Huh?
What the hell was going on?
The random bastard I'd beaten up this morning was actually friends with someone important?
That didn't sound right.
More importantly, it didn't line up with my memories.
Johnston...
Johnston...
I'd gone through an entire year's worth of memories last night. Surely I'd remember someone important enough to threaten half the student body over a hallway beating.
"Uh, Kamrik?"
I rested my chin against my hand.
"Hmm..."
"Kamrik...?"
"What does this Johnston guy even look like?"
I glanced toward Flake.
"Unlike you guys, I'm from a lower-ranking noble House. I don't exactly have every rich bastard's family tree memorized."
Flake stared at me.
Then swallowed.
"Kamrik..."
"What?"
"Over there."
I followed his trembling finger.
Why was he shaking again?
Honestly, these two needed to relax.
I turned around.
And found three students approaching our table.
They walked in an almost comically familiar formation, one in front and two trailing slightly behind him.
The kind of arrangement that practically screamed important asshole and his disposable subordinates.
Lovely.
My attention settled on the one leading them.
He had short, dark-green hair, with longer strands falling across his left eye. His uniform was immaculate, the collar sitting neatly against his neck without a single wrinkle.
Which was already enough to make me dislike him.
But there was something else.
His visible eye was narrow, with a thin vertical pupil set inside a yellow-green iris.
A snake's eye.
And around it...
Was that eyeshadow?
A faint dark tint framed his eyelid, making his sharp features look even more serpentine.
Even the way he walked bothered me. Every movement was smooth and deliberate, like he had all the time in the world and expected everyone else to wait for him.
The bastard looked like a snake.
Like a...
Oh.
Oh.
"Looks like you've gotten yourself into quite a predicament, Kamrik."
Lazy hovered above me, studying the approaching group.
"I wonder how you'll get out of this one."
Sleazy was already laughing.
"Ahahaha! This is wonderful! You haven't even finished your first day, Seer!"
Bloody looked delighted for an entirely different reason.
His red eyes gleamed, and the exposed heart in his chest had begun beating faster.
"Good," he muttered.
Of course.
Apparently, everyone was having a wonderful time except me.
Thomas shot out of his chair as soon as the three reached our table.
"Johnston."
He practically spat the name.
The green-haired student stopped and slowly turned toward him.
"That's Johnston Clevartis to you, Storcaine."
His voice was smooth.
Pompous.
The sort of voice that made you want to punch someone before they'd even finished introducing themselves.
Thomas's jaw tightened.
But I barely noticed.
Because the moment I heard that surname, something clicked.
Clevartis.
Oh, shit.
I knew that name!
Not Johnston's specifically.
But his family?
Absolutely.
House Clevartis.
And more importantly...
This bastard had an older brother!
A second-year student.
One whose name I'd already had reason to curse.
The same surname as the bastard responsible for leaking information about the God Tree incident.
I'd known the leak had come from someone in the second year.
I just hadn't expected to encounter his younger brother while looking for somewhere to eat lunch.
What a wonderful coincidence.
Except...
Hold on.
Johnston Clevartis.
First-year Vanguard.
Snake-like appearance.
Older brother in the second year.
My eyes widened.
Oh, fuck.
Now I remembered!
This guy wasn't some major figure in the future.
He was barely even a footnote.
Because...
He died shortly after the midterm examinations.
No wonder I hadn't remembered him!
There was a difference between knowing a famous noble family and remembering every individual member.
And Johnston?
Well...
He hadn't exactly lived long enough to leave much of an impression.
But that raised another rather uncomfortable realization.
I was looking at a dead man.
Again.
Someone who, according to the future I knew, wasn't supposed to survive his first year.
Yet here he was.
Walking.
Talking.
Being an insufferable prick.
I stared at him.
Gods, I was never going to get used to this.
Johnston finally turned his attention toward me.
His slit pupil narrowed as he studied my face.
Then he glanced at one of the students behind him.
"Is this the one who ruined Phillip?"
