"What happened?"
Miranda's wind started to blow the smoke away, slowly revealing a group of people heading straight for us.
Curse my luck!
Quickly, I pulled a plaid out of my ring and placed it over Kleah's head. It might have hidden her elf ears, but her aura was still obvious.
"Senior, don't run. It's useless," I said, stepping in front of Kleah. "Just stay behind me. I'll take care of this."
"No, I-"
"Kleah," I interrupted, kneeling down to look at her hidden face. "Trust me."
There was a moment of hesitation, but eventually she nodded.
I stood up and turned around, preparing to unleash my Falkrona bloodline. With a strong determination, I summoned a grey aura that swirled around both Kleah and myself, slowly concealing her elven aura.
"What are you doing?" Miranda asked, confusion etched on her face.
"No. Don't come."
As she took a step forward and saw Kleah on the ground behind me, I warned her not to take any more steps.
Burning through even more mana, I activated the first and second wings of the Falkrona Bloodline abilities. My thoughts accelerated, and my speed increased significantly. It wasn't for show—I needed to earn enough time to get Kleah out of this mess.
The wind picked up around me, stirred by my powerful aura. It seemed to confuse everyone around me, but I didn't have time to worry about that. My mind was already focused on finding a solution to the problem at hand.
My mana was depleting rapidly as I pushed it to its limits, causing a pounding headache to set in. I gritted my teeth and tried to ignore the pain as I searched for a way to resolve the situation.
Suddenly, a familiar voice called out to me, "Kleah? What happened?!"
I inwardly groaned. Just what I needed, more distractions.
Ignoring me completely, Liart stepped forward and scanned the area, his eyes searching for Kleah. She timidly stood up and clung to my back, seeking shelter behind me. Fortunately, she was shorter than me, so I was able to shield her from view.
I could tell that Liart was angry, probably because Kleah had ignored him and sought comfort in my presence instead. I bristled with annoyance as he approached us, but I didn't let it show.
"She's sick, can't you see?" I snapped at him, my tone sharp. "Back off and give us some space."
Just buzz off for fuck's sake!
Do you need me to spell it for you?
She doesn't like you!
It's obvious!
[<Maybe he is just dense?>]
'No, I'm sure he knows it but refused to abandon.'
"Leave us? Aahaahaha! Rather she is in danger with someone like you!"
Liart's villainous laughter grated on my nerves, and I cringed at the sight of him putting his hand on his face. He continued to taunt me, insisting that Kleah was in danger with me, but I refused to back down.
"I know Kleah better than you ever could," Liart declared, his voice dripping with arrogance. "My father knows the best doctors in the kingdom, and I'll make sure she gets the help she needs."
I rolled my eyes. "Are you deaf? I said leave us alone," I repeated, my tone now laced with a threatening edge. I channeled my inner Edward from the Second Game, and it seemed to work. Most of my clubmates backed away with yelps and shrieks, clearly intimidated by my sudden shift in demeanor.
But Liart wasn't deterred. His eyes blazed with anger as he advanced toward me, clearly intending to attack. Kleah clung to my back, her grip tightening with fear.
I knew that Kleah possessed elven magic, but until now, she had concealed it with the bracelet she always wore. In this moment of crisis, she was unable to use her magic to defend herself.
Just as Liart's fist was about to connect with my face, a sudden gust of wind blew in, and Miranda appeared next to him. "Leave them, Liart," she ordered calmly.
"Myra? You want to leave Kleah with this scum who assaulted girls?" Liart sneered, still trying to provoke me.
I gritted my teeth, determined not to rise to his bait.
[<It's alright Amael.>]
I took a deep breath and stepped back, with Kleah behind me.
Miranda's tangerine eyes locked onto me as she bit her lip and let out a sigh. "Kleah is not a child. If she trusts him, then we have to respect her choice," she said, attempting to diffuse the tension.
Liart clenched his fists, clearly not satisfied with the outcome. I knew I was nearly out of mana, and the prospect of another battle didn't seem appealing.
As if reading my thoughts, Liart smirked and swung his hand, sending a wave of mana hurtling towards me. I was just about to grab my staff when lightning crackled and a figure appeared before me. The two forces collided, and the attacks cancelled each other out.
A wave of relief washed over me when I realized it was Jayden. "I thought you'd never come," I said, exhausted.
Jayden scratched his cheek awkwardly. "I wasn't sure what to do, but I couldn't let you face him alone."
Tyler joined us, bounding up to Jayden's side. "I'm here too!"
