CHAPTER 23: A LOOMING THREAT

Principal Anthony stepped forward, a calm, reassuring smile on his face that softened the heavy atmosphere in the room.

"Oh no, no," he said, raising a hand gently, "he hasn't created any big trouble."

Luna exhaled, her tension easing—if only slightly.

"In fact," the principal continued, "it was at your request, Luna, that we never expelled him from school. You stood up for him—again and again. Even after studying in our Beast Taming School for four consecutive years, he hadn't tamed a single monster. Not even an animal. And you know the rule: if someone fails to tame a creature within five years, they must leave the school."

He paused meaningfully, the weight of his words hanging in the air.

"This was his final year. In another two to three months, it would have ended… and John would've been forced to leave."

The statement hit Luna like a quiet blow. Her eyes flicked toward her brother, who remained silent, absorbing every word.

Principal Anthony's gaze turned inward for a moment, a flicker of guilt passing over his face.

"Unfortunately," he admitted, "because of some of my commitments, I'd delegated a few responsibilities to other staff. One of them—" he hesitated, "she never liked John. She treated him very poorly. And worse… she used my authority to expel him from school."

His voice dropped, thick with regret.

"I've come to apologize for that."

The room fell into a stunned silence. Even Luna looked momentarily lost for words.

Then Principal Anthony added, more cautiously, "Also… there's something else."

John's body tensed.

"John… beat up two students. One of them, fortunately, wasn't from an influential family, so we were able to resolve it quietly. But the other…" He took a deep breath.

"But Peter..... is from the Williamson family."

A sudden chill crept into the room. The name hung heavy in the air like a storm cloud.

Dr. James was the first to speak, his voice grim.

"If John's laid a hand on a Williamson… that family won't take it lightly."

Luna turned sharply to John, her face full of concern, her voice tinged with exasperation.

"John, why?" she asked.

"Why did you beat up those two? I mean, I know people must've been bothering you, but there must have been some reason for it—right?"

Her words weren't angry. They were gentle, curious, aching to understand.

But before John could respond, Principal Anthony raised a hand again.

"Look," he said carefully, "what happened… I can't explain it to you right now. The matter hasn't left the school yet, and I'd prefer it stays that way. Only Dr. Thomas and a few others even know the full extent."

He turned to Luna and the rest of the room.

"But I believe it would be better if you see it yourself—through the camera footage. You'll understand everything. The fight, the incident, and what John truly did that day."

He looked to the doctors—Dr. James, Dr. Thomas, and Dr. Luna—for support. Each gave a slow, solemn nod.

The unspoken truth lingered like a presence in the room, tense and waiting to be revealed.

John remained quiet, but inside, his thoughts churned. He remembered the fury, the injustice, and the moment he'd finally snapped. He hadn't intended to draw this much attention—let alone spark a feud with one of the most powerful families around.

A decision was made.

They would return to the school.

And John, once again, would have to face what he had done—not just to others… but to himself.