The boy immediately straightened.
"Y-Yes, sir! We're certain it's him!"
Johnston looked back at me.
And smiled.
Not a sneer.
Not a threatening grin.
A perfectly pleasant, almost gentlemanly smile.
Which somehow made him considerably more irritating.
"A pleasure to finally meet you, Kamrik."
He inclined his head.
"I've heard quite a lot about what you've accomplished today. I was hoping we might have a little chat."
...
Wonderful.
Just wonderful.
I resisted the urge to sigh.
Normally, I wouldn't have cared much about a third-rate villain like Johnston.
He wasn't one of the Constants, or some important figure whose death would send the future spiralling into chaos.
Hell, I hadn't even remembered he existed until thirty seconds ago!
Unfortunately, there was one important detail I couldn't ignore.
His bloodline.
The Clevartis family was a high-ranking noble House, the kind whose head possessed power at the seventh tier or above.
And among the oldest, most powerful families, that sort of strength sometimes left a visible inheritance.
Generations of exceptionally powerful mages had passed down traits that distinguished their descendants from ordinary humans.
Physical characteristics, enhanced bodies, and sometimes even unusual natural abilities.
Demi-humans.
Lucinda was one example, with those feline ears of hers.
Most of the major Constants belonged to bloodlines with inherited traits of their own.
Sylphie was the notable exception.
Johnston's serpentine eyes weren't some bizarre fashion choice.
They were evidence of a powerful bloodline.
His older brother possessed similar features.
Which meant this guy had almost certainly inherited a body with natural advantages over ordinary students.
And considering he'd made it into Vanguard, he probably knew how to use them.
I frowned.
See, the problem wasn't that I didn't want to beat Johnston up.
Believe me.
The temptation was already there.
The problem was that I wasn't entirely certain I could.
I was only a tier-two-and-a-half mage.
Despite all the ridiculous things I'd accomplished recently, I still lacked the fundamentals expected of a proper Vanguard student.
Johnston, meanwhile, was a demi-human from a powerful noble family.
With his background and natural advantages, there was a very real possibility he'd already reached tier three.
...
Fantastic.
I really needed to get better at this whole socializing thing.
Then again, I'd never been particularly good at making friends in my previous life either, so perhaps I shouldn't have expected much improvement.
Whatever.
Something to worry about later.
I looked up at the snake-eyed bastard standing before me.
"Yeah, it's a pleasure to meet you too..."
I scratched the side of my head, pretending to think.
"Sorry, who are you again?"
The conversation at our table died.
Flake went stiff beside me, while Thomas slowly closed his eyes as though he could already feel a headache coming on.
Johnston, meanwhile, kept smiling.
Only his visible eye betrayed him, twitching once before he cleared his throat.
"For your information, I am Johnston Clevartis, second son of Silver Clevartis."
He straightened his collar with two fingers.
"Though I suppose I shouldn't expect someone of your... background to recognize the name."
His gaze travelled over my uniform.
"A former Studies student from an insignificant noble House. Your ignorance is understandable."
Oh?
So we were doing this?
"How kind of you."
I leaned back in my chair.
"Anyway, what do you want, Snake Eyes?"
Flake made a strangled noise beside me.
A few students at the neighbouring tables turned to look, and Thomas stared at me like I'd lost whatever remained of my mind.
"Are you trying to get yourself killed?" he muttered.
I ignored him.
What interested me more was Johnston's reaction.
His smile widened.
Huh.
I'd expected him to get angry, or at least look offended. Instead, he seemed almost pleased.
He tilted his head, exposing more of his peculiar eye. The narrow pupil contracted as his gaze settled on me.
There was something unpleasant about the way he looked at people. It wasn't quite the usual noble looking down on someone beneath him.
He looked more like a predator deciding whether its next meal was worth the trouble.
Even his movements bothered me. Everything he did was smooth and deliberate, without a single wasted motion.
"Snake Eyes," he repeated, testing the nickname on his tongue. "How amusing."
