The medical room smelled faintly of antiseptic and old cotton.
Adrian sat on the examination bed while the doctor carefully wrapped his left shoulder again, tightening the bandage more than before.
Doctor: "The injury has worsened. One more fight and you'll be admitted to the hospital."
Adrian looked at the bandage without reacting.
Adrian: "It's not that worse."
Doctor: "You are not invincible. No movement from this hand now. Understood?"
A brief silence followed.
Adrian: "Hm."
The doctor sighed, knowing further argument was useless.
Adrian stepped outside the medical room. The doctor locked the door behind him and left the academy building.
Lucas had been standing outside the entire time.
Lucas: "Sir… you are fine, na?"
Adrian: "Hm."
Raymond approached with concern.
Raymond: "Sir, give me the health chart. I'll serve you food on time."
Adrian: "No need. I'll manage."
Adrian walked toward his quarters without looking back.
---
Marcus was already inside his own room, staring silently at the dried blood stains on his T-shirt.
Leon and Ethan entered.
Leon: "Hy, what happened? Who dared to touch you?"
Ethan: "You fine? Wait, I'll call the doctor."
Marcus: "I'm alright."
Leon pointed at the shirt.
Leon: "Then this blood?"
Marcus exhaled slowly.
Marcus: "You remember Avein?"
Ethan: "Hm. The one we made personal assistant in that club."
Marcus: "He sent people to teach us a lesson."
Leon's expression hardened.
Leon: "What? He forgot who we are?"
Ethan: "I'll send our professionals to teach him a lesson he never forgets."
Leon smirked.
Leon: "You fought with them? This blood is theirs, right?"
Marcus shook his head.
Marcus: "No. I was arguing with them when they tried to harm Lucas… before Lucas got hurt, the principal came and took the hit himself."
Silence filled the room.
Marcus continued quietly.
Marcus: "After that, Adrian fought them. His already-injured shoulder got worse. This blood… is Adrian's."
Leon looked confused.
Leon: "That principal fought for you?"
Ethan scoffed.
Ethan: "He fought to save Lucas. Or maybe it's his trick."
Marcus shook his head again.
Marcus: "If he only wanted to save Lucas, he could've taken Lucas inside. He didn't have to fight."
Leon laughed.
Leon: "You're overthinking. That's exactly what Adrian wants."
Ethan nodded.
Ethan: "Marcus, relax. I already have a plan to throw Adrian out of the academy."
Marcus: "No. Don't do anything now. He's already injured."
Leon: "Why do you care?"
Marcus hesitated.
Marcus: "I don't care… I'm just saying there's no reason to harm him if he hasn't done anything to us."
Ethan clapped once.
Ethan: "Topic closed. Let's party. Adrian is injured — that's beneficial."
Leon grinned.
Leon: "And Avein will get his lesson tonight."
Ethan: "Even better — let's watch."
Marcus: "I don't want to go."
Leon: "Come on, buddy."
Marcus looked down at the dried blood again, saying nothing.
----
Devil trio reach the location that was far from Hillcrest.
An unfinished building on the outskirts of the city.
Avein knelt on the dusty floor.
Marcus stood a few steps away, arms crossed.
Leon looked amused.
Ethan checked his phone.
One of the hired professionals spoke calmly.
"You try to teach lesson."
Avein swallowed. "I didn't—"
The professional slapped him once.
Not hard.
Just enough to stop the sentence.
Marcus shifted slightly.
The professional continued, "Next time, the warning won't be verbal."
Avein nodded quickly.
Leon smirked. "Lesson learned."
Marcus turned away first.
He didn't wait to watch the rest.
---
Across the academy, whispers about the fight spread everywhere — hostels, corridors, even staff quarters.
Inside his room, Keris sat on his bed, staring at his silent phone.
Keris: "It's all because of Luther… They left me because Adrian blamed them for bullying him."
He clenched his fists.
Keris: "But they enjoyed it too… what the hell…"
He called again.
No answer.
Keris stormed into one friend's room.
The door opened halfway.
Keris: "What happened?"
Friend: "You bully others and now the principal blames us. If he sends those clips to my dad, I'm finished."
The friend's voice hardened.
Friend: "Stay away from me."
The door shut in Keris's face.
For a moment, Keris stood still.
Then anger replaced humiliation.
He walked straight to Luther's room.
Keris: "Open the door or I'll break it!"
The door slowly opened.
Keris grabbed Luther's collar and dragged him inside.
The slap echoed loudly.
Keris locked the door.
Keris: "You became courageous? You forgot you're my servant?"
Luther: "I… I'm sorry…"
Keris's voice shook with frustration.
Keris: "Because of you, my friends stopped talking to me! It's your fault!"
