mei turned their heads. Seeing Brian in his casual clothes, they looked completely unconcerned.
Just some outsider. What right did he have to interfere in their business?
"Who are you?"
"Are you this bitch's lover?"
"Seeing how handsome this guy is, this embezzler's daughter must have been thoroughly 'developed' all over."
Raiden Mei kept her head down, not saying a word.
It seemed that if she opened her mouth, she wouldn't be able to hide her breaking voice.
Her head felt as if it had sunk lower than the ground, filled with shame.
Her dignity was trampled into the mud, trampled wantonly by these people. In front of her friend, it made her feel even more humiliated.
The little bit of warmth that had blossomed during her encounter with Brian yesterday now caused Raiden Mei even greater pain.
She didn't want her friends to see her in such a disgraceful state.
The pressure in Raiden Mei's heart was already reaching its limit.
But the bullies were still not satisfied.
Just as one of them was about to speak again…
"You sows, know your place!" Brian's voice was calm and cold.
Hypnosis.