He glanced toward Thomas.
"Your new companion is quite spirited, Storcaine."
"He's not my companion."
Thomas practically spat the words.
"Then perhaps you should be more careful about the company you keep."
Blue sparks crackled around Thomas's fingers.
"Watch your mouth, Johnston."
Johnston glanced at the sparks but apparently decided Thomas wasn't worth addressing. Instead, he returned his attention to me.
"Regardless, Kamrik, I've come to discuss your rather unfortunate behaviour this morning."
Oh.
Here we go.
"It is my understanding that you brutally assaulted one of my subordinates after he made an inappropriate comment toward you."
He folded his hands behind his back.
"Is that correct?"
I shrugged.
"More or less."
Flake leaned toward me.
"Kamrik, you could at least sound a little sorry."
I looked at him, then back at Johnston.
"I'm working on it."
Thomas made a noise somewhere between a sigh and a growl.
Johnston chuckled.
"Honest, at least. I can appreciate that."
He took a small step closer.
"Now, I understand you've recently experienced some rather... traumatic circumstances."
My expression stiffened.
Johnston noticed immediately.
Of course he did.
"The God Tree incident, correct?"
He spoke carefully, almost sympathetically.
"I've heard you endured an extraordinary ordeal. Facing a creature far above your tier and surviving circumstances that would have killed ordinary students..."
He placed a hand against his chest.
"Remarkable. Truly."
I said nothing.
"And considering the unfortunate disappearance of your companion, I can only imagine how difficult the past few days have been for you."
My fingers tightened beneath the table.
Carlos.
Again.
Gods, was there a single person in this academy who didn't know about him?
Beside me, Flake shifted uncomfortably.
"Johnston, maybe you shouldn't..."
Johnston raised a finger without looking at him.
"Please. I'm speaking."
Flake closed his mouth.
Thomas, on the other hand, looked ready to stand.
"Don't fucking order him around."
Johnston ignored him.
"As I was saying, Kamrik, I believe we may have gotten off on the wrong foot."
He sighed.
"My subordinate acted without considering your circumstances. His comments were inappropriate, and I understand why you reacted so strongly."
I blinked.
Wait.
What?
"Therefore..."
Johnston placed one hand over his chest.
And bowed.
"I would like to offer my sincerest apologies."
...
Huh?
For a moment, I genuinely didn't know what to say.
An apology?
From this guy?
I glanced at Thomas, who looked even more suspicious than before. Flake seemed equally surprised, and the two students accompanying Johnston exchanged confused looks.
Even the surrounding tables had quieted down.
Well, shit.
Had I misjudged him?
Sure, he looked like a snake, moved like a snake, and sounded like someone had somehow taught a snake to speak with a nobleman's accent.
But perhaps he wasn't completely unreasonable.
I started getting out of my chair.
"Hey, it's alright. I guess I was a little..."
"Kamrik!"
Someone shouted my name.
Flake? Sleazy?
I couldn't tell.
Because the moment I lifted my head, something moved.
Fast.
For one absurd instant, I could have sworn I saw the silhouette of a snake lunging toward my face.
Then something struck my jaw.
CRACK!
My feet left the ground before I even understood what had happened.
The world tilted sideways, and a moment later, my back slammed into the edge of a neighbouring table.
CRASH!
Plates shattered as I slid across its surface, taking someone's lunch with me. A student screamed when his food landed in his lap, and I tumbled off the other side, crashing into a chair.
Around me, the cafeteria erupted.
Students scrambled away from the tables. Someone knocked over a pitcher, sending its contents spilling across the floor, while several others hurried out of the way.
As for me?
I lay on my back, staring at the ceiling.
...
Ow.
That fucking hurt.
My jaw throbbed so badly I was starting to wonder if something had broken.
I touched the corner of my mouth.
Blood.
Of course.
Because apparently the universe had decided I wasn't allowed to enjoy lunch without someone trying to rearrange my face.
