Cafeteria Incident [2]

At that moment, a commotion erupted all around.

"It's Senior Max!"

"Wow. He look so handsome today too."

"I wonder if he'll mediate."

"The family is full of genius people. He's a genius at swordsmanship and has a good personality. The world is really unfair."

Max Pendragon.

He was a figure clearly engraved in Raze Cromwell's memory.

A third-year student at the Holy Academy, he was good-looking, had excellent grades, and was well-behaved… The rest is omitted.

If Emma was the idol of the first-year boys, then Max was the idol of the girls across all years.

Knock knock!

After a while, Max picked up the plate that had fallen on the floor and placed it back on the table.

"Juniors, you should stop here and go. If you leave now, I'll pretend this never happened."

"… … ."

At Max's words, the three Black Fangs exchanged glances.

Yet.

"… … Hey, let's go."

At Melverick's words, the other two moved forward.

But just because the situation had come to an end didn't mean their malice had ended.

Melverick said as he passed Zane.

"Do you know why we are called 'Fangs'?"

"Once we bite, we never let go."

"Look forward to it. Tonight is going to be a particularly long night."

It was a sticky malice, like watered-down baby food.

* * *

As the instigators of the commotion disappeared, voices praising Max erupted from all over the restaurant.

Max, the person involved, also seemed to enjoy the reaction.

Finally, he approached Emma and spoke to her.

"Hey—You've had a hard time. Were you scared? I heard that the juniors these days are scary."

Emma opened her mouth slowly.

"Thank you, senior."

"No, you don't have to be so thankful. It's something you should do as a senior."

"No. But I am grateful. I was in trouble, but thanks to you, it was resolved."

"Hmm. You're saying thank you? If you really feel that grateful…"

Max continued with a sinister smile.

"Then, will you grant me one favor, junior?"

"... ?"

At Emma's slightly surprised reaction, Max placed a hand on her shoulder and whispered.

"Would you like to be a mentor and mentee with me?"

The mentoring system is an activity where first and second-year students and third and fourth-year students apply to interact with each other on a daily basis.

In other words, it is a volunteer activity where a senior mentors a junior on a one-to-one basis.

Max said, scratching his head.

"I've been having too many troubles lately because of that. Everyone wants to do it with me. If someone like you were to be my mentee, everyone would just let it go. Oh, of course, I won't take up too much of your time. Just meet up once in a while and have a cup of tea or something."

Then Emma answered, carefully pushing Max's arm away from her shoulder.

"I'm sorry, but as I said last time, I don't plan on using the mentoring system. I appreciate the offer, but I think you'd be better off looking for someone else."

A pretty firm rejection.

Although he should have been offended, Max gave Emma a refreshing smile.

"Oh, I know, I know. But I can at least listen to your story, right? Or at least until I get out of here. It's a bit awkward to just leave it alone."

"Ah, that… … ."

Emma was about to say something, but Max gently grabbed her wrist and led her out of the restaurant.

At that sight, many voices erupted from the surroundings.

"Whoa—look at that bitch's tail wagging."

"Emma... . I loved … ."

"The opponent is Senior Max. What can I do?"

Meanwhile, one being had suddenly disappeared from everyone's attention.

"... ."

Zane.

He stood still, blankly staring at the backs of Max and Emma.

And.

Swish-.

He quietly went to get another plate of food.

"I need to gain some weight."

* * *

The evening after class.

Instead of returning to his dormitory, Zane walked along a deserted path.

He had a guest waiting to see him.

As Zane entered the dark alley, a group of fierce-looking schoolboys appeared in front of him, as if they had been waiting.

A second-year student with a grim face held a dagger to Zane face.

"You'd better keep quiet and follow me, Zane."

Zane frowned at the moonlight reflecting off the tip of the dagger.

There were three things he saw right now.

But in the gym warehouse behind him, he sensed the presence of about a dozen people.

Zane searched ('Zane Cromwell's') memories and recalled the members of the Black Fangs one by one.

'Are all the first and second graders gathered here?'

At that moment, the big man holding the dagger spoke again, as if emphasizing his point.

"This time, you'd better not think about escaping. There won't be a compassionate person here who would protect an outcast even at home. Do you understand!?"

If it had been the old Zane, he would have cried and begged.

But Zane answer was completely different.

"Let's go."

"...huh?"

"Let's go. To the gym warehouse."

Zane pushed the dagger away as if shooing away an annoying fly and began walking ahead instead.

The three who had been ordered to drag him in by any means necessary stood there, blankly watching Zane back as he walked away.

"… … Uh. Yeah. I should go, okay."

The gym warehouse was a building that was literally worthy of the word warehouse.

It had a plain exterior with only an iron door hanging on a huge concrete wall.

The members of the Pitch Black Fang group sitting inside the gym warehouse were chatting nonstop.

"Hey, but is it the gym warehouse today? Professor Sans-culottes came yesterday. If I get caught again, I'm going to be screwed."

"Sir, don't you know that meteors don't fall in the same spot twice?"

"If that's the case, I guess I'll just get expelled, buy a lottery ticket, and turn my life around."

A muttering voice.

But there was anger in that voice.

Melverick said, pulling the rope in his hand taut.

"But when is that Zane kid coming? Today is the day I really wanted to kill him."

Then the rusty iron door opened with a sharp sound.

Squeak-.

The ones who opened the door and came in were Zane and the second-year members of the Black Fang class.

As soon as Melverick saw Zane, he threw the rope at him.

Chararak!

A thin, silvery rope wrapped around Raze's hand.

Zane looked at the rope emitting a soft white mana.

'… … What is this crappy piece of rag?'

As Zane tilted his head, Melverick walked out triumphantly.

"It's a rope that restricts divine power. It's a family heirloom that has been passed down through generations. It would be a waste to use it on someone like you… Since I got caught yesterday, I don't want to stand out by using something like divine power. Do you know how I feel?"

"Rope limiting divine power?"