Keris pushed him to the floor.
Keris: "Crawl. Say you are my servant."
Luther froze.
Another slap.
Keris: "Crawl!"
Luther began crawling.
Luther: "I… am… Keris's servant…"
His palms burned against the floor.
Each movement felt heavier than the last.
Inside his mind, memories surfaced — not of anger, but exhaustion.
How long…?
How long will this continue…?
He remembered the first day Keris called him "servant" as a joke.
Then it stopped being a joke.
Then it became normal.
Now it felt permanent.
Luther: "I am Keris's servant…"
Five minutes passed.
Keris watched, breathing heavily.
Then his phone buzzed.
A message from Adrian.
"I already warned you. Don't tempt me."
An attachment.
Keris opened it.
His father's phone number.
Keris froze.
Fear replaced anger instantly.
Keris: "Stop."
Luther stopped crawling.
Keris moved toward the door.
Keris: "And don't forget… you're always my servant."
The door opened and closed.
Luther locked it.
No tears came.
He simply sat on the floor, staring ahead.
Luther (thinking): Will this ever end?
---
On same floor
Eden reached to his room door slowly.
Just as his fingers touched the handle—
A voice behind him.
"Not even looking back anymore?"
Eden's hand froze.
He didn't turn.
Footsteps approached.
Measured. Unhurried.
Someone stopped close enough that Eden could hear breathing.
"You learn fast," the voice said. "That's good."
Eden's shoulders tightened.
A finger tapped the back of his notebook.
"Still attending classes?" the voice continued. "Even after yesterday?"
Eden said nothing.
The notebook slipped from his hands.
It hit the floor.
Neither of them picked it up.
A pause stretched.
Then—
A quiet laugh.
"Stay invisible," the voice whispered. "That's the only reason you're still here."
The footsteps moved away.
No running. No anger.
Just certainty.
Eden remained standing there long after the corridor emptied.
Finally, he bent down and picked up the notebook.
On the cover, written in pen pressure that had torn slightly into the paper:
"I AM SERVANT OF KERIS"
Over and over. Across the entire page.
Eden closed the notebook.
His face showed nothing.
But his hands did not stop shaking.
He entered his room and locked the door.
Eden sat alone.
Eden (thinking):
When did I become invisible?
Or was I always invisible?
---
The canteen kitchen smelled different that night.
Raymond noticed it first.
Not the food — the absence of a food tray being prepared for the principal.
Lucas stood near the doorway, watching Raymond wash utensils.
"Raymond," Lucas said quietly, "did sir ask you to prepare dinner?"
Raymond shook his head.
"No."
Lucas hesitated.
"I saw a delivery boy near the principal quarters," he said. "Sir ordered food from outside."
Raymond's hands stopped moving.
For a moment, water continued running over the steel plate he held.
Then he resumed washing.
"Good," Raymond said calmly.
Lucas frowned. "Good?"
"It means he plans to stay alive," Raymond replied.
Lucas didn't know what to say.
After a pause, Raymond added quietly, "Trust takes time here."
Lucas nodded slowly.
Neither of them spoke again.
---
Next morning.
At 9 AM, the ground of Hillcrest Academy was full — students, professors, and staff.
Adrian stood in front of them, shoulder fully covered.
Adrian: "I previously said rules don't apply to three students. That exception is revoked."
Murmurs spread instantly.
Adrian: "From now on, everyone is equal in this academy."
A student spoke nervously.
Student: "Sir… last time you slapped one of them, and next day you were kneeling…"
Adrian smiled faintly.
Adrian: "Thank you for worrying. I'll manage."
He dismissed everyone.
---
Classes began.
Only three seats were empty — Devil Trio.
Keris sat alone.
His former friend avoided him.
Keris gestured.
Keris: "Luther. Eden. Sit here."
They obeyed.
During class, Keris pushed Eden's notebook toward him.
Keris: "Write this 100 times — 'I am servant of Keris.'"
Eden lowered his head and began writing.
Each word felt heavier than the last.
"I am servant of Keris."
"I am servant of Keris."
Inside Eden's mind:
If I refuse, things get worse.
If I obey, I disappear.
He kept writing.
Beside him, Luther was forced to write Keris's "qualities."
Luther (thinking):
Kind. Strong. Leader…
The words felt like lies scratching paper.
Keris leaned back, pretending to enjoy it.
But his thoughts kept drifting.
I'm alone now.
---
Evening came.
Students gathered in the canteen.
Adrian entered the canteen slowly.
The noise inside dropped almost instantly.
Not silence — but close.
Raymond, who had been serving food, froze mid-motion. Lucas straightened near the wall. Students who had been whispering moments ago suddenly found their plates veryreemely interesting.