"Kamrik!"
Flake hurried over, nearly tripping on his own overturned chair.
"Are you alright?!"
He crouched beside me, looking like he wanted to help but wasn't entirely sure where to put his hands.
I blinked at him before slowly sitting up.
"Peachy."
"Your mouth is bleeding!"
"Yeah, I noticed."
Behind him, Thomas was already on his feet, blue sparks snapping around his clenched fists.
"JOHNSTON!"
His voice cut through the noise.
"You sneaky piece of shit!"
Johnston merely straightened from his bow and brushed an imaginary speck of dust from his sleeve.
"Whatever is the matter, Storcaine?"
"You know damn well what you did!"
Johnston raised an eyebrow.
"Did I?"
His gaze drifted toward me.
Then he smiled.
The same pleasant, perfectly polite smile he'd been wearing since he arrived.
The bastard.
The absolute fucking bastard.
I pushed myself upright, using the remains of the table for support.
Flake reached toward me.
"Wait, Kamrik. Don't move too quickly."
"I'm fine."
I gently moved his hand aside and stood.
My legs were steady enough, although my jaw seemed determined to make the rest of my day miserable.
I wiped the blood from my mouth and looked at Johnston.
"Wow."
He raised an eyebrow.
"I thought you were apologizing."
A quiet chuckle escaped him.
I spat some blood onto the floor.
"Guess I should've known better than to trust a snake."
His smile sharpened.
"Next time you bow, keep your fangs where I can see them."
Johnston laughed.
Not loudly. More like he'd heard an amusing joke and was being generous enough to acknowledge it.
"How entertaining."
His eyes travelled over me.
"Did you honestly believe I would apologize to someone like you?"
There he was.
The smile remained, but any pretence of friendliness had disappeared.
"You truly are ignorant."
Johnston stepped closer, and one of his companions followed.
Thomas immediately moved between them and our table.
"Back off."
"Out of my way, Storcaine."
"Not happening."
Blue sparks danced across Thomas's knuckles.
"I don't give a damn what you do to that idiot, but you don't get to walk over here and start attacking people at our table!"
...
Aw.
Thanks, Thomas.
Really feeling the friendship.
Johnston's pupil narrowed.
"Still barking, are we?"
One of his companions moved forward, only to stop when Thomas turned toward him.
"Try it."
The boy reconsidered.
Good.
At least someone around here understood how to make a threat without immediately throwing a sucker punch.
Johnston looked past Thomas, fixing his attention on me.
"Tell me something, Kamrik. Did you truly believe there would be no consequences for what you did this morning?"
I stayed quiet.
"Phillip belongs to my circle. He acts under my protection."
His smile slowly disappeared.
"And you put him in the infirmary."
Flake stood beside me.
"Johnston, Phillip was the one spreading those rumours! You can't expect Kamrik to sit there and..."
"Quiet."
Johnston turned toward him.
"You're becoming rather bold today, Minera."
His voice was gentle.
Unpleasantly gentle.
Flake's expression tightened, and for a moment, I thought he might back down.
He did take a small step back, but after glancing at me, he faced Johnston again.
"I'm just saying this doesn't have to turn into a fight," he whispered.
Johnston studied him for a few seconds.
Then sighed.
"How disappointing."
He turned back to me.
"You see, Kamrik, people like you have an unfortunate habit of forgetting your place."
His eyes moved across my uniform.
"An insignificant noble House. A former Studies student. A fortunate awakening."
His lip curled.
"And now you believe wearing Vanguard's colours makes you our equal?"
Something hot stirred beneath my ribs.
Johnston continued before I spoke.
"You should have been grateful someone of my standing was willing to acknowledge your existence."
He took another step.
"But instead, you damaged something belonging to me."
Something.
Not someone.
Something.
I glanced toward Flake.
His jaw was clenched tightly enough to hurt.
Thomas looked ready to throw himself at Johnston, sparks still flickering between his fingers.
