Cassie and Viara were preparing for school, both already changed into their uniforms.
Viara tied her hair while glancing in the mirror, as Cassie sat at the kitchen table waiting for their family maid to serve breakfast.
But she wasn't sitting idle. Ever since she woke up from that exhausting night, she had been continuously watching the demo match footage on repeat.
"You have potential — just not the right guidance."
Those words had been living rent-free in her head all morning — like an annoying reminder that he actually meant it.
"I don't understand that guy," she murmured, staring at her phone screen.
Viara approached the kitchen table and took a seat beside her.
"You've been obsessing over that match all morning."
Cassie kept quiet, observing a frozen frame of the recording.
The maid served them two plates of fluffy pancakes and cups of black tea. Viara thanked the maid and took her plate, then picked up a fork and took a bite. As always, the cooking was delicious.
She looked at Cassie. "At least have your breakfast. The food's getting cold."
Cassie sighed and pointed at the phone screen. "Are you seeing this? Look at his footwork."
Viara observed the frames. "It's unusually refined for his rank. So smooth even in slow motion."
"I know, right? He took all my flame strikes and was still able to stand back up." Cassie handed Viara the phone and picked up her fork.
Viara observed the footage for a few more seconds while chewing her food.
"Now that we know your suspicions were correct, what are you going to do next?" she asked.
Cassie thought for a moment, then sighed. "I have no idea."
"I didn't expect him to simply admit that he's hiding something," she said.
Viara's expression turned thoughtful, and then she grinned. "Well, there's someone who might be able to help."
Cassie looked at her from the corner of her eyes, and Viara's smile immediately gave away who she was talking about
"No! I'm not going to ask that witch for help," Cassie protested, though her voice remained calm as she took a sip of her tea.
"Doesn't seem like you have a choice," Viara teased, propping her chin on one hand.
Cassie's mind was racing through every option. But the more she thought, the more frustrating it became. She had no tricks up her sleeve to uncover more about Zen.
She took a deep breath, trying not to let her temper take over so easily. "Ugh, fine! You're right. I don't have a choice."
Viara laughed in amusement and triumph. Cassie, dealing with other rivals, was always a show worth watching.
The morning air was cold, but the soft sunlight balanced the atmosphere perfectly. The training ground was filled with a good number of students, divided by their combat class.
Zen and Finn were sparring barehanded in an open spot. Madoka was observing them, sitting on a bench, sipping water. She had already finished her turn.
Finn's punches came fast. Zen parried the attacks with his arm.
"Nothing ever gets past your defenses, does it?" Finn remarked.
"Your sarcasm sure does," Zen replied, deadpan. After a few more exchanges, they ended their sparring session.
They approached the bench and grabbed towels to wipe off their sweat.
"Your form was sloppy," Madoka said as she stood up. "Even if it's intentional, you're going to develop bad habits."
"I'm aware," Zen replied, wiping his face.
Finn grabbed a bottle of water. "I don't usually get to land hits on you. But you were practically taunting me today." He laughed, unscrewing the cap.
"I find it amusing," Zen replied, sitting down on the bench as Finn joined him.
Madoka checked her phone. "An hour and thirty minutes till class. I'm heading back to the dorm."
Finn gave her a peace sign while sipping water. "We'll sit here for a little longer."
"Don't be late for class." Madoka glared at Zen. "I'm talking to you, Zen."
Zen sighed. "I heard you, loud and clear."
"Good," she said, leaving to prepare for class.
Finn and Zen sat quietly on the bench, catching their breath, wiping sweat, and drinking water.
A short distance ahead, gunshots echoed from the target range. A student fired a couple of shots from his training pistol, hitting one bullseye and missing the rest. Other students sitting by laughed at the sight, some cheering on to keep the mood lively.
Kyoya was among them, sitting all smug. He was a popular marksman after all.
"Aquila makes it look so easy," one student said.
"What can I say? I'm just awesome," Kyoya said with a shrug. "Anyone else? Please, step up to the challenge."
Everyone stayed silent, giving each other that knowing gaze—no one had the guts to do so.
Kyoya's gaze swept the crowd and eventually landed on Finn and Zen sitting on the bench at a distance.
"Hey! You two," he called out. "Come give it a shot."
"No, thank you. We're good," Finn replied.
"Come on, don't be a coward," Kyoya teased, smirking.
Zen looked at Finn. "You should try. Your father's a weapon-smith. You have experience with guns."
"Nah, I'm not that good," Finn replied.