I nodded in appreciation before turning to Kleah. "Don't worry, they'll take care of this."
"Okay…"
"Now, relax a bit. I will take you out of here."
As I lifted Kleah up in a princess carry, I surveyed our surroundings, looking for a place to retreat to. With my first wing activated, I drew a passage to an isolated location. I stomped the ground with my second wing, causing my figure to blur.
I couldn't help but glance back at Liart, his expression livid with fury. I frowned for a moment before leaving.
"Do you have another one?" I asked Kleah as we sped away.
"No…the headmaster was the one giving me that."
As I raced towards the fourth building, Kleah's arms were wrapped tightly around my neck. Her body was soft and warm against mine, but I couldn't let myself be distracted. I needed to find a solution to her bracelet problem.
"The headmaster, huh?" I mused aloud. "He's the only one who knows your true identity, right?"
Kleah nodded in confirmation. I picked up my pace, feeling a sense of urgency.
"I'll speak to him as soon as possible," I promised her.
Kleah let out a small sigh of relief, and I felt a twinge of guilt for not realizing the severity of the situation earlier.
"Hold on tight, Senior," I said and accelerated even more.
"Whaaaa-hyaaaaa!"
Ignoring Kleah's cute scream, I focused on my surroundings as I ran, taking note of any potential threats. It wouldn't do to let my guard down, especially since Liart was still out there somewhere.
"So, what exactly happened with your bracelet?" I asked Kleah, hoping to gain a better understanding of the situation.
"It's made of rare materials and is strong, but also weak. Mana overload could easily disrupt its ability," she explained. "Usually I wear protection against such eventuality…"
I see.
Elven magic and mana are different. Mana overload, I don't how—disturbed her bracelet made from elven magic.
My eyebrows shot up in surprise. "And you didn't wear any protection today?"
Kleah looked down, embarrassed. "I...I forgot."
"...are you really in the top three of the second years?" I asked Kleah incredulously.
"I am!"
"Ouch! What the heck?!" I groaned when Kleah pinched me out of nowhere.
"It's because of you, junior!" Kleah almost sulked.
"Me?" I scoffed. "Because of whom did I overload those bracers, senior?"
"I admit it's me, but now you are rewarded. Men would kill to carry me," Kleah said, nodding her head.
Such a narcissist.
"I see, then I shall profit," I said, smirking.
I closed the distance between me and Kleah, but before I could do anything, she palmed my face with a red, embarrassed expression.
"H-Hey! What are you thinking?!" Kleah stammered.
"I'm just taking my reward," I replied playfully.
"W-What are you thinking?!" Kleah exclaimed as she pushed me away.
We continued to banter as we ran at a tremendous speed towards the fourth building.
Now how do I enter without gathering attent-
A bright light surrounded us, and in an instant, we were transported to a room with ornate white walls. As I regained my bearings, I heard a voice behind me.
"Do you need something, Edward Falkrona, or should I call you Olphean now?"
I turned around to see Geoffrey Higer Eden, the headmaster, sitting behind a large desk, his golden eyes piercing into me before shifting to Kleah.
"I wouldn't have expected such a relationship between you two."
Kleah and I looked at each other, unsure of what to say. I was still holding her close to my chest, and I could feel her body tense up.
"Leave me!" she exclaimed, pushing me away.
"I know," I replied, stepping back.
The headmaster shook his head, amused by our youthful antics. He then tossed something at Kleah, which she caught with surprise. It was the same bracelet that I had burned.
"Be careful next time. Your sister won't let me in peace so easily if something happens to you," he warned her.
"Thank you," Kleah replied with a grateful smile.
The headmaster then turned his attention to me. "Edward, I would like to have a serious discussion with you."
I could see the worry in Kleah's eyes, and she quickly jumped to my defense.
"N-No, headmaster. It was because of me... Junior didn't do anything wrong."
"It's not for that young girl. Regardless, I still need to talk to him. You don't have to worry."
"Yeah, don't worry senior."
I couldn't resist teasing Kleah a bit. Her face, now partially covered by the plaid, revealed a stunning, elven-like appearance as she blushed in response to my remark.
"Don't get too full of yourself, junior. I'll see you at the next session," she retorted, giving me a fierce look before turning and walking away.
[<Are you seducing her?>]
[Definitely.]
'I am not!'
It was just well... Teasing a heroine was sure fun.
I don't really have the occasion with the others after all.
I sighed and turned toward the headmaster, who opened his mouth.
"Edward Olphean Falkrona, will you take a seat so we can discuss?"