"I will give you my protection later. For now, let's register to the club."
I told Jayden.
I couldn't give him my Wings Krona in public like that, and I wanted to find the right timing.
"Right."
Jayden smiled.
I'm sure his trust in me has now skyrocketed.
[<Amael…Are you sure about that? I don't think it's a good idea to give your lifesaver to him. If you are in danger…>]
Cleenah didn't seem to agree with my decision.
'Don't worry, Cleenah. I already have two espaces with the lifestone I obtained in the enigma dungeon.'
Yeah, the lifestone I received as a reward after getting a title is still with me. With it, I can escape to a safe place twice. It was obviously less efficient than the Wings Krona, and you'd say, why the hell didn't I give the lifestone to Jayden instead of my Wings Krona. However, it had to be the Wings Krona. The members of [Caishen] need to believe that the Falkrona House is backing Jayden.
If Jayden died, I'd be next, and I couldn't choose with a controller like in the game. In the end, it was the best solution.
Moreover, putting Cleenah aside, I'm sure the two remaining gods inside me wouldn't let me die, since I was a precious vessel for them…I hope so.
We stood up from the bench and headed to the registration section. By the way, though this organization was mainly for the first years, even students in their second and last years were taking part in joining a new club. I'd already seen a lot of them.
Fortunately, there didn't appear to be much waiting because most of them were absorbed by the performances of the club members. As I waited with Jayden in line, I found Louisa. She was giving orders left and right to her fellow members of the club without stopping. With a notepad in her hands, she was often checking and writing something on it.
"Why are you ogling Louisa?"
"..."
Shit!
I nearly screamed pathetically.
That girl…
"Lyra, what are you doing here? If you have nothing to do, how about leaving?"
I turned around and saw Lyra and Milleia.
"Oh! Come on, Edward! I already told you guys that I wanted to join this club."
"Did you register?"
"Yes."
"Good for you."
I smiled and turned back, avoiding any topic of conversation.
"Um, what club did you join?"
Milleia asked Jayden and me.
"Skyball."
Jayden replied.
"Oh! That sport is amazing. You really joined that?"
"Yes, you can try it if you want, Lyra."
No!
Jayden opened his mouth uselessly.
I don't want another headache! Tyler is enough!
"It could be fun, but... no, I'm not really good at Skyball."
I sighed in relief at Lyra's answer.
Thank God.
"What about you, Milleia?"
"Ah, it's okay…I already have a club in my mind…"
Milleia shook her head shyly.
I knew what club she was talking about; we were going there later anyway.
"Look, Edward, your lovely brother is here."
What lovely brother?!
At Lyra's words, I glanced to my right.
Simon was there.
He was in a heated discussion with…
Carla Roger.
A [Sub-Heroine] of the First Game.
What was going on?
Carla seemed as always angry as she spoke to Simon.
Simon was trying to calm her down, but it had no effect at all.
"Sigh…I will stop them; they are gathering too much attention."
Lyra said so and walked toward them.
Yeah do that.
Because I don't want Louisa intervening here; the situation will just get worse with Carla's character.
Milleia and Jayden followed Lyra, and I followed behind them.
I didn't want to be involved with the two of them.
I will eventually have to hook Carla with Jayden, but not now.
"Calm down, both of you."
Lyra intervened.
Simon and Clara turned toward Lyra.
"It's not your business, Lyra. I will take care of it myself!"
Carla was sure angry.
"Can I at least know the reason behind your quarrel?"
She asked Simon.
"...it's him."
Simon stepped aside, and a shivering young man who was a freshman like us was there.
"He accidentally touched Clara and-"
"Accidentally? No way! He planned! That filthy mongrel."
Clara's green eyes spit venom at the shivering fellow classmate.
What a poisonous tongue…
This girl's tongue became more proficient than the last time I witnessed it.
I glanced at the guy's sleeve and saw a Pegasus engraving, so he was in the Pegasus Class.
"Enough Clara. You shouldn't accuse him without proof like that."
Simon defended the guy.
Simon was like Jayden but bolder with his sense of justice.
"Don't talk to me Simon! Did your ego swell because of your new status? It doesn't work with me!"
"W-What"
"Pffft-"
I stifled my laugh at Carla's words.
My bad Carla really knows how to destabilize people like Simon.
Simon and Clara noticed my presence but didn't say anything.