"Come on, you've been my support sniper before, and you did amazing," Zen whispered. "Have some confidence, dude. You got this."
Finn sighed. "You really want me to get humiliated that badly, huh?" But after a pause, he added hesitantly, "Alright… just because you said so."
He got up from the bench and made his way in front of the targets. A student handed him a training pistol.
Finn steadied his breath and aimed at the target. Everyone at the bench was waiting for it to be over, not expecting much from a precision brawler. But Zen knew him better.
Finn fired his first shot, missed the bullseye by half an inch. He stayed steady and took his second shot—dead center. A third followed, another bullseye. The next one missed, but landed even closer than the first shot.
He fired six shots in total: four hit the bullseye, and the other two barely missed. The crowd was shocked; the more supportive students clapped and cheered for his precise aim.
"He's that good—and he's not even a marksman!" one student said in awe.
Surprisingly, Kyoya joined the applause. "Well done! Consider me impressed."
It was hard to tell, though, whether it was sincere or merely for appearances.
Finn gave a polite bow, returned the pistol, and walked back to his seat.
Zen smirked. "Told you."
Finn smirked back. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. I got lucky. Let's head back."
"You always underestimate yourself," Zen said as they gathered their things and started walking back to the dorms.
"Better live humble than die arrogant," Finn replied with a smile.
11:35 A.M, City Square
Surveillance drones flew above the city streets and alleys as part of a daily security inspection.
High above the city, Ansar glided through the sky, returning after surveilling another district, scanning feed relayed from the drones as he passed by this sector.
Suddenly, a ping appeared on his visor — four individuals with prior criminal records had been spotted in an alleyway.
He flew to the location, silently landing on a building rooftop nearby to observe clearly. Their movements were cautious, deliberate. Suspicious, but not yet hostile.
Ansar logged their appearance and position before turning around to take flight. Just before he did, another ping from a drone. Then another, and another, until his visor had dozens of pings from various locations.
Even with a high-performance CPU, it took him a moment to process the sudden flood of pings.
Activating his comms, his gaze swept the skyline. "Aurora..."
A calm female voice replied, "That's… concerning."
"The city's criminal network has spiked," Ansar said, logging the new ping locations.
"Keep scanning," Aurora ordered.
"Copy," Ansar acknowledged, slipping into stealth flight once more.
The bell rang, signaling the end of the current class and the start of lunchtime.
Finn got up from his seat, already turning to head out of class. "I'll meet you later at the cafeteria. Nature's calling."
"Don't fall asleep in there," Zen teased deadpan, getting up from his desk.
Finn rolled his eyes. "That was one time."
He left in a hurry, the pressure getting to him.
Meanwhile, Zen started making his way towards the cafeteria. As he walked through the corridor, Julianna fell into step beside him.
"Going somewhere important?" She asked with a sly grin.
"The cafeteria. Lunch," Zen replied without breaking stride, hands in pockets.
Julianna's grin widened slightly. "Then, let's have some tea at the student council office."
"Not interested," Zen replied coldly.
Julianna hooked her arms with his before he could react.
"It wasn't a request," she said with a slight tilt of her head and a devious smile.
Zen, cold by nature, still couldn't brush her off—his politeness wouldn't let him. So, he let her drive him.
The sight drew shocked and confused stares from students passing by. The apex of the academy warriors and a nobody walking together, arms linked? This was bound to make gossip.
Julianna took a left turn with him to a restricted corridor, finally out of prying eyes. After another minute of walking, Zen found himself standing in front of the council office.
Julianna pushed open the door, revealing a clean, polished room with a tea table in front of the window, two sofas on either side, and a high-definition display mounted on the wall.
The student council office consisted of two rooms: one for guests and the other for council members, equipped with a large round table, a kitchenette, and all the essential amenities.
Zen followed Julianna into the room, eyes half-lidded, quietly taking in every detail. His gaze lingered on the tea table, where a delicate tea set was arranged alongside biscuits and fresh fruit.
"Please, take a seat," Julianna offered.
Zen sat down on one of the sofas. Julianna poured two cups of green tea and handed one to Zen, taking her seat opposite him.
"I love green tea. Lots of health benefits," she said, sipping. "What about you?"
"I'm not much of a tea person," Zen replied. "But I'd also recommend green tea."
For a moment, they both quietly sipped their drink. Then, Zen broke the silence.
"So, what do you want from me?"
Julianna smiled innocently. "Oh? Is it wrong to invite someone for tea and snacks?"
Zen sipped again before speaking, "Tea is the most obvious excuse for a private talk."