Johnston either failed to notice or simply didn't care.
"How dare you?"
His voice rose.
"How dare a lowborn little bastard like you lay hands on something under my protection?!"
And there it was.
The venom.
His carefully maintained expression finally cracked. His features twisted with anger, and the narrow pupil of his visible eye contracted until it resembled a thin cut through his iris.
"I'll ruin you."
His voice dropped again, although the anger remained.
"Your reputation, your future, everything you've managed to scrape together."
Then he smiled.
"And when I'm finished, you'll wish you'd never been admitted to Vanguard."
The cafeteria had grown quiet enough for his threat to carry across the nearby tables.
Plenty of students were watching, but nobody seemed particularly interested in getting involved.
Understandable.
I looked at Johnston.
At his smug expression.
At those disgusting snake eyes.
And felt something begin to stir.
At first, I assumed it was anger.
Which would've been fair.
I'd spent the entire night awake, started my morning by beating the shit out of someone, and barely survived my first Vanguard class without embarrassing myself further.
Now some pompous noble was threatening to ruin my life because I'd punched one of his little followers.
...
Alright.
Perhaps the punching part was slightly my fault.
But still!
The heat in my chest grew stronger.
It spread down my shoulders and arms, settling into my fingertips. At first, the sensation was faint enough to ignore, but something beneath my skin began responding.
Bloodrend.
Shit.
That wasn't good.
The blood tattooed beneath my skin tightened.
I felt it shift along my forearm, responding to the blood still trickling from my mouth and the promise of more violence.
A faint ache followed.
Not entirely unpleasant.
Which was the worrying part.
I flexed my fingers beneath my sleeve.
The sensation grew stronger, almost eager.
Hungry.
Waiting.
"Rip him apart, maggot."
Bloody appeared beside me, his red eyes gleaming with excitement.
The exposed heart in his chest pulsed as he stared at Johnston.
"Make that insolent little worm understand who stands before him."
I swallowed.
The metallic taste of blood still lingered on my tongue.
Sleazy had gone quiet, and Lazy was watching my arm with an expression I didn't particularly like.
Even Flake seemed to notice something was wrong.
"Kamrik...?"
I barely heard him.
My attention remained fixed on Johnston, who stood a few feet away with that infuriating smile still plastered across his face.
The heat continued building beneath my skin.
And the longer I stared at that smug little smile, the more I thought about how satisfying it would feel to break it.
By now, a crowd had gathered around us.
Students stood between the tables, craning their necks to get a better look at the confrontation. A few were whispering excitedly, while others had abandoned their lunches entirely.
I even recognized several faces near the front.
Lucinda was among them.
Her black feline ears stood upright as she chatted with another girl, occasionally glancing toward Johnston and me with a grin.
Wonderful.
At least somebody was having fun.
Nia, meanwhile, was nowhere to be seen.
Not surprising.
I couldn't exactly imagine her going out of her way to watch something like this.
Then again, with this many people standing around, perhaps I simply couldn't see her.
Sylphie wasn't part of the crowd either.
Through a gap between the students, I spotted her sitting farther away, watching the confrontation with a slight crease between her brows.
And across from her...
Sora.
The Hero.
The Champion of Light.
The man I'd spent the better part of this morning embarrassing myself over.
He was...
Eating.
Just eating.
His elbow rested casually against the table as he brought another bite of food to his mouth.
He barely glanced in our direction.
Actually, I wasn't even sure he knew who was involved.
...
Seriously?
A fight was about to break out between two Vanguard students, and this bastard couldn't even spare us a proper look?
For some reason, that irritated me.
Not nearly as much as Johnston, obviously.
But still.
The heat in my chest suddenly spiked.
Mana rushed down my arms, gathering beneath my skin in restless currents.
My fingers twitched.
Bloodrend stirred.
The blood running from my split lip tasted strangely sweet, and for one horrible moment, I found myself wondering what Johnston's blood would taste like.
I clenched my fist.
All I had to do was...