"Clara, you are going too far."
A new figure appeared.
A red-haired and red-eyed young man.
He was also a [Pretender].
"Eric…"
Simon muttered.
Eric Scarlett.
He was the son of a Duke as well, like Simon and Clara.
"What's happening?"
"Incredible, I can't believe so many famous figures are in the same place as me…"
"There seemed to be a problem, though."
The crowd around us only got bigger with so many eye-catching people in the same place.
"Don't dare order me around, Eric!"
Clara's anger didn't diminish a bit with Eric's arrival; rather, she was angrier than before.
After all, Eric and Simon were people who knew her; she couldn't believe they were defending a stranger over her. Carla was the kind of girl to put herself above everyone else; she was arrogant, and she had the right to be like that.
I mean, she was strong, smart, and beautiful, so why not?
Unfortunately for her, Simon was a righteous person. As for Eric... he wasn't really righteous, but if I had to give a reason behind his intervention, it would be because Eric was in the Pegasus class as well, just like the guy that Clara was framing. Points could be deducted from his class if the matter wasn't resolved peacefully after all.
"You started it, Clara. Are you not tired of being this attention-seeking girl?"
Ouch.
Eric's words were really harsh but true.
"Y-You!"
"Enough."
Before Clara snapped, the voice of the girl I didn't want here, rang.
Louisa, visibly angry that her presentation didn't go well because of a stupid quarrel, arrived.
"If you want to fight, you can request a friendly match from the teachers responsible for that, but do not bother the people who came to discover my club."
Louisa stared coldly at Carla, Eric, and Simon.
"Don't get cocky because of your position, Louisa!"
Carla snapped and stormed out angrily.
She really didn't care about Louisa's strong position in the academy…
"The show is over."
At Louisa's words, the crowd dispersed quickly.
"Simon."
"Yes."
Then she started talking to Simon and the shivering guy. I didn't hear what they were talking about, but Simon and the guy nodded their heads.
Eric glanced at us first, then at me for a long time before leaving.
"Jayden, you should register."
Milleia spoke to break the tense ambiance.
"Yeah."
Jayden left.
Milleia and Lyra followed him.
Lyra glanced at me, who was looking at Louisa and Simon, before leaving.
"He will join us later."
Like that, I was alone.
After a few more seconds, Louisa left in a hurry to take care of the organization.
Simon saw off the pale man, and his eyes fell on me.
I averted my eyes and turned around.
"Edward."
I ignored.
"Wait, I just want to talk a little."
Simon squeezed my shoulder to stop me.
I slapped his hand away and looked at him.
"What do you want?"
I asked in a neutral tone.
Simon sighed at my tone.
"Why…why are you like this? I feel like you changed a little in a good way, but why are you still avoiding us? I can understand why you hate me but Elona is your blood sister. Do you know how much-"
"Okay, enough."
I raised my hand to stop him.
"You understand nothing, Simon. The mere fact that you are thinking I hate you because of jealousy is really making me want to throw up. I will ask you a question Simon, answer me truthfully."
"..."
"If I start to kill people around me, what would you do? Will you stop me or kill me?"
Simon gasped at my words.
I said 'killing people around' after all.
"W-What-"
"Answer me!"
"..."
Simon's mouth opened and closed, confused, but he eventually opened it.
"O-Of course I will stop you and help you to -"
"Enough."
I laughed and shook my head.
If you were really thinking that, you wouldn't have taken part in my death in the game, Simon.
I turned around and walked away.
"Edward! You might think differently, but I really think of you as a brother. I'm sure father and…mother will sto-"
I grabbed Simon's shirt before he could finish spewing bullsh*t.
"What father? What mother?"
[<Amael.>]
"My shitty father has never existed! My mother is dead! You hear that?! As for you, both your parents are dead, Simon!"
"!"
"Don't try to stick yourself in my life as if we were born together! It's freaking disgusting."
I spat with contempt.
Simon lowered his head and clenched his fists.
"What? Are you angry?"
I scoffed, and my lips slowly curled up.
"Edward!"
Just when I was about to talk again about his parents, someone cut me off.
I shifted my head to see behind Simon and saw Aurora.
She was also in this club.
Aurora was looking at us with a complicated expression.
"Get lost."
I pushed Simon away with a click of my tongue.
He was stronger than me, but look at the way he acted after all I said.
It was really pissing me off.