"Okay Lloyd, calm down. You can't just punch the first idiot who pisses you off, right? Be civilized... 'civilizedly aggressive'."
Lloyd's fists tightened inside his pockets. He needed to cool off; after all, he was way too weak right now to start a scene.
"Come on, get lost. Omega dogs aren't welcome here," said a redhead—the third one Lloyd had met so far. He was really starting to hate them.
Every time the guy spoke, flecks of spit hit Lloyd's face. The urge to pull out an umbrella was strong... though he sure wouldn't use it for cover.
"Alright, no need to be so... unpleasant," Lloyd said, forcing a strained smile and holding back the very real desire to rearrange the guy's freckled face.
"I don't see why I should be nice to useless losers like you," the redhead sneered, wearing an expression so smug Lloyd wanted to throw up.
Out of options, Lloyd turned toward the rear car. Apparently, each train car was assigned to a different class—Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omega—depending on your entrance exam performance. The uniforms were color-coded too, making it easy to tell who belonged where.
Lloyd had no choice but to head for another car.
"Wait, what do you think you're doing?" the redhead asked, trying to sound casual but dripping with malice. "That's the Delta car. What, you wanna make the whole place stink of loser for the rest of the trip?"
Lloyd's patience thinned. His jaw clenched so hard his teeth started to grind.
"Well, that wasn't really my plan," he said in the calmest tone he could muster. "But as you can 'clearly' see, the train's already moving. The only way to reach my assigned car is through this one, unless you want me to jump out the damn window. Or should I draw you a diagram so your underdeveloped brain can keep up?"
Keeping his composure was getting harder by the second. He 'really' wanted to remodel that idiot's face—with his fists.
"Just wait. Soon I'll be strong enough to kick your useless ass, you bastard."
"I'm aware," the redhead replied coolly, his tone so casually condescending that Lloyd nearly swung at him right there, "but that's not really my problem, is it?"
Lloyd took a deep breath, trying to stay calm.
"So, you're suggesting I stay here the 'entire' trip?"
"It's not ideal, but I guess that's what happens when people don't know their place," the guy shrugged, dismissing him like trash.
"Well, it was nice while it lasted. Hope murdering a classmate doesn't look too bad on a school record."
Lloyd cracked his neck with a sigh, ready to teach this prick a lesson—even if it was the last thing he ever did.
But fate had other plans.
The doors to the Delta car slid open, and an elegant figure stepped inside.
Her hair shone like strands of gold cascading over her shoulders, glowing against the white-and-gold uniform that marked her as Delta class.
"Hmm, is something going on here? I could've sworn I heard raised voices," her voice was soft, melodic, the kind that could calm tempers just by existing—and it certainly cooled Lloyd's anger.
Her amethyst-blue eyes rested on them with a look of gentle concern.
"W-we're terribly sorry, miss!" the redhead stammered, snapping into a stiff military bow so deep his forehead almost hit the floor. "Don't worry, I'll handle this right away!"
Lloyd blinked. That reaction said it all—she was definitely someone important.
"She has to be. With looks like that, she's probably one of the main characters. Maybe Victoria? No... the novel described her as hyperactive. This one's way too graceful."
"Oh, please, don't worry," the girl said kindly. "I didn't come to scold anyone. I just wanted to see if I could help."
"So she's kind... or just nosy. Hard to tell."
"There's really nothing to worry about," the redhead said, smiling tightly. "I was just explaining to this 'individual' that each train car corresponds to a specific class."
"Well, I didn't really have an issue with that," Lloyd replied evenly, "but since you said my presence would 'ruin the atmosphere' if I passed through the Delta car, I figured you were forcing me to stay here the whole trip—which, you know, doesn't sound very reasonable."
The way the redhead's face flushed with embarrassment was 'chef's kiss'. That alone was enough revenge for now.
"Is that true?" the girl asked—not accusing, just surprised.
"Uh, no, I was just—"
"I see! So it was all just a misunderstanding," she interrupted brightly. "Then there's no need to worry, right?"
Lloyd's eyes widened slightly. It was like watching a villain intimidate his own minion—but in reverse.
She sounded sweet, but there was authority in her tone that didn't invite arguments.
It was impressive... and terrifying.
"So, there's no issue if I head to the Omega car now, right?" Lloyd asked, wanting to make sure he'd won.
But things didn't go the way he expected.
"Oh no, absolutely not," the girl said with a smile.
"Wait... what?"
Lloyd's world collapsed. Great, now there'd be 'two' student murders on his academic record—goodbye medical career.
The redhead's smug little chuckle only made it worse.
"I can't let you walk all that way to your car when I could just invite you to mine," she said sweetly.
Lloyd froze. "Did I hear that right?" In the academy's rigid hierarchy, higher-class students treated lower ones like peasants. Yet she had just invited him into her compartment. Judging by the redhead's slack jaw, this was 'definitely' not normal.
"B-but you can't—" the redhead began, but she cut him off again.
"It'll be fine as long as he's with me, right?"
That firm 'right?' wasn't a question—it was a command.
Lloyd shot the redhead a smug look, savoring the moment, before the blonde took him gently by the wrist and led him inside with cheerful confidence.
"Come on, follow me."
Lloyd nodded, relief flooding through him. Looked like his record would stay clean... for now.