April 15, 5120 (Thursday)
''What do we want?''
''Expel! Withdraw her!''
''When do we want it?!''
''Now!''
''What do we want?''
''Expel—''
''—and as you can hear behind me, the protest shows no sign of dying down.'' A reporter's voice cut in over the noise. ''Alumni and Parents of young Beastmasters have gathered outside the Western Beast Academy, demanding immediate disciplinary action against the Guildmaster Blackthorne's daughter. Tension remains high—''
''Are you still watching those videos?'' A student interrupted her friend watching the protest videos on her Beastcom.
''Huh? Well, Yeah. It's happening outside our academy after all.''
''I heard the academy has temporarily banned students from going outside.''
''It's because some students were harassed by the protesters.''
''Why were they harassed?''
''For their identities.''
''I heard the protesters are parents and alumni.''
''Can't the academy just expel the cause of this protest already?'' A female student glared pointedly in a particular direction. Students around her followed her gaze to the sight of a certain dark-haired student before talking among themselves.
''Everything is happening because of her.''
''It's so annoying how she's act like none of this is not her fault.''
As always, Amina ignored the glares coming her way with a calm demeanor. At the moment, she finished taking notes and closed the textbook on Beast Genetics. There was an assignment she and other students needed to submit by next week, and she was putting together information from different sources.
....It's still going on. Amina thought back to the protest videos she heard earlier.
A protest has going on for two days now, and she was the center of the protest.
Something she hadn't foreseen at all.
All thanks to the female lead's grateful speech at the press conference, she had become the most-hated citizen of the Western Beast Empire.
According to the news articles she had read, the protesters were parents of both students and non-students of the Western Beast Academy, and alumni; official Beastmasters who were once students.
Amina had watched some protest videos of parents demanding that she should be withdrawn from the academy. They claimed it was unfair that their children had failed the entrance exams after putting efforts and were unable to become students, while she just had to use her family name to enter through the backdoor.
Some official Beastmasters that had become top celebrities and influencers also made some comments on the academy's unfairness towards average-class citizens.
All in all, she had been promoted from being the number one hated student of the academy to the number one hated citizen of the Empire.
...I should leave now. Amina checked the time on her Beastcom and saw that it was almost 3pm. She should begin to packing up for the Teaching Beast Hospital. Professor Ateles had sent her some materials and informed her to read them for their first research together.
In his words, he had wanted to wait until the second semester, but after hearing about the dangerous stunt she had pulled with the S-Class War beast from Finn, he felt they could start something on the research.
Of course, Professor Ateles had reprimanded her for taking such risks with the cheetah. At the same time, he also commended her for the bravery she displayed, as well as apologized for putting her in such a dangerous situation.
''Who's that?''
''Oh! I know that senior.''
''He's a popular senior from the Beast Combat department.''
Amina heard from the students as she secured the strap of her bag after packing up. She was about to descend from her seat when someone called out to her.
''Hey Beas—Y-Young miss Blackthorne! A senior is asking for you!''
Amina looked up, her gaze landing on the student at the doorway. She noticed something different.
That was the first time any of course mates would address with a name other than 'Beastless Young miss.'
Did she feel shocked, surprised, or perhaps moved that she was finally not addressed with that nickname?
No...
Amina did not know what to feel. She just noticed a difference, and that was all.
''He came for the Beastless Young miss?''
''You don't know him?''
''Keep it down. His eyes got scary when Joe called that nickname.''
As other students were curious about the identity of the unexpected senior in their doorway, Amina looked behind the student who addressed her, and saw the senior; another student with fiery hair and piercings on his ears. His uniform, same as hers, with the only difference being the number of golden stars.
Two stars meant he was a second-year student.
Amina noted the unfriendly atmosphere around him as their eyes met in the air for a moment before she took her gaze away. She then moved down from the first row.
''I wonder why he came to see her...''
As probing eyes glanced their way, Amina stood before the slightly tanned senior, meeting his gaze head-on. The other student had already walked away, leaving them to talk alone.
No one spoke up between them for a few seconds until the senior broke the silence by letting out a frustrated sigh.
''Really...big brother expects me to babysit a weakling.'' He ridiculed lightly, his fingers running through his spiky hair.
''....'' Amina did not react to his words. Rather, she wanted the senior to say what he wished to say so she could report her attendance at the Teaching Beast Hospital.
''Let's talk outside.'' He nudged with his head and turned away. Amina complied and followed him out of the lecture hall. They stopped a few steps away from the entrance.
''Hey Blackthorne.'' The senior turned around to face her with an irritated look. ''Why are you acting like something is not happening because of you?''
''Have you checked the Net?'' He continued, his voice slightly higher than before. ''The stocks of the Guild have plummeted so bad and you're acting like the reason has nothing to do with you!''
....I saw some articles on that.
While Amina remained silent, she recalled the articles she had read about the Lumos guild from the BeastNet. Articles on the sharp decline of the Lumos guild's stock value and the impeachment of its leader.
The villainess's father.
There were also articles predicting the bankruptcy of the Lumos guild if the villainess's father did not address the impending situation.
''Hey, what's happening?''
''Who's that?''
''I know that senior. He seems to be confronting the Beastless Young miss.''
''He looks quite scary.''
''Shh! What if he hears us?''
Amina could feel the glances from the other students in the hallway as she was being confronted by the unknown senior.
Though students usually harassed her, she hadn't expected someone to bring up some information about the Lumos guild. After all, the harassment was more about the crown prince and the female lead, and less about the Lumos guild.
The unknown senior was the first to confront her about the Lumos guild. He also spoke as though he had some ties with the Lumos guild.
''....Who are you, Senior?'' Amina finally asked.
His words earlier had also drawn her attention. She could spare a minute for him to introduce himself if he had some ties with the Lumos guild and politely arrange a meeting with him for another time.
''...Huh?'' The senior's face nearly contorted at her question. ''You don't know me?'' His voice was in disbelief that she asked him about his identity.
''No, I don't.'' Amina replied without a pause. She genuinely did not know him. She hardly knew the students studying with her, so how could she possibly know a senior?
Finn and the other Beast medical students were the only seniors she knew and had interacted with at the Western Beast Academy.