He set the cup down. "And everything was already prepared. Based on your behavior so far, this was planned. Correct me if I'm wrong."
Julianna set her cup down, her smile widening. "Very perceptive—and straight to the point. I like it." She stood up and walked towards the window.
Gazing outside, arms crossed, she began, "You see, I have a knack for solving mysteries. And ever since the day we met, I couldn't help but get more and more curious about you."
She approached him, stopping right in front, "So, when I saw you mostly unscathed after taking those hits from Solheim, I had to check your profile—just to make sure I wasn't imagining things."
Julianna chuckled, leaning down towards him. "It doesn't take a genius to figure out that it's a generic profile—one that doesn't suit you."
Zen raised an eyebrow. "And?"
Julianna sat down beside him, crossed her legs, and tilted her head, staring him down.
"So, I contacted the administration of Solace Academy. They confirmed your profile—with all the right details."
"But..." she continued. "I also got an old friend of mine to do a manual check in the student database. Your combat profile couldn't be found. Either erased… or it never existed."
Zen leaned back, crossing his arms, "Get to the point, Miss Sherlock."
Her eyes narrowed. "The point is—you don't belong here, Zen. And that makes you... interesting. Dangerous, even. I thought of reporting it to the authorities, but it felt like the wrong move."
She leaned back. "As the head of the student body, I consider it my duty to ensure everyone's safety. So, it would be reassuring if you could be a little transparent about your true motives, with me at least."
Zen met her gaze with a cold glare. "And if I'm not?"
"Then, I'll just have to make things a little... inconvenient for you," she replied with an innocent smile.
Zen remained silent for a moment. "I recommend staying out of trouble regarding me."
She leaned in closer, whispering into his ear, "But I like trouble."
"Suit yourself then. Bluffing won't work on me," Zen said as he got up to leave.
Julianna followed behind. "So, you admit that you aren't a normal student who's here to study?" she asked.
"No, I'm not here to study," he replied, pulling the door open. "I'm here on vacation."
He paused at the doorway. "By the way, I didn't know our prideful princess had a thing for eavesdropping." And he left without looking back.
Julianna stood there in silence. A few seconds later, the door to the other room opened. Cassie and Viara walked out, their faces a mix of surprise, concern, and intrigue.
"How did he know we were here?" Cassie asked, frustration creeping in.
"Umm... he might have caught a glimpse of me peeking from the hallway. Sorry…" Viara admitted with a sheepish smile, sticking her tongue out.
Julianna sighed, shaking her head in amusement. "And here I thought our mystery boy had a sixth sense of some sort. Be careful next time, though."
Viara looked at Cassie, who was lost in thought. "What's on your mind, Cass?" she asked.
"What did he mean by he's on a vacation here? That doesn't make sense," Cassie assessed.
"I know, right?" Julianna chuckled. "He's the most delicious piece of puzzle I've ever encountered."
Viara sat down on one of the couches. "So, what now? We didn't get anything useful out of him. Well, maybe we got another riddle of some sort."
"We've hit a dead end," Julianna replied, taking a seat across from Viara. "He's really sharp—and not afraid of getting exposed either."
Cassie sighed, sitting down beside Viara, "I'm getting another headache now."
Viara placed a hand on Cassie's shoulder. "Hey, don't be too hard on yourself. We'll find out something eventually."
She looked back at Julianna. "The weekend's here. I say, we go shopping to reset the mood. Care to join us, President?"
"That does sound refreshing. Count me in then," Julianna replied with a smile.
Zen began his walk to the cafeteria as planned. While passing through the empty restricted corridor, the comms of his gear chimed.
He brought his left hand to his ear, and a small wireless earpiece formed. "What is it?"
Ansar's voice came through. "A large number of bandits have been spotted lurking around the city."
Zen's eyes narrowed, his voice low and calm, "Keep me posted. You're cleared to take action if civilian safety is threatened."
"Understood, Sire," Ansar replied before the line cut off.
Zen exhaled and shifted his composure to his usual self. But behind that calm expression, his mind was running rapid calculations.
After a short walk, he arrived at the cafeteria and ordered pasta and a milkshake from the counter.
Finn and Madoka were already sitting at a table with their food. He joined them after receiving his order.
"I thought you were already here. What took you so long?" Finn asked, chewing fries.
"Don't even bother asking, Finn. He's a trouble magnet," Madoka said flatly.
Zen sighed. "I'll explain later. Right now, I want to enjoy my lunch while it lasts."