Then the academy gate opened.
Leon entered first.
Ethan followed.
Marcus walked behind them.
The Devil Trio had arrived.
As if controlled by a single invisible command, students stood up from their chairs.
Some bowed their heads.
Some lowered their eyes.
Some simply stepped aside.
No one wanted to be noticed.
Leon smiled, enjoying the reaction.
Ethan stretched his shoulders casually, like a king returning to his court.
Marcus didn't smile.
Adrian watched all of it without expression.
When the trio reached the center of the canteen, Adrian spoke.
"I sent envelopes to your rooms this morning," he said calmly. "Why were you absent from lectures?"
Leon chuckled.
"Oh really?" he said. "Since when do we answer to you?"
Ethan stepped forward slightly.
"You should be careful," Ethan said. "Your shoulder already looks bad."
A few students shifted nervously.
Raymond looked down at the counter.
Lucas's hands tightened behind his back.
Adrian nodded once, as if acknowledging the warning.
"Oh," Adrian said. "Right. I almost forgot something."
He turned his head slightly.
"Lucas. Open the gate."
Lucas hesitated for half a second.
Then obeyed.
The gate opened.
Four men walked inside.
They weren't loud. They weren't aggressive. They were simply… controlled.
That alone changed the air.
Students exchanged confused looks.
Leon's smile faded.
Ethan's jaw tightened.
Marcus looked from the men to Adrian.
Adrian spoke evenly.
"I informed you yesterday," he said, "that discipline will be maintained."
The men stopped a few steps behind Adrian.
One of them spoke calmly.
"We're assigned to ensure Dr. Adrian's safety."
A murmur spread through the canteen.
Professors standing near the door exchanged stunned glances.
Even Raymond looked up.
Leon laughed once, but it didn't sound confident.
"Copying our methods now?" he said.
Adrian ignored the comment.
"Leon Cross. Ethan Vale. Marcus Reed," Adrian said clearly.
"You missed lectures."
He paused.
"Punishment applies."
No one moved.
The canteen felt smaller suddenly.
"You three," Adrian continued, "kneel."
The word landed like a stone dropped into still water.
Students stopped breathing.
Ethan stared at Adrian.
"You don't understand what you're doing," Ethan said quietly.
Marcus remained still.
Leon's voice hardened.
"You think hired guards make you powerful?"
Adrian's expression didn't change.
"You may kneel voluntarily," Adrian said, "or assistance will be provided."
The professionals stepped forward.
Not aggressively.
Just enough.
That was worse.
Ethan clenched his fists.
Leon's face reddened.
Marcus looked around once — at the students, at the staff, at Lucas standing near the wall.
Then force was used.
Not violent.
Not chaotic.
But undeniable.
One by one, the Devil Trio were forced down.
Knees touching the canteen floor.
The sound echoed louder than expected.
Gasps escaped from several students.
No one had ever seen this before.
Not even imagined it.
Leon tried to rise immediately.
A hand on his shoulder pushed him back down.
Ethan's breathing grew heavier.
Marcus kept his eyes lowered.
Adrian stood in front of them.
Not triumphant.
Not angry.
Just steady.
"Look carefully," Adrian said to the students.
"These are the rulers you fear."
No one spoke.
Even the ceiling fans seemed quieter.
"For years," Adrian continued, "you believed power meant humiliation."
He glanced at the kneeling trio.
"Today you see something different."
Marcus's hands tightened on his knees.
Leon stared at the floor.
Ethan's jaw trembled with suppressed rage.
Adrian checked his watch.
"Thirty minutes."
The wait began.
Students remained standing.
No one dared sit.
Some couldn't stop staring.
Others avoided looking entirely.
Raymond's hands shook slightly as he wiped an already clean counter.
Lucas kept watching the trio, disbelief still visible in his eyes.
Minutes passed slowly.
Longer than any punishment students had experienced before.
Leon's confidence faded first.
Ethan's anger turned into stillness.
Marcus's expression became unreadable.
When thirty minutes passed, Adrian spoke again.
"You may stand."
The professionals stepped back.
The trio rose slowly.
Their pride had taken the real blow.
Adrian turned toward the exit.
Then stopped.
"One more thing," he said without turning around.
"If lectures are missed again…"
He paused.
"…the next kneeling will happen outside the academy gate."
Several students inhaled sharply.
Adrian finished quietly.
"For public view."
Then he walked away.
No dramatic exit.
No looking back.
Just steady footsteps.
The canteen remained frozen even after he disappeared from sight.
For the first time since Hillcrest had opened
the Devil Trio had been made to kneel.
And no one knew